FSM (Fighting Spirit Magazine) is a monthly professional wrestling and mixed martial arts magazine published in the United Kingdom by Uncooked Media, the company behind special interest publications such as Neo. The magazine launched its first issue on Thursday 13 April, 2006. The magazine will compete against long established U.K. number one wrestling publication, Power Slam. FSM provides a look at the MMA industry, doing so from the perspective of the wrestling fan (one of the magazine's mission statements is to expand the crossover appeal of MMA among viewers of wrestling programming). It's roster of writers includes professional wrestlers (Lance Storm, Dan Severn), MMA fighters (Severn), authors (Bryan Alvarez, Scott Keith, RD Reynolds), industry experts (Bill Apter) and guest columns from prominent wrestling and MMA websites (Dave Scherer of PW Insider and Mike Sloan of Sherdog). In addition, the magazine's editor, James Denton, is a qualified martial artist and was a professional wrestling trainee, deflecting much of the criticism that "sheet writers" are not qualified to criticise athletes because they have never been in the ring. He used to be seen in the now defunct feature "How Tough Is Enough" training at the FWA Academy, one of the magazine's strongest selling points. It is a common misunderstanding that this is an "Apter Mag" due to the involvement of Bill Apter and apparent similarities to other titles he has worked on. However, Apter's role is that of columnist and he has no editorial power on the title outside of this position.
Contents |
DVD
Issue 008 of FSM came with a free covermounted DVD called "TKO Volume 1". It featured four complete matches, music highlight videos, videogame and movie footage, TV spots, featurettes and Easter Eggs. It also featured an exclusive audio commentary track by Ring Of Honor Champion "The American Dragon" Bryan Danielson. Although the DVD is not scheduled to be a recurring monthly feature, further instalments will be produced in 2007 (the original DVD is available with the back issue of 008 from the FSM website). MATCHES:
- Bryan Danielson (ROH Champion) VS Mark Sloan (FWA:A Co-Tag Team Champion)
- CM Punk VS Samoa Joe
- Cruiserweight Four-way: Jonny Storm VS Jody Fleisch VS Max Voltage VS Pac
- RQW Title Match: Billy Kidman VS Robbie Brookside (traditional British rounds rules)
OTHER:
- LDN Wrestling feature (20 mins)
- Three music videos
- WWE SmackDown VS Raw 2007 trailer and game footage
- Sex And Violence wrestling documentary trailer
- FIGHTING SPIRIT TV spot
- Five Easter Eggs
Writers
- James Denton (Editor)
- Dan "The Beast" Severn (Feature Columnist)
- Lance Storm (Feature Columnist)
- Bryan Alvarez (Feature Columnist)
- Bill Apter (Feature Columnist)
- Scott Keith (Feature Contributor)
- RD Reynolds (Feature Columnist)
- Dave Scherer (Feature Contributor)
- Mike Sloan (Feature Contributor - no relation to Mark Sloan)
FSM Year-End Awards
2006 Award Winners (runners up in parenthesis)
- Story Of The Year: Kurt Angle Jumps To TNA (WWE Institutes Wellness Policy)
- Match Of The Year (Wrestling): Kurt Angle VS The Undertaker, WWE No Way Out (Foley/Edge/Lita VS Funk/Dreamer/Beaulah, ECW One Night Stand 2)
- Fight Of The Year (MMA): Tito Ortiz VS Forrest Griffin, UFC 63 (Matt Hughes VS BJ Penn, UFC 63)
- The Franchise (Wrestling MVP): Samoa Joe, TNA (Triple H, WWE)
- Golden Gloves (MMA MVP): Tito Ortiz, UFC (Ken Shamrock, UFC)
- Double X Award (Best Female): Trish Stratus, WWE (Lita, WWE)
- The Victoria Cross (Best Of British): Pac (Martin Stone)
- Young Lion Award (Best National Newcomer): Pac (LT Summers)
- LL Cool J Award (Best Comeback): Fit Finlay, WWE (Sting, TNA)
- Three Degrees Award (Biggest Departure): Trish Stratus, WWE (Paul Heyman, WWE)
- The Heyman Award (Best Gimmick): The Latin American Exchange (The Undertaker)
- David Bowie Award (Best Gimmick Overhaul): Kurt Angle (King Booker)
- Zero G Award (Best High Flyer): AJ Styles (Pac)
- Captain Charisma Award: Edge (John Cena)
- 10 Pounds Of Gold Award (Biggest Title Win): Edge, WWE Championship (Rob Van Dam, WWE and ECW Championships)
- Paper Champion Award (Most Undeserving Champion): Rey Mysterio, WWE Heavyweight Championship (Bobby Lashley, ECW Championship)
- Brian Pillman Award (Best Work): Kurt Angle Leaving Wrestling For MMA (Kevin Nash destroying TNA's X Division/Andy Boy Simmonz's career-ending injury)
- Kriss Kross Award (Jump Of The Year): Kurt Angle, WWE To TNA (Jeff Hardy, TNA To WWE)
- Kent Walton Award (Best Commentator): JBL, WWE (Mike Tenay, TNA)
- Feud Of The Year: Edge VS John Cena, WWE (LAX VS AJ Styles & Chris Daniels, TNA)
- Fighting Spirit Award: Bob Holly, Wrestling With A Gaping Back Wound (Bryan Danielson, Wrestling Despite Needing Shoulder Surgery)
- Brown Carrot Award (Worst Of The Year): Eddiesploitation (ECW December To Dismember)
- Sholy Hit Award (Craziest Moment Of The Year): Mick Foley, Wrestling Hardcore Matches at WrestleMania 22 and ECW ONS2 (Christopher Daniels, Suicide Dive At TNA No Surrender)
- Hollywood Hogan Award (Wrestling Movie Of The Year): Nacho Libre (See No Evil)
- King Of The Ring Award (Wrestling Brand Of The Year): WWE Raw (TNA Impact!)
- Big Show Award (PPV Of The Year): TNA Bound For Glory (WWE WrestleMania 22)
- Work Or Shoot Award (Better Year For Wrestling Or MMA): Professional Wrestling (Mixed Martial Arts)
External links
- http://www.fightingspiritmagazine.co.uk/ The Official Website of Fighting Spirit Magazine
