A preservation of my history and occasional insights into the present
Showing posts with label Adam Pearce. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adam Pearce. Show all posts
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Too Late For The Rescue?
Yeah, a wrestling post. Sorry in advance if you're not a fan.If you are...remember the bit about the NWA a while back? Especially the part where:To those clinging to the days of yore that the NWA name invokes, please realize that the NWA can still survive - and even thrive - in 2012. But, to do so would mean letting go of those old days of doing business. It would mean letting some younger and fresher ideas on pro wrestling into the fold. It would mean actually using the internet for marketing and brand-building purposes like two-time NWA Champion Colt Cabana has done to great success. It would mean embracing a new day and age of the business.Upm...yeah. Check this out:From 411 reader Sean in Australia:I was at a NWA affiliate wrestling show in Australia tonight, where Adam Pearce faced Colt Cabana in the final match of their seven levels of hate series.Colt won by submission, and afterwards both he and Pierce cut a promo in regards to the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Pierce said as part of losing the series he would leave the NWA forever. He said Colt deserved the NWA Championship.However, Colt said the NWA represented the old era, and he was the future, talking about the podcast, YouTube, etc. Colt didn't accept the title, so Pierce dropped the belt, vacating the title. He finished the promo with "I wish the NWA the best in their future endeavors." So apparently right now there is no NWA World Heavyweight Champion....*blinks*...Deeeamn. That's just cold.Now, there've been arguments about where the lineage stops and starts, or even if it did at all, but the cold fact is, we may be looking at the demise of the oldest governing body in pro wrestling history a lot sooner than later. I'm not going to get on Pearce or Colt's case about what they did. They had this series already in place as a way to bring some prestige back to the NWA name - and the NWA, in turn, implodes once again due to egos. Pearce and Cabana, to me, were already left out in the lurch before what happened in Australia. Hell, for all we know, the joint vacation of the NWA Title could have been a bit of a receipt. No one really knows why it was done, however, because I'm sure there are details to this story that no one's even aware of.It'll be one to keep an eye on. Even if it's to bid a final farewell to the NWA.(The weird part about this? This would have been where I put up a video with Shane Douglas throwing down the NWA Title after winning it in 1994 - but I can't find it on YouTube to save my life right now. Bizarre.)
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Saving The NWA From Itself
This was supposed to have gone up after this week’s “Monday Night Raw”, but got delayed because something much more important happened during that show. Get well, Lawler.I’m also aware this is two straight rasslin’ posts, which--I’m sorry, but not a lot else is going on in other realms right now. But between monitoring the Davey Richards saga and this, it’s an interesting time for non-corporate-owned rasslin’.Now then, news from my old stomping grounds:It was announced by Dave Marquez at the latest NWA Championship Wrestling from Hollywood TV Taping [on 09/09/12] that they have left the National Wrestling Alliance. The promotion was considered to be the biggest NWA member in terms of TV awareness, airing across Los Angeles.The move appears to be due to the recent change in ownership in the NWA where Bruce Tharpe gained control of the name. Marquez had been a supporter of the NWA for many years. The promotion will now be known as Championship Wrestling from Hollywood.Umm...ouch.Now, anyone familiar with all this is gonna have the immediate and typical “LOL NWA iz alredy DED” reaction - which, no, it’s not. See, in order to be “dead”, you have to be no longer in existence. As you can see above, the National Wrestling Alliance is indeed still around and thereby still in existence. Hell, I interviewed the at-that-time-soon-to-be NWA World Champion! Glad we could clear that up.
The problem is that it could be dead very soon. And some feel that maybe it should be. The NWA has always been a governing body with several promoters colluding under one banner to provide security and, in later years, competition to the bigger companies like WWE. The fact that I’m having to convince people that the NWA is still around kinda speaks for itself.Part of the problem is with this very story. When I started this piece (before Jerry Lawler had his heart attack), the news was that Championship Wrestling from Hollywood left the NWA. According to The Wrestling Blog (highly recommended, by the way), not so fast:Some big news broke over the weekend at the NWA Hollywood tapings, in that the promotion was splitting with the National Wrestling Alliance. It will now be known as Championship Wrestling from Hollywood. There really wasn't a whole lot of detail about the reasoning behind it, except for blurbs about David Marquez not being too happy about the power structure changing hands to a group headed by R. Bruce Tharpe, noted in on the F4W site most notably. However, I did some digging and found something pretty interesting.As it turns out, the decision wasn't Marquez's to make. According to Dr. Jerry Wiseman of the Charlotte Examiner reports that Tharpe and the NWA has sent Marquez a cease and desist on using the NWA name. Tharpe loaned Marquez $2,000 back when the promotion was on the verge of becoming the showcase for the alliance. When he called for the tab plus the interest and "other provisions", Marquez failed to pony up. Furthermore, Adam Pearce was advised against taking bookings in Hollywood.So, Championship Wrestling from Hollywood got a loan to set them up as the flagship for the NWA and then got kicked out when they didn’t pay back up. They didn’t land on Plymouth Rock, Plymouth Rock landed on them. Just like anything else in wrestling, that collusion is a loose alliance due to egos and outdated business practices getting in the way of what should be an actual Alliance.To those clinging to the days of yore that the NWA name invokes, please realize that the NWA can still survive - and even thrive - in 2012. But, to do so would mean letting go of those old days of doing business. It would mean letting some younger and fresher ideas on pro wrestling into the fold. It would mean actually using the internet for marketing and brand-building purposes like two-time NWA Champion Colt Cabana has done to great success. It would mean embracing a new day and age of the business.I’m not sure the NWA would embrace any of that, though. The name carries value, but it also carries some notion of tradition that those that govern the Alliance are either too scared or too stubborn to let go of. The fear is that, once that tradition is abandoned, then the NWA truly will die. My thinking is that it’s the opposite - The NWA could meet its demise if they don’t let go of that outdated thinking and step into 2012 with the rest of us. I hope that R Bruce Tharpe and the NWA realizes this before I’m put in a position that I can no longer prove the NWA is still alive.P.S. My bet for which promotion I think will be chosen as the next NWA “showcase” promotion in place of Championship Wrestling from Hollywood (no need to shorten; I can copy and paste that all day)? NWA Ring Warriors. They’re owned by Paul Jones (not the former manager of “Ravishing” Rick Rude, RIP, and Manny Fernandez, far as I can tell), Larry Brannon (aka Vito DeNucci of the “New Heavenly Bodies” and Between The Ropes) and...Howard Brody, former President of the NWA from 1996 to 2001. Aside from the obvious connections, Ring Warriors has been getting quite a bit of play in wrestling media circles lately. It’s a “hot” product, as those in the business would put it, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see that happen.
The problem is that it could be dead very soon. And some feel that maybe it should be. The NWA has always been a governing body with several promoters colluding under one banner to provide security and, in later years, competition to the bigger companies like WWE. The fact that I’m having to convince people that the NWA is still around kinda speaks for itself.Part of the problem is with this very story. When I started this piece (before Jerry Lawler had his heart attack), the news was that Championship Wrestling from Hollywood left the NWA. According to The Wrestling Blog (highly recommended, by the way), not so fast:Some big news broke over the weekend at the NWA Hollywood tapings, in that the promotion was splitting with the National Wrestling Alliance. It will now be known as Championship Wrestling from Hollywood. There really wasn't a whole lot of detail about the reasoning behind it, except for blurbs about David Marquez not being too happy about the power structure changing hands to a group headed by R. Bruce Tharpe, noted in on the F4W site most notably. However, I did some digging and found something pretty interesting.As it turns out, the decision wasn't Marquez's to make. According to Dr. Jerry Wiseman of the Charlotte Examiner reports that Tharpe and the NWA has sent Marquez a cease and desist on using the NWA name. Tharpe loaned Marquez $2,000 back when the promotion was on the verge of becoming the showcase for the alliance. When he called for the tab plus the interest and "other provisions", Marquez failed to pony up. Furthermore, Adam Pearce was advised against taking bookings in Hollywood.So, Championship Wrestling from Hollywood got a loan to set them up as the flagship for the NWA and then got kicked out when they didn’t pay back up. They didn’t land on Plymouth Rock, Plymouth Rock landed on them. Just like anything else in wrestling, that collusion is a loose alliance due to egos and outdated business practices getting in the way of what should be an actual Alliance.To those clinging to the days of yore that the NWA name invokes, please realize that the NWA can still survive - and even thrive - in 2012. But, to do so would mean letting go of those old days of doing business. It would mean letting some younger and fresher ideas on pro wrestling into the fold. It would mean actually using the internet for marketing and brand-building purposes like two-time NWA Champion Colt Cabana has done to great success. It would mean embracing a new day and age of the business.I’m not sure the NWA would embrace any of that, though. The name carries value, but it also carries some notion of tradition that those that govern the Alliance are either too scared or too stubborn to let go of. The fear is that, once that tradition is abandoned, then the NWA truly will die. My thinking is that it’s the opposite - The NWA could meet its demise if they don’t let go of that outdated thinking and step into 2012 with the rest of us. I hope that R Bruce Tharpe and the NWA realizes this before I’m put in a position that I can no longer prove the NWA is still alive.P.S. My bet for which promotion I think will be chosen as the next NWA “showcase” promotion in place of Championship Wrestling from Hollywood (no need to shorten; I can copy and paste that all day)? NWA Ring Warriors. They’re owned by Paul Jones (not the former manager of “Ravishing” Rick Rude, RIP, and Manny Fernandez, far as I can tell), Larry Brannon (aka Vito DeNucci of the “New Heavenly Bodies” and Between The Ropes) and...Howard Brody, former President of the NWA from 1996 to 2001. Aside from the obvious connections, Ring Warriors has been getting quite a bit of play in wrestling media circles lately. It’s a “hot” product, as those in the business would put it, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see that happen.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Count3rCu1ture Audio Episode 02 - "Scrap Iron" Adam Pearce
Another edition of Count3rCu1ture Audio is upon us.
This edition features my interview with “Scrap Iron” Adam Pearce conducted on July 5, 2011. For those that may not be familiar with the name, some background information can be attained right here (courtesy of this very site!).
When that lead-in was initially written, I was under the impression that Pearce’s “One Last Ride” was to be a frewell/retirement tour. Shortly after that post, Pearce somewhat corrected me - and a closer look revealed that that was not quite the case.
So, what is Adam Pearce’s “One Last Ride”? How did he get in to wrestling in the first place? And what exactly is “old school”? The answers to those questions and many more can be had by simply clicking on the picture below to download Count3rCu1ture Audio - Episode 02 - “Scrap Iron” Adam Pearce.
This edition features my interview with “Scrap Iron” Adam Pearce conducted on July 5, 2011. For those that may not be familiar with the name, some background information can be attained right here (courtesy of this very site!).
When that lead-in was initially written, I was under the impression that Pearce’s “One Last Ride” was to be a frewell/retirement tour. Shortly after that post, Pearce somewhat corrected me - and a closer look revealed that that was not quite the case.
So, what is Adam Pearce’s “One Last Ride”? How did he get in to wrestling in the first place? And what exactly is “old school”? The answers to those questions and many more can be had by simply clicking on the picture below to download Count3rCu1ture Audio - Episode 02 - “Scrap Iron” Adam Pearce.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Meet "Scrap Daddy"
(What I thought was originally going on with this? Not quite what I thought was going on. Therefore, re-presenting...)
It was recently announced in the world of professional wrestling that, after nearly 16 years in the business, a former multiple-time World Champion has suffered a neck injury that has resulted in a potentially debilitating situation. With that in mind, he had to announce that he is going on “One Last Ride”.
Wait a minute, when did Edge announce he was going on one last run to say goodbye? Who the hell mentioned Edge?
Author: Al Pavangkanan from Van Nuys, USA
Courtesy of WikiMedia Commons
“Scrap Iron” Adam Pearce began his career in 1996 and had his first match shortly before he graduated high school. From there, he went on to work all over the independent circuit in the US, as well as in Mexico and Japan. He was the second-ever Pro Wrestling Guerilla world champion as well as the National Wrestling Alliance (yes, they are still around, thanks for asking) World Champion on three separate occasions.
“Scrap Iron” may be most well-known for his stint in Ring of Honor (where I first noticed and became a fan of his work). Pearce led the charge during that promotion’s feud with CZW and then became one of the most hated men in the ring. Pearce then took a different turn within the company and vanished from the ring altogether when he became the matchmaker for Ring of Honor after Gabe Sopolsky left the company.
Pearce has come this close to tasting the fame of the big time several times, but has shied away from the mainstream spotlight. He has been the Ultimate Pro Wrestling Champion when that promotion was a developmental system for World Wrestling Entertainment. He had also worked several television matches for WWE, which led to interest from backstage agent Terry Taylor after he left for WCW. He had two separate tryouts with World Championship Wrestling and was offered a contract - only to turn them both down for different reasons. He has been in the ring with “Diamond” Dallas Page, “The Masterpiece” Chris Masters, and has feuded with Sean Waltman, better known as X-Pac.
“Scrap Iron” Adam Pearce is the epitome of the journeyman wrestler in 2011. He has wrestled and traveled all over the world and has tasted success on his own terms. In today’s culture of bright lights and “sports entertainment”, Pearce is the epitome of a wrestler who has flown under the radar and thrived in doing so.
There’s much more to the story of Adam Pearce than can be written here. The stories he has to tell from his time on the road, as well as his own story of being the ultimate journeyman in 2011, is a fascinating tale better told by Pearce himself. As well as the story of "One Last Ride", which he still has yet to take. All of those stories will be told - by Pearce himself - here very soon.
In case you want to get more lowdown on Pearce's condition, give a listen to The Greg DeMarco Show courtesy of 411Mania Radio. Yes, my old stomping ground has gotten in to the broad-podcast business! Very happy for the crew there. In addition to getting some more info on Pearce, Ari Berenstein drops by and talks about the latest Ring of Honor iPPV, "Best In The World:
It was recently announced in the world of professional wrestling that, after nearly 16 years in the business, a former multiple-time World Champion has suffered a neck injury that has resulted in a potentially debilitating situation. With that in mind, he had to announce that he is going on “One Last Ride”.
Wait a minute, when did Edge announce he was going on one last run to say goodbye? Who the hell mentioned Edge?
Author: Al Pavangkanan from Van Nuys, USA
Courtesy of WikiMedia Commons
“Scrap Iron” Adam Pearce began his career in 1996 and had his first match shortly before he graduated high school. From there, he went on to work all over the independent circuit in the US, as well as in Mexico and Japan. He was the second-ever Pro Wrestling Guerilla world champion as well as the National Wrestling Alliance (yes, they are still around, thanks for asking) World Champion on three separate occasions.
“Scrap Iron” may be most well-known for his stint in Ring of Honor (where I first noticed and became a fan of his work). Pearce led the charge during that promotion’s feud with CZW and then became one of the most hated men in the ring. Pearce then took a different turn within the company and vanished from the ring altogether when he became the matchmaker for Ring of Honor after Gabe Sopolsky left the company.
Pearce has come this close to tasting the fame of the big time several times, but has shied away from the mainstream spotlight. He has been the Ultimate Pro Wrestling Champion when that promotion was a developmental system for World Wrestling Entertainment. He had also worked several television matches for WWE, which led to interest from backstage agent Terry Taylor after he left for WCW. He had two separate tryouts with World Championship Wrestling and was offered a contract - only to turn them both down for different reasons. He has been in the ring with “Diamond” Dallas Page, “The Masterpiece” Chris Masters, and has feuded with Sean Waltman, better known as X-Pac.
“Scrap Iron” Adam Pearce is the epitome of the journeyman wrestler in 2011. He has wrestled and traveled all over the world and has tasted success on his own terms. In today’s culture of bright lights and “sports entertainment”, Pearce is the epitome of a wrestler who has flown under the radar and thrived in doing so.
There’s much more to the story of Adam Pearce than can be written here. The stories he has to tell from his time on the road, as well as his own story of being the ultimate journeyman in 2011, is a fascinating tale better told by Pearce himself. As well as the story of "One Last Ride", which he still has yet to take. All of those stories will be told - by Pearce himself - here very soon.
In case you want to get more lowdown on Pearce's condition, give a listen to The Greg DeMarco Show courtesy of 411Mania Radio. Yes, my old stomping ground has gotten in to the broad-podcast business! Very happy for the crew there. In addition to getting some more info on Pearce, Ari Berenstein drops by and talks about the latest Ring of Honor iPPV, "Best In The World:
Listen to internet radio with Greg DeMarco on Blog Talk Radio
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