Around the Ring: Milwaukee’s ICW, Freelance, Chicago Style Wrestling
By Mike Pankow and High5Tom
May 26, 2022
With the temperatures on the verge of rising, independent wrestling in the Chicago area and the Midwest is getting hotter as well.
Among the top shows from last weekend included a stacked show from Insane Championship Wrestling (ICW) Milwaukee, a fun night at Freelance Wrestling and more mayhem from Chicago Style Wrestling.
ICW Milwaukee: In a deathmatch battle, “The Carnivore” Remington Rhor outlasted Aiden Blackhart to secure the final spot of this summer’s Insane 8 during the main event of ICW’s “Hardcore Deathmatch Challenge” on Sunday (May 22) at Da Bar in West Allis, Wis., a suburb of Milwaukee, known as the home of the Wisconsin State Fair. DYSfunction and his crew put on yet another fantastic show.
On the preshow, the newcomer from “Attitude City” Justin Graves battling the returning Blazin Benjamin. Benjamin came in with fire, getting the win with his version of the F5.
On the opener of the main card, “Dastardly” Nell Dillinger, with “The Pitbull” Zac McGuire in his corner, took on “The Spectre” Jayden Mercer. Mercer was able to power through the heel tactics of both Nell and Zac to get the win with Spectre Drop.
Next up was the four-way elimination match for the ICW Milwaukee Tag Team Championship. The champions, Country Air, consisting of “The G.H.O.A.T.” Doc Simmons and “The Outlaw” Zach Hendrix, defended their titles against the teams of Craig Covenant & Trevor Gordan, Armando Alvarez & Simon Sez and Troy Storm & Kodiak. Hendrix made quick work of Covenant for the first elimination, then Simmons battled with Storm and got the 3-count. And after a good battle with the final two teams, Simmons gets the pin on Alvarez with the reverse Your Momma's Driver as Country Air retained their belts.
Gunner Wixx retained the ICW Midwest title with a big boot after a great battle with Rayvin Raddix in a battle of former partners turned foes. Just announced by ICW on Thursday, Raddix will get a rematch with Wixx at “For The Family” back at Da Bar on June 17.
“Demented” Chucky Bates defeated “The Vape God” Fletch Malone in a No-DQ match. As expected from two of the Midwest’s best, they put on a great match with Bates getting the decision with the DYS Valley Driver.
DYSfunction, pictured, teamed with Yanni GQ Gianos to win a tag team match as part ICW Milwaukee’s “Hardcore Deathmatch Challenge” on Sunday, May 22. (File photo by Mike Pankow/Windy City Slam)
Oso Turco successfully defended his ICW Alternative title over Marvelous Ethan Matthews. Matthews gave Oso a run, but Oso claimed the victory with the Falcon Arrow.
Next in a 2-out-of-3 falls match, it was the final match in this epic trilogy that is CJ Cole vs. Eric Dillinger. Dillinger got a quick pin on Cole as he nailed a superkick and DDT for the win, then Cole attained the next pin with a vicious DDT of his own off the top rope. Then for the third and decisive fall, Dillinger prevailed in a great battle to get the win with a wicked top rope Famouser.
In a grudge match that has been brewing for months, four ICW Milwaukee legends battled it out in a tag match for the ages as Jarrod Jaxx and Marman squared off with DYSfunction and Yanni GQ Gianos. This match delivered with DYS and Yanni getting the win with the Double tombstone piledrivers.
And in the main event for the final spot in the Insane 8, Rhor outlasted Blackhart in a battle that saw light tubes, a corn skewered wiffle ball bat and a 72-inch TV. The Insane 8 is the annual deathmatch tournament presented by ICW.
—High5Tom from Markin Out With High5Tom podcast
Freelance Wrestling: Storm Grayson’s ascension on the Chicagoland independent scene continued and Bryan Keith made a road trip from Texas to win one of Robert “Ego” Anthony’s championships at “Over The Top Rope” last Friday (May 20) at Logan Square Auditorium in Chicago.
Grayson won the Freelance Rumble and became the No. 1 contender to Anthony’s Freelance World Championship. The Freelance Rumble is a Royal Rumble style match with 30 participants, starting with two wrestlers with randomized new entries at timed intervals. The twist is that the last two competitors face off in a traditional 1-on-1 bout.
It appeared that Grayson, who was the No. 1 entrant, and “The Ace of Freelance” Isaias Velazquez, who was No. 2, were going to be the final two, but GPA, who was not eliminated during the course of the rumble, come out from hiding and dumped Velazquez, making the final match Grayson against GPA.
Storm Grayson, who is already the Freelance Underground Independent Champion, won the Freelance Rumble on Friday, May 20 and is now in line for a Freelance World Championship match against Robert “Ego” Anthony. (File photo by Mike Pankow/Windy City Slam)
Grayson had to fend off interference from GPA’s fiancée, Laynie, hitting both Laynie and GPA with knee triggers and getting the pinfall victory to set up next month’s title match against Anthony at “Freelance vs. The World.”
The Freelance Rumble also contained several returns and surprise competitors such as Kenny Sutra, Chris Castro, Kylie Rae and even AEW star Colt Cabana wrestling as “The Chicago Brawler,” a takeoff of his “Brooklyn Brawler” character from NBC’s “Young Rock” show. Referee Dan Perch was also an in entrant in the match and even scored an elimination as he knocked Ezio Orlandi out of the ring. It was a little bit of a rough start for Perch, who slipped off the ring apron before he entered the ring, but he bounced back up with his infectious smile intact and delivered bodyslams and a headscissors takedown and even performed a kip-up.
Project M.O.N.I.X. continued on his warpath in his new chapter of his career by cherry-picking three eliminations of young Freelance Wrestling Academy students until he was taken out of the match by Xavier Sky, who also recently scored a pinfall on M.O.N.I.X. during a six-man tag during a special show at the Emporium Arcade Bar in Logan Square a few months ago. M.O.N.I.X. returned later in the match and eliminated Sky as revenge.
The loudest pop of the night may have come when Bryan Keith upended Anthony to end his 19-month reign as Freelance Legacy Champion. “The Bounty Hunter” made the trip from the Lone Star state after some prior performances in Freelance and Freelance Underground helped him win over the Chicago loyalists. Keith foiled some underhanded tactics from Anthony and his associate Frank the Clown before nailing his finish and winning the title.
The opening bout was a three-way match in the ongoing saga for the Freelance Wrestling Tag Team Championship as the defending champions The Take-It-Homewreckers (Darin Corbin and Bucky Collins), The Bang Bros (Davey Bang & August Matthews) and Pick N’ Pop (Darius Latrell & Koda Hernandez) went to a no-contest. The match was off the rails pretty much from the start and Referee Perch was never able to establish order. In fact, Latrell, the 6-foot-8 former UIC and professional basketball player, hoisted Perch and tossed him onto the other competitors who were brawling on the outside.
Freelance management announced a three-way ladder match for the titles at next month’s “Freelance vs. The World,” which could serve as the blow-off for this lengthy tag team war among the three teams.
Koko Lane defeated “The Purple Papi” Marvelous Matt Knicks with the help of Trevor Outlaw and one of Outlaw’s knee braces. The recovering Outlaw seems to be on a collision course with Knicks once he returns to active competition. Knicks goes on to Freelance Undergound’s “Four Quarters” this Saturday night in Thornton for his “Submit or I Quit” match against M.O.N.I.X. in a feud that has been running for seven solid months.
In a mixed tag team match, The First Couple of Chicago Independent Wrestling, GPA and Laynie, defeated Effy and Shazza McKenzie when Laynie hit the Unicutter on Shazza and scored the 3-count.
—Mike Pankow
Chicago Style Wrestling: Some of the area’s newest wrestlers made their presence known during Chicago Style Wrestling’s “Turn It Up” at the American Legion in West suburban Franklin Park last Friday night (May 20). The Black & Brave Army demonstrated more of their power while a CSW newcomer picked up a victory over a megastar, who also works for AEW.
CSW Champion Joey “Jet” Avalon retained his title with a victory over former WWE Superstar Scott Garland (fka Scotty 2 Hotty) last Friday night. (File photo by Mike Pankow/Windy City Slam)
The main event saw CSW Champion Joey “Jet” Avalon extend his six-month reign atop the company with a victory over former WWE superstar and NXT coach Scott Garland (fka Scotty 2 Hotty). Avalon used his trusty shovel and a low blow on Garland to retain. The former Scotty 2 Hotty gained a measure of revenge following the match, hitting the Worm on Avalon with some help from Axel Rico. Then, CSW General Manager Steve Ahrendt entered the ring and gave a Stinkface, Rikishi-style, to Avalon’s girlfriend, Sierra.
In the semi-main event, the CSW Avengers of CSW Tag Team Champions Brubaker and CJ Esparza, Marshe Rockett and Acid Jaz pulled out a victory in a brawl with the upstart Black & Brave Army of Conan Lycan, Solomon Tupu, Jay Marston and Shain Boucher. However, BxB flexed their muscle in beating down Jaz after the match until recently-minted babyface Cody James came in and helped clean house.
Following the attack on Jaz, Ahrendt came out and suspended BxB Army until August and they eventually left the ringside area to end the show.
Earlier in the show, James was attacked by all four members of the BxB Army as Ahrendt was welcoming fans to the event. The BxB Army threw James through the curtain and proceeded to beat down the 6-4, 270-pounder until The Dope Kings, Rockett and Jaz made the save, setting up the eight-man tag match for later in the night. Ahrendt also threatened suspensions for anyone that took any further liberties.
Newcomer “Bombshell” Shelly Benson defeated beloved CSW and AEW star Skye Blue following interference by Mario Pardua and Attorney Eric Schultz. Blue had been off CSW shows recently as she was focusing on commitments with AEW and AAW Pro.
In other matches, Axel Rico defeated the young and rising Iniestra. … Marco Anthony and “Irish Car Bomb” Sean Mulligan defeated Milwaukee tag team Country Air (Doc Simmons & Zach Hendrix). … TJ Steel emerged victorious in the five-man scramble over “Career Killa” Chris Miller, Joey Mayberry, Casey Nova and Cypher (who was plagued by Heather Reckless). Nova was a replacement for Mateo Valentine. … “The Ice Pick” Vic Capri defeated Ryan Matthews. … In a triple-threat match, Adam Stallion defeated Reckless and Sierra as Reckless’ pet monster, Cypher cost her the match. … Superstar Steve Boz defeated Jax Johnson to retain his CSW Metra Division Championship. Johnson had been riding serious momentum following his victory (though tainted) over former ROH Pure Champion Josh Woods in a pure-rules match last month at “Bad Friday.” When Boz offered a handshake, Johnson slapped the veteran.
Before the main show, Aaron Stone defeated Gonzo of Alpha Zeta Zeta and Doom Montgomery won the Futures Royal, a CSW preshow staple.
CSW is taking June off before returning to action in July.
—Mike Pankow (with assistance from Steve Ahrendt)
Listen to Ep. 120 of Windy City Slam Podcast with special guest Project M.O.N.I.X.: https://bit.ly/3GhvKuj.
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.
