The One” Brett Young has an exciting opportunity for all the lovely ladies out there. For the first time ever, Brett Young is allowing the public to apply for the role of his valet. If you think you have what it takes to accompany “The One” to the ring at Metro Pro Wrestling events, then fill out this application (here) and return it to metropromail@gmail.com.
Metro Pro Wrestling back on September 4, 2010 Metro Pro Wrestling returns to live event action on Saturday,
September 4 inside Turner Recreation Center in Kansas City, KS.
The address of Turner Recreation Center is:
831 South 55th Street
Kansas City, KS 66106
Tickets are $15 for adults. Children 12 and under get in for $10!
You can purchase tickets at the door, or you can purchase them right now via PayPal! If you do purchase via PayPal, simply print your PayPal receipt and bring it to the event.
Ticket Prices
Adult $15.00 Children (12 and under) $10.00
Metro Pro announces partial roster for Sept. 4
On September 4, inside Turner Recreation Center in Kansas City, KS, the Metro Pro action returns for another television taping!
On the card will be:
– Trevor Murdock
– Michael Strider
– Superstar Steve Fender
– Mark Sterling
– Derek Stone
– Jeremy Wyatt
– Mike Sydal
– Lucy Mendez
– Stacey O’Brien
– Tyler Cook
– Steven J. Girthy
– Brett Young
– Domino Rivera
– Pete Madden
We would like to congratulate MWR readers Pete Sakaris from Nebraska and Brandon Brown from Missouri for answering the “Who’s the Superstar in the picture contest”.
The First question was who in the picture is the son of a former WWE Hall of Famer?
That none other was the son of WWE Hall of Famer Ted Dibiase, Mike Dibiase. Mike’s Brother Ted is currently a WWE Superstar.
Brandon will receive an autograph 8×10 of Mike’s dad Ted Dibiase.
Ted Dibiase
Before Ted became a household name he put himself up against some of the best in the world right here in the Midwest. Dibiase would capture the NWA Missouri Championship twice in ST Louis, Mo.
Dibiase defeated Dick Slater on August 12, 1977 and would earn his second reign on November 21, 1981 against Ken Patera.
Dibiase would go onto to be one of the most hated/loved wrestlers in this generation as the Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase. Pro Wrestling Illustrated would name Ted Dibiase #32 in 2003 in the PWI Years.
The current NWA Missouri Champion is Davey Vega who defeated Dingo in Glen Carbon Illinois last year on October 16th.
The second question was who was the former NWA Central States Champion in this photo?
Pete answered correctly when he named Derek Stone who was on the top nailing Mike Dibiase with the ten punch. Derek Stone became the NWA Central States Champion by defeating Michael Barry, Griz and Gary Jackson in Coffeyville, KS on November 16. 2002
Fun fact: both Mike Dibiase SR and his son Ted would also rein as two time NWA Central States Champion. Mike Sr defeated the Spoiler and The Viking while the future Million Dollar Man pinned Bob Slaughter and “Bulldog “Bob Brown.
The current NWA Central States Champion is the 2009 Missouri Wrestling Revival Wrestler of the Year Mark Sterling. Sterling defeated Michael Strider to become the NWA Central States Champion in 2009.
Pete will be receiving the must have collectable the Mark Sterling MWR Trading Card , which is number two in the set that celebrates the hard working men and women in the Midwest wrestling today.
This picture was taken at CSW in Lawrence Kansas in a three way match between Derek Stone, Mike Dibiase and Mason Hunter. Special thanks goes out to my friend Retro Rick for having information up about this show so I could find some information about it.
I would like to thank everyone for partaking in this contest. Look for exciting information coming from Missouri Wrestling Revival. In the future we have several superstars that will be announced into the MWR Trading Card set, we have some exciting fun promotions in works with our friends at High Voltage Wrestling, Independent Hardcore Wrestling and one with MECW in December that I am thrilled about. Keep checking MWR for all these great announcements
We will also be having more contest, plus we hope to be at these shows to allow you to catch a shirt from a Midwest Superstar at these showsNew Midwest Wrestling on July 9th in Springfield Illinois, World League Wrestling on the17th in Park Hills Missouri, NWA Dynamo on July 24th in Glen Carbon Illinois, MECW in Woodriver Illinois on July 31st and High Voltage Wrestling on August 7TH IN Granite City Illinois.
If you are a promotion or wrestler that would like to include yourself in one of our contest by donating DVD’S, T-shirts, Autographs and other fan collectables please contact me at flairwhoooooo@yahoo.com to discuss how we can work together to give back to the fans while having a little fun.
Coming up in the next couple of days join us for a MWR Awards presentation from 3xwrestling with info for their exciting show coming up this Friday in Des Moines Iowa with the return of the Northstar Express and Arik Cannon and a main event rematch between 3XW Champion Jeremy Wyatt and Rory Fox in a ladder match, a Dubi meets the fans from Pro Wrestling Epic and the announcement of the MWR Trading card #12.
Last but not least do not forget to join us in Springfield Illinois to catch a shirt from a NMW Superstar and join Dubray in the first ever Dubi meets the NMW Fans. Last night MWR received information on some new exciting matches added to this Saturdays show.
We are back with another edition of Dubi Meets the fans, last time we were in Des Moines Iowa for 3XW and for this one we had to travel through Missouri to Illinois to make our way to Dupo for Independent Hardcore Wrestling.
IHW has been red hot in 2010 with some large crowds that have been very energetic, in fact the size of the crowd have got so large that they are going to need to find a new building to hold all the fans. This night would be no different as IHW was filled with a great mix of talent including a non-title rematch between IHW Champion Brandon Aarons taking on the self proclaim greatest wrestler ever from Illinois, the current IHW Illinois Champion Eric Allen, the ultra talented Bailey Mannix met Tony Kozina while Mr. Late Nite caused chaos and Evan Money, Steven Kennedy, Billy McNeil and Sean Vincent went toe to toe to become the 2ND Annual IHW ST Louis Invitational Tournament Champion that Aarons had won last year. This year the hated Sean Vincent would take home the bragging rights.
Everywhere we go Brian and I have a ton of friends and with so many promotions in St Louis it is only magnified which makes going to the shows a ton of fun. Brian had spoken to our friends Jonathan Jones and his wife Lena on the way to the show to find out if they were going to make it to the show but one of their children was in the Hospital so he was unsure of what time they could make it.
Prior to the show started I ran into the people from Iconsofwrestling who have the wonderful Gods of Wrestling painting with so many old and new stars filling this must see painting. This was the first time that I had seen this and I have to say it was a sight to see. I went in to get Brian to let him know that the artist Icon, Ed Schultz and Dotty Mattis were there. While we sat outside talking fans where coming by to check out this masterpiece. Brian mentioned to them that they should contact both Metro Pro and Larry Barber about showing off the poster in Kansas. He also stated that this summer’s big Wrestling Hall of Fame ceremonies in Iowa was about to happen and would be a golden opportunity to share the art with many people that love Wrestling. They are really hard at work promoting this one of a kind piece and was on their way to do double duty that night as they were off to meet our good friend Herb Simmons at MMWA-SICW. If you would like to check out the Gods of Thunder click here.
Before I knew it the doors had open and the crowd filled the building waiting for some great wrestling action. Brian was busy proudly showing off the new MWR Trading card that Mephisto had done which went over well with everyone. The next day he was to announce that Tyler Black would be the 10th card but was keeping it a secret till he posted it on the site. I know if Brian won the lottery he would just make a card for everyone but though expense of making one is reasonable making several can become expensive , so for the time being he is unable to make as many as he would like. If you would are a wrestler, Manager/Valet or referee and would like to have an awesome collectable for you to sell or have I highly recommend that you contact Brian on the details. Already in the set are Santana G, Mark Sterling, MsChifKahagas, and Mike Sydal. Likewise if you are a business or wrestling school and would like to sponsor a wrestler with your business logo on the card feel free to ask how. Personally I don’t think that it will be complete until there is a Derek Stone and Dubi card.
It seems as if everyone was excited to be a part of Dubi meets the fans so it is getting easier to find people to want to be a part of it. This night wrestling Superfan Erica Jones was joined with her sister Michelle brought birthday boy Joshua Jackson who had just turned 7th and little man Ellies. A great way to celebrate your birthday is at a wrestling show. They were all big fans of Mephisto who happily took the time to take a picture.
Joshua and Ellies with Mephisto (Photo Credit Brian Kelley)
Young Braden Pulcher was at IHW for the first time so I let him watch the matches to decide which IHW Star he would take his picture with. Not surprisingly he chose the charismatic “The Kid” Evan Money to have his picture with. Money was successful in the first round Jordan McEntyre in an exciting match and during the intermission posed with his new fan.
Braden Pulcher and Evan Money (Photo Credit Brian Kelley)
Next up was one of the most hardcore wrestling fans in the area Andrew Adams otherwise known as the “Firefighter”. Andrew choose Brandon Aarons at first but when he saw that I took Mickie Knuckles as my picture he changed his mind and we were more than happy to have give him his wish with the hardcore beauty.
“The Firefighter” Andrew Adams and Mickie Knuckles (Photo Credit Brian Kelley)
Dupo is Mephisto territory and he would be picked once again. This time Kolby Stephens wanted his picture taken with him as well. Mephisto fans would were happy to see him team up with Justin Wade to defeat MR Late Nites men Brandon Graves and Cable. The loss would lead to MR Late Nite firing Cabal while Graves and The Perfect Weapon Morbid attacking their former partner.
Kolby Stephens and Mephisto (Photo Credit Brian Kelley )
Dennis Corderant the winner of the MWR T-shirt that was thrown by superstar Adam Rich, gets to pose with the rising star (Photo Credit Brian Kelley )
The Wrestler of the night who would throw a MWR Shirt to one lucky fan turned out to be young Adam Rich. Rich was returning to the ring after a short absence and would have his hands full with the hated Canadian in the first round of the STL Tournament. Young Dennis Corderant would be the lucky fan that caught the MWR Shirt. Later in the night Rich took the time to have his picture taken with the young fan.
As I mentioned before I always try to choose a picture with a star as well though sometimes I get so busy I do not get it done. I have always been impressed with Mickie Knuckles and she happily posed with me prior to her match with Mia Martinez. Mickie is one tough girl.
Dubray Tallman and Mickie Knuckles (Photo Credit Brian Kelley)
As far as Jonathan, him and Lena would not make it till the main event match with Brandon Aarrons and Eric Allen match. They were so impressed that they purchased tickets for IHW’S return to Dupo on July 24th.
MWR Fans thank you for taking the time to read this article. In the near future look for Dubi meets the Fans at Pro Wrestling Epic from Mt Pulaski Illinois and if all goes as planned we will make our long waited debut at New Midwest Wrestling in Springfield Illinois for their show Boiling Point. Keep an eye out for my special interview with Blake Steel as he goes after the NMW Title currently held by Jonathan Magnus.
Till next time fans, support your local wrestling. I hope to see you at a show real soon.
I just purchased the brand new book by Dennis T McHawes called Blood, Tables and Chairs and must admit that I could not put the book down. McHawes wrestled as one of the favorite Indy stars of the Midwest in the 90’s going by the name of the DRILL INSTRUCTOR.
I had the chance to see him wrestle several times in Boonville, Missouri with his tag team partner Johnny Jett for a promotion that I cannot recall and recall him becoming an important member of Harley Race’s World League Wrestling. The books first words are ….. “ST Louis – The Checkerdome – 1982” and young Dennis is attending his very first wrestling match. He is excited and makes no qualms about it. McHawes does not deny that he was a fan of wrestling and because of that you find yourself cheering him on. The Drill Instructor would debut at the historic South Broadway Athletic club and Dennis goes into detail about how he went about getting his foot in the door.
Throughout the book, MWR readers will recognize some of the names that he worked with. The Magic Man, Trevor Murdoch, Rick Ruby, Matt Murphy, Pete Madden, Derek Stone and Steve Fender are all included as McHawes lets us in on his ups and downs in his career. Readers will also learn that during his time with Harley Race, McHawes had the opportunity of working and partying with wrestling stars like Meng, Abdullah and even the great Harley Race himself.
He continues to share stories of Koko B Ware and former NHL Star Tony Twist, gives a true insight of how it felt to share a dream with tag team partner and friend Johnny Jett, only to have life move them in opposite directions. You’ll learn about his opinion concerning certain promoters and what kind of advice not to take from the Iron Sheik.
His trips to working for WWE marked the highlights of this book for me. He lets his guard down for the readers, who are therefore able to truly feel how much he and other wrestlers wanted to impress. You will also not want to miss his reflection on his relationship with Race. Most of us never get to work so closely and become friends with one of the greats. In all walks of life, you have friendships that have highs and lows. In the end you can really get a feel for how thankful McHawes is towards the people who helped him.
For only $12.00, I highly recommend that you purchase this book You can purchase it at Amazon.com
I am joined today with the men behind Metro Pro Wrestling, former Central States Wrestling promoter Joe McDonald and Chris Gough Last year Chris produced the wrestling documentary KC on the Mat. Chris is a Mizzou grad with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. After college, he went to work as a television writer for World Wrestling Entertainment in Stamford, Connecticut. In 2004, Chris returned to his hometown to begin work as an anchor and reporter for Metro Sports in Kansas City.
Brian -Gentleman good to speak to the both on you today on the exciting news that Wrestling is about to come back to Kansas City. How did this adventure come to be?
Chris– I actually did a documentary last year called KC On the Mat, which looked at the historical look at Central States Wrestling. It aired here in the city and shortly after that I spoke with Joe about running shows here in Kansas City. I produce several shows on Metro Sports, an all sports channel in Kansas City, and eventually Joe and I spoke to the general manager of the station who gave us the green light to put together a wrestling show that will debut at Memorial Hall on June 5th. Two or three weeks after that we will air the Metro Pro Wrestling show on Metro Sports.
Joe –Chris had actually myspaced me prior to me leaving for California for my new job when I left CSW. I kinda blew him off because as a promoter you always get these guys who say “I am a former this or that” and you tend to go whatever. Thankfully in time we did get together.
Brian – Chris, please tell our readers your background in Pro Wrestling.
Chris – I was a lifelong wrestling fan who went to University of Missouri. In 1997 I got an internship with WWE, went back in 1998. After graduation I got full time job with WWE in 1999 where I started with WWE.com as a producer and did a show called Byte This and some other shows on the site. I then went on as a creative writer for WWE’S Monday Night RAW thorough 2003. After leaving the WWE I came home and took a job with Metro Sports as an Anchor/Producer.
Brian – Joe, At one time you were a wrestler tell us about that and how long did you run Central States Wrestling?
Joe – We ran for five years, prior to that I joined a school called the Monster factory based out of New Jersey. I begged my parents’ and they said “as long as your grades stay up”. I trained in 95, my junior year in high school and I didn’t really get a very good training, but I hit the road and did shows in ST Louis for next to no pay. There was also a promotion based out of Wichita Kansas that had weekly TV. That was a lot of fun as Derek Stone and Ace Steel where also there. That tells you how long I have known Stone (LAUGHS).
I was too young to wrestle in Missouri until July of 1996 because I wasn’t 18. To be honest I was not a very good wrestler. When I began promoting, I wrestled at times but I didn’t want to put myself over at the expense of the guys. It got to the point where I had to come to terms that I was not nearly as good as the guys I was booking so I stopped wrestling and focused on being a promoter.
Brian – Joe, What have you been up to since you parted ways with Central States Wrestling?
Joe– I went to California working with TV shows and films, like Last Comic Standing and Harry Potterand the Order of the Phoenix. At the time I left there were a lot of things going on in my life, including the mentioned once in a lifetime opportunities. Once I got back home, I tried to jump start CSW but I didn’t have it left in me to do so. After the last CSW show I decided it would be best to take some time off and refresh my batteries. I don’t like to say I quit the wrestling business as I have kept up with what has been going on in the wrestling world, I just took a breather. And over the 12 months, Chris and I have been planning on making Metro Sports a successful wrestling promotion.
Brian – Joe, what do you take from your days at CSW?
Joe – There are no instructions on how to run a pro wrestling show. You learn by being on the road, what to do and not to do with the boys, How to treat the boys, the wrestlers always got paid by me. I never canceled shows, I made mistakes all of the time because I just did not know what to do. I will say that I have learned from all of those mistakes and hopefully I do not make them again.
I take some of the credit of CSW but I cannot take it all. It was a collaborate effort by several hard working people. What I did was give them a place to work and we all relied on each other to get the job done.
Chris – The goal for 2010 is to have a TV taping once a month. If it increases then that is great, but first things first get that first show done so that we get enough footage to provide an exciting program. We are hoping to have a 1 hour show each week on Metro Sports, weather or not its four or six weeks of tapings for our show.
Joe– We really don’t want to put the cart before the horse, we know that it will take 3 months before the TV really will provide the full benefit of advertisement. We are currently advertising Metro Pro Wrestling via print, Television, Radio ect , when the second TV taping airs we will have had two weeks of shows on Metro Sports that will create a buzz and then by the third we will have ran 6 or so weeks of TV. By the fourth week we will hope to see a return on the exposure from TV.
Brian – Will all shows be at the Memorial Hall?
Chris – For the time being that will be where the shows will be ran. Memorial Hall provides us with a great venue with a historic feel for our debut. Excellent lighting and a superb sound system will give the fans at the show that special feel and those watching at home that professional look. But Brian it’s like all business it comes down to money. If the fans show that there is interest by coming, we would love our shows to be there all of the time but if financially it doesn’t make sense to run shows there we will pull back and find other venues that we have scoped out.
Joe – If we didn’t have TV we would be running an armory or high school gym, to be honest without TV I don’t know if I would have given this another try….well I can’t say that, but it surely wouldn’t be on such a grand scale. Without TV there is only so far that you can go in Indy wrestling.
When I started CSW I borrowed ten thousand dollars. Out of that, six of it went into buying a ring while the other four went towards running shows. I ran for several years on that and then took on a partner. We tapped out at CSW, we got to the point where we had a show with AJ Styles we had four hundred people and that was as big as it got in Lawrence Kansas. Now we are in Kansas City, it’s a lot bigger than Lawrence. We now have a bigger fan base to draw from, TV and two guys that have industry specific background to both wrestling and TV. We most defiantly are not doing this to fail, we feel as if we have all the tools in place to succeed.
Brian – Who should the fans expect to see at Metro Pro Wrestling local and nationally?
Chris – The first show fans will get to see ECW Original’s Tommy Dreamer and “the King of the Streets” Angel,
along with 3 time WWE Tag team Champion Trevor Murdoch. We want to bring in the establish star to bring in the casual fans that don’t follow the Indy’s. It’s always good to bring them in but we also will be showcasing some of the top talent in the Midwest. Joe knows the local talent as well as anyone.
Joe – Yes, I hate to go back to the past but what I set up to do with CSW was to bring up all the local talent from Kansas City, St Louis, Missouri, Iowa, or just so simply the best in Midwest under one roof, just as Ring Of Honor had done. We had a great run with Michael Strider and Mark Sterling.
2009 MWR Wrestler of the Year Mark Sterling (Photo Credit Mike Van Hoogstraat)
This isn’t going to be a CSW retread, certainly we will use some of the guys that I am comfortable with. Mark Sterling for instance is in my opinion one of the best wrestlers in country right now. The man lives and breathes pro Wrestling. Jeremy Wyatt I put him in that category as well.
I have known Matt Sydal (Evan Bourne) since day one and when his brother Mike Sydal told him he wanted to learn how to wrestle Matt told him to go see the guys (Strider and Sterling) in Kansas to learn.
The 2009 MWR Tag team of the Year the Hooligans will make their debut in Kansas City . ((Photo Credit Mike Van Hoogstraat)
The Hooligans, who I have only seen on tape. Chris actually found them on your site and called me and said you need to check these guys out. I looked at a couple of matches of theirs on YouTube. They were awesome, they have that “it” factor. You can attest to that Brian, you have been around them a lot; I have only dealt with them via phone and e-mail. I called Sterling and Wyatt who I trust to get their thoughts on their work. They vouched that they were for real and that was good enough for me.
Angel and Domino Rivera were two guys I had teamed up at last few CSW shows I ran and had big plans for. Chris and I feel like they can make an impact.
The Mississippi Madman (Photo Credit Mike Van Hoogstraat)
The Mississippi Madman is someone that has a ton of charisma we believe that the fans will get behind.
The Ultra talented Jaysin Strife (Photo Credit Gary Giaffoglione)
Jaysin Strife, I have always been a big fan of as well. We are not a closed door company. If we see someone that we feel that the fans will enjoy and can help Metro Sports we will take a good look at them.
Nate Bash and Benjamin Sailer are a tag team that I am excited about being a part of the company. I feel as if we are really stacked in the tag division and have a heavy emphasize in tag teams.
Brian – Let me ask you Chris you have been with WWE who many feel have diminished tag teams in the past few years. Are you excited about tag teams as much as Joe?
Chris – Before we go any further let’s not forget we dragged Michael Strider out of retirement so fans will most defiantly have that to look forward to. That guy is willing to do anything. But he was done. When Joe first approached him about Metro Pro, Strider wasn’t going to do it. He was enjoying his life off the road. But we told him the game plan and it stoked that flame. As far as tag teams go your right it was a pretty dead deal down there. Granted there were some great teams during the Invasion with the Dudley’s, The Hardy’s Edge and Christina with some exciting matches with ladders. That seemed to be the last real run with teams other than just throwing two guys together. Anyone growing up in the 80’s remembers how big the tag teams were in the WWE and NWA. Myself I am a big fan of a team when they get together and hit their moves and work as a team, you just done see that in the Big two err one.
We didn’t set out to focus so strongly on tag teams but it just so happens that we are fortunate that we have talented guys who happen to team up. I believe that many fans on the Indy scene love tag team wrestling so I hope that it will be a big draw for us.
Brian – Chris, what kinda style should fans see at Metro Pro Wrestling? With the debut of Tommy Dreamer will be see old style ECW Wrestling or WWE/ECW? What style do you prefer?
Chris– My background is WWE and that’s the style I worked with, did I agree with everything no but no company is perfect. I know that WWE takes a lot of slack for what they do but a lot of that has to do with over saturation. With WWE TV storylines need to go so fast because of the amount of shows that need to be done. Sometimes it can take away from what you are doing.
Here at Metro will “Extreme” be the norm? No. Will there be guys that have that in their background and at times will that be sprinkled in sporadically. Yes. As a fan I was a big fan of ECW and still have fond memories of them. The problem is that the style trickled up towards the WWE and every match feature blood in the first match, people jumping off 40 foot ladders. Nothing could top it so it meant less.
What we hope to do with Metro Pro Wrestling on TV is character development. I am all for pure pro wrestling in the ring and we will have that but it’s not so much the storyline that matters as much as is it is for the fans to care for the wrestlers to make the storylines mean anything. I feel as if that is what is lacking in wrestling on TV. I am not going to say I know how to do it better than the next guy but I do know going into this that the wrestlers will have an opportunity to shine on TV. From the top to bottom they are going to be able get their name out to the casual fan.
Joe– Too put it in perspective I was once told by a very smart guy and I am sure he was told by another smart guy. Wrestling is like a three ring circus “You have to have your flyers, you have to have brawlers and you need have your freaks. You need to have something for everyone.” We have to do a little bit of everything for this to succeed. Our balance will be found with the traditional wrestling fan that just likes wrestling but our job is to make the show interesting.
You hear a lot of older fans say that back in my day it wasn’t such a soap opera. But the truth is, it really was. There have always been stories in wrestling. Storylines have just adapted over the years to fit the current world climate. The beautiful thing about early ECW was that you had 2 or 3 matches on their show and the rest was you had advertisements for their next one. During the show you may have had one hardcore match – Tommy Dreamer going hardcore with Raven all over the arena. Then Psychosis and Rey Mysterio flying all around the ring then you had Dean Melenko and Eddie Guerrero in a mat classic.
I would like to see Metro be a little bit like that. You have storylines mixed with wrestling and in the end you have entertainment because of that.
Brian– Any last words for the MWR Fans
Joe – I hope that people give us a shot, come on out and I feel as if their money will be well spent. Come support the guys as we have household names mixed in with some guys we feel will be able to get to the next level. I hope people come to what we hope will become a successful endeavor in the wrestling area. I would also like to thank Martin Thomas for letting us use the CSW Library. That was a really cool thing of him to do.
Be sure to catch Metro Pro Wrestling’s debut television taping on Saturday, June 5, 2010, inside Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas. Tickets available now at MetroWrestling.com, TicketMaster.com or by calling the Memorial Hall ticket office at (913) 549-4853.
{Missouri Wrestling Revival would like to thank World League Wrestling original Matt Murphy for taking the time to reminisce on the early days of WLW to honor their 10 years of greatness. MWR is proud to announce that Matt Murphy will have his own feature article on the site every Monday starting next week. }
With World League Wrestling’s 10th anniversary event just a couple weeks away, I’m sure I’m not the only old-timer whose mind keeps wandering back to the beginning a decade ago.
In July 1999, the Harley Race Wrestling Academy began holding tryouts and classes at Lewis Boxing Gym. It was a small space crammed in along a line of old brick buildings in a bad neighborhood in Springfield, Mo. There was no air conditioning and it reeked of weed, the severity dependent upon which Lewis brother was in the office. The boxing ring was manufactured in the depths of hell and sent to Springfield to punish me for my future transgressions.
There were six of us then: I was the first full-time student; Trevor Rhodes (Murdoch) came a week later along with his brother, independent veteran Johnny D; and the trainers were Derek Stone, Griz, and referee Skippy Johnson. We lived together in a small two-bedroom house and trained between six and eight hours every day.
Meanwhile, Harley and Dave Marquez built World League Wrestling from the ashes of World Legion Wrestling, a promotion I watched on syndicated television that had featured Sid Vicious, Big Sky (Tyler Mane, who played Sabertooth in X-Men, Michael Myers in the new Halloween, and the oil driller who beat up the lead character and then caught fire in Joe Dirt), “Atomic Dogg” Steve Sharp, Luminous Warrior, and the champ, “Sheik” Derek Stone.
After Marquez and the trainers traveled to Lake of the Ozarks to meet with Harley, Derek announced that the school was moving to Eldon. “Where?” I asked, still half-asleep on the couch.
Eldon, for those who’ve never been there, is not much different from every other small town in Missouri: a little backward at times, a little boring at times, but really not a bad place to live. Its population is between 4,000 and 5,000 and rent is cheap enough.
We were local celebrities when we first moved to Eldon, making personal appearances and doing radio and newspaper interviews regularly. And we were all with Harley Race, so if a half-dozen gorillas walking into a restaurant didn’t get their attention then Harley’s presence did.
I’ll never forget the first World League Wrestling event, held during a middle-school assembly Sept. 24, 1999 in Caledonia, Mo. Griz and I squared off in the main event and, due to ring announcer Steve Murphy’s claim that I was a “19-year-old rookie sensation making his professional wrestling debut” (I was 20 and I’d had three matches for East Coast promotions prior to training with Harley, so it was just a small fib), the crowd loved me. The three-match afternoon event was held during school hours with hopes that the kids would go home and beg their parents to bring them back for the full evening show. It was a flop: we had a crowd of about 60 that night.
We had some solid guys back then. Derek Stone was one of the best workers who never had a contract with a national promotion. Griz and “Tiger” Treach Phillips, Jr. were two solid veterans and great assets to their young opponents like me and Trevor. We really didn’t have a weak link on the card. We had other veterans like Johnny Jett, the Drill Instructor, Nasty Bill, Blade Boudreaux, Lance Jade (that’s not a typo, and Jade also had a contract with WWE for a year or two), Malia Hosaka, Brandy Alexander, T.S. Aggressor, Mr. Destiny, Johnny D, and Luminous Warrior.
I always wanted to do two things with my life: become a professional wrestler and make a positive impact on others. Within seven months of our first show, we were wrestling every weekend, usually doing two or three fundraising events. I was living my dream as a professional wrestler and I was part of a group that helped countless non-profit organizations raise funds to make the world a better place. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked for more, but I did.
Like every wrestler, I dreamed of becoming a WWE Superstar. I didn’t make it because I made stupid choices and didn’t earn it. I spent too much time dreaming and not enough time working. But when Trevor Murdoch, who I grew up in the business beside, called me to tell me he signed with WWE, I felt the same inexplainable feeling of pride that I imagined when I used to sit around dreaming about getting a contract with WWE myself. When his first vignette aired on Monday Night Raw, I was thrilled. I sat on the edge of my seat during his debut match. While my dream, as I envisioned it, never came to fruition, I got to go along for the ride while one of the best friends I’ve ever known lived out our dream. That was all the satisfaction I needed.
Times have certainly changed in the past 10 years. WLW talent, other promotions, and crowds have come and gone. Trevor and I were two boys in a locker room full of men, both living our dreams. Now, we’re two old-timers, sitting on the porch talking marriage and fatherhood and barbecue grills. Still, the olden days seem to find their way into most of our conversations.
In the earlier years, there seemed to be more children in the crowd. Many of the kids who were my biggest fans a decade ago have become adults. Some of them still remember me and others seem to have forgotten me. Some still smile when they see me and others seem to resent me. I’d guess it’s because I was somebody they saw as larger-than-life—as a star—when they were kids and now they feel duped when they see me grocery-shopping with my family.
The last time we performed at the Eldon High School gymnasium was one of our greatest events. It was in late-April 2000, with WCW stars Meng and Disco Inferno as the special guests. Disco Inferno pinned me that night in a singles match and then my team beat his in an eight-man tag match later that night. In the main event, Meng lost the WLW Heavyweight Championship to Trevor (with an assist from me). It was our first great event and still one of the best WLW events ever. It’s appropriate that WLW will celebrate its 10th anniversary by returning to the gym. I wish I had the desire, if not physical ability, to get back into the ring one last time for the anniversary event, but I’m proud the worker I became and I wouldn’t dream of getting into the ring at a level below that.
Since my in-ring career ended, I’ve worked with WLW off-and-on in various roles. While I’ve had my ups and downs with WLW, they will always be family.
Congratulations, World League Wrestling, on ten years of bringing exciting, family-friendly entertainment to Small Town, Missouri for good causes. Thank you for giving dreamers a place to learn and practice their chosen trade as they pursue stardom.
Matt Murphy
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You will not want to miss the opportunity to support 10 years anniversary on October 3rd. Along with the current Superstars of WLW, fans will be able to meet former greats Bret “The Hitman” Hart, Akio Saito, Bob Geigel, Betty Nicoli, Bill Kersten, Mike George, Roger Kirby and of course the greatest of them all Harley Race.
Show at
ELDON HIGH SCHOOL GYM
101 S PINE ST ELDON MO 65026
Ticket Outlets
WLW HEADQUARTERS
EAGER BEAVER
ELDON CITY HALL
SWEAT GYM
If you like beer, brats and wrestling then you should have come with me to House Springs on July 25, as I partied with the LWA Superfans.
Throughout the years of going to shows around the Midwest with my boyfriend, Brian, we have made many friends, no matter what federation we go to. One of my favorite friends goes by Big Al. Big Al is a huge Jordan Lacey fan and a loveable guy with a great sense of humor. He invited us to the LWA tailgate party prior to the show. And, as they say in Rock, let the good times roll.
The afternoon was beautiful and the beer was good. Several of the LWA crew joined us for laughs and food. The wild and crazy Steven Kennedy came out of the locker room and had stolen someone’s wrestling shorts and put them over his pants to entertain the party. I had a delicious jalapeño brat and got caught up with what was happening with Referees Eric Davis and Kiwi Jello. Even Adam Raw couldn’t resist coming out and hanging with us. Before we went in to watch matches, we all posed for a group photo for Kari Williams for an article to be published at a later date.
When the show began, I was already feeling a buzz and excited about seeing Michael Strider again. Strider and Derek Stone were the first two wrestlers who I became a fan of when I first saw pro wrestling live. On this evening, Strider took on Mark Sterling, who was also one of the first I saw, whom, at the time, I was not impressed with. Nearly five years later, Sterling is now one of the top reasons I enjoy going to wrestling.
Also on the card was the sexy Tyler Cook. Girls, if you have not seen Tyler Cook, you do not know what you are missing. He is a work of art, or, at least eye-candy.
I got to my seat with a full cup of beer to start the show. The problem was I kept spilling my beer on the floor, with a little help from my friends, on myself, and on others throughout the night. At intermission, I was on my mission to seek out LWA fans to do this article. Due to the fact that I was having such a good time, I asked my friend Dawn to assist me in finding fans of the LWA.
The first fan I caught up with was with my good friend Big Al; her name was Mallory Willson, a seven year fan. She insisted that her all-time favorite was Bruce VanChan who retired about four years ago and was “one of the originals from Adam Raw’s garage,” according to Willson. That was before my time of watching LWA, and she wanted her picture with fellow Superfan Justin Poole.
Mallory Willson with fellow fan Justin Poole (Photo Credit Brian "Flair" Kelley)
The next fan I spoke to came to see Adam Raw in action. His name was Ryan Hughes, and he has been going to LWA for close to two years. Adam Raw, unfortunately, was unable to wrestle on this evening, though he was more than happy to take a picture with young Ryan.
Ryan Hughes with his favorite LWA Superstar Adam Raw (Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)
Running around, I found Adrian Hooper, who had been going to LWA for four years. Adrian was a fan of Steven Kennedy. Kennedy used to be cocky and arrogant, but lately he has been a really cool guy, and I was happy he took the time for me to snap a picture with Adrian.
Adrian Hooper with the Charismatic Steven Kennedy (Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)
Last, but not least, was Michael Mayberry. Michael and I have something in common—we are both impressed with Donovan Ruddick. You can call him “The Future” or the “6’9” Monster,” but I think that he is AWESOME. So did Michael. The intermission was done. and I asked Michael that if he waited after the show, I would asked LWA Management if Ruddick would come out. You never know what kind of mood The Future is in, so I told Michael I wasn’t for sure. Lucky for me, they were able to get him to come out, and Ruddick was polite and smiled.
“The Future” Donovan Ruddick with one of his biggest fans Michael Maberry.
Aww the night was over and the room was spinning but we had a great time of hanging with friends at the Lethal Wrestling Alliance.
I am hoping to make the MMWA-SICW show Saturday at South Broadway. On Aug. 15 I will be in Granite City for High Voltage Wrestling. Look forward to the next installment of Dubi meets the fans.
One last thought…..
Michael Strider lost the NWA Central States Championship to Mark Sterling and announced that he was walking away but the fans will always have the memories of one of the toughest guys I ever saw. I leave you with a picture of him posing with me and another fan who truly enjoyed watching him. I have to say it one last time….STRIDER NATION…you will be missed.
Strider and myself.....Hopefully not for the last time. (Photo Credit Brian "Flair" Kelley)
A day or two ago I began thinking to myself about the vice grip that World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has on professional wrestling here in the United States. Sometimes it gets frustrating for me to see talented, believable wrestlers left out of the mainstream simply because they aren’t the son or daughter of a former pro wrestler or aren’t a clone of Randy Orton. I understand that WWE is doing smart business, but smart business can sometimes be the undoing of the business, too.
In addition to the glass ceiling that keeps many wrestlers from reaching full potential, the exit door can be very unforgiving, too. WWE owns the wrestlers’ names in many cases, or changes the names so that when the wrestler returns to the independent scene his name value and drawing power is greatly diminshed. If a wrestler is an independent contractor, they should be able to retain the name when they no longer compete in WWE. It’s actually really sad that WWE conducts business that way.
Total Nonstop Action (TNA) has started conducting business in this way to a lesser degree. I completely understand not letting the wrestlers compete on the independent scene while they work for the respective company, provided they are being adaquetly paid. However, once they are done they should be allowed to retain the name of the character that they have bled and sweat in order to get over.
I’m off on a tangent, I know, but it all leads (sort of) to the point I wanted to make in this post. MWR. WWE. TNA. A face off.
Now I’m not talking about some fantasy rehash of the Monday Night Wars. I’m merely speculating on some of the great matchups that could be over the years if there was more of a 1990’s way of doing things.
Here are ten that I’ve been thinking of the most:
10. Phoenix Twins vs Motor City Machine Guns vs London & Kendrick.
This match would have all the ingredients of a great, fast-paced tag team bout. Personally, I wouldn’t have a favorite in this. Whoever won would be completely fine with me.
9. Northstar Express vs Ted DiBiase Jr & Cody Rhodes.
What could be better than two guys from the WWE who think they are “Priceless” squaring off against one of the most accomplished tag teams in the Midwest? I’d love to see the mind games being played between both teams as each tried to gain an advantage.
8. “Future” Donovan Ruddick vs John Cena.
John Cena is the symbol of success in professional wrestling in the modern era. Personally, I feel like “The Future” symbol of success, Donovan Ruddick, would be up to the task and would make this a very interesting match.
7. Dingo vs Kurt Angle.
The NWA Missouri Champ has proven time and time again that he can adapt to any style to bring pro wrestling fans the absolute best. If Kurt Angle was healthy, this match would be match of the year candidate.
6. Mark Sterling vs William Regal.
Sterling has mentioned in the past that he’s a student of the Regal school of wrestling thought. Personally, I can see it. Sterling vs Regal would be hard-hitting and vicious, with old school ring psychology that makes me more than happy.
5. Michael Strider vs Fit Finlay.
I’ve seen Strider have some great brawls but with all due respect to each and every opponent he had in all of them, this would be the best. Finlay is nearing 50 years old and can still go like nobody else. There is no doubt in my mind that this one would be a classic.
4. Jeremy Wyatt vs Samoa Joe.
They don’t get any tougher than “The Rebel” Jeremy Wyatt. Samoa Joe could put his toughness to the test, but it would leave a great taste in the mouth of wrestling fans with no prior exposure to one of the MWR coverage area’s greatest talents.
3. CM Punk vs AJ Styles vs Tyler Cook.
Mark my words: Tyler Cook will be in WWE or TNA before all is said and done. My faith in this guy as a wrestler would be rewarded if this match was allowed to take place. AJ Styles and CM Punk are no strangers to the indy scene, and their styles would work well with Cook. In addition, Cook has the fitness level to make this match a 30 minute match… or more. The anticipation would nearly kill the audience, and I wouldn’t be surprised to here Tyler Cook’s name announced as the victor.
2. 3-way Rumble (elimination rules): Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Lance Cade, Chris Jericho & Edge
vs “Superstar” Steve, Trevor Murdoch, Wade Chism, Dangerous Derek & Haku
vs Christian Cage, Sting, Booker T, Christopher Daniels & Eric Young
This match is purely a crazy thought on my part. What if we took 5 of WWE’s top guys and matched them up with a team of Harley’s top guys over the years? What if we then added a team from TNA consisting of three top veterans and two of there most successful originals? There are so many stories that could be told in an elimination styled brawl. This one here is probably the least likely to happen, but also one of the most intriguing.
1. Derek Stone & Mason Hunter vs Cryme Tyme.
Most people do not understand how much of a huge fan I am of the Derek Stone/Mason Hunter tag team. I’ve watched a lot of their work and have always enjoyed the antics in the ring and the continuity they had as a tag team. The dynamic of pitting them against thugs who like money and steal things… awesome!
These are just some of the matches I can think of off the top of my head. Hit me up at inadvertent.nerd@gmail.com and let me know some of the matches you’d like to see. I’ll put your name and the match you chose in my next installment of “Combat Tested, Mother Approved!”
I woke up on Saturday morning and almost decided to not attend the WLW event that evening as I would be checking them out the next weekend in Moberly. I was also concerned that I would not be able to get tickets as it may be a “sell out”, But as the morning came to a close, I couldn’t resist. My girlfriend and I left for Sedalia, Mo for W.K. Chevrolet where former WWE Superstar Bobby Lashley was to sign autographs.
While waiting in line the Noon Day Optimist Club announced that they had tickets for sale, I picked up second row tickets and was all set for the evening. Before I knew it some kids in the line were excited and yelling “He is here, Bobby Lashley is here… and he is huge!”
When I first caught sight of Bobby, the child was right, he was huge, he was all smiles and, with kids jumping up and down around him, he gave them high fives and exclaimed he was glad that they were there. He headed to the table to sign Autographs and take pictures. We took our pictures and said hello to one of my heroes, Harley Race, and headed off to supper prior to the show.
The show started off with Akiyago taking on Brian Breaker in the opening contest. Akiyago is despised by the fans and he used mind games to keep Breaker from using his power to his advantage and was able to get the win. But before he left, he couldn’t resist the urge to antagonize the fans, who were not happy that he had won.
Akiyago has Brian Breaker on the ropes.
Up next was fan favorite “The Vietnam Phenom” Bao Nguyen taking on the newcomer Dustin Lane in his wrestling debut. The match started off in a slow pace and before I know it the two wrestlers where hitting each other with exciting moves as the action went back and forth which led me to believe that this was not Lane’s first match. I was later told that in fact, this was his debut in wrestling so I witnessed history as Lane was able to get the win when he rolled up Bao with a small package. Though Lane was able to get his first victory, I am sure that Bao Nguyen will look to even the score in their next encounter. I hope to see the rematch to see these young guns go at it.
Dustin Lane lets Bao know he is a quick learner.
WLW at this point had an intermission and Bobby Lashley came out and took pictures inside the ring and once again he was all smiles. I enjoyed watching him interact with the fans young and old. He picked up one young child with one hand and teased that he would throw him out the ring over the top rope only to bring him back in the ring and all the while the child was smiling from ear to ear. You know that kid will be telling the story to all his friends at school on Monday morning. He played with one female fan by getting on one knee and she could not believe her eyes as her face turned red. She too would have a story to tell. To say the intermission was worth watching would be an understatement.
Prior to the match Stacey O’Brien even gives the ref Martin T a hard time.
Up next was what I like to dub the future of women’s pro wrestling: Amy Hennig taking on WLW Womens Champion Stacy O’Brien . I was fortunate to say that I was able to see Amy in her wrestling debut in Eldon and her first opponent was this same Irish troublemaker. The first match up Stacy really used Amy’s inexperience against her and at times made her look foolish in her attempt to break into the WLW Womens Title hunt.
Amy Hennig proves to Stacey O’ Brien that she may be a rookie but she will not be pushed around.
You could tell Amy had worked hard and learned from her mistakes in her first encounter and was giving Stacey fits throughout the match. Though Amy had improved immensely since the first time they met, Stacy was always one step ahead of the one who she sarcastically calls “Little Miss Perfect”. Stacey seized the opportunity with the ref out of position; she put her feet on the ropes to get the pin on Amy. As Stacy would say ” That is soooo Stacey O”.
There is no doubt that Amy is WWE bound but I would be shocked if Stacy wasn’t there to greet her. Amy will get another shot for the WLW Women’s champion this weekend as she will face off once again in Moberly,MO on September 13, 2008. It is a match that I highly recommend you come and check out.
The next match up would feature two of the most charismatic wrestlers on the WLW roster Dinn T Moore and Michael Strider. Dinn T Moore has floundered in the WLW since his departure with Brandon Tatum and that may have attributed to him just barely missing the Missouri Wrestling Revival Top 100. Make no mistake about it, there are few in the Midwest that can get under the fans’ and wrestlers’ skin like the former WLW Tag Team Champion. He has the talent to win any match he is a part of.
On the other side of the ring you had one of the hardest hitting wrestlers in the Midwest. Strider has taken on some of the best in the business and really can work a crowd to his advantage. This would be a very interesting match as both men look to move up the ladder to the WLW Heavyweight Title currently held by “Dangerous” Derek McQuinn.
Dinn T Moore shows that the heavyweights in the Midwest can fly as well, as he goes up top to hit Michael Strider with a big move.
At first, Strider got the upper hand on Moore to start the match and as Moore regrouped outside the ring the fans chanted “chicken”. Strider urged him to return to the ring for a beating and when Moore returned, he withstood some more punishment from Strider. With one mistake from Strider, though, Dinn T put the heat on Strider – knocking him down with one big move after another. Strider continued to get up and each man did not give an inch. The fans were cheering on Strider for the bad guys have won all the matches in these evening to the fans dismay and Strider was there last chance to celebrate, Dinn T Moore though had other plans and was able to get the win this evening with a roll up along with the tights pulled ,as he left the ring, Dinn T bragged to the fans know that he is among the WLW elite. The fans last hope for happiness would be Bobby Lashley.
In the end what promised to be a hard hitting match lived up to the expectations, with another future battle between these two foes a must see.
The Main event would be none other that a 3 way match with Bobby Lashley, NOAH’S Go Shiozaki and one half of the current WLW Tag Team Champions Marc Godeker.
The wild card in this match would be Godeker, Godeker and his tag team partner Steve Anthony have the skills that is reminiscent of a great tag team that went by the name of “The Steiner Brothers” in their prime, but unfortunately Steve Anthony has been healing from an injury due to a match earlier this year so Marc has had to go out solo for the time being. How would Marc be able to respond to working with two of the best in the business? We were about to find out.
Bobby Lashley enters the WLW ring for the very first time.
The crowd was like mini WWE with the crowd going nuts when Lashley hit the ring with the crowd giving no doubt to who their favorite was, Lashley’s two opponents must have came up with a game plan prior to the match as they worked together to start the match, but Lashley was in World Championship form and was overpowering two wrestlers who are no lightweights themselves and then something happened… Lashley slammed Shiozaki hard onto the mat and when Shiozaki cried out in pain and reaching for his leg, help came from the WLW staff as they rushed to assist the Japanese Superstar. Lashley went to assist Shiozaki with Godeker outside the ring and, with Lashleys guard down, Shiozaki showed his true colors and attacked him as Godeker quickly entering the ring to assist him. The two wrestlers who each come from a different background had one thing in common and that was to get a win off the former ECW Champion but when it came to the time for each of them to get the pinfall on him, they broke up the count before the other one could get the win.
A perfect ambush from Go Shiozaki.
This was a very exciting match as the crowd was rallying Lashley to get back on the offensive. When Lashley would get the edge, Godeker and Shiozaki would stop the momentum and vice versa. It looked to be a shocking ending to Lashley’s WLW debut but when the two new friends had a disagreement, Lashley struck and overwhelmed them with power and speed and in the blink of an eye Lashley and the crowd were as one when he was able to pin Godeker for the 1-2-3. Though they were unsuccessful, Go Shiozaki and Godeker shook Lashley’s hands out of respect for such a great match.
During the main event Marc Godeker proved he was more than capable of hanging with some of the best in the business.
The question I had on whether or not Godeker would be able to hang with the two Superstars was answered with a resounding YES, as he more than held his own in one of the most exciting matches in WLW history. A match that will go on in history in WLW along with, Derek Stone’s battles with the great One Man Gang, Kenta Kobashi taking on Wade Chism and when a young Trevor Rhodes defeated Rick Steiner and Wade Chism in a Three-way match to win the WLW Heavyweight Title.
Before the night was over Bobby asked for the microphone. With Lashley’s speech and his actions throughout the day, he made me a fan of his for life. He stated that he had a passion for the sport and he missed the fans, he said that he does what he loves, not for the money as he has plenty of that, He also said that he has a desire to be back on TV soon. He encouraged any fans that saw him on the street to not be shy and come up to him and shake his hand and introduce themselves. He said that he doesn’t take very many independent bookings but when a WWE Hall of Farmer calls you and tells you to work a show, you listen. He thanked not only Harley, but his wife BJ for the opportunity to work with WLW and to be close to the fans once again.
Because I took the drive to Sedalia I was able to meet one of the most impressive wrestlers in person that I have ever seen, and quite frankly is one of the few that is better than advertised. Bobby Lashley has all the tools to be on top of the sport and I am amazed that TNA has not jumped on him as he could really be the one guy who they could sign that could make a difference in closing the gap between the two organizations.
I hope to see you at an independent show soon and, till next time, drive carefully, take care of yourself, and don’t forget to check out Missouri Wrestling Revival.
You would think that a guy who lives an hour away from World League Wrestling in Eldon, MO would make it to a WLW show more often, but alas that hasn’t been the case. After attending my first Eldon WLW show on July 26, 2008, that is definitely changing.
WLW presented a great show at the Eldon Community Center, right next to the old Harley Race Wrestling Academy, on July 26, 2008. The crowd was loud (more on that later) and the wrestlers gave it their all. You can’t ask for anything more!
Earlier in the day I had the opportunity to sit with my good friend Brian “Flair” Kelley and his girlfriend at the Eager Beaver in Eldon as we waited for Eugene to arrive for an autograph signing. My wife accompanied me to Eldon that day, and the four of us had a great visit. I’ll tell you right now, the burgers at the Eager Beaver were pretty good.
Another enjoyable part of the time at the Eager Beaver was getting to chat with Harley and BJ Race for fifteen or twenty minutes about wrestling. I first talked to the Race family in April in my hometown of Lebanon, MO and even though it was a great event and I had a good talk with BJ, I was worried that I might have made a bad impression on Harley. Before writing this, only my wife really knew about that fact. I was very impressed with Harley Race and his genuinely kind and humble personality. I was just concerned about I came off. Everyday is a learning experience and you should always strive to learn from your mistakes, but life is too short to learn exclusively from your own mistakes and I definitely didn’t want April’s interactions with him to be on that list of mistakes I was forced to learn from.
My concerns were put to rest when I chatted with both about WLW’s upcoming training camp with Pro Wrestling NOAH September 15th through the 18th as well as wrestlers that I thought they should keep their eye on. My opinion is worth the same as sand is in Iraq (I’m still digging some of that sand out of crevices, but I digress), but I appreciated him listening and responding to what I had to say.
Eugene arrived, but Brian and I were more content to chat and watch Eugene interact with the young kids to harass him about an interview. One classic exchange between Eugene and a boy went like this:
Kid: You’re my favorite wrestler, Eugene.
Eugene: Well why are you wearing a John Cena shirt, then?
That one got a loud reaction from everybody in the Eager Beaver. Of course Eugene still graciously gave the boy an autograph. I have no doubt that this young boy will remember that conversation for the rest of his life, and that is what pro wrestling is all about. This is why I love it so much.
My group left the Eager Beaver and had some extra time on our hands, so BJ was kind enough to let us tour their brand new facility. It is located right next to the restaurant. The highlight for me was Harley Race’s office. He had the old Central States Championship and his old NWA Heavyweight Title on display. To me, those things are awe inspiring.
Now is the time for me to poke a little fun at my buddy Brian. He knows he messed up, plus even though he’s my friend I really don’t like him very much. While BJ Race was giving us a tour, Brian asked her how she felt when Harley won the NWA Heavyweight Title. Well, back when he won that belt, she didn’t know he even existed! They were married years later. She still answered him, verifying this fact, but I still thought it was funny since I know he knew that already. That’s Brian for you, though. He asks the hard questions… the really hard questions… as in the questions that are impossible to answer. It’s okay, though… later in the evening during Eugene’s first match, I yelled Eric instead of Eugene for some reason. Classic.
I still didn’t corner Eugene for a quick interview. One of these days I’ll learn to do my job. Hopefully I will have another opportunity. I was too busy taking in the new facility to think about such trivial things as doing what I’m supposed to. Next you’ll be asking me to actually watch a wrestling match or something.
I was impressed with the Eldon Community Center when we arrived there for the show. It was large for the size of the town, and very clean. Michael Strider, Tyler Cook, and Domino Rivera arrived and said hello to Brian and me. I didn’t know what the lineup was going to be for the night, but I was personally hoping for Domino Rivera to make it onto the show. I think the guy is talented and deserves more recognition than he currently receives. A match I watched recently between him and Derek Stone was good, and he’s been working great matches for Central States Wrestling over the past year as well.
Once in the building, my main complaint was that the merchandise was hard to get access to. Over the course of the night I was able to chat with Tyler Cook and Bao Nguyen, both of which are becoming favorites of mine, but it was hard to squeeze up to the tables and it always felt as if I was in somebody’s way.
The first match was “Vietnam Phenom” Bao Nguyen vs Akiyago. Akiyago received a lot of negative attention from the crowd and was hit with the first of too many “chicken” chants, led by the guy sitting right next to me. I love to hassle guys as much as the next person, but I try to come up with more to insult them than just “chicken”. Akiyago defeated “Vietnam Phenom” Bao Nguyen by pinfall, using the ropes for leverage. Martin T was the ref, so of course I gave him a hard time. Martin is a great guy and has humored me on many occasions away from the ring, but he has a tendency to call the match in a way that makes my favorite wrestlers lose. Not cool.
I’m not sure, but I believe the next match was Tyler Cook vs Brian Breaker. I think that Breaker is a great wrestler and Tyler Cook is one of the brightest prospects out there, but it seemed in spots that they had a hard time against each other. Cook flirted with Brian’s girlfriend and my wife entirely too much, making me feel guilty thatI hadn’t rubbed baby oil all over my body or tanned recently, but I feel I’m sexy enough without all of the added benefits. Cook managed to pin Breaker, so I guessed I’d better leave him alone. Lord knows that he received enough “tighty whitey chicken” chants to last a lifetime. Oh well, at least they added two words to the first matches “chicken” chants. Who am I to complain?
Next up was Michael Strider vs Marc Godeker. Godeker wrestled a good match and is really a talented guy. I need to make it a point to chat with him at the next show I make it to. Hopefully his tag team partner, Steve Anthony, will be recovered from his broken leg and I can see them in tag team action. Even thought Strider was blatantly cheating, I couldn’t help but cheer him on. I think I was the only one… and since Martin T was the ref again for this match, he made sure that Strider lost. I’ll bring some of my basic training birth control glasses for him next time around. Maybe then he can call the match the way I want it called. I’m a paying fan. I should get what I want.
I didn’t know the next match would be taking place, but I didn’t complain. It would see the pro wrestling debut of Amy Hennig. Her first match wasn’t going to be easy, though, as she was given the unenviable task of facing the WLW Ladies Champion, Stacey O’Brien. Amy Hennig is one of the number one prospects for the Midwest, but after that match I want to be sure to tell you that it isn’t simply because her father was “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig or her grandfather was Larry “The Axe” Hennig. That would be selling Amy short. She definitely has the tools to make a name for herself without the last name attached. In this particular match, however, she came up short. O’Brien is a talented veteran and one of the best in the Midwest right now. She used it all to her advantage and retained her title.
It is important to note that there was a chant throughout the crowd during this match that I felt was inappropriate. In my personal opinion, some individuals forget that we are not the close friends of a professional wrestler and should not act as such when in the crowd. A chant of “Do it for your Dad” started through the crowd and was very uncomfortable for me to hear. Ms. Hennig did an excellent job of acknowledging the chant and being gracious, but the fact of the matter was that it isn’t really something that should have been chanted during a wrestling match. I can’t speak for Amy as I do not know her personally, but talking with Brian after the evening concluded confirmed my feelings. Brian approached me and said that he felt embarrassed to be a wrestling fan with that chant going. Enough about that, though.
Things were about to liven up a bit, as a six man tag match was about to get under way. WLW Heavyweight Champion “Dangerous” Derek McQuinn, Dinn T Moore and Michael Strider knew that they were supposed to face former WWE star Eugene and the WLW Tag Team Champions. Unfortunately Marc Godeker’s tag team partner, Steve Anthony, was on the injured list for what looked to be a broken leg. Godeker came out with a microphone and told the men standing in the ring that he had a new partner. This partner was a man whom Derek McQuinn hadn’t beaten for the title… Keith Walker!
Walker was more than up for the challenge and the team of him, Eugene and Godeker frustrated their opponents for most of the match, but in the end fell victim to underhanded tactics. Derek, Strider and Moore picked up the win.
The end of the evening featured a battle royal. Ten men got in the ring to do battle and possibly earn the right for a Heavyweight Title shot in the near future. Brian Breaker, Tyler Cook, Bao Nguyen, Akiyavo and others entered the ring, but the last three were down to Michael Strider, Eugene and Dinn T Moore. The odds seemed stacked against the lovable Eugene. Amazingly enough he made it out as the victor!
It was a great night of action at the Eldon Community Center! I was happy to visit with Brian and see some terrific wrestling only an hour from my home.
Next up for World League Wrestling is a big Sedalia, MO show on September 6, 2008 featuring Wrestlemania 24’s hero Bobby Lashley! One week later World League Wrestling and Pro Wrestling NOAH join forces for a very promising training camp. Pro wrestling legend and current World Wrestling Entertainment agent Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat will be in attendance on behalf of the WWE. More information can be found by going to http://www.harleyrace.com/.
I hope that you have enjoyed my personal reflection on WLW’s July 26, 2008 show in Eldon, MO. I encourage you to go to one in your area or support your local independent wrestling promotion. Everyone wants options over the current WWE product, but it is up to you to make those alternatives successful!
Missouri Wrestling Revival 