NWA star Carson Drake will no longer compete at EMERGE 98: Back In The Saddle after suffering an injury in Philadelphia last weekend.
Kellin Craven will replace Drake and challenge Tre LaMar for the EMERGE Outbreak Championship on Saturday, August 1, in Columbus, Indiana.
Drake confirmed the injury to WrestlingHeadlines.com after receiving approval for it to be publicly reported. No additional information about the nature or severity of the injury has been disclosed.
Drake had been scheduled to make his EMERGE debut against LaMar. The originally announced championship match was previously covered in WrestlingHeadlines.com’s Road To Back In The Saddle series.
Craven has competed for EMERGE before, but the late replacement gives him an opportunity to secure a more permanent position in the promotion by capturing championship gold.
Speaking exclusively with WrestlingHeadlines.com, Craven described receiving the opportunity as the culmination of a goal he has pursued throughout his career.
“To say this opportunity means everything to me would be an understatement. EMERGE is a company I’ve had my sights on since day one. For my entire career, this stage has been one I long to be on.”
Craven understands that replacing Drake does not guarantee him another appearance. He believes defeating LaMar and leaving Columbus with the Outbreak Championship is the only way to make certain this opportunity leads to something more.
“I’ve had a taste of EMERGE before, but to make sure this Saturday won’t be the last you see of me, I need to capture the Outbreak Title. I have to beat Tre LaMar.”
EMERGE 98: Back In The Saddle takes place Saturday, August 1, at the Bartholomew County Fairgrounds in Columbus, Indiana. Doors open at 18:00, the Facebook Live match begins at 18:45 and bell time is scheduled for 19:00.
Tickets are available through the official EMERGE Wrestling ticket store. The complete developing lineup and additional event information can be found in WrestlingHeadlines.com’s Back In The Saddle event preview.
When asked what supporters should expect when he enters the championship match on short notice, Craven answered with one word: desperation.
“What should the fans expect from Kellin Craven? Desperation. A cornered animal with no other option. No way but through it. No way but through Tre LaMar.”
Kellin Craven’s comments were provided exclusively to WrestlingHeadlines.com. If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Kellin Craven’s interview with WrestlingHeadlines.com and link to the original story.
