Justice for Larry (CM Punk’s Dog)

The post-All Out backstage brawl is either the most well-booked fight we’ll never see or the most bizarre legit donnybrook of all time.

Reports came out last Friday that AEW is working on a buyout of CM Punk’s contract. Even more reports on Wednesday confirmed The Elite (Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks) were backstage at Dynamite and are returning soon.

But wait, there’s more.

WrestlingInc.com reported on Wednesday that when the door of Punk’s locker room was kicked in, it accidentally hit his dog, Larry, in the mouth. A few days later, at a pre-scheduled vet appointment, an exam revealed two of Larry’s teeth were knocked loose and had to be removed.

Larry’s role in the Labor Day weekend brawl has seemingly evolved every few weeks. At first, Ace Steel’s girlfriend was watching Larry. Then, Kenny Omega moved Larry to get him out of harm’s way, only to get bit by Ace Steel. Now, his teeth were knocked loose.

But wait, there’s even more.

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Trios Championship Coming Soon to AEW

Depending on who you are, the overflow of championship gold in AEW was either praised or skewered before the promotion introduced the Trio’s Title’s Wednesday on Dynamite. While another prize risks diluting all of the AEW titles, Tony Khan had the belts made some time ago, meaning their inclusion in the all elite ranks was inevitable.

But is it a good idea?

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Daniels vs. Rhodes Headlines ROH ‘Best in the World’ on 6/23

It’s official folks, Christopher Daniels will defend the ROH World Championship against Cody Rhodes in the main event of Ring of Honor’s next pay-per-view event, Best in the World on 6/23 at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium in Lowell, MA.

This match stems from a previous encounter at last month’s War of the Worlds event where Daniels beat Cody in a triple threat match involving former champion Jay Lethal. Cody, however, argued that Lethal’s shoulders were on the mat while he had the figure four applied seconds before Daniels got the pin, making him the rightful champion.

Continue reading “Daniels vs. Rhodes Headlines ROH ‘Best in the World’ on 6/23” →

Randy Orton Sparks the Great Indy Wrestling Debate

Randy Orton knows how to cause drama of the off-screen variety. In fact, he’s something of an artist at it. Last weekend, Orton retweeted a message from his original trainer in OVW, Rip Rogers, that criticized the current style of independent wrestling.

“Every Indy match now: handshake, drawn out move exchange, this is awesome chant, strike exchange, dive, no sell Indy strongstyle, dive, more strikes, no sells, dive, flippy floppy sequence, dive, hit everyone with each other’s finisher, then Humpty Dumpty, we all fall down. Fight forever chant, rinse and repeat until every move is useless and means nothing, dive, take unsafe shot that looks like shit and hurts like hell then roll-up finish. Handshake and hug after match. Everyone’s hand raised. All these guys chant. Go home and type on social media thanking your opponent and company for the match and telling others they should book these guys…dive.”

Continue reading “Randy Orton Sparks the Great Indy Wrestling Debate” →

Industry Moves: Will WWE Buy ROH?

The wrestling world is buzzing after Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet broke the news that WWE has been in secret talks with Sinclair Broadcast Group since January about the potential acquisition of Ring of Honor. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer elaborated on the report stating that WWE made their initial inquiry about purchasing ROH back in August.

While there is no deal on the table as of yet, WWE’s plan of acquisition seems to include the tape library, talent contracts and closing down the company. This move indicates that WWE is attempting to completely monopolize the professional wrestling market in the United States.

WWE purchased WCW and acquired ECW’s assets in 2001 because all three companies were competing for the same audience. In 2017, groups such as ROH and Impact Wrestling are competing with WWE for talent due to sub-genres in wrestling being more pronounced and defined. Continue reading “Industry Moves: Will WWE Buy ROH?” →

ROH All-Star Extravaganza Review

The Lowell Memorial Auditorium was once again treated to an action-packed night of squared circle mayhem as Ring of Honor brought their All-Star Extravaganza pay-per-view event to the Mill City. The best way to describe the ROH product for the uninitiated is to call it pro wrestling with a side of sports entertainment.

WWE’s presentation favors the reverse ideology, but there is a die-hard fan base that ROH caters to that’s not into all the pomp, circumstance, and melodrama. The storylines are simple enough to follow, but it’s the matches that keep the ROH faithful coming back for more.

My fellow wrestling promoting partner in crime, Ryan and I attended the show with piqued interest since neither us of go to Ring of Honor shows that often. In fact, this was only my third ROH live experience and my first in twelve years. Plus, some of the biggest moments in wrestling history have occurred in Lowell, and All-Star Extravaganza could provide another. Continue reading “ROH All-Star Extravaganza Review” →

NJPW G-1 Climax News and Notes, A Block Champion Crowned

The 2015 G-1 Climax tournament is winding down as Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan will host the remaining shows. Earlier today, Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated AJ Styles in a thrilling match to win the A Block championship. Tanahashi’s run in his block ended with him earning a total of 14 points.

B Block championship will be determined tomorrow evening as IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada is currently in the lead with 14 points.

Shinsuke Nakamura, Karl Anderson, and IWGP Intercontinental Champion Hirooki Goto are all tied for second place with 12 points each. The winner will face Tanahashi in the tournament finals, which will be held on Sunday, August 16.

Sunday’s finale will also see two title matches. 2015 BOSJ winner KUSHIDA defends the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight title against last year’s BOSJ winner Ricochet. The Young Bucks defend the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight titles against reDRagon.

G-1 Climax Finale will air live on New Japan World at 2:00 am Eastern and 11:00 pm Pacific. If you’re looking to sign up the their streaming service, click here for an English language version of their sign up page.