PWG Chikarticles: A Recap of All Things Indy

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Televised Wrestling Commentators vs. Indy Wrestling Commentators: Why Are They So Different?

WWE Raw’s Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler: You could tell that every time these two got together to commentate a match the fans were always in for a treat. Lawler is the creepy old guy who flirts with all the girls (who are 30+ years younger than him) and despises the heel. Jim Ross is the one who connects with the fans. Ross went as far to call himself the luckiest wrestling fan. “I, like you, am a wrestling fan. I’m just fortunate enough to have the closest seat in the house”. He has the ability to get you on the edge of your seat if Cena has the STFU locked in on HHH in the middle of the ring, or to make you jump out of your seat with the arrival of Stone Cold Steve Austin. Both of these guys concentrate on the background story of the match. Though these two have gotten rave reviews for the past couple years, they have been slacking off lately, most noticeably Jim Ross. Recently, he’s been confusing the names of wrestlers and wrestling moves which makes it a bit hard to follow.

WWE Smackdown’s Michael Cole and JBL: Michael Cole relates to the faces and boos the heels. He’s your average “I just joined wrestling” fan. JBL, on the other hand, has some actual in ring experience and knows what he is talking about. He is often drunk when he commentates which makes it entertaining. The chemistry here is that JBL treats Cole like an idiot for even commenting on a wrestling move, due to Cole’s inexperience of being in the ring.

WWE ECW’s Tazz and Joey Styles: Tazz lost all credibility as a commentator when he called Big Daddy V splashing a wrestler the “WHOA! He just jumped on that guy’s chestal region. It’s like a 100 Pound Safe!” Joey Styles is the same old Joey Styles he was in classic ECW, except with a bit more storytelling. The two relate by both being in the old ECW where they commentated together for a couple months while Tazz was healing from his neck injury.

TNA’s Don West and Mike Tenay: Don West has no idea what he is talking about during the wrestling matches. He fancies up his sentences with similes and metaphors. Mike Tenay is a bit more tolerable since he’s been in the business for such a long time. His timid quiet voice is annoying, but nonetheless… it gets the job done. There is really no chemistry here except when they bond whenever there is an earth-shattering TNA Announcement.

CHIKARA Commentary: Whether it’s Ultramantis Black and Bryce Remsburg or Mike Quackenbush and Leonard F. Chikarason calling the action, you can expect a treat. Every pair has their own little special bond. Ultramantis and Remsburg always make sure to call the action with the correct wrestling move names, but make you laugh your head off in the process. Even Quackenbush manages to make me chuckle every now and then with his nonchalant jokes. Everyone sitting at the commentary table makes sure they know their move names and to call the action.

Ring of Honor’s Dave Prazak, Lenny Leonard and Jimmy Bower: Always an entertaining bunch that call the action to PERFECTION. Commentating in a booth to the video after the event gives these guys an advantage that the live play-by-play commentators don’t have: they have the ability to see the match more than once.

To Make a Long Story Short…

Televised Wrestling Commentators: Commentators who work for the “Big-Time” companies like WWE and TNA concentrate on the storyline more than the wrestling in the ring. Their whole “gimmick” is that it’s their purpose to remind us that what we’re watching is Sports Entertainment and why we are supposed to be entertained. Other than promoting the storylines, they also make sure to squeeze in a plug for their upcoming pay per view. Basically, all shills, not enough thrill.

Independent Wrestling Commentators: These guys know their stuff. They keep up on all the regions of wrestling, from America to Japan to Mexico. They can tell you the difference between a sitout powerbomb and a Liger Bomb. What indy commentators exaggerate most are the wrestling moves and the athletic abilities of the wrestlers inside the ring.

It takes two to tango. It takes more than a great roster to pull you into a promotion. The styles of these two types of commentators are extremely different. One is all about the story, while the others are all about the action. There is a reason why WWE and TNA concentrate on glorifying the storylines more than the action. Reason being is because there are some “Superstars” that just can’t tell a story in the ring. They are making sure they are doing the moves right, as if they were still beginners. Guys like Snitsky are the perfect example. He can’t tell a story at all. He knows how to play the roll of an odd man with a foot fettish and the roll of a monster. He does a great job at filling in that character. But telling a story while wrestling is a whole different thing. It’s not Snitsky’s fault he got pulled up to WWE before he was 100% ready.

In the Indys, you have veterans willing to work with kids on telling a story in the ring. Guys like Mike Quackenbush and Reckless Youth are willing to pull their students aside and give them a talking to about how to perfectly do a move, and how selling that move contributes to the story telling. Indy Wrestlers have the ability to tell a story in the ring (which gives the commentators a chance to call the actual action) while the “Pros” in TV Wrestling have to have their commentators spell it out for them.

CHIKARA

Steven Colbert > Bill O’Reilly Results

Match 1: The Colony beat The Order of the Neo-Solar Temple when Fire Ant pinned Hydra following the Pyramid Splash.

Match 2: Vin Gerard beat Shane Storm when he put Storm in the STF.

Match 3: Team FIST (Gran Akuma and Icarus) and Brodie Lee beat Up In Smoke (Cheech and Cloudy) and Sara del Rey.

Match 4: Tim Donst beat Mitch Ryder. Lince Dorado made his return by distracting Mitch Ryder at ringside, giving Donst the chance to roll Ryder up for the three count.

Match 5: The Osirian Portal (Ophidian and Amasis) beat Los Ice Creams (Hijo Del Ice Cream and Ice Cream Jr.). The Osirian Portal now have 2 tag team points.

Match 6: Claudio Castagnoli beat Chris Hero after giving him the Ricola Bomb.

Upcoming Chikara Shows

January 27th, 2008 in Bethlehem, PA
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Pro Wrestling Guerrilla

Upcoming PWG Events

January 5, 2008 in Van Nuys, CA: “All Star Weekend 6 Night One”.
1. Bryan Danielson © vs. CIMA for the PWG World Title (Best in the World vs. Best in LA)
2. Super Dragon vs. Susumu Yokosuka
3. Tyler Black and Jimmy Jacobs vs. Joey Ryan and Scott Lost
4. Alex Koslov vs. TJ Perkins
5. Jack Evans vs. Roderick Strong
6. Naruki Doi and Masato Yoshino vs. The Young Bucks
7. Karl Anderson vs. El Generico
8. Ronin vs. Scorpio Sky
9. Claudio Castagnoli, Eddie Kingston and Human Tornado vs. Chris Hero, Necro Butcher, and… Candice LaRae

January 6, 2008 in Van Nuys, CA: “All Star Weekend 6 Night Two”.
1. Bryan Danielson vs. Roderick Strong (If Danielson is still champion, this will be a PWG World Title Match)
2. CIMA vs. Jack Evans (If CIMA wins the PWG World Title on Night One, this will be a PWG World Title Match)
3. B-Boy (Last Match) vs. Super Dragon
4. Tyler Black and Jimmy Jacobs vs. The Young Bucks
5. El Generico vs. Susumu Yokosuka
6. If Human Tornado’s Team Wins Night 1, it will be Human Tornado vs. Candice LaRae where Hero and Necro are barred from ringside. If Chris Hero’s Team wins, there will be a No DQ match between Chris Hero and Human Tornado where Kingston and Castagnoli are barred from ringside.
7. Naruki Doi and Masato Yoshino vs. Scott Lost and Joey Ryan
8. Karl Anderson vs. Alex Koslov
If you are in the California area, go ahead and put in your request off. Call out. Go to Van Nuys and see these shows. All Star Weekend is the Wrestlemania Weekend for PWG. They will go all out to entertain.

Other Indy News

1) Eddie Kingston won the IWA-MS Heavyweight Title after beating Chuck Taylor, Chris Hero and champion Mike Quackenbush in a 4-Way Dance. He will go on to face Too Cold Scorpio for the belt at IWA-MS’s 500th Show.

2) In the same match, Chuck Taylor eliminated Mike Quackenbush. Previous to the start of the match, Quack told Taylor that if he can beat him in the 4-Way Dance, then Taylor would get his IWA-MS Light Heavyweight Title. Chuck Taylor is now the IWA-MS Light Heavyweight Champion.

3) British Wrestling Legend Johnny Saint will make his in-ring return at IPW:UK’s Christmas Cracker 2007. He will be facing Andy Boy Simmonz, the reigning IPW:UK Champion.

Other Upcoming Indy Shows

March 1st 2008 in Joilet, IL: “IWA-MS’s 500th Show”.

IWA-MS Heavyweight Title Match
Eddie Kingston vs. Too Cold Scorpio

Fans Demanded It, Fans Get It
LuFisto and Mickie Knuckles vs. Vulgar Display of Power

December 16th 2007 in Oprington Halls, OP (UK): “IPW-UK’s Christmas Cracker 2007 Noon Show

10 Man Battle Royal

Mark Sloan vs. Zack Sabre Junior vs. Wade Fitzgerald

December 16th 2007 in Oprington Halls, OP (UK): “IPW:UK’s Christmas Cracker 2007 Night Show

The Zebra Kid and Sam Slam vs. The Big Bald Bastards

Mike Quackenbush vs. Paul Robinson

British National Championship Round 1 Match
Doug Williams vs. Marty Scrull

British National Championship Round 1 Match
Martin Stone vs. Stixx

IPW:UK Tag Team Title Match
The Kartel © vs. The Untouchables

IPW:UK Title Match
Andy Boy Simmonz © vs. Johnny Saint

NWA Midwest on December 14th 2007 in De Pere, WI
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NWA Midwest on December 15th 2007 in Milwaukee, WI
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Please send me the upcoming cards for your local independent wrestling events. Support them and get their name out there.

That is it for this week. Check back for a review on FIP’s International Impact Phase Two.

Fin

Independent Wrestling Coverage