Power House Wrestling gets bitten by more than a Snake

By: Chris Sullivan

            On Saturday night, September 6 Power House Wrestling presented “Snake Bite”.  “Snake Bite” was set to be one of Chris Setro, Power House Wrestling owner, biggest event.  Just days before Setro’s blockbuster event, Power House Wrestling was faced with a few problems that could hurt any promotion.  One problem was that one of the headlined competitors, “King of Old School” Steve Corino had unexpected happening in Puerto Rico, which would prevent Corino to appear at the Power House event.  Another promoted star Ricky Landell was forced to cancel his Power House date do to outside conflictions with Landell’s main promotion, AWA Superstars of Wrestling, in which he is AWA Fighting World Champion.  To make sure the event went on as scheduled; Power House Wrestling replaced Steve Corino with another former ECW star Spike Dudley and replaced Ricky Landell with New England standout Chase Del Monte.

            Once things seemed like the worst was over, Setro was not through yet.  Weather forecasters said that Worcester would get hit with the remnants of Hurricane Hanna.  Faced with a harsh decision about either to cancel the event or go forth, Power House Wrestling went forward with the event.  As the hours drew closer and Hanna moved up the East Coast and began to hit New York and New Jersey and number a wrestlers cancelled there date with Power House.  All Money is Legal, Judas Young, and Fred Curry was all forced to cancel due to Hurricane Hanna.  Power House Wrestling management team put together a number of replacements, just so they could please their fans.  

            As the rain began to fall in Worcester, and Hurricane Hanna moved closer to the Worcester Armory, so did the fans.  The loyal fans began to fill the scorching Armory, PHW officials announced the changed event line-up as the fans were treated to the viewing on a number of rear snakes and an alligator, which was a special surprise brought in for the “Snake Bite” event.

            The event started around 7:45pm with a special 10 bell salute to the late great Walter “Killer” Kowalski.  All the wrestlers got into the ring, put a side their differences to pay their respects to Kowalski as the bell rang in his honor.  Many of the wrestlers that wrestle for Power House Wrestling trained at Killer Kowalski Wrestling School.  For many this was their first event after his death and you could see that many were moved during this time.

            The opening match featured Don Vega going one on one with “The Widowmaker” Eric Shred.  It was a back and forth match, but at the end Don Vega came out with the victory.  In a respect, Shred reached out his hand for shake Vega’s hand. 

            In a match that was changed to help delight the fans the PHW Women’s Title was defended in a three way dance.  PHW Women’s Champion Amber put the title on the line against Sammi Lane and Mia Love, who was added to the show a few hours before doors opened.  When the bell rang Amber jumped to the outside to let Sammi and Mia face off, she said she “was not finished stretching”.  But when Sammi Lane went for a cover on Mia Love, Amber was back in to stop the pin fall.  That is when Amber to over on Sammi.  Amber chocked Lane on the ropes.  Amber hit a snapmare and followed it with a drop kick to the face.  Amber then talked Mia Love into helping her take out Sammi, so they could face off.  They used many double team moves and then hit a double DDT on Sammi.  When Amber when for the cover Mia turn on Amber.  Love hit Amber with an unbelievable spinbuster.  Mia pulled Amber to her feet and through her into the ropes.  Amber hooked the ropes to make her stop and Mia Love when on the attack.  However, Amber pulled the ropes down, which send her to the armory floor.  Amber went for a spin kick to Sammi Lane, but she ducked and rolled up Amber for the three count.  The winner and new Power House Women’s Champion Sammi Lane.

            As the ring announcer was about to make call out the next match, he was stopped by the M.O.B (Men of Business).  Jimmy Cash lead his team out to the ring so he could, in his mind, let the fans in Worcester know what was going on.  He said that Gino Martino would wrap the chain around Spike Dudley’s neck until Spike quit Power House Wrestling.  Cash moved on to Jake “the Snake” Roberts, Cash went on to say that he would make it so no one would ever remember the name Jake Roberts.  Cash then called out his partner Paul E. Normus.  Normus came from the locker room and enter the ring.  Jimmy Cash said that Paul E Normus would take out the has been, Jim Powers.  When the fans thought they heard all they could stand from Jimmy Cash, he announced that in January of 2009 PHW was doing a hardcore comeback show entitled “Hardcore Hangover”.  Cash said that the M.O.B. planned on ending any plans of an extreme raise in Power House.  Commissioner Dan Burke, entered the ring an announced to the M.O.B. that the new face of Power House would be extreme and send all members of the Men of Business to the locker room, except for Paul E Normus because his match was next.

            Former WWF and WCW superstar Jim Powers came to the ring to face the younger, stronger Paul E. Normus.  From opening bell Powers used his wrestling knowledge to take Paul E off his game.  Jim Powers send Normus into the ropes and missed with a closeline but Paul E Normus did not miss with his.  At that point, Normus took over using his strength.  He would slam Powers and the chock him with the ropes.  Once Normus got Powers on the mat, he hooked a headlock.  The fans got Powers back into the match and Powers fired up.  One of the M.O. B. members returned to ringside and grasped Jim.  Normus charged Powers, who was able to move and school boy Paul E after the M.O.B. members hit heads.  Jim Powers pinned the larger wrestlers for the win.

            In what was the match of the night Josh Daniels faced of against Chase Del Monte.  This was a real fast pace, hard hitting wrestling contest.  Del Monte came at Daniels hard.  Chase took to the air with a number or drop kicks and a Loin-Sault onto Daniels, who kick out at two.  Josh Daniels fired back with load chops.  Not to be shown up, Del Monte used a number of stiff European elbows to get back into the match.  Josh, a wrestler that rarely goes to the top rope hit a picture perfect elbow drop from the heavens.  A last minute comeback by Chase saw a super kick land on the chin of Daniels.  Chase went to the top rope for a drop kick, but missed and Daniels hit a German Suplex for the win.

            During intermission the fans got the chance to meet a number of the wrestlers as Jim Powers, Moondog Maximum, Paul E Normus, and others signed autographs.  Jake “the Snake” Roberts came out to the ring to take Polaroid photos with the fans, but in the ring was the “Lizard Man” (person that brought the snakes to the event).  In a way to protect the fans, he order the promoter to send the snake back to the cage.  “I want the fans to feel safe in the ring and feel like they can meet me” is what Jake Roberts said.  It got a nice cheer from the young children that were afraid of the snake and want to get a photo with the wrestling legend.

            After intermission, Gino Martino made his way to the ring with the chain already around his hand. Martino said that Corino was smart in not coming to Worcester and that Spike Dudley was in for a beating.  Before Spike could get hooked up to the chain, Gino was on him.  The match started on the armory floor.  Gino Martino out-weighted Spike by more than 50 pounds.  Spike was able to get a chair from a fan but it went to know use.  The chair was a plastic one and the “Extreme Strong Man” just pushed it aside.  Spike was able to get a steel chair and do some real damage to the larger opponent.  Gino came back and started to chock out Spike with the chain.  Just as the ref was going to call for the bell Gino got off Spike and left the ring.  When he returned he had a bed of nails.  Gino went to slam Spike onto the bed of nails but was able to get away and hit the Dudley-Dog onto the Bed of Nails.  Spike had the match won when Jimmy Cash hit the ring and attacked Spike.  Cash hit his Pump-Handle Power Bomb on Spike Dudley and pulled Gino onto of Spike to get the pin fall.  Winner Gino Martino.

            Power House Wrestling Champion Big Business was set to defeat his title against Fred Curry, but because of Hurricane Hanna Curry was forced to miss the event.  Replacing Curry was Chris Camero.  Camero hit the ring hard, trying to use his speed to over come the huge height differences.  But once Big Business got his hands on Camero he made short work of him.

            In a special no DQ four team match; Slaughter House defeated The Wrecking Crew, Darkside, and The Animals.  This match saw chairs, baseball bats, a chainsaw, chains, and a bone.  It was pure madness with Slaughter House getting the win.

            The Main Event saw Jake “The Snake” Roberts go one on one with Jimmy “Jact” Cash.  Jimmy Cash came to the ring first.  The fans exploded when Jake Roberts came through the entrance.  Before the bell could ring, Jimmy was on top of Jake Roberts.  Cash used headlocks and chocks to keep “The Snake” down.  Jack Roberts came back with a short arm closeline.  Jimmy Cash got back to his feet and went for Roberts.  Roberts was waiting on Cash with rights and lefts.  Cash went to sent Jake in to the ropes but Roberts held on to Cash arm and pulled him in for a DDT to get the win.

            Power House Wrestling announced its return to Worcester on Saturday night, January 24, 2009 at the Worcester Armory.  Appearing on that show will be former ECW Champions Jerry Lynn and Justin Credible, former ECW Television Champion Jason Knight, former WWE Cruiserweight Champion Spike Dudley, and former WWE Hardcore Champion Al Snow.  For more information on Hardcore Hangover on Jan 24 visit www.powerhousene.tripod.com/