Wrestling with the weather

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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Pro wrestling has seen its share of wrestlers named after the weather. I've written about it before in fact. There's the Texas Tornado, the Hurricane, Earthquake, Typhoon, Sunny, Al Snow and the Lightning Kid to name a few. As Stride Pro Wrestling prepares for a show tonight on what is going to be a very rainy weekend, I figured I'd share some of our weather-related roster members. By the way, the show is happening tonight (Saturday, Sept. 8 at the Carterville Community Center)

Tony Flood in action
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

Obviously, I have to start with Tony Flood. He's already made a post on social media about all the jokes he's heard in the first few hours of this rain system we're experiencing. Flood has been on the Stride roster since day one. He's won the Legacy and Stride Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Championships two times each. Tonight, he'll team with J. Wellington Beauregard against Heath Hatton and Ax Allwardt. 

Sarah Summers vs. Heath Hatton
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

Flood's partner at our last show was Sarah Summers. I know summer is a season and not a weather event, but it is still summertime and there's an obvious tie-in. Summers has wrestled a handful of times at Stride, even competing for the tag team titles with Farmer Billy Hills. She is the current Cape Championship Wrestling Women's Champion as well.

Me & James Storm

James Storm is best known for his work in Impact Wrestling. But the former champ wrestled at Stride Pro Wrestling's Brave the Storm benefit show in spring 2017. He's also made an appearance at CCW before. I had an opportunity to interview him for the My 1-2-3 Cents podcast. He's a great guy who continues to do well in pro wrestling. 

Don't let the rain keep you from coming out tonight. Again, all the money collected from tickets goes straight to the Lions Club. They continue to do great work in our region. Please come out and support THEM and indy wrestling. 

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Mixed tag team match set for Saturday night

Flood & Summers to face Hatton & Miles

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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For the last several months, fans of Stride Pro Wrestling have been accustomed to Heath Hatton teaming up with Ax Allwardt. The two are former Heavyweight champions and have also held the tag team titles two times. This Saturday night though, Hatton has a new partner, one who has yet to step into the ring in front of a crowd. Kaleigh Miles makes her debut all for a good cause.

Sarah Miles-Keltner & family

Kaleigh's sister-in-law Sarah Miles-Keltner is battling stage four cancer. The disease has attacked the young mother of three. Now Stride Pro Wrestling is working to help the family. Hatton will team with Kaleigh against Stride Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Champion Tony Flood and Sarah Summers.

Summers vs. Ax Allwardt
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

Summers is no stranger to mixed tag team matches. You may recall she and Farmer Billy Hills competed for the tag team titles in a fatal four-way elimination match in early 2017. 

Kaleigh training with Hatton 

Emotions will be high as Kaleigh makes her debut in honor of her sister-in-law. And there's a huge issue between Hatton and Flood as the two have traded the Legacy Title in the past. Just this past weekend Hatton won a battle royal to become the number one contender to Flood's Heavyweight title. 

Join us Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Eldorado High School for this match and many more. You can stay updated here and on the Stride Pro Wrestling Facebook page.

There's nothing sweet about Kandi Jewel

Kandi Jewel

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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There's been a renewed interest in women's wrestling on the national level. But long before Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch were wowing crowds on WWE programming, the ladies of the independent wrestling scene were tearing things up. 

At the show, Hot August Night 2 for Stride Pro Wrestling will see the debut of a new wrestler on the roster. Kandi Jewel comes in this Saturday night to face fan favorite Sarah Summers. Both women know each other well and have wrestled for companies around the region, including ICAW.

Kandi Jewel

That's where Kandi made her debut in 2011. She's also faced competitors in several other states, including Tennesee and Mississippi. I have never seen her in the ring, so I'm looking forward to Saturday night's match. Judging from her photos though, you can see despite the name Kandi, she's far from sweet.

Sarah takes to the sky
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

She'll need that tough exterior. Sarah Summers is far from a pushover. Fans have watched her battle other women here at Stride, including Alexxa Flood and Marni Gras. Summers even went toe to toe with the guys as she and Farmer Billy Hills entered a tag team fatal four-way a few months ago. Sarah climbed high that night and crashed into the other competitors on the floor, showing she's tougher than a two dollar steak (sorry JR, I had to borrow that).

So join us Saturday night and find out what kind of craziness might go down at the newcomer faces the veteran from Amazon Island. 

Girl Fight coming to Cape Girardeau

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Look out southeast Missouri. The first ever Girl Fight Luna Vachon Memorial Tournament is coming to Cape Girardeau. It's part of the big Cape Comic Con celebration happening April 21-23. The Girl Fight kicks off the weekend. The show is Friday night at the AC Brase Building at Arena Park. 

Lil Bit vs. Sarah Summers (Stride Pro Wrestling)
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

Eight of the best female wrestlers on the independent scene will be a part of this unique event. Scheduled to appear, familiar faces in CCW Sarah Summers, Lil Bit and Nikki Lane. Indy favorites like Amazing Maria, Miss Monica and Ruby Raze will be joined by former NXT Star "Blue Pants" Leva Bates and former TNA star Mickie Knuckles (who I once ate dinner with at Applebee's many years ago).

Mickie Knuckles
Courtesy: Mickie "Moose" Knuckles Facebook page

All eight of these women are highly talented and have what it takes to win this tournament. I've had a chance to see half of these competitors in action through the years. And picking a winner is not easy. But Mickie Knuckles has to be a favorite here. As Jim Ross would say, she's tougher than a two dollar steak and just as fearless. I know it's cliche, but the real winners will be the fans. They will witness eight of the best who will do what it takes to win this special tournament to honor of the wrestling's most unique and iconic women in Luna Vachon.

After the winner is crowned, Final Drive and Eurydice will take the stage and perform a concert. Tickets for both shows are just $10. Head here for more details. And come back the next night for the CCW Super Show.

Stride Pro Wrestling: New tag champs crowned, BIG guest coming in May

Maximum Overdrive
Photo courtesy: Scott Phoenix

 By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Tag Team Turmoil is history, and the event lived up to its name. In what many fans have said was a shock, the team of Ax Allwardt and Scott Phoenix are the new Stride Pro Wrestling Tag Team Champions. Maximum Overdrive overcame three other teams to win the gold.

The first team eliminated from the match was the Midwest Mafia. Red Daniels was pinned by Jay Spade after Red was shoved by his own partner, Jake Capone. The two argued to the back, with Capone saying he was done with Daniels. That only enraged Red even more who came back and assaulted Spade with a chair.

Ax trash talking Sarah
Courtesy: My 1-2-3 Cents

The next team eliminated was Farmer Billy Hills and Sarah Summers. Summers got counted out because she brawled with Little Bit and Alexxa Flood outside the ring. The ladies all have bad blood with one another, so it'll be interesting to see how this all plays out. Before she was eliminated, Sarah soared to the outside of the ring, crashing into many of the men involved in the match. It was a spectacular move to see in person.

Phoenix pins Spade
Courtesy: My 1-2-3 Cents

As you read in the most recent Foreign Object Friday blog, Ax's chain came into play in the final moments of the match. He clocked Spade with it, allowing Phoenix to score the pin. The two celebrated their win in the ring and backstage with their manager J. Wellington Beauregard. But I suspect the party won't go on too long, as the new champs have made an enemy out of Josh Plumlee. 

Coming May 6
Pinckneyville 204
Courtesy: Impact Wrestling

The teacher-turned wrestler was on hand to announce that the next Stride Pro Wrestling show (May 6) is a fundraiser for tornado victims here in southern Illinois. The special guest that night will be Tyrus (formerly Brodus Clay in WWE). Maximum Overdrive and Beauregard took the opportunity to assault Plumlee as I was interviewing him. Look for more develops on Stride's Facebook page and right here on the blog. That show is being held at Pinckneyville Consolidated 204 school.

Roger Matheus vs. Eugene Drip
Courtesy: My 1-2-3 Cents

A few other notes from Tag Team Turmoil, the DR Party tried to make Stride great again by facing champion Heath Hatton and Chris Hargas. But Brian Richards and Dexter Roswell came up short. Hatton will defend against Roger Matheus at that May show in a TLC Match. Speaking of Matheus, he destroyed Eugene Drip, although the lovable nerd put up a good fight at least for a moment or two.

JD Wilk via Boomerang
Courtesy: My 1-2-3 Cents

JD Wilk got some revenge against Nathan Brag, who had kicked Wilk below the belt last month while refereeing his match against the DR Party. The newest member of the group was beaten by Wilk in a grudge match. But Dexter Roswell and company ended up attacking Wilk after the win. Little Bit picked up her first win in Stride by beating Alexxa Flood and Tony Flood successfully defended the Stride Pro Wrestling Legacy Championship against Cash Bordin. 

Stay tuned for more announcements concerning May 6. I'm looking forward to the action already.

A 'Little Bit' about Marni Gras

Marni Gras ready for action
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Long before the Divas Revolution/Women's Evolution in WWE, women's wrestling has been a big part of the independent scene. Stride Pro Wrestling is building a roster of women too. Sarah Summers will step into the ring Saturday night and team with Farmer Billy Hills to battle three other teams in a Fatal Four Way Tag Team Turmoil match for the Stride Pro Wrestling Tag Team Titles. 

Marni vs. Summers
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

Last month, Summers did battle with Stride newcomer Marni Gras. For fans who think Marni looks familiar, there's a good reason. She also wrestles in Cape Championship Wrestling as Little Bit. She's already put it out there that she's returning this Saturday night, but says "I just can't figure out which personality is going to show up." We do know the opponent will be the always dangerous Alexxa Flood. We've seen here in battles with not just Summers, but Farmer too. 

Marni gets aggressive
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

Marni will need to come to Stride with her A game. Last time she was her, she gave Summers a very competitive match. I've also seen her compete at CCW and have been impressed. Her downfall in March though was when she tried to take a shortcut. Summers turned the tables on an attempt to throw glitter and Marni ended up being blinded and pinned.

The women of Stride Pro Wrestling
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

It'll be interesting to see which woman goes to the well for something underhanded first because both Flood and Marni have a reputation for bending the rules. It's all good though as adding more women to the Stride Pro Wrestling roster is definitely a good thing. Little Bit will be a part of Cape Championship Wrestling's first ever Girl Fight. It's the Luna Vachon Memorial Tournament and part of a huge weekend of wrestling coming to southeast Missouri (April 21 & 22). Listen to Monday's podcast for more details on that show. 

Tag Team Turmoil to top Stride's upcoming event

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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I've always been a fan of tag team wrestling. I could go on and on listing my favorite teams from back in the day, but I won't waste your time. Stride Pro Wrestling is developing a lot of fantastic tag teams right now. This Saturday night Tag Team Turmoil will be the main event, with the newly crowned champions The Midwest Mafia defending against three other teams.

 

Team Triple X in action
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

Red Daniels and "The Hitman" Jake Capone will certainly have their work cut out for them. The other three contenders for the belts include former tag team championships Team Triple X. Joey O'Riley and Jay Spade may not be the biggest or strongest team in this match, but their heart and determination can't be denied. I've had the pleasure of watching these two develop and become two of the best on the indy scene.

Maximum Overdrive
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

Also in the fray, Maximum Overdrive, that's former Stride Pro Wrestling Champion Ax Allwardt and Scott Phoenix. This duo has been around for a little while and isn't above bending or even breaking the rules to win. Don't forget their manager, J. Wellington Beauregard is one of the most ruthless managers in the game today. 

Farmer Billy Hills & Sarah Summers

Farmer Billy Hills and Sarah Summers have teamed before in intergender action against Tony and Alexxa Flood. This will be the first time the duo has faced all male competition in Stride Pro Wrestling. They've worked well together for years and that longtime relationship should factor well. Plus, Farmer has been hungry for gold since the very first Stride show. 

The champs, Midwest Mafia
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

The action will be intense as four teams all with one thing on their minds clash. The Stride Pro Wrestling tag team titles are what it's all about. Be sure to catch Tag Team Turmoil this Saturday night (April 8). Bell time is 6:30 p.m. at the CMA Dojo at the Illinois Star Centre Mall in Marion.

Battle of the sexes

Alexxa & Tony Flood vs. Farmer Billy Hills & Sarah Summers
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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A feud that's been brewing for quite some time in Stride Pro Wrestling involves the very popular Farmer Billy Hills and the "Canadian Saint" Tony Flood. These two competitors have a rich history of not only being opponents but partners. But that's all behind them now and they've had some classic matchups in the nine months Stride has been around.

Once again the ladies in each man's life is getting involved in the action. Sarah Summers will team with Farmer to take on Tony and Alexxa Flood. Earlier this year we saw a variation of this match in the form of a six person tag. Tensions have risen since that night August. 

Summers battles Flood
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

Just last month Summers showed up ringside during the fatal four-way to determine the number one contender for the Stride Pro Wrestling Legacy Championship. Tony Flood happened to be a part of that contest. Long story short, there was an incident with a chair and Alexxa being knocked out and Tony ended up going face first into the post outside the ring.

Courtesy: Steve Belcher

This intergender match will be a great one no doubt. All four competitors have made it clear in the past that they have no problem with men and women facing off in the ring. As JR would say both Sarah and Alexxa are tougher than a two dollar steak. I'm more worried about the well-being of Farmer and Flood. 

Test of strength
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

Speaking of which, I look for both men to be more aggressive than usual. There are now two singles championships up for grabs in Stride Pro Wrestling and each is deserving of an opportunity. General Manager Sam Hunter should be watching this match closely to see who is worthy of a future match for either belt. But hey, that's just My 1-2-3 Cents (get it?)