By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Freelance Pro Wrestling “Thursday Night SlamMasters”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
November 21, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois at Emporium Logan Square
They’ve routinely run in this tavern before. It was packed with maybe 250-300 spectators. The lighting was good. Jason Midas and OG Hank provided commentary.
* In the days leading up to the show, WWE announced that a wrestler on this show will be given a WWE ID contract. (I recently wrote a blog that had three Chicago-area names as possible ID recipients, along with Calvin Tankman, so hopefully it is one of the four of them!)
* The opening scramble has two new faces for me!
1. Blair Onyx vs. Trent Wrigley vs. Darius Latrell vs. Sabin Gauge vs. Tornado Kid vs. Eye Candy Elliott in a scramble. Wrigley is new; he’s a white surfer dude. I also don’t think I’ve seen Tornado Kid; he wears a yellow mask.
Elliott recently returned to action after a several-year layoff and he has a good physique. We started with just Blair and Wrigley in the ring and she slapped him in the face. Everyone else is on a corner. Tornado Kid got in and spun himself in circles… because he’s a tornado. Sabin hit a missile dropkick on Tornado Kid. Wrigley accidentally hit the tall Latrell, earning a “you f—ed up!” chant. Latrell hit a spinning clothesline on Wrigley at 3:00.
Tornado hit a flip dive to the floor. Sabin hit a Fosbury Flop to the floor. Wrigley also set up for a dive, but Darius grabbed Wrigley and tossed him onto everyone else on the floor at 5:30, earning a “holy shit!” chant. In the ring, Blair hit a double chokeslam as the commentators praised her weight loss in the past year. Latrell chokeslammed Blair for a nearfall, but Sabin made the save. Wrigley hit an Unprettier faceplant. Elliott hit a basement dropkick on Wrigley and pinned him. A flat finish to a very good scramble; it got the crowd going.
Eye Candy Elliott defeated Blair Onyx, Trent Wrigley, Darius Latrell, Sabin Gauge, and Tornado Kid in a scramble at 7:42.
2. Darin Corbin vs. Robbie Reeves. Reeves is a young, thick kid probably barely into his 20s, and he hit a back suplex for a nearfall in the first minute. A commentator pointed out that Corbin has been wrestling longer than Reeves has been alive. Corbin hit a drive-by dropkick at 2:00 and he took control. He hit a backbreaker over his knee and he kept Robbie grounded. Reeves hit a suplex at 5:00 and he began ramming Corbin’s head into each corner. Reeves hit a side slam for a nearfall. Corbin couldn’t hit the Ginger Snap stunner, but he hit a spear for a nearfall at 7:30. Reeves hit a Samoan Drop and pinned him!
Robbie Reeves defeated Darin Corbin at 8:24.
3. Calvin Tankman (w/James Russo) vs. Chico Suave. Tankman carried his tag title belt to the ring; the commentators said this was supposed to be a tag title match but Shane Mercer couldn’t make it, so this instead became a singles match. Suave wears his lucha outfit that is similar to Gringo Loco’s gear. Tankman easily shoved Suave to the mat to open. They tied up in a knucklelock. Chico put his arms around Calvin but couldn’t budge the big man. He went for a dive to the floor, but Calvin caught him. Suave shoved Tankman into a ring post, but Tankman slammed Suave on the ring apron at 4:00. In the ring, Calvin got a nearfall, and he kept Chico grounded.
Suave hit some European Uppercuts and jab punches. Tankman nailed a POUNCE at 6:30 that nearly sent Chico out of the ring, and Calvin got a nearfall. Chico hit a springboard stunner, then a twisting dive through the ropes; it was awkward and luckily Calvin caught him. In the ring, Chico hit a frogsplash for a nearfall at 8:00. Tankman hit a short-arm clothesline but made a lazy cover for a nearfall. (It was so lazy I expected Suave to hook the arms and roll Calvin over for a flash pin.) Chico hit a German Suplex! He tried to pick up Calvin but he couldn’t. Calvin immediately hit a Hidden Blade forearm strike to the back of the head then a Rikishi Driver (sit-out piledriver) for the pin. That was a fun match with Chico getting just enough hope spots.
Calvin Tankman defeated Chico Suave at 10:33.
* James Russo got on the mic and he said Tankman and Mercer are calling out Kody Lane and Dan the Dad for a match.
4. Kylie Rae vs. Isaias Velazquez for the Freelance Wrestling Title. I presume most fans here know these two are a couple, although it isn’t part of the storylines. I’ve said several times now that Kylie is my pick for female comeback wrestler of the year. Velazquez came out first and was booed. She had the belt around her shoulders and she’s now a three-time champ. They locked up and Velazquez mockingly did her pose and was booed. They are roughly the same height but of course he has a notable size/thickness advantage. They traded reversals and standing switches. He backed her into a corner at 3:00 and hit some forearm strikes, and he grounded her on the mat. He bodyslammed her at 5:30 to more boos.
Kylie hit a second-rope superplex and they were both down. She hit a few clotheslines and was fired up, hitting an armdrag and a buzzsaw kick for a nearfall at 7:30. Storm Grayson walked to ringside; he’s not booked on this show. The distraction allowed Velazquez to get a dropkick for a nearfall. She got a rollup for the pin! The commentators thought the ref was waiving it off.
Kylie Rae defeated Isaias Velazquez at 9:08 to retain the Freelance Wrestling Title.
* Matt Knicks walked to the ring. He said that Kylie Rae means a lot to Freelance, and he handed her a WWE ID contract! She burst into tears and the crowd immediately chanted “You deserve it!” She got on the mic and talked about how sometimes “life gives you second chances” and she thanked WWE. What a great moment.
5. GPA and Laynie Luck vs. Dan the Dad and Kody Lane to earn a No. 1 contender slot. Like the prior match, I presume most of the fans know GPA and Luck are a couple. GPA and Dan opened with basic reversals and some of Dan’s juvenile humor. Laynie entered, so Kody also got in at 2:30, and he hit a slingshot elbow drop on her for a nearfall. Kody suplexed her for a nearfall. GPA and Luck hit some team moves, then he bent her backward to kiss her at 5:00 and they got booed. They kept Lane in their corner. Dan got in, took off his belt, and prepared to swat GPA, but Laynie stole the belt from him. GPA hit Dan with the belt buckle at 6:30! The heels now began working over Dan.
Dan hit a suplex at 8:00 but Kody was down on the floor and not there for a tag. Dan hit a Buckle Bomb, tossing her onto GPA in a corner. Lane finally got the hot tag and he traded blows with GPA, nailing a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall at 9:30. Laynie clotheslined Lane to the floor, and GPA immediately dove to the floor on Lane. In the ring, Kody kicked her to the mat. Lane hit a Lionsault for a nearfall on GPA at 11:00. Dan hit a punch that dropped Luck. Laynie hit a Poison Rana on Kody! GPA and Luck hit a team spear on Kody for a believable nearfall at 12:30. Laynie accidentally stuck GPA with the belt on his butt! Dan hit a spinebuster on GPA. Kody hit a top-rope senton splash on GPA, and they both covered GPA for the pin.
Dan the Dad and Kody Lane defeated GPA and Laynie Luck to become No. 1 contenders at 13:43.
6. Alfonso Gonzalez vs. Regan Lydale in an intergender match. Regan is tall (6’1″ possibly!) and thin, and she is taller than the rotund Gonzalez. He went to the corner to pose and was booed; she of course got cheered. Standing switches and they worked each other’s left arm. She hit a spinning leg lariat in the corner and got a nearfall at 2:30. He poked her eyes and hit a back suplex for a nearfall. The commentators noted this match wasn’t scheduled today; it was thrown together, as Gonzalez was supposed to face Cole Radrick. Alfonso hit a fisherman’s suplex for a nearfall at 5:00. She hit a Pounce and they were both down.
Regan hit a bodyslam at 6:30 and she was fired up! She hit a Mark Henry Slam for a nearfall. He hit a DDT for a nearfall. Regan hit a twisting suplex out of the corner for a nearfall. She went for a pump-handle slam, but he yanked on her hair to escape. He applied a Boston Crab and pulled her to the center of the ring; he turned it into a vertical Lion Tamer with a foot on her head, and Regan tapped out. The crowd booed the outcome.
Alfonso Gonzalez defeated Regan Lydale at 9:06.
* Gonzalez got on the mic and wondered “when will the Freelance faithful stop doubting me?”
7. Davey Bang and August Matthews vs. “MXM Collection” Mansoor and Mason Madden. Bang and Matthews competed on an AEW Collision taping I attended in September, and they are among the best tag teams in the Midwest. A commentator noted that Madden was wearing “fuzzy boots” and said it’s the first sign of the “winter collection.” August and Mansoor opened; Mansoor shouted “two for flinching!” and chopped August twice. Funny. So, August did it back to Mansoor. Madden tagged in at 2:30; Bang was hesitant to tie up with him. The commentators talked about how Madden is “deceptively large.” Madden dropped Bang with one loud chop. Bang hit a dropkick and a pop-up dropkick but couldn’t drop Mason. Madden hit a guillotine leg drop for a nearfall.
Madden hit a flying buttbump at 4:30 that sent Bang to the corner to tag out. Matthews blocked MXM from ‘touching tips’ and was booed. Funny. August hit a standing moonsault on Mansoor for a nearfall. Bang hit a Doomsday Device leg drop on Mansoor. Madden, while on the apron, grabbed Matthews and chokeslammed him at 6:30, allowing MXM to take over. Madden made a (lewd) jackknife cover for a nearfall, and MXM did a pose, then team elbow drops for a nearfall. “Touching tips and dropping ‘bo’s,” a commentator said. Madden applied a half-crab at 9:30. Bang and Matthews applied stereo Octopus Stretches. However, MXM ‘touched tips’ (to give them power, of course!) and hit stereo side slams.
Bang and Matthews hit stereo superkicks on Madden, then a stereo Death Valley Driver for a nearfall at 13:00, and suddenly all four were down and we got an “All these guys!” chant. Mansoor and Matthews traded forearm strikes. Mansoor hit a German Suplex; Matthews hit a Grimes-style Cave-in stomp to the chest. Bang nailed the Spears Tower! GPA, Laynie Luck and Eye Candy Elliott hopped on the ring apron and distracted Bang! Madden hit a double spear. MXM Collection then hit the Centerfold team slam to pin Bang. Good match with a nice mix of comedy and action, and the distraction gives Bang and Matthews an excuse for losing. The crowd gave MXM a “please come back!” chant.
Mansoor and Mason Madden defeated Davey Bang and August Matthews at 15:30.
8. Koda Hernandez vs. Mike Santana for the Freelance Wrestling Legacy Title. I’m a big fan of Koda and he’s really starting to rack up matches against big names. Santana was here last month and beat Sabin Gauge. A feeling-out process and a standoff. Santana hit some loud chops and strikes, and Koda tried to shrug them off. Koda hit a snap suplex at 5:00, a second one, then a faceplant for a nearfall. They continued to trade chops and Koda collapsed. Santana hit a har bodyslam for a nearfall at 10:30 and he kept Koda grounded. Koda hit a uranage and they were both down.
Koda hit an Exploder Suplex. The commentators pointed out how red Koda’s chest is from all the chops. Koda hit a dive through the ropes at 12:30, drawing a “holy shit!” chant. Back in the ring, Koda hit a slingshot DDT for a nearfall and a Stomp for a nearfall. He set up for a Razor’s Edge but Santana escaped. Santana hit a kip-up stunner for a nearfall at 14:00. He hit more chops and Koda’s chest really is bright red. Santana hit a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall. Santana went for his discus lariat but Koda hit a kick to block it. Koda hit an Angel’s Wings faceplant for a believable nearfall. Koda hit a second-rope superplex, but Santana hit a leaping sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall at 17:00. Santana set up for the discus clothesline but Koda blocked it. They traded rollups, and Koda got the pin. “He did it! He did it!” a commentator shouted. A very good match.
Koda Hernandez defeated Mike Santana to retain the Freelance Wrestling Legacy Title at 17:53.
* Santana got the mic and he put Koda over, and they hugged afterwards.
Final Thoughts: A really good main event that built nicely; that was stiff and hard-hitting, as obvious by looking at Koda’s chest. That takes best match, but I really enjoyed MXM Collection vs. Bang/Matthews, and that takes second. The big names really delivered. Kody/Dan vs. GPA/Laynie takes third; sure, we knew Kody/Dan were on track to face Tankman/Mercer but it was still a good No. 1 contender’s match.
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