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Indie Watch: Alexander Hammerstone – The Business is Booming

Hammerstone

Indie Watch is our regular series that looks at all of the amazing talents working the independent circuits around the world. Some are veterans revitalizing their careers, some are indie prospects hitting their peaks, while others are names to be on the watch for! This edition looks at another star of the West Coast who has been tearing it up, from Arizona through Oregon, and beyond, the man known as Hammerstone.

Alexander Hammerstone lay in the center of the ring at Sam’s Town Live in Las Vegas, and the fans went crazy. Their adopted son, Chris Bey, was the new Future Stars of Wrestling (FSW) Champion, and 2018’s FSW Most Hated Wrestler was dethroned. Was this it? You heard the whispers after Morrison humiliated him. Had Hammerstone lost it? Was the mojo gone for arguably the greatest FSW Champion in history?

Maybe we should’ve seen this coming. He lost a tough match for the PCW ULTRA Championship against Penta El Zero M in September. The disappointment was evident, and the frustration carried into Las Vegas. He kicked Taya Valkyrie in the face, booked an ill-advised bout with Nevada State Champ, and former War God compatriot Graves, and then dropped a Four Way Scramble at PCW ULTRA Believe in December.

Photo: El Pollo

His first in-ring comments since his loss to Bey didn’t come across as a guy who’s feeling sorry for himself. The former Champion said he hit “Rock Bottom” and would come back stronger. Why wouldn’t he? He’s been here before. The Business had a WWE tryout in 2015 and was told by email that although a good performer, he fit the generic category of a 6’2″ 220lb guy. Instead of crying about it the note became his phone background for motivation at 3am when he worked out. The legends in any sport know how to accept criticism or channel anger in the right way. Hammerstone said they were right, and he sought to change his game.

The Phoenix, Arizona product debuted in 2013 with Championship Wrestling From Arizona (CWFA) and the Arizona Wrestling Federation (AWF). He’d compete in Las Vegas with Paragon Pro Wrestling and FSW in 2014, and then made his way to the northwest with West Coast Wrestling Connection (WCWC) in Oregon. It was there he’d win his first gold as the WCWC Legacy Champion and would add a WCWC Tag team Championship with Grappler 3 (as The Wrecking Crew), and later in 2014 would be the first of two Pacific Northwest Title runs.

His first major title run came in Southern Nevada, but not with FSW. Paragon Pro Wrestling (PPW) would be where Hammer got his first Las Vegas Gold. With tag team partner Alex Chamberlain they defeated the Whirlwind Gentleman (Remy Marcel & Jack Manley) to win the PPW Tag Team Championship at Sam’s Town Live in April 2015. In 2016, Alexander saw action in Championship Wrestling From Hollywood including picking up a win against Southern California tough guy, Bad Dude Tito at the Red Carpet Rumble. He started booking with PCW ULTRA and continued to work his way up the rankings in FSW.

Photo: El Pollo

The ULTRA results in 2017 were mixed, but that was the year of his first FSW Championship reign. He dominated the Vegas Valley the remainder of 2017, after winning the strap from IMPACT Wrestling‘s Eli Drake. Fans of Hammerstone’s don’t talk about the three weeks in January 2018 when he wasn’t Champion. That’s fine if they don’t because the remainder of 2018 was incredible. After he regained the FSW Title, he picked up impressive wins in PCW ULTRA against Jeff Cobb, former FSW Champion Brian Cage, Daga, Brody King, ACH, and Timothy Thatcher and proved he could dominate outside Las Vegas.

Alexander Hammerstone has truly evolved over his six-year career. All the hard work in the gym has paid off, this young man has legitimate power folks. He’s not just a big guy who throws around smaller opponents. He can match slams, and suplexes with anyone and the two-time FSW King combines running elbows, knees, and jump kicks, so even though Hammer added muscle he’s still maintained his athleticism, and agility. This lethal combination makes him nearly impossible to prepare for. You can’t focus in any one area since can go anywhere the match does.

The FSW Championship has been a springboard for the previous titleholders to move up and to win Gold under a larger spotlight. Eli Drake and Matt Hardy each became IMPACT World Champions after their FSW runs, and Killer Kross and Brian Cage have knocked on the door. Hammerstone has wins over three former FSW Champions (Drake, Cage, Kross), and has picked up wins on IMPACT Xplosion (just last week) and Ring Warriors. There is nothing left for him to prove in Las Vegas or anywhere else out west. Another 300 day FSW title reign won’t add to his legacy, as many already believe he’s the best FSW Champion in history with more than 600 days logged as Champ. His resume proves he doesn’t avoid competition, but he needs a bigger stage. It’s time to find out if The Business will Boom.

https://twitter.com/alexhammerstone/status/1082982120870502401

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Brian Ronovech

Brian Ronovech

I have the most supportive woman on Earth, and I live with her in Las Vegas. Sports have been a part of my life since I was a child. My wrestling life began with the AWA in the early eighties, and I was hooked immediately. I love a high energy, physical pro wrestling match whether it's in a stadium or a high school. I love great stories and characters, but the great match is what gets me every time. Writing has taken me from the school newspaper to blogs about leadership, leukemia, hockey, and wrestling. I've realized that for me everything comes back to writing. There is nothing else I would rather do.

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