The Darewolf. Former member of The Nexus and The Corre. Three-time Tag Team Champion. PJ Black is here! On the eve of ArcadeMania, PJ Black (fka Justin Gabriel) joins Spencer Love to chat about his upcoming WrestleMania week appearances, teaming with Tyson Kidd, his return to IMPACT Wrestling, his free agency, a potential NXT offer, and more! Like, share, subscribe, and tune in to our latest interview on Love Wrestling!
You won’t find many wrestling fans, if any, who haven’t heard of the renowned Hart Dungeon. Founded in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in 1955, the Dungeon became known as one of the most brutal, but one of the best, training schools in professional wrestling history. Led by the legendary Stu Hart, the Dungeon produced some of the biggest names in professional wrestling history, including the Hart family, the Dynamite Kid, Davey Boy Smith, Tyson Kidd, and more.
Unfortunately, the Dungeon closed in 2003, shortly after the death of the Hart family patriarch. Since then, there has been no true predecessor to Stu’s fabled Dungeon: at least, nothing until recently, with TJ Wilson and Natalya opening their own version of the Dungeon in Florida.
Recently speaking with Natalya, I asked her about her love of training and, of course, the New Hart Dungeon itself.
“It’s awesome. We love our dungeon!” espoused the Queen of Harts. “Of course, a lot of people ask about how they can come and train with us.
It’s not a school, because we don’t have time for school. TJ and I are on the road so much: literally, like six days a week, we’re working. But, we train on a certain day of the week, and it’s sort of invite only. There’s people that I’ve run into during my career that will say, ‘Hey, would it be okay if I came down and checked it out?’ I’m totally fine with that. But, it’s just so hard because there’s so many people, it’s hard to get everybody in the ring.
“My practices are really intense. The training is really…it’s grueling. It’s like the way the Dungeon was back in the day. The Dungeon actually was started in 1955, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, at the Hart House. It’s a tradition, it’s our family tradition, and it’s so nice to be able to carry on that tradition.
It is really a place for people that love wrestling. It’s like a wrestling workshop. There’s a lot of secrets that are shared about the industry as far as how to construct a match, and how to be great, and how to excellently execute things. It’s like a wrestling workshop. It’s really cool for the people that come in there and train with us.”
One individual Hart was quick to point out was Street Profits star Angelo Dawkins. Since the return of live crowd, Dawkins has been noted as one of the most-improved wrestlers on the WWE roster. That’s no accident, says Natalya, but his efforts both on and off of shows.
“You look at somebody like Angelo Dawkins. He’s been training with us since the very beginning, and you see the growth and the improvement that he’s made. He’s lost all this weight and his performances are incredible. His conditioning is awesome. It’s just like a testament to him.
He’ll be on Raw, he’ll be on SmackDown, he’ll be doing live events, [and] he’ll be on a pay-per-view. But, he shows up. He comes in, he trains with us and he puts in the work even though he has a family, too. It’s just so commendable.”
Tune in to our full interview with Natalya below. For those who choose to use the above transcriptions, please credit Spencer Love/Love Wrestling.
Hockey players are universally renowned for their toughness. However, this week that toughness was tested a lil’ more than usual with a pair of interactions featuring some NHL legends and current IMPACT star Bully Ray.
Last Friday at IMPACT’s latest pay-per-view, Sacrifice, Bully Ray was in the midst of an ironically-titled Busted Open match with his long-time rival and radio co-host Tommy Dreamer. After noting that McCarty was in the crowd, Ray made a point to verbally lambast the former NHL star, even going so far as to throw a beer in his face.
Incensed, the four-time Stanely Cup Champion entered the ring, engaging in a hockey fight with the former IMPACT Champion. Unfortunately, Bully Ray – along with his accomplices, The Good Hands – were able to gain the upper, ugh, hand and put the Red Wings icon through a table.
McCarty, along with Tommy Dreamer and Yuya Uemura, are scheduled to take on Ray and the Good Hands on April 6th at IMPACT’s Sacrifice: Fallout event.
After his dismantling of the former Detroit Red Wings brawler, Bully Ray found himself caught in the crosshairs of yet another of the NHL’s legendary enforcers.
However, that wasn’t the end of Ray’s beef with NHL players. Quote-tweeting a clip of McCarty’s interference, Ray said simply:
“Never was a Hockey fan. Bunch of fake tough guys.”
This awoke the ire of former Edmonton Oilers star Georges Laraque, who was quick to challenge the wrestling legend to a bout of fisticuffs, as it were.
Though Ray noted that he was not familiar with Laraque, Big Georges has a special place in the heart of hockey fans. Through his 13-year NHL career, Laraque earned his reputation as one of the most feared fighters of all time. Through his time with the Edmonton Oilers, Phoenix Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Montréal Canadiens, Laraque amassed over 130 fighting majors, with this writer feeling confident as heck calling most of ’em wins.
There’s been no word on whether this interaction will amount to a match, dear reader, but ya best believe we’re hoping!
IMPACT Wrestling is about to get Wild.
On tonight’s IMPACT pay-per-view, Sacrifice, the promotion announced that Canadian wrestling star “The Wild Child” Jody Threat is scheduled to be joining the promotion in the near future.
Threat, based out of Toronto, Ontario, has been one of the standouts of the Canadian wrestling scene since her debut in 2017. Through the past few years, Threat has become one of the most popular wrestlers above the 49th parallel, but one of the busiest.
Over the past year, Threat has wrestled for over 35 promotions, including C*4, Winnipeg Pro Wrestling, and Love Pro Wrestling.
Currently, Threat is the WPW Women’s Champion, as well as the Demand Wrestling Lucha Openweight Champion. Recently, Threat made her debut with DEFY Wrestling, defeating Danika Diehard on March 11th.
Thus far, no date has been announced for Threat’s debut.
A local professional wrestler is set to attempt to make history in an effort to raise funds for the Stollery Children’s Hospital.
On Saturday, May 13th, “God’s Gift to Wrestling” Michael Richard Blais will attempt to wrestle an eight-hour match known as “The Infinity Gauntlet” as a fundraiser for Edmonton’s Stollery Children’s Hospital. The event, hosted in conjunction with the Clandestine Wrestling Society is set to mark Blais’ twentieth anniversary since beginning training as a professional wrestler.
“Over recent months I’ve become familiar with the Stollery through various situations with people close to me and their experiences,” said Blais. “I’ve always wanted to do something special that’s never been done before with it and more importantly for a good cause.
Looking further into it and thinking about myself as a kid it made me feel like this would be the good cause I’d most want to dedicate this idea to.”
Beginning at 12:00 PM on May 13th, Blais will attempt to wrestle in a gauntlet match against a variety of different opponents. Blais will wrestle for half an hour for every $100 raised, with a goal of $1,600 raised for a total of eight consecutive hours wrestled.
The Infinity Gauntlet is scheduled to feature a number of independent stars from throughout Alberta, including current LPW Grand Champion Zoë Sager, Taryn From Accounting, “The Thickness” Reid Matthews, and Steven Crowe.
Blais was trained in Calgary, Alberta on May 13th, 2003 with former WWE Superstar TJ Wilson (fka Tyson Kidd). One of the most decorated pro wrestlers in Canadian wrestling history, Blais has earned multiple appearances for WWE through his tenure as a professional wrestler, including taking part in the first-ever all-Canadian tryout in the promotion’s history in 2019. For the past year, Blais has wrestled primarily for Love Pro Wrestling (Edmonton) and WrestleCore (Vancouver).
Donations for the event can currently be made directly through the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation at https://stolleryci.crowdchange.ca/29398. A live stream for the event will also be hosted at https://www.youtube.com/godsgiftMRB.
Turns out Toronto needed some saving.
Last night, Michael Richard Blais made his return to Game Changer Wrestling at IWS x GCW: Worst Behaviour, as part of a scramble match featuring Blake Christian, Alec Price, Starboy Charlie, Manders, Big F’N Vin. In spite of his loss, the inaugural LPW Grand Champion impressed the Toronto faithful in his first appearance in #YYZ since WWE’s tryout in Toronto in August, 2019.
Blais’ return marked his first match with Game Changer Wrestling since 2019. That year, Blais made his GCW debut, appearing as part of the Clusterfuck at Joey Janela’s Spring Break.
Stay tuned to Love Wrestling for more previews, reviews, breaking news, and interviews from the Canadian wrestling scene.
Oh, Canada!
Last week saw All Elite Wrestling travel above the 49th parallel for just the second time, with the promotion hosting both a live edition of AEW: Dynamite, as well as tapings for their show AEW: Dark. While Canadian wrestling fans were treated to the AEW debut of Nicole Matthews on Wednesday, “The Shimmertaker” was far from the only star from the Great White North making appearances for AEW this week.
Tonight’s edition of Dark saw a number of Western Canada’s biggest names either return to or debut for, All Elite Wrestling.
Those who tuned in at 7:00 et saw all of Taryn From Accounting, “The Intangible” Zoë Sager, Mo Jabari, Sebastian Wolfe, Michael Allen Richard Clark, Shaun Moore, Taylor Rising, and Levi Night grace the AEW screens, with all impressing in their inaugural appearances with one of the world’s biggest wrestling promotions.
Despite a less-than-ideal win-loss record, Love Pro Wrestling would like to congratulate each and every individual for their huge accomplishment.
Tune in to the full episode of AEW: Dark below!
The past few months have been a return to the roots for WWE star Nikki Cross. After a controversial run as superhero Nikki A.S.H, Cross began returning to a more wild character similar to her original run in NXT.
During that inaugural run, Cross was part of the stable, SAnitY.
However, when the faction was originally called up to Smackdown in June, 2018, Cross was nowhere to be seen, marking the end of the original group’s tenure.
In an interview with Love Wrestling prior to Elimination Chamber, Cross chatted about a potential reunion with her original faction.
“SAnitY was the most fun I’ve ever had in my career,” began the former RAW Women’s Champion. “You know, I had Eric Young who was like this crazy uncle, I had, you know, my husband, Killian Dain. Getting to work with my husband was really fun! And then I had my best friend Alexander Wolfe.”
“So, for me, SAnitY was the most fun I’ve ever had in my career. I learned so much from those three men. They taught me so much, and I learned so much.
It’s just a time I look really fondly on and it helped me grow as a performer. So I would never want to forget that because it’s so integral to Nikki Cross as a character.”
Tune in to the full interview with Nikki Cross below. Should you choose to utilize any quotes, please credit Spencer Love/Love Wrestling.
All Elite Wrestling made their way above the 49th parallel for the second time on Wednesday, with the promotion hosting its first-ever show in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Headlined by a trios bout featuring the hometown returns of Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega, Wednesday’s edition of Dynamite marked yet another wildly successful event in the great white north.
Prior to the live edition of Dynamite, however, a number of Western Canada’s best and brightest took part in the tapings of AEW: Dark. The show, which airs every Monday on AEW’s YouTube channel, features current All Elite/Ring of Honor talent facing off against some of independent wrestling’s biggest names. For fans throughout Western Canada and the Pacific North West, Wednesday’s tapings offered an opportunity to see local favourites on a national platform, and All Elite Wrestling more than delivered on that potential.
Additionally, Wednesday’s event also saw the AEW debut of Canadian wrestling icon Nicole Matthews.
Matches involving Jake Hagar and Brandon Cutler also took place prior to Dynamite, with additional matches for AEW: Rampage also filmed following the live TV taping.
For the past week, speculation has run rampant as to who would be challenging TBS Champion Jade Cargill when All Elite Wrestling debuted in Winnipeg. On the latest edition of AEW: Dynamite, Cargill announced a Canadian Open Challenge, hoping to take on one of the best that the country had to offer in her latest title defense.
Well, she certainly received it. The challenger? None other than Nicole Matthews.
Matthews, one of the standard-bearers of Canadian professional wrestling for the past decade, has recently been appearing for Love Pro Wrestling, Nation Extreme Wrestling, WrestleCore, and a number of other promotions through the Pacific North West.
Recently, Matthews made her return to the United States with DEFY Wrestling. Shortly after, the multi-time champion announced that she would be taking American bookings for the first time in nearly five years.
Post-match, Matthews commented on her AEW debut:
Matthews is currently scheduled to challenge Zoë Sager for the LPW Grand Championship on March 31st at LPW 13: Still Don’t Want to Grow Up.