Sports

This morning, WWE released a series of four videos they claimed to be from a longlost 80's wrestling promotion called Southpaw Regional Wrestling.  The videos are a pretty clever homage to the ridiculousness of 80's wrestling.  A lot of WWE superstars appear in these in some pretty unexpected (and brilliant) roles.  Definitely worth checking out!  WWE needs to do more fun stuff like this.  I miss things like the JBL and Cole show, which really allowed wrestlers to show off more personality than we get on WWE TV, especially on Raw. 

If nothing else, therese videos are far more entertaining than anything we've gotten to see Gallows and Anderson do in their time in the WWE.

Results:

• Preshow - Talon def. Valerio LaMorte

• Bruce Pritchard came out to do a promo to start the show.  He put over WrestlePro huge in a terrific promo.

First off, let's start with the big news!  Mario Bokara, Fallah Bahh, and Kevin Matthews all made their debut at Impact tapings last weekend.  

And this led to Matthews being offered a 2-year contract. Congratulations to all three of these talented performers. They (along with many of the WrestlePro roster) deserve a much bigger platform to show what they can do.  

There’s a big WrestlePro show Friday Night (February 10) at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey and on Saturday night in Brooklyn at St Pat’s CYO.  Starland Ballroom is one of my favorite places to catch a wrestling show (or concert), and I’ve had my tickets for this one for a long time now.

Here are our predictions on how the Starland show plays out!

Ryback Vs Brian Cage

The New York Yankees not only spend a lot of time and money on winning championships, but as their YES Network implies, they invest in entertainment as well.

The highly profitable organization provides excellent programming such as "Yankees on Deck" and "Yankeeography". Both of which that take you inside the dugout and between the lines; introducing you to the world and players of Yankees baseball.

Today, their "Yankees On Demand" outlet has debuted a new series that spotlights players on the rise in their minor league system. Recently, Baseball America has ranked the New York Yankees as having the #1 farm system in the country. With that in mind, getting to know the origins of these future Bronx Bombers will help fans feel more connected to the players they'll be rooting.

Last summer, WrestlePro fans were introduced to a new faction when Coach Dylan Stiffwood brought Team Espana and Nikos Rikos together as Team Espanikos. Fresh off his betrayal at the hands of his protege Mike Del, Coach D and his boys brought the fight right to the Aesthetic Males.

Many people thought this unique group was a bit of a joke at first, but Team Espanikos has been making a name for themselves, including gettng a huge victory over Kevin Matthews, Craven Varro, and JTG at the November 10 WrestlePro show. Take one grizzled veteran give him three young bucks looking to make a name for themselves, and you have one international force to be reckoned with.

It's difficult to ignore sports. They're everywhere! As someone who spent my birthday in a sports bar with a guy yelling at the television above my head the entire meal, I can tell you sports are very overrated.

The guy in question was with his wife and another couple. He didn't pay any attention to his companions. I had to ask myself why a basketball game was so important that a man isolated himself from his friends. When you break it down it's just a bunch of guys who have the goal to throw a ball into a hoop, right?

It’s been a hell of a first year for WrestlePro!  Every month they continue to grow, and the November 10 show was insane.  The Rahway Recreation Center was packed.  It might have been the biggest crowd I’ve seen at a WrestlePro show.  

Results (you should also read Dave D-Struction's recap): ​

• Pre-Show - Amazing Graysons defeated Wrestlepreneurs

Mike:  I can remember exactly when and where I became a fan of Chris Payne.  February 2015, my co-writer Chris suggested that I go with him to a Pro Wrestling Syndicate show.  At the time, WWE, NXT (which was basically in it's infancy), and Lucha Underground were my entire wrestling world.  But I figured why not.  Tickets were pretty reasonably priced, and Johnny Mundo was going to be there.  

Mike Maillaro: This Saturday, WrestlePro returns to their home in Rahway, New Jersey for what is promising to be their biggest show of the year.  So many great matches on the card.  This is a huge showcase for all of the great WrestlePro talent!

Huge changes to NY rules regarding pro wrestling

Mike Maillaro: Readers of this column know that we love independent wrestling.  Recently the New York State Athletic Commission made some changes to the regulations regarding running a wrestling show in New York.  Some of these changes seem designed to put smaller indy companies out of business:

Clash of Champions Predictions

Mike Maillaro: Only two weeks after the Backlash, WWE is back with another PPV, this time the Raw brand is doing Clash of Champions.  I will say I love that they are using that name!  Tons of history there (yes, I know it was Clash of The Champions).  Never occurred to me that they should have used that instead of the terrible name, The  Night of Champions, which they had been using the last few years.

WrestlePro Sept 10 Results

• Triple Threat: Craven Varro def Sonjay Dutt and Delroy Alexander

• Chris Avery Queling def. Dave D-Struction

• Taboo Crew and Fallah Bahh def The Heavenly Bodies

• WrestlePro Title: Bobby Wayward def Anthony Bowens (interference by Chris Avery Queling)

WrestlePro Sept 10, 2016 Preview

​Saturday, September 10 - Rahway, NJ WrestlePro will have it's biggest card yet! 

Congrats to Chris Payne!

Mike Maillaro:  Woke up on Friday morning to see this picture posted on Facebook...

Mike Maillaro: Chris was going on vacation this week, but he did add in some SummerSlam Predictions before he headed off.

Return of Curt Hawkins!

Mike Maillaro: I had been hearing this rumor for a while, but on Smackdown this week, they had a great promo teasing the WWE return for Curt Hawkins.

This week: 

• Huge WrestlePro News
• NXT Takeover Brooklyn II
• Cruiserweight Classic
• GLORIOUS BOMB!

WrestlePro on the road

Mike Maillaro: Some huge news for WrestlePro.  

Mike Maillaro: Man, you take a few weeks off to enjoy the summer, and the whole wrestling industry goes crazy.  It feels like everyone is putting on some of the best wrestling I have seen in a few long time.  After the last two weeks of watching Raw and Smackdown, I can’t remember the last time I was this excited with WWE...and there is so much else cool to talk about.

WrestlePro

I am sort of taking off from my Cheap Pops column for the summer, but I still wanted to post my thoughts on WrestlePro's July 23 show in Union.  This was an outdoor show, which marks the first time I can ever remember going to see a wrestling show outdoors.  

Another great WrestlePro show. Huge props to everyone who made the best of a real hot night (actually it wasn't that bad for the audience by the time the show started, but it still had to be brutal in the ring) and a shaky sound system. It still ended up being one hell of a show!

Lots of great matches. My pick for match of the night was probably the triple threat with Danny Maff, Matt Macintosh, and Chris Dickinson. This was a clash of three different styles, and it amounted to a really strong match with great spots and even some humor.

• NXT: THE END Predictions
• Does Goldberg belong in the WWE Hall of Fame?
• Zach Gowen - American Ninja Warrior

NXT: The End Predictions