The professional wrestling world lost a great wrestler in March last year. Kris Travis was a spectacular sports entertainer with high flying and mat ability that many wish they possessed. Sadly after battling stomach cancer for quite some time, he passed away.
Travis called Preston City Wrestling in the UK his home promotion. PCW has put on a singles tournament for years, and last year they announced that the name of the tournament would be called the Kris Travis Memorial Tournament.
The tournament is scheduled for February 25th and 26th, but there is a good amount of controversy surrounding the event.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that PCW ran a benefit show for Travis in 2015 and 100% of the proceeds went to Kris. However, this new tournament which has been changed from “Road to Glory” to being named in Travis’ memory will not see a penny go to his family or even a cancer charity.
It was noted that while independent UK talents all work for a multitude of promotions, Kris Travis considered PCW his home. But there have been fans that aren’t happy about the fact that money made from this new event named after the late wrestler won’t be given to his family.
When a fan questioned PCW as to why they weren’t donating any money from the event to to the family of Kris Travis, Preston City Wrestling promoter Steven Fludder had a rather controversial response. Fludder said, “We raised 15,000 pounds ($24,000 at the time) for Kris Travis in the past. Think we earned the right to do our own thing now.”
People were both shocked and upset at this passive and insensitive response from the organization that Kris Travis once considered his home.
It got a little worse for PCW because when a fan asked if they had received permission to use Kris Travis’ likeness for the event, Fludder replied: “We are using the character from PCW. Considering he was Mr. PCW… to his family, this was not his name but to his PCW family, it was… I am shocked people are trying to find fault in honoring one of the best wrestlers the UK ever produced and an amazing person.”
The Observer reports that most wrestlers who were contracted to participate in the event were contacted by fans who complained about the statements from Fludder.
WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament participant, Pete Dunne answered these complaints.
Those close to the situation say that Pete Dunne pulled out because his WWE deal would have prohibited his participation because PCW plans on releasing the tournament on DVD. At the time, Dunne said that he would donate his entire payday to a cancer charity. Dave Meltzer says that Pete Dunne has only worked for Preston City Wrestling one other time, which was the 2015 Kris Travis benefit which he worked for free.
Dunne eventually pulled out of the show later this week completely. The Bruiserweight made a statement saying, “due to insensitive comments made by the promoter in regard to the tournament being named after Kris Travis,” as his final reason for canceling his appearance.
