Fighting Spirit Magazine
{{Infobox magazine
|title=Fighting Spirit Magazine
|image_file= Fighting Spirit Magazine logo.png
|image_size=
|image_caption=
|editor=BriaElliott
|publisher=Uncooked Media
|frequency=Monthly Fighting Spirit Magazine Spirit Magazine
|circulation=
|category=
|company=
|firstdate=13 April 2006
|lastdate=15 August 2019
|country=United Kingdom
|language=English
|website=
|issn=
|price=
|}}
Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM) was a monthly professional wrestling and mixed martial arts magazine published in the United Kingdom by Uncooked Media. The publication launched in 2006, becoming the UK's largest professional wrestling magazine.{{cite web|url=http://www.insanewrestling.co.uk/news/stories/ICW_FSM_Promotion_Of_The_Year_2014/|title=ICW Wins FSM UK Promotion Of The Year For Third Year Running|last=Kennedy|first=Jamie|date=January 22, 2015|publisher=Insane Championship Wrestling|access-date=July 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723015508/http://www.insanewrestling.co.uk/news/stories/ICW_FSM_Promotion_Of_The_Year_2014/|archive-date=July 23, 2015|url-status=dead}} It folded in 2019, being merged into Wrestle Talk magazine.{{cite web|url=https://www.pwinsider.com/article/138994/todd-pettengill-suicide-squadcena-future-stonecutter-media-ppvs-ecws-chilly-willy-new-wrestling-magazine-launches-with-bill-apter-more.html|title=Todd Pettengill, Suicide Squad/Cena, future Stonecutter Media PPVs, ECW's Chilly Willy, new wrestling magazine launches with Bill Apter & more|last=Johnson|first=Mike|date=August 24, 2020|website=PWInsider|access-date=September 23, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://uncookedmedia.co.uk/fighting-spirit/|title=Fighting Spirit|publisher=Uncooked Media|access-date=September 23, 2020}}
Staff
Sportswriter Brian Elliott was the editor of Fighting Spirit Magazine, having previously worked for the Belfast Telegraph in Northern Ireland. FSM feature columnists included professional wrestlers Stone Cold Steve Austin and Nick Aldis as well as Ring of Honor's former executive producer Jim Cornette.{{cite web |url= http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20150201/PC20/150209932/wwe-feeling-aftershocks-of-royal-rumble|title=WWE feeling aftershocks of Royal Rumble|last=Mooneyham|first=Mike|date=February 1, 2015|website=The Post and Courier|publisher=Evening Post Industries|access-date=July 22, 2015}} Guest columns were provided by Bret Hart, Mick Foley and Chris Jericho. Regular feature writers included Michael Campbell, Will Cooling, Justin Henry, John Lister, David Bixenspan and Richard Luck. Former Pro Wrestling Illustrated editor Bill Apter, who had a regular column before being replaced by Cornette, worked on the magazine in an administrative role.
In April 2012, FSM announced that Cornette and Austin would be joining the magazine staff as columnists beginning with issue 79. The additions coincided with changes recently made to the magazine's editorial style, aiming to take a more formal and analytical attitude to reporting. In April 2014, editor Brian Elliott penned an article on the recently-passed Ultimate Warrior, which was re-published on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter site.{{cite web|url=http://www.f4wonline.com/more/more-top-stories/96-wwe/36389-brian-elliott-of-fighting-spirit-magazine-talks-ultimate-warrior|title=Fighting Spirit Magazine editor on Ultimate Warrior memories|last=Elliot|first=Brian|date=April 9, 2014|website=Wrestling Observer Newsletter|publisher=Dave Meltzer|access-date=July 22, 2015}}
2008 dispute with WWE
In September 2008, Fighting Spirit published a private memo sent by WWE to the gaming press covering the upcoming WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009. The memo instructed the press not to publish screenshots of any characters bleeding or using weapons. Specifically, the memo declared that no screenshots of wrestler Triple H could be used showing his character "in a defenseless or vulnerable position." In an article titled "Digital Politics" in issue #32, the magazine refused the WWE's demand and published a screenshot of Triple H being dominated by wrestler Kane. The magazine Power Slam later corroborated the memo.{{cite web|url=https://v1.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/87153-WWE-THQ-Censor-Smackdown-Game-Previews|title=WWE, THQ Censor Smackdown Game Previews|last=Frederick|first=Logan|date=November 3, 2008|website=The Escapist|publisher=Defy Media|access-date=July 22, 2015}}
FSM Reader Awards
At the end of each year, FSM ran both a poll for readers to determine the winners of their annual FSM Reader Awards. These awards would be won by the likes of Drew Galloway, Kris Travis, Andy Wild, Insane Championship Wrestling and numerous others.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ewrestlingnews.com/lists/the-best-of-british-vol-3|title=The Best Of British, Vol. 3|first=Kyle|last=Dunning|date=June 21, 2016}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/wrestling/british-wrestler-who-defeated-cancer-5835586|title=British wrestler Kris Travis who defeated cancer set for sensational ring return|first=Neil|last=Docking|date=June 6, 2015|website=mirror}}{{Cite web|url=https://lastwordonsports.com/prowrestling/2021/06/16/andy-wild-nxt-uk-recruit/|title=Who is Andy Wild? NXT UK's Worthy Recruit|first=Laurence|last=Gibbons|date=June 16, 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/other-sports/wrestling/zero-hero-resurgent-andy-wild-14034942|title=From zero to hero - resurgent Andy Wild eyes ICW world title shot|first1=Steven|last1=Wilson|first2=Ross|last2=McLeod|date=February 21, 2019|website=mirror}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.pwmania.com/insane-championship-wrestling-wins-award-icw-worldwide-season-2-episode-1-video|title=Insane Championship Wrestling Wins Award & ICW Worldwide – Season 2 Episode 1 Video - PWMania - Wrestling News|first=PWMania com|last=Staff|date=February 11, 2014}}
FSM 50
The FSM 50 listed the 50 best pro wrestlers in the world, as per the views of the magazine's staff. The FSM 50 first ran in 2014.
| class="wikitable" width="100%" style="font-size:85%; text-align:center;"
!style="background: #DDDDDD;" colspan="2"|Légende |
| ({{augmentation}} +X)
|Gained X place(s) in comparison to the previous year's list. |
| ({{steady}} 0)
|Placed identically to the previous year's list |
| ({{diminution}} -X)
|Dropped X place(s) in comparison to the previous year's list. |
| (N)
|New entry, as did not place in the previous year's list. |
| style="background: #FFBBBB;"| |Female wrestler in the rankings. |
| style="background: #FFE436;"| |Tag team in the rankings. |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.fightingspiritmagazine.co.uk}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080612181517/http://www.uncookedmedia.com/ Uncooked Media]
Category:Monthly magazines published in the United Kingdom
Category:Sports magazines published in the United Kingdom
Category:Magazines established in 2006
Category:Martial arts magazines
Category:2006 establishments in the United Kingdom
Category:2019 disestablishments in the United Kingdom