Tag Archives: Dean Ambrose

10 Championship Defenses CM Punk should make on the Indy Scene

Posted on by Mike McCarthy
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WWE, TNA, WrestlingLast weekend, history was made in Chicago.  CM Punk defeated John Cena for the WWE Championship, and exiting through the crowd, he departed the biggest wrestling promotion in the world while proudly carrying their most prestigious title.  Now, Punk is a free agent, and the WWE is left without a Champion.

While few facts are known in regards to Punk’s current contract situation, the potential working relationship in place between WWE & Ring of Honor, or how the WWE Title scene will be treated moving forward, there are some assumptions we can make.  For one, we can be sure that Punk is not truly done with World Wrestling Entertainment.  He is certainly a big part of their future plans – he wouldn’t be carrying their title around otherwise.  We know that he’s not actually a free agent.  He’s still a WWE employee, and as such, he still has to play by their rules.  The chances that he defends the WWE Championship in any promotion that isn’t WWE are slim at best, and if you exclude ROH from the discussion, they likelihood that he shows up anywhere besides Monday Night Raw probably drops to non-existent.

But for now, let’s forget all that.  Let’s cast off our smarky shackles, allow ourselves to believe the kayfabe, and embrace this angle in all of its shoot-y goodness.  CM Punk is the WWE Champion.  He’s also a free agent.  He’s going to defend the title wherever he sees fit.  So where does the best wrestler in the world do his business?  On the other side of the jump, you’ll find ten suggestions as to what promotions the Second City Savior could visit, who he should put the gold on the line against, and how each respective match might play out.  This, my friends, is Fanboy Booking 101.  Continue reading →

Profilin’: Jon Moxley

Posted on by Mike McCarthy
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WWE, TNA, Wrestling

You'll probably know Jon Moxley soon enough, as he's wrestled his way to a WWE contract.

Jon Moxley, like Tyler Black, is currently honing his skills in Florida Championship Wrestling, the WWE’s primary developmental territory.  Currently wrestling under the name Dean Ambrose, Moxley is just 25 years old, although he’s already toured through and found success in a number of independent wrestling promotions.  If you’ve watched him perform, it’s no wonder why.

Moxley has above average promo skills.  He’s beyond natural on the microphone, and the quiet intensity he brings to his interviews puts you in mind of Raven or Jake Roberts in their primes.  In the ring, Moxley is what I’d describe as a clever wrestler.  He uses his surroundings to his advantage and he counters moves in very logical ways that are seldom seen elsewhere in wrestling.  As such, a sense of realism is present in his matches, as he’s less about glitz and glam than he is about making it look like he’s fighting to win.  His ring style oozes deplorability, as he’s not above using eye rakes and other heel tactics to notch a win.  As for his actual moveset, Moxley makes a habit of violently tossing his opponent out of positions that are traditionally used to set up impact moves such as the vertical suplex or death valley driver.  He uses a high-angle double chickenwing facebuster, the Hook & Ladder, as his primary finisher, and also keeps opponents down for the count with a high impact DDT out of the suplex position that he calls the One Hitter.  Factor in a number of submission maneuvers, such as the crossface chickenwing and a short armbar, and you’ve got a competitor who keeps in fresh in the ring and is capable of working with a number of diverse styles.

Before being signed to a developmental contract with the biggest wrestling company in the world, Moxley made a name for himself in promotions such as Heartland Wrestling Association, Combat Zone Wrestling, and Dragon Gate USA, among others.  He’s held five World Championships (or eight, depending on your vantage point) on his tour of the indy circuit, and it’s not far-fetched to believe that there is more prestigious gold in his future.  Continue reading →