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We've recently had some requests for the return of the old Nuts and Bolts feature where I ran down interesting things that were going down outside the larger companies, so hopefully, time permitting, I'll try and do this a few times a week. If you have anything you'd like to submit, feel free to email Mike@PWInsider.com. We run regular live reports, TV reports and press releases regarding independent and MMA events at our sister website, www.pwinsiderxtra.com.
Combat Zone Wrestling announced on their website over the weekend that the G4 Network will be at their 3/14 Philadelphia, PA return to film footage for an upcoming special, specifically focusing on the company's Ultraviolent Underground championship. It was described on the site as the company's "first national special", but I don't know if it's going to be a show devoted to CZW or just one of the G4 series coming in to do a feature on the company. In the past, G4 has looked at several different wrestling pilots, including a Lucha show that was filmed in Tijuana, but never pulled the trigger on them. Scheduled for the 3/14 event is Ultraviolent Underground champion Danny Havoc vs. Thumbtack Jack and The H8 Club and to be announced vs. Deranged & Brain Damage & TBA in a six man tag bout.
Ian Rotten's IWA Mid-South held their 2009 King of the Death Match tournament over the weekend with Masada defeating Necro Butcher, Thumbtack Jack, and Dysfunction in a Four Way 30 Minute Iron Man bout in a two ring, no ropes barbed wire, scaffold, barbed wire boards, light tubes, weapons, etc. match. Others in the tournament included Danny Havoc, Madman Pondo, Cpl. Robinson (who apparently retired at the tournament), Nate Webb, DJ Hyde, Bull Pain, Nick Gage, and Dysfunction.
Women's promotion WSU held their first-ever Hall of Fame inductions as part of their second anniversary event in New Jersey over the weekend, honoring Missy Hyatt, the late Sherri Martel and Malia Hosaka for their role in the female wrestling scene over the year. It was nice to hear Hosaka was honored as she's been a real journeywoman in the industry and in a lot of ways, you could make a comparison between her and Bobby Eaton as the type of performer who shows up, has a good match, doesn't cause a lot of grief and for whatever reason, never gets a lot of attention outside a hardcore contingent of fans.
An independent show promoted by the EWA in Butler, PA over the weekend turned into one of those "only in wrestling" stories as the promoter, Joseph White, disappeared in the midst of the show without paying several of the talents, including former ECW star Balls Mahoney. Mahoney was owed $500. Once White left, several other wrestlers booked, including Justin Credible refused to go to the ring, effectively ending the show. The production company that rented White the ring were also said to be out several hundred dollars. The show was said to have drawn in the area of 70 fans, so it sounds like a story where the promoter expected to make money off the gate, didn't and went AWOL instead of trying to deal with angry wrestlers. Mahoney actually went to the promoter's home looking for his pay but White wasn't home. White allegedly deleted his emails and Myspace.com account after the show as well as a way to prevent people from getting in touch with him. Chuck Williams (Rockin' Rebel) of the PA State Athletic Commission was said to be starting the process of going after White in civil court to try and get some of the money owed to talent. As with a lot of things these days, of course, there's video footage of the chicanery, which you can watch (adult language and all) below:
One of the better independent shows every year from a fun perspective is the annual Suffern High School benefit show in Suffern, NY, this year promoted by Northeast Wrestling. Scheduled for the show is Snitsky vs. Jerry Lawler, NEW champ Jason Blade vs. Jalil Salaam, Hacksaw Jim Duggan vs. Brian Anthony, Scotty Charisma and Nunzio vs. "The Platinum Poppa" Rob Eckos and Kurt Adonis (Eckos and Charisma teach at the school), Crowbar vs. Ron Zombie, plus Romeo Roselli, Velvet Sky, the former Big Daddy V and more. For ticket information, visit www.NortheastWrestling.com. Talent added to upcoming NEW shows in the NY and CT area include Boogeyman, Paul London, Mick Foley and Chris Sabin.
IWA Mid-South and former TNA star Mickie Knuckles is again out with a leg injury. She's had numerous issues since returning from the hellacious broken leg late last year.
The former Debra McMichael/Austin is taking independent bookings again and is scheduled to film a shoot interview next week. Now that is a name I never expected to see popping up on the indy scene after her appearance decrying the industry in the wake of the Benoit tragedy.
Former WWE star Bob Holly is starting to make the independent rounds and recently filmed a shoot interview with Kayfabe Commentaries.
There will be a bus trip from New York City to the CHIKARA King of Trios tournament later this month in Philadelphia. For full details, visit www.chikarafans.com. The Trios show is insanely loaded with everyone from Bryan Danielson to UK legend Johnny Saint to Necro Butcher to Mike Quackenbush to former WCW star Glacier appearing over three days at the ECW Arena.
Chase Del Monte defeated Billy Bax, Frederick and Dan Eckos in a Four Way to win the ECWA championship in the main event of the promotion's 3/7 return to Newark, Delaware. The Jim Kettner promotion's next bout will be 4/18.
For those of you who are Elite subscribers, here is a run down of the most recent INDY 45 audio shows featuring interviews with indy wrestling personalities, which you can find by clicking Hotlines in the menu. For those of you who aren't subscribers, you can check out all of our audio for three days free by clicking http://www.pwinsider.com/elitenav.php.
3/2: referee Mike Kehner discusses the role of a referee, things a referee does that most fans might not realize upon first glance, breaking in at Iron Mike Sharpe's school, supporting himself while being "a weekend warrior", the infamous Dennis Coraluzzo shows in Yardville, NJ, memories of Dennis, what made the New Jersey scene so special during that period, being initiated into the original ECW, reffing Chris Benoit vs. Eddie Guerrero at the first One Night Stand, insight into why that match didn't live up to expectations, the thought process while referring a match involving a ton of blood, sad changes on the Northeastern independent scene over the years, Steve Corino, his deep respect for ECW referee John Finnegan, dealing with the death of ECW after working there full-time, touring China last year, favorite matches he was involved in, being called the worst ref in history, explaining why bullies in the locker room aren't always a bad thing when it comes to the integrity of the business and much more.
1/23: Mike Johnson and Mike Rickard, author of Wrestling's Greatest Moments discuss Rickard's recently released first book, favorite wrestling history moments, the importance that nostalgia plays in one's wrestling fandom, researching areas and footage that Rickard wasn't initially familiar with, what "saved wrestling" in the 1990s, how some wrestling history has yet to be properly archived, breaking down such an expansive subject into a book, the role the book is meant to play for readers, how WWE's control of video libraries will tell the tale for wrestling histories and much, much more.
Mike Johnson can be reached at Mike@PWInsider.com.
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