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MWR Tribute: “Nature Boy” Ric Flair

Posted by Admin on April 5, 2008

Missouri Wrestling Revival Tribute:
“Nature Boy” Ric Flair

by Joshua Ray
MWR Owner-Editor

(Ric Flair as Missouri State Champion in 1983 [Credit: http://www.rfgolds.com/].)
A Tribute

(Ric Flair and the infamous Four Horsemen! [Internet photo database])

36 years of pro wrestling excellence has come to an end, as “Nature Boy” Ric Flair wrestled his last match at Wrestlemania 24 just a few short days ago on March 30, 2008. I am a huge “Naitch” fan, so I wanted to put together a fitting MWR Tribute to the man known as “The Man” to most of the professional wrestling world. I will be bringing Ric Flair to Missouri in this tribute, connecting him to the Show Me State in a way which I sincerely hope will be befitting of a true champion.
This might not be the definitive history of Ric Flair in Missouri. I admit that my research might not have uncovered every single detail about his connection with our great state. It will be a great tribute, though. In my mind, Ric Flair is the greatest World Heavyweight Champion of all time, and this is the least I can do for him. I have been researching every bit of known information about Flair for nearly two weeks.
I’ll leave out less significant events such as individual house show appearances. While I’ll include them in the match totals, the focus is to point out the noteworthy history of the “Nature Boy” as it pertains to Missouri. Feel free to comment on anything included in this tribute, as well as anything I might have left out or any personal reflections.


Ric Flair and Missouri at a Glance

Ric Flair is on record as wrestling 80 times in Missouri in his 36 year career. While the average breaks down to just over two matches per year in the Show Me State, 55 of his Missouri bouts occurred between his Missouri debut on August 6, 1977 and October 16, 1987. This period includes the time in which he set an amazing standard by which most other champions could not meet, as he wrestled 6 or 7 times each week. This averages to just over 5 wrestling matches each year in Missouri alone.

In the winning of his first and only NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship, Flair wrestled four times in the same night in a tournament. He became the title’s 33rd holder. That wasn’t the only belt he won in Missouri, though. Flair also won two NWA World Heavyweight Titles by defeating Dusty Rhodes on both occasions. On the flip side, he lost 2 NWA World Heavyweight Titles to Harley Race, and his only Missouri Heavyweight Title was lost when he was defeated at the hands of David Von Erich.

Flair only wrestled two tag team matches in the state of Missouri. He teamed with Arn Anderson for one to defeat El Gigante and Sting on April 27, 1991 in St. Louis. For the other one, he teamed with Barry Windham in a losing effort to El Gigante and The yellow Dog (A Masked “Flyin” Brian Pillman). As another piece of trivia, Flair only guest refereed one match in the state of Missouri. The match was between “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Undertaker on April 21, 2002!

“The Man” has wrestled in seven cities within the Missouri state border. Those cities are (matches in parentheses) St. Louis (51), Kansas City (20), Joplin (2), St. Joseph (2), Cape Girardeau (1), Springfield (3), and West Plains (1).

With all of these connections to the state of Missouri, Flair was inducted into the inaugural class of 2007 of the St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame on February 24, 2007.

(Bret Hart giving Flair a taste of his own medicine [Credit: www.wwesuperstars.org])

Personal Reflection

As a young kid (the entire 1980s), I was always partial to the National Wrestling Alliance. Yes, I enjoyed the World Wrestling Federation and all of the glitz and glamor that organization had to offer, but there was just something that resonated in my soul with how the NWA presented itself. It seemed more real, with the heroes more believable in my eyes. Hulk Hogan might have been my favorite wrestler at the time due to his looks and his cartoonish stand for all that was American and good, but Dusty Rhodes, The Rock N Roll Express, Magnum TA, Ricky Steamboat, Kerry Von Erich, Brad Armstrong and later Sting would round out my list.

Why did those simpler and less “larger than life” wrestlers capture my imagination and have me rooting for them just as hard as my favorite wrestler in the entire world at the time, Hulk Hogan?

“Nature Boy” Ric Flair.

He was as bad as a person could be. He had money. He had women. He loved to cheat. Worst of all, he always found a way to win! I hated him with a passion in my younger days. I can still remember getting so excited when somebody would defeat him for the NWA World Title, only for him two win it back so shortly later. I loved to hate him.

Later, i would learn to respect him. His Royal Rumble performance in 1992 was probably the point in my life (I was 11) where I started realizing he was more than just a bad guy. Sure, I still hated him… but he had just lasted an hour in one of the hardest matches to win! He had found a way, yet again, to win the gold. This time it was for the WWF!

Over the years, Flair might not have been center stage or in the main event, but it was obvious that I wasn’t the only fan to respect him and treat him like royalty. Most of the time he was getting the shaft and was nearly buried by terrible booking after his NWA glory years:

– Black Scorpion
– Feud with Robocop and Sting
– Nearly being forced to shave his head, wear an earring, and call himself “Spartacus”
– Late WCW (everybody was bad then, but let’s move on)
– His recent jobber status in WWE before his “retire” storyline

(Ric Flair versus Hulk Hogan in WCW [Internet photo database].)

The great thing about Flair was that he transcended all of that. He was great, and people knew that anything lame about Flair couldn’t possibly be his doing. The man has been a living legend for many years. He’s just finally getting that recognition on a more formal level.

So here’s to Ric Flair.

The greatest of all time! (An issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated with Ric Flair on the cover. [Credit: www.prowrestlingillustrated.com])

Thoughts from Brian “Flair” Kelley:
If you know me then you know that Ric Flair is my favorite wrestler. Ric Flair is the last real wrestling champion, and I am grateful that I got to live with him wrestling since my youth. Before Vince told the world that it was predetermined, there was still a kind of magic that the fans believed in. The magic that every match meant something, whether it be when he broke Dusty Rhodes’ leg or when he was having the greatest scientific matches of all time with Ricky Steamboat. You knew you just had to see it.

Flair was the guy the boys wanted to be, the women loved and the men hated. Flair made you stay home on Saturday nights for just a little longer, just so you could see who he was going to wrestle and what would he say before and after.

Don’t lie, men. You know you have tried one of his pickup lines at least once on a girl.

When I think of Flair today, I still mark out for him. Truth be told, I always will. There has never been a wrestler who can keep my attention the way he did. I feel as if Flair never reached his potential as far as marketing goes, though I wished he would have been given that chance. This is by no means to slight anyone else, because thank goodness for Hogan, The Rock and Austin… three men who really boomed as far as merchandise sales go, but I wish Flair had been given that ball to run with. Maybe it was for the best, though. Flair now has longevity and respect, and when something of Flair’s comes out the people want it, as they showed with the Flair DVDs and book sales.

There is no doubt that I would have always liked wrestling, but “Nature Boy” Ric Flair made me love it.

References:
– Derkweiler.com [http://newsgroups.derkweiler.com/archive/rec/rec.sport.pro-wrestling/2006-05/msg11691.html]
– Slam Wrestling [http://slam.canoe.ca]
– WWE.com
– Wikipedia
 
 

 

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Combat Tested, Mother Approved

Posted by Admin on March 30, 2008

“Combat Tested, Mother Approved”
Issue 3

By Joshua Ray

It’s the night of Wrestlemania, and due to work I’ll be watching the show tomorrow morning. I’m working twelve hour night shifts the entire month of April (at least 5 days each week, 6PM to 6AM), so a lot of my wrestling plans are on hold for the month. I’m not complaining, though. The money I’ll be making will make it easier to catch the shows I want to in the months of May and June.

I wanted to take the time to address every promotion, wrestling fan, and wrestler in the Midwest, due to a flood of e-mails I’ve received over the past couple of weeks. I will not be calling anybody out in particular, because that is not the way I do business. This is more of a statement about how MWR works and how we can try to help.

First and foremost, this is a small operation filled with people who love the wrestling business. We aren’t here to cause problems or play favorites. We want to help promotions and wrestlers showcase what they have to offer, and keep everybody informed. At the same time, we are unable to promote an organization that has been substantiated as conducting illegal activities.

On the promoting/showcasing side of things, people should understand that none of us (save for “Smart” Mark Anthony) live on the Internet. It is highly improbable for us to check the hundreds of promotions in the Midwest out with such a small operation. That is why we openly offer for news items and special features to be sent in for publishing on the site. We are also available to work on special pieces for wrestling promotion websites, too. The key is to open dialogue. Missouri Wrestling Revival looks to help in whatever way we can.

If you are a writer and enjoy wrestling, we encourage you to cover your local promotion(s) and send in your articles, columns, and reviews! Talk to us, then speak with the promotion(s) you wish to cover and/or write about. A good promotion looks for any good help that it can get. Showcase your favorite promotion and your writing skills!

We are not playing favorites. Sure, as my own man I can admit that I have closer ties with some promotions over others. That is the nature of things. I am one man and I can only do so many things while supporting my wife, 2 year old son, and working for a living. Above all else, though, I am a professional. I act professionally. I work professionally. I conduct myself as a professional. I hope that this site, as modest and small as it is, can reflect that. We have maintained 2000 hits per month since our beginning in January, so I’d like to think that it is the case. That means covering professional wrestling promotions and professional wrestlers in an unbiased manner.

That being said, we welcome any input from you! Do you want to write something for the site? Do you want to showcase your promotion? Wrestlers, want to work with one of our staff for an interview to get your name out there? We’re up to the task. Contact us!

I hope that I have explained things in a way to is satisfactory for you all. I’ve got some great people doing great things for MWR, and we all do this for nothing. We love wrestling and want to be involved in any way possible!

Kari Williams covers MMWA-SICW very well with her recaps. She’s always willing to work hard in order to showcase the wrestlers of that promotion, and I appreciate her hard work. Every promotion in the Midwest should do as MMWA-SICW does, as it doesn’t get much better than having a professional correspondent to submit award nominations and show recaps!

Brian “Flair” Kelley is my brother from another mother. He and I hit it off from our very first meeting, and share a passion for professional wrestling. There is no doubt in my mind that he is the most traveled wrestling fan in the Midwest. His work on “Your Trip to Space Mountain” and the MWR Interviews is invaluable. Invite him out to a wrestling show. Ask him to do an interview. He asks nothing for his love of wrestling, other than to be entertained. He’d bend over backwards for you.

Then there is “Smart” Mark Anthony. He’s gotten lazy on me recently, but I know that he’s lurking on the Internet. His unique spin on things is a welcome addition to Missouri Wrestling Revival!

This has been my latest edition of “Combat Tested, Mother Appproved!”.

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MWR Spotlight: Big Nasty

Posted by Admin on March 29, 2008

MWR Spotlight: Big Nasty

Interview conducted by “Your Trip to Space Mountain” writer Brian “Flair” Kelley


The Nastiest Man in the Bizness

Big Nasty

6’3″, 350 LBS

Entrance Music: Remix of the Halloween movie theme

Wrestling Experience: 10 years (debuted against The Moondog Cujo [Cousin Junior] in 1998

Currenty Promotions: IWC, NFW, CCW

Biggest Match: I’ve had a lot of great matches against some pretty amazing names in this sport. Curt Hennig, Buff Bagwell, and Fargo to name a few. I would have to say my favorite match was a 45-minute double ring, bull rope, cowbell, Kansas City street fight in Evansville, Indiana against The Texas Hangman “Lonestar”. It was in 2004 and people still talk about that match. We tore the roof off of the Colisseum.

Where you a big wrestling fan growing up and if so who was your favorite?

I never really watched wrestling, however Kansas City did have its time in glory with All Star Wrestling. Bulldog Bob Brown, Rufus R. Jones, and the like. If there is one guy that I’ve modeled myself after, it would be Bruiser Brody. My favorite was “Superstar” Billy Graham.

You were trained by Chris Champion, who had a reputation as a very stiff wrestler. How would you describe your training with the very talented Champion? What kind of advice did you get from him?

I love Chris. I respect Chris so much. He basically taught me everything I know. I respect the fact that he was true to his game. Because he was stiff, alot of guys complained and didnt want to work him. It kinda cut his career short. I’m a stiff guy as well, and you work as your trainer works you.

Chris is stiff. He worked me stiff, and so I natrually am a stiff worker as a result. I’ve had my share of complaints, but I always have a box of Kleenex handy for those guys who want a shoulder to cry on.

Chris taught me the business from the ground up. No short cuts. I was made to gain respect for the business before I was let in. I think that is an important fact that just isnt practiced any more. Far too many wannabe wrestlers work one match each month for 6 months and suddenly are seasoned pros. Thats crap. You have to pay dues in this business, and brother I paid mine in full. These young guys just dont know whats its like to be groomed old school.

How would you describe Big Nasty style of wrestling?

Big Nasty is Big Nasty, baby. I’m hardcore, in your face, and I don’t really have a lot of repect for whoever gets in the ring with me. I’m trying to bring pain and quickly make them realize this is not a place they want to be.

I’m stiff. I work stiff. I’ve got a reputation for being a shooter if the money is right. I like knowing that my opponent is nervous. He should never know what to expect. I’m trying to hurt you, and that’s a shoot.

You wrestled your first wrestling match at the Evansville Colisseum in Evansville, Indiana back in 1998. Who did you wrestle and how did that compare to the pro football that you played in the previous eight years?

Well, it’s like apples and oranges. As I said earlier, my first match was against The Moondog Cujo, also known as Cousin Junior during his hillbilly days. I was green and I messed up. Junior hit me in the back of the head with that friggin dinosaur bone that he carried, and it split the back of my head open. I tried my best to kill him and we even had heat in the locker room. We had heat in the parking lot, too. If it wasnt for Bad Business Brown (RIP), the guy who brought me into wrestling and talked me down in my anger, then to me the heat was real and I wanted to deal with him in a real way.

We’re all good now. It’s how young guys learn in this business. You fuck up, you pay for it in the ring.

Throughout the years you’ve had to wrestle some big names such as Tracy Smothers, Necro Butcher, and the late great Curt Hennig to name a few. Who would you choose as your favorite to wrestle against?

Tracy is a trip, and he knows how to work a crowd. He is a heel’s heel for sure. Great guy.

Necro is off the chart with the stuff he puts his body through. He is truly insane.

Curt was fantastic. A great worker, a great guy, and we all miss him.

I’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of great guys over the years and they all have there great qualities, yet each one is individually unique. Again though, my favorite guy to work with is Lonestar. He’s always like “Nasty, let’s go out there and do it for real”, meaning punch for punch, kick for kick, all shoot. He wants to give them (the fans) what they came to see. Two big bulls going at each other makes for some of the best matches. We got love for each other, and we just go out and give our all. I can’t wait to meet up with him again. Hopefully we’ll meet here in the IWC.

Any road stories you would like to share with the readers at home?

It’s like Vegas, baby. What happens on the road stays on the road, but it will be available in my unauthorized biography, “The Story of the Nasty Man, as told by Big Nasty”.

Fans can see you wrestle for the exciting new promotion IWC on April 12, 2008 in Ottawa, KS in a big battle royal to determine the first 4 entrants in the IWC Heavyweight Championship tournament. At 6’3″ and 350 pounds, you will be a force to recon with in IWC. Have you ever been in a Battle Royal? How do you feel about them?

I’ve been in several battle royals. It’s cool because you got alot of guys taking up limited space. You can kinda go in and relax a little. It’s not like you’re carrying the whole match yourself. There is a nice break every now and again.

I think it’s a cheap way to a title shot, but hey, whatever it takes for me to get that strap. I mean, it’s inevitable. Nobody in the IWC can match me power-wise, and quite frankly there isn’t much talent in the IWC, yet.

One month later on May 17, 2008 at IWC’s “Battle Front” you are scheduled to wrestle none other than Brandon Espinoza in a very loaded card in Topeka, KS. This card not only has your match, but “Black Machismo” Jay Lethal taking on Raymond Rowe, ROH Star Davey Richards hooking up with the Kingpin Angel, two TNA Knockouts battling out in ODB versus Roxxie Lavaux. This will be a big match for you, as both you and Brandon will hope to show early on in IWC who is the cream of the crop. What do you know about your opponent, and what gives you the edge in this match?

Well first off, the fact that the IWC contacted me means they already know who the cream of the crop is. I hear you say “none other than brandon espanolia” or whatever like I’m supposed to know him. I dont know him. I’ve never heard of him.

I did check out his Myspace page, though. Are you sure this guy isn’t still in high school? He looks a little scrawny to me.

My edge? Are you kidding me? I’m gonna drop him on his head three or four times, chop him till his nipples bleed, and toss him like a doll out of the ring. I’ll throw him a few times into the rails, roll him back into the ring, and set him up for the Nasty Bomb. Then it’s ONE… TWO… THREE… Ding Ding Ding. Lights out!

IWC has a very talented roster at their disposal, so this is where I will allow you to speak your mind with the “Space Mountain Free Fall”.


Justin Payne?

Reminds me of Prince Albert’s little brother. I mean little.


Evan Gelestico?

Evan Geletin? Hmm… whatever you say. Whatever you hear. Nadda. No clue. I’m embarrassed that I’ve never heard of these guys.

CK Vaughn?

I used to have some cologne called CK Vaughn. Smelled like hell and oh my God it was horrible.

Dekin Cane?

You know I saw him at church just last week. Dekin Cane… dancing, shouting. I saw you dip into that money jar, Dekin. And you call yourself Dekin? God don’t like ugly.

Devan Scott?

Another truly mind-blowing nobody.

Gary J?

Wow! Gary J! What can I say about Gary J? Absolutely nothing, cause I’ve never heard of him.

JC Thunder?

I dont know. You tell me.

Enigma?

I’ve known a couple of guys that tried to run this gimmick. They were pretty sorry, as well.

Iceman?

At first I thought this guy was a manager, not a worker.

Pierre Abernathy?

Is that the Canadian punk that once… Nah different punk.

Johnny Hacker?

Next.

Stevie K?

Next.

The Kingpin Angel?

The baldies were a great gimmick. Old school. Now he’s in my way, and anyone who gets in Big Nasty’s way is in for a bit of pain.

Raymond Rowe?

Up an comer in the hardcore division. He’s got skills, but any goon can swing a chair and staple dollar bills to a guy’s nut sack. Maybe that’s just what im planning to do to Raymond in the IWC? Who knows?

Jammer?

Next.

Bigg Dogg?

Never seen him work, but got some things in store for him. We’ll see who the big dog really is.

Please tell wrestling fans everywhere why they should know the name Big Nasty.

Because I know where you live and I’ve seen where you sleep, and I swear on everything that is holy that your mothers will shriek after they see what I’ve done to you. Big Nasty is the one your mother warned you about ladies. I am the one all the fellas hate, cause their girls wish they were me. You can never be me, so while she’s fantasizing about me tell her to put her teeth back in her mouth.

This is for the fellas: don’t let a guard rail or a rope stop you from being a man. If there is something you want to do, come on through. Fans dont mean nothing to me. Inbred, family tree runs in circles, non-bathing morons. Three teeth max per household in Missouri and Kansas, or so I hear.

No, I don’t want the FANS to know my name. I want them to fear my name. And another thing, IWC get ready for some spine tingling fear. Boys bring your A games cause you won’t gain any fame if you come my way.

PAY DUES BITCHES.

I’m Out.

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The Kari Williams MMWA-SICW Recap

Posted by Admin on March 22, 2008

MMWA-SICW results for March 15, 2008
By Kari Williams

MMWA-SICW sprung into action in a resounding fashion on March 15 at the South Broadway Athletic Club. In a place where anything can happen, nearly everything did happen—wrestlers retired, a fan favorite was punked out by the Easter bunny and a new champion was crowned.

Topping off an unforgettable night, Dave Vaughn and Mr. Bibbs defended their tag team titles against The Lumberjacks. Set for a 30-minute time limit, Vaughn and Lumberjack Gabe started the match, where Gabe had the initial advantage. Only moments into the match, Vaughn was able to lock Gabe in a single leg Boston crab but only inflicted a minimal amount of damage.

Vaughn soon made the tag to Bibbs, and by the five-minute mark, Bibbs had gained full control of the bout. With this back and forth contest, no clear advantage could be seen until the closing moments of the match when Vaughn made his final tag to Bibbs.

Coming out full speed, Bibbs used his brute strength to knock Gabe off his feet, which then allowed Bibbs to apply a double leg Boston crab on Abe. Much to the dismay of the champs, Bibbs was shoved into the Lumberjacks’ corner and double-teamed relentlessly.

Unwilling to witness the demise of his team, Vaughn charged to Bibbs’ aid and connected with a powerslam and a perfectly executed flying cross body to Gabe. Trying to capitalize, Vaughn went for the pin, but Abe broke it up at the two count. Further commontion ensued, causing Referee Jim Harris to end the match in a no-contest, resulting in Bibbs and Vaughn retaining their titles.

Providing the first title match of the evening was the bout pitting Heavyweight Champion Jerome Cody against “The Urban Legend” Kevin X. Full of pent up rage and fury, X attacked Cody relentlessly from the moment the bell sounded. X’s temper may have gotten the best of him in this instance because Cody gained control of the match by the five-minute mark. At this point, both Jeremy Lightfoot and Shaft had made their way to ringside. Seconds later, X took a shot at regaining the advantage, but as he charged towards the turnbuckle at an apparently dazed Cody, Cody telegraphed it, forcing X’s skull to ricochet off the top turnbuckle.

Consequently, Cody used his quick wit and went for the pin, but to no avail. Trying to weaken his opponent even further, Cody ventured to the top turnbuckle and landed a startling dropkick on X. Preceding the 10-minute mark, X recooperated enough to give Cody a running powerslam and earn a two count.

Just when it seemed as though X would regain the title, Lightfoot and Shaft made their presence felt as they began trading punches, eventually making their way into the ring, causing the bout to end in a no contest. Consequently, Cody retained his title—much to the chagrin of the fans in attendance.

Bad blood boiled to the surface in the intergender tag match pitting Lightfoot and Alexis against Waco and Stacy O’ Brien. Alexis and O’ Brien started the match with a shoving contest which ultimately gave Alexis the advantage as she connected with a thunderous powerslam on O’ Brien. As Waco sensed that his team was heading to the burial ground, he tried to take a shot at Alexis, enraging Lightfoot. O’ Brien receieved a double-drop kick from the Lightfoots as payback for her mocking them prior to the match, which left Waco open to endure a double-teamed suplex.

After regaining their composure, O’ Brien and Waco made their way back into the ring and traded punches on Lightfoot, who just stood there—obviously unscathed. Lightfoot then tagged Alexis, and the women fought back and forth until Alexis slammed O’ Brien to the mat with a devastating suplex and scored a two count for her efforts.
Alexis rendered O’ Brien helpless with a double-leg Boston crab. As Alexis went for another pin attempt, Waco had the wherewithall to break it up, which, in retrospect, may have triggered the demise of his team. As Waco made an effort to salvage the match, he inadvertantly hit O’ Brien.

Just after the 10-minute mark, O’ Brien had apparently had enough, and she walked away from the ring with a disgusted look on her face. However, Alexis wanted to finish what was started, which prompted her to charge after O’ Brien, and she literally carried her back to the ring.

After a double team by Waco and O’ Brien, as they seemingly tried to repair the damage done to their team, Lighfoot sent O’ Brien to the outside to do battle with Alexis after delivering a headbutt. Lightfoot gained his revenge by hitting a low blow on Waco when the ref was distracted.

He then followed up by attempting to nail the Lighfoot Driver, but Waco reversed it. However, Lightfoot prevailed once again, connecting with a modified version of the Lightfoot Driver.

In the preceding bout, Shaft took on the Middle Eastern Menace, Saladin. A fairly one-sided bout, Shaft showed Saladin the American way from bell to bell. Shaft worked on the Anti-American’s knee nearly the whole match, not allowing him a leg to stand on. The pivotal moment in this match came only minutes before it ended, as Shaft rammed Saladin’s leg into the unforgiving ring post.

Ten minutes into the match it appeared as though Saladin’s prayer prior to the match was answered, as he attempted to mount a comeback. However, Shaft’s never-say-die attitude helped him prevail, as he covered Saladin for the win after a turnbuckle-walk bulldog.

Earlier in the evening, Commissioner Keith Smith called Jerome Cody to ringside. Because of the rule in MMWA-SICW that states that no wrestler can hold more than one title at a time, Smith asked Cody to relinquish either the Battle Royal Championship, which he won back in January, or the Heavyweight Title. After back and forth arguing and firing threats, Cody surrendered his Battle Royal Championship, which prompted Tony Costa to set a battle royal up that night to crown a new champion.

Lighfoot, ‘Wild Child’ Billy Diamond, Tommy Knight, Phile E. Blunt, Waco, Mr. Bibbs, Saladin, Moondog Rover, The Lumberjacks, Angel, A.J. Williams and Shaft all made their way to the ring to participate in the match. Lightfoot dominated the match, eliminating at least five wrestlers including Shaft and Saladin. The two men who remained at the end were Lighfoot and Lumberjack Gabe. Despite Lighftoot’s stellar performance, Gabe out-manuevered Lightfoot quickly enough to be named the Battle Royal Champion.

During the intermission, Lightfoot came to ringside with the Easter bunny as a treat for the children in attendance. What appeared to be a simple affair turned violent as the Easter bunny attacked Lighfoot in the middle of the ring. Athough confused at first, when the bunny revealed himself as none other than Cody, everything made perfect sense. But still the fact remains—Lightfoot was bamboozled by the Easter bunny.

Just prior to intermission, “The Main Attraction” Tommy Knight attempted to turn diamond into graphite as he waged battle against “Wild Child” Billy Diamond. Knight controlled the opening moments of the encounter, but Diamond had turned the tables five minutes in. For the remainder of the match, Diamond got in some formidable offense, including a back body drop. However, Knight capitalized in the closing moments with his signature move, securing victory.

The first match of the night for The Connection had “The New Urban Legend” Phil E. Blunt taking on the former Junior Heavyweight Champion A.J. Williams. Blunt took charge from the bell, barely allowing Williams to get in any offense. Nonetheless, five minutes in Williams had the lead. Despite fighitng valiantly, Blunt gained momentum once again and drove Williams to the mat with a devastating piledriver.
Blunt tried to capitalize, but Williams just barely got his shoulder up as the referee’s hand came down for the three count. With one minute remaining and every fan in attendance rooting for him, Williams went for a 450 splash, but Blunt sensed it coming and moved out of harm’s way. Still determined to beat the clock, Williams then connected with a superkick, but just as the referee began to count, the time limit had expired.

Believing that victory was to be his, Williams started a “five-more-minutes” chant, and his wish was granted. Unfortunately, the time it took for the commissioner to determine that an extended time would be given, was just what Blunt needed as he captured a victory with a pumphandle powerbomb.

Moondog Rover attempted to bring Angel back down to earth in the evening’s first bout. Neither man seemed to gain a distinct advantage throughout the entire contest. Whenever Rover would start to control, Angel seemed to fly out of reach, and vice versa. As a result, the match ended in a draw when neither man was pinned by the end of the 10-minute time limit.

At the start of the evening, Kahyman, the newly crowned Junior Heavyweight Champion, made his way to the ring. He began by thanking Williams for giving him a third chance at the title and telling all the nay-sayers what he thought of them. He then informed his fans that due to multiple injuries, he had to retire. The two-time champ thanked both those that admired him and those that loathed him, saying, “You are the reason I was here.”

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Your Trip to Space Mountain

Posted by Admin on March 12, 2008

Your Trip to Space Mountain
by Brian “Flair” Kelley

The second installment of “Your Trip to Space Mountain” is a special treat for you. I have asked the local wrestlers and promotions to provide us, the fans, a DVD recommendation that showcases their best work. I’m hoping to give you something to look for online and at the tables during intermission at the next show you attend.

I was a little disappointed that very few took me up on my offer to be a part of this, but thankful for the ones that did reply. The wrestlers stated that it was hard to choose a particular DVD and wished me the best. I hope that you take the time to pick up one – if not all – of the DVDs they recommended. I know I will!!


Darrien Sanders

Central States Wrestling: X Marks the Spot 2 (April 29, 2006)

Darrien Sanders vs. AJ Styles

“It was the show where NOBODY thought I could hang with the “Phenomenal” AJ Styles!”
-Darrien Sanders

AJ Styles makes his debut in CSW to take on “Showtime” Darrien Sanders. This was my first time attending a CSW show, and had driven 3 hours to see AJ Styles. When it was through, though, I would know the name “Darrien Sanders”.

Look for Darrien to connect with a huge Mafia kick that nearly takes AJ’s head off.

Where to Buy: Contact CSW via their website (http://www.cswwrestling.com/).

Derek Stone

Derek may not know this, but he is my girlfriend’s favorite independent wrestler and throughout the years I have seen many Derek Stone matches. From his WLW Championship days as the Sheik to pulling shenanigans with fellow wrestler Mason Hunter, Derek never fails to entertain. Derek stated I could chose any CSW material, so I chose one match that everyone can truly enjoy.

Central States Wrestling: Superstitions (October 13, 2006)

Derek Stone vs. “#1” Brett Young w/ Steve Girthy in a “Loser Wears a Dress and Serves Concessions” Match.

Derek had a feud with Girthy Management’s stable of wrestlers and “#1” Brett Young had managed to beat Stone in a “Loser Eats Dog Food” match in August 2006. Young looked to embarrass Stone again on Friday the 13th. The aftermath is something I will never forget.

Bonus : Not a couple of minutes, but 20 whole extra minutes of the loser serving concessions to the fans wearing a French maid outfit.

Where to Buy: Contact CSW via their website (http://www.cswwrestling.com/).

Jeremy Wyatt

He is a man of very few words, but if he says “buy it” then I would be the last to argue with him.

Pro Wrestling Phoenix: Phoenix Rising (April 2007)

Jeremy Wyatt vs. Arik Cannon

“This was the first time we ever faced off, and it turned out to be one of the best matches in the Midwest in 07”
– Jeremy Wyatt

Where to Buy: Contact PWP via their website (http://www.prowrestlingphoenix.com/).

Johnny Greenpeace

Gateway Championship Wrestling: Mschif Volume 1

Johnny Greenpeace vs MsChif

Johnny Greenpeace had “Tree” at ringside, but was it enough to overcome the talented Mschif and her partner in crime Delirious? Johnny had his hands full throughout the match, but hit Mschif with a t-bone suplex that she won’t soon forget.

Where to Buy: You can look for it online, but your best bet would be to go to the St. Louis Wrestling Community site/forums and ask around.

Mark Sterling

Mark Sterling is always ready to let you know how good he is, so it’s no surprise he was quick to reply.

Central States Wrestling: Deal with the Steel 3 (December 9, 2006)

Mark Sterling vs. Dingo for the NWA KS Title

Dingo had beaten AJ Styles in August of 06 and was named #1 contender to Mark Sterling’s NWA KS title. On October 13, 2006 after a 30 minute time limit draw, Sterling refused to shake Dingo’s hand and even spit in his face. Dingo challenged Sterling to a ladder match with the NWA KS belt suspended above the ring. What followed was a brutal match filled with dangerous risk taking and intense ring action.

Where to Buy: Fans can buy the DVD from http://www.cswwrestling.com/.

Pro Wrestling Phoenix

PWP wanted to highlight a couple of DVDs that best showcase what they have to offer. DVDs include “My Bloody Valentine” (2/18/07), which features the following matches:

1. The Dark Circle (Chris Havius & Damien Van Horn w/ Adrenne Rose) vs. The Pride & The Passion (Zac James & Tyler Pride)
2. Donnie Peppercricket vs. Preston Maxwell
3. Jaysin Strife vs. “Golden Boy” Vic Victory
4. Joey Daniels w/ Paul Daniels vs. “Showtime” Darrien Sanders w/ Deidre
5. Jeremy Wyatt vs. “Sensational” Sean Cruz
6. “Babyface” Tony Cortez vs. Hype Gotti in a No Rope Barbed Wire Match for the PWP Heavyweight Championship.

The 2nd Anniversary Spectacular (5/18/07) features:

1. Jeremy Wyatt vs. Sean Christian
2. “Sensational” Sean Cruz vs. Buck Albright
3. The Dark Circle (Chris Havius & Damien Van Horn w/ Adrenne Rose) vs. The Daniels Bros for the PWP Tag Team Championship
4. Jaysin Strife vs. “Golden Boy” Vic Victory in a 30 Minute Iron Man Match
5. Michael Strider, Hype Gotti & The Pride & The Passion (Zac James & Tyler Pride) vs. Abu Colossus, “#1” Brett Young & The LONRs (Showtime Darrien Sanders & Mark Sterling)
6. “Babyface” Tony Cortez vs. Sonjay Dutt for the PWP Heavyweight Championship

Lastly…

Battle of the Phoenix 07 (7/20/07) features:

1. “Babyface” Tony Cortez vs. “Sensational” Sean Cruz for the PWP Heavyweight Championship
2. Hype Gotti vs. “#1” Brett Young in a “Lumber-Rat” match
3. The Pride & The Passion w/ Deidre vs. The Northstar Express, The LONRs, & The Legacy in a 4 way elimination match
4. The Dark Circle w/ Adrenne Rose vs. The Pride & The Passion for the PWP Tag Team Championship
5. Joey Daniels vs. Arya Daivari
6. “The Rebel” Jeremy Wyatt vs. “The Anarchist” Arik Cannon in a 2/3 Falls match
7. The Phoenix Challenge (25 man Royal Rumble style match)

All these DVD’s and many others can be ordered by emailing ProWrestlingPhoenix@hotmail.com DVD’s are $15 each + shipping.

My Final Thoughts

This concludes this edition of “Your Trip to Space Mountain“. Be sure and take the time to get these recommended DVDs from some of the hardest working athletes in the Midwest. These DVDs have everything, from the superstars of today to the stars of tomorrow, and you’ll have the chance to say that you saw them first.

I encourage you to take a trip to an independent show to support the next generation of wrestlers.

Till next time as the Man Ric Flair says WHOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Editor’s Note: No bias was given in the preceding article. Many wrestlers, promoters, and fans no Brian “Flair” Kelley as the ultimate wrestling fan. He supports just about every promotion that holds shows within five hours of his home in Central Missouri. He contacted MANY different wrestlers and promotions, and these are the ones that replied. The next time this man is in your area, treat him well. He deserves it for his support of Midwest wrestling.]

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Your Trip to Space Mountain

Posted by Admin on March 5, 2008

MWR EXCLUSIVE!
Brian “Flair” Kelley Interviews the International Wrestling Conference


One of the biggest wrestling supporters in the Midwest sits down with a the Vice President of Talent for the International Wrestling Conference!

Flair: I am here with Steve Scott, Vice President of Talent for the new independent wrestling promotion International Wrestling Conference (IWC). IWC is looking forward to an eighteen city tour that includes Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Illinois.

First of all I would like to thank you for your time today. I wish you and the IWC the best in all of your plans.

Steve: Thank you Brian. It’s been a lot of hard and ongoing work.

Flair: So how did you first get involved in the wrestling business?

Steve: I got involved at the age of nine. I was the ring boy for the NWA at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, KS back in the good old days of pro wrestling. I was there when Ric Flair won the title for the first time. After that, I spent many years learning and understanding the sport I loved at a very early age. I was even taught how to wrestle very early on.

Flair: What brought you to the IWC?

Steve: The founding principles, morals, and ethics that I associate with the company. The one thing that hit it home for me was that I believe it’s time to give the fans what they want and desire. The fans do deserve to get their money’s worth. It is them that keep all of us in business, and the IWC wants to give them what they want. What they want is great talent that has been trained by the best and a product that they desire and can’t wait to see again.

Flair: Can you explain how IWC came to fruition?

Steve: IWC came to fruition by a long series of discussions on how to get a great product and concept to the fans on a regional and even global level. The discussion started by wondering why so many fans are displeased with what they have been getting all over the country. The President of IWC, myself, and others have listened to what the fans have said all over the Midwest concerning what they pay to see, and we all agreed that somebody needed to step up and bring it to the fans. We want to please the current wrestling fans and win back those that have been ran away by what is currently offered.

Flair: What style of wrestling should fans be looking for when they attend a night of action produced by IWC?

Steve: Fans will get a heavy dose of old school, but will have some new mixed in as well. They will be blown away by what they get, and we have many surprises in store for them along the way.

Flair: Who should we look forward to seeing in IWC action?

Steve: You should look forward to seeing many of today’s stars from all over the world, including Japan, Mexico, and the U.S. IWC will use several former WWE, ECW, WCW, and TNA stars. Some of those stars are already under exclusive contracts with IWC, with many more in current negotiations.

We will also be developing many up and coming IWC stars through our state of the art training facility. The men that will handle this training program for IWC Developmental will be Angel the Kingpin (ECW), Big Vito (WWE), and Low Ki (TNA and New Japan).

Flair: While talking to wrestling fans in preparation for this interview, I found that many were excited about the thought of ECW Original Sandman and TNA Knockout ODB. How many shows do you plan for them to take part in?

Steve: More than most people think. We believe that ODB will be a mainstay in IWC for a very long time, and Sandman should be around for awhile with the IWC Ohio developing. We look forward to working with both of these very talented individuals.

Flair: Your website (http://www.internationalwrestlingconference.org/) has a feature where fans can vote on how the vacant IWC title will be won. The choices are tournament, battle royal, or simply awarded to somebody. As a traditionalist, I voted tournament. How would you like to see it done?

Steve: I won’t comment on how I want it done, but we will be watching what the fans have to say very closely. Keep in mind that there might be a twist involved. The first few shows should reveal what will happen, and I have heard a rumor that I personally can’t wait to see come true. I guess we all have to wait a little bit longer.

Flair: How many titles do you plan to have?

Steve: That is a complicated question now with the formation and development of IWC Ohio. Quite a few, for sure. I will say that one of the IWC belts, the IWC International Championship, will be truly that.

Flair: Go out on a limb and predict how many people on average will attend an IWC show and in what ways do you plan on marketing them.

Steve: Well, that will depend on the size of the venue, but we plan on seeing a lot of people over the next year.

Flair: Will you be taping your shows to sell on DVD in the future?

Steve: Yes. We will be taping our shows for future sales. Network discussions are ongoing. IWC is scheduled to have a pay per view later this summer.

Flair: How do you feel about pro wrestling from a Midwest independent standpoint?

Steve: I will speak for myself and not the company.

Some of it is good and some of it is very bad. On of the things that disturbs me most is the phone calls we get from people that claim they are wrestlers. These days it seems that anybody and everybody is training someone in order to make a quick buck. It is all very alarming. People should leave training to the pros.

We are not a backyard wrestling company and are strictly against those that have little or no skill reverting to backyard tactics to draw fans. It is my observation that many are lacking the art form and technical aspect of wrestling. I want to say loud and clear that IWC’s school will not be a school where we simply take your money. If you try out and are invited in, you pay NOTHING. We also have several females training to wrestle, which this part of the country is lacking.

Flair: That’s all I have for now, Mr. Scott. Thank you very much for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Steve: The IWC would like to say thank you for this opportunity to address the fans in the Midwest. Keep your eyes on the website for many upcoming surprises, pretty much on a weekly basis!

Flair: That’s it for my interview with Steve Scott, Senior Vice President of Talent for the International Wrestling Conference! Stay tuned for another edition of my “Your Trip to Space Mountain” in the near future!

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MWR February 2008 Awards

Posted by Admin on March 2, 2008

MWR February 2008 Awards

February 2008 is in the record books, so once again MWR takes a look at Midwest wrestling with monthly awards!

Let’s take a look at the nominees and winners!


February 2008 Wrestler of the Month

Honorable Mention – Michael Strider (CSW), Shorty Biggs (LWA/CSW), Cecil Cerveza (GAW), Evan Gelistico (LWA), Chris Masters (WLW), “Serial Thriller” Shane Rich (AAPW)

Winner – Payday Patterson (CSW)

How can a guy be wrestler of the month and not wrestle a single match? Well, Payday managed to shock Central States Wrestling fans by doing a Pearl Harbor job on both Michael Strider AND Jeremy Wyatt after a brutal barbed wire match on February 2, 2008. He had been inactive for more than a year due to a career ending “Best of 7” series of matches against Michael Strider, during which he was cheered by many CSW fans. Add to this the fact that he somehow managed to recruit Jaysin Strife and CSW fan favorite Tyler Cook, and you can see how giving CSW a huge “F— You” earns him the top spot for the month of February.


February 2008 Tag Team of the Month

Honorable Mention – None

Winner – “Da Bomb” Brian James & Brandon Espinosa (AAPW)

NO PICTURE IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE

These two make the grade for the month of February by defeating the debuting tag team of Mark Sterling and Darrien Sanders at a big AAPW show. While Sterling and Sanders made their debut as a tag team for AAPW, they are no strangers to the Midwest wrestling scene, and are a very formidable combination. James and Espinosa strengthen their reputation by defeating them in an AAPW ring.


February 2008 Promotion of the MonthHonorable Mentions – Lethal Wrestling Alliance, MMWA-SICW, All American Pro Wrestling, Scott County Wrestling

 

Winner – Central States Wrestling


CSW has struggled since last summer to build the type of momentum the promotion had for a very long period of time, but the month of February gave the fans something that they can get behind. Both a very modern Myspace page and official web page have been released, revealing more about the new roster and upcoming events. They put on a solid show on February 2, 2008 that culminated in one of the best Midwest main events of the past year featuring Jeremy Wyatt and Michael Strider. On top of that, CSW has kicked off a very promising angle that could turn the entire promotion upside down with the return of Payday Patterson and the underhanded recruitment of Jaysin Strife and Tyler Cook. There are a few minor things that need to be ironed out with the company, such as the fulfillment of last years silent auction obligations and the free DVDs that are owed to some of the diehard fans that purchased VIP tickets, but the resolving of these issues seems right around the corner!


February 2008 Woman Wrestler of the MonthHonorable Mention – MsChif (LWA)

 

Winner – Miss Natural (WLW)

Another slow month for women’s wrestling, but this month’s award goes to Miss Natural. She retained the WLW title this month by defeating Rebecca Raze, and doesn’t look to be letting go of the title anytime soon!


February 2008 Personality of the Month

Honorable Mention – Joey Eastman (AAW), Brian “Flair” Kelley (MWR), Crimefighter (St. Louis Wrestling Community)

Winner – Todd Countryman (3XW)

Todd Countryman is one of the most prominent figures in 3XWrestling, and not for good reasosn. Alligning himself with the top two wrestlers in the company right now (Gage Octane and Mark Sterling), he is positioned to be a powerful force in Midwest wrestling for quite some time.


February 2008 Match of the Month

Honorable Mentions – “Serial Thriller” Shane Rich vs “Homicidal” Steven Davis (AAPW) [For AAPW Heavyweight Championship]

Winner – Barbed Wire Match: Michael Strider vs Jeremy Wyatt (CSW) [2/2/2008 in Lawrence, KS] [For CSW Heavyweight Championship]

CSW takes another award with this brutal match! Thumbtacks, barbed wire, and two of the most talented wrestlers in the Midwest!

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Combat Tested, Mother Approved

Posted by Admin on March 1, 2008

“Combat Tested, Mother Approved”
Issue 2

by Joshua Ray


More from the mind of the MWR owner.

When I first made the decision to get involved in professional wrestling, I knew that writing was the way to get there. I’m not saying that I am the best out there, but I’m acknowledging that I do have a God-given talent for taking my thoughts and putting them into words on paper or in a digital method of some sort. There is still much for me to learn before I become an all-knowing source of professional wrestling knowledge and business sense, of course. However, I seriously doubt that even if I was the most knowledgable on the topic I would brag about being so.

A few years back, I wanted to do some form of writing for WWE. I didn’t like the product, and I had plenty of experience operating within a strict and confining political environment while making my feelings known and respected. I felt that I was a great candidate for such a career path.

Unfortunately, I quickly learned that WWE has a different criteria for a writer than what I initially believed. Not to be discouraged, I started reading into the business side of professional wrestling in general. I’d love to say that my studying days are over but I think most people, whether fans, promoters, or wrestlers, understands that the business is constantly changing. There are differing opinions on whether the change is for the better or for the worse, but the consensus is that there is always change.

I began contacting every wrestling promotion in California that I could find, as that was where I was located. Pro Wrestling Guerrilla was very polite and told me that there were no openings for me to contribute to the writing aspect of their business. A few smaller promotions never really got back to me at all. At last, my prayers were answered when Roland Alexander contacted me and offered me an internship for All Pro Wrestling in Central California near San Jose.

Roland was a friendly guy. He wanted to put me to work as an intern on the production team. Unfortunately, a major change in my life due to a combat related injury in Iraq gave the Army reason to give me a medical discharge and I was forced to relocate my wife and son. I had missed out on an opportunity, but had learned that it was possible to get my foot in the door as long as I constantly maintained the professionalism, discipline, and persistence that I had gained from the Army. Roland has a bad reputation among most people involved in wrestling, but at least he planned on giving me a chance.

The next stop for me was Missouri. My wife wanted to settle down in Lebanon, MO, our hometown. I didn’t know of any promotions in the area so I did an internet search and through a series of events came into contact with Ed Chuman of NWA Midwest. Mr. Chuman was very helpful and informative, patching me through to Central States Wrestling (CSW) and then owner, Martin Thomas. Martin sent me some DVDs of the CSW product and I was instantly hooked.

I wrote for a few e-feds (internet roleplay-based fantasy wrestling organizations), conducted recaps and interviews for Martin, and generally felt like I was appreciated for the work I was doing. I’d like to think that I started to build a reputation for myself, and that is what lead to me focusing my energy into Missouri Wrestling Revival.

I still have dreams of becoming more involved in the business of professional wrestling. For now though, it’s important to take smaller steps, plan, and let everything fall into place. The more knowledge I have about the business, the more I find that I want to change about it. Recently, there have been good people that have chipped in to help me out with no other motive other than to befriend me and talk about shared interests.

Tobi Hope of Powerhouse Wrestling, good friend and MWR columnist Brian “Flair” Kelley, “Smart” Mark Anthony, Peter Hahn, and Jeff (isageek), to name a few. St. Louis Wrestling Community and the owner, Mad Conservative Crimefighter, has been a big help and drove initial traffic to my site.

Hopefully my saga in pro wrestling will continue…

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The Kari Williams MMWA-SICW Recap

Posted by Admin on February 23, 2008

MMWA-SICW results February 16

By Kari Williams

Shock and awe. Pomp and circumstance. Hard-fought victory and crushing defeat. Welcome to yet another night of hot wrestling action hosted by MMWA-SICW at the East Carondelet Community Center in East Carondelet, Illinois.

In a return match from the previous week, Kahyman once again challenged Junior Heavyweight Champion A.J. Williams for the title in the evening’s main event. Both men fought with all the vigor and vitality that make them both champion material. Showing he is a true ring warrior, Kahyman came to battle with his left shoulder taped from the preceding week’s injury, and gained the early advantage by working on Williams’ knee, which he injured in an altercation involving Phil E. Blunt and the returning Steve Montana earlier on the show.

As the match progressed, Kahyman used a few of his devilish tactics such as biting and choking his competitor, but they made no real impact. Consequently, when Kahyman threw Williams into the corner and prepared to lunge for him, Williams connected with a boot to the face and gained the advantage.

The action then spilled to the floor, where Williams rammed the Rammstein loving vampire directly into the ring post and brought a chair into the mix. With the chair, as well as the competitors, in the ring, Williams hung Kahyman upside down in the ring corner and set up the chair in the center of the ring. He then proceeded to launch off the chair and connect with a devastating dropkick.

However, when Williams attempted a second maneuver with the chair as his aide, Kahyman telgraphed the endeavor and stepped out of the way, causing Williams to land squarely on the unforgiving chair. Kahyman’s quick thinking gave him the advantage as the men once again moved the match outside the squared circle.

Using Hammurabi’s ‘eye for an eye’ law, Kahyman forced Williams to collide with the unrelenting ring post. These rabid competitors re-entered the ring where Kahyman seeked to regain his title, but received two consecutive two counts instead.

Williams then attempted a comeback, where the challenger and the champion exchanged fierce punches. Sensing that victory was near, Williams journeyed to the top rope and went for a moonsault, but, once again, Kahyman sensed what was coming and moved out of harm’s way. Taking advantage of the situation, Kahyman connected with a swanton bomb for the pin and 13:47, recapturing the belt he rightly deserves.

Prior to the main event, Phil E. Blunt accepted a challenge made by Steve Montana earlier in the evening.

It was then revealed that MMWA-SICW announcer Travis Cook aligned himself with The Connection, becoming their manager. Cook called out both Lightfoot and “The Urban Legend” Kevin X, proclaimed Blunt as the real urban legend, then declared that Knight is the future of the wrestling business and resigned as announcer—effective immediately.

The match which lead up to the unforeseen turn of events pitted Blunt against Angel, who sported an unconventional black mask instead of his traditional black and white face paint. Blunt gained control in the opening moments with a harsh clothesline, but just as he began to capitalize, Montana charged from the back with his head wrapped in a bandage from a steel chair beating courtesy of Blunt.

The two men attacked each other relentlessly, showing no remorse, causing “The Main Attraction” Tommy Knight, Williams, Jerome Cody, Eric Brewer and “Wild Child” Billy Diamond, among others, to separate the two brawlers. Once Blunt and Montana were separated, Montana issued a challenge to Blunt.

Before the controversy ensued, Mr. Bibbs took on the middle-eastern menace, Saladin. In a fairly even match, both Bibbs and Saladin snuck in formidable offense, where Saladin worked on Bibbs’ arm and Bibbs used his brute strength to capitalize at opportune moments. Five minutes into the contest, Bibbs was in control and went for the pin, but Saladin popped his shoulder up at two.

Bibbs tried to maintain control of the match, but when he went for a splash on Saladin, who layed helpless in the corner, his knees gave out on him. Saladin then capitalized on Bibbs’ misfortune and attempted to end the match, but his pompous attitude became his demise.

Saladin could have won the match. However, when he pinned Bibbs, he prayed to Allah simultaneously and refused to cover Bibbs for the entire three-count. As a result, Bibbs secured his victory at 11:25 with a stiff boot to the face of the now-meager middle eastern.

Initially, the preceding match was set to be Montana taking on the “True Lluchador,” Chucho. However, with the ambush attack by Blunt, Montana was unable to compete. Therefore, “The Main Attraction” Tommy Knight served as a replacement.

A fast-paced bout from the start, Knight controlled the early stages of the match, nailing Chucho with powerful punches and a devastating clothesline. Chucho was able to recover just enough to deliver a hurricanrana that sent Knight to the outside.

Reacting on instinct, Knight quickly made his way back to the ring and locked Chucho into a submission hold. At the five-minute mark, Knight had control of the match, but Chucho took an opportunity to sneak in a second rope moonsault. Unfortunately for Chucho, “The Main Attraction” proved his moniker correct, when he hit his finisher in which he soars from the top rope, and plants his knees squarely into his opponent’s face, and secured yet another victory for The Connection.

The first title match of the evening pitted the challenger Jerome Cody against the Heavyweight Champion, “The Urban Legend,” Kevin X. Cody and X began pummeling each other with a barrage of fists before the bell even rang, as the two hate-fueled men battled their way to the ring. Once they entered the squared circle, X controlled the match and pounded away on Cody with 10 consecutive blows to the head.

With the match fully underway, Knight made his way to ringside to distract X. Knight’s presence forced X to ensure that his presumably unwavering mindset did not falter. Just prior to the 10-minute mark, Cody had X in the corner and delivered devastating chops to him. Much to the pleasure of the crowd, X reversed Cody and became the one laying down the thunderous chops, then followed up with an impressive drop kick.

Knight, possibly sensing defeat for his fellow Connection member, jumped on the ring apron, but was met with a swift shove by X. In retrospect, that may have been the deciding factor for this bout, as Blunt then rushed to ringside to aid his fallen comrade. Commotion ensued, as the commissioner, Keith Smith, entered the fray at ringside, which allowed the Connection to take advantage, stealing a win for their boy, Cody. At the conclusion of the match, Blunt hid something, presumably brass knuckles, in his ring gear.

Holding up the belt and glowing with an evil aura about him, Cody smirked to the crowd and belted, “My southern ways keep me laid and paid,” as he rejoiced with The Connection, until X chased him from ringside.

“Wild Child” Billy Diamond waged battle against Waco in the second bout of the evening. Only minutes into the match, Waco clotheslined Diamond out of the ring, and followed up with a dive over the top rope, landing directly on Diamond. To ensure the match did not end by count-out, Waco crawled back to the ring to break the count, giving Diamond time to recuperate. Consequently, Diamond forced Waco to collide with the ring post. After tossing Waco back into the ring, Diamond attempted to exploit his challenger, but his cocky pinning predicament allowed Waco to get his shoulder up at the two count.

From this point on, Waco gained control of the bout, hitting Diamond with three consecutive suplexes and a death valley driver to gain another check in the ‘win’ column.

Eric Brewer took a trip to the dog pound in his opening match against Moondog Rover. In the back and forth contest, Rover did not gain a clear-cut advantage over Brewer until he connected with a full-nelson slam. Utilizing his lead, Rover also connected with a modified falling head-butt and a ‘low blow punch’ when the referee was distracted. Brewer got in very little offense for the remainder of the match, and left the pound with his tail between his legs after taking a running powerslam from Rover.

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Mark This Down

Posted by Admin on February 17, 2008

“Mark This Down”
by “Smart” Mark Anthony

Note from MWR: “Smart” Mark Anthony is a pro wrestling aficionado, Internet advocate, and aspiring wrestling manager with strong opinions and a blunt personality. The views expressed in his column do not necessarily reflect the thoughts, opinions, or feelings of MWR or the MWR staff.
I know you all missed me. To tell you the truth, I missed myself a little, too.

 

I’ve been staying busy doing what I do best, and that is sitting at my computer keeping track of all of the wrestling news. On the Midwest front, there isn’t a whole heck of a lot going on when you look at the surface. Fortunately, the voice of the Internet Wrestling Fan (or IWF, as Disco In-Crappo refers to my people) digs a little deeper into the state of affairs to find a few glimmering pieces of hope. While some may be doom and gloom, or drama lovers (reference my last column, please), I prefer to find hope and remain intelligently optimistic. I say “intelligently optimistic” meaning that I look hopefully into the future while still realizing that we’ve got plenty of smartly placed steps before we get to that bright conclusion.

Okay, I’m rambling a bit. Let’s dive into my column by looking at some of the bright spots in Midwest wrestling.

1. Chris Masters is the new World League Wrestling Champion.

Some people might downplay this, as WLW has a reputation for being uncooperative with other promotions. I do feel that Chris Masters as WLW champ raises WLW’s clout in the Midwest and can give a residual effect to other promotions operating in Missouri and the immediate area surrounding the state. He’s been very high profile on WWE television relatively recently, and for long enough in duration to have made a solid impression in the casual fans mind. If Chris Masters can draw attention to a smaller Midwest promotion, perhaps he can help talent in the Midwest gain some name recognition from area fans.

2. NWA Wrestling Showcase on Colours.

It is still too early to tell whether NWA’s TV show on Dish Network is going to be a success or not, but already it has given professional wrestlers from different areas of the country a chance to shine on a larger stage. It shouldn’t be too much longer before NWA Midwest has some sort of presence on the show and with NWA Midwest receiving exposure, so will the Midwest talent that is showcased.

3. Missouri Wrestling Revival

Okay, I’ve gone and done it. I can’t help but brag on my sponsor, MWR. Some might saying my nose is brown, but you can’t deny that MWR is trying to do a good thing for the Midwest wrestling community. Josh and MWR offer solid cheap publicity to the various promotions across the Midwest, and are even offering advertising space on the site for a nominal fee. I personally don’t know the rates, but I assume they are fairly priced. On top of that, MWR is trying to work out the kinks in a ratings system for Midwest wrestling and did a bang up job on last months awards. I’ve talked to Josh on more than one occassion, and the guy is genuine without the shadiness people have come to expect from the wrestling business.

This edition of “Mark This Down” is shorter than usual, but tune in next time around when I drop science once again on the Midwest wrestling world from my throne high above my Internet Kingdom!

RELATED LINKS

“Mark This Down” for January 18, 2008
“Mark This Down” for January 27, 2008
“Mark This Down” for February 17, 2008
“Mark This Down” for April 10, 2008
“Mark This Down” for May 9, 2008

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