ECCW - Extreme Canadian Championship Wrestling

BLOG: The Solid Gold Truth #3

There is only one event that signifies greatness in the Pacific Northwest. This event can transform stars into superstars and superstars into legends. It can make or break careers and it's the one night of the year where the best leave it all out in the ring.

It's the Pacific Cup.

The past winners of the prestigious one night tournament are a veritable who's who of some of the greatest ECCW talent of all time. Men like Asian Cougar and Black Dragon helped establish the tournament in its early years as a night for amazing technical wrestling. Scotty Mac won the Pacific Cup in 2003 and it helped propel him to his current status as arguably the greatest ECCW wrestler of all-time. Aaron Idol took home the trophy in 2005, and like Scotty, he carried that momentum and carved out an excellent career. Memphis is a perfect example of what the Pacific Cup can do for a wrestler's career. He won in 2005 and he's now worked his way to the very top of ECCW. Kyle O'Reilly and Billy Suede both became instant main eventers after respectively winning the last two Pacific Cups. 2009 should be no different. Twelve men will compete in this grueling one night event to gain the most prestigious trophy in ECCW.

But just who will come out on top?

That's where yours truly, Andrew Goldenrod comes in. Using my superior intellect and wrestling knowledge, I have handicapped the field and even chosen the guy who is the "Goldenrod Lock" to win the entire thing. Here's what to expect at the Russian Community Centre on June 6.

"HIT THE SHOWERS EARLY JUNIOR" (NO CHANCE):
- Nicole Matthews: Sorry toots, this is a tournament for MEN. Don't get me wrong, Matthews is a great athlete but she simply cannot compete with this field. She beat Adam Silva to qualify, ‘nuff said. Plus, she's too busy with her "boyfriend" Kenny Lush anyways.
- "Superfly" Dan Myers: Everyone knows that people from BC are better than people from Alberta so this one is a no-brainer. Myers seems like he'd be more adept at gymnastics than wrestling. No one is impressed by this Sherminator look-alike. Back to Brokeback for you.
- MANTHER: I've made my feelings perfectly clear on MANTHER. Without the guidance of the Church, this "pussy" is going to flop. He'll probably get distracted by a shiny light and get counted out in the first round.
- Mattias Wild: Quite frankly, I have no idea who this ham'n'egger is. Apparently he's from Alberta too, which automatically qualifies him for an early exit.

"STICK AROUND AND HELP SELL 50/50" (MINIMAL CHANCE):
- Azeem the Dream: I actually like this guy and he has a marginal chance of going all the way. A lot of things have to go right for him and he has to hope that "Insane" Bill Coltrane officiates all of his matches for him to advance. Personally, I think Azeem is a little in over his head compared to the rest of the competitors but we'll see. Never count Chill Town out.
- Jamie Diaz: Ever since Jamie smacked his mom around, he's been good in my books. However, I think he's lacking experience, specifically big match experience. His youth could very well cost him.
- Tony Baroni: The official "Goldenrod Darkhorse" of the tournament. I think the kid's showing will surprise the ECCW faithful and he's someone I think has a bright future. Ultimately, like Diaz, his lack of experience will cost him but I see him going fairly deep.

"WASH MY CAR AFTER THE SHOW" (DECENT CHANCE):
- Billy Suede: The defending Pacific Cup champion has proven he knows how to clutch up in a big match situation but I think he's gone a little soft in the past few months. Making enemies with the Church was a terrible career decision for Suede, who has few allies. His infatuation with MANTHER has left me shaking my head. Would the Billy of 2008 have been caught dead hanging around with MANTHER? I don't think so. Before the Pacific Cup, Billy should visit the local SPCA and adopt a cat. He desperately needs to get the hell away from MANTHER and stop his career from plummeting into a black hole.
- El Phantasmo: Ah, Phantasmo. He reminds me of the monkeys at the zoo. They're really fun to watch but ultimately they don't really matter. They're just there for entertainment. That's El P in a nutshell. He's got all the talent in the world but dirt for brains. He'd rather act like a buffoon for the fans than make money and win matches. If he ever wants to be taken seriously he needs to stop acting like a clown all the time. He could easily win this tournament but instead he'll act silly, make the fans laugh and choke when it matters. Phantasmo has a terrible record in main event matches and it's because he lacks focus. As long as he treats professional wrestling like a joke, he will be nothing more than the monkey at the zoo. Flinging poop at the window and making the people laugh but never amounting to anything.
- "Ravenous" Randy Myers: See El Phantasmo.
- Kyle O'Reilly: A guy who could easily win it all but no one has ever repeated as the Pacific Cup champion. O'Reilly has all the tools to do it. He can win on the ground, in the air or on his feet and fears no one. Unfortunately, he can fall for mind games. I watched in disgust as Kyle fell for some of El Phantasmo's tricks in their 2 out of 3 falls match. O'Reilly sometimes lets situations get the best of him and opponents can exploit that. O'Reilly definitely has all the physical tools but his mental game has been off in recent months, which is why I feel he will fall up short.

"THE GOLDENROD LOCK" (WINNER):
- Artemis Spencer: It's pretty obvious why Spencer is the Goldenrod Lock. He's the reigning and defending NWA Canadian junior heavyweight champ and is on a tremendous winning streak. Not only that, Spencer has the full support of the Church. I'm sure the Divine Prophet will have his charge ready for battle. We've really seen a more aggressive side to Spencer in the last few months. Sure, he can fly with the best of them but he's developed a number of submission holds and really has shown no mercy whatsoever to his opponents. That is the type of attitude that wins titles and makes money. Spencer can do it all in the ring, has the Church to support and prepare him and has the necessary confidence to pull this victory out. You heard it here first folks, Artemis Spencer will win the 2009 Pacific Cup.

And you can take that to the bank because everything I say is GOLDEN... rod.

-- Andrew Goldenrod
-- The Only Real Journalist in ECCW