History was made in more ways than one on Saturday night as Shawn Blanchard, the more than a quarter-century veteran of the Pittsburgh ring wars won his record-extending seventh Keystone State Wrestling Alliance (KSWA) Heavyweight Championship.
Some observers believed that this might be the last opportunity for the transplant from Greensboro, North Carolina via Minneapolis, Minnesota. With six months to go for Pittsburgh’s most prodigious and important professional wrestling promotion since Studio Wrestling, Kavod faced a rogues’ gallery of challengers, from Harley T. Morris, Freek E. Doyle, Man-Child, Justin Sane, and “The Face of Pittsburgh” Lou Martin just to name a few.
In addition, Blanchard has had some high-profile losses to the likes of Shane Starr, Martin, Yinza, the Pittsburgh Luchadore, KSWA Hall of Famer Bill Eadie, as well as others. However, the KSWA Championship Committee gave Blanchard a Main Event under the stars in Sharpsburg.
Shawn Blanchard’s remarkable championship legacy also boasts significant Pittsburgh history.
Blanchard won his first KSWA Heavyweight Championship off the organization’s first champion, Skippy Hawke, on August 4, 2000, in the Bloomfield neighborhood in the city of Pittsburgh. Tom Murphy was the city’s Mayor and Tom Ridge was the governor. He would hold onto the title for 267 days before losing it to Tommy Faime in 2001.
Blanchard won the belt again in 2002 in a Triple Threat match that featured future KSWA Hall of Famers Faime and “Big” Mike Malachi. That reign lasted 49 days before Malachi won it for the first time.
“The Enforcer” would reclaim the title on April 1, 2006, at the KSWA Arena along 51st Street in the Lawrenceville neighborhood within the city of Pittsburgh. Bob O’Connor would become Pittsburgh’s Mayor but would pass away in office. City Council President Luke Ravenstahl ascended to the top spot. Ed Rendell was Governor.
That year, Blanchard was embroiled in a promotion-defining feud with “The Mayor of Mexico City” La Lucha. Their feud came to a head on December 2, 2006, at FanFest. La Lucha pinned Blanchard. Some 49 days later, Blanchard won the title back in early 2007 but pinned Kris Kash in what inexplicably became a triple threat match.
For the second FanFest in a row, Blanchard lost the Championship at FanFest, to Anthony Alexander, some 315 days later.
On July 11, 2009, Blanchard won KSWA’s top championship for the fifth time when he defeated Alexander. After 294 days, he lost to The Latin Assassin in 2010.
Five Megastars won and lost the KSWA championship before Blanchard once again won the belt by defending Shane Starr on March 28, 2015. This time he had legendary manager James J. Dillon in his corner and in front of KDKA television cameras that were on hand to report on Pittsburgh’s official professional wrestling organization for a feature that earned the CBS affiliate a Press Club of Western Pennsylvania Golden Quill nomination in the sports category. By this time, Bill Peduto was Mayor of Pittsburgh and Tom Wolfe was Governor.
Blanchard’s sixth reign lasted 252 days until, at FanFest in 2015, he lost to Kris Kash, the Megastar he defeated for the same title eight years earlier.
It looked as if Blanchard might not regain the title again. He challenged Kris Kash, Mitch Napier, Anthony Alexander, Lou Martin as well as Joshua Kavod over the next decade. Blanchard has held other titles, including the “Brawl Under the Bridge” championship he lost to Demolition Ax in his last single’s contest, and been involved in countless rivalries; however, he has never truly been “out of the championship picture” for the Keystone State’s ultimate prize.
It has been nearly 10 years since Shawn Blanchard held the gold championship in his hands. Ed Gainey is the Mayor of Pittsburgh and Josh Shapiro is Governor of the Commonwealth.
In six reigns, Blanchard has been KSWA Champion for 1,422 days. Conceivably, he could hold on for another 201 days. There are challengers who want to be added to the annuals of the KSWA record books. Plus, La Lucha never did receive a respectable rematch.
The always braggadocios Blanchard posted the following on social media: “June 14, 2025, is the day that all glitters is gold & the KSWA Stairway to Seven is complete! I am now the 7-time KSWA Wrestling Heavyweight Champion! I am never one to shy away from what I think or feel! I call it like it is good or bad! I will say this…… The Apostle Joshua Kavod was a worthy opponent and out of my 7 title wins….. I felt his want and drive to keep the title and beat me! Kavod I don’t like you at all, but respect that championship mentality! I am sure we will lock horns again! I hate to say I told you so but…… I told you so! The Dynasty….. I am the new KSWA Heavyweight Champion & Kris Kash is the KSWA Tag Team Champion! Along with the greatest manager in wrestling King Del Douglas nothing can or will stop us!!!!”
(photo courtesy of Trapper)