"CZW's Past: ULTRAVIOLENT REVELATIONS"

[Guest Jonathan Barber]

"Combat Zone Wrestling: ULTRAVIOLENT REVELATIONS"

 

WRITTEN: Saturday, November 2, 2002 - Saturday, November 9, 2002

 

For the past year or so, I've been following the storylines and results of New Jersey-based Combat Zone Wrestling. CZW is owned and operated by John Faretti, who competes in the promotion as one of it's top stars, Zandig. CZW runs shows 2-3 times per month in the Philadelphia and New England (mainly in New Jersey and Delaware) areas. When Extreme Championship Wrestling went bankrupt in March 2001, CZW began to gradually rise to become one of the very top companies on the U.S. indy wrestling circuit. Faretti brought in a host of former-ECW stars like Super Crazy, Yoshihiro Tajiri, Rockin' Rebel, Tommy Dreamer, Tom Marquez, Little Guido, John Kronus, and others. He used them to help draw former-ECW fans that were left craving a company that was able to bring them premiere aerial and technical wrestling balanced with violent hardcore matches.

Within the last year, internet wrestling journalist Bob Magee, owner of the Pro Wrestling's Between The Sheets website, began taking it upon himself to fire upon North Hollywood, California-based Xtreme Championship Wrestling. XPW is owned and operated by adult entertainment video distributor Robert Zicari (known as Rob Black in XPW storylines) and his wife, Janet Romano (known as Lizzy Borden in XPW storylines). Black, a native of New York who was a regular at ECW shows in the New England area, used the money that he had made from his adult entertainment endeavors to fulfill a dream that he had had for much of his life - to launch his very own professional wrestling company.

Holding it's debut show in Reseda, California on July 31, 1999, XPW - like CZW - quickly ascended to the top of the indy circuit and gave former-ECW fans living on the west coast a dose of the premiere scientific and aerial wrestling and the extreme brutality that had made ECW so famous during it's prime. XPW stars like Chronic (became the EWF World Heavyweight Champion as "Iceman" John Black), Damien Steele (became a two-time WWC Lightweight Champion and a regular performer with both IWA Puerto Rico [a former-WWF/E developmental league] and Ultimate Pro Wrestling [uPW]), Homeless Jimmy, Nozawa, TOOL (who, after leaving, XPW, became a top star in the EWF promotion in Southern California as Gary "Krusher" Key), and most notably The Messiah, who went on to be the World Heavyweight Champion of both MPW and CZW (and also CZW's Ironman Champion), all found sufficient success on the indy wrestling circuit outside of XPW.

Black purchased full-page ad space in the now defunct World of Wrestling (W.O.W.) Magazine and began releasing XPW home videos through Goldhil Home Media International. By the end of 2001, XPW had found so much success that they were able to begin releasing both home videos and DVDs of full XPW shows and "Best of" wrestler compilation videos on their own, without the distribution assistance of Goldhil (at this same time, CZW was relying on Robert Feinstein's RF Video and SmartMarkVideo to tape and release their videos).

Magee began his Internet war against XPW in early 2002 and has yet to have it cease. The bashing reached an all-time high in August 2002, mere days after XPW made a shocking announcement that they'd be invading the East Coast on August 31rst at Viking Hall in Philadelphia, PA. Beginning around that time, Bob endlessly berated XPW for not obtaining a valid promoter's license and surety bond before the show occurred. However, something that so few are aware of is that CZW has also performed questionable actions in the past.

Back when CZW ran in Sewell, New Jersey, building inspectors decided that The CZW Arena, as CZW called it (it's actually The Champs Indoor Soccer Arena), didn't have enough bathrooms that the fans that attended their shows could use. Also, it has become obvious that no-shows are fairly common in CZW. At March Violence (3/11/00), CZW was unable to deliver on the previously-hyped Hit Squad/Thrill Kill Kult match when only one member of Da Hit Squad (a successful indy tag team comprised of Mafia & Monsta Mack) appeared at the event, the other having no-showed. The match was rescheduled for CZW's next show.

At Crushing the Competition (2/10/01), Justice Pain and former-ECW World Television and Tag Team Champion Yoshihiro Tajiri faced off in the main event. Just when it looked as if Pain was going to put away Tajiri, Mikey Whipwreck ran down the aisleway and made the save for Tajiri. The show ended with the announcement that CZW's next live event would feature a tag team main event of Justice Pain and Wifebeater against former-ECW World Heavyweight Champion Mikey Whipwreck and none other than "The Chair-Swinging Freak" Balls Mahoney. However, when CZW's next show, Break on Thru (2/17/00), came around, it was revealed that Mikey wasn't at the show so the fans would instead have to opt for a match between Balls Mahoney and Wifebeater.

At Best of the Best 2 (6/8/02), there were two no-shows. The most notable one was by former-WCW Cruiserweight and Cruiserweight Tag Team Champion Elix Skipper, who had been promoted as a participant in the Junior Heavyweight Tournament for almost a month by the CZW's official website. The far lesser known Tony Mamaluke, known best for teaming alongside James "Little Guido" Maritato as The F.B.I. during ECW's dying days, replaced Skipper in the tournament. The reason Skipper was reported as no-showing was reported to be that he had a booking in Japan. Indy star Jason Cross also no-showed (it was reported that he purposefully no-showed and didn't have any other obligations or anything to that degree) and was replaced in the tournament by Maxx Fuery. The deceptions get far more serious than this, though...

 

It's relatively well known that XPW had hyped the first-ever Exploding Ring Deathmatch to occur on December 3, 2000 between their man, Sabu, and Japanese deathmatch legend Atsushi Onita. That match never took place due to XPW being preoccupied with a lawsuit between them and ECW. While this is common knowledge to most indy hardcore wrestling fans, what's so less discussed is the fact that a very similar occurrence happened with CZW.

CZW Night of the Main Events (2/5/00; Sewell, NJ) began with ring announcer Dennis Shock and Ed O' Mac making their way to the ring. After Shock hyped the card, Ed told the fans that the "big announcement" that CZWWrestling.com had been alluding to for so long would finally be revealed later that night. Less than a half-hour later, CZW owner John "Zandig" Faretti made his way out to the ring and invited to the ring those responsible for the big announcement. A representative of CZW's new sponsor, ADV Films, entered the ring, and so did the former-webmaster of ScoopsWrestling.com (a now defunct pro wrestling website), Al Issacs.

Zandig informed the crowd that Japanese hardcore legend Atsushi Onita had challenged CZW to compete in interpromotional deathmatches and that he, on CZW's behalf, accepted the challenge. Zandig then made the announcement that CZW had hyped for so long - an interpromotional show pitting "Onita Kogyo" (Onita and his stars) against Team CZW (the CZW wrestlers) would air on United States and Japanese Pay-Per-View. In fact, not only did Zandig announce that this Pay-Per-View would air, but he also announced the following to the fans in attendance:

- The show would be taped on Sunday, June 25, 2000 and would air at a later date on Pay-Per-View in both Japan and the U.S.

- Former-NWA World Heavyweight Champion "The Living Legend" Terry Funk would appear on the Pay-Per-View.

- The following gimmick matches would occur on the Pay-Per-View: a Barbed-Wire Explosion Deathmatch (it would've been the first to ever occur in the U.S.), a "CZW-style" cage match (a "Cage of Death" match), and a "Freaks of Nature" match, which would feature snakes, alligators, and other deadly animals in each corner of the ring.

CZW fans were, as they should've been, jakked up for this show, for CZW was finally going to be receiving the exposure that they'd been deserving of for so long - they'd be on international Pay-Per-View!

During the next few months, CZW continued to release details to the blockbuster show on their official website - it'd be held at The Electric Factory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Terry Funk would appear at the show representing Team CZW and wrestle Onita one-on-one.

A few months after the Pay-Per-View was announced, it was moved a week later to Sunday, July 2.

The problem came, though, when June 25 came around and CZW fans weren't, as Faretti promised, treated to a Pay-Per-View taping featuring their favorite stars, along with Terry Funk, clashing with the likes of Atsushi Onita and other premier deathmatch stars. Soon after the 25th, it was revealed that the taping and Pay-Per-View were cancelled - as Mr. Magee explained in his 6/30/00 "AS I SEE IT" column - "through the efforts of several Philadelphia area wrestling promoters, who lobbied the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission to cancel the show."

Therefore, not only are we still waiting for the falsely promoted Pay-Per-View to air, but we're also waiting for a Barbed-Wire Explosion Deathmatch and a "Freaks of Nature" match to occur at a CZW show. In fact, a "Freaks of Nature" match still has yet to occur at any professional wrestling show, let alone in CZW.

In a November 5, 2000 interview conducted by Eric Gargiulo (the full interview can by clicking HERE), Terry Funk discussed how he became involved in the proposed match, but why the match didn't happen due to CZW's lousy payment policy:

"They contacted me, but it was about three quarters bullsh*t. Nobody ever sent me any papers on the thing. They [CZW] said, 'Would you do this for this certain amount of money?' and I said, 'Of course I would.' That's how that got out. I've got some guy, and I'm still waiting for his money from up there right now. I said, 'Send me half of the money' and he said, 'Will you come up here and wrestle for me?' And I said, 'Sure, I will for this amount of money and send me half up front.' So, he agreed and he's advertising me without sending me half upfront so if he's out there listening and he's in your part of the country, he better get my money to me or else I'm not coming."

There is virtually no difference to this and what Rob Black did by promoting the Onita/Sabu Exploding Ring Deathmatch, yet Mr. Magee for some reason beyond my understanding practices in about half of his columns and devote less than half a column to times that CZW has lied to their fans.

 

In late May 2000, CZW announced that they had reached an agreement for a weekly television program Saturday nights at 9:00 p.m. EST on WGTW (a local station that airs in parts of Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland). CZW hyped that their debut on the station would be on June 16. However, about one week later CZW announced that they were postponing the TV debut until July 5 due to not being ready production-wise.

CZW eventually announced that their TV deal had gone through and that their first TV tapings would be held on Friday, June 8 in Sewell, New Jersey. However, a few days before the show, RF Video broke some important news. Shawn Michaels trainees Michael Shane (Michael's real-life nephew) and Oz would be unable to make the show because Shane's car, which they were using to drive to the show together, had broken down. Both men had been promoted by CZW to appear at the show. With them unable to make it, CZW was forced to find replacements. While they announced before the show that the two wouldn't be attending, it was a prime example of false hype by CZW.

 

On May 12, 2001 at Stretched in Smyrna (Smyrna, DE), CZW held perhaps their most violent match to date. The show's main event featured Wifebeater and John "Zandig" Faretti battle it out in an Ultraviolent Deathmatch for Wifebeater's CZW World Heavyweight Championship. Light bulbs, some boards wrapped in barbed-wire, hot candle wax, tables, a weedwhacker, broken glass, a rope (which was used to stretch the already severely lacerated open back of Zandig so that the white of his bone became visible), and other tools were used as weapons. Respected Internet wrestling journalist Stuart Max of Wrestling Viewpoint! described Zandig's back as it looked just five minutes into the match as "beyond description, blood just... everywhere." Stuart stated the following in his analysis of the match:

"I'm not sure what to really make of this...Every fan has a line he or she will draw when it comes to garbage wrestling. Some won't even watch it, offended by what it stands for. Some will accept chairs, tables and blood. Some will accept barbed wire, light bulbs and other dangerous materials. My line is right near the end, but THIS abortion crossed it. In NO way was this a wrestling match. It was a hideous, gross display of bloodshed and gore for NO OTHER REASON but most of the guys involved can do little better, so to remain over with the fans they have to constantly up the ante and take their 'ultraviolence' to a new level...These CZW garbage wrestlers has done some disgraceful stuff in the past, but I think this tops it...Having watched this, I fear what their next attempt to outdo this will feature."

Just minutes into the match, representatives of the firehouse who were in attendance at the show placed a call to the local police force to put an end to the show due to the excessive amount of blood being shed. Luckily (for the good of the reputation of not just CZW, but of all U.S. indy wrestling), no arrests were made.

During the match, the face of the cameraman filming the action (who was actually RF Video's Doug Gentry) was cut open fairly severely by broken glass.

 

For months, CZW had been hyping what they called their biggest show ever, Cage of Death 3, for Saturday, October 13, 2001. However, in early October, they announced that the show would be postponed until a later date. That date was later announced as December 15 at Viking Hall in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In late November, CZW announced that premiere hip-hop/rap The Insane Clown Posse (consisting of Shaggy 2 Dope & Violent J), who had competed or appeared in ECW, WCW, the WWF, and XPW, would make an appearance at Cage of Death 3. In a case of broken promises, just a few days before the show, CZW announced that The I.C.P. wouldn't be at the C.O.D. 3 show. They gave no reason to the public for this sudden cancellation. Like the Michael Shane and Oz booking cancellations, CZW did announce before the show that Shane and Oz wouldn't be at the show, it was another example of false hype by CZW.

 

On July 15, 2002, Gabe Sopolsky published the following on the RF Video website:

"We have heard that Justice Pain cut a promo at the CZW show on Saturday basically challenging anyone from ROH to fight him next month. I want to make this very clear right now that ROH WILL NEVER work with CZW. This was a grandstand challenge, meaning that CZW had Pain cut the promo trying to punk us out knowing that we won't respond or send a ROH wrestler to fight him. The funny part is that a lot of CZW fans seem very excited about the possibility of someone from ROH fighting Pain. All Zandig did by having Pain cut this promo was set his fans up for disappointment when nothing happens. I will probably have more on this in a week or so once I watch the tape and hear exactly what Pain said. I will talk about why ROH will never, ever work with CZW. On a side not to Zandig, we don't want a war. You go do your product and we do ours. The fans will spend their money on which product is better. It's that simple. We won't distract from our show with CZW references. In fact, at our last show one of our wrestlers wanted to cut a promo running down the use of light tubes and stuff like that and we wouldn't let him. It has been talked about to have a spot in a match where someone no sells a light tube to kill that gimmick since everyone knows they don't hurt, but we won't do that. If you want to keep putting us over on your show and advertising for us, that's cool Zandig, but we will never respond to you and never put you over on our show. It just shows an insecurity in your own product when you do things like that. If you have confidence in your product, there is no reason to issue grandstand challenges."

 

In an 11/3/02 post, Mr. Magee ripped on XPW for promoting a show that was hyped to feature The Sandman's retirement match, stating the following:

"As for the November 16th Sandman "retirement match", at least two other companies are advertising Sandman for upcoming shows:

 

He's advertised as working Bam Bam Bigelow for the New York-based USA Pro Wrestling's Eighth Anniversary Show on November 22nd, found at this URL

 

He is also advertised to be working Konnan for a December 5th show with Legacy Wrestling Enterprises in Fort Worth, TX, which can be found at http://www.geocities.com/lwewrestling/konnanbanner.jpg (note: you must cut and paste this URL into your browser as banners stored on Geocities will not link directly).

 

While XPW is hardly the first promotion to do this, and undoubtedly won't be the last, one wonders what reaction this will draw from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission, which has been watching the actions of XPW in recent months."

Actually, when Mr. Magee stated that XPW wasn't the first promotion to hype a retirement match that wasn't, he couldn't have been more correct. This is because, less than one month before he wrote that column, CZW did the very same thing.

It was at CZW Beyond the Barrier (10/12/02; Philadelphia, PA) that one of CZW's premier deathmatch competitors, known as "The Wifebeater," (Yes, that's what he's known as.) announced his retirement from the squared circle (He had competed in the sport for the past three years.) due to legitimate injuries that came from the ultraviolent deathmatches that he had competed in during his CZW competitor. It was announced that Wifebeater's final match would be against arguably his greatest rival of all, John "Zandig" Faretti. The showdown would occur in a "No-Rope Barbed-Wire 100 Light Tubes 'I Quit'" match at CZW Havoc in Hellaware on October 24, 2002 in Dover, DE.

The match occurred in front of about 200 fans (which is a very low attendance for CZW, especially when they've promoted a retirement match for one of their top stars) and, after both men had bloodied eachother to a pulp with barbed-wire, light tubes, and other weapons, the bout was ruled a No Contest when several other CZW performers interfered. It was announced that the bout would continue on November 9 at CZW Night of Infamy.

Although there were far less in attendance than there were expected to be, the fans who did buy tickets to the show were made to think that they were attending a retirement show of one of their CZW heroes, when in reality, they were just attending another CZW show, and one which has been called one of their worst in the last two or so years. Fans who wanted to see Wifebeater step into the ring would have to spend more of their money to buy tickets to his retirement match (if it in fact turns out to be a retirement match, that is; Let's hope that he doesn't pull a "Funk" and return again.) at the next CZW show. This was just another example of Faretti decepting the loyal CZW fans.

 

I would like to let it be known what my objective in writing this column was. I started it with the simple purpose of describing how Bob Magee and much of the rest of the Internet have been rather ignorant. Specifically Mr. Magee has made it one of his primary goals to place a negative reputation upon XPW and - at the same time - constantly put CZW over at his every chance, he has failed - in my opinion - to prove his impartiality. CZW has made more than their fair share of mistakes, yet Mr. Magee continues to put down XPW for practices very similar to what CZW has done. I feel that this is wrong.

While writing this column, I seemed to find myself getting carried away at times. I found myself getting carried away and beginning to dislike CZW for what it's done in the past. I seemed to be forgetting one of the primary messages of this column - that every pro wrestling company has made its mistakes. Whether it be WWF/E, WCW, ECW, a U.S. indy company, a foreign promotion, or another federation, they've made their fair share of mistakes. XPW - in my opinion - has certainly made its fair share of mistakes - if not, but nothing that was too much worse than any other wrestling promotion.

I don't know why Mr. Magee feels that he must be so ignorant to the errors of CZW's past and criticize other companies - especially XPW - for the same things that CZW has done. Does his friendship with CZW owner and promoter John "Zandig" Faretti make him partial towards CZW? Does he simply have a bitter dislike towards XPW? Is he honestly unaware of the past errors of CZW that have been explained in this column? I don't know. All I do know is that Mr. Magee feels the constant urge to ignorantly put down XPW with absurd claims and accusations, and that I've had enough it.

This column was not of meant to persuade anybody to not buy CZW video tapes or not watch CZW again, but rather to show that almost every wrestling promotion - current or present - has, at one point or another and in some way or another, engaged in questionable business practices, no matter how slight they are. I will not stop watching CZW because they've engaged in these practices. What goes on backstage has little significance to me, for the in-ring action is what I believe counts. I felt that I had to get this all off of my chest because I am tired of Mr. Magee's seemingly endless berating of XPW

If you have any questions, comments, or other feedback, I can be reached via e-mail by clicking HERE or via AOL Instant Messenger as HHH4LifeDX69.

by Jonathan Barber

 

 

The following sources were used to write this column:

- The Internet Archive: WAYBACK MACHINE

- the old CZWWrestling.com website

- Pro Wrestling's Between The Sheets

- W.O.W. Magazine

- Wrestling Viewpoint!

 

 

 

Feedback is welcome.

 

 

 

The hyperlinks don't work. I wrote this in FrontPage 2000, and for some reason the hyperlinks don't transfer from that program to this board. I dont' want to have to manually add them in, either. Sorry.

[Guest ulfistgut]

Fuck off you annoying cunt.

 

This kid has absolutely no life and spends all his time praising XPW to high hell and then scrabling for each tiny piece of dirt he can put on CZW.

 

This is coming from someone who has *never* watched an entire CZW show and simply downloaded a few matches of KaZaa.

 

He uses StuartMax's opinions on CZW shows despite the fact Max doesn't have a single XPW show report on his site and I doubt he would rate XPW higher than CZW.

 

This is basically another one of the little stones he throws at Bob Magee trying desperately to prove something, I don't know what.

 

This single "essay" may seem like a small thing to the regulars on the board; "just someone giving there opinion", "someone giving the facts" but it's a continuation of a stream of moronic posts by this glorified troll.

 

Barber, go away and never come back

[Guest Jonathan Barber]

Fuck off you annoying cunt.

 

ME: No need to flame.

 

This kid has absolutely no life and spends all his time praising XPW to high hell and then scrabling for each tiny piece of dirt he can put on CZW.

 

ME: I thought I stated that XPW's made it's fair share of mistakes. I guess I didn't. Woe is me.

 

Read the column before replying, it'll do you good.

 

This is coming from someone who has *never* watched an entire CZW show and simply downloaded a few matches of KaZaa.

 

ME: I've seen a total of 56 matches of CZW and a total of 3 full shows (both BOTB's and COD1).

 

He uses StuartMax's opinions on CZW shows despite the fact Max doesn't have a single XPW show report on his site and I doubt he would rate XPW higher than CZW.

 

ME: Well, a cameraman has never been severely lacerated at an XPW show for simply doing their job...Neither have police ever been called to an XPW show.

 

This is basically another one of the little stones he throws at Bob Magee trying desperately to prove something, I don't know what.

 

ME: Again: it'd do good to read the column before replying. I state my purpose for the column numerous times.

 

This single "essay" may seem like a small thing to the regulars on the board; "just someone giving there opinion", "someone giving the facts" but it's a continuation of a stream of moronic posts by this glorified troll.

 

ME: Since when did I post moronic things on this board? I've only posted like 10 times or something.

 

If you so dislike this column, please try to prove me wrong on ANY of those facts. If you can't, then the column speaks for itself - what it goes to show is not that CZW is any worse than any other wrestling company, but that EVERY wrestling promotion has made their fair share of mistakes.

 

Feel free to prove me wrong.

Whatever...

[Guest EMAXSAUN]

ulfistgut you are a moron

[Guest meanmaisch]

Another interesting aspect of CZW is that the first graduate of their training school was Billy "the Beachbum" Baja. He appeared at their first few shows, but was definitely not a garbage wrestler. He did not fit the hardcore style that CZW was promoting at the time and thus was not brought back for future shows. He was ignored by the people at CZW and is never mentioned by people in the organization, unless in a derogatory manner. He later worked shows for NWA New Millenium in South Jersey, working in a team with Tommy Bouche, who is known as Z Barr in CZW. Baja wasn't the best worker, which definitely led to his leaving wrestling in 2001. I always find it interesting that despite all the hardcore workers they have graduated from their school, that Billy Baja was their first graduate.

[Guest dreamer420]

Be fair when comparing the two companies.

[Guest Jonathan Barber]

Was I being unfair?

[Guest Sandman9000]

I feel compelled to reply to Barber's article.

 

You made a few errors, especially in your BOTB2 facts. Tony Mamaluke was booked for BOTB2 all along. Heavy Maxx Feury out of IWS in Canada replaced Skipper in BOTB2. Jason Cross, as stated by Styles Clash on this board, no-showed the event and later retired, being pressured by his girlfriend. Gabriel, one half of the Lost Boys, a NWA-Wildside tag team, replaced Cross.

 

CZW did run an no-rope exploding barbed wire match at the event that was supposed to be their PPV, They Said It Coudn't Be Done. I am unsure if you meant that was the match that was supposed to occur, or an exploding ring deathmatch.

 

False hype has been a product of wrestling for years. Promoters are notorious for bait-and-switch tactics. Zandig (Ferretti) has done it, Black (Zicardi) has done it, McMahon (McMahon) has done it, nearly every wrestling promoter at one time or another has baited-and-switched. Does it make it right? Of course not. But it is a fact of life, practically integrated into the wrestling business itself.

 

No-shows have and will be a part of wrestling, especially on the independent circuit. Wrestlers are independent contractors, free to give their word to anyone. If they are able to find a better deal, then by all means they should go for it.

 

"CZW eventually announced that their TV deal had gone through and that their first TV tapings would be held on Friday, June 8 in Sewell, New Jersey. However, a few days before the show, RF Video broke some important news. Shawn Michaels trainees Michael Shane (Michael's real-life nephew) and Oz would be unable to make the show because Shane's car, which they were using to drive to the show together, had broken down. Both men had been promoted by CZW to appear at the show. With them unable to make it, CZW was forced to find replacements. While they announced before the show that the two wouldn't be attending, it was a prime example of false hype by CZW."

 

I'm questioning if this should be considered circumstances beyond control instead of false hype. There is a difference between hyping and deliberately not delivering, again bate-and-switch, and circumstances beyond one's control. If Shane and Oz had no way to make it to the show, then it is their fault, no CZW's. By the way you describe the events, it appears that Shane and Oz were unable to make the show due to their own fault, not CZWs.

 

The ICP have as much credibility as Buff Bagwell at this point. Don't ever rely on those two for anything. CZW has learned that lesson, and I believe XPW has as well.

 

Grandstand challenges are part of the business as well. Anyone else remember Eric Bischoff challenging Vince McMahon to a match during the Great American Bash? Larry Zybscko going off on McMahon and Chris Jericho during a WWA PPV? They are designed to attract attention, which they usually do. Does it make them right? No, and usually only serves to make the challenger look foolish. But, as long as there is wrestling, there will be people making grandstand challenges.

 

If you hadn't gone out of your way to alienate yourself at the czwfans.com board, you would have seen the backlash against the Wifebeater non-retirement. The show has been called the worse CZW show of the year. Fans were pissed off at the bait-and-switch pulled off. I was pissed at the bait-and-switch.

 

Basically, what you are showing is the life that is independent wrestling. Companies that are constantly fighting and struggling to survive, often having to make difficult business decisions. Do I believe that a promoter make a match with the intention to bait-and-switch the fans? I would hope not. Does it happen? Unfortunately. Sometimes you end up dealing with people who have circumstances beyond anyone's control.

 

CZW is no saint. XPW is no saint. WWE sure as hell is no saint.

 

My question is this: Who is the audience for this article? Who is this article written to? It appears that you have a beef with Bob Magee, and are using this board as a medium for your message. Is there a reason that you could not take this issue up with Magee himself?

 

I will give you credit for doing your homework for this article.

[Guest dreamer420]

Was I being unfair?

I would say so. You are taking every little problem that CZW has had since their existance and trying build a case against them, when the company that you are defending has done nothing but create controversy since their inception.

[Guest Jonathan Barber]

I feel compelled to reply to Barber's article.

 

You made a few errors, especially in your BOTB2 facts.  Tony Mamaluke was booked for BOTB2 all along.  Heavy Maxx Feury out of IWS in Canada replaced Skipper in BOTB2.  Jason Cross, as stated by Styles Clash on this board, no-showed the event and later retired, being pressured by his girlfriend.  Gabriel, one half of the Lost Boys, a NWA-Wildside tag team, replaced Cross.

 

ME: Yeah, somebody IM'ed me and told me about that. I did get the roles of Feury, Mamaluke, and Cross mixed up. I was wrong about that. However, Cross did legitimately no-show, even after being promoted.

 

CZW did run an no-rope exploding barbed wire match at the event that was supposed to be their PPV, They Said It Coudn't Be Done.  I am unsure if you meant that was the match that was supposed to occur, or an exploding ring deathmatch.

 

ME: I don't know how you couldn't have known that I was talking about the exploding ring deathmatch. I thought it was pretty clear that I was talking about the Exploding Ring Match all along, and not the Exploding Board Match that was booked at basically the last minute, a few days before the show. They did run the exploding board match, but the exploding ring match, let alone one between Funk and Onita, never happened.

 

False hype has been a product of wrestling for years.  Promoters are notorious for bait-and-switch tactics.  Zandig (Ferretti) has done it, Black (Zicardi) has done it, McMahon (McMahon) has done it, nearly every wrestling promoter at one time or another has baited-and-switched.  Does it make it right? Of course not.  But it is a fact of life, practically integrated into the wrestling business itself.  

 

ME: I agree. That's exactly what I was trying to say. No company is perfect and they've all made their mistakes.

 

No-shows have and will be a part of wrestling, especially on the independent circuit.  Wrestlers are independent contractors, free to give their word to anyone.  If they are able to find a better deal, then by all means they should go for it.

 

ME: I couldn't agree more.

 

"CZW eventually announced that their TV deal had gone through and that their first TV tapings would be held on Friday, June 8 in Sewell, New Jersey. However, a few days before the show, RF Video broke some important news. Shawn Michaels trainees Michael Shane (Michael's real-life nephew) and Oz would be unable to make the show because Shane's car, which they were using to drive to the show together, had broken down. Both men had been promoted by CZW to appear at the show. With them unable to make it, CZW was forced to find replacements. While they announced before the show that the two wouldn't be attending, it was a prime example of false hype by CZW."

 

I'm questioning if this should be considered circumstances beyond control instead of false hype.  There is a difference between hyping and deliberately not delivering, again bate-and-switch, and circumstances beyond one's control.  If Shane and Oz had no way to make it to the show, then it is their fault, no CZW's.  By the way you describe the events, it appears that Shane and Oz were unable to make the show due to their own fault, not CZWs.

 

ME: They were unable to make it because of their mistake, not CZW'ers, and while CZW did take them off the card and find replacements, it was a form (albeit a light form) of false promotion. CZW promoted them for about a week before the show, and no matter what they reason, they did not come to it. There's no questioning that CZW was not responsible, but it was a slight form of false promoting.

 

The ICP have as much credibility as Buff Bagwell at this point.  Don't ever rely on those two for anything.  CZW has learned that lesson, and I believe XPW has as well.

 

ME: Sure, they have that little credibility, but who cares? CZW promoted them for more than two weeks before the show, and then took them off without giving any reason.

 

Grandstand challenges are part of the business as well.  Anyone else remember Eric Bischoff challenging Vince McMahon to a match during the Great American Bash?  Larry Zybscko going off on McMahon and Chris Jericho during a WWA PPV?  They are designed to attract attention, which they usually do.  Does it make them right?  No, and usually only serves to make the challenger look foolish.  But, as long as there is wrestling, there will be people making grandstand challenges.

 

ME: I agree, and I never tried to dispute this.

 

If you hadn't gone out of your way to alienate yourself at the czwfans.com board, you would have seen the backlash against the Wifebeater non-retirement.  The show has been called the worse CZW show of the year.  Fans were pissed off at the bait-and-switch pulled off.  I was pissed at the bait-and-switch.  

 

ME: I was on until about half a week after the show, and I do remember that their was a fair amount of Backlash. However, there were many threads devoted to the positives the show, which I have little problem with. The thing is that, while the fans on that board did uproar against the show, Magee did not. He did not criticize them whatsoever for booking the match and not having it be a retirement match. People seem not to take me seriously. However, many take Magee seriously, and when he does not - in my opinion - inform the public of the full story, I feel that the full story must come out. I was actually expecting to get far more negative criticism with this column, and was very surprised at the amount of praise I got.

 

Again: I have no problem with CZW, but I do have a problem with people lambasting XPW every time that they make the slightest mistake (i.e. letting their website contract expire), but then, when CZW makes a similar mistake, they say nothing. The reason I make it seem like this is directed toward Magee - which a fair amount of it is - is because he is one of about five Internet journalists that actually cover it. Not only this, but he is the one, out of those five or so, that covers XPW the most AND has the most negative things about it. That is why I feel I must target him. I was talking to CZWFans.com's Steve Salamone and he made some of the most ludicrous claims I've ever heard about XPW/CZW comparisons (I mean, up there with the stupidness of saying that The Messiah would be where he is today without the push that Black gave him in XPW), but I don't feel the necessity to publicly criticize him because he is not taken very seriously by the Internet community, and rightfully so.

 

Basically, what you are showing is the life that is independent wrestling.  Companies that are constantly fighting and struggling to survive, often having to make difficult business decisions.  Do I believe that a promoter make a match with the intention to bait-and-switch the fans?  I would hope not.  Does it happen?  Unfortunately.  Sometimes you end up dealing with people who have circumstances beyond anyone's control.

 

CZW is no saint.  XPW is no saint.  WWE sure as hell is no saint.

 

My question is this:  Who is the audience for this article?  Who is this article written to?  It appears that you have a beef with Bob Magee, and are using this board as a medium for your message.  Is there a reason that you could not take this issue up with Magee himself?

 

I will give you credit for doing your homework for this article.

 

ME: Thanks. I did e-mail to Bob to get his response, but have yet to receive a reply. I'm hoping to get one by tomorrow.

BTW, for those who care, I'll be publishing a column in the next week or so that takes a look back at some of the best (or in some cases, worst) jobbers in ECW history, including Paul Lauria, Don E. Allen, Dino Sendoff, Sal Bellomo, arguably the worst jobber of them all - Chad Austin - and others. It sounds like a boring topic, but it won't be. I promise!

 

dreamer420, I believe that you need to reread the last few paragraphs of my column. I thought I made it clear that I was defending nobody, but rather pointing out that all companies have made their mistakes.

 

Actually, you're comments about XPW's controversy since it was launched is accurate, but an argument could also be made about CZW. The Onita/Funk thing was probably more serious than the Sabu/Onita thing because it was to be on PPV, not just at some small arena in Glendale, CA. That was false promoting, which is far from a "little problem," like you mentioned. XPW's NYR 2 screwup was bad, and obviously worse than the Wifebeater thing, but it wasn't a lot worse. CZW had made it a big deal that Wifebeater's era was going to end and that he'd retire, yet here he is returning, one month later.

 

Promoting ICP was also a pretty big goofup.

 

These aren't tiny offenses. They're not huge, either, but they are mediocre. XPW's past mistakes aren't really much worse than CZW's. CZW has had far more blatant no-shows than XPW. I forgot to mentioned one member of Da Hit Squad no-showing at an early CZW event.

[Guest Sandman9000]

"Again: I have no problem with CZW, but I do have a problem with people lambasting XPW every time that they make the slightest mistake (i.e. letting their website contract expire), but then, when CZW makes a similar mistake, they say nothing."

 

It is because you were on a CZW fan board. XPW is the competition; of course they are going to take the opportunity to blast the competition any time they can. I'm not above it, you're not above it, very few people could even be remotely considered above it. WWF marks rarely had good things to say about WCW when it was around, and vice versa. XPW die-hards most likely do the same. (I'm making an assumption here, but I have a feeling it is true.) It's classic PR; point out the flaws of your competition while glorifiying or ignoring your own. It's basic human nature. I ignore the flaws of the Yankees while pointing out the numerous flaws of the Red Sox. You are saying that you have a problem with a flaw that just about every person on earth has.

[Guest dreamer420]

dreamer420, I believe that you need to reread the last few paragraphs of my column. I thought I made it clear that I was defending nobody, but rather pointing out that all companies have made their mistakes.

event.

my apologies, as I must not have read the end of your post too well. sorry

[Guest ShooterJay]

JB, could you please not quote an entire multparagraph post? It's not necessary and it's annoying. Not trying to be mean or anything, just asking.

[Guest Jonathan Barber]

OK. Sorry.

 

Sandman9000, your assumption is very wrong. On the XPWTV board, you'd be VERY surprised at how few anti-CZW remarks there are. I mean, you'd be shocked at how few there are. There are very rarely any made.

[Guest Rob Van Dam]

barber go to hell, you little 15 year old kid

[Guest Jonathan Barber]

barber go to hell, you little 15 year old kid

^--has never been kissed by a girl (except for his momma)

 

[Chunk 0]

barber go to hell, you little 15 year old kid

^--has never been kissed by a girl (except for his momma)

 

So much for mature debate.

[Guest Jonathan Barber]

[Guest Ace309]

For the past year or so, I've been following the storylines and results of New Jersey-based Combat Zone Wrestling. CZW is owned and operated by John Faretti, who competes in the promotion as one of it's top stars, Zandig. CZW runs shows 2-3 times per month in the Philadelphia and New England (mainly in New Jersey and Delaware) areas. When Extreme Championship Wrestling went bankrupt in March 2001, CZW began to gradually rise to become one of the very top companies on the U.S. indy wrestling circuit. Faretti brought in a host of former-ECW stars like Super Crazy, Yoshihiro Tajiri, Rockin' Rebel, Tommy Dreamer, Tom Marquez, Little Guido, John Kronus, and others. He used them to help draw former-ECW fans that were left craving a company that was able to bring them premiere aerial and technical wrestling balanced with violent hardcore matches.

 

Intro, not meant to have any real meat. Good thing, too.

 

Within the last year, internet wrestling journalist Bob Magee, owner of the Pro Wrestling's Between The Sheets website, began taking it upon himself to fire upon North Hollywood, California-based Xtreme Championship Wrestling.

 

"Began taking it upon himself?" Well, crap, Ma Kettle, I guess he should have applied for his XPW-bashing license! God forbid he FORM AN OPINION AND POST IT ON THE INTERNET!

 

XPW is owned and operated by adult entertainment video distributor Robert Zicari (known as Rob Black in XPW storylines) and his wife, Janet Romano (known as Lizzy Borden in XPW storylines). Black, a native of New York who was a regular at ECW shows in the New England area, used the money that he had made from his adult entertainment endeavors to fulfill a dream that he had had for much of his life - to launch his very own professional wrestling company.

 

Wow, he really pulled himself up by his bootstraps there. What a trooper.

 

Holding it's debut show in Reseda, California on July 31, 1999, XPW - like CZW - quickly ascended to the top of the indy circuit and gave former-ECW fans living on the west coast a dose of the premiere scientific and aerial wrestling

 

HA!

 

and the extreme brutality that had made ECW so famous during it's prime. XPW stars like Chronic (became the EWF World Heavyweight Champion as "Iceman" John Black), Damien Steele (became a two-time WWC Lightweight Champion and a regular performer with both IWA Puerto Rico [a former-WWF/E developmental league] and Ultimate Pro Wrestling [uPW]), Homeless Jimmy, Nozawa, TOOL (who, after leaving, XPW, became a top star in the EWF promotion in Southern California as Gary "Krusher" Key), and most notably The Messiah, who went on to be the World Heavyweight Champion of both MPW and CZW (and also CZW's Ironman Champion), all found sufficient success on the indy wrestling circuit outside of XPW.

 

Some of them even got to keep both their thumbs!

 

Black purchased full-page ad space in the now defunct World of Wrestling (W.O.W.) Magazine and began releasing XPW home videos through Goldhil Home Media International. By the end of 2001, XPW had found so much success that they were able to begin releasing both home videos and DVDs of full XPW shows and "Best of" wrestler compilation videos on their own, without the distribution assistance of Goldhil (at this same time, CZW was relying on Robert Feinstein's RF Video and SmartMarkVideo to tape and release their videos).

 

Because, as we all know, a distribution financed by a porn company is eons better than a distribution financed by a video distribution company.

 

Magee began his Internet war against XPW in early 2002 and has yet to have it cease. The bashing reached an all-time high in August 2002, mere days after XPW made a shocking announcement that they'd be invading the East Coast on August 31rst at Viking Hall in Philadelphia, PA. Beginning around that time, Bob endlessly berated XPW for not obtaining a valid promoter's license and surety bond before the show occurred.

 

THE HORRORS! HE WANTED THEM TO PROMOTE A SHOW THAT WAS IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE REGULATIONS! WHAT A GOD DAMN FASCIST!!!!

 

However, something that so few are aware of is that CZW has also performed questionable actions in the past.

 

You... you mean there are dishonest people in the Indy Wrestling business?

 

Back when CZW ran in Sewell, New Jersey, building inspectors decided that The CZW Arena, as CZW called it (it's actually The Champs Indoor Soccer Arena),

 

And ECW Arena was actually a bingo hall. Point?

 

didn't have enough bathrooms that the fans that attended their shows could use.

 

Because CLEARLY CZW is responsible for the architecture of the building.

 

Also, it has become obvious that no-shows are fairly common in CZW.

 

... DEAR GOD! RUN FOR THE HILLS! NO SHOWS HAPPEN IN CZW! As if they don't happen anywhere else. I'd imagine that indy wrestling has an exorbitant absentee rate.

 

At March Violence (3/11/00), CZW was unable to deliver on the previously-hyped Hit Squad/Thrill Kill Kult match when only one member of Da Hit Squad (a successful indy tag team comprised of Mafia & Monsta Mack) appeared at the event, the other having no-showed. The match was rescheduled for CZW's next show.

 

Not CZW's fault.

 

At Crushing the Competition (2/10/01), Justice Pain and former-ECW World Television and Tag Team Champion Yoshihiro Tajiri faced off in the main event. Just when it looked as if Pain was going to put away Tajiri, Mikey Whipwreck ran down the aisleway and made the save for Tajiri. The show ended with the announcement that CZW's next live event would feature a tag team main event of Justice Pain and Wifebeater against former-ECW World Heavyweight Champion Mikey Whipwreck and none other than "The Chair-Swinging Freak" Balls Mahoney. However, when CZW's next show, Break on Thru (2/17/00), came around, it was revealed that Mikey wasn't at the show so the fans would instead have to opt for a match between Balls Mahoney and Wifebeater.

 

Again, Mikey's problem, not CZW's. I don't know how far in advance he knew he wouldn't make it, so I can't comment on whether they could have or should have been able to publicize it.

 

At Best of the Best 2 (6/8/02), there were two no-shows. The most notable one was by former-WCW Cruiserweight and Cruiserweight Tag Team Champion Elix Skipper, who had been promoted as a participant in the Junior Heavyweight Tournament for almost a month by the CZW's official website. The far lesser known Tony Mamaluke, known best for teaming alongside James "Little Guido" Maritato as The F.B.I. during ECW's dying days, replaced Skipper in the tournament. The reason Skipper was reported as no-showing was reported to be that he had a booking in Japan.

 

Uh huh, no-shows. Gotcha.

 

Indy star Jason Cross also no-showed (it was reported that he purposefully no-showed and didn't have any other obligations or anything to that degree)

 

And this is CZW's fault how?

 

and was replaced in the tournament by Maxx Fuery. The deceptions get far more serious than this, though...

 

SPOOKY~!

 

It's relatively well known that XPW had hyped the first-ever Exploding Ring Deathmatch to occur on December 3, 2000 between their man, Sabu, and Japanese deathmatch legend Atsushi Onita. That match never took place due to XPW being preoccupied with a lawsuit between them and ECW. While this is common knowledge to most indy hardcore wrestling fans, what's so less discussed is the fact that a very similar occurrence happened with CZW.

CZW Night of the Main Events (2/5/00; Sewell, NJ) began with ring announcer Dennis Shock and Ed O' Mac making their way to the ring. After Shock hyped the card, Ed told the fans that the "big announcement" that CZWWrestling.com had been alluding to for so long would finally be revealed later that night. Less than a half-hour later, CZW owner John "Zandig" Faretti made his way out to the ring and invited to the ring those responsible for the big announcement. A representative of CZW's new sponsor, ADV Films, entered the ring, and so did the former-webmaster of ScoopsWrestling.com (a now defunct pro wrestling website), Al Issacs.

 

You DO know that you don't have to include every detail, right? Your writing and grammar are horrid.

 

Zandig informed the crowd that Japanese hardcore legend Atsushi Onita had challenged CZW to compete in interpromotional deathmatches and that he, on CZW's behalf, accepted the challenge. Zandig then made the announcement that CZW had hyped for so long - an interpromotional show pitting "Onita Kogyo" (Onita and his stars) against Team CZW (the CZW wrestlers) would air on United States and Japanese Pay-Per-View. In fact, not only did Zandig announce that this Pay-Per-View would air, but he also announced the following to the fans in attendance:

- The show would be taped on Sunday, June 25, 2000 and would air at a later date on Pay-Per-View in both Japan and the U.S.

- Former-NWA World Heavyweight Champion "The Living Legend" Terry Funk would appear on the Pay-Per-View.

- The following gimmick matches would occur on the Pay-Per-View: a Barbed-Wire Explosion Deathmatch (it would've been the first to ever occur in the U.S.), a "CZW-style" cage match (a "Cage of Death" match), and a "Freaks of Nature" match, which would feature snakes, alligators, and other deadly animals in each corner of the ring.

 

God, that sounds just painful to watch... and not in the good way, I mean more in the Giant Silva manner, here.

 

CZW fans were, as they should've been, jakked up for this show,

 

I'll never, ever understand garbage fans.

 

for CZW was finally going to be receiving the exposure that they'd been deserving of for so long - they'd be on international Pay-Per-View!

 

During the next few months, CZW continued to release details to the blockbuster show on their official website - it'd be held at The Electric Factory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Terry Funk would appear at the show representing Team CZW and wrestle Onita one-on-one.

A few months after the Pay-Per-View was announced, it was moved a week later to Sunday, July 2.

 

Was any reason given for this? See, this is one of those details you should include. You know, the IMPORTANT ones.

 

The problem came, though, when June 25 came around and CZW fans weren't, as Faretti promised, treated to a Pay-Per-View taping featuring their favorite stars, along with Terry Funk, clashing with the likes of Atsushi Onita and other premier deathmatch stars. Soon after the 25th, it was revealed that the taping and Pay-Per-View were cancelled - as Mr. Magee explained in his 6/30/00 "AS I SEE IT" column - "through the efforts of several Philadelphia area wrestling promoters, who lobbied the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission to cancel the show."

 

So the upshot of all that horrid rambling was that the taping was cancelled through actions that CZW had nothing to do with? Christ, man. Lock 'em up right there.

 

Therefore, not only are we still waiting for the falsely promoted Pay-Per-View to air, but we're also waiting for a Barbed-Wire Explosion Deathmatch and a "Freaks of Nature" match to occur at a CZW show. In fact, a "Freaks of Nature" match still has yet to occur at any professional wrestling show, let alone in CZW.

 

Because other people lobbied to stop it. Your point?

 

In a November 5, 2000 interview conducted by Eric Gargiulo (the full interview can by clicking HERE), Terry Funk discussed how he became involved in the proposed match, but why the match didn't happen due to CZW's lousy payment policy:

 

Snipped Funk's rambling, which boils down to "Ho, you betta give me mah money."

 

There is virtually no difference to this and what Rob Black did by promoting the Onita/Sabu Exploding Ring Deathmatch, yet Mr. Magee for some reason beyond my understanding practices in about half of his columns and devote less than half a column to times that CZW has lied to their fans.

 

God forbid he have an opinion, even if it's ill-informed. I don't recall Magee being responsible for equal time.

 

In late May 2000, CZW announced that they had reached an agreement for a weekly television program Saturday nights at 9:00 p.m. EST on WGTW (a local station that airs in parts of Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland). CZW hyped that their debut on the station would be on June 16. However, about one week later CZW announced that they were postponing the TV debut until July 5 due to not being ready production-wise.

 

And the fans were given ample time to reschedule.

 

CZW eventually announced that their TV deal had gone through and that their first TV tapings would be held on Friday, June 8 in Sewell, New Jersey. However, a few days before the show, RF Video broke some important news. Shawn Michaels trainees Michael Shane (Michael's real-life nephew) and Oz would be unable to make the show because Shane's car, which they were using to drive to the show together, had broken down. Both men had been promoted by CZW to appear at the show. With them unable to make it, CZW was forced to find replacements. While they announced before the show that the two wouldn't be attending, it was a prime example of false hype by CZW.

 

No, it's a case of circumstances beyond CZW's control.

 

On May 12, 2001 at Stretched in Smyrna (Smyrna, DE), CZW held perhaps their most violent match to date. The show's main event featured Wifebeater and John "Zandig" Faretti battle it out in an Ultraviolent Deathmatch for Wifebeater's CZW World Heavyweight Championship. Light bulbs, some boards wrapped in barbed-wire, hot candle wax, tables, a weedwhacker, broken glass, a rope (which was used to stretch the already severely lacerated open back of Zandig so that the white of his bone became visible), and other tools were used as weapons. Respected Internet wrestling journalist Stuart Max of Wrestling Viewpoint! described Zandig's back as it looked just five minutes into the match as "beyond description, blood just... everywhere." Stuart stated the following in his analysis of the match:

"I'm not sure what to really make of this...Every fan has a line he or she will draw when it comes to garbage wrestling. Some won't even watch it, offended by what it stands for. Some will accept chairs, tables and blood. Some will accept barbed wire, light bulbs and other dangerous materials. My line is right near the end, but THIS abortion crossed it. In NO way was this a wrestling match. It was a hideous, gross display of bloodshed and gore for NO OTHER REASON but most of the guys involved can do little better, so to remain over with the fans they have to constantly up the ante and take their 'ultraviolence' to a new level...These CZW garbage wrestlers has done some disgraceful stuff in the past, but I think this tops it...Having watched this, I fear what their next attempt to outdo this will feature."

 

I agree, garbage wrestling sucks. Next.

 

Just minutes into the match, representatives of the firehouse who were in attendance at the show placed a call to the local police force to put an end to the show due to the excessive amount of blood being shed. Luckily (for the good of the reputation of not just CZW, but of all U.S. indy wrestling), no arrests were made.

 

Wow, Jonathan, way to get overdramatic there. "They saved not only CZW, but also THE WORLD!"

 

During the match, the face of the cameraman filming the action (who was actually RF Video's Doug Gentry) was cut open fairly severely by broken glass.

 

I agree, garbage wrestling sucks. Next.

 

For months, CZW had been hyping what they called their biggest show ever, Cage of Death 3, for Saturday, October 13, 2001. However, in early October, they announced that the show would be postponed until a later date. That date was later announced as December 15 at Viking Hall in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In late November, CZW announced that premiere hip-hop/rap The Insane Clown Posse (consisting of Shaggy 2 Dope & Violent J), who had competed or appeared in ECW, WCW, the WWF, and XPW, would make an appearance at Cage of Death 3. In a case of broken promises, just a few days before the show, CZW announced that The I.C.P. wouldn't be at the C.O.D. 3 show. They gave no reason to the public for this sudden cancellation. Like the Michael Shane and Oz booking cancellations, CZW did announce before the show that Shane and Oz wouldn't be at the show, it was another example of false hype by CZW.

 

OMGZ! ICP IS UNRELIABLE!!!!!!!! Also, I find calling them a "premiere hip-hop/rap." Not only is it factually incorrect and ridiculous, it's not even grammatically complete.

 

On July 15, 2002, Gabe Sopolsky published the following on the RF Video website:

"We have heard that Justice Pain cut a promo at the CZW show on Saturday basically challenging anyone from ROH to fight him next month. I want to make this very clear right now that ROH WILL NEVER work with CZW. This was a grandstand challenge, meaning that CZW had Pain cut the promo trying to punk us out knowing that we won't respond or send a ROH wrestler to fight him. The funny part is that a lot of CZW fans seem very excited about the possibility of someone from ROH fighting Pain. All Zandig did by having Pain cut this promo was set his fans up for disappointment when nothing happens. I will probably have more on this in a week or so once I watch the tape and hear exactly what Pain said. I will talk about why ROH will never, ever work with CZW. On a side not to Zandig, we don't want a war. You go do your product and we do ours. The fans will spend their money on which product is better. It's that simple. We won't distract from our show with CZW references. In fact, at our last show one of our wrestlers wanted to cut a promo running down the use of light tubes and stuff like that and we wouldn't let him. It has been talked about to have a spot in a match where someone no sells a light tube to kill that gimmick since everyone knows they don't hurt, but we won't do that. If you want to keep putting us over on your show and advertising for us, that's cool Zandig, but we will never respond to you and never put you over on our show. It just shows an insecurity in your own product when you do things like that. If you have confidence in your product, there is no reason to issue grandstand challenges."

 

Uh huh. Grandstanding challenges are dumb. Agreed.

 

In an 11/3/02 post, Mr. Magee ripped on XPW for promoting a show that was hyped to feature The Sandman's retirement match, stating the following:

"As for the November 16th Sandman "retirement match", at least two other companies are advertising Sandman for upcoming shows:

 

He's advertised as working Bam Bam Bigelow for the New York-based USA Pro Wrestling's Eighth Anniversary Show on November 22nd, found at this URL

 

He is also advertised to be working Konnan for a December 5th show with Legacy Wrestling Enterprises in Fort Worth, TX, which can be found at http://www.geocities.com/lwewrestling/konnanbanner.jpg (note: you must cut and paste this URL into your browser as banners stored on Geocities will not link directly).

 

They could at least be responsible enough to check out what he's being advertised for. At least CZW wasn't promoting something OBVIOUSLY false.

 

While XPW is hardly the first promotion to do this, and undoubtedly won't be the last, one wonders what reaction this will draw from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission, which has been watching the actions of XPW in recent months."

 

Actually, when Mr. Magee stated that XPW wasn't the first promotion to hype a retirement match that wasn't, he couldn't have been more correct. This is because, less than one month before he wrote that column, CZW did the very same thing.

 

Wooden segueway, falling into what's known as "Tu Coque." "You, too." It's a logical fallacy in which one tries to downplay the negativity of his own actions by pointing out someone else's similar actions. It doesn't deal with the fact that a negative action is a negative action, regardless of what anyone else is doing.

 

It was at CZW Beyond the Barrier (10/12/02; Philadelphia, PA) that one of CZW's premier deathmatch competitors, known as "The Wifebeater," (Yes, that's what he's known as.) announced his retirement from the squared circle (He had competed in the sport for the past three years.) due to legitimate injuries that came from the ultraviolent deathmatches that he had competed in during his CZW competitor. It was announced that Wifebeater's final match would be against arguably his greatest rival of all, John "Zandig" Faretti. The showdown would occur in a "No-Rope Barbed-Wire 100 Light Tubes 'I Quit'" match at CZW Havoc in Hellaware on October 24, 2002 in Dover, DE.

The match occurred in front of about 200 fans (which is a very low attendance for CZW, especially when they've promoted a retirement match for one of their top stars) and, after both men had bloodied eachother to a pulp with barbed-wire, light tubes, and other weapons, the bout was ruled a No Contest when several other CZW performers interfered. It was announced that the bout would continue on November 9 at CZW Night of Infamy.

 

Although there were far less in attendance than there were expected to be, the fans who did buy tickets to the show were made to think that they were attending a retirement show of one of their CZW heroes, when in reality, they were just attending another CZW show, and one which has been called one of their worst in the last two or so years. Fans who wanted to see Wifebeater step into the ring would have to spend more of their money to buy tickets to his retirement match (if it in fact turns out to be a retirement match, that is; Let's hope that he doesn't pull a "Funk" and return again.) at the next CZW show. This was just another example of Faretti decepting the loyal CZW fans.

 

Okay, he did a shitty thing. He shouldn't have done that. You'll get no argument from me.

 

I would like to let it be known what my objective in writing this column was.

 

Holy shit, that was the meat of it?

 

I started it with the simple purpose of describing how Bob Magee and much of the rest of the Internet have been rather ignorant. Specifically Mr. Magee has made it one of his primary goals to place a negative reputation upon XPW and - at the same time - constantly put CZW over at his every chance, he has failed - in my opinion - to prove his impartiality. CZW has made more than their fair share of mistakes, yet Mr. Magee continues to put down XPW for practices very similar to what CZW has done. I feel that this is wrong.

 

*pat on head* It's good to have opinions, even uninformed ones.

 

While writing this column, I seemed to find myself getting carried away at times. I found myself getting carried away and beginning to dislike CZW for what it's done in the past.

 

Beginning? Sounds like you started off thinking that already.

 

I seemed to be forgetting one of the primary messages of this column - that every pro wrestling company has made its mistakes. Whether it be WWF/E, WCW, ECW, a U.S. indy company, a foreign promotion, or another federation, they've made their fair share of mistakes. XPW - in my opinion - has certainly made its fair share of mistakes - if not, but nothing that was too much worse than any other wrestling promotion.

 

So, wait, the point WASN'T to make a long, rambling, hard-to-read indictment of CZW?

 

I don't know why Mr. Magee feels that he must be so ignorant to the errors of CZW's past and criticize other companies - especially XPW - for the same things that CZW has done. Does his friendship with CZW owner and promoter John "Zandig" Faretti make him partial towards CZW? Does he simply have a bitter dislike towards XPW? Is he honestly unaware of the past errors of CZW that have been explained in this column? I don't know. All I do know is that Mr. Magee feels the constant urge to ignorantly put down XPW with absurd claims and accusations, and that I've had enough it.

 

No, see, 'absurd' would mean they were untrue.

 

This column was not of meant to persuade anybody to not buy CZW video tapes or not watch CZW again,

 

Good. You may have just increased their revenue, encouraging people to buy CZW just to spite a barely-literate internet kid.

 

but rather to show that almost every wrestling promotion - current or present - has, at one point or another and in some way or another, engaged in questionable business practices, no matter how slight they are. I will not stop watching CZW because they've engaged in these practices. What goes on backstage has little significance to me, for the in-ring action is what I believe counts. I felt that I had to get this all off of my chest because I am tired of Mr. Magee's seemingly endless berating of XPW :

 

Have you considered just emailing him?

 

Bad gramma, logically fallacious, but a good effort. I give it a D.

[Guest Jonathan Barber]

I'm not even going to bother with some of the dumbass comments, but only the minorly important ones.

 

premiere scientific and aerial wrestling

 

HA!

ME: Yeah, ever seen any of the early Carlito/D, Damien/Halloween, Messiah/D, Messiah/Webb, Kaos/Webb, Steele/Messiah, Carlito/Messiah, etc. matches? I'd rather watch those than the shit that was on Monday nights at the same time.

 

Because, as we all know, a distribution financed by a porn company is eons better than a distribution financed by a video distribution company.

ME: Deny the morals of the porn company all you want, but Black is ten times the business man that you'll ever be. He and Kevin started that company and built it up gradually. He may not have morals, but he's very intelligent.

 

THE HORRORS! HE WANTED THEM TO PROMOTE A SHOW THAT WAS IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE REGULATIONS! WHAT A GOD DAMN FASCIST!!!!

ME: Read on, dumbass. Then you'd have seen why I had said that.

 

You... you mean there are dishonest people in the Indy Wrestling business?

ME: Yes, unlike Bob wants you to believe, there are, and one of them is Mr. Faretti.

 

Because CLEARLY CZW is responsible for the architecture of the building.

ME: No, they aren't, but they were responsible for making it the building that they held their shows in and if it wasn't up to the standards that it should've been, then they shouldn't have ran in it.

 

... DEAR GOD! RUN FOR THE HILLS! NO SHOWS HAPPEN IN CZW! As if they don't happen anywhere else. I'd imagine that indy wrestling has an exorbitant absentee rate.

ME: Well, they've happened far more times in CZW than in XPW.

 

At March Violence (3/11/00), CZW was unable to deliver on the previously-hyped Hit Squad/Thrill Kill Kult match when only one member of Da Hit Squad (a successful indy tag team comprised of Mafia & Monsta Mack) appeared at the event, the other having no-showed. The match was rescheduled for CZW's next show.

 

Not CZW's fault.

ME: So? CZW hyped them before the show, and didn't even bother to find a replacement. They just let the match not happen that night.

 

Again, Mikey's problem, not CZW's. I don't know how far in advance he knew he wouldn't make it, so I can't comment on whether they could have or should have been able to publicize it.

ME: See above. They hyped him beforehand, and he didn't appear.

 

And this is CZW's fault how?

ME: It's not, but they previously promoted him, and he didn't show. They then had him replaced by the far lesser known Maxx Fuery from Canada, a virtual unknown.

 

I'll never, ever understand garbage fans.

ME: I'll never understand Adam Circumstance, Steve Salamone, or Bob Magee. Your point is what?

 

Was any reason given for this? See, this is one of those details you should include. You know, the IMPORTANT ones.

ME: CZW - like with their TV debut - realized that they couldn't be ready by that date due to - in their words - "reasons beyond our control." That comes from the old CZWWrestling.com website.

 

So the upshot of all that horrid rambling was that the taping was cancelled through actions that CZW had nothing to do with? Christ, man. Lock 'em up right there.

ME: Who gives a crap if they couldn't control it? XPW canceled their Onita/Sabu match because of the lawsuit between them and CZW. They couldn't control that ECW felt the need to sue them for their "illegal" use of Sabu, when it was determined that it was not illegal use at all because Sabu was a free agent.

 

Because other people lobbied to stop it. Your point?

ME: CZW promoted the show ENDLESSLY on the Internet, at all of their other shows, etc., and didn't deliver. That's my point.

 

No, it's a case of circumstances beyond CZW's control.

ME: See the Hit Squad/Mikey Whipwreck explanation.

 

Uh huh. Grandstanding challenges are dumb. Agreed.

ME: That they are.

 

They could at least be responsible enough to check out what he's being advertised for. At least CZW wasn't promoting something OBVIOUSLY false.

ME: Yeah, and congratulations for helping me prove my point.

 

Wooden segueway, falling into what's known as "Tu Coque." "You, too." It's a logical fallacy in which one tries to downplay the negativity of his own actions by pointing out someone else's similar actions. It doesn't deal with the fact that a negative action is a negative action, regardless of what anyone else is doing.

ME: Yeah. Too bad Magee didnt' feel the necessity to criticize CZW for falsely promoting a retirement match. "Segueway" isn't a word, either.

 

Okay, he did a shitty thing. He shouldn't have done that. You'll get no argument from me.

ME: I'm proud of you, kid.

 

No, see, 'absurd' would mean they were untrue.

 

ME: Duh, and that's why Magee shouldn't have stated them - they were untrue.

 

Have you considered just emailing him?

 

Bad gramma, logically fallacious, but a good effort. I give it a D.

 

ME: Yeah, I emailed him. He has yet to respond. And your grammar was about twenty times worse than mine. What is "gramma?" Yours leaves much to be desired.

 

Next!

[Guest EMAXSAUN]

See, (most of) you guys don't get this column.

Barber isn't trying to make CZW look bad.

The main point of this column was not to bash CZW, it was meant to bash Bob Magee.

All that Barber is doing is showing that Bob Magee nitpicks every single problem with XPW, and while CZW manages to do things that are just as bad, Magee just happens to not notice them.

THAT WAS THE POINT OF THIS COLUMN.

[Guest CoreyLazarus416]

I think the main reason people ignore CZW's faults and exploit XPW's is that XPW constantly delivers a rather AWFUL, SHITTY, INCREDIBLY VOMIT-INDUCING product. Oh, and the fact that Rob Black is a sleazeball promoter, gets funded by an awful porno company, and advertises his company as the most hardcore wrestling in America when CZW is and always has been 4x as hardcore as XPW ever will be.

[Guest Jonathan Barber]

I think the main reason people ignore CZW's faults and exploit XPW's is that XPW constantly delivers a rather AWFUL, SHITTY, INCREDIBLY VOMIT-INDUCING product.

 

ME: I'd rather watch HTO than TOD, Fallout than Sanctioned in Blood, etc. CZW has been very stale lately.

 

Oh, and the fact that Rob Black is a sleazeball promoter,

 

ME: McMahon, Heyman, Bischoff, etc. were all sleazes.

 

gets funded by an awful porno company

 

ME: Heyman used current and former-porn stars like Jenn Jameson, Tammy Sytch, Jasmin St. Claire, etc.

 

and advertises his company as the most hardcore wrestling in America when CZW is and always has been 4x as hardcore as XPW ever will be.

 

ME: Well, what CZW claims to be one of their most violent bouts ever, the main event of Stretched in Smyrna, is a far cry from Supreme/Grimes HIH2, Messiah/Supreme BIB1, etc. Grimes' fall is 10 times as sick as most of the CZW stuff other than the weedwhacking.

[Guest dreamer420]

Does anyone else think that XPW wouldn't be given such a hard time if it wasn't owned by Extreme Associates?

[Guest Jonathan Barber]

Does anyone else think that XPW wouldn't be given such a hard time if it wasn't owned by Extreme Associates?

There's no question that it wouldn't.

 

McMahon has been accused of rape, he supplied durgs to his wrestlers, he screwed over a legend, and more. Black is nobody compared to him.

[Guest EMAXSAUN]

I think the main reason people ignore CZW's faults and exploit XPW's is that XPW constantly delivers a rather AWFUL, SHITTY, INCREDIBLY VOMIT-INDUCING product.

You obviously haven't seen much XPW.

 

CZW's last shows have sucked, while XPW has gotten better, much better.

 

And you may come back with "Well Keith reviewed some XPW tapes and gave them bad reviews"

 

Keith reviewed very early XPW tapes, that did, well, suck.

 

My advice is get a best of xpw tape from a tape trader, i did, and i got some amazing matches, like messiah vs supreme from go funk yourself. and pick up hostille takeover, i got it from xpwrestling.com and it is a fantastic show. and also pick up we wrestle its decent.

also check out

http://xpwrestling.com/catalog/

they have a lot of dvds and vhs tapes and some of them are quite good, others are not.

 

actually here are some good ones:

 

liberty or death - full show

hostille takeover - full show

blown to hell

redemption

baptized in blood 1 and 2

we wrestle

go funk yourself (not that good overall but has the best deathmath EVER in it and some other decent matches) - i know that barber doesnt like this tape but i find it okay