Please visit www.puroresuspirit.com

Everybody at Alliance-Wrestling.com is pleased to announced our new working relationship with Puroresu Spirit.  Puroresu Spirit produces interviews (like this one with Craig Classic) and the weekly column of "This Week in Japanese Pro Wrestling."  But we are most looking forward to their coverage of ZERO1as it pertains to the National Wrestling Alliance. 

Please like them on Facebook.

Puroresu Spirit will join Westside Pro Wrestling (Western Australia) as our friends who are covering the NWA Internationally. 

Happy Birthday To Alliance-Wrestling.com

Just a bit of thanks to all of you that continue to voyage to this site.  3 Years ago today, while sitting in a dumpy office in Compton California I grew increasingly frustrated with the lack of information released regarding the National Wrestling Alliance.  Guys like Jeff Capo and Eric Roelfsema did their best to get the news out on the old NWA Wrestling Message Board.  But I wanted something more.  And although we've been through a few different versions before we got here, I am very proud of the work we do here.  Although this website was my creation, it really wouldn't be much without the support of Eric Roelfsema, who reports on nearly all of the live events and scheduled events as well as maintaining the NWA Fanzine and  Tez Himself from Western Australia who has done some great interviews with NWA Talent for the Westside Pro Wrestling Newsletter.  I'd also like to thank Bob Trobich, David Marquez, Gabe Ramirez, Tim Dixon, Adam Pearce, Phil Shatter, Tommy Cairo, Tommy Taylor, Steve Madison, Chance Prophet, Rudy Russo, Ricky Reyes, Jaden, Ken Taylor, Lance Cade, Greg Price and Joey Machete for either appearing on Alliance Radio or making their talent available for the shows.  Thanks Again!

Future Star - Gavin McGavin interview

Westside Pro Wrestling's Tez interviewed Gavin McGavin just days before he defended the EPW Hardcore Shield at Goldrush 3 in April.

WPW: What made you want to become a wrestler and who were your influences?

McGAVIN: It’s just something I’ve always wanted to do. Some kids want to be a fireman growing up, I wanted to do fireman’s carry’s. Then they want to be a cop when they are a little older, then when they are a little older still they want to be an accountant. For me, it was always a Pro Wrestler. If Pro Wrestling was on at the local PCYC I would have done it. Amateur was the next best thing, so I used that to tide me over.

As for influences, I’m a textbook case of a wrestling fan of my age. When I was five I wanted to be Hulk Hogan. Once they stopped showing wrestling on Saturday mornings it became pretty hard to keep up with it. I wasn’t until High School that I got back into it. I was channel surfing and saw Raw late one Friday night. I was hooked again. This time I wanted to be Steve Austin just like every other teenager.  In the last 10 or 12 years though I’ve become a huge fan of guys like Dean Malenko, Chris Benoit, and Eddie Guerrero. I think they are the guys I try to emulate the most. And of course guys like Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar who have been able to transition from amateur to pro are a real inspiration.I mean, neither of those guys amassed a record like 163-0, but they were pretty good amateur wrestlers none the less (laughs).

WPW: How did you decide on the company you ended up with?

McGAVIN: I had a friend training with Explosive Professional Wrestling so it was always in the back of my mind. To be honest I put it off for a little while because I thought I was too small. Once EPW heard about my impressive undefeated amateur career they approached me and asked me to think about it.  I made my mind up when I was sitting in the crowd at Challenge Stadium, watching the finals to crown the first ever NWA Australian Champion. The quality of the guys in the ring was above anything I expected to find in this country. I didn’t care how big I was, I was going to win that belt some day. I never even looked into any other schools. I knew EPW was for me.

WPW: Had you been training for long, before you made your debut?

McGAVIN: I had been training nine months before my first match. That is nine months, four nights a week, three hours a night. There would usually be another training session on Sundays every couple of weeks as well. All of the amateur training gave me a good head start on the fitness but it was still bloody hard work. Nobody makes it into a wrestling ring unless they nearly kill themselves trying to get there.

WPW: When you made your debut, what was the experience like performing in front of a paying audience for the first time and what do you remember most? 

McGAVIN: It was incredible. Even though I spent my entire life wanting to be a Pro Wrestler, never in a million years did I think it would actually happen. I remember being so nervous that I wanted to scream, so that’s what I did. I stepped through the curtain and let out an almighty roar. I was a bundle of nervous energy so I just started pacing up and down in the ring and doing squats and star jumps. The rest of it was basically a blur. Mainly because Jamie Jurah spent the entire match kicking me in the face. I do however vividly remember a “dogface gremlin” chant at some stage during the match (laughs).

WPW: Re-Awakening 8 saw you become the first ever Hardcore Shield holder, in a match everybody expected KrackerJak to win. and have held the title since November last year. What was it like to get your first title win in front of such a big crowd and at the biggest EPW show of all? 

McGAVIN: Championship reign, day 153 (as of April 7th) (laughs). That was wild. The crowd was incredible that night and the match got a great reaction. When the ref handed me the shield it was the greatest moment of my life. You know that makes me undefeated at Re-Awakening right! Winning a title, any title, was a goal I set myself from the very beginning but I never expected to be the first ever Hardcore Shield holder within nine months of debuting.  Let’s face it, my amateur background doesn’t exactly lend itself to the hardcore style. Although I think I have been able to adapt my style into a bit more of a hybrid now. Amateur Hardcore if you will. I think there is a T-Shirt in that (laughs).

WPW: What goals are you hoping to achieve in the business?

McGAVIN: Priority one right now is to keep a hold of my shield as long as I can.  I’ve Got Goldrush 3 coming up on April 17th, funnily enough on day 163 of my title reign. So I’ve got to make sure I defeat the six other guys in my match and leave the Cyril Jackson Rec Centre still the champ (McGavin lost the Hardcore Title, and received a nasty cut to the head requiring 17 stitches, after receiving a shot to the head with a clock).  Long term I want to get my hands on any other titles I can of course. Looking at the names that have held the EPW title, it would be an amazing achievement if I could add mine to the list. I also want to wrestle internationally. The USA, the UK, and Japan are the big three I want to visit. No matter where I go though EPW will always be my home and helping to raise the profile of the company is the one common goal the entire roster shares. It's the greatest wrestling company in this country and we want to get our product out to as many fans as possible. I love Pro Wrestling so I’m going to do whatever I can do to help bring it to the masses in Australia.

Check out Gavin McGavin’s Facebook page.

Interview with “Lightning” an interview with "Lightning" Mike Quackenbush

Our friends over at Westside Pro Wrestling did a great interview with NWA Jr. Heavyweight Champion, "Lightning" Mike Quackenbush recently. With their permission we are re-posting this interview. To keep up with the all the news, results and info on the Western Australian wrestling scene, subscribe to westsideprowrestling@hotmail.com.

[Mana, The Polynesian Warrior], brings Westside Pro Wrestling newsletter a monthly column in which he gives his thoughts on the current scene or talks with superstar friends from his past in the United States.  For this article I thought I would get in touch with one of the most amazing wrestlers I have ever had the opportunity to be in the ring with. Some of the stuff he pulls out can be called nothing but amazing. If you don’t believe me look him up on you tube for sure and you’ll see what I mean. His name is “Lightning” Mike Quackenbush and he is the founder of CHIKARA pro wrestling. I first studied Mike Quackenbush matches against Reckless Youth who back then stupefied me just as to how the hell they pulled a lot of there moves off so damn quick and so crisp. These days Claudio Castagnoli and Chris Hero do this with Mike and they are giants.   Quack has been one of the premier wrestlers on the circuit for over ten years now as well as publishing his own books. He is one of the forefathers to a style that can only be described as Lucha / Japanese and X Division all combined into one.  I am proud to put together this interview with one of my good friends and one of the best cruisers in the American Independent scene as well as the world - “Lightning” Mike Quackenbush.
  
Mana:  How did the name "Lightning" Mike Quackenbush come to be?  

Quack:  It was really something pushed on me in the mid-90's, to try and become more marketable. At the time, I was wrestling as M. Quackenbush. The promoter I was working for at the time felt it needed something more, so I added "Lightning" in tribute to Jushin "Thunder" Liger, who inspired me.  

Mana:  You and the wrestlers/students of CHIKARA received training from Jorge "Skayde" Rivera, how do you think his influence has improved your abilities?

Quack:  He opened up a whole new world of wrestling for me.  He's in his mid-40's now, and he is more active and more creative than guys half his age.  

Mana:  You have wrestled in many top U.S indy promotions, as well as overseas in Europe and Japan, which experiences have been the most memorable in your career thus far?

Quack:  For different reasons, wrestling in Mexico, Germany, and Japan are very memorable experiences. My first match in Mexico, I was given a death threat from a fan. Which is kind of awesome, if you think about it. In Europe, the fans have a great respect for my style, and so I always feel well-appreciated when I perform for them.  In Japan, because I had longed to go there, and worked for years with that as my goal, I found it  especially satisfying just to climb in the ring, and hear the announcer call my name in Japanese. 

Mana:  What was it like to square off with someone you had idolized, British pro wrestling legend, Johnny Saint?  

Quack:  Humbling, of course. He's such a gentleman, in the ring and out. At times, it was almost like I was not in the match, but  watching it on TV. Prior to the day we wrestled, the only way I had even seen him was on TV.  

Mana:  Who is on the list of people you'd like to lock up with one day?  

Quack:  Christopher Daniels is always on that list. I would love to have a singles match with him. I think it would be a lot of fun to wrestle  Ultimo Guerrero, or Averno from CMLL as well.  

Mana:  You've held the NWA Junior Heavyweight Championship for over two years, who in the NWA would you like to defend it against?

Quack:  Anyone. Bring 'em on. I'd love to be out there defending that title every month, if they could line up the challengers for me.

Mana:  In the past couple of years, you have taken CHIKARA to many different states in America, as well as Germany and Japan, where else do you see CHIKARA in the near future?

Quack:  It would be great to play Mexico, since that is where our stylistic roots are, but really, those kinds of things represent great risk.  

Mana:  Is there a possibility of Mike Quackenbush coming to Western Australia in the foreseeable future?

Quack:  There is talk of a trip to Perth, I am pleased to report. I would love to play Australia before I hang up the boots. The birthplace of tag team wrestling! It would be a lot of fun.  Any last words?  Please check us out online, we have a free weekly podcast you can watch on iTunes under the name "CHIKARA Podcast-A-Go-Go".  

Mana:  Thanks for your time – hope you check out some of Mike’s matches they are amazing and he is sure to be hitting our shores in 2010.

NWA World Jr. Heavyweight Champion Speaks

The good people at Westside Pro Wrestling are bringing the goods, our affiliate recently conducted an interview with the NWA World Jr. Heavyweight Champion.  And with the consent of our friends at Westside Pro, here are a few excerpts from the interview.

"Quack has been one of the premier wrestlers on the circuit for over ten years now as well as publishing his own books. He is one of the forefathers to a style that can only be described as Lucha / Japanese and X Division all combined into one. I am proud to put together this interview with one of my good friends and one of the best cruisers in the American Independent scene as well as the world - “Lightning” Mike Quackenbush..."

WPW: Who is on the list of people you'd like to lock up with one day?

Quack: Christopher Daniels is always on that list. I would love to have a singles match with him. I think it would be a lot of fun to wrestle Ultimo Guerrero, or Averno from CMLL as well.

WPW: You've held the NWA Junior Heavyweight Championship for over two years, who in the NWA would you like to defend it against?

Quack: Anyone. Bring 'em on. I'd love to be out there defending that title every month, if they could line up the challengers for me.

You can read the rest of the interview in Issue #6 of Westside Pro Wrestling. You can subscribe to their newsletter by emailing Tez at westsideprowrestling@hotmail.com