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...
ROH’s War of the Worlds Toronto: The Kingdom cheat their way to a win
TORONTO - PCO became a big crowd favorite at ROH’s War of the Worlds when he came close to defeating Matt Taven, the current ROH world champion. However, members of the Kingdom interfered to cause PCO the ROH world championship. PCO versus Matt Taven for the ROH world...
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....
Live, Raw shake-up leaves plenty in wonder
MONTREAL - The night started like any other Monday Night Raw, the crowd going wild in preparation for a night of the unknown. Everyone knew there was going to be some changes made to the roster, and they were ready. Signs reading "We want Kofi" or "AJ Styles come to...
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...
WWE puts on a sweet show in Hershey, PA
Hershey, Pennsylvania bills itself as "The Sweetest Place on Earth" and it is, unless you are WWE superstar Elias. Hershey may have left a bitter taste in his mouth Sunday night, as WWE stopped in Chocolatetown, USA for a house show. Elias was interrupted several...
WWE Buffalo: The Man and Kofi’s pancake mayhem
BUFFALO, NY - Kofi Kingston appeared on the entrance ramp and the crowd went ballistic. The ultra-popular Kingston held a tray of pancakes aloft. If there is anything I have learned from watching the New Day at live events is that someone always gets hurt when they...
Top 5 Moments at WWE Smackdown in Detroit
Just 24 hours before WWE Fastlane, WWE Live made a pit stop on the Road to Wrestlemania in Detroit, Michigan. Headlined by a blockbuster main event - AJ Styles vs Randy Orton - the Motown crowd was treated to an exciting Smackdown Live house show event. They ran wild...
Top 5 Moments at NXT Detroit
ROYAL OAK, Mich. -- On Sunday afternoon, the NXT Universe packed the sold out Royal Oak Music Theatre, in suburban Detroit, for NXT Live. The audience witnessed what is probably the final NXT appearance of future main roster stars Ricochet and Aleister Black, along...
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...
Live, Phoenix fans all about Lynch at Raw
PHOENIX -- Just like Sunday's Royal Rumble, Monday Night Raw turned into the Becky Lynch Show. Lynch's surprise appearance on Raw set the stage for what should be a big run as she officially challenged Raw women's champion Ronda Rousey for the title at WrestleMania...
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,...
WWE Buffalo house show filled with young, excited fans
BUFFALO, NY - The WWE rolled into Buffalo on Sunday night and it put on a great show. Over the last five years, I have found that Buffalo is a great barometer of how WWE is connecting with the fans and, from what I can tell, they are attracting the young fans. The Key...
Festive New Year for Pittsburgh as Smackdown tells stories
PITTSBURGH - The buzz around the December 29 taping for next Tuesday night's Smackdown Live was quite different than when the WWE was in town for its last PPV. The crowd was late-coming, but the first two Universal Title replica belts around waists were spotted mere...
ROH Global Wars Toronto: Lethal crowns King
No matter what Tom Petty sang sometimes it isn't good to be king. At ROH Global Wars at the Mattamy Athletic Centre in downtown Toronto, Kenny King came within mere moments of becoming the ROH World Champion. In the main event of the evening, the former reality star...
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...
Five things I learned from NXT in Detroit
ROYAL OAK, Mich. - NXT Live concluded its road trip through New York state, Ohio and Michigan, with NXT Detroit. The Royal Oak Music Theatre was packed once again for another sold out show, with the brand's third event in this venue. The raucous crowd was treated with...
Five things I learned at Smackdown in Detroit
DETROIT - Smackdown Live returned to Detroit on Tuesday night. This episode showcased the heated Miz and Daniel Bryan feud throughout the night, building up to their mixed tag team match at Hell In A Cell. Although the size of Smackdown's crowd in Detroit was...
All In will be long remembered
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. - A dream became reality Saturday night. A year ago, All In was a pipe dream. But the brain child of Cody Rhodes and the Young Bucks blew past expectations in front of one of the most raucous crowds in recent memory. The 10,000-plus fans at Sears...
Photos from WWE Smackdown Live in Brooklyn
Here are some select shots taken by our ace photographer George Tahinos at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn from WWE Smackdown Live on Tuesday, August 21, 2018. Enjoy the gallery! The Miz and Mayrse The Miz and Maryse Daniel Bryan Brie Bella Brie Bella and Daniel Bryan...
Photos from WWE Monday Night Raw in Brooklyn
Here are some select shots taken by our ace photographer George Tahinos at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn from WWE Monday Night Raw on August 20, 2018. Enjoy the gallery! Roman Reigns Roman Reigns Roman Reigns and Finn Balor Roman Reigns and Finn Balor Bayley...
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...
‘Phantom Clock’ steals Extreme Rules main event, fans disappointed, no Hogan
PITTSBURGH - All fans of sports entertainment in Pittsburgh were abuzz Sunday when it became apparent that Hulk Hogan was on the verge of making a return to the WWE. It started with social media posts of the 2005 Hall of Famer riding a plane to Cleveland with no...
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...
ROH steps it up in new venue in return to Detroit area
ROYAL OAK, Mich. -- Ring of Honor returned to Michigan for War of the Worlds 2018, but this time, it was held at Royal Oak Music Theatre. This venue held around 1,000 people compared to the Performing Arts Center in Dearborn, which ROH went to for years, and only held...
Los Ingobernables De Japon dominate War of the Worlds show
TORONTO – At the 2018 War of the Worlds event in Toronto, Sanada, Evil, and Hiromu Takahashi defeated Colt Cabana, Kenny King, and Jay Lethal in the main event. Dalton Castle and Flip Gordon were advertised to wrestle in the main event but did not appear. The main...
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...
Kitchener WWE house show prompts new respect
KITCHENER, ON -- Attending a WWE show in the front row for the first time gave me a new appreciation for the WWE live experience that I was unable to get when I sat further back at other WWE events. I have been a big WWE fan since childhood and would attend WWE live...
Five things I learned live at Raw
WWE returned to Detroit, at the recently-opened Little Caesars Arena, as the buildup to WrestleMania 34 continues. From my seat on the floor, with my dad popping up to take photos, I made some notes and came up with five things that I learned. 5 - Brock Lesnar...
Father-son bond strengthened through NXT in St. Catharines
ST. CATHARINES, ON - Wrestling has a way of bringing generations together. I have witnessed grandparents and grandchildren enjoying wrestling. Parents and their children enjoying wrestling together have been seen many times in front of my eyes. Friday night, I...
NXT in Mississauga pretty standard fare
MISSISSAUGA, ON - My, what a difference a year makes. Back in late 2016, an NXT show was a must-see event, featuring some of the brightest and best talents in the company, names like Samoa Joe, Bobby Roode, Asuka, and Shinsuke Nakamura. Stars that could be called up...
Philly fans embrace Gargano & underdogs
PHILADELPHIA -- Say what you will about Philadelphia fans, but they love to embrace the underdog. Whether it be fictional Rocky Balboa or this year's Super Bowl bound Eagles led by back-up quarterback, Nick Foles. Tonight, in the Wells Fargo Center, you can add NXT's...
Raw fans at Manhattan Centre rewarded for their patience
NEW YORK, NY - The 25th episode of Monday Night RAW promised to be one of the most star-studded, action-packed, and must-attend shows of all time. For those fans who attended the event at the Manhattan Centre -- the site of the debut episode -- and not Brooklyn's...
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...
WWE blood policy ends Toronto main event early
It was deja vu for Samoa Joe. As it did during his match against Finn Balor at NXT TakeOver Dallas in 2016, an accidental cut has caused controversy and frustrated Samoan Submission Machine. Just minutes into his main event, Intercontinental Title match against...
WWE brings holiday joy to Detroit’s new arena
DETROIT - WWE Holiday Live Tour arrived Detroit on Wednesday night with the Smackdown crew offering a little post-Christmas joy at the recently-opened Little Caesar's Arena. The new venue, home to the Detroit Red Wings and the Detroit Pistons, hosted its second...
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...
A dog, a cat, a bird, ROH Buffalo, oh my!
BUFFALO, NY - A bird of prey, a bulldog and a cat dominate my memories of Ring of Honor's Global Wars tour stop in Buffalo, New York. This show featured many of the stars of New Japan Pro Wrestling and the mix of Canadian, American, European and Japanese athletes made...
Hometown stars shine at NXT Live Toronto
Canucks stole the show at NXT Live's stopover in Toronto. At the Mattamy Athletic Centre in downtown Toronto, hometown stars Eric Young, Aliyah, Bobby Roode and Tye Dillinger were given a grand hometown reception. For Bobby Roode, it was bittersweet homecoming. With...
NXT in St. Catharines all about the hometown boy Dillinger
ST. CATHARINES, ON - The number 10 was shouted over and over again by the vocal crowd at St. Catharines Meridian Centre on Friday night as NXT came to town. It was the perfect evening for the "Perfect 10" and hometown hero Ty Dillinger. All night long the NXT action...
Raw live: A love fest for Strowman
TORONTO - If preshow is any indication, Roman Reigns is going to have problems tonight. Little kids starting a "let's go Cena" chant and getting crushed by the "Cena sucks" crowd. Merch lines were ridiculously long at 6:45pm. Fairly full crowd. Main Event tapings:...
Owens and Zayn together again in finale at Montreal house show
MONTREAL - Whether it’s Hulk Hogan teaming with Randy Savage or Dino Bravo teaming with Rick Martel, the union of two superstars to fight evil together has always been a good storyline. It still works today, and Kevin Owens coming to the rescue of Sami Zayn and Pat...
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...
Luke Harper’s big night in Rochester
ROCHESTER, NY - It was a special night on Tuesday for WWE superstar Luke Harper at Blue Cross Arena at Community War Memorial in his hometown -- he actually won. Harper, who is from the western New York city, where he was known as Jon Huber, has wrestled in town...
