Royal Ramblings Talks GFW with Jeff Jarrett

Global Force Wrestling is not just set to take the world by storm, it is already doing so. Fundamentally changing the approach to how wrestling works, this inspiring new brand is the brainchild of wrestling hero Jeff Jarrett who talked us through their plans. For fans that want to see GFW's debut outing, it will a joint Pay-Per-View venture with New Japan Pro Wrestling and is to be called by the legendary announcer Jim Ross. UK Fans will be able to see the show on 4 January 2015 through the FLIPPS app, so download it now to your smart phones and TVs and get this on your Christmas list to ensure you are a part of the action and see what is likely to be the most widely distributed PPV in history!

How did GFW come about and what the timeline is for rolling it out? You seem to be taking it slowly and cautiously.
Well, the wrestling business is in my blood. My family has been in the business since the 1940s. My Grandmother did everything but wrestle, she promoted the business and then my dad - he promoted as well as wrestled - so it's in my blood. In June 2002 I launched TNA wrestling and then last December it was time for me to try something new and we parted ways. So I took a couple of months and I had different ideas and different concepts and I started to piece them together and then April 7 2014 is when I officially launched the brand. Patience is not in my DNA! But I'm piecing things together and 2015 is when the rollout will really start to take shape. Obviously we've partnered with New Japan Pro Wrestling and we're executive producing the Pay-Per-View that's going to be seen on a global basis via the Flipps app and through all the traditional Pay-Per-View carriers in North America. That's the short answer of how Global Force Wrestling came about.

So as you mention, you're partnering with New Japan Pro Wrestling for "Wrestle Kingdom 9" on 4 January for GFW's first presentation. Is it a sign of how you're going to do business, working as an umbrella group for others?
The answer is we'll do both things. We'll also be a fully functioning promotion with rosters and distribution and sponsorships and international deals but like I said, I've seen others and been a part of things. If you rush a product to market when it's not ready, I'm a big believer in the first impression being a lasting impression so New Japan is the first presentation but it's the first of many to come. We're going to be making an announcement with a South African promotion very soon but we're taking our time, doing it step by step, getting the brand awareness in place. That's the big thing, when we finally step on the main stage, I want to make sure that the brand is widely exposed and it's clearly defined what we're about. These are the steps that we're taking right now.

On that point, it seems that social media is key to you. GFW has had some 4 million impressions on social media in 30 days. How is that working and have the other companies missed a trick in having fans do their marketing for them?
All of entertainment - not just professional wrestling - is going online and we live in a magnificent world where the speed of technology is instantaneous. So when we partnered with New Japan, sat down and discussed our marketing and how we were going to expose NJPW not just to North America but throughout the globe, we knew that the digital age was exactly our target market for professional wrestling fans. We're very happy with the rollout and promotion thus far and we're really looking forward to the next 2-3 weeks to bring the marketing campaign home for the January 4 show.

You're working with Doug Williams, NGW and Revolution Pro Wrestling in the UK. How did you pick them and are you open to working with other promotions?  
We're definitely open to working with other promotions and it's going to be a talent exchange. Doug is very instrumental - I've got a lot of respect for him and obviously I'm not the only one. He has an immense amount of talent himself but he can also spot talent. He is a guy that's very trustworthy and that's first and foremost and so Doug highlighted the promotions and the stars of tomorrow are in these independent promotions around the globe. We've partnered with several in Australia, one in Germany and we're going to...

Borash Talks Boot Camp with Royal Ramblings

Creator, producer, brains behind and voice of British Boot camp 2, we were lucky enough to speak exclusively to Jeremy Borash about his thoughts on the show. What's next for Grado? Will there be a season 3 of Boot Camp? Read on to find out!

What do you think Bootcamp season 2 winner Mark Andrews will bring to TNA? Well, I think he's a great winner. He has a very magnetic personality - he's the kind of guy that attracts your attention when you walk into a room. You meet him for the first time and know he's a great guy. He's a very smart young man and his wrestling abilities speak for themselves - there's high flying stuff you'll see him pull out that you won't expect. You've got to factor in everything when you consider these guys and I think he'll get along really well with our locker room. At the end of the day you've got an investment to make and Dixie Carter made the decision to invest in Mark Andrews. I think it's going to be a good pay off. You've seen what Rockstar Spud has done as a success story coming out of the first season - Mark Andrews could be the guy to do it this time. Two bona fide stars coming out of two seasons of a show in a row would be great - you don't get that too often in reality TV anymore but I think Mark has a good chance.

Any of the final three could have won it. Was there a particular weakness that denied them? I think you can make a strong argument for any of the top six!  Ultimately, you've just got to work to people's strengths. If a guy isn't strong on the mic say, that's for the creative department to handle and you've got to look for something else and accentuate those positives. To me, everybody is a work in progress. Rockstar Spud was in OVW [TNA's training system] for almost 11 months before he ever saw the light of day on TV, even after he had won Boot Camp and he says those months were the biggest education he's ever had.  Mark Andrews is the winner of Boot Camp 2 but until you're a part of that locker room on a functional basis for a year or two, you're really not ready for anything. For an old cagey veteran like myself, not much is going to surprise me after 14 or 15 years of doing this full time. You just get a different perspective and that takes time. Coming out of the gate any one of those three or six, given the time, the education, the experience could all be stars, no question.

UK fans were intrigued to hear about the TNA UK tour documentary you're making - tell us more.   It was something we did off the back of the success of British Boot Camp - the ratings were there. The decision to put all six finalists on the tour was a result of the ratings of the show and the connection that fans felt with them. So they're going to be on all three dates of the UK tour and we're going to document it all and do a very special show for Challenge TV about it. It's going to give a lot of insight into the tour. We always discuss how to make these the tour of the year and we're going to show you how we do that, especially through the eyes of these six. It's like the exclamation point on the end of Boot Camp.

We have a podcast on which Richard Parliament answers questions each week - just like Prime Minister's Question Time! What did you think of Richard, does he have a bright future? I loved him! Of the final six, not many had heard of him. They were respectful of the promotions he worked for but not a lot of people had seen him. He had stuck to his home promotion but like Priscilla up in Glasgow, he came out of the woodwork. Now, if you look at their Twitter following just from those one or two appearances on the show, you can see how they've maximised and used that to springboard into something else. They get it 100%. I tried to tell every talent that was on this show that it was up to them to grab it and make it something special. Richard Parliament did that as did others and I don't think we saw enough of it. Richard Parliament got it, is getting booked everywhere and is seeing the benefits of the exposure and that to me is what the show was all about - shining the...

Royal Ramblings: The Living Legacy of Sting

Birthdate: 02/25/1949 (age 65) Height: 6'1" Weight: 243 Ib Ric Flair, also known as "The Nature Boy," Flai...

Mark 23 November 2014 in your calendars as the day WWE made history once again and completed a circle that began with the purchase of WCW. During the Survivor Series Pay-Per-View, the iconic Sting made his debut in a WWE ring and solidified himself legendary status as one of the greatest wrestlers to have ever lived. For those readers that don't understand why his debut is so significant, let us briefly review the career of this enigmatic warrior.

Some 30 years ago, Steve Borden debuted in a Tennessee based company called the Continental Wrestling Association as "Flash". Foreshadowing what would be singles runs as two of the greatest painted characters to appear on TV, Sting teamed with Jim Hellwig, known then as "Justice" but later of course, as the Ultimate Warrior. The team soon left CWA and moved to the Universal Wrestling Federation. It was there that Sting and Warrior's tag-team days ended, mirroring the breakdown in their personal relationship which only appeared to be remedied around the time of Hellwig's death. 

Sting would go on to join with "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert and later Rick Steiner to become a three-time UWF tag champion. When the UWF was bought by the National Wrestling Alliance (a forerunner of WCW), Sting was pegged as a future star and faced Ric Flair as early as 1988 for the NWA Heavyweight Championship. Continually booked for headline matches of one sort or another, his stock continued to rise and he eventually won the NWA Television title in early 1989.

Also read: Royal Ramblings: London Is Jericho

Flair and Borden continued to work together and whilst the "classic" line-up of the Four Horsemen were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2012, fans might be interested to know that Sting was a member of the group, albeit briefly during its "reformation" period. Whilst an injury at that time forced Sting from the ring, so well-regarded was Borden that he still featured regularly on TV programming throughout his recovery time (even being saved from a beating by Robocop in a promotional fusion!). He would return in 1990 and go on to win the NWA World Heavyweight title.

When WCW rose from the ashes of the NWA, Sting went with it and soon after defeated Steve (later Stone Cold Steve) Austin for the WCW US Championship. His status as the WCW 'franchise' quickly soon after secured him the first of six Heavyweight title wins.   

Throughout the 1990's Sting continued to dominate in WCW but it wasn't until 1996 that he began to develop the darker, more menacing character that has defined the latter part of his career. Moving away from the brightly coloured tights and blond crew-cut that had shaped his iconic TV character, he grew his hair out and tended to opt for Black ring-attire. It was during that intermittent period that Sting was ringside for one of the greatest shocks in wrestling history when Hulk Hogan turned villain and set the foundations for the New World Order (nWo) faction. 

Refusing to take sides in the WCW/nWo war, Sting became a free agent, coining the famous phrase: "The only thing for sure about Sting is nothing's for sure". For nearly a year, he did not speak on the microphone and appeared mysteriously in the arena rafters. Eventually in 1997, he literally dropped back into action (from the roof), taking out the nWo bad guys and re-establishing himself as a firm fan favourite. He later reinforced that status in typically enigmatic style by teasing a run as a bad guy only to join the "Wolfpac" good guys and again reinventing himself with a new red and black appearance.  As a wolfpac alumnus he continued to win championship gold and latterly, would partake in a series of matches with Bret Hart to determine the master of the Sharpshooter/Scorpion Deathlock finisher. 

In 1999 Sting returned to his Black and White gear and world champion status, if only briefly. He took his 5th championship from Diamond Dallas Page on WCW's Nitro programme only to be beaten by Page some 90 minutes later in what was the shortest recorded reign in WCW history. By the time WCW was in its final run, Sting had undertaken a short stint as it's on-screen president and 'turned heel' only to be continually embraced as a fan favourite. A storyline injury had him off TV from November 2000 but he ended his WCW journey as he had begun in, in emphatic style by beating his long-time rival Ric Flair on the final TV broadcast. When WWE bought out WCW, he turned down a contract with the former having been concerned about the way his team mates had been booked.  Instead, he headed to Europe and toured with the short-lived World Wrestling All-Stars. 

Whilst it may be unlikely to form part of WWE's 'History of Sting', Borden became 'The Franchise'...

Royal Ramblings Meets So Cal Val

Birthdate: 7/20/1979 (age 35) Height: 6 ft 1 in Weight: 221 lb Adam Rose ProfilesLeppan debuted as a professio...

Wrestler, Announcer, Manager, Commentator, Script Writer - there is very little that Valerie "SoCal Val" Wyndham has not done in the wrestling business. With model, presenter and fashion blogger also on her CV, it should be clear that she is both an incredibly hard-working and talented individual. In the UK for guest appearances at leading conventions in Cardiff and Milton Keynes, we were lucky enough to have the opportunity to ask her some questions about her career both past and future.

You've appeared in UK promotions like Southside and PCW, what's your view on the UK wrestling scene?

I was surprised at how quickly I befriended so many of the wrestlers and found so many talented men and women. Some of the names that stood out to me and that I'd previously heard of included Kris Travis and Noam Dar -Noam is someone that I kept hearing was promising but to see him wrestling live was really exciting. You can tell right away that he's got a lot of charisma but there's a lot of guys and girls that I've met over here who are really talented and they're all really nice and humble too.

You're in the UK for the Cardiff Film & Comic Con and Collectormania in Milton Keynes. What's the weirdest thing someone has asked you to sign at a convention?

I had someone ask me to sign a can of red bull that I drank! My friend Jinder Mahal told me I should have charged $10 for it but I let it go for free. Someone in an email asked if I had any used trash bags that I could autograph and sent to them - that, I did not do!

Also read: Royal Ramblings Meets Colt Cabana, Talks Ed Fringe, Indies, WWE & More

We're awaiting news of TNA's new TV deal - do you think they're safe? Will they stay with SpikeTV?

Well before I answer that, I have to tell you that one of my biggest pet peeves in wrestling is making too many announcements for the sake of a big announcement. If you do that, the big reveal is never as grand as you made it out to be - and that I think, is a flaw of many wrestling companies. They're all about the announcement and not about the delivery. As for TNA, I would hope that they stay with Spike or at least go to a similar size network. I don't know if Spike is going to keep them or not but I would hope so. That would be my first choice for them. Ultimately, it's too good of a product with too many good people on the roster not to be picked up by a big network in my opinion. I have the feeling they will be picked up.

You were a "Rosebud"! Tell us about the experience

I was a Rosebud! Thrice I was a rosebud. Back in July, WWE had shows in Tampa, Orlando and Miami. Being in WWE has been my dream since I was maybe 11 years old and they've been wonderful so far as communication is concerned. I was asked to go backstage, to be looked at and to talk to some people and I was able to go on camera as a rosebud with Adam Rose. I had been a fan of his since he'd started performing as Leo Kruger in NXT. He has such depth of character - Kruger was a darker and more intense role which is hard to imagine now in his new role. It was obviously exciting. You're partying and getting to see the WWE universe and to perform on that grand stage - to me that was a real honour.

So who's in the bunny costume!?

Well it clearly wasn't me - I'm not the bunny and I'm not the Hot Dog!

We ask everyone in the business the same question - what's your best "rib" story?

I haven't been around too many ribs but one that I've spoken about before involves Robbie E, whom I love to death and who's one of my best friends in wrestling. He was doing a show over here in the UK and asked what price he should sell photos for during the intermission. Someone said "sell them for five pounds". So Robbie made a sign that said "5lb" and put it in front of the stall! All the boys came back and kept talking about it over and over, so he can't get away from that one...!

What are you doing at the moment and where can we see you?

Well, I've just finished a tour of the Houses of Parliament! I'm still doing lots of announcing for wrestling shows and I manage a lot as well. I've just joined Shine wrestling where I am doing that but my main job is as a presenter, ring announcer and interviewer. I...

Royal Ramblings Does the London Film & Comic Con

Another HuffPost UK cross-post: 

On Sunday 19 October, we had the opportunity to attend the London Film and Comic Con (Winter) organised by Showmasters who claim to run "The Coolest Collectors Fairs In the World". For those that haven't yet attended a convention, Danny sets out his experience together with some tips for wrestling fans: 

You'll certainly know when you've arrived at a Comic Con. My first indicator was a lady bedecking herself in red and black, metamorphosing in front of me into erstwhile batman nemesis Harley Quinn. If the lady in question was as crazed as her comic alter-ego, then the mania had certainly spread. It wasn't long before I had encountered Predators, Jawas and of course, Jedis. 

The film and comic conventions are an ageless extravaganza for comic collectors, film buffs and science fiction aficionados. There are rows upon rows of memorabilia, collectables and merchandise. Looking for an Oscorp T-Shirt or a signed Pulp Fiction poster? The London Film and Comic Con is a must.

Also read: Royal Ramblings Meets Marcus 'Buff' Bagwell

What sets these conventions apart from other fayres is the cast of stars and extras from films that are on hand for autographs and pictures. This year's guests included the original Karate Kid Ralph Maccio and Alan Ruck, whom played Cameron in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. As part of their offering, Showmasters have for some time been inviting wrestlers to join the great and the good and for Winter 2014, this included Rikishi and Too Cool, Shelton Benjamin, Marcus "Buff" Bagwell and Alberto "Del Rio" Rodriguez. 

To some extent, the convention is a tale of the good, the bad and the ugly. The good news is that if you are a fan of any of the wrestling talent appearing, you'll likely have an opportunity to meet and talk to them. Given this is not a wrestling convention, there are periods when the long tables at which the wrestlers and others are seated remain quiet. Marcus Bagwell in particular seemed to be happy to talk and take pictures with people (some were a little less forthcoming). Whilst it was somewhat sad to see these wrestling greats sitting alone for stretches of time, the access it permitted was tremendous. 

Unfortunately, if you want to talk to the talent, it won't come cheap. At £15 an autograph, you're going to have to dig deep if you want your five minutes chat. Many will consider this a very worthwhile charge - if not a bargain. However, if a particular individual has a photo shoot organised during the day the chances are they won't be offering posed photos at their table, rather you'll need to pay again for your professional photo-shoot and so it's a £30 minimum for the whole bundle 

The photo shoots themselves are entirely functional, so don't bank on a long chat with the stars as you'll be in and out before you know it. That said, the professional shot you are given as you leave the staging room is of a high quality. Unfortunately, jpegs aren't on offer and so a home scanner is a must.   If chatting over an autograph and getting your snap taken isn't enough, Showmasters do offer question and answer sessions. Whilst, understandably, Alberto Rodriguez absented himself from this winter's talk, the event wasn't short of controversy. Brian 'Grandmaster Sexay' Christopher of Too Cool opened with a scathing attack on the promoter whom had brought the group to the UK. 

Unfortunately the session started late and so there was only time for three questions. We heard about the star's "favourite finishing moves" which for Rikishi - paying tribute to his wrestling family - included the Rock Bottom and the Banzai Drop. Shelton Benjamin meanwhile paid tribute to  Rikishi's very own Stinkface. Fortunately for Benjamin, Rikishi revealed that he had been wearing his clean thong when delivering the move that day. His soiled one, he said, had been reserved for Vince McMahon. We also heard from Buff Bagwell about his time working with Scott Steiner in WCW and from the panel about what had inspired them to become wrestlers. For Brian Christopher, a major influence was his father, Jerry the King Lawler. 

All said, the Comic Con is worth visiting if the talent you wish to see are appearing. My advice would be to wait until the timetable is published on the showmaster's forums and arrange your day around either the talk or the photo opportunities or both if they coincide. Keep an eye on the Showmasters website as that's where the guests are announced. Looking to the future, there's Rockstar Spud and D-Lo Brown in Milton Keynes and Davey Hart Smith Jnr in Cardiff. 

Overall it was an enjoyable day but pre-planning is essential to maximise your enjoyment, live long and prosper.....

Royal Ramblings: Losing It - The WWE Title

Here's our latest from the Huff Post UK, we'll have a review of Jericho is London up early next week. Do follow us on @royal_ramblings

On Monday night's WWE Raw show, reigning champion Daniel Bryan was stripped of his World Heavyweight Championship belts. The resultant match to determine a new champion will be held at the next pay-per-view Event, Money In the Bank.

As many readers will know, the WWE World Heavyweight Championship has been around for a long time and is the oldest and most prestigious within the company. There have been 44 separate champions and as you might imagine, this is not the first time the title has had to be vacated. 

The first controversy relating to the title came during a reign not officially recognised by the WWE. Antonio Inoki, whom we discussed in our last blog, defeated then champion Bob Backlund in Japan in late November 1979. A re-match the week later was declared a no-contest because of interference from another wrestler and Inoki refused the title (allowing his reign to go unrecognised) and it was subsequently declared vacant. Backlund won a Texas Death match to recapture the title in December 1979 but would eventually lose the title when his managed forfeited a match to the Iron Sheikh. 

Perhaps more shockingly, Andre the Giant sold his title to the Million Dollar Man, having won a match against Hulk Hogan by way of a bribed referee. The title was vacated by order of WWE's president Jack Tunney and later won by 'Macho Man' Randy Savage. 

A few years later, the title was to be vacated again. The Undertaker had beaten Hulk Hogan at 1991's Survivor Series with the assistance of Ric Flair. Given the outside interference, a rematch was ordered for the subsequent pay-per-view at which Hogan recaptured the title with the aid of the ashes from Paul Bearer's Urn. Given these dual controversies, Jack Tunney vacated the title which was won by Ric Flair at the subsequent Royal Rumble. 

Also read: Daniel Bryan injured while still being WWE World Heavyweight Champion, now what?

There have been occasions on which a title win has been overturned in the same evening or during a particular match. This was the case for Rob Van Dam who beat the Undertaker and Chris Jericho, whom beat Triple H. Both their wins were overturned in an evening. More recently, the Rock was afforded a second chance to defeat CM Punk at 2013's Royal Rumble when his match was re-started by Vince McMahon following interference from 'The Shield'. Vince himself, having become the oldest wrestler to win the title, vacated it after only a week. 

Other storyline title vacancies have provided great drama for viewers. Stone Cold Steve Austin had to vacate his title in 1998 after he was pinned simultaneously by the Undertaker and his storyline brother, Kane. A re-match between the 'Brothers of Destruction' at the Judgement Day Pay Per View was deemed a no-contest when Stone Cold, as the guest referee, performed a double count-out and declared himself the winner. He was 'fired' and the Rock later won a title tournament. In a 2011 storyline similar to one in the Ring of Honour promotion, CM Punk won the title and then walked out on the company. In the intervening weeks both Rey Mysterio and John Cena won the title but Punk returned to beat Cena and his reign is deemed to have lasted throughout this period. 

Daniel Bryan is no stranger to losing the title. He won at the 'Night of Champions' in 2013, only to be stripped of his belts by Triple H, citing a fast count by the referee. Bryan's mentor, HBK, would later betray him and help Randy Orton to win the title during a re-match.

Bryan is also not unique in having had to forfeit a reign through injury. Shawn Michaels lost his title to a knee injury in 1997 and John Cena his, to a pectoral muscle tear ten years later. Another notable injury-related forfeit was  from Dave 'The Animal' Batista, whom tore his left bicep. 

Perhaps then, if nothing else, Daniel Bryan can at least be content that he has added to the annals of WWE title history. No doubt he will be working hard on his recovery, to ensure that this is not his final chapter.