[As Anthony Alexander continues to tally up victories against Megastars in his third reign as Golden Triangle Champion, we stop to take a look at his first title sway.]

Anthony Alexander has always been in the Keystone State Wrestling Alliance (KSWA) championship picture. His debut match for the city’s wrestling organization began on January 26,2001 at the Bloomfield VFW in a Triple Threat for what was then the Pittsburgh title. The Kazmanian Devil and Billy Rich were also in the contest, which was to determine that belt’s first champion. The Kazmanian Devil prevailed, only to vacate the belt in October of that year.

Since that time, the 6’4”, 260-pound Alexander immediately began feuding, or wrestling with, the VIPs. The Hollywood, California native’s longest in-ring relationship has been with Shawn Blanchard. In Double-A’s second KSWA match, he and Blanchard were a part of a six-man tag team that defeated a crew that included Lou Martin and Tommy Faime.

On March 23, 2003, Alexander challenged “Mr. Piuniverse” Bob Atlas for the KSWA’s Tri-State Title. In October, 2003, The Latin Assassin defeated Alexander for the then-vacant Golden Triangle Championship.

In 2004, the Prime-Time Player started to win on a consistent basis. His rivalry with Tommy Faime and budding tag team partnership with Justin Sane dominated that year.

On February 19, 2005, at “When World’s Collide” at the now-historic KSWA Arena in the Lawrenceville neighborhood within the city of Pittsburgh, Alexander struck gold for the first time when he defeated The Latin Assassin for the Golden Triangle Championship. Alexander was only the sixth Megastar to hold the title; the belt had nine title changes up until that point. He quickly started to successfully defend the belt against challengers like Shawn Blanchard and Biker Al.

On September 7, 2005 in an effort to provide even friendly foes an opportunity at the city of Pittsburgh’s most prestigious championship, Alexander successfully defeated frequent tag team partner Justin Sane (the title’s first champion) for the Golden Triangle Championship. In fact, Sane had held the Golden Triangle Championship three times up until that match (all told, Sane has won the belt five times).

At FanFest 2005, Blanchard defeated Alexander in a match to determine the #1 contender for the KSWA World Heavyweight Championship, then held by a then-fan-favorite Lou Martin. On February 25, 2006, in one of the most unusual matches in KSWA history, Blanchard teamed with VIP Advisor Frank Durso (some 26 days after his 69th birthday) to defeat Alexander and Martin in a tag team match.

On April 1, 2006 Alexander did double duty by defeating Joey Quervo and The Great Toyota in a Triple Threat for the Golden Triangle Championship; however, he was not successful in the Main Event, where Shawn Blanchard defeated Lou Martin and Double-A for the most prestigious championship in the Commonwealth at the KSWA Arena.

Alexander continued to storm ahead by beating Kris Kash, The Blood Beast, Biker Al and “Mr. 8x10” Michael Cruz. When The Latin Assassin vacated the Tri-State Championship due to injury the KSWA Championship Committee decided to unify that belt with the Golden Triangle Championship. On August 26, Alexander defeated Cruz, “Snake Man” Devin Michaels, and “Big” Mike Malachi in the match to unify the straps. Alexander would go on to successfully defend against Zero and Malachi in one-on-one competition.

Within the rules and tradition of the KSWA, the Golden Triangle Champion is considered to be the de facto #1 Contender for the KSWA Heavyweight Championship. However, the title is the Commonwealth’s second most-important designation and is to be defended thusly. However, once a Golden Triangle Champion proves his ability to hold onto the strap, talk and action proceed toward a Golden Triangle Champion/KSWA Champion series of matches. This has never more prominent than when Shawn Blanchard and Anthony Alexander hold Independent Wrestling’s most important 10-pounds of gold.

In some late 2006 cards, Anthony Alexander was wrestling twice a night. He would defend the Golden Triangle belt and then participate in a tag team contest, sometimes to Main Event. On November 17, 2006 Alexander and Blanchard wrestled in a then-unprecedented Double Count out AFTER the Golden Triangle Championship was successfully defended against “King” Del Douglas earlier in the night. At FanFest, 2006 Alexander defeated “King” Douglas in the opener and defeated Malachi in the lead up to the Main Event.

As 2007 rolled around, Alexander won the first-ever Megastar Melee Battle Royal Match (the concept would return and be renamed “Battle Bowl” in 2009) and earned a shot at the KSWA Heavyweight Championship, AFTER defeating Ali Kaida in a GT title defense. Blanchard, who had lost the KSWA belt to La Lucha at FanFest 2006, won it right back in a Triple Threat Match that included Kris Kash (Kash was pinned).

On February 24, 2007, Justin Sane won the Golden Triangle Championship from Alexander in a Fatal Four-way defense that included Malachi and Kaida. Anthony Alexander’s reign concluded at 735 days, still the record.

That loss would provide pivotal as Alexander’s career continued.

[Next Time…more about Anthony Alexander’s career with the Golden Triangle Championship…and more.]