Awwwwww, snap. Is this thing on?
Hello again! Let's completely ignore this most recent (AND all the other instances while we are at it) period of dormancy. Everything's Fine! I am truly recommitting, minimally, to injecting a little bit of energy and a markedly bit more activity into this here webpage. The Wrestlefudge Project, such as it was, began as a simple blog simply covering the not so simple world of independent wrestling in the northeast... More specifically, independent wrestling in Upstate New York.
So... I'd like to take this opportunity to take a look at how the scene in Upstate New York stands - today - from my own quite personal, often lovable, completely uninformed opinion and viewpoint as a guy who has a true appreciation as a fan of the performance and associated culture of professional wrestling. Run on, sentence! Run on! That's how you know I'm excited, people!
Let's get to it!
The Train Keeps A Rollin'.
Best way to put it. These guys just have a formula that works, a model that draws. And drawing is important, people. Some might argue (and so, perhaps, might I) it's the MOST important. Whether it's the promotional machine behind the scenes, the marquee "legends" putting people in lines for signings (and of course staying for the matches), the imported New England indie darlings driven in off the Mass Pike, or the local heroes that have a following all their own - WOHW just plain gets it right. I'm interested to see where things go from here, talent wise, with them...
Rumor has it that both Adam Badger and brother, Kyle "Bam" Badger (FKA Shiloh Robinson), aren't likely to return. The word that I heard mentioned in regards to them is "done". We also know Commissioner Michael Anthony has left the promotion (and started his own wrestling school! More on that in a bit!) and that Swinger Sidusky isn't expected to wrestle again for some time following a serious leg injury. I would frame this as a period of rebuilding for World of Hurt from a talent standpoint. They've brought in standout New England talent like Donovan Dijack and Sean Carr... But how committed are these guys to trucking to Whitehall every other month?
With Danger seemingly retired from in ring action and the strap now comfortably on Jeff Starr... One can't help but wonder where events will take this promotion!
On April 10th, WOHW brings Mick Foley to Whitehall, NY! Damn! How cool is THAT?!? How do you miss that show? More details, including meet and greet info, over at their website! I predict more of the same from World of Hurt as we careen towards another HOT summer of wrestling!
This upstart promotion is ambitious, action-driven, and spoiled to surprise! Their "Chapter 1" event a few months back featuring Tommy Dreamer was focused on in-ring action with a shock here and there.
The destruction of Pure Dynamite separates itself (certainly to me) as a standout moment from the show. I haven't had an opportunity to opine on this particular moment as of yet but I'll take it now:
That was some shocking stuff. It resonated with me. Because I have been invested in the friendship and camaraderie of Brad Wesley and Chuck Deep for years. Did EVERY fan in attendance feel the disturbance in the force that *I* felt when Bad Brad lived up to his name and swung that fateful chair? I don't think so. Talk about a missed opportunity.
Don't get me wrong. I am bought in. I'm on board. This is how it went down and I am going for the ride. But imagine if the fuse had been lit slowly and carefully, with care and attention. It's been implied to me that Bad Brad Wesley's appearance and subsequent backstabbing was just as much a shock to ME as it was for Chuck Deep, Kyle Brad, and a vast majority of the wrestlers in the building.
It was an emotional piece of work. But is The Dynasty hoping to work the boys in the back? Or the fans in attendance? And what REALLY draws? It's food for thought.
I could speak on whether or not I would have liked to have seen Wesley or Deep be the heel in this scenario but I am going to reserve my commentary for when more of their story has been told. Lord knows I'll be watching intently.
As for the rest of the promotion... Vik was walking around with the 787 Pro/UWE title talking like he was The Dynasty champ. Was he? When Rob Coleman beat him... Did he become The Dynasty Champion? Or is that some weird interpromotional pseudo title? I don't HATE Coleman surprising people with a title win (a few hours after told me he was retired, well played, sir!) but fear that in THAT venue, with THAT roster, and THAT guy at the top... THIS promotion won't feel like anything other than 787. And damnit, if I'm confused I can't be the only one.
Just saying.
Ultimate Wrestling Presents: THE DYNASTY: DRIVEN on April 4th at the Troy B and G in Troy, NY. Holy crap, Jake the fn Snake?!? Too great. Get more info on what is sure to be another fun event and future shows at their website! This one sounds fun, too!
I know what you're thinking. But hey... I can't rationally talk about wrestling in this area without talking about the sweaty elephant in the room. Right?
In Your Face Wrestling continues to put on, by all accounts, good to great shows Upstate. They moved primary event locales from Ballston Spa to Delanson and have either held part or grew some of their fanbase. Salût. This warms my heart. You gotta believe I love hearing about guys like Northern Fury getting their due or that Drake Evans finally regained the IYFW Championship. Holy crap, hasn't that particular journey been the underlying heartbeat of this promotion for the last three plus years? The answer is yes. It has. Which leads me to some really shocking info...
Seems Maxx Burton, my absolute favorite authority figure this side of Jack Tunney, has booked his last IYFW show. For now at least. For the first time in more than 7 years, someone else is going to be running the show. Say what you want about In Your Face - lord knows plenty of people have, myself included - but there has always seemingly been an emphasis on continuity and constantly evolving and shifting stories. I've often chided the World of Hurts of the world for all too often booking matches by basically throwing guys at eachother. While that was sometimes the case for IYFW, more often than not there was a seed, a build, an arc. Somewhere in there. And I always appreciated that about the promotion and about the efforts and passion of Maxx Burton. It seems he is leaving them more than amicably and happily, etc. A timing type of decision you can't help but respect, of course. But critically speaking... I'm curious to see how IYFW books going forward? I have spoken to more than one IYFW guy in the last 18 hours that has expressed concern with the creative leadership going forward. I doubt that will translate too deeply to what we see in the ring. I'm sure Maxx has taught his friends a thing or five over the years. Relax. Everything's Fine. You'll still have Joey LaRoque... Won't you?!?
It's poetic, in a way, that Evans would culminate his arduous journey back to the top just as Maxx would walk away. And of course it fucking is! Why wouldn't it be? Remember who we are talking about here!
I feel the scene, overall, will suffer with the loss of a mind like Maxx's in it. He wasn't everybody's kind of guy... but he made his impact and at the end of the day isn't that what it's all about? Thanks, Maxx.
As mentioned earlier, Former Italian Chef, Shakeweight Master, and Everyone's Favorite Commissioner, Michael Anthony, has opened his own wrestling school in Hudson Falls, NY. I had the chance to check out his spot and scope out his first batch of recruits last week and was really impressed.
First of all... He has perhaps THE cleanest, and most professional looking wrestling ring I have ever seen outside of a WWE live event. That's not bullshit. The passion and attention to detail he has paid and put into it is truly impressive and watching him in his element and instructing his trainees is especially insightful. The dude just has a brain for what matters in the ring and the innate ability to articulate it and teach it in context. He respects the money his students have entrusted to him for their training and takes it uber-serious, something two of the recruits (each had trained locally elsewhere, two different places, in the past) said dramatically stands in stark contrast from what they had been accustomed to. Hey... If this leads to another influx of new talent in our area, longterm, how cool is that?
For more information on what On Demand Wrestling has to offer and to be on the ground floor of what is coming, be sure to LIKE the Facebook page!
I'm excited. Simplest way I can put it and it says it all. I'm excited about where things are positioned for the rest of this year because you've got World of Hurt testing the waters w/ folks from outside the immediate area and we NEED that! You have Dynasty figuring out who they are going to be, which is ALWAYS fun to watch! IYF going cold turkey, maxx-free! And a new player in the training game!
Oh! And this webpage is awake again! How exciting?!? Any comments? Reach out to Paul@Wrestlefudge.com
