Author: Clint Dye

Certain pro wrestlers over the course of their careers become staples of the organization they work for. Through their longevity, influence, and loyalty, they become part of the fabric of the promotion. For Impact Pro Wrestling, AJ Smooth is one of these franchise players, and that is why his featured in this Indie Spotlight Watch.  Having been with the promotion for over a decade, Smooth has done it all when it comes to IPW. Smooth has headlined some of the biggest IPW shows. He’s wrestled top-tier talent within the wrestling industry, including Seth Rollins when he was Ring of Honor…

With Halloween steadily approaching, I decided it’s the perfect time for my next WCW RetroView. So, with that in mind, today we are looking back at WCW Halloween Havoc 1998. This show is mainly remembered for two matches.  First, the long (not really awaited) WrestleMania VI rematch between Hollywood Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior. Which turned out to be an absolute stinker, but more on that later. Secondly, the WCW World Heavyweight Championship Match between Diamond Dallas Page and Goldberg. Arguably Goldberg’s greatest match, it was unfortunate at the time the pay-per-view feed cutoff right at the start of…

At certain points in their careers, professional wrestlers have moments or matches that change their career trajectory. Moments that can send them into the stratosphere as certifiable main event players. For Central Empire Wrestling Heavyweight Champion JT Energy, two of these moments came within a month of each other. Let’s go back to the December 23, 2019 episode of WWE Monday Night Raw. Emanating from the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, this was to be a huge moment for JT Energy. Wrestling under the name Travis Horn, JT Energy was booked in a match vs former WWE Tag…

WCW fans, we are back! During the last RetroView, I finished up looking back at what should have been the conclusion of the Sting versus the nWo storyline. We looked at WCW Starrcade 1997. Instead of continuing the path of chronologically following WCW into 1998, I figured I’d jump around. Recently inspired by the crowd reactions during CM Punk, Adam Cole, Ruby Soho, and Bryan Danielson’s debuts in AEW. I decided to look back at one of the greatest crowd reactions in WCW history and wrestling history in general. Of course, I am talking about Dean Malenko’s surprise reveal at WCW…

This Saturday, Impact Pro Wrestling presents return to the Forte Center with a pivotal main event. It’s a tale as old as time, teacher versus student, mentor taking on the mentee. It’s James Jeffries versus the self-proclaimed “Golden God” Bryce Jordyn for the IPW Heavyweight Championship. Bryce Jordyn began his wrestling career training at the IPW Vault in Collins, Iowa in April of 2018. One of the trainers there was James Jeffries. The two hit it off immediately with Jeffries taking the young upstart under his wing. Over time Jordyn continued to improve, so much so that three years into his…

The last time Central Empire Wrestling was in Oskaloosa, Iowa, two championships changed hands. A new Heavyweight Champion was crowned, and a new team donned the Tag Team Championships. That same night, Valentina Loca successfully retained her CEW Women’s Championship. Fast forward to last night, CEW Homecoming, and this time around, all three champions walked out of Oskaloosa titles intact. ____________ JT Energy Wins Rematch With Donnie Peppercricket JT Energy became Central Empire Wrestling Heavyweight Champion during CEW’s last show in Oskaloosa. The “Booty King,” with an assist from Tim Rhodes, defeated Donnie Peppercricket that night. It was a shocking betrayal because…

It has been well over a year since the last time Central Empire Wrestling was home in Oskaloosa, Iowa. That all changes this Saturday during Central Empire Wrestling Presents Homecoming. But, before we get into what’s to come, we need to look at what’s happened since CEW was last in Oskaloosa. Back in March of 2020, CEW held their 11-Year Anniversary show. Off the heels of Bridge City Slam 2, CEW was red hot and the card that night was even hotter. Every championship was on the line and two changed hands. First off, CEW Women’s Champion Valentina Loca successfully…

When Jeremy Wyatt enters a venue to wrestle, he becomes the most determined man in the locker room. Be it an arena, local bar, or empty warehouse; he’s determined to out-wrestle whoever stands before him. This determination has created a reputation as one of the top independent wrestlers in the Midwest. A reputation that, with more and more promotions across the country running shows again, will soon expand. The constant pursuit of topping his last performance drives the “Monarch” in pursuit of greatness. He’s the guy willing to wrestle marathon matches or multiple times in a day to accomplish his…

Alright, RetroView fans, we’ve finally made it to the big one. Today we look at the conclusion of one of WCW’s biggest and best storylines ever told. Unfortunately for us WCW fans, the conclusion, which should have been simple to tell, is an absolute mess. That’s right; today, I am talking about WCW Starrcade 1997. Headlining the biggest event in company history is Sting versus Hollywood Hulk Hogan for the World Heavyweight Championship. But, with the build from the formation of the nWo to this point, more than just the World Title was at stake. This was built as the…

Wrestling fans love wrestling matches for a plethora of reasons. Some prefer the acrobatic, high-flying style that has become so prevalent in today’s wrestling. A lot of fans enjoy the absolute carnage of a blood-soaked extreme-rules deathmatch. For others, the art of storytelling inside the squared circle is their cup of tea. Today’s article focuses on the latter. Last Friday, July 16th, during the finals of the Impact Pro Wrestling George Tragos/Lou Thesz Hall of Fame Classic Tournament, Jeremy Wyatt and the Frontman Jah C put together an absolute masterpiece in storytelling. It was a brilliant ending to a tournament full of…