I want to first and foremost say a temporary good bye to our promoter friend from the U.K. who loved his trip to the U.S., loved APW, loved the famous APW GARAGE and is 100% behind ChickFight and possibly some other APW projects. I hope he had a safe voyage home and we look forward to meeting again here in the U.S. or the U.K.
Speaking of the famous APW GARAGE, it hasn't looked better and there is more improvement to come. The sound is tremendous, the video screen over the ring entrance archway is a great start to a revised entry way. I'd like to see some cosmetic changes done to that over the next couple of shows and knowing our production crew and Chris Kelsey and his staff, the way I do, it will get done along with a few more surprises.
Again, many thanks to the hard working people at Black Pants, Inc., Jason Deadrich, Chris Kelsey and their respective staffs. I don't want to leave anyone out so APW thanks the following: Shane Mai, who constantly busts his ass with ring entrances and many other aspects of what is delivered in the production. His assistant, Chris Cherolis. Many thanks go out to David Hurwich, Jim Brodbeck, David Hurwich and Dominick. Those guys kick ass!
The production values are the greatest because when you watch the monitor with the in-house switching and all the great camera angles live, the finished post-edited product has to be even better. Lots of hard work by the production crew and I have to tip my hats to them there is no INDY in California or probably the U.S., and that might even include ROH, with production values APW has at shows and especially the production values at Gym Wars. Fans don't know how good they got it and all for only 3 canned goods of food and an unopened toy. We should probably raise the prices soon and give even more than what we do to the needy and really help the community. Many wrestling fans don't realize the hard work that goes on behind the scenes at APW. Heck, there are many promotions (and I don't have to name them, you all know who they are) that CANNOT promote a show with these values. There are many that think anyone can promote and they are here today and gone tomorrow. The APW BOOT CAMP has been in business for 16 years since 1991 and the wrestling promotion for 12 years since 1995.
Now on to the matches. The show looked solid on paper because you had International talent coming in with wrestlers from Canada and Japan being in the lineup. At the same time, there was the element of the unknown because many fans were unfamiliar with these wrestlers. I'd like to hear the thoughts of the many fans that packed the garage this past Saturday 2/10, U want to hear your thoughts on the wrestling show, the production values and the look of the APW GARAGE.
MATCHES:There is a thin line with the opener. Balloon has the most disgusting look of any pro wrestler I have ever seen. People talk about Larry Blackwell but the guy is talented and very entertaining and was trained by people with credibility. The guy does a moonsault for crying out loud. At the same time, when you put him in the ring with Dino, that is another story. Dino does a gay gimmick. This Dino guy is very entertaining but there were some kids in the audience and that has always been a sore subject with some including myself. Part of me was entertained and the other part of me was thinking about those kids. Should parents be held accountable for bringing their children to pro wrestling matches or should promoters be held accountable if there are children in the audience to make sure the wrestling is PG? I am more interested in hearing your thoughts on this topic than any other topic discussed in this blog. Some like the match and others thought it was not appropriate. What did you think?
Ground and Pound over Kirsch and Sanders was a huge victory. I can see why Kirsch attacked Tito because this hot team seems to be popular with the fans and seems to be a threat to the tag title. Kirsch also had to feel he let down his partner in crime, Nate Rulez. Sanders doesn't seem to care about much of anything these days other than Payton and himself which is cool as he has a great look.
Old School over Shooter was a decent match and a part of me was hoping it would go longer. Jones and Old School seemed to have some chemistry. They are very close in background. Old School has some MMA experience and can brawl but knows his pro wrestling and was trained by a legend in Paul DeMarco. Jones has 5 years of NCAA experience. The energy these guys produced in the match matched those that are 10 years younger.
Perez VS Hornet: Well, it was what it was. Two midgets battling each other. It was a decent match but certainly not in the top 3 of matches that night. Hornet will have some good footage of himself against one of the better, if not the best, midget wrestlers in the industry.
Melissa over Danger & Sara was good. I don't know if it was as good as it could have been but it was solid. When you think that Danger was probably out on her feet and didn't probably know where she was at half way through the match, the match was very, very good. Melissa and Sara are still two of the elite female wrestlers in the U.S. and I don't say that just because they are both APW BOOT CAMP graduates. The fans seemed to enjoy the hardcoreness of the match but I always fear when there is rain and someone takes it outside because there can be serious injury. Our very special guest from the UK actually remembered seeing Erin O'Grady VS. Vic Grimes when they took it outside in the car shot heard round the world. When people used to label that match that way, I used to think, great marketing but now that I know our special guest saw the match on video and loved it, it probably was the car shot heard round the world.
MPT vs. Kudo was the match of the night. Kudo was impressive. If you can picture a a combination of a technical JJ Perez/Puma/Rocky Romero and an MMA kicking Senshi/Low Ki and throw in the high flying skills of a Scotty Aboot, you have Kudo. Many were telling me he is being compared to Marafuji from Pro Wrestling Noah. I don't think he is in the class of Marafuji quite yet but has the potential because of his MMA kicks. That match was very good. I'd love to see him come back and take on someone more his size like JJ Perez. MPT was too much for him because of the weight difference and don't forget MPT can fly and has lots of technical ability. But even with the loss, Kudo made an impression on me.
Kafu over Rulez was okay for 2 big guys. I don't think Kafu was on his game and when you add LaRocca making sure Sanders and Kirsch were involved, that threw Kafu off even more and the disqualification probably hurt Rulez more than he realizes because the way the match was going, it could have been the night Kafu dropped the strap. Kafu has lots of pressure on him right now and is having a hard time remaining focused on his matches because of all eyes that are on him right now. TNA likes him alot as does New Japan. All of a sudden, there has been a very strong interest from the WWE and people have been watching him from all over and this could have as much to do with Kafu not being at his best lately. The thing you have to remember is KAFU is still heads and shoulders above most in California and the U.S. on the Indy level because of that great look he has. He is wild, unpredictable and you never know what this guy is going to do. You'd think I know what he is going to do but I really never do. The guy is a beast and I still thank and respect him and as you can see, he still has my back and he destroyed Dino for thinking he could chase after my tight looking ass.
I want to give special thanks to Oliver John, MPT and J. J. Perez for running the pro camp that takes place on APW show days for 2 to 4 hours. Just another reason the APW BOOT CAMP is the best. How can it not be when you have guys like Oliver John, MPT and Perez fine-tuning the pros and teaching the semi-pros? Even though the Beginner students are not at the upper level because their camp just started 3 weeks ago, they don't even know how valuable sitting in on these sessions are going to be when it comes time for them to debut. The wrestling maessage boards can vote all they want for their top 10 wrestlers and their top trainers and I am sure some of the other promotions have a wrestler or two that might be their best but none of them hold up to the high standards APW has. At this time,
I would have to say the Northern California top 3 wrestlers and top trainers hands down are OLIVER JOHN, MPT AND J.J. PEREZ.
People are beginning to set eyes on these 3 and see their true value. Props also go out to Dana Lee who trains our current beginners and semi-pro students. What a training team! It is a no contest, no brainer and whatever other term you want to assign it.
Anyone wanting to attend the Pro Camps on show day can do so by calling our office at 510-785-8396 and making the necessary arrangements and who knows, it might eventually lead to an APW booking at a Gym Wars or house show.
I will have one more blog before finishing the Pro Wrestling Noah blog. I want to discuss how some people, whether on the message boards or on the inside at this lower level, just don't get it. I want to talk about schools, Indy promotions, training fees, gym dues and why they are necessary and have always lended to the success of APW over the years. Stay tuned to that blog because everyone should learn from it including APW wrestlers and students and even some of the LOSER IDIOTS that seem to frequent a certain message board in Northern California. Of course not all of them are loser idiots. I am sure there are a couple that post intelligently and have a better understanding of the pro wrestling business.
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