Around the Ring: WWE turning back clock Down Under

Oct 4

Oct 4 Around the Ring: WWE turning back clock Down Under

By Mike Pankow

October 4, 2018

This weekend two men who are among the most symbolic performers of the past 25 years, including the Attitude Era, will enter the ring for yet another epic match in WWE.

Triple-H going up against the Undertaker is the featured attraction at WWE Super Show-Down on Saturday in Melbourne, Australia. The two have wrestled against each other at three separate WrestleMania events (17, 27, 28) in addition to many other televised matches over the years (just check out the new collection on WWE Network).

Over the last few weeks, WWE has added some wrinkles to the matchup. Shawn Michaels, who retired after losing to the Undertaker at WrestleMania 26, will be in Triple-H’s corner. Meanwhile, “the Big Red Machine” Kane will second his storyline brother, the Undertaker.

Just a few days ago on Raw, Michaels appeared in the ring to help hype the matchup of the living legends before Kane came out and attacked him. Undertaker then assisted his “Brother of Destruction” before Triple-H, now a WWE executive, came out to even the odds. Eventually, the Demon and the Deadman emerged with the upper hand, leaving the founding members of D-Generation X sprawled on the canvas.

There has been speculation that Triple-H and Michaels will team up against Undertaker and Kane sometime down the line and perhaps as soon as WWE Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia next month. It would be Michaels’ first match in nearly nine years.

Some of the other matches at Super Show-Down include the Shield (WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Intercontinental Champion Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose) against Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre in a six-man tag team match, the Bella Twins and WWE Raw Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey against the Riott Squad (Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan) in a six-woman tag team match and WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch against Charlotte Flair.

Two other bouts will have big implications in the WWE Championship picture on SmackDown Live, including the title match between WWE Champion AJ Styles, who has held the title for nearly 11 months, and Samoa Joe while the Miz and Daniel Bryan square off for a future title shot.

Callihan conquers everything: Sami Callihan continues to have a career year in 2018 after winning AAW’s Jim Lynam Memorial Tournament last week at Logan Square Auditorium. Callihan survived the 16-man field, which included Moose, Fenix, Rich Swann and ACH.

Callihan rose in notoriety after an incident where he hit Eddie Edwards in the head with a baseball bat during a match on IMPACT Wrestling earlier this year. Using social media, Callihan embraced the moment to further enrich himself as a top heel in the business.

Since then, Callihan has excelled in IMPACT with his OVE brethren Jake and Dave Crist. He had a stellar match with Pentagon Jr. at IMPACT Slammiversary in July. He also is currently involved in a rivalry with Jimmy Havoc in MLW.

On the heels of the successful two-night Lynam Tournament event, AAW is making its debut in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 12 and returns to the Chicago area on Oct. 26 at 115 Bourbon Street in Merrionette Park, featuring an appearance by L.A. Park (aka the original “La Parka” from AAA and WCW).

The next Andy Kaufman?: David Arquette again is making waves in professional wrestling almost 20 years after winning the WCW Championship as a publicity stunt.

Arquette has been making appearances at independent wrestling shows throughout the country, usually with RJ City at his side. He teamed with RJ City against Chicago’s Frank the Clown and James Ellsworth at Warrior Wrestling 2 during Labor Day weekend.

Now, Arquette and City have vowed to invade the RISE women’s show on Friday, Oct. 19 at the Berwyn Eagles Club. They have thrown out an open challenge to face two women at RISE 10. RISE’s Facebook page reported that 27 women have entered their names in a “Lethal Lottery of Ladies,” who want to wrestle Arquette and City.

This evokes memories of actor Andy Kaufman of proclaiming himself to be “Intergender Champion” while challenging women to matches around the country.

The main event of RISE 10 will be a 60-minute ironman match between Tessa Blanchard and Mercedes Martinez.

RISE’s show kicks off a three-day run of all-women’s shows at the Berwyn Eagles Club with back-to-back Shimmer doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 20-21.

Ringside Chatter: After two successful shows in 2018, promoter Steve Tortorello has announced Warrior Wrestling 3 will take place at Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. … The Inaugural Midwest Wrestling Reunion took place on Sept. 23 at Moretti’s in Rosemont. Honors were bestowed to Frankie DeFalco (Lifetime Achievement Award), Dave Prazak (Promoter of the Year), Hardcore Craig Swan (Wrestler of the Year) and Dawn Lemke (Ladies Honoree). … Chicago Style Wrestling returns to Guerin Prep High School in River Grove on Oct. 19 and the first CSW Champion Doug Simmons will enter the company’s Hall of Fame. … Berwyn Championship Wrestling will host an all-women’s show two nights before WWE’s Evolution pay-per-view special. On Friday night, Oct. 26, BCW is hosting “We’re Taking Over” at the Berwyn Eagles Club.