ECW on Sci-Fi

This past weekend marked twenty years since the ill-fated relaunch of Extreme Championship Wrestling under the WWE banner with the ECW on Sci-Fi show. As we know, ECW folded under the pressure of the competition of the industry by early-2001. It's final "official" event was the Guilty As Charged pay-per-view at the Hammerstein Ballroom, drawing a solid house of an estimated 2,500 fans. A pair of bought house shows, when a sponsor brings in the brand for a set price. were held in Pine Bluff Arkansas of all places two weeks later, but for all intents and purposes, the January 7th pay-per-view in New York was the last national mark that the renegade organization made before HHG Corp, the parent company of ECW, filed for bankruptcy in April of 2001.

The numerous reasons for why ECW collapsed are well-documented so there's no need to rehash it, but one thing is for sure, the group went out of business because of bad financial deals that Paul Heyman made as he tried to keep pace with the multi-million dollar corporations of WWF and WCW at the time, not a lack of fan support. Heyman gets a lot of rightful grief sometimes for how he handed his time as the boss of the promotion, but at the same time, in retrospect, it's much easier to be able to see the full scope of what became a net negative for ECW, and potentially what would've been a better deal with the benefit of hindsight, as opposed to trying to navigate those landmines in real time. The WWF was about to take Taz and The Dudley Boys, Shane Douglas left for WCW a few months prior, and The Sandman had yet to return when Heyman inked the disastrous TNN deal that ultimately became the biggest reason that ECW shut down.

It goes without saying that part of the reason that a national platform is so important for a pro wrestling commodity is that it allows the company to maximize the amount of revenue streams and thus generate as much revenue from them as possible. The regional format was that television was used to sell tickets to the live events. By the late-90s, especially during the pro wrestling boom period when a WWF or WCW logo would be stamped on almost anything (did the investment into those WWF Beanie Babies payoff yet?), sponsors, advertisers, merchandise, and pay-per-view were the key difference makers compared to the previous era when the live gate was the biggest piece of the pie. When ECW got no revenue from commercials or sponsorships on the TNN show, the biggest upside, if there truly was one, for them from the television contract was that it theoretically expanded their touring possibilities and potential pay-per-view audience. The problem was, there was also an increase in production costs across the board for their schedule, as well as for the television show itself.

Bubba Dudley once described ECW has the napster of the pro wrestling industry, and he was right, as it changed the business, but it was never meant to last. ECW burned the candle at both ends, and in a few ways, succeeded to the level that it did in spite of itself, particularly because some of the moves it made to stay true to the original vision were the same reasons that it imploded within a relatively short period of time. TNA, Ring of Honor, and All Elite Wrestling have all lasted longer than ECW, despite not having nearly the same amount of influence on the business.

More than a quarter of a century after that final pay-per-view, fans still remember the product and ECW merchandise is still sold on the WWE Shop website.

With the south Philadelphia promotion ending so under the radar, which was the opposite of how it existed, there definitely seemed to be a lack of closure for the industry and the fan base. A slew of alphabet soup leagues tried to take its place in the years that followed, but most were mere cheap imitations that tried to be an alternative in an industry that had completely consolidated to the WWE as the sole national company after the Attitude era. As we know, WWE bought the assets, including the tape library out of bankruptcy court in 2003 after an extended legal process because of all the creditors that ECW had before it officially closed. The founder of the company, Tod Gordon had a claim in court about the early video footage, but it was dismissed. The WWE eventually secured the music rights to the ECW theme song, which wasn't owned by the original promotion either.

The late-2004 release of The Rise and Fall of ECW DVD and it's major success proved that there was a market for the brand. Roughly six months later, Shane Douglas held the Hardcore Homecoming reunion show at the ECW Arena, which sold out in minutes with over a 1,000 fans in attendance. The same weekend, the WWE put One Night Stand on pay-per-view, which was a legendary show of the modern era.

Given the success, the following year's One Night Stand served as a launching pad for the previously mentioned ECW on Sci-Fi show. While the network was an odd choice, it was under the USA network umbrella so from a corporate prospective, it made sense for the suits to get another wrestling property on one of their channels.

As we know, the segment that is most remembered on that June 13, 2006 broadcast was also the segment where everyone watching knew that the extreme experiment was doomed.

The opening of the show, the first segment of "official" ECW after five years of anticipation was the infamous ECW zombie. It was tacky, it was hokey, and it was lame. It was when the audience, those that had organically rallied for this revival to happen, knew that they were going to witness a Vince McMahon hatchet job on the extreme legacy.

It goes without saying that it wasn't possible to recreate the late-90s in 2006, as the business and society had moved on. However, that doesn't mean that the ECW brand itself couldn't have been successful with an updated presentation. Of course, successful is a subjective term, but I think it's fair to say that the project could've been more successful than the drek that was booked for it. There were a myriad of reasons why it wasn't going to work, including the fact that it was aired live each week after the crowd in the building already saw a Smackdown taping on Tuesdays so you weren't going to get an enthusiastic reaction. The Sandman caning the zombie wasn't enough to save the segment, the message was sent what the prospects of this show were. Aside from the opening silliness, there seemed to be a specific effort to bury as many of the ECW originals as fast as possible with a cast of development talent that the audience wasn't familiar with.

Basically, this was nothing like the original ECW with the exception of the way Rob Van Dam and Sabu were used for a short period of time, and the fans knew that they were watching a third-tier brand that just happened to be called ECW. The show last just over three and a half years before the office pulled the plug to replace it with an actual developmental show for the original version of NXT. I have to be honest, one of the reasons that the majority of the 2010s of the WWE product was so bland was how much the ECW experiment soured the audience. It was almost a reflection of the notion that the WWE could book whatever they wanted and if fans were going to watch pro wrestling in the United States, they were going to watch WWE since the promotion more or less had a monopoly at the time.

The details of the three and a half years of the existence of the WWE's ECW are sparse, bland, and uninspiring. There was nothing compelling or insightful about any of it and within a year or so, the shift was completely away from anything remotely related to ECW so it was doomed to fail.

Even two decades later, you have to wonder, why did Vince McMahon bring back those three letters? Did he really expect the same audience that bought the Rise and Fall DVD, and ordered the One Night Stand pay-per-view to accept Matt Striker in exchange for the Sabu? Was Kevin Thorne supposed to replace The Sandman? Mike Knox was going to surpass Tommy Dreamer? To be fair to the new breed faction, those guys were put in an impossible position as well, just on the other end of the spectrum. The office did no favors for their careers by putting them in those roles.

Given how cynical pro wrestling is, of course the question must be asked, did Vince really bring back ECW just to finally quiet its legacy? In the early-2000s, Triple H monopolized his position at the top of the card for several years in a row. If that was because he was in the McMahon family tree is debatable, depending on who you asked, but the point is, by 2005, there was more of a demand for ECW, partially because it had been gone for five years, than Raw or Smackdown. Would Vince really go through the effort and waste three and a half years of television time to finally squash the ECW chants? Keep in mind, this is the same guy that had to book Triple H to pin Sting 15 years after he won the Monday Night war and purchased WCW.

Thankfully, within the past two decades since the infamous zombie popped up on the screen of that first episode on Sci-Fi, enough time has passed that the stain of WWE's attempt faded from the legacy of the original ECW. Today, the original promotion is celebrated and merchandised through convention appearances, merchandise, video game cameos, and even new Mattel action figures. For a company that was never designed to last, it's quite remarkable that ECW is still a marketable commodity more than 25 years later.

What's the status of WWE?

Is professional wrestling lukewarm or did the temperature of the industry drop below 32 degrees in the middle of June?

One of the common talking points online right now is the notion that WWE is "soulless" under the TKO banner that churns out endless commercials and shameless sponsorships to the point that even the most diehard WWE fan has taken notice. The ironic part of that is, most of these corporate troupes have been apart of WWE programming for the past few years, and it seems like some viewers have only taken the time to truly put it into context more recently. Granted, the entire point of the promotional side of the business is to make as much of the product seem "must see" and as big as possible, but the WWE leaned into the sizzle to the point that it more than overwhelmed the level of substance that couldn't live up to the hype. 

The original Bloodline narrative was very well done, and against the odds, management was able to keep the Cody Rhodes chase for the championship relevant. It should be noted that his 2023 bout with Brock Lesnar at Summer Slam was pivotal to keep him strong as a baby face contender. Rhodes winning the title in honor of his late father, Dusty was fantastic storytelling and obviously, one of the most memorable moments of the modern era. That being said, the victory was the peak moment of this time period and everything within the past two years has been a natural decline. That's not a knock on anyone, just the fact that every peak has a valley, and the best case scenario is to minimize the depth of the valley to maintain good business during those overall decreases as the next crop of money-drawing stars are produced.

There's no doubt that Cody is a successful champion, and generally speaking, the WWE has a very successful business model right now with a significant amount of star power on the roster. If TKO is maximizing the short-term money in exchange for eroding the fan base in the future is a completely different discussion. However, it's tough to argue with the Nick Khan and TKO philosophy when the WWE can tout record-setting profits for shareholders during conference calls.

That being said, and this might be the biggest point to be made of the current criticism of TKO, did the corporation overplay its hand to the point that it diminished the enthusiasm that was around the brand not that long ago?

While I will say that the Samoan saga of the Bloodline was brilliantly done, the notion from some pundits a few years ago that it should've been considered for an Emmy was completely silly. This is pro wrestling, not Casablanca. Along those lines, it was almost as though the WWE's selling point became more about some faux "fine art of pro wrestling" than a compelling product that often didn't justify the astronomical ticket prices. The biggest WWE selling point became that the fans should understand how wonderful this dramatic sports entertainment spectacle is rather than booking a product that could accomplish that goal organically based on the substance of the storylines.

Eventually, when the momentum of the Cody victory subsided, the audience was left with the previously mentioned slew of commercials that surpassed the amount of time given to the action on the broadcast. Calling the TKO product "soulless" is a way to get fans to click on the titles of Youtube videos, whereas the actual reasoning behind it is less dramatic than that. The WWE product is repetitive and stale, which was the same issue they had about a decade ago, albeit under different circumstances. The harsh reality is that the current narratives have more or less been told so it's time to evolve and bring the audience something fresh. Does that mean that the entire main event scene should be scrapped? No, Cody is cemented as a top guy and should be booked as such. Roman Reigns is also bulletproof, as is CM Punk, but that doesn't necessarily mean that any of them should continue to occupy the main event scene on a full-time basis going forward. The bigger point is that while those guys are still options for the main event picture, there should be a concerted effort from the office to productively push the next group of stars that are going to be responsible for representing the brand.

As I said, Cody was a successful champion and his two-year journey to the championship at Wrestlemania 40 was a successful coronation of the next top guy at the time, but the metrics of more or less every aspect of the industry is different because of the countless hours of WWE programming. On one hand, those media rights deals are why the WWE is worth billions of dollars, but on the other hand, the schedule burns through material at an exponentially faster pace than in the past. It was much easier to book Hulk Hogan as the champion for four years in the 80s when there was usually one hour of wrestling on TV each week. You inherently get less mileage out of everything in the business because there's a lot more that those characters and angles have to do to satisfy the line-up of WWE programming at any given time. The bottom line is, more exposure leads to a shorter overall run.

If I had to guess, I think that's why the WWE finds itself at the point it does right now, booking a repetitive angle on television simply because they don't have anything fresh on the horizon. The Roman Reigns/Jacob Fatu storyline is a carbon copy of the Roman/Jey Uso feud from five years ago. As I wrote previously, the way Cody was booked to lose his way into the spot at Wrestlemania actually devalued him as a character. He lost the title on a random episode of Smackdown, lost at the Rumble and then lost at the Elimination Chamber. After he was made to look like he wasn't up to par for the main event of WM, he won the belt back on another random episode of Smackdown. As we know, the Randy Orton match-up, as well as Pat McAfee's involvement fell dismally flat when the office hit the panic button about ticket sales. Why wasn't Cody vs. Drew deemed a strong enough main event for WM 42? The reason was, it was a match that the fans had seem a few times already because of the previously mentioned demands of the WWE schedule. With the repetitive angle of The Bloodline, and the argument to be made that Cody hasn't recovered as a baby face from the way he was booked earlier this year, it's fair to say that the current WWE product might not be frozen since it has star power, but it's undoubtedly cold in the grand scheme of things.

All Elite Wrestling had its most compelling storyline in recent memory with the MJF/Darby Allin title match at Double or Nothing. The problem is, and this is probably why it worked because it didn't run long enough for Tony Khan to complicate it, that compelling feud only lasted a month. There are reports that MJF suffered a minor knee injury during a match against Rush, but as long as he's healed up by the Wembley Stadium event to presumably drop the title to Will Ospreay, it doesn't really affect the big picture. Don't get me wrong, All Elite shouldn't necessarily be the subject of criticism, or at least no more than the usual justified amount, but in terms of the climate of the industry, All Elite doesn't really boost or plunge the temperate. That's not a jab, but rather an observation. It would be too lengthy to rehash many of the previous articles, but essentially, for the positive and the negative, All Elite Wrestling is already what it's going to be. The die is cast so to speak as far as Tony Khan books the matches that he wants to watch, not necessarily what's going to bring in more fans. He has the right to do that, his family funds the project and it's one of the perks of the job. Somehow, an increase in the amount of star ratings is more important than stagnant or decreased television ratings. If the promotion makes money or turns a profit is moot since money is no object to the Khan family. The point being, All Elite Wrestling has a format that caters to more of a niche audience so the vast majority of the programming isn't going to shift the direction of the industry.

New Japan was just sold to Cyber Fight for a reported $22.6 million so it remains to be seen if that will put them on a bigger platform or not, but there's no question that the Japanese league is in a rebuilding phase. All things considered, All Elite Wrestling remains lukewarm because with the amount of talent they have, even a hit or miss product can yield some gems, but overall they are at room temperature because as I said, AEW isn't going to truly impact the course of the business. I don't think the WWE is in an ice age, because again, with the amount of talent and star power that they have, the potential is there for a much bigger upside, but management needs to rejuvenate the current landscape with some fresh angles to boost the product.

Topuria vs. Gaethje

This weekend, Dana White and the UFC will perform for Donald Trump when the octagon is imported to the lawn of the White House for an event to celebrate the orange blob's 80th birthday. Coincidentally, this will be after Trump bought stock in TKO, the parent company of the WWE/UFC umbrella. It was also after Trump settled a $10 billion lawsuit with his own Department of Justice with an agreement that saw the lawsuit dropped in exchange for the IRS dropping any current or future audits of the Trump family. 

Just another day in America.

The White House card was actually the subject of a lawsuit of its own, but the attempted legal action, regardless of if it was furious or had merit is moot. The pay-per-view will take place as scheduled with a seven-fight card this Sunday. Of course, this grandstanding and symbolic bowing to the president is nothing more than ensuring favor from the administration going forward. It might be sleazy, it might be unethical, and there might be questions about how legal it is, but it's still a smart move. Dana White, the McMahon family, and Endeavor management will have a useful ace up their sleeve when needed, or literally a get out of jail free card. A mass pardon of rioters that tried to stop the peaceful transfer of power of an election is a very low bar so there's no doubt that Trump would bail out those that threw him a birthday party if they found themselves in legal jeopardy. It pays to have powerful connections and this UFC card cements that Trump will be more than willing to repay the favor in the future. Keep in mind, the merger of Paramount, the corporation that signed the UFC to a $7 billion rights deal for a seven-year contract, looked for government approval of a merger with Warner Brothers Discovery.

Amidst the pyro and ballyhoo for the orange villain's birthday, there is an actual fight card that could have some direct implications to some of the divisions in the company.

With Tom Aspinall still sidelined with the gruesome eye injury that he suffered in the first round of a fight against Ciryl Gane last October, and no timetable for his expected return to the UFC after multiple eye surgeries to repair the damage, Gane will stepped into the cage with Alex Pereira to determine an interim 265 LBS champion. While I hope Aspinall can make a full recovery to return to the sport, given the seriousness of the injury, I wouldn't be completely shocked if he's on the shelf long enough that he will have to vacate the title and the interim champion is eventually elevated to the position of the undisputed heavyweight titleholder. Pereira, who is a former UFC Light Heavyweight champion, vacated the belt to move up to the heavyweight division. Ciryl Gane is a solid contender with a pro record of 13-2-1 and he beat solid competition to rack up those victories. The problem is, at least for this bout against Pereira, Gane's two career losses against Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones were the top-tier of the division at the time. Gane can be successful against most of the contenders in the heavyweight division, but he doesn't have a win against any of the top guys. I'd say that Pereira, with his razor-sharp striking skills, would be considered one of the top-tier fighters in the UFC, despite this being his debut at heavyweight.

I could be wrong, but I'd expect Pereira to be too quick and too dangerous for Gane over the course of a five-round fight. In some ways, given the height and reach similarities, Gane will probably have some of the same issues against  Pereira that he did against Jones at UFC 285 in March of 2023. At 38, Pereira is at the latter stage of his career, but still seems to be at a physical peak so I have to pick him to win the fight.

The show will be headlined by a UFC Light Weight championship unification bout when the undefeated, Ilia Topuria squares off with Justin Gaethje. This should be a fireworks show, which is what it was designed to be. Gaethje's reputation to deliver Rocky-style performance is probably more important than his pro record of 27-5 ahead of this contest. Ilia Topuria is more well-rounded, with a nearly equal amount of knockout wins compared to submission victories in his career, whereas the vast majority of Gaethje's wins are via KO. It goes without saying that since Topuria is undefeated that he should be favored to win this one, and that's why I will pick him to get the victory. Essentially,  Gaethje has a puncher's chance, but given how dangerous he is as a striker, it's a much more competitive puncher's chance than is usually associated with the term.

Outside of the co-main and main event fights, the other five bouts, at least on paper, could be hit or miss in terms of their quality of competition. For example, Micheal Chandler, as talented as he was as a wrestler in his prime, is on a three-fight skid and is 1-5 in his last six contests. The younger opponent Maurício Ruffy should be able to beat Chandler within two rounds. Josh Hokit vs. Derrick Lewis might be a toss up because anything can happen in the heavyweight division. One thing is for sure, if Hokit tries to trade punches with Lewis the way that he did with Curtis Blaydes in his last fight, Lewis will win by KO early in the fight. Bo Nickal vs. Kyle Daukaus is a fight under the radar and will probably be moot in the grand scheme of things in the middleweight division. Diego Lopes vs. Steve Garcia is another fight that nobody seems to be talking about, but I think this featherweight contest will get viewers to take notice since the two competitors are known for action inside the octagon. Former Bantamweight champion, Sean O'Malley has a fan following, and given the level of competition or lack thereof that Aiemann Zahabi competed against prior to this, I'd say the expectation is that the younger O'Malley will be able to use his speed to get the win for this to be a showcase fight for him.

The fight card is a part of an entire weekend of festivities in honor of Emperor Palpatine's birthday, and while combat sports being put on the White House lawn so that Dana White can score brownie points with the president might be a silly concept, there are serious logistics that go into the event. The Associated Press reported that the UFC presentation will cost an estimated $60 million because of the amount of construction and security concerns involved. Various media outlets have reported that the UFC will lose around $30 million dollars on the production since they can't sell tickets to the event because it will be held at the White House, and the previously mentioned construction costs. Still, the $30 million dollar loss on the show itself will be minimal when being on good terms with Trump can yield exponentially more cash through merger approvals and potential sponsorships. When you take into account that Trump literally has a vested interest into the success of TKO since he bought stock, it could reveal that the White House card is about the eventual cash, not a fight card for the company.

What's next for Steve Maclin?

As we know, competition is the key to the health of any industry, as it gives options for both the fans and the talent themselves. Within the past few years in particular, we've seen the ebb and flow of that within the professional wrestling business with the shifting dynamics of the industry. 

Of course, the free agent market will always be a topic of discussion when there are those previously mentioned options for talent, and as each organization evolves, it can alter the path that talent take when they are testing the waters of free agency. It's nothing new and actually part of doing business as a pro wrestler since it becomes imperative to maximize your value as a talent to make as much money as possible during an in-ring career. Keep in mind, there are no pensions or retirement plans for those within sports entertainment. It can be a difficult task because when a talent thinks they are being underutilized, it's a risk to willingly ask for a contract release since it abandons the security of the weekly paycheck that a national contract brings with it. Obviously, it goes without saying that there are no guarantees of a better spot or better pay elsewhere. On the other hand, if a wrestler becomes too complacent for too long and content to take the money just to hang out in catering if the company doesn't have anything for them, they could end up under the radar so long that it neutralizes their stock as a commodity. Leva Bates, Big Swole, or Jake Hager aren't exactly in-demand these days.

It's definitely a balancing act as far as when to go and where, assuming it will be the right overall career move.

As I mentioned briefly in the article that I wrote about Mike Santana's potential exit from Total Nonstop Action earlier this week when his current deal expires next month, former Impact champion, Steve Maclin requested his release from the organization. TNA confirmed that the released was granted, and the rumor mill suggests that Maclin was frustrated with his direction, as well as the structure of the company. That in itself doesn't necessarily mean that those that follow TNA should push the panic button, as it's not uncommon for a talent to be dissatisfied with the management of a promotion if the office doesn't have plans for them. The puzzling aspect is that Maclin spent a few months working with the previously mentioned Santana before this so it appeared, at least on the surface, that he was in the mix as one of the spotlighted wrestlers for TNA.

Still, it's possible that Maclin thought he hit a ceiling in the promotion, and considering that he was a former world champion, maybe he had. The group debuted on AMC at the start of the year after the working agreement with WWE brought them more publicity than they had in a decade, but as I also pointed out in the write-up about Santana, TNA might be in danger of being typecast as a minor league feeder system for WWE rather than a destination of its own for talent. If Maclin saw the writing on the wall, that might've solidified the ceiling as far as how much progress he could make under the TNA banner.

At 39, Maclin has had a decent career, albeit under the radar through no fault of his own. Maclin originally inked a WWE developmental deal in 2014 and was under contract for almost seven years before he was cut in 2021. The fact that he was trained and developed through the WWE system, especially for that length of time, it proves that he brought something to the table as a performer. Unfortunately, when he was brought to the main roster in early-2020, it was right after the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered the entire world, and the WWE television product that had to be filmed in an empty building was absolute drek. He was initially brought to Smackdown as a part of The Forgotten Sons stable, but a moronic tweet from Ryker in the midst of civil unrest in the country at the time saw the faction dropped from television. In many ways, Maclin was a victim of circumstances during his WWE tenure.

A few months later, he resurfaced in TNA and did relatively well there as a very solid performer at a time when the company definitely needed those efforts. As mentioned, he eventually won the world title, but the problem was that the company was still so far under the radar in terms of publicity and distribution that it wasn't a situation where it could've propelled his star power. As I said, Maclin worked with the world champion in recent months so it's tough to know exactly what prompted the request for the release, but Machin would be a solid asset to any roster in the business right now. He's probably not going to be a pay-per-view main eventer, but rather a good utility guy to have on the card, and there's nothing wrong with that.

At 39, it's doubtful that he will be back in WWE, but it's possible, depending on what they'd have planned for him. I could be wrong, but if a WWE return happens, I could see him as a veteran presence to work with the younger talent on NXT as opposed to a performer on the main roster. Maclin's real-life wife, Deonna Purrazzo is signed to All Elite Wrestling and has worked extensively for Ring Of Honor where she is the current ROH Women's Pure champion so it's possible that he signs a deal with AEW,

That being said, if Maclin debuts there, he will probably get the artificial debut pop, get featured for a few weeks and then end up in the ROH witness protection program. The ROH platform will offer him zero exposure, but it's a relatively easy paycheck to be able to work with his wife for a lighter schedule.

Speaking of All Elite Wrestling, the tag team of The Butcher and The Blade saw their contracts expire with the organization last week. The duo had been in the company for almost seven years, with flashes of success during that span of time. I have to say, assuming that they are both healthy and want to continue wrestling on a full-time basis, there has to be a landing spot for these two somewhere. They are a solid team, have a good look, and were a productive combination when they were given the chance to showcase themselves. As was the case with numerous talents in All Elite, they were lost in the shuffle after the early years of the company, and when The Blade suffered a very serious back injury that required spinal fusion surgery in late-2024,  it put him on the shelf for more than a year so the tag team had no momentum.

It should be noted that The Blade said that AEW paid for the surgery and the rehabilitation process. At the same time, it's understandable that the promotion would move on from the tag team since their act doesn't really fit into the current AEW landscape. However, and this might be the bigger point, there's an opportunity for a fresh start somewhere else, and it's possible that a new chapter could reignite their careers for another run. At 48 and 46 respectively, there's no doubt that the pair are near the latter stages of their careers, but there would probably be enough time for a final major run.

In truth, their age would probably prevent them from being on the WWE radar, but New Japan Pro Wrestling might be the place that they could excel as a team. The Butcher as the gaijin monster, and The Blade as the technician might work well with the New Japan presentation. It goes without saying that it would depending on if Cyber Fight, the company that just bought a major stake in New Japan, would be willing to spend the cash to bring more foreign talent to the organization after they spent a reported $22.6 million on the New Japan acquisition. Either way, it will be interesting to see if these departures develop into a new chapter for the specific performers or if the exit is moot in the grand scheme of things.

What's next for Mike Santana?

Mike Santana, former All Elite Wrestling star and current Total Nonstop Action world champion, is the subject of some online chatter this week, as various wrestling media outlets, including The Wrestling Observer and Fightful Select, reported that he might be on the radar of WWE in just a few weeks.

According to reports, the Puerto Rican grappler's TNA deal is set to expire next month, noting that he is slated to defend the world title at the Slammiversary pay-per-view on June 28th in Boston. That could theoretically be the place for him to drop the championship if he plans to test the waters of free agency. It was also mentioned that the belief is that WWE management would move him directly to the main roster as opposed to starting in the NXT developmental system.

All things considered, it's the right move for Santana to at least explore his options. He's at the highest point of his career at the moment so it only makes sense for him to try to maximize his value as a performer. Along the same lines, it's also logical for the WWE to look into the possibility of bringing him into the fold of the organization. As we know, TKO continues to look for ways to globalize the product, and with the myriad of recent retirements, the reality is, the next generation of stars will have to be ready to carry the brand sooner rather than later. That doesn't mean that Mike Santana is automatically going to be the guy that will be pushed to the main event of Wrestlemania, but rather to point out that as others are moved up the card, there will be spots on the roster that will need to be taken by quality performers to be able to maintain depth within each brand.

That's why it makes sense for the office to consider offering Santana a deal, as he already has several years of television experience and he's a polished pro that could reasonably be expected to start on either of the main brands without a learning curve. Of course, developmental projects are a part of the WWE system, there's an entire Performance Center in Orlando, and the NXT brand itself to serve that purpose, but again, when it comes to main stream WWE productions, especially in the modern era when there are countless entertainment options, the value of experienced talent is still a premium.

In many ways, regardless of if the Puerto Rican star ends up in the WWE or not, he's already a success story. We've discussed the scenario countless times that specific talents were lost in the shuffle in All Elite Wrestling and had to go elsewhere to rejuvenate their careers. Ricky Starks, Penta, and others are examples of that. That's not necessarily a jab at Tony Khan either, it's probably unavoidable that some talent will get lost with such a bloated roster But, the fact remains that some of the talent that Tony missed the boat on, even unintentionally, have found bigger success in other organizations. That's not a total negative, either. One of the many reasons that the industry needs competition is that it allows more stars to reach their full potential under different banners.

Santana is a good example of that. As we know, he had a stint in Impact Wrestling when the promotion was under Anthem management, but was still on shaky ground before he was one of the originals to be featured on AEW programming when Dynamite launched in late-2019 as a member of Chris Jericho's Inner Circle. It looked as though it was rather easy to see that Santana and Ortiz as a tag team were going to be fixtures of the promotion based on the early days of its existence, but as the narrative around All Elite shifted in the few years that followed with backstage disagreements making more headlines than the actual product, the Proud and Powerful tag team faded into the background for several months. Santana suffered an ACL tear during the Blood and Guts match in 2022, which sidelined him for more than a year. During his time on the shelf, it was revealed online that Santana and Ortiz had real-life disputes and the team was disbanded.

Mike Santana left All Elite Wrestling in early-2024 and signed with TNA that April. Considering that it was more or less "out of sight, out of mind" because he had been off the radar for so long between the extended recovery time from the leg injury and then lack of exposure on AEW programming, it's fair to say that Santana overachieved during his TNA tenure over the past two years. Not only did he rejuvenate his career, but he took it to the next level, as his crowd work and real-life story made him a baby face that the crowd rallied behind as a main event star for the organization. He had a significantly higher ceiling in TNA than he did in AEW. If that was because he was underused in AEW, or TNA is simply a smaller pond depends on perspective. The point is that within the past two years, Mike Santana boosted his value as a talent so it might make sense for him to make the jump to WWE if given the chance.

If Santana actually departs TNA after his contract expires next month, the move to WWE would be the only one that would make sense. If he doesn't plan to go to WWE or doesn't get an offer, he'd be better to stay in TNA, mostly because he would probably find himself in the same position that he worked to elevate himself from if he returned to AEW. At 35, Santana theoretically has several years left of his prime, and with the previously mentioned years of television experience, if he was going to sign a deal with WWE, now would be the time to do it. It's tough to gauge where he might end up within the WWE system, as there are some many moving parts and different dynamics within the publicly-traded, global corporation, but if I had to guess, I'd say that he would find at the very least a solid level of success there. As I said, TKO continues to look to expand its international footprint, and we've seen how much of a premium there is on Hispanic talent, especially with the purchase of AAA.

That being said, the other side of the coin is, where does this leave TNA?

There's no doubt that Total Nonstop Action benefited from the working relationship with NXT. Of course, it also helped the WWE since it will help to prevent any other anti-trust lawsuits after the promotion had to pay Major League Wrestling $20 million a few years ago. The AMC debut at the start of the year gave TNA its best television deal in more than a decade since it was canceled from Spike TV in 2014 after network executives found out that Vince Russo was still secretly working for the company. That new TV deal and the exposure that goes along with it doesn't happen without the WWE working agreement. However, and this is the difficult balancing act, TNA will still have to stand on its own as far as a drawing commodity if it wants to have any longevity on a truly national stage again. That's not to say that TNA can't continue to work with NXT, but rather to point out that if they mostly function as a feeder system for WWE where the bigger group continuously get to cherry-pick the best talent, then TNA will be a minor league group, not a national promotion. As we know, Joe Hendry made the leap to WWE and probably settled into a position on the card that makes sense for him. But, with Mike Santana, another TNA world champion, potentially next to make the move, does the almost reinforce the notion that TNA is a funnel for talent to WWE rather than a promotion that stands on its own merit?

I'm not sure of the answer, but I will say that TNA is at least in danger of being typecast as a minor league feeder system. Another aspect that adds some credibility to that notion is the recent report that Steve Maclin, a former world champion, was granted his release from the company, expressing frustration with the structure of the organization. If Maclin thinks he can be a bigger star elsewhere, it makes sense for him to try to accomplish that, especially if he thinks that he was stagnant in TNA. The bigger picture, and maybe the biggest take away from the Mike Santana speculation, is that how the situation unfolds within the next few months might impact the narrative of TNA as an organization, specifically if it's a destination for talent to progress there careers or if it's viewed as bridge to get elsewhere.

Italian with Apter

"You're a nephew now"

The professional wrestling world is one of the most unique genres in the entertainment business. The blend of theatrics and athleticism puts the industry in a category all of its own. What was or wasn't supposed to happen is still debated decades later. The grappling arts run the gamut of over-the-top spectacles to unbelievable tragedies. In many ways, professional wrestling is true to its origins on the carnival circuit.

However, one of the more modern portions of the business, long after the final bell sounded, the crimson dried, and the grueling road schedule was over, is the fan convention that often gives aging legends a second stanza to their careers after they've hung up their boots. There are a few full-fledged wrestling conventions sprinkled throughout the country that bring dozens of legends together for meet and greets a few times a year. while there are also the pop culture conventions almost every weekend somewhere in the United States that bring in a few pro wrestlers to compliment the other entertainment guests on that particularly line-up.

Just a few weeks ago on a late Friday afternoon, I got a text from one of my friends on the Pittsburgh wrestling scene where I do commentary for a few of the well-established organizations. Mark Charles III, affectionately known around the circuit as "The Count" for his role as a referee in the Pennsylvania region, asked me if I would like to take a trip with him to New Jersey the following day for the 80s Wrestling Con, a gathering of a slew of legends from the golden era of the business. I had seen information about the convention a few times previously, as it runs two or three times a year in Parsippany, but hadn't looked into it much, simply because of the distance of the travel involved. Mark formed many warm friendships with a myriad of the veteran performers of the industry over the past few years, including through his non-profit work as the Advisory Board Chair and Membership Coordinator for the Cauliflower Alley Club, an organization that assists pro wrestlers in need.

In an industry with a TV series titled, "The Dark Side of The Ring," Mark Charles brings a genuine kindness that should get him nominated for sainthood, especially by pro wrestling standards. Long after former WWF and WCW star, Virgil was retired from the sport and health problems affected him significantly, Mark chaperoned him to appearances to ensure his well being, refusing to accept a penny for his assistance, in the years prior to the real-life Mike Jones' passing. Along with that, when legends were booked for signings in the western Pennsylvania area, Mark was asked to take care of some of their arrangements, as organizers knew he had the trust and respect of the golden generation. Tito Santana, Koko B. Ware, and several others speak highly of not only Charles, but his sincere friendship as well.

So, when Mark had a chance to visit with many of his friends while they were in the north east, he didn't want to miss the chance to do so. Of course, I'd agreed to a five-hour trip on less than one day notice for the prosperity of pro wrestling. Granted, I'm honestly not sure why Mark would subject himself to more than 10 hours in a car with me, especially because talking about pro wrestling is my gig, both on the mic at local shows, or penning articles online. If I'm ever accused of being long-winded, I'm probably going to end up in the electric chair faster than Abdullah The Butcher at Halloween Havoc in 1991.

The road trip itself was easy, at least for me, and Mark is too nice of a guy to say otherwise so I guess it was a win-win situation. We shot the breeze about the industry, both locally and nationally, weaving our way through the hills of the region as we passed through places near the famous battle fields of Gettysburg. On the journey, the name Bill Apter, the well-known photo journalist for more than half a century, popped up on Mark's car system. The two formed a genuine friendship a few years ago and keep in touch on a regular basis. As the 50-year veteran of the industry checked in with Mark on arrival times, he launched into a collection of impressions of those that were potentially in the car with him as he navigated traffic. Terry Funk, Bruno, and a few others made cameos before Apter told "The Count" that he would see him at the building.

The czar of the "Apter mags" as they were called in their heyday before the internet was one of the few dozen luminaries that were scheduled to be at the convention. After we arrived, the venue was too loud with music playing in a relatively small place, which I'm not complaining about since a record-setting amount of steps isn't my strong suite, but rather to point out that it made conversation difficult at times. Getting the chance to meet Nikita Koloff, The Killer Bees, Jimmy Valiant, Baron Von Raschke, and The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers for photo-ops and an autograph was a thrill. Getting the chance to say hello to The Baron's daughter and asked what it was like to have such an on-screen villain for a dad was a comical moment. She was a polite lady, and despite being a menace in the ring for decades, The Baron is a gentleman, The same can be said for Jimmy Valiant, and everyone was very polite. Getting the chance to say hello to a slew of other names as Mark was kind enough to introduce me to them was also fun. The chance to meet Tommy Rich again and show him a picture we took together at Wrestle Con in Cleveland a few years ago was fun, too.

After a few hours at the convention, Mark told me that we'd grab lunch with Apter, which was somewhat surreal, as the 80-year-old print icon raced around the convention floor, getting video interviews for his ongoing projects. He even serenaded the audience in  Parsippany with a rendition of "My Way," which was still a solid showing despite the wonky sound system. The energetic zest for life that Apter has is impressive, and I legitimately won't be surprised when he celebrates his 100th birthday in a few decades.

As the convention concluded, we decided on an Italian restaurant that simply had "Italia Bistro" on the building. As a paisan, and especially as a fan of The Sopranos, the chance to get authentic Italian food in New Jersey was a victory in itself. Side note, I usually don't order pasta at restaurants because my dad makes his own sauce and meat balls so nothing else compares, but this establishment in New Jersey had tremendous ravioli. The fact that I had the chance to sit across from someone as tenured and accomplished as Bill Apter for this was, as I said earlier, somewhat surreal. One of the most striking aspects about him is that this is the guy that stood next to true global icons like Ali and Sammartino, but with such a humble nature, he was just as kind to spend time with Mark and I on that May afternoon. He even refused to allow me to call him "Mr. Apter," as he appreciated the respect, but wouldn't have it since he's such an easy-going guy.

As I said, I'm long-winded and probably could've picked his brain until his 90th birthday, but it was so cool to get his insight into the magazine industry, and to hear how he adapted through the online era. Taking the totality of his career into account, I'm not sure if most fans realize just how important "the Apter mags" were in their heyday before the internet or even cable television. Landing on the cover or getting coverage in the printed pages, particularly in the 70s and 80s made careers, as it provided a "preview" of what fans in a specific territory could expect when a performed arrived at their local arena. It was really neat to get to hear Apter discuss his mentor, Stanley Weston, who started Pro Wrestling Illustrated, as well as a collection of other publicans decades ago. Plus, Apter's work as a job coach for individuals with disabilities is admirable. Finally, the stories of his trips to Japan, including when the Yakuza threatened him with castration if his version of the previously mentioned Sinatra hit wasn't up to par at a karaoke bar one night, were insightful. Thankfully, Bill was able to leave Japan in one piece after he gave the performance a lifetime for the Japanese mafia.

What happened next is one of those things that can be filed in the "only in pro wrestling category," as it was a case of something that had to be true because it would be too outlandish to be fiction. Lucha legend, Mil Mascaras was originally scheduled for the 80s Wrestling Con, but cancelled the day prior to the event. Apter, who covered the Mexican superstar for years, was actually gifted a ring worn mask from the iconic luchador that was used for his debut in Madison Square Garden in the early-1970s. As we finished lunch, Apter asked one of the Hispanic staff if he was familiar with Mascaras, and the staff member lit up with the mention. With that, Apter popped up from the table, dashed outside, and returned moments later, wearing the iconic mask of the lucha legend into the restaurant. Apter graciously posed for a photo with the waiter and entertained a group of youngsters with the colorful lucha accessory.

Outside, Mark and Bill embraced to say goodbye, and the affection they have for their meaningful friendship is very wholesome, particularly with how much of a contrast it is to the in-ring mayhem that brought them together. Before we got back on the road to head back to Western Pennsylvania, Apter gave me a hug and proclaimed, "you're a nephew now." 

Thanks, Uncle Bill 

The career of Jack Pollock

Jack Pollock was a cornerstone of the Pittsburgh professional wrestling scene for nearly 15 years. As someone that learned under the underrated legend, Lance Storm after he took out a loan from PNC Bank to travel to Calgary and quite literally learn the ropes, Jack Pollock lived up to the old school troupes that were forged in the territory's old Stampede promotion, the place where Lance broke in nearly 25 year earlier, Pollock gave blood, sweat, and tears to the squared circle.

"Going to Calgary and training with Lance was surreal. The story that stands out the most to me was when we started working matches. My first match went off the rails so badly, everything I tried to do to get it back together wasn’t working. From the seats, Lance yelled 'just roll him up and get it over with, Sam.' Coming back to class on Monday, we were doing more matches, and I just kept saying in my head, 'please don’t pick me' so of course he picked me to wrestle. I think he could tell how upset I was about the first match and wanted to make sure I got my confidence back. That was something about Lance’s way of training I really liked. He knew how to deal everyone’s personality and could pick us up when we were down. He wasn’t a drill sergeant kind of trainer. He wasn’t there to take your money and beat you up. If you showed him respect and that you cared, he gave it back and then some," Pollock explained.

In that same fashion, when Huey Lewis blared through the speakers at a Pittsburgh venue in the years that followed, Jack Pollock gave to the business more than he received. He gave promoters a return on their investment in him as a talent, he gave the fans their money's worth through his tireless efforts in matches, and he extended his hand in friendship to numerous peers in the industry, bonds that lasted far beyond when the final bell echoed in the venue at the end of the night.

Jack Pollock, for a major portion of those past 15 year referenced earlier, was the guy that many organizations counted on as their workhorse throughout different stages of his career. He's one of the very few performers to have worked across the spectrum of the steel city circuit, as his value to any group was undeniable so he found a role within virtually every major promotion in the region at some point or another. The alphabet soup of organizations that he worked for over the years all had a significant impact on his career and contributed to his overall direction in the sport. It was through those efforts that the name Jack Pollock became synonymous with consistent quality performances and the ability to create a level of drama that invoked an emotional investment from the audience.

"Obviously, that first run towards the PWX title in 2012 was really special. The minute you go from just being on the show to being the champion for a company, the expectations change drastically. To be the flag bearer, to feel the responsibility of representing your company, to be the guy that I worked so hard to prove the people right who believed in me so much. That PWX run had so many memorable feuds for me that helped legitimize me and put me on the map. Shane Taylor really cemented me as somebody worth watching early on. And honestly, if not for splitting my eyebrow at the end of that first beating I’m not sure that feud ever becomes what it became. Some of the other PWX feuds that really stick out were the ones with Brandon K, Chris Taylor, and Bryan Bowers," Pollock remarked.

"When it comes to IWC, it’s just hard to pinpoint the highlights. The formation of Team Storm and the feud with Andrew Palace that ended inside of the cage was incredible. The whole Justin Plummer vs. Pollock story, which led to the Wardlow feud was amazing. I think about that crazy run I had to get to the title in 2018: The matches with Shane at Super Indy, Plummer at Threat Level Midnight, and then Wardlow in the cage. I went on to fight Tommy Dreamer and then did a rematch with Wardlow, ending with him throwing me off the top of the cage through the ring. That era of wrestling was just so much fun," he added.

From winning the heavyweight title of the now-defunct Pro Wrestling Express, to his run as the International Wrestling Cartel heavyweight champion, Pollock's rolodex of opponents, both inside of Pittsburgh and the national names brought in from the outside, is a reflect of the trust that event organizers had in him to deliverer in the big moments. After those years of experience, Pollock lent his veteran presence to 880 Wrestling, a newer group within the past few years that built itself as a fresh project amongst the other long-established leagues. The collection of youngsters brought a level of dedication and enthusiasm that rejuvenated Pollock during the last chapter of his in-ring career.

"The last few years of my career, I was able to have a lot of fun at 880, too. Honestly, it’s probably why I stuck around longer than I had originally planned. MV brought me in to work a few matches, but I just loved the vibe so much that I kept coming back. I think the dog collar match with Chris LeRusso stands out the most to me. Blood aside, Chris and I have been friends since my first day in the Pittsburgh wrestling scene so to do that match with my friend was really special," Pollock said.

There's no doubt that a specific era of Pittsburgh, a region known almost as much for its wrestling as the steel it once produced, was defied by the efforts of Jack Pollock. However, it was the real-life Sam Ward that paid the price for it. Crashing through tables, being thrown onto thumbtacks, colliding with the steel cage, and being sent through the canvas of the ring to the floor might've been at the expense of Jack Pollock, but Sam Ward picked up the tab.

It was just a few years ago that a trip to the orthopedic doctor revealed an alarming about of damage to Ward's hip, especially given his age.

"I was still enjoying myself in ring, but my body wasn’t having fun anymore. It took longer and longer to recover from even the most basic match that I knew the time was coming. I remember tweaking my hip during a cage match for IWC in 2022 and things just got worse from there. I did everything I could to help it. I started wearing a big hip brace, weekly chiropractor visits, physical therapy, acupuncture, massages, and float tanks, I could never really get any relief so I finally saw a doctor more than a year later when they told me I had very advanced arthritis for someone my age. I started getting cortisone shots in my hip and knee every three months just to deal with the pain," Ward explained.

Last March, 15 years to the day that he took about the previously mentioned loan to travel to Canada to learn from Lance Storm, Sam repeated the same process for his final match as he did for his first match all the way back in 2011. He picked up his best friend, Marcus Mann, an accomplished manager and behind the scenes organizer for various promotions for more than a decade, and went to the venue. Instead of being a nervous youngster under a mask in West Newton the way he was for his debut, he walked into his final bout as a respected pro that was going to answer the bell one last time. Enjoy Wrestling, a wildly popular group that runs stacked cards in the city once every few months, promoted the event, and MV Young, one of the driving forces behind the previously mentioned 880 Wrestling, served as the last opponent for Jack Pollock's career.

"I tried playing it cool but I was a mess on the inside. MV and I have talked a lot about that match since it happened, there’s not a single thing I’d change about it," Ward said.

More than a year after he hung up his boots, Sam keeps himself busy with graphic design, working on a full plate of merchandise concepts for wrestlers and organizations while he enjoys spending time with his pets and watching baseball games. When he left one ring behind, he got another when he got engaged to his fiance, Eanna, who he met in 2023 through her work as a ringside valet.

A few weeks ago, at the age of just 42, Sam Ward finally underwent hip replacement surgery and has spent the time since then recovering from the procedure, with physical therapy lined up next. He will be kept out of work until he gets completely healed and cleared by his surgeon. In an effort to give back to Jack Pollock the way that he gave so much to the pro wrestling business, all of the friends he made along the way are going to come together on Sunday June 14th at the 880 Wrestling building in Pittsburgh to put on an event for donations that will support Ward until he can return to his day job.

A truly all-star cast of talent from promotions around Pittsburgh will come together to not only pay respect to their friend, but also give the fans a truly unique pro wrestling event that they won't get the chance to see anywhere else. MV Young squares off with Bill Collier, who is known for his work as Agent Zero in TNA wrestling. The Mane Event of Ganon Jones Jr. and Duke Davis will collide with Money Shot, the combination of Elijah Dean and Zach Nystrom for a contest of two of the top tag teams in region. Pittsburgh legends, Brandon K, founder of Ryse Wrestling, and Chris LeRusso, will square off in one of the most anticipated matches on the card. Pittsburgh icon, John McChesney, a 25-year veteran, is scheduled to compete against Edric Everhart, regarded as one of the best grapplers in the area today. Former IWC heavyweight champion, Andrew Palace is slated to compete against 880 standout, Marco Narcisso. A battle royal is also scheduled for the event.

Despite the titanium in his body as a permanent reminder of his sacrifices of the squared circle, Sam Ward remains thankful for the moments he experienced, the memories he created, and the friends that he made in the wrestling business.

"I really don’t have any regrets, I had my first match when I was 27 years old. I never had unrealistic expectations about what I could achieve in this business. I had fun grinding. Wrestling on a Saturday and Sunday just to wake up and go to work on Monday, I enjoyed being different," Ward concluded.