Time to peer into the crystal ball and peer into... THE FUTURE. The future of NAPW's top wrestlers, that is. Here's our predictions for the NAPW roster in 2008!
*All predictions are just that, PREDICTIONS, so don't come cryin' to us when they don't happen. Nyah!
Donovan Astros
In 2007: World Champion (2x), Tag Champion, unbeaten against Ravager
In 2008: Look for the Murder City Devils to win tag gold as a unit sometime down the road. Astros & Phoenix will feud on and off with D-X. As for the world title, Astros will be tough to beat. Bold prediction: Whoever beats Astros for the title will be winning his -first- NAPW world championship. Donovan will get a hair cut.
Prince W. Darko
In 2007: TV Champion, Heritage Champion, spent half of 2007 in REBEL
In 2008: CAN'T WHOOP HIM. One of the most hated men in NAPW will take his game to the next level this year. Don't be surprised to see Darko make a serious run for the World title later in the year. However, before he goes for that, Darko will shoot for the tag titles that have eluded him for the past two years. The question is, will he win them with old partner Thomas Young or with somebody new? Expect Darko to continue nearly inciting riots from the fans and pissing off the locker room with his trash-talking ways.
"The Show" Chad Kurtis
In 2007: Tag Champion (2x), TV Champion, spotty and erratic
In 2008: When he is on, "The Show" can beat any many in NAPW on any given night. But as 2007 proved, he has a hard time staying on. Assuming Chad returns from his leave of absence soon, expect him to try to stake his claim as a top singles wrestler after tag success. He will contend for the Heritage title. If "The Show" really gets consistent, he could challenge for the World Title... but personal setbacks will yet again derail his momentum.
"Bluegrass Badass" Matthew Kurtis
In 2007: Tag Champion (2x), suspended for attacking a fan
In 2008: Matthew Kurtis will attempt to claim singles gold, which may actually bring him into conflict with his brother Chad. Expect to see the "Bluegrass Badass" mix it up with NAPW's other big men on the roster, Dan Ryan, Jake Phoenix and KRENSHOV. At the mid-point of the year, Matt will be thrown for a loop by the return of his former flame Lyndsey Valentine. He will be caught in the middle as Lyndsey and Mandy feud!
Jake Phoenix
In 2007: Tag Champion, ended Ravager's NAPW career
In 2008: Jake Phoenix will get his singles record back to .500. His tag record is exceptional and Jake will add to his resume with another tag gold win - this time with Astros as the Murder City Devils. Expect Jake to pound Astros into a fine pulp over a minor disagreement, but the MCD won't break up. Phoenix and The Beast will engage in a bloody feud. However, Jake Phoenix will show a softer side of himself this year when he makes a new friend on the NAPW roster... and that vulnerability will be targetted by his enemies. Still, don't feel too bad for the man who retired Ravager.
Stone Zellor
In 2007:Tag Champion, Heritage Champion (2x), 13 match undefeated streak
In 2008: Stone will establish a record Heritage title reign without winning a single match, retaining by DQ and count-out losses. A surprise partnership will lead him to a second tag title reign. However his success will be threatened by a new woman in his life, a situation that infuriates his manager Lady Sparks and results in his Heritage title loss. This may lead to NAPW's first man vs woman singles match.
Tommy Deathrow
In 2007: Tag Team Champion (3x), plagued by injuries
In 2008: Tommy Deathrow will no longer be the weird but cool old uncle. Instead he will become sicker and more deranged than ever before. He will put somebody out of wrestling permanently. Deathrow will pick up his first singles gold in 2008, but continue his focus on the tag team division. Don't be shocked to see STD pick up tag title reigns with yet more partners. STD will also become infatuated with Asuka Kasuragi, leading to a violent feud with Dez Carter. This year will also see Deathrow arrested for indecent exposure after displaying his penis to a live audience.
Krusty Kid Paul
In 2007: Tag Team Champion, returned at the tail end of 2007
In 2008: Krusty Kid Paul will remain the angrier of the two SAD members for most of the year, until he has a falling out with Tommy Deathrow. KKP will sober up briefly before he falls of the wagon after losing the blow-off to STD. This will lead KKP to be suspended after excessive violence. In this time, he will attempt serious rehab and then shock the world by winning the NAPW World Title upon his return as a clean and focused competitor. Also, he will cut his mohawk.
Gregory Zade
In 2007: Debuted in December
In 2008: Gregory Zade will ally himself with a guide to NAPW. Expect to see him feud with Trent Daniels early in the year. Later in the year, Zade will find himself the victim of a conspiracy plot and begin fighting for his survival, resulting in an unlikely ally - somebody who he will have feuded with bitterly earlier in 2008. Zade will miss the summer with an injury, but return in fall to make an impact in Lethal Lottery. He might just win the whole thing.
Dan Ryan
In 2007: Debuted in NAPW, ended Andrew Rossi's NAPW career
In 2008: Dan Ryan and Krenshov will actually collapse the ring due to the high-impact nature of their second or third match. Ryan will make a grab for the NAPW World Title, but 2008 will not see him as that champion. He may pick up tag gold with a partner from another promotion. The fans will begin to cheer Dan Ryan when he feuds with Donovan Astros, much to the anger of Astros.
Dez Carter
In 2007: Comeback of the year, kicked Andrew Rossi's teeth out
In 2008: Carter ended 2007 on fire and will continue burning in 2008. His relationship with Asuka Katsuragi will be the focal point of several feuds. Carter will abandon his honor when Asuka is hurt at the hands of a rival and engage in a blood feud that turns the fans against him. He will regain his senses before crossing the line permanently. Expect Dez Carter to pick up at least one title reign this year, possibly two. It will simply be inevitable.
Bruce "The Beast" Richards
In 2007: Ended D-X, World Championship, lost his job briefly
In 2008: The Beast, unable to regain the World Title from Donovan Astros, will instead turn his attention to Jake Phoenix and beat him in a manner nobody has ever done. It will be shocking. Richards will take a sabbatical to find himself, and then return to form a tag team to rival even The New & Improved D-X with a partner nobody would ever guess. The Beast may leave NAPW near the end of the year after signing a contract with one of the major leagues.
Stein
In 2007: Returned to NAPW, is awesome!
In 2008: The mystery will be revealed. The secret of Stein's true identity and the events that made him into the oddity that he is today will come to light with the return of Dr. Morgoth. Stein will have an unlikely ally in one "Bad Boy" Joey Malone, however. Malone's friendship will help Stein forever break free of Dr. Morgoth's reasserted control. Prior to those events, Stein will win the Heritage and Tag titles and feud with Ian Smith's faction of wrestlers. After he is renewed as a man, he will embark on a run at the NAPW World Title and Triple-Crown status as the year comes to a close.Also Stein will discover hair gel in 2008.
"The Falcon" Jacob Venar
In 2007: Debuted, alliance with Lloyd Rees, defeated Matt Kurtis and Andrew Rossi
In 2008: The young Venar will move from rookie to veteran, as he comes to mentor a newcomer himself. Venar will come up short in several title shots in all divisions. The pressure will drive him to turn on the fans and his protege after a failed tag title shot. "LDK" Lloyd Rees will then step back into Venar's life and their initial feud will play out with role's reversed, Rees the noble one and Venar the louse. Tragically it is only when Venar has his attitude change that he finally wins title gold. Expect also to see a knee injury force Venar to alter his game, dropping the high-flying for a more mat-based approach.
"LDK" Lloyd Rees
In 2007: Provincial Champion, Tag Champion, went on a losing streak but turned it around in December, became a *gasp* fan-favorite
In 2008: With a gaping hole left in the NAPW roster by the departure of Ravager, "LDK" Lloyd Rees will truly earn his nickname of "Da Technical Terror." Rees will submit wrestler after wrestler only to come up short in an NAPW title shot. The most decorated man in NAPW will add gold this year, in the form of tag gold with Venar's former protege, who Rees will take under his wing. In the latter half of the year, Ol' Salty will return and manage a new wrestler against his former charge! Rees will be rocked by this betrayal and briefly walk away from pro wrestling. He will return and win a match where he receives five minutes alone with Ol' Salty, and spend the time turning the man into a Salty pretzel.
KRENSHOV
In 2007: Untouchable, fired and banned for attacking a fan, reinstated at the tail end of the year
In 2008: KRENSHOV will win the NAPW World Title this year and finally realize the potential he has displayed in his erratic prior NAPW tenures. However, it may not be Donovan Astros he wins it from. Expect to see Krenshov also pick up the NAPW tag titles with a partner from his past. Eli Potts will return and ally with Ian Smith, as the two send various members of Ian Smith's "family" at Krenshov in an attempt to get him to quit wrestling altogether. They will be unsuccessful, but the strain will cost Krenshov the world title. Expect to see Kenny have the long-awaited singles match against The Beast, but first he will have a tremendous series against Dan Ryan.
Teddy Davis
In 2007: Debuted in December
In 2008: The newcomer will find himself unable to beat Prince Darko in their various match-ups, but Davis will make it to the finals of the Canada Cup tournament. He will pick up tag team gold in a makeshift team that blossoms into a profitable and successful partnership. Later in the year, expect Davis to sign to Ian Smith, Inc to the shock of the fans. Davis does this because Smith gets him a World Title shot. Teddy Davis will then abandon Ian Smith... to become the third member of the Murder City Devils. The trio of terror will run wild over NAPW in the latter half of 2008.
Trent Daniels
In 2007: Debuted in December with a victory
In 2008: Trent Daniels' unique, grassroots approach to his career will result in him becoming one of the most wildly popular wrestlers in NAPW history. Period. This popularity will lead to a former top babyface becoming equally as wildly jealous and a prolonged feud will develop. Daniels will be in the final four of Sole Survivor if not the outright winner. Daniels will get screwed out of the world title on a technicality, a situation that results in a riot from the outraged fans. Commissioner Terry Brandon will develop a personal grudge against Daniels due to the fan reaction to the decision and attempt to drive Daniels out of NAPW... this will lead to the one-night-only return to the wrestling ring of "Terrible" Terry Brandon in a one-on-one match with Trent Daniels! Brandon wins, Daniels quits NAPW voluntarily. Brandon loses, Daniels names his title shot date and stipulation. He will pick Black Thursday IV and end 2008 as the new NAPW World Champion!
Mystic Exposition
In 2007: Tag Team Champions (3), Bingo Tango!
In 2008: Expositioner will return to pro wrestling, but changed. He will no longer be so verbose and instead be a brooding grappler at constant odds with the fun-loving Mystic Ninja. But until Expo heals from his throat injury at the hands of SAD, Ninja will enjoy singles success, even challenging for a singles title. Mystic Exposition will take the tag titles from SAD to settle that score, and they will FINALLY defend the belts. You know. AT ALL. The internal tension will cause them to drop the titles and Expositioner will throw Ninja threw a plate glass window, ending the team before they can tie D-X's title reign record of five. Expositioner will make his move to the top of the card as the year ends...
Southern Destruction
In 2007: n/a
In 2008: The new team of Hank Henderson and Dan Miller will take the place of Mystic Exposition as most popular tag team, adding to Expositioner's bitterness. SD will not be able to turn that popularity into tag team gold however, and will spend most of the year chasing the titles while occasionally pursuing singles careers. In the last quarter of the year they will finally win tag gold. Hank Henderson will have the longest run in the Sole Survivor contest. Dan Miller will find himself the object of Mandy's affection, a situation that leads to a prolonged feud with Matthew Kurtis and the Bluegrass Mafia.
Other Predictions!
In 2008: Expect to see...
More women!
More stables!
More comedy!
Lots more top-notch wrestling action!
And the long-awaited return of one of NAPW's most fondly remembered superstars!
LINK: Year of the ATTRITIONING card
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