Table of contents for June 2017 in Pro Wrestling Illustrated

SUGAR RAY LEONARD and Roberto Duran had no problem getting together for a photo shoot in 1980 for our boxing magazine, KO, prior to their second fight. They despised each other, but they understood the public relations value of going nose-to-nose on the cover of a national magazine prior to a huge fight. When I asked WWE to arrange a similar such photo session featuring Charlotte Flair and Sasha Banks, I had no idea of what trouble lay ahead. Sasha’s response: “Tell PWI I unfollowed them on Twitter for a reason. Not interested!” Charlotte’s response: “They didn’t put me on the cover of their ‘Female 50’ issue. Is this an attempt to make it up to me? Let them put Kevin Owens on the cover again.” I was told by…

Most folks might hesitate to stray from their respective comfort zones in life, especially when the choice of a new and different path will almost certainly lead to getting punched in the face. But for veteran grappler Jazzy “Alpha Female” Gabert, the decision to test her mettle in the world of MMA marked a new and intriguing stage of evolution in her life as an in-ring performer. “The idea of becoming a mixed martial artist came up in Japan when I worked with old-school wrestlers such as Nanae Takahashi and Kimura,” Gabert said. “Their training was very strict and hard, the matches were hard hitting, and we ended up injured with broken eardrums, black eyes, loose teeth, and concussions. I thought that in MMA, I could at least protect myself…

Being a wrestling fan and a movie buff, the first few months of a year are loaded with quality entertainment. On the cinema side, Hollywood studios tend to put forth their best films in the months leading up to the Oscars. Similarly, between New Japan’s big Tokyo Dome show, The Royal Rumble, and the rest of the Road to WrestleMania, there have been plenty of matches early in 2017 that could be considered high-art. With so much to choose from, what’s the best use of my time? Penning my annual Oscarthemed edition of “Quick Counts,” of course. Action! ARRIVAL Showbiz great Eddie Cantor once said, “It takes 20 years to become an overnight success.” Those words must ring especially true for one Kenny Omega. Coming off his performance in what…

TAP HERE FOR VIDEO CODY RHODES The bottom seemed to fall out of Cody Rhodes’ life on June 11, 2015, when his dad, Dusty Rhodes’ passed away at age 69. Cody went through an identity crisis of sorts and struggled with the idea of staying in WWE without his father being there. With a very strong amateur background as a two-time Georgia state champion, and the benefit of Dusty’s guidance, Cody earned a WWE contract in 2005 at the young age of 19. His formative years in Ohio Valley Wrestling proved he was a natural for the sport. His success continued on the main roster, where he formed the Legacy faction with two third-generation stars, Randy Orton and Ted DiBiase Jr. He went on to capture two Intercontinental titles and…

PHOTOS COURTESY EL REY NETWORK RANKED NUMBER NINE in the 2016 “PWI Female 50,” the Monterrey, Mexico-born Sexy Star has long been turning heads with her undeniable charisma, acrobatic ability, and technical skill. More notably, she’s made a name for herself by boldly challenging some of the toughest men in pro wrestling. While Star hinted in Lucha Underground’s 2014 series premiere that donning a lucha mask had saved her from going down a dark path, it’s only now that she’s revealed the deep connection between her traumatic past and her unconventional career path. “My historical journey into this sport came through abuse I suffered at the hands of a man,” she revealed to PWI. “Not physical abuse, but psychological abuse, which is much worse. Most physical injuries can be healed,…

Top 10 and Tag Team ratings are based on won-lost records for the past month, quality of opposition, and inherent skill of each wrestler or tag team. These ratings are compiled by a committee consisting of Stu Saks, Dan Murphy, Kris Zellner, Harry Burkett, Louie Dee, and STRIGGA (cagematch.net, purolove.com). The numbers in parentheses indicate a wrestler’s position in that category last issue. Agate-sized ratings are supplied to PWI by promoters and can be e-mailed to us at pwiresults@yahoo.com (please put the word “ratings” in the subject line). FOR PERIOD ENDED FEBRUARY 12, 2017 TOP 10 1 KEVIN OWENS 266, Marieville, QC (2) WWE Universal champion 2 KAZUCHIKA OKADA 240, Tokyo, Japan (4) IWGP heavyweight champion 3 BRAY WYATT 285, Brooksville, FL (–) WWE heavyweight champion 4 JOHN CENA 251, West Newbury, MA…

SISTERHOOD OF THE SQUARED CIRCLE For all their purported interest in re-imagining the canon of professional wrestling, the top bananas at WWE have never completely succeeded in cornering the market when it comes to history and nostalgia. Indeed, as long as wrestling fans count inquisitive minds and continuity buffs among their ranks, enthusiasts will aspire to compile a coherent history of the sport they love. In this spirit, writers Dan Murphy and Pat Laprade have penned a new work, Sisterhood Of The Squared Circle: The History And Rise Of Women’s Wrestling, which examines the role of the proverbial “fairer sex” in the evolution of the wrestling business. Sisterhood Of The Squared Circle traces the roots of women’s wrestling all the way back to the tumultuous relationship of promoter Billy Wolfe…

TAP HERE FOR VIDEO TEXT BY BRIAN SOLOMON  On a gloomy night in the fall of 1605, Thomas Bate of Warwickshire, England, joined a gang of radicals led by the notorious Guy Fawkes in a bold attempt to blow up the House of Parliament and assassinate King James I. Their infamous “Gunpowder Plot” failed, and Bate joined his fellow conspirators at the gallows. The incident was immortalized in a poem by John Milton that reads, “Remember, Remember The Fifth of November, The Gunpowder Treason and Plot, I know no reason why the Gunpowder Treason should ever be forgot.” To this day, the anniversary of the foiling of that plot is celebrated in Britain each year on November 5, otherwise known as Guy Fawkes Day. Some 411 years later, in the…

60-DAY HIGH: 22.11 on February 10 60-DAY LOW: 18.00 on January 3 52-WEEK HIGH: 22.11 on February 10, 2017 52-WEEK LOW: 14.27 on February 12, 2016 What can the critics say now? Wall Street analysts said the WWE Network business model would have a cannibalistic effect on net profits, and Internet pundits criticize WWE’s creative direction at every turn, but here’s the real bottom line: In the fiscal year of 2016, revenue increased by 11 percent to $729.2-million, the highest in the company’s history—higher than the Rock ’n’ Wrestling Era of the 1980s and the Attitude Era of the late- 1990s and early-2000s. WWE has developed three major drivers of stable growth: the Network, lucrative television agreements, and steady international expansion. According to thestreet.com, WWE’s revenue of $729-million in 2016…

DESPITE RUMORS TO the contrary, Kenny Omega is remaining with New Japan Pro Wrestling for the foreseeable future. The 33-year-old Canadian became wrestling’s hottest free agent following his epic battle with Kazuchika Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 11. IWGP heavyweight champion Okada successfully defended the title against Omega in a 46-minute thriller at New Japan’s signature event, held January 4th at the Tokyo Dome. The match was hailed as an instant classic, with Wrestling Observer Newsletter Publisher Dave Meltzer giving it “six stars” on his five-star grading system. Despite losing the bout, Omega came off as a breakthrough sensation. He sparked rumors that he might be ready to jump to WWE when he Tweeted he would be “stepping away from Japan to reassess (his) future,” prompting some fans to speculate that…

As the self-described “King Of Car-Crash Wrestling,” Joey Janela presides over an empire of twisted metal and broken bodies. In the course of his 10 years between the ropes, Janela has established himself as one of the sport’s most notorious loose cannons, garnering a throng of devoted fans who cheer his high-risk behavior with the cautionary plea, “Please don’t die, Joey Janela!” Hailing from Asbury Park, New Jersey, the birthplace of legendary grappler Bam Bam Bigelow, Janela would have been right at home on the roster of WCW’s bygone cruiserweight division or in the heyday of TNA’s X division. The 5’9”, 190-pound grappler has thrilled audiences in a host of independent promotions, including Pro Wrestling Syndicate, World Xtreme Wrestling, and Combat Zone Wrestling, blending agility and a diverse skill set…

THE CHAMP IS HERE … FOR THE AGES Even for a wrestling journalist, it’s easy to take John Cena for granted. Debuting in 1999 and first appearing in WWE in 2002, Cena has been a major factor during the last 15 years I have covered this business. It’s hard to believe we’ve watched Cena win 16 world titles during that time, including his historic 2006-07 WWE title reign. He’s a classy ambassador for our sport. KEVIN, PLEASE DON’T GO! I’ve always considered Kevin Kelly the “Jim Ross of ROH.” He was a solid announcer on Monday Night Raw, but there’s something about routinely being called a “hermaphrodite” that undermines one’s journalistic credibility. However, Kelly’s talent has shined in ROH. He conveys respect to the wrestlers, and is treated with respect…

TWENTY YEARS AGO, I had the privilege of filing my first story for Pro Wrestling Illustrated. A number of my match reports and letters had been published in PWI’s sister magazines as early as 1986, but it wasn’t until 1997—the June issue, to be exact—that I was actually paid for submitting a story to the industry’s premier magazine of record. Fortunately for me, I’ve contributed to every issue since, either as a freelancer or an in-house editor. In 1997, the NWO dominated WCW. The Bret Hart-Shawn Michaels rivalry captivated the WWF. The Monday Night War was at its peak, and ECW’s hardcore revolution was well underway. It was a golden age, comparable only to the boon of the mid- 1980s. With the Internet still in its infancy, it was a…

TAP HERE FOR VIDEO BEFORE BOBBY FISH became a Ring of Honor star, he found himself at a personal crossroads. His target for most of his adult life had long been to be a wrestling star. Now, he had to wonder if his new target would be, well … Target. Dare we say, it was time to fish or cut bait. On one hand, he could continue to pursue his dream of earning a living as a pro wrestler, hoping against hope that he could graduate from the grueling, lowpaying weekend gigs and land a full-time spot with a quality wrestling company. On the other hand, he could become an adult and get a job. “Wrestling wasn’t paying the bills, man,” Fish said. One of Fish’s friends urged him to…

RAW [USA] --VIEWERS IN MILLIONS December 12: 3.11 December 19: 2.96 December 26: 2.86 January 2: 3.05 January 9: 2.91 January 16: 3.27 January 23: 3.29 January 30: 3.62 February 6: 3.12 Analysis: Raw scored its highest rating in six months on January 30, the night after The Royal Rumble. WWE’s flagship program usually experiences a steady surge throughout the month of January, thanks to the build toward the Rumble coinciding with the lag time between the NFL playoffs and the Super Bowl. Raw scored above the three-million-viewer mark in the final four weeks of our evaluation period, and did so two other times, on December 12, when The New Day sought to surpass Demolition’s 478-day tag team title reign, and on January 2, when Bill Goldberg confronted Kevin Owens, Chris Jericho, and Braun…

We encourage promoters and readers to e-mail results to: PWIResults@yahoo.com Please try to utilize the exact format you see in the “Arena Reports.” Also, please distinguish between handicap matches and three- or fourway matches. And, when reporting the result of a handicap match, indicate the number of competitors and who was the last man eliminated. Finally, please note pinfall finishes. Following these guidelines will help us greatly and make it more likely that your report will be used. SPOTLIGHT CARD OF THE MONTH PENNSYLVANIA UPPER DARBY—NXT at the Tower Theater: Kassius Ohno pinned Patrick Clark … Daria Berenato pinned Mandy Rose … Oney Lorcan pinned Steve Cutler … Aleister Black pinned Andrade Almas … Women’s champion Asuka beat Ember Moon and Nikki Cross in a triple-threat … Alexander Wolfe &…