Indiana’s Black Label Pro has become one of the Midwest’s top new promotions in the past year, and they make their WrestleMania foray this year under the banner of Game Changer Wrestling (GCW)‘s The Collective. A lot of diversity in this card, featuring top indie stars from around the world, plus an NWA Legend in Manny Fernandez. It will air on IndependentWrestling.tv.
Wrestling with Wregret presents “The Influencer” Brian Zane’s Million Dollar Battle Royal
Wrestling YouTuber “The Influencer” Brian Zane, host of Wrestling With Wregret, is hosting a Million Dollar Battle Royal. So far, announced names include Allie Kat, Cabana Man Dan, Boomer Hatfield, Steph De Lander (formerly FaceBrooke), Danny Adams (of #NoNewFriends), Frisco Flame and Jay Freddie.
Sadkampf (Dominic Garrini & Kevin Ku) vs. “Raging Bull” Manny Fernandez & Tank
One of the top new tag teams coming out of the Southern indies into the Midwest in 2018 was the new pairing of former Catch Point wrestler Dominic Garrini (EVOLVE Wrestling, Absolute Intense Wrestling (AIW)) with Southern star Kevin Ku in Sadkampf. The reigning Pro Wrestling Freedom (PWF) Tag Team Champions are facing an ad hoc tandem with less time together than Sadkampf, but their two opponents dwarf them in experience. Tank is a 23-year veteran of the US indies and an early star with NWA Wildside in the late 1990s and early 2000s. “The Strong Style Psycho” then moved on to IWA Mid South, with his brand of brutality thrived. He still works Southern indies like Anarchy Wrestling and Southern Underground Pro (SUP), but he’s announced on his Twitter that this will be his last ride. And no better to do it with than NWA Legend Manny Fernandez. One of the toughest brawlers in the 1980s, he debuted in 1979 with Championship Wrestling From Florida before moving on to Mid Atlantic, with stints in New Japan Pro Wrestling, All Japan Wrestling and American Wrestling Association (AWA) and other NWA territories, where “Raging Bull” became an NWA Florida Heavyweight Champion, 2x NWA Southwest Heavyweight Champion, and NWA Central States Heavyweight Champion, where he battled the likes of Terry Funk and Harley Race. He also won the NWA World Tag Team titles twice with Dusty Rhodes and Rick Rude.
Independent Wrestling Championship: Orange Cassidy (c) vs. Bryan Alvarez
Independent Wrestling Champion Orange Cassidy puts his title on the line against notorious wrestling analyst (and former indie wrestler) Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer Live. “The Crown Prince of Lethargy” isn’t as timid as he look and has been known to pull some explosive athleticism out of his jean pocket pants when he wants to, so Alvarez shouldn’t take him lightly.
6-Man Tag: “Warhorse” Jake Parnell, Chris Dickinson & Rory Gulak vs. Gary Jay, AJ Gray & Curt Stallion
It’s case of North vs. South in this huge matchup, that pits New York’s Chris Dickinson (from EVOLVE and Beyond Wrestling) with Philadelphia’s Rory Gulak (CHIKARA, Beyond, EVOLVE) and former BLP Indiana State Champion “Warhorse” Jake Parnell. Parnell is locked in one of the US indies most savage feuds right now with Gary Jay, who is a long time veteran of the Texas indies. Gary Jay leads a squad that includes Tennessee’s AJ Gray (IWA Mid South, AIW) and Texas’ Curt Stallion (EVOLVE, Glory Pro).
BLP Tag Team Championship: Space Pirates (Shane Sabre & Space Monkey) (c) vs. Team Whitewolf (Carlos Romo & A-Kid) vs. Tre Lamar & Jake Lander vs. Sammy Guevara & Robbie Eagles
It’s a fatal four-way tag team match for the BLP Tag Team Championships, starting with defending champs Space Pirates. The Canadian duo are entering 2019 as one of the hottest tag teams in the US indies, as Shane Sabre & Space Monkey are also the reigning Alpha-1 Tag Team Champions and are competing with Warrior Wrestling, Freelance Wrestling and Glory Pro. Team Whitewolf is one of the hottest tag teams in the world right now, coming out of Spain. Two representatives of Spain’s White Wolf Wrestling, Carlos Romo & A-Kid are tearing up the UK indie scene at the moment. Tre Lamar & Jake Lander are repping the AIW stable No Consequences, as two of the emerging stars out of the Midwest scene. An international pairing rounds out the four teams, as All Elite Wrestling (AEW)‘s Sammy Guevara, the former AAA World Cruiserweight Champion, teams up with Australian indie superstar Robbie Eagles, currently a member of Bullet Club in Japan.
Jonathan Gresham vs. Shigehiro Irie
Jonathan Gresham should be a break out star in 2019. “The Octopus” has been one of the top technical wrestlers in the world for 13-years, working with Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) and Beyond Wrestling for years, as well as multiple tours with Germany’s Westside Xtreme Wrestling (wXw), Japan’s Pro Wrestling ZERO1, and in the UK with PROGRESS, IPW, and Preston City Wrestling (PCW). He’s been with Ring of Honor since 2014, but it’s only been in the past year that ROH has truly let him shine. He’s facing off against one of DDT Pro‘s top stars in Shigehiro Irie. The former 3x DDT K-OD Openweight Champion has been making waves in Europe in 2019, working in the UK and Europe with PROGRESS, RevPro, Over The Top (OTT), and wXw of late.
Team USA (Jordynne Grace, Kylie Rae, Nicole Savoy, Shotzi Blackheart & Samantha Heights) vs. Team International (Shazza McKenzie, Charli Evans, Jessica Troy, Indi Hartwell & Zoe Lucas)
An international showcase and showdown of women’s wrestling, as Team USA takes on Team International in a huge 10-woman tag match. Team USA is captained by IMPACT Wrestling‘s Jordynne Grace, who emerged from 2018 as one of the new main event players on the US indie scene. She’s leading a squad that features SHIMMER Champion Nicole Savoy, Freelance Champion (and AEW signee) Kylie Rae, former Phoenix of RISE Champion Shotzi Blackheart and emerging star Samantha Heights from Rockstar Pro. Team International is captained by Australian superstar Shazza McKenzie, who leads a squad made almost entirely of fellow Aussies, including one of Australia’s breakout stars from 2018, Indi Hartwell, and the entire Team Blue Nation, featuring Charli Evans & Jessica Troy, and their new cohort Zoe Lucas from the UK.
Nick Gage vs. Swoggle
Former WWE Superstar Swoggle has found himself in a lot of tough battles the past year in the indie circuit, including encounters with Scott Steiner, Rickey Shane Page, Jeff Cobb, and Willie Mack. But on Friday, he’ll be facing a genuine madman in the King of American hardcore and GCW World Heavyweight Champion Nick Gage. Gage is one of the most fearsome and violent men in the ring’s history and this will prove to be Swoggle’s most dangerous match ever.
BLP Heavyweight Championship: “All Ego” Ethan Page (c) vs. Kobe Durst
Former friends and allies, BLP Heavyweight Champion “All Ego” Ethan Page faces his protege Kobe Durst for the title. Page won the BLP Championship 145 days ago from Jordynne Grace and the IMPACT star is determined to maintain his position at the top of BLP, even if means destroying Durst in the process. Toronto’s Kobe Durst is the reigning and 3x Alpha-1 Alpha Male Champion in Canada, the promotion owned by Page. Page has groomed Durst for years, and now that Durst is starting to make a name for himself in the US indie circuit, Page is looking to end Kobe’s momentum once and for all.
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