// GREATEST ‘MANIA MOMENTS // SAMI CALLIHAN //
WRESTLING JIMMY USO
SPECIAL
BARON CORBIN
BAYLEY
LUKE GALLOWS CARMELLA
“I ALWAYS WANTED TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL HOW I FELT AS A FAN”
AJ STYLES April 2018
// ISSUE 21
RUSEV
DANIEL BRYAN CLEARED!
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MARCH 2018 VULTUREHOUND 19
WELCOME WELCOME FROM THE EDITOR ith WrestleMania right around the corner this issue includes a huge ‘Mania special. What makes this special so special? We had the opportunity to chat with a whole host of WWE Superstars including Bayley, AJ Styles, Rusev, Baron Corbin, Luke Gallows, Jimmy Uso and Carmella.
WRESTLERS OF THE MONTH
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Is he the most hated man in wrestling right now? We spoke to Sami Callihan not long after the now infamous baseball incident on Impact. David Garlick @davidgarlick
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WALTER EDITORIAL David Garlick Editor / Design david@vulturehound.com
Jozef Raczka
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Features Editor
Bradley Tiernan + James Toal Review Editors
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WWE
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DANIEL BRYAN: CLEARED WORDS: ELIZABETH BIRT | PHOTO: WWE WE superstar Daniel Bryan has been medically cleared to return to the ring! After retiring two years ago due to multiple concussions making it unsafe for the Yes Man to compete, many people gave up hope of seeing Daniel Bryan in the ring again, instead settling for his position as SmackDown Live’s general manager.
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But what does all of this mean for Daniel Bryan, SmackDown Live and the WWE universe? With Commissioner Shane McMahon taking leave of a absence on the blue brand, many thought that Daniel would step in the ring more, possibly as acting commissioner, but as we all know, his ambition is to get back in the ring on a competitive level. Could this be on a consistent basis as a full-time WWE superstar, or could we be seeing him in a similar role to RAW counterpart Kurt Angle, stepping into the ring on the odd occasion? That seems to be the most likely concept, which would leave the question of when can we see Daniel Bryan in the ring again? The whole of the WWE universe would be delighted to see his return on the grandest stage of them all – WrestleMania. A WrestleMania return would be the most apt for the profile of the four time world champion, but who against? Whether a return at WrestleMania is on the cards or not, the fact that we are getting set to see the Yes Man back in the ring in a competitive form is some of the best news of 2018!
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WORDS FROM
W O L L A G E K U L , V E S U R , Y E L Y A B , S E L AJ STY
T S E WR INTRO: LIAM O'ROURKE
O
n April 8th, 2018, WWE will host the 34th incarnation of the biggest annual wrestling event in the world - WrestleMania. To the uninitiated or the newlyenamoured, the show has traditionally been the crown jewel
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of the year for the promotion W and fans alike. Everything that makes the unique subculture of pro wrestling appealing in the first place is dialled to the maximum, a spectacle beyond reproach within the industry. Whether it be the entrances, the costuming, the drama, the pageantry, the athleticism, the star power; everything is bigger
(in fact biggest) at WrestleMania. For almost twelve straight years, the show has taken place in front of a packed stadium, filled with the most die-hard supporters from around the world, all looking to experience the iconic moments that will undoubtedly be remembered and replayed for decades to come. WrestleMania used to be a brilliant
A L L E M R A C , O S U Y M M I J , N I B R O C N WS, BARO
A I N A M TLE indicator of the company’s current popularity with the more casual fan who may not live and die with WWE, but would be drawn to see the big event. The success of Mania went through various peaks and valleys through its existence, depending on the ebbs and flows of the business. The WWE’s model has shifted in
recent times, relying on a smaller section of passionate fans to drive their major shows. The reason is clear - when it counts, every April, they can bank on people from every corner of the planet congregating to the event they know matters most. That built-in relevance is as pronounced as ever in 2018,
the show revolving around their biggest PR move in years – the signing of former UFC megastar Ronda Rousey. While no metrics have shifted significantly yet, the amount of online press the story has garnered will pay dividends for WWE as they negotiate their new TV deal, keeping WrestleMania at the forefront of the pro wrestling universe.
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WORDS: JOSH WHITE | PHOTOS: WWE
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N O I T U L O V E R E H CONTINUING T
Y E L Y BA
W
hen people first spoke of the women’s revolution in WWE, culminating with the presentation of the women’s championship by Lita at WrestleMania 32 to replace the now defunct Divas title, for a long time it was thought of as nothing more than a catchphrase. Undeniably this was a huge step forward in the companie’s direction and treatment of its female counterparts, looking to further themselves from a history that had not been in line with how women should be represented, and quite frankly respected in today’s society. Fast forward to 2018, and it’s thanks to wrestlers like Bayley that the movement is now well and truly cemented in the annals of history. It’s no longer just a catchphrase; it’s a mantra that every woman in the locker room carries on their back, constantly fighting for the next opportunity to prove their worth. For Bayley, to be a part of the WWE was always her dream. It’s common knowledge that the reallife Pamela Martinez is regarded as a ‘superfan’ outside of the ring, fondly recalling that from the age of 12 she’d envisioned herself one day competing in the main event
of WrestleMania. To share a locker room with the likes of Kurt Angle, Matt Hardy and beyond in Bayley’s own words is still ‘So crazy’. “I’m still not used to it. I was walking up the ramp before doors at a show one time and Kurt (Angle) was coming down the ramp toward me and just said ‘hey’ – it’s so mad knowing that he knows who I am. Being with the WWE means that I’ve gotten to know his daughter too, she’s a huge fan of mine – again it’s crazy! I’ve also gotten to know Matt (Hardy), I was obsessed with the Hardy Boyz growing up. He has so many stories to tell, he’s such a great locker room leader and person to be around.” . Bayley has received her fair share of detractors, as many others have faced since stepping out from between the famed yellow ropes. Speculation has always been rife since dropping the Raw women’s championship that management has lost faith in her abilities to help carry the division. Contrary to this, it’s clear that this faith is still instilled, having competed in the first-ever women’s Royal Rumble match (being eliminated by longtime friend Sasha Banks), and having just competed in the firstever women’s Elimination Chamber match. There’s a feeling shared amongst the locker room of hope
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for the future of women’s wrestling in the WWE, one that Bayley hopes to spearhead. It’s a goal that keeps the women of WWE going, with Bayley’s prediction that one day we will see women main event WrestleMania, fulfilling the dreams of a 12-year-old watching from home. “It’s possible (women main eventing WrestleMania) and it will happen one day. If I’m in it or not, just the fact that a women’s match could main event WrestleMania makes my heart happy, we’ve come so far. But we’re not where we want to be yet. We want to main event on a regular basis. The Elimination Chamber was a huge step towards our shared goal, and I don’t feel like WrestleMania is too far away from what we want to accomplish”. The Elimination Chamber was a huge part of making this dream a reality, but for Bayley, it wasn’t without controversy. Sasha Banks looked as if she was to aid Bayley in the structure, only to seemingly turn on her friend. It seems now is
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the time to strike whilst the iron is hot, a rivalry renewed between two of the best in the business with WrestleMania fast approaching. “It’s been weird between us since the Royal Rumble, she eliminated me and I just took it as being an ‘every woman for herself’ situation, so I understood as she needed to do what was best for her. It seemed more aggressive from Sasha (at the Elimination Chamber), I feel like it didn’t have to go that way. It’s a hard situation for me – we’ve never had issues outside of the ring. If she really does have a problem with me then it’s something that we’ll have to solve.” Bayley also spoke about Ronda Rousey joining the ranks of WWE, giving props to the 16-second knockout queen of the UFC for bringing new viewers who have known her previously for her near flawless work in the octagon. It’s made clear however that no matter what, she’s not taking anyone’s spot.
Perhaps more importantly though is what Bayley has become. In a world where the rights of women are still not on par with that of men in many respects, she stands with the weight of the world on her shoulders to show young women that you can accomplish anything that you set out to do regardless of your gender. “I always wanted to make people feel how I felt as a fan in the crowd – to feel connected and inspired to do whatever they set out to do. It’s weird but when I have signings I’ll have young women come up to me and say that my match with Sasha at Takeover: Brooklyn is what inspired them to get into wrestling training. To hear that at this stage in my career is insane, but it motivates me to keep going and its reassuring to hear. We’re doing something special. I feel a responsibility from parents too they’ll thank us for helping their children to get through hard times, that watching our matches makes them happy. But it’s a good responsibility to have.”
LONEWOLF
N I B R O C N BARO H
e’s a former WWE United States Champion, a Money in the Bank holder and he won the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on his first night graduating from NXT.
A L L E M R A C “I’ll be completely honest, I was scared,” begins Carmella. “My body isn’t made to be thrown on or get hit with ladders. At the time, you know how big it is, but when you look back on it…sometimes I’ll be at home and have the Money In The Bank briefcase on my kitchen table and think, ‘Oh my gosh, I won it’. It’s just unreal.” WORDS:LIAM O’ROURKE
WORDS: JOZEF RACZKA
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ith personalities and people being shuffled as SmackDown Live began to take shape, Carmella was given the golden ticket, the key that would swing the door of opportunity wide-open – she was turned heel. The more annoying, self-important elements of the persona that were difficult to love suddenly fell into place. For this gimmick, ita was ultimately clear from day one that being a heel was her true calling.
What can we expect from you at WrestleMania 34? Well hopefully I walk in WWE champion, I know John Cena put out a challenge to make it a triple threat but I can tell you if I’m WWE champion, Cena’s not welcome with me and Nakamura. Cena’s smart, he knows his strategies and that’s how he’s a 16-time champ, so I’m going to do everything I can to keep him away as I think I can take Nakamura one-on-one so I’m going to walk in and out WWE champion.
Growing Up, what was your favourite WrestleMania moment?
WATCHING STONE COLD AND BRET HART, BLEEDING LIKE CRAZY WAS PRETTY SURREAL Oh, man.Watching Stone Cold and Bret Hart, just bleeding like crazy was pretty surreal but I also loved Eddie Guerrero V Angle and Undertaker V Shawn Michaels in Houston, one of the best matches I’ve ever seen and of course, Taker V Edge. There’s so many, it’s hard to pick.
Post-Mania, would you want to stay on Smackdown or move to RAW? I think about this a lot and some of the guys on RAW: Reigns, Rollins, Lesnar, Strowman, those guys are running shop over there and I want to see what they’re made of. It would be pretty awesome to get on RAW and shake things up for myself as well as the roster.
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WORDS: JAMES TOAL
D ’ I , F F O T U C T IF MY LEG GO O T T I E K A M O T FIND A WAY A I N A M E L T S E WR E N O L A N E M O N THE PHE
S E L Y AJ ST E
ver since his surprise debut at the 2016 Royal Rumble, AJ Styles has consistently amazed audiences and strived to make every moment count when he’s in the ring. All of this should be culminating in possibly the most anticipated match of his career when he defends the WWE Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura at The Grandest Stage of Them All, WrestleMania. We managed to gain entrance to a conference call with the Phenomenal one himself before his big match to discuss the many things going through his mind, and even address certain rumours that may put everything on hold in a major way.
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Reportedly during a show at Madison Square Garden, AJ was seen to be carried backstage after a match, leading many to speculate his health moving forward. The always faithful internet wrestling community continued to spiral as thoughts of Styles missing Mania filled comments and tweets. AJ’s response was many things, but definitely direct. “If my leg got cut off, I’d find a way to make it to WrestleMania. I will be wrestling Shinsuke Nakamura at WrestleMania, don’t worry about it, it’ll be fine.” His confidence has filled me and many others with a sense of relief. Lord
knows what would happen if a match like that was suddenly off the table. This response speaks volumes of AJ’s character, he goes on to say much later in the conference with regards to his do or die attitude when it comes to entertaining the audience. “I think it’s more my ego than anything that won’t allow me to take time off. I still feel like I can go with these young guys and I feel like I’ve got something to prove. Because I am older... I got to be this guy, I got to be the same AJ Styles that everyone used to see and so when I’m not able to give them that guy or be that guy then I’ve got to hang it up.”
“There’s a little bit of everything I need to improve on. You name it, you can always be better at it and I want to be better at everything. If I can just be a little bit better at something throughout my career I feel like at least I’m moving forward. I think that once you believe you have learned everything and that you’re the master, you might as well get out of this business. I’m sure The Rock would even tell you that he still had more to learn.” Honing your craft and wanting to learn is a key factor in AJ’s attitude. Applying yourself and allowing to take in new information seems to be the best way forward for him, which ultimately leads us perfectly to the next encounter for Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura. Nakamura and AJ have faced off before back in NJPW during Wrestle Kingdom 10. After this bout, which many people thought would never happen again, their paths soon crossed during the Money in the Bank ladder match in 2017. The crowd felt it, AJ and Nakamura felt it, and we’re fairly sure Vince felt it too. Though a brief encounter, this then led to the slow hype, asking when will they face each other again or if they do, how will it go down? That answer was brought to us thanks to Nakamura winning the Royal Rumble match where he got to pick his
F RACZKA WORDS: JOZE
This passion to go and above and beyond has paid off in the past. Thinking back to matches that AJ has been involved in before has left a mark in WWE that cannot be removed. Matches with Chris Jericho, Kevin Owens, Brock Lesnar, and even Finn Balor have all had memorable moments littered throughout that show a lot of work has been done to make them outstanding in one way or another. But even with this outlook, when asked if he felt there was anything he needed to improve on, AJ replied positively with an eagerness to grow as a performer.
back, Daniel Bryan is elve-Time is back, the Tw n go ra D an ic the Amer who was winner, the man Slammy Award g that essional wrestlin so good at prof ter bser ver Newslet the Wrestling O stler t Technical Wre named their Bes is back! Two Award after him and was in the ring years since he rleans in at the New O stepping back tality he tasted immor stadium where nal XXX. It’s the Fi at WrestleMania Yes! yone, Yes, Yes, Countdown ever
N A Y R B L DANIE
champion to face, and we all know who he chose... What did AJ think when Nakamura secured his place at WrestleMania? “I was very excited that Shinsuke won the Royal Rumble and I had to make sure that I had the championship so that he and I could get in the ring together, against each other one on one, give the WWE Universe what they want to see. As far as the main event goes, I can tell you which match is going to steal the show. You can either put [Styles and Nakamura] on last, or you can have that as the only match and people are going to remember it because we are going to tear the house down, that’s what we do. We have the talent to be able to do that and I think that’s what people are expecting. Whether or not it’s the main event, it’ll be a main-event match.” Surely a match like this, which fans are already calling “match of the night”, must lead to some high pressure for Styles to come to terms with. AJ commented on this by stating; “Well, there’s definitely some expectations that are a little high, it’s going to be hard to reach those expectations. If I had to pick someone
in the WWE that I could do it with, it’d be Shinsuke. It is what it is, at the end of the day we can only do what we can do. I really believe that we have the opportunity to do something great for ourselves, each other, and put ourselves on a pedestal that people will remember a match from WrestleMania that they’ll never forget.” “I don’t know there’s that much pressure. I feel like that [Nakamura] and I can have a great match no matter what, it’s going to happen. There’s a little pressure of it being WrestleMania, but I work well under pressure so I’m not worried about it... it’s a match that I wanted. So the fact that we’re actually going to do it at WrestleMania, I think its long overdue but it’s the perfect timing to do it and it’s exciting.” So there you have it, folks. AJ is going to be ready no matter what, Nakamura has his sights set on the WWE championship and WrestleMania is only a few short weeks away. The only question now is who is going to walk out with the title? Either way, this matchup has been a long time coming in WWE and we finally get to see it. All I can say is sit back, relax, and look forward to seeing what these two pull out of the bag to make it truly memorable.
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rusev
INTERVIEW: R TA S R E P U S E W W O T E K O P WE S WORDS: LEE HAZELL
HANDSOME
V E S RU
R
usev is one of the best home-grown WWE talents this century. His explosive beginning with the company, 146 days undefeated, was finished after a WrestleMania loss to John Cena. With 18 months with no gold around his waist, Rusev has recently taken matters into his own hands with his new Rusev Day gimmick and the fans have been more behind him than ever. Just listen to the raucous reaction he got at the Rumble. Rusev talks to VultureHound about Rusev Day and his WrestleMania prospects
Rusev starts us off with the greeting we all want to hear. “Happy Rusev day my friend!” It’s quickly mentioned that the thing that everyone is looking forward to is WrestleMania, but shock-horror, this year WrestleMania clashes with Rusev Day. What does the Bulgarian Brute think of this? “Well it’s the first collaboration between WrestleMania and Rusev Day, so I’m looking forward to it. The tank entrance at WrestleMania 31 was one of the greatest spectacles of all time so we’ve got to make it even more special this time. I can definitely top it, but we’re inside this year so I don’t think I
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can drive a tank or fly an aeroplane or a helicopter in there, so I’m going to have to come up with something else.” Always the gracious gentleman, Rusev is quick to show his appreciation to those who have helped make Rusev Day a success. He explains the mass appeal of the philosophy behind Rusev Day, “It’s more than just a catchphrase. It’s a mentality. You’re celebrating yourself every day. It’s who you are. That’s what makes it more than just a cool catchphrase to say. People understand and they feel the passion behind it. That’s why it’s had an amazing response.” We ask his opinion on how the WWE Universe saw a side to Rusev the WWE creatives have seemingly missed. “It was different in the 80s and 90s when everything was more protected but now with social media, you are just out there. I think it’s good because people get to see your personality. Who you are. It’s not who they see in that ten minutes of TV segments. I think that’s why people fall in love with characters that are not necessarily at the top of the programme or WWE champion or whatever.”
HAPPY RUSEV DAY
THIS YEAR WRESTLEMANIA CLASHES WITH
RUSEV DAY F RACZKA WORDS: JOZE
HAPPY RUSEV DAY
suke In Januar y, Shin ns last from ed Roman Reig at in im el a ur Nakam ing a spot e, thereby earn the Royal Rumbl t. Yet ania Main Even in the WrestleM versal lking about Uni here we are, ta Lesnar fighting Champion Brock no rr y for Reigns, Reigns. I feel so r how does, no matte matter what he g to is, there’s goin good his match s telling internet fanboy be those vocal esn’ t a beating, he do him, unless it’s r he gets. deserve whateve
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HAPPY RUSEV DAY Rusev’s success on social media is due to his ingenuity with the medium. “Show ‘em what you got. For the first couple of years I couldn’t do that because I was in a very specific role, but now that I’m just me, I get to show off my personality and market myself. People watch it, they understand it and they love it. You have to put the work in. It doesn’t matter if you have 10 followers or two-million followers, you can grow. Once somebody likes your stuff they’re going to retweet and then you get to the next person and the next person and that’s how you grow.” WrestleMania sees Kurt Angle, one of Rusevs all-time favourites, tagging with Ronda Rousey for her in-ring debut. “I love Angle, man. He is the one. He is probably No.2 the best of all time. Or No.1. Something like that. Every time I have to do something funny or something stupid and I really don’t want to do it, I look back and think,
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“Man, Kurt had to do so much worse.” But then, in the ring, he’s just an animal. He’s the Olympic champion. Umaga was another big influence. He was the man, who when I started training, I was watching him and taking a lot of things from him.” Considering him and his idol, Kurt, have a penchant for submission finishers, we asked him if it was always the plan to utilise a submission for his most effective line of offence. “My Machka Kick that I do before The Accolade used to be my finisher. Then, when I was in NXT’s performance centre, Terry Taylor gave me the so-called Camel Clutch from back in the day. He said Sheik used to do it and that I should impersonate him, so he gave me that finish. We taped it and sent it to Triple H right away. My only problem was that Jinder Mahal used to do it before me. But Triple H was like, “Well he hasn’t won a match in a while.””
Considering he is currently without a title, or even in a feud over one, we asked him if he was looking to attain gold at The Granddaddy of Them All. “I don’t even know what I’m going to do at WrestleMania, so it’s very farfetched for me to tell you that WrestleMania is going to be my moment that is going to define 2018. I don’t know. I take it day by day. Each Rusev Day by each Rusev Day.” Finally we proposed some fantasy angles the fans would love to see, specifically UFC’s Connor McGregor. “McGregor? He’s not coming to WWE. What is he going to do here? He’s got $150 million. What is he going to do here? Move on. Though I would like me, him and Sheamus to get a pint of Guinness and see where we go from there.” Finally, we asked him who would he choose as his opponent at WrestleMania? His answer was shockingly frank. “Vince McMahon. I really want to kick his butt.”
WORDS: TIM BIRKBECK
T
he Uso’s are well on their way to becoming one of the greatest tag teams of all time and if they continue to produce gold on the mic and in the ring, like they’ve been doing since their heel turn it will be undeniable that they belong in the ranks of teams like The Hardys, The Dudley Boyz, The Legion of Doom and The Rock ‘n Roll Express. Jimmy Uso talks to us about their influences, their rivalries and, of course, if after nine years loyal service, they will finally make the main card at WrestleMania. In fact, that is the first topic of conversation. “I dunno, man. Never getting on the main card? It’s been nine years already. Never getting on the main card; it’s kind of discouraging but I get it. You’ve got to grind to get on there. That’s the spot. That’s the Super Bowl. That’s the Grandest Stage of Them All. At this point, if I’m not on there and I know I had a hell of a year, I don’t know what I can do. All I got to do is keep my head down in 2018 and make it better than 2017. That’s the mentality we’ve got. I’ll just keep grinding. This year? Yeah, I’m walking on eggshells, but I’ve got a good feeling.”
show at WrestleMania, you need to have a career-defining match. We asked him who would be best placed to provide such a fight. “That’s a hard one man, but if I had to pick, if it came down to just one team for The Uso’s to fight, it would probably be The Hardy Boyz. That’s just from me growing up and watching tag-team wrestling. They made me and my brother go, “Holy cow, man! That’s pretty cool.” They’re brothers. They’re doing their thing. They’re WWE Tag Team Champions.” Speaking of family, with WrestleMania looming large, their father and WWE Hall of Famer, Rikishi, was certainly no stranger to The Grandest Stage of them All. We asked if he had any particular memory of his Dad working wrestling’s biggest show. “Crazy thing is, I do. My dad and Samu (The Headshrinkers) had a tagteam match at Ceaser’s Palace (WrestleMania IX). They wrestled the Steiner Brothers which was also the same PPV where my uncle Yoko beat Bret Hart. So, to see all of them; my dad, both my uncles on one of the biggest stages of them all was really surreal for us, and it would really be cool to do that again. Me and my brother and my cousin; just my whole family at WrestleMania, representing.”
If you’re going to be on the main
THE CLUB'S
LUKE GALLOWS
I
n a time when the wrestling world is buzzing with potential dream matches, some of which are already coming true, Luke Gallows has suggested a WrestleMania dream match that would have fans salivating. One which VultureHound suggests when speaking to one half of The Club would be the Good Brothers alongside Finn Balor versus The Elite. “The Club V The Elite would be a great match,” “As would The Club vs The Shield, hell lets make it a three-way for WrestleMania, that would truly be something amazing.” When asked what his favourite WrestleMania moment throughout history is he answers: “My own”. “Last year being in that ladder match and hearing the reaction to the Hardy Boyz return was incredible.
O S U Y M JIM
“There have been so many incredible WrestleMania moments throughout the WWE’s history but to be part of your own is a little bit special.”
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T S E T A GRE S T N E M O M MANIA T
he Grandest Stage of Them All is the place where anything can happen: An underdog can prevail, a new star can be born, love can be in the air, a wrestler could make an incredible jump, a celebrity could appear… These moments became iconic for every wrestling fan, but also cemented the legacy of this pay-per-view in the history of sports entertainment. As the SteelChair Mag Writers are “WrestleManiacs”, some of them decided to share with you their favourite Mania moments.
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ALEX RICHARDS – THE “YESTLEMANIA” – WRESTLEMANIA XXX (2014) WrestleMania 30 bore witness to the culmination of the biggest underdog story in years. Having been put down by the authority and screwed from SummerSlam 2013 onwards, the fans wanted one thing and one thing only: for Daniel Bryan to win the Royal Rumble and main event WrestleMania. After years of seeing “WWE” guys being pushed over talented wrestlers, fans feared that Bryan didn’t have the look that WWE wanted. When Bryan wasn’t even in the Rumble, fans rebelled both in the arena and online. Finally, the
WWE had no choice but to book Bryan vs Triple H. If Bryan won he would be added to the main event. After pulling out a victory Bryan was attacked and injured by Triple H. His place in the main event was in serious doubt. Bryan made his way out to fight what was basically a 2 on 1 handicap match. But Bryan WOULD NOT QUIT. In the end, he forced Batista to tap out to his YES lock. The crowd chanted YES YES YES to their heart’s content as their guy had finally. Finally, he won the big one.
VICTORIA TEZANGI – THE END OF THE STREAK – WRESTLEMANIA XXX (2014)
The Undertaker’s undefeated streak at WrestleMania has been a big part of our lives as pro wrestling fans. For over two decades the dead man stood on the grandest stage of them all scoring victory after victory over the likes of legends including Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Diesel and so so many more. With every man standing in his way failing to take out ‘Taker we all wondered whether anyone would score the win or if the dead man would end his WWE run still with that streak intact. Then, of course, we had WrestleMania 30. A night we will all remember as Brock Lesnar shocked the world defeating the Undertaker and ending one of the most iconic streaks in wrestling history! It was a moment
that felt like it lasted forever. The shock left everyone in attendance and at home speechless. As time stood still history moved and the start of a new era began.
JOSH WHITE – THE ROCK VS. HOGAN – WRESTEMANIA X-8 (2002) When we talk about the greatest WrestleMania moments, what list could ever be complete without the great one himself – The Rock standing toe to toe with the New World Order’s own, Hulk Hogan? It felt as if time truly stood still, and without so much as a headlock being applied, they had every single person in the crowd in the palm
of their hands, not quite believing what was before them – the once utterly impossible at that moment made real. Just imagine what could have happened had Scott Hall and Kevin Nash not defected to WCW, this moment may have never happened. At least, not in a way that was just too sweet.
AMANDA WHY – THE WOMEN’S REVOLUTION- WRESTLEMANIA 32 (2016) Set in the context of the Women’s Revolution, the triple-threat between Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and Sasha Banks was a huge deal. Three of the ‘four horsewomen of NXT’
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fighting for the brand-new WWE Women’s Championship. The belt was unveiled by Lita during the Kickoff show alongside the announcement the women would no longer be Divas, they would simply be Superstars. It was the first WrestleMania for all three, and they were all over the poster. The match itself was fantastic. You could feel the determination to make it the best women’s WrestleMania match ever. They achieved that. The occasion was marred only by Ric Flair who caused multiple distractions and grabbed Sasha Banks to stop her breaking up the Figure Eight Charlotte made Becky Lynch tap with. Ageing Hall of Famer’s aside, this was the match that showed the WWE universe the women couldn’t just keep up, they could steal the show.
great fading away in the current style (the intensity in Austin Vs. Bret from Mania 13, for example). With Shawn and Razor, if you watch it for the first time now, it may not be as special. But watching at the time, your mind was blown when Michaels hit that baseball slide to the ladder. Something like that was an injury angle back then. You couldn’t believe the repeated ladder shots. The bumps from Shawn were incredible. Razor’s timing and selling was perfect throughout. The twists and turns with both men looking to bring down the belts were breathtaking. Shawn’s legendary splash. A finish that blew the roof off Madison Square Garden. For years, this was the match you showed people who didn’t understand how great wrestling is.
LIAM O’ROURKE – SHAWN MICHAELS’ LADDER SPLASH – WRESTLEMANIA X (1994)
STEPH FRANCHOMME – THE FIRST-EVER IRON MAN MATCH – WRESTLEMANIA XII (1996)
Time can do funny things with classic matches. Some age better with time due to the elements that made them
When Commissioner Rowdy Roddy Piper announced that Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels would compete in an
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hour-long match at WrestleMania XII, competitors seemed as stunned as the audience was. Was it possible to wrestle 60 long minutes and offer a good match? It was mostly promoted as Bret Hart’s legacy vs. Shawn Michaels’ Boyhood Dream because it was everything it was about, a Changing of the Guard. Just the entrances proved it, Hart walked to the ring while Michaels flew to it. For 60 minutes, both men gave everything they had from both a performance and an endurance standpoint. As the clock ticked down, neither wrestler was able to record a fall. As Hart walked up the aisle, championship in hand, Commissioner Gorilla Monsoon asked the referee to restart the match with sudden death rules. Less than two minutes and two Sweet Chin Musica later, Michaels recorded the only fall of this epic encounter. “The boyhood dream has come true for Shawn Michaels,” said Vince McMahon. An angry Hart left the building to come back a few months later to challenge Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels and his Kliq started to create their own legacy.
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BRITISH WRESTLING
WORDS: DAVE ADAMSON
5* WRESTLING – THE CHAIN REACTION FOR BRITISH WRESTLING ive weeks into 5* Wrestling’s run on Freesports and they’ve seen some stormy seas in the ocean of online opinion.
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5* Wrestling had, online, become must-see TV. Anyone keeping an eye on #5StarWrestling would see a true mix of praise, consternation and outrage. It must have been a great time for a wrestling company borne from their video games (Wrestling Manager in 2010, leading to 5 Star Wrestling for PS3 and 5 Star Wrestling: ReGenesis for PS4). Driven by the vision of Dan Hinkles, it was ambitious and he proved his ambition when he spoke to the iSax podcast long before Freesports. It’s certainly something that British wrestling fans will want to hear. There’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance. First week jitters aside, the production has improved over subsequent weeks and shows no signs of halting as they continue to be the most widely accessible British wrestling show thanks to Freesports being available on most digital television platforms. By its fifth week, on 1st March 2018, 5* faced far and away it’s biggest challenge – the weather. With some of its roster unable to make the event, the Belfast show could have been cancelled, but everyone involved pulled it off, in a scrappily entertaining fashion, giving us a mix of a reduced regular roster
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and some new talent familiar to OTT Wrestling fans… and Alberto El Patron, who spoke happily about WWE along with a new championship… at length. Five weeks in, five shows down. Week six saw the continuation of a snowstorm in the United Kingdom making travel hazardous across many regions and many wrestling shows had to make the decision to run or not – it wasn’t just the safety of the wrestlers and staff getting to the venues, the fans needed to be able to travel, too. 5* wasn’t alone in its decision to cancel a show, but the stakes for them were a lot higher – they had a live television contract to fulfil. This one was forgivable, given the weather conditions. The next week was an odd one – surely it was too early for a season break, but that’s the only explanation I can come up with for there apparently being no show booked at all. Perhaps we’d get a recap or an unseen highlights show, but there was nothing on Freesports. Then the wheels came off the bus with a single screenshot posted to social media by the Wrestle Thoughts fan podcast. It appeared to be from Dan Hinkles, the creator of 5* Wrestling and referenced Jason (possibly Jason Noble – one of the investors and listed as Director of Pro Wrestling UK LTD). They spoke of their hopes to keep
things going in a reduced capacity but that it had all fallen through. No more 5* Wrestling, no more live events, no more television show. It had all collapsed and left the high hopes of those involved, workers and fans, in ruins, let alone the now broken television contract. The return of British wrestling to weekly national television had stopped after five weeks of live television. 5* Wrestling on Freesports wasn’t their first live television show – they’d also had coverage via Spike TV in January 2017 with what would be a one-off broadcast of the notsearch-friendly Dominant Wrestling. It caused a buzz, but nothing more came of it, despite the ambition. One live show, a small number of shows outside of this and, despite this limited experience, they’d managed to secure a three-year “opportunity of a lifetime” deal, which would have seen five belts in contest and plans to finally televise the aborted 128-man tournament. It was in 2017 that they made the ambitious tournament announcement, again with much criticism from some of the staunchest supporters of British wrestling, including Steve Saxon (of Britannia Wrestling Promotions and the iSax podcast). Logistically fraught with complexity, it came as little surprise that, despite promises it was going ahead, deals
for venues being put into place and, more importantly, the roster of workers being contracted to appear, the event was “postponed” and would be rescheduled to February 2018, when it didn’t happen either! The problem with the 128 man tournament plans is the same as the one that wrestlers face after the closure of the business – no bookings, no pay. It’s disappointing when one show doesn’t run.These men and women are self-employed – no work, no wage. Three years of TV contract for the best workers – the ones you knew would be the jewel in the 5* crown – was a big deal to each of them, and now it’s lost, with absolutely no sign of recompense. The venues, many of which would have been booked well in advance, have also lost bookings, which will impact the casual working staff that they have. Fans will be among those hoping to get money back for tickets bought – if you’re a fan and paid by credit card, get in touch with your credit card company. 5* Wrestling had the talent to be hugely successful and there was true passion about the project – many asked fans to give 5* Wrestling a chance because it had the potential to be something great. It had the likes of Zack Gibson, Nathan Cruz, Mark Haskins, El Ligero, Dave Mastiff, Flash Morgan Webster, Adam Maxted & Charlie
Sterling, The Primate, and many, many more. We had the antics of Kid Fite, Lou King Sharp and Krieger, trying to get onto a show. There was the irrepressible and supremely confident Joe Hendry on commentary, alongside the highly knowledgeable Greg Lambert. It had brought in the UK Hooligans and Jody Fleisch and used them well. Ricky Knight Jr, Big Grizzly and others had been given huge opportunities that would have enhanced their already impressive output, output often only seen by devoted British wrestling fans, as opposed to the casual viewer audience that Freesports could have brought to the table. This was a potential breakout moment for British wrestling – one of the first times that had been on a nationally available channel. With such a variety of talent, it should be impossible for 5* Wrestling to go wrong when it comes to engaging, entertaining stories to keep the fans coming back for more. But, telling the story isn’t the only thing, regardless of how good the players are, you need the audience to watch it; not the athome audience, the live audience to go with the live television show. Large arenas are great, it’s prestigious, to announce that you’re running an arena and to see and hear the buzz of the crowd as their passion fills the venue must be a huge rush for any performer.
Having them appear half full or less just made them look empty and cavernous, and it showed on live TV! Hiding the audience doesn’t help, but revealing them does it no justice either. Heaven knows what the cost of running an arena is, but it can’t have been financially efficient! In five weeks, we’d seen 5* Wrestling start to follow in the footsteps of many other wrestling companies, just on a much grander, much more exposed scale. They’ve had a rocky start, they found their level and were running shows with, largely, quality talent. Then, with one announcement, it all fell apart. Many had predicted it would happen; but, as with all naysayers, they would have gone quiet had it been a success; they can now gloat all they want, but this is not a good thing. This isn’t about a single company, this is about a platform to showcase the talent in the UK and it’s about British wrestling. The plans to bring back wrestling to ITV have fallen silent after much fanfare, Spike TV was a one-and-done deal in the end and now Freesports has been burnt for the duration of a three year, ambitious deal that they’d proudly boasted “brought £650,000 of production value” to the table in a now-deleted tweet. Why should any broadcaster in the UK trust British wrestling again?
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205
THE NEXT STEPS IN TAKING 205 LIVE TO NEW HEIGHTS WORDS: VICTORIA TEZANGI | PHOTO: WWE
ith 205 LIVE appearing to have had a revival recently, it has been pointed out by many fans that the show has been far stronger than it has ever been. After introducing a general manager as well as an entertaining and unpredictable tournament to crown a new Cruiserweight champion, there is a greater interest in both the division and 205 Live, the show. However, there is still plenty of work to be done.
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Pretty much from the get-go, I and many others have claimed that the best option for the Cruiserweights was moving the division to SmackDown Live. It makes perfect sense. 205 Live airs every Tuesday after Smackdown, Daniel Bryan works with the division more than the RAW general manager, and there has always been a stronger position for these guys on the blue brand. Of course, Monday night RAW is a three-hour show and so you would like to believe that there is more than enough time for the division to be showcased on a weekly basis but that hasn’t been the case at all. We barely see these guys used on RAW and when they are, the booking is so weak no one even has an interest. Moving them to SmackDown LIVE does mean the blue brand is under more pressure to show all its brightest stars every week, but also, every week we’re getting something different. In return, every division is being used right, having its time, and fans can actually find a reason to care again.
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205 As we have touched on, Daniel Bryan has already shown signs of having a stronger personal connection with the stars of 205 Live. Despite the fact that Smackdown is a shorter show, there’s a far more likely chance the division will not be neglected to the level it has been on RAW. While 205 Live has grown massively in recent months we still see no changes on how these guys are booked on Monday nights.
This also means that some 205 LIVE stars could be working two matches or two segments a night but that only works in favour of the superstars and the division as a whole; more exposure can only mean growth. Plus, it helps storylines to come across as far more effective. Say we have a segment between two
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Cruiserweights on the SD Live roster who clash on 205 later on in the night while another group of stars works actual matches for Smackdown. Effectively, this allows us as fans to learn more about the stars on the roster which is something the WWE has struggled with from day one.
Whether the division eventually gets the move it needs to SmackDown LIVE or not, one thing it is going to seriously benefit from is new additions. Now, there is no denying that the talent is there already. The likes of Drew Gulak, Cedric Alexander, Noam Darr and many more are extremely talented men that could lead the division and deliver matches we could all note as some of the best we have seen in a long time. However, it’s been two years and we haven’t really had anything. The WWE has failed to bring these characters to life, educate fans on who they are and give us all reasons to tune in and get behind them. Looking ahead, what we need is new faces that bring star quality. The arrival of Rockstar Spud has shaken things up already and NXT stars making their way to the show has made a huge change, but what we need is even more inring talent to shine a spotlight on the division. The likes of the recently signed Richocet along with other NXT stars including Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, Fabian Aichner and Danny Burch to name just a few, would give the division the depth, character, and interest it desperately needs. These are the
big star names that will send the cruiserweight division to the level it needs and deserves to be at. Just imagine a twenty-five-minute contest between Cedric Alexander and Richocet! Now, if that doesn’t get you excited I don’t know what will! So far, we have seen Buddy Murphy and Roderick Strong amongst those NXT stars to make appearances for 205 LIVE along with UK division stars such as Tyler Bate and Mark Andrews, and the effects those names have had are huge! If this is something the WWE can keep doing then we will notice an even greater change in how much fans rate 205 Live as a star-filled, must-see show. We also have to look at past Cruiserweight stars that could make a return either to join as active members, potential future GMs, or characters as part of the show and division to shake things up. Of course, Rey Mysterio is a big name to consider! Excluding the cruiserweight division from the rest of the roster has been one of the biggest mistakes WWE
has made. They are completely on the outside with very little interaction with the rest of the roster and not only does it make no sense, but it has clearly not benefited the stars at all. This needs to change. The more these guys are featured, the more their popularity is likely to increase, which means fans are even more likely to tune into 205 Live’s products because they have been given a reason to become invested in the stars.
The revival of 205 Live has been focused around a tournament set to determine a new Cruiserweight champion. The tournament will come to an end at Wrestlemania and it’s sure to be an important night for the division. Who they crown as champion will shape this new direction and be a key step in pushing 205 Live to new heights. This champion must have star quality, a connection with fans and potential to lead the division to something very exciting.
Again, you start booking matches like Brian Kendrick vs Seth Rollins or Cedric Alexander vs Samoa Joe, for example, and you’re going to leave fans wanting more of these stars. It doesn’t take anything away from the cruiserweights as a division, but simply highlights them as a part of the roster by giving them all a chance to work these killer matches that allow them to climb the ladder, increase fan interest and send the division right to the top rather than isolate them from the rest of the RAW roster.
However, it’s also very important that time is given to these guys on the Grandest Stage of Them All, unlike last year where they not only were booked for the pre-show but the match didn’t even make the DVD edit. This year, giving the Cruiserweight championship a bigger spotlight is key. It will indicate the WWE are taking them more seriously, and with the potential for this match to steal the show regardless of the final two competitors, this could be a huge turn around night.
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WXW
PHOTO + WORDS: OLI SANDLER
After a lifetime uphill battle including homelessness and poverty, Ilja Dragunov finally gained the wXw Unified World’s title at this year’s 16 Carat Gold. Winning the tournament a year prior should have made this story inevitable, but with some clever storytelling (including a very convincing retirement), the audience never foresaw his suprise inclusion in the main event match between WALTER and much hated champion Bad Bones. This led to the most raucous celebration as his music hit for entry, and when he finally won the joy was sincere. A truly special moment.
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SAMI CALLIHAN
WORDS: STEPHANIE FRANCHOMME
SAMI CALLIHAN: “I’M THE MOST HATED MAN IN WRESTLING RIGHT NOW. SO BE IT.” hree months ago, when I first took part in an Impact media call with Sami Callihan, I depicted him as a “family man”, hidden behind the psycho, maniac, unpredictable, Death Machine. At this very moment, it seems like The Worldwide Desperado has a “Wanted” poster with his face on it, running around the Internet. Since the baseball incident that was aired on IMPACT three weeks ago, Callihan has been criticized, despised, hated. And he has loved every second of it.
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“I’m the most hated man in wrestling right now. So be it. I don’t care! I really don’t care anymore because this incident has launched me into the next atmosphere. People think that just because I anger people and wrestlers want to talk trash to me online, that it’s going to hurt my bookings. I’m being booked at a higher rate, so everything you guys are trying to do is backfiring.” Last week, on a new Impact media call, Callihan was offered to talk about the accident and the controversy surrounding it. His answer was ‘no holds barred’. Like the man himself.
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THE CONTROVERSY... Let’s start with the beginning. At January’s Impact tapings, Eddie Edwards and Sami Callihan faced off in a match that was aired less than three weeks ago. Edwards won the match and an unhappy Callihan grabbed his bat and a chair. He put the chair on Edwards’ chest, swung the bat - which hit the chair - but ricocheted off onto Edwards’ face, near his eye and nose. In addition to broken bones in his face, Edwards also had a broken nose. Thanks the injury, Callihan has become a kind of wrestling monster, unsafe and careless, and he doesn’t give a damn about it. Does he have remorse for what happened? “No, because it’s professional wrestling. Injuries happen in pro wrestling. Accidents happen and I’m going to make the best of it. I’m going to become the biggest professional wrestler in the world right now.” May the bat be the problem? For Sami Callihan, it’s more an accessory that gives credit to his character. “I said it’s going to be pretty good to start attacking people with this, and that’s what I did. A lot of times what goes through my head, there is no rhyme
or reason, things just happen, and that’s how I live my life. I’m a spontaneous person, and I’m going to continue to be a spontaneous person. I like the person that I am and am going to continue to be. If people want to call me the new Sting, then so be it. Sting was a pretty badass dude that carried a baseball bat. The difference between me and Sting is that I’m not going to be hiding in the rafters. I’m going to be coming at you face-to-face.” Accidents may happen in wrestling, but that didn’t stop the wrestling world at large jumping down his throat. And his answer to them is pretty simple: “For all the people who I’ve offended, you can pretty much just kiss my ass. Jim Cornette can kiss my ass. Any of the wrestlers that want to speak out at me can kiss my ass. I’m making money, I’m setting the wrestling world on fire, and I’m going to become legendary, even if it’s for all the wrong reasons.” “If people are afraid of me, so be it. I really don’t care at this point. I think my track record speaks for itself. I’m one of the only guys in wrestling history to wrestle for Impact, Lucha Underground, WWE,
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SAMI CALLIHAN ROH, NXT and New Japan. I’ll take a term from the Undertaker, ‘get in the ring and I’ll make you famous’ because I’m the person everyone is talking about. I had so many people come up to me and say I was careless and unsafe and that’s why I really just turned everything off and said I don’t give a damn anymore who I offend or I upset because I’m sitting at the top of the mountain and no one’s going to pull me down.” Eddie Edwards has taken the time to heal and refused to have talks with Callihan. “Eddie, I have worked with you for over 10 years and we’re supposed to be friends. If he’s letting himself think I did this on purpose, so be it. Now, if people want to make me out to be a monster, it’s time to be a monster. I don’t care anymore. Scott Hall said this, ‘you know what, I have a bunch of friends, I want some money now.’ That’s how I feel, I have the friends that I need and that I want, so now it’s time to make some money.” When I asked him if what happened could make him change the way he’s wrestling on Impact he said the same thing. “No, I’m going to be the same. I’m gonna be the guy out there busting my ass, night after night, having the match of the night, wherever I go. All these people can talk a bunch of crap about me but wherever Sami Callihan goes, whether it’s on national TV, a big indie company or somewhere around the world, Sami Callihan creates buzz and gets people talking. I’m not changing who I am. I’m not gonna quit walking around with a baseball bat. I’m going to continue being me. Don’t hate on me because I’m better at being me than you guys are at being you.”
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...AND ITS AFTERMATH At the very same moment the media were learning from Josh Mathews Eddie Edwards and Sami Callihan will face off again at WrestleCon on April 6 in an I Quit Match, Callihan was also learning
about it. And he was not okay with the method. “I love the way I find out what matches I’m booked in now is by online or conference call. Impact Wrestling management couldn’t go out of their way to at least give me a call or text message and say, ‘We want you to face Eddie Edwards at WrestleCon”.
No, it’s not going to happen. Sami Callihan is not going to wrestle at WrestleCon for Impact Wrestling.” In an Impact Wrestling vs. Lucha Underground event, with Eddie Edwards representing Impact, the only way for Callihan to come is to be Jeremiah Crane, his character
way more messed up individual than I am. When I go to the Temple, and I have to put on the gear and have to become that different person, I do. It’s Jekyll and Hyde, people don’t like wrestling me as Jeremiah Crane because Jeremiah Crane is a mean son of a b****. I’m pretty sure everyone thinks
ON LUCHA UNDERGROUND WITH THIS RELATIONSHIP IN THE NEXT COUPLE SEASONS, YOU’LL SEE A LOT MORE IMPACT GUYS GETTING INTO THE MIX THERE
in Lucha Underground and in many ways, this could very bad news for Eddie Edwards. “Sami Callihan is just an extension of me. At this point, I’ve kinda lost track of who I am as a real person and who I am as Sami Callihan anymore. The lines are blurred. Now Jeremiah Crane, on the other hand, he’s a
Sami Callihan is a mean son of a b***, garbage, unsafe, dangerous, deathmatch trash worker as well. I’m glad Jeremiah Crane doesn’t come out that often because my body would be dead right now if I had to put it through the kind of stuff that Jeremiah Crane puts his body through. I’m glad I get to
wrestle as Sami Callihan 90% of the year.” Many Impact wrestlers are also wrestling for Lucha Underground, as season four is currently being shot. “With this relationship in the next couple seasons, you’ll see a lot more Impact guys getting into the mix there.” Sami Callihan is, in fact, pretty happy Lucha Underground and Impact can now work together. “It’s an awesome time to be a professional wrestler because people are starting to get smart. They’re starting to realize that WWE has a monopoly on everything. So now it has to be everyone or WWE. So everyone has to work together. All the major promotions are starting to realize that Lucha Underground working with Impact is a great deal. It’s two companies that people are going to be talking about in the year coming because of our relationships together and the talent in it. You really don’t know where people are going to show up and are going to do. In my line of work, this is going to make my wallet look really good because I’m gonna be able to double dip, triple dip for as many promotions as I can.” Sami Callihan is a mastermind. Three months later, it’s still damn true. Nietzsche said “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. On April 6, Eddie Edwards, like Sami Callihan, will have the opportunity to prove that, from all the mess the accident fired up, one of the greatest matches in history could take place and no one could be more ready for it than a badass Worldwide Desperado that doesn’t give a damn about what people can think of him.
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GO-HOME
WORDS: ALAN BOON
GO-HOME SHOW iven that this magazine is released at the beginning of April, the only subject anyone is writing about right now is WrestleMania. I’ll get to that, too, but it would be churlish to spurn the opportunity to also look back at the first three months of 2018. You know, like what proper writers do sometimes.
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If 2016 was a crazy year in professional wrestling, and 2017 somehow managed to up that ante, then 2018 might just smoke it altogether, judging by how things have kicked off. Everything that has made wrestling GREAT in the past few years has distilled in 2018 to make a potent brew. The in-ring, led by New Japan’s insane ambition to top themselves every time they put on a major event, has not slowed down one bit, despite some major injuries in 2017.
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It’s as if the sport is evolving at a speed that belies Darwin – as if his famous finches had developed a Swiss Army knife for a beak right in front of his piggy little eyes – and the recent elevation to TOP LAD of Zack Sabre Jr, gunning for Kazuchika Okada (with TAKA Michonoku as his Gedo), is stunning and comprehensive. On the flip side, wrestling has also not been afraid to get even stupider, with Joey Janela given another shot at stealing WrestleMania weekend with Spring Break II, and all manner of slow-motion spots, invisible weapons, and adorable dogs making their way into shows across the world. Even better, there’s plenty of places that mix the two, notably DDT, whose annual spectacular Judgment will not only feature the knockout finale to the long-term build of
Konosuke Takeshita defending his title against Shuji Ishikawa, but also the “you couldn’t make it up!” of The Great Muta (in what could possibly be his last match) facing Danshoku Dieno’s The Great Homo (complete with his “indiscriminate milk attack”). The UK, still scalding hot as far as international scenes go, has plenty of this kind of thing, with ATTACK! Pro-Wrestling leading a charge that has been joined by GOOD Wrestling, Anarchy-Pro, Riptide, and others. What we’ve seen so far in 2018 makes me extremely hopeful for the rest of the year, which will see – amongst a billion other highlights - The Bullet Club promote a show of their own, New Japan make further in-roads into the US market, PROGRESS attempt to sell out Wembley Arena, and the return of Daniel Bryan to in-ring action. So, yeah, that Daniel Bryan thing.
It’s happening at WrestleMania, which is fitting since that’s where the eyes of all the world will be on, even if they tell you they’re no longer watching WWE. Like the FA Cup Final, or Wimbledon when Andy Murray gets to the final (temporarily relinquishing his Scottishness in favour of being British as he does), it’s one of the must-see events of the year, and even if it fails to live up to the hype, you can’t help but feel you got your $9.99’s worth by the end of the 110-hour show. This year’s main attractions are the final appearance of Brock Lesnar (during which the large canine, Roman Reigns, will finally be crowned as King of WWE or something, not that anyone will care), the debut of Ronda Rousey (although I’m betting she won’t be the most featured woman in the match, let alone the show), two Japanese stars (who’ve bucked the trend that non-English-
speaking foreigners have to be evil caricatures) in world title matches, and further equality for women as they, too, get their own pointless battle royale. And then there’s Bryan. For me, who regular readers will remember spent five years on the island of Lian Yu and thus missed almost the whole of his WWE career, he’s still pretty much Bryan Danielson from Ring of Honor in 2005, and thus I’m a bit excited to see him come back again but also wary of what he can do, and what that will do to his body. But you know what? Screw it. He’s an adult, making adult decisions – well, as adult as a decision to pretend to fight another man in his pants can be – and I support his right to possibly do lasting damage. Because the thing is, every time someone steps through those ropes (which, apparently, is still the prerequisite for having any informed
opinion on wrestling, even now, in 2018) they take that risk. Sure, some risks are more calculated than others, but one botched move – and the success of a long-running YouTube series shows that there are plenty of those – can do harm. Wrestling requires a suspension of disbelief to even exist. You have to forget it’s a dance, however choreographed or not, and you also have to forget that these are human beings, nothing more than squashy meat sacks with a semi-functioning brain guiding their actions. Wrestling is fun, whether it’s because the matches are great or because it’s STUPID AS SHIT, and sometimes we forget that, which is the one thing we shouldn’t forget as we suspend that disbelief. Enjoy – or endure – WrestleMania, and here’s hoping that The Great Homo does a run-in…
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