This Feud MUST Continue!

This is your wrestling warning. If you're not into it, hit the back button. Plzkthxbi.

And if this looks like crap, I'm dictating this into my phone so please bear with me.

Apparently, news just broke that Kevin Steen has officially signed with WWE. Not maybe. Not, he looked good in the tryout. Not, once it clears his medical tests and all that jazz. Apparently, it's a done. Deal.

Let the comments about how he shouldn't even be in NXT and the jokes about the random name generator began. I don't care. For me? Starting now, I'm only worried about one thing: if his feud with Sami Zeayn picks up again at some point. Or El Generico. However you wanna look at it.

I'm mostly agreed with Jim Cornette. But his thoughts about the feud between Steen and Generico...that's where I have to agree to disagree with the man. That was, quite literally, a three-year feud that showcase the best of what both of those men could do. Blood, sweat, and tears. A full story, beginning to end. With some of the best matches this decade. And I would love to see it again.

I'm not dumb. I know that it may well not happen. Chris Hero came and went without even touching the main roster, and Sami Callahan has spent a year without even being on NXT television. I'm not declaring this is going to happen, because who the hell knows what his run may or may not produce?

But hot damn, am I going to hope it does somewhere down the line. Please.

A Question or 2 (for Wrestling Fans)

I'm debating either a recap of an older or more recent (but not live) wrestling show in the old "psychology/storytelling" style I used to do with or a straight-up live blog of a wrestling show. NOT a WWE or TNA PPV, but probably an indie iPPV.

So, that having been said, a couple questions:

1) Which of the above formats would you prefer?

2) Is there any show in particular (upcoming or older) you'd want to read this done in?

These Are Not The Changes We're Looking For

Lord knows one of my favorite things to do with this site (and throughout my time writing, really) is taking a look at heretofore unexplored angles to big stories. So, let’s take a couple recent wrestling stories and dump them on their ear, shall we?


Ring of Honor Changes Creative Team

So, the first big story that came out on October 8 was that Jim Cornette was out as head booker (matchmaker, creative director) of Ring of Honor and Hunter Johnston (aka masked wrestler Delirious) was (back) in. A lot of the online response has varied between two main schools of thought:

1) “Thank goodness/good riddance, etc.” to Jim Cornette being ousted, as some of RoH’s stories under his direction were seen as outdated by some. They seem to think this will go a long way in solving RoH’s current problems, but...

2) Others seem to think that there are bigger issues than creative, like the fact that Ring of Honor can’t seem to put out consecutive, problem-free internet Pay-Per-View broadcasts to save its own hide. A lot of this school seem to go along with the theory of, “they’re owned by a broadcasting company; can’t they get broadcasting right?”

It’s group 2) we’re going to focus on, because there’s a big question that, I think, has to be answered that no one seems to be able to. It’s a question that, if answered, could go a long way in explaining not only RoH’s inability to produce a working iPPV more than once a year, but also one that includes how much exposure Ring of Honor is getting since being bought by Sinclair Broadcasting Group and if they have any chance of competing as a viable alternative as a wrestling product. That question is:

How much money, if any, is Sinclair investing back in to Ring of Honor?

Think about it. It’s a question that no one has been able to answer, at least not in all the stories I’ve read and all the podcasts I’ve listened to about Ring of Honor (and that covers a surprising amount of ground). Jim Cornette said in a recent interview with Live Audio Wrestling that Sinclair is looking to acquire new, original content to feature on its stations, and that Ring of Honor was a way of getting their feet wet with the venture.

When Sinclair bought RoH back in May of 2011, I originally wrote that, “As for now, Ring of Honor, as a result of being owned by another company, finds itself in a much better position now than it has at any time in its nine years of existence.” I think it’s safe to drastically re-think that way of thinking as Ring of Honor sounds more like an experiment for SBC than an actual investment that they care about nurturing.

Sinclair is looking at the ratings of the RoH television show, which is how they’re making their money back off of RoH. Why would they care whether or not the iPPVs make any money, or even work? Is Sinclair seeing any of that money in their own coffers, or is it just in the ad revenue from airing the show? SBC doesn’t even seem to be very involved in producing the television shows, much less the iPPV broadcasts. This, above all, would seem a much larger concern than who’s writing the TV.

And speaking of writing TV, that brings us to story number two...


WWE Also Changes Creative Team

After Jim Cornette was replaced as head of RoH creative, WWE writer Brian Gerwitz was taken out of the spot of head writer for WWE Raw and replaced with a former studio executive. Since Gerwitz was seen as a lot of the cause of the decline of the product over the last decade-plus or so, many are cheering this decision. How good this will do remains to be seen, but again there’s another issue to think about here.

The October 1 Raw did something like a 2.5 rating, the lowest non-holiday rating it had done in years. Once that happened, Vince McMahon promised some drastic changes to the product – and started by ousting a guy who had been in his position for over ten years.

Does this mean McMahon is actually serious about making changes? Or, as one report from 411 points out, is McMahon simply losing touch with the public and his own product?

Either way, if I’m an employee at WWE, I’d be terrified right now. McMahon just ousted a guy from one of the top creative (if not the top creative) position in the company, seemingly on a whim. If he’s that committed to improving the product, or – as more seem to think – so apt to act so rashly based on a number, that company could be in for some more scary changes a lot quicker than many would think.

WWE's Newest Signee Is...

(FCW = WWE's farm league Developmental Area, by the way.)

In case you may not know who that is, Arda Ocal, host of Right After Wrestling Aftermath Radio, explains a little more...

In case you still don't know who that is:

1) Get out from under that rock.

2) I'll then tell you he is a former Ring of Honor World Tag-Team Champion, along with Chris Hero - collectively, the Kings of Wrestling.

My question now is...is Hero coming with him? If WWE is serious about "rebuilding their tag-team division", I certainly well hope so.

Be that as it may, this is still pretty big news.

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.

Punk Points Out A Problem

Nevermore to be held down
By the weights against me
Nevermore to be cast aside
This day is mine

If only I'd waited a week to start doing audio, huh? But then, really, would it have mattered?

CM Punk is in the news again. And the shortsightedness that has resulted is staggering.

The promo that Punk cut at the end of the 06.27.11 Raw completely detonated the internet. He said the word - *gasp!* - wrestling! He mentioned Ring of Honor! And New Japan Pro Wrestling! He name-dropped Colt Cabana...and then John Laurinatis! Wow! And, oh my God, did he go off on the McMahon family or what??



Needless to say, the resulting storm was almost as entertaining as the promo itself. Speculation and discussion has run rampant on whether the promo was part of the story (“herein known as “work”) or if Punk completely went out and freaked out the powers-that-be in WWE on his own (known from here on out as “shoot”, for those unfamiliar with “insider” terms). The eternal question of “work-or-shoot” seems to be what roughly 90% of that fallout is focused on. The other 10% is all about whether WWE can keep the story this fresh and exciting or if the promo is simply used to provide yet another family-friendly happy ending and thrown away within three weeks. Those angles are the only two being discussed because, again, hardly anyone is looking at the bigger picture.

How many guys have willingly called an audible and ventured outside the confines of World Wrestling Entertainment? Despite the fact that it is the largest and best company in the world marketplace for the pro wrestling industry (is that term even allowed anymore?), a lot of guys have walked away. Even when Jim Crockett Promotions/World Championship Wrestling was nipping at WWE’s heels or even overtaking them for a brief period, WWE was still the top of the mountain. Fast forward to now, where there really is no viable alternative and WWE is the top company in the world. That kind of stability and security is not available anywhere else...and yet, at least ten top stars within the last five years didn’t give a damn about that.

Since 2006, WWE has seen guys the company to pursue other dreams, while some simply hated working for WWE and didn’t want to be there anymore. We’re not counting stars that retired from wrestling altogether, such as Edge, Shawn Michaels, or JBL. Nor are we talking about also-rans like Zach Ryder who never got a chance in the first place; we’re talking major stars. Main-event players. Kurt Angle. Ric Flair. Mick Foley. Dave Batista. Jeff Hardy. Rob Van Dam. Chavo Guerrero Jr. MVP. Chris Jericho. All. Gone. Because they couldn’t stand being in such a sterilized, suffocating environment anymore.

CM Punk Could very well be the next to go. The word has been for months now that Punk was unhappy under the WWE banner and wanted out. His promo on Raw, planned or not, certainly shows just how miserable he is. On the June 27, 2011 edition of “Right After Wrestling”, former WWE referee Jimmy Korderas stated that, whenever it came for a talent to “shoot”, the talent in those situations were virtually given carte-blanche to talk with no restrictions. Korderas said that it would be fair to guess that Punk had that same leeway when he spilled his bile this past Monday. If that is the case, and what Punk said was truly from the heart...oh, yeah. He’s so leaving WWE.

Sure, the argument could be made whether or not Punk is actually leaving. If this is all a work and Punk has already worked out a deal to stay and WWE has the guts to run with such an edgy story as so many internet wrestling fans are hoping for? Great. Congratulations. I’ll be the first to admit ya got me. Show of hands - how many people actually think the McMahon family, Johnny Ace, and Kevin “The Beaver” Dunn the powers-that-be WWE would put themselves in a position to look weak for even a split second? They have families to cater to! And that’s because they have shareholders to please now! Who on earth thinks that WWE will carry through on a story this outside-the-norm? You really think they’d turn around the status quo?

Because, let’s face it, they have no real reason to. There’s no way they’d act on something this buzzworthy just to please guys that they don’t give a damn about despite having watched their lousy product for so many years like me. CM Punk called himself “just a spoke in the wheel”, and this is the first guy that’s gotten WWE mainstream attention (which they so crave) simply by doing a storyline. What does that make us, then? People that have worked in the business alongside us internet nerds who just write these stupid little blogs (because, let’s face it, that’s how they see us) who are on the outside looking in now are just that. Outsiders. Our opinion doesn’t matter whether we have a resume or not. If you think it does and they just might go outside of their little PG-Era, we-know-how-it’s-done-because-we’re-the-only-game-in-town box to make more money, then you’re as deluded as they come.

Now that we have all that nonsense, can we look at a bigger issue? Well, if you read between lines like so many have done this week with Punk’s promo, they you might realize we kind of already have.

What is it about WWE that is making so many top stars want to leave? How some guys are presented on television and treated backstage, in comparison to their overall worth to the company (or even perceived self-worth), seems to be a motivating factor for hauling ass. Backstage politics are an accepted part of the business, and not being used to full potential when it’s obvious the company is missing the boat on what talent has to offer can get frustrating in any line of work. Once egos get involved? Instant problem. Especially with a company that has every right to believe its way to do business is the only way because they’ve survived the test of time and competition.

There’s the frustration of company practices possibly in places, but that can also reach to encompass creative aspects as well. WWE produces a very specific product that has become stale and boring. Their pay-per-view numbers reflect that much. Yet, because they have several other revenue streams and no one’s even close to competing with them in the current marketplace right now, they have the power to produce their current product a very specific way. But what about those that enjoy more creativity and freedom than that stifling atmosphere is willing to give them? Guys like MVP, Chavo Guerrero, and Low-Ki? They were willing to give up the big guaranteed salaries in order to pursue that. The ethos of “do it yourself” is more possible, viable, and possible than ever thanks to new technology. To hell with wrestlers – more and more people overall are realizing that this is a prime time to strike out on your own without having to answer to anyone. Everyone from me to Colt Cabana to Dave Lagana are taking that route because we have all the freedom we need to say and do whatever we want.

The talent roster is as thin now as it has been in recent memory, and losing names like CM Punk have to come as a blow to the company’s ability to make money. For WWE’s sake, they should hope the talent bleeding stops soon. The company could possibly be less restrictive on policies and creative freedoms, but it is unlikely as that direction has led to more mainstream acceptance, which has always been Vince McMahon’s big fantasy. The trade-off seems to be that WWE is losing major stars that would rather be part of pro wrestling than an entertainment company. After this past Monday, it’s safe to say that CM Punk is among those stars that are willing to leave it all behind in the name of personal fulfillment.

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:

Listen to internet radio with Greg DeMarco on Blog Talk Radio

MegaRan and Storyville with Lost Perception - "One Winged Angel"

One of the coolest songs on one of the coolest albums so far this year now has its own video. How cool is that?



MegaRan's delivery on this song is top-notch. But this is the one track that Storyville could well out-shine him on. You now know, if you didn't before (and it's not like Advent Children made it easy or anything), why Sephiroth is the way he is and how he feels. Which, according to Storyville, is so nihilistic it's frightening. Excellent stuff.

We'll talk more about that with MegaRan - and K-Murdock! - as well as returning for Nerdapalooza 2011 and a lot more. Well, I already did talk to him, but this Thursday, you'll get to see it. You may also get to see another track from Black Materia: Final Fantasy VII performed live...




...oh, and kid-you-not - the moment I post this, Davey Richards takes the title from Eddie Edwards and carries Ring of Honor in to its future with Sinclair Broadcasting. Big congratulations to Richards, who has fought for this a long time now and should make a hell of a representative for Ring of Honor.

First pics of the new champ come courtesy of Ring of Honor announcer Dave Prazak:

Count3rCu1ture News Desk: 06.25.11

Another edition of the news desk features two brand new songs, DC Comics continuing to wuss out, and a wrestling promo you have to see to believe. Let’s get in to this.


Music Fuels The Savage Beast

First off, two new tracks from Apathy off of his new album, out August 23. The album that holds the honor of having my single favorite title of 2011 (at the very least)...Honkey Kong.



Track one is the first official single, “Check to Check”. Slightly more laid back than I’m used to from Ap on first listen. But a few more have revealed a focus and drive that Ap conveys best in a great track about trying to make it in today’s entertainment business.




Second up is new music from Anthrax. Oh yeah, you heard. The band’s first new album in seven years - and their first with Joey Belladonna in 21 years (!) - is upon us, as Worship Music is out September 13.

Now, most that know or have read me know I was totally against the idea of John Bush being ditched in favor of bringing back Belladonna. However, I have to say after seeing that lineup live last year, I will totally admit I was in the wrong here. They sound as good as they ever have on stage with Belladonna back in the fold.

So how does that translate in to new studio music? Holy crap, man. Almost like they never left.

Seriously, go get “Fight ‘Em ‘Til You Can’t”, like, right now. Trust me on this one. You won’t be sorry.




Superman Fears Politics

Remember when Superman renounced his American citizenship? And then had to take that back because of the reaction? DC apparently learned a lesson about how much the mainstream does not want to have to think when reading comics, because they did it again this week in much quieter fashion.

CBR broke the story that DC had announced in its weekly email to comic shop retailers that Superman #712 (which came out this past Wednesday) would have a completely different story that was inserted at the last minute. The original story, which was to be part of the “Grounded” story (which features Superman walking across America reconnecting with the people...think about that one for a second), saw Superman arrive in Los Angeles and featured a Muslim superhero called Sharif.

DC’s official reason? “DC Comics determined that the previously solicited story did not work within the "Grounded" storyline.“

Why is this a line of bull? The originally solicited issue promised a story where "Sharif discovers that in today’s current cultural climate, some people don’t want his help – they just want him gone."

What officially makes DC’s reason a line of bull? Writer Chris Roberson himself told CBR, "As much as I look forward to seeing an unpublished Kurt Busiek Superman story, it's a shame that DC didn't determine that the story we prepared for Superman 712 didn't work in the Grounded storyline in time for us to do a different story. As it happened, the Sharif story was included in the outline for the remaining issues of Grounded that I submitted in November. The outline was approved, and in February the issue synopsis that I provided was used to draft the solicitation text, to work up character designs for Sharif (the grown up version of Sinbad from the early 90s), and for cover art to be pencilled, inked, and colored. The script for the issue was accepted in April, and was drawn, inked, and lettered. Unfortunately, when the issue was ready to be sent to the printer in the third week of May I was informed that the decision had been made not to print it."

I’ve written about this sort of thing before. Nearly six years. Only then, it had to do with the WWE character Mohammed Hassan. When WWE turned a sympathetic American character with Arab origins in to the typical, one-dimensional “USA-hock-*ptui!*” heel, I thought it was a shame that a character like that couldn’t be used because of how people would overreact in such a knee-jerk fashion. It’s a shame that, five years after that, there’s been no growth in the area of public conscious and intelligence whatsoever.

To their credit, DC realized this before they had a chance to come under from Fox News and the rest of those zombies for the second time in a few months. It’s just a crying shame they’ve been forced to do so.


What could have been:
The unused cover for Superman #712


”What y’all boys know about the Murphy Rec Center?”

In promoting this Sunday’s “Best In The World” show from Ring of Honor - as well as their future under the Sinclair Broadcast Group banner - the Briscoe Brothers aired a promo on YouTube. Some people love it, others hate it.

Put me in the former category. I’m pretty sure now I can officially declare the Briscoes (not Jack and Jerry, mind you) my favorite tag team ever. Part of it is because they go non-stop, from bell-to-bell, at a pace that has to be seen to be believed. The other reason is because the Redneck gimmick isn’t really a gimmick. What you see with jay and Mark is what you get. They’ll speak out about how they feel, and that stalwart passion has turned in to one of the best promos so far this year.

Bear in mind, though, this is NSFW due to bad language:



Whether it’s part of the storyline or not, I totally believe that they feel as if they’ve been overlooked and they’re looking to prove that they’re the team to take Ring of Honor in to the new frontier. And that’s what good wrestling should make me do - believe.

And speaking of the “Best In The World”, I’d lastly like to welcome back Ari Berenstein and the Column of Honor. I don’t know if this is a return to regular duty or not, but Ari previews “Best in The World” better than anyone else could even think about attempting. In short, it’s what he does and I’m glad to see it back for this.

Count3rCu1ture Audio Premiere Episode - Summer of Punk 2.0

Welcome to the first edition of Count3rCu1ture...Audio.

Yep, another component of the website goes live as we venture in to the podcast game. Somewhat. See, this isn’t going to be a regular thing. It’s a great way to deliver interviews I may have from time-to-time that aren’t caught on video or a good way to discuss something going in Pop Culture now. And that’s what this will be for.

This is in no way meant as any competition to the shows I listen to on a weekly basis - Slacker and the Man, Nerdy Show, Hipster, Please!, We Love Colt, I Want Wrestling, or Live Audio Wrestling. There’s no way what I can do will be as good as any of those guys. But is that gonna stop me from unloading more content? Of course not.

The first edition is (*Spoiler Alert~!*) wrestling-related and centers on CM Punk and the storyline that took place on the 06.20.11 edition of Monday Night Raw. Hear my thoughts on that, how I think it might play out, and Punk’s possible meaning behind the entire angle by merely clicking on the image below.

Thanks again for reading, listening, watching...whatever you feel like doing here. Keep coming back - it works.

Ring of Honor Steps Up

Is this a hell of a weekend for wrestling or what?

As far as the mainstream side of the planet goes, it’s mourning Randy Savage. However, under their noses, another huge story has broken that could bode very well for the third-largest wrestling promotion in the country and ultimately change the face of the industry as we know it now.



Ring of Honor announced yesterday that the company has been sold. Lock, stock, and barrel. Ring of Honor is now owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc., “one of the largest television broadcasters in the country and which owns and operates, programs, or provides sales services to 58 television stations in 35 markets across the United States.”

I won’t lie - when I first saw this, I was terrified. That was my knee-jerk reaction. Because, let’s face it, the last wrestling promotion that was bought out didn’t fare so well after that. the one before that fared a little better, and even made a comeback of sorts, but it’s days were numbered once it was bought out.

Not just that, but even outside the realm of pro wrestling, corporate media as a whole terrifies, disgusts, and exasperates me - more often than not all at the same time. That feeling is at the crux of damn-near everything I’ve written, said, shot, and put out there for public consumption for over 7.5 years and counting. It is also one of the primary reasons that the show/brand/idea of Count3rCu1ture was conceived and created. So, yeah, reading that a smaller wrestling promotion had been bought by a media corporation scared me. Until I read more in to this story.

First, it helps that Steve Marks, COO of Sinclair’s Television Group is actually excited about the property his company has picked up. He even said so!:

”We are very excited about this acquisition. Television and professional wrestling have a long history of successful partnerships and driving viewership. Unfortunately, the broadcast networks have not protected that relationship, allowing professional wrestling to migrate to cable network distribution. We believe that the powerful promotional platform that our TV stations provide, coupled with our 22% share of the U.S. TV households, will allow ROH to achieve name brand recognition and grow its share of the wrestling market. When you consider the makeup of our station mix and the number of CW, MYTV and FOX affiliates we operate, this is a perfect fit for our viewer demographics. Longer-term, we can envision syndicating ROH wrestling to broadcasters in markets where Sinclair does not have a presence, and even internationally.”

That’s a relief to hear. It’s as though Marks feels there’s a programming hole to fill, and his company is willing to do it. Second piece of good news is that Sinclair is willing to do it without radically alter the company. Hell, there will be barely any changes at all, really.

The front office staff, including former owner Cary Silkin, will all remain in their positions to work alongside Joe Koff of Sinclair (now the promotion’s Chief Operating Officer) and Gary Juster as Vice President of Operations. Yes, that’s the same Gary Juster who used to work as a promoter for Jim Crockett and later WCW, will be the Vice President of Operations. He also happened to broker this deal with Sinclair and RoH.

Outsuide of that, Jim Cornette will remain as Executive Producer and Hunter Johnson will remain on as a creative executive. Johnson and Cornette now also share talent relations and creative duties.

Kevin Kelly, “the voice of Ring of Honor on internet Pay-Per-View”, will also remain in that position, as well as become the lead commentator when the Ring of Honor syndicated television show debuts all over the Sinclair Group’s television stations in September. Oh yeah - that’s piece of good news number three - a much bigger television outlet for the company come this fall. In fact, this past weekend at Roh's Supercard of Honor VI in Chicago, the company announced its first television taping for Sinclair would be in that same city on August 13.

That, in and of itself, is fascinating. When RoH walked away from HDNet after that two-year deal expired, many were wondering how, when, or even if Ring of Honor would be back on television. The question that was posed to whomever in RoH was interviewed was basically, “hey, if it happens, it happens.” The answer, in the eyes of the company, was that they were looking for more than just being “back on television”, and they’ve got it.

Now, this isn’t an immediate presence or a giant leap to compete with WWE. My old stomping grounds 411 Wrestling gave more details - Sinclair broadcasts in roughly 22% of the country and there some huge markets that are not part of the equation. (411 also has the full list of their stations here) Even still and as already noted, they already have a bigger presence in the national market provided previously by HDnet.

If you ask most anyone in RoH, they’re not looking to compete with WWE or even TNA Impact Wrestling. Their product is completely different; Jim Cornette described it in the press release as, “...[N]ot old-school wrestling, and it’s not sports entertainment...This is wrestling for the 21st century, a new style developed by fresh, young stars that incorporates wrestling, mixed martial arts and high-flying, high-risk action with unique personalities, and it’s showcased by a sports-based presentation completely different from any other product out there.” That description fits very well, and it’s the main reason I’m such a fan of Ring of Honor.

What happens now should be a show in and of itself. It’s no secret the pro wrestling is in a stagnant state, while MMA (and especially UFC) is hotter than ever right now. The reasons are simple: MMA took the presentation and basic ideas of pro wrestling and added them to a much more realistic product, while the biggest wrestling companies in the world have are hell-bent on producing anything but wrestling. Many have speculated that, for wrestling to once again thrive, that it would have return to basics and produce a much more realistic and athletic product on a larger scale. Ring of Honor is that product, and now they have that larger audience. That theory of where the wrestling industry heads from here is about to be tested, big time.

But that’s another discussion for another time. As for now, Ring of Honor, as a result of being owned by another company, finds itself in a much better position now than it has at any time in its nine years of existence. It’s a thrilling time to be associated with and a fan of Ring of Honor. All the best in the world is hoped for as they move forward with a new venture and hopefully now become the little promotion that redefines wrestling.

How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Brock

Before I get in to the obvious topic at hand, a quick note about why Twitter can be so cool sometimes...

So I’m on break at work and I see a discussion about the World Cup match between Uruguay and the Netherlands. On Twitter, I happen to follow Claudio Castagnoli, one-half of the Ring Of Honor World Tag-Team Champions and an avid soccer fan. This day and age, that sort of thing can be a great and entertaining source of information to follow live, especially for an event like the World Cup. Claudio made a remark about how a Pele kick” brought about a penalty and a yellow card, so, I figured...“What the hell?” Tying in the wrestling angle as well, I replied to Claudio about the irony.

What I didn’t expect was for Claudio to answer back.



Holy. Crap. This is a guy who not only happens to produce some work inside of a wrestling ring that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed, but has traveled worldwide to build a pretty nice fanbase in doing so. And he actually took the time out to respond.

THAT’S why Twitter, for all the flak it catches, can be very cool. To have someone at whatever level of fame that you’re a fan of respond directly to you in seconds flat is damn cool no matter who you are.

Anyway, on with our regularly scheduled program...


It took me a good while to finally get in to MMA. It’s becoming all the rage now, and I’ll probably be accused of “jumping on the bandwagon”, but there are reasons (the title of this piece notwithstanding) that I’ve come around. First, some history...

I’ve definitely been aware of MMA (and the UFC in particular) since the early-mid 90s. I’d heard about it and tried liking it that long ago, but it actually bored me. Over the span of a decade, I’d tried again and again to see the appeal, but I simply couldn’t. And the reason lies in the fact that I can describe every fight I’d seen in that time (which were, admittedly, a couple handfuls, but the fact remains):

Two dudes throw punches that don’t land

They hug

Stop, drop, and roll

One ends up on top of the other

The guy on top punches the crap out of the one of the bottom until the bottom guy taps out

...and that was it. After seeing that exact same fight with different people involved each time for ten years, I had no interest in seeing the same thing over and over again. Is that a fair representation of what MMA was? Not really; it’s probably just what I happened to see each time. I’d kinda followed the sport by reading about it when something caught my attention and, once in a blue moon, seeing a fight that held some interest (more on that in the first bout of UFC 116), but I still wasn’t completely sold.

Fast forward to July 3, 2010. UFC 116 was on the lips of the planet because Brock Lesnar was returning to the Octagon to face the undefeated Shane Carwin for the Undisputed World Title. Being a diehard wrestling fan and all about some Brock when he was in WWE, I decided to give in and give it another chance. Whether the stars were aligned just right or I happened to see what I needed to see...either way, it finally happened..

I already know people will hate my guts because of the notion that “Lesnar got me in to UFC because he was a rassler,” and I’m cognizant enough of what I read to realize that they hate Lesnar because of that, so I realize I’m facing an uphill battle already. At least, I would be if I cared about that sort of thing - or if it were actually true. But the fact that Lesnar was a rassler and that’s why I got in to it...while that’s part of the story, it’s only a small part.

I saw the fight at UFC 100 against Frank Mir. I’d also read about how Mir verbally denigrated Lesnar’s chances to the point where he really pissed Lesnar off. This is a guy that, not only keeps freezers (plural) of meat from animals that he shot and killed himself, but that gets flat-out scary when he’s angry. He also gets motivated like you wouldn’t believe, which led him to pounding Mir in to ground chuck and keeping his title. Lesnar also loves to be hated. While he doesn’t feel the need to constantly play the heel, per se, Lesnar is a guy that will feed off of negative emotions and turn spite in to a weapon. Once again, ask Frank Mir - and the fans that Lesnar rubbed the wrong way after the fight when he rubbed that win in all of their faces.

It was Lesnar’s toughness, motivation, and fearlessness at turning the sport on its ear by becoming one of its greats that started getting my attention. Hell, if Lesnar had never even met Vince McMahon, that kind of attitude - and the charisma and determination he showed in beinga huge success despite becoming the poster child for everything that’s “wrong” with MMA - would have won me over.

Now, Lesnar was coming off of a year out of the game. Divertuiculitis (which I’ve had, and it’s not even remotely close to fun, trust me) had taken the Champ down and, after a long recovery and many questions about his health and his ability to get back in the cage, the stage was set for UFC 116’s main event.

But first, there were several other bouts to get to. Figuring I was already investing this time, effort, and money in to watching for what may well could have been a 30-second fight, I had the perfect opportunity to give the UFC - and MMA as a whole, really - another chance and take in the whole show. Right off the bat, I was rewarded with seeing Seth Petruzelli nearly getting his arm broken.

Yeah, that sounds a little mean. There’s no way to sugarcoat it, though - if there’s a guy I want to see get his ass kicked in this particular realm, it’s Seth Petruzellu. The problem I have with Petruzelli goes back to the EliteXC fight with Kimbo Slice. Not because I was all about some Kimbo; he was cool for a minute until it was clear he was in over his head when it came to the actual art of combat. (Although any guy willing to parlay that image of badassery in to a role in a Nickelodeon TV movie earns a little credit for maybe not taking himself as seriously as others did.) I’ve no heat with Petruzelli for beating Slice in under 30 seconds, it’s what the fool did afterward. His very first interview after that fight was with a morning radio show right here in Orlando where he admitted (starting at 1:50:14) to the fact that he was paid not to shoot on Kimbo so he could basically be fed to him. That comment began an investigation by - and, soon enough - in to - EliteXC that ultimately led to the promotion shutting its doors for good. Reader’s Digest Condensed Version: By being an idiot not keeping his yap shut, Petruzelli started the ball rolling on the end of a viable MMA promotion. Good job, genius - was it really necessary to talk about how the fix was in while putting yourself over?

So, Petruzelli lost. And I was happy. But that’s not to take anything at all away from his opponent, Ricardo Romero. Making his UFC debut, Romero put on a clinic and, for the first time in over 15 years since I had become aware of UFC, opened my eyes to the idea of using any sort of strategy to win one of these fights. The art of fighting had finally become apparent when Romero let Petruzelli throw several bombs, took every one of them so that Petruzelli would tire himself out (and that was AFTER Romero had his jaw broken), and then went after the exerted arm (that had to be at least a little sore after throwing eight minutes worth of punches) and bent it damn-near backwards to win the fight.

In that moment, the possibilities of UFC were wide open. The presentation already harkened back to a time when pro wrestling, from a standpoint of a quality product if not so much popularity, was at its best. Two guys have an issue - even one as simple as both of them wanting to make their way up the ladder and having to go through the other guy to do it. Exploit that issue, hype it up to the point where I can’t wait to see these guys go at it, turn them loose and give me a realistic, believable 1-on-1 contest that I’m satisfied to have seen and felt was worth the time and money I spent to see it. That, before the word “entertainment” became involved and the action was almost a hindrance to telling some sort of story, was what made pro wrestling great. That is what UFC has harnessed, modified, remastered, and presented to a public that is hungry for it. My hat’s off to them for the presentation - always has been in that respect - but it was great to know that the product itself had actually come to the point where it matched the hype surrounding it.

I saw more examples of this as the show went on. I saw Gerald Harris wear Dave Branch down far enough that he could knock Branch out cold with a spinebuster slam that Arn Anderson would be proud of. I saw Stephen Bonnar go all out in the names of redemption and survival, bleeding like a shotgun victim after a relentless onslaught by Krzyzstof Soszynski only to finally exploit an opening by a frustrated Soszynski and save his career. I saw a hungry - check that, famished Chris Leben step in the place of established superstar Wanderlei Silva two weeks after his last fight and make Yoshihiro Akiyama give up after being hit harder than any man should be able to take because he saw his opportunity to grab the proverbial brass ring and subsequently challenge Wanderlei to cement his place in history. I was thoroughly enthralled by many examples of MMA at its best, and all that was before the fight that led me herein the first place!

Brock Lesnar was set to claim his title - or attempt to - against a man that was 12-0, had never had a fight go past the first round because he set land speed records beating his opponents senseless, and was so nearly physically identical to Lesnar he could have been a clone. Because dyed-in-the-wool MMA fans hated Lesnar `(because, God forbid, a ”fake” fighter had learned the discipline and shown the will and heart it took to get there in the first place), no one really reacted to the fact that this was a man who had no business even stepping in the cage in the first place because of a seriousness illness. The feel-good story of a tried-and-true comeback was largely ignored, but that suited Lesnar just fine. He wasn’t going in to kiss babies and be the “good guy”. Nor, as viewers learned, did he ever set out to be the stereotypical pro wrestling “villain” that his post-UFC 100 interview portrayed. Lesnar, then, simply had a problem with how inferior Mir treated him and set about the task of making him eat his words in the form of a 4XL glove. This time, Lesnar had no ill will toward Carwin or anyone else.

Mission accomplished. Lesnar hung in there during Carwin’s opening salvos. He absorbed and, when necessary, evaded Carwin’s best shots to tire him out. But this wasn’t as simple as a “wear-him-out-and-finish-him-off” fight - Lesnar surprised Carwin and everyone else by going for - and then getting - a submission win. Afterward, Lesnar’s humility was on display in a radically different post-fight interview from the one he gave at UFC 100. Lesnar didn’t want to be the “heel” or throw in people’s faces that he was a “rassler” that made good because the fans didn’t want him to. Lesnar simply, and graciously, wanted his spot at the top back and to prove he was worthy of being there. It seemed that Lesnar had learned a lot in his time away from the Octagon...

...and he’s not alone. I was at a point of being a fan of Lesnar’s, but not MMA, to the point that if Lesnar wasn’t involved, I wasn’t interested. I do have to thank him, though, for getting me interested on a full-time basis - and leading the way to many other competitors that have much to offer themselves. Brock Lesnar may have brought me here, but it’s guys like Stephen Bonnar, Chris Leben, Gerald Harris, and (you damn betcha) Ricardo Romero that have convinced me to stick around a while.