Wrestling Revolution

jimmy jailbreak

A new wrestling promotion fronted by Hollywood producer Jeff Katz with an entirely new concept and format.

Here's the story: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/790983338/wrestling-revolution

And you can listen to an interview with the guy here: http://www.kickoutwrestling.com/2011/06/kick-out-radio-episode-60.html

waltersobchak

Wow, that could be REALLY interesting..

Cactus Colm

About this project

Wrestling fans are bored.

The same tired production. The same tired storylines. The same tired characters.

As someone once said, "Enough is enough and it's time for a change."

This, our Wrestling Revolution, is that change. The first ever 100% crowd-sourced wrestling promotion created by the fans for the fans. By combining classic wrestling storytelling with the shortened television series structure innovated by networks like HBO, FX, BBC and AMC, our Wrestling Revolution product will be both familiar and entirely new.

Each 12 episode season will tell a complete set of stories, introducing characters that will evolve and grow with each passing season. Take the season long build of shows like THE WIRE or DEXTER and apply it to the basic wrestling model and you have an idea of where we're going.

Every character has a mission, a journey and a reason for stepping into the ring. Some will rise, some will fall -- and you will be there to see it all. With the benefit of a defined start and finish the viewer is guaranteed a complete wrestling storytelling experience.

Each season will culminate in our season finale or supershow, where storylines conclude and start anew, new legends will be forged and lasting memories will be made. Fresh new characters, meaningful themes and wrestling-driven storylines with a beginning, middle and end. What a novel concept!

Produced by Jeff Katz, the Wrestling Revolution will be based in Los Angeles, California and streamed in high quality worldwide via our featured distribution deal with Justin.TV.

To be honest .... I'm not liking the idea. It might be tipping a bit too much into the entertainment side of sports entertainment ....

waltersobchak

Honestly it sounds like TNA could learn a thing or two from this.. Particularly the "Fresh new characters, meaningful themes and wrestling-driven storylines with a beginning, middle and end" Line :pac: Although it being distributed on Justin.tv could either make or break the concept

savemejebus

Oh great, a crowdsourced version of FAME for wrestling. Sounds like complete and utter sh1te to me.

Now if he'd come on and said "Hi, i'm Jeff Katz . . . I've a roster of unknown talent who rock, I'm gonna start a fed with 3 months between PPVs ... I'm gonna give each storyline however much time it needs..." then i could imagine it being interesting but not this crap that sounds like someone got high watching tv and thought 'wouldn't it be great if wrestling was confined to a 12 ep storyline arc.

MitchKoobski

Didn't this already fall apart?

jaykhunter

I'll need more than buzzwords and name-dropping Dexter before giving him my money. Wouldn't my support be better placed in Ring of Honor (where basically every plus he mentioned can be ascribed? storylines leading to a supershow etc) or CHIKARA?

Yes, i'm super cynical. As Fry from Futurama says, "sweet sweet words that turn into bitter orange wax in my ears" :pac:

CMpunked

I like the concept, i would not have had i heard it before the recent series of TE, i know that was a reality show, but maybe this could fill that hole that was left when that ended.
Granted, it will probably fall flat on its face as TE had austin!

Everything kinda sounds good and nice, but as Jay said, it all seems to be buzzwords being dropped. Stating that wrestling fans are bored is correct i suppose, but whats not to say this "revolution" will bore us to death also?

the groutch

I have a feeling this could end up as another Wrestling Society X

Ridley

Cactus Colm wrote: »

To be honest .... I'm not liking the idea. It might be tipping a bit too much into the entertainment side of sports entertainment ....

Not enough motorsports?

Could be interesting but it doesn't seem like it'll catch on. Sounds like a cross between South Park's approach to wrestling and Suicide's story mode in the Impact! game.

drayme

the groutch wrote: »

I have a feeling this could end up as another Wrestling Society X

THIS

Lord TSC

Prince Devitt has been added to the roster as of today

The current roster is now:

Devitt
Colt Cabana
Shawn Daivari
Luke Gallows
Emil Sitoci
Sami Callihan
MVP
Kenny Omega
Alex Reynolds
Ken Doane (aka KENNY!)
Dr. Luther

Though it should be noted that it's being said they'll be playing new characters within the show itself...

D2D

That's some strong roster

starviewadams

Hope it's a success!

waltersobchak

I liked the sound of this originally... Now i fu*king LOVE the sound of this

Pentecost

So Colt Cabana isn't going to WWE then?

mayordenis

Pentecost wrote: »

So Colt Cabana isn't going to WWE then?

I don't see why not, this I would imagine could be tapped more like a standard TV series and less like traditional live wrestling, so maybe the shooting could be just a couple of weeks for the 1st series.

rovert

Pentecost wrote: »

So Colt Cabana isn't going to WWE then?

Less so WRP and moreso Colt joining NOAH & touring Japan.

Lord TSC

Day 12 and its announced the newest roster member is...

Ben Muth

A former starting left tackle for Stanford - where he majored in political science - Ben Muth brings a host of unique talents to the WRP table. Appearing in 26 games for the Cardinal, including two seasons under current San Francisco 49'ers head coach Jim Harbaugh, Muth would ultimately earn first team All Pac-10 honors in 2008. He would go on to sign with the NFL's San Diego Chargers as an undrafted rookie before an injury ended his nascent professional football career. Seeking a change of scenery and a new start, Muth traveled to Calgary, Alberta, Canada where he began his professional wrestling training under the expert tutelage of the highly respected Lance Storm. Now setting out to begin his wrestling journey in full, Ben Muth has arrived - a man of both brawn and brains - in WRP.

Reganio 2

Are they only wrestling for this company then? Like is Devitt moving to America to do solely this and is finished in Japan?

Interesting concept anyway, especially good if we get to see more of Devitt on main stream TV.

Lord TSC

Its only 13 episodes long so I'd imagine they'll film that in a week. Can't see it stopping any other commitments.

Day 13:

Amazing Red
Born in Puerto Rico and currently living in Brooklyn, New York, Jonathan Figueroa has garnered widespread acclaim over the past decade as the high-flying "Amazing Red." After starting his career on his home island, Figueroa soon became a sensation on the American indpendent scene. He was quickly signed to the initial TNA roster in 2002 where he would go on to become a three time X Division Champion. He would also go on to compete for promotions including ROH and All Japan Pro Wrestling. Following a three year retirement from the ring - where he would begin training a new generation of performers at the House of Glory school - Figueroa has re-emerged better than ever before. Now writing a new chapter in his own wrestling story, Jonathan Figueroa stands ready to make his voice heard loud and clear in WRP.

jimmy jailbreak

jaykhunter wrote: »

I'll need more than buzzwords and name-dropping Dexter before giving him my money. Wouldn't my support be better placed in Ring of Honor (where basically every plus he mentioned can be ascribed? storylines leading to a supershow etc) or CHIKARA?

Yes, i'm super cynical. As Fry from Futurama says, "sweet sweet words that turn into bitter orange wax in my ears" :pac:

Wow you're right. I guess they better abandon the project.

Rjd2

Ordered. :pac:

thebostoncrab

I'm really excited about this. At first I didn't even give it a second thought, but look at that roster! I'd honestly place that at being equal to ROHs current roster.

If they pull off the concept then this could be the start of something very special. Plus Omega vs Devitt on American soil would cause alot of jaws to drop.

jaykhunter

No need for the sarcasm JJ - I'm actually asking those perfectly reasonable questions, which nobody seems to be able to answer. (I did write to Katz but it wasn't addressed.) After being burnt twice in a year with WrestleZone and "Big Europe Wrestling" and another upstart promotion (Florida-based, last year) that fell through ; i'm quite skeptical of new wrestling organisations coming down. I can't help but think whoever's donated has just píssed their money away. I am interested, as i am with anything new coming down the pike. I just don't have high hopes. I wish Jeff Katz the best of luck and i hope it's amazing!

Do they have a TV deal or is it just online streaming?

Lord TSC

Last I read, the show was to be distributed on Justin.tv

I agree about not getting expectations up. Westling fans have been burnt too much in recent times and WWE has a habit of being anti-climatic. But...dammit, I'm excited for this. The roster looks brilliant and the idea of a show with a story arc that's thought out and planned ahead of time, and which isn't made up on the fly, sounds great. I know it could backfire on me as a fan because I don't have a clue what quality of work the writers will deliver, but it is just such a great idea.

sliotor

I watched MVP’s session 7 the other night and he was talking about this, it won’t be on any network tv just streaming. He also said he is not going to be mvp on this and it will give him a chance to play another character, I would imagine it will be the same for the other wrestlers which may be interesting enough, he also said this is aimed at the intelligent fan. Seeing devitt play a heel or a crazy character after been a baby face could be good enough. I say this is worth giving this a chance, since it is streaming do you have to subscribe to a website or something to watch it does anyone know.

rovert

Bizarre levels of negativity here.

Bounty Hunter

rovert wrote: »

Bizarre levels of negativity here.

I guess people are a bit cynical because because new promotions are always built up like they are going to be awesome and change the wrestling world and then in the end often dont even happen.

This atleast looks like it will happen and I must say the roster announced has me very interested. I'm not entirely sure about the Justin.tv thing but if it can be anything like im imagining from what ive read then im all for it.

One big positive with regards this idea imo is that unlike how WWE often does things it will not be booked on the fly and each angle/rivalry will be planned out months in advance or atleast should be.

rovert

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

I guess people are a bit cynical because because new promotions are always built up like they are going to be awesome and change the wrestling world and then in the end often dont even happen.

It is a film project not a full or even part time promotion. I dont get the preemptive outrage.

Lord TSC

rovert wrote: »

It is a film project not a full or even part time promotion. I dont get the preemptive outrage.

Because as wrestling fans, we've been excited before and let down more often than not. How many times have we gotten excited about angles or stories, like Punk this summer, Nexus the year before, only to be terribly let down with substandard booking and execution.

Call it what you will, it's still a wrestling show, and as I said, I'm excited. But it's with trepidation. It's still going to focus on storylines which culmunate in a wrestling ring, and there's no point having blind faith in something we've not got that much info on.

Cherry_Cola

This sounds quite exciting so hopefully it'll all work out. I also remember reading a few months ago about Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins getting involved in a new promotion. Does it have anything to do with this?

rovert

Teamshadowclan wrote: »

Because as wrestling fans, we've been excited before and let down more often than not. How many times have we gotten excited about angles or stories, like Punk this summer, Nexus the year before, only to be terribly let down with substandard booking and execution.

Call it what you will, it's still a wrestling show, and as I said, I'm excited. But it's with trepidation. It's still going to focus on storylines which culmunate in a wrestling ring, and there's no point having blind faith in something we've not got that much info on.

I am not saying to have blind faith just dont be all ARRGGGGHHH THIS BETTER NOT WASTE MY TIME. :mad:

Again it is an Arthouse Wrestling "promotion" with someone with a real film background, who HAS actual money and who is a long time Wrestling Observer reader.

Not some dude with a cheap website and a facebook operating out of his Ma's bedroom.

Cherry_Cola wrote: »

This sounds quite exciting so hopefully it'll all work out. I also remember reading a few months ago about Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins getting involved in a new promotion. Does it have anything to do with this?

RESISTANCE_Pro, it is a common or garden indy with a bigger budget.

Lord TSC

rovert wrote: »

I am not saying to have blind faith just dont be all ARRGGGGHHH THIS BETTER NOT WASTE MY TIME. :mad:

Again it is an Arthouse Wrestling "promotion" with someone with a real film background, who HAS actual money and who is a long time Wrestling Observer reader.

Not some dude with a cheap website and a facebook operating out of his Ma's bedroom.

**** me, is that something we can put on CVs nowadays? :P

And I agree it's nice to see someone with real dramatic writing value behind it, but that still doesn't make it a lock it's going to be good. I mean, his credits on IMDB is...

How To, Batman! (TV series) (consulting producer)

Shoot 'Em Up (associate producer)

Normal Adolescent Behavior (executive producer)

Snakes on a Plane (associate producer)

Thats it. 4 producer roles. He's got a few documentry credits as well but they look low budget things. He's taking on a bigger project now, and it's nott hat he has a tonne of experience. Nothing to promise success or great writing from the show. Again, I am excited and I hope it does well, but I can understand people waiting to see how it is before getting overly positive.

rovert

Teamshadowclan wrote: »

**** me, is that something we can put on CVs nowadays? :P

It is a credential that most successful promoters have.

Teamshadowclan wrote: »

And I agree it's nice to see someone with real dramatic writing value behind it, but that still doesn't make it a lock it's going to be good. I mean, his credits on IMDB is...

How To, Batman! (TV series) (consulting producer)

Shoot 'Em Up (associate producer)

Normal Adolescent Behavior (executive producer)

Snakes on a Plane (associate producer)

Thats it. 4 producer roles. He's got a few documentry credits as well but they look low budget things. He's taking on a bigger project now, and it's nott hat he has a tonne of experience. Nothing to promise success or great writing from the show. Again, I am excited and I hope it does well, but I can understand people waiting to see how it is before getting overly positive.

Clearly his experience is below the high art that is Pro Wrestling.

Id rather people would take a wait and see approach rather than **** on it with little info.

Bounty Hunter

rovert wrote: »

It is a credential that most successful promoters have.



Clearly his experience is below the high art that is Pro Wrestling.

Id rather people would take a wait and see approach rather than **** on it with little info.

tbh Rovert I think thats exactly what they are doing. not going mad about how awesome it could be cos they dot want to be dissapointed but because maybe they are skeptical it sounds like they are negative about this while instead they are more taking the wait and see approach you talk of imo.

Atleast thats what im doing although I am far more positive about it given the more recent news released and I do like the concept.

CMpunked

Is there a start date yet?

rovert

CMpunked wrote: »

Is there a start date yet?

No.

It needs to be filmed, edited, film scored and stuff.

CMpunked

rovert wrote: »

film scored and stuff.

They should get michael giacchino!

Charisteas

rovert wrote: »

Not some dude operating out of his Ma's bedroom.

If it's good enough for Paul Heyman............

Reganio 2

Rovert are you giving out about people being negative? Ahh remember the old days when you all you did was give out about everything.... Good times.

Charisteas

CMpunked wrote: »

Is there a start date yet?

Yeah, the first tapings are October 11,12,13 in Hollywood. 15 Bucks a ticket, not bad.

http://www.stubmatic.com/TheWRProject

rovert

Reganio 2 wrote: »

Rovert are you giving out about people being negative? Ahh remember the old days when you all you did was give out about everything.... Good times.

I gave out about everything? Ok. Odd retelling of history that.

Bounty Hunter

Reganio 2 wrote: »

Rovert are you giving out about people being negative? Ahh remember the old days when you all you did was give out about everything.... Good times.

hey man i know thats an attempt at humour but can we try and avoid anything that brings into question other peoples posting style especially things that are a few years old and may take a thread off topic if the poster doesent just brush it aside.

anywhoo... This really could be awesome if it fulfills its potential. Yeah decent ticket prices too it seems so hopefully they will have good crowds. Any word if the roster is complete or should we expect more names?

CMpunked

Charisteas wrote: »

Yeah, the first tapings are October 11,12,13 in Hollywood. 15 Bucks a ticket, not bad.

http://www.stubmatic.com/TheWRProject

Dammit. Not going to be in hollywood that day, drats. :P

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

anywhoo... This really could be awesome if it fulfills its potential. Yeah decent ticket prices too it seems so hopefully they will have good crowds. Any word if the roster is complete or should we expect more names?

15 sounds perfect if they are going to have character arcs and proper stories.

Lord TSC

rovert wrote: »

It is a credential that most successful promoters have.

And I'm sure many an unsuccessful promoters have read it as well, as have many, many fans. Just cause you follow backstage news and stuff like that doesn't mean you're qualified to run a wrestling show. I mean, I love wrestling and I follow as many different newsletters and magazines as possible. Doesn't mean it would count for much if I ever started up a promotion.

Reganio 2

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

hey man i know thats an attempt at humour but can we try and avoid anything that brings into question other peoples posting style especially things that are a few years old and may take a thread off topic if the poster doesent just brush it aside.

It wasn't an attempt.. It was very funny

Anyway I am hoping this works out, the fact Devitt is in on it seems good, he dosn't seem like the type of bloke to just throw his name on anything.

rovert

Teamshadowclan wrote: »

And I'm sure many an unsuccessful promoters have read it as well, as have many, many fans. Just cause you follow backstage news and stuff like that doesn't mean you're qualified to run a wrestling show. I mean, I love wrestling and I follow as many different newsletters and magazines as possible. Doesn't mean it would count for much if I ever started up a promotion.

It would teach the fundamental lessons of how to run a promotion relatively successfully and not make the really dumb mistakes.

I dont want to bash but for example I think DCW would have been more coherently booked if the owners spent a meaningful amount of time reading the Observer or Torch.

jimmy jailbreak

Teamshadowclan wrote: »

**** me, is that something we can put on CVs nowadays? :P

And I agree it's nice to see someone with real dramatic writing value behind it, but that still doesn't make it a lock it's going to be good. I mean, his credits on IMDB is...

How To, Batman! (TV series) (consulting producer)

Shoot 'Em Up (associate producer)

Normal Adolescent Behavior (executive producer)

Snakes on a Plane (associate producer)

Thats it. 4 producer roles. He's got a few documentry credits as well but they look low budget things. He's taking on a bigger project now, and it's nott hat he has a tonne of experience. Nothing to promise success or great writing from the show. Again, I am excited and I hope it does well, but I can understand people waiting to see how it is before getting overly positive.

You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. He worked in the New Line offices as one of it's executive producers. That is a notoriously difficult job. An executive producer handles all buisness aspects of the production. He chooses what projects go into production, he assess their profitability and brings them to the studio bosses to be greenlit. If a project doesn't look marketable enough it's his job to make it so. Working that job is essentially like walking a tight rope, he constantly has to produce profitable films. If he has a string of movies that preform poorly he's f**ked! That kind of work coupled with his existing experience in professional wrestling makes him a pretty good canditate for a project like this.

Regardless though I fail to see the reason in predicting failure. What's the point?
"Because lots of other people have promised and failed blah blah blah".
But he hasn't promised anything. Nor has anyone said this is going to be the next big thing. So can't you wait and see how this sh*t turns out?. This whole point is mute anyway because it's already gone into pre production, it's happening one way or another.

Lord TSC

I guess I need to clarify. I don't want it to fail. In fact, I'm excited since I've not got the chance to see guys like Devitt and I like Kenny and Gallows. I want this to succeed and I hope it does. And if the guy has more experience than I've given him credit for, fair enough. I don't buy reading the Observer makes him destined to write a good wrestling show, no more than I think a politician who reads the Art of War is suddenly going to become a master of government. All I'm saying is wrestling fans in general have been led to expect things like this to fall apart or be awful. Again, I don't want it to be, and I'm not saying that it will be. I don't think anyone is. I think most people are reserving judgement on it while noting the problems we as fans have had in the past. I for one am excited based on the roster and the concept but until I see what happens, I'm not going to place blind faith in the product (something a lot of fanboys tend to do when it comes to promotions).

Anyway, day 14...

Michael Oberegger, best known to wrestling fans as "Psycho" Mike Rollins

Trained by Johnny Devine, 25 year old Michael Oberegger has quickly gained a cult following across the Canadian wrestling scene as the entertaining (and certifiable) "Psycho" Mike Rollins. An eclectic performer, Oberegger has spent the last four years cultivating a truly unique in-ring style featuring a combination of humor and athletic violence. Further seasoned in training under both Scott D'Amore and Harley Race, Oberegger's work has taken him across the border and into camps for American promotions including ROH and DG:USA. Michael Oberegger now stands poised to break out further as the newest member of the WRP cast.

thebostoncrab

OK to begin with someone reading what Dave Meltzer has to say won't make them a good promoter at all. That's like saying everyone who reads Ain't It Cool knows how to make a succesfull cult film. That's one I can't get my head around at all.

Second I haven't seen a single post in this whole topic that went along the lines of AAAAHHH THIS IS GOING TO FAIL BlAH BLAH BLAH. All I can see is people saying "yeah this sounds great, but I have gotten my hopes before and they have been smashed so I won't get too excited yet", and honestly what is wrong with that? If anything the negativity only started when people complained about people behind negative!

For me personally I think this sounds like a great idea with an excellent roster that will finally give me something different to watch. With a roster like that it will be hard for ne not to enjoy it and I hope it all goes ahead.