Missouri Wrestling Revival

By Brian Hoops

It all started on April 1, 2017 when Dak Draper defeated Blaine Meeks in the tournament finals for the NWL Kansas City Championship. The self proclaimed “Mile High Magnum”, with no shortage of confidence, was hell bent on taking over the NWL, Kansas City, and any other towns in which the NWL would promote. His brash personna, backed up by an undefeated singles streak that saw him turn back all challengers to his title, won him over with some fans but drew the ire of others. Draper is a polarizing figure in the NWL and the highest profile wrestler on the roster. Draper has appeared on television in Kansas City and St. Joseph, promoting the NWL brand and is always the first one to be giving of his time in promoting the NWL at local events. That’s what makes the events at the latest television taping so curious.

Draper has turned back all challengers to his title in dominant fashion; including Marty Casaus (Marty the Moth), Hans Ruger, Jeff Cobb, Blaine Meeks, Thor Theriot and Gil Rogers. In trying to establish a new #1 contender for Draper’s title as Draper has literally cleaned out the singles division; NWL Owner, Major Baisen established a number #1 contendor’s match between Blaine Meeks and Thor Theriot on July 22. Draper interfered, resulting in a no contest. Baisden, growing frustrated with his champions actions, ordered a triple threat rematch for August 5. Draper had a sound strategy: take out one of his competitors and defeat the other, something he has done before. Draper took out Blaine Meek’s knee, taking Meek’s out of the match, then cleanly defeated Theriot with a Draper bomb.

As Meeks was taking time off to let his injured knee heal, Baisden granted Meeks a rematch with Draper, a no DQ match set for labor Day weekend, September 2 in Kansas City. The match was a brutal, physical encounter with both men going to hospitals after the contest. Draper was busted open above his eye and required stitches, while Meeks’ knee was re-injured by Draper. Since it was no DQ, Draper brought numerous chairs into the ring and used them repeatedly on Meeks. While Meeks re-injured his knee in the match, it was the post match antics of Draper that caused security to drag Draper away from the ring. Draper had won the match when the referee ruled Meeks could not continue. With Meeks unable to defend himself, Draper wrapped Meeks leg around the post and repeatedly smashed a steel chair against his already injured knee. Security dragged Draper away and Meeks was taken out of the Shrine Temple on a stretcher.

Tensions escalated to a boiling point between Draper and Baisden on September 15 in Kansas City. Draper was explaining to the crowd that what happened to Blaine Meeks was not his fault. “It is Major Baisden’s fault for making the match on September 2 a no DQ match. It was Blaine Meeks fault for getting into the ring with someone he knew was more than capable of ending his career and it was the fans fault for encouraging Meeks when he had no chance against a superior athlete” explained Draper to the raucous crowd.

Jet Royal came out from behind the back, obviously appalled at Draper. Royal challenged Draper to a match that night, which Draper again successfully defended his title. Draper used his patented Draper bomb to finish Royal and then gave Royal two additional Draper bombs. When Draper went for a fourth Draper bomb, Major Baisden ran into the ring and pulled Draper off of Royal. Draper explained he defended himself until security pulled Draper out of the ring and escorted him out of the building.

While the NWL has not officially stripped Draper of his championship, the title belt is in the possession of the NWL offices. “That title is my property until someone beats me for it and we all know no one is capable of doing that. I will exercise all options, in and out of the ring to keep the NWL Kansas City Title around my waist” Draper explained.

The NWL and Baisden suspended Draper from all upcoming NWL appearances until Draper’s private attorney filed an injunction with the NWL, forcing the NWL to allow Draper to make his scheduled appearances. Draper’s next scheduled match is against Thor Theriot September 22 in Springfield, Missouri; the company’s debut in that market. NWLeague.com does not list the match as a title bout.

“If Major Baisden takes the title from me, he accomplishes nothing, because I am Dak Draper, the franchise, the cornerstone of the NWL. If Baisden lets me go from the NWL roster, there are companies all around the world that want to ride the Dak Draper star to the top.”

Also on the September 22 card in Springfield; Maverick takes on Gary Jay, Foundation members Ace Steel and Michael Strider wrestle the Besties in the World in a preview of the finals of the tag team tournament match that is held September 30 in Kansas City, Jeremy Wyatt wrestles Anthony “Sharkbait” Gutierrez, Jack Foster takes on Buddy Shepherd, Niles Plonk takes on Jet Royal and Leonel Howlett wrestles Mike Outlaw.