The Lariat

http://i.imgur.com/7sOLCdX.png STARDOM USA

Originally posted on wrestlingobserver.com and njpw1972.com...

<p>We've reached December in game. Dragon Lee won the eight man tournament to win the Super J Cup, defeating El Phantasmo in the finals.</p><p> </p><p> I've also purchased GCW and Zero-1 as child companies, as well as closing IWA Mid South. Good thing too, as the numerous dirtbag stories about Ian Rotten should come to a close.</p><p> </p><p> Curious as to whether I should bite the bullet and make a tv show, as I've been using "Road To" events to keep us strong. Maybe add a B Show to give lower card talents some shine as well.</p>

<p>In October 2019, New Japan announced a new offshoot: New Japan USA. Looking to expand internationally, and seeing a strong fan base in North America, plans were put in place to give the new company a chance to emerge as a strong contender in the North American market.</p><p> </p><p> The first event, 2019's King of Pro Wrestling, saw Jon Moxley defend the US Championship against Lance Archer, who had gained in popularity after a strong performance in the G1 Tournament. KOPW also saw a first, as women would compete on the main card in an effort to also establish a STARDOM USA brand (after Bushiroad purchased World Wonder Ring Stardom in early October). Hikaru Shida, Mayu Iwatani, and Delilah Doom would defeat Maria Manic, Shotzi Blackheart, and LuFisto, while Cheerleader Melissa and Madison Eagles defeated Skylar (aka Blanche Babish in Chikara) and second generation wrestler Bianca Carelli (daughter of Anthony "Santino Marella" Carelli). The night would close with Moxley standing tall before being confronted by "Switchblade" Jay White, who made his intentions known.</p><p> </p><p> November and December would be dominated by the IWGP Openweight Tag Team Tournament. Looking to differentiate themselves from NJPW, NJUSA would do away with weight restrictions in the tag team division and invite tag team from around the world to compete. Los Ingobernables de America would put forward Mexablood (Bandido and Flamita) as well as Dragon Lee and Rush; Bullet Club would put the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Champs the Guerillas of Destiny; CHAOS would put Roppongi 3K and the Birds of </p><p> Prey; new stable Schadenfreude would be represented by LuCCKy (Chris Brookes and Lucky Kid); and The Rascalz and Alex Shelley and Amazing Red would round out the tournament. In the end, The Rascalz would emerge victorious, defeating Bullet Club's Tama Tonga and Jay White (subbing for an injured Tanga Loa) in the finals. Jon Moxley would retain his title at Night One of the Openweight Tag Team Tournament against Jay White, but would fall to Marty Scurll at the finals. Villain Enterprises would make a statement, beating down Moxley and putting him through a table to take him out of NJUSA for good.</p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size:14px;"><strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">2020</span></strong></span></p><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">January</span></strong></p><p> Wrestle Kingdom in America would be headlined by Scurll's first defense, as he took on Suzuki-Gun's Low Ki in the main event. KENTA would defend the NEVER Title against Suzuki-Gun's Timothy Thatcher, The Rascalz would defend their newly won titles against LIA's Dragon Lee & Rush, and Matt Sydal would defend the IWGP US Junior Heavyweight Title against Jushin Thunder Liger. WK USA would also see a special appearance from New Japan stars, as Tetsuya Naito and Kota Ibushi competed against one another for the right to face Kazuchika Okada. Jeff Cobb defended the IWGP Openweight Title against Eddie Kingston in a wild brawl, and STARDOM USA would crown </p><p> their first champions, as Mayu Iwatani won the IWGP World of Stardom title while Cheerleader Melissa won the IWGP Wonder of Stardom title. Suzuki-Gun's Killer Elite Squad, reunited in NJUSA, would defeat the GoD and send Tanga Loa out of the company with the Killer Bomb through a table (Tanga Loa signed a written contract with New Japan). </p><p> </p><p> NJUSA would close January with The New Beginning, which saw Scurll defend the title against Low Ki in a rematch. Before the main event, Eddie Kingston would grab the mic and declare Suzuki-Gun dead after ZSJ suffered an injury. Renaming the group UnWanted, Kingston urged Low Ki on, but Scurll retained after a thrilling back and forth. STARDOM USA also crowned their first tag champions in a one night tournament, culminating in the Doom Bees (Delilah Doom and Solo Darling) defeating the RESPECT ARMY (Maki Ito and Aria Blake) to become the inaugural Goddesses of Stardom Champions. Jeff Cobb continued his run as Openweight Champ after beating Schadenfreude's Chris Brookes, Matt Sydal defeated Will Ospreay in the company's best match up to that point, and The Rascalz defended the titles against the larger Killer Elite Squad. In a scene similar to Wrestle Kingdom, Thatcher, Kingston, and Low Ki attacked Archer after the match, putting him through a table to send him out (as Lance Archer signed a written contract with NJPW).</p><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">February</span></strong></p><p> The New Japan USA Cup was announced, with wrestlers angling to be part of the tournament. Before then, Road to New Japan Cup took place as a final opportunity to qualify. The Doom Bees would defend the Goddesses of Stardom titles against Our Generation (Bianca Carelli and Mikala Smith, daughter of Jake Roberts), Jeff Cobb made another successful defense as did Marty Scurll, and in the main event, The Rascalz managed to survive interference from the Bullet Club to defeat Jay White and KENTA. CHAOS also managed to defeat The UnWanted in six man action</p><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">New Japan USA Cup</span></strong></p><p> The first New Japan USA Cup took place, quickly differentiating itself by having the opening round consist of triple threat matches. Surviving the opening and semi final rounds, Bandido and Zack Sabre Jr. would meet in the finals. After nearly 20 minutes of action, Bandido would emerge as the winner after the 21-Plex. By virtue of his win, Bandido earned a shot at the US Champion Marty Scurll, who successfully defended against Davey Boy Smith Jr. to retain the title. Also in action, Mayu Iwatani defeated Bianca Carelli to retain the World of Stardom title, Cheerleader Melissa defeated Allie Kat to retain the Wonder of Stardom title, and The Rascalz defeated Villain Enterprises (Brody King and Flip Gordon) to retain the Openweight Tag Titles.</p><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">March</span></strong></p><p> New Japan President Harold Meij called a press conference in early March, announcing the first joint event for New Japan and NJUSA. Citing the growth the company had already gone through in the first few months, Meij felt like a joint event would be the perfect showcase for talent across both companies. Declared "The Wrestling Classic", the event would see members of both rosters come together in a celebration of wrestling, as well as usher in the next year of New Japan following the Anniversary Show. Before then, NJUSA had it's "Road To" Show, once against featuring title defenses. No titles would change hands, however fans were left happy after Marty Scurll defeated Timothy Thatcher in the main event.</p><p> </p><p> The NJPW/NJUSA Wrestling Classic took place in front of 5,000 fans in Kanto. In a surprise upset, Schadenfreude won the NEVER Six Man Titles from GBH after Lucky Kid pinned Ryusuke Taguchi. Former WWE Star Bailey Rose made her STARDOM USA debut, losing to Cheerleader Melissa; KENTA retained the NEVER Openweight Title against Juice Robinson; The Rascalz retained the Openweight Tag Titles against Bullet Club's El Phantasmo and Chase Owens; and in the main event, Will Ospreay defeated Matt Sydal to become the second IWGP US Jr. Heavyweight Champion. Ospreay would celebrate the victory, but Alex Shelley made his intentions known. Jay White would bring gold to Bullet Club, defeating Jeff Cobb to capture the Openweight Title. The scheduled Marty Scurll vs. Bandido match would have to be cancelled, however, as Bandido suffered an injury before the event. Scurll would have the show off, recuperating after a demanding schedule with New Japan.</p><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">April</span></strong></p><p> The Road to Wrestling Dontaku was fraught with challenges, as stables looked to assert themselves and champions looked to keep their gold. The Doom Bees defended the titles once more, defeating the tandem of Jessicka Havoc and Priscilla Kelly. Newcomers Taynara Melo and Amber Nova attacked after the match, eager to get a jump on the competition. Mayu Iwatani also defended her title against Kimber Lee, Will Ospready defended against Chris Brookes, and Marty Scurll turned back Tama Tonga. Marty would take the mic afterwards, adressing the crowd and demanding the best from around the world. He would get his wish, as recent AEW signing Miroslav Makarov (Rusev) would step up to the plate and give Scurll his toughest challenge yet. Scurll would retain in a closer match than he would've liked, only for Bandido to return from injury and remind Scurll that he had a title shot. Hikaru Shida would shock the world by defeating Cheerleader Melissa to capture the Wonder of Stardom title. The NEVER Six Man Titles changed hands when Bullet Club defeated Schadenfreude, while the Doom Bees defeated Taynara and Amber to retain the belts.</p><p> </p><p> <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><strong>May</strong></span></p><p> NJ USA would put focus on the Young Lions, giving them a tournament to determine the first Lion's Gate Winner. From a field of eight, Shota Umino would get the win, defeating Aaron Solow in the finals. LA Dojo Young Lions Benny Pascual, Zack Fantana, Lumber Jackson, Victor Ortiz, and James Valentine, as well as Jamie Senegal, would all compete in the tournament as well.</p><p> </p><p> Also at the First Stage, Jay White would retain the Openweight Title once more before issuing a challenge to Marty Scurll. In order to entice the Villain, White suggested Title vs. Title, something that no doubt got Scurll's attention. Hikaru Shida would defend the Wonder of Stardom against Yuka Sakazaki, while Mayu would take on recent signing Amanda Rose. Kelly Klein would attack Mayu after the match, looking to be the next challenger.</p><p> </p><p> At Final Stage, Klein would have to settle for tag team action, as she teamed with Jessicka Havoc to defeat Mayu Iwatani and Bailey Rose. Jay White would retain his Openweight Title against Flip Gordon before reissuing his challenge, Will Ospreay defended the title against newcomer BxB Hulk, and Bullet Club would beat Schadenfreude in trios action. The incredible reign of the Rascalz came to an end, as Dragon Lee and Rush defeated the two to become the second champions. </p><p> Bandido, hoping to match his stablemates, gave Scurll the fight of his life. Scurll wouldn't be denied, flipping out of the 21-Plex to lock in the Chickenwing for the win. Jay White would attack after the match, laying Scurll out with the Blade Runner before declaring that Scurll would answer his challenge now. Scurll would do just that, agreeing to White's title vs. title match.</p><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">June</span></strong></p><p> The Road to Dominion saw few title matches, with many looking forward to the Title vs. Title match down the line. Scurll would punch his ticket after defeating Chris Brookes, while Jay White competed in six man action to preserve himself. At Dominion itself, Scurll would emerge victorious, countering the Blade Runner into the Chickenwing. The real story came after the match, as Bullet Club attacked Tama Tonga, possibly due to his botched interference during the match. White would take the microphone, declaring the Bullet Club dead and buried in America.</p><p> </p><p> Zack Sabre Jr., back from injury, defeated Timothy Thatcher in a technical showcase that proved the Submission Magician was still a threat. Ospreay defeated Flip to keep the Jr. Heavyweight Title, Dragon Lee & Rush defeated High and Mighty (Damian Slater and Danny Matthews), and the Doom Bees defended the titles against the oddly named Chicks Using Nasty Tactics (Kimber Lee and Priscilla Kelly). Mayu Iwatani would also retain her World of Stardom title, while Mexablood defeated the MCMG.</p><p> </p><p> <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><strong>July</strong></span></p><p> The Road to G1 Special in USA took place in Japan, as many roster members were in Japan for Best of the Super Juniors for NJPW. Marty Scurll would be forced to relinquish the Openweight Title due to commitments as US Champ, leading to a match for the vacant title. Jeff Cobb would take on Brody King, and Villain Enterprises would add gold once more after King's victory. Scurll and VE would celebrate the victory, happy to keep the title in their camp. In the main event, Jay White and El Phantasmo would defeat Tama Tonga and KENTA, due to KENTA turning on his partner and allowing Phantasmo to get the win. It was here that the former BC members revealed their name, now going by the Dogs of War.</p><p> </p><p> Tama would get a chance at revenge, calling on Bullet Club members to take on these defectors. The Guerillas of Destiny, Hikuleo, and Taiji Ishimori would take on Jay White, KENTA, Chase Owens, and El Phantasmo in a big eight man tag. The DoW would take the victory after interference from their newest member, as JT Dunn would shove Tama off the ropes and allow KENTA to get the win. Making a statement, the DoW would put Tama Tonga through a table and take him out of the company.</p><p> </p><p> In title news, Brody King retained the Openweight Title, Dragon Lee & Rush defeated FinJuice, Hikaru Shida retained the Wonder of Stardom, and Will Ospreay would keep the Jr. Heavyweight Title after surviving a triple threat match. The Pink Ladies (Madison Eagles and Jessie McKay, fka Billie Kay) would make their challenge for the Goddesses of Stardom after the Doom Bees retained. After defeating Jonathan Gresham in the main event, Scurll laid out an open challenge once more, with Flamita answering the call.</p><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">August</span></strong></p><p> </p><p> <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><strong>Road to Royal Quest</strong></span></p><p> It was a rough month, as Will Ospreay sustained an injury and was forced to vacate the Jr. Heavyweight Title. A four way match was scheduled, with Robbie Eagles capturing the title in a thrilling match. It would be the lone CHAOS victory on the Road to Royal Quest, as the night favored the DoW. Picking up tag team and trios victory, the stable would prove their dominance. Brody King defended the Openweight Title against the Amazing Red, while The UnWanted and Schadenfreude engaged in a brawl after LuCCKy (Lucky Kid and Chris Brookes) defeated Eddie Kingston and Homicide. Marty Scurll would defeat Flamita in a tremendous match, once more asking who would challenge him. To the surprise of everyone, Davey Richards would make his way to the ring, making the cut throat motion.</p><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Royal Quest</span></strong></p><p> After the opening matches, fans were surprised to see the Pink Ladies would capture the Goddesses of Stardom titles, putting an end to the Doom Bees run at nine defenses. The UnWanted looked to handicap Schadenfreude after attacking The Whisper, but they'd have the last laugh, as Timothy Thatcher would defect to the group and help them get the victory. Mayu Iwatani would defend the World of Stardom title against Kelly Klein, while Dragon Lee & Rush would defend against Villain Enterprises, though Dragon Lee would suffer an injury. Robbie Eagles would turn back BxB Hulk to retain the Jr. Heavyweight Title, and Mexablood defeated the Rascalz in a high flying affair. In the main event, Davey Richards shocked the world, winning the US Title and ending Marty Scurll's reign at an astonishing eleven defenses. Royal Quest would close on Richards holding the title high, while Scurll could only look on in sadness and disbelief.</p><p> </p><p> <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><strong>September</strong></span></p><p> </p><p> The G1 Climax was announced for NJUSA, with sixteen men announced for two blocks of eight. Before the tournament kicked off, NJUSA held Destruction in America. A smaller show than normal, DiA would host Davey Richards first title match as he successfully defended against Jeff Cobb. Schadenfreude and The UnWanted went to battle once more, with Schadenfreude taking the victory in trios action. After announcing Dragon Lee's injury, LiA announced that Bandido would defend the tag titles alongside Rush before they lost to Villain Enterprises in trios action.</p><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">G1 Climax</span></strong></p><p> </p><p> <span style="text-decoration:underline;">Block A</span></p><p> Davey Richards</p><p> Dezmond Xavier</p><p> Brody King</p><p> Bandido</p><p> Jonathan Gresham</p><p> Damian Slater</p><p> Rush</p><p> TJ Perkins</p><p> </p><p> <span style="text-decoration:underline;">Block B</span></p><p> Marty Scurll</p><p> Timothy Thatcher</p><p> Zachary Wentz</p><p> Rey Horus</p><p> Flip Gordon</p><p> Danny Matthews</p><p> Robbie Eagles</p><p> Flamita</p><p> </p><p> Over the eight nights of the G1, several stories emerged. Perhaps none more surprising than Dezmond Xavier, who would defeat Davey Richards in the tournament before going on a tear and making it to the semi-finals undefeated. Meeting Richards once more, Xavier defeated him again to clinch his spot as A Block winner.</p><p> </p><p> On the other side, Marty Scurll went undefeated as well, meeting Flamita in the semi-finals before making him submit to the Chickenwing. Scurll and Xavier would meet in the finals, where Marty would cap off the first American G1 by winning the tournament without suffering a single loss.</p><p> </p><p> Richards would successfully defend the title against Rey Horus, the Pink Ladies would defeat the Doom Bees in their rematch, and in a surprise, both STARDOM USA singles titles would change hands in the same night. The former Cheerleader Melissa, now going by Melissa Flash, would defeat Hikaru Shida to capture the Wonder of Stardom Title, while Tessa Blanchard would defeat Mayu Iwatani for the World of Stardom title. Robbie Eagles would defeat Zachary Wentz to retain the Jr. Heavyweight Title, while Rush would invoke the Freebird rule to let Mexablood hold the tag titles while he focused on singles glory.</p><p> </p><p> <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><strong>October</strong></span></p><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">King of Pro Wrestling</span></strong></p><p> Mexablood would fall to the Rascalz, both men using the momentum of a fantastic G1 to reclaim the Openweight Tag Titles. Jushin Thunder Liger also gave a farewell to American fans after his final match (having postponed his retirement due to injuries in New Japan's roster), pinning Amazing Red after a spectacular Shooting Star Press. Melissa Flash would defend the Wonder of Stardom title against Taynara Melo, Brody King would turn away Eddie Kingston to retain the Openweight Title, and Robbie Eagles defeated BxB Hulk once again to retain the Jr. Heavyweight Title. CCK defeated the Strong Style Thugs (B-Boy and Low Ki), though their stablemate Timothy Thatcher would come up short against Davey Richards in the main event. KOPW would close on Scurll and Davey Richards staring one another down, both eager to make it to Wrestle Kingdom II.</p><p> </p><p> <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><strong>Power Struggle</strong></span></p><p> Following another tour, NJUSA was back with Power Struggle in England to close out October. The Dogs of War would make their presence known after a strong tour in New Japan, with KENTA retaining the NEVER Openweight Title once more. Defeating Los Ingobernables in trios action, the Dogs of War would also score a victory over Juice Robinson and newcomer Royce Isaacs. The real story came after the match, as former IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Champs reDRagon made their debut, attacking Juice and Royce and making their presence known. England's own Jonny Storm appeared for one night only, defeating Amazing Red in a match that </p><p> harkened back to ROH circa 2002. In STARDOM USA news, The Pink Ladies defeated the team of Bailey Rose and Kylie Rae, Tessa Blanchard defeated newcomer Riho, and Melissa Flash defeated Taynara in a rematch to keep the Wonder of Stardom title. After the match, Melissa would show respect to her opponent as the fans cheered on the Brazilian after a tremendous match.</p><p> </p><p> reDRagon weren't the only ones to make their debut, as former Progress Tag Champ Tyler Bate made his debut, answering Flip Gordon's open challenge and defeating the Villain Enterprises member. It wasn't all bad news for VE, as Marty Scurll and Brody King teamed up to defeat CCK in tag action. After the match, Tommaso Ciampa would appear, silently watching Scurll from the stage. In the semi-main event, Bandido would capture the Jr. Heavyweight Title in a thrilling match, defeating Robbie Eagles. And in the main event, Davey Richards looked to avenge the pair of losses he suffered in the G1 Climax, taking on Dezmond Xavier. It looked like Xavier would make it three in a row, but reDRagon would appear once more, distracting the ref as Jay White laid Xavier out. Richards would get the pinfall, celebrating with reDRagon before it was revealed that all three men were the newest members of the Dogs of War.</p><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">November</span></strong></p><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">War of the Worlds</span></strong></p><p> The kick off to the next NJUSA tour took place in mid-November, as War of the Worlds took place. The big news was that regarding stables, as other factions looked to bolster their numbers in response to the Dogs of War. Villain Enterprises would absorb the UnWanted, giving the group a more dangerous edge. CHAOS would add Matt Sydal and Jeff Cobb to their ranks, while LIA would announce that Jay Lethal would be their newest member. Tyler Bate would join Schadenfreude, while overtures were made to The Rascalz.</p><p> </p><p> The event would see stables look to assert dominance, with gold the benchmark for success. Robbie Eagles would retain the Openweight Title against B-Boy, reDRagon teamed with El Phantasmo to get a victory over LiA, Outlaw Inc. (representing VE) would defeat CCK, and Villain Enterprises would emerge victorious in six man war with CHAOS. Royce Isaacs, looking to become tag champ once again, hoped that BxB Hulk would be the perfect partner, but the Rascalz would retain after Hot Fire Flame to Hulk. Zack Sabre Jr., having suffered an ankle injury that kept him on the sidelines for several months, made his return by beating Tyler Bate.</p><p> </p><p> In a surprise, Schadenfreude captured gold, as Timothy Thatcher put an end to the year-plus reign of NEVER Openweight Champ KENTA. Bandido would retain the title in a high flying affair against Trey Miguel, and in the main event Davey Richards defeated Rush to retain the United States Title. Marty Scurll would once again appear, holding the briefcase high in the air and reminding Richards that he was on borrowed time. Words were exchanged before a brawl erupted, prompting their stablemates to separate the two. This would be regarded as the best closing moment in NJUSA history, scoring a perfect 100.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><span style="font-size:14px;">WHERE WE ARE NOW</span></span></strong></p><p> </p><p> The Super J Cup is set to take place at the end of the month, with the Openweight Tag Team Tournament scheduled for December. Marty Scurll will have to defend his briefcase at least twice in order to assure he will take on Davey Richards at WK USA. Schadenfreude and CHAOS are both courting the Rascalz group, who remain noncommittal to either side. LiA seems to be in a rebuilding phase, no doubt helped by Dragon Lee returning from injury and the aforementioned debut of Jay Lethal. They'll need it too, as they seem to be caught in the crosshairs of CHAOS. ZSJ remains unaffiliated, wearing a Suzuki-Gun shirt out of respect to his mentor, and IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Minoru Suzuki. The Dogs of War and Villain Enterprises seem set for a collision course, both sides ready for war.</p>

Tazz and Rock already have a history with one another, so you could build off of that. Maybe Tazz and Big Show attack Rock backstage one week, try to do the same the next week only for Austin to come to his aid. Austin can say "I didn't help you, I just wanted a piece of ECW" as there would still be some tension between the two. From there, Austin becomes a primary target of ECW as well, forcing him and Rock to come to each other's aid while maintaining that it's circumstances forcing them to help out, not some form of loyalty. This could lead to both men wanting to get their hands on Tazz and Big Show, with Vince forcing them to realize that they would need to team up to do so. This can be explained by Heyman stating that Tazz and Big Show wouldn't wrestle in singles matches due to their status as champions, forcing them to reluctantly team together.

Running a NJUSA game. I set them to be a few points below ROH, save for a small bump in the South West region, and within a year I’ve grown to Cult and have workers on written contracts. Not too much, but enough that I feel confident to try booking more than 1-2 times a month. I have a New Japan World set up for events, but would it be in my best interest to try and get deals elsewhere? Maybe use NJWorld for events and use different broadcasters for weekly shows?

The TPT is always a favorite, as it can introduce new talent that some might not be aware of. Hoping for SoCal talent to really shine this year, as Brody did great so far. Jake Atlas is my personal choice since he’s been blowing up as of late.

<p>Extremely curious to see what ends up happening as the summer ends. It’s looking as though AEW might come to fruition, which leads to me wondering who might join them and if there’s a partnership in place or a “us or them” situation. I’m not sure if Omega namedropping everyone but Scurll was a small mistake or on purpose, but that has me thinking Scurll stays with ROH if the split does occur.</p><p> </p><p> It does feel as though you wouldn’t really need The Elite/SCU, as most can easily phase out. Hangman hasn’t really been a factor, Young Bucks put over the Top Guys, SCU are primarily in the trios division. Cody is the only one that would be a genuine loss, though I’m confident that you could recover. Not saying I want them gone, as I’m guessing they bring in strong ratings, but I think you’ve done a good enough job that it wouldn’t be a devastating loss like it’s been in real life.</p><p> </p><p> Curious about Double or Nothing, the implications of it, and the end of summer. Glad to see you back on top form.</p><p> </p><p> EDIT: Forgot my picks</p><p> </p><p> Ring of Honor World Championship: Cody {c} vs. <strong>Alex Shelley</strong></p><p> Ring of Honor Tag Championship: <strong>The Briscoe Brothers {C}</strong> vs. The Top Guys</p><p> ROH TV: <strong>Nick Aldis {C}</strong> vs. Kenny King</p><p> Ring of Honor Six-Man Tag Titles (Trios Bout): <strong>Team Filthy {C}</strong> vs. SoCal Uncensored 3.0 (Kaz, Daniels, Romero) vs. Jeff Cobb and Coast 2 Coast</p><p> Tag Grudge Matches: </p><p> No Gimmicks Needed vs. <strong>The Young Bucks</strong></p><p> The End vs. <strong>The Workhorsemen</strong></p><p> The Bouncers (Brian Milonas and The Beer City Bruiser) vs. <strong>Mark Haskins and Will Ospreay</strong></p><p> </p><p> How’s the women’s division doing?</p>

<p>Might I suggest looking at SHIMMER/Shine? Nicole Matthews is someone who has been increasingly impressive, Solo Darling and Delilah Doom can connect with fans, Sea Stars could work as a team or desperately. A partnership with STARDOM could also open it up to more available talent, though you might want a home base in the states rather than the “special attraction” feel they might give.</p><p> </p><p> Maybe opening a dojo specifically geared towards women or a development territory might work, though that’s a big investment.</p>

Yeah, looking at the available list, I gotta go with The Thrillseekers. I’m of the belief that you shouldn’t split a team unless necessary, and there’s strong upside in the two of them joining. You didn’t split the Calgary Connection, and I think the Thrillseekers can be of similar use to you in this regard.

<p>ROH World Championship</p><p> Jeff Cobb © vs. <strong>Marty Scurll</strong></p><p> </p><p> It seems like a lock for Cobb, and it probably is, but on the off chance that Scurll wins and holds the company hostage, I want to say I called it.</p><p> </p><p> WOH World Championship</p><p> Kelly Klein © vs. <strong>Maria Manic</strong></p><p> </p><p> ROH World Six Man Championship</p><p> <strong>Lethal & Lifeblood (Haskins & Williams) ©</strong> vs. Shane Taylor, Silas Young & Tom Latimer</p><p> </p><p> ROH Honor Club Championship</p><p> <strong>Jonathan Gresham ©</strong> vs. Alex Shelley</p><p> </p><p> Number One Contendership for the ROH World Tag Team Championships</p><p> Villain Enterprises’ Brody King & PCO vs. <strong>Fred Yehi & PJ Black</strong> vs. The Kingdom’s TK O’Ryan & Vinny Marseglia</p><p> </p><p> SHIMMER Showcase, Number One Contendership for the WOH World Championship</p><p> <strong>Kimber Lee</strong> vs. Mercedes Martinez</p><p> </p><p> Winner will face Jushin Thunder Liger in his final match in North America at Final Battle</p><p> Flip Gordon vs. Josh Woods vs. <strong>Kenny King</strong></p>

<p>Small thing I've noticed with different mods.</p><p> </p><p> Ashley Vox should be set to Homosexual. She's been pretty open about this on Instagram and such.</p>

<p>Who will win the 2004 Ultimate Fan Series?</p><p> (Worth three points in the next prediction contest) Rated R Superstars</p><p> </p><p> BONUS: What promotion will Steve Austin sign with? (1 point) WCW</p>

<p>Gutted I missed Calle Dorado. Would've selected Rush to win it all, but Ospreay winning opened up a fun match with him and Shelley.</p><p> </p><p> Quick Picks:</p><p> Cheeseburger, ???, ??? vs. <strong>Team Filthy (Lawlor, Yehi, Woods)</strong></p><p> Alex Shelley vs. <strong>Will Ospreay</strong></p><p> Marty Scurll vs. <strong>Zack Sabre Jr</strong></p><p> Loser Leaves Town: Damien Martinez vs. <strong>Vinny Marseglia</strong></p><p> ROH 6-Man Titles: The Best Friends and Dalton Castle vs. <strong>The End and Matt Taven {C}</strong></p><p> ROH Tag, Ladder Warfare VIII: Jay Lethal {C} and "A Top Guy" vs. The <strong>Briscoe Brothers</strong> vs. The Young Bucks</p><p> ROH Television: <strong>Austin Theory</strong> vs. Jeff Cobb {C}</p><p> ROH World: Cody {C} vs. <strong>Jeff Cobb</strong></p><p> </p><p> Bonuses:</p><p> Who are Cheeseburger's partners (Both currently with company)? <strong>Coast 2 Coast</strong></p><p> Who is "The Top Guy"? Watch it be Flip, but I'll say <strong>Dash Wilder</strong>. Going with a debut after all.</p><p> </p><p> The TV and World title matches are a tricky situation. Cobb could keep both, which would be a fun visual. Could keep the TV and lose the World, vice versa, or lose everything. I like the idea of him losing the TV title and Royalty feeling extra confident, only for Cobb to shock everyone and walk out as champ.</p><p> </p><p> EDIT: Switched my pick. Call it a feeling.</p>

Not too familiar with the CVerse outside of a few trial and error runs, but I'm curious about this. Lumber Jackson Age: 32 Debut: September 2012 Character Description: Andrew Jackson started as a promising young rookie, but a lack of growth as high fliers received more acclaim made him bitter and angry. Turning to a powerhouse style, Jackson has vowed to break all high fliers so that 'real men' can take center stage once more. Worker Type: Brawler Finisher: Lumber Check (Cobra Clutch Backbreaker) Gimmick: Lumberjack Skills: Anywhere from abysmal to excellent! -Rumble - Above Average -Technical - Weak -High Flying - Abysmal -Performance - Strong -Physical - Strong -Entertainment - Average -Camera - Very Strong Performance: From 0-100 -Babyface: 65 -Heel: 80 -Cool: 25 -Cocky: 55 -Crazy: 25 -Legit: 75 -Comedy: 20 -Weasel: 40 -Brute: 85 -Weird: 45 -Wholesome: 50

<p><strong>Kenny King</strong> vs. Shiima Xion</p><p> Fight Without Honor: <strong>Brody</strong> vs. Dalton Castle</p><p> Women of Honor Title: <strong>Nattie Neidhart {C}</strong> vs. Britani Knight</p><p> Horror Kings vs. <strong>Alex Shelley and ???</strong></p><p> ROH Six-Man Titles: <strong>The End {C}</strong> vs. Will Ospreay/Fred Yehi/Flip Gordon</p><p> ROH Tag Titles: <strong>No Gimmicks Needed</strong> {C} vs. The Young Bucks</p><p> Main Event: Royalty (Cody, Austin Theory and Marty Scurll) vs. <strong>Jeff Cobb, Bad Luck Fale and Tanga Roa</strong></p><p> </p><p> Bonuses</p><p> 1) Who will Alex Shelley bring as his partner? <strong>KUSHIDA</strong></p><p> 2) Which individual will get the victory for his team in the Main Event? <strong>Cobb</strong></p>

<p>ROH Tag Titles: <strong>No Gimmicks Needed {C}</strong> vs. The Young Bucks</p><p> Alex Shelley vs. <strong>Austin Theory</strong></p><p> James Mitchell's Salvation: <strong>Horror Kings</strong> vs. ???</p><p> <strong>SoCal Uncensored 2.0?/3.0? </strong>vs. The Bestest Friends</p><p> Proving Ground Match: Fred Yehi vs. <strong>Will Ospreay</strong></p><p> ROH Title: <strong>Cody {C}</strong> vs. Jeff Cobb</p><p> </p><p> Bonuses:</p><p> 1) Who is the newest member of SoCal Uncensored? Brody King, maybe Eli Everfly down the line if I'm allowed to dream.</p><p> 2) Who is the mystery team previously associated with James Mitchell? It's probably Tajiri and Mikey Whipwreck, but I'm hoping for a surprise. Maybe <strong>Decay</strong>, since there's the Abyss connection?</p>

<p>Brody And Douglas James.</p><p> </p><p> Brody And Douglas James.</p>

<p><strong>Posted on SoCalUncensored.com</strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="41210" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><strong>A requiem for Finest City Wrestling</strong><p><strong> Steve Bryant · 11/19/2017</strong></p><p> </p><p> It was early last week that the first person contacted me with the thought that Finest City Wrestling’s November 18th show might not be happening. The promoter, Gus Parsons, had posted about his ring being taken and in independent wrestling a lot of people are rightly suspicious anytime they hear of trouble. Still there were five days till the show and I didn’t think a lot of it.</p><p> </p><p> The days went by and more and more people started reaching out, saying they hadn’t heard anything from the promotion. That there was money owed. By Thursday morning it was clear that the show would likely be canceled. It is unfortunate, but FCW has canceled shows in the past.</p><p> </p><p> Then Friday night Gus Parsons announced on Facebook that FCW was done, he was getting out of wrestling. A hole was created in the San Diego wrestling scene.</p><p> </p><p> Looking back at the legacy of FCW, I think as of right now it will go down as the best promotion in San Diego’s history, at least in terms of match quality. FCW brought in talent that was unequaled in the area. Sure, other promotions would book a bigger name or bring in highly touted wrestlers from outside the area for a match or two, but FCW would try to book strong cards from top to bottom.</p><p> </p><p> In talking with Gus I always got the feeling that his goal was to put on the best wrestling show that he could. Maybe that was his downfall? Maybe adding Penta El Zero M and Rey Fenix to a match that already had Rey Mysterio Jr, Jeff Cobb, Bestia 666, etc. didn’t make financial sense, but that was one of the reason Gus was so popular among fans. People knew he was a fan at heart and wanted to have the best matches possible.</p><p> </p><p> I was talking to someone after this past Saturday’s SoCal Pro show about FCW’s demise. They mentioned how they’ll miss FCW because while they enjoy the other local San Diego promotions every FCW show created a memory. Whether it was a crazy four-way match with Eli Everfly and Danny Limelight jumping off basketball hoops, Joey Ryan proposing to Laura James in the ring, Douglas James and B-Boy going 45 minutes in a war, or any of the other great moments in the promotion’s history, he was right. FCW created moments in San Diego’s wrestling history that will be talked about for a long time.</p><p> </p><p> That’s a pretty good legacy for the promotion to have. In a few months most people will have forgotten how the promotion ended, but those great shows will still be thought about. Gus also has to be ranked in the top four San Diego area promoters of the last 25 years. While the ending was bad, ultimately it was a pretty good run.</p><p> </p><p> Sure it’s possible Gus sleeps on it a few nights and decides this isn’t the end, but the FCW we knew is gone. Too many people were burned and the fall was too public. Sure there are wrestlers who would take the booking. There are fans that would take the risk. But there are wrestlers and fans that wouldn’t, changing the promotion at its core.</p><p> </p><p> It is OK though. Most independent wrestling promotions die (aside from EWF, which I’m sure will be still going strong in 2717). When there is a hole something eventually fills it. Lead by B-Boy, things are already in motion to fill the void.</p><p> </p><p> Fifteen years ago this month EPIC collapsed in spectacular fashion. That directly lead to the formation of Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. Who knows what the death of FCW brings. FCW is going to be missed, the future isn’t necessarily dark.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p>__________________________________________________</p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> To understand what this meant, first I need to explain the history.</p><p> </p><p> Finest City Wrestling was THE promotion in San Diego. Sure, there was SoCal Pro and Baja Stars, but FCW set itself apart immediately. It wasn't just about matches, it was the atmosphere itself. You could tell everyone loved wrestling and genuinely wanted it to succeed.</p><p> </p><p> I had been to a few shows, quickly falling in love with the promotion like so many others had. So when I found out FCW had a training school, I began to save up to afford classes. I started in April, learning from a veritable SoCal legend in B-Boy.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="CRl3KGi.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/CRl3KGi.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p> <span style="color:#FF0000;"><strong>CZW, PWG, even Lucha Underground. He's been kicking ass for years and isn't slowing down.</strong></span></p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> After the 619 show in June, FCW took a small hiatus while the school continued. Training became more intense, but through it all I was sure that it would pay off once I made my debut.</p><p> </p><p> And then, the school closed once we couldn't rent out the building. Then FCW shut down a week later.</p><p> </p><p> Some students left. Claimed the situation was proof that wrestling wasn't for them. The ones that stayed ended up sitting around a table at Coach’s house, trying to make sense out of what was going on.</p><p> </p><p> You had Raff and Corey, guys who had been wrestling for a while and served as assistant trainers. KC and Hops, who had already made their debut back in April. Juan and Eddie, who were almost finished training. Tyler and Sean, who had just advanced to the advanced class. And me, the new guy. All of us unsure as to what was happening. We all struggled with the reality of our situation, wondering what was next. That's when Coach cracked his beer, took a seat, and sighed.</p><p> </p><p> <em>“Alright guys, let's talk."</em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="2WbudI6.jpg" data-src="https://imgur.com/2WbudI6.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div><p></p><p></p>

<p>Looking at it, Theory seems like the right choice given Yehi's injury angle. Just felt like a face winning would be the route to go after last year's event was won by Odinson.</p><p> </p><p> Still hoping for my SoCal boys to make another appearance. PPRay for Tag Champs! .... or at least a preshow match before leaving.</p>

<p>Semi-Finals: <strong>Fred Yehi</strong> vs. Kriss Stark</p><p> Semi-Finals: <strong>Austin Theory</strong> vs. Ray Rosas</p><p> Six-Man Tag Grudge Match: <strong>The Hung Bucks</strong> vs. SoCal Uncensored 2.0</p><p> Austin Aries Open Challenge: <strong>Austin Aries</strong> vs. ???</p><p> ROH Television Title: Marty Scurll {C} vs. <strong>Jeff Cobb</strong></p><p> ROH Tag Titles: <strong>No Gimmicks Needed {C}</strong> vs. Horror Kings</p><p> Top Prospect Tournament Finals: <strong>Fred Yehi</strong>/Kriss Stark vs. Austin Theory/Ray Rosas</p><p> ROH Six-Man Tag Titles: <strong>The End {C}</strong> vs. The Bestest Friends</p><p> </p><p> Pains me not to pick Rosas, but Theory has more upside in this one. Hoping we haven't seen the last of some of the Top Prospect wrestlers.</p>

Super hyped for Brody King, Douglas James, and PPRay being in the tournament. Gotta support So Cal! SCU!

<p>Trying an RTG game for the first time. </p><p> </p><p> <img alt="taxatfk.png" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/taxatfk.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> Using the RW mod and starting with Bar Wrestling. No Joey Ryan, unfortunately. Got Jim Cornette as my CEO.</p>

<p>Pre-Show Opener: The Dawgs vs. Colt Cabana/Flip Gordon vs. <strong>Best Friends</strong></p><p> Women of Honor Title: <strong>Nattie Neidhart {C}</strong> vs. Tenille Dashwood</p><p> Tag Action: War Machine vs. <strong>"Horror Kings"</strong></p><p> Singles Action: Kenny King vs. <strong>Jay White</strong></p><p> ROH Television Title: <strong>Marty Scurll {C}</strong> vs. Will Ospreay</p><p> Grudge Match: Austin Aries vs. <strong>Dalton Castle</strong></p><p> Singles Bout: Matt Jackson vs. <strong>Chris Sabin</strong></p><p> Six-Man Tag Titles: SoCal Uncensored 2.0 {C} vs. <strong>The End (Matt Taven, Odinson, Hammerstone)</strong></p><p> Tag Titles: <strong>The Briscoe Brothers {C}</strong> vs. Low-Ki and Jay Lethal</p><p> Main Event, for the ROH World Championship: Cody {C} vs. <strong>Alex Shelley</strong></p>

<p>Been playing a somewhat true to life Impact game starting back in May 2018, with small changes here and there.</p><p> </p><p> - Immediately joined the NWA. Impact would go on to hold two of the belts, as Rachel Ellering defeated Jazz to become the NWA Women's Champ while Le Tabarnak De Team won the NWA World Tag Team Titles.</p><p> </p><p> - Slammiversary was held in June, with Aries defeating Moose to retain the title. The Grand Championship was declared vacant as Aries hadn't defended the belt in 30 days, leading to a small tournament at Slammiversary to decide the new champion. Harry Smith would hold the gold after defeating Petey Williams and Stu Grayson to capture the gold.</p><p> </p><p> - The problems with LAX seemed to be solved with the arrival of Kingston, who led the boys back to the titles at Slammiversary after they defeated the Cult of Lee. Konnan seemed suspicious, not fully trusting the King of NY. His suspicions were confirmed as Kingston admitted to putting out the hit before he and Homicide attacked LAX. Outlaw Inc has been hounding LAX since, managing to put Santana on the shelf and leave the World Tag Team Titles hanging in the air.</p><p> </p><p> - The machine known as Cage all but destroyed Kongo Kong, forcing him out of the company after a chaotic brawl saw them fight throughout the arena. Not to be deterred, Jimmy Jacobs introduced three new followers of his: Brody King, Eli Everfly, and the monster Henare. Brody and Eli have been tearing it up in the tag division, slowly closing in on a title shot. Meanwhile, Henare has made it known he wants Cage, even costing him the X-Division Title before leaving the machine lying.</p><p> </p><p> - Penta and Sami are fighting, Eddie Edwards and Tommy Dreamer are fighting.</p><p> </p><p> - Quite a few of the Knockouts have begun teaming together, with PAWG (Kimber Lee & Jordynne Grace), the Home Wrecking Crew (Tenille Dashwood & Deonna Purazzo), and the Wild Riders (Alisha Edwards & Rebel) in particular standing out. In singles action, Su Yung continues to destroy all in her path, having defeated Allie at Slammiversary.</p><p> </p><p> - Having successfully defended the title in a fatal four way at Slammiversary, Matt Sydal claimed that his third eye had awoken him to the landscape surrounding Impact. Claiming that the need to evolve was growing, Matt declared that he would invoke Option C against the very man that invented the concept, challenging Aries to a title match at Destination X.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <strong>Destination X results</strong> (no idea how to screenshot, so I'm just writing it out)</p><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Preshow:</span></strong></p><p> </p><p> - <strong>TDT </strong>defeated The Sickness (Brody King & Eli Everfly), The In Crowd (David Starr & JT Dunn), and The Hart Foundation (Matt & Torrin Hart)</p><p> </p><p> - <strong>Kevin Kross</strong> defeated Petey Williams</p><p> </p><p> - <strong>The Diamond Standard (Tenille Dashwood & Taya Valkyrie)</strong> defeated PAWG (Kimber Lee & Jordynne Grace)</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> Main Show:</p><p> </p><p> - In X-Division qualifying matches, <strong>Trevor Lee</strong> defeated Colby Corino, <strong>Rich Swann</strong> defeated Andrew Everett, <strong>Douglas James</strong> defeated Sonjay Dutt, and <strong>Fenix </strong>defeated Dezmond Xavier</p><p> </p><p> - <strong>Moose </strong>defeated Eli Drake by DQ</p><p> </p><p> - <strong>Tessa Blanchard</strong> defeated Allie by interference from the Diamond Standard</p><p> </p><p> - <strong>LAX </strong>defeated Outlaw Inc. in a 5150 Street Fight to retain the Tag Team Titles. <em>(Santana suffered a partially torn ACL, will be out for at least a month)</em></p><p> </p><p> - <strong>Su Yung</strong> defeated Madison Rayne to retain the Knockouts Title</p><p> </p><p> - <strong>Brian Cage</strong> defeated Henare</p><p> </p><p> - <strong>Harry Smith</strong> defeated Johnny Impact to retain the Grand Championship</p><p> </p><p> - <strong>Douglas James</strong> won an Ultimate X Match to become the NEW X-Division Champion</p><p> </p><p> - <strong>Eddie Edwards</strong> defeated Tommy Dreamer in a House of Hardcore Rules Match</p><p> </p><p> - <strong>Matt Sydal</strong> defeated Austin Aries to become the new World Champion!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> On the next episode of Impact, fans were surprised as <strong>Paul Levesque</strong> stepped foot inside the Impact Zone. (In real life, WWE decided not to re-sign him, leading me to swoop in). Declaring that Evolution was needed in wrestling, Paul announced that moving forward, Impact would be renamed Evolution Pro Wrestling! E-Pro would continue to innovate, as Austin Aries and Matt Sydal would meet at August's Rumble In The Bronx PPV emanating from the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn, New York! There we would see the first annual Rumble in the Bronx, as twenty men would compete in a battle royal to determine the challenger at No Surrender!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> So yeah. Stealing the Royal Rumble concept is a bit much, but I figure that between Triple H announcing the match and the name itself, it could pass. I'm enjoying having to position different people on the card, even if I somehow have to explain why Chris Jericho would sign with Impact knowing that Triple H is the authority in charge.</p>