Bryan Alvarez

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the Costa Rican swimmer, see Bryan Alvaréz.
For other people named Chico Alvarez, see Chico Alvarez (disambiguation).
Bryan Alvarez
Alvarez in 2023
Born (1975-06-12) June 12, 1975 (age 48)[1]
Bothell, Washington[1]
Spouse(s)
Whitney Neugebauer
​
​
(m. 2010)​
Children2
Websitef4wonline.com
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

  green belt in
Shudokan Karate
WebsiteEvergreen Karate and Jiu-Jitsu

Bryan Alvarez (born June 12, 1975)[1] is an American independent professional wrestler, martial artist, satellite radio host, podcaster, and journalist. Alvarez is the editor and publisher of Figure Four Weekly, a fan run, online newsletter that has covered professional wrestling since 1995.[4][5]

A Bothell, Washington native, Alvarez was trained by Buddy Wayne and later became a trainer himself, training former All Elite Wrestling star Jack Evans. In wrestling, Alvarez is a one-time ICW-ICWA Texarkana Television Champion.

Martial arts involvement

Alvarez is a second-degree black belt in

Shudokan Karate.[3][8]

Professional wrestling career

Early career

Alvarez and his friends formed a backyard wrestling promotion called Youth Wrestling Federation, which aired on Seattle's Public Access Channel from 1993 to 1995.

The Grappler
. He was accompanied by a blonde valet, Miss Rent-to-Own (Auto), who was named after one of the TV show's sponsors.

Return to the ring

A fundraiser was held in which Alvarez stated that if it reached $400, he would do one more match with a friend and former professional wrestler Vince Verhei. He also stated that anyone who donated at least $25 would get a special DVD. The amount was surpassed and in fact exceeded $3000, with donation amounts ranging from one cent to $250, and the scheduled match was posted on YouTube on September 17, 2006. The DVD was released on December 8, 2006. Verhei defeated Alvarez to win the YWF Title, the main belt in Alvarez's original backyard wrestling organization in the mid-1990s.

On March 17, 2007, Alvarez battled Larry Sweeney to a no-contest for Sweeney's ICW-ICWA Texarkana Television Championship. Alvarez executed a German suplex, but both men's shoulders were pinned, and the ref could not conclusively determine a winner. Alvarez agreed to a challenge made on Figure Four Daily once Sweeney agreed to "pay $7,500" to Alvarez. The title match was part of the inaugural Fight Sports Midwest card in Portage, Indiana. Sweeney and Alvarez's promos are available on YouTube.

Alvarez had announced that a rematch with Larry Sweeney, set to take place on June 13, 2007, in Portage, Indiana, had been canceled. Alvarez stated that the rematch would take place sometime in 2007. Alvarez further claimed that after beating Sweeney for his Texarkana Television Championship, he planned to rename it the Frank A. Gotch Memorial Collar & Elbow Pacific Coast Championship.

Fight Sports Midwest announced on September 27, 2007 that the Alvarez/Sweeney rematch would take place at the November 18, 2007

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[9]

After Alvarez favorably reviewed the Derby City Wrestling television show in Figure Four Weekly, announcers Kenny Bolin and Timmy Baltimore mentioned his reviews on the air, holding up a copy of the newsletter. DCW wrestler Ted "The Trailer" McNaler then came to the announcers' table, complaining that Alvarez disparaged McNaler's physique and intelligence. He then proceeded to challenge Alvarez to a match, insisting that he had an athletic physique. In subsequent weeks, he continued the challenges, insulting Verhei and Alvarez's "Granny" (Alvarez's actual grandmother and an occasional guest on The Bryan and Vinny Show), and was shown humorously attempting to raise money to bring "Chico" to Louisville, Kentucky, where DCW is taped.

Alvarez has said that he was not told of McNaler's challenge until it was taped, and that initially, there were no plans to have a match with McNaler; his comments on the matter were limited to mentions on his podcast and newsletter. But in September 2007, Alvarez, in a video that aired on DCW television, turned down McNaler's challenge, citing his new writing career, and asked him not to insult his grandmother. McNaler responded by further insulting Alvarez.

On October 21, Alvarez confirmed that he would be wrestling two more matches in 2007.

Pittsburgh, which also included Delirious and Ruckus.[12]

Injury and subsequent comebacks

Alvarez wrestles Thomas Santell as part of a tag team match also involving Nick Gage and Tom Lawlor in July 2019

Alvarez returned to wrestling on November 7, 2009, after taking a year off following a back injury.[13] He defeated Mike Santiago at the Tulalip Championship Wrestling event in Marysville, Washington, at the Pacific Rim. The match, along with other TCW matches, is available on YouTube. Alvarez stated that he would be performing on most of the group's future events. On April 4, 2010, Alvarez wrestled Lance Storm, who worked under a mask as the Ideal Canadian, winning with a superkick.[14] In August 2010, Alvarez lost a Loser Leaves Town for Three Months match to Christopher Ryseck. It was his last match with the promotion.

Alvarez returned after four years on August 16, 2014, for a match with Buddy Wayne at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon. It was the first ever match for the debuting Wrestle-Sport promotion. Mason Ryan, Chris Masters and Adam Pearce wrestled in the main event. Alvarez defeated Wayne with a senton bomb after sixteen minutes.[15]

On July 14, 2018, Alvarez returned to the ring to team with Filthy

Disco Inferno to be his partner, but Disco did not return any of the calls Alvarez made to him during Wrestling Observer Live. Disco showed up at the end of the match, made a comeback on the Beach Bums, but then turned on Alvarez and hit him with the chartbuster. Alvarez still managed to hit Mikey G with a superkick to win the match. Peachmachine claimed afterward that Mikey was the illegal man.[17] On November 3, Alvarez beat Marko Stunt at a Black Label Pro show in Crown Point, Indiana. Stunt had challenged Alvarez to a match on Wrestling Observer Live. Alvarez won with a superkick. Following the match, which saw the two men chop each other bloody, Stunt offered a handshake, but Alvarez turned on him before challenging Stunt and a partner to face himself and Tom Lawlor at Black Label Pro's WrestleMania weekend event in New Jersey on April 5, 2019.[18] The planned match fell apart after Lawlor was pulled from the show due to other commitments, Stunt suffered a broken leg and Stunt's supposed partner, PCO, was signed to an exclusive deal with Ring of Honor
, thus leaving Alvarez with neither partner nor opponents.

Radio and podcasting

Alvarez hosted his own 900-number wrestling hotline through Figure Four Weekly in the mid-1990s, then shut it down and moved to Meltzer's 900-number Wrestling Observer Hotline. Originally Meltzer hired Alvarez to take calls for him, but in 1999 recruited him as a co-host after getting an offer to do a show for eYada,

Armed Forces Network, and online both live and in replay form on the Wrestling Observer website.[23]

In June 2005, Alvarez launched Figure Four Online, a subscription website run primarily by himself and his brother-in-law Tony Leder. Several times a week, Alvarez and Vince Verhei produce their own

Wrestling Observer
website merged with Figure Four Online, and both newsletters are now available online through that website. Alvarez also hosts Wrestling Observer Live, a talk show where he interviews guests related to professional wrestling or MMA, and Wrestling Observer Radio with Dave Meltzer. Alvarez and Meltzer also do occasional bonus shows covering breaking news.

Other features found on Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Online include access to a growing archive of past Figure Four Weekly and

UFOs, cryptozoology and the paranormal.[5]

Columns and books

The Death of WCW

Alvarez's book, The Death of WCW, which he co-wrote with R. D. Reynolds, was released in 2005.

Alvarez and Reynolds revised and updated the original work through ECW Press - the newly expanded edition was released in October 2014 and also won the Wrestling Observer Newsletter award for Best Pro Wrestling Book. Alvarez also lent his voice to the Audible version of the update.[24]

100 Things WWE Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die

Alvarez's second book, 100 Things WWE Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die, was released in 2019.[25]

Other works

Alvarez is a former columnist for British wrestling and MMA magazine

The Fight Network and the internet radio show Wrestling Weekly. He also wrote a monthly professional wrestling column for Penthouse Magazine. [26]

Personal life

Alvarez married Whitney Neugebauer on July 31, 2010.[27] She gave birth to the couple's first child, a daughter named Paisley, on February 28, 2016. She gave birth to a second daughter, Hanalei, on September 19, 2019.[28]

Alvarez is the cousin of retired Olympic gymnast Guillermo Alvarez.[29]

Championships and accomplishments

Brazilian jiu-jitsu

  • 2013 Revolution Tournament XXII Bronze Medal Brown Belt[7][30]
  • 2013 Edmonds Submission Challenge Silver Medal Brown Belt[7][31]

Professional wrestling

  • International Championship Wrestling (Cloverdale, BC)
    • ICW Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Nikkie Sixx[32]
  • Pacific Northwest Pro Wrestling
    • PNPW Television Championship (1 time)
  • Wrestling Observer Newsletter
    • Best Pro Wrestling Book (2005) The Death of WCW - with R. D. Reynolds
    • Best Pro Wrestling Book (2014) The Death of WCW – 10th Anniversary Edition - with R. D. Reynolds[33]
    • Best Pro Wrestling Book (2019) 100 Things A WWE Fan Should Know Before They Die[34]
  • Other
    • ICW-ICWA Texarkana Television Championship (1 time)[35]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Cagematch profile". Cagematch. Retrieved 2010-04-30.
  2. ^ Alvarez, Bryan (2015-11-19). "WOR 11/19: Epic Charlotte rant, blockbuster Ronda Rousey numbers, more!". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
  3. ^ a b c "About Figure Four Weekly" statement in print newsletters
  4. ^ The January 10, 2006 Bryan and Vinny Show
  5. ^ a b c d e "Pro wrestling fan-turned-radio host broadcasts nationally from Bothell". The Herald Business Journal. 2015-07-22. Retrieved 2015-07-23.
  6. ^ Official Bryan Alvarez Facebook page
  7. ^ a b c http://www.bryanalvarezjj.com Archived 2019-01-19 at the Wayback Machine Bryan Alvarez Jiu-Jitsu
  8. ^ "Official Bryan Alvarez Facebook page". Facebook. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
  9. ^ Rematch announcement at CHIKARAFans message board Archived October 23, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ WWE, TNA, UFC & International Pro Wrestling Headlines - F4Wonline.com - Super Chico DETHTOUR 2007 official~!
  11. ^ "Chapter 11″ – 11/18/2007". Chikara Fans. Archived from the original on 2010-01-04. Retrieved 2010-05-14.
  12. ^ Dombrowski, Joe. "Super Indy results with the DOOM OF CHICO". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved 2011-04-12.
  13. ^ Meltzer, Dave (November 11, 2009). "SUNDAY NOTES: CBS notes, Fedor injuries, Mania tickets, title changes; UFC 105 notes". Figure Four Online. Wrestling Observer. Archived from the original on November 12, 2009. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  14. ^ Emele Waraksa (2010-04-04), Bryan Alvarez vs Ideal Canadian Pt 1.MOV, archived from the original on 2021-12-21, retrieved 2016-08-26
  15. ^ Bryan Alvarez (2014-08-18), Bryan Alvarez vs Buddy Wayne OLD SCHOOL PRO WRESTLING MATCH, archived from the original on 2021-12-21, retrieved 2016-08-26
  16. ^ "Black Label Pro – BLP Jam (7/14/2018) Review · The Indy Corner". Archived from the original on 2018-08-13.
  17. ^ "F4WOnline - YouTube".
  18. ^ "Match Review: Marko Stunt vs. Bryan Alvarez (Black Label Pro Big Trouble in Little Crown Point) (November 03, 2018)". 7 November 2018.
  19. ^ "Bringing Sports Talk to the Internet; eYada.com Launches Second Online Channel. - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com. Archived from the original on 2017-01-05. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  20. ^ "Wrestlingobserver.com/Figure Four Weekly Membership Benefits". Archived from the original on 2013-10-20. Retrieved 2013-10-13.
  21. ^ Alvarez, Bryan (September 18, 2013). "Sept. 18 Bryan & Vinny Show: Bryan going solo with open lines and Twitter questions on tons of topics from Mania booking to the history of the newsletter and website, and more!". Figure Four Online (Podcast). Wrestling Observer. Archived from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  22. ^ "BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: Wrestling Observer Live moving to six days a week starting February 23rd at 12 PM PT/3 PM ET". www.f4wonline.com. Archived from the original on 2015-02-02.
  23. ^ "Wrestling Observer Live | Sports Byline USA". sportsbyline.com. 23 December 2012. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
  24. ^ "HUGE NEWS! The Death of WCW 10th Anniversary Edition Announced!!". www.wrestlecrap.com. 15 January 2013. Retrieved 2016-08-26.[permanent dead link]
  25. ^ "Talk Is Jericho: 100 Things WWE Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die With Bryan Alvarez". WebIsJericho.com. 11 October 2019.
  26. ^ Group, Penthouse Media. Penthouse July 2001 Issue.
  27. ^ "Alvarez done got hitched". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. 2010-07-31. Archived from the original on 2010-08-02. Retrieved 2010-08-01.
  28. ^ Alvarez, Bryan (2016-02-29). "Little Paisley Soleil says HELLO WORLD!". Twitter. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
  29. ^ "B&V: Saturday Night's Main Event from March of 1988!". WON/F4W - WWE news, Pro Wrestling News, WWE Results, UFC News, UFC results. 2020-09-13. Retrieved 2020-09-14.
  30. ^ "leapllc". leapllc. Retrieved 2017-07-06.
  31. ^ "ESC Results!!!!! | MMA Everything". Archived from the original on 2013-08-21. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  32. ^ "International Championship Wrestling Tag Team Title". Wrestling-Titles.com. Retrieved 2010-04-30.
  33. ISSN 1083-9593
    .
  34. ^ Meltzer, Dave (March 5, 2020). "March 13, 2020 Observer Newsletter: 40th Annual Awards Issue". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  35. ^ "Cagematch title listing". Cagematch. Retrieved 2010-04-30.

External links

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