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Post by TheChamp617 on Apr 14, 2024 20:20:29 GMT -5
Quick report for some new names today. KENTA/Hideo Itami and Subculture were in Toronto today for Destiny. This time around, they offered a pre show meet and greet ticket as an add on to your admission ticket. This would be the only way to meet Kenta. The meet and greet was to start at 6PM with doors opening 15 minutes beforehand. This venue had a small hall/room upon entering, with doors leading to the main hall where the wrestling took place. The Kenta meet and greet took place in this small room and once I got in, he was already out signing. I joined the line of about a dozen people and it did not take too long for me to get to him. We start off with a handshake and exchange pleasantries. I was wearing an NXT Hideo Itami shirt and he smiles, saying “oh you got the shirt!”. I tell him I’m a huge fan and he thanks me for the comment. He first signs an 8x10 for me, then signs my figure in yellow. I ask him to personalize to Alex and he asks if Alex is me, to which I tell him that I am and that I collect the wrestling figures. He thanks me again and signs it. After he signed, he stood up to take a photo. Once the photo was taken, we shake hands and I wish him luck in his match. I then made my way to the main room. A wrestling figure vendor was set up but I did not purchase anything. I was looking for Subculture’s merch table as I wanted to get some cards signed. The merch tables were set up along a particular wall which had a small stage in the middle of it where the commentary table was set up. This meant that some merch tables were set up to the left of the stage and some were set up to the right. I didn’t realize this was the case upon my first walkaround. It took me a few minutes to realize I had missed some merch tables as a result, including Subculture’s. Once I find their table, I make my way there. Flash Morgan Webster and Mark Andrews were there but Dani Luna was not yet. They were conversing with another fan so I wait until they finish their conversation. After the fan was done, they see me and are all smiles, shaking my hand. I ask if they can sign some cards for me and they are happy to do so. They see the Dani Luna card and Mark tells me she’ll be out soon. Once they signed, I ask if we can take a picture. Their table was set up by the wall and it was a bit awkward for photos but they made sure to come out from behind their tables for a proper photo. After the photo is taken, I thank them while wishing Flash a happy belated birthday which he thanked me for. As Dani wasn’t out yet, I find a place to sit with the merch table in view. A few minutes later, the guy helping Subculture sell their merch walks up to me, letting me know that Dani is out now. I make my way back to the table and Mark tells Dani “he wants you to sign something”. Dani was also pleasant, shaking my hand as I approached the table. She signs my card and we pose for a photo. I thank the trio again, wishing them luck in their match. They thank me as well to end tonight’s meet and greets. Thanks for reading!
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Post by TheChamp617 on Mar 3, 2024 21:57:19 GMT -5
Quick report tonight. Mustafa Ali is in Mississauga tonight for Destiny. If this feels like deja vu, it’s because Ali was in Toronto in January for Demand Lucha. Usually I wouldn’t meet the same name after less than two months but when prepping for that event, I made an oversight which I will explain in my conversation with Ali below. This oversight meant I would need to go and meet Ali again while I still could. Doors for this event were to open at 6 and I get there ten minutes beforehand. Doors opened slightly early again and Ali was out signing in the merch area. I immediately joined the line which only had a few people. Autographs and photo-ops were $25 each with a combo being $40. My plan was just to get an autograph but seeing as he was in his suit and had the X-Division title with him, I decided to pay the extra for a combo. A few minutes later, it was my turn to meet Ali. With a smile, he shakes my hand and we exchange pleasantries. He sees my post-it note with my name on it and asks “to Alex?”, to which I say “yes please!” After he signed, I went behind the table for the photo-op. He put the X-Division title on my shoulder for the photo. After the photo was taken, he offers his hand again for a handshake and we converse: Ali: “Thank you, Alex!” Me: “Thank you as well! I actually saw you at Demand Lucha in Toronto back in January. I forgot I had this figure!” Ali: “Oh no!” Me: “Yeah, I got the one in your Retribution gear signed” Ali: “The black one!” Me: “A few weeks later, I was dusting my collection, I see this one [pointing at the figure] and realized I forgot I had it, so I came out to see you again” Ali: “Gotta get the yellow one signed. The yellow one is my favourite!” Me: “For sure, thank you again!” This ends the meet and greet. Ali was great to meet once again - it's almost like the indy wrestling gods knew I would make this oversight and so they had Ali booked twice in a short period of time in my area lol. That’s it for tonight. Thanks for reading!
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Post by TheChamp617 on Feb 25, 2024 13:46:06 GMT -5
Good thing you took a pic of Zack signing it cause that is an atrocious autograph. Look at all the effort Lince did & for only $20 Right?! If I'm going to pay more than $50 for an autograph, I'd expect some nice penmanship. Not a squiggle, a backwards 7 & a bunch of circles. Glad you had a nice time, Alex. I always enjoy reading these. Regarding Zack Ryder's autograph - the material isn't the easiest to sign on but I understand the point you guys are making as it isn't the prettiest looking autograph. Definitely got my money's worth with Lince. Thank you both for reading!
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Post by TheChamp617 on Feb 25, 2024 2:03:50 GMT -5
Matt Riddle will be at Destiny's May 19th show in Oshawa.
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Post by TheChamp617 on Feb 25, 2024 1:45:21 GMT -5
Quick report tonight. Lince Dorado and Matt Cardona were in Oshawa, ON for Destiny Wrestling tonight. Steph Delander was also advertised but it seems she wasn’t able to make it. Doors for General Admission ticket holders were to open at 6PM. I get there a few minutes before and there was no line as they apparently had opened the doors early. My plan was to get my autographs then leave to do some figure hunting as I wasn’t too crazy about the card. Once I got into the venue, I looked around at the gimmick tables and Zack Ryder wasn’t yet set up, to my surprise. He preaches being out selling his merch before the show, during intermission, and after the show, so him not yet being out was a surprise to me. Lince, however, was out signing for VIP ticket holders. Although I was GA, they typically allow GA fans to meet the talent but at an extra charge. I ask the handler if I could meet Lince as a GA ticket holder and was turned away. I mentioned that at the last event, I was able to meet the talent as a GA ticket holder but the handler said that he wasn’t aware if they were doing that and asked me to come back at intermission at which point Zack would be out too. With Lince not signing for GA and Zack Ryder not yet out, I left for a couple of hours to grab some food and to check out a Walmart. The show was to start at 7, so I did not expect intermission to be until some time past 8. I returned at 8PM to see that the show was well underway. The crowd was also a decent size which they later announced was a record-breaking crowd for their Oshawa shows. They typically run out of Santino’s gym in Mississauga. 8:15PM comes and so does intermission. Lince and Zack are still not out. At the end of intermission, it is announced that they would be signing after the show. Zack suffers a defeat in the main event. It is now 9:40PM and the show is over. Lince makes his way over to the VIP table. The promoter soon follows and I ask if I’m able to get an autograph as a GA ticket holder. He tells me it would be $20 which I pay. A few minute after doing so, it is my turn to meet Lince. With a smile, Lince asks “what do we have here?” and shakes my hand. I present him my figure and ask, “can you make this out to Alex, please?” and he is happy to do so. As he signs, I tell him “I met you at Demand Lucha in Toronto last year. You were so nice to me, I had to come out and support you again”. He replies, “thank you, and thank you for supporting Destiny!” After he signed the figure, he asks if I want to take a picture with him and I reply by telling him I only paid for an autograph. We then thank each other and I join the line at Zack’s table. There was a few people in front of me when I joined the line and the line grew to about 15 people by the time I was able to meet him. We start off with a handshake and exchange pleasantries. I ask him how much an autograph would be and he asks for $40, then says “I haven’t seen that before!”, referencing how I set up the headband I was having him sign. I wrapped the headband around a comic board such that it’s stretched out. I replied, “I tried to make it easier!”. He replies back, “this makes it MUCH easier!” I pay him the $40, then converse with him a bit more. Me: “How long are you in the city for?” Zack: “Until 3AM tomorrow morning!” Me: “Oh, so no time for Toys R Us?” Zack: “I went today and it SUCKED!” Me: “Right, I went too! There was nothing there!” Once he finished signing, I tell him that I met him at Silver Snail last year and I mentioned to him then that I had the headband but couldn’t find it. Zack replies, “well, there it is now!” and smiles. He shakes my hand and thanks me again. Another great experience with both guys. Destiny will be having Mustafa Ali next week, so watch out for that report. Thanks for reading!
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Post by TheChamp617 on Feb 7, 2024 0:50:14 GMT -5
The Reena Rumble took place in Toronto this evening. This event was the usual charity event hosted by the Reena and the Magen Boys that I have attended several times before. The promoter has always taken care of me at every event so I always try to make it a point to attend. They started rolling out names of their headliners a month ago, starting with Matt Riddle, followed shortly by Ted DiBiase. I usually reach out to the promoter to make arrangements regarding autographs. Usually, they offer a meet and greet ticket which includes one autograph per headliner, but to no one’s surprise, I’d be interested in more than one per. Before reaching out, I waited to see if they would announce more names so as to minimize the back and forth. They eventually also announced The Mountie, Colt Cabana, and Brandon Cutler. Now knowing the names that would be headlining, I put together a list of items to get signed. Usually the promoter will give me a good deal on the autographs because of the quantity of items I bring and because we’ve been working together for a while. I dug through my collection keeping in mind that this was for charity and so I wanted to support by bringing even more items than I usually would. I reached out to the promoter a couple of weeks ago and we agreed on a deal. He also told me to message him once I arrive (and asking if I can be earlier than the posted time) and that he will come find me. I explained to him as to the earliest I could make it because of work and he was cool with it. Fast forward to today, I show up half an hour earlier than when the doors were to open. Shortly after I arrive, Ryan does so also. He had also made arrangements with the promoter for extra autographs. As he parked, I texted the promoter to let him know that I arrived such that Ryan and I could get our stuff done together. We go inside the main doors and wait in the waiting area with some other fans. A few minutes later, the promoter comes and finds me in the waiting area and escorts Ryan and I backstage. We exchange pleasantries and thank him for accommodating us. I tell him that I appreciate him doing this for us and he replies “I know you do. That’s why I keep doing it.” Can’t say enough good things here - they always pull through for us. As we make our way to the back, one of the guys that works the Greektown Wrestling shows (the guy that does social media who I’ve mentioned before) is also in the back. He recognizes me and we say a quick hello. Once in the back, the promoter asks who I want to meet first. I tell him that we can do whatever is easiest. He first brings us to Ted DiBiase who is seated in an office and signing photos. Once we enter the office, I extend my hand to shake his and tell him it is nice to see him again. He asks, “where have we seen each other before?”. I tell him, “WrestleCon Detroit for Summerslam Weekend”, as he begins signing my stuff. We first start with the items I wanted done in paint: the Superstars figure, a VHS tape, a DVD, and a cup. The figure I wanted done in green, with the latter in blue. He was cool with making the changes. Next, we move on to his LJN bio card, as well as a stack of magazines, all of which I wanted done in a regular blue sharpie to keep things simple and quick. Before he signed some of the covers, he hesitated with the blue I provided, eventually changing to a gold marker for a darker cover, then pivoting to a broader black sharpie he had. I didn’t mind these changes at all - I just wanted to keep it simple since I was getting so many items done. As he signed, I tell him “I didn’t realize you were on so many magazine covers”. He doesn’t hear me well so he asks me to repeat what I said, which I did. Once he understood, he replied “neither did I!”. I continue: “Yeah I was going through my collection and you were everywhere. I love flipping through these” After he signed, we posed for a picture and I thank him. He thanks me as well, calling me “pal”. Ryan then meets him and gets his stuff signed. One of the items he got signed was a photo-op from a previous meet and greet (one I attended as well from 6-7 years ago). The three of us talked about that particular event, which was his one-man show where he told stories about his career. It doesn’t seem he has plans to do those in the future. Once we get our stuff done, we gather everything and find a place to let them dry. Once they were dry we put them in our bags. By this point, the official meet and greet had started, which meant that my other wants (Mountie and Matt Riddle) were no longer backstage and were signing autographs in the main area. The promoter told me I could get my items done out there with no issue. Ryan and I then make our way back out and join the line which hadn’t yet grown too much. All headliners were out signing and you would get to meet them one-by-one, starting with Matt Riddle. Matt Riddle was everything you would expect him to be - very cool and laid back. We started off with a fistbump and I tell him I’m a huge fan, which he thanked me for. I had him sign two elites, both personalized and in different colours, which he was okay with doing. As he signed, I asked “what was it like working with Randy”. To answer me, he stopped, looked at me and said “awwwwwessssomeeeee. He’s like my best friend.” Had he not continued his thought after he said “awesome”, I would have thought he was doing a poor Miz impression lol. I tell him that I met Randy a few years ago and he was really cool. He replies, “yeah bro!” After he signed, we took a quick photo and thank each other. Riddle was great. I then move onto The Mountie. Mountie was under the weather so he was masking up when he could and was using hand sanitizer frequently. Despite this, he was very warm and all smiles. I first have him sign a magazine cover. As you can tell by the photo, he only has a small section in the magazine cover. I usually wouldn’t get something like this done but given it was for charity, I did it. I’m glad I did because once he signed the cover, he took a good look at it and nodded his head in approval, even giving a thumbs up. Once he signed the cover, he signed three cards for me. The first one was with him as the Quebecers. He was a bit frustrated with himself as he couldn’t see properly with his gimmick glasses on. He took them off, exclaiming “I can’t see!” as he struggled to sign the cards. Once the glasses were off, everything was smooth. And like with Riddle, once I got my stuff signed, we took a quick photo and thank each other. Ted DiBiase would be right after Mountie, but before I proceed, I find a spot to let my stuff dry and I was already juggling a few items. By the time I was done gathering myself, DiBiase was occupied with a few other fans. Given I got him backstage already, I didn’t want to bother him again so I moved onto Colt Cabana and Brandon Cutler. I didn’t have anything for them to sign other than the provided poster, which they signed for me. Ryan and I meet them together, both of them signing our posters. We then took a photo and I shake their hands. I tell Colt Cabana that I enjoyed his performance in Young Rock where he played the Brooklyn Brawler. He thanks me but then stops midway through his thank you and adjusts his voice and stance to mimic Brawler and thanked me that way. After we were done with Cabana and Cutler, we wait for the line to die down before returning to Mountie to get our photo-ops redone. Overall, another great night! Super grateful to work with the promoter yet again and get a bunch of items signed while supporting a charity. Thanks for reading!
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Post by TheChamp617 on Jan 19, 2024 1:03:26 GMT -5
Glad to see you posting. I was about to come on here asking when you would be posting again but you beat me to it with this report. Thanks for noticing and for reading! Hopefully 2024 is another year full of reports. Very cool. Very jealous that you got to spend nearly a month in Europe! Thanks! Europe was quite the experience.
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Post by TheChamp617 on Jan 19, 2024 1:02:20 GMT -5
First report of hopefully many this year. Mustafa Ali was in Toronto tonight. With doors opening at 7, I make my way straight after work and arrive at around 7:20. Usually their headliner is at the merch table signing before the show. However, Ali was not yet out. Turns out, he would be signing after the show. The show started exactly on time at 8pm. It was a decent show overall with Ali winning in the main event. He was in a triple threat match during which there was a scary spot. All three participants were at the top rope setting themselves up for a move; however, it seemed that one lost balance causing all of them to fall to the floor with a loud thud. It seemed unplanned given the reaction by the referee and the backstage personnel who came out to check on the wrestlers. The crowd was even dead silent for a few seconds until it was realized that all three were okay. After his match, Ali cut a promo saying that leaving WWE was the best thing to happen to him because he gets to perform in places like this. He tells his opponents that he wouldn’t be surprised if they end up being signed by a major promotion. He ended his promo by requesting that they place his entrance music then went straight to the merch table. By the time he started his promo, I was already at the merch table as were a few other fans. This was a good move because a decent-sized line formed once the show formally ended. Once Ali started signing, it only took a few minutes for me to get to him. Unfortunately, the music was blasting way too loud to be able to speak without yelling so I wasn’t able to converse with him as much as I had hoped. We started off with a handshake and I tell him it is nice to see him again. He thanks me and I ask him to sign my elite, which he asked $30 for. I pay him and he asks if I want the figure with my name on it. I ask him to personalize it and he does. Once he signed my figure, we thanked each other to end the night. Although a super quick meet, Ali was very polite and appreciated everyone who came to him. Thanks for reading!
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Post by TheChamp617 on Dec 26, 2023 20:24:33 GMT -5
Happy Holidays, everyone! Took a little break from the signings and spent almost a month in Europe, hence the lack of updates for the past while. Quick report for the last event of the year for me. Jerry Lynn and Santana are in Toronto tonight for Greektown Wrestling. Greektown was the promotion at which I had issues during their Savio Vega event. I was a bit anxious that I would run into the same person tonight. Thankfully, I did not - more on that later. For those wondering as to why a show is being run on a Tuesday, today is Boxing Day, a holiday here. Doors were to open at 5PM and I did not anticipate that large of a turnout given the holidays. I arrive about 15 minutes before 5PM and see a line of about 50 people, which was much more than I expected. A few minutes before 5PM, someone at the doors comes out and asks for meet and greet ticketholders to come to the front to be let in. An indy show starting on time was a sign of good things to come. I show my ticket and proceed inside. While doing so, Greektown’s promoter (indy wrestler - Channing Decker) greets some people as they come in, including myself. With a big smile, he thanks me for coming, greets me a Merry Christmas, and shakes my hand. I then make my way to the meet and greet area. While in line at the meet and greet area, one of Greektown’s staff (who I referred to as the “social media guy” in the Savio report) sees me, and without me saying anything, he smiles and initiates a conversation by exchanging pleasantries with me. A few minutes later, I get to the front of the line and realize that the guy manning the line was not the same person at the Savio signing (thank goodness lol). I tell him that I need two extra autographs and in response, he tells me to speak to their social media person. Once it is my turn, I walk up to Jerry’s table but to do so I needed to walk by their social media person. He smiles and shakes my hand, thanking me for coming. I then shake Jerry’s hand, telling him that I’m a huge fan and thanked him for coming out on such an ugly day (the weather here has been quite gloomy). He smiles and tells me that it’s always a good day when there’s an indy show. I first have him sign my ECW belt and encyclopedia. Before he signs my belt, he checks with me to ensure I sign in the spot I want. As he signs these, I tell their social media person that I’m doing two extra and to let me know who and how much to pay. He tells me not to worry about it as he remembers that I’m always attending the shows. I then ask Jerry to sign an 8x10, personalized to me. The social media person then asked “oh did you want one of those too?”. Thinking there might have been a misunderstanding, I say “yes and I really don’t mind paying extra at all”. I didn’t want them to think I was taking advantage of them. He again tells me to not worry about it. He even turns to one of their other staff and says “he’s [pointing at me] always here”. I then take a picture with Jerry. I then move onto Santana. I’m not entirely familiar with his work but the ticket included meeting him. I did watch him a bit when he was with Impact. We first shake hands and I tell him that it is nice to meet him again and mention to him the time I met him at The Rebel after an Impact taping. He thanked me for coming and I ask him to sign an 8x10 made out to me. After he signed, we took a picture and I wished him luck in his match. He thanks me again. Both Jerry and Santana were great to meet. Greektown Wrestling took great care of me tonight which was very much appreciated. A great way to close out the year. Thanks for reading!
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Post by TheChamp617 on Dec 23, 2023 22:49:32 GMT -5
Jerry Lynn for Greektown in Toronto on Dec. 26th Mustafa Ali for Demand Lucha in Toronto on January 18th. He will also be in Ottawa and Quebec on the 19th and 20th, respectively. Matt Cardona and SDL for Destiny in Oshawa on February 24th. Mustafa Ali for Destiny in Mississauga on March 3rd.
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Post by TheChamp617 on Oct 22, 2023 12:22:45 GMT -5
Quick report for a name that has appeared in this thread a few times. Jimmy Hart was in Toronto again today. When this signing was first announced, I was not planning on attending; however, after the Hamilton Comic Con a few weeks ago, I picked up a couple of LJN posters at a vintage toy store, one of which was a Jimmy Hart poster. Now having this, as well as the fact that the location of the Toy Show at which Jimmy was appearing was very convenient, I made the trip this morning. The toy show was on from 10am to 2pm, but Jimmy was only slated to sign 11am to 1pm. I get there a few minutes before 11 and the toy show was pretty dead. The vendor room was small and there were only a few people browsing. This isn’t a toy show that I’ve been to before as I think this might be a new one, so this might explain the low turnout. Jimmy was in the corner of the room with no line. I quickly browse through the vendor tables but nothing caught my eye so I went for Jimmy. We start off with a handshake and exchange pleasantries. I ask the handler for two autographs which were fairly priced at $20 each. Jimmy asks what colours I would like and I tell him I have my own markers and ask him to sign a DVD cover first, in white. He tells me he is going to put “Mouth of the South” and “2005 Hall of Fame” on it, which I thank him for. Then, he signs the LJN poster in blue. Unlike past meets with Jimmy, there was no loud music playing in the background nor were there any lines, so I converse with him a bit more: Me: “I met you so many times and it's always a pleasure. Last time I met you, I had a bunch of records signed. What was it like working in the music industry in the 60’s?” Jimmy: “Coming out of high school, we put a band together just to see what would happen. We joined a [competition name - can’t remember what it was called] and won, and the competition called us again and again. By that time, we had signed with MGM records so we were disqualified but they still wanted us there. We then started appearing on shows like American Bandstand and toured with The Beach Boys. Many years later, Jerry Lawler gives me a call and next thing you know, I’m doing wrestling!” At this point, Jimmy had to step outside to meet a fan in a wheelchair as the venue wasn’t wheelchair accessible. He thanked me for coming and shook my hand. As I walked away, he said “God bless you” to me and I returned the thought to him. That’s it for today. Thanks for reading!
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Post by TheChamp617 on Sept 30, 2023 23:36:14 GMT -5
The Vaudevillains and Fandango, among others, were in Oshawa tonight for Destiny Wrestling. This is the promotion that usually runs out of Santino’s gym. I wasn’t planning to go to this show originally but plans changed and I was able to go last minute. Doors were to open at 6:15. I get there just five minutes before and most people were already inside. An indy show starting early was a very nice surprise. I make my way inside the small community arena and find the merch tables. Santino and Fandango were doing their meet and greet for VIP ticket holders. I was not a VIP so I decided to get The Vaudevillains out of the way. Right when I approached their table, they were very cool. I had met Simon a few years ago so I knew to expect that but Aiden was also very nice. We start off with a handshake and Aiden asks for my name. I tell him my name and that I am a big fan of both. I ask how much 6 autographs would be, plus a photo. They ask for $100, which I pay. I first pull out the Elite and ask Aiden to personalize it. He has no problem doing so. Using the same white marker, he signs the battle pack which was already signed by Simon. As he signed, I told Simon that I had previously seen him at Destiny several years ago. He replies “oh the time I wrestled Josh!”. I tell him “yes!” and he says “I’ve been trying to get a rematch with him in impact but haven’t been able to!” I jokingly reply, “well, why do you use your connection?”, and politely pointed to Aiden. Simon says “I’ve been trying!” and they both laugh. I then flip open three programs. Simon had previously signed two of these. I needed Aiden to complete those two, while adding both to a third program. Simon first signed the only autograph I needed from him, then passed on the program and marker to Aiden. After Aiden signed the first one, he reminded me to leave it open so it dries. As Aiden signs, Simon jokes, “you could have just forged the autographs and saved 80 bucks!” I laugh and say I need the authentic ones. After they both signed, we took a picture. They had a replica NXT tag team championship for photos. Once the photo was taken, we shake hands again and I wish them luck in their match. At this point, the VIP line for Santino and Fandango was dying down. Usually the VIP stuff is done separately from GA but I ask the handler if GA ticket holders would be able to meet the duo. He tells me yes and that it’s $15 per autograph or photo. I pay the handler $75 for five Fandango autographs. There was one other fan in front of me who I waited for to finish with them before I could meet them. Once that fan was done, Santino and Fandango started their own conversation while I went up to their table. Normally I like a warm welcome when I walk up to a table but because of how many items I had, it worked out. While Santino and Fandango were chatting, I was able to lay my stuff down on the table with the markers I wanted all neatly. I wait another minute for them to finish, Fandango looks at me, says “sorry, we were just putting ourselves over!”, and motions for me to come behind the table for a photo. I tell him that I only paid for five autographs and no photo. He then pulls out an 8x10 but I ask him to sign my items instead. He looks at all of my figures laid out and says “wow! You came prepared!” He signs the Elite in yellow first, and I ask him to make it out to me. Once he finish signing it, he asked, “I don’t want to f*ck it up. Do you want everything signed to Alex?”, to which I say please. I had all of the markers on top of the item I wanted him to sign. He was cool with switching markers multiple times making sure everything was done the way I wanted. After he signed, we shake hands and I tell him that I met Summer Rae at Wrestlecon and she had nice things to say about him. I told him that she said she loved working with him. In reply, he said the same thing about her and that he’s actually trying to get her to Impact. I tell her I’d love to see them both together on Impact. At that point, we thank each other to end the session. This was definitely one of the smoothest sessions at an indy show I’ve had. All talent were great to meet as well. Another successful day. Thanks for reading!
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Post by TheChamp617 on Sept 29, 2023 20:05:44 GMT -5
Abdullah claims he is illiterate so I think that's an issue with personalization. Eric Simms posted a year or two ago that personalizations wouldn't be possible for Abdullah at the show Eric had him. Though no further explanation. He got pretty pissed at me for asking him in 2005. Recently a friend of mine got a signed baseball with some inscriptions (that cost more money) and it looked great. Abdullah has used the illiterate excuse for not being able to read mail sent to him about the Hannibal lawsuit. Him asking someone else to write To Alex reminds me of Sheik at the John Arrezzi show. He was in character, wouldn't speak and if someone asked for a personalization his wife would sign it. This is interesting. Definitely a first for me. Thanks for your insight!
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Post by TheChamp617 on Sept 29, 2023 0:14:10 GMT -5
Vaudevillains and Fandango for Destiny Wrestling in Oshawa on Sept. 30th. Stu Grayson for Greektown Wrestling in London on Oct. 13th Homicide for Greektown Wrestling in Hamilton on Oct. 14th Konnan for Greektown Wrestling in Toronto on Oct. 21st Jimmy Hart at the Collectibles and Toy Show in Toronto on Oct. 22nd. Mike Tyson and Ric Flair at the Sports Card Expo in Mississauga on Nov. 11th. Flair will also be there on the 12th. Tye Dillinger and Peyton Royce for NEO in Niagara Falls on Nov. 18th. Gangrel for Off The Topes Studio in Kitchener on Dec. 9th
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Post by TheChamp617 on Sept 24, 2023 11:29:36 GMT -5
Great report! Sucks that Nick & Mickie were detained. Looking forward to your next post! Thanks as always! Nick and Mickie did end up making it for the indy show which we couldn't make. We'll catch them down the road hopefully. It always seems like the staff of these things aren't aware of the processes and you are the one to educate them. As always, a great report! Thanks for reading! It's unfortunate but true.
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Post by TheChamp617 on Sept 24, 2023 11:27:56 GMT -5
The annual Hamilton Comic Con takes place this weekend. I attended the con yesterday which has a great line-up for wrestling, including a couple of fresh names in Abdullah the Butcher and Tony Atlas for me. I wanted to meet all of the wrestling guests except for Hacksaw. A few hours before the start of the con, they announce that Christian would not be able to make it. Not a surprise there albeit a bit disappointing. Doors for the con were to open at 10 but I get there at slightly past 11 hoping that any lines would have died down. When I did arrive, there was still a line to get in which took about 10-15 minutes to get through. Once I get inside, I go straight to the wrestlers. Abdullah was my main want; however, he had almost two dozen people in line so I didn’t get him right away. Atlas and Demolition were not at their tables. Therefore, I go to Powers of Pain first. They had no line so I was able to walk straight up to their table. I ask the handler for three pairs of autographs and pay him. I shake Barbarian’s hand, then Warlord’s, asking they how they are and that it is nice seeing them again. They return the thought to me and I pull out my Warlord elite, asking him to sign in white and personalized. Then, I pull out their WWF magazine, with yellow and blue markers. Warlord asks if I wanted it signed in yellow, to which I say I want Barbarian to sign in yellow and have him sign in blue. I tell them that I wanted to coordinate the facepaint on their photo with the marker colour. They are more than happy to do so and Warlord tells me that a lot of people do this. Barbarian comments that the markers are really nice. I then pull out my encyclopedia. I’ve already had then sign their Power of Pain entry during the first time I met them several years ago so I had them sign their other entries. They each first signed their solo entries. I then flip to the Heenan Family entry. Barbarian sees Brooklyn Brawler’s autograph on that entry and jokingly says “Brooklyn Brawler? Ugh!” I tell him, “you know what’s funny… I saw him at an indy show a few years ago and he was in the main event.” One of them goes, “Brawler?!”. I respond: “yeah, probably the only time he’s been in the main event!”. They both laugh. We thank each other to end the meet and greet. They remind me to be careful with the autographs as they might still be wet as I leave. I thank them again. At this point, Abdullah still had a decent line. Demolition was not at their table, while Atlas had just returned. I figured I would join Abdullah’s line as it would give my items an opportunity to dry a little longer. It took about 20 minutes to get to the front of the line. I ask the handler for a combo and extra autograph. I then shake Abdullah’s hand and we exchange pleasantries. I first have him sign his classic figure in white. I asked him to personalize it which he doesn’t acknowledge until later. He signs his name first but when it came to the personalization, he turned to one of his people (might have been a family member) and asks him to do the personalization. Essentially, Abdullah was signing his name and was asking someone else to do the personalization. I thought this was weird. I didn’t stop the guy because it's something I can easily remove from the figure. To his credit, he has nice penmanship lol. Abdullah then signs my magazine but asks first if I want white on it as well, to which I say yes. After he signs, he asks me “where are you from?”. I tell him “Toronto! You were the guest I was most excited to meet”. He thanks me for that. We then pose for a picture. He holds up my magazine in his left hand and he offers out his right hand to me for the pose. I didn’t realize he wanted my right hand as well so he says “give me your hand!” in a jokingly aggressive way. After we take the photo, he whispers to me, “you see her [the lady who took our photo]? That’s my kin. Why are you looking at her?!”. I joke back, “why can’t I?” and he laughs. We thank each other and I gather my stuff. Although the personalization thing was strange, Abdullah was very nice. I move onto the side to ensure that my Abdullah autographs were dry before getting Atlas. Atlas had a couple of people at his table so it took a few minutes to get to him. Once it was my turn, I ask the handler for a combo and extra autograph. They ask if I want to do the photo first, to which I say we can do whatever is easiest. Atlas wanted to do the photo first, so we do that. There was another fan behind me and Atlas asks if that fan is getting a photo too. He says yes, so Atlas remains standing to get that photo done as well. It seemed Atlas wanted to minimize getting up and back down. This is not a bad thing as it was more efficient. Once he sat back down, I flip to the Tony Atlas entry in the encyclopedia. I tell him that I’m a huge fan and that I’m glad he could make it. He thanks me and says he’s not in Canada often. After he signs the first entry, I tell him that I want him to sign his other entry. Before I flip to the page, he replies “Saba Simba!”, to which I say “yes!” After he signed, he told me that he appreciated me for coming and thanked me. Atlas was also very cool. Lastly, I move onto Demolition. I wanted to get them on a poster and Ryan sent some stuff with me as he couldn’t attend. Demolition had just a couple of people in line so again it didn’t take long for me to get to their table. I ask the handler for two pairs of autograph, plus an extra Ax autograph. I first get Ryan’s stuff done. I won’t post these as I’m sure he’ll post them on Instagram at retrowwfcollector at some point. He wanted the figure done with an inscription and with two different marker colours which Ax was more than willing to do. I have them switch to a fine point marker for them to sign Ryan’s card. The last item I have them sign is my Post Honeycomb poster. They had to switch markers again but had no problem doing so. My poster was folded and when I unfolded it, Smash says “wow!”. I tell them that I have the whole set of these and that I found them at a flea market many years ago for a dollar each. Smash is surprised and tells me these are becoming rare. After they sign, we shake hands and thank each other. Again, very cool guys. At this point, I gotten all of the autographs and photos I need, so I walk around the vendor room to see if anything would catch my eye. A vendor had Warlord’s second elite. This was a figure that I missed out on when it first came out so I purchased it then brought it to Warlord’s table to get signed. The handler recognizes me, saying “hello again” and I ask him for a single autograph. Warlord was texting on his phone so I wait before handing him my figure and marker. He sees me and apologizes immediately, telling me that his stepdaughter (I think) lost their baby and that it’s been hectic. I tell him that I’m sorry to hear that before asking him to sign my figure, personalized. After he signs, I tell him that I hope everything works out and he tells me the story. I can’t remember the exact details, but essentially, his pregnant stepdaughter is from Buffalo and she was supposed to make the drive up. He has tickets for the family at the door. However, the day before, she was cut off while driving and her stomach hit the steering wheel. She got checked out and she unfortunately lost the baby. He tells me that the baby would have been their first child, and his ninth grandchild. He tells me that he’s trying to keep a smile on his face. I tell him that I’m sorry to hear what happened and that I hope us fans are making it better for him. He tells me that it’s always great being here. We shake hands and thank each other again. And that’s the report! I ended the day by seeing the legendary Smokey Robinson in concert for the second time. Thanks for reading!
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Post by TheChamp617 on Sept 16, 2023 18:47:01 GMT -5
Chinlock Wrestling hosted a legends autograph signing today for charity. This was the same promoter that did the legends signing in 2019 in a previous report. Similar to the last one, they offered a ticket for a meet and greet with all of the legends at a very fair price. This event was also closer to me than the 2019 event, so it was even better. Ryan and I would tag team this one again. The signing was to start at 9AM. We arrive about 20 minutes beforehand to see the staff still setting up. At this point, there were more staff than fans. Fans were just standing around until we were told where to line up. We were able to get first in line and were told that the wrestlers would be coming around 9. However, a few minutes later, the promoter comes out to tell us that Mickie James and Nick Aldis were held up in customs last night, couldn’t connect with their transportation to the venue, and had to get a hotel at 3AM. Although they were in the country, they had a late night and would be late to the event. The promoter wasn’t sure exactly when they would be here. By 9:15, the doors open and we are let in. I present my ticket to the table which was for the meet and greet. It seemed that the lady didn’t know what the ticket was for. It said “legends meet and greet” and she asked if it was just to get in. I told her that these were the tickets for the one autograph and photo-op per legend. She then realized this was a VIP ticket and gave me a wristband accordingly. I also presented my tickets for four extra autographs, three of which were for Mickie. I was told to hold onto the Mickie ones until later because she isn’t here yet. I then walk into the room where the legends were housed. This was in a small cigar store and all the wrestlers were right next to each other. There was little space overall. First up was Tatanka. We start off with a handshake and exchange pleasantries. I pull out his elite figure with my “To Alex” sticky note. He also sees that I wrote down the colour I wanted and asked if I have a blue marker because he doesn’t have one. I told him I did, then handed it to him. He takes a good look at the figure and calls its condition “immaculate” before signing it. I then go behind the table for the photo. We thank each other and I move on to Earl Hebner who is at the table next to him. The issue with such a small space is that there’s no room to let your stuff dry so it was a bit of a struggle. Earl and I start with a handshake and I open up my encyclopedia. He points to the area he intended to sign to make sure it was good with me, which it was. After he signed the book, he showed me the autograph and asked if I was okay with it. Then, we move on to the Survivor Series 1997 chair. I wanted him to sign at the bottom of the backrest. We had to wrestle with the chair a bit so that he could get a good angle to sign. He signed it a bit awkwardly because of the position and says “that’s the best I could do, buddy”. I tell him that it looks perfect and thank him before taking the picture. Next up was Tommy Dreamer. I’ve met Dreamer numerous times and he often signs at indy shows for free, so I didn’t have much of a need for him but I brought an ECW DVD for him to sign since it was included in the ticket package. Again, we start off with a handshake, then he asks what colour I want the autograph. He had a silver paint sharpie on him which I asked him to use. After he signed, he took a really good look at the cover. He was reading through it and really inspected it. In response, I said “it’s a classic, eh?”. Tommy replies, “yeah it’s a different cover. It looks like a UK one. I was trying to figure out which country it was from. It might also be Canadian”. Together we look and on the bottom, it mentions US and Canada. He seemed really interested in the cover. I honestly couldn’t find anything about an alternative cover when looking it up later. Next to Tommy was Brutus Beefcake, who was also in a good mood. We shake hands and exchange pleasantries before I pull out the Zodiac elite, signed and personalized to me. I tell him about meeting him in Flint last year and he smiled instantly, saying that it’s been years since he’s been in Canada. We then pose for the picture. To round out the meet and greet, Kon (formerly WWE’s Konnor) was at the last table. We shake hands and I thank him for coming out. In response, he says “thanks for having me”. I then pull out the battle pack and he says “there we go!” when he sees it. He signs it and I tell him that I saw him at the impact tapings in Toronto a few weeks ago and it was cool seeing him wrestle in person. He asked me if I had fun at the show, to which I tell him I did and that love the venue. He said that it’s such a nice venue for wrestling. We take the picture to end the meet and greet. After we got our stuff done, we wait around outside until we got word regarding Mickie. Ryan needed to get Brutus on another item so he went back in while I remained outside. While outside, Earl steps out with a podcaster or social media type person. This person admitted “I’m not a wrestling fan” and Earl replies “neither am I”. Earl seemed cool to everyone. While waiting, I also hear some people greeting the promoter by asking how he is. He would always say that he’s good but would be better if his last two guests were here. Ryan comes out after finishing with Brutus and tells me that he got word that Mickie and Nick wouldn’t make it in time for the meet and greet. Although they would be appearing at the Indy show later in the day by the same promotion where we could then meet them, we had to leave and so I used up my extra autographs on stuff I wasn’t planning to get done. I approach the ticket booth to redeem my extras. I also grab up an 8x10 because I didn’t have anything else. Tatanka is the first to sign the 8x10. It was just a simple handshake, autograph, and thank you. Earl would have been next but he was still outside so I went for Brutus and got him in the Barber Shop entry of the encyclopedia. I usually wouldn’t get an entry like this signed but I wanted to make sure I used the autograph tickets I paid for. After my second round with Brutus, I wait at Earl’s table. He walks back in the room and sees me there. He immediately goes to me and signs my 8x10, personalized. He signed using a blue sharpie I provided. After he signed, he asked “this is your marker, right?” I say it is and extend my hand. In response, he pretends to put it in his pocket and starts laughing before actually handing it back. Lastly, I return to Kon and have him sign the same 8x10. I ask him if he’ll be back in Toronto soon and he says that he’s there so often, it feels like he lives there. He says he’ll probably be back with Impact. I bring up the future shows they’re doing at Battle Arts (Santino’s gym) and he said that he’s very close with Anthony (Santino) and that he’s down to earth. At this point, we thank each other again and we call it a day. And that’s the signing. Despite Mickie and Nick’s delay, it was a smooth one overall. Thanks for reading!
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Post by TheChamp617 on Aug 28, 2023 23:20:37 GMT -5
Very quick report today. Impact Wrestling was in Toronto since Friday. I attended the tapings tonight. I initially wasn’t planning to attend the shows; however, about a week ago, they advertised appearances at the Canadian National Exhibition. For their Saturday show, they were advertising Alex Shelley, who I wanted to meet and given that it’s at an outdoor fair-type setting, I didn’t expect the cost for autographs to be high especially considering the show is free with admission. The forecast for Saturday was cloudy and with a low chance of rain. As luck would have it, it rained right when the show was supposed to start so they delayed it. After a 15-minute delay, they started the show as the rain started to taper off. However, after two matches, it rained again, and they called off the show. Impact apologized and then began giving out free tickets to their PPV for Sunday night and the tapings the next night/tonight. I had a little conversation with the guy handing out tickets who happens to be their Head of Media Relations. He gave me two tickets, one for each night. Both tickets were dated for the PPV Sunday but he told me that he’ll be at the door Monday night and will honour the ticket. He told me there would be meet and greets at the show but didn’t tell me who. I later found out who would be at the meet and greet via a tweet. Fast forward to tonight, I arrive at the venue at 5:50, which was 40 minutes before doors were to open. They opened the doors for VIP, then General Admission. The guy who gave me the ticket a couple of days prior was not at the door but I got in with no problem. I was in at around 6:45 and see the wrestlers advertised for the pre show meet and greet, except for Gail Kim. Eric Young was the only one I needed. There was no line for any of them. They were at tables side-by-side and not knowing how their system worked, I went to the merch booth to inquire about how to meet the wrestlers. I was told to approach the guy carrying an iPad. Turns out, he was the one collecting money. I asked what the prices are and was told it was $30 per autograph or photo-op, or $50 combo. I asked for an Eric Young combo, pay the guy, then the guy tells another Impact staff that I got an Eric Young combo, who brings me straight to him. We start off by exchanging pleasantries and converse briefly. Me: “it’s good to see you again. I’m a huge fan!” Eric: “thank you!” Me, handing him the figure: “can you make this out to Alex please?” Eric: “this is the best action figure ever!” Me: “right?!” Me, showing him a photo of us from June 2011: “I met you more than 12 years ago at another TNA show at the Ricoh Coliseum. I gotta get this photo updated.” Eric: “oh wow! That was like the infancy of my beard!” We then pose for the photo and shake hands. I tell him that I wish WWE did more with him, which he thanks me for to end the meet and greet. Eric was very cool. Shortly after, I ran into the guy who was handing out the tickets a couple of days prior and thanked him. He remembered me and thanked me for coming. That’s all for a Monday night. Thanks for reading!
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Post by TheChamp617 on Aug 10, 2023 21:38:22 GMT -5
Sorry to hear - he was very cool with us. Thanks for reading the report! I thought the person was just being funny since he brought up the Vince story. I would love to know why Nailz had no line. The guy has done nothing except the website autos. I figured people would be lined up with hasbros and encyclopedias and 1992 programs. That went right over my head if so lol Nailz having no line might have had to do with the area the con was in, according to his handler.
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Post by TheChamp617 on Aug 9, 2023 19:38:03 GMT -5
That Jake Roberts figure is awesome! I never knew they made a series like that. Very cool to hear that Nailz was nice. I always wondered if his prison numbers had any significance. Another great read. I'm jealous that you met Bill Apter. I'd love for him to do a shoot interview or release a book. Thanks! Apter released a book a few years ago - Is Wrestling Fixed? I Didn't Know It Was Broken. I met Nailz one time and I didn't think he was very nice. He wouldn't say anything at all about the Vince story when I asked him about it. Sorry to hear - he was very cool with us. Thanks for reading the report! Another excellent report Champ, great to see you finally experienced a Wrestlecon! I went on Friday and can confirm the Hardy Boyz line was LONG, they actually had to snake it. Bret Hart also had a massive line. Thanks! I definitely need to do this again lol. Hope you had a good time. Recently got into wrestling sigs...got Flair and Hogan at a while back. Getting Cody Rhodes in a few weeks from the same promoter. Hogan didn't allow pics at the table. Great stuff! Awesome as usually. I am shocked Nailz had no line. HOW? The guy has done nothing in 20+ years and probably didn't do a signing before then. I don't count his website because that was through mail 8x10s and shirts rather than signing fan items. It's cool he was so nice. He has been a mystery for me, for so long. I figured he would be a jerk but I have often wondered how he would react to a fan just happening to see him at his business. I would have thought his line would be out the door. IRS was brought in by a guy who has a reputation for having some of the highest prices on the convention scene. Jake has one of the nicest autographs, always has and it's getting nicer as he ages. You can read every letter on that figure. I thought you wrote the wrong price for Summer Rae. I thought you meant $40 but you legit meant $400? Why? How is that even possible someone would charge $400 for a combo? That Jake Roberts figure is awesome! I never knew they made a series like that. Very cool to hear that Nailz was nice. I always wondered if his prison numbers had any significance. Another great read. I'm jealous that you met Bill Apter. I'd love for him to do a shoot interview or release a book. Bill published a book in 2016 or so. You should be able to get it from him. The handler did say $400 for Summer, but he was joking so I played along. A combo with her was actually $40. No way I would pay $400 for Summer lol.
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