Exclusive interview with former WWE,ECW and current TNA Superstar Bully Ray

The team at Ring Rust Radio - Donald Wood, Mike Chiari and Brandon Galvin - recently got the chance to talk with former WWE and ECW and current TNA Superstar Bully Ray! With such a long career in professional wrestling, the guys got to talk to Bully about his history wrestling in the Northeast, his evolving roles in TNA and his work leading up into the upcoming Slammiversary Pay-Per-View.

Donald Wood: TNA is having one of its biggest shows of the year with Slammiversary on Sunday, June 15, from Dallas, Texas. You are scheduled to take on Ethan Carter III in a Grudge Match. As one of the kings of hardcore, how are you approaching this matchup physically and mentally?

Bully Ray: Here’s the deal, these types of matches I can do with my eyes closed. I’ve been having hardcore matches, table matches, any type of violent matches for a long, long time. I think this is Ethan Carter’s first match like this if I’m correct. Ethan Carter is stepping into a style of match which he is unfamiliar with and he is stepping in the ring with a guy who’s basically the top two or three of this style of match, period. Ethan Carter has very smooth, pretty skin, and when you chop it a certain way, it splits right open, and that’s what I’m going to do to him. I’m going to split his skin open, I’m going to chop him until he bleeds and hopefully bleeds to death. I’m definitely excited about the match. Slammiversary is a huge event for TNA. The Texas crowds have always been great for us and to be able to get my hands on a Carter and spill their blood in Dallas, Texas is going to be great for this kid from Hell’s Kitchen.

Mike Chiari: During your time in TNA you’ve feuded with a lot of authority figures including Hulk Hogan and Dixie Carter. As a performer, what do you like about feuding with someone in a non-wrestling capacity and what are some of the challenges it presents?

Bully Ray: A story is a story and she is a performer, she is someone on our television show and I don’t care who I’m standing across the ring from, if they’re in the ring with me, I’m going to make sure that it’s the best possible performance. I’m going to make sure they up their game and I’m going to make sure, first and foremost, that the people get what they paid to see and when it comes to Dixie Carter, the one thing that every TNA fan, every WWE fan, every ROH fan, every House of Hardcore fan, every wrestling fan around the world wants to see that lady get powerbombed through a table.

Brandon Galvin: TNA is heading to the road for stops in both Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and New York City at The Grand Ballroom at the Manhattan Center. As a wrestler who spent plenty of time in both cities with ECW, WWE and TNA, what does it mean performing in these venues at this point in your career?

Bully Ray: For me, it’s always great, I love performing in the Northeast, not because I’m from the Northeast, because I know what kind of atmosphere and what kind of fans there are in the Northeast. They’re so passionate and they’re so into the product. This is going to be the first time, I believe, that we will be taping in Pennsylvania and the first time we’ll be taping in New York City, and I think this is a great opportunity for TNA to take the wrestling world by the balls and show everybody what we’re really about. Entirely too many people sit back and knock TNA and don’t give it enough credit and those are the people, I believe, who look at the product with jaded glasses or whatever the term is and just bash, bash, bash. TNA is a really good company, is every single storyline good? No. Is every single wrestler good? No. Is every single baseball player good? No. Is every single football player? No. You get a mix, and I think the wrestlers are going to feed off of the Pennsylvania crowd, I think they’re going to feed off of the New York City crowds, and I think they’re going to be some of the most top notch performances you’ve ever seen.

Donald Wood: There was a lot of controversy surrounding your removal from the House of Hardcore card. You and Tommy Dreamer have been very outspoken on the way this situation was handled. Do you think fans should be expecting to see Dreamer involved in the TNA product as the company heads to the Northeast?

Bully Ray: If Tommy wanted to get involved, I would be more than happy to step to the side for just a moment so he could get his two cents in because you guys all sit back and say ‘oh, this is part of a wrestling story’. Guys, let me make you understand something. She pulled a scumbag move, more of a scumbag move than you people really know. I was booked in the main event two nights for my best friend’s up and coming promotion and then at the very last second got me pulled off. She pulled me off in a way where she could justify it and contractually, I could not sue her because she pulled me off for another TNA Spike event. She fucked me over, she fucked Tommy over, most of all she fucked the fans over. It’s a big deal. You hear the term ‘this person crossed the line’, Dixie Carter really crossed the line with this move and made it a lot more personal than a lot of people realize.

Mike Chiari: You recently did an interview for Roddy Piper’s podcast Piper’s Pit and you mentioned on Chris Jericho’s podcast that you’ve been a wrestling fan since you were a kid. As a young wrestling fan was Piper one of the guys you found yourself looking up to? And what was it like for you to get to sit down and talk with him?

Bully Ray: When I got the offer to sit down and talk to Roddy I was genuinely excited because I don’t know Roddy and that’s why I wanted to talk to him so much. Me and Jericho can sit down and it’s so easy because we’re such good friends and we can trade stories but me and Roddy don’t know each other so it’s kind of a feeling out period, you know. I had never gotten the opportunity to go back and forth on the microphone with Roddy Piper, so I jumped at the opportunity and it was awesome and we had so much in common. I think he respected the fact that I knew so much of the old school history of the business, something that guys that come from his day don’t expect guys like me to know, but I pride myself on being the last of the old school mentality. So, sitting down with Roddy was great, and we could’ve talked for hours.

Brandon Galvin: You've been in the business for more than 20 years and continue to find ways to re-invent your in-ring work and character. Where do you draw your inspiration from and is there something you've wanted to add to your character that you haven't had the opportunity to do so yet?

Bully Ray: The inspiration for me of always trying something new comes from the rock n’ roll world, watching bands like Kiss and Motley Crue. They go out there every year and they’re playing the same songs but they always find a different way to present it to you, a different stage set, a different feel, and that’s what I try to go out there and do. I try to take the rock n’ roll approach to things, whether I’m out there and people love me or people hate me, I try to go above and beyond. If people love me, I want them to name their first born child after me. If people hate me, I want them to slash my tires and despise me to a whole new level. I’m always thinking of new ways to do things and I’ll always be passionate about the business and I’ll always be passionate about taking the fans on a roller coaster ride, so that’s what keeps me going.

Donald Wood: One of the coolest additions to the Slammiversary card is the involvement of the Von Erich family. With the pay-per-view taking place in the heart of Von Erich country, are you excited for this monumental occasion?

Bully Ray: I’m just excited to meet Kevin Von Erich because he is somebody that I’ve never met before and with the Von Erich name in the history of professional wrestling it’s going to be a cool moment for me to shake his hand and tell him I appreciate what he and his family have done for the industry. I’m definitely looking forward to meeting him.

Mike Chiari: I know that you’re a big soccer fan, so with the World Cup getting started in Brazil, I was wondering who you see winning it all and lifting that World Cup trophy.

Bully Ray: I will always be pulling for my home country of Italy. I’m really hoping they can repeat what they did two World Cups ago. There’s so many strong teams, with the World Cup being in Brazil and them being probably the number 1 or number 2 powerhouse in the world right now, but Argentina is also going to be very tough because Argentina is in South America, so it’s always great when all these teams get together and put the absolute best on the field. I love the World Cup, I’m a huge soccer fan. Brazil, Argentina, Italy, Spain, all these powerhouses coming together is going to be awesome.

Brandon Galvin: You and Devon are the masters of the table. Who have you enjoyed putting through a table most during your career?

Bully Ray: The one person that we almost put through a table that would’ve been absolutely great was Vince McMahon. We had him jacked up, and ready to go, but I believe Road Dogg and X-Pac stopped us from doing that. As far as enjoying one person over another, a lot of people enjoyed the Mae Young table bump the most. I put Joe C from Kid Rock through a table. I’ve enjoyed everything, so everything sticks out in my mind but I think putting Vince McMahon through a table would’ve been special. I am really looking forward to jacking Dixie Carter up and putting her hard, hard, hard through the middle of that table.

Exclusive interview with Philadelphia wrestling icon and WWE Superstar Rob Van Dam

The crew at Ring Rust Radio is back again at the Delco Elbow Drop and News of Delaware County with another exclusive interview with one of the biggest pro wrestling stars of all time, former WWE and ECW World champion, Rob Van Dam! RVD has been all over the world in his near 24 years in the sport gives his unique perspective about wrestling in Philadelphia, working with the new generation of WWE Superstars, the upcoming Money in the Bank Pay-Per-View and much more. 

You can follow this link to visit the Ring Rust Radio website, listen to the interview on YouTube below or read the entire interview right here on the Delco Elbow Drop!

Donald Wood: WWE is coming back to Philadelphia on Sunday, June 22, for a show at the Wells Fargo Center. As a wrestler who spent plenty of time thrilling the fans in Philadelphia with both ECW and WWE, what does it mean to you coming back to the city at this point in your career?

Rob Van Dam: Well, Philly’s always one of those cities that I like to return to, you know. It’s one of my homes for sure as far as my career goes and my wrestling history. In ECW, I cut my teeth and that’s all Philadelphia so I look forward to it and this time we discussed which shows they wanted to put RVD on and I said the Philadelphia show, for sure. They love me there.

Mike Chiari: Since returning to WWE for your latest stint you've had the opportunity to work with some of the company's fastest rising stars, specifically Cesaro and Bad News Barrett. As a veteran performer do you take pride in helping some of these younger stars get over and reach their fullest potential?

Rob Van Dam: Yes and no. I place no focus on that. If somebody is willing to take some advice, then I have some, and that’s just life in general, a lot of people don’t want to hear anything. These guys and everybody at WWE right now is so good that the standard of the pro wrestler compared to maybe 10 years ago - night and day difference. I came back last year and I was so impressed. Guys that come up now through NXT, a lot of them, maybe most of them, seem to be growing up in the business and with only 4 or 5 years’ experience they’re already 10-12 year veterans. I’m more happy, with the caliber rising, that I can still get in there with my style and ability and still be relevant with the new age of wrestlers coming up just like it was back then. So, are they getting a rub from wrestling with me? Probably so, but these guys, I don’t feel like they need me. These guys have a great future and are heading to the top with or without wrestling Rob Van Dam, they just might have a few more bruises after wrestling me.

Brandon Galvin: Many fans relate Money in the Bank to being the summer version of the Royal Rumble. Since you've competed in many Money in the Bank and Royal Rumble matches, which do you find more exciting to participate in?

Rob Van Dam: The battle royals are usually among my least favorite matches, and of course the Royal Rumble is a very anticipated and popular pay-per view and it’s very important in setting up what happens that year with WWE, but for my personal participation, I like to keep the spotlight on me more. Single matches, I feel, have always been the ones where I can shine more. Three-way, four-way, you have to split your attention with some other guys and it can be totally great but when you get into a battle royal with 20 or 30 other guys, it’s just so different from what your agenda is when it’s one on one competition. My preference is from the perspective of the guy putting the boots on, but really, if it works, it’s good. If the fans love it, I love it.

Donald Wood: The Money in the Bank Pay-Per-View is scheduled for Sunday, June 29, in Boston and on the WWE Network. As the winner of the 2006 edition of the match, you know first-hand how a victory in the ladder match can change your career. How do you approach this event now that you're a little older and a little wiser?

Rob Van Dam: All the experience that I have goes with, not only knowing what it takes to pull off a match like that, but also experience in knowing myself and knowing what I can do and how far out there my comfort zone is. I love a match like Money in the Bank, I love a hardcore match, and that’s what the Money in the Bank ladder matches are; throw the rule book out and let out your imagination. Usually you have to be among the tougher to enjoy a match like that because you are going to be hit with steel and cement and there’s most likely going to be some blood even though they want to stop it with the current policies with the WWE, some people might get busted open. I wish they would bring the hardcore title back, that would make me happy.

Mike Chiari: You obviously have a long history with Paul Heyman dating back to ECW and you've once again had an opportunity to work with him during your feud with Cesaro. If a situation were to arise at some point that would allow you to join forces with Heyman again is that something you might be interested in?

Rob Van Dam: Possibly, you know, there’s a lot of factors to consider. Of course, whenever I’m working with him to any degree I have to consider the possibility that some writers may be thinking of that idea just like you are. I would be open to considering anything, but I really do enjoy being a fan-favorite, someone that gets the positive energy from the fans and all the love from those who are wrestling fans – guys my age, kids, women, whatever. I like that I have that appeal, and I like the love. That would be something, even within the parameters of entertainment, switching to bad guy, that those guys would put up with: all the negative energy that would occur if I were to switch. That would be something that has value to me, but besides that, of course I’d love to work with Paul.

Brandon Galvin: You've always been one of the most exciting and unique wrestlers in and out of the ring, which makes it difficult for fans to ever boo you. However, have you ever thought about playing the role of a villain again or do you think your in-ring style would make it too difficult for fans to turn on you?

Rob Van Dam: I don’t know, I actually started as a bad guy in the original ECW, back in ’96, because I was wrestling Sabu, who all the fans loved and treated like a god. With the thumbs pointing at myself, that was done in an arrogant manner to draw heat from the crowd and they seemed to love it, they seemed to love my moves. I don’t know if my style makes it hard to get fans to not appreciate me but I do think that the traditional hero is something that is old fashioned in somewhere like the deep south. I remember wrestling in Georgia, and as a good guy, to get the audience behind me, you just walk out and you clap your hands, you get the fans to clap with you and you smile. When I first went up to Philadelphia, if I tried that stuff up there, they would boo me out the door. So that kind of anti-hero or that more adult approach has taken over. The Attitude Era, ECW, everything together has come to make wrestling not so old fashioned, which I could say was cheesy by my standards and had to evolve, so now the fans tend to be drawn more towards what they find entertaining which is subjective.

Donald Wood: When you returned to the WWE, there were a lot of reports about your contract with the company. While it appears you won't be going for the major titles in the company as a part-time wrestler (at least right now), you have much more free time to explore other ventures outside the ring. Has it been difficult trying to adapt to the new style of part-time wrestling with the WWE?

Rob Van Dam: I have never been one of the guys that goes crazy at home, I can’t even imagine what that’s like. I need the balance. WWE knows I walked away from them in 2006, and I stayed away for 6 or 7 years, that I’m capable of that without question. The other wrestlers, they have a few days off and they go nuts. I remember, even when I was injured, I had my knee surgery and was home for 12 months but I wasn’t just sitting around, I had a lot of conventions and things, but I would get phone calls from some of my friends from wrestling saying ‘Rob I know you’re going crazy at home, but you’ll be back on the road in no time’ and that’s when I realized how different they are from me. I love my time at home, I need that balance, that’s why I left before, and that’s why this schedule is what works perfect for me. So, I don’t have to adjust to the busy times. We just did 17 matches in 23 days in my last run when we went to Europe and I did NXT in Florida as well as Raw and SmackDown. That kind of time for me is when I count the days till I get a break, always have, and some of the other guys have nothing waiting for them at the apartment anyways. They’re young and they’re looking to show people what they got, I’ll let them have it. I’m happy with my position and the way WWE is treating me right now.

Mike Chiari: You've faced most of the top stars in the business over the past two decades, but who is someone who you either haven't wrestled at all or have only wrestled sparingly that you'd like to work an extended program against in WWE?

Rob Van Dam: Hulk Hogan. Bring Hulk Hogan back, I want to work with him. I don’t really worry about those things. When people ask me about guys I don’t say yes or no, but I go where the money is, any chance I have to be a main event at a Pay-Per-View, like main-eventing WrestleMania, is that important to me? At this point it’s something that would be really nice.

Brandon Galvin: Not many fans know about your roles outside the ring as an actor. One of my personal favorites was when you appeared on City Guys in the late 90's. With the success of WWE Studios, would you be interested in appearing another film? 

Rob Van Dam: Yeah, totally, I actually have several projects back in LA that are on the table. Some of them are movie projects, some of them documentaries, some TV shows, and to me for that stuff to happen is like letting out 50 balloons in the air and seeing which ones make it back down. I regularly sign letters of interest with people who have given me offers and 9 out of 10 times, the projects don’t see the light of day and sometimes they do. When they do, it usually takes a lot of years before they come to fruition. I like to be on the creative side of that also, helping create the story and produce it. As much as I like the entertainment business, I hate doing auditions. I don’t do them. So when you don’t do auditions, you’re not going to get a lot of parts. I did plenty of auditions but I’m at a point now where my time is limited and I don’t enjoy doing auditions so now I take parts when they’re handed to me. So there’s a lot less projects for me but I love to do them.

Rumors that WWE have signed Japanese stars Prince Devitt and KENTA

Word has been making the rounds online that the WWE has signed two huge Japanese wrestling stars – New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Prince Devitt and Pro Wrestling NOAH’s KENTA. Numerous outlets have reported that Devitt has signed a contract with WWE though there has been less substantiation to the news that KENTA will be joining WWE. While no outlets have reported for certain that KENTA will join WWE, Pro Wrestling NOAH wrestler Takashi Sugiura confirmed to Tokyo Sports that KENTA will debut in NXT this summer.

Prince Devitt is an Irish wrestler with renown in both Europe and Japan. Devitt is a former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and former leader of the Bullet Club – a villainous group of gaijin wrestlers that also features “Machine Gun” Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows, The Young Bucks and most recently, AJ Styles. Devitt held the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight title for well over a year, defeating Low Ki in Nov. 2012 before recently losing the belt to Kota Ibushi at Wrestle Kingdom 8 in January. Rumors of WWE’s interest in Devitt have been circulating online for some time now and those rumors were recently given credence when he posted this image on his official Instagram account:

Devitt, keeping the IWC guessing

What further seemed to indicate that Devitt would be joining the WWE before too long was his loss to Ryusuke Taguchi at the “Invasion Attack 2014” iPPV where NJPW announced that if Devitt lost, he must leave the promotion.

The Devitt signing is interesting because he brings a lot of talent and athleticism to the table. Similar to Daniel Bryan in stature, Devitt is well versed in numerous styles and should have no problem finding a spot in WWE. It’s said that interest in Devitt rose greatly after William Regal gave a tape of Devitt wrestling current NXT Champion Adrian Neville (formerly Pac) to Triple H, which was what led to the WWE signing Neville initially.

Devitt is a young guy with a lot left in the tank and he could easily shake things up in the WWE just as much as the other rumored new WWE signee, KENTA.

KENTA, who formerly worked under his given name Kenta Kobayashi, is well-known to Japanese wrestling fans for his hard-hitting, relentless style. Fans of American independent wrestling should also be familiar with his work with Ring of Honor where he’s battled Bryan Danielson (Daniel Bryan), Nigel McGuinness, Tyler Black (Seth Rollins), and Austin Aries.

And while WWE fans may not be immediately familiar with KENTA, they know his work even if they don’t realize it. KENTA is known for using the Busaiku Knee Kick, the same running knee that Daniel Bryan uses as a finisher and also created the Go2Sleep that CM Punk used as a finisher (you know, back when he wrestled). I’ve also read that it is the great respect that Bryan and KENTA have for one another that led to Bryan using the running knee and KENTA using the LeBell Lock.

Though the rumors of KENTA joining WWE are still largely rumors right now, he does have a connection to the company (beyond his former work with Daniel Bryan). In January of 2014, he attended a training session at the WWE Performance Center with the blessing of Pro Wrestling NOAH. When it occurred, he claimed that he was not after a WWE contract but was fulfilling a dream of taking part in a WWE tryout. Sources are stating that KENTA will work his last Pro Wrestling NOAH show on May 17 at Korakuen Hall as he announced at an April 30 press conference that he would be leaving the company.

With such huge stars seemingly bound for the WWE, we could be seeing major changes in the landscape of the company. If true, both stars will report to NXT this summer and my guess is that it wouldn’t be too long before we see them on the main roster. I could easily see KENTA being paired with Daniel Bryan to immediately get him over – thanks to both Bryan’s popularity and their familiarity with one another from ROH. As for Devitt, we’re seeing lots of European stars coming to prominence in the WWE right now (US Champ Sheamus, Divas Champ Paige, IC Champ Bad News Barrett and Cesaro in the hunt for gold) so I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Devitt marshals that European starpower to take over WWE.

Sources:

WrestlingNews Depot

WrestlingInc.

Best of the Tubes – Puroresu Edition

I’ve been doing research for another article I’m writing for this blog and have been watching a lot of Japanese wrestling from the 80s and early 90s and I thought it would be cool to showcase some of the matches I’ve come across as I’ve been researching. I’m not as knowledgeable about Japanese wrestling as I am about WWE or the American indies but that’s what’s amazing about pro wrestling – it’s basically a universal language and you can appreciate a great match whether you can understand the commentators or not.

KENTA tries to kick through Mitsuhara Misawa

The term “puroresu” comes from the Japanese pronunciation of “pro wrestling” and there are several fundamental differences between puro and American pro wrestling. For example, Japanese wrestling is known for being much harder hitting than American professional wrestling. The competitors are committed to putting on intense performances and the stiffer strikes and moves performed in Japanese wrestling is often referred to as “strong style.”

In puro, there is less emphasis on storyline driving confrontations between wrestlers, rather the stories told in the matches themselves are the focus. “Shoot” fights are also more common in puro, as Japanese wrestlers like to blur the lines between “professional wrestling” and “real fight.” You’ll also hear the term “fighting spirit” a lot when talking about Japanese wrestling, which is the idea the a fighter can continue to battle on sheer strength of will, even if his body is bruised and battered. 

And with that – on to the wrestling!

(Extra bonus – Andre the Giant commentates some of these matches in Japanese)

Mitsuhara Misawa vs. Jumbo Tsuruta

All Japan Pro Wrestling, 8/6/1990

Stan Hansen vs. Kenta Kobashi

All Japan Pro Wrestling, 8/15/1993

Riki Choshu vs. Big Van Vader

IWGP Heavyweight Championship

New Japan Pro Wrestling, 8/19/1990

I just noticed each of these matches took place in August. That’s a bit odd.

I’m going to showcase one more match – a bit older than the above puro matches but I found it buried among my bookmarks to other matches so I thought I’d throw it in.

Mil Mascaras vs. Dory Funk Jr.

Not sure of the date or promotion (Guess late 70s in AJPW)

Mil Mascaras is the uncle of WWE Superstar Alberto Del Rio while Funk is the older brother of Terry Funk. This match is a little slower paced than the others above with an emphasis on technical, chain wrestling but just as in the other matches above, this battle features the same hard-hitting style that Japanese wrestling became known for later.

Masked Mania brings lucha libre to Philadelphia

Even though I’ve been watching professional wrestling since I was a little kid, I’d never experienced a wrestling match where chants of “U-S-A!” mark the heel wrestlers but before Sunday, I’d never seen a real lucha libre show before either.

Masked Mania, held at the 2300 Arena (formerly the ECW Arena) in South Philadelphia, treated fans to an amazing lucha libre performance on Sunday, marking one of the first – if not the first – time the city has hosted a true lucha show. With 8 matches on the card, each offered something unique for wrestling fans and those looking to familiarize themselves with Mexican lucha libre. Fast-paced tag team wrestling, rudos vs technicos, trios matches and amazing displays of technical prowess were all in store at Masked Mania. Perhaps most impressive was that the nature of the show was perfect for people of all ages to enjoy – whether you’re a grizzled, jaded smark like me or a wide-eyed kid on a family outing, Masked Mania presented an exciting show for all.

The teams of Latin Dragon and Ultimo Panda versus Incoherence (Hallowicked and Frightmare) opened the show in spectacular fashion. Incoherence played the roles of villains, using their intimidating masks to strike fear into the crowd while their foes Dragon and Panda won over the crowd with impressive dance moves. Latin Dragon got the pin on both Hallowicked and Frightmare with a splash from the top rope.

I should also note that ECW alum Joel “The Quintessential Studmuffin” Gertner was performing the job of ring announcer for the evening. And, it being a lucha libre show, Gertner did the entire show in Spanish.

Next up, the trio of “3 Live Gringos” Chuck Taylor, Papadon and Orange Cassidy took on The Osirian Portal and Green Ant. Taylor, Cassidy and Papadon came out to Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” and played the part of rudos, marking maybe the first time ever American wrestlers were booed for being American in America. Regardless of that chicanery, this match was really fun and let the technico team pull off some impressive double team maneuvers like the Portal hypnotizing their opponents or pulling off a tandem top rope splash/leg drop combo for the win.

Following the trios encounter was the first title match of the night where Solar battled Negro Navarro for the Campeonato de Maestros in what could only being described as a technical wrestling clinic. I think it was 10 minutes before the first strike was thrown between the two as they traded position and holds before a captivated audience. Eventually, Negro Navarro made Solar submit to what looked like a Kimura lock to retain his championship. After the match was over, the fans showed their appreciation for the wrestling wizardry they had just witnessed by showering the ring with coins and dollar bills, as is apparently the tradition in Mexico when two wrestlers engage in a particularly intense, back-and-forth contest.

Next up was a minis match for the PWR Campeonato de Minis between Pequeno Pierroth and the champion, El Mini Mariachi. Pierroth and Mariachi battled inside the ring and out of it and after Pierroth hit a big powerbomb, it looked like we were in for the first title change of the night as Pierroth picked up the three count. It wasn’t long before a Masked Mania official came to ringside and restarted the match, asking the fans if they wanted five more minutes. I couldn’t really tell you why the match was restarted (in my best Ron Burgundy, “You know I don’t speak Spanish”) but Mariachi soon rolled up Pierroth with a Victory Roll and the show went to intermission.

After the break, Christina Von Eerie was set to defend the PWR Campeonato de Feminil against Japanese wrestler Sumie Sakai. Despite Von Eerie’s punk rock look, she played the part of the technico in this match as Sakai tried every underhanded tactic in the book to win. Even with the help of her manager, Sakai couldn’t defeat Von Eerie, who left Philadelphia with her championship.

Following the women’s championship match, “The Spartan” Matt Cross (formerly MDogg20) was set to take on Cassandro. While most lucha libre matches are between a rudo and technico, there exists a third alignment in lucha wrestling – the exotico. Dressed in flamboyant fashions with spectacularly styled hair, Cassandro made the perfect foil to the ultra-tough Spartan character portrayed by Cross. But even though his appearance isn’t typical for a professional wrestler, Cassandro proved that his skills in the ring are unparalleled, ultimately earning the victory with what looked like a Victory Roll off the top rope.

The second-to-last match of the night was another trios match, though a much more hard-hitting contest than the first that the crowd witnessed. In this match, Blkout (Ruckus and Sabian) teamed with Homicide to take on Sabu, Damien 666 and Bestia 666. There wasn’t much order in this match as all six wrestlers battled inside and out of the ring, using whatever they could get their hands on to batter their opponents. Despite his age and the wear from many years in the ring, Sabu can still put on a great show, eventually earning the win over Homicide with an Arabian facebuster through a table. (Also, Homicide was sporting a “Nick Gage mugshot” t-shirt which, as a former CZW mark, I got a kick out of.)

In the final match of the night, Mexican wrestling legends Dr. Wagner Jr. faced La Park (formerly La Parka) in a classic show down. This match featured just about everything you could want – hold for hold wrestling, hard strikes, unmasking dramatics (losing your mask is akin to death in lucha wrestling) and even referee shenanigans when La Park threw the ref into a sunset flip on Wagner and counted the pin, followed by the ref celebrating – only to be brought back down to earth by a chop from Wagner. La Park even took off his belt and lashed Wagner with it a few times, eliciting gasps from the crowd, though Wagner was able to battle back and earned a win from a quick rollup.

Without a doubt, Masked Mania was one of the most fun indy wrestling shows I’ve been to in a long time. Every match had something special to offer fans and there was never a dull moment in any of the action. I was also very pleased with how efficiently the show ran, starting on time without any big derailments or distractions and kept everyone in attendance on the edge of their seats, despite the show running almost four hours long.

I’m pretty sure that Masked Mania was broadcast on iPPV through www.highspots.com and you should be able to purchase a replay from them as well. I’m also hoping that a DVD will eventually be produced of the show because it was definitely a show I would want to experience again.

(I took some pictures with my phone but they’re probably terrible. If they aren’t terrible, I’ll update later with some pics)