Friday Overcomes the Odds for First Title Retention

NAVASOTA, TX - In the 20th and final Lions Pride Sports event of 2022, MIA FRIDAY was faced with long odds to hold on to the promotion’s top title in her first defense. As she so often does, the 17-year-old showstopper persevered and emerged victorious.

Friday scored the final fall in a classic five-person elimination match at Lash Out for her Lions Pride Sports Championship. It was long-time rival MJ SANTANA who fought her way to the final two, ultimately being driven into the mat by the teen champ for the victory. Former champion ZANE VALERO, SECURITY GUY and TKO JOE fought valiantly in the chaotic contest, but each fell short of the biggest prize in The Pride.

Our first event of 2023 on January 7 could feature the next title defense for either Friday or Lions Den Champion TRENT MERCER courtesy of the Aggieland Rumble match. Thirty competitors will enter the match at timed intervals, with 29 of them ultimately going over the top rope with both feet hitting the B/CS Boxing Club’s floor. Whoever survives will have their choice of champions to challenge later that night.

Two matches at the Junction Dance Hall would determine a pair of competitors’ entries in the Rumble match. ZAE CARTER prevailed in a five-person battle royal, impressively elevating THE MOUNTAIN’S 600-pound frame over the top rope and to the floor for the final elimination, thus earning the 30th and final spot in the upcoming match. DRAKE DURDEN, RODZILLA and CANNONBALL CARMICHAEL also fell short of winning the coveted entry. Meanwhile, CHAVY CHULO’S pinfall win over HASTUR was controversial, as it appeared Chulo was tapping out to a submission when he leveraged Hastur’s shoulders to the mat, but the referee was focused on counting the pin. As a result, Hastur will have to start the Aggieland Rumble match.

Mercer may have to defend his title January 7 against the Rumble match’s winner, but he still has unfinished business with his former tag team partner, HOSTAGE HIRSCH. The two faced off in non-title action at Lash Out, but the hard-hitting contest came to a conclusion when Hirsch once again struck Mercer with a shovel, forcing a disqualification.

Meanwhile, former Lions Den Champion SHIMBASHI was faced with the fury of the upstart JAK CALLOWAY, but was assisted by the distraction of MATHAYUS, his manager DEVON DEVILLE and his recent tag team partner PRINCE LY. Calloway’s attention was pulled away just long enough for Shimbashi to score the win. There continue to be questions about what the relationship, if any, between these four.

Mathayus and Ly picked up a tag team win in Navasota earlier in the night, with the odd-but-entertaining combination of DJ AUSTIN and SPACE TIGER, JR. coming up short.