Pro Wrestling Illustrated

WE TRY OUR best at the end of each year to single out the names of wrestlers, managers, promoters, announcers, and referees who have passed away during the preceding 12 months. Though surely never a complete list, the departed members of our wrestling community are remembered annually in the year-end edition of PWI. In this year’s edition, there was a notable omission … and, if you’ll permit me, it’s one I would like to correct in this column. Crusher Bones—or Scott Turner, as he was known in his preliminary work for the WWF and WCW—died of liver failure in February 2022. Bones (age 54) was a towering figure on the 1990s Southern independent scene. Standing at 6’8” and weighing in at nearly 250 pounds, the native Kentuckian competed well into the…

MEDIA REVIEWS FTR WITH DAX HARWOOD Dax Harwood has it way worse than Fletcher Reede, Jim Carrey’s character in the 1997 box-office hit Liar Liar. Where Reede was cursed with speaking nothing but the truth for a mere 24 hours, Harwood seemingly shoulders that burden every hour of every day, disseminating his unvarnished gospel of professional wrestling—and tequila—via his official podcast, FTR With Dax Harwood. Launched in December 2022, FTR is cohosted by Matt Koon, formerly of William Regal’s Gentleman Villain podcast. Each episode includes a healthy mix of storytelling and reflection, with Harwood recounting the highlights and lowlights of nearly two decades in the ring. Thus far, there don’t seem to be people or topics considered off the table. Harwood has caught lots of attention by sharing his takes on the likes…

THREE LEGENDS OF Tennessee and Kentucky wrestling were in the thoughts and prayers of wrestling fans everywhere. Two passed away, and one is very lucky to be recovering. Jerry Lawler, age 73, collapsed outside his vacation home in Fort Myers, Florida, on February 6. There was immediate concern for “The King,” who had a minor stroke in 2018 and suffered a heart attack at the announce table on a live Monday Night Raw just over a decade ago. The stroke affected his speech somewhat and the left side of his body. “Jerry’s prognosis is positive, but he needs all our thoughts and prayers,” tweeted longtime broadcast partner Jim Ross, who had a limited phone conversation with Lawler. Perhaps most encouraging were the photos posted by longtime friend and Memphis nemesis Jimmy Hart, who…

INSPIRATION CAN STRIKE almost anywhere when I’m trying to come up with a theme for my column. This time, it hit in the shower. Don’t worry … I’ll keep it clean. Lather up for this soap-inspired edition of “Quick Count.” IRISH SPRING In his more than two decades in the sport, Sheamus has achieved about everything there is to achieve. He’s worn nearly every championship in WWE, captured a world title at WrestleMania, won a King of the Ring tournament, a Money in the Bank briefcase, a Royal Rumble match, and even four Slammy awards. So, how is it that at 45 years old, it seems like the “Celtic Warrior” may only now be entering his prime? The newfound spring in Sheamus’ step could be traced back to last September’s Clash at the Castle.…

NO MATTER HOW dependent pro wrestling has become on television and on pay-per-view events over the years, house shows will always be near and dear to my heart. Call them “live events” or whatever other jargon the industry comes up with; the thrill remains the same. Once upon a time, these live “no-TV” shows were the lifeblood of the industry. Fans flocked to them to see the biggest stars battling each other and all the big title changes. That’s not the case anymore. But house shows are still so much fun, especially if the action in the ring is what you most enjoy about the business. It’s very old school—no extended promos, no elaborate angles, just great wrestling … and a chance for the wrestlers to get more time in the…

EIGHTEEN MONTHS SINCE NXT’s 2.0 revamp, a clearer and fuller picture of the brand’s roster is taking shape. I was surprised by NXT’s reboot in September 2021: If it’s not broken, why fix it? But, in deference to Vince McMahon’s unparalleled track record, I began to think his idea to purge the brand of indie veterans and crowd favorites, in favor of mostly unknowns from the WWE Performance Center, was correct. I’ll admit, however, to having doubts along the way. Solid in-ring ability has been a prerequisite for making it to TV, but other aspects made NXT unwatchable some weeks. During backstage segments, a few of these up-and-comers came across as kids at a fifth-grade play, hoping their parents and classmates weren’t really paying attention. I thought, at least initially, they…