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EP Still Associated With Gold

Posted: Apr 14th 2011 By: CMBurnham

Domination in wrestling comes through title acquisition. The more belts you have, the more impressive you seem to be in the fans' eyes.

Recent history has shown that Excellence Personified has been dominant everywhere they have gone. ComPro? All but the Heavyweight Title. MWA: All but the Tag Team Titles. TAP: STILL the Tag Team Champions.

In FACT, 4 of the 5 longest current title reigns in Oklahoma are members of EP.

So it should come as no surprise that TAP Tag Team Champions Michael Barry & MWA MAX-Division Champion Dustin Heritage secured a shot at the WLW Tag Team Titles when Harley Race's fed came to Sand Springs for a fundraiser. And to put a bit of irony in the situation, 1/2 of the WLW Tag Team Champions had faced members of EP before. On September 10, EP, in the form of Brad Michaels, ComPro Oklahoma X Division, SWCW Tag Team & TAP Tag Team Champion Se7en and TAP Tag Team & MWA Champion Jack Legacy had teamed up to face Jeff Starchild, Jeff Lage & The Cancun Kid. The Kid was now 1/2 of the tag team champions with Ethan Wright. EP came out victorious in that 6-man venture and that might have provided some sort of motivation for the champions.

Originally it was supposed to be The Jet Setters reuniting to receive the title shot, but with Legacy still nursing a nagging foot injury, Michael Barry stepped in and filled the spot. And Mike Iles appeared as a surprise, accompanying his men to ringside in their attempt to wrest more gold away for their resume. It was a well fought match. Barry & Heritage's antics, combined with Iles' chicanery brought the pink-clad duo close to adding a tag team title to their accomplishments, but ultimately, Wright and the Kid pulled through and put away EP.

With one title opportunity negated, it became all the more important for Se7en to hold on to the Oklahoma X Division Title at Night of Champions XXI. Se7en was facing Steven Sterling, who had been on a roll advancing up the ladder towards some success. He'd come close before to winning the X Division title, but Se7en had utlized the belt to earn a DQ and remain champion. That time he was alone, but this time he had not only Iles with him, but also Duke Swellington. After finding that Sterling would not submit nor back down with intimidation, Iles grabbed the belt from the ringside table and threw it to Se7en. Referee Chance Snodgrass yanked it away before it could be used, but missed a near fall as he was returning it to the ringside table. Iles then threw his shoe in, but overthrew Se7en, once again putting the illegal object in the hands of Sterling. Sterling didn't seem to want to use it at first but did eventually. He covered Se7en but only getting a two count. The two combatants then went to the outside where Sterling clobbered Swellington, then began brawling with Se7en. Se7en & Sterling then began to chase each other around the ring, but when Sterling ran past Swellington, Duke tripped him and latched on to his leg, making sure that Sterling couldn't return to the ring before the 10 count was achieved. Se7en had managed to slither by with his championship again and celebrated with the other EP members after the match, as if they had really accomplished something.

Despite the appearance on the surface, trouble does seem to be brewing for EP. Michael Barry has already by exorcised from the group in MWA. The realignment with Heritage in WLW may have had more to do with championship greed than anything else. Barry would dearly love to relieve Legacy of his MWA Title and might have an opportunity to do so in May. But first, this Friday, he will team with a mystery partner and take on the reunited Jet Setters in a Steel Cage Match in Spavinaw! EP continues to remain a powerful faction, but the cracks are certainly in the foundation. All it will take is the right person (or people) to make those cracks into problems in the foundation and EP will crumble to dust.

Tags: Excellence Personified, ComPro, MWA, TAP, Michael Barry, Dustin Heritage, WLW, Harley Race, Brad Michaels, SWCW, Se7en, Jack Legacy, Jeff Starchild, Jet Setters, Mike Iles, Steven Sterling, Duke Swellington, Chance Snodgrass,