By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Chicago Style Wrestling “Cemetery Gates”
October 11, 2024 in Franklin Park, Illinois at American Legion Post 974
Available for streaming via Independentwrestling.tv
The building is fairly packed with maybe 200-250 fans. I tuned in for matches with Moose, Megan Bayne, and Shazza McKenzie; there are a LOT of wrestlers here I don’t know or have seen fewer than three times. While this show occurred two weeks ago, it was just released on IWTV.
1. Joey Avalon and Sierra vs. “Brothers of Funstruction” Ruffo and Yabo the clowns for the CSW Tag Team Titles. I am not a fan of the BoF; they are among the (many!) reasons I stopped watching NWA. Avalon got on the mic and said he asked for their match to be on first because he wants this over with. He stressed that he IS NOT AFRAID of clowns. (I think he protests too much!) Yabo “tickled” Sierra with a rubber chicken. Most of this is eye-rolling comedy. Ruffo hit a Samoan Drop on Avalon at 7:00. Avalon had a balloon but it popped in his eyes, and apparently there was powder inside, as it blinded Avalon. One of the clowns rolled up Avalon and pinned him to win the belts. Awful.
Ruffo the Clown and Yabo the Clown defeated Joey Avalon and Sierra to win the CSW Tag Team Titles at 8:25.
* TJ Steel and Steve Ahrendt had a GM debate. I admittedly fast-forwarded over this.
2. Aminah Belmont vs. La Pescadita. I just saw these two women fight each other in a different promotion within the past month. Pescadita got a babyface pop. Belmont is wearing red bib overalls; that’s new. She slapped Pescadita to open. Aminah hit a dropkick. Pescadita hit a delayed vertical suplex for a nearfall at 1:30. Belmont snapped Pescadita’s arm over the top rope, and she took control. Pescadita hit a Samoan Drop at 3:30 and she was fired up, and she hit some jab punches and an enzuigiri, then a spinebuster for a nearfall. She hit a faceplant for a nearfall, then a Death Valley Driver, but Aminah rolled to the floor. Aminah tied her in a modified Anaconda Vice submission hold on the mat, and Pescadita tapped out. They got a lot of offense in for a match that short. They are green but they work well together.
Aminah Belmont defeated La Pescadita at 5:46.
3a. Chris Miller & a kid vs. “Machine 17” Nathan Nile & KJ Carter (w/Haven Harris) vs. Eric Schultz & Ryan Matthews vs. Jax Johnson & Victor Iniestra vs. Doom Montgomery & Axel Rico vs. Big Mood vs. Stallion Cypher in a gauntlet. I have seen Inestra and Axel Rico before, but I really don’t know anyone else. Miller came out first and he carried a mallet; he grabbed a teenage kid and basically forced him to be his teammate. Machine 17 wore military camouflage gear. Miller is MUCH bigger and he beat up Machine 17. Miller got angry at the teenager and kicked him. Haven Harris got in the ring and kicked him! Machine 17 pinned Miller at 3:30. The match continued without a stop…
Nathan Nile & KJ Carter defeated Chris Miller & FXB at 3:30.
3b. Nathan Nile & KJ Carter vs. Eric Schultz & Ryan Matthews. These two dressed like guys from “The Princess Bride.” Schultz hit a sit-out piledriver for a nearfall. Matthews (purple trunks) hit a TKO stunner for the pin.
Eric Schultz & Ryan Matthews defeated Nathan Ile & KJ Carter at 3:54.
3c. Eric Schultz & Ryan Matthews vs. Jax Johnson & Victor Iniestra. Iniestra and Jax were shoving each other before the bell; that’s not a good sign! They fought over a briefcase, but then they both struck Schultz with it and pinned him!
Jax Johnson & Inestra defeated Eric Schultz & Ryan Matthews at 4:11.
3d. Jax Johnson & Victor Iniestra vs. Doom Montgomery & Axel Rico. Axel is shorter with long, curly hair. Iniestra and Jax attacked to begin. Rico and Doom hit a team jumping knee move to pin Jax; Iniestra walked away and made no effort to save his teammate.
Axel Rico & Doom Montgomery defeated Jax Johnson & Inestra at 4:00 even.
3e. Axel Rico & Doom Montgomery vs. Big Mood” Jack Moody & Mateo Valentine. Big Mood ran in and attacked; they wore hockey jerseys. Moody has blondish hair with a thick beard, while Valentine is smaller and clean-shaven, and his trunks are actually a mini-skirt. They beat down Doom Montgomery. The shorter, flamboyant Mateo removed his mini-skirt and did a Waltman-style Rough Rider in the corner at 5:00. Rico accidentally hit Doom! Moody hit a senton and covered Rico for a nearfall. The Big Mood guys accidentally hit each other. Rico rolled up Mateo for the pin. Blah.
Axel Rico & Doom Montgomery defeated Jack Moody & Mateo Valentine at 6:58.
3f. Axel Rico & Doom Montgomery vs. Adam Stallion & Cypher. Cypher has the crazy face paint that is a bit like DC’s Joker. Adam and Axel traded forearm strikes. Moody and Mateo returned to ringside at 4:30 as Cypher was hitting a double clothesline. Cypher hit a powerbomb for the pin and was immediately attacked by Moody and Mateo. I saw very little good action over the course of the six mini-matches in this gauntlet.
Cypher & Adam Stallion defeated Axel Rico & Doom Montgomery to win the tag team gauntlet at 5:06.
* The GMs continued their debate.
4. Rafael Quintero vs. Shain Boucher for the CSW Metro Division Title. I saw Quintero at the Oct. 5 Ego show and I came away impressed. Shain is a redhead with chops as a mini-beard. Quintero hit some deep armdrags and a dropkick for a nearfall. Shain hit a somersault leg drop for a nearfall at 4:00. Quintero hit a shotgun dropkick, then a German Suplex with a bridge for a nearfall. Shain nailed a mid-ring Spanish Fly for a nearfall at 6:00; this is much better than anything else so far on this show. Quintero spiked him on a huracanrana for a believable nearfall. Shain hit a Poison Rana and a Tombstone Piledriver, but Rafael rolled to the floor to avoid being pinned; Shain rolled him into the ring but only got a nearfall. Quintero hit an axe kick and a top-rope elbow drop for the pin. Good match.
Rafael Quintero defeated Shain Boucher at 8:58.
5. Bruss Hamilton vs. Hans Carden vs. Steve Boz in a three-way. I have seen Boz but not the other two. Bruss is a thick bull of a man with tattoos all over his chest and back, and a thick beard; he jawed at fans as he walked to the ring. Hans is tall with flowing hair (think Von Wagner) and he wore red trunks. Boz has a good physique and he wore white pants and he’s a babyface. (These three all pass the “airport test.”) Basic offense early on. Boz hit a jumping knee on Hans for a nearfall at 2:30. Bruss knocked Boz down with a body block, and Bruss hit one on Hans for a nearfall.
Boz hit a huracanrana on Hans on the floor at 4:30. In the ring, Hans hit a backbreaker over his knee on Boz. Bruss got back in and hit a belly-to-belly suplex, tossing Hans onto Boz at 7:30. Bruss hit a fallaway slam. He bodyslammed Boz onto Hans for a nearfall at 9:00. Boz hit a springboard double stunner. Boz hit a Sister Abigail swinging face plant on Bruss. Boz hit an RKO stunner on Bruss. Hans kicked Boz to the floor and covered Bruss; Hans put his feet on the ropes for added leverage and pinned Bruss. Solid big-man matchup.
Hans Carden defeated Bruss Hamilton and Steve Boz at 11:17.
6. Shazza McKenzie vs. Maggie Lee in an I Quit match. Maggie attacked her to open. Both women are wearing jean shorts and T-shirts; I really like this, as it says they are here for a fight, not a match. Shazza was bleeding from the forehead in the first minute! They kept brawling at ringside. Maggie is about 5’11” and the size difference is noticeable. They kept brawling through the crowd. Maggie put a garbage can over Shazza’s head and struck it with a bat at 4:00. They got back to ringside and into the ring for the first time at 6:00! Shazza tied her in the ropes and hit her several times with a kendo stick high on her chest (near her collarbone.)
Shazza took off her leather belt and wrapped it around Maggie’s throat! Maggie was able to pull free. She got the kendo stick and she now struck Shazza repeatedly across the back, but Shazza refused to quit. Shazza speared Maggie through a board in the corner at 9:30 and that earned a “holy sht!” chant. Shazza dumped a bag of thumbtacks on the mat. Maggie gave her a drop-toe-hold, with first Shazza’s hands landing on the thumbtacks, then her front. Maggie tied her in a crossface. Shain Boucher jumped in the ring and hit Maggie with a kendo stick! Maggie got up and hit him with the cane, and he bailed. Shazza hit the splits stunner! Maggie refused to quit.
Shazza pushed more boards into the ring; she made a board bridge and put Maggie on it. However, Maggie hit a top-rope Spanish Fly with them both crashing through the board bridge at 15:00. “Shazza McKenzie is dead!” a commentator said. Shazza shouted “No!!!” when asked if she would quit, and the crowd responded, “Fight forever!” Maggie grabbed (what I believe is) a cheese grater, and was about to use it on Shazza’s forehead, and Shazza quit. (The commentators said it was a curling iron.) Violent brawl and by far best of the show so far.
Maggie Lee defeated Shazza McKenzie at 15:47.
* The GMS continued their debate.
7. Marsche Rockett, Jack Valor, and Eddie Grayson vs. Warhorse, Jay Marston, and a mystery partner. Warhorse is the champion but he’s not defending it in this six-man tag. (I must reiterate that I LOVE how Warhorse has recreated himself; the clueless rocker who ‘rules ass’ is long gone.) Marsche’s team came out first, then Marston and Warhorse headed into the ring. He introduced FXB as the third man on the team. FXB is like watching Jay Lethal do his Macho Man impersonation. Warhorse and Marsche opened; Warhorse chopped him and immediately took a step backward, as Rockett no-sold it. Marsche hit some LOUD chops on Warhorse.
Rockett’s teammates are young, white kids, probably both in their early 20s, and Rockett slammed one of them onto an opponent. Grayson, in a full singlet, hit a flip dive onto the heels on the floor at 3:00. Marston beat up Grayson in the ring. Warhorse tagged in and helped beat up Grayson on the mat. The heels then worked over Valor, and this had slowed down. (Rockett’s teammates are so lean and scrawny; they are promising but just don’t have the mass of the others in this match.) Marsche finally got the hot tag at 10:00 and he hit a series of clotheslines, and he nailed a spear on Warhorse for a believable nearfall. “He almost broke that man in two pieces!” the commentator shouted. Warhorse hit a German Suplex on Grayson, then a standing powerbomb. He applied a rear-naked choke on Grayson and laid back on the mat, and Grayson tapped out.
Warhorse, Jay Marston, and FXB defeated Marsche Rockett, Jack Valor, and Eddie Grayson at 11:14.
8. Moose vs. Conan Lycan. Lycan has a great physique and he’s similar in body size to Moose, but Moose is taller. Moose wore a skin-tight black shirt with a Moose antlers logo on it. (At first glance I thought it was a weird Batman logo!) They jawed nose to nose and they traded chops. Lycan hit a huracanrana at 2:00 that sent Moose to the floor to regroup. They fought on the floor and Moose accidentally chopped the ring post. They briefly brawled over the guardrail and into the crowd. They got back into the ring at 6:00; Moose hit some chops in the corner but Lycan fired up. Moose hit a Mafia Kick. Lycan hit a modified Lionsault for a nearfall.
Moose nailed a release powerbomb for a believable nearfall at 8:30, and Moose was stunned he didn’t win there. Lycan hit a hard clothesline and was fired up. Lycan hit his own pop-up powerbomb for a believable nearfall at 11:00, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Moose hit a top-rope superplex, but Lycan rolled through and hit a Falcon Arrow, and they were both down! They both got to their feet just before a 10-count. Moose hit a headbutt for a nearfall. Music played at 14:30, and Warhorse, Shazza, Jay Marston and Shain Boucher walked to ringside! They sent Boucher into the ring, and the ref immediately called for the bell, and the crowd booed this. Lame finish to a decent match.
Moose vs. Conan Lycan ended in a draw at 15:04.
* Lycan beat up Boucher. He got on the mic, glared at Warhorse, and vowed that they are not done. He challenged Warhorse to a steel cage match next month, and that popped the crowd! Moose told Lycan that they should finish this match “in my playground, in TNA!” The crowd chanted “TNA!” (We’ll see if that actually happens. The commentator spoke confidently like it will.)
9. Missa Kate vs. Megan Bayne for the CSW Women’s Title. Megan is about 5’11 and she just towers over most of her female opponents. I have compared Missa Kate’s tough-girl character to NXT’s Adriana Rizzo. Some male dancers came out and danced to N’SYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye” so Megan beat them up. They traded slaps to the face to open and Megan hit a shoulder tackle that dropped Kate. Kate hit a huracanrana and they had a standoff. She low-bridged the top rope and Bayne fell to the floor. Kate chopped her at ringside and these were LOUD! Bayne tossed her back into the ring and hit a flying clothesline at 2:30.
Bayne hit a butterfly suplex for a nearfall. They went back to the floor and now Megan laid in some hard chops! She whipped Kate into the guardrail. They circled the ring and Bayne whipped her into a second guardrail at 5:00. In the ring, Bayne hit a gut-wrench suplex for a nearfall. Bayne applied a Boston Crab but Kate reached the ropes at 8:30. Kate caught her with a trio of spin kicks to the head. Kate hit a somersault spash for a nearfall. She hit a huracanrana, but Bayne popped up and hit a spear, and they were both down at 11:30. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Bayne hit a German Suplex from the bottom rope to bring Kate back into the ring and she got a nearfall.
Kate hit a DDT for a nearfall but Bayne got a foot on the ropes. Bayne set up for a Tombstone Pilediver, but Kate rolled through and got a nearfall. Bayne hit a German Suplex for a nearfall. Kate hit a spin kick to the head for a believable nearfall at 14:30. Kate jawed at the ref, thinking that was it. Kate accidentally splashed into the ref in the corner. Bayne hit an F5, but Kate’s legs struck the ref on the move; the ref was down and unable to make the three-count. Kate hit a second-rope superplex and everyone (including the ref!) was down at 17:00. Aminah Belmont jumped in the ring with a chair, but Bayne took it from her and kicked her out of the ring. Kate kicked the chair in Bayne’s arms, knocking Megan down, and scored the cheap pin. Very good match.
Missa Kate defeated Megan Bayne to retain the CSW Women’s Title at 17:54.
* Belmont got back into the ring and she brawled with Kate. Bayne came up behind Belmont. Megan tossed Belmont to the floor onto the dancers.
Final Thoughts: The three matches I tuned in for wound up being the top three here. If you have IWTV and can’t watch the whole show, at least check out those three. Bayne-Kate was pretty good and it was definitely hard-hitting. The Aminah interference gave Bayne an excuse for losing. The Shazza-Maggie Lee brawl was also really hard-hitting and a close second. Both of them brought quite a fight. Moose-Lycan was decent but also had a cheap cop-out finish, which was a bit disappointing.
The core of this roster — Warhorse, Marston, Boucher, Rockett, Quintero — all looked good. That said, the six-man tag wound up being a chance for Warhorse’s team to beat up youngsters most of the match. The three-way with Boz was decent, and as I noted, they pass the ‘airport test’ — they walk through the airport and kids turn their heads and say, “wow, they must be wrestlers!” The gauntlet wasn’t good. At all. But I get it; you put some newer wrestlers in a series of short matches all roughly four minutes in length. Everyone has to start somewhere. But I didn’t see anyone in that gauntlet that had me saying, “I want to see more of THAT guy.”
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