AWA RUSH Mankato, MN 10/12/2007

AWA RUSH held their one year anniversary card this last Friday but unfortunatly it was their last card as well. RUSH owner/promoter Mike "Gator Magraw" Kinney retired from wrestling this summer and he now decided to retire from wrestling all together and close his promotion. Although during some of the times he got on the mic he did make it sound like RUSH might return next year.

Arya Daivari pinned Casanova after a magic carpet ride.

Cory O'Neill pinned Gage Octane after a standing spanish fly.

Arik Cannon pinned Brody Hoofer after the glimmering warlock.

Devin Carter pinned Aaron Corbin with help from the ropes to retain the AWA RUSH YouTube title.

Professionaly Dangerous (Jaysin Strife & Benjamin Sailer) beat the Junk Squad (Peter Huge & Kleck Michaels) to win the AWA RUSH tag team titles.
AWA light heavy weight champion "Krazy K" Kirby Mack retained his title against Matty Star as they were both counted out of the ring. Every promotion that is a member of the AWA must have an AWA title defense in their promotion at least once a year. Because of that RUSH brought in Mack to defend his title against the winner of the Grapple Cup tournament that was held last month. Promoter Gator Magarw announced that this was the first time an AWA title was defended in Minnesota since 1991 when the old AWA shut down.
The Black Stallion retained his AWA RUSH heavyweight championship against Shimdog.

AWA RUSH Mankato, MN 9/22/2007

AWA RUSH presented 'Grapple Cup', an 8 man tournament to decide who would face the AWA light heavyweight champion on the first anniversary card in October 2007. This card took place at the Eagles Club on a Saturday night. My camera was now fixed and this was the first card I was able to make it to in over a month. Before the first bell Gator Magraw got on the mic and announced that all AWA RUSH DVD's and t-shirts were on sale for $5. I guessed that it was a 'going out of business' sale and just today I learned that that was a correct guess. RUSH owner/promoter Gator Magraw announced today that AWA RUSH would run one more card then it will be done.
The opening match was between Kleck Micheals and Arya Daivari. Micheals tag team partner Pete Huge was at ring side and he got involved in the match. Arya won by DQ.
Jaysin Strife ran in to save Daivari from the two on one beat down by the Junk Squad. That lead to the frist round match between Stryfe and Pete Huge. Stryfe got the win with a roll up after Huge bumped into his partner.
Shimdog beat Casanova to move onto the second round. Casanova is now without the mullet that he has that broke my camera.
Mike Rollins made his RUSH debut but lost to Matty Star. Before that match Magraw stated that if Starr lost then he would have to buy a beer/soda for everyone in the crowd.
Brody Hoofer beat Cory O'Neill in the last first round match.
Matty Starr defeated Brody Hoofer with a little help from Casanova to move on to the Grapple Cup final and once again get out of buying everyone beer/soda.
Shimdog moved on to the finals as his opponent Jaysin Strife was DQed when the Junk Squad attacked Shimdog.
Devin Carter retained his RUSH YouTube championship against Benjamin Sailer.
Black Stallion beat Aaron Corbin to win the AWA RUSH heavyweight title. This was Stallions first match in RUSH.
Matty Starr pinned Shimdog to win the AWA RUSH Grapple Cup. Referee Rick Reed was hurting a little too much to notice that Starr was using the ropes to get the pin. Starr will now face AWA light heavyweight champion Kirby Mack on October 12, 2007 on the AWA RUSH's last card.

AWA RUSH Faribault, MN 8/17/2007

AWA RUSH returned to Spikes bar in Faribault, MN on this Saturday night.
The first match was a tag team match with the RUSH tag team champions The Junk Squad facing off against Hype Gotti & Babyface. This was my first time seeing Gotti and second time seeing Babyface. Pete Huge & Kleck Micheals won the match and retained their title.
Cooter came out to the ring and ripped on Gator Magraw. Long time partner/opponent Casanova didn't like what Cooter had to say so he challenged him to a match. Casanova was sporting a really nice mullet. And this was the last photo that my camera took that night as it broke. I think it had something to do with the mullet.

AWA RUSH Mankato, MN 7/27/2007

Gator's Last Stand was the name of the card held by AWA Pro Wrestling RUSH this last Friday at the Eagles Club in Mankato, MN. This was a new venue for RUSH and the place was packed for Cowboy Gator Magraws last match as he was retiring due to injuries.

The Junk Squad beat the Northstar Express to retain the AWA RUSH tag team titles.

Tag team partners Benjamin Sailer and Jasyin Strife wrestled against each other in an exhibition match to prepare them selves for a rematch with the Junk Squad. There was no winner in this match as the Junk Squad attacked Sailer and Strife.
The feud between student and teacher continued as Shimdog took on Jake Taylor in a strap match. There was no winner in this match as both men touched the 4th turnbuckle pad at the same time.
Arya Daivari beat Devin Carter to become the new AWA RUSH YouTube champion.
Arik Cannon beat Aaron Corbin. After the match Cannon poured some drain clog remover stuff on Corbin's face.
Joey Envy retained the AWA RUSH championship against Horace the psychopath when the ref reversed the original decision and Horace was disqualified.

In his last match Gator Magraw beat his long time nemesis and former partner Casanova.
It was a little over 4 years ago when I first photographed Magraw in action at a Neo Pro card in Cottage Grove, MN. He was a little thinner then.

AWA RUSH Faribault, MN6/15/2007

From Spikes bar in Faribault, MN AWA Pro WrestlingRUSH held their first card in a place that NPW used to run not to long ago. This was the second night of RUSH's first double shot weekend. I was unable to make it to the first night which was at their home venue of the Bandana Brewery in Mankato, MN. I hate smoky bars.

In the opening match 'The Professional' Benjamin Sailer defeated Matty Star.
In the second match '6% body fat' Rob James was the winner against Zac James by DQ. Ref Tad Taylor DQed Zac when he used a hand weight that Rob brings to the ring to hit Rob. These two wrestlers are not related.
Arik Cannon beat Jasyin Strife.
In a 6 man tag match the team of the New Junk Squad & Jake Taylor beat Shimdog, Venom & Donnie Peppercricket. This was my first time seeing Peppercricket.
The Northstar Express beat the O'Neill Twinz.

The AWA RUSH Youtube champion Devin Carter retained his title when the match against Arya Daivari went to a time limit draw. You can go to Youtube.com to watch this match.

AWA RUSH champion Joey Envy beat Aaron Corbin with his superkick in a no DQ match. In the move of the night the wrestlers took the match over to the pool tables and Envy used a cue stick to put Corbins ball in the corner pocket.

AWA RUSH Mankato, MN 5/3/2007

AWA Pro Wrestling RUSH held their monthly card at the Bandanna Brewery in Mankato, MN this past Thursday night.

Arya Daivari won a 3 way elimination match against Matty Star and Jaysin Strife.
Benjamin Sailer beat Arik Cannon with a roll up.
The Junk Squad beat Aaron Corbin & Zac James. This Junk Squad tandem tried out their new version of the junk sandwich.

Jake Taylor beat Shimdog with a little help from the ropes.

The Northstar Express beat Twisted Steal-N-Sex Appeal. Before the match Casanova had another one of his challenges as he and his tag team partner Rob James took on Ryan Cruz & Darin Corbin in a 3 legged race around the ring. NSE won that challenge.

Devin Carter retained the AWA RUSH Youtube TV title by beating El Viejo.

Joey Envy became the new AWA RUSH champion in a 3 way elimination Bunkhouse match with former champion Chris Jordan and Brody Hoofer. Gator Magraw was suppose to be in this match but he announced his retirement from wrestling and picked Hoofer as his replacement in this match. Magraw will wrestle 3 more matches before he retires because of shoulder problems.

AWA RUSH Mankato, MN 4/5/2007

Last Thursday night I made my way down to Mankato, MN to photograph AWA Pro Wrestling RUSH at the Bandanna Brewery for the first time. Cowboy Gator Magraw started RUSH back in October 2006 and has been running monthly cards from the same place. I was going to go to last months card but it was cancelled because of a blizzard. I was taking posed shots so I was not able to photograph all the matches on this night.
The first match of the night was a triple threat match between Arik Cannon, Casanova and Rob James. The match started with a Casanova special challenge which was a joke telling contest. Cannon won the challenge with a dirty joke and got the pin on Rob James after a brain buster.
Shimdog beat Matty Star.
Joessiah, "Hollywood" Brian Sager, & The Prophet beat Zak James, Benjamin Sailer, & Jake Taylor.
Gator Magraw was suppose to wrestle the team of Pete Huge & Kleck Micheals with a 'mystery partner' but no one showed up to the ring with Gator. With the help of a Joey Envy super kick Pete Huge got the pin on Magraw.
AWA RUSH Youtube champion Devin Carter retained his title against Jaysin Strife.
In a special Ladies match Rain beat Mystik.
AWA RUSH champion Chris Jordan beat El Viejo to retain his belt.