SummerSlam Eve: A full menu of indy wrestling & wrestlers in Detroit
DETROIT -- When WWE announced that SummerSlam 2023 would be in Detroit, what I looked forward to most of all, possibly more so even than SummerSlam itself, was participating in the events and activities around SummerSlam weekend. As the subsequent announcements from...
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
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...
Remembering Nick Steel with a unique celebration of life
When someone is taken too soon, why, is always the obvious question to ask. When Nick Castanhinha passed away, it was a front-and-center prime example. He was a loving husband and father. His two young sons, Jacob and Joshua, saw their dad as a superhero. Nick and his...
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
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
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
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
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
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...
Photographer’s Eye: Safety precautions before HorrorSlam
DETROIT - Last Friday, February 18, my son and I were looking for something to do. He gets bored easily, so an evening at the Ford Museum or a Pistons basketball game were out. Instead we attended an indy wrestling card by HorrorSlam Pro Wrestling, held in Brownstown,...
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
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...
NJPW youngster Shota Umino shines in final match before UK lockdown
I tracked down the Shooter Shota Umino at a bingo hall in Wales, and saw him wrestle in front of 250 people at a bingo hall in Cardiff. It was surreal. At the time nobody knew either that it would be his last match for the foreseeable future as the United Kingdom...
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
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
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
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
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....
Matt’s NYC diary: It’s a great time to be a wrestling fan
NEW YORK -- Never before in history has it been better to be a fan of professional wrestling. It was a thought I had prior, but after these last two days in the Big Apple, I've become 100% convinced it is the case. Whether it's an increase in talent levels, more...
EVOLVE 125 brings together NXT, Japan, and a major Theory
NEW YORK - There's always a first, and on Thursday at noon, the first of a number of wrestling shows during a busy weekend at La Boom took place, EVOLVE 125, and it had a decided NXT feel to it, with a touch of Japan thrown in. The main event of the show had Kyle...
Matt’s NYC diary: WrestleCon Supershow full of whooos and wows
NEW YORK -- The biggest weekend of the year for the professional wrestling world kicked off in a big way Thursday night. A night full of hard hitting, high flying action mixed in with a healthy dose of surprises led to another successful edition of the WrestleCon...
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
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
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
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
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
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 2: Progress, EVOLVE & WWN Super Show
NEW ORLEANS - My Friday kicked off with Progress Wrestling, which had many more people in attendance than any of Thursday's shows. There were many more international people in attendance than the day before, with people from Europe and Australia. Moustache Mountain...
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
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...
Live Report: NJPW’s New Year Dash sets up Jericho vs Naito
TOKYO - New Year Dash featured Chris Jericho attacking Tetsuya Naito and daring fans to hit him. Many people thought that Jericho's appearance at Wrestle Kingdom 12 would be a one-time match for New Japan. However, the wheels have now been set in motion for a Naito...
Live report: Wrestle Kingdom 12 an incredible spectacle and experience
TOKYO - I traveled halfway around the world, from Toronto to Tokyo, for New Japan Pro Wrestling's Wrestle Kingdom 12 show. It was worth it. Here are my thoughts on the experience, and the reactions of the crowd during the show. There was a big buzz during the day in...
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
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
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
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
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
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...
Freakshow Wrestling a wild trip into Sinn Bodhi’s twisted mind
LAS VEGAS - When Sinn Bodhi is not the strangest person in the room, you must be at Freakshow Wrestling. There he is, tattooed-to-the-gills, his long hair frizzled and free, wearing polka-dot leggings, as well as pants and boots studded with mini-Teddy bears. But over...
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
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...
House of Hardcore at ECW Arena good mix of nostalgia and action
PHILADELPHIA -- With the recent passing of ECW original Balls Mahoney fresh in everyone's minds, it was a given that Saturday night's House of Hardcore, held at the old ECW Arena in Philadelphia, would include a tribute to the fallen star. But, as Tommy Dreamer's...
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
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
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...
Montreal show brings Vampiro full circle
Thirty years ago, a young kid from Thunder Bay, Ontario, made his pro wrestling debut in Quebec. He later became one of the most popular non-Mexican wrestlers in the history of Lucha Libre. This Saturday, at IWS in Montreal, Vampiro is coming full circle, coming back...
Ottawa cancer fundraiser fights back for Phrank
OTTAWA - Four years ago, a young man passed away way too soon from cancer. Since then, his friends have made a commitment to honour his memory with a fundraising wrestling show every year. Saturday night was the fifth edition, and bolstered by stars Ultimo Dragon,...
Toronto gets extreme for House of Hardcore
TORONTO - While Philadelphia is generally considered the birthplace of extreme wrestling, Toronto should now be considered its adopted home. So says the crowd that attended -- and many of the talent that performed on -- last night's House of Hardcore show in Toronto....
Deathproof provides a twisted family reunion
To the fans and the roster of Deathproof Wrestling, the company doesn't put on shows as much as they host family reunions. Sure, reunions full of beer, blood, and barbed wire -- but family reunions nonetheless. This Sunday, in Etobicoke, Ontario at the company's "Till...
