First Look: King of Maryland 1st Round: Louis G. Rich vs Diaz

In the first round of the 2016 Reggie Rivers King of Maryland Tournament, the 2015 King of Maryland Louis G Rich will face off against long time rival and ACW Light Heavyweight Champion, Diaz. For those who don't know, this match was the finals of last year's tournament in which Louis G Rich won. But, a lot has changed since last years finals.

After winning the King of Maryland Tournament, Louis G Rich focused his attention on the ACW Light Heavyweight Championship held by his upcoming opponent, Diaz. In a series of matches that can be described as nothing short of amazing, Louis G Rich was unable to win the championship from "The miniBOSS." There is no shame in that. Over the last 3 years, many opponents have tried and failed to take the Light Heavyweight Championship from Diaz. However, coming up short in that series of matches killed The King of Maryland's momentum, and he soon experienced a series of losses in addition to the loss of his manager, when Andy Vineberg left the company in December.

For Diaz, his year continued with him doing what he does best: successfully defending his Light Heavyweight Championship over and over again. Not to say there wasnt a few roadblocks along the way. His rivalry with JD Smooth took a toll on his health after the brutal series of matches they had in 2015 and early 2016. Though as brutal as those matches were, the Light Heavyweight Champion still persevered. "Diaz has to be the most reliable performer in ACW today," said one unnamed ACW competitor. "If I were a betting man, I would say that he has a good shot at adding a crown to go along with that championship this year."

It would not be the first time that a competitor made it to the finals two years in a row. Sicend reached the finals in the 1st and 2nd King of Maryland Tournament, with a tournament victory in the 1st. Both competitors in this match could be the 2nd competitor to achieve this IF they reach the finals. Can Louis G Rich continue his path to becoming a two time King of Maryland, or will Diaz start his journey to the crown once again? We'll find out April 1st when ACW presents The 2016 Reggie Rivers King of Maryland Tournament.

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