Maryland Championship Wrestling

Maryland Championship Wrestling
Acronym MCW
Founded 1998
Style Professional wrestling
Headquarters Baltimore, Maryland
Founder(s) Dan McDevitt
Mark Shrader
Owner(s) Dan McDevitt (1998-present)
Mark Shrader (1998-2003)
Richard Caricofe (2006-present)[1]
Parent MSDM, Inc.
Website http://www.marylandwrestling.com

Maryland Championship Wrestling is a regional independent wrestling promotion based in Dundalk, Maryland, and has regularly run events in the Mid-Atlantic region since the late 1990s[2] as well as participating in numerous fundraising events throughout the state.[3][4][5]

Rivaling other east coast independent promotions such as East Coast Wrestling Association, Jersey All Pro Wrestling and the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, Maryland Championship Wrestling had many of the top cruiserweight and independent wrestlers in the region including current World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling wrestlers such as Christian York, Danny Doring, Mickie James, Amazing Red, Orlando Jordan, A.J. Styles, Joey Matthews, Samoa Joe and The Hardy Boyz with Lita.[6][7]

Wrestling Society X wrestler, Ruckus as well as other independent wrestlers from the area and throughout the country are current regulars in the promotion. Other mainstays such as Axl Rotten, Balls Mahoney, Chris Chetti, Mikey Whipwreck and Stevie Richards also regularly competed in the promotion while wrestling for Extreme Championship Wrestling.

History

Established by wrestlers Dan McDevitt and Mark Shrader as an extension of the wrestling school Bone Breakers Training Center, Maryland Championship Wrestling held its first card at Baltimore's Patapsco Arena on July 19, 1998, featuring Jerry Lynn, Devon Storm, Little Guido, Balls Mahoney, manager Jim Cornette and The Headbangers.

During that event, MCW held a six-man match to crown the first ever Light Heavyweight Champion. The winner of the match was Shane Shamrock and due to his shooting death by police the following month, MCW named him as the lifetime Light Heavyweight Champion and replaced it with the Cruiserweight Championship.

Throughout the next year, the promotion featured veteran wrestlers such as Ricky Steamboat, Ricky Morton, Bobby Eaton, Tito Santana, The Iron Sheik, Sherri Martel, The Road Warriors, King Kong Bundy and Jerry "The King" Lawler, the latter two winning the promotion's heavyweight championship. Longtime mainstays such as Joey Matthews, Jimmy Cicero, Judas Young and Mickie James also began gaining popularity in the promotion.[8]

On March 27, 2002, Steve Wilkos of The Jerry Springer Show made a one night appearance teaming with Gillberg to defeat The Slackers, Chad Bowman and Dino Devine, in a tag team match in Glen Burnie, Maryland; the 1,267 in attendance setting a new record for its home arena Michael's Eighth Avenue ballroom.[9]

After holding its final card The Last Dance: Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup on July 16, 2003 at Michael's Eighth Avenue ballroom, in which over 1,000 fans were in attendance, the promotion announced its intentions to merge Maryland Championship Wrestling with its longtime rival the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation (McDevitt and Shrader had originally left the promotion due to a business dispute with half its roster subsequently leaving for the newly established Maryland Championship Wrestling).[10]

Although operations officially ceased in 2003, McDevitt continued holding occasional cards exclusively at Fort Meade[11] under the "Fort Meade Wrestling" banner during the next several years before returning booking regular MCW events again as of February 26, 2006.

MCW made Baltimore headlines in October, 2006, with the booking of WIYY morning show personalities Kirk McEwen and Mark Ondayko as part of an eight-man tag match. Participating would have been a breach of their contract with their radio station, however. In the ensuing controversy, the longtime DJs left WIYY for rival WHFS.[12]

Although MCW had reportedly been in negotiations to become a developmental territory for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), the promotion has had a longtime working relationship with the WWE as early as 2000 when a number of former WWF wrestlers made an appearance at an event at Bally's at Ocean Downs.[13]

Rage TV

The promotion also has a syndicated television show, Rage TV, which is also broadcast via the internet and now in its second season.[14] Episodes of Rage TV has also been released on DVD.

In December 2000, local television producer Natasha Small filed a complaint to city officials in Bowie, Maryland in which she claimed she and her daughter had been subject to harassment stemming from a verbal confrontation with Rage TV host Jeff Jones during a television taping at the Bowie Community Television station on October 1, 2002. Although a written response by the city manager's office condemned both parties, no criminal or civil charges were filed against Jones or Maryland Championship Wrestling. Small's claims were supported by former studio director Milly Hall who had previously filed a complaint accusing Jones of using the studio to produce tapes for sale over the internet and what she described as "pornographic-like images" appearing on the show's official website. Maryland Championship Wrestling denied these charges however and, while city officials admitted the possibility of the promotion using the show to "assist a commercial venture", the city notified producers of new policy updates to guard against such assistance.[15]

In April 2011, Rage TV came back to the air waves with shows taped at Gillberg's Professional Wrestling Academy in Severn, MD. The show is hosted by country music singer and "the voice of MCW", Mark Bray and Maryland Wrestling representative Duane "Gillberg" Gill. MCW Rage episodes run 30 minutes each week.[16]

Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup

One of the featured events held by Maryland Championship Wrestling, the Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup, is an annual tournament held since 1999. The format of the tournament sees twelve wrestlers competing in six one-on-one matches, and the six winners advance to an elimination match finale. The tournament is named in honor of Shane Shamrock, a popular MCW wrestler who was shot and killed during an altercation with police officers in 1998. The previous month, Shamrock had become first and only MCW Light Heavyweight Champion, having won the belt in a six-way match and was retired following his death.[17]

Ring of Honor: Survival of the Fittest

When MCW closed its doors in 2003, an arrangement was made with Ring of Honor, when it made its debut in the Baltimore area, to carry on the tradition of the Shane Shamrock Cup. At ROH's The Last Stand, it was announced ROH would continue the Shane Shamrock Cup on June 24, 2004. In March 2004, Rob Feinstein was forced to step down as owner of ROH when his legal problems became public. Less than a week before the tournament, Feinstein sold his share of ROH to Cary Silkin, proving he had actually had stake in the company for the past three months. This upset Maryland promoter Dick Caricofe, who was letting ROH use his Maryland Promoter's License, so he pulled out of the show. ROH was forced to move the show to Philadelphia, PA and renamed the show Survival of the Fittest. Survival of the Fittest has since become an annual ROH tournament.

Return of the Shane Shamrock Cup

When MCW reopened in February 2006, it was announced that they were bringing back the Shane Shamrock Cup. On July 9 in Dundalk, Maryland, the 2006 Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup took place with Ruckus ending up winning the tournament. He also won the MCW Cruiserweight Championship during the tournament's finals.

MCW Shamrock Cup X

Maryland Championship Wrestling held its 10th Annual Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup (Branded as "MCW Shamrock Cup X") on July 31, 2010. The number one contender for the MCW Heavyweight Championship title, Ryan McBride opened the night in singles competition against reigning and defending champion Patrick Brink, defeating him (despite interference by Adam Cole and Tyler Hilton who were headed off by Cobian and Tommy Dreamer) with the 450° Splash to become the new MCW Heavyweight Champion.[18]

Defending tag-team champions Team MackTion would face off against The Hit Squad, CA Elliott and Nui Tofiga, and The Holy Rollers in a Fatal Four-Way Tag Team match. As a result of an attack on Nui Tofiga by his partner, CA Elliot, The Holy Rollers were able to pin Nui Tofiga and become the new Tag Team Champions.

Later in the night, Adam Cole and Tyler Hilton would issue a challenge to Tommy Dreamer that if they won, they would be able to participate in the upcoming TNA Pay-per-view event, Hardcore Justice. Tommy Dreamer accepted under the provision that if he won, his tag team partner, Cobian, would become the new MCW Rage champion. Adam Cole would be made to submit by Cobian by way of a Backbreaker. MCW Shamrock Cup X also saw the return of Mickie James to Maryland Championship Wrestling in a singles competition against Mia Yim, who she defeated with a Mickie-DT;[19] and a "Battle of the Blogs" match featuring The Baltimore Sun's sports columnist, Peter Schmuck,[20] and Fed-Up who were defeated in a Six-Man Tag Team match against The Baltimore Sun wrestling columnist, Kevin Eck,[21] Cole Calloway, and Ronnie Zukko by way of a Cutter from Kevin Eck to Peter Schmuck.

Prior to the nights events, several qualifying matches were held in a tournament to find out who would be participating in the six-man elimination-style bout. Because Ryan McBride had won the previous year, he did not have to qualify for the match. Rich Swann defeated Ruckus, Sami Callihan defeated Scott Reed, Teddy Stigma defeated Joe Ettell, and Tommaso Ciampa defeated Bobby Shields to qualify for The Cup. Christian York, taking the place of a recently retired Jose Maximo, would qualify for the Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup by defeating The Best Around. He would then go on to defeat (in order of elimination from last to first) Ryan McBride, Teddy Stigma, Tommaso Ciampa, Rich Swann, and Sami Callihan to win the Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup, making him becoming the first man to do so three times.

Matches Stipulations
Ryan McBride defeated Patrick Brink (c) Singles match for the MCW Heavyweight Championship
The Holy Rollers defeated Team MackTion (c), The Hit Squad, CA Elliott & Nui Tofiga Fatal Four-Way Tag Team match for the MCW Tag Team Championship
Cobian and Tommy Dreamer defeated Adam Cole (c) and Tyler Hilton Tag Team Hardcore match
Mickie James defeated Mia Yim Singles match
Kevin Eck, Ronnie Zukko, and Cole Calloway defeated Peter Schmuck and Fed-Up[22] Six-Man Tag Team match
Christian York defeated Ryan McBride, Teddy Stigma, Tommaso Ciampa, Rich Swann, and Sami Callihan Six-man Elimination-Style Competition for the Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup
(c) – refers to the champion(s) heading into the match
Competitor Eliminated by
Sami Callihan Rich Swann
Rich Swann Tommaso Ciampa
Tommaso Ciampa Christian York
Teddy Stigma Ryan McBride
Ryan McBride (p) Christian York
Christian York Winner
(p) – refers to the previous winner heading into the match

MCW Shane Shamrock Cup 13

The 13th MCW Shane Shamrock Cup was held on August 10, 2013.[23]

# Match Stipulations
1 Derek Frazier & Ruckus defeated The Unleashed (Dezmond Xavier & Fenix Fury) Tag Team match
2 Drolix defeated Alexander James Singles match
3 Papadon defeated Oliver Grimsly Singles match
4 Luke Hawx defeats Lance Anoai Singles match
5 Mike Mondo defeats Shawn Patrick Singles match
6 Buck Chyld & G-Fed defeats Adam Flash & Ronnie Zukko (c), The Hell Cats, Hoss Hagood, Mitch Miller & Paul White, 2-Dope & Napalm Bomb, and Chuck Lennox & Solo Seven Way match for the MCW Tag Team Championship
7 Jessie Kaye & Veda Scott defeats Amber Rodriguez and Renee Michelle Tag Team match
8 Cobian fought Nui Tofiga to a double count out Singles match
9 Christian York (c) defeats C-Fed Singles match for the MCW Heavyweight Championship
10 Luke Hawx defeats Adam Cole, Derek Frazier, Drolix, Mike Mondo, and Papadon Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup
(c) – refers to the champion(s) heading into the match

MCW Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup 2014

The 14th Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup was held on July 19, 2014 in Joppa, Maryland.[24]

# Match Stipulations
1 Shane Strickland b. Fenix Fury Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup 1st Round match
2 Bo Nekoda b. Brandon Scott Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup 1st Round match
3 Papadon b. Tony Nese Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup 1st Round match
4 Drolix b. Shaun Cannon Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup 1st Round match
5 Rush Hour (Bolt Brady & Bu Ku Dao) b. Los Ben Dejos (Jay Cruz & Jay Rios) Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup 1st Round tag team match
6 Black Wall Street (Napalm Bomb & Solo) (c.) b. Adam Flash & Ronnie Zukko Tag Team match for the MCW Tag Team Championships
7 The Bruiser b. Chuck Lennox Singles match
8 Buck Chyld, Devon & G-Fed b. The Hell Cats (Jimmy Starz & Sexy Steve) & Ryan McBride Six-man tag team match
9 Reby Sky b. Shelley Martinez Singles match
10 Drolix b. Bolt Brady, Bo Nekoda, Bu Ku Dao, Papadon, and Shane Stickland Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup 2014 Final match
11 Matt Hardy (c.) b. Luke Hawx (c.) Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match for Hardy's MCW Heavyweight Championship and Hawx's Extreme Rising Championship
(c) – refers to the champion(s) heading into the match

Championships

Championship Champion(s) Date won Location Note
MCW Heavyweight Championship King McBride October 24, 2015 Windber, PA
MCW Rage Championship Billy Gunn December 26, 2015 Joppa, MD
MCW Tag Team Championship The Ecktourage October 16, 2015 Felton, DE
MCW Women's Championship Kimber Lee November 13, 2015 Waldorf, MD

Retired championships

Championship Champion(s) Previous champion(s) Date won Location Note
MCW Light Heavyweight Championship Shane Shamrock N/A July 19, 1998[25][26] Dundalk, MD Shane Shamrock was the only champion. Shamrock was named lifetime Light Heavyweight Championship after his death due to being shot. The Light Heavyweight Championship was replaced with the Cruiserweight Championship.
MCW Cruiserweight Championship Ryan McBride Adam Cole 12/26/2009 Dundalk, MD After McBride won the Rage Championship, the Cruiserweight championship was combined with the Rage TV title since he held both titles.

Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup Winners

Name Date[27]
Christian York July 8, 1999
Qeenan Creed July 9, 2000
Joey Matthews July 18, 2001
Reckless Youth July 17, 2002 [28]
Christian York July 16, 2003
Ruckus July 7, 2006
Josh Daniels July 8, 2007
Derek Frazier July 19, 2008
Ryan McBride July 11, 2009
Christian York[18] July 31, 2010
Sami Callihan July 30, 2011
Adam Cole July 7, 2012
Luke Hawx August 10, 2013
Drolix July 19, 2014
Lio Rush July 18, 2015

MCW Hall of Fame

The MCW Hall of Fame is an American professional wrestling hall of fame maintained by the Dundalk-based promotion Maryland Championship Wrestling (MCW). It was established in 2009[29] to honor wrestlers who have wrestled for the promotion.

Inductees
Ring name MCW debut Year inducted Notes
Axl Rotten July 1998 2009
Barry Hardy November 2009 2009
Dennis Wipprecht N/A 2009 Co-owner of Maryland Championship Wrestling
Duane Gill December 1998 2009
Nikolai Volkoff 2009
Tim "Lucifer" Burke November 2009 2009
Adam Flash July 1998 2010 3-time heavyweight champion, 4-time cruiserweight champion, and 1-time tag team champion.
Dave Casanova N/A 2010
Bob Starr November 2009 2010
Max Thrasher November 2011 2010
Morgus The Maniac N/A 2010
Rip Sawyer November 2009 2010
Steve Corino March 2000 2010

Media

Further reading

References

  1. ↑ "Maryland State Athletic Commission: Approval for Professional Wrestling Shows". Maryland State Athletic Commission. 2005-10-06. Retrieved 2007-05-07.
  2. ↑ Farhi, Paul. "Dreams Of Gory; Minor League Wrestling Is Just Like the Big Time, Without the Dignity". Washington Post. 2000-08-27
  3. ↑ Jacobson, Jennifer. "Fund-raiser has special ring to it; Sherwood coaches set to do battle with pro wrestlers" (PDF). Sherwood Journal. Archived from the original (pdf) on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-05-07.
  4. ↑ Bradford, Kevin. "Wrestling show to benefit family of small children" (PDF). Archived from the original (pdf) on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-05-07.
  5. ↑ Howell, Peter (2001-05-16). "QA's Police teams with wrestlers to honor officers" (PDF). Bay Times. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-05-07.
  6. ↑ Dumas, Amy and Michael Krugman. Lita: A Less Traveled R.O.A.D.--The Reality of Amy Dumas. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2003. ISBN 0-7434-7399-X
  7. ↑ Kevin Eck (February 22, 2007). "Q&A with Amy Dumas". Retrieved 2007-05-28.
  8. ↑ Howell, Peter (2001-08-01). "A Different World" (PDF). Maryland Gazette. Archived from the original (pdf) on 2006-10-31. Retrieved 2007-04-05.
  9. ↑ "Steve, Springer's security chief, victorious in pro wrestling debut". Associated Press State & Local Wire. 28 Mar 2002
  10. ↑ Snyder, Ron. "Wrestling fans bid adieu to MCW". Maryland Gazette. 19 Jul 2003
  11. ↑ Pickett, Anthony (2005-10-06). "Pro wrestling slams into Fort Meade" (PDF). Soundoff!. Archived from the original (pdf) on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-05-07.
  12. ↑ Farhi, Paul (2006-10-31). "Station Break". Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-05-07.
  13. ↑ Furguson, Anita (2000-06-09). "Pro wrestlers take the stage at Bally's; Lineup includes George "The Animal" Steele and The Fabulous Moolah" (PDF). Ocean City Today. Archived from the original (pdf) on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-05-07.
  14. ↑ "MCW Rage TV Online". RageTVonline.com. Retrieved 2007-05-07.
  15. ↑ Morris, Ayesha (2002-12-02). "Producer says host rails against women". Maryland Gazette. Retrieved 2007-05-07.
  16. ↑ Mulrenin, Bob (April 13, 2011). "NOTES & NEWS FOR WEDNESDAY 4/13/11". WrestlingFigs.com.
  17. ↑ Benesch, Derek (2000-07-29). "Maryland Championship Wrestling Pays Tribute to Fallen Athlete". AllSports.com. Retrieved 2007-05-07.
  18. 1 2 Baltimore Examiner: Surprises & new champions crowned at MCW Shamrock X. Plus, Mickie James & Tommy Dreamer return.
  19. ↑ Diva Dirt: Results from MCW Shamrock X (July 31st, 2010): Mia Yim vs Mickie James
  20. ↑ The Baltimore Sun: MCW: Schmuck down
  21. ↑ The Baltimore Sun: The Schmuck was stopped at MCW’s Shamrock Cup
  22. ↑ Video: Battle of the Bloggers six-man tag match
  23. ↑ MCW Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup 2013
  24. ↑ MCW Shane Shamrock Memorial Cup 2014
  25. ↑ "MCW LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE HISTORY".
  26. ↑ "MCW LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE HISTORY".
  27. ↑ "Maryland Championship Wrestling".
  28. ↑ "MCW RESULTS".
  29. ↑ "MCW HALL OF FAME". Maryland Championship Wrestling.

External links

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