POWW Entertainment turns back clock
By Mike Pankow
July 10, 2021
Never say never.
That was 63-year-old Mickey Shannon’s mantra over the last year as the former AWA wrestler dropped nearly 100 pounds and worked out furiously to take part in POWW Entertainment’s 3rd of July Celebration show at the Bridgeview Park District grounds last weekend.
Shannon was originally advertised to be the corner man for POWW promoter and legendary Chicago independent wrestler Jimmy Blaze in Blaze’s match against neophyte “Ya Boi” Mason Percs.
Mickey Shannon, right, snapmares Mike Idol of Bruiser Mass Index during a six-man tag team match on July 3, 2021 in Bridgeview. (Photo by Mike Pankow)
However, events unfolded where Shannon was inserted into an impromptu six-man tag team match and the man who hadn’t wrestled in over 30 years stepped back in between the ropes for some physical action.
Shannon toiled in the squared circle with legends such as Hulk Hogan, The Iron Sheik, Jesse “The Body” Ventura, Adrian Adonis, Jumpin’ Jim Brunzell, Greg Gagne during the 1980s in Verne Gagne’s American Wrestling Association, which frequently ran shows in the Chicago area at the old International Amphitheatre on South Halsted Street.
Moments after the bell rang, manager Joey Roth, along with Roxi, and his tag team of Bruiser Mass Index (Mike Idol & Jamie Race) came out to observe Blaze and Percs. Roth and BMI have a long-running beef with Blaze and his tag team partner Eric Freedom (collectively known as Revolution) ever since BMI lost their POWW Tag Team Championship to the Irish Pub Army.
Shortly into the Blaze-Percs bout, Blaze was on the outside of the ring when BMI got in his face and eventually jumped him from behind. Shannon and Freedom came out the even up the odds.
Then POWW Commissioner Chris Headford came out and sanctioned the six-man tag team match. So Shannon teamed up with Blaze and Freedom against the threesome of Percs and BMI. After the heel trio beat up on Blaze for a while, the tide turned as Shannon and Revolution finally grabbed the momentum.
As Revolution took care of BMI, Shannon was isolated with the young Percs, who just finished college at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla. The Southwest suburban native went old school on Percs, putting out with a chokehold, gaining the victory for his team.
The fans, numbering in the hundreds outside in the elements, went wild for the in-ring fireworks not only for the thrilling six-man bout, but also for the whole event, which featured a blend of well-known veteran wrestlers and some grapplers looking to get some recognition. The evening in Bridgeview included live music, food trucks and the POWW wrestling matches before a fireworks show commenced at dusk.
In the main event, POWW Champion Scott Spade, with the 7-foot Tiny in his corner, defeated “Lost Soul” Chris Cairo by pinfall after a quirky-looking back suplex, which appeared to knock the wind out of Cairo. Spade had recently won the title from veteran Pauly Thomaselli on POWW’s show on June 5.
Kyzyle (left) and Bridgeview native Matt Dewar tussle during POWW Entertainment’s show on July 3, 2021 in Bridgeview. (Photo by Mike Pankow)
Matt Dewar came up short in front of his hometown supporters. Dewar, who is from the Bridgeview area and attended Richards High School in Oak Lawn, lost a closely-contested match to Kyzyle, who had his feet on the ropes for leverage during a pinfall.
In the semi-main event, veterans Hardcore Craig and Tristin Hayze went to a double disqualification when both men shoved down referee Bob Parrella. After the match, the rivals appeared to come to an understanding and will team up at a future POWW Entertainment show in Fox Lake on Aug. 7.
In other bouts, Tiny won a show-opening battle royal which featured most of the roster, and last eliminated former POWW Midwest Champion and current co-holder of the tag team titles Meathooks O’Bannon of IPA.
IPA (O’Bannon & Kavan O’Reilley) retained the POWW Tag Team Championships, defeating Bad Hombre Cartel (Ruthless Ramon & Jay Nova) with Xavier Defaust in their corner. BHC came close on a couple occasions of winning the titles, but IPA hit their double-team finisher to get the pin.
In a flag match, “The Pitbull” Joey Cece, uncle of WWE Performance Center recruit/NXT prospect Joey Ariola, defeated Cuba’s Masked Marauder after a powerslam. Cece, who had just returned from serving in Washington D.C., was about the celebrate his victory when all three members of Bad Hombre Cartel jumped him. Cece eventually regrouped and chased off his attackers before hoisting the American flag.
It was just the start of a busy period for POWW, which is making its back into its home base in Illinois after several months of events at Rumples at Twin Lakes, Wis. POWW returns Saturday, July 17 in Rockford as part of the Psychobilly Nightmare Freakshow, then they will have events on consecutive nights in Wood Dale (on Friday, Aug. 6) and Fox Lake (on Saturday, Aug. 7).
For a gallery of nearly 200 photos from the event, click here: https://bit.ly/2UxmsXg.
Also, check out a POWW Entertainment recap (plus “The Villain” Joey Roth as a guest) as part of Episode 74 of Windy City Slam Podcast: https://apple.co/3hlryyN.
Catch Windy City Slam editor Mike Pankow talking local and national pro wrestling every week with Chicago-area wrestling guests on Windy City Slam Podcast, part of the Broadcast Basement On-Demand Radio Network. Episodes drop early Tuesday morning wherever you download podcasts or at https://windycityslam.podbean.com/.
We are looking for guests to appear on future episodes of the Windy City Slam Podcast! Please contact Mike at mikepankow@windycityslam.com, message him on Facebook or DM him on Twitter.
