Jimmy Rave Enters Garden State Invitational

The Wrestling Estate has learned the final name in the inaugural Garden State Invitational (GSI), presented by Synergy Pro Wrestling.

Jimmy Rave is scheduled for the one-night, single-elimination tournament on July 20. The eight participants will have international wrestling experience, as well as a history in Synergy or notoriety throughout the industry. Rave has been in nearly every single prestigious tournament in pro wrestling: New Japan’s Best of the Super Juniors, CZW’s Best of the Best, Pro Wrestling Guerrila’s Battle of Los Angeles, IWA Mid South’s Ted Petty Invitational, IWC’s Super Indy Tournament, Ring of Honor’s Survival of the Fittest and the first Scenic City Invitational, which he won.

“In my 20 years of professional wrestling, I’ve been in the most high pressure situations you ever think of,” Rave told The Wrestling Estate. “Synergy has no idea what kind of Pandora’s box they just opened by signing me up. I promise to make this event Jimmy Rave Approved.”

Rave joins the returning Brandon Kirk, Josh Briggs, “Retrosexual” Anthony Greene, Ring of Honor’s Jonathan Gresham, “Warhorse” Jake Parnell and indie standout Joe Gacy. On June 4, Homicide was the first name announced.

The Wrestling Estate previously broke the news that Josh Briggs has entered the GSI, as well as Ring of Honor’s Jonathan Gresham. Last week, The Wrestling Estate reported that Jake Parnell, Joe Gacy and “Retrosexual” Anthony Greene are also scheduled for the GSI. On June 4, Homicide was the first name announced. One week before the tournament, Game Changer Wrestling is celebrating his 25th anniversary in the sport with “5150 – A Tribute to Homicide” in Brooklyn, New York.

Perhaps more important to Colin West, owner of Synergy, Homicide is a seven-time Jersey All Pro Heavyweight Champion and Tag Team Champion, as well as a member of the JAPW Hall of Fame.

“Everything that has driven not just me, but the people I consider friends and respect in this business starts and ends at Jersey All Pro Wrestling,” West says. ‘“Fat” Frank is the godfather of New Jersey professional wrestling. He started with a bunch of dudes who were crazy talented and had a chip on their shoulder because nobody gave them the ball yet. It means everything to me because it’s the business model that I echo.”

In May, West took over Synergy from Dan and Heather Funkenstein, who stepped away from the New Jersey-based wrestling promotion that they founded in September of 2017. The creative force behind the scenes, as well as the authority figure on camera, West has given plenty of blood, sweat and tears over the past 11 Synergy events. He creates the match graphics, event posters, DVD covers, entrance videos – he even drives all over Hillsborough, New Jersey, setting up flyers. He handles the company’s social media, books the talent and speaks with the press before every event.

Since assuming financial responsibility for the promotion, West has increased the show budget, bringing in several big names for the GSI as well as Synergy’s event in September, which will feature Rhyno fresh off his run in WWE.

“A lot of companies are not living up to the expectations of a world-class tournament,” West says. “They are coasting on the name of their tournament. We don’t have that luxury because this is the first one. There is tradition and legacy in this area not being upheld. There’s no Jersey J-Cup anymore, which was the best tournament in this area’s history. We want to hold Synergy to that standard.”

The Jersey J-Cup ran from 2000 until 2011 and returned for one night in 2014. Modeled after the Super J-Cup in New Japan, it featured cruiserweights from promotions along the East Coast. CM Punk, AJ Styles, Colt Cabana, Joey Janela and even former Synergy Champion Frightmare have all competed in the Jersey J-Cup. Previous winners include former world champions such as Low Ki and Jay Lethal.

2019 Garden State Invitational takes place Saturday, July 20, at the Polish Falcons Nest in Hillsborough, New Jersey. 

For tickets and more information, visit synergywrestling.ticketbud.com.

Follow Synergy on Facebook and Twitter. 

You can watch all of Synergy’s past events on independentwrestling.tv. If you don’t have a subscription, you use the promo code “SYNERGY” and the first 20 days are free.

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John Corrigan

Editor-in-chief John Corrigan has covered pro wrestling for nearly a decade, reporting for Wrestledelphia, The Philadelphia Daily News, The Temple News and others.

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