Posted by flairwhoooooo on October 15, 2009
3XWrestling presents Halloween Horror 3 on Friday, Oct. 16 at the Des Moines Social Club. Doors open at 7 p.m. To see the Halloween Horror III commercial that aired locally in Des Moines during WWE Smackdown!, the most recent episode of 3XW “Outside the Ring,” and an excellent six-man tag team match featuring six of the top talents in the Midwest, please visit http://www.3xwrestling.com/
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: 3XWrestling, Halloween Horror 3 | Leave a Comment »
Posted by flairwhoooooo on September 30, 2009
3XWrestling Presents Action-Packed Halloween Horror III Event
Iowa’s Top Wrestling Company Holds Premier Fall Showcase
DES MOINES, Iowa – After performing in front of a record crowd in September, Des Moines-based 3XWrestling (3XW) once again invades the Des Moines Social Club to hold Halloween Horror III. The stacked Oct. 16 event features three title matches and a battle royal, among many others.
In a first for 3XW, the main event of Halloween Horror III sees 3XW Heavyweight champion “The Rebel” Jeremy Wyatt, fresh off a victory over internationally-recognized wrestling star Al Snow, defend his championship against a challenger determined by a battle royal earlier in the evening. Never before has a 3XW Heavyweight champion had to defend his championship against the challenge of a same-night battle royal winner.
“I don’t care who I have to defend against in October – whether it’s Devin Carter, Jimmy Rockwell, Mark Sterling, Rory Fox, that punk Tyler Cook or even some fool from the crowd – I’ll beat down anyone who dares challenge me for my title!” said a confident Wyatt.
Heading into the Oct. 16 event, Wyatt, who is widely considered the best wrestler in the Midwest among wrestling fans, has defeated a who’s who of professional wrestling in 2009, including Al Snow and Ring of Honor stars Jerry Lynn, Tyler Black, Davey Richards and Sonjay Dutt. Wyatt has only lost a handful of times in 3XW in the past four years.
The 3XW Tag Team titles will also be defended as current champions The High Flyers (Mike Sydal and “The Unbreakable” Zach Thompson) battle Sexy and Smooth (A.J. Smooth and “The Canadian Sex Icon”Ryan Slade) in a highly-anticipated tag team attraction.
In a rematch two months in the making, “The Viking Warrior” Kraig Keesaman, the 3XW Pure Wrestling champion, puts his 14-month undefeated streak on the line against the challenge of former three-time Pure Wrestling champion Tyler Cook in what should be a classic hard-hitting battle.
Local powerhouse fan favorite Maddog McDowell will battle Mark Sterling, a vicious technical wrestling master, in singles competition.
Among those also competing on Oct. 16 are 3XW Cruiserweight champion Casanova, “Delicious” Devin Carter, “The Right Price” Aaron Masterson, “The Laotian Sensation” Ricky Kwong, “Torturous” Tony Sly, Brady A. Dezire, Rory Fox and more!
Doors open at 7 p.m. for a 7:30 p.m. start time. The Des Moines Social Club is located at 1408 Locust St. in Des Moines.
Founded in 2005, 3XWrestling, a Des Moines-based organization, has performed in front of thousands of fans across Iowa and been featured on Iowa Public Radio and in publications including Juice and Cityview. 3XW events are held monthly in Des Moines.
3XW and its performers are also heavily involved with charity work. 3XW recently joined forces with Blockbuster Video and heavy metal band-on-the-rise Dark Mirror to hold a fundraiser event for local firefighters.
Last February, one-legged wrestling star Zach Gowen competed in 3XW and helped raise over $10,000 to help the family of a young man whose leg was amputated due to his battle with cancer. All proceeds from that event we’re given to the family to offset medical costs, with every wrestler performing on a volunteer basis.
For more information about 3XWrestling, including details on purchasing advance tickets, please visit www.3XWrestling.com. Card subject to change.
Come find out why 3XW is the best kept secret in Des Moines-area family-friendly entertainment!
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: 3XWrestling, A.J. Smooth, Al Snow, “The Canadian Sex Icon”Ryan Slade, “The Laotian Sensation” Ricky Kwong, “The Rebel” Jeremy Wyatt, “The Right Price” Aaron Masterson, “The Unbreakable” Zach Thompson, “The Viking Warrior” Kraig Keesaman, “Torturous” Tony Sly, Brady A. Dezire, Davey Richards, Devin Carter, Jerry Lynn, Jimmy Rockwell, Maddog McDowell, mark sterling, Mike Sydal, Rory Fox, Sexy and Smooth, Sonjay Dutt, The High Flyers, Tyler Black, tyler cook, Zach Gowen | Leave a Comment »
Posted by flairwhoooooo on September 6, 2009
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: 3XWrestling | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Admin on December 28, 2008
With the 2008 season of the Wrestling Revival Cup done and champions crowned, the end of the year brings the preliminary MWR 2009 Wrestling Revival Cup rankings! The beginning of the season has witnessed the downturn in the economy, but the Midwest has responded by putting great wrestlers to work in front of loyal fans. The turnouts at shows in November and December were strong, and many companies have reported that they are doing well financially at this point in time. Take from this what you like, but it is my belief that the talent in the Midwest is stronger than it has been for a very long time, and promoters are realizing that they can take their time to put together great shows.
In the singles division there has been a lot of movement to start off the new season. MWR started the 2009 season by giving a preliminary top 75. Rounding out the rankings is Donnie Peppercricketat number 75. Peppercricket’s profile in Iowa seems to be growing in 3XWrestling and Pro Wrestling Phoenix. With a feud on the horizon with long time tag team partner Joey Daniels for PWP, look for Peppercricket’s name to be more recognizable to Midwest pro wrestling fans.
Dinn T Mooreis another man who is benefiting from exposure in Iowa. He comes in at number 67 after making impressive appearances in Iowa. Time will tell whether his tag team partnership with Brian Breaker as World League Wrestling Tag Team Champions will slow his progression in the singles rankings, but the fact still remains that he is an intimidating man in the ring with plenty of skill. He could be the heavyweight champion in WLW or any other promotion, for that matter.
The New Midwest Wrestling Heavyweight Champion successfully defended his title over a top ranked opponent in Mississippi Madman recently. Benz, coming in at number 48, has a lot going for him as he continues his climb up the MWR rankings. NMW seems to be staying active over the holiday season when other promotions are not as busy, and Benz could definitely reap the benefits of that exposure. If I were to make a prediction about Benz, I would say that by mid-year he will easily be ranked in the top 20. Maybe even closing in on the top ten.
At number 44, Jerry Lynn‘s star in the Midwest seems to be dimming. It wasn’t that long ago that he finally dropped the All American Wrestling Heavyweight Title to Tyler Black. If he continues to stay inactive, his rankings could suffer in the MWR coverage area. That takes nothing away from his ability, however. When competing, Lynn is always a serious threat to his opponent.
For the 2008 Wrestling Revival Cup, Silas Younghad one of the most impressive win-loss records. Although primarily competing for All American Wrestling in the Chicago area, Young could become a force in Southern Illinois and the St. Louis area if given the chance. Currently ranked number 31, his year could depend on how well he does in his quest to become All American Wrestling Heavyweight Champion.
Right above Young at number 29 is my pick for 2009 Wrestling Revival Cup sleep, Kraig Keesaman. Keesaman continues to grow more charismatic by the day, and his wins are slowly beginning to pass his losses. As the dust settles in 3XWrestling championship scene and the newly christened NWA: Dynamo Pro promotion, Keesaman could emerge a force to be reckoned with. I’d say the odds are in his favor.
Brandon Espinosa is the master of diversification. If the man was a stock broker, he’d be on par with World Wrestling Entertainment’s John Bradshaw Layfield. At number 26, Espinosa is active in numerous promotions throughout the MWR coverage area, picking up wins in many of them over the course of the last couple of months. The question is whether he’ll take a shot at Lethal Wrestling Alliance Heavyweight Champion and MWR’s 2008 Wrestling Revival Cup Champion “The Rebel” Jeremy Wyattor give High Voltage Wrestling Heavyweight Champion and current number 2 in the MWR rankings “The Future” Donovan Ruddick a run for his money. He is in line for shots at both, and could skyrocket to the top of the rankings with decisive victories over both at the beginning of this year.
As the New Breed Wrestling Alliance and Heritage Wrestling Coalition’s Heavyweight Champion, “Bloody” Harker Dirge is poised to make 2009 his year. Dirge is ranked 17th in the preliminary rankings, and I don’t believe anyone doubts his ability to make it to the top ten by Spring. An outside booking for another promotion or a high profile win in NBWA could be all it takes.
For my money, the biggest chance for rankings shake up is the January 3, 2008 MWR Midwest Best Series Match pitting 2008’s Wrestling Revival Cup Champion and current number one Jeremy Wyattagainst 2008’s MWR 100 number one, Tyler Blackunder the LWA banner. Wyatt finished the year as the top wrestler in the MWR coverage area and is a favorite to win a second time with his current number one ranking. Black is a national wrestling star and possibly the next top level Midwest wrestler to make it to TNA or WWE. A win or a loss could spell major changes for both talented wrestlers, which could create a ripple effect in the MWR rankings.
Keep watching the rankings and giving your feedback!
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: "Bloody" Harker Dirge, 3XWrestling, All American Wrestling, Benz, Brandon Espinosa, Brian Breaker, Dinn T. Moore, Donnie Peppercricket, Donovan Ruddick, Dynamo Pro, Heritage Wrestling Coalition, High Voltage Wrestling, jeremy wyatt, Jerry Lynn, Joey Daniels, Kraig Keesaman, Mississippi Madman, New Breed Wrestling Alliance, New Midwest Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Phoenix, Silas Young, Tyler Black, World League Wrestling | 1 Comment »
Posted by Admin on November 8, 2008
Vinyl and Vega: Moving Up in the World
by Josh Ray
Owner-Editor
inadvertent.nerd@gmail.com
Lethal Wrestling Alliance's undisputed best tag team, "Spitfire" Davey Vega (back) and "Blackheart" Johnny Vinyl (front).
At the end of October, Missouri Wrestling Revival reported on the emerging tag team scene in the Midwest. There are great tag teams out there that need no introduction in most regions of the MWR coverage area: Northstar Express, Phoenix Twins, Zero Gravity, Windy City Classic and LONRs are a few of the teams that fit in this category. Other strong teams include the Hybrids, Marc Godeker & Steve Anthony, Abuse of Power, Feature Presentation, Midwest Ground & Air, Gentlemen’s Club and Team W.A.R. These teams are a representation of the depth of tag team wrestling in the Midwest.
The real testament to the depth of Midwest tag team wrestling, however, comes in the form of a tag team powerhouse in a promotion with no tag team championship: “Blackheart” Johnny Vinyl & “Spitfire” Davey Vega. As the undisputed top team of the tag title deficient Lethal Wrestling Alliance, Vinyl and Vega have struggled to get the recognition each deserved. That all changed at the end of this past month when not only did they square off against arguably the best team in the MWR coverage area and the entire Midwest, The Northstar Express (Darin Corbin & Ryan Cruz), but they managed to defeat them! The victory moved Vinyl & Vega into 9th place in the 2008 MWR Tag Team Wrestling Revival Cup standings.
Earlier in the week, I had the opportunity to sit down with both Vinyl & Vega and talk about the match. We also discussed the LWA and their future. Here is the interview in its entirety:
The Lethal Wrestling Alliance (LWA), Missouri Wrestling Revival (MWR), and even many of the wrestling fans hyped the match between you two and The Northstar Express before the October 24, 2008 face off. Leading up to the match, did you feel it was being overly hyped?
Vinyl: No, I didn’t think so. It was going to be our first opportunity to prove ourselves on a national stage.
Vega: Yeah. On one hand you have the well-traveled tag team (Northstar Express). On the other, an up and coming team that a a few people know about but just needed that one high profile match to step it up.
Vinyl: It was our coming out party as one of the top teams going today, so I felt the hype was justified.
How did you prepare for the match?
Vega: I was in the gym five days a week for the two months leading up to the match. I also trained at Dynamo Pro Gym on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. It was the most I have ever prepared myself for one match. The week before the LWA show I slowed it down a bit so that I didn’t overwork myself.
Vinyl: I did everything I normally do, but doubled it. I don’t lift weights often, preferring a more cardiovascular workout. I turned my cardiovascular conditioning up a notch because I knew Corbin and Cruz were going to be well-conditioned. I wasn’t going to let them wear us down.
What was the atmosphere like in the back on the night of the match?
Vega: I’m not going to lie. I was nervous.
Vinyl: For me it was a mixture of nervousness and being psyched.
Vega: Well, my main goal was to walk out there and have a great match. I wanted to give the fans something to remember. I knew I needed to step up my game to hang with The Northstar Express.
Vinyl: I had full confidence in our team and I knew how good Corbin and Cruz are, so I had no doubt that the match would be good. It was all a matter o just how good. For me, it all just sort of washes away once our music hits, though. When it’s game time, it’s game time.
Did Northstar Express live up to the hype?
Vinyl: In my opinion they did, but that was never a doubt. They are incredibly talented and gave us the fight of our careers thus far.
Vega: They are seasoned wrestlers with years of tag experience under their belts, so of course they did.
Do you feel that this match puts the two of you on the map?
Vinyl: Boy, I hope so. The LWA website (www.lwawrestling.com) said that this was LWA’s best tag team match since the Motor City Machine Guns versus Dingo & Nick Tyson. That’s pretty high praise. I think that if nothing else this match has helped us turn a few heads.
Vega: I don’t think it will immediately pu us on the map, but as people begin recognizing how well both teams performed and that we aren’t a joke as a tag team the we’ll emerge as one of the best in the area.
Did you go into this match 100% sure of a victory?
Vega: If you haven’t noticed, Vinyl and I are very confident individuals. We go out there every time with the attitude that we are going to win.
Vinyl: There weren’t going to be any free rides in that match for the Northstar Express.
Have you received any more interest from outside promotions since your victory over Corbin and Cruz?
Vega: All American Pro Wrestling (AAPW) has a poll on their site (www.allamericanprowrestling.com) for the fans to vote on who they want to wrestle the LONRs for the AAPW Tag Team Titles. I’ve heard that we are ahead in the voting.
Vinyl: I’ve never worked for AAPW and Vinyl has only worked there once. I can only assume that some of this notoriety is from our victory over Northstar Express. I would love to work for AAPW because they have a great tag team division and the audience is radically different than what I am used to with LWA. It would be fun.
Vega: Outside of AAPW there hasn’t been much interest, yet. I think the shock will need to wear off from our big win and then more offers will roll in.
What are your thoughts on the LWA creating a tag team championship?
Vega: There have been some talks about tag titles in LWA for a long time, so hopefully it comes to fruition soon.
Vinyl: What would be the point in the LWA creating a tag team championship when there is only one team with the talent to hold it?
Vega: The belts already have a place reserved around our waists.
Where do the two of you go from here?
Vega: I plan on continuing to improve and make my name, no matter what it takes. I’ll take whatever challenge is set before me, so any company looking to book me can reach me at daveyvega85@gmail.com or http://www.myspace.com/daveyvega for booking information.
Vinyl: There is a list of companies we’d love to work for, like CHIKARA, IWA Mid South, American Luchacore, All American Wrestling, All American Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Phoenix, 3XWrestling, and more. If we continue to have matches like this past one with the Northstar Express, then we’ll be wrestling for them all sooner or later.
Any words for tag teams in the MWR coverage area?
Vinyl: I think the Midwest right now is in a strange state. We have one of the most shallow single wrestler pools, yet the tag team pool is very deep. We’d love to get in the ring with the LONRs, Phoenix Twins, Hybrds, Zero Gravity, B.A.B.E.WATCH, Osirian Portal, Cheech & Cloudy, Windy City Classic and anybody else we haven’t faced before. We’d love to keep wrestling talented teams like Northstar Express and Ego Express. If you’re a fan of tag team wrestling and you live in the Midwest, I believe right now is an exciting time and it’s only going to get better.
Vega: I can’t really add much else other than to say that I look forward to stepping in the ring with any tag team in the area.
Vinyl: Oh, and for more booking information for me go to http://www.myspace.com/bncjohnnyvinyl.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: 3XWrestling, Abuse of Power, All American Pro Wrestling, American Luchacore, CHIKARA, Darin Corbin, Davey Vega, Dingo, Dynamo Pro Gym, Ego Express, Feature Presentation, Gentlemen's Club, Hybrids, IWA Mid South, Johnny Vinyl, LONRs, LWA, Marc Godeker & Steve Anthony, Midwest Ground & Air, Motor City Machine Guns, Nick Tyson, Northstar Express, Phoenix Twins, Pro Wrestling Phoenix, Ryan Cruz, Team W.A.R, Windy City Classic, Zero Gravity | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Admin on October 25, 2008
A New Number One?
The tag team scene heats up.
by Josh Ray
Owner-Editor
inadvertent.nerd@gmail.com
After what seemed like an eternity at the number one spot, the Northstar Express fell one spot to number two. Taking their place at number one is the ultra-talented team known as The Phoenix Twins (Tweek & Dash).
The Phoenix Twins have received their fair share of accolades this year. In the MWR coverage area for 2008, they have held the AAPW tag titles and wrestled in the MWR Match of the Month for March. They’ve also been MWR Tag Team of the Month in March and May, as well as the Tag Team of the 1st Quarter. While nipping at the heels of the Northstar Express since the beginning of the 2008 Wrestling Revival Cup, Tweek and Dash overtook them after capturing the Scott County Wrestling Tag Team Titles this month.
That’s not to say that Darin Corbin and Ryan Cruz are out of the hunt. A very popular tag team, the Northstar Express suffered a setback when Darin Corbin injured his knee at a 3XWrestling show in Des Moines, IA in September. He’s since recovered moderately from the injury and they’ve got a busy second half of October, but those matches are tough and could slow them down even further.
Another team that has slipped slightly in the tag team rankings is the team of Danny Daniels & Trik Davis, collectively known as Windy City Classic. Windy City Classic had a tight grip on the Scott County Wrestling Tag Team Titles for a large portion of the year, but the talent and teamwork of teams such as Zero Gravity (Brett Gakiya & CJ Esparza) and Phoenix Twins caused them to wear down over time. Both teams have tasted SCW Tag Title glory in the past two months.
The team to look out for is the LONRs (Darrien Sanders and Mark Sterling). These guys have been on a steady climb as of late, and the month of October could prove to be their best yet. The LONRs defeated the former number one team twice this year (Northstar Express) in successful defenses of the Pro Wrestling Phoenix Tag Team Titles, and last week defeated the new number one tag team (Phoenix Twins) to capture the All American Pro Wrestling Tag Titles.
The dark horse in the hunt for the MWR 2008 Wrestling Revival Cup for tag teams would have to be Lethal Wrestling Alliance’s top tag team, Davey Vega & Johnny Vinyl. These two have competed solely in the LWA this year, a promotion without tag team titles to measure success. Currently ranked 11th, these two have crawled within striking distance of the top ten and at press time were staring down the Northstar Express in a big match for bragging rights and a possibly push to the top of the rankings.
The 2008 Wrestling Revival Cup is coming to a close in the very near future and the fight for the championship is intensifying. Who will take home the
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: 3XWrestling, AAPW, Brett Gakiya, CJ Esparza, Danny Daniels, Darin Corbin, Darrien Sanders, Dash, Davey Vega, Johnny Vinyl, Lethal Wrestling Alliance, LONRs, mark sterling, Northstar Express, Phoenix Twins, Ryan Cruz, scott county wrestling, Trik Davis, Tweek, Windy City Classic, Zero Gravity | Leave a Comment »
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 »
Posted by Admin on October 8, 2008
Stranglehold on Tag Team Wrestling in the Midwest
My sit down with the Northstar Express
by Josh Ray
Owner-Editor
inadvertent.nerd@gmail.com
Ranked at the top of all tag teams in the MWR coverage area, the team of Darin Corbin and Ryan Cruz, collectively known as The Northstar Express, has dominated nearly all competition that the area has to offer. They are multiple-time tag champions for All American Wrestling where some of the best tag teams in the Midwest make their home, including the Motor City Machine Guns. They also hold the distinction of being the longest reigning 3XWrestling Tag Team Champions at 20 months. Make no mistake about it, The Northstar Express are for real.
There are few tag teams in the world, much less in the Midwest, that operate as a unit the way that Corbin and Cruz do. Both could be contenders in singles competition for any promotion in the area, but somehow they’ve managed to take their skills individually and multiply them by forming such a successful tag team. With a match versus the LONRs for Pro Wrestling Phoenix, an immenent showdown with the tag team that Pearl Harbor’d them out of the 3XW tag belts (Gentlemen’s Club) and a highly anticipated match against Johnny Vinyl & Davey Vega for Lethal Wrestling Alliance on the the horizon, not to mention the AAW Tag Team Titles to defendin one of the toughest tag divisions around, The Northstar Express has an unprecedented opportunity to show they are the best of the best.
On October 1, 2008, both members of The Northstar Express made their way down to MWR Headquarters in Lebanon, MO to talk with me about some of the pressing issues facing them for the remainder of the year and beyond. It was explained to me before the interview that Cruz was preparing for his grudge match against Mark Sterling at 3XW’s “BAM-O-Ween” on October 17, 2008. He wanted to focus on his mindset leading into the match, so his partner Darin Corbin did all of the talking.
First of all, I want to thank you both for talking with me today. There is a growing buzz surrounding The Northstar Express in the MWR coverage area, but people want to know what brought you two together as a team. What brought Darin Corbin and Ryan Cruz to the tag team party?
Darin Corbin: Well, we’ve actually known each other since we were in 1st grade, so it’s only fitting that we would end up as a team. I mean, we used to wreak havoc from when we were 7-years old all the way up through school, so why not do it in the ring? I guess you could say it was just fate.
I’ve heard you both make a bold claim to a tag team title from some promotion I’ve never heard of. The interplanetary something or other. What’s the name again?
Darin Corbin: We are the Intergalactic, Presidential, Transcontinental, Atlantic to Pacific, Extreme Tag Team Champions of the Universe. And there is a reason you’ve never heard of it, its not a promotion. It was an honor bestowed upon us by the United Galaxy of Wrestling when we became the first team to win tag titles on another planet. Let’s see any other team boast that. Plus, we have the belts to prove it.
Ah, yes. Anyways, how did you come about winning these belts?
Darin Corbin: Simple, we beat the best that the Universe had to offer. How else would you win tag belts? Huh?
What are your thoughts about pro wrestling in the MWR coverage area (Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Illinois), particularly the tag team scene?
Darin Corbin: Well, I must say that having publicity is always a great thing for pro wrestling. It’s good to see that people’s efforts are acknowledged. And I do believe that we are number one tag team in the rankings, so that can’t hurt right? Anything with the Northstar Express on it turns heads. That’s what we do. But in all honesty, the more the merrier. MWR is definitely covering wrestling positively and you recognize talent when you see it. Keep it up.
Thank you. Recently at a 3XW event in Des Moines, IA, your 3XW Tag Team Title reign was ended by the Gentlemen’s Club (Mark Sterling & Gage Octane) in dastardly fashion after over a year as champs. Care to give your thoughts?
Darin Corbin: A 20 month reign, to be exact.
Well, anybody can come out and win a match when it’s 1-on-2, and they (the opponents) have already had to wrestle another match prior to that and one of them is injured and can’t walk. Pretty stacked deck if you ask me. However, do I just sit here and think about how terrible it was, and say, “that’s not fair guys, give us the belts back”? No. We win them back. That’s what we do.
Imagine this, Northstar Express versus Gentlemen’s Club: no previous matches; both teams at one hundred percent… Come on! There is no way that those too buffoons will keep those belts.
At the same show, you were injured with a possible ACL tear. Care to give the fans an update?
Darin Corbin: Well, the good news is that there was no ACL tear. I thought I was going to be out for eight months to a year originally. Since then I’ve been out of action, and I’ve been to five doctor appointments… nobody has told me what EXACTLY happened. So here’s what I’ve been doing: just waiting. Do you know how hard that is when all you want to do is wrestle?
I’ve got goals to accomplish when I come back. So until then, I’m just waiting patiently getting back to 100%.
What does this injury do for the Northstar Express’ future plans?
Darin Corbin: Well, its not like Ryan Cruz can’t handle himself.
(Corbin points at Cruz, who just simply nods his head once.)
Obviously I’m there for moral support, but you haven’t seen the last of me or the last of the NSE… not even close. Just wait, when we get back together it will be like I never left and we never hit this little snag.
You’re slated to make your debut for St. Louis’ Lethal Wrestling Alliance on October 24, 2008 against a tag team that has gained a reputation for being ruthless in their pursuit of victory, Johnny Vinyl & Davey Vega. First, will you be able to compete as a tag team for that show? Secondly, what are your thoughts on Vinyl and Vega?
Darin Corbin: Hmm… good question. Will I be ready? Honestly, I don’t know if I’ll be at one hundred percent, but I want to be there. It wouldn’t be a show without The Northstar Express now, would it?
So you describe Vinyl & Vega as ruthless? You know what…I’m pretty ruthless myself. I injured my knee and took myself out of action! If I would do that to myself, imagine what I’d do to others.
(Corbin laughs.)
Now that my friends…is ruthless.
Here’s a question for you. Is this Vega from Street Fighter II? Because that would be sweet.
No, I don’t think he is.
Darin Corbin: Bummer.
Yeah.
Darin Corbin: Seriously.
Now that we have that out of the way, who do each of you feel is the toughest tag team in the Midwest, other than yourselves?
Darin Corbin: I would have to honestly say the Phoenix Twins. You know what the hard part is about identical twins… they look alike. It’s confusing.
Past or present, what tag team do you feel you’d need to beat to be known as the all-time greatest?
Darin Corbin: Well, I think the best thing we could do is establish ourselves by beating an undefeated team that headlined a major PPV during the wrestling boom.. and once we beat DDP & Jay Leno, I don’t think that anybody can argue with us being the top team in the industry. And then we could get our own late night show.
Final question, guys. Ryan Cruz vs Darin Corbin. Who wins?
Darin Corbin: Unfortunately this match would never take place because the universe would collapse in on itself. Actually, talking about it puts us at risk… let’s end this interview.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: 3XWrestling, AAW, Darin Corbin, Davey Vega, Gage Octane, Johnny Vinyl, Lethal Wrestling Alliance, LONRs, mark sterling, Motor City Machine Guns, Northstar Express, Phoenix Twins, Pro Wrestling Phoenix, Ryan Cruz | 1 Comment »
Posted by Admin on July 11, 2008
A Closer Look at Shane Hollister
by Andrew Scott
[Shane Hollister captured in a photo as he enters the cage. Photo by soon-to-be-profiled photographer, Wayne McCarty.]
Growing up in Davenport, Iowa, Shane Hollister always wanted to be a professional wrestler. He was five years old when he and his dad watched wrestling on TV, his favorite wrestler being Shawn Michaels. From then on he was hooked. Friends and family always knew that he wanted to be a wrestler, but it wasn’t until the age of thirteen that he personally realized it. These same friends and family hoped he would eventually grow out of the obsession to wrestle.
His chance finally came and his dream started becoming a reality when he was in his last year of high school. Shane was in the eleventh grade with Danny Daniels and had a few friends that were in a pro wrestling school in Chicago, Illinois. In his senior year, Shane finally started training to be a pro wrestler. He originally hadn;t planned on training until after he graduated, but since his trainer started traveling to Davenport it made it a lot easier to train and do schoolwork.
After lots of hard work and grueling training, Shane was finally able to live his dream and have the first match of his young wrestling career. I asked Shane to describe his first match and how it affected him.
He replied, “Wow, my first match was very bad. I had the worst set of butterflies I have ever had in my life, but I was in there with very good wrestlers who I learned alot from. They say in this business you continue to learn until you don’t want to learn anymore. I would say you learn something new everytime you step through those ropes.“
So far Shane has been pretty lucky on the injury side of wrestling and hasn’t had any major injuries. Getting his two front teeth shoved up to the roof of his mouth and a having his nose broken are his two battle scars.
“Getting hurt and just going to get it fixed up is all just part of the job,” he said.
I asked Shane if at anytime he felt like he ever wanted to quit wrestling and he told me with a very confident answer, “No, I haven’t ever felt like leaving this business for one second. I love it so much.”
Shane has been in many matches so far, but his most memorable match in his own eyes was a tag match with Bryce Benjamin against Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin, the Murder City Machine Guns (known in Total Nonstop Action as the Motor City Machine Guns). Speaking of Alex Shelley, Shane’s dream match is to have a singles match with him. If any promotions need a great main event then book this match. I know I would pay to see it.
Shane’s ultimate goal is the same as almost any pro wrestler, and that is to be on the biggest stage in pro wrestling, the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment).
Shane has won a few championship belts along the way. He is the Scott County Wrestling Heavyweight Champion and is also currently the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) Iowa State Champion. He was also just crowned one half of the AAW Tag Team Champions. He has been a part of Scott County Wrestling, All American Wrestling, Ultimate Wrestling Alliance, 3XWrestling, F1rst Wrestling, Heartland Wrestling Association, and Luchacore, among numerous others.
While on the road traveling from promotion to promotion, wrestlers get pretty bored in cars. Shane told me that when he travels, he has to find fun things to do to keep entertained. One thing he does for fun on these roadtrips is making big signs to show to cars. He said it is fun to see what kind of reaction he can get from people.
“My favorite sign has to be ‘I like to cuddle’. I love women’s responses. They look at you like, ‘oh, how cute’ or ‘oh, how creepy’. I love it!“
If you ever see a bunch of guys throwing up signs in a car window, remember that it’s probably a group of traveling wrestlers. You just might get to “cuddle”.
Shane has not been contacted by WWE or TNA yet, but he said that he has been in dark matches for Ring of Honor (ROH) wrestling recently. This is yet another step in his progression as a wrestler. I have no doubt that he will be wrestling on ROH DVD and Pay-Per-View soon.
Shane says that if you want to be a wrestler, “learn as much as you can and always ask for advice. Remember there is always someone who has been doing it longer and better than you.” Great advice for anybody, regardless of occupation.
The last part of this report is something new that I decided to try out. I asked a few wrestlers that have been around or worked with Shane in the ring to say a few words about him. This is what they said:
Tyler Black – “He is one of my best friends and has a very bright future in the business. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him making an impact in a major way before the decade is up.
Trik Davis – “Shane Hollister is easily one of the top up and comers in all of the Midwest. With his quick feet and lighting-fast right hands, he can go strike for strike with pretty much anyone. Even with only two years under his belt he has held his own with such wrestlers as Chris Hero, Jimmy Jacobs, Alex Shelley, Tyler Black, and Chris Sabin. This makes me believe that in another two years Shane should be one of the top Indy stars in the country.”
Mark Sterling – “Cool Hair. On ROH’s regular roster with in the next year.”
“Anarchist” Arik Cannon – “Shane Hollister is what many call an ‘up and comer’. The kid has loads of potential, and he’s slowly making his mark in the Midwest. In my opinion, he’s definitely somebody to watch. He’s an asset to any show he’s on, and I look forward to working with him in the future.”
That does it for me and this closer look at a great pro wrestler from right here in the Midwest. I want to personally thank Shane Hollister for putting up with all of my questions and allowing me to write this report about him. There were a few times that I told Shane that this will be the last question and before I knew it I was asking another one. Shane graciously answered it. I feel like I have a new friend in Shane after writing this report. Thank you again, Shane. You are an amazing wrestler and I can’t wait for that one day that we will all see you on TV. I have no doubt that it won’t be long!
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: 3XWrestling, AAW, Alex Shelley, All American Wrestling, Arik Cannon, Bryce Benjamin, Chris Hero, Chris Sabin, Danny Daniels, F1rst Wrestling, Heartland Wrestling Association, Jimmy Jacobs, mark sterling, Murder City Machine Guns, national wrestling alliance, NWA, Ring of Honor, scott county wrestling, shane hollister, Shawn Michaels, Trik Davis, Tyler Black, Ultimate Wrestling Alliance, Wayne McCarty, WWE | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Admin on May 25, 2008
Mark This Down
by “Smart” Mark Anthony
No more disclaimers. No more excuses. It’s just me, “Smart” Mark Anthony with another edition of “Mark This Down”. Today, I’ll try to be a little less controversial. I won’t talk about anything that will get anybody severely riled up. I won’t entertain thoughts of talking backstage politics or the he said, she said stuff that can sometimes become a staple of the professional wrestling landscape. We all know that my people are going to call wrestlers underrated, overrated, or average. Wrestlers and promotions are going to call fans “marks” in a negative way and still beg them to buy merchandise and tickets to events. It’s all just a vicious cycle, but I digress.
This time around I’m taking another step to the foreground of Missouri Wrestling Revival. I’ll be going over the twenty guys that at this stage in the game I feel should be listed in Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s PWI 500. That elite list of professional wrestlers from around the world has lost a little of it’s prestige in this day and age due to my people, the Internet Wrestling Community, but while some of my people will say that it’s obsolete, I hearby decree it to be THE list of professional wrestlers.
The PWI 500 dates back to the days when I was a wide eyed boy looking at professional wrestling as a legitimate sport. It was a great way for me to see how wrestlers I was more familiar with rated with others from around the world. Since the late 90s, the list has decreased in popularity due to the decline of pro wrestling magazines (in favor of… GASP! the Internet), but it still has a prominent place in a true wrestling fan’s heart.
I understand that I am getting a little on the ranty side, so let’s just look at my list.
20. Curtis Payne (Full Throttle Wrestling) – The new FTW champion won the belt in very dramatic fashion, proving that he belongs on this list.
19. Brett Young (Central States Wrestling) – Young is one of the best talents out there and while he doesn’t have the most impressive win-loss record, he has really turned it on in 2008 with valuable victories on the way to winning the NWA Kansas Title.
18. Shorty Biggs (Lethal Wrestling Alliance) – A crowd favorite, Shorty held the LWA Heavyweight Championship for months before losing it to “The Future” Donovan Ruddick in April.
17. Edmund “Livewire” McGuire (All American Pro Wrestling) – He’s currently at a point in his career where a lot of title shots for multiple titles could all come at once. A great guy with a very good win-loss record over the past year.
16. Gage Octane (3XWrestling) – The 3XW Champ is one of the best working in Iowa, hands down.
15. Mississippi Madman (Scott County Wrestling) – Come on, it’s the friggin Mississippi Madman!
14. Mark Sterling (3XWrestling) – 3XW’s Pure Wrestling Champion is also one half of the Pro Wrestling Phoenix Tag Team Champions. I don’t think there are too many in the Midwest that are better workers than this man.
13. Adam Raw (Lethal Wrestling Alliance) – Has it all, except for the LWA Heavyweight Title. Could a showdown with Donovan Ruddick catapult him to the top of this list next year? I say yes… and I know all.
12. Shane Hollister (Scott County Wrestling) – Few are having a better 2008 than Shane Hollister. He just recently beat Tyler Black for the SCW Heavyweight Championship.
11. “Serial Thriller” Shane Rich (All American Pro Wrestling) – AAPW’s Heavyweight Champ is always solid in the ring. He hasn’t had a bad match in 2008.
10. “The Future” Donovan Ruddick (Lethal Wrestling Alliance) – This is the guy everybody is talking about. He’s big, he has a huge upside, and he just grabbed the LWA Heavyweight Title away from Shorty Biggs.
9. Eric Ruffington (New Midwest Wrestling) – I’ve seen plenty about this guy through this site. The guy is entertaining and frequently has gold around his waist. He deserved to be in the PWI 500.
8. Jeremy Wyatt (Central States Wrestling) – One of the best in the Midwest, and he’s just as active in other places like LWA and PWP. The guy is tough and talented. That’s an excellent combination.
7. Keith Walker (AAW: Pro Wrestling Redefined) – The big guy had a lot of momentum but recently lost a lot of it when he left WLW. We’ll see what kind of impact he has in AAW and SCW.
6. Dangerous Derek (World League Wrestling) – The new World League Wrestling Heavyweight Champion had his stock rise significantly by defeating Chris Masters.
5. Dingo (Central States Wrestling: Missouri) – Can I get Dingo on TV? Like, seriously. This guy is that good, and NWA Missouri Champion to boot.
4. Jerry Lynn (AAW: Pro Wrestling Redefined) – He’ll be in the PWI 500 no matter what I say, but he still belongs on this list as the AAW Heavyweight Champ.
3. Michael Strider (Central States Wrestling) – I wish there was more Michael Strider to go around. I don’t think I’ve personally seen him wrestle for months now.
2. Tyler Black (Scott County Wrestling) – Ring of Honor has really helped raise the profile of this former SCW Heavyweight Champ.
1. Chris Masters (World League Wrestling) – Just recently losing the WLW Heavyweight Title doesn’t diminish his WWE experience for the majority of the year. I imagine he’ll rank highly, and should. He’s had some great matches in WLW.
That’s all I have for this edition of Mark This Down. Until next time, my people.
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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
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: 3XWrestling, AAW, Adam Raw, All American Pro Wrestling, Brett Young, Central States Wrestling, Chris Masters, Curtis Payne, Dangerous Derek, Dingo, Donovan Ruddick, Edmund McGuire, Eric Ruffington, Full Throttle Wrestling, Gage Octane, jeremy wyatt, Jerry Lynn, Keith Walker, Lethal Wrestling Alliance, mark sterling, michael strider, Mississippi Madman, New Midwest Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Phoenix, scott county wrestling, shane hollister, Shane Rich, Shorty Biggs, Tyler Black, World League Wrestling | Leave a Comment »
Missouri Wrestling Revival 