Homecoming Havoc less than 1 week away!

Time is ticking away, and Ultimate Pro Wrestling’s return to its home of The Galaxy Theatre, is nearly here! As this historic night grows closer, even more great matches and special appearances continue to be added to an event that is already jam packed with action and entertainment.  Just last week, we discovered that The Drunken Irishman will be on hand to celebrate (hopefully not too much!) UPW’s homecoming as he returns to action against The Human Tornado.  In a blockbuster announcement, we also learned that WWE Superstar Jesus (Hardkore Kidd) Aguilera will make his first public appearance since his Armageddon street fight with John Cena.  This brutal match worsened Aguilera’s already serious injuries, forcing him to undergo surgery to repair the bulging disc in his upper spine.  After speaking to him on the phone last night, it is clear that Aguilera has a lot on his mind and is chomping at the bit to address the fans next week.  Jesus is not the only member of the Smackdown roster who will be in the house on Wednesday night.  That is because…

 Is Daniel Puder “Tough Enough” for UPW?

Daniel Puder, the winner of WWE’s $1,000,000 Tough Enough challenge which concluded back on December 16, will also join the festivities at UPW Homecoming Havoc.  Puder beat out over 3,000 applicants and 50 hand picked competitors to claim the Tough Enough Trophy and WWE contract.  He was joined in the final 3 by UPW’s own Mike “The Miz” Mizanin and Justice Smith.  Although Daniel faced many tough challenges during the competition, a true highlight came as he found himself going toe to toe with former WWE Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle.  Puder succeeded in synching in an arm lock which had Angle in trouble.  As memorable as that move was, perhaps Puder’s greatest challenge of the event was enduring a lip lock with the legendary (and ancient!) Mae Young.

The Tough Enough champ is an accomplished grappler.  The 6’2”, 230 pound native of Cupertino California won the Central Section Wrestling Championship while attending Monte Vista High School.  He went on to train with top fighters including Frank Shamrock to sharpen his skills.  Puder, who is 4-0 in mixed martial arts competition, has made it clear that he is not coming to The Galaxy to sign autographs and pose for pictures; he is looking for a fight! 

He has gone on record to say that he proved to be superior over UPW competition in front of a national television audience, and now he wants to rub it in their faces by proving it once again, this time on UPW’s home turf.  It will be interesting to see who from the UPW locker room will set up.  Perhaps whoever it is will make Puder pay some dues like Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, and Hardcore Holly did at The Royal Rumble!

Kazarian returns to UPW!

It would simply not be a proper UPW homecoming without an appearance from perhaps the most dynamic star in the company’s six year history.  Frankie Kazarian has found nothing but success in UPW. 

Along with Nova (Simon Dean) Frankie held the UPW Tag Team Titles longer than any other duo.  This is even more impressive when you factor in that they faced challengers including 7-time WWE Tag Team Champions Edge & Christian, Japan’s Ohtani & Tanaka, ECW Tag Team Champions Doring & Roadkill as well as top local talent including The Havana Pitbulls and The Ballard Brothers.

Frankie went on to great success in the singles ranks as well.  He once again etched himself into the UPW record book as he continues to be the longest reigning UPW Lightweight Champion ever.  He was able to juggle a successful regional title reign while competing for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).  During his time in TNA, Kazarian performed on TNA Impact, a weekly national program airing on Fox Sports as well as TNA pay-per-view events.  Frankie won the promotion’s X-Division Title on two occasions.

The high flyer made some big time waves recently when he decided to leave TNA to explore other opportunities in professional wrestling.  Kazarian will return to UPW action as part of Homecoming Havoc.  No word on who he will face as of yet, but The Wire will report news as it develops.  Everyone at UPW is excited to once again showcase Kazarian’s amazing talent.  We wish him nothing but the best as he continues his stellar career.

UPW Alums set to shine at No Way Out

Before Smackdown’s Jesus and Puder make their way to The Galaxy next week, several talented UPW Alums who first got their feet wet in UPW look to make waves as Smackdown! presents No Way Out on pay-per-view live this Sunday!

The “Doctor of Thugonomics” John Cena, who competed in UPW as “The Prototype” has a chance of a lifetime.  After scoring victories over J.B.L. Cabinet member Orlando Jordan and Booker T in Smackdown’s #1 Contender Tournament, Cena, who began his pro wrestling training in UPW back in 2000, will face Kurt Angle in the finals.  A date with destiny in the form of a shot at the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania 21 hangs in the balance.  Kurt Angle made his way to this encounter with a victory over Rey Misterio.  The “Olympic Hero” dodged a second match in route to the finals as he received a bye, more on that later.  This is not the first time Cena and Angle have met.  In fact, the reigning US Champ’s first televised match with WWE was a 5 minute challenge with Angle.  Cena gave Kurt all he could handle in a gutsy performance.  A lot has changed since then, but one thing has not; Cena is hungry!  Will that along with the support of “The Chain Gang” be enough to defeat WWE’s most decorated athlete in his home town of Pittsburgh, PA?  Here’s hoping that our favorite lyrical gangster who first learned wrestling lessons here in UPW dishes out a lesson in Basic Thugonomics this Sunday and goes on to win the WWE Championship when Wrestlemania goes Hollywood!

As I mentioned earlier, Kurt Angle did not have to compete in a semifinal match in the tournament.  That is thanks to another former UPW standout and current WWE competitor Luther (Horshu) Reigns and his cohort Mark Jindrak.  The roughnecks interfered in a quarterfinal match between The Undertaker and Rene Dupree.  By attacking The Deadman, the Team Angle members prevented Taker from returning to the ring resulting in a double count out.  With neither Dupree nor Undertaker moving on, Angle had an easier path to the finals.  The Phenom was a huge favorite in his match with Dupree.  The antics of Reigns and Jindrak cost him the opportunity to battle for the WWE Championship when fighting to keep his record breaking Wrestlemania winning streak alive.  Reigns, who has shown no remorse for his actions, has also failed to show any fear of The Lord of Darkness.  Reigns is as tough as they come.  His body is a roadmap of pain featuring scars from gun shots, stabbings, and knife slashing.  He is not afraid of the hell that the Taker will introduce him to as he feels he has already faced its equivalent.  If Luther is able to defeat the legend this Sunday, the year "Shu-Thousand Five" will be off to a great start! 

Reigns is the second consecutive former UPW star to pick a fight with the veteran.  Heidenreich, who also entered the world of sports entertainment by enrolling in Ultimate University, gave The Undertaker fits for months before finally falling prey to The Dead Man in a casket match at last month’s Royal Rumble.  That was not enough to rid WWE of his reign of terror.  After a tense stand-off with Booker T on Smackdown!, it seems that these two are heading to a one on one encounter.  Whether or not this battle takes place at No Way Out remains to be seen. 

Make sure you check out UPW’s past on pay-per-view this Sunday, and then UPW’s present and future this Wednesday night at The Galaxy.  Once again, Homecoming Havoc will not be filmed for release.  The only way to catch the action is to be there live!

-vs-

"Scrap Iron"
Adam Pearce

Skulu

 
-vs-
 

Apocalypse

-vs-

Jason Riggs

-vs-

Babi Sylmm
and Under Pressure

-vs-

Ricky Reyes

-vs-

Marshall Knox

-vs-

The Drunken Irishman

Frankie Kazarian

&
 

 
UPW returns to The Galaxy for “Homecoming Havoc”
Wednesday, February 23rd, 2005
8:00 PM

All tickets only $15

Tickets on Sale now:
 The Galaxy Box Office(714-957-0600), Ticketmaster Outlets and ticketmaster.com

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