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.
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!
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
Missouri Wrestling Revival would like to congratulate TJ Perkins as he defeated Gran Metalik in the finals of the Cruiserweight Classic to become the first WWE Cruiserweight Champion.
Fans in the Midwest have been blessed in the past few years that he has made his way to St. Louis for St. Louis Anarchy as well as Metro Pro Wrestling in Kansas City. Fans can enjoy his victory as well as the whole tournament for 9.99 on the WWE Network and it has been announced that he will be live on Monday Night RAW this Monday Night.
Jojo Bravo vs. Sammy Guevara: Young Texas standout Guevara was making his SLA debut here. Jojo had been frustrated in his recent outings as officiating miscues had led to several losses. While the traditional face-vs.-heel structure often falls by the wayside in Anarchy(more on that in a bit), Sammy was decidedly the arrogant punk as opposed to the longtime favorite Jojo.
After a fine opener, Jojo won with a modified backslide in 9:33 and proclaimed “I still got it!” Good for him.
Angelus Layne made her first SLA appearance in quite some time. I’m a fan…she’s a cool person with a unique look compared to a lot of female wrestlers. Would like to see more women’s wrestling in the area in general, but I seem to mention that approximately once a commentary. At any rate, she said that her goal was to win the St. Louis Anarchy Title as she only had one prior title shot(when Gerald James was champion). That prompted an interrupted by The Cause(minus Adam Caster) and words were exchanged over who truly deserved a title shot(Angelus or Mr. Gelistico), setting up Angelus vs. Mr. (Everett) Connors for the following night’s show. Gelistico officially took up Heavyweight Champion Mat Fitchett on his open challenge for the evening.
“The Outlaw” Ken Phoenix vs. Kevin Lee Davidson: Phoenix has made a handful of appearances on Ring Of Honor television and this was his St. Louis-area debut. He had a rough time of it as he was attempting to be the fan favorite against K.L.D., who was decidedly the heel of the match but gets a lot of fan support in this area.
The match was good otherwise, but it had to suck for Phoenix as he did his best to play to the fans only to get a lot of boos from the K.L.D. supporters. Davidson won with his signature spinebuster in 6:25; that move tends to disrupt ceiling tiles in low-clearance buildings such as the Alton venue.
Heavyweight Champion Mat Fitchett came out to set the ground rules for his title reign. (Previous Gerald James had set it up that his defenses would be best-of-three-falls.) Fitchett’s rules were simple: No countouts, DQs, or time limits so a decisive winner would be established. Okay then…SLA has relaxed rule enforcement anyway, though they do have time limits(as established in the Gerald James-Davey Vega sixty-minute draw).
Paco Gonzalez, Mike Outlaw, Nick Cutler, & Jason Roberts vs. The Cause(Tag Team Champion Mr. (Evan) Gelistico, Mr. (Danny) Adams, Mr. (Everett) Connors, & Mr. (Austin) Blackburn): I don’t think co-Tag Champ Adam Caster was specifically advertised for the SLA weekend, but Blackburn probably saw more in-ring duty than anticipated. This was advertised as Paco recruiting a team of “upstarts” to fight The Cause; Outlaw was the only other known quantity on that side. I think I had heard Cutler’s name in the past(central Illinois guy?) but hadn’t seen much of him; apparently he and Roberts are both trainees of Michael Elgin.
The match was more competitive than I would have guessed and Blackburn tagged into the match out of a desire to prove himself…but that backfired as Paco pinned him after a Death Valley Driver in 10:40. Paco’s teammates left ringside as Paco confronted Gelistico, saying HE deserved a title shot(having given Gerald James a good fight recently)…that prompted a gang attack by The Cause until Jojo Bravo made the save.
Jojo and Paco challenged The Cause to a tag match for the following night’s show.
Roscoe Eat Lisa(“Zesty” Zakk Sawyers & “The Big Mustache On Campus” Mikey Mcfinnegan) vs. The Viking War Party(“American Viking” Alexandre Rudolph & “Littlest Viking” Jake Parnell), Tag Team Title Contenders Tournament:
This was part of a mini-tournament to determine the next challengers for The Cause with four fan-favorite duos competing for that right. While Sawyers has done week in recent months for both SLA and PWCS, he and McFinnegan were probably the underdogs in this matchup against the Vikings. The Vikings were their usual rambunctious selves, throwing chairs into the ring before the bell…Parnell headbutted the top turnbuckle until the pad fell off, then he threw the pad into the crowd and they played keep-away with it…heh.
Parnell tried to hide the pad in his tights…um, no. When he pulled the pad out of his tights, his driver’s license fell out…har har. (Do Vikings drive?) The Vikings tried to bum a smoke from Zakk before things officially got underway, to no avail. I’ve only recently seen more of the Sawyers/McFinnegan tag team, though they’ve been working together for quite a while now. They had a lot of false finishes between them, ending with McFinnegan getting the surprise pin on Parnell after an assisted Air Raid Crash in 12:40.
“The Leader Of The Pack” Stephen Wolf vs. “The Lone Star” Curt Stallion: Wolf was scheduled to face Trik Davis who was M.I.A. for the whole weekend as far as SLA was concerned. (This wasn’t directly addressed until the following night’s show.) All things considered, this show was pretty good about having face/heel matches as Stallion was in rulebreaker mode. This was a solid bout, though fans weren’t too familiar with either guy; Wolf won with a Blue Thunder Bomb in 12:40.
Gerald James(w/ Dorian Victor) vs. Jonathan Gresham: This was a battle of fan favorites as James has effectively turned face in SLA. Gresham has been getting a lot of attention in the Midwest in the past few years and also made a few appearances on Ring Of Honor television, upsetting Cedric Alexander and wrestling Roderick Strong for the T.V. Title. This shaped up to be a good battle between two smaller strikers, with Gresham having a slight edge in the technical aspect of the game as he focused his attack on James’ arm.
After the standard fighting-spirit exchanges and near-falls, Gerald got the win after a kick to the knee followed by a sliding forearm smash in 12:18. That seemed oddly short, all things considered. Cue mutual respect and all that.
Ricky Starks vs. Alex Castle: Starks made a lone appearance on NXT several months ago(as an unnamed-on-TV enhancement talent), so he’s gotten the big head and believes he’s inevitably WWE-bound. However, he competes on the indies FOR THE FANS~!…he’s clearly disingenuous, but he’s entertaining enough that the fans like him anyway.
That set him up as the fan favorite against the more traditional heel Castle. Starks blatantly copped a few familiar-looking moves and sequences, even saying “I’m sorry, I love you” before a superkick attempt(which missed). Starks won clean with a ropewalk DDT in 9:26, but the highlight was the post-match promo: Starks told Paul, err, TRIPLE H that his return to NXT would have to wait because he wanted to wrestle FOR THE FANS OF ST. LOUIS ANARCHY! He wants to continue to compete for the fans…wait for it…then, now, and forever. Forever…forever…forever…forever…forever…etc. Tremendous.
The Hooligans(Devin & Mason Cutter) vs. Team I.O.U.(“The Down-South Dandy” Nick Iggy & “The Music City Mutt” Kerry Awful), Tag Team Title Contenders Tournament: These teams have gone around the proverbial horn with each other on the Midwest independent scene, but this was my first time seeing one of their battles in person. This was the all-out brawl that you would expect, complete with one of the Hooligans’ favorite sequences:
They sit in chairs in a circle with the opponents and they just punch each other in the face as hard as possible. I know some people look down on the fighting-spirit sort of exchanges(“I’m going to let you hit me!”), so your mileage may vary on stuff like that. The exchange took place on the floor, leaving poor Brandon Tolle in a quandary about whether to count them out.
I.O.U. have worked as rulebreakers in St. Louis Anarchy despite being fan favorites in other promotions(which was how they competed in High Risk Wrestling last year), but then the Hooligans are likely to get cheered either way. I always joke that I lose track of which Hooligan is which, so I have to rely on the Bella System to figure it out: Wait for one to yell out the other’s name. (This was before the Bellas became distinctly different-looking.) This eventually got back into the ring and they traded the standard high-impact offense, ending out of nowhere as Devin pinned Awful with a sunset flip off the second rope in 11:31. The Hooligans were set to face Roscoe Eat Lisa on the following night’s show for the next shot at The Cause.
Mat Fitchett vs. Mr. (Evan) Gelistico for the Heavyweight Title: Gelistico seemed to play it straight for a while, despite being the obvious rulebreaker in the match, but SHENANIGANS~! were afoot in the big picture. Fitchett appeared to be on the verge of victory after a piledriver but Mr. Adams and Mr. Connors distracted the ref. Brandon Tolle ejected them from ringside, to the point that he physically chased them out the front door! In the meantime, Fitchett tilt-a-whirled into a DDT and went for a pin; that prompted Mr. Blackburn to make his entrance in a referee’s shirt to count two before stopping short. Gelistico decked the champion with the Rulebook and Blackburn nearly made the three-count, but Angelus Layne pulled him out of the ring and dealt with him in short order. Evan brought in a chair, but Fitchett turned the tables and hit a cradle piledriver on the chair…OW. Tolle returned to the ring just in time to make the three-count in 15:42…woo. Fitchett would go on to face the winner of the night’s main event…and he crossed paths with his longtime friend and tag partner Davey Vega in the aisleway.
Davey Vega vs. T.J. Perkins: TJP’s career has taken some interesting paths in recent years…he competed for Anarchy a handful of times, but TNA commitments took precedence as he held their X-Division Title as Manik(formerly Suicide). Since departing from that company, he has competed for EVOLVE and recently qualified for WWE’s Cruiserweight Classic…cool for him. Vega currently holds the All-American Pro and Metro Pro Tag Titles with Fitchett and recently made his Ring Of Honor debut in a dark match. However, the SLA Title has eluded him…he hasn’t held singles gold in quite a while(he’s been Lethal Wrestling Alliance Champion and NWA Missouri Champion in Dynamo Pro). Vega’s recent track record against national stars has been pretty good as he holds wins over such names as Chris Hero, Roderick Strong, and El Generico(whatever happened to THAT guy?).
It was a really good competitive battle between fan favorites and the audience wasn’t as invested in the match as I would have thought…hmm. In what came as a surprise to some in attendance, TJP got the tapout win with a modified heel hook in 16:14 and earned the title shot at Fitchett the following night…leaving Vega frustrated once again.
It is a pleasure to have with us today pro wrestler and owner of St. Louis Anarchy Matt Jackson, better known to wrestling fans as Pierre Abernathy. Since his debut in 2003, Pierre has made an impact in the wrestling scene in many aspects of the wrestling business. Pierre, thank you for taking the time to speaking with us at Missouri Wrestling Revival
Pierre: No problem, thanks for having me.
MWR: What was your first memories of pro wrestling and who did you look up to growing up?
Pierre: The first pro wrestling event I can remember watching live was WrestleMania VI with Hogan vs. Warrior.
I was a huge Hogan fan so when he lost that sucked for me. I can remember going to the STL arena watching all the WWF live shows and I was at the only show WWF did at the old Busch Stadium, so that was cool.
MWR: The first opportunity that I got to see you in action was in Lawrence, Kansas for NWA Central States Wrestling as you and Gary Jay lost a three way to Nick Tyson on September 30, 2006. At that point you had been wrestling a little over than three years. How did you get your start in pro wrestling and who were the most helpful in your success?
Pierre: I first got my start when I met Jordan Lacey, he bought a ring and we were going to train in it. The issue was that he didn’t have the training to train us and to his credit he knew that. Most guys would NEVER admit that they had no business training people but he did. We later met Adam Raw and Nick Tyson and they did our training.
Adam Raw- Photo Michael Van Hoogstratt
From there they started the LWA and we worked there and branched into Gateway Championship Wrestling. Unlike most guys, our trainers did not travel, so we didn’t have a lot of help getting out of town shots. It was Matt Sydal and Delirious who taught us in a 12-hour seminar that we needed to get in a car and get out of STL and make résumés and start sending them out and do seminars all over and that is what we did.
MWR: What early match that you had gave you the confidence to succeed as a pro wrestler?
Pierre: Honestly I can’t think of one match. I always had confidence in my promo work more than my wrestling at the start. I think if I had to pick a break out match, I had a three-way match with Gary and Dorian Victor kind of early on that I liked. Plus, working Gary every weekend in a new state we could feel ourselves growing as wrestlers every week.
MWR: You would be part of the group that would spearhead The Lethal Wrestling Alliance. Who else were involved and what is the legacy of that promotion?
Pierre: Honestly I didn’t have anything to do with the start of LWA. LWA was started by Adam Raw and Jordan Taylor. When Jordan went into the Navy it went into the committee of five guys: Adam Raw, Nick Tyson, Frank Cashion, Mike D and Tim P ( I don’t want to butcher the spelling of their last names).
Jordan Lacey has been a part of the most brutal matches in the modern era of STL wrestling. Here he wars it out against the former MWR Future Star winner Alex Rudolph.
So Tyson was supposed to write the shows and book the talent but he wasn’t doing it, so I would in the background write the shows and send them with him to meetings and no one would know about it and he would get the credit. Fast forward a few years, he was going to quit, so Raw was kind of freaking out thinking he would have to write the shows all himself. I had to tell him I was really doing it all this time, which shocked him and so then I started writing and booking talent from there. Years later when the others quit, it became myself, Raw and Jordan Lacey. In the end of LWA, it was just me and Jordan Lacey.
Many of the top rising stars int the sport has made their way to SLA.
MWR: Fans at LWA were blessed to enjoy some great matches featuring local talent against many of the top stars in the world. Not too long ago, Austin Aries was the TNA World Champion, Davey Richards was a Ring of Honor World Champion and most recently one half of the TNA Tag Team Champions with Eddie Edwards, and Samoa Joe is quite possibly the most talked about free agent in the world today, but they all entered the squared circle at LWA.
These matches along with other stars including Delirious, Mike Quackenbush and The Motor Machine Guns against LWA homegrown talents are featured on the DVD US vs. Them (click here to purchase). What memories stand out about this historic matches at LWA?
Pierre: There are tons of thoughts I have about that. The two big ones being the first “name talent” we ever used was Alex Shelley and our fans hated him with a passion because he was facing their guy in Nick Tyson and when Tyson tapped him out the legit emotion that came after is what this business is about to me: real emotion. The Second was Samoa Joe: A lot of people were saying behind my back (but I hear everything) that I was making a big mistake putting Dorian in that match and not Adam Raw, and to be honest at that time Raw was a better wrestler than Dorian—hell, Dorian was only a few years in, I think. However, Dorian grew from that match and it taught him how to step up… That’s my job: I have to force you to go outside of your comfort zone and step up to the plate, because if you can’t I need to know that before you fall on your face in maybe a way bigger situation. That night Dorian stepped up and grew from it.
MWR: You are a member of the famed Submission Squad with. Time has shown that you guys are among the most entertaining tag teams in the country, but early on in your career you teamed up with Evan Gelistico against Davey Vega and Gary the Barn Owl to showcase LWA for Chikara’s King of Trios 2009. In a weekend filled with top Indy wrestling stars like Bryan Danielson (Future WWE Champion Daniel Bryan), Austin Aries, and El Generico (WWE’SSami Zayn) , the match would receive chants of “DON’T COME BACK!” Many men after that night may have given up, but it only shows how much heart that the four of you had, during that time. Many people snickered and counted you out, but you guys have had the last laugh by becoming among the most traveled talents in the country. Looking back what went wrong, what could you have done different and what advice would you have for a young wrestler that would experience such a situation?
Pierre: I would say that you cannot let what people say bother you. When that happened to be honest it didn’t bother me, it did more the other guys for different reasons. Vega because he lacked confidence anyway so that almost killed him, Gary because the ECW arena was his dream and we just got booed out of it and Evan because he loved the idea of working Chikara. I am telling the God’s honest truth that it didn’t bother me because I was expecting it the whole time. Here you have the biggest weekend of the Chikara calendar with legit stars from all over the world and then you have four dudes from a company in Missouri that none of them knew.. How were they supposed to treat us? Plus, we did ourselves zero favors because of the way we worked the match. We are known for our personalities and we showed zero of it and that is what sucked. However we made a lot of money after that match because people wanted to see if either A) we really sucked or B) they knew we didn’t and wanted to bring us out. So I would do it all again, plus we went back there in 2014 and killed it, so it came full circle for us.
MWR: As I mentioned you have traveled around the country, including Canada. What has been your personal favorite places to wrestle and why?
Pierre: I love most every trip but I’ll pick one place and say ACW in Texas. Texas was like my second home for many years and I love the fans and friends I made there. Some of my favorite memories came from hangouts I had in Texas.
MWR: For seven years the LWA was known for an alternative style of wrestling that combined strong style, hardcore, comedy and good times for the fans, but a new day came that saw you announce the merging with the Texas based promotion known as Anarchy Championship Wrestling (ACW). That decision has allowed the fans to see many of the top stars of the Texas area make their way to the Midwest, while giving the young stars in this area to grow by challenging themselves against other top talents that may not have a chance to work with. In your eyes, who have taken advantage of working in the land of Anarchy and who are some of the top young stars that fans should have their eyes on for the future?
Pierre: Since we started Anarchy, we have seen ACH become a top star in the USA and I won’t do what a lot of others do and try and take credit for that man’s success. His success has helped us grow, so thank you to him.
Gary Jay and Davey Vega are in my opinion the two top guys in the area and they prove that every time they work in a ring. The fact neither of them are under a contract is a shame. The Hooligans are guys you have seen grow in Anarchy. Christian Rose has been tearing it up other places for a while but our fans are finally seeing how good he is. Two guys who I think could be the next 2 big stars are Jo Jo Bravo and Mat Fitchett. Jo Jo has gotten really good really fast and it’s up to Fitchett how far he wants to go. He has been ready for a long time now. One guy to watch I think is Everett Connor; I call him my new project because he is a good kid with potential.
The only guy who I think may be worse now than he was when we started SLA is Evan Gelistico… [sarcasm]
MWR: The Submission Squad was ranked number 12 in 2011 in the MWR’S top 30 tag teams during the MWR years. Four years later, the SS is still running strong, even capturing the Metro Pro Wrestling Tag Team titles recently as the Commission.
Because LWA and later SLA did not have tag belts along with the outside travel, it may have hurt your rankings in the poll. That year a team that you guys know very well the Hooligans were ranked number one, and are currently the St. Louis Anarchy tag team Champions. What has made the Hooligans and the Submission Squad such a great rivalry?
Pierre: We just have good chemistry and we strive to do the same thing and that’s have a great match. We clicked since the first match we had at an IHW show in Dupo IL.
At one time we worked with the Hooligans at least once a weekend for like five months in a row, I think… Plus those guys love tag team wrestling as much as we do so it’s easy, The Hooligans are amazing talents.
MWR: SLA has recently been the home of double shot weekends in Alton, Illinois. You have promoted events for years, what are the advantages and disadvantages of having back to back events?
Pierre: Well it doubles the stress. I mean we have only done two, so I really do not know yet. I’ll say the advantage is for the fans as they will get 2 events a weekend instead of 1. As we keep going with this I am sure more advantages and disadvantages will come clear.
MWR: St. Louis Anarchy events have always been a can’t-miss show as talents around the world have been in action during each of your events. Men like Kyle O’Reilly, Michael Elgin, Chris Hero, the Young Bucks, Davey Richards, Akira Tozawa, and TJ Perkins have all appeared in the past. Who would you like to see that has not appeared yet?
Pierre: We used him in LWA but I really want to bring our fans Alex Shelley as he was supposed to work a show but got hurt. I am hoping to bring some more guys from overseas in. To be honest we will always use that name talent that people have come to think about when thinking of SLA but I am wanting to use more guys who are great but not maybe as well known…. Like there are Gary Jays and Davey Vegas all over the USA who are great but just can’t get breaks and I want to give them their breaks because you never know who could be the next ACH that you just are overlooking.
MWR: On August the 21st and 22nd, Circus Maximus 2015, an event what many fans say is THE event of the year for SLA? Circus Maximus has always delivered with a great mix of national talent as well as the top rising stars around the country. I am going to do a rundown of this years’ SLA talent pool for the double shot weekend and I would like for you to give your thoughts on them. We will start off with the current SLA Champion Gary Jay.
Pierre: Hardest working man in Anarchy, he tears down the house every time and then is the first person to lead people in tearing down the ring. He gives his all to the company and should be getting more chances outside it.
MWR: Tommaso Ciampa
Pierre: I’m looking forward to seeing him in SLA. He’s a tough dude so guys will have their hands full with him.
MWR: Davey Vega
Pierre: The “Ace of Anarchy” isn’t just a nickname, it is who Vega has become. He went from a guy who would legit vomit before a match to a guy who I know will always have one of the best matches on the show. He’s the man.
MWR: Mat Fitchett
Pierre: The Dirty Rook could be a star if he is able to really hit the road and do it. Sometimes though real life things are more important but he’s an awesome talent.
MWR: Jonathan Gresham
Pierre: He won’t be at Circus Maximus, but he’s an amazing hold for hold wrestler who stole the weekend at Gateway to Anarchy.
MWR: Jo Jo Bravo
Pierre: One of the top up and comers in Anarchy. He has held his own with some of the best in the world.
MWR: Christian Rose
Pierre: Great talker and wrestler and our fans are getting to finally see that. Plus, behind the curtain I love talking good and–even better–shitty wrestling with Rose more than maybe anybody.
MWR: Matt Cage
Pierre: He’s a lot like Rose in that he has been tearing it up other places and our fans will finally get to see more of that in Anarchy.
MWR: Angelus Lane
Pierre: The 1st lady of Anarchy. I am very proud of Layne. She has grown by leaps and bounds as a wrestler and she improves every event we have.
MWR: Viking War Party
Pierre: Going to have to buy me chairs if they keep breaking them. Both guys are awesome. Alex I have known since before he started, I am happy every time I see them work and get better and better.
MWR: Ricky Starks
Pierre: Big deal in Texas and I think he can do the same here so keep your eyes on him as I think he is going to do well.
MWR: The Cause: Mr. Gelistico, Mr. Raw, Mr. Adams, Mr. Everett
Pierre: We will have to see.
MWR: Zakk Sawyers
Pierre: The 2014 Anarchy Rookie of the year. He’s not a rookie but was in Anarchy and he stepped up huge. A hard worker in and out of the ring and really appreciates his spot on the roster and he earns it.
MWR: Mikey McFinnigan
Pierre: Kinda just starting to see what he can do. He will do well in Anarchy, he’s very entertaining.
MWR: Jeremy Wyatt
Pierre: The best LWA champion of all time. Jeremy is one of my favorite wrestlers and is a pure class act to deal with outside the ring. Jeremy makes no bones about his wrestling days coming to an end and I’ll be sad to see him go, but he’s a guy who will leave better than he came in and how many guys can honestly say that. He’s always done anything I asked him to do and I don’t think Jeremy knows how much I respect him and appreciate his run with the LWA title.
MWR: Steve O Reno
Pierre: Honestly, I worked him in ACW and I knew he was good. Other than that I have only seen his two matches in SLA and that is it. I think he is very entertaining and he can wrestle, too, so I think big things are on the horizon for him.
MWR: Bolt Brady
Pierre: I think his change in attitude will be good for him in SLA. I like making people do stuff they may not be used to doing. Bolt is a pro and will do great. He’s getting a lot of miles under him too which is awesome. I like Bolt a lot.
MWR: PACO
Pierre: In SLA, he became a star in one weekend. Taking Trik Davis to the limit and taking a hellish beating from Gary Jay. I think Paco is a hungry kid who will do big things.
MWR: Pierre, Thank you so much for joining us today, it is always a treat to get to speak with you. How can fans follow you and the world of St. Louis Anarchy?
Pierre: I am on Facebook under Pierre Abernathy and Twitter is @PierreAbernathy. You can like SLA on Facebook at Saint Louis Anarchy and on Twitter @stlanarchy. Thanks for the time!
Saint Louis Anarchy presents Circus Maximus 2015
Stage One: Friday August 21st Stage Two: Saturday August 22nd
Live from Spaulding Hall Club in Alton IL (402 E 4th Street)
Doors Open at 6:30pm, Shows Start at 7:00pm
Tickets (PER NIGHT):
Front row: $15, Second Row. $12. General Admission. $10 in advance all tickets are $15 at the door
$1 BEER, FULL BAR AND FOOD. Please do not record show or stand on chairs
Also special guest musicians Mental Fixation (Stage 2 only)
STAGE ONE MATCHES SIGNED:
Main Event Trios Action: Team Anarchy: Davey Vega, Mat Fitchett, Angleus Layne vs. Team BOSS w/Dorian Victor and Greg Jovi: Gary Jay, Christian Rose, Jeremy Wyatt
Tag Team Titles on the Line: The Hooligans (c) vs. The Cause (Mr. Adams, Mr. Everett)
Zakk Sawyers vs. Tommaso Ciampa
Grudge Match: Alex Castle vs. Matt Cage
Jo Jo Bravo vs. PACO
Steve O Reno vs. Mikey Mcfinnigan
BOSS vs. Anarchy: Bolt Brady w/Greg Jovi vs. Ricky Starks
STAGE TWO MATCHES SIGNED:
Saint Louis Anarchy Championship Match (NO TIME LIMIT) Gary Jay (c)w/Dorian Victor vs. “Ace of Anarchy” Davey Vega
Mat Fitchett vs. Former ECW/WWE Star LITTLE GUDIO
Christian Rose vs. Tommaso Ciampa
Matt Cage vs. Zakk Sawyers
Sugar Dunkerton vs. Steve O Reno
TALENT SIGNED FOR CM WEEKEND:
Saint Louis Anarchy Champion: Gary Jay
Saint Louis Anarchy Tag Champions: The Hooligans
Davey Vega
Mat Fitchett
Tommaso Ciampa
Jo Jo Bravo
Christian Rose
Matt Cage
Angelus Layne
Viking War Party
Sugar Dunkerton
Ricky Starks
The Cause: Mr. Gelistico, Mr. Raw, Mr. Adams, Mr. Everett
Zakk Sawyers
Mikey Mcfinnigan
Jeremy Wyatt
Steve O Reno
Bolt Brady (stage one)
PACO (stage one)
Donovan Danhausen
Missouri Wrestling Revival is excited to have a photo from the MWR Vault featured in the brand new, hot off the presses 2013 Pro Wrestling Illustrated 500 magazine.
Be sure to pick up the PWI November 2013 edition with a great photo of John Cena on the cover by photographer Duane Long. In the issue be sure to check out the NEVER BEFORE SEEN photo of the entertaining Sugar Dunkerton as he delivers an explosive knee on PS Express member Scott Keyes at New Midwest Wrestling in Springfield, Illinois from MWR Owner Brian Kelley.
Also featured in the magazine is the complete list of the top 500 wrestlers as named by the hard working men and women at PWI. Yet, that is not all, be sure to check out the Independent Roundup by Mike Bessler, The International Report by Dan Murphy, the PWI Official Ratings and much much more!!
Congrats to each of the wrestlers that MWR and their fans have enjoyed in the past year in the ring here in the Midwest. A brief list of these stars include former MWR Wrestlers of the Year Brandon Espinosa, Jeremy Wyatt and the reigning MWR Wrestler of the Year Adam Pearce. The list also features stars such as Michael Elgin, , Davey Richards, Johnny Gargano, Sami Callihan, Kyle O’Reilly, Colt Cabana, Jimmy Jacobs, Wes Brisco, ACH, Ricochet, TJ Perkins, Chuck Taylor, Kahagas, Stevie Richards, Tadarius Thomas, Darin Corbin, Flash Flanagan, Ace Hawkins, Matt Riviera, Tony Koziuna, Oliver Cain, Greg Anthony, Michael Barry, Aaron Epic, Ruff Crossing, Dave Osborne, Raphael (Matt ) King are just a few of the excellent talents in this years’ PWI 500 now on sale at all quality newsstands or purchase the digital version for onl $4.99 by clicking here
10. Adam Raw vs. Frankie Big Balls– The last match in the history of the WCWF Circus Maximus event.
9.Nick Tyson vs. Adam Raw- Two men who started the LWA in the last one on battle they ever had.
8.Davey Vega vs. Johnny Gargano– Two wrestlers at the time who were both on the verge on being the top wrestlers in there respected home companies. Both have grown into those roles in a great way.
7. TJ Perkins vs. Davey Richards – Two men in the world of pro wrestling that are capable of having great matches in just about any style. A wrestling classic on paper and it lived up to the expectations.
6.ACH vs. Dingo 2 outta 3 falls: The present of Saint Louis wrestling vs. the man who helped put STL wrestling on the map.
5.Evan Gelistico vs. Davey Vega: The last ever LWA title match at Circus Maximus and a night that started a 17 month title run by Evan Gelistico.
4.Gerald James vs. ACH– This was part of in my opinion the best feud in the history of Anarchy TX and STL. The two went all over the USA and both men grew as wrestlers and performers during this feud.
3.Jeremy Wyatt vs. KC Karrington– The longest title match in the history of LWA and SLA. This match ended the most underrated champion in our lineages history’s title run.
2. Dan Walsh vs. Gerald James: The bloodiest match in the history of the event.
1. The Submission Squad vs. The Bearded Men from Space Station 11 Street Fight: This match capped off the biggest feud in the history of the LWA and was the wildest match in the company’s history that would need to be seen to believe. The cops were called; a hand was set on fire and used as a weapon. At this year’s Circus Maximus two of those men that were in that match Davey Vega and KC Karrington will finally settle issues steaming from that very personal feud all those years ago.
St. Louis Anarchy presents: Circus Maximus 2013
Friday night June 28th, 2013
Knight of Columbus hall in Alton, Illinois (405 East 4th Street)
Doors at 6:30pm (6:15pm for Golden ticket holders and Reserved 2nd row)
Show will start at 7:00pm
Tickets:
Golden Circle (Front Row Reserved): $15
Reserved Second Row: $12
General Admission Reserve: $10
All tickets day of show $15
plus
Wrestling’s youngest 14-year veteran, TJ Perkins, joins Joe & Rich on the Voices of Wrestling podcast for a nearly two hour interview. The guys take TJ through his career, from being a teenager skipping class to sneak over the border to Tijuana for bookings, training in the New Japan L.A. dojo, his surreal first tour with New Japan, the genesis of the PUMA gimmick, the on and off nature of his TNA relationship and whether he would like to work there full time, why his latest ROH run ended, the story behind his split from Evolve & his relationship with Gabe Sapolsky, walking on eggshells in the WWE locker room, working tryout & dark matches for WWE, some NBA TALK, why he never stays in one place for very long, his upcoming two out of three falls match against ACH for St Louis Anarchy, and more. This is a two hour interview that could have went twice as long, and we still would have had things to talk about. Perkins is an open book, and has great some great insight, so just click play and listen to this great interview with one of the top freelancers on the planet!
Hey there, Dubray Tallman here presenting the Third Annual MWR Sexiest Male in Wrestling Award.
In previous years we have had the great pleasure of giving the close to three foot tall trophy to Bailey Mannix and MsChif. This year it’s the guys turn to flaunt their stuff…
Below you will find a slideshow and then a poll, enjoy the scenery and then place your vote for the sexiest male…
Voting Polls begin Feb 4th and ends at 7:00 p.m. Feb 13th…The winner will be announced Valentine’s Day, Feb 14th…
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 ProWrestling he will become a regular there as well. In fact I am still waiting for my Jaysin Strife vs “Superstar” SteveFender 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 YearBrandon 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 DaveyVega. 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” GregAnthony 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.
Missouri Wrestling Revival 