There are all sorts of rumors going on about UPW losing its developmental deal with the WWF. If this is in fact true the shows UPW puts on after this goes down will say a lot about UPW. Recently people have been complaining about how UPW doesn’t book for the fans. How they put big guys against lightweights just to make the big guys look more impressive to WWF scouts. Etc.
This will also show something about the fans of UPW. Do they show up for the names or for the the guys who are on every UPW show busting their ass? A lot of questions will be answered.
If this rumor turns out to be true it will be both good and bad for SoCal.
It will be good because without the WWF backing UPW, how likely will they be able to pull a power play to get wrestlers off of other shows? What does a wrestler gain by working UPW in this instance that they wouldn’t gain from working any other fed? It will also mean that UPW will have to rely more on it’s own workers to draw fans, than it will on big name wrestlers. That would give some UPW stars a better chance to shine.
It will be bad for SoCal because one more avenue for broader exposure for the wrestlers would be gone. When people came to UPW to see the Hardyz, Angle, Taka, RVD, Etc., they also had a chance to see Frankie Kazarian, B-Boy, Keji Sakoda, Samoa Joe. Wrestlers they normally would never have seen. Also it will be harder for wrestlers to move up the ladder, to make it closer to actually earning a living wrestling.
If this rumor is true, I can at least say one thing, it will be interesting to see what happens in the SoCal wrestling scene.
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Speaking of UPW, if you haven’t seen the press release regarding the June 26th show here it is:
Due to WCW’s imminent launch we at UPW apologize for the many changes to our card. In a good faith effort to make it up to our fans UPW Control, will be a “Fan Appreciation” show. All tickets bought at the Galaxy Theater box office will be 2 for 1. In addition to that our main event will feature UPW heavyweight champion Samoa Joe, “The Miracle” Mikey Henderson, and The Real Deal Damien Steele in a special exhibition against one of the most legendary and prominent wrestling families in history, The Guererro’s. WCW’s Chavo Guererro Jr., Chavo Guererro Sr. and Mando Guererro will comprise a team to take on 3 of UPW’s finest.
On June 26th, 2001 live from the Galaxy Concert Theater UPW’s best battle for “Control” Come witness the hottest promotion in the nation hit you with a entertainment overload as UPW once again gets set to rock the wrestling world.
MAIN EVENT
Special 6 Man Tag Match
Chavo Guererro Jr./Chavo Guererro Sr./ Mando Guererro
vs.
Samoa Joe/”The Miracle” Mikey Henderson/The Real Deal Damien Steele
UPW Tag Team Championship
Evolution w/ Looney Lane
vs.
Los Cubanitos
UPW Tag Team Action
Manilla Thrillaz
vs.
The Lost Boys
SoCal Championship Match
The Shooter Tony Jones
vs.
???
Keiji Sakoda & Smelly
vs.
Ultimate Army
Tag Team #1 Contenders Match
Michael Modest & Donovan Morgan
vs.
The Ballard Bros. w/Cheerleader Melissa
“Special” no sexual Attraction Match
Looney Lane & Cheerleader Melissa
vs.
G.A.Y.
Tag Team Matchup
The Urban Outlawz w/Savvy
vs.
Native Blood
Tickets are available at Ticketmaster or www.ticketmaster.com/ **. You may also called the Galaxy Box office directly at (714) 957-0600 for tickets and reserved seating. More information about “CONTROL”, Ultimate Pro Wrestling, Ultimate University, or Ultimate Industries log on to www.upw.com/
**Tickets bought through Ticketmaster are not 2 for 1
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I will have a review of the matches involving the SoCal guys from the June 14th Zero-One PPV in my next Steve’s View.
Speaking of that PPV, I hear Samoa Joe and Keji Sakoda may be heading back to Japan this August.
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It will interesting to see what XPW does about not having Vampiro on their next show. As big a fan of Lady Victoria as I am, I sure hope she loses the bra and panties match on July 7th. I don’t really need to see Angel in a bra or panties.
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There are a ton of big shows over the next three weeks.
Rev Pro will have 3 big shows. June 23rd will have a Super Dragon vs. Rising Son match. June 30th will have Matt Sinister vs. The Blue Meanie. And July 7th will have the finals of the Spirit of Revolution Tournament.
FMLL will be running a show June 23rd that is chock full of Lucha superstars and from what I hear some big name local guys.
Like it has already been talked about, UPW has it’s huge Galaxy show on the 26th.
On the 29th Incredibly Strange Wrestling will be at the L.A. Coliseum as part of the Warped Tour.
June 30th will see Konnan invade CCW.
On June 30th IPW will be running a lucha show in Pacoima.
Also on June 30th EWF will have not one, but two shows.
And of course on July 7th XPW will be back with Rapture.
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Now onto two different non-SoCal notes:
First is matrats.com. I read that they are planning on having a PPV this fall. What in the name of god? Do they not remember the WOW PPV? And WOW at least had a TV show.
Second is ECW. Damn I miss ECW. I was watching some old ECW stuff today and no current promotion even comes close to ECW. It will be along time before ECW is replaced.
There is an ECW tribute show coming up in Buffalo by the way. Here is just a little bit of info because this is SoCal UNCENSORED, not ECW UNCENSORED.
7/8: Buffalo, NY
(Lancaster Motorsports Park)
“ECW” Wrestling
Tommy Dreamer, Nova, Mikey Whipwreck, C.W. Anderson, FBI, Danny Doring, Roadkill, Lou E. Dangerously, Chris Chetti, Jack Victory, Chilly Willy, Electra
-Steve
