Foreign Object Friday: Jose Magnifico's pinata

Jose Magnifico
Courtesy: Steve Belcher 

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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There's something infectious about Jose Magnifico and his ring entrance at Stride Pro Wrestling. When his music hits the fans immediately cheer. This Lucha star from Mexico, Missouri comes in his traditional mask, sombrero and sarape. He also has a pinata filled with candy in hand.

Those pinatas are the focus of today's post. You wouldn't expect the party favor to be used as a foreign object, but by definition, that's exactly what these items are. Typically speaking, the pinata stays intact and El Magnifico returns to the locker room with it. However, I've seen some wrestlers get hit over the head with the candy-filled objects.

Ole
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

Jose himself has been victimized by his own pinata. The only benefit to someone busting one open is the candy that spills in the ring and onto the arena floor. Kids ringside scoop up handfuls of the treats to enjoy.

El Magnifico returns this Saturday night. This time he'll have Chris Hargas on his side as this new tag team faces off against DR Party members Nathan Brag and Brian Richards. Perhaps the pinata can counteract the ruthless party members from using their campaign sign for Dexter Roswell. Join us Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at the Illinois Star Centre Mall in Marion.

A lack of gold has Daniels seeing red

Daniels whacks Spade
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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April 8, 2017. It's a date Red Daniels would rather forget. That's the night he and his former tag team partner Jake Capone lost the Stride Pro Wrestling Tag Team Championships. The duo dropped the titles in their very first defense. Ax Allwardt and Scott Phoenix won a fatal four-way elimination match to capture the gold. That night also saw the former champs split up and Capone hasn't been seen since.

Red beats down on Hatton

In those few short months, Daniels has established himself as a top-tier talent in Stride. He inserted himself in the main event at the Brave the Storm show as Heath Hatton and Roger Matheus battled each other in the company's first TLC match for the Stride Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Title. Red's presence during that match landed him in back to back main event appearances, one week teaming with Matheus against Hatton and Jay Spade and the next week finding himself in a four-way battle for the title.

Courtesy: Steve Belcher

Despite coming up short in that match (Hatton was pinned by Matheus), Red has shown considerable improvement. Once viewed by many as just another big guy and locked into a tag team, Daniels is honing his craft and growing as a singles star. 

Courtesy: Steve Belcher

This Saturday night he faces a relative newcomer on the Stride roster in Beau Tatum. Tatum picked up a huge win over Chris Hargas last month. Can he keep that momentum going against a determined and seemingly angry Red Daniels? Both men will also be in the Rumble match to determine a new number one contender. At a solid 300 pounds, Red will likely be the biggest man in that match and in my 1-2-3 cents the guy to beat. Bell time is 6:30 p.m. at the Illinois Star Centre Mall.

Nerds rule! Eugene Drip gets a shot at glory

Here comes Eugene Drip
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Eugene Drip is a relative newcomer to Stride Pro Wrestling. He doesn't look like your typical wrestling Superstar. He wears thick glasses to the ring along with a bow tie and suspenders. He's usually so excited after slapping hands with the fans, he's winded and needs a hit or two from his inhaler. You might say he's a bit of a nerd, but I mean that with all the love and respect in the world. You don't make it as a wrestling fan for 35 years without being a bit nerdy yourself.

So close to the tag titles
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

Despite his stature, Eugene has a heart the size of Andre the Giant. His determination and will to continue stepping through the ropes is nothing short of inspiring. Eugene put himself out there recently saying he wants to be considered for championship opportunities. At that time, then-number one contender (and now Stride Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Champion) ate Eugene alive in the ring. But he came back. He fought hard in a six-man tag team match in June and even earned a shot at the Stride Pro Wrestling tag team champions Ax Allwardt and Scott Phoenix (Maximum Overdrive). He and Jose Magnifico came up short that night, but again I saw a fire in Eugene that can't be extinguished.

Tony Flood
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

Now when Stride Pro Wrestling returns to the Illinois Star Centre Mall on Saturday, July 8, Eugene will face off against the "Northern Saint" Tony Flood. Flood, of course, is the current Legacy Champion and I've been told by Stride General Manager Sam Hunter that the belt will be on the line. So despite having more Ls than Ws to his name, Eugene has impressed the front office with his work in the ring. Fans love him and it's apparent that has contributed to his string of luck in getting championship matches.

 

Flood is far from a fan favorite, but he is one of the most seasoned and accomplished wrestlers on the Stride roster. His manipulation of the Hunter along with "T-Dog" Jerry Travelstead put him in the spot he's in now as Legacy champ. One has to wonder what diabolical measures Flood will use when he meets the up and coming Eugene. We know Flood will do whatever it takes to win and keep his gold.

Dexter Roswell: Patriotic or problematic?

The DR Party
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Since it's the Fourth of July, I figured I'd take a minute look at Dexter Roswell. The up and comer is Stride Pro Wrestling's resident politician. He's adopted the slogan "Make Stride Great Again", much like what Donald Trump ran on as a platform during the 2016 Presidential campaign.

Courtesy: Steve Belcher

Does Roswell really want to make Stride great again? What steps has he taken to ensure that becomes a reality? I have no doubt that Roswell loves wrestling. In my 1-2-3 cents, he even loves Stride. However, the way he shows that love is a little problematic. His handshaking of fans seems sincere at first, but then he cleans up with hand sanitizer. Probably a healthy move, but one that insults and demeans the paying public.

Roswell has had his eyes on the Legacy Championship in recent months. Winning that belt would be a huge feather in his cap. But before that can even happen the leader of the DR Party must face "The Undead Outlaw" Cash Bordin and former Stride Pro Wrestling tag team champion Joey O'Riley. 

Fatal four-way action
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

The three-way dance planned for Saturday night, July 8 will be exciting. All three of these competitors are impressive in the ring. Roswell broke out of his shell last month in the fatal four-way for the Legacy Championship. He went toe to toe with the champ, Tony Flood, T-Dog and O'Riley. While it hasn't been officially announced the winner will get a shot at the Legacy title, whoever gets the W Saturday night should be under serious consideration for a shot.

Could there be gold in Farmer's harvest?

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By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Farmers all over the country are watching their crops grow. But one farmer in southern Illinois may be looking to harvest earlier than the rest of his counterparts. Farmer Billy Hills could be harvesting some gold this weekend. The big man from Mud Lick, Kentucky has a shot at Stride Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Champion Roger Matheus.

You can learn more about Farmer in this episode of My 1-2-3 Cents the Podcast. He's toiled in the fields all his life and for the last ten years, he's busted his butt in the wrestling ring too. I met Farmer back in 2011 in All American Pro Wrestling. He is a great talent who does things a guy his size normally doesn't. Farmer weighs in at about 300 pounds. 

Farmer vs. Chris Hargas
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

That's actually a bit less than what he once weighed. Farmer has been training harder than ever before for his championship match against Matheus. And he'll need every bit of that training. Matheus is a massive force in the Stride Pro Wrestling ring. He's dominated guys like Chris Hargas and Heath Hatton, but Farmer will present a different challenge.

Matheus dominates
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

Other than his fatal four-way match that involved Red Daniels, there's not been anyone close to Farmer's size in there against Matheus. But the champ is not only skilled in the ring, he's also a striker and has experience in mixed martial arts. He's a dangerous individual, you can ask Eugene Drip if you don't believe me.

Ax attacks
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

I'm happy to see Farmer getting a title match against Matheus. He has attempted to win the gold from both Hatton and the first Stride Pro Wrestling Champion Ax Allwardt. But in my 1-2-3 cents, he managed to get screwed in those contests. He was attacked by Ax Allwardt and the Midwest Mafia went after Hatton. During Farmer's match against Allwardt last year, the champ used underhanded tactics to pick up the win.

Matheus vs. Farmer

Farmer has the drive, he has the desire and he has the fans behind him. But Matheus has had an incredible amount of momentum since winning the Championship in a TLC match in May. What will happen when the irresistible force meets the immovable object? Find out live and in person Saturday, July 8 at the Illinois Star Centre Mall in Marion. Bell time is 6:30 p.m.

 

Maximum Overdrive kicks it in high gear

Maximum Overdrive
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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When Stride Pro Wrestling returns to the Illinois Star Centre Mall this Saturday night (July 8) the tag team champions, Maximum Overdrive will have their toughest challenge to date. In my 1-2-3 cents, Ax Allwardt and Scott Phoenix, have been fighting champions, but when they step into the ring with former heavyweight champ Heath Hatton and former tag team champ Jay Spade they will have their work cut out for them.

Ax shows off his strength
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

Maximum Overdrive, along with their manager J. Wellington Beauregard, has been fighting champions. But their tactics have been less than honorable on many occasions. They won the belts under less than suspicious circumstances. In their title defense against Farmer Billy Hills and "Cowboy" Bob Orton, they were disqualified. The champs looked pretty dominate though when they beat Eugene Drip and Jose Magnifico. 

Hatton & Spade
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

Hatton and Spade are hungry. They're both coming off of recent attempts to capture the Stride Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Title. The two have been friends for years, dating back to their days in All American Pro Wrestling. At recent Stride shows they've had some hiccups, but after talking to both men recently they seem more than focused on capturing the Stride Pro Wrestling tag team titles.

So get a first-hand look at what will no doubt be a classic title defense. Again, the family friendly event is this Saturday night. Bell time is 6:30 at the Illinois Star Centre Mall. Tickets are just $10! 

Let's get ready to rumble

The 2016 Rumble
Courtesy: Steve Belcher

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

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Summer heats up a week from tonight at the Illinois Star Centre Mall. Stride Pro Wrestling returns Saturday night, July 8. This week I'll be running down all the matches in separate blogs. Today's focus is the Rumble match to determine the number one contender to the Stride Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Championship.

The Rumble is an over the top rope battle royal. The last man standing will face the winner of the championship match between Roger Matheus and "Farmer" Billy Hills. I'll have more on that matchup in Monday's blog and podcast. 

Most of the Stride roster will be a part of this important matchup. Former champions Ax Allwardt and Heath Hatton are in. Red Daniels, Jay Spade, Chris Hargas and members of the DR Party are among the participants as well. It's too early to pick a favorite because as we've seen in past battle royals and Royal Rumble matches, anyone can pull off the big win. Adding the number one contendership to the mix will no doubt make this a more competitive contest. 

We'll see you Saturday night (July 8) at the Illinois Star Centre Mall in Marion, Illinois. Bell time is 6:30 p.m. Who's gonna survive the Rumble?