Justin McIsaac
Encyclopedia
Justin McIsaac is a semi-retired American professional wrestler
, also known by his ring name
s "The Alpha Male" Justin Powers or Justin Shaype, who competes in independent promotions
on the East Coast
and Northeastern United States
. During the early 2000s, he was a mainstay of New England Championship Wrestling
and Steve Bradley
's Wrestling Federation of America as well as competing for Yankee Pro Wrestling
, the Eastern Wrestling Alliance
and NWA Shockwave
where he won the internet championship
in 2003.
In 2008, he came out of retirement to compete for Front Row Wrestling
where won the FRW All Star Championship and later formed a successful tag team with "Wrong Way" Johnny Royal.
, Justin McIsaac made his professional wrestling debut around 2001 as "The Alpha Male" Justin Powers. He got his start with Green Mountain Wrestling in Newport (city), Vermont
and wrestled Brian Jury at its "Champions Challenge" supercard that same year. Early in his career, he was a guest writer and wrestling columnist for The Fatsquad. In November 2001, McIsaac took part in a benefit show, "Headlocks for Humanity", for the American Red Cross
following the September 11th terrorist attacks. It was an interpromotional show, held at Anthony's Function Hall in Somerville
, that included stars from Chaotic Wrestling
, the Eastern Wrestling Alliance, and NWA New England. He wrestled and lost to Maverick Wild
. A month later, he took part in another benefit show for Sheldon Goldberg's New England Championship Wrestling at Somerville's Good Time Emporium on December 21, 2001. Co-sponsored by Boston
rock station
WBCN and Budweiser
, the proceeds went towards WBCN's "Fund for the Families" which provided money for the families of victims of 9/11. McIsaac appeared on the undercard in an 8-man "Young Lions" elimination tag team match with "Heartthrob" Kurt Adonis, Aaron Morrison and a mystery partner against "Turbo" Tim Fury, Debonair Cruz, "Rapid Fire" Brian Jury and "Sudden Impact" Dylan Kage.
to compete for promoter Joe Eugenio in Yankee Pro Wrestling and South Coast Championship Wrestling in Fall River, Massachusetts
.
That summer, he wrestled visiting NWA UK Hammerlock
wrestler “The Anarchist” Doug Williams
at the Good Time Emporium on June 21, 2002. Distracted by the appearance of rival Maverick Wild at ringside, McIsaac was pinned by Williams with a rolling German suplex. The match was later released on DVD as part of "NECW's Greatest Matches: Gateway To Greatness". A month later, he unsuccessfully challenged Alex Arion for the TV Championship at a GMW Dojo television taping. That same month, he wrestled Arion for the NECW Heavyweight Championship
at the promotion's 2nd anniversary show held at the Goodtimes Emporium. According to McIsaac, this and his earlier match against Doug Williams are his top two all-time favorite matches.
In September, McIsaac lost to Johnny Curtis in a 3 Way Dance with Brian Jury for the GMW Young Lions title at the Fenton Chester Arena in Lyndon Center, Vermont
. On October 4, he joined with Maverick Wild in a tag team grudge match against Slyk Wagner Brown
& NECW Heavyweight Champion Alex Arion
(with manager April Hunter
) at NECW's "Autumn Unleashed" supercard in Somerville. Later that year, McIsaac was among several Northeastern independent wrestlers to join the short-lived American Championship Wrestling promotion. He wrestled his one-time ally Maverick Wild at ACW's first and only show in Easton, Massachusetts
on November 23, 2002. The card also included such stars as Chris Venom, Larry Huntley, Alex Arion, Antonio Thomas, Captain Lou Albano, Chris Candido
and Tammy Lynn Sytch
. While he was scheduled to appear on subsequent television tapings, the promotion closed three months later.
appearing on its first show in Flemington, New Jersey
with Danny Doring
and Mike Quackenbush. On January 25, 2003, he defeated The Hungarian Barbarian
at the Healthquest Gym in Flemington when he was disqualified for throwing the referee nearly 10 feet out of the ring. Three months later, he lost to Chris Venom at NECW's "Spring Breakout" in Hamden, Connecticut
on April 19, 2003.
On July 12, McIsaac won the CSWF Internet Championship
from Billy Firehawk at SummerBash in Rahway, New Jersey
. He held the title for several months, however, as he soon left the promotion for undisclosed reasons shortly before his scheduled appearance at CSWF's "T-iNvAsion" in Rahway on September 13, 2003.
where he and Aaron Morrison lost a handicap match to Adrenaline. On August 31, he lost to NECW Heavyweight Champion Frankie Arion at the Opera House
in Rochester, New Hampshire
. McIsaac remained in New Hampshire for the rest of the year wrestling with the Wrestling Federation of America. Under the name "Fitness Guru" Justin Shaype, he wrestled "Psycho" Mike Osbourne, Alex Arion and El Dragon during the next two months. On September 24, 2004, he lost to Scott Reed in a Triple Threat match with Frankie Fingers at the Newport Opera House
. At the end of the year, he lost to Vince Vicallo in a Loser Leaves Town match for the American Wrestling Federation
at the Elks Hall in Dover, New Hampshire on November 26, 2004. This match was not only his final appearance in the WFA but served as his official retirement match following the birth of his first child.
. Though he won the promotion's heavyweight title, he lost it in a best of three falls match to Shane Sharpe in Rochester on November 15, 2008. He soon formed a successful tag team with "Wrong Way" Johnny Royal and together challenged FRW Tag Team Champions Dr. Reginald Heresy & "Fabulous" Johnny Vegas. On March 13, 2009, he and Royal met the two at a North Shore Wrestling show at the McCarthy Elementary School in Peabody, Massachusetts
. Four months later in Rochester, he sought to regain the FRW Heavyweight title but lost to then-champion Sethoran.
McIsaac retired once again in 2009, and is now a radio DJ / sports play-by-play announcer for Clear Channel radio in Portsmouth, NH. McIsaac voices the overnight shift (12am-5:30am) on 100.3 WHEB FM, and can sometimes be heard on the syndicated morning show "Greg and The Morning Buzz". McIsaac is also the voice of Portsmouth High School girls and boys basketball on 1380 WMYF AM.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
, also known by his ring name
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
s "The Alpha Male" Justin Powers or Justin Shaype, who competes in independent promotions
Independent circuit
In professional wrestling, the independent circuit or indy circuit refers to the many independent promotions which are much smaller than major televised promotions. They are roughly analagous to a minor league for pro wrestling, or community or regional theatre.Specific promotions on the...
on the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
and Northeastern United States
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
. During the early 2000s, he was a mainstay of New England Championship Wrestling
New England Championship Wrestling
New England Championship Wrestling was an independent professional wrestling promotion based in the Northeastern United States and has promoted events since 2000...
and Steve Bradley
Steve Bradley
Steven Richard Bisson was an American professional wrestler who had competed on North American independent promotions throughout the 1990s including East Coast Wrestling Association, IWA Puerto Rico and the National Wrestling Alliance as well as spending over three years in World Wrestling...
's Wrestling Federation of America as well as competing for Yankee Pro Wrestling
Top Rope Promotions
Top Rope Promotions, formerly known as Yankee Pro Wrestling, is a Northeastern independent professional wrestling promotion based in New Bedford, Massachusetts and is the largest promotion in the southern New England-area rivaling other Northeastern promotions including Chaotic Wrestling, the...
, the Eastern Wrestling Alliance
Eastern Wrestling Alliance
The Eastern Wrestling Alliance is an American professional wrestling promotion currently based in Massachusetts and founded in 1998 by James St. Jean and Bob Staples. The EWA has been a prominent professional wrestling company in the New England area since the early 2000s beginning most notably in...
and NWA Shockwave
NWA Shockwave
NWA Shockwave was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded by Billy Firehawk in Staten Island, New York in 2001, and later relocated to Wayne, New Jersey...
where he won the internet championship
NWA Shockwave Internet Championship
The NWA Shockwave Internet Championship was a professional wrestling Internet/television championship in NWA Shockwave and the National Wrestling Alliance . It was the original title of the CyberSpace Wrestling Federation promotion and was later recognized by the NWA as a regional title. It was...
in 2003.
In 2008, he came out of retirement to compete for Front Row Wrestling
Front Row Wrestling
Front Row Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion located in Rochester, New Hampshire. It is one of the few New England-based promotions outside Massachusetts, such as Pro Wrestling America Live in Maine and Joel Gertner's MXW Pro Wrestling in Connecticut, and is the...
where won the FRW All Star Championship and later formed a successful tag team with "Wrong Way" Johnny Royal.
Early career (2000–2002)
A native of New HampshireNew Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, Justin McIsaac made his professional wrestling debut around 2001 as "The Alpha Male" Justin Powers. He got his start with Green Mountain Wrestling in Newport (city), Vermont
Newport (city), Vermont
Newport is a city in and the shire town of Orleans County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,005. The city contains the largest population of any government in the county, yet encompasses the smallest area....
and wrestled Brian Jury at its "Champions Challenge" supercard that same year. Early in his career, he was a guest writer and wrestling columnist for The Fatsquad. In November 2001, McIsaac took part in a benefit show, "Headlocks for Humanity", for the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
following the September 11th terrorist attacks. It was an interpromotional show, held at Anthony's Function Hall in Somerville
Somerville, Massachusetts
Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located just north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 75,754 and was the most densely populated municipality in New England. It is also the 17th most densely populated incorporated place in...
, that included stars from Chaotic Wrestling
Chaotic Wrestling
Chaotic Wrestling is an American independent wrestling promotion based in North Andover, Massachusetts owned by Jamie Jamitowski and formerly Killer Kowalski prior to his death in August 2008. In addition to the promotion is the Chaotic Training Center, a professional wrestling school where...
, the Eastern Wrestling Alliance, and NWA New England. He wrestled and lost to Maverick Wild
Scott C. Despres
Scott Cameron Despres is an American professional wrestler, trainer and promoter. Known by the ring name Maverick Wild, he was one of the top stars of the New England independent circuit during the 1990s and early 2000s as a mainstay for International World Class Championship Wrestling, the...
. A month later, he took part in another benefit show for Sheldon Goldberg's New England Championship Wrestling at Somerville's Good Time Emporium on December 21, 2001. Co-sponsored by Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
rock station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
WBCN and Budweiser
Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)
Budweiser is a 5.0% abv American-style lager introduced in 1876 by Adolphus Busch and one of the highest selling beers in the United States. It is made with up to 30% rice in addition to hops and barley malt. Budweiser is produced in various breweries located around the world...
, the proceeds went towards WBCN's "Fund for the Families" which provided money for the families of victims of 9/11. McIsaac appeared on the undercard in an 8-man "Young Lions" elimination tag team match with "Heartthrob" Kurt Adonis, Aaron Morrison and a mystery partner against "Turbo" Tim Fury, Debonair Cruz, "Rapid Fire" Brian Jury and "Sudden Impact" Dylan Kage.
New England Championship Wrestling (2002–2003)
Soon afterwards, McIsaac began wrestling for Goldburg and New England Championship Wrestling and would be a regular at its home arena, the Good Time Emporium, for most of his time with the promotion. He also traveled the New England "indy circuit" making appearances for the Eastern Wrestling Alliance and Green Mountain Wrestling in early 2002. During this time, he frequently made three-hour drives from Dover, New HampshireDover, New Hampshire
Dover is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, in the United States of America. The population was 29,987 at the 2010 census, the largest in the New Hampshire Seacoast region...
to compete for promoter Joe Eugenio in Yankee Pro Wrestling and South Coast Championship Wrestling in Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
.
That summer, he wrestled visiting NWA UK Hammerlock
NWA UK Hammerlock
NWA UK Hammerlock was a British professional wrestling promotion based in Kent.-History:Established in 1993 by former wrestler turned promoter Andre "Sledgehammer" Baker, it is one of the National Wrestling Alliance's territories...
wrestler “The Anarchist” Doug Williams
Doug Williams (wrestler)
Douglas Clayton Durdle is an English professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Doug Williams. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Douglas Williams...
at the Good Time Emporium on June 21, 2002. Distracted by the appearance of rival Maverick Wild at ringside, McIsaac was pinned by Williams with a rolling German suplex. The match was later released on DVD as part of "NECW's Greatest Matches: Gateway To Greatness". A month later, he unsuccessfully challenged Alex Arion for the TV Championship at a GMW Dojo television taping. That same month, he wrestled Arion for the NECW Heavyweight Championship
NECW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship
The NECW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in New England Championship Wrestling. It was originally known as the NECW Heavyweight Championship until the title was unified with the PWF Northeast and Mayhem titles...
at the promotion's 2nd anniversary show held at the Goodtimes Emporium. According to McIsaac, this and his earlier match against Doug Williams are his top two all-time favorite matches.
In September, McIsaac lost to Johnny Curtis in a 3 Way Dance with Brian Jury for the GMW Young Lions title at the Fenton Chester Arena in Lyndon Center, Vermont
Lyndon, Vermont
Lyndon is a town in Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. The population was 5,448 at the 2000 census. Lyndon is the home of Lyndon State College. The town contains one incorporated village, Lyndonville and three unincorporated villages: Lyndon, Lyndon Center, and East Lyndon.Lyndon is the...
. On October 4, he joined with Maverick Wild in a tag team grudge match against Slyk Wagner Brown
Wagner Brown
Wagner Brown is a professional wrestler better known by his ring name of Slyck Wagner Brown. He currently wrestles in the independent circuit in the Northeastern United States....
& NECW Heavyweight Champion Alex Arion
Alex Arion
Alex Pliakos is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name "The Golden Greek" Alex Arion. He competes in Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic independent promotions including Chaotic Wrestling, the East Coast Wrestling Alliance, Eastern Pro Wrestling, Jersey All Pro Wrestling, New...
(with manager April Hunter
April Hunter
April Hunter is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling valet and fitness and glamour model. She has appeared in many publications, from MuscleMag International to Playboy Magazine and even has her own comic book series, Code Red by Pickle Press.-World Championship Wrestling :In...
) at NECW's "Autumn Unleashed" supercard in Somerville. Later that year, McIsaac was among several Northeastern independent wrestlers to join the short-lived American Championship Wrestling promotion. He wrestled his one-time ally Maverick Wild at ACW's first and only show in Easton, Massachusetts
Easton, Massachusetts
Easton is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 23,112 at the 2010 census.Easton is governed by an elected committee of selectmen and a town administrator.- History :...
on November 23, 2002. The card also included such stars as Chris Venom, Larry Huntley, Alex Arion, Antonio Thomas, Captain Lou Albano, Chris Candido
Chris Candido
Christopher Raul Candito was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Chris Candido...
and Tammy Lynn Sytch
Tammy Lynn Sytch
Tamara "Tammy" Lynn Sytch is an American professional wrestling manager, personality,and occasional wrestler. She achieved her greatest success under the ring name Sunny within the World Wrestling Federation during the 1990s, and is widely considered as one of the first Divas...
. While he was scheduled to appear on subsequent television tapings, the promotion closed three months later.
CyberSpace Wrestling Federation (2002–2003)
In late-2002, McIsaac began wrestling for the Central New Jersey-based CyberSpace Wrestling FederationNWA Shockwave
NWA Shockwave was a professional wrestling promotion that was founded by Billy Firehawk in Staten Island, New York in 2001, and later relocated to Wayne, New Jersey...
appearing on its first show in Flemington, New Jersey
Flemington, New Jersey
Flemington is a borough in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 4,581. It is the county seat of Hunterdon County....
with Danny Doring
Danny Doring
Dan Morrison is an American wrestler better known as Danny Doring, most known for his time in Extreme Championship Wrestling, as the tag team partner of Roadkill...
and Mike Quackenbush. On January 25, 2003, he defeated The Hungarian Barbarian
The Hungarian Barbarian
The Hungarian Barbarian is an American professional wrestler who has competed in North American independent promotions including the Hardway Wrestling, National Championship Wrestling, the National Wrestling Alliance and World Xtreme Wrestling...
at the Healthquest Gym in Flemington when he was disqualified for throwing the referee nearly 10 feet out of the ring. Three months later, he lost to Chris Venom at NECW's "Spring Breakout" in Hamden, Connecticut
Hamden, Connecticut
Hamden is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town's nickname is "The Land of the Sleeping Giant." Hamden is home to Quinnipiac University. The population was 58,180 according to the Census Bureau's 2005 estimates...
on April 19, 2003.
On July 12, McIsaac won the CSWF Internet Championship
NWA Shockwave Internet Championship
The NWA Shockwave Internet Championship was a professional wrestling Internet/television championship in NWA Shockwave and the National Wrestling Alliance . It was the original title of the CyberSpace Wrestling Federation promotion and was later recognized by the NWA as a regional title. It was...
from Billy Firehawk at SummerBash in Rahway, New Jersey
Rahway, New Jersey
Rahway is a city in southern Union County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the New York metropolitan area, being 15 miles southwest of Manhattan and five miles west of Staten Island...
. He held the title for several months, however, as he soon left the promotion for undisclosed reasons shortly before his scheduled appearance at CSWF's "T-iNvAsion" in Rahway on September 13, 2003.
New England Championship Wrestling and semi-retirement (2004)
The following summer, McIsaac was back in NECW and appeared at the July 10 "United We Slam" show in Framingham, MassachusettsFramingham, Massachusetts
Framingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:...
where he and Aaron Morrison lost a handicap match to Adrenaline. On August 31, he lost to NECW Heavyweight Champion Frankie Arion at the Opera House
Rochester Opera House
The Rochester Opera House is an 800+ seat theater in the city hall of Rochester, a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States. It has the unique architectural feature of a fully moveable floor, perhaps the last of this design in existence....
in Rochester, New Hampshire
Rochester, New Hampshire
Rochester is a city in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 29,752. The city includes the villages of East Rochester and Gonic. Rochester is home to Skyhaven Airport and the annual Rochester Fair....
. McIsaac remained in New Hampshire for the rest of the year wrestling with the Wrestling Federation of America. Under the name "Fitness Guru" Justin Shaype, he wrestled "Psycho" Mike Osbourne, Alex Arion and El Dragon during the next two months. On September 24, 2004, he lost to Scott Reed in a Triple Threat match with Frankie Fingers at the Newport Opera House
Newport Opera House
The Newport Opera House is a historic landmark and a fully functioning theatre in the center of Newport in Sullivan County, New Hampshire. It was built in 1886 after the previous town hall and courthouse burned down in 1885. The rebuilt Opera House was noted to have the largest stage north of Boston...
. At the end of the year, he lost to Vince Vicallo in a Loser Leaves Town match for the American Wrestling Federation
American Wrestling Federation
The American Wrestling Federation was a national professional wrestling federation founded by Paul Alperstein.-History:Alperstein, a promoter from Chicago, founded the AWF in 1994 and was on-air president of the company....
at the Elks Hall in Dover, New Hampshire on November 26, 2004. This match was not only his final appearance in the WFA but served as his official retirement match following the birth of his first child.
Front Row Wrestling (2008–)
In 2008, McIsaac came out of retirement after almost five years to wrestle for Eastern Wrestling Alliance-affiliate Front Row WrestlingFront Row Wrestling
Front Row Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion located in Rochester, New Hampshire. It is one of the few New England-based promotions outside Massachusetts, such as Pro Wrestling America Live in Maine and Joel Gertner's MXW Pro Wrestling in Connecticut, and is the...
. Though he won the promotion's heavyweight title, he lost it in a best of three falls match to Shane Sharpe in Rochester on November 15, 2008. He soon formed a successful tag team with "Wrong Way" Johnny Royal and together challenged FRW Tag Team Champions Dr. Reginald Heresy & "Fabulous" Johnny Vegas. On March 13, 2009, he and Royal met the two at a North Shore Wrestling show at the McCarthy Elementary School in Peabody, Massachusetts
Peabody, Massachusetts
Peabody is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population is about 53,000. Peabody is located in Boston's North Shore suburban area.- History :...
. Four months later in Rochester, he sought to regain the FRW Heavyweight title but lost to then-champion Sethoran.
McIsaac retired once again in 2009, and is now a radio DJ / sports play-by-play announcer for Clear Channel radio in Portsmouth, NH. McIsaac voices the overnight shift (12am-5:30am) on 100.3 WHEB FM, and can sometimes be heard on the syndicated morning show "Greg and The Morning Buzz". McIsaac is also the voice of Portsmouth High School girls and boys basketball on 1380 WMYF AM.
Championships and accomplishments
- CyberSpace Wrestling Federation
- CSWF Internet Championship (1 time)
- Front Row WrestlingFront Row WrestlingFront Row Wrestling is an American independent professional wrestling promotion located in Rochester, New Hampshire. It is one of the few New England-based promotions outside Massachusetts, such as Pro Wrestling America Live in Maine and Joel Gertner's MXW Pro Wrestling in Connecticut, and is the...
- FRW All Star Championship (1 time)
External links
- Justin Powers at IndyWrestlingNews.com