Rockwell Faces 3 Title Threats In Upcoming Weeks
TAP Oklahoma Heritage Champion Tim Rockwell has received a lot of title opportunities and publicity since being named Oklafan's #1 wrestler of 2007. Besides holding the TAP Oklahoma Heritage title, he's a former 2x ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion. And he has a chance to make his mark as the first ever MWA Champion next week. All those chances bring him fame and fortune, but they also come with a price, as Rockwell has to wonder if (and when) the title runs will end.
Rockwell successfully defended the TAP Oklahoma Heritage Title against Oklahoma newcomer Mako Saturday afternoon in Muskogee, then came to ringside to watch the procedings in the Fatal 4-Way match to determine the #1 contender to his belt. Prior to that match, Rockwell, accompanied by his uncle Bernard Funk, entered the ring to be interviewed by TAP Ring Announcer Mike Iles. Iles brought up the point that, if Funk won the Fatal 4-Way, it would be a match between the family members and asked how Tim felt about that. Tim responded that he was counting on that and it didn't bother him because no matter who won, the belt would stay in Texas.
Rockwell then moved to ringside while the other competitors, including Damon Windsor, Damien Morte and SECW Champion John Cross came to the ring for the match. At the sound of the bell, the pairings were made with Morte working over Windsor and Funk taking on Cross. Some of the action spilled out of the ring and that's when Rockwell made his presence known. As Funk battled Cross outside the ring, Rockwell crossed back over the ropes and, behind the back of referee John the Encourager, did everything he could to help his uncle. On several occassions, Rockwell & Funk functioned like a synchronised machine. And it appeared that a Texas vs. Texas match would be in the making as Rockwell pulled down the top rope so Funk could whip Cross over it. But Cross reversed it and Funk spilled out on top of Rockwell. Cross then picked up Damien Morte, gave him a Death Valley Driver and got the 3-count.
Rockwell was irate and made 3 seperate attempts to sneak up on Cross, but Cross caught him in all 3. At the last attempt, he picked Rockwell up on his shoulders and prepared to give him a Driver as well, but Rockwell slithered off and ran to the back.
That night, Rockwell faced his second championship challenge. Rockwell & Draven Cross, with their manager, Stevie Caballero, came out with the ComPro Oklahoma X Division belt that they had stolen from champion Justin Lee the previous week. Rockwell & Stevie both declared that, since Stevie was wearing a referee's shirt, the 3-count after their match was legal and Tim was the rightful X Division Champion. Justin came out, with his partner El Super Colibri, and set out a proposal. If Rockwell & Draven won their tag team match that night, Justin would grant Rockwell a title match and allow him to name the stipulation. But if Justin & Colibri won, Rockwell would have to leave ComPro for 3 months. Rockwell agreed and the match was on. Both teams had experience with each other, but Rockwell & Cross had the advantage of Caballero outside the ring. Towards the end of the match, with Rockwell & Justin both dazed, Caballero slid Rockwell the championship belt, which Tim used on Justin's head to knock him out and then pinned him for 3. Victorious in the match, Rockwell announced that he wanted a Red River Shootout match. Each competitor would have a flag, one for Oklahoma and the other for Texas. The winner would be the one to hang their flag first and there would be no dispute for who the Oklahoma X Division Champion was. Justin recovered and agreed to the match, declaring that after it was over, the fued between the 2 of them that has lasted over 2 years would be over as well.
So Rockwell now has to worry about John Cross challenging him at TAP and also has to hope to beat Justin at ComPro. But if that weren't enough, Tim is one of the 8 competitors at the MWA Tournament to crown their first champion. His first round opponent is El Super Colibri and again, Bernard Funk is entered in this tournament, so once more he's faced with the possibility of facing family over a title belt. But that isn't important to him. Because the prospect of holding 3 singles titles in 3 federations, something that hasn't been done since Rocco Valentino last year, looms large. And the shiny gold is the most important thing to this Texan.
