FROM THE VAULT: Team Tag vs 2 Hot Steves - Jersey Wrestling Elite, 7/31/10

Over the years, I try to go back, trying to look for old wrestling events that I was a part of in the early 2010s, when I was desperately trying to make a career for myself in independent wrestling.

My passions and dreams were all focused towards one day becoming a booker for an independent wrestling promotion. Thankfully, it was a dream realized in 2018 when I ran my own show, but in 2010, it consumed my thoughts and soul every minute of every day.

So when I learned that one of my wrestling acquaintances was looking to run his own wrestling promotion in the Spring of 2010, I jumped aboard, offering to help where needed. A few months later, he offered me a chance to help and asked if I had any creative ideas. A dream was about to be visited.

That man was Big Jose, and that company was Jersey Wrestling Elite.

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Big Jose was, in my opinion, one of the most underrated independent wrestling referees of all time. The senior official of American Championship Entertainment, Jose might have been small in stature, but big in heart and ability. He was the man-in-the-middle for some of ACE’s biggest matches during its time in the ACE Arena.

He was also a giving man. Unbeknownst to many, Jose had the best intentions for the ACE students, wanting to see them succeed and thrive at all costs. I distinctly remember him working at a spot at Jersey Gardens back in the day and helping one of the guys with a job. All these years later, I can distinctly say that Jose was and is a good man.

By 2010, Jose, alongside Nathan Banner, attempted to start up a brand new promotion called Prestige Wrestling. After two shows, the crowds were really light, despite the fact that Shawn Spears (fresh out of a WWE contract), and Jimmy Jacobs (redeveloping his career following his incredible “Age of the Fall” run in ROH) were featured prominently on the cards.

Thanks to the guidance and help of Mike Morgan, who was a great help and guidance to Jose (and others, especially myself), Jose decided to rebrand the company JERSEY WRESTLING ELITE and start fresh.

About a month before the event, Jose had come to me and asked if I would be able to assist with doing writeups and promotion. Due to my success for Mike with that, as well as other independent companies, I absolutely agreed. Jose was a good man.

Come May 29, 2010, at the ACE Arena, JWE Heir to the Throne transpired, complete with Rob Vegas becoming the first ever JWE Champion. The fans grew from 6 in March for Prestige to 60 with JWE. The night was a success.

A few weeks later, Jose messaged me on Facebook and asked me a question that I thought I would never hear.

“Do you want to pitch me some ideas for the next JWE show on July 31?”

Stunned as all Hell, I instantly agreed. At 24 years old, and with wrestling as the only thing on my one-track mind, I thought this would be the first step to the next stage of my wrestling career.

Jose was working on stuff for the top of the card, so he left me alone to go and find some young talent for the show, as well as develop a couple of storylines.

I got very lucky, requesting and getting guys like Ray Ray Marz, Junior Soba, Steve Off, TJ Marconi, and the return of Dan Murdoch to the ACE Arena. Creatively, I was able to get the start of an idea with Murdoch attempting to mold wrestling into “the Right Way”, which, in my young mind, would start a group called the Right Way Revolution. My other big storyline was trying to make Soba a “giant killer”, facing off with bigger, stronger competitors, looking strong in defeat against them.

Not wanting to push too hard, I limited it to that. All those guys would be in the first half of the show, and I will be honest and say that they worked very hard and did get a crowd reaction. I was genuinely pleased that, at 24, the ideas got on the show. I am always grateful for that opportunity and responsibility from Jose.

Sadly, my run ended at one show. As independent wrestling normally does, creative differences cause issues. Jose and I disagreed on some ideas, and me, being married to my ideas and taking it personal, found myself out of JWE. 

For a while, I was angry at Jose, but as life seems to do, wounds would be healed by time. Plus, the graciousness of Mike to let me join the ACE creative meetings allowed me to begin to truly learn how to create and book in pro wrestling, so I wasn’t too discouraged.

Recently, I was looking on the internet, coincidentally trying to find stuff about 2 Hot Steve Scott to write about, as he is one of my favorite people I ever met in wrestling. When I typed in “Steve Scott wrestling 2010” into YouTube, a match from JWE on 7/31/10 popped up.

My mind was instantly blown, as I had been unsuccessful in finding any JWE footage from that time in searches previously. Once I opened up the match on my PC, it completely took me back to that night.

Without further adieu, we are going back to 2010 - FROM THE VAULT - for Jersey Wrestling Elite, as Killa S and Anthony Silva, the young upstart tag team called Team Tag, facing off with Steve Scott and Steve Off - 2 HOT STEVES.

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As the years pass, I don’t remember exactly what the original match was supposed to be. I do know that Team Tag was booked to gain more experience as a tandem.

Killa S, who was sixteen years old, was a young upstart trained by Jay Lethal. “The Union City Underdog” had a wealth of potential, and truly had the ability to compete. His partner, Anthony Silva, was a backyard wrestler with a bit of buzz around him, and began to train professionally at the ACE Wrestling Academy. The two got on extremely well, and the plan was to team them up as a pair of graffiti artists, and grow them as a possible top team in the Jersey independents.

I do remember that the team they were supposed to face didn’t show up, and Jose and I came together to discuss the change. Too Hot Steve Scott was in the building, and we both immediately said his name, thanks to his fantastic talent and charisma. However, trying to see who a good partner would be was a little more difficult.

Thankfully, Steve Off had driven up to the building along with a few Bodyslam Wrestling Organization regulars.. A former BWO World Heavyweight Champion, Steve was in excellent shape and had a unique look, mainly with his spiky hair and great attire. I remember going up to Mr. Off and asking if he had his gear with him, which he did. I ran over to Jose, who was in Mike’s office across the hallway, and asked if we could use him.

Jose thought for a few moments, and then agreed. After getting the OK, Ken Carrera, who was to the side of the room, muttered out three words that popped me huge:

“2 Hot Steves.”

Mike and Jose popped as well and instantly decided that it would be their team name for the night.

The match itself was simple enough, but watching this match fifteen years later, I loved it. Killa S and Silva were fluid and quickly coming with unique combinations, while the Steves, an impromptu unit for a night, had surprising chemistry from a character perspective. It clicked with me for some reason.

Furthermore, for my own personal reasoning, hearing Steve Scott’s custom theme song playing them out to the ring makes me smile. “I’M ON FIRE!”

In the end of the day, Team Tag won, but the memory lived on in my head. The fact that a fan decided to film it and upload it to YouTube for prosperity is absolutely wild.

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To my recollection, this is the only footage that exists online of Jersey Wrestling Elite. It’s a shame, as I truly believe that, for its short existence, it was a lot of fun. July 31, 2010 was a very special night for me personally. It gave me hope that maybe one day, I could do something creatively in wrestling.

I haven’t talked to Jose in a very long time, but I am forever grateful that he even allowed me to help him, even if it was for just one show. I am thankful for his generosity and his kindness.

Check this match out. Jersey Wrestling Elite was a time capsule from the past. Unbelievable.

Jon Harder

Jon@HardwayHQ.com