Chris Hero Wrestled 17 Matches Sunday to Help Kick ALS' Ass

Chris Hero wrestled 17 matches Sunday, and boy are his arms tired
Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein

Chris Hero set out to wrestle as much this past Sunday for SMASH Wrestling as he could to help raise money to battle amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and his efforts helped collect $3,500 to donate to charities for research and development of treatments and possible cures for the devastating neurological disorder. First thing's first, a big round of applause should go out to Hero, SMASH Wrestling, and all the guys who stepped in the ring with Hero for the marathon wrestling session. Another round of applause should go out to everyone who participated in the Saturday show too, including Hero, Samoa Joe, and a bunch of other talented and charitable wrestlers.

But how did that wrestling gauntlet turn out? Well, as the fates turned out, he wrestled a grand total of 17 matches during the three-hour grapple session. The first 16 went to decision, while the 17th match, vs. Rich Swann, went to a draw as the three-hour time limit expired. Hero's final tally for the gauntlet turned out to be 11-5-1. He also didn't wrestle 17 guys exclusively; a bunch of guys in the fray had at least two shots at the Knockout Artist. TARIK (fka Alex Vega) had the most cracks at Hero, "cracks" being the operative word. Even though Hero defeated him thrice, all three decisions were by disqualification, as TARIK used the SMASH Championship Belt (held by current Fourth Gunn stablemate Johnny Gargano) to wallop Hero upside his head all three times.

TARIK isn't the only wrestler who may have earned a date with Hero at a future SMASH show. Jason Kincaid, the former NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion, matriculated his way from his North Carolina home territory across the border into Canada. While Hero technically had losing records against two other opponents (Swann at 0-1-1 and Sebastian Suave at 0-1), Kincaid was the only one to beat him twice. Even in the confines of a gauntlet match, beating one of the most recognizable names in the world twice in one night is quite the feat. The other wrestlers involved in the fray were Facade, Rip Impact, Brent Banks, Tyler Thomas, and Ben Ortmanns.

While TARIK and Kincaid have seemingly more pressing beefs for future dates, Hero's next big SMASH match will come at Rival Schools II on July 19, where he'll finish what he started in the final match of the gauntlet against Swann. Also on the show, Matt Cross will take on TARIK in an I Quit match, which should be fun. Additionally, Candice LeRae was announced to have a shot at the SMASH Championship at Super Showdown 3, which ought to be a fun opportunity for her.

Regardless of results or what have you, SMASH Wrestling helped raise some funds to help combat a debilitating and degrading disease in ALS. All the kudos in the world go out to them for this effort, and especially Hero, who went into overdrive putting his body on the line to help others regain control of theirs.