Phoenix Championship Wrestling returned to the Eagles Center in Mesa, Arizona on Saturday night, May 16th. Featuring the main event that saw a new World Champion crowned as WWE ID Program signee Jimmy House defeated Kevin Koa to capture the gold and a Special Attraction match that saw ODB on her “Last Call” tour roll into town to take on PCW Women’s Champion and MLW signee Zamaya, there were notable headlines all around this event. But, the story coming out of the show didn’t involve either of those two matches.
The biggest story of the night saw Damon Ace, a terrifying monster of a wrestler who chokes out his opponents and then takes a polaroid photo of them prone on the mat, defeat PCW’s most popular wrestler and co-founder Jon Wolfgang in an unadvertised retirement match. Early in the show, before the house lights went down and the show lights came on, Ace came out and confirmed that due to pride, Jon Wolfgang agreed to make their scheduled match a “Retirement Match” where the loser would never wrestle again. Ace, a Chicago native who had a little bit of CM Punk in his delivery in spite of his physically imposing look, implied that pride and exuberance would lead to his downfall. The onlooking crowd had no idea he was telling them the truth.
After a great match with multiple false finishes, Jon Wolfgang did go out to Damon Ace’s submission hold. With a stunned crowd looking on in silence, Jon Wolfgang’s run in professional wrestling came to an abrupt finish.
Jon Wolfgang got into pro wrestling any way he could telling the Wrestling Epicenter in 2024 that he did backstage interview work for Championship Wrestling (from Hollywood, Arizona) to get his foot in the door but his heart was in the ring. For various reasons, it took him a while to get the opportunity to get in the ring and learn the ropes. But, once he did, he helped establish something very special in Arizona as he and Dom Vitalli formed the Arizona Pro Wrestling Center and Phoenix Championship Wrestling, PCWAZ.
Through the years, Wolfgang has emerged as the fan favorite to children and adults alike often playing the underdog. If you attend a PCW show, you’re going to see more Wolfgang shirts than anyone else. And, before and after every show, you can be sure that Jon Wolfgang would be out to meet the fans and talk to everyone on the level in a very real, on the leve way.
After the show, my family approached an emotional Jon Wolfgang and he told us, in short, why he retired. He told us, “I’m 35. And, I’m not bouncing back the way I used to. There is a lot I want to do in my life away from the ring. And, I want to spend time with my family.” He didn’t know I was going to write that out. But, I felt it was worthy of sharing.
Pro wrestling is full of self serving people. People who value their self image above the good of the company they work for and put themselves above others in every imaginable way. That is not who Jon Wolfgang is. In the few years that I got to see him perform and talk to him here and there, I was amazed by what a quality person he is. Gabriel Gallo, a trainer with the Arizona Pro Wrestling Center and an AEW security guard, posted on Facebook, “You did it the right way” in response to Wolfgang’s retirement. In its own simple elegance, that is the perfect sentiment.
Anyway, emotions aside over the unexpected retirement, the show did feature many other exciting headlines! For example, Jimmy House captured the PCW World Title righting the wrong of the Anniversary 7 loss and defeating Kevin Koa! Also, Remy Marcel retained his SLAM U Championship over Jakob East, “Pretty City Xpress” of Christopher Landen Anthony Streeter and Devin Reno retained their tag team titles in a wild 4 way match that saw the destruction of chairs and tables, and a whole lot more!
Popular star from New Mexico, Tommy Too Scoops was not cleared to compete but had a lot to do with Matthew Roblez’s man and former tag partner MBW’s loss earlier in the evening to Ty Funk. Two Scoops wanted to go after MBW and Roblez in that match but was not medically cleared to compete. Roblez insisted that Two Scoops “follow the science” in a genius line with political overtones. In my worst Jerry Seinfeld, “Oh, itt was quite the scene, man!”
ODB did face off with Zamaya as advertised but was interrupted by “MK” Matthew Roblez who interjected MBW into the encounter to team with ODB. But, who would partner with Zamaya? Why, a newcomer under a mask named El Mucho Escoopo! Rumor has it that Tommy “Two Scoops” might have been under the mask. But, how can that be? He wasn’t cleared! *wink* The crowd was sent home happy as Roblez, a classic heel manager, got beaten up by Zamaya, Escoopo, and even ODB who permitted Zamaya to spit her flask juice in his face.
All in all, it was a home run event for the growing Arizona wrestling company with certain emotional pitfalls along the way.
PCW returns to the Eagles in Mesa, Arizona in July. Check out www.PCWAZ.com for more information!
PCWAZ Quick Results 05/16/2026
Stanley Logan dfts Joey Hendrix
Enrique Calderon dfts Baker Jeffcoat
Ty Funk dfts MBW
Freddy Cordova dfts Lord Drako
Remy Marcel dfts Jakob East via countout to retain the SLAMU Championship
Damon Ace dfts Jon Wolfgang (Wolfgang can no longer wrestle at PCW)
Pretty City Xpress dfts City Boys, Fly Def. & Yung Money to retain the PCW Tag Team Championship
Zamaya & El Muncho Escoopo dfts ODB & MBW in a Mixed Tag Team Match
Jimmy House dfts Kevin Koa to win the PCW Heavyweight Championship
