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It's Driscoll vs. Storm For the North American Title.

Posted: Mar 31st 2016 By: Tribune Press Services

One of the sport's toughest and most experienced stars will be fighting for a shot at the National Wrestling Alliance's greatest prize when he steps into the ring on Thursday night (March 31) at The 2016 Parade of Champions in Fort Worth.

Tim Storm puts his NWA North American Championship on the line against Devin Driscoll, a rising star from Tennessee. Should Mr. Storm prevail, he will travel to Las Vegas in mid-April to battle for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship at the Casino Royale show, held annually in conjunction with the storied Cauliflower Alley Club Reunion.

?He's a big man, very physical,? the 6-foot, 4-inch Mr. Storm said about his young opponent. ?I fully expect our match to be a brawl. Devin Driscoll has a rough and rugged style similar to mine. I expect him to throw everything but the kitchen sink at me and try to take away what's mine, what I value.?
Extra Incentive

Thursday's Parade of Champions Main Event matches Charlie Haas against title holder Jax Dane for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. The right to challenge the winner of Haas-Dane goes to either Mr. Storm or Mr. Driscoll, adding extra incentive to their battle.

?I know I'm prepared because I'm always prepared,? Mr. Storm said. ?I know what I need to do to defend my belt. I always go into the ring expecting victory, so my plan is direct: beat him. At the same time, I'm fully prepared to be tested to the limits by a worthy opponent who is one of the top pros in the United States right now.?

Devin Driscoll:
A Champion in His Own Right

Mr. Driscoll is a champion in his own right, having won the NWA Throwback Championship in 2015 and the prestigious Ohio Valley Heavyweight Championship on March 19 in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

?The two have never met in the ring, so both will be coming in with very little to go on other than videos,? NWA Senior Referee James Beard told The Tribune. ?Devin and Tim are not all that different in size and style, but one difference is Tim's experience level. I've got lots of history with Tim. He's a guy who really turns it up when he's pressed or feels at risk. He has that attitude that kicks his determination into another gear when it's needed. That's why he's held so many titles and why he's hard to beat.?

Nigel Rabid Gets in the Way

Mr. Storm's match against Charlie Haas at NWA Texoma (March 18) ended when Mr. Haas was disqualified by the referee. Here's how it happened. The champ hit Charlie with The Perfect Storm, a clean closer in the center of the ring, putting the challenger in dire straits. But Mr. Haas' manager, Nigel Rabid, jumped on the apron and distracted the ref just long enough to allow the challenger to recover.

Catching Mr. Storm off guard, Charlie slammed the champ with the Haas of Pain. The ref, arguing with Nigel Rabid, missed the move. Suddenly, Jax Dane arrived on the scene to assist Mr. Storm and even the odds. Ever alert, Charlie stole Mr. Dane's championship belt and carried it to the ring. When the ref broke away from Nigel Rabid, he looked over and saw the challenger with the belt and Mr. Storm stunned on the canvas. Mistakenly thinking Mr. Hass had struck the champ with the belt, the ref disqualified Charlie to end the match.

That's how we remember it. You may have seen it differently. It's that way sometimes in the heat of battle. One thing's for certain: Tim Storm is still the NWA North American Heavyweight Champion.

Thursday's Parade of Champions should be an awesome pro wrestling show. As the card above demonstrates, every title in the NWA will be contested. Mr. Storm told The Tribune he is honored to be a part of the historic event, which takes place at the beginning of WrestleMania Weekend.

?I'll tell you what, I went through the lineup during a radio interview last night, and realized that the Parade of Champions is legitimately a phenomenal, phenomenal loaded card from top to bottom," Mr. Storm said. ?I'll put this card and this lineup of talent against any show, anywhere, anytime ? including any other show in the Metroplex this weekend.?