We all saw exactly what it takes to win the NPCI, but you didn’t see what it takes to organize and arrange such a show. For today’s column, I’m going to take you behind the scenes for a look into what it takes to throw the biggest tournament in the state. Sit back and get ready to expand your mind as you go, pillar to post.

Weeks / Months Before the Show
Knowing the NPCI is coming up, the CLASH executive board has a series of meetings designed to determine who will be invited to the NPCI. Votes are cast, arguments are hashed out and voted on, and a final proposal is submitted to CEO Truth Martini. Truth adds a few ‘must haves’ and the board decides on the best combination of talent to both represent the best of the best in tag team wrestling, and entertain the fans. The venue, this year the Taylor Town Trade Center, is also reserved as the show date is set.

The Days Leading Up to the NPCI
As the NPCI draws closer, things inevitably change. This year saw a members of Beyond Wrestling injured and unable to compete; they were eventually replaced by MDogg20 Matt Cross & Jefferson Saint. There were teams with travel problems, and matches had to be changed. Specifically, this year saw the removal of the Jawbreakers and the addition of Cave-Manix and the lovely ladies team of Mena Libra and Sassy Stephie.

Arrangements were also made to bring in a support crew. This year we had a bolstered sound system, professional photographer, and high quality videographer.

CLASH management was also needed to assist the out of town teams in securing travel and sleeping accommodations.

NPCI, Day 1
Crews arrived at the Taylor Town Trade Center well before noon in preparation of that nights activities. The ring had to be transported, unloaded, and assembled. The entrance way and lighting needed to be set up. The sound system was prepared and tested. A space was set aside for the video camera and for CLASH Radio (which I highly recommend, by the way). Countless batteries were charged (digital cameras, video cameras, microphones, etc.), chairs set up, and banners hung. The merchandise booth was built, and the area was swept and cleaned.

There were still a couple of last minute delays or problems. Jimmy Jacobs had travel problems and was unable to attend. Luckily for CLASH, Petey Williams is both friends with Zach Gowen and lives within a reasonable distance and was willing to step up and fill in for Jacobs.

We also ran live commentary during the NPCI, so assignments of various announce teams were made, disputed, and finalized.

Aftermath
The NPCI has ended but the work continues on. The ring and set had to be disassembled. The sound and video equipment packed away. CLASH radio conducted interviews with Too Sweet and Cameron Skyy about their victories. The chairs were stacked and the ring loaded into a truck to be taken to storage. The last people were left at the Trade Center finalizing the clean up until 1:00 AM. But even then, there was still more to do.

The website had to be updated, tweets needed to be made, and status updates needed to be issued. Footage needs to be reviewed and edited (for example, the part where, during the Cameron Skyy / J. Miller interview on night 1, I called the NPCI the Triple Crown Cup [to my defense, I was just referencing the Young Lion’s Cup and I guess I just couldn’t get ‘cup’ from my mind]).

The audio commentary we recorded needs to be combined with the video and edited down to fit in the allotted time so that it will fit on DVD. Art for the DVD needs to be created.

With all that was going on behind the scenes it’s a wonder that we were able to have a show at all, yet alone one of the greatest wrestling shows in memory.

The good news, CLASH crew and executive board: you get to relax for a few weeks.

The bad news, we have to do it all again on August 14th as CLASH returns to the Livonia Elks Lodge.

Of course, this is great news for CLASH wrestling fans, as it’s another opportunity to see the best wrestlers around!

Thanks for reading, I hope to have enlightened and inspired you. Today I’ve taken you beyond the great wrestling you see in the ring. Today I took you all the way from pillar to post.

Age of the Fall

Wrestling fans should be familiar with both of these two men. Jimmy Jacobs was a special hand-picked opponent of Tommy Treznik back in October 2009 at This is Clash 4. He’s wrestled for ROH and countless other promotions around the globe, even defeating Eddie Guerrero on Smackdown. Zach Gowen is a former TNA and WWE star who holds victories over guys like Brock Lesnar and Big Show. Let’s look at some footage.

You’ve got two talent individuals who are ring veterans and hold impressive victories over some of the biggest names in all of pro wrestling; how can you not expect great things from these two? Age of the Fall might be the odds on favorite to win the 2010 NPCI.

Aeroform

Flip Kendrick seems to both defy gravity and live up to the ‘flip’ name with his in ring acrobatics. Louis Lyndon competed against Tommy Treznik and GQ in a triple threat match at the 2010 Relay for Life.

More importantly than any singles accolades, these two men know each other inside and out. They are a cohesive unit, and have the tag team chemistry needed to win the NPCI. Will they do it? We’ll have to attend to find out.

3.0

If you went to the Chikara show at the Taylor Town Trade Center (and if you didn’t, shame on you) then you saw 3.0 emerge victorious in the main event of the evening.

3.0 is both entertaining and capable and are representing Chikara, whose Osirian Portal, Frightmare, and Dasher Hatfield we’ve seen do well in CLASH before. Last year, Osirian Portal made it all the way to the finals. Can 3.0 outdo their fellow Chikarians? We’ll find out on the 16th.

Hybrid Wrestling

Hybrid is an awesome Ohio based promotion that members of CLASH have visited in the past. They certainly know how to bring it and will be doing so at the NPCI.

Marion Fontaine is one of the best of the best, recently fighting for the Hybrid Championship Title (and a fine looking title it is). Eric Ryan was voted Hybrid’s most improved wrestler of 2009 and was also involved in the match of the year 2009.

Hybrid is looking to establish themselves as the most talented organization in the Midwest and winning the 2010 NPCI will go a long way toward that goal.

Just four teams examined, each with a good chance of winning the NPCI. Who will actually win is a mystery that will be solved on the 16th and 17th.

Here’s a hint to the wise: buy your tickets online. (http://clashwrestling.com/buytickets/) Go ahead, save some money. You can buy me a hotdog as thanks for just saving you cash.

Alright, that’s it for today. I’m going to say that, after the first fall, it’s Pillar to Post leading 1-0.

See you all very soon for fall number 2. See you shortly after that for the funnest event of the year: the 2010 NPCI Tag Team Tournament.

I, John Striker, will be your guide. Today I wish to enlighten you about a certain situation. I am subtitling this Pillar to Post: “The Curse of the CLASH Heavyweight Championship or How Tommy Treznik Avoided Certain Disaster.”

The Story I Heard
I preface this story with another story. I’m not saying it’s true, I’m just saying I heard it. On January 10th, 2009 Cameron Skyy won the CLASH Heavyweight title back from Jack Night (who he had lost it to in November). Skyy found an Indian shaman out in the deserts near Las Vegas and had the championship cursed, so that if he were to ever lose it again, pain and misery would befall the “new” champion. It sounds crazy right? But the statistics don’t lie…

Dragon Kreed – Won Title March 29, 2009 – Injured June 6, 2009
Dragon Kreed seemed to be on top of the world. Kreed spent most of his time in CLASH Wrestling as an unstoppable juggernaut. His strength, speed, and raw energy quickly catapulted him to the top of the heap and, on March 29th he achieved his goal of winning the CLASH Title. He went on to successfully defend the title and stop Cameron Skyy from gaining retribution. But even the mighty Dragon Kreed was not immune to the Curse of the CLASH Heavyweight Title. On June 6th, Kreed suffered a terrible shoulder injury that kept him out of action for the rest of the year. While Kreed is back in CLASH today, he has yet to recapture the CLASH Heavyweight Championship.

Tyler Elkins – Won Title January 23, 2010 – Injured March 27, 2010
While Dragon looked to recapture the title, it was Tyler Elkins who would become the next CLASH Heavyweight Champion. While Skyy and Kreed were busy fighting each other, it seemed as if the Caveman may have outsmarted both of them by focusing on his primary goal – winning the title. The Caveman couldn’t outsmart the Curse, though, and suffered an ACL tear just two months after becoming CLASH Heavyweight Champion.

Cameron Skyy – Won Title February 1, 2010 – Injured April 17, 2010
Cameron Skyy was back on top. He surpassed his own record for most CLASH Title Reigns by defeating Kreed and Elkins for the title. There’s one thing Skyy didn’t count on: the curse. He must’ve assumed that the curse would end upon his regaining the championship. He was wrong. Just two months after recapturing the gold, Skyy suffered a broken forearm.

It seems like the curse will set in two to three months into a title reign. That must come as a great relief to Tommy Treznik, who lost the title the same day he won it. Thinking back, when Dragon Kreed forfeited the title to the CLASH executive board (me, acting as their agent), I remember feeling a sudden wave of nausea come over me. Some say it was just nerves, that I was intimidated by Dragon Kreed but now I think it might have been the curse, making it’s presence known. I can’t guarantee that the curse is real but if I were J. Miller, I’d check twice before crossing the street.

Now I know some people are going to be a bit upset with me. I know some people are feeling hurt. They’re feeling abandoned, because I haven’t written my words of wisdom that is this column, Pillar to Post. I have a confession to make, a confession about why I haven’t written. In truth, I pride myself on knowing the backstage ins and outs. They give me a special insight into the direction of CLASH Wrestling. I then share a part of that knowledge with you. Ever since the ousting of Jeremy Jones as CEO, I haven’t had the access that I was used to. Additionally, the CLASHWRESTLING.COM web heads stepped up their game. The result was that you and I were finding out about CLASH Wrestling news and information at the exact same time.

Well, I’m happy to say, there was a change in one of the CLASH Executive Board seats and the new board member has given me one piece of important “insider information”. I have learned that at Seize the Day III, no matter what happens, a new CLASH Heavyweight Champion will crowned. If the ceiling caves in on the Taylor Town Trade Center, they will climb out of the rubble and continue until there is a winner. The CLASH Wrestling executive board was not happy with the fact that the last title match didn’t see a winner and they have assured me that, come hell or high water, a new CLASH Champion will definitely be crowned this Saturday, at Seize the Day III. Let’s take a look at each man’s chances, the way I see it.

Tyler Elkins
The Caveman has ridden Cameron Skyy’s coat tails straight to the top. Elkins is a true competitor and athlete. He’s a multi time champion in armature wrestling and MMA competition. Additionally, he has the aid of having his close friend and tag partner, “Ace High” Cameron Skyy in the match with him. Many people view Tyler Elkins as more of the side dish and less of the main course, as he’s been playing second fiddle to Cameron Skyy. I think that nothing is further from the truth. I think that people underestimate the intellect of Tyler Elkins. Tyler took his biggest weakness, his lack of experience, and overcame it by partnering himself with multi-time CLASH Champion Skyy. As I said, Elkins has used Skyy to round out his skills and take him to the next level. Elkins is a smart man and I think that Seize the Day III, this Saturday, it may be time for Elkins to take what he has learned from Skyy and use it to it’s fullest, to walk out as new CLASH Champion.

“Ace High” Cameron Skyy
As I said just a paragraph above, Elkins and Skyy have an inherent advantage in being partners and friends. Skyy of course also has the advantage of being a former, two time, CLASH Heavyweight Champion. Working against Cameron Skyy is is, quite frankly, Cameron Skyy. Skyy is certainly an established wrestler, a great competitor, and a proven champion. What Skyy lacks in this match is confidence. Skyy has been unable to defeat Dragon Kreed. Just when it looked like Cameron Skyy had his chance at retribution, Dragon Kreed made his return. If you were there, and you should have been, you would’ve seen Skyy’s flat out temper tantrum. I believe we witnessed all the air coming out of the sails of the boat that is Cameron Skyy.

“The Man’s Man” Tommy Tydie
Tydie is one of the most respected men in CLASH Wrestling, and for good reason. Tydie has done it all in CLASH Wrestling. He’s won the Triple Crown Cup, he’s held the Tag Title on four separate occasions, he founded and then reformed the H3RD. What Tydie has not done is captured that CLASH Heavyweight Championship. I know he wants it badly, and he certainly has the skill. Tommy Tydie may very well walk out of Seize the Day III this Saturday with his biggest goal achieved. That being said, I feel like Tommy Tydie tends to cave under the pressures of “Big Time” matches. For all that Tommy Tydie has won, he has also lost in spectactular fashion. Tydie has the skill, but it seems like he just needs a little something more to get over the hump and reach the very top of CLASH Wrestling.

Dragon Kreed
Kreed dominated as CLASH Heavyweight Champion with his intensity and strength. He certainly looked to have the fire in his eyes and heart as he made his debut and, if he’s 100% certainly has what it takes to reclaim his spot atop the CLASH Wrestling throne. Dragon Kreed is a human juggernaut, and unstoppable beast who has mowed down all challengers placed before him. Working against Kreed, however, is the fact that he has not completed in a match since For the Win in June. Kreed also has a surgically repaired shoulder. He’s also in there with three determined guys who are fully aware of his injury. Two of those men are the primary cause for his injury. It is for these reasons that I have my doubts about Dragon Kreed. I question his ability to recover from the surgery, to shake off the ring rust, and to overcome the obstacles placed before him. Kreed has been able to overcome all obstacles in the past, This Saturday, we’ll see if he can do it again.

Thanks for reading my return to CLASHWRESTLING.COM, make sure you’re at the Taylor Town Trade Center this Saturday to see if my expert analysis proves out. My pick for new CLASH Heavyweight Champion is none other than the “Cave Man” Tyler Elkins! Until next time, please feel free to leave me messages on the realauched CLASH Message Forums, let me know if there’s something you’ve always wanted to know that I can shed some light on, and most importantly, look forward with hope and anticipation, for the next time you get the opportunity to go Pillar to Post.

Out of Town Guests
Someone once said that houseguests are like fish, after three days they both stink. This weekend it seemed as though there were plenty of familiar ‘guests’ at CLASH wrestling. Most of them were a joy and a pleasure to be around, but some stunk after the very first day.

I’m referring to Josh Thor, who, aside from generally being a jerk to the fans as of late, had some choice words for CLASH Radio in general and myself in particular. I’m not sure if it’s because his former tag team partner was on SyFy (which is, as an aside, a terrible name for a TV station) not too long ago or what, but Thor certainly has a new found attitude problem. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing but respect for the man as an athlete, but to degrade me? Hey, Jeremy Jones and I are fairly close, Thor best remember that next time he wants to run me down.

Injuries
I had a sit down interview with Wreckingball at Fandimonium. He was his typical angry self. Like Dragon Kreed, he didn’t really have an outlook on his return to CLASH, which is unfortunate. I find it ironic that Wreckingball’s upset that there have been no ‘injury updates’ on him when he’s not only been unreachable, but when I did talk to him he gave me no update! It’s almost like he’s just looking for a reason to walk around angry. On that note, I hope he doesn’t read this, because I’m sure he’ll find a reason to be angry about it!

On a positive note, I have it on good authority that nobody was seriously injured at Fandimonium. Between the Street Fight main event and a scary moment involving Joey Kings, it’s good to know that we won’t have any more athletes on the shelf for the months ahead. Stay safe, guys!

Tag Team Turmoil
It looks like, after their impressive win over H3RD at Fandimonium, Nightlife is set up to square off against Friends at This is CLASH 3 on 8/22. I think this match will really set the tone for the future of the CLASH tag team division and is worth the drive up to Mt. Clemons by itself.

We’ll also see H3RD take on Beauty and the Beast in what I’m sure is going to be a truly great matchup. If H3RD loses this match, I have to imagine they can kiss their chance at getting a Tag Team Title shot anytime soon goodbye. Beauty and the Beast had a title shot at Fandimonium, but only after defeating Fast and Fabulous and the Power Rangers. Call me crazy, but I think that Page and Kings deserve another chance at getting those straps and I’m rooting for them over H3RD!

Also lurking in the background is Ace High Cameron Skyy and Tyler Elkins, who may be looking to break down the door into the Tag Team division by defeating Will Vendetta and “The Rocker” Marty Janette.

Consolation Prize
Of course, Skyy may be looking simply to plant a feather in his cap by saying he defeated the former World Tag Team Champion, Jannetty. Skyy, don’t forget, has that consolation prize and, while the Tag Team Division in CLASH is certainly competitive, I believe Skyy’s ego is too large to share the glory of a championship with anyone. I said it before, and I’ll stand by it: I will be utterly shocked if Skyy does anything else with his consolation prize beside insert himself into the CLASH Heavyweight Title picture.

Of course the picture isn’t crystal clear, as CLASH has been without a champion for some time now. I, for one, hope that the situation is addressed at This is CLASH 3 at the Gibraltar Trade Center in Mt. Clemens. Miller and Tydie both have legitimate claims to the number one contender position, and I’d like to know how they plan to resolve the problem.

In any event, with awesome tag team action and all the top CLASH stars, in addition to the return and Mt. Clemons CLASH debut of “The Rocker” Marty Jannetty, This is CLASH 3 is shaping up to be a huge, “can’t miss” show.

Like all good things, this column has come to an end. Don’t weep for it’s passing. Instead, just smile and reflect fondly on this occasion when you went… Pillar to Post.

John Striker

DRAGON’S BREATH
For those of you that didn’t attend our double shot weekend’s Friday Night Fury, you missed out on an epic moment that is sure to be a classic and make all the best of DVD’s. That momentous moment was none other than my in-ring debut! Oh, also Dragon Kreed relinquished the Clash Championship. I was going over some tape, preparing for CLASH RADIO as I always do when my cell phone rings. It’s none other than CEO Jeremy Jones. I figure he’s finally going to give me a raise but instead he says he needs me, practically pleads with me, to take the CLASH Heavyweight Title from Dragon Kreed at Friday Night Fury.

Obviously I’m the best man for the job. Yes, I’ll admit it was a bit intimidating standing in the ring with Dragon (which you can see on the latest CLASH in a Flash) but I had the determination, confidence, and executive board on my side. It also didn’t hurt my confidence that Dragon’s ‘Destroy and Conquer” arm was in a sling. In any event, let me be the first to say that Dragon’s size and intensity are a scary thing, and I have a new respect for anyone in CLASH that has the guts to step into that ring with him. Looking back now I have to wonder if Cowboy Jones had a family emergency at all. Maybe he was just too afraid, or ‘yellow’ to use his vernacular, to take that title from Kreed himself?

A THING OF BEAUTY
Aside from the corny start to their music, Beauty and the Beast were beyond impressive in their recent victory over CLASH Tag Team Champion Friends. Adam foolishly believes that Nightlife and BATB should face off in a number one contender’s match but from where I sit, beating the champions grants the number one contender spot automatically.

I know GQ and Rave and both are very proud men. I am sure that the loss does not sit well with them and would bet that they will address the situation this Saturday at the Game On Sports Center.

GET YOUR GAME ON
Speaking of Game On Sports Center, I have to admit I am glad to be back. The gymnasium atmosphere and ambiance of the place really lends itself to wrestling. The staff has been cool to me there, the crowd receptive and rowdy. Put all that together with a stacked card and a huge main event and you’ve got yourself one “must-see” show.

I am expecting big… no, make that huge things this Saturday that I know will shake the very foundation of CLASH Wrestling. In addition to expecting something about or involving the CLASH Tag Team Title situation, we’re also told to expect an announcement from Wreckingball, his career, future, and what happens to his ‘consolation prize’. If that weren’t enough, Tommy Tydie Vs. J. Miller for the CLASH Heavyweight Championship. Let me tell you now, it gets no bigger or better than this!

CLASH HISTORY 101
In the event that you’ve been living in a cave (perhaps with “Cave Man” Tyler Elkins), allow me to briefly discuss some of the sordid history between one Murderous Monk and one Man’s Man.

Tydie and Miller completed their wrestling training together. They wrestled as a tag team in Clash Wrestling for the better part of it’s history, winning the CLASH Tag Team Gold and having some of the most memorable matches in CLASH wrestling history.. They were as close knit a team as ever there was in CLASH and were even better friends outside of the ring.

That all changed when Tydie decided to let Wreckingball unleash a vicious attack on Miller that took him out of action for over two months. Miller was hurt physically, but much worse emotionally. He felt that Tydie betrayed him and, understandably, hated him for it. It didn’t take Tydie long to realize the error of his ways. He missed that tag team bond, knowing that someone had his back. He apologized for his actions, and while Miller moved on, he never really forgave Tydie.

This Saturday, any chance at a peaceful resolution to their problems seems impossible as Miller and Tydie are set to square off over the only trophy greater than their CLASH Tag Team Title victory, the apex of CLASH Wrestling, the CLASH Championship. Both men know each other inside and out. They know their moves, they know the way each other think. Usually in a match a wrestler has to either act, or react. In this match I think there will be no time. They won’t be able to act or react because their brains will be moving faster than their bodies will allow. Saturday, it will be a battle of pure instinct. These two former friends, former allies will face off in the biggest match of each of their careers and when the dust settles, when the smoke clears, we will have a new Champion of CLASH Wrestling. This is simply epic.

Before I go I’d just like to express my sadness that Marty Epps is leaving us as head referee. It’s tough to keep good referees these days. I like to think that I started the “oh, come on ref, that was three!” heckle but either way, I’d like to personally wish him well on whatever he does in his next stage in life.

See everyone who’s not a complete moron on Saturday. Until then just be grateful that today you went Pillar to Post and came out the better for it.

Take care.

Celebrate Independence with Independent Wrestling
I’m going to step a little bit out of my box for a minute and take a wider look at wrestling for a moment. I know Independence day isn’t about wrestling, but it does provide a nice hook to remind everyone to support independent wrestling. The question you might be asking yourself is, “what’s the problem?” The answer to that is routed in the past and quite complex but, in short…

Independent Wrestling today is facing an assault on two fronts. On one hand, you have the 8+ hours of “free” original wrestling content on TV a week; not to mention the hours and hours of on demand or classic wrestling (although the classic AWA stuff is more compelling than most of what you’ll watch on TV these days). On the other hand you have tons and tons of unseasoned youngsters passing themselves off as independent pro wrestlers. The problem is that with all these factors it’s getting harder and harder for a true independent wrestling promotion to get and keep fans. Without a strong following, many good independent wrestling promotions go under. Good independent wrestlers today are the television or worldwide stars of tomorrow and it stands to reason that if there are less good independent promotions today there will be less good wrestlers tomorrow. With worse and worse wrestlers on TV, more and more fans tune out of wrestling, and thus are less likely to go to their local independent show. The cycle continues, with less and less talent, good promotions, and fans each time.

“That sounds horrible” you’re saying to yourself, and you’re right. The real question you should be asking is “What can be done about it?” Again, I could write a volume on what I think some solutions are, but truthfully, there is no one answer. Wrestling promotions are coming up with various approaches. The big name companies you watch on TV are coping with their lack of skilled wrestlers by promoting the sport aspect of wrestling less and the entertainment aspect more. Some independents are offering a theme, hoping to reach a niche audience. (PS- ‘extreme’ or ‘hardcore’ or ‘garbage’ wrestling is not the solution for a host of reasons I don’t have time to go into right now – see Jim Cornette’s website for more on that) All that being said, the number one most important thing that can be done is done by you, the person reading this article right now. If you live in the area, come to CLASH Wrestling. If you live far away, find a local independent wrestling company with trained, professional talent. Fight to keep independent wrestling alive and well and you’ll be rewarded with better wrestling, more high quality wrestlers, and the kind of entertainment that has been missing from your weekly TV wrestling show for far too long.

Tag Team Turmoil
Playing off my last section, I’ve got to make one final comment about the NPCI II tournament. I’m sure you’ve seen the music video by now, right? No? Well what are you waiting for? Go see it! I’ll wait…. Still waiting … ok, there you go. Anyway, the NPCI was a great example of what good Indy wrestling is all about. At the NPCI we had teams from some of the best independent promotions in the country (CLASH, Chikira, ROH, among others) showcasing their diverse styles and tremendous talents. I’ve got it on good authority that several of those tag teams will be back in CLASH to further entertain you, our friends and followers. Of course, Ophidian of the Osirian Portal suffered a broken arm during the NPCI finals so I wouldn’t expect them anytime soon. Honestly, an influx of new tag teams to CLASH couldn’t have come at a better time. No offense to the current blend of CLASH teams, but Friends have pretty much ruled the yard for some time now. I really had a lot of faith in Nightlife but if they need a change of strategy or something because they have had little success against Friends so far.

Speaking of Title Situations
Looks like my sources were wrong and Dragon is out with a more severe injury than I was told. Either way, that sets up two big shows for the Friday and Saturday after the holiday to see who’s going to be earning a shot at the CLASH Championship. We’ve got J. Miller, Tommy Tydie, Wreckingball, and Ace High Cameron Skyy. We’ve got Miller Vs. Wreckingball, and we all know their history together (Wreckingball squashing Miller’s head like an over-ripe cantaloupe, for starters). We’ve also got Tydie vs Skyy, which will be a great matchup. Tydie, on CLASH Radio, promised that he would beat Cameron Skyy in a one on one match up. Skyy proved him a liar. Knowing the pride that Tydie has in what he says and does, I’m sure that’s been eating away at him for some time. It’ll be interesting to see how he fares this time.

If you ask me though, and by reading this column you’ve essentially asked me already, there shouldn’t be this mini-tournament for the title. The belt should just be awarded to Ace High Cameron Skyy. Skyy carried that championship and CLASH wrestling on his back from day one. He was the rock to which you, the fans, turned to for safety. Now he loses a few matches in a row to Dragon Kreed and you people turn your back on him so quick, throwing him out like yesterday’s newspaper. If you ask me, you should all be begging Ace High to return to his old ways, to save you from yourselves. You should shower him with cheers and hoist him onto your shoulders as he holds his title high above his head. You should, but you’re probably to stubborn to heed my advice.

The Heat of Summer
I want to say a quick thanks to those who came out to McCaffrey’s last Saturday during the downriver cruise. It was a bit of an odd show and, to tell the truth, we didn’t really know what to expect from the day either. There were a few hick-ups and glitches but in the end I feel we delivered a solid show in miserable conditions. The ring canvas was easily 120 degrees, just touching it was painful and nearly impossible to do. I was concerned for Dave Manzo’s health as he ran from the ring mid-match to gulp down some water to prevent from passing out. (Was he so exhausted from wrestling or his improvised Michael Jackson tribute dance to the ring?) Despite the rough conditions, CLASH athletes are a professional bunch and still delivered solid action from start to end. I hope that some of you are reading this article because you saw the free show and want to know what CLASH is all about. I’m telling it to you straight, the cruise show was good but if that’s all you’ve seen of CLASH, you aint seen nothing yet!

That’s about it guys, I’m out of here. I’ll be soaking in a pool in a Lansing suburb all weekend, so don’t try to call me. Instead just sit back, be grateful for the freedoms we have, and remember fondly that today is the day when you went Pillar to Post. I’m John Striker telling you to take it easy like Sunday morning.

Competition? Hardly!
Before I get into the meat and potatoes, I figure I’d better start with an appetizer. While my stomach was craving a blooming onion, I decided to stick with the potato skins. So Nicholas P. Clashertone, who writes one of the many columns on Clashwrestling.com that I collectively call “Not as good as Pillar to Post” has announced that my Clash Radio partner, Adam Summers, has been granted the role of official CLASH backstage interviewer. He goes on to suggest that there may be some competition between Clash in a Flash and Pillar to Post. Well let me clear the air here. First off, I offer my sincere congratulations to Adam. Any competition or rivalry Adam and I may have is purely professional, and drives us both to higher levels of success. Adam’s a great guy and I’ve got no problem with him finding individual success on his own.

Besides, how hard is it to hold a microphone anyway? People come read my column to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for the latest happenings in CLASH. People come to read what I think and what I know. People listen to Adam conducting interviews to hear what Ace High or Will Vendetta think. Furthermore, the Clash in a Flash to Pillar to Post analogy is flawed by the format and content of each feature. Clash in a Flash offers viewers a video recap with some opinions expressed by their favorite or least-favorite wrestlers. Pillar to Post offers readers a change to stretch their brain and expand their mental capacities. It’s a commentary on the state of this country that people would flock to a video instead of reading a column, but perhaps that’s a column for another time.

Bottom line, there will be no competition between Clash in a Flash and Pillar to Post because this is where it’s at. Sure, the Flash may receive more page views, fueled by the moronic masses looking for a quick fix of the adrenaline that is CLASH. P2P, however, will remain what it is, a place for the intellectuals to gather, absorb, learn, and be entertained.

NPCI II
Loosely speaking of Nicholas P. Clashertone, the NPCI, or as I like to call it, the NPCITTT (Nicholas P. Clashertone Invitational Tag Team Tournament) or maybe the JJCITTT, is nearly upon us. I am beyond excited about this one. For those who are unfamiliar, let me give you just a little, a minute sampling, of the histories and stories shaping up for half of the teams (the top 6 that I am watching):

Beauty & The Beast: Ethan Page & NRC – If you watched Clash in a Flash then you know these two mean business. Attitude and brute savagery? Sounds like a winning combination to me.

SR17: Van Envy & Kris Konflict – You’ve seen this pair teaming up at recent CLASH events, winning a few impressive tag matches along the way. I have a feeling these two have been holding back a little in the ring so far. Call it a sixth sense or a keen mind for wrestling, but I’m expecting good things from them.

Will Vendetta & Lance Winston – These two could practically taste victory as they came so close to winning last year. I haven’t heard much from Winston but my sources tell me he’s as ready as ever. Vendetta is pumped and ready for action, this is a team to watch!

Chikara Champeons De Parejas The Osirian Portal – For those that don’t know, Chikara is a great independent promotion that runs on the East Coast and has, at one point or another, employed athletes varied from Alex Shelley to Colt Cabana and many in between. In any event, the Osirian Portal has been their version of tag team champions for nearly 8 months and may surprise a lot of people in the NPCI.

H3RD: J. Miller vs. Tommy Tydie – Last year H3RD walked away the winners of the NPCI. This year they are looking to repeat their performance. Will they be able to? H3RD and Friends have had some of CLASH’S best matches, and even if they aren’t on the same page, they are still one of the best tag teams alive today.

CLASH Tag Team Champions Friends: GQ & Rave Killbourn – This will certainly be their biggest test but one that I believe they may be able to overcome. The Friends are, in my knowledgeable opinion, the best tag team around today, and have to be the odds on favorite to take it all.

Ace High Sinks to New Low?
I really felt like Ace High Cameron Skyy was coming to the end of his rope. Here is a man who has sacrificed his fans, his personal pride, his sense of honor, and his popularity in pursuit of the most coveted of prizes, the Clash Heavyweight Championship. Still, Dragon Kreed remained. I knew that Ace would be pulling out absolutely all the stops against Dragon at For the Win but still Dragon Kreed remained. So when Ace High offered his hand to Kreed as a sign of respect I thought he was being sincere. I thought Cameron had done all that he could, sacrificed all that he was willing, and gave it his absolute best and, because he still lost, accepted in his own mind that Dragon Kreed is the better athlete and champion.

I was quite surprised, as I’m sure many of you were, when Ace High didn’t wasn’t ‘all in’ but pulled out another card from his deck of tricks… an ace up his sleeve, you might say. All pun making aside, Tyler Elkins had a fire in him the likes of which I’ve never seen before. I predicted that this would be a break out year for Tyler Elkins and, if you were there at For the Win, you saw Tyler break out! The question everyone is asking is ‘why?’ Why would Tyler Elkins do this? Well, I’m sure we’ll find out from the horse’s mouth directly sooner or later, but here is my theory:

Tyler Elkins is a proud man. He’s an MMA champion. He hasn’t been able to adapt to wrestling as quickly or effectively as he’d like. He needed a way to turn heads and make an impact. Ace High needed a ‘hired gun’ or a little muscle to help him gain the advantage over Dragon Kreed. Looking at the results from For the Win we see that Kreed has never been weaker, and no one is overlooking Elkins now. I call that a win-win.

Odds and Ends
I promise that I am not copying off of Nicholas Clashertone, but I have a few things that didn’t make it into Pillar to Post this time or in the past, and I thought I’d share them with you.

- Nightlife is looking awesome. I am more and more impressed each and every time I see these guys. Go watch Clash in a Flash and tell me Dave Manzo doesn’t look like he’s CLASH World Champion. Impressive.

- Dragon Kreed apparently suffered an arm injury at the hands of Cameron Skyy and Tyler Elkins. My sources seem to believe it’s not career threatening and will just need some time to heal. Of course, my sources are not the doctors that evaluated him.

- For those that missed it, after the main event at For the Win, the fans wanted more! They surrounded the ring, pounding on it until Jerry Jones relented and sang us some Johnny Cash. We might have the next Nashville Star in CLASH!

- I had so much fun at the Relay for Life event. Throwing pies in people’s faces, spray painting people’s hair, dropping them into dunk tanks…. Does it get any better than that?

- I have absolutely no idea where, and have had no contact what-so-ever, with either the Green Ranger or Khameleon.

- John Striker was recently named Clash Wrestling’s most sexy man… at least according to my sources

That’s it folks. You’ve been treated to quite a big slice of the mental pie today. This post has truly gone from pillar to post. Remember to check out Adam’s interviews on Clash in a Flash and, more importantly, my commentary on the Clash Best Of DVD’s, my show, Clash Radio, and most importantly, Pillar to Post. Until next time, I’m John Striker.

Exciting Times Abound
How exciting have the last few CLASH shows been? How awesome are the next few shows going to be? The answer to both questions is the same: “super freaking exciting!” I feel like For the Win may top the CLASH’s biggest event to date, Seize the Day II. The card is shaping up to be one hell of a show, and even I am unsure what’s going to be left standing when the dust settles. If that wasn’t enough, there’s a free show coming up THIS SATURDAY at Heritage Park in Taylor at 10:00 PM. You can’t beat that! CLASH tickets are a bargain regularly but now they’re cheap as free? Unbelievable! And if all that excitement wasn’t enough, we’ve got the Second Annual NPCI Tournament taking place on the 19th and 20th. If you’re a fan of tag team wrestling, and who isn’t, then you need to be there. If you’re not a fan of tag team wrestling, you will be.

Speaking of Tag Teams
I have to say that I’m a little disappointed in my pick to be new CLASH Tag Team Champions, Nightlife. Maybe I miscalculated by making my prediction based on what I perceived to be the determination of Nightlife, instead of properly calculating all of the variables. Who would have known that CEO Jeremy Jones would have stopped B from cheating his team to victory? Oh well, that’s the breaks I guess, even I can be wrong once and a while. Of course, I mean to take nothing at all away from the Friends, even though “Between the Crosshairs” can only aspire to match “Pillar to Post”. In my mind right now, there is no better tag team that the Friends. At the NPCI Tournament, we’ll get the opportunity to see if they can prove it. I know a lot of people in this business and I can tell you there is a lot of excitement from wrestlers the world over looking to prove their worthy by winning the NPCI Tournament. Unfortunately for them and fortunately for fans of good wrestling, there can be only one winning team. I know I can’t wait to find out who it is.

On a quick side note, what the heck is Nicholas P. Clashertone’s position with the company these days anyway? I thought he sold everything to the man who signs my paycheck, Mr. Jeremy Jones. Now he thinks he can just pen a few columns and act like they’re better then mine and everyone’s going to just accept it. I believe that good ole Nick sold the company off because he wasn’t committed, because he wanted to go buy ice cream shops and sing in the rain or who knows what. Running a company that is in a huge growth cycle like CLASH isn’t a part-time job. As such, I propose that we update the name of the tournament to the JJI – Jeremy Jones Invitational. I’m just saying!

Broken Nose = Broken Will?
So I wouldn’t have believed it if I didn’t see it, but Wreckingball’s nose was certainly not located on his face where one would expect to find a nose. J. Miller’s wrestling in the ring is usually a masterpiece but in the brutal and extreme match he had against Wreckingball, Miller paid homage to Picasso, only using Wreckingball’s face as his canvas. Was that Cubist reference a bit much? Aspire to greatness I always say! But I digress: Wreckingball shocked me yet again when, at Friday Night Furry, he seemed very hesitant to step into the ring against Miller. Again, I don’t want my meaning to be misconstrued, I am not condemning Wreckingball. I wouldn’t step into the ring with Miller without a broken nose, yet alone a broken one. I’m just surprised that Wreckingball was able to control and contain his anger and hatred. Could it be that this feud is over, and that cooler heads will prevail? I sure hope not, because I, for one, cannot wait for these two to lock horns one more time!

Ace High Revisited
Card players have a strange tradition of standing and walking in a circle around their chair when things aren’t going their way. I guess the theory is that any change is better than no change, and maybe just walking one way or another around your chair will somehow bring you lucky cards. It’s like a strange deviation on Chaos Theory. It seems to me that Cameron Skyy has circled his chair. He tried and tried and still could not dethrone champion Dragon Kreed. Some change is better than no change and if your current strategy isn’t working, you’ve got to try something new. Enter the Ace High we saw at Friday Night Theory. Ace High wasn’t his boastful, confident self. He wasn’t the guy the fans love to cheer. He wasn’t that white washed, house on a hill, beacon of light he used to be. He wasn’t a lot of things he used to be, that he usually is. What he was, however, was what he needed to be. He was what he had to be, what the situation demand he be. Adam Summers and the fans can call Ace cowardly and a turncoat and anything else they want. What they fail to realize is that Ace High is, above all else, not stupid. He has a plan, he’s executing it. You don’t have to like it, but right now it’s his best shot to getting back the CLASH Heavyweight Championship.

I’ll quote Tracey Lawrence, an artist Mr. Jones introduced to me, to sum up the situation as it stands now:

“Everybody wants to slap your back
wants to shake your hand
when you’re up on top of that mountain
But let one of those rocks give way then you slide back down look up
and see who’s around then
This ain’t where the road comes to an end
This ain’t where the bandwagon stops
This is just one of those times when
A lot of folks jump off”

Ace High Cameron Skyy is doing what it takes to get back on top of that mountain. If he has to get some people off the bandwagon, that’s what he’ll do, and I applaud him for having that courage. It takes a man to give up fortune and popularity for the sake of your personal goals and accomplishments. If you’d have asked me last month I’d have told you Ace High was incapable of defeating Dragon Kreed. Now, however, it’s a whole new ballgame. Play on!

That’s all she wrote, I hope (and know) you enjoyed your brief glimpse into my mind. Be absolutely sure to come down to Heritage Park this Saturday for the CLASH Carnival, fun times, a free show, and Cancer defeating inspiration. If you’re not there, you ‘aint no friend of mine! Until Saturday then, I’m John Striker.

Enter The Dragon
I almost hate to say “I told you so” but not quite. Dragon Kreed has captured the CLASH Heavyweight Championship from Cameron Skyy and that was just when things started to get interesting! Ace and Dragon both had some pointed, confident words on the website when asked about their match but I, for one, am not buying it. Everyone at CLASH to the Future saw and heard how former champion Ace High really felt; unsure.

I think even while Jack Night was champion, Ace knew that he was capable of winning the title back and that, sooner or later, he would. Throughout his match with Kreed, Cameron showed me that he is completely unsure in himself and may question if defeating Kreed is a possibility. Yes, Ace was covering Kreed at the end of the time limit draw, but Kreed has kicked out of the Ace of Spades before. What was more telling to me was the way in which Ace feigned an ankle injury to lure Dragon in and go for a quick win. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that it was a bad strategy, just not one that screams confidence.

I can’t wait to see who come out on top at Age of Allegiance, earning the right to be called CLASH Champion.

Someone is Going to be Wrecked… but Who?
Also at Age of Allegiance we finally get the one on one contest we’ve been waiting for as J. Miller and Wreckingball face off. I’m torn on this one myself, to be honest with you. On one hand, we know what Wreckingball is capable of. He shelved Miller for over two months, and I can’t even speak about the Blue Ranger. On the other hand, Miller is looking for revenge, and not just any garden variety revenge but cold, calculated, retribution. Miller has everything to prove so I expect him to be firing on all cylinders come Saturday. One thing is for sure, it’s going to be a hell of a fight.

New Friends in Town?
I’m interested to see what goes down at Age of Allegiance as Manzo and Night take on the Friends. Manzo and Night, for all the slacker fans out there, had taken on GQ and Rave in singles action a few weeks back, and both members of the Friends were subject to a beating after their match.

I also, being the observant student mastermind that I am, noticed that it was Manzo’s manager, B who came running around the ring to check on Night as he was eliminated from the Clash gauntlet match at Age of Allegiance. Is this pairing a quick team out of convenience or is there more to it? Time will tell, I suppose.

A Little Bit of Chicken Fry?
All right, despite the technical / audio problems at CLASH to the Future, how great was it to hear our boss, Jeremy Jones, singing us a country song? Wait, don’t answer… I’ll do it for you. It was awesome! Being as I have a pretty good employer / employee relationship with Mr. Jones, I personally feel it’s great to see him loosen up a little bit and get back to his roots. Yes, I’m going to dispel a myth that was perpetuated by Mr. Jeremy Jones himself – He is NOT a billionaire. Yes, CLASH Wrestling is the premier wrestling organization in, at a very least, Michigan. No, that doesn’t earn someone a billion dollar paycheck. I mean, maybe if we charged for tickets what some of the other guys charge… but that’s a story for another day. The point is, with Jones riding the wave of happiness he can focus less on trying to weasel Tommy Tydie to the top and more on what his job ultimately really is, giving the fans what they want to see. After all, if not for Jones’ new found vocal power, we wouldn’t have got to see B reprise his role as “Doc”.

All right boys and girls, I’ll see you Saturday. Keep an eye on the calendar for the CLASH for Life… er Relay for Life event which is sneaking up on us. You want to feel good about yourself right? So give some cash. Yeah, that’s right, I’ll promote giving to charity for selfish reasons. The ends justify the means. Be sure to stop by the CLASH Radio booth and, if you ever see GQ Assassin will you please tell him that I, in no way whatsoever, look like a thumb!