With Midday Mayhem mere days away, the talk is starting to heat up around the EPW locker room. There is plenty more on the line this weekend than just pride. Championship opportunities are hard to come by and you can expect that with titles, and future chances at the gold, hanging in the balance, the Morley Sport and Rec Centre is going to explode this Sunday.

Who will be in AZ Vegara’s corner this weekend?

While AZ Vegara won the #1 contenders match at Goldrush in February, it came at a high cost. His valet and co-conspirator, Amber, suffered a broken nose and will not be able to take her place by his side this weekend. But Amber has been hard at work, ensuring that AZ will not be alone when he steps into the ring on Sunday.

“Let’s just say that EPW locker room is full of young men who are more than happy to do my bidding,” said Amber. “A friendly face from AZ’s past has assured me that he will do whatever it takes for my man to become the new EPW champion at Midday Mayhem.”

When asked for a comment, the EPW champion Davis Storm didn’t seem all that surprised. “AZ has shown over the past 12 months that he is desperate for success in EPW. While he rarely wins on the back of his own talent, he does win regularly. He doesn’t need to be the better wrestler. He just needs to be able to find a way to win by any means necessary and it will be up to me to do the same.”

Is Marcius Pitt ready for the challenge of Bobby Marshall?

At Goldrush, we saw a determined and fired up Marcius Pitt manhandle Davis Storm in a manner that we are not accustomed to. He beat the champion from pillar to post and can consider himself extremely unlucky to have not walked out as the champion on that night. But champions are made through sustained effort, not through brilliant one off performances so the question needs to be asked. Does the ‘Golden Greek’ have the stuff required of him to take another shot at the gold?

We will certainly find out on Sunday. Bobby Marshall is one of the greatest wrestlers to have ever stepped foot in an EPW ring. Victory over him never comes easy. He is willing to suffer and if you want to beat him, you can expect to do the same.

A win could send Pitt on course to become the EPW champion. A loss could send him hurtling back down the card. He could be in for a rough landing.

How will Jonathon Wimbledon and Chris Vice strike back?

While they had only been champions for a little over six months, Vice and Wimbledon have been the highlight of the EPW tag team division for well over a year and a half now. That’s what made it such a shock in the manner that they lost the tag team titles. They seemingly went down without a fight.

“We were under prepared,’ Wimbledon said. “We were silly to take them so lightly but I can assure you that we will not be ones who are under prepared this time. After what we’re planning to do to them, Team All Star will never be the same after Midday Mayhem.”

Team All Star beware. Jonathon Wimbledon has made a career out of formulating brilliant plans and then using other people’s muscle (in this case, Chris Vice) to get the job done. Should be extremely interesting to see how this plays out.

Is Dan Moore hardcore?

In what will be one of the more fascinating matches on Sunday, Dan Moore will do battle with Alex Kinsgton and Chase Griffin in a three way NO DISQUALIFICATION MATCH. The winner will go on to face the EPW Hardcore Champion, ‘Shotgun’ Tyler Jacobs at Evolution.

While both Kingston and Griffin have gone toe to toe with the ‘Godfather of Hardcore’, can Dan Moore survive the hardcore environment? “I’m not going to lie,” said Moore, “I’ve been a joke here in EPW since I lost the tag team titles. I’ve had to sit here and watch guys that I came up with, go flying past me to bigger and better opportunities. Well the days of sitting by and letting that happen are over. I’m going to Midday Mayhem to take my first step to some real singles success so that I can shine in the spotlight like I deserve.”

It’s easy to talk a big game but once the fists start flying, intentions disappear in the blink of an eye. Actions speak louder than words. Let’s see what Dan has to say this Sunday.

Can McGavin bury the ghost of the ‘Gorgeous One’?

From day one in Explosive Pro Wrestling, Gavin McGavin has been haunted by ‘Gorgeous’ Garry Schmidt. Not that anyone else would have known.

“It really stuck in my craw that this guy stabbed me in the back on my first night in EPW, McGavin stated. “I mean he was responsible for bringing me in to do his dirty work and then when things don’t go his way, he pounces like a coward. Since day one, I’ve been trying to get a definitive victory to settle the score in my mind. But at every turn, he’s managed steal a victory with all kinds of dirty tactics. Well this Sunday, I’m gonna turn two years of pent up aggression into the biggest victory of my career”

Not surprisingly, Schmidt doesn’t agree. “I’ve got no issue with Gavin McGavin other than I’ve already beaten him over and over and over. This whole issue is just a figment of his imagination and a waste of my time. But if he wants to go round with the ‘Gorgeous One’ just one more time, I’ll be more than happy to prove to him once and for all that he is what I say he is. A loser.”

This match is a must win for McGavin. He will not be awarded any more chances to settle this ‘personal’ issue. If he can’t, his career could be derailed by the ghost of ‘Gorgeous’ past.

With so much on the line, you don’t want to miss EPW’s Midday Mayhem. The show will kick off at 2pm at the Morley Sport and Rec Centre THIS SUNDAY (April 10th). Be there!