UCW's Michael Hannigan: Not A "Paper Champion"

“In my own country I am in a far off land.
I am strong but have no power.
I win all yet remain a loser.
At break of day I say goodnight.
When I lie down I have great fear of falling.”

― Francois Villon

     Ric Flair's championship reign in the NWA was a unique phenomenon. In a profession notorious for throwing prettyboys to the wolves, Flair was the ultimate prettyboy -- replete with long, peroxided hair, sequin ring robes trimmed with ostrich feathers, and pink wrestling gear. Yet, Flair maintained the title longer than any other NWA champion in history. The comparatively slender champion would often take massive punishment during a bout, but would still find some ingenious strategy to hold on to the title. Those who know about Richard Morgan Fliehr's troubled childhood, his adopted status, and the history of the Tennessee Children's Home Society understand the key to his longevity as the NWA Champion:

     Tenacity -- the value of which Flair learned at an early age.

     Neither pure "heel" nor pure "face," Flair's fan receptions varied widely from city to city. When Flair wrestled in the Mid Atlantic region (which included Charlotte, NC -- Flair's adopted home town), he was given a hero's welcome. However when he ventured into territories controlled by other wrestling promoters, Flair often found himself facing the popular local champion and his outsider's status forced him into the role of "heel." In those other cities throughout the nation, Flair was vilified as a "paper champion" whose title reign was protected by the NWA brass and the referees they employed. No matter how many successful title defenses Flair mounted (and Flair was a true "fighting champion," constantly traveling the U.S. and appearing at events sponsored by a vast array of federations), Flair was never given the credit nor the respect he had earned.

     This brings us to Michael Hannigan, the Underground Championship Wrestling (UCW) champion. Like Flair, Hannigan is an unlikely title holder. Over a year ago, Michael was a young man involved in a personal rivalry with another local youth. The feud escalated to the level of violent conflict, and Michael was attacked one day in a Philadelphia area park. Knowing that his nemesis had begun working as an upstart wrestler at UCW, Michael contacted the federation and requested a match. 

     The troubled miscreant who attacked Michael shall remain nameless on this blog, but it suffices to say that he no longer wrestles for UCW. Michael, on the other hand, demonstrated a lion's share of tenacity and began winning matches against a variety of considerably larger, more physically intimidating, and more experienced opponents. When the UCW title became vacant several months ago, Michael was matched against two considerably larger opponents (Erik the Viking and Billy Gunn) in a three-way dance to determine the new UCW champion. Not surprisingly (to anyone familiar with Hannigan and his strength of character), Michael came out victorious. (Note: this championship match comprises UCW video #324, and is available here: http://www.ucw-wrestling.com/combatsecond.html.) 

     Unlike the Nature Boy, UCW Champion Hannigan doesn't brag and boast. As a matter of fact, Michael comes off as so polite and humble that he seems almost shy (an example of Michael being interviewed by UCW wrestler and part owner, Ethan Axel Andrews, is featured on this page: http://www.ucw-wrestling.com/blogarchive.html). In a profession dominated by huge flashing egos, style is often placed above substance, and a quiet, unassuming, skilled grappler like Michael almost seems fated to be underestimated and frequently unappreciated.

     Michael Hannigan's championship reign at UCW has already been tainted by several ugly incidents indicating a general lack of respect among his peers and among certain pundits in the media. One blatant example of the rudeness and "sour grapes" attitude among UCW wrestlers was the construction of a cheaply made, alternative "championship belt" at the beginning of Michael's title reign. Naturally, this belt was the brainchild of misanthropic "heels" in the business like Eli Black and Quinn Harper and was intended to mock Hannigan's status as UCW Champion. Black and Harper's attempts at ridicule recently went up in flames, however, when Ethan Axel Andrews won their tacky belt and set fire to it in his most recent video blog (see the "Inside Scoop" here: http://www.ucw-wrestling.com/index.html), prompting Michael to publicly thank Axel on his Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/michael.hannigan.92351).

     Of course, for a blatant example of disrespect toward Michael coming from one of the media's talking heads, one need look no further than here: 

 

 

Ringside at Skull Island: Do What You Gotta Do: One sign of Michael Hannigan's growing arrogance is the way he taunts ref Quinn Harper over the fact that newcome...

 

     Yes, it's that "Ringside at Skull Island" guy again, blogger Joe. I have long been incensed by the lack of respect accorded to Michael, but I didn't get worked up enough to blog about it until I saw Joe's piece. Just look at the opening sentence, "One sign of Michael Hannigan's growing arrogance..." Then it all goes downhill from there.

     Only Joe could use "Michael Hannigan" and "arrogance" in the same sentence with a clear conscience. After all, this is the same blogger who called wholesome UCW boy-next-door Johnny Deep "a vicious sadist" who deserved his recent, horrific beating at the hands of the maniacal Eli Black (video #336, available here: http://www.ucw-wrestling.com/videolatest.html). Now, in his review of the very next UCW offering, Joe bashes Hannigan, another of the most decent human beings  involved with UCW. Not surprisingly, in the same article, Joe says of the villainous Quinn Harper: "I can't hide the fact that I like the guy." It's nice to know that UCW has its very own "heel" blogger, but I'll try to strike a counterbalance whenever possible.

     I have never met this Joe fellow, but I know that he has strong beliefs concerning politics, as well as sports entertainment. I often wondered what chatting with him about various public figures would be like. Pope Francis? Joe would probably call him, "still heel-curious, in search of new boundaries to cross in his slow but hardly certain rise to villainy" (those were Joe's actual words in reference to Ethan Axel Andrews, the UCW's primary source of goodness, sweetness, and light -- http://ringsideatskullisland.blogspot.com/2014/02/axels-school-of-hard-knocks.html ).

     Now, for those of you who have already read the "Ringside at Skull Island" review of the Michael Hannigan vs. "Ice" Burg match, you probably have no idea what actually transpired during this encounter. Joe's perspective on this wrestling match comes from some bizarre parallel universe -- one with which I'm totally unfamiliar, and would never want to visit.

     Here's what actually happened in the Hannigan vs. Ice Burg match:

     Michael Hannigan totally dominated. This was as close to a "squash" delivered by a UCW "face" that I've ever seen. Within the first few minutes, Ice Burg submits. Does the match end?

     Of course not, because Quinn Harper is a complete joke as a UCW official. Harper refuses to acknowledge Ice Burg's multiple submissions. Harper concocts bogus shoulder injuries that prohibit him from counting when Hannigan repeatedly forces Ice's shoulders to the mat for what seems like 10-second pins.

     Pro wrestling has sometimes been derisively called, "America's longest running vaudeville routine," and Harper's clownish refereeing lends credence to that criticism. At one point, Harper even covers Ice's mouth to prevent him from submitting. "Bodyslam" Michael must be responsible for putting a zebra shirt on Harper, because I know that Ethan Axel Andrews would never tolerate such ineptitude and injustice.

     Speaking of Axel, the UCW hunk met Ice Burg in a previous match (video #310 -- http://www.ucw-wrestling.com/combatsecond.html) and the rugged rookie gave Axel all he could handle (and then some). It's only testimony to Michael Hannigan's championship-worthy mat skills that Ice is able to mount virtually no offense in this encounter.

     When the smoke clears, Harper's "ends justify the means" brand of Social Darwinism (or, as Joe would say, "Do What You Gotta Do") leads to its inevitable conclusion (which may or may not leave you with a sense of smug satisfaction, depending on where your loyalties lie).

     The Michael Hannigan vs "Ice" Burg match is UCW video #337, and it's available here: http://www.ucw-wrestling.com/index.html.