Sometimes no matter how long you have been doing something, you always find your way back to your initial beginnings. My personal pro wrestling journey started around 1998 or 1999, creating my own wrestling website (anyone remember Angelfire URLs?) and covering independent wrestling in the southeast Missouri part of the country. Think of it as a poor man’s version of Missouri Wrestling Revival, which has obviously taken things to a totally different level. Long story short, I reached out to Brian Kelley about returning to my pro wrestling columnist days and those humble beginnings nearly two decades later. Wow. Just typing two decades later makes me realize I am not getting any younger!
For the debut of this column, I want to broach a subject that is on the minds of most people involved in the wrestling community in the Midwest – the National Wrasslin League (NWL). Regardless of what anyone might think, they are creating a buzz and a buzz is what you want when trying to establish a new venture.
I think Michael Elgin penned a great viewpoint on Twitter recently about NWL. I encourage you to seek that out if you haven’t already seen it. Now onto my thoughts.
First, I think management of the organization needs to be commended. Promoting pro wrestling is a huge risk at any level you try it. Trust me. This is coming from experience from being involved in different ventures since I first began my career in 2000 as a ring announcer for Gateway Championship Wrestling in St. Louis. Almost 17 years later, I feel I have learned a lot – as much from failures as from successes. When a person takes his or her own money and puts in on the line, whether you believe in the concept or possibilities, the person at least deserves some respect.
Contracts are being offered to talent. They are getting the chance to develop new gimmicks or characters. I have no direct idea of what these contracts entail, but I know many of the athletes and competitors who will be a part of the NWL venture on both sides – St. Louis and Kansas City. I hope to see the organization succeed if for no other reason than to support the dreams and goals of these talents.
Will the regional concept work? I’ve often told people that if I had significant finances to make a “real run” that a regional concept is the way I would go. I’d hope to build up a company that could get a stronghold in whatever part of the country it existed in. Think regional concept with a national footprint. With all the streaming media and online options today, a company can truly put its product out beyond its touring borders in ways never possible before. And as far as actual TV, I’d try to work a deal with maybe a Fox Sports affiliate. I saw Pro Wrestling Ohio with a show on a regional sports network there called Sports Time Ohio several years back. With my Dish Network package, I even got their show. I always thought that was a very good marketing strategy.
I think in trying to make a big splash, the regional footprint is a smart way to go. Time will only tell if this idea, concept and venture works. I hope it does for several reasons. First and foremost is the previously mentioned talents that will be earning a more regular income from wrestling. That is a goal for most of us in the wrestling business in one way or another.
Second, the more successful this is there is the strong possibility of a trickledown effect. For the talents who will be able to work other shows, they would become more valuable for themselves in terms of talent fees as well as more marketable to the promoters who use them. A win-win for everyone.
Will this be easy? Not at all. But guess what? No business is “easy.” If they were we’d all own our own business. It takes time. It takes investment. It takes patience.
As far as management, I think the ones who I understand are involved with NWL bring a mixture of skillsets to the table. Chris Gough obviously has been a part of the biggest wrestling/sports entertainment company in the world and has seen how they operate. He’s also had success with his own independent promotion in the Kansas City Metro. I believe Pierre Abernathy is involved in the St. Louis arm of things. He’s had experience running shows in that metro which only helps the cause. And I’m actually excited to see what Scott Bowden brings to the table. I was a fan of his work during the Memphis days with the United States Wrestling Association (USWA). Being a part of the last surviving territory system can only have helped his knowledge of how to promote and support a wrestling venture. He was on live television for years and saw how that worked. And not live to tape, we can edit later, I mean LIVE as in WMC TV-5 in Memphis with no re-takes.
As we enter 2017, I saw good luck to NWL and good luck to all independent promotions around the area. I hope for a most prosperous year for everyone.
(Brian Thompson is a pro wrestling promoter, manager, announcer and talent agent. He has been involved in pro wrestling since 2000. He may be reached at brianpaulthompson@gmail.com)
History was set to be made at the Stratford Inn in Fenton, Missouri as Dynamo Pro Wrestling introduced a new championship…but history was made in other ways as well.
The show began with a presentation by Missouri Wrestling Revival as co-promoters “Evil” Jim Yount & Crystal Yount received the Lifetime Achievement Award for 2015. Ben Simon represented MWR as Brian Kelley took pictures at ringside; on top of that, Brian Stull was a special guest at the show as he had known Jim & Crystal since their days with Midwest Renegade Wrestling and Gateway Championship Wrestling. “Stully” had been a big proponent of independent wrestling in the Midwest through “The Stranglehold” radio show; he was there to join in the presentation of the award and also to ring-announce for the crowning of the first Dynamo Pro Wrestling D-1 Champion.
Jim & Crystal have been a part of the local wrestling scene for close to two decades and have played a big part in influencing many of the wrestlers that have competed in this area. They thanked the wrestlers and fans for their support, as well as former associate Sadie Blaze who was in attendance for the event.
High Level Enterprise had been on a roll as Tag Team Champions, but Jack Gamble & Jon Webb faced a tough test in the form of Alpha Class.Danny Adams & Paco Gonzalez had trained together under former Ring Of Honor Heavyweight Champion Michael Elgin and had formed an effective tag team combination, presenting a stiff challenge to the titleholders.
After a hard-fought battle, Gamble got the pin on Paco after Webb delivered a Spanish Fly off the top turnbuckle!
Billy McNeil has been resistant to the influence of his new manager C.J. McManus (as well as C.J.’s newest recruit Jayson Khaos), but he has indirectly benefited from their involvement in his matches. This was a big factor in his battle with Brandon Aarons, leaving the fans seriously conflicted about their support of the long-time St. Louis favorite. In particular, C.J. criticized McNeil’s continued wearing of his unicorn mask. Aarons delivered an impressive electric chair German suplex but McManus distracted the referee so his man wouldn’t be counted down.
McNeil confronted his manager, leading to Khaos delivering an unseen cheapshot on Aarons…Billy was seemingly unaware of the involvement, but small-packaged Aarons for the quick pin. After the match, McNeil found out about what happened and apologized to Aarons, leading to a handshake between the two competitors.
(P.S. I am contractually obligated to note that Aarons’ hair was on point as usual.)
“The Alternative” Ozzie Gallagher was intent on making a statement, not only to the fans but to his former associate Sadie Blaze. He had his opportunity in a match with Rocket Mapache, bringing an aggressive attitude that didn’t sit well with Sadie. Gallagher wasn’t focused on winning the match but on unmasking his adversary…while Rocket fought him off for a time, Gallagher finally removed the hood and mercilessly assaulted his foe.
Rocket abandoned self-defense to keep his face covered, forcing the referee to stop the match and award the bout to Gallagher. Gallagher flaunted his “trophy” after the bell, particularly rubbing it in the face of Sadie Blaze as he walked past his seat.
“Young & Dangerous” Evan Morris had defeated Jayson Khaos to qualify for the D-1 Title tournament, so Khaos was on the hunt for payback with manager C.J. McManus and stablemate Billy McNeil in his corner. However, McNeil was still at odds with his allies due to their actions earlier in the evening…he refused to take any cheapshots at Morris despite plenty of encouragement and opportunity to do so.
Morris escaped an Unprettier attempt and delivered a TKO onto the knee, scoring his second win in a row over Khaos; McManus attempted to jump in the ring to break up the pin attempt, but Billy pulled him back to the floor.
“The Don Mega” Shorty Biggs had defeated Lucy Mendez‘s newest protege Kiyoshi Shizuka at a recent event, but the masked man was looking to even the score due to Shorty’s continued interest in Lucy.
The former Tag Team Champion was on the verge of a victory, but Lucy threw herself between the combatants to shield her man from the finishing shot. That allowed Shizuka to poke Shorty in the eye and DDT him for the cheap win…to add insult to injury, Shizuka held a dazed Shorty for a slap to the face from Lucy.
Dynamo crowned its first D-1 Champion as Outtkast, “The Filipino Warrior” Elvis Aliaga(w/ Lucy Mendez), and Jayden Fenix of the Black Hand Warriors locked up in a triple threat matchup. Brian Stull did the ring announcing for the occasion as all three men were looking for their first singles gold in Dynamo Pro Wrestling. Outtkast and Fenix had been Dynamo Tag Champs, but Aliaga had never held a championship in Dynamo despite holding gold elsewhere. Outtkast was looking for his first singles title since his reign as GCW Light Heavyweight Champion in 2002.
Aliaga and Fenix formed a temporary alliance to wear down Outtkast, but that broke down as only one man could walk away with the belt. All three men had some close calls, but Aliaga was taken out of the picture long enough for Outtkast to finish off Fenix with the Case Study. Outtkast was presented the D-1 Title belt by Brian Stull and his tag team partner Shorty Biggs congratulated him on his milestone victory!
In a true David-vs.-Goliath battle, “The Yoga Monster” Mike Sydal took on the powerhouse newcomer Kevin Lee Davidson.
K.L.D. has been making waves in the Midwest and across the country as he has been training with Michael Elgin as well.
However, agility and experience won the day as Sydal turned the tide with some well-placed kicks. In the end, the Yogasault sealed the deal as Sydal picked up the three-count.
“Miss Natural” Heather Patera hadn’t been seen in Dynamo Pro in a while, but she was in the unusual position of being the fan favorite in a match against Lucy Mendez.
The two are no strangers to each other as they’ve battled all over the Midwest. In this case, Kiyoshi Shizuka made the difference as he pushed Miss Natural off the top rope behind the referee’s back; that allowed Lucy to capitalize with a jumping DDT to get the duke.
Shorty Biggs ran off the masked man afterwards, but the damage had been done.
The Heavyweight Title situation was in a state of turmoil. Defending champion Ricky Cruz and former champion Jake Dirden had been embroiled in a war in recent months, but Brandon Espinosa had earned the number-one contender’s spot in January. Espy had defeated former titleholder Mike Outlaw to ascend to that ranking, but Outlaw scored a pinfall over Dirden in an impromptu tag match later in the evening…setting the stage for a four-corner match for the championship.
Dirden loudly voiced his dissatisfaction with the match stipulation, saying that the title should be decided in one-on-one matchups and refusing to participate in the contest.
He stormed out the side door of the venue, leaving the remaining three competitors to battle it out. Espinosa was on the defensive against two fan favorites, but managed to catch the champion in his cross-armbreaker finisher.
Outlaw broke up the hold with the High Noon elbowdrop off the top rope, leaving all three men down. The King Of Chaos attempted to go to the top turnbuckle himself, but Espy took advantage of the no-DQ environment by knocking Cruz to the floor with a chair.
Espinosa delivered a frog splash on Outlaw, but Dirden chose that moment to re-enter the fray and break up Espy’s pin attempt!
Dirden threw Espy to the floor and attempted to pin Outlaw, but Outlaw kicked out at two. That only seemed to infuriate the “Intelligent Monster” as he pulled Outlaw to his feet, then dropped him back to the mat with a monstrous chokeslam! That was finally enough to put Outlaw down for the count…making Jake Dirden the three-time Dynamo Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Champion with Michael Magnuson and Jayden Fenix celebrating by his side!
Dynamo Pro Wrestling is proud to announce an all ages, live, professional wrestling event on Saturday, February 27th, 2016. This professional wrestling event, sponsored by AlignLife Chiropractic, AllState Insurance – The John Standefer Agency, Slackers – Music, Movies, Games, Toys & Comics, and Computer Specialists, will be held at the Douglas Club, located at 102 Whitelaw Avenue in Wood River, Illinois. Doors open at 6:30 P.M. with a bell time of 7:00 P.M. Tickets are $10 for adults. Tickets for children from five to twelve years old are $5. Tickets for children under five years old are free.
This action-packed night of professional wrestling will feature some of the fastest rising stars in Dynamo Pro Wrestling. Please come out and experience the best in professional wrestling as Dynamo Pro Wrestling makes its return to Wood River, Illinois. To purchase advance tickets, log on to http://www.dynamoprowrestling.com or contact the Douglas Club at (618) 254-2211.
Since 2007, Dynamo Pro Wrestling has strived to bring professional wrestling fans of all ages with hard hitting, fast paced, edge of your seat professional wrestling action. Please join Dynamo Pro Wrestling as it brings the best professional wrestling to the St. Louis metropolitan area. For additional information on Dynamo Pro Wrestling, you can check out our website at http://www.dynamoprowrestling.com, follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/dynamopro, and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/DynamoPro. For Douglas Club venue information, you can follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/564364883727641/
For additional information regarding this event, please contact:
Jim Yount, Promoter
Dynamo Pro Wrestling
(314) 452-8868
Rob Mangrum, Media Relations Director
Dynamo Pro Wrestling
(618) 420-0049
2015 was a great year and we here at MWR are looking forward to continuing to support pro wrestling in the Midwest today and honoring the stars of yesterday.
At the end of each year we honor the best of 2015 with the MWR Awards. The talent in the Midwest always makes this a hard decision, but there is no question that each and every winner of the 2015 MWR Awards are very deserving and a credit to their profession.
So it is at this time that we are seeking out sponsors for the following awards. The cost is only $50.00 for each ($100.00 for the MWR Tag Team) and this provides the cost of the plaque and we are offering you advertisement on the MWR site just as we did last year for our friend Robert Hickman’s Rollin Around when they sponsored Lucy Mendez’s 2014 MWR Female Wrestler of the year at Dynamo Pro Wrestling , and fellow friends and fans Pamela Smartt and Jack Tierney who honored the 2014 MWR Future Stars Daniel Eads and Elvis Aliaga at SICW and Gateway Elite Wrestling.
Where and when we are able to present the honoree of the one that you sponsor is up to the availability and the approval of the promoters when we are able to do so. Not only will you get the advertising on the site, but you will have your choice of a MWR Yearbook from this year or the following one* (A $25.00 value).
Please check out the MWR awards listed below and if you are interested in sponsoring the MWR awards then please contact Brian Kelley at flairwhoooooo@yahoo.com.
Thank you for your time and I hope to see you all supporting an Independent event in 2016 live.
The 2015 MWR Award Recipients are
2015 MWR Wrestler Jeremy Wyatt ——- Anonymous 2015 MWR Female Lucy Mendez 2015 MWR Tag Team High Level Enterprise (Jack Gamble and Jon Webb) Sponsored viaJack Tierney 2015 MWR Future Star Redwing 2015 MWR Lifetime Achievement Jim and Crystal Yount
*If by chance we do not make a MWR Yearbook you will receive the 2015 edition.
Dynamo Pro Wrestling promoters Jim and Crystal with former Missouri Office of Athletics Ed Moynahan during an event in Fenton, Missouri.
Special thanks for the write up from Patrick Brandmeyer
In professional wrestling, the ones who usually get the hype are the people in the ring. Wrestlers, managers, even referees and announcers get the camera time and are recognized by the fans. However, it’s often the ones behind the scenes who put in the most work and make the wrestling product what it is.
For the better part of the past two decades, “Evil” Jim Yount and Crystal Yount have played a huge role in the St. Louis wrestling scene. Starting with Midwest Renegade Wrestling in the late ’90s and continuing to Gateway Championship Wrestling, they put in the time and effort to make their promotion of choice into the best product it could be.
In the mid-2000s, they became co-promoters of a branch of NWA Central States which evolved into its current form-Dynamo Pro Wrestling , including an affordable school that has been open for beginner and experience wrestlers alike. During this short time a who’s who of stars have made their way through the doors of the Dynamo Pro Wrestling Dojo include Davey Vega, Brandon Aarons, Alex Rudolph, Mat Fitchett, Santana Garrett, Ozzie Gallagher, Jake Parnell, Jake Dirden, Mike Outlaw, Justin D’Air, and The Snitch
Over the past several years, Dynamo has drawn fans all over the Midwest to their unique brand of wrestling. Many long-time spectators recognize the ties to the GCW days, especially at the epic reunion show in December of 2012 which drew close to five hundred fans!
Dynamo has made an effort to expand its presence, running in several new venues in the past few years. DPW has established a strong audience at the Stratford Inn in Fenton and has also run shows in Wood River as well as Off Broadway and The Ready Room in St. Louis. Dynamo’s media team has gotten the word out about the promotion through several outlets, including radio stations and podcasts around the St. Louis area.
Many Midwest wrestlers have known Jim and Crystal over the years and owe them a lot in helping them with their careers. For that reason, Missouri Wrestling Revival is proud to present them with the 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award!
Past MWR Lifetime Achievement Recipients
2014 Tony Casta 2013 Karl. K. Lauer 2012 Herb Simmons 2011 Bob Geigel 2010 Mike Chapman 2009 Larry Matysik 2008 Harley Race
It is a pleasure to have with us today pro wrestler and owner of St. Louis Anarchy Matt Jackson, better known to wrestling fans as Pierre Abernathy. Since his debut in 2003, Pierre has made an impact in the wrestling scene in many aspects of the wrestling business. Pierre, thank you for taking the time to speaking with us at Missouri Wrestling Revival
Pierre: No problem, thanks for having me.
MWR: What was your first memories of pro wrestling and who did you look up to growing up?
Pierre: The first pro wrestling event I can remember watching live was WrestleMania VI with Hogan vs. Warrior.
I was a huge Hogan fan so when he lost that sucked for me. I can remember going to the STL arena watching all the WWF live shows and I was at the only show WWF did at the old Busch Stadium, so that was cool.
MWR: The first opportunity that I got to see you in action was in Lawrence, Kansas for NWA Central States Wrestling as you and Gary Jay lost a three way to Nick Tyson on September 30, 2006. At that point you had been wrestling a little over than three years. How did you get your start in pro wrestling and who were the most helpful in your success?
Pierre: I first got my start when I met Jordan Lacey, he bought a ring and we were going to train in it. The issue was that he didn’t have the training to train us and to his credit he knew that. Most guys would NEVER admit that they had no business training people but he did. We later met Adam Raw and Nick Tyson and they did our training.
Adam Raw- Photo Michael Van Hoogstratt
From there they started the LWA and we worked there and branched into Gateway Championship Wrestling. Unlike most guys, our trainers did not travel, so we didn’t have a lot of help getting out of town shots. It was Matt Sydal and Delirious who taught us in a 12-hour seminar that we needed to get in a car and get out of STL and make résumés and start sending them out and do seminars all over and that is what we did.
MWR: What early match that you had gave you the confidence to succeed as a pro wrestler?
Pierre: Honestly I can’t think of one match. I always had confidence in my promo work more than my wrestling at the start. I think if I had to pick a break out match, I had a three-way match with Gary and Dorian Victor kind of early on that I liked. Plus, working Gary every weekend in a new state we could feel ourselves growing as wrestlers every week.
MWR: You would be part of the group that would spearhead The Lethal Wrestling Alliance. Who else were involved and what is the legacy of that promotion?
Pierre: Honestly I didn’t have anything to do with the start of LWA. LWA was started by Adam Raw and Jordan Taylor. When Jordan went into the Navy it went into the committee of five guys: Adam Raw, Nick Tyson, Frank Cashion, Mike D and Tim P ( I don’t want to butcher the spelling of their last names).
Jordan Lacey has been a part of the most brutal matches in the modern era of STL wrestling. Here he wars it out against the former MWR Future Star winner Alex Rudolph.
So Tyson was supposed to write the shows and book the talent but he wasn’t doing it, so I would in the background write the shows and send them with him to meetings and no one would know about it and he would get the credit. Fast forward a few years, he was going to quit, so Raw was kind of freaking out thinking he would have to write the shows all himself. I had to tell him I was really doing it all this time, which shocked him and so then I started writing and booking talent from there. Years later when the others quit, it became myself, Raw and Jordan Lacey. In the end of LWA, it was just me and Jordan Lacey.
Many of the top rising stars int the sport has made their way to SLA.
MWR: Fans at LWA were blessed to enjoy some great matches featuring local talent against many of the top stars in the world. Not too long ago, Austin Aries was the TNA World Champion, Davey Richards was a Ring of Honor World Champion and most recently one half of the TNA Tag Team Champions with Eddie Edwards, and Samoa Joe is quite possibly the most talked about free agent in the world today, but they all entered the squared circle at LWA.
These matches along with other stars including Delirious, Mike Quackenbush and The Motor Machine Guns against LWA homegrown talents are featured on the DVD US vs. Them (click here to purchase). What memories stand out about this historic matches at LWA?
Pierre: There are tons of thoughts I have about that. The two big ones being the first “name talent” we ever used was Alex Shelley and our fans hated him with a passion because he was facing their guy in Nick Tyson and when Tyson tapped him out the legit emotion that came after is what this business is about to me: real emotion. The Second was Samoa Joe: A lot of people were saying behind my back (but I hear everything) that I was making a big mistake putting Dorian in that match and not Adam Raw, and to be honest at that time Raw was a better wrestler than Dorian—hell, Dorian was only a few years in, I think. However, Dorian grew from that match and it taught him how to step up… That’s my job: I have to force you to go outside of your comfort zone and step up to the plate, because if you can’t I need to know that before you fall on your face in maybe a way bigger situation. That night Dorian stepped up and grew from it.
MWR: You are a member of the famed Submission Squad with. Time has shown that you guys are among the most entertaining tag teams in the country, but early on in your career you teamed up with Evan Gelistico against Davey Vega and Gary the Barn Owl to showcase LWA for Chikara’s King of Trios 2009. In a weekend filled with top Indy wrestling stars like Bryan Danielson (Future WWE Champion Daniel Bryan), Austin Aries, and El Generico (WWE’SSami Zayn) , the match would receive chants of “DON’T COME BACK!” Many men after that night may have given up, but it only shows how much heart that the four of you had, during that time. Many people snickered and counted you out, but you guys have had the last laugh by becoming among the most traveled talents in the country. Looking back what went wrong, what could you have done different and what advice would you have for a young wrestler that would experience such a situation?
Pierre: I would say that you cannot let what people say bother you. When that happened to be honest it didn’t bother me, it did more the other guys for different reasons. Vega because he lacked confidence anyway so that almost killed him, Gary because the ECW arena was his dream and we just got booed out of it and Evan because he loved the idea of working Chikara. I am telling the God’s honest truth that it didn’t bother me because I was expecting it the whole time. Here you have the biggest weekend of the Chikara calendar with legit stars from all over the world and then you have four dudes from a company in Missouri that none of them knew.. How were they supposed to treat us? Plus, we did ourselves zero favors because of the way we worked the match. We are known for our personalities and we showed zero of it and that is what sucked. However we made a lot of money after that match because people wanted to see if either A) we really sucked or B) they knew we didn’t and wanted to bring us out. So I would do it all again, plus we went back there in 2014 and killed it, so it came full circle for us.
MWR: As I mentioned you have traveled around the country, including Canada. What has been your personal favorite places to wrestle and why?
Pierre: I love most every trip but I’ll pick one place and say ACW in Texas. Texas was like my second home for many years and I love the fans and friends I made there. Some of my favorite memories came from hangouts I had in Texas.
MWR: For seven years the LWA was known for an alternative style of wrestling that combined strong style, hardcore, comedy and good times for the fans, but a new day came that saw you announce the merging with the Texas based promotion known as Anarchy Championship Wrestling (ACW). That decision has allowed the fans to see many of the top stars of the Texas area make their way to the Midwest, while giving the young stars in this area to grow by challenging themselves against other top talents that may not have a chance to work with. In your eyes, who have taken advantage of working in the land of Anarchy and who are some of the top young stars that fans should have their eyes on for the future?
Pierre: Since we started Anarchy, we have seen ACH become a top star in the USA and I won’t do what a lot of others do and try and take credit for that man’s success. His success has helped us grow, so thank you to him.
Gary Jay and Davey Vega are in my opinion the two top guys in the area and they prove that every time they work in a ring. The fact neither of them are under a contract is a shame. The Hooligans are guys you have seen grow in Anarchy. Christian Rose has been tearing it up other places for a while but our fans are finally seeing how good he is. Two guys who I think could be the next 2 big stars are Jo Jo Bravo and Mat Fitchett. Jo Jo has gotten really good really fast and it’s up to Fitchett how far he wants to go. He has been ready for a long time now. One guy to watch I think is Everett Connor; I call him my new project because he is a good kid with potential.
The only guy who I think may be worse now than he was when we started SLA is Evan Gelistico… [sarcasm]
MWR: The Submission Squad was ranked number 12 in 2011 in the MWR’S top 30 tag teams during the MWR years. Four years later, the SS is still running strong, even capturing the Metro Pro Wrestling Tag Team titles recently as the Commission.
Because LWA and later SLA did not have tag belts along with the outside travel, it may have hurt your rankings in the poll. That year a team that you guys know very well the Hooligans were ranked number one, and are currently the St. Louis Anarchy tag team Champions. What has made the Hooligans and the Submission Squad such a great rivalry?
Pierre: We just have good chemistry and we strive to do the same thing and that’s have a great match. We clicked since the first match we had at an IHW show in Dupo IL.
At one time we worked with the Hooligans at least once a weekend for like five months in a row, I think… Plus those guys love tag team wrestling as much as we do so it’s easy, The Hooligans are amazing talents.
MWR: SLA has recently been the home of double shot weekends in Alton, Illinois. You have promoted events for years, what are the advantages and disadvantages of having back to back events?
Pierre: Well it doubles the stress. I mean we have only done two, so I really do not know yet. I’ll say the advantage is for the fans as they will get 2 events a weekend instead of 1. As we keep going with this I am sure more advantages and disadvantages will come clear.
MWR: St. Louis Anarchy events have always been a can’t-miss show as talents around the world have been in action during each of your events. Men like Kyle O’Reilly, Michael Elgin, Chris Hero, the Young Bucks, Davey Richards, Akira Tozawa, and TJ Perkins have all appeared in the past. Who would you like to see that has not appeared yet?
Pierre: We used him in LWA but I really want to bring our fans Alex Shelley as he was supposed to work a show but got hurt. I am hoping to bring some more guys from overseas in. To be honest we will always use that name talent that people have come to think about when thinking of SLA but I am wanting to use more guys who are great but not maybe as well known…. Like there are Gary Jays and Davey Vegas all over the USA who are great but just can’t get breaks and I want to give them their breaks because you never know who could be the next ACH that you just are overlooking.
MWR: On August the 21st and 22nd, Circus Maximus 2015, an event what many fans say is THE event of the year for SLA? Circus Maximus has always delivered with a great mix of national talent as well as the top rising stars around the country. I am going to do a rundown of this years’ SLA talent pool for the double shot weekend and I would like for you to give your thoughts on them. We will start off with the current SLA Champion Gary Jay.
Pierre: Hardest working man in Anarchy, he tears down the house every time and then is the first person to lead people in tearing down the ring. He gives his all to the company and should be getting more chances outside it.
MWR: Tommaso Ciampa
Pierre: I’m looking forward to seeing him in SLA. He’s a tough dude so guys will have their hands full with him.
MWR: Davey Vega
Pierre: The “Ace of Anarchy” isn’t just a nickname, it is who Vega has become. He went from a guy who would legit vomit before a match to a guy who I know will always have one of the best matches on the show. He’s the man.
MWR: Mat Fitchett
Pierre: The Dirty Rook could be a star if he is able to really hit the road and do it. Sometimes though real life things are more important but he’s an awesome talent.
MWR: Jonathan Gresham
Pierre: He won’t be at Circus Maximus, but he’s an amazing hold for hold wrestler who stole the weekend at Gateway to Anarchy.
MWR: Jo Jo Bravo
Pierre: One of the top up and comers in Anarchy. He has held his own with some of the best in the world.
MWR: Christian Rose
Pierre: Great talker and wrestler and our fans are getting to finally see that. Plus, behind the curtain I love talking good and–even better–shitty wrestling with Rose more than maybe anybody.
MWR: Matt Cage
Pierre: He’s a lot like Rose in that he has been tearing it up other places and our fans will finally get to see more of that in Anarchy.
MWR: Angelus Lane
Pierre: The 1st lady of Anarchy. I am very proud of Layne. She has grown by leaps and bounds as a wrestler and she improves every event we have.
MWR: Viking War Party
Pierre: Going to have to buy me chairs if they keep breaking them. Both guys are awesome. Alex I have known since before he started, I am happy every time I see them work and get better and better.
MWR: Ricky Starks
Pierre: Big deal in Texas and I think he can do the same here so keep your eyes on him as I think he is going to do well.
MWR: The Cause: Mr. Gelistico, Mr. Raw, Mr. Adams, Mr. Everett
Pierre: We will have to see.
MWR: Zakk Sawyers
Pierre: The 2014 Anarchy Rookie of the year. He’s not a rookie but was in Anarchy and he stepped up huge. A hard worker in and out of the ring and really appreciates his spot on the roster and he earns it.
MWR: Mikey McFinnigan
Pierre: Kinda just starting to see what he can do. He will do well in Anarchy, he’s very entertaining.
MWR: Jeremy Wyatt
Pierre: The best LWA champion of all time. Jeremy is one of my favorite wrestlers and is a pure class act to deal with outside the ring. Jeremy makes no bones about his wrestling days coming to an end and I’ll be sad to see him go, but he’s a guy who will leave better than he came in and how many guys can honestly say that. He’s always done anything I asked him to do and I don’t think Jeremy knows how much I respect him and appreciate his run with the LWA title.
MWR: Steve O Reno
Pierre: Honestly, I worked him in ACW and I knew he was good. Other than that I have only seen his two matches in SLA and that is it. I think he is very entertaining and he can wrestle, too, so I think big things are on the horizon for him.
MWR: Bolt Brady
Pierre: I think his change in attitude will be good for him in SLA. I like making people do stuff they may not be used to doing. Bolt is a pro and will do great. He’s getting a lot of miles under him too which is awesome. I like Bolt a lot.
MWR: PACO
Pierre: In SLA, he became a star in one weekend. Taking Trik Davis to the limit and taking a hellish beating from Gary Jay. I think Paco is a hungry kid who will do big things.
MWR: Pierre, Thank you so much for joining us today, it is always a treat to get to speak with you. How can fans follow you and the world of St. Louis Anarchy?
Pierre: I am on Facebook under Pierre Abernathy and Twitter is @PierreAbernathy. You can like SLA on Facebook at Saint Louis Anarchy and on Twitter @stlanarchy. Thanks for the time!
Saint Louis Anarchy presents Circus Maximus 2015
Stage One: Friday August 21st Stage Two: Saturday August 22nd
Live from Spaulding Hall Club in Alton IL (402 E 4th Street)
Doors Open at 6:30pm, Shows Start at 7:00pm
Tickets (PER NIGHT):
Front row: $15, Second Row. $12. General Admission. $10 in advance all tickets are $15 at the door
$1 BEER, FULL BAR AND FOOD. Please do not record show or stand on chairs
Also special guest musicians Mental Fixation (Stage 2 only)
STAGE ONE MATCHES SIGNED:
Main Event Trios Action: Team Anarchy: Davey Vega, Mat Fitchett, Angleus Layne vs. Team BOSS w/Dorian Victor and Greg Jovi: Gary Jay, Christian Rose, Jeremy Wyatt
Tag Team Titles on the Line: The Hooligans (c) vs. The Cause (Mr. Adams, Mr. Everett)
Zakk Sawyers vs. Tommaso Ciampa
Grudge Match: Alex Castle vs. Matt Cage
Jo Jo Bravo vs. PACO
Steve O Reno vs. Mikey Mcfinnigan
BOSS vs. Anarchy: Bolt Brady w/Greg Jovi vs. Ricky Starks
STAGE TWO MATCHES SIGNED:
Saint Louis Anarchy Championship Match (NO TIME LIMIT) Gary Jay (c)w/Dorian Victor vs. “Ace of Anarchy” Davey Vega
Mat Fitchett vs. Former ECW/WWE Star LITTLE GUDIO
Christian Rose vs. Tommaso Ciampa
Matt Cage vs. Zakk Sawyers
Sugar Dunkerton vs. Steve O Reno
TALENT SIGNED FOR CM WEEKEND:
Saint Louis Anarchy Champion: Gary Jay
Saint Louis Anarchy Tag Champions: The Hooligans
Davey Vega
Mat Fitchett
Tommaso Ciampa
Jo Jo Bravo
Christian Rose
Matt Cage
Angelus Layne
Viking War Party
Sugar Dunkerton
Ricky Starks
The Cause: Mr. Gelistico, Mr. Raw, Mr. Adams, Mr. Everett
Zakk Sawyers
Mikey Mcfinnigan
Jeremy Wyatt
Steve O Reno
Bolt Brady (stage one)
PACO (stage one)
Donovan Danhausen
Accolades:
-Ranked #417 in the 2011 Pro Wrestling Illustrated Top 500
-2009 & 2012 St. Louis Invitational Cup Champion
-IHW Heavyweight Champion (x2) (defeated Sean Vincent)
-PWP United States Champion (Defeated Harker Dirge)
-PWE United States Champion (Defeated Mark Sterling)
-HVW Livewire Champion (Defeated Mike Sydal)
-LWA Tag Team Champion w/ Mike Sydal (Defeated The Hooligans)
-CCW Tag Team Champion w/ Brandon Espinosa (Defeated Knuckles ‘n’ Knives)
-MECW Independent Champion (Defeated Count Kharfu)
Brandon, thank you for joining us a Missouri Wrestling Revival as you prepare for quite possible your biggest night in wrestling this Saturday in Pontoon Beach, Illinois for Pro Wrestling Epic.
1) You began your training at the Dynamo Pro Wrestling gym under the watchful eye of one of the very best wrestlers in this era, Dingo. I know you have a lot of respect for your time with Dynamo and Dingo, please explain how that came to be?
Brandon: Back in the early 2000’s I attended Gateway Championship Wrestling Shows with my father and brother (who are also huge fans of pro wrestling) in the summer of 2006 I had the opportunity to take part in a 3 day seminar with Dingo, Kory Twist, and Cameron Cage. Being that I was only 16 years old at the time I had to get my parents to sign a release form for me, not only did they sign it, but my father actually signed up for the seminar and participated with me. Eventually GCW went out of business and I continued my training under Dingo until in late 2007 when the Dynamo Pro Wrestling Gym opened. The promoters for NWA: Central States Missouri were also the owners of the Dynamo Gym and eventually NWA:CSMO became Dynamo Pro Wrestling. It was quite in experience for me all around, I didn’t have many friends growing up that were into the whole wrestling scene so when I was at the Dynamo gym training with the guys not only did I not feel like I was an outcast, I felt like I was among friends and family.
That environment really helped me not only to want to stick it out through the brutal training sessions and the constant ribbing from the older guys, but it gave me an appreciation for how this business works. Dingo was a huge influence on me when I first started and he would even drive me to training and shows just so I could be apart of it all. He always stuck his neck out for his students, all he asked was that we gave everything we had, as he was putting his name on us and he didn’t want to be embarrassed. I am forever grateful to Dynamo and Dingo for everything I learned coming up, it helped me become not only wrestler I am and will become but the 25 year old man I am today.
2) It has been awhile since we last saw Dingo in action full time, for those that may just are becoming a fan of wrestling in the MWR coverage area and may not have seen him in action, how would you describe your former trainer?
Brandon: Dingo was tough as nails, I’ve seen a lot of tough guys over the years, but he was definitely one of the toughest and most intense wrestlers I’ve seen especially in this area. He was very technical and very smooth in the ring, he had a certain flow to him that you just don’t see anymore. It’s very unfortunate that he is not around anymore, he was one of those guys that had “it”.
3) What was your training like under Dingo and what do you remember from your very first match?
Brandon: His training was very particular, he paid attention to all the minor details. If you did something half-ass he would make you do it over and over and over and over again until you stopped screwing up. He was a hard ass, but also understanding. He never talked down to anyone but wasn’t afraid to tell you if something you did was horrible. To this day I still carry some valuable lessons he taught me over the years and I hope to one day pass them on.
My first match was against Adam Rich at an LWA event in Mehlville, MO in August of 2007. We were technically the dark match, I wore my eyeliner which my little sister applied on me backstage (don’t bring your little sister backstage to a wrestling show) and a cut off shirt because I thought I was fat, haha which now I laugh about. Adam and I had what I would call a pretty great first match. Like it wasn’t amazing, but hell for a first match I felt like it was pretty ok. Well, I also slipped on the top rope at the end of the match but that’s not important
4) Early on you found success as a member of B.A.B.E. Watch with 2 members that would go on in their careers to win the MWR Wrestler of the Year in singles action, none other than Brandon Espinosa and Mike Sydal. What was the highlight of that team in your eyes and what did you lessons did you take from that experience?
Brandon: Espy and Sydal are two phenomenal talents here in the Midwest and dare I say the country. Both guys have taken the time to perfect their craft and it shows by the top tier matches they compete in on a consistent basis. I think as a trio our biggest highlight was at an LWA Event in 2009 when the three of us faced off against The Northstar Express & Arik Cannon. That was also the night Espy left the group. Some of my favorite memories of teaming with Espy were our segments and matches at High Voltage Wrestling. Keny G was great and pretty much let us do our thing and I had the time of my life. When it comes to Mike Sydal and I, the biggest highlight would have to be when we defeated the Hooligans for the LWA Tag Team Titles. I never felt like B.A.B.E.WATCH really peaked as a whole, but we all started doing well for ourselves as singles wrestlers and there was no point in holding each other back. Those two guys will always have special places in not just my wrestling career, but my heart.
5) From there, you did not slow down as you went on to find success in singles competition as you took to take on the very best in the Midwest, including Jeremy Wyatt, Mark Sterling and a man that would become the NWA World Champion, Kahagas. How hard was the transition from tag team action to trying to survive at such a young age against some of the best in the sport?
Brandon: It was awesome because the guys you just mentioned are not only some of the best wrestlers in The United States, but they are incredible wrestlers to learn from. Wrestling Kahagas was great for me because he was one of the first veterans I had the chance to get in the ring with and really learn from. Over the years Ive had the privilege to wrestle Wyatt and Sterling on more than one occasion and every time I take away more knowledge from them and apply it to myself. The transition overall wasn’t difficult, but I learned to expect more from myself in the ring because now it was just me every time go to the ring.
6) You were instrumental in the success of Independent Hardcore Wrestling that was based in Illinois where you really came into your own. The fans really rallied around you as many wrestlers looked to make a name for themselves in a new promotion. Though the promotion did not last long, the crowds were red hot from top to bottom, what do you see as your highlight in the company that’s saw you feud with the likes of Eric Allen, Steven Kennedy, Sean Vincent, KC Karrington and Cameron Cage?
Brandon Aarons and IHW found success with the fundraiser for the St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
Brandon: I think the highlight for me was just someone giving me the chance to show what I could do when the handcuffs are off. Winning the IHW Title the first time was huge because after that I held 3 other titles for 3 different companies besides IHW. I felt like I was starting to get noticed, to get my name out there more than ever. One of my personal favorite matches was against KC Karrington back in 2011. I don’t think Ive ever jelled with someone so well in a match before and to me that was the match where I told myself I never wanted to quit wrestling no matter how tough life got for me or how hard it was going to be to make it in this business. Unfortunately, a few months later I was sidelined with injuries and soon after IHW ceased operations.
KC Karrington just felt the swift kick from Brandon Aarons.
7) MWR has covered Pro Wrestling Epic in the past, including the Epic 8 Tournament when it was based out of Lincoln, Illinois. This tournament is under new management, but the Epic 8 tournament survives and fans in the St. Louis area will be able to see this historic tournament in Pontoon Beach this Saturday. Fans may be surprised to know that during your time as a former PWE US Champion you were challenged by the then Ring of Honor World Champion Tyler Black (WWE’S Seth Rollins). You were able to get the win via DQ, as well as a handshake from a man that I stated in the recap on this site who I felt was the best wrestler in the world, and I feel that holds even more weight today. I was thankfully on hand to cover the event in person, yet I ask you what do you recall from that historic match in your career?
Brandon: That was without a doubt the biggest, most humbling experience I have ever had in Professional Wrestling. I learned so much about myself and also what it will really take to get to the next level. The match itself isn’t what stands out to me when I think about it, I was 20 years old, some young kid one the indies trying to make a name for himself going up against a guy who was regarded as the best in the world, what stands out to me is he gave me a chance, he let me work hard, and he worked hard for me in return. I’ll never forget that.
8) At that point you were one of the hottest young stars in the sport, that is until an injury took you out of action for a whole calendar year. I covered your return match against the current MWR Wrestler of the Year, Ricky Cruz at Dynamo Pro Wrestling. I know you have never back down from a challenge, but that first match back was rough as the “King of Chaos” took advantage of your ring rust. Thankfully, in the past 6 months I can tell that you were hitting your stride as 2015 has come upon us. What was it like to sit back and watch others move up the ladder?
Brandon: It pissed me off. It made me feel worthless. It gave me a dose of reality that once you’re gone, not a lot of people give a shit. You have to always keep yourself current in whatever you do. You have to refuse to fall to the back of the pack. If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse. I told myself if I came back I would do it with the goal of never giving up until I’ve done what I set out to do when I was some 16 year old kid, and that is to let every single person know who I am. This is me pushing myself, stepping on toes, doing what is best for me and my career. A lot of people don’t realize how selfish this business is, but I do.
9) You recently won the 2015 Sexiest Male of the Year based on the most votes by the fans over Valentines weekend. Your MWR Trading card #15 states on the back that it is a FACT that when you enter the ring ,“GIRLS GO CRAZY”.
I hate to be the one to ask ,but since then we have received tons of letters from girls wanting to know if you are single, and what’s the best strategy for them to get a date with you?
Brandon: That is a FANTASTIC question. I actually am single at the moment, unfortunately I’m not really looking. Wrestling is amazing in so many different ways, unfortunately it doesn’t make the best business to have a relationship in. If I was to take the time to find a girl she would need a certain set of skills: She would need to be fit (health is a priority), she needs to be trustworthy (no easy girls), she needs to be patient (my schedule gets crazy), she needs to trust me (don’t hack into my fb/email), and she needs to be funny, none of this boring and annoying stuff I get all the time. Also don’t stalk me. I get that enough. Lastly but certainly not least, you need have great hair, odds are we will be sharing hair products
10) By winning the MWR Sexiest Male award as well as coming off the huge main event during the last PWE in Pontoon Beach you will now have a target on your back as you look to make history.
Now I ask you to please tell the MWR fans why they should make their way to see this exciting night of action on Saturday.
Brandon: This past year I have been pushing myself in the gym, and in the ring to show everyone why they need to keeps their eyes on me. This Saturday I am going to show everyone why they’ve been needing to keep their eyes on me, and continue to do so. I promise a performance from myself that no one has seen before. I want the standard in Midwest Wrestling to be higher than it has ever been. I want to be the person that helps raise it up. The show this saturday means more to me than anyone can ever imagine. Everything I’ve gone through the past few years with injuries, relationships, friendships, all my personal issues, it all leads to this Saturday Night in Pontoon Beach, Illinois where I’ll show up and give the greatest performance of my professional wrestling career.
I would like to thank you Brandon for taking part in this Q and A, and we look forward to presenting you the MWR Sexiest Male of the Year trophy while wishing you the best in the Epic 8 tournament.
We would like to wish everyone a very happy holiday to all of our friends in the Midwest. 2012 has been a great year for pro wrestling. Fans have been able to see some of the top matches and talent around the country right here in the Midwest.
As a thank you to you the fans it is with great pleasure that we team up with a few of our MWR promotions to give you a special holiday treat.
Starting next weekend MWR will be covering two huge shows starting out in Eldon Missouri for World League Wrestling as MWR Owner Brian Kelley will be on hand covering the annual WLW,Pro Wrestling Noah, WWE camp. On the show fans will want to see the rematch between WWE Superstar Steven Regal take on Ace Steel as one of the greatest wrestlers to ever step in the ring Harley Race watches on.
You will not want to miss it when the young stars of World League Wrestling delivers a hard hitting non stop pounding action the way wrestling was meant to be to you for you the fans.
On the same night in Glen Carbon, Illinois, MWR Fan relations, Dubray Tallman will be excited to meet you as she will be there celebrating the Gateway Championship Wrestling reunion. Dynamo continues their red hot year with a bang as former GCW superstars Delirious, MsChif, Daizze Haze and former WCW Superstar Bobby Eaton join the GCW Alumni to relive one of the most talked about and loved promotions in the past twenty years.
During these two huge events the first 75 fans will receive a free Santa hat from your friends at MWR and WLW/ Dynamo respectively.
Also fans at the GCW reunion that purchase either a 2 MWR Trading cards, a MWR T-shirt, a MWR Yearbook or hat from Dubray Tallman will be able to reach into the surprise bag for a free gift!!!
It’s the holiday season and remember that spending time with your loved one at a wrestling show will be a great memory for many years to come.
Also be on the lookout for more upcoming Christmas cheer from your good friends at MWR as we look to see you at a show before we ring in the new year.
Dan Walsh is one of the very best in the game today. Taking beatings from powerhouses like Kevin X at Dynamo Pro forced the young star to step up his game. (Photo Credit Amanda Blasé)
Kevin X(aka Kevin Sharp) has been a staple of the St. Louis wrestling scene for over a decade, dating back to the days of Midwest Renegade Wrestling(MRW).
He entered Gateway Championship Wrestling(GCW) in 2000 with his eye on the Heavyweight Title held by Pete Madden, but he was double-crossed by Big Bad Ben after Ben won the championship. The two fought for months until Sharp finally captured the title in a no-DQ match in the spring of 2001.
Kevin held the title for most of the calendar year, defending against tough challengers at every show…in the end, it took two tough opponents to end his title reign. On a night when he was scheduled to defend against Jack Adonis, Nikki Strychnine inserted himself into the situation and the match became a triple threat encounter. The numbers caught up to him and Strychnine ended his title reign…leaving Sharp incredibly bitter about the circumstances of the title loss.
Kevin underwent an attitude change in the ensuing years, transitioning from the self-absorbed “Pretty Boy” into a gangster mentality. Changing his name to Kevin X, he formed “Thug Inc.” with Shawn Almighty and D’Mon G to run roughshod over the GCW roster. He would be a mainstay in the championship picture of just about every promotion in the Midwest!
MWR honored Harley Race’s student Brian Breaker with the 2011 MWR Future Star Award but Kevin X could care less what we think of the future of this rising star. Here he delivers a crushing blow to Breaker. (Photo Stephen Jones )
Kevin X fought Adam Raw for the LWA Title at one point and also held the MMWA-SICW Heavyweight Championship, continuing a long-standing feud with veteran Gary Jackson.
Gary Jackson and Kevin X has been to war many times over the years. Here at East Carondelet for SICW, the action spills outside the ring. (Photo Credit Amanda Blasé)
In recent years, Kevin has competed for Dynamo Pro Wrestling as well as Gateway Championship Wrestlingin the Kansas City area.
Metro Pro Fans and Pete Madden knows full well how dominating Kevin X can be (Photo Bill Smith)
Wrestling fans in the St. Louis area wish Kevin X the best of luck in the future…one could say that his career was “just too pretty!”
Throughout the history of sports there have been teams that were good, maybe great but they were unable to beat that important rival or win that big game.
Not to long ago my favorite American League baseball team the Boston Red Sox just could never seem to get that convincing win against the hated New York Yankees or win the World Series. From 1920 through 2003, the Yankees won 26 World Series championships and 39 pennants, compared to only four pennants for the Red Sox. To make matters worse, in every year that the Red Sox won the pennant — 1946, 1967, 1975 and 1986 — they lost the World Series four games to three, leaving them with no World Series titles.
Back to pro wrestling I give you a classic case of two such wrestlers that are very good but just as hated as the Yankees, this rings true with the Ego Express of KC Karrington and Steven Kennedy of their dominance of the popular Bum Rush BrothersOutKasT and Shorty Biggs.
The history goes back to Gateway Championship Wrestling in 2006 when the Ego’s were the GCW Champions and the Bum Rush chasing the titles. The Ego’s would be able to retain the titles in exciting and close matches during their reign. The Bum Rush Brothers would be able to win the GCW tag titles against the European Union (Even Gelistico and Pierre Abernathy).
The Ego Express’s Steven Kennedy and KC Karrington (Photo Credit Brian Kelley)
Fast forward to today and we find that some things never change. On May 1st in Pevely Missouri for NWA Dynamo, the Egos would once again defeat the very popular BumRush Brothers. The two teams went at it with the Ego’s taking every shortcut and cheapshot they could do to edge including with having the feet on the ropes to edge out the win. In the end it would draw the ire of the usally good guys of Biggs and OutKAST to attack the Ego’s after the match
In Glen Carbon on May 22nd Illinois NWA Dynamo returned with a one on one match up between KC Karrington and OutKast. The Bum Rush Brother would earn a hard fought victory but the taste of victory would be short when Karrington blasted OuTKaSt with a chair leaving him laid out.
A month would pass before the Egos and the Bum Rush Brothers met once again on May 26th but the time away did not cool off the tension between the two. A back and forth battle that once again looked to have the Bumrush Brothers with the bragging rights but it would be an outside interference that would cost the Bum Rush Brothers the win when Karrington ultimately propelled his team toward a win by throwing baby powder—which the ring announcer tossed to him—into the eyes of Biggs
Controversy would be the talk of the night when I was in Glen Carbon IL on July 24th when the two teams were set to face each other in individual competition. Steven Kennedy was set to take on OutKaSt while Shorty Biggs was to meet KC Karrington. Word got around quickly that Shorty Biggs was not in the building due to car trouble. One wrestler who would like to remain anonymous told me that he over heard the Ego’s laughing that there was no way that Biggs car would ever get him to the building that night.
I didn’t think anything of it as I took photos of the match between Kennedy and OutkAst. In a very good match the fans were thrilled to see the Kennedy miss the Magic Bullet and win with the roll up. While the fans clapped and gave their approval, I knew it was the intermission so I hurried to get my good friend and fellow photographer a beer for helping us. I was halfway there and to my amazement or should I say disgust when I looked back to see KC Karrington enter the ring and double team OutKaSt in one of the most vicious attacks in recent memory.
Patrick Brandmeyer was on hand at High Voltage Wrestling when the Ego Express and the Bumrush Brothers once again went at it. Here is the quick play by play from Brandmeyer “K.C. Karrington was thrown out of the ring and appeared to suffer a knee injury, drawing ring announcer Wesley Cox and the referee over to check on him. This conveniently left no one to count the pin when OuTtKaSt had Steven Kennedy covered after a double-team powerbomb. Karrington turned out to be playing possum and eliminated Shorty Biggs from the equation, then tripped up KaSt as he attempted to climb the turnbuckles. The Egos finished off KaSt with a double neckbreaker and SSK got the pinfall.”
The Bum Rush Brothers are desperate to get that big win from their rivals.
Have faith Shorty and OuTkAst all you have to do is look at the 2004 American League Championship series between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. John Sterling, Yankees radio announcer before Game 4 stated “The Yankees have a stranglehold on the series and yes the Yankees even had a one run lead going into the ninth inning of that very game.
What happened was the biggest choke in the HISTORY of sports, the Red Sox would go on to not only win game number four but become the first team to ever win a series down 3-0.
There was a bittersweet ending to the story when the Red Sox would have to take on my very favorite team the St Louis Cardinals to win the 2004 MLB World Series.
Moral of the story, even the most talented and low down teams like the Yankees and the Ego Express can’t win all the time.
We caught up with the Bum Rush Brothers after their hard fought loss at High Voltage Wrestling and they had this to say to the Ego Express.
Want more of what could be the feud of the year? NWA Dynamo returns on August 28th when it will be KC Karrington going one on one with Shorty Biggs. This and much more action at NWA Dynamo Wrestling !
Editors Note: To all the Yankee fans, know that some of my very best friends are huge fans of the NY, and this article is meant as a fun rib on them. If you still feel the need to send hate mail go ahead but do not miss August 28th when Shorty Biggs attempts to bring the momentum back to his team by defeating KC Karrington.
Years Wrestling:5 Trained by: Dingo First match: Vs. El Uno Loco, Mid America Xtreme (MAX) Wrestling Finishing maneuver: The Cunning Stunt
Date, place and who you beat to become LWA Champ: June 20,2009 O’Fallon IL Knights of Columbus, Jeremy Wyatt
Brian Kelley:I am joined today with the current LWA Champion KC Karrington. In less than a year KC has transformed himself from one half of the top tag team in St Louis, The Ego Express with his tag team partner Steven Kennedy to reigning LWA Champion.
KC thank you for joining us today.
KC Karrington Any time, thanks for having me.
1) How did you get into the sport?
KC Karrington: I’ve got to admit, I got into the business through sheer dumb luck. More or less, being in the right place at the right time. I was attending a Gateway Championship Wrestling show, merely as a fan. During intermission, I got to talking to the woman sitting next to me, and she started telling me that her son was a year younger than I was, sixteen at the time, and that he was training at a new promotion called Mid America Xtreme in Alton, IL. I was living in Edwardsville at the time, which is about thirty minutes from Alton. My main issues that kept me from really pursuing training were my age and the fact that to train with Gateway I would have to drive to Missouri every week. Not having a job and being in school five days of the week, it really wasn’t an option. So, even though my main goal was to get to GCW, I decided that getting trained at MAX would have to do for the time being. She talked to me for a while, introduced me to the trainer, and I started attending regularly. I would say that I learned the bare basics at MAX. I wrestled under a different name, copied my idol, Ric Flair, verbatim, and really stunk up the place. On a brighter note, MAX was where I first teamed with Steven Kennedy, and we really became good friends. Long story short, the company folded, and after a lot of prodding and nudging, Kennedy got me to come to the GCW school. I basically had to be re-programmed, because I was put in the ring WAY too early at MAX. I may have learned my basics from the MAX trainer, but Dingo taught me how to be a professional wrestler.
2) In a very young age you have been able top make an impact, what have been the keys to your success?
KC Karrington: I credit the success I do have to the people that have trained me, and have helped me become confident in my wrestling. I honestly owe everything I’ve done professionally to Dingo, SSK, Sadie Blaze, Evil Jim, Shorty Biggs. They have all helped me, encouraged me, and told me when something flat out sucked. I respect everyone of them more than they’ll ever know. On a personal note, I have a younger brother and sister who are everything to me. The feeling I get when they come to the shows and I see them sitting in the crowd cheering me on……that’s what it’s all about. They are my biggest fans, and they are what keep me going.
3) Lets start out with your time with tag team partner and good friend Steven Kennedy, collectively the two of you are the Ego Express. I have to say that you are one of the most exciting and entertaining tag teams that I have seen in the MWR coverage area. How did that tag team come to be?
KC Karrington: “He’s making a peak hour call!!!”……..Sorry, kind of an inside joke. It all started at MAX. As I mentioned, I was nowhere near ready to be in the ring, and they more or less told me to go to the ring and be Ric Flair. I didn’t know how to be me when I was in the ring. Then, I was put into a faction with SSK and the rest is history. Through working with him, I really got comfortable in front of a crowd, and we just really went out and did what we wanted to do. The best part was, it was fun and it got over. After MAX went under, I really had no interest in wrestling anywhere else, because I knew that I didn’t know what I was doing. God, it seemed like at least once a week SSK would call me and say, “So, are you gonna come train at Gateway or what?”. I put it off for a while, but, as anybody that knows him can attest to, Kennedy can be very persuasive. When they really felt I was properly trained, I made my GCW debut and SSK and I tagged with each other regularly. We won the GCW Tag Team Championships together twice, and that is one of my top achievements. We were the bad guys at the time, and we just went to the ring and did as much as we possibly could to piss everybody off. The crowd hated us….but they loved to hate us. That’s why it was so easy for us to be more fan friendly. Something that The Ego Express has in it’s favor that not a lot of tag teams in the area have, is that we interact with each other the exact same way inside the ring as we do outside the ring. We play off of each other and make each other crack up constantly. Not many tag teams on the indy scene that I know of go get “wingy” and then catch a movie. I think of the guy like the big brother I never had, and I really do look up to him.
4) The Ego Express have went up with some of the top tag teams in the Midwest, if MWR were to put out a BEST OF THE EGO EXPRESS. What would some of the match listing look like?
KC Karrington: Very first match on that list would be the TLC match we had in LWA with Dingo and Davey Vega for the LWA Tag Titles. Being out there with two men that I hold in the highest regard, and absolutely tearing the house down is something that I really enjoyed. Our soap opera saga that we went through with Vega and Johnny Vinyl would be right behind that. Our two matches in NWA : Dynamo Pro with The LONR’s (Mark Sterling & Darrien Sanders) as well. I learn more wrestling with Sterling than just about anybody else that I’ve ever stepped into the ring with. When we first started in Gateway, we had some really good matches with Sean Vincent and Rebecca Raze that I enjoyed very much. Of course, working with the North Star Express was a feather in our collective cap. Those two have been all over, and are one of the best teams in the country. I feel like we were able to hang well with them. Recently, we had a match with Mark Sterling and Jeremy Wyatt that I was very proud of. Like Sterling, I feel like I grow as a wrestler everytime I get to step into the ring with Wyatt. Of course, I can’t chew for a few days, but I enjoy it for some reason.
KC Karrington and his tag team partner and good friend Steven Kennedy gives respect to Darin Corbin and Ryan Cruz of the Northstar Express after a hard fought battle that the LWA Fans loved. (Photo Credit Michael R Van Hoogstraat)
5) I have to admit that I am a big fan of good tag team wrestling. I would love to see the Ego Express travel to 3XW to take on the tag team The Gentleman’s Club of Mark Sterling and Gage Octane or go head to head Barrio BoysDomino Rivera and Angel Medina in Kansas. Is there any tag team that you would like to test your skills against?
KC Karrington: The Bario Boys are definitely on that list. I’ve only gotten to see them a few times, but I’ve got to say that I was impressed. The Hooligans are another tag team that I have seen a few times, and I’d like to see how Kennedy and I would do against them. Plus, they seem to enjoy beating the snot out of the Submission Squad, which I am always a fan of.
6) When one talks about the history of the Ego Express and KC Karrington we can not have a conversation without talking about your former manager, as conniving as she is beautiful Tiffany LeFane. In one of the most shocking moments that I can recall she turned on you at the 2008 Circus Maximus, by throwing a fireball and taking the side of the Submission Squad. I feel that she is one of the top managers in the Midwest but one could argue that you have found more success without her in your corner. Would you say it would be fair to say that you were able to use her turn on you as motivation?
KC Karrington: Her turning on me is something that made me step up my game. After eveything that she and Vega did to me at Circus Maximus, (the blood, the fire, the betrayal), I feel like I had to evolve. But at the same time, I feel like the fans began to take me a lot more seriously. They recognized that I wasn’t the young kid that I started out as. I had grown, and I had been through a damn war and made it out alive. As far as Tiffany goes…….let’s face it, there is not a person that she has managed that hasn’t been successful. Let’s look at the list here. Ego Express : Multi-time GCW Tag Champs, LWA Tag Champs, SSK is the Medallion of Whatchimacallit (I can never remember) holder, and I currently hold the LWA Championship. Davey Vega : Medallion of Bandanas holder, somebody whom I have NEVER beaten in an LWA ring, and soon faces Dingo for the NWA Missouri State Championship. Gary the Nightowl has a shot at my LWA Championship soon. Tiffany knows what she is doing out there. As much as she has put me through, I believe she IS the top manager in the mid-west.
Don’t let Tiffany Lefane great legs distract you, because she is one the great manipulators in the sport. She now leads former fan favorite Gary the Barn Owl into action. (Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)
7) Lets turn our focus to singles action. Looking back, Jeremy Wyatt had been the Kingpin and the 2008 MWR Wrestler of the year throughout the Midwest by beating top notch talent in Tyler Black, “The Future” Donovan Ruddick, Abu Colussus, Davey Richards and Jordan Lacey. How were you able to overcome the intensity of Wyatt where so many others have failed?
KC Karrington: You know, I’ve asked myself the same question. I don’t think that I would be holding the LWA Championship without the fans on my side. The night I won the title, the thing I remember most was the reaction that the fans gave me when I stepped through the curtain. That still gives me goosebumps. When Wyatt gave me repeated forearms to the jaw, chops to the chest, and those stiff kicks he can throw, hearing the fans rallying behind me gave me that will to fight on. I would love to say that I won that belt because I am better than Wyatt, but I’m not going to say that. Jeremy Wyatt may not be a fan favorite to put it lightly, but he is probably the best in the mid-west. I respect him more than almost anybody else in the locker room.
Karrington threw caution to the wind to become the LWA Champion by beating the man very few have had wins against in the past two years “The Rebel” Jeremy Wyatt. (Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)
8) On June 20th, 2009 you shocked wrestling fans by becoming the man to end Wyatt’ title reign. Your good friend Steven Kennedy came into the ring to congratulate you while the LWA locker room came ringside for a standing ovation. Explain to the fans in words what that moment was like.
KC Karrington: Accomplished. I felt like I had really proved all the doubters wrong. All the people when I first started telling me that I could never be anything because of my size…..I had always let that sit in the back of my head. I’ve been trying to prove them wrong for the last five years. Hearing the LWA fans in O’Fallon, seeing my family in the crowd, and having Kennedy, Shorty Biggs, Adam Rich, people I think of like brothers, in the ring with me to share that moment. I don’t think that that moment could have been any better.
The LWA locker room salutes the New Champ (Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)
9) One competitor who has quietly making waves is your former partner Kennedy. He is the current LWA Medallion of Brutality holder by defeating Gary J who was accompanied by Tiffany Lefane the same night that you won the LWA Title and has been impressive in the past few months including a big match Jeremy Wyatt, Brandon Espinosa & Dash Rando in a four-way no-DQ match. It may not be soon but how would you feel if Kennedy was granted a shot?
Kc Karringotn proved that he was for real when he defeated Wyatt in a rematch for the LWA title on July 25 in House Springs. . Karrington had to display a lot of heart and guts as the Rebel was even more nastier than ever. (Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)
KC Karrington: You know, that’s something that’s crossed my mind quite a bit. Kennedy and I joke all the time about who is the Shawn Michaels of our tag team and who is the Marty Jannetty. Luckily, we’ve never been inside of a barber shop. Seriously, though, I would give SSK a title shot any time and any where. He is ridiculously talented, and he and I think so much alike, it would probably be as close as I could get to wrestling myself.
Steven Kennedy quietly has been red hot this past summer including a big win against Brandon Espinosa. (Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)
10) Who do you feel in the coming months present your biggest challenge for the LWA title going forward?
KC Karrington: As far as people who have yet to make that big splash, Davey Vega is somebody that everybody in the mid-west should keep their eyes on. I have known him since he first started, and he is an all around great wrestler. Personality, psychology, general ring presence….he has it all. We’ve wrestled more times than I can remember. He and I have been in some wars, and have tried to literally destroy each other. Hell, he tried to set me on fire! Personal feelings aside though, getting in the ring with him always brings out the best in me, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him come after my LWA Title in the near future. Mike Sydal is somebody that has come a long way in a short time. I’ve gotten to step into the ring with him in tag and singles matches, and he’s beyond talented. Brandon Aarons is another guy I’m very impressed with, and another guy that I have known since he first started training. Another person that takes pride in what he does, and I think he can make some major waves soon. Of course, the guys that have been in the game for a while are a threat and ready to strike. Kennedy, Dingo, Sterling. Any one of them coming after the championship would not surprise me. Unfortunately for me, they’re some of the best at what they do. I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t looking forward to it.
KC Once again thank you for your being a part of the MWR exclusive 10 questions with the Champ. Good luck on defending your title in the future.
KC Karrington: Again, thank you very much for having me on MWR, and for your constant support
KC Karrington defends his LWA Title in House Springs Missouri against Gary the Barn Owl
LWA Fans vote for your favorite LWA Stars in the 2009 fan poll here.
Missouri Wrestling Revival 