July 2021 is a big month for professional wrestling. WWE and AEW are returning to live touring. Impact Wrestling and Ring Of Honor are welcoming back live fans for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Somehow, professional wrestling survived more than a year of uncertainty, lockdowns and empty arenas.
Joe Dombrowski makes the trek to the studio to join us for this week’s show. He’s talking with Rizz, Mad Mike, and Sorg about:
We’re starting the top of the show off with some All In – WHICH IS THIS WEEKEND! (Finally).
This weekend is a giant nexus of amazing shows.
Joe is sharing some thoughts on Starrcast.
Cody Rhodes already sold part of the All In ring – to pay for the battle royal.
We’re taking a look at the rundown for All In.
Sorg was blinded by Kenny Omega and Pentagon.
Will AJ Lee show up for All In?
Is ROH still “independent” wrestling or have they been elevated to a “company?”
Blackcraft Wrestling debuted in Pittsburgh this past weekend. Our crew is sharing some thoughts.
Paige is a Hot Topic model?
OH: The coolest thing about a wrestling shirt is when it doesn’t look like a wrestling shirt.
OH: You can’t produce wrestling unless you understand it.
We’re getting a little bit of analysis going on – drawing some comparisons between Blackcraft Wrestling and Lucha Underground – as to how they could potentially work together.
This week’s Big Question: Who is best about keeping in character outside of the ring?
We’re learning that Frantik is trying to build a relationship with Rizz.
Dombrowski is sharing some words of wisdom for wrestlers regarding their social media personas.
If you watch some ROH, you may have seen Joe. We’re getting him to talk some sense into Mad Mike so he’ll watch the show!
WWE is the McDonalds of wrestling.
New Japan is All In! They will have the show available on the network after it airs live.
Check out the Indy Wrestling US Network at www.indywrestling.network. For a short time, get a 7-day FREE trial to access a growing collection of content.
Thanks to Basick Sickness (@basicksickness) for the awesome intro for the show.
Remember to LIKE and FOLLOW us on Facebook for updates and video.
Beastman joins us for this week’s episode. Add him to our in-house mix of Rizz, Mad Mike, and Sorg? It’s internet magic in the making as we talk about this week in wrestling, including:
Beastman is talking some of the weird things he’s seen at recent shows he’s been part of.
When personal and professional worlds collide.
RIP Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart.
For Sorg, Jim Neidhart was the appeal for the Hart Foundation.
And, we wind up in a discussion about Boy Meets World and Girl Meets World.
Kenny Omega is taking on Pentagon and Mad Mike is All In!
We’re already excited for All In Again – next year’s All In event.
A bootleg Bullet Club shirt led to a fun interaction between Karl Anderson and the Young Bucks.
We had the pleasure of seeing Marshall Gambino’s final match at IWC Wrestling against Chest Flexor.
Mad Mike will be at NXT Takeover Brooklyn this weekend.
Sorg is almost caught up with NXT in time for NXT Takeover Brooklyn.
WWE is trying to turn Ronda Rousey into Batman.
Happy Birthday Johnny Gargano!
How did Kairi Sane go from yacht enthusiast to pirate?
Sorg is learning how to pronounce Ciampa.
We are commissioning Mad Mike to check out wrestling – – ON A BOAT this weekend.
Joey Janela is getting Lost in New York Friday night.
We are going to live vicariously through fan of the show, Alex Miller, for his Jericho Cruise and Lost in New York adventures.
Make sure you have 7 hours set aside for Summerslam! And, lots of coffee.
We’ve got some mixed thoughts about the status of Brock Lesnar’s title reign after Summerslam.
This week’s Big Question: What is the perfect match?
We have come to the conclusion that Elias is too good at what he does.
Beastman went shopping – in his ring gear.
We’re getting the story of that time Beastman went through a floor at a wrestling show.
Thanks to Basick Sickness (@basicksickness) for the awesome intro for the show.
Remember to LIKE and FOLLOW us on Facebook for updates and video.
Wrestling Mayhem Show 598: Pale Leader, Badass Brunette, Hot Blonde
The Heir Apparent, Chris LeRusso, graces us with his presence this week! He is joined by Sorg, Bobby, Larry, and Mad Mike to talk this week in wrestling, including:
The most interesting news of the week – it’s like a real life Sold Out, but it’ll be better. Cody Rhodes and the Young Bucks are booking their own show guys!
We’re talking some interesting speculations on this Cody Rhodes and Young Bucks show.
It’s amazing what difference seating arrangements can make for a wrestling show.
Stephen Amell can do anything with wrestling, and we’re okay with it.
We’re taking a bit of a deep dive into some thoughts on Delirious.
Sooo….Absolution, huh?
With the call-up, NXT has to restock. We have some thoughts.
The 2018 PPV schedule has been released. There’s some good news in this, guys.
This week’s Big Question: What is the match that made you feel the most awkward watching it?
We realize there are a TON of circumstances in wrestling that are kinda awkward.
What did YOU learn in wrestling this week?
Remember to LIKE and FOLLOW us on Facebook for updates and video.
Wrestling Mayhem Show 551: What’s in the (Christmas) Box?!?!
We’ve got a full house for Wrestling Mayhem Show 551! It’s the end of the year – which means it’s time to revisit whether last year’s predictions held up. We’re making our bold predictions for 2017, and we’re sharing our Secret Sorg exchanges!
– We’re covering the WMS Secret Sorg gift exchange during this week’s show. Sorg is drinking. Merry Christmas
– Matt started something on the internet with his wrestler of the year poll, including a heated discussion about Matt Hardy.
-WMS picks for wrestler of the year are revealed!
— LB – Johnny Mundo
— Rizz – Matt Hardy
— Wheelz – Sasha and Charlotte
— Sorg – Charlotte
— Bobby – Asuka and Chris Jericho
— Jen – Kevin Owens
— Matt – Young Bucks
– DJ Lunchbox already forgot what he just learned about wrestling during this discussion.
– It’s prediction shaming time!
– Biggest prediction upset = Matt’s prediction that Donald Trump would appear on RAW.
– We found that some of our predictions from last year were correct! Maybe this year’s predictions will be better.
– Our 2017 predictions – both for professional wrestling AND WMS!
— Jen:
— Braun Strohman’s going to win the Royal Rumble and the Shield will reunite again.
— WMS will still be going strong.
— Matt:
— WMS will add a new sponsor in addition to Slice on Broadway.
— Matt Hardy will leave TNA.
— Sorg:
— Matt Hardy/Hardys will be offered their own show outside of TNA at the Hardy compound.
— WMS will leave Sorg’s basement.
— Bobby:
— WMS Superfeed will get new shows.
— Asuka is going to be a women’s champion on the main roster – undefeated.
— Rizz:
— Neither Daniel Bryan or Mick Foley will last a year.
— You’ll see more WMS merch around an indy promotion near you. WMS Indy Tour.
— Wheelz:
— John Cena will hit his 16th World Title win.
— Wheelz will make his onscreen debut on WMS – LIVE.
— LB:
— WWE will hand it over to the kids – Vince and Linda walk away for political pursuits.
— Sorg is going to revamp the show, change the format top to bottom and it will be WMS 2.0 (corrected to 5.0)
– Thanks to Rizz for organizing Secret Sorg. We’re sharing what we got!
– It’s Christmas. Of course Sorg brought holiday Pocky back from his trip with Chest Flexor to Thailand.
– We’re wrapping up the show with what we learned.
– A special stop-in by Wild Child Lee Ryans in prep for the Indy Mayhem Show with the STDs.
Help out the show with a donation! Go to patreon.com/wrestlingmayhemshow
If you are in Pittsburgh, you got to go to Slice on Broadway and get their food! (sliceonbroadway.com/Twitter: @pgh_slice)
Thanks to our Awesome Patreons Bodiggity (@ajfrompgh), Antonio Garza (@TheWRevolution), Ed Burke (@EdBurke37), and The Matthew and Jennifer Carlins Foundation for Podcast Betterment (@MainstreamMat and @JenCarlins)! You can support the show too atPatreon.com/wrestlingmayhemshow !
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WrestleMania weekend has never been as big as it is this year. The best professional wrestlers in the world have descended on North Texas, and you better believe they’re all looking to make sure everyone is talking about them when the weekend is over.
If you’re going to be in Dallas-Fort Worth area this weekend, good luck. There are more matches to see than anyone can possibly keep up with. Here are the 15 we think are must-sees for any fan. (more…)
Mid Week War 3/24/16: Ring Of Honor Wrestling
Eamon and Mad Mike tackle the first week from Ring Of Honor’s tapings in Las Vegas. The Young Bucks battle Michael Elgin & Hiroshi Tanahashi in the main event. Tensions build between The Addiction & The Motor City Machineguns & Tomohiro Ishii defends the World TV Title against Cedric Alexander.
This had to be most ambitious format for year-end professional wrestling awards, and I think it was a great success. It began with the gathering of an expert panel of industry insiders: announcer/producer Joe Dombrowski, professional wrestler Chris LeRusso and International Wrestling Cartel owner Justin Plummer. Their nominees in the 8 categories were then put up for a public vote, with write-in candidates also being accept. The results were tallied, and here are your winners.
The big story was the large, and diverse, field of write-in candidates. We received many different names, but none garnered enough support from the masses to jump past our expert panel’s nominees. Among those, Seth Rollins was the clear winner.
One of the biggest blowouts in this year’s voting, Sasha Banks was the overwhelming choice among the voters.
You had to know there was going to be some unrest after our expert panel declined to nominate The New Day in this category. The public made their opinion known with a strong write-in campaign. In the end, it wasn’t enough to beat the Young Bucks.
This was one of the closest votes in this year’s Mayhemmys. Both TakeOver: Brooklyn and Wrestle Kingdom 9 were great shows which represented monumental, historic steps forward for both NXT and New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Another controversial result, NXT was actually trailing in this category going into the final days of the voting. A late surge of support gave NXT the winning edge.
The biggest revolt against our expert panel’s nominees is in this category. Despite being nominated, Stephanie McMahon garnered little support. The public staged a passionate write-in campaign for Dario Cueto, but it fell well short of Paul Heyman, whose position as the standard for speaking in pro wrestling remains secure.
Wow. The biggest blowout in this year’s Mayhemmys is right here. Finn Bálor absolutely torched the rest of the field.
A big thank you to everyone who voted for The Mayhemmys. I enjoyed the new format. Hopefully, we can do it even bigger and better next year!
The Mayhemmys 2016 Voting is open!
This… is… The Mayhemmys!
The Wrestling Mayhem Show is taking a look back at 2015, and honoring the very best in professional wrestling.
You will decide this year’s winners in six categories. But first, let’s meet the nominees selected by our expert panel of industry insiders – announcer/producer Joe Dombrowski, professional wrestler Chris LeRusso and International Wrestling Cartel owner Justin Plummer.
Now, it’s time for you to make your voice heard. Cast your vote for the Mayhemmy for Match Of The Year, and watch the live broadcast of the Wrestling Mayhem Show on February 2, 2016 to see the winners announced in all categories.
The Bucks Stop Here
This weekend is the end of an era.
Sunday will be the end of the road for one of, if not the, most popular and in-demand talents in independent professional wrestling in North America. The Young Bucks are stepping away from the independent scene after their appearance Sunday for Squared Circle Wrestling, which is shutting down after nearly a decade promoting shows in central New York.
The Bucks appeared at a number of 2CW shows over the past couple years. In fact, it was 2CW which famously decided to name its show last July, “We Booked This Show Because It Was Literally The Only Available Date For The Young Bucks”.
The name wasn’t just hilarious. It was honest, and summed up what life has been like for the Young Bucks. Always in demand. Always busy.
Over the past three years, the Bucks have been busier than ever, and earning accolades for their work around the world. In 2014, they won the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Award for Tag Team Of The Year, thanks in large part to 6 matches that earned a rating of 4 stars or higher from the WON. In 2015, they’ve been even better, with at least 11 matches with a 4 star rating or higher.
It’s safe to say, the Young Bucks are at the top of their game, but all their recent success didn’t come until they returned to their roots and were reborn as true independent professional wrestlers. It became a point of pride, as Matt Jackson explained in an interview with Rolling Stone last May.
“We’re the kings of being independent. We represent that. We don’t need a contract, we’re on our own thing. You can make money without Vince [McMahon]. You can make money without going there and selling your soul. You can be yourself. You can make a good living.”
The Young Bucks have been making a good living, but the years of steady touring were taking a toll, and growing family obligations at home made traveling around the U.S. and the world less appealing. Nick Jackson put it bluntly during the Rolling Stone interview.
“I’ll be honest, I am burned out.”
“There’s only so much you can do with this style,” Matt said. “We live on the West Coast, so when we’re doing shows, it’s usually West-to-East and then back. Or we’re going to Japan or wherever.”
The Young Bucks were waiting for the right offer, and it finally came last October. They signed a new contract with Ring Of Honor that effectively ended their independent bookings outside of Southern California’s Pro Wrestling Guerrilla.
“They offered us a good amount of money. Basically, the same amount of money we would make on the independents anyway — and we would have a lot more time with our family. So it was just win-win for us. It wasn’t really a hard decision once the offer came. We are signed for 14 months and now 13 months are left on the thing.
The announcement came just over a year after the Bucks “politely declined” an invitation to a WWE tryout camp. They were finally finding success on their own terms, and they reflected on their careers in an interview with Fight Network’s John Pollock.
It wasn’t always this way. Just a few years ago, the Young Bucks were just another tag team to a lot of fans. A less than inspiring run as “Generation Me” in TNA ended when they quit the company in 2011.
“We were at a point, I want to call it ‘wrestling rock-bottom,'” Matt told Rolling Stone. “I was ready to quit. We had been in one of the biggest companies and they didn’t know what to do with us. It was really disheartening.”
It took a little time, but the Young Bucks started to find themselves.
“It was probably a year after we quit TNA,” Nick said. “At that point, Matt and I, we pretty much just said, ‘Screw it, let’s do as much as we can – let’s do what we think is cool.'”
“You know, there are so many rules in wrestling,” Matt said. “We just said, ‘Let’s break them all, let’s break through the mold, let’s do something different. Everybody does the same thing, because they’re scared of getting heat. Let’s just have fun. If we get heat, we’re going to get heat. Let’s go out in a burning blaze.'”
The Young Bucks didn’t just change their game inside the ring. They reexamined how they do business outside the ring, and they found inspiration and direction from the success of veterans of the independent scene.
“We watched the best guys in the world do it,” Matt told Rolling Stone. “We watched Colt Cabana do it, we watched El Generico do it. We watched Kevin Steen [now Kevin Owens]. Those guys are like the forefathers of the merch table…Nick and I would sit there at our tables and not sell a thing. We’d watch Colt just raking in the dough, and we were trying to figure out what he does.”
Connecting with fans and marketing themselves became a new priority for the Young Bucks, with plenty of t-shirt sales along the way. These are lessons many independent wrestlers struggle to learn, and it took the Bucks around a decade to figure it out for themselves.
Now, independent professional wrestling in North America faces a huge void.
No more Superkick Party.
No more Superkicking young fans.
No more Meltzer Driver.
The void the Young Bucks will leave behind is huge, but independent wrestling is in a better place than it was when they first arrived on the scene more than a decade ago.
“We’ve been wrestling 11 or 12 years now, and now every show we go to there’s almost 1,000 people there,” Nick told Rolling Stone. “That wasn’t happening five years ago.”
And after more than a decade searching for themselves, don’t expect the Young Bucks to stop being the Young Bucks.
I wish I could say more about 2CW. Unfortunately, I’ve never seen one of their shows. I do know 2CW is shutting down after nearly a decade in business, and that it is held in high esteem by many wrestlers and fans.
It’s exciting to see 2CW going out in grand style with a series of stacked cards, including a pair of sold-out shows Sunday that will be streamed live online for free. A.J. Styles, Eddie Edwards, Sami Callihan, Johnny Gargano, Jessicka Havok, Candice LeRae, 2 Cold Scorpio, AR FOX and Dalton Castle are just some of the names scheduled for be at those final events on Sunday.
12/20/15: 3:30 p.m. EST: LIVE 2CW: https://t.co/Mp3aIDBUDW FREE LIVE STREAM !!!!! SHARE SHARE SHARE SHARE !!! RT RT
