By Brian Kelley

On January 7th, 2011 in Des Moines Iowa at 3XW two of the greatest wrestlers today Mark Sterling and Jeremy Wyatt will go to war in a historic 60 Minute  NO DQ Iron Man match. Both of these individuals have been Champions around the Midwest and are former MWR Wrestlers of the year.

The 2009 MWR Wrestler of the Year Mark Sterling (Photo Credit Brian Kelley)

In a world where respect is earned and not given, Wyatt and Sterling are the measuring sticks for those in the game today. From Kansas to Illinois to Missouri and all the way to Des Moines Iowa they are main event athletes that the fans want to know if they are on the card.

The time has come for Wyatt to finally put his money where his mouth is…. He’s been talking crap for years that he’s the best… Well I have news for him, there is one guy that is a bit better: ME. Wyatt doesn’t train in the gym 4 times a day like I do. He doesn’t dominate Crossfit competitions. “The Fittest Wrestler on Earth” isn’t just a gimmick for me, it’s the honest to God truth. Wyatt hasn’t spent the better part of 8 years training at Harley Race’s school like me. Wyatt didn’t train the 2009 Rookie of the Year Mike Sydal, I did… Nobody in this area works their fingers to the bone as much as I do. Nobody even comes close and that’s a shoot. As good as Wyatt is and everything he’s accomplished, he’s about to get hit with a dose of reality January 7th in 3xw. I have 60 minutes to prove to all the “experts” and “insiders” that I am not only the best on the Midwest, but on the fast track to being one of the best in the world!”- Mark Sterling

Mark Sterling is a man who is pure muscle with seemingly limitless intensity, who lives and breaths wrestling. A great build with a desire to become the best, Sterling has been under the watchful eye of Harley Race at World League Wrestling and recently took part in Ohio Valley Wrestling’s training camp that featured great wrestling minds such as Jim Cornette, Nick “Eugene” Dinsmore, Danny Davis and Rip Rogers.

Sterling’s path would take him to both singles and tag team glory in the past few years. At 3xw he has been a former 3XW Pure Champion and a former tag team Champion with former allies the Gentleman’s Club. Winning and being the best is everything for Sterling and his claim to the best in the Midwest was only strengthen when he defeated Michael Strider for the NWA Central States Championship last year.

The 2008 MWR Wrestler of the year "The Rebel" Jeremy Wyatt (Photo Credit Brian Kelley)

Mark Sterling is bigger than me, stronger than me, has a better build than me, can do more sit ups and push ups than me, goes to the gym 27 times a day, can eat more tacos than me, has had better training than me… Hell, I basically paid a guy a grand and ending up training myself and tryin to figure it out as I went along. Why wouldn’t Sterling think he’s better? But therein lies the difference, Sterling thinks he’s better… I know i’m better, the best. The simple truth is this, for every advantage he has, I have one that trumps them all, I’m tougher… Mentally and physically. I punch harder, I kick harder and there’s no one who can absorb punishment like me, and that’s with having a body that’s falling apart. I have a severe sciatic nerve problem in my lower back, ligament damage in my left wrist, calcium deposits in my right elbow, dizzy spells from a concussion over a year ago but yet when it’s a “big match” no one, and I mean absolutely no one puts on a show like I do. January 7th, its gonna be time to put on a show” -“The Rebel” Jeremy Wyatt

Wyatt’s nickname is the Rebel, a man who has done what he wanted to do in the ring with no remorse or regret. He could be the most hated man in all the Midwest. Yet the Rebel has shown a love for great competition and winning titles. Winning titles all around the Midwest is the reason why he earned another nickname The Belt Collector.

Wyatt would add the coveted 3XW Championship on August 21, 2009 against the then fan favorite Devin Carter. He would terrorize and dominate the promotion for close to a year till July 9,2010 when the talented Rory Fox would upset Wyatt to become one of the very few to make claim as a man to have a victory against the Rebel.

In the past these two men have teamed up but the question always remained, just who is the best in the Midwest?

Who has the advantage in this epic battle  where the object is to get the most pinfalls and submissions in that 60 minute time limit?

Lets break it down.

Power and size – Sterling clearly has the edge. Standing 6’2 and 221 barrel-chested like a Greek God, he has broken the will of half the wrestlers in the Midwest before the first bell rang. Wyatt gives up 2 inches and 20 pounds to Sterling, but no one uses execution on offense like the Rebel to withstand a bigger wrestler onslaught.

Jeremy Wyatt is a master of delivering pain. (Photo Credit Brian Kelley)

Can Sterling impose his strength in the match early on to get the edge he needs ?

Power and Size Advantage – Mark Sterling– Is there any wrestler more obsessed with conditioning. In boxing the smaller guys are often said to best pound for pound fighter in the game. How scary is it that Sterling standing  6’2 221 could very well fit that bill in the Midwest. The man is a machine. Wyatt will have his hands full trying to slow down Sterling.

Stamina speed and air attack,-Wyatt has excelled beating men much bigger than he is, while he does pull out all stops with punching, kicking and scratching, I am here to say that it is just all smokes and mirrors to keep his opponent to realize just how versatile Wyatt is and the speed he possess. Sterling may be impressive with his stone cut body, but it’ his training regimen of CROSSFIT that allows him to have a style that can allow him to go all out for 60 minutes without a problem. Wyatt has shown a willingness to go to the air while Sterling prefers to ground and pound you.

Mark Sterling will look to use his speed to get an edge to prove who is the very best in the Midwest today. (Photo Credit Brian Kelley)

Tyler Cook knows very well how lethal Wyatt can be. (Photo Credit Bill Smith)

Stamina, speed and air attack advantage- EVEN

Finishers-

When Sterling locks in the Markshooter, the rest is history. (Photo Credit Brian Kelley)

Sterling is the owner of the Markshooter a variation of Stings Scorpion Deathlock or Bret Harts Sharpshooter. I would be rich if I got a dollar every time that I was at ringside taking photographs during his match that he locked this move in on his opponents in the feared Markshooter. The end result is always the same. Tap out or leave in pieces, either way I have a who’s who in photographs of some of the best in the sport on the wrong side of this painful move. To tell you how effective the Markshooter is, he has so much confidence in it, he uses it in tag team action and has still been able to pick up the win.

Wyatt will also have to be on the lookout for an explosive spear that Sterling has been adding to his arsenal of weapons. Will Sterling look to get a win off of Wyatt with the Markshooter, and once the bell rings and before Wyatt can get strength back in his legs will Sterling drill him with the spear to pick up a two fall lead?

Wyatt is a wizard inside the ring. The biggest and the fastest of wrestlers have fallen in the past few years. (Photo Credit Mike Van Hoogstraat)

Wyatt brings to the battle the lightning spiral, a move that is viscous in appearance and even more so for the final result for the unlucky soul that gets hit with it. He has perfected the maneuver with such precision that it has been his trademark on route to title after title. Even more impressive is how quick he is able to deliver the move.

Wyatt is a master of leverage and it also shows with his other finisher the crossface. The move has been deadly for his opponents with Wyatt brutalizing them by pulling their head backwards while having their legs wrapped up with no place to go. Sterling is a big guy, but with Wyatt locking him in a position where his power is neaturalized, this is a move that Wyatt will be wanting to use to take him to victory.

Finishers Advantage – EVEN

Confidence and momentum –

What has set Wyatt a part from almost everyone in the Midwest is his ability to stay cool under pressure. In big matches with Tyler Black, Davey Richards and Al Snow, Wyatt wrestles like its another day at the park. We have seen Wyatt cause near riots in promotions, and you can see the frustration and defeat in his opponents eyes throughout the match.

Sterling is cocky, brash and rightfully so, he is as well trained as anyone in the game today. The problem is does he truly believe it? We have seen in many matches in the past where he lost his composure and tends to showboat. Sterling has been impressive in the past with pinfall victories over Chase Stevens, Colt Cabana and a huge win over the Monster Abyss in a brutal ladder match. On the flip side , Sterling has found defeat at the hands of Snow, Black and Jerry Lynn , all three men that the Rebel can boast he has had his hand raised.

With Wyatt already leading in the series, can Sterling overcome the doubts that the Wyatt has planted in his head?

The scary thing for the Rebel is that Sterling is and even BETTER wrestler than he was when the MWR Awards committee voted him as the 2009 MWR Wrestler of the Year. Sterling has been dominate in 2010 at WLW with Steve Fender as one half of the WLW Tag Champs, won the 2010  3XW King of Des Moines Championship, trained once again at the WLW/Noah camp and followed that up with a training camp at Ohio Valley Wrestling. Last but not least he was able to submidt arguably the greatest wrestler in the world today Davey Richards.

Confidence and momentum Advantage – Jeremy Wyatt – With a history of wins in big matches, it is easier to name the matches that he has lost due to the fact that it is so rare. With Wyatt already in Sterling’s head is this match already the Rebel’s ?

Final verdict-

This could very well be the most important match in the future of the Midwest. Both men are highly touted as men who could very well be the best in the country that have not had a run with Ring of Honor, TNA or WWE.

Both know each other very well before going to war to see who truly is the best wrestler in the Midwest today. The longest 60 minutes in each of these two lives will be on the stage for the world to see.

Will Sterling look to overpower Wyatt early and push his weight around? Can Wyatt break Sterling mentally?

My advice for Wyatt is, if Sterling locks in the Markshooter, if you are unable to get out right away, tap quickly. Sterling has the move to perfection and the damage is done in a blink of an eye.

My Advice for Sterling, do not get overconfident and let the Rebel suck you in to thinking you are safe. You are never safe. Wyatt for all of his antics is always thinking and looking to deliver the big blow.

MWR Prediction- Jeremy Wyatt wins 3 to  Mark Sterling’s 2



Plus a Holiday treat straight from our friends at 3XW

The latest free Match of the Month is a special holiday gift to our fans – a 3XW Heavyweight championship match featuring “The Rebel” Jeremy Wyatt!

Two-time 3XW Feud of the Year winners Jeremy Wyatt and Tyler Cook clash one last time in an intense battle for the 3XW Heavyweight championship in this highly-emotional battle. For more info about this lengthy rivalry, visit http://www.3xwrestling.com/Midnight-June10.htmand read a column which provides tremendous background info on the match. This bout took place at 3XW’s “Downtown Destruction 2” event on June 4, 2010 at the Des Moines Social Club. Commentary provided by Midnight Guthrie and “The Founder of MMA” Chad Mylan. Footage courtesy of SEP Video.

This match certainly showcases Wyatt’s abilities heading into 3XW’s first-ever No DQ 60 minute Ironman match between Wyatt and Mark Sterling on Jan. 7.

If you didn’t see it last month, here’s a great match featuring Mark Sterling vs. Gage Octane from May.