Table of contents for June 2018 in Pro Wrestling Illustrated

A LITTLE PIECE of me felt sorry for Vince McMahon as he conducted his online video press conference in January announcing the return of the “reimagined” XFL for 2020. Vince seemed very much out of his element taking questions from the mainstream media, most of whom seemed very respectful but were understandably cynical. Sadly, for all his incredible success over the past 35 years, Vince still finds the need to be accepted as more than an ultra successful rasslin’ promoter. It hurts him to the core that the “sports entertainment” business will never be regarded as being on the same level of sports or entertainment. McMahon doesn’t have many insecurities, but his futile attempts to prove himself to people who are polite to his face but scoff at him behind…

FOR MORE THAN 30 years, WrestleMania has reigned supreme as the biggest date on the wrestling calendar. The “Showcase Of The Immortals” is the most watched pro wrestling event of the year globally. For a wrestler, earning a spot on the card is not only a matter of honor, it’s also a bonus in the pocketbook, as it has historically been the biggest payout of the year. Multiple-competitor matches like the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal have been added to the card in an attempt to get as many contracted competitors as possible involved. While every wrestler dreams about having their “’Mania Moment,” many wrestlers have competed on the sport’s grandest stage in thoroughly forgettable bouts. Other major WWE stars missed out on WrestleMania altogether. Here’s a look at…

NICK ALDIS OFFICIALLY launched his crusade to restore prestige to the NWA heavyweight title, defending the legendary “10 pounds of gold” at the Championship Wrestling from Hollywood show in Port Hueneme, California, on February 11. Although the champ’s manager, Austin Idol, was not on hand for the show, Idol personally arranged for Aldis to face a “mystery opponent” that evening, who was eventually revealed as WWE alumnus James Ellsworth. Aldis picked up the win in relatively short order, forcing Ellsworth to tap out to a Boston Crab. Aldis has his sights set on defending the title far and wide, from coast to coast of North America to venues throughout Europe and Asia. Seriously, though, for him to restore luster to the NWA belt, he’s going to have to face a…

TRUMPMANIA In many respects, Donald Trump’s 2016 triumph at the polls was a marketing victory in which big business and brand recognition proved to be of equal or greater importance than political acumen. It is therefore not surprising that other enterprising entities now seek to chip off a little of the glory for themselves, forging ahead in the same entrepreneurial spirit of Mr. Trump himself. Such is the case with respect to TrumpMania: Vince McMahon, WWE, And The Making Of America’s 45th President by Lavie Margolin. Turning back the clock three decades, Margolin traces the Trump and McMahon bromance all the way back to WrestleMania 4, which was held at the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino. It was a lifetime ago to wrestling fans and political aficionados alike, as Trump’s…

NEARLY 20 YEARS AGO, I was working as the city editor of a little daily newspaper in Western New York. As with any smalltown newspaper, the most popular feature was the daily police blotter listing various arrests from the previous day. My phone rang one day and an irate man was on the other end of the line. “You put my name in the paper when I get stopped for DWI,” the man yelled. “How come you don’t put my name in the paper when the charge gets plea-bargained down, huh?” I explained that we, as a newspaper, had an obligation to report on arrests and that they were a matter of public record, as were sentencings in court. Other court decisions, such as plea bargains and adjournments in contemplation…

LOADED WITH TALENT, but having struggled at times to reach the masses. More than 15 years into the wrestling game, but still as motivated as ever to compete, grow, and entertain. Ever-evolving, and pushing the entire industry to do the same. Not only do those words describe Impact Wrestling, they also fit the company’s newest champion—Austin Aries. Six months after his release from WWE, the self-professed “greatest man that ever lived” surprised the wrestling world by returning to Impact, and on his first night back, defeating Eli Drake to capture the heavyweight title. But more than just the latest championship victory in a career laden with gold, Aries said his Impact homecoming marks an opportunity to help transform the wrestling business, while also giving back to a company that believed…

THE GRADES ARE in and it’s time once again to separate the honor roll from the class clowns. At the start of each year, the PWI editorial team takes a look at 100 of the biggest names in the game and evaluates their accomplishments over the previous calendar year. Our Report Cards show which wrestlers have excelled and made commendable progress over the course of the past 12 months, as well as those who have struggled or found themselves stuck in a rut. We identified 100 wrestlers from all over the wrestling world, including WWE, Impact, ROH, Japan, and the independents, and issued each a letter grade based on their accomplishments in 2017. Performance markers include championships won and won-loss records, as well as more intangible criteria, such as quality…

KENNY OMEGA WAS ousted as the leader of The Bullet Club just weeks after the biggest win of his career, throwing New Japan into a state of flux and putting The Bullet Club at a critical—shall we say—cross-Rhodes. As expected, Wrestle Kingdom 12 proved to be a critical and commercial success for New Japan, drawing a reported 43,000 fans to the Tokyo Dome on January 4. The event was topped by a pair of main events: Kazuchika Okada defending the IWGP heavyweight title against Tetsuya Naito and IWGP U.S. champion Omega defending his title against Chris Jericho in a “no-DQ” bout. Omega retained his title, pinning Jericho after a One-Winged Angel onto a steel chair in 34:36. The win further solidified Omega’s reputation as a worldwide elite competitor and main-event…

THE MYSTIQUE OF the Orient. It has existed through the centuries, from the explorations of Marco Polo to the Japanese technological revolution of the 1980s and the emergence of China in the 2000s. It’s half a world away, and, even with communications advances, we’re still trying to understand Asia from a distance. The same is true as it relates to professional wrestling. New Japan Pro Wrestling, even though it has existed since 1972, has become a phenomenon in the West. Jay White’s recent IWGP U.S. title win over Kenny Omega—as well as Omega’s ouster from The Bullet Club—were just as newsworthy over here as over there. The Internet, the popularity of New Japan’s mega-shows (including its outstanding events in Long Beach, California, last year), and a weekly television show on…

CURT HAWKINS DRIVES to the arena with a purpose. His eyes glisten with the anticipation of a zealous hunter before he takes the entrance ramp. He is more intense and motivated than ever inside the ring. All the attention Hawkins is receiving because of his recent streak—well over 150 consecutive losses in WWE as of press time—is renewing his enthusiasm as a performer. “I don’t think there’s been a downside to the streak, now that it’s been acknowledged,” Hawkins told PWI. “The low point was floating along as a loser that nobody cared about. Now they care if I win or lose, so it’s a lot more fun for me because the fans are interested to see if the streak ends or not.” The last time Hawkins won a match,…

  Best year ever. That’s a simple declarative statement, isn’t it? We all hear the chatter on podcasts and in social media. It’s not the glory days, like the Attitude Era or the Rock ’n’ Wrestling Connection. John Cena isn’t as big a star as The Rock, Steve Austin, or Hulk Hogan. We all hear—and sometimes make—criticisms of the current era, but there’s only one bottom line that matters: 2017 was the most profitable year in WWE history—undisputed. And if wrestling’s largest company is doing that well, then the rest of the industry has lots of potential, too, including New Japan, Ring of Honor, Impact, and the independents. According to WWE’s fourth-quarter report, which included full stats for 2017, overall revenue increased by 10 percent to $801-million, the highest in…

FOR PERIOD ENDED FEBRUARY 15, 2018 TOP 10 1 AJ STYLES 218, Gainesville, GA (1) WWE heavyweight champion 2 BROCK LESNAR 286, Minneapolis, MN (–) WWE Universal champion 3 KAZUCHIKA OKADA 240, Tokyo, Japan (2) IWGP heavyweight champion 4 JOHN CENA 251, Newbury, MA (–) Free agent 5 BOBBY ROODE 235, Toronto, ON (–) WWE U.S. champion 6 THE MIZ 221, Hollywood, CA (–) WWE Intercontinental champion 7 BRAUN STROWMAN 385, Sherrills Ford, NC (4) No. 1 contender WWE Universal title 8 SHINSUKE NAKAMURA 229, Kyoto, Japan (10) No. 1 contender WWE heavyweight title 9 DALTON CASTLE 219, Catalina Island, CA (8) ROH heavyweight champion 10 AUSTIN ARIES 202, Milwaukee, WI (–) Impact Wrestling heavyweight champion TAG TEAMS 1 CESARO & SHEAMUS Combined weight: 499 pounds (5) Raw tag team…