Missouri Wrestling Revival

MWR Message Board

Posted by Admin on October 21, 2008

There are more than a hundred visits to Missouri Wrestling Revival each and every day. Wouldn’t it be great if those 3,000-plus visitors each month got together in one place for friendly conversations and to keep up on the latest news?

It’s possible! Just sign up for the MWR Message Board! Help us create a great community for pro wrestlers, promoters, and pro wrestling fans!

Click on the link above or go to: http://mwreditor.proboards67.com/

In addition, members of the message board will receive periodic special newsletters that nobody else receives! Join now!

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Young Girl Wins MWR T-Shirt at AAPW Show

Posted by Admin on October 19, 2008

[Head of Wrestler & Promoter Relations Brian “Flair” Kelley, AAPW wrestler “Curly”, and his daughter Dani Summers.]

The very first drawing for a free Missouri Wrestling Revival T-shirt was held in Royalton, IL on Saturday, October 18, 2008 at an event hosted by All American Pro Wrestling (AAPW). The lucky winner was adorable Dani Summers, shown here with her father, an AAPW pro wrestler known as “Curly”.

We would like to thank AAPW for allowing us to meet with their fans and look forward to coming back soon.

MWR fans, your next chance to sign up and win a free MWR T-shirt will be next week with Pro Wrestling Phoenix in Council Bluffs, IA on October 25, 2008. The MWR-sponsored match of the night will be the PWP Tag Team Champs The LONRs defending the belts against the Northstar Express in match two of MWR’s “Midwest Best Series”.

Come out to enjoy a great night of wrestling!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: All American Pro Wrestling, Curly. | 1 Comment »

To 3XW, Tyler Cook, and Shane Hollister:

Posted by Admin on October 19, 2008

[More information coming soon.]

I wanted to send all of you a special heartfelt thank you for letting Missouri Wrestling Revival be a part of 3XW’s “BAM-O-Ween” last night. From top to bottom the show was terrific, and I believe I heard correctly when one of the 3XW guys told me the show was 3XW’s highest attendance. I hope that in some small way MWR helped contribute to any success the show had.

All of the wrestlers were very respectful of me, a guy that they don’t know at all who lounges around with a video camera. I hope that over the years I can help provide better opportunities to great promotions like 3XW and honest hardworking pro wrestlers such as Tyler Cook and Shane Hollister.

Speaking of Tyler and Shane, thank you for the mutual respect and a match that I am very proud of. You two are class acts. I do not take for granted the great opportunity I had when offered to sponsor this particular match. If I don’t see you guys on national TV in a few short years, I may have to take out a billion dollar loan to start my own promotion… just so that you two are done justice

To anyone reading this, if you see 3XW, Tyler Cook, or Shane Hollister on a DVD or any other product for that matter, pick it up. If you are limited in funds, please be sure to be on the lookout for 3XW’s “BAM-O-Ween” on DVD and the Midwest Best Series DVD that will be released next year!

Be sure to visit http://www.3xwrestling.com while you are at it!

Contact me with more information on how to see Tyler Cook vs Shane Hollister!

Josh Ray
www. missouriwrestlingrevival. com
inadvertent.nerd@gmail.com

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: 3XW, shane hollister, tyler cook | Leave a Comment »

MWR’s Midwest Best Series: The LONRS vs. The Northstar Express

Posted by Admin on October 18, 2008

By Brian “Flair” Kelley
Photo Credits: Gary Giaffoglione

Mark your calendar on October 25, 2008 to be in Council Bluffs Iowa. You have been personally invited by Missouri Wrestling Revival (MWR) and Pro Wrestling Phoenix (PWP) to be a part of the Missouri Wrestling Revival’s “Midwest Best Series”. PWP Tag Team Champions the LONRS (Mark Sterling and Darrien Sanders) will defend their titles against the Northstar Express (Darin Corbin and Ryan Cruz).

[Mark Sterling and Darrien Sanders have had a stranglehold on the Pro Wrestling Phoenix Titles, with no plans on letting go anytime soon.]

[The Northstar Express (Darin Corbin and Ryan Cruz) shown here with the stunning Allison Wonderland look to win the PWP Tag Team Championship.]

When Josh and I were in discussions with Pro Wrestling Phoenix about being a part of the series, Pro Wrestling Phoenix said, “You are in luck, because we have the two best tag teams in the Midwest going at it for the tag team titles and this could very well be the match of the year.”

The MWR staff has a dream of delivering you, the fans, the best wrestling in the Midwest. We are one step closer with this dream match of two teams that will undoubtedly make it to the next level if they are given the opportunity. Both teams are masters of the double team. Sterling methodically wears opponents down with his brutal submissions, while his partner Sanders can hit a kick out of no where to end the match at any second. The Northstar Express work together so well that their opponents feel as if they are fighting both at the same time. This causes mass confusion within the ring, which they always swing to their advantage.

This isn’t the first time these two teams have met, though it may very well be the most important. The Northstar Express has the bragging rights as they are ranked number one at this time in the Missouri Wrestling Revival tag team rankings and have won titles all around the Midwest. The problem lies in the fact that the LONRS have had their number in Pro Wrestling Phoenix in the past year with two successful title defenses.

PWP tag team gold is slipping away from the Northstar Express, a team that is not only used to winning, but in winning often. Their first chance came on April 26th, the card was called “A New Era” but on that night there would be no changes even with the beautiful and deadly Allison Wonderland in their corner. With intense action throughout the match, it could have gone either way but to the shock of the PWP fans, Sterling used a roll up to get the win. What the ref didn’t notice was that Sterling had his hand on the ropes for leverage. The LONRS left the ring with their signature cocky smirks and on that night they were 1-0 against one of the best tag teams of the Midwest.

[The Northstar Express work as a team with perfect execution on Sanders in their first match in April.]

With the Northstar Express feeling as if they were close to unseating the Champions once before, they surely thought they could add to their belt collection on July 19, 2008 at “Battle of the Phoenix”. The match was highly competitive but once again the LONRs stole another victory. When Sterling had the ref distracted, Sanders blasted Cruz with the belt. Sterling, in turn, went to dump Corbin outside of the ring. With Cruz still woozy from the belt shot, Sterling covered Cruz for the easy cheap win. The LONRs’ smirk was still present and they had upped their lead between the two teams at 2-0.

[Ryan Cruz goes to the air to hit Mark Sterling. Exciting moves from both teams will be abundant throughout the night on October 25 when these two teams meet once again.]

I was able to catch up with Mark Sterling this weekend and he was cocky as ever when I asked him about this monumental event. He demanded I give this message for the Northstar Express:

“Third time will NOT be a charm for you, Northstar Express! Me and Showtime know all about how talented you are, how you are arguably the best team in the Midwest, but PWP is OUR HOUSE. We are the elite team in the Midwest and we will prove it at your expense. We built the PWP tag division up and you will not take our belts. We want you to bring everything you got, because we are hungry and eager to beat you at your own game. We have no respect, We have no regret. The Revolution is ready for you!”

Darin Corbin, after hearing Mark’s warning had this to say:

“You know what Mark Sterling? If you want to beat us at our game you better bring your PS3 or Xbox 360… because we both are pretty good at Guitar Hero. However, if you want to settle this in the ring, we can do that too. What do you plan on doing this time to retain your precious titles that you supposedly built up?”

“Belt shot? Check.”

“Use the ropes? Check.”

“What else do you guys got left? Maybe I’m not giving you enough credit. Maybe… just maybe… you’ll tell the armory (your house may I add) that you can’t pay the electric bill and when we are about to get the 3 count lights go out and you guys take off. Hmmmm, what’s it gonna be? The NSE knows the tricks of the trade. We’ve been known to bend the rules once, twice, maybe 100 times. But you know what? Just because our halos are bent doesn’t mean we aren’t angels. We just got a devil side.”

“So do whatever you want. Say whatever you want. Just make sure the belts are ready for us when we get there.”

“See you on Oct 25th”

Will the LONRS be the team that continues to have the Northstar’s number, or will the NSE cement themselves as the best tag tag team in the Midwest? Someone is going to have their pride hurt in Council Bluffs, IA on October 25, 2008.

Pro Wrestling Phoenix will also deliver some great action with PWP Heavyweight Champ Abu Colossus defending the title against the #1 ranked wrestler in the entire MWR Coverage area, “The Rebel” Jeremy Wyatt!

Tony Cortez and Jaysin Strife square off in a grudge match!

Hype Gotti vs Vic Victory!

Top Midwest star “Anarchist” Arik Cannon vs PWP’s own Zac James!

“#1″ Brett Young accepts the challenge of Chris Havius!

All this and more!
National Guard Armory
2415 E. Kanesville Blvd.
Council Bluffs, IA 51503

Doors Open at 6:30
Show Starts at 7:00

Front Row: $15
General Admission: $12

Join Pro Wrestling Phoenix and Missouri Wrestling Revival and see what could easily be the match of the year. For more Information, check out
Pro Wrestling Phoenix at www.prowrestlingphoenix.com.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: Abu Colossus, Allison Wonderland, Arik Cannon, Brett Young, Chris Havius, Darin Corbin, Darrien Sanders, Gary Giaffoglione, Hype Gotti, Jaysin Strife, jeremy wyatt, LONRs, mark sterling, Northstar Express, Pro Wrestling Phoenix, Ryan Cruz, Tony Cortez, Vic Victory, Zac James | Leave a Comment »

Respect the Legends: Stanislaus Zbyszko

Posted by Admin on October 17, 2008

Stanislaus Zbyszko
An MWR “Respect the Legends” Special Feature.

by Josh Ray
Owner-Editor
inadvertent.nerd@gmail.com

Stanislaus Zbyszko is an original pro wrestling legend.

Most pro wrestling fans rarely go back more than twenty-five years in history to name “legends”. Anything earlier than that is some how off a fan’s radar. Going back twenty-five years from press time would make the year 1983. Harley Race was nearing the end of his run in the National Wrestling Alliance and would soon be headed to the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment). But, who trained Harley Race? Who was a wrestling legend to a young Harley Race as he was making his way into professional wrestling?

That man’s name is Stanislaus Zbyszko. He also trained a long time tag team partner of Race, Johnny Valentine. He was born on April Fool’s Day, April 1, 1879 in Krakow, Poland and was one of the top European wrestlers in wrestling history. He’s a former world heavyweight champion (twice) and a member of the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (2003), the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (1996), and The National Polish American Sports Hall of Fame (1983).

His real name was Stanislaus Cyganiewicz, but his childhood friends gave him the nickname “Zbyszko”, which was a fictional medieval Polish knight from the novel “Krzyzacy” by Henryk Sienkiewicz, due to his bravery. Although he was born in Poland, he grew up in Vienna, Austria.

He was always naturally strong, but he developed more strength as well as an imposing muscular appearance in the Vindobona Athletic Club while in college, standing 5’8″ and weighing in at a massive 260 pounds. Where most wrestlers in early American professional wrestling made names for themselves by defeating the citizens in various towns for the circus, Stanislaus Zbyszko actually made his name by defeating an experienced grappler at a circus in Poland.

At this time Zbyszko followed in the established footsteps of Europe’s top wrestler, Georg Hackenschmidt, and made his way into the world of professional wrestling with Polish wrestler Ladislaus Pytlasinsky as his mentor. He gradually made himself known as Europe’s fastest-rising Greco-Roman wrestler. He competed in many tournaments and was ranked at the top of European rankings, eventually taking on the name “Stanislaus Zbyszko” as his official wrestling name.

He continued gaining steam in Europe but was surrounded by controversy in the early 1900s when a man he defeated in a series of matches was revealed to have been employed by Zbyszko. He was involved in one of pro wrestling’s earliest revelations of “sports entertainment”.

Zbyszko began competing more and more in both England and the United States, making the transition to the catch-as-catch-can freestyle wrestling over that period of time. He was billed as the top European wrestler, but was established as a top talent in the entire world when he wrestled the already legendary Frank Gotch to a one-hour draw in 1909 in Buffalo, NY. In a rematch, Gotch suckered Zbyszko in the opening handshake, pinning him in 6.4 seconds. The two never wrestled again, possibly due to Zbyszko’s anger over the entire incident.

His next big challenge came in the form of India’s Great Gama. Great Gama was an undefeated champion and had tried many times to get Frank Gotch to wrestle him to no avail. He was a feared man, but Zbyszko took the challenge. In the first match between them, Gama took Stanislaus down with ease but was unable to pin him. The two wrestled to a tremendously long 3-hour draw. Zbyszko became the first man to be able to escape a match with Great Gama without a loss. The second two meetings were less impressive for Zbyszko, losing one match by forfeit and the second one in only 42 seconds.

Zbyszko left another legacy in 1925 at the ripe age of 47. After defeating Ed “Strangler” Lewis for the World Heavyweight Title in 1921 and losing it to him neraly a year later, he was supposed to lose a match for the heavyweight title to an ex-football player with little or no wrestling experience by the name of Wayne Munn. A rival promoter paid Zbyszko to pin Munn repeatedly until the referee had no other choice but award him the belt. He then dropped the belt to the rival promoter one month later to complete the scheme. While the ploy worked, it set a precedent for pro wrestling booking. From that point until decades later, wrestling promoters were reluctant to have a champion that couldn’t hold his own if a match turned into a legitimate fight.

He retired a few years later in 1928 after a rematch with Great Gama in India in front of a reported 60,000 fans. The match was 18 years after their first match that went to a three hour draw, and only lasted 30 seconds with Gama winning. He then scouted wrestling talent in South America, discovering another pro wrestling legend, Antonino Rocca, before settling in St. Joseph, MO on a farm. He and his brother discovered and trained Harley Race and Johnny Valentine on that farm.

During his retirement, Zbyszko appeared in two movies. One was “Madison Square Garden” in 1932 and the other was a film called “Night and the City” in 1950. He played a professional wrestler in both, with “Madison Square Garden” being the one that he played himself in.

On September 23, 1967, Stanislaus Zbyszko died of a heart attack at age 88 in St. Joseph, MO.

Stanislaus Zbyszko, a world reknown pro wrestling legend. He settled in the heart of the Missouri Wrestling Revival coverage area, and we here at MWR pay respect.

Respect the legends. Respect Stanislaus Zbyszko.

[Author’s Note: I personally recommend reading Harley Race’s book “King of the Ring”. In the book, he talks about his early training under Stanislaus Zbyszko. MWR does not currently have this book in the online store but check back, as we will have it soon!]

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Combat Tested, Mother Approved

Posted by Admin on October 16, 2008

What Happened to the Writing Competition?

by Josh Ray
Owner-Editor
inadvertent.nerd@gmail.com

Over the summer, I attempted something different on behalf of Missouri Wrestling Revival. I wanted to find some of those people out there in the MWR coverage area who are truly passionate about professional wrestling and encourage them to get more involved. All they needed to do was submit in writing their ideas for “Improving the Midwest Wrestling Scene”.

In addition to that goal, I wanted to raise money for the continued operation of the site and The Wounded Warrior Project. Wounded Warrior Project is a very worthy cause that helps wounded soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan receive any and all help that they need. I knew that most wrestling fans supported the troops, but I wanted them to be more specific and support the wounded troops. I know for a fact that people forget about these soldiers upon their return due to it being inconvenient to think about them. The Wounded Warrior Project is invaluable help for these forgotten warriors.

I lined everything up for the writing competition. Wbsites were covering it, radio stations were mentioning it on their sites and in broadcasts, and some individuals were making committments to send in submissions. It was still months away from the entry deadline, but things were looking very positive for the event. There was a buzz. As the days crept closer to the deadline, things looked even better. All American Wrestling shot me a message pledging DVDs for the event, Elite Pro Wrestling committed to put the writing competition in a link for their upcoming newsletter, and All American Pro Wrestling promised to mention it at an event. The problem was simply that entries were not being submitted.

I had a 25 entry minimum for the competition as a way to set a goal, not to make money. I had nearly $500 invested in prizes and advertising, but the 25 entries would have only netted me about $225 after donations to the Wounded Warrior Project were sent in. The whole competition was a way for interest to be created and measured, and interest was high at first. Actual participants fell way short of 25.

The competition was cancelled due to lack of interest. The cancellation was a huge blow to my motivation and confidence at the time, but I eventually decided to chalk it up to a valuable learning experience. I had a marketing plan, money to invest, initial interest from the public, and even some sponsors. The one thing I feel I was lacking was the trust of the wrestling community in the area.

The lesson that I took from the writing competition was that I’ve got a great reputation in certain circles outside of pro wrestling, but the very nature of the business (which I admittedly am still learning more about) is similar to Missouri’s nickname… I’ve got to “show” themwhat I’m about.

It’s difficult. I’ve been responsible for the lives of high-level officers and my soldiers in Iraq. I’ve lead troops in convoy security operations and investigated attacks on coalition troops. I’ve trained nearly a thousand troops on riot control tactics. But, I’ve got to adapt my abilities to something else that I’m passionate about. I’ve got to prove myself all over again in a new environment. One much less life threatening than some in the pro wrestling community make it out to be… independent pro wrestling.

I’m definitely not complaining. I feel I’ve already made great strides toward my goals and I’m in this for the long haul. Those that write for the site can vouch for me. I’m a man of my word and I’m not all about making myself look good. It truly is a team effort. The great thing is that everyone that helps with the site has the same mentality as I do. They want to help indy pro wrestling in the MWR coverage area grow. I have met many wrestlers, promoters, and staff that think the same way, and realize that MWR is a tool for the betterment of wrestling in the area.

One in particular really hit home the other day when he told me, “I can tell you are trying to make this area a legitimate territory again.” That statement sums it up, really. I can not succeed in that without the success of pro wrestling in general, and in specific this area. I want to be a part of that success.

Feel free to say what you want in the comments or the message board about the state of wrestling, me, the MWR site, or any of the articles! I love feedback.

Until next time, this has been the latest edition of “Combat Tested, Mother Approved”!

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

MWR in Photos

Posted by Admin on October 15, 2008

MWR in Photos
Some of the best MWR photographs around.

Ms. Natural's last night as WLW Ladies Champ. She lost the title that night to Stacey O'Brien (April 25, 2008 in Lebanon, MO).

Dinn T Moore lets a fan know that he does not suck, regardless of the chants (WLW in Eldon, MO in June 2008).

Michael Strider dishes out a headache to Marc Godeker in this one on one match (WLW in Eldon, MO, June 2008).

Joe Hennig in a WLW ring in the great state of Missouri for this undated photo by Brian Kelley.

Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin, known collectively as the Motor City Machine Guns, in LWA. Photo by Brian Kelley.

Superstar Steve Fender puts the pressure on international superstar Low Ki in this CSW match on May 12, 2008.

"Superstar" Steve Fender puts the pressure on international superstar Low Ki in this CSW match on May 12, 2007.

Two of the best brawlers on the indy scene go toe-to-toe outside a CSW ring on May 12, 2008.

Two of the best brawlers on the indy scene go toe-to-toe outside a CSW ring on May 12, 2007.

The NWA Missouri Champ Dingo and the NWA Central States Champ Michael Strider go chop for chop on June 2, 2007.

3XW Champ Gage Octane at his nastiest versus "Anarchist" Arik Cannon at 3XW's Final Countdown (Des Moines, IA on May 16, 2008)

Gage Octane wears down "Anarchist" Arik Cannon (May 16, 2008).

Shane Hollister reminds Egotistico Fantastico that they have a match against each other and he isn't leaving until they fight (3XW in Des Moines, IA on May 16, 2008).

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

MWR Spotlight: “Vietnam Phenom” Bao Nguyen

Posted by Admin on October 14, 2008

Bao Nguyen
“I want to make wrestling my career.”

By Josh Ray
Owner-Editor
inadvertent.nerd@gmail.com

A young Bao Nguyen.

On April 25, 2008 in the hometown of Missouri Wrestling Revival, a match between Brian Breaker and “Vietnam Phenom” Bao Nguyen turned a few heads. The apparent underdog, Bao managed to secure a victory over his larger and more experienced opponent. I approached him after the match to tell him how impressed I was and was shocked to learn that this was only his fourth match as out of training. The fact that he was that good in such a short time out of wrestling school resonated in my mind.

“This guy is somebody to watch, for sure,” I thought to myself.

At the time, I wasn’t the only person to take notice. While the crowd definitely enjoyed him and the match as a whole, my wife and sister took immediate notice of the “Vietnam Phenom” as their favorite wrestler. Out of all of the wrestlers who appeared that night, my sister wanted a picture with only one: Bao Nguyen.

My sister Becky, "Vietnam Phenom" Bao Nguyen, and my beautiful wife Sara.

I’ve had the opportunity to see him twice since then, and he hasn’t disappointed. When I heard his story, it was easy to understand why he’s as good as he is at this stage in the game. He’s not afraid of listening to others, and he’s not afraid of hard work. His first break into the business happened due to his hard work and competitive drive.

“I started out in 2004 as a referee in Sacramento, CA for a promotion called Supreme Pro Wrestling. After going to a few practices, I wanted to become a wrestler due to my competitive nature,” Bao said.

At the time, Bao was in college. This didn’t stop him from pursuing a career as a professional wrestler, but it also didn’t keep him from studying hard and finishing college. Where most young men might leave one for the other, Bao Nguyen chose to tackle and succeed at both. He trained for a year for Supreme Pro Wrestling, before moving back home to the San Francisco Bay Area. It was there he had his first exposure to Japan’s Pro Wrestling NOAH when he resumed his wrestling training, this time for Pro Wrestling Iron.

During this time, Bao stayed active with the Cauliflower Alley Club (CAC), a nonprofit professional wrestling organization that emphasizes friendship through pro wrestling. The CAC puts a well-deserved focus on the wrestling legends, and that fact says even more about Bao’s character. It was at a CAC function that he learned about Harley Race’s pro wrestling training camps that are held each year.

“I’ve known about Harley Race’s wrestling camps because I stay active with the Cauliflower Alley Club. In 2006 I went to the camp and really enjoyed how Superstar Steve taught. I had no doubt that I would be able to hone my skills in that atmosphere,” Bao said.

Going to that camp was fate, it seems. Pro Wrestling Iron closed downshortly later and left the “Vietnam Phenom” without a place to train. Once again, Bao’s desire to get better and his willingness to work shined through. Where some might stick around the area and find just any place to train, he looked for the best place to train.

“I wanted to go somewhere where I would have more opportunities to work in Japan and for WWE. Since Pro Wrestling Iron already had a relationship with Pro Wrestling NOAH through Donovan Morgan and Michael Modest, I wanted to go somewhere that could keep me exposed to them (NOAH). I chose the Harley Race Wrestling Academy,” said Bao.

After choosing where he would train, he concentrated on getting there.

“I saved everything I could for seven months and took the long trip to Eldon, MO to start training,” said Bao. “I’m always trying to get better and I’m willing to learn from people who are willing to teach, so I think that has helped me develop as a wrestler.”

The "Vietnam Phenom" in action.

This hard work paid off recently at World League Wrestling (WLW) show. At the end of the annual training camp that Harley Race’s conducts with Pro Wrestling NOAH, there is a big joint show that features some of the best from Pro Wrestling NOAH, WLW, and the trainees who attended the camp. On September 19, 2008 in Eldon, MO as part of the show, Bao was rewarded by being featured in the main event tag team match. The main event featured two reknown wrestlers from Japan, as well as the son of a pro wrestling legend.

“To tell you the truth, I was pretty surprised when they picked me to be in the main event with Takeshi Morishima against Marufuji and Steamboat Jr. (for the WLW-NOAH show on September 19, 2008). It was definitely the highlight of my career at this point, and I worked as hard as I’ve ever worked. I hope that I did well enough for them to offer me something,” Bao said.

While he recognizes that he doesn’t hold the magic card that can get him closer to his goal of wrestling in Japan or for WWE, he’s not afraid to put in the work needed to get there. No get rich quick schemes for the “Vietnam Phenom”. He’s more than happy to pay his dues and diligently work toward his goals, saying, “It’s up to NOAH as to whether or not I ever tour with them, but I’ll continue to work hard and become a total wrestler to improve those chances.”

He summed it up by adding, “Basically, I want to make wrestling my career. That would be my ultimate goal whether it be NOAH or WWE. I’ve just got to work hard and maintain my focus. It will happen when I am ready.”

Tyler Cook, me, my beautiful wife Sara, and "Vietnam Phenom" Bao Nguyen.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: Bao Nguyen, Cauliflower Alley Club, Donovan Morgan, Harley Race, Marufuji, Michael Modest, NOAH, Takeshi Morishima, World League Wrestling | 1 Comment »

Kari Williams MMWA-SICW Recap

Posted by Admin on October 13, 2008

MMWA-SICW October 4 Recap

By Kari Williams

On October 4 at South Broadway Athletic Club, MMWA-SICW, many exciting events occurred, but none more important or prestigious than the St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame grand opening at the club.

Former MMWA-SICW Heavyweight Champion Jeremy Lightfoot took on Bobby D in the main event. In the back and forth contest, both men had their moments where it appeared that they would pick up the victory. Within the first couple minutes, D and Lightfoot made their way to the outside, where they exchanged chops. However, after numerous two-counts Lightfoot connected with his signature Lightfoot Driver for the win at 5:20.

During the bout, Jaysin Static reported that The Connection attacked him, preventing him from competing at the event. He had this message: “Connection, you took me out, watch your back, [and] you’ve got what’s coming to you.”

Tony Casta made the previous title match due to Junior Heavyweight Champion A.J. Williams’ request. Williams came to the ring fueled by anger and relentlessly attacked Tommy Knight. As Knight slowly regained focus, he locked Williams in a devastating submission hold, but Williams’s determination caused him to break the hold. After blasting Knight with a flying clothesline, Williams went for a splash in the corner, but missed. It seemed as though Knight would regain control, but Williams landed a superkick and a 360 splash to retain his title.

At the conclusion of the match, Knight announced that he will no longer wrestle with MMWA-SICW. This was his last match at the South Broadway Athletic Club and Oct. 11 was his final match with the company. The Connection also announced Dave Vaughn as Knight’s replacement.

The newest Connection member took on the fan favorite, Shaft, in an excellent display of athleticism on Vaughn’s part. Aligning with The Connection appeared to speed up Vaughn’s progress in the ring, as he dominated nearly the entire bout. However, Shaft did have a few key moments where his strengths shined through. When it appeared that Vaughn would nail Shaft with the spear and seal his fate, Shaft wisely sidestepped the maneuver. Using his opportune moment, Shaft hit Vaughn with the turnbuckle-walk bull dog and decisively defeated Vaughn.

Heavyweight Champion Kevin X took on his most formidable ally in “Night Train” Gary Jackson. Each competitor had his reasons for either retaining or earning the title, which the competitive nature embodied in their performances proved. At the five minute mark, X controlled the match up and delivered vicious blows to Jackson’s lower back. Nonetheless, Jackson regained his composure and used his quick wit to pull out a win while holding the tights. After the match, Jackson told X that he “wanted his belt back.” X offered his hand for a congratulatory handshake, then followed up with malicious kicks to the new champion.

Just before the title match, the fans in attendance witnessed the unveiling of the St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame at the athletic club, which rested in the Pro Wrestling Shirt Shop for the past year or so. Many special guests appeared for the ceremony including former Wrestling at the Chase referee Lee Warren, former Wrestling at the Chase ring announcer Mickey Garagiola, and former MMWA-SICW manager Big Daddy. Warren spoke of his experiences as a referee and proclaimed that by coming to an MMWA-SICW show he saw true wrestling again. Garagiola echoed the same sentiments, saying, “This is wrestling here, not those stars you see on TV. This is where it is.” Big Daddy, who is now a hair dresser, complained about his picture not among those in the Hall of Fame. He even went so far as to proclaim that he was a better manager than even Bobby “The Brain” Heenan.

Two Broadway attractions, Mr. Bibbs and Phil E. Blunt competed earlier in the evening. Bibbs dictated the pace of the match, controlling everything. Then a masked cowboy who has made inconspicuous appearance as of late ventured to ringside. Blunt spotted the man and appeared confused by his presence. Unfortunately, the confusion did not cost Blunt the victory, as Travis Cook handed him a chain, which Blunt used to knock out Bibbs and steal a victory.

The first title match of the evening consisted of Junior Heavyweight Champion A.J. Williams wrestling the number one conntender, Young Aladdin. In the most technically sound match, Williams and Aladdin gave fans a delectable treat. Blow for blow and punch for punch, each man demonstrated why he should earn the title. Both men had many nearfalls, which only added to the excitement of the match. At one point, Aladdin smashed into Williams with a frogsplash from the top rope and gained a two-count. Williams turned the tide after further beatings from Aladdin and planted Aladdin for a two-count. The current champ kept the ball in his court, so to speak, as he snuck in a quick roll-up and the three-count.

Waco battled Lumberjack Abe in what one can only describe as a brawl. The burly men traded blows throughout the entire stint, but Abe gained control within the final moments, securing victory at 8:26.

Lumberjack Gabe kicked off the evening against the Battle Royal Champion, The Big Texan. With their respective teammates, Abe and Waco, neither man had the upper hand in regards to outside interference. By the five-minute mark, Texan dominated his opponent, but Gabe regained his focus shortly thereafter. Despite multiple meddling by the extra presences at ringside, Texan picked up the win at 12:21.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: A.J. Williams, Big Texan, Bobby D, Dave Vaughn, Gary Jackson, Jeremy Lightfoot, Kevin X, Lumberjack Abe, Lumberjack Gabe, Mickey Garagiola, MMWA-SICW, Mr. Bibbs, Phil E. Blunt, Pro Wrestling Shirt Shop, Shaft, St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame, Tommy Knight, Travis Cook, Wrestling at the Chase, Young Aladdin | Leave a Comment »

MWR 3rd Quarter 2008 Awards!

Posted by Admin on October 12, 2008

MWR 3rd Quarter 2008 Awards

With Halloween just weeks away, MWR and Midwest wrestling fans move into the fourth and final quarter of 2008. The third quarter is over and done with, so let’s reflect on the biggest winners of July, August and September as voted on by the MWR Awards Committee:

Wrestler of the Quarter

“Delicious” Devin Carter
[3XWrestling]

3XW Heavyweight Champion "Delicious" Devin Carter

1st Runner Up – Hunter Matthews
2nd Runner Up – Tyler Black
3rd Runner Up – “The Future” Donovan Ruddick

Others receiving votes: KC Karrington.

Tag Team of the Quarter

Zero Gravity (Brett Gakiya & CJ Esparza)
[Scott County Wrestling]

1st Runner Up – Northstar Express (Darin Corbin & Ryan Cruz)
2nd Runner Up – Feature Presentation (Blake Steel & Eric Ruffington)
3rd Runner Up – Gentlemen’s Club (Gage Octane & Mark Sterling)

Others receiving votes: LONRs (Darrien Sanders & Mark Sterling).

Woman of the Quarter

Stacey O’Brien
[World League Wrestling]

WLW Ladies Champion Stacey O'Brien

1st Runner Up – Alexis Lightfoot
2nd Runner Up – Amy Hennig
3rd Runner Up – MsChif

Promotion of the Quarter

3XWrestling

1st Runner Up – Lethal Wrestling Alliance
2nd Runner Up – World League Wrestling
3rd Runner Up – Pro Wrestling Phoenix

Personality of the Quarter

Gary Giaffoglione
[Pro Wrestling Phoenix]

1st Runner Up – KL Snow
2nd Runner Up – The Mad Conservative Crimefighter
3rd Runner Up – Tiffany LaFane

Others receiving votes: Todd Countryman.

Match of the Quarter

8-Man Survivor Series Streetfight:
Submission Squad vs Ego Express & Bearded Men from Space Station 11
[Lethal Wrestling Alliance]
(July 12, 2008 in O’Fallon, IL)

1st Runner Up –

AAW Heavyweight Title Match:
Jerry Lynn vs Tyler Black
[All American Wrestling]
(July 12, 2008 in Berwyn, IL)

2nd Runner Up –

Kensuke Sasaki & Katsuhiko Nakajima vs Keith Walker & Oliver John
[World League Wrestling]
(September 19, 2008 in Eldon, MO)

3rd Runner Up –

Cage Match for the SCW Heavyweight Title:
Shane Hollister vs Marek Brave
[Scott County Wrestling]
(September 12, 2008 in Davenport, IA)

Others receiving votes:

Nosebleed Seats Undisputed Heavyweight Title Match:
Mississippi Madman vs Bobby Houston
[Mid Pro Wrestling]
(September 27, 2008 in Decatur, IL)

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: 3XWrestling, AAW, Alexis Lightfoot, Amy Hennig, Blake Steel, Bobby Houston, Brett Gakiya, CJ Esparza, Darin Corbin, Darrien Sanders, Devin Carter, Donovan Ruddick, Eric Ruffington, Feature Presentation, Gage Octane, Gary Giaffoglione, Gentlemen's Club, Hunter Matthews, Jerry Lynn, K.C. Karrington, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Keith Walker, Kensuke Sasaki, KL Snow, Lethal Wrestling Alliance, LONRs, Marek Brave, mark sterling, Mid Pro Wrestling, Mississippi Madman, Mschif, Northstar Express, Oliver John, Pro Wrestling Phoenix, Ryan Cruz, scott county wrestling, shane hollister, Stacey O'Brien, Tiffany Lafane, Todd Countryman, Tyler Black, World League Wrestling | 1 Comment »

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MWR 3rd Quarter 2008 Awards!

Giving Back to Midwest Pro Wrestling!

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2015 MWR Yearbook on Sale

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Rob Schamberger Art

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Piekutowski Sausage

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