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Experience On The Side Of Oklahoma Veteran In Championship Chase

Posted: Jan 29th 2012 By: CMBurnham

Sometimes when opponents clash, the meaning of the match is different, even if they face each other on consecutive days.

In a recent article for Oklafan, the issues between the Syndicate and the Sharpe Brothers were discussed. While both their matches last week involved tag team titles, one was a title match and the other was simply another step up the ladder to earn a title shot.

Those four individuals weren't the only people to have championship gold on their minds last weekend. In the opening bout at SWCW's event, it was champion vs. champion, although it wasn't acknowledged as such. BYEW Champion Sam Stackhouse took on ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion Se7en. For all intents and purposes, it was simply an opening bout on a wrestling card. But it became something much more than that.

Stackhouse arrived to a resounding chorus of boos, along with his Clockwork Clique partner Crossfire Morrison. And Morrison remained at ringside for approximately half the match, doing what he could to give Stackhouse an advantage over the veteran competitor. That is, until referee George Knight caught Morrison interfering and ejected him from the match. Se7en then went on to win the match, forcing Stackhouse to submit to a front chancery.

The next day, both Stackhouse and Se7en were on the card for the BYEW event. Se7en faced Rudy Edwards, who made his return to the Oklahoma City area. Although Edwards tried to play up to the crowd, they were having none of it and booed him incessently from the moment he came down to the steps to the ring area. Se7en concentrated on his opponent, using the Strong Style tactics that have given him the nickname "The Norcal Shooter". Without the support from the crowd that he was hoping for, Edwards simply stood no chance and tapped out to the Cloverleaf.

In the main event, Stackhouse defended his BYEW Championship against Rick Russo. It was match up of size vs. power, but again, experience would come into play. Russo's 15+ years vs. Stackhouse's slightly-more-than-2 certainly played a part. But Stackhouse is always someone with unexpected tricks up his sleeve. As a big man, most opponents see him as someone who focuses on power, yet he can pull off a spinwheel kick and a Pele kick with ease. What Stackhouse didn't expect was the sudden presence of Se7en in the match, entering and attacking him just as he was getting the upper hand on Russo. Russo wasn't terribly happy about it either, as it cost him an opportunity to add another title to his championship resume. And so all 3 men had to be held back from each other by other members of the locker room.

At that point, ring announcer C. M. Burnham informed the competitors and the crowd that BYEW management had signed a match for February 18th, pitting all 3 in a Triple Threat Match for the title. Stackhouse didn't want to wait and continued to call Se7en back to confront him. That might have been a gutsy move on his part, but if Se7en had accepted, it might not have ended well for the superheavyweight as he aggravated a shoulder injury he had suffered in Ohio the previous week. That would certainly be a target for Se7en to focus on and could still easily be part of "The Norcal Shooter's" strategy next month.