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| ©2009 MainStream Wrestling Entertainment. All character names, slogans, wrestler information, and all media including photographs, text, articles, audio, and video contained herein is copyrighted by and is the property of MainStream Wrestling Entertainment, Devin Chittick, and the wrestlers depicted in this medium. No information should be copied or used, either in part or in full, without express written consent by MainStream Wrestling Entertainment. All rights have been reserved. |
| FEATURE STORY: LINCOLN STEEN RETURNS TO MSW Nearly five years ago, Lincoln Steen walked out on MSW - the company where, just over 3 years earlier, he had his first professional match, in the ring where he would face some of the best craftsmen in the industry: Flexx Falcone, Jeremiah Delinquent, Chi Chi Cruz, and more. MainStream CEO, Devin Chittick, recalls those days. “It was a great time back then, much like the resurgence we’re experiencing today: big shows, strong crowds, awesome match-ups with some of the best performers available to us.” Although largely considered a meager upstart promotion that would fight to eventually erase that stigma in mid-Y2K, the action was certainly hot once MSW tours began frequenting regular Maritime towns, most nights with Steen in the main event. Because of their spot on the card, it was the Enfield native along with JDL, Scott Savage that attracted the most attention. MSW was creating a rattle locally. “He (Steen) was the Champion back then and was defending the belt everywhere, even when he went to Manitoba in 2002. That was good for business, also, adding some geography to the Title,” Devin says. “Fans from the other promotions here were convinced that he and about 2 others were the only guys capable of excelling here back then, and they could’ve been right. That was a huge complement to me because I really went overboard to highlight those guys in the biggest matches every night.” GREENER (AND NOT SO GREEN) PASTURES It was in the middle of the now-infamous rivalry between the late Real Action Wrestling and its antagonist ‘we’ll-show-you-how-its-done’ Atlantic Coast Wrestling, that Steen and JDL were asked to jump on board for RAW’s last hurrah tour. Not too far off from the battlefield and left unscathed, was MainStream Wrestling - the smaller, pocket-changed circuit that sat idly and watched the two promoters clobber each other into bankruptcy. The MSW owner looks back with clarity on his wrestlers’ decision to tour with the rivals. “I was really uncomfortable at the time when they went on the RAW tour basically because they both started here,” Devin reflects. “I was also concerned that they might not be back - I knew the other locker room would try convincing them that being with me was a road to nowhere. But, I was glad they were going somewhere where they could learn from veterans who had thousands of matches on their resumes, and if they did return, that experience could certainly help better them and my promotion.” Chittick was right about the hypocrisy that would be spread on the other side. Lincoln Steen now testifies: “I watched other wrestlers - some of whom in the past have looked down on me for accepting work with MSW - take bookings themselves on MSW shows. All of a sudden, everyone around me was ‘slumming it’ working with MSW. At no point during my initial tenure with MSW would I ever consider it in such a manner.” Eventually, after the other leagues had set sail, the territory became wide open and MainStream Wrestling Entertainment paddled in. But, the waters were a little muddy. (More) |