2007 Battle of Los Angeles Takes Place August 31, September 1 & 2
On August 31, September 1 & 2, 2007, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla’s Battle of Los Angeles will take place for the third consecutive year, with a wider variety of competitors than ever before. Each year, PWG has raised the bar with the Battle of Los Angeles tournament, and this year will be no exception. Venue, ticket prices, and other information will be announced soon, but on the PWG Forum and the 2007 BOLA Mini-Site (http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com/BOLA2007/) we will be announcing the First Round matches every two to three days, starting July 9, 2007.
Now, in no particular order, the competitors of the 2007 Battle of Los Angeles:
17 – “Double C” Claudio Castagnoli – The other half of the tag team known as the “Kings of Wrestling,” Claudio Castagnoli is the seventeenth entrant in the 2007 Battle of Los Angeles. After a first round loss in 2006’s tournament, Claudio admitted he was unprepared for the quickness of Jack Evans last year. But there is a reason why he is the “Most Money Making Man In Professional Wrestling,” and he has used the time since tournament to train extensively, in preparation for virtually any opponent. Will “Double C’s” commitment to excellence be enough for him to bring the trophy home to Switzerland this September?
18 – SHINGO – After spending time in the United States on a learning excursion, SHINGO returned to Japan earlier this year and quickly took Dragon Gate by storm. Already bored with the level of competition in Japan, SHINGO is intent on returning to America to prove that he is no longer a student, but a master of professional wrestling. Though the reputation of an international top talent is tough to earn, as the eighteenth competitor in the 2007 Battle of Los Angeles, SHINGO definitely will have the opportunity.
19 – “Mr. Wrestling” Kevin Steen – A veteran of both previous Battle of Los Angeles tournaments, former PWG World Champion “Mr. Wrestling” Kevin Steen has been unable to advance past the second round on each occasion. But to hear him tell it, 2007 is Kevin Steen’s year, and the 2007 Battle of Los Angeles is his for the taking. Though sheer force of will can only get you so far, “Mr. Wrestling” is hoping that combined with his three A’s (Ability, Agility, and Awesomeness), force of will is going to be enough to propel him into the finals, and beyond.
20 – “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson – Making it to the semi-finals in 2005, “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson was sidelined by an injury which prevented him from competing in the Battle of Los Angeles tournament in 2006. However, the past matters little to Danielson, as he is more prepared than ever to prove he deserves the title of “World’s Greatest” by winning the 2007 Battle of Los Angeles. Though there will be twenty-three others in the tournament, Danielson is nonplussed, seeing them as merely stepping stones on his path to glory. But what happens if he is matched up with someone like CIMA, who little over a month ago took Danielson to a thirty minute time limit draw? He may not care about the other wrestlers, but the clock may prove to be Bryan Danielson’s worst enemy in the tournament.
21 – Super Dragon – Plagued by injuries for the last year, Super Dragon was to make his triumphant return to Pro Wrestling Guerrilla at DDT4, where along with Davey Richards, he expected to regain the PWG World Tag Team titles. However, only Super Dragon and his doctor knew the extent of his injuries, and at DDT4, Super Dragon not only was unable to reclaim the titles, but re-injured his ankle in the process. Now with months of recuperation ahead of him, Super Dragon has the 2007 Battle of Los Angeles to motivate him on his road to recovery. Motivation not just for the prestige of winning the annual tournament, but to also repair his damaged reputation as the most dominant force in PWG.
22 – Rocky “Azucar” Romero – One of the few men in the 2007 Battle of Los Angeles to compete in both previous tournaments, Rocky Romero has used the past to shape his future as a professional wrestler. Already showing willingness to learn from his mistakes, Romero avenged his first round loss in 2006 by defeating Roderick Strong in singles competition earlier this year. Now heading into the 2007 tournament, Rocky Romero is more focused than ever on making up for past mistakes, and he is ready to make anyone he faces find out first hand.
23 – Nigel McGuinness – The twenty-third entrant in the 2007 Battle of Los Angeles, and the final man making his PWG debut during the tournament, Nigel McGuinness seems to be tailor made for winning this tournament. McGuinness was crowned the King of Europe earlier this year, in a tournament where he beat out seven other 2007 Battle of Los Angeles competitors, including fellow Englishman Doug Williams in the final round. Combine that with his brutal encounters with Bryan Danielson, and experience wrestling at least one third of the other 2007 Battle of Los Angeles competitors, Nigel McGuinness seems like an early favorite without ever having set foot in a PWG ring. However, the twenty-three other competitors direct your attention to the words of Flava Flav, from a hit single by Public Enemy in 1988.
24 – CIMA – The final competitor to be announced for the 2007 Battle of Los Angeles shocked fans and wrestlers alike when in his PWG debut he made it all the way to the final round of the 2006 Battle of Los Angeles before being defeated by Davey Richards. Looking to repeat his success this year, CIMA has preparing by bringing some fellow 2007 Battle of Los Angeles competitors to Japan in order to scout them and have first hand experience wrestling them prior to this year’s tournament. However, the move may backfire on the ace of Dragon Gate, because for as good as CIMA’s research may be, El Generico, PAC, Jack Evans, or Matt Sydal’s may be better.
