What's the status of Gargano?

As the Royal Rumble of shopping took place for black Friday customers, some interesting news hit online about the contract status of a few key players among the sports entertainment landscape. There was so much shuffling of the deck in recent months that at some point you have to wonder, where will these piece fall into place? Furthermore, is there a spot for these talents going forward?

Despite the statement from Sinclair Broadcasting about a return to operations in April and a venue booked for Wrestlemania weekend next year, I find it very difficult to believe that the organization will actually relaunch. I detailed most of my reasoning for that in an article when the news made social media headlines, but in short, Sinclair is in the television business, not the pro wrestling business. The acquisition of ROH in 2011 was simply for the original programming for its syndicated networks because it fetches a better ad rate. Sinclair is worth a few billion dollars so they could've afforded to be a player in the sports entertainment field, and if they would've signed The Elite to big money contracts in 2018 then there wouldn't be an AEW today. Basically, Sinclair decided to invest money into the wrestling project too late and signed some solid wrestlers to contracts, but the golden geese already flew the coop.

The problem is, very similar to the industry in the post-Attitude era, there are too many wrestlers on the market and not enough spots to make a full-time living. It's disappointing, but there will be talented performers that won't have a place to work on a full time basis. As a comparison, consider how many talented ECW and WCW guys faded from the spotlight because there just weren't enough spots in the industry. 

That being said, who gets signed where and how their tenure goes will be a story throughout 2022.

The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer reported that The Young Bucks inked new five-year contracts with All Elite Wrestling, and this was a rather easy decision. With the way that Matt and Nick Jackson were so closely associated with the inception of the organization, it only makes sense for them to work for AEW until they retire from the sport. How many contracts they sign throughout their AEW careers will depend on how they evolve their style and if they can avoid any major injuries. Don't get me wrong, The Young Bucks display incredible athleticism, but they will have to pick their spots going forward because of the toll the high spots can have on the body. While anything can happen in the crazy world of pro wrestling, I would be very surprised if The Young Bucks signed elsewhere during the rest of their career.

As we saw at Full Gear, former ROH champion, Jay Lethal signed a deal with AEW, and as much as Tony Khan throws around contracts as often as Meltzer throws around star ratings, this was a quality signing. In many ways, probably because he wasn't ever fully utilized in TNA when he had the most television exposure of his career at the time, Jay Lethal wasn't given the credit he deserves for how talented he is in the ring. At 36, Lethal still has a few prime years in his career, but after nearly twenty years as a wrestler, Lethal will have to add a new chapter to his career if he's going to be successful in All Elite. Black Machismo was very entertaining, but anything he did over a decade ago is "been there, done that" and unfortunately, the vast majority of his ROH work has been under the radar the past few years since the entire company has more or less been under the radar. The bottom line is, if Jay Lethal is going to be successful in AEW, he will need to bring something new to the table. Thankfully, the stellar match he had against Sammy Guevara made it more than clear that Lethal has place the company. Even if the spot is as a utility wrestler, and that's not necessarily a bad thing, Lethal is a quality addition to the roster.

The Briscoes were rumored to be backstage at a recent Dynamite taping, and they might be the best free agents on the market right now. Not only can they go bell-to-bell, but there's a legitimacy and a believably to them that very few have in the sport. It must be mentioned that the only reason the Briscoes appeared to stay under the ROH banner for so long was because their options for either of the main stream promotions of WWE or TNA at the time were limited. Jay tweeted some awful and hateful things in 2013 that he apologized for and later donated money to charity as a sign of remorse, but the damage was done in terms of public perception, especially with the WWE being a publicly traded company. The point being, The Briscoes have been one of the best acts in wrestling for several years, but were limited to a smaller stage. Assuming they make their AEW debut, it's a major acquisition for the organization. They can bring great matches to the shows and unique characters for the promotion. For a group that wants to established itself as an alternative to WWE, you won't see anything like The Briscoes in corporate wrestling.

Speaking of the WWE, Johnny Gargano reportedly signed a one-week extension with the organization to continue negotiations to potentially re-sign with the company. I have to be honest, if there's a decent money offer on the table from WWE then he should take it. This goes along with the shuffle of free agents in recent months and while AEW is a trendy option right now, and Gargano is a very solid wrestler, does he really bring anything to the table that All Elite doesn't already have on the roster? At least within the WWE landscape, his style will stand out, particularly after the total rebranding on NXT. I don't want this to sound too negative because as mentioned, Gargano is a talented wrestler, but he's more of less in the category of a good hand in the business. He can have solid matches, but there's nothing from a character perspective that gives him any major level of star power.

It will be particularly interesting to see what happens with The Briscoes and Gargano, but even more interesting will be to see how Tony Khan handles eventual roster cuts. As I've written before, WWE gets flak on social media anytime there are releases, some of that it justified, while more often than not, there are jaded fans that want to score social media points with criticism toward WWE. No Way Jose all the sudden had a lot of fans after he was fired. I know some will cite the Youtube shows are a way to get talent exposure, but let’s be honest, anything on Youtube is mostly cannon fodder, and in my view, the value for those broadcasts is allowing younger talent to get experience, not necessarily a platform for exposure. Dynamite and to a somewhat lesser extent Rampage are the stages where stars can be made for AEW. With the addition of more talent, Tony Khan will eventually have to at least consider making some cuts to the roster because otherwise, there are several wrestlers that could get lost in the shuffle for the company.

What's the status of Ric Flair?

To be the man, you gotta beat the man, right?

Recently, I wrote a column about the status of Charlotte Flair, the tremendously talented second generation star that was the topic of controversy over the past few months, particularly because of an in-ring segment with Becky Lynch that went off the rails and supposedly led to Charlotte being escorted from the building by security to avoid any further conflict. I wondered if all of this drama, including a match with Nia Jax that briefly became a legitimate scuffle on live TV, might be a way to her to force her way into a release and potentially join Andrade in AEW? As I wrote at the time, Charlotte is one of the most protected and featured performers on the WWE roster so she really doesn't have any reason to complain about her spot in the company. Granted, it appeared like most of the opportunities she was given earlier in her career was based more on her last name than anything else, but there's no doubt that she was evolved as a competitor to become a polished pro in the industry.

As we saw at Survivor Series, Charlotte vs. Becky was physical, but remained professional and they had the best match on the card, albeit a rather bland show.

A few months ago, Ric Flair requested and was granted his release from the WWE, prompting speculation that he wanted to accept a big money offer from Tony Khan to join All Elite Wrestling. A few weeks later, the Dark Side of the Ring episode that covered the infamous plane ride from Europe in 2002 aired, and a stewardess accused Flair of trying to force himself on her, which Flair has denied. Regardless, the optics of the situation didn't look good, and outside of a settlement between the flight staff and the WWE at the time, it just depends on what story you want to believe. Obviously, if Flair tried to force himself on a staff member then he's a scum bag, but it's important to note that he wasn't subject to an investigation so it really is a he said/she said situation.

The aftermath saw his signature "woo!" edited off of the WWE TV intro and car insurance commercials that featured him were taken off the air. The negative publicity saw any potential deal with All Elite off the table for any time in the foreseeable future, and despite what he said on his new podcast, I absolutely think that Flair was in talks with AEW, which is the reason he initially requested a release from his WWE contract. As far as I know, the WWE deal he had allowed him to work outside projects like the autograph circuit and commercials that were a regular part of his schedule. It appears like the WWE contract paid him a downside amount so that the company could have him on the books for when they wanted to use him on television. At 72, if Flair can make top money from Tony Khan then he should take it, but to attempt to claim that his WWE release wasn't a path to bigger money outside of the WWE banner is foolish.

As we've seen at various points since his WWE retirement in 2008, for whatever reason, Flair flip flops on his status with the company, depending on his specific circumstances. In a rather odd series of tweets, Flair claimed that WWE is trying to erase his legacy, and that they have refused to return two of his championship belts. In a really disappointing situation that doesn't need to be completely repeated here, Flair asked for his WWE release in 2008 after his retirement to pursue more money upfront from outside vendors through the autograph circuit and appearances to make alimony payments. At the time, Flair inked a deal with merchandise website, High Spots for his first shoot interview and the rights to be the vendor of his autograph sessions. Flair also asked for a loan from the organization and put up the NWA Heavyweight title from his heyday as collateral. It turns out Flair didn't actually own the belt because he already put it up as collateral for another loan. Flair also signed and was paid in advance for a series of appearances for the still independently-owned Ring Of Honor, but didn't make the appearances before he signed with TNA in 2010. At one point, Flair had lawsuits against him for breach of contract from both High Spots and ROH. As he mentioned on the most recent episode of his "Wooo Nation Uncensored" podcast, Triple H bought the NWA title from Flair for $50,000 to help him get the debts paid involved with the belt. Flair went on to say that the WWF title that he won at the Royal Rumble in 1992 was gifted to him because the company planned to replace the title. It's unclear if Triple H bought the WWF title at the same time of the NWA title or how it relates to the situation.

Flair claims he wants his belts back, and as I said, I haven't heard anything about Flair with a WWF title in his possession previously, but as far as the NWA belt, it's not Flair's belt if he willingly sold it to Triple H. Flair was paid for it because he needed the money, and it's rather ridiculous for him to ask for something back that he doesn't own.

Flair's odd gripes with the company continued when he complained about Becky Lynch's response to comments he made about the Becky/Charlotte hostility. Flair complained he "made nothing" from "The Man" trademark that he sold to WWE in 2019 and that Becky "made millions from it." A screenshot of a report that Flair sold the trademark was included in the tweet. Obviously, Flair contradicted himself because if he sold the trademark to the company then he made money from it.

Flair outside of the WWE umbrella is a little concerning because he isn't involved in as nearly as much controversy when he's under WWE contract. Flair has a history of making some rather outlandish comments, and a weekly podcast where he can talk unfiltered might not be the best choice for his public image. For example, on the Steve Austin show several years ago, Flair claimed that he was in Puerto Rico the night that Bruiser Brody was murdered by Jose Gonzalez, but match results from the era show that he wrestled at The Great American Bash tour that night.

That being said, I think all of this with the sudden complains about the belts and the trademark are just ways for Flair to get publicity for his podcast. He talked about it at length on episode two and you still don't hear a clear answer as to why these complaints have surfaced now or any explanation about how his trademark was violated if he already acknowledged that he sold it to the company before he signed his most recent WWE deal. He said in episode two that he made more money from the first episode than he did his first year wrestling so obviously, he has a financial interest to get listeners for the show.

Joe Dombrowski signs with MLW

Dedication-the quality of being dedicated or committed to a task or purpose.

The term dedication echoes throughout professional wrestling history, particularly the sound bytes that provide the lyrics to the emotional melodies that are played on the canvas of the squared circle. The legendary Jim Ross exclaimed about the dedication of a newly crowned world champion as a broadcast went off the air to put a point on the segment.

That's the pageantry and the spectacle at the top of the food chain of sports entertainment, and ironically, it takes much dedication under much less glamour circumstances to make it to the national stage. 

Joe Dombrowski, a play-by-play announcer based in the Pittsburgh area, a region known almost as much for its wrestling as the steel it once produced, is an example of true dedication to the wrestling business. Dombrowski, who got his first taste of the industry when he helped facilitate a pro wrestling fundrasier at his high school, has spent his entire adult life involved in the genre. As special and thrilling as professional wrestling can be, the seedy side of the often carny business can be equally as frustrating. Joe has seen and lived victory and failure as he quite literally grew up at ringside, calling the action with a level of professionalism and passion that few have on the independent level. Getting his start at just 18 with the International Wrestling Cartel, the most decorated Pittsburgh group, Joe's journey into the grappling arts took him across state lines and even across international boarders. Nearly every weekend for the past 18 years, Joe would zigzag to different states, putting in as much time and as much effort as possible in hopes of landing a big break.

A self-described night owl, Joe prefers to work late into the night, getting in his groove when many of the "average Joes" are sleeping off the stress of the typical nine-to-five shift. However, Dombrowski finds himself with pen in hand to jot down the notes for his next round of projects. Throughout the past two decades, Joe's nearly obsessive nature to learn and consume as much as he could about sports entertainment found him with a base of knowledge that he could utilize in a variety of roles. Studying great minds like Kevin Sullivan, Eddie Graham, and Les Thatcher brought him the opportunity to work as a booker for a handful of different wrestling groups over the years. Writing storylines, structuring an event, timing matches, and building to major showdowns became a part of his tool kit.

In fact, there aren't many hats that Dombrowski hasn't worn throughout his time as one of the most prominent figures on the independent scene. Writer, commentator, ring announcer, video producer, and merchandise mogul are only a few of his titles. His name became so well-known that he had chances to peek his head into the top-tier groups occasionally, working as a lead announcer for Ring Of Honor in 2010 before the Sinclair purchase led to a shuffle of the announce team and then he returned to ROH in recent years as the featured commentator for the Future Of Honor division. In 2019, the squared circle took him all the way to Mexico to call AAA's Triplemania event on their English broadcast team. Canada, England, and various VFW halls in rural America all document the path for him.

No show was too big or too small for Dombrowski, as every event was a chance for him to apply his craft, and that hustle is what truly makes the difference. But after such unanimous praise for his work on the mic for so long, would fate bring him a break?

"You always have to set goals for yourself, short and long-term, and keep grinding and keep focused on checking those off the list. I can't lie and say I don't ever get discouraged, it happens to everyone. Sometimes you need a day or a week to just rest or just get away from the break neck pace, especially after 18 years. I always told myself it's great to have a major company invest time in you, but I don't need it," Joe explained.

He decided long ago that he was all-in with professional wrestling, as the sport allowed him to find his voice and to grow as a person, as well as a performer. He kept his weekends packed with an alphabet soup of indy shows, and during the week, late-night production sessions had him editing, writing, or researching one of his acclaimed video projects. Titles like The Montreal Theory, HWA chronicles, and a slew of Best of compilations brought truly unique content to the often-saturated wrestling media landscape.

"You need every tool at your disposal to make a big project come together. Every place I've been, every veteran I've worked with, every new situation I've been in, and every lesson I've learned has given me more tools to be ready for whatever comes next. there's always something to accomplish and I always try to live by the philosophy that you can do something every day, no matter how small, to help accomplish your next goal," he commented.

At a time when competition has shifted the dynamic of the wrestling business more in the modern era than anytime in the previous several years, the free agent market allows for more opportunity for both promotions and talent. Major League Wrestling, an organization led by Court Bauer, who has his own lengthy resume in the industry, has branded itself as a standout group in the currently crowded wrestling landscape. When MLW landed its national television deal on Bein Sports, management knew they needed an announce team that was "TV ready," and that led to the addition of Joe Dombrowski to the organization, with his first national contract after 18 years of dedication to the sport.

"It felt great to be able to finally sign a contract after 18 years because it showed a promotion was willing to invest and commit to me on a large scale. I've had a number of incredible opportunities in the past to work for multiple top companies, but I never really felt like I had that sustained run where I could get comfortable, spread my wings and really show what I can do. I know Court had mentioned hearing me on AAA TripleMania a couple years back, so I'm sure that didn't hurt, but really it just felt like right place, right time, right opportunity for us both so it really fit," Dombrowksi said.

So, Joe took his place where he's most comfortable and at home, in front of a mic at a professional wrestling event, only this time, it will be broadcast on national TV with MLW.

Still, Joe remains as focused as ever because, thankfully, his MLW contract allows him to work on other events and projects, and not resting on his accomplishments, Dombrowski has a full calendar of work with broadcasting and upcoming videos release.

"I'm very fortunate to have something on the schedule every weekend again, which even six months ago seemed like a pipe dream at best," he remarked.

Dedication, the same trait that motivated Joe Dombrowski to organize that first fundraiser at his high school is the same aspect that took him through the past 18 years to a contract to broadcast on national TV. Dedication is the same reason that Joe will continue his lifelong journey in the professional wrestling industry.

Full Gear review

This past weekend, All Elite Wrestling presented its Full Gear pay-per-view, the company's return to PPV after the stellar All Out event a few months ago that many consider to be the start of a new chapter in the history of the upstart company. As mentioned before and something that will be a continuous point in the modern era, it's a tough sell for a $50 broadcast when the WWE Network is either $4.99 or even free for many customers that includes pay-per-views as well as thousands of hours of content on demand.

So, did Full Gear deliver and more specifically did any of the attempts to give the fans their money's worth actually hinder the overall event?

The show opened with MJF vs. Darby Allin, and the match was a shining example of the bright future the organization has beyond just the stars that were used to launch the group. The match was fast-paced and built well toward the conclusion. It should be noted that among the crazy bumps that Darby took, the tombstone that MJF did on the apron and then sold the knee is a level of psychology that is often not seen in the majority of AEW bouts. The spot fest might get clips posted on social media, but psychology is ultimately what stands out more than repetitive high spots. While I understand putting Sting on the show to establish the endorsement for Darby, the spot where he attacked Shawn Spears and Wardlow with the bat to prevent them from interfering wasn't needed. It added nothing to the match and appeared to be a way to shoehorn a few more appearances on the show than anything else. MJF getting the cheap win doesn't really do anything to damage the status of Darby because of the level that he's over with the crowd, and truthfully, MJF needed the win to be able to generate some heat again. While MJF is undoubtedly one of the most talented on the roster, he hasn't had many big wins on PPV recently, particularly when he lost to Chris Jericho prior to this. This was a very good match, and most importantly, it's proof of how well the dynamic of an over baby face and a heel with heat can work in the sport.

I have to be honest, I was somewhat disappointed with the AEW Tag Team title match and expected more from it, specially because of how good the initial match between the two teams was on television several weeks ago. For whatever reason, this contest just didn't get into second gear and had a rather clunky pace. The fact that all four wrestlers were in the ring at various points throughout the match never allowed it to build to any type of peak, and while it had good action, the contest seemed very disjointed. Along with the rules being ignored with all four competitors in the ring, the fact that Tully got involved in front of the referee kills the credibility of the official of the match. If there aren't rules in a tag match, it's rather difficult to build to a hot tag, which might be one of the reasons this match didn't get to the second gear. That being said, both teams are great athletes, and that's why I was surprised this bout didn't deliver to a higher level than something below what was already on free TV. Unfortunately, this was the first of many times on the card where the match was just too long and dragged at certain points. I've said it many times and I will say it again, a longer show doesn't automatically translate to a better show. Too often throughout this card matches were close to or beyond twenty minutes and it just wasn't needed. The finish itself was goofy and completely flat. Using the mask for a pin fall on the illegal wrestler with the decision allowed to stand makes the baby faces look like unworthy winners and it makes the referee look ridiculous because even the announcers knew that Cash wasn't the legal man in the match. A side note, the announcers should at least make a note about what the AAA tag titles are as far as mentioning that it's from a promotion based on Mexico to give some context to the belts.

Another bout that I wouldn't categorize as disappointing, but slightly underwhelming was Miro vs. Bryan Danielson. Considering the really good match that Miro had against Kingston at the prior PPV, and the classic TV match Danielson had against Omega, I expected more from this contest. Miro had a leg wrap that looked legitimate so prehaps that's why things never fully clicked in this match. That's not to say it was a subpar performance, but again, considering the physical nature of their previous bouts respectively, I anticipated that this would be a much more hard-hitting contest. While the two had a very good strike exchange in the latter stages, it only picked up slightly before the finish, which saw Danielson get the submission win. The other downside here was this was another one that went too long. Sometimes, a trimmed down match helps pace the card, but this was the third consecutive match that went nearly twenty minutes. However, the argument could be made that only MJF/Darby actually needed that amount of time for the narrative of the match-up.

Yet another match that went over that twenty minute mark was the six man tag team street fight, and it was an example of some of the over booking on the PPV that became repetitive before the show went off the air. The action was wild and it was a fun brawl, but by nature, this matches need to be kept on the shorter side or they tend to lose the sizzle of the gimmick. As far as the tacks and the knee pad with tacks being used, it's a gimmick that is used too often in modern wrestling to have the impact it did in years previously. When Mick Foley sprinkled tacks onto the canvas once every few years, it got a reaction because it was a gimmick that was a rare spot. When Abyss used tacks almost monthly in TNA, it became routine and thus the reaction diminished. I think the same can be said for tacks used in AEW since they were just used on an episode of Rampage a few weeks ago. The bump that Adam Cole took on the ladder was brutal. Speaking of Cole, he bladed during the contest, and based on the fact that CM Punk did the same later in the night, I would say that Cole bleeding wasn't necessary. Very similar to the tacks, if blood is over used then it doesn't have the same impact on a show. Jungle Boy got the pin to win the match, which was a wise decision because he has the potential to be a major star in the future. Hopefully, this feud is going in a different direction because I have to say that everyone booked for this match could probably be utilized in better angles than extended brawls outside of the ring.

Cody Rhodes and Pac beat Malakai Black and Andrade in a solid tag team match. There's not much to discuss about the match itself, but the in-ring action speaks volumes to the depth on the AEW roster. All four of these athletes could be used in the main event scene in some form or fashion, which is one of the reasons that the company appears to have a solid future. As bloated as the roster might be, when you consider these four along with the young talent mentioned prior, and the current main event picture, the company has the talent to continue to build momentum. As far as the narrative of the match, Cody continued to get booed, despite spots that catered to the crowd. As I wrote about a few weeks ago, Rhodes is one of the best talents in the organization and he's a polished pro, but there's a fine line between the leader of the pro wrestling revolution, a term he coined after the launch of AEW, and being the New York Yankees. The entire concept of All Elite is to improve the wrestling industry, which it has done, but when Cody is on game shows and has a reality show about himself, it's easy for the fan base, even if the notion is misguided, to assume that Rhodes wants to be a TV star more than a pro wrestler. I know Cody has said in interviews that he won't turn heel because of the amount of charity work that he does, which is great and makes sense, but at the same time, the company also has ambassadors that could be used in that role. Some might cite John Cena as an example of someone that didn't turn heel despite some audience hostility, but quite frankly, Cody doesn't have the cache of Cena.

It might be the easy answer, but sometimes the simplest answer is the correct decision. Cody Rhodes as a heel would freshen up his character and bring a new dynamic to the product. Cody touting that AEW wouldn't exist without him would allow for some good angles with some of the baby faces on the roster. That being said, I doubt Cody will actually turn heel, but he probably won't make any progress from a character prospective either.

The Women's title match was a good bout that had a "big fight" atmosphere to it. Baker has the presence of a star and knows who to portray it. Tay Conti is a great baby face that has the potential to be a star in her own right. Baker retrained the title, which makes sense because the money match-up is the Thunder Rosa rematch with the title on the line.

Eddie Kingston vs. CM Punk is a prime example of why it's much more important to be over than a lot of high spots. This was a physical bout that enhanced the narrative of the angle. CM Punk is still probably the most popular star in AEW, but the fact that the crowd was somewhat split during this contest proves just how over Kingston is with the audience. Kingston has a level of authenticity that can't be scripted and it's a level of believably that very few have in the modern era, which is why he connects with the audience. Punk got the win, but the argument could be made that Kingston is over even more after this PPV match.

The street fight basically a lesser version of the falls count anywhere match from earlier in the night. The match was fine, but went too long and dragged at certain points. Besides the gimmick, the fact that there were a few inexperienced competitors was even more of a reason to keep this shorter. The Inner Circle got the win and hopefully, there are some new angles planned for those in the stable.

The main event was tremendous and represented top-tier quality for the event. This was an example of giving a match more than twenty minutes helped the narrative and it was very well done. Adam Page is over and should have a great run as champion so it's a wise decision for him to win the title. As far as Kenny Omega, he did very well, and while the rumors of Okada appearing at AEW, an Omega vs. Okada match on American PPV could be a major selling point next year for the company.

The career of Mike Law

The year 2020 was rough on all of us, considering that the entire world shut down at one point, and nearly every topic was a matter of fierce debate on social media. Someone's cousin's mailman was suddenly an expert on the economy or health. Professional wrestling, similar to any other form of live entertainment, was either shuttered or run under strict guidelines. Among the videos of Karens that demanded to speak to a manager, Korean baseball that suddenly became a hit through its broadcast on ESPN while American sports were still navigating how to construct a bubble for games, and the general circus of social media, a viral clip emerged from the independent wrestling circuit.

"For anyone trying to emulate that, I wouldn’t recommend it."

Mike Law, a longtime standout on the east coast of the indy circuit went for a dive through the ropes at an ECWA, one of the longest-running groups, event and as he hurdled himself toward his opponent, the foe moved, sending Mike through a chair and landing in a heap on the floor. The Puerto Rican star went through the chair like a dart, but somehow avoided serious injury from the incident.

Yes, 2020 was rough on all of us.

It wasn't long before the clip circulated on Twitter, generating thousands of viewers, with many wondering how in the wild world of sports the dive didn't end in complete disaster. The clip went viral, but the career of Mike Law is not just a viral moment.

Law, known by his nickname "Colossal" and for walking around with allegedly thousands of pounds on a barbell, has more than two decades of in-ring experience. But, his tenure in the sport goes beyond even that, as he competed in underground shows at St. John’s church in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn as young as 15 in 1999. He actually began his formal training just before that, but couldn't resist the chance to get into a ring anytime possible for his earliest time inside the ring ropes that consisted of tedious practice drills or wearing a lucha mask at unofficial events.

However, after he finished proper training, he had his first pro bout in front of a spares crowd in Brooklyn in 2001, but the chance to finally debut in the sport is a vivid memory that sticks with him even twenty years later.

"I had my first pro match against Sam Shields, and that there are things that I did in that match that I haven’t done since. I learned a lot from Shields, who is criminally underrated," Mike recalled.

In a prime example of how much more of a viral moment his career was, Law grew up in the industry, zigzagging to several states and even traveling to other countries to perform inside the squared circle, a journey he pictured in his mind from the time he was six years old as he watched Hogan battled the legendary Randy Savage as the larger than life spectacle beamed through the television.

"I have done everything from being a promoter, booking, vendor, commentary, agent work, to an in-ring performer as well. It all lends itself to serve in the several aspects of the business. I have trained and been in the ring against some of the very best, and it was all a learning experience for me." he explained.

Aside from his interstate and international travels, Mike had notable appearances with Ring Of Honor, Combat Zone Wrestling, and ECWA. His cites his tenure as the ECWA champion as a career highlight, as well as the chance to compete in the prestigious Super 8 tournament on two different occasions. However, Mike, especially in recent years, has completely immersed himself in the sport even further, working as a trainer at the Fallout Shelter Academy in New York so between office work and wrestling, he keeps a jammed-packed schedule, but it's something he also dives into for the chance to be as involved as possible in professional wrestling.

"Tuesdays and Thursdays are my long days. That’s business meetings all day, gym, and then training. I wake up at 7:30 AM and get home at 11:30 PM depending on traffic. I balance it because I love it. I love helping others realize their potential, I love the hustle. It’s important to install some of the ways that things were done in the past, along with the evolution of how the industry operates today. I'm eternally grateful for. Becoming a trainer at the Fallout Shelter, it has inspired me in so many ways. We all are pro wrestlers, but we also have to be showmen, personalities, entertainers, physical specimens, and athletes. It’s about trying to be a little bit of all of these categories.," Law remarked.

True to his vision, Mike utilizes a well-rounded combination of in-ring style and persona to create a brand as a performer that can go bell-to-bell, as well as an athlete that can connect with an audience for the complete entertainment of the fans. His crisps in-ring work that blends fast-paced dynamics with a solid technical base provides proof of the many years he spent honing the craft of the squared circle.

After spending his entire adult life as a professional wrestler, Mike still remains motivated and wants continue to add to his list of accomplishments because he cites that drive to success as a primary reason for his longevity in the sport.

"I’d love to wrestle internationally more often and find full-time work for any of the major companies. I want to showcase to everyone on the bigger platforms that I'm an asset and I pride myself on being versatile and delivering on a high level. I think ultimately it is important to leave a legacy behind. Money and fame are all great things while we’re on this earth. Legacy is what keeps us alive after we are no longer here," he explained.

So, the clip that showed the terrifying dive that wrapped a chair around the body of Mike Law wasn't an example of his career, but it was a portion of a match in a career that he dedicated his life toward the pursuit of the goal of professional wrestling. His longevity speaks to his skill, while his dedication can be seen by his continuous efforts in every aspect of the industry.

Kevin Owens on Raw

After a competitive match with Seth Rollins on Raw, Kevin Owens turned heel, attacking WWE champion, Big E during a post-match brawl. As I discussed in a column just a few months ago, there was speculation about Owens' contract status with the company based on reports that his current deal expires in January. Of course, this prompted discussion about a potential jump to All Elite Wrestling since many of his friends work for the promotion and those that have made the leap have seemed to do well there. Miro, Adam Cole, and Bryan Danielson have seen their stock rise exponentially since their respective debuts. Granted, AEW is a smaller pond in terms of star power, but that's one of the reasons there's an opportunity for them to be used to their full potential under the Khan-owned banner.

Is what looks to be a potential feud for the WWE title an attempt to entice Owens to re-sign for a fresh chapter in the organization or will he conclude his tenure around the new year?

We've heard the stories for years that talent are promised a better push to stay aboard the roster, which really isn't anything new in the wrestling business. Keeping talent happy is a constant balancing act, an aspect of the industry that became more difficult in recent years, as WWE brass also has to keep its sponsors happy while maintaining interest from the stockholders. Again, it appears the post-match attack puts the foundation in place for a title feud, but is there more to this than a short-term solution to try to keep Owens with the company or will the promotion look to invest more TV time with his character again?

As far as Owens' skill set, the story remains the same as it did during the initial speculation about his contract. Kevin Owens is a unique athlete with the in-ring ability, the mic skills, and the charisma to be a major player for the organization. That being said, for whatever reason, the office has flip flopped on the Owens character, considering that he's a former Universal champion, but that was five years ago, and a few months ago, he had a feud with "Happy Corbin" on Smackdown. More often than not in recent years, management recycled the Owens/Zayn rivalry because it was always a solid match, but at the same time, it provided no progress for either performer to move up the card. In fact, the biggest point to be made about a potential angle with Big E is, when was the last meaningful storyline that Owens had on television?

Don't get me wrong, the former Ring Of Honor champion has all the skills to be a major star, but he floundered without angles that presented him at a top level on Raw or Smackdown. As far as the possible feud with Big E, I think it would be tremendous because they are both such great performers. Big E should've had the title two years ago, and I honestly believe he has the ability to be a main stream star for the company. Big E connects with an audience in a way that very few can on the current roster and he's probably the biggest contemporary star in the company outside of Roman Reigns. As much as some fans want to give the corporate wrestling group flak on social media, a company with Reigns and Big E as representatives benefits in almost every aspect as far as the business model. Sponsors, advertisers, and shareholders will be impressed with Big E and Roman Reigns as top stars of the company.

The downside of all of that for Kevin Owens is, the flip side of this angle with Big E could be that if he doesn't plan to re-sign a contract, WWE management might want to use him to put over the champion before his departure. It doesn't even necessarily have to be with malicious intent either, it just doesn't make sense to put the spotlight on a competitor before they walk onto the other group's show. Ironically, an example of this was when Malakai Black returned to Smackdown to attack Big E before he was released a few days later. Reportedly, the WWE extended an offer to Black to return before his 90-day no compete clause expired, but he declined. Keep in mind, someone in the office probably realized that the company featured his return to television and generated a buzz around him so the release would allow him to take that hype and use it for his debut in AEW, particularly because he was released from the WWE before he had a match on Smackdown.

The point being, Big E shouldn't drop the title anytime soon, and I doubt that simply being booked in a title feud would be enough to keep Owens around the WWE. He was already used in the role to put over the champion when he worked a storyline with Roman Reigns during the pandemic era.

In truth, Kevin Owens has been under utilized for the past few years, and his skill level is way above his position in the company so I have to say that outside of this brief title feud, I doubt management will suddenly see more value with him as a performer. The bottom line is, the office knows what they have with Kevin Owens and what he brings to the table so there's no reason for his character to lack direction for such extended periods of time, specifically when the Zayn match was continuously recycled. It's not necessarily a jab against WWE, but if they only view Owens as the guy that can put the champion over at this point in his career then it's better for him to consider other offers. That's part of the reason why it's important for there to be competition in the industry because it allows more performers to be used to their full potential. All things considered, I would guess this angle with Big E will be used to put the champion over, while Owens' status will still be in the mid-card at the conclusion. I would still say the jump to AEW in 2022 would be the better decision for Owens because again, because of the smaller pond, his star power will be maximized and it would be a fresh start in his career.

Nia Jax released

It's ironic that just hours after I wrote a column about some of the rumored departures within the wrestling world and the free agents on the market, WWE announced that several more talents were released from the company yesterday due to "budget cuts," which translates to the fact the corporation wants to pad the stock price after the recent earnings call. The firings ranged from surprising to moot in the grand scheme of things, but collectively, these releases revealed the overall direction or lack thereof within the company. Since there were nearly twenty cuts, it would be too lengthy to even attempt to discuss all of them individually, but the releases of Trey Baxter, Jessi Kamea, Jeet Rama, Zayda Ramier, Katrina Cortez, and B-Fab are those on the roster that were more or less just names on a page that were expendable to the organization. That's not a knock on any of them, but rather to point out that within the developmental system, they weren't really given a chance to make a name for themselves so it would be unfair to judge their skills based on that sample size.

On the flip side, Karrion Kross, a former NXT champion, was released not too long after he made his Raw debut, and that firing could provide the most insight into the WWE process. For the office to book Kross as strong as they did in NXT, clearly, they saw some level of potential in him. How that was completely derailed when the moment he appeared on Raw and jobbed to Jeff Hardy in less than two minutes is anyone's guess. I know I attempt to provide analysis or an opinion on the often over-the-top world of sports entertainment in this column, but I have to be honest, I'm completely flabbergasted by the decision to cut Kross. It's not that I'm the president of the Karrion Kross fan club either, I think he's a solid performer, but I wouldn't call him the next Ric Flair. The surprise is more based on that fact that management knew what they were getting with Kross, they ran with him as NXT champion, and then completely hindered all of that progress as soon as he went to Raw. The rumor mill suggest a few of the cuts were made because of their vaccination status, but until something is confirmed publicly, any of that discussion is pure speculation. Even if Karrion Kross wasn't vaccinated, his path to a pink slip began before vaccination status was a topic of conversation around WWE.

Quite frankly, the more important part of the discussion is, how does the WWE process change so radically in such a short period of time when a wrestler goes from being featured on television to released? Scarlett is a talented performer and the pairing with Kross is a good combination, but it appears that her released was based on the fact that the writing team probably just didn't have anything else for her to do if Kross wasn't on the roster. I'm sure the pair will find work elsewhere rather quickly, but what promotion it is might be a toss up because of the crowded wrestling landscape.

Another wrestler release that exposes the lack of direction in the company is Keith Lee, who just recently returned to Raw with a revamped gimmick as Bear Cat Lee after an extended absence due to the effects of COVID. In truth, the WWE never knew what to do with Keith Lee and even his success in NXT was more or less kept under the radar. It's ironic that when he returned to television as the Bear Cat, he worked a very generic big man style, despite the fact that he was noticed for his agility that gave him a non-traditional style for someone his size. If the office wants a generic big man then there's an entire performance center of wrestlers that they could randomly pick for that role. However, the bigger point is, management knew what they were getting with Keith Lee and knew what he could do under the WWE umbrella so how exactly did he suddenly become expendable after he was reintroduced on television? If he wasn't brought back to TV then it makes sense if the writing team just didn't have anything for him, but for him to return and then be released suggests that the office is just throwing things at the wall to see what sticks rather than a plan to make new stars. I would guess that Lee will find a lot of work on the indies or could return to Ring Of Honor if the organization actually relaunches in April of next year.

I was very surprised to see that Ember Moon got released because in my opinion, she has all the tools to be a major star. She has the look, the skills, and the presence to be on the same level are Sasha, Bianca, or Bayley. I know Ember had some injuries, but her upside goes beyond the risk of being injury prone. Another female athlete, Mia Yim was released and all things considered, she wasn't given a fair chance on the main roster when she was included in the doomed Retribution stable. Considering that AEW could use more depth on the women's roster, especially with the addition of the TBS title, I would say that both of these athletes would be wise signings for All Elite Wrestling.

I was also surprised by the firing of Eva Marie, simply because despite no actual talent for any aspect of sports entertainment, not only was she re-signed by the company last year, but was also featured on television. As far as the future, Eva Marie might want to consider cooking, building bird houses, roller skating or anything other than professional wrestling.

Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado were more or less lost in 205 Live purgatory when they weren't squashed on Raw so their WWE tenture wasn't an accurate representation of their skills. I would guess that both, more specifically, Metalik could pick up a lot of work in Mexico. Speaking of Mexico, Franky Monet made a name for herself there and in Impact Wrestling so I would guess that a return to Impact is in the future for her. Oney Lorcan was a guy that occasionally got a chance to show what he could do, but never had a chance to truly make a name for himself on the WWE stage. Known as Biff Busick as an independent standout for years, I think he will return to a lot of opportunities on the indies or even some work for New Japan Strong. Harry Smith was signed to a contract, worked one dark match, and was released so obviously, there wasn't a chance to see how he would've done in a second WWE stint. That said, Smith could be a major asset for any organization so it will be interesting to see where he signs next, especially if he inks an AEW deal.

Perhaps, the most shocking release was Nia Jax, who made headlines recently for a legitimate in-ring confrontation with Charlotte after a match went off the rails on Raw. The shocking part isn't her value to the company or necessarily her in-ring ability, but rather that she's a cousin of The Rock, and it's within the company's interest not to cause any tension for his family. Nia was outspoken about her objections to the validity of the vaccine so if vaccination status played a role at all, this might be the situation. That being said, while Nia is a marketable star, she has a well-known reputation of injuring opponents so her departure isn't exactly a major downside for the organization. She was purely a WWE product, starting in the Performance Center so I don't think there will be many other options for her within professional wrestling either. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if she eventually returns to WWE.

What's the status of O'Reilly?

After years of seeing the term "potpourri" used on Sean Oliver's Kayfabe Commentaries Youshoot production, I always wanted to find a way to use it in a column so this is a way to justify the title of this article. One of the many things that Brian Pillman taught us was that vocabulary words and their use in professional wrestling are important. The particular potpourri to be discussed here is the continued mixture of free agents that have hit the market, based on WWE releases or simply contracts that are set to expire.

Don't get me wrong, it's always a very nice moment when a hard-working independent wrestler gets the contract offer to make the jump to national television, and when an underutilized talent gets a chance to show their true potential on another platform. Eddie Kingston and Miro are great examples of this respectively. However, the harsh reality of the business world is that all of those releases or contract offers translate to dollars and cents on a page. Aside from the financial side of the deal, the ability for a promotion to use each talent effectively depends on many factors, which could be something as trivial as if there's enough space on the roster. Among the few criticisms of All Elite Wrestling is the very bloated roster, and again, while it's great to see competitors land a major contract, it also becomes very easy for athletes to get lost in the shuffle, which makes at least a portion of the opportunity to sign a national deal moot.

So, among the current rumored or actual free agents on the market, what wrestlers should AEW consider to add to the roster?

PWinsider's Mike Johnson, one of the most accurate pro wrestling journalists, reported that NXT star, Kyle O'Reilly's contract is expected to expire next month. At 34, the former member of the Undisputed Era is in the prime of his career and while he doesn't have polished mic skills, he can still cut a decent promo. The bottom line is, O'Reilly can go in the ring and would be an asset to any major organization in the industry. If I had to guess, I would say that his WWE future depends on what he wants from his career at this point. As I wrote about NXT when more than a dozen wrestlers were released and the brand was repackaged, anyone still on the roster from the Triple H regime is more or less typecast into a role on the third-tier brand because otherwise they would've been released or brought to the main roster before the launch of NXT 2.0 a few months ago.

The easy answer, specifically because of his style, would be for O'Reilly to make the jump to AEW, and sometimes the simplest answer is the correct decision. When Bobby Fish was released, and Adam Cole opted not to re-sign, it was clear that their era on NXT had concluded. If O'Reilly stays under the WWE banner, he would mostly be considered a secondary player on a third-tier brand, and he definitely has more to offer to the sport than that. Unless O'Reilly wants to consider a full-time spot with New Japan, which might be a possibility, a switch to AEW would provide him with more options for his career, specifically if Tony Khan wanted to use the history of the Undisputed Era for angles.

Speaking of Bobby Fish, he recently inked a deal and made his debut with the organization. He also had a very good match against CM Punk on Rampage. Fish is a guy that is a polished pro and brings depth to any roster. That being said, Fish is already 45 so it goes without saying that he's in the latter stages of his career. As far as a utility wrestler on the roster, and that's meant as a compliment, Fish can get the job done, but how far he can go up the card appears to be limited with an organization that by nature has to build for the future.

Kalisto, who spent much of his WWE tenure in 205 Live purgatory, worked a match with Aero Star against FTR this past week on Dynamite. Obviously, Kalisto has talent, but after he spent the past several years so far under the radar in WWE, he doesn't offer much in the way of name value, and quite frankly, there are already better luchadors on the AEW roster so there doesn't seem to be a realistic spot for him in the company other than this one-off appearance.

Another competitor that was in the witness protection program of 205 Live in recent years was Tony Nese, who signed an AEW contract a few weeks ago. I have to be honest, all things considered, I don't see what Tony Nese brings to the table that others already on the roster contribute in a better fashion. That's not a personal jab against Nese, I'm sure he's a nice guy, but from strictly a business perspective, what does he bring to the company that isn't already there? Sure, Tony Nese is a great athlete, but there are many great athletes in AEW. He's not particularly charismatic, known for his mic work, or has an measurable degree of star power so was it really necessary to sign him?

I was very surprised to read that Juice Robinson, who opted to leave NXT years ago to pursue a career as a young lion in the NJPW dojo, might leave New Japan when his contract expires in January. As mentioned, Juice, despite some recognition from his NXT stint, started at the bottom of the New Japan dojo to work his way up the ranks. He gained a level of popularity in Japan, but spent most of the pandemic era in the United States to work with Impact Wrestling and NJPW Strong. I'm also somewhat surprised that Juice hasn't had a more prominent spot in New Japan because it looked like he was going to get a push further up the card after he won the IWGP US title, but it didn't really materialize. Instead, he worked as a tag team with David Finlay, and they had a run as the Impact tag team champions. Hopefully, Juice will re-sign with New Japan because he has a lot of talent, but the American landscape is very crowded so unless an American organization offers him better money, it might be wise for him to continue his career in New Japan.

As I've written before, Tony Khan and AEW as a whole have a certain level of good will with the fans because Tony Khan didn't have to invest into a pro wrestling company. He could've bought an island and sipped on lemonade, but he funded the All Elite project to try to improve the business. Obviously, the audience and the talent can appreciate that. The other side of the coin of being a promoter is sometimes tough decisions have to be made, even for a passion project. Granted, WWE rightfully received a lot of criticism when they released dozens of wrestlers during the pandemic while the company touted record-setting revenue on conference calls. But, WWE gets flak on social media anytime there are releases, some of that it justified, while more often than not, there are jaded fans that want to score social media points with criticism toward WWE. No Way Jose all the sudden had a lot of fans after he was fired. I know some will cite the Youtube shows are a way to get talent exposure, but let's be honest, anything on Youtube is mostly cannon fodder, and in my view, the value for those broadcasts is allowing younger talent to get experience, not necessarily a platform for exposure. Dynamite and to a somewhat lesser extent Rampage are the stages where stars can be made for AEW. With the addition of more talent, Tony Khan will eventually have to at least consider making some cuts to the roster because otherwise, there are several wrestlers that could get lost in the shuffle for the company.

UFC 268

Just a week after a very solid UFC 267 card, a non-PPV show because of the time difference with its location in Abu Dhabi, the Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to pay-per-view this Saturday with a stacked card for UFC 268 at Madison Square Garden. A side note, this weekend is also the Canelo Alvarez/Caleb Plant bout so it will be interesting to see if the boxing event affects the buy rate of the MMA card. Another worthwhile note is that pair of shows is why the All Elite Wrestling Full Gear pay-per-view was moved to next weekend to avoid the direct competition for the PPV dollars.

The main event will be Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington for the Welterweight championship, a rematch of their late-2019 bout that saw Usman win via TKO in the fifth round, fracturing Covington's jaw in the process. Usman, the current 170 LBS champion, was much busier since their original clash, defending his belt three times, including twice against Jorge Masvidal, and Gilbert Burns between those pair of fights. This past April, Usman showed his punching power with a brutal KO of Masvidal, improving his overall record to 19-1, while maintaining an undefeated streak in the UFC. On the flip side, Colby fought just once, a TKO stoppage because of a rib injury to Tyron Woodley over a year ago. Outside of the selling point of the grudge rematch, does a win over Woodley more than a year ago really justify a title shot? Furthermore, You have to wonder if ring rust will play a role in this five-round bout?

Of course, Colby has kept himself relevant by attempting to be a less marketable version of Chael Sonnen, using trash talk to generate a buzz around his fights and thus a better payday. Covington's pro-Trump shtick and other lowbrow attempts to be controversial, including insults toward Matt Hughes, who narrowing escaped with his life after being hit by a train when his truck crossed onto the tracks, are less effective than the smack that Chael talked about his particular opponent's skill level. That said, make no mistake about it, Colby brings make more substance to the table than Sonnen, even if Covington's trash talk lacks Chael's sizzle. With a record of 16-2, Colby has beat solid competition throughout his UFC tenure. With his decorated amateur wrestling background and half of his career victories by decision, Colby can grind out wins by controlling the pace of the fight, but he can punch as well.

That said, the champion, who has an equal amount of decision and KOs wins on his record, is probably the more well-rounded athlete on paper, particularly because of his dangerous punching power. Usman has really good grappling skills and I would expect his take down defense to neutralize his opponent's attempt to wrestle, at least in the early rounds.

As far as how the actual fight goes, I think it will be very similar to their original contest, it will probably be a fight that goes into the later rounds and the result will depend on who can cause damage toward the conclusion of it. I will pick Usman to get a decision win to retain the title since his punching power will probably be the difference in the fight.

The co-main event is another championship rematch of Rose Namajunas vs. Zhang Weili for the Straw weight title. "Thug" Rose won the title this past April when she landed a head kick on her opponent to get the referee stoppage in the first round, winning the belt for the second time in her career. Weili, a buzz saw of a competitor, only had one blemish on her pro record previously and looks to avenge the loss to recapture the 115 LBS title. Prior to the loss to Namajunas, Weili won a razor-close split decision against Joanna Jędrzejczyk in a absolute classic bout last year. In truth, at least on paper,Zhang looks to be the more well-rounded fighter, but "Thug" Rose proved to be very durable throughout her career, despite some defeats on her record. There's no doubt about it, a focused Rose Namajunas is as dangerous as any fighter in the women's division. These two athletes share some of the same opponents so this should be a relatively evenly-matched contest, considering their previous success against common opponents.

That being said, their original bout was a small sample size, and since Weili has the speed advantage, I would guess that the initial match-up was more of a situation when Zhang just got tagged with a kick, something that can happen to anyone in MMA, than an indication that Rose will automatically dominate the rematch. As far as the speed advantage goes, I think that will be the key for Zhang if she's going to be successful in the rematch, if she can land punches and avoid striking exchanges since Namajunas has punching power. I have to pick Weili, simply because I think the narrative of this match-up was skewed because off the first round win before, and I would guess that she will land punches to score enough points to win a decision on the score cards. However, this should be a close fight and might be the fight of the night at the conclusion of the pay-per-view.

Michael Chandler will attempt to rebound from a championship fight defeat when he squares off against tough contender, Justin Gaethje. For years, Chandler was probably the best fighter not under UFC contract and it appeared he would live up to the hype when he KO'ed Dan Hooker in the first round of his UFC debut early last year, but was beat by Charles Oliveira at UFC 262 in May. Chandler is known for his wrestling background and can use grappling to land strikes, and at 35, could theoretically still have a few years left in his prime, but he wouldn't be the first high-profile free agent signing that didn't translate to success inside the octagon. Gaethje, despite the ability to use technique, is a brawler that will look to land the KO and he's probably the most dangerous striker in the 155 LBS division after the retirement of former champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, who defeated him last year. I will pick Chandler to get the win using grappling, but it should be interesting to see what happens because despite being only his third fight in the UFC, Chandler could be considered a flop if he loses again after the title shot.

The other two fights on the under card, including a bout that features Frankie Egdar, are mostly a toss up for the winners, but this could be a pivotal card for the UFC because of the major stage of Madison Square Garden on pay-per-view.