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Posts Tagged ‘Donovan Ruddick’

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Combat Tested, Mother Approved

Posted by Admin on October 9, 2008

Combat Tested, Mother Approved!
MWR vs WWE vs TNA?

by Josh Ray (MWR Owner/Editor)
inadvertent.nerd@gmail.com

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!”

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MWR Event Report: LWA on September 20, 2008

Posted by Admin on September 30, 2008

MWR Event Report:
Lethal Wrestling Alliance on September 20, 2008

By Kari Williams

On September 20 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in O’ Fallon, IL, the LWA brought yet another night of incredible, fast-paced action for all of the 93 fans in attendance, including the Superfans.

Six-Man-Mayhem: Shamus O’ Flannery v. Mephisto v. Michael Morbid v. Adam Rich v. “Thee” Brandon Espinosa v. Billy McNeil

Bodies flew every which way in the opening bout of the evening as these six men battled it out for an opportunity at the LWA Medallion. Every wrestler showcased his physical attributes, proving that they all deserved the win. This mayhem kicked off the show in tremendous fashion and set the stage for what would come. In the closing moments, Space Station Eleven’s own Billy McNeil pulled off an impressive victory.

Billy McNeil def. O’ Flannery, Mephisto, Morbid, Rich and Espinosa by pinning Espinosa after a neckbreaker.

Dorian Victor & Darin Childs v. “Spoiled” Steven Kennedy & JC Bravo

Two IWA-Texas stars, Childs and Bravo made their debuts in LWA. Both had a good showing, despite the dislike showed by the Superfans. Victor and Kennedy worked as cohesive units with their respective partners, showcasing the level of talent on the roster. In typical fashion, Victor and Childs attempted to cheat their way to victory on numerous occassions. However, it was not to be.

“Spoiled” Steven Kennedy & JC Bravo def. Dorian Victor & Darin Childs when Kennedy pinned Victor.

Luke Roberts’ Statement

Roberts made a point to come out and let all of the fans, as well as those in the locker room, know the consequences that may occur throughout the evening. He stated that if even one man from either the Bearded Men from Space Station Eleven or the Submission Squad came to the ring for any reason other than his match, every member from both factions would be immediately suspended for 60 days.

“Blackheart” Johnny Vinyl & “Spitfire” Davey Vega v. Evan Gelistico & Gary the Barnowl

After the no-contest in August between the Submission Squad and the Bearded Men, both teams sought vengeance. Gelistico and Gary dominated the majority of the match, which caused Vega to say “What you don’t know is that he’s got this perfectly under control,” referring to Vinyl, who had suffered some brutal punishment. The outcome of the match proved that Vinyl truly did have everything under control, as he knocked out Gelistico with a crowbar.

“Blackheart” Johnny Vinyl & “Spitfire” Davey Vega def. Evan Gelistico & Gary the Barnowl when Vinyl hit Gelistico with a crowbar.

Michael Elgin v. Andrew Davis

In a battle of newcomers, neither man had the ability to win over the crowd, despite their athleticism and ability in the ring. Elgin and Davis wrestled a solid match filled with technical prowess, but with neither suceeding in gaining the fans acceptance, one could hardly know whom he or she wanted to win.

Michael Elgin def. Andrew Davis

Dingo v. JT Lamotta

This fast-paced bout began with an impressive display of chain wrestling, immediately followed by a standoff between Dingo and the IWA-Texas star. The match showcased the greatest talent in the area, and beyond, giving all in attendance a look at the best wrestling in the area. Lamotta showed his skill and tenacity, and although he came up short, proved that he warrants a return to the LWA.

Dingo def. JT Lamotta with a roll-up while holding the tights.

First Blood Match for the Heavyweight Title: “Future” Donovan Ruddick v. XXX Jordan Lacey

Ruddick and Lacey tore each other apart in their quests to retain or gain the title. They literally held nothing back as a ladder, a steel chair, a street sign, and even broken glass were brought into the mix. At one point, Lacey pummeled Ruddick with consecutive chair shots to the back. The broken glass became Ruddick’s downfall, despite him being the one to bring it into the mix.

XXX Jordan Lacey def. “Future” Donovan Ruddick by drawing first blood on broken shards of glass

The Aftermath

Only seconds after the bell rang, the Submission Squad attacked Lacey, prompting the Bearded Men—and the rest of the locker room—to come to the aid of their respective parties. Luke Roberts was at a loss of what to do, considering his threat earlier in the evening. During the ruckus, Lacey suffered an injury causing the show to end with a somber feeling.

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MWR Spotlight: Abu Colossus

Posted by Admin on August 20, 2008

Abu Colossus

By Brian “Flair” Kelley
Photo Credits: Gary Giaffoglione for Pro Wrestling Phoenix

Abu Colossus is a mountain of a man. Standing at 6″5 and weighing 280 LBS, the Pro Wrestling Phoenix Champion not only brings power to the ring but uses his speed to electrify the crowd. As soon as his entrance music, Ludacris’s “Move”, hits the PA the fans go wild and his opponents know they will have their hands full.

Abu has dominated the PWP ring for over three years while waiting to claim what he has always felt was rightfully his: the Pro Wrestling Phoenix Championship. That goal was achieved on May 10, 2008 at PWP’s 3rd Year Anniversary Spectacular when he was able to defeat Babyface” Tony Cortez, Jaysin Strife, & “The Rebel” Jeremy Wyatt in a 4-way Elimination Match for the title.

Tony Cortez will be the first to tell you that he was the longest reigning Champ with an amazing 20 months and that the belt will return around his waist yet PWP has claimed that we are in “The Era of Colossus”. Cortez and his partner in crime, Hype Gotti will pull out all stops to make sure that the Era is more like a Moment. Cortez and Gotti, once bitter enemies, now collectively known as Simply the Best, are sure to be a thorn in the side of the current champ.

Abu grew up a wrestling fan and took special interests in the Bret the Hitman Hart along with Hall of Famer Ricky Steamboat. He was trained by “Irish” Mick Tierney and has worked hard building his reputation as one of the most respected wrestlers in the area. He also utilizes former ECW Champion Tazz’s suplex to punish his opponents along with signature moves the Two Handed Choke Slam and the Colossal Slam.

[Abu hits a Two Handed Choke Slam.]

I had the chance to talk to Jeremy Wyatt and asked him how he approaches a wrestler with the talent that Abu possesses. He said, “Abu is a guy who can be classified as a true heavyweight, there’s not many guys his size working the Indies. You might be able to wear him down if you can keep him from getting a hold of you but he’s not a guy to try and trade shots with. Seems as if he has stepped up his game a bit in the last year or so. With his size and strength, I think he should look to branch out a little more and try to work more places.”

I was able to track down Independent wrestling’s best kept secret, Abu Colossus, the night before he would defend his title at Raising the Bar against the winner of the 2008 Phoenix Challenge, “Number One” Brett Young on August 16th in Council Bluffs, IA .

When I asked him what his favorite matches were to this date, he was quick to say PWP’s December 9, 2006 Candy Cane Chaos match with Michael Strider that ended up in a double DQ. It was a match that took the big man to his limits and led to a dog collar match at PWP’S Year of the Phoenix . A Match with Mark Sterling on November 18th at PWP’S In Your Church was a close second as he feels Sterling is among the elite in the business.

Michael Strider had this to say about the man whose nickname is the Big Hurt:

“Abu Colossus has a million dollar look and I knew every night that we wrestled that I had to bring my ‘A’ game. That guy is just starting to show his full potential”.

[Michael Strider had his hands full during a Dog Collar match that you can purchase on the PWP DVD Year of the Phoenix 2.]

Abu takes great pride in representing Pro Wrestling Phoenix and working with the upstart wrestling promotion Magnum Pro Wrestling. He looks forward to showcasing his skills with the best to prove to the fans in the Midwest that he is the standard that all wrestlers should be compared to. The names that he would like to work with on the national scene were TNA wrestler Abyss, Samoa Joe and Bryan Danielson. In the Midwest he would love to hook up with NWA/CSW Missouri Champion Dingo, Gage Octane, Brian Ash and Mitch Paradise.

When asked if there was anything that he would like to say to the fans he replied “We love what we do and we appreciate their support and we hope that they know that the Independent wrestlers will give a 100% to entertain. They are the reason we do what we do.”


Final thoughts

As a fan of Independent Pro Wrestling I look forward to seeing some of the best take on each other and there is no doubt that Abu Colossus should be in the sights of all promoters and would add to the show instantly.

Love it or hate it, the truth of the matter is fans enjoy powerhouse wrestlers and they are few and far between in this area. Abu is something special and I would love to see how 3XW Commissioner Todd Countryman and his men, Mark Sterling and Gage Octane would deal with this monster of a man. Maybe Casanova will need some assistance with 3XW Champion Devin Carter after turning on him at 3XW’S “On a Stick” show this past month.

Central States Wrestling in Kansas has stated that they will be making a comeback soon and though the talent in the company is plentiful, Abu would be a force from the start, and the fan favorites could use a little help with the “In Crowd” or the Barrio Boys, two factions that have been terrorizing the fans and their favorites in the area.

Let’s not forget that Lethal Wrestling Alliance president Luke Roberts is looking for a man that can defeat the Future Donovan Ruddick. Why not bring in an outsider to do their dirty work. Yet who knows maybe the Future will contact Abu to help him in his dominance of LWA, a combination that could prove unstoppable.

Pro Wrestling Phoenix fans are fortunate to have one of the most exciting wrestlers in the Midwest as their champion and some big matches will be in Abu’s future with the very talented roster that PWP now boast to have in Number One” Brett Young, Jaysin Strife, Rebel” Jeremy Wyatt, Arya Daivari, The Anarchist” Arik Cannon, Mark Sterling, Tyler Cook and familiar foes Simply the Best gunning for the title.

You can check out Abu Colossus at Pro Wrestling Phoenix http://www. prowrestlingphoenix. com/ where you can purchase DVDs and find out who he will be up against at future shows. He can also be found at Magnum Pro Wrestling at http://www. myspace. com/magnumpw . Booking info for Abu Colossus http://www. myspace. com/abucolossus

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Your Trip to Space Mountain-Circus Maximus 2008

Posted by Admin on July 30, 2008

Your Trip to Space Mountain

by Brian “Flair” Kelley
Wise men say that there is always a calm before the storm. This was never so true as heading into the Lethal Wrestling Alliance’s Circus Maximus 2008. While driving to the Knights of Columbus building in O’Fallon, IL on July 12, 2008, there was a light rain and a coolness in the air before the show started. Throughout the year, LWA has been very active on the independent scene yet at times the quality of the shows have been questioned by not only the fans and the self proclaimed superfans, but also acknowledged by LWA management when they posted the “State of the LWA Address” to the LWA website on April 7, 2008. In the address, they asked for the fans to stick around and promised a wild ride along the way.

The ring was on the second floor of the building and as my girlfriend and I headed toward our seats, we saw our friends from SLAMZONE selling all our favorite wrestling merchandise and the Knights selling concessions to satisfy our hunger. As Dubray and I sat in the front row, she decided to drink a beer (which was only one dollar) and we got ready for a good time.

The show started with Paul Parker introducing Luke Roberts who spoke about the importance of why he should be the LWA President and said he was looking out for the fans and planned on watching some LWA Wrestling with the fans themselves and he sat in the front row near me as the first match was announced.

The first match pitted B.A.B.E.WATCH Brandon Aarons and Brandon Espinosa against Shamus O’Flannery & Mephisto. B.A.B.E.WATCH has been on quite a roll in the LWA and their teamwork seemed to be the difference between the two teams, as Espinosa was able to pin O’Flannery while Aarons made sure Mephisto was unable to help his partner.

Surprisingly, the next was a match that I thought should have been closer to the main event. The LWA Medallion holder Jeremy Wyatt defended the Medallion against LWA Favorite XXX Jordan Lacey. Lacey has been able to defeat the Monster and current Champ Donovan Ruddick so I knew that in match Wyatt would have his hands full and Wyatt must have known as well because he threw everything at Lacey. With Lacey out of the ring trying to catch a breath, Wyatt was in the ring when he decided to suicide dive onto Lacey, I told Dubray to “get ready here he comes” and stood up to catch a picture of the action. Wyatt slammed into Lacey and I hear a THUD coming from Wyatt’s head on the cement floor which stopped me from taking pictures, hoping that he was alright. I looked over to the right of me and there was my girlfriend on the floor with her legs in the air by the rail with an empty cup in her hand. She was getting help up. I was laughing, and asked her why she did not get out of the way when I warned her to move.

The LWA family was first class and offered to get Princess a band aid. I looked over and half the room was concerned for her health with this tiny little scratch on her leg. I joked with her that Wyatt had went head first in the pavement and here she is getting babied with her small little boo boo. Dubray apologized to the fans next to us for giving them a beer bath and Wyatt was able to defeat Lacey with the Crash Landing and we had started the night off with two very good matches.

[The Rebel Jeremy Wyatt had to hit XXX Jordan Lacey with all he had to retain the LWA medallion.]

The action was soon restarted as we had ourselves a four-way with four men who have made names for themselves around the Midwest. They went at it to prove to the LWA crew why they should be among the LWA elite. The four corners were filled with talent. In one corner you had the ladies’ choice Tyler Cook. In the second corner was the Livewire himself, Edmund McGuire. In the third corner was the unpredictable Payday Patterson. To finish off the four corner affair was the ultra talented Mark Sterling. Payday was able to disrupt the match with some crazy antics at the start and went back and forth with moves galore until Tyler was able to pin McGuire with a Perfectplex. This was a big win for one of the most underrated wrestlers in the Midwest as he hopes to catapult himself towards the top of the LWA.

[Edmund McGuire and Tyler Cook send Payday Patterson on a trip he would like to forget.]

Intermission was here and everyone that I spoke to was very pleased with the first half of wrestling. Dubray went to get another beer, and Chuck from SLAMZONE asked her if she was going to drink it or spill it. She thought it was funny because not only did she lose a beer with the fall from the Wyatt/Lacey match, but also during the four way when the guardrail was knocked back towards us during some wild action. Dubray’s beer count was 3 (bought) and 1 (drunk).

The first match in the second half was a contest between one of my favorites, MsChif, and her old rival, Billy McNeil. This next comment may upset some of my good friends in the business, but I don’t think too highly of women taking on men in a matchup unless it’s meant to be a joke such as a woman wrestler feuding with a manager. With that said, I am not qualified to comment on the match except to say that MsChif is one of my favorite wrestlers in the Independents and among the top ten wrestlers who I would pay to see on the local scene. Though I don’t really approve of the concept, I respectfully watched the match and applauded the wrestlers for their hard work.

[MsChif and Billy McNeil battle once more at Circus Maximus.]

Up next was the highly anticipated match between LWA favorites Adam Raw and Nick Tyson. Both had stated that this would be their final match. What a shame, though, as I have not been able to see LWA from their beginnings. I have seen Tyson many times, including the classic match in which he made TNA Superstar Alex Shelley tapout. If you missed it, LWA has it on the Cuts, Scars and Superstars DVD.

Adam Raw had some classic battles with Michael Strider that are still being talked about to this day. Unfortunately for the fans, these two wrestlers have stated they have lost their love for wrestling and this was to be their last match. With no disrespect to either man, this match never seemed to get momentum and before I knew it, the match was over and the crowd seemed stunned as Raw was able to get the pinfall victory with a brainbuster. Tyson left quickly and Raw stayed in the ring to thank the LWA fans for all their support throughout the years. One has to wonder if this will leave a bad taste in each ones mouth and we can only hope for a return.

[The Technical Messiah Nick Tyson brings the pain to Adam Raw.]

The second match of the triple main event was for the LWA title, as Donovan Ruddick defended the belt against the man he took the belt from, Shorty Biggs. Shorty fought with all his heart and every time Ruddick would knock him down, the Don Mega would get back up to hit Ruddick with all he got but Donovan proved to be too powerful as he hit Shorty Biggs with a spinebuster to retain the LWA Heavyweight Title.

[The Bearded Men From Space Station 11 and The Ego Express were united and ready for a fight.]

We were warned but, to be truly honest, no one had prepared for the aftermath, destruction, and betrayal that was to come when the The Submission Squad (Dingo, Pierre Abernathy, Davey Vega and Johnny Vinyl) took on Evan Gelistico, Gary the Barnowl, Steven Kennedy and KC Karrington in a Survivor Series Hardcore Streetfight. This war had started ugly when Vega and Vinyl had taken out Ego Manager and Karrington’s girlfriend Tiffany LaFane with one punch heard throughout the LWA in Granite City. Since then, Karrington had been out for revenge with Vega only to have Vega get the upper hand and attempt to set KC on fire in one of their encounters.

The eight men entered the ring and to the crowd it was like slow motion. Then all hell broke loose as wrestlers were everywhere. The Ego Express flew from the ring in unison onto Dingo and Pierre, who were on the floor. The next thing I knew, Evan Gelistico threw Pierre head first onto a table and before I knew it I was sandwiched at the bar trying to take pictures with Evan and Pierre battling on one side and Dingo trying to give Steven Kennedy a face lift with his hand on the other. The action was everywhere. I looked across the room and Gary and Johnny Vinyl were laying into each other. Then Evan and Pierre decided that Knights of Columbus Hall was not big enough for either men. They battled down the steps and into the parking lot with body slams and pinfalls on the pavement as well on top of the cars. These two were not giving an inch.

[Pierre Abernathy attempted a pin after body slamming Even Gelistico in the parking lot. Just one of the many brutal actions that brought the police to the Knights of Columbus to be a part of Circus Maximus.]

Curiosity was killing this cat, so I headed back to towards the ring to see what I was missing. It was total pandemonium in the building, with chairs everywhere.

[The Ego Express throws caution to the wind as they go airborne on top Dingo and Pierre Abernathy.]

The fans were loving it while trying not to become part of it, and at one time I found myself standing next to fellow MWR columnist Kari Williams. I asked her when she was going to train so that she could be part of the first all-girl street fight, but I was unable to get a reply as Karrington and Vinyl tore each other apart and were coming our way.

You will have to ask somebody else about who pinned whom to get out of the matches, as this was no place to be keeping a score card. I heard that it came down to a bloody K.C. Karrington and Davey Vega with ladders and chairs in the ring, with Karrington getting the upper hand by bringing out his secret weapon, lighter fluid. Just as he was to get his revenge, his girlfriend Tiffany appeared from the back to plead for Karrington to just let it be. Karrington was blind, with nothing but payback in mind for Vega. As he attempted to put lighter fluid on the ladder, Tiffany did the unspeakable by doublecrossing her lover with a punch below the belt. She assisted Vega to his feet and the two of them lit a glove with lighter fluid and with one throw ended the match and broke one man’s heart.

[Davey Vega, with the disgusting Betrayal of KC Karringtons girlfriend/valet Tiffany LaFane is the last man standing after burning KC’s face with a loaded glove.]

As the LWA team rushed to Karrington’s side, Tiffany LaFane pranced around the ring with a smile on her face, proud of her beautiful chaos. Circus Maximus had been everything and more for this writer, but I yearn for the day that Tiffany is put in her place. I plan on being there to see her get what is coming to her.

The LWA delivered a night to remember and many questions remain. Can anyone defeat Donovan Ruddick for the LWA title? Just how will Karrington recover from the betrayal of Tiffany? Who will be the LWA President? What surprises do LWA management have in store for us as we head toward the second half of the year? Time will tell, and I can’t wait.

The LWA returns to the Vetta Sports complex in ST. Peters MO on August 9th as the Ego Express takes on Vinyl and Vega in a grudge match that you should not miss. Check out http://www.lwawrestling.com/ for all of your LWA news.

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MWR Event Report: LWA on June 28, 2008

Posted by Admin on July 6, 2008

LWA Arena Report
By Kari Williams

The atmosphere at the Knight of Columbus Hall in House Springs, MO was buzzing—and not just in the alcoholic sense—on June 28 as 100 LWA fans prepared for an intense night of full-throttled action.

“Thee” Brandon Espinosa with Brandon Aarons vs. Gary the Barn Owl

Despite the fans showing their full-fledged support for Gary the Barn Owl, Espinosa had all the support and encouragement he needed in his best friend, Brandon Aarons. Gary and the fans appeared to get to Espinosa with their snide remarks. As a result, the resident Barn Owl dominated. However, Aarons’ presence at ringside proved to be the deciding factor.

“Thee” Brandon Espinosa def. Gary the Barn Owl with interference by Brandon Aarons

In a precursor to the main event of the evening, Jordan Lacey attempted to make the champion, “Future” Donovan Ruddick lighten up by singing the Garth Brooks tune, “Friends in Low Places,” as well choice selections from a few other genres. When that failed to lift Future’s spirits, Lacey turned to dance—specifically, Soulja Boy. Ruddick walked to the back, disgusted, and it appeared as though Lacey had only angered the champ.

Dorian Victor vs. Rick Stone

The Money Mogul Dorian Victor prepared to put a beating on Rick Stone in the second match of the night. Stone attempted to make Victor put his money where his mouth was, but came up a few dollars short. Victor capitalized and succeeded in delivering the Bankbuster to ensure a three count and another check in the “win” column.

Dorian Victor def. Rick Stone

Dingo vs. Steven Kennedy

In a bout filled with as much technical prowess as one can find, Dingo and Kennedy had, arguably, one of the best matches of the night. Trading holds relentlessly, neither man held back one ounce of aggression in this fast-paced, high-impact showdown. When it came down to the final moments, Dingo’s wherewithal proved to be most influential on his performance.

Dingo def. Steven Kennedy with his feet on the ropes for leverage

“The Rebel” Jeremy Wyatt vs. Mark Sterling

Coming off of his victory last month, Wyatt looked to retain his newly won Medallion against Sterling. In a technically sound match, both competitors showcased their strengths in unique fashion. Despite Sterling’s best efforts and stellar performance, it was shown on this night why Wyatt holds the Medallion.

“The Rebel” Jeremy Wyatt def. Mark Sterling

Pierre Abernathy & Johnny Vinyl vs. Evan Gelistico & K.C. Karrington

The Submission Squad, as well as Gelistico and Karrington, were primed and ready for this battle. The crowd got into this match from the get-go, firmly on the side of Gelistico and Karrington. An all-out war was being waged, setting the stage, so to speak, for Circus Maximus. Each competitor was on top of his game, going above and beyond to prove that they deserve to win. However, Karrington and Gelistico proved to be the more cohesive unit.

Evan Gelistico & K.C. Karrington def. Pierre Abernathy & Johnny Vinyl

Presidential Elimination

Moving the presidential race one-step closer to its end, Jacob Dangle was eliminated from the competition. Then, it was brought to everyone’s attention by Steve Miller that Bavarian Boy cannot run in the election because he is not old enough. With two candidates gone, and only two remaining, fans will have to wait until July 12 to see who the newly crowned president will be—Luke Roberts or Steve Miller.

Brandon Aarons with Brandon Espinosa vs. Mike Serious

Serious sought to gain a measure of retribution on Aarons after the tag team loss Serious and A.J. Williams suffered last month. With Espinosa in his corner, Aarons had the fate of his match secured. Whenever it appeared as though Aarons was in trouble, Espinosa came to the rescue. Nonetheless, Serious’ performance should not be looked upon in shame, as he capitalized at every possible opportunity.

Brandon Aarons def. Mike Serious

“Future” Donovan Ruddick vs. XXX Jordan Lacey in a Last Man Standing Match

After the encounter earlier in the evening, Ruddick was in no mood to be messed with. Even so, Lacey was prepared for battle, as he brought a ladder and a sledgehammer into the mixture, among other objects. The match ended in pure, unbridled havoc, as Ruddick slammed ferociously into a pile of metal chairs.

“Future” Donovan Ruddick def. XXX Jordan Lacey to retain the Heavyweight Championship

Overall Analysis:

The fans were in rare form on this night, giving the show that extra ounce of adrenaline it needed. Every match was a stellar performance, and all of the competitors came across as more determined than ever to succeed. A safe assumption of the night is that every, single fan walked away pleased to have chosen LWA as their entertainment for a Saturday night.

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MWR May 2008 Awards

Posted by Admin on June 6, 2008

Missouri Wrestling Revival’s
May 2008 Awards!

It’s that time again! This is Missouri Wrestling Revival’s fifth installment of monthly awards as we progress toward the midyear point. The month of May was busy for MWR and the entire Midwest wrestling scene. MWR expanded our coverage area in an attempt to bring pro wrestling fans better coverage of events in this part of the country, and we hope this will reflect in future MWR Awards posts as well as future articles and features on the site.

The committee has also expanded, as now we have eight members who nominate and vote on the awards. Let’s see how they voted!

Wrestler of the Month

Shane Hollister [AAW/SCW/3XW]

Hollister had one of the toughest schedules of all wrestlers in the Midwest for the month of May. It all started with a tough tag team loss (with Bryce Benjamin) to the Motor City Machine Guns in AAW. It was all good after that, as he followed the loss up with a victory (although tainted) over Egotistico Fantastico in a hard-hitting affair, the closed out the month by defending his Scott County Wrestling Title not once, but twice in one night. He retained the title after defeating Danny Daniels and Marek Brave. It was a successful month for Shane Hollister, as he wrestled some of the best in the business and came out on top in three out of the four encounters.

1st Runner Up – Mark Sterling [CEW/3XW/TLCW/CSW/PWP/AAPW]
2nd Runner Up – Justin Sane [Fusion Tradition Wrestling]
3rd Runner Up – Josh Abercrombie [AAW]

Others receiving votes this month from the committee:
Jaysin Static [MMWA-SICW], Brett Gakiya [NGW]

Tag Team of the Month

Phoenix Twins (Tweek & Dash) [SCW/AAW]

The Phoenix Twins continue to impress wrestling fans across the Midwest. This month, Tweek and Dash won two non-title matches against current tag champions in SCW and AAW. They also each competed in singles matches as part of “Best of Three” series of matches with members of Zero Gravity, splitting the contests and inching closer to being the number one contenders for the SCW Tag Team Titles. For 2008, Tweek and Dash have set the bar very high. It often seems as if they are the only tag team that can surpass this high standard.

1st Runner Up – The LONRs (Mark Sterling & Darrien Sanders) [PWP/AAPW]
2nd Runner Up – B.A.B.E.WATCH (Brandon Espinosa & Brandon Aarons) [LWA]
3rd Runner Up – Mr. Bibbs & Dave Vaughn [MMWA-SICW]

Others receiving votes this month from the committee:
Northstar Express (Darin Corbin & Ryan Cruz) [SCW/AAW/3XW], Midwest Ground & Air (Benjamin Sailor & Nate Bash) [CSW/PWP]

Promotion of the Month

With a terrific venue, entertaining champions, and a staff that cares about the fans, 3XW has it all. Looking at the champions can tell a wrestling fan all he or she needs to know: Gage Octane (3XW Champ), Mark Sterling (Pure Champ), Casanova (Cruiserweight Champ), and Northstar Express (Tag Team Champs). 3XW had a great month of May and no doubt is looking forward to their next show in Des Moines, IA on June 20th!

1st Runner Up – Pro Wrestling Phoenix
2nd Runner Up – New Midwest Wrestling
3rd Runner Up – All American Pro Wrestling

Others receiving votes this month from the committee:
Lethal Wrestling Alliance

Woman of the Month (Female Wrestler)

Stacy O’Brien [WLW/MMWA-SICW]

Stacy O’Brien has emerged in the second quarter of 2008 as the premier female wrestler in the Midwest. She currently owns the World League Wrestling and MMWA-SICW Women’s Championships. She defeated Ms. Natural and Alexis Lightfoot for each belt, respectively. In yet another month where female wrestlers have been inactive, Stacy is a step in the right direction.

1st Runner Up – Alexis Lightfoot [MMWA-SICW]

Others receiving votes this month from the committee:
None.

Personality of the Month

Luke Roberts [LWA]

Luke is an eighteen-year pro wrestling veteran in various capacities with high hopes (and an equally high possibility) of becoming the Lethal Wrestling Alliance President. A former Personality of the Month winner for other contributions to the St. Louis area wrestling scene (March), Luke Roberts is well-respected and well-spoken.

1st Runner Up – Steve “Botch” Szoke
2nd Runner Up – Joey Eastman [AAW]
3rd Runner Up – Davey Vega [LWA]

Others receiving votes this month from the committee:
None.

Match of the Month

No Disqualification Match for the LWA Heavyweight Title:
Donovan Ruddick (C) defeated Gary the Barn Owl to retain.
St. Peters, MO on May 24, 2008
[LWA]

1st Runner Up –

War Games Elimination Match for Number One Seed in IWC Heavyweight Title Tournament:
Dan-O-Mite is the sole survivor.
Dan-O-Mite, Chance Prophet, Dekin Cane, Enigma & Iceman
vs
Kyle King, Devan Scott, Brian Blade, JC Thunder & Justin Pain
Ottawa, KS on May 9, 2008
[IWC]

2nd Runner Up –

AAPW Heavyweight Title Match:
Steven Davis defeated Shane Rich (C) to become the new AAPW Heavyweight Champion.
Chester, IL on May 17, 2008
[AAPW]

3rd Runner Up –

Bunkhouse Stampede – Fans Bring the Weapons – Over the Top Rope Elimination Match
For the Fusion Tradition Wrestling Tradition Title:
Justin Sane last defeated Daddy Mac to become the first Tradition Champion.
Cookeville, TN on May 24, 2008
[Fusion Tradition Wrestling]

Others receiving votes this month from the committee:
None.

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MWR Event Report: LWA on May 24, 2008

Posted by Admin on May 28, 2008

MWR Event Report
Lethal Wrestling Alliance on May 24, 2008

by Kari Williams
Lethal Wrestling Alliance made an impact in St. Peters, MO on May 24th at the Vetta Sports Complex. With a draw of 127, the LWA Superfans let their voices be heard from chanting, “Boring!” during the slower paced matches and screaming at the top of their lungs as “The Future” Donovan Ruddick slammed Gary the Barn Owl into a table.

Evan Gelistico & Jordan Lacey v. Pierre Abernathy & Dorian Victor

Originally, this bout was to consist of Pierre Abernathy challenging Evan Gelistico for the LWA Medallion. However, before the two could even lock up, Dorian Victor made his presence felt as he offered Abernathy a $5,000 check so that Victor himself had a chance at the Medallion. Abernathy agreed, but only moments into the bout, he interfered, which, in effect, caused a tag team match to develop between half of the members of the Bearded Men from Space Station 11 and Abernathy and Victor.

Jordan Lacey & Evan Gelistico defeated Pierre Abernathy & Dorian Victor.

K.C. Karrington v. Davey Vega

The bitter rivalry between these two competitors skyrocketed to a completely new level of disdain. Karrington and Vega held nothing back as they brawled relentlessly outside of the ring before the referee had even rung the bell. Vega’s conniving and deceitful ways brought about his loss of the match, as Karrington won by disqualification. Perhaps bitter about the loss, or simply so fueled by hate, Vega went on to berate Karrington after the bout and unremittingly hit him with a chair. However, the beating did not end there, as Vega began to douse his nemesis in lighter fluid, until The Ego Express’s manager, Tiffani, ran to the ring and pleaded with Vega. It took a handful of the other wrestlers to restrain Vega, who clearly has a score to settle.

K.C. Karrington defeated Davey Vega by disqualification.

LWA “Presidential Debate”

Keeping up with the election of the LWA president, is not near as hard as keeping tabs on the Democratic side of the United States presidential race. Prior to the intermission, the nominees for LWA president (Steve Miller, Bavarian Boy, Luke Roberts and Jacob Dangle) were asked a series of three questions. Roberts seemed to be the only one with a real sense of direction on the matters at hand, dishing out possible solutions and talking about everything that is right with LWA, as opposed to Miller, who only focused on the wrongs.

Tyler Cook v. Jeremy Wyatt

Without a president, things seemed to be changing at a rapid pace, as the bout between Cook and Wyatt became a fight for the LWA Medallion when Gelistico relinquished it. Both athletes waged war with all the vigor and vitality that make them championship material. Both men looked like technicians in the ring, with their pure athleticism and skill. After a lengthy, hard-fought battle, Wyatt’s prowess triumphed.

Jeremy Wyatt defeated Tyler Cook to become the new LWA Medallion Holder.

B.A.B.E. WATCH (Brandon Espinosa & Brandon Aarons) v. A.J. Williams & Michael Serious

“Girls go crazy!” was the “battle cry,” so to speak, as the smug team of Espinosa and Aarons made their way to ringside to face Mike Serious and the debuting A.J. Williams. During the fast-paced bout, the B.A.B.E.s did everything they could to distract the referee in order to bamboozle their opponents, including Aarons taunting Serious, who was not the legal man, so that Espinosa could choke out Williams. Despite a valiant effort by Serious and Williams, the immoral tactics of Espinosa and Aarons prevailed.

B.A.B.E. WATCH defeated A.J. Williams and Michael Serious.

Heavyweight Championship: “Future” Donovan Ruddick (Champion) v. Gary the Barn Owl

In this no-disqualification match-up, Ruddick and Gary beat the hell out of each other using anything and everything they could get their hands on. They brought a new meaning to ‘hardcore’ wrestling and ended the show in a meteoric fashion. Gary fought with valor, never giving up, despite a large laceration on his shoulder. Ruddick showed his dominance and provided validity for anyone who felt he was not worthy of holding the Heavyweight Title.

“Future” Donovan Ruddick defeated Gary the Barn Owl to retain the Heavyweight Championship.

Overall Assessment:

Despite a slow-paced first half, the LWA made up for it after intermission with three stellar matches that stole the show.

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Mark This Down

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.


Missouri Wrestling Revival and this update are brought to you by:


Click here to go to our sponsor: Pro Wrestling and More Radio!

Pro Wrestling and More Radio plays wrestling related music… AND MORE! PWAM also supports breast cancer awareness and hopes for a cure. We are proud to be sponsored by PWAM, and encourage you to go give them a listen!

RELATED LINKS

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

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Your Trip to Space Mountain-All American Pro Wrestling at Chester IL

Posted by Admin on May 24, 2008

Your Trip to Space Mountain

by Brian “Flair” Kelley
I am back with a new “Your Trip to Space Mountain”. In this edition we find out if an independent show can be a lot of fun without a past or current superstar. Last time, you heard about an ICW show I attended that had TNA Superstars James Storm and Eric Young along with former WCW star Disco Inferno. For All American Pro Wrestling in Chester, IL at the Daniel Colbert Gym, though, there were no past or present superstars in sight.

The weather was beautiful as we arrived to the gym. We were among the first to enter the building to purchase two tickets for the 50/50 drawing. We sat in the middle of the front row so that I could get pictures of the show. While we waited two AAPW wrestlers, Edmund “Livewire” McGuire and The All American J.T. Calhoun, hung out with the fans, signed autographs and snapped pictures. I am sure the fans are bragging to their friends and family about what they missed. This was a positive in another way because when the show started the fans already knew that J.T. and Edmund were nice guys and were people who they should cheer for.


I always feel that it is important to start the night off with a solid match to set the tone of the whole evening and AAPW gave us two wrestlers that could be in the main event as the Cocky Shawn Shultz took on Brian James. Shultz can draw heat with ease and the crowd was thrilled to see James get the win as he upset Shultz with an inside cradle.

I have seen Mark Sterling and Darrien Sanders many times before, but this would be the first time that I would see them in person as The LONRS. These two have been making a name for themselves in the Midwest tag team division lately. The crowd was hot for The LONRS to get what was coming to them before the match even started. The fans were excited to see All American J.T.Calhoun and his partner Mike Masters enter the ring, with chants of “USA! USA!” ringing throughout the gym.

The LONRS dominated Masters with tag team perfection, beating on him and not allowing him to get a tag for nearly five minutes. Finally, Masters made the tag and had words with J.T. before stunning the crowd by walking away. J.T. fought with all his heart, but with The LONRS were on top of their game. It was too much on this night, even for the All American. Needless to say, the fans were not happy after The LONRS collected their victory. Darrien Sanders taunted the crowd with his air guitar skills to add insult to injury.

The next match seemed to be a mismatch, at least on paper, as MWR wrestler of the month for April 2008 “The Future” Donovan Ruddick faced “Playboy” Paul Rose. Rose was accompanied by his manger, Gaylord Stevens. Stevens is one of the best managers I have seen in the indies, because as soon as he walks through a curtain the fans know that they want to see his guy lose. “Playboy” Paul Rose, whom I had seen in action before, has a ton of charisma and can really move for a guy that looks totally out of shape. This may have been the hardest hitting match of the night, and it received my girlfriend’s favorite match award for the night. “The Future” would go on to win the match, but not without a fight as Rose and Stevens gave him fits throughout.

Intermission was here and “The Atomic Dogg” Ali Stevens, who was trained by Harley Race and had a short stint with WCW, was at the top of the stairs selling videos and all along smiled towards the fans. For the wrestlers out there, I may not be able to tell you how to wrestle but I have one small bit of advice: if you want to sell your merchandise, a smile goes a long way. A smile will leave a good taste in the fans mouth when they leave. Fortunately, this is not a problem most of the time and it wasn’t this night in Chester, IL. AAPW’s wrestlers were very professional.

As my girlfriend returned from smoking, they announced that “Serial Thriller” Shane Rich was going to be taking Polaroid’s inside the ring for $3.00. It looked as if nobody wanted to go first for the first five minutes, so I thought that maybe I could help them out by getting in line. I thought I’d try to make it look like it was the thing to do. I got up for my picture and introduced myself to Shane Rich, and as I asked for him to check out MWR I noticed that all because of me the line had become huge!

Hey, I am just joking! It was easy to see why they would want their picture taken with the champ. Shane looked to be in awesome shape and though this was my first time to see him live, I was excited to see him in action.

Intermission was over and AAPW had the card set up perfectly as they re energized the crowd with another good match. Edmund “Livewire” McGuire hooked up with Ax Stevens, who was accompanied by his manger Gaylord Stevens. Edmund used his speed to cause Stevens all kinds of problems, but just when you thought McGuire would get the win, Gaylord would interfere, allowing Ax to bring the pain for Edmund. “Livewire” has been on a roll as of late, but when he went up top for a leg drop, Ax moved and then used a piledriver for a victory that stunned not only myself but the entire crowd.
“#1” Brett Young and K.C. Jackson entered the ring to demand some action, but had to belittle the Chester natives, too. K.C. and Brett let them know that they were all number two, which made them the first losers. This went on for some time before the intimidating promoter Sean Chambers had had enough. He called the Atomic Dogg to the ring. I am not a fan of a 2 on one contest because I feel as if it makes the wrestlers that are teaming up look weak, but on this occasion the wrestlers had a very entertaining match. It made sense and the Dogg was very over with the crowd. The Dogg would able to with stand the double teams and pin the two wrestlers for the victory.
In the main event of the evening former AAPW Champion, “Homicidal” Steven Davis received his 1 on 1 rematch with the current champ, “Serial Thriller” Shane Rich. Davis entered the ring with his manager, and I think AAPW has the use of managers down to a science. The managers had the right “bad guy” look and really knew how to work the crowd. This was a great match, and the girls in attendance were clearly on Shane’s side. They screamed every time Steven Davis got the upper hand.

Steven Davis was pulling out all stops to regain the title. The match was a back and forth affair, and the fans were really into it when Rich went for a moonsault off the top turnbuckle. Unfortunately for Rich, Davis moved out of the way. Rich landed on his feat but could not avoid a vicious spear from Davis which got Davis the win and his title back! I must admit I did not see that one coming.

AAPW then thanked the crowd for coming and the night was over. My only complaint during the evening was a common problem in independent wrestling, and that is the sound system. The reported 163 people in attendance witnessed what, in my eyes, was a top notch show. Although they did not have TNA stars on the card, I will say that this show was better than most I have seen with one. The storytelling was excellent and the wrestling was very very good.

All American Pro Wrestling was professional and very fan friendly. If you have a chance to check them out, I highly recommend it. I know that in the future that AAPW will be in my wrestling schedule. You can check out AAPW on the net at http://www.myspace.com/allamericanprowrestling.

Till next time, Support your local independent wrestling promotion by attending a show. Be sure to let us know what you thought about it .

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MWR Spotlight: Luke Roberts (Part 2 of 3)

Posted by Admin on May 15, 2008

Luke Roberts (Part 2 of 3)

By Brian “Flair” Kelley


You have also been an accomplish referee, do you remember the first match that you were a part of in that role?

I honestly don’t remember the first match that I refereed, but I do remember the first show that I refereed on. It was about four years ago. Basically, Butch Fletcher had a referee no-show a Mid-America Extreme show in Cahokia, Illinois. The referee he had for the evening had only refereed one show prior to that one, so he was nervous that he could not handle the job. I knew that I had a pair of black dress pants and my wrestling boots in my bag, so I told him that I would be willing to referee if he wanted me to. He accepted and the rest is history.

A referee can make or break a match. What kind of advice would you give someone that aspired to try to make it in the business?

My advice is simple.

  • Watch what the referees on television do on a regular basis.
  • Don’t speak to anyone unless you are spoken to.
  • Don’t think that, just because you are a referee, you deserve to get involved in the match. Referees are not wrestlers for a reason.
  • Make it a point to associate with the more experienced referees and watch what they do in the ring.
  • Referee on as many shows as you can. Experience is vital for a referee.

What are some of the common mistakes that a referee makes during a match?

The biggest mistakes referees make all relate to not paying attention to the match. I have seen referees make two counts instead of three counts, not disqualifying a wrestler for doing something that is obviously illegal, seeing a wrestler interfere in a match, or counting three when a wrestler’s shoulders are not even on the mat. In addition, referees sometimes think that they are the biggest part of the match and should be treated as such. In my opinion, if a referee gets out of line, big things can and will happen.

How much more difficult is it to be a part of a tag team match than a one on one contest?

In my opinion, tag team wrestling was actually easier than singles wrestling. In most cases, tag team wrestling gives the wrestlers an opportunity to draw on the emotions of the wrestling fan. It really allows the wrestlers to showcase the experience and teamwork that they have as professional wrestlers.

Throughout the years, what match would be your highlight as a referee?

As a referee, I would say that my biggest match was Nick Tyson vs. Alex Shelley in the LWA. The match was outstanding. I was completely focused on the match. Everything was in alignment in the universe that night. Another match that would rank up close to that match was a cage match between “Cowboy” Bob Orton and Greg “The Hammer” Valentine for CJTPAAW.

Just being respected enough by the promotion to referee a match between these two WWE Hall of Fame wrestlers was enough for me. They gave the fans a match that was worthy of their money. I felt honored a couple of years later to spend almost two hours with Greg Valentine, fellow wrestlers “The Punisher”, Rage, Dexter Poindexter, Rick Ruby, and referee Scott Murphy. Scott Murphy thought that Valentine would not remember me at all from that match. Not only did he remember the match, but he complimented me on the job I did that night. That match was definitely one to remember.

In this age of gimmick matches and special stipulations, is there one certain type that you dislike more than any other?

As a referee, I am up for almost any kind of match. Nothing really phases me. I am not really a big fan of the ultra hardcore matches. Those kind of matches really draw people away from professional wrestling. I don’t see any reason why anyone would want to attempt to grossly disfigure themselves for any amount of money.

One aspect of wrestling that is easily is forgotten is the chemistry between the heel manager, his guy and the referee. What manager do you feel was the easiest to work with?

I feel that the manager that was the easiest to work with was Harvard Cornell III. He knows exactly when to draw my attention away from his wrestler or wrestlers. He always gives 100% in the ring and believes that his wrestlers are the best thing ever in professional wrestling

Any stories where you were disgusted with a manager who just did not get it?

There is one manager, who I will not name, that consistently disgusted me. He always made it a point to get involved as many times as possible in the match. I actually asked a couple of friends of mine at the time to count the number of times that this manager interfered or got involved in the match. I believe that they counted over 20 times during the match where the manager got involved. When I got back to the locker room, I voiced my opinion to anyone who would listen. Needless to say, I have not been assigned one of his wrestler’s matches again.

Have you ever been in a situation where you or the wrestlers have forgotten the finish?
I
f I had to count how many times wrestlers forgot things in their matches, I would never finish. Just kidding. I can only think of a handful of times where that has happened.

What wrestler would you say was the easiest to referee?

I can’t really limit this to just one wrestler. I would say that Dingo, Pierre Abernathy, Donovan Ruddick, Steven Kennedy, K.C. Karrington, Gary the Barn Owl, Evan Gelistico, Jordan Lacey, Justin “the Iceman” Wade, Sean Vincent, “Volatile” Curtis Wylde, and Shorty Biggs are wrestlers who make my job as a referee very easy.

In what ways can a wrestler help, and on the flip side hurt, the performance of the referee?

A wrestler can help a referee during a match by their interactions with the referee. A wrestler can make a referee look like the symbol of authority in a match. A wrestler can also make a referee look like a complete moron. In the ring, the match tends to be that much better if the referee has a history with the wrestlers involved.

During the Wrestlemania classic featuring Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat, there was a reported 22 false finishes. Do you feel as if there are too many false finishes in some matches today?

Honestly, I think that there are not enough false finishes in professional wrestling today. False finishes, as you call them, are what makes wrestling fans enjoy matches. It is what keeps the fans wanting to come back and see what it will take to finally defeat a particular wrestler, tag team, or champion. When anyone thinks that a match is going to end and it doesn’t, it shows the wrestling fan that a match can end at any time. It keeps the level of unpredictability of professional wrestling intact.

On a lighter note, when women wrestle against each other, often the ref is used in a comedic role. Is this something that you enjoy or do you find it hard to do?

When promoted and positioned correctly, comedy matches are fun for me. I tend to be very straight laced in the ring, but at times I can’t help myself in matches. Every time I refereed a match for Gary the Barn Owl in LWA, I would almost lose it whenever he would make me flap my arms like he does. In the days of the Arch Town Criminals, Shorty Biggs would make me chuckle when I would try to count to five. I really enjoy comedy matches. They make me remember why I love professional wrestling so much.

Editors Note: The final installment of this interesting and insightful edition of MWR Spotlight will be published in the next few days. I want to thank Luke Roberts for being kind enough to give us a little of his time, and encourage those who would like to be spotlighted, profiled, or interviewed by Missouri Wrestling Revival to contact me.

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