By Jason Thomas

What started as a competition between two up and coming tag teams has turned into a war that is sweeping across the mid-west and has made an impact on a lot of area promotions.

The Submission Squad (Pierre Abernathy and Evan Gelistico) made there name in the Saint Louis based LWA but have been branching out over the last two years. The Squad has made stops in Chikara Pro as well as IWA-Mid South have held tag titles in 4 states and have worked in two countries. Making there home in LWA as well as IWA-TX the Submission Squad is on the right path of breaking out on a national scene.

The Hooligans (Mason and Devin Cutter) made there names in the Georgia area training under former WWF superstar Mr. Hughes. The Cutters then made there home base in East Saint Louis where they looked to make an impact on the tag team scene. The Hooligans shined in the first ever IWA- Mid South tryout show earning full time jobs and tons of exposure. Since then the brothers have worked all across the mid-west and fought top teams in the IWA. This team is also on the path of breaking onto the national scene.

On June 13th in Dupo Illinois these two paths crossed for the first time as the Submission Squad took on the Hooligans for the first time on the IHW debut show. This back and forth match saw the Submission Squad come out on top. What we thought would be a one time match up has turned into much more.

The Hooligans have Evan Gelistico where they want him. (Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)

We fast forward to August 8th as the Hooligans jumped at the chance to face the Submission Squad in there home base of the LWA. The Cutters got there second chance at LWA gold in New Athens Illinois/ However for the second time the brothers fell short as the Squad pinned the Hooligans.

The Submission Squad had felt that there rivalry with the Hooligans was over as they had beat them two times in a row but a open door would be what turned this rivalry personal. The Submission Squad was asked to put there LWA tag team titles on the line against the Hooligans on the PWN event and the Squad did not want to turn down the chance to debut in a new area so they accepted and you had The Submission Squad vs. The Hooligans 3 for the LWA tag team titles.

The Submission Squad improved there dominance of the Cutters on Aug 15 when they defeated the Hooligans Lil Brother Neil Diamond Cutter and his tag team partner The Blackheart in the semi final match for the HVW Tag team Titles. (Photo credit Mike Van Hoogstraat)

On August 21st the Squad would meet The Hooligans in the match that would change everything. In a back and forth match the mid-west wrestling scene was shocked as The Hooligans won the LWA tag team titles. This was unprecedented as the LWA tag titles changed hands outside the LWA to a team who is not in the LWA. Not only that but the Cutters used outside help from the Epic War (based in California) tag team champions Tim Donst and Jaysin Strife to capture the titles.

Current LWA Champions The Hooligans(Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)

The Hooligans were ready to take on Project Mayhem in the GAW tag team tournament. However on August 30th in Lincoln IL one half of the Project Mayhem team was hurt so they could not compete in the tournament. They did sign there own replacement and it was the Submission Squad. The Squad stormed the ring and fought the Hooligans in non-title (LWA) action. The Squad on this night beat the Hooligans thus ending there chance at the GAW tag team titles. However these two tag teams would brawl out of the building that night.

At GAW the feud continued but the LWA Championship was not on the line. Pierre would get the pinfall for bragging rights in this highly contested feud. (Photo Credit Brian “Flair” Kelley)

We now go back to where this all began in the town of Dupo Illinois for the IHW promotion as it was set to be trios action featuring The Submission Squad along with stable mate Gary Jay taking on The Hooligans with there little brother Neil Diamond Cutter. This was not for the LWA tag team titles but was as intense as any title match you could see. The Cutter brothers on this night pinned the Submission Squad but the fight did stop there as these men had to be pulled apart after the match by security and referees.

During the intermission of this show The Hooligans attacked The Submission Squad and these teams tore apart the building and thus have all been suspended from IHW indefinitely.

As of this writing the next scheduled match between these two teams is October 10th in Granite City Illinois for the HVW promotion. They will face in the finals of the HVW tag team tournament. What started as a rivalry between two teams trying to break onto the national scene has turned into a war which may cause one of these teams not to make it