TLC takes place tonight
Smackdown Live presents its TLC show tonight on the WWE Network, and six matches have been announced.
In the main event, AJ Styles will take on Dean Ambrose in a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match.
Other title matches include Becky Lynch defending the Women鈥檚 title against Alexa Bliss in a Tables match, The Miz defending the Intercontinental title against Dolph Ziggler in a Ladder match, and the team of Rhyno and Heath Slater will defend the tag titles against Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton.
Other matches announced include Nikki Bella taking on Carmella in a No DQ match and Baron Corbin taking on Kalisto in a Chairs match.
More matches will be added, but this show is a perfect example of what happens when the WWE schedules so many PPVs, or special events, as they are now known, in a short time frame.
Survivor Series was two weeks ago and while all of these Smackdown Live storylines have been going on for a while, the card is limited.
Local wrestler calling it a career?
鈥淣asty鈥� Nick Crane, a 26-year staple in the Pittsburgh wrestling scene who debuted on July 4, 1990, was pinned last night in a six-man retirement match and is hanging up his tights in a full-time capacity.
鈥淲ith work and my family, there is too much going on,鈥� said Crane, a Montreal native who began wrestling in the area when he was 18. 鈥淚 will still be open to doing spot shows here and there, but I have never had any major injuries and it is time.鈥�
Crane teamed with Sniper and King Del Douglas in a match against Party Gras (Lord Zoltan and Justin Sane) and Bobby O on a KSWA card in Lawrenceville.
鈥淲restling (WWE Hall of Famer) Hacksaw Jim Duggan is my career highlight,鈥� said Crane. 鈥淭he thing I will miss the most is being able to hang out with the boys and perform in front of the crowd.鈥�
The biggest crowd that Crane performed in front of was 1,000 fans, while the smallest was 25.
Crane has held countless titles in the area, including six different reigns in the Championship Wrestling Federation, a former staple in the Mon Valley area, and he did not hesitate when asked who his favorite person to be in the ring with.
鈥�(Zoltan) has been my favorite partner and opponent,鈥� Crane said. 鈥淗e is the easiest to be in there with.鈥�
Ken Jugan has wrestled as Lord Zoltan for over 40 years, and his words carry a lot of weight in the Pittsburgh wrestling scene.
So when he spoke about Crane, his words spoke volumes.
鈥淣ick is not only a true friend on the wrestling scene and in the ring, but also outside of wrestling,鈥� Jugan said. 鈥淗e is a great 鈥榦ld school鈥� wrestler who knows how to generate heat and gets a response from fans with great psychology, which is a lost art today.
鈥淕reat partners like him are hard to find and we had fun both in and out of the ring.鈥�
Terry Hackett, who wrestles as Sniper, talked about his tag partner of over 20 years.
鈥淗e is a great friend and a great tag team partner,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e is Canada鈥檚 national treasure in my book and will be missed at shows.鈥�
Thomas O鈥橞rien, who was Crane鈥檚 manager for hundreds of matches as Mayor Mystery, shared his thoughts.
鈥淣ick is one of the best villains on the indy scene and it is because he embraces his role as the villain unlike many guys today trying to be a cool bad guy,鈥� he said. 鈥淗is character is timeless 鈥� the anti-American 鈥� and he knows how to work the crowd.
鈥淣ick was never the biggest, fastest, or most athletic guy on the card, but he didn鈥檛 have to be because he knows how to work the card.鈥�
O鈥橞rien chuckled before continuing.
鈥淚t鈥檚 ironic that he鈥檚 so hated because outside of the ring, Nick the nicest guy you could imagine,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 friendly, kind, loyal, fun a true family man, and just a good all-around guy.鈥�
Nick and I wrestled around 50 times, and he was instrumental in helping me improve when I first started training.
My words mirror those of the others in this piece.
He is a class act, a true friend, a great guy, and I appreciate everything he has done for the business over the years.
Email questions/comments to Bill at powerhousehughes@gmail.com or tweet them to me @BillHughes_III.