MMWA Special Comment

Packed house at the South Broadway Athletic Club on Saturday night...

The audio guy was having problems all night...the audience started singing the National Anthem on their own until he finally got it cued up. Heh.

Heavyweight Champion Brandon Espinosa received an award from the Missouri Wrestling Revival website for 2011 Wrestler Of The Year...in his acceptance speech, he took a few shots at local guys who had been critical of him in the past. As far as I'm personally concerned...let success be your best response in that situation.

The "one title at a time" rule is usually consistent, though I remember the T.V. Title being started with Gary Jackson when he was already Heavyweight Champion.

Selling is a regular critique on the independent level...particularly when a wrestler is back up fairly quickly after taking a big finishing move. I THINK Texan delivered some kind of foreign object shot but I may have missed it. That double-underhook powerbomb was almost an accidental Tiger Driver '91.

Archer nearly had Chase King beaten after his Michinoku Driver finisher but pulled him up...rarely a good move. King went on to win with Paydirt...which means another Espinosa protege holds a title in MMWA.

I really don't know who they're building up to challenge Espinosa other than Gary(who already has ye olde rematch clause). Fine matchup...Osborne attempted to use the Brodus Clay cross-bodyblock but didn't find the mark, leading to the small package finish. Funny early spot as Osborne threw Gary over the top rope to the floor and celebrated like he'd won(Battle Royal Champion!).

I was asked to do commentary with Tim Miller and Keith for Frankie D vs. Tony Raze...that was an interesting experience. I did my best to push the background of the match: Jimmy D originally resurfaced in MMWA as Raze's tag partner but then Raze won the belts with Texan, so Jimmy cost them the belts back to the Lumberjacks and brought in his brother Frankie as his new/old partner. Didn't catch Raze getting a foot on the bottom rope until after I was off-mic...but the referee missed it too(though the cover was fairly close to the ropes).

Espinosa tried to bring one of his OVW gimmicks to MMWA(putting a dress on his opponent) but Ace was having none of that. Another strong matchup between those two...though like I said, I don't see them building up many future challenges for Espy besides Gary.

Ring announcer Ben Simon informed me after the fact that Vaughn refused the no-DQ stipulation that Ricky Cruz wanted last month...okay then. Vaughn indirectly ends Cruz's undefeated streak in Midwest wrestling...technically Gary SHOULD have a beef with both guys as Vaughn's interference cost him the match but it was Cruz's distration of the referee that allowed it to happen in the first place.

Rest of the month looks like SICW(East Carondelet), the benefit show in Bethalto, and SLA...