Minor Threat was a professional wrestling tag team and stable.
History[]
The Elitism[]
The Elitism started off as a stable, never actually teaming in any match. Donovan Ruddick, Brandon Espinosa, and Travis Cook originally would accompany each other to the ring at Mid-Missouri Wrestling Alliance to ensure their group member would win their respective match. For example, during a battle royal championship match, Ruddick caught Espinosa on the outside to stop him from being eliminated and threw him back in to eliminate the last competitor. As well as, Espinosa interfered in Ruddicks match to distract his opponent allowing Ruddick to capture the win and the MMWA Heavyweight Championship.
On November 20, 2010 after a successful 6 man tag match with Hawkins and former tag partner Mike Sydal at ROH in July, Espinosa decided to enlist Hawkins as the newest member of The Elitism at an Independent Hardcore Wrestling event in Dupo, Il. They would loose their first tag match as members of The Elitism as well as marking the first tag match for the group. On December 4, Donovan Ruddick had to depart due to signing a contact with WWE and heading to Tampa as part of Florida Championship Wrestling. Shortly after that, on December 11, Travis Cook was taken out by David Vaughn as part of an angle as Cook was planning to take time off from the ring.
After the departure of Ruddick and Cook, Espinosa and Hawkins would continue to compete as a tag team throughtout the Midwest. On May 5, 2011, Espinosa brought in a new member, David Osborne, to compete with him at Independent Wrestling Association Unlimited in a tag match. They would go on to win their match. On June 8, Espinosa would debut at Ohio Valley Wrestling with Hawkins accompaning him to the ring. On June 15, they would have their debut match as a tag team in a loosing effort to Tony Gunn and Jimbo Onno. On July 2, at the OVW Saturday Night Special, they would compete in a Fatal 4 Way Elimination Tag Match for the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship. They would be the last team to be eliminated in the match, thus not capturing the titles. On July 16, D.A. Morrison would bring in the Pro Wrestling Prestige US Champion, Espinosa to IWAU to challenge for the IWAU Club Championship in a Champion vs Champion match thus becoming a part of the Elitism. On September 10, Osborne and Hawkins would capture the Pro Wrestling Prestige Tag Team Championship. On September 14, The Elitism would have their first 6 Man Tag Match as a group competing at OVW against Nick Dinsmore, Michael Hayes, and Jason Wayne. On October 2, Pro Wrestling Prestige would shut down thus ending David Osborne and D.A. Morrison being part of the group. On November 16, Espinosa would face Hawkins in a singles match for OVW Television, thus ending their run together as a team in OVW.
On December 31, Espinosa and Hawkins would team to face Drake Younger and Canadian Kidd at New Focus Wrestling in Evansville, In. On January 28, 2012, they lost in the first round of the Zero1 USA Tag Team Championships tournament but aided The Kentuck Buffett, Alex Castle and Matt Cage, to defeat The Hooligans, Devin and Mason Cutter.
Minor Threat[]
On March 17, 2012, Espinosa and Hawkins renamed their tag team "Minor Threat" at the All American Pro Wrestling "Collision" TV Taping as a tribute to their Straight Edge lifestyle. They competed in their first match as Minor Threat against Joey O'Riley and Jay Spade. The match ended in a 10-minute television time-limit draw. On March 31, 2012 they competed against Shorty Biggs and Chris Logan for the right to become #1 Contenders to the Metro East Champioship Wrestling Tag Team Championships. The match ended in a double countout leading to a second bout on May 12. That match becamse a 2 on 1 handicap as Minor Threat attacked Short Biggs backstage injurying him in the process. The match was declared a No Contest when the MECW Tag Champions interferred to save Logan from a con-chair-to setting up for a triple threat tag match on June 23. On May 19, 2012 they won a #1 Contenders match to the AAPW Tag Team Championships against Dalton Diamond and Zach Sommers.
Members[]
- Brandon Espinosa (leader) (September 11, 2010 – 2013)
- Ace Hawkins (November 20, 2010 – 2013)
- Donovan Ruddick (September 11, 2010 - December 4, 2010)
- Travis Cook (September 11, 2010 - December 11, 2010)
- David Osborne (May 5, 2011 - October 2, 2011)
- D.A. Morrison (July 16, 2011 - October 2, 2011)
Wrestling Facts[]
- Finishing and Signature Tag Moves
- Espinosa/Hawkins
- Substance Abuse (Simultaneous : Espinosa - Cobra Clutch Face Buster / Hawkins - Springboard Dropkick)
- Unbroken (Simultaneous : Espinosa - Frog Splash / Hawkins - Neckbreaker)
- Hawkins/Osborne
- Elite Power (Simultaneous : Hawkins - Backcracker / Osborne - Powerbomb)
- Espinosa/Hawkins
- Theme Music
- "Unbroken (Hotel Baby)" by Monster Magnet (Minor Threat)
- "Junkies for Fame" by Shinedown (The Elitism)
Championships and accomplishments[]
- Heritage Wrestling Coalition
- HWC Championship (Donovan Ruddick - 1 time)
- Independent Wrestling Association Unlimited
- IWAU Club Championship (Brandon Espinosa - 1 time)
- Mid-Missouri Wrestling Alliance-Southern Illinois Championship Wrestling
- MMWA-SICW Heavyweight Championship (Donovan Ruddick - 1 time)
- MMWA-SICW Jr. Heavyweight Championship (Brandon Espinosa - 1 time)
- MMWA-SICW Battle Royal Championship (Brandon Espinosa - 1 time)
- Pro Wrestling Prestige
- PWP Heavyweight Championship (Brandon Espinosa - 1 time)
- PWP United States Championship (Brandon Espinosa - 1 time)
- PWP Tag Team Championship (David Osborne & Ace Hawkins - 1 time)
