For 17 years, Xtreme Intense Championship Wrestling (XICW) has been one of Michigan’s top indie promotions. Founded by former territory journeyman Malcolm Monroe (NWA, AWA, and others) and his son Malcolm Monroe Jr. (aka DBA) in 2000, it has been a showcase for up-and-coming Michigan and Ohio area talent, such as Rhyno, Motor City Machine Guns, and Truth Martini, and a promotion that epitomized Detroit hustle. On Saturday, they look to bring back pro wrestling to the famous Cobo Arena in downtown Detroit, the old home of Big Time Wrestling and the original Sheik, with XICW presents COBO.
Here’s a look at the card for Saturday’s huge indie event in Detroit, Michigan.
XICW presents COBO
Caleb Stills is a 17-year Canadian indie veteran who also went by Gutter earlier in his career, and a product of Scott D’Amore‘s Can-Am Wrestling school across the river in Windsor, Ontario. He’s wrestling all over Ontario and Michigan, and once appeared on an episode of WWF Sunday Night Heat with Detroit’s “Amazing N8” Mattson against The World’s Greatest Tag Team (Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas) back in 2007. Michigan’s own “Outlaw” Bobby Lee has been wrestling since the late 80s, working with Great Lakes Wrestling in the 1990s. Sure to be an old-school match-up.
A fun way to get stars of XICW from the past and present on this huge card at the Cobo Arena, so far the names include such performers as Dre Jacobs & Juntai, Big Chuck Wagon, Jackson Stone, Aaron T.I., Rough House Rob, Travis Titan and The Soul Taker.
Andy Muscat is another Michigan indie veteran, who spent several years with Detroit’s ICW (not to be confused with Scotland’s). He fought Mike Bennett (aka WWE Superstar Mike Kanellis) in Ring of Honor back in 2013. Jimi V is another vet of the circuit, beginning in the mid-90s. In 1998, he faced Taka Michinoku for the WWF Light Heavyweight title on an episode of Shotgun Saturday Night.
Another two Michigan products, Zach Gowen initially found fame as a WWE Superstar in 2003, including a DQ win over Brock Lesnar in Detroit on Smackdown. He only last a few months in the WWE, but he’s been a top indie wrestler around North America ever since, appearing for Impact Wrestling, Ring of Honor, AAW and more. He found a resurgence in the mainstream last year when he appeared on the reality athletic show, American Ninja. His opponent is a long time Michigan indie star, the monster Kongo Kong. Kongo Kong has emerged as an intriguing character on Impact Wrestling this year, after spending much of his near 20 year career on the indies with the likes of JCW, IWA Mid-South, AAW and Border City Wrestling (BCW), where he’s their current Champion.
Joe Coleman is a Detroit indie wrestler who’s become a staple in the Michigan and Ontario circuit, with the likes of XICW, BCW and Toronto’s Smash Wrestling. He’s also made a few appearances on Impact Wrestling this past year as well. He’s facing another Impact Wrestling star in the Indian strongman Mahabali Shera.
Team XICW is lead by Michigan star Jaimy Coxx, who started out in JCW in the late 90s. He’s been an XICW Original since their first year. He’s joined by another two long time XICW regulars, Eddie Venom and The Mysterious Movado, plus special guest team mate in the form of former nWo member Buff Bagwell. They’re facing off against Team Canada, led by former TNA X-Division Champions Johnny Devine and “The Canadian Destroyer” Petey Williams (of TNA’s original Team Canada), alongside another former TNA canuck, Cody Deaner. They’re planning on a fourth member, but it’s being kept a mystery.
Santino Marella refereeing a Midget Match? I’m in.
Two competitors from this summer’s WWE Mae Young Classic go head to head over the SHIMMER Championship. SHIMMER Champion Mercedez Martinez, one of the top women’s indie stars on the circuit, puts the belt on the line against former Impact Knockouts Champion Mia Yim (formerly known as Jade). These two have history in SHIMMER, SHINE and just about everywhere else, so this should be a hard hitting affair.
The DBA and his son, MM3 – collectively known as The Monroes – are the reigning XICW Tag Team Champions and they’re putting it all on the line in a steel cage against a reunion of former Impact Tag Team Champions The Decay. Crazzy Steve and Abyss are reuniting (without Rosemary) in a match that is sure to leave a lot of blood on the canvas. Four men who will sacrifice it all for the win.
A rising star on the indie circuit, XICW Midwest Heavyweight Champion Gavin Quinn is a student of Truth Martini. He also wrestles for AAW and other Northwest indies, plus in Ontario with Alpha-1 and Superkick’d. He’s defending in a triple threat Ladder Match against Hakim Zane, from Saginaw, whose been on fire lately, with matches in Ring of Honor, Impact Wrestling and Superkick’d, as well as his home promotion of XICW. Thirdly, Impact Wrestling and UK wrestler Rockstar Spud will round out a high flying match-up.
The main event features XICW Xtreme Intense Champion “The Franchise” Shane Douglas defending his title against another ECW Original, Al Snow (with Head). Al Snow is a legend in the Michigan and Ohio area (he hails from Lima, OH) and Shane Douglas always does well in front of a Detroit audience. These two may be a little past their prime in athleticism, but they’re both still masters on the mic and in-ring psychology – they’ll find a way to not only make their match a memorable one for this huge Detroit show, they’ll make it special.
If you live in the Detroit area, there’s still some tickets available.
