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| A big star for PWG in 2012 Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein |
Here we are with the individual retrospectives/looks-ahead for wrestling all over the country. The first one will be a generalized look at all the local promotions, companies that work in one building or territory with rabid fan followings that have spilled over into national attention. I'd do one for each of these companies, but I only have so much time in the day, and let's face it, I wouldn't be able to do a whole lot of them justice. So, here goes!
Promotion(s): Local independents
What Happened in 2012: The supposed last year of the planet's existence *snicker* saw wrestling buck trends and creatively produce some of the best content that it ever has. Here's a sampling of what took place in locales around the country.
Pro Wrestling Guerrilla - The rampage of Kevin Steen and the reign of terror caused by the Young Bucks in 2011 gave way to the planting and reaping of bright new stars on the national scene. Southern California has long been a star furnace for the rest of the country, and this year's big winners were the Super Smash Brothers and Adam Cole.
The former won DDT4, the Tag Titles, and the collective heart of Reseda. It shouldn't be surprising, as PWG has been a haven for French Canada in its history (Kevin Steen and El Generico, to name two). Cole spent the first eight months as part of that tag scene until he broke out, winning Battle of Los Angeles, stealing Steen's World Championship, and then legitimizing that win at Mystery Vortex.
Of course, Steen's war with the Bucks didn't die completely, as it flared up, most notably in a surprise reunion with El Generico at BOLA. The two teamed with referee Rick Knox against the Bucks and Brian Cage in six man action. But the main story was the new talent rising. Well, that and WRESTLING OUT THE WAZOO. Then again, PWG is always good for match quality.
Anarchy Championship Wrestling - ACW will more than likely be known as the place where ACH came from. No doubt the biggest breakout star on the indie scene at large, the man himself still performed magic at home, having Match of the Year quality tilts from defending his Anarchy Championship against Gary Jay at Guilty by Association 6 to an undercard exhibition of explosive aerial action against Bolt Brady at last weekend's Delusions of Our Childish Days.
However, the more important story may have been ACW showing everyone how it was done in terms of smashing the gender barrier. Rachel Summerlyn was the best example of this, being hand-picked to replace Jerry Lynn at the Lone Star Classic tournament. She took the opportunity and escaped with the Anarchy Championship in tow, the second female ever to hold the belt and the first to have it around her waist for more than one day. It could be argued, though, that the Queen of Queens Tournament that happened in the summer held more prestige. Drawing Jessicka Havok and Jazz to the Lone Star State, the tourney was critically acclaimed by everyone who watched it. Athena took home that one.
However, there was something for everyone who purchased or attended an ACW show or five in 2012. Summerlyn has been wrapped up in a year-long feud with her best friend Jessica James, both as James and as her Eldritch Horror alter ego, Lady Poison. She was also thrown from a balcony by Matthew Palmer, who three months prior had stakes driven into the top of his skull by Masada. Pierre Abernathy became the most lovable schlub on that side of the Mississippi, Jaykus Plisken injected heavy doses of hate-worthy venom, and Scot Summers posed like this for a picture. All in all, it was a hell of a year for those Texas Anarchists.
Absolute Intense Wrestling - AIW has been doing its thing for awhile, but this year, they seemingly took a big leap forward despite having most of the beginning of the year with the lackluster Flexor Industries as its big bad. They can attribute a huge part of that cache to dipping into the lucrative women's wrestling market with their Girls Night Out brand. They were able to put on three hot cards centered around a feud that came on by happy accident on the first card. Cherry Bomb no-showed Girls Night Out 5, which left Allysin Kay without an opponent, which led to them turning Mia Yim face to wrestle Kay, which led to Yim legit busting Kay's nose, which led to a feud over the vacated Women's Championship. It's funny how sometimes, things break just right to create signature moments.
They also brought in some of the most diverse talent in the country, importing wrestlers from Southern California (Willie Mack), Austin (ACH), Beyond Wrestling (Chris Dickinson), St. Louis (Davey Vega and the Submission Squad), and even THE PAST (Brian Kendrick, Necro Butcher) to intermingle with their core of native talent to produce some of the most interesting slates of shows all year long.
In fact, some of the importing may have been impetus for the infamous Nixon stable to form. What came from the viral Wake Up AIW movement on Twitter, Nixon has promised to retake AIW back to a better direction. Yeah, it was another invasion angle done long after invasion angles weren't chic anymore, but I'm at least intrigued as to where they're going with it.
Other Areas - AAW itself put together a fine year, throwing some major dream matches together in the process. However, their most hyped dream match, Sami Callihan vs. Ken Shamrock of all people, fell through when Shamrock no-showed. BOO! Callihan, in terms of individuals, really broke out huge this year. After showing signs of being "the next guy" last year, he became a legit main event-caliber wrestler in AAW, PWG, and DGUSA/EVOLVE.
Speaking of guys who had great years, how about Kyle Matthews? Even though his exposure in the Northeast was limited, he became the mack daddy of the South, providing excellent-quality matches in promotions like NWA Rampage, Empire Wrestling Entertainment, and Deep South Championship Wrestling. He became a YouTube must-see attraction, which is good, because he does have a LOT of stuff on those channels.
In other promotional news, NWA Hollywood broke from the NWA and became Championship Wrestling from Hollywood. All-American Pro Wrestling morphed into Pro Wrestling Collision. SHIMMER turned 50 volumes and beget SHINE as a monthly supplement in Florida. Women's Superstars Uncensored changed owners, and Beyond Wrestling continued to raise its profile with shows like Double Trouble, a joint venture with St. Louis Anarchy.
The 2012 MVP: It's really a tough choice, because there are so many wrestlers who could carry the flag outside of the national promotions. However, I'm going with Rachel Summerlyn, who proved that girls can kick just as much ass as guys can, whether it be against other women or across the gender line. Matches with wrestlers running the gamut from Matthew Palmer to Jazz showed her diversity, while dressing up in a Big Bird-themed prom dress showed that she embraces the fun side of wrestling as well. She may not have ventured away from Austin too much in 2012, but I can't think of a single performer more important to the fabric of his or her promotion than Summerlyn was to ACW in 2012.
What's Going to Happen in 2013: It's hard to prognosticate what might go down for an entire scene in 2013, but some of the table has been set so far. In PWG, Kevin Steen and El Generico are reuniting to take on the field in DDT4, which has been bumped up to January. They join other teams such as the Briscoes, Young Bucks, and Super Smash Brothers in what might be the most stacked field yet. God help Future Shock if they happen to draw a revamped Steenerico, though.
ACW had started announcing matches for Guilty by Association 7 in the fall, the biggest of which will undoubtedly be Summerlyn vs. Darin Childs for the Anarchy Championship. I wouldn't sleep on an ACH/Matthew Palmer rematch from the last two Beyond Good and Evil events though. Both times, those matches went to finishes that weren't conclusive as much as they were cockteasing. These are two of the best wrestlers in any company, and if there has to be a winner, well, things might just get ugly.
As for AIW, I'd look for a continuation of the hostilities between Tim Donst, the current (but maybe not for long after the End of the World on Friday?) Absolute Champion, and Eddie Kingston from Chikara. The two clashed after the big eight-man match at Hell on Earth, and both AIW and Chikara have links to each other. Could we see a more interactive indie scene in 2013? Of course, there's also the fact that ACH and Fox have wrestled sixty minutes in 2012, having split two Iron Man matches. Could a sixty-minute, winner take all match be on the horizon?
That's not even taking into account that the long-promised Tournament for Tomorrow II from Beyond Wrestling will more than likely drop next year. Oh yeah, and speaking of anticipated events, there's also National Pro Wrestling Day, which could very well be the most fun day of the year for fans all around the country.
Five to Watch in 2013: Fred Yehi - Like Matthews, Yehi has been a YouTube find in 2012. He's wrestled some of the best the South has to offer, and he's even generated such a buzz that he had Davey Richards challenge him at a Platinum Championship Wrestling show. His legend has grown to the point where he might be making a trip to the Northeast early in 2013. The man who makes amateur wrestling look stiff is poised for a breakout, and if/when he does, the scene will be better for it.
Athena - The Hussy Buster started to show promise in 2011 in both ACW and SHIMMER, but in 2012, she became a bona fide rock star. She won the Queen of Queens tournament, vanquishing Jessicka Havok in the finals, and she got shots against some of the top women's stars who visited America in '12, including Kana and Sweet Saraya Knight in SHIMMER. She's about ready to become a household name in '13, and if she takes home some leather-bound gold hardware on more than one occasion, don't act surprised. Also, she may have the best finisher ever, both in name and execution, the O-Face.
Matthew Palmer - Palmer is crazy. Not pro-wrestling crazy, but legitimately crazy, the kind that needs to be seen by more than just the crowds at the Mohawk and Hooligans. Even if he just stays in ACW, he's a guy who is more than worth paying attention to. He fought wars with both Masada and Summerlyn in 2012, and no matter where he goes, those wars will continue. Why? Because the man is crazy and will go to any length possible to turn in the best match on the card.
Kellie Skater - I've always pegged Skater as being one of SHIMMER's most talented wrestlers, even when she was opening-match comedy fodder. She's an example of someone who has worked hard and gotten ahead, and now, she can stand across the ring from Kana and no one would bat an eyelash at her. Like Athena, she's ready to make the leap and become one of those wrestlers that can take a SHIMMER weekend hostage.
Brian Cage - He dropped the -Taylor from his surname and decided he'd be the next big indie hoss from the West Coast. From the moment he did squat thrusts while holding a dude in vertical suplex position, I knew he was something special. Now, the Reseda crowd has seen that as well. Along with Willie Mack and the RockNES Monsters, he forms the core of the next generation of SoCal natives that makes PWG not just the it place for the current stars of the scene, but also a vibrant ecosystem with an identity all its own. If I had to put money on anyone from that group being the next native to hold the title, it would be Cage.
Three Things I Want to See in 2013: 1 - Quicker turnaround for DVD production from ACW - Most other companies within the Smart Mark family have little to no downtime between the live show and DVD/VOD being available for purchase. ACW didn't get Guilty by Association, their January event, up and available for purchase until the summer, with even more lag time between DVD and VOD release. They're doing themselves a disservice, because they're a top two or three promotion in America right now. Give the people a chance to see you sooner rather than later!
2 - Less homophobia/misogyny in PWG - I know that PWG has this sort of frat boy atmosphere, but it's still jarring that in 2012, wrestlers on the show are dropping the word "faggot" like it's not problematic. Being "macho" and being not a dick to minorities aren't mutually exclusive. The same goes for them implying women are somehow weaker than men. I don't get it. The company booked Candice LaRae recently to beat guys like Joey Ryan and to do it convincingly. Why won't they get with the times? It'd be a shame to see an otherwise excellent product fall into bad social habits like that.
3 - More exposure/promotions on varied parts of the country - Indie wrestling exists in places other than Ohio, Austin, the Northeast, Chicago, and Southern California. Georgia, St. Louis, Northern California, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, Indiana, Detroit, and Southern Illinois are all places have promotions featuring decent pro wrestling at the very least. There are other places in America that I'm sure also have companies that are booking good talent that don't even have a blip on the radar. Why can't we get someone reporting on local promotions in the Pacific Northwest? Denver? The rest of Texas? Are there any promotions to report on? Wrestling is best when it's not only national but also innately local as well. Every region in America has its own culture, and thus they have their own way of combining that local culture with how they portray the art of wrestling.
Promotion(s): Local independents
What Happened in 2012: The supposed last year of the planet's existence *snicker* saw wrestling buck trends and creatively produce some of the best content that it ever has. Here's a sampling of what took place in locales around the country.
Pro Wrestling Guerrilla - The rampage of Kevin Steen and the reign of terror caused by the Young Bucks in 2011 gave way to the planting and reaping of bright new stars on the national scene. Southern California has long been a star furnace for the rest of the country, and this year's big winners were the Super Smash Brothers and Adam Cole.
The former won DDT4, the Tag Titles, and the collective heart of Reseda. It shouldn't be surprising, as PWG has been a haven for French Canada in its history (Kevin Steen and El Generico, to name two). Cole spent the first eight months as part of that tag scene until he broke out, winning Battle of Los Angeles, stealing Steen's World Championship, and then legitimizing that win at Mystery Vortex.
Of course, Steen's war with the Bucks didn't die completely, as it flared up, most notably in a surprise reunion with El Generico at BOLA. The two teamed with referee Rick Knox against the Bucks and Brian Cage in six man action. But the main story was the new talent rising. Well, that and WRESTLING OUT THE WAZOO. Then again, PWG is always good for match quality.
Anarchy Championship Wrestling - ACW will more than likely be known as the place where ACH came from. No doubt the biggest breakout star on the indie scene at large, the man himself still performed magic at home, having Match of the Year quality tilts from defending his Anarchy Championship against Gary Jay at Guilty by Association 6 to an undercard exhibition of explosive aerial action against Bolt Brady at last weekend's Delusions of Our Childish Days.
However, the more important story may have been ACW showing everyone how it was done in terms of smashing the gender barrier. Rachel Summerlyn was the best example of this, being hand-picked to replace Jerry Lynn at the Lone Star Classic tournament. She took the opportunity and escaped with the Anarchy Championship in tow, the second female ever to hold the belt and the first to have it around her waist for more than one day. It could be argued, though, that the Queen of Queens Tournament that happened in the summer held more prestige. Drawing Jessicka Havok and Jazz to the Lone Star State, the tourney was critically acclaimed by everyone who watched it. Athena took home that one.
However, there was something for everyone who purchased or attended an ACW show or five in 2012. Summerlyn has been wrapped up in a year-long feud with her best friend Jessica James, both as James and as her Eldritch Horror alter ego, Lady Poison. She was also thrown from a balcony by Matthew Palmer, who three months prior had stakes driven into the top of his skull by Masada. Pierre Abernathy became the most lovable schlub on that side of the Mississippi, Jaykus Plisken injected heavy doses of hate-worthy venom, and Scot Summers posed like this for a picture. All in all, it was a hell of a year for those Texas Anarchists.
Absolute Intense Wrestling - AIW has been doing its thing for awhile, but this year, they seemingly took a big leap forward despite having most of the beginning of the year with the lackluster Flexor Industries as its big bad. They can attribute a huge part of that cache to dipping into the lucrative women's wrestling market with their Girls Night Out brand. They were able to put on three hot cards centered around a feud that came on by happy accident on the first card. Cherry Bomb no-showed Girls Night Out 5, which left Allysin Kay without an opponent, which led to them turning Mia Yim face to wrestle Kay, which led to Yim legit busting Kay's nose, which led to a feud over the vacated Women's Championship. It's funny how sometimes, things break just right to create signature moments.
They also brought in some of the most diverse talent in the country, importing wrestlers from Southern California (Willie Mack), Austin (ACH), Beyond Wrestling (Chris Dickinson), St. Louis (Davey Vega and the Submission Squad), and even THE PAST (Brian Kendrick, Necro Butcher) to intermingle with their core of native talent to produce some of the most interesting slates of shows all year long.
In fact, some of the importing may have been impetus for the infamous Nixon stable to form. What came from the viral Wake Up AIW movement on Twitter, Nixon has promised to retake AIW back to a better direction. Yeah, it was another invasion angle done long after invasion angles weren't chic anymore, but I'm at least intrigued as to where they're going with it.
Other Areas - AAW itself put together a fine year, throwing some major dream matches together in the process. However, their most hyped dream match, Sami Callihan vs. Ken Shamrock of all people, fell through when Shamrock no-showed. BOO! Callihan, in terms of individuals, really broke out huge this year. After showing signs of being "the next guy" last year, he became a legit main event-caliber wrestler in AAW, PWG, and DGUSA/EVOLVE.
Speaking of guys who had great years, how about Kyle Matthews? Even though his exposure in the Northeast was limited, he became the mack daddy of the South, providing excellent-quality matches in promotions like NWA Rampage, Empire Wrestling Entertainment, and Deep South Championship Wrestling. He became a YouTube must-see attraction, which is good, because he does have a LOT of stuff on those channels.
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| Suck on it, haters Photo Credit: Texas Anarchy |
In other promotional news, NWA Hollywood broke from the NWA and became Championship Wrestling from Hollywood. All-American Pro Wrestling morphed into Pro Wrestling Collision. SHIMMER turned 50 volumes and beget SHINE as a monthly supplement in Florida. Women's Superstars Uncensored changed owners, and Beyond Wrestling continued to raise its profile with shows like Double Trouble, a joint venture with St. Louis Anarchy.
The 2012 MVP: It's really a tough choice, because there are so many wrestlers who could carry the flag outside of the national promotions. However, I'm going with Rachel Summerlyn, who proved that girls can kick just as much ass as guys can, whether it be against other women or across the gender line. Matches with wrestlers running the gamut from Matthew Palmer to Jazz showed her diversity, while dressing up in a Big Bird-themed prom dress showed that she embraces the fun side of wrestling as well. She may not have ventured away from Austin too much in 2012, but I can't think of a single performer more important to the fabric of his or her promotion than Summerlyn was to ACW in 2012.
What's Going to Happen in 2013: It's hard to prognosticate what might go down for an entire scene in 2013, but some of the table has been set so far. In PWG, Kevin Steen and El Generico are reuniting to take on the field in DDT4, which has been bumped up to January. They join other teams such as the Briscoes, Young Bucks, and Super Smash Brothers in what might be the most stacked field yet. God help Future Shock if they happen to draw a revamped Steenerico, though.
ACW had started announcing matches for Guilty by Association 7 in the fall, the biggest of which will undoubtedly be Summerlyn vs. Darin Childs for the Anarchy Championship. I wouldn't sleep on an ACH/Matthew Palmer rematch from the last two Beyond Good and Evil events though. Both times, those matches went to finishes that weren't conclusive as much as they were cockteasing. These are two of the best wrestlers in any company, and if there has to be a winner, well, things might just get ugly.
As for AIW, I'd look for a continuation of the hostilities between Tim Donst, the current (but maybe not for long after the End of the World on Friday?) Absolute Champion, and Eddie Kingston from Chikara. The two clashed after the big eight-man match at Hell on Earth, and both AIW and Chikara have links to each other. Could we see a more interactive indie scene in 2013? Of course, there's also the fact that ACH and Fox have wrestled sixty minutes in 2012, having split two Iron Man matches. Could a sixty-minute, winner take all match be on the horizon?
That's not even taking into account that the long-promised Tournament for Tomorrow II from Beyond Wrestling will more than likely drop next year. Oh yeah, and speaking of anticipated events, there's also National Pro Wrestling Day, which could very well be the most fun day of the year for fans all around the country.
Five to Watch in 2013: Fred Yehi - Like Matthews, Yehi has been a YouTube find in 2012. He's wrestled some of the best the South has to offer, and he's even generated such a buzz that he had Davey Richards challenge him at a Platinum Championship Wrestling show. His legend has grown to the point where he might be making a trip to the Northeast early in 2013. The man who makes amateur wrestling look stiff is poised for a breakout, and if/when he does, the scene will be better for it.
Athena - The Hussy Buster started to show promise in 2011 in both ACW and SHIMMER, but in 2012, she became a bona fide rock star. She won the Queen of Queens tournament, vanquishing Jessicka Havok in the finals, and she got shots against some of the top women's stars who visited America in '12, including Kana and Sweet Saraya Knight in SHIMMER. She's about ready to become a household name in '13, and if she takes home some leather-bound gold hardware on more than one occasion, don't act surprised. Also, she may have the best finisher ever, both in name and execution, the O-Face.
Matthew Palmer - Palmer is crazy. Not pro-wrestling crazy, but legitimately crazy, the kind that needs to be seen by more than just the crowds at the Mohawk and Hooligans. Even if he just stays in ACW, he's a guy who is more than worth paying attention to. He fought wars with both Masada and Summerlyn in 2012, and no matter where he goes, those wars will continue. Why? Because the man is crazy and will go to any length possible to turn in the best match on the card.
Kellie Skater - I've always pegged Skater as being one of SHIMMER's most talented wrestlers, even when she was opening-match comedy fodder. She's an example of someone who has worked hard and gotten ahead, and now, she can stand across the ring from Kana and no one would bat an eyelash at her. Like Athena, she's ready to make the leap and become one of those wrestlers that can take a SHIMMER weekend hostage.
Brian Cage - He dropped the -Taylor from his surname and decided he'd be the next big indie hoss from the West Coast. From the moment he did squat thrusts while holding a dude in vertical suplex position, I knew he was something special. Now, the Reseda crowd has seen that as well. Along with Willie Mack and the RockNES Monsters, he forms the core of the next generation of SoCal natives that makes PWG not just the it place for the current stars of the scene, but also a vibrant ecosystem with an identity all its own. If I had to put money on anyone from that group being the next native to hold the title, it would be Cage.
Three Things I Want to See in 2013: 1 - Quicker turnaround for DVD production from ACW - Most other companies within the Smart Mark family have little to no downtime between the live show and DVD/VOD being available for purchase. ACW didn't get Guilty by Association, their January event, up and available for purchase until the summer, with even more lag time between DVD and VOD release. They're doing themselves a disservice, because they're a top two or three promotion in America right now. Give the people a chance to see you sooner rather than later!
2 - Less homophobia/misogyny in PWG - I know that PWG has this sort of frat boy atmosphere, but it's still jarring that in 2012, wrestlers on the show are dropping the word "faggot" like it's not problematic. Being "macho" and being not a dick to minorities aren't mutually exclusive. The same goes for them implying women are somehow weaker than men. I don't get it. The company booked Candice LaRae recently to beat guys like Joey Ryan and to do it convincingly. Why won't they get with the times? It'd be a shame to see an otherwise excellent product fall into bad social habits like that.
3 - More exposure/promotions on varied parts of the country - Indie wrestling exists in places other than Ohio, Austin, the Northeast, Chicago, and Southern California. Georgia, St. Louis, Northern California, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, Indiana, Detroit, and Southern Illinois are all places have promotions featuring decent pro wrestling at the very least. There are other places in America that I'm sure also have companies that are booking good talent that don't even have a blip on the radar. Why can't we get someone reporting on local promotions in the Pacific Northwest? Denver? The rest of Texas? Are there any promotions to report on? Wrestling is best when it's not only national but also innately local as well. Every region in America has its own culture, and thus they have their own way of combining that local culture with how they portray the art of wrestling.
