Debut: September, 2003 (Debuted in an SWF Championship tournament against Daniel Santoy. Lost.)
Career
Highlights: Won the 2005 High Stakes Battle Royal after being entered in at #1.
One of the most prolific stars
in SWF history, Sam Bratton's debut merely hinted at the greatness he would achieve.
Bratton debuted in 2003, part
of a talent explosion that doubled the size of the SWF and brought a golden age of sorts. His first match was against perennial
title contender Daniel Santoy, and the battle proved not only that Sam Bratton was a force to be reckoned with, but that his
wars with Santoy would be tinged with revenge. Sam immediately moved into the Hardcore division, where he honed his brawling
skills and captured the title after only 3 months.
Sam's first chance at the biggest prize would be at Dark Horizon
of the following year, where he faced Daniel Santoy and John Pirtle for the SWF Championhip, thus sparking one of the most
prolific three way feuds in wrestling history. Once again he came up slightly short, but the seeds were planted. Within a
year, Sam Bratton would be SWF Champion, defeating Pirtle and Santoy, along with Freddy Duncan, in a fatal four way ladder
match a few months later.
Of course, few achievments in Bratton's career compare to his heroic showing in the 2005
High Stakes match. Having lost a match earlier in the evening against Daniel Santoy, with the loser entering the match at
#1 and the winner at #30, Sam didn't look like a favorite going into the annual spectacular. Add the knee injury he sustained
in the match against Santoy, and many believed Sam wouldn't be a factor at all. However, what followed was an epic performance,
as Sam cut through the competition and finally managed to eliminate Santoy to win the High Stakes match, becoming the only
#1 participant to win.
In 2010, Sam made history yet again. After losing the SWF Championship to Kirby, he participated
in the only Inferno Match in SWF history. The match was brutal, and even voted one of the “Matches of the Year”
for 2010, but unfortunately, Bratton lost. The resulting burns kept him on the shelf for two months, until he made his triumphant
return as an entrant into the High Stakes match. Once again, Bratton’s luck was on the down swing, as he was eliminated
by Chip Davis, sparking a rivalry that would carry both men to a match at the biggest show of the year, Mind Games 7! And
while he lost that match, Bratton proved that he is still, after all these years, ready, willing and able to be a force in
the SWF.
