Speed Racer Wrestling Academy

On this page, we look at the history of Speed's wrestling school, it's trainers, as well as take a look at all the graduates and current batch of trainees who could be the future of this great sport.

Speed Racer started up his Wrestling Academy, located in a suburb of Washington D.C., in the summer of 1999. He felt that he had enough experience to offer to his students so that they would have great careers, whether in the AGW or elsewhere. While the AGW has come, gone and returned again, Speed still kept his wrestling school running. His first batch of students numbered only 6, and only one of them ended up graduating. In the present day, the school has grown to have about 20-30 students at any given time and looks to continue being one of the most popular wrestling schools in the country.

Overkill: Overkill is the head trainer of the school when Speed is unavailable, which is often. The big man was trained by Speed Racer before Speed even started his school up, so technically he was Speed's very first student. While injuries have hampered his own wrestling career over the years, Overkill has had quite the eye for talent and Overkill hopes to pass along everything he's learned to his pupils. He mainly works with the male students although he will help with the girls as needed.

Rhapsody: When she's not at the announce booth, bugging the hell out of Wes Powers or pursuing her acting career, Rhapsody is lending her expertise in the wrestling industry in training the young students of AGW Academy. She truly enjoys working with the kids, and with her knowledge in being part of the "Big 3" feds of the AGW, FCW and UWL, she's seen it all in this business. She mainly helps Jessica train the young ladies of the Academy, but Rhaps can usually hurt any male student who challenges her. She fights dirty, ya know. ;)

** NOTE: Any of these trainees are available to use as templates if you wanted to graduate one of them from the Academy. They can be used in any capacity, from wrestler to manager, and given any name and any gimmick. I'm creating them specifically for that purpose.**

In February of 2006, Speed Racer and all of the other trainees accepted a dozen students as trainees including some possibly familiar faces that have appeared in the AGW in some capacity in the past who needed some further training. This is the biggest class of wrestlers the Academy ever had, but with the AGW hiatus, the Academy had about a dozen trainers on any given day. Some of these men and women may show up in dark matches from time to time, and eventually you may just see them as the next great superstars in this business. They are.....

	Speed Racer: Obviously, since this is his school, Speed is one of the most frequent guest trainers. Originally he was able to handle all of the training duties, but due to his other commitments, he has been forced to cut down a bit and hire other head trainers. When he is at the school, he trains the kids on mic skills, basic technical wrestling, and general ring presence.
	Dark Rogue and Black Mage: When these AGW legends aren't busting heads in Japan or Europe, they come back to the only league they call home in the States...the AGW. And recently they agreed to help pass along some of their tremendous knowledge to the students. They are true believers of the School of Hard Knocks, and really make the students test their limitations, which ultimately should make them better competitors.
	The Morris Sisters (Violet, Rose, Katrina, Amethyst): Yes, ALL of them help out with the wrestling school and do so often. These 4 tough-as-nails women focus on training the female students, however they help with training the male students as needed. The Morris Sisters are 3rd-generation wrestling superstars, so you can bet they have A LOT of experience to offer. You can usually see at least one of the sisters in the School at any given time. That's how devoted they are to the product.
	Moonspell: Speed Racer's sister also helps out at the school from time to time. She's usually got a packed schedule, however she's very interested in training the female students at the school. Moon has a knack for knowing how to bring out the best in all of her students, and doing so without yelling at them or trying to "break" them mentally. That alone has made her one of the most popular trainers here.
	Morrigan Anastasia: Much like a number of other Academy graduates, Morrigan feels the need to come in every now and then and work with the young students. She is incredibly descriptive to the kids when describing how to do any given move, not moving onto the next lesson until everyone understands the current one. She also has a knack for setting up rigorous drills which the students don't like. However, they all respect Morrigan and the knowledge she brings.
	Rick Fortune and Eric Von Doom: Fortune and EVD help train the kids when time permits. Both of these Academy graduates are more than willing to lend their experiences and expertise to the students to better prepare them for a future in the business. They know all about the ups and downs of the business, and their advice is valuable to any of the students who might be getting down on themselves.

	Scion - May 2000: The first graduate of the Academy, and the only graduate out of his class, Scion was so proud of being the first "disciple" of Speed, he called himself Scion. Currently, he not only helps train new kids at the school, but he worked hard on making it in the AGW, returning in Fall of 2003. After suffering a debilitating knee injury in July during an AGW Intercontinental Title defense against Wildfire, Scion has all but retired. He now hopes to tutor the youngsters and help create the future of the business.
	Lamar Lane - October 2001: One-half of the FCW's 2-time Tag Champs Studz-A-Plenty, Lamar was the second graduate of the school. He was easy to train due to his natural athleticism and went through the training program quicker than any of the graduates to date. Since the summer of 2002, Lamar has been wrestling in Japan and has become very popular and successful there. He still eyes an American return soon, but is having fun overseas in the meantime.
	Eric Von Doom - June 2002: Easily the most successful of all of Speed's graduates, having earned almost every single AGW belt in a one-year span from June 2002 to June 2003, and earning many of them multiple times since then. Speed's proud of what Eric has achieved, and looks for even bigger things out of him in the near future. Then again, EVD's already accomplished more than most can do in an entire career.
	Anna Von Doom - June 2002: The first female graduate of the Academy, many argue that it was Anna's physical assets that got her into the AGW. However, once they saw what she can do in the ring, they found out that they were dead wrong. One of the most wildly popular wrestlers in the entire AGW.
	Rick Fortune - June 2002: Fortune was rushed out of the Academy way sooner than he should have been, and then Speed "disowned" him when his success couldn't reach the level that EVD or Scion had reached. Despite that, Fortune didn't get down on himself and ultimately proved all the critics wrong by having a successful AGW career.
	Morrigan Anastasia - December 2002: Morrigan is one of the weirdest individuals to step into an AGW ring, for sure. However, few of the Divas can match her in-ring wrestling ability. Both Moonspell and Violet specifically took time to train Morrigan, and the result is one of the top pure wrestling women in the industry.
	Paige Vandenberg - July 2003: Paige is pure excitement in the ring. She often ignored some of the fundamentals that the trainers tried to teach her, instead wanting to focus on the high-risk, high-impact maneuvers. And this exciting style has been gladly embraced the fans, who immediately took a liking to this energetic, beautiful youngster.
	Tempest - September 2004: Eliza Reece is the niece of Speed Racer and Moonspell....the daughter of their oldest sister Lana. At only 19, she was very new to the business when she started, however she has the bloodline to succeed, limitless potential and a loving uncle who runs a wrestling league. And as with Paige and Morrigan before her, she brings in an interesting repertoire of maneuvers including ones never before seen by AGW fans.
	Billy Brisco Jr. - June 2005: The young nephew of current AGW wrestler, Lariat Brisco, Billy Brisco Jr. is no stranger to in-ring action, having competed for the UWL. After that run, some felt he was still too green, and he sought to be trained by people with a proven track record of success. Billy has quickly become the apple of the trainers' eyes, and he was able to hone his skills and abilities very much before being called up to the AGW, serving as a loyal member of the Racer/Cash Corporation.

	Joey Bitter - The only son of senior AGW official, Mr. Bitter, Joey Bitter had grown up always wanting to be in the AGW. He's shown up regularly in 2005 as a preliminary wrestler, but he has goals of becoming a top superstar in the business and to prove his dad, who said he didn't have the guts to be a wrestler, wrong.
	Clay Carlton / "Straight-Edge" - A kid who 100% follows the straight-edge philosophy. He doesn't drink, he doesn't do drugs, he doesn't smoke and he doesn't have sex. Unfortunately, throughout 2005 he hasn't won any matches either. He's a kid with some talent, but his hardcore beliefs make him really weird. Maybe he needs to loosen up?
	Chad Allen - All-American wrestler. Star running back. Pain in the ass. Chad Allen has all the athleticism in the world. Problem is, he'll be the first to tell you about them. Chad's going to be a hell of a pro wrestler, but he's already clashed with no less than three trainers. He's got to keep his head on straight or else he'll be a waste of talent. He's now teaming up with fellow student Leroy Simmons and hitting the indy circuit in tag matches while he trains at the Academy.
	Leroy Simmons - Touring the indy circuit as "The Ebony Express", Leroy is about as charismatic as one can get in a wrestler. Unfortunately, while he's a tremendous athlete, and extremely smart, he's been injury prone early in his career. He's rehabbing a blown-out knee, and finally hoping to make one of the "big-time" leagues. Lamar Lane is personally training this kid. He's now teaming up with fellow student Chad Allen and hitting the indy circuit in tag matches while he trains at the Academy.
	Sebastian Cruz / "Cruz" - Cruz is only in his early 20's, and has an arrest count in the early 20's as well. This double-tough Miami native has led a rough life, but seems to feel that moving up to D.C. and away from his home is the only way he can keep himself out of trouble. The Acadamy has taken him in as family, and he is glad for the opportunity he's been given.
	"Flyboy" Kenny Stephens - Kenny is small in stature but a hell of a high-flyer. He's actually wrestled and trained in Mexico, learning to wrestle the luchadore style. He's got that training out of the way, now he's working on his mic skills and learning to become a more well-rounded wrestler in the AGW. And despite his size, Kenny is not afraid to go after bigger opponents. He wants to one day prove that the bigger they are, the harder they fall.
	Kaz Takanoshita - Straight from Osaka, Japan comes a talent personally recommended by The Dark Church. He's a talent they fought with in the World Japan league, whom they view has limitless potential. Right now, most of his skills are in striking, as he's fought in a number of shoot-fighting matches in Japan. But he's got the willingness to learn, and much in the way of "fighting spirit".
	"Afro-Vann" Vann Burris - Vann is one of the more lovable characters on the independent circuit. With his giant hairstyle, and a smile constantly on his face, Vann Burris has always been a hit with fans of all ages, especially kids. He's from D.C. and finally decided to try and hone his skills some more at The Academy. Primarily a brawler, but he can surprise you with some of his moves.
	"Texas Marshall" Jed McCloud - What can you say about Jed McCloud that's not obvious just by looking at him? He's a cowboy, he's from Texas, he listens to country music and he's a "hoss" inside the squared circle. A rough-house, unfocused style is what he specializes in, but it's usually worked for him in the Texas feds he's called home. He's an interesting prospect.
	Stan "The Man" Thayer - Every pro-wrestling training academy needs a cocky pretty-boy type of wrestler. He was actually discovered in some Nevada and California indy feds by Jake Page aka The Black Knight, who has had a hand in some of Stan's training. Now Stan The Man's made the move to D.C. where he can work on his moves, and impress a whole new region of ladies. Or so he says.
	Charlie Branson - Here is a tough European-style competitor from northern England who is looking to make his name here in the States. Charlie has worked hard all of his life, and his dream is to compete on an AGW PPV. He's technically sound, as most European wrestlers are, but still green inside the ring and not quick in making decisions during matches. Given the number of mat strategists he'll be trained by, that shouldn't be a problem for long.
	Jimmy Drayton - Jimmy Drayton is the youngest male student, having just graduated high school in 2006. However this is all he's ever wanted....to be a pro wrestler. He lists Eric Von Doom as his favorite all time wrestler, and even dresses at times like Eric. The trainers aren't quite sure what to make of this obsession, but the kid's got potential in the ring, so they'll deal with it.

	Cory Cash - A younger sister of former Women's Champ and current AGW Co-Owner Kathryn Cash. Cory has already made one appearance on an AGW PPV at Ultimate Survivor 2005 in her only match. Since Kathryn was forced to go into semi-retirement in 2005, Cory is the next in line in the family to possibly come up to the big time. In fact, she will be competing semi-regularly for the AGW although she has yet to gain her certificate from the Academy.
	Rosa & Maria Reyes - Identical twin Mexican-American sisters from Miami, Florida. They grew up to be street-smart young women who have seen a lot in their time. Both were formidable high-school basketball players, so the athleticism is there. Now they look to take the world of wrestling by storm. Rosa is taller and fights a more roughhouse style while Maria prefers submissions.
	MacKenzie Campbell - "Mac" is actually the half-sister of former AGW star and current Mixed Martial-Arts contendor, Drake Campbell. Macknezie had been working as a model and actress before being "discovered" by the AGW. Moonspell met Mac while dating Drake, and offered to help train her. Since Hollywood wasn't to Mac's liking, she accepted. She is the oldest current trainee, as she's in her mid-20's.
	Skye Moon Flower / "Flower Power" - Skye is a hippie. Her parents were hippies. Her aunts and uncles were hippies. And she's not ashamed of that. Flower Power is tall and lean, but doesn't have a lot of natural physical strength. She's been working at the Academy on building up her muscle mass, after losing regularly in AGW Dark Matches in 2005, so she has a lot of potential.
	Alexa Black / "Lexa" - A former holder of the Women's Tag Team Titles, Lexa is not normal by any means. But she showed some talent in her brief AGW run, unfortunately she suffered a nervous breakdown after getting released from her AGW contract and spent most of 2005 in an asylum getting her life back in order. She got out in 2006, and promptly signed up for The Academy.
	Valerie Black - The older sister of Lexa, and younger sister of Anastasia Black, who was the best friend of the AGW's Morrigan Anastasia growing up before passing away several years ago. Valerie hasn't had much interest in wrestling, but with Lexa's emotional problems, she wants to be here to keep an eye on her sister. And she's surprisingly shown a knack for quick decision-making inside the ring...which the instructors rave about.
	"Soldier Of Fortune" Jade Lee - Jade was actually slated for a run on the main roster of the AGW three years ago with her childhood friend Rick Fortune and his partner Overkill as the "Soldiers of Fortune". Unfortunately, Jade had an illness which kept her from wrestling for close to two years. Now she's back in good health, she's looking for another chance by going through the Academy.
	Sabrina Anderson - Sabrina is a tough West Coast wrestler, who packs quite a bit of power into a small package. She's one of two indy wrestlers who came to The Academy upon the recommendation of Jake Page, who is sort of an unofficial West Coast scout. She is a fireplug inside the ring, and uses her strength advantage well.
	Nicosia Brown - Nicosia was a top athlete in her high school in Biloxi, Mississippi but always wanted to be a wrestler growing up when her grandparents would take her to many shows in Mississippi and Louisiana. She is considered by most of the trainers to be a true natural for the business, and learns very quickly.
	"Problem Child" Lizzie Anarchy - This New Jersey native portrays a character with a bad attitude. That's not far from the REAL Lizzie unfortunately. She has a lot of attitude, especially towards the other trainees who she feels like she's "competing" with. But she's got some good ring smarts and technical skills. It might take every trainer yelling at her to get a point across, but ultimately Lizzie listens and learns.
	Megan Duffy - This Irish bombshell hopes to have success in the U.S.A. so she can build up more interest in the sport of wrestling in her home country of Ireland. Megan truly is a goodwill ambassador, as she is perhaps the most pleasant, well-spoken young woman who has stepped through the Academy. And she can wrestle too! The trainers see a lot of potential for Megan in the near future.