Missouri Wrestling Revival

By Brian Hoops

On Saturday, January 13th; the NWL presents its biggest championship match to date. It’s not Alpha vs. Omega, but its The Monarch against the Magnum; the King of Kansas City vs. the Don Juan of Denver; the Champion vs. the former Champion.

Jeremy Wyatt, the newly crowned NWL Champion, will defend his title against the man who was never pinned but still lost the title, Dak Draper.

Wyatt won the title December 8, 2017 in Kansas City when he last eliminated Dak Draper in a battle royal. Originally, general manager Matt Jackson had declared the winner of the battle royal would go on to face then Champion Dak Draper for the title at a future date, however Draper’s arrogance got the better of him and Draper decided to put the belt at stake in the battle royal. Draper entered #1 and outlasted all other participants, except Wyatt who eliminated Draper to win the championship.

Now Draper is out for revenge against Wyatt and to regain his lost title. “I’m so sure that I’m going to beat Wyatt that, last week, I had a box of “2-time NWL champ” shirts printed up,” exclaims the confident challenger.

Draper won the title in a tournament final on April 1, 2017; defeating Blaine Meeks to become the first and only NWL Champion. Draper held the belt throughout the 2017 and virtually cleaned out all challengers for his title, including Hans Gruber, Red Cloud, Gil Rogers, Dez Wellston, Jet Royal, Blaine Meeks and Thor Theriot. Draper was never pinned by any of these competitors, in fact his only pinfall losses have occurred in tag team matches.

Wyatt was beaten out in the tournament by Thor Theriot, but quickly worked his way back up the championship ladder in 2017 by defeating nearly everyone in his path. Including avenging his loss to Thor Theriot and beating Jack Foster, Mike Outlaw and Anthony “Sharkbait” Guittereiz in notable feuds.

What lengths will Wyatt go to keep the title? Will fellow Foundation members Michael Strider and Ace Steel, the NWL Tag Team Champions, get involved in the match?

“I don’t really feel like I need to go to any ‘lengths’ to keep my title. I just have to show up and do what I say I’m going to do. Beat Dak Draper. Beat him right in the middle of the ring. Leave no doubt I’m the better man. I already know this and Saturday night, everyone else will too” explains the newly crowned champion Wyatt when asked about the upcoming contest.

Draper’s quest to regain the title should be one of the many great storylines from the NWL in 2018.

“Draper and Wyatt are two of the best wrestlers I’ve ever been around in 20 years of the wrestling business, from the indies to WWE”, explained former WWE writer and current NWL executive Chris Gough.

“Jeremy Wyatt has the rare knack of combating any style he faces. Dak Draper’s amateur background puts him in the same category. Both are excellent showman and entertainers as well. This will be one of our best matches ever!”

The NWL, which has been on its own holiday since running a show December 15 in St. Joseph, Missouri and hasn’t run a show in Kansas City since December 8, makes their return to Overland Park, Kansas as they kick off the “Evolution Tour” Saturday, January 13. Besides the NWL Championship match with Champion Jeremy Wyatt defending against Challenger, Dak Draper; Eddie Kingston debuts against Leonel Howlett; Besties in the World teams with Jack Foster against Ace Steel, Marco Howlett and Maddux; Jet Royal takes on Niles Plonk; Mike Outlaw wrestles Bolt Brady (Blaine Meeks), Thor Theriot and Sharkbait Guetteriez in a four way match, Michael Strider wrestles Gil Rogers, Marti Belle takes on Laynie Luck and Gary Jay will also be in action.

Other upcoming NWL events are scheduled for January 19 in O’Fallon, Missouri; January 27 in Kansas City, Kansas; February 3 in Joplin, Missouri and February 9 in St. Joseph, Missouri.