Author: Marc Madison (Editor in Chief)
As a wrestling enthusiast for over 30 years, my fondness for professional wrestling explores the irrational in a rational way. I will explore the details inside and outside the ring and hopefully have a laugh with you in the process. I've had the fortune to interview wrestlers from Lucha Underground, TNA, Ring of Honor, GFW, and former WWE talent as well. Feel free to follow me on Twitter @TheMarcMadison
Ashton Starr – A Rising Starr With Pride
A talent that emerged on the scene in 2014, Ashton Starr began his training under the tutelage of Mr. Hughes at the WWA4 Pro Wrestling School in Atlanta, Georgia. By his own accord, Ashton Starr shared that he was nervous as to how he would first be received. However, once he moved past the initial trepidation, he built lifelong friendships free of judgment or criticism. Starr has shown a commitment to his craft and, in particular, wrestling virtually his entire life. The means of how we become interested in wrestling are different for everyone. For Ashton Starr, this was no…
Jamie Senegal | The Dirty Martini Diva
With less than a decade of experience under her belt, Jamie Senegal isn’t just breaking down barriers. This diva Queen is destroying them. Senegal best describes her style as very hard-hitting and stiff-striking action on the ground. However, that alone doesn’t define her skillset. Senegal will risk life and limb as she will often take to the skies showing an aptitude for the air. This star has a real relentless Diva quality about her. Every wrestler’s career tells a story. In the case of Jamie Senegal, that story first began with her earliest influences. She took elements of different performers…
Over the course of her twelve-year career, Toni Rossall began to build a name for herself. If the last name Rossall doesn’t ring a bell, the name Toni Storm likely does. The New Zealand-born wrestler would first compete in Australia. Despite being born in New Zealand, Toni Storm moved to Australia when she was four years old with her mother. She would first compete for Impact Pro Wrestling in the fall of 2009. Storm remarkably began competing at the age of 13. She spent five years developing her skill set and, to that would move to England at the age…
Sonya Deville was introduced before the E as part of the Tough Enough series. Born of Italian descent, she first began to train in MMA at the age of 16. Daria Berenato came into the company with an MMA background. She was eliminated early on in the series. However, as evident by those eliminated early, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a long-term vision for them. When she initially signed to the NXT brand, she competed under her given name. However, as time passed, she remerged with a new name. In the Fall of 2015, Berenato officially signed with WWE and…
The proudly Welsh-born Steffanie Newell has been actively pursuing professional wrestling since the age of 16 to emerge as Tegan Nox in the WWE. As an active tween, Nixon Newell played a number of sports, including football (soccer). Her success in the game saw her compete for her Welsh national team. Passion in a sport you excel at can often find you at a crossroads. For Newell, she found that out at a rather young age. At the age of 13, Newell suffered a knee injury. Unfortunately, the injury was so much so that it cost her an opportunity to…
Don Muraco – More Than Magnificient
The ability to draw the audience in and have them despise you is an art unto itself. For Don Muraco, his ability to do just that made him among the most revered of his generation. Muraco was born in Sunset Beach, Hawaii. The native Hawaiian first began to hone his craft as an amateur wrestling champion. Muraco was an athlete and, like all athletes, was at a crossroads with where their career would go. Would he pursue football, or would he pursue wrestling? Muraco would choose wrestling over football and would begin his early training along the Canadian and US…
King Tonga and The Tonga Kid/ Haku and Tama were The Islanders. Both men are of Polynesian descent, and with that comes a great deal of expectation already. With wrestling’s long-standing familiarity with the Anoai’s and the lineage tied to wrestling with them, so comes the expectation of others that are also from the islands. Both men, they had developed their careers in wrestling in familiar circles. King Tonga first competed in International Wrestling in Montreal, Quebec, Canada while the Tonga Kid, who first competed in 1983, also includes his time competing in Montreal as well alongside Dan Kroffat as…
With the last name, Anoa’i comes with it a great family lineage in wrestling. For Rodney, ‘Yokozuna’ Anoa’i, his path to greatness set a precedent that others within the family. Ones that came before him hadn’t been replicated. As he grew up as part of the Anoai family, it was Rodney that was trained by his uncles Afa and Sika. The duo were former WWF tag team champions, The Wild Samoans. The story of his training under his uncles comes as he was expelled from school. In an effort to set him straight, he was sent to train with his…
Backlash 2001 | WWE Sunday Night RetroView
On April 29th, 2001, WWE presented Backlash 2001 from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois. It began with a video montage of the Two Man Power Trip, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Triple H, and the unholy alliance they formed at the time. The notion was that he who had all the power had all the gold. Was it true? WWE was informing fans of this. Jim Ross and Paul Heyman were on commentary and shared what fans should anticipate on this evening. Note: Two matches were broadcast prior to the event on Sunday Night Heat. Jerry Lynn defeated Crash…
Gary Albright – Master of Suplex
During his time in the ring, Gary Albright earned the moniker the Master of Suplex, a nickname that best defines his wrestling ability and highlights his strength. Simply enough, a suplex is defined as a wrestling hold in which a wrestler grasps his opponent around the waist from behind and carries him backward. When you are dubbed the Master of Suplex, it would suggest your ability to grasp, carry, and in most cases, toss your opposition with an exceptional amount of balance, strength, and leverage. This was the case of the career of Gary Albright, who left an indelible mark…