Friend Encounters: Mya Caras & Mike Pankow

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

Mike Pankow is the Dean of Chicago wrestling writers. Mike's Windy City Slam is a great place for wrestling recaps, interviews, calendars and more of Chicago area wrestling and the big companies, too. Mike is basically a one man show, although at times, he has used a few helpers, myself included. It's always a pleasure to contribute anything to Mike's work.

Rocket Pro Wrestling based in Joliet is one of Mike's regular coverage spots and justifiably so. First, he lives near there. Perhaps more important, Roclet Pro is one of the best companies around.

At the January RPW show, Mike was there early as usual, getting quotes, pictures, setting up interviews and more for future coverage. "The Muscle Mommy" Mya Caras was one of the many wrestlers Mike saw. Caras is a powerhouse.

I am very impressed with the little I have seen of her. I am curious to see where she fits in with RPW. They don't have a women's division or even women's matches. Will she battle men? Will they bring in more women?

From her looks and moves I have seen, I think she could be believable in battling men. Granted, it might be a stretch to see her face the bigger men like Marshe Rockett, but I could see her feuding with some of the others before hopefully settling into a new women's division. RPW is ready for a women's division.

For more info on Mike's work or RPW, go to WindyCitySlam.com. You can also go directly to RocketProWrestling.com.

Mike and Mya Caras in Joliet, IL-January 2025.

On the Beat with Mike Pankow of Windy City Slam

A couple weeks ago, I interviewed veteran journalist Mike Pankow of Windy City Slam. Mike is considered to be the Dean of Chicago area wrestling writers.

Mike started by giving his thoughts on the 2024 Chicago area wrestling scene, including best rookies, most improved and best overall. Mike looked ahead to this year for his picks to watch. He also picked a few potential winners and surprises for WWE men's and women's Royal Rumbles, as well as the current state of AEW. Lastly, Mike put on his promoter's cap to analyze a startup balancing using veteran Chicago talent versus bringing in outsiders.

It's always great to get Mike's opinions. The man knows his stuff, as evidenced by his site. WCS has outstanding coverage of the local wrestling companies, along with the big news from the national companies. His catalog of interviews is reason enough to check his site, but there is a lot more.

Check out Mike's thoughts at On the Beat With Mike Pankow. Also, check out Mike's site at windycityslam.com.

Friend Encounters: Regan Lydale and Mike Pankow

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

Today features a veteran and a youngin'. That would be Mike Pankow and Regan Lydale, respectively.

Mike is a veteran journalist and the creator of Windy City Slam, a wrestling news site and podcast. Mike has done so much work in wrestling, he is a celebrity in his own right. Everyone knows when Mike is on the scene, it is a big event.

Regan is the youngster, with barely a year on her professional resume, but several years of actual wrestling training. I have known Regan for a long time and have watched her progress, which has been amazing. First trained by my pal Tommy Else, then with the Freelance Academy, Regan has worked hard on her overall skill set and it shows. She is already very popular with the crowd, while ever-improving in the ring. She still has a way to go, only because she is so young, but she is way ahead of most her age.

I encourage everyone to checkout Regan on social media and wrestling events. Also, go to WindyCitySlam.com to see Mike's great coverage.

Mike Pankow and Regan Lydale in Joliet, IL-March 2024.

On the Beat with Mike Pankow

I have known Mike Pankow many years. He is another person whose path I crossed many times at various conventions and wrestling events.

A longtime journalist, Mike combined his passion for wrestling with his writing skills to produce Windy City Slam, a website devoted to wrestling.

I dabble in covering wrestling. I skim the surface all over the scene. Mike, however, digs deep into the world of pro wrestling. He appears at as many area shows as his work schedule allows and he also reports on the big companies. He has interesting interviews with great independent wrestlers and even big stars, like Mick Foley and the Road Warrior Animal.

Last week, I had the pleaure of interviewing Mike to get his take on the Chicago area wrestling scene. He gave me his current favorites and some rising stars. Then I asked for his take on where All Elite Wrestling is. Finally, we wrapped with him talking about two of the area's best, "The Ego" Robert Anthony and "Psychotic" Jimmy Blaze.

You can watch our interview at On the Beat with Mike Pankow. Also, check WindyCitySlam.com to see all of Mike's great coverage.

Friend Encounters: Jason Midas and Mike Pankow

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

Most pictures of Jason Midas show him pulling shenanigans to help his wrestlers win matches. Today, we see a slightly different Midas, one hanging out and without his glitzy ring gear.

We also see sports journalist Mike Pankow somewhat off duty. While Mike was at a wrestling event, it was well before the matches started. He was just there for a bit to mingle with folks.

These are two of the best at what they do. In an era of dwindling manager roles in wrestling, Midas proves the importance of the role. As the man behind Windy City Slam, Mike delivers all the enws of local wrestling, while also covering wrestling worldwide. Both men are very busy and are seen at many places. 

I encourage all to check out Mike's work at WindyCitySlam.com. Also, follow both on social media to see where they will pop up next. Midas will always entertain and Mike will always inform.

Mike Pankow and Jason Midas in Long Grove, IL-August 2023.

Friend Encounters: Maggie Lee and Mike Pankow

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

I have known Mike Pankow for many years. We crossed paths at wrestling events all over the Chicago area.

A few years ago, Mike started Windy City Slam, a wrestling website and podcast. Mike is a one man show, covering wrestling in the midwest, but also big news around the world. 

Obviously, I cover wrestling, too, but admittedly not as in depth as Mike. He sometimes covers multiple events in one day. I have sen him come to a wrestling show, get some content and leave before the matches even start because he had somewhere else to go.

Mike is a great guy and definitely passionate and knowledgeable about wrestling. Windy City Slam has grown a lot in a short time and is one of the most respected wrestling sites.

With his background, he obviously knows talent. He took the pic below with Maggie Lee, a young wrestler who appears to have a bright future. I might have to have an interview with Mike to get his scouting report on Maggie and others. 

Check WindyCitySlam.com to see Mike's great work. Keep your eye out for him at wrestling shows and talk wrestling with him.

Mike Pankow and Maggie Lee in Long Grove, IL-August 2023.

Friend Encounters: Mike Pankow and Sean Lennon

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

I don't know why I am featuring Mike Pankow and Sean Lennon. They are my bitter rivals in the cut throat world of reporting on pro wrestling.

Actually, there is no bitter rivalry. We are all friends. Besides, I do not cover wrestling exclusively like they do.

Through his Windy City Slam website and podcast, Mike does a fantastic job of covering the world of wrestling. Sean does the same with his Pro Wrestling Enforcer podcast. Between the three of us, we are pretty much at (or at least report on) every wrestling event in the Chicago area and elsewhere, too.

We have crossed paths many times. I have pictures with each, but none with all three of us. That would be like a mini-Mount Rushmore of independent wrestling reporters. LOL Seriously though, the picture of the three of us is a goal for this year.

I dabble in wrestling, but Mike and Sean dive deeply into it. I encouarege all wrestling fans to check out both of their projects.

Check WindyCitySlam.com for Mike's coverage. Check Pro Wrestling Enforcer Podcast on Facebook for Sean's coverage.

Mike Pankow and Sean Lennon in Long Grove, IL-August 2023.

Mike Pankow at C2E2 2020

I have known Mike Pankow for many years. Our paths crossed at comic cons and wrestling events.

Right before the pandemic, our paths merged at C2E2, when I assisted Mike with a few interviews he conducted with wrestlers. I was glad to help him and it was interesting to work video while someone else did the interview for another site.

Mike's site is Windy City Slam. He focuses on the Chicago wrestling scene, but also covers all wrestling. Ever versatile, Mike sometimes serves as a photog for various wrestling companies. In short, he is a fixture around wrestling rings in Chicago.

Mike does great work and works hard at it. He's a great guy, too. I applaud his success and always like seeing him at events.

Check WindyCitySlam.com to see all of his work and to keep updated on wrestling news. Also, check C2E2.com for all the info.

Mike Pankow and me in Chicago, IL-March 2020

On the Beat With Mike Pankow of Windy City Slam

I enjoy interviewing folks from all fields. It is even better when I get to interview a friend and talk wrestling. Such was the case when I interviewed longtime friend and journalist Mike Pankow of Windy City Slam. Our interview is at On the Beat With Mike Pankow.

Mike has been a professional journalist for more than two decades and a wrestling fan even longer. Combining his passions, Mike created Windy City Slam, a website “going inside pro wrestling from the Chicago scene to around the world.”

Mike isn't an armchair journalist either. There's a good chance you will see him at a Chicago area independent wrestling show almost every weekend. Whether he is shooting pictures, doing interviews, lining up guests for his podcast, writing a recap or sometimes simply enjoying the action, Mike is a fixture on the wrestling scene.

We started with Mike giving his thoughts on the WWE Women's Royal Rumble, as well as the women's matches at WrestleMania. That led to Mike's thoughts on underrated or underutilized women wrestlers in the big companies. We then moved to the independent scene, with Mike picking some of his favorites and also some underrated ladies, too. I put Mike on the hot seat and asked for his Mount Rushmore of big and small wrestling companies and he delivered as expected. Mike finished by briefly discussing the indy companies he covers.

That was a lot of territory to cover in a relatively short time. Ever the pro, Mike was concise, while still giving thoughtful and thorough answers. It's the same approach Mike takes with Windy City Slam.

Thank you to Mike for his time and insight. I encourage everyone to check out Mike's work on WindyCitySlam.com. Also, check out his podcast section. He has some great names from all over the world of wrestling.

Friend Encounters: Cora Jade and Mike Pankow

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities

Fellow journalist Mike Pankow and I have run across each other many times at events. He is the creative force behind Windy City Slams, a website and podcast. I have even had the pleasure of helping Mike on a few interviews.

Obviously, Mike has met many wrestlers. Today, he is featured with a young wrestler he met on her way up. I'll let Mike explain. 

"I was fortunate enough to get a pic and autograph with a local wrestler named Elayna Black at a Freelance Underground show in Joliet. Fast forward a year later and Elayna is now in NXT and known as Cora Jade. Amazing journey for sure!"

The 20 year old Jade was trained at the Freelance Wrestling Academy by Bryce Benjamin, among others. Jade spent time in Impact Wrestling and All Elite Wrestling before joining the WWE.

While Mike didn't "discover" Jade, he definitely was one of the first to cover her and showcase her to wrestling fans through his work. Jade is just one of dozens (hundreds?) of wrestlers Mike has covered on WSC.

Go to WindyCitySlam.com to see all of Mike's wrestling stories and interviews. Prepare to spend some time there, because WCS is loaded with great stuff.

Mike Pankow and Cora Jade in Joliet, IL-February 2020.

Friend Encounters: Dennis Rodman and Mike Pankow

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

Longtime journalist Mike Pankow is the man behind Windy City Slam, a great website focused on the wrestling scene from Chicago and around the world. I don't know how he covers so much stuff. He is a machine.

I have been privileged to help Mike a few times with interviews. Cameraman Johngy is always ready and happy to contribute to Windy City Slam any time.

While Mike is achieving legendary status as a wrestling journalist, he meets a lot of other legends. One of those was NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman. "The Worm" won titles with the Chicago Bulls and the Detroit Pistons, but he also made several appearances in the wrestling ring. He debuted in WCW in the NWO along with Hollywood Hulk Hogan. Rodman was actually decent in wrestling, for an outsider. I'm sure his practice was limited, but he did okay in the ring and certainly brought attention to the company.

The two legends met at the Baseball Card Exchange in Schererville, IN a few years ago. Unfortunately, Mike did not get an interview with him. Unfortunately #2, I wasn't there to witness the meeting or to meet Rodman.

Go to WindyCitySlam.com to check out Mike's great site. If you're a wrestling fan, there is a lot of awesome material there.

Mike Pankow and Dennis Rodman in Schererville, IN-March 2015.

On The Beat With Mike Pankow of Windy City Slam

Mike Pankow and I have crossed passed personally and professionally for years. We shared an interest in celebrities, wrestling and more.

A couple years ago, Mike started Windy City Slam, a website covering the world of wrestling in Chicago and around the world. Mike features the big companies, like the WWE, AEW and Impact, but also shines the spotlight on Chicago area independent companies. It's a great combination of all worlds of wrestling.

Mike is a good guy and a tireless worker. A veteran journalist, Mike knows how to get a story and an interview. At Wizard World a couple years back, he scored interviews with Mick Foley, Tommy Dreamer and more. Over the years, he also had a couple very important interviews with Chris Nowinski, a former wrestler and co-founder of the Concussion Legacy Foundation.

I have wanted to interview Mike for a while and the pandemic presented the opportunity. With no live Chicago events, Mike has a little extra time.

Mike talked about the history of Windy City Slam, some of his favorite interviews and wrestlers, his thoughts on AEW and more. As a knowledgeable fan and journalist, Mike has interesting thoughts on all.

After you watch the interview, check out WindyCitySlam.com. Also, follow Windy City Slam on Facebook for news and updates. 

Friend Encounters: Sparky D. Dragon and Mike Pankow

This is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

Veteran writer Mike Pankow is the creative force behind Windy City Slam, a website covering professional wrestling in Chicago and around the world. It is a site that is growing in popularity among fans and wrestlers.

I have known of Mike for many years. He has been a fixture on the Chicago sports media scene for many years. I finally met him a few years ago.

Mike is a great guy and the perfect person to run Windy City Slam. I applaud his effort. He had a solid career already, but decided to add another bit to it, covering something he loved. To use the overused cliche, it is a labor of love for Mike, but it is work nonetheless.

Running a news website is so easy task. The world of pro wrestling is busier than ever right now and keeping track and reporting on all takes a lot of time and effort. Mike is handling it well and Windy City Slam is getting better and better.

I see Mike at a lot of conventions these days. I have even had the pleasure of helping Mike with some interviews. I am just happy to have contributed a little bit to Windy City Slam.

When he isn't busy on his job or Windy City Slam, Mike is still a big sports fan. Recently, he attended a UIC men's basketball game and had a little fun with Sparky D. Dragon. It's a cool name for a mascot of the Flames, who were named as a reference to the Great Chicago Fire, which started near the UIC campus.

Mike is working hard to make Windy City Slam a success and I encourage all to give it a look. Even if you aren't a wrestling fan, the site is very well done and you just might become a fan.

Check out WindyCitySlam.com for wrestling news in Chicago and around the world. Also, follow Windy City Slam on Facebook for more frequent updates.

Sparky D. Dragon and Mike Pankow in Chicago, IL-January 2020.

Friend Encounters; Wayne Larravee and Mike Pankow

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

I have known Mike Pankow for several years. Mike is a legit journalist, having worked for several media outlets through the years. Currently, he is a sports copy editor at the Chicago Tribune and a writer/copy editor at UIC Alumni magazine.
As if that is not enough to keep him busy, Mike started Windy City Slam, a website covering wrestling locally and worldwide. Last year, I had the pleasure of helping Mike with a few wrestler interviews at Wizard World. Mike is a great guy and I was happy to contribute to Windy City Slam.
Anyone can have a website, but running a successful website is a big challenge. There are a lot of wrestling sites out there, but not many are different or interesting enough to make me want to return. Mike's early work with Windy City Slam shows great hope for the site's future.
Mike obviously has a passion for wrestling. He is hardworking, dedicated and focused on making Windy City Slam a success. I think he'll do well and I hope to join him for future ventures.
At a recent UIC basketball game, Mike met broadcasting legend Wayne Larravee. Actually, I see this as two media legends.
Larravee is beloved by Chicago fans for all of his work, especially his time with the Chicago Bears. Despite moving to Wisconsin, Larravee will always hold a special place in Chicagoans' hearts. We hated seeing him leave here, but he went where his heart is and we can respect that.
I highly encourage anyone, especially wrestling fans, to check out WindyCitySlam.com. Despite it still being in the early stages, Windy City Slam has a lot of content and it is growing bigger and better.

Mike Pankow and Wayne Larravee in Chicago, IL-January 2019.

Mike Pankow at Wizard World Chicago 2017

I've know Mike Pankow for many years.  Despite the fact he is a grad of St. laurence High School, I still think he's a good guy.  (Just joking...high school rivalries didn't even mean much to me when I was in high school, let alone 35 years later).

Mike is a Sports Copy Editor at the Chicago Tribune.  Anyone who is surviving in the print industry these days earns my respect.  Mike i also the Social Media Coordinator at The Hockey Cup.  Over the years, he has held many positions in print and online media.  He's a talented and genuinely good guy.

Occasionally our paths cross professionally.  Such was the case at the Wizard World convention in Chicago a few months ago.  I don't see how Wizard World fits into the world of sports covered by the Trib, but maybe he was pulling double duty as their Entertainment Correspondent.  Hey, whatever works.  In either case, Mike was present and having fun, as was I.

Mike gets extra points for wearing a Squared Circle tshirt.  The Squared Circle was the restaurant owned and operated by wrestling legend Lisa Marie Varon.  I loved and miss that place.

Wizard World is such a great convention.  Not only do you meet a bunch of interesting celebrities and artists, but you also reconnect with friends you don't see often enough.  

Mike Pankow and me in Rosemont, IL-August 2017.