MWR celebrates 1,000 POST with appreciation to you all plus Josh Ray’s MWR Supporting Roles All-Star Team

By Brian Kelley
Owner and Editor of MWR

Helloooo wrestling fans as the great Bill Kersten would say. I am thrilled that today we are celebrating our 1,000 post here at Missouri Wrestling Revival. Throughout the past two and half years you have been able to come to MWR site to check out upcoming shows, interviews and stories of the top stars of not only the Midwest but around the world.

MWR started out simple enough from one of my best friends Josh Ray who had the dream to bring attention to wrestling in the Midwest. He worked hard to get the site going and along with myself and Kari Williams the site was off and running.

Thankfully we had a good friend Peter Hahn whos sister Rachel, is a wonderful graphic artist that came up with the logo that has became the face of MWR.

I have been so busy getting ready for school, preparing for my sons school year and other projects that I have yet to unveil some great new logo’s from our good friends at Awesome bomb radio so no time is better than the start of a new thousand. Adult MWR fans take a chance to check out the Awesome Bomb Radio for some wild and crazy interviews with some of the top wrestlers in the game today.

Everyone at MWR has worked hard to be respectful and polite to each promotion, wrestler and fans that we have gone across.

I have a strong belief that to be successful that no one can do it alone. In the history of MWR there have been some wonderful supporters of the site that is vital to MWR’S place in wrestling today. I am going to attempt to thank everyone that has made MWR possible. At every promotion we have worked with there has been not only promoter, wrestlers but also referees, ring announcer, security, video crew and fans that I have nothing but love and respect for. Several have become close friends, while others I have not seen in a long time, though time has past by and we may have not seen each other this post is still for you.

1) The Fans: I hope that you have found MWR a place that you come to enjoy. You are the most important piece to the puzzle to making a show a success. At times we are very busy at a show but I want you to know that I thank you for clicking on the site and we are always excited to get to meet you. Your support for the hard working men and women of the sport keeps the hope alive for pro wrestlers to live their dream. If you have not checked out a local show near you I urge you to check out a promotion soon.

We have made many Friends thanks to the MWR site. Drew and Gary are two great guys that I met at local shows, they knew us from the work we do thanks to MWR. During the Wrestling Legends on tour the three of us got to pose with some of the top wrestling stars ever in the sport. These are just two of the many fans that we are proud to call our friends.

2) The Promoters: These guys are judged, hated and sometimes forgotten. It takes a special person to risk there money and spend their time to run a show. The cold hard fact is that it is a LOT of work to be one and at times luck to be successful in this profession. Without them doing the ground work a show never gets off the ground. They have opened their doors to us and I hope they know we have been honored to try our best to get the word out about the dates of their show.

3) The Wrestlers, managers and referees: Call it a sport or call it entertainment, one can not deny that it takes true talent to make a show a success..

During the years I have been all around the Midwest checking out shows in the big cities and the small towns and I can say that I have no doubt that there is no athletes that cares more for their fans that the wrestlers.

We have been at a few shows that have had less than 30 people, that did not stop the wrestlers from going out there and giving it their all, then took the time to come meet the fans.

I watched time and time where they have took that extra moment to talk, pose for pictures and sign autographs to the kids of all ages and thanking them for their hard earn money to watch them do what they love.

There have been many shows where the wrestlers have donated their time and skills with no pay to support a fundraiser for a local family or school.

No matter what state we are in, or the three letters of the promotions every wrestles have the same goal and that is to entertain you with the best of their abilities.

This past weekend I was in Lincoln Illinois for the Arts and Balloon Festival where the a huge crowd witness some exciting wrestling action. One of the many talented wrestlers in the Midwest today, Knight Wagner asked if he could do a promo commemorating the moment that so many fans had a chance to see what wrestling was like in our area.

I was honored by the kind words that he said in the promo for our website in hopes that you the fans will check us out to find out where you can see the next wrestling show in your area. I want to share with you the words of Knight Wagner.

To be honest there have been many such compliments given to the MWR family from many many wrestlers that understand that this site is built for the fans, the promoters and wrestlers themselves.
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It has been a pleasure to work each and every one of you. I have seen some of the craziest, weirdest and breathtaking matches ever in the past two plus years at MWR. The love that you have for wrestling is only equaled by the desire to give the fans their money’s worth. MWR could not be as successful or fun without your cooperation

4) Dubray Tallman: The old saying is behind every successful man is a good women. Thankfully I have Dubray to help support me while we drive the six hours roundtrip for many shows. There is no group of friends that live close enough that we can ride with to make the trip faster or cheaper. In less than a year and half we have made over eighty shows in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Illinois. At times the site takes away from what we can do elsewhere or together as it takes time to write and edit everything. Prior to the show Dubray works on one of the most popular articles that we have Dubi meets the fans. Often Dubi Meets the Fans is the among the top post for weeks on end . Dubray I love you.

5) Josh and Sara Ray: The founder of MWR is also one of my best friends. Josh has a great mind and love for the business. If only the two of us lived closer no telling how much more successful MWR would be. They don’t get much better than Josh and Sara

6) Kari Williams: MWR’S number one writer, you have read Kari’s articles from the inception of the site. Young and talented there is no doubt that you will find Kari’s work in a much bigger forum one day. Dubray and I always are thrilled to see Kari and her mother Joan.

7) Matt Murphy: Matt is one of the most underrated wrestling minds today. He has always been willing to give his advice and assistance for the site. In fact I didn’t take his advice early on and paid for it. Lesson learned, listen to Matt Murphy. Seriously Matt was kind enough to have his book showcased here at MWR in a weekly article that many MWR fans loved. If you missed it, there is a link at the top of the page that you can go to do catch up. MWR fans if you have read this article or book PLEASE take the time to review it on Amazon.com here.

8) Greg Anthony – Anthony brings to the site, a fan that is talented enough to excel in the sport today as a wrestler. I am never bored and often surprised to what he has to say in the MWR favorite the Golden Circle. As with Murphy if you have missed any of his articles I urge you take a look at the top of the page and enjoy.

9) Patrick Brandmeyer- As much as I love local professional wrestling, the truth is at times it can be nearly impossible to find out information on the past as well as the current history of the business. I often look to my good friend Patrick Brandmeyer for the what, how and why in the St Louis wrestling market and beyond. If a promotion wants a good source of advertisement then most defiantly contact Brandmeyer to make his way to your show.

10) ST Louis Wrestling Community and the Nose Bleed seats- Many people think that the man known as the Crimefighter and his website the ST Louis Wrestling Community are a competitor of the MWR website. The truth is that I have always enjoyed working with Crimfighter and his colleagues from the Nose Bleed Seats Chris Lee and MOAV5706. I often use the site and their advice for articles that you read here. They have had some great podcast and they are the number one source for all your wrestling in Central Illinois. Check them out here.

11) MWR T-shirts- Nothing brings a smile to my face than seeing a fan or wrestler wear a MWR Shirt. In the four states that we cover we have given away or sold 100’s of our shirts to wonderful people such as yourself. We started out with free drawings during intermission to a lucky fan.

Fans like this wonderful women has been thrilled to catch a MWR T-Shirt from a Midwest Superstar (Photo Credit Mike Van Hoogsraat)

Then one day at PWP I was taken photos when Murder Militia’s #1 Brett Young came to the ring wearing an MWR shirt . That kicked a light bulb in my head, why don’t we have a wrestler wear to ring and unlike the greedy Young who kept his shirt, we have them throw it to a lucky fan. This promotion has been more than a success and I would like to thank all the wrestlers who have worn the shirt in the past in this promotion. The fans I feel have had a lot of fun in catching them . Most recently one fan told me that her daughter was so impressed with catching the t-shirt and having her picture taken with the wrestler(Jimmy Karryt) that she has that picture of her and him as the background picture on their computer. You can not purchase moments as special as that.

Words can not describe how important my friend Nick Ridenour has been this year in working with us to have quality and affordable t-shirts with the small budget we have.

12) MWR Top Draws – A very popular feature at MWR is the art work from MWR’S Dartallion Allen JR. Allen brings to life your favorite stars in a cartoon style. Mwr fans look in the very near future a chance to vote for who you think Allen Jr should draw in the MWR Classic Wrestler Top Draw. Till then take the time to click above to see one of Midwest brightest artist today.

13) MWR Trading Cards- This is my new passion and a set that I take great pride in. A worthy collectable for the fans of MWR, the set features the stars of the Midwest and around the world that we have all come to love or hate. We started off with the MWR award winners for 2008 and 2009, card number one was the 2008 MWR Tag team of the year the Northstar Express Darin Corbin and Ryan Cruz with Pnut, the three who is awesome in promos looked just as good in a trading card.

“The Future” Donovan Ruddick takes the time to pose with young fans that had purchased his MWR Trading Card prior to him autographing the collectable that fans have been clamoring for the past few months.

Since then we have added a who’s who of stars in the Midwest including three people that I am forever grateful who brought worldwide recognition to the set, site and other wrestlers of the series and they are international stars MsChif, Davey Richards and Ring of Honor World Champion Tyler Black.

A big thank you goes out to Alyssa Major for her amazing talent on these cards.

As of press time we have announced Nineteen trading cards and each and every individual brings their own flair and worth to your collection. Look for many other superstars of the ring to grace their presence in the set. In fact I am so excited to name them that I need to stop writing about it.

For a look at these card check out our checklist at the number one site for wrestling trading cards Wrestlingtradingcards.com here.

14) MWR Photographers- People that know me, know that I love photos of wrestling. Often I will go to a website and see results from a show but never know what that person looks like. At MWR you get a chance to put a name with a face in an exciting fashion

I am blessed to be able to have some of the great photographers in the Midwest at MWR that allow us to use their work and expensive equipment for the site. A very underrated aspect to the scene is a photographer, these hard working professionals are able to capture that moment when your favorite wrestler goes for that high risk move, or the final moment when a wrestler wins the championship. With pictures you capture history.

Mike Van Hoogstraat, Gary Giaffoglione, Bill Smith and Scott Fieldstein are regulars with MWR who donate the pictures for you the fans to enjoy. I love all of these guys for their contribution and friendship.

15) Absolute Wrestling Radio: Amazingly when I wrote this article for 1,000 post I had somehow forgotten to recognize the AWR family. It’s not that they were not worthy or I hadn’t thought of them its just that I thought I had them done. Make no mistake about it that AWR was very crucial to MWR inception to the wrestling world. Based out of St Louis AWR has been a place where fans can listen and call in to talk about the WWE, TNA , local wrestling and MMA.

Mark Bland Matt Kreuger and Andy Echle have been a lot of fun throughout the time that I have known them and have created some of the most memorable moments in MWR history. They have always done a wonderful job getting the word of MWR out to the masses. We look forward to all of your hard wok and friendship.

Promotions

In the past two and half years MWR has covered and worked with each of these promotions in one form or another. I don’t want to thank anyone in particular because of the fear of forgetting anyone. Once again there are many great people that are in each of these promotions who have made a positive impact for the MWR site.

3XWrestling
All American Pro Wrestling
All American Wrestling
Central States Wrestling
Great American Wrestling
High Voltage Wrestling
IWA-Mid-South
Independent Hardcore Wrestling
IWA Productions
Lethal Wrestling Alliance
New Midwest Wrestling
New Breed Wrestling Alliance
NWA Supreme Wrestling
NWA Dynamo Pro Wrestling
Metro East Championship Wrestling
Metro Pro Wrestling
MMWA-SICW
Pro Wrestling Epic
Pro Wrestling Next
Pro Wrestling Phoenix
Pro Wrestling Next
Rampage Championship Wrestling
World League Wrestling

I hope that you check out these promotions live in the very near future.

Thank you MWR Fans and we hope to celebrate 1,500 soon. Till then look for all the exciting developments and happenings in the world of Pro Wrestling in the near future at MWR.

Sincerely,

Brian Kelley
Owner/ Editor of Missouri Wrestling Revival

My good friend Josh Ray and I spoke recently about the celebration of the MWR 1,000 POST. He stated that he had an article he would like to share with you so we started MWR post 1 with Josh Ray so it is only fitting that we end 1,000 with my good friend Josh.

By Josh Ray

Even though I left Missouri Wrestling Revival in the talented hands of Brian Kelley and Kari Williams a year ago to pursue other pro wrestling opportunities, as founder of this website/community I am extremely attached to any of MWR‘s successes and failures. It doesn’t matter whether the ideas came from my own mind or the mind of a friend, because once it is implemented by the site, it becomes part of the family.

As family, career, and life in general have siphoned time from one of my passions, most of my Midwest pro wrestling knowledge comes in spurts from MWR. It is a great site that has helped in more ways than it will ever get credit for, and that is due to a combined effort from contributors to MWR, promoters, wrestlers, behind-the-scenes staff, and of course fans! When Brian and I chatted last week and he informed me that the 1000th post was fast approaching, I wanted to get involved.

A lot is said of a wrestler’s desire and love of the business. Sometimes paid in hot dogs and other time not paid at all, these men and women travel at great physical, emotional, and financial expense because they love to entertain and they strive to improve. Unfortunately, there are other pieces of this puzzle that often go overlooked. These overlooked pieces are evident in those train wrecks that inevitably occur. Great wrestlers can make a great match, but those that work in supporting roles (the overlooked pieces I am referring to) are what make an entire event a success. In fact, those working in these supporting roles can make or break everything from the attendance to the safety at the show.

Those in these supporting roles include the promoter himself/herself, the booker, the referee, ring announcer, managers/valets, sound man/woman, camera crew, photographer, security, bloggers/journalists, and other volunteers. These men and women are no less a part of the wrestling business than the wrestlers themselves, but they often do what they do with little or no fanfare. There is no World Wrestling Entertainment developmental program for most of these roles, and many serving in these capacities are expected to do the work for free to pay their dues and to be a part of the show.

Even WWE legend Shawn Michaels acknowledged many of the great supporting members of WWE during his retirement speech on the March 29, 2010 edition of Monday Night RAW:

This is really gonna sound strange to you guys, but there’s a whole lot of people in those big ‘ol trucks out back, there are these guys here holding the camera, Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler, and of course the greatest announcer of all time Jim Ross… but I want to thank all you guys. You guys always made me look better than I ever really was and I so appreciate that.

I want to follow in those great footsteps in this, the 1000th post on Missouri Wrestling Revival, by naming my own MWR “Supporting Roles” All-Star Team. This is by no means definitive and is solely based on my opinion with some input from trusted friends.

Supporting Roles All-Star 1st Team

Booker – Matt Murphy
I have talked with Matt numerous times and know his credentials. This would be the guy to go to in order to get the matches lined up… and the first guy I would talk to to straighten out any backstage issues.

Referees -

Brandon Schmidt

Eric Davis

Both men work hard and want to continue learning. You’d be hard pressed to find two more competent officials to ref a show.

Ring Announcer -

KL Snow

The man with the green socks has a great voice for ring announcing and is one of the nicest men you’ll meet in and out of the ring. He no longer operates in the area, but is worth the money to bring in.

Video -

Skylar Pierce

This guy shoots and edits wrestling video on a regular basis and continues to improve. Watch 3XW’s Outside the Ring on Youtube to see the progression of his video work.

Camera – Jenny Bessman
3XW’s video team under the guidance of Skylar Pierce is my logical choice, with Jenny getting the by name selection, but without excluding the video talents of Sean Wilkerson. These guys keep the 3XW machine moving in the right direction by continuing their line of DVDs and providing footage for the 3XW web show Outside the Ring.

Security - Brandon “Bubba” Wacholtz
When I put together the MWR show for November 2009, “Bubba” was my first choice for security. Very professional in a security capacity and anyone that says otherwise has probably deserved being removed from a show.

Backstage Photographer -

Michael R. Van Hoogstraat

Many of the great Midwest wrestler photos from backstage that you see on this site and across the Internet come from this man!

Ringside Photographer -

Gary Giaffoglione

You feel right there in the middle of the action when Gary is at the helm.

Mouthpiece -

Magic Man

I extended the offer to Magic Man a long time ago… whenever I have a video camera he is always welcome to jump in front of it.

Mouthpiece -

Chad Mylan

Quite honestly, I mark for very few things in this world… but I mark for Chad Mylan. I am a Mylanite.

Booster -

Chuck Maddox

A genuinely nice guy with a love for professional wrestling that many do not come close to matching. Chuck is the guy you’d want to work with on any marketing plan or budget.

Journalist/Blogger -

Kari Williams

The resident workhorse at MWR has a career beyond this site that is right around the corner. I am very proud to have met her and often go to her for writing advice.

That is all I have for this, the 1000th post on Missouri Wrestling Revival. Remember, if its worth supporting then support it. If not then run the other way and something better will eventually come along!

The Hooligans put a bounty on the Submission Squad.

When the Hooligans (Devin and Mason Cutter)  contacted MWR to send out a message, little did we know that we what we got ourselves involved in. The Hooligans (Devin and Mason Cutter) and the Submission Squad (Pierre Abernathy and Evan Gelistico) have battled each other throughout the Midwest at Independent Hardcore Wrestling, Lethal Wrestling Alliance, Great American Wrestling and High Voltage Wrestling. The Submission Squad had the early advantage by defeating the Hooligans at IHW on  June 13th then again at their home turf LWA.

Things got ugly at Pro Wrestling Next when The Hooligans shocked the Submission Squad by not only by beating them but taking home the LWA Tag team titles. Since then, the two have been split in non title defenses, once at GAW in the first round for their Tag team titles, then again at IHW.

What team, if any, will take the Hooligans up on their offer to win the Hooligans’ money by taking out the Submission Squad?  While we were video taping, little did we realize that the misfit of the family Neil Diamond Cutter was making his presence known in the background.

 This feud is quickly turning into a 2009 feud of the year candidate. You will not want to miss the next installment in this battle for tag team supremacy. On Oct. 10, The Hooligans return home to High Voltage Wrestling in Granite City, IL to face their rivals, Abernathy and Gelistico, to determine the first ever HVW Tag team Champions.

 

Jeremy Wyatt and Michael Strider receive MWR Awards.

I am torn on the announcement that I am about to make. After many nights contemplating the future of the MWR monthly Awards we have decided that for the time being that we are going to discontinue that feature from our site. It’s not that I don’t feel as if the awards are a fun part of the site, it’s just that:

1) Many of the awards committee have become so busy with their everyday lives that they have respectfully asked to be taken off of the committee as they cannot honestly vote on the awards and knowingly give an honest vote. Add on the fact that there are so few individuals that keep up with the MWR coverage area (KS, IA, IL, and MO) that could honestly vote on the awards in an unbiased manner.

2) The time that it takes to get nominations, send out the final vote, tally up the votes then look up a picture to make the winner look like a million bucks is considerable. With that said, in the month of August at Lethal Wrestling Alliance, Kari Williams and I were able to deliver two of the 2008 MWR Awards to Jeremy Wyatt and Michael Strider.

The year 2008 will always be remembered as the year of the Rebel. Main events for the man they would call “The Belt Collector” was the norm. Whether he faced “The Future” Donovan Ruddick, Abu Colossus, Davey Richards, Shorty Biggs, Tyler Cook or the man many claim is the best in the Midwest, Dingo the matches stole the show. Wyatt was the talk of 2008 as he tore through 3XW, LWA, HVW, PWP and NWA Dynamo.

Wyatt is one of the most feared and respected athletes in the sport with a bright future ahead of him. MWR was proud to present the 2008 MWR Wrestler of the Year award to Jeremy Wyatt.

2008 MWR Wrestler of the Year Jeremy Wyatt with MWR’S Kari Williams .

On February 2, 2008 in Lawrence, KS Central States Wrestling was on life support, but that did not stop the wrestlers from going out there and delivering a great night of wrestling. The main event was going to be brutal and promised to deliver as, arguably, the top Midwest Talent NWA Central States Champion Michael Strider went against Jeremy Wyatt in a No-Ropes Barbed-Wire Match.

The outcome? A huge win for a bloodied Strider. Wyatt went on to lose a nipple, thanks to getting caught in the dangerous barb wire. The fans were shocked and impressed as these two warriors gave the match of a lifetime—One that they would never forget.

Unbeknownst to many, this match would change the course of Midwest Wrestling. Strider would slowly fade away from the sport as his heart was no longer in it. Jeremy Wyatt would go on to main event wherever he was booked. He become a six-time MWR Wrestler of the month and part of five MWR Matches of the month in the process.

A true passing of the torch match.

A reunion between two warriors of the sport as Michael Strider and Jeremy Wyatt receive their 2008 MWR Match of the Year plaques. Pictured left to right Michael Strider, MWR Columnist Kari Williams, MWR Owner Brian Kelley, Jeremy “The Belt Collector” Wyatt.

In January the MWR Awards will return as we will honor the 2009 MWR Wrestler, Tag Team, Promotion, Female, Personality and Match of the Year. Details will be given around that time.

Thank you for your support and your understanding.

Brian “Flair” Kelley
Missouri Wrestling Revival Owner
Proud member of the Cauliflower Club

The Submission Squad and The Hooligans tear up the Midwest

By Jason Thomas

What started as a competition between two up and coming tag teams has turned into a war that is sweeping across the mid-west and has made an impact on a lot of area promotions.

The Submission Squad (Pierre Abernathy and Evan Gelistico) made there name in the Saint Louis based LWA but have been branching out over the last two years. The Squad has made stops in Chikara Pro as well as IWA-Mid South have held tag titles in 4 states and have worked in two countries. Making there home in LWA as well as IWA-TX the Submission Squad is on the right path of breaking out on a national scene.

The Hooligans (Mason and Devin Cutter) made there names in the Georgia area training under former WWF superstar Mr. Hughes. The Cutters then made there home base in East Saint Louis where they looked to make an impact on the tag team scene. The Hooligans shined in the first ever IWA- Mid South tryout show earning full time jobs and tons of exposure. Since then the brothers have worked all across the mid-west and fought top teams in the IWA. This team is also on the path of breaking onto the national scene.

On June 13th in Dupo Illinois these two paths crossed for the first time as the Submission Squad took on the Hooligans for the first time on the IHW debut show. This back and forth match saw the Submission Squad come out on top. What we thought would be a one time match up has turned into much more.

The Hooligans have Evan Gelistico where they want him. (Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)

We fast forward to August 8th as the Hooligans jumped at the chance to face the Submission Squad in there home base of the LWA. The Cutters got there second chance at LWA gold in New Athens Illinois/ However for the second time the brothers fell short as the Squad pinned the Hooligans.

The Submission Squad had felt that there rivalry with the Hooligans was over as they had beat them two times in a row but a open door would be what turned this rivalry personal. The Submission Squad was asked to put there LWA tag team titles on the line against the Hooligans on the PWN event and the Squad did not want to turn down the chance to debut in a new area so they accepted and you had The Submission Squad vs. The Hooligans 3 for the LWA tag team titles.

The Submission Squad improved there dominance of the Cutters on Aug 15 when they defeated the Hooligans Lil Brother Neil Diamond Cutter and his tag team partner The Blackheart in the semi final match for the HVW Tag team Titles. (Photo credit Mike Van Hoogstraat)

On August 21st the Squad would meet The Hooligans in the match that would change everything. In a back and forth match the mid-west wrestling scene was shocked as The Hooligans won the LWA tag team titles. This was unprecedented as the LWA tag titles changed hands outside the LWA to a team who is not in the LWA. Not only that but the Cutters used outside help from the Epic War (based in California) tag team champions Tim Donst and Jaysin Strife to capture the titles.

Current LWA Champions The Hooligans(Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)

The Hooligans were ready to take on Project Mayhem in the GAW tag team tournament. However on August 30th in Lincoln IL one half of the Project Mayhem team was hurt so they could not compete in the tournament. They did sign there own replacement and it was the Submission Squad. The Squad stormed the ring and fought the Hooligans in non-title (LWA) action. The Squad on this night beat the Hooligans thus ending there chance at the GAW tag team titles. However these two tag teams would brawl out of the building that night.

At GAW the feud continued but the LWA Championship was not on the line. Pierre would get the pinfall for bragging rights in this highly contested feud. (Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)

We now go back to where this all began in the town of Dupo Illinois for the IHW promotion as it was set to be trios action featuring The Submission Squad along with stable mate Gary Jay taking on The Hooligans with there little brother Neil Diamond Cutter. This was not for the LWA tag team titles but was as intense as any title match you could see. The Cutter brothers on this night pinned the Submission Squad but the fight did stop there as these men had to be pulled apart after the match by security and referees.

During the intermission of this show The Hooligans attacked The Submission Squad and these teams tore apart the building and thus have all been suspended from IHW indefinitely.

As of this writing the next scheduled match between these two teams is October 10th in Granite City Illinois for the HVW promotion. They will face in the finals of the HVW tag team tournament. What started as a rivalry between two teams trying to break onto the national scene has turned into a war which may cause one of these teams not to make it

The Uniqueness of Outside Championships- By Christopher M. Zack

 

The Uniqueness of Outside Championships

By Christopher M. Zack

This column is the property of Christopher M. Zack and published here as agreed upon by Pro Wrestling Next. No duplication of this column is permitted without the exclusive written consent of the author and/or PWN officials.

General Disclaimer: I can be incredibly long winded. I have a degree in English and love to write, so I tend to write quite a bit. When I’m passionate about something, it comes out even more. I have a lot of passion about the wrestling business, so these columns will definitely be wordy, but it’s all to get discussions going.

That’s right, it’s the return of Angles W/Camera Guy Chris. First things first, personal business. I again would like to apologize for my sporadic posting over the summer months. It’s been hard to sit and focus on (no pun intended) putting together an article between my work schedule and spending time with my daughter during the summer months. Now that school has started again, it’ll be a lot easier to post this for you great fans who visit the boards and read my work.

I also want to announce two things about Angles. Firstly, I will not be posting on a weekly basis. At the moment, I simply don’t have the energy or time to get a new topic together and post every week. It would burn me out very quickly. Angles will be a monthly post at the very least. There may be 2 posts a month depending on time and topics. That leads into my other announcement. My work is going to look more exclusively on Independent wrestling. There are so many great Indy feds and Indy talent out there, that to look at the WWE and TNA would just be foolish on my part. Pro Wrestling NEXT is a great Independent Wrestling Organization showcasing the best young wrestlers out there, and that’s where my attention will be from now on.

I can’t think of a better place to begin this new focus than with some of the events that transpired this past Friday, August 21st, 2009. There are many excellent independent wrestling groups around the world and right here in America. Organizations like Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, Full Impact Pro, CHIKARA, and Combat Zone Wrestling come to mind as some of the top Independents that come to mind here in the States. (I left out Ring of Honor, because, honestly, they have a national TV deal and are on PPV, I can’t consider them independent anymore) Friday night’s event at the Bier Stube saw the World Heavyweight Champion of one of these top feds defend his title live for us in the Quad Cities, CZW Champion Drake Younger.

Younger, trained by the likes of Ian Rotten and Chris Hero among others, is a brutal, vicious competitor who has held the Combat Zone World Heavyweight Championship since July 12, 2008, when he defeated Nick Gage for the title. Holding any title for more than a year is a great feat, but it’s definitely a mark of a true champion. Drake is best known for his deathmatch wrestling, a main stable for CZW, but he is also a brilliant technical wrestler and mat technician.

Younger brought this combined style to PWN on the 21st, looking to take down Hunter Matthews. Hunter, former PWN Quad Cities Champion and self-proclaimed “King of Des Moines,” felt he was cheated out of a title and deserved a title match at Bier Stube Bash 2, The Sequel. So, Drake Younger stepped in to give him that opportunity. How often to you get to see a World Title from another organization defended? That is the main point of this article. It’s a treat when another group, especially one as big as CZW allows their title to be defended outside of one of their own shows.

Younger brought is reputation and his World Title to Moline and gave the fans one kick ass ride. I’ve already talked about this match to some extent in my response to the results thread, but I’m going to go a bit more in depth now.

Hunter came out first, and of course took the microphone, much to the dismay of the fans. Matthews has definitely not been a favorite of the QC crowd. He talked about how the Quad Cities Championship had been taken, and his need of holding a title. Younger came out to put a stop to the talking and start the action, bringing and emptying a beer battle as he walked to the ring. He was on Matthews right from the start. Hunter didn’t even have a chance to get out of his jacket before Drake took the fight to him. Eventually, he was able to duck out of the ring and get a moment to pull his jacket off and gear up for the fight, but a moment was all he got.

The CZW Champion quickly followed him out of the ring to continue the beating. Out amongst the fans, we saw many various weapons used and advantages taken by both parties. And under CZW rules, this was all legal. No count outs, no disqualifications. Matthews was hit by a water bottle and a beer can before fighting back and getting Younger prone on top of a hard plastic picnic table. Hunter attempted a piledriver on top of this table but Drake was able to counter. Younger looked like he wanted to slam the “King” down to the cement below, but Matthews was able to block that attempt and the two of them made their way off the table.

The World Champion would empty a garbage can and take that to Hunter Matthews’ skull, leaving an indentation of the King’s “crown” on both sides of the metal can. Younger would then take his empty beer bottle, smash it across the ring post and attempt to lacerate Matthews with it. Hunter was able to dodge that and fought Drake, leading him to the fountain in the Bier Stube’s court yard. He tried to force the Champ’s head under water, and Younger struggled to prevent this, but, Matthews was able to over power him and dunk him for several seconds.

The two men battled back and forth around the outside of the ring until Hunter was able to whip Drake over a couple more plastic picnic tables towards a set of stairs leading up to a balcony overlooking the garden. They fought up to the balcony, both men teetering and trying to push the other over the edge. Thankfully, neither was successful. That would have caused serious injury. After battling back down the stairs they made their way out to the parking lot and onto the metal bed that had carried the ring to the venue. Hunter would get scooped up and slammed on his back on the metal!

At that point, things were pretty well over. Matthews was able to stay on his feet as they fought their way back in the ring. In the ring, Younger hit a sick ass vertibreaker for the win and rolled out of the ring to celebrate with the QC crowd. The fans really seemed to enjoy this. Drake grabbed the microphone, told the fans that he’d heard about Matthews and how he liked to run his mouth a lot. He was glad to have given the fans what they’ve wanted, silence, and he hoped to see them all in the bar to share a beer! At one point, I remember him looking me right in the eye…er…lens…and saying “That’s what you get when you call out Drake Younger” while pointing to Hunter, prone in the ring.

This is the great action you see in Pro Wrestling Next. Not only are we bringing in great new talent, we’re showcasing HUGE matches with World Titles from some of the top feds across the country. This is only the beginning, too. On September 12th, PWN welcomes back Davey Richards, current holder of the Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championship (a title he’s had once before) and current holder of the Full Impact Pro World Heavyweight Championship, a title he Will Defend in Davenport on September 12th at PWN’S Severed Ties!!!! FIP’s World Title is one of the top 3 wrestling championships in the country, and seeing it defended here in the Quad Cities is going to be excellent.

Back to the Bier Stube Bash, now. The CZW World Title match was awesome, but not the biggest moment of the night by far, in my opinion. The biggest moment happened before that match when The Hooligans defeated the Submission Squad to take the Lethal Wrestling Alliance Tag Team Championships. As unique as it is to see titles defended from other organizations, it is extremely rare to see a title change hands outside of the confines of the group the title is from. What makes this title change even more exciting and controversial is the fact that The Hooligans are not a part of LWA.

First, I have some background info. I need to thanks Brian “Flair” Kelley, Pierre Abernathy, and Kari Williams for tracking down or providing this information for me. The Submission Squad (Pierre Abernathy and Evan Gelistico) originally consisted of Pierre Abernathy, Dingo, and Nick Tyson, but the team has also included Evan Gelistico and “Blackheart” Johnny Vinyl. Before joining Abernathy, Gelistico was a member of the Bearded Men from Space Station Eleven (Gary the Barnowl—who was eventually corrupted by the likes of Gelistico, Abernathy, Tiffany LaFane, and Davey Vega—Billy McNeal, XXX Jordan Lacey, and Evan Gelistico) for approximately two years. Abernathy and Gelistico won the LWA Tag Titles on April 4th in O’Fallon, Illinois’s Night’s of Columbus building from the Ego Express (“Spoiled” Steven Kennedy & K.C. Karrington). The Ego Express were the first team to hold the LWA Tag Team Titles, beating Dingo and Davey Vega on 12/18/2008 at Yuletide Terror ’08.

During their title reign, the Submission Squad squared off against the Hooligans, the Northstar Express, and the Ego Express. One of their biggest feuds (before claiming the LWA gold) came against the Bearded Men over a span of two years. This feud saw Gelistico turn on the Space Station, claiming to be Gary’s father. Their other noticeable feud happened when original members, Dingo and Nick Tyson began to distance themselves from Abernathy and Gelistico. This culminated in a match between the new and the old Submission Squad on May 30 at the Vetta Sports Complex. Abernathy & Gelistico emerged victorious.

The Hooligans are Devin and Mason Cutter. The Cutters were raised in the outside districts of East St. Louis IL. They come from a working class family. They are just a couple of thugs or hooligans that enjoy a beer as much as they enjoy a good fight. You can catch them at any local pub after a hard days work drinking with there mates and at the end of the night you sure to see them in a fight. They are best known for their work in IWA-Mid South, where they have competed against some of the best IWA-MS has to offer, including (sometimes with Rain as their partner) Ian & Axl Rotten (sometimes with Mickie Knuckles)—better known as Bad Breed—on several occasions in many different types of hard-hitting, violent matches. The Cutters, in my opinion, are very no nonsense. They’re heavy hitters and consider themselves Working Class Heroes, though the fans from Friday didn’t consider them very heroic when they won the LWA Championships.

In Moline on August 21st, the crowd was already fired up, and it only escalated to see the first of two title matches. The QCA fans were definitely against the Hooligans throughout the match, especially after the match. Security had to restrain both the Hooligans and the crowd following their victory for the LWA Titles.

The match itself saw both teams getting in some early offense, until Devin and Mason cut Evan Gelistico off from his partner. The Cutters used classic heel tactics to divide and concur, isolating Gelistico and using moments when the ref’s back was turned to both double team Gelistico and trade places with blind tags.

During the match, Tim Donst and Jasin Strife came out to watch the proceedings. Donst had lost a match to Tony Kozina earlier in the night due to disqualification after Strife came down and joined Tim in assaulting Kozina. The Submission Squad had come to the aide of Kozina, causing Donst and Strife to flee the ring before Abernathy and Gelistico could lay a hand on them. I didn’t see Donst and Strife come out, since my attention was focused on the action in the ring, and rightly so, I am Camera Guy Chris, after all.

Back in the ring, Gelistico manages to catch a break, tagging in his very fresh, very eager partner, Pierre Abernathy, who proceeded to take down both the Cutters as they took turns charging at him. In the corner, Gelistico was down and prone to Donst and Strife, who chose that moment to strike, taking out Evan’s knee and leaving him crying out in pain on the cement below the ring. Then it was only a matter of time before the numbers game caught up with Abernathy. With no partner waiting on the apron, and the vicious Hooligans having 2-1 odds, it didn’t take long for the match to end, crowing Devin and Mason Cutter the NEW LWA Tag Team Champions.

A title change is always a sight to see, since they can be rare, especially in the independent feds. Seeing a title from another company even defended at an outside event is something big. PWN featured two outside title defenses at the Bier Stube Bash 2. What makes this particular match even more unique is seeing the titles change hands at an outside event. And if that were the only major deal about this match, then, while worth mentioning, it might not get all the attention it is getting. What makes this particular outside title defense and changing of the guard so incredibly special is that the new LWA Tag Team Champions are not a part of the Lethal Wrestling Alliance!

This situation has potential to get very bad very quickly. I know I’ll be following the situation as closely as I can and update the fans on how things turn out. I’d also like to welcome any and all LWA fans visiting the PWN boards and reading this article. I invite you to join in the discussion of both the situation with the Tag Team Titles and the uniqueness of seeing outside titles defended.

I would like to once again thank everyone for the information provided for this article. It’s very much appreciated. I’d also like thank Brian “Flair” Kelley, once again, as well as Missouri Wrestling Revival for giving me the opportunity to reach a new audience with my articles. I hope you all enjoy. For those viewing this on MWR, and would like to join the discussion, the main article can be viewed here at the Pro Wrestling Next board.
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Christopher M. Zack

Dubi meets the MECW Fans.

This is Dubray Tallman out  and  about mingling with the fans of the wrestling community.  We all know as I had said before it is the fans that bring as much action as the wrestlers to the shows. 

 This past Saturday I was in Wood River, IL enjoying our friends at MECW. Prior to the show I had made my way through the crowd to find four fans with opinions of whom their favorites were and how long they have followed MECW.

 I did my best to get their favorite wrestler to pose with them during intermission. Unfortunately some fans like the bad guys of the wrestling world and I was unable to get MECW management to get those guys come out for a picture with the fans.  Why can’t we all just get along?? 

 The theme of the night was that many of the fans first favorite was Dewey “Booger” Dawson who had retired at the last show so I asked them to take a moment to think of who they liked currently at MECW.

The first fan I spoke to was Kenny Busby from Wood River Illinois who had been coming to MECW since their start in. Kenny stated that his favorite was Brian Scrilla. Scrilla is one of the tough guys with a big heart and I had no problem getting that special picture with the two of them.

 Up next I asked my wrestling buddy and fellow Fuzzy Hat Club member/president Terry Joe Wray (Panther) from Cottage Hills, Illinois who has been following MECW since 2007. Panthers favorite was one of mine as well Krotch, but when I went to get MECW to ask for him to come out for the picture they stated that he was in “No mood after his lost to Gabriel Brimstone”  Confused I asked my friend if I could take his picture anyway.

Fuzzy Hat Club member/president Terry Joe Wray (Panther) (Photo Credit Brian “Flair “ Kelley)

I was then able to catch up with Joe VanDuran who had traveled from Chicago, Illinois to MECW for the second time to see his favorite Bailey Mannix wrestled. I knew the answer was going to be a no because Mannix is a “JERK!!”  So guess what?  I was right so Joe said that he would be happy to take a picture with me for the site. Thank you Joe!!

Joe VanDuran and Dubray Tallman (Photo Credit Brian “Flair “ Kelley)

 The fourth fan I found was Annie Smith from East Alton, Illinois who had followed MECW for at least two years. Annie told me that Krotch was her favorite as well, so I explained to her that he was “In no mood” arrhhh… I offered her to choose another wrestler and she quickly picked The Bayou Outlaws Maddog McDowell and Aaron Masterson.  They were gracious enough to take a picture with her and during the excitement I forgot to ask the two tough wrestlers for a picture with me as well.

Maddog McDowell Annie Smith and Aaron Masterson. (Photo Credit Brian “Flair “ Kelley)

A great night of wrestling until Krotch ruined it by hitting Gabrille Brimstone with a chair. I thought that they were friends. Krotch, I want you to know that your no longer one of my favorite wrestlers.

 I want to thank MECW for allowing me to meet with the fans and will always look forward to coming back to Wood River.

This weekend I will be at Lethal Wrestling Alliance in House Springs Missouri hoping to meet more wrestling fans. If any of the LWA fans would like to be a part of “Dubi Meets the Fans” let me know. I am hoping to do four at each show. If you are not one of the first four I know that my boyfriend Brian “Flair” Kelley and I will be back to support pro wrestling in the Midwest.

Dubray “Dubi-Bear” Tallman

Brandon Aarons beautifies B.A.B.E.WATCH

By Kari Williams

As “Irresistably Flawless” Brandon Aarons saunters to the ring, “Girls go crazy!” becomes his battlecry. With each flamboyant step, he anticipates cries of excitement from the girls in attendance. He foresees them fawning over his Greek god-like physique, hoping he does so much as cast a glance in their direction. The moment he steps through the ropes and flaunts his athletic prowess he lets his personality flourish. When Aarons secures victory, he delivers See You Next Tuesday, a fireman’s carry into a modified lung blower, and covers his opponent for the three count.

Brandon Aarons shows why he is 'irresistably flawless' prior to his match against Mark Sterling on Jan. 2, 2008. Photo by Kari Williams

The Newport Beach, CA native began his career three years ago with Gateway Championship Wrestling (GCW) and has since trained with Lethal Wrestling Alliance (LWA) and Dynamo Training Gym, where he currently resides under the tutelage of Dingo. Noticing he needed something extra to stand out, Aarons established a serious training program in which he goes to the gym five days a week.

“[Other wrestlers] go to the gym all the time [and] get buff. Me? I was a little, skinny kid. Plus, I wanted to get the girls. So, I figure, I can go out somewhere, and I see all the girls looking at me, and I’m like, ‘Alright, this is cool.’ And then I see all the old guys looking at me, and I’m like, ‘You know what? I must be really good if the old dudes are checking me out too’,” Aarons said.

Once his desire to work at a more rigorous pace developed, Aarons had the opportunity to wrestle on the National Wrestling Alliance—Central States Wrestling (NWA-CSW, now Dynamo Pro) television taping in April 2008 against Adam Rich and Tony Brock in a three-way for the first Young Dynamo Cup. Boosting his credibility is the fact that he has worked on cards featuring stars such as Al Snow, Samoa Joe, Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin.

“I wrestled in front of almost 300 people up in NWA Dynamo in Kansas and then Espy [and I] wrestled as B.A.B.E.WATCH [with] IWA Productions…in January. [In the next year, I want to] wrestle in front of more people, get my name out there, get more publicity, do as much as I can to let people know that Brandon Aarons is the next breakout star in the midwest,” Aarons said.

Brandon Aarons and Brandon Espinosa formed B.A.B.E.WATCH in May 2008 and currently have their sights set on gold.

Aarons joined forces with “Thee” Brandon Espinosa in May 2008 when their tag team, B.A.B.E.WATCH, debuted in LWA. The duo has wrestled for LWA, New Midwest Wrestling and High Voltage Wrestling (HVW), among other companies. The skill set they possess, and the attention they receive, allows them to stand out, despite Aarons keeping their key moves secret.

“[Espinosa has] his Mexican flying burrito skills, and I [have] my ridiculously good looking things that I do, which is everything. Plus, Espy and I get fan mail. Granted 99 percent of females that attend wrestling shows are complete trash, and I would never converse with them in my entire life—not even through a mutual friend…But B.A.B.E.WATCH…stands for ‘Girls, girls, girls want our bodies, but they cannot touch us so we wrestle ugly dudes and beat them unless they cheat. You know, like the Ego [Express] did on Jan. 24, the day after my birthday,” Aarons said.

Espinosa utitilizes the time spent together to develop their proficiency and skillfulness in the ring.

“As singles competitors, we are able to show one another what is great about each other, which helps us create our tag team aurora. Strategies are pretty much the same [though]. [We] use each other to the other ones advantage,” Espinosa said.

Having a love for the sport since he was 11 years old, Aarons understands his expectations and responsibilites as a wrestler but while balancing a full time college schedule knows he is limited.

Photo Courtesty of Brandon Aarons

Due to his hardwork and dedication, Aarons, along with others such as Mike Sydal, was named as one of the next wave of breakout stars on Missouri Wrestling Revival (MWR) Owner Josh Ray’s, “2008 Year End Awards and Reflective Celebration” post. Aarons feels that he deserves the credit bestowed upon him.

“I don’t blame [MWR] at all [for selecting me] because if I’m going to train this hard, I better be getting something out of it. But guys like Mike [Sydal], he’s pretty talented. I mean, he’s probably almost just as good as me. Almost. You know, he’s got charisma; he’s got skill. Something I think that I possess as well because I’m irresistably flawless,” Aarons said.

Brandon has battled some of the best the Midwest has to offer, here he punishes Mark Sterling at LWA ( Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)

Wrestling for approximately two years, Sydal became an interim member of B.A.B.E.WATCH in Dec. 2008 and appreciates the recognition bestowed upon himself and Aarons.

“It was nice to read that, honestly, because it means people are noticing our hard work. I know both of us can live up to those expectations. We both work hard in and out of the ring, always training in the ring and in the gym,” Sydal said.

Aarons feels secure with his work ethic and plans to prove Ray correct in the coming months. The irresistably flawless one competed in a number one contender’s match for the Heavweight Title against “Future” Donovan Ruddick, J.C. Bravo and Dorian Victor on March 6 for LWA to attest to that fact. In the same month, he wrestled in HVW against Kahagas, who ranked at 373 on Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s PWI 500 for 2008.

At HVW on March 14, Brandon Aarons accompanies Brandon Espinosa to the ring for Espinosa's Livewire Championship match against Gary Jay. Photo by Kari Williams

“I can guarantee that I can get a reaction out of anybody no matter what I do, whether I’m shaking hands or pulling down my tights to expose my rock hard abs. I [have] skill, I [have] talent, I [have] charisma. My pecs are good. My triceps are good. My biceps are good. I’ve got rock solid thighs, I’ve got great hair. Those guys on that list, some of them might have some of it, some of them may have none of it, but I have all of it,” Aarons said.

The flamboyant Sydal has grown to know Aarons and thinks highly of his some-time partner.

“Brandon Aarons is a young, hungry, up-and-comer with a great body—a nice hard, tight, young body. He is a skilled wrestler with a chiseled and hard, tan look with a young face. [He has a] great boyish face with a toned physique that captivates you so you can’t look away,” Sydal said.

Aarons can back up such statements because he has girls “sending [him] e-mails [and] messaging [him] on MySpace.” Despite his claims, many fans harass Aarons with accusations of being homosexual, which he firmly denies.

B.A.B.E.WATCH plans to broaden their horizons within the next year. ‘We hope to wrestle as much as we can, capture as much gold–because it looks so good around our waists–and spread the word and looks of B.A.B.E.WATCH,’ Espinosa said. Photo by Brian “Flair” Kelley

“We look good. We wear professional-looking gear. I look professional. Espy looks professional. Mike definitely looks professional. His brother is Evan Bourne from WWE. You can’t get more professional than that…What’s gay about us? We don’t do anything gay. We wrestle. That’s what we do. We wrestle. We perform. We get out there. Take names. Kick ass …So, definitely not gay. Not gay at all,” Aarons said.

After working with Sydal semi-regularly for three months, Aarons has no problem with Sydal’s addition to B.A.B.E.WATCH.

“Us good looking guys, we have to stay together because in the wrestling business. It’s hard to find good looking guys, just as hard as it is to find good looking girls…The three of us together has been awesome. B.A.B.E.WATCH as a whole is obviously, Brandon Aarons and Brandon Espinosa, but what do we want? We want babes. What does that ‘S’ stand for? Sydal. He’s the missing link, so if he wants in, he’s in,” Aarons said.

Regardless of the fans’ perception of the irresistably flawless one, he and Espinosa hope to excel as a team, with Espinosa stating that they are on a quest for gold. Before the dashing duet proves themselves in tag team title matches, Aarons must first contend with his opponent at LWA’s next show on April 4 in O’ Fallon, IL. For booking information, contact Aarons through brandonaarons@yahoo.com or www.myspace.com/thegenerickid.

MWR February 2009 Awards

MWR February 2009 Awards

Wrestler of the Month

Jeremy Wyatt
(LWA,PWP,3XW,NWA Dynamo Pro)

Jeremy Wyatt continues to dominate the Midwest. He retained the LWA title against former LWA Champion “The Future” Donovan Ruddick on February 22 in a brutal match. Wyatt became one of the few men to have defeated Ruddick, though he had some help from Mark Sterling, Jewels and Dorian Victor the Rebel remains the LWA Champion. Wyatt ended the month by retaining the PWP title against Hype Gotti and recently released Sonja Dutt in a three way dance. Wyatt was part of two of the most important matches in the Midwest in February and was able to come up on top both times.

1st Runner Up- Mark Sterling ( 3XW, PWP,LWA, NWA DYNAMO, AAPW,SCW).
2nd Runner Up – (TIE) “Rockstar” Jimmy Rockwell (3XW, MECW).Issan Hadeev, (NBWA)

Others receiving votes: Dingo, Dave Vaughn
“Bloody” Harker Dirge<

February Tag Team of the month

Phoenix Twins
(SCW)

The Phoenix Twins successfully defended their titles against their arch enemies The Northstar Express at SCW. A BIG WIN

1st Runner Up- The Hybrids (SCW,NMWA,SLW,HWA)
2nd Runner Up – Andy Roberts & Danny McKay ((NGW) (GAW)
3rd runner up- Pierre Abernathy, Davey Vega and Evan Gelistico (LWA)

Others receiving votes- Jaysin Strife and Vic Victory (PWP)

February Woman Wrestler of the Month

Stacey O’Brien
(MMWA-SICW, WLW)

Photo Credit: Michael R Van Hoogstraat

Stacey was so close to reclaiming the MMWA-SICW title Alexis Lightfoot until Destiny Diamond interfered. Stacey continues to hold onto the WLW title. With a feud with upstart Destiny Diamond, Stacey O’Brien will be tested in the upcoming months.

1st Runner Up- Rain (IWAMS)
2nd Runner Up – “Serenity” Brandi Harris (NBWA, HVW)
3rd Runner Up – Mia Martinez (3XW)
Others receiving votes: Destiny Diamond (MMWA-SICW), Mickey Knuckles (IWAMS) (GWA)

February Promotion of the Month

3XW

The 3XW show on February 28th was to benefit a 11 year old Christian Arnold & his family. Christian was diagnosed with cancer in his foot and had to have his leg amputated below the knee this week. His family has insurance, but because they took him to Mayo Clinic which is outside their network, much of his bills will not be covered. This is an addition to the costs a family has just having a very sick kid. This was not just a benefit show, ALL the proceeds from this event went to the family.

All wrestlers, referees, ring announcers, etc have volunteered their time and travel expenses so that the absolute most money can be raised for this family. The only money that did not go to the family is the money that the state of Iowa requires for sales tax & a percentage of ticket sales that is required to be paid to the Iowa state athletic commission.

The result? One of the biggest crowds in 3XW history packed the McCarroll Gym and helped raise over $4,000 for the family of Christian Arnold while witnessing one of the most exciting events 3XW has ever held. Wrestling aside, one of the true highlights of the evening was the auction for a steel chair signed by all the wrestlers who took part in the show. The winning bid was a whopping $500 and the winner gave the chair directly back to the Arnold family to keep.

We at MWR never get tired of hearing about a promotion and wrestlers supporting the fans. We salute 3XW with the Promotion of the month for February.

1st Runner Up – Rampage Championship Wrestling
2nd Runner Up –Lethal Wrestling Alliance
3rd Runner Up – MMWA-SICW

Others receiving votes – Scott County Wrestling

February Personality of the month

Chris Lee
(The Nosebleed Seats)

As an avid fan of the sport, Chris originally began as a ring announcer and commentator, he has announced for several Central Illinois wrestling companies including GAW, NMW, ASCW, SLW and the wrestling event held by the Springfield Stallions. In July 2007, the first episode of the Nose Bleed Seats was produced in Champaign, IL with Chris interviewing the Phoenix Twins-Tweek @ Dash. Originally a web cast program, it began airing on the Springfield public access a year later. In recognizing the best talent to come out of central Illinois, he conceived the NBS Awards, which was held on February 20th. Although owning his own restaurant, the Main Hanger has cut down his ability to make as many shows as he used to, he continues to contribute to the area wrestling scene. MWR is proud to announce Chris Lee as the February personality of the Month.

1st Runner Up- Jewells (LWA)
2nd Runner Up (tie) – Travis Cook (MMWA-SICW), Kari Williams

Others receiving votes- Adam Raw (LWA)

February Match of the month

The Phoenix Twins vs. The Northstar Express
Davenport, IA
February 6, 2009
(Scott County Wrestling)

The Phoenix Twins (Tweek and Dash) and The Northstar Express (Darin Corbin and Ryan Cruz) had a feud that tore up the Midwest in 2008. Guess what they are still going strong. In the main event, the SCW/PWN Tag Team Champions, The Phoenix Twins defeated The Northstar Express in an incredible tag team battle between two rivals that is reminiscent of the Hart Foundation and The British Bulldogs

1st Runner Up-
Jeremy Wyatt vs “The Future” Donovan Ruddick
(House Springs, Missouri)
February 21, 2009
(Lethal Wrestling Alliance)

2nd Runner Up
Dave Vaughn vs. AJ Williams
(St Louis Missouri)
February 14,2009
(MMWA-SICW)

3rd Runner Up
The Feature Presentation vs. The Hybrids vs. Ryan Phoenix &
Axis
Springfield, Illinois
New Midwest Wrestling
Others receiving votes- Zero Gravity vs. Arik Cannon & Marek Brave (SCW), Hype Gotti vs. Sonjay Dutt vs. Jeremy Wyatt (PWP)

Chikara star and NWA World Jr. Heavyweight Champ Mike Quackenbush

The NWA World Jr. Heavyweight Champ Mike Quackenbush started the year off in 2009 in the Midwest at Lethal Wrestling Alliance taking on Nick Tyson and Evan Gelistico in their first double shot. Mike has a love for the sport and took time to train inspiring wrestlers during the weekend as well.

A star in Chikara, Mike Quackenbush took the time to reach out to the Missouri Wrestling Revival fans with this message.

To add them as your friend on myspace go to Chikar-Myspace.

Plus take the time to check out their website and find out why Chikara is one of the most loved promotions in the world.

Thank you to LWA.

We would like to thank Lethal Wrestling Alliance, Jeremy Wyatt and Tyler Black their part in the Midwest dream match last Saturday night in O’Fallon IL. A great night of wrestling with a fun filled crowd proves that the wrestling in the Midwest is moving in the right direction in 2009.

For the LWA Champion Jeremy Wyatt 2009 started out the same as the year ended, as a friend of mine would say “the second verse was the same as the first”. Wyatt was triumphed over the Ring of Honor superstar Tyler Black in a match that showed why each man is considered two of the top rising stars in the sport. The match more than lived up to the expectations and I would not be surprised if this was the first of many encounters between Black and Wyatt.

To celebrate the first LWA double shot weekend, Missouri Wrestling Revival gave away two MWR T-shirts that was drawn out during intermission by LWA’S Paul Parker. Congratulations to Big Al and Mieisha Bell for being the lucky winners of the exclusive MWR T-Shirts.

Mieisha Bell, Brian "Flair" Kelley, "Big Al" Alan Jansen

Once again thank you to everyone at LWA for their hospitality, patience and friendship on January 3rd. We look to continue to support LWA and Pro Wrestling in the Midwest in the future.

Your next chance to win a MWR T-shirt is this weekend at High Voltage Wrestling in Granite City. We hope to see you there.