MikeCampbell

I don't think it's really a ban on ROH talent working EVOLVE. Why would they pull Davey, but not have a problem if Hero, Claudio, O'Reilly, and Homicide work there? Granted, Homicide isn't under contract (that I know of) but he returned to ROH and put right into a central angle, so I don't see them *not* locking him in. What sounds more likely to me, given Gabe's history of tantrum throwing, is that Gabe blew a gasket when Davey chose to re-up his ROH contract. The fallout from their argument (either mutually or Davey on his own) was that Davey was done working for EVOLVE and Gabe.

EVOLVE runs once every other month versus ROH running TV tapings every six weeks or so, plus a few DVD tapings each month. EVOLVE's biggest crowd was their first show which was about 500, EVOLVE 2 and 3 were both in the 150 range or so I've heard. I don't know anything about 4 or 5 but I've heard they were both under 300. The only person who ROH doesn't seem to want to be working EVOLVE is Davey Richards. Homicide appeared at the last EVOLVE show, and Hero and Claudio have worked EVOVLE since March. So Davey seems like an odd exception. I'd like to ask him about it, since he works the local indy in my area, but I've never had the chance to. Now, Kyle O'Riley who EVOLVE was pushing as Davey's protege, was just signed to an ROH contract.

He probably can't afford to bring in all of his old favorites, especially when EVOLVE isn't drawing that well. I don't have specific numbers, because Josh doesn't go into specifics with me when we talk about this kind of shit, but (direct from Brodie Lee supposedly) EVOLVE really doesn't pay that much.

John, EVOLVE has never really drawn big numbers beyond their first show. EVOLVE 2 was only like 150 and Gabe blamed that on rain. EVOLVE 3 wasn't much more than that, and, according to my buddy who own the local indy here in Syracuse, Gabe was claiming that it was due to taking place on May 1st, which was a beautiful spring day. I'm not sure about EVOLVE 4 or 5, but I don't think either did over 300.

I think Gabe is right in the sense that three years ago Danielson vs. Sawa would draw 800 fans. Three years ago Gabe was still booking ROH, and could spend weeks pimping Sawa in the ROH newswires as some kind of Japanese hot property and how lucky the ROH fans are that they could get to see him live. The same way he tried pimping Marufuji vs. Shiozaki in NYC as some huge first time match between them, despite it being pointed out that they'd faced several times already in NOAH.

I've been watching the WWE's Elimination Chamber DVD set, just finished the NWO 2008 Smackdown/ECW Chamber match. The thing that sticks out is how in every match the announcers try to give the hard sell to the plexiglass and how it's bulletproof and nothing can break it. Yet, in every match so far, it's wound up being broken. It's also been fun to watch the EC evolve from a glorified cage match into something with a life of it's own. Especially the NYR 2006 and the one from the ECW PPV.

I can vouch for that one. I'm friends on FB with a local guy whose only had maybe six matches, but he talks like anyone who hasn't been in the ring doesn't know shit about shit.

http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/video_re...ber,-Disc-1.htm My question about the Elimination Chamber DVD is finally answered. The 2005 Chamber match with Benoit is shown in full, but with some editing on the commentary in regards to Benoit.

The quote above is one of the most annoying things about wrestlers and really anyone involved in the business when they get butthurt over being criticized. Regarding "Sacrificing" their bodies for the business, number one that was their own choice to make, it's not like the WWE universe collective told Vince that unless Matt Hardy dived off a cage through a table, then they'd stop watching the shows. Number two, I'm recalling a great quote that I believe was posted on either DVDR or tOA a few years back. Something along the lines of the wrestlers not sacrificing their bodies "for the business" but rather sacrificing "wrestling" by doing all those stupid bumps and insane stunts that lead to serious injury and shorten careers. As far as being a "fan" I'll refrain from going on a rant, and I'll just say that Matt should realize that a true fan won't just clap and play along, but the true fan would probably tell him that taking falling fifteen feet from a ladder through a table is stupid on his part, when he's a good enough wrestler to get by on that.

I think it was recently acquired upon the realization that time has passed him by and he's not the big mega-star that he was when he wrote his first two books.

Watching Cornette's Jim Barnett impression on his new Youshoot, spceficall saying "Any news?" makes Jim Ross' comment that he hear Cornette on the phone earlier in the day saying "Any news?" during the Rock 'N' Rolls vs. Heavenly Bodies match make a bit more sense.

Wasn't one of Foley's comments in Have a Nice Day that his memory hadn't been affected much by all the shots to the head he took. Then, it came out in Foley is Good that he'd told a few fibs and passed it along as creative license.

I think Sek is onto something when he says Foley as the humble everyman is high on the list of cons. I actually picked up Have A Nice Day a few months ago when my power out, the baby was sleeping, and I just needed to pass the time. I couldn't believe how much of an egomaniac Foley came off as. The same thing on his PTC section of Foley Is Good.

I know it's redundant to talk about TNA being stupid and all, but even their online store seems to have issues. I order a shirt and three DVDs during their big sale. I get an email telling me they've been shipped USPS and two different tracking numbers. One is a USPS # and when I clicking the link I get a screen saying that it's invalid. The other is a FedEx number, and it shows a package leaving Nashville yesterday and en Route to Syracuse.

I was turned off from Foley in 2004 when he had his conniption fit about Flair's comments about him in his book. Not because I agree with what Flair said or why he said it. But because he always praised Vince and the WWF for not removing anything from his books, even when they don't paint the WWF and Vince in a great light. But, he expected them to remove Flair's comments just because they hurt his feelings.

I don't see a spot for him in the WWE. He's too small and doesn't have anything really special to make him standout a la Evan Bourne. I'm guessing sooner or later he's back to ROH or working for Sapolsky.

The first show for Frey that I know of is Clash XVIII from January. Watts started in May or June I think.

Daniel Bryan's return piqued my interest enough for me to have the missus DVR RAW for me, and watch for the first time since January. I enjoyed the show for the most part. It helped that it was mostly based around the Nexus angle. My favorite part of the whole show was the past match brawl between Bryan and Miz, with Riley and Tarver getting involved. I could have done without the lame finish of Edge/Slater. The COR worked with Orton's match since it continued his feud with Sheamus, but there's no good reason for the same finish. I don't think that Team WWE or Edge would have been irreparably damaged by him laying down, clean or not. I'm hoping that the Nexus trips their ranks down a bit within the next couple of weeks. They really only need four members. Barrett can work and talk, Slater has a decent look to him, Gabriel is another who can work, and Sheffield as their backup and muscle. I could see maybe keeping Tarver, since he's another one with a unique look, and it adds to the whole numbers game they like to play.

Question for any legal buffs who might be reading: Dixie's YouShoot mentions that TNA contracted talent cannot work indy shows that will be sold as mass retail DVDs, which is a stipulation from TNA's DVD distribution company. This allows the Motor City Machine Guns to work feds like ROH and PWG. Let's say that in five years, ROH tries another shot at selling DVDs at the mass retail level. Would they be legally allowed to include a Machine Guns match if they're still with TNA? Could ROH get sued by TNA or TNA's DVD distributor? Could TNA get sued for letting the Guns work that fed?

Because he looked natural as Bischoff's sidekick, kissing Eric's ass and giving orders to the wrestlers. Compared with Regal who always came off to me like he was acting in his various commissioner and GM roles.

Sounds like a lame attempt to recreate Douglas throwing down the NWA Title in '94.

I'm not suggesting that the indy dates he's booked for are keeping Danielson out of the WWE. But the other side of the coin, that if Danielson were WWE-bound, he'd not be booked for podunk indy feds for dates after Summerslam.

I was thinking the same thing about Danielson coming back at the show. Only not using the Miz, but rather just another random WWE guy like Mark Henry. Cena does the turn during the match a la Austin at InVasion, only for Danielson to come back and join team WWE. I doubt it'll happen though, since Danielson has indy bookings, at least until September.

I enjoyed Val's short lived pushes more often than not. As silly as the whole Mr. Rocko angle was, Val made the most of out it, challenging big names trying to up his position, leading to a match with Austin. His late 2000 heel run with Trish as manager was good stuff. I quit watching WWE for a good eight months in 2003, but Chief Morely was one of the few bright spots for me toward the end of my watching, he was certainly more comfortable in the role that Commissioner/General Manager William Regal.

I've got to wonder how much of Sullivan's bad rep is due to the whole Benoit situation and Sullivan keeping him down in WCW.