Wrestling is Respect – the Quest to Be the Best Analysis

This Sunday marks Wrestling Is Respect’s first annual (at least I hope so) eight man single elimination tournament among some of the best and brightest in pro wrestling. Before this article officially begins, I must make two statements:

• I LOVE tournaments: Ever since WWF’s Wrestling Classic back in 1986, I’ve been a sucker for tournaments. Single elimination, competitors battling two, three even four times on event to show not only their fellow wrestlers but fans everywhere that they are the best!
• Broadcast Journalism: While have done my homework, having seen many matches of all eight men in the Quest to be the Best, I have not gotten a chance to speak to all eight competitors for their thought on this Sunday. Some were unavailable, for various reasons, others just flat out refused to speak with me.

The opening round matches and brackets have been announced, which will be touched upon below, but this article we be, in my opinion, who are the best bets are from the field of eight:

• Artic Adventure Ant: My bottom pick only due to so little is known about him. Making his debut just this past March, one fourth of Colony XTREME Force, Artic Adventure Ant has no online presence and my attempts to speak with him in person were rebuffed, quite rudely, I might add. He squares off with Green Ant in Bracket B and he’s going to need to bring his A+ game to make it past the first round.
• Jervis Cottonbelly: A young man with international experience may not have the best win loss record, losing in his previous attempt at Wrestling is Respect against Mark Angelosetti. The folks in charge at WiR must see something special in him to not only grant him entrance into the Quest to be the Best, but also in such a high profile match against Drew Gulak in Bracket B.
• Anthony Stone: A stalwart of the New England wrestling scene is no stranger to tournament competition, having a great showing in Chikara’s Young Lions Cup tournament last summer. Stone makes his debut for Wrestling is Respect taking on a man he is no stranger to in Francis O’Rourke in Bracket A.
• Gran Akuma: The only man who loves a tournament more than me is Gran Akuma. While I’m just speculating on my brackets, hoping for the best, Akuma thrives on the competition and test of his conditioning. He squares off against the debuting Matt Taven in Bracket A.
• Matt Taven: Arguably the best wrestler on TV, the current Ring of Honor Television champion, makes his Wrestling is Respect debut against the aforementioned Gran Akuma. The brash youngster, who usually travels with some hardcore party people will be going it alone this Sunday with a ton to prove.
• Green Ant: My sentimental favorite, a submission specialist and a competitor I have seen grow by leaps and bounds over the last several years. His opening round opponent, Artic Adventure Ant, will have his work cut out for him as I feel Green Ant will have no problem moving on to the next round.
• Francis O’Rourke: A mainstay at Wrestling is Respect and the man with the most to prove. A well balanced wrestler, excelling at his striking game, mat technique and throwing a little speed in for good measure, his opening round opponent Anthony Stone will have a tough, angry hill to climb.
• Drew Gulak: The odds on favorite, in my opinion, to win the Quest to be the Best. He is undefeated in Wrestling is Respect competition, defeating his opponents by submission. Gulak, the self-proclaimed ‘Game Changer’ looks to do just that this Sunday, first defeating Jervis Cottonbelly in Bracket B and becoming the undisputed best WiR has to offer.

But that’s not all! Sunday’s Wrestling is Respect event will also feature two special attraction tag team matches the Baltic Seige of the Estonian Thunderfrog and the Lithuanian Snow Troll do battle with Missile Assault Ant and Orbit Adventure Ant of Colony XTREME Force and, in a rivalry dating back to the beginning of the year, the Pieces of Hate, Jigsaw and the Shard square off with Delirious and Leech Landa.

Be sure to check Wrestling is Respect past events from our friends at Smart Mark Video and if you can be in Boonton, NJ live, get your tickets NOW!