• Look Back In History
• Pmessages
• Quiz
• Stump The Staff
• Top Fifty
• Close

Sage Back in MSWA After 3 Year Absence

Posted: Sep 22nd 2015 By: Michael Hunt

One of the worst things about the pro wrestling world is how easy it is to forget.

Forget friends. Forget relationship. Forget wrestlers.

Some people never forget. Some just wait for the right moment to be remembered.

MSWA Mid-South Cruiserweight Champion Brock Landers has succeeded in making himself unforgettable, at least in his opinion. The cocky champion dethroned 3 other challengers when he won a Fatal 4-Way Match to capture the vacant title. That set off a war of words from Landers directed at MSWA Commissioner C. M. Burnham. Landers insisted on bragging about how great he was, how he had beaten everyone in his path and how he was the greatest champion in MSWA.

Almost one month later, it appeared that the title reign may be coming to an end as Nathan Estrada pinned Landers cleanly in the middle of the ring. This followed another confrontation between Burnham and Landers. But that momentary upset was relieved when Brandon Barricade, now representing the Pro Wrestling Commission, arrived and overturned the victory, saying that Estrada did not have the proper signatures on his paperwork for a license and therefore was not allowed to compete in the ring. Landers was ecstatic. Burnham was irate. So, in response to the attitude of Landers, Burnham announced that at the next MSWA event, there would be another title defence from Landers and it would be in a Ladder Match!

Going into that match, all Landers knew was that he was facing multiple men. So Landers made his way to the ring feeling nervous and carefully eyeing the entrance way to find out who his opponents were. And as they came through the curtain, each represented a different challenge to Landers:

ComPro Tag Team Champion Luke Grayson. Primarily considered a tag team competitor these days, but certainly able to hold his own on his own. Grayson was looking to secure his first singles title.

Paul Puertorico: Once upon a time, Puertorico, then known as Tarantula, was the preeminent light heavyweight in the state. He certainly brought the experience factor to the match, though his style would be more cautious, given his age.

El Fuego: The constant thorn in the side of Landers. He had been the choice of the fans since the Cruiserweight Title was announced as returning. A fiery Latino with a strong aerial style and tremendous fan support.

But that only made 4 men. And Landers had been told he would face 5. So imagine the shock on his face when Burnham led the 5th competitor to the ring: Sam Stackhouse! Stackhouse had tried to get into the Cruiserweight Title tournament before in June when he faced Paul Puertorico. Puertorico defeated Sam, but was promptly challenged and defeated by Landers. Both men thought they had been eliminated. And both men were thrilled to have a second chance. Landers, of course, was irate, particularly protesting the appearance of Stackhouse, but Burnham reminded Landers that at one point, John O'Malley had been IZW Cruiserweight Champion, so Stackhouse could qualify as well.

The match was everything that the fans expected and more. Ladders were erected. Bodies crashed to the floor. On several occasions it looked like each competitor was on the verge of yanking that title belt down. More and more action seemed to continue without end. Then, an opening. Fuego stood perched on the ladder with no one nearby and began the ascent that so many fans had looked forward to for so long.

And that was when Korvin Sage chose to make his return.

Sage, a former ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion and 3-time former SWCW Cruiserweight Champion, surprised everyone when he and his valet, Lady Starwind, made their way down the entrance ramp and into the ring. Sage then pushed over the ladder that Fuego was on, ruining his chance to take the title down and opening another opportunity for Brock Landers. Landers, ever the opportunist, set the ladder back up and quickly scaled it, reclaiming the prize that is most precious to him and ending the match.

Burnham followed Sage and Starwind as they left, demanding answers regarding their interference, but none were forthcoming. But Burnham is no longer willing to tolerate this type of behaviour and set up a tag team match for September 25th pitting Sage and Landers against Fuego and Grayson. No matter the result, Sage wants to make sure that no one makes the mistake of forgetting about him again.