TWF (Thomaston Wrestling Federation)

The Thomaston Wrestling Federation (TWF), was a prominent wrestling organization in the greater Upson County area. Beginning in the fall of 1997 by James Vaughn, the TWF boasted over 20 employees on its roster. The TWF produced many taped shows and were subsequently circulated among its fans.

The Beginning: A Short Commentary by James Vaughn

It wasn't supposed to be a big deal. It wasn't supposed to be such a success. It wasn't supposed to last for over a year. In fact, it was supposed to be a one time event. And it all started with a simple cable box.

The year was 1997, and we had just gotten a "black box" to view pay per view events, mostly for WCW wrestling. I decided to invite some friends over to watch with me, with pizza and chips and drinks and the like. As time grew closer to WCW Starrcade, I got the idea to have a wrestling event myself, mostly to give my friends and myself something to do before the big WCW pay per view. I asked my friends AbOUT it, and they thought it would be fun. So WrestleWar, as it came to be known, was born.

I must take a step back for a moment. All of us had wrestlers in an online federation headed up by my friend Kyle, so we decided to bring these "online" characters to life. Each of us would have an unmasked wrestler, and then we had masked wrestlers so no one could tell that one person was actually many different people. Prior to that fateful Sunday, I made title belts, came up with theme music, booked the matches, created costumes, and came up with angles to use for the show, still with the idea that it was a one time only event. I got my friend Brian to bring his video camera and after church on Sunday, December 28, 1997, the Thomaston Wrestling Federation was born, and WrestleWar '97 took place.

Myself, Ryan Weason, Kyle Turner, Brian Huckaby, Daniel Purvis, Blake Hunter, Brad Vaughan, with Ryan's little brother Alex (our referee) took to the trampoline for 6 matches that became the launching pad for the TWF. Shawn Calaway won the World championship that night, H-Bomb (our only gimmick tag team at the time) won the Tag Team championship, and Mikey Biggs became the United States champion. We recorded it straight through, with no post editing, and watched it prior to Starrcade '97. Soon after we realized that we had something special going, and decided to make the TWF a monthly occurrence. With every WCW pay per view, the TWF would have a show.

Eventually, the TWF grew in numbers, adding the likes of Austin Huckaby, Will Bramlett, Ben Trice, David Crews, Adam Greene, Stephen McGee, Mandy Grier, Brian O'Rourke, Nath Cochran, Russ Allen, Stephen Purvis, PJ Meloun, Cory Salley, and others to its roster of wrestlers, managers, referees, and commentators. Throughout 1998, the TWF became a household name in Thomaston/Upson County, and this is only part one of its story.

Personalities

Through the years, the TWF accumulated many personalities that became popular with their fan base. Some characters were throw backs to the 80s & early 90s of professional wrestling but the TWF had many original gimmicks as well.

Iron Man

Lethargic & injury riddled, Iron Man was easily the largest wrestler in the TWF. Largely a brawler, Iron Man would often show flashes of a high flying ability. A winner of the TWF's first battle royal, Iron Man enjoyed initial success as he was the second man to capture the TWF World Heavyweight title. The master of the feared "Iron Cutter", Iron Man was known for his nonsensical attitude & monotone InterViews.

"Stunning" Shawn Calaway

Arguably the face of the company, Shawn Calaway was a main event mainstay throughout his TWF tenure. A savy ring veteran, professional performer, and gifted athlete, Calaway was GeneRally a heel character who made alliances and manipulated his way to the top. Notably so, Calaway had entered a running feud with Krumple right before the TWF closed its doors. Calaway was also an excellent tag team wrestler as he was known for his partnership with Mikey Biggs when he first entered the TWF. Biggs no showed an event & the pair broke up as their working relationship became irreparably fractured.

Calaway is known for his all-rounded athletic approach to the ring being a well fit mat wrestler as well as technician. Calaway's Signature move in the ring was his fisherman suplex which he cleverly called "The Stun Gun".

Krumple

A social outcast and misfit, Krumple was generally a midcard grappler until he was taken under the wing of Shawn Calaway. He eventually wrestled away from Shawn's mind games and would go on to capture the TWF World Championship as a matured self made man.

Krumple was a high flyer as he had studied under local phenom & brother to Shawn, Brett Calaway. Krumple's signature move was a running spear which he called "The Krumple".

A noted event many TWF fans & historians will recall was a match with Flyin' Ryan Taylor which saw Krumple sell an errant kick which the camera unfortunately showed was no where near the intended target.

Butch

The "Hardcore Legend" in the TWF, Butch was perhaps, one of the best interview talents within the TWF. Not necessarily known for his wrestling skills, fans would always wonder what Butch would bring to the ring. Tall & lanky, Butch was a scrappy fighter who showed unapparent power.

Master of the "Butchinator", a reverse European Caveat, Butch was really known for his unintentionally funny quotes as well as his innovative approaches to dispatch his opponents.

Legend has it he actually used a twelve speed bicycle to run over "Hardcore" Charlie.

Probably most memorable was his quote, "Mr. Sandman comes out here, and he's trying to say that he's more hardcore than me? I'm the hardest-corest person in the TWF..."

Adam Coetter

A rising star within the TWF, Adam Coetter was the heir apparent to eventually replace Shawn Calaway as the face of the TWF. Combining NATURAL athleticism, aerial prowess, as well as an astute knowledge of submission based wrestling, Coetter instantly became a star as he became the quickest wrestler to enter the TWF as a rookie & capture a title (TWF United States from Mr. Sandman). Before the TWF folded, Calaway took the young Coetter under his wing as they formed a team of disrespect & degeneration.

Coetter is also noted from never beating his opponent with the same move twice. Notoriously known for a devastating fisherman brainbuster which he called "The Coetting Edge", Coetter was also known to use a modified Camel Clutch as well as a sit down Ace Crusher.

Zeus

Zeus was...well...he was mentally ill. A crowd favorite, he talked like a maniac in his interviews. Never having won a title belt, Zeus liked to embarrass other wrestlers. In one such event, he unveiled a childhood play friend of a colleague (which happened to be a stuffed monkey) and almost lost his career over it.

"Look what I found! I expose him...Mr. Bogey!" [pointing at Shawn Calaway] "His childhood play-friend!"

Flying Ryan Taylor

Ryan Taylor was in the ring only to rid the TWF of Shawn Calaway. His career started with the World Title Match at WrestleWar 97, in which he lost, and his career ended with a career match against Shawn Calaway. What's happened to him since has yet to be determined.

Mr. Sandman

Originally part of "The Sandmen", and originally known as Sandman #1, Mr. Sandman parted ways with Sandman #2 shortly after the first few PPV's. Mr. Sandman was known for coming out, chugging a beer, smashing the can on his forehead, and fighting in deadly fights. Many would say that he just didn't give a [...].

"Man of Action" Buddy Lee

Hailing, ironically, from Levi, Nevada, this disciple of all that is good & moral entered the TWF within its midcard ranks. Taking upon himself to be the shining example of virtue, Lee was involved in several feuds including Shawn Calaway & Adam Coetter. "Mr. Hero" was the master of the modified powerbomb which he called the "Hero Bomb". Often ridiculed for his infatuation with a doll of a young boy, Lee was usually shouldering insults not only from his peers, but from the fans of TWF as well.

Big Poppa Salley

The token womanizer of the TWF, BPS, contrary to his name, was also one of the skinniest grapplers to grace the Eagle's Nest ring. Relying mainly on brawling tactics, Big Poppa was renowned for his Finishing move, The Big Poppa Slam, a uranage.

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