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Now This Is Real Rasslin'

Now This Is Real Rasslin'

Posted: Apr 2nd 2010 By: CMBurnham

If you've flipped on Spike TV's "TNA Wrestling" on a Monday night lately, you've probably come across many of the same faces you grew up watching - Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash. And World Wrestling Entertainment's "Wrestlemania" made headlines Sunday for a main event that pitted 44-year-old Shawn Michaels against 45-year-old Undertaker in a retirement match.

Saturday's Ring of Honor show at the Grady Cole Center, "The Big Bang," is your chance to see fresh young talent.

Jim Cornette, 48, the tennis racket-wielding former Midnight Express manager (who worked for Charlotte-based National Wrestling Alliance in the '80s), is part of the old guard. But as executive producer of television for Philadelphia-based independent wrestling promotion Ring of Honor, he's banking on new in-ring talent to help put new fans in seats.

"It's the generational breaking point... for wrestling fans that are disenfranchised, who want to see fresh faces or don't enjoy the showbiz aspect of it," says Cornette, who left Total Nonstop Action and joined Ring of Honor in September.

While WWE and TNA revel in raunch and sometimes feature more storyline than actual wrestling, Ring of Honor focuses on athleticism, contact and youth - which appeal to fans of Ultimate Fighting Championship and mixed martial arts.

That's not to say Ring of Honor is free of drama. On-air, Cornette agitates ROH's current champ Tyler Black and his opponents Austin Aries and Roderick Strong - inciting the kind of passion that ignites matches.

Ring of Honor debuts here with "The Big Bang" - but has been around since 2002. A. J. Styles, Samoa Joe, and WWE's CM Punk passed through its ropes on the way to TV stardom. Others, like tag team partners Mark and Jay Briscoe, have been with ROH since the beginning.

Cornette calls Ring of Honor "starmakers."

"The companies with bigger budgets can buy the stars after they're created and found. Ring of Honor has had the best track record of finding these guys and exposing them to the fans, so they can pick who they like."

Another aspect that sets apart Ring of Honor from its bigger competitors is that for "The Big Bang" it's pulling in local talent - NWA New Beginnings wrestlers Zack Salvation and Phill Shatter. They'll mix old and new with a pre-show meet-and-greet with Cornette, Bobby Eaton, Dutch Mantell and Tommy Young, and including Lucha Libre, Mexico's fast-paced, high flying style, on the card.

Blue Demon Jr. - one of Mexico's biggest stars - Misterioso, Super Parka and Solar are just a few of the Lucha stars set to appear.

Despite efforts to reach multiple pockets of fans with "The Big Bang," Ring of Honor is the underdog. It airs Mondays on HDNet and relies on DVDs, live shows and Internet pay-per-views. Yet that's part of its appeal to a younger, tech-savvy fan base.

More Information
'The Big Bang'
WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Grady Cole Center, 310 N. Kings Drive
TICKETS: $20-$25
DETAILS: www.rohwrestling.com

 

Tags: TNA, Ric Flair, WWE, Jim Cornette, Midnight Express, NWA, A. J. Styles, Bobby Eaton, Dutch Mantell

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  • 1965 Bull Curry def. Karl Kox for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 1986 Bruiser Brody def. Rick Rude for the WCCW Television Champion
  • 1987 The Lightning Express (Brad Armstrong & Tim Horner) def. Rick Steiner & Sting for the UWF Tag Team Champions
  • 1996 The Bad Boyz (Krull Danzig & Brett Knight) def. The Texas Outlaws (Bobby Burns & Dan Wilder) for the WWEmp Tag Team Champions
  • 2008 El Super Colibri def. Tim Rockwell for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
  • 2008 Michael York def. Brett Taylor for the SECW Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 2008 Michael York became the SECW Eastern Oklahoma Champion
  • 2009 Kevin Morgan became the AWFUL Heavyweight Champion
  • 2014 The Sexy Camachos (Angel Camacho & Roberto Camacho & Vinnie Camacho) def. Team Bull (The Bronze Bull & Bobby Starr) for the IZW Tag Team Champions

Week of Sun 05-12 to Sat: 05-18

  • 05-12 2002 Rocco Valentino became the OCW Oklahoma Television Champion
  • 05-12 2012 The New Era [2nd] (Richie Adams & Goldeneye) def. The Dramatic Athletes (Jake McCoy & X-Cal) for the ComPro Tag Team Champions
  • 05-12 2012 Venus became the IZW Queens Champion
  • 05-12 2013 The Canadian Red Devil def. Bobby Starr for the MSWA Oklahoma Champion
  • 05-12 2013 Impact, Inc. (Jermaine Johnson & Jordan Jacobs) def. Shawn Sanders & Tyson Jaymes for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champion
  • 05-12 2018 Garrett Murphy became the NAW Lightweight Champion
  • 05-12 2018 Big Smooth def. Dusty Gold for the NAW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-12 2018 Brayden def. Kareem Sadat for the BCW Independent Hardcore Champion
  • 05-12 2018 Gavin Dixon def. Mikey [2nd] for the BCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-12 2023 Ronnie Morton def. Red James for the RDW Brass Knucks Champion
  • 05-13 1979 Wahoo McDaniel def. The Spoiler for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-13 1984 Magnum T. A. def. Mr. Wrestling II for the MSW North American Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-13 2006 Justin Lee def. Gary Gram for the NWA-U X Division Champion
  • 05-13 2012 Les Mayne became the MSWA Oklahoma Champion
  • 05-13 2016 Terry Montana & Mighty Mouse def. Dynamic Shields (Justin Dynamic & Shawn Shields) for the ComPro Tag Team Champions
  • 05-13 2017 Sam Stackhouse def. Drake Gallows for the BCW Buzzsaw Champion
  • 05-13 2017 Garrett Murphy def. Anarchy [2nd] for the NAW Lightweight Champion
  • 05-13 2023 Lunchador def. Dr. Corvus for the WAH Hunger Dojo Champion
  • 05-13 2023 Rush Freeman became the WAH Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-13 2023 The Psychotic Messengers (Tank Bryson & Malachi) def. Dark Forces (San La Muerte & Reese) for the WAH Tag Team Champions
  • 05-14 1975 John Tolos def. Al Madril for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-14 1975 Danny Miller def. Skandor Akbar for the TSW North American Champion
  • 05-14 2004 Butch Dalton def. Jon Davis for the TPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-14 2004 Devon Monroe def. Mitch Carter for the TPW Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-14 2005 John O'Malley became the IZW Hardcore Champion
  • 05-14 2005 Impact Inc. (John Zorthos & Bernie Donderwitz) became the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-15 1959 Mike DiBiase def. Dory Funk for the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-15 1962 Bull Curry def. Jack Dalton [1st] for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 05-15 2010 X-Rated (Kevin James Sanchez & Bobby Star) def. Rick Russo for the SWCW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-15 2010 Jonathan Cross def. Anarchy [2nd] for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-15 2015 Charlie Haas def. Jerome Daniels for the NWA-TXO Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-15 2021 Killbane def. The Canadian Red Devil for the NCWO Oklahoma Champion
  • 05-16 1981 Eddie Gilbert & Ricky Morton def. Akbar Army (Jerry Brown & Ron McFarlane) for the TSW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-16 1983 Chris Adams def. Terry Gordy for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 05-16 2009 Impact, Inc. (Johnny Z & Bernie D) became the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-16 2015 The K. C. Wolves (Graham Bell & Luke Langley) def. Team Bull (Aaron Neil & Bobby Starr) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-16 2015 Clint Cassidy def. Mr. Nasty for the UWE United States Champion
  • 05-16 2015 Brett Stopp def. Fuel for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-16 2015 Anarchy [2nd] def. Brett Stopp for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-17 1965 Bull Curry def. Karl Kox for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 05-17 1986 Bruiser Brody def. Rick Rude for the WCCW Television Champion
  • 05-17 1987 The Lightning Express (Brad Armstrong & Tim Horner) def. Rick Steiner & Sting for the UWF Tag Team Champions
  • 05-17 1996 The Bad Boyz (Krull Danzig & Brett Knight) def. The Texas Outlaws (Bobby Burns & Dan Wilder) for the WWEmp Tag Team Champions
  • 05-17 2008 El Super Colibri def. Tim Rockwell for the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
  • 05-17 2008 Michael York def. Brett Taylor for the SECW Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-17 2008 Michael York became the SECW Eastern Oklahoma Champion
  • 05-17 2009 Kevin Morgan became the AWFUL Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-17 2014 The Sexy Camachos (Angel Camacho & Roberto Camacho & Vinnie Camacho) def. Team Bull (The Bronze Bull & Bobby Starr) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-18 1970 Boris Malenko def. Mil Mascaras for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-18 1973 Jose Lothario def. Blackjack Mulligan for the WCCW Texas Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-18 1979 Mark Lewin became the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Champion
  • 05-18 1984 Gino Hernandez def. Jimmy Garvin for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-18 2007 Lonnie Valdez & Epic became the ACW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-18 2013 The P.I.N.K. Nation (Ray Martinez & Tommy Toops) def. Bobby Burns & Sam Stackhouse (substituting for Psycho Sawyer) for the SRPW Tag Team Champions
  • 05-18 2013 B-Arthur became the SRPW Womens Champion
  • 05-18 2013 Anarchy [2nd] def. The Mercenary for the UWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 05-18 2014 Striker def. Robert Lee for the WFC Hometown Heroes Champion
  • 05-18 2019 Skylar Slice def. Erica for the MSWA Ladies Champion
05-17
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