By Haldimand Press Staff
SIX NATIONS—Dixieland Grill of Hagersville brought Championship Wrestling International (CWI) Wrestling back to Six Nations on Saturday, September 24, 2022. The high adrenaline fights were all for a good cause, as the event supported Six Nations Caretakers.
The competing wrestlers included Robbie McAllister of “The Highlanders”, former NWA Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis, “The Masterpiece” Chris Masters, Santino Marrella, Rene Dupree, Tyler Tirva, current AEW superstar “All Ego” Ethan Page, AEW wrestler and coach Billy Gunn, seven-time WWE/TNA Women’s Champion Victoria, and Austin and Colton Gunn of AEW’s the Gunn Club. CWI Commissioner was WWE legend the Brooklyn Brawler.
“It was a great card. Lots of excitement,” said Dixieland Grill owner Nick Wyman, who noted CWI was started in 1998 when he was still a wrestler. He noted many of the wrestlers were kept a surprise until the big showdown, giving the night an extra layer of shock.
IX NATIONS—National treasure Nick Aldis was crowned new CWI Heavyweight Champion after defeating “The Masterpiece” Chris Masters in a back and forth dual that lasted 30 minutes and had the crowd at the edge of their seats.
“The surprise of the Gunn Club, Austin and Colton Gunn, and then there was bad*ss Billy Gunn coming to save Robbie McAllister, which was the highlight of the night,” he said. “We took out all the stops to keep all three hidden until about 9 p.m., when the roof erupted. It was the largest pop of the night.”
The event was an overall success with “a sold-out card” with 400 people in attendance. Funds from the 50/50 draw and the memorabilia draw were donated to Six Nations Caretakers, raising approximately $1,000.
“There’s nothing more important than our youth – they are our future. I know that’s so generic of a response, yet it’s truly at the core of why I decided to help this organization,”explained Wyman. “Plus, CWI has always chosen to put our efforts behind littler known charities that need that little extra star power to get the needed awareness and support – and that’s exactly what happened.”
SIX NATIONS—Surprise guest and seven-time WWE/TNA Women’s Champion Victoria. —Photos by Emanuel Melo, CWI photographer.
The success of the show has Wyman thinking even bigger for future events, noting that in 2011 CWI “shocked the world when we brought in Hulk Hogan.” He added that plans had been underway for an anniversary show in 2020, but these were halted by the pandemic.
“Now I have eyes at returning to the Brantford Civic Centre in the late spring of 2023. The CWI fans never forget about us, and we also brought the needed awareness and funding the Six Nations Caretakers needed to help support their initiative,” Wyman concluded. “So if things go according to plan, CWI will return in May of 2023 and we’re gonna shock the world again. I got something up my sleeve.”
