PWInsider - WWE News, Wrestling News, WWE

 
 

CROSSFIRE WRESTLING GONE

By Mike Johnson on 2013-02-17 18:38:05
Nashville's Crossfire Wrestling has shuttered operations. A number of talents who were booked for their 3/9 event are now listing other dates and have noted publicly they are taking other dates.

In speaking to several who received the email, they have stated Pastorius told them company was done and they he was unable to get the company "in the green" over the last five weeks, noting the limited amount of time he had to do so. He also stated he wanted to give them several weeks' notice to try and get other bookings, as opposed to canceling the show at the last minute and thanked them profusely for what they had built with the company.

I was told that in the email, Pastorius stated he had copied his attorney to the email and forewarned everyone not to forward it out as the email was between "employer and employees" and that he was upset about "mud-slinging" and false information about the company on the Internet.

Pastorius also claimed that one person, who he did not specify, had gone out of their way to contact talent, sponsors and "the TV Network" Crossfire had been filming potential episodes for to bash him and clear their own name. I am told that Pastorious also promised to go after those who had hurt the company with their actions legally.

There were issues with pay coming out of the company's January date at the Nashville Fairgrounds with a number of headlining talents not being paid. We have confirmed there were some talents paid, however.

Shortly after the show, Pastorius told talent via email that a deposit in the amount of $25,000 was lost by the bank. What happened with that money depends on who is telling the story from that point. One version that floated around over the last month is that an investor demanded his capital back suddenly. That may or may not be the case. The bottom line was that the situation suddenly put the promotion, which had never had an issue with paying talents before, in a bad way. At the time, Pastorius claimed that he would get everyone the money owed and pay them in advance for 3/9.

Shortly after, www.GeorgiaWrestlingHistory.com broke that Pastorius was being sued by Adam Will, his employer at Red Rooster Bar & Music, claiming that Pastorius failed to pay back a $20,000 loan.

PWInsider.com has learned from one source that an entity claiming to now own Crossfire's video rights has reached out to third parties selling that material, claiming they, not Pastorius, now own the material and that none of the footage can be sold via deals made with Pastorius. Whether that is actually correct or not remains to be seen.

The Crossfire promotion, which drew nice crowds in the Nashville area for quarterly events, had claimed they were shooting 3D HD TV episodes for future broadcast with an unnamed cable network. We are told that in his email to talent informing them Crossfire was shutting down, Pastorious still stated that the promotion's TV would debut on a "national TV slot" this May.

None of Crossfire's websites or social media accounts have yet acknowledged the cancellation. I was told that in his email to talent, Pastorius claimed a public announcement would be made in due time and he knew that with it would come a negative response but he was proud of what the company had accomplished and singled out several for their help, including David Young, Mike Bucci and Shane Douglas.

If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!