Next Saturday, February 17, the Keystone State Wrestling Alliance (KSWA) returns to action on the road after a long-ago Battle Bowl X. It’s the first Springdale Slam!

Many of the Megastars are rested and ready for arguably the busiest and most important schedule so far for Pittsburgh’s Independent Wrestling promotion. Wrestlers looking for Major League impact will make their appearance known in nearby Springdale as the KSWA makes a fundraising stop for the Springdale Jr. and Sr. High School Band.

It was already announced that showcased that KSWA Heavyweight Champion Mitch Napier will defend against one-half of the KSWA Tag Team Champions, in Bubba the Bulldog. Bubba, who along with Dennis Gregory (and Mayor Mystery) became the most significant tag team in the Commonwealth on January 6. The KSWA Championship Committee granted Bubba this opportunity at Pittsburgh wrestling immortality just one month later.

In other announced contests:

The founding members of the VIPs—Shawn Blanchard and Lou Martin—face off against longtime foes Shane Starr and the new Golden Triangle Champion “Double A” Anthony Alexander. The battle for KSWA supremacy still goes through the VIPs—and Starr and Alexander know that better than anyone. The tag team contest promises to be a hard-hitting and intense affair.

The consternation between new Five-Star Champion Bob Badfingers and Yinza, the Pittsburgh Luchadore, is real. The two Megastars—Badfingers the veteran and Yinza the newcomer—started to cross paths late in 2017. Badfingers won the belt at a Wild Card Challenge at FanFest, and Yinza felt he was close to the victory. The two had a match in January, but the KSWA Championship Committee feels that the dust up between the two is far from over.

Now former KSWA Tag Team Champion T-Rantula has an interesting match of his own in Springdale. The KSWA Hall of Famer will take on BROhemoth one-on-one. BROhemoth is coming off of an impressive, but unsuccessful challenge for the KSWA Heavyweight Championship, and an impressive, but unsuccessful Battle Bowl run. This contest between two super-heavyweights is expected to be short on technical wrestling, but beefy on brawling. There will be 700 pounds on the mat between the two athletes come Saturday, and only one winner.

"Flyin" Ryan Burke, who earned a shot at the Five-Star Championship sometime this year as a result of a grand Battle Bowl showing, takes on Harley T. Morris. Technically, this is a rematch between the two. They faced off in Burke’s KSWA debut outside Spirit Hall during the parking lot extravaganza on October 7. Many observers believe that Burke surprised the Krazies with such a strong Battle Bowl showing and Morris wants to get back into championship contention. This match between two technical, similar-sized peers should be one to watch.

A unique six-man match will include Justin Sane, “Big Country” Matt McGraw and “The Enigma” Lucio Deveer against “King” Del Douglas, Zak Hunter and Lord Zoltan. The ones to watch in this showdown include Sane and Zoltan, who have not yet concluded their feud from last year. The former Party Gras split for good over the Five-Star Championship and the two former friends have not looked back. In addition, look out for a re-energized Del Douglas, who was prominently featured in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in early January. Always a handful, Douglas is riding higher than usual these days. Not to be overlooked is the improving McGraw and the underappreciated Hunter. With as many styles and personalities there are in this match, anything can happen and probably will.

Another newcomer to the KSWA, Trick McSorley, had a few roadblocks on his way to 2018. The rookie, who hasn’t yet caught on like classmates Yinza and Matt McGraw, will face the always-shifty Cleveland Bruiser in one-on-one competition. McSorley has the skills and talent to advance, but will have to begin 2018 a few steps behind, and find his footing. Meanwhile, Bruiser is perpetually looking for a fight. More Megastars and more matches are to follow!

The KSWA fundraiser for the Springdale Jr./Sr. High School band is this Saturday, February 17 at the McGhee Fieldhouse (Gym), 501 Butler Road, Springdale, PA 15144. Bell time is 7:00 p.m., tickets are $10 and card is subject to change.