Lesnar, HHH make the most of a rare house show appearance in Buffalo
BUFFALO, NY - In the 1980s it seemed that wrestling magazines were always showcasing dream matches between top wrestlers in rival promotions. In Buffalo, NY, the WWE provided its own version of the dream card. Where else could you see a main event that featured two...
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...
Buffalo crowd hot and into the heroes
BUFFALO, NY - Monday Night Raw in Buffalo was an event that has taken a few years to create. Having attended quite a few WWE cards, including another Raw, in the Queen City, I had not seen the arena packed to capacity. Tonight it was full. What was the change? Could...
Examining the little things at ROH in Lockport
LOCKPORT, NY - Ring of Honor brought its show to upstate New York on Saturday night for a television taping. Having attended a few ROH shows over the last few years has been enjoyable. The vibe that comes from the crowd and the wrestlers is that of nervous...
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...
Lessons to consider from a 7-year-old fan at Smackdown
BUFFALO - The Smackdown show in Buffalo on Tuesday evening was a fun affair that was helped by a raucous crowd. One fan in particular was enjoying his first taste of live WWE action, seven-year-old Phynn. I talked with the youngster throughout the show and his...
Late-arriving Toronto crowd savours Cesaro-Styles classic
TORONTO - There are times when WWE is very aware of the world around it, as in its Tribute to the Troops or campaigns against breast cancer. Then there are nights like Saturday in Toronto, when it was oblivious to the chaos outside the doors of the Ricoh Coliseum....
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...
NYC crowd hot for ROH-New Japan lineup
NEW YORK CITY - A host of injuries forced the initially-announced line-up of the final show of the Ring of Honor's War of the Worlds tour to be reshuffled. No one seemed to mind, especially not the fired up crowd. The tour, which started a week ago in Chicago Ridge,...
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...
WWE in Buffalo a traditional kind of night
BUFFALO, NY - The WWE continued its Road to Wrestlemania tour with a stop in Buffalo at the First Niagara Center last night. To put it mildly, the crowd was hot for all things WWE. The event was what wrestling should be like. Families were able to enjoy the sport,...
Owens and Zayn main attraction in Montreal
MONTREAL – Forget Brock Lesnar's return to Montreal Friday night. The people in attendance only wanted to see one match: Kevin Owens versus Sami Zayn versus Dean Ambrose. It wasn't Owens' first show in Montreal for the WWE. He debuted here last September. It wasn't...
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...
Cleveland crowd loud and raucous at Fastlane
CLEVELAND - This writer owes the city of Cleveland an apology. For years, I have been less than complimentary to the city -- in fact, I've used the terms "cesspool" and "hell-hole" more than once, thinking that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was the only good thing...
NXT in Detroit ‘amazing’ & ‘awesome’
DETROIT, Mich. - Before I start, please believe this is me writing, and not my Dad. I love NXT, and last night was probably my favorite wrestling show I've ever been to. NXT is so much better then WWE because of the amazing matches and awesome crowds. This was a...
Crowd watching at WWE in Toronto
TORONTO - When you have been to as many wrestling shows as I have through the years, it can be a little onerous to sit through another house show. Even with my nine-year-old son, Quinn, beside me, popping at the right moments, and sarcastically commenting at other...
WWE brings holiday fun to Detroit
DETROIT - The WWE appeared at Detroit's Joe Louis Arena for its their annual holiday stop. What follows is the results and commentary from Matthew McFarlin, the 11-year-old son of photographer John Brad McFarlin. Dolph Ziggler beat Tyler Breeze. (Matt: Wow, Dolph is...
Comparing a weekend of ROH vs WWE
This past week I had the pleasure of attending a Ring of Honor TV taping and WWE Monday Night RAW. There is no comparison to witnessing the WWE live. They are slick, exciting and are number one for a reason. On the other hand, something is lost when you watch a...
Young families love WWE action in Buffalo
BUFFALO - The WWE rolled into Buffalo for Monday Night RAW and the show was appreciated by the vocal crowd. The large number of children in the audience echoed the direction of the current WWE product as they cheered for the good guys and booed the bad guys. Large...
Kevin Owens a hero to Montreal crowd
MONTREAL - It was Kevin Owens' homecoming last night in Montreal and the crowd reacted to him like the Superstar he has become in recent months. After the Rougeaus, Dino Bravo and Pierre-Carl Ouellet, wrestling fans in Montreal have a new hero. Although usually a heel...
NXT alumni own the spotlight at WWE Fairfax
FAIRFAX, VA - WWE house shows bring a unique experience. While there is a sameness and "seen one, seen 'em all" quality one can identify after attending a handful of these shows, there is an intimate atmosphere when the biggest show in town detours into the suburbs....
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...
Surprises dominate WWE house show in Toronto
TORONTO - Sometimes, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Just like infamous rivalry between Edge and John Cena which offered up some incredible, unforgettable bouts but wore out its welcome no matter how the WWE repackaged it, Cena versus Seth Rollins has hit...
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...
ROH & New Japan deliver a wild night in Toronto
TORONTO - Ring of Honor Wrestling and New Japan Wrestling presented Global Wars ’15 pay-per view from the Ted Reeve Arena in Toronto, on Friday night. The action witnessed in the ring was scintillating and the sold out, standing-room only crowd was rowdy from start to...
Loud crowd enjoys WWE in Hamilton
HAMILTON -- The WWE brought its show to Hamilton, Ontario, and the crowd was not disappointed. The cavernous First Ontario Centre was only half filled, but the reactions from the fans would have made you think that the arena had patrons hanging from the rafters. Two...
A new/old champion crowned at Femmes Fatales
MONTREAL - The popular NCW Femmes Fatales promotion has undergone some changes in recent months, but the show on Saturday night proved that there's always a chance to come home again. Injuries and absences forced new booker Pat Laprade -- the author and contributor to...
Smackdown in Detroit lacks star power
DETROIT - Smackdown came to my hometown on Tuesday night at the Joe Louis Arena and once again Dad got to shoot photos and here are some of my thoughts. My main complaint is a bit too much time was spent showing video from the previous nights RAW, and the familiar...
Ring of Honor Winter Warriors Tour: This is wrestling
ATLANTA - With the recent backlash the WWE has had with their last several PPVs, many fans are clamoring for an alternative wrestling show. Right now, my suggestion would be to see the next time the Ring of Honor promotion comes nearby because Saturday’s Georgia stop...
WWE Calgary show solid but not spectacular
CALGARY - House shows have long been a favourite event for me to attend, tying back to days as a kid watching Hulk Hogan against Randy Savage or Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart. Even as a young adult I would get so excited to see the likes of Eddie Guerrero, The Rock, and...
Holiday house show helps make a new WWE fan
Imagine for a second that you’re eight years old again. You’re curious about pro wrestling, but you’ve never seen it except for the occasional glimpses you’ve seen on TV, almost always in passing. Your younger brother already shows signs of becoming a fan, and your...
WWE Winnipeg house show has an old-school flavour
WINNIPEG - Having not been in attendance at at WWE event in Winnipeg in over 20 years -- since the days of the old "barn", the venerated Arena -- I was quite curious as to how things have changed in the "house show" game when I went to Saturdays performance at the MTS...
Border City Wrestling’s ‘Excellence’ christens new arena
WINDSOR, Ont. -- Border City Wrestling showed its "excellence" on Saturday night with a big show at St. Clair College's Sportsplex. The card featured the likes of Bret "Hitman" Hart, Jon Bolen, Kongo Kong, Chris Sabin and Scott Steiner. For the report, we turned to...
Orton surprising hero at Montreal house show
MONTREAL - I remember going to a WWF house show at the Montreal Forum, and I wanted to get a t-shirts and see the stars but I also wanted Ricky Steamboat to take revenge on Randy Savage. Not much has really changed today at the WWE house show at the Bell Centre last...
Jay Briscoe regains ROH World title in All Star surprise
TORONTO -- That Jay Briscoe has a way of throwing things off. Here I was going to write about how the local boys, and one gal, made the Ring of Honor All Star Extravaganza VI so enjoyable for me, he goes and upsets Michael Elgin for the ROH World title. It wasn't...
Courtney Rush new champ as Femmes Fatales delivers again
MONTREAL - So many thought it wouldn't catch and after a few shows that the idea would be abandoned. Well, guess what? Saturday night's Femmes Fatales show was the 15th and not only is it as strong as ever, its popularity keeps growing. Ever since the original show,...
Wrestlefest an interpromotional success
HULL - While the vast majority of wrestling fans in Canada were focused on the WWE's Summer Slam PPV being held in Toronto this past Sunday, a small gathering of the faithful converged onto a small, but significant event in the province of Quebec. Hosted by Hull based...
Steen says emotional goodbye to Ring of Honor
DEARBORN, Mich. -- As Kevin Steen and Steve Corino tightly embraced in the middle of a streamer-filled ring, you could only imagine what words were being whispered back-and-forth just moments after Steen capped an illustrious Ring of Honor career by beating Corino,...
Bret Hart expects a great response at Raw in Montreal
Bret "The Hitman" Hart went 15 years without any presence in Montreal for the WWE, but tonight he's back on Monday Night Raw -- his second straight appearance in Montreal for WWE's big weekly show. However, last time around, his thunder was stolen by Jerry Lawler --...
Cena, Y2J return to Toronto; Santino retires
With the help of The Usos, John Cena has once again plucked the vultures. At the SummerSlam Heatwave Tour at the Ricoh Coliseum in downtown Toronto, Cena surprised the crowd in attendance by turning his no holds barred Street Fight bout against Bray Wyatt into a WWE...
Reigns star of WWE London house show
LONDON, Ont. -- WWE brought its SummerSlam Heatwave Tour to London's Budweiser Gardens for a show on Saturday night, and the crowd definitely offered proof that Roman Reigns may indeed be the next chosen one, both for his in-ring action and for the way that the fans...
TigerFest delivers international action galore
BRAMPTON, Ont. -- Because of its significant South Asian population, Canada Day celebrations in Brampton, Ontario have a very unique flavour. One of the main ingredients in that flavour is TigerFest, the annual event put on by the legendary Tiger Jeet Singh and his...
Conway regains NWA World title in Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS - "Iron Man" Rob Conway became a two-time NWA World champion on Monday, June 2, defeating Satoshi Kojima in the main event of an inter-promotional card held at the Cauliflower Alley Club Reunion. Conway and Kojima wrestled a stiff, hard-hitting bout at the...
