Missa Kate, Storm Grayson big winners at 2econd Wrestling
SUNDAY MATINEE EVENT PACKED WITH ACTION
By Mike Pankow
September 1, 2023
A double main event saw two of Chicago’s biggest stars come out on top as Missa Kate and Storm Grayson continued their local success at 2econd Wrestling’s “Half Nelson. Full Force” in an outdoor show at Buffalo Creek Brewing in suburban Long Grove on Sunday, Aug. 13.
Missa became the No. 1 contender to the 2econd Wrestling Championship by knocking off international superstar Shazza McKenzie while Grayson defeated “Yours Rudely” Trevor Outlaw in a match that was only made that afternoon.
Shazza McKenzie dives on Missa Kate during their No. 1 contender’s match at 2econd Wrestling’s “Half Nelson. Full Force” on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023. (Photo: Mike Pankow/Windy City Slam)
After defeating McKenzie, Missa will face 2econd Wrestling Champion Arik Cannon at “Technicolor Dreamwars” on Sunday evening, Oct. 15 at Marvelous Sanctuary Studio in Northwest suburban Wheeling.
The victory came with an accidental assist as McKenzie’s manager “The King of Clubs” Jason Midas tried to hand McKenzie his fan, but Missa intercepted it and cold-cocked the Aussie while referee Ned Baker was out of commission. Missa got the 3-count in a crazy match that saw the two competitors, at one point, run around the outdoor patio area and through a boot camp at the brewery.
Missa will certainly be hungry to get her hands on more gold after she and Madi Wrenkowski dropped the NWA Women’s Tag Team Championship to Pretty Empowered recently at NWA 75. Meanwhile, a perturbed McKenzie heads back to the drawing board as she dragged Midas to the backstage area.
In the final match of an overcast afternoon with a slight drizzle, Grayson defeated Outlaw in a bout that was made after the show had already started. After the opening women’s triple threat match, Outlaw came out with two cans of Half Nelson beer and threatened to destroy them until Grayson came out to stop it. After his usual grousing, Outlaw headed for higher ground, and moments later, the match was made official.
The Freelance, Freelance Underground and Warrior Wrestling regulars did their usual fantastic job with Grayson as the babyface and Outlaw using his usual cocky and underhanded tactics. Outlaw stalled around the ring at times, grabbing caps from random fans and modeling them off as he pranced around the outside of the ring.
Storm Grayson looks to Irish whip Trevor Outlaw into the corner. (Photo: Mike Pankow/Windy City Slam)
Outlaw gained a brief advantage by grabbing rocks and pebbles that decked the ringside area on the patio and threw in Grayson’s face. Outlaw had a couple of opportunities to pin Grayson, but the Naperville native demonstrated his usual resolve.
In the end, Grayson grabbed his own handful of rocks and pebbles and spread them out the ring canvas, much like hardcore wrestlers, dump thumbtacks and broken glass. Grayson finished off “Yours Rudely” with a sit-out powerbomb to the adulation of the 2econd Wrestling crowd.
Grayson did a “Stone Cold” Steve Austin-style celebration with some Half Nelsons, then poured some on Outlaw, who was on the outside of the ring, to close the show.
Laynie Luck opened the afternoon with a victory over Tootie Lynn and Heather Monroe in a triple-threat match. The veteran of Freelance Wrestling among other Midwestern promotions got the pin on Monroe, who was among the last-minute additions who appeared on the card.
It was a fun match with Luck and Lynn taking turns tormenting Monroe, who was the clear heel. Luck and Lynn were originally supposed to be part of a tag team match against Kenzie and Kylie Paige, but they ended up being opponents in this contest.
At one point, Luck and Lynn both went for a cover on Monroe, but the referee ruled that only one wrestler can go for a pin at a time. Luck finished off Monroe with a backdrop driver.
The second match saw Jackson “Stampede” Larkin come out with Midas and they offered an open challenge. Larkin has been one of 2econd Wrestling’s biggest rising stars over the past several months and he was hungry for another victory.
Jackson “Stampede” Larkin levels Sorta Incredible Iverson with a clothesline. (Photo by Mike Pankow/Windy City Slam)
Sorta Incredible Iverson answered the challenge. The young superhero tried some high-flying maneuvers and even hit a Superman Punch to rattle Larkin momentarily. But only momentarily.
Larkin speared Iverson nearly out of his boots and went to ground and pound on him mercilessly until Ref Baker put a stop to the match and awarded Larkin the win by TKO.
In another triple-threat match, upstart Akira Gonzalez X pulled off a surprise victory over David Ali and Ares Creed. Ali, who has been seen on AEW Dark, Freelance Wrestling and 2econd Wrestling in the past, was the most experienced wrestler in the match.
Like Eddie Guerrero, Gonzalez was an opportunist and stole the pin on Creed after Ali nailed Creed with a flying elbow drop from the top rope.
In a battle of Black and Brave Wrestling Academy graduates, Heather Reckless picked up the victory over Maggie Lee, who was making her 2econd Wrestling debut.
Lee, who had the height advantage over her opponent by at least a foot, mocked the 4-foot-9 Reckless by challenging her to a test of strength but her reach far exceeded Reckless’.
Reckless overcame some difficulties early in the match and kept Lee off balance, eventually working on the arm of the much-taller competitor. Reckless earned the victory by submission with an armbar. Reckless, a former Chicago Style Wrestling Women’s Champion and an AAW regular, showed off her experience in this one.
Despite the loss, it was an impressive performance by Lee, who is starting to gain traction in the Chicago area and the Midwest.
A charging Jordan Kross meets the boot of Rahim De La Suede during their six-man tag team match. (Photo by Mike Pankow/Windy City Slam)
In an action-packed six-man tag team match, The Premier (Campbell Myers and SK Bishop) and Rahim De La Suede defeated the trio of Pick N’ Pop (Koda Hernandez and “One Man Dynasty” Darius Latrell) and “The Punk Rock Prince” Jordan Kross.
Kross took a beating for most of the match, displaying his Ricky Morton-like selling skills. After Kross made a hot tag, it appeared Pick N’ Pop was going to get the victory after one of their double-team finishers, but the slick trio of The Premier and De La Suede were able to isolate Kross again.
Myers and Bishop hit a tandem move on Kross and Bishop recorded the pin and the win for his team.
Notes: Dak Draper, Pretty Empowered and Kenny Alonso were originally advertised, but circumstances prevented them from appearing. Unadvertised surprises included Outlaw, Ali, Monroe, Gonzalez and Creed. … At 2econd Wrestling’s next show on Oct. 15, “Beyond Alpha” Ezio Orlandi will defend his Maxwell Street Heritage Championship against Larkin in a battle of former stablemates. Former 2econd Wrestling Champion Billie Starkz also makes her return while Dex Royal and Brittnie Brooks are slated to make their debuts for the promotion.
Check out a gallery of over 275 photos from “Half Nelson. Full Force.”: https://www.windycityslam.com/2econd-wrestling-half-nelson-full-force
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.
