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Posts Tagged ‘Johnny Vinyl’

2016 Missouri Wrestling Revival Future Star – Davey Vega and Mat Fitchett

Posted by flairwhoooooo on January 20, 2017

Bio courtesy of Patrick Brandmeyer

The names of Davey Vega and Mat Fitchett are well-known to Midwest wrestling fans, but the national wrestling scene has only recently begun to discover the talents of these skilled competitors.

Both men started their careers with Dynamo Pro Wrestling before branching out to the Lethal Wrestling Alliance, which would later become St. Louis Anarchy. Vega was first known as a tag team competitor and teamed with Johnny Vinyl to feud with The Ego Express(Steven Kennedy & K.C. Karrington), leading to Kennedy & Karrington becoming the first LWA Tag Team Champions when they defeated Vega and substitute partner Dingo. After that, Vega focused on singles competition…after holding the NWA Missouri Title in Dynamo Pro, he went on to capture the LWA Heavyweight Title from Gary Jay in December of 2009. Vega held the title for most of 2010 before dropping it to Evan Gelistico; this occured shortly before the transition to St. Louis Anarchy and Vega spent most of that promotion’s existence chasing the title.

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Davey Vega explodes with a clothesline on ROH Star Jonathan Gresham.

In that time, Vega competed against some of the best wrestlers in the world and scored victories over many of them. That list included such names as Davey Richards, Kyle O’Reilly, Johnny Gargano, Arik Cannon, A.C.H., Michael Elgin, Roderick Strong, Chris Hero, Jonathan Gresham, D.J. Z, T.J. Perkins, Chip Day, and Martin Stone. In his final opportunity at the gold at St. Louis Anarchy’s last show, Vega finally capitalized by winning a triple threat match with champion Fitchett and Gary Jay for the title! Vega will continue to carry the championship in Pro Wrestling Championship Series as the “Gateway Heritage Title“.

As for Fitchett, his career took a similar path and he squared off with many of the same competitors as his often-time tag partner Vega. In fact, Fitchett and Vega were Tag Team Champions in both the Chicago-based All-American Wrestling and the Kansas City-based Metro Pro Wrestling!

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TJ Perkins found WWE gold in 2016, but before that he and Fitchett put on a wrestling clinic at St. Louis Anarchy.

The “Dirty Rook” took his lumps in his early LWA and SLA career, enduring hard-hitting battles with the likes of Arik Cannon, Akira Tozawa, Alex Shelley, and his trainer Dingo. Fitchett was frustrated after several near-misses in title matches against Darin Corbin and Gary Jay, leading to him taking a sabbatical from SLA competition; however, it turned out that he was hiding under the mask of “Dangerous Deveroux” as he competed for SLA and PWCS. Fitchett had an uphill battle against Gary Jay as the champion rode a wave of momentum, holding the title for over two years with title defenses against some of the toughest competition in the country. Winning a thirty-man Anarchy Rumble in late 2015 finally propelled him back into title contention…and in February of 2016, Fitchett finally ended Gary’s monumental title reign to reach the top of the mountain!

Fitchett didn’t shy away from challenges as he defended his title against Evan Gelistico, T.J. Perkins, Jake Dirden, and Paco Gonzalez…but on STL Anarchy’s final night, he lost the title to Vega.

It took several years for both men to gain attention in the national independent wrestling scene, but their exposure in AAW and Beyond Wrestling has turned the heads of many onlookers. Now forming the “Blood Brothers” tag team in the National Wrasslin’ League under the names Davey Gibson and Matthew Grundy, the two look to add more tag team gold to their already impressive resumes! These two men have been considered the Midwest’s best-kept secrets, but that secret is finally getting out!

Look for an exclusive MWR Future Star artwork honoring Davey Vega and Mat Fitchett for their achievement from acclaimed artist Dartallion Allen Jr. in the future.

If you would like to sponsor the MWR Future Star Plaques for Davey Vega and Mat Fitchett then please contact MWR at flairwhoooooo@yahoo.com. The cost is 50.00 each or $100.00 for both (two plaques) and you will receive a past MWR Yearbook, a Tyler Black (Seth Rollins rookie card) and a mention on the MWR Website.

2016 MWR Award

Future Star: Kevin Lee Davidson / Todd Letterman

2015 MWR Award

Future Star: Redwing

2014 MWR Year Awards

Future Star: Daniel Eads
Future Star: Elvis Aliaga

2013 MWR Year Awards

Future Star: Raphael King
Future Star Alexander Rudolph

2012 MWR Year Award

Future Star: ACH

2011 MWR Year Award

Future Star: Brian Breaker

2010 MWR Year Awards

Future Star: Sir Bradley Charles

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10 Questions with the LWA Champ KC Karrington

Posted by flairwhoooooo on October 18, 2009

LWA Kingpin KC Karrington

LWA Kingpin KC Karrington

 

Years Wrestling:5
Trained by: Dingo
First match: Vs. El Uno Loco, Mid America Xtreme (MAX) Wrestling
Finishing maneuver: The Cunning Stunt

Date, place and who you beat to become LWA Champ: June 20,2009 O’Fallon IL Knights of Columbus, Jeremy Wyatt

Brian Kelley:I am joined today with the current LWA Champion KC Karrington. In less than a year KC has transformed himself from one half of the top tag team in St Louis, The Ego Express with his tag team partner Steven Kennedy to reigning LWA Champion.
KC thank you for joining us today.

KC Karrington Any time, thanks for having me.

1) How did you get into the sport?

KC Karrington: I’ve got to admit, I got into the business through sheer dumb luck. More or less, being in the right place at the right time. I was attending a Gateway Championship Wrestling show, merely as a fan. During intermission, I got to talking to the woman sitting next to me, and she started telling me that her son was a year younger than I was, sixteen at the time, and that he was training at a new promotion called Mid America Xtreme in Alton, IL. I was living in Edwardsville at the time, which is about thirty minutes from Alton. My main issues that kept me from really pursuing training were my age and the fact that to train with Gateway I would have to drive to Missouri every week. Not having a job and being in school five days of the week, it really wasn’t an option. So, even though my main goal was to get to GCW, I decided that getting trained at MAX would have to do for the time being. She talked to me for a while, introduced me to the trainer, and I started attending regularly. I would say that I learned the bare basics at MAX. I wrestled under a different name, copied my idol, Ric Flair, verbatim, and really stunk up the place. On a brighter note, MAX was where I first teamed with Steven Kennedy, and we really became good friends. Long story short, the company folded, and after a lot of prodding and nudging, Kennedy got me to come to the GCW school. I basically had to be re-programmed, because I was put in the ring WAY too early at MAX. I may have learned my basics from the MAX trainer, but Dingo taught me how to be a professional wrestler.

2) In a very young age you have been able top make an impact, what have been the keys to your success?

KC Karrington: I credit the success I do have to the people that have trained me, and have helped me become confident in my wrestling. I honestly owe everything I’ve done professionally to Dingo, SSK, Sadie Blaze, Evil Jim, Shorty Biggs. They have all helped me, encouraged me, and told me when something flat out sucked. I respect everyone of them more than they’ll ever know. On a personal note, I have a younger brother and sister who are everything to me. The feeling I get when they come to the shows and I see them sitting in the crowd cheering me on……that’s what it’s all about. They are my biggest fans, and they are what keep me going.

3) Lets start out with your time with tag team partner and good friend Steven Kennedy, collectively the two of you are the Ego Express. I have to say that you are one of the most exciting and entertaining tag teams that I have seen in the MWR coverage area. How did that tag team come to be?

KC Karrington: “He’s making a peak hour call!!!”……..Sorry, kind of an inside joke. It all started at MAX. As I mentioned, I was nowhere near ready to be in the ring, and they more or less told me to go to the ring and be Ric Flair. I didn’t know how to be me when I was in the ring. Then, I was put into a faction with SSK and the rest is history. Through working with him, I really got comfortable in front of a crowd, and we just really went out and did what we wanted to do. The best part was, it was fun and it got over. After MAX went under, I really had no interest in wrestling anywhere else, because I knew that I didn’t know what I was doing. God, it seemed like at least once a week SSK would call me and say, “So, are you gonna come train at Gateway or what?”. I put it off for a while, but, as anybody that knows him can attest to, Kennedy can be very persuasive. When they really felt I was properly trained, I made my GCW debut and SSK and I tagged with each other regularly. We won the GCW Tag Team Championships together twice, and that is one of my top achievements. We were the bad guys at the time, and we just went to the ring and did as much as we possibly could to piss everybody off. The crowd hated us….but they loved to hate us. That’s why it was so easy for us to be more fan friendly. Something that The Ego Express has in it’s favor that not a lot of tag teams in the area have, is that we interact with each other the exact same way inside the ring as we do outside the ring. We play off of each other and make each other crack up constantly. Not many tag teams on the indy scene that I know of go get “wingy” and then catch a movie. I think of the guy like the big brother I never had, and I really do look up to him.

4) The Ego Express have went up with some of the top tag teams in the Midwest, if MWR were to put out a BEST OF THE EGO EXPRESS. What would some of the match listing look like?

KC Karrington: Very first match on that list would be the TLC match we had in LWA with Dingo and Davey Vega for the LWA Tag Titles. Being out there with two men that I hold in the highest regard, and absolutely tearing the house down is something that I really enjoyed. Our soap opera saga that we went through with Vega and Johnny Vinyl would be right behind that. Our two matches in NWA : Dynamo Pro with The LONR’s (Mark Sterling & Darrien Sanders) as well. I learn more wrestling with Sterling than just about anybody else that I’ve ever stepped into the ring with. When we first started in Gateway, we had some really good matches with Sean Vincent and Rebecca Raze that I enjoyed very much. Of course, working with the North Star Express was a feather in our collective cap. Those two have been all over, and are one of the best teams in the country. I feel like we were able to hang well with them. Recently, we had a match with Mark Sterling and Jeremy Wyatt that I was very proud of. Like Sterling, I feel like I grow as a wrestler everytime I get to step into the ring with Wyatt. Of course, I can’t chew for a few days, but I enjoy it for some reason.

KC Karrington and his tag team partner and good friend Steven Kennedy gives respect to Darin Corbin and Ryan Cruz of the Northstar Express after a hard fought battle that the LWA Fans loved. (Photo Credit Michael R Van Hoogstraat)

KC Karrington and his tag team partner and good friend Steven Kennedy gives respect to Darin Corbin and Ryan Cruz of the Northstar Express after a hard fought battle that the LWA Fans loved. (Photo Credit Michael R Van Hoogstraat)

5) I have to admit that I am a big fan of good tag team wrestling. I would love to see the Ego Express travel to 3XW to take on the tag team The Gentleman’s Club of Mark Sterling and Gage Octane or go head to head Barrio Boys Domino Rivera and Angel Medina in Kansas. Is there any tag team that you would like to test your skills against?

KC Karrington: The Bario Boys are definitely on that list. I’ve only gotten to see them a few times, but I’ve got to say that I was impressed. The Hooligans are another tag team that I have seen a few times, and I’d like to see how Kennedy and I would do against them. Plus, they seem to enjoy beating the snot out of the Submission Squad, which I am always a fan of.

6) When one talks about the history of the Ego Express and KC Karrington we can not have a conversation without talking about your former manager, as conniving as she is beautiful Tiffany LeFane. In one of the most shocking moments that I can recall she turned on you at the 2008 Circus Maximus, by throwing a fireball and taking the side of the Submission Squad. I feel that she is one of the top managers in the Midwest but one could argue that you have found more success without her in your corner. Would you say it would be fair to say that you were able to use her turn on you as motivation?

KC Karrington: Her turning on me is something that made me step up my game. After eveything that she and Vega did to me at Circus Maximus, (the blood, the fire, the betrayal), I feel like I had to evolve. But at the same time, I feel like the fans began to take me a lot more seriously. They recognized that I wasn’t the young kid that I started out as. I had grown, and I had been through a damn war and made it out alive. As far as Tiffany goes…….let’s face it, there is not a person that she has managed that hasn’t been successful. Let’s look at the list here. Ego Express : Multi-time GCW Tag Champs, LWA Tag Champs, SSK is the Medallion of Whatchimacallit (I can never remember) holder, and I currently hold the LWA Championship. Davey Vega : Medallion of Bandanas holder, somebody whom I have NEVER beaten in an LWA ring, and soon faces Dingo for the NWA Missouri State Championship. Gary the Nightowl has a shot at my LWA Championship soon. Tiffany knows what she is doing out there. As much as she has put me through, I believe she IS the top manager in the mid-west.

Don’t let Tiffany Lefane great legs distract you, because she is one the great manipulators and leaders in the sport. She now leads former fan favorite Gary the Barn Owl into action. (Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)

Don’t let Tiffany Lefane great legs distract you, because she is one the great manipulators in the sport. She now leads former fan favorite Gary the Barn Owl into action. (Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)

7) Lets turn our focus to singles action. Looking back, Jeremy Wyatt had been the Kingpin and the 2008 MWR Wrestler of the year throughout the Midwest by beating top notch talent in Tyler Black, “The Future” Donovan Ruddick, Abu Colussus, Davey Richards and Jordan Lacey. How were you able to overcome the intensity of Wyatt where so many others have failed?

KC Karrington: You know, I’ve asked myself the same question. I don’t think that I would be holding the LWA Championship without the fans on my side. The night I won the title, the thing I remember most was the reaction that the fans gave me when I stepped through the curtain. That still gives me goosebumps. When Wyatt gave me repeated forearms to the jaw, chops to the chest, and those stiff kicks he can throw, hearing the fans rallying behind me gave me that will to fight on. I would love to say that I won that belt because I am better than Wyatt, but I’m not going to say that. Jeremy Wyatt may not be a fan favorite to put it lightly, but he is probably the best in the mid-west. I respect him more than almost anybody else in the locker room.

LWA Wyatt vs KC, Kahagas vs Mark Sterling 156

Karrington threw caution to the wind to become the LWA Champion by beating the man very few have had wins against in the past two years “The Rebel” Jeremy Wyatt. (Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)

8) On June 20th, 2009 you shocked wrestling fans by becoming the man to end Wyatt’ title reign. Your good friend Steven Kennedy came into the ring to congratulate you while the LWA locker room came ringside for a standing ovation. Explain to the fans in words what that moment was like.

KC Karrington: Accomplished. I felt like I had really proved all the doubters wrong. All the people when I first started telling me that I could never be anything because of my size…..I had always let that sit in the back of my head. I’ve been trying to prove them wrong for the last five years. Hearing the LWA fans in O’Fallon, seeing my family in the crowd, and having Kennedy, Shorty Biggs, Adam Rich, people I think of like brothers, in the ring with me to share that moment. I don’t think that that moment could have been any better.

The LWA  locker room salutes the New Champ (Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)

The LWA locker room salutes the New Champ (Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)

9) One competitor who has quietly making waves is your former partner Kennedy. He is the current LWA Medallion of Brutality holder by defeating Gary J who was accompanied by Tiffany Lefane the same night that you won the LWA Title and has been impressive in the past few months including a big match Jeremy Wyatt, Brandon Espinosa & Dash Rando in a four-way no-DQ match. It may not be soon but how would you feel if Kennedy was granted a shot?

Kc Karringotn proved that he was for real when he defeated Wyatt in a rematch for the LWA title on July 25 in House Springs. . Karrington had to display a lot of heart and guts as the Rebel was even more nastier than ever. (Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)

Kc Karringotn proved that he was for real when he defeated Wyatt in a rematch for the LWA title on July 25 in House Springs. . Karrington had to display a lot of heart and guts as the Rebel was even more nastier than ever. (Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)

KC Karrington: You know, that’s something that’s crossed my mind quite a bit. Kennedy and I joke all the time about who is the Shawn Michaels of our tag team and who is the Marty Jannetty. Luckily, we’ve never been inside of a barber shop. Seriously, though, I would give SSK a title shot any time and any where. He is ridiculously talented, and he and I think so much alike, it would probably be as close as I could get to wrestling myself.

LWA July 25,2009 216

Steven Kennedy quietly has been red hot this past summer including a big win against Brandon Espinosa. (Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)

10) Who do you feel in the coming months present your biggest challenge for the LWA title going forward?

KC Karrington: As far as people who have yet to make that big splash, Davey Vega is somebody that everybody in the mid-west should keep their eyes on. I have known him since he first started, and he is an all around great wrestler. Personality, psychology, general ring presence….he has it all. We’ve wrestled more times than I can remember. He and I have been in some wars, and have tried to literally destroy each other. Hell, he tried to set me on fire! Personal feelings aside though, getting in the ring with him always brings out the best in me, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him come after my LWA Title in the near future. Mike Sydal is somebody that has come a long way in a short time. I’ve gotten to step into the ring with him in tag and singles matches, and he’s beyond talented. Brandon Aarons is another guy I’m very impressed with, and another guy that I have known since he first started training. Another person that takes pride in what he does, and I think he can make some major waves soon. Of course, the guys that have been in the game for a while are a threat and ready to strike. Kennedy, Dingo, Sterling. Any one of them coming after the championship would not surprise me. Unfortunately for me, they’re some of the best at what they do. I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t looking forward to it.

KC Once again thank you for your being a part of the MWR exclusive 10 questions with the Champ. Good luck on defending your title in the future.

KC Karrington: Again, thank you very much for having me on MWR, and for your constant support

KC Karrington defends his LWA Title in House Springs Missouri against Gary the Barn Owl

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LWA Fans vote for your favorite LWA Stars in the 2009 fan poll here.

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The Uniqueness of Outside Championships- By Christopher M. Zack

Posted by flairwhoooooo on August 24, 2009

 

Camera Guy Chris and Daughter

The Uniqueness of Outside Championships

By Christopher M. Zack

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 VegaBilly 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.

Christopher M. Zack

PWN Severed Ties Flier

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MWR October 2008 Awards

Posted by flairwhoooooo on November 18, 2008

October Wrestler of the Month

 wyatt

Jeremy Wyatt [ PWP] [LWA] [3XW]

 

No wrestler in the Midwest is as hot as Jeremy “The Rebel” Wyatt. On October 17th at 3XW he earned the right to be the number one contender to the 3xw Pure Championship title held by Tyler Cook by defeating former Pure Champion Maddog McDowell and international star Arik Cannon.

 

 A week later he returned to LWA where he cashed in his Medallion to LWA President Luke Roberts before Roberts could declare the LWA title strip the injured Jordan Lacey of the belt. Since Lacey could not defend the belt, Roberts had no other choice but to give the Rebel the title. Wyatt never one to walk away from a fight successfully defended the belt that night in another three way, this time with KC Karrington and once again Arik Cannon.

 

Less than 24 hours, Wyatt made his way to Pro Wrestling Phoenix to take on the mammoth Abu Colossus for the PWP Championship. Wyatt was able to defeat one of the most impressive big men in the Midwest to become the new PWP Champion. It is only fitting that Jeremy Wyatt wins once again in October.

 

1st Runner Up – Casanova [3XW]
2nd Runner Up –
“Bloody” Harker Dirge [NBWA]
3rd Runner Up –
Shane Rich [AAPW]

 

 

 

Others receiving votes: AJ Williams [MMWA-SICW]

 

October Tag Team of the Month

northstar-express1

 

The Northstar Express (Ryan Cruz and Darin Corbin) [PWP] [AAW] [LWA]

 

The Northstar Express traveled to LWA for a classic match up between Johnny Vinyl & Davey Vega. The upstart tag team of Vinyl and Vega was able to get the upset win. The Northstar Express did not let that get them down as they headed to PWP and took on one of the arch rivals the LONRS for the Tag team titles. The LONRS had beaten the Northstar Express twice before this encounter so with their final chance to become the PWP Tag Team Champions, in a match up between two of the top tag teams in the Midwest, the Northstar Express was able to get the belts that have eluded them all year.

 

 

1st Runner Up – The LONRS (Mark Sterling and Darrien Sanders [AAPW] [PWP]
2nd Runner Up –
Johnny Vinyl & Davey Vega [LWA]
3rd Runner Up
Dinn T. Moore & Brian Breaker [WLW]

 

 

October Women of the Month

 

Amy Henning [WLW]

 

Not content in just being the daughter of Curt “Mr Perfect” Henning, Amy has worked hard at WLW. The first match ups between her and Stacey O’Brien was the classic wily veteran taking advantage of young rookie. On October 24th in Warsaw Missouri, Amy proved that she is a quick learner and defeated O’Brien to become the new WLW Ladies Champion. MWR staff took notice and voted her the October Women of the Month

 

1st Runner Up –Stacey O’ Brien  [WLW]  
2nd Runner Up – Malia Hosaka [3XW]
3rd Runner Up –Melanie Cruise [POWW]

 

October Promotion of the Month

high-voltage

 

High Voltage Wrestling

 

Many doubted the new promotion in St Louis capable of having a show much less being successful. HVW on October 4th welcomed fans and wrestlers alike to come and see what they were all about.  The night showcased powerhouses Donovan Ruddick, High flyers DaCobra, a top tag team in the Hybirds and a ACU-30 Title defense.  HVW delivered a rollercoaster of action and suspense that impressed the wrestling world.

 

High Voltage Wrestling understands that they can not fly under the radar. They have reloaded for their next show. They will crown the first HVW Champion when “The Future” Donovan Ruddick takes on Brandon Espinosa. Mark Sterling will battle DaCobra and Kahagas has been brought in to take on MWR Wrestler of the Month Jeremy Wyatt. This and much more is why HVW has earned the respect of MWR.

 

 

1st Runner Up –LWA  
2nd Runner Up – 3XW
3rd Runner Up –PWP

Others receiving votes – IWA Productions,

 

October personality of the Month

josh-ray-and-family

 

Josh C Ray

 

A good leader is able to make those around him strive to reach their full potential.  He can inspire confidence in others and draws out the trust and best efforts of the team. All this is true of Josh Ray.

 

Josh C Ray built Missouri Wrestling Revival out of respect and love for Pro Wrestling. MWR has the same qualities as the owner who started it. Josh is caring, hardworking, trustworthy, and passionate along with the highest integrity.

 

 He has spent countless hours working on the site, reaching out his hand to whoever needed it.  He never settled for anything but the best. He introduced the MWR “Wrestling Revival Cup” rankings and spearheaded the MWR Best of the Midwest series which is a dream to show other wrestling fans that the Midwest has some of the best talent in the world.    

 

He is married to a beautiful woman, who is also his best friend, Sara. They are proud parents of a young son Jalen.  I dare you to have a conversation with him that doesn’t mention his boy Jalen.

 

A proud American who has served our country once before, he has once again been called by his country to return to Iraq. His dream to support Pro Wrestling will stay alive while he is gone, but he still looks forward to returning to Missouri to lend a helping hand to Midwest pro wrestling

 

Josh, your colleagues have awarded you with the MWR October Personality of the month.

   

 

 

 

1st Runner Up –Tiffany Lafane [LWA]

 

Others receiving votes: None

 

October Match of the Month

pwp-301

 

The Norhtstar Express

Vs.

The LONRS

[Pro Wrestling Phoenix]

October 25th in Council Bluffs, IA

 

The LONRS had twice defeated The Northstar Express while retaining the Pro Wrestling Phoenix Tag Team Titles. On October 25th, the LONRS (Mark Sterling and Darrien Sanders) looked to have their number once again. The Northstar Express Ryan Cruz and Darin Corbin) would not give up. One PWP fans stated “I’ve never heard stiffer superkicks in my 3 years of PWP fandom”. In a night of near falls, the Northstar Express walked away with the win but both teams earned the October Match of the Month.  

 

 

1st Runner Up-

 

 Triple threat match for the LWA title

Jeremy Wyatt vs. Arik Cannon vs. KC Karrington

[LWA]

October 24th in O’Fallon, IL

 

2nd Runner Up-

AAW Heavyweight Title match

Tyler Black vs. Claudio Castagnoli

[AAW]

October 4th in Berwyn, IL

 

3rd Runner Up-

3XW Pure Championship Match

Tyler Cook vs. Shane Hollister

[3xw]

October 17th in Des Moines, IA

 

Others receiving votes

All American Pro Wrestling Tag Team title match

Phoenix Twins vs. The LONRS

October 18th in Royalton, IL

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LWA Arena Report November 8

Posted by reimaginejournalism on November 14, 2008

LWA Arena Report Nov. 8
By Kari Williams

Taking the fight back home to the Knights of Columbus Hall in House Springs, MO, Lethal Wrestling Alliance gave 100 fans a memorable night filled with two surprise returns, the vice president being named and a performance by The World Police.

Paul Parker brought LWA President Luke Roberts to the ring prior to the first match of the evening because Roberts had finally named his Vice President and was ready to reveal his choice. Without much shock to the fans, Roberts chose Jewells, who delivered an acceptance speech of sorts.

After Roberts’ announcement, Brandon Espinosa, one-half of B.A.B.E Watch, took on Tyler Cook. After showing off to the fans, both men got down to business and kicked the show off with an excellent match. There were multiple reversals from both men and scuffles outside of the ring. Following mulitple pinfall attempts for each man and a picture-perfect frogsplash from Espinosa, the cocky Espinosa stole a victory with a roll up while holding the tights.

Roberts made his presence felt once again, to the disgruntlement of the fans. However, the news he delivered surely retracted the initial anger. Roberts announced that on January 2, the first night of the double-shot to start the new year, Mike Quackenbush will face “Nightmare” Nick Tyson, who then made his way to the ring. Tyson blatantly stated that he was putting, not just Quackenbush, but the whole LWA locker room on notice, proclaiming that he will resurrect the Submission Squad.

Those comments prompted Pierre Abernathy and the latest Submission Squad member, Evan Gelistico, to make their presence felt and defend what the Submission Squad has evolved into. Due to the dispute and tension, Tyson will get his shot at Abernathy at Yuletide Terror.

The next contest was a qualifiying match for Jeremy Wyatt’s LWA Heavyweight Championship, setting “Future” Donovan Ruddick against Mark Sterling. Ruddick and Sterling took the fight to each other,holding nothing back. Sterling’s technical prowess shined, but Ruddick’s forceful dominance prevailed, causing him to advance to the next round of the tournament.

In the aftermath, Wyatt attacked Ruddick from behind, adding more fule to Ruddick’s already burning desire to regain his belt. Once Wyatt returned to the back, Sterling had respectful words with a determined mindset for Ruddick.

“I’ve taken on the best…and pinned them one, two, three, but you are by far one of the toughest opponents,” he said.

Sterling then requested a rematch if and when Ruddick wins the belt, making Sterling the number one contender.

Gary the Barnowl tried to gain some retribution for Evan Gelistico’s actions last month as the next bout commenced. With so much retribution on the line, neither man wanted to give an inch. They battled ferociously, taking it to the outside with intense rage filling their minds. Gelistico nearly won the battle after an superkick, but Gary kicked out at two and ended up gaining enough momentum to earn the win for the Bearded Men.

During intermission, the World Police provided fans with their eclectic form of music.

Once the action got back underway, “Spoiled” Steven Kennedy wrestled one-half of his arch nemesises, “Spitfire” Davey Vega. This match was simply hate personified, as Kennedy and Vega traded blow for blow, with intense loathing burning in their eyes. At one point, Kennedy went for a springboard moonsault, but Vega forced Kennedy to a stop with a devastating kick to the face. Nonetheless, Kennedy persevered and sealed Vega’s fate with a lionsault.

Before the next match started, Mike Sydal made his way to the ring only to berate the fans, as well as the LWA itself, proclaiming that he “knew they weren’t worthy of seeing a Sydal wrestle.” Once Sydal left, Parker gave a shout out to MWR’s own Josh Ray, for his departure to Iraq, wishing him the best.
Pierre Abernathy set his sights on Billy McNeil during the second to last match of the night. McNeil let loose in the opening moments, proving that he is not one to mess with in the LWA. However, Gelistico’s presence at ringside became the deciding factor. Not content with his most recent actions against McNeil, Gelistico took things even further when he interfered in the match, resulting in Abernathy picking up a tainted win.

Giving one of the brightest stars a chance to shine, Jeremy Wyatt put his belt on the line against Dingo and the future of the LWA, K.C. Karrington. Every man held his own and proved that he deserved the title belt. Just when it appeared as though Karrington would secure a victory and take his rightful place at the top of the company, the new vice president came out and said that she did not like the way the match was going. This distracted Karrington just long enough for Wyatt to sneak out with a victory.

Due to Jewells’ interference, Roberts had harsh words for her, then announced that he named a commisioner, someone who would have the same authority as Jewells. That man, was Adam Raw. After poking fun at Jewells and making not-so-similar comparisons between her and Sarah Palin, Raw got down to business and in his first act as the commisionher, he set the much anticipated Tables, Ladders and Chairs match between The Ego Express and “Blackheart” Johnny Vinyl and “Spitfire” Davey Vega. As the show ended, the last thing Raw said before he went to the back was, “That, my friends, is change.”lwa

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Vinyl and Vega: Moving Up in the World

Posted by Admin on November 8, 2008

Vinyl and Vega: Moving Up in the World

by Josh Ray
Owner-Editor
inadvertent.nerd@gmail.com

Lethal Wrestling Alliances undisputed best tag team, Spitfire Davey Vega (back) and Blackheart Johnny Vinyl (front).

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.

Vinyl: Oh, and for more booking information for me go to http://www.myspace.com/bncjohnnyvinyl.

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A New Number One?

Posted by Admin on October 25, 2008

A New Number One?
The tag team scene heats up.

by Josh Ray
Owner-Editor
inadvertent.nerd@gmail.com

After what seemed like an eternity at the number one spot, the Northstar Express fell one spot to number two.  Taking their place at number one is the ultra-talented team known as The Phoenix Twins (Tweek & Dash).

The Phoenix Twins have received their fair share of accolades this year.  In the MWR coverage area for 2008, they have held the AAPW tag titles and wrestled in the MWR Match of the Month for March.  They’ve also been MWR Tag Team of the Month in March and May, as well as the Tag Team of the 1st Quarter.  While nipping at the heels of the Northstar Express since the beginning of the 2008 Wrestling Revival Cup, Tweek and Dash overtook them after capturing the Scott County Wrestling Tag Team Titles this month.

That’s not to say that Darin Corbin and Ryan Cruz are out of the hunt.  A very popular tag team, the Northstar Express suffered a setback when Darin Corbin injured his knee at a 3XWrestling show in Des Moines, IA in September.  He’s since recovered moderately from the injury and they’ve got a busy second half of October, but those matches are tough and could slow them down even further.

Another team that has slipped slightly in the tag team rankings is the team of Danny Daniels & Trik Davis, collectively known as Windy City Classic.  Windy City Classic had a tight grip on the Scott County Wrestling Tag Team Titles for a large portion of the year, but the talent and teamwork of teams such as Zero Gravity (Brett Gakiya & CJ Esparza) and Phoenix Twins caused them to wear down over time.  Both teams have tasted SCW Tag Title glory in the past two months.

The team to look out for is the LONRs (Darrien Sanders and Mark Sterling).  These guys have been on a steady climb as of late, and the month of October could prove to be their best yet.  The LONRs defeated the former number one team twice this year (Northstar Express) in successful defenses of the Pro Wrestling Phoenix Tag Team Titles, and last week defeated the new number one tag team (Phoenix Twins) to capture the All American Pro Wrestling Tag Titles.

The dark horse in the hunt for the MWR 2008 Wrestling Revival Cup for tag teams would have to be Lethal Wrestling Alliance’s top tag team, Davey Vega & Johnny Vinyl.  These two have competed solely in the LWA this year, a promotion without tag team titles to measure success.  Currently ranked 11th, these two have crawled within striking distance of the top ten and at press time were staring down the Northstar Express in a big match for bragging rights and a possibly push to the top of the rankings.

The 2008 Wrestling Revival Cup is coming to a close in the very near future and the fight for the championship is intensifying.  Who will take home the

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Stranglehold on Tag Team Wrestling in the Midwest

Posted by Admin on October 8, 2008

Stranglehold on Tag Team Wrestling in the Midwest
My sit down with the Northstar Express

by Josh Ray
Owner-Editor
inadvertent.nerd@gmail.com

Ranked at the top of all tag teams in the MWR coverage area, the team of Darin Corbin and Ryan Cruz, collectively known as The Northstar Express, has dominated nearly all competition that the area has to offer. They are multiple-time tag champions for All American Wrestling where some of the best tag teams in the Midwest make their home, including the Motor City Machine Guns. They also hold the distinction of being the longest reigning 3XWrestling Tag Team Champions at 20 months. Make no mistake about it, The Northstar Express are for real.

There are few tag teams in the world, much less in the Midwest, that operate as a unit the way that Corbin and Cruz do.  Both could be contenders in singles competition for any promotion in the area, but somehow they’ve managed to take their skills individually and multiply them by forming such a successful tag team.  With a match versus the LONRs for Pro Wrestling Phoenix, an immenent showdown with the tag team that Pearl Harbor’d them out of the 3XW tag belts (Gentlemen’s Club) and a highly anticipated match against Johnny Vinyl & Davey Vega for Lethal Wrestling Alliance on the the horizon, not to mention the AAW Tag Team Titles to defendin one of the toughest tag divisions around, The Northstar Express has an unprecedented opportunity to show they are the best of the best.

On October 1, 2008, both members of The Northstar Express made their way down to MWR Headquarters in Lebanon, MO to talk with me about some of the pressing issues facing them for the remainder of the year and beyond.  It was explained to me before the interview that Cruz was preparing for his grudge match against Mark Sterling at 3XW’s “BAM-O-Ween” on October 17, 2008.  He wanted to focus on his mindset leading into the match, so his partner Darin Corbin did all of the talking.

First of all, I want to thank you both for talking with me today. There is a growing buzz surrounding The Northstar Express in the MWR coverage area, but people want to know what brought you two together as a team. What brought Darin Corbin and Ryan Cruz to the tag team party?

Darin Corbin: Well, we’ve actually known each other since we were in 1st grade, so it’s only fitting that we would end up as a team. I mean, we used to wreak havoc from when we were 7-years old all the way up through school, so why not do it in the ring? I guess you could say it was just fate.

I’ve heard you both make a bold claim to a tag team title from some promotion I’ve never heard of. The interplanetary something or other. What’s the name again?

Darin Corbin: We are the Intergalactic, Presidential, Transcontinental, Atlantic to Pacific, Extreme Tag Team Champions of the Universe. And there is a reason you’ve never heard of it, its not a promotion. It was an honor bestowed upon us by the United Galaxy of Wrestling when we became the first team to win tag titles on another planet. Let’s see any other team boast that. Plus, we have the belts to prove it.

Ah, yes. Anyways, how did you come about winning these belts?

Darin Corbin: Simple, we beat the best that the Universe had to offer. How else would you win tag belts? Huh?

What are your thoughts about pro wrestling in the MWR coverage area (Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Illinois), particularly the tag team scene?

Darin Corbin: Well, I must say that having publicity is always a great thing for pro wrestling. It’s good to see that people’s efforts are acknowledged. And I do believe that we are number one tag team in the rankings, so that can’t hurt right? Anything with the Northstar Express on it turns heads. That’s what we do. But in all honesty, the more the merrier. MWR is definitely covering wrestling positively and you recognize talent when you see it. Keep it up.

Thank you.  Recently at a 3XW event in Des Moines, IA, your 3XW Tag Team Title reign was ended by the Gentlemen’s Club (Mark Sterling & Gage Octane) in dastardly fashion after over a year as champs. Care to give your thoughts?

Darin Corbin: A 20 month reign, to be exact.

Well, anybody can come out and win a match when it’s 1-on-2, and they (the opponents) have already had to wrestle another match prior to that and one of them is injured and can’t walk. Pretty stacked deck if you ask me. However, do I just sit here and think about how terrible it was, and say, “that’s not fair guys, give us the belts back”?  No. We win them back. That’s what we do.

Imagine this, Northstar Express versus Gentlemen’s Club: no previous matches; both teams at one hundred percent… Come on!  There is no way that those too buffoons will keep those belts.

At the same show, you were injured with a possible ACL tear. Care to give the fans an update?

Darin Corbin: Well, the good news is that there was no ACL tear. I thought I was going to be out for eight months to a year originally. Since then I’ve been out of action, and I’ve been to five doctor appointments… nobody has told me what EXACTLY happened. So here’s what I’ve been doing: just waiting. Do you know how hard that is when all you want to do is wrestle?

I’ve got goals to accomplish when I come back. So until then, I’m just waiting patiently getting back to 100%.

What does this injury do for the Northstar Express’ future plans?

Darin Corbin: Well, its not like Ryan Cruz can’t handle himself.

(Corbin points at Cruz, who just simply nods his head once.)

Obviously I’m there for moral support, but you haven’t seen the last of me or the last of the NSE… not even close. Just wait, when we get back together it will be like I never left and we never hit this little snag.

You’re slated to make your debut for St. Louis’ Lethal Wrestling Alliance on October 24, 2008 against a tag team that has gained a reputation for being ruthless in their pursuit of victory, Johnny Vinyl & Davey Vega. First, will you be able to compete as a tag team for that show? Secondly, what are your thoughts on Vinyl and Vega?

Darin Corbin: Hmm… good question. Will I be ready? Honestly, I don’t know if I’ll be at one hundred percent, but I want to be there. It wouldn’t be a show without The Northstar Express now, would it?

So you describe Vinyl & Vega as ruthless? You know what…I’m pretty ruthless myself. I injured my knee and took myself out of action! If I would do that to myself, imagine what I’d do to others. 

(Corbin laughs.)

 Now that my friends…is ruthless.

Here’s a question for you. Is this Vega from Street Fighter II? Because that would be sweet.

No, I don’t think he is.

Darin Corbin: Bummer.

Yeah.

Darin Corbin: Seriously.

Now that we have that out of the way, who do each of you feel is the toughest tag team in the Midwest, other than yourselves?

Darin Corbin: I would have to honestly say the Phoenix Twins. You know what the hard part is about identical twins… they look alike. It’s confusing.

Past or present, what tag team do you feel you’d need to beat to be known as the all-time greatest?

Darin Corbin: Well, I think the best thing we could do is establish ourselves by beating an undefeated team that headlined a major PPV during the wrestling boom.. and once we beat DDP & Jay Leno, I don’t think that anybody can argue with us being the top team in the industry. And then we could get our own late night show.

Final question, guys. Ryan Cruz vs Darin Corbin. Who wins?

Darin Corbin: Unfortunately this match would never take place because the universe would collapse in on itself. Actually, talking about it puts us at risk… let’s end this interview.

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MWR Event Report: LWA on September 20, 2008

Posted by Admin on September 30, 2008

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

By Kari Williams

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Luke Roberts’ Statement

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

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

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

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

Michael Elgin v. Andrew Davis

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

Michael Elgin def. Andrew Davis

Dingo v. JT Lamotta

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

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

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

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

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

The Aftermath

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

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Your Trip to Space Mountain-Circus Maximus 2008

Posted by Admin on July 30, 2008

Your Trip to Space Mountain

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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