Thank You For The Memories Amasis

This past May, Amasis, one-half of the Osirian Portal tag-team, supposedly suffered injuries outside of the ring. Details were hard to come by, no one seemed to know what the story was, and those who did know had obviously decided to keep it a private. Considering the revelations this week, it's understandable why. Amasis was supposedly in a car accident and it seems as if the subsequent injuries were clearly too severe for him to ever step back in the ring. Sugar Dunkerton, fellow CHIKARA Pro wrestler, broke the news over Twitter.

Ophidian (l) & Amasis (r).  Cred: OsirianPortal.com

Amasis is most well known for being one half of the popular tag-team known as the Osirian Portal in CHIKARA Pro. Also known as The Funky Pharoah, he liked to incorporate an Egyptian break dancing style into his wrestling. Both men would utilise their unique styles to entertain crowds as well as spook out their opponents, as evidenced by this photograph:

Cred: OsirianPortal.com

The pair became Internet hits for a short time when a video of one of their matches in Combat Zone Wrestling went viral. It was titled 'The Most Illegal Move in the History of Wrestling' and involved the team performing hypnosis on the opposing team, and then busting a few slick dance moves. It quickly gained a whole heap of attention. However, CZW, despite the hundreds of thousands of views it got and thus free exposure for the company, had it removed from YouTube with a copyright (no one said this company was smart). Regardless, the infamous video has turned up on other sites and is one of the most entertaining videos I have ever watched.

YouTube is littered with clips of Amasis doing his crazy moves on CHIKARA shows, this particular one being a favourite of mine: 

This is just one of the many reasons why Amasis will be sorely missed in the ring. He is a fantastic entertainer and a talented wrestler in the squared circle. Of course, while it is greatly saddening that Amasis will never lace up his boots again, we must also hope that the injuries suffered are not severe enough to stop him from living a full and healthy life.

If this blog post has wetted your appetite and want to find out more about Amasis or the Osirian Portal, then go over to their official website, CHIKARA Pro's official website, or follow the Portal on Twitter!

Kevin Steen's Message to ROH Management

Kevin Steen, exiled from Ring Of Honor following his loss to El Generico at Final Battle 2010, has been absent from the company for six months now. There has been a campaign this weeks, spearheaded by Steve Corino and Jimmy Jacobs, to bring 'Mr.Wrestling' back to ROH this Sunday at their iPPV 'Best In The World.' 

In response, Kevin Steen posted this plea to the Ring Of Honor management on Twitter: 

On Thursday 23rd June 2011, @SteenIsChange said:

Please everyone re-tweet this...ROH won't put it up and I need as many people to read this as possible...

The second I heard it, I got a feeling in the pit of my stomach that I will never forget.

So many things went through my mind...how could I end up in this situation? What can I do to fix it? Is it too late to change things? And most of all...how could I live without Ring Of Honor?

I heard the sound that signified my career in ROH was over and my heart sank. Actually, it felt more like it started bleeding.

All I wanted from the beginning of my wrestling career was to make an impact on as many people as I could and work for a company I would be proud to call home. Many promotions helped me achieve but in the past few years, my entire career was consumed by Ring Of Honor. When my son was born I had to make some very tough choices and I had to recude my schedule with wrestling companies that were very close to my heart but I chose to remain with ROH through it all, as difficult as it was, because that's where I felt I belonged.

I was with ROH for over four years. I saw a lot of people come and go. And I honestly never thought that eventually some of the newer guys would see me go...

But I made decisions over the course of those four years that greatly impacted several people. And a lot of them might never forgive me for those decisions.

I can't bring myself to list everyone I hurt and every bad choice I made. It would be counter-productive anyway. What I want to do is look to the future and make things right.

I've stayed in touch with the ROH product. I've read the results from the shows, watched the videowires. I even bought the iPPV's. And everytime I'd watch, I would see exactly what I expected. The best wrestling in the world put on by the hardest working crew in the business.

But there's one thing I'd see that I did NOT expect at all.

Steve Corino, standing in the ring, apologizing for his actions of the last year. A humbled Steve Corino, offering to help the up-and-coming talent. A Steve Corino desperate to make up for past mistakes, standing up for what's right.

I'll be honest, that blew me away. And what blew me away even more is the way the fans forgave him. They welcomed his new ways and accepted him with open arms. Seeing all this helped me come to a realization...I had to do the same.

I've wanted to send this letter for a long time but I never gathered the stenght I needed to do it. Until now...

This past week has seen Steve Corino, my idol, ask for help from me. It has seen ROH officials declare that I am not welcome in New York City on Sunday. I really can't blame them for that.

But what I can do is ask for a chance to show them who I am now. A chance to come make things right. A chance to help my friend.

Jim, Syd, Ross... I know the last year was very hard for the both of you, with all the changes the company went through. And I know that my erratic behavior certainely didn't help. I'm well aware of the legal trouble I got the company into a few times and that I am possibly responsible for Cary Silkin's decision to sell the company. I can't deny the fact that I was out for myself and that I put myself before the company at all times. However, what you guys can't deny is that as risky and out of control as I may have been, I still created more memorable moments in 2010 than anyone else. You can't deny that I poured my heart and soul into my work. You can't deny that I gave 100% of my mind to ROH...I almost lost my mind in the process.

But these months away have done me some good and seeing Steve, and now Jimmy, act the way they do has been very eye-opening for me. I, too, am a changed man. I'm in better shape, physically and mentally. And above all else, I miss ROH. I miss the people. I miss the fans. I miss the rush.

I'm not asking for a new contract. I'm not asking for the company to commit to having me on the shows. I'm not a fool. All I want is a chance to come in Sunday, stand by my friend and show you that I can be what this company has wanted me to be this whole time. We can see where to go from there after...

One thing is certain. I will be in New York on Sunday.

What remains uncertain is if I'll be in the building to support Steve, or if I'll have to support him by simply waiting by his car and hope for the best for him.

I want to be in there though.

Steve wants it...and the fans want it too.

You have the power to let it happen.

Thank you,

See you Sunday...

Kevin

Follow Kevin Steen on Twitter: @SteenIsChange

Macho Man Randy Savage | 1952 - 2011

As you all know by now I'm sure, Randy Poffo, more commonly known by his ring name the 'Macho Man' Randy Savage, died on May 20 2011 after his car crashed. The tributes have been pouring out for arguably the greatest pro-wrestler of all-time, and I have only now been able to add my own to that list.

So what I have done is gathered a collection of my favourite videos of the one and only Macho Man, and put them here on the blog. The first one is the tribute that WWE aired on Monday Night Raw the week after his tragic death. If you had never heard or seen of the two-time WWF champion before, then this montage of clips gave you a very good picture of who he was in the ring. On the other hand, if you did know about this once-in-a-lifetime superstar, then the video would more than likely have you in tears, much like myself.

This next video is a WWF Classic. It's a match that pitted the Mega Powers (Savage and Hulk Hogan) against the Twin Towers (Big Boss Man and Akeem). This bout led to the break-up of the tag team and an historic feud. I could watch this match and the ensuing promo again and again.

These next two videos are courtesy of Maffew Gregg of Botchamania (you an follow Maffew on Twitter: @Maffewgregg). The first one is a collection of some of Savage's best promo work on WCW Nitro.

This last video is of the Macho Man's last ever TV appearance with WCW on Thunder, May 5th 2000. Savage comes in around the 7 minute mark to make a cameo in the battle royal for the No.1 Contendership, and is just about the best thing in it. First of all, there are way too many wrestlers in the ring at one time, making it difficult to focus on something at any given moment. Secondly, Vince Russo makes a run-in at one point, and an absolutely pointless one at that. Lastly, there is so much going on at the very end that one is left utterly confused as to which feuds are important. It is to Savage's credit that he was still able to stand out and look good in such an environment.

I think it goes without saying that there will never be another wrestler or entertainer like him again. Only Gorgeous George had a bigger impact on pop-culture, and his legacy may very well live on in that vein.

"Snap into a Slim Jim! Ohhhh yeeeeeahh!!"