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Recently 3 wrestlers from the midwest have been given developmental contracts from the WWE to work in either OVW or Deep South.

From Minneapolis, MN is Magnus Maximus. After an injury and some time off he return this year in hopes of getting to the WWE. He has wrestled mainly for MPW and Neo Pro/NPW.
Robert 'Egotistical Fantastical' Anthony comes from Chicago, IL. He wrestles with the mask in 3XW, M1W and AAW and he wrestles without the mask in other promotions.
The third man to get the conctract, Keith Walker, AKA Mike Venom, is also from Chicago. Promotions Walker has worked for in the recently are AAW, M1W and WLW. Walker has also recently wrestled in Japan for NOAH.
Another indy worker who recently got a contract from the WWE is Cluadio Castagnoli. He's not from the midwest or even the US. Claudio is from Schaffhausen, Switzerland but he has been wrestling in the United States for the past coulple of years and has made it to the midwest a number of time for IWA MS, MPW, ROH and others. The photo here is from the first World Series of Wrestling when Cluadio wrestled for Chikara against MPW's Casanova.

NPW VS NIW world series of wrestling West St. Pual, MN 11/4/2006

From the National Guard Armory in West St. Paul, Mn two fueding promotions faced off in a best of 7 'World Series of Wrestling'. This was the second of such events to be held in MN as the first one was held in April of 2005 when Midwest Pro Wrestling lost to Chikara of PA. That WSoW was in the name of good sportsmanship but his one between Northstar Premeir Wrestling and Norhtern Impact Wrestling was to settle a fued that started earlier this summer when NPW head John Johnson invaded NIW. For this WSoW both promtions picked 5 singles and two tag teams (one being a 4 man tag team) for the seven matches.
Darin Corbin(NIW) beat his brother Aaron Corbin (NPW) to make the score NIW 1 NPW 0.
Tony DeNucci (NPW) beat Kamikazi Klecker (NPW) and Venom (NIW) to even up the score at 1 each. This match started out as Klecker VS Venom but DeNucci didn't like the idea that Klecker was representing NPW so he put himself in the match.
Mitch Paradise (NPW) pinned Nate Bash (NIW) to make put NPW head 2 to 1.
The Junk Squad (NIW) and The Big Guns (NPW) battled to a double DQ as both teams used chairs. The score was still NPW 2 NIW 1.
NPW cruiserweight champion JB Trask retained his title against NIW's Rob James. NPW 3 NIW 1.
NIW Universal champion Kid Krazy beat Joey Envy (NPW) to make the score NPW 3 NIW 2.
The final match was a 8 man survivior match with team NIW (The Prophet, Ryan Cruz, Horace the Psycopath and Arik Cannon) VS team NPW (Black Stallion, Cody O'Neill, Magnus Maximus and John Johnson). Team NIW won when Arik Cannon pinned John Johnson after two refs were knocked out and powder and fire was used and Nora 'Molly Holly' Greenwald made the 3 count. The WSoW ended in a 3/3 tie.
After making the 3 count in the final match Nora gave the C.E.O. a stone cold stunner.

NPW Lonsdale, MN 10/28/2006

From the South 40 Pub in Lonsdale, MN Northstar Premier Wrestling put on a 6 match card.
The night started out with John Johnson VS Venom from NIW. This was a warm up for the NPW VS NIW world series of wrestling that takes place on 11/4/2006. Johnson got the 3 count in this match.
In a NPW try out match Malikite wrestled Ryan Stone. The match ended when NPW heavyweight champion Magnus Maximus came to the ring and beat both men. Magnus got on the mic and talked about how he was taking the NPW belt with him when he leaves for the WWE developmental territories.
In his third pro match Arya Daivari beat Aaron Corbin. He finished off Corbin with his brothers old move, the magic carpet ride.
Joey Envy beat Prime Time even thougth Prime Time had a cast on his left hand.
Cody O'Neill beat Craven Knyte.
The main event was scheduled to be Magnus Maximus defending his NPW heavy weight title against Black Stallion but it turned into a 4 man tag match. John Johnson and Big Daddy Hoofer were added to the match. Magnus had Stallion in a boston crab when Venom came in the ring and hit Magnus witht he title belt. This lead to Big Daddy Hoofer and James Thomas teaming up on Stallion to get the pin. The new NPW heavy weight champ- Big Daddy Hoofer.

NWA Pro Cottage Grove, MN 10/15/2006

NWA Pro made it's first trip to the midwest with one show in Wisconsin on a Saturday night and then in Cottage Grove, MN on Sunday night October 15, 2006. They ran at card at the same armory that has been used by Neo Pro and NIW. The card was made up of mostly local MN wrestlers and a few from California.
In the opening match Arik Cannon defeated T.J. Perkins. Perkins is one of the NWA Pro guys making their MN debut.
Babi Slymm defeated Karl Anderson w/Mr. Vander Pyle & Adam Pearce by DQ. The match ended when Slymm was attacked by Pearce which lead to the DQ win for Slymm. Arik Cannon ran out to help Slymm and then challenged Pearce and Anderson to a tag match later in the night.
Rocky Romero beat Kid Krazy.
The O'Neill's got the win over Aaron Corbin & Joey Envy. This match was scheduled to be the O'Neill's VS two guys from WI but they were unable to make it to MN so they were replaced with two guys the O'Neills were very familer with.
Puma beat Chris Jordan. This was Puma's first match in MN as he took on one of the top MN wrestlers. Puma won with a roll up.
Babi Slymm & Arik Cannon beat Karl Anderson & Adam Pearce after a double chair shot. This was Pierce's first match in MN since his days in Steel Domain Wrestling.

3 years ago today in MPW

October 19, 2003 Midwest Pro Wrestling @ the MPW arena in Maple Grove, MN.
The Smoking Section, Chris Jordan & Mason Quinn, were fueding with the Midwest Shockers, Kaos (Cody O'Neill) & Joey E. The Smoking Section started off the MPW sunday night show sitting in ring and ripping on the Shockers on the mic. Jordan must have raided Kaos's gear bag as he was wearing his shorts.
The main event of the night was Arik Cannon VS Kaos. The match ended when the Smoking Section came out the beat on Kaos. Joey E and Prettyboooy Delgado came down to even things out.

I miss the MPW Sunday shows but I don't miss the MPW arena. From the black walls to the black ring ropes to the seats on opposite sides it was not a good place for photos.

IWA MS TPI Midlothain, IL 9/30/2006

The second night of the IWA MS Ted Petty Invitational was a long night of wrestling as not only were there 10 tournament matches but there were 5 other matches as well. Not only were the fans treated to so much great wrestling but they got a few surprises as well as some wrestlers made their return to IWA MS.
El Genarico beat M-Dogg 20 to move on to the next round.
Claudio Castignoli beat Mike Quackenbush in one of the best matches of the night.
Low Ki beat Davey Richards in a very hard hitting match.
Chris Hero made Trik Davis submit.
Arik Cannon pinned Hallowicked.
Roderick Strong beat Delirious by tap out.
Eddie Kingston & Joker & Ricocet beat the Thomaselis.
The Northstar Express won some weird ruled match with 5 tag teams of wrestlers who lost in the first round the night before. In the photo here Rickey Reyes is pointing out to the fans that Ryan Cruz looks like Matt Hardy.
Arik Cannon beat Claudio Castignoli.
Roderick Strong beat Chris Hero with a back slide.
Low Ki beat El Generico.
Chuck Taylor beat Toby Klien to become the new IWA MS heavyweight champion.
In the TPI finals Low Ki beat Roderick Stong and Arik Cannon. First Low Ki pinned Strong then he knocked out Cannon for the win.

IWA MS TPI Midlothian, IL 9/29/2006

The annual IWA MidSouth Ted Petty Invitational took place this year in Midlothain, IL with the first round matches taking place on Sept 29th, 2006. This is the seventh year of IWA MS's annual tournament that use to be called the 'Sweet Science 16' but has since been expanded to 24 of some of the best wrestlers on the indy wrestling scene.
The first match of the first round was M-Dogg 20 vs IWA MS rookie Ricochet. The more experianced M-Dogg got the pin after a shoting star press.
To advance to the next round 'Lightning' Mike Quackenbush beat 'Classic' Colt Cabana. Quackenbush won with a Michinoku Driver.
Chris Hero, the 2000 Sweet Science Sixteen winner, beat Ricky Reyes to move on in the tournament.
The man from Sleepyhollow, Hallowicked, beat the man with the best abs in wrestling, Scorpio Sky.
Trik Davis beat Eric Stevens with a roll up to advance in the TPI. After the match Davis was attacked by Chris Hero.
The generic luchador El Generico beat 'Photogenic' Chris Bosh. Generico won the match with a top rope brain buster.
Davey Richards beat Jigsaw to move on to the next round.
Roderick Strong beat 'Mr. Impact' Brandon Thomaselli with a powerbomb.
Swiss wrestler Claudio Castagnoli defeated Canadian Kevin Steen. Last year Steen made it to the final round but lost to Matt Sydal who was unable to be in this years TPI because he was in Japan wrestling for Dragon Gate.
TNA X division champion Low Ki(Senshi in TNA) beat Gran Akuma after the double stomp.
Delirious beat Scott Lost.
Arik Cannon won the main event of the night against B-Boy. Cannon was the thrid man in the final match in last years TPI.