Skatepark shenanigans highlight Starlight Invitational
CRAZY BRAWL MAIN EVENTS THE HEATHEN’S FIRST SHOW
By Mike Pankow
July 27, 2023
The Starlight Skatepark has been known for some crazy wrestling shows over the last year and The Heathen’s “Starlight Invitational” proved to be no exception.
The main event of Ghetto Gear Solid against “Dreambreaker” Aaron Stone and Leo LeFlare left no stone unturned, or better yet, no part of the skatepark untouched.
“Dreambreaker” Aaron Stone uses a crowbar on “Unholy” Shawn Priest during the main event tag team match at The Starlight Invitational in Winhtrop Harbor, Ill., on Sunday, June 11, 2023. (Photo: Mike Pankow/Windy City Slam)
The team of RuffRyder Rashaan and honorary member for the day, “Unholy” Shawn Priest, got the victory over Stone and LeFlare in a battle that left both teams absolutely spent. Kaz Carter was not cleared to compete after suffering injuries in an auto accident, but he was still present for the carnage at ringside, filmed the match on his cellphone, and even aided in some attacks.
Like in past Ghetto Gear Solid matches at the venue, there were no rules and the action spilled everywhere. With music blaring for the entire fight, there were chairs, wooden doors, crowbars, baseball bats and even a shopping cart.
Stone, who had become the Rocket Pro Wrestling Champion a month earlier, was in a match a little crazier than he’s used to. Stone and LeFlare took it right to their opponents with Stone utilizing a crowbar as he attempted to literally rearrange Priest’s face.
LeFlare hit a Sliced Bread as it appeared he and Stone were going to pull out the victory, but the numbers game was just too much. With Stone taken out of a commission after crashing through a door, Karter nailed LeFlare with a can of Twisted Tea, leading to Rashaan scoring the fall on LeFlare for the victory.
GSS and Priest celebrated and left the ring as Stone finally re-emerged with his partner, LeFlare, and took the microphone. An impassioned Stone said he and LeFlare want a rematch in the future.
This was The Heathen’s first solo show as the association between he and his previous partner dissolved in recent months. For a first-time event, the show ran pretty smoothly as there were six total matches on the card.
The show opened with a bout between two bruisers as “The Midwest Bully” Pauly Thomaselli, a two-decade veteran who has wrestled nearly everywhere, defeated Mugsy James in a physical affair.
Thomaselli got the better of James as he delivered some vicious knife-edge chops on the outside of the ring, but James turned the tide and tried to ground the veteran. It appeared James had an opportunity to finish off Thomaselli from the top rope, but Thomaselli caught him and hit a GTS to score the 3-count.
Next up, Hot Rod Daddy Andy pinned Vinnie Riot after a Superman Punch. Riot is making a comeback after taking some time off. He has previous experience with POWW Entertainment and Brew City Wrestling.
Hot Rod was the fan favorite here while Riot was perfect as the off-putting heel. Hot Rod had a crazy spot early the match where he slid down a skate ramp and hit Riot with a leg drop and afterward, Hot Rod favored his posterior. Riot tried to get a cheap win when he low-blowed Hot Rod, but he couldn’t score a pinfall. Then Hot Rod hit the Superman Punch to the joy of the crowd.
“Demented” Chucky Bates powerbombs Mo Foley onto Legos on the mat during their “Crazy Rulez” match. (Photo: Mike Pankow/Windy City Slam)
In another insane brawl of a match, “Demented” Chucky Bates defeated Mo Foley in a “Crazy Rulez” match, basically a no-DQ bout where anything goes. Bates broke a skateboard during an attack on Foley. There were an assortment of other weapons, including a garbage can, a kendo stick, a golf club and a wiffle ball bat with tacks.
Foley used a barbed-wire wrapped chair in an unique way by hitting a side Russian leg sweep on Bates on the chair on the skate ramp. Foley also provided another trademark highspot by diving off the top of a skate ramp and putting Bates through a wooden door straddling steel chairs.
Bates finished off the wily veteran by putting Foley through a barbed-wire door with a Razor’s Edge and getting the 3-count from referee Joe Coley. There was a bit of mutual respect shared between the combatants following the match.
After intermission, there was a battle billed as “Cave Man vs. “Man Beast” as Trog the Caveman defeated Yeti Henderson by disqualification when Henderson nailed Trog with a his tree limb in full view of the referee. It was an entertaining spectacle as Henderson came out with the tree limb and Trog brought along his trademark bone.
The referee had his hands full for the entire match as neither guy wanted to give up his implement of choice. The combatants also yelled at each other in gibberish, almost like they were communicating in a language of their own.
Kallies Malia, left, and Koa Laxamana, right, pose for pictures after Laxamana’s victory over “Marvelous” Ethen Matthews. (Photo: Mike Pankow/Windy City Slam)
In the semi-main spot, “Hawaiian Hitman” Koa Laxamana, accompanied by his girlfriend, Kallies Malia, recorded the victory over “Marvelous” Ethen Matthews. Before the match started, Laxamana took the mic and asked the crowd, “Who wants to get lei’d?” to a nice pop.
It was a solid technical match between Matthews, a Milwaukee-area regular, and Laxamana, who has experienced a career resurgence since returning to ring about a year ago with appearances in AAW Pro and the NWA under his belt over the last few months.
Laxamana overcame some of Matthews’ weardown holds to hit a frog splash from the top rope to get the decisive 3-count. After the match, Koa and Kallies put a lei around Matthews’ neck, hence Matthews got “lei’d.”
Check out a gallery of over 250 photos from “The Starlight Invitational”: https://www.windycityslam.com/the-heathen-presents-the-starlight-invitational
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/.
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