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Shawn Sanders: “I’ve Never Won A Battle Royal Before...and It Really Counts For Something”

Posted: May 27th 2020 By: Michael Hunt

Shawn Sanders has walked into the majority of the wrestling matches in his career knowing that he had backup. Being one-half of the most decorated tag team in Oklahoma history, the Saints of Pro Wrestling, he knew he could count on his brother Scott to always be there.

Which is not to say that Shawn has not had his share of singles success. A 2-time former MSWA Oklahoma Champion and 2-time former BPW 365 Champion, among other singles accolades, Shawn has shown that he can be successful in any situation he is put in. And even those singles victories can often be considered tag team victories because of the presence of his brother at ringside.

But if there is one area that Shawn has not had notable success in, it’s Battle Royals.

Truth be told, in the documented history of battle royals in Oklahoma, Shawn Sanders has never won one. Ever.

But that all changed this past Sunday when Shawn was one of 6 participants in a Battle Royal for the vacant ASP Mid-American Championship.

In fact, Sanders found himself entering the Battle Royal alone, as his brother Scott had not arrived at the building yet. So Sanders had quite the field to go through: the debuting Malachi’s, EmpCW Tag Team Champion Kevin Sanchez, PHoX and the tag team of High Times, Father Padge and Dean Lambert.

Most veterans of Battle Royals tell you that the best strategy is to find a corner, put your back to it and fight to defend it. This way, you only have to worry about people coming at you from in front, not behind. Knowing he didn’t have his brother to back him up, Shawn adopted this strategy and kept his physical exertion to a minimum. And slowly but surely the bodies began to fall. First out was Malachi’s, then Sanchez, then PHoX. That left Sanders in a 2-on-1 disadvantage until the surprise elimination of Father Padge. So it came down to Lambert and Sanders, well known to each other. And then, a mistake on Lambert’s part as Sanders through him through the second and top rope to the floor. Normally that would not be an elimination, but in this instance, that rule was waived and Sanders stood as the sole survivor. Finally, he had won a Battle Royal and had added another championship to his resume!

Lambert and Padge were very unhappy about this and during intermission, they challenged the Saints to a tag team match. With Scott by his side as well as their manager, C. M. Burnham, High Times had lots to overcome. And Burnham, who had taken the opportunity to be the special ring announcer for the night, provided additional distraction by doing live play-by-play at ringside. But as if that wasn’t enough, Burnham also helped distract referee Brent Wall by hopping up on the ring apron and arguing with him while the Saints used their new customized skull-masks on Lambert and Padge and allowed them to pick up a cheapened victory.

The ASP by-laws state that no wrestler may hold two singles titles, but nothing states that they can’t hold a singles title and a tag team title. The Saints of one singles title. Scott could potentially capture the ASP 5-Star or ASP Inter-County Title (and Scott has never held a singles title in his career) and then, if they were to recapture the ASP Tag Team Titles, they could bring a new meaning to Most Decorated Tag Team in Oklahoma.