The Mean Scene #15

Photo: Tez Himself

One half of the voices of Explosive Pro Wrestling, and the two time WPW Commentator of the Year, Mean Dean Olsen brings WPW all the latest on the EPW scene.

Welcome back to another exciting edition of The Mean Scene where I rant about all things Explosive Pro Wrestling. Hell or Highwater is quickly approaching and with some of the matches announced, the tenth annual event it is lining up to be a show not to be missed. It has one of the most stacked cards of the year, with a line up of matches that could rival a ReAwakening show. Now last month, I touched on the battle for the EPW tag team titles that will happen at Hell or Highwater. This month I want to focus on the main event, the EPW title match which is shaping up to be a classic.

The match will see current champion “The Ironman” Davis Storm defend his title against Team All Star's massive powerhouse Sebastian Sander and Victorias cockiest dirtbag “Cash Money” Carlo Cannon. A three way championship match for the EPW title will headline the show and having seen all three of these guys work as of late it is going to be one hell of a tight contest. Also we must acknowledge the fact that being a three person bout, it adds the intangible “X” factor of having an odd amount of people battling for dominance. So many times through wrestling history things have been focused on two individuals in a three way match, only to have the third party be the sly one stealing the victory. We must also take a look at the individuals and what they will bring to the table on the night.

Photo: Explosive Pro Wrestling

Since making his debut in EPW everyone has kept a close eye on Sebastian Sander as he had “future main eventer” written all over him. In his career so far, Sander has ploughed through the competition and quickly asserted his dominance in EPW, although only being here for a few years, no one in the company has ever taken him lightly and rightfully so. Sander has a spectacular height advantage over almost the entire roster, is also built like a tank and has the raw brute strength to go along with it. All these factors make him a danger to anyone opposing him at anytime. Having Team All Star at his side has helped him from time to time, but more often than not, it is him helping them. I believe the only factor against him in his first EPW title match is his inexperience in the main event title picture. While he has been a tag champion and battled in many high calibre match ups, he is in there with two seasoned vets who know every trick in the book and have even written a few new ones.

Photo: Explosive Pro Wrestling

Carlo Cannon is an interesting wrestler, he has that “love to hate” factor, where he is such an arrogant, cocky jerk but also has the skills and talent to back it up. As we have seen a number of times in the past he can get the job done in EPW and has hung with the best and numerous occasions. His run with Slex as EPW Tag Team Champions set the Australian wrestling world on fire and sent shockwaves through EPW, one can only imagine what would happen if he were to win the EPW Championship. Now, we have seen his YouTube videos of him running around the streets of Melbourne trash talking and superkicking bystanders on the street and I think many people are quick to write Cannon off as just another young ego maniac who’s head is too big for his own good. I think this is selling him short because his wrestling ability is second to none. As much as we don’t like to admit he is one of the best in this country, although small in hight he is large in heart, has lightning quickness, an impressive arsenal of moves, technical wrestling skills and the cunning and smarts to defeat anyone opposite him in the squared circle. If victorious I’m sure we’ll see a new video saying the EPW championship is “staying in Melbourne” this would be detrimental to EPW, but it is a possibility given Carlo's track record and the fact that he has defeated Davis Storm in EPW more than once.

Photo: Explosive Pro Wrestling

Speaking of Davis Storm, 2011 has been an interesting year for the Ironman, he kicked off the year as champion and has been a fighting champion as we would expect no less. But the competition in EPW is at an all time high right now with more people lining up for a title shot than I’d care to count. It was a few months ago after a gruelling match with AZ Vegara at Midyear Mayhem, that Marcius Pitt defeated Storm for the belt. This lead to a bone crunching last man standing match in which Storm regained the championship, which was followed moments later by Mikey Nicholls getting in his face wanting a title shot. We were even treated to a champion vs. champion match with Storm against hardcore champion Tyler Jacobs at Midyear Mayhem 2. These two battered and bruised each other in a fantastic contest that showed just how good the competition is in EPW in 2011. I really don’t need to talk up the ability of Davis Storm, we all know how good he is and time and time again he proves himself even when it looks as if he is done. There is no quit in him and he has proven on so many occasions that is a fine example of what it takes to be the best in EPW.

When the three of these competitors collide at Hell or Highwater, it is going to be a match that will be remembered for years regardless of the outcome. Will we see Sebastian Sander usher in a new era as a fist time EPW champion? Will we see the EPW title go back to Melbourne with Carlo Cannon, leaving EPW in a state of disarray, without a championship title thanks to an individual that very few in this state have beaten? Or will we see one of the best EPW champions retain the title that gives him reason to live and further his legacy in the history books of Explosive Pro Wrestling?

Well you need to get yourself to the Vasto Club in Balcatta on August 13 to find out, it’s EPW’s Hell or Highwater 2011, featuring so many great match ups, making it a show not to be missed. Until next time keep supporting local wrestling and stay tuned to epwperth.com