Local wrestling, including Warrior Wrestling, gaining momentum
By Mike Pankow
September 25, 2020
Local wrestling is on an uptick as companies have begun to gradually return to action as the nation figures out how to cope with the coronavirus and find new ways to stay safe.
Warrior Wrestling, which returned with an outdoor show last month, hosted the second of its three consecutive “Stadium Series” last Saturday (Sept. 19) on the football field at Marian Catholic High School in South suburban Chicago Heights.
Promoter and Marian principal Steve Tortorello has found a formula of social distancing while still putting on highly-entertaining wrestling events.
In the main event, Brian Pillman Jr. retained the Warrior Wrestling Championship by pinning Warhorse after a very strong match. Warhorse looked like he could win the title on a couple of occasions after working over Pillman’s arm for a chunk of the match. He even hit is flying elbow finish on Pillman, but he only got a two-count. Pillman persevered and finally finished off Warhorse with a jackhammer for the pin.
In the semi-main, Trey Miguel won an exciting battle among the three members of the Rascalz to secure a championship match against Pillman at this Saturday’s show (Sept. 26). Zachary Wentz and Dezmond Xavier brought the heat on what became a chilly evening. There was an amusing triple-sleeper spot, which became a four-man sleeper when Trey grabbed referee Jeremy Tillema, who then pulled off a Stone Cold Stunner, knocking all of three of the Rascalz to the mat.
Robert “Ego” Anthony holds Jordan Kross as Frank the Clown swings a kendo stick during Warrior Wrestling: Stadium Series Night #2 on Saturday, Sept. 19. (Photo by Mike Pankow)
The big angle of the night was the revelation of Robert “Ego” Anthony and Frank the Clown as the mystery attackers of Joey Janela in Stadium Series Night #1 on Sept. 12. Anthony and his manager berated Janela, ripped “Principal Steve” for not booking them, and declared they wanted a fight. The nefarious duo then turned to Jordan Kross, who had earlier wrestled on the pre-show and was out watching the main show.
Anthony and Frank threatened Kross, but then turned away, figuring Kross wasn’t worth their time. Kross grabbed the kendo stick that Anthony brought out started wailing away on Anthony until Frank snuck up and shot a confetti cannon into Kross’ face. The duo then took turns beating on Kross with a kendo stick and a clown hammer and dragged him into the ring. Frank pulled a wooden door from under the ring and he and Anthony straddled the door across two chairs mid-ring. Anthony and Frank then powerbombed Kross through the table to punctuate their statement ahead of this Saturday’s street fight against Janela.
Another highlight of the night was the mixed tag team match with the AEW team of Luchasaurus and Tay Conti, affectionately named “Judosaurus,” defeated the team of former IMPACT Wrestling X Division Champion Chris Bey and Ray Lyn when Conti pinned Lyn. The action was tremendous, including quite a bit of intergender face-offs, with the crowd gasping when Luchasaurus spun kicked Lyn right out of the ring.
In the opener of the show, Sam Adonis kept us his strong run in Warrior Wrestling with a great victory in a big-man duel with Jake Something. Adonis hit some of his signature stuff, like the rope-walk blockbuster, and even pulled off a suicide dive-hurricanrana combo. Adonis scored the three count after a 450 splash onto Something.
Beast Man won a six-man scramble over Façade, Dani Mo, Dan the Dad, Icon Lee and Jack Griffin when Beast Man hit a seated senton from the top rope on Façade. Lee Moriarty pinned Tre’ Lamar in a high-flying technical bout. In a tag team bout that was even better than expected, IMPACT’s Ace Austin and Madman Fulton defeated Violence Is Forever (Kevin Ku & Dominic Garrini) as it appeared that VIF was on the verge of winning several times.
Kimber Lee defeated Jordynne Grace in a hard-hitting battle of IMPACT stars when Lee pinned Grace following a swanton bomb. In a wrestling clinic, IMPACT’s Alex Shelley and Ring of Honor’s Jonathan Gresham went to a no-contest when they pinned each other. Also, in a pre-show match where both men were making their Warrior debuts, Garrisaon Creed pinned Jordan Kross.
Stadium Series Night #3 this Saturday features Pillman defending the Warrior Wrestling Championship against Trey Miguel, and now former champion Brian Cage has been added to the match to make it a triple threat. Kylie Rae will defend the Warrior Wrestling Women’s Championship against Madison Rayne, plus there’s Anthony-Janela street fight, Rhino, Mike Bennett, Cheeseburger, Moose and much more.
Photo gallery from Warrior’s Stadium Series Night #2: https://bit.ly/3hXW66V.
Drama King Matt returned to in-ring competition at Zelo Pro on Sept. 17. (Photo courtesy FITE)
Drama King returns at Zelo Pro: Chicago native Drama King Matt (fka Aiden English in WWE) wrestled in his first match since WrestleMania 35 weekend in 2019, defeating Filth King Brubaker by disqualification in the main event of Zelo Pro’s “Wrestling on Weed Street” on Sept. 17 after Brubaker’s fellow Blackheart Battalion members interfered on his behalf. The show took place at Joe’s on Weed St. in Chicago and capacity was limited with safety guidelines in place. Warhorse and Mason Conrad, who wrestled matches earlier in the evening, came out to save Drama King, setting up a six-man tag team match next month in Milwaukee.
Drama King Matt was released by WWE in April due to cutbacks because of the coronavirus. He was exclusively announcing for the previous year on 205 Live and NXT UK.
In the semi-main, The Sisters of Destruction (Elayna Black & Blair Onyx) defeated the team of Zelo Pro Women’s Champion Laynie Luck and Missa Kate when Kate betrayed Luck, leading to Black pinning the champion, perhaps planting the seeds for a future title match.
Former Zelo Pro Women’s Champion Kylie Rae also made her return to Zelo Pro, defeating Jay Raves in the opener.
Women’s match shines at CSW: Showing some rare heel tendencies, Kylie Rae tried to add to her championship trophy case, but Skye Blue successfully retained the Chicago Style Wrestling Women’s Championship last Saturday (Sept. 19) at CSW’s “Alive & Super Kickin’ ” outside in River Grove. Before the match, Kylie tried sticking the title belt in her backpack and running off with it before the referee stopped her. They put on a solid 15-minute main event where Kylie Rae was the aggressor early and Skye Blue rallied to get a bridge pin for the three count.
Local veteran Vic Capri, who is recovering from surgery on his left triceps and won’t wrestle for 4-6 months, surrendered his CSW Championship. In the other title match, Jake Andrews retained the CSW Metra Division Championship against Sage Phillips.
AAW is ALIVE: After six months on the shelf, AAW Pro announced its return – a four-show slate at 115 Bourbon Street in South suburban Merrionette Park, running on Thursday nights, beginning with a show on Oct. 1. There will also be shows on Oct. 29, Nov. 12 and Dec. 10.
The 50-person ticket allotment for Oct. 1 has already sold out and show can be viewed on FITE for $12.99. Already announced are Christi Jaynes vs. Hyan and Skye Blue vs. Elayna Black, plus AAW Heavyweight Champion Mance Warner, AAW Heritage Champion Hakim Zane (aka IMPACT Wrestling X Division Champion Rohit Raju), AAW Tag Team Champions Besties In The World, Gringo Loco, Ace Austin and Madman Fulton.
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.
