Gabe Sapolsky
Encyclopedia
Gabe Sapolsky is a wrestling personality, the current vice president
of Dragon Gate USA
and owner of Evolve
, and the former booker for Ring of Honor
and Full Impact Pro
.
, graduating in 1990. He received his B.A. in Communications from Temple University
.
(ECW) as a spokesman for the ECW Hotline. He became an official RF Video employee in 2001, shortly after ECW closed.
In 2002, Sapolsky and RF Video founder/owner Rob Feinstein
opened Ring of Honor
(ROH), an independent wrestling promotion. Feinstein was the owner, while Sapolsky was given booking duties. In March 2004, Rob Feinstein publicly sold his share of Ring of Honor to Cary Silkin.
Sapolsky was also the booker for Full Impact Pro
, an independent promotion in Florida that formerly was the sister promotion of Ring of Honor. Sapolsky also used the alter egos Jimmy Bauer and Chris Lovey for commentary.
On October 26, 2008, Ring of Honor made an announcement stating that Gabe Sapolsky was no longer working with Ring of Honor.
ROH released the following statement:
"Ring of Honor is announcing that Gabe Sapolsky will be leaving the company effective immediately. Everybody at ROH would like to thank him for his contributions and wish him well in all future endeavors.
Going forward Ring of Honor will be focusing on the stories and the talent in the ring. The company will have no further comments on this issue or a replacement for Mr. Sapolsky. We would like to thank all of the fans and media who have supported us over the years and look forward to bringing you more great wrestling excitement in the future."
After Gabe's release from Ring Of Honor, he also ceased his roles with Full Impact Pro.
Gabe then did a series of blogs on his My Space page discussing his booking styles.
On April 14, 2009 Gabe Sapolsky announced the launch of Dragon Gate USA
with himself as its Vice President. The promotion's first show was held July 25, 2009 at The Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
.
Gabe Sapolsky has also began helping with the booking duties of the relaunched FWA in England.
In early 2010 Sapolsky co-founded Evolve Wrestling.
article concerning the potential slump in professional wrestling in the wake of the Chris Benoit double murder and suicide
. Sapolsky was featured alongside Roderick Strong
, also representing Ring of Honor
, Brimstone
, representing Pro Wrestling Revolution, and John Cursie of NYWC. Sapolsky stated, "Chris Benoit
was a wrestler's wrestler. It was devastating...we saw our hero fall from grace in the worst way possible. WWE does not represent the entire industry, just because someone is a professional wrestler doesn't automatically put them in this category that they're going to be a drug user."
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
of Dragon Gate USA
Dragon Gate USA
Dragon Gate USA is an American professional wrestling promotion founded in 2009 as an international expansion of the Japanese promotion Dragon Gate.Gabe Sapolsky, former head booker of Ring of Honor, serves as the promotion's Vice President....
and owner of Evolve
Evolve (professional wrestling)
Evolve Wrestling is an American professional wrestling promotion based in the Northeast founded in 2010 by former Ring of Honor booker and current Dragon Gate USA vice president, Gabe Sapolsky, Full Impact Pro owner Sal Hamaoui, and independent wrestler Davey Richards...
, and the former booker for Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
and Full Impact Pro
Full Impact Pro
Full Impact Pro is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Florida. Their shows are taped and then sold as DVDs. Full Impact Pro was the sister promotion of Ring of Honor until 2009...
.
Early life
He attended the Runkle Elementary School and later Brookline High SchoolBrookline High School
Brookline High School is a four-year public high school in the town of Brookline, Massachusetts, in the United States.As of the 2007-08 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,826 students and 136 teachers , for a student-teacher ratio of 13.4 to 1 teacher.-Education:Almost every senior in...
, graduating in 1990. He received his B.A. in Communications from Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
.
Career
Sapolsky began his career with Extreme Championship WrestlingExtreme Championship Wrestling
Extreme Championship Wrestling was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1992 by Tod Gordon and closed when his successor, Paul Heyman, declared bankruptcy in April 2001...
(ECW) as a spokesman for the ECW Hotline. He became an official RF Video employee in 2001, shortly after ECW closed.
In 2002, Sapolsky and RF Video founder/owner Rob Feinstein
Rob Feinstein
Robert Feinstein is the owner and operator of RF Video , who were best known as the videographers of Extreme Championship Wrestling...
opened Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
(ROH), an independent wrestling promotion. Feinstein was the owner, while Sapolsky was given booking duties. In March 2004, Rob Feinstein publicly sold his share of Ring of Honor to Cary Silkin.
Sapolsky was also the booker for Full Impact Pro
Full Impact Pro
Full Impact Pro is an American independent professional wrestling promotion based in Florida. Their shows are taped and then sold as DVDs. Full Impact Pro was the sister promotion of Ring of Honor until 2009...
, an independent promotion in Florida that formerly was the sister promotion of Ring of Honor. Sapolsky also used the alter egos Jimmy Bauer and Chris Lovey for commentary.
On October 26, 2008, Ring of Honor made an announcement stating that Gabe Sapolsky was no longer working with Ring of Honor.
ROH released the following statement:
"Ring of Honor is announcing that Gabe Sapolsky will be leaving the company effective immediately. Everybody at ROH would like to thank him for his contributions and wish him well in all future endeavors.
Going forward Ring of Honor will be focusing on the stories and the talent in the ring. The company will have no further comments on this issue or a replacement for Mr. Sapolsky. We would like to thank all of the fans and media who have supported us over the years and look forward to bringing you more great wrestling excitement in the future."
After Gabe's release from Ring Of Honor, he also ceased his roles with Full Impact Pro.
Gabe then did a series of blogs on his My Space page discussing his booking styles.
On April 14, 2009 Gabe Sapolsky announced the launch of Dragon Gate USA
Dragon Gate USA
Dragon Gate USA is an American professional wrestling promotion founded in 2009 as an international expansion of the Japanese promotion Dragon Gate.Gabe Sapolsky, former head booker of Ring of Honor, serves as the promotion's Vice President....
with himself as its Vice President. The promotion's first show was held July 25, 2009 at The Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
.
Gabe Sapolsky has also began helping with the booking duties of the relaunched FWA in England.
In early 2010 Sapolsky co-founded Evolve Wrestling.
Other media
Gabe Sapolsky was featured in a NewsdayNewsday
Newsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
article concerning the potential slump in professional wrestling in the wake of the Chris Benoit double murder and suicide
Chris Benoit double murder and suicide
The Chris Benoit double murder suicide occurred over a three-day period ending on June 24, 2007. World Wrestling Entertainment professional wrestler Chris Benoit killed his wife, Nancy Benoit, strangled his seven-year-old son, Daniel, and subsequently committed suicide by hanging. Autopsy results...
. Sapolsky was featured alongside Roderick Strong
Roderick Strong
Chris Lindsey is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Roderick Strong. Strong currently competes in several independent promotions, most notably Ring of Honor , Full Impact Pro , and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla .He initially debuted as The Jester on the Floridian...
, also representing Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
, Brimstone
Brimstone (wrestler)
William M. Kucmierowski is an American professional wrestler, actor, author, and philanthropist who is better known by his shortened name Will Kaye or his ring name, Brimstone....
, representing Pro Wrestling Revolution, and John Cursie of NYWC. Sapolsky stated, "Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
was a wrestler's wrestler. It was devastating...we saw our hero fall from grace in the worst way possible. WWE does not represent the entire industry, just because someone is a professional wrestler doesn't automatically put them in this category that they're going to be a drug user."
Awards and accomplishments
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- Best Booker (2004-2007)