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IGNITE Rewind
IGNITE Wrestling revamps their retro videos with bold new IGNITE Rewind series airing now every Tuesday and Thursday as they open the IGNITE Wrestling video vault for a rewind of the matches that have made an impact on the independent wrestling scene.Each episode will feature a throwback match from IGNITE Wrestling history along with a more current match.
The series will also test how well IGNITE fans really know the promotion’s history as a multiple-choice video will challenge fans for little-known facts and trivia from everything from wrestlers to venues to match moments. The series kicks off with the most-watched video in IGNITE Wrestling history as it goes back in the vault to 2016 with Lio Rush vs Dezmond Xavier (now known as Wes Lee) as well as Kilynn King (AEW) vs Kaci Lennox.
Victor Andrews Returns To IGNITE Wrestling
After a five year absence, Mr. Everything himself, Victor Andrews is set to make his return to IGNITE Wrestling in what will be the first major defense of our new Undisputed Champion, Leon Scott. Andrews, who tagged with fan favorite James Anthony during his last appearance in 2016, has been making a name for himself both in and out of the ring.
A bit of a renaissance man, Andrews has been racking up movie roles, appearances on WWE, modeling gigs and establishing himself as a voiceover artist as well as his in-ring accomplishments. He’s been holding titles in promotions such as UPWA and PWF (singles and tag titles). Will he have what it takes to take on the Wanderer Of The Wasteland and come out with the win? We shall see but it looks to be one amazing match up of speed and skill.
IGNITE Wrestling Owner Kim Artlip Nominated For Women Who Rock Award
History is full of unsung female heroes. So, at weVENTURE WBC, we believe it is important to elevate women who are breaking barriers and inspiring others through their work and leadership. We believe in celebrating Women Who Rock today to inspire the female leaders of tomorrow.
This annual awards prgram honors hard-working, deserving women and local businesses who prioritize diversity in their leadership ranks. This annual celebration in honor of Women’s History Month is part of our mission to be the leading voice and resource for professional women on the Space and Treasure coasts.
The categories are:
- Excellence in Mentorship
- Female Small Business Owner of the Year
- Women in the Workplace Champion
- Dr. Mary Helen McCay STEM Award
- Zonta Yellow Rose Award of Excellence in Community Service
The response to our call for nominations was absolutely unbelievable. 65 women were nominated – our most EVER! weVENTURE WBC will recognize all the nominees on social media leading up to the March 23rd virtual event. Theme inspired by the Oscars, the program will highlight the nominees for each category before the winner is revealed live!
This year’s nominees are:
Excellence in Mentorship Award
Pamela Bress, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Ready for Life Brevard; Grenita Brooks, Founder, International Mentoring Society; Natasha Cartagena Spencer, Senior Vice President and Branch Manager, Shelter Mortgage Company; Jennifer East, Co-Founder, bUneke; Marta “Tiki” Fiol, Founder and President, Teaching Interventions Keeping Individuality, Inc.; Heide Gabriella, CEO, Avian Engineering and Florida Association of Veteran-Owned Businesses; Beth Gitlin, Ph.D., BJG Global Consulting and Florida Tech Adjunct Professor; Dana Gresky, Ph.D., Vice President, Value-Based Care at Health First; Rochelle Hood, President, PINK Consulting; Cami Leech Florio, Chief Strategic Officer for St. Francis Reflections Lifestage Care; Ann Luke, Sr. Vice President, Truist Bank; Joy Ruffen, Founder, Style with Joy and Leading Ladies Leaving Legacies Podcast; Ginger Snead, DPT, Owner, Fyzical Therapy and Balance Center; Leslie Tibbetts, VP of Commercial Services, Community Credit Union; Linda Webster Dubea, Regional Manager, External Affairs, Florida Power & Light.
Female Small Business Owner of the Year Award
Kim Artlip, Owner/Promoter, IGNITE Wrestling; Wendy Barnes, Founder, Wendy Barnes Design; Mary Brotherton, Editor, bUneke Magazine; Wilma Connell, Founder, Vero Beach eMarketing; Latice Daniels, Owner, Hope House United; Maria Dockery, Owner, Femme Fatale ARMS and Training; Amy Donaldson, Captain and Co-Owner, Sea Tow Sebastian; Melissa Engasser, Founder, The Bedrock Clinic and Research Center, Inc.; Megan Hall, Owner, True Home Inspections; and Kelley Higney, Founder and CEO of Bug Bite Thing; Kallee Jackson, Founder, Kallee Classy Fashions; Quinisha Jenkins, Owner, Q’s Crackin’ Crab and Seafood Kitchen; Delatron Johnson, Owner, Café Krewe 22; Kristina Latraverse, Studio Owner, Seagrass Pottery; Leigh McDowell, Founder, The Elderberry Fairy; Emily McHugh, Founder, Casauri and Regional Director for Treasure Coast WBEC; Shari Pierce, Owner and Chef, A Kitchen of Her Own; Michelle Shoultz , President, Frazier Engineering; Ginger Snead, DPT, Owner, Fyzical Therapy and Balance Center; Julie Song, President, Florida Business & Manufacturing Solutions, Inc.; Rebecca Sparks, Owner, Apollo Realty; Tracy Stroderd, CEO, EverythingBrevard.com; April Symonds, Founder, Fields Family Baskets and Gifts; Zechra Williams, Owner, Evolution Beauty Lounge.
Women in the Workplace Champion
- Business Champions:
bUneke; Jennifer East, Founder; Call One, Inc., Dawn Mays, Chief Strategy Officer; Florida Power & Light, Bart Gaetjens, External Affairs Manager; H.A.L.O No-Kill Rescue, Jan Howington; Lockheed Martin, Sarah Hiza, Ph.D., VP Fleet Ballistic Missile Program
- Individual Champions:
Leonardo DRS, Joslyn Barroso, Director, Human Resources; Shelter Mortgage, Natasha Cartagena Spencer, Senior VP/Branch Manager; U.S. Department of Defense, Shalarie Highsmith, Deputy, Chief of Education and Training; Italian Terrazzo and Tile, Rhonda Huckabee, Director of Operations; Florida Today, Suzy Leonard, Food and Dining Writer; NatEv Life LLC, Kimberly Modesitt, Landscaper and Owner; Roundtable of St. Lucie County, Teresa Bishop, Executive Director
Dr. Mary Helen McCay STEM Award
Sarah Angrisani, Founder, Coastal Community School; Kelly Billon, Orbital Launch Site Deputy Program Manager, Blue Origin; Kelli Hunsucker, Ph.D., Florida Tech Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences, Director of the mobile science lab, the Science Bus; Rachel Weeks, Systems Test Engineer, United Launch Alliance and Chief Marketing Officer, Reinvented Magazine
Zonta Yellow Rose for Excellence in Community Service
Barbara Schlitt Ford, Executive Director, Environmental Learning Center and In-House Counsel, Founder/Facilitator, Indian River CARES; Dana Blickley, Property Appraiser, Brevard County Property Appraiser; Mary Brotherton, Editor-in-Chief, bUneke Magazine; Jennifer Cleveland, Consultant, Inner Sight Living, Board Member, Center for the Visually Impaired; Jennifer East and Lynn Kinnison, Co-Founders, bUneke; Meredith Egan, COO, United Way of Indian River; Marta “Tiki” Fiol; Founder and President, Teaching Interventions Keeping Individuality, Inc (TIKI Inc); Chris Kern, Board Member, LEAD Brevard; Ellena Little, Executive Director, Club Esteem; Tara Pagliarini, Executive Director, Family Promise of Brevard; Stacey Patel, Brevard Democrats and Founder of Coronavirus Mutual Aid Network; Jonnie Mae Perry, President, American Association of University Women; Claudia Prado, Director of Corporate Responsibility, Univision; Visalakshi Srinivasan, M.D., Aging Services Clinic, Pamela Carithers, Executive Director, Lincoln Park Mainstreet.
About the 2021 Program
weVENTURE invites you to help celebrate all of the 2021 nominees during a live-virtual event on March 23rd at 11:30am. Join us to learn a little bit about each of the nominees before we announce the winner for each category. This fun event is inspired by the Oscars, and will honor these women for the superstars they all are! Red Carpet fashion is optional, but encouraged!
Tickets and Sponsorship Information
The Women Who Rock virtual event will be held via Zoom on March 23rd from 11:30am until 1pm.
Registration is a $15 donation to weVENTURE WBC, to support our mission of being the leading voice and resource for professional women.
The Woman On Fire: Getting The Look
When I first started watching professional wrestling the gear was pretty generic. That was back when all a man needed in order to get in the ring and wrestle was a pair of boots and some black trunks. Now, a wrestler’s attire and ring gear is as important to their identity as a finishing maneuver or a catchphrase. Every match now has the ability to be viral and be seen in living color around the world so why wouldn’t you want to look the part?
But we still see cringe worthy gear pop up and one that always gets stuck in my mind was Justin Credible when the WWF used him as Aldo Montoya, the “Portuguese Man O War”. Every single bad gear list has his headgear/mask described as a jock strap and it really did look it. What a way to be remembered. Ugh.
And let’s not forget El Gigante from WCW when he made his WWE debut in 1993 as Giant Gonzalez managed by Harvey Wippleman. He grew a beard and wore a full body suit that featured airbrushed muscles with bushy hair attached (that included the crotch). Cringe.
Obviously it’s worth the effort to look like a superstar. Think about it from the promoter’s stand point. You are investing thousands into a show with venue, insurance, advertising, wrestler’s rates and more. When people show up they are coming to be entertained and transported to another world. Are your wrestlers doing that? Or do they look like someone who just rolled in off the street in some cowboy boots and dirty jeans? Do they look credible or cheap?
Trust me, I get it that wrestlers all have different body types and gimmicks but it is plain and simple lazy when a female comes to the ring in a tee-shirt over a couple of sports bras and some ratty shorts. You can play a gimmick and not look like the pride of the trailer park doing it. Have some pride and get gear that fits. You could be doing a phenomenal match and what do people remember? That your boobs were out of control or your pants were falling down.
Everyone reading just thought of someone that fit that description.
I’m not saying you need fancy gear and entrance robes. It has to make sense but gear that compliments your body and gimmick is a must. I read an article that really inspired this column and it stated:
“One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art,” Oscar Wilde once wrote. But wrestlers have to do both — looking like works of art and wearing works of art — to earn their living. If the costume doesn’t fit the gimmick and the gimmick doesn’t work with that wrestler’s body, the wrestler can expect to have a short career.
So what does your gear say? Does it say amateur wrestling with your singlet? Do your plain trunks with initials or your name call back to the old Southern Wrestling style? Are you embracing your lucha heritage with your mask and gear? Or do you look like you hit Party City and are playing dress up?
Seriously, these are the questions you need to ask yourself. Too often we see guys in gear that has nothing to do with their character in ring. If you are a heel that be in colors that reflect that. Reds, black and darker colors. Hard to be hardass when you are neon and and pretty patterns. It’s a definite disconnect when you debut before fans who may have never heard of you.
You have got to be able to look and wrestle the part. Hopefully your skills talk for you but does your gear say champion or show stealer? Or does it say cheapest cost and look? Think of the big picture? Do you look legit? Or do you look like a random fan in high school gym clothes and sneakers? It’s all part of the image and mystique of wrestling.
It is a lot to consider and I hope that you talk to vets, look at what is out there and talk to gear makers. So many guys are learning to make their own gear and some of it is amazing. They even have a hashtag as they learn to sew #broswhosew so start thinking of who, what, and where you can get that new gear from. Until next time, ignite your fire, and follow your dream.
(This column first appeared on the Gorilla Position on August 14, 2019)
Top 10 Podcasts March 2021
We love a good podcast and we listen daily to some of the funniest and most outlandish podcasts out there. We also love to support each other so we wanted share what we are listening to this week. Here are our top 10 podcast favorite guilty pleasures in our earbuds that we think everyone should be listening to today.
They interview the best Indy Pro Wrestling Wrestlers, Female Wrestlers, Managers, Announcers, Wrestling Promoters, and Companies. Covers CZW, IWA, GCW, JPCW, H2O, OPW, VOW, EHF, KZW, SWF, and more. For interviews with the best of Indy Wrestling, in the Northeast and down the East Coast, tune in for Death Match Russell PodCast!
Pro Wrestling commentary and tomfoolery for fans who want to be fans. A blend of the old and new, the mainstream and non-mainstream.
Ryan Joy takes you on a dive Minutes To Bell Time™ – Pro Wrestling Merchandise, Newsletter, Podcast, and Website
GOOD COP BAD COP WRESTLING PODCAST
MGB Graham and “Mattnificent” Matt Willis dissect the Good and Bad of wrestling and what’s affecting wrestlers every Sunday on Visionaries Global Media.
The “Smash The Mat” podcast consists of G-Moniy, Jay5, DB, & Mr. Mark Magnificent. 4 friends who love professional wrestling and enjoy talking about it just as much. They give you their views on current and past wrestling shows, events, and topics. From major promotions to indie promotions “Smash The Mat” covers it all. Find them at https://radiopublic.com/smash-the-mat-WeyEpv
BALD MONKEYS WRESTLING PODCAST
Imagine sitting around with your buddies talking wrestling – that’s exactly what we try to do each week as we discuss what’s going on, how we would book current storylines, and dreaming about storylines they should be doing. Enjoy as we jump around and have NO format!
A wrestling podcast that brings you the latest happenings in the world of pro wrestling.. Covering all the major promotions..not just WWE. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/henry-valentin/support
Please don’t forget to check out the Wrestling With Johners Podcast for Interviews with Pro Wrestling stars from around the world + PPV reviews with guests from the podcasting and YouTube community. Click here to listen, watch, and visit our Social Media https://wrestlingwithjohners.com. Available wherever you get podcasts, including Apple, Spotify, Google, Podbean, and Youtube.
@Mr_MMAction and @alanross84TBK host a Wrestling Companion watch-along to pro wrestling events from WWE, WWENXT, WWF, WCW, ECW, TNA, and more!
Each episode Jon & Ben pick a new topic from the Geekosphere for a deep dive into what makes it so great.
Avery Taylor Signed To NXT
It has been reported by …… that Avery Taylor has been signed to the WWE under the NXT brand. Taylor (real name Taylor Grado) had been signed in early 2020 to the Evolve brand and appeared in September 2020 in a battle royal during an episode of NXT.
Taylor who has primarily appeared in Florida promotions made appearances in 2020 at Mission Pro Wrestling (owned by Thunder Rosa) as well as an appearance in January 2020 in the IGNITE Wrestling Women’s Number One Contender’s match during a fatal four way. She appeared in 2019 facing off against Kilynn King who has been a staple on AEW Dark during 2020.
New Merchandise Lines
We have listened and surveyed our followers for what they are looking for and we listened as we have added new merchandise lines. Now with over 300 items in our online store, we have you covered for IGNITE branded merchandise, fitness, workout gear, motivational, inspirational, and just downright fun shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, and tanks.
But we don’t plan on stopping there in 2021 as we add in mugs to meet your every mood, the return of our Inferno Hot Sauce and a few other fun items that we cannot wait to release in coming weeks.
In the meantime, check out our online store, grab yourself a hoodie, hat, and some trading cards and tune into our library of shows on Youtube, Powered4.tv, and IWTV.
Top 10 Moments From IGNITE
We asked our fans via email what moments resonated with them from the IGNITE Wrestling Fifth Anniversary show and we have to agree they picked some incredible moments.
We can’t help but share these 10 iconic moments that our fans loved best:
10. TECH vs That Klassic Tag Team – the
9. Stunner from the Midnight Mermaid
8. The Chest Slap
7. Spinning Backkick
6. Kilynn King knees to the chest of Leon The Terrible
5. Robert Martyr clothesline
4. Jarett Diaz European Uppercut
3. Kaci Lennox leg scissors to suplex on Dream Girl Ellie
2. Buckle bomb from Timmy Lou Retton to reverse flip from Justin Blaz to uppercut
- Reveal of mystery opponent to be Leon The Terrible
IGNITE Wrestling Fifth Anniversary Episode One
After a year’s hiatus due to the COVID 19 lockdowns, IGNITE Wrestling returned in style to Walking Tree Brewery in Vero Beach, FL for a fifth-anniversary show blowout that featured multiple amazing debuts.
Episode one includes the debut of ring announcer Phil Stamper aka The President Of Wrestling manning the microphone in style. First match to kick off the event debuted promo king Captain Aaron Nova taking on Jarett Diaz. Diaz had worked primarily in scramble matches to earn his slot on the main card and his return was an event to remember.
The match seesawed with both opponent showing why they are the fresh young talent on the scene with Diaz scoring the win while Nova ruled the crowd.
The second match of the episode pitting fan favorite champions TECH against fellow fan favs That Klassic Tag Team. Due to extenuating circumstances, Mike Monroe was unable to appear so TC Read was joined by his Gangrel Asylum tag mate Steve Beck.
That Klassic Tag Team took the fight to the duo but in the end after several insane moves TC Read and Steve Beck got the win in this non title defense.
See other episodes of this show on our Youtube channel here.
IGNITE Wrestling Fifth Anniversary Show Results
IGNITE Wrestling returned to Walking Tree Brewery to celebrate five years as the Treasure Coast’s only locally owned and operated pro wrestling company. We couldn’t have just a quiet afternoon so we rocked the brewery with the debuts of Captain Aaron Nova, Robert Martyr, Steve Beck and Ozzy Kilmeister.
And you can’t have a party without surprise guests and we did that up in true IGNITE fashion as the surge haired siren Aspyn Rose swam back into the scene. Can’t wait to see her impact on the division and the newly forming women’s tag division.
Ring announcing duties for this special event were helmed by none other than The President of Wrestling himself, Phil Stamper who brought the energy!
But the shock/swerve of the day was when the curtains parted to reveal Kilynn King would be facing none other than the Wanderer of the Wasteland, Leon the Terrible for the vacated Undisputed title.
Match Results – IGNITE Wrestling Fifth Anniversary Show – January 23, 2021
Jarett Diaz def Captain Aaron Nova
TECH (tag team champions) def That Klassic Tag Team
Robert Martyr def Ozzy Kilmeister
Justin Blax def Timmy Lou Retton and Beastly
Leon Scott (new Undisputed Champion) def Kilynn King – vacated belt open challenge
Kaci Lennox (Women’s Undisputed Champion) def Dream Girl Ellie and Aspyn Rose
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