df_m_podcasters_2_para: 7
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| rowid | first_name | last_name | gender | career_sec | personal_sec | info | seed_first_name | seed_last_name | occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Cornel | Birmingham | m | Alvarez and his friends formed a backyard wrestling promotion called Youth Wrestling Foundation, which aired on Seattle's Public Access Channel from 1993 to 1995. Years later, Alvarez began working as a referee for local independent shows, which eventually led to him returning to wrestling, when he replaced another wrestler who did not show up for an event. Afterwards, Alvarez began wrestling more regularly, at first for free. Alvarez's career has mostly been spent wrestling for various independent promotions in the Pacific Northwest. He appeared in the first match of the short-lived Portland Wrestling television revival in 2003, losing to The Grappler. He was accompanied by a blonde valet, Miss Rent-to-Own (Auto), who was named after one of the TV show's sponsors. A fundraiser was held in which Alvarez stated that if it reached $400, he would do one more match with friend and former professional wrestler Vince Verhei. He also stated that anyone who donated at least $25 would get a special DVD. The amount was surpassed and in fact exceeded $3000, with donation amounts ranging from one cent to $250, and the scheduled match was posted on YouTube on September 17, 2006. The DVD was released on December 8, 2006. Verhei defeated Alvarez to win the YWF Title, the main belt in Alvarez's original backyard wrestling organization in the mid-1990s. On March 17, 2007, Alvarez battled Larry Sweeney to a no contest for Sweeney's ICW-ICWA Texarkana Television Championship. Alvarez executed a German suplex, but both men's shoulders were pinned and the ref could not conclusively determine a winner. Alvarez agreed to a challenge made on Figure Four Daily once Sweeney agreed to "pay $7,500" to Alvarez. The title match was part of the inaugural Fight Sports Midwest card in Portage, Indiana. Sweeney and Alvarez's promos are available on YouTube. Alvarez had announced that a rematch with Larry Sweeney, set to take place on June 13, 2007 in Portage, Indiana, had been canceled. Alvarez stated that the rematch would take place sometime in 2007. Alvarez further claimed that after beating Sweeney for his Texarkana Television Championship he was planning to rename it the Frank A. Gotch Memorial Collar & Elbow Pacific Coast Championship. Fight Sports Midwest announced on September 27, 2007 that the Alvarez/Sweeney rematch would take place at the November 18, 2007 CHIKARA show at the former ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After Alvarez favorably reviewed the Derby City Wrestling television show in Figure Four Weekly, announcers Kenny Bolin and Timmy Baltimore mentioned his reviews on the air, holding up a copy of the newsletter. DCW wrestler Ted "The Trailer" McNaler then came to the announcers' table, complaining that Alvarez disparaged McNaler's physique and intelligence. He then proceeded to challenge Alvarez to a match, insisting that he had an athletic physique. In subsequent weeks, he continued the challenges, insulting Verhei and Alvarez's "Granny" (Alvarez's actual grandmother and an occasional guest on The Bryan and Vinny Show), and was shown humorously attempting to raise money to bring "Chico" to Louisville, Kentucky, where DCW is taped. Alvarez has said that he was not told of McNaler's challenge until it was taped, and that initially there were no plans to have a match with McNaler; his comments on the matter were limited to mentions on his podcast and newsletter. But in September 2007, Alvarez, in a video that aired on DCW television, turned down McNaler's challenge, citing his new writing career, and asked him to not insult his grandmother. McNaler responded by further insulting Alvarez. On October 21, Alvarez confirmed that he would be wrestling two more matches in 2007. On November 15, 2007 Alvarez faced Ted "The Trailer" McNaler in the New Davis Arena in Louisville, KY for the Derby City Wrestling promotion. After a grueling fifty-eight-minute battle, Alvarez managed to make McNaler submit to the sharpshooter. Alvarez then traveled to the former ECW Arena for an event promoted by Chikara on November 18, and defeated Larry Sweeney with a superkick to win the ICW/ICWA Texarkana TV Title. He lost it back to Sweeney on April 25, 2008 in a four-way match at IWC's Super Indy VII in Pittsburgh, which also included Delirious and Ruckus. Alvarez returned to wrestling on November 7, 2009 after taking a year off following a back injury. He defeated Mike Santiago at the Tulalip Championship Wrestling event in Marysville, Washington, at the Pacific Rim. The match, along with other TCW matches, is available on YouTube. Alvarez stated that he would be performing on most of the group's future events. On April 4, 2010, Alvarez wrestled Lance Storm, who worked under a mask as the Ideal Canadian, winning with a superkick. In August 2010, Alvarez lost a Loser Leaves Town for Three Months match to Christopher Ryseck. It was his last match with the promotion. Alvarez returned after four years on August 16, 2014 for a match with Buddy Wayne at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon. It was the first-ever match for the debuting Wrestle-Sport promotion. Mason Ryan, Chris Masters and Adam Pearce wrestled in the main event. Alvarez defeated Wayne with a senton bomb after sixteen minutes. On July 14, 2018, Alvarez returned to the ring to team with Filthy Tom Lawlor under their new team name, The Chop and Roll Express, against The Rock and Roll Express at a Black Label Pro show. The Rock and Rolls won when Alvarez was pinned with a sunset flip. He complained that he was the illegal man and had been pinned by the illegal man on the other team. On August 18, Alvarez beat the Beach Bums (Peachmachine and Mikey G) at a Future Stars of Wrestling show in Las Vegas, NV. Alvarez had attempted to get Disco Inferno to be his partner, but Disco did not return any of the calls Alvarez made to him during Wrestling Observer Live. Disco showed up at the end of the match, made a comeback on the Beach Bums, but then turned on Alvarez and hit him with the chartbuster. Alvarez still managed to hit Mikey G with a superkick to win the match. Peachmachine claimed afterwards that Mikey was the illegal man. On November 3, Alvarez beat Marko Stunt at a Black Label Pro show in Crown Point, IN. Stunt had challenged Alvarez to a match on Wrestling Observer Live. Alvarez won with a superkick. Following the match, which saw the two men chop each other bloody, Stunt offered a handshake, but Alvarez turned on him prior to challenging Stunt and a partner to face himself and Tom Lawlor at Black Label Pro's WrestleMania weekend event in New Jersey on April 5, 2019. The planned match fell apart after Lawlor was pulled from the show due to other commitments, Stunt suffered a broken leg and Stunt's supposed partner, PCO, was signed to an exclusive deal with Ring of Honor, thus leaving Alvarez with neither partner nor opponents. | Alvarez married Whitney Neugebauer on July 31, 2010. She gave birth to the couple's first child, a daughter named Paisley, on February 28, 2016. She gave birth to a second daughter, Hanalei, on September 19, 2019. Alvarez is the cousin of retired Olympic gymnast Guillermo Alvarez. | Birmingham and his friends formed a backyard wrestling promotion called Youth Wrestling Foundation, which aired on Seattle's Public Access Channel from 1993 to 1995. Years later, Birmingham began working as a referee for local independent shows, which eventually led to him returning to wrestling, when he replaced another wrestler who did not show up for an event. Afterwards, Birmingham began wrestling more regularly, at first for free. Birmingham's career has mostly been spent wrestling for various independent promotions in the Pacific Northwest. He appeared in the first match of the short-lived Portland Wrestling television revival in 2003, losing to The Grappler. He was accompanied by a blonde valet, Miss Rent-to-Own (Auto), who was named after one of the TV show's sponsors. A fundraiser was held in which Birmingham stated that if it reached $400, he would do one more match with friend and former professional wrestler Vince Verhei. He also stated that anyone who donated at least $25 would get a special DVD. The amount was surpassed and in fact exceeded $3000, with donation amounts ranging from one cent to $250, and the scheduled match was posted on YouTube on September 17, 2006. The DVD was released on December 8, 2006. Verhei defeated Birmingham to win the YWF Title, the main belt in Birmingham's original backyard wrestling organization in the mid-1990s. On March 17, 2007, Birmingham battled Larry Sweeney to a no contest for Sweeney's ICW-ICWA Texarkana Television Championship. Birmingham executed a German suplex, but both men's shoulders were pinned and the ref could not conclusively determine a winner. Birmingham agreed to a challenge made on Figure Four Daily once Sweeney agreed to "pay $7,500" to Birmingham. The title match was part of the inaugural Fight Sports Midwest card in Portage, Indiana. Sweeney and Birmingham's promos are available on YouTube. Birmingham had announced that a rematch with Larry Sweeney, set to take place on June 13, 2007 in Portage, Indiana, had been canceled. Birmingham stated that the rematch would take place sometime in 2007. Birmingham further claimed that after beating Sweeney for his Texarkana Television Championship he was planning to rename it the Frank A. Gotch Memorial Collar & Elbow Pacific Coast Championship. Fight Sports Midwest announced on September 27, 2007 that the Birmingham/Sweeney rematch would take place at the November 18, 2007 CHIKARA show at the former ECW Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After Birmingham favorably reviewed the Derby City Wrestling television show in Figure Four Weekly, announcers Kenny Bolin and Timmy Baltimore mentioned his reviews on the air, holding up a copy of the newsletter. DCW wrestler Ted "The Trailer" McNaler then came to the announcers' table, complaining that Birmingham disparaged McNaler's physique and intelligence. He then proceeded to challenge Birmingham to a match, insisting that he had an athletic physique. In subsequent weeks, he continued the challenges, insulting Verhei and Birmingham's "Granny" (Birmingham's actual grandmother and an occasional guest on The Cornel and Vinny Show), and was shown humorously attempting to raise money to bring "Chico" to Louisville, Kentucky, where DCW is taped. Birmingham has said that he was not told of McNaler's challenge until it was taped, and that initially there were no plans to have a match with McNaler; his comments on the matter were limited to mentions on his podcast and newsletter. But in September 2007, Birmingham, in a video that aired on DCW television, turned down McNaler's challenge, citing his new writing career, and asked him to not insult his grandmother. McNaler responded by further insulting Birmingham. On October 21, Birmingham confirmed that he would be wrestling two more matches in 2007. On November 15, 2007 Birmingham faced Ted "The Trailer" McNaler in the New Davis Arena in Louisville, KY for the Derby City Wrestling promotion. After a grueling fifty-eight-minute battle, Birmingham managed to make McNaler submit to the sharpshooter. Birmingham then traveled to the former ECW Arena for an event promoted by Chikara on November 18, and defeated Larry Sweeney with a superkick to win the ICW/ICWA Texarkana TV Title. He lost it back to Sweeney on April 25, 2008 in a four-way match at IWC's Super Indy VII in Pittsburgh, which also included Delirious and Ruckus. Birmingham returned to wrestling on November 7, 2009 after taking a year off following a back injury. He defeated Mike Santiago at the Tulalip Championship Wrestling event in Marysville, Washington, at the Pacific Rim. The match, along with other TCW matches, is available on YouTube. Birmingham stated that he would be performing on most of the group's future events. On April 4, 2010, Birmingham wrestled Lance Storm, who worked under a mask as the Ideal Canadian, winning with a superkick. In August 2010, Birmingham lost a Loser Leaves Town for Three Months match to Christopher Ryseck. It was his last match with the promotion. Birmingham returned after four years on August 16, 2014 for a match with Buddy Wayne at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon. It was the first-ever match for the debuting Wrestle-Sport promotion. Mason Ryan, Chris Masters and Adam Pearce wrestled in the main event. Birmingham defeated Wayne with a senton bomb after sixteen minutes. On July 14, 2018, Birmingham returned to the ring to team with Filthy Tom Lawlor under their new team name, The Chop and Roll Express, against The Rock and Roll Express at a Black Label Pro show. The Rock and Rolls won when Birmingham was pinned with a sunset flip. He complained that he was the illegal man and had been pinned by the illegal man on the other team. On August 18, Birmingham beat the Beach Bums (Peachmachine and Mikey G) at a Future Stars of Wrestling show in Las Vegas, NV. Birmingham had attempted to get Disco Inferno to be his partner, but Disco did not return any of the calls Birmingham made to him during Wrestling Observer Live. Disco showed up at the end of the match, made a comeback on the Beach Bums, but then turned on Birmingham and hit him with the chartbuster. Birmingham still managed to hit Mikey G with a superkick to win the match. Peachmachine claimed afterwards that Mikey was the illegal man. On November 3, Birmingham beat Marko Stunt at a Black Label Pro show in Crown Point, IN. Stunt had challenged Birmingham to a match on Wrestling Observer Live. Birmingham won with a superkick. Following the match, which saw the two men chop each other bloody, Stunt offered a handshake, but Birmingham turned on him prior to challenging Stunt and a partner to face himself and Tom Lawlor at Black Label Pro's WrestleMania weekend event in New Jersey on April 5, 2019. The planned match fell apart after Lawlor was pulled from the show due to other commitments, Stunt suffered a broken leg and Stunt's supposed partner, PCO, was signed to an exclusive deal with Ring of Honor, thus leaving Birmingham with neither partner nor opponents.Birmingham married Whitney Neugebauer on July 31, 2010. She gave birth to the couple's first child, a daughter named Paisley, on February 28, 2016. She gave birth to a second daughter, Hanalei, on September 19, 2019. Birmingham is the cousin of retired Olympic gymnast Guillermo Birmingham. | Bryan | Alvarez | podcasters |