A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out. With that being said, Crowbar goes 1 on 1 with best friend "Mr. Main Event" Ace Darling for the first time in nearly 10 years on Oct. 24th in Freehold, NJ at the ISPW Arena when ISPW presents SLAMOWEEN.
Darling, who retired from professional wrestling last fall, made a surprise return at the last ISPW event on Aug. 22nd and defeated former ECW Tag Team Champion Danny Doring. Darling, a former five-time ISPW World Heavyweight Champion, is excited about returning to the ring after some much needed time off.
"I came back to the ISPW because I feel I still have something to prove" Darling said. "When I left wrestling a year ago I was fat, I was depressed, and mentally I needed a break. Today I am in shape and mentally focused to prove that I am simply put, still the best! Crowbar is my best friend and my old partner. I can't think of a better test than facing him. Lets get it on! It's going to be hot!"
Even so, Darling is still surprised that his best friend has challenged him to a match. For the last several months in ISPW, there has been someone in Crowbar's head talking to him and ordering him to do certain things that he actually doesn't want to do. Crowbar simply refers to this mystery person as "Him" when making mention of him.
When Crowbar was asked to comment on why he would challenge his best friend to a match, he said "He told me to do it. He told me to take Ace Darling out of the picture before he paints himself back into it. He told me Darling was a former five-time ISPW World Heavyweight Champion. He told me to do this. I don't want to do this. Ace is my best friend. I don't want to do this. I have to do this. I don't want to do this. He tells me I have to."
Crowbar and Darling have a long history with each other over the last decade. They have been both tag team partners and opponents. The two in the mid 90's had a short run in World Championship Wrestling as a tag team called "The Extremists" and had a pair of matches on WCW Nitro against Scott Hall & Kevin Nash. Their last match against each other was a dark match before WCW in 2000 at the Nassau Coliseum.
ISPW World Heavyweight Champion Judas Young is looking forward to this match. "Though Devon Storm made his way through ECW and mastered his craft as Crowbar in WCW, Ace Darling has been a household name on the independent scene" Young said. "Though brief stints in both the WWF and WCW, Darling didn't quite break out as Devon did, on a national level, but on the indies, he surpassed that of what Mr. Storm did, in my belief. That doesn't discredit Devon in any way, shape, or form. He has tagged with the "Nature Boy's" son and held a belt of great recognition for a company during the height of the Monday Night Wars! Darling, on the other hand, opened eyes on the independent circuit, proving what the epitome of a true professional athlete is and should be. Holding various titles and accolades, Darling not only impressed, but left imprints of the blood, sweat, and tears that he trained so hard to attain, on canvas' up and down the East Coast!"
Young credits Crowbar and Darling for the progress in his work over the years. "I am one of those younger wrestlers I speak of when mentioning the teachings from these two spectacular athletes. I have been in the ring with each man on numerous occasions. It is from such matches, that during my upstart in our sport, I personally have been on the receiving end of great knowledge, and not only found myself more enlightened after each encounter than before I entered the squared circle with these veterans, but grateful that I gradually became just like one of them, in different ways."
"To put it clearly, these guys put me on the map" Young said. Aside from what I have ventured out and learned on my own by traveling and picking the brains of seasoned performers over my course of time in wrestling, it's no easier for me to point the finger at Devon and Ace as guys I have groomed myself, and aspired to be like, several years later. Sure I have Danny Inferno, Joey Matthews, Les Thatcher, Gino Caruso, and most importantly, Rocco Rock, who have shared much insight into our trade with me, but Devon and Ace have always been hands on and willing to make that extra step and go the extra mile to assure that we not only have fun before a crowd, but that we do business for the show, not ourselves!"
ISPW promoter Tommy Fierro was excited when Darling decided to return to the ring. "Ever since I decided to return with ISPW earlier this year, I have been trying to get Ace to come out of retirement. There is so much history there with him and ISPW, as he's a former five-time ISPW World Heavyweight Champion. He is without question one of the greatest performers to ever lace up a pair of wrestling boots. It was an honor to be able to induct him as the first person into the ISPW Hall of Fame at our return show back in April. It's even a bigger honor that he thought enough of both me and ISPW to come out of retirement and want to work again."
Fierro thinks the world of Crowbar as well. "I knew from the second I first saw Devon Storm perform live that he was going to be someone in the wrestling business" Tommy said. "I was a huge supporter of his when he first broke into the wrestling business and I am so proud to see he has made a name for himself. For anyone that hasn't checked out ISPW yet since it's return, Crowbar is on top of his game. This is the best he's looked in years. I can tell he's excited about performing again and that's a huge bonus to ISPW and it's fans."
The General Manager of ISPW, "Mr. Personality"
This is only one of several big matches taking place at SLAMOWEEN on Oct. 24th when ISPW returns to the ISPW Arena, located at 323A Fairfield Road in Freehold, NJ. ISPW World Heavyweight Champion Judas Young will defend the title against the undefeated Rick Fuller, Former WWE Superstar Manu takes on "The King of The World" Danny Inferno, Former WWE Cruiserweight Champion Nunzio & The Logan Brothers battle ISPW General Manager "Mr. Personality"
