Billy Jay's Wrestling Company and Nightmare Wrestling Federation proudly presents the Great Lakes Wrestling Alliance!  Formed September 8th, 2004

Great Lakes Wrestling Alliance presents ...

The Deep End
by Nathan Hallfonte
 

     It's been quite awhile since I last looked in on everyone's favorite federation, the BJWC.  I turned on my television last Sunday to see who might be wrestling at a gala known as the BJWC PPV's.  I had wondered for a couple years, just who was wrestling' in these parts still, I had wondered who was champ.  That is when I seen 'Love Hurts 2005'.  Instantly, my mind switched to hyper-drive.  The memories of Brian Hart and Brandon Lloyd.  The images of Reaper or Nick Yonce...or even 'Super Duper' Gary Cooper, they all danced in my head.  Who was the Heavyweight Champion?  Which stable was still around?  The Law?  No Gimmicks Needed?  How about Devastation Inc.?  The anticipation was killing me as I called up my cable provider and ordered 'Love Hurts'.  I popped some popcorn and walked in right before the beginning of the first match.  I recognized James Edgebrook, but this new guy...'Richard King'...was brand new to me.  I think he used to be a manager for someone, back in the olds day.

     Then suddenly, without warning, I was stunned.  The BJWC no more?  I must have been under a rock for quite some time, for my old BJWC had merged with the old NWF to form the Great Lakes Wrestling Alliance.  I was a little disappointed at first.  First match showcased a couple of guys from another federation.  It was nice and all, for the GLWA to do that.  Cross-promotions can be a beautiful thing.

     At that point I wanted to die.  I was out of popcorn and my drink was running a little low, so I figured now would of been as good a time as any to go refresh my snacks and take a little bathroom break.  But then it happened.  I was just about to leave my seat when this Second Annual Hardcore Battle Royal kicked on.  I have two words folks...Holy Crap!!!  That was one of the most gruesome matches I had ever seen in my life.  People getting smashed into by a speeding car, watching flesh melt on a grill.  This was well BEYOND intense.  This was insane.

     Now I didn't care for popcorn, didn't care for soda.  I wanted to see who would live through this merciless beast of a match.  Then it hit me...THAT is Darren Anthony of the old BJWC days.  He used to be a great hardcore wrestler, back in the day.  I thought maybe he could pull it out.  And that, he almost did.  If it wasn't for the drive and spunk of the rookie, Gavin Williams, Darren would of won.  This Gavin kid was lights-out, folks.  If given the right motivation and right direction, that kid will be unstoppable in the very near future.

     I watched as Gavin's hand was raised and I could not wait any longer.  I hurried and ran to the bathroom, did my business and come back out to see Three-Time BJWC Heavyweight Champion, Roadkill, talking...to his wife?  Had the 'Killer becomes soft?  Wait...Robert Letner?  Isn't that Cyris Raven???  By this point, my blood was boiling.  Then he dropped some more bombs on me; Triple Six Trek...Malice.  This was just too good to be true.

     I watched as Ace Slaughter babbled on about Slaughter-this and Slaughter-that.  I thought, quite frankly, the man needed to shut his trap and stop making me wish that this WAS a bad investment.  Although, the elusiveness of one Mr. Nightmare, did catch my attention.

     Then there was my little slice of heaven.  Malice and Triple Six Trek in an old fashion 'BJWC Dented Chairs Match'.  For those of you who don't remember the BJWC or have never seen it...the 'Dented Chairs Match' was a match that decided champions.  Pretty interesting match.  I was happy to see all three BJWCites in there; Roadkill, Malice and Triple Six Trek.

     It was then things started to get interesting.  Instead of watching some 'Kawasaki' guy blab about how this is his last GLWA match (yet this was my first time watching the GLWA), I decided to throw some popcorn in the microwave.  I came back to find that interesting chap, Nightmare, get plowed over by one of the New Age Wrestling guys.  Twenty-four/seven rules...got to love it.  And in that split second that Nightmare let his guard down, Dave Adler pulled one over on him.  The NAWite grabbed the GLWA Brutality Title and took off with it like a little b*tch.

     I heard the microwave go off and at the sight of 'AW Heat Match'...I was already tired of other federations' names being on this new (yet better) BJWC.

     I walked back into my game room, bowl of popcorn and a can of Sierra Mist...ready to finish this show off right.  I came towards the end of that AW Heat Match and quite frankly...that Kawasaki guy sucked.  Jake Cage did one hell of a job though.  If he hasn't done anything in the GLWA yet (remember, first time watching), he's quite overdue.

     As I awaited the next match, I was treated to watching that Nightmare guy again...take back his GLWA Brutality Title, giving Adler a taste of his own medicine.  I was glad to see the Brutality Title staying in the Great Lakes area.  This small segment though, was better than Jackson Dane and 'Kid Ego' Diesel Warren.  Both men looked as if they could explode at any moment, to show us some sort of spectacular showing.  But they never achieved it.

     At this point...the GLWA was falling below my BJWC standards.  The Hardcore Battle Royal would of been great by itself, but the random Brutality Title happenings, intrigued me enough to keep watching.  And I'm glad I did.  I was then treated to one hell of a bust 'em up.  I was saddened to watch Nightmare lose to Eric Bruce...only to have Bruce vacate it.  That is just blatant disrespect to the Great Lakes Wrestling Alliance and everything it stood for.

     But then all was forgotten.  'Anxiety' by Black Eyed Peas hit and out come...THE OWNER???  Robert Letner a.k.a. Cyris Raven, was the President and Owner of this place?  No wonder it was so hardcore.  Hell, I'm surprised every match as gruesome as that Hardcore Rumble.  I was on cloud-nine, as the BJWC memories starting flooding my senses again.  Cyris Raven hitting Shawn Kearns with a steel chair...Wayne 'The Blade' Coll hitting some unknown jobber with the 'Wednesday Night Special'.  Oh the memories.

     But just as up and down as I was all night...I crashed down again.  I watched an impressive young rookie named Joey Brannon, take on that big-mouth Ace Slaughter.  Now folks, I'm a firm believer that if you are going to try to talk smack...back it up.  Ace Slaughter backed NOTHING up.  He was a mess inside the ring and out.  When Joey made mistakes, Ace failed to capitalize on them.  In the end...both men were counted out.  Ace failed to deliver.  That's just my view.

     I was begging that this was not the end of Love Hurts, hoping that they would end on a good note.  Then like a semi-truck, no pun intended, it hit me.  Almost choking on a piece of popcorn, I watching in awe.  WrestleBowl Six.  I had seen all the WrestleBowls, except for last years.  And believe me folks, as soon as I am done with my little column here...I'm going out and renting it.

     That little segment caught my attention just long enough to string me into the Dmetri-Stallion match-up for the GLWA Heavyweight Title.  If this is the quality programming Letner is able to put out every show...then good-gravy the GLWA is going big-time.  These two men had me on the edge of my seat.  I clapped.  Plain and simple, I clapped.  When Jason Stallion held up the GLWA Heavyweight Title, I gave him a standing ovation.  Team NWA or not, that Stallion kid was great.

     My adrenaline was pumping and I need some more.  Like a junkie, I needed a fix.  And then...I got it.  After watching Kid Ego and the Gavin Williams kid come down and save Dmetri from a unmerciful Team NWA (how can they be the Cage Brothers when Jason's last name is Stallion?}, the grandmama Main Event had flashed across the screen.

     Robert Letner versus Roadkill in a Modified Pure Hell Match.

     My mouth was watering, hands were shaking.  This is the match that could make me a believer in the Great Lakes Wrestling Alliance. 

     Roadkill and Letner came...they saw...they conquered.  Watching these two men almost kill each other, gave me a lump in my throat and a shiver up my spine.  I sat on the edge of my recliner, hanging on every move.  Who was going to win it all?  One time I thought it would be Roadkill, then Letner, then Roadkill again.  The process went back and forth like this until I thought it was all over for the 'Killer.  Letner has just chokeslammed him off the top of the cage, leaving a broken and bloody mess on top of a shattered announcer's table.  Was Letner going to jump?  Swan dive?  Senton bomb?  What was he going to do?

     Then it happened.  Nightmare, the former two-time Brutality Champion, decides that this match needed a little divine intervention.  He climbs the steel cage, caught Letner off guard and sent him flying off the cage, to join Roadkill as a broken-bloody mess on the ground below.  The match was called, as were the EMT's.  They zoomed in at the mess-of-men...then faded out to a Love Hurts logo...then to a GLWA logo.

     I sat there in horror.  It was over.  No more show.  No more anything.  I wanted more, I was hooked.  Like I said earlier...I was like a junkie who needed another fix.  And it was a fix I was going to get.  Why?  Because I told myself after I wrote a little column for all my readers...I was going to the video store to rent WrestleBowl Five.  And then in two weeks...I could watch Primetime.

     Hmmmm, I just heard someone mention another awesome DVD I could grab at the video store.  Something called...Clash For The Cup.  I guess I'll have to rent that too.  Well folks, that's all for now.  This is Nathan Hallfonte and I'm going off The Deep End.

~ THE END ~