PWI 500 2012

The annual Pro Wrestling Illustrated 500 issue is now out on news stands and has been out for a few weeks in digital form. It’s always fun to see this list every year. But this year I was a little sad when I checked out the list. This was the first year since 2003 that there were no photos I took in the list. Because of that I decided to post some old photos I have of some of the wrestlers in the top 100. So enjoy a look back at some of the top stars of today.
#1 CM Punk. In 2004 Punk teamed up with Ace Steel to take on Dan Maff & BJ Whitmer in a Chicago street fight. Punk & Steel won the match. His ranking that year in the PWI 500 was #89. Chicago Ridge, IL.
#2 Bobby Roode. VS Booker T from 2008. That year Roode was #89 on the list. Spencer, IA.
#4 Daniel Bryan. In 2005 Bryan was known as Bryan Danielson and he wrestled in a match against Claudio Castignoli who is now known as Antonio Cesaro in the WWE. Danielson was # 76 on the list in 2005. Hammond, IN.
#6 Jun Akiyama. VS TAKA at Korakuen Hall. Tokyo, Japan. In 2005 Akiyama was ranked #76 on the list.
#7 Davey Richards. If you are a fan of Richards then check out his hard hitting match against Low Ki from the 2006 IWA Mid South TPI. Midlothian, IL.
#12 James Storm. VS Rhino. Spencer, Iowa.
#13 Austin Aries. VS Adrian Serreno. Minneapolis, MN.
#20 Kevin Steen. At the 2005 IWA MS TPI Steen went to the final round but lost to Matt Sydal. Hammond, Indiana.
#27 Mr. Anderson. Not long before Andeson went to OVW he took on rookie Thoruf Marius (Erick Rowan in FCW) in 2003. Maple Grove, MN
#28 AJ Styles. VS Shifty. Maple Grove, MN.
#32 Rodrick Strong. Strong went to  the finals of the 2006 IWA MS TPI against Arik Cannon and Low Ki. Midlothian, IL.
#39 Jay Lethal. VS AJ Styles. Spencer, IA.
#44 Colt Cabana. At the 2005 IWA MS TPI Cabana got a shot at the heavy weight title against champion Jimmy Jacobs. Hammond, IN.
#46 Seth Rollins. At the time of this photo Rollins was known as Tyler Black. Hammond, IN.
#48 Chris Daniels. In 2004 The Fallen Angel showed up in Midwest Pro Wrestling to take on Arik Cannon. Maple Grove, MN.
#51 Somoa Joe. As the ROH champion Joe defended the title against Homicide. Chicago Ridge, IL.
#54 Michael Elgin. Back in 2006 a young Elgin made his way to the midwest for the NIW Impact Invitational. Cottage Grove, MN.
#59 Johnny Gargano. VS Mat Fitchett. Minneapolis, MN.
#61 Takashi Morishima. Defending his ROH title against Austin Aries. St. Paul, MN.
#62 Adam Pearce & #64 Carl Anderson. Pearce & Anderson team up to take on Arik Cannon & Baby Slim at an NWA Midwest show in Cottage Grove, MN back in 2006.
#63 Jay Briscoe & #65 Mark Briscoe. VS CM Punk & Colt Cabana for the ROH tag team title. The Briscoe’s lost the titles at the end of this match in Chicago Ridge, IL.
#82 El Generico. VS Chris Bosh. Midlothian, IL.
#96 Evan Bourne. Before he was in the WWE Bourne wrestled as Matt Sydal. In this match from the 2006 Ted Petty Invitational for IWA Mid South Sydal beat El Generico.
#97 Rhett Titus. Back in 2007 Titus was in an opening match against Michael Elgin at an ROH event in St. Paul, MN.

The Art of Wrestling with Colt Cabana

The Wrestler/Inside Wrestling Volume 38 hit newsstands this week. On pages 14 and 15 there is a story about Colt Cabana's pod cast "The Art of Wrestling". In the article there is a photo I took of Cabana with CM Punk and Ricky Steamboat from a ROH show in St. Paul, MN back in April 2004.
If you have not yet listened to Colt Cabana's pod cast I highly recommend that you do. Just click on the link above where it reads "Art of Wrestling". Every Thursday Cabana post a new podcast where he talks with one of his pro wrestling friends. Some of my favorite shows/guest are Shawn Daivari, CM Punk, Colin Delany, Somoa Joe (seen here getting his burn mark kicked off by Cabana), X-Pac and The Briscoe Brothers. As Cabana says on his podcast, he opens the door and lets fans into the lives of pro wrestlers.

ROH St. Paul,MN 8/25.2006

Ring of Honor made their return to St. Paul, MN after 2 and a half years. The first time they were at the St. Paul Armory the WWE was in town the same night just 10 blocks away at the Xcel center. This time the turn out must have been better because a return date was annouced for April 2007. An earlier date to go along with the next Chicago Ridge date was not available.
The Briscoe Brothers beat Irish Airborn in the opening match.
Homicide beat Jimmy Jacobs w/Lacey.
Colt Cabana & Davey Richards beat The Embassy.
Fallen Angel Christoper Daniels pinned Claudio Castognoli.
Taking the same spot they had on the first St. Paul show in their ROH debut Matt Sydal beat Delirious.
ROH tag team champs Austin Aries & Roderick Strong retained their titles against BJ Whitmer & Somoa Joe when Strong pinned Joe.
ROH World/Pure champion Bryan Danielson vs Nigel McGuinness ended in a 60 minute time limit draw. This was a 2 out of 3 falls match and each wrestler had one fall.

ROH Chicago Ridge, IL 6/24/2006

On Saturday June 26, 2006 I photographed my first Ring Of Honor card in over a year. I missed 3 shows in the last year becaues for weddings, babies and something else I can't remember. These ROH events are always fun to photograph.
The official card stared off with tag team action as the Irish Airborne beat Shane Hagadorn and Trik Davis. My first time seeing Irish Airborne and Hagadorn.
Up next was Jimmy Jacobs w/Lacey vs Rodrick Strong. In the photo here you can see fans holding up their cell phones as they sway to Jimmy's entrance music as if they were holding up their lighters to Freebird. If you want to hear the song or view the video go to Jimmy's myspace group. What a great song.
In the match Jimmy lost to Roderick Strong after a bunch of back breakers.
WOW, that's a lot of toilet paper. I had read how the ROH fans has been throwing but man that was a lot of toilet paper as seen in this next photo.So after all this toilet paper was thrown for Jimmy Rave and CK III they lost to the now much bigger Briscoe brothers.
Somoa Joe beat Delirious.
After Somoa Joe got the win he was attacked by some wrestlers from CZW, The Necro Butcher and Claudio Castagnoli. BJ Whitmer and Adam Pierce came out to even up the odds and they were followed by another CZW wrestler, Nater Webb. Ace Steel ran out to make it a 6 man hardcore match. The CZW team won after The Necro Butcher place the barb wire crown on BJ and he went down for the 3 count. This was one match that was scary to be around ring side.
Nigal McGinnis retained his ROH pure wrestling title against Homocide as they were both counted out after the 20 count by the ref. The fans were not happy with that ending.
The first co-main event of the card was Austin Aries VS KENTA. This was my second time photographing a KENTA match as the first was at Korekuen Hall in Tokyo against Kenta Kobashi. KENTA beat Aries with my favorite finishing move, Go to Sleep.
Three years ago on June 28th, 2003 Austin Aries wrestled Shawn Daivari in South St. Paul in the RAIN! Even in the rain Aries got up on the top rope and did this move. He also did a 360 splash from the top.
The other co-main event was for the ROH world title as champion Bryan Danielson beat Colt Cabana with a small package.