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The all-stars of Midwest pro wrestling will be in action once again on Friday, August 31 as 3XWrestling (3XW) holds its 2012 King of Des Moines Tournament event in Des Moines.

Headlined by three major matches, 3XWrestling closes out an incredible summer of wrestling action with one of its biggest events of the year.

The 4th-annual King of Des Moines Tournament (KODM) is one of the feature attractions of this event. It is a one-night, single-elimination tournament featuring eight of 3XW’s most recognizable competitors battling over three rounds to crown a new “King” of Des Moines.

For the first time ever, former King of Des Moines Tournament winners are competing again in the tournament, with “The Rockstar” Jimmy Rockwell (2009 winner), “The World’s Fittest Wrestler” Mark Sterling (2010) and “The Canadian Sex Icon” Ryan Slade (2011) vying to become the first two-time tournament winners. They join a field that also includes former KODM entrants “The Laotian Sensation” Ricky Kwong (with Chad Mylan) and “The Punk Rock Icon” Tony Sly, as well tournament newcomers Darin Corbin, Ray Stryker, and “The Survivor” Barry Ryte.

Along with tournament bouts, two other major matches round out the card. In a very special eight-man tag team attraction, current 3XW Pure Wrestling champion and long-time WWE/WCW/ECW star Perry Saturn teams with 3XW Tag Team champions The American Bulldogs (Maddog McDowell & “The American Fury”Jon West with Skylar Pierce) & Sir Bradley Charles to face “All That” Matt Murphy & Genesis members “Delicious” Devin Carter, Casanova & Nate Bash with Todd Countryman. This match was set up as a result of Genesis members attacking Perry Saturn before the Bulldogs and SBC made the save at June’s Downtown Destruction 4 event.

Completing the card is a title match that fans have been anticipating for over five months. “The Professional” Benjamin Sailer defends the 3XW Heavyweight championship against former three-time champion “The Rebel” Jeremy Wyatt. Sailer won the championship by impressively winning a 30-man Gauntlet for the Gold battle royal at May’s Over the Top 3 event after Wyatt was forced to vacate due to suffering a broken ankle in April. Now, with a newly-inserted steel plate in his ankle, Wyatt makes his in-ring return to 3XWrestling facing the challenge of 3XW’s top submission wrestler in Sailer, who has submitted his past three opponents. If Wyatt wins, he’ll become the first four-time 3XW Heavyweight champion.

The King of Des Moines Tournament will be held at the Baratta’s@Forte Center in Des Moines. The event will be filmed for future airing on 3XW’s weekly television program on Iowa CW Network affiliates. 3XW’s TV show airs Saturday at 6 p.m. on KWKB channel 20 (eastern Iowa) and 1:30 a.m. Monday on KCWI channel 23 (central Iowa).

Doors open for the The King of Des Moines Tournament at 7 p.m. (6:45 p.m. for advance ticket holders) for a 7:30 p.m. start time. The Barratta’s@Forte Center is located at 615 3rd St. in beautiful downtown Des Moines.

Advance tickets for 3XW events are available at http://www.3XWrestling.com through Brown Paper Tickets – http://www.brownpapertickets.com (search “3XW”). Additional tickets for the Des Moines event are sold at All Play (615 3rd St.), Cup O’ Kryptonite (2608 Beaver Ave.), and Jay’s CD and Hobby (3315 S.E. 14th St.)

Ticket prices are as follows:

– Adult Front Row: $18 Advance Tickets | $20 at the Door
– Kids Front Row: $9 Advance Tickets | $10 at the Door
– Adult General Admission: $12 Advance Tickets | $15 at the Door
– Kids 10 & Under: $6
– Kids 3 & Under: FREE Admission

3XW’s King of Des Moines Tournament is sponsored by Baratta’s, Mediacom, Godfather’s Pizza, Henry J’s Taco House, White’s Automotive, Prints Copy Center, B&B Grocery, Meat & Deli, Aspen Athletic Clubs and Air Lanes.

3XW, a Des Moines-based family-friendly wrestling promotion, has grown from humble beginnings in July 2005 to being a leader in the Midwestern professional wrestling scene. 3XW has twice been recognized (2008, 2010) by Missouri Wrestling Revival (http://www.missouriwrestlingrevival.com) as the “Promotion of the Year” for the Midwest.

3XWrestling holds monthly events the final Friday of each month in Des Moines at the Baratta’s@Forte Center, with additional events throughout the state of Iowa each month.