New Top Ten Thoughts

Before I get into the top ten rankings of the NWA, I want to plug real quick two things.

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Now, a lot has changed as far as rankings go in the NWA since I first wrote about the rankings. Let's take a look at the rankings as I give you my thoughts on the top ten.

10. Chance Prophet- The Current NWA DAWG Pound Heavyweight champion and former NWA National Heavyweight champion, he truly has the ability to challenge for the World Heavyweight title and win it. However, when he was National Heavyweight champion a lot of people including myself thought he was going to become the next champion before he was injured and had to forfeit the National Heavyweight title. While I think his ranking should be a bit higher, right now Chance is under the radar and all it takes is one big win and he is right back as a major name to mention for the title.

9. Antonio Thomas- He has dropped two spots in the rankings but remains in the top ten for his ability in the ring and charisma. How he has not received a title shot is amazing because he is so good and crisp in the ring. Will he ever get noticed by the NWA as a wrestler who is good enough to go for the title or will he just continue to be ignored?

8. Shane Haste- Still the man in Australia, his climb to the top will no doubt continue with each and every [victory.  The question must come up of if he wants to challenge for the Worlds Heavyweight title again, will or make the NWA Australia championship his goal?]

7. Sid Sylum- The current NWA Canadian Heavyweight champion, he is no doubt a contender for many other titles in the NWA, mainly the North American Heavyweight title. However, Sylum seems to be the kind of person who will not rush into going for a title and will cherish every single day his reign as the Canadian Heavyweight champion. There hasn't been a Canadian to have held the belt in three years is Sid Sylum the one to bring the World Heavyweight title back to the Great White North?

6. Shinsuke Nakamura- One of the best wrestlers currently in Japan, the fact that he doesn't have a title and is on this list is pretty amazing. It shows how good of a wrestler he truly is. While his focus right now might not be on the World Heavyweight title it must certainly be on the back of his mind. But the only way for him to start chasing that belt in my opinion is to regain the IWGP Heavyweight title from Togi Makabe and then start dominating as champion like he did in his previous reign. It's only a matter of time before he is at the top once again.

5. Charlie Haas- The former WWE superstar sure did give Adam Pearce a run for his money back in August. While that match ended in a double countout, Haas proved to everybody that he has the right stuff to become the World Heavyweight champion. And with his recent victory to become the Texas Heavyweight champion it may help him for a request of another shot at Adam Pearce and the title. While the rematch might not happen in Texas, Haas is certainly a man who deserves a second shot at the title.

4. Oliver John- The summer of 2010 is certainly a summer that Oliver John would soon love to forget. First, he loses the PWR Heavyweight title to Blue Demon Jr. and then loses the Heritage Heavyweight title to Atsushi Sawada, it does hurt his case for a shot at the World Heavyweight title. However, don't let these two loses change your mind as far as a contender goes because any man who can take Blue Demon Jr. to the limit and beyond certainly should have a look at with the title. Will the bad luck of Oliver John stop or will it continue as he could go down the rankings of the NWA?

3. Blue Demon Jr.- The former heavyweight champion right now might be taking a break on his quest to regain the ten pounds of gold but that doesn't mean that he's still keeping his eye out on not only Pearce but all the top contenders because whenever Blue Demon Jr. gets his rematch at the title it could very well be against anybody. He is an experienced wrestler and will study all tapes of whoever the champion might be and when the day comes he will be ready to go once again at the belt.

2. The Sheik- Of any wrestler on this list that deserves the next shot at Adam Pearce it is this man. 2010 has no doubt been his year, being the only wrestler in NWA history to hold a state, territory and continental title at the same time, The Sheik felt that he was being ignored. But when he knocked out Adam Pearce last month in Charlotte he put everybody on notice that he means business when it comes to the world title and that he wants the belt around his waist. But the question is how soon will Sheik get his shot? It depends on the schedule and contenders and hopefully, The Sheik will not be ignored.

1. Phil Shatter- The current NWA National Heavyweight champion still has his sights on Adam Pearce. Despite having two chances at the title within eight days, Shatter still does not have the title that he longs for. He might go down as the greatest National Heavyweight champion of all time and that's a nice feat in itself, but he wants something bigger and if given one more chance, like the old saying goes, maybe the third time will be the charm and he could become the World Heavyweight champion. But until then he will have to wait.

Which of these ten men will make the next move on there quest to becoming World Heavyweight champion? Only time will tell.

One thing Adam Pearce needs to do

Adam Pearce has been one of the most dominating NWA World Heavyweight Champions in recent memory. Within a three year period he has already won the biggest prize in this sport three times and has defended the title all over the world and has fought the best wrestlers that have been put in front of him. By hook or by crook he has been able to hold on to the title by any means necessary. However, for Mr. Pearce to be considered one of the all time greatest NWA World Heavyweight Champions he needs to do one thing, defend the NWA World Heavyweight title in Japan.

Make no mistake about it, Pearce has gone to a lot of territories in the NWA not only here in the US, but also to Mexico and Europe. But to be remembered as one of the best ever he needs to take that plane ride over the Pacific Ocean and take on the best that New Japan has to offer. While we don't bring this up a lot, New Japan is a member of the NWA but probably doesn't get mentioned a lot because nobody from New Japan has won an NWA title since Tiger Mask IV. With the rich history that the NWA and the world title has in Japan it might be now the time for our World Heavyweight Champion to start making appearances in New Japan and defend the 10 lbs. of gold. So who would be some of the top challengers to his world title if he decides to go to Japan? Well let me give you a list of a couple of people and tell you why.

Togi Makabe. He is the current IWGP Heavyweight Champion and a wrestler no doubt Bruiser Brody would have been proud of if he was still alive today. While Pearce might be a little bit taller and outweigh Makabe by a couple of pounds he would bring a very raw kind of offense to the champion that he has yet to see. Makabe has that style of wrestling that sometimes is too hard to describe and preparing for a match against Makabe one on one can be hard because you never know what he will bring to the table.

Hiroshi Tanahashi. This man has traveled all over the world to Mexico wrestling for CMLL and in the US for TNA, Tanahashi is one of if not the most popular wrestler in Japan today. Tanahashi has also been successful in his career with championships. A former four time holder of the IWGP Heavyweight title he could bring his quickness and wrestling ability to Pearce that could bring some serious trouble to our champion. If Tanahashi is given the chance, he will do literally whatever it takes to win the title.

Shinsuke Nakamura. One of the most dominating champions in recent history, Nakamura has no trouble what so ever taking a title away from whoever the champion maybe. However, he is coming back from an injury and that may slow him down on his quest towards a shot at Adam Pearce. Nakamura and his biggest rival, Tanahashi, are currently the main faces of New Japan and could be carrying the company into the next decade. But for Nakamura to help lead this company through the decade he must get his shot at Pearce and the title. No doubt he will have tricks up his sleeve if given the opportunity at the world title.

Giant Bernard. Now I'm sure this one might surprise some people reading this however this man has just about everything you would want in a wrestler to be champion. A couple of years ago he made it to the finals of a tournament to crown a new IWGP Heavyweight Champion before losing the match. He is currently one half of the IWGP Tag Team Champions along with Karl Anderson, but Bernard is great in whatever situation you put him in. If it's tag team or singles, Bernard is a major threat to any championship and is certainly a major threat to Adam Pearce and the NWA World Heavyweight title. So will Bernard get his chance? Who knows, it remains to be seen.

Yuji Nagata. Of all the people who could give Adam Pearce a run for there money it is more then likely Nagata. A veteran of the ring he has been to just about every promotion in Japan and has won a title in Japan. But without a doubt his best work has been in New Japan. With a combination of MMA and wrestling skills, Nagata could be the wild card for the chase for the NWA World Heavyweight title. While Pearce may have less experience then Nagata there is no doubt about it that if these two men ever met one on one, you can throw experience out the window and just let them wrestle. The interesting thing about Nagata is that he can either pin you or make you submit which is a lethal combination which would mean that Pearce would have to look out for whatever Nagata brings because if he made one wrong move, it's all over.

So there are my thoughts on the men who I feel could give Adam Pearce a scare if he decided to go to New Japan with the title. Hopefully one day soon we can see the NWA World Heavyweight Champion make title defenses in a great country in Japan. The question is though, if Adam Pearce did go to New Japan and defend the title, would he make it out with the gold?

Thoughts on rankings and chase for the 10 lbs. of gold

Before I begin I would like to thank Jay Cal and everybody at alliance-wrestling.com for giving me an opportunity to write blogs for this fantastic website. My first blog that I'm going to write about, and will probably be a theme for me are the look at the top ten rankings in the NWA plus the serious challengers for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, held currently by Adam Pearce. The hunt for the 10 lbs. of gold has not been this exciting, this thrilling and this entertaining since the NWA Heavyweight title was in TNA. Adam Pearce, who has been a great representative of not only the title but the NWA itself has not been a classic champion. He has faced all challenges and still has the title. But let's take a look at each guy in the top ten and how they could figure into an already heavy chase.

10. Lance Cade.

The former WWE Superstar and trainee of Shawn Michaels is a world traveler. He's been in Canada, Europe, Japan, Mexico and more. His size and power is a good characteristic for a contender at the World title. Currently in NWA Southwest, his goal is set at the Texas Heavyweight Championship currently held by Chad Thomas. If Lance Cade can capture the Texas Heavyweight title then not only will he move up in the rankings but will also have more eyes looking at him as a serious contender to Adam Pearce and the title. But for right now, Cade is at a good spot but one huge title win gets him into serious talk.

9. Shane Haste.

Currently one half of the EPW Tag Team Champions in Australia, Shane Haste is one of the best wrestlers currently wrestling in the land down under. Unlike Cade, Haste's looks might not be able to help his case chasing the gold. At only 6'2" and 205 lbs. he might not be thought of as a serious threat to the NWA World Heavyweight title. But like the old saying goes, great things come in small packages and Shane Haste might be that great thing that could not only bring him fame but also bring the NWA World Heavyweight title to Australia for the very first time.

8. Robbie Hart.

The current NWA Australian Heavyweight Champion is an individual who could also represent Australia as the NWA World Heavyweight Champion. Since his win back on March 20th he has been on a roll. Nobody has been able to stop him and it can only get better for the champion. Can Robbie make it all the way to the World title or are there road blocks along the way for Robbie Hart?

7. Antonio Thomas.

Another former WWE Superstar, Thomas has been making a name for himself all over New England. Also a former NWA Liberty States (currently On Fire) Heavyweight champion, he has a lot of great talent and potential to challenge Pearce. Go all over not only the United States but the world as well to chase him for the title. A veteran of nine years, Thomas could be the guy that gets the job done and takes "Charlotte" away from Pearce.

6. Sid Sylum.

Sid pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the year when he defeated Scotty Mac on April 10th of this year to become NWA Canadian Heavyweight Champion. When he defeated Mac, who had held the title for almost two years, Sylum not only took the title but also took what could've been a huge opportunity for Mac. Now it's Sid Sylum's turn. He represents all of Canada and would make a great representative as NWA World Heavyweight Champion. 2010 has been Sid's year so far, can he continue making it his year by becomming the new NWA World Heavyweight Champion as well as NWA Canadian Heavyweight Champion?

5. Blue Demon Jr.

The former NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Blue Demon does have a right to a rematch against Adam Pearce since he was the former champion. It's just a matter of when and if Adam Pearce will give him his rematch. As the current head man in NWA Mexico his time for a title shot may have to wait for a little bit. Also that could delay that is Oliver John, one of his most hated enemies. Oliver John may take Demon's attention away from his hunt to regain the NWA World Heavyweight title but being the professional he is, Blue Demon Jr. will get right back on track for a chance to regain the title no matter what happens to Oliver John.

4. The Sheik

A wrestler that may get some votes as wrestler of the year in the NWA, The Sheik did something this year that nobody has ever done before. He held at one point in time, the Florida, Midwest and North American Heavyweight titles. No wrestler has ever held a state, regional and national title at the same time and it might be a long time before anybody does. The Sheik has been going all over the United States defending the North American title. The Sheik is the kind of wrestler who if given one chance, just one, could take away the NWA World Heavyweight title from Adam Pearce. Plus, with his array of weapons and fireball The Sheik is an unpredictable wrestler who can pull anything out at anytime. If given the chance, will The Sheik pull something out to become NWA World Heavyweight champion? If given a chance.

3. Shinsuke Nakamura.

Even though he is returning from injury, he has accomplished a lot of things in his career. A former U-30 champion, co holder of the IWGP Tag Team titles and IWGP Heavyweight champion he may be the most serious threat to Adam Pearce and his title. Nakamura could also become the first Japanese NWA World Heavyweight Champion since the late Shinya Hashimoto won the title nine years ago. But as mentioned, he is returning from an injury and his shoulder could play a part in any hope of getting a title shot. If he was not coming back from an injury, he might very well be number one in the rankings and maybe in line for a shot. Instead, he's got some work to do to not only get back to the top of New Japan Pro Wrestling but to also get into the conversation of the NWA World Heavyweight title.

2. Oliver John.

Before Adam Pearce defeats Blue Demon Jr. in Charlotte this past April, the closest man to beating Demon for the title is Oliver John. At one point, he even laid claim to being the NWA World Heavyweight champion although he didn't win the title. If he can defeat Blue Demon Jr. in Mexico then Oliver John may very well be the number one contender and the next one in line for a title shot. However, if he loses to Blue Demon Jr. then it's going to be a long climb to get back into the talk for a title shot.

1. Phil Shatter.

If you saw the three way elimination match for the NWA World Heavyweight title back in April a lot of people thought that Shatter had won the title. But instead, Adam brought a shoulder up and has the title. Phil Shatter has been the National Heavyweight champion since January 19, 2009 and has defended the title against everybody!!! He has been easily the best National Heavyweight champion since Chance Prophet and may very well go down in history as the greatest NWA National Heavyweight champion. But a wrestlers career is sometimes not defined by being the greatest holder of a title, it is defined by becomming NWA World Heavyweight Champion. Phil gets his chance on August 1st in Ohio when he faces Adam Pearce. If he wins the title he will join an elite group of all time greats and hall of famers. But if not, will he ever get another shot at the title? Only time will tell.

Before I end this blog, I wanted to talk about real quick two men who have title shots coming up in August. On Saturday August 7th, Adam Pearce defends the title against Bryan Danielson, a man who many thought including myself back in 2007, would be NWA World Heavyweight champion. But an eye injury forced him out of the tournament and it seemed like we would never know if he would get a shot. Now he gets his shot in front of not only the fans but some of the biggest names in wrestling history. But if Adam Pearce survives that night, he's got another title defense on August 8th against an unknown opponent. Could it be Phil Shatter? Who knows it remains to be seen.

Then, in Texas on August 14th it's Charlie Haas. A former collegiate wrestler and WWE Champion, Haas has the wrestling ability to take the title away from Pearce. With his family in the building on that night it will be the biggest match in Charlie Haas' life. Can he get the job done? Can he become the next NWA World Heavyweight champion?

There you have it. Each of these men can become champion but some will fall and others will rise to the occasion. No matter who challenges Pearce for the title it will be a fight and it will be remembered for a long time.

Machine Gun to Japan

The United States are sending arms to Japan and Oliver North has nothing to do with it. Karl 'The Machine Gun' Anderson is heading to Japan to make his debut for New Japan Pro Wrestling. New Japan recently re-joined the NWA after a brief departure of the Alliance last year.

From Machine Gun's Blog:

So yea, I changed my little status update on my page saying that I was goin to the FAR EAST soon.... And I have gotten a lot of emails asking the meaning of that.... So here it is: I have an announcement about my career but I want the people to figure it out on their own.... If you are a wrestling fan, it wont take you long. Read the internet and search around and you will find me.... My family members and close friends know where I am heading.... SO, that is that. Man, I can't wait to see my friends Shinsuke Nakamura and Prince Devitt soon.... Much love to everybody.... March 6, the journey begins.... Until then my Myspace friends.... Holla

Karl Anderson spent his early tenure with the NWA Pro training at the former Inoki L.A. Dojo with the likes of Fergal 'Prince' Devitt and current Undisputed IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Shinsuke Nakamura. Anderson had a banner year in 2007 winning the NWA Midwest Heartland States Championship and later winning the NWA Pro/EWF American Heavyweight Championship. Holding both titles simutaneously, before winning the NWA World Tag Team Championships with Joey 'Magnum' Ryan. Our loss is definitely New Japan's gain. I wish Karl all the luck in the world.

You can read the interview I did with Karl Anderson.

Undisputed IWGP Heavyweight Champion!

According Strong Style Spirit, Kurt Angle was forced to tap out to Shinsuke Nakamura's cross arm-breaker. By defeating Angle, Nakamura was able to put an end to the dispute of who was the true IWGP title. New Japan Pro Wrestling stripped the International Wrestling Grand Prix Championship from Brock Lesnar over a contract dispute. NJPW held a tournament and crowned Hiroshi Tanahashi after he defeated Bernard. Lesnar traveled to Inoki's Genome Federation and was recognized as that promotions IWGP Champion. Lesnar had never officially been defeated for the title in New Japan so it made some sense. Kurt Angle defeated Lesnar in Japan and Nakamura regained the title from Tanahashi. So when the two met, one man was to walk out as the Unified Champion. Kurt is still the reigning Heavyweight Champion in Total Non-stop Action and the the craziest athlete to ever perform on Pros versus Joes.