Missouri Wrestling Revival (MWR) jump starts the “Midwest Best Series” on October 17, 2008 in Des Moines, IA with 3XW Pure Champ Tyler Cook facing Shane Hollister with the title on the line. The Midwest Best Series is sure to get off to a good start, but the match following is sure to live up to the hype.
The number one ranked Northstar Express (Darin Corbin & Ryan Cruz) take a trip to Council Bluffs, IA on October 25, 2008 to face the Pro Wrestling Phoenix Tag Team Champions, the LONRs (Darrien Sanders & Mark Sterling)!
More information will be released in the near future at www.missouriwrestlingrevival.com, but until then here is the rundown of the rest of the PWP card that day:
PWP Heavyweight Champ Abu Colossus defends the title against the #1 ranked wrestler in the entire MWR Coverage area, “The Rebel” Jeremy Wyatt!
Tony Cortez and Jaysin Strife square off in a grudge match!
Hype Gotti vs Vic Victory!
Top Midwest star “Anarchist” Arik Cannon vs PWP’s own Zac James!
“#1” Brett Young accepts the challenge of Chris Havius!
All this and more!
National Guard Armory
2415 E. Kanesville Blvd.
Council Bluffs, IA 51503
“#1” Brett Young
A Sit Down Interview by Brian “Flair” Kelley
Brett Young is hard to forget. Just before his music starts and he comes through the curtain, a voice booms over the loudspeakers:
“The shiznitty of the city and the M.V.P. of this company. I’m the most charismatic guy on the show, because I’m Numero Uno Brett: You-Know!!”
That may very well be an understatement, as Brett Young is a multi dimensional wrestler. Many in this era want to be hardcore, a high flyer, or just simply like the next wrestler, but Brett Young is one of a kind.
Brett Young’s year has been full of ups and downs in 2008. While wrestling with NWA Central States Wrestling (CSW), he was able to win the NWA Kansas Championship in March only to see the organization fall on hard times and cease operations. Though it may have been rough to see a dream come true only to have it fizzle out, Brett went to work for Pro Wrestling Phoenix and quickly set his sights on the PWP Heavyweight Title. He was close to that goal, too, just coming up short in PWP’s August show “Raising the Bar” against the mighty Abu Colossus.
I am happy to have had the opportunity to sit down with “#1” Brett Young.
Brett, when did you decide to become a pro wrestler and who in fact trained you?
In the fall of 1998 was when I started wrestling. Psycho Sandman out of St. Joseph trained me with the help of Michael Strider. As I progressed a few years later in the southern territory of Memphis I actually learned a lot more about the psychology aspect (of wrestling).
[Brett Young had no time for fun and games in this classic match with the monster Abyss for Central States Wrestling.]
In March at a CSW show you were scheduled to wrestle Mark Sterling for the vacant NWA Kansas Championship, but when you arrived you were told by CSW management that you would have to qualify for the opportunity to wrestle Mark for the title later on that night. The twist was this: your qualifying match would not be a one on one contest, but rather an elimination match that would include the likes of Tony Cortez, Hype Gotti, Jeremy Wyatt, Jaysin Strife and Darrien Sanders. What was going on in your mind when you found out that some of the best pro wrestlers in the Midwest were in your way as you attempted to make history?
For one it really pissed me off, because I was already billed as the number one contender, to be prepared for Sterling that evening just to be put into another match with so many obstacles was disappointing, but the cards were dealt. I went into the match with one objective and that was to get the opportunity to become the NWA Kansas Champion.
You were able to overcome the odds of the elimination match, though. The crowd was thrilled and you were in the zone, but such a match surely must have taken a lot out of you. Add on to that the fact that the match with Mark Sterling was that very night. Sterling looked to have underestimated you and seemed to think that with the energy rush of your win and the hard work you had put into it, you would tire and give up. It was a strategy that he would regret. He attempted many sleeper holds and leaned on you throughout the match. In the end, he allowed you to use a little magic in the match when you puled a handkerchief from your ring jacket and, while the ref wasn’t looking, turned it into a three-foot magicians wand which you used to strike Mark Sterling. You followed it up with a “One and Done” for the win. With the crowd chanting “Number One! Number One” you were the NWA Kansas Champion. That match led to you being named the MWR Wrestler of the Month for March. What was that moment in your life like?
Through out the match Sterling really brought his A game and pardon my French, he truly was beating the shit out of me. I just continued to tough it out and in the back of my mind I thought something will happen to give me an opening and I would have something to work with. Eventually he started to get distracted and frustrated. He started to lose his cool and with that opening I felt the energy which allowed me to get the upper hand and bring a little magic to the match. With a little assistance of the wand, I hit him in the throat and like you said, that led to the “one and done” for the win.
That moment in my life was very special. Not only did Central States Wrestling think I deserved a shot, but the NWA believed it as well. I was overwhelmed, joyful, and excited to have such a prestigious belt and it was very rewarding.
In other matches you been known to use magic to your advantage as you did to win the Kansas Championship. Is there any chance that you could change careers on us and be the next David Copperfield?
Though I am very capable to do a small magic show, I do magic for fun and feel as if that is a talent that sets me apart from the many wrestlers who are out there today. Many times I hear the fans call for magic, so it truly has its place in a Brett Young match. It always keeps the fans eyes on the match, as they never know what they might miss.
Brett, it has to be asked, so I’ll just come out and say it. A sad day in the Midwest wrestling community was when CSW announced that they were closing their doors. What did CSW mean to you and do you have any comments for what former promoter Martin T called the “Death of CSW”?
That is very personal to me, because I started in Central States Wrestling. I worked every show that they have ever run in ten years minus three shows. Central States Wrestling is me. It is everything I stand for. It is everything that I have put my whole wrestling career into. I don’t spend my time on the independent circuit looking to get rich. That’s not important to me. CSW was my home and my heart. I felt it was inappropriate whenever Martin T put it in the words of “The Death of CSW”. I felt as if it was also incorrect.
Fine, it was over. They are closing doors. But to be claiming the death of CSW and that you are almighty and destroyed it was disappointing. I put a lot into that company and into Martin T as well as the other people that helped promote, book and put time and effort in Central States Wrestling. I always appreciated and treated everybody good and that was almost a slap in the face. As for the company, I care very deeply about CSW and it is sad. But like all good things, it must come to and end. I must move on and that is what I will do.
On a brighter note, while wrestling with CSW has come to a close, you have been very active with Pro Wrestling Phoenix. Once again when the opportunity knocked, you knocked the door down as you won the PWP 2008 Phoenix Challenge to become the new number one contender to Abu Colossus’ Heavyweight Title. This was after defeating one of hottest stars in the Midwest Arik Cannon earlier in the night. Explain to readers out there, what is a Phoenix Challenge match and what was your strategy going into it?
A Phoenix challenge is an over the top Royal Rumble type match where two men start the match and every thirty seconds or a minute a new wrestler enters the ring until all twenty-five men have been a part of the match. I was the twelfth man and, not to be cocky, but I am smarter than most of these guys who have wrestled for one or two years. When you have been in the business and you have been around for a long time you start to figure things out, so I work smarter not harder. I let them beat themselves up.
It came down to me, Payday Patterson and Arik Cannon. This in itself was a problem, as you stated I had defeated Cannon in a very tough match earlier in the night, but I also was able to get the win on Patterson the month before. These two guys double teamed up on me and attempted twice to eliminate me with the thought that I was over and done but I just never quit and their underestimating me was the one mistake that I would capitalize on. I was the last man standing and looked forward to taking on Abu.
[Brett Young will not let you forget who #1 truly is. From the wardrobe to the smirk on his face, he feels as if he should be the standard that wrestlers are judged by.]
With the victory at the 2008 Phoenix Challenge, you were granted a shot at the PWP Heavyweight title owned by the powerful Abu Colossus in August. Before the match started you claimed that PWP management would have to give you the belt due the fact that Abu would have to forfeit the belt. You even took the time to brag about having some friends “get the job done” yet it was not meant to be as Abu appeared much to your dismay. Throughout the match you did everything you could to get the upper hand without having any luck. You were holding your own on the big man, yet you still had your friends, PWP bad boys Simply the Best (Hype Gotti and “Babyface” Tony Cortez) assisting you with your dirty deeds. Abu would land the Colossal Slam for the win, though. What problems did Abu present and how close did you feel you were to the PWP title?
The night before me and my boys roughed him up when we jumped him outside a supermarket. We took a shot at it and I thought for sure that he would not be able to come and defend his title.
Abu is tough as nails and to be honest even I underestimated how strong he is. When he lifted me with surprising ease, he proceeded to literally drop me on my head and I felt it for days after. I fought and I fought and at one time I thought I would have him prepared for a little magic, but he was not having any of it as he did his homework. On that night he was able to attain the title, but I hope to get another shot and next time it may not be as sweet for him.
That match set up a six man tag team match at Malicious Mayhem in September with you and Simply the Best taking on Abu, Vic Victory and Jaysin Strife.
Abu really wanted to take on myself and Simply the Best, 3 on 1. He really has some balls. Victory and Strife came out and said “let’s make it a six man tag”. I felt very confidant as I have defeated both Victory and Strife. I felt as if I should have beaten Abu. I thought as if we had the match won hands down. The match was wild and had bodies flying everywhere; at one time we had Strife in a world of trouble as we continued to beat him on our side of the ring. As with any time you have so many men in a match anything can happen, before we knew it the match was over and we ended up losing that night.
This year you have had the chance to show All American Pro Wrestling fans the talent that you possess, where else should a wrestling fan hope to see you at and what are your goals as 2008 comes to a close?
I am going to try to pick up bookings in the next coming months. I look forward to wrestling with All American Pro Wrestling in October so definitely check me out there. I plan on working with Tony Scarpone and Underground wrestling in Chicago, possibly in Denver for Rocky Mountain Championship Wrestling. You know you can always see me here in Pro Wrestling Phoenix and I look to take over 3XW, too.
Last but not least, you were the last NWA Kansas Champion. Is there any chance that the NWA will give you the opportunity to face NWA Missouri Champion Dingo? It’s a match that I feel you rightfully deserve?
I would like to do that. I don’t have bad blood with Dingo as he has been a friend in the past, so it would be a match built on respect. He is a great wrestler. Dingo is very talented and agile and has an arsenal of moves that he brings to a match, which makes it hard to prepare for. It would be a challenge but one that I am prepared for, and if I am ever asked, I will bring my all for that match.
I would like to thank Brett Young for taking the time for the interview. Brett is a talented wrestler who has a love and respect for the business and always gives a 100 percent whenever he wrestles. Next month you can see “#1” Brett Young at All American Pro Wrestling in Royalton, IL on October 18th, as well as on October 25th for Pro Wrestling Phoenix where he will battle Chris Havius.
Wrestling promoters usually have a title for their show to add excitement for the fans, WWE has the Summerslam and TNA has Lockdown. Pro Wrestling Phoenix’s card for September was called Malicious Mayhem. PWP’S main event on the evening would be a “Fans bring the weapons match”, and with that one match, I was able to convince my girlfriend for the 270 mile trip to Council Bluffs, Iowa . To say she was prepared was an understatement as she packed 30 industrial light bulbs, to be used in the match that would pit Chris Havius vs. Stephen Saint.
Also on the card was the excitement of seeing live for the first time, the Pro Wrestling Phoenix Champion, Abu Colossus. PWP also have the best tag teams in the Midwest in the LONRS (Mark Sterling and Showtime Darrien Sanders) and Simply the Best( Hype Gottiand Babyface Tony Cortez) who would be tagging with none other than the always entertaining Number One, Brett Young.Going into the show I knew they had talent, just was concerned on the presentation.
[The Sensational One, Sean Cruz is dressed to kill on this night.]
My first PWP experience was about to begin as the self proclaimed “The Sensational One”, Sean Cruz entered the ring with a look of disdain towards the fans. The music hits for the next wrestler and the kid sitting next to me goes nuts, jumping up and down with his homemade poster in his hand. This has me wandering if they had a WWE /TNA star on the card with how excited this young boy was. Who was about to come out from the curtain? Would it be Former WWE Star Nick “Eugene” Dinsmore? Or maybe it was TNA Superstar Sonjay Dutt who has been on prior shows at PWP. The man was none other than…. Donnie Peppercricket ???
[Donnie Peppercricket comes to the ring with much support from the PWP faithful.]
Peppercricket was ranked number 91 in the 2008 Missouri Wrestling Revival Top 100, and this would be the first time that I would get to see him in person. From the looks of it, he had been working out and seemed to be in better shape than the times I had seen him wrestling on dvd in the past. There was no doubt that he was OVAH with the PWP fan base, Peppercricket had Cruz reeling, or maybe that was Cruz’s strategy because when Peppercricket went to the top he hit a flying body cross, Cruz yelled out in agony. The ref immediately asked for Peppercricket to give Cruz a break to see what was wrong. Peppercricket sincerely begged for someone to come from the dressing room to help Cruz, and with that one moment of weakness, Cruz struck from behind with a shot to the groin and then was able to hit a Snapmare Driver for the cowardly win.
The next contest saw Preston Maxwell taking on the ever popular Jimmy Rockwell. Just looking at Maxwell, one can tell he is not a technical messiah, but he was smart enough to know he had to slow Rockwell down, so he attempted to put his weight on his opponent and never allow Rockwell to get into a rhythm as I have seen him do in prior matches. When Rockwell would get the upperhand, Maxwell would bail out of the ring, which in turn flustered his opponent. This would allow Maxwell to capitalize with the Inside Cradle.
[LONRs’ – Mark Sterling and “Showtime” Darrien Sanders let Daniels know that he is in for a world of hurt coming out to the ring by himself.]
The next match was to be for the Tag Team Championship as the LONRS would defend their belts against the tag team of Leslie Ray and Joey Daniels, The SuperFriends. When Daniels came out alone with the deer in the headlights look, I knew he was in trouble. No tag team in the Midwest smell blood as the LONRS do and I had seen this myself in a match earlier this year at All American Pro Wrestling when they took advantage of JT Calhoun when his tag team partner Mike Masters left Calhoun out to dry. The LONRS took care of business then, and on this night it looked to be no different. The LONRS were taunting Daniels when out from the back came Donnie Peppercricket, who said he had no ideal why Ray was not there but he would do his best to bring home the Gold for the good guys. Though I give Donnie props for coming to bat for Daniels, this match was textbook LONRS, as they kept their opponent on their side of the ring with perfect tags. At one point the Superfriends would make the tag but it would not be long before the LONRS used some perfect distractions to get the upper hand. The LONRS are among the top tag teams in the Midwest and they teamed up and hit Peppercricket with the spike piledriver and the 1-2-3 as they retained their tag team titles.
The Rebel would be next as Jeremy Wyatt would be taking on Zac James. This was a mismatch on paper but don’t tell James that as he withstood the Rebels early onslaught, and with one swift move, James took out Wyatts legs and was relentless there on, James worked on the legs and the strategy was paying off as Wyatt never seemed to get more than two moves together. What look to be an upset in the making was not to be as Wyatt would put it all together and James would go down on the list of the wrestlers who has fallen in the past year and a half in Pro Wrestling Phoenix to the Rebel Jeremy Wyatt.
[Zac James pulls out all stops and strikes low on Jeremy Wyatt leg.]
[On this night James worked the perfect game plan as he punished Wyatts legs with a Boston crab. James was unable to get the win but earned this fans respect with the outing.]
The PWP bad boys Simply the Best,could easily be the most underrated tag team in the Midwest. These guys have the same tag team philosophy as the LONRS as they execute moves in perfect unison, but all the while they seem to want to get their kicks by antagonizing the fans and their opponents with their juvenile tactics, something I feel ashamed in Admitting is always entertaining. On this night they would be teaming with another charismatic wrestler in #1 Brett Young, a wrestler who just last month challenged the PWP Champion Abu Colossus for the title.
[Brett Young and Simply the Best works over Jaysin Strife with the classic triple team early on in the six man tag.]
The PWP Champion was looking to take care of business with his tag team partners Vic Victory and Jaysin Strife. Chaos would quickly ensue as Simply the Best and Young were causing trouble throughout the match with mind games. At one point, Hype Gotti had Strife grounded; Gotti teased the monstrous Abu by holding Strife’s hand just out of the reach of the Big Hurt. The big guy was so frustrated that he came in and sent bodies flying, but without the tag, the ref sent him back to the ring. Abu would be the Power while Strife and Victory would be the speed that was able to overcome the odds on this night and with a big Colossal Slam, Abu got the victory for his team.
Abu was celebrating in the ring when Jeremy Wyatt entered to issue a challenge for the PWP Championship match at next months show. Wyatt reminded Abu that he has not been defeated at PWP for over a year and a half and the time has come for the Rebel to become the champ. This match will be very interesting to see how Wyatt can overcome the rare power that Abu Colossus brings to the table. A match that I can not miss as it should be one that will be talked about for years to come.
[Jeremy Wyatt issues a challenge to Abu Colossus for the PWP title at the October 25th show when Pro Wrestling Phoenix returns to Council Bluffs.]
[Wrestlers themselves even seemed amazed at the plethora of weapons that the fans had brought for the match that Chris Havius and Stephen Saint would have later in the evening. Here Jaysin Strife is checking out one half of the pile with fans during intermission. Fortunately for the ladies, Jaysin did not have any part of the damage later on in the evening.]
I will not even try to relay to you in words the brutality and damage that occured during the Fans Bring the Weapons Match but will now share with you pictures along with short captions of one of the most eye dropping action I have ever seen. Readers beware as this is not for the faint of heart.
For fans of Hardcore I present you Malicious Mayhem
It’s a shame that the pictures can not give the full effects to the action of the two men going at it. PWP had close to 50 more Industrial light bulbs than what my girlfriend brought and when they went off it echoed around the building with the boom of a shotgun, with glass flying everywhere. The only two people smart enough to wear protective eyewear was the ref and my girlfriend. Malicious Mayhem had in fact lived up to the cards name after all.
Amazingly Attendance was light on this evening but that did not stop the wrestlers from showing up and giving the fans a 110 percent. With all independent wrestling, some matches are better than others, the same could be said about the wrestlers and this night was no different. Yet truthfully there wasn’t a match that hurt the card. If you were not able to be there, be sure to pick up the DVD as soon as it on the shelves because this card from top to bottom had a little bit of everything.
My friends, I hope to see you at a show soon. Till next time just remember the stars of tomorrow are only an independent show away.
By Brian “Flair” Kelley
Photo Credits: Gary Giaffoglione for Pro Wrestling Phoenix
Abu Colossus is a mountain of a man. Standing at 6″5 and weighing 280 LBS, the Pro Wrestling Phoenix Champion not only brings power to the ring but uses his speed to electrify the crowd. As soon as his entrance music, Ludacris’s “Move”, hits the PA the fans go wild and his opponents know they will have their hands full.
Abu has dominated the PWP ring for over three years while waiting to claim what he has always felt was rightfully his: the Pro Wrestling Phoenix Championship. That goal was achieved on May 10, 2008 at PWP’s 3rd Year Anniversary Spectacular when he was able to defeat Babyface” Tony Cortez, Jaysin Strife, & “The Rebel” Jeremy Wyatt in a 4-way Elimination Match for the title.
Tony Cortez will be the first to tell you that he was the longest reigning Champ with an amazing 20 months and that the belt will return around his waist yet PWP has claimed that we are in “The Era of Colossus”. Cortez and his partner in crime, Hype Gotti will pull out all stops to make sure that the Era is more like a Moment. Cortez and Gotti, once bitter enemies, now collectively known as Simply the Best, are sure to be a thorn in the side of the current champ.
Abu grew up a wrestling fan and took special interests in the Bret the Hitman Hart along with Hall of Famer Ricky Steamboat. He was trained by “Irish” Mick Tierney and has worked hard building his reputation as one of the most respected wrestlers in the area. He also utilizes former ECW Champion Tazz’s suplex to punish his opponents along with signature moves the Two Handed Choke Slam and the Colossal Slam.
[Abu hits a Two Handed Choke Slam.]
I had the chance to talk to Jeremy Wyatt and asked him how he approaches a wrestler with the talent that Abu possesses. He said, “Abu is a guy who can be classified as a true heavyweight, there’s not many guys his size working the Indies. You might be able to wear him down if you can keep him from getting a hold of you but he’s not a guy to try and trade shots with. Seems as if he has stepped up his game a bit in the last year or so. With his size and strength, I think he should look to branch out a little more and try to work more places.”
I was able to track down Independent wrestling’s best kept secret, Abu Colossus, the night before he would defend his title at Raising the Bar against the winner of the 2008 Phoenix Challenge, “Number One” Brett Young on August 16th in Council Bluffs, IA .
When I asked him what his favorite matches were to this date, he was quick to say PWP’s December 9, 2006 Candy Cane Chaos match with Michael Strider that ended up in a double DQ. It was a match that took the big man to his limits and led to a dog collar match at PWP’S Year of the Phoenix . A Match with Mark Sterling on November 18th at PWP’S In Your Church was a close second as he feels Sterling is among the elite in the business.
Michael Strider had this to say about the man whose nickname is the Big Hurt:
“Abu Colossus has a million dollar look and I knew every night that we wrestled that I had to bring my ‘A’ game. That guy is just starting to show his full potential”.
[Michael Strider had his hands full during a Dog Collar match that you can purchase on the PWP DVD Year of the Phoenix 2.]
Abu takes great pride in representing Pro Wrestling Phoenix and working with the upstart wrestling promotion Magnum Pro Wrestling. He looks forward to showcasing his skills with the best to prove to the fans in the Midwest that he is the standard that all wrestlers should be compared to. The names that he would like to work with on the national scene were TNA wrestler Abyss, Samoa Joe and Bryan Danielson. In the Midwest he would love to hook up with NWA/CSW Missouri Champion Dingo, Gage Octane, Brian Ash and Mitch Paradise.
When asked if there was anything that he would like to say to the fans he replied “We love what we do and we appreciate their support and we hope that they know that the Independent wrestlers will give a 100% to entertain. They are the reason we do what we do.”
Final thoughts
As a fan of Independent Pro Wrestling I look forward to seeing some of the best take on each other and there is no doubt that Abu Colossus should be in the sights of all promoters and would add to the show instantly.
Love it or hate it, the truth of the matter is fans enjoy powerhouse wrestlers and they are few and far between in this area. Abu is something special and I would love to see how 3XW Commissioner Todd Countryman and his men, Mark Sterling and Gage Octane would deal with this monster of a man. Maybe Casanova will need some assistance with 3XW Champion Devin Carter after turning on him at 3XW’S “On a Stick” show this past month.
Central States Wrestling in Kansas has stated that they will be making a comeback soon and though the talent in the company is plentiful, Abu would be a force from the start, and the fan favorites could use a little help with the “In Crowd” or the Barrio Boys, two factions that have been terrorizing the fans and their favorites in the area.
Let’s not forget that Lethal Wrestling Alliance president Luke Roberts is looking for a man that can defeat the Future Donovan Ruddick. Why not bring in an outsider to do their dirty work. Yet who knows maybe the Future will contact Abu to help him in his dominance of LWA, a combination that could prove unstoppable.
Pro Wrestling Phoenix fans are fortunate to have one of the most exciting wrestlers in the Midwest as their champion and some big matches will be in Abu’s future with the very talented roster that PWP now boast to have in Number One” Brett Young, Jaysin Strife, Rebel” Jeremy Wyatt, Arya Daivari, The Anarchist” Arik Cannon, Mark Sterling, Tyler Cook and familiar foes Simply the Best gunning for the title.
You can check out Abu Colossus at Pro Wrestling Phoenix http://www. prowrestlingphoenix. com/ where you can purchase DVDs and find out who he will be up against at future shows. He can also be found at Magnum Pro Wrestling at http://www. myspace. com/magnumpw . Booking info for Abu Colossus http://www. myspace. com/abucolossus
Your Trip to Space Mountain by Brian “Flair” Kelley
The second installment of “Your Trip to Space Mountain” is a special treat for you. I have asked the local wrestlers and promotions to provide us, the fans, a DVD recommendation that showcases their best work. I’m hoping to give you something to look for online and at the tables during intermission at the next show you attend.
I was a little disappointed that very few took me up on my offer to be a part of this, but thankful for the ones that did reply. The wrestlers stated that it was hard to choose a particular DVD and wished me the best. I hope that you take the time to pick up one – if not all – of the DVDs they recommended. I know I will!!
“It was the show where NOBODY thought I could hang with the “Phenomenal” AJ Styles!”
-Darrien Sanders
AJ Styles makes his debut in CSW to take on “Showtime” Darrien Sanders. This was my first time attending a CSW show, and had driven 3 hours to see AJ Styles. When it was through, though, I would know the name “Darrien Sanders”.
Look for Darrien to connect with a huge Mafia kick that nearly takes AJ’s head off.
Derek may not know this, but he is my girlfriend’s favorite independent wrestler and throughout the years I have seen many Derek Stone matches. From his WLW Championship days as the Sheik to pulling shenanigans with fellow wrestler Mason Hunter, Derek never fails to entertain. Derek stated I could chose any CSW material, so I chose one match that everyone can truly enjoy.
Derek Stone vs. “#1” Brett Young w/ Steve Girthy in a “Loser Wears a Dress and Serves Concessions” Match.
Derek had a feud with Girthy Management’s stable of wrestlers and “#1” Brett Young had managed to beat Stone in a “Loser Eats Dog Food” match in August 2006. Young looked to embarrass Stone again on Friday the 13th. The aftermath is something I will never forget.
Bonus : Not a couple of minutes, but 20 whole extra minutes of the loser serving concessions to the fans wearing a French maid outfit.
Johnny Greenpeace had “Tree” at ringside, but was it enough to overcome the talented Mschif and her partner in crime Delirious? Johnny had his hands full throughout the match, but hit Mschif with a t-bone suplex that she won’t soon forget.
Where to Buy: You can look for it online, but your best bet would be to go to the St. Louis Wrestling Community site/forums and ask around.
Mark Sterling
Mark Sterling is always ready to let you know how good he is, so it’s no surprise he was quick to reply.
Dingo had beaten AJ Styles in August of 06 and was named #1 contender to Mark Sterling’s NWA KS title. On October 13, 2006 after a 30 minute time limit draw, Sterling refused to shake Dingo’s hand and even spit in his face. Dingo challenged Sterling to a ladder match with the NWA KS belt suspended above the ring. What followed was a brutal match filled with dangerous risk taking and intense ring action.
PWP wanted to highlight a couple of DVDs that best showcase what they have to offer. DVDs include “My Bloody Valentine” (2/18/07), which features the following matches:
1. The Dark Circle (Chris Havius & Damien Van Horn w/ Adrenne Rose) vs. The Pride & The Passion (Zac James & Tyler Pride)
2. Donnie Peppercricket vs. Preston Maxwell
3. Jaysin Strife vs. “Golden Boy” Vic Victory
4. Joey Daniels w/ Paul Daniels vs. “Showtime” Darrien Sanders w/ Deidre
5. Jeremy Wyatt vs. “Sensational” Sean Cruz
6. “Babyface” Tony Cortez vs. Hype Gotti in a No Rope Barbed Wire Match for the PWP Heavyweight Championship.
The 2nd Anniversary Spectacular (5/18/07) features:
1. Jeremy Wyatt vs. Sean Christian
2. “Sensational” Sean Cruz vs. Buck Albright
3. The Dark Circle (Chris Havius & Damien Van Horn w/ Adrenne Rose) vs. The Daniels Bros for the PWP Tag Team Championship
4. Jaysin Strife vs. “Golden Boy” Vic Victory in a 30 Minute Iron Man Match
5. Michael Strider, Hype Gotti & The Pride & The Passion (Zac James & Tyler Pride) vs. Abu Colossus, “#1” Brett Young & The LONRs (Showtime Darrien Sanders & Mark Sterling)
6. “Babyface” Tony Cortez vs. Sonjay Dutt for the PWP Heavyweight Championship
Lastly…
Battle of the Phoenix 07 (7/20/07) features:
1. “Babyface” Tony Cortez vs. “Sensational” Sean Cruz for the PWP Heavyweight Championship
2. Hype Gotti vs. “#1” Brett Young in a “Lumber-Rat” match
3. The Pride & The Passion w/ Deidre vs. The Northstar Express, The LONRs, & The Legacy in a 4 way elimination match
4. The Dark Circle w/ Adrenne Rose vs. The Pride & The Passion for the PWP Tag Team Championship
5. Joey Daniels vs. Arya Daivari
6. “The Rebel” Jeremy Wyatt vs. “The Anarchist” Arik Cannon in a 2/3 Falls match
7. The Phoenix Challenge (25 man Royal Rumble style match)
All these DVD’s and many others can be ordered by emailing ProWrestlingPhoenix@hotmail.com DVD’s are $15 each + shipping.
My Final Thoughts
This concludes this edition of “Your Trip to Space Mountain“. Be sure and take the time to get these recommended DVDs from some of the hardest working athletes in the Midwest. These DVDs have everything, from the superstars of today to the stars of tomorrow, and you’ll have the chance to say that you saw them first.
I encourage you to take a trip to an independent show to support the next generation of wrestlers.
Till next time as the Man Ric Flair says WHOOOOOOOOOOOO
[Editor’s Note: No bias was given in the preceding article. Many wrestlers, promoters, and fans no Brian “Flair” Kelley as the ultimate wrestling fan. He supports just about every promotion that holds shows within five hours of his home in Central Missouri. He contacted MANY different wrestlers and promotions, and these are the ones that replied. The next time this man is in your area, treat him well. He deserves it for his support of Midwest wrestling.]
How can a guy be wrestler of the month and not wrestle a single match? Well, Payday managed to shock Central States Wrestling fans by doing a Pearl Harbor job on both Michael Strider AND Jeremy Wyatt after a brutal barbed wire match on February 2, 2008. He had been inactive for more than a year due to a career ending “Best of 7” series of matches against Michael Strider, during which he was cheered by many CSW fans. Add to this the fact that he somehow managed to recruit Jaysin Strife and CSW fan favorite Tyler Cook, and you can see how giving CSW a huge “F— You” earns him the top spot for the month of February.
February 2008 Tag Team of the Month
Honorable Mention – None
Winner – “Da Bomb” Brian James & Brandon Espinosa (AAPW)
NO PICTURE IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE
These two make the grade for the month of February by defeating the debuting tag team of Mark Sterling and Darrien Sanders at a big AAPW show. While Sterling and Sanders made their debut as a tag team for AAPW, they are no strangers to the Midwest wrestling scene, and are a very formidable combination. James and Espinosa strengthen their reputation by defeating them in an AAPW ring.
CSW has struggled since last summer to build the type of momentum the promotion had for a very long period of time, but the month of February gave the fans something that they can get behind. Both a very modern Myspace page and official web page have been released, revealing more about the new roster and upcoming events. They put on a solid show on February 2, 2008 that culminated in one of the best Midwest main events of the past year featuring Jeremy Wyatt and Michael Strider. On top of that, CSW has kicked off a very promising angle that could turn the entire promotion upside down with the return of Payday Patterson and the underhanded recruitment of Jaysin Strife and Tyler Cook. There are a few minor things that need to be ironed out with the company, such as the fulfillment of last years silent auction obligations and the free DVDs that are owed to some of the diehard fans that purchased VIP tickets, but the resolving of these issues seems right around the corner!
February 2008 Woman Wrestler of the MonthHonorable Mention – MsChif (LWA)
Winner – Miss Natural (WLW)
Another slow month for women’s wrestling, but this month’s award goes to Miss Natural. She retained the WLW title this month by defeating Rebecca Raze, and doesn’t look to be letting go of the title anytime soon!
February 2008 Personality of the Month
Honorable Mention – Joey Eastman (AAW), Brian “Flair” Kelley (MWR), Crimefighter (St. Louis Wrestling Community)
Winner – Todd Countryman (3XW)
Todd Countryman is one of the most prominent figures in 3XWrestling, and not for good reasosn. Alligning himself with the top two wrestlers in the company right now (Gage Octane and Mark Sterling), he is positioned to be a powerful force in Midwest wrestling for quite some time.
February 2008 Match of the Month
Honorable Mentions – “Serial Thriller” Shane Rich vs “Homicidal” Steven Davis (AAPW) [For AAPW Heavyweight Championship]
Winner – Barbed Wire Match: Michael Strider vs Jeremy Wyatt (CSW) [2/2/2008 in Lawrence, KS] [For CSW Heavyweight Championship]
CSW takes another award with this brutal match! Thumbtacks, barbed wire, and two of the most talented wrestlers in the Midwest!
Introduction, Thoughts, and Paying Respect to Wrestling!
I’ve been planning on writing a column for the site since I started this thing a month ago, but until now I hadn’t had the time. Between my actual job and a labor of love known as Missouri Wrestling Revival, I have been keeping myself very busy and very tired. I’m not complaining, though, as I am enjoying every minute of it. I have time to do both and still spend time with the family, so life is good.
A little bit about me:
I’m a wrestling fan. I was a fan in the early 80’s when my grandma (mom’s side) would take me to the shows to yell at the bad guys in Alabama. I was a fan when I move to Missouri at the age of 5 and my grandpa (dad’s side) would record, rent, and buy any wrestling he could get his hands on so that we could watch together. I stayed a fan until 1999 when I was 18 and joined the Army.
I spent years deployed and in the field, with no real time to stay up to date on wrestling, so I missed WCW and ECW being bought by WWE, and all of the lackluster wrestling that followed. I returned to wrestling in 2005 while attending Korean language school after becoming an interrogator for the Army. I needed time to unwind, and wrestling once again provided an outlet for me to keep from stressing out. By this time, I was married with a kid on the way… I wanted to spend time watching wrestling with my son just as my grandfather had done with me.
In 2007 I left the Army (at the time I was in California) and moved back to Missouri, where I now reside. I work as a government civilian and love the time I have to pursue my dreams as opposed to marching through the desert in Iraq or other great places. Wrestling is a part of that dream.
Now I’ll get to the meat and potatoes of my first column on the site.
Since returning, I have went out of my way to get my wife involved in my labor of love. I try to make her sit down and watch wrestling, but it just doesn’t appeal to her very much. To her, most of the angles are boring and unrealistic. Promos are rarely entertaining to her, although she enjoys old videos of the Rock, Stone Cold, Flair, and others deemed as great “talkers”, which lends to the theory that those guys really ARE great. She’s still very entertained by Ric Flair even though he is old.
Recently, as I’ve got more involved with wrestling and shown interest in the business side of it, I’ve tried to bring my wife to live wrestling events. She’s not been very enthused, but she’s been to three shows with me. The first was a WWE house show, the second one she was sick, and the third one was this Saturday. It was Central States Wrestling’s “Reloaded”.
Now, don’t get me wrong. This is not some lame plug for CSW. This is a look at what it takes to bring in those fans that sit down and watch WWE every Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, yet won’t go to an Indy wrestling show. This is how Indy wrestling won my wife over.
To understand my wife’s frame of mind as it pertained to that show, you need to understand that:
– She’s not a wrestling fan, but watches about 5 to 10 hours of TV wrestling (and MMA) per month with me.
– She got up at 6AM with her husband, prepared the food and packed, spent time with her son and then helped her sister-in-law and mother get ready to babysit.
– She then rode in a car for 4-5 hours, checked into a hotel in Lawrence, KS, and then went to eat and relax.
By the time the show rolled around, both of us were tired. The first match was exciting but things slowed down until the main event, which was Michael Strider vs Jeremy Wyatt in a no rope barbed wire match.
She seemed out of it for most of the show. I passed the time by talking with friends and buying/trading DVDs in between matches. Until that main event, she was very apathetic… and apathy is a trait you don’t want in a crowd at a wrestling event. That main event made her interested in the product, and afterward I talked to her about what she did or did not like.
The no rope barbed wire match really got to her, but in a good way. She couldn’t stop talking about the respect she had for wrestlers like Michael Strider and Jeremy Wyatt who obviously put a tremendous amount of effort into entertaining the fans. In her mind, it seems like some wrestlers just go through the motions and aren’t there to entertain. She said that she would go to a show anytime that she knew people like those two were going to be there.
I was curious whether or not the blood had anything to do with it, but she was quick to let me know that the blood wasn’t a factor. To her, the main thing was that the wrestlers gave it their all and tried to make sure the crowd was involved. She pointed to Mark Sterling, who earlier in the night had berated the fans and seemed to always be aware of fan reaction and how to keep them involved in his match with Darrien Sanders.
She also mentioned the first match and how fast paced and interesting it was. It featured Hype Gotti, Jaysin Strife, and Tony Cortez. While there wasn’t as much interaction with the fans in the match, it was entertaining and all three seemed to be aware of crowd reaction.
One thing is for certain, and that is that she has a newfound respect for professional wrestling. In her eyes, these men and women go out there and do extraordinary things and getting hurt in the process, simply for our entertainment. We all need to look at wrestling through these new eyes. Promoters, fans, Internet smarks, and wrestlers should all take a look through my wife’s eyes at the things that do and do not work, and give each other the respect without all of the attitude.
She reminds me of how wrestling used to be.
Here’s to all of those wrestlers out there with a dream and the integrity to give it their all for the fans. Here’s to the promoters that work with their talent and their fans to create a great and profitable atmosphere.
Here’s to the fans that give proper respect where respect is due, and don’t critique everything as if they could do it better.
Missouri Wrestling Revival 