Sami Callihan

[9.0] "Sami was always a very good and versatile wrestler. During his time in CZW, there wasn't a thing Sami couldn't do. He could do deathmatch (or hardcore, a term not often heard in CZW), he could do technical wrestling, he did it all. He participated in a Tournament of Death, but his forte was the Best of the Best. You know what atomic bombs are? The ones that fall from the sky and explode and destroy everything? That's what Sami Callihan was like in his prime in CZW: Iron Man Champion, Junior Heavyweight Champion, UVU Champion. His achievements speak for themselves, demonstrating his worth and versatility. That's my Sami Callihan."

[0.0] "Honestly, this wrestler provokes more negativity in me than even Will Ospreay and Kyle Fletcher. Because of his presence, I didn't want to watch TNA/Impact. Although TNA was in its prime a kick-ass promotion and a great alternative to WWE in the market when AEW didn't even exist yet. But Sami is unpleasant to me because of his character. His feuds with Tessa Blanchard are disgusting. I saw his match with Pentagon and I think selling Callihan is terrible, when he's given a superkick and then starts spitting, vomiting, and whining. It's such overacting. The acting is terrible. As a hardcore, he's poppy. There are way more brutal hardcore guys like Mick Foley, Nick Gage, Masha Slamovich, Abdullah The Butcher, Jon Moxley, Necro Butcher, and so on. Against them, Sami Callihan just comes off as a poppy babyface with the look of a guy who looks dirty, and poorly. And outside of hardcore, he can't put on an interesting wrestling match. He also lacks any interesting or original moves in his arsenal, and he often forgets about selling when he's taken a dangerous move to the neck or head."

[10.0] "A true professional one of my all time fave TNA wrestlers during his peak his matches against Tessa Blanchard and Pentagon are iconic matches that will go down in history. A very good storyteller if Sami is done with wrestling for good it is a huge loss but hopefully he sticks around as he has fantastic wrestling brain"

[10.0] "A great mind for the business and a damn good wrestler at his peak Sami just lost a career match to Santana if this is the end what a career. Matches against Pentagon Blanchard Omega. Sami is one of the Goats in this era of Tna."

"Sami to me has always been one of the key figures and players for TNA/Impact for good and bad. He's made a name for himself on the independents with his brutal brawling hardcore style do fit him well and he's spent many years crafting that image, him and Mox are two sides of the same coin honestly one is just in a much more major position in wrestling right now as of late. Sami is one of thee most brutal and hardcore types for TNA, loves to bleed, get into backroom brawls and hardcore types of matches of numerous types. Mox always must bleed in whatever matches he is in or who he's facing and will do more insane brutal matches like Sami. The sad part in my opinion, if it was still a few years ago say 2017-2018 you'd be seeing Sami in so much better of a light than he now, when he was the TNA champion when the company needed sturdy and strong champions while TNA was in turmoil and he more than delivered being the first champion on AXIS for the company and beating Tessa for the title making it seem more worth it in the long run. Sami really needs to find a new groove or gimmick for his character to change to gain the momentum he once had, he's been to WWE and it fizzled quick but now with TNA being partners with the fed I can hope that better things for Sami are in the future whether its better feuds or opportunities as a coach or trainer for the fed or TNA. Or he can go run Wrestling Revolver and be happy with Jessica, i just hope Sami finds himself in a similar position as he was in 2018."

[6.0] "Sami Callihan is a polarizing figure -- gritty, intense, and committed to his character, but not without flaws. He carved out a strong presence on the independent scene and found a real home in Impact Wrestling, where his chaotic, brawling style and unhinged persona clicked with the promotion's tone. His work as the leader of oVe and his world title run helped carry Impact during a time when it needed strong, defining characters, and to his credit, he delivered that with full force. However, Callihan's in-ring style can be sloppy and overly reliant on shock value or brutality for the sake of it. He's had memorable feuds and moments, but not many truly great matches. His WWE run as Solomon Crowe fizzled fast, and outside of Impact, he's struggled to maintain consistent momentum. His promos can be intense, but not always compelling, and sometimes his work feels more performative than believable. A 6 reflects what he is -- a strong character guy with a niche appeal, capable of carrying storylines in the right environment but limited in versatility and polish. He's valuable in the right role, but not a game-changer"

[4.0] "Sami has an obvious passion for wrestling and is influenced by people like Terry Funk. The problem is that, unlike Funk, Sami can't wrestle any other style except hardcore or his match isn't interesting. He also has terrible gear and look overall. He's very slovenly looking and whether that's part of his gimmick or not I can't tell nor can I tell if his jet black, fried hair is supposed to look bad intentionally. He always looks better when it's shaved off. He also turns an uncomfortable shade of dark red/purple during his matches to the point I become concerned for his well being. That's usually a sign of breathing or heart problems."

[6.0] "Sami has earned his place in wrestling history, in ring and out of the ring. But right now, he looks so unhealthy and it shows in his ring work."

[5.0] "Sami's always known what he wants to be and what style he likes in his wrestling, but I don't think it's always been a style that people have liked. For a period of like 18-24 months after his WWE release, Sami Callihan was one of the hottest commodities on the indies and put out excellent matches & promos over and over across the US and the world, bringing prestige to companies like AAW in the process...and then, he just stopped. He kept working, finding multiple deals with televised promotions, but that magic of his post-release run dissipated almost overnight. I don't think the SpaceCat gimmick was what killed it since it was short-lived and not used across every promotion, but it didn't help either. It was like he just ran out of steam and kept going on pure momentum, rarely showing signs of interest again in Impact. His pre-WWE work has less than 10 standout matches split between brawls and deathmatches, and his past five years have had about the same, but man that late 2015 through mid 2017 Callihan was lightning in a bottle; if you don't like his work I'm honestly right there with you at this point but I'd highly recommend his work with Penta & Fenix in AAW circa 2016-2017 when those two were also hot off of Lucha Underground's early seasons. EDIT: Callihan's return to TNA has me realize just how far he's fallen since that short great indie run, and how I actively do not want to see him wrestle anymore. At this point he's had an 18 year career with at least 15 years worth being incredibly mid and a golden run right in the middle to show you that he COULD have been more. As such, I'm bringing my rating down to a 5."

[7.0] "Im starting to like him. maybe it's because hes done his character for so long that his character never feels over the top for an edgy character yet he always does enough. like he does some corny stuff but he pulls it off haha his actual wrestling is pretty decent but its never gonna knock your socks off and thats alright, he still has great moments in matches."

[2.0] "The man is literally just shorter and chubbier version of Jon Moxley. Another outlaw deathmatch guy, who somehow gained popularity in somewhat mainstream wrestling. Generic fake bad ass mentality, constant no selling, I don't even know if he can work basic wrestling match. Just watched his match with Kojima in MLW and he was just awful in it. This man also known for his incidents where he was unsafe with other workers.1 point for his promotion which at least better than GCW and 1 point for some watchable matches in TNA."

[5.0] "Sami has had a few very good pro wrestling matches here and there but mostly you know you are getting nothing more than something that will be "fine". He won't shit the bed but you won't really remember much. He has been downcycled in Impact in recent years as he slows down and they have better performers they can rely on."

[5.0] "I've never gotten the appeal. Sami's not awful, but he feels like a guy who should have never gotten past the midcard anywhere."

[4.0] "Callihan just doesn't do it for me. He's certainly not bad or anything, but his character or in ring work has never impressed me. I think he has a sloppy look and is prone to botches as well, most infamously the baseball bat spot."

[6.0] "Had a truly wonderful match with Kenny Omega a few years ago but hasn't impressed me much beyond that."

[8.0] "A good wrestler and an even better deathmatch wrestler, and always a great promo capable of telling an amazing story."

[6.0] "God he's so funny to watch. He takes himself too seriously with his promos and matches that I almost love him for it. Jokes aside he can be very good given the right circumstances like his matches with Pentagon and a great match with Low Ki in AAW. Stuff just needs to line up right for him because if it isnt a sprint or brawl its extremely hit or miss."

[10.0] "Defiantly one of the most underrated wrestlers today. Callihan is one of those guys who love what he does. He is so good at the ring abd even a better promo. Also I love his unique character. I hope Impact book this guy the right way when he returns and put the world title on him again. This time with a good reign ofc."

[8.0] "A scrawny hardcore specialist that has slowly morphed into the hatable scourge of the indies and IMPACT after a decade of hard work. Whether playing the begrudging antihero or a disgusting heel, Sami at his best is desperate, hard-hitting, and primal, however his stature and attitude may not be to everyone's taste. Great matches in AAW MLW and TNA. Check out his barnburner vs Low Ki and his feud against Tessa Blanchard."

[1.0] "Just cannot get into this guy. Don't like the matches, the promos, the look, none of it works for me. I see the effort but, with very rare exceptions, he is almost always a big turnoff for me."

[10.0] "Sami is the best! the hybrid style he does is my cup of tea. He's tied for my #1 of all time for me with Jeff Hardy & AJ Styles!"

[4.0] "Sami Callihan was only interesting to me when he was teaming up with Jon Moxley. Aside from that, he's never been my favorite to watch."

[10.0] "Sami is a very talented guy. He can be good as a technician, as a brawler, as a hardcore wrestler - a very unique athlete. He also has a very interesting character in Impact right now."

[6.0] "He can be okay but does seem like a one trick pony at times. Quite often does Disgusting stuff which is hard to watch."

[4.0] "Callihan is a ok worker but it's blatantly obvious that he uses the whole hardcore gimmick as a clutch for his mediocre wrestling. I can't really buy this dude as a tough guy given his small stature and him being overweight: usually don't rag on this but if your whole gimmick is based around how physical you are, those factors become relevant. He had ok runs in Lucha Underground and NJPW for how short they were, but everywhere else he's just not fantastic. Nothing about the guy screams main event, and him being in current TNA, usually considered to be almost the bottom of the barrel, doesn't help things either. No ring psychology, no focus on limb damage or any kind of angle in his matches, and his promos are completely forgetable."

[9.0] "Sami Callihan has developed into the ultimate heel. He is just evil. He's worked so hard to push his character and improve his ringwork. His reward is the Impact World Championship after an intense feud with Brian Cage. He is made for Impact and has swiftly made their weekly show unmissable."

[5.0] "Decent worker but a lousy gimmick. God bless him he's committed to it, but the intensity is misapplied."

[6.0] "Not terrible, but not my taste. I watched him fail in NXT & since then he's become completely reliant on doing hardcore matches. He's limited in the ring & the gross out spitting stuff just makes me want to change the channel. He has some decent mic skills though & has been able to put together some intriguing feuds over the past few years."

[10.0] "I love Sami. He is one of my favorites in the indy scene today. Nxt didn't work out so he re-invented himself on the indies, as has since worked for all the major wrestling promotions including impact, lucha underground and even njpw for the tag league."

"unsafe dangerous worker - bad attitude - known to hurt other performers by being reckless. overweight / in bad shape."

[6.0] "Sami Callihan is the character you created in Smackdown vs Raw as an edgy teenager. He looks like it, acts like it, and has the hardcore style every edgy teen likes. I'm not into it."

[8.0] "Over the years Sami has gradually built his way up to be one of the top names on the indies. Personally, I think he's much better on his own than with his current entourage of oVe. He's a fantastic heel. The exposure he gets on Impact every week has helped him a lot with extra bookings and things of that nature. WWE really screwed him up when they signed him in 2015. The hacker gimmick they gave him was not dreadful, but it just was not for Sami, the Soloman Crowe ring name they gave him was ok, but everyone in the industry has always known him as Sami Callihan, and to change that going into one of the biggest companies in the industry, I think Sami saw the writing on the wall and got out while he was still in developmental. Good for him and it's done him no harm at all and he's probably making great money right now and has freedom to wrestle when he wants. Wish for only more good things for him in the future. Good luck Sami! Side note: He's still young too, 31! Got many years ahead barring any injuries/personal life issues."

[7.0] "Sami is an good wrestler who early on in his career made a name as a deathmatch wrester as a part of the Switchblade Conspiracy with Jon Moxely. Now he seems to be one of the biggest names in the Indies, proforming for big promotions like Lucha Underground, Impact Wrestling and MLW. WWE missed a big opportunity."

[3.0] "I've watched his work in multiple promotions, and just don't see the appeal. Suspension of belief just doesn't work for me that he can effectively portray a loose cannon badass. The guy looks like he could be featured in an episode of "when treasure trolls go bad. " He's a solid worker, but the gimmick just doesn't work for me, and completely pulls me out of having any investment in the character."

[4.0] "This guy is a pretty damn good worker, pulls off his loose cannon gimmick reasonably well and I'm a big fan of his corner kicks. The reason this rating is so low is because of how much god damn posing he does. Before and after virtually every move he spends several seconds standing there with a super serious face, like he's trying to hype the crowd up. I can't get into a wrestler who wants to come off like a badass but spends so much time playing to the crowd. Just do your thing, beat the piss out of your opponent and that will get over by itself. This guy could learn a thing or two from Ishii."

[10.0] "Where do we start? So much Charisma and Skill. A very interesting Character. The characteristic I enjoy the most about this charm is probably his will to prove himself and willingness to shock the Fans and do whatever they want."

[8.0] "A workhorse who is excellent when it comes to putting on action packed sprints - he can handle long, storytelling matches too though. I definitely dig the Callihan Death Machine."

[8.0] "Since being released from NxT, this guy is on fire. I love his promos - always have - and I think he's one of the most violent wrestler on planet earth: not for the movset itself, but for the way he does his things. His feud with Pentagon Jr. and Fenix is great. I would love to see him in a bigger stage like NJPW or Lucha Underground."

[8.0] "Callihan made his name on the independents with an adaptable ring style that was made him equally at home in technical wrestling bouts, brawls and even death matches. He also developed a compelling persona and very strong skills at selling and cutting promos. His time in the WWE developmental system - under the name Solomon Crowe - unfortunately, but perhaps unsurprisingly, didn't work out (smaller wrestlers with more mat-based ring styles have traditionally struggled in that company; WWE, after all, couldn't figure out what to do even with the likes of Dean Malenko and Jerry Lynn), but now that he's back on the indies he should have no difficulty getting prominent bookings and hopefully will return to the national stage with a company more able to make use of his unique skills."

[9.0] "Solid in-ring skills and a fantastic gimmick and mic-skills make Solomon Crowe one of the most underrated performers in WWE now. I can't seem to understand why he can't get over in NXT, especially now that WWE has done so many call ups, NXT needs to build some solid midcard and main event wrestlers. As a badass face or a terrifying heel, this guy is a great wrestler... just underutilized, that's all."

[6.0] "He needs a push! he was good and has a good theme to himself but he is way underused and this is because he doesn't "fit in" with the WWE style. He is a bit different than most."

[9.0] "I love his gimmick. he is great on mic. I also love his work with jon moxely a. k. a dean ambrose. nice team. I don't think he is qualified enough to become nxt champ but I hope he doesn't become a jobber like his former buddy ambrose."

[10.0] "Sami is without a doubt one of the most brilliant and complex characters I've seen. He has an obsession that grow inside him every time he loses and he played it very well. You can see the story of his life in every match he wrestles, the psychology and storytelling he shown always are just perfect. In his promos you can see his deep, his emotions, awesome promo-cutter who sometimes reminded me of Raven. Furthermore, he is very good in-ring wrestler and he also has a good technical skills. I really hope WWE will take him seriously, cause this guy can be easily in the top."

[9.0] "Came out of nowhere to become one of the best in the indy scene. Can have a good match with just about anyone. Promos are at least decent and his charisma is great. His first brawl with Finlay was excellent and memorable, and he put on a performance similar to the kind William Regal does in the CZW Best of the Best Finals in 2012."

[10.0] "An absolute machine of charisma, Sami Callihan has an unique perspective of wrestling that makes everybody look at him. Full of magnetic charisma, he is commited to his character with a passion that transcend the fourth wall. In addition to his demeanor and his varied and interesting athleticism, he also shows a deep understanding of business, creating or elevating whole cards into quality material (Ex : American Luchacore, NWA Force-1, etc... ). He is an unvaluable asset to wrestling and will go straight to the top if this world is fair."

[10.0] "Very technique wrestler! His ring skills is professional. Talented and perspective person... 10!"