Dreams Explode Into Reality at Dynamo Gym

Dreams explode into reality at Dynamo training gym

By Kari Williams
“I had always wanted to wrestle, just like most other kids at some point. And when all my friends turned to drugs, and I had nothing left, I moved from my old home to a new house and began training with Dynamo.”

Aaron “Ace” Hawanchak began his journey as a professional wrestler at the St. Louis-based Dynamo training gym in January. He practices two—soon to be three—nights a week.

“We start with stretching. Then we do cardio in teams and move from place to place. Then we do rolls, and then drills. Then we go into open practice so we can work on things we need work on.” Said Hawanchak.

The gym has been open since August of 2007 and can boast of containing multiple pieces of equipment that only help to make the trainees better.

“We have two rings—two full-size 18 foot rings. We have weight equipment, cardio equipment, bikes—stationary bikes—elliptical, StairMaster. We have available an extensive video library to study and watch. The gym facility itself has its own lounge that offers drinks,” said Evil Jim.

One aspect of Dynamo that stands out amongst other gyms in the area is the quality of the trainers.

“We have two of the best trainers around. We have Davey Richards; he’s ROH contracted talent. He wrestles all over the world—in Japan, in Europe. He leaves for Japan in two weeks; he’ll be over there wrestling. Dingo, he wrestles regularly for ROH, IWA, all over the Midwest. That’s one of the big things we have to offer over any one else, the caliber of the trainers,” said Jim.

Trainee Anthony Brock can attest to the quality of training given at Dynamo.

“It’s tough and it tests you mentally and physically, and if you’re not tough in both of those ways, you’re not going to make it,” said Brock.

After a year and a half of training, Brock has begun wrestling with local promotions.

“I wrestled for CSW-Missouri, and it was in Mount Vernon, Illinois and Cape Girardeau. You can definitely tell the difference between people that train here and people that train elsewhere,” Brock said.

According to Jim, “Our philosophy in the training is hard-hitting, fast-paced action. It’s a lot more of an east coast style of wrestling, which is different than what other people in the Midwest have.”

Dynamo itself has not aligned itself with any one promotion, which gives individuals a chance to choose where their training will take them.

“[The gym] is here to make better wrestlers in this area. They’re independent contractors, and they can work for whoever they wish to work for. We do have contacts with a lot of different companies, and we can direct them in the right way to go,” said Jim.

Although Hawanchak has not yet wrestled a match—he hopes to by late this summer—he knows what needs to be done in order to excel.

“You have to know your pace and know you can only do as much as your body will allow. And grow with your body,” said Hawanchak.

There are no requirements for trainees, but it is preferred that they are 18 years of age. However, one can begin training at 16, but it is necessary for a release form to be signed by a parent. Initial fees are $100 per month, which decrease as the level of experience increases.

The Kari Williams MMWA-SICW Recap

MMWA-SICW June 14, 2008 Results

By Kari Williams
After leaving the MMWA-SICW for an extended length of time due to his defense of the United States of America, “Night Train” Gary Jackson made his presence felt at South Broadway Athletic Club on June 14.

The returning Jackson, aided by Junior Heavyweight Champion A.J. Williams, worked as a cohesive unit in order to put an end to the tyrannical leadership of The Connection. After a “melee” of sorts erupted following the main event of the evening, Jackson and Williams prevailed, giving them a distinct advantage when they face two-thirds of The Connection in the coming months.

Prior to the fracas, Jeremy Lightfoot had the opportunity to soften up “The Main Attraction” Tommy Knight. Although hesitant to get started, Knight put up a decent fight against the former Heavyweight champion, gaining an early advantage when the match quickly spilled out of the ring. Connecting with a devastating back body drop on the hardwood floor cemented Knight’s initial lead. However, when the men made their way back inside the squared circle, Lightfoot’s instinct kicked in. Just as Knight launched from the top rope to deliver his finisher, Lightfoot caught him mid-air and slammed him to the mat. From that point on, “The Main Attraction” was unable to gain much more offense, despite his effort. Knight’s brief moment of valor came when Lightfoot prepared to launch himself from the top rope, and Knight telegraphed the endeavor, delivering a dropkick. The Indian warrior ended the match swiftly with a Lightfoot Driver.

Mixed-tag action ensued in the previous bout as Waco and the Women’s Champion Stacey O’ Brien waged battle against Alexis and “Wild Child’ Billy Diamond. The ladies started off the bout, with Alexis gaining the advantage for her team after connecting with an impressive monkey flip after walking on the middle rope. Alexis made the tag to Diamond shortly thereafter, leaving O’ Brien to fend for herself, which she did surprisingly well. Diamond had put O’ Brien on the top turnbuckle, but before he could even begin delivering the punishment he had in mind, O’ Brien’s quick wit and excellent skill caused her to deliver an astounding hurricanrana to the “Wild One.” That opportune moment allowed O’ Brien to tag in Waco, who went at Diamond with all the rage and fury he could muster. Despite the dazzling performance of the Champion, Alexis and Diamond sparkled as a team, working cohesively throughout the entire match—specifically the closing moments, where they delivered multiple devastating double team maneuvers—to claim victory.

Jerome Cody found out that the bark is, contrary to popular belief, not worse than the bite, as he had to resort to illegal tactics to defeat Moondog Rover. Tommy Knight and Phil E. Blunt aided Cody in his devilish tactics. Knight distracted the referee, allowing Blunt to toss Rover’s bone into the ring. Rover caught the bone, seemingly spoiling The Connection’s plan. However, just as Rover looked as if he would strike Cody, Cody fell to the mat, causing the referee to turn around. Not knowing any better, Rover was disqualified for “using the bone as a weapon.”

Before the match got underway, Cody made an announcement to the crowd in which he called out A.J. Williams, who happened to be sitting at the announcer’s table. Feeling that he had to make his presence felt in a more profound way, Cody slapped Williams directly in the face, causing Williams to chase the arrogant Cody around the ring.

The Connection’s presence was felt earlier in the evening as well, when Jaysin Static went up against Blunt, who was accompanied to the ring by Knight. After having battled with Blunt in previous months, Static kept him at bay, hitting impressive moves, such as when Static departed from the ring apron with a flying clothesline that sent Blunt to the floor. However, Blunt’s experience in the ring gave him an overall advantage and allowed him to capitalize when Static went for a splash from the top rope. Blunt had the wherewithal to catch Static with a crushing sit-down slam that solidified his win.

Previously, Shaft took on Tommy Riggs in what was a quick win for the fan favorite. Shaft dominated the entirety of the bout, while working on the leg and ankle of Riggs. Able to get in only a minimal amount of offense, Riggs did hit his version of the People’s Elbow, but nothing could stop Shaft’s tenacity and will to win. In the end, Riggs was unable to withstand the pain of Shaft’s signature ankle lock, to which he tapped out.

Dave Vaughn completely dominated Bobby D in the second match of the night. Vaughn’s natural skill and quickness proved to be no match for D, who barely had a chance to take a breath. The bout ended almost as soon as it started, when Vaughn demolished D with his signature spear for the win.

Starting the evening off was a contest between Saladin and The Big Texan. Both men gave their all and were determined to come out on top. The brute strength of The Big Texan, however, proved to be too strong for Saladin to overcome. Texan dominated the closing seconds of the match with two consecutive clotheslines followed by a pin at 8:47.

MWR Spotlight: Johnny Vinyl

A look into hopes and dreams of “The Brand New Classic” Johnny Vinyl

By Kari Williams

“Ever since I found out you can make a living at wrestling outside of WWE, it’s what I’ve wanted to do.”

When Johnny Vinyl walks to the ring, he hears the echoes of jeering fans, but that has not stopped “The Brand New Classic” from pursuing his dream — in fact, “getting someone so mad that they take a swing at you is a great feeling.”

Vinyl’s initial attraction to wrestling was a casual glance on Saturday mornings, but soon grew into much more.

“I became a serious watcher the same time everyone else did, the Attitude Era. Some kids on my baseball team at around 2nd or 3rd grade were talking about it during our Monday afternoon practice. That night I went home and turned on Raw. I remember the first main event I ever saw was Austin/Undertaker vs. Mankind/Kane vs. Rock/D’Lo Brown vs. New Age Outlaws,” Vinyl said.

However, it was not until seeing the straightedge superstar C.M. Punk that Vinyl had an interest in pursuing wrestling as a career. He noticed that Punk did not have the biggest and best body (at the time) and that he was not 6’8”, but still had a presence that translated to fans.

“Throughout school I was always on speech and debate teams, and did a little bit of drama for half a year before I realized the girls weren’t as hot I was hoping. So I knew I could talk in front of people and if I could just get the athletic side of things down, I’d do alright,” he said.

Opportunity presented itself to “The Brand New Classic” in the form of the now-defunct Gateway Championship Wrestling (GCW) in the St. Louis, MO area. For approximately 18 months, Vinyl trained under Ring of Honor (ROH) star Dingo.

“Davey Vega and I went to [GCW] shows all the time in high school. One day they put up an ad on their website about guys interested in training. I was the only one to respond to it. Since I was 17 at the time, I had to drag my mom out there to Overland, which is where they were doing the training at the time, and she was pissed,” he said.

In addition to the GCW Dojo, Vinyl has “done seminars with Samoa Joe, Nigel McGuinness, Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin and Mike Quackenbush.”

For Vinyl, getting “Quackenbush to namedrop [him] and wear [his] t-shirt on the CHIKARA Podcast was pretty cool.”

However, he may not go so far as to call that a success because of the circumstances.

“I don’t know how much of an ‘accomplishment’ it was since it was a big rib, but I still enjoyed it,” he said.

Within the next two years, Vinyl aspires to be working for CHIKARA, however, his overall dream is to wrestle “in Europe and Japan and make a living through wrestling.”

Up to this point in his career, two specific matches have stuck out in his mind — one was working with MsChif and Daizee Haze, which he considers “a real cool honor,” and the other is being involved in the eight man elimination street fight main event at Lethal Wrestling Alliance’s [LWA] upcoming “Circus Maximus” on July 12, 2008.

“When Vega and I were put together, a whole lot of people only saw us a jobber team that would probably be dumped in a couple of months, so being in the main event of what could end being LWA’s biggest show to date is really a great feeling. When you look at that card and you see Ms.Chif on there, you see Billy McNeil’s comeback, you see Adam Raw and Nick Tyson wrestling each other for the last time, it’s going to be very diffilcult to main event that show, but we’re going to do our best to tear the house down,” he said.

Lastly, Vinyl has a shout-out of sorts to all of his female fans.

“I’m considering making a baby tee or spaghetti straps or something like that for my next [shirt]. If any girls would be interested in buying something like that or, even better, have some idea on what style to make and what to put on it, visit my Myspace at myspace.com/bncjohnnyvinyl and give me some feedback,” he said.

Johnny Vinyl Fast Facts:

Years Wrestling: I first walked into a wrestling school three and a half years ago, [and] I’ve been doing shows for almost two years now.

Companies Worked For: I wrestled a couple [of] matches under a mask for GCW, but as Johnny Vinyl I’ve worked for LWA, UWA [Ultimate Wrestling Alliance], LAW [Lethal Attitude Wrestling] in Arkansas, TLCW in Tennessee, one match for CSW, [and] maybe a couple others here and there.

Most Important Lesson From Wrestling: If I could sum up the wrestling business in one word, it would be ‘respect’. Wrestling taught me to respect people who deserve it, even if you don’t personally like them that much.

Favorite Match Thus Far: Fairview Heights with [Davey] Vega against K.C. Karrington and Steven Kennedy. Nobody thought we could pull off that match because all four of us weren’t exactly loved by the crowd. But we did some mic work at the beginnning and some little touches in the match that got the crowd behind the Ego’s. And the finish with Vega blasting Tiffany LaFane with a forearm was the loudest reaction I’ve been a part of yet.

Dream Match: Myself and Davey Vega versus Jimmy Jacobs and Tyler Black. I think those two as an overall package are the best tag team going in North America. No offense to the Briscoes, Motor City Machine Guns, or Steen and Generico because they are all fantastic, too, but I enjoy The Age of the Falls’ gimmick, character, and chemistry together. I would love to have that match.

LWA Localizes Big Name Talent

LWA localizes big name talent

By Kari Williams
Fans file in to the sports complex, VFW Hall or any other venue where a Lethal Wrestling Alliance (LWA) show will take place, anxiously waiting for the 7:30 bell time. One LWA Superfan and wrestling enthusiast that can be found at the shows is Mike Marnin.

A fan since the age of 10, Marnin has been attending LWA shows for well over a year and has witnessed the presence of mulitple Ring of Honor (ROH) and Total Non-stop Action wrestling (TNA) stars.

“I was at the super card with Alex Shelley, Mike Quackenbush and Davey Richards. I was also there when Austin Aries and Lacey were there. Delirious, MsChif and Daizee Haze. And the show with the Motor City Machine Guns,” Marnin said.

LWA wrestler Pierre Abernathy gives insight on how such stars are booked on an LWA card.

“We just deal with the stars. Through TNA we deal with a guy, but that’s it. All the Ring of Honor guys we’ve brought in, we just deal with them personally,” Abernathy said.

However, much more thought goes into the process of choosing that individual star. Abernathy looks to see who “would be a good fit for [the] product.”

“Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin are really good tag team wrestlers and we had the Submission Squad here who are a really good tag team, so those guys would gel together in the ring. Then you’ve got a bruiser like Samoa Joe wrestling a young, rich guy like Dorian [Victor] who’s in there to beat him up. It’s just more like who is going to fit in really well,” Abernathy said.

The first star to be on an LWA card was Alex Shelley. He appeared on March 17 and waged war against Nick Tyson.

Having wrestled on shows with wrestlers from the ‘big time,’ K.C. Karrington understands the significance of their presence.

“You only get to see them on the internet, youtube [and] all that, or just TV, and actually getting to see them come and work with guys that work in your area…I think it’s great. I mean, it brings the two different worlds together almost,” Karrington said.

After having been in the business for five years, the 20-year-old Karrington feels that any knowledge he can gain from the TNA and ROH wrestlers is time well wasted.

“It gives us as workers a chance to pick their brains, get them to watch what we’re doing in the ring, and get any pointers, just the littlest thing you can get from a big name guy—a guy that’s actually been out on the road, been to the big time, just the smallest thing to a guy that’s working the indies, that’s more important than just about anything you can learn from anybody,” Karrington said.

Fellow LWA wrestler Gary the Barn Owl, who has been wrestling for almost four years, recognizes the importance of the TNA and ROH talent as well.

“Just about everybody we’ve brought in or that come in we learn something from. There’s always a different aspect that we don’t think of because we’re inside the box, and they’re more outside the box,” Gary said.

On the May 3 Mike Johnson Benefit show in House Springs, Mo., Abernathy had the opportunity to face ROH star Delirious.

“He was amazing to wrestle. He teaches you little things you don’t even think about, that he points out, and it makes sense. As far as the company, it just helps elevate the company. He’s just one more guy we’ve brought in who made an impact on a national level that has helped out our company,” Abernathy said.

Karrington has similar thoughts.

“Having actual big names coming in, it brings in the people that you wouldn’t normally see at a show. It introduces them to independent wrestling, and then we get more people supporting the Indies,” Karrington said.

Since attending Yuletide Terror 2006, where Gary defeated Adam Raw to claim his first LWA Championship, Marnin’s favorite big name match was naturally the triple threat, which pitted Evan Gelistico, Mike Quackenbush and Gary against each other, because Quackenbush is his “favorite wrestler of all time.”

Gary can testify to the quality of that match.

“I’d probably say Alex Shelley is probably the most known one. Davey Richards is a really solid worker. I worked Evan [Gelistico] and Mike Quackenbush in a three way, and I thought it was great. Overall, I think the fans accept it. They like it. They like seeing new people come in,” Gary said.

Personally, Marnin would like to see stars like “Bryan Danielson, Christopher Daniels, Claudio Castagnoli and Chris Hero. All of these guys are phenomenal wrestlers and would be great against some of the LWA talent.” However, his first choice would be A.J. Styles.

“He may be a heel but he is one of the best wrestlers in the world,” Marnin said.

Showing his love for the sport, and the LWA specifically, Marnin said, “If there is anyone out there who loves wrestling LWA is the place to be!”

Wrestling Hooks Fans In An Elusive Chokehold

Wrestling Hooks Fans in an Elusive Chokehold

By Kari Williams
It floats in the air, mixing with the smoke that just lifted from the cigarette being held by the elderly man sitting two rows in front of me. As I look around, watching wrestlers walk back and forth, talking to fans and acquaintances, it hovers above them, below them and around them. It even consumes them—both the fans and the wrestlers.

But what is, it?

It is a feeling, an emotion, that one moment in time when you feel that you are a part of something special. That is what wrestling is all about anyway, isn’t it?

When Shawn Michaels retired Ric Flair, you knew there was something special about that moment, but you couldn’t quite put your finger on it could you? But you had to be there. You had to be a part of it?

But what is, it?

It is the drive to succeed, to overcome the evil hell hounds that have been nipping at your heels. That single moment in time in which your whole life flashes before your eyes. You see yourself growing up, chasing it and doing your best to capture it. That is what wrestling is all about anyway, isn’t it?

When Eddie Guerrero defeated Brock Lesnar at No Way Out 2003 to win his first Heavyweight Title you cheered for him, didn’t you? You knew that his whole life culminated at the exact moment he raised that belt above his head for the very first time. He felt it.

But what is, it?

Honestly, I do not think there is an answer to that question. Asking what that intangible entity is that keeps fans coming back to wrestling time and again is like asking how to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. You do not know if there is a pot of gold, you just live your life searching for it — even if is turns out to be an illusive trick.

Something compels you to watch wrestlers sacrifice their bodies and souls. May 17 in East Carondelet, Jeff Hawkins, Phil E. Blunt, Steve Montana and Jeremy Lightfoot went at each other in a Hardcore Match. A Mick Foley-like 2 X 4 wrapped in barbed-wire, a staple gun and a steel chair, among other inanimate objects that were used as weapons to smother and utterly destroy the competitors.

But why did they do it? Why did they go to that length, put themselves through that brutal of a match, only to leave that night with bumps and bruises and multiple staple holes in their body?

For the same reason that Shawn Michaels retired Ric Flair, the same reason that Eddie Guerrero won the Heavyweight Title — they knew what it was, even if it did not enter their conscience at the time.

MWR May 2008 Awards

Missouri Wrestling Revival’s
May 2008 Awards!

It’s that time again! This is Missouri Wrestling Revival’s fifth installment of monthly awards as we progress toward the midyear point. The month of May was busy for MWR and the entire Midwest wrestling scene. MWR expanded our coverage area in an attempt to bring pro wrestling fans better coverage of events in this part of the country, and we hope this will reflect in future MWR Awards posts as well as future articles and features on the site.

The committee has also expanded, as now we have eight members who nominate and vote on the awards. Let’s see how they voted!

Wrestler of the Month

Shane Hollister [AAW/SCW/3XW]

Hollister had one of the toughest schedules of all wrestlers in the Midwest for the month of May. It all started with a tough tag team loss (with Bryce Benjamin) to the Motor City Machine Guns in AAW. It was all good after that, as he followed the loss up with a victory (although tainted) over Egotistico Fantastico in a hard-hitting affair, the closed out the month by defending his Scott County Wrestling Title not once, but twice in one night. He retained the title after defeating Danny Daniels and Marek Brave. It was a successful month for Shane Hollister, as he wrestled some of the best in the business and came out on top in three out of the four encounters.

1st Runner Up – Mark Sterling [CEW/3XW/TLCW/CSW/PWP/AAPW]
2nd Runner Up – Justin Sane [Fusion Tradition Wrestling]
3rd Runner Up – Josh Abercrombie [AAW]

Others receiving votes this month from the committee:
Jaysin Static [MMWA-SICW], Brett Gakiya [NGW]

Tag Team of the Month

Phoenix Twins (Tweek & Dash) [SCW/AAW]

The Phoenix Twins continue to impress wrestling fans across the Midwest. This month, Tweek and Dash won two non-title matches against current tag champions in SCW and AAW. They also each competed in singles matches as part of “Best of Three” series of matches with members of Zero Gravity, splitting the contests and inching closer to being the number one contenders for the SCW Tag Team Titles. For 2008, Tweek and Dash have set the bar very high. It often seems as if they are the only tag team that can surpass this high standard.

1st Runner Up – The LONRs (Mark Sterling & Darrien Sanders) [PWP/AAPW]
2nd Runner Up – B.A.B.E.WATCH (Brandon Espinosa & Brandon Aarons) [LWA]
3rd Runner Up – Mr. Bibbs & Dave Vaughn [MMWA-SICW]

Others receiving votes this month from the committee:
Northstar Express (Darin Corbin & Ryan Cruz) [SCW/AAW/3XW], Midwest Ground & Air (Benjamin Sailor & Nate Bash) [CSW/PWP]

Promotion of the Month

3XWrestling (3XW)

With a terrific venue, entertaining champions, and a staff that cares about the fans, 3XW has it all. Looking at the champions can tell a wrestling fan all he or she needs to know: Gage Octane (3XW Champ), Mark Sterling (Pure Champ), Casanova (Cruiserweight Champ), and Northstar Express (Tag Team Champs). 3XW had a great month of May and no doubt is looking forward to their next show in Des Moines, IA on June 20th!

1st Runner Up – Pro Wrestling Phoenix
2nd Runner Up – New Midwest Wrestling
3rd Runner Up – All American Pro Wrestling

Others receiving votes this month from the committee:
Lethal Wrestling Alliance

Woman of the Month (Female Wrestler)

Stacy O’Brien [WLW/MMWA-SICW]

Stacy O’Brien has emerged in the second quarter of 2008 as the premier female wrestler in the Midwest. She currently owns the World League Wrestling and MMWA-SICW Women’s Championships. She defeated Ms. Natural and Alexis Lightfoot for each belt, respectively. In yet another month where female wrestlers have been inactive, Stacy is a step in the right direction.

1st Runner Up – Alexis Lightfoot [MMWA-SICW]

Others receiving votes this month from the committee:
None.

Personality of the Month

Luke Roberts [LWA]

Luke is an eighteen-year pro wrestling veteran in various capacities with high hopes (and an equally high possibility) of becoming the Lethal Wrestling Alliance President. A former Personality of the Month winner for other contributions to the St. Louis area wrestling scene (March), Luke Roberts is well-respected and well-spoken.

1st Runner Up – Steve “Botch” Szoke
2nd Runner Up – Joey Eastman [AAW]
3rd Runner Up – Davey Vega [LWA]

Others receiving votes this month from the committee:
None.

Match of the Month

No Disqualification Match for the LWA Heavyweight Title:
Donovan Ruddick (C) defeated Gary the Barn Owl to retain.
St. Peters, MO on May 24, 2008
[LWA]

1st Runner Up -

War Games Elimination Match for Number One Seed in IWC Heavyweight Title Tournament:
Dan-O-Mite is the sole survivor.
Dan-O-Mite, Chance Prophet, Dekin Cane, Enigma & Iceman
vs
Kyle King, Devan Scott, Brian Blade, JC Thunder & Justin Pain
Ottawa, KS on May 9, 2008
[IWC]

2nd Runner Up -

AAPW Heavyweight Title Match:
Steven Davis defeated Shane Rich (C) to become the new AAPW Heavyweight Champion.
Chester, IL on May 17, 2008
[AAPW]

3rd Runner Up -

Bunkhouse Stampede – Fans Bring the Weapons – Over the Top Rope Elimination Match
For the Fusion Tradition Wrestling Tradition Title:
Justin Sane last defeated Daddy Mac to become the first Tradition Champion.
Cookeville, TN on May 24, 2008
[Fusion Tradition Wrestling]

Others receiving votes this month from the committee:
None.