STEELCHAIR Wrestling Magazine #10 by SteelChair Wrestling

Punk’s Politics

WRESTLING CHAD GABLE SMACKDOWN + AMERICAN ALPHA STAR SPEAKS PROGRESS: CHAPTER 36: WE’RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER ROOM.... AGAIN

The rise and Fall of AJPW

STEELCHAIR MAGAZINE TOP 50 WRESTLERS 2016 A LOOK BACK THE THE FIRST IN YOUR HOUSE

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AJ STYLES

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THE PHENOMENAL RISE

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WELCOME

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WELCOME FROM THE EDITOR e are pleased to finally reveal the the 2016 STEELCHAIR MAGAZINE WRESTLER OF THE YEAR. Last year’s had a few shocks including the omission of Roman Reigns and our #1 spot going to former NXT Women’s Champion Sasha BanksW. So, who’s in? Who’s out? Find out soon,,,, CM Punk’s UFC debut was something wasn’t it? Erin looks into his MMA and WWE career in Punk’s Politics. After making his move to SmackDown Live we got the chance to chat with American Alpha’s Chad Gable who discusses the Olympics, SmackDown, WrestleMania and more. We finish the magazine with the return of our former online editor Alan Boon who debuts the ‘Go-Home Show’ column. Want more before the next issue? Head to SteelChairMag.com!

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TOP 50 WRESTLERS 2016

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"Featuring interactive roundtable discussions on prowrestling, including the Monday Night War Timeline series, the SCG Trials, current events analysis and random topics a melting pot of opinion, wisdom and humour"

PAST MONTH MATCHES OF THE MONTH

ZACK SABRE JR VS TOMMASO CIAMPA PROGRESS CHAPTER 3

Best of three decider that again showed two of the best in the world clashing styles and creating magic as they did so.

CESARO VS SHEAMUS, BEST OF 7 SERIES -NO7 CLASH OF CHAMPIONS

A fight to the death, Cesaro and Sheamus left it all in the ring in their final match as adversaries, and left little doubt that they are worthy of gold.

RICOCHET, MATT SYDAL AND WILL OSPREAY VS. THE YOUNG BUCKS AND ADAM COLE PWG BATTLE OF LOS ANGELES

Showcasing six indie megastars, and insane Meltzer Drivers aplenty, this was nothing short of iconic.

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WRESTLER

OF THE MONTH AJ STYLES n September 11th, 2016 AJ Styles won his first WWE Championship and in doing so, he just about carried Dean Ambrose through a splendid match at Backlash. It’s clear AJ Styles earned this title when you observe his rapid ascension up the WWE ladder after spending the bulk of his professional career in TNA, a company, that at one time WWE, refused to hire any talent from. AJ Styles has deserved this recognition for quite some time. Here’s to much more WWE success in the future!

THE MIZ VS DOLPH ZIGGLER (IC CHAMPIONSHIP) WWE BACKLASH

What the Intercontinental Championship should be; the workhorse match of a payper-view. Incredible technical wrestling, and passion for the prestigious cause; this match showcased two veterans of the game proving they’re pure class.

TETSUYA NAITO VS MICHAEL ELGIN NJPW DESTRUCTION

A hard-hitting match that went back and forth until chaotic run-ins from both sides spelt anarchy. After order was restored, the two claimed near falls on each other until Naito hit his finisher to claim his first ever IWGP Intercontinental Championship.

EVENT OF OF THE MONTH ROH’S ALL-STAR EXTRAVAGANZA

OCTOBER 2O16 STEELCHAIR 05

CM PUNK

PUNKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

POLITICS 22 STEELCHAIR OCTOBER 06 JULY 2O152O16

PUNK’S POLITICS WORDS: ERIN DICK

CM PUNK

hil ‘CM Punk’ Brooks. The man who started a movement.

Brooks under-went a self-proclaimed ‘evolution’, as he moved from WWE title matches, to fight in a featured bout at UFC 203 in Cleveland, Ohio. But it doesn’t seem that a ‘movement’ has occurred at all. Rather, it was a back-pedal for the pro wrestling world. With the factors of his age, his limited experience, and his unfathomable rookie status, his jump hasn’t been as much of a fairy tale as some might have hoped. CM Punk left the WWE in 2014, > and soon after announced that he would be signing with the Ultimate Fighting Championship promotion. The catalyst for the New Era in WWE ++++was stepping into the octagon with virtually no experience in combat sport (aside from some dabbling in jiu-jitsu), and at the age of 37. Ridiculous. Impossible. But Punk was never one to take no for an answer. In the face of adversity, Punk took a beating from young’un Mickey Gall (professional record 2-0), a highly foreseeable outcome. Gall defeated Mike Jackson in his UFC debut in February, and the brash kid proved he’s a legit fighter against Brooks. But instead of packing it in and settling for the money bags and lovely wife by his bedside, he vowed to return to the cage again. Kayfabe is dead – a world heavyweight champion was made

> >

OCTOBER 2O16 STEELCHAIR 07

CM PUNK

RIDICULOUS. IMPOSSIBLE. BUT PUNK WAS NEVER ONE TO TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER. to tap out in two minutes, to a fighter thirteen years his junior. But if there’s any one wrestler who could claim responsibility for assisting in redefining modern wrestling philosophy, it’s Punk. Where did it all begin for Punk? Phil Brooks made a name for himself early on in Ring of Honor, feuding with Raven in 2003, his straight-edge lifestyle being the source of the angst in their rivalry. In the same year, Punk would compete in a tournament to decide the first ROH Pure Champion,

08 STEELCHAIR OCTOBER 2O16

losing the final to AJ Styles. The original ‘Summer of Punk’ was golden. In 2004, CM Punk would face then ROH World Champion Samoa Joe in a series of matches, including Joe vs. Punk II on October 16. The match received a five-star rating from Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer, and was the first in North America to do so in seven years. Punk was a master of blurring the lines between fantasy and reality and raising hell from the beginning. When he was offered a contract with WWE in early 2005, he teased taking the ROH World Title with him. Punk signed with WWE and worked in Ohio Valley Wrestling

throughout 2005, before debuting on the 2006 rebranding of Extreme Championship Wrestling. He maintained his straight-edge persona, and had developed a Muay Thai influenced wrestling style, all of which made him stand out from the crowd instantaneously. He spearheaded some of the most must-watch moments of the late 2000s – from Money in the Bank, to the Straight Edge Society, to the New Nexus – but none were more iconic than the ‘Pipe Bomb’ and the re-envisaged ‘Summer of Punk’ in 2011. He transitioned effortlessly to one of the most over baby faces in WWE’s history, in a way that will probably never be repeated. His 434-day run as champion is recognised as the longest WWE title reign of the modern era. In early 2014, the Wrestling Observer reported that Punk did not attend the January 27 Raw and SmackDown taping he was scheduled for, after telling McMahon and Triple H he was, “going home.” He revealed later in June on Colt Cabana’s podcast, that he served a two-month suspension for his absence from TV, and says he was not contacted after his suspension was up. He cited his deteriorating health, pay disputes and feeling ‘creatively stiff’ and having ‘zero passion’ for wrestling, as the reasons for his departure. But more to the point, he was issued a letter of contract termination on June 11, his wedding day no less, informing him of his redundancy as of January 27. Punk undeniably forged the path for a new breed to follow in his footsteps. He always laid challenge to the system, a disposition that has changed the image of professional wrestling as it stands today. Top talents from around the world have collaborated at one central point,

to deliver some of the most breathtaking wrestling we’ve seen in years. Although, I can’t help but feel a pang of resentment when I still hear those words, ‘wrestling is fake’ from passers-by. Punk himself admits the disparaging relationship between professional wrestling and combat sports like Mixed Martial Arts: “If you put MMA on television as common as wrestling was in the 80s, I guarantee you my life would have taken a different path.” As I endeavour to withhold my tears at the thought of a Punk-less wrestling history, Brooks is quick to acknowledge the prevalence of wrestling as a television entertainment property, as MMA companies, UFC in particular, have garnered momentum as a broadcast medium for a broader viewership in recent years. UFC 203’s viewership was down 33% from UFC 202’s 1.3 million viewers. Nevertheless, social media buzz demonstrated rife interest in Punk’s MMA debut. It is in this regard that he draws from his prior experience: “The people who want to see me lose, if I could take a page out of my old job, it doesn’t really matter if they’re booing or cheering, as long as they’re really loud and invested in the fight, I think that’s all both of us really care about.” On a recent MLW Radio podcast, Saint Laurent and Alex Greenfield drew contrasts between the everchanging fan bases of both sports. Hardcore wrestling fans want to see extreme action, but this demand cannot feasibly be met when wrestlers are working 200-plus shows a year. Meanwhile, immense viewership rests in ‘big-money matches’. The likes of McGregor and Rousey in UFC, where a boxer, for example, might only fight twice a year. Does this then encourage

OCTOBER 2O16 STEELCHAIR 09

CM PUNK

the view of professional wrestling as ‘treating itself like the circus that comes to every tow’? There are obvious risks in the way that pro wrestling operates as a business. We’ve seen notable attitude shifts that delegitimise our champions, and wrestlers are more frequented by injury than in the past. Is it too late now to turn back? WWE must maintain substantial income to survive, as casual fans continue to dwindle. It would seem that the only way to achieve this is by pushing the talent to their limits. Likewise in UFC, the ultimate goal is to make money and thrive as a business. UFC is an entertainment complex, and bringing CM Punk in was a surefire way to draw fresh eyes to their

10 STEELCHAIR OCTOBER 2016

product. There was always the intent to commercialise Punk’s journey for entertainment value. Footage from the ‘Evolution of Punk’ documentary was collected as far back as early 2015, when he first began training. Coach Duke Roufus and others clearly overstated the progress of Punk. It might have been reasonable to test him in an amateur fight before controversially sending him to the big leagues. But there’s as much value in CM Punk outside of the cage, as there is inside it. Has Punk done more harm than good? Having no prior MMA experience certainly made him look foolish in the eyes of some seasoned veterans and officials. Why Punk was even permitted to compete at this level remains ambiguous; however, when the company’s liveevent schedule sees 40-plus fight cards a year and a roster of over 500 competitors, the Octagon is no longer exclusively for the elite.

Brock Lesnar’s NCAA background and prior UFC experience made his fight against Mark Hunt at UFC 200 a must-see. Though he was unable to escape outcry, after failing two out of eight drug tests issued by the US Anti-Doping Agency. Wrestlers are stigmatised with regard to performance-enhancing drugs, some of it in due course. In fact, if it hadn’t have been for the steroid trial against the WWF in the 90’s, and retrospectively, the tragic passing of stars like Eddie Guerrero, the WWE’s Wellness Policy might not have reached the capacity that it exists in today. The Lesnar and Jon Jones incidents at 200 temporarily rocked UFC’s aspirations as a ‘clean sport’. The effectiveness of the UFC-USADA anti-doping program comes into conversation when it prohibits a company’s potential to achieve a more legitimate status. UFC has striven to build a reputation, investing in company

..IT DOESN’T REALLY MATTER IF THEY’RE BOOING OR CHEERING, AS LONG AS THEY’RE REALLY LOUD AND INVESTED IN THE FIGHT, I THINK THAT’S ALL BOTH OF US REALLY CARE ABOUT. uniforms, power rankings that have been witnessed to waver, and chasing mainstream news coverage. Punk might have brought eyes over from the wrestling world, but the existing demographic remains stagnant. The real loser in all of this, is pro wrestling. While UFC has adapted to include press-conferences, post-match interviews and other elements from the world of sports entertainment, wrestling is forging a new limb and taking an extra step towards becoming a legitimate contest. Take WWE’s ‘New Era’ programing aesthetic for example. Everything from set design, to character and contest presentation, has shifted dramatically since the PG Era. Wrestlers are hungrier, undoubtedly more athletic, and chasing a shot at the big time. It’s the kick up the backside WWE programming needed. In some instances, however, this faux-MMA mentality has been taken far too literally. The concept behind the Total Non-Stop Action’s Impact Wrestling Grand Title – a tournament of 3-minute 3-round

matches – doesn’t quite have a place in pro wrestling’s ‘hand-in-hand’ scheme. Some might view it as a positive bridge being drawn between the two worlds; this writer sees pure insanity. It seems that wrestling might always be second-best to any legitimate combat sport, purely based on the perception and stigma of being a co-operative effort between participants, with pre-determined outcomes. Is this an attempt to legitimise wrestling in the eyes of UFC fans? Hardcore fans are smart enough to know the difference, and cross-over fans should appreciate both sports in their own regard. Is it then, an attempt to justify wrestling as a legitimate entity in the eyes of the layman? Bear in mind, both sports at their core seek completely different audiences, people that can distinguish a legit fight from the binary. But as kayfabe continues to adapt, the lines are blurred in marketing strategies that attempt to capture the attention of mainstream audiences. The Lesnar and Orton bout was timely in capitalising on

Brock’s most recent UFC fight, and the TKO win was only supplementary to the fight game, appearing to have done little for the wrestling business in the months post. One thing that is true of the wrestling industry despite fleeting changes in attitude – the goal should always be to make the viewer suspend their disbelief, if even momentarily. Mike Tyson’s feud with Stone Cold catapulted WWE into the mainstream of sports coverage, the sort of push that could rarely get by unquestioned today. Is it possible to go back to this philosophy? We’ve seen first-hand the flaws of straight 50/50 booking, but relentless pushes don’t seem to agree with the hardcore fans either. Rather, is it even necessary to change gears? Wrestling fans know and respect the work that they see, and Punk laid the foundations for this shift; everything from what wrestling and wrestlers looked like, to how they connect with an audience, changed at the hands of Punk. Punk’s success in the WWE allowed him the opportunity to compete in UFC, which would realistically suggest a positive working relationship between the sports, although we know that this isn’t the case. The Cult of Personality, CM Punk is and always will be the entertainer from WWE. He was the future. Likewise, there is no going forward for WWE without acknowledging the influence of CM Punk. Punk needs wrestling, and wrestling needs Punk. Punk says to coach Duke Roufus: “I don’t want to have the mentality that I’m just going to survive.” Punk had balls for getting in the cage on that night, but for what it’s worth, there was no real ‘evolution’. Both sports are merely fighting to survive.

OCTOBER 2O16 STEELCHAIR 11

AJPW

WORDS: MAT LINDSAY

KING’S ROAD: THE RISE AND FALL OF ALL JAPAN PRO WRESTLING

‘S

trong Style’ is the term that springs to mind

Baba. From the very beginning, the most successful recipe had

when Japanese professional wrestling is

always been the indomitable Japanese ultimately triumphing

mentioned amongst most modern fans. But back

over the physically intimidating gaijin (which is widely taken

in the 1990s, AJPW perfected a then unique

to mean ‘foreigner’, but is actually closer in meaning to

variation that propelled its in-ring product

‘outsider’).

to legendary heights. But ‘King’s Road’, as it was known, ultimately also sowed the seeds that would bring about its

This formula worked well for Baba, with the exception of some

downfall in the decades that followed.

singular gaijin talents being accepted by the Japanese fans as favourites after long familiarity, until around 1989 when the

A SHORT HISTORY OF AJPW

rapid and unprecedented expansion of the then WWF under Vincent K. McMahon speeded the collapse of the NWA as a viable network of independent territories in the USA. Without

Japan is today home to numerous promotions that vary greatly

access to the same pool of foreign talent, Baba was forced to

in terms of size, budget and the particular style of puro which

rely more upon Japanese wrestlers as the mainstay of AJPW

they offer. But for the past four decades, the mainstream

matches.

perception of the industry has rightly been dominated by New Japan Pro Wrestling, founded by Antonio Inoki, and All Japan

This was not disastrous by any means, as AJPW boasted a

Pro Wrestling, founded by his contemporary and former tag-

healthy roster of native talent at the time, including Mitsuharu

team partner, Shohei ‘Giant’ Baba.

Misawa, Akira Taue, Toshiaki Kawada, Kenta Kobashi, Jun Akiyama and veterans the likes of Jumbo Tsuruta and Genichiro

Both protégés of the great Rikidozan, the man who did the

Tenryu. But with a limited roster, inter-promotional matches

most to popularise professional wrestling with the Japanese

not being in his comfort zone, and a reduced number of gaijin

public, Inoki and Baba could not have been more different as

available to serve as novel attractions, Baba’s instincts as a

individuals, and this contrast in character would go on to also

savvy businessman suggested that a more sustainable solution

shape their respective companies over the years. Where Inoki

was required.

courted the attention of the international press with interdiscipline matches against the likes of Muhammad Ali and saw the potential in bringing to life anime characters such as Tiger Mask, Baba presented a more conservative and less gimmickdependent type of wrestling. Formed in 1972 and after the death of Rikidozan, Baba’s AJPW eschewed the characters and angles of NJPW in favour of a physical style that managed to put across the narrative of its matches in a purely physical manner, relying on the skill of those in the ring and the connection they were able to establish with their audience. But that was not to say that AJPW never played host to larger than life characters. As a member of the NWA for most of the seventies and eighties, a steady stream of Western names such as Dory Funk Jnr, Terry Funk, Mil Mascaras, Dos Caras, Bruiser Brody and Stan Hansen made the trip to Japan to work for

12 STEELCHAIR OCTOBER 2016

THE KING’S ROAD & THE FOUR PILLARS OF HEAVEN The idea which Baba refined his booking style into would come to be referred to as ‘The King’s Road’, and unlike the term ‘Strong Style’ (coined to describe the wrestling offered by rivals NJPW), it permeated every element of AJPW, to the degree where it would even come to influence the way in which the most dedicated fans read the goings on in the ring and reacted to what they saw transpire in a match. As mentioned previously, the AJPW product was centred almost totally on in-ring action, without exaggerated characters, extravagant costumes or the kind of angles that were and

still are the norm in US wrestling. In addition, the accumulation of wins and losses actually meant something within Baba’s booking, with rare and hard-won victories moving aspiring rookies slowly

one move that was supposedly enough

THE HALLMARKS OF KING’S ROAD

up the pecking order.

As previously mentioned, King’s Road

But in contrast, the close relationship

model of physical storytelling which built

that AJPW had always maintained with the NWA in the past meant that Baba had been heavily influenced by the US style of building a match steadily from the outset, pacing it carefully so that there was a definable middle and then finally upping the ante into an intense

was essentially influenced by the US logically from the beginning to the end of a match, unlike NJPW’s “Strong Style” (which put more emphasis on redefining Japanese pro wrestling as a discipline of martial arts comparable to those in the real world).

and satisfying finale.

Typically matches would begin with

The theory was that a core of Japanese

opponents would test one another

wrestlers, sufficiently talented and able to deliver the kind of impassioned physical performances capable of really making the audience believe in the product, could become the focus of the company, and compete against one another to perpetuate the AJPW brand

a feeling out period, in which the physically with exchanges of strikes and then move onto attacking logical body parts that their respective big signature moves targeted. The struggle would build rapidly from there, with both trying for moves and often duelling with multiple reversals, teasing their finishers until

for years to come.

one fought through the pain and used

Though it may have seemed like a blow

needed to pull off a decisive move and

to his long-term plans when in 1990 Genichiro Tenryu left the company to found his own (named Super World Sports, or SWS) and took with him the likes of Yoshiaki Yatsu and many other veterans, it cleared the way for the King’s Road to be centred upon younger talent, and so Misawa, Taue, Kawada, Kobashi and their contemporaries were the ones that Baba chose to push, virtually ensuring that they would become

his adrenaline to fuel the ‘fighting spirit’ claim the victory. But as good as the matches which followed this formula were in the early 1990s, perhaps the true genius of ‘The King’s Road’ booking style was in Baba’s meticulous attention to the bigger picture and planning ahead over not only weeks and months, but also years. Each match fitted into the wider story

to end a match (in Misawa’s case the Tiger Driver, Rolling Elbow and Emerald Flowsion). But the subtlety lay in the fact that while a lowly rookie would be felled by the first, a more experienced challenger might kick out of the same move and necessitate the use of the second, whereas surviving to take the third would truly indicate that a wrestler had arrived at a point in their career where they were to be regarded as a force to be reckoned with. If a challenger tested, for example, Kobashi to the point where he needed to resort to the Burning Hammer, it simply did not matter that he would subsequently be pinned. The mere fact that such a supposedly devastating move was required of such an established talent indicated to the fans invested in ‘The King’s Road’ narrative that respect had been earned and that it was due. Perhaps this was the enduring beauty of Baba’s booking style – that the fans were so familiar with the deeper meaning of what was going on in the ring that they simply didn’t need to have it reinforced with interviews, gimmicked feuds and expensive vignettes. Instead, they simply digested the action and deciphered the same for themselves.

THE PRICE OF SUCCESS

being told in AJPW as a whole, and so fans could see a wrestler rise from the

Some still maintain to this day that

period in the history of AJPW.

status of rookie, through the mid-card

the matches from the 1990’s eheydey

pack and finally to the point where he

of AJPW represent the very best in the

Indeed, the quartet became so central

challenged the Four Pillars themselves.

history of professional wrestling. But

And whether the new challenger won or

whether or not an individual viewer

lost, the emotional pay-off for loyal fans

agrees with that assertion, it cannot be

was immense.

denied that there has never been a more

uniquely synonymous with a golden

to the success of the King’s Road style that they were often referred to as the ‘Four Pillars (or alternatively, ‘The Four Walls’) of Heaven’ by fans, suggesting their presence was the very foundation of what made the flow of thier classic matches and the resulting golden era for AJPW possible.

physically dangerous and demanding Even the choice of moves that a wrestler

style of traditional professional wrestling

would utilise in their matches was

than that of the King’s Road ideal.

nuanced in just such a way as to reflect the story being told. Top talents such as

When you add this excessive physical

Misawa would frequently have more than

demand to the long-term booking style

OCTOBER 2016 STEELCHAIR 11

AJPW which Baba favoured, and the heightened expectations of the

Kobashi and Taue), founded Pro-Wrestling NOAH in June of

fans to see ever more intense and lengthy battles between those

2000, and when asked at the press conference held to publicize

at the very top of the roster, you realise that it was inevitable

the launch why he chose to leave AJPW, answered that it was

that the wear and tear would begin to have an effect upon those

because he wanted to promote wrestling “in a modern style”.

involved in the matches. Whereas in the past, there had been the option of alleviating this burden on the top stars by bringing in foreigners in the shape of US talent, by the time the cracks began to show in the mid-nineties, the then WWF and WCW had begun the rivalry which would culminate in the so-called ‘Monday Night Wars’. So now, those same gaijin could command ever higher numbers of zeroes on their contracts from one or the other of the big

But while NOAH visibly embraced the fog machines, lasers and lightshows that would have been an anathema to Baba’s AJPW, it was clear that it retained at least the ghost of ‘The King’s Road’ style in terms of lengthy matches that were characterised by striking, conquering pain, and breaking out ever more impressive and physically demanding moves to finish an encounter.

American companies rather than far less for a tour of AJPW and a punishing round of matches with the Japanese stars on the

NOAH burned brightly for a good few years, before the same old

roster.

problems reared their ugly heads just as they had previously in AJPW. Misawa, Kobashi and Taue were all well past their prime

Neither could the problem be solved by simply creating a new

at the time of NOAH’s formation, and the need to elevate new

native sensation from the existing wrestlers under contract, as

talent was still there as well as the lengthy process of doing so.

the long-winded narrative of the King’s Road simply would not

Just when the veterans who had jumped from AJPW should have

lend credence to a wrestler suddenly seeming to leapfrog to the

been winding down their careers and stepping aside for younger

head of the queue. The same fans who had invested so much in

successors, they instead were required to use their former

the step-by-step nature of AJPW’s style could not be expected

status to establish a new company.

to simply overlook the same rules when it suited the company that they do so. Rather than acknowledge this fatal flaw, Baba pressed on with the same formula into the late nineties, and the result was an inevitable decline in the overall quality of the in-ring action, whilst the emphasis came to be placed more and more upon the duels of punishment and the trading of ever more impressive, and yet hazardous, moves. Ironically, this only served to speed the demise of the once great King’s Road style

Repeated knee injuries from years of moonsaults eliminated Kobashi from the title picture for extended periods of time and Taue was simply too broken down to have a hope of replacing him, so the task fell to Misawa himself. Repeatedly, a younger wrestler would be chosen to step up to the role and have Misawa drop the company’s GHC (Globally Honoured Crown) championship to them, and repeatedly the fans simply refused to accept the newcomer as the future.

and devalue what followed in its wake. While NOAH paid the price as a company for the way in

DEATH OF A LEGEND/END OF AN ERA In early 1999 the wrestling world was shocked to learn of the death of Shohei “Giant” Baba from stomach cancer. The habitually private and business-like founder of AJPW had kept the knowledge of his illness to a small number of confidantes. His passing left his wife, Mokoto Baba, as majority share-holder and Misawa as company president. This situation would not

which the fans had been taught to expect so much from the performance of the wrestlers in the ring, Misawa paid the ultimate price when in 2009 he suffered a spinal injury from a belly-to-back suplex during a tag match. This resulted in cardiac arrest and though he was rushed to hospital, he was declared dead later in the night. There could be no illusion that taking dozens of similarly punishing moves over the span of a phenomenal career, which should have ended years before, had played a role in the tragic end of a true Japanese superstar of professional wrestling.

last, as in May of 2000 Misawa was voted out of his position by the executive board of the company, in response to which he promptly resigned, taking with him all but two of the Japanese wrestlers on the AJPW roster.

Misawa and those who followed him in leaving (including

14 STEELCHAIR OCTOBER 2016

THE ENDURING LEGACY OF KING’S ROAD The deaths of Baba and Misawa were not the end of AJPW

and NOAH respectively. Each company survived under new leadership and still exists today, though it is impossible to argue with the fact that both are mere shadows of their former selves. Most of those made famous by the King’s Road style are in a similar state, either long retired or else limping on as veterans unable to recapture the dizzying heights of their youth. The matches that made the names of the companies and the wrestlers are, of course, still out there and can easily be found on sites such as YouTube. They retain their astounding quality and appeal, making them essential fodder for anyone wanting to appreciate the highest zenith yet achieved by Japanese professional wrestling, and are made all the easier for the western viewer to appreciate thanks to the familiar blueprint of basic storytelling via moves and logical progression. While there is the moral question of just how much these matches cost the participants in the long term, a quick perusal of just who is making waves in Japanese wrestling today shows that NJPW, with their Western influenced bookers in Gedo and Jado, have made massive strides in introducing characters, storylines and gimmicks into the company’s product, thus dramatically lessening the need to rely upon physically gruelling and ultimately debilitating moves. To the writer, this means that matches from the King’s Road period can now be enjoyed as glorious nostalgia, without the guilt of knowing that a generation of prodigious native Japanese talents are engaged in the act of destroying themselves in order to demonstrate that they have fighting spirit. So watch the King’s Road matches for the unique spectacle that they are, and know that no one else will have to walk it again.

SMACKDOWN ELLIOT DYSON//KEEPING AN EYE ON THE B SHOW hen WWE announced they’d be taking another stab at the brand split, and upping their PPVs to a million a year, the majority of the Internet responded with a unified cry of “too much content!” and to those people I say: yeah, probably. Before the wrestling fans of the world could even brew their morning coffee, the dirt sheets were flooded with quotes of “according to Dave Meltzer” and “inside sources claim” in an attempt to justify the writers’ complete conjecture. Rumours of “Kurt Angle”, “other returning stars” and “OH BLOODY HECK KURT ANGLE IS DEFINITELY COMING BACK” turned out to be, for the most part, complete B.S. But even from day one of speculating, everyone was confident of one thing: SmackDown was going to get the raw end of the deal. But not like, the “Raw” end of the deal, but like... raw but not... it would be bad for SmackDown, is what people were trying to say. And as SteelChair’s resident SmackDown Live representative, I’m happy to say that it’s going a bit better than we all thought. After getting somewhat mauled in the draft, SmackDown Live needed to deliver above people’s expectations, and with the addition, and immediate injury, of Shelton Benjamin, coupled with a few directionless divisions, it was apparent that more needed to be done. And in the words of 15 time world champ, John Cena “they did just that” (after dipping in and out of WWE programming throughout most of Cena’s career, I’m hedging my bets that this was a catchphrase of his at some point). SmackDown slowly but surely began delivering some attention-worthy material, such as Ziggler’s heel turn (which they kind of reneged on, actually), the masterful handling of Eva Marie’s debut and, possibly most importantly, the choice to let good wrestlers actually be good. No, I was wrong, Eva Marie’s

thing was the most important. SummerSlam rolled around, writing cheques its body couldn’t cash and overall, it was a massively underwhelming affair. SmackDown had the distinct honour of supplying the card with its best match in the form of AJ Styles Vs. John Cena 3: With A Vengeance. Now, being the only edible apple in a batch of rotten apples doesn’t sound like a compliment, nor does it sound like a phrase people actually use, but man, this apple was the greenest, juiciest... I’m worried this analogy has lost its traction, but AJ Vs. Cena was a bona fide barnburner. How do you follow a good showing for the brand at “the biggest party of the summer”? You give yourself almost no build time and schedule your first brand-exclusive PPV just three weeks later. I know four weeks is the norm, so it’s not a crazy leap, but we had some Nick Knowles-level building to do, considering there are only eight male singles competitors and two titles just for them. Yeah, Backlash looked like it was going to be a barn-burner (the bad kind this time, like if you had a barn filled with all of your worldly possessions and it was on fire). The card was made up of real “I guess” matches, like The Usos Vs. Hype Bros, The Miz Vs. Dolph Ziggler (who failed his way into another title opportunity) and the usual “all the women we have” match. But SmackDown Live had something to prove with Backlash, and they proved it. Miz and Ziggles stole the show; Heath Slater and Rhyno won the tag titles (that is still a very odd clause); Becky Lynch finally won a title; and WWE crowned a World Champion in AJ Styles, in a move the entire universe thought it would never see. The New Era has had a fair few false starts, but for SmackDown Live, it kicked off at Backlash.

OCTOBER OCTOBER 2O16 2016 STEELCHAIR 15 41

CHAD GABLE

INTERVIEW: AMERICAN ALPHAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

CHAD GABLE 16 STEELCHAIR OCTOBER 2016

WORDS: LEE HAZEL / PHOTOS: WWE

INTERVIEW: CHAD GABLE had Gable is one half of the most exciting tag team of the New Era. He and Jason Jordan have brought amateur wrestling back from WWE purgatory, and in doing so, gained a devoted and passionate following, especially amongst British crowds. He talks to SteelChair about his time in NXT, what William Regal taught him and American Alpha’s plans for No Mercy.

Coming over last December on your first NXT tour of the UK and Ireland, what was is like for American Alpha to receive such strongly positive crowd reactions? Yeah, that was kind of a unique deal. We were all so excited to get over there, travel, and do shows in all new arenas and in front of different crowds. But we didn’t really quite know what to expect. Especially Jason and I. At that point in time we’re still relatively new to NXT and we were just blown away every single night on that UK tour. That first one in Blackpool was something completely different to any other night there. It was the > arena, and that crowd, and the atmosphere that night. We had a match with Blake and Murphy where I don’t think we touched each other for the first eight or nine minutes because the crowd would just not stop.

OCTOBER 2O16 STEELCHAIR 17

CHAD GABLE

"We wanted to make sure that when we hit the ground, we hit the ground running" It was something like we’ve never experienced before and still haven’t since. It’s such a unique chant (the Jordan Gable ‘No Limit’ chant). We had to look it up because we didn’t know what it meant or where it came from. It would be amazing if people Stateside could pick that up. That made us really excited to go back in June and the crowds were just as insane, just as awesome; so for us to make the jump at this time to SmackDown and get to go back again so soon, we just couldn’t be happier.

18 STEELCHAIR OCTOBER 2O16

If The Revival get called up to the main roster, will you relish the chance to get back at them after your feud in NXT? I think we have a bit of unfinished business. I think I’d look forward to more matches with them. We had great chemistry. This is true of amateur wrestling too, of any sport really, but you find an opponent who becomes an arch nemesis who you just click with. You might go back and forth with them a million times and split the matches right down

the middle. The Revival was that opponent for us. I think they’ll be that kind of opponent when they get the call up. I just want the results to sway more our way in the future.

Did you learn anything from William Regal during your time in NXT? Sometimes, he would come by the ring and just watch class. For a while he wouldn’t say anything, but you could tell he was picking stuff out. Like he was noticing things he that he liked or didn’t like. He would stop class when he felt the time was right, and he would talk,

PHOTOS: WWE

sometimes for an hour at a time. In there would be so much that you could pick out and use and apply to yourself. And even if it didn’t apply to you, you could use that to direct someone that was in a match with you. It’s still a learning tool. He has such a mind for the business. One of his biggest assets, I think, is that he has such a good way of explaining it to you. A lot of the time people know what they want to say but they can’t communicate it that well. But he is spot on in communicating exactly what he wants to say in just a completely understandable way.

Is there any one piece of advice that has stuck with you? Some of the stuff he said about promos and communication to me. He told me about how important your eyes are. You might not always take that into account, but I remember when I did my try-out he told me how much my eyes stuck out to him. It wasn’t about what I said, that wasn’t really important, but he saw in my eyes that I believed what I was saying. That really stuck with me for a long time and still does. So I always try to remind myself how important that is, to make that believable.

Making the jump to the SmackDown roster, you made such an explosive impression in such a small space of time, even teaming up with the Usos and the Hype Bros at SummerSlam. That must have been a momentous occasion for you? Yeah, we wanted to make sure that when we hit the ground, we hit the ground running. We didn’t just want to come in and make our way slowly but surely. We wanted to make an impact immediately. I think we did that and getting on the SummerSlam card right away was such an honour. The year before that we were at the SummerSlam weekend in Brooklyn doing TV tapings for NXT. Fast forward to a year later, and we’re on the SummerSlam show! It’s kind of mind-blowing. Everything seems like it’s so far away all of the time; we looked forward and it seemed like we had such a mountain to climb. But we chipped away for a little while and suddenly we made these giant steps in a year. To realise that is really gratifying.

How do you enjoy being on the SmackDown

roster since coming up from NXT? It’s been great. I’m glad we got drafted to SmackDown. I think early on, especially on Draft Night, people were sceptical towards the roster that SmackDown got. I think that was unfair, but since then we’ve proven that we are fully capable of competing with Raw and putting on just as good of a show. And I think we’ve done that. We’ve had incredible shows these last few weeks. Our shows are great, the wrestling’s great and I think we have everything that a wrestling fan could desire. I think we’re killing it.

Are you thinking in your mind that you have to be better than Raw? Yeah. I think it’s kind of the point of this whole thing. To create some competition and give each show a competitive nature. It’s great for me and Jason because we have that mind set to begin with. We love being competitive. And it helps to go into Tuesday nights having seen what they have done the night before on Raw, or you’ve seen what they’ve done on Sunday on the Raw pay per view. You say, “Guys, we’ve got to top this. We’ve got to do better than they did.” The real competition is there now. And I think you’re going to see that reflected in the product with how much better it gets because when people are competitive magic happens.

How does it feel going on tour representing SmackDown? We were so confident that we would be drafted, but we were still so nervous at the same time. Once we saw our names, Jason and I were just so happy. But we’ve not even scratched the surface. We’ve got a lot to do and we’re more than happy to start at the bottom and make our way up. I think that’s what Jason and I are best at; slowly chipping away, slowly making gains, chasing goals, until we reach the top.

Were you disappointed not to be part of the Backlash Pay Per View? That was disappointing. We wanted to come in and chase the titles immediately. We wanted to be the first champions and establish the credibility that we think we can bring to titles like that. We wanted those

OCTOBER 2O16 STEELCHAIR 19

CHAD GABLE titles immediately and hold them for as long as possible. Unfortunately, I got injured. We had been taken out, and we lost our shot unfairly. But at least we can argue that we beat The Uso’s and that we deserved our shot at the finals. We still haven’t gotten our shot that we think we deserve. We still think we have a title shot coming, so we can’t be so disappointed or dwell on anything for too long. We just keep moving forward and keep looking forward because there is no sense in dwelling on the past.

Does this give you extra motivation to perform at No Mercy? Absolutely. We want to be on No Mercy. Obviously, we won’t be wrestling for the titles, but we want to get on there and have a match of any type to show that no matter what kind of match we have, we tear the house down. So that, when the show’s over, people are talking about us. Then when the next show comes around they’ll say, “These guys deserve to be in a title match. They deserve to have a shot to shine at a higher level.” And we know we’re going to prove that, we’re that confident. We just want that opportunity.

What were your thoughts on Backlash overall as the first event since the Brand Extension? I thought it was great. I think it had a cool build up and attitude from everyone leading up to the show. Everyone knew that it was their first shot to show everyone what we’re capable of. And the guys and the girls totally tore the house down that night. The show was great from beginning to end. I thought it flowed so well. It was so easy to watch. That’s one of the greatest things about our show, about our roster and about SmackDown in general. It’s so easy to watch. It just flies by. That’s a testament to us. That means we’re putting on a good show that people are enjoying and losing themselves in.

The show seems to really be coming together. Every feud seems to have good reasoning and logic behind it. Yeah, and that’s one of the reason’s I think why we’re going to be so successful and why we’ve been so successful so far. Things like that happen so organically. Like the thing with Heath and Rhyno just took over. That’s the kind of stuff that people can get behind. That’s the kind of stuff that gets their interest and keeps their interest. There’s a ton of stuff we’re doing right now that to me just feels unique and fresh. We’re really putting a cool twist on things. And this is what

20 STEELCHAIR OCTOBER 2O16

Gable represented the USA in amateur wrestling at the London 2012 Olympics.

"We’re more than happy to start from the bottom and work our way up". people have been wanting. They’ve been wanting fresh stuff, and that’s what we’ve been giving them on SmackDown.

What was your London experience like in 2012? London was incredible. Such a special time period in my life. It capped off a twenty-year career in amateur wrestling. Twenty years is a long time. I tried out for the Olympics once and I missed the team; the second time out I made the team for London. The energy in London the entire time I was there was just something hard to describe. You could feel it all throughout the town. The Olympic Village was insane. All the athletes have just reached this peak and milestone in their careers. Everyone was so happy to be there. I was fortunate enough to have all my family and friends there to watch me and enjoy the whole experience with me, which made it all the more special. We went over there, probably two weeks before the Olympics, just to get acclimated and settle in. It was so special we got to explore the town with our team mates and everybody is just riding a high.

We had finally made it, ya know? We’re in this great country and the whole town was decked out for the Olympics. The buzz and the energy, you just feed off of it. It was like we were all on a three week high. They put together the most incredible opening ceremony which I got to take part in. When I look back on it, it’s one of my favourite memories of the whole experience. The day that I wrestled I was the first match on, so I was one of the first people the crowd saw wrestle that day. So they gave me a pretty good reception. Plus my family and everybody was there to see me land this five point throw, which in amateur wrestling is the best thing you can do. It really got the crowd riled up. Everybody was cheering. It was just a special way to start my Olympic experience.

What was the transition like between amateur and pro wrestling? Amateur wrestling was all I had ever done and at that point and I had to ask myself what I wanted to do. Pro wrestling had always been a dream of mine since I was very young, even before the Olympics. Having amateur credentials opened that

door for me. I was fortunate enough to have that at a time when I was looking at another career. It just seemed like a perfect fit. I got my try out in May of 2013; I was really happy with my performance – I thought I killed it – and a couple of months later I got the call and they said they were going to hire me.

Was it always pro wrestling for you? No other considerations like MMA? Yeah, I had never really been into the mixed martial arts stuff or the UFC. I don’t even really watch it. I get the appeal, it’s just not really my thing. I never wanted to do it and I never showed interest in it. It was always just pro wrestling for me, even from when I was a kid. The entire time I was training for the Olympics and everything I always kept up with wrestling and had one eye on it, so that was it for me.

Is there anyone in the SmackDown locker room you’d like to have an amateur bout with? We’ve got a lot of good amateur wrestlers. A lot of people want to

OCTOBER 2O16 STEELCHAIR 21

CHAD GABLE know that, but I always make the argument that I was a Greco-Roman wrestler and, on the roster, I’m the only one. So I don’t think that would be very fair.

Was it tough to change your attitude from a competitor to performer? Yeah, a lot of people ask what the hardest part in the transition was from amateur to professional and that is exactly it. As far as the mechanics and moving and the physical stuff, that’s not really such a difficult transition. We were used to that. Allowing the crowd to affect you, and then giving it back to them in terms of energy, was the hardest part. Allowing yourself to be vulnerable. If I’m competing at the Olympics, I’m not going to go out there and show my emotion to my opponent. I could be considered weak for that. Whereas now, if you go out there stone-faced and don’t show any emotion, you won’t have a job for very long. It’s not very entertaining. Also, at least in Jason and I’s case, the crowd helps a lot. We feed off the crowd. They give us energy to perform. We couldn’t perform the way we do if it weren’t for them. We do our best to give it back. Because that’s what they deserve. Having that relationship with the crowd has just been incredible, but also one of the hardest things we’ve allowed ourselves to do.

What’s the difference between training for an amateur match and a sports entertainment event? That’s changed recently. Only in the last few months, actually. When I

22 STEELCHAIR OCTOBER 2O16

was at the performance centre in Orlando they have us on a pretty strict training routine which, to be honest, wasn’t all that different from what I was doing training for the Olympics. Now, I’m not talking about a specific workout, but as far as the schedule goes, we were in the Weight Room every day in the performance centre in the morning, then every afternoon we’d be in the ring for three hours working on our technique or conditioning. So in that sense, nothing really changed. Now we’ve been called up to SmackDown, and we are no longer at the performance centre, Jason and I are more focused on weight training. We do a lot of functional stuff which we would have still done training for the Olympics. Maybe tone down conditioning because we wrestle four nights a week. So you can’t over train yourself and still go out and perform every night. Jason and I have pretty much the same mentality as far as training goes which helps a lot. We push each other. It helps to have someone to motivate you out on the road.

Is there any iconic tag team from the past you would have liked to face? Yeah, there’s a lot. Jason and I both just absolutely love the Steiner Brothers. I think those guys were so ahead of their time. For what the time period was and what they were doing, I sometimes think they don’t get credit for that. They were just incredible if you watch their stuff. As far as teams I would love to wrestle, I would love to wrestle Midnight Express, Terry Gordy and ‘Dr. Death’ Steve Williams. Those guys were just brutal, heavy hitters that I think we could have great

"If your goal isn’t to headline WrestleMania, you probably shouldn’t be here" matches with. There’s a team called The Fantastics, who I’ve fallen in love with, and I’ve recently just started watching a ton of their stuff, and I think the matches we could have had would have been incredible. We could have torn the house down. But we’re at a point now with the tag-team division that is revitalised, and we’re gonna see some of those rivalries like they used to have in the 80s, and we’re gonna create those kinds of special moments. We want to be a part of that. I think it’s an exciting time.

Is there a long term goal for you in WWE? We’ve got a lot of goals. In the short term we want to be tag team champions. But in the WWE, if your goal is not to headline at WrestleMania then you probably should not be here. Jason and I have discussed this many times and there’s no reason why a tagteam match couldn’t headline WrestleMania if given the right opportunity. We would love to be the ones to do that. And I think that’s a great goal to have and we’re gonna chase it.

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STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2016

50 STEELCHAIR

MAGAZINE TOP 50 WRESTLERS 2016

Picks/Words: Craig Hermit, David Garlick Elliot Dyson, Erin Dick, Gary Ward, Jay Sichler, Lee Hazel, Liam O’Rourke, Lizz Whitehouse, Mat Lindsay, Shane Bayliss, Tyler Fudge, Vern May

JOIN US @STEELCHAIRMAG

espite spending a few months out with a shoulder injury, The Swiss Superman remains hot with the crowd, largely due to his alwaysimpressive in-ring work. Booking has never been Cesaro’s best friend, and this year was no exception. He’s frequently a victim of screwy finishes and is often portrayed as the perennial silvermedalist. Regardless of wins and losses, though, when he’s in the ring, Cesaro always impresses. A match with Roman Reigns in late 2015 was a particular standout, as was his return from injury in a fatal 4-way the night after Wrestlemania. (Elliot)

TYE DILLINGER

TOMOHIRO ISHII

etting over can’t be easy when the only aspect to your gimmick is a number. The Perfect 10, however, proved it can be done. A lot of the past year saw Tye Dillinger working as enhancement talent, despite the crowd’s backing. Cream rises though, and a recent facealignment on TV suggests the talented worker might be about to get the push he deserves. (Elliot)

omohiro Ishii has had another absolutely stellar year, capping it off with a run at the G-1 Climax 26 tournament that compares favourably with the all time best. His matches with SANADA, Tanahashi and Okada were standouts which, combined with his series earlier in the year with Shibata, and you’re left wondering why more isn’t done with the Stone Pitbull. (Liam)

Photo: Courtney Rose

Photo: Anton Jackson

Photo: Tabercil

The SteelChair Top 50 is a list that takes into account the performances of wrestlers from the Raw after SummerSlam to the SummerSlam of next year. Also, despite our designated evaluation period being so WWE centric, our list covers the whole specrum of professional wrestling. Unlike other publications, the SteelChair list takes into account only the quality of the individual wrestler and not their position in their company. We decide who we think is the best wrestler, not multi-million dollar corperations or even tiny, little independant promotions. We truly believe that this list is the definitive list of the year because it is a true reflection of the fans who have given the most to professional wrestling. And in the end, that is the only opinion that truly matters.

CESARO

RUSEV

t WrestleMania 31 Rusev lost the US Championship to John Cena and it seemed likely there was no coming back. In the last twelve months, following a terrible kayfabe relationship with Summer Rae and a run with the poorly executed stable the ‘League of Nations’, Rusev has once again found himself on top. Defeating the miniature Mexican, Kalisto, with the powerful Accolade, the Bulgarian Brute, has successfully held the US title since May. A strong feud with Roman Reigns means that, despite defeat, Rusev remains a strong villain. (Bradley)

PETE DUNNE he wrestler’s wrestler, the Bruiserweight Pete Dunne has reinvented himself and is finally getting the pay off. There is sometimes a worry when every promotion is scrambling for a wrestler that crowds will lose interest, but such is the talent and strength of Dunne, he could be a versatile player for any promotion, which is probably why 2016 saw him make his BOLA debut. (Shane)

45 AKIRA TOZAWA n a world where Brock Lesnar is hitting his opponents with an average of a dozen German Suplexes per match, to the point where his name is now synonymous with the move, Akira Tozawa’s German Suplex is the best in the world. This is a man whose dedication to technical excellence and perfection could not be contained by Japan’s Dragon Gate promotion. (Lee)

Photo: Mike Kalasnik

Photo: John Jewell

CEDRIC ALEXANDER edric Alexander is victorious in defeat. After his barn burner with Kota Ibushi in the CWC, fans were insistent that his loss not end his time with WWE. The fans burst into a chant: ‘Please Sign Cedric’. Whether it was planned or a magnificent piece of improv, Triple H appeared from behind the curtain, put his arm round Cedric’s shoulders and gave the crowd a reassuring nod. (Lee)

43 BRIAN KENDRICK ully Choking his way back from indy obscurity, “The Post-Apocalyptic Scavenger” was one of the surprise delights of the CWC, with both his in-ring charisma and move-set impressing viewers. This more mature incarnation of ‘The Brian Kendrick’ should be capable of playing either the redemptive face or swaggering heel, if the WWE can finally get over the need to label him as ‘Spanky’. (Mat)

Photo: WWE Video

Photo: Mike Kalasnik

Photo: Turning Face

Last years winner was Sasha Banks. Can she retain?

BOBBY ROODE Not only is his entrance music responsible for the best wrestling vines of the year, but Bobby Roode’s inring heel persona within NXT has been a masterstroke. Following his time with TNA that lasted twelve years Roode has wound up at the biggest promotion in the world and is letting everyone know just why he is “glorious”. Since his TV debut back in August Roode has wasted no time in setting himself up to head for NXT gold and even showcased a superb entrance at NXT Takeover Brooklyn II before defeating Andrade Almas. (Bradley)

HIGHLIGHTS: Glorious entrance at

Photo: MiguelDiscart

Photo: Mike Kalasnik

STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2016

ALEXA BLISS fter separating from emotionally estranged, dubstep cowboys Blake and Murphy, she sparkled in NXT as a fierce singles competitor, before almost instantaneously making a big splash in the new SmackDown Live Women’s division. Bliss adds a spark to the New Era of women’s wrestling. (Erin)

THE MIZ

urely for his work in Santa’s Little Helper and the latest straight to DVD Scooby Doo movie should grant The Miz inclusion on this list. Also, The A-Lister is a natural at promos, and the current pairing with his wife, Maryse, has yielded consistently golden results in garnering white-hot heel heat. His ring work is often criticised, but matches this year with AJ Styles, Y2J, Zayn, Cesaro and KO proved that he can hang with the best of them. ‘Miz TV’ is a convenient plot device that would feel overplayed if he wasn’t so darn charismatic. (Elliot)

HIGHLIGHTS: WWE Intercontinental Champion

RODERICK STRONG ay what you want about Roddy’s “Shitty Little Boots,” he still had a brief stint in NJPW, held the TV Championship in ROH, and he held the PWG World Championship this year as well. He has set a fire under any wrestler’s behind whenever they step into the ring with him. How would you top off a year like that? Being signed to the WWE, which he has since the summer. (Tyler)

Photo: ANton Jackson

Photo:MiguelDiscart

NXT Takeover: Brooklyn II

NOAM DAR

he exciting thing about Noam Dar, isn’t necessarily the past year but potentially the next one. One of the youngest in the SteelChair 50, the last three months have seen all Dar’s hard work pay off with a solid run on WWE’s Cruiserweight Classic and stints as PCW champion. The fact that Noam started wrestling at the age of fifteen means that he’s already got seven years under his belt, and he’s sill only twentythree. Prepare yourself for the imperial march (or WWE’s knockoff version of it) on RAW every week from this point forward. (Shane)

RICOCHET s Ricochet an actual person or a video game character? His moveset delighted thousands across the indies and internationally. Ricochet would see considerable acclaim and discussion in his NJPW Best of Super Jr. Tournament match with Will Ospreay. In addition, Ricochet & Matt Sydal won the 2015 Super Jr. Tag Tournament, worked the Wrestle Kingdom 10 card, and eventually held the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. (Anton)

Photo: Courtney Rose

Photo: David J Wilson

Photo: hard body photography

Photo: Tabercil

This years list is for singles only withh a separate tag team list already revealed at SteelChairMag.com

HIGHLIGHTS: PCW Champion, WWE Cruiserweight Classic

MICHAEL ELGIN

t’s been a resurrection year for Michael Elgin. After falling down the ranks in Ring of Honor, Elgin briefly flirted with the idea of retiring. However, going over to New Japan has changed his outlook and demeanor. After participating in the 2015 G1 Climax last Summer, Elgin gained a fan following from the Japanese crowd. He would then sign with NJPW full time in March 2016. He would make it to the Semi-Finals of the 2016 New Japan Cup, and then in June would defeat Kenny Omega in the first ever Ladder Match in New Japan to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. (Liam)

KUSHIDA fter being underrated for a long time, KUSHIDA has opened a lot of eyes. With a great showing in the Best of the Super Juniors (including another barn burner with Kyle O’Reilly), a pair of cracking title defenses against Will Ospreay and a victory in the 2016 Super J Cup, KUSHIDA proved to be the most complete performer in the division. (Liam)

iampa had, against his tag-team partner Johnny Gargano, one of the matches of the year in the first round of the CWC. They followed that up with an amazing match at NXT Takeover Dallas against The Revival. In both matches Ciampa had a supporting role, but he went home with the Oscar. In 2016 his storytelling is second to none. (Lee)

Photo: MIguel Discart

33 MIKE BENNETT fter leaving ROH on less than amicable terms, Bennett began 2016 afresh, shedding his former gimmick and becoming “The Miracle”, and slotting almost effortlessly into the TNA World Title scene. Since then, the arrogant heel has used his skills in the ring and on the mike to serve as an excellent foil for top babyfaces and surely a faces a future that will see him crowned champion. (Mat)

ASUKA

Photos: Samoa Joe Tabercil | Rusev by Anton Jackson | Grado by Kimberley Bayliss

he “Empress of Tomorrow” has made a huge impact in her first year in NXT. Asuka came to WWE’s acclaimed network show with a terrifying presence using her in ring work to become a feared opponent to anyone who stood in her way. In the space of a year Asuka has successfully defeated NXT’s top star Bayley for the Women’s Championship and has gained popularity with her trademark mask and high quality matches. There is no doubt that Asuka can be a leading figure in NXT until her eventual main roster debut. (Brendan)

32 ENZO AMORE hen you get a crowd popping over an invisible baby, you know you are damn good. Enzo Amore may not be much to watch in the ring (or maybe that’s just his #cuppahaters) but arguably he has the one thing that you can’t teach; charisma, and the dude is dripping in it. Either that or leopard print. (Lizz)

HIGHLIGHTS: NXT Women’s Champion

Photo: Mike Kalasnik

TOMMASO CIAMPA

Photo: MIguel Discart

Photo: Courtney Rose

STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2016

DREW GALLOWAY restling’s multipromotional talisman has once again made it a year to remember as he captured the TNA Heavyweight Championship and raised the promotion’s profile by defending it across the world before losing it to Lashley. It was a year of electrifying debuts as he made his mark in PCW and PWG while remaining a prominent figure in EVOLVE and ICW. (Craig)

BECKY LYNCH

SEXY STAR

he Lass-kicker may have left it late to become the last member of the four horsewomen to capture her SmackDown Women’s Championship, but it has been an incredible year since departing NXT. The WWE Universe has witnessed Lynch become one of the most valued members of WWE’s Women’s Division as during 2015/16 she was involved or part of every main storyline used. (Craig)

she brought to the Temple. (Erin)

Photo: MIguel Discart

Photo: Tony Knox

BAYLEY

JOHNNY GARGANO

ayley and Sasha Banks had the best match of 2015 that is well documented, but it is the work she’s done following which needs to be praised. Staying in NXT whilst the other ‘horse-women’ flourished on the main roster, allowed NXT to bring in a new stock of women and making Bayley the face that ran the place. The brand split however means that Bayley’s time is now.

t was only a matter of time until the wrestling world started to take notice of Johnny Gargano. Considered one of the highlights of the US independent scene, Gargano has developed a true knack for being the most likeable guy on any show. WWE fans have already taken to him, but the best is yet to come for Johnny Wrestling. (Coire)

Photos: Zayn by FD562 | Hiroshi Tanahashi by mark surume

he Golden Star” began the year injured and resigning from both DDT and NJPW in Japan, but bounced back to work numerous indies and dazzle in the CWC. Rescuing a match with Sean Maluta from disaster and shining against Cedric Alexander and Brian Kendrick, rumours persist that Ibushi is a man that WWE very much desire to have under contract. (Mat)

JACK GALLAGHER ack Gallagher is one of those rare wrestlers who seems less like they’re a person portraying a character and more like a person who is that character. As a cruiserweight, Gallagher has managed to turn his size into a key aspect of his identity, as someone who uses scientific ability to defeat larger opponents. We expect big things from this cruiserweight. (Coire)

KOTA IBUSHI

hrough blood sweat and tears, Sexy Star captured the hearts of the Lucha Underground believers in her ‘no mas’ match with Ivelisse. She captured the Gift of the Gods Championship, kicking ass all the while dancing round the eyes of young girls with dreams of their own. Sexy’s retirement from professional wrestling will never dampen the spirit

Photo: Courtney Rose

Photo: Lucha Underground

Photo: Courtney Rose

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STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2016

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Photo: WWE Video

23 SETH ROLLINS espite being injured for 7 months and missing WrestleMania, Seth Rollins remains a prominent name within WWEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s landscape. In fact, the injury he sustained seems to have helped him continue his success into 2016; recently becoming the number one overall draft pick and competing for the Universal Championship. Seth continues to bring awe-inspiring athleticism to his matches; thrilling fans while not losing his storytelling ability. Regardless of recent questioning around his in-ring safety, Rollins has firmly cemented himself as mainstay for years to come. (Lizz)

HIGHLIGHTS: WWE World

Heavyweight Championship

JOHN CENA

22 Photo: WWE Video

HIGHLIGHTS: United States

Championship, Fued with AJ Styles

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Photos: Paige by Miguel Discart | Kota Ibushi by Temaki

ohn Cena continues to carve his face into the Mount Rushmore of the WWEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest stars of all time. While he got off to a rocky start due to injury, the leader of the Cenation has maintained high visibility on television and in the media. One of the most polarizing stars of all time, he factored heavily into the ascent of A.J. Styles this year. (Vern)

ADAM COLE urrent ROH World Champion, whom stopped the dominating Jay Lethal at Death Before Dishonor in August. Since returning from injury, Cole is now the US Bullet Club leader and regular member of PWG Mount Rushmore 2.0. The Florida native has been a consistent performer this year having beaten the like of O’Reilly, Lethal, KUSHIDA & Dalton Castle. 2017 could be his year. (Gary)

kada has become the biggest name in NJPW since the departures of Nakamura/AJ Styles and the decline of Tanashahi whom he defeated at the company’s biggest event at WrestleKingdom. He became the IWGP Heavyweight Champion on two separate occasions having beaten now WWE Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles in July 15 before losing and then reclaiming the gold from Tetusya Naitio in June 16. (Gary)

Photo: Mikey Nolan

TOMMY END

MARTY SCURLL

hile impressive as one half of the Sumerian Death Squad, it was as a singles performer that End truly came into his own in the past year. Storming across the UK indies and winning the PROGRESS SSS16 tournament whilst feuding with Marty Scurll over the same company’s title pales in comparison to what he may achieve in NXT next year. (Mat)

he Villain cast his venomous shadow over any promotion he has been part of this year, none more so than Progress Wrestling as he became the first man to seize their premier Championship twice. He managed to better his 2015 PWG BOLA performance this year by winning the infamous trophy defeating big names like Cody Rhodes, Mark Haskins, Will Ospreay & Trevor Lee. (Craig)

KAZUCHIKA OKADA

Photo: Ringside Perspective

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STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2016

ZACK SABRE JR ritish indie darling, Zack Sabre Jr, has recently landed himself a contract within the WWE Cruiserweight division and will be appearing on Monday Night Raw. A string of impressive technical performances on the Cruiserweight Classic has made the wider wrestling audience aware of the raw talent that sees the 29 year old boast a range of technical wrestling holds and pinning combinations, along with hard strikes. Having previously competed against the like of El Generico and Prince Devitt on the indie circuits it’s no surprise that Sabre Jr will be joining an array of former Indie talents on an ever improving WWE roster. The current PWG World Champion is a product of the NWA-UK Hammerlock school and was voted the Wrestling Observers ‘Best Technical Wrestler’ in 2014 and 2015. With impressive accolades like this, it’s no wonder the Englishman is making a name for himself worldwide and cements his place firmly on our list. (Bradley)

The full tag last can be found after the singles list

Photo: WWE Videos

SASHA BANKS asha Banks came in at the glorious #1 spot in last year’s Top 50 and she continues to prove that she deserves that spot. Even weeks after she won the title on the Monday Night RAW right after Battleground, it’s still only just setting in that Sasha Banks is obviously the top woman in WWE. Many would call her the queen of WWE, but Sasha would be quick to correct them — she’s the Legit Boss of WWE, and don’t you forget it.

TETSUYA NAITO F

This success didn’t come out of nowhere, even if it’s still taking time to set in. Sasha taking Charlotte down to win the WWE Women’s Championship shouldn’t have come as a surprise. She has the talent, she has the drive, and she has the conviction to not just win that title, but prove she is championship material. She’s shown in WWE that she has what it takes, and she showed in NXT that she has what it takes. She came up from NXT and became a major figure in WWE on the same night as Charlotte in 2015, but then had to sit back and watch as her one-time NXT tag team partner and championship rival passed her by once more. It was Sasha, along with Bayley, who put on what many believe to be 2015’s match of the year at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn last August and there is no doubt that the pair will carry the women’s divison for the next few years with probably more fantastic matches coming our way. (Brendan)

HIGHLIGHTS: WWE Women’s Champion

Photos: Havoc by Kimerley Bayliss | Lynch by Discart | roderick strong - Anton Jackson

rom Mid Carder to the Top Heel in New Japan, this was a breakout year for Tetsuya Naito. After returning from a tour in CMLL in Mexico, Naito became a heel, and in the process, formed the Heel faction Los Ingobernables De Japon. With the help of stable mates Bushi, Sanada and Evil, Naito quickly jumped the ranks in New Japan. His new attiude would help win the New Japan Cup earlier this year, and would help win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship from Kazuchika Okada. Okada would then place second in the B-Block in the 2016 G1 Climax. Despite being a Heel, Naito has become one of the most popular wrestlers in all of New Japan. (Jay)

STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2016

HIGHLIGHT: WWE Women’s Championship

CHARLOTTE Photo: MIguel Discart

14 DEAN AMBROSE

he mouthpiece of the Shield was always a breed apart from the rest, yet it seemed that Ambrose was fated to run behind the pack. This year has seen the ‘Lunatic Fringe’ reach unthinkable heights. From hotdog carts to gold, Ambrose eventually captured the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Money in the Bank. Ambrose clawed his way through the mid-card, wielding the imaginations of fans as he went. The highs of his year include his struggle at Survivor Series, the Last Man Standing Match at Royal Rumble, plus the epic with Triple H at Roadblock. He’s more than denim jeans and saturated bafoonery. He’s an unorthodox underdog with irresistible charm. Yet, it’s the complexity that exists beneath the comical veneer, the raw emotion and innovative psychology that epitomises the appeal of the former Jon Moxley. (Erin)

HIGHLIGHTS: WWE World Heavyweight Champion

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harlotte is now a two-time Women’s champion. Three if you count the NXT Women’s Championship. Four if you think the Diva’s Championship was a different thing altogether. The point is, Charlotte is now one of the most decorated Women in all of WWE’s history. Yes, there have been times recently, when the direction she was being pointed in didn’t seem all that strong. WWE relying on her father to make her a draw always seemed unnecessary. But her in-ring skills and her strong lineage made her the perfect choice to be WWE’s inaugural Women’s Champion. Upon seeing Charlotte, any fan new to WWE will know that the title stands for athletic excellence and technical proficiency. And her heel work makes her one of the best bad guys in the company. Charlotte Flair doesn’t need daddy to carry on the legacy of the family name. She can do that on her own. (Lee)

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Photo: WWE

12 SAMOA JOE amoa Joe saw rapid character development this year. His interactions with Finn Balor would define the basis for his NXT ascension and inclusion in the list. Joe and Balor would team up to compete in, and win, the first-ever Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament. Shortly thereafter, Joe would become a monster heel by turning on Balor and challenging for the NXT Championship on three occasions - NXT Takeover: London, NXT Takeover: Dallas, and a surprise house-show victory. Along the way, Joe had a well-received series with the likes of Baron Corbin and Sami Zayn to gain contendership. After becoming NXT Champion, Joe would end his seven month feud with Balor in a steel-cage title defense before dropping the championship to Shinsuke Nakamura at NXT Takeover: Back to Brooklyn. (Anton)

10 JAY LETHAL

CHRIS JERICHO

ethal had a dominant 2015 and early part of 2016 holding the ROH World Title for 427 days. The New Jersey native also held the ROH TV Title during a decisive run in the later parts of 2015, Lethal defeated all-comers such as Roderick Strong, AJ Styles, Jay Briscoes, Colt Cabana, Kyle O’Reilly while touring the world, including the UK and Japan. (Gary)

e was a future hall of famer anyway, but Jericho’s heel turn while feuding with AJ Styles saw him enter a new career heyday. He’s still great in the ring, but Y2J’s knack for varying his heel patter has kept the act fresh. 2016 Jericho bestowed “Stupid idiot”, “Drink it in, maaaaan” and “It!” upon us, but the real gift is “The Gift of Jericho.” (Elliot)

Photo: MIguel Discart

Photo: WWE

STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2016

SAMI ZAYN

f there’s any candidate to fill Daniel Bryan’s old “underdog” slot, it’s Sami Zayn. Since returning to the WWE roster in January, stemming from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for nearly 7 months, Zayn has been featured in his share of workhorse pay-per-view matches and feuds. Zayn reignited his longstanding, years-long feud with Kevin Owens to span the first seven months of 2016 - from the Royal Rumble to Battleground. Zayn and Owens would trade singles victories at WWE Payback and WWE Battleground, but anytime their paths crossed, it would lead to some riveting WWE television. Zayn is also in the Match of the Year candidate discussion for his NXT Takeover Dallas match with the stellar Shinsuke Nakamura, who made his NXT debut at the event. Zayn would lose the match, but in his NXT sendoff, Sayn received a standing ovation and considerable praise for his performance - giving Nakamura the perfect first opponent to showcase their many skills. Zayn also solidified his valuable workhorse position on the roster. Sami participated in the well-received Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match at WrestleMania 32, a fatal four-way for the Intercontinental Championship at Extreme Rules, and the Money in the Bank Ladder Match. He’s also seen world title contention, competing against the likes of AJ Styles and Seth Rollins for shots at the WWE World and WWE Universal Championships. Although he didn’t pick up victories in these matches, Zayn’s performance and constant work rate put him in contention as one of the best all-around workers within the evaluation period. (Anton)

ROMAN REIGNS oman Reigns is a controversial figure in professional wrestling. Not just in the WWE, but all of pro wrestling in general. Opinions will vary on if he ‘deserves’ his main event spot in the WWE or not, but we can’t deny that Reigns had a considerable year within the evaluation period. SummerSlam to Hell in a Cell saw Reigns feud with Bray Wyatt, taking the feud victory in a wellreceived Hell in a Cell match. Reigns’s overall feud with The Authority carried him well into 2016. Along the way, his character saw three WWE Championship victories between Survivor Series and WrestleMania 32. He also say a triple-threat feud with Lesnar and Ambrose at Fastlane. Two of his pay-perview title defenses were buoyed by acclaimed matches with AJ Styles at Payback and Extreme Rules. After dropping the title to Seth Rollins, Reigns would go on to compete in the anticipated “Shield Triple Threat” against Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins, which also received acclaim. Even if many find his moveset to be limited and his charisma questionable, Reigns’s constant participation in marquee main events, world title victories, and well-received pay-per-view matches qualifies him for one of the top workers in 2015/16. (Anton)

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BROKEN MATT HARDY h Brother Nero, I knew you’d come” is a phrase that had every wrestling fan talking about TNA of all things; that in itself is an accomplishment. The resurrection of the Hardy brand has been a talking point on all corners of social media, through gifs, memes, podcast, and reaction videos. Hardy has done what a lot of aging characters from the attitude era couldn’t do; reinvent themselves in the twilight of their career. It’s undeniable that Hardy belongs near the top of this list and every other ‘Best of List’ for the rest of the year. (Tyler)

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07 Photo: Blonde Bombshell

WILL OSPREAY ho would have thought that losing the PROGRESS title to Marty Scurll would have actually marked the beginning of “The Aerial Assassin” becoming a global wrestling phenomenon? From the praise gained at the Texas Wrestlecon rematch with Scurll, Ospreay went on to greater things in NJPW, twice challenging KUSHIDA for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight title, competing in the NJPW Cup and of course becoming the first Englishman to win the Best of Super Junior tournament. His campy encounter with Vader aside, it’s arguable that no one in British wrestling has either had a better year or been a better worker. (Mat)

Photo: Turning Face

HIGHLIGHTS: The Final Deletion

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STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2016

HIGHLIGHTS: WWE Intercontinental Champion, WWE Universal Champion

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KEVIN OWENS f he stays on this trajectory, next year, Monday Night Raw will truly become The Kevin Owens’ Show. Owens is always innovating and isn’t one to fall into the routine of ending every match with the Pop Up Powerbomb, so you find yourself genuinely unsure of where the win is going to come from – as opposed to knowing someone will kick out at 2 and a half, regardless of how Maggle sells whatever move (ahem, Blue Thunder Bomb). Owens is a fantastic talker, too – not only on the mic, but in the ring his quips are always ones to listen out for. For the past year, KO has been the most watchable part of every WWE show. He leaves you with something to remember every time he’s onscreen or in the ring. The Last Man Standing match with Ambrose and Owens’ ‘final’ battle with Zayn at Battleground were match of the year contenders. Owens spun gold from his runs with the IC title, Money in the Bank contention and pairing with Chris Jericho. His appointment as the second ever WWE Universal Champion after Finn Balor really cemented WWE’s commitment to the new era. Here’s hoping next year is the year he lands a moonsault. (Elliot)

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KENNY OMEGA Kenny Omega has had one hell of a year; after AJ Styles left NJPW to join the WWE at the Royal Rumble this year, allowing Omega to shine as the new leader of the Bullet Club. From there he beat the ace of New Japan, Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship after it was relinquished by Shinsuke Nakamura in early 2016, instantly solidifying him as an emerging top guy in the biggest promotion in Japan. From there he had a barn burner of a ladder match with Michael Elgin and becoming the first gaijin ever to win the G1 Climax in history. That is no small feat in itself, damn near guaranteeing him a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight title more than likely coming to ahead with Okada at the Tokyo Dome and ‘Wrestle Kingdom 12’ in early 2017. All that aside, he can talk like no other making post-match promo’s something to look forward to; whether he’s calling out someone on the New Japan roster or breaking the New Day, you know you’re about to hear something special. (Tyler)

HIGHLIGHTS:

IWGP Intercontinental Champion, G1 Climax winner

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STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2016

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HIGHLIGHTS: NXT Champion

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SHINSUKE NAKAMURA his was quite the year for the man many feel is the greatest wrestler on the planet. Nakamura began last Summer competing in the G1 Climax. He would win the B - Block and would face his longtime rival Hiroshi Tanahashi for the final time in one of the greatest matches in the history of New Japan. Nakamura would then win the IWGP Intercontinental Championship for a final time in the Fall. Nakamura would then face AJ Styles at WrestleKingom 10, winning a highly anticipated and iconic contest. Nakamura would then leave NJPW for the WWE joining the NXT brand. Nakamura would debut for NXT at their TakeOver: Dallas special where he defeated Sami Zayn in a match many are calling the best match of the WreslteMania 32 weekend. He would then defeat Austin Aires at the NXT Takeover special in June. After defeating Finn Balor in a highly anticipated match, Nakamura then set his sights on the NXT Championship. Nakamura would then defeat Samoa Joe for the NXT Championship at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn. Nakamura has shown over the last year whatever wrestling promotion he is in, he is defiantly the top dog in the yard. Fans now are aticpating the night when The King of Strong Style finally finds his way on the Raw or SmackDown roster. (Jay)

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STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2016

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FINN BALOR rom his first NXT Championship defence against Kevin Owens in a spectacular Ladder Match at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn to being drafted to RAW and then capturing the WWE Universal Championship to close SummerSlam. It would be hard for anyone to argue that 2015/16 didn’t belong to ‘The Demon’. In NXT, as well as holding the premier Title, he tagged with Samoa Joe to enter the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament. Both men would go on to win the tournament defeating Baron Corbin & Rhyno in the finals. However, this would act as a catalyst in a furious feud between the two that would see Bálor’s record breaking 292 day reign as Champion surprisingly end at an NXT house show. He made an immediate impact on his RAW debut by defeating Rusev, Cesaro, and Kevin Owens in a fatal four-way then later besting Roman Reigns, finally beating Seth Rollins in a joint main-event at SummerSlam to become the inaugural WWE Universal Champion, a series of results welcomed by his legion of fans across the world. (Craig)

HIGHLIGHTS: WWE Universal Champion, NXT Champion

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AJ STYLES Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, the greatest wrestler of the previous twelve months: The Phenomenal One, AJ Styles. Not only is he SteelChair’s pick for the best of the year, but he is your reigning, defending WWE Heavyweight Champion of the world. That’s right, Mr. TNA is the man, putting AJ Styles at the top of the industry, the spot fans like you and I have believed he’s been destined for since the days of Total NonStop Action when he was blowing the rest of the wrestling world out of the water with matches against Christopher Daniels and Samoa Joe. At both WrestleMania and at SummerSlam, his matches were among the only ones that really hit the standard of excellence that those occasions demand from their performers. His match against Cena was especially fantastic, becoming an instant classic and almost MOTY by default. You can rely on SteelChair to put the right person at the top of a list like this. AJ Styles, our – and your – best wrestler of 2016. (Lee)

WINNER

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HIGHLIGHTS: WWE debut, WWE World Championship

Photo: WWE

STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2016

PHENOM AJ

48 STEELCHAIR OCTOBER 2016

LIAM Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ROURKE LOOKS AT THE RISE OF AJ STYLES

MENAL OCTOBER 2016 STEELCHAIR 49

STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2016

e are now in a period that has seen WWE finally cave on the stubborn mentality that drove its hiring decisions for years and years. They’ve accepted that there is such a vast array of talent in the wrestling world that narrowcasting their vision of what a star can be was only spiting themselves. Let’s not kid ourselves, WWE still have their prejudices and perspectives, but they’ve brought in more outside talent, often with their outside names, than they have since the days of the Monday Night Wars.

But while it’s amazing to see, there is always that biting question that lingers in the back of the brain. There is always a caveat, a “Yeah, but...” that justifies why those particular guys, the unconventional “superstars”, are getting what they have. We’ve been fans too long, and

50 STEELCHAIR OCTOBER 2016

can spot the reasons why fairly easily. Yes, they brought in Shinsuke Nakamura with that name, but he’s in NXT, where (tough as it may be for some to admit) it doesn’t really matter. Ditto Samoa Joe and Bobby Roode. Yes, Kevin Owens and Finn Balor have won the Universal Title, but they are WWE names and products in many ways, and they only got the chance when their chosen one, Roman Reigns, failed a drug test and forced their hand. The Cruiserweight Classic is a revelation, but we all have our questions about how it’ll play out on Raw. When AJ Styles walked out at the Royal Rumble, and was actually called ‘The Phenomenal’ AJ Styles, this writer’s jaw hit the ground. No tweaks, no changes. Nothing. Regardless, his treatment in the match itself, eliminated fairly unceremoniously, served as a cold reminder that WWE has a tendency to slot its talent for life, regardless of potential.

McMahonville. In many instances, it causes many to re-analyse their judgement of the wrestler in the first place. Were they really as good as they always thought if they failed when it mattered? When AJ Styles left TNA, WWE never even made a concrete offer to get him, such was their laissezfaire attitude to talent that didn’t tick their boxes. So he went to New Japan as the new leader of the Bullet Club. While the Club gained a lot of notoriety overseas, to regular viewers of New Japan, the Bullet Club was an albatross on the product, and the falling attendance numbers in Japan proved it. But AJ was on a mission. After being pushed immediately to the top, winning the IWGP World Heavyweight Title in his first match against Kazuchika Okada, Styles went on a flurry of breathtaking matches. His efforts in the 2014 G-1 Climax were incredible, where he not only hung with the best, he excelled. His matches with Okada, Minoru Suzuki and Hiroshi Tanahashi on the final night was a definitive slap in the face to viewers.

AJ Fans that had seen AJ plying his trade in TNA for years knew that he was among the best wrestlers in the world. And as is the nature of modern fans, the fantasy becomes what they can do where it matters the most - WWE. History hasn’t always been kind to smaller, excellent workers who move to the very unique, neurotic, idiosyncratic environment of World Wrestling Entertainment. Their self-fulfilling prophecies for how far certain wrestlers can or can’t go has left fans feeling deflated more often than satisfied when a favourite from the outside finally makes it to

In the later years of TNA, Styles’ immense talent was taken for granted by the company and fans alike. He’d done everything there was to do, and there was nowhere else to go. His move to New Japan was a revelation. He went in with high expectations, and surpassed them with World Title runs, main events and classic matches. He was once again in the discussion for wrestlers on the shortlist of the best guys in the entire business. At the same time, WWE’s shortage

AJ went to WWE with high expectations and more than a hint of trepidation of talent was becoming a real issue, and somewhere along the way, the directive was made just to go after the best, no matter what. After starting 2016 wrestling Shinsuke Nakamura in a blinding match at the Tokyo Dome, AJ got the offer that made signing with WWE the move to make. But as mentioned, he came in with high expectations and more than a hint of trepidation. After a decent start and a good series with Chris Jericho, fans were content with the Styles WWE were offering, but not blown away. His merchandise was selling very well, and he was frequently getting the loudest reactions on house shows, but on TV, the Jericho association felt isolated due to the part-time aura of Y2J’s status. It was tough to gauge what level of success AJ was going to be. Jericho winning at WrestleMania felt like a complete waste, even more so the following night when a relatively cold AJ won the right to challenge Roman Reigns for the WWE Title. On paper, it’s amazing the match was ever made. WWE had yet to throw in the towel on Roman as a true babyface, and here they were putting him against a guy guaranteed

OCTOBER 2016 STEELCHAIR 51

STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2016 to earn the cheers of the more diehard fans that attend the Pay-PerViews. As predicted, Styles was the clear favourite on the night. But over the course of the next two months, something very interesting started to happen. When working with Roman, Styles was unbelieveable. His ability to deliver in a big match in the WWE environment was so similar to Shawn Michaels, a Vince McMahon personal favourite, that it couldn’t be denied. What was generally believed to be his weakness, his promos, were better in WWE than anywhere else. Suddenly, the outsider with the flashy moves was looking like the most complete worker in the company. He got more out of the underrated Reigns than anybody else, and his heel turn and feud with John Cena was the first example since CM Punk where somebody working with Cena came out on the other side genuinely elevated.

Reigns and Cena had the best brought out of them by AJ Styles. The atmosphere of the first Cena confrontation was electric, but we’re in a period of time where one-night audience reactions have never meant less, thanks to crowds insisting that any main event is “Awesome” if we get a dive or decent near fall. Consistency was going to be key for Styles. Again, his verbal jousts with Cena were better than anybody could hope for, and the match at Money

52 STEELCHAIR OCTOBER 2016

In The Bank was superb. Despite the company narrative, it was becoming more and more obvious that AJ Styles is everything that WWE wanted Seth Rollins to be. Though engaging in the usual 50-50 booking by dropping a fall to Cena in a SixMan Tag at Battleground and being pinned by an ice cold Dolph Ziggler on Smackdown Live, Styles still felt on the cusp. The rematch was made Cena Vs. Styles at Summerslam. And everybody knew this was the one that counted. Though it’s been said by so many of late, it’s so poignant it bears repeating here. When the clock struck midnight on 31st December 2015, that this would be happening was unfathomable. That Styles would convincingly win clean, even more so. Though the focus of the show was scattered between World and Universal Title matches and a Brock Lesnar slaughter of Randy Orton, nothing on the show got half the heat of Styles and Cena. I’d written that Styles was destined to be the backbone of SmackDown in the draft in much the same way Kurt Angle was in 2002, and when SummerSlam ended, he was the hottest guy on the brand. Though the brand extension and hotshot title changes on Raw somewhat devalued the World Titles rather quickly, AJ Styles lifting the WWE World Championship at Backlash can be considered nothing but an unmitigated success. That he won with the Styles Clash captures the very essence of AJ. He came in as himself, and with his act, untouched, he changed every opinion, exceeded every expectation (whether high or low), and proved that his career isn’t to be judged with the asterisk of being in TNA too long. New Japan was a hotshot, but his success over

Rollins is promoted as the company’s best. But Styles took that title with ease. the course of 18 months, etching his name in a top four with legendary talents like Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shinsuke Nakamura, and a superb worker building his legacy in Kazuchika Okada, says it all. In WWE, he wasn’t brought in to be the top guy. Truth be told, I’m not sure that WWE truly knew what he was being brought in for. But he got all the way to the WWE World Title, and did it in less than a year. WWE has done too good a job in recent times proving that talent doesn’t always rise to the top. Sometimes, the talent isn’t what people think it is and falls short due to overinflated expectations. Finn Balor is the forced indy darling, riding the good will of NXT, but Styles is the real deal. Seth Rollins is promoted as the all-around best, but Styles took that crown with ease. Company favourites Roman Reigns and John Cena had the best brought out in them by Styles. Ultimately, AJ Styles has had a year that erased any doubt that he’s one the absolute best performers of this generation. And the most enthralling thing of all is that the best might still be to come.

STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2016

STEELCHAIR MAGAZINE TOP 10 TAG TEAMS 2016 10 WAR MACHINE If you are sucker for big powerhouse tag teams and War Machine haven’t caught your attention then you need to re-evaluate. Off the back of Ring of Honor’s 2014 Top Prospect tournament, this no nonsense tag team made up for Raymond Row and Hanson came together and quickly put everyone on notice. Since then, the hard hitting duo have consistently blazed a path in ROH, leaving many a broken body in their wake; a trend which continued when they competed in Japan’s Pro Wrestling NOAH, which saw them narrowly miss returning Stateside as Pro Wrestling NOAH GHC Tag Team Champions. Despite losing their ROH tag team titles earlier in the year to The Addiction, Rowe and Hanson continue to showcase their highly impressive dominance and athletic ability. More recently Rowe and Hanson have brought their destruction across the pond working for promotions such as Discovery Wrestling in Edinburgh and Fight Club: PRO in Wolverhampton. There are not too many men who can match the power of Rowe and Hanson and it can easily be said that they bring a much needed breath of fresh air to the tag team division within ROH,

breaking up the fast paced junior heavyweight landscape of super-kicking and thighslapping. They skyrocketed from day one and as long as they stay together and healthy, what is even more exciting is that they also have a long way to go.

09 THE UK HOOLIGANS Brothers Roy and Zak Knight are part of the famous Knight Dynasty, formed the The UK Hooligans in 2011, the brothers have previously captured the HEW and RQW Tag Team Championships respectfully in 2012 and have continued to bring their own brand of entertainment and excitement to wrestling fans ever since. But there is much more to The UK Hooligans than being part of a famous family, a crucial part of the World Association of Wrestling (WAW) owned by their father Ricky Knight based in Norwich, the brothers have had some of their best matches this year at the promotions TV taping’s and the infamous duo have proved that no matter where they wrestle fans can expect raucous and riotous tag team matches across the UK if they are involved in it. This year they have been an integral part of Preston City Wrestling’s Tag Team Division challenging the likes of PCW Tag Team Champion’s Team Single in various chaotic matches as well as facing The London Riots and Ring of Honor’s War Machine. Not content with raising the bar there, they became part of Insane Championship Wrestling’s late 2015 tour battling ICW Tag Team Champions Polo Promotions

and the destructive NAK earning them new fans in the process. They didn’t stop there as they made their mark in Hope Wrestling and Target Wrestling as well, it is certainly clear that the resurgence of The UK Hooligans in 2015 through to 2016 is only just the beginning of demonstrating that they have much more to give to their fans and the wrestling industry alike.

08 ENZO AND CASS The “Realest Guys in the Room” achieved one of the biggest pops of the modern era upon their main roster debut the night after WrestleMania. One of the most loved tag teams in NXT had been kicking goals in the months after their debut, despite never having captured the tag titles down in NXT. The absence of gold never dampened their spirits – as Enzo’s uncanny wit combines with Big Cass’ immense power, it’s the perfect mix of big guy-little guy, big charismatic presence plus big physical demeanour. Both men combined have helped represent the face of the New Era, and have breathed life into the main roster tag division. In their pay-per-view match against the Club at Payback, Enzo sustained a frightening neck injury, and Cass was left to go at it alone until his partner recovered. A forshadow of what was destined for the 7-footer, Cass was eventually inserted into the Universal Title picture, much sooner than many had anticipated. While the dynamic of monster and manager would be quite a treat, for the time being anyway, Enzo and Cass are a tag team made in

heaven, and we hope there are big things to come for the duo.

07 REDRAGON ReDragon continued to put on notable performances across the globe. Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly have been a tag team for only a few years, but their chemistry would make you believe they’ve teamed their whole careers. ReDragon opened the evaluation period as IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions, having defeated The Young Bucks to do so. ReDragon would continue to see contention for the IWGP, RoH, and PWG Tag Team championships throughout the year.

06 GARGANO+CIAMPA In this past year both “Johnny Wrestling” and the “Psycho Killer” have been silencing the critics of professional wrestling, proving their good enough to be considered one of the best tag teams on the planet. Being showcased in NXT and the recent Cruiserweight Classic on the WWE network they both have taken the tag team divisions in WWE by storm and have even competed for the NXT tag titles at TakeOver: Brooklyn II. There is no doubt that in the next few months they will be real strong candidates to lead the tag division of NXT and could even be real dark horses in the Dusty Rhodes tag tournament.

05 SUMERIAN DEATH SQUAD In at number 5 is Europe’s

best Tag Team The Sumerian Death Squad featuring Michael Dante and NXT bound Tommy End. “What is it that makes the SDS what they are? Arguably one of the most unique tag teams that Europe has to offer, the SDS is known for creating atmospheres you are afraid of but can’t avert your eyes from.” Another successful year for the two as they capered the PROGRESS and wXW Tag Team Titles, while going it alone in singles action Tommy End has seen most success featuring for companies such as PWG, EVOLVE, wXW and ICW before reportedly signing for WWE. Sumerian Death Squad has had some excellent matches this past year when facing The Leaders OF The New School ( Sabre Jr & Marty Scurll )in Tommy Ends last match in xWx ,WarMachine at ICW UK Royale Rewards and The London Riots in a Losing Unit Must Disband Tables, Ladders & Chairs match at PROGRESS Wrestling Chapter 27: The Lost Art Of Suffering. While this highly impressive tag team might have seen its best days, for now, one thing remains sure is that if NXT wished to have Tommy End in its tag team division anytime soon then they’ve a sure thing in Michael Dante and the Sumerian Death Squad.

04 THE NEW DAY Sometimes, wrestling either goes for broadly entertaining and misses the mark completely, or forgets about it altogether. New Day went last year from being one of the funnest tag teams to mock, to one of the funnest tag teams to boo, to this year, when they became one of the funnest tag teams to cheer. And all it took was just a little injection of personality. Currently in the middle of their nearrecord-breaking WWE Tag Title run, their creative ingenuity has been rewarded with huge merchandise sales and success after success in the ring. It’s a New Day, yes it is.

Photo: Courtney Rose

STEELCHAIR TOP 50 2016

03 THE REVIVAL “The Revival” Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder, WWE NXT Although they crashed out of the Dusty Rhodes Memorial Classic in the semi-finals to eventual winners Finn Balor and Samoa Joe, from then on Dash and Dawson have gone from strength to strength. A seminal feud with Enzo Amore and Colin Cassidy was punctuated by their stopping off along the way to relieve The Vaudevillans of the NXT Tag Titles, and a second feud with American Alpha in which the teams traded the titles cemented both as potential saviours of the WWE Tag Division. Now beginning yet another feud with Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gagarno, they seem set to do it all again and more over the space of the year ahead.

02 AMERICAN ALPHA NXT has been the home to a fair amount of notable tag teams in the last year; out of nowhere came American Alpha, a dynamic duo consisting of Jason Jordan and Chad Gable came bursting onto the scene, two unlikely tag team partners seemingly cut from the same cloth. At NXT Takeover Dallas American Alpha and The Revival had everyone on the edge of their seat as we saw Jordan and Gable finally raise the NXT Tag Team Championships over their heads. Since then the pair were drafted to Smackdown in July of this year and with a tag team titles shot imminent, only time will tell if American Alpha are “Ready, Willing, and Gable.”

Join the debate and include

WINNER

#steelchair50

YOUNG BUCKS group of hardcore internet wrestling fans and smart marks got the chance to vote for their favourite tag team of the year and they all chose The Young Bucks. I know, I was shocked too. Their 2016 started off by opening the event that year-on-year kicks off the wrestling calendar at the January 4 Tokyo Dome show (otherwise known as Wrestle Kingdom 10). In that barn burner of a match, they beat another team that made this list, reDRagon. Later, they earned themselves a hell of a coup. They played a pivotal role in removing A.J. Styles from his position as head of the Bullet Club, afterwards forming the Bullet Club sub-group, The Elite, with Kenny Omega (imagine the balls it takes to say that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re The Elite of the best wrestling stable in the world).

They have also won the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship twice already this year with The Cleaner. And even after losing the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship in February, they won it back in June for an unprecedented, record-breaking fifth time. As of writing, they still hold the title and remain one of the most exciting, trail-blazing, pioneering and exceptional tag teams in history. And to think, I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stand them when they were Generation Me in TNA. (Lee)

AGREE OR DISAGREE? TWEET US AT: @STEELCHAIRMAG

MATT HARDY

Can

WORDS: TYLER FUDGE

n e k Bro

y d r a H t t a M Fix TNA?

22 STEELCHAIR OCTOBER 38 56 AUGUST JULY 2O15 2O15 2016

f you had asked me six months ago “Who’s going to be the hottest character in wrestling for 2016?” A few would

have come to mind; everyone except Matt Hardy. To be even more specific, if you asked me if Matt Hardy would be in the top ten of SteelChair Magazine’s ‘Top 50’ list, I would have laughed in your face. Look who’s laughing now. After being looked over by many circles in recent years, after multiple setbacks in his personal life, things are finally looking up. That is until his brother Jeff came crashing onto Matt putting him through a table. Since that moment in time, Matt has been broken. Born as “Broken” Matt Hardy, the character that has brought some much-needed eyes on a failing TNA product that has been dismissed by many as “WWE Lite.” Matt Hardy, with help from Jeremy Borash, have taken quirky subject matter, outlandish scenarios, and no visible

boundaries; mixing them up and giving fans something not quite seen before in wrestling. It also helps that we’re living in a time where it seems like every feud on TV is just a rehash of an idea that didn’t even work well, to begin with. “Broken” Matt has brought the flowers to us with the help of the Seven Deities, he’s cleaning up the world of wrestling one viral video at a time. To be completely honest, when I first saw Matt Hardy with a blonde streak in his hair I thought of Sweeny Todd just like everyone else did, and immediately tossed it aside in the aptly named ‘I don’t give a s**t’ bin. I was shocked to hear all the chatter online raving about just how crazy this video hyping Slammiversary was. The phenomenon started when Matt and Jeff signed a contract, resulting in Matt putting Jeff through a small dining table. The video came off campy and a little corny, but it had a butt load of charm, I couldn’t wait for more. Maybe it’s because you could tell that someone cared about this; they had an idea, and this was just a step

towards a much bigger picture. We got introduced to Senior Benjamin, perhaps the ‘Best Supporting Actor’ in many of the mini movies produced by the duo. I’ll admit, the match that ensued was underwhelming

aside from the much talked about Casio keyboard spot. How did they come back from this cool down? The Final Deletion. Following a drone attack on Jeff and Matt riding a lawnmower messing up Jeff’s perfectly manicured lawn, we got a match in a backyard. Get this, in 2016 we saw a “major” promotion put off what looked like backyard wrestling, but only for a minute. What proceeded I didn’t see coming, the brothers shot fireworks at each other until the memorable debut of Skarsgard, a dilapidated boat, Willow and much more. Matt would win via pinfall after setting aflame the platform in which Jeff was perch upon, coincidentally catching himself on fire in the process. Most recently, we saw a new faction enter the fold to battle for the possession of young Maxel Hardy; Matt, and Reby’s toddler son. Jeff, now deleted and rendered obsolete, renamed Brother Nero would fight alongside his

OCTOBER 2016 STEELCHAIR 57

MATT HARDY brother to fend off Decay, consisting of Abyss, Crazy Steve, and Rosemary. This rendition saw a part of the battle taking place underwater and resulting in Decay abducting Senior Benjamin. I want more, but I can’t get my mind of what I feel is a downside to this story, at least up until Delete or Decay that is. Whenever Jeff Hardy or Brother Nero spoke it lacked conviction, he could raise his voice but what followed felt out of sync or contrived. Since the breaking of Jeff Hardy and fully embracing being broken, Brother Nero’s promo skills have improved since his gimmick is to be slightly monotone. Above all else, Matt has been taking to Twitter to further his campaign, posting pictures outside of WWE headquarters referencing “Meekman” and calling out every troll on twitter, not because he doesn’t like what they have to say but because he’s staying in character; ‘Broken’ Matt Hardy is everywhere. He’s a favorite on wrestler hosted podcasts, staying in character and further explaining just how the Seven Deities help him and where he plans to go once he conquer’s the world of wrestling. ‘Broken’ Matt has most certainly got wrestling fans talking about TNA, the Hardy Brothers, and the Hardy brand; no pun intended. But does this equate to more eyes on TNA Impact week by week? Initially yes, where Impact roughly gets around 320,000 - 340,000 viewers a week, the Final Deletion brought in an extra 88,000 fans from the week prior, bringing the total to 410,000 people watching Impact that Thursday night. Not that big of a number in comparison to WWE’s RAW which consistently loses more than that from start to finish, but considering that equals up to about

58 STEELCHAIR OCTOBER 2016

25% of Impact’s total viewers, that’s a hell of a stat. The next obvious question is, have they kept this trend going? Not necessarily, the next grand installment of ‘Hardy Cinema’ should be considered a rating’s disappointment; falling by 14,000 viewers from the week prior bringing the total to 337,000. What that’s saying is that 73,000 of the 88,000 extra sets of eyes that the Final Deletion brought to Impact have seemingly discontinued watching week to week. On the plus side, you could chalk that up to it being the opening week of the NFL season which recently brought the WWE to its knees dropping from 3.069 million to 2.68 million. The fact is still sad that the unmatched amount of drive that Matt Hardy is portraying to make this project successful isn’t showing as a success on paper. Let’s all face it; bigwig television suits care about

ratings, if you have low ratings then you get low paying sponsors and advertisers and the lower they get then your chances of staying on air are slim to none, no amount of YouTube clicks or retweets can change that. If math isn’t your thing, then you should be delighted that we’re done with that portion of the piece, all that’s left to do is wonder what the future will bring us. Matt has said that the “Great War” has just begun and with Bound for Glory only weeks away you gotta think he has something big up his sleeve. Will it bring in ratings? Will it bump up pay-per-view buys? Only time can tell, and one can only hope. Meanwhile, you can keep up with all your Impact needs at SteelChairMag.com with weekly recaps titled iMPACT Testing! (Cheap plug)

LOOK BACK

WORDS: LEE HAZELL

A LOOK BACK AT THE 1ST IN YOUR HOUSE WE have recently begun

past matches and events into the

with a price that would make even the

a new run of PPVs that

contexts of their appropriate eras feels

property owners of Park Lane swoon.

accommodates the new

more important now than ever (however

That segment, given a joint main event

Raw/Smackdown brand

superfluous that feeling may be). Having

spot with the WWE Champion, might

split. With two PPVs a

said that, the In Your House movement

have had as much to do with wrestling

month for each brand, and ‘The Big 4’

takes place smack bang in the middle of

as The Great British Bake Off, but as a

of SummerSlam, Survivor Series, Royal

WWE’s New Generation period.

man living in London who is reduced to

Rumble and WrestleMania providing us

The Steroid Scandal has rocked, and

tears by the sight of a surveyor’s bill, I

with action from both rosters, there will

almost ended, the cultural phenomenon

found the whole thing heart-warming. I

now be nineteen Pay Per Views a year.

that is professional wrestling. Hogan

even had the patience to tolerate Todd

Nineteen times wrestling content creators

and Savage have jumped ship to WCW.

Pettengill and Stephanie Wiand’s overly

have to stay up until four o’clock in the

WWE is in the middle of promoting its

rehearsed, numbingly enthusiastic, One

morning to cover an event. Nineteen

new crop of stars to replace them and

Show style antics.

Mondays a year going into work looking

it isn’t going very well. Kevin Nash, here

The first match was Bret Hart vs.

like a recovering heroin addict, or a

playing the role of Diesel, is one of the

Hakushi. In a classic use of what the

recent victim of demonic possession.

worst draws in the company’s history to

North Americans of 1995 would class

Eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep,

that point. WWE’s new batch just cannot

as the strange and exotic, Hakushi’s

wandering into the wrong gender’s

capture the audience’s imagination in

distinct and vivid appearance cut an

toilet because you can’t decipher basic

the ways that Hogan, Warrior, Savage, or

imposing image. He walked down to

symbols, shorting out your keyboard

Andre the Giant could.

the ring wearing a rice straw woven hat,

because you can’t stop dribbling, not

Add to that the pressure of the strongest

holding a Khakkhara and with shakyo

being able to hear colleagues two feet

competition WWE would ever have in

written down his face. All is in brilliant

away from you because your mind is

WCW, a company that just produced

white, even his manager, Shinja, has his

desperately trying to escape to the

nine Pay Per Views in a year, and you

face covered in white paint. The overall

blissful land of nod, all to write about

have a company needing a desperate

image is reminiscent of the Undertaker;

seven more B-shows no one asked for, no

new initiative to drum up business.

spooky and supernatural, thrusting an

one wanted and, very likely, no one will

That initiative would be known as In

omnipotent power over the audience, only

enjoy.

Your House. The monthly set of PPVs

instead of everything bathed in hellish

But I’m not bitter. I’m merely using this

would give audiences a constantly

black, they are covered in a deathly pale

event to talk about the last time WWE

revolving door of incentives to watch

white.

upped its PPV quota when they decided

the TV programming. Each month, the

His moves are also cause for Bret Hart’s

to produce a heavenly sounding twelve

matches and storylines presented on

concern. His nickname, the ‘Modern

shows a year. This was the birthplace

WWE Raw would hold the promise of

Day Kamikaze’, is well earned, as this

of the modern B-show. This was the

being resolved in a PPV just a few weeks

man is a high-flying risk taker who really

moment the House of Vince turned into

away, encouraging regular viewing from

does sacrifice his body to get results.

a PPV sausage factory. This was WWE In

audiences.

It’s a curious thing for a heel to do such

Your House 1.

The first would be held in Syracuse,

death-defying feats, the kind that would

Because of the current shift going on in

New York, where they would lay on the

have a crowd on its feet. I guess such

WWE, as it switches between eras in what

‘House’ theme like an overenthusiastic

acrobatics are also part of his strangely

is perhaps the most extreme state of

bricklayer slapping on the mortar. It was

outlandish persona, especially when

flux WWE has ever been in, categorising

a bit much. They even gave away a house

American audiences are more used to

60 STEELCHAIR OCTOBER 2016

brawling and grappling, and tend to view

Razor makes a valiant effort in the

being one of the poorest times in WWE’s

more gymnastic styles of wrestling as

opening, but the numbers advantage is

history. It is the unbeatable low point of

illegitimate. His skills cannot be denied

too much for him. But in typical booking

the night.

however; he hits a moonsault from the

fashion, he makes an astonishing

Next is the Un-American alliance of

middle rope to the outside to take Hart

comeback. Strangely, he pins Jarett, not

Canadian Owen Hart and the ‘Japanese’

out and later, he even springboards from

Jarrett’s subordinate, Roadie. After the

Yokozuna (real name: Rodney Agatupu

the centre of the ropes to attempt a

match, the two losers begin a beat down

Anoaʻi. Real ethnicity: Samoan) taking

flying head butt.

on the victorious Ramone. This sets the

on the all-American Smoking Gunns. The

Bret is in trouble in this match. Hakushi’s

stage for a mysterious newcomer. A man

key to this match being pretty damn good

manager, Shinja, himself a former

in civilian gear storms the ring from

is keeping Yokozuna on the edge of the

wrestler of considerable reputation,

the audience to take down JJ and the

apron for as long as possible. He barely

is causing all kinds of chaos for Bret

Roadie and save Razor Ramone. Security

sees any action. He mostly just moves

outside of the ring. He’s fighting off

is called to handle him, but he holds

the story along. Owen makes up for his

both men at once. But the Hitman is an

them off. In a backstage interview he

absence in spades though. But, despite

unstoppable force under pressure and

is revealed to be Savio Vega, Ramone’s

getting the pin, Yoko is ultimately the

you need a lot more than a walking white

friend from Puerto Rico. Ramone certifies

one who wins the match and looks good,

picket fence stake to keep him down. He

him as a badass by saying that after

mostly through the protection of Owen.

bests Hakushi with his superior technical

fighting him many times in the past, he is

Like how Tom the cabin boy always saves

ability by getting him in a rollup.

glad to now be on his side.

the day only for Captain Pugwash to take

After the match, Bret gets out of the

The King of the Ring qualifier is next and

the credit. Waddya mean who’s Captain

ring and twists his knee. Now, why does

my god, I’m amazed this didn’t kill the

Pugwash? Bloody millennials.

it have to be Bret that causes himself a

concept entirely. King of the Ring was

Let’s just take a minute to talk about

kayfabe injury? Why can’t it be Hakushi?

WWE’s method of raising a mid-carder’s

how good the Smoking Gunns look here

This way Bret just makes himself look

profile so that he could play with the big

though, shall we? Considering his athletic

a fool. Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler relishes

boys in the higher up matches. KOTR

ability, it sickens me to remember how

the chance to get in the ring with Bret at

helped make world champions out of

Bart Gunn was thrown to the wolves at

their engagement later on. Yes, Bret has

guys like Randy Savage, Ted Dibiase and

WrestleMania XV. He fought a legit boxer

been challenged to two matches tonight,

Bret Hart. And it almost made a world

in a legit boxing match after winning

and, of course, he accepted them both.

champion out of Mabel too. But after

WWF’s legit boxing tournament The Brawl

Cue several back stage segments, where

winning the crown and facing Diesel at

for All. Apparently it was punishment for

Lawler is licking his lips at the idea of

SummerSlam, he lost his place as top

taking out WWF’s desired winner, despite

facing Bret Hart with an injury.

heel in the company because of his

his victory being as real as victories get in

The next fight is ‘Double J’ Jeff Jarett and

careless wrestling style. He was a serial

WWF. Anyway, he was knocked out in half

the Roadie facing Razor Ramone, two on

injurer.

a minute and fired, possibly out of sheer

one. It was meant to be a tag match with

WWE put a lot of work into giving

embarrassment. Looking at this match,

the 1-2-3 Kid (better known now as Sean

Mable a huge push and this King of

how Gunn’s WWF career turned out is a

Waltman or Xpac) on the side of The

the Ring match was one such piece of

tragedy.

Bad Guy. But after a legit injury to the

that push. This was another example of

But it is funny to see his partner Billy

Kid’s neck, it was turned into a handicap

WWE degrading themselves into a freak

in a match on the same card as the

match.

show. Mable was pushed because of his

Roadie. Both supporting characters in

The Roadie was almost playing the

tremendous size and weight. Just landing

someone else’s story tonight, they would

manager role here as he was Jarett’s

on a man would render him victorious.

be soon be taking starring roles when

stooge. Leaving most of the action up

That’s how he beats his opponent in

they teamed up to become the New

to his master, Roadie mostly took on

this match, Adam Bomb. He simply

Age Outlaws, multiple time tag team

Ramone from the shadows and while

catches him and slams him. This is the

champions with merchandise sales only

the ref wasn’t looking. Even though

conclusion to a sloppy and ugly match

beaten by Stone Cold and The Rock.

the match was fought under handicap

that would be prophetic of his rise in

Before the next match, we get an

rules, tagging was still being enforced,

the company. His match against Diesel

interview with ‘Big Daddy Cool’ Diesel

so Roadie could get disqualified for such

at SummerSlam is what people think

that reminds me of something. As much

behaviour.

of when they think of the mid-nineties

as they laid on the House theme, they

OCTOBER 2O16 STEELCHAIR 61

LOOK BACK really pushed the fact that they were

and Hayes’ heel colour commentary, they

afterwards, but the fact that they hold off

broadcasting on Mother’s Day. Bret Hart

seem like JR and King MK I.

during the match makes it feel like WWE

dedicated his match to his mother. Ok.

The main event is for the WWE World

is holding its cards back for a bigger

Diesle was reflecting on the fact that

Heavyweight Championship. The

show. It doesn’t help the one they’re

this was the first Mother’s Day since his

champion is Diesel and the challenger

showing feel any more prestigious. And,

mother died. Bit maudlin for a wrestling

is Sycho Sid. First thing you hear out of

in keeping with my prediction about the

PPV, but who am I to tell a guy where

Hayes’ mouth as Diesel makes his way

two wrestler’s abilities, the match gets

he can and cannot express his grief?

down the aisle, is that this won’t be a

real sloppy at the end. They can’t keep

Jerry Lawler though… Jerry Lawler got

catch-as-catch-can masterpiece. Well

up. No wonder the last match is only

a 25-year-old brunette to pose as his

having just watched the Cruiserweight

eleven minutes. The champion and the

mother while he acted like, well, he acted

Classic, which had at least half a dozen

challenger should really be able to give

like Jerry Lawler around her. She played

excellent technical matchups, I have

the main event more time than that.

the roll seemingly willingly too. She even

to say Mr. Hayes, your rhetoric doesn’t

Tatanka ends the match just before

challenged Bret Hart’s mum to a match

exactly sell me on it.

Diesel seals it by disqualifying Sid and

after Hart and Lawler go at it. It’s, er…

But let’s keep an open mind, shall we?

beating the champ down. Bam Bam

it’s a unique way to celebrate Mother’s

After briefly mocking Sid’s signature

comes in for the save. Standard ending

Day. Not for me though. Think I’ll stick to

blinking pattern, Kevin Nash springs

to an above average (barely) match. Not

flowers.

into action, and I can assure you ladies

the greatest thing to end your new line of

This sets up Bret Hart vs Jerry Lawler

and gentlemen, his quads are most

PPVs on. It’s certainly not Styles winning

and wouldn’t you know it? Bret was

certainly not torn. I have to say, it’s at

the title in any case. But not harmful.

faking the leg injury all along. This really

times like this I can really see what Vince

I’m actually a little surprised that I didn’t

turns the tables on King as he was

and co. saw in him. I can also see why

hate this show. You hear a lot about

preparing to take on a hobbling Hitman.

the audience didn’t care. He’s like the

mid-nineties WWE being a wasteland

Thankfully, it also reverses the image of

original Roman Reigns. All high impact

of underused talent and a paradise

Bret looking a fool. Very much a mirror

offence. Nothing that could be described

for the mediocre. But as long as there

of the last match, it’s Bret’s turn to get

as mediocre whatsoever.

are workers doing the work, shows like

all the offence in on his opponent only

But therein lies the problem. It’s

this will succeed. There were some

to be felled at the bitter end. Bret hits

2-dimensional. Without a go-to hold,

fine matches and great performances.

all his signature moves but then the ref

Diesel’s matches are all about the

Bizzarly, I thought the same about 2016’s

gets distracted by a returning Shinja.

impact, and his move set never changes.

Backlash. Not expecting much, and being

In the confusion, the ref’s legs are tied

This makes his matches samey,

surprised I didn’t hate it. The result is

up in the ropes and he is hanging by his

monotonous, and boring. Here, as I

a net positive, even if it sounds like a

ankles on the outside. He can’t see the

watch one match on one PPV, it’s all

backhanded compliment.

series of flying head butts that Hakushi

fantastically thrilling to see. But I can

is pummelling Bret with, in a bit of

already tell he’s limited as a performer.

outside interference that really stretches

And after this, I don’t know how much

the definition of the term ‘suspension

tolerance for that I would have for him as

of disbelief’. Lawler gets the win and

a world champion.

Bret loses his shit. Only John Cena does

Same goes for Sid. He’s got a hell

righteous indignation so well.

of a physique. His heel charisma is

After that is the house giveaway, but as

undeniable and his moves all look like

we’ve already discussed that I’ll take this

they hurt like hell. It’s probably the best

moment to talk about the commentary

meeting either of them could have hoped

team. Micheal PS Hayes, here playing

for. But I’m not sure I’d like to see them

Dok Hendrix, and Vince McMahon are

go in a best-of-five series.

one of the most underrated commentary

Despite the commentary really putting

teams in WWE history. Possibly because,

over the story of Diesel vs Dibiase’s

for some reason, they only called two

Million Dollar Corporation, they don’t

PPVs. Which is a shame because between

get too involved in the match itself. They

Vince McMahon’s dramatic play-by-play

end the match and beat Diesel down

62 STEELCHAIR OCTOBER 2016

TWEET US YOUR IN YOUR HOUSE VIEWS @STEELCHAIRMAG

SUMMERSLAM

WORDS: CRAIG HERMIT

SUMMERSLAM 2016 DVD + BLURAY REVIEW

his year’s SummerSlam is the last cross-

ending to the bout. In complete contrast to that, SmackDown

branded event until Survivor Series in November,

presented the WWE Championship match, pitting Champion

and this Blu-ray release, due on the 10th of

Dean Ambrose vs Dolph Ziggler. It’s an unusual route for WWE

October – ranging from £17.99 to £20 – billed

to take – pitting two fan favourites to face each other – but

SummerSlam 2016 as the ‘Biggest Party of the

it worked brilliantly. With the match turning the two from

Year’.

opponents to wrestlers with respect for one another, it was great

It’s just a shame no one told Brock Lesnar and Randy Orton

to see more from Ambrose’s arsenal and Ziggler once again

that. The main event ended in such a way that it left many fans

showed what he can do when given time.

feeling uncomfortable. His viscous elbow strikes battered a

The match of SummerSlam belonged to AJ Styles and John

helpless Viper and then proceeded to destroy Shane MacMahon.

Cena. While fans may have been worried what this next

It doesn’t feel any better after repeat viewing either. The match

instalment would bring, they needn’t have bothered, as this

itself is exactly what fans have seen before, with Lesnar being

was a fantastic bout. With both sides of fans left wondering

a one man wrecking crew, as Orton does extremely well against

who would win – with false finishes enough to leave you at the

this unstoppable foe.

edge of your seat – on Blu-ray, the match retains that feeling

Raw presented the Universal Championship Match, seeing

throughout.

Finn Bálor against Seth Rollins. It was a good match, but after

The Womn’s Championship Match between Champion Sasha

watching the Blu-ray you can’t help but feel a sense of sadness

Banks against Charlotte, after repeating viewing you are left

at what happened to Bálor afterwards, despite the feel good

with more questions than answers. Why was Sasha Banks

64 STEELCHAIR OCTOBER 2016

booked to lose after only just capturing

on the rivalries on the show or even the

WWE Universal Championship Match:

the title? Why build up Sasha’s

brand split.

Finn Bálor vs. Seth Rollins

momentum if only to derail it? And less

United States Championship Match:

asked about the turnbuckle spot the

The Blu-Ray:

Rusev vs. Roman Reigns

better. Questions aside, it is a superb

Enzo Amore & Big Cass vs. Chris Jericho

Randy Orton vs. Brock Lesnar

fight, though.

& Kevin Owens

With more entertaining bouts included

WWE Women’s Championship Match:

DVD & Blu-ray Extras:

on the card, including Enzo Amore & Big

Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte

SummerSlam Kickoff Matches.

Cass facing Chris Jericho & Kevin Owens,

Intercontinental Championship Match:

The Usos, American Alpha, & Hype Bros.

you can also feel slightly disappointed

The Miz vs. Apollo Crews

vs. Breezango, The Ascension, & The

at the range of extras included as they

John Cena vs. AJ Styles

Vaudevillains

are the SummerSlam Kickoff matches.

WWE Tag Team Championship Match:

Sami Zayn & Neville vs. The Dudley Boyz

You would feel that as SummerSlam

The New Day vs. Luke Gallows & Karl

First Match in Best of Seven Series:

remains one of WWE’s ‘Big Four PPV’

Anderson

Cesaro vs. Sheamus

events more effort may have gone into

WWE World Championship Match: Dean

preserving the history of SummerSlam

Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler

with more in-depth extras on the history

Becky Lynch, Carmella, & Naomi vs.

of the prestigious show and packages

Natalya, Alexa Bliss, & Nikki Bella

OCTOBER 2016 STEELCHAIR 65

PROGRESS

WORDS: CRAIG HERMIT / PHOTO: ROB BRAZIER

PROGRESS WRESTLING: LIVE REVIEW

“S

tarted from the bottom and now we’re here”,

later the action spilled to the floor and the two men charged

this is the regular theme among the Progress

at each other with clotheslines before Coffey connected with

Wrestling fans from the promotion’s playlist

a Powerslam on the concrete floor almost getting a count out

before the start of any of their shows and it’s

victory.

apt that the tag line from Drake’s hit sums up the direction of Progress’s since its inception from back

From there it was a barrage of offence from Coffey hitting his

in 2011. Their first show, Chapter One: The Beginning, was

deadlift powerslam, connecting with his springboard splash

held at The Garage in Highbury, London during March 2012.

from the top turnbuckle and using the Giant Swing. Despite

It drew respectable numbers and the later shows within the

getting near falls, Brown showed exactly why he is considered

venue reached the sell-out capacity of 350. Now fast-forward to

one of the best in the UK. Absorbing the punishment throughout

Chapter Thirty-Six, 25th of September 2016. The destination

the match, he retaliated with the piledriver, a falling slam and

The O2 Academy and the capacity of 2400 people filled the

even a fallaway slam from the top turnbuckle. The fans sat in

arena.

awe, witnessing the action and numerous chants of “This Is Progress!” and duelling chants for both men willed the finalists

The show itself was everything that fans old and new could

to continue on more than one occasion. On this night there

have expected. Surprise returns, Championships changing

could only be one winner, and after absorbing more punishment

hands, rivalries concluded, emotional goodbyes and a lot more,

from a Boston crab and various viscous lariats from Coffey,

especially involving what lies ahead for the constantly evolving

Brown managed to hit not one Piledriver but another on a tired

and growing promotion.

Coffey to become the first ever Atlas Champion. In a sign of class and respect, both men hugged afterwards, but who knows

It would be hard to begin a show review without mentioning

who will be the first challenger to the new Champion.

the Progress Wrestling fans, because they are integral to the product. The motto that fans hear Co-Owner and all round good egg, Jim Smallman shout before each show, “Don’t Be A Dick” extends to every single one of them and each one follows that statement to the letter at every show. In doing so when you are present at an event you can feel almost included into the family atmosphere, you become relaxed and this is projected to all to give a better experience of the event. At Chapter Thirty-Six, this took a great show and elevated it.

ATLAS CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT FINAL: JOE COFFEY VS RAMPAGE BROWN The tournament started with eight men, a journey that kicked off at Chapter 28 on April 10th and it ended with two men, both versed in contrasting styles of wrestling, both highly successful, respected and a testament to the excellence that the Atlas Championship Tournament has achieved. The two men traded chops, slams, spine busters in the early going of the match, almost telling the audience that this WILL be a hard hitting encounter. If they didn’t get that message minutes

66 STEELCHAIR OCTOBER 2O16

JINNY, ALEX WINDSOR & DAHLIA BLACK VS POLLYANNA, NIXON NEWELL & LAURA DI MATTEO Earlier this year, Progress announced that the fourth series of

the Natural Progression Tournament will crown their first ever

so evenly matched, trading deep arm drags and simultaneous

Women’s Champion, with the first match to be occurring at

dropkicks at each other. This was just a sign of things to come.

Chapter Thirty-Eight. Anyone who was doubting how incredible

Every women in the match had their chance to shine and

the Progress Women’s Division is, need only look at the wealth

excelled in doing so, from Black’s destructive dropkicks to a

of talent in this match and everything involved in producing one

vulnerable Pollyanna who was slumped in the corner, Pollyanna’s

hell of a six woman tag match. It has to be said that no another

super-plex from the second rope on Jinny, from Jinny’s style’s

woman around, in my personal opinion, gets the reaction that

clash on Matteo, and Matteo’s dropkick from the top turnbuckle

Jinny gets from the fans. They detest her, they verbally scorn

on Jinny, this match was a fine example of what a women’s

her, but they respect what she does in that ring and I have no

wrestling revolution really is. The result didn’t please the fans as

doubt that promotions from across the waters all have their eye

Jinny got the pinfall on Matteo with an X-factor from the second

on not just her, but every one of the women in this match.

turnbuckle.

This six-woman tag match had storylines galore, from the

PROGRESS TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP: BRITISH STRONG STYLE (PETE DUNNE & TRENT SEVEN) VS THE LONDON RIOTS (ROB LYNCH & JAMES DAVIS)

redemption of Matteo against her former employer Jinny, who in-turn is hell bent on getting revenge against her former employee. Pollyanna’s war with the South Pacific Power Couple (Black & TK Cooper) has only intensified in months and Newell’s feud with Windsor far from over after their blistering encounter from the previous month’s show. Not forgetting from the previous year, Jinny’s yearlong rivalry with Pollyanna this match

Much of this match was focused on Lynch’s eye which was

had incredible drama even before the bell rang. As the match

clearly and already injured, as Dunne and Seven gleefully

started, Newell and Windsor demonstrated exactly why they are

focused their attack on that part of his body anytime the match

OCTOBER 2O16 STEELCHAIR 67

PROGRESS

appeared to get out of their control. But The London Riots, who

beach balls flying down from the balcony. Despite the fun

have proven to be more lethal when at a disadvantage, showed

atmosphere, it never reached Robinson and he launched his fury

this to British Strong Style throughout this bout. It would be the

and vindictiveness on his opponent. It wasn’t long that despite

eye injury that would be the turning point. Just as The London

a titanic struggle from the superb Mambo, it would be Robinson

Riots looked to be retaining their Titles it was a savage strike

who took the win.

with a cricket bat to the eye allowing Dunne to capitalise further and get the pinball. However, there is no doubt, The Riot’s will be looking at their re-match clause when they are back to full strength.

PAUL ROBINSON VS CHUCK MAMBO

2 OUT OF 3 FALLS: ZACK SABRE JR VS TOMMASO CIAMPA Beginning from Super Strong Style 16 last year, both men have traded victories over each other in world class matches and this two out of three falls bout was the decider. For almost thirty minutes both men excelled at showing why they are respected

Next, Progress fans bore witness of the return of the detestable

across the world, treating the Progress fans in Brixton to a

Paul Robinson, as he has gone out of his way insult, attack and

masterclass of pacing and storytelling in the match. In a unique

spit on those same fans, and he marched to the ring with an

way of deciding the first and the second fall both men ended

ultimatum that he wasn’t leaving until he got to fight someone.

up pinning each other simultaneously with a cradle meaning

It was then fan favourite Chuck Mambo arrived, complete with

the next fall would be sudden death. Both men proved to be

68 STEELCHAIR OCTOBER 2O16

relentless in their pursuit to gain the victory, with Sabre focusing

times he has been harassed by The Origin as he hit a Stunner

on Ciampa’s arm and Ciampa assaulting Sabre’s back. But

on Cruz, but the fans in attendance would be disappointed, as

on this night, it would be Sabre who would take the win by

the teamwork of The Origin would once again prove to be the

submission in an excellent match. The Progress fans gave the

deciding factor, as they would get the win.

best leaving present they could to Ciampa as he stood in the ring, they gave a standing ovation.

IF THE ORIGIN LOSE THEY MUST DISBAND: 8-MAN TAG TEAM – THE ORIGIN - NATHAN CRUZ, EL LIGERO, ZACK GIBSON & DAVE MASTIFF VS JACK GALLAGHER, MARK ANDREWS, EDDIE DENNIS & DAMON MOSER. One of the biggest rivalries Progress Wrestling has ever had, was settled on this night. For over a year ever since The Origin’s unification, they have cast a shadow over their opponents and like all eight men have done in previous outings, they proved why they are world class wrestlers providing fans with a chaotic eight man tag match, that excelled in destruction, brutality and even comedy. Instead of streamers being thrown at The Origin, it was toilet roll. The ring and themselves appeared to be awash in a sea of tissue pater and the comedy continued throughout the fantastic match; a credit to the men that it did not once seem out of place. Referee Joel Allen getting a hint of retribution for the

PROGRESS CHAMPIONSHIP TRIPLE THREAT MATCH: MARTY SCURLL(C) VS TOMMY END VS MARK HASKINS Take the winner of the PWG BOLA Tournament and current Progress Champion. Add the current Smash Wrestling Champion, then include one of the most experienced and destructive individuals the industry has, and you will have the main event of Chapter Thirty-Six. An incredible triple threat that encapsulated everything that was Progress. All three proved exactly why they should be Champion but it wasn’t until the finale when ‘The Villain’ went on a rampage on the referees after failing to get the three count of a fallen Tommy End. He attacked one referee, then another, then another official, and all that was left in the ring was himself and Jim Smallman. As he looked to attack Jimmy Havoc’s music played and the returning hardcore master of Progress arrived to the ring saving his once former enemy and striking with an Acid Rainmaker allowing Mark Haskins among the chaos to attack Scurll, getting the Submission and capturing the Title that remained elusive for so long.

OCTOBER 2O16 STEELCHAIR 69

GO-HOME

ALAN BOON’S

GO-HOME SHOW HAVE YOU PICKED YOUR SIDE IN THE BRAND SPLIT? ave you picked your side in the brand split yet? Because you HAVE to. Mick Foley said so. He said that Monday Night Raw was in direct competition with Smackdown Live. It’s a fight for ratings, and you gotta trust Mick Foley, right? Well, apart from that time, last week, when he said that you weren’t a real wrestling fan if you thought a fake injury no-contest was a bullshit finish, anyway. Dick move, Mick.

Anyway, you gotta pick. I have. I made my pick on the flimsiest of precepts: which one is easier to watch? And when it comes to being easier to watch, Smackdown Live’s 2 hours was always going to win big over Monday Night Raw’s 3-hour weekly endurance test,

70 STEELCHAIR OCTOBER 2O16

however much they stack the cards with those delicious, flexible cruiserweights. I do wish there was more of a distinction between the brands, however. At the moment the main difference is that Raw is obviously considered the A-show while Smackdown, for all its new imagery and strive for ratings by going live, is very much a B-show. But it’s a good B-show, with some compelling characters who, despite the thinness of rosters, don’t outstay their welcomes. Not for Smackdown an opening match and angle between the likes of Rusev & Reigns that lasts almost a full hour! No way, man! Instead, we get the punchy segments that fill the two hours just right – you know, like it used to be back when we all

fell in love with this stuff. And that’s the elephant in the room that Smackdown Live has reinterred – 3 hours is way too long for a weekly television show. And although the reasons for keeping Raw at 3 hours are overwhelmingly financial, something has to change at some point before all but us hardcores are driven off. For now, though, we get to choose. Some of us will choose to watch both. We’re committed to this now and there’s no pretending otherwise – that ship has sailed and taken any pretence of us having a normal life with it. But even if we do watch both, you have to pick a side. Are you a red or are you a blue? Pick carefully.

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