For a lot of wrestling fans, Wrestlemania is just that. Maybe you pay attention to the WWE Hall of Fame but you’re really just interested in what happens on the WWE Pay Per View. And that’s fine. But for wrestling promotions across North America, the phrase “Wrestlemania Weekend” is used because several promotions used that weekend to promote super cards.
Pro Wrestling Syndicate in the New Jersey area are holding two day SUPER CARD 2013 featuring legends such as Superstar Billy Graham, Bret “The Hitman” Hart and Vader. On Thursday they held night one including the Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff signing autographs while Jushin “Thunder” Liger faced Davey Richards and Anthony Nese and John Morrison took on “The Pope” Elijah Burke for the first time. It was a who’s who of independent wrestling talent including Colt Cabana, New Jack and Starman (yes, Starman. From the NES Pro Wrestling video game. I’m not lying. Flying Cross Chop and all). Tonight they hold night two including a dream match between Liger and John Morrison as well as the retirement match of New Jack as he faces Necro Butcher for the first (and last) time. You can catch the event on Highspots.com for $9.99.
Over at EVOLVE, Gabe Sapolsky’s promotion (you might know him as the former booker of Ring of Honor), they hold their tournament to crown the first ever Evolve Champion. The card also features the Super Smash Brothers taking on the Young Bucks and Brian Kendrick tagging with Johnny Gargano to take on Drew Gulak and Orange Cassidy. You can pick it up tonight for $14.99 at wwnlive.com
Those maniacs at Combat Zone Wrestling (they have calmed down the violent antics… a little bit) are featuring MASADA vs. Jun Kasai for the CZW Championship, Sami Callihan against Brian Kendrick and Colt Cabana versus Greg Excellent. You can catch the show at czwippv.com or RFVideoNow.com. The good thing about all of these Internet PPVs at the same time is most of these websites allow you to pick it up the day after, in case you have nothing to do for Saturday or prior to Wrestlemania on Sunday. If you know who Rob Feinstein is and you’re uncomfortable ordering from his company, you might want to steer clear of the CZW Pay Per View.
Rounding out Friday is the wacky antics of Kaiju Power Battel for $14.99 at wwnlive.com Trust me, it’s worth $15. Even if the wrestling is weak you’ll be entertained by Godzilla style characters and costumes. Some of the most fun you’ll have watching a wrestling event.
For Saturday, SHIMMER Women Athletes gives us major players like Saraya Knight and Cheerleader Melissa in a steel cage match for the SHIMMER Title, Mia Yim taking on Amazing Kong (Kharma from the WWE) and many more. SHIMMER is not like WWE Divas. The quality of pro wrestling from these women is high and the more you support them, the less they’ll have to rely on Amazon Wish Lists for income. Only $14.99 from wwnlive.com
Dragon Gate, another Sapolsky company will be holding a two night event on Saturday and Sunday, $9.99 in advance and $14.99 per show on wwnlive.com Both cards include Brian Kendrick, the Super Smash Brothers, Sami Callihan, Akira Tozawa and CIMA. Some of the best light heavyweight action you will ever see in pro wrestling, and I’m sure some of you miss it.
Ring of Honor is of course holding the Supercard of Honor VII as well as a National TV taping which you can check out at www.rohwrestling.com and New Japan Pro Wrestling is holding a live iPPV through UStream on the day of Wrestlemania at 3AM Eastern. While incredibly early, you can catch it on Video on Demand until the 15th and it honestly includes talent that rivals the WWE. We’re talking Alex Shelley, Davey Boy Smith Jr., Rob Conway, Bob sapp and some of the best wrestlers Japan has to offer. Trust me, there are few wrestlers in this business today better than Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kazuchika Okada and they are wrestling for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. If you’re bored of the WWE product and want to watch pro wrestling the way it was meant to be, catch Invasion Attack on UStream.tv for $24.99
I apologize for the timing of the article but most of these shows can be watched after they have been broadcast. There’s a lot of great wrestling beyond the WWE. Don’t miss it this weekend.
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photo credit: Randy Stewart via photopin cc
