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"Tony passed away in November of 1999 and up to that point in the area 'independent wrestling' consisted of mostly sold shows run by a handful of promoters, " said Goldberg.  "They all used the same formula, which was a couple of big  ex-WWF names on top and the local guys as just filler.  At the same point, sold shows were drying up in the area due to the WWF's DX push and Steve Austin's push.  A lot of the schools where these shows took place didn't want to see the kids mimic the crotch chop or mimic Austin flipping the bird.  So that kind of business was drying up and a different approach was in order."

In forming NECW during a period of such drought, Goldberg opted to go against the grain and try something different.

"New England is a pretty unique area in that there are a number of wrestling schools in the area that had been producing students for years, so you had a lot of bodies around.  In starting my own company, I went against the accepted wisdom of the time and built a company based on the local guys as the stars and running towns regularly with angle based booking.  That was in 2000 and now we're at the point where the level of talent in the area has matured and improved, because we've provided the kind of stage where you have to be able to cut a promo, you're going to work for TV (our weekly Internet show), you're going to have to learn how to carry a program, etc."

Some of those names have included New England area stalwart Alex Arion, former ROH Pure champion John Walters, WWE Heart Throbs tag member Antonio Thomas and most notably, Nikki Roxx, now Roxxi of TNA Knockouts fame.  While not an independent promotion with as high a profile as say, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla or Ring of Honor among the online die-hards, NECW has carved a solid niche for themselves, including becoming the first independent promotion to have a regular, weekly online series...and that's pre-YouTube...as in years before.  The series continues on at www.necw.tv.

One of the highlights of the NECW calendar, the Iron 8 Tournament, will take place this weekend.  Unlike the long list of tournaments that have saturated the wrestling scene since the advent of the ECWA Super 8, NECW has a different spin for their tournament concept.  During a booking stint held by former WWF announcer Kevin Kelly, the promotion featured a Four-Way NECW title bout under 45 minute Iron Man rules.  The match clicked, leading to Goldberg wanting to keep the concept.  After all, if something works once, why walk away from it?

"The match was so successful as a match that it got me thinking about how we could incorporate something like that into a signature event for our company, " remembers Goldberg.  "I had been looking for something that we could turn into an annual event much like how the ECWA has their annual Super 8.  I didn't want to do another standard 8 man elimination tournament, because there are so many, but it struck me that the 4 way, 45 minute iron man deal could work as the culmination of a tournament - two rounds a semi-final with 4 singles matches and the 4 way as the final with the winner getting a trophy.  At first we did it over two nights and that didn't work so well.  Three years ago we made it a one night deal and that's when it really gelled into something special."

The 45 Minute Iron Man setting not only guarantees that hardcore fans are going to get a long contest, but provides for intricate booking and storytelling, as well as a way for the younger names to learn from working such a bout.  It's a far cry from the average independent wrestling match of today's era where the face or heel (if there are any) go back and forth trading spots before a finish. 

In a bout where the most wins before the time limit expires is the key, the promotional tag line of the Iron 8 being the "Ultimate Test of Skill, Stamina and Strategy" isn't just promotional hype - it's also the reality for the performers involved, all of whom have already worked one bout.  If they aren't bringing their A-Game into the match, not only will they be stumbling, they'll be bringing down their opponents' work as well.

Although names like England's Doug Williams have been brought in for the tournament in the past, it's always been focusing on building the local New England talent and trying to make them into local stars that can draw.  That has never been more the case with Eddie Edwards, who has won the last two years and will compete again this year, turning him into something of a shining star for the promotion.   Edwards, who recently debuted in ROH, has also toured for Pro Wrestling NOAH.

The remaining field of competition for the 2008 event features CHIKARA's Gran Akuma from Chikara, "The Exotic" Kristian Frost, former ECW and TNA talent Julio Dinero, "The Real Deal" Brandon Locke, long-time NECW staple "The Golden Greek" Alex Arion, "The Natural" Scott Osbourne, and Florida indy star Kahagas.

Although in wrestling, nothing is ever booked as perfectly in the ring as it is on paper, Goldberg is thrilled with the talent selections.  "We have a lot of guys that people outside of our area don't know about or don't see at their full potential.  Eddie Edwards can go with anyone anywhere on the planet.  Brandon Locke is a kid who is ready for prime time.  Kristian Frost is a very solid worker.  Scott Osbourne is a kid who is going to be a real blue chip worker before too long.  Alex Arion has always been a stand out for us since the start of the company.  Add to that guys from outside of the promotion, like Gran Akuma, who is a very impressive kid, Kahagas and Julio Dinero who is an excellent veteran hand and you have a really interesting collection of talent on a single event with a real challenging twist. "

Several years into the Iron 8, it hasn't received the immediate acclaim that similar tournaments have online, yet it has become something of a draw for the NECW and Goldberg is happy with the evolution of the event.

"New England, unlike the tri-state Metropolitan area, never really had any kind of high end independent tournament type event like the Super 8 or the Best of the Best, etc. until we started doing the IRON 8.   I wanted to put something out there that was different, even if it flew in the face of what people thought you could be successful with.  This is a thing where in order to be able to work it, you have to be able to go for an hour.  It sets the bar pretty high.  The whole idea is to showcase our guys in a way that gives our company another level of credibility.  There's nothing else out there quite like it and it's been very gratifying to see it grow and mature into a real first class athletic event."

You'd have to think Tony Rumble is somewhere enjoying that evolution as well.

For more information on this weekend's NECW Iron 8, visit www.NECWWrestling.com.

Mike Johnson can be reached at Mike@PWInsider.com.

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