Ring of Honor Wrestling

This has been a rather slow week in the professional wrestling industry, but some things did happen. 

If you are a fan of wrestling, you owe it to yourself to watch Ring of Honor (message me if you want links to recorded shows). Last Saturday, Ring of Honor put on a great iPPV called "Death Before Dishonor VIII."

In the card was Kenny Omega vs. Christopher Daniels. It was Daniel's ROH re-debut since leaving the company for TNA. Apparently, Kenny Omega works a very stiff match because one of the open-hand slaps from Omega ruptured Daniels' right eardrum. 

Daniel's twitter comment on the pain:

"FYI: Ear drops for a ruptured eardrum hurt like a motherf**ker!! OW!!"

For more info on his recovery go here:

https://health.google.com/health/ref/Ruptured+eardrum  (and yes Google does do health facts. I know, I'm as surprised as you.)

In other semi-related TNA news, Spike has pulled TNA Reaction from their schedule and the show, Jail , has been listed in the time spot. This was a one hour, documentary-styled show with a backstage perspective on current TNA events. 

Final news for today is that Former NXT/Smackdown announcer Savannah (Angela Fong) has been released. Not one word why, but good old JR has comments as always. 

"Sorry 2 hear Savannah got released. Nice, young lady. It happens 2 best of us. New HOT jr's bbq sauce is in! THQ v/o's start nx wk." 

Oh and apparently JR works out as well. 

"Hitting gym..wishing a few lbs well n their future endeavors."

So that's the news. Please digest slowly and wait a half hour before swimming. Thank you. 

Shockwaves of disbelief and frustration ripped through the pages of the Bleacher Report's pro wrestling section when Shelton Benjamin was released from his WWE contract at the tail end of April this year.

He was future endeavored, despite being one of the most athletically-gifted men on the WWE roster, once again proving that in-ring ability does not necessarily equal guaranteed success in the world of "sports entertainment."

The WWE simply had nothing for Benjamin to do and decided to give him the axe to make room for new superstars. It is an unfortunate, but often necessary, part of the business.

Benjamin's release left his fans wondering what "The Gold Standard" would do next; many predicted he would try his luck with the WWE's main competition, Total Nonstop Action wrestling, once his 90-day no-compete clause was up.

We are still about a month away from that happening, but some intriguing recent developments have led me to believe that Benjamin may not be making TNA his first post-WWE destination.

This is all pure speculation, but it seems like we may be seeing Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas reunite as the "World's Greatest Tag Team" for a run in Ring of Honor.

A recent ROH newswire stated that two "supreme talents that have , at one time or another, been recognized as the world's best" had met with ROH management.

It is a very vague statement but those words planted the seed of Benjamin and Haas in my mind. Rhett Titus further fueled those thoughts with his post-match comments at "Death Before Dishonor VIII" last weekend.

Titus claimed that since they were managed by the "world's greatest manager," Austin Aries, that he and Kenny King must be the "world's greatest tag team."

While Titus and King, the All-Night Express, are a relatively new pairing for ROH , they have put together some impressive wins over the likes of Up In Smoke and The Briscoes .

Perhaps a feud with Benjamin and Haas , one of the most fondly remembered teams in recent years, is in the works for the ANE .

ROH also announced that "Tag Wars 2010" is coming and details will be revealed soon.

The tag team scene in ROH is, perhaps, the best in the United States, but the loss of Kevin Steen and El Generico as a team has left a bit of a void. Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards, the American Wolves, seem to be focusing more on singles wrestling, though a reformation is never out of the cards with those two.

The current champs, Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoli , are called the "Kings of Wrestling" for a reason. Few teams have been as dominant as they have been since reforming at "Final Battle 2009."

With another impressive win over the Briscoes at DBDVIII , the Kings have cemented themselves as the top duo in ROH and seem ready to take down whoever is next in line for a shot at the gold.

The Briscoes are, without a doubt, the most successful team in ROH history and are always a threat to take the championships. Suffering another loss to the Kings has definitely hurt their claim to the No. 1 contenders .

The All-Night Express are on the rise and are certainly loaded with confidence. King and Titus are two of the most promising young guns in ROH and the leadership of the "greatest man in the world," Austin Aries, has been an essential part of their success.

Adding Benjamin and Haas to the mix would no doubt be a huge bonus for ROH fans, and the tag team scene would benefit from another credible duo looking to make an impact.

On July 22, "The Bluegrass Brawl" marks the ROH debut in Kentucky. The 90 days will be up by that point, making it a perfect event for the WGTT to make their debut.

The Young Bucks, also known as "Generation Me" in TNA , will be making their ROH return during that same weekend. They have been announced for the July 23-24 weekend in Illinois. Opponents have yet to be announced.

Could we see Benjamin and Haas going up against Gen Me that weekend?

Many fans have speculated that Benjamin and Haas will join the TNA roster to reform their alliance with Kurt Angle. While a run in ROH would be great, it likely would not be for very long. It would certainly make for a solid tune-up for Benjamin and Hass before they make the jump to TNA .

As I've said, this is all pure speculation at this point. No one really knows what Benjamin will do once his 90-day clause expires in July, but the evidence of a stint in ROH is undoubtedly out there.

If anything, it would benefit everyone involved. Benjamin and Haas could get rid of some "ring rust," and ROH could have a top-notch, big-name tag team competing for them. It would definitely benefit the fans, who would experience some great tag team wrestling.

Could it happen? Yes.

Will it happen? We'll find out in about one month.

 

Photo courtesy of WWE .com

Bryan Danielson has remained adamant that he is not ready to comment on his firing from WWE. That hasn't stopped him from moving on. 

Dragon Gate USA announced that Danielson has been booked for the First Anniversary Show on July 24. His opponent has not been named. 

Released superstars are typically barred from appearing on a competitor's television show for 90 days after his or her release. This does not extend to independent promotions.

Which is fine because I don't think that Danielson has much interest in TNA.

Danielson is also booked for Dragon Gate USA's sister promotion, EVOLVE, for the July 23 show. 

Danielson has most commonly been associated with his work in Ring of Honor, a promotion that he, along with Desmond Wolfe (then known as Nigel McGuinness) and Christopher Daniels, are commonly credited as the "founding fathers." However, WWE's no-compete contract most likely prevents him from appearing on ROH on HDnet. 

DGUSA founder Gabe Sapolsky likely made one of the best decisions of his life by booking Danielson for the reunion show. One could argue that Danielson is the hottest wrestler in the world right now, because his firing has been extremely controversial. Even WWE poster boy John Cena is speaking out against it. 

The one-year anniversary is booked for the Philadelphia Arena, formerly known as the ECW Arena. This show is likely to be a sell-out, and the crowd is going to be wild. Front row seats are only $75. 

Maybe Vince should buy a ticket and see the man who could've headlined Wrestlemania. 

Ideally, I'd like Danielson to return to Ring of Honor, where he can feud with Daniels, who returned to TNA following a bizarre release. I got to see Danielson and McGuinness on the Final Countdown Tour, and it was truly amazing. 

What do you guys think? Is this a good move for Danielson? Can magic happen once again in the ECW Arena? 

Pensacola, Florida -- Out Of Control lived up to its name as the night was full of unexpected twists. From the opening bell, right through the main event, no one could have predicted how this night went. One constant was the in-ring action, which was extremely competitive the entire evening.

Bruiserweight Maze vs. Party Gras Justin Stone

The rivalry between Justin Stone and Maze has been going on for years, but the newest incarnation of Stone vs. Maze heated up last month following a tag match at Brawl In The Hall when Maze choked out Party Gras with Stone’s party beads.

Momentum had been with both men during the match, but it was with Party Gras as he lifted Maze up for the Party Valley Driver. The veteran Maze was able to slip out the back door, lift up Party Gras, and deliver a Bruise Your Face. After Maze picked up the 1, 2, 3, Maze quickly slipped out of the ring. Maze tripped the referee because of how quickly left the ring to disappear backstage.

Several fans in attendance claimed that they saw a foreign object in Maze’s knee pad. However, when Maze returned, the referee found no foreign object. Party Gras grabbed a mic and challenged Maze to a Bourbon Street Brawl, which was accepted by Maze, although not very confidently.

Bruiserweight Maze pinned Party Gras Justin Stone (8:08)

Mr. Electricity Jerry Reiner vs. Mr. USA TA Jones

Mr. Electricity Jerry Reiner has been struggling since his long time tag team Invasion partner Justin Cruze returned to New York following their Milestone III loss to Mr. USA TA Jones and Pure Doug Pitt, the First Sons of Ultimate.

TA has been steadily building momentum since the First Sons of Ultimate captured the Ultimate Wrestling Tag Team Championship at Milestone III.

As the bout kicked off, TA frustrated the veteran Jerry Reiner with his strength, so much so that Mr. Electricity resorted to some old Invasion tactics including well timed eye gouges and blatant chokes.

It didn’t matter what Reiner did to keep him down, TA just kept coming, and Mr. USA’s trademark tenacity eventually paid off as he was able to land a pair of shoulder blocks, one off the top rope. TA then locked on the BBL Clutch and finished Mr. Electricity off with a BBL Slam.

To his credit, Mr. Electricity posted an immediate apology for his antics on the Ultimate message board. To see the full apology, check the Ultimate Wrestling message board.

Mr. USA TA Jones pinned Mr. Electricity Jerry Reiner (10:47)

The Feature hosted by Carlos D’Angelo with guest GM Diana Drake-Hearse

As the pulchritudinous Ultimate Wrestling GM Diana Drake-Hearse promised Carlos D’Angelo that even though Ultimate Wrestling Heavyweight Champion Deathrow refused to sign the contract, Carlos’ match with the monster Deathrow would take place at Out Of Control, signature or no signature.

At this time, Deathrow came out and told both Carlos and Diana that there were more deserving wrestlers than Carlos and he refused once again to sign the contract.

At this point, Deathrow, who up until this point has been a Champion’s Champion, lost any respect he had built up during his current Championship run. In the most cowardly act that I have ever witnessed, Deathrow shoved Carlos D’Angelo out of the ring, scooped up GM Diana Drake Hearse, and slammed her with a viscous Samoan Drop.

Ultimate Wrestling CEO and GM Diana Drake-Hearse’s husband Alexander Hearse III, security, and several members from backstage rushed the ring sending the monster Deathrow to the back. An understandably upset Alexander Hearse III told Deathrow his match with Carlos D’Angelo would begin right now.

Security carried Diana back stage where she received medical treatment and was later taken to the hospital for cautionary purposes.

GM Diana Drake-Hearse posted this response on Facebook.com: “is out of the hospital, and very sore. There are injuries to my back, but hopefully all will be well. That monster Deathrow WILL PAY for this!!!!”

CEO Alexander Hearse III released a statement through the Ultimate Wrestling message board: “Let me start by saying that Diana is home from the Hospital. The altercation with Deathrow left her with an injury to her lower back. I am here with her and helping her get through this. She would like to thank all the people that have called and sent emails checking on her.

Now, on to Deathrow. Due to his victory in the Royal Four match back in December, I am left with few options. Because of winning the Royal Four, I am unable to touch his contract for one year. Thus I cannot just simply fire him, much as I would like to. I have decided for now that I am going to suspend him without pay indefinitely.

During this time, I will be contemplating Deathrow's future with Ultimate Wrestling. I can't fire him, but I can take a personal interest in all of his matches for the remainder of his contract, and do my best to make his life a living hell. Thank you all again for your support and I will be releasing some additional information as soon as possible.”

I do my best to leave my personal feelings out of my reviews, but I believe that this is one of those occasions that require my opinion as well. I was never a fan of the monster Deathrow, but I respected him as a fighting Champion. Previously, he had declared war on the entire Ultimate Wrestling roster.

To this point, Deathrow has taken out all comers in a dominate fashion, but this one single act of cowardice negates everything that he had previously accomplished.

Deathrow’s response can be found on the Ultimate Wrestling message board.

Deathrow vs. The Feature Carlos D’Angelo for the Ultimate Wrestling Heavyweight Championship

After Deathrow returned from backstage, The Feature Carlos D’Angelo wasted no time going right after the monster much to the stunned crowd‘s delight. The two battled outside the ring for a good portion of the match.

On this night, it was clear to everyone that The Feature was the better wrestler, and I believe even Deathrow realized this when Carlos just refused to stay down.

Eventually, The Feature would regain control, and he caught Deathrow flush on the nose with a Dos of Los. Deathrow knew he was done at this point and did the only thing he could do to keep his championship.

Deathrow intentionally took out the referee on him way down to the mat. Carlos covered the monster hoping the referee would come to, but when the ref did gain his wits, he disqualified Deathrow much to the crowd and The Feature’s chagrin. As the crowd chanted for a restart, Deathrow cowardly scurried backstage.

The Feature Carlos D’Angelo defeated Deathrow by disqualification, but Deathrow retains the Ultimate Wrestling Heavyweight Championship. (11:40)

Mr. Marcus Gibbs vs. The Master of Devastation Cameron Frost

After Mr. Marcus cost The Master of Devastation the opportunity to become Ultimate Wrestling’s first Grand Slam Champion by getting their team disqualified at May-Hem, Frost was willing to give Mr. Marcus another chance, but apparently, Mr. Marcus had no intentions of partnering with Frost as he attacked him from behind and choked him out. The battle continued with a war of words between the two shows.

When the match did get under way, the two battled each other hard with the impetus of the match was clearly with The Master of Devastation for the majority of the time. Frost had lifted Gibbs up for the Omega Crusher when Mr. Marcus raked the eyes, sending Frost to the mat. Mr. Marcus Gibbs was able to pick up the pin fall victory with a lateral press.

Much like Maze earlier, the crowd was accusing Mr. Marcus Gibbs of using a foreign object, and also like Maze, Mr. Marcus got out of the ring in a hurry before the referee could check him out. Mr. Marcus had a few words for The Master of Devastation before heading backstage. Cameron Frost needed security to get to the back.

Mr. Marcus Gibbs pinned The Master of Devastation Cameron Frost (9:13)

X-Factor Champion Brutal Joe Gibson and Lil’ Shooter Kory Jackson vs. Johnny Rebel and Black Wolf with WWE Legend Paul Bearer

Everyone on the Gulf Coast knows that Percy Pringle III better known as WWE Legend Paul Bearer trained Brutal Joe, and Brutal Joe wasted no time in calling the Legend out. Paul Bearer wasted no time getting to the ring and addressing the Brutal One, calling Gibson his “Biggest Disappointment”.

Pringle used his immense influence on the Gulf Coast to set up a tag team match, and the Legend even hand picked the Brutal One’s partner. Percy Pringle III continued to work the crowd and introduced his team, Johnny Rebel and Black Wolf, two of Ultimate Wrestling’s biggest fan favorites. Gibson immediately dismissed Percy’s team, calling them the gimp (Black Wolf) and the inbred redneck (Johnny Rebel).

The Legend was quick to defend his choices telling Joe that they (Black Wolf and Johnny Rebel) had more talent in their little fingers than Gibson had in his whole body. Pringle then introduced Joe’s partner, Lil’ Shooter Kory Jackson. To say Brutal Joe was annoyed would be an understatement.

The match started out with Lil’ Shooter and Johnny Rebel with Rebel getting the early advantage for his team. Black Wolf and Rebel worked over Kory Jackson fairly well forcing Brutal Joe to break up several pin attempts, but Jackson was able to get a tag to Brutal Joe who took control of the bout.

After that, momentum went back and forth throughout the match, but it was clear that Brutal Joe didn’t want to work with Jackson, while on the other side; the legendary manager had Johnny Rebel and Black Wolf on the same page.

The end came suddenly as Lil’ Shooter tagged in Brutal Joe, who was immediately caught by the flying double hammer by Johnny Rebel. Rebel stunned the crowd by getting the pin fall victory over the X-Factor Champion Brutal Joe Gibson.

As Rebel and Black Wolf celebrated their victory in the ring, Gibson was coming to his senses. He lined Rebel up for an Irish Wake, but Johnny Reb saw him at the last second and ducked out of the way. Reb then proceeded to give the Brutal One a little taste of his own medicine putting the X-Factor Champion in retreat mode.

Johnny Rebel and Black Wolf with WWE Legend Paul Bearer defeated Brutal Joe Gibson and Lil’ Shooter Kory Jackson by pin fall (14:44)

The Story of the Year Brian Cage vs. Amish Assassin

As usual, The Story of the Year Brian Caige came to the ring before his match to gloat about all of his exploits. After the Amish Assassin came out, Caige insulted the Amish One’s looks and choice of friends. Caige said he would help the Assassin after he beat him.

For the majority of the match, Amish Assassin used his size and strength to dominate the smaller Brian Caige. Frustrated that he couldn’t build any momentum, Caige distracted the referee long enough to loosen the turnbuckle padding, but the referee caught him before The Story of the Year could expose the metal.

A short time later, Amish Assassin Irish whipped Caige into the corner with the loosened turnbuckle padding and called for the corner splash. Caige quickly removed the padding, exposing the metal and moved out of the way. The Amish One’s head crashed into the exposed steel and The Story of the Year rolled the Assassin up for the 1, 2, 3 victory.

After picking up the victory, Caige grabbed his kendo stick and blasted the Assassin in the head. He got his hands on a microphone and told the Assassin he should have taken Caige’s advice to heart.

After another shot to the head with that kendo stick, Caige choked the Amish Assassin out and retrieved a pair of scissors. With the Assassin helpless in the ring, Brian Caige began cutting huge chunks of hair from the Amish One’s head and beard. When Amish Assassin became coherent, he was understandably upset about all the hair Caige had cut off of his head and face. It was enough hair to cover the entire ring.

The Story of the Year Brian Caige pinned Amish Assassin (8:00)

Jet Angel vs. Suicydal Soulja Tommy Hill vs. Cruiserweight Champion Robyn Golphin for the Ultimate Wrestling Cruiserweight Championship

Three way matches are a Champions worst nightmare because the Champ can lose his Championship without being involved in the finish. When three talented high flying cruiserweights are immersed in a battle for the Ultimate Wrestling Cruiserweight Championship, anything can and will happen.

Any one of these three is capable of amazing jaw dropping moments, and when the trio is in a match together magic is bound to happen. They did not disappoint. Countless saves were made to keep the match alive.

The ending was very confusing as there was a double German Suplex, which lead to a triple pin; however, ring announcer Curtis Diamond clarified that Robyn Golphin would retain the Championship due to the Ultimate Wrestling rule which states, “When there are multiple pin falls involving a Champion, the Champion will retain his Championship.”

Jet Angel, Suicydal Soulja Tommy Hill and The Evolution Robyn Golphin ended in a draw so The Evolution Robyn Golphin retains his Cruiserweight Championship (9:10)

Main Event: BTY Colby Godwin vs. Pure Doug Pitt

In BTY Colby Godwin’s final match before heading to Philadelphia to join Ring of Honor’s roster, Pure Doug Pitt was determined to show the crowd why BTY had selected him for his final opponent. The two combatants put on a masterful clinic of scientific wrestling going move for counter move until about the 5:30 mark when Pure Doug Pitt caught BTY with a drop kick sending Colby into the corner.

BTY was nearly able to end this match early when he hit Doug Pitt with an enzaguri, but the resilient Pitt was able to get the shoulder up before the three.

The two took the fight to the outside when Pitt tossed BTY out of the ring. BTY quickly recovered and pulled Doug off of the ring apron face first into the mat and quickly followed up with a suicide dive. When the action returned to the ring, the ferocity continued to build.

Chops were violently laid into the opponents chest, slams had a little more pop, both men were willing to use more high risk maneuvers to put the other away, and near falls were frequent on both sides as the impetus of the match went back and forth.

With the crowd chanting, “BTY, BTY, BTY…” Colby was able to block Pure Doug’s Super Power Ranger Kick and counter with his own finishing maneuver, the Ace Crusher at 26:30 mark of the match. No one would have faulted BTY Colby Godwin or Pure Doug Pitt for just staying down at this point in the match, but both men continued to fight on beating the referee’s count to 10.

BTY hit the Ace Crusher once again at 27 minute mark, and once again, showing an amazing will to win, Pure Doug Pitt again beat the 3 by getting the shoulder off the mat. After exchanging various blows, Pure Doug Pitt was able to get behind BTY and land a German Suplex with a bridge and get the pin fall victory.

Pure Doug Pitt pinned BTY Colby Godwin (28:02)

Not Good-byes, See You Later

Immediately after the match, Pure Doug Pitt grabbed a microphone and told BTY how much he would be missed before removing himself from the ring. Doug Pitt was soon joined by the majority of the roster who surrounded the ring. BTY did one more lap around the ring high-fiving fans and embracing his fellow wrestlers.

My favorite point came when he stopped to acknowledge the sign that children made for him. He raised the sign up to show the whole crowd, thanked my son and shook his hand.

At the insistence of the wrestlers at ringside and the crowd once again chanting BTY, BTY, BTY…, Colby got back into the ring to make his “See You Later” speech. He first thanked the fans from all around the Gulf Coast, followed by Ultimate management for allowing him to have the opportunity to wrestle for Ultimate Wrestling.

He then thanked the other wrestlers starting with Brutal Joe Gibson and Cameron Frost for pushing him to be his absolute best. He specifically mentioned Maze, Jerry Reiner, Bobby Doll, Johnny Rebel, and Mr. Marcus Gibbs. He also said the Ultimate Wrestling roster is still full of talent.

BTY hoped that the crowd would recognize him in Ring of Honor and continue to support him, which brought about another round of BTY chants from the enthusiastic crowd. He finished his speech by thanking everyone again, but he wasn’t the only thankful person because the crowd began a “Thank You Colby,” chant.

This lead to another BTY chant which prompted BTY to give one more parting shot. He said that if you are kind and work hard, good things will happen to you. BTY thanked everybody once again, and the crowd responded with one last round of BTY, BTY, BTY…

To BTY

“Thank you for everything!”

- Woody McCollough

“Match of the Year! Good luck! Future Champion anywhere he goes! BTY is the greatest wrestler I’ve seen here on the Gulf Coast. That is why I wear the (BTY) shirt; I think he is the best!”

- Matt Clark

"Best of luck, BTY."

- Curtis Martin, Lords of Pain.net

“I haven’t known you long, BTY, but I have to say that you’ve improved ever since the first time I saw you. I wish you the best of luck.”

- Dominique Devine

“I’m sorry the final match did not end the way you wanted. BTY, my brother, young gorilla, I love you. I believe in you. You are going to be a star in Ring of Honor.”

- The Gargoyle, Front Row Fanatics

“I hope BTY has all the best of everything. I hope Ring of Honor brings him every dream that he’s wanted. He has been just fabulous to work with. Great guy. He’s just an A+ guy all around. I can’t say enough good stuff about him.”

- Alexander Hearse III, CEO of Ultimate Wrestling

“You know, it’s kind of bittersweet. I hate to see him go, but I’m also happy that he is getting the opportunity.”

- Mr. Internet, Front Row Fanatics

“I have only seen you wrestle since April, but it is easy to see why you are bound for Ring of Honor. I hate the term ‘it factor’ because it is so easy to define. ‘It’ is the ability to connect with the crowd and you have ‘it‘. I know you will succeed in Ring of Honor because I see how hard you work to master your craft. We will all be cheering you on from the Gulf Coast.”

- Me

www.ultimatewrestling.org

TNA decided to implement a fan voting system to determine the number one contender for Rob Van Dam's title. This seemed like a great way for TNA to figure out which wrestlers were favorites with the fans. The only problem, they didn't like the results. 

Desmond Wolfe won the first voting and was rewarded with a glorified squash job to RVD. The fans' hunger for Wolfe was not quenched and he continued to lead the second poll. Jeff Hardy and Matt Morgan were the only wrestlers who came close to his numbers. TNA saw the error in its ways though and made reduced the power of fan voting as merely a component of the new ranking system. 

The winner of this fan voting would get his match on a PPV. Obviously TNA did not feel Wolfe was the man to headline a PPV, so the company gave the number one contender to Sting, who had about 1% of the fans votes. Why can't the fans get what they want?

Desmond Wolfe made a tremendous impact (no pun intended) when he hit the Impact Zone. The former ROH star showed WWE what they missed out on in his stellar feud with Kurt Angle. While he didn't win the feud, he sure left a lasting impression on just about everyone, everyone except Hogan and Bischoff.

Wolfe hasn't done much since Hogan joined TNA. Instead of feuding with Angle, Wolfe has been put into a ridiculous feud with Abyss over Hogan's WWE Hall of Fame ring and his hot valet. Wolfe is expect to "give" Chelsea to Abyss for 30 days (God knows what that means). What's happening? 

We don't need Abyss and these stupid WWE HOF ring storylines. TNA has too many performers to waste screen time on this stupidity. The people want Desmond Wolfe in the main event yet TNA is reluctant to let him shine. 

I find it shocking that TNA expects people to pay to see RVD defend the TNA championship against a man that 1% of the people actually wanted to be in the ring. PPV buyrates have never been good and I don't see why anyone should give their money for this mess. 

TNA has a bunch of stars who want to consistently be in the main event picture. Matt Morgan should not be wasting his time with The Band. The TNA audience wants him in the main event and not as his own tag team. 

The TNA audience has spoken. Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan should plan the Slammiversary card based on matches fans want to see, not "dream matches" that are over a decade late. There are plenty of wrestlers who are ready to lead the youth movement. Give them the ball and let them roll with it. 

After pursuing Ultimate Wrestling CEO Alexander Hearse III for the better part of the weekend, I was finally able to catch up with him. He has confirmed four matches for May-Hem this Saturday, May 15, at the Santa Rosa County Auditorium in Milton, Fla.

He refused to release the full card and gave me this official statement, “Ultimate Wrestling does not release their cards in its entirety, however we are confident those in attendance will be quite pleased with the show.”

Given the four confirmed matches, I understand the CEO's confidence.

BTY Colby Godwin will wrestle The Story of the Year Brian Caige in a no disqualification, no count out match.

At the Brawl In The Hall, BTY said he would use whatever leverage he had to force Caige into the match but much to everyone’s surprise, Caige accepted the terms. He even upped the ante by stating he has BTY "right where he wants him ," in a recent interview.

With Carlos D’Angelo forfeiting his X-Factor Championship rematch, Ultimate was left scrambling to find a challenger for the newly crowned X-Factor Champion, Brutal Joe Gibson.

In an unusual twist, the Champ made his own challenge claiming he wanted to,”…extinguish the flame of this newcomer…”

Brutal Joe Gibson has challenged Suicydal Soulja Tommy Hill for the X-Factor Championship in an intriguing contrast of styles.

This match up pits the high flying, death defying Suicydal Soulja against the ultra aggressive no nonsense style of Brutal Joe. Personally, I wonder if Brutal Joe made a mistake by challenging Hill knowing that Milton is the Soulja’s hometown.

The Master of Devastation Cameron Frost looks to become Ultimate Wrestling’s first-ever Grand Slam Champion when he teams with Brawl In The Hall opponent, Mr. Marcus Gibbs to take on the Ultimate Wrestling Tag Team Champions The First Sons of Ultimate, Pure Doug Pitt and Mr. USA TA Jones.

Following their match at Brawl In The Hall, Mr. Marcus Gibbs grabbed a microphone and said that Frost had earned his respect by being a great wrestler but the crowd didn’t matter to Mr. Gibbs.

Gibbs offered up a handshake to the Master of Devastation following their match and much to the crowd’s dismay, Frost accepted the handshake. Gibbs approached The Master of Devastation about forming a tag team later that evening.

For being a part of the Royal Four, Black Wolf has a guaranteed contract extension as well as a shot at the Ultimate Wrestling Heavyweight Championship and he decided that his time is now!

Black Wolf will wrestle Ultimate Wrestling Heavyweight Champion Deathrow at May-Hem hoping to capitalize on his ever growing wolf pack.

Black Wolf is counting on the howls from his wolf pack to not only get his adrenaline flowing but to throw Deathrow off his game, something very few have been able to do.

Deathrow has declared war on the entire Ultimate roster and judging by his annihilation of Mr. USA TA Jones at the Brawl In The Hall, Deathrow means business.

Black Wolf is going to need all of his fans to come out and support him. May-Hem will be held at the Santa Rosa County Auditorium in Milton, Fla. The address is 4530 Spikes Way. The doors open at 6:00 PM and bell time is at 7:00 PM.

Please remember to bring your non-perishable food items to support the Manna Food Pantry of Northwest Florida and receive $2 off an adult admission.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 with military ID. Children 6-12 are $6 and children 5 and under are FREE!

I also asked CEO Alexander Hearse III if he had any new information regarding the mysterious 22:13 video he has received but even he is baffled only saying only that it is from a former Ultimate Wrestling Champion who will make a return to Ultimate Wrestling in a big way. 

No timeline was given.  The video is posted on Ultimate Wrestling's message board for those interested.

For more information on Ultimate Wrestling or to see the 22:13 video, please visit Ultimate's website:

www.ultimatewrestling.org

 

In what has become Ultimate Wrestling’s most heated rivalry, 2009 Rookie of the Year Brian Caige will wrestle BTY Colby Godwin in a no disqualification, no count out match on Saturday, May 15, at the Santa Rosa County Auditorium.

The Story of the Year gave me a rare opportunity to sit down with him for an interview regarding his upcoming match with BTY, his career and his future plans.

How did you end up here on the Gulf Coast all the way from Anaheim, Calif.?

Brian Caige : I was actually born in Windsor, Ontario, but my family moved to Anaheim when I was a teen-ager. From there, I started getting into stunt roles for small movies.

You met "The Bruiserweight" Maze on the set of a feature film movie. He trained you in the ring and even gave you one of your first shots at a title. What advice did he give you about succeeding in Ultimate Wrestling?

Caige : Most of the advice I've gotten from Maze has been about how to handle myself in the back.  As far as succeeding in the ring, I think I learned more from watching his mistakes than from anything he's actually taught me.

Tell me about your debut match.

Caige : Not much to tell. I was debuting against Turbo Ted, a guy that has been around the block for about 20 years or so. Nobody really gave me a chance but I won the match and that's all there is to it. I was better than he was, just like I'm better than 95 percent of the wrestlers in the Southeast.

Arn Anderson said, “People don’t ask how you won, they ask IF you won.” Would you say this is a philosophy you share as well?

Caige : Double-A is one of the smartest men to ever be in this business. When you look at combat sports like wrestling and MMA and boxing, they don't put an asterisk next to your win column to say, (in a sarcastic tone) "Oh, he won this many by DQ and this many by submission, etc…"

All it says is wins vs. losses. Some people want to say that the fact that some of my wins weren't by pin fall or submission shouldn't make it a win. They're just biased morons who don't understand the fact that a win is a win.

Your in-ring style is similar to a former World Champion, Edge, even one of your finishing maneuvers. Who, if anyone, has influenced your style?

Caige : I've always been a fan of Edge and Christian. When I first started training I would watch tape of guys that were similar in size and build as me. Wrestlers like Edge, Christian, AJ Styles, Eddie (Guerrero), CM Punk, (Chris) Benoit… (pauses and laughs)…Oh no, I said his name! Now Vince will never hire me! (Bryan, now known as Daniel Bryan) Danielson, Chris Sabin (of Motor City Machine Guns fame), (Chris) Jericho and Shawn Michaels.

I'm in no way a giant or muscle-brained heavyweight but I'm definitely bigger than the typical cruiserweight. I think as far as my wrestling style goes, I like to fuse different techniques together that way I can adapt to anyone that steps in the ring with me.

You have an exclusive contract with Ultimate Wrestling. What makes Ultimate the premier independent wrestling promotion not only in Florida, not only on the Gulf Coast but in the entire United States?

Caige : Quite frankly, Ultimate has the best roster. I think if the owners would decide to stop being so damn cheap they could easily tour around the Southeast and build an even bigger following, and possibly even compete with promotions like Ring of Honor and PWG.

What can you tell us about Ultimate CEO Alexander Hearse III?

Caige : The guy has it made. I don't know where he got his money from but he's using it on something he loves, so props to him.

You were unpinned and unsubmmitted in route to winning several rookie of the year awards. At what point did you become the “Story of the Year?”

Caige : I've been telling everyone from the day I stepped foot in the ring that I was going to be the Story of the Year. I know how good I am. I had full confidence that I would back that statement up in the ring.

Did I know that I would go an entire year unpinned? At first, no. The more wins I got under my belt, the more I started to realize that even I underestimated how good I would be.

A lot of people think that being the Story of the Year is just a nickname or that it only applied to my rookie year but the fact is, that until I decide to quit this business, I will be the Story of the Year EVERY YEAR!

Can you explain the streak and the story behind it? (Interviewer’s note: At this point, Caige’s intensity really begins to pick up)

Caige : It's pretty simple. I won my first match as a professional wrestler, and kept winning matches. Up until I wrestled Carlos D'Angelo for the X-Factor title late in the year, I went undefeated in one-on-one matches but I lost that match by count-out when Carlos legitimately knocked me out with that running knee (called a Dose of Los) of his.

I wasn't the one who started talking about the streak at first. It was the guy that does the news reports for Ultimate Wrestling’s website. (www.ultimatewrestling.org)

Once it started catching on with the fans that I had never been pinned, I just decided to take that ball and run with it. Some think I was delusional to make the claims that I did, but the truth always speaks loudest.

You have been on the receiving end of some brutal beatings by some of the most dangerous wrestlers in the world, most notably the monster Deathrow, Brutal Joe Gibson, and BTY Colby Godwin. Yet you have never missed a show due to injury. Do you consider this a testament to your training regimen?

Caige : I jumped off buildings, set myself on fire and wrecked cars for a living from the time I was 16. As far as training goes, everything I ever did for my stunt career has benefited me in the ring.

The fact that I can take anything that anyone dishes out is more (of) a testament to my resiliency and inability to stop functioning; a trait that 95 percent of the general population does not have.

Although you’ve failed to win gold thus far, you have received three title shots during your rookie year, which speaks to your meteoric rise. Looking back on those matches, was there anything you would do differently to possibly change the outcomes?

Caige : The Cruiserweight Title match with Maze, to be honest, I didn't care as much as I should have about the match. That night was all about proving a point to the Black Wolf.

As far as the other two matches go, the first being the one-on-one with Carlos and the second being a triple-threat with him and Justin Stone, I really fell victim to the unpredictability of this sport.

Carlos is a smart wrestler and that's why he won the triple threat, but the one-on-one match went the way it did simply because it was the first match that I didn't mentally prepare for.

Black Wolf went through the Ultimate Training Academy with you yet there seems to be quite a bit of animosity between the two of you.

I know you broke his ribs with a spear and he was the first wrestler ever to score a pinfall victory against you but when did the tensions between Wolf and you begin? Do you ever see this rivalry ending? (Interviewer’s note: As soon as I mentioned the Black Wolf, Caige became even more intense, almost irritated that I would mention Black Wolf.)

Caige : I think the tensions began out of his own jealousy. Sure, we trained together briefly but I was so much better in every facet of the game than him. All through our training I constantly would berate him because of his lack of skill and his inability to pick up things we were being taught as quickly as I did.

When I saw that management was going to fire him if he didn't get a win by the end of the year, I took it upon myself to show him exactly what I had been telling him for months, that he would never make it as a wrestler. I did what I said I would do, as I always have, I beat him at 'End of Days.' (12-19-2009)

He was fortunate that management let him in the Royal Four match, or else he never would have had the chance he did at Milestone III (April 3, 2010).

As far as the "rivalry," I think it's a one-sided affair. Sure he may have been the first guy to pin me but how many tries did it take? Not only that, he had to use the opportunity of me not knowing who my opponent was (the match was a ’Break the Streak’ open challenge) that night.

It was a fluke! Like I've said time and time again, the overall record proves it was nothing more than a fluke! Want the score? Caige three, Wolf one! One win does NOT make it a rivalry, just a miracle!

BTY Colby Godwin seems hell bent on destroying you. He challenged you to a match at Milton Massacre (April 18), which you accepted for Brawl In The Hall (May 1).

During the match, BTY was extremely aggressive, taking it to you right from the opening bell. The crowd was seemingly fueling BTY’s rage by chanting, “Make him bleed,” and “We want blood!”

Much to the crowd’s displeasure, you headed back to the locker room, which resulted in a count out loss. Why did you walk away?

Caige : I study my opponents intensely before every match. When you're out matched physically, you use your brains to gain the upper hand. I know what BTY wanted, so I baited him.

Now I have him right were I want him. I’m going to prove that he's NOT better than me.

He wants no disqualifications? That's just fine by me. He says he can do anything he wants to me on May 15 at May-Hem in Milton, Fla., but that's a two-way street.

I know his weakness and I plan to exploit it. The last thing Colby Godwin will remember before he has to tell Ring of Honor that he is too injured to join their ranks is that Brian Caige is better than him!

As you mentioned, May 15 Milton, Fla., at the Santa Rosa County Auditorium, BTY Colby Godwin and the Story of the Year, Brian Caige in a no disqualification, no count out match. Without revealing too much of your strategy, how do you see this turning out?

Caige : It's pretty simple. BTY thinks he can just have his way with me, yet I'll be able to use anything and everything I can find to my advantage. This match is just going to be a classic case of brains vs. brawn and last time I checked, I'm the one with all the brains.

You also mentioned BTY's move to Ring of Honor. What are your short and long term goals in wrestling? Do you see yourself following in The Rock's footsteps by returning to Hollywood?

Caige : That was the exact same question I was asked the first day I started training. My answer now is the same as it was on that day and that is to become the best in the world.

I go out there wanting to steal the show each and every night and that aspect of my career will never change.

Thank you for your time, Mr. Caige. I'd like to wish you the best of luck at May-Hem. In parting, is there anything you would like to say to the Ultimate fans?

Caige : The fans of Ultimate don't WANT to hear what I have to say but they can't deny that I AM the Story of the Year and they are NOTHING!

May-Hem takes place Saturday, May 15, 2010 at the Santa Rosa County Auditorium, located at 4530 Spikes Way in Milton, Fla. The doors open at 6:00 PM and the opening bell is at 7:00 PM.

Admission is $10 for adults, $8 with military ID. 6-12 $6. 5 and under are free.

May 1, 2010 marked return of Ultimate Wrestling to Pensacola, Florida for their monthly show and this one was aptly named the Brawl In the Hall.

Pure Doug Pitt versus Suicydal Soulja

The opening bout pitted two of the fan's favorites against each other when Pure Doug Pitt squared off against Suicydal Soulja in a battle of contrasting styles.

Pure Doug Pitt used his superior mat skills to gain an early advantage, while Suicydal Soulja countered him with his tremendous speed and athleticism as the battle went back and forth between the two.

As the match entered the eleventh hour, or fourteenth minute as it were, Soulja began to take control landing an adrenaline stimulating 450 splash from the top rope. But to his credit, Pitt was able to kick out before the three.

Determined to win the match despite only seconds remaining, Soulja climbed the ropes again and landed yet another picture perfect 450 splash, this time with a corkscrew twist added but the fifteen minute time limit had expired before the referee could make the three count. The match ended as a time limit draw and with the crowd chanting, "Let them fight!"

Lenny Scootermeyer versus The Evolution Robyn Golphin (C)

*Ultimate Wrestling Cruiserweight Title Match*

Scootermeyer used his size advantage to gain an early edge on the Champ and gave him some trouble early with his strength advantage but the Evolution landed a nasty enziguri right to the back of Scootermeyers head. Golphin was able to get the pin fall victory following the enziguri and retain his Ultimate Wrestling Cruiserweight belt.

"The Feature" hosted by X Factor Champion, Carlos D'Angelo

X Factor Champion Carlos D'Angelo was giving the results of the Number One Contenders Match between Brutal Joe Gibson and Black Wolf for his title held two weeks earlier at the Milton Massacre when Brutal Joe Gibson interrupted.

Brutal Joe was demanding that D'Angelo give him the title shot even though the #1 contender match ended in a double count out, when Black Wolf came down to the ring to confront both Brutal Joe and D'Angelo.

Before things turned violent, the Champ had a proposal for Brutal Joe and Black Wolf, a three way match. Black Wolf responded with a howl as one might expect but Brutal Joe wasn't as thrilled, nevertheless he headed backstage to prepare for his match.

Happy Birthday from the Soulja

With the first hour of the show winding down, Ultimate Wrestling CEO Alexander Hearse III came to ringside to announce he had a surprise for a certain young fan and quickly disappeared back stage. When he returned, he was accompanied by the young fan's favorite grappler Suicydal Soulja, who gave the youngster a high-five (one for each year) and an official Ultimate Wrestling t-shirt.

Mr. Electricity Jerry Reiner and Bruiserweight Maze

versus

Amish Assassin and Party Gras Justin Stone

In a match up of dissemblance, chaos reigned as Reiner and Maze struggled to find a chemistry between the two. After several missed opportunities, the Amish Assassin scored a big splash and pin fall over Maze as a detested Jerry Reiner looked on.

With Mr. Electricity and the Assassin back stage, Justin Stone stuck around until Maze gathered his wits and came to. Stone reminded Maze about his former greatness and offered to help him get it back. He even gave the Bruiserweight his party beads to help him out.

While trying to teach him how to party, Maze found a new use for those beads and choked Party Gras out with them.

Master of Devastation Cameron Frost versus Mr. Marcus Gibbs

The Master of Devastation went right after Gibbs from the beginning of what proved to be an intriguing match. The two countered move after move in a back and forth battle of differing convictions. The smaller Gibbs tried to increase the pace while, Frost used high impact maneuvers and wear down holds to ground the quicker Gibbs. In the end, Frost was able to finally over power Gibbs and land a moonsault splash for the one, two and three.

After the match, Mr. Marcus offered up a handshake as a sign of respect to the Master of Devastation and explained to the fans that Frost had earned his respect unlike them and he didn't care what they thought anyways.

With the crowd screaming, "Don't do it," the Master of Devastation accepted the handshake and to the audiences surprise, Gibbs didn't cross Frost.

Three Way Match for the X Factor Title

Brutal Joe Gibson versus Black Wolf versus Carlos D'Angelo (C)

The impetus of a three way match changes as often as a winter wind and with the constant swings in momentum no one really had control of this match for a sustained amount of time.

The three combatants took turns pounding one another until Brutal Joe was able to gain control for good. After tossing the Champ out of the ring, Brutal Joe focused his battery on Black Wolf setting him on the top rope for a crucifix power slam. After landing the thunderous slam, with D'Angelo still outside the ring, Brutal Joe was able to easily get the three count before Carlos could get back in to break up the pin fall.

As Joe was celebrating his victory, taunting a fan with whom he had some friction earlier, the fan had said or done something that provoked Joe to invite the fan in the ring. Once the fan entered the ring, Joe wasted no time trying to intimidate the man slapping him across the face.

Not to be intimidated, the man fired a right to Joe's head and staggered him right into the waiting arms of the Black Wolf who delivered a unique STO which left Brutal Joe out in the center of the ring and his legions of fans howling!

With the ring cleared following a brief intermission, a somber Carlos D'Angelo returned to the ring to apologize to his fans for booking the three way match saying it was a regrettable mistake and he will make one more company shattering announcement before the end of the show.

Brian Caige versus BTY Colby Godwin

Brian Caige came to the ring first to address the crowd's over appreciation of BTY and its unjust disparagement of him. He claimed while Godwin took seven years to get his shot with Ring of Honor, it took him seven minutes to launch a streak that would propel him to superstardom, reminding the crowd the BTY means better than you but not him.

Having heard enough, BTY heads down to ringside and backs Caige right up into a corner. The referee separates the two and the match gets under way. Right from the initial bell it was obvious BTY was tenacious, not letting Caige get a moment of reprieve.

Caige however, is crafty and used BTY's rage against him, ringing his throat across the top ropes, thus gaining the momentum, albeit briefly.

After Godwin turned the tides back in his favor he began the savage bloodthirsty beating once again much to the delight of the crowd who began the infamous, "Make him bleed," and "We want blood," chants.

The Story of the Year, realizing that it just wasn't his night, hightailed it backstage, not to return, giving BTY Colby Godwin the victory by count out.

The act of cowardice further infuriated an already incensed Colby Godwin who grabbed a mic and said before he leaves for Ring of Honor, he would use his pull with management to get a no disqualification, no count out match in two weeks at May-Hem.

Main Event for the Ultimate Wrestling World Heavyweight Title

Deathrow (C) versus Mr. USA TA Jones

Prior to his match with Mr. USA Ultimate Wrestling Heavyweight Champion Deathrow, came to the ring to address the Ultimate roster citing his displeasure with everyone. He was upset that no one came to the ring to celebrate his championship victory and thusly declared war on the entire roster.

TA had a good game plan, attacking the Champion's arm, hoping to weaken the limb so Deathrow couldn't deliver those power maneuvers he is known for.

Deathrow's animus was focused on the leg on Mr. USA hoping to slow him down.

For much of the match Deathrow dominated TA with his size and strength but TA weathered the storm. Mr. USA, who survived several high impact maneuvers from the monster Deathrow was building some momentum with a few flying shoulder blocks as he was trying to pick up the pace to get Deathrow out of his comfort zone.

TA went to the well one too many times and Deathrow caught TA with a monster boot to the face, enabling him to score yet another successful title defense.

As Deathrow was reminding the crowd who was the champion, Carlos D'Angelo came back to ring side as he had promised earlier.

D'Angelo let Deathrow and the crowd know that he can forfeit his X Factor rematch to become the number one contender for the Ultimate Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship and the match would take place June 5th at Out Of Control, right here in Pensacola, Florida.

Ultimate Wrestling produces two shows per month, the first Saturday of the month in Pensacola, Florida and the third Saturday of the month in Milton, Florida. You can find more information about Ultimate Wrestling at their website:

www.ultimatewrestling.org

Welcome readers to another edition of The Riddler Report Starring your favorite Gotham Villain The Riddler.

Today’s Segment:

The Riddler Reports on...Christopher Daniels in Ring Of Honor

My source: PWInsider.com

The word around at the Ring of Honor is that Christopher Daniels is in with the company for a number of dates.  He's already been announced for the next Virginia and NYC events  I was told the deal was put together just a few days ago. I have no idea of Daniels' TNA status as of this writing and a few TNA personalities were surprised by Daniels popping up in ROH. 

UPDATE!

In addition to Daniels, TNA tag team superstars The Motor City Machine Guns have signed to work on an upcoming ROH card.

My thoughts:

Well it no secret TNA and ROH have share talent in the past, we all know TNA talent only gets paid if they wrestler, and we not seen Daniels in weeks!. It obvious the man need to eat, so im not surprise that he book a couple of dates in ROH. I would not even be surprise if more TNA stars started going back to ROH for a little while. We all know they need the work and the money. Now that TNA is spending all there money on Jeff Hardy, Hulk Hogan, RVD, Easy E, Kurt Angle, Kevin and the Wolfpack.

What do you think, readers?

Do you think it a good idea for C.D. to wrestle in ROH for a few days?

Do you think this report shows how little work there is in TNA right now?

Do you even care?

This concludes another Edition of The Riddler Report

Leave your comment and opinions in the comment section below. Thanks for the reads & please rate by clicking the “Like” tab. If you enjoy my work please become a fan.

This is The Riddler signing off….

To break the monotony of the constant TNA and WWE coverage that seems to emanate from this site, allow me to throw some Ring of Honor goodness out there.

Last night, ROH had there 8th anniversary in New York City. Unlike the wrestling events given to fans from the "Big Two", ROH was able to thrill its fans the whole night through.

Getting the chance to see El Generico, Davey Richards, Roderick Strong, Brian Kendrick, Kenny King, Austin Aries, and Tyler Black in action is enough to let a wrestling fanatic feel that they can die happy.

The main event of the card was the matchup between ROH champion Ares and Black. Black was finally able to win the elusive ROH World Championship, ending Ares' eight-month reign.

Most fans thought the title change would happen back at Final Battle 2009 in the 60-minute match between the two. However, the match ended in a draw and drew the ire of many of the ROH faithfuls. At the 8th Anniversary, this "There Must Be a Winner" match seemed to be Black's last chance at Aries' belt.

Black did not waste the opportunity.

While Black displays a lack of charisma, there is no denying his talent. The 23-year-old star will now face his toughest competition to date as staying on top is much harder than getting there.

I can't really get too excited because of this title change because I'm believing that Black will be a transitional champ, keeping the belt warm for Davey Richards.

Regardless of who is champion, ROH will provide all wrestling fans the chance to see quality wrestling. Forget the leprechauns, stale storylines, and geriatric stars, take a gander at ROH sometime.

www.rohwrestling.com