Generation Next

Generation Next
Tony Luke's - Philadelphia, PA
After the shows at ECW Arena on Saturday night, myself and many of the other fans in attendance met up at Tony Luke's to have cheesesteaks and talk about the show.  We were unexpectedly joined by Austin Aries, Roderick Strong and Matt Sydal - three of the four members of Generation Next.  They were very awesome dudes, and they took this photo with me.

ROH vs CZW - The War Continues

Last month, I went to a CZW / ROH double header in Philadelphia.  The first show that night was CZW at the old ECW Arena, and the second show was ROH at the Pennsylvania National Guard Armory.  The order has been reversed for this show, and both companies are holding their show at the most famous indy wrestling venue in the world on the corner of Swanson and Ritner.

Ring of Honor
ECW Arena - Philadelphia, PA

Results:

• ROH Tag Team Championship: #1 Contenders Match
  Tag Team Scramble Match
  The Rottweilers (Homicide and Ricky Reyes) defeated The Briscoe Brothers (Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe), The Ring Crew Express (Dunn and Marcos) and Jason Blade / Kid Mikaze

• Roderick Strong defeated Jimmy Yang

• BJ Whitmer vs Necro Butcher ended in a no-contest after a Super Dragon run-in

• Austin Aries defeated Matt Sydal

• Irish Airborne (Dave Crist and Jake Crist) defeated Tony Mamaluke and Sal Rinauro

• ROH World Heavyweight Championship Match
  "The American Dragon" Bryan Danielson defeated Alex Shelley

• Three Way Dance
  Samoa Joe defeated "Classic" Colt Cabana and "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels

After the main event, BJ Whitmer came to the ring to challenge CZW.  Members of the CZW locker room ran to the ring (including John Zandig, Necro Butcher and Super Dragon) to brawl with Whitmer and members of the ROH locker room.

CZW: When 2 World Collide

ECW Arena - Philadelphia, PA

Results:

• Six Man Tag Team Match
  Pandora's Box (Adam Flash, B-Boy and Sonjay Dutt) defeated Nate Webb, Sexxxy Eddy and The Messiah

• Four Way Dance
  Hallowicked defeated Jigsaw, Andy Sumner and "Sweet & Sour" Larry Sweeney

• Justice Pain defeated El Generico

• CZW Ultraviolent Underground Championship Match
  Three Way Panes Of Glass Match
  Nick Gage defeated Danny Havoc and DJ Hyde

• CZW Iron Man Championship Match
  Kevin Steen defeated Super Dragon

• CZW Ultraviolent Underground Championship Match
  Six Way Ladder Match
  Niles Young* defeated Derek Frazier, Sabian, Cheech, Cloudy and Heretic
  *new champion 

• ROH vs CZW Inter-promotional Six Man Tag Team Match
  Generation Next (Austin Aries, Roderick Strong and Matt Sydal) defeated BLK-OUT (Ruckus and Eddie Kingston) and Necro Butcher

*Update: Both of these shows have been released on DVD.  The first is called Arena Warfare and is available on ROHWrestling.com.  The second is called When 2 Worlds Collide and is available on CZWrestling.com.

A Kindred Spirit

Octavia Butler
1947 - 2006
The world has lost a brilliant writer late last month when Ms. Butler passed away outside of her Washington home.  She was 58 years old.

I first discovered Ms. Butler in the mid 90's when she did an interview with the Sci-Fi Channel to promote her 10th novel, Parable Of The Sower.  She immediately stuck me as a kindred spirit (no pun intended) - a person who has difficulty interacting with others and who can see human society for what it is when you peel back the glossy coating.  I feel the same way, and I often wonder which is the result of the other.  In that interview, she mentioned that she had no idea how to get along with other children.  The host asked her if she gets along with people now, and without an ounce of humor, she told him "I can fake it.  I can do it for periods of time, and then I have to go back home and hide for a while.  I'm a very solitary person."  I have felt exactly the same way throughout my life.

Her stories are a pessimistic, but not hopeless look at the future.  If you're a fan of science fiction and haven't experienced her work, check out Kindred and Parable Of The Sower.