AWF Attacks DMV Wrestling News
J.R. Keeney, owner of AllStar Wrestling Federation posted a comment on a DMV Wrestling News post on Facebook regarding our original story.
Here’s his response:
I fully stand by my original article. My “little” podcast has never been the central focus of DMV Wrestling News. Since the site was launched nearly two years ago, the primary goal has always been to provide news coverage and promote wrestling events.
This commitment to news coverage has led to significant outcomes, including:
The cancellation of a match in Pennsylvania that would have illegally involved an underage wrestler.
For show promotion, I recently wrote a preview of AWF’s Coastal Clash and included it in my weekend preview email to the full list. After informing AWF GM Billy Bailey, he expressed interest in scheduling a podcast interview, especially since I just relaunched the podcast after a long hiatus. When Billy previously appeared on the podcast to discuss the behind-the-scenes issues with Dennis Wade See at Eastern Shore Pro Wrestling, it quickly became one of the most downloaded episodes and remains a top performer.
Mr. Keeney’s decision to give a morally bereft person like Dennis Wade See another shot in the ring reflects more on Keeney than on my reporting, assuming his account is accurate. In fairness, I invite Keeney to discuss how AWF differs from ESPW; he can email me at jeff@dmvwrestlingnews.com to schedule an interview. He should have no issue explaining why sponsors were shocked when Dennis, who was supposedly not involved, solicited money from them.
Keeney also might want to revisit my original story, where I detailed the LLC registration issue. They spent significant money trying to conceal who registered the AWF LLC, only to link it to someone involved—a clear amateur move. Virtual office addresses or help from their Virginia Beach registration agent could have avoided this.
Keeney mistakenly believes my only goal was to attack his company, despite my recent promotion of their show. I follow the news, and it’s newsworthy when a morally questionable individual reappears, especially after promising to leave wrestling. If Keeney is too scared to answer tough questions on my podcast, I extend the offer to Billy Bailey, who also had public comments about me.
The term he is looking for is “libeled” since slander is only verbal defamation while libel is written. If he takes a look at the last legal threat I received for alleged defamation and sees some of the legal resources I consulted, he might reconsider what he said.
Shawn Hardy, co-owner of 1CW chimed in on Bailey’s comments and threw shade at J.R. Keeney and Dennis Wade See.
I won't delve further into this issue; the actions and words of everyone involved speak for themselves, especially given their track records. After publishing this story, I spoke with several people in the regional wrestling scene. One wrestler, who works for multiple Mid-Atlantic promotions, admitted he was initially "wary" of AWF due to their connection to ESPW and said my report provided "all the clarification" he needed.