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Texan Business Merger Proves Beneficial To All Involved

Texan Business Merger Proves Beneficial To All Involved

Posted: May 27th 2009 By: CMBurnham

One of the longest-running factions in Oklahoma independent wrestling is the Texas Outlaws. Originating with Bobby Burns and Dan Wilder in the World Wrestling Empire, the Outlaws have seen factions run through WWEmp, OPW, OCW, SRPW, NWA-U, SECW and TAP. Along the way, membership has varied, but two of the most prominent members have been Burns and Bernard Funk, who also joined in the WWEmp days.

Funk is also a member of Texas, Inc., a stable that was formed in TPW consisting of Funk, his nephew Tim Rockwell and Ryan Davidson. Although Davidson eventually parted ways with the other members, Funk & Rockwell went on to become the most dominant tag team in Oklahoma in the 21st century, holding 3 different tag team titles in 3 different federations simultaneously. This year, Texas, Inc. made known their intentions to not only repeat that performance, but to surpass it. They've already claimed the MWA Tag Team Titles and last month they won the TAP Tag Team Titles. Recent weeks have seen them pursuing the ComPro and SWCW Tag Team Titles as well.

During the entire existance of both teams, they've maintained a seperate but friendly relationship. Except for TAP, neither team tended to be in the same federation as another, so there was plenty of room for two Texas teams and that worked fine. But that all changed on May 22 and the change probably won't make most of the fans happy.

Tim Rockwell demanded some time prior to his match at the TAP event and revealed to the crowd that Bernard Funk had not shown up to the arena yet due to transportation issues. This seemed to put his tag team title defence at jeapordy, but Rockwell had a plan. He formally declared to the crowd that Texas, Inc. and the Texas Outlaws were merging together as Texas Outlaws, Inc. And since they were now one unit, he invoked what is commonly referred to as the Freebird Rule, which said that any two members of the team could defend the belts. Since Funk wasn't present, Rockwell chose J. W. Hardin as his partner to face the team of Brian Blade and newcomer Dewey Sparks, Jr. Rockwell & Hardin, with Bobby Burns at ringside with them, struggled a bit since they'd never tagged together before, but were able to hold their own against Blade & Sparks until Rockwell & Blade hit simultaneous clotheslines on each other and both men lay prone in the ring. At that point, Bernard Funk ran through the entrance area, still in his street clothes, and began to strip down outside the ring into his gear (which he had on under.) As soon as he was prepared, Funk entered the ring, hit a Texa-kazie on Dewey Sparks who had made the tag to Brian Blade during the commotion of Funk's entrance) and then covered him. Referee John the Encourager counted 3, to the confusion of the fans, then announced to commentator C. M. Burnham that, because Funk was scheduled to be one of the original participants in the match, he was considered a "legal man" and thus his pin would count.

Not everything went the way of TO, Inc as Bobby Burns was DQed during the next match against The Unknown, but the point was made very clear. Texas Outlaws, Inc. is determined to dominate TAP and no one is going to question Texas' rules. They just make up their own. Tim Rockwell faced a similar situation in MWA when Bernard Funk was suspended for 30 days due to a sneak attack on Jake Boulder outside the arena. Rockwell was told he had to defend the belts in a handicap match on June 5, but manager Stevie Caballero's lawyers quickly found a loophole and Rockwell hired Boris Saarikoski as his partner for the MWA Tag Team Title defence against the Old School Express.

The merger of the factions gives J. W. Hardin his first tag team title ever and Bobby Burns his first tag team title in over 2 years, but more importantly, it give Texas Outlaws, Inc. a position of major power in the coming months. Unless someone can outthink them, it seems that the Texans are going to hold the TAP Tag Team Titles for a very long time.

 

Tags: Texas Outlaws, Bobby Burns, Dan Wilder, WWEmp, OPW, OCW, SRPW, NWA-U, SECW, TAP, Bernard Funk, Texas, Inc., TPW, Tim Rockwell, Ryan Davidson, MWA, TAP, ComPro, SWCW, J. W. Hardin, Brian Blade, C. M. Burnham, Jake Boulder, Stevie Caballero, Old School Expr

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Supplemental Information

1

Spotlight in History

  • 1978 The Assassin became the TSW Louisiana Champion
  • 1981 Junkyard Dog & Dick Murdoch def. The Grappler & The Super Destroyer for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 2003 The Sharpe Brothers (Chaz Sharpe & Rich Sharpe) def. John O'Malley & All-American Aaron for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 2003 Se7en def. Aaron Neil for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 2008 Tyrone def. Jerry Bostic for the 3DW Violent Division Title
  • 2019 Brandon Groom def. Brian Dixon for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 2019 Doc Black became the BCW Heritage Rivalry Champion

Week of Sun 04-26 to Sat: 05-02

  • 04-26 2008 Jerry Bostic def. Joshua Smith for the 3DW Violent Division Title
  • 04-26 2008 Shane Rawls def. Ky-Ote for the 3DW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-26 2014 Buster Cherry def. Bud Barnes for the SWCW All-American Title
  • 04-26 2014 Chaz Sharpe def. Kevin James Sanchez for the SWCW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-26 2014 Sam Stackhouse def. Warhammer for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-26 2024 Miranda Gordy def. Sgt. Slice for the CPW Women’s Title
  • 04-26 2025 Deacon Hendrix became the RWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-26 2025 Family Affiliated (Athan Sorrow & Rika Wildlee) became the RWE Tag Team Champions
  • 04-26 2025 Gluttony became the RWE United States Champion
  • 04-26 2025 Bishop Simon became the RWE Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-26 2025 For God And Country (Pastor Brent & Corporal Punishment) def. The Main Characters (Sean Ryan & Daniel Aaron Michalles) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
  • 04-27 1978 The Assassin became the TSW Louisiana Champion
  • 04-27 1981 Junkyard Dog & Dick Murdoch def. The Grappler & The Super Destroyer for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 04-27 2003 The Sharpe Brothers (Chaz Sharpe & Rich Sharpe) def. John O'Malley & All-American Aaron for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-27 2003 Se7en def. Aaron Neil for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-27 2008 Tyrone def. Jerry Bostic for the 3DW Violent Division Title
  • 04-27 2019 Brandon Groom def. Brian Dixon for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 04-27 2019 Doc Black became the BCW Heritage Rivalry Champion
  • 04-28 1954 Red Berry def. Whitey Whittler for the TSW Tri-State Title
  • 04-28 1976 Ted DiBiase & Dick Murdoch def. Buck Robley & Bob Slaughter for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 04-28 1980 Kevin Von Erich def. Toru Tanaka for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 04-28 1989 The Simpson Brothers (Steve Simpson & Shaun Simpson) def. Beauty & The Beast (Terrance M. Garvin & The Beast [2nd]) for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
  • 04-28 2000 Heather Savage def. Jenna Love for the OPW Oklahoma Womens Title
  • 04-28 2002 Summer Rain became the OCW Oklahoma Womens Champion
  • 04-28 2007 Eric Rose def. Jersey Devil for the UWF06 Light Heavyweight Title
  • 04-28 2007 Joe Herell became the UWF06 Violent Division Champion
  • 04-28 2017 Brandon Groom def. Sam Stackhouse for the BPPW Oklahoma Title
  • 04-28 2018 Dusty Gold def. Wesley Crane for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-29 2006 AWOL def. Michael York for the TPW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2006 Natural Born Sinners (Appolyon & El Lotus) def. Pretty Young Things (Cade Sydal & Mitch Carter) for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-29 2006 Rexx Reed def. Carnage for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-29 2006 Carnage def. Rexx Reed for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-29 2007 Aaron Neil def. Tyler Bateman for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
  • 04-29 2007 Brad Michaels def. Ryan Davidson for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2007 Bad Boy & Outlaw became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 04-29 2011 The Unknown & Johnny USA def. Michael H & Mr. Big for the NCW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-29 2011 Mr. Big became the NCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-29 2012 Sam Stackhouse def. Prophet for the BYEW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2012 Rage Logan became the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-29 2012 Nemesis (Damien Morte & Damon Windsor) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 04-29 2017 Aaron Anders became the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
  • 04-30 1954 Frenchy Roy became the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-30 1971 Toru Tanaka def. Johnny Valentine for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 04-30 2004 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the TPW Hardcore Title
  • 04-30 2011 Ryan Reed def. Rolling Thunder for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-30 2011 Ray Martinez def. Ryan Reed for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-30 2016 Ray Martinez became the SRPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-30 2022 Clayton Bloodstone def. Ky-Ote for the NCWO Choctaw Nation Title
  • 04-30 2023 El Gallardo/El Vaquero def. Cappuccino Jones for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 04-30 2023 Heavyweight Grappling (Dan Webber & Morrison) def. Subject To Death (Cade Fite & Leo Fox) for the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
  • 05-01 1981 Super Destroyer def. Jim Garvin for the MSW Louisiana Title
  • 05-01 2016 Skylar Slice def. Nikki Knight for the MSWA Ladies Title
  • 05-01 2021 Fuel def. Derek James for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 05-02 1969 Johnny Valentine def. Fritz Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 05-02 1975 Mad Dog Vachon def. Billy Graham for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 05-02 1977 Stan Hansen def. Dick Murdoch for the TSW North American Title
  • 05-02 1984 Krusher Khrushchev became the MSW Television Champion
  • 05-02 1984 The Rock-N-Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) def. The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Dennis Condrey) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 05-02 2009 Ozzy Hendrix def. Shank for the SWCW Luchadore Title
  • 05-02 2015 Gail Kim became the IWR Diamonds Champion
  • 05-02 2015 Kareem Sadat became the BCW Independent Hardcore Champion
  • 05-02 2021 Drake Gallows def. Blade [2nd] for the AIWF National Title
04-27
  • Yasu Fuji Apr 27th Today!
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  • Anarchy [2nd] Apr 30th
  • Prince Maivia May 1st
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  • Nightmare [1st] May 2nd
  • Big Bossman May 2nd
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