Layton Looks To Get Lucky

March 10, 2006

Before getting to my thoughts on "Luck of the Draw," I'd like to take a moment to thank the two newest members of the MEWL family, Domino's Pizza in Alliance and the Bier Haus. These two fine establishments have joined the growing list of sponsors who help us bring you the best wrestling in Northeast Ohio, and we can't thank them enough for their support. We here in MEWL are convinced that this company is going to keep growing and growing into something truly special, but we know we can't do that without the help of our sponsors and our fans. You guys are the tag team that is going to take us to the top, and we truly appreciate it. So thanks to Domino's, Bier Haus, and you!

In keeping with the theme "Luck of the Draw," I thought I'd take this chance to look at each of the eight competitors who will be vying for the new North American Championship March 25 and give you my picks for the winners.

Wait, did I say PICKS? But only one man can win, right?

Of course, but because matches to select the four men who will go on to the elimination match will be determined by the luck of the draw, hence the name, it's impossible to say who will be facing whom, so I don't think I could pick one favorite. Instead I've broken the competitors up into Long Shots, Even Money, and Good Bets. Of course as an employee of MEWL I am not allowed to bet on the outcome, but I'd gladly put an imaginary fiver on either of my Good Bets. Oh, hell, it's only money, and imaginary money too. Let's make it a pretend ten spot!

LONG SHOTS: Durty the Clown and Richard Carter

This is no knock on Durty or Carter. Durty is the Hardcore Champ, after all, and Carter gave WCW/WWE Superstar Scotty Sabre all he could handle at our last stop in Alliance. But out of these eight guys, I think they're clearly the least formidable opponents. They could pull it out, but I wouldn't bet on it!

EVEN MONEY: Lones Oaks, Jazin Blaze, Christian Vaughn and Robby Starr

OK, I'm bracing myself for the hate mail here, but I've got to call 'em like I see 'em, and this is how I see em. First there is "The Natural," whom many have picked to come out on top in this thing. And there is no doubt that the kid has the talent, but I've become convinced he lacks the experience to gain the big win. Think of all the matches he has had with "The Pure One" Justin Diaz over the last year, and yet he somehow always comes up just short, even though he seems to be the better wrestler. Well the secret to Diaz's success and Vaughn's failure is no secret at all: Diaz is a seasoned veteran, and Vaughn is a talented but hot-tempered rookie who tends to let his emotions get the better of him. I think this tournament will end for Vaughn much as last year's World League Championship tournament ended: he may go all the way to the finals, but that is as far as he will go.

Then there is the other big fan favorite in this tourney, Jazin Blaze. I think Blaze will fall short for two reasons: one, he is still determined to win back his Cruiserweight Title, and I can't see him going through four other top-notch competitors in one evening if his heart isn't completely in the task. Two, I just don't think he has enough gas. We've seen this tough cruiserweight brawl for over half-an-hour on a number of occasions, taking unbelievable punishment. But can he last against four competitors in a row, all of whom will have a size advantage on him? Could he make it through, for example, Christian Vaughn and STILL be able to take on Lones Oaks AND Sherman Tank AND Robby Starr? I just don't think so.

Speaking of Robby Starr, he's got all the talent in the world, and he's no rookie. But he fell to Sherman Tank at MEWL's last Alliance show, and seems to be getting the worst of his feud with the A-List. With that sort of losing momentum going into the tournament, it's almost like Starr would have to beat five men instead of four.

And then there's Lones Oaks. It's no secret I've long been a fan of this Maple-leaf-mat-master, as he is easily the most technically sound competitor in all of MEWL, and good old-fashioned mat wrestling is my favorite kind. But ever since he was stripped of the Cruiserweight Title months ago, he seems to have been treading water. Sure, he has racked up wins, but they have been against mid-card talent like Psycho and Brian Biggs. He seems to have lost the focus and the drive that separates a wrestler from a champion, and I think that will keep him from bringing home the gold on the 25th.

And that just leaves...

GOOD BETS: Wilbur Whitlock and Sherman Tank

Wilbur has two things going for him here: one, he has been a champion before, and knows what it takes to bring home the big wins. Two, he finally snapped his losing streak at MEWL's last show, and has some new-found confidence going into the tournament. I got to talk to him a bit after that win, and he was on cloud nine, convinced he was absolutely unbeatable. And I'd almost agree that he couldn't be beaten if it wasn't for Sherman Tank.

Tank's got four big advantages over his opponents in this tournament: his strength, his size, and his A-list partners, "Hot Commodity" Matt Mason and Jayme Braxton.

Suppose Jazin Blaze makes it to the 4-Way Elimination Match and finds himself facing Tank AND two other competitors. Will he be able to bring the big man down with two other men gunning for him? And if Lones Oaks gets in there with Tank, will he be able to give the big man an Oak-sploder suplex after having already wrestled once before and while keeping his eyes on two other opponents? Could any of these guys have enough gas left to take down this giant in the Elimination Match? Perhaps.

But could they pull it off when Tank will have Braxton and Mason in his corner? Now that strikes me as highly unlikely, unless someone has a whole lot of momentum going for them, like Whitlock does.

But of course the action in MEWL is unpredictable enough, and now that the actual matches are going to be determined by fate there is no telling who will come out on top. The only surefire winners will be the fans in attendance March 25, who will get to see a great night of action and the crowning of a new champion.

Get your tickets now, because when it comes down to The Luck of the Draw, it's the lucky fans at the show who will be the true winners!