By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Warrior Wrestling 31
October 6, 2023 in South Bend, Indiana at Bendix Arena
Replay available via FITE+
This venue is an auditorium and I’ve always liked it, as the ring is ‘in the round’ with risers looping three sides of the ring. Joe Dombrowski and Val Capone provided commentary. It is notable that this is the first time that Warrior Wrestling is airing live on Fite+, as they used to have PPV pricing of $15 or $20. But that’s when they had loaded lineups that included Will Ospreay as their champion.
1. Sabin Gauge defeated Koda Hernandez at 12:37. These two are both Chicago-area wrestlers and know each other well. Sabin wore white trunks while Koda (think AEW’s Santana) was in black. Gauge hit a huracanrana at 3:00. Koda nailed a dive through the ropes onto Sabin. In the ring, Koda hit a backbreaker over his knee and he was in charge. He hit a back suplex at 6:00, then a snap suplex. Koda did the ‘Eddie hip swivel’ and got booed. Sabin came back with an enzuigiri and they were both down.
Sabin hit a twisting dive through the ropes at 8:30. In the ring, Sabin hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly for a nearfall. Koda fired back with a twisting Death Valley Driver, then a running knee for a nearfall. Sabin hit another enzuigiri. Koda hit a step-up kick in the corner, then a second-rope Exploder Suplex for a nearfall at 11:30. Sabin hit a shotgun dropkick, then a top-rope doublestomp on Koda’s back for the pin. Good opener.
* Frank the Clown, easily the most annoying presence in indy wrestling today, hit the ring. He gets ‘go-away’ heat from me. Trevor Outlaw introduced the Warrior Wrestling champion, KC Navarro. I always say the pink-haired Navarro is comparable to heel Ace Austin. I think he works better as an under-sized plucky babyface than in this heel role. Frank said he saved Navarro’s life, and the championship, at the last show in a battle against Matt Cardona. Navarro said “I don’t know why we’re doing this. This is so stupid.” For once, we agree! Frank said that without him, Navarro wouldn’t be here, and he wouldn’t be champion. KC just wants to leave the ring and I don’t blame him. Frank talked about how KC had a tryout in WWE. Frank taunted KC for not getting hired after the tryout. KC got angry at Frank, and said he doesn’t need any help tonight.
2. Missa Kate defeated Rachel Armstrong at 14:41. I have compared the short talented Armstrong to pop singer Corrine Bailey Rae. Kate has had a nice run in NWA this year, and she was just introduced as an “NWA star.” Kate, who is taller, easily shoved Rachel to the mat and kicked and stomped on her. They brawled to the floor and up the stairs at 3:30, looped the building, and returned to ringside at 6:00. Kate choked Armstrong in the ropes and was in charge. Kate hit a roundhouse kick to the head for a nearfall at 8:00. Rachel fired up and hit some punches then a running double knees for a nearfall at 11:30. Kate nailed a standing powerbomb for a nearfall. Kate went to ringside and got a guardrail post but the ref confiscated it. Kate finally hit a roundhouse kick for the pin. I actually expected Rachel to win this one.
3. Jordan Kross defeated Jack Vaughn at 9:06. Vaughn is the bald, older veteran (think Dax Harwood) with the handlebar mustache; he’s the champion in Al Snow’s Ohio Valley Wrestling and I just reviewed on of their early September shows. Kross is the super-scrawny kid with Mike Bailey’s mullet, who somehow keeps winning here at Warrior Wrestling. I admittedly have not been impressed with him. They took turns playing to the crowd before locking up, and Vaughn has a significant height and size/muscle mass advantage. Vaughn teased a dive through the ropes before stopping, climbing through them, and hitting a chop. Funny because it fits his character. He was in control in the ring and hit a bodyslam at 4:00.
Vaughn put Kross on his shoulders and spun him several times at 6:00. Vaughn hit a spinebuster for a nearfall. Kross hit a Lungblower to the chest at 8:00. Kross accidentally collapsed head-first on Vaughn’s groin and they were both down. Vaughn crotched himself on the top rope, too and was really in pain. Very juvenile humor. Kross got a rollup for the fluke pin. Blah. Val raved that Jordan is now 6-0 in Warrior Wrestling.
4. Skye Blue defeated Trevor Outlaw in an intergender match at 9:52. Outlaw recently shaved off his thick goatee and to me, he’s barely recognizable. He’s not particularly tall, but he’s far more muscular than Skye. He wore Athena’s Women’s Title belt to ringside. “When Trevor Outlaw speaks, you shut the hell up!” he told the crowd. He said Athena hasn’t defended the title in a year, so he declared himself “the champion of women” and the new title-holder. Skye still has dark makeup over one eye from being sprayed by Julia Hart in AEW. This match is now a ‘title match?”
Dombrowski just mentioned how Skye’s demeanor has changed since she got ‘misted’ by Julia Hart. She hit a shotgun dropkick, sending him into the corner. She leapt off the apron and hit a huracanrana to the floor at 2:30. He dropped her with a punch and got booed. In the ring, he hit a kneelift to her gut and took over. He stepped on her hair while pulling on her wrists at 4:30. He teased spanking her but she escaped and rolled him up for a nearfall. He set up for a powerbomb but she turned it into a huracanrana. She did a cartwheel-into-a-forearm at 6:30. He hit a belly-to-belly suplex for a nearfall. She nailed a superkick for a nearfall.
She went for Code Blue but he escaped, and he hit a twisting faceplant for a nearfall at 8:30. They began trading chops. The ref got struck. He hit a low blow but she no-sold it. She hit a low blow mule kick, then the Code Blue twisting Code Red for the pin! Skye Blue has been named the new Warrior Wrestling women’s champion! “Is this for real?” Val asked. However, Missa Kate rolled into the ring and handed it to Skye Blue. Both Joe and Val weren’t sure if this title change is legit and said it will have to be decided by Warrior Wrestling management.
5. Konosuke Takeshita defeated Storm Grayson (w/Frank the Clown) at 15:49. A feeling-out process to open. Storm tried some shoulder tackles, then he hit a dropkick at 1:30, sending Takeshita to the floor, where he jawed at Frank. It allowed Storm to sneak up behind Takeshita and attack him. In the ring, Storm hit some kicks to the spine. They traded forearms and chops. Takeshita hit a standing powerbomb at 5:00, then his flying clothesline. Konosuke hit a back suplex for a nearfall. Takeshita hit a second-rope superplex. Grayson hit a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall at 9:00 and they were both down. They traded forearm shots while on their knees. Grayson hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall at 10:30.
Takeshita hit his own Blue Thunder Bomb. Grayson hit a superkick. Takeshita hit a running knee to the jaw, then a suplex for a nearfall, but Frank pulled the ref from the ring. Takeshita left the ring and chased Frank through the crowd, and we can see how shockingly empty the building is tonight. Back in the ring, Grayson hit a low blow punt kick for a nearfall at 13:30. They traded more forearm shots. Takeshita did a ‘crotch chop’ and got a pop. Grayson tried another low blow but Takeshita blocked it. Frank grabbed Takeshita’s ankle. Takeshita hit a wheelbarrow-style German Suplex, then the running knee to the jaw for the pin. Good match.
6. Mike Santana defeated Bryan Keith at 15:19. Keith wore his Mexican baja poncho. A nice pop for Santana. Keith is a heel tonight and he stalled on the floor. In the ring, they traded shoulder tackles. Santana hit an enzuigiri at 3:30. They went to the floor and traded chops in front of the fans. Santana dove through the ropes onto Keith, and they went up the stairs into the seating area. Santana slammed Keith onto the ring apron at 7:00. In the ring, they traded chops, and Santana’s size advantage really stood out. Keith hit a tornado DDT for a nearfall at 9:30.
Santana hit an enzuigiri. They hit simultaneous kicks and were both down. Keith suplexed Santana into the corner at 12:00, then he hit a running knee for a nearfall. He set up for the Tiger Driver but Santana blocked it. Keith hit a neckbreaker over his knee, then a sliding clothesline for a nearfall. Keith hit a spin kick in the corner. Santana hit a stunner for a nearfall at 14:00. Santana put Keith on his shoulders and slammed him stomach-first to the mat for a nearfall. Santana nailed a Death Valley Driver but Keith popped up at the one-count. Santana nailed a discus clothesline, then a rolling cannonball in the corner, then a sit-out powerbomb for the clean pin. That was really good. Keith tipped his cowboy hat at Santana and they pounded fists in a show of respect.
7. KC Navarro (w/Frank the Clown) defeated Encore Moore to retain the Warrior Wrestling Title at 20:06. Moore is a Black man who I’ve seen in the New York-based House of Glory Wrestling. KC came out solo, but Frank ran to ringside before the bell. Wayyyy too much FTC tonight, and he sat in the front row to cheer on Navarro. Encore appears to be nearly the same height and weight of KC. A feeling-out process early on and KC is wrestling like a babyface. Encore hit a delayed vertical suplex, holding KC upside down for a long time before dropping him at 4:00. Navarro dominated the offense for several minutes. Frank grabbed Encore’s ankle, and KC hit a dropkick for a nearfall at 9:00.
KC jawed at Frank, so Frank went and sat back down amongst the fans. Frank hopped on the ring apron and KC was clearly annoyed with him. The referee ejected Frank at 11:00. KC avoided a uranage. KC dove through the ropes onto Encore, so Encore hit his own dive. KC hit a flip dive over the top rope at 12:30 and they were both down on the floor. In the ring, they traded forearm shots. Encore hit a back suplex at 15:30. KC hit a superkick and a running knee into the corner. KC hit a top-rope frogsplash for a nearfall at 17:30 and they were both down. Encore hit a Death Valley Driver and he was fired up. Encore hit a uranage, but suddenly Frank was back out and distracting the ref while Encore had a visual pin. KC hit his 619. KC nailed his Sliced Bread faceplant for the pin.
* Frank the Clown got in the ring and talked to KC. Trevor Outlaw attacked Encore. Frank handed the title belt to KC and urged him to hit Encore with it. KC hugged Frank, but then he hit Frank with the belt and got a huge pop. Encore then hit his uranage on Trevor. KC and Encore shook hands.
Final Thoughts: Santana vs. Keith was really good and earns best match. Not a surprise that the AEW roster member would beat the top indy star, but they put together a good match that gave Keith a lot of offense. I’ll go with Takeshita-Storm for second-best. It was quite frankly weird to see Konosuke play a babyface role, being as other AEW storylines (like the zombiefied Skye Blue) were part of the show.
The main event was fine, but I’m sure very few people in the crowd had ever seen Encore before; he’s just not known in the Midwest, so it was really hard to buy him as a threat to win the match, even though the match itself topped my expectations. As I noted earlier, KC just works much better in a babyface role, and his match was better off as essentially a face-face matchup. Words cannot describe how much I hate Frank the Clown. To me, it’s as bad as Vince Russo or Dixie Carter sucking up too much TV time that should go to wrestlers. I don’t want to boo him, I just want him to go away.
The opening matches were fine. Kross does nothing for me. I’ve seen a fair amount of Koda now and he’s on the verge of being able to break out and get bookings outside the Midwest if he chooses to do so.
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