Jason’s Saskatoon Diary: Day 1 – Road Rules
SASKATOON - Whether you are the champion in WWE, a regular in Japan, or an independent wrestler making their name with an assortment of promotions, there is one thing that every wrestler has to do, and most wrestlers don't like to do: Travel. I had a small taste of...
Saddledome Smackdown lacks sizzle
CALGARY -- On paper, Saturday's Smackdown! brand house show at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary looked awesome. The main event Wrestlemania rematch of Kurt Angle defending against Brock Lesnar had the potential to be the best house show main event in Cowtown since...
WWE lays Smackdown! on Toronto
Wrestling fans in Toronto came out in full force to attend a Smackdown! taping last night at the Air Canada Centre. Since SLAM! Wrestling's Dale Plummer normally covers the broadcasts, I'm not going to steal his thunder and only offer you my own twisted insights into...
Wrestlers honoured to be on Stu’s show
CALGARY -- It showed on the faces of the fans, and in the effort put forth by the athletes in the ring: Stu Hart is loved and respected. SLAM! Wrestling had the opportunity to catch up with a number of members of the Hart Family as well as participants at Friday's Stu...
Stu Hart tribute show delivers
CALGARY -- On Friday, May 2nd, Stampede Wrestling paid tribute to Stu Hart on his 88th Birthday by presenting a spectacular show at the Ogden Legion Hall in Calgary. The highly-anticipated main event of "Stampede Kid" TJ Wilson and "Bulldog" Harry Smith (Son of Davey...
Rough night for Canadians at NWA 53rd
It wasn't the best of nights last night in St. Petersburg, Florida for the Canadians on the NWA 53rd Anniversary show at the Wrestleplex. Though the vacant NWA Canadian title was captured by former champ EZ Ryder from the Winnipeg-based CWF promotion, another Winnipeg...
Backstage at the Pillman Memorial Show
By STEVE HOOPER -- For SLAM! Wrestling I was privileged enough to be part of the Pillman 2001 Memorial Show in Cincinnati, Ohio, and thought I might share some thoughts with you all regarding this fantastic event. This year marks the second time I have worked this...
A fourth generation of Rougeau debuts
Jacques Rougeau Jr's Lutte International 2000 has never stopped believing in itself and with a goal of producing family oriented shows, last night's card was no different. In front of a disappointing crowd of approximately 3500 at the Verdun Auditorium, the show got...
Nashville’s NWA 52nd Convention has hits and misses
NASHVILLE -- Judging by the National Wrestling Alliance's 52nd Convention card on Saturday night at the historic Nashville Fairgrounds, showcasing wrestling talent isn't the promotion's problem. It's the presentation and packaging. While the WWF and WCW can put on...
NWA Convention closes with a whimper
NASHVILLE -- Sunday afternoon, the National Wrestling Alliance presented their Showcase of the Stars at the Nashville Fairgrounds. Unlike the Battle for the Belts the previous evening, this card didn't live up to its billing. The matches featured wrestlers from the...
Sabu pumps up Stampede Wrestling show
By WES WETANKO -- For SLAM! Wrestling CALGARY -- Sabu once again returned to Stampede Wrestling and once again he turned things up a notch. This is the second time that Sabu has wrestled here and the fans were not disappointed as he and three of Stampede Wrestling's...
Getting Smackdown-ed in the San Jose Heat
SAN JOSE -- I am no longer a Smackdown! virgin. Without the UPN affiliate in my current cable package, I had never up until tonight seen WWF Smackdown! Already I long for those innocent days of yore. Tuesday night at the San Jose Sports Arena, home of the...
Big Show steals the show at post-Mania L.A. Raw
LOS ANGELES -- One could probably get very used to life out here in California, particularly if your WWF Monday Night RAW is delivered at 6 pm Pacific Time, rather than the 9 pm Eastern Time that this reporter is used to. I'll confess that I rarely stay up until 11 pm...
Guest column: Grand Prix still thrills
By BRAD MCLAUGHLIN -- For SLAM! WrestlingI am a huge wrestling fan and I have been for as long as I can remember. Granted, I am only 23, but I do remember the way wrestling used to be -- none of those phony interviews or those ridiculous gimmicks, just some good old...
Mat Matters: Our dinner with Terry Funk
It didn't take long to realize that two hours with Terry Funk were not going to be enough. I'm not sure that two days would even be enough to hear all Funk's stories about his 34 years in wrestling -- plus all the years growing up with a wrestler for a father. Funk,...
Masato Tanaka, crappy pizza and a near riot
Thanks to the advent of the internet, it's incredibly easy to find out when Extreme Championship Wrestling will be coming to a town near you, of course it's also incredibly easy to discuss the banal trivialities of the Spice Girls in a chatroom but you take the good...
Dissecting Breakdown from Row 10
And so Canada has hosted another payperview. But to be honest, it didn't feel very Canadian. Compared to the last PPV in the Great White North -- 1997's Survivor Series in Montreal -- Hamilton's In Your House: Breakdown lacked the flag waving and raw patriotism that...
WWFers boost Windsor indy show
The old Taco Bell ad told us to run for the border. Now Border City Wrestling gives us another reason. This Friday, May 29 in LaSalle, Ontario, BCW presents a star-studded event -- not your average independent show. Headlining is WWF Intercontinental champion Rocky...
McMahon refs in Toronto
Tonight wasn't a good night for Vincent K. McMahon in Toronto's SkyDome. The WWF president's elaborate scheme to wrest the gold from working class champion "Stone Cold" Steve Austin failed on all fronts. His hand-picked challenger DX's Hunter Hearst-Helmsley...
Taka loses, wins belt
WWF Light Heavyweight Champion, Taka Michinoku, is counting his lucky stars. The high-flying Japanese sensation was able to lose and regain the title from Brian Christopher in the same night. Kicking off the Road To WrestleMania tour in Toronto's SkyDome, the Light...
Nitro in Buffalo – Dec. 8, 1997 – viewed from above
BUFFALO -- We didn't get stung at WCW Nitro in Buffalo. Instead, we got Sting. Three times. That, more than anything else, helped the crowd leave the Marine Midland Arena happy. It wasn't Buffalo Bill Bruce Smith or ex-Bill Jim Kelly. It wasn't the Nitro Girls or...
Hart missing in SkyDome show
Thanks For The Memories Bret! We Love You Hit Man. Bret Sold Out. Another Old FHart To The WCW. Bye, Bye, Bret. - fan's signs held high at tonight's SkyDome event. Whatever else they may be, wrestling fans aren't soft spoken. Their opinions coming in loud and clear...
