Title: New AWA World Champions Crowned in Indianapolis
prof_plague - June 18, 2006 07:37 AM (GMT)
New AWA World Champions Crowned in Indianapolis
Jun 15, 2006
Author: AWA World News
(Indianapolis, Indiana) - A huge night of AWA action was held at the Speedrome in Indianapolis last night. Nearly 1,000 fans turned out on a Wednesday night to see some incredible action and witness two AWA World Championships change hands.
2-Time AWA World Heavyweight Champion Takao Omori flew in from Japan to defend the title against the #1 ranked U.S. contender and reigning AWA Mid-Atlantic Hwt. Champion, Ric Converse. It was a long awaited confrontation for Converse who had been on the hunt for the title for nearly a year. Fans cheered on Converse in his struggle for the heavyweight crown, which in the end saw the challenger score a pinfall over Omori to become the new AWA World Hwt. Champion.
Another big change in the AWA tag team scene, Steve Corino & Ricky Landell became the new AWA World Tag Team Champions. Earlier in the night "Krazy K" Kirby Mack and his brother TJ Mack had won the titles over The Henchmen, but were forced to defend their newly won titles against the "Old School Blondes" managed by AWA Vice President Jon Stewart.
The young new champions, having already been spent capturing the titles only moments before, could not turn back the challenge of the former AWA World Hwt. Champion Steve Corino and AWA World-1 Hwt. Champion Ricky Landel.
Jun 15, 2006
Author: AWA World News
(Indianapolis, Indiana) - A huge night of AWA action was held at the Speedrome in Indianapolis last night. Nearly 1,000 fans turned out on a Wednesday night to see some incredible action and witness two AWA World Championships change hands.
2-Time AWA World Heavyweight Champion Takao Omori flew in from Japan to defend the title against the #1 ranked U.S. contender and reigning AWA Mid-Atlantic Hwt. Champion, Ric Converse. It was a long awaited confrontation for Converse who had been on the hunt for the title for nearly a year. Fans cheered on Converse in his struggle for the heavyweight crown, which in the end saw the challenger score a pinfall over Omori to become the new AWA World Hwt. Champion.
Another big change in the AWA tag team scene, Steve Corino & Ricky Landell became the new AWA World Tag Team Champions. Earlier in the night "Krazy K" Kirby Mack and his brother TJ Mack had won the titles over The Henchmen, but were forced to defend their newly won titles against the "Old School Blondes" managed by AWA Vice President Jon Stewart.
The young new champions, having already been spent capturing the titles only moments before, could not turn back the challenge of the former AWA World Hwt. Champion Steve Corino and AWA World-1 Hwt. Champion Ricky Landel.
Big F'N Swigg - June 18, 2006 04:01 PM (GMT)
The Heavyweight Title change I like. The Tag Titles, not so much
whitemilesdavis - June 19, 2006 03:06 PM (GMT)
I for one am shocked beyond all belief that Converse won the belt. I can only guess Corino was so impressed by working with him in CWF that they decided to hang the belt on him. In one sense it is risky because Converse is unknown outside of the Mid-Atlantic region. However, I think it is a good move because Ric can put on a great match with anybody. I am very happy for him and hope he gets to spread his name around a bit.
Big F'N Swigg - June 19, 2006 03:13 PM (GMT)
They made his chase out to be HUGE on the AWA website. I'm glad he won, because it's showing that the AWA isn't going to rely solely on old names
whitemilesdavis - June 19, 2006 03:17 PM (GMT)
It was booked very well in CWF. Some incredible promo packages when he was going against Corino.
Mad Dog - June 19, 2006 08:44 PM (GMT)
I think it's a good move for them. While I don't know much about Converse, I think he's key to the AWA in the U.S. Keeping the belt on guys like Ohtani and Omori isn't going to really do much for the affliates not in Japan. And it makes the title a joke when Corino's holding it.
whitemilesdavis - June 23, 2006 04:32 PM (GMT)
This is really being made out as a big deal here in NC. Here is a story from The Winston Salem Journal (one of the two or three biggest papers in NC). It had a big color picture and everything.
| QUOTE |
| Saturday, June 17, 2006 A Diddy of a Cut: Mild-mannered barber Ric Converse turns into flashy By Ayesha Rascoe JOURNAL REPORTER Ric Converse is the new AWA new heavyweight champ, but he's also a barber. Being a barber allows for a flexible schedule so he can wrestle on the weekends. (Journal Photo by Lauren Carroll) At first glance yesterday, the North Davidson Barbershop and Salon seemed like an average salon, with women getting fresh hairstyles and men getting haircuts. But among the clippers, combs, and razors, a championship belt for a world-heavyweight wrestling championship stood out. The belt belongs to Ric Converse, a barber from Winston-Salem. On most days, Converse is a mild-mannered barber, but during his free time he pursues his real passion: professional wrestling. On Wednesday, Converse - who wrestles under the name Slick Diddy - lived out a lifelong dream in Indianapolis by defeating Takao Omori and winning the American Wrestling Association's top title. Converse, 26, returned to work at the barbershop off Peters Creek Parkway yesterday with his title belt. Hulk Hogan once held the same championship. For customers, getting their hair cut by a wrestling champ was a thrill. Kathy Roberts of Davidson County was pleasantly surprised to hear that the 6-foot-2-inch man cutting her son's hair was the holder of a wrestling championship. "In a small town, a heavyweight champion is a very good honor," Roberts said. Being a wrestler has been Converse's dream since he was 8. Converse said that while growing up in Winston-Salem as a child, he got picked on by older kids. He aspired to be like the formidable wrestlers he saw on TV. "I would watch wrestling thinking, 'I'm going to be one of those guys,'" said Converse, who weighs 220 pounds. He wrestled a little while in Glenn High School in Kernersville, but he couldn't continue because his grades weren't good enough. In September 1998, Converse, then 18, began attending Ken Spence's School of Wrestling in Winston-Salem. It was there, he said, that he learned that professional wrestling involved more than performing moves and pinning people. Professional wrestlers have to tell the audience a story, Converse said, by "doing the right moves at the right time to get the right reaction" from the crowd. He said that many people think that wrestling is faked, but the dangers are real. He got hit with a chair in his first year and wound up with 12 staple stitches in his head. Although it was difficult, Converse did not give up. He started competing in local wrestling matches in 1999. His parents were supportive of his wrestling dreams, but they stressed that he needed to have a stable job to fall back on. Converse began attending the Winston-Salem Barber School in 2000. He chose to become a barber because he could make decent money with a flexible schedule. Since then he has been working at both professions, cutting hair during the week and wrestling mostly on the weekends. Juggling life as a barber and a wrestler can be awkward, though, Converse said. "It's like I'm two different people," he said. In the wrestling ring, Converse morphs into his alter ego, Slick Diddy. Converse puts on a full-length fur coat, fur hat and aviator shades. The character, inspired by rap-star Sean "Diddy" Combs, is an arrogant trash talker who likes to party and enjoy the finer things in life. His co-workers at the barbershop say that Slick Diddy is nothing like the Converse they know, who they say is a quiet, laid-back guy. At the shop yesterday, lighthearted jokes about Converse's double life flowed easily from the staff. Shop owner Trish Gray jokingly asked Converse if he became a celebrity, could she get paid to follow him around and wipe the sweat off his brow. Fellow barber Mike Vestal quipped that Converse was good at wrestling, "but now if he could just get his hair cuts up to par." Gray said the workers at the shop often joke with Converse, but it's all good-natured fun. "We're real proud of him," she said. "We're waiting for him to get famous and remember us." |
