Twenty-two managers showed up Thursday night in the Derby Room for the long-awaited, oft-anticipated, and much-ballyhooed 2003 WBC Single-Elimination Wrasslin' Tournament! Attendance was up by five from the previous year's 17, and nine from 2001. Things were indeed already looking up!

As in previous years each manager selected his favorite three wrasslers from a field of 30 no-gooders and do-wellers. The managers were then randomly paired off in a three-bracket format. Shortly after 6 PM the first grapplers took to the rings in the Derby Room's multi-mat format.

The eleven matches of the first round posted no particular upsets, despite much hair pulling and body slamming. The second round featured five bouts: Steve Dickson vs. Nick Kramer; Tim Dolan vs. Jordan Flawd; Joe Burch vs. Carolyn DeMarco; Jessica Greenwood vs. Vince Collura; and Wendy DeMarco vs. Gamemaster Charlie Kibler. Additionally, the tournament's first "bye" was awarded to the 1999 and 2002 Wrasslin' SE champ, Dan Dolan Jr. (Oh! The Pain!)

After countless falls, many pins, and several out-of-the-rings, the din died down to find six managers advancing to the third round. Gone was the Gamemaster, whose prize wrestlers were easily bested by Wendy's. Gone also was Miss Greenwood, whose trio of grapplers succumbed to those managed by Mr. Collura. Also victorious was Joe Burch over Carolyn DeMarco; Nick Kramer advanced past hard-fightin' Steve Dickson, and Tim Dolan's gang-of-three roughly handled those of Jordan Flawd ­ thus setting up three fabulous third round match-ups:

Nick Kramer vs. Wendy De Marco,
Tim Dolan vs. Joe Burch, and
Vince Collura vs. Dan Dolan Jr.

By now the winning managers were settling into their game, and the trash talking was underway in earnest. Tim Dolan's trio soon bested that of Joe Burch, thus earning him (the 1997 WRS-SE victor) a bye into the final. In a tough fought match, Wendy's three charges (Ka-Pow, the Amazon, and the Whammer) finally ousted Kramer's uglies (the Champ, the Acrobat, and Brent Hurt), thus advancing her to the semi-final. However, in perhaps the biggest upset yet, battlin' Vince's stable of wrasslers put down those of defending champ Dan Dolan Jr. (perhaps a bit cold after sitting out a round?). Most stunned, perhaps, was brother Tim, who was already anticipating a possible Dolan-vs.-Dolan championship match.

But such was not to be, as the semi-final would feature Wendy DeMarco squaring off against Vince Collura. Each manager's initial wrasslers were forcibly retired, and the Amazon found herself facing her evil twin! After applying a double-damage hair pull, DeMarco's Amazon managed to pin her look-alike. Collura's Big Daddy then pranced into the ring, only to be ingloriously tossed out of it by Miss DeMarco's triumphant Amazon ­ thus winning her a spot in the final.

At last, the long-anticipated championship bout is set to begin: Mgr. Tim Dolan vs. Mgr. Wendy DeMarco. The referee catches Dolan's dirty Garbage Man when he tries to ring Ka-Pow's bell with a palmed brick. Ka-Pow then retaliates with a Body Slam, a Knee Lift and a bevy of Specialties. The stunned but still mobile Garbage Man exits the ring but soon re-enters, refreshed. Ka-Pow then finds himself covered in Green Spew, and succumbs. Wendy brings on her much-touted Amazon, who reverses a Gouge and a Knee-2nd-Rope. Yet a third reversal, and Tim's Garbage Man is reeling ­ and pinned! Tim brings on the Champ, who huffs and puffs about reprisal. True to his word, the brute kicks the Amazon in the gut and pins her to the mat! "Uncle!" she cries. Enter ever-dangerous Whammer, Miss DeMarco's final wrassler ­ and last hope. The Champ and the Whammer circle the ring, glaring and snorting. Blows begin to fall with a seldom before-seen fury ­ a Body Slam, a Chop, a Hammerlock, a Backbreaker! Each wrestler is hurting, but recovers. Then the Champ applies a Bear Hug ­ the Whammer can't block it. He's wheezing ... he's groaning ... he's immobile ... he's gone!

and Tim Dolan wins the 2003 WBC Wrasslin' SE Championship!