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Paul Puertorico and Space Age Soar to Great Heights This Past Month

Posted: Jul 24th 2018 By: Michael Hunt

There is no way to mistake the success that the faction known as Space Age has had in Oklahoma Wrestling in 2018. With representation in 4 different federations, Space Age has inspired and entertaine fans all over the Sooner State. But the month of July has seen them soar to even greater heights, both as a unit as well as one member especially, then ever before.

Things began to look up for Space Age beginning in BPW. There, Paul Puertorico and Aeronaut had recruited the young rookie team of the League of Justice under their wing. And both teams has tried (and failed) to take the BPW Oklahoma. Tag Team Titles from The New Level of Heavy Metal. But Will Luminati and his partner Thrash had defeated both teams in separate matches in May and June, seemingly putting the hopes of Space Age away there for good. Then, on June 21st at a special show at Torchy’s Cadillac Country in Sapulpa, Paul Puertorico defeated Thrash in a singles match, prompting BPW Commissioner C. M. Burnham to give Space Age one more chance. That change, though, would come under most unique cirucumstances.

In addition to Space Age, Team Dean Machine had been working their way back up the ladder in BPW and had wanted a Tag Team Title shot inside a Steel Cage. Burnham had indicated that this could be done, but had not been able to secure the steel cage for it to happen. On July 7th, Tommy Dean and his brother, BPW Lionheart Champion Jerry Dean, come out and demanded a shot at the tag team titles. Burnham was inclined to give them that shot, but mentioned that Will Luminati had not been seen or heard from for two weeks, since the BPW event at the Route 66 Biker Rally in Depew. At that point, Thrash arrived and Burnham confronted him as to the whereabouts of his partner, but Thrash was as much in the dark as anyone else. Then, Luminati arrived from the front entrance of the building, making his way through the crowd. He took the microphone and proceeded on a rambling, semi-incoherent monologue before officially announcing that he was leaving BPW, throwing down his belt in the ring and making his way back the way he came. After the uproar from that event settled down, Thrash announced that this was fine because he “always has a Plan B”. He pointed to the entrance ramp....and then Jerry Dean attacked his brother Tommy!! As shocked fans watched, Jerry and Thrash laid Tommy out in the ring and then left, allowing Wesley Crane to make his entrance for his singles match with Tommy.

Tommy was somehow able to score a victory, but Thrash and Jerry returned to continue the damage they had started before. This brought Space Age to the ring and when Thrash and Jerry attempted to leave, Burnham intervened, saying that since Thrash had a partner, there was no reason they could not defend the tag team titles right then and there. With the League of Justice and Aerokid at ringside, Space Age were finally able to put down the champions and claim the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Title! The first step was a great moment for the team. The next step would be for one particular member.

Paul Puertorico has been a Light Heavyweight Champion, a secondary champion and a tag team champion across Oklahoma. But he has never been a federation champion. For a long time, this never bothered him, but now, at 41 years old and with almost 20 years of experience behind him, Puertorico realises that time is fleeting. The BPW Tag Team Title seems to have lit a fire underneath him and that fire carried him into the Rumble For a Cause at WFC the next week. Puertorico was one of 35 entrants into that match where the winner got a shot at the WFC Title held by Tim Rockwell. Prior to that match, Aeronaut and Gemini Blue had represented Space Age against the WFC Tag Team Champions The Villains and been awarded a victory by DQ. With that positive result behind him, Puerrtorico waited for his chance to enter the Rumble. He came in at #18 and quickly scored an elimination on Villain Security member Berryman. He then spent time trying to both eliminate other competitors and survive as the ring filled up with more and more people wanting what he wanted. Eventually, he caught WFC Tag Team Champion Wesley Crane off guard and eliminated him, continuing the focus on the membership of the Villains. And after the final entrant came in, Puertorico, as well as everyone else, knew that it was just a matter of being careful. With 8 people left in the ring, Puertorico reduced it to 7 by taking out Colt Killbane. And then, as one of the final 4, Puertorico found his opportunity. Prince Mahalli threw out Dimitri Alexandrov, but Puertorico then tossed his old rival Mahalli out, leaving just Malico to eliminate. Experience vs unpredictability. And it was experience that won as Puertorico to the wicked clown over the top rope and won the 2018 Rumble For A Cause! This put him in line to face the WFC Champion at the 7th anniversary show in October. But even after winning that, Puertorico wondered if he could do it again.

Two months earlier, Puertorico had challenged MSWA Mid-South Champion Xavior in a title-vs-title match, putting his Planet Puertorico title up for grabs. It was a challenge that he lost and since then, Xavior and the collective members of V.A.N.G.O.H. Had repeated taunted Puertorico about the property they held. But just as WFC held a rumble for their anniversary show, MSWA would do the same thing this past Friday to determine the challenger for the MSWA Mid-South Title at Mid-South Justice in October. Space Age was in full force (minus Aerokid) for this event and again, participated in some of the earlier matches on the card. Gemini [2nd] got one over on Korvin Sage in the opening match while Matrix fell to the newest charge of Mohammad burn Ham, Angel Camacho. Aeronaut also failed in his attempt to capture the MSWA Mid-South Title from Xavior, meaning that a member of Space Age would have to win the Rumble in order to challenge for the title again. This put plenty of pressure Gemini, Matrix, Elijah Sparks, Super Mojo, Aeronaut, Paul Puertorico and even Nikki Knight, who all entered the Rumble. Knight had a confrontation with former boyfriend Drake Gallows which saw him on the receiving end of a flip piledriver from her before she was eliminated by Korvin Sage. But the rest of the Space Age were able to stay in the ring and work together until the arrival of the last entrant, Killer Cross. Cross immediately went to work, targeting the members of Space Age and throwing them all out until the only one left was Paul Puertorico. At that point, with only 7 people left in the ring, again it became something of a waiting game. Puertorico made it down again to the Final Four, where he took out Revan on his own, then teamed with Drake Gallows to throw out Killer Cross. And again, Puertorico found himself up against someone who is known for taking crazy risks and putting his body on the line as the final man he needed to throw out of the Rumble. Both men actually battled over the top and fought briefly on the ring apron before getting back in, then Gallows went to the top rope, apparently looking to connect with the Bang-a-Rang. But Puertorico shoved him off and Gallows crashed to the floor, giving Paul his second Rumble win in two weeks. Almost immediately, Xavior hit the ring, carrying both belts and the two men went face-to-face, much like Puertorico and Tim had done the week before. But this time, full membership of V.A.N.G.O.H. And Space Age also joined in to prevent things from getting any worse.

The next night, Puertorico hoped to make it 3 for 3 and win the Sooner Stampede, allowing him to challenge UWE Champion Alex Royal for his title, though this would have been odd, since he and Royal are partners in the Proclamation. Puertorico made it to the final 5 but was thrown out by Anarchy [2nd] and Fuel, who would go on to win the event when Anarchy eliminated himself while taking out Reed. That left Fuel with Dustin McGowan and gave Fuel the championship opportunity at Showdown in September.

Nonetheless, Space Age’s accomplishments this past month have been outstanding and there may be more to come. They remain one of the top challengers for the ASP Oklahoma Tag Team Titles. Nikki Knight would love to reclaim both the ASP and MSWA Ladies Titles. And the rest of the members hope to secure championship gold and victories as the year progresses. Right now, though, Paul Puertorico may end 2018 as the most decorated wrestler in the state. And Space Age can hope to soar to new heights beyond that in the coming year.