The Southern Underground Pro Bonestorm Championship will be defended on Sunday at SUP’s You’re Next event live from The Basement East (buy tickets here). Brett Ison has held that title for nearly a year, but faces a unique in challenge in A.C. Mack. Ison has earned the nickname “The Human Shotgun” for a reason – he’s blunt, direct, and when fired, does a lot of damage. It’s a stark contrast to his opponent, Mack, who has strung together a series of wins in SUP through nefarious (and questionable) means. That’s what makes this match so intriguing – it’s two different styles that are both effective. Something has to give. But, to address another dynamic in this main event, perhaps it wouldn’t feel as big as it does if not for what that Bonestorm Championship has come to represent over the last two years.
And to think, it almost didn’t happen…
When we started SUP, the initial idea was to have a one night tournament for a medal. Then, we played with the idea of a trophy. After looking at trophy prices, we decided we could get a title belt made for probably just a little more than a trophy, so we went with that.
It was also the idea of “well, if we get a belt made we have to do more than one show.” I think the belt maybe unintentionally forced us to keep doing this even when we were very touch and go, show by show. We never really knew when or if we’d do another show after those first few shows.
It’s wild to think about how easily the Bonestorm Championship could’ve never existed. On April 23, 2017, SUP presented The Battle for Bonestorm – a single-event, 12-man tournament to crown the inaugural Bonestorm Champion. Curt Stallion defeated Alex Daniels in the tournament finals to claim the throne. From there, he held the championship for 308 days.
The following February, Stallion lost in shocking fashion to Dominic Garrini, being pile-driven repeatedly until the match was stopped and “The Bone Collector” raised the Bonestorm title. Garrini’s reign lasted 210 days, all the way up until Don’t Look In the Basement East in September of 2018.
Garrini had a stellar defense against Wheeler Yuta in the main event. In the opening contest of the show, however, wrestlers participated in a Trick or Treat Battle Royal. The winner received a Bonestorm Championship match at a time of his or her desire. Marko Stunt won that battle royal, and elected to cash in his opportunity at the conclusion of the evening, when Garrini was least expecting it.
Stunt’s plan worked to perfection. Seems like all this time later, you can still hear the faint echo of The Basement East erupting when Stunt won that title. To this day, it’s one of the most triumphant and fun moments in SUP history.
However, that fun and triumph would be short-lived.
Just 42 days later, Ison would step up to the plate after compiling an undefeated record in 2018. ‘Street Justice’ was served on November 4th, 2018, and that’s when the current, epic reign of Ison began. By the time he steps into the ring on Sunday, he’ll have held the championship for a record 337 days.
With the brief history lesson out of the way, take a moment to reflect upon where all of the Bonestorm Champions are now. Stallion is wrestling on the WWE Network for EVOLVE. Garrini just announced his signing with MLW – oh, and by the way, he’s currently overseas competing in WXW. Stunt became a sensation in GCW, and parlayed that into a deal with AEW.
“It shows that we have good eyes for talent, but more importantly, it shows how hard those guys work. Some deals happened faster than others, but all three of those guys are in better spots than they were before and that’s what makes me happy. It’s really cool to sit back and say “yeah the first 3 Bonestorm champions are all signed to some degree,” but it’s cooler seeing their hard work pay off. All three more than deserve it.”
Ison made his GCW debut earlier this year. It was recently announced that he’d be taking on “Filthy” Tom Lawlor at BLP’s Slamilton in November. He’s carrying the SUP banner for now, but it’s only a matter of time before the entire country takes notice.
I’ll stand by this statement- I can’t imagine Brett Ison is too far behind them. With the year he’s had and the way things work so much faster now. Even without being signed, Brett adds so much to that title. In my eyes, he gives it validity. You want his title? You’re gonna have to kill him to get it. No disrespect to anyone else, but I don’t think you can really say that about anyone else in wrestling.
So, the thing that binds these four together has become a symbol of success. It means something to be the Bonestorm Champion, and the men who have carried that title have built into it a rich and outstanding history in a matter of just two and a half years.
“The Bonestorm Championship means hard work, dedication, struggle, and perseverance to me. But, more importantly, it represents the underdogs. It represents the ‘fuck you‘ to those that told us, “indie doesn’t work in Nashville.”
But, it’s not just about who’s held the title. It’s also about the who’s who of the wrestling world that have fought for it. The list of contenders that the four SUP champions have faced, and subsequently defeated, is just as impressive as the men who have held the championship.
Stallion’s reign was highlighted by a title defense against Joey Janela in a match that I’d still consider one of if not the best match SUP has ever put on in The Basement East. Garrini went to war with Jeff Cobb at Streets of Hate in June of 2018, in addition to the aforementioned match with Yuta. Then, there’s the list of combatants that Ison has taken down in 2019: Nick Gage, J.D. Drake, O’Shay Edwards, Allie Kat, Anthony Henry. Some of the brightest stars in all of wrestling have come to Nashville to wrestle for the Bonestorm Championship.
Which brings me to my next point – when you reach the mountaintop in SUP, you take on a mantle as Nashville’s champion. The relationship that SUP has with its fanbase is something many wrestling promotions don’t have. Simply put, when you become SUP’s champion, you become our champion as well. I can’t recall another instance in which the city has supported its champion the way Nashville supports Ison. But, each of the previous champions had a special aura among the Nashville wrestling community.
Stunt created magic in that building through his ability to connect with the SUP faithful. Garrini commanded respect with his ability to submit people and knock them out cold. Stallion was emblematic of the gritty, wild spirit that the independent wrestling scene had lacked in Nashville. In 2017, SUP was different, and so was its champion. When Ison first won the title, fans booed him out of the building. Today, he is a veritable hero inside the confines of The Basement East. It’s a testament to just what that strap means to the city of Nashville.
I reached out to Ison to ask him directly what he thinks his legacy as Bonestorm Champion will be:
“I may be the fourth to hold the championship, but I will be synonymous with it…I will be the one you remember.“
This legacy is why the match between Ison and Mack feels so important. Because it is. It’s not just about wins and losses and who makes the most money when it comes to East Nashville. It’s about the spirit of a city. It’s about a respect for “the grind.” It’s about the legacy of proud champions before you. It just means more.
When you factor in the history of the title and what it means to the Music City, you can begin to understand just why each Bonestorm Championship match feels more important than the last.
If the past is any indication, the prestige of Nashville’s championship will only continue to grow in legend.
Buy some fucking tickets. Image courtesy of the G.O.A.T., Mouse.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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