By Brian Kelley
Sure you know about the past MWR Wrestlers of the Years and champions at each promotions but what young stars should you be on the lookout for this coming year. Here we give you 12 for 2012 for you to be on the lookout for. Some are close to be among the choices for Wrestlers of the year real soon while others are knocking at the door to be a force in the future.
As far as the wrestlers who didn’t make the list. Use this article as motivation to outshine all twelve of these fine young talents in 2012.
Let the fun begin in the squared circles around the Midwest.
1) Serenity
Photo Credit Bill Waddell
Serenity is known for wowing the crowd with her dazzling colors and beautiful smile. Underneath the surface, however, lies the heart and desire of a true professional wrestler. Fear is only a four letter word to this young lady as she isn’t afraid to mix it up with anyone, male or female, inside the squared circle. Anyone who has stood across from her in the ring will soon tell you that Serenity means business and if you don’t believe them, try it. You’ll find out for yourself.
Outlook: How much impact that she will have in 2012 in the MWR coverage area depends on how often she wrestles in the 15 promotions that we cover as promoters in up north have taken notice. Her looks has caught the eyes of promoters and her work rate and desire to be the best has shown moments of greatness at times. She finished the year wrestling at SICW against MsChif in the St Louis area for the first time in years.
Here is the kicker, this talented young wrestler is only twenty years of age and wrestled MsChif at the young age of 18. That’s right, she is only twenty, and has charisma to spare. She will only be getting better and looks to be one of the top stars in wrestling for many years to come. Look for her to make her way in SHIMMER sooner than later.
2) Christian Rose
Rose works over Danny Cannon- Tim Dunahee
Rose had a very good 2011 but everyone at MWR feels as if the best is yet to come. A current AAPW Tag Team Champion with Matt Cage have been active at IWAU, NMW , SLA and AAPW. Quality promo skills keeps the fans attention while his in ring action keeps him in every match. Rose could easily be a MWR Wrestler of the year down the road as he has been gaining respect from his peers and a threat to his opponents.
3) Bull Bronson
Bronson may be raw, let me say that again Bull is very raw but very few men in the Midwest is as big as the HUGE AAPW star. He won a big 5-man scramble match at AAPW’S Main event and was very impressive as he picked up the win on AAPW regular Playboy Paul Rose.
A manager in this stage of his career could do wonders for him in 2012. Some training from Harley Race’s Wrestling Academy could prepare him on how to deal with other powerhouses as Brian Breaker and Jason Jones who both know how to use their strength and leverage to work to blow up a man the size of Bronson.
4) LaMarcus Clinton
Loved by the fans, LMC will have to limit these mistakes that he made in Hillsdale,MO for the fans if he hopes to make it to the next level...Still Brandon Espinosa is one of the masterminds of fooling even the best and here he played possum, then moved at the last moment. (Photo Credit Brian Kelley)
He is quite possibly the most popular wrestler at MMWA-SICW other than Gary Jackson. Clinton is high flying and exciting but this is also high risk thus making his win loss record inconsistent. Needs to put on some weight to be a true threat to a main title at this time in his career. Maybe a tag team partner for now would give him time to gain the mass that he needs to be a title contender. Still 2012 looks to be a year with many chances to succeed for Clinton. That is if he can overcome a sophomore slump
5) American Bulldogs
The American Bulldogs with manager Skyler Pierce.
Maddog McDowell has won tag team titles with multiple partners in many promotions but you can tell that he has a special place in his heart for rookie Jonathan West. McDowell has true power that has allowed him to contend for singles titles and grudge matches with some of the best in the sport. West has been like a sponge, taking in all the info and advice that McDowell will give him. Their feud with Chad Mylans MMA was a highlight for fans at 3XW for almost all of 2011.
Quality matches on the road at PWE against the PWE Champions the Hooligans showcased West at his very best. Still the inexperience of the Bulldogs would cost them during the match as the Hooligans proved once again to the Midwest that they are arguably still the standard for tag teams in the Midwest.
6) Jaysin Strife
- Photo Credit Gary Giaffoglione.
How does one of the very best in the Midwest get on this list?
Honestly, he just hasn’t been able to get going at full speed for some time. He is one of the best wrestlers today that many fans have never heard of. A tour overseas in 2011 limited his coverage as well as working towards making Magnum Pro Wrestling a force in Iowa. Strife has bookings for 3XW and PWE and if the fans are lucky at Metro Pro Wrestling he will become a regular there as well. In fact I am still waiting for my Jaysin Strife vs “Superstar” Steve Fender match. Any promotion that wants a main event player added to their roster should contact Strife soon.
7) ACH
ACH puts his body on the line against Gary J- Photo credit Texas Anarchy
Many fans feel as if the “The Last Dragon” is a superstar sooner than later. Innovated in his moves fans at St Louis Anarchy have been raving about the young star all last year. In December at St Louis Anarchy, he would rain on the parade of Jeremy Wyatt as he returned to LWA/Anarchy in a losing effort in what many fans stated was a great great match. Fans at Metro Pro Wrestling be sure to get tickets for the Feb 4th show as Wyatt and ACH will meet once again.. ACH will also be heading to PWE in Mt Pulaski as he will be taking on Jordan McEntyre during a qualifying match to enter the 2011 PWE Epic 8 tournament that was won in 2010 by the 2011 MWR Wrestler of the Year Brandon Espinosa.
Then on February in Granite City he will return to SLA to take on TJ Perkins. Like Rose, ACH is poised to become a MWR Wrestler of the Year if the cards deal them the proper way in the future.
8) Tyler Priegel
Priegel is poised to make a run for the NMW title that has been owned by Ryan Phoenix- Photo Credit Brian Kelley
Many fans smirk at his nickname “the Dodgeball Superstar“, but Tyler Priegel is no one to take lightly. What makes Priegel so dangerous is how methodical he is in the ring. No wasted movement and always going forward. He is a true threat right now to NMW Champion Ryan Phoenix’s title. Like Serenity though, will Priegel make his way to the MWR coverage area enough to make the impact for us to see? We certantly hope so.
9) Mat Fitchett
Mat Fittchet has not had it easy for a young star. _Photo Credit Texas Anarchy
Nicknamed “Flippy Sh%T”, Fitchett has been trained by local legend Dingo and former NWA Missouri Champ Davey Vega. Fitchett has been earning rave reviews in Texas with Texas Anarchy and ST Louis Anarchy backing down from no one. Was honored a Chikara spot for the Young Lions cup, in 2011 and was very impressive. Fitchett is another wrestler that MWR Promoters should be on the phone to try to get a spot for him on their card. Exciting and electrifying, he always brings a 100 % and looks to be a star for years to come
10) Heath Hatton
(Photo Credit Brian Kelley)
Heath Hatton had a strong 2012, he was one half of the AAPW tag Team Champions with Curly. He made appearances for Harley Race’s WLW and TNA’S developmental league OVW in Kentucky. Hatton would have to go at it alone when Curly was fired from AAPW thus leaving him alone to defend the titles against Matt Cage and Christian Rose, and though Hatton fought with true heart the mountain was too tall to overcome as arch rival “The Golden Boy” Greg Anthony assisted Cage and Rose to help them became the AAPW Tag Team Champs.
He started 2012 off just right by defeating Anthony convincingly at AAPW’S Main event. Would love to take on AAPW Champ Edmund McGuire but with the two being among the top two fan favorites right now he may have to wait a bit. That may be a blessing because right now he may not be ready for the champ but with further training and matches around the Midwest by the end of 2012, he may be the man at AAPW.
11) Lucy Mendez
Midwest dream girl can wrestle as good as she can model.
She is The Current WLW Ladies Champion, and yes the ratings soar when she enters the ring for Metro Pro Wrestling whether it is as a valet for Domino Rivera or in action herself. In 2011 she feuded with the 2011 MWR Female Wrestler of the Year Stacey O’Brien who just barely won the award over “The Latino Princess”
So why is she on this list?
It’s simple really.
Mendez just started training late 2008 and has already won two WLW Ladies Championships. With looks that kill and the desire to be the best she has been on the search for the top competition in the Midwest. Mendez has already been in the ring with the likes of O’Brien, Miss Natural, Amy Hennig and MsChif. We would love nothing more than SHIMMER to give her an opportunity to showcase her skills taught to her by the greatest of all greats Harley Race. She deserves a chance to earn her respect among here peers by meeting the very best women wrestlers in the world today at Shimmer. Women such as the CHEERLEADER MELISSA, SARA DEL REY and Rachel Summerlyn could bring her to the next level in 2012.
12) Joey O’Riley
The new IWAU Champ Joey O'Riely - Photo Credit Tim Dunahee
It is easy to add O’Riley to the list many will tell us after he had defeated IWAU Champion Matt Cage in a ladder match this past Saturday in Olney Illinois. True, but it is one thing to win a title it’s another thing to hold onto the belt and with Cage who is still in the mix for another shot, it may be harder to retain that what it was to capture the title.
His youth and focused will be tested early on as he is now the hunted. With that said this is a blessing for young O’Riley so that it can prepare himself on what it is to be a Champion. The pressure of winning a belt is now over.
O’Riley is another wrestler who is still raw in his skills and in 2011 he made appearances for New Midwest Wrestling in tag action. While he is the king of his home base at IWAU it will be interesting to see how he deals with adversity. His next opponent is scheduled to be Cash Bordin, a guy who will do whatever it takes to get the belt but if he is to be among the best O’Riely is going to have to make quick work of another fellow young star in Bordin.
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When Ring of Honor made the trip to Chicago in this past month, Sara Del Ray made her presence felt by defeating two women who’ve made a name for themselves in the Midwest in MsChif and Daizee haze. Hopefully the entire Missouri Wrestling revival coverage area can see more of this talented wrestler!
Mark Bland is one of the men behind Absolute Wrestling Radio, a radio program in the St. Louis are (syndicated on the Internet) that covers pro wrestling and mixed martial arts. The great thing about the show is that it also lends broadcasting power to local independent wrestling promotions. AWR and the broadcast team were the first writre-in winners of an MWR Award!
Missouri Wrestling Revival 