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  • Shimmer 81 live results: Madison Eagles vs. Courtney Rush; Kimber Lee; Shayna Baszler; Veda Scott

    Submitted by Craig Russell from Chicago, IL (Friday)

    – Veda Scott vs Nixon Newell

    Good opener. Nixon is pretty good and Veda is solid at this point. Veda earns extra heel points by sucking up to referee Andy Long, who the fans still boo because of the last Shimmer weekend. Scott wins with a Northern Lights/German Suplex.

    – Shayna Baszler vs Rhia O’Reilly

    Baszler wins with a TKO on O’Reilly for the pin. Baszler is already decent in the ring and holds her own. O’Reilly worked the crowd over by taunting Baszler whenever she would get Baszler in a wrestling hold.

    – Vanessa Kraven vs Shazza McKenzie vs LuFisto vs Kellie Skater

    Kraven and LuFisto fight to the back, and Skater pins McKenzie after a neck breaker/kick to the head combo (Skate and Destroy finisher). Kraven and LuFisto at one point in the match play a game of “one up” on Skater and McKenzie with chops and running cannonballs.

    – Viper vs Jessica Havok

    Viper pins Havoc with a slam. It might have been a running powerslam, but she did not get far with the running part. This was a good match with the girls taking each other’s moves and coming back with their own response. Viper is indeed already over in the states with the same crowd support as she got at Shine 35.

    – Yumi Ohka and Melanie Cruise vs Mia Yim and Kay Lee Ray

    Yim and Ray’s tag team is called FlyingHighWDSS (a nod to Pokemon). Ohka and Cruise work really well together. This was a very good match in which everyone hit everything. At the end, Ohka tried to use her Cat O’ Nine Tails Whip to interfere, but then Cruise missed a top rope splash. Ray then hits her senton on Cruise, followed by Yim hitting Cruise with a 450 Splash for the pin. Again, outstanding match.

    – Arisa Nakajima vs Nicole Matthews

    Nakajima has her JWP title belt with her. Another good match. Nicole is a pro and can work with anyone at this point. Nakajima has a good selection of kicks which she put to good use. Finish came as Nakajima pinned Matthews with a bridging German suplex.

    – KC Spinelli vs Ruo Mizunami

    Good hard hitting match. KC is very good at getting the crowd into the match and she did it here. Mizunami has a new outfit that is more Lucha inspired (complete with a mask). Mizunami over Spinelli with a top rope leg drop.

    – Heart of Shimmer Champion Nicole Savoy vs Crazy Mary Dobson

    Solid match. Dobson played the aggressor to Savoy’s moves, which then Savoy would counter would a different one. End came with Savoy pinning Dobson with a Tiger Suplex.

    – Shimmer Tag Team Champions The Kimber Bombs (Kimber Lee and Cherry Bomb) vs Team Slap Happy (Evie and Heidi Lovelace)

    Possibly match of the night along with Ohka/Cruise vs Yim/KLR. Lots of action and double team moves. The Kimber Bombs were the obvious heels in this match. Cherry Bomb’s voice is as high pitched and squeaky as ever. Finish came as Team Slap Happy were setting up for their finisher (Lovelace does a frog splash off of Evie’ shoulders), but Cherry Bomb interferes, sending Evie to the floor. Cherry Bomb then throws Kimber Lee a title belt which she used to hit Lovelace with. Kimber Lee then pins Lovelace.

    – Shimmer Champion Madison Eagles vs Courtney “Rosemary” Rush

    During the match, Eagles and Rush fight on the floor and Eagles gets the upper hand. She then runs back into the ring where she produces two cans of salt which she used to make a “barrier” around the ring apron. Courtney is a “demon” and therefore cannot break a salt barrier. She almost gets counted out but she drags the referee over the salt line to break it so she can get back into the ring. Eagles also tried to tape two forks together and use it as a cross to ward off Rush (screaming “the power of Christ compels you” line from “The Exorcist” while doing so).

    All antics aside, this was a very good match for the belt. At one point, Rush had Eagles on the floor again (all happening in front of the Empire’s own Ed in San Antonio I might add!) in which Courtney throws Eagles into the barricade at least 5 times. Eagles eventually pins Rush with the Hellbound (shoulder bomb onto the knee) and retains the title.

    After this match, Arisa Nakajima comes out to challenge Eagles for Saturday. They hold up each other’s title belts to each other and the show concludes.

  • EVOLVE’s 2016 summer schedule: Lots of Timothy Thatcher, Cody Rhodes & Summer of Scurll

    On Wednesday, EVOLVE announced their talent lineups for their summer shows. While all of the matches aren’t officially set, there are a few put in place.

    EVOLVE 64
    Saturday, July 16th | Queens, NY | 4 PM EST (show will be over by time WWE at MSG begins)

    – EVOLVE Champion Timothy Thatcher vs. Marty Scurll

    – EVOLVE Tag Team Champions Drew Gulak & Tracy Williams

    – Johnny Gargano

    – Drew Galloway

    – Zack Sabre Jr.

    – TJP with Stokely Hathaway

    – Matt Riddle

    – Ethan Page

    – Fred Yehi

    – Cedric Alexander

    – Tony Nese…and more.

    EVOLVE 65
    Sunday, July 17th | Melrose, MA | 7 PM EST

    – EVOLVE Champion Timothy Thatcher vs. TJP with Stokely Hathaway

    – EVOLVE Tag Team Champions Drew Gulak & Tracy Williams

    – Johnny Gargano

    – Drew Galloway

    – Zack Sabre Jr.

    – Marty Scurll

    – Matt Riddle

    – Ethan Page

    – Fred Yehi

    – Cedric Alexander

    – Tony Nese…and more.

    EVOLVE 66
    Saturday, August 19th | Joppa, MD | 8 PM EST

    – EVOLVE Champion Timothy Thatcher vs. Matt Riddle — no holds barred

    – Cody Rhodes vs. Johnny Gargano

    – EVOLVE Tag Team Champions Drew Gulak & Tracy Williams

    – Zack Sabre Jr.

    – Marty Scurll

    – TJP with Stokely Hathaway

    – Tony Nese

    – Cedric Alexander

    – Ethan Page

    – Fred Yehi

    – Peter Kaasa…and more.

    EVOLVE 67
    Saturday, August 20th | Brooklyn, NY | 3pm EDT     (show will be over by the time NXT starts)

    – EVOLVE Champion Timothy Thatcher vs. Drew Gulak

    – Tommy End vs. Matt Riddle

    – Cody Rhodes

    – Drew Galloway

    – Chris Hero

    – Tracy Williams

    – Zack Sabre Jr.

    – Marty Scurll

    – TJP with Stokely Hathaway

    – Cedric Alexander

    – Ethan Page

    – Fred Yehi

    – Peter Kaasa…and more.

    Here’s a video recap of their last two events if you’re not familiar with the product:

  • Evolve 63 results: ECIII open challenge; cruiserweight five-way; memorable ref spot

    Submitted by Stephen Darrow

    The show opened with the announcer telling us there were two changes: Tony Nese being added to the cruiserweight match to make it a 5 way elimination match and the non-title Hot Sauce v Tim Thatcher match would now be a title match.

    – Dark Match: Joe Coffey def. Rory Gulak via submission

    Gulak did some sort of a Tye Dillinger gimmick where he would evade a move and yell “amazing” or something similar. Coffey put him in a ridiculous standing boston crab and Gulak tapped instantly.

    – Cedric Alexander def. Fred Yehi via pin

    I thought this ended up being the best singles match on the show. It had the stiffest forearms/chops of the evening, and that is saying a lot. It looked like Cedric forearmed Yehi a little too hard and Yehi started to lay them in which looked pretty real to me. There was a dive spot where Alexander knocked the barricade back into the people in the first row. They went into the ring and started exchanging big moves, finally ending with a flurry from Cedric that gave him the victory. Yehi stayed in the ring in shock while Cedric celebrated, Cedric went down to the mat and they exchanged a very manly handshake.

    – Bravado Brothers def. Jason Cade and Darby Allin via pin

    After some standard tag work in the ring, Bravados took them outside and smashed them into the barricades a few times. Action went back into the ring where Cade threw one of the brothers out of the ring. He then went over the barricade into the crowd. The spot of the night happened when Cade leaped from the apron onto a basketball hoop that was left down in the gym, then hit a hurricanrana on one of the Brothers (I still don’t know which one is which). Action found its way back into the ring where Bravado brothers hit their finish and got the pin.

    – Matt Riddle def. Trevor Lee via submission

    Pretty blah match except for a spot where Riddle was thrown into one of the barricades and they broke apart, crashing into the people in the first row. Riddle tapped him with the Bro-Mission.

    – Evolve Champion Timothy Thatcher def. Hot Sauce Williams via submission

    Hot Sauce sent the rest of Catch Point to the back because he didn’t want an asterisk next to his name when he won the title. Thatcher then entered with no title belt as Riddle had stole it from him. Thatcher was very technical and kicked out of a few moves that looked devastating. He ended up catching Hot Sauce in an armbar and tapped him.

    After the match, Riddle entered with the belt and cut a promo on Thatcher saying he deserved a title shot. Stokely Hathaway then entered and told him his boy TJP earned a spot in the cruiserweight series and neither of the other two had one. He felt TJP deserved the next shot. Thatcher said he would give TJP the next shot, then it would be Riddle in a Last Man Standing match. Thatcher then exited the ring without trying to get his title belt from Riddle.

    – Cruiserweight Elimination Match: Tony Nese pinned TJP in a match involved Drew Gulak, Lince Dorado, and Johnny Gargano

    Tony Nese entered first and cut a promo on how all he wants is a shot to show to the world what he can do in the WWE cruiserweight tourney. They implied that if he won he would be in the series. All the other entrants came in one by one and cut similar promos. Gargano made some vague WWE references.

    Very good match, non-stop action. Gargano was eliminated early via roll-up by Gulak. Lots of dive spots, the barricades were knocked silly this match. Dorado did a moonsault onto the 3 remaining competitors and right as he was setting it up, Drew Galloway and EC3 entered and beat up Gargano. They cut a promo but the mic wasn’t quite working. After the moonsault spot, Gulak slept outside for about 5 minutes. Back in the ring, Dorado was pinned. Next, Gulak was eliminated by TJP. Nese and TJP then battled for a solid 10 minutes. TJP kicked out of a sit out tombstone piledriver. Nese started yelling “I am not losing this match”, went into a hulk-up mode, and hit TJP with another piledriver then a 450 for the pin.

    With the win, Nese is now in the WWE cruiserweight tournament.

    – Drew Galloway def. Ethan Page via pin — Anything Goes

    Match almost immediately left the ring and they fought all over the gym. They tossed a plastic trash can around and Drew grabbed a half full Coke bottle out of it and smashed it on Ethan’s head. Drew went for a suplex on the outside and Page reversed it. Action went back to the ring and Drew emptied the ring of chairs, another barricade, then grabbed a fan’s plastic chair. Page then went outside and grabbed a tiny ladder. He Irish whipped Galloway into the ladder, which was propped up on the ring and barricade. The ladder went flying about 10 feet almost into the crowd. Match went back into the ring and Drew hit his dirty deeds finisher onto a couple of steel chairs for the pin.

    After the match, EC3 came out to celebrate with Drew. He said his open challenge was off because he already beat everyone up in the back and there was no one left. Gargano then came out and cut more WWE related promos, said something about him being “best for business” and he “knows how to play the game”. Gargano then said he didn’t want to pin EC3 so this would be a last man standing match. EC3 accepted the challenge and Drew went to the back.

    – Johnny Gargano def. EC3 via KO in a Last Man Standing match

    Back and forth match, good action. EC3 got mad at the ref for not counting fast enough so he knocked him out. He beat Gargano up and went to the back for another ref. The second ref counted to 9, Gargano got to his feet and EC3 whacked him with a chair. The ref started counting from 1 and EC3 told him “no that’s not 1, its 10”. The ref disagreed and EC3 then knocked that ref out as well.

    Galloway came in, and then the Catch Point stable came in to help Gargano. They cleared Drew from the ring and it was left with EC3 surrounded by three men and the third ref. EC3 pleaded to the ref who just patted him on the face, EC3 then turned around to eat a bunch of superkicks. The match ended with EC3 being superkicked into the ref who gave him the Stone Cold salute, then a pretty well executed stunner. EC3 was then tossed over the top onto a table that was at ringside that didn’t break and the ref counted to 10.

    At that point, the four men in the ring celebrated and the ref got a nice pop for his stunner. After the cameras were off, the ref attempted a spin-a-roonie and The Worm…which weren’t great. 

  • Evolve 62 results & video highlights: Hero vs. Thatcher III; Tony Nese gets WWE tourney opp

    – Anthony Nese vs. Fred Yehi

    Yehi won via submission after clamping on the Koji Clutch. Nese did a promo afterward saying despite his losing streak, he wants an opportunity in the WWE Cruiserweight Classic and he wants it Saturday night.

    – Darby Allin vs. Ethan Page

    Page won after hitting a package piledriver. Earlier in the match, Page gorilla press slammed Allin over the ropes and into a support beam that was said to be a big spot.

    – Cedric Alexander vs. Matt Riddle

    Riddle submitted Alexander with a neck crank after hitting a fisherman’s buster.

    – Evolve Tag Team Champs Catch Point (Drew Gulak & Tracy Williams) vs. Bravado Brothers (Harlem & Lancelot Bravado)

    Champs retain after Williams pinned Lancelot after a big DDT spot. Post-match, Catch Point are cutting a promo and calling out Evolve Champion Timothy Thatcher. Thatcher came out, and told the guys to get lost.

    – Evolve Champion Timothy Thatcher vs. Chris Hero

    Said to be a great match. Thatcher retained the gold by submitting Hero with a cross armbar.

    Post-match, Riddle, Gulak, Williams, and Stokely Hathaway all came out to contront Thatcher. Williams wants his title shot Saturday and Thatcher agrees. 

    – Drew Galloway & Ethan Carter III vs. Johnny Gargano & TJ Perkins (Unsanctioned Street Fight)

    Wild match that spilled everywhere including on the bar inside the arena and outside the arena. Big action, table spots, you name it. Gulak came out to check on Perkins after Galloway powerbombed him through a table. This brought Hero out who hit a piledriver on Gulak and then booted Gargano and piledrove him to turn on Evolve. ECIII hit the One Percenter on Perkins for the win.

    Post-match promos by Galloway and Carter reveal a fourth member of their crew: Cody Rhodes! Rhodes will debut for the promotion on August 19th in Maryland against Gargano.

    **********

    Evolve 63 card — Saturday from Orlando, FL:

    – Evolve Champion Timothy Thatcher vs. Tracy Williams

    – WWE Cruiserweight Tournament preview: Johnny Gargano vs. Drew Gulak vs. TJP vs. Lince Dorado vs. Tony Nese elimination match. If Nese wins, he’s in the tourney.

    – Anything Goes: Drew Galloway vs. Ethan Page

    – ECIII open challenge to anyone on the Evolve roster

    – Matt Riddle vs. Trevor Lee

    – Fred Yehi vs. Cedric Alexander

    – The Bravado Brothers vs. Jason Cade & Darby Allin

  • Dave Meltzer’s live PWG report for May 20: Roderick Strong vs. Sami Callihan

    Usual very good show.  Every match was good in its own way.  Easy show to watch.  A lot of long matches and for the first time for me at PWG, the crowd did get tired and while there were big pops, you could see the difference once it past 11 p.m.  So many of the regulars were in Japan for the Super Juniors or, in the case of the Young Bucks, were supposed to be there but were injured.

    Adam Cole beat Dalton Castle. Different “Boys” than in ROH.

    Michael Elgin beat Kamaitachi when Kamaitachi came off the top rope and Elgin caught him in mid air and gave him a brainbuster.  Kamaitachi takes flat back bumps off the concrete too often.  Because of no ramp and seats so close to the ring Kamaitachi didn’t do the stuff he does at Arena Mexico, but his fundamentals are great and he’s going to be one of the big stars on the U.S. indie scene this year.

    Marty Scrull beat Mark Andrews.  Long match.  Scurll is a master performer live, a complete package and one of the most underrated workers in the business.  These two worked together great.  Andrews mostly sold. He’s so much better here than in TNA because he works longer matches and everyone that works here the fans see as stars because the idea is this is an exclusive members only club, both fans and wrestlers (Drew Galloway actually said that later in the show) so everyone is treated as a star.

    Trevor Lee beat Andrew Everett.  Fans got on both for being from TNA and they acted like they were making big money there which led to more catcalls about late pay.  Real good, but it was two guys where it came off like they were friends putting on a great match.  I don’t know if they could change that dynamic with this crowd.

    Chris Hero beat Jeff Cobb with all the hard elbows.  Everyone knows Cobb is Matanza.  Because of the role, he’s a lot heavier than in the past, which he has to be since it’s in season but for this style he’d be better a little lighter.  Still, he did the missed moonsaults, all the deadlift German and gut wrenches and other suplex series.  Hero mostly used the hard strikes.  Even though Hero win, the match was to get Cobb over and he won the people over big about three minutes in with an awesome dropkick and the gut wrenches.  There was the loud “Please come back” chants when it was over.

    Drew Galloway beat Michael Elgin with the Future shock DDT.  Galloway was to work with Brian Cage, but Cage canceled to an emergency related to his son.  Galloway challenged anyone to do double duty.  It was late, although not late by PWG standards, but I think since people had seen Elgin, it was tough.  The match was very good.  Galloway has just about everything.  So weird that he’s TNA champion, didn’t have the belt and this is the second time I’ve seen him live in the last two months and nobody in the crowd talks about him as champion or anything, and he’s doing a good job in that role.  Also he’s a heel here or worked that way while a major face on TV.

    Roderick Strong beat Sami Callihan with one of his unique backbreakers.  Long match.  Lots of stuff outside the ring.  Callihan is really intense, shoving fans around (people he knows) and Strong is one of the best in the business.  They were going along at a decent pace and then Roderick just exploded into fourth gear and turned the match around in the last several minutes.

    Alberto De Rio and Paige were at the show.  Del Rio and Galloway are tight.  A lot of women MMA fighters were there including Shayna Baszler, Colleen Schneider, Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir and there were a couple of others who came with them.

  • Jimmy Jacobs’ eulogy for wrestler & best friend Christian Able

    The following was written by Jimmy Jacobs:

    Joshua Michael Burgess, known to the wrestling world as Christian Able passed away Wednesday, April 13, 2016.

    Christian Able was known for his charismatic presence, emotional promos, and in-ring strength. Josh was born January 11, 1985 in Berrien Center, Michigan. A life-long entertainer after graduating Coloma High School in 2004, Burgess attended Disney University in Orlando, FL, where he went on to perform as Pluto at various Disney parks.

    Josh began professional wrestling training in 2006 at Dan Severn’s Price of Glory Wrestling School in Coldwater, MI under Jimmy Jacobs and Josh Raymond. Burgess started his career working for various Midwest independent companies in a tag team with childhood friend Caden Ames under the team name Absolute Answer. Burgess later branched out to become a solo act for Ian Rotten’s IWA Mid-South and Detroit’s XICW. In 2008, Burgess continued training at the House of Truth Wrestling School under Truth Martini and the Can-Am Wrestling School under Scott D’Amore. Burgess’ most notable success was as a tag team with Josh Raymond managed by Truth Martini, under the team name the House of Truth.

    The team first stood out in Chicago independent company AAW and Scott D’Amore’s Can-Am Wrestling before debuting at Ring of Honor in 2009. The team was featured on Ring of Honor’s ROH on HDNet television show. The House of Truth had notable matches against the Briscoes, the Young Bucks, and Kevin Steen and El Generico. Roderick Strong was later added to the House of Truth in 2010. Burgess and Raymond would go on to assist Roderick Strong in winning the ROH World Title from Tyler Black on September 11, 2010 in the duo’s last appearance for ROH.

    Later that month, Burgess teamed with Josh Raymond to face Jimmy Jacobs and Tyler Black in Chicago in what would be Tyler Black’s final independent wrestling match before going to WWE to become Seth Rollins. Burgess continued to perform on and off for his remaining years, having his final match on April 2, 2016 in a dog collar match against his former tag team partner Caden Ames.

    Josh passed away unexpectedly in Michigan on April 13, 2016. He is survived by his parents Lynda (nne Burgess) and Kevin Smith, his brother Kyle Smith, as well family, friends, and brothers in professional wrestling. A tribute and ten bell salute was dedicated to Burgess on April 17 in Detroit, MI at XICW.

  • Shimmer 80 iPPV results: Heart of Shimmer champion crowned; Shayna Baszler news

    Submitted by Pat Laprade and Craig Russell

    – Attendance was roughly 500 fans from Eddie Deen’s Ranch, Dallas Texas

    12 Woman Tournament to crown the first “Heart Of Shimmer” Champion

    1st round

    – Cheerleader Melissa b Leva Bates with a Kudo Driver. Bates was cosplaying from the Kingdom Hearts video game series

    – Candice LaRae b Cherry Bomb when LeRae crucifixed Cherry Bomb’s pin attempt and reversed it into a pin of her own.

    – Nicole Savoy b LuFisto with the Savoy Lock with a Sambo lock submission. 

    – Kimber Lee b Jessicka Havok with a roll up after Cherry Bomb interfered with a Roll Up (with a handful of tights) after Cherry Bomb comes out to distract Havok.

    – Heidi Lovelace b Veda Scott with a Senton Bomb off the top rope.

    – Nicole Matthews b Crazy Mary Dobson with The Vancouver Maneuver.

    2nd round

    – Candice LaRae b Cheerleader Melissa with three “Family Show Plexes” in a row. The “Family Show Plex” is what Amber Gertner called the move on the show. The move itself is the “Ball Plex” used by Joey Ryan, but that name could not be used for obvious reasons.

    – Nicole Savoy b Kimber Lee with the Cross Arm Breaker.

    – Heidi Lovelace b Nicole Matthews with a Senton Bomb off the top rope.

    – Lenny Leonard interviewed Shayna Baszler. She said she would start at SHIMMER 81 on June 24. 

    Finals

    – Nicole Savoy b Heidi Lovelace & Candice LaRae to win the Heart title. She first eliminated LaRae with the Savoy Lock. Heidi hit her Senton Bomb with which she won her two matches but Savoy kicked out at 2. Savoy won with her Savoy Lock. Good match. 

    – Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke were in attendance for the show. Bayley was also there. They announced that SHIMMER 81-85 were going to be taped from June 24 to June 26 in the Chicago area. 

    – Candice LaRae was probably the star of the show with very good matches against both Cherry Bomb and Cheerleader Melissa, plus the main event. Heidi Lovelace has improved so much from the last time I saw her. She’s very very solid in the ring. LuFisto vs Savoy was also one of the best matches on the card. 

  • Observer Feature: Patrick Scott Patterson talks NWA Parade of Champions

    Long before Xavier Woods had an UpUpDownDown channel on YouTube, Patrick Scott Patterson was bridging the gap between video game culture and professional wrestling.

    A self-described video game advocate, he also wound up in the confines of the squared circle, where he once ranked as high as #409 in the PWI Top 500 in 2004 under the in-ring name of Scott Phoenix. Some people will scoff at that ranking, but Ion the other hand will respect the fact he’s taken a thousand more bumps than I have in any ring other than the virtual ones of 2K Sports.

    Tonight (Thursday), Scott will return to the wrestling world he once inhabited as a competitor for the NWA Parade of Champions in Fort Worth, Texas, Thursday night. He won’t be wrestling though — Scott will be calling some of the action from ringside as a guest commentator. Before we get to that I wanted Scott to tell people a little bit about his history in the gaming world. Incidentally he prefers to go by Scott in conversation, but is credited as Patrick Scott Patterson for all media appearances.

    So how did you first become a video game advocate?

    Long story short, video gaming was my first love as a young child. Over time I wanted to know everything there was about it — not just playing all the games from going all the way back then to every generation successively — but I wanted to know about who made these games, how’d they come about, how’d the industry come about, how did all of these evolve. Over time that passion ended up becoming a profession, and these days I produce online content where we talk about the past, present and future of gaming (and) I speak at live events and appear in documentary films about the subject.

    It feels like there’s an educational shortfall when it comes to preserving the history and informing today’s generation of gamers about where it all came from. There’s not a hundred plus years of history like there is for the squared circle, but sadly in 50 years much has been lost, forgotten, or just flat out inaccurately reported.

    This is true in all forms of entertainment. This is true in film, this is true in books and television and everything else. I think it’s important to know where you came from and how you got to this point, so you can fully understand and appreciate it — and love it for the art form that it is.

    How did you fall in love with wrestling?

    I was born and raised in the Dallas area. The younger generation of wrestling fans don’t even know it at this point, but at one point in time the city of Dallas was the hottest up-and-coming talent factory that there was. We had not just the Von Erichs and the Freebirds — as well as like the Jerry Lawler vs. Andy Kaufman feud as the first instances of ‘sports entertainment’ as well as Gorgeous George going way back.

    It’s a good coincidence that the Fabulous Freebirds are going into the WWE Hall of Fame this weekend,.

    The Freebirds were so influential in what McMahon went on to do by the way. The Freebirds introduced the Rock’n’Wrestling thing even before Vince McMahon did. So they were based down here – but so many talents started in the Dallas area that went on to become bigger and bigger stars: ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, The Undertaker, Booker T, JBL, I could go on and on. A lot of guys didn’t get their start here but came down here and got their first break – people like Sean Waltman, Mick Foley, Ultimate Warrior and Rick Rude. At one point in time almost every major talent you would see either started here or came through here on their way to the top.

    What made you to want to step into the squared circle?

    I just had a passion for it – it was something I grew up (with). I was in middle school and high school and I didn’t have a lot of friends. I was bullied, I was beat up a lot, made fun of a lot. I was a real skinny lanky uncoordinated kid. Professional wrestling was my escape during those times. I could live vicariously watching them onTV and imagine that I was going out there with some entrance music and the crowd going crazy and I was throwing these people around that were giving me a hard time at school — I was throwing them around the ring and putting the beatdown on them.

    And what happened when you decided to pursue that passion?

    Spur of the moment I called a local wrestling school and they were having tryouts that weekend. Common sense would have been like ‘Okay — maybe I can spend the next three months, go get in a gym, get in a little better shape, and give it a go.’ No – I decided ‘Alright I’ll see ya this weekend.’ There were four of us in the tryout and somehow I got in. I think it was the fact I was so out of place, and despite everything I was put through I wasn’t going to quit. That promoter at the time was like ‘Well this guy is willing to spend thousands of dollars so I’ll take his money for as long as he’s gonna stick around.

    Who were your trainers at that school that broke you in?

    That was headed up by a guy named Kit Carson – one half of a tag team down here called Team Extreme. Occasionally he’d bring in some of his other friends. He’d bring in his partner Khris Germany, sometimes he’d bring in the original Awesome Kong – obviously not Kia Stevens – one half of the Colossal Kongs. Once I was through that school the promoter really wasn’t – since he wasn’t getting any more money he wasn’t eager to keep me at it. I went and I found another school that was close to where I lived. There I was training with Awesome Kong – Dwayne McCullough was his real name. They were briefly in WCW. You’re never supposed to quit learning in the business – so other people along the way would teach me things. I can’t just point at one person.

    What frustrated you about working on the indies?

    Towards the end of my time in the ring there was a discussion among several indie promoters in the state of Texas about having a Texas Heavyweight Champion who could go outside the state to (represent). Everyone agreed it was a good idea but no one could agree on who held the belt. Self-serving egos got in the way.

    So for a large part of the 1990s a lot of people forgot that NWA even existed. How did we get from there to the revival and the Tournament of Champions?

    I think one of the things that helps the modern version of it is that it’s not trying to be what it was. It’s trying to appeal to those fans who aren’t interested in backstage vignettes and stock prices. They want to see some hot action in the ring. They want to see a good show. I think catering to that is what’s brought some stability to NWA (today).

    What brought you back after retirement?

    I always kind of kept one foot in (wrestling). David Fuller stuck around and stuck around and stuck around. We all said ‘He’s going to be the guy that inherits the whole territory’ and that’s what happened. We reconnected on social media a few years ago and talked about some things, it was late 2014. I hadn’t been to any event for a long time. He was doing an anti-bullying rally and I thought that would be a nice thing to speak in so I agreed to do that. Then he’s came up like ‘Yeah you want to do some commentary?’ I did some color commentary for a match or two. He worked me – turns out he already had me penned in.

    What will you be doing at the NWA Parade of Champions in Fort Worth tonight?

    I’ll do color commentary for Rob Moore’s play-by-play. Yeah – let’s do that – I’m excited to be here! I’m kind of a smart aleck by nature anyway so I always like color commentary in any type of competitive or entertaining thing. It needs to be entertaining but still have some insight. I’m not going to go up there and be playing a gimmick. It’s 2016, plus I’m not a wrestler any more. I’m up there as me. But occasionally I’ll fire off a quick one liner that’s fun or entertaining. But I used to be in the ring – so I can speak to the pressure of being up there in front of a crowd – or if I see a move I never liked being performed on me I can say that as well. ‘Chops? Boy I don’t miss those at all!’ I think having a little direct insight with that experience, you can tow that line, what it’s like in the ring.

    Final thoughts on calling the card on Thursday?

    Whether it’s eSport video game competition or it’s professional wrestling, I think a color commentator needs to help paint the picture. The play-by-play is telling you what’s going on and the color guys needs to be telling you why it matters and why you should care.

  • Evolve 57 iPPV results: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Drew Gulak; Matt Riddle vs. Chris Hero

    From Brooklyn NY, and via iPPV 

    Ethan Page beat Fred Yehi

    During the match, Page would offer to shake Yehi’s hand, yet would end up being chopped. Ethan Page wins with the Package Piledriver, Page and Yehi do end up shaking hands post match before Anthony Nese comes out and attacks Page from behind with a chair.Nese says fat guys like Page don’t belong in a wrestling ring. Caleb Konley joins Nese in the ring while Page is carried out by the refs. Konley says he’s wrestling Thatcher tonight finally after a year. 

    TJ Perkins beat Tommaso Ciampa

    “F TNA” chants to start the match as Perkins laughs. Ciampa hits the Project Ciampa, but TJP kicks out at two, Ciampa goes for a second one yet TJP escapes to put Ciampa in his Figure Four Deathlock to get the win.

    Matt Riddle beat Chris Hero

    Hero hit a spike piledriver, pulls off his elbow pad and strikes Riddle right in the temple yet Riddle kicks out. Hero goes for another piledriver yet Riddle counters with a triangle submission forcing Hero to tap.

    – EVOLVE tag title match is supposed to be up next but Gargano comes out and tells the crowd that Galloway’s flight from Orlando has been delayed and ask for more time. Caleb Konley attacks Gargano from behind and demands for Thatcher to come out so they can have their match right now. Thatcher is on his way out but Sami Callihan cheap shots him from behind. 

    EVOLVE Champion Timothy Thatcher beat Caleb Konley for The Evolve Championship

    A lot of interference from Andrea during this match before Thatcher got her out of the way. The finish saw Thatcher putting Konley in a armbar to retain the title. 

    – Matt Riddle is out to tell Thatcher at least he didn’t have to cheat tonight. He calls Thatcher trash and wants a rematch for the title April 1st in Dallas. Thatcher agrees and Riddle says he’s not gonna cheap shot Thatcher, instead he hits him with a jumping knee and knocks Thatcher out. 

    Sami Callihan beat Tracy Williams

    Callihan wins with the Cinderblock Forearm to the back of the neck.

    Zack Sabre Jr. beat Drew Gulak

    Sabre’s boot came undone so he just took it off, Gulak capitalized by body slamming Sabres ankle into the ropes 5 times. Sabre and Gulak exchange roll-ups, Sabre counters the wins with a unique submission. 

    – Chris Hero is out to say when he hears Best In The World he doesn’t think about Zack Sabre Jr. He thinks about Bryan Danielson, who he’s beat. He thinks about CM Punk, who he’s beat. Hero says Sabre can’t claim to be the best unless he has beaten him, which he hasn’t. Sabre says he’ll see him in Dallas. Gulak wants the mic and tells Hero that he shouldn’t be worried about Sabre he should be worried about Catchpoint. 

    Evolve Tag Team Champions Drew Galloway and Johnny Gargano beat Team Tremendous

    Some great action here as expected, and the finish saw Galloway hitting the Future Shock DDT on Dan Berry to retain the titles in their first defense.

  • WWE, Evolve, and WWN’s relationship continues to develop

    On Monday, the relationship between WWE, WWN, and Evolve Wrestling continued to develop as WWN announced that NXT General Manager William Regal will appear at Evolve’s next two shows in New York.

    He will be available for pictures and autographs at both the March 19th event in Queens, NY, and the following night in Brooklyn. Regal will have an undisclosed role at both shows as well.

    Regal first made an appearance at the Evolve 54 show in Orlando, held the same weekend as the Royal Rumble, where he helped set up the Evolve title match between Timothy Thatcher and former UFC fighter Matt Riddle, who WWE is said to be interested in. It’s fair to assume that Regal would be looking at talent for the Global Cruiserweight series scheduled to take place on the WWE Network this summer.

    WWN also announced that a WWE representative will be on hand at the WWN Seminar/Tryout on March 31st in Dallas in conjunction with WrestleCon. The group will also be running three shows that weekend.