'Showcase' to crown WWFX champ

MANILA, Philippines - What will make the World Wrestling Fan Experience (WWFX) Champions Showcase a historic blockbuster is the main event featuring archenemies John Hennigan and Shelton Benjamin for the first WWFX heavyweight title at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday.

“This is ground-breaking,” said tour coordinator Sheik Daivari who himself is seeing action against Hurricane Helms in the seven-match card. “We’ve extended an invite to Manny and Jinkee Pacquiao to crown our first world champion in the bout between Hennigan and Benjamin. There has never been a new world wrestling champion crowned in Manila and what better way to celebrate than having the best fighter in the world, the Philippines’ native son, and the No. 1 first family of sports and entertainment crown this champion for all his fans and all his countrymen in Manila. We’re all looking forward to it.”

The group of 13 wrestlers is arriving here tomorrow. Daivari said unlike previous wrestling tours in Manila, the WWFX will make the grapplers accessible to the fans. “As with any entertainment event, be it sports, concert, films, they’re for spectators,” said Daivari who has performed in the two most-recognized mat circuits today, the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) and TNA (Total Non-Stop Action Wrestling). “Our event is interactive. The fans will be able to participate as a part of the show to win backstage passes to meet the wrestlers, be it the best-dressed, best sign, loudest fans, whatever. We also have contests on facebook where fans can earn the opportunity to be a guest ring announcer or guest manager for one of our stars. Tomorrow, we have several media outlets hosting autograph signings and meet-and-greets. After the show, all the wrestlers will be in the lobby and there will be photos and posters of the stars available that they can autograph for fans on the spot.”

Hennigan, 32, and Benjamin, 36, are no newcomers to Filipino fans. At the WWE SmackDown tour here in 2009, Hennigan – performing as John Morrison – used a variety of high-flying moves, including a twisting back-flip body drop off the top turnbuckle, to pin Benjamin for the three-count. Earlier that same year, Morrison defeated Benjamin in the WWE pay-per-view event Judgment Day in Illinois. Their bitter feud has led to several face-offs with Morrison repeatedly pinning Benjamin.

But in Manila, Benjamin vowed to reverse the tide. “This match is at a different era for both Hennigan and myself,” said the 6-2, 248-pound Benjamin in an e-mail to The Star. “Yes, we’ve faced each other many times. The difference is back then, I was a child learning his craft and today, I am a Terminator. I can be reasoned with. I can’t be bargained with and I absolutely will not stop until I am the victor. If you thought our last meeting in Manila was epic, be sure and get good seats ‘cause you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”

Another match to watch is the duel of the divas. Melina and Jillian Hall renew their rivalry in a ladies bout that could steal the thunder from the main event. Jillian has an axe to grind and still recalls losing the WWE Divas crown to Melina less than five minutes after winning it from Mickie James in 2009. Once allies in the ring, they’re now on opposite corners.

“Winning the Divas title was a dream come true for me,” Jillian told The Star. “For Melina to take advantage of the situation and get a title shot as soon as I had won it was pretty low. Did she really have to ruin my moment? She could have made her return the following week and I would’ve fairly been able to wrestle her when I wasn’t caught off-guard. Melina always has to be the center of attention but on Saturday, it’s going to be my time to shine. It’s going to be all about me this time.”

A star who’s expected to draw a lot of attention from fans is Billy Gunn, a 6-4, 270-pounder also known as The Outlaw, Bad Ass, Rockabilly and The One. He combined with Bart Gunn to take the Smoking Gunns to three WWE tag team championships in 1995-96. Gunn later joined Jesse “Road Dogg” James to form the New Age Outlaws. In singles action, Gunn has battled the likes of Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Raven, Rey Mysterio and Goldberg. He has also appeared on TV (“Sabrina the Teenage Witch”) and the movies (“The Other Guys”).

“Because Billy is still the best at it and people pay to see him, he keeps on going,” said Daivari. “When putting this show together, his name was at the top of everyone’s list. Promoters don’t get tired of talents, fans do. When the fans stop requesting for Billy, he’ll probably stop getting booked. But as you’ll see on Saturday, he’ll still blow the roof off the place. He’s amazingly popular and unlike all the other older wrestlers like Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair, he’ll still put on one of the best matches of the night. It’s not a nostalgia act of seeing one of your favorite wrestlers from a couple of years ago. He’s just as capable and talented enough to put on a better match than both Shelton and John who are being pegged to steal the show.”