Rockwell And Partners Run Bullies Away From Cancer Benefit
ComPro Champion Tim Rockwell has found a calling in his life: fighting the good fight against cancer.
And along the way, he also found that there was something he hated almost as much as cancer: bullies.
Rockwell organised a benefit show for Chelsea Brooke Brantwein in Broken Arrow this past Saturday night. He planned to simply host the show and bring attention to the issue of children's cancer, much as he did in the "Save Ryder" benefit that occurred last October in Owasso.
But Rockwell was unexpectedly confronted with a group who decided to ruin this event the way they have ruined so many other things in Tulsa-area pro wrestling: The Bullies. Their leader, Russ Rogers, said that they were offended to see so many anti-bullying posters on the walls of the Broken Arrow Boys & Girls Club and were even more offended that they weren't booked on the card, calling all of this "discrimination". Rockwell suggested that the Rogers, along with Kyle Kelly and Anthony Jackson, should go to the back where they could "wrestle" each other. This comment brought laughter from the crowd, but also a powerful slap from Rogers to Rockwell, who was again offended by Rockwell's behaviour. Rockwell shook that slap off and told the crowd that when he got into the business, he did so for the right reasons. The Bullies represented everything that was wrong with the business and he had a plan to fix it. If they wanted a match, he would give them one and he had a couple of partners that he was prepared to work with in the newly-announced 6-man main event.
Rumours quickly began to circulate amongst the assembled fans and Oklafan senior editor C. M. Burnham was fortunate to have backstage access at this WFC event. He brought Rockwell out after the first two matches were over and asked him to tell the crowd who his partners were. At that point, Jon Cross & Fuel, the Ring Intruders, arrived and Burnham inquired as to whether they were Rockwell's partners. Rockwell said that he is appreciative for any help they would give, but they aren't his partners and he already had a match lined up for them against Anarchy 2nd and UWE United States Champion Christopher Fury.
So the wondering continued all through intermission. Again, Burnham arrived, this time telling the crowd that he had managed to convince Rockwell to make the announcement about his partners. He called Rockwell out...but the Bullies arrived instead. Burnham tried to make it clear that he had no issue with them and was simply there to do a job, but the group, along with their manager Richard Pierce, quickly beat down the hapless reporter. Repeated shots to the groin by Jackson, another vicious slap to the face by Rogers and stomps by Kelly and Pierce put Burnham out of commission, but also brought Rockwell out. Seeing another example of unwarranted brutality, Rockwell decided it was time to go to the main event, which would now be a No DQ Match. His partners: Jake McCoy and Striker. Both men had personal reasons for agreeing to this match. McCoy is a long-time friend of Rockwell's, dating back to the old SRPW days. And while Striker has only wrestled in the Tulsa area 2 or 3 times, his personal battles with kidney cancer are well documented and he considered the Bullies' actions reprehensible.
Rockwell's group had a strong upper hand until Rockwell himself was isolated and beaten on by all 3 men. Taking advantage of the No DQ policy, Kyle Kelly brought a chair into the ring to use to try and use against Rockwell. McCoy sacrificed his body to intercede with the chair shot. Rockwell then jumped to the second rope and dropkicked the chair into Kelly's face. Rockwell was finally able to make the tag to Striker and the veteran began to clean house. His actions put Rogers and Jackson in a compromising position, ending with Rogers' face in Jackson's groin. Then a tag to Rockwell, who ascended to the top rope and delivered an elbow drop on Jackson, allowing the fans to rejoice in the defeat of the loud-mouthed team.
Rockwell told the wrestlers backstage that he plans to do benefit shows of this nature once a year, choosing a new recipient each time.
Sadly, the show was not without controversy, as the Oklahoma Athletic Commission took 5% of a large, privately made donation sent in by someone who didn't even attend the show. Rockwell has been working to try and resolve this issue to make sure Chelsea's family receives all the moneys they are entitled to.
