Pro Wrestling Illustrated February 2023

AS FAR AS I’m concerned, there is a delicate balance to be struck in columns like this one—setting the tone for the current issue in a way that is neither too formal, nor unprofessional. My predecessor, Stu Saks, deftly alternated between timely columns, analysis, and personal anecdotes. Whichever approach he took in a given month, I was always happy to read what he had to write. So, at the risk of navel-gazing, I’d like to focus this month on the recent response to our PWI “500” and “Women’s 150” lists. Let’s start with the “500.” The announcement of Roman Reigns at #1—and the revelation of the top 10 wrestlers on the 2022 list—came courtesy of PWI writers Al Castle and Candace Cordelia, during the live September 14 broadcast of Busted Open…

TALES FROM THE TERRITORIES It seems someone at VICE Media Group loves professional wrestling. The edgy outlet certainly pays close attention to our favorite sporty spectacle—not so much through coverage of current trends and stars, but with fare that is decidedly more offbeat. Dark Side of the Ring is, of course, VICE’s best-known wrestling-themed venture to date, if for no other reason than because some of the episodes caused fans to rethink the infamous antics of some of their longtime favorites. Tales from the Territories is a bit more lighthearted. And it comes to fans with a seal of approval from co-producer Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Tales from the Territories is largely a firsthand account of an age in which a confederation of promoters and top talent shaped wrestling as both a business…

TYRUS JOINED THE ranks of Lou Thesz, Harley Race, and Ric Flair as champion of the National Wrestling Alliance after winning a three-way bout also involving Matt Cardona and defending champ Trevor Murdoch. Tyrus, who had failed to dethrone Murdoch at NWA 74, relinquished his cherished TV championship to secure another World title shot at Hard Times 3—held November 12 at the Frederick J. Sigur Civic Center in Chalmette, Louisiana, outside of New Orleans. While “The Manster” had improved his conditioning and finessed his in-ring game in recent months, Tyrus as NWA World champion seems jarring to some, considering he’s been only a part-time wrestler in recent years. Outside the ring, he’s better known for his appearances on the Fox News Channel’s Gutfeld and his memoir, Just Tyrus, which cracked the…

NOW IN ITS third year, our tag team ranking issue is one of my favorites. And, in recognition that two is often better than one, we’ve doubled the size of the list this year to 100 entries. What if wrestling took this approach across the board? Let’s make matches twice as exciting. Let’s have storylines be two times as compelling. Let’s have Monday Night Raw be, well … half as long. And I’ll do my best to make this edition of “Quick Count” 100% better than usual. TIME AND A HALF The year 2022 marked the 10th anniversary of WWE and USA Network making the fateful decision to permanently extend Raw to three hours. Now, a full decade later, it can still feel like quite the slog most weeks. But, thankfully, there is something…

WE’VE HEARD IT all before … countless times, in fact. Pro wrestling is a dangerous line of work. These men and women are professionals. Injuries come with the territory. Do not try this stuff at home. And yet, still, when the reality of a business based on illusion truly hits home, it always gives us pause—tearing through the fun veneer of entertainment to remind us of the grave chances these folks take every time they step through the ropes. One such occasion happened very recently, at the Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati. It was a special Tuesday night edition of AEW Dynamite on October 18, headlined by “Hangman” Adam Page challenging Jon Moxley for the AEW World championship that he once held. Suddenly, in mid-match, the mood changed, as Moxley hit…

IN MY EARLY years with PWI, I didn’t hesitate to blast wrestling’s top stars, to the point Stu Saks reminded me that Bill Apter—who, as head photographer, was omnipresent at WWF and WCW events in those days—would be the one most likely to have his legs broken because of something I’d said in the magazine. I curtailed my criticism of the in-ring athletes after that, and saved my greatest ire for creative, particularly Vince Russo. But I must voice my complaint about modern-day wrestling: Everybody wants to be a comedian. There are examples of this on nearly every program, and it’s been happening too often on one of my favorites, NWA Powerrr. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the best comedic relief on Powerrr was The Question Mark. Joseph Hudson, who also wrestled as…