#FBF MPWj Maple Grove, MN 12/21/2003

Promotion: Midwest Pro Wrestling
Time/Date: 7pm Sunday December 21, 2003
City, State: Maple Grove, MN
Venue: MPW training center

MPW had events every Sunday in their training center in Maple Grove,MN.

Joessiah VS Super Steve. I'm not sure if his name was Super Steve or something else but he acted like he was a superhero. Joessiah now goes by the name Officer Rob Justice.

The Smoking Section ( Chris Jordan & Mason Quinn) defeated Schoolboy & Gator Magraw.

Aaron Corbin VS Benjamin Sailer.

Kaos Cody O'Neill VS The Punisher Rob James.

Josie defeated Ms. Natural.

Casanova put Arik Cannon to sleep with a sleeper hold.

#FBF MPW Maple Grove, MN 1/17/2004

Promotion: Midwest Pro Wrestling
Time/Date: Saturday 7:300pm January 17, 2004
City, State: Maple Grove, MN
Venue: MPW training camp

With these flashbacks I can't always tell you who won the match as I was not taking notes at the time. I try to take a photo of the ref raising the hand of the winning wrestler but that doesn't always happen.  That's one reason why I really like to do this blog as it's a record of all the matches that I've photographed. There used to be message boards where fans would post results/reviews of the matches. Too bad those message boards are no longer around. Message boards are a thing of the past.

This event was one of MPW's big Saturday shows. They had events every Sunday but once a month they had a bigger Sunday event. This one was a big deal as they brought in AJ Style and Christopher Daniels. Both of those guys were at an event in Wisconsin the night before.

MPW cruiser weight champ Kid Krazy defeated Casanova, El Viejo and Kaos (Cody O'Neill) in a 4 man elimination match to retain the title.

The Schoolboy VS Sheriff Johnny Emerald.

Cowboy Gator Magraw VS Aaron Corbin.

"The Fallen Angle" Christopher Daniels pinned Arik Cannon.

AJ Styles pinned Shifty. I think that Shifty only wrestled in one more match after this one. Styles came back to MPW to win the Universal championship.

While going through these photos I saw this one of a fan holding up a sign. That fan can now be seen wrestling on NXT on the WWE network. Oh yeah, there is a young fat Venom in that photo as well.

Chikara comes to Minneapolis

In just two weeks Chikara will make it's Minnesota debut. Thursday October 22, 2015 in Minneapolis, MN at Mill City Nights. All ready announced to appear at this event are The Colony, Chuck Taylor, Dasher Hatfield, Icarus, Eddie Kingston and Arik Cannon.This may be the first time that Chikara will promote an event here in MN but it's not the first time that a group of Chikara wrestlers have made the trip to MN for another wrestling promotion.

MPW Invitational

Back in September 2003 Midwest Pro Wrestling had a weekend training camp with Skayde ( who later on became the head trainer at the Chikara Wrestle Factory). Attending this training camp were 6 Chikara wrestlers. MPW had two events that weekend on Saturday and Sunday night and called them the MPW Invitational.

On Saturday night September 20th Chris Hero defeated Casanova.

 The Midwest Shockers (Cody O'Neill & Joey Envy) defeated Eddie Kingston & Sitoci and Icarus & Gran Akuma in 3 way tag team elimination match.

 Sumie Sakai  defeated Ran Maru and had her hand raised by Chikara referee Bryce Remsberg.

 On night two, Sunday September 21, Arik Cannon defeated Chis Hero.

The Midwest Shockers (Joey Envy & Cody O'Neill) defeated Gran Akuma & Shawn Daivari.

 The main event was American Gigolo & Ran Maru VS Skayde & Sumie Sakai with referee Bryce Remsburg. Skayde & Sakai won the match when Sakai pinned Gigolo. I love in ring posed photos.

My first published photo in Pro Wrestling Illustrated was from this match. It appeared on the last page of the February2004 issue of PWI.

World Series of Wrestling

In 2005 MPW was visited by 7 wrestlers and 1 referee from Chikara. This time the two promotions battled against each other in the World Series of Wrestling, a best of seven match series. The guys from Chikara were at MPW for two nights April 30 and May 1, 2005.

In the first match MPW cruiser weight champion The Prophet defeated Icarus. MPW 1 Chikara 0

 Emil Sitoci VS Joessiah ended in a draw when both men could not get to their feet before a 10 count.

 "Sweet and Sour" Larry Sweeney pinned The Punisher (Rob James). MPW 1 Chikara 1

 Claudio Castagnoli (WWE's Cesaro) defeated Casanova. MPW 1 Chikara 2

 Kid Krazy defeated Hallowicked. MPW 2 Chikara 2

MPW Universal champion Joey Envy defeated Chris Hero. MPW 3 Chikara 2

 "Lightning" Mike Quackenbush pinned Arik Cannon. MPW 3 Chikara 3.

 On Sunday May 1, 2005 the main event was a 6 man tag to determine  the winner of the World Series of Wrestling. Quackenbush, Hero & Castagnoli defeated Cannon, Krazy & Version 2 (Ryan Cruz) to win the MPW/Chikara World Series of Wrestling. That's right, the visiting promotion won.

Be sure to check out Chikara on Thursday October 22 at Mill City Nights. Then mark your calendar for the next F1rst Wrestling event at First Ave, Friday January 8, 2016. 

3XW Des Moines, IA 1/7/2011

This past Friday night I went south on I35 to Des Moines, Iowa for 3XW's Divide & Conquer at the Des Moines Social Club. While at the show I got to meet Brian Kelley from Missouri Wrestling Revival. Check out the MWR site for all the latest news on pro wrestling in the central states area.
Jimmy Rockwell & Sir Bradley Charles defeated 3XW Pure Wrestling Champion Ricky Kwong & The Mauler with Chad Mylan by DQ. The DQ came when Mylan interfeared in the match. After the match Rockwell challenged Kwong to defend his title on the next card.

Genisis-Benjamin Sailer, Gage Octane, Nate Bash, Tony Sly & AJ Smooth defeated Jon West, Aaron Masterson, "Big City" Securiy Gaurd, The River Monster & Ryan Slade when Bash pinned Masterson. Genisis is a group of wrestlers who have been with 3XW since the begining and they are out to destroy all those who were not.

3XW heavy weight champion Brain Ash with Todd Countryman retained his title against challenger Zach Thompson.

The Horndogs, Maddog McDowell & Krotch defeated Casanova & Devin Carter to become the new 3XW tag team champions.

The main event for the night was a 60 minute no DQ Iron Man match between Mark Sterling and Jeremy Wyatt. Sixty minutes was not enough time for these two wrestlers as they were tied at 4 wins a piece so 3XW commisioner Todd Countryman sent this match into over time so there would be a winner to this feud. After about 10 more minutes Sterling got the win after a tombstone piledriver on a chair.

3XW Adel, IA 10/27/2007

3XW held Halloween Horror II on Saturday October 27th, 2007 in Adel, Iowa at the Dallas county fair grounds community center.
Ryan Slade & the Welfare Check Connection defeated Jimmy Rockwell, Ricky Kwong & Brady A. Dezire. I was surprised to see the cow pants that Dezire wears in the locker room as it's been about 3 years since I've seen him up in Minnesota with MPW.

3XW cruiser weight champion Casanova beat Shane Hollister to retain the belt.

3XW Pure Wrestling champion Maddog McDowell defeated Krotch to retain the title.
Bryce Benjamin beat Dan Lawrence to win the new 3XW Alternative title in a hard core match. Benjamin didn't actually wrestle in this match as he had an injured shoulder. Ryan Slade, Aaron Masterson and Zach Thompson did all the wrestling for Bryce and that was ok as this this was a hard core match and there are no DQ's in a hard core match.

The Northstar Express retained the 3XW tag team title in a ladder match against Nate Bash & Benjamin Sailer.
Jaysin Strife beat Stephen Saint.

3XW heavy weight champion Devin Carter defended his belt twice in one night as he first defeated Knight Wagner then Mark Sterling.

Gage Octane beat Brain Ash in a looser leaves 3XW match.

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.