This week, another column about the only business whose finishes are more pre-determined than Olympic figure skating...

In keeping with previous columns talking about the need to make readers aware of alternatives to "sports entertainment", here is information on several shows running in the next two weeks.

ECWA Super Eight

For those of you in the Northeast, as reported on in this column two weeks ago, the buildup continues for the sixth annual ECWA Super Eight Tournament, which will be held at St. Matthew's Parish Center in Wilmington, Delaware on Saturday, March 2. You can also travel there together with fellow wrestling fans if you live in the New York/New Jersey area.

Participating in this year's Super Eight are:

From NWA Wildside... A.J. Styles, Atlanta, GA

From Pro Wrestling NOAH...Donovan Morgan, San Francisco, CA

From Puerto Rico's World Wrestling Council...Bobby Rude, Toronto, ON, Canada

Red, Brooklyn, NY

Xavier, Queens, NY

From Les Thatcher's Heartland Wrestling Alliance... Matt Stryker, Cincinnati, OH, Pepper Parks, Buffalo, NY, and WWF developmental wrestler R.C. (formerly Charlie) Haas, Edmond, OK

AJ Styles may well be the best unsigned independent talent in the United States. There have been rumors that the WWF is interested in Styles, and the Super Eight will provide a great opportunity for Styles to showcase his talent.

Those of you who have the chance to watch NWA-Wildside can see Styles's talent for yourself...and can see it for yourselves at this year's Super Eight tournament.

Along with the Super Eight tournament, ECWA Heavyweight Champion Scott Andrews will face Billy Fives in a Ladder Match. There will also be the annual "ECWA Summit", a Royal Rumble-style event which will feature the SAT, Low Ki, SATs, Low Ki, Stryker, The Cheetah Master, Prince Nana, Slyk Wagner Brown with April Hunter and other stars of the ECWA.

The anticipation for this year's event is building to a degree that for the first time in the tournament's history, the Super Eight will feature a bus full of people from New York tour provider One of A Kind Tours.

One of a Kind will run a luxury bus will leave promptly at 1:30 PM on March 2nd from Modell's in Queens providing time to travel to Wilmington, Delaware for dinner and the show, scheduled for 7:00 pm.

The bus will return to New York after the Super Eight ends, with possible pickup points being added in Brooklyn and New Jersey. Tickets for the trip/a ticket to the ECWA Super 8 will be $40. The bus is equipped with bathroom facilities and video monitors which will screen wrestling on the rides to and from the tournament.

Please email ECWLegacy@aol.com if you are interested in reserving a seat for the trip.

For those traveling by car, here are directions to St. Matthew's Parish Center:

From Pennsylvania:

Follow I-95 southbound. Take Exit 5B (Route 141 North/ Newport exit). Take Route 141 northbound about one mile to Exit 4 Route 4 East (Newport exit). At the bottom of the ramp, turn right onto Route 4 East. On Route 4, go through 4 lights. Between the fourth and fifth lights, St. Matthews Parish Center will be on your left.

From Delaware and Maryland:

Follow I-95 northbound. Take Exit 5-B (Route 141 North/ Newport exit). Take Route 141 north about a mile to Exit 4/Route 4 East (Newport exit). At the bottom of the ramp, turn right onto Route 4 East. On Route 4, go through 4 lights. Between the fourth and fifth lights, St. Matthews Parish Center will be on your left.

From New York & New Jersey:

Follow New Jersey Turnpike (or I-295) south to Delaware Memorial Bridge. Cross over Delaware Memorial Bridge (stay to the LEFT, following signs for I-95 south.)

Just before merging onto I-95 southbound, take Exit 5B/ Route 141 North (Newport/Lancaster exit). Follow Route 141 north for 1 mile. Take Exit 4 Route 4 East (Newport exit). At the bottom of the ramp, turn right onto Route 4 East, and follow Route 4 East through 4 lights. Between the fourth and fifth lights, St. Matthews Parish Center will be on your left.

Ohio Valley Wrestling

Those of you in the Louisville area can take in shows of Ohio Valley Wrestling, which features a 1980s style traditional product, and believe it or not....logical booking. OVW will run TV tapings on February 13 and 20th (8:00 pm belltime) at Davis Arena in Louisville.

OVW shows feature such performers as future WWF star and University of Minnesota graduate Shelton Benjamin, one of the best heel managers around Kenny Bolin, future WWF stars in training Brock Lesnar and Ron "H2O" Waterman, third generation wrestler Randy Orton, former WCW wrestlers David Flair, Mark Jindrak and Sean O'Haire, former ECW wrestler Redd Dogg, Rob Conway, The Damaja, Nick Dinsmore, Flash, Jason Lee, Leviathan, Doug Basham, Chris Michaels, Payne, Prototype, and Trailer Park Trash.

Davis Arena is found at 1126 Mechanic Street in Jeffersonville, IN, just across the Ohio River from Louisville. It can be found by crossing the bridge over the Ohio River on I-65 from Louisville. Take the 10th Street exit into Jeffersonville, continue for 10 blocks, then take a left at Mechanic Street.

Maryland Championship Wrestling

For those of you that live in or near Maryland and southern Delaware... Maryland Championship Wrestling will feature a show on February 16th...one of their rare shows outside the state at the Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington, DE, with an 8:00 pm belltime. The show features these matches:

In a championship rematch, Orlando Jordan (Champion) vs. The Bruiser (Former Champion)

For the MCW Rage TV Title, "The Supermodel" Marcus Jordan (with Vanessa) defends against Joey "The Future" Matthews (co-holder of the MCW Tag Team Championship with Christian York)

CZW tag team The Briscoe Brothers take on former ECW standouts Chris Chetti and Danny Doring

In two grudge matches... Headbanger Mosh goes against "The Cornerstone" Romeo Valentino (with Candie). In the other...Alexis Laree will take on Tara.

Also appearing will be former WCW wrestler Van Hammer, MCW Tag Team Champion Christian York, Julio Dinero, Doug Delicious, CZW Iron Man Champion Adam Flash, The Ghetto Mafia and all the stars of Maryland Championship Wrestling.

Tickets can be ordered by phone from Bone Breakers Pro Wrestling Training Center at (410) 737-1533. Tickets are $18.00 Ringside and $15.00 General Admission.

From Philadelphia/New Jersey/northern Delaware:

Take Route 1 to Dover. Exit onto US Route 13 (Dupont Highway) southbound. At Harrington, continue past the Route 14 intersection and the railroad tracks. The fairgrounds are on the right.

From Southern Delaware:

Travel northbound on US Route 13 (Dupont Highway) northward. The fairgrounds are located 4 miles north of Farmington on your left.

From Washington/Baltimore:

Take US Route 50/301 eastward over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Continue to the Routes 50 & 301 and bear right Route 50. Take Route 50 to Route 404 at Wye Mills. Turn left onto Route 404 and travel eastward to the Denton by-pass. Exit on to Maryland Route. 313, and travel northward to the intersection with Route 317. Travel eastbound on Route 317. As you enter Delaware, Maryland Route 317 becomes Delaware Route 14. Continue eastbound on Route 14 to Harrington. Follow signs to the fairgrounds.

If you live in other areas not listed above...take the time to look up and check out your local independent promotion.

Until next time...

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(If you have comments or questions, I can be reached by e-mail at bobmagee1@hotmail.com)