Pro Wrestling Illustrated October 2022

AT THE TIME of this writing, it has been about two weeks since Sasha Banks and Naomi made headlines by surrendering their WWE Women’s tag team championship belts and walking out ahead of a scheduled match on Monday Night Raw. Apart from the fact that two of WWE’s most popular stars left a TV taping where they were set to appear, this story is notable for just how publicly it has played out. First of all, that night’s scheduled main event (featuring both Naomi and Banks) was scrapped, replaced with a singles bout between Becky Lynch and Asuka. On color commentary, WWE announcer Corey Graves referred to Banks’ and Naomi’s actions as “unprofessional.” The response continued offscreen. WWE quickly sent out a press release lacking the tone and corporate quirks that often…

GANBARU There was a time when Japan’s wrestling scene constituted a niche interest for fans outside of the Pacific region, primarily reserved for a cross-section of cultured enthusiasts and curious tape traders. Of course, the internet opened the floodgates for fans whose curiosity was piqued by terms like “strong style” and fierce, high-impact match-ups. Nowadays, global interest in the Japanese scene is strong, thanks in large part to crossover superstars like Shinsuke Nakamura and Io Shirai. But understanding the ins and outs of such a dynamic and storied genre can prove daunting for newcomers and seasoned fans alike, which is precisely why Jonathan Foye’s new book, Ganbaru: How All Japan Pro Wrestling Survived the Year 2000 Roster Split, is such an important effort. As the title suggests, the focal point of the…

CM PUNK FULFILLED his destiny on May 29, 2022, becoming the AEW World heavyweight champion at Double or Nothing in Las Vegas. It was Punk’s destiny even before he realized it, with “CM Punk” chants haunting WWE events since his departure in 2014, renewing at All Out in 2018, and continuing with the inception of AEW in 2019. Indeed, it was Punk, as wrestling’s “angry young man” (as PWI labeled him in 2006), who began the movement that made main-eventers out of Bryan Danielson and, eventually, Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks. “The Summer Of Punk” lent credibility to the notion that fans should have a say in who is a superstar and who is not, and that wrestlers should have a measure of control over their own destinies. The inertia of…

INTERVIEWING NWA OWNER and Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan in the August issue of PWI reminded me of the awesomeness of the ’90s alternative rock scene. Bands like the Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots, and Bush provided the soundtrack to my college years. They also inspired some less-than-memorable wrestling gimmicks, like Rad Radford (Louie Spicolli). To paraphrase Radiohead: What the hell was he doing here? A 1990s alt-rock edition of “Quick Count”? Say it ain’t so. 1979 Cody Rhodes’ inspiring pursuit of the WWE championship, in order to fulfill his father’s mission, may have left some newer fans thinking that the “American Dream” was never able to win the big one. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. This August marks the 43rd anniversary of the night Dusty Rhodes defeated Harley Race to…

AS SOMEONE WHO is often asked my opinion on the “greatest of all-time” at this, that, or the other thing as it pertains to pro wrestling, I usually prefer to stay out of those discussions. After all, how do you judge? What criteria do you use? Wrestling straddles the line. Unlike other sports, it’s not nearly as dependent on cold, hard statistics. And yet, unlike other forms of entertainment, it’s presented as sport. What does “greatest of all-time” even mean? Do you judge by wins and losses? By drawing power? By overall performance ability? Does this include talents outside the ring, as well, and intangibles like charisma? How do you offset for different eras and totally different performance styles? And yet, despite all these caveats, I’m going to wade boldly into…

THE STORY OF 2022—and heading into WrestleMania 39—will be Universal champion Roman Reigns’ dominance of WWE, as he’s the recognized kingpin of both the Smackdown and Raw brands. There’s been debate among fans and insiders alike, regarding whether WWE operates best with one or two world champions. Obviously, the current setup is working for Reigns, who has emerged as WWE’s greatest superstar since John Cena (and, arguably, The Rock). Vince McMahon and the WWE machine are all-in on “The Tribal Chief.” Michael Cole emphasizes that Reigns is breathing “rarefied air,” touting his nearly 700 days as champion, reciting the names from the annals: “Pedro Morales at 1,027 days, Hulk Hogan at 1,474 days, Bob Backlund at 2,135 days, and Bruno Sammartino at 2,803 days.” That sounds a bit odd to my ears.…