Billie Starkz crowned first 2econd Wrestling Champion; Zach Gowen wins in tag match
By Mike Pankow
March 9, 2022
Most 17-year-old kids are getting ready for their high school prom or taking a college entrance exam, but for Billie Starkz, she is kicking ass, taking names and winning pro wrestling championships.
This past Sunday at 2econd Wrestling’s “Flood Zone,” Starkz won two matches to complete her run in the fledgling promotion’s championship tournament and become the inaugural 2econd Wrestling Championship at the Bernard Weinger Jewish Community Center in North suburban Northbrook.
Billie Starkz cinches in a headlock on Arik Cannon during the main event of 2econd Wrestling’s “Flood Zone” in Northbrook on Sunday, March 6, 2022. Starkz, 17, became the first-ever 2econd Wrestling Champion by winning the tournament. (Photo by Mike Pankow)
Starkz defeated veteran Arik Cannon in the final of the tournament, hitting a Swanton Bomb to score the pin in the main event. Starkz earlier defeated Rylie Jackson in the semifinals.
The New Albany, Ind., native has been based out of Louisville, and she has been opening eyes across the Chicagoland independents and around the Midwest. In the area, she has recently wrestled for Warrior Wrestling, Zelo Pro, Freelance Wrestling and Freelance Underground and also has worked for Game Changer Wrestling.
She began wrestling at 14 and could be on the fast track to signing a contract with a major promotion within the next few years, much like Chicago-area native Cora Jade, who signed with WWE in January 2021, right around her 20th birthday.
In the championship match, the wrestler sometimes known as “Space Jesus,” took on the challenge of Cannon, who was born in Chicago but has been running F1rst Wrestling in the Twin Cities – a promotion that has influenced 2econd Wrestling.
Cannon looked to wear down Starkz with grappling and holds, but Starkz never backed down and gave it right back to the veteran. Cannon pulverized Starkz with clotheslines and kicks, but the young rising star took everything and ended up soaring off the top rope with a beautifully-executed Swanton to get the 3-count.
As Starkz was starting to let to her championship moment sink in, Rabbi Jeremy Fine entered the ring and presented the title to Starkz. But one disgruntled man decided to crash the party – Darin Corbin – charged into the ring and gave Fine a Ginger Snap, an RKO-like finishing maneuver, to lay out 2econd Wrestling’s promoter and lay claim to being the No. 1 contender for Starkz.
Darin Corbin hits the first of three Ginger Snaps on this day — here on Super Atomic Thunderfrog. (Photo by Mike Pankow)
Corbin, who wrestles as part of Freelance Wrestling’s tag team champions, The Take-It-Homewreckers, displayed that massive chip on his shoulder that was on display the entire afternoon. Corbin earlier gave a Ginger Snap to Atomic Super Thunderfrog, who had won a triple-threat match. He then took the mic and complained that he should’ve been in the tournament to crown the first 2econd Wrestling Champion.
Corbin then called for anyone in the locker room to come out for a match. Then, Cold Stone Tim Boston came out with his giant ice cream scoop to answer Corbin.
Boston, based out of Omaha, Neb., played his Stone Cold Steve Austin impression to a ‘T,’ even better than former IMPACT Wrestling star Shark Boy. Boston hit some of Austin’s signature maneuvers, including the Thesz Press, but Corbin avoided the stunner and delivered his Ginger Snap to get the victory.
Two former WWE Superstars were also a big part of the event. WWE Hall of Famer “The Birdman” Koko B. Ware made a rare Chicago-area appearance for meet and greets with fans before and during the show. Meanwhile, Zach Gowen, WWE’s first one-legged wrestler, was part of an old-school tag team match in the semi-main event.
Gowen and beloved Chicago veteran Marvelous Matt Knicks teamed up to defeat one of the Chicagoland’s hottest tag teams in Pick N’ Pop (“One Man Dynasty” Darius Latrell and Koda Hernandez).
Former WWE Superstar Zach Gowen jumps in the arms of his tag team partner Matt Knicks following their victory over Pick N’ Pop. (Photo by Mike Pankow)
It was a brilliant exhibition of tag team wrestling with the heels of Latrell and Hernandez taking control after an early standoff, beating down Knicks, who was excellent in his Ricky Morton role of taking the punishment. Latrell hit his massive Spinebuster and Ballin’ Elbow on Knicks, but the resilient Knicks wouldn’t stay down.
Knicks eventually made the hot tag with Gowen, who hopped around the ring like he did during his WWE stint in 2003 while wrestling names such as John Cena and Matt Hardy. Gowen even hit a Twist of Fate like Hardy but couldn’t get finish off Hernandez. However, moments later, Gowen hit a moonsault and scored the 3-count on Hernandez.
The show opened with the semifinals of the 2econd Wrestling Championship tournament. Cannon defeated “Mile High Magnum” Dak Draper, who has recently competed for Ring of Honor. Cannon defeated WARHORSE in a quarterfinal match on Dec. 12 on 2econd’s first event, “Creation,” while Draper was replacement for “Drama King” Matt Rehwoldt, who had won his quarterfinal against Dan the Dad.
Draper had the most chiseled physique of any of the competitors on the card, but his power wasn’t enough to overcome the guile of Cannon as he rolled up Draper for the pin.
Starkz then faced Jackson in the other semifinal. Starkz won her quarterfinal by defeating Blair Onyx at “Creation” while the brash and cocky Jackson won a multi-man match at F1rst Wrestling on Dec. 19 to earn his spot in the semifinals.
Jackson, who also has competed in the Chicago area for Freelance Wrestling and Kaiju Attack Wrestling, is based out of St. Paul, Minn., and is reminiscent of new NXT Champion Dolph Ziggler.
Jackson countered Starkz’s Swanton by putting up his knees, but the four-year veteran got frustrated when couldn’t put away his younger challenger. Starkz finished off Jackson with a leverage pin and advance to the final. Jackson left the ring despondent, almost on the verge of tears.
The next bout featured a unique group of characters as Atomic Super Thunderfrog earned the victory in a triple-threat over Nightmare Factory trainee Kidd Bandit and Dream Boy 001 in a match that featured plenty of high flying and hijinks. Thunderfrog dropped his “Thor-like” hammer onto Dream Boy 001, who ended up paralyzed on the floor. Then Thunderfrog was able to get the pin on the colorful Bandit.
Blair Onyx celebrates her victory over Laynie Luck at 2econd Wrestling. (Photo by Mike Pankow)
Following Corbin’s victory over Boston, two of Chicago’s top women’s performers squared off as Blair Onyx pulled off the submission victory over “Too Turnt Party Unicorn” Laynie Luck.
Onyx recently defeated Luck to earn her first singles victory in Freelance Wrestling at Freelance’s Too Rare to Live and Too Weird to Die show last month at Logan Square Auditorium, but her outing at 2econd Wrestling was probably even more impressive.
Luck played the babyface role in this match as she had been more of heel as of late as Zelo Pro Women’s Champion and has shown a more aggressive, heelish side in the Freelance promotions. Luck hit most of her signature moves, but Onyx broke through for the victory by clasping on the Spider Lock and making Luck tap out.
2econd Wrestling brought a family-friendly brand of entertainment to the North Suburbs with a diverse group of competitors, many from Chicago, but sprinkled in with some newer names to the scene who have worked other parts of the Midwest, as well as names such as Gowen and Ware.
Many wrestlers were accessible for meet and greets and merchandise sales to the approximate 200 or so fans, particularly after the breezy 1-hour, 45-minute event that featured seven matches at what was just the company’s second show.
With Starkz as champion, Corbin chasing for the title and a solid group of talent, 2econd Wrestling is poised for a bright future in the Chicago area.
Check out the gallery of over 200 photos from “Flood Zone”: https://bit.ly/3MC75n0.
Also, listen to Zach Gowen on Ep. 108 of Windy City Slam Podcast: https://bit.ly/35FAGLc.
Plus, Ep. 109 has a recap of 2econd Wrestling, Freelance Wrestling and POWW Entertainment and Chicago veteran Eric Priest joins the show: https://bit.ly/3hQOZzs.
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.
