Over on the SoCal UNCENSORED Messageboard, posters are talking about who they
would like to see in SoCal. I was scanning the list, and I decided that I’d share
my thoughts on this list. Before I knew it, my brief “post” turned into
a long diatribe. So now it looks like I have just written a column! I haven’t
done an SCU column in god knows how long. But I was in the mood for yacking and
I didn’t feel like getting off my soapbox just yet. So below you will find a list
of wrestlers that SCU Messageboard posters want to see here in SoCal. Here are
my thoughts on the same list. Let’s start from the top:
– Low-Ki: Would love to see Ki back in SoCal, but he looks to have a busy schedule…
I dunno if he’d even be motivated to work full force.
– Spanky: Not really a matter of “if”, more like “when”.
Spanky will wind up in PWG somewhere down the line. Just dunno when. He fits
into PWG perfectly, wrestling wise, comedy wise. Perfectly.
– Dan Maff: Fun to watch at times, but not worth flying in, in my opinion.
– Backseat Boyz: They’ve been out here at least 3 times as a team, Acid’s been
out here 4 I think. They’re alright if you have never seen them before. I personally
don’t think they should be flown out for the 4th-5th time.
– Jimmy Jacobs/Alex Shelley: Both good, but really not worth flying in. Not
yet at least. Once PWG has boatloads of money to burn, then it could be taken
into consideration.
– Jimmy Rave: Improved a ton since the last time I saw him, but not worthy
of flying in. I mean, we already have Joey Ryan, right? 😉
– Donovan Morgan: Good worker, but I’ve already seen him live, and I have no
desire to see him live again.
– Michael Modest: I’d love to see Modest in a SoCal ring. But I really can’t
think of the right opponent for him. I think I have yet to see Michael Modest
live. I’d love to see Modest vs. American Dragon. Or even Modest/Quance… battle
of the former APW Aces.
– Extreme Tiger: This guy has been getting some insane amount of hype lately.
I would like to see what this guy is all about, but I feel that Chilango, Durango
Kid, Super Boy, etc. should get the first shot at shining, then we can talk
Extreme Tiger.
– Bison Smith: No desire to bring in Bison Smith
– Steve Corino: No desire (Although the last match I saw with him, the return
bout with Homicide, was really fun to watch, especially the ring intros and
what not).
– Jonny Storm: Yeah, more of this guy! What he said! I love Jonny Storm! This
guy rocks. He can do it all. Ask Jonny Storm to yell out “You’re a faggot”.
It rules. Check back to CZW’s Best of the Best 2 for a snippet. Bring back Jonny
Storm! Someone needs to take him to Magic Mountain! YEAH! *devil horns* *dx
crotch chop xpac estilo*
– Jack Evans: NO! Don’t fly this kid out. Wathching him for the first time
makes your head turn, but if you sit back and think about it, this kid is outta
control. Not even Blitzkrieg was this crazy. There are better highflyers out
there than Jack Evans. SoCal’s own Zokre and Phoenix Star come to mind. Bobby
Quance too. I like my highflyers more well-rounded.
– Sabu: Too expensive. The Sabu novelty died out for me back in 99. Although
he did have a pretty impressive run in EPIC.
– Chris Hero: Maybe a tag tournament wasn’t the best place to showcase Chris
Hero’s wrestling knowledge and ability. If given enough time, and a singles
match, maybe he can wow the SoCal crowd. Or maybe it’s just more internet hype.
Who knows. His match on night 1 was alright, but I expect more out of Hero.
I know he is capable of more. It also doesn’t help that American Dragon was
the first to bust out the wacky European submissions in PWG…
– Bobby Quance: YES! More of this guy too! I can’t believe he’s signing up
for the Navy. This guy is awesome. He’s touring the world, and becoming a better
wrestler in the process, ala American Dragon, and now you’re telling me he’s
putting his wrestling career on hold, to ride around in a submarine in the Indian
Ocean and count blips on a radar?! Quance is seriously one of the best in SoCal,
best in the nation, arguably one of the best in the world. Book this guy as
often as you can, before it’s too late.
– American Dragon: Yeah, more of this guy too! This guy needs to be a regular
in PWG along with Quance. An Inoki Dojo stable would kick so much ass in PWG.
PWG isn’t really emphasizing it at all, but the Inoki Dojo has on their website.
Also, EPIC was hinting at it at their Glendale show, when the Pitbulls were
checking American Dragon after his match. American Dragon is probably one of
thee best wrestlers in the world. Not everyone will see it that way, but if
you just sat back and watched him wrestle, he is near flawless. Having toured
Japan, Europe, and soon Mexico, this guy is just gonna be a freak in the ring,
knowing possibly everything there is to know about wrestling. Insane. Believe
the hype. American Dragon is amazing. No question, bring this guy in every chance
you get.
– Rock Superstar Kaos: Eh, you’d get the XPW marks at your show, that’s for
sure. I was never completely sold on his work. Sure, he was the Ace of XPW,
but is that really saying much? When your peers aren’t that great to begin with,
and you’re simply outclassing them in every way shape or form, it isn’t really
saying much. I want to sign up for rec league basketball at the local YMCA,
ages 6-12, and just massacre every little kid out there. Block every single
shot, drive on every little kid, break some ankles, kick ass and take names,
you know? That’s what KAOS did in XPW. He could be given the chance to shine
against his SoCal peers, or the YMCA 18-35 rec league, but will he do as good
as he has in XPW, or will he even show up?
– Michael Shane: Overhyped. Don’t fly this guy in.
– Chris Sabin: Never actually seen him wrestle, but the consensus says he is
overhyped. No desire to really see what all the fuss is about. Plus, we already
have a “Future”, and his name is Frankie Kazarian, our PWG Champ.
Jerrelle Clarke: Never heard of him. I must be out of the loop on this one.
Info on this guy?
Sonjay Dutt: He’s been out here before in APW-LA against B-Boy. He’s alright,
but I don’t buy into his hype. He seems to do fairly well for CZW and MLW, but
I don’t see him doing well out here in SoCal, just based on his match with B-Boy
in Newhall, and the fact that he blatantly jacks shit from Toryumon. BLATANTLY.
Although I do love the gimmick and think he’s a good flyer. He just doesn’t
do it for me. *affirmative action*
– Jerry Lynn: No thanks. Capable worker, but hasn’t shown me anything new.
How many times will people go for that shoulderblock while he’s standing on
the apron? People fall for it every time. EVERY TIME WITH JERRY LYNN. He was
alright to watch back in ECW, but I mean c’mon. It’s 2004, and he still hasn’t
shown me anything new.
– Jody Fleisch: Awesome flyer. Too bad he killed himself at an ROH show and
blew out his knee completely. At least, that’s why I *think* he’s out of comission
and retired… He was one of the first highflyers to show me a really great
spotfest. Also, one of the first guys that got me into the Japanese scene. Glad
I got to see him live at BOTB2. Jonny Storm’s just as cool though! Speaking
of Jody’s peers, this leads me to…
– Doug Williams: SoCal needs to see the “Anarchist” live. You think
American Dragon’s a treat to watch, wait till you see what Doug can do. If anyone
should wow you with freaking euro submissions, it’s this guy. Before Chris Hero
and American Dragon were into their initial US training, Doug Williams was already
perfecting his wacky euro stretch aresenal. It’s a huge longshot, but Doug Williams
in a PWG ring would be fantastic. More people need to see what Doug Williams
is capable of.
– Teddy Hart: Never actually seen him wrestle, but I’m sick of all the hype
this kid’s getting. Doubt he’s worth flying in. Not even if Joe or Punk were
to stab him in the butthole. My opinion may change once I actually see him wrestle,
but I doubt it. Some more info on this guy, besides the drama, would be appreciated.
– Juventud Guerrera: I hear he’s not lazy anymore, which is a good thing. I’d
second Juvi being back in SoCal under one condition: that he brings his working
boots with him. And a blender, because you can’t have a Juice Bar without a
blender! “I’m the Juice! You want the juice in your ass? There’s alotta
juicy people in this town! I love you. Fuck you. Fuck you. Fuck you again. Fuck
you twice. You don’t get tired? So suck my dick. All the way. Not the great
one, but the juicy one!” Juvi with a mic rules, and Juvi with a mic AND
his working boots is even better. My last memory of Juvi is his match with X-Pac,
and that had both an awesome Juice Bar segment, and some kickass wrestling.
I believe in you Juicy Juicy Juicy Juicy Juiiiiiiiiiice.
– Mr. Aguila (Essa Rios): Haven’t seen ANY of his work since 99. I’ll take
Masked Akeem’s word for it if he says he’s still good. He was certainly good
back in the late 90’s. *Papi Chulo* Not worth flying in though.
– Raven: No desire really. Back in the late 90’s? Perhaps. But not now. No
desire to check out Raven’s Clockhouse Orange, House of Fun or whatever the
heck it’s called. I’m sure he’s asking for a ton of money since he is a big
name and all. Not worth the plane ticket…
– SAT: Not worth the plane tickets. I did drive up to APW CC to see them though,
just because I’ve seen them evolve (or devolve) since their start in Combat
Zone Wrestling, and I thought it’d be cool to see them live, at least once.
I did, and I’m done. That’s more than enough times for me. If they were back
in the trashman jumpsuits and wrestling like they used to, then I’d like to
see them. But now? No thanks. They’re not as great as they used to be, and they
are annoying in their MLW promos. It’s ridiculous when these guys bust out rolling
piledrivers and rolling powerbombs, and they still can’t score the 3 count.
WTF. Thanks, but no thanks.
– Onryo: I remember some SoCal promoter teasing that this guy would be wrestling
out here in SoCal. I bet a handful of people remember that one. It’d be cool
to see him live. I haven’t watched any of his new stuff lately, so I really
dunno if he’s worth flying out. He was cool at the time. But now, I dunno. Money
could be spent better elsewhere I guess. Instead of bringing out Onryo, Ebessan
and Kushinbo would be waaaaaaaay cooler.
– Hardcore Ninjas: No.
– El Hijo Del Santo, Blue Demon Jr, Mil Masacaras: PWG need not bring them
in. I can see these guys at Lucha Va Voom on February 12th at 8:00 PM with “Valentine’s
Massacre II: Love Hurts” at the Mayan Theatre in beautiful downtown Los
Angeles! 21 and over. Sorry kiddies. Tickets on sale now for general admission
and VIP! Hi Liz! *cheap plug* Wait, I take that back. Santo, Demon or Mascaras
won’t be there on the 12th, but they’ve wrestled for Lucha Va Voom before, so
*nyeah*.
– Messiah: He had a good showing with Chris Daniels as one half of Team Jesus
in the tag tourney. I wouldn’t mind seeing Messiah back in a PWG ring. I just
don’t see him fitting in to their style at all. Plus, if he still lives on the
East Coast, PWG should be flying in other east-coasters instead (read: Excalibur.
*throws fists in air* WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Say it like Excalibur does, not Ric
Flair! Fine, fine… HOOOOOOOOOOO! Wait, not like Hacksaw Jim Duggan! Ah fuck,
forget it).
– the Strong Brothers: Have only seen them work once for JAPW. Eh, they’re
OK. Not worth flying out. Maybe I’m watching the wrong footage I guess. If PWG
were to fly out an established tag team, it should be the Briscoes.
And that was the SoCal wish list at the moment. I enjoy flown in talent like
the rest of you (read: Tango & Cash Invitational), but the flown in talent
shouldn’t be the main focus or priority. They should help compliment our local
talent. And I think PWG’s doing a great job of that.
Scrub
Off my soapbox…
