Going into Combat Zone Wrestling‘s biggest event of the year, Cage of Death XX, they were without a World Champion. In the weeks leading up to Sunday’s event, CZW World Champion The MJF broke his elbow and had to vacate the belt. His opponent for CODXX, former 2x CZW World Champion Ricky Shane Page was granted a title opportunity for the vacant title against one of the emerging stars from the Midwest scene who was making a name for himself in the art of violence, Mance Warner. It was a battle for the ages, as both men were cut open early. Rickey Shane Page had a tremendous showing, but the night belonged to the breakout performance from Warner. A superplex from the top of the cage through a two-level construct of chairs and plate glass was the moment that made Mance Warner a star and the new CZW World Heavyweight Champion.
▶️ https://t.co/YX6Ma9xW33 pic.twitter.com/N1Eh62eEqE
— AlanJG (@AllanJG9) December 10, 2018
Mance Warner has only been wrestling since 2015, but he’s making a lot of noise quickly. Originally from Tennessee, he caught on with IWA Mid South in 2016 and became one of the company’s top stars – he’s a 2x IWA Mid South Heavyweight Champion. There he showed the willingness to bleed for his craft and play a hardcore game. But he’s not a one trick pony – he also wrestles in some of the top Midwest more “traditional” indie promotions, like Cleveland’s Absolute Intense Wrestling (AIW) and Chicago’s All American Wrestling (AAW), and is helping elevate Black Label Pro out of Indiana. The big win comes just shortly after drawing high praise from “The Draw” himself, Sami Callihan, talking about the recent wave of signings by the WWE and ROH.
People always bitch when their favorite indy talent gets signed, & say the indies are going to die.
This happens every few years, and only benefits wrestling as a whole. It’s a cycle that gives new talent a chance to step up. @ManceWarner will be one of those talents in 2019.
— Death Machine (@TheSamiCallihan) December 9, 2018
Congrats @ManceWarner you deserve it bubba. #AndNew
— RSP リッキー・シェーン・ペイジ (@RickeyShanePage) December 10, 2018
Woke up to news that @ManceWarner is the new @combatzone champ and I couldn’t be more stoked for someone. Mance is the man and one of my absolute favorite people. Congrats bud!
— Zachary Wentz (@ZacharyWentz) December 10, 2018
Well, at least we know that 2019 will start as the era of Mance Warner in CZW, as the new CZW World Heavyweight Champion.
