SCW has been on the road to EPIC since the Prestige Rumble in January as SCW Presents Hawkamania XXX. The events of that night have shaped what has become one of the most intriguing builds to SCW’s biggest events of the year.
When talking about EPIC, there is no better place to start than the SCW Championship. Back in January, JT Energy’s seven-year journey in SCW reached the mountaintop when he defeated Connor Braxton to become the new SCW Champion.
It was an emotional moment for the “Unsolved Mistery” as the SCW Championship was the one title within the promotion that had eluded him. With the fans fully supporting him, Energy’s emotional response to capturing SCW’s grandest prize was an iconic moment to begin the year.
That same night Dustan Moseley put the SCW locker room and JT Energy on notice. Moseley’s night began in rough fashion after he lost the Iowa Championship to long-time rival, The Shug. But the “Devil Dog” wasn’t going to let that setback be how his 2023 began.
During the Prestige Rumble, Moseley physically inserted himself into the battle royal by taking out El Tigre before the up-and-comer could enter the match. He then went on to win the Rumble and the guaranteed championship match at EPIC when he last eliminated Joeasa.
Energy and Moseley’s first interaction as champion and challenger came during Hawkamania: Heartbreak in a tag team match also featuring Dante Leon and Eric Eznite. On that night, Energy and Leon had their hands raised in victory but the feud between Energy and Moseley was about to pick in intensity.
At Hawkamania: Lovesick, both men got to choose who the other would face in a one-on-one contest. Energy picked Dante Leon, while Moseley selected former two-time SCW Johnny Wisdom.
Both EPIC main event competitors picked up wins that night, but after Energy’s show-closing win over Wisdom, Moseley made his move.
Utilizing a steel chair, Moseley viciously attacked Energy and the final image SCW fans were left with was Moseley standing over Energy with the SCW Championship held high.
Watch Moseley’s recent promo about JT Energy below.
April 8th @SCWPro #ANDNEW #scwpro #Champion pic.twitter.com/nUPc8H1Zfs
— The Devil Dog (@TheDevilDogDM) March 14, 2023
This Saturday, both men come face to face for the first time since the assault, and JT Energy has promised to send Dustan Moseley a message before their huge main event showdown at EPIC on Saturday, April 8th.
SCW Presents Hawkamania XXX
Challengers Everywhere
Since winning the Iowa Championship at the Prestige Rumble, “The Shug” Shane Hollister has been the definition of a fighting champion. Willing and ready to take on any challenger, he’s succeeded in several title defenses since January.
This Saturday on the eve of EPIC, Hollister made sure the title was on the line when he and Dante Leon meet in the squared circle. Leon, who recently returned to SCW, went punch for punch, kick for kick and suplex for suplex with Dustan Moseley at Lovesick.
Taking this match to 11 is the fact that it will be a ladder match. Something both men agreed upon yesterday.
Well, well, well!
Look what we have here! 👀
This Saturday in Iowa City, it will be @The_Shug vs @EndseekerLeon in a LADDER MATCH for the IOWA CHAMPIONSHIP!
🤯🤯🤯 https://t.co/tZ4cpihWux pic.twitter.com/iZaRVb7Ec1
— SCWPro (@SCWPro) March 16, 2023
This match has show-stealer written all over it. Meanwhile, three SCW veterans, Krotch, Corn Boi, and Johnny Wisdom, settle on who will be going on to EPIC to challenge for the Iowa Championship.
The three were thrown into a championship contender elimination series of matches. The first to two wins gets the title shot. Corn Boi started the series with a win over Wisdom at Heartbreak.
At Lovesick, Krotch picked up win number one by defeating Corn Boi. Wisdom evened the score between the three of them with a victory over Krotch at Luck is for Losers. Saturday, somebody’s getting their second victory, and the opportunity at the Iowa Championship come April 8th.
SCW Presents Hawkamania XXX
QC Cup Chaos
Back in January, “His Chosen Champion” Eric Eznite, with his own personal colossus Garrote by his side, had all the momentum in the world as QC Cup Champion. His reign with the Cup saw him pull out a plethora of victories giving credence to some of his more boisterous claims.
That momentum came to an abrupt halt at the Prestige Rumble when Eznite lost the QC Cup to Matt Cage. Unwilling to gracefully accept the loss, Eznite, and Garrote attacked Cage during the rumble match.
They left Cage lying, much to the chagrin of the SCW faithful. The attack put Cage on the shelf, and the QC Cup was recently vacated. Saturday night, six of SCW’s top young stars meet in a scramble match to crown a new QC Cup Champion.
If you want combustible elements, you got ’em in this match. Former champion Eznite was a lock for this opportunity after losing the cup so recently. His former tag team partner, Malik Champion, will be in the match.
Known as the Prodigal Sons, the two held tag team gold together before a bitter split saw them feuding into the summer of last year. Making things even more intriguing is the fact that Champion’s current partner Shain Boucher will also be in the match.
Boucher and Champion recently held the titles together so it will be interesting to see if they come to blows Saturday night. The possible confrontation with the highest degree of combustion is when “Primetime” James Thomas and Ript Studwell come face to face.
As Connor Braxton’s former business associates during his reign as champion, the two were recently abandoned by Braxton. Neither wants to take the blame for their fallout, and both want to point the finger at the other as the one to blame.
This will be their opportunity to do the talking with their fists. The wildcard in this match will be Jared Thumb, who, in the past few months, has tagged with or fought against everyone in this match.
Thumb is looking for his EPIC moment, and there is no better opportunity of achieving that than walking in as QC Cup Champion.
Deadly Games
One of the most shocking moments at the Prestige Rumble was when the SCW Tag Team Champions “Partners in Rhyme” Niko Kline and MFG eliminated Mason Beck from the rumble match.
The nefarious manner with which it took place, Kline had already been eliminated when he helped his partner pull off the elimination, putting them in the crosshairs of Mason Beck.
After a brief suspension for getting a little too out of hand with SCW referees, Beck returned with vengeance on his mind. Even still, the tag champs continued poking the bear with their actions at the last few SCW shows.
MFG even picked up a victory over Beck at Lovesick, but of course, Kline was there for the assist. Saturday night Beck takes on the champs in a handicap match with no count outs and no disqualification.
Beck’s revenge could come swift and painfully for the tag champs Saturday night, but never underestimate “Partners in Rhyme” as they always seem to have something up their sleeves.
It’s the final event before SCW’s biggest show of the year, and it will set the stage for what could be an EPIC event come Saturday, April 8, total pun intended.
