What happens when only 624,000 viewers watch last week’s episode of The Ultimate Fighter? Dana White works his magic, and Jon Jones changes his tune from not fighting Chael Sonnen to coaching the next season of TUF against Sonnen and fighting him on April 27, 2013.
Continue reading “Is Jon Jones vs Chael Sonnen A Bad Thing?”
(Column I wrote for gerweck.net)
There is no other encounter in professional wrestling that signifies the pinnacle of a feud more than the steel cage match. Its confines are unforgiving and blood shed is a virtual guarantee. Villains of bravado and champions of heroic destiny square off in this last resort encounter where the referee’s three count is not enough. Finish your opponent or escape the cage is often your only option for victory. In two weeks, CM Punk will defend the WWE title against Ryback. This match has everyone talking for a variety of reasons but none of them include the Hell in a Cell itself. This makes me wonder; are Steel Cage matches dead?
Continue reading “Are Steel Cage Matches Dead?”
WWE Television is currently a stale product. Professional wrestling always has its down time before another boom period arrives. In order for the boom to take place, however, a new star needs to emerge. This person needs to be a bonafide superstar the caliber of Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and The Rock. Simply being a wrestling star such as John Cena, CM Punk, and Randy Orton will not move the needle in the required direction. When this boom period finally occurs, it’s usually a wrestler who was waiting in the wings for their big break. These days, Dolph Ziggler is the usual suspect. He is a good worker but can he be the box office smash that brings the business to Attitude Era heights?
On October 1, 2012, Monday Night Raw drew its lowest rating in 15 years. The company improved its rating by having its 67-year-old chairman wrestle the WWE champion. While it was certainly an attention grabber, it was only a short-term solution since Vince can’t wrestle every week. While Raw moving back to two hours would be a move in the right direction, it doesn’t address the larger problem at hand. The process of booking by committee dilutes what storylines ultimately end up on television. If the big three can’t do any more than they already have and there is no legitimate heir apparent on the horizon; what else can be done?
Continue reading “Is it time to Reboot the WWE?”
The Target Center in Minneapolis will play host to the fifth installment of the UFC on FX. Fans will be treated to quality fights with important ramifications depending on the result. Will we witness the birth of the next thing in the heavyweight division? Can a grizzled veteran make an indelible impression in his return to the UFC and which Flyweight will emerge as the inaugural number one contender for Demetrious Johnson’s crown? These questions and more will be answered and the best part, we get to see it for free.
-Josh Neer vs. Justin Edwards
Josh Neer always comes to fight and seeing his name on a fight card guarantees action. Edwards needs to take “The Dentist” to the ground if he wants to avoid a second straight loss. Edwards’ wrestling is not good enough to control the tempo of the fight over a long period of time. Neer carries a wealth of experience and thrives in a firefight.
The Pick: Josh Neer by 1st Round KO
-John Dodson vs. Jussier Formiga
The winner of this fight will officially become the number one contender for the Flyweight title. Dodson is very well rounded in all aspects of the fight game, but he needs to avoid scrambles on the ground at all costs. Formiga is dangerous and can snatch a limb in bear trap fashion. Dodson is a smart fighter and he can avoid rushing into things, so he should control the majority of the 15 minute affair.
The Pick: John Dodson by decision
Continue reading “Calling The Shots of UFC on FX 5: Browne vs. Bigfoot”
(Blog I wrote for gerweck.net)
In part one of my blog; we established that putting on a wrestling show is an expensive and time consuming hobby. Sure, it’s fun to play arm chair booker and believe that you have that one breakthrough idea that is going to draw a lot of money. However, there are a lot of working components that need to come together in order for your show to go off without a hitch. So far we touched on seeking advice, obtaining insurance and securing a building for your event. Here are the next steps:
Ring:
Some promotions own their own ring while others rent one. If you decide to rent a wrestling ring, rental fees can range anywhere from $500 – $1,000 a night and should come with a ring crew to set up and tear down the ring. Some renters will provide extras such as ring side barricades and steel steps at no additional cost while others will charge extra. Make sure you properly communicate to the person in charge what time you need the ring at the building by. If $500 – $1,000 seems a little high, then ask the owner of the ring if they have any trainees looking for work. If so, offering to give them a match on the show usually drives the price down and is a good way of building a strong professional relationship.
Owning a wrestling ring is a large and immediate expense. Also, storing and transporting the ring is another issue. If you don’t have access to a big enough basement or garage, renting a locker from a storage facility is practical and efficient. Most times this requires renting a moving truck. Most rental companies require some advance notice. Make the reservation as soon as you can, because most shows are on the weekend and that is a popular time for people to move. This all may seem like some unnecessary headaches just to own a ring, but trust me, it is worth it in the long run and should eventually end up paying for itself.
Continue reading “So, you wanna be an Independent Wrestling Promoter? Part 2”
(Blog I wrote for Gerweck.net)
Running an independent wrestling show is like anything else in life worth doing. It takes a lot of hard work. If you have aspirations of starting your own promotion then you need to accept the fact that financially, you’re going to be in the red for at least the first two years and maybe even during your entire run. This is an endeavor you partake in because you love the wrestling business, not because you want to become rich and famous.
I want to preface this by saying this is not meant to be “Promoting for Dummies”. I’m not here to criticize others or claim to have all the answers. Everyone has their own vision of how they feel a professional wrestling show should look and feel. Different markets, different parts of the country and different demographics will influence the decisions you make along the way. Consider this some free advice in case you decide to take your fantasy booking to the next level. Of course, it’s only fair to divulge in my own personal experience.
I started a promotion called North Shore Wrestling and we ran shows from 2006-2009. During and since that time I’ve assisted other promotions in New England with booking, promoting and consulting duties. My desire to start promoting stemmed from an absence of local shows in my area. Massachusetts is a hot bed for wrestling with some tremendous talent to boot. I grew up on the North Shore and know the area better than most, so it seemed like a natural transition. My goal was to produce a quality family wrestling show in my area.
I like to pretend that we still live in a Kayfabe world so details of how and why the matches are booked will be absent from this blog. I know, I know. What’s the big deal you say? Everyone knows it’s a work, right? Well, some of us still believe in the magic that pro wrestling can deliver. However, there are those who think it is easy to run an “indy fed” while others know the amount of time you have to put in to make it all work. Let’s go over the things you need to obtain in order to get your promotion off the ground.
Continue reading “So, you wanna be an Independent Wrestling Promoter?”
(Column I wrote for gerweck.net on 9/10/08)
The MMA community received sad news as it was reported that 39-year-old Evan Tanner was found dead in the desert area of Palo Verde, California. Hearing this news, I thought back to the time I met Evan Tanner at UFC 45 in 2003. This was a time when only the sports biggest stars had a shred of mainstream popularity. I was in the Mohegan Sun lobby watching legions of fans looking to meet UFC legends such as Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock. As I was at the merchandise table, I noticed Evan Tanner walking about as he took in the atmosphere. No one was talking to him or asking for his autograph. At first, I was not going to talk to him; I figured the big, bad ultimate fighter would not want to be bothered. Then I remembered hearing MMA fans talk about how approachable the fighters are, so I decided to talk to him. Evan Tanner was very personable and down-to-earth. Continue reading “Remembering Evan Tanner Four Years Later”
If you have been living under a rock, you are unaware of the story that has engulfed the MMA landscape. For the first time in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, a pay-per-view event has been canceled. This unprecedented move has caused a firestorm of controversy, with venom being spewed in several directions.
Everyone has their own opinion on the subject, but the big question underneath all the chaos is: who’s to blame? Do we blame Jon Jones for refusing to fight with Chael Sonnen, who accepted the bout on eight days’ notice? Does the blame belong to Dan Henderson, who suffered the injury in the first place? Or, perhaps, the blame falls on some other element that is hiding in plain sight. Continue reading “Jones vs. UFC”
(Written for and published by gerweck.net)
As the WWE celebrates the 25th anniversary of their summertime extravaganza, a trip down memory lane seemed appropriate. 1988 was the first installment of this popular yearly event and the first pay-per-view event I ever watched.
August 29th of that year was only the second day of my wrestling fandom. An episode of “The Superstars of Wrestling” the night before sucked me in as the “Mega Powers,” comprised of Hulk Hogan & Macho Man Randy Savage, hyped their tag team match against Andre the Giant and The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase, the “Mega Bucks.”
Continue reading “A Trip Down SummerSlam Memory Lane”
The card is getting very little attention but those particular events tend to produce the best bell-to-bell action. I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am for this fight. The lightweight title rematch between Benson Henderson and Frankie Edgar could be fight of the year. UFC President Dana White was originally against giving Edgar a rematch and called for him to move down to 145 lbs. The former champion publicly sited his willingness to give back to back rematches. Dana agreed and here we are today.
Benson Henderson (16-2) vs. Frankie Edgar (14-2-1): The story of this fight is size, talent, skill and will. Frankie Edgar convincingly defeated the more talented BJ Penn and knocked out the bigger and stronger Gray Maynard in a pair of championship rematches. The New Jersey native used his matchless skill and will to conquer two different opponents who each brought a different problem to the cage. Continue reading “UFC 150: Henderson vs. Edgar II Preview & Predictions”
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