When We Was Small Boys, We Was Wrestling…….

For any diehard PWA fans that remember EVERYTHING, you may remember about 2 years ago now when myself and Brandon Van Danielson tagged with El Reverso to take on The DOD (Punishment, Strife and M) in a 6-man tag at The PWA Anniversary Show in 2008. A little video was posted on the PWA website that involved a promo done by myself and Brandon that Brandon ended with the quote “When We Was Small Boys, We Was Wrestling!” The quote is significant to this story because what not many people realize, is me and BVD, we WERE once actually best friends and it was one of our inside jokes that we always told. Because when we were small boys, we were actually wrestling.

May 2003 was when I began training at the young age of 13. It was fairly unproductive for me my first year as it seemed no one else was around to put the time and dedication into it that I was as a student. I always had great trainers, but without another student that was always there to challenge my skill one on one and progress with me, it was quite hard to truly begin making improvements as a wrestler.

But then May 2005 came along and at 15 three other young guys joined the camp, Alex Plexis, Evan Adams and of course, Brandon Van Danielson. All three of them had the same drive and determination that I had been begging for someone to come with. However it was Brandon and myself that quickly became friends and really began improving together. I won’t get into too much about Plexis and Adams but the general gist of the matter is they had different personalities than me and Brandon.

It was not long after they had joined the camp that in July 2005, TJ Wilson (now Tyson Kidd of the Hart Dynasty in WWE), became our trainer. I remember it like it was yesterday, TJ just began making us do squats every practice to see if we’d do it. Slowly hiking the number from 25 to 50 then one day told us to do 75. At which point myself and Brandon quickly suggested “If we’re gonna do 75 we may as well do 100″ and so we did, then from that moment on TJ was our trainer, our mentor.

Our first match came October 14th 2005 when myself, Brandon and Plexis took each other on in a triple threat match at a Stampede Wrestling event in Calgary. There was no winner as The Army of Darkness (then Duke Durrango and Apocalypse) attacked all 3 of us to prove a point before TJ Wilson and Harry Smith made the save. For about a year the 4 of us (it was not long after the 3-way took place that Evan Adams joined us as the Stampede Young Lions) we would have matches with each other once every 2-3 shows for Stampede. We were just beginning and they were simply giving us a chance to get some experience before making us full time members of the roster.

It was November 11th 2005 that The Finals of the Young Lions Cup Tournament came around. Pitting myself and BVD against each other once again. I came out with the win, the first ever Stampede Wrestling Young Lions Cup Holder. Then that is where the jealousy began, Brandon couldn’t handle the loss and attacked me after the match. Not too long after on December 9th he cheated to beat me for the cup. But I one upped him once again by becoming the youngest ever British Commonwealth Midheavyweight Champion on January 12th 2007. The last time I met with Brandon in the ring was January 26th 2007, when myself, TJ Wilson and Juggernaut teamed up to take on Ravenous Randy, Apocalypse and Brandon Van Danielson in a 6-man tag.

For nearly a year after that me and Brandon did not cross paths. Until I lost the British Commonwealth Midheavyweight Title to Gama Singh Jr on December 14th 2007. I won’t get into too many details, but it involved Brandon saving me from many attacks by Gama Jr and his then partner Tiger Singh. At first I did not trust him, but once he proved himself trustworthy it didn’t take long for us to once again adopt the name “Young Lions”, but this time as a tag team.

It took a little over the year till PWA New Years Resolution in 2009 when we became the PWA Canadian Tag Team Champions. A goal that we had set since the moment we formed our alliance as a tag team. We then went onto feud with Super Wild which culminated in one of the bloodiest and most brutal matches I’ve ever been involved in, The Ladder Match at PWA Apocalypse in Calgary! It then led to Night of Champions in July when we put the belts on the line in a 4-team tag vs aMp’d, Super Wild and High Timez. Super Wild came out victorious over High Timez after myself and BVD nearly killed ourselves along with M and Plexis. It was then that things went into a downward spiral for us, it was then that the old BVD began to shine through.

We began to mis-communicate when teaming, we went on a losing streak, until finally deciding to go for singles gold. This attempt at singles gold lead to a Triple Threat match between myself, BVD and then Cruiserweight Champion, T-Bone. It was this match that our tag skill shined and we double pinned T-Bone, forcing Kurt Sorochan to make the match a singles match between myself and BVD with the winner becoming the new champ. Just like the Young Lions Cup Finals, almost exactly 2 years earlier, I once again came out on top. Then once again, BVD’s jealousy came to the surface, instead of shaking my hand congratulating me, he chose to flip me off.

I forgave him and although we grew distant as a team we seemed to still be friends. Until we once again were given a shot at the PWA Canadian Tag Team Titles as it was the Young Lions vs aMp’d vs C.O.P.S vs the champions, Super Wild at PWA Invasion. Bill Yates suffered an injury leaving Slammer alone for C.O.P.S however Super Wild were quick to eliminate him by attacking him before the match even started causing severe injuries that have sent Slammer away from the ring for the time being. It was then left to the 3 remaining teams. I managed to pin M eliminating aMp’d and it looked as if The Young Lions may win the gold back. Until I attempted to make a tag to BVD, having been beating down for nearly 15 minutes by this point it was crucial that I get that tag. Instead, BVD jumped off the apron and left me alone to be hit with The Super Kick/Remix combo that has secured Super Wild many victories since becoming champs. I was then pinned for the 3-count, our opportunity at becoming Tag Champs once again up in flames and becoming nothing but forgotten dust.

So it looks like we’ve come full circle, we began as best friends, became enemies, found new trust in each other more through respect then a friendship and now…enemies once again. But this time its different, last time we were younger, last time wasn’t as personal. Brandon, you’ve made an enemy you’re going to regret for the rest of your life. You’ve brought out a side of me I forgot I had. You’ve broken my nose, you’ve choked me out, but I know i’ve hurt you too and believe me there is more to come. I will not stop until I feel like i’ve had justice until I feel like i’ve had revenge in full!

….O and Bobby Sharp, this Saturday, January 23rd in Calgary for PWA Genesis. I just want you to know, its nothing personal. You’re a victim of circumstance, wrong place, wrong time.