HOUSTON, TX - Propelled back to title contention by virtue of his win in the Aggieland Rumble match in January, JAK CALLOWAY is now Lions Pride Sports Champion.

In the main event of our promotion’s debut event in Houston, “The X Factor” defeated SHIMBASHI at Captiv Studios in Calloway’s hometown to capture the biggest prize in The Pride.

For a moment, though, it looked as though “The Canadian Dragon” would continue at the top. The match referee did not see Shimbashi’s cheating, including feet on the ropes for leverage, and counted a pin fall, seemingly putting another win in the champ’s column. But General Manager MJ SANTANA had had enough, not just of the in-match antics, but surely of an egomaniac who had broken up their Power Couple in favor of joining DEVON DEVILLE’S Pandemonium group, then causing utter chaos for months and attempting to take over the promotion itself. Even with that faction’s dissolution in November, Shimbashi’s vanity and reign of terror continued.

Santana and her “intern” DeVille, having spent weeks working to rehabilitate his image and gain reemployment from Santana, hit the ring after the bell and ordered the title match restarted, shocking Shimbashi. The champion looked to strike, but DeVille took the shot instead of Santana. The GM got in a shot of her own on Shimbashi, and with the contest back underway, Calloway hit as impactful a Hit Marker lariat has could be imagined. Another three-count — this time the final one — crowned a new champion, sending the Captiv crowd into a frenzy.

A trainee at The Lions Den in Bryan, Texas, Calloway debuted in November 2022. Impressive singles performances and tag team efforts with the currently injured ZAE CARTER vaulted him into title contention, including a shot at Shimbashi in October. But winning the Aggieland Rumble match from the eleventh entry got him another opportunity.

Shimbashi’s title reign concludes at 211 days. It began at July’s Cruel summer event and could be considered the peak of Pandemonium’s power in The Pride. But while he was able to maintain a grip on the title for two-thirds of a year against top competitors, including recent All Elite Wrestling signing BRYAN KEITH, it was a rematch and too much cheating that undid this run. Calloway was the first person to get a second shot at Shimbashi as champ, and he made that shot count.

HASTUR is now the longest reigning title holder in The Pride having retained his Lions Den Championship at Winter Warfare. However, it was via a disqualification when challenger HOSTAGE HIRSCH got help from a masked man who ran in through the crowd, beat down Hastur’s sidekick CASSILDA, then jumped the champion. In the aftermath of the beat down, CHRIS CHAOS, kneeling before “The Coffin King,” was revealed to be Hostage’s new accomplice. Chaos had lost mere weeks ago to Hirsch. Why he’s joined with Hostage now is unclear.

In other action at Winter Warfare:

Pandemonium’s other former members had very different nights. MATHAYUS, once again competing as “The Headline,” joined DRAKE DURDEN in a tag team victory over The 8th Day. The brash, talented FATHER ODAY and BROTHER TRACEY could not convert their opponents or the fans to their ways, and Mathayus and Durden donated powerful offense, including a big spear by the former, for a win. After the match, though, PRINCE LY interrupted the start of an intermission photo session with Mathayus, beating down his former Pandemonium partner while 8th Day struck Durden. A furious Ly declared that The Pride didn’t appreciate him and said he was a free agent.
Earlier in the night, Ly was part of a hodgepodge team with TKO JOE and DRE HENDRIXX, which lost to friends AX MANSON, AL E. GATOR and CANNONBALL CARMICHAEL. Ly’s attitudinal boil for the night began with his and Hendrixx’s heated attack on Joe after the match. THE MOUNTAIN, far more jovial, would not only come to Joe’s rescue, but set off a dance party with TKO, something we haven’t seen from the 600-pounder in quite some time.
MIA FRIDAY and MAYA WORLD showed why they are two of the state and nation’s top young women’s wrestlers. Friday’s first appearance in The Pride in months came in Houston, where she reigns as Reality of Wrestling’s Interim Diamond Division Champion. She and World, making her Pride debut, showed off their athleticism and acumen, with Mia ultimately getting the W.
Two former champions for our promotion, ZANE VALERO and TRENT MERCER, opened the night with a competitive contest of their own. “Gen-Z” topped “The True Alpha,” a result that drove the latter deep into anger. Mercer would not relinquish a post-match submission hold until referees pried him off Valero.

X Factor Marks the Top