MWF SOUL SURVIVOR VII BLOG by Dan Mirade
Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011 * 4:03PM
MARCH 23RD - here we are fans, feeling like we're getting ready to shut the lights off Christmas night. . . after weeks of anticipation, shopping, wrapping, writing and mailing out cards and gifts, "the day of" with presents and mayhem everywhere, Christmas dinner (Kowloon for us), secretly wishing the guests to go home (come on, I can't be the only one!). . .turn out the lights, the party is unfortunately over. . . .
Before we even get into the weekend itself, a great amount of thanks go out to everyone in the Millennium Wrestling Federation - from our superstars, the camera crew, drivers, fanfest staff, ticket takers, venue, etc., etc. All in all, there had to have been about 50 people working together as a team to execute this event. Wrestling fans love the wrestlers, but keep in mind that everyone else there is part of the foundation of who we are - if those folks are not there, there is no event. . . .it's frustrating when you have five or six "I'll be there's" not be there, but that's the nature of the beast with regional wrestling. . . regardless, as much as the athletes, these guys and girls deserve our appreciation and praise. . . .
It was also a great feeling to read some of the feedback we got from fans, both at Memorial Hall and via email after the event. To be able to put on an event to put smiles on those from Make-A-Wish, Special Olympics, Big Brothers, etc., who sometimes don't have a lot in life to smile about is a great feeling. . .
With my behind the scenes duties I saw very little of the event as I was producing the behind the scenes interviews you'll likely see sooner than later. SSVII was only a seven match event, which left little room for error, and everybody delivered. This was a tough, tough event to put together. . . .at one point or another, Eddie Edwards & John Walters were "penciled" in for the event, but their national obligations unfortunately prevented them from being there. . . President Cena made life somewhat more difficult by banning Tommaso Ciampa from the event. . . .Antonio Thomas was injured. . . .Bobby Fish wound up on a long running tour of Pro Wrestling NOAH in Japan. . . .then leading into the event, the now self proclaimed "Superstar of Sin" Scott Reed lost his mind claiming he forgot about the event and was going to be out of town. . . .J-Busta was fired. . . .Robbie E canceled his appearance the week of the event, leading to a very stressful period of trying to find a replacement. . .we tried to see if we could surprise you with Awesome Kong, but she was out of the area this week. . .Jay Lethal is a guy you should say "thank you" to next time he's at an MWF event because he really did try to be here for you, but in the end we didn't have enough time to make it happen with airline tickets as much as $900. . . .the afternoon of the event, Carlito hit us up to let us know he was ill in Mexico, where he had worked Friday night, but was going to try to fly standby to get to Melrose. Looking at the flights and timeline, it wasn't going to happen and the man was sick, it wasn't a situation he chose to be in like others mentioned. . . .whether you like Carlito, hate Carlito, I have respect for the man for what he attempted to do for the promotion and the fans. . . to me, that's "cool" (pun intended). . . .
Friday night, the superstars began to travel into town. . . had a nice dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, ran several errands, than had a staff meeting back at the hotel (including watching the Candyman on "Deal Or No Deal". . . Jerry, you should have taken the $27k). . . .the goal was to try to go to bed early, and the lights were off around 2:30AM with as much prep work as possible done. . .
Day of the event. . . up before 8AM. . . for those that may not know, I suffer from insomnia, so for me to be awake before noon is quite an achievement. That's the excitement of SOUL SURVIVOR, the adrenaline's pumping through your veins even when you're asleep. When you work on an event like this for eleven months, come game day, it's electric. Met up with X-Pac and Kaval at the airport, had to conduct some business, dropped off their things at the airport and went to a local IHOP for breakfast/lunch (Mirade Fact: out of our now est. 65 live events, I've eaten before an event less than a handful of times due to the stress and focus - another reason why I enjoy our post-event gatherings). Very interesting conversation, ranging from the "Mark Henry sandwich" to Alex Jones conspiracy theories. I'm actually somewhat familiar with the man as our Kevin Dunn Pat Doyle is a fan. . .Kaval/Low Ki is an extremely intelligent human being, and nothing against X-Pac but some of his real world knowledge really impressed me, a smart guy which translates in the ring. . . we got so deep into the conversation that it got quite late and "Mr. Money In The Bank" was landing. . . .dropped them off, dashed back to Logan and luckily he had a long wait on the runway so we timed it to perfection. . .
Paul Bearer and Carlito had later ETA's and other members of the team were picking them up. . . .from there, it was off to Memorial Hall to get things ready. . . .one thing I absolutely hate before the event is being surrounded by people. . . don't know why, but I hate to break my focus and I'm very intense. Right around 1:30PM or so, we heard from Carlito about what was going on. President Cena met with a small group of us to discuss a plan of attack. Then Cena had to leave for an off-site staff meeting. Got the fanfest set up, the door set up, situated a band from CT that was filming a rap video with Paul Bearer (can't wait to see the finished product on that one), got my office set up, continued to go back and forth with Carlito and the till box took a beating at one point I got so hot. X-Pac extended true friendship, coming over to the building a couple of hours early to lend a hand when there's an issue getting a small percentage of talent to the building as you've read. With everything going on behind the scenes, we didn't get to have as many Twitter updates as I had hoped. If you weren't there, buy a ticket and support the cause!
The new meet & greet set-up we began using at our last event seemed to go smoothly (cough, my idea President, cough). The matches were solid (results are in the BLOG and another section of the site). I was extremely impressed with Low Ki. . .as I've likely written before, it took us almost nine years to get him to the MWF. . .we went back and forth in December 2002 but he wasn't able to confirm the date until it was too late. . . when he was in TNA as Senshi, never able to get the right date at the right time (for SS history, Chris Sabin vs Senshi was a match penciled in for SSIV). . .once he left WWE as Kaval right before Christmas, we had to get him. . . .another interesting story. . . we basically needed to know if he was going to be able to do it to announce at ROAD TO THE GOLD January 8th. . . right before I was leaving the office to make the first of 85 airport runs, the email came in saying "yes" - it was a very satisfying moment that you had to be there for if you don't share my excitement in reading this. He was great in the ring, and I was very, very impressed with him in the locker room after the match. . .some of that I'll save for the book. . .
And then you have "Mr. Money In The Bank" Shelton Benjamin. . . .one of the greatest athletes to ever compete in a professional wrestling right. . . an overall great person, the type every promoter should want to have on their roster. . . .easy to deal with, fun personality (wait, I thought he had no charisma?), handles business the right way when he steps through those ropes, and he is now the NEW Millennium Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Champion! Slyck Wagner Brown and JBL's Uprising, eat your heart out! SWB had an attitude adjustment Saturday night, but nonetheless, he should be proud of his one year, nine month run on top with the help of the Uprising or otherwise. John Layfield is a good friend of mine no matter what you might think of his actions in and out of the ring, and I can't imagine he's going to let this matter sit for very long. Whatever the story may be, Shelton Benjamin is now the face of the MWF. . .
Raffles, auctions, pack up the merchandise, pack up the television equipment, off to Kowloon for a stress-free, fun filled night with a lot of laughs. . .if they could all be so easy and enjoyable. . . .around 4AM, this sore body made it's way home. . . the stars had no issues flying home, life was good. . .until having to get up and head down to MWF Studios for the Paul Bearer Studio Shoot Interview DVD taping. If you weren't there, you again missed a fun, educational taping that went almost three hours on the nose, and outside of a few newer stories that tied into other parts of the timeline, we only made it to 1996 or so. . .rematch coming?? Look for it and buy it once it's available on MWF Home Video this spring. . . .no matter what I think about him, we did have a good time. . .why more fans don't come to something like that, I have no idea. . . no idea. . . .
And that was that. . . eleven months of work in a few detailed paragraphs. . . .crowd wise, it was bigger than SSI and SSV. . . not quite sure if UFC running a PPV the same night hurt the crowd, but it has hurt WWE PPV's and crushed TNA PPV's if UFC runs the weekend before or the same weekend as a wrestling one. A very healthy crowd for 2011, but you always want "bigger." When you put eleven months of tireless work and energy into an event, that's what you expect. Maybe it's that eastern MA has had a lot of garbage wrestling shows that have turned fans off to all "non-WWE" events that we unfortunately fall into the same category as. . . .with the great success we've had in NC and anxiously await our CT debut June 4th, will that mean less live events in MA?? I don't know. It's much (much) easier to run around here, but there are a whole list of reasons why outside of here may be better, but that's a different story for a different time. . .
For the fans in attendance, we thank you ever so much for your support - don't let anyone kid you, YOU are the boss! If you weren't there, look for the official home video release in May. SOUL SURVIVOR VIII is already booked in Melrose next March 24th, 2012, and MWF X, our tenth anniversary extravaganza is set for Saturday, September 17th. . . .I think I have to start that BLOG now. . . .
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MARCH 20TH - The dawn of a new day in the Millennium Wrestling Federation. . .after a year and nine months as the king of the hill, Shelton Benjamin defeated "Slyck" Wagner Brown of JBL's Uprising to become the fifth MWF Heavyweight Champion in a tremendous contest filled with twists and turns. Benjamin is without a doubt one of the greatest athletes in this sport and is the perfect mold to be called "champion." In the co-main event, "Stalker" Dylan Kage (with Paul Bearer) came away with what some may call an upset over "Demon" Luis Ortiz; with the way things went down, that vendetta is far from a closed book. In a war nine months in the making, Todd Hanson extended his SOUL SURVIVOR winning streak to 7-0 defeating the veteran Doink The Clown Matt Borne, which surprisingly saw Paul Bearer come to ringside to meet up with his former protege in World Class Championship Wrestling two decades ago. MWF TV Champion "Straight Edge" Brian Fury defeated Sonny Yee 2000 in retain the gold as well as continuing to creep up on breaking "Die Hard" Eddie Edwards two year, seven month reign as champion. The "In It To Win It" Tag Team Title Royal Rumble was another action packed match-up that saw Rick Fuller and "Executioner" Brian Milonas of Paul Bearer's Trifecta of Terror come away with the gold. Even more of a twist was Scott Reed - the man that "forgot" about SSVII and was going to be out of town - return in vicious fashion, dubbing himself the "Superstar Of Sin" and perhaps costing athletes a chance to leave with championship gold with his interference. In a Royal Rumble, expect the unexpected. As a result, President Cena ordered a match between Reed and X-Pac later in the event that saw the DX original get the better of an unexpected opponent with Carlito unable to appear. In another top contenders match, Low Ki/Kaval defeated Jay Freddie in a hot athletic competition.
If you didn't follow us on Twitter today, Carlito had a health scare in Mexico today, and after everything went through all afternoon to get to Boston, the airline God's didn't help the cause. We were very disappointed that he was not there live, as we invested a lot of time and money in promoting his appearance on our TV commercials, printing up hundreds of 8x10 photos, purchasing an airline ticket and hotel room, conducting an interview with him this past Sunday night, etc. Unfortunately, it's the nature of the beast, similar if you went to a Red Sox game and one of the starting nine was injured and unable to play. As Carlito wrote on his Twtiter, he wanted to be here and will be with us sooner than later and will find a way to make it up to the fans (promise). Robbie E is another story. . .he had canceled appearances with us in the past prior to his TNA stint. . .he had contacted us regularly wanting to come in then he personally chose to go back on his word, again, to go off to Hollywood to tape some non-wrestling related project. TNA had absolutely nothing to do with this appearance and are at no fault whatsoever - it was his personal choice. We spent a great amount of time this week trying to get Awesome Kong and Jay Lethal to come in, but it was near impossible so late in the game. For fans that purchased their tickets in advance, we're going to try to come up with a "make-good" over what happened - stay tuned over the next several days.. .
11 months in the making, this event had so many twists and turns. Eddie Edwards and John Walters were "penciled in" at one point but have overriding contracts with nationally televised promotions that came into effect. Tommaso Ciampa was banned from the event and Antonio Thomas was injured. In something never announced, Bobby Fish was slated to return at one point before going on a tour with Pro Wrestling NOAH in Japan. J-Busta got canned. Scott Reed went nuts. Never a dull day in the MWF. . .it was a long 20 hour day at the office. Fans will never - ever - understand the amount of overwhelming stress, effort, time, finances, etc. it takes to put together an event like this. Compared to what some promotions charge $15 for, it makes you wonder about just how beaten up this area really is. . .
Shelton Benjamin was again a major league phenom in the ring and is what this sport should be all about. I was extremely impressed with both X-Pac and Low-Ki/Kaval's debuts. X-Pac still has the DX spirit in him, to say the least. . . .Low Ki is one of the most interest, intense athletes we've ever had. . .a pleasure to have them both be a part of this great event, will hopefully have them both in the picture on a regular basis in the near future as the both bring a ton to the plate. . .
It was an exciting, interactive events that the fans on-hand enjoyed. . . .we made our friends from Big Brothers, Special Olympics and Make-A-Wish smile. . .we raised some money for the Red Cross in their efforts to help the victims of the earthquake in Japan. . .all while working to Keep The Kids Off The Streets. . .
Some interesting days lie ahead for the new MWF Heavyweight Champion Shelton Benjamin and the rest of the Federation. . .the countdown is already on to SOUL SURVIVOR VIII, Saturday, March 24th, 2012. . .
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MARCH 19TH - Can you believe it's finally here?? After 11 months, SOUL SURVIVOR VII is tonight at Memorial Hall in Melrose! Superstars will be driving and flying in from all over the world (literally, as Carlito is in Mexico as I write this). There will be seven huge matches with titles on the line, grudges settled (with some beginning?), and opportunity for every athlete on the roster. Before the event, we have the autograph & photo meet & greet. Raffles, auctions to benefit the Red Cross' work for the victims of the earthquake in Japan and so much more. You will never forget attending this memorable, interactive event. . .
It must be a sleepless night for many of the superstars with so much up for grabs and so many intense, heated rivalries coming to a head. Had a chance to speak with many of the superstars on the card tomorrow night and they're anxious to hear the bell ring. I'm looking forward to calling the action with the voice of the MWF, The Jackal. I think my "in ring" days are over after the Ortiz/Kage showdown from January. Seven years ago tonight, I was laying in a hospital bed at Lahey Clinic hospital in Burlington, MA paralyzed in most of my body - even with the overwhelming stress, time, effort and energy put into this event, it's a great thing to be a part of it. Even last years plane-day from hell that took 17+ hours to get home from the CAC reunion in Las Vegas less than 48 hours before SOUL SURVIVOR VI thanks to the volcano erupting in Iceland was a challenge. . .very happy to be at home in Boston tonight.
It's going to be a long, exciting, crazy weekend with SSVII tonight and the Paul Bearer Studio Shoot Interview DVD taping Sunday night. If you haven't got your tickets yet, by hook or by crook, make your way to Melrose LIVE!
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MARCH 16TH - fans, we owe you a big time "thank you" for helping us set our all-time live event advance for SOUL SURVIVOR VII this Saturday night at Memorial Hall in Melrose, MA. Even though we don't have local newscasters trying to "scare" people with snow storms this weekend, the advance was up over 60% of where we were for ROAD TO THE GOLD January 8th, a very strong sign of things to come. While RTTG drew a very healthy crowd by regional wrestling standards in 2011, it was also likely the only time in wrestling history you'll see current champions from both WWE & TNA on the same event, along with Awesome Kong's final bout before going to WWE. With all that event offered, yeah, we were letdown by the final outcome for not even three inches of snow. But the "finish line" always has been SSVII, just like last year, just like every year. . .
A decision was made a couple of months back to run extra television advertising to let fans know about what we had going on. SSVII feels like a fresh, exciting supercard with feuds culminating and new rivalries beginning. We strive to give you the best value in professional wrestling and a tremendous blend of the superstars and legends of yesterday, today and tomorrow.
The X-Pac vs Carlito top contenders match has a big time feel to it, it's the first time these two superstars have ever competed against one another. There was (and maybe still is) mystery in the air as to why President Cena would bring Carlito to the MWF when he already has his hands full with JBL's Uprising and Paul Bearer's Trifecta of Terror. . .hey, even "East Coast Cowboy" DJ Dubay has been a time consuming headache for human resources. The fact that Cena plans on sitting ringside for this one match interests me. I conducted a telephone interview with Carlito this past Sunday while he was at LAX awaiting the flight, he's ready to compete with the best in New England beginning this Saturday night. . .
Spoke regularly with TNA officials, who at first knew absolutely nothing about Robbie E's Hollywood gig that is on-going March 19th, but confirmed that there is some sort of production going on. A disappointment nonetheless, something I'll get into in the "pre-game show" after the big one Saturday night. . .too many positives to focus on. . .
Three preview videos are available online for some of the top bouts at SSVII - the MWF Heavyweight Championship match between "Slyck" Wagner Brown of JBL's Uprising against Shelton Benjamin. . .the co-main event of "Demon" Luis Ortiz ready to unleash hell on "Stalker" Dylan Kage (with Paul Bearer). . . and a grudge match nine months in the making as Todd Hanson fights Doink The Clown Matt Borne. . .and that folks is just the tip of the iceberg with the aforementioned top contenders match, Kaval vs Jay Freddie in what could be the show stealer, Brian Fury defending the MWF TV Title against an unknown in JBL's Japanese import Sonny Yee 2000, plus the first ever "In It To Win It" Tag Team Title Royal Rumble where the last two men standing will win championship gold. . .seven big matches, seven superstars in the autograph / photo fanfest as we continue to Keep The Kids Off The Streets!
As announced this past Sunday, in addition to the raffle we'll be holding for the autographed Kane Money In The Bank plaque and the 50/50 raffle, President Cena has announced that we'll be auctioning off autographed "Property of WWE" t-shirts signed by the superstars on-hand to help raise money for the Red Cross' efforts to help the victims of the earthquake in Japan. A great cause where you can win a unique prize(s). . .we hope you'll take part. . .
The March MWF Xtra: The John Cena Sr. Show is online with a look at SWB and Shelton's title match, Doink's final tune up before Todd Hanson at SSVII when he faces "The Shaft" Bobby Ocean, a message from "The Monster" Abyss, plus multi time MWF Tag Team Champion Beau Douglas (with Bull Montana) battles "East Coast Cowboy" DJ Dubay as both men get ready for the Tag Team Title Royal Rumble. . .online now 24/7, free of charge from any computer in the world. . .check out past MWF TV episodes to catch up on the action and get pumped up for the big one!
Don't forget about the Paul Bearer Studio Shoot Interview DVD taping and meet & greet this Sunday night at MWF Studios. . .should be one of the more interesting interviews we've ever conducted. . .I'm glad President Cena will be there to play "middle man". . .
It's getting late. . .Facebook it, Twitter it, tell your friends, tell your family to get to Memorial Hall Saturday night for SOUL SURVIVOR VII. The MWF's headed to CT, it's headed back to the Carolina's, but Melrose and the Boston area is our home - we wanna be here. Your ticket purchase helps the cause. . .it's gonna be a great night. . .
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MARCH 12TH - sometimes with so much going on in our real and/or work lives that it takes the earthquake in Japan to get us to pause and think. . .many friends have worked in Japan over the years and some of our MWF superstars still compete in Japan. . .President Cena has come up with a unique way for this company to help the Red Cross' efforts there, similar to what we did with our first event a few weeks after 9/11. More news on that tomorrow night. . .
So here we are just a week away from the big weekend. . .excitement's in the air, mixed with the athletes anticipation and tension. SOUL SURVIVOR VII will be the chance for many to shine at "The Hall" in Melrose next Saturday night after an interactive meet & greet as we continue to Keep The Kids Off The Streets. Excited that we'll have our friends on-hand from Make-A-Wish, Big Brothers and the Special Olympics.
Don't forget - this Tuesday is the last chance for online tickets of any kind for both SSVII and the Paul Bearer Studio Shoot Interview DVD taping next Sunday, March 20th. After Tuesday night, VIP Packages will no longer be available, they're not sold at the door. Remaining floor and general admission tickets will be on-sale in cash at their regular price next Saturday. . .
Some bad news - disappointed that Robbie E of TNA will not be there, citing filming a movie in Hollywood. Difficult pill to swallow where he'd canceled on us before, prior to his fist pumping days. As a WWE official told me during the Daniel Bryan saga, when one person lets you down, everyone gets let down, from the roster to the fans to the causes. I know President Cena has been working the phone trying to find a last minute replacement. Frustration sets in when you spend expensive television time advertising the appearance, printing up photos that go to waste, using up MWF TV time when there are other athletes we could spending time focusing on. It is what it is. Have been in contact with the other advertised superstars and they're looking forward to the event. . .
Maybe some overreaction?? Shelton Benjamin indeed competed at the WWE Smackdown taping in his native Houston, TX this week in a non-televised bout. Is there a chance he'll be returning to WWE?? Sure, there's a chance a lot of stars could return to WWE at any given time if the opportunity arrises. Is he going to be in Melrose next Saturday?? Barring an act of God or Continental Airlines, absolutely. Even though he hasn't been with the MWF for a long time, he and I have become fast friends and let us know that there's no way he'd leave us "high and dry." He's as good of a person as he is an athlete, which is quite a statement. If he returns to WWE I hope they will let him show off the charisma, personality and humor he displays in social settings as we had a great time last month when he was here for the SSVII press conference at the Boston Garden. . .
Today is one of my least favorite nights of the year as we move the clocks ahead. When you have insomnia, you want to kick the clock back a couple of hours everynight. With so much to do leading up to the event next Saturday, midnight turns into 4AM awfully quick.
Check back tomorrow for some big updates, auction news, interviews with Carlito and Paul Bearer, a big time line-up change and more!! It's going to be an exciting week fans, don't miss a day. . .
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MARCH 9TH - trying to type en route to the doctors to post later tonight after another long day of work. . .now that it's officially March 9th, happy birthday to MF, always missed. . .
Very happy to speak to friends at WWE this past Sunday afternoon (I thought I was the only one working on Sunday's), they will be sending along some good stuff for the big one March 19th as VIP Packages continue to run out the door. . .
The Slyck Wagner Brown vs Shelton Benjamin MWF Heavyweight Championship preview video highlights what's going to be an action packed encounter with two tremendous athletes that are going to be ready to go March 19th. And that's just HALF of the main event fans! You have to wonder, has the wind been taken out of the Uprising's sails?? Antonio Thomas, injured. Tommaso Ciampa, banned. J-Busta, canned. Sonny Yee 2000, debuting. JBL, stunned last night on Monday Night Raw. SWB may not have the "back up" he's had in the past, unless they have another plot brewing. . .
"Demon" Luis Ortiz' response to "Stalker" Dylan Kage's latest video was an intense one. . .the SSVII co-main event is going to be one intense altercation, and I hope we see the demon lurking in Luis Ortiz at Memorial Hall. . .these two have had some stand out pro wrestling matches in hte past, but I don't think what we're going to see in less than two weeks is going to be a "wrestling match" as Ortiz is motivated and ready to destroy Kage
As mentioned in this week's MWF Newsline video on the front page, Matt Taven makes his MWF debut as well as the return of Furio Falcone March 19th, you'd have to think in the In It To Win It Tag Team Title Royal Rumble. . .I understand President Cena had to decline several athletes coming to the MWF to compete in the match and walk away with championship gold the first night in. . .
March MWF TV is hot, ULTRA is online now with "Straight Edge" Brian Fury defending the MWF Television Championship against "Die Hard" Eddie Edwards, the current champ against the first and longest reigning, with the winner going on to SSVII. Plus, Ortiz has his first match in four years in the MWF against hungry, impressive newcomer Jay Freddie. Two standout matches as we continue to get closer to the big event. If you have yet to do so, get those tickets today!!
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MARCH 4TH - now that J-Busta has separated himself from the company, are the MWF Tag Team Titles officially vacant?? In our near ten years of live events, we've never had more excitement and angst at the same time. . .the II2WI Royal Rumble plot thickens. . .
Received a couple of emails from fans looking for the discounted price on VIP Packages to SOUL SURVIVOR VII. . .as noted on the official event page since it opened in January, the discount price was valid through March 1st only. . . unless it was their first visit to the site, not sure where the confusion came from. Same thing with online ticketing - the LAST day you can purchase VIP Packages of any kind is Tuesday night, March 15 - after that they are no longer available - VIP Packages will NOT be sold at the door. At every event, we have fans that want to get the VIP's after the cutoff date and we simply cannot sell them to fans once the cutoff date hits. The offer is valid for another eleven days so take advantage of it!
The last chance to buy standard event admission tickets online (floor or general admission) is also Tuesday night, March 15th. The discount for GA tickets expires that night as well. After that, any remaining floor and general admission tickets will be on-sale at Memorial Hall the afternoon of the event at 5PM at regular prices with no perks, extras, etc. Those are for pre-sale orders only.
We're trying to make the ticket process as clear as humanly possible to fans so there's no misunderstanding or hurt feelings. We've had these dates in place for quite some time, and while there's a lot of information on the event page, all the information is under your nose.
Also going forward, fans purchasing VIP Packages/tickets in advance will receive their event related materials in a clear plastic sheet so there is no disputing a coupon, raffle ticket, etc. Once you pick up your tickets at the front door, it will be assumed you received what you ordered as you'll be able to see what you have in your hands before either heading to the fanfest or the arena area. You'll receive an email once we get a little closer to the event with a complete listing of what you ordered and encourage you to bring it with you.
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MARCH 2ND - it feels like we're in the "home stretch" to SOUL SURVIVOR VII, to say the least. The superstars have been announced, the complete eight match line-up has been revealed, the TV commercials are running, the web-site is hot, VIP Packages and event tickets are moving. March 19th, 2011 should truly be one of the more memorable nights in MWF history as our never ending hard work continues.
Lots more videos, previews, columns, etc., coming, but let's look at the three matches this week. I'm personally very happy to see Kaval/Low-Ki/Senshi finally make his way to the Millennium Wrestling Federation. In one of my former roles, I had initially tried to recruit Low-Ki to come to the MWF going back to Christmas time in 2002 for our ROAD TO THE GOLD 2003 event in Lynn, MA, but as someone that was extremely busy around the US and Japan he was unable to confirm the match at that point, and the card was already finalized by the time he reached back to us. On March 19th, his match with Jay Freddie should be an intense competition to say the least. While Freddie is a relative newcomer to the MWF, he's been overwhelmingly impressive in each outing, and is no stranger to taking on some of the elite superstars in this sport, competing against Daniel Bryan over the summer. This one could indeed be the proverbial show stealer.
The MWF Television Title Match is shaping up to be an interesting one as "Straight Edge" Brian Fury defends against JBL's Japanese import Sonny Yee 2000. On Super Bowl Sunday, "Million Dollar Investment" Tommaso Ciampa tried to bully his way into the match, but President Cena was having none of it, banning Ciampa from SSVII and threatening to find a way to fire him from the MWF if he put his hands on him again. Cena and JBL were in a behind the scenes bidding war ala Daisuke Matsuzaka for Yee 2000's services, with the Uprising winning out in the end. Yee 2000 trained at former MWF Lt. Commissioner Sonny Yee's dojo in Osaka, Japan and is ready to bring his unique style to the MWF March 19th. Fury is chasing "Die Hard" Eddie Edwards record for longest reigning TV Champion in company history, but has never seen Yee 2000 compete which makes it extremely difficult to train and prepare for the defense. Could there be an upset in the making; after all, Ciampa defeated Edwards and TNA superstar AJ Styles in Ciampa's debut in the fall of 2007. Could be very, very interesting. . .
Finally, the one that's created a lot of buzz is the "In It To Win It" Tag Team Title Royal Rumble. Originally, President Cena had put together the second annual II2WI gauntlet (the first won by Julian Starr at SSVI last year) where the winner got the title match of their choice, along with Uprising members J-Busta and Antonio Thomas defending the MWF Tag Team Titles against Scott Reed & Julian Starr. We had known for some time that Thomas was injured and would be unable to compete; as a result of JBL's website's sponsorship, Busta was going to be able to pick the partner of his choice. However, this past Friday, February 25th, MWF officials learned from Scott Reed that he knew nothing of the event and would be "out of town" for it. . . .the same event that the MWF has been promoting since last April. Something doesn't add up here fans. Julian Starr was rightfully livid when learning that his shot at superstardom was shot down in one phone call. Scrambling for a back-up plan, Cena decided to shoot a major league missile at the Uprising and force J-Busta to defend the tag titles against everyone in the MWF not on the event in a Royal Rumble match where the last two men standing are the champions. To try to make the unfortunate situation up to Starr, Cena is giving him J-Busta for five minutes to open the Rumble, followed by athletes entering every two minutes thereafter. Lots of possibilities in this one that will touch base upon in the coming days!!
If you haven't got your tickets yet, what are you waiting for fans?? The discount on VIP Packages has expired, but they are still, without a doubt, the best value in professional wrestling. Get yours today and be where the superstars are Saturday, March 19th at SOUL SURVIVOR VII!
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MARCH 1ST - so much to talk about, so little time in this late night update. REMINDER! Today, Tuesday, March 1st is the last chance to get discounted tickets to SOUL SURVIVOR VII March 19th in Melrose - beginning tomorrow, regular pricing will be available online, along with General Admission tickets going on-sale. A lot more to come this week. . .
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FEBRUARY 25TH - Tons of updates on the big event can be found on the MWF Newsline, but tonight has been the night of nights. . .a six person text "teleconference" took place in an effort for President Cena to blowup SOUL SURVIVOR VII March 19th in Melrose, MA, in what could be his biggest bomb dropped against JBL's Uprising yet. Sunday night is going to be a big night for news. . .
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FEBRUARY 16TH - What a weekend! MWF Heavyweight Champion “Slyck” Wagner Brown and Shelton Benjamin made it official by signing their names on the dotted line, it’s going to be a huge, explosive main event! Shelton Benjamin is one of the finest athletes to ever grace a professional wrestling ring and on March 19th at SOUL SURVIVOR VII will have the chance to win the most prestigious championship in New England. Check out the site for a recap of our big night at the TD Boston Garden, as well as the champ and JBL’s crony Gino Giovanni roaming the building. Special thanks to the Boston Blazers staff for an unforgettable night for the MWF family in one of our biggest nights in our ten year history. . .
Conducted a cool interview with Shelton in an empty Garden before doors opened to fans that will air on the February Superstar Zone – between that and the press conference itself, it’s a great thirty minute program. You don’t hear about many regional wrestling promotions doing something like this in the biggest venue in New England, but the power of the Millennium Wrestling Federation made it happen. Great night at the Garden and a lot of laughs and stories at Kowloon, as always, many thanks to Andy Wong for his friendship. . .
In something that kind of flew under the radar with so much going on is that MWF SOUL SURVIVOR VIII will take place Saturday, March 24th, 2012 back at Memorial Hall in Melrose, MA. With the MWF expanding into the Carolina’s and hopefully other areas in 2011, it might be the last SS at “the Hall.” Happy to have it signed, sealed and delivered now. . .
Sunday was also a very busy day in the world of the MWF. President Cena signed another huge grudge match for SSVII nine months in the making as Todd Hanson opposes Doink The Clown Matt Borne. Ever since Doink debuted this past summer, he’s been hell bent on making Hanson’s life miserable, getting involved in just about every encounter the former champion’s had. Hanson, in turn, has saved numerous superstars from being permanently disfigured by Borne after the victories he’s piled up. Very interesting match as these two men have size and can go when the bell rings. Hanson’s 6-0 at SOUL SURVIVOR, a streak he doesn't’t want to end, while no one really knows what Borne’s long term goals are here in the MWF, other than carnage.
Cena’s war of words with “East Coast Cowboy” DJ Dubay is an amusing one. Dubay demanded (if you didn't’t “understand”) that Cena put him in the main event of SSVII all the way back in August; Cena was so insulted / disgusted that he suspended Dubay for 90 days to whip him into shape. As you’ll see, not much has changed. Looks like Dubay is going to compete in the In It To Win It Gauntlet challenge, where the winner gets the championship match of their choosing. Will be interesting to see who else Cena adds to the match. . .
SSVII weekend is going to be topped off by a Paul Bearer Studio Shoot Interview DVD taping the day after SS, Sunday, March 20th at MWF Studios in Melrose, MA. Memberships are available that include free admission to the taping, a posed photo in-studio and an autograph from one of the greatest managers ever, who led both the Undertaker and Kane to WWE World Championships. Our state of the art Studio Shoot Interviews are the best in the business, far and above those taped in a hotel room with a camcorder. Bearer will be under those bright studio lights with myself and President Cena taped with multi professional cameras and microphones. If you’ve never seen one of our shoot DVD’s, check out the MWF Store, which has a great sale and preview of the Boogeyman Studio Shoot we conducted during our anniversary weekend. . .
Two big matches for SSVII to be announced this coming Sunday, February 20th. . .lots of anxious superstars. . .lots of controversy behind the scenes as talent is shuffling around with Tommaso Ciampa getting the boot from the big event. . .really interested to see what the prez signs. . .
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FEBRUARY 12TH - A week since the last BLOG update?? Believe me, things haven't been quiet - by any stretch of the means (just ask our travel agents going insane trying to get the superstars plane tickets taken care of). A lot of time, then (as usual) chaos, hours before MWF / Shelton Benjamin Night at the Boston Garden tonight. If you told us last year at this time that the SOUL SURVIVOR VII press conference would be taking place at the world famous TD Garden, I would have said you were insane. I believe that "Year Ten" is going to be one filled with surprises and excitement. Really looking forward to seeing Shelton, a world class athlete and just as nice of a guy. Can only imagine "the champ" SWB's thought process as he makes his way to the Garden, along with what I'm sure will be a gloating President John Cena Sr. Hoping for a big, exciting, historic night. . .
Last Sunday, President Cena announced the second half of the double main event at SSVII that will be one of the most intense grudge matches in MWF history as "Demon" Luis Ortiz faces "Stalker" Dylan Kage (with Paul Bearer). The Kage-Ortiz championship feud from 2005-2007 was one of the biggest challenges Kage faced during his near four year reign on the top of the mountain, then, as the pyscho stalker, he took Ortiz out of the sport for several years. After a heated showdown on the January MWF Xtra (not one of my better moments), these two going to war is a must, and quite a compliment to the Slyck Wagner Brown vs Shelton Benjamin MWF Heavyweight Championship match. It's going to be one hell of a night fans, if you haven't got your VIP Packages and event tickets yet what on earth are you waiting for?? New fans to check out our TV commercials on WWE and TNA television programs and take your seats?!?
Several 8x10 photos have been added to the SSVII Photo section, some really cool designs with more to come. Remember, unlike some fan conventions that charge $4-$5 per photo, at MWF event / meet & greets, photos are only $1 each if you don't have your own item ($5 for official WWE / TNA photos, due to the cost to obtain them). Once we have them all created and printed, we'll give MWF Superfans that supported us by buying their tickets in advance a chance to reserve them at have them waiting at the fanfest table in a big envelope.
Expect more news to break on Soul Survivor weekend after Shelton night at the Garden and a big night at MWF Studios Sunday. . .stay tuned! If for some reason you can't join us live at the Garden, I'll be doing my best to "tweet" away on Twitter. . .
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FEBRUARY 4TH - I remember this Friday (even though it was a different day) back in 1988. . .I was in the third grade and got my first dog, an awesome black lab, a few hours before WWF's "The Main Event" on NBC. Not Saturday Night's Main Event, but a Friday night 8PM primetime special with a rematch from WrestleMania III between Hogan and Andre that was one of the more memorable nights in modern day wrestling history. . .
Anyways, things moving along for SOUL SURVIVOR VII as we're inching closer and closer to the big one March 19th in Melrose, MA. Many headaches trying to finalize all of the superstars flight information. Gotta love the con artists on the airlines, had one flight booked for $176, and while in the middle of BOOKING THE FLIGHT, the price rose to $330. Are you kidding me?? These are the types of stresses the fans luckily never have to deal with or understand. . .that's another big reason why buying your VIP Packages and event tickets in advance really, really (really) helps the cause. . .
On a side note, anyone have issues trying to email us or contact the Boston Blazers off of the MWF / Shelton Benjamin Night page?? One fan had some kind of technical issue put through a credit card dispute because he said the email link didn't work and apparently didn't read the telephone number listed. Was trying to find out if any other fans had similar problems. Don't forget, we're just eight days away!!
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JANUARY 31ST - who would have ever thought that the next wrestling themed event after last night's WWE Royal Rumble at the Boston Garden would be the MWF's SOUL SURVIVOR VII Press Conference Saturday, February 12th with "Mr. Money In The Bank" Shelton Benjamin?? What an exciting, historic night it's going to be. There's a buzz in the air after our street team passed out flyers to fans coming in and out of the arena - if you want to be part of it, get your tickets now!
We will have a limited supply of official WWE t-shirts of Shelton Benjamin and X-Pac on-sale March 19th. Last night at the Royal Rumble, t-shirts were $25, $30. At SSVII, fans that purchase VIP Ultra Packages will receive one FREE official WWE t-shirt, and we'll also have a wide variety on-sale for far less than WWE's prices. We continue to try to offer fans the best value in professional wrestling in every way possible. . .
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JANUARY 30TH - it's Royal Rumble Sunday here in Boston! Earlier tonight, we ran a "surprise" contest where we emailed everyone that has purchased tickets/VIP Packages to SOUL SURVIVOR VII March 19th in Melrose, MA already, and the first person that responded won two free tickets to MWF / Shelton Benjamin Night at the Boston Garden February 12th. Another way for the MWF to say thank you to it's great fans. If you haven't got your SSVII tickets yet, don't delay, there could be more giveaways coming. . .
In other news, Furio Falcone is set to return to the Millennium Wrestling Federation. Falcone was an MWF regular from 2007-2009, last seen in a losing effort to "The Shaft" Bobby Ocean in Ocean's MWF debut. It will be interesting to see what the self proclaimed soccer sensation brings to the table in 2011. . .
President Cena is expected back in Boston early this morning. . .with so many matches under his belt, will he be one of the 40 superstars in the Royal Rumble?!?
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JANUARY 29TH - we're just two weeks from the MWF and Shelton Benjamin invading the Boston Garden, Saturday, February 12th. Talk about historic. It was ten years ago this week when paperwork was filed to make the Millennium Wrestling Federation a reality; back then, we never thought we'd be promoting our marquee event of the year at the-then FleetCenter. . .don't delay, get your tickets now!
President Cena is putting together a variety of non-guaranteed contracts to athletes that want to compete in the MWF per Cena's 2011 "Call To Action Campaign." While our roster is as strong as it's ever been, the president realizes this sport is a never ending evolution. We're looking for athletes with heart and passion for the business that can make an impact. From what I understand, the first of which will be announced next Sunday, February 6th. . .
Speaking of next Sunday, lots of SOUL SURVIVOR VII March 19th news (more matches) along with info on Paul Bearer Night on Sunday, March 20th. It's going to be a big five weeks in the MWF. . .if you haven't got your VIP Package yet, what are you waiting for?? They are, without a doubt, the best value in professional wrestling. Better be there!
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JANUARY 25TH - busy day playing travel agent to make sure the superstars get in and out of Boston smoothly for SSVII and printing signage for the event itself. . .never hurts to be prepared. Some of the designs for the new 8x10 photos might be to fans liking. . .we might have as many as four different styles for Shelton Benjamin night at the Boston Garden February 12th and at SOUL SURVIVOR itself March 19th. . .
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JANUARY 24TH - Busy, productive night at MWF Studios after a Saturday back in the ER - ice and slush don't always agree with a 6'3" frame with a cane. Weekly MWF Newsline video is on the front page of the site. Actually produced a short three minute trailer of the Boogeyman Studio Shoot Interview DVD, which is cool for those of you that have never heard him speak and gives you a sample of what his official MWF DVD release is all about. With WWE's Royal Rumble this Sunday in Boston, there was a lot to get done. . .
There was work to be done. Shelton Benjamin promotional photos for his appearance at the Boston Garden February 12th as part of the SOUL SURVIVOR VII press conference. Made the official announcement that we're going to have ourselves a SOUL SURVIVOR weekend! On Saturday, March 19th, you have the live wrestling, the autograph/photo fanfest, the raffles, the auctions, the interaction. If that wasn't enough, the following afternoon, Sunday, March 20th, we're going to have the Paul Bearer Studio Shoot Interview DVD taping, which should be an interesting one as it's his first in-depth interview since he played Humpty Dumpty with Kane on Smackdown. For an MWF Superfan membership, you get free admission to the DVD taping, a private meet & greet, one autograph, a posed studio photo with him and more. Should be a lot of fun for the fans where we have a maximum capacity of around 40 or so fans. More details to come soon with memberships on-sale to our Superfans first (as our thanks to you). . .
President Cena continues to be MIA (never a bad thing for yours truly) trying to finalize several big matches for SSVII. . .lots of interesting "rumors". . .VIP Packages (the best value in professional wrestling) and event tickets are on-sale now. . .with all of the perks you get, what are you waiting for?!?
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JANUARY 21ST - hot rumor that MWF officials have reached out to another superstar known worldwide as a "bonus" for SOUL SURVIVOR VII. In the past, the MWF has had lengthy discussions with superstars to appear and compete at events that have never panned out due to schedule and/or financial issues. This could be one to watch. . .
Vendor tables are SOLD OUT. Between the autograph/photo fanfest, the MWF Merchandise Tables as well as the vendors on hand, there should be some tremendous wrestling merchandise available.
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JANUARY 20TH - now we get to begin the "fun" stuff. . .trying to line up all of the superstars air travel while avoiding some really high priced flights (i.e. Houston right now). Being the travel booking veterans we've become now headed into event #65 March 5th, if you buy them at certain days/times, you can save a good chunk of change (knock on wood). . .
The roster for this event is off the charts and the line-up is shaping up. We've put together individual profiles of the superstars appearing at SSVII March 19th you can find links to on the event page as well as the main event between MWF Heavyweight Champion "Slyck" Wagner Brown and Shelton Benjamin. Slyck cost Shelton the MWF TV Title at our anniversary event (which can be seen in the classic 5-Way battle on the October MWF ULTRA program), and President Cena found Shelton to be the perfect challenger in Melrose. Shelton is a real deal, kick a$$ athlete, the man that taught Brock Lesnar up in MN. It's a match I personally look forward to seeing. . .
As if SSVII itself wasn't big enough, we're going to turn it into a WEEKEND celebration! More news to come (likely this Sunday), but we have another exciting event coming Sunday, March 20th! If what I'm hearing is true, should be a fun event for the record books (or DVD collection). . .
Hearing rumors of a second big time match to take place at SSVII. . .once we get the contract signed, you'll be the first to hear about it. . .
And what a couple of months it's going to be just to GET to SSVII. . .you're talking about our SSVII Press Conference / contract signing at the Boston Garden Saturday, February 12th that includes a Shelton Benjamin Q&A / autograph signing / photo opp. MWF FULL THROTTLE takes place Saturday, March 5th in Fairmont, NC as everyone is gearing up for our return to the great state of North Carolina as part of a special fundraiser for the Fairmont Police Department as the MWF continues to Keep The Kids Off The Streets. Year ten is starting off hot fans, and we want you to be a part of it! Visit the event pages as tickets are on-sale now. . .if you order your SSVII VIP Package by March 1st, not only will you save about $200 off the regular price plus all the free bonuses, but you'll also save $5 off the price of the ticket itself! Not a bad deal by any stretch of the means. . .
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JANUARY 9TH - just as the dust begins to settle from our ROAD TO THE GOLD supercard last night in Melrose, all eyes are on our annual big one SOUL SURVIVOR VII, Saturday, March 19th, 2011 at Memorial Hall in Melrose. As has been rumored for weeks, President Cena went on a wild spending spree to bring in fresh talent for this huge event and meet & greet as we continue our efforts to Keep The Kids Off The Streets.
Last night President Cena announced the main event as "Slyck" Wagner Brown defending the Millennium Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Championship against "Mr. Money In The Bank" Shelton Benjamin, provided that Slyck is still champion come March 19th. On February 12th at the Boston Garden, we'll have a press conference and contract signing between the two prior to Shelton's Q&A, autograph signing, posing for photos and the Boston Blazers vs Colorado Mammouth lacrosse game. It's going to be an exciting, historic night as the MWF invades the Boston Garden!
VIP Packages and Floor seats go on sale tonight - if you purchased VIP Packages and/or floor seats to ROAD TO THE GOLD last night, you will get upgraded to front row for FREE (limited supplies). With the huge amount of hot, fresh talent making their MWF debuts at our biggest event of the year, don't delay, get your tickets today!
