Courtesy of Alan J. Wojcik and http://alanwojcik.com
In May 2003 IPW Hardcore promoters created the JEFF PETERSON MEMORIAL CUP in tribute to the fallen cruiserweight star who passed in 2001 after a long battle with cancer. Since then the event has garnered a list of international stars who supported the event and honored Jeff’s memory by putting on five star caliber bouts. The previous winners were “Reckless Youth” Tom Carter, Justice, Chris Sabin, Milano Collection AT, Chris Hero & Erick Stevens. On November 20-21 sixteen men will come to Brooksville & Crystal River, Florida to try and join those names. Could this year’s winner be:
Silas Young
Height: 6 Ft 0In
Weight: 210lbs
Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Website/Myspace/Facebook: www.myspace.com/silasyoung123
Pro Debut: March 2, 2002
Tournament History: Winner 2006 Midwest Wrestling Connection Cruiserweight Tournament, MSPW Fallen Hereos Tournament (lost to Jason Hades in finals),
Where you have seen him: AAW, MSPW, NWA Wisconsin, Ring of Honor, Ohio Valley Wrestling (WWE Developmental), AWA Slam, IWA-MS, WAR, Midwest Wrestling Connection, XICW, MAW, BPW, New Breed Wrestling, ACW-NWA, Brew City Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Iron.
Championships held: AAW Heritage champion, Midwest Wrestling Connection Cruiserweight champion, NWA Wisconsin Heavyweight champion, MAW Tag Team champion (w/Zack Gowen), XICW Tag Team champion (w/Gavin Starr), MAW Jr. Heavyweight champion, BPW Cruiserweight champion.
Alan Wojcik: What was your reaction to being selected for the 2009 Jeff Peterson Memorial Cup and what if anything did you know of the event and Jeff?
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Silas Young: When I heard I was selected for the tournament I was pretty excited. It’s one of those tournaments people look for every year and It’s something I’ve always wanted to be a part of.
Alan Wojcik: According to an old website you owned (www.freewebs.com/silasyoung/home.html) you were trained for wrestling by Chris Bassett, Mike Mercury & Angel Armoni. What did each man bring to the table to mold you into Silas Young?
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Silas Young: With Chris Bassett he showed me the basics like locking up and very basic holds but that’s about it. Mike Mercury showed me how to put things together and helped me get a lot of bookings when I first started. Armani and I worked each other probably about 50 to 60 times in the course of a year and half and we really pushed each other and did lots of training together during that time and thats were I really started to develop my style of wrestling.
Alan Wojcik: The same site also lists your influences as Rob Van Dam, Eddie Guerrero, Ricky Steamboat & Rey Misterio Jr. The obvious question is how did these men influence you in your training and career?
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Silas Young: Guys like that are all considered some of the best athletes in wrestling. When I was younger I was in gymnastics and that has definitely influenced my style of wrestling and what I was a fan of growing up and I knew I could incorporate it into what I did in the ring.
Alan Wojcik: You held the MAW Tag Team championship with 2004 Peterson Cup non-tournament competitor Zach Gowen. What was it like having him as your partner?
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Silas Young: Honestly I really like Zach alot as a person he’s a great guy to hang out with and it’s funny when hes douchey to people which is one reason he rubbed me the wrong way when I met him the first time, but now it’s funny I guess you just have to catch his sense of humor somethimes. And Zach can tear it up in the ring and its always been a good time getting in the ring with Zach.
Alan Wojcik: In December 2007 you signed a developmental deal with World Wrestling Entertainment only to have OVW disappear. What was the WWE experience like including all of the dark matches you have been part of?
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Silas Young: Here’s the thing with the developmental thing. I got asked to do a Raw taping in Milwaukee and that night I got to work Val Venis who happens to be a guy who was so cool and made that match about me that night and that’s something he didn’t have to do. We had a good match and there was a lot of people afterwards saying good things about it and I got asked to do ECW and Smackdown the next day in Indianapolis and that day I got asked to work the Miz on the ECW TV show and afterwards Dean Malenko introduced me to Johnny Ace and after talking with them I did a few other extra gigs for them and then I got asked to do a week long evaluation at OVW and that was a great experience getting to workout there and do a week of their house shows and then a month after that I got offered a developmental contract I did all the testing and paper work and called and bugged the shit out of them about when they wanted me to report. And then shortly after that OVW closed and I was told they weren’t putting any new contracts through. So I was there for a half a cup of coffee.
Alan Wojcik: Like fellow competitor Davey Richards you are an active member of the ROH roster. How did you come to be part of ROH and what do you think of the promotion’s fans who seem to be over analytical.
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Silas Young: My wife is friends with Dave Prazak and she actually got booked to be a valet with the YRR and I was asked if I wanted to do a dark match and I think I actually wrestled Davey Richards in that match. Anyways After that I kept expressing my interest in working there and managed to get myself on a lot of the shows and seemed to be booked there pretty consistently. The fans don’t bother me, cause honestly there no different than anywere else, people are people you just have to find a way to entertain them.
Alan Wojcik: You have appeared on PPV’s and the current ROH TV show (which airs on HDNET Monday’s @ 8pm.) Are you enjoying the TV experience, has it garnered you more bookings?
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Silas Young: Yes its definitley helped with getting more bookings and its always great to get some tv exposure.
Alan Wojcik: On the 8/8/09 ROH TV you worked former JPC competitor Delirious and on the 8/31/09 ROH TV you took on 2008 JPC winner Erick Stevens. Could you have wrestled two more different wrestlers than those two.
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Silas Young: Yeah different is an understatement Delerious is very unorthidox and does very random off the wall stuff while Erick Stevens relies on brute strength. It was also a little different with Stevens because I usually have a size advantage over a lot of guys I wrestle.
Alan Wojcik: In addition to ROH you come to this tournament as a member of the AAW roster recently taking on former FIP World champion Tyler Black on the “Massacre on 26th St” event. Talk about that promotion and what it means to you.
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Silas Young: AAW is the best place in the midwest to work hands down. Their roster is solid and they put on great shows with a lot of thought put into them. It’s one of my favorite bookings I get every month and its a place that makes you want to kill yourself for the product and the crowd who is always a great hot lively place.
Alan Wojcik: You had a match in AAW with current WWE developmental roster member Bryan Danielson where you lost but slapped the taste out of his mouth. Talk about that match and why you eventually apologized for the slap?
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Silas Young: That match was something I looked forward to and actually had inquired about who Bryan was gonna wrestle when he was annouced for the show. Bryan is a guy everyone wants to work with and I felt like it was a great chance to show that I belong in the ring with guys like Bryan all the time and that I can go just as hard as the top guys in the world. As far as the apology sometimes your emotions get out of control and I over reacted in the ring.
Alan Wojcik: Thanks to a YouTube name search , it shows you have some history with fellow competitor Egotistico Fantastico. Of the 12 names announced so far is there someone you see as your biggest obstacle to claiming the trophy?
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Silas Young: If there is one guy it would be Davey Richards he’s the FIP champion and hes been on fire all year. But at the same time he’s been traveling overseas and he’s gotta be hurting which is why I’m not to worried about him.
For full event info, VIP ticket packages and profiles of other competitors log onto www.JPC2009.com