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WLKY Channel 32 in Indiana reported yesterday that the Mike Levy beatdown incident in Sellersburg, Indiana from several weeks back was being investigated by the local police. The investigation was prompted by emails of the footage (posted on a MySpace.com video account) being sent to the local authorities and WLKY.
North Carolina independent wrestler Mike Levy, who was booked into the female Death Match tournament as a substitute, took an insanely violent beating following a loss to Mickie Knuckles. The beating appeared to be in retaliation to Knuckles receiving a knot on her face during the bout as she was due to head to TNA for television just after the event. Following the bout, Devon Moore and Tank hit the ring and began beating Levy, with Moore taunting him to learn how to sell. Ian Rotten and his young son also got involved and Levy took a massive amounts of stiff shots, including a double stomp off the top rope onto his head, into a ladder, unprotected chair shots and more. The beating sparked a lot of online outrage as it made the rounds.
WLKY featured footage of the beating on their piece, although some of the footage claimed to be part of the Levy beating were actually spots from his match with Knuckles.
IWA promoter Ian Rotten later responded to the reports of the beating on the IWA website at the time, writing, "If you want the real story, buy the DVD. The kid got an ass whipping for what I, and many others, feel was all the right reasons. He did not go to the hospital. As a matter of fact, he came back after getting cleaned up to watch the rest of the show. He was told he would be brought back and was grateful for that so I guess he could not be too bad off. I promise, he's face does not look anywhere near as bad as Mickie's does these morning. The kid was not beat up as people are putting it. If he was beat up by the wrestlers who were out there, he be lying in a hospital bed right now. End of story!"
Rotten was interviewed by WLKY for their piece on the incident, claiming the beating was supposed to look like a "gang-style beating of this guy, and it did." Rotten, noting Levy wasn't seriously injured, said it was an angle, part of the show. He admitted that Levy took some "brutal strikes" but commented, "it's not ballet." Rotten also claimed Levy was scheduled for a Fall Death Match event being promoted by the company.
The officer investigating the incident said, "It was hard for me to know whether everything was part of the show. I was assured that it was. I'm not so sure." No charges have been filmed, which the report said was due to Levy not pressing charges and a "lack of evidence" into the matter.
A sidebar of the investigation that came out was that the bowling alley which hosted the event didn't have the proper zoning variances to hold outdoor entertainment, claiming they were unaware they were needed. Should they promote further wrestling events, they would get the permits first.
To watch the WLKY report, click here.
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