I have followed Chicago independent wrestling for a long time and have never seen it any better than it is today. There are so many companies putting on great shows. As much as I would like, I cannot make it to every show.

To keep me updated on what I miss, I always go to Windy City Slam, run by long-time journalist and friend Mike Pankow. Windy City Slam “goes inside pro wrestling from Chicago to around the world.” It’s not just a good tagline. Windy City Slam goes deep into the Chicago wrestling scene through live coverage, updates, recaps and interesting interviews. Mike also gets the big news from the major companies. If it is happening in pro wrestling, Mike is on it.

While I skim the surface of the pop culture world, occasionally dipping into pro wrestling, Mike and Windy City Slam are entrenched in wrestling. That’s why I go to Windy City Slam for my wrestling info. That’s also why I interview Mike every few months, to get a clear picture on the state of wrestling, especially in the Chicago area.

Last week, I did just that and Mike delivered as always. Mike started by giving his picks for the best wrestlers currently on the local scene and those who he views as rising stars. I must point out Mike has an outstanding scout’s eye, having previously named Billie Starkz and Skye Blue as future stars and they are well on their way now in All Elite Wrestling.

I asked Mike to assess the state of AEW, a young company that has experienced great highs and lows. Mike gave a great evaluation.

Lastly, I asked Mike for his thoughts on two area legends. Mike discussed the in-ring retirement of “Psychotic” Jimmy Blaze of POWW Entertainment. From his days as Fireman Jim to operating the longest-running area company, Blaze has done it all. He stepped away from the ring, but is still running OOWW and training future stars. Mike and I both gave well-earned praise to Blaze.

Also earning our applause was “The Ego” Robert Anthony, who will run the first show of Ego Wrestling in March. There is nobody better to start a new company than Ego. It should be a great show and Ego Wrestling seems to have a bright future.

I appreciate Mike for his time and thoughts. It’s great to get a refresher on area news from the best source. I will check back with Mike in a few months to get his mid-year update.