Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, wrestling fans of all ages, this Saturday’s Madhouse Wrestling Championship Match in the main event of Madhouse Wrestling 5 Repeat Offenders, is brought to you by the letter R.
For current Madhouse Heavyweight Champion Clay Cooper, the letter R stands for RETAIN. Since becoming Madhouse Champion, Cooper has been the definition of a fighting champion.
Madhouse Wrestling 5 Repeat Offenders
In his first title defense, Cooper retained against both, former Champion AJ Smooth and Matty Star in a thrilling triple threat match. During Madhouse’s final show of 2022, Cooper retained the championship against a game Ethan Everheart in a highly competitive contest.
With two successful title defenses against three top-tier opponents, Cooper enters the first Madhouse show of 2023, full of confidence and ready to continue his reign at the top.
“Being Madhouse Champion has meant a great deal to me because it’s my first singles title in the business, and I plan on keeping it for a very long time.” – Clay Cooper
For the championship challenger Saturday night, Jimmy Wylde, the letter R represents REDEMPTION. You see, during the very first Madhouse Wrestling show, Wylde suffered a knee injury.
Wylde’s injury came before the start of the six-man scramble match, a match he was one of the odds-on favorites to win. An awkward landing while entering the ring, devastated Wylde’s knee and forced him on the shelf for over a year.
Now the “Dirt Dog” is back, and his sole mission is to become the new Madhouse Wrestling Champion.
“I’m determined to show up and show just how down and dirty the dirt dog is willing to go. I’ll do whatever it takes to win the Madhouse Championship in my return match.” – Jimmy Wylde
During the six-man scramble where Wylde suffered his injury, Cooper shined. The current Madhouse champion stole the show with a death-defying leap off the balcony before picking up the win with a phenomenal 450 splash.
Cooper’s victory earned him the opportunity to fight for the Madhouse Championship which he ultimately took advantage of by defeating AJ Smooth at Madhouse’s second show – Outlaw State of Mind.
“Clay and Jimmy were both scheduled for that scramble, but Jimmy tore his ACL. Clay then did what Clay does and was the MVP,” said Madhouse promoter Luke Raven. “Since then, Clay became champ and has held the title for eight months.
He’s shown he can handle the pressure and knows what it takes to remain champion. For Jimmy it would be hard not to see all of Clay’s success and think it was supposed to be him.”
The fact that both men were scheduled to compete in the first-ever Madhouse Scramble match isn’t the only commonality between these two. They’ve crossed paths numerous times in various promotions.
Both always deliver show-stealing performances.
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Their fast-paced, high-flying styles meshing any time they’ve stood across the ring against each other. They were even a formidable team in Impact Pro Wrestling known as the Super Step Brothers. The familiarity has built a level of respect between these two fiery competitors.
“I have a ton of respect for Jimmy, he’s an amazing fighter and I’m excited to get in the ring with him.” – Clay Cooper
“It’s gonna be a helluva match. At the end of the day I respect Clay and I know how good of a wrestler he is.” – Jimmy Wylde
However, underneath that respect is a competitive fire inside both men that pushes them to be the very best. It led Cooper to his greatest year in the sport of pro wrestling and helped Wylde return from a devastating injury.
That fire is what makes this story of Retain vs. Redemption so compelling. Both men are out to make a point.
“Clay told me respect is out the window in his promo, so screw his championship reign. April 29th that championship will be mine, and I’m finally going to show that I was always the better step bro.” – Jimmy Wylde
“I’m on top of my game, and I’m in the best shape of my career. There’s no way he comes back from injury and even comes close to dethroning the Champ.” – Clay Cooper
While the Madhouse Championship Match is about redemption and retention, the Madhouse Tag Team Championship is all about bad blood. Since the inception of Madhouse Wrestling a little over a year ago, one rivalry has defined the rebellious promotion.
The feud over the beautifully crafted Madhouse Wrestling Tag Team Championships between “Chillileo” Gable Galileo and Max Chill and the “Whiskey Dicks” Justin Decent and Malice, has been a staple of every Madhouse Wrestling show.
“This rivalry is something that has carried over from Impact Pro Wrestling. It’s now versus next, it’s all types of insanity,” Raven said. “These are the types of rivalries that are fun and that you can know nothing about and will still enjoy the hell out of the matches.”
It all started at the very first Madhouse show last March. That night, Gable Galileo, with Max Chill in his corner, took on Justin Decent in a Knuxville Street Fight.
Both men were equipped with brass knuckles, and a wild brawl ensued. Of course, Max Chill got involved, and the numbers game proved too much for Decent. After the match, the dastardly duo continued attacking Decent until Malice stepped in for the save.
“While my goal wasn’t really to compete in Madhouse, when the opportunity to step in there with Justin, a man I’ve fought with and against, came about, I had to take it.” – Malice
The mind behind Madhouse Wrestling, declared right then and there that at Madhouse: Outlaw State of Mind, Chillileo would take on Malice and Justin Decent.
This wasn’t going to be just a regular tag match. Oh no, the stakes would be much higher as the winners would be crowned the first-ever Madhouse Wrestling Tag Team Champions.
The animosity between both teams was high heading into Outlaw State of Mind as both teams wanted to assert their dominance.
“Malice and Justin are both big men and are very accomplished in pro wrestling despite both being complete idiots.” – Gable Galileo
“Chillileo are like cockroaches. Nobody wants them around and no matter how many times you stomp them, they keep coming back.” – Justin Decent
Unfortunately, on the night of Outlaw State of Mind, Malice wasn’t medically cleared to compete. Unwilling to let this opportunity slip away, Decent found a suitable replacement in Ugly.
However, a ghost from Ugly’s past in the form of Aaron Von Baron (more on this later) served as a distraction, allowing Chillileo to become the very first Madhouse Wrestling Tag Team Champions.
Riding high after their championship victory, Chillileo defended the tag titles at Madhouse Wrestling: Little Show of Horrors. Despite the odds being against them, this was a triple threat match, and Chillileo remained Tag Team Champions.
After the match, another confrontation with a kendo stick-wielding “Whiskey Dicks” led to their biggest confrontation yet. During the final Madhouse show of 2022, the two teams engaged in an out-of-control fight that went all across the Knapp Creek Event Center.
Liquor was spilled, blood was shed, and a plethora of weapons were used. It truly personified everything that Madhouse Wrestling has claimed to be since the beginning.
In the end, new Tag Team Champions were crowned after Malice speared Chill through a barbed wire-wrapped door while Decent hit a Death Valley Driver on Galileo onto a pile of tacks. The loss did not sit well with Chillileo.
“The only reason they won was because we walked into a bar fight not knowing what to expect, now we’ve had months to train and up our blood alcohol content and we will be facing them on equal terms.” – Max Chill
This Saturday, Madhouse Wrestling’s first promotion-defining rivalry writes what will most likely be its final chapter.
Two teams that know each other all too well and absolutely despise one another, in a Fight to the Finish with the gorgeous Tag Team Titles hanging in the balance. It’s safe to say all four competitors are ready for this one.
“Saturday night, its simple. We’re going to slam whiskey and beat those two goofy sons of bitches all over Knoxville.” – Malice
“Malice and I will showcase what defines the Madhouse tag division and deliver a fight you will never forget. Then we will hoist our titles over the broken bodies of Max Chill and Gable Galileo. – Justin Decent
“I predict Malice and Justin are going to underestimate us yet again. Chillileo is always scheming, and we’re going to find a way to win our championships back, by any means necessary.” – Gable Galileo
“We are the foundation Madhouse is built on and without us it will crumble. My prediction is that Chillileo walks out with the Madhouse tag belts and hoes will be mad.” – Max Chill
These two matches headline what should be another exciting card from the outlaw promotion. A feud that has stood the test of time once again takes center stage when Ugly and Aaron Von Baron meet in Dog Collar Match.
These two have been feuding for the better part of a decade and haven’t found a stipulation they don’t love.
Saturday, they will be connected by collar and chain as the next brutal tale of violence unfolds. Cole Cannon and Bo Gott paths crossed numerous times during the Last Outlaw Match at Madhouse Wrestling: Outlaw State of Mind.
They battled at the very end of the wild battle royal before Cannon eliminated Gott. Neither man won the Last Outlaw match, so they both come into Saturday determined to get a win.
Both men wanted this match, and this could be a possible show stealer. The beloved James Jeffries makes his return to Madhouse Saturday night to take on the debuting “Nasty” Nic Nolan.
Jeffries was one of four men who fought for the right to become Madhouse Champion at the very first Madhouse show. He returns to try and position himself for a future championship opportunity.
Nolan, who, just like Jeffries, holds championship gold outside of Madhouse Wrestling, could be the next wrestler to make an impact on their Madhouse debut. A win over James Jeffries would be a huge notch for his belt.
It’s a triple debut in the Madhouse Women’s Division as Aminah Belmont, Maggie Minerva, and the “Queen Bee” Brooke Valentine meet in a triple threat match. Valentine was originally scheduled for the first Madhouse show but was unable to compete.
She’ll enter with a chip on her shoulder and ready to prove her dominance. Minerva and Belmont are early into their careers and neither lacks confidence. One of these three is getting a big win Saturday night.
Ricky Bronson was originally scheduled to face Lars Metzger in what would have been a violent piece of art. Metzger is unable to compete so Madhouse Wrestling found a replacement in Dave Stage.
Making a name for himself across the indies, Stage even has an AEW appearance on his resume. This is an opportunity for the rebel Ricky Bronson to truly test himself against a proven star.
The Madness goes down Saturday night at the Countryside Wedding and Events Center in Knoxville, Iowa. If you want to know more and enjoy solid podcasts, give the crew over at Two Count – Comedy Meets Wrestling’s preview podcast a view here.
