David Marquez interview – Westside Pro Wrestling

NWA Main Man

David Marquez is a member of the NWA Board of Directors, the promoter of NWA Pro and one of the people instrumental in the Explosive Pro Wrestling affiliation with the National Wrestling Alliance. Westside Pro Wrestling’s Tez Himself was lucky enough to get the opportunity to speak to the very busy NWA Pro promoter.

WPW: You got your start in the wrestling business in the late 1980’s, how did you initially get involved?

MARQUEZ: I started out like most people, being a “jack of all trades”. First taking jackets, then graduated to taking photographs and such. Things really started to fly for me in the mid 1990s when I moved to Missouri and started World Legion Wrestling with Gordon Solie and Harley Race. Its pretty much been full steam since then.

WPW: The NWA had been a major part of Australian Wrestling in the 1970’s and early 1980’s, but with the decline of World Championship Wrestling, had no affiliate. This changed in 2005 with the affiliation with EPW. Can you tell us how this came about and how do you think the affiliation has gone after nearly five years?

MARQUEZ: Hartley Jackson and Mikey Nicholls came to stay with us at the LA Dojo. They told me about EPW and Davis Storm came right after them. During their time training, we talked about many different possibilities and in those three months we created the relationships in both Perth and Adelaide.

WPW: Mikey Nicholls, Bobby Marshall and Shane Haste seem to have had the biggest success of the Australian talent that have visited SoCal since 2005. There have been title runs (Nicholls and Marshall) and shots at the NWA World Title (Haste). Do you think any Australian talent has a shot at a BOD (Board of Directors) Title reign in the future?

MARQUEZ: I’d say all of those guys you have mentioned, I’d even throw in Damian Slater. I’m very impressed with the ability of everyone I’ve seen from Oz. If I had to pick one…it’ll be a toss up between Haste and Marshall.

WPW: The 2007 NWA Australian Tour was a good time to be a WA wrestling fan, getting to see the likes of Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli, Rocky Romero, Sean Waltman and The Real American Heroes compete against EPW talent, who some of us had been following since their early years. Is there any update on a DVD release of the shows and on a personal note, how did you find your first experience of Australia?

MARQUEZ: We’ve planned on adding the tour to our “Reclaiming the Glory” DVD, but that has been put on hold by Big Vision due to the decline of DVD sales world wide. They are looking at other means of distribution for us as I answer these questions. And as for my time down there…I really enjoyed myself. I met some of the most wonderful people I think I will ever meet; I ate meat pies and drank a lot of ice coffee (your version of ice coffee is very different from ours). That tour will not be my last one to your country.

WPW: The NWA Australian National Championship has become stuck in Adelaide, when it was created to be a title defended around the country. The title was last defended outside of South Australia in November 2008, and hasn’t been seen in Perth since April 2008. Now with EPW Adelaide’s name change to NWA Pro, it seems increasingly unlikely this will change any time soon and Perth fans are disappointed with this situation. Does NWA have authority on the title or is it all in the hands of NWA Pro Adelaide?

MARQUEZ: Yes the NWA does have authority, and the management there knows what’s best for their promotions. I’m sure when the time is right, that green beauty will pop up in Perth again.

WPW: The airing of the NWA on Fire program beginning in January is the first time NWA product has been shown on Australian National TV since World Championship Wrestling in the late 1970’s. How did the deal come about?

MARQUEZ: That was secured by a third party distributor that licensed our footage and re-packaged it from existing programs. I have no idea really, what each hour consists of.

WPW: Does the NWA have any plans regarding Australia in the near future?

MARQUEZ: Well yes. It’s my hope to grow the NWA brand there. The management teams there are looking into expanding the brand, but currently there is no rush.

WPW: What does the NWA have in store for 2010 on the American scene?

MARQUEZ: Well, we hope to keep developing new talent. Return to television in a different way, especially the format and model. And to keep up what we are doing and that is producing hundreds if not thousands of NWA sanctioned events world wide.

WPW: Thank you for taking the time to speak to Westside Pro Wrestling, Mr. Marquez.

Check out David Marquez’s blog “Some Assembly Required” at www.nwawrestling.com

Eye of the Storm An Interview with Explosive Pro Wrestling’s Davis Storm.

Our friends over at Westside Pro Wrestling did a great interview with Davis Storm recently. With their permission we are re-posting this interview. To keep up with the all the news, results and info on the Western Australian wrestling scene, subscribe to westsideprowrestling@hotmail.com.

The Ironman of Australian Wrestling, two time EPW champion and eight year veteran of the West Australian Pro Wrestling scene talks to Tez Himself about his long and illustrious career.

WPW: Can you tell us about the early years of Davis Storm and Explosive Coastal Wrestling and what it was like to be part of the rebirth of Local Wrestling in Perth?

STORM: I could probably write a whole article just on this topic but I think the early days of Explosive Coastal Wrestling and Davis Storm were quite similar. A work in progress. It was an incredibly exciting time as we were breaking new ground. Locally produced pro wrestling had been absent from Perth for over 15 years. We had a really rough start in our first two shows but I have no regrets as its all led us to where we are today.

WPW: In early 2002, some Explosive Coastal Wrestling talent including yourself went to South Australia to train with Col Dervany, Jag and Havok. While over there you wrestled a few shows for now defunct federations Maximum Power Wrestling and Pro Wrestling South Australia. What was the experience like for a young wrestler new to the business and are there any stories you can share about the time?

STORM: I remember that trip being the most testing time I’ve ever had in wrestling. We were training 10 hours a day every day of the week. We were doing brutal cardio with a boxing coach, weights training and then wrestling for about five to six hours a day. Our bodies were broken down after one day but we had six weeks of full time training. No rest days. I remember everyone in Adelaide going out of their way to be as helpful as they could be. There are too many stories to recount them all, I just remember it all being an incredible learning curve and it was a huge turning point for EPW in terms of where we stood in Australian wrestling.

WPW: January 2005 saw the birth of the Ironman at Survival of the Fittest when you defeated Jag in a 1 hour Ironman Match, which was the first ever in the history of Australian Wrestling. At the time there were a few people that thought it couldn’t be pulled off. Just under 2 years later at Re-Awakening V it was voted the greatest match in Explosive Pro Wrestling’s history up until that time. What were your feelings leading up to the big match?

STORM: Depends on which day you caught me on. I had prepared as best I could so most days I was confident that I could physically make it through the hour. But it was brutally hot that summer and it was still a complete unknown as to whether we could make fans pay attention for an hour. I wanted it to be a match that just happened to go for an hour rather than a match where two guys are clearly trying to see out an hour. I put so much physically and mentally into that match. People see the hour as a big deal. As far as achievements go, I’d rather stand next to a good match than a match that went for an hour. Hopefully we achieved both.

WPW: In late 2005, early 2006 you trained and wrestled at the New Japan USA dojo. Do you have any desire to give it another crack over there with the success that Mikey Nicholls, Bobby Marshall and Shane Haste have had?

STORM: Getting the opportunity to train at the Inoki dojo was a privilege. Jushin Liger was my inspiration for wanting to wrestle and to get the chance to tread the boards where he had previously was an amazing feeling. Being trained by Kendo Ka Shin and Mr. Inoki himself was truly an honour and a humbling experience. Stepping into the ring each day along world class names like Fergal Devitt, Karl Anderson and Rocky Romero showed me what was required if I wanted become the wrestler I wanted to be. But I really wasn’t there to make a name for myself. I was there to learn and despite the wonderful success that the other lads have enjoyed, I still have no desire to pursue wrestling overseas.

WPW: You’ve had some classic encounters with Interstate Talent over the years including “Jag” Hartley Jackson and Carlo Cannon. Which Australian talent would you like to face off with in the future?

STORM: I don’t keep an eye on Australian talent like I used to but the only name that leaps out at me is Damian Slater. He’s been wrestling here in EPW for almost five years and we still haven’t had the chance to have a one on one match. To me, he is the barometer for Australian wrestling today.

WPW: You have been wrestling for eight years coming up in November. What have been some of your favourite moments and matches in your career so far?

STORM: Most of my favourite moments have probably taken place away from wrestling shows because they tend to get a little stressful but the aftermath of the brawl at Inner Turmoil was amazing. Absolute mayhem all over the building and the fans going crazy. My favourite matches are ones that most fans probably don’t even remember. My two timed rounds matches with Brad West. Brad is probably one of my favourite guys to wrestle and I think he’s probably the most underrated mind in Australian wrestling. Dooley and I taking on GST in a tables match at Settling the Score was a match where I was able to just get lost in the moment. My recent match with Sebastian Sander was a lot of fun for me. I think his potential is just about unlimited and he has a huge future. But I think my best match is my Falls Count Anywhere match with Jimmy Payne. We’ve had a lot of matches that I rate but that one was special as it was Jim’s last singles match at the time. I’m really proud of that one.

WPW: The NWA Australian National Championship hasn’t been seen in Explosive Pro Wrestling since Mikey Nicholls lost it to Hartley Jackson in April 2008. Could we see Davis Storm in the future go over to Adelaide and bring the belt back to where it was born?

STORM: I think with the recent name change of EPW Adelaide to NWA Pro, we may have seen the last of the NWA Australian title in Perth. BUT, never say never.

WPW: What type of injuries have you suffered over your career?

STORM: I carry a lot of injuries that just don’t go away but that’s just part of what we do. The two worst I’ve had came one after the other in 2008. I first cracked my tailbone at Evolution against Jimmy. Although I’d say I’m over that now, it still bothers me to this day. Straight after getting over that, I broke my wrist. I first cracked it in the six man street fight but after not seeing a doctor, I officially broke it about six or seven weeks later. I had to convince the doctor to cut the cast off a week early so I could compete in the cage match last Re-Awakening.

WPW: Re-Awakening 8 is approaching very quickly. What does Re-Awakening mean to Davis Storm?

STORM: It is truly a celebration of what professional wrestling means to those involved in EPW. I have had some of my greatest moments at this show. I just have an emotional connection with it that I can’t explain. To perform at Re-Awakening is unlike anything else I have experienced in Australian wrestling and it gets the very best out of the best.

WPW: What are your future goals for both yourself and Explosive Pro Wrestling?

STORM: Just to be the best I can be. Same for EPW. I just want to continue to improve and enjoy the ride along the way. The day wrestling doesn’t bring a smile to my face will be the last day I lace up my boots.

WPW: Thank you for taking the time to talk to Westside Pro Wrestling, Davis.

STORM: My pleasure.

NWA Pro Wrestling Australia Re-Emerging Card Updates

Re-Emerging will be the biggest event for NWA Wrestling Pro Australia yet. Already announced his the NWA Australian Heavyweight Championship Match featuring Jayson Cooper and former champion “Jag” Hartley Jackson. And the Chair Match between Elliot Sexton and Jimmy Scarlet where the use of chairs as weapons are legal. But Alliance-Wrestling learned today that more matches have been announced via the NWA Pro Wrestling Australia Twitter

Re-Emerging Announcement
In an earlier update, it was mentioned that an NWA Pro wrestler with over 10 years of wrestling experience had an announcement to make at Re-Emerging regarding his future. We can now confirm that the wrestler in question is none other than fan favourite, Bruce ‘Havok’ Mills. In addition to this, NWA management has received a medical report, outlining the severity of Havok’s on-going back injury. This injury has been plaguing Havok for years, due to the number of times he has put his body on the line. Eleven years of going through flaming tables, falling off ladders, being slammed through thumb tacks in brutal matches during his career looks to have finally taken its toll. The report shows the critical damage done to Havok’s back, and outlines the issues that may arise for the veteran should he continue wrestling. Does this leaked report have anything to do with Havok’s announcement? Have we seen the last match of one of Australia’s most well known and respected wrestlers?

NEW Re-Emerging Match – Slex and Damian Slater VS The Grahams
Over the past year, the one-up game being played by Damian Slater and Slex has slowly turned into a serious problem between the two. What started as boastful claims by Slex, and rebuttals by Slater, has at times almost come to blows as each have tried, and failed to capture the NWA Australia National Wrestling Championship. Seeing the animosity rise between the two, Slex’s manager, Rohan, has requested a tag team match between The Grahams in the hope of bringing together two of Australia’s most gifted wrestlers. If egos can be put aside, the team of Slex and Slater could be one of the most dominant teams the NWA has seen. If it can’t, the hot tag team combination of the two brothers, Joey and Greg Graham, will certainly walk away with the win.

NEW Re-Emerging Match – Dick and Balls VS The Commandos Ryan ‘Bones’ Malone and his unlikely tag team partner, Masked Commando IV will have their work cut out for them on November 14. The Commandos are scheduled to go up against the sometimes comical, but always brutal tag team of ‘Dirty’ Dick Donovan and his tag partner, the one man demolition machine, ‘Wreckin’ Ball’ Wilson. Better known as Dick & Balls, ‘Wreckin Ball’ and Dick have dominated over some of Australia’s best tag team wrestlers, however always falling short of a victory. At Re-Emerging both teams are looking to make a statement, progressing their careers in NWA Pro. Can the oddball pairing of Bones and the Commando withstand the dastardly duo of Dick & Balls, or will Dick & Balls pull off a much needed victory?

Find out at NWA Pro’s RE-EMERGING.

NWA EPW presents: Road to Re-Awakening 8

In the second of a series of four videos, we take a look at how the finalists qualified for this year’s Invitational Tournament which has been labeled “the tougest tournament of all time”. This video highlights Tyler Jacobs’ qualifying matches as he battles JT, Jay Taylor and AZ Vegara. EPWPerth.com also has an article to go with this video. Head over to http://www.epwperth.com

NWA EPW presents Road to Re-Awakening 8

In the third of a series of four videos, we take a look at how the finalists qualified for this year’s Invitational Tournament which has been labeled “the toughest tournament of all time”. This video highlights Damian Slater’s qualifying matches as he battles Davis Storm, Shane Haste and Dan Moore. EPWPerth.com also has an article to go with this video. Head over to http://www.epwperth.com

NWA Pro Australia, Re-Emerging

RE-EMERGING

Saturday, November 14th, 2009
Thebarton Theatre

MAIN EVENT
NWA Australian Title Match
Jayson Cooper (Champion) VS ‘Jag’ Hartley Jackson

Chair Match: The use of chairs as weapons are legal.
Elliot Sexton v Jimmy Scarlet

More information coming soon.

Globetrotting with the NWA

From Gold to Globetrotting, The NWA in Australia has been picking up. In Southern Australia, the NWA Pro boys held 9 consecutive shows in accordance with the Royal Adelaide festival. Celebrating Adelaide and enjoying Pro Wrestling, the folks in attendance for the consecutive shows saw such names like Damien Slater, Hartley Jackson, NWA Australian Champion Jayson Cooper, and Jimmy Payne. Cooper picked up a couple of successful title defenses against Slater and Payne. However Cooper lost a non-title match up to his opponent on Nov. 14th, “Jag” Jackson. Carlo Cannon, who has is ½ of the EPW Tag Team Champions endured himself to the Adelaide crowd when after a series of matches against some of Adelaide’s finest asked to become and received the title of honorary South Australian. Speaking of Cannon, the EPW Tag Team titles were defended earlier this month at the big Victoria vs. WA show for EPW in Perth. Before EPW Adelaide changed its name, it was an extension of the EPW brand. And EPW Perth was always proud of its Western Australia representation. Perhaps jealous of the attention that the wrestlers from Perth were receiving, Cannon and Slex (from Melbourne) suckered the former EPW Champions, Team Blitz into giving them a title shot. Slex and Cannon were victorious in their Anti-Western Australia Campaign and the EPW titles for now are in Melbourne. Globetrotting to NWA France, Bulla Punk has regained her ICWA Women’s Championship last month. And ICWA Tag Team Champions, the Smoke and Roll Express retained their titles. ICWA ran a double shot on Sept 12th, with shows in Calonne Ricouart and in Aubergenville. The Calonne Ricouart show saw Bulla Punk retained her title against Kim Kaycee in her rematch. Greg Fury won a 10-Man Royal Rumble. Perhaps Fury could parlay this victory into a NWA France Heavyweight Championship match against Joe E. Legend. These two shows also coincide with the new induction of a training facility for NWA France, the Institute of National French Catch. Top students will be given the opportunity to earn roster spots for the NWA France.

NWA Pro Wrestling Adelaide LIVE at the Royal Adelaide Show

The Heroes of Adelaide will be celebrating their recent conquests of the late Explosive Pro Wrestling – Adelaide. Making their way to the Adelaide Showgrounds, NWA Pro Wrestling will be at the 8 day event and will showcase at 7:30pm each of the nights on the Showgrounds Superstars Stage. Witness the best professional wrestlers from around Australia, including many local homegrown heroes from Adelaide, battle it out every night in non-stop action packed matches.

The National Wrestling Alliance is back with a vengeance and the first stop will be the ROYAL ADELAIDE SHOW!