The First UPW (Ultimate Pro Wrestling) Show
The First UPW Show
The first UPW “show” ever is held at my gym, Extreme University, in Mission Viejo. The first match EVER wrestled on a UPW show is Psycho Matt Hall versus world class bodybuilder Aaron Baker. There it is for the record books. They’re so green, that throughout the course of the match, they talk out loud to one another. Not as in “calling the match,” but as in thinking that such vocalization should be part of the show. Eventually, Matt will receive a contractual offer from Jim Ross, Bruce Prichard and WWF but will end up in prison for life instead of heading toward ring stardom. Aaron receives an offer and contract from Eric Bischoff, Kevin Sullivan and WCW but the Company is sold (to WWF) before he signs. In terms of physicality, Aaron’s and Matt’s match-up –UPW’s first-ever– is more impressive than anything you’ll see on WWE TV today. On the same show, “Hardkore Kidd” Aaron Aguilera (later WWE’s “Jesus”), jumps off the Gatorade machine in the back of my gym and goes through a table. The spot isn’t planned and I almost kill him. And I make him buy us a new table.
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When combining PRO WRESTLING with MIXED MARTIAL ARTS –all humility aside—I believe I’ve been MORE places and DONE more things than anyone else in history. This encompasses everything from hard-partying with the world’s craziest Fighters and Wrestlers to high-level negotiations with both industries’ most powerful players. As we prepare for the release of my Autobiography “Been There, Done That” I wanted to share some of my experiences with fans of the ring and the cage and all that goes with that.
In the coming months, every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, I’ll be posting short MMA and Pro Wrestling-centric excerpts. Monday’s entry will be posted on my Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/