411’s Buy or Sell 11.13.09: EVOLVE Wrestling Is Formed, Erick Stevens Joins The Embassy, Dragon Gate vs. Ring of Honor In Phoenix and More!

Posted by Michael Bauer on 11.13.2009

This week, the 411 Wrestling Staff takes a look at some huge news this week surrounding EVOLVE Wrestling as Ari Berenstein battles Jeffrey Harris in Buy or Sell!

Welcome everyone to Week 133 of BUY or SELL. For those of you who haven't been with us since the beginning, here's the Reader's Digest version of what this column is all about. BUY or SELL is very much like 411's long-running Fact or Fiction column. The main difference is that BUY or SELL focuses on topics like the U.S. Independent scene, Lucha Libre, Japanese Wrestling and pretty much anything else that isn't mainstream wrestling, WWE and or TNA. This allows for these areas to get a bit more press and for you, our loyal readers, to learn even more about the sport of professional wrestling.

Questions are sent out on Monday Night.

BANNER!


(Special thanks to Jasper Gerretsen)

Of all the members of the RoH roster, Eric Stevens was the best choice to become Prince Nana's "monster".

ARI Berenstein : BUY. Stevens had been "lost in translation" on the HDNet show and in ROH in general over the past few months. He had been mostly relegated to squash matches on HDNet and the occasional tag team match with Brent Albright on the house shows. Now as he joins The Embassy, Stevens has a definite character direction and new found motivation, which should help to freshen up his interactions with other members of the ROH roster. The move also gives The Embassy a steady powerhouse wrestler, as the big Bison Smith was only appearing sporadically. So this is a win-win situation, although I couldn't help but thinking that maybe, just maybe, Abyss would make a surprise appearance just one time. But nah, I mean Abyss was such a nice guy when I saw him at a show in 2005 and he kindly said "excuse me" as he made his way through a line of fans. I mean, Prince Nana wouldn't want a nice monster on his payroll.

Jeffrey Harris : SELL. I'm sort of confused. Didn't Bison Smith sort of already fit this bill for Nana and the Embassy? Did he leave? What happened to his feud with Necro Butcher? Regardless, it should be Bison Smith.

0 for 1.

Ring of Honor's Pick Six concept will end up creating even more confusion over the #1 contendership for the RoH World Title.

ARI Berenstein : SELL. Really simple--anyone on the list is in contention for a title shot, but if you're number one on the list you have the best chance of receiving a title shot. That's it. Anyone who is capable of following the standings of their favorite professional sporting team will not have a problem with this concept. The major positive is that the Pick 6 takes the atmosphere of ROH's build to a title shot and makes it more like sports. You can really open up possibilities of people fighting to get on or to stay on the list. Most importantly, it draws one angle to a close--the Austin Aries Lucky Lottery--and begins a new one--the race to knock off Aries from his throne. Plus, this isn't really a new idea--ROH was doing a top five rankings way back when. Its just a method quantifying which wrestlers are closest to getting the opportunity to challenge for the title.

Jeffrey Harris : SELL. No. I totally dig it in theory though I think it does have some flaws. To me it sort of adds a nice little pure sports build and vibe to picking the contenders. However, I feel if you are seeded you should get to stay in the pick six group and an unranked wrestler shouldn't be allowed to take your spot. That's a little bit confusing. I also think they could've maybe determined it by voting. But overall, I like this concept and I look forward to seeing where it goes.

1 for 2.

Dragon Gate USA will end up with stronger cards for their WrestleMania weekend shows than Ring of Honor.



ARI Berenstein : BUY. Davey Richards and The Young Bucks are on the card already, which means a guarantee of two awesome matches per show. You also know for sure that the Dragon Gate guys who are coming in are there to deliver. This already gives DGUSA a very sizable advantage. There are many combinations of wrestlers that create a card for this show and not many of those are bad draws. I mean, you could do Richards vs. Shingo or Richards vs. Quackenbush or Richards vs. anyone and you know at this point that its going to be a very strong and worthy match. Right now, ROH is at a very weak position in terms of building to those shows. They don't have access to Richards or The Bucks for at least the first show, and KENTA is now out due to an injury. This is part of the reason why you are hearing the news they are negotiating to bring in guys from AAA-to plug in the hole creating by not having international talent. That is a key for these weekend shows, and right now DGUSA has the full advantage in that regard. ROH may be able to pull some rabbits out of the hat by the time we come to March 26th and 27th, but for now I think there is more reason to be excited about the DGUSA shows and more reason to believe they will end up with the stronger cards of the two promotions on that weekend.

Jeffrey Harris : SELL. I love Dragon Gate and Dragon Gate USA, but ROH this year put together two fantastic cards that far surpassed Wrestlemania itself. KENTA and Davey Richards had the best title match of that weekend by far. The world title match between Lynn and McGuinness was better than the two hacked together world title matches at Mania 25. It seems every year, in 2006 especially, ROH manages to put together a tremendous group of matches for the Mania weekend shows. I see this year being no exception. I don't see DG USA locking up the NOAH talents like KENTA and possibles like Marufuji, Nakajima, etc. Figure in some more Alex Koslov who is returning to ROH and there's nothing DG USA can do to surpass ROH come 2010 in Arizona.

1 for 3.


TWITTER

http://www.twitter.com/411mania
http://www.twitter.com/411wrestling
http://www.twitter.com/411moviestv
http://www.twitter.com/411music
http://www.twitter.com/411games
http://www.twitter.com/411mma

Considering his status in RoH and Dragon Gate USA, you are surprised Davey Richards would be involved with starting a new promotion.



Jeffrey Harris : BUY. Most definitely. Davey Richards seemed to be on the rise in ROH as tag champs and being primed for a world title run. This seems to change things depending on the extent to which he will be involved in ROH. Still I think Richards is one of the best workers on the planet and he wrestled KENTA to the best match of the year, so I look forward to anything he has planned.

ARI Berenstein : SELL. Wrestling history is filled with professional wrestlers either becoming involved with booking or beginning their own promotion in order to book and promote their own company. Look at Jeff Jarrett and TNA. So why should I be surprised by this move? Roderick Strong and Erick Stevens even beat Richards to being an ROH talent that books / promotes his own show--they have done it already in 2008 with their GEAR promotion in Florida. Richards must realize he is on a huge roll in the independent world and with that comes an elevation in reputation and leverage. The time would be right for Richards to use that leverage to his advantage, and good for him and good luck to him as he does it.

1 for 4.

The creation of EVOLVE proves that Gabe Sapolsky only cares about ending Ring of Honor and nothing else.

Jeffrey Harris : SELL. Unless someone can prove or have it on record that this is Gabe's goal, I don't really buy it. After what Richards has done for the company, I'd hardly believe he wants to be involved with an endeavor to effectively end ROH. I'm not sure what Gabe's true end or agenda is with EVOLVE, but I certainly don't feel its to end ROH unless someone can actually prove that.

ARI Berenstein : SELL. Only cares about ending ROH? No. I think Gabe Sapolsky wants to provide for his wife and newborn child and he is using his skills and talents to do just that-by booking and promoting wrestling companies. I think Sapolsky wanted to create and to book Evolve because he sees it both as a way of making a living and enjoying what he does for a living at the same time. Now, if ROH suffers as a side effect of the formation of his companies? I'm sure Sapolsky wouldn't be too miffed at that and maybe even will feel some personal satisfaction / vindication at the same time--if he hasn't already due to the inital success of Dragon Gate USA. I just don't think its the only reason he is forming EVOLVE.

2 for 5.

With the addition of EVOLVE, the Northeast of the United States will be too saturated with promotions.

Jeffrey Harris : SELL. I don't think it would be any more saturated than it has been before. I think there's nothing wrong with having another cool place if it can give guys some decent pay, experience, and produce some good matches. I think the key is perhaps offering something that the other Northeastern indie wrestling promotions aren't. Even though they are different regions, Chikara and PWG both present alternative and different types of products than other indie wrestling promotions. So I think the important thing for EVOLVE is providing a niche that other wrestling promotions currently don't fill. For example, TNA and WWE both generally suck as providing good sensical pro-wrestling matches and big feuds. So maybe that's something they can look at. DG USA is offering the Japanese DG style since DG guys no longer work in ROH. So it has to be different.

ARI Berenstein : SELL. Again the wording of a statement is forcing me to choose "Sell", because I believe we were already at a saturation point with independent wrestling promotions, and not just in the Northeast. I think fans attention span and wallets are already stetched thin with the ability to follow ROH, FIP, PWG,CHIKARA, DG USA, JAPW, CZW and until this past summer IWA-MS among other countless promotions. Yes, so much choice gives fans a hugely diverse population of wrestling promotions from which to follow and to enjoy. However, I think its hard enough already to choose what to spend your discretionary income. As a personal example, even I am now at my spending limits and have to select more carfully among these promotions which DVDs I purchase. The average fan's spending dollar was already at a saturation point due to the poor economy and relative limit of the consumer base of "independent wrestling fans"--there are after all, only so many fans that fit into that genre, and not many mainstreamers are joining the ranks. EVOLVE is jumping into an already overflowing pool of independent wrestling companies. While they will contribute to the continued oversaturation of the independents, they are not the root cause of its saturation point.

3 for 6!!


The 133rd edition of BUY or SELL finishes at 3 for 6 as these match up half the time! Stay tuned for next week as two new people step up to the plate on Buy or Sell!