Enjoy Wrestling Debut

"If you build it, he will come"- Field of Dreams

That iconic line was whispered in the 1989 sports drama as Kevin Costner wandered around a cornfield. Based on the W.P. Kinsella novel, the film chronicles the reemergence of Shoeless Joe Jackson and his disgraced teammates that threw the 1919 world series. The Costner character loved the game and did eventually build a stadium for those players to have one more go around the baseball diamond. The movie was so wholesome and enduring that art imitated life in recent years when an actual MLB game was played at the site where the production was filmed.

The lesson being that with enough passion and dedication, anything is possible.

Much like other avenues in the sports genre, professional wrestling is based on incredible athletics and the emotional investment of those in attendance. The thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat translate from the field, the ice, and the canvas.

For a group of diehard wrestling fans, they had such a passion for the over-the-top spectacle of the sport that it wasn't uncommon for them to jam into a car, zigzagging across the country to attend the best cards possible, considering that there's nothing quite like the energy of a live event. This Pittsburgh crew were thrilled anytime they heard the opening bell, but something was missing for them. As fun as jammin' to tunes in the car on the road is, why not bring these stellar cards to their hometown?

Pittsburgh, a region known almost as much for its wrestling as the steel it once produced, has such a storied history of the grappling arts. Names like Bruno, Angle, Douglas, Graves, and others decorate the story of the iron city in the ring. As many chapters as there are in the history books for Western Pennsylvania, many have looked for the area to shine in the future as well.

That group of diehard fans look to make that happen, as Enjoy Wrestling will finally get its chance to debut in front of a live audience this Friday at Pittsburgh's Grand Hall.

 Kurt Hackimer, Maxx Gregg, Taylor Gregg, and Scotty Swemba are the minds behind the concept of Enjoy Wrestling, promoted as a progressive professional wrestling company that aims to be inclusive of athletes and fans from all backgrounds. The common theme from everyone that is slated to be in attendance at The Grand Hall, both performers and fans, is a love for the sport.

"Maxx works for FEST Wrestling in Gainesville, FL as a color commentator and as his exposure to the wrestling business grew, those conversations became more serious. The wheels really started moving when Scotty, who does graphics and video for FEST, moved to Pittsburgh and expressed interest in getting further into the wrestling business," explained Kurt.

The discussions of creating the brand of wrestling they wanted to bring to their hometown wasn't just water cooler talk or some pipe dream, with two of the pals with their foot already in the door, the foursome put their heads together to conceptualize not only the brand, but also it's eye-catching logo, which Swemba designed. Keeping the operation local to stay trye to the to initial vision, the Enjoy team went to the Pittsburgh-based Commonwealth Press group to handle the production of merchandise. Hackimer cites the printing organization's support from the early stages of the Enjoy concept and the fact that the press workers are unionized as just a few of the reasons the merchandise aspect of the brand has been successful.

"It really pops on merchandise and legitimatizes us as a brand. Several of my friends who aren't wrestling fans wear our merchandise and frequently comment about how many compliments they get while wearing our t-shirts," Kurt commented.

By 2019, the pieces started to come together on paper, but the wrestling business is known for its barriers to entry, with the costs of licensing, equipment, and numerous other trivial aspects that most fans don't think about when they enthusiastically cheer for the action that is eventually presented in the ring. The concept of Enjoy was developed on a very grass roots level so the management team decided to test the waters with just how far the DIY approach could take them, launching an Indiegogo campaign with rewards tiers based on the promise of tickets to future events and the already impressive selection of merchandise. Kurt expected some level of support from his tight-knit group of friends and family, but even he was surprised by the amount of people that contributed to the start up fund of the progressive project.,

"When we launched the Indiegogo campaign, we were already sure that Enjoy was going to happen in some capacity. We just needed some startup funds to get us going, but we were blown away by how successful the campaign was. It gained steam organically, just our friends and family pitching in and sharing the link on Facebook, mostly. A lot of people just believed in our vision and were excited for the brand of wrestling that we intended to produce," Hackimer noted.

But even with such a level of dedication and support, Kurt and his pals realize how much of a learning experience this entire project will be when "Night Movies" sounds its opening bell this Friday.

"The learning curve is pretty steep. There's no guidebook or anything for running a wrestling event. You just kind of have to ask a lot of questions and put yourself out there. Fortunately, we had a lot of people willing to help us along and let us know how things are supposed to be run," he explained.

Originally penciled in for a May 2020 debut, Enjoy, similar to every wrestling group in the world, was impacted by the COVID shutdown last year and plans were shelved until progress was made with the virus numbers. In an attempt to give its supporters some content to help them get through such an exhausting period, and to give independent wrestlers some work, Enjoy held a pair of "Canned Heat," its Youtube series, tapings on a closed set with a strict plan of safety measures. COVID testing, social distancing, and a very limited number of people were on the set for what provided an introduction to fans for the Enjoy brand.

"Our decision to put our content on YouTube goes hand-in-hand with our stated mission to bring new fans to professional wrestling. Most of our friends and family members aren't going to spend ten dollars for a subscription service just to watch our product. We decided that best way to get new eyes onto Enjoy Wrestling and expand our brand is to make our content easily digestible and readily accessible," Kurt said.

With all the proper paperwork filed for their promoter's license and a foundation in place with its Canned Heat series, "Night Movies" becomes the focus for the management team. True to its mission statement, Enjoy will bring an array of all-star talent to the steel city for an inclusive and diverse presentation for an event nearly two years in the making. Enjoy champion, MV Young, who returns to his home turf after a stellar few years wrestling in New York, will defend against Max, one of the true standouts anywhere in wrestling today. Another title defense is on the card as the charismatic and newly-minted Internet champion, Effy will defend his FEST Wrestling championship against Billy Dixon, an athlete many consider to be the next breakout star on the independent circuit. Commander James Stephanie Sterling brings their team to compete in an eight-person tag team match. In an ode to lucha libre, Edith Surreal and Ziggy Haim will square off in a hair vs. mask match to settle a rivalry that began during the previously mentioned Canned Heat tapings. Newly-signed All Elite Wrestling star, Lee Moriarty will have a proper sendoff to TNT when he competes against Darius Lockhart. With even more bouts on the stacked card, the event has generated anticipation for everyone from management to the fans that will be there to witness it.

"We've also got the debuts of Saieve Al Sabah, Savannah Evans, Rob Killjoy, PB Smooth, and Veda Scott as they square off with established Enjoy Wrestling talent. And, of course, we'll have a couple surprises for everyone too. It's going to be a huge violent party and everyone who attends is guaranteed to have a blast," Kurt said enthusiastically.

"Enjoy wrestling is bringing a different type of wrestling to the Pittsburgh scene. There are many different styles and flavors however you can expect The Runway to continue to makeover the professional wrestling scene at Enjoy Wrestling," Calvin Couture added.

Despite the fanfare and the success so far, Enjoy stays grounded in its grass roots approach. Their ring, which was driven from Tampa, Florida last year, is stored in Scotty's garage next to boxes marked as holiday decorations. As cliche as it might sound, Enjoy Wrestling is quite literally for the fans and by the fans. Kurt and his crew of wrestling fanatics wanted a more diverse and inclusive brand in the Pittsburgh area so instead of waiting for someone else to make a half-hearted attempt, they brought this wild project to reality.

"We implore you to tell your non-wrestling-fan friends about Enjoy. There were so many people at our small taping in May who said they had never seen independent wrestling live before that day. That's what we're after. When we run an event, we want the building to be full of wide-eyed folks who have never even considered attending an indie show before. We want college students, punks, and neighborhood locals to buy tickets, feel comfortable, and experience the brilliance of professional wrestling because, when it's done well, there is no better form of live entertainment. If you come see Enjoy Wrestling, you'll see the LGBTQIA+ community well represented. You'll see more than just one or two people of color. You'll see women competing against men on equal footing. And all of it will be done with flare, style, and production values beyond what any Pittsburgh promotion has exhibited previously," Kurt concluded.

This Friday night at Pittsburgh's Grand Hall looks to be the starting point of a new chapter in the lengthy history books of professional wrestling in the steel city. Wrestlers and fans from all different backgrounds will be brought together by the common theme of a passion for professional wrestling so it's very fitting that the same passion is what took the Enjoy concept from notes scribbled on paper to a reality inside the squared circle.

Extreme Rules review

With just six matches announced, Extreme Rules went on the air last night, in a few different languages. As much as I enjoy occasionally hearing the bass voice of Carlos Cabrera during the typical introductions of the foreign language announce teams, I thought I must've somehow pushed what I eventually realized was a non-existent SAP button on the remote when the Spanish broadcast was heard during the opening of the show. I could be wrong, but I think there was also a brief time when the French broadcast was heard as well and if so, here's a shout out to Ray Rougeau. Liv Morgan defeated Carmella in a contest that was shifted to the pre-show and it somewhat gave the impression that this pay-per-view was either thrown together simply because a PPV was on the schedule or it's viewed as cannon fodder before Survivor Series.

It was announced that a six man tag team match was added to the pay-per-view, still keeping the total of six matches on the main card. The New Day defeated AJ Styles, Omos, and Bobby Lashley. There are a few takeaways from this bout that say a lot about not only the booking of this show, but also the general direction or lack thereof with the brand. The WWE champion in the opening match, especially when it's not something like the HIAC event, where it makes sense to pace the gimmick matches, gives the impression that the title or the champion is secondary. Furthermore, this tag match would fit with an easy booking for a Raw main event more or less for any random episode so how exactly is that considered PPV worthy?

The concept of television matches that just happen to be booked on a pay-per-view was a common theme throughout the event.

The finish of the six man tag saw Big E pin Lashley and then in a post-match promo challenge him for the start of Raw tonight. I'm all for the fighting baby face champion, something that WWE doesn't usually book well, and I understand the logic of trying to get viewers to tune into the show early to try to prevent the competition from Monday Night Football, but the audience just saw Big E pin Lashley so what exactly is the draw to watch it again the next night?

There's not much to say about the Smackdown tag team title match. It was fine, but again, it was a television match that just happened to be on a pay-per-view. The action was entertaining and the teams work well together, but considering their previous bouts on Smackdown, this literally was just a retread from TV matches. The Usos retained, but as long as the Bloodline is the main angle on Smackdown, it's doubtful there will be a title switch.

The good news is, Charlotte Flair vs. Alexa Bliss was a very good Women's title match that showcased the skills of both athletes very well. Flair and Bliss are two great performers that should be staples of the division because they add a lot of depth to the Raw brand. Charlotte was always talented, but showed some inexperience during her first few years on the main roster, which isn't meant as a criticism, but rather to point out the stage of her career at the time. That being said, she's really just starting the prime of her career and that speaks volumes to how talented she is as a performer because she took her natural athleticism and learned to blend it into sports entertainment. The bad news is, the ridiculous angle for this match overshadowed both of these talented competitors. Alexa Bliss is doing the best that anyone is probably going to do with such a ridiculous gimmick, but it's still just cringe worthy. That's not a jab against her, but rather the situation the writing team books for her on almost a weekly basis. The finish saw Flair retain when she used the doll to distract Bliss, which is completely counterproductive to the promo from last week where Bliss hyped the title match. An audience is supposed to believe that the doll is more important than the championship? The post-match meltdown showed that instead of "foaming at the mouth," which is gross anytime, not to mention a pandemic, you could clearly see that Bliss had an Alka Seltzer tablet in her mouth. At least she won't get indigestion. However, the audience might after watching this circus.

The US title match was fine and Damian Priest retained. While it was obvious that Jeff Hardy was just there to take the pin, it shouldn't be understated that he's still one of the most over performers on the roster. Despite the 24/7 title nonsense and being booked like a lower mid-card guy recently, Hardy still has enough gas left in the tank for another main event run as a challenger for a heel champion. In fact, all three of these athletes are some of the most solid wrestlers on the roster, but the US title was considered secondary for years so this bout just didn't have the hype around it before the show.

Similar to the Raw Women's title bout, the Smackdown side of the division had two very talented wrestlers with a finish that took away from their performance. In a recent article, I discussed the misuse of the hometown baby face to build this match, but the bigger point is, Bianca and Becky are two top notch wrestlers. The fact that Becky is being miscast as a heel upon her return is a booking problem, not a Becky problem. If WWE brass didn't want either of these competitors to do the job then the simple solution is not to book the match in the first place. Sasha making yet another return is a recycled concept and doesn't have the sizzle it did prior to this. The DQ finish on a pay-per-view, regardless of the Peacock era when shows are either free or $4.99, is a flat conclusion to a title match. Theoretically, the pay-per-views are major events and where winners are determined. Becky was one of the most over competitors in the company when she left, but she returned as a marginal heel. Bianca was near the level of the top women's wrestler on the roster, but is a mid-level baby face now. Nothing management has done with this angle has maximized the skills of those involved, and that speaks to a much bigger problem within the WWE landscape.

Roman Reigns vs. Finn Balor was a quality main event, until the finish. I'm sure you're noticing a pattern with this show. The problem was, nobody in the building believed that Finn was going to win the title. The finish with the red lights and Finn randomly being revived based on the beat of the music was just hokey. It's one of those situations where wrestling fans are embarrassed to watch wrestling. Finn Balor is another wrestler on the roster that hasn't been fully utilized and even this main event spot will be known for the goofy special effects. Balor was so mismanaged that he returned to NXT for a stint that was designed to try to beat AEW in the ratings more than to rejuvenate his career. As far as Finn back on the main roster, where does he go after a goofy finish like that? Granted, Balor makes good money and appears to be at the latter stage of his career so there's really no reason to ponder a jump to AEW, but it's still disappointing that he's underutilized in the WWE.

On a show where there were a fair share of glaring mistakes, prehaps the biggest mistake was to book a pay-per-view called Extreme Rules without almost anything extreme on the show. Keep in mind, I've written for years that using gimmick pay-per-views is a major mistake because an angle, not the calendar should dictate if gimmick matches are booked, but if management is going to schedule a gimmick pay-per-view then there should at least be stipulations booked for the event.

AEW Grand Slam

After a few months of anticipation, a level that built even more after the buzz that followed All Out earlier this month, All Elite Wrestling hosted more than 20,000 fans at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York for AEW Grand Slam. Especially after the recent talent acquisitions for the company, the pressure was on for this show to make a statement about not only AEW, but the professional wrestling industry as a whole.

So did All Elite Wrestling hit a grand slam in Arthur Ashe Stadium?

The broadcast opened with Bryan Danielson, who made his AEW in-ring debut, against Kenny Omega in a non-title bout. This was a smart decision because for those that would tune into the start of the show, there was a big match to bring them into the episode, particularly because the topic was trending on social media throughout the day so if casual WWE fans looked to see Bryan, it was wise to give them familiar faces with Bryan in the first match and then the CM Punk promo that followed it. As far as the in-ring action here, we can parse details, but that would be missing the forest through the trees. Quite simply, this was a classic bout that will be remembered as pivotal in the history of All Elite. The selling, the pacing, the intensity, and the action were top-notch in this contest. It was a physical match that went thirty minutes without any stalling and these two stellar athletes told a narrative through the competition of the match that built great drama toward the finish. Some critics that are looking for something to complain about more than anything might say that Tony Khan gave away this bout on free TV, but I completely disagree with that misguided critique of this booking. First of all, the biggest audience for professional wrestling will be on television and considering the level of hype around this show, it's possible this broadcast does one of the better numbers in the company's history. Given the circumstances of the momentum the organization has, putting this match-up on television on this stage makes a much more important statement about All Elite as a company than what would've been gained with the buyrate of a pay-per-view. A stellar bout like this accomplishments much more on television because it helps establish the brand of AEW. Along with that, there's not a right or wrong answer, but you won't see a match like that or a thirty-minute draw on WWE TV so it's another way to establish that AEW is an alternative in the industry.

Furthermore, the finish of a draw was more or less perfect because after such a quality match, nobody is going to complain about it and putting this bout on TNT has definitely generated the demand for a rematch, which can be put on pay-per-view to generate revenue. The way this was booked was more of a "preview" so to speak and it was done very well because it sets up for the pay-per-view payoff.

As mentioned, the CM Punk promo was well-placed after the Bryan-Omega contest since Punk is probably the biggest star on the roster and anything else trying to follow the non-title match probably would've fell flat. I don't want to be repetitive, but as I wrote in an article last week that the use of hometown baby faces is an example of positivity in All Elite and that makes it much easier for fans to rally around the product. For years, WWE brass appeared to have a level of contempt for its audience when the crowd rejected the corporate agenda. Granted, wrestling fans are some of the most jaded fans of any genre, but the point is, professional wrestling is supposed to be entertainment for the audience. For CM Punk, who many thought would never be involved in pro wrestling again, it's another positive statement about AEW that he was willing to sign a contract. The feud with Team Taz is a good choice since it gives the over baby face odds to overcome, and it allows for Will Hobbs to get a certain level of credibility to be paired against Punk. Hobbs definitely has potential and the Punk promo put him over as a worthy challenger.

The Pillman-MJF match was decent and had an easy story to tell throughout it. The angle was based on revenge for Pillman, but all things considered, it was the right call for MJF to win this contest. MJF needed this angle to generate some heat after the rather flat loss to Jericho at All Out, and Pillman has more to do in the tag division anyway. I think Pillman has a lot of potential in the future, but to get the most from the assets already on the roster, it would make sense for the Varsity blonds to eventually get a run as tag team champions before Pillman moves up the card.

Sting and Darby vs. FTR was a really good tag match and solidified why Dax and Cash are two of the best workers in the business. Everything FTR did was crisp and they made Sting look like a million dollars. It was a text book example of a bumping heel that makes the baby face. For Sting, especially for his age, looked great and kept up with everyone in the match. This is a scenario where the occasional Sting match can work very well and added something special to an already stacked card. It goes without saying that the association with Sting put more of a spotlight on Darby Allin. Sting and Darby got the win in a fun match.

Cody vs. Malakai Black was a decent match, and specifically Black could be a major player for AEW if he continues on this path, as the presentation with the entrance and the persona is money. Black got the victory so it's possible Cody might be away from television a few more weeks to finish filming any TV projects. At the same time, it might've just been the traditionally cynical New York crowd, but Cody was booed throughout the contest. This is situation where Cody's character must be booked carefully to avoid souring the fans on him. There's a fine line between leading a revolution and nepotism, at least in the view of wrestling fans. Don't get me wrong, Cody is a polished pro and one of the best on the roster, but with the addition of the Rhodes to The Top reality show, it might give the diehard AEW crowd the impression that Cody wants to be a reality TV star, not a wrestling star.

The Women's title match was solid and a quality main event to conclude the show, even if it seemed somewhat rushed so maybe there was a timing situation or the bout was just penciled in for a shorter amount of time. Baker retained the title, but considering how over Ruby is with the AEW crowd, it's very possible that this will be another rematch on pay-per-view.

VHS Memoirs Volume 19

It's not quite October yet, but since the sunny weather fades away in September, which is the most depressing month of the year for some reason, I picked Halloween Havoc 1991 for this edition of the VHS Memoirs on Peacock. Granted, I watched a streaming service for this review, (work with me here) but had actually first watched this broadcast years ago after my older cousins rented it from Blockbuster. Remember video stores? Not surprisingly, the only thing I specifically remember from that original viewing was that Abdullah The Butcher was put in an electric chair, and a few decades later, that's more of less still the only thing this show is memorable for, something that speaks volumes to how much of a mess WCW was as a promotion at the time. In truth, this show should've had the tagline, "diamond in the rough" because there are a few gems on the card if you can suffer through the Jim Herd nonsense.

The opening match was the infamous "Chambers of Horrors" match, a gimmick match that was the rather odd WCW cage with the electric chair that was lowered from the ceiling. There were a few wooden caskets inside the cage, and a random masked guy popped out of when of them with no explanation before he was beaten down by the baby face team. It was Sting, El Gigante and the Steiner Brothers vs. Abdullah the Butcher, The Diamond Stud, Cactus Jack and Vader. I'm not sure why the outlandish gimmick match was put on the card first, particularly because the only way to win the bout was to electrocute the opponents so how exactly is any other match on the card going to follow a form of capital punishment? Aside from the absolute train wreck that the match was as a presentation, the fact that some top-tier talent was booked for this had a pay-per-view that lacked depth on the rest of the card. This whole thing was clunky, clumsy, and ridiculous. It was about 10 minutes of wondering what exactly is the point of any of this, and even the announce team, the duo of Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone sounded puzzled about the entire concept. Eventually, Rick Steiner put Abdullah in the electric chair, and Cactus Jack climbed the cage to flip the switch for an electrical box that wasn't actually connected to anything. Fire works flew in every direction, setting spots of the ring on fire, which truly shows how much thought was put into this whole debacle. During the chaos, an unexplained group of zombies brought a stretcher to ringside, but thankfully, Cactus was able to revive Abby just 45 seconds after the fireworks show and the madman from the Sudan waddled from the ring to attack the zombies before his exit.

From there, Big Josh and PN News beat The Creatures, a non-descript masked tag team in about five minutes. Big Josh looked rather filthy, and it was easy to see why PN News didn't skyrocket to fame from rapping or wrestling. Big Josh gets the pin and it's best for everyone if we discontinue any further discussion about the Big Josh/PN News team.

Thankfully, just when viewers might be questioning their sanity or how much of this silliness they could endure, the Bobby Eaton/Terry Taylor contest gave the broadcast a boost in quality. It might sound repetitive with the other VHS Memoirs reviews of this era, but Bobby Eaton is such a stellar performer and was a major asset to any event, which shows just how consistent he was bell-to-bell. Terry Taylor, still dubbed the "computerized wrestler of the 90s" at this point as a member of the York Foundation, is often mocked because of his run as The Red Rooster in the WWF or suggestions that he made a career of being a backstage stooge after he retired from the ring, but make no mistake about it, Taylor was could go in the ring. This was the technical bout you would expect from these two and everything was very crisp. Eaton got the win after a really solid match.

Johnny B. Badd, still in his rookie year in WCW beat Jimmy Garvin, but the narrative in this contest was rather confusing as it wasn't clear who was the heel. Micheal Hayes was at ringside, but claimed he couldn't wrestle because of an injury with his arm in a sling. However, when Badd was on the floor, Hayes took his arm from the sling and landed a punch to Badd. Later in the match Badd, who had Teddy Long at ringside, used a towel from his manager to choke Garvin. The actual in-ring stuff was fine, nothing great, but nothing terrible either. Still, the match was somewhat flat and the crowd response was minimal.

Steve Austin and Dustin Runnels went to a 15-minute time limit draw for the TV title. In many ways, you could see that these two had a lot of potential, even if nobody would've guessed that Austin would go on to become the biggest star in the business. It's ironic to consider that these two had just two years experience at this point, but still looked like solid pros even if their performances weren't quite as refined yet. This was a work horse match with a lot of back and fourth action that brought some fast-paced wrestling to the card, very similar to the Eaton/Taylor match earlier. Dustin gets busted open, and Austin started to bleed as well before the bell for the time limit draw.

Bill Kazmaier, a former strongman champion and an athlete that had sporadic stints of wrestling throughout his career beat Oz with a version of the torture rack. Kazmaier seems like a very nice guy in real life and has done a lot of motivational speaking throughout his career as a power lifter, but professional wrestling just wasn't his "strong" suite. Whoever booked this match was either clueless or specifically wanted to see a train wreck. These two cement mixers were fumbling all over the place for about three and a half minutes to absolutely zero reaction from the crowd. Kazmaier had some experience, but not on a regular basis, and Kevin Nash, who was somehow given the gimmick of a fictional place, was still in his rookie year in the sport so who in the office that this was a good booking decision?

Van Hammer defeated Doug Summers in a minute and 14 seconds, but the match was still about a minute too long. Doug Summers appeared to be less than thrilled to be there and kicked out almost before the three count at the finish. Summers, known for his tag run alongside Buddy Rose years earlier in the AWA, looked like a gas station attendant. I'm not sure how Van Hammer had the gimmick of a rock star or brought a guitar to the ring when he couldn't actually play it. Somehow Van Hammer is a worse person than he is a pro wrestler, which you can Google search if you want the details.

The WCW Phantom defeated Tom Zenk is roughly 60 seconds and appeared later for a promo to reveal that it was Rick Rude. It goes without saying that Rude was a major acquisition for WCW and his work in this era was one of the highlights during a time when former Pizza Hut executive, Jim Herd insisted the company book goofy gimmicks.

Brian Pillman defeated Richard Morton to win the short-lived WCW Light Heavyweight title, and the match was fine, but on paper, you would probably expect more from this match. If I had to pick a specific reason, the ill-fate Morton heel turn to join the York foundation just didn't get over. Morton was a trademark baby face and it was just odd to see him work as a heel.

The Enforcers, Arn Anderson and Larry Zbyszko, defended their world tag titles against the US tag champions, Firebreaker Chip and Todd Champion. I wasn't aware that Chip and Champion held titles and it's unfortunate that this review brought it to light. The bout consisted of sloppy work from the challengers while the Arn and Larry Z literally worked circles around their opponents. If Firebreaker Chip and Todd Champion were the best option for the US tag champions then it's probably the best example of all time as to why a promotion shouldn't have two sets of tag titles. Thank god, the Enforcers retained the world titles for the finish of the contest.

The main event was Lex Luger defending the world title against Ron Simmons in a two out of three falls match. Keep in mind, this was the era when Ric Flair to the actual "Big Gold Belt" to WWF television after a dispute with Herd. Lex was over at various points in his career, but almost anyone put in the position to follow Flair as champion, especially after the way he exited the company, would be in a tough spot. The built up to the match was really well-done with a video package of Ron Simmons training and it highlighted his football background. The psychology of the bout also worked well, with Harley Race in as the manager for Luger, and Dusty Rhodes in the challenger's corner. Between falls, Harley and Dusty gave each competitor advice, similar to boxing, and it really gave the match a main event atmosphere. The actual in-ring stuff was okay, but wasn't really at the level of a pay-per-view main event. Again, Lex was a draw for different stints, but he didn't have the versatility to go twenty minutes in the main event of a pay-per-view.

Bianca Belair on Smackdown

No, this isn't a Charles Dickens novel, but I figured it was a clever title so work with me here. Professional wrestling, for as much as it's parsed and debated online, is still rather simplistic at its foundation. It's a theoretical athletic competition and within the sport there are narratives that play out. The aspects of storytelling are the same across the board because in any genre of entertainment, the narrative is based on the emotional investment into the key figures of the story. Of course, heroes vs. heels is the easiest story to be told because there are heroes and heels in real life so the narrative translates to an audience. Mr. Rogers vs. OJ Simpson will have all of Fred's neighbors cheering him to victory.

Along with the heroes and heels dynamic, there are other very easy stories that can be told that can maximize the results. Sometimes the simplest option is the best option.

One of those is when a wrestler is in their hometown because they garner the crowd support of being the local favorite. Intrinsically, the audience can identify with the performer because the competitor started their journey in the same place as the fans in the crowd. At a time when many comparisons between WWE and All Elite Wrestling are being made, the difference of how the hometown favorite was booked might explain why the momentum has shifted within the industry in recent months.

It became almost an infamous joke that WWE would embarrass those on the roster in their hometown, seemingly for no other reason than just to make someone look bad in the process. Jim Ross' autobiographies suggest just how rude the writing team was in this situations, and let's be clear, Jim Ross never deserved to be humiliated in his hometown or anywhere else. For whatever reasons, WWE brass passed on the chance to create a moment with a hometown ovation so that Vince McMahon could cackle about it backstage. "That's good stuff, pal!"

Last night's edition of Smackdown from Knoxville, Tennessee was no exception to the WWE rule Bianca Belair, who dropped the Women's title to Becky Lynch in roughly thirty seconds at Summer Slam, was in her hometown, and was given the key to the city by Kane, who is known at the real-life mayor of the city, Glen Jacobs. There was a WWE tie-in with the mayor of the city that hosted Smackdown and it gave Bianca a chance to get a moment on Smackdown. After such an abrupt halt to her title run, it makes sense to give her this type of reaction to help build toward the rematch with Lynch. Of course, Becky goes to the ring and the show goes off the air with Bianca beaten down with the heel posing on the stage. It was even more puzzling that the baby face started the confrontation and was then beaten down so Bianca looks foolish. How exactly is making the hometown baby face look silly good business? How does this put Bianca over as a star or hype the title rematch?

On the flip side, All Elite Wrestling used its recent stop in Cincinnati to add some sizzle to a main event match, as well as to set up a scenario that could get a younger talent to the next level. Jon Moxley had a main event match against the legendary Minoru Suzuki in Cincinnati, and while it looked like the match was rushed because of a timing issue, it created atmosphere that looked like the place to be, which can be very useful to create the perception of a brand.

More importantly, Brain Pillman Jr. was spotlighted in his hometown and it set up for a featured match against MJF. Granted, it remains to be seen if or how this angle will elevate Pillman, but it certainly gives him a chance to make a name for himself. Considering the talent and the potential that Pillman brings to the table, AEW maximized the opportunity it had in Cincinnati to make progress with one of the young stars on the roster. Plus, Aunt Linda, a wonderful lady that cared for Brian during a turbulent childhood, was given the chance to receive some well-deserved recognition. Aunt Linda is similar to Uncle Phil on the Fresh Prince of Belair, she's just Aunt Linda to wrestling fans.

The point being, the story writes itself in these scenarios and it's usually a wise decision to to attempt to utilize it in the most productive way possible. It's ironic that the sports entertainment business, despite being built on heat, is supposed to provide the entertainment to the audience. Sure, there's a time for the heat, but when there's an easy option for the nice moments, why not give the audience the nice moment? Pro wrestling is supposed to be fun for the fans. Granted, fun doesn't mean goofy gimmicks or ridiculous segments, but the fans are supposed to enjoy the product. There are jaded fans that will complain about everything just to be contrarian, but the vast majority of the audience just wants to enjoy the show. It's rather odd that as certain points in the past several years, it almost seemed like WWE management had a level of hostility toward its audience because the fans didn't agree with the corporate agenda, and thus some of the fan favorites were squashed. When there's another option for fans, it's much easier to dismiss the WWE's corporate agenda in favor of a product that's more fun. That's not to say that AEW is perfect because it's not, but to point out that an AEW broadcast usually has a more positive viewing experience based on what the audience wants to see on television. Big E. winning the title, something that was booked in response to the momentum of All Elite, was one of the few positive moments of the product this year. More than anything, the use of hometown baby faces and the presentation said a lot about the company.

3RW Wrestling

During the shutdown of most of the world in 2020, the time frame of more than a year when most places weren't open, one of the ways a group of friends maintained their sanity when stuck at home for long periods of time, was to set up Zoom calls, the almost standard of many meetings post-shutdown, to talk shop. One of the participants of these internet conferences was Bobby Piskor, a 20-year veteran of the independent circuit that has wore nearly every hat possible in the professional wrestling business. Between his role as the best official in the region for the International Wrestling Cartel, an accomplished in-ring competitor for several years around the tri-state area, work as a graphic designer for many wrestling-related events, and published author of several books, very few have the level of dedication and passion for the industry as Piskor.

Affectionately known as "Potter" among his peers for his resemblance to the JK Rowlings character, Bobby organized the virtual meet-ups with his wrestling pals to not only pass the time of the shut down, but to reflect on their respective accomplishments in the sport. A topic of conversation was 3 Rivers Wrestling, an alphabet soup organization from the early-2000s that quite frankly didn't necessarily mean all that much in the history of Pittsburgh wrestling, as it was relatively short-lived and other companies that still exist today went on to surpass it. However, to that group of friends, the initials always held a special place to them personally because of what it symbolized to not only their start in the business, but more importantly, their friendships that have last more than two decades.

"A bunch of my friends got together weekly on Zoom while we were all in lock down talking about the old days. On these calls, we shared stories and memories of our upbringing. A lot of us started working shows for the original 3RW in the early 2000’s. At that time, 3RW was a launching pad for a lot of Pittsburgh wrestlers. They had a local TV program on public access, which gave the men and women some regional exposure. My first professional wrestling show was for 3RW, so I hold it in such a special place. It was also the first time I met Daron Smythe, and Dash Bennett," Bobby explained.

The fact that the original 3RW was a starting point for them gave the seasoned grapplers the idea that they could give back to the industry in the same way, providing a platform for the young talent of today to get valuable experience and exposure for their career. As the details of the concept were discussed, the goal was to mix the experience of the veterans involved with the potential of the newer talent to create a unique roster for the project.

"We kept talking about the original 3RW and how it gave so many of us our first shot in Pittsburgh indie wrestling and how we wanted to make a place for the next generation of wrestlers to cut their teeth, plus allow some of us old guys to have one last hurrah," said Derek Tuttle, who wrestled for several yeas as tag team specialist Daron Smythe.

"I hope to help the younger generation launch their careers, giving them a platform to perform. We have a strong veteran presence in the locker room so hopefully the men and women working for us take advantage of the knowledge we all have," added Piskor.

Bobby, being a true jack-of-all-trades of the grappling arts, went to work on the logistics of the project when he secured a ring, the venue, the talent, and developed the ideas for distribution of the content. As much as this organization meant personally to those involved, Bobby had a keen sight of how to make the most of it from a professional level as well. When the reality of the concept became more concrete, how remarkable it was that the twenty-year absence of a company would be relaunched with a new mission was notable even to those involved with it.

"Somehow the running joke became this promotion from 20 years ago, 3 Rivers Wrestling that most of us had a connection to, I guess the joke became a little more serious as the people involved with the previous incarnation of 3RW gave their blessing to use the name. From there, I was surprised to hear that this was really happening," said Dash Bennett, a mainstay for years on the Pittsburgh and West Virginia scene.

Just a few months ago, the group of longtime friends and ambitious young grapplers gathered together for a closed-set taping with a limited audience to adhere to safety guidelines for the initial 3RW presentation. In just the span of a few hours, more than a dozen bouts were filmed, and weekly shorts that feature a match and interview segments have become routine viewing every Monday on Youtube since the digital platform gives the younger stars the type of exposure that Piskor looked for when he put the concept on paper.

"I thought the tapings went well. Like anything, you can pick apart things and there is always room to improve. To set up, film 17 matches, 45 promos, and clean up all within five hours was amazing. Kudos go out to everyone who helped out. The YouTube format was Derek’s idea. People have short attention spans. There is no need to show all of your cards before you get to play. I think the shorts have been fun.  Its simple story telling, and YouTube provides a great platform with a large audience," Bobby commented.

 "I hope to create something that gets someone the exposure they deserve to level up in wrestling or gives them an opportunity to get reps in and get better so they can make the next step," Tuttle added.

Aside from Bobby, Dash, and Tuttle, other well-rounded veterans like Troy Lords and Mike Law, who had a tremendous match-up at the tapings, joined the roster of youngsters as well. The Runway, the duo of Calvin Couture and Tyler Klein, are considered by many pundits as the next break-out tag team of the Pittsburgh scene, were two of the athletes that were considered a must for the project that focuses on stellar young talent. Chase Gold and his sidekick the talented, Ella Shae, who recently made news with her appearance on All Elite Wrestling's Youtube show, were also standouts from the 3RW tapings. 

"We had an opportunity to work with The Runway already, who in my opinion are criminally underutilized in this area, and the potential of mixing it up with some of the areas top teams is highly motivating for me," Dash Bennett said.

With several more weeks of Youtube shorts to be aired in the next few months, it looks like the 3RW project is off to a great start, but those involved already look to the future for this passion project.

"Ideally, I'd love to create something that held regular events in the tri-state area of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio. Right now, we are taking it one step at a time, Tuttle remarked.

"I would like to see 3RW run some live events in front of crowds. COVID screwed up a lot of things. Originally, we wanted to have the tapings in front of a live audience, but restrictions prevented that," Piskor commented.

Perhaps, the biggest takeaway from the entire 3RW project is that in a business full of liars and con artists, some wrestling friends developed a plan to not only celebrate their friendships, but also to help the next generation of the sport, which is certainly rare for the often carny independent wrestling scene.

"Professional Wrestling is my passion.  It’s the one thing I can say I am confident in. I have been fortunate enough to have shared locker rooms and rings with so many amazing talents over the years. I have learned from so many people that I like to pass down information to the younger generation. I want to see everyone become successful," Piskor concluded.

Big E wins the title

Last night on Raw, Big E cashed in the Money in The Bank contract to with the WWE championship in a tremendous moment, reuniting with the other New Day members in the ring to celebrate. Big E, as we know, has all the skills and the talent to be a main event guy. He has the charisma, he can go in the ring, and he has a likeability that the audience can connect with through his performances. The fact that Ettore Ewen, by all accounts, is a wonderful person in real-life shines through during his time on-screen. Basically, it's very easy to rally behind and cheer for Big E, which are some of the best traits of a major baby face.

In truth, Big E was ready for this spot for at least a few years, he's one of the most consistent talents on the roster, but during that span sometimes found himself on the kickoff show of pay-per-views instead of a featured competitor on the card. Part of the reason for that was that The New Day were one of the most popular acts in the company at the same time that management tried to get Roman Reigns over as a baby face, and WWE brass wasn't going to push anyone ahead of him at that point so the door wasn't realistically open for a major Big E push until the Roman heel turn anyway. Still, Big E was more than ready to be a main event level star so why did WWE finally decide to put the title on him?

This shouldn't be the case because Big E already has the talent for this spot, but this title switch on television is probably a direct result of the buzz and the numbers that All Elite Wrestling has drawn recently. The biggest takeaway from the past few months within the industry is that it proves why competition is the key to the business. I've written several times in the past that the sports entertainment empire is too comfortable and developed an unintentional level of complacency within the product. The climate of the television business, specifically the demand for live sports to prevent DVR viewing and thus allow for more ad exposure, gave the WWE the chance to land massive TV contracts, bringing them record-setting profits from that revenue stream alone. Add in the $1 billion Peacock deal and there's not the pressure to "sell" the show to the audience because the money the company is paid for the streaming rights is the same regardless of the amount of fans that actually watch the pay-per-views. Plus, the publicly-traded company seems to have made its decisions based on what's best for the shareholders, not the fans.

The other side of the coin is that all the guaranteed money from TV and streaming rights bolster the stock price, which made WWE a billion dollar company, but at the same time, to maintain that level for the shareholders is a very difficult balancing act.

The entire point of the wrestling business, at least originally, was to skew the perception of reality to draw money, and ironically, the work is the same on Wall Street. The WWE touts big profits and mega deals, philosophies that often seem like they trade the short-end money for the future, but that's another discussion for another time. The point being, the perception that WWE is the major league of sports entertainment in the United States is one of the reasons they can secure those type of deals, more specifically with ad revenue and sponsorships. Just the fact that All Elite Wrestling has made some noise and generated some hype chisels away at that perception. WWE might be an entertainment empire, but if there's another major league option in America, it undoubtedly takes a slice of the pie.

CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, and Adam Cole all showed up on All Elite television in a short period of time, that creates the perception that AEW is the place to be, and in many ways, perception is reality. I won't repeat all the details here because it was discussed before, but if the WWE had legitimate competition when the Roman baby face push flopped, would it have continued for years? Again, the fact that AEW generated some buzz made the WWE shift the direction of its programming, which isn't a jab against Vince McMahon, but rather to show why competition is important. When fans and to some extent even the talent didn't have true options, the corporate agenda, not the fan demand, determined the direction of the product. The argument could be made that Brock Lesnar, Becky Lynch, and the Big E win were booked for WWE television because of the recent success of AEW.

The question is, how does WWE follow-up on any of this?

We've all heard the rumors that Vince often throws away scripts for complete re-writes before a broadcast goes on the air, and while you have to take some of those reports with a grain of salt, the WWE product definitely appears to be disjointed at times. It's at least believable that the product might be booked week-to-week based on some of the counterproductive aspects of the shows. Sometimes matches are advertised for the shows, but then don't actually take place without any on-screen explanation. The concern is, the title switch to Big E appears to be a snap decision to pop a rating this week, but where does it go from here? Sure, you can book the Bobby Lashley rematch at Extreme Rules for the easy title match at the next pay-per-view, but is there any plan for how this title run will solidify Big E is a main event star?

I have to ask the question because the booking of Drew McIntyre during his run in the main event and afterwards is a prime example of how a title win doesn't automatically cement a star. I've already discussed the major fumbles during that rum, but to explain the main points, he dropped the title twice and then lost at Wrestlemania before he was booked in a four-minute match against Jinder Mahal at Summer Slam for a feud about a sword. As talented as his is, with the way he was presented as champion, is Drew McIntyre considered a money-drawing star? Let's not forget how all the momentum that Kofi had as champion was halted in a matter of seconds when he was squashed during the Smackdown debut on Fox. How Big E will be booked as champion remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure, even the AEW critics will have to acknowledge its effect on the pro wrestling landscape and that its existence provides a benefit to the industry.

What's the status of Kevin Owens?

Within a week of CM Punk's return to the ring after a seven-year absence, Adam Cole's surprise debut, and Bryan Danielson's arrival, All Elite Wrestling continues to be a topic of conversation for potential free agents. Kevin Owens was trending on Twitter recently after reports suggested that his current WWE deal expires in January, a rumor that he fueled with some posts on social media. Granted, it's entirely possible that Owens, who is a former Ring Of Honor Champion under his real name, Kevin Steen was just trolling the dirt sheets with his social media. At the same time, it wouldn't necessarily be out of the question for Owens to at least consider an exit from the WWE, particularly because it definitely seems like he hit a ceiling in how far he will go within the organization. Yes, Owens won the Universal title, but that was five years ago, and the booking for his character was really hit or miss since that time. Obviously, his NXT work was notable because he was booked as a vicious heel, an aspect of his persona that made his stint in ROH such a stellar run. The same could be said for why the Owens/Chris Jericho feud got over as one of the most memorable angles on Raw in recent years, because Owens had the chance to work as a true heel. That being said, the past five years since the Jericho feud and the title run have been a mixed bag for him. Sometimes he was a featured performer and other times he was almost forgotten on the brand. For example, on a Summer Slam card that needed Bill Goldberg in one of the main event bouts because there aren't enough challengers for Bobby Lashley, Owens wasn't even on the card. A feud with "Happy Corbin" on Smackdown doesn't seem like the greatest career trajectory either.

We can parse details on the slew of pay-per-view matches or an occasional championship run over the years, but the current status for Kevin Owens appears to be that WWE management either doesn't have anything else for him to do or they see him in strictly a mid-card role. Sure, based on his look, the WWE did more with him than anyone probably expected, but isn't that a rather low bar? Perhaps the fact that the booking didn't completely butch his career being seen as a major plus is why many, including WWE Hall of Famer, Mick Foley, don't have confidence in the WWE system.

The bottom line for Kevin Owens and any other potential free agent in the next few months is simply, do they have the potential to be used better elsewhere and is the money worth it? At a time when AEW is on such a roll and talent are making the jump, it's important to remember that the sport is still a business and at the end of the day, it's about making the most money possible. Tony Khan offering comparable or in some cases better money than WWE makes the decision to jump to All Elite easier, but if Vince McMahon wants to keep someone on the roster, everyone has a price. For Owens, considering his friendship with several already on the roster and the history that can be used to start angles, I think it would make sense for him to sign an AEW contract early next year. It's not meant as a jab toward WWE, but I just don't see them doing anything more than what we're currently watching with Owens, but he already proved throughout his career that he has the charisma and the in-ring skills to be a main event talent. Furthermore, we know that the bulk of Owen's push was based on praise from Triple H, but with the shift in power on the NXT brand, it's doubtful that Triple H currently has the political power to get Owens a better spot on the main roster. Unfortunately, the best stuff he did in recent years were the recycled matches against Sami Zayn. Don't get me wrong, they are always good matches, but the repetitive nature sends the message to the audience that the two were booked for another bout because the writing team doesn't have anything else for them to do.

Speaking of Sami Zayn, his WWE contract will reportedly expire within the next few months, and his decision to exit from the sports entertainment empire might be an easier decision than Owens' career path. While Zayn and Owens are close friends in real life and their careers have paralleled in many ways, Sami never got the main event opportunities that Owens had. Sami didn't have the typical WWE look either, but he has an undeniable charisma and top-notch ability in the ring. It might sound repetitive at this point, but management just didn't fully utilize Zayn at any point in his WWE career. He has much more to offer and if he eventually inks an AEW contract, I would guess that his work there would be similar to Miro's current run. All Elite Wrestling could be a platform for Zayn to show what WWE overlooked for the past several years.

The downside of this is that assuming Owens and Zayn leave the WWE, the field within AEW becomes even more crowded for an organization that already has a bloated roster. I understand the logic of AEW Dark, but Youtube shows are really cannon fodder in the grand scheme of things. The major business to be done is still on Dynamite, and even if the organization can garner a steady audience for Rampage, the nature of TV on Fridays still puts Dynamite as the primary stage for AEW. If too many talents debut on TNT too fast, it creates a log jam effect where you have several names, but can't use all of them properly, which is exactly what happened to TNA during it's ill-fated attempt to go head-to-head with Raw over a decade ago.

The point being, Owens and Zayn would be tremendous assets for AEW, but similar to anyone else that the company signs from WWE, they have to be booked effectively to maximize their star power. How many currently on the AEW roster be released to make room for the recent additions? That's not a knock on some of the lower card guys either, but the reality is that guys in their prime with star power will take priority, and there's a bottom line on pay roll even for Tony Khan. The major upside is that the possible jump of Owens and Zayn will further the narrative that AEW has the momentum in the industry.

The career of Mike Daugherty

A typical Saturday morning in 1985, cartoons were complimented by the WWF's Rock N' Wrestling era of television, a period of time when one-sided bouts were often featured on WWF television to promote the stars of Vince McMahon's national expansion that saw house show, or live event tours, advertise big time match-ups to send fans to the box office for tickets to the arenas across the country. On this particular weekend, top star, Hulk Hogan, clade in white boots and trunks, as the famous red and yellow hadn't became the trademark yet, squared off against longtime preliminary grappler, Tiger Chung Lee. The result was in little doubt when The Hulkster, beaming under the television lights from an almost comical tan, dropped the leg on Chung Lee, defeating the grizzled pro in just under four minutes. Business as usual for Hogan, and for WWF TV at the time.

However, for one youngster that stumbled upon that sports entertainment spectacle that morning, the experience was anything but typical. For Mike Daugherty, the larger than life wrestler that touted the 24-inch pythons memorized him and unknowingly shaped the direction of his life in the process. At just five years old, Daugherty found a passion that stuck with him a few decades later. Within a short period of time, the young Mike found himself searching for professional wrestling on TV during an era when the territory system of the 80s offered a variety of options for fans. He cheered on Magnum TA against Ric Flair in the NWA, watched The Von Erichs battle the villains on World Class, saw Curt Hennig work his way to the top of the AWA, and of course witnessed Hulk collide with the legendary "Rowdy" Roddy Piper in the WWF.

"I started watching religiously. About a half a year later, I was watching whatever I could find on TV. I loved the passion, the feud builds up to the main matches, the pain these men and women put themselves through day in and day out," Mike explained.

But, professional wrestling wasn't just pure entertainment or a way to pass the time. For Mike, similar to many that become such diehard fans of the sport, it was an escape from some of the unpleasant realities of life.

"I got bullied a lot in school, I never really cared about that because I knew what I got home on Mondays, I had Prime Time Wrestling with Gorilla, The Brain, and Vince. All three of these men had me calling matches while I sat around playing with the LJN wrestlers," Daugherty said.

With miniature versions of Greg Valentine, Brutus Beefcake, and Hulk in front of him, Mike spent hours re-enacting his own matches, complete with his own commentary. It wasn't uncommon for him to answer an imaginary question from Bobby Hennan as the classic rubber wrestlers lost a few paint chips during the action of improvised figure matches.

There was always something that Mike intrinsically identified with when he intently listened to the broadcasts. The iconic calls of "Hulkamania is here" by Gorilla Monsoon or "the greatest night in the history of our sport" by Schiavone were the soundtrack to moments that were etched into history books.
Daugherty wanted to be a part of those moments, he wanted to provide the lyrics to the in-ring music that generated such an emotional response from the viewing audience.

With an original goal of work in radio or pro wrestling itself, Daugherty spent his college years at California University of Pennsylvania studying radio and TV broadcasting so it was a natural fit when a friend of his got involved in independent professional wrestling that Mike would be referred to take a position behind the mic. The Renegade Wrestling Alliance, a blue collar organization that was founded in 2009 by Derek Widziszewski, was formed from the passion that Widziszewski had for the industry, and generated a diehard fan base for its product. Widziszewski, sometimes known as the villainous manager Dr. Feelbad, contacted Mike through MySpace at a time when that was still the standard social media platform to hire him as the lead announcer for the upstart project. Ironically, his pal that helped him land the gig, Ray Alan, known as the mischievous "Rev Church" at the desk, was on the call alongside his friend to help him through this brand new adventure.

"My first show I was nervous and scared, I didn't know anyone. I stumbled here and there, but I was okay so they decided To have me back. Honestly, being there with my close friend, Church was a help. He is one of the reasons I was able to adapt and get the hang of things. It was more comfortable experiencing the first couple times with friends," Mike remembers.

Almost a dozen years later, Mike works for four different promotions across the PA independent circuit, including, RWA, 2PW, and Eclipse Wrestling. The journey was a learning experience, but became rewarding on a number of levels, both professionally and personally. Daugherty made lifelong friends and had a chance to live his dream as a figure within the sport that he drew him to the television at such a young age. Known as "Doc" among his peers, Mike found himself seeking advice from veterans in his early years, as well as scribbling down a myriad of notes before bell time. Throughout his time involved in the wrestling scene, Mike gained a sense of confidence as he cemented himself as one of the voices of the sport around Pittsburgh.

"Just being accepted and respected for my work and what I do on commentary and interviews. I have called so many great matches from a multitude of talent. Being praised by Matt Hardy was amazing after his match with Ryan Mitchell in RWA. Another highlight would be commentary with my friends Church of over twenty years and Tony Kincaid of over 10 years. These two really have had some awesome ideas and things to get the talent over. I would not be Doc without them. Marshall Gambino offered me my second job as a commentator for 2PW. He and Derek have become like father figures to me. They always believed in me and give me the confidence I need to keep doing this. My highlights are when a talent or booker is happy with my work. I want their story to be told and I want to represent them the best I can," Mike commented.

Now, the 43-year-old has a family, including his son, Bodie, who plays with action figures when he returns home from elementary school, the same way Mike did a few decades earlier. When he's not playing deck hockey, chasing down collectibles, or calling wrestling matches, Daugherty works as a therapist in the mental health field, a career choice that he find rewarding and beneficial in many different aspects.

"It is fulfilling for me because sometimes I apply the things I learn in either profession to both jobs and utilize them to help the client or in fact put over the talent. My ultimate goal is to go as far as the wrestling gods let me go. I'd love to make it to the big show one day, but if doing what I am now is what is in the cards then I look at it like this, I got to do the one thing I always wanted as a child. Calling the action, put the talent over, and be a part of the wrestling business. I've made many friends and family in this business," he said.

The action, drama, and spectacle of professional wrestling might be entertainment, but the impact of the emotional response it draws from the audience can be very legitimate. Mike Daugherty discovered professional wrestling because he was shunned as a youngster, but through his pursuit of the industry, he developed a sense of confidence that allowed him to flourish with a successful career and family life. Perhaps, the biggest takeaway from the story of "Doc" Daugherty is to take the chance to live the dream. Mike went from calling his own matches as a youngster to actually calling professional bouts as one of the voices of Pittsburgh independent wrestling.

Micheal K. Williams passed away

I was shocked to read the news earlier this week that Micheal K. Williams, the actor known for his iconic roles in HBO's "The Wire" and "Boardwalk Empire," was found dead of a suspected drug overdose in his New York apartment at the age of 54. Sadly, Williams' struggled with addiction the majority of his life, and the authenticity that he brought to the screen seemed to be based on much of the real-life trauma from his youth. Growing up in the East Flatbush housing projects in Brooklyn, his youth provided somewhat of a preview for that roles that eventually made him famous when he dropped out of high school as a troubled teen. Thankfully, he found a level of stability at the National Black Theatre in Harlem, where he studied dance and stage performance. Through the hustle and showing up at enough studios, he landed work as a back up dancer for various artists, including Madonna for tours in the early-90s. He landed a break when he was cast for a minor role in 1996's Bullet, a film that brought together Mickey Rourke and Tupac Shakur.

Random chance brought Williams the opportunity, as his photo was noticed during the production of the film, which led to an offer for a role. A few years earlier, Williams attempted to stop a fight outside of a club and was slashed across the face with a razor blade, leaving a massive scar. That scar not only got him noticed for Bullet, it became one of the notable trademarks throughout his career. While the healed stitches got him on set with Tupac, it also had him typecast in generic roles throughout the rest of the 90s.

The defining mark on his face was quite literally proof of life on the streets, and in many ways, it was just too easy to cast him as a generic thug because the visual was already there. However, Micheal K, Williams had much more to offer to the art of acting than anything just skin deep. Thankfully, David Simon, writer of The Wire, and later "The Deuce" for HBO as well, was willing to take the usual street drama the entertainment world saw before and allow for more depth than the usual superficial presentation. Simon's gritty and unrefined look at the hardships of poverty and the effects of corruption within society were almost too much for some critics. Despite being critically-acclaimed and nominated for a myriad of awards, The Wire never won an Emmy, and when the show was broadcast in Britain, it was relegated to a late-night time slot based on the subject matter.

The Wire, a saga about Baltimore's drug trade and the police that were tasked to stop it, quite literally was the subject of academic materials. Entire essays can and have been written about the topics that Simon explored with the production that was filmed in Baltimore on the same streets that its narrative chronicled. On a basic level, Simon allowed the audience to question just who are "the good guys?" and what measure determines it. As the tales of the street unfolded on HBO when the series ran for five seasons, drug dealers sometimes had more of a moral code than elected officials. Those that were deemed hopeless or a lost cause flourished, while others squandered their opportunities.

Any form of art, regardless of the media used to create it, often evokes an emotion within the audience and makes them think deeper about its subject matter. Simon's work through The Wire certainly did that, but the main catalyst that made it possible was the series' anti-hero, Omar Little, a role that will probably define the legacy of Micheal K. Williams. His career wasn't limited to just Omar's adventures on The Wire, but it left such a legacy on a number of levels that it must be discussed to truly sum up the impact of Williams acting ability.

Omar Little, a shotgun-welding gangster, made his living on the streets of Baltimore by robbing the city's drug dealers, those that were responsible for much of the drug epidemic that ravaged the city. In many ways, those that lined their pockets by exploiting the addiction problems of the citizens were the villains, while Omar would even the score with Robin Hood-style justice. The philosophies of the moral gangster were staples of the anti-hero and can be seen throughout film for those that landed in similar roles. The primary focus of the anti-hero is the difference between legal and moral justice. We've seen so often in society that sometimes liars or con artists can manipulate the system and get away with it. In real life, there's not always moral or even legal justice, we all know OJ did it.  Along with a way to even the score, the anti-hero always had a code, even if it's not legal. This set of rules lets the audience know that the anti-hero has a moral compass, which allows them to cheer for the anti-hero under different circumstances.

Speaking of a code, that was one of the many trademark lines that Omar made famous on the HBO series, "a man got to have a code" told the audience that Omar had rules for his way of life, and the pursuit of money, the entire objective of the hustle wasn't enough to break them. Along with moral justice, the anti-hero in film can always be portrayed to do what's right from the viewpoint of the audience. A prime example of this being when one of the drug cartel enforces shoots an innocent man that happened to witness a transaction because he was just doing his job as a security guard. "Snitchin'" might've been an unwritten rule of the street, but it didn't apply to civilians. Omar, with a lengthy rap sheet himself, agreed to testify against the enforcer in an almost comical court room scene. "I ain't never turn my gun on nobody that ain't in the game," he said as he confirmed the identity of the shooter. The point being, if anyone was involved in the hustle of the streets, they knew the risks so they are fair game, but that doesn't apply to the general public or the security guard that was just trying to make an honest living.

It's the same reason the audience can cheer for Tony Soprano, he might be a criminal, but there's a code of ethics, as unconventional as they might be, to conduct business. A wise guy might end up with a pair of cement shoes, but women and children were safe because they weren't part of it. Speaking of family ties, Omar might've robbed meth dealers on Saturday, but in a memorable scene, took his grandma to church on Sunday morning.

Obviously, the large facial scar enhanced the presence of the character, but it was Williams' charisma and authenticity that really made the role iconic. Besides the cool anti-hero that Omar was, the character broke new ground on many levels with the portrayal of a gay gangster. David Simon, who used his writing style to push the narrative of The Wire in a more progressive direction, flipped the script on gay characters on television. When Omar strolled down the street in Baltimore in 2002, film and television had only begun to scratch the surface of prominent gay characters. Will and Grace put a spotlight on a gay character, but up until that point, while the presentation of gay figures on screen was positive, it portrayed a gay character as passive or defenseless. Omar Little blasted that stereotype away faster than the front door to a poker game he was going to rob. Omar was cool, dangerous, could defend himself in the streets, and he was gay. His sexuality wasn't the defining factor of his existence or the narrative on the show. Williams' work in this regard was really superb because Omar's homosexuality was presented as any other type of relationship, which again emphasized that a character's orientation doesn't determine their narrative.

The character became so iconic with its unique style that President Barack Obama cited the stickup man as his favorite television character. Unfortunately, in the years after The Wire's 2008 series finale, Micheal Williams revealed that he continued to struggle with drug use during the production of the HBO show. Perhaps, that's why The Wire is so revered and examined more than a decade after it wrapped, because it was a dose of reality that many weren't ready for at the time. Aside from being filmed on the same Baltimore streets where the story was set, the level of authenticity associated with the show went beyond just skilled acting. While Williams' Omar had such a charismatic presence on-screen, he was actually be responsible for bringing another certified aspect of Baltimore to the set. While at a club there, Williams spotted Felecia "Snoop" Pearson, who he introduced to producers, and eventually a role was written into the show for her. As she detailed in her autobiography, "Grace After Midnight," Pearson was a real-life drug dealer in Baltimore that was convicted of second-degree murder at the age of just 15 and spent six years in prison. "Snoop," similar to Williams, had an unique charisma and her authenticity was undeniable.

Williams went on to continue to work in a variety of roles in both film and TV, including his run as Chalky White on HBO's Boardwalk Empire, the Atlantic City saga set in the 1920s with the lead role brilliantly played by the underrated, Steve Buscemi. The bootlegging days of Atlantic City were far away from the drug trade of Baltimore, but the character of Chalky White showed that Williams knew how to portray a powerful persona on-screen. More recently, he earned an Emmy nomination for his work on another HBO series, Lovecraft Country, and was reportedly set to be cast in an upcoming George Foreman film.

My sincere condolences to Micheal K Williams' friends and family at this difficult time.