Vice TV documentary

Earlier this week, the "Nine Lives of Vince McMahon," a two-hour exposé on the downfall of the kingpin of sports entertainment, aired on Vice TV. This was a highly-anticipated program, particularly for its association with the Dark Side of The Ring series, which garnered rave reviews.

All things considered, I have to say, the "Nine Lives" feature falls well short of the standard of both the original Dark Side episodes, as well as the editions of Tales from The Territories.

Both Dark Side and The Territories have done very well for Vice TV so it was no surprise that the network would examine Vince McMahon's swift fall from public billionaire to being ousted from the organization he took to a global level. Dark Side of the Ring was praised for its unsanitized and report-style look at pro wrestling controversies that either weren't discussed on a national level before or stories that were only presented with the WWE spin of the narrative. That said, I found McMahon episode to be too much like a tabloid show, with the sole intention to try to paint Vince as a failure that somehow succeeded in spite of that, which just isn't accurate. You don't have to like Vince McMahon, and the way he conducted himself was definitely sleazy, if it wasn't criminal, but the entire show seemed like it was a cut and paste job to get something on television while his exit was still a current topic.

Has Vince tried and failed at other ventures? Sure, but other than to attempt to take a jab at him, what does a failed Evel Knievel pay-per-view have to do with the misconduct scandal or even the premise of "nine lives" on this episode? In my view, McMahon had nine lives because he didn't go bankrupt when the WWF was on the ropes in 1997, he refused to do the job for Uncle Sam in 1994, the WWF maintained its hot streak despite the negative publicity after the tragic accident that took Owen Hart's life in 1999, or that the Benoit tragedy didn't destroy the business in 2007. The steroid scandal of the early-90s was probably the biggest threat to McMahon's empire and the time spent on that in this presentation was minimal. Keep in mind, the steroid scandal of that time period was already the subject of an episode of Dark Side of the ring so there was a huge portion of the footage used that was recycled from that series.

It appeared, at least from my view point, that the first hour was to tell the audience how terrible of a person Vince is supposed to be and then the second hour was designed to focus on the affairs that would then "prove" that he is an awful person. Don't get me wrong, Vince might be a creep or sleazy for paying to keep his affairs quiet, but that doesn't change the fact that what could've been a riveting documentary on one of the biggest stories in the history of the industry was reduced to clips slapped together without much detail on the actual story of the episode.

This had the potential to be this generation's "Wrestling with Shadows" as far as what it could've uncovered about the inner workings of the sports entertainment business, but it was forgettable.

The reasons why for this are numerous, but it boiled down to the fact that this was rushed to television so there wasn't much done to provide actual context to the ripple effect the scandal had on the company. Vince Russo as a talking head was laughable, mostly because he hasn't been around the WWE product for over 22 years, minus a two-week stint when it was determined that he was more or less unemployable in the WWE structure. Credit to Russo for somehow keeping a job in the wrestling business as long as he did, which translates to he was able to swerve Dixie Carter into paying him, but he's so far removed from the WWE office that he provides zero insight into the current management of the organization. Dave Meltzer is one of the longest-tenured reporters of the industry and from a historical perspective is one of the best resources anywhere. However, Dave makes a living exposing the tricks of the trade so naturally, he's not someone McMahon would view favorably. Furthermore, by the nature of his work, the negative publicity around the industry, including the steroid trial, provided Melzter with a hefty amount of "red meat" to write about to sell newsletter subscriptions. For many years, Meltzer was persona non-grata for the WWE. On the flip side, Tony Khan, the owner of the second biggest pro wrestling group in the United States is a reader of his newsletter and makes himself available for extended interviews. Taking all that into account, I'm not sure Dave is the most impartial person to interview for this episode. Bryan Alvarez was probably the most sensible talking head in this production and he's someone that more often than not, takes a fair look at pro wrestling topics. His weekly podcast with underrated legend, Lance Storm is a hidden gem in the almost ludicrous amount of sports entertainment podcasts on the internet.

Aside from the talking heads that were hit or miss, because of the non-disclosure agreements that were signed, none of the females involved in the settlements from the initial Wall Street Journal reports appeared on this show. The misconduct, which might be skewed by legal jargon in the non-disclosure agreements, at least appeared to happen since a settlement was offered in the first place, but there's not much context to it when very few names are public, and those talking in the episode are only providing the same information already publicized in the reports.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending McMahon, when there's this much smoke, there's a fire somewhere and even if he did the least repulsive claims against him, he's a total creep for how he treated women. The issue is how this production took the easy way to painted him in the worst light possible instead of what could've been a definitive chronicle of his exit from the company.

Will Vince McMahon return?

When one of the biggest stories in the history of the professional wrestling industry, the "retirement" of Vince McMahon, made headlines in July, many thought it'd be almost impossible for the emperor of sports entertainment to step away after he devoted seemingly every aspect of his life to his organization. The billionaire's rocky exit from the company that he built from the north east territory that he bought from his father in 1983 to the publicly-traded global corporation that it is today came after a series of Wall Street Journal articles revealed previously undisclosed hush money payments that McMahon paid to keep his affairs quiet. Several payments were made to several women over the years, totaling almost $20 million from consensual affairs to an accusation of misconduct with claims that a female talent was told if she didn't get sexual involved with him, it might put her job at risk.

As I wrote at the time, morally there's an argument to be made against McMahon's decisions to have affairs, but if it was consensual then his decision to pay those women not to sell their story to the press wasn't necessarily anything that could jeopardize his standing within WWE. As long as it was a consensual affair then his personal life doesn't impact his position as the CEO. The huge problem was the accusation that McMahon coerced a female performer into an encounter with him, which is not only wrong, but also a criminal act. The female reportedly accepted a $7.5 million settlement to sign a non-disclosure agreement, which would effectively keep it out of the legal system, but that incident gave the WWE Board of Directors legitimate reason to launch an investigation, which took place over the course of the months before his "retirement."

The details of if that female was actually coerced or if McMahon's actions were illegal are a moot point in some ways because the hush money was paid to avoid that. However, there were a few things that we know for sure based on the revelations from the Wall Street Journal stories. McMahon was accused of misconduct and paid to make it go away. Considering that we've seen McMahon go to court for lawsuits in the past, you could at least make the guess that there was some credibility to these claims because Vince paid up instead of letting the story go public. McMahon isn't giving up his cash for a false story, this is a guy that fought in court to not have to pay royalties to talent from the 80s. He also paid to have consensual affairs stay quiet. It might not be illegal, but it's definitely sleazy that another wealthy businessman used his power to have several affairs.

So, McMahon was out of the WWE and Triple H, his son-in-law that many thought would be the next person to take the sports entertainment throne before his health problems put WWE executive, Nick Khan in the lead for that spot, takeover the company. The product, the topic of criticism in recent years because of some of Vince's decisions based on the usual WWE tropes, went in a different direction, bringing back several wrestlers that were released from the company during the pandemic. Still, it's a WWE product and the premise will always remain the same, attempt to draw as many casual fans as possible. A side note, I think that the Triple H regime has yielded mixed results thus far, but overall there does finally seem to be some focus to build for the future, which is always a good decision.

While I'm still waiting to hear back from Twitter support after my account was mistakenly flagged as being a robot two weeks ago, despite the fact that I've had the account for over ten years, I saw that Vince's name was trending on social media. I assumed it was because Vice TV's documentary about the scandal and his swift downfall premieres tonight, but was surprised to see that not only are there two new accusations against him, one from a former female referee in the 80s and a claim from a spa manager in 2011, but also that there are rumors that McMahon wants to make a comeback to the WWE.

The rumor that Vince might to return to the WWE is probably the least surprising aspect to the entire story. binge-watching The Sopranos and The Wire can only occupy so much time. Vince's life, legacy, and much of his existence are associated with the company. Many expected McMahon to "die in the chair" at his desk in Titan Tower at 102 before he would retire to play golf and drink ice tea.

If Vince makes the move to actually return would be surprising because it puts the WWE board and its shareholders, the group that ultimately allowed him to become a billionaire when they bought the stock, in the position to object to his presence in the organization. It would get very tricky because McMahon is still the majority shareholder in the corporation. Granted, the fans would cheer gleefully and bow to him if he showed up on television again, which is exactly what happened when he made an appearance on Smackdown right after the original Wall Street Journal reports were published, which didn't exactly make pro wrestling look good.

However, the issue would become should Vince McMahon, someone with several allegations of misconduct against him, be allowed to return to the corporate environment.

On the surface, the answer is easy, no an executive that was accused of and paid to keep work place misconduct quiet shouldn't be brought back less than six month after his exit. That said, the pro wrestling business isn't known for it's ethical standards. Believe it or not, the stock market and the politics that affect it are even shadier than anything that happens in pro wrestling. Still, unless Vince's return would affect the stock price, and it might, there's no reason the shareholders wouldn't welcome him back onto the conference calls. The reason being is simple, the WWE is guaranteed to continue to tout record-setting profits based on its hefty TV deals and the Peacock deal so as long as the shareholders make money on their investment, they won't object to his return to the company.

Sasha Banks signed for Wrestle Kingdom?

Just last week, I penned an article about Sasha Banks' future in pro wrestling, discussing the latest rumors around the next move in her career. The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer reported that there were "money talks" between the two sides before he reported that she was backstage at a WWE live event in Mexico, which would suggest that fences could be mended between the two parties. While I never doubted her talent or star power, I mentioned that prehaps it was best that she step away from the sport for an extended period of time to start fresh down the road. More than anything, I emphasized that the company might be hesitant to invest too much stock or television time into her character upon her return because she has a track record of walking out on a live television show just before it went on the air. That's not good business, and at some point, the office has to measure the risk/reward of the Sasha Banks situation. What if she was unhappy with a creative direction before a live pay-per-view when she's booked in the main event and refuses to go to the ring?

A publicly-traded, global company with literally billions of dollars in revenue based on its broadcast rights fees can't take that type of risk.

On the other hand, I explained that the options in sports entertainment give her more leverage with a negotiation, and the fact that she filed for trademarks on variations of her name appeared to put WWE management on notice that if they didn't meet her expectations of a contract, she at least took the steps to potentially work elsewhere.

Today, (I still don't have access to my Twitter account that was mistakenly flagged as spam last week so anyone with any info on how to get it unsuspended, please e mail me) Sasha's name was trending on social media, with reports from PWInsider's Mike Johnson, the most accurate reporter in the sport, that the real-life Mercedes Varnado is expected to appear on Wrestle Kingdom 17, New Japan's signature event at the Tokyo Dome, in January. This creates several interesting possibilities, as NJPW's parent company, Bushiroad, also owns Stardom, considered by many to be the top women's wrestling group in the world. Former NXT star, Kari Sane, is the current IWGP Women's champion, and there was a crossover event recently held with New Japan and Stardom talent. This would open the door for an IWGP Women's title match at the Tokyo Dome, considering that there's a more direct affiliation with the two Bushiroad-owned organizations.

Obviously, this would be a huge deal for New Japan, and it'd be another way to expand its foreign audience, which is what Chris Jericho's stint with NJPW did a few years ago with an increase in subscriptions to its streaming service. Granted, the Japanese style will always be a niche product in the United States by nature, but it's always wise to find ways to expand that profitable niche.

As far as if it will actually happen, Mike Johnson is one of the very few reporters that I'd give the endorsement to, if he reports it then it's accurate. That being said, there was a time when stuff like this would be considered fantasy booking on an obscure video game or some random E-fed message board in the corner of the internet, but the industry evolved dramatically within the past five years. Some might criticize Chris Jericho's amount of TV time on Dynamite, but his surprise appearance to attack Kenny Omega to set up at match at Wrestle Kingdom in 2018 really was a landmark moment in the industry. You can't write-off something as unrealistic if the talent is willing to explore their options.

At the same time, things came together for New Japan over the past decade, minus some rocky times during the pandemic, that allowed the company to flourish and expand under Bushiroad's ownership. The parent company's willingness to invest in the organization allowed for stability and the expansion of merchandise, as well as more accessibility to the Japanese league allowed revenue streams that made it possible for major names like Jericho and Jon Moxley to work for the company. Simply put, when the organization was on the brink of collapse in 2005 after Antonio Inoki's failed MMA experiment, the group couldn't afford big names from the United States.

But, the pieces of the puzzle seem to have organically fit into place to open to door for Sasha Banks to work for New Japan at the Tokyo Dome, which isn't something anyone would've guessed last year.

As I wrote last week, the WWE women's division is probably the most solid group in the entire company with Bianca Belair, Bayley, Becky Lynch, Alexa Bless, Nikki Cross, Charlotte, and others. So, the WWE doesn't necessarily need Banks to solidify the division, and at the same time prehaps Banks doesn't need the WWE either. If Sasha overestimates how big of a star she actually is, is another discussion for another time. The point being, the WWE can afford anyone with the record-setting profits they will continue to bring in based on the previously mentioned TV deals, but they might decide that Sasha's conditions for a return to the company wouldn't be worth the contract, based on the current depth of the division.

So, that opens to door for Sasha to make big money in Japan for either a one-off or a series of matches. There's a level of flexibility working in Japan because on its tour schedule so Banks could make a hefty amount of cash without any of the long-term commitments that are usually associated with pro wrestling contracts. When you take into account her success at a relatively young age in the WWE, she already made enough money to presumably have some financial security so maybe she wants to take the time to accomplish some different "artistic" goals in the sport before she eventually hangs up the boots. In some ways, Banks' working for the WWE for several years at a young age and then potentially going to Japan is the reverse of the usual path. For example, Finn Balor and Shinsuke Nakamura did much of their "legacy work" in New Japan before they signed with the WWE and had the chance to work a lighter style to avoid the extra toll on their bodies as they got older.

The reports don't confirm if Sasha will just be in attendance or if she will appear in front of the live crowd, but if there's any realistic possibility to get Sasha Banks on the card for Wrestle Kingdom, I'd say that the Bushiroad executives get her in the ring for a match at the Tokyo Dome, not just an appearance to set up a bout at a smaller venue. In some ways, this might be the best solution for everyone because it allows Sasha to accomplish some personal goals, and as much criticism as Jim Cornette might get these days, he's right with the notion of, "how can we miss you if you don't go away?" If Sasha works internationally for another year or so, it will make her eventually return to WWE that much bigger, which is exactly why Cody Rhodes returned with such momentum at Wrestlemania this year.

Sumie Sakai at Ryse

 It might be cliché, but there are times when things in professional wrestling, a sport, known for its carny shenanigans as much as it’s spectacle, go full circle. Usually, I don’t write much about myself in this column, simply because it’s not relevant to the topics that I cover. Essentially, you click on these articles (and I thank you for it) read about pro wrestling, not me. While my Twitter account is still in limbo because the new algorithms thought I was a bot despite having the account for 10 years, some readers know from my social media that I’ve been a play-by-play announcer on the Pittsburgh independent wrestling scene for almost 14 years. Side note, I filed an appeal last week to let Twitter Support know that I am an actual person and not a spam account, but I haven’t received a reply yet. Anyway, over the course of the years I’ve worked behind the mic in pro wrestling, there were definitely times when I just shook my head at some of the shady business tactics or ridiculous antics that could only happen in pro wrestling. On the flip side, I’ve also had a chance to work with and meet some wonderful people, including some of those that I watched from the audience at a younger age.

You may have read my article earlier this week about the sixth anniversary show of Ryse Wrestling, an organization I’ve done commentary for for over four years, minus some time during the pandemic. Ryse showcases some of the best talent from the Pittsburgh, and brings in an occasional guest for a special appearance. As the organization, founded by veteran grappler Brandon K in 2016, celebrates, six years in existence, they have one of those special guest scheduled for this card this Saturday at the Uniontown Mall in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, a blue collar town just south of Pittsburgh. That grappler is Sumie Sakai, a Joshi pro wrestler that ventured to America in the early-2000s and became a staple of the independence scene before she became the inaugural Women Of Honor champion for Ring Of Honor, as well as working as a trainer. 

This weekend Sumie will be in a tag match with AJ Alexander, a prospect from the steel city, to challenge Christian Noir, who is one of the hidden gems of the area, and one of the most notable female wrestlers of the Pittsburgh scene, Laura Loveless.

Obviously, getting to share the ring with such an accomplished international star is something that the three Pittsburgh grapplers are looking forward to, this occasion to call a Sumie Sakai is also a full circle moment for me.

In 2005, when I was just 16, Norm Connors, the godfather of the Pittsburgh scene, promoted a highly-anticipated card in Monroeville Pennsylvania at the sensibly named Monroeville Sports Center. Norm, a funeral director in his civilian life, promoted Steel City Wrestling in the 90s before he took over operations at the International Wrestling Cartel, a group he promoted for several years until he regained his senses and a a normal blood pressure when he retired from the circuit to resume normal life. Connors ran the IWC banner for nearly a decade and was hands-on with his promotion. When fans called to reserve tickets in the early-2000s for an IWC event, that was a direct line to Norm, who took the phone orders himself. The July 2005 card was particularly special for Norm, as he landed a legitimate dream match when he booked AJ Styles, an IWC regular at the time, against Matt Hardy, who was in the midst of major controversy at the time because he was released from the WWE when the Lita/Edge affair went public. After the match was signed, Matt negotiated a return to WWE, attacking Edge backstage at Raw in a segment to set up the feud that would take place on television. However, Hardy was allowed to keep his commitment on the indies, including a few more dates with Ring Of Honor. As history tells us, Matt and AJ ended up in the same place more than once, but in 2005, this was thought to be the only time such a match would take place.

Ironically, I discovered IWC over two and a half years earlier when they had a 30-minute television show on local channel WBGN, a station that had blocks of wrestling for years. It's also ironic that about a decade after I found the show on that channel, one of the local groups that I did commentary for had a program that aired on the same station. 

Eventually, IWC had its Friday night spot bumped to an hour time slot on Saturdays. When I attended a Raw event in October of 2003, some of the IWC  rookies at the time were handing out flyers for an upcoming show in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania that had Shane Douglas on the card. Being a fan of ECW and Shane Douglas, I went to the show dubbed "November Pain", which had The Franchise taking on local radio personality Bubba The Bulldog. After that, I became a regular at events with one of my wrestling pals, even though we weren't old enough to have a license so my dad was nice enough to drop us off at the door.  At a time when the independence scene was just starting to cook because the WWF gobbled up its competition on the national level, and there was a demand for an alternative, IWC had a unique mixture of independent names and solid local talent. There was a time when AJ Styles, CM Punk, Colt Cabana, Chris Sabin, and others made regular stops in Pittsburgh. Of course, being in high school, these events were things to look forward to and  so I'd often cram homework in on Friday nights to be done in time to go to a show on Saturday night. 

For the prosperity of pro wrestling, we wanted to make these adventures as efficient as possible so we'd hit the Wendy's drive-thru on the way to see the action in the squared circle. At first, this was an unintentional choice, but it happened so often that  it became a tradition that we had to get Wendy’s before we consumed the wrestling action for the evening. Somewhere, I hope Jim Cornette is proud. Whether it was two bacon cheeseburgers plain or the now-discontinued, home style chicken strips and french fries, the Wendy’s bag became as much of a must for these trips as the wrestling action itself. 

Thankfully, since this event was in July, I didn’t have to cram homework to make the show, but my usual wrestling pal was on vacation with his family so my dad was nice enough to take me to the show. He sat in the audience, and probably smoked more cigarettes outside the venue than watched matches inside, but I appreciate the fact that he took me to the show. It goes without saying that AJ vs. Styles was going to draw a crowd, but there was a solid crew on the under card as well. At this particular event, Matt Sydal and Delirious brought their stellar bout that made waves on the independent circuit to the Pittsburgh area and had a great match in front of a new audience. Delirious also made a Ryse appearance over the summer and had a great match alongside solid pro, Tony Johnson. Sumie was teaming with Gwen Spectre, who was a very underrated talent that just recently made his return to the ring last year, to clash with Chris Hero and Daisy Haze. Sumie was very technically sound and a polished professional. The intergender tag match was one of the highlights of the show. At intermission, I met Delirious and bought an 8X10, getting a picture with both he and Sydal because of how impressed I was with their match. I noticed that Sumie had a table and went to say hello, telling her she was awesome. She was very polite and thanked me several times. My dad, just back in the building from yet another cigarette break, took a picture of us, which I have in a photo album that has several years worth of wrestling pictures in it.

 Since that time, I followed Sumie's career and was very happy for all of her success, mostly because she deserved it with the solid skills she brings to the table, and how kind she was when I was just a kid that was thrilled to meet talented wrestlers. I don't like to attempt to give myself credit because I think those that are good enough don't have to do that, but I will say that I think I always do a solid job on the commentary, putting the talent first, which should be the standard in the sport, but that's not always the case on the indies. I learned a lot working with the great Joe Dombrowski almost a decade ago for a few years in a building that probably should've been condemned long before any of us were there, and he taught me the "glue" of announcing. The legendary Jeff Gorman and J. Worthington Farnsworth are always great resources. Again, I don't think it's right to give myself credit, but I'm decent enough to have maintained a place on the independent scene so I guess that counts for something. Either way, with Sumie on the card this Saturday at Ryse, an event that I can honestly say I think will give the fan their money's worth, I will get to work on the same event as a wrestler that I was just happy to get a picture with over 17 years ago.

Regal leaves AEW

Last week, I penned an article about MJF's promo on AEW Dynamite, where he made several references to WWE. I also mentioned that Friedman attacking William Regal didn't do much to generate heat, considering that Regal cost Jon Moxley, the top baby face in the company, the championship the week prior. Regal as a character wasn't a sympathetic figure to the audience and thus there wasn't any major heat to be generated from the attack. If anything, the Regal persona got a taste of his own medicine so from a storyline perspective, he might've gotten what he deserved when he chose to align with Friedman. I discussed the rumors that Regal might've been written off the show to open the door to a return to WWE, but didn't put too much stock in it at the time because there were conflicting reports about his contract status.

Within the past few days, the narrative around William Regal's future became much clearer, and his decision to depart All Elite Wrestling might speak volumes about the organization.

The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer reported different versions of the story regarding the British grappler's All Elite deal as the situation evolved, and eventually it was revealed that when he signed with the organization earlier this year, he had to option to finish his tenure if he was offered a return to the WWE, which translated into the option to exit his AEW contract earlier if Triple H was put in an executive position again. As we know, the misconduct scandal that sent Vince McMahon into "retirement" brought Triple H into the role as the leader of the company. We also know that Triple H and Regal have been close friends for years, with Triple H putting him into a role in the developmental system that he held for years before he was surprisingly released in April.

As I wrote at the time, I didn't understand why the WWE released him, as I think Regal is one of the most underrated performers of all time and one of the best minds in the history of the business. His value to a developmental system and as a coach can't be understated. That''s why it was such a stellar signing for All Elite Wrestling since the company has an overstock of young talent with potential, but could use a veteran to help develop that talent to be able to reach their fullest potential.

William Regal should've been one of the truly key acquisitions in the evolution of All Elite Wrestling as a company so what happened?

On-screen, Regal was always well-received from the diehard AEW audience because that crowd knows what he brings to the table and all that he accomplished. He formed the Blackpool Combat Club, and while I get what they were going for, I'm not sure the stable was the best choice since it led to Regal and even a few of the members of the stable not being utilized as well as they could be otherwise. Regal has tremendous mic skills, but the argument could be made that Moxley and Bryan Danielson didn't need someone to talk for them. Furthermore, there was a point during his early All Elite tenure that Danielson was probably the best heel in the business, but Tony didn't capitalize on it. The American Dragon is a main event performer, not just another member of a faction. If anything Claudio as the guy that Regal could talk for might've been the best decision for a member of the stable that could've used a manager. On the flip side, if Regal would've worked more extensively with MJF, it would've made sense because the veteran villain would give his endorsement of the young heel. All things considered, Regal probably could've been used better on television.

Behind-the-scenes, Tony Khan had one of the best coaches of the past two decades in his organization to assist the talent, but we never quite saw his influence on the product. While EC3 isn't exactly the most credible source because he's too focused on controlling his narrative, he claimed in a recent podcast that the majority of the All Elite roster weren't interested in Regal's advice. Justin LaBar from Busted Open Radio tweeted that he heard through the rumor mill that some talent took Regal's instructions, while others disregarded it. Brian Pillman Jr. responded to explain that while some of the roster didn't, he and others often listened to Regal's coaching sessions before television tapings. Obviously, it's good that some of the roster took the chance to learn from the legendary veteran, but it also confirms that some of the roster didn't take the time to listen to one of the most accomplished performers in the history of the industry.

Quite frankly, anyone that doesn't see the value or understand what an opportunity it is to listen to someone of Regal's level, they are marks for themselves that don't have any idea what the true point of the business is, and maybe that's why the All Elite numbers have plateaued.

Former All Elite champion, Adam Page infamously said in an interview that he doesn't listen to the advice of the coaches backstage because he has his own style, which was something that CM Punk made reference to during the infamous All Out media scrum. Page's statements lend credibility to the claim that the AEW roster wasn't interested in Regal's instructions.

Regal's departure from All Elite Wrestling might validate some of its common criticisms of the company.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy most of the All Elite product, and while sometimes I shake my head at some of the nonsense on the shows, I legitimately want to see the organization be successful. Its existence has provided a better industry for the talent and the fans. That said, the foundation of the organization was based on the success of a few wrestlers on the independent scene, which is completely different than the scale of national television. AEW can be the "pro wrestling brand" on national TV without the inside baseball indy stuff that the majority of the TBS audience wouldn't get anyway. Danielson vs. Dax Harwood was pro wrestling on a national level. The Elite playing games in the main event to snicker at CM Punk is minor league. That's not to take away from the trio's talent, but to point out that they should realize if All Elite is going to truly get off the ground on a long-term basis, they should be smart enough to put business first,

Keep in mind, Regal had the option to exit his AEW deal early, he didn't have to leave before his contract expired. The fact that he took the chance to depart the organization early, especially when guys that he publicly endorsed like Danielson and Claudio are on the roster seems to be an indication that he doesn't think improvements to the structure of the company can be made in the future. Regal's job for several years in the WWE developmental system was to find talent that had the potential to be major stars and draw money, and then coach them to reach their fullest potential. Either a talent had the ability and the mindset to draw money or they didn't, and he was a filter of that for the biggest sports entertainment company in the world.

This isn't meant as a personal jab against The Elite, especially because it's not their area of expertise, but William Regal knows more about how to develop mainstream stars than anyone in the stable. If most of the All Elite roster thinks that super kicks and referencing reports from The Wrestling Observer in matches are keys to being successful than All Elite Wrestling will remain a niche product.

I'm not saying this confirms that the organization is doomed or anything like that, but the fact that William Regal didn't see enough of a reason to continue to work there gives the impression the structure of the organization doesn't have the ability to maximize its assets. At best, Regal thought he couldn't help the talent develop into major stars, and the worst case scenario is, one of the brightest minds in the history of the sport thought that the company that is the best chance to be competition to WWE in the past two decades is a lost cause. Either way, if William Regal doesn't want to work someone, it doesn't create optimism about the organization's chance to expand to a more mainstream audience.

Ryse anniversary show

Longtime Pittsburgh wrestling veteran, Jason Clements, known to wrestling fans as Brandon K for almost 25 years, founded his own organization six years ago. After so many years of zigzagging across different states in his pursuit of stardom, the man with the moniker "First Klass" wanted to bring the sport he loves to his hometown so Ryse Wrestling was launched in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, a blue collar town just south of Pittsburgh, in 2016. With with an extensive résumé of in-ring accomplishments, he knew that even the most polished performers eventually have to hang up their boots. But, Clements has such a passion for the industry, not only did he want to complete his career on his terms, but wanted to remain a part of the business that has meant so much to him and his family.

Breaking into the business in 1998, the performer that became a fan favorite among the Pittsburgh in the circuit, went on to become not only one of the most respected in-ring workers, but also one of the steel city's most notable trainers. Over the two decades that he has competed inside the ring ropes, Brandon K work, several states, and even a few WWE dark matches because he had a reputation as a consistent quality worker. He translated those in ring skills to being a trainer, originally under the pro wrestling express, banner and considered his time teaching others as one of the most rewarding aspects of his extensive career.

"This year has been a payoff for all the hard work everyone has put into this brand. Our growth has seen a substantial increase because of how hard everyone works in front of the curtain and decisions made behind it. It's amazing to go back to the beginning and watch the product where we only charged $10 for what was almost a rookie event. Now, those athletes worked hard enough to put us as a major player in the wrestling world," Brandon explained.

Just some of the names that he is responsible for introducing to the business are AEW star Lee Moriarty, NXT’s Thea Hail,  and Duke Davis. Davis, one half of the tag team, The Mane Event alongside Gannon Jones Jr., are considered by many to be the next break out tag team. Along with those grapplers, Brandon trained many that became successful staples of the Pittsburgh in the scene, including fixtures of the Ryse organization.

"Ryse has so much young quality talent mixed in with guys that have been around for a while that can help that young talent grow and get better.  I am one of the oldest guys in the locker room and being in Ryse not only makes me feel young, but gives me hope that the future is in good hands," commented BC Steele, regarded by many Pittsburgh pundits as the best manager in the history of the region's extensive independent scene.

The project was very much a family affair, as Clements' parents that often supported him from the audience throughout the vast majority of his career, enthusiastically took positions on staff to help with the project. Mrs. Clements cheerfully greets the wrestlers that are scheduled for the card on any particular night before the doors open and then she's just as happy to greet the fans as she runs the snack bar. Mr. Clements can often be seen supervising the ring crew before and after events. Kristy Clements, the founder’s wife, is a co-owner of the organization and often takes care of paperwork throughout an event.

The upstart league took many of the prospects that Brandon trained, and gave them an opportunity to truly showcase their skills. A mixture of young talent and solid veterans gave the organization a level of quality from the opening match to the final bell. Names like Matt Conard, Derek Dillinger, Christian Noir, and many others made Ryse an organization that grew its following over the first few years of its existence. As the league continue to build itself and expand to other towns outside of its home base, the COVID-19 pandemic that shuddered the entire world also had a major impact on Brandon‘s wrestling venture in 2020. 

Initially based in a converted cinema, when the building wasn’t hosting live matches and rowdy fans, the venue doubled as the training center, where Brandon gave his years of knowledge to the next generation of aspiring hopefuls. When the pandemic prevented live events or training sessions, Brandon was faced with the harsh reality of the economics of the situation. In an effort to keep ticket prices affordable to fans, and by nature of independent wrestling, Ryse couldn’t continue its lease at the cinema if it couldn't bring in the usual revenue from its training center and live events.

Real life, Jason  Clements had to consider if his wrestling passion as Brandon K could whether the uncertainty of a global pandemic. Instead of allowing his dream of promoting his students to live out their own dreams to be shuttered, he explored his options and eventually found refuge in the Uniontown Mall. The space that was a Burlington Coat Factory was transformed into a full-fledged wrestling arena, with a video screen, full entrance way, and of course, a wrestling ring, a canvas for the grapplers to apply their art form.

When 2022 provided some sense of hope for a return to a level of normalcy, Ryse looked to shuffle up the deck to create a fresh chapter in its new location, hiring Pittsburgh veteran Chris LeRusso, who has a twenty-year career of his own to work as an organizer in a management role.

"I think we’ve seen a lot of our younger talent develop and start to bring their A game. Seeing Tad Jarvis learn so much under the learning tree of Brandon K or how the Cowpoke Paul has grown, even talent like The Great Alexander have really improved and showed why they belong in the main event. My job is to put on the best pro wrestling show possible with the talents we have; along with some special guests. I look at potential match-ups with the fans in mind first. I want them to walk away knowing they got their money’s worth," LeRusso said.

The dreams, hopes, and aspirations of Ryse Wrestling will be celebrated this Saturday night at the Uniontown mall for its sixth anniversary show, an event that everyone involved looks to make a special evening for the dedicated fan base that followed the product to its newest location. A stacked card of stellar talent set the stage for what should be a memorable night of action. Pretty Boy Smooth puts his nearly year long reign on the line when he defends the Ryse Grand Championship against Edric Everhart, a performer that many have said had a break out year in 2022. Other action on the card brings the legendary Sumie Sakai to Pittsburgh in a tag team bout with AJ Alexander to face off against Laura Loveless and Christian Noir. The Runway of Calvin Couture, and Tyler Klein, a duo that have made an impression on the independent circuit inn several states this year, will defend their tag titles in a four-way contest . Finally, Cowpoke Paul, upstart with less than one year of  in-ring experience, but someone that shows poise beyond his years, will clash with the villainous Great Alexander in a bull rope match.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the story of Ryse Wrestling is the level of dedication and persistence that was required to make it possible. As mentioned, the independent circuit is a small business by nature and thus the company relies on its dedicated audience to help the league continue to flourish. There were no corporate sponsors to ensure the future of the organization through the rocky times of COVID-19. Instead, it was the persistence of Clements and his family for their passion project tonight to continue and flourish through the efforts of the athletes that put forth their best efforts to entertain the paying audience. Some might say it would’ve been easier to close up shop with the uncertainty of the venue, a training school ,or when life events could resume during the pandemic, but the persistence to continue to contribute to the sport of professional wrestling brought Ryse Wrestling to its sixth anniversary event this Saturday night in Uniontown.

"We've all learned so much over the years, especially me. I've made bonehead decisions and I've made intuitive ones, but I've learned from them all, and hope to continue to learn and do better for this awesome company. Next year, we will continue to evolve and we won't rest until we are at the top of the mountain," Brandon concluded.

VHS Memoirs Volume 30

This week's edition of The VHS Memoirs will be a unique event, with This Tuesday in Texas as the selection on Peacock. While today marks 31 years since the original event, it's interesting to note that WWF management tried to establish Tuesday night as a potential pay-per-view spot that long ago. Granted, some of the closed circuit events were held outside of the weekend, but with the technological advancements of the ability to order an event at home, it became more important to have the convenience of the weekend. More than a decade later, the office tried this experiment again with Taboo Tuesday, but that lasted only two years until the vote concept was shifted to Cyber Sunday. If I had to guess, I'd say that fans, especially in the more modern era, just have too much to do during the week for anyone to settle in for a pay-per-view viewing.

This event took place just before the start of the more cartoonish aspects of the company, a concept that was amplified after the steroid scandal of the early-90s in an attempt to soften the organization's image. It's ironic that Steve Keirn, who broke into the business under the guidance of legendary promoter, Eddie Graham, was a part of a heartthrob tag team in the 80s with Stan Lane as The Fabulous Ones, but resurfaced just a few years later as the brawling Skinner in the WWF. With nasty tobacco in his mouth and an alligator claw around his neck, the gator gimmick was memorable, but somewhat overshadowed the fact that he was a very skilled in-ring wrestler. Proof of that being his extensive record as a trainer in the WWE developmental system during the FCW era.

The special Tuesday night pay-per-view opened with Bret Hart defending the IC title against the previously mentioned Skinner. This was a classic baby face/ heel bout and everything these two did looked solid. There weren’t a lot of high spots here, but each maneuver was crisp and the action was kept believable. Skinner made Bret look like a million dollars at the start of the contest before the villain rammed the IC champion's shoulder into the post, causing him to collapse to the outside. This is where the fundamentals are so important and some of those aspects are missing in today's presentation. Bret's selling was so well done that it put the result of the contest in doubt, and Skinner looked like a vicious competitor as he put the boots to Hart, while tobacco flew everywhere. Nobody had to go through a table or take an unprotected chair shot to build the drama of the match. Everything was solid with realistic punches, kicks, and selling that built the narrative of the contest. In fact, the most "devastating" portion of the contest was when Skinner used the dreaded alligator claw to take a cheap shot at Bret near the conclusion. Thankfully, Bret was able to kick out and eventually secured the sharpshooter for the victory. A side note, Bobby Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon were entertaining as always during the broadcast, but it was particularly comical that Heenan mentioned the cost of gas prices, which continues to be a topic of discussion more than thirty years later.

Randy Savage clashed with Jake "The Snake" Roberts for one of the more memorable segments of the era. The Macho Man defeated Roberts in a brief five-minute match, but it was the post-match heat that really made this such a memorable angle. Roberts hit Savage with a few DDTs at a time when the move was protected, and the baby face was at the mercy of the villain. Ms. Elizabeth ran to the ring to attempt to help Savage, but Roberts grabbed her by the arm and took her away from the fallen hero. He "slapped" her and she collapsed to the canvas, clutching her face. In reality, Jake barely made any contact, but the presentation of the dastardly action was done well. Jake's post-match promo was tremendous and he made himself sound like the most despicable heel on the roster. Savage's post-match response was exactly what you'd expect from The Macho Man. He was incensed and vowed revenge against the heel. That type of heat is how you draw money.

Next up, The Warlord challenged The British Bulldog, and this match was the cement mixer you'd expect it to be. I'm sure The Warlord is a nice guy, but outside of saying a lot of prayers and taking a lot of "vitamins," his aptitude for pro wrestling was rather limited. The guy looked like a monster, but it was downhill after that. So, this wasn't exactly Lou Thez vs. Karl Gotch. The action was basic and rather clunky so there's not much to discuss for this contest. Speaking of looking huge, Davey Boy looked massive to an almost unhealthy level, which is why it was no surprise that he departed for WCW shortly after the steroid scandal brought negative press to the company the following year. Davey Boy got the victory with a crucifix pin and relieved a nice reaction from the crowd. However, this clearly is wasn't his best work. Don't get me wrong, The Bulldog could go in the ring and had many great bouts, but this match was around the time that his outside of the ring issues affected his performance.

Another match that didn't exactly send the crowd into a frenzy was the rather random tag match of Ted DiBiase and Repo Man vs. Virgil and Tito Santana. This was a very average and very basic tag match that would've been on any throw away episode of a random syndicated TV show at the time. DiBiase was solid, Repo Man was okay, Tito didn't have the same fire he did when he was younger and didn't look like he wanted to take too many bumps, and Virgil's in-ring work was very sloppy. Repo man and DiBiase get the win, but this match is skippable.

The main event was The Undertaker vs. Hulk Hogan in a rematch after the controversy at Survivor Series just a week earlier when The Undertaker won the title with an assist from Ric Flair. If I had to guess, I'd say that the brief title switch was booked just to set up this rematch to attempt to sell a Tuesday night pay-per-view. This was definitely the sizzle to the show, as opposed to the substance of the in-ring work in the opening match. As far as the in-ring action, it was more or less the typical Hogan match you'd expect without anything that wasn't already in the usual playbook. The conclusion of the bout was chaos, as Flair was at ringside, and WWF president, Jack Tunney was there. Hulk hit Flair with a chair, which sent him crashing into Tunney. While the WWF president was down at ringside, Paul Bearer tried to hit Hogan with the urn, but he moved and it was The Undertaker that got cracked with the urn. The Hulkster waffled Bearer with a punch and picked up the earn before he threw the ashes in The Undertaker's face. In a somewhat odd finish, Hogan used a roll up to get the win.