The night Greektown went A-R-R-G-O-O-S for A.J.

The night Greektown went A-R-R-G-O-O-S for A.J.

TORONTO -- It's not often you see a Grey Cup ring used as a weapon. Or a surefire Canadian Football Hall of Famer at ringside capturing the antics of a buddy on his cell phone. But both happened on Saturday night. The scene was the East End United Church on Toronto's...

Last Smoky Mountain Wrestling show unearthed 28 years later

Last Smoky Mountain Wrestling show unearthed 28 years later

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The final Smoky Mountain Wrestling (SMW) event has been hiding, preserved and now re-discovered on YouTube. On Sunday, November 26, 1995, SMW’s Thanksgiving Thunder tour rolled into the Cookeville Community Center. The house show would serve as...

Border City Wrestling marks 30 years with a treat

Border City Wrestling marks 30 years with a treat

WINDSOR, ON -- Saturday night, Border City Wrestling marked its 30th Anniversary with a capacity crowd at the St. Clair College Sportsplex in Windsor, the same venue where IMPACT Wrestling recently held this year's edition of Slammiversary. Originally founded in 1993...

Remembering Ginger the Bear on anniversary of her death

Remembering Ginger the Bear on anniversary of her death

In southern Ontario, July 4th is always a day of reflection, as it marks the anniversary of the death of "Bearman" Dave McKigney, Adrian Adonis, and Pat Kelly in an accident in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Bearman had color and charisma to spare and is rightfully...

Cartwheel cartwheels over Vikingo and Speedball

Cartwheel cartwheels over Vikingo and Speedball

TORONTO -- With so much hype over the young Mexican star El Hijo del Vikingo, the decision to head out to the Demand Lucha show in Toronto's west end was an easy one. It would be, after all, a very different vibe than his AEW debut in the large FirstOntario Centre in...

Mat Matters: Fresh fans fun at Demand Lucha

Mat Matters: Fresh fans fun at Demand Lucha

TORONTO - I'm old and jaded, and have no problem admitting that. I have been to so many wrestling shows through the years, met so many fans, wrestlers, referees, promoters, hucksters that I can be a bit blasé when I'm at an actual show. That's why the Demand Lucha...

GCW brings High Incident scaffold match to Detroit

GCW brings High Incident scaffold match to Detroit

Game Changer Wrestling (GCW) returned to Detroit, Michigan on April 23 with The Old Me, a card headlined by a scaffold match spectacle between Second Gear Crew (Mance Warner and Matthew Justice) and the Briscoe Brothers (Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe). A towering...

New Japan in Chicago: A brand new perspective

New Japan in Chicago: A brand new perspective

Text by CHRIS JONES, photos by RICKY HAVLIK VILLA PARK, Illinois - This is a story from wrestling's newest fan told by a first time viewer. I only heard about wrestling in the late 1990s but never really grasped the concept until one day you I had a long time fan tell...

Mat Matters: Old friend, new to wrestling

Mat Matters: Old friend, new to wrestling

We all have them. Those friends. You know, the ones that don't watch wrestling, don't know much about it, and humor you a little when you talk about it. So imagine my surprise when one of those friends suggested we go to a local wrestling show. And by local, I do mean...

Randi West experiences horror at Horror Slam

Randi West experiences horror at Horror Slam

DETROIT - Michigan independent promotion Horror Slam Pro Wrestling recently held its Murder City Deathmatch Cup tournament, spanning two days on March 17 and March 18, in Brownstown, Michigan at Victory Gym. Yes, the event was precisely the absurd and extreme set of...

Mat Matters: A Timbit-y return to the Ontario indy scene

Mat Matters: A Timbit-y return to the Ontario indy scene

My home province, Ontario, has been one of the strictest jurisdictions in North America as far as COVID-related rules. I'm not complaining. Generally, I felt safe and protected through the pandemic. No one enjoyed the lockdowns and the restrictions, but it is what it...

Violence, Cardona rule the day at GCW in Detroit

Violence, Cardona rule the day at GCW in Detroit

Heading into Game Changer Wrestling’s (GCW) loaded event in Detroit, Michigan, the promotion’s top heel Matt Cardona took to Twitter in disparagement of the city: a “B town,” he negatively asserted. Cardona’s maligning continued on the microphone, but instead of...

Guest column: My hero, Brad McFarlin

Guest column: My hero, Brad McFarlin

By LEONARD BRAND - For SlamWrestling.net TAYLOR, Mich. -- There is an old saying that tells us "Never meet your heroes," but Friday night I got to see from ringside how someone named "Brad" was always a hero to me and someone I had admired for over four decades. Going...

Alexia Nicole new Femmes Fatales Women’s Champion

Alexia Nicole new Femmes Fatales Women’s Champion

Once a three-time title holder, Mercedez Martinez called herself Femmes Fatales Women’s Champion when she defeated Jordynne Grace at The Summit last August. Now that she has signed with WWE’s NXT that could only mean one thing: a new champion must be named. At Femmes...

Top 5 Moments at EVOLVE 133

Top 5 Moments at EVOLVE 133

EVOLVE 133 packed the Monaghan Knights of Columbus in Livonia, MI for the hall's biggest crowd yet. Fans lined up around the building to meet-and-greet the likes of Tomasso Ciampa, Matt Riddle, and Austin Theory, while anticipating a big night of action. Saturday's...

Bull Nakano steals the show at The Summit

Bull Nakano steals the show at The Summit

TORONTO - It's never been a more exciting time to be a female wrestler in the business today. The women's evolution far extends the boundaries of the WWE; independent promotions all over the world are producing high quality female athletes. However, if it weren't for...

Top 5 Moments at EVOLVE 127

Top 5 Moments at EVOLVE 127

EVOLVE 127 took over the Monaghan KOC Hall of Livonia in Michigan. EVOLVE packed the building to witness the headlining, non-title bout of NXT’s Adam Cole against EVOLVE's Champion Austin Theory. Friday night’s show also included a variety of NXT and Evolve stars...

Femmes Fatales show a celebration of LuFisto

Femmes Fatales show a celebration of LuFisto

QUEBEC CITY - Saturday night's Femmes Fatales card was a tribute to those who paved the way for the younger generation to live their dreams of being in the squared circle. LuFisto is one of those women, and last night was the Wounded Owl's last match in Quebec City....

Female empowerment celebrated at Femmes Fatales 21

Female empowerment celebrated at Femmes Fatales 21

OTTAWA, Ont. -- There is no question that women's wresting has become the representation of power, inspiration and perseverance. Many fans over the years have witnessed these women break barriers and even struggle to get to where they are today. Femmes Fatales 21 was...

Gargano-Theory end EVOLVE 120 on a happy note for fans

Gargano-Theory end EVOLVE 120 on a happy note for fans

QUEENS, NY - I saw my first EVOLVE show in person in August 2016. It was an eye-opening experience and it continues to be a fun experience to see in person. Back then EVOLVE presented a great show with Drew McIntyre, EC3, TJP, Drew Gulak, Aleister Black, Matt Riddle,...

Involvement of WWE & NXT heralds new era for EVOLVE

Involvement of WWE & NXT heralds new era for EVOLVE

LIVONIA, Mich. - Friday night, EVOLVE returned to the Monaghan Knights of Columbus in suburban Detroit for Evolve 115. This event was a major checkpoint for the company, as this marked the start of a so called "new EVOLVE." From here on, EVOLVE will showcase its...

EVOLVE runs end for Riddle, Hathaway

EVOLVE runs end for Riddle, Hathaway

LIVONIA, Mich. -- EVOLVE 111 took place on Sunday afternoon, a standing-room only crowd hot at the Monaghan Knights of Columbus Hall. The passionate fans were rewarded with one of Matt Riddle's final matches on the indy scene before he heads to WWE/NXT, and the finale...

Keith Lee ends EVOLVE run with emotional farewell

Keith Lee ends EVOLVE run with emotional farewell

LIVONA, Mich. -- On Sunday night, an emotional "Limitless" Keith Lee wrestled his last bout in EVOLVE, his last "indy" bout, before heading off to NXT/WWE. After his loss to EVOLVE champion Matt Riddle, Lee took to the mic to say goodbye. Part of the reason for the...

WrestleMania weekend day 3: Progress and ROH

WrestleMania weekend day 3: Progress and ROH

NEW ORLEANS - My Saturday kicked off with Progress Wrestling, which was the best Progress show that I have ever seen. However, Progress did have a list of people that were injured from previous matches during WrestleMania weekend. Darby Allin had a concussion and...

WrestleMania weekend day 1: Bloodsport and EVOLVE

WrestleMania weekend day 1: Bloodsport and EVOLVE

NEW ORLEANS - Bloodsport kicked off WrestleMania weekend Thursday afternoon. It was a hybrid of Mixed Marital Arts and Professional Wrestling. Victory was obtained with knock out or submission. However, the rules were unclear since a referee would take the two...

Mat Matters: Don Davies’ Japan Wrestling Diary

Mat Matters: Don Davies’ Japan Wrestling Diary

From the epic Wrestle Kingdom 12 to violent death matches to raunchy comedy wrestling this year's wrestling vacation in Japan was one of the best ever. I have attended wrestling events all over the world including Canada, USA, UK, and Africa, but by far the best place...

Border City show brings right mix for Excellence

Border City show brings right mix for Excellence

WINDSOR, ON - Just shy of 25 years old, Windsor, Ontario's Border City Wrestling has pretty much found the perfect formula for success: put on a show that features some of wrestling's biggest historical names, add in some of the industry's brightest current stars from...

CZW’s Tournament of Death more popular than ever

CZW’s Tournament of Death more popular than ever

TOWNSEND, Delaware - Maybe it was the "Vice Factor." That is, the mainstream publicity given to CZW's annual Tournament of Death event after being the subject of a Vice Media documentary last year. That would help explain why the crowd at the show this past weekend...

Bishop’s diary: Four shows in 24 hours

Bishop’s diary: Four shows in 24 hours

ORLANDO -- Seemingly the entire professional wrestling world has converged onto Central Florida for WrestleMania weekend. With dozens upon dozens of shows, many happening simultaneously, these few days offer a cornucopia of possibilities for fans. My personal belief...

Chris Hero says his goodbyes to indy life at EVOLVE

Chris Hero says his goodbyes to indy life at EVOLVE

SAN ANTONIO, TX - Ever since being released by WWE in November 2013, Chris Hero has been one of the hottest commodities on the independent circuit. Fast forward three years and he said goodbye to the indy life once again, his second chance at NXT and WWE only days...

Rhodes, Styles prove ex-WWE stars can EVOLVE

Rhodes, Styles prove ex-WWE stars can EVOLVE

Patric Laprade - Slam Wrestling BROOKLYN, NY – The EVOLVE 67 show Saturday afternoon in Brooklyn, as a part of the bigger WWE SummerSlam experience in town, saw the appearance of two just-released WWE employees. While WWE superstar Cody Rhodes was announced a while...

Mercedes Martinez returns, wins SHIMMER title

Mercedes Martinez returns, wins SHIMMER title

BERWYN, ILL. - Mercedes Martinez made a shocking return and won the SHIMMER championship at the conclusion of a marathon three-day DVD taping in Berwyn, Illinois, this weekend. Martinez’ return after a two-year retirement was the culmination of a whirlwind series of...

Young-Roode patriotic battle rules at HOH in Niagara Falls

Young-Roode patriotic battle rules at HOH in Niagara Falls

NIAGARA FALLS, ON - Tommy Dreamer’s House of Hardcore rumbled into Niagara Falls on Saturday evening as a part of the Mindi O Fitness Extravaganza. The highlight of the evening was the main event featuring future NXT wrestlers Bobby Roode and Eric Young. The fans sang...

Curry Man surprises Detroit lucha show

Curry Man surprises Detroit lucha show

DETROIT - The crowd was upset when it was announced that Christopher Daniels was unable to make it to "¡Revolucha 3!" Saturday night. When his replacement was announced as Curry Man, the crowd was stunned. Curry Man is the moniker Daniels uses in Japan but rarely, if...

Matt’s Mania Moments: A crazy busy Saturday

Matt’s Mania Moments: A crazy busy Saturday

DALLAS — There is nothing like WrestleMania Week. A completely crazy wrestling experience with something for everything. Saturday was no exception. Now, if you don’t absolutely love wrestling, this is probably not a schedule of events I’d recommend. If you love all...

Matt’s Mania Moments: Day 1 in Dallas

Matt’s Mania Moments: Day 1 in Dallas

SLAM! Wrestling's Matt Bishop is in Dallas and will be hitting a ton of shows and events this weekend. Check in here regularly for his reports and details about the things he's seen and experienced while in "The Big D." ENTRY 2 DALLAS — The first day of WrestleMania...

Mysterio at IWS latest in Montreal-Mexico exchange

Mysterio at IWS latest in Montreal-Mexico exchange

MONTREAL - Among all the big names to come to town in recent years, Rey Mysterio Jr. is arguably one of the biggest to hit the Montreal independent wrestling scene. Saturday night, at Metropolis, the former WWE World Heavyweight champion was set to face International...

Slam Poll

Who will win the main event tag match at WM Night One?

CALENDAR

Mar 29: MLW War Chamber
Apr 6: WWE NXT Stand & Deliver
Apr 6, 7: WWE WrestleMania 40
Apr 20: TNA Rebellion
Apr 21: AEW Dynasty
May 4: WWE Backlash
May 11: MLW Azteca Lucha
May 18: NWA Crockett Cup
May 26: NXT Battleground
Jun 1: MLW Battle Riot VI
Jul 6: WWE MIB
Jul 7: NXT Heatwave
Aug 3: WWE SummerSlam
Aug 25: AEW All In
Aug 31: WWE Bash in Berlin
Aug 31: MLW Gold Rush Night 1
Sep 1: MLW Gold Rush Night 2