Tremont Talks 1st HOSS Tournament
Sixteen of the best in the Northeast fight Friday in New Jersey.
Sixteen of the best in the Northeast collide in a one-night tournament this Friday in Williamstown, New Jersey.
In the first 305 HOSS Tournament, the Hardcore Hustle Organization (H20) brings together wrestling’s behemoths for the opposite of WWE’s Cruiserweight Classic. Promoter Matt Tremont credits his wife and H20 Champion Jeff Cannonball with conceiving the idea.
“It’s definitely something different from our normal shows,” Tremont says. “The front row is already sold out.”
Tremont defines a hoss as a throwback to 1980s All Japan Pro Wrestling where big guys would wrestle “strong style,” really laying in their hits and basically beating the crap out of each other. It’s a stark contrast to the current fast-paced, flippy style of indie wrestling seen throughout the United States. It’s a concept that has drawn a lot of buzz among fans and talent alike.
When the tournament was announced, Tremont says he received calls and emails from all over the country, competitors from Mid-South, Mid-West, New England and the Deep South. “Logistically, unfortunately, we can’t have a 30-man tournament,” he says. “We tried to get together the best people from the area to make this happen. Most of the people I know personally, from doing business with them in the past.”
There will be four fatal-four-way matches with the winners advancing to a second fatal four way to be crowned king (or queen) of the hosses. Tremont ditched the traditional single-match format due to logistical and financial factors. “I’ve never been a fan of semi-final matches,” he says. “They kind of just drag on the show. You want to keep things going and have a good flow. You don’t want a five-hour show.”
Bull James is one of the more prominent names in the tournament, still riding his NXT momentum while redefining himself on the indie scene. Another big name is DJ Hyde, owner of Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW). “He’s definitely a wildcard in there,” Tremont says. “DJ is a big guy who can handle himself. His match should be one of the most interesting, hard-hitting matches of the tournament.”
Hyde will be facing arch rival Stockade, Nate Carter and Dave McCall. The latter two are a tag team known as The Dub Boys, and they’ll have to cast aside their friendship for one night if they want to make history.
Speaking of which, the final participant has been announced as Maria Manic. She demolished Jimmy Lyon in less than a minute at H20’s “Blood Money” event in October, and then entered herself in the tournament claiming to be just as good, if not better, than any man. Tremont believes her, having watched her improve over the past six months during his training sessions.
“She just wanted to better herself,” he says. “She has all the intangibles to be a star. She definitely stands out from all the other women in the business as far as her physique and her power. I’ve taken her under my wing and we’re building her up as the next Chyna and Beth Phoenix.”
While Chyna and Phoenix both competed in the Royal Rumble, neither was successful. Maria Manic has the opportunity and potential to surpass those pioneers by defying the odds and sitting atop the throne of hosses.
“305 HOSS” takes place Dec. 8 at the Old Time Wrestling Arena in Williamstown, NJ.
For tickets and more information, visit www.h20wrestling.com
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