Missouri Wrestling Revival

Anticipation continues to build for this weekend’s “AAPW Collision” taping at Sports Blast in Carbondale. This show will be the last TV taping in Carbondale before “Collision” moves to its permanent new home, the Black Diamond Harley-Davidson Warehouse in Marion.

Fans are in for a special treat, as All American Pro Wrestling hosts its second television taping. “Collision” debuts at noon on Saturday, Sept. 3, on WSIL TV-3 and will air every other week in that time slot.

Saturday’s taping will be headlined by an AAPW Heavyweight Championship bout pitting reigning champion and fan favorite Edmund “Livewire” McGuire against the ruthless “Old School Warrior” Ax Allwardt.

The champion’s confidence is in no short supply heading into his first title defense since winning the belt from “Serial Thriller” Shane Rich in March.

“I worked very hard to get where I’m at in AAPW. Now, I respect Ax and all that he has done, but this title is the reason we are all here, and I’m not taking this match or Ax lightly,” the champion said.

Alwardt’s manager Gaylord Stevens, however, believes gold will soon be back around the waist of his client. Alwardt is a three-time AAPW tag team champion, most recently with “Playboy” Paul Rose, but he’s never held the company’s singles title.

“Livewire is a boy in a man’s world, and ‘The Old School Warrior’ is going to teach him a lesson he couldn’t learn in any classroom,” Stevens said.

While the AAPW Tag Team Championships won’t be defending this weekend, two of the company’s top teams will compete in a match sure to have championship ramifications.

“Golden Boy” Greg Anthony and Rich will face the Money Makin’ Jam Boys duo of the Mississippi Madman and KC Jackson in the night’s second main event. The Madman and Jackson are three-time AAPW tag team champions, while Rich and Anthony have only begun teaming together recently. Despite their difference, however, both sets of competitors have their eyes on Curly and Heath Hatton, the reigning champs.

“The Money Makin’ Jam Boys like to have fun,” Anthony said. “Well, Shane and I like to win. When you have two superior athletes like us, then winning is as easy as breathing, I promise.

Also scheduled to appear are AAPW Tag Team Champion Curly, Carnage, Jay Spade, Pokerface, Seth Knight, Carnage and Mike Masters.

The show begins at 7 p.m. at Sports Blast, 1215 E. Walnut St., in Carbondale. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door or $8 in advance online. For more information and to stay up-to-date on all the happenings in AAPW, visit allamericanprowrestling.com.