NWA Dynamo returns to Ottawa, Ks., on May 23rd at the Ottawa National Guard Armory.
Tickets are only $8.00 in advance
$10.00 at the Door Double Main Event
ROH World Champion Jerry Lynn
vs Mark Sterling
********
Non-Title Grudge Match NWA Kansas Champion Brett Young
vs Tyler Cook
******** Jeremy Wyatt
vs Shorty Biggs
vs Shaun Shultz
****** “Ego Express” Steven Kennedy/KC Karrington
vs “Babe Watch” Brandon Espinosa/Mike Sydal
****** Trent Stone
vs Pierre Abernathy
****** Domino Rivera
vs Kraig Keesman
****** Adam Rich
vs Aaron Hawley
CHECK OUT THE LATEST EPISODE OF
ABSOLUTE WRESTLING RADIO
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THIS WEEK WE interviewed
Tom Atencio, CEO of Affliction, and talked about his upcoming fight and challenge to Dana White (“If Dana says I’m a loser…then it must be true!”) and answers the remarks made by White… and fires some back at him!
This is the first of many micro blog posts for MWR, in which I will post on-the-go from my mobile device on various topics.
Today, I want to discuss the MWR-controlled Wrestling Revival Cup. In 2008, the Cup was awarded to “The Rebel” Jeremy Wyatt based on the points-related structure of the rankings at the time combined with votes from MWR’s faithful readers. In 2009, Wyatt will defend his title as Revival Cup Champion in a yet-to-be-determined match, so I pose these questions to you:
Who should be considered the top contender to the Cup?
What type of match should determine the Cup’s rightful owner?
Comment on this post with your thoughts or send me an e-mail at inadvertent.nerd@gmail.com.
The summer is here and the action will be hot when the LWA returns on May 30th for a rematch of two of the best wrestlers in the Midwest. The LWA Heavyweight Champion Jeremy “The Belt Collector” Wyatt looks to retain his title and prove that he is the number one wrestler in all of the Midwest when he takes on “The Future” Donovan Ruddick in St Peters Mo.
Missouri Wrestling Revival has caught up with both of these warriors and they had this to say about May 30th.
6:30pm
Show Starts at 7:00pm
Tickets:$10 advance
$12 at door
$15 front row
When MMWA-SICW Announcer and Commentator Travis Cook betrayed management and revealed himself as the manager of The Connection, which, at the time, consisted of Phil E. Blunt, Jerome Cody and “The Main Attraction” Tommy Knight, he did so with more of a purpose than to stick it to the man—he wanted to create a dominant stable in the company.
Cook announced shows for MMWA-SICW for approximatley three years while also working for other promotions before he returned to the position of manager, which he has held in various promotions throughout his 12 years in the business.
“I suppose that through all of those months sitting at the announce desk, I saw several wrestlers with the raw ability to become stars—but they didn’t have the knowledge, the strategy or the killer instinct to do it. All of these are things I can provide. Also, I saw a promotion [that] desperately needed someone to come in, shake things up, cause a little excitement and raise a little hell. At the risk of sounding conceited, there’s very few people in the business today who can do those things better than yours truly,” Cook said.
Phil E. Blunt (second from left), Dave Vaughn (second from right) and Tommy Knight (far right) made up one version of The Connection since Cook's reign as manager. Photo by Mike VanHoogstraat
Knight boasts of The Connection’s notoreity within the industry.
“[The Connection is] one of the most elite groups in St. Louis wrestling today, especially at South Broadway,” Knight said.
Not wanting to manage a group of individuals who could not compete at a high level, The Connection was an obvious choice for Cook.
“If I was going to come back, I was determined to come back on top, or not come back at all…Phil E. Blunt and Jerome Cody had proven track records and a long history of success. Plus, I’d known both of them from years back as we’d crossed paths here and there in the wrestling business. Tommy Knight was involved at the time as well, and I thought he was someone with a tremendous upside who could benefit from my input. In short, I had Blunt and Cody to dominate today, and Knight that I thought we could develop into somebody who could dominate in say three or four years,” Cook said.
Travis Cook has had many run-ins with authority figures in MMWA-SICW, including Commissioner Keith Smith (pictured). Photo by Mike VanHoogstraat
The Connection gained Cook’s guidance approximately two years after Knight joined the group. The guidance the group received from Cook tamed the rowdy bunch.
“[Before Travis Cook became our manager] we were all running wild, [and] didn’t have a leader…[We were] already elite, but he polished us off,” Knight said.
Cook concurs with Knight, stating, “Everybody…wanted to take it in their own direction…Now, there’s one clear direction, one clear gameplan, and one clear focus.”
With “The Main Attraction’”s sudden retirement last summer, Cook searched for a replacement. He seeked a man who could match Knight’s promise in the ring, and he claims that while he did commentary, he professed only good things about MMWA-SICW Junior Heavyweight Champion Dave Vaughn, who won the belt from A.J. Williams on Feb. 14 under Cook’s management.
Travis Cook managed Dave Vaughn to the Junior Heavyweight Title, which Vaughn won from A.J. Williams. Photo by Mike VanHoogstraat
“When he turned on Mr. Bibbs after the jolly, fat man cost him the Tag Team Title, then the questions about his killer instinct were answered—I knew at that point he had what it takes mentally to succeed. Soon after that, I began contacting Vaughn—my initial idea was to team him up with Knight and mold them into one of the great tag teams of the 21st century. However, with Knight retiring, we opted to concentrate on Vaughn wrestling singles. Either way it was a great situation for us, because I can’t remember seeing an athlete with the physical tools that Vaughn has at such a young age,” Cook said.
Vaughn earned his first taste of gold—tag team gold—with Bibbs prior to his affiliation with Cook and The Connection. However, Vaughn recognizes the loss of those belts as the catalyst for his membership with the group.
“Travis [Cook] saw my true, raw power and my wrestling ability. He approached me when I speared Shaft to get rid of my tag team titles,” Vaughn said.
Knight claims to have noticed Vaughn’s talent as well and, according to “The Main Attraction,” Vaughn is “ruthless, [he] shows no mercy, and you can tell he has gold in his eyes.”
Travis 'The Crook' Cook has managed a number of independent wrestlers to championship reigns, but his current focus is on robbing Current MMWA-SICW Champion "Night Train" Gary Jackson of his belt. Photo by Mike VanHoogstraat
Boasting his own managerial prowess, Cook believes he deserves a majority of the credit for Vaughn’s title victory.
“Certainly Vaughn’s athletic ability had a lot to do with [winning the title from A.J.]—the guy simply has all the tools. However, I might humbly suggest that it was my strategic input—both prior to the match and during the bout itself—that made the difference in the end. I know the key to beating A.J. Williams—and it was proven during the title change,” Cook said.
Cook has managed numerous wrestlers to championship reigns, including but not limited to, “Spoiled” Steven Kennedy, Reid Reign and Jerome Cody. Only time will tell if Cook can carry the Connection toward victory, bringing the past (Phil E. Blunt) and the present (Dave Vaughn) into the future a powerful force in the Midwest wrestling scene.
At the Moose Lodge in Nashville, IL, All-American Pro Wrestling put on a classic show with impressive matches throughout the entire night. With 150 in attendance, not one fan should have left the show disappointed because every person could find at least one match that they enjoyed the most.
Mark Sterling and Eric Fantabulous took on Mike Sydal and Rebelucha after Sterling complained about losing the tag titles in a match where he teamed with Rebelucha. These four men put it all on the line in the opening bout, which consisted of high flying by Sydal and Rebelucha and a more grounded attack from Fantabulous and Sterling.
Eric Fantabulous and Mark Sterling used many illegal tactics in their battle against Rebelucha and Mike Sydal. Photo by Kari Williams
With the fans solely aligned with Sydal and Rebelucha, Sterling and Fantabulous had to scratch and claw their way through the match, resorting to illegal tactics to gain the advantage. However, when the weakened Sydal finally made the tag to Rebelucha, the tide began to turn.
Mike Sydal launches onto Eric Fantabulous on the outside while Rebelucha takes care of Sterling in the ring, closing in on victory. Photo by Kari Williams
The fan favorites began launching themselves onto their opponents, both inside and outside the ring. Rebelucha then had the chance to cover Sterling for the three count after a devastating suplex.
The next bout put El Magnifico against “Mr. Attitude” Tony Stetson. Magnifico’s childish antics gave Stetson problems early on. Stetson then became enraged and tried with all of his might to end the match swiftly.
"Mr. Attitude" Tony Stetson attacked El Magnifico with the pinata that Magnifico brought to ringside. Photo by Kari Williams
However, he could not gain the upper hand for long and Magnifico’s distinctive form of offense allowed him to pick up the win via disqualification. Stetson used the Easter basket pinata that Magnifico brought to ringside as a weapon.
“Thee” Brandon Espinosa and “The Golden Boy” Greg Anthony battled each other in their second meeting (the first being in Mount Vernon, IL). From the begininning, Anthony appeared frustrated with the fans’ enthusiasm for Espinosa, but he did not let it distract him.
"Thee" Brandon Espinosa tries to intimidate "The Golden Boy" Greg Anthony after the fans showed their favoritism for Espinosa. Photo by Kari Williams
Espinosa challenged Anthony to a test of strength. Photo by Kari Williams
The two put on an impressive bout, with each man gaining the advantage at one point or another, but Espinosa had fans backing him, giving him slightly more leverage. As a result, Espinosa defeated Anthony with a quick roll up after Anthony tried to use an illegal object.
Prior to intermission, Carnage wrestled Mike Masters in a fairly one-sided match up. Early on, Carnage took Masters to the mat, but Masters soon began to use his power and dominated the remainder of the match.
Mike Masters did his best to take down Carnage from the moment the bell rang. Photo by Kari Williams
Barely giving Carnage a chance to gain momentum, Masters decisively pinned Carnage to score the one, two, three.
Next, Curly did his best to defeat “Homicidal” Steven Davis. As the clear-cut fan favorite, Curly already had a pyschological advantage over Davis. This technically sound match gave Davis an opportunity to end Curly’s undefeated streak in AAPW.
"Homicidal" Steven Davis attempted to deliver an elbow drop to Curly, who telegraphed the maneuver and got out of the way. Photo by Kari Williams
Both men had their moments to shine, but some of Davis’ moments were flawed due to his manager’s interference. Exacting revenge, Curly snuck away with the win when he grabbed Davis’ tights out of the sight of the referee.
The recently crowned AAPW Tag Team Champions, Money Makin’ Jam Boyz, K.C. Jackson and Mississippi Madman, defended their titles against the old school team of “Thunderbolt” Brandon Walker and Ax Stevens. Just coming off of their victory, Jackson and Madman had all the confidence in the world—and the skill to back it up.
K.C. Jackson and Mississippi Madman used double teams on "Thunderbolt" Brandon Walker and Ax Stevens to over power their opponents. Photo by Kari Williams
Madman dominated Walker and Stevens, barely giving them a chance. Jackson’s high flying complmented his partner’s style. However, the veteran skills of the AAPW originals got the best of the champions.
Jackson tries to ground Stevens in the AAPW Tag Team Title match. Photo by Kari Williams
In the closing moments, Walker had an illegal object in his hand and with the referee occupied with Madman, Walker hit Jackson, causing Stevens to cover Jackson for the win.
In the main event, AAPW Heavyweight “Serial Thriller” Shane Rich defended his belt against Shawn Shultz. These two men stole the show with their remarkable match. Although their styles appear similar, the mindsets they went into the match with determined how they performed.
"Serial Thriller" Shane Rich controls Shawn Shultz with a headlock during the Heavyweight Title match. Photo by Kari Williams
Rich’s quickness benefited him in the longrun, but Shultz held his own as well. Neither man took control right away, but that is not to discount the athletic skill they both posess. Shultz attempted to score mulitple pinfalls, but each time Rich’s tenacity forced him to push through, angering Shultz. Rich won the match through a bridged pin, and it appeared that Shultz may have had his foot on the rope as the ref’s hand came down for the three count.
Rich displays his title after his victory against Shawn Shultz. Due to a controversial win, according to Shultz, these two men will meet again. Photo by Kari Williams
When Shultz attempted to pin Rich only moments earlier, Rich’s foot was on the ropes, and the ref broke up the pin. After a verbal altercation with Rich, it was decided that at the next AAPW show Rich v. Shultz II would take place with two referees to ensure impartiality.
The Intensity of Mark Sterling:
A look at the most relentless man in the Midwest
by Josh Ray
A few years back, I had the opportunity to do a sit down interview with Mark Sterling when I was just starting to establish myself on the Midwest pro wrestling scene. Looking back, it’s easy to see that the assignment was given to me as an initiation of sorts. Those in charge of Central States Wrestling at the time knew I was fresh into the business, but they also knew that Sterling was slowly beginning to descend into madness. It would be the perfect way to make sure I was serious about doing what I said I was going to do. Fast forward a few years into the future, and it’s easy to see that Sterling has channeled this “madness” into a very violent form of professional wrestling… not hardcore, but every bit as dangerous. It’s a safe bet that in the ring he is as punishing as any man in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), Total Nonstop Action (TNA), or Ring of Honor (ROH).
Not only is the man intense, but he is a notorious workhorse on the Midwest independent wrestling scene. Since the beginning of 2009 Sterling has wrestled in Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Iowa, South Dakota, and Oklahoma, encompassing promotions such as Lethal Wrestling Alliance (LWA), High Voltage Wrestling (HVW), NWA Dynamo Pro, Scott County Wrestling (now known as Pro Wrestling Next [PWN]), Central Empire Wrestling (CEW), All American Pro Wrestling (AAPW), 3XWrestling (3XW), Pro Wrestling Phoenix (PWP), NWA Showcase , Wrestling Past Present & Future (WPPF), Maximum Wrestling Alliance (MWA), Pro Wrestling Entertainment (PWE), Metro East Championship Wrestling (MECW), and IWA Mid South (IWAMS).
Sterling takes professional wrestling very seriously. He trains hard and he wrestles even harder. Many promoters know Sterling as a go to guy who doesn’t mind putting in the driving time to inflict some punishment on whoever his scheduled opponent happens to be. Win or lose, Sterling is always welcomed back to do it all over again.
Always outspoken “TNT” Keny G of High Voltage Wrestling agrees. “No doubt about it. Sterling is the real deal. He brings a hard-hitting, grounded style to any show he is a part of. Champions should worry when a guy like me brings a guy like Mark Sterling in for a show. It’s a sign that the champ’s days could be numbered,” he said.
One of Sterling’s rivals, 3XW President Skylar Pierce, begrudgingly relented when asked to comment on Sterling’s worth. “He’s good… and he gives the fans somebody to hate, which is always nice,” Pierce confessed.
Wrestlers might not fear him, but they certainly respect him. I was witness last year at a World League Wrestling/Pro Wrestling NOAH Camp show in September to a Dustin Lane beating at the hands of Mark Sterling the likes of which hasn’t been seen in some time. It’s not something I will soon forget, so I can imagine Lane has it engraved in his mind, too.
More so than singles competition, Sterling seems to enjoy tag team battles. When asked why he is involved in so many tag team matches in so many promotions, Sterling replied, “Why do you think? One-on-one I only have one guy to beat up, but in tag teams there are at least two morons that I can destroy. Now why don’t you type that up on your little Internet site.” Sterling is a member of the Gentlemen’s Club with Gage Octane and manager Todd Countryman, the 3XW tag team champions. He has wrestled with “#1” Brett Young and Rebelucha in AAPW in efforts to defend AAPW tag team gold, but won those belts by defeating the Phoenix Twins with his long time tag team partner, Darrien Sanders, as the tag team Leaders of the New Revolution (LONRs). The LONRs were front runners for MWR’s 2008 Tag Team of the Year and 2008 Match of the Year (versus the Northstar Express for PWP ), having been the PWP and AAPW Tag Team Champions. Sanders has since retired and Sterling has been forced to look elsewhere for a reliable, week in and week out tag team partner. In addition to the previously mentioned tag team partners, Sterling has teamed with a handful of others within the past year. John Saxon and Eric Fantabulous are on the short list, although there have been more.
The Gentlemen's Club celebrates a victory at a 3XW event in Des Moines, IA.
If you want to see more of Mark Sterling, you probably do not have to go far. He wrestles throughout the Midwest and is truly one of the best. Fortunately, Sterling has another way for you to see what he is capable of. The Best of Mark Sterling Volume 1: “Descent Into Madness” is available on DVD and features some of his best work from the early years of his pro wrestling career. You can buy it online by going to Mark Sterling’s MySpace page at www.myspace.com/marksterling123 or by visiting SEP Video’s MySpace page at www.myspace.com/sepvideo. I will be doing a full review of this DVD in the future, but what I’ve watched so far has made it one of the best compilation DVDs a wrestler in the Midwest has put together!
Mark Sterling can be contacted via his previously mentioned MySpace page for booking information. In June he is returning to Denver, Colorado for a Fusion Pro Wrestling (FPW) event, and plans to invade the Southern U.S. later in the year. Sterling is booked completely through September 2009, and from october to the end of the year only has a few dates open. Book him now!
Sterling has a big match on the horizon that wrestling fans will not want to miss. May 23, 2009 in Ottawa, KS will be highlighted by a NWA Dynamo Pro professional wrestling event in which Sterling goes one on one with Ring of Honor Heavyweight Champion Jerry Lynn. Lynn has been around the world and back again, and on May 23, 2009 he will get a true test from Sterling, one of the most intense men in the Midwest! This intense man will also be a part of the Gauntlet for the Gold at 3XW‘s “May Flowers… of POWER” on May 15, 2009 in Des Moines, IA. If he wins that match, he will have a shot at the 3XW Heavyweight Championship!
Also on tap for Sterling in the upcoming weeks and months as of press time:
May 9, 2009 (7:00PM) – Central Empire Wrestling @ Oskaloosa, IA
May 16, 2009 (7:00PM) – Pro Wrestling Phoenix @ Council Bluffs, IA
May 30, 2009 (7:00PM) – Lethal Wrestling Alliance @ House Springs, MO
June 5, 2009 (7:00PM) – Pro Wrestling Next @ Davenport, IA
June 6, 2009 (7:00PM) – Central Empire Wrestling @ TBA, Iowa
June 13, 2009 (7:00PM) – Fusion Pro Wrestling @ Denver, CO
June 19, 2009 (7:00PM) – Pro Wrestling Next @ Moline, IL
June 20 2009 (early) – Pro Wrestling Entertainment in Springfield, IL
June 20, 2009 (later) – Lethal Wrestling Alliance @ O’Fallon, IL
June 26, 2009 (7:00PM) – 3X Wrestling @ Des Moines, IA
June 27, 2009 (7:00PM) – Pro Wrestling Phoenix @ Council Bluffs, IA
July 4, 2009 (7:00PM) – Central Empire Wrestling @ TBA, Iowa
July 10, 2009 (7:00PM) – Pro Wrestling Next @ Davenport, IA
July 11, 2009 (7:00PM) – Lethal Wrestling Alliance @ St. Charles, MO
July 17, 2009 (7:00PM) – 3XW Wrestling @ Des Moines, IA
July 25, 2009 (7:00PM) – Lethal Wrestling Alliance @ House Springs, MO
August 1, 2009 (5:00PM) – All American Pro Wrestling @ Marion, IL
Don’t miss your chance to see the intense Mark Sterling in action!
Professional Wrestling Returns to Des Moines Social Club May 15
3XWrestling will be in action in Des Moines on Friday, May 15 when they present “May Flowers…of POWER” at the Des Moines Social Club. The Des Moines Social Club, located at 1408 Locust in Des Moines, is the home for 3XW monthly events in 2009.
In the main event at “May Flowers…of POWER,” 3XWrestling will present the Gauntlet for the Gold. The match starts with two men in the ring, with another competitor entering every minute and contenders being eliminated by being thrown over the top rope. The last man standing will be the #1 contender for the 3XWrestling Heavyweight Championship.
In six-man tag action, the 3XWrestling Tag Team Champions “The Gentlemen’s Club” will team with 3XWrestling Pure Champion Jeremy Wyatt to take on 3XWrestling Cruiserweight Champion “The Rockstar” Jimmy Rockwell, Tyler Cook and Maddog McDowell. “The Unbreakable” Zach Thompson will also take on the debuting Bailey Mannix.
There will be a total of six matches on the card. 3XWrestling Heavyweight Champion Casanova, Kraig Keesaman, Ricky Kwong, AJ Smooth, Brady A. Dezire, Ryan Slade, and Aaron Masterson will also be in action. The card is subject to change.
Tickets are priced at $12 for general admission, $6 for children 10 & under and children 3 & under get in for free. Advance tickets can be purchased at Jay’s CD & Hobby located at 5921 SE 14th in Des Moines, by e-mail at Ticketinfo@3xwrestling.com, or via the store at 3XWrestling.com.
3XWrestling also continues to hold a training seminars and tryouts for aspiring pro wrestlers at the Des Moines Social Club. Interested parties can come to the show or visit 3XWrestling.com for more information.
To give fans a feel for the quality of 3XWrestling’s product, the company has posted matches from throughout their 3-year history on Youtube. The matches, along with the most recent episode of “Outside the Ring: The Internet Show” are available for viewing at 3XWrestling.com and at youtube.com/3xwrestlingcom.
Missouri Wrestling Revival 