My ECW Arena Memory

Tomorrow one of the most newsworthy, buzzworthy and (quite possibly) meaningful wrestling arenas/venues in the United States will hold the final wrestling events within the historic walls as they stand now. The building (seen above) will continue to reside at the corner of Swanson & Ritner in South Philadelphia, but the blood, sweat and tears that are embedded within the walls will be removed as part of a re-model and re-direction project as the venue changes into a 3,000 or so seat concert hall of sorts. Now, if you are a wrestling fan, then this news is not news to you. This building will always be the "ECW Arena" to so many people, even with the myriad of name changes and pro wrestling promotions that ran there after the original ECW ended over 10 years ago.

I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to attend one of the "famed" ECW Arena shows, seeing ECW live in the confines of this building. For me, as a 19 year old kid at the time, who traveled with my future wife and mother-in-law to celebrate Thanksgiving with my future family, in all honesty my heart and my passion was knowing that on Saturday, November 27, 1999 I was going to get be part of an experience that I had always hoped for. One that I read Pro Wrestling Torch newsletters cover to cover seeking out "Arena Reports." One that I had seen so many times before, thanks to trading tapes and expanding my pro wrestling horizons. One that I made damn sure I would not miss when ECW broke the pay-per-view barrier and held "Barely Legal" in 1997. Those are just a few examples of many I could offer.

Here is the card I was able to see and take in from my 2nd row seat:

November 27, 1999 in Philadelphia , PA ECW Arena drawing 1,700
1. Nova & Kid Kash beat Bo & Jack Dupp when Nova pinned Jack
2. Jerry Lynn pinned Little Guido
3. Super Crazy pinned Ikuto Hidaka
4. Simon Diamond pinned Jazz
5. Chris Candido & Rhino beat Danny Doring & Amish Roadkill when Rhino pinned Roadkill
6. Spike Dudley pinned Mikey Whipwreck
7. Axl Rotten & Balls Mahoney beat CW Anderson & Bill Wiles when Rotten pinned Wiles
8. ECW TV Champ Rob Van Dam pinned Uganda
9. Sandman pinned Raven; Tommy Dreamer was the guest referee.
10. ECW Champ Mike Awesome pinned Justin Credible

Now, for the way I positioned my feelings about this venue, you'd likely think that there is a sole, singular memory, especially about the wrestling that I would carry with me, right? Not so. The card, the crowd, driving into South Philly by myself for the first time ever, the lining up outside, the atmosphere, the fear of not wanting to leave my seat and explore the Arena and more all unfolded in the experience I had.

But for me, wrestling shows and wrestling trips have always been about more than just what I go to and will see in the ring. When I ventured to Ring of Honor's debut show in February 2002, I made sure that the day of that event, before the ROH show that I took my Dad (who passed away last year) to the venue, even if only to see the outside (which we did) as it looks above, so he would know where ECW grew and became what it was to me and so many other fans. So many other groups have run this venue over the last 10 years, again, some to great success and some not so much. While I would have liked to go to some those shows (ROH, Dragon Gate USA), there was always something that prevented it and deep inside, I didn't want to change the way I experienced it back in 1999.

As the doors open to let fans in tomorrow for a wrestling doubleheader (CZW in the afternoon and EVOLVE 10 at night, which you can attend live or can be purchased on iPPV (right here: http://www.wwnlive.com/signup.php?id=219), many will be seeking that one final great moment that the Arena will give them. There have many before, but the final moments and memories will occur for many tomorrow. I will be watching EVOLVE 10 live and think they are set to deliver a great show. I will be excited to have one final memory that they help create, but also remain thankful for that venue, my opportunity to be there at least once live and the memories that I will hold onto forever.

13 Questions With Gabe Sapolsky; EVOLVE 10 Preview!

EVOLVE 10 will occur live from South Philadelphia, PA at the "World Famous" Arena on the corner of Swanson and Ritner (Tickets still available by calling 267-519-9744 or you can watch live on iPPV, by ordering here: http://www.wwnlive.com/signup.php?id=219). Rather unbelievably, this event will mark the final pro wrestling event scheduled for the venue were Sabu made his name as a "Homicidal, Suicidal Maniac," Tommy Dreamer was the "Innovator of Violence," Public Enemy danced around the ring to Ini Kamoze's "Here Comes The Hotstepper," Terry Funk cemented his legacy as a "Hardcore Icon" and so much more!

Gabe Sapolsky shared his time with us to talk EVOLVE 10, why this show is important for him on many levels and much more!

1. It has been just about 6 weeks since the announcement of the union of Dragon Gate USA and EVOLVE. Describe your feelings as EVOLVE 10 approaches, being the first show since that announcement?


Gabe: I am very excited because EVOLVE 10 on January 14th will showcase all the benefits of the union between Dragon Gate USA and EVOLVE. Enough of talking about it. Now it is time to show everyone what this means and blow everyone away.

2. EVOLVE 10 will be the final event at former ECW Arena on January 14th and broadcast live, world-wide on iPPV at WWNLive.com. For DGUSA/EVOLVE fans who don’t know, what was your role with ECW from 1994-2001 and why “A Tribute to The Arena” is important to you?


Gabe: I did some of everything behind the scenes in ECW, including running the ticket office upstairs at Tod Gordon's office and then at my apartment, yes my apartment, for those years for all the ECW Arena shows. It is very important that we send the building out the right way because now it will become a legend. Everyone who went there will talk about the time they went there 25 years from now. Those who never got to go there will forever regret it. So much has happened in that building including a great deal of personal history. I can literally look in every corner of the building and think of a memory like a friend I met or a match I saw among other things. Now we have a chance to write the final chapter and it has to be special.

3. EVOLVE 10’s Main Event is Johnny Gargano’s first Open The Freedom Gate title defense and is against Ricochet. You’ve released an excellent video to highlight this match and it can be said for both guys, but with Gargano specifically, there has been so much growth by both talents the last two years from when they debuted in EVOLVE. Do you find that to be extremely rewarding and a great return on investment, professionally and personally or both?


Gabe: Yes, it is definitely very rewarding. It's also the most fun thing to watch as a booker. There is nothing like watching a talent work hard, have that drive and motivation and improve. Gargano and Ricochet both have those qualities. It is inspiring to watch.

4. DG USA and EVOLVE has really made a mark with their on-line, “viral” videos, like the one mentioned before, along with Sami Callihan and Bobby Fish as well. How important do you consider those videos are in terms of creating a buzz and generating interest for the shows? Is that something you urge or encourage wrestlers to do or do guys like Callihan etc. take charge on their own?


Gabe: Yes, I urge everyone to do it. It's all free advertising. It's a great way to get your name and character out there. It's great promotion. There are no negatives about it.

5. Sami Callihan vs. Bobby Fish will also meet for the 2nd time on 1/14. Callihan earned “Wrestler of the Year” talk in various placed for his 2011 efforts. Fish has arguably been the “best” story in EVOLVE since the beginning and is truly an example of the “homegrown star” efforts for wrestlers in these companies. What should fans expect to see or look for in this match?


Gabe: Both Callihan and Fish are great talents who have done a tremendous job and have that drive to get better. I think this could be the show stealing match. Both are really fired up for it.

6. Speaking to the approach of building “homegrown stars/talent,” which we talked about just about 6 months ago, has that process met your expectations?


Gabe: Yes, it has surpassed my expectations actually. I am very excited about our talent roster now. I feel we have a very diverse roster where everyone brings something different to the table. It has given us a very fresh and exciting product. This talent roster is also a lot of fun to book. I think the EVOLVE show this Saturday will really show how good these guys are. I've been calling them today's new stars and I firmly believe that. The next wave of talent aren't coming tomorrow, they are here today, and it has given us a tremendous homegrown roster. Please know when I say that I'm not taking credit for developing them or saying they were unknowns before they came to us, when I say homegrown talent roster I mean we have been able to brand a roster as our own when they are in DGUSA and EVOLVE. It takes nothing away from any other promotion they are currently in or where they cut their teeth.

7. On the flipside of that, do you ever have to resist or fight the urge to book wrestlers that could be an additional draw or provide an additional boost to DG USA or EVOLVE?


Gabe: No, if the right talent is available who can add something to the show and we can come to a business agreement we will book them. Our goal is to give the fans the product possible. If there is someone who can add to that we will book them. It is all about giving the fans more than their money's worth.

8. You have been sharing very important and personal ECW Arena reflections via Facebook over the last month. What type of emotion has that stirred up for you and have you used it to motivate you in planning and prepping for EVOLVE 10?


Gabe: Thank you for reading. For people out there you can read it at www.Facebook.com/BookItGabe. It's funny you put it that way because it definitely has stirred up a lot of emotion for me. It got me thinking about all the stuff that I will never forget that happened in that building whether it was during ECW or booking ROH or DGUSA or any of the other shows I have seen like CHIKARA and CZW. All of that has just got me really hyped up to make sure the building goes out the right way, that we have a proper farewell and that we have a killer show.

9. How are wrestlers approaching being a part of the final event at such an important building? I know some wrestlers have shared some thoughts in the most recent WWNLive.com Magazine, but is it something organic where they’ve come to you because they know they are about to be part of history?


Gabe: It is very organic. Everyone grew up watching something in that building, whether it was live, on TV, on videotape, on DVD. Everyone who got into wrestling was influenced by something that happened there. It is a goal of everyone to wrestle in that world famous building one day. I'm not just talking about American indy wrestlers, but wrestlers all over the world. It is a very special place and now we have a special opportunity to have the last show there on January 14th.

10. What is the “sleeper” match of EVOLVE 10 and which wrestler has the best opportunity to really break out?


Gabe: That's a tough question to answer because I feel we have put together a really strong card from the opening bell to the Johnny Gargano vs. Ricochet main event before the final Tribute To The Arena segment. I think if everything goes well that everyone has a chance to get over. I'm looking to have a statement show here.

11. EVOLVE 11 is scheduled for April 13 and a Canada debut. Is a goal for 2012 to have EVOLVE run bi-monthly at a minimum as part of the plan with mixing the DG USA events? Are there any other markets drawing strong consideration to host a show?


Gabe: I'm not going to say we have a goal or set number of shows in mind. We are going to hold shows when we have a good opportunity and it makes sense. It will be more regular than 2011 and easier to follow, especially with the union.

12. What is your biggest challenge in 2012?


Gabe: Good question! There's a lot of challenges ahead. I'd have to think about it.

13. How can fans best support EVOLVE, DG USA, WWNLive.com and also connect with you?


Gabe: It's simple- come to a show, buy a DVD, buy an iPPV, buy a shirt, if you feel we are worth supporting please support us. Every sale counts on this level. I can be reached on Twitter @BookItGabe and Facebook.com/BookItGabe. Also make sure to check www.DGUSA.tv for all the news and info on upcoming shows. You can also sign up for our Email News Express and WWNLive.com Email Magazine which are great ways to get the news delivered right to you. Thank you for the interview.

There Goes The Pain: Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar stormed the Ultimate Fighting Championship to cheers and jeers in 2007. An incredible athlete, who excelled as an All-American Wrestler, a WWE "Sports Entertainer" and darn near became a Minnesota Vikings football player, decided to tackle this next challenge within The Octagon of UFC. MMA purists hated the idea; how could a "fake" pro wrestler even think to compete against some of the best of the UFC? Why would Dana White risk the integrity of his rapidly growing sport by "tainting" it with the connotation that a former pro wrestler would bring with him? Was there anyway Brock could succeed or this could work to begin with?

I don't intend for this entry to recap Lesnar's UFC career. It was successful and unfortunately it was hampered by two bouts of diverticulitis (October 2009 and May 2011). Brock Lesnar, if nothing other than in name alone, gave another nudge to the growth boom that UFC has and still is experiencing. I am sure he brought new fans to the sport. Much like Floyd Mayweather Jr. (seemingly the last hope for boxing), Lesnar knew how to get fans to love him or hate him. This was no doubt a mixture of his natural attitude mixed with his WWE history.

I know that was Brock Lesnar was scheduled to fight, I made it a point to watch...and many others did too. People paid money to buy pay-per-views. People showed up in big numbers, in arena and in sports bars alike to see his fights. I'll not make any claims to being a "die hard" UFC or MMA fan, but Lesnar's involvement allowed me the chance to get more invested in this incredible sport and become a much more passionate UFC fan than I was before his tenure. And I plan on sticking around.

No matter what the footnotes to his UFC career are (in no particular order): incredible athlete; brash and cocky; not interested in developing a well-rounded game; can't take a punch or body blow; Heavyweight Champion; villian - Brock Lesnar will have a legacy in the UFC. Dana White was not an "idiot" to bring him in. Lesnar was at the forefront of a boom of athletic heavyweight fighters and should always be remembered for that as well.

Our Wishes for 2012

We wanted to take a moment and look at 3 wishes we each have for pro wrestling in 2012, without any further adieu, here is what we are wishing for!

Tom’s 3 Wishes for 2012:

~A Dolph Ziggler World Title Reign – Ziggler has become one of my favorite wrestlers to follow and watch towards the end of 2011. I cannot wait to see what is in store for 2012.

~To Attend One Wrestling Event Per Month – This is a lofty goal for me, because I have a young family and a busy schedule. I think it is achievable in the Midwest area, with WWE, ROH, DG USA, CHIKARA, EVOLVE, AAW, Resistance Pro and more running shows in that area. If I attend live, expect a write-up here at Two Spot Monkeys,

~Take Two Spot Monkeys from “Blogcast” to Podcast – Jim and I had first hoped to record an audio podcast on a regular or semi-regular basis, but came to a decision that a blog was the way to begin. In 2012, it may be time to take the next step.


Jim’s 3 Wishes for 2012:

First and foremost, let me just say, I love Tom’s wishes, especially the idea of debuting some audio content here on Two Spot Monkeys…stay tuned!!!

~A Future Shock ROH World Tag Title Reign – I love the team of Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly, and while I think they are both destined for big things as singles (and hope that we get to see Cole’s work as a heel as well later this year), I want to see them get a reign as tag champs before all that happens. A feud with the Young Bucks over the tag titles would be just fine with me as I’ve said before here.

~Dean Ambrose to not only debut for WWE, but make an impact – I truly believe that if given the opportunity, Dean Ambrose can be a big star for WWE. His work as Jon Moxley in DGUSA turned me into a big, big fan of his. He can talk people into the arena, making you feel that you really need to see what’s about to happen. He’s got a ton of Roddy Piper like qualities, and WWE could really use that. Here’s hoping 2012 is his year.

~To increase the MMA coverage here on Two Spot Monkeys – When you look at the description of this site under the title, we say that we are going to take a look at the worlds of both pro wrestling and MMA. To be honest, we have lacked in the MMA coverage for some time. We hope to change that this year. I can’t promise that we’ll post something about every UFC show (Because they have a TON of them coming in 2012), but at least for major events, you can expect coverage here at Two Spot Monkeys.

2011 Year End Awards!

Jim and I are excited to give our votes to the categories below.  We hope you enjoy them and appreciate your readership in 2011.  We hope to grow Two Spot Monkeys in 2012!!!

(For clarification sake, Jim put his choices in after Tom, and has intentionally not chosen the same, so as not to bore you with two people talking about the same thing.)

Wrestler of the Year

TOM: In 2011, there were so many wrestlers that had great years.  I think there are a number of ways that that one could look at this award: a wrestler draws money, a wrestler has consistently good to great matches, a wrestler is entertaining both in the ring and out of the ring and more.  For my purposes of this, and for all of the awards, I will use a combination of all of those factors and more.

My wrestler of the year for 2011 is CM Punk.

CM Punk had a great year, was a focal point in WWE, despite many things being somewhat against him.  Punk is a true WWE success story; he’s remained true to who he is as a person and made his roads doing things his way.  That way is a way that fans could connect to, both going back to his ROH and Indy days and multiplied that en masse as a part of the WWE Universe.  Punk’s run from mid-June through the end of the year, despite WWE and creative inspired head scratching, was a great run, highlighted by 2 World Title runs, good to great matches and some of the most captivating WWE TV of the year.

JIM:  Punk probably is the best choice here, but since I want to be sure to highlight someone different from Tom, I will go with a complete dark horse here, and in the vein of Pro Wrestling Illustrated once picking Dean Malenko #1 in the PWI 500... 

My wrestler of the year for 2011 is Dolph Ziggler.

Ziggler has not been put in a position to draw money yet, and for that reason, if someone said I was crazy to pick him, I could totally understand it.  But week in, and week out, he has the best matches on WWE television shows.  He’s got great presence, is a strong promo, and frankly, I don’t think he needs Vickie Guerrero anymore.  His “show off” character who keeps challenging people to “top that” is just awesome.  In a post back in February, I looked at who could have a breakout year in 2011, and Ziggler was one of those guys.  Now, in that article (still available here in the archives), I said that I figured he’d be World Champion by summer, well, I was wrong, but at this point, if he doesn’t get a more meaningful run as champion in 2012, WWE will have lost their mind.  This guy is money, and I think can be a huge star for them for years to come.  He’s already one of the best in the ring, and has been all year, now just strap the rocket to him.

Tag Team of the Year

TOM: My tag team of the year for 2011 is Jay & Mark Briscoe.

At the beginning of 2011, The Briscoes were pretty stale and surprisingly bland.  This was a duo who was 6 time ROH World Tag Team Champions, had toured Pro Wrestling NOAH and been staples in ROH from Day 1, but were in desperate need for re-invention.  That re-invention occurred in March, when they finally turned full heel and #DemBoys truly were re-ignited.

Jay & Mark were arguably when of the more fresh acts of 2011, which is a credit to them, just simply being them and it being real, raw and genuine.  Even as heels, they were entertaining and captivated all fans, without losing any of the edge they needed to maintain and be unlikable against their opposing teams.  Their year was highlighted by a brutal feud with The All Night Express of Kenny King and Rhett Titus and Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team of Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas.

JIM:  I mean, the Briscoes likely win this thing hands down, but as I sat and thought about other Tag Teams for this award, I was saddened that I really couldn’t come up with a lot of other worthy teams.  There are a couple of up and coming teams on the indies, and then when you look at the “big two”, there are very few teams that stay together for any length of time. 

With all that being said, my Tag Team of the Year for 2011 is no longer together right now, yes, my award goes to the Kings of Wrestling.

While they left Ring of Honor after the August TV Tapings, for the first 8 months of the year, you knew if you saw the Kings on a card, there was going to be a hell of a good tag match on that card, no matter their opponents.  They had great matches this year with World’s Greatest Tag Team, The Briscoes, Future Shock, and my personal favorite, the American Wolves.  Will the Kings re-form in Florida Championship Wrestling, and then later in WWE?  Time will tell, but for now, with Claudio’s new career as Antonio Cesaro in FCW, and Hero’s unknown future, we may have seen the last of the Kings for some time…I hope that isn’t true though, they are just too darn good together.

Match of the Year

TOM: 2011 for me, felt like I watched a lot less wrestling than I had ever seen before.  I still consider myself a huge fan, one who follows many promotions and talents.  Choosing something in this category, without feeling like I have seen “enough” is something that I do struggle with.

I’ll try to see more in 2012, but my choice for Match of the Year, 2011 is: CM Punk vs. John Cena, WWE Money in the Bank PPV, July 2011.

This was a match that I made sure I went out of my way to watch live and on PPV.  I’ve been invested in CM Punk since his ROH days and I am a John Cena fan.  The build for this match and the atmosphere that was sure to result with the event being held in Punk’s backyard of Chicago, was something that to me, was just doing to deliver.

And it did.

This was lightning in a bottle and the WWE captured it, as they so often tend to do, just for one night.  Of course, Punk came out on top and delivered a career making performance, along with John Cena, being just about the perfect foil to play off of Punk.

JIM:  Lots of great action this year.  I am going to go with the match that when I was done watching it, and having seen 3 other good to great shows that weekend, I said to friends that it was by far the best match I’d seen that weekend, PAC & Masato Yoshino vs. CIMA & Naruki Doi from Dragon Gate USA: Mercury Rising in April 2011. 

This match was just a beautiful ride with some crazy high flying and great mat work and everything in between.  I was disappointed after Ricochet got hurt the night before because I wouldn’t get to see PAC and Ricochet go at it, but Doi is one of the absolute best in the world and just meshed in this match perfectly.  This match may not be for everyone (if you don’t like the Dragon Gate style), but for me, it was a match that just blew my mind, even though I have seen tons of Dragon Gate matches.

Feud of the Year

TOM: Other than Match of the Year, this is my toughest category to choose.

I choose Kevin Steen vs. Ring of Honor/Steve Corino.

This was storytelling at it’s best, to me.  This feud had one match, right at the end of the year and it lived up to the hype.  Kevin Steen, all year long for the most part, terrorized Ring of Honor in an attempt to get back in.  He first returned, physically, in June at Best in The World and it was a roller coaster ride from that point on, incorporating Steve Corino, Jimmy Jacobs, Jim Cornette and more. 

Not just that snippet above, but there were layers to this story with Corino’s history with Steen, his redemption from not being “evil”, his battle with needing to face Steen, the Monster he created and more.  Whether on ROH DVDs or through the SBG TV show, I recommend strongly seeking this storyline out if you have not seen it.

JIM:  Hard to argue with Steen vs. Ring of Honor.  Honestly, this one should have been CM Punk vs. John Cena.  It absolutely had the legs to run the rest of the year once it really kicked into gear at Money in the Bank.  However, WWE was insanely short sighted and killed it off after Summerslam, costing it the win here. 

I’m choosing PAC vs. Ricochet as my feud of the year. 

These two went at it on two continents, but here in DGUSA, and over in Dragon Gate in Japan as well.  PAC may be one of the best, most well rounded wrestlers on the planet right now, and I can only hope that DGUSA gets hotter next year so that more people can see it.  Ricochet on the other hand went from a guy who had some cool flippy moves to a guy who has also become very well rounded, and has been reborn as a cocky heel.  This one was great to watch in 2011, and I see them meeting up again in 2012, and I, for one, will be very interested in seeing it. 

Promotion of the Year

TOM: My promotion of the year is UFC.

The Ultimate Fighting Championships continued to grow in 2011 and will continue to do so in 2012.  They have such a great array of world-class MMA talent and have successfully had both strong pay per view and television events.  Towards the end of the year, they announced their multi-platform deal with FOX and they will finally be on non-cable, National Broadcast TV, highlighted with a strong card coming up with UFC on FOX 2, with Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis as the headliner.  I don’t see any of the momentum already captured coming to a halt and I do see UFC just continuing to grow in 2012 and beyond.

JIM:  Good looking out Tom, our MMA coverage here on Two Spot Monkeys has been pretty non existent lately, and that is something we will be addressing in 2012 for sure. 

My promotion of the year though goes back to the wrestling theme we’ve mostly covered here at 2SM this year, and I have selected Ring of Honor as my promotion of the year. 

They have graduated to a national TV deal, albeit a national TV deal through one distributor, and one that desperately needs to get ownership of stations in major markets like NYC and Chicago.  They seem to have also learned from the HDNet shows that really had matches with no meaning so much of the time and have tried to make the show have meaning each week, whether it’s building towards the iPPV’s, building towards big shows, or matches with title ramifications with the “Proving Ground” matches, they have a show that has meaning, and that’s really refreshing.  Also, the in ring action is usually far and away better than anything WWE or TNA puts out each week.

Two Spot Monkeys Interview of the Year

TOM:  The best idea hatched by Jim and other than the beginning of Two Spot Monkeys was our “13 Questions” Interviews.  We greatly appreciate all of those involved with professional wrestling who have given their time and energy to share what they have in helping to get more publicity for their efforts and work.

My favorite interview of the year was with Rhett Titus.  Ahead of arguably the biggest match of his career, Rhett was very candid and open interview before Death Before Dishonor IX and “Ladder War 3.”

JIM:  I love that we’ve gotten a chance to get some great interviews here on the site this year, and can’t wait to see who we’ll be able to land in 2012.  Agreed with Tom that we appreciate all who have taken the time to answer our questions, and to help us set up those interviews as well. 

My favorite interview this year was our interview with Johnny Gargano.  He comes across down to earth and like a guy that would be a lot of fun to sit and have a beer with.  You can tell that he truly appreciates the opportunities he’s been given in DGUSA, and is going to keep working hard to keep showing everyone he is worthy of those opportunities.  Going into 2012 as the Open the Freedom Gate Champion, we will certainly see him live up to those opportunities!

Come back next week as we take a look at our top 3 wishes for 2012!  Also be sure to check us out on Facebook by clicking here! 

Final Battle 2011 Preview

Tom and I wanted to take a look at Final Battle in a team method, where we each offer up our views in one post.  Look for more of these to come in the future, including our 2011 Year End Awards, and our Wish List for 2012!

Final Battle is Ring of Honor’s biggest card of the year, it is their “Wrestlemania”.  We have seen dream matches, big title matches, major grudges ended, and so much more in the history of Final Battle.  2011 is the 10^th edition of Final Battle, and is set to be a big, big show!  On to the matches and thoughts/predictions! 

Tommaso Ciampa vs. Jimmy Rave

JIM:  I absolutely love this matchup!  And, I LOVE that Jimmy Rave is coming back to ROH.  I hope it’s for more than just one night, and that he’ll be back in full time.  Rave looked very good last spring working the Wrestlemania weekend for DGUSA, so it’s great to see him back in ROH.  I also love the play they’ll get out of Rave knowing all of Nana’s tricks.  This should be a lot of fun, but in the end, Rave is not the guy to end Ciampa’s run, Tommaso Ciampa keeps on racking up wins here.

TOM:  Bringing Jimmy Rave back for this match is such a good move by ROH.  Rave is the most identifiable wrestler in the history of The Embassy, even if many fans of ROH now were not around when he had his run.  This will be a storyline test for Ciampa and I think, in addition to being a really entertaining match, he will get the win (albeit in underhanded means).  I could see the way watch plays out set up for a re-match at ROH’s 10^th Anniversary in 2012.

Michael Elgin vs. TJ Perkins

JIM:  I was super excited when this match got announced as I think it’s a great matchup of two guys that if ROH gets behind them, could be big stars for them in 2012.  Elgin is just a beast as he plows through the competition.  Perkins has some great high flying, and is a submission and ground specialist too.  The story here should be, can Perkins ground the uber powerful Elgin.  I don’t think he can, and with Elgin winning Survival of the Fittest, and having a guaranteed title match coming in early 2012, I see no way Perkins gets the win here, but I do hope he looks good in defeat and proves he can hang.

TOM:  TJ Perkins is one of my favorite wrestlers in ROH.  He brings something unique with his style, both in the ring and out.  Even with that, ROH has not gotten behind him in any capacity other than to have good matches and get other talents over.  He’s been effective with that, but I still have hope for more.  Elgin’s rise has been well documented in 2011 and he’s done much more since he joined Jim and I for an interview earlier this year.  He certainly seems to figure as a staple of ROH in 2012, so he should win a very competitive match here.

Tag Team Gauntlet Match

The Young Bucks vs. All Night Express vs. Future Shock vs. Caprice Coleman & Cedric Alexander vs. The Bravados

JIM:  This should be a spectacular move fest with some great tag teams getting to show off that ROH has the best tag division in American wrestling right now.  This is being billed as a “Contenders Cup” match, meaning the winning team gets a tag title shot in 2012.  At this point I can’t see ANX or Future Shock winning it, as much as I like those guys as they have had recent title shots.  So, I will go with The Young Bucks, but I really do hope that Caprice/Coleman and Future Shock both come out of this looking like stars as well.  To be honest, a Bucks/Future Shock feud over the tag belts would work for me! 

TOM:  I expect this to be the undercard match with the most excitement, as I just see this as a non-stop sprint loaded with action.  While I agree with Jim that ROH has the best tag division, I also feel like it is at the point of some rehab in terms of contenders at this point.  The only team in this match that is viable in the minds of fans and has not had a shot at the ROH World Tag Team Titles is The Young Bucks, so while I would think they go ahead and pick up the win to secure that, I believe ROH go in that direction.  My choice is Future Shock of Adam Cole & Kyle O’Reilly and they will use this win to build to them eventually taking the titles in early 2012 from either WGTT or The Briscoes.

Roderick Strong Invitational Challenge

Roderick Strong vs. ???

JIM:  This all depends on who the mystery opponent is.  I’ve seen speculation from fans for everyone from Nigel McGuinness to John Morrison to Chris Hero.  Whoever it is, I hope that it’s worth the “surprise” factor, and I actually like that at this point, we don’t know for sure who it will be.  In the end, whoever it is, I expect Roderick Strong to get the win, even if it’s by less than legal means.  Strong seems primed for another run in the main event against whoever comes out of the Richards/Edwards match as the champ, so I think Strong gets the win here.  If the person who is in this slot is sticking around for more than one night, perhaps we’ll see a screw job leading to a short feud. 

TOM:  Strong is one of the veteran stars of ROH and to long time fans, one of the most identifiable names and faces.  I appreciate that ROH has taken the approach they have to give added meaning to his match and role at their biggest show of the year.  The build on the TV show to this is that Strong is so cocky and confident in his ability that he doesn’t need to train ahead of whoever his opponent might be.  In addition to the names that Jim mentioned, Low Ki would also seem to be a worthy candidate.  I am going to give my vote to Chris Hero, because he is a name and talent that fans would quickly get behind, has not been in the role of babyface in ROH before and could have a really good match with Roddy.  I see Roddy winning here as well, but a loss could be the beginning of signs of breakage in the foundation of The House of Truth.

Special Ref – Jimmy Jacobs: If Steen wins, he is reinstated

Kevin Steen vs. Steve Corino

JIM:  This could be one of the matches I am most looking forward to.  This entire story, through all it’s twists and turns has been going on for 2 years now.  That is unheard of in pro wrestling these days.  The best part is, they’ve kept it interesting all the way through!  No chance Steen loses this match, but what happens to get there is the story.  Does someone turn?  Have Corino and/or Jacobs been playing us all?  What will happen with Jim Cornette at ringside?  This is going to be a spectacle to see, no doubt!  Steen back in ROH next year will be a very, very good thing!

TOM:  This bout is one year in the making since the incredible fight between Steen and El Generico last year at Final Battle, that sent Steen out of ROH for good.  The build to this match has so many facets and layers, it has really been very effective in getting fans to care, possibly just as much, if not more than the World Title Match.  With Corino’s history at the Hammerstein Ballroom from his ECW and Steen’s penchant to violently raise the bar, I expect this to be an unreal contest from a violent, brutal but also storyline perspective.  The outcome could go a number of different directions and with the players involved (Steen, Corino, Jacobs, Cornette) it should be interesting.  To me, Steen must win as his reign of evil will be a main storyline in ROH in 2012!

ROH World TV Title Elimination Match

Jay Lethal (C) vs. El Generico vs. Mike Bennett

JIM:  Well, Jay Lethal has had draws against both Generico and Bennett, so we’ve got this match.  Anyone who has talked to me about ROH knows that I am not a Mike Bennett fan, not in the least.  However, he did promise last year that he would hold ROH gold in the year 2011.  And while there will only be a week or so left in the year come this Friday, I do expect him to walk away with the gold.  Generico should then slowly be moved into the main event picture, eventually building to a rematch with Steen when Steen wins the World Title (which I expect to happen in 2012). 

TOM:  I must be honest that this match is the one I am least connected to.  I just am not a big fan of Lethal and Bennett still has not won me over.  I am a huge fan of Generico and know he will be the glue that holds this bout together, while he is a part of it.  Following up on Jim’s point about Bennett’s title win guarantee, he makes good on that and takes the title here with Maria Kanellis on his arm!

ROH World Tag Team Title Match

World’s Greatest Tag Team (C) vs. The Briscoe Brothers

JIM:  The World’s Greatest Tag Team has cooled off significantly for me in recent months.  Hopefully after the attack Benjamin suffered on TV a couple of weeks back with have them coming into this match like a ball of fire looking for revenge.  Hopefully there will be lots of emotion in this one.  The Briscoes have just been on fire since they became heels again in the spring, and actually may be more popular now than they have been in quite some time.  I hope ROH doesn’t decide they need to be babyfaces again…just keep them as crazy rednecks, and if the crowd cheers, that’s ok, don’t change a thing!  I think it’s time for the Briscoes to win back the ROH Tag Team Titles this weekend!

TOM:  The build for this bout has been going for a good 10 months and while not embroiled in a feud that entire time, since they met at the 9^th Anniversary Show I believe the plan was for these two teams to match-up at Final Battle with the titles on the line.  I am in complete agreement with Jim; Jay & Mark are hot, they are fresh again as #DemBoys from Sandy Ford, DE and just want to fight!  I will be very interested to see the next steps for WGTT as well, coming out of this bout.

ROH World Title Match

Davey Richards (C) vs. Eddie Edwards

JIM:  This is the third one on one meeting between the two, with Edwards winning the TV Title in a tournament final by defeating Richards on 3/5/10, and Richards won the World Title from Edwards on 6/26/11.  Both matches were absolutely outstanding, and I expect nothing less from this match.  There isn’t a bigger match in ROH right now outside of Kevin Steen vs. Davey Richards, and that has only just begun to simmer, and Steen has to get back into ROH first anyways, so there was no chance for that this year at Final Battle.  This absolutely had to be the main event here, and I personally can’t wait to see it.  Will Davey Richards be able to hang on to the title?  Will Eddie Edwards become only the second man ever to hold the ROH World Title for a second time?  I have to admit, I’ve really struggled with my pick on this one, but for now, since I think Steen vs. Davey has legs, I’m going to go with Davey Richards winning this one.  Edwards will hold the title again someday, but I don’t see it right now.

TOM:  While I agree with Jim that the “money match” in ROH has got to be Davey Richards vs. Kevin Steen, I think recent history has shown that no matter what and even if the fans want it, ROH has a plan and will see that though to the end.  I have no doubts that Richards vs. Steen goes down in 2012, but the ROH World Title might not be the bargaining chip on the line.  I digress, as there will be more time and another place to re-visit that match.  I expect Richards-Edwards III to be epic, to have a “major” fight atmosphere and the added element of Dan Severn will make the MMA context of this battle that much more meaningful.  Will it come down to a battle of Richards’ BJJ prowess versus the Octagon experience and prep that Severn, along with the wrestling background which he’s been coaching and working with Edwards on for months?  Needless to say, I cannot wait and my pick is Eddie Edwards to re-capture the ROH World Title in what will no doubt be an instant ROH classic!

NOTE:  Check out our interview with Eddie Edwards by clicking here!

We'll be back next week with our Year End Awards and our wishes for pro wrestling in 2012!  

To keep up to date on when we are posting things, you can "Like" us on Facebook, check us out here!

13 Questions with "Die Hard" Eddie Edwards!

"Die Hard Eddie Edwards is one of the top wrestlers in the world today.  A former ROH World Champion, ROH TV Champion, and ROH Tag Champion, Edwards is the only Triple Crown winner in Ring of Honor history.  Friday night at Final Battle, Edwards will try to regain the ROH World Title from the man who won it from him this past June, his partner in the American Wolves, Davey Richards.  Edwards sat down with Two Spot Monkeys to talk about his upcoming World Title Match, the American Wolves tag team, and so much more!

1. When did you begin and what led to you training under Killer Kowalski?
I began training in September of 2001 at Killer Kowalski's. Kowalski's had such a rich history and a great quality of guys who had gone through there that it was a no brainer for me.

2. What kind of athletic background did you have prior to your training beginning?

Growing up I played baseball and basketball but once I really got into wrestling that was my main interest.

3. What was your draw to pro wrestling and any early or favorite memories that you have?

Ya know it's hard to really pin point the one thing that hooked me. I think it was a mix of everything. the larger than life characters and the athletic competition. It was completely addicting to me, I'll always remember growing up and watching wrestling with my brothers and then of course doing my best to imitate what we saw.

4. You were very well established in the New England area, facing the likes of ROH alums Samoa Joe, AJ Styles and John Walters to name a few.  How did those matches and opponents prep you for your ROH debut in 2006?

At that time, facing those guys was a great opportunity for me to see if I could hang with them. they are some of the best around so for me to get a chance to wrestle them was really  the best way for me to get a taste of what it was like to be a part of Ring of Honor.

5. In ROH, from 2006 to 2008, you really had to earn your spot and eventually did do with Sweet and Sour Inc. What memories do you have of that time and working with the late Larry Sweeney?

Larry was such an amazing talent. He was a classic larger than life type character who really demanded everybody's attention. Working with him and being a part of Sweet and Sour really gave me my first true direction in the company and gave me a chance to be involved in some bigger things. I'll always remember the time with Sweet and Sour and will forever be grateful that I got the chance to work with Larry.

6. The next chapter of your ROH career was the birth of The American Wolves with Davey Richards. How did that pairing come about?

At the time me and Davey were on a tour of Pro Wrestling NOAH when we first started talking about it. Davey had approached me about it and of course I loved the idea. He really pushed for it to happen in ROH. We got our first chance to tag together on a show in England and that's when the Wolves were born.

7. What made your team with Davey so good?  It is arguably the best team in ROH history and with the the legacy left by other teams like Jay & Mark Briscoe, Kevin Steen & El Generico, Roderick Strong & Austin Aries, that is high praise.  How does that make you feel?  Also, any "dream matchups" that you've yet to have as the Wolves, that you hope to take part in some day?

It was our chemistry together. Every time we got in the ring together it was like we grew as a team. We knew what the other was thinking. It was awesome to be a part of something like that. Being compared to those teams is an amazing compliment. Those are some of the best tag teams there have ever been. For us to be mentioned in the same breath is a great accomplishment. I think me and Davey want to face every team around. Doesn't matter from where, we just want the best matchups possible

8. What did it mean to be the first ROH World Television Champion for ROH and be a "standard bearer" for the company on HDNet?

It was a huge step in my career. It really helped solidify me as a singles wrestler. Being the first TV champion is a huge honor, no matter what happens nobody will ever be able to erase my name from the history books. With the talent that has been a part of ROH its a huge accomplishment

9. 2011 has seen a year highlighted by three main rivals: Christopher Daniels, Roderick Strong and of course, Davey Richards.  How did and have these opponents prepared you to be the best and have a run as ROH World Champion during that time?  Are there any memories that stand out from those feuds?

All 3 of those guys are 3 of the absolute best in wrestling today. Every time I get in the ring with any one of them I know that I have to step my game up. They push me to make myself better. I have memories from all of them. I won the title from Roddy in the biggest win of my career. I had my first World Ttitle defense against Daniels. And at Best in the World I lost the World Title to my partner and best friend Davey. They were all very significant in my career.

10. What did winning the ROH World Title mean to you in March, where you also became the first and thus far, only Triple Crown Winner in ROH history?  Can describe the approach you took to that day and compare it to what you are doing now ahead of your World Title re-match against Davey?

Once again like winning the TV title, being the first in ROH  to become a triple crown champ is amazing. The talent that is currently on the roster and guys that have come and gone, being able to say I am the one and only is a great honor.  The day I won the title, I went in knowing that I had to be willing to do anything and everything to beat Roddy and I did. Leading up to Final Battle I am now in the same state of mind. At Best in the World maybe I wasn't ready to do absolutely anything, today I am!

11. What has been different about your preparation and training for the World Title Match at Final Battle? What has training with Dan Severn added to you?

It's been as much about my mental training as it has been the physical training, Dan has taught me that when I'm in that ring, there are no friends, there are no partners and there are no brothers. After the match, sure there can be, but while in the match, I have to do anything I can to win. I am ready and willing to do whatever I need to at Final Battle

12. 2011 saw you earn so many opportunities, both in ROH and abroad.  What goals still exist for Eddie Edwards as 2011 comes to an end, in 2012 and beyond?

I just hope I can keep this momentum going. I plan on winning the World Title this Friday and from there? Who knows what's in store but I'm ready for whatever it is

13. Where can fans follow you beyond ROH and the weekly television show on Sinclair Broadcast Group Networks?  Can they connect with you on Twitter or Facebook?

They can check out my website e-edwards.net and follow me on Twitter @theeddieedwards.  Thanks to all the fans out there!!

Two Spot Monkeys would like to thank Ring of Honor and especially Eddie Edwards for taking time to talk with us!  You can order Final Battle at www.gfl.tv, this Friday night!

Be sure to check back with Two Spot Monkeys on Thursday as we'll be posting our Final Battle preview as well!