The field is set for the first Collision Cup tournament.
The one-night, eight-man competition will unfold at Pro Wrestling Collision’s debut show in Carbondale, Ill., on Jan. 19.
The winner of the tournament will become the number one contender to the Pro Wrestling Collision championship, which will be awarded to Edmund “Livewire” McGuire by virtue of holding the respective title in the company that spawned Pro Wrestling Collision.
The entrants in the tournament are:
Heath Hatton has been a rising star in the business since his in-ring debut three years ago this month. His journey has taken him to WWE, where he competed on the Extreme Rules 2012 pay-per-view. The one thing that has eluded him, though, is a major singles championship. He’s looking to change that.
Joey O’Riley is one of the Midwest’s premier high-flyers. He has found success across the region, and he is the first man to hold the No Limits Championship. He is looking to add a second singles title to his collection by winning this tournament and challenging for the heavyweight title.
Matt Cage is one-half of Team Overkill, one of the most successful tag teams in the Midwest. Cage and his partner continue to have their eyes set on tag team success, but they’re also looking for singles gold. Cage has proven himself as a singles competitor in the past, but will it be enough to lead him to a tournament victory?
Christian Rose is Cage’s partner in Team Overkill. Known as the “Bitter Lunatic” – on Twitter anyway – Rose is a deadly striker. He has been known to refer to himself as a “human deathmatch,” claiming his punches put men in hospitals and his kicks put them in graves. Rose’s dominant style may make him an early favorite.
Ace Hawkins was named the 2011 Rookie of the Year by Pro Wrestling Illustrated and has had a truly breakout year in 2012. His fast-paced, high-impact style has taken him across the Midwest. He competed on WWE’s Extreme Rules alongside Hatton. Many may not consider Hawkins a heavyweight, but he’s setting out to tear barriers down.
Brandon Espinosa currently holds the Pro Wrestling Collision Tag Team Championship with Hawkins. He’s well accomplished as both a singles and tag team competitor, having been named Missouri Wrestling Revival’s 2011 Wrestler of the Year. With the tag teams title secure, Espinosa is looking to add the Heavyweight Championship to his resume.
Alex Castle used social media to connive and coerce his way into this tournament, and it’s time to put his money where his mouth is. Castle is often joined by Angelus Layne, who more often than not tries to influence the outcome of Castle’s matches, so the other competitors certainly need to be prepared for the beauty that comes with this beast.
Kyles Sykes is the youngest star in the tournament with the most to gain. A strong showing for Sykes, who carries with him the endorsement of independent wrestling sensation “M-Dogg 20” Matt Cross, could cement his place in the upper echelon of Southern Illinois wrestlers. This could be a breakout moment for the young upstart.
The Collision Cup tournament will take place on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013, at the SIU Carbondale Student Center Ballroom D. Tickets are $5
For more information, visit facebook.com/prowrestlingcollision or find the promotion on Twitter @PWCollision.
