Warrior Wrestling’s “Friday Night Lights” presents safe, fun show
By Mike Pankow
August 13, 2020
The coronavirus pandemic has left an indelible mark on the world, sports and even professional wrestling.
While WWE, AEW and IMPACT Wrestling continued production of their television programs with essential personnel and limited spectators throughout the COVID-19 crisis, local independent wrestling was shuttered for several months since the cases began to rise in the U.S. starting in early March.
Some small local promotions began running shows in the far Chicago suburbs and in nearby states, mostly outdoors and with limited spectators.
On August 7, Warrior Wrestling delivered a slice of normalcy in an otherwise hectic world.
Sam Adonis, left, faces off against Lance Archer during Warrior Wrestling’s “Friday Night Lights” at Marian Catholic High School. (Photo by Mike Pankow)
“Friday Night Lights” was the largest gathering of wrestling fans in North American since the pandemic infiltrated the U.S.
Warrior Wrestling, the brainchild of Marian Catholic High School principal Steve Tortorello, returned to the spotlight with another star-studded event with a mix of stars from AEW and IMPACT Wrestling with some local and regional independent talent with the goal to raise funds for students at the Chicago Heights school.
Usually held in Marian’s large gymnasium, the show was held outside on Dave Mattio Field, the football stadium named in honor of the Spartans’ longtime coach. Social distancing was enforced as groups of fans were situated five yards away from one another on the field and in the bleachers, temperatures were taken at the entrance, cashless transactions were encouraged for merchandise, sanitizer was available through the area and everyone was required to wear a mask in public areas and when within six feet of other people.
This resulted in a bit of an awkward experience with Warrior’s stellar VIP meet and greet session, in which fans can get a photo and autograph from each wrestler on the show. Wrestlers used their discretion in keeping distance during photos while fans had to keep on their masks, but it seemed like the talent still enjoyed their interactions with the fans.
The show itself had the usual fun atmosphere and with great match after great match at Warrior’s usual breakneck pace.
The main event ended up being an impromptu Fatal Four Way match in which Brian Cage defeated Sam Adonis, Jeff Cobb and Lance Archer when Cage hit the Drill Claw on Adonis for the three count. One fan raved in his enjoyment by constantly yelling “Big, meaty men!” as the four threw their weight around the ring.
That surprise main event was set up by a pair of big man matches earlier in the evening after Archer defeated Adonis by disqualification when Adonis administered a blatant low blow to the “Murderhawk Monster.” Later in the original main event, Cage and Cobb, a battle of behemoths, was a no-contest when Adonis entered the ring and jumped both men.
Tortorello grabbed the mic by the entrance ramp and berated Adonis, the only wrestler to perform at all nine Warrior shows, “for ruining” things and then booked the four-way match where Cage came out of top.
Robert “Ego” Anthony controls Brian Pillman Jr. before Pillman rallied to retain the Warrior Wrestling Championship. (Photo by Mike Pankow)
The semi-main event saw Brian Pillman Jr. make his first defense of the Warrior Wrestling Championship, which he won in the incredible eight-man War of Attrition match in February’s Warrior Wrestling 8, against Joliet native and veteran Chicago-area indie star Robert “Ego” Anthony (accompanied by his manager Frank the Clown).
The Pillman-Anthony rivalry has been part of Warrior for the better part of two years and perhaps is the most memorable feud in the company’s short history. Anthony and Frank drove around the stadium on an ATV during their entrance in which Frank berated Pillman on the microphone.
Pillman and Anthony, who have been featured prominently in recent episodes of AEW Dark, executed another strong, old-school type match with Pillman successfully defending the title after hitting a jackhammer to get the pin. As Pillman celebrated, Anthony and Frank teased dissention before hugging it out like the “Best Friends” in AEW.
The show began with the lone women’s match on the card as Chicago’s Kylie Rae, also the Freelance Wrestling World Champion, defeated Ray Lyn to become No. 1 contender for the Warrior Wrestling Championship.
Kylie was her usual bubbly self while Lyn, who also competes in WOW and Ohio Valley Wrestling, played the heel. Kylie scored the win with a roll up to earn a future title shot against Tessa Blanchard, who has been stuck in Mexico with her fiancée Daga for the duration of the pandemic.
In the second bout, Chicago’s Isaias Velazquez, who has wrestles for Freelance, Freelance Underground and Zelo Pro, defeated Cleveland-area native Tre Lamar in a competitive, athletic encounter. It was Velazquez’s first singles match in Warrior while Lamar, a trainee of Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae, made his debut for the company.
After Archer’s DQ win over Adonis, “The Bad Boy” Joey Janela defeated Jake Something in a hard-hitting affair between AEW and IMPACT Wrestling stars, which was first announced on a recent episode of the Windy City Slam Podcast. Something, who was making his Warrior debut, also wrestles frequently for AAW Pro and Black Label Pro. Janela appeared to injure his knee at one point, but rallied to beat his larger opponent, hitting Something with the Greetings from Asbury Park cradle piledriver for the finish.
Then came the wacky, 10-person Spartan Stadium Stampede Scramble, which was won by Warhorse when he hit a flying elbow on Freelance Wrestling’s Matt Knicks to record the pin. Warhorse was fresh off his AEW Dynamite match with TNT Champion Cody. The match was one fall to a finish with generally two competitors in the ring at one time even though the rules weren’t really enforced that.
The match featured some colorful characters, such as local up-and-coming women’s star Elayna Black, Dan the Dad, Beast Man, The Cornbelt Cowboy (One Called Manders), Davey Bang and the Chicago Sideshow (the trio of Cypher, Nacho Clown and Gobaldi).
It was a fun spotfest, featuring the 400-plus-pound Beast Man hitting a suicide dive on Knicks as all of the other competitors scattered; Dan the Dad, dressed in a khaki shorts, polo shirt and gym shoes, scolding Davey Bang when he went to the top rope to attempt a flying move; and members of the Sideshow just getting whipped with Dan the Dad’s belt.
The Rascalz’s Trey, right, delivers a kick to Alex Zayne during a six-man tag team match. (Photo by Mike Pankow)
Just when you thought things couldn’t get wackier, the next match was a really crazy affair – as the Rascalz of IMPACT Wrestling (Dez, Trey and Wentz) earned their first victory at Warrior by defeating the high-flying trio of Alex Zayne, Blake Christian and Benjamin Carter.
Plenty of suicide dives, superkicks and all sorts of high-impact aerial maneuvers popped the crowd, which was estimated by Tortorello to be numbered around 450-475 fans.
The Rascalz’s victory led into the final three matches of the night.
Also, on the pre-show, Icon Lee, Zach Hendrix and The Prodigy defeated Sam Beale, Chandler Hopkins and Crash Jaxon in a six-man tag team match.
“We’re thrilled with how responsible all of the Warrior Wrestling fans were,” said Tortorello in a statement to Windy City Slam. “This really showed us that wrestling can be done safely because people will buy in.”
Photo gallery with 175 photos: https://www.windycityslam.com/warrior-wrestling-friday-night-lights-photos.
Catch Windy City Slam editor Mike Pankow talking local and national pro wrestling every week with Chris Lanuti on The Windy City Slam Podcast, broadcasting live on the Podbean at noon every Monday with the podcast available Monday evenings/Tuesday mornings wherever you download podcasts or at https://windycityslam.podbean.com/.
We are looking for guests to appear on the Windy City Slam Podcast! Please contact Mike at mikepankow@windycityslam.com, message him on Facebook or DM him on Twitter.
