STEELCHAIR Wrestling Magazine #17 by SteelChair Wrestling

// NXT DOWNLOAD 2017 // TOURNAMENT OF DEATH //

CZW CHAMP + IMPACT’S DAVEY RICHARDS THE RETURN OF

SCOTT

SEVEN V RIDDLE: SIX OTHER SUPERB SWIFT MATCHES

RING OF HONOR JAY WHITE

STEINER “SOMEBODY’S GOING TO GET PUNCHED” July 2017

// ISSUE 17

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WELCOME

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WELCOME FROM THE EDITOR

elcome to the latest issue. This time around we look at the return of Big Poppa Pump, Scott Steiner who made his big comeback at IMPACT/GFW Slammiversary.

We also got the chance to chat with the former CZW champion, and GFW star, Davey Richards who discusses the UK scene and IMPACT’s return on SPIKE.

EDITORIAL David Garlick Editor / Design david@vulturehound.com

Erin Dick + Mat Lindsay Features Editors

Bradley Tiernan + James Toal Review Editors

Lee Hazel Copy Editor

Tony Quant Online News Editor

ROH and NJPW’s Jay White talks about training at the NJPW Dojo, his dream matches and leaving New Zealand. We also look at NJPW in the USA, NXT at Download Festival, GLOW on Netflix and more! David Garlick @davidgarlick

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Craig Hermit Online Editor

@SteelchairMag ‘StreelChairMag’

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HIGHLIGHTS

Copyright 2017 SteelChair Magazine. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of SteelChair Magazine. Requests for permission should be directed to: info@steelchairmag.com.

PAST MONTH MATCHES OF THE MONTH

NIKKI CROSS VS. ASUKA - FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE NXT

The undefeated NXT Women’s champion squared off with Nikki Cross for a stunning Falls Count Anywhere match. Tables, ladders, chairs, trash cans and even the announce table were all involved in this incredible battle. But Nikki Cross was not able to break Asuka’s winning streak. Here lies the power of the WWE Women’s Revolution.

CODY VS. DANIELS - ROH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROH BEST IN THE WORLD

Cody promised he was going to end a 31-year family drought without a World title. He did it at Best in the World, defeating The Fallen Angel Christopher Daniels in quite a controversial match. With a little help of The Bullet Club, a slice of cockiness, an attack on ROH owner Cary Silkin, a jump onto a table and a little mockery at Okada’s Rainmaker, Cody reached the top of the ROH world.

OKADA VS. OMEGA NJPW DOMINION 6.11

Was it possible to do even better than their first encounter back in January? The “6-stars” match set the standards for every match of the year. Okada and Omega fought one long hour and after loads of dropkicks and Rainmakers, no winner emerged. A third encounter is set for the G1 Climax Tournament qualifications. Another opportunity to make magic

WORDS: STEPH FRANCHOMME

DAILY UPDATES AT STEELCHAIRMAG. COM

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WRESTLER

OF THE MONTH

CODY RHODES ust a little over a year ago, a frustrated Cody Rhodes openly sought his WWE release as his character “Stardust” seemed forever relegated to “mid card hell”. Cody took the ultimate risk in leaving the world’s biggest wrestling company in an effort to wrestle a list of his dream opponents in every place this big world has to offer. In that time he has found an identity that is all his own; giving the world a bevy of memorable moments. At ROH Best in the World, his hard work paid dividends once again as he dethroned Christopher Daniels to become the new ROH World Champion; the first world title reign of his career. While his soul searching began by following in the footsteps of his late father Dusty, it is very apparent that Cody has walked these tumultuous miles in boots he laced up himself, and to that, in unison we chant “You deserve it”.

WORDS: NICHOLAS GROOMS

EVENT OF OF THE MONTH ROH BEST IN THE WORLD JULY 2017 STEELCHAIR 05

DAVEY RICHARDS

INTERVIEW: DAVEY RICHARDS WORDS: TONY QUANT

t’s hard to argue that Davey Richards isn’t one of the most successful wrestlers outside of the WWE in recent years. Currently signed to Impact Wrestling, Richards has a list of accolades that stretch further than most of his peers and include PWG World Champion, Two-time IWGP Jr Heavyweight Tag Champion, fivetime Impact Wrestling World Tag Team Champion and ROH World Champion to name but a few.

Whilst most wrestlers are brash and outspoken when it comes to celebrating their success, Richards is more subdued and prefers to let his work inside the ring do the talking. We managed to catch up with him recently to delve into his past and discuss what got him into the industry, get his thoughts on his achievements, and much more.

I read that you were never a pro wrestling fan growing up. What was it that hooked you into pro wrestling? Well, I watched pro wrestling with my grandparents when I was really young. We used to watch Stampede Wrestling and I was a fan of Owen Hart and the Dynamite Kid. It wasn’t until after college though that I got back into it and that

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was mainly through Pancrase and then I got into Japanese Wrestling and then American Wrestling. So, I suppose I kind of got into things backwards.

Given your introduction to the business, I suspect that working in Japan was a big goal of yours which you have obviously been able to achieve during your career? Yeah, working in Japan was definitely a massive goal for me and one I am happy to say came true. Most of the inspiration in my career comes from Japan.

Are you still able to stay up to date with what’s happening in Japan at the moment? I don’t get to watch it as much as I used to because I am so busy, but I still keep up to date on things.

Focusing now on your career and looking back at the major achievements you have had, what has been the most rewarding title that you have won? At this stage in my career, I am more proud of being someone who has given fans their money’s worth.

I used to place an emphasis on Titles, but at this stage, I am just more proud to pull good matches out of anyone I share the ring with.

You most recently became the CZW Heavyweight Champion. Do things feel different at CZW, as they appear to have turned a corner and are not focusing so much on their death matches? CZW has always produced amazing talent (Sami Callihan, John Moxley, The Crist Brothers, Lio Rush), but have obviously been more well known for their death matches. I personally have always just gone there to wrestle and have always had good fun doing so. I am very proud to be the Champion and it was very cool for me as it happened in Seattle, which was even better. I would really like to thank CZW and Lio Rush for being unselfish, and I like the element of surprise that defending belts on other promotions brings to the fans.

Another highlight of 2017 for you must have been going to India with Impact Wrestling. What did you make of that whole experience? Yeah. It was amazing. It really was a

impact wrestling is now on spike uk fridays at 9pm once-in-a-lifetime thing. I got to perform in front of a virgin crowd that had never seen anything like this before. It was really cool to see and you could sense the passion. I couldn’t be more proud of the company that I work for and it was a real win for everyone involved.

Talking of passionate fans, the UK has been very happy to have Impact Wrestling back on its television screens. Since Impact returned to Spike UK have you noticed much more attention from the UK fans and what do you make of the current state of the UK wrestling market? Yeah, my social media has blown up. It was great to read all the tweets. The level of talent in the UK is absolutely amazing. I think the recent hotbed has come about from a mixture of things. From guys like Doug Williams, Jody Fleisch and Johnny Storm laying the firm backbone, to promoters like Alex Shane, and now the new age of wrestlers coming through. Guys like Pete Dunne, Jack Gallagher etc. are just causing headlines all over the world and you also have to thank the fans. They are so passionate and they just give off so much energy that it’s just amazing.

The UK holds a special place in your career as it was during a visit to Wolverhampton that you and Eddie came up with the Wolves team name is that correct? Yeah, Eddie and I had known each other through our work in Japan and had always wanted to form a tag team but it had never worked out due to timings. Finally, at a show in Wolverhampton run by Trent Seven, we teamed and could feel the

“I have always been a natural bad guy” JULY 2017 STEELCHAIR 07

DAVEY RICHARDS

“The level of talent in the UK is absolutely amazing”

immediate chemistry, but couldn’t for the life of us think of a name. We were both big British Bulldog fans and we were chatting with the fans and one of them came up with the American Wolves and we just ran with it.

What made Eddie the most appealing partner given how many great wrestlers you have had the chance to share a ring with? I have just always liked his style. I remember when I used to wrestle the North East of America and he would come in and I just always thought, “Damn, he is really, really

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good.” At the time, he had braids and looked just like the Bulldog. He was just a cool guy and a phenomenal wrestler. We are very similar in how we think and what influenced us, and so it just clicked.

Fast forward to the current Impact Wrestling feud. How is it working opposite Eddie in a feud which has broken up the Wolves? Well, it’s just time to do something a little new and I have always been a natural bad guy. Eddie and I have been given the control of running this feud and it’s been a lot of fun and I have really enjoyed letting my creative juices work.

What can fans expect from your mixed-tag match at the upcoming Slammiversary PPV? Well, breaking down the match you have Alisha who is keen to prove she can hang with the veterans, and then you have the veteran Angela who wants to prove she can hang with the young guns. Eddie and I are always trying to outdo each other. Add all those ingredients together, and I am pretty sure there’s going to be fireworks at Slammiversary. Slammiversary is available on SPIKE UK

SWIFT MATCHES

WORDS: JOZEF RACZKA

SEVEN V RIDDLE:

SSS16 & SIX OTHER SUPERB SWIFT MATCHES ver the first weekend of June, the rising juggernaut of UK ProWrestling, PROGRESS, held their annual Super Strong Style 16 tournament, a 16-man, single-elimination rules event where the winner gets a shot at that lovely Progress World Title. One of the hottest first-round matches saw Trent Seven have a Progress: Orlando rematch against Atlas Champ, Matt Riddle.

He delivered an apathetic tirade about the audience, Matt Riddle himself, and the indie scene in general (quotation/summary: “You laugh, but I’m f***ing rich), while putting over his ‘colleague’ Brock Lesnar. The bell rang, and one running knee, three counts, six seconds, and another bell later, and Trent was out of the tournament. The look on his face and the reactions of the audience were priceless, especially when in a tag match the following day, a rolling elbow from Starr momentarily looked to be the second strike of lightning. The general system for ‘big matches’ has almost always been to present a multi-act epic. But sometimes, the sheer shock of a

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very quick match can work to throw the audience off. In tribute to this, here’s six of the best matches under two-and-a-half minutes, bellto-bell.

later, and the lights went out for KUSHIDA. Although he would go on to recover the title, this short match might be the most memorable of the three put on by the pair this year.

1. HIROMU TAKAHASHI VS KUSHIDA

2. GOLDBERG VS BROCK LESNAR Survivor Series 2016 – 1m25s

Sakura Gensis 2017 – 1m56s

Takahashi and KUSHIDA have had some great matches, with their Wrestle Kingdom 11 and Dominion 6.11 encounters, both being potential Match of the Year contenders. Both are reasonably lengthy affairs, especially by the standard treatment of Jr. Heavyweights over in NJPW. However, this match managed to pack nearly as much into 116 seconds as they achieved in fifteen minutes. The narrative formed act two of the three act rehab of KUSHIDA, starting with a wild brawl before the bell rings, and a top rope plancha by KUSHIDA during Takahashi’s entrance. Once back in the ring, Takahashi turned the tide. An outside sunset flip powerbomb, a corner driver, and a Timebomb

I had to mention this one. Whether you liked it or not, you noticed it and you had an opinion about it. As much as it made sense in retrospect, there were a lot of people who couldn’t see the WWE feeding their biggest monster to everyone’s new favourite wrestling dad. But then it happened. The bell rang, Goldberg hit a spear, then another, then a jackhammer, and it was over. It was insane. The man who’d brought everyone to Suplex City lost in under one-anda-half minutes. What was even more insane was listening to the commentary team justify how this was possible: “He was caught offguard,” they said. “He might have broken a rib.” It was an electric moment that was utilised effectively for their five-minute rematch at

WrestleMania. However, the less said about Goldberg vs Kevin Owens, the better.

3. ULTIMATE WARRIOR VS HONKY TONK MAN Summerslam 1988 – 31 seconds

Diesel vs Bob Backlund at MSG, Chavo Guererro Jr. vs Kane at WrestleMania 24, Rey vs JBL at WrestleMania 25, Sheamus vs Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 27 and its sequel AJ Lee vs Nikki Bella at Survivor Series 2014. The WWE know they can create a big moment by taking a heel champion and giving them a quick loss. This format has still yet to top the full pelt rush of the Warrior running into the ring, blocking all of Honky Tonk Man’s offence before hitting his big moves and ending the (still unmatched) 454-day IC title run of WWF’s favourite Elvis impersonator. Neither man in the match was exactly an endurance performer, so this quick, feel-good bout played to their strengths and created an indelible spectacle.

4. PETE DUNNE VS TRAVIS BANKS FightClub Pro: First Lady of Fight Club - 2m27s

The story of Travis Banks’ journey to the FCP Title is so superb that if there were any justice, it would be part of the History syllabus. Having had nearly a year’s worth of losses since his debut, he would eventually get his first victory in the Infinity tournament, guaranteeing him a title

shot. Sadly, his match against the Bruiserweight, Pete Dunne, looked to be going south at first, thanks to a pre-match attack involving a powerbomb onto chairs. Just as the match was getting started, Dunne would roll-up Banks and get his feet on the ropes for a quick pin. Of course, Banks had his Infinity title shot still guaranteed, cashing in just seconds later to win the belt. What works here, is that having this shorter first match just makes the audience hate Dunne even more, and they hated him to begin with. So, when the bell re-sounded and they went to war, Banks emerging victorious had the crowd in tears. It’s the opposite type of story to how we usually see those kinds of guaranteed title shots go, but much like an odd flip-side to Dolph Ziggler’s MitB cash-in, it’s the focused intensity that sells it, as if those 147 seconds are all the time in the world.

5. AJ LEE VS PAIGE RAW 30/06/2014 – 1m6s

Paige’s big debut on the main roster also ushered in the end of AJ Lee’s (at the time) record-setting 295-day run with the Diva’s title, defeating her in the time it takes to put a Rustler’s in the microwave and realise that was always a bad idea. AJ and her good friend Tamina were in the ring when Norwich’s finest would appear for the first time on RAW and shock the world, and AJ, by winning the title. This swift victory not only cemented Paige as one of the major players of the women’s division, but arguably, is a moment that the anti-diva has struggled to live up to in her truncated main roster run. Still, even if this was the

only moment of note, it was enough to guarantee her place on lists like this for years to come.

6. STING VS JEFF HARDY Victory Road 2011 – 1m9s

I know there were a lot of legendary matches that could have filled this last spot: Bart Gunn knocking out Bradshaw at the Brawl for All, Erick Rowan getting his co-main event spot at WrestleMania 32, or the first encounter between Braun Strowman and James Ellsworth. But I couldn’t miss the opportunity to talk about a monumental moment in TNA history. A moment which made everyone ask, “Why did they let Jeff onto the stage?” It’s safe to assume that TNA probably didn’t expect Jeff Hardy to have been replaced with a pair of drugged up swimming pool noodles in face paint. So, Eric Bischoff came out to add the No DQ stipulation, and just quietly, plead with Sting to, “Just pin him for God’s sake.” After a minute of Jeff posing, Sting hit a Scorpion Death Drop for the pin. As he walked up the ramp, the crowd were chanting ‘Bulls**t’. “I Agree,” Sting would add. I think we all would, especially Jeff, who freely admits he was, “Too f***ed up,” to even get through the match.

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JULY 2017 STEELCHAIR 11

DOWNLOAD 2017

NXT AT DOWNLOAD 2017 WORDS: STEPH FRANCHOMME | PHOTO: ROSS SILCOCKS restling and rock’n roll are both a circus where the only goal is to entertain. After a first successful experience last year, NXT headed back to Derby for a three-day stint at Download Festival during their UK tour, with NXT Superstars appearing alongside WWE UK performers.

Superstars wrestled alongside some of the biggest names in the music industry. And when it’s time to rock, wrestlers have no problem to make some noise on their own. On Friday, Asuka was unleashed and cut short her title match against Ruby Riot when she ran her face-first into the steel chairs. Busted open, Riot’s head laceration required five stitches to close. On Saturday morning, as Mark Andrews was playing with his band Junior, WWE United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne appeared on stage and attacked him. A match with Dunne vs. Andrews was scheduled for the same night. Andrews was unable to conquer the title after The Bruiserweight’s attack. Alongside 205 Live Gentleman Jack Gallagher and NXT Superstars like Bobby Roode, Drew McIntyre or Roderick Strong, UK wrestlers rocked the Download festival.

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WORDS: LIAM O’ROURKE

fter my first ‘Heel Turn’ segment, I’ve found that many of the wiser wrestling fans out there actually agree with me on most of my “anti-hardcore fan” crowd musings. It’s good to know there are people out there that aren’t completely bereft of grey matter.

So, here’s another pack of lowgrade morons that need to be thrown screaming from helicopters - fans that carry replica belts around in public.

THE HEELTURN

THE HEEL TURN

reading. You haven’t achieved anything. You made a purchase. You look like a loser and an asshole.

As a kid, I loved the belts. Had somebody bought me a replica, I’d have been in heaven. I’d put it on display and think it was the coolest thing. You know what I wouldn’t do? Wear it as a fashion accessory to Denny’s at 30 years old. Or try and use it as a tool to impress girls. Never has it been so satisfying to see a guy get shot down, by the way.

Being in Orlando for WrestleMania 33, you couldn’t turn around on International Drive without seeing one of these imbeciles parading around in broad daylight with a title over their shoulder, as if they were Shawn Michaels in 1993. It’s the fact they walk with such pride; an air of superiority, as if they’ve actually accomplished something in life. As if they themselves worked in the profession, achieved their goal, and this was their personal reward. They almost strut as they cross the road, begging to turn the heads of fellow wrestling fans, believing they’ll surely see them as The Fonz of the internet wrestling community. Better yet, total strangers, who might look past the wrestling T-Shirt, currystained shorts and neckbeard, and think they’re a celebrity of some kind.

Is this behaviour not symptomatic of the WWE ‘megafan’, though? Oblivious to what the real world thinks, arrogant in their misguided beliefs, and so wrapped up in their fandom that they actually curtail their own ability to be self-aware?

If you do this, I hope you’re

I laughed.

I’ll end with a final tale from Orlando. Me and my fiancée were in an elevator with a total stranger, an older man, obviously not a wrestling fan. In walks a guy in an nWo Wolfpac shirt carrying the Big Gold Belt. The old guy turns to the fan and sizes him up.

Old Guy: “So, defending that tonight are you? Wrestling Fan: “Uh...yeah. I’m in the main event.” Old Guy, with utter contempt in his voice: “I’ll bet you’re not in it for the money.”

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HAVOC

WORDS: MAT LINDSAY

CRY HAVOC: THE TRAUMA AND TRIUMPH OF JIMMY HAVOC’S TOURNAMENT OF DEATH DEBUT hen returning from injury in late 2016, Jimmy Havoc made three changes to his in-ring persona that immediately served him very well. The first was that the man who had started out as a gutsy but loss-prone face and subsequently mutated into a hate-filled, ultraviolent heel turned good guy once again in major promotions such as PROGRESS, thus completing the cycle of his fall from grace and ultimate redemption as a character. The second was adding a new finisher to his arsenal, in the shape of the explosive “Acid Rainmaker” (cheekily borrowed from NJPW ace Kazuchika Okada). And the third was to ditch his customary black attire, at least on occasion, for all white gear.

Well – it does show up the blood so much better. Riding on this wave of renewed vigour and interest, Havoc seems to have successfully plugged into the same fervour for UK grapplers in the international wrestling community which saw his PROGRESS antagonists ‘The

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Villain’ Marty Scurll and ‘The Aerial Assassin’ Will Ospreay, respectively win the 2016 iterations of PWG’s Battle of Los Angeles and NJPW’s Best of Super Juniors tournaments, as his name was announced for the notorious outing of violence that is CZW’s annual Tournament of Death. And like his countrymen, Havoc would battle his way through all of the contenders in his path to lift the trophy and win the whole thing. But not before he had been taken to what, even for a veteran hardcore competitor the like of Havoc, must have been bloody hell and back.

GARBAGE NIRVANA While it has been noted in the past that CZW is not solely the home of so-called garbage wrestling, with exceptional wrestling talents the likes of Chris Hero and Timothy Thatcher having graced its ring on many occasions, The Tournament of Death is a purely hardcore affair. Indeed, this year’s event took place, not in a sports arena, high-school gym or armoury, but rather on a property in a rural area

of Townsend, Delaware, owned by relatives of the company’s owner. The reason for this is most likely that, while no doubt complying with state laws for putting on a wrestling show of this kind, the organisers could surely get away with far more when putting up the ring in the open air and on private property, where the landlords were sympathetic to the cause. Scheduled to take place on June 10th and run over three rounds, this was to be a single elimination tournament, with each round featuring a cringeworthy array of creatively-titled matches, every one heavily relying on the use of weapons and other brutal props. In amongst the tournament matches, there would be yet more insanity in three encounters that included a scaffold match, the intriguing prospect of a Four Corners of Pain Match and Fans Bring the Weapons match between veteran sadist Mad Man Pondo and rising star ‘Father’ Matt Tremont. In the latter, highlights included Pondo being slammed onto a pile of building blocks, then returning the sentiment by scoring his opponent’s forehead with the blade of a circular saw, before Tremont

Watch tournament of death at czwstudios.com picked up the win to build towards his meeting on August 5th this year with a true legend of the garbage scene, Atsushi Onita.

STEP-BY-STEP BRUTALITY This year’s tournament saw a large number of names making their debut in its opening brackets, with John Wayne Murdoch, G-Raver, Clint Margera and the mohawked lunatic SHLAK all being firsttimers alongside Havoc. Mixed in with them were more experienced tournament competitors such as Jeff Cannonball, Connor Caxton, Ricky Shane Page and former three-time winner of the entire affair, MASADA – a name made all the more formidable when his time spent in the insane deathmatches of notorious Japanese promotion BJW is taken into account. The matches of all three rounds boasted suitably impressive names, but boiled down to the expected miniature orgies of blood and violence that the faithful fans in attendance have come to demand over the sixteen years the tournament has been in existence. Jeff Cannonball and G-Raver started things off with a Lighttube and Cinderblock Match, which ended when the former delivered a Tombstone Piledriver to the latter atop a cinder block covered in lighttubes. But that was arguably topped when the Barbed Wire Craziness Match between Connor Caxton and Clint Margera saw Caxton hurled off the cab of the ring truck and onto a trampoline that had no canvas on its frame, but a web of barbed

wire in its place before making a remarkable comeback to take the victory. MASADA downed SHLAK in a Doorway to Death Match (the highlight surely being MASADA setting his elbow alight to use as a weapon), and a three-way Pain in the Glass Match saw Havoc, John Wayne Murdoch and Rickey Shane Page all dutifully take turns at being thrown through sheets of glass before the Brit picked up the win to advance to the semi-final brackets. Caxton went on to defeat Cannonball in a Summertime Craziness Match, while Havoc managed to overcome MASADA with the help of the eponymous weapon in a Light Tube Treachery Match, which set up a Caxton/ Havoc final. This was momentous enough to have earned itself the over the top title of a Barbed Wire and Light Tube, No Ropes, No Canvas Deathmatch, and saw the finalists make use of every one of the insane weapons and stipulations mentioned. Light tubes were smashed over heads, bitten down on until they shattered and there were more hijinks involving the barbed wire trampoline before Havoc finally put Caxton away to become the winner of the sixteenth annual Tournament of Death.

POISONED CHALICE While the undoubted kudos associated with winning the tournament on his North American debut for CZW is great, the associated elevation for Havoc and the status that it earns him in the hearts and minds of the company’s fans may not be of the same kind as Scurll garnered from the

(notoriously smarky) PWG faithful, or Ospreay now enjoys as a member of the Chaos stable in NJPW. Some commentators noted that, while those in attendance on the day were quick to cheer Havoc’s efforts in the opening bouts of the tournament and lapped up his suitably brutal in-ring style to begin with, his presence in the semi-finals and the final itself generated keen chants of ‘USA!’, and when he was subjected to a scripted beat-down by Caxton after the dust had settled from his victory, the reaction of the crowd to his brutalisation was nothing short of ecstatic. That is not to say that his performance was wasted, indeed it cements Havoc as one of the premier hardcore wrestlers in the world today, and certainly the foremost proponent of the style that the UK has ever produced. But despite the blood and guts image of this style, there is an art to hardcore wrestling and its fans are uniquely sensitive to its execution, so maybe their vitriolic response to Havoc in the later stages of the tournament is more a testament to his ability to stir their emotions than any kind of rejection of a foreigner winning the whole thing. After all, should CZW choose to continue to make use of Havoc in the months and years that follow, they could do far worse than to embrace the fans apparent antipathy to him and book him as a strong heel. Because, as anyone who has seen his work in the UK before his recent face turn can attest, playing the blood-thirsty and often psychotic villain is something at which Havoc truly excels.

TOURNAMENT OF DEATH AVAILABLE FROM CZWSTUDIOS.COM

JULY 2017 STEELCHAIR 15

GLOW

NETFLIX’S GLOW REVIEWED WORDS: ERIN DICK | PHOTOS: NETFLIX

hat makes wrestling great? Blood? Tits? No. Storytelling makes wrestling great.

Netflix dramedy GLOW fashions a raw and glorified image of the world of 1980s pro wrestling, more specifically, the trials and triumphs of the gorgeous ladies who somehow find themselves in this world. Created by Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch, it takes some creative liberties in recreating the story of David McLane’s real-life 80s wrestling TV series of the same name, Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling. The ladies who find themselves in the ring after a casting call for ‘unconventional women’ entices them to an opportunity in Los Angeles, discover that their acquired love for wrestling has the power to help them navigate their personal lives. Just as wrestling helps many of the characters, GLOW has all the potential to turn sceptics into believers. Sam Silvia (Marc Maron) is a Z-list Hollywood director with an unrealistic vision. His producer, Sebastian ‘Bash’ Howard (Chris Lowell) steps in as an over-confident, lavish-spending, wrestlingloving kid, looking to steer the creative direction of the show to greater effect. GLOW reflects the experience of the original ladies of the Las Vegas wrestling promotion, and does so with humour, grit and authenticity. Ruth Wilder (Alison Brie) is an unfulfilled actress,

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glow is available on netflix now

GLOW nods to the sweat, bumps scorn and setbacks of this gruelling business.

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GLOW

running low on money and hope to pursue her dreams in Hollywood. She is at her lowest, when she sleeps with her best friend Debbie Egan’s (Betty Gilpin) husband, who is herself battling with the transition from soapie starlet to stay-at-home mum. The girls usually performed their own stunts, being trained by Chavo Guerrero Jr. Guerrero blood runs deep in GLOW, with Mando Guerrero having trained the originals, of whom included former WWE Diva Ivory, as Tina Ferrari. It’s little details like this that make GLOW all the more believable. Even the set-up of the show is incredibly nostalgic and true to life, from costume design to location to score, even the cheesy rapping, GLOW is inherently 80s and proud. The girl’s first thoughts of wrestlers are ‘Hulk Hogan’, and the in-ring rivalry between two real-life best friends turned bitter enemies,

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benefits from post-Cold War tension in the US, as Liberty Belle takes on Zoya the Destroya. It also explores the faux glamour of 80s Hollywood, as these failing creatives hang by threads in the hope of realising their dreams of fame and fortune. There’s parties and drugs, love scandals and corporate shenanigans, implying that the life of a silver screen star might not be as desirable as thought. As we know from publicised road stories and autobiographies, the life of a wrestler is no walk in the park. Likewise, in Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler (2008), Rourke’s character is damaged and confrontational, exposing the nastier side of his lifestyle. GLOW nods to this grittiness – not only in personal tragedies such as unwanted pregnancy and miscarriage, but in the sweat, bumps, scorn and setbacks – that in turn fosters an appreciation for the grind

and sheer spirit needed to make it in the gruelling performance business. GLOW seeks to entice newcomers to the world of wrestling, while rewarding fans with numerous Easter eggs throughout. Not the ridiculous kind you’d find in the David Arquette catalyst Ready to Rumble (2000), or the abhorrent Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies (2014). Whether it’s in the cameos from Joey Ryan as Mr Monopoly, or the flyers hyping Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks in the background, sometimes, just sometimes, it pays to be a wrestling nerd. There’s the insider terms and jokes you might miss, but the show’s success is that it attributes respect to the enigma of pro wrestling, at the expense of no one. Immediately, from the second episode, the business is established as a professional environment where the objective is to keep each

glow is available on netflix now other safe, and the women each learn to work hard for their place on the team. But the series does not exclude viewers without this context. Every character is articulated with vibrancy and vigour, drawing parallels from the original series that work wonders in solitude. Carmen (Britney Young) plays Machu Picchu, and is the daughter of a wrestling legend, Goliath Jackson. She is the gentle giant, much like Mountain Fiji from the 80s program. Each character serves a purpose in the development of the story and the brand of the program, be it in Melrose (Jackie Tohn), who seeks validation through the vices of Hollywood, or Sheila the Shewolf (Gayle Rankin), who simply wants to be accepted for who she feels she is inside. Kate Nash is the bombshell Brit Rhonda, with a heart she keeps hidden, and Sunita Mani is the underestimated student Arthie, with the biggest wrestling fan in the world for a grandmother. When he discovers that Carmen is wrestling, Goliath Jackson tells his daughter, ‘I want you to find a nice man… a job where people respect you,’ depicting society’s attitude towards women’s wrestling up until this time. It was nothing but a ‘side show’, yet, Carmen was determined. Today, women’s wrestling is as legitimate an attraction as anything, and GLOW does more to justify this than any mainstream ploy has to date. It isn’t afraid to represent, then challenge the misogynistic standards of film and TV in the 80’s, addressing the socio-political climate of the time. Moreover, the notion of sisterhood prevails, as the girls earn each other’s respect. With so many female talents working behind the scenes of the Netflix series – directors

including Kate Dennis, Sian Heder, Melanie Mayron, Claire Scanlon, Lynn Shelton and Wendey Stanzler, writers in Sascha Rothchild, Rachel Shukert, and executive producer Jenji Kohan (who is also a creator of Orange is the New Black) – the sisterhood is alive and well.

WRESTLING TRUMPS FAKE LOVE. WRESTLING ALWAYS TRIUMPHS The characters in GLOW learn to use existing stereotypes to their advantage when creating their characters, with the guidance of self-proclaimed wrestling fanatic Bash. He explains the psychology of characterisation, and good versus evil. All of this lends to a genuine representation of promo work, elements of kayfabe and more. Further, Sam feels the creation of characters should be a cathartic means for the ladies to express themselves and the baggage they might have, or rather that he would like them to have. All of this is quite challenging for some of the girls, who are forced to compromise their values and integrity to play an uncomfortable role. Arthie is startled by the crowd’s scathing

reaction to her Arabic terrorist character, and the lines between reality and fiction become blurred. But for Ruth, it all brings up one question: Who is she? Wrestling is about good versus bad. This lesson comes in hand with Ruth’s own personal morality struggle. As the protagonist of the series, she is the bad guy in the ring, and even backstage as the ‘homewrecker’. But she is in no way a deplorable character. She is vulnerable, and even pitiful, yet, she is every bit redeemable by the end. Just as in wrestling, what we see on the surface is not always as it appears. Debbie’s moment of realisation at ringside is a highlight – she suddenly understands that ‘this whole thing is a soap opera’, something she knows all too well. She experiences that euphoria every fan knows when they realise they’ve fallen in love with wrestling. In this moment, and time and time again, we see the real women behind the characters, and we journey with them in their realisation of selfesteem and purpose. ‘I’m back in my own body, I feel like a god damn superhero,’ says Debbie. Liberty Belle rises above, and the hero prevails, as she leaves the cynical half of her broken marriage in the dust. Wrestling trumps fake love. Wrestling always triumphs. It’s now ‘about the chase’, as the conclusion of series one saw hearts captured and taken on a wild rollercoaster of emotions. GLOW has achieved what good wrestling can do, and then some.

JULY 2017 STEELCHAIR 19

LUCHA LIBRE

THE GREATEST SPECTACLE OF LUCHA LIBRE WORDS: ELLIOT DYSON | PHOTO: LUCHA LIBRE WORLD

The Greatest Spectacle of Lucha Libre rolled into London in June to showcase bouts from the eternal war between good and evil, intermission and patience, man and nachos.

The night featured a scant four matches, though fans of bar queues had plenty to do during the lengthy intermission. Ribs aside, the card did offer a wide variety of matchups between both British and Mexican stars. After a multi-man spotfest, the second fight of the night saw Laredo Kid and Xtreme Tiger defeat the British heel team of Puro Britanico and a returning Will Ospreay. The affair strayed into comedy at times, though the high-flying rarely ceased. The finishing sequence found the heels laying atop one another while receiving a Swanton Bomb and a 450 splash. After the match, an obligatory “we’re not really bad guys” embrace and flag-waving ceremony took place. Also, Ospreay flogged off cheap ...dive shirts while dancing to Despsito – so, all-in-all, pretty standard. After the break, a wild tag match broke out between Santo Jr., Cassandro, Silver King and El Hijo De Fishman, which featured a few signature spots and inevitably, a win for the good guys. Tradition and heritage are a big deal in Lucha Libre, which is why 97% of the roster were related to the night’s main eventer, El Hijo Del Santo, who defended his Honorary World Champion belt against a rascalish rudo in Bandido. After much spectacle and a great contest, the title stayed with Santo, who thanked the indie-wrestling crowd for their enthusiasm that allows the roster to live their dreams. And no, you cried.

20 STEELCHAIR JULY 2017

HOW TO BE A PROFESSIONAL, OR SO I THINK

BY DASHER HATFIELD

erception - In order to constantly grow as a performer you need to have

one, if not multiple, daily motivators. Trying to balance real life along with a full-time hobby leaves very little down time. Getting up at 4:30 a.m. to go to the gym, heading to training even though your body is already beat to shreds, or preparing to drive countless hours for a hot dog and a high five are all examples of difficulties we face in the wonderful world of Professional Wrestling. Sure, we all love the art of Pro Wrestling, and that in itself is a very powerful motivator. But for many of us, that is not always enough to motivate us to do the things required to be successful. I use the word perception because having an early understanding that one day I will be forced to hang up my wrestling boots is my biggest daily motivator. Unless your name is Terry Funk or Ric Flair then you too will one day face this unfortunate truth. Knowing an end is in my future motivates me more than anything else. When that day comes, I will look back on a career of few regrets because I know I gave my all on a daily basis. Every push-up, every bump, every mile - all completed happily because I want to be the best Professional Wrestler that I can possibly be. When you find your motivator cling to it! Never let it go! (Sorry if I went a little John Cena there at the end)

JULY 2017 STEELCHAIR 21

LOOK BACK

WORDS: JAMES TOAL | PHOTO: MIGUEL DISCART

THANK YOU: WHY I CAME BACK TO WRESTLING

e’ve all copied a wrestling move at some point in our lives. Unfortunately for my younger brother, he had to take a few Stone-Cold Stunners as we were growing up. The strongest connection that my brothers and I had when we were young was thanks to professional wrestling, and I’ll always love them for getting me invested in it. When we played the characters, like Steve Austin and John Cena, we didn’t want to think that they could ever lose. They were our heroes. We looked up to them and wanted to have fun playing as them. As time went on, we continued watching. The love was still there, but I often heard comments and criticisms from people who knew that I was a fan. “You know it’s fake, right?” Responding to this question all the time became so tedious, that I eventually stopped telling people I liked wrestling.

The year was 2006. This was a key moment in my life. I was starting at a new school, and my most significant wrestling memory came at that year’s Royal Rumble. I pressed play on the recording and I waited for the main event to see my favourite wrestler, Rey Mysterio. I was a huge fan of Mysterio. He was so different - My older brother was a fan of the Rock, and since I wanted

22 STEELCHAIR JULY 2017

to be an individual, I looked to find my own person who I could look up to. Once I found Rey, it was like a dream come true. He was athletic, he was quick, he was unique. He was the underdog that I felt I could relate too. Back to the Rumble, I watched with anticipation as Rey entered at number two. He made it to the final three. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I believed wholeheartedly that he could win. Then, it happened. Rey Mysterio won the Rumble and would go on to WrestleMania. I was so overjoyed that I almost woke my family up! Funnily enough, this was also the year I decided to stop watching wrestling on TV. This may have been due to the programme not exciting me as much as it once had. It may have also been a matter of wanting to branch out and try new things. I moved away from professional wrestling for quite some time. So now, you’re probably wondering, “Why did you come back?” Well, it was thanks to something that I had not encountered in the past. It was you. The community. I came across content creators on YouTube who discussed Wrestling past and present. What particularly intrigued me was that they all seemed to have a genuine love for the format but hypothesised how

it could be better. I even found comedic reviews of certain PPV’s which I started enjoying. Gradually, I became more interested. Eventually, I heard that at WrestleMania 32, there would be a Hell in a Cell Match between Shane McMahon and The Undertake. Something dormant had awoken. Something deeply repressed in my body had re-emerged. I knew that I had to see this match. When I started the 30-day trial of the WWE Network, I expected to watch that match and then move on with my life. But I kept watching. As people crashed through tables and battered each other, I knew I hadn’t wasted any time. I felt a pang of satisfaction and nostalgia. I was just about to close the video, but I was curious. “What were the other matches like?” I skipped back and found a triple threat match for the Women’s title. I watched the match… and then another… and another… and another. Soon enough I had watched the entire PPV. Out of all the things I had expected when I tuned into WWE again, I never thought I would want to see more. I turned on Monday Night Raw the following evening. Almost 10 years later, and I was hooked once more. There were multiple things that surprised me once I returned. One of the most unsettling things about WWE back in the day was that the

Joy is the key to what makes this special. women were treated as a means of titillation for the male audience, and seldom had opportunities to shine. Now, I want to tune in every week just to see what happens in the women’s division. Not just that, but there now seemed to be a whole new emphasis on them as in-ring talents. I felt lucky to witness the rarity of a suicide dive as a kid. But in the present day, WWE is full of creative and exciting performers, and I’ve been made to appreciate the art of the performance more than ever.

But I wouldn’t have been in this position if there wasn’t a passionate community that enticed me back. A place where proud fans voice their opinions, make jokes, and take part in what brings us all joy. That joy is key to what makes this special, more so than any other form of entertainment. Wrestling fans will always unite and share in pure happiness over special moments. Rey winning the Rumble, Shane taking on the Undertaker, the women of WWE rising to the top. The Hardy Boyz returning at WrestleMania, or AJ Styles and

Shinsuke Nakamura staring down in the main event of Money in the Bank, these are the moments that make us feel something deep inside. They are the moments that make us feel like kids dishing out a Stone-Cold Stunner on our younger brothers. I’m glad that I can look at the wrestling world today and say I’m proud to be a part of it. You brought me back and showed me that it is worth enjoying again. Thank you.

JULY 2017 STEELCHAIR 23

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JAY WHITE

INTERVIEW: JAY WHITE WORDS: LEE HAZELL | PHOTO: PATTY MCCARTHY

year removed from making his Ring of Honor debut, Jay White returned to the pay-per-view where he made his first appearance for the company.

White’s stock is one that is on a massive incline at the moment, and is arguably one of the hottest commodities in ROH today. So, with his Search and Destroy faction going head-to-head with The Rebellion, in a match where the losing team must split up, the stakes have never been higher for the Kiwi on his return to the Best in The World show. With White gearing up for the match, SteelChair Magazine had the chance to speak to him to discuss his aspirations within the company.

For you Jay, this is a year come fullcircle having made your debut at the Best in the World 2016, so how have you viewed your year in Ring of Honor? It has been awesome, I don’t think it could have been any better. Being with all the really awesome guys they have on their roster, being on all the shows and doing the tour of England last year was great. I obviously aligned myself with the Motor City Machine Guns so it has been really good to look back on the past year and view it as there hasn’t been any time wasted.

Are you surprised at how quickly things > have fallen into place? This year alone, your name is one many fans have been buzzing about, so do you feel this is all your hard work paying off or is it a case of right place, right time?

JULY 2017 STEELCHAIR 25

PHOTO: JOEY DEFALCO

JAY WHITE

packed up all my stuff and went. I ended up messaging UK Kid and did a trial session and that went well and the rest is history.

Had you done any form of training in New Zealand? No. When I came to the UK that was the first time I stepped in the ring. There was no wrestling scene in New Zealand, so I knew that I needed to leave if I wanted to become a wrestler.

It’s a little bit of both, I think the hard work is paying off and it is nice to have all these opportunities. I mean you could be that guy who just sits around in the background and never gets used, but that’s not what I’m about. I managed to get myself out there and work with quite a few companies and just making the most of an opportunity which presented itself. Like whenever there has been a match on TV I try to make the most of that spot, so people are going to want to see more of me.

Talking about making the most of your opportunity, it has been announced that you are in line for a shot at the ROH TV Championship, so what do you think your chances are? And how does it feel having your name spoken in the same breath as people like Marty Scurll and Kushida? It is really cool. Me and Marty

26 STEELCHAIR JULY 2017

go back to when I first started wrestling, and we have mixed it up at various different places. I am hoping that Kushida holds onto it tomorrow night as me and him have never had a singles match and I would really like that to happen. And also I want to get back over to Japan, and I’m a little heavy to be a junior at the moment so it would be unlikely for us to go one-on-one over there.

I wanted to talk to you a little about your training as you trained in my hometown of Portsmouth, so how did it come about that you ended up there and what do you think of the city? I consider Portsmouth home, so every time I visit the UK that’s where I go. When I left New Zealand, I went to Guernsey and I just looked into training schools. I first found Andy Quildan and Andy Simmonz school, and then I found Varsity Pro Wrestling and I just

Obviously, the next step was you going to New Japan, was that somewhere that you had always wanted to go or was it that you got there and things just seemed to click? It was more getting there and feeling comfortable with it. Where I trained was very similar to the WWE style. It was thanks to Finn Balor that I ended up going over there as he did a seminar at the school in Portsmouth. He gave me his card and he went back and spoke to people like Bad Luck Fale who said, “If you want, you should come over to the DoJo.” It was really daunting as I didn’t know a whole lot about it, but of course, it was an opportunity I was going to take and then I started watching more and I just fell in love with the style they have over there.

You hear stories of how hard the NJPW DoJo is, is it really as hard as people make it out to be? It was a massive shock going over there. For the first week or so I

Watch ROH the fite app could barely walk from doing 500 to 1,000 squats a day. You would train in the morning for three hours and it would be so hot because they had this heater going and the windows would be shut in there during the winter. Then in the summer, it was just crazy hot anyway. And then, once training was done, you’d have a quick shower, then get down to the kitchen to look after the older boys, and maybe a bite to eat yourself. So yeah, it gets pretty brutal in there.

Most people know you for your work at NJPW and ROH but are there any companies you have your eye on that you would like to work with? There were a couple but no, because of contractual obligations that may not happen. So, Progress and ICW were ones that I would have liked to work with. But I have managed to get to most of the ones I wanted to.

Nowadays, social media fans have a lot more access to their favourite wrestlers. Do you think that’s an advantage or does it take away some of the mystery of what wrestling has to offer? I agree with the latter. It can make certain wrestlers less of a star and that fans think you are just their buddy. Not saying that wrestlers are above people, but instead of looking up to them, they can feel like they know them personally. But I guess that is down to how the person portrays themselves and acts on social media. But on the other hand, it is great for people to

get themselves out there, especially Twitter which seems to be swamped with wrestling, and you can share clips and things like that to hold people’s attention so it works both ways.

At tomorrow’s Best in the World show you are involved in the big eight-man tag match, so what is the buzz like going into the event and how are you and the rest of Search and Destroy approaching it?

signed anywhere, so I’m not sure him winning that belt would be a good thing.

Being part of the Search and Destroy faction you do a bit of everything, but do you prefer tag wrestling or singles wrestling?

“Hiroshi Tanahashi. That is the match I want more than anything else”.

Well Search and Destroy are just going to continue to do what we have done the whole time. The Rebellion has been a thorn in our sides for far too long. We thought we had resolved this issue once or twice and they keep coming back. So this is the only option to have a match were the losing team disbands. We have each other’s backs and we know what we have to do, and under the Motor City Machine Guns’ leadership, I feel like we can come out on top.

I see myself as more of a singles guy. I feel like I perform better as a singles guy and I’m just more comfortable, but either way, I’m happy just to take the match.

If I just round off with two quick fire questions. If you could face one person in ROH and one in NJPW to have a long lasting feud with, who would it be? Ring of Honor, Jay Lethal; and New Japan, Hiroshi Tanahashi. That is the match I want more than anything else.

Perfect Jay, thank you very much for your time and best of luck tomorrow. Thank you very much.

But for the whole PPV, a lot rides on the main event between Christopher Daniels and Cody Rhodes. Obviously, Rhodes will be the first to say he is a free agent and isn’t

Best in the World took place on the 24th of June, Massachusetts. UK fans can watch through the FITE app.

JULY 2017 STEELCHAIR 27

SMACKDOWN

WORDS: BRADLEY TIERNAN

read weekly reviews at steelchairmag.com

PHOTOS: WWE

SMACKDOWN

his month I learnt a new word. ‘Nugatory’ which means “of no value or importance”. If I was to describe SmackDown right now you could say, “WWE’s persistence to ruin their own storylines has rendered SmackDown rather nugatory”. Welcome to the most mustsee SteelChair Magazine review in history; welcome to… The SmackDown Review.

The Women’s Division has been under the spotlight this month. In what was an iconic first for the company, the blue women group went head to head in the first ever Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match. Yet, it was a bloody man who stole the headlines as James Ellsworthless unhooked the briefcase and handed it to his “boo” Carmella. That was a term of endearment and not an instruction.

28 STEELCHAIR JULY 2017

She has since been stripped (careful now) of the MITB contract and subsequently won it back. She’s gained major heat but that’s all due to Ellsworth who has now been suspended by Daniel Bryan. I guess that’s a positive. WWE Champion Jinder Mahal has been on the receiving end of a fair bit of racism criticism from Randy Orton because he’s proud of his Indian heritage. Orton, despite losing two title matches with Mahal has been granted another shot at Battleground whereby Jinder chose the stipulation of a… Hell in a Cell. Steel Cage. Punjabi Prison match. For f**k sake. New Day debuted on SmackDown and immediately challenged the Usos for the Tag Team titles. The Usos literally walked away from their match at Money in the Bank to retain their titles. The feud

continues to heat up as most recently the two teams squared off in a rap battle as though they were on Nick Cannon’s Wild ‘n Out. This sh*t deserves better: - Breezango continue to shine as a comedy duo in their Fashion Files sketches but their in-ring push has halted. Sad face emoji. - AJ Styles is the No.1 contender for Kevin Owen’s US Title. - Baron Corbin is Mr Money in the Bank - Lana lost three title matches against Naomi in the space of two weeks. Get a shovel. - Rusev made his return to little fanfare compared to the pomp and circumstance of Cena’s 4th July return. It’s already the same old feud featuring Cena. The part-timer issued a challenge of a flag match (whatever the f**k that is?) which is set for Battleground on 23rd July.

WORDS: ELLIOT DYSON

RAW ince we last spoke, I maligned the absence of Raw’s top champion, Brock Lesnar, who has been somewhat less absent in recent weeks, albeit only to hype his impending victory at Great Balls of Fire and imminent disappearance until SummerSlam.

Brock’s absence is a bit of a doubleedged sword in that it seems foolish to not have the main title be represented weekly, but without the Universal Champion on the scene, the right to challenge for it has begun to seem like a prestigious opportunity, with a number one contender’s match headlining the last PPV and not feeling like an unworthy main event. In the wake of that match, we’ve seen the build of Samoa Joe Vs. Brock Lesnar, which has been admittedly very enjoyable, although it does reek of poor planning. For example, if Joe was going to be thrust into the title picture, why wasn’t he at WrestleMania? Why did he lose at Payback? My good friend Dave Mothballz reckons it’s because Braun Strowman was originally pegged to do the job for Lesnar at Great Balls of Fire, but was switched out due to injury, forcing a restructure. However, Braun Strowman was only out for about a month, if that. Speaking of The

RAW

The battle between raw and SmackDown, and bradley and elliot continues

Monster Amongst Men, Braun has rekindled his feud with Roman Reigns, which is culminating in an ambulance match at Great Balls of Fire. Gimmick matches like this always sound exciting on paper, but it’s this kind of bullshit that makes people think wrestling is stupid. Finn Balor, arguably the brand’s top babyface, is currently dicking about in a mid-card filler feud with Elias Samson, along with the Hardy Boyz and Cesaro & Sheamus, the latter of whom picked up the tag titles at Extreme Rules in a confusing cage match. One of the oddest stories of the past few months has to be the burial of former Women’s Champion, Bayley. She lost to Alexa Bliss at Extreme Rules in a frightfully short “Kendo Stick on a Pole” match, which told the story of an underdog struggling with the ability to “get extreme” and then not overcoming the odds and just getting dicked on. WEIRD! Raw is in a strange, boring place at the moment, but there’s one silver lining shining through the grey sky of mediocrity and that is undoubtedly the impending faction dominance of The Titus Brand (or Titus Worldwide with the addition of Akira Tozawa). Seriously, watch this space – well, not this space, watch Raw’s space.

WORDS: JAMES TOAL

NXT

NXT NXT has come around again and we’ve had a small change on the show? Yes! Mauro Ranallo is here to replace Tom Phillips and I couldn’t be happier to see him back in WWE TV. However, let’s take a look at the biggest match that happened this week on NXT.

Nikki Cross vs Asuka in a Last Woman Standing match for the NXT Women’s championship. If you haven’t seen this match, then you owe it to yourself to check it out. These women brought out one hell of a match that had thrills, excitement, feats of incredible resilience, all ending in a climactic crash through the commentary table. If you wanted a prime example of how well NXT is booking their female talent, look no further than this match to show you how it’s done. In the end, Asuka did manage to retain her title, though Nikki looked far from weak after the hell that had been inflicted on them. Which is building perfectly to a possible match between Ember Moon and Asuka at the next TakeOver. Maybe Asuka will win? Or Ember’s Total Eclipse will finally end the reign of terror delivered by the Women’s champion.

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SCOTT STEINER

“SOMEBODY’S GOING TO GET PUNCHED” 30 STEELCHAIR JULY 2017

SCOTT STEINER WORDS: STEPH FRANCHOMME

few days before Slammiversary XV, in the middle of a media conference call with Scott Steiner, the voice of Joseph Park (pretending to be a journalist) could be heard begging and pleading with the Big Bad Booty Daddy. Park was asking if there was any possibility that Steiner could cancel their match on the upcoming Sunday, a tag match between the teams of Park and Jeremy Borash, and Scott and Josh Mathews.

At nearly fifty five, after more than twenty five years in wrestling, Scott Steiner is still sending his opponents running scared. “Big Poppa Pump” has made his name by being a bad guy, a puncher, an uncensored personality. If Steiner left TNA in 2012 on bad terms, he’s coming back to The Impact Zone at Slammiversary because times have changed and a certain Jeff Jarrett is back. And Jarrett, it seems, is going to let

let Steiner be what he has always been in the ring, an uncensored and uncut bad-ass. And on the 2nd of July, at Slammiversary, that’s exactly what he got. Scott Steiner is meant to go off rails. Steiner said of deciding to return to the Impact Zone: “Josh Mathews called me up, and wanted to know if I could do what I do best, beat people up. The money’s right, I said yes, and that’s how the ball got rolling.” Since the day he went his own way, and wherever he has worked, he has been beating people up. In WCW, he cemented this legacy as a member of the nWo, and in TNA where he was a member of The Main Event Mafia, which he cites as his most cherished memory of the company: “My favourite memories were when we were all in the MEM. All the champions were together and that was a lot of fun because there was a lot history every time we stepped in the ring - the stuff that we did backstage, seeing it on TV, was entertaining and funny as hell. To date, that’s the highest rated portion of TNA’s existence.” When he was asked about his intentions for Slammiversary, Steiner was clear: “Somebody’s going to get punched, and it may be all three of them.” It looks

JULY 2017 STEELCHAIR 31

SCOTT STEINER

Main Event Mafia to date is the highest rated portion of TNA’s existence. like even his partner Josh might have to watch his back. Steiner said of his opponent Jeremy Borash: “It’s not a deep-rooted hatred. I just hate fat asses and Jeremy’s put on some weight. It’s just I want to bitch slap him a little. No punch but a bitch slap for Jeremy.” And when Joseph Park, invaded the call, Steiner was clear: “Let me tell you something, Park - I’m going to make you scream for your brother [Abyss]! One thing I don’t like, Joseph, is a lawyer, and that’s why you’re the scum of the earth, Joseph, because you’re a lawyer! I know it’s you, and I’m going to beat your ass!” He also doesn’t give a damn about Josh Josh Mathews’ wrestling abilities: “All he has to do is get on top, cover the guy 1-2-3 while they’re unconscious. That’s his job, it’s pretty simple. Fall down to his knees and flop on somebody. That’s all he needs to do.” During their match at Slammiversary, Scott Steiner keeps up his villainous reputation by tearing up a sign a fan was holding. In the ring, Joseph Park is the first

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to suffer from the wrath of “Big Poppa Pump” as Steiner unloads punches and elbow drops. Steiner grabs a barricade to make Park and Borash retreat backstage. A chase (pre-recorded) starts. Steiner and Mathews jump on a golf cart, but Borash and Park are ready for them with a fire extinguisher. Steiner jumps on a pick-up truck to run after Borash and Park yelling, “Come on you fat asses, run!” But Joseph Park won’t exist for long. Father James Mitchell then appears and gives him the Abyss mask. Steiner is now back in the ring and is able to hit a few suplexes on JB before James Mitchell arrives. He hands The Monster Abyss a bag filled with thumbtacks. Steiner suddenly disappears, leaving Mathews on his own, to eat the pin, and the thumbtacks. So, not the finest moment in Steiner’s career but a fantastic and thrilling match, one that could only be possible with Scott’s own brand of brutality. But Steiner has always been a brutality machine. He was an amateur wrestler in the University of Michigan and earned many accolades there. Thanks to mentors like Jerry Jarrett and Jim Cornette, he became a talented professional wrestler who gained the Continental Wrestling Association World Tag Team Champion three times, twice with Billy Travis and once with Jed Grundy. He then made a name of himself, alongside his brother, in the wrestling business as the Steiner Brothers. His time in Michigan was very important for him. It made him the wrestler he is today: “When I first went to the University of Michigan in my freshman year, I had to train with the first American

to win the Greco Roman wrestling medal in the ’84 Olympics. I learnt a lot of wrestling throws from him. His name is Steve Fraser. All the suplexes I learned were some of the moves I learned from him. I tried to incorporate that into my professional career. It brings a certain amount of realism to it because when I see some guys doing suplexes, a lot of them aren’t doing in right. I try to incorporate a lot of my amateur wrestling into professional wrestling and a lot of people seem to enjoy it.” Steiner’s experience means has a lot of advice to offer to young wrestlers and fans: “Persistence. Nobody starts at the top. It took a lot of hard work. A lot of stubbornness. A lot of patience. It was a journey and something that I had work for, what with politics and back stabbing. It took a lot of persistence and stick-to-it-iveness. It took a certain amount of toughness to keep going because wrestling’s a tough sport. Being a good wrestler takes a combination of a lot of things, timing being one of them, having a good presence, having ‘It factor’, looking good, inring ability and luck has a lot to do with it also. Not everybody starts off great. It’s a process that takes years to perfect. It is a profession that you could always get better at.” At nearly 55, Steiner’s seen a lot of men come and go in the business. And what he’s witnessing right now is not exactly what he appreciates the most. When he started on his road to success, having a physique was really important and currently the business seemed to have moved away from that. For Steiner it’s a case of: “When you go to the circus, you want to see the freaks, you know? That’s the way it was when

I broke in here. A lot of huge guys. Wrestling’s changed. A lot of people like it, a lot of people don’t.” In today’s politically correct wrestling climate, Steiner is what he is. Strong, tough, and politically incorrect. Does it make him want to change? If he’s thinking about it, he doesn’t let on: “That’s the problem with society now. It’s too politically correct. You can’t speak your mind. There’s no freedom of speech. Nobody’s telling me to tone it down. I’m going to be me. I hope I never change. If I do, change that’s the day I’ll die, you know? Why be politically correct? If you’re going to say something to a professional wrestler’s face, and you can’t talk the truth? No. The answer’s no.” So if beating down fat-ass men may be politically incorrect, Steiner doesn’t give a damn. After over a quarter century of suplexes, Steiner claimed not to watch wrestling a lot these days. But when he’s asked about The Undertaker, you can feel the respect he has for him and the men he competed against: “I knew him for a long time. He broke in the same time we were in the Memphis territory. I’ve known Mark a long time and I’ve always gone along with him. Undertaker’s one of the great characters of all time in professional wrestling. He was great. We always got along, we always had a good time. Most athletes that get into professional wrestling are cool. He’s one of them.” He also pays tribute to the opponents who helped him being successful: “I was big friends with the Macho Man. We used to travel together back in ’92 when I went

up there. He was a good guy, a straight up guy. But I learnt a lot from different people and a lot of things you just learn by wrestling somebody a bunch of times. I wrestled Arn Anderson and Bobby Eaton a lot. You’ve got to learn from those guys. They were great. You can learn something new every day if you wrestle a lot of guys and then you pick and choose what

Nobody starts at the top. It took a lot of stubbornness. you want to incorporate in what you want to do. There have been a lot of influencers in professional wrestling. You learn a lot from wrestling a good guy.” In the current list of World tag teams, what he appreciates are the familiar faces: “The ones that I do enjoy are the Uso’s because I’ve wrestled their dad and their uncles. And even though he’s not a tag team wrestler, Bray Wyatt because I used to play with him when he was a little boy in the ring and he was the funniest little kid. He would love to wrestle. He was a good kid and I had a lot of fun with him. Watching him now he does a hell of an interview. He’s awesome.” But Steiner adds wrestling in general right now is hard to watch: “I feel bad for the wrestlers now, they’ve

been pigeonholed with these stupid gimmicks that they have to do. They don’t let people be themselves. The way it was when I started you had to come up with your own stuff. If you didn’t get over you didn’t have a job.” When asked about his future in Impact Wrestling, Steiner says he’s going one match at a time: “I just think about it like one punch at a time, one match at a time, one person at a time, so as far as looking ahead I really haven’t given that much thought. Still, anything can happen. I haven’t had talks for anything past Slammiversary, but I’m open to the fact that if somebody wants to hire me again to beat somebody up that they don’t like whether it be in the Impact Zone or anybody in the Orlando area that wants to call me up, I’m open to suggestions to beat somebody up.” One match at a time, one punch at a time, Scott Steiner has built a legacy like no other did before: “I wrestled pretty much everybody there is to wrestle, but every time you win a world title or a world tag team title is great. I think when you’ve wrestled in front of 190,000 people in North Korea and set a world attendance record, that’s pretty memorable. That’s a record that won’t be broken. That’s the one that sticks out in my mind right now. [The Collision in Korea].” Is he ready to hang up his boots? The answer is obviously no. Just ask him to come beat up any wrestler and Steiner will be happy to come make an impact again.

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NJPW

NJPW G1 SPECIAL IN USA WORDS: COURTNEY ROSE | PHOTOS: © NJPW ong Beach California was the setting for New Japan Pro Wrestling’s first experiment with expanding their brand in the United States, and it delivered on every level. Fans from all over North America traveled for the two night spectacle, culminating in the crowning of New Japan’s first ever United States Champion. The first round of the single elimination tournament took place on night one, as well matches for the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Titles and a notable test for Cody Rhodes as he took on Kazuchika Okada in the main event. During the course of this match, Kenny Omega appeared ringside with a towel, a callback to his Dominion match with Okada when Cody tried to “throw in the towel” on his behalf. This set up some dissidence among the Bullet Club, perhaps angling toward a future storyline.

In the end, it was Kenny Omega’s weekend as he managed to defeat Michael Elgin, Jay Lethal and Tomohiro Ishii in order to become New Japan’s inaugural United States Champion. The crowd reacted incredibly to Omega all weekend, cheering him on as their most prized superstar, and as Omega cut an inspiring post-match promo, he stated in 2018, NJPW will return to the USA!

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visit njpw1972.com to watch

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WORDS: LEE HAZELL

LOOK BACK

LOOK BACK: (THE ORIGINAL) GORGEOUS LADIES OF WRESTLING f you’re a wrestling fan with internet access, by now you know what the score is. A number of down-on-theirluck, Los-Angeles-based actresses answered a casting call in Variety and the Hollywood Reporter. Over 500 women attended the audition and at the mention of the word ‘wrestling’, over a third of them got up and left. After being whittled down to a paltry dozen, they were whisked away for six weeks of training, character development, and costume creation. They then took to the Riviera Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip and started the original women’s wrestling revolution. It was called Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, or because every wrestling promotion needs a pithy acronym, GLOW.

GLOW is possibly the most professional wrestling product ever conceived. Without a shadow of a doubt, it has more of everything that makes professional wrestling memorable, endearing, and beloved, than any other product my knowledge of the industry could name. It’s more of a cartoon than the golden age, more politically incorrect than the attitude era, more of a musical than the rock and wrestling movement, more of a soap opera than General Hospital, more theatrical than Broadway, more glittery than Strictly, more 80s than Mötley Crüe and more OTT than this paragraph. Each show opens with a musical montage where the vivacious and vibrant stars of the roster rap with

the attitude of an after school special, about everything from decapitations to cannibalism. As a formulaic opening, it sure beats Monday Night Raw’s stagnant promos. Their customary pre-match promos are saying all of the right things but they’re using the same tone one might employ on a video dating service. They’re uncomfortably casual in their descriptions of violence. They fill their matches with more drama and storytelling spots than Impact Wrestling packs in a whole pay per view. The sketches that introduce the storylines are as camp as Farmer Eavis’s fields in June, and have an audacious pomposity that will have you blasting out laughter from the least expected places. Unfortunately, this humour is derived from cheap shock tactics that often provoke laughs not because of their comic precision but rather through their clumsy handling of ethnicity and gender. Case in point, the heel promo before the very first GLOW match, spoken by Spanish Red, tells us that she considers herself an American but wants to observe her own customs. How fucking dare she? Her opponent, Americana, says if she wants to continue to have American freedom, she better start doing everything American people tell her to do. “I don’t want to hear any of that mumbo jumbo. You’re in America now. I want to hear English!” Pleasant girl that Americana. Elsewhere, two of the wrestlers on the roster made their debut by saying

to a feuding mixed-race tag team, “Look at the spade and the honky fighting.” At least that gave them an enemy to unite against. However, the biggest surprise is the most positive. For the fact that the wrestlers are mostly actresses, stunt performers, and just generally people with only a month-and-a-half’s worth of wrestling experience, is how many moves they know. A typical GLOW girl knows has more holds than half of the women who ever got lumbered into WWE’s Diva branding. The execution might leave a little bit to be desired, but for only six weeks in the ring, they ain’t half bad. For everything I saw in GLOW that made me want to stand on my feet, pump my fist and binge watch all four series, there was something that made me want to slam my fingers in my own laptop. For every glittery goddess being a body-positive role model to young women, there was a character called Jailbait. Every time I marvelled that these wrestlers were allowed to get on independently without men, I realised there was male influence everywhere. Their championship is represented by a tiara for god’s sake. GLOW is empowering and lifeaffirming television, but it’s also deeply rooted in Reagan-era jingoism, and conditional equality. But when all is said and done, the emotion of disappointment is reserved for the things that you love and even I can’t be mad at GLOW all of the time.

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When I first started following wrestling, New Japan were one of two major organisations in the Land of the Rising Sun, drawing big crowds but not making much of a splash internationally outside of hardcore fans. There were two huge promotions in the U.S. with substantial worldwide fan bases, and the two big Mexican promotions often outdrew their Japanese counterparts. Fast forward to 2017 and the landscape has changed enormously. Now WWE is the ONLY promotion which can legitimately call its title a “World” title. Its U.S. “competitors” are many and relatively insignificant. The Mexicans are playing to much smaller audiences, and New Japan is in a field of its own in the East.

Having seen off its major competitor in its home country - which changed from All Japan Pro Wrestling to ProWrestling NOAH when the legendary Misawa jumped ship - and withstood the onslaught of WWE’s expansion into the Orient, New Japan now have their sights set on their own global expansion. They were shown on German TV in the late-1990s, and have had a prime-time show on fighting channel AXS for the past two years in the U.S., but have restricted their overseas forays to partnerships with Ring of Honor in the States, CMLL in Mexico, and Revolution Pro-Wrestling in the UK. This past weekend, however, New Japan finally came to the U.S. in its own right. They hosted two shows in Long Beach, labelled G1 Specials (ahead of the upcoming, and daunting, G1 Tournament which starts later this month), the first of which went out live on AXS in the U.S. The second (and the first for non-U.S. viewers) was also shown live on New Japan World, their streaming service, and organisationally, the whole thing was a massive success. The shows sold out very quickly and as a beachhead for a further expansion into the U.S., it has to be considered a triumph. The eventual aim seems to be for an NJPW-U.S., based out of California and touring nationwide. With this in mind, they created an IWGP United States title and gave it to the perfect ambassador - Kenny Omega. While Omega is Canadian, he is fresh to most American viewers, having not spent any significant time in the WWE

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PHOTO: © NJPW

developmental system, let alone appeared on WWE TV. His in-ring skills are as considerable as his charisma, and he will defend the belt on major New Japan shows on his way to challenging Kazuchika Okada for the big gold belt further down the line. How New Japan decide to proceed is uncertain. They have a large roster right now, large enough so that whole swathes of the regular lineup did not make the trip to the U.S., and a split along the lines of the Raw/Smackdown division could certainly be possible, especially if ROH contracted-talent are used as “home” stars. However, both “brands” need star power and it may be that having the U.S. tours slotted in-between the major Japanese tours, with a secondary roster filling in back home, is the most prudent way to go. WWE have yet to properly react to the incursion, at least publically, but this kind of thing doesn’t usually go unpunished. The reaction to the World of Sport TV show in the UK was to bring forward plans for a WWE-UK brand, and there has been talk that there are plans for a WWEJapan, which we may see accelerated, However WWE reacts, history has shown that competition can only be healthy. The stale product that the domination era has so often been accused of would have to improve if they were forced to vie for the attention and money of the American fans. While a little further tweaking of the traditional New Japan product may be needed (the weekend’s shows were very long), they have a strong base and a fascinating cast of characters to sell to a fresh crowd. 2016 was exciting in wrestling, and 2017 has been no different. 2018 may be the best yet.

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