The Wrestle Talk Podcast with Joe and Rene is proud to announce that, on Wednesday, January 9th, we will have two exclusive interviews.
At 7:30 P.M., we will have an exclusive interview with professional wrestling icon David McLane. An avid fan, David McLane grew up watching professional wrestling alongside his brothers in Indianapolis, Indiana. David McLane got his first taste of professional wrestling by launching the “Dick the Bruiser” fan club, selling various professional wrestlers autographs through mail order. Garnering the personal attention of Dick the Bruiser, David McLane quickly was brought to the World Wrestling Association promotion. Learning the “ins and outs” of professional wrestling, David McLane went on to work in promotions and marketing before moving to ringside commentator and announcer for the promotion. Once David McLane graduated from Indiana University in 1986, he would forever leave his mark on professional wrestling as the creator of GLOW – Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling. Serving as ring announcer, play-by-play commentator, and owner, McLane guided the promotion to the national spotlight by featuring women that were often overshadowed by their male counterparts in the professional wrestling world.
In 2000, David McLane founded and launched WOW – Women of Wrestling. Under McLane’s guidance, Women of Wrestling became the top syndicated program in the New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, Due to the events of September 11th, 2001, Women of Wrestling lost its syndication, sending David McLane back to his past role at ESPN. As time went on, David McLane never lost sight of his vision for the promotion. In 2011, he began WOW anew. Joined by Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, they re-launched WOW with a vision of bringing women’s professional wrestling back to the forefront of the professional wrestling world. Presently, David McLane is the producer, ringside commentator, and match-maker of Women of Wrestling. WOW will be making its network debut on Friday, January 18th at 9 P.M. Eastern, kicking off an exciting season that puts the spotlight on the legendary WOW Superheroes. With a roster of over thirty highly skilled professional wrestlers, WOW is the first professional wrestling promotion to put the focus solely on female professional wrestlers in all aspects. It will feature a blend of hard-hitting action and the theatrical flair that has come to define the promotion over the years.
At 8:30 P.M., we will have an exclusive interview with The Beer City Bruiser. Training under the guidance of Trevor Adonis and “Handsome” Harley Race, The Beer City Bruiser made his professional wrestling debut in May 2000. A native of Waukesha, Wisconsin, The Beer City Bruiser has compete for some of the most well-known professional wrestling promotions in the world, including World League Wrestling, Metro Pro Wrestling, 3XWrestling, Canadian Wrestling Elite, Brew City Wrestling, IWA Mid-South, Pro Wrestling World-1, National Wrestling Alliance, Ring of Honor Wrestling, and New Japan Pro Wrestling. Over his almost nineteen year career in professional wrestling, The Beer City Bruiser has won countless singles and tag team championships. Recognized three times by the Pro Wrestling Illustrated “PWI 500”, you can regularly see The Beer City Bruiser in many independent professional wrestling promotions throughout the United States. You can also see The Beer City Bruiser as a part of “The Bouncers” tag team with Brian Milonas in Ring of Honor Wrestling. Please tune in to the Wrestle Talk Podcast as we continue to bring you the best in the world of professional wrestling.
Since 2015, the Wrestle Talk Podcast with Joe and Rene has covered the world of professional wrestling at the local, national, and international levels. Based out of Kansas City, Kansas, the Wrestle Talk Podcast is your official source for everything in the world of professional wrestling. The Wrestle Talk Podcast also covers the world of fantasy professional wrestling through the Fantasy Wrestling Worldwide Chapter. To interact with the show LIVE, please call (657) 383-1521. To listen to the Wrestle Talk Podcast LIVE, please go to our website at www.wrestletalkpodcast.com. You can also find the Wrestle Talk podcast online at www.blogtalkradio.com/wrestletalkpodcast, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WrestleTalkCast, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/wrestletalkcast
Matt Murphy a man with many talents has his hands full at Metro Pro Wrestling. (Photo Credit Brian Kelley)
MWR fans know very well the name of Matt Murphy. Murphy is the first graduate of the Harley Race Wrestling Academy, a former WLW Tag Team Champion, gone to war with CM Punk and B.J. Whitmer at IWA-Mid south, been to Japan and wrestled on TV for the WWE.
Murphy has been a bestselling author for his autobiography named The Somebody Obsession: A nobody’s desperate Journey to Stardom, been a contributing writer for MWR and recently was asked to be the Metro Pro Wrestling Commissioner.
At one point MPW Superstar Domino Rivera lost a match thus making him Murphy’s personal assistant.
The TV Cameras caught this on tape.
Note: Since this was taped Domino Rivera along with a little help from Lucy Mendez defeated #1 Brett Young in a loser is Matt Murphy’s Assistant. Don’t forget to make your way to Kansas City on August 13th to be catching all the action, drama and suspense at Metro Pro Wrestling.
Helloooo wrestling fans as the great Bill Kersten would say. I am thrilled that today we are celebrating our 1,000 post here at Missouri Wrestling Revival. Throughout the past two and half years you have been able to come to MWR site to check out upcoming shows, interviews and stories of the top stars of not only the Midwest but around the world.
MWR started out simple enough from one of my best friends Josh Ray who had the dream to bring attention to wrestling in the Midwest. He worked hard to get the site going and along with myself and Kari Williams the site was off and running.
Thankfully we had a good friend Peter Hahn whos sister Rachel, is a wonderful graphic artist that came up with the logo that has became the face of MWR.
I have been so busy getting ready for school, preparing for my sons school year and other projects that I have yet to unveil some great new logo’s from our good friends at Awesome bomb radio so no time is better than the start of a new thousand. Adult MWR fans take a chance to check out the Awesome Bomb Radio for some wild and crazy interviews with some of the top wrestlers in the game today.
Everyone at MWR has worked hard to be respectful and polite to each promotion, wrestler and fans that we have gone across.
I have a strong belief that to be successful that no one can do it alone. In the history of MWR there have been some wonderful supporters of the site that is vital to MWR’S place in wrestling today. I am going to attempt to thank everyone that has made MWR possible. At every promotion we have worked with there has been not only promoter, wrestlers but also referees, ring announcer, security, video crew and fans that I have nothing but love and respect for. Several have become close friends, while others I have not seen in a long time, though time has past by and we may have not seen each other this post is still for you.
1) The Fans: I hope that you have found MWR a place that you come to enjoy. You are the most important piece to the puzzle to making a show a success. At times we are very busy at a show but I want you to know that I thank you for clicking on the site and we are always excited to get to meet you. Your support for the hard working men and women of the sport keeps the hope alive for pro wrestlers to live their dream. If you have not checked out a local show near you I urge you to check out a promotion soon.
We have made many Friends thanks to the MWR site. Drew and Gary are two great guys that I met at local shows, they knew us from the work we do thanks to MWR. During the Wrestling Legends on tour the three of us got to pose with some of the top wrestling stars ever in the sport. These are just two of the many fans that we are proud to call our friends.
2) The Promoters: These guys are judged, hated and sometimes forgotten. It takes a special person to risk there money and spend their time to run a show. The cold hard fact is that it is a LOT of work to be one and at times luck to be successful in this profession. Without them doing the ground work a show never gets off the ground. They have opened their doors to us and I hope they know we have been honored to try our best to get the word out about the dates of their show.
3) The Wrestlers, managers and referees: Call it a sport or call it entertainment, one can not deny that it takes true talent to make a show a success..
During the years I have been all around the Midwest checking out shows in the big cities and the small towns and I can say that I have no doubt that there is no athletes that cares more for their fans that the wrestlers.
We have been at a few shows that have had less than 30 people, that did not stop the wrestlers from going out there and giving it their all, then took the time to come meet the fans.
I watched time and time where they have took that extra moment to talk, pose for pictures and sign autographs to the kids of all ages and thanking them for their hard earn money to watch them do what they love.
There have been many shows where the wrestlers have donated their time and skills with no pay to support a fundraiser for a local family or school.
No matter what state we are in, or the three letters of the promotions every wrestles have the same goal and that is to entertain you with the best of their abilities.
This past weekend I was in Lincoln Illinois for the Arts and Balloon Festival where the a huge crowd witness some exciting wrestling action. One of the many talented wrestlers in the Midwest today, Knight Wagner asked if he could do a promo commemorating the moment that so many fans had a chance to see what wrestling was like in our area.
I was honored by the kind words that he said in the promo for our website in hopes that you the fans will check us out to find out where you can see the next wrestling show in your area. I want to share with you the words of Knight Wagner.
To be honest there have been many such compliments given to the MWR family from many many wrestlers that understand that this site is built for the fans, the promoters and wrestlers themselves.
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It has been a pleasure to work each and every one of you. I have seen some of the craziest, weirdest and breathtaking matches ever in the past two plus years at MWR. The love that you have for wrestling is only equaled by the desire to give the fans their money’s worth. MWR could not be as successful or fun without your cooperation
4) Dubray Tallman: The old saying is behind every successful man is a good women. Thankfully I have Dubray to help support me while we drive the six hours roundtrip for many shows. There is no group of friends that live close enough that we can ride with to make the trip faster or cheaper. In less than a year and half we have made over eighty shows in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Illinois. At times the site takes away from what we can do elsewhere or together as it takes time to write and edit everything. Prior to the show Dubray works on one of the most popular articles that we have Dubi meets the fans. Often Dubi Meets the Fans is the among the top post for weeks on end . Dubray I love you.
5) Josh and Sara Ray: The founder of MWR is also one of my best friends. Josh has a great mind and love for the business. If only the two of us lived closer no telling how much more successful MWR would be. They don’t get much better than Josh and Sara
6) Kari Williams: MWR’S number one writer, you have read Kari’s articles from the inception of the site. Young and talented there is no doubt that you will find Kari’s work in a much bigger forum one day. Dubray and I always are thrilled to see Kari and her mother Joan.
7) Matt Murphy: Matt is one of the most underrated wrestling minds today. He has always been willing to give his advice and assistance for the site. In fact I didn’t take his advice early on and paid for it. Lesson learned, listen to Matt Murphy. Seriously Matt was kind enough to have his book showcased here at MWR in a weekly article that many MWR fans loved. If you missed it, there is a link at the top of the page that you can go to do catch up. MWR fans if you have read this article or book PLEASE take the time to review it on Amazon.com here.
8) Greg Anthony – Anthony brings to the site, a fan that is talented enough to excel in the sport today as a wrestler. I am never bored and often surprised to what he has to say in the MWR favorite the Golden Circle. As with Murphy if you have missed any of his articles I urge you take a look at the top of the page and enjoy.
9) Patrick Brandmeyer– As much as I love local professional wrestling, the truth is at times it can be nearly impossible to find out information on the past as well as the current history of the business. I often look to my good friend Patrick Brandmeyer for the what, how and why in the St Louis wrestling market and beyond. If a promotion wants a good source of advertisement then most defiantly contact Brandmeyer to make his way to your show.
10) ST Louis Wrestling Community and the Nose Bleed seats- Many people think that the man known as the Crimefighter and his website the ST Louis Wrestling Community are a competitor of the MWR website. The truth is that I have always enjoyed working with Crimfighter and his colleagues from the Nose Bleed SeatsChris Lee and MOAV5706. I often use the site and their advice for articles that you read here. They have had some great podcast and they are the number one source for all your wrestling in Central Illinois. Check them out here.
11) MWR T-shirts– Nothing brings a smile to my face than seeing a fan or wrestler wear a MWR Shirt. In the four states that we cover we have given away or sold 100’s of our shirts to wonderful people such as yourself. We started out with free drawings during intermission to a lucky fan.
Fans like this wonderful women has been thrilled to catch a MWR T-Shirt from a Midwest Superstar (Photo Credit Mike Van Hoogsraat)
Then one day at PWP I was taken photos when Murder Militia’s #1 Brett Young came to the ring wearing an MWR shirt . That kicked a light bulb in my head, why don’t we have a wrestler wear to ring and unlike the greedy Young who kept his shirt, we have them throw it to a lucky fan. This promotion has been more than a success and I would like to thank all the wrestlers who have worn the shirt in the past in this promotion. The fans I feel have had a lot of fun in catching them . Most recently one fan told me that her daughter was so impressed with catching the t-shirt and having her picture taken with the wrestler(Jimmy Karryt) that she has that picture of her and him as the background picture on their computer. You can not purchase moments as special as that.
Words can not describe how important my friend Nick Ridenour has been this year in working with us to have quality and affordable t-shirts with the small budget we have.
12) MWR Top Draws – A very popular feature at MWR is the art work from MWR’S Dartallion Allen JR. Allen brings to life your favorite stars in a cartoon style. Mwr fans look in the very near future a chance to vote for who you think Allen Jr should draw in the MWR Classic Wrestler Top Draw. Till then take the time to click above to see one of Midwest brightest artist today.
13) MWR Trading Cards– This is my new passion and a set that I take great pride in. A worthy collectable for the fans of MWR, the set features the stars of the Midwest and around the world that we have all come to love or hate. We started off with the MWR award winners for 2008 and 2009, card number one was the 2008 MWR Tag team of the year the Northstar Express Darin Corbin and Ryan Cruz with Pnut, the three who is awesome in promos looked just as good in a trading card.
“The Future” Donovan Ruddick takes the time to pose with young fans that had purchased his MWR Trading Card prior to him autographing the collectable that fans have been clamoring for the past few months.
Since then we have added a who’s who of stars in the Midwest including three people that I am forever grateful who brought worldwide recognition to the set, site and other wrestlers of the series and they are international stars MsChif, Davey Richards and Ring of Honor World Champion Tyler Black.
A big thank you goes out to Alyssa Major for her amazing talent on these cards.
As of press time we have announced Nineteen trading cards and each and every individual brings their own flair and worth to your collection. Look for many other superstars of the ring to grace their presence in the set. In fact I am so excited to name them that I need to stop writing about it.
For a look at these card check out our checklist at the number one site for wrestling trading cards Wrestlingtradingcards.comhere.
14) MWR Photographers– People that know me, know that I love photos of wrestling. Often I will go to a website and see results from a show but never know what that person looks like. At MWR you get a chance to put a name with a face in an exciting fashion
I am blessed to be able to have some of the great photographers in the Midwest at MWR that allow us to use their work and expensive equipment for the site. A very underrated aspect to the scene is a photographer, these hard working professionals are able to capture that moment when your favorite wrestler goes for that high risk move, or the final moment when a wrestler wins the championship. With pictures you capture history.
Mike Van Hoogstraat, Gary Giaffoglione, Bill Smith and Scott Fieldstein are regulars with MWR who donate the pictures for you the fans to enjoy. I love all of these guys for their contribution and friendship.
15) Absolute Wrestling Radio: Amazingly when I wrote this article for 1,000 post I had somehow forgotten to recognize the AWR family. It’s not that they were not worthy or I hadn’t thought of them its just that I thought I had them done. Make no mistake about it that AWR was very crucial to MWR inception to the wrestling world. Based out of St Louis AWR has been a place where fans can listen and call in to talk about the WWE, TNA , local wrestling and MMA.
Mark Bland Matt Kreuger and Andy Echle have been a lot of fun throughout the time that I have known them and have created some of the most memorable moments in MWR history. They have always done a wonderful job getting the word of MWR out to the masses. We look forward to all of your hard wok and friendship.
Promotions
In the past two and half years MWR has covered and worked with each of these promotions in one form or another. I don’t want to thank anyone in particular because of the fear of forgetting anyone. Once again there are many great people that are in each of these promotions who have made a positive impact for the MWR site.
3XWrestling
All American Pro Wrestling
All American Wrestling
Central States Wrestling
Great American Wrestling
High Voltage Wrestling
IWA-Mid-South
Independent Hardcore Wrestling
IWA Productions
Lethal Wrestling Alliance
New Midwest Wrestling
New Breed Wrestling Alliance
NWA Supreme Wrestling
NWA Dynamo Pro Wrestling
Metro East Championship Wrestling
Metro Pro Wrestling
MMWA-SICW
Pro Wrestling Epic
Pro Wrestling Next
Pro Wrestling Phoenix
Pro Wrestling Next
Rampage Championship Wrestling
World League Wrestling
I hope that you check out these promotions live in the very near future.
Thank you MWR Fans and we hope to celebrate 1,500 soon. Till then look for all the exciting developments and happenings in the world of Pro Wrestling in the near future at MWR.
Sincerely,
Brian Kelley
Owner/ Editor of Missouri Wrestling Revival
My good friend Josh Ray and I spoke recently about the celebration of the MWR 1,000 POST. He stated that he had an article he would like to share with you so we started MWR post 1 with Josh Ray so it is only fitting that we end 1,000 with my good friend Josh.
By Josh Ray
Even though I left Missouri Wrestling Revival in the talented hands of Brian Kelley and Kari Williams a year ago to pursue other pro wrestling opportunities, as founder of this website/community I am extremely attached to any of MWR‘s successes and failures. It doesn’t matter whether the ideas came from my own mind or the mind of a friend, because once it is implemented by the site, it becomes part of the family.
As family, career, and life in general have siphoned time from one of my passions, most of my Midwest pro wrestling knowledge comes in spurts from MWR. It is a great site that has helped in more ways than it will ever get credit for, and that is due to a combined effort from contributors to MWR, promoters, wrestlers, behind-the-scenes staff, and of course fans! When Brian and I chatted last week and he informed me that the 1000th post was fast approaching, I wanted to get involved.
A lot is said of a wrestler’s desire and love of the business. Sometimes paid in hot dogs and other time not paid at all, these men and women travel at great physical, emotional, and financial expense because they love to entertain and they strive to improve. Unfortunately, there are other pieces of this puzzle that often go overlooked. These overlooked pieces are evident in those train wrecks that inevitably occur. Great wrestlers can make a great match, but those that work in supporting roles (the overlooked pieces I am referring to) are what make an entire event a success. In fact, those working in these supporting roles can make or break everything from the attendance to the safety at the show.
Those in these supporting roles include the promoter himself/herself, the booker, the referee, ring announcer, managers/valets, sound man/woman, camera crew, photographer, security, bloggers/journalists, and other volunteers. These men and women are no less a part of the wrestling business than the wrestlers themselves, but they often do what they do with little or no fanfare. There is no World Wrestling Entertainment developmental program for most of these roles, and many serving in these capacities are expected to do the work for free to pay their dues and to be a part of the show.
Even WWE legend Shawn Michaels acknowledged many of the great supporting members of WWE during his retirement speech on the March 29, 2010 edition of Monday Night RAW:
This is really gonna sound strange to you guys, but there’s a whole lot of people in those big ‘ol trucks out back, there are these guys here holding the camera, Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler, and of course the greatest announcer of all time Jim Ross… but I want to thank all you guys. You guys always made me look better than I ever really was and I so appreciate that.
I want to follow in those great footsteps in this, the 1000th post on Missouri Wrestling Revival, by naming my own MWR “Supporting Roles” All-Star Team. This is by no means definitive and is solely based on my opinion with some input from trusted friends.
Supporting Roles All-Star 1st Team
Booker – Matt Murphy
I have talked with Matt numerous times and know his credentials. This would be the guy to go to in order to get the matches lined up… and the first guy I would talk to to straighten out any backstage issues.
Referees –
Brandon Schmidt
Eric Davis
Both men work hard and want to continue learning. You’d be hard pressed to find two more competent officials to ref a show.
Ring Announcer –
KL Snow
The man with the green socks has a great voice for ring announcing and is one of the nicest men you’ll meet in and out of the ring. He no longer operates in the area, but is worth the money to bring in.
Video –
Skylar Pierce
This guy shoots and edits wrestling video on a regular basis and continues to improve. Watch 3XW’s Outside the Ring on Youtube to see the progression of his video work.
Camera – Jenny Bessman 3XW’s video team under the guidance of Skylar Pierce is my logical choice, with Jenny getting the by name selection, but without excluding the video talents of Sean Wilkerson. These guys keep the 3XW machine moving in the right direction by continuing their line of DVDs and providing footage for the 3XW web show Outside the Ring.
Security –Brandon “Bubba” Wacholtz
When I put together the MWR show for November 2009, “Bubba” was my first choice for security. Very professional in a security capacity and anyone that says otherwise has probably deserved being removed from a show.
Backstage Photographer –
Michael R. Van Hoogstraat
Many of the great Midwest wrestler photos from backstage that you see on this site and across the Internet come from this man!
Ringside Photographer –
Gary Giaffoglione
You feel right there in the middle of the action when Gary is at the helm.
Mouthpiece –
Magic Man
I extended the offer to Magic Man a long time ago… whenever I have a video camera he is always welcome to jump in front of it.
Mouthpiece –
Chad Mylan
Quite honestly, I mark for very few things in this world… but I mark for Chad Mylan. I am a Mylanite.
Booster –
Chuck Maddox
A genuinely nice guy with a love for professional wrestling that many do not come close to matching. Chuck is the guy you’d want to work with on any marketing plan or budget.
Journalist/Blogger –
Kari Williams
The resident workhorse at MWR has a career beyond this site that is right around the corner. I am very proud to have met her and often go to her for writing advice.
That is all I have for this, the 1000th post on Missouri Wrestling Revival. Remember, if its worth supporting then support it. If not then run the other way and something better will eventually come along!
IWA Midsouth Prince of the Death Matches Neil Diamond Cutter (Photo Credit Brian Kelley)
This week on the Nose Bleed Seats due to its overall length they split it up into three separate audio files…but for each part they have a different guest! Part one they interview a member of the Hooligans, the IWA Mid-South Prince of the Deathmatches winner Neil Diamond Cutter! Hosted by Chris Lee, MOAV5706 and the Mad Conservative.
And now part two of there three part podcast – this segment they interview the one-lung superhero known as Dan the Man. He’s put in appearances with IWA Mid-South and Dreamwave, he’s also wrestled for promotions in St. Louis and Chicago. Before that a rundown of the new NBS 25 and Tag 5 lists. The last segment will feature ROH World Champion Tyler Black.
And the final part of the three part episode, ROH World Champion Tyler Black joins the NBS. He talks about how he got into wrestling, being one of the few top stars to come out of Iowa, IWA Mid-South, and his upcoming appearance at Pro Wrestling Epic. For the business marks in the audience Tyler goes into financial security and societal comparisons between the real world and wrestling. Hosted by Chris Lee & MOAV5706.
You have seen her earn the respect of MsChif in singles action at High Voltage Wrestling. You saw her on Spike TV live and in living color on Total Nonstop Wrestling. You have seen her at IWA-Mid South. Click on the TNA Website and you can see her beside the controversial Orlando Jordan. You cheered her on as she teamed up with MsChif to defeat Serenity and Jessika Haze.
Just last month she debut out at Harley Race’s World League Wrestling in Richmond and Concordia Missouri on April 24 and 24th respectively.
Now you can own the card of the Midwest hottest wrestling star today Santana G!!
What started as a competition between two up and coming tag teams has turned into a war that is sweeping across the mid-west and has made an impact on a lot of area promotions.
The Submission Squad (Pierre Abernathy and Evan Gelistico) made there name in the Saint Louis based LWA but have been branching out over the last two years. The Squad has made stops in Chikara Pro as well as IWA-Mid South have held tag titles in 4 states and have worked in two countries. Making there home in LWA as well as IWA-TX the Submission Squad is on the right path of breaking out on a national scene.
The Hooligans (Mason and Devin Cutter) made there names in the Georgia area training under former WWF superstar Mr. Hughes. The Cutters then made there home base in East Saint Louis where they looked to make an impact on the tag team scene. The Hooligans shined in the first ever IWA- Mid South tryout show earning full time jobs and tons of exposure. Since then the brothers have worked all across the mid-west and fought top teams in the IWA. This team is also on the path of breaking onto the national scene.
On June 13th in Dupo Illinois these two paths crossed for the first time as the Submission Squad took on the Hooligans for the first time on the IHW debut show. This back and forth match saw the Submission Squad come out on top. What we thought would be a one time match up has turned into much more.
The Hooligans have Evan Gelistico where they want him. (Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)
We fast forward to August 8th as the Hooligans jumped at the chance to face the Submission Squad in there home base of the LWA. The Cutters got there second chance at LWA gold in New Athens Illinois/ However for the second time the brothers fell short as the Squad pinned the Hooligans.
The Submission Squad had felt that there rivalry with the Hooligans was over as they had beat them two times in a row but a open door would be what turned this rivalry personal. The Submission Squad was asked to put there LWA tag team titles on the line against the Hooligans on the PWN event and the Squad did not want to turn down the chance to debut in a new area so they accepted and you had The Submission Squad vs. The Hooligans 3 for the LWA tag team titles.
The Submission Squad improved there dominance of the Cutters on Aug 15 when they defeated the Hooligans Lil Brother Neil Diamond Cutter and his tag team partner The Blackheart in the semi final match for the HVW Tag team Titles. (Photo credit Mike Van Hoogstraat)
On August 21st the Squad would meet The Hooligans in the match that would change everything. In a back and forth match the mid-west wrestling scene was shocked as The Hooligans won the LWA tag team titles. This was unprecedented as the LWA tag titles changed hands outside the LWA to a team who is not in the LWA. Not only that but the Cutters used outside help from the Epic War (based in California) tag team champions Tim Donst and Jaysin Strife to capture the titles.
Current LWA Champions The Hooligans(Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)
The Hooligans were ready to take on Project Mayhem in the GAW tag team tournament. However on August 30th in Lincoln IL one half of the Project Mayhem team was hurt so they could not compete in the tournament. They did sign there own replacement and it was the Submission Squad. The Squad stormed the ring and fought the Hooligans in non-title (LWA) action. The Squad on this night beat the Hooligans thus ending there chance at the GAW tag team titles. However these two tag teams would brawl out of the building that night.
At GAW the feud continued but the LWA Championship was not on the line. Pierre would get the pinfall for bragging rights in this highly contested feud. (Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)
We now go back to where this all began in the town of Dupo Illinois for the IHW promotion as it was set to be trios action featuring The Submission Squad along with stable mate Gary Jay taking on The Hooligans with there little brother Neil Diamond Cutter. This was not for the LWA tag team titles but was as intense as any title match you could see. The Cutter brothers on this night pinned the Submission Squad but the fight did stop there as these men had to be pulled apart after the match by security and referees.
During the intermission of this show The Hooligans attacked The Submission Squad and these teams tore apart the building and thus have all been suspended from IHW indefinitely.
As of this writing the next scheduled match between these two teams is October 10th in Granite City Illinois for the HVW promotion. They will face in the finals of the HVW tag team tournament. What started as a rivalry between two teams trying to break onto the national scene has turned into a war which may cause one of these teams not to make it
This column is the property of Christopher M. Zack and published here as agreed upon by Pro Wrestling Next. No duplication of this column is permitted without the exclusive written consent of the author and/or PWN officials.
General Disclaimer: I can be incredibly long winded. I have a degree in English and love to write, so I tend to write quite a bit. When I’m passionate about something, it comes out even more. I have a lot of passion about the wrestling business, so these columns will definitely be wordy, but it’s all to get discussions going.
That’s right, it’s the return of Angles W/Camera Guy Chris. First things first, personal business. I again would like to apologize for my sporadic posting over the summer months. It’s been hard to sit and focus on (no pun intended) putting together an article between my work schedule and spending time with my daughter during the summer months. Now that school has started again, it’ll be a lot easier to post this for you great fans who visit the boards and read my work.
I also want to announce two things about Angles. Firstly, I will not be posting on a weekly basis. At the moment, I simply don’t have the energy or time to get a new topic together and post every week. It would burn me out very quickly. Angles will be a monthly post at the very least. There may be 2 posts a month depending on time and topics. That leads into my other announcement. My work is going to look more exclusively on Independent wrestling. There are so many great Indy feds and Indy talent out there, that to look at the WWE and TNA would just be foolish on my part. Pro Wrestling NEXT is a great Independent Wrestling Organization showcasing the best young wrestlers out there, and that’s where my attention will be from now on.
I can’t think of a better place to begin this new focus than with some of the events that transpired this past Friday, August 21st, 2009. There are many excellent independent wrestling groups around the world and right here in America. Organizations like Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, Full Impact Pro, CHIKARA, and Combat Zone Wrestling come to mind as some of the top Independents that come to mind here in the States. (I left out Ring of Honor, because, honestly, they have a national TV deal and are on PPV, I can’t consider them independent anymore) Friday night’s event at the Bier Stube saw the World Heavyweight Champion of one of these top feds defend his title live for us in the Quad Cities, CZW Champion Drake Younger.
Younger, trained by the likes of Ian Rotten and Chris Hero among others, is a brutal, vicious competitor who has held the Combat Zone World Heavyweight Championship since July 12, 2008, when he defeated Nick Gage for the title. Holding any title for more than a year is a great feat, but it’s definitely a mark of a true champion. Drake is best known for his deathmatch wrestling, a main stable for CZW, but he is also a brilliant technical wrestler and mat technician.
Younger brought this combined style to PWN on the 21st, looking to take down Hunter Matthews. Hunter, former PWN Quad Cities Champion and self-proclaimed “King of Des Moines,” felt he was cheated out of a title and deserved a title match at Bier Stube Bash 2, The Sequel. So, Drake Younger stepped in to give him that opportunity. How often to you get to see a World Title from another organization defended? That is the main point of this article. It’s a treat when another group, especially one as big as CZW allows their title to be defended outside of one of their own shows.
Younger brought is reputation and his World Title to Moline and gave the fans one kick ass ride. I’ve already talked about this match to some extent in my response to the results thread, but I’m going to go a bit more in depth now.
Hunter came out first, and of course took the microphone, much to the dismay of the fans. Matthews has definitely not been a favorite of the QC crowd. He talked about how the Quad Cities Championship had been taken, and his need of holding a title. Younger came out to put a stop to the talking and start the action, bringing and emptying a beer battle as he walked to the ring. He was on Matthews right from the start. Hunter didn’t even have a chance to get out of his jacket before Drake took the fight to him. Eventually, he was able to duck out of the ring and get a moment to pull his jacket off and gear up for the fight, but a moment was all he got.
The CZW Champion quickly followed him out of the ring to continue the beating. Out amongst the fans, we saw many various weapons used and advantages taken by both parties. And under CZW rules, this was all legal. No count outs, no disqualifications. Matthews was hit by a water bottle and a beer can before fighting back and getting Younger prone on top of a hard plastic picnic table. Hunter attempted a piledriver on top of this table but Drake was able to counter. Younger looked like he wanted to slam the “King” down to the cement below, but Matthews was able to block that attempt and the two of them made their way off the table.
The World Champion would empty a garbage can and take that to Hunter Matthews’ skull, leaving an indentation of the King’s “crown” on both sides of the metal can. Younger would then take his empty beer bottle, smash it across the ring post and attempt to lacerate Matthews with it. Hunter was able to dodge that and fought Drake, leading him to the fountain in the Bier Stube’s court yard. He tried to force the Champ’s head under water, and Younger struggled to prevent this, but, Matthews was able to over power him and dunk him for several seconds.
The two men battled back and forth around the outside of the ring until Hunter was able to whip Drake over a couple more plastic picnic tables towards a set of stairs leading up to a balcony overlooking the garden. They fought up to the balcony, both men teetering and trying to push the other over the edge. Thankfully, neither was successful. That would have caused serious injury. After battling back down the stairs they made their way out to the parking lot and onto the metal bed that had carried the ring to the venue. Hunter would get scooped up and slammed on his back on the metal!
At that point, things were pretty well over. Matthews was able to stay on his feet as they fought their way back in the ring. In the ring, Younger hit a sick ass vertibreaker for the win and rolled out of the ring to celebrate with the QC crowd. The fans really seemed to enjoy this. Drake grabbed the microphone, told the fans that he’d heard about Matthews and how he liked to run his mouth a lot. He was glad to have given the fans what they’ve wanted, silence, and he hoped to see them all in the bar to share a beer! At one point, I remember him looking me right in the eye…er…lens…and saying “That’s what you get when you call out Drake Younger” while pointing to Hunter, prone in the ring.
This is the great action you see in Pro Wrestling Next. Not only are we bringing in great new talent, we’re showcasing HUGE matches with World Titles from some of the top feds across the country. This is only the beginning, too. On September 12th, PWN welcomes back Davey Richards, current holder of the Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championship (a title he’s had once before) and current holder of the Full Impact Pro World Heavyweight Championship, a title he Will Defend in Davenport on September 12th at PWN’S Severed Ties!!!! FIP’s World Title is one of the top 3 wrestling championships in the country, and seeing it defended here in the Quad Cities is going to be excellent.
Back to the Bier Stube Bash, now. The CZW World Title match was awesome, but not the biggest moment of the night by far, in my opinion. The biggest moment happened before that match when The Hooligans defeated the Submission Squad to take the Lethal Wrestling Alliance Tag Team Championships. As unique as it is to see titles defended from other organizations, it is extremely rare to see a title change hands outside of the confines of the group the title is from. What makes this title change even more exciting and controversial is the fact that The Hooligans are not a part of LWA.
First, I have some background info. I need to thanks Brian “Flair” Kelley, Pierre Abernathy, and Kari Williams for tracking down or providing this information for me. The Submission Squad (Pierre Abernathy and Evan Gelistico) originally consisted of Pierre Abernathy, Dingo, and Nick Tyson, but the team has also included Evan Gelistico and “Blackheart” Johnny Vinyl. Before joining Abernathy, Gelistico was a member of the Bearded Men from Space Station Eleven (Gary the Barnowl—who was eventually corrupted by the likes of Gelistico, Abernathy, Tiffany LaFane, and Davey Vega—Billy McNeal, XXX Jordan Lacey, and Evan Gelistico) for approximately two years. Abernathy and Gelistico won the LWA Tag Titles on April 4th in O’Fallon, Illinois’s Night’s of Columbus building from the Ego Express (“Spoiled” Steven Kennedy & K.C. Karrington). The Ego Express were the first team to hold the LWA Tag Team Titles, beating Dingo and Davey Vega on 12/18/2008 at Yuletide Terror ’08.
During their title reign, the Submission Squad squared off against the Hooligans, the Northstar Express, and the Ego Express. One of their biggest feuds (before claiming the LWA gold) came against the Bearded Men over a span of two years. This feud saw Gelistico turn on the Space Station, claiming to be Gary’s father. Their other noticeable feud happened when original members, Dingo and Nick Tyson began to distance themselves from Abernathy and Gelistico. This culminated in a match between the new and the old Submission Squad on May 30 at the Vetta Sports Complex. Abernathy & Gelistico emerged victorious.
The Hooligans are Devin and Mason Cutter. The Cutters were raised in the outside districts of East St. Louis IL. They come from a working class family. They are just a couple of thugs or hooligans that enjoy a beer as much as they enjoy a good fight. You can catch them at any local pub after a hard days work drinking with there mates and at the end of the night you sure to see them in a fight. They are best known for their work in IWA-Mid South, where they have competed against some of the best IWA-MS has to offer, including (sometimes with Rain as their partner) Ian & Axl Rotten (sometimes with Mickie Knuckles)—better known as Bad Breed—on several occasions in many different types of hard-hitting, violent matches. The Cutters, in my opinion, are very no nonsense. They’re heavy hitters and consider themselves Working Class Heroes, though the fans from Friday didn’t consider them very heroic when they won the LWA Championships.
In Moline on August 21st, the crowd was already fired up, and it only escalated to see the first of two title matches. The QCA fans were definitely against the Hooligans throughout the match, especially after the match. Security had to restrain both the Hooligans and the crowd following their victory for the LWA Titles.
The match itself saw both teams getting in some early offense, until Devin and Mason cut Evan Gelistico off from his partner. The Cutters used classic heel tactics to divide and concur, isolating Gelistico and using moments when the ref’s back was turned to both double team Gelistico and trade places with blind tags.
During the match, Tim Donst and Jasin Strife came out to watch the proceedings. Donst had lost a match to Tony Kozina earlier in the night due to disqualification after Strife came down and joined Tim in assaulting Kozina. The Submission Squad had come to the aide of Kozina, causing Donst and Strife to flee the ring before Abernathy and Gelistico could lay a hand on them. I didn’t see Donst and Strife come out, since my attention was focused on the action in the ring, and rightly so, I am Camera Guy Chris, after all.
Back in the ring, Gelistico manages to catch a break, tagging in his very fresh, very eager partner, Pierre Abernathy, who proceeded to take down both the Cutters as they took turns charging at him. In the corner, Gelistico was down and prone to Donst and Strife, who chose that moment to strike, taking out Evan’s knee and leaving him crying out in pain on the cement below the ring. Then it was only a matter of time before the numbers game caught up with Abernathy. With no partner waiting on the apron, and the vicious Hooligans having 2-1 odds, it didn’t take long for the match to end, crowing Devin and Mason Cutter the NEW LWA Tag Team Champions.
A title change is always a sight to see, since they can be rare, especially in the independent feds. Seeing a title from another company even defended at an outside event is something big. PWN featured two outside title defenses at the Bier Stube Bash 2. What makes this particular match even more unique is seeing the titles change hands at an outside event. And if that were the only major deal about this match, then, while worth mentioning, it might not get all the attention it is getting. What makes this particular outside title defense and changing of the guard so incredibly special is that the new LWA Tag Team Champions are not a part of the Lethal Wrestling Alliance!
This situation has potential to get very bad very quickly. I know I’ll be following the situation as closely as I can and update the fans on how things turn out. I’d also like to welcome any and all LWA fans visiting the PWN boards and reading this article. I invite you to join in the discussion of both the situation with the Tag Team Titles and the uniqueness of seeing outside titles defended.
I would like to once again thank everyone for the information provided for this article. It’s very much appreciated. I’d also like thank Brian “Flair” Kelley, once again, as well as Missouri Wrestling Revival for giving me the opportunity to reach a new audience with my articles. I hope you all enjoy. For those viewing this on MWR, and would like to join the discussion, the main article can be viewed here at the Pro Wrestling Next board.
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After battling in a losing effort for the Lethal Wrestling Alliance (LWA) Tag Team Championship with NickTyson, Dingo talks with fellow wrestlers backstage after the show. His endearing personality engages his Dynamo Training Gym Student Brandon Aarons. They joke about events of the past few days. Despite the calm exterior, a burning desire for pride and success lies within the Independent Wrestling Association-Mid South (IWA-Mid South) Heavyweight Champion.
“I want to go across the world. I want to work for Vince McMahon one day, eventually. I know all the independent guys [say], ‘Oh, I want to work for Vince,’ but I really, really do,” Dingo explains with intense determination burning in his eyes.
Dingo has traveled the country working for promotions such as Ring of Honor, Combat Zone Wrestling, and Full Impact Pro (Florida), as well as numerous Midwest Promotions.
“I mean, that’s the top of the mountain, what else are you going to aspire to? Work for World Wrestling [Entertainment]…I step back to the box, and I realize I’m a little guy, and is it possible for me to win the championship? It is; it’s not beyond means, but is it probable? I don’t know. We’ll see what happens in the future,” he continued.
With the future still uncertain, Dingo focuses on the present, where he travels the country working for Combat Zone Wrestling, Ring of Honor (ROH), Full Impact Pro (FIP) and an assortment of other companies. His ‘big break’ came from Samoa Joe when they worked on the same card, and he told Dingo to come to Chicago, IL. Although Dingo did not wrestle on the show because it was booked full, another opportunity came his way.
“Joe looked at me, and he said, ‘Right now, you make your promise that you’ll come to Detroit, and I’ll make sure that you wrestle in Detroit.’ Joe was retiring that night from Ring of Honor because he was moving on to TNA, and I said, ‘I make you that promise right now,’ and he goes, “Okay.” So, I went to Detroit, and I got on, and that was the rocket that just blew my ass into independent wrestling,” Dingo said.
From that moment on, Dingo immersed himself in his new world and never looked back. Perhaps seeing that burning passion, ROH Star Davey Richards gave Dingo another means with which to excel.
Dingo battles with Kahagas at High Voltage Wrestling on Jan. 10, 2009 as Referee Eric Davis officiates. Photo by Brian Kelley
“Davey Richards really, really helped me out. Davey Richards, as much of a hardass as he can be, every now and then just a tiny bit shines through and if you grab on to it, Davey’ll fuckin’ help you out. But you pay for it. You pay for it. He’s a tough dude. He’s a tough dude…God, he’s tough. He’ll beat the crap out of you.
“Davey helps me—and I know a lot of people too—but very few times is it like, ‘Hey, you’re invited,’ based on your work ethic. And that just really helped me seal the deal,” Dingo said with pride emmiting from his being.
Both Richards and Dingo act as Co-Trainers at the St. Louis-based Dynamo Training Gym, which Dingo, Jim Yount and Crystal Yount opened approximately two years ago. According to Dingo, Dynamo acts as, “a conservatory for wrestling where people can hone their skills,” and not worry about company affiliation.
One of Dingo’s students, who wishes to remain anonymous, attributes nearly all of his success to the training he has received at Dynamo.
“[Dingo has] helped me with everything wrestling wise. He taught me 95 percent of the things I know from wrestling; he’s taught me about respect and what not to do and how to act, in front of fans and in front of other wrestlers, and he’s gotten me to IWA already, and I’m sure he’ll get me to bigger and better places in the future,” the student said.
Dingo pummels Pierre Abernathy in his and Nick Tyson's attempt to win the LWA Tag Team Titles on May 30, 2009. Photo by Kari Williams
The IWA-Mid South Heavyweight Champion can attest to that claim through his own experiences and his own connections in the wrestling industry.
“If you really want to earn it, and you do earn it, we’ll help you go to places like IWA, places like FIP, if you want to go to Ring of Honor. We have connections with TNA. I came up in the same school as Delirious and MsChif and Daizee Haze and Evan Bourne. We’re all from the same group. We’re all from the same mold. We’re all doing things on the road. Delirious, and MsChif and Daizee all work for Ring of Honor and Shimmer. Evan Bourne works for the [WWE]. That’s what we do. We provide the ability to move it on,” Dingo said.
As a student of Dingo’s since July 2006, Aarons can attest to his trainer’s statement.
“[Dingo] has more experience and knowledge as a wrestler than anyone one in the area, and he knows what you have to do to take it to the next level. He wants the best out of the wrestlers he trains, and he is willing to work with you if you are willing to give it all you have,” said Aarons.
A protégé of Dingo’s, “Spitfire” Davey Vega, has earned a wealth of knowledge in the three years that the two have worked together.
“He has increased my stamina, my agility and my overall confidence in myself as a person and a wrestler. He has also helped me get my name out by allowing me to travel with him and the opportunity to learn from him and my peers,” Vega said.
Dingo takes on Michael Strider in a Dog Collar Match at CSW on March 8, 2008. Photo by Brian Kelley
Dingo looks at wrestling as a ‘you get what you give’ type of business that he holds dear to his heart.
“Basically, wrestling is about paying it forward, and if you earn your keep [at Dynamo] through rigorous physical activity, I will show the wealth of what I’ve learned. And that’s the way I was taught. You give this gift, and if you’re deemed worthy, you’ll get the receipt of the gift. And it’s really hard. It’s very, very hard. Very rigorous. People think that it’s not all that bad, but it’s amazingly hard,” Dingo said with a sincere seriousness about his voice.
Aarons echoes Dingo’s warning. After three years of training with the IWA-Mid South Champ, Aarons continues to learn. On April 18, 2009 Aarons had the opportunity to wrestle his mentor in LWA. This was Aarons chance to prove that he is a legitimate competitor, that he could hang with, in his opinion, the best in the Midwest.
“I knew what to expect coming into the match, but Dingo is amazing. He has so many things he can puill out of know where, and even though I have been training with him for three years, he still caught me off guard—Proof that with experience comes great skill, which he attains to the maximum degree,” said Aarons.
Brandon Aarons (center) has trained with Dingo since July 2006, which has helped him advance his career. Aarons and Dingo are pictured with A.J. Styles from when Aarons began training. Photo courtesy of Brandon Aarons
A number of wrestlers, including “Thee” Brandon Espinosa and Aarons, have named Dingo as one who taught them the most about the business. Aarons went so far as to say that he “would not be the wrestler I am today without him. I would not have the confidence and intelligence on the business that I have today without him.”
With nervous laughter, Dingo said, “I feel very worried and very blessed and very honored by that. I worry because I don’t want them to get hurt or ruin themselves doing stupid stuff that I did because I tell them to go out there and give there all. And sometimes their all means they’ll put themselves at very, very big risks, but I feel very blessed and honored at the same time. I don’t have any children, but I liken it to seeing you put that thought process [in their heads], and they turn around and make good out of it.”
The zeal with which Dingo both trains and performs in front of the crowds makes him a role model for other wrestlers just breaking into the business.
“There is nobody in the world that I look up to more than Dingo. Nobody. Not my parents. Not Bruiser Brody. Not Jesus. Nobody,” the Dynamo Trainee said.
Dingo prepares to go to war against Jeremy Wyatt in the NWA-CSW title match from August 2009. Photo by Kari Williams
In the next five to 10 years, Dingo hopes to go to Japan and earn a contract or work for TNA or WWE. He realizes the difficulty that sits in front of him, but has no desire to hang up the boots. He will push forward and pursue his dream.
“It’s hard to imagine because I’m a small person. I’m not going to deny the fact of what I am, but at this point in this time from this moment on, I’m putting myself on the line because it’s now or never,” Dingo said.
From bell to bell, from New Jersey to Florida, whether he wrestles the first match on the card or the last, one can rest assure that Dingo will not leave professional wrestling without leaving his mark—not only in the Midwest, but throughout the country.
Lethal Wrestling Alliance's undisputed best tag team, "Spitfire" Davey Vega (back) and "Blackheart" Johnny Vinyl (front).
At the end of October, Missouri Wrestling Revival reported on the emerging tag team scene in the Midwest. There are great tag teams out there that need no introduction in most regions of the MWR coverage area: Northstar Express, Phoenix Twins, Zero Gravity, Windy City Classic and LONRs are a few of the teams that fit in this category. Other strong teams include the Hybrids, Marc Godeker & Steve Anthony, Abuse of Power, Feature Presentation, Midwest Ground & Air, Gentlemen’s Club and Team W.A.R. These teams are a representation of the depth of tag team wrestling in the Midwest.
The real testament to the depth of Midwest tag team wrestling, however, comes in the form of a tag team powerhouse in a promotion with no tag team championship: “Blackheart” Johnny Vinyl & “Spitfire” Davey Vega. As the undisputed top team of the tag title deficient Lethal Wrestling Alliance, Vinyl and Vega have struggled to get the recognition each deserved. That all changed at the end of this past month when not only did they square off against arguably the best team in the MWR coverage area and the entire Midwest, The Northstar Express (Darin Corbin & Ryan Cruz), but they managed to defeat them! The victory moved Vinyl & Vega into 9th place in the 2008 MWR Tag Team Wrestling Revival Cup standings.
Earlier in the week, I had the opportunity to sit down with both Vinyl & Vega and talk about the match. We also discussed the LWA and their future. Here is the interview in its entirety:
The Lethal Wrestling Alliance (LWA), Missouri Wrestling Revival (MWR), and even many of the wrestling fans hyped the match between you two and The Northstar Express before the October 24, 2008 face off. Leading up to the match, did you feel it was being overly hyped?
Vinyl: No, I didn’t think so. It was going to be our first opportunity to prove ourselves on a national stage.
Vega: Yeah. On one hand you have the well-traveled tag team (Northstar Express). On the other, an up and coming team that a a few people know about but just needed that one high profile match to step it up.
Vinyl: It was our coming out party as one of the top teams going today, so I felt the hype was justified.
How did you prepare for the match?
Vega: I was in the gym five days a week for the two months leading up to the match. I also trained at Dynamo Pro Gym on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. It was the most I have ever prepared myself for one match. The week before the LWA show I slowed it down a bit so that I didn’t overwork myself.
Vinyl: I did everything I normally do, but doubled it. I don’t lift weights often, preferring a more cardiovascular workout. I turned my cardiovascular conditioning up a notch because I knew Corbin and Cruz were going to be well-conditioned. I wasn’t going to let them wear us down.
What was the atmosphere like in the back on the night of the match?
Vega: I’m not going to lie. I was nervous.
Vinyl: For me it was a mixture of nervousness and being psyched.
Vega: Well, my main goal was to walk out there and have a great match. I wanted to give the fans something to remember. I knew I needed to step up my game to hang with The Northstar Express.
Vinyl: I had full confidence in our team and I knew how good Corbin and Cruz are, so I had no doubt that the match would be good. It was all a matter o just how good. For me, it all just sort of washes away once our music hits, though. When it’s game time, it’s game time.
Did Northstar Express live up to the hype?
Vinyl: In my opinion they did, but that was never a doubt. They are incredibly talented and gave us the fight of our careers thus far.
Vega: They are seasoned wrestlers with years of tag experience under their belts, so of course they did.
Do you feel that this match puts the two of you on the map?
Vinyl: Boy, I hope so. The LWA website (www.lwawrestling.com) said that this was LWA’s best tag team match since the Motor City Machine Guns versus Dingo & Nick Tyson. That’s pretty high praise. I think that if nothing else this match has helped us turn a few heads.
Vega: I don’t think it will immediately pu us on the map, but as people begin recognizing how well both teams performed and that we aren’t a joke as a tag team the we’ll emerge as one of the best in the area.
Did you go into this match 100% sure of a victory?
Vega: If you haven’t noticed, Vinyl and I are very confident individuals. We go out there every time with the attitude that we are going to win.
Vinyl: There weren’t going to be any free rides in that match for the Northstar Express.
Have you received any more interest from outside promotions since your victory over Corbin and Cruz?
Vega: All American Pro Wrestling (AAPW) has a poll on their site (www.allamericanprowrestling.com) for the fans to vote on who they want to wrestle the LONRs for the AAPW Tag Team Titles. I’ve heard that we are ahead in the voting.
Vinyl: I’ve never worked for AAPW and Vinyl has only worked there once. I can only assume that some of this notoriety is from our victory over Northstar Express. I would love to work for AAPW because they have a great tag team division and the audience is radically different than what I am used to with LWA. It would be fun.
Vega: Outside of AAPW there hasn’t been much interest, yet. I think the shock will need to wear off from our big win and then more offers will roll in.
What are your thoughts on the LWA creating a tag team championship?
Vega: There have been some talks about tag titles in LWA for a long time, so hopefully it comes to fruition soon.
Vinyl: What would be the point in the LWA creating a tag team championship when there is only one team with the talent to hold it?
Vega: The belts already have a place reserved around our waists.
Where do the two of you go from here?
Vega: I plan on continuing to improve and make my name, no matter what it takes. I’ll take whatever challenge is set before me, so any company looking to book me can reach me at daveyvega85@gmail.com or http://www.myspace.com/daveyvega for booking information.
Vinyl: There is a list of companies we’d love to work for, like CHIKARA, IWA Mid South, American Luchacore, All American Wrestling, All American Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Phoenix, 3XWrestling, and more. If we continue to have matches like this past one with the Northstar Express, then we’ll be wrestling for them all sooner or later.
Any words for tag teams in the MWR coverage area?
Vinyl: I think the Midwest right now is in a strange state. We have one of the most shallow single wrestler pools, yet the tag team pool is very deep. We’d love to get in the ring with the LONRs, Phoenix Twins, Hybrds, Zero Gravity, B.A.B.E.WATCH, Osirian Portal, Cheech & Cloudy, Windy City Classic and anybody else we haven’t faced before. We’d love to keep wrestling talented teams like Northstar Express and Ego Express. If you’re a fan of tag team wrestling and you live in the Midwest, I believe right now is an exciting time and it’s only going to get better.
Vega: I can’t really add much else other than to say that I look forward to stepping in the ring with any tag team in the area.
Missouri Wrestling Revival 