"Glamour Boy" Shane Sewell

[Dylan Waco]

Discuss Here.

[Dylan Waco]

I went ahead and reviewed a few matches and nominated him for my buddy Boricua who said he was going to consider him for the bottom portion of his list. Just based based on the brief sampling I can see why. The guy was a really effective, super over babyface, who took offense as well as I have ever seen anyone take it. On top of that I think he straddled the fence pretty well between the older blowjob babyface types like Ricky Morton, and the modern indie stars that emerged in the beginning of the 00's. The Banderas ladder match is a legitimately great match of it's sort in my view, though I concede that it's a match type which is so overexposed that I'm not sure how much others would like it. There doesn't appear to be a ton of his prime on tape which is a shame, because you can see from what is out there that he's at minimum a very good wrestler, and may have been in the upper tier of wrestlers globally in 2001. I can't wait for Boricua to make a more detailed argument for him.

[El Boricua]

In my opinion, the best babyface of anyone who has wrestled in Puerto Rico over the past 16 years. It's impressive to think about considering that when he first arrived, he was part of a typical foreigner bleached blond obnoxious/arrogant pretty boy tag team, and that his promos sounded like a warmed over, second rate Ric Flair impression. But along the way, Shane the Glamour Boy became a tecnico and adopted by the PR fans. Don't get me wrong, he can be a heel and a good one at that. But he managed to

connect with a fanbase who did not speak the same language and became one of the standard bearers for PR wrestling throughout the decade of the 00's. Along the way he elarned Spanish and would even cut promos with parts in Spanish for the fans.

 

Shane is a dynamic presence, who can generate sympathy and also show great fire. It wasn't an IWA episode if it didn't end with either Shane running in to fight of the rudos or getting beat down by them. He was the first IWA World champion and one of the cornerstones of its babyface side during the companies rise. And, outside of a few short runs were he went hell only to shortly turn back, he was the quintessential never say die hero face. He's definitely someone that deserved a shot at the big stage and who would have done well.

 

One particular angle that sticks with me is during one of his feuds with Savio Vega. Savio was the evil boss and wanted to get rid of Shane. He had police show up at Shane's house to have him deported. This is where having the Paparazzi character helped, because he would show up to film these things a la TMZ and that would explain why the camera was there. anyway, the police knock on Shane's door and he opens it. He's surprised at the cops being there and he asks them what this is all bout. It's explained to him that Savio vega has informed them he is here illegally and they are here to escort him to be processed and deported. All the while, shane is angry and keep repeating "Esta es mi casa, esto no es lucha libre" (this is my house, this is not wrestling). Obviously, Shane was saying that Savio was crossing a line by sending the police to his home. Unfortunately for Shane, he can't win the argument with the police and is handcuffed and dragged of to a waiting vehicle. You can see Shane absolutely deflate and look defeated as the cops lead him away as the Paparazzi keeps filming this. And as he's being led to the vehicle, he turns to the camera with a heartbroken look and does the only thing he can. He starts saying to the camera "Te amo Puerto Rico". I love you Puerto Rico. Obviously, the angle ends up with Shane returning and going after Savio, To this day, Shane occupies a state of perpetual overness in Puerto Rico.

 

A selection of Glamour Boy Shane Sewell based on what's available.

 

A match from 1995 in Ontario, the earliest match I could find:

 

From 1997, vs. Sean Morley when they broke up and Shane first turned tecnico:

 

As a face against Fidel Sierra in 1998:

 

A recap of his feud with Mustafa Saed in 1999 over the WWC TV title:

 

A IWA card promo hyping Shane's debut with the company:

 

Against Andy Anderson in IWA:

 

In 2001, a ladder match for the IWA title against Ricky Banderas:

 

Ricky Banderas is betrayed by the Starr Corporation and Shane comes in to try to save his hated rival:

 

With Ricky Banderas against the Starr corporation Jan. 2002:

 

A classic beatdown on Shane:

 

Highlight reel of a feud with D-Lo Brown:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uZ7A0tw0F8

 

From 2005, one of the few occasions Shane was a heel in PR in the 00's against Ricky Banderas. Notice that the PR flag has been replaced by the Canadian flag.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v43d2dY_R6U

 

One of the many Shane tribute videos to give some highlights:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RheahxYo_A

 

Against the future Darren Young in 2007 playing the heel (first link is a pre-match promo):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcnqIWzXdb4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjg9AvjcyHs

 

Against Ray Gonzalez in WWC in 2008:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3Aa9lRdQks

 

Against Orlando Colon (Epico) in two matches:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enzrL1G2SC0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaU_mGiLMfM

 

His match against Sheik Bashir in TN:A in 2009:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bgENkxcQyQ

 

From WWL in 2015 against Xander:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9ijtMsHHfI

 

Jan. 6 2015 triple threat against Alberto Del Rio and Ricky Banderas:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUaiBGVKjwA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHLC6sf_I1M

 

Against James Storm from Sept 2015 (starts at the 42:00 mark):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MngzcZDtni0

 

I wish there was more prime Shane (and IWA) out there available. One last video to post and this one is a promo. While Shane would be energetic and flamboyant when it was time to "chit-chat with the champ", he could also be more serious when it was needed. For the 2006 Christmas in PR lead-up tv show, they turned the final part of the show over to a promo with Shane where he addressed the current issues, but also was a call to arms to the wrestlers and fans to rally around the IWA. This was a year that had seen the death of Victor Quinones and a feeling of uncertainty surrounded the company. Hindsight shows that the company was about to start its descent into it 's eventual collapse, But at the time, the message to rally together was not delivered by one of the owners or one of the locals. It was delivered by a blond Canadian who had become beloved by the Puerto Rican fans. Who wore the Puerto Rican colors and carried our flag. Who would defiantly, time and time again, rush in to fight of the rudos even at the expense of another beating. A man who would be hugged by the fans on the way to the ring, consoled by them when he felt he had let us down, and protected by them when thrown into them after a beating and a human wall would emerge to not allow the rudos to get at him. Someone who could be consumed by doubt but push on and overcome. They couldn't have picked a better messenger.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZ3Liw5_xfw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUPtWjT9roo

 

If part of being a great wrestler is connecting with the crowds, make no mistake, Shane Sewell has it in spades.

[Dylan Waco]

Another great post. I just want to say that of all the people we have smatterings of from their peak runs, Sewell is probably one of the two or three most personally frustrating to me. I was very skeptical of how good he could really be when Boricua mentioned him to me some time back, but he is really an EXCELLENT babyface not just as a character but as a worker. At minimum I would encourage people to watch the Banderas ladder match which I think is great.