By Derek Burgan, Torch Media Guy

Torch DVD Review
In the Ring with Steve Corino




Earlier this year RF Video released In the Ring with Homicide and in my review I wrote about how innovative I found the title. It was one half shoot interview, and one half Homicide explaining how to do wrestling maneuvers with trainee Azrieal. The shoot itself was also interesting as it wasn’t the standard one-on-one sit down interview, it was conducted while walking and driving through the streets of New York. Volume two of the In the Ring series features Homicide’s arch rival, the King of Old School Steve Corino. This is also a two disc DVD set and as long time Torch readers know, the only thing I enjoy more than a two disc DVD set is a three disc DVD set.

On to the DVD!

This version of In the Ring started off with the RF Video Shootmobile picking up Steve Corino. You can tell the kind of sense of humor Corino has right away when he opens the door of the tricked out Escalade and said, “Hurry up before Channel 10 gets here” referencing the now infamous situation in which a Channel 10 news team confronted Rob Feinstein in 2004. Feinstein’s response to Corino’s line? “I knew this neighborhood looked familiar.” Well, at least someone hasn’t lost their sense of humor.

Steve Corino getting picked up by the RF Video Shootmobile

As Corino struggled to buckle up, the RF Video Shootmobile drove around his neighborhood, which Corino said was a “place that guys like Homicide aren’t allowed in.” OH! Corino then asked Rob Feinstein what happened to his Lexus and RF said that he had to sell it as it cost too much money. I have to admit, I would have said something like it was in the shop after I smashed it up again on some sort of drunken bender. Corino was asked why he wasn’t at either Hardcore Homecoming nor One Night Stand and Corino said that he looked at ECW as his past. Normally I would put this in the same column as Shane Douglas saying he turned down appearing at One Night Stand when in fact the WWE made the call not to use TNA guys, but I have to think Corino is telling the truth on this because there’s no reason he wouldn’t have had a major role at Hardcore Homecoming if he were inclined. He’s a former ECW champion and is still great on the microphone and decent in the ring, you’d think both shows could make room. Corino felt that by doing either show he would be taking a step backward, but hoped they were both a success and that wrestlers made a lot of money off them. Well, someone made a lot of money, there’s no doubt about that.

Steve was asked about his status in Japan and he replied, “I’m still here.” Responses like that were typical Corino, witty and self depreciating, which I enjoyed throughout the DVD. Corino said that he was taking time off this summer, but that it was caused primarily because of visa problems. Corino is still the Gaijin (American) booker for Zero-One Max and Corino told a ton of backstage Zero-One stories that Puroresu fans are going to love. Corino talked a lot about Shin’ya Hashimoto and I had to ask the Torch’s Japanese Expert, Keith Lipinski, if that was the same Hashimoto that recently died. Sadly, it is. Corino talked about other big name Japanese stars such as Nakamura and Otani before describing, in detail, a six man Hustle match with, of all people, Dusty Rhodes and Tom Howard against Dos Caras, Sicodelico Jr. and the 1000 year old Mil Mascaras.

Corino pointing out his day old haircut

The King of Old School didn’t get anything from the ECW bankruptcy and is fine with that as he’s had time to get over any anger he had with the company. Corino knows deep down that without Paul Heyman he’d probably be working the counter at the local WAWA. I wonder if Shane Douglas, who does have a legit beef about all the money he is owed, ever stops to think what he has thanks to ECW when compared to what WCW and WWE did with him? And for those wondering what a WAWA is, because I certainly didn’t know what it was the first time I heard it on another shoot, it is a chain of convenience stores, which apparently are numerous in Pennsylvania.

Ring of Honor - While driving around, Corino pointed out all the places he grew up and gave a brief history lesson on the town of Trap, Pennsylvania. I know I seem to say this a lot, but it is really entertaining watching a shoot like this as it adds a whole new dynamic with the person talking about their surroundings rather then just their wrestling career, it gives the shoot a more human feel. In a funny bit, Corino kept trying to bait Rob Feinstein into saying “Ring of Honor” but RF never bit and always referred to ROH as “my former company” or “the place you (Corino) used to work.” It reminded me of a classic episode of the Simpsons (”Flaming Moe’s”) in which Bart was desperately trying to get Homer to say his name to rid himself of a jinx and Homer replied with the following:

Homer: What is it, boy?
Bart: Mmph. Mmph. Mmph.
Homer: Is anything the matter, my son? Talk to me, young man.
Bart: (takes a pad and writes, `Say my name'.)
Homer: Say your name? Why should I do that, my lad?
(Click HERE to listen to this wonderful exchange)


Anyhoo, Corino said he left ROH because of “a difference of opinion” between him and booker Gabe Sapolsky. Corino felt that he needed to be heel in ROH because he wasn’t as good as the younger wrestlers in terms of workrate. Corino said that the crowd just couldn’t get behind the dynamic of him teaming with C.M. Punk either because one was always a babyface while the other was a heel. It wasn’t like they had a relationship at all in ROH, as we saw them semi-feuding in 2003, but they never did a full feud, then Corino disappeared, and then Corino was back teaming with Punk because Colt Cabana and Ace Steel weren’t around. Not for nothing, but I think the Steve Corino/Homicide feud is the greatest in ROH history, even beating out Punk’s epic feud with Raven.

Corino was asked about the proposed Empty Arena Match against Teddy Hart that was announced back when RF still owned ROH. Steve said they never agreed on money and that Teddy Hart never called him back. Well, that’s gonna happen when you have a guy like Teddy who has his army of cats answering phones and taking messages. Corino then went into several Teddy Hart stories including one that took place at an ROH show in which Samoa Joe was going to rip Teddy’s head off his neck. Corino’s former valet, Simply Luscious, made the situation even worse when she called Teddy Hart’s partner, the Aerial Emperor Jack Evans, a homo. Corino had to tell Joe to “cool it” as the two had a big match (this was at ROH’s Main Event Spectacles with Samoa Joe, C.M. Punk, Corino, and Christopher Daniels in the Four Corner survival match). Teddy Hart ended up apologizing afterwards, but in true Teddy Hart fashion, quickly proceeded to bury himself even farther.

"The kid has mental problems." - Steve Corino on Teddy Hart

Major League Wrestling (MLW) - Corino said that MLW “didn’t fail,” it just “ran out of money.” Well, that’s a new one for the Kayfabulator. I think Vince McMahon should proclaim the XFL didn’t fail and that “TV stations just stopped airing the games.” Corino said that he helped book MLW along with newly hired WWE writer Court Bauer and Samu. Corino talked about a huge barbed wire match he had with Terry Funk in MLW that brought in over 1,500 fans and a 25,000 dollar house to prove he is a draw no matter what his critics say. This was at MLW’s final show, "Reloaded Night 2" from January 9, 2004. Corino loved being part of the Extreme Horsemen (with CW Anderson, Simon Diamond, Barry Windham, and Justin Credible) and looked at the company as an updated form of the NWA, rather than what many Internet fans thought MLW was, a retread ECW complete with ECW-like production values and announcer Joey Styles.

Pro Wrestling World-1 - World One was supposed to be an American based promotion backed by Zero One, but bankruptcy shot that down. Corino said he paid all the bills in the States and hopes to restart the company with a new format in the future, one that will be very reminiscent of the big Japanese companies with “young boys” training at the dojo. Actually, I just found out Corino is having a show this August, click here for more info. Steve Corino teases he’ll talk about many subjects much more in-depth in his upcoming book. Oh Dear Lord! This might be neat though, and while Steve shouldn’t have a chapter begging his fans to put him over like Dusty Rhodes did in his book, Corino should do a list of the Top Ten Foreheads in Wrestling that Look Like Complete Shit Thanks to Years of Blading. We could have pics of Steve, New Jack, Ian Rotten, Abdullah the Butcher and Dusty Rhodes for starters.

As they drove by Corino’s old high school, Steve talked about how he used to be a baseball player and then brought up the similarities between his school and the local prison, since both were designed by the same architect. Corino said that only two famous people have ever come out of his high school, himself and major league pitcher John Smiley. Corino’s school is also not that far from C.M. Punk’s house apparently. It’s a small world.

The subject of Corino’s arrest was brought up (which occurred in 2003 and prevented Corino’s appearance in ROH’s Night of Grudges show) and Steve went into great detail about the situation, although still saying his book would have a lot more dirt. I was impressed by this as he gives a different side to the story that most of us have heard concerning his alleged check kiting. Corino talked about a former girlfriend who lived with him and eventually moved back to Los Angeles. The ex then sent Corino emails saying that he owed for a credit card bill they ran up while living together. Corino agreed to pay half and sent her 3,000 dollars. The ex wrote back and said she now wanted 10,000 dollars. Apparently this girl hasn’t been clued in to how much money indie guys make. Corino asked if this would be a loan and she said yes. A couple days later she wrote Corino again, this time demanding the money and saying she could make Corino’s life hell if he didn’t pay up. Corino didn’t pay. He got on a plane in Detroit for a Japan trip, the first time he was ever flying business class natch, and got pulled off by customs agents, who held Steve until the police arrived to cart him off to jail.

Corino was asked if he had credit card problems and he said no, and at this point Corino feared someone stole his identity and used it to get credit cards and ring up massive bills. Corino was taken to jail and had to stay overnight without being able to make a phone call and was surrounded with real criminals, not New Jack criminals with “justifiable homicides.” Corino promised a lot of prison stories in his book. Hopefully it won’t be Penthouse Forum-ish. Corino then found out his ex had charged him with stealing her credit card and using it without permission. Long story short, Corino spent two weeks in prison, went to court and agreed to a stipulation that he put 13,000 dollars in escrow while agreeing to stay out of trouble. A year later he would get his money back. Zero-One’s Nakamura actually gave Steve the money and, true to his word, a year later got the money back with interest. Corino said the District Attorney made it sound like he was guilty and gave the money straight to his ex, and Corino also claims that his ex has since done this to another guy. Welcome to wrestling women Steve Corino!

Japan - By this point the Shootmobile had returned to Steve’s house and we got to see both Ricky Landell and Steve’s son. Corino talked about working with legendary Japanese wrestler Toshiaki Kawada and said he was “awesome” but damn stiff as well. Corino was brought into Hustle originally as himself to work hardcore matches, but when Corino was to face Kawada he was to use the gimmick “Monster C,” which Corino originally thought was stupid. The gimmick was this: it consisted of Corino wearing a black-yellow jumpsuit, as opposed to Kawada’s yellow-black jumpsuit, and a mask which said “C” on it. It’s no Curryman but I guess it’s not that bad. The night before his match, the Hustle guys told Corino that he had to learn everything Kawada did before getting in the ring, so Steve had a marathon session of watching tapes. Corino studied the tapes and realized quick he would have to change his old school style to a much more realistic Japanese style. Corino then did a recreation of meeting Kawada as Steve used his son, Colby, to act as Corino and Corino himself acted out the Kawada part. Just a side note, Corino comes across as a damn good father in this DVD. Corino described his match against Kawada in detail and talked about he crowd alternating chants of “K!” and “C!” during the match. Kawada doesn’t call his spots in the ring, so Corino said you have to know what Kawada is going to do, lest you get your head taken off. Good thing Steve watched those tapes!

Monster C

"I don't get it." - Corino upon first hearing about his Monster C gimmick

Corino discussed other matches against Kawada and then said that at least he (Corino) has earned enough of Kawada’s respect to be blown off while other wrestlers, such as Spanky, just get ignored. Playing the part of Spanky in this reenactment was Corino student Ricky Landell, who happened to be wearing one of the coolest wrestling shirts around, Corino’s ICHIBAN~! shirt. Corino then went on to talk about Goldberg’s time in Hustle and put over Goldberg as not as big of an asshole as others would make you believe. Goldberg was given his own private locker room in Japan and instead took his stuff in to change with the boys. I can’t picture Hogan doing that. As a history note, Goldberg pulled out of his second Hustle appearance, in a scheduled match against Kawada, because of his hand swelling up prior to a K-1 show, and was replaced by Mick Foley.

TNA - Since Corino booked all the Americans for Zero One in Japan, he told a story of his attempt to get Jeff Jarrett to fly over for the final Zero One PPV in 2002, Truth Creation. Two days before a PPV in Japan that he was booked for, Jarrett had Bob Ryder call Corino and say that Jarrett wouldn’t get on the plane unless he was upgraded to business class. This ended up costing the company 5,000 dollars along with royally pissing off Corino. When Corino went to TNA, he couldn’t stand Vince Russo and called him “a black eye in pro wrestling” who “single handedly took WCW down.” Well, I don’t know if I would go that far. Corino said he would ignore Russo for weeks by pretending to be having conversations on his cell phone, which is a trick that Jeff Jarrett uses as well. Seriously, when I was down in Tampa for WrestleReunion it was amazing to watch Jeff Jarrett leave a bar and immediately put his cell phone up to his ear so he could ignore fans approaching him. Jarrett would then come back to the bar with his phone held up to his ear until he entered the bar, and at that point the phone went right back into the pocket of his orange jeans.

Corino went into several other TNA stories, including how much Low Ki did not want to do hardcore matches under any circumstances and Corino didn’t want to redo ECW stuff either. Corino went to get his paycheck from Bob Ryder, but Ryder forgot the check. Ryder agreed to send it and when Steve finally got the check, it was short. Ryder said to cash it anyway and TNA would make up the balance. Corino’s been around the block long enough to realize that once a wrestler cashes a check, he’s pretty much saying he agreed to that amount. Steve said he’ll send the check back for a new one from Ryder. Eventually Ryder sent a second check and it was for the wrong amount too. In between all of this Corino reminded everyone that as TNA travel agent, Ryder booked all wrestlers’ flights through Southwest to save money, causing guys like Corino to have to drive hundreds of miles to an airport that the airline flies out of. Steve said it might have been easier at times just to drive to Nashville.

With two checks uncashed, Corino arrived at the next TNA taping and saw he was scheduled to team with the Sandman against the Harris Brothers in a six minute match. Corino flew into Nashville with Sandman and knew ahead of time he was in “no condition to perform.” TNA agreed with this and asked Corino if he could do the match himself in a minute. Steve jobbed in 29 seconds. Corino did an awesome Sandman impersonation throughout this story and admitted that TNA never did have a plan for him and he ended up just cashing the two checks as Ryder never came through with new ones. Corino went back to talking about Low Ki in Zero One and said that Ki had reached a point where he didn’t have anything left to prove, so the company let Ki go to NOAH, which happens to be the number one promotion in Japan right now as they have the greatest collection of Juniors in the world.

Steve and his son reenact a HUSTLE moment

Steve was asked who was the biggest disappointment that he booked for Zero One and he debated over the question before answering the SATs because “they are headcases.” Corino said Joel and Jose are products of their environment and just don’t listen to anyone. I still can’t get over how they booked themselves over Ultimo Dragon at the Fusion show. Steve also said that the Zero One office couldn’t stand HotStuff Hernandez, but didn’t say why. Over at Hustle, Corino said that Dusty Rhodes didn’t want to job to Corino at Hustle 3 because Big Dust had already lost at Hustle 1 and 2. This, of course, is solely in Dusty Rhodes’ mind because, in Rhodes’ first match in Hustle, Steve Corino took the fall (in that six man match described above versus the team including Mil Mascaras) and in Rhodes’ second match his son Dustin took the pin. Regardless, Dusty didn’t want to take the pin and this was a big disappointment to Corino because Steve felt he had put Rhodes over many times in the past. Why is the Japanese wrestling scene collapsing? Corino said that there are just too many companies, adding that there are 38 companies running shows in 2005.

Corino was told about the comments Homicide made in his In the Ring DVD about being blocked out of Japan. Corino said he has only kept two guys out of Japan because of their attitude and Homicide wasn’t one of them. Corino doesn’t think much of Homicide personally, but feels he is a hell of a wrestler and thankfully was noticed by Gabe Sapolsky, just as Corino was noticed by Tommy Dreamer in ECW. Steve is still a little offended that he was never thanked by Homicide for putting aside their differences and working that killer program in ROH but respects the fact that Homicide is a good father. As much as Steve loves Japan, he’s enjoying the summer in the States as it will allow him to spend more time with his son. Why do I see a father/son tag team barbed wire death match with Homicide and his kid versus Corino and his son at a future indie show? F--- it, let’s get Mick Foley and Dewey along with Sandman and Tyler Fullington and make it WAR GAMES.

Tommy Dreamer - It really blew my mind to hear Corino run down Tommy Dreamer, as I always thought they were good friends. Steve said he respected Homicide more than Dreamer and replied “you can ask him” when asked where the heat comes from. Corino then decided to explain the situation by saying that in 2000, when Corino turned babyface in ECW, Dreamer was considering retirement. Corino got the hardcore gimmick that had been Dreamer’s staple. Corino couldn’t believe he had heat with Dreamer because a year earlier Corino “had to put up with Francine” (Dreamer’s girlfriend at the time) in a feud in order to keep Tommy in a feud. Corino said Tazz was outraged that Corino had to sell so much for Francine during that program because Corino needed to remain strong as a title contender. To be fair, this was at a time when Corino was just a manager in ECW and not a wrestler. God damn, I remember Corino managing Rhyno and they had to change a match at Anarchy Rulez to Corino & Rhyno versus Raven & Dreamer because the Insane Clown Posse, who were supposed to a mystery team that Corino was bringing to the PPV, didn’t want to do a job and instead returned to WCW. Yes, the ICP refusing to job. Now I’ve heard everything, and keep in mind I’m one of the guys that likes the ICP.

When Corino won the ECW title, Dreamer buried him by saying it was a horrible idea to put the belt on Corino and that Steve would be “the next Tommy Rich.” Corino waited for Dreamer to laugh, saying it was all a joke, but Dreamer just walked away. Now that’s getting bitchslapped verbally. At the time, Dusty Rhodes could’ve gotten Corino a good paying job in WCW, but Dreamer told Corino he would be betraying Heyman if he took Rhodes up on the offer. By staying in ECW, Corino ended up being 30,000 dollars in debt. Corino then told a story about buying an ECW ring off Dreamer for Corino’s side promotion, the PWF. Corino bought the ring for 3,000 dollars and found out after delivery that it was the ECW training ring from the House of Hardcore and was broken to shit. Corino was pissed off at this and went into a lengthy story about what happened afterwards which included dealing with Little Guido (Nunzio in the WWE), Bill Apter and Nova’s brother Donnie B. You remember Donnie B right? He’s the guy who went onto the Howard Stern show and told Vince McMahon he would literally kiss Vince’s ass for a job. A couple months later the Kiss My Ass Club stuff started on Monday Night Raw. THANKS DONNIE!(Update: This was not Donnie B, but Donnie Bon Jovi, a indie guy who worked for Donnie B in New Jersey.)

Steve Corino's t-shirt

Samoa Joe has said publicly on his LiveJournal that he “stinks of Zero One,” saying that is why many Japanese companies don’t want to use him. Corino said that excuse was bullshit and that Zero One Max doesn’t want to use Joe. Corino then went into apparently a well known story that I’ve never heard before referencing an incident known as The Fayetteville Screwjob. Corino said it “was a case of a referee being an asshole.” Corino was going to a legends convention and his friend Eddie Brown asked if he could work a local show the night before. Steve agreed and when he got to the dressing room saw that there was a retarded referee. Corino said he wanted to use that referee because it would make the kid’s year being in the main event, but I got the impression that it was kind of a goof on the kid. Anyway, Corino was already in a lousy mood when the match started because he only sold one picture at his gimmick table to a fan who bought it solely because Steve said he would give the fan Hulk Hogan’s phone number. Corino gave the fan Ricky Landell’s number as a rib. That’s a good one.

Corino got into the ring and the retarded ref was nowhere to be found and instead, the company’s regular ref was there. Eddie Brown, playing the heel, shot a babyface promo to start the match and it all went downhill from there. Five minutes into the match Corino took a soft pin and the ref counted to three before Steve kicked out. “Ring the bell!” Steve was livid. The ref told Corino that he should kick out faster which caused Steve to stiff slap the ref in the face. OH! The ref got up and talked some more shit only to get slapped down again. Corino stormed to the back and kicked a desk “like David Beckham.” Ricky Morton went over to cool Steve down and said he was gonna bring the retarded referee into the room to watch Corino slap him too. This was all tied in to an even longer story in which Corino met Tim Horner for the first time before the show. Horner was organizing a wrestling tour and wanted Steve’s contact info because Horner felt Corino would be a good guy to have on the tour considering he never was a problem backstage. Needless to say, Horner has not talked to Corino since that night. I’ve got to give Corino his due, he’s a great storyteller.

Corino ended up going to the Legends Fest the next day and marked out like a fan after seeing all the wrestlers he grew up watching. Steve had the time of his life and got to meet Terry Taylor (who I just found out named himself after Terry Funk when I read Funk’s great book More than Just Hardcore), Tully Blanchard, Bob Roop and others. Bob Roop? This might be Torch Senior Columnist/Dinosaur Bruce Mitchell’s favorite shoot ever. Corino had a great story about meeting Nikita Koloff for the first time and how he immediately humiliated himself in front of the Russian Nightmare. Speaking of Koloff, has anyone seen The Feud: Magnum T.A. versus Nikita Koloff DVD? Looks pretty interesting to me.

Corino found out about Chris Candido’s death while he was on tour in Helsinki, Finland. Corino put over Candido as a cool guy and talked about Corino being on his way out of ECW when Steve was just starting, but that Chris still agreed to put Steve over. Corino last saw Candido at a USAPro show and said that Candido had the fire in his eyes back. Corino then went into a story about being in New York and seeing a guy who looks and sounds just like Homicide selling newspapers outside of Penn Station. Candido then did a hilarious impersonation of Homicide that was fantastic, but Corino pointed out that C.M. Punk does an even better Homicide voice and I have to agree with that 100 percent.

As the RF Video Shootmobile drove through the city of Philadelphia, the guys contemplated stopping by the porno shop that the Blue Meanie works at. Now THAT would have made for one hell of a video. In fact I think they should do an In the Ring with Meanie set at the porno shop just to see the customers’ faces when they see the camera. Steve talked about meeting Zach Gowen in TNA and said the kid didn’t even have enough money to get a room, so he stayed with Corino and Sandman. Corino then did another great impersonation of Sandman telling Zach that one day young Gowen will discover the drugs and alcohol in wrestling. Sure enough, the next time Corino saw Gowen at an indie show the kid was passed out. This was all before Gowen went to the WWE and Corino said that Sandman told Zach to take his prosthetic leg off while going to the ring and beat Jerry Lawler over the head with it by reasoning “do you know how over you’d be with the boys?” At this point I would like to note that I honestly would pay top dollar to listen to a Homicide and Sandman shoot done totally by C.M Punk as Homicide and Steve Corino as Sandman.

Everyone finally arrived at the Pro Wrestling Unplugged “Animal House” to begin the training portion of the DVD set. The camera followed Steve through the Animal House as we got a mini tour, and the best moment was Corino seeing a sign that gave the prices for Rockin’ Rebel’s t-shirts and immediately thinking he would have to raise the price of his own gimmicks. Once inside the ring, Corino explained that he would try to show how he had to learn a new style in Japan, as their fans are used to wrestling that is much more realistic that what we see normally in the states. Steve said that it looks so real because “nine out of ten times it is real.” Both Trent Acid and Johnny Kashmere of the Backseat Boyz were outside the ring watching this exhibition.

Inside the Animal House training facility

While explaining how to properly do kicks to the back without hitting your opponent’s kidneys, or chops to the chest, Steve would continue to weave stories throughout his training. Corino explained the difference between American chops and Japanese chops and told how he dropped straight to the mat after being chopped by Otani once. The Japanese (at least their stars, so it’s not just Kawada) call all their matches in the ring, which Steve hadn’t done since he was first starting out and worked a little down in Memphis. Corino talked about working with Wolfie D of PG-13 (one of my all time guiltiest pleasures, along with Nailz) and finding out that everything was done on the fly. Steve thought that was cool and represented exactly what wrestling was all about.

Corino realized he could tell a story about C.W. Anderson because C.W. would not have enough money to buy this DVD anyway. You just got SERVED Anderson. And you know this! Corino said that C.W. would slap his thigh when doing a move, so that it sounded like Anderson was hitting his opponent and Japanese legend Riki Choshu was flipping out while watching this and screaming “ FAKE!!” Choshu then showed Anderson how to do it the right way and Anderson’s response was “Hey, f--- that guy.” Pure gold.

Corino and his top student, Ricky Landell

The Green Lantern Fan. - “Fans are watching. The first couple rows. You have that f---ing Green Lantern Fan, that f---ing geek sitting there with his stopwatch because he jerks off on the Internet going ‘oh my God it went 9:37!’ “ Thus began Steve’s rant on some fans who he feels are taking the fun out of wrestling. Steve continued by saying, “What a jerk off. He’s not a fan but he’ll spend 30 dollars to bitch about a match” along with keeping Corino aware of how much time has passed since the match started. “Thank you Gary Michael Capetta!” Steve then said a sort of realism in his matches comes from his anger as he explained “I hit the guy so hard in the corner ‘cause I’m thinking he’s the Green Lantern Fan.”

I was actually going to explain who Green Lantern Fan is, but I have a feeling just about every single person that reads my reviews, especially one about Steve Corino, already knows who the guy is. If not, read that Fusion review.

Corino talked about the amount of realism in wrestling and said that is can and should be better. Corino told his student Ricky Landell to stop selling bad looking moves in matches that Landell is in. With wrestlers getting better, shows will get better, the crowds will get bigger and that in a nutshell is how to fix the sport. Corino explained how a guy like Jay Lethal went from an opening match jobber to being the next big thing and why that is important for wrestling.

Corino demonstrates how to correctly give a kick to the back

Steve talked about several of the differences between wrestling in America and Japan including the fact that you need at least three different finishers in Japan as opposed to only one over here in the States. Steve said that finishers are kicked out of more in Japan to create more near falls, but the wrestlers are strong enough in their matches to get over that. Steve said that the biggest misconception about Japan is that they have a ton of Death Matches when in fact the ones they do have are far and few between and, for the most part, hardcore matches are all but gone.

Overall Thoughts: I’ve always been borderline on Steve Corino, but this DVD set pushed me over to being a big fan. I always loved his ROH stuff, especially the feud with Homicide and his INCREDIBLE must-be-seen ring introductions, but this shoot gave a new side to Corino that I had never seen before. Steve is very charismatic, humble, funny and highly entertaining throughout the shoot interview and training exercise. He tells great stories and doesn’t hold back on telling it how it is, even when it might make him look bad. Fans of the Puro scene in Japan are going to enjoy all of Corino’s dirt on the behind the scenes action over there. This DVD can be bought by Clicking HERE, or head on over to RFVideo.com and check out all the other DVDs they have to offer.

Special Thanks to Keith Lipinski and Mike Roe for their help with this review.

Torch Media Guy Derek Burgan has been writing for the PWTorch website for almost four years. If you have any questions, corrections, feedback, comments and ideas, he can be reached at: derek@gumgod.com

We suggest these recent related articles...

RADICAN'S Beyond Wrestling "Greatest Rivals Round Robin" review 9/26 - incredible show of the year contender, Busick-Edwards top-flight MOTYC, more!

RADICAN'S "The Pull List" (Vol. 5) "Young Bucks Too Sweet Journey" doc review, The Flash season 1 Blu-Ray, Top Ten MOTYC for 2015

RADICAN'S "THE PULL LIST" (Vol. 4) - step by step guide to social media and conduct, "Madden NFL 16" review, "Furious 7" Blu-ray w/The Rock & Ronda Rousey, more!