 Pearce won his first round match against longtime rival Aaron Aguilera in Lodi, NJ and his second round match against Chad Parham at an Empire Wrestling Federation event in Covina, CA.Pearce then lost his third round contest to Bryan Danielson in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada but advanced to the finals when Danielson suffered an eye injury a week before he could fight for the title.Pearce went on to defeat Brent Albright in Bayamón, Puerto Rico with Vander Pyle's assistance to claim the title.