Double M Announced as 2010 LaSalle Wrestling Hall of Fame Entrant
December 28th, 2009 (LaSalle, IL)-
It's only appropriate, that with the opening of the LaSalle
Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame on February 6th, 2010
comes the announcement of a member of the 2010 class, "The Double
M" Magnificent Mike.
If you could credit only one man with the
resurgence of wrestling in LaSalle, The Double M would be
that man. Unquestionably the most hated man in the history
of LaSalle, Double M had a way of talking people into the seats.
Double M made his debut in LaSalle at Revolution Championship
Wrestling (RCW): Uprising on April 20th, 2002 at the Illinois
Valley Banquet Center. Double M faced Road Warrior Hawk on
that show on a couple of days notice, and came up on the short end
of the stick. Despite losing that match, Double M "caught
fire" and quickly became LaSalle's favorite man to boo, and would
be, for years to come.
Often overlooked in the overcrowded
world of Chicago independent wrestling, Double M saw LaSalle as a
refreshing change of scenery and a new opportunity. Double M
went on to defeat Machine, Terry Allen, and finally fellow
2010 LaSalle Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee, Acid, on June 30th,
2002 in a tournament to become the first ever LaSalle World
Champion. With Double M as the World Champion in LaSalle,
attendance at pro wrestling shows soared to all new heights, if
only to see Double M get his payback for his dastardly antics.
Double M would eventually go on to hold the World Title a total of
three times, a feat that has been matched only by his arch
rival, Acid.
If one moment can define Double M's time in
LaSalle it would be during his second World Title reign after he
suffered a foot injury that put him out of action indefinitely.
On February 1st, 2003 Double M was forced to relinquished the
World Title due to that injury. During a heartfelt and
emotional interview, Double M proclaimed:
"LaSalle has become my home and my
favorite place to wrestle, even though I'm not always the nicest
guy to you people (the LaSalle fans). I wouldn't change any
of it, not a thing. Thank you for letting me live my dream
in this small town. You people deserve someone who can defend this
title month in and month out and right now I'm not that man. So
for now I have to relinquish the RCW World Championship."
Realizing the weight of the situation, the
LaSalle fans responded with deafening chants of "You're our
favorite jerk!" and "Please don't go".
As he left the ring. with the help of his
crutches, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Never one to
disappoint, Double M grabbed the microphone after a standing
ovation and proclaimed "BUT I STILL WOULDN'T LIVE IN THIS TOWN IF
YOU PAID ME". Instead of the normal chorus of boos, Double M
received a standing ovation.
As sure as pro wrestling plays a large part
in LaSalle, IL's culture, no man is more iconic or casts a bigger
shadow to the LaSalle Wrestling fans than "The Double M"
Magnificent Mike. The city of LaSalle owes one more standing
ovation to The Double M, and he'll receive that on February 6th,
2010.
The Double M is
officially inducted into the LaSalle Professional Wrestling Hall
of Fame on February 6th, 2010 at DREAMWAVE Wrestling: Season
Premiere.
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