Last November, the Renegade Wrestling Alliance Heavyweight champion, Crash found himself defending his year-long title reign in a three-way dance, with former ECW champion and Pittsburgh native, “The Franchise” Shane Douglas assigned as the special guest referee. It was apropos that the first ever ECW heavyweight champion was the official for the three-way dance main event, as he was one of the participants that put the match on the map alongside the legendary Terry Funk and iconic Sabu at “The Night The Line was Crossed” event in 1994.
Crash, an agile super heavyweight, successfully sent longtime villain, J-Rocc to the floor before he planted Ron Hunt on the top of his head with a brutal side suplex to get the three count. Just as Crash roared in triumph to celebrate his official coronation as the titleholder for a full calendar year, the devious J-Rocc snuck into the ring from behind to hit Crash with a low blow. As the big man slumped on the canvas, J-Rocc, one of the most tenured veterans of the independent circuit with nearly three decades of experience under his belt, called for the contract that he won when he was victorious in the RWA Renegade Rumble last August that granted him a title shot. J-Rocc demanded to take his title opportunity right there, and nailed Crash with a pile driver on a chair before the bell rung to start the next championship bout.
“The Franchise” was forced to count the three, and J-Rocc won the RWA heavyweight championship once again.
The reaction was visceral. In an era when everything is over exposed, over produced, and over analyzed in the pro wrestling industry, there was genuine disdain that rained down to the point that the hostile crowd reaction almost drowned out ring announcer, Hank Hudson’s proclamation of a new champion on the mic. Boos, cuss words, and hand gestures were hurled toward the most hated man in the building, the brand new RWA champion, J-Rocc. Of course, J-Rocc returned the favor and gloated during a post-match interview about the victory.
As Mike “Doc” Daugherty wrapped up the broadcast for indywrestling.us with a combination of disgust and confusion in his voice at how this all happened in the course of one segment, it was a stark reminder about why the RWA has carved a place for itself among the Pittsburgh independent scene. When you walk into the West Newton gym, a gritty, but charming venue, you’ve often stepped into a time machine. The old school vibe with the genuine response from the dedicated fan base for the beloved fan favorites and the hated heels is something from a bygone era that is rarely seen today.
“The RWA experience is one of a kind. The house of Renegades is loud, the action is packed from start to bottom, and the fans are so passionate that they display a ferocity whether they are cheering you or booing you that no other can explain. Seventeen years of being the voice of RWA, I can easily say this crowd can explode within seconds. Whether it is boos or cheers the crowd brings such an atmosphere to the show that they influence everyone from the wrestlers to the producers to work harder when they feel that electricity,” said Daugherty.
“RWA is the most unique crowd in the whole tristate area, their passion is above and beyond. When they hate, they hate you for life. When they love, they will fight for you,” added Tony Kincaid, one of the top commentators in the area, and the premiere manager in the Renegade Wrestling Alliance.
The word that encapsulates the RWA experience, projected by those behind the scenes, on the roster, and in the crowd is passion. The collective passion of management, it’s roster, and the fan base that supports the product allows for a presentation that is very much a brand of its own.
A snow storm that dumped several inches of precipitation on the region prompted the December event to be cancelled as a safety precaution, both for the fans and the talented roster that travels in for the organization.
However, this Saturday, not only does the organization return to action to kickoff 2026, the Renegade Wrestling Alliance celebrates its seventeenth anniversary, a milestone that represents its journey from an upstart project founded on the fandom and passion of Derek to its position as a part of the fabric of the Pittsburgh scene.
One of the most striking aspects to any RWA card is that the previously mentioned collective effort from the entire crew to present the show in a way that will give the fans their money’s worth spill over after the final bell. Promoter Derek is still as much of a fan today as he was when he first discovered the sport in his youth. His enjoyment of the product is infectious, as his fan base is a reflection of that. Different from many promoters in the industry, especially some of the corporate entities, Derek doesn’t view his fans as tickets or just a revenue stream for his promotion. He knows their names, he asks about their families, and in many cases, he considers them friends. It’s not uncommon to see him standing at the exit after an event has concluded to personally shake the hands and thank each fan individually for putting their hard-earned money down to buy a ticket to an RWA event.
In an effort to get a measure of retribution, Crash has invoked his rematch clause to challenge J-Rocc for the championship, but The Shadow Man, a standout from the Buffalo area that became one of the most popular competitors in the promotion for the past few years, was scheduled for a title shot at the December event that was cancelled because of the weather. So, management has decided to once again put the title on the line in a three-way dance, with the dastardly J-Rocc at a numbers disadvantage. Can J-Rocc worm his way out of the West Newton gym still as champion?
Furthermore, “The Franchise” Shane Douglas is scheduled for an appearance at the anniversary event, will he play a role in the heavyweight title match again?
Along with a full card of action on the line-up, NWA star, Pretty Boy Smooth will challenge steel city standout, Gianni Michael Emricko for the RWA Regional championship. Smooth, a 6’9 pure athlete that checks all the boxes for a superstar in the industry, has been on a roll in the organization since his debut last August. Smooth has held previous championships throughout the independent circuit, as well as being a featured performer on the NWA Roku program each Tuesday. In his continued pursuit of excellence in the sport, Smooth puts his undefeated run in RWA on the line against the championship that Emricko has held for several months. Emricko is a natural inside the ring ropes and many pundits have touted his bright future in the industry. As a wild card in the equation, Emricko’s manager, the controversy, but highly successful, Tony Kincaid is slated to be at ringside. Will Kincaid ensure his client retains the belt?
In the tag team division, one of the most dominate tag teams in Pittsburgh wrestling, War Hoss, a pair of brutes that have held the titles for more than 500 days, will put the championships on the line against one of the most accomplished teams in the tri-state area, The Wise Guys. The steel city has an extensive and storied history of tag team wrestling, with this long-anticipated bout as an example of the tag division in the area.
In one of the special opportunities for the fans at the anniversary event, the previously mentioned Tony Kincaid will be forced to take as many pies to the face as the fans want to purchase to throw at the underhanded manager. Due to a stipulation where he found himself on the losing end at the November event, the fans in attendance will have a chance to hit him with a pie for a small fee as a measure of revenge for all of his dastardly tactics in the organization.
“They are also absolute neanderthals, and anyone that comes near me with a pie will be pepper sprayed, I swear to god,” Kincaid frantically protested via phone.
For more information about the RWA, you can go to https://www.facebook.com/WrestlingRWA
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Until next week
-Jim LaMotta
E mail [email protected] | You can follow me on Instagram & Facebook @jimlamotta89
