Shamrock Cup: Ruckus vs. Joey Matthews
The luck of the draw is a funny thing.
Last year's Shamrock Cup featured a random, on-the-spot draw to determine whom would face whom in the tournament's first round. Fans were elated when two of the event's biggest names, "Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels and "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal, were chosen to face each other in the very first match.
This year, the matches are being drawn ahead of time, and the first one is already being heralded as a potential dream match. For the first time ever, two former Shamrock cup winners will collide when 2001 Winner Joey Matthews faces 2006 winner Ruckus. Experts are already frothing at the mouth in anticipation of what could be one of the most exciting matches of the year.
Ruckus, the street phenom from the BLCKOUT crew, is one of the most exciting athletes on the planet. Perhaps wrestling’s greatest innovator, his high-flying athleticism has wowed fans from MCW to MTV. His arsenal not unlike a highlight reel, his reliance on flashy, risky acrobatics has made for some of the most memorable moments in Shamrock Cup history. His win in 2006 was undoubtedly a career highlight, and he is on a mission to win it all over again in 2008.
For Joey Matthews, this year’s Shamrock Cup has been a long time coming. Seven years after his first tournament win, Matthews has changed a lot… or as he would say, grown up. Indeed, after achieving worldwide superstar status, scoring multiple World Tag Team Championships, enduring a horrific facial injury and battling personal demons en route to a triumphant return to MCW, Matthews has changed his entire outlook on his career.
“If anyone is expecting the old Joey Matthews of 2001 to return for the Shamrock Cup, they can forget it,” quipped Joey during a phone interview. “Back then, I was an excited little puppy, throwing myself around to gain that crowd approval. I was stupid, and it took a long time for me to realize that was on a dangerous path. I’ve got the hospital bills to prove it.”
“So here’s the deal,” Matthews continued. “If Ruckus wants to be a hero and risk his neck by flying around, that’s his decision. All I need are my wits, my experience. I will bring Ruckus down to earth using all of that knowledge that I’ve collected from traveling around the world, learning from the best. Last year, I won the MCW Heavyweight Championship at the Shamrock Cup, but I let myself get distracted by the fans and the ridiculous backstage war that Dan McDevitt instigated. This year, my mind is right, I’m back with my best friend Christian York, Kim McDevitt is watching my back, and I am ready to roll through this tournament. Let Ruckus be the crowd favorite. I’ll just worry about being the best.”
Will Matthews strategize his way through this first-round dream match? Or will Ruckus soar higher than ever before in route to another tournament win? What about the other nine competitors gunning for the same goal? Keep checking back at marylandwrestling.com for updates on the biggest event in MCW history!
