Author: M. Swift

The early 2000s was an interesting time for wrestling. Fans were starting to come down from their Attitude Era high. Major companies were closing up, midcarders were retiring, and companies were starting up. We got the first version of Major League Wrestling, Ring of Honor, PWG, and TNA in those first three years of the decade. We also got some trash companies such as WXO.  I Know You Guys Remember WXO  If you don’t then consider yourself lucky. WXO was a largely forgettable promotion that ran about two or three episodes on TV. Then the roster. Have you ever gone to the store to find a…

It’s April 1995 and we’re in time for WWE WrestleMania XI! Let’s take a gander at the card and see what we’re working with before diving in.  The Allied Powers vs. The Blu Brothers WWE Intercontinental Title: Razor Ramon [c] vs. Jeff Jarrett The Undertaker vs. King Kong Bundy WWE World Tag Team Title: The Smoking Gunns [c] vs. Owen Hart & Yokozuna I Quit Match: Bret Hart vs. Bob Backlund WWE World Heavyweight Title: Diesel [c] vs. Shawn Michaels Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Lawrence Taylor  It’s not the worst looking card. Actually, it’s solid—5/10. Does WWE WrestleMania XI beat the card rating? Let’s sift through the matches and find out!  Low-Tier  The Allied Powers…

MLW Fusion #101 opens with a recap of the World title match and CIMA being kidnapped. The announcers are expecting something from CONTRA Unit about CIMA’s whereabouts. There’s also a recap of Injustice being denied entry into the 2300 Arena.  Konnan is stopped to discuss Laredo Kid and his match for the middleweight title when Injustice shows up. They get into with Konnan who tells champion, Myron Reed, that he needs shortcuts and that will be his legacy.  MLW World Middleweight Title: Myron Reed [c] vs. Laredo Kid  The crowd didn’t seem into the match initially. Things picked up midway when the big moves were whipped…

Extreme Championship Wrestling had a presence on TV during the 90s thanks mainly to Hardcore TV. While this program had a far more limited reach compared to ECW on TNN, Hardcore TV was ECW unfiltered. It was the premium extreme program.   This because ECW Hardcore TV came on during a time slot where the FCC was lax. In the U.S, the FCC tends to let more slide after 9PM Central. In most markets that it aired, ECW Hardcore TV was on later than that—meaning all the blood, violence, innuendo, and swearing that built the company’s name was on display.  A National TV Deal and Tweaked Product Were Necessary …

We haven’t reviewed any Impact Wrestling/TNA whenever we head Into the Vault. On November 7, 2004, Impact Wrestling held its first PPV event—not a weekly show but a proper PPV—Victory Road 2004. Obviously, it’s not on the WWE Network but fear not! I have it and all of Impact Wrestling’s 2004-2006 PPVs on tape and DVD.  Let’s put TNA Victory Road 2004 into the old Panasonic, adjust the tracking, and take a trip down memory lane!  Trash Tier  Where do I start? The eight-man tag match which pits R-Truth, Erik Watts, Johnny B. Badd, and Simon Diamond against The Naturals, Kid Kash,…

Back in 2004 when Impact Wrestling was still TNA, the company announced a deal with Fox Sports Net to run its new TNA Impact program. I thought it was dope because I had only gotten my hands on TNA action from a college friend who taped the weekly PPVs.   Immediately, Impact Wrestling sought to stand out by taking AAA and Toryumon 2000 Project’s six-sided ring. This part worked. While TNA Impact presented a product that faster paced but still familiar, that ring drew your attention. Sometimes you need a gimmick, folks.  However, that FSN deal wasn’t to last and by 2005 TNA bounced to Spike. It would be…

In any wrestling company, you want a standard-bearer. This isn’t always the ace or icon but someone who has grown with the company and has seen or been at the top. The standard-bearer is the heart of the company. They usually end up becoming legends. WWE had The Undertaker, Kane, and Big Show. WCW’s standard bearers were Arn and DDP. New Japan had Shinya Hashimoto. Basically, a gatekeeper who could easily be a main eventer. Tommy Dreamer was ECW’s standard-bearer.  The Innovator of Violence  Tommy Dreamer didn’t come to the dance with multiple ways to hurt an opponent if there…

Unless you follow puroresu super closely, Kenzo Suzuki—now known as KENSO—might be someone who garners that tried and true ”Who?” response. Admittedly, his career took this weird, winding path that steered away from the potential he showed early in his career.  Then again, WWE will knock all the winds out of your sails eventually if you come over from the Land of the Rising Sun. One thing I always wondered was “Why sign Kenzo Suzuki?” He wasn’t even the best signing WWE could’ve picked up. After leaving New Japan in 2003, things started to go wrong with him.   Suzuki just didn’t get the…

In going through ECW’s major stars you have the icon who transcended being the ace, the ace who is at the top of the company and pushes it forward. Sandman was the icon, Tommy was the standard-bearer, and Taz was the ace.  The Human Suplex Machine  Starting out as The Tazmaniac, Taz ran a savage character that never really worked. It was just odd considering what he and ECW would become. Then again, The Sandman was a surfer. His style was proto-American strong style and it wouldn’t have been weird to see him put against The Steiners or “Dr. Death” Steve Williams.  He wouldn’t be caveman Taz for long. That 1995 year…

We haven’t gone Into the Vault in a while, folks. That’s when we find some older event or PPV—usually on the WWE Network—and go through what’s worth watching and what you can skip. Since we’re in March let’s check out WCW Uncensored 1995!  You might be thinking “WCW in 1995? I don’t know…” WCW between 1995 and 1998 was actually not that bad and had years where TV and the PPVs were actually solid or better. I say it’s because the company had the strongest undercard in the U.S at that time. Just compare WCW’s undercard to WWE’s in 1995 or…