By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Chicago Style Wrestling “Season Premiere”
January 17, 2025 in Franklin Park, Illinois at American Legion Post 974
Available for streaming via Independentwrestling.tv
This show was finally released Monday on IWTV. This is their regular venue; it has a high ceiling. The lighting was good and the crowd was maybe 200.
* This show is about a 35-minute drive straight west from Logan Square Auditorium. I mention this because Arez and Gringo Loco teamed up at a House of Glory show in the first half of that show, hopped in a car, and wrestled again in the second half of this event! ALSO, it means that the rest of the Chicago-based talents were divided into two shows. Thus, the first half of the show was filled with several new, green wrestlers.
1. Quintero vs. FXB for the Metra Division Title. FXB has red face paint with a bit of a Great Muta look; I think I’ve seen him but just once. Quintero has a Mexican flag draped over his shoulders and he has long curly hair, and he’s pretty good. He was in a great ladder match here last month, and he nailed a dive through the ropes at 1:30, then FXB hit one. Quintero hit a Fosbury Flop! This is how you start a show! In the ring, FXB hit a missile dropkick. Quintero nailed a Poison Rana at 5:30 and a running boot to the side of the head for a nearfall. FXB hit a flip dive to the floor.
In the ring, he hit a Canadian Destroyer for a nearfall, but Quintero reached the ropes. They got up and traded blows. FXB nailed a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall at 8:30. Quintero nailed a rolling Death Valley Driver, then a top-rope elbow drop for the pin. That was a good opener and got the crowd hot and going.
Quintero defeated FXB to retain the Metra Division Title at 9:23.
2. Marshe Rockett, Axel Rico, and Doom Montgomery vs. Hans Carden, Ryan Matthews, and Jax Johnson. Marshe is the big veteran here; he’s competed in NWA. I admittedly barely know the rest. Ryan’s team are all clearly young, maybe all teens, and they are the heels. Jax is Black; the other two are white. Hans got on the mic and complained that Marshe is the size of two men, so this is a handicap match. Marshe responded by punching the kid. Doom is white and of average size. Axel appears to be Latino and his long hair is in a ponytail. The heels worked over Rico. Marshe got a hot tag and hit a powerslam at 7:00. Carden applied a half-crab on Montgomery. They did some humor with a mannequin. Marshe hit a stunner for the pin. Pretty basic; those heels all looked pretty green.
Marshe Rockett, Axel Rico, and Doom Montgomery defeated Hans Carden, Ryan Matthews, and Jax Johnson at 8:57.
* Jax Johnson beat up his teammates after they lost. Eric Schulz ran in, but he got beat up, too. He was unconscious on the mat as he was introduced for the next match, a scramble!
3. Chris Miller vs. Nathan Nile vs. Lili La Pescadita vs. Eric Schultz vs. Joey Pierson vs. Bruss Hamilton vs. Shaq Jordan in a scramble. Bruss has a wide, muscular body; think WWE’s Otis but taller. Shaq is a young Black man with short trimmed hair; think of a young Kenny King, and I don’t think I’ve seen him before. Lili is really short and wouldn’t be believable against these taller men. Miller has the NXT-era Baron Corbin slimey biker look. Nile is short and wears a mask and I don’t think I’ve seen him before either. Joey hit a Lionsault. Lili hit an enzuigiri on Joey. Miller hit a fallaway slam on Lili for a nearfall at 4:00. Miller hit a Bulldog Powerslam on Nile for a nearfall. Bruss picked up two for chokeslams but tossed them across the ring. What power!
Miller and Bruss traded forearm strikes. Lili hit a Death Valley Driver! Joey hit a Blue Thunder Bomb on Nile for a nearfall at 7:00, but he missed a top-rope corkscrew splash. Bruss immediately applied a belly-to-belly sleeper hold on tiny Joey, lifting him off the ground, until Joey tapped out. Bruss’ size has to be seen to be believed. Decent scramble overall.
Bruss Hamilton defeated Chris Miller, Nathan Nile, Lili La Pescadita, Eric Schultz, Joey Pierson and Shaq Jordan in a scramble at 7:41.
4. Jay Marston and Solomon Tupu vs. Shane Hollister and Shain Boucher. Boucher is the red-headed Lash LaRoux-style Cajun. Tupu has Bronson Reed’s body type and wide face, but he isn’t as heavy as Reed. All four immediately brawled on the floor; I don’t think we’ve had a bell yet. Marston clotheslined Boucher to the floor. Marston and Tupu lost to The Righteous in ROH in October, and they lost to the Gates of Agony and Brian Cage on AEW Rampage in June. Someone announced this was going to be a Texas Tornadoes rules match and we got a bell at 2:00 to officially begin. They all brawled in the ring, and the heels began working over Marston.
Tupu got in and hit a shotgun dropkick, then a rolling cannonball in the corner on Shain at 6:00. Suddenly all four were down. Tupu hit a Canadian Destroyer. Shain hit a Tombstone Piledriver, slamming Marston onto Tupu’s chest for a nearfall at 9:30. Hollister and Boucher hit a team powerbomb move on Tupu. Marston hit a package piledriver on Boucher for a nearfall, but Hollister pulled Boucher from the ring. Marston hit a Helluva Kick on Hollister. Hollister hit a low blow mule kick on Marston. Boucher hit a flying double knees on Marston, and Hollister made the cover for the cheap pin.
Shane Hollister and Shain Boucher defeated Solomon Tupu and Jay Marston at 12:15.
5. Heather Reckless vs. Maggie Lee vs. Shazza McKenzie in a three-way. Yes, this is “Heather By Elegance,” and she is a full 14 inches shorter than Maggie! Maggie had a shoulder injury so it’s been a couple months since I’ve seen her wrestle. She’s a babyface here; she’s pretty much a heel everywhere else. Shazza got heavily booed. The shorter women ganged up on Lee. Maggie hit a Helluva Kick on Heather, then some flying buttbumps on each heel. Maggie fell to the floor at 2:00, and sold pain that she reinjured her shoulder. Shazza applied a rear-naked choke on Heather, as Maggie was down on the floor. Maggie got on the apron, but Shazza immediately snapped Maggie’s damaged arm across the top rope!
Heather suplexed Shazza into the corner at 5:00. While standing on the floor, Maggie hit a hard kick on Heather in the ring! Maggie got in the ring and hit some clotheslines on Shazza and got a nearfall, and she tied her in a bow-and-arrow, but Heather hit a missile dropkick to break it up. Maggie hit a massive wheelbarrow German Suplex on Heather for a believable nearfall at 7:00, then a suplex for a nearfall. They all traded rollups, then all hit kicks and were all down! Nice! We got a “This is awesome!” chant. Heather hit a German Suplex on Maggie. Shazza hit one on Heather. Maggie hit a Blockbuster on Shazza for a nearfall. Maggie got shoved off the top rope to the floor! Heather immediately hit a Jay Driller and pinned Shazza! “What a match!” a commentator said.
Heather Reckless defeated Maggie Lee and Shazza McKenzie in a three-way at 11:04.
6. Adam Stallion and Cypher vs. Jack Valor and Eddie Grayson for the CSW Tag Team Titles. Valor and Grayson are really young and may both still be in high school; I’ve seen them a couple times here, usually getting the crap beaten out of them, but they seem to be good athletes. Grayson (in a full amateur singlet) opened against Cypher, who is tall and wore black (think Diesel but with Von Wagner’s long, flowing hair.) Cypher hit a LOUD chop that caved in the kid’s chest. Valor (equally as scrawny as Grayson but he’s shirtless) got in, but the champs beat him up.
Grayson hit a rolling cannonball for a nearfall at 4:00. Valor dove off the top rope onto everyone on the floor. In the ring, Grayson hit a spear on the short Stallion for a nearfall. Grayson accidentally hit Valor! Cypher hit a chokeslam and I heard a fan make a Kevin Nash comparison. Cyphe dove through the ropes. Meanwhile, Stallion hit a top-rope moonsault for the pin. Decent action.
Adam Stallion and Cypher defeated Jack Valor and Eddie Grayson to retain the CSW Tag Team Titles at 8:03.
7. “Warhorse” Jake Parnell vs. Matthew Rehwoldt. Rehwoldt wore sunglasses and a long scarf; his presentation today looks a lot like Christopher Daniels. He got on the mic and said “Man, does it feel good to be home.” He said his first-ever match was in a CSW ring! “I always remember where I came from.” He joked that he has invented a holiday, and the crowd chanted “Rusev Day!” Parnell ran in and attacked him from behind and we’re underway! Parnell has cut his long hair off and he’s barely recognizable from the last time I saw him just weeks ago; he actually looks a lot like Max Caster right now. They brawled at ringside. In the ring, Rehwoldt repeatedly slammed Parnell’s head into top turnbuckles.
Parnell began working on the left arm and he stomped on the elbow. He hit a running Facewash kick and got a nearfall at 6:00. Rehwoldt hit a back suplex and they were both down. Rehwoldt hit a slingshot senton, then a running kick for a nearfall at 8:00. The ref got bumped, and Parnell immediately hit a low blow uppercut. Shazza McKenzie ran into the ring and held Matt’s arms, but Matt broke free. Parnell dropkicked Matt and he crashed into Shazza in the corner! Parnell got a rollup with his feet on the ropes for added leverage for the cheap pin. Fairly basic action but it was fine.
Jake Parnell defeated Matthew Rehwoldt at 12:06.
* Parnell and his faction stomped on Rehwoldt, but Tupu and Marston ran in for the save.
* Inestra came to ringside and his left arm is in a sling. He got injured in a wild ladder match here last month. He said it’s unclear when he will be able to return to the ring. He suddenly switched to a heel promo, saying fans didn’t donate to his gofundme recovery account, so all the fans can “kiss my ass.” He yelled at Lili, saying she called his mother and made her “worried sick” and “I had to hear that for a month straight.” The crowd was all over him. Well done here.
8. Gringo Loco vs. Arez. Again, these two were TEAMMATES in a different promotion a few miles west of here just a couple hours ago! Conan Lycan is injured, so Arez was a late replacement. Quick lucha reversals at the bell and a standoff at 1:30; this is clearly a dance they’ve done many times. They traded chops, and Loco hit a standing moonsault for a nearfall at 4:30. Arez ran up Loco’s back. Loco hit a swinging faceplant for a nearfall at 7:00. Arez nailed a Pele Kick and a dive over the top rope to the floor. In the ring, Loco hit a second-rope Falcon Arrow for a nearfall at 10:00.
They fought on the top rope, and Arez hit a huracanrana to the mat. Arez nailed a frogsplash for a nearfall at 12:00 and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Arez hit a Lumbar Check backbreaker. Loco slipped coming off the ropes and Arez covered him for a nearfall; Loco seems okay, but Arez stalled to let him recover. Arez went to the top rope, but Loco got underneath him and hit the Base Bomb (swinging powerbomb) to the mat for the pin. A really good match, and what we’ve seen from these two multiple times now.
Gringo Loco defeated Arez at 14:30.
9. Missa Kate vs. Aminah Belmont in a Three Stages of Hell match. Stage 1 is a regular singles match, stage 2 is a submissions match, and stage 3 is a first blood match. I’ve routinely compared tough-as-nails Kate to NXT’s Adriana Rizzo; she had an ROH TV match in December. Belmont is the spoiled rich girl; she lost an ROH TV match to Diamante in October. Belmont hit Kate in the head with the title belt before the bell! The ref checked Kate and rang the bell. Belmont hit a slingshot slam and pinned Kate at 00:10! Belmont immediately applied a sleeper and she choked Kate in the ropes and jawed at the fans. Kate hit some deep armdags at 3:30 and she locked in a cross-armbreaker!
Aminah nailed a Lungblower to the back and she locked in a crossface. Kate tied her in a surfboard at 7:00, and she cranked on Belmont’s head, too. Kate hit a Lungblower move on the left elbow! Belmont hit a Meteora flying knees, but Kate tied up the legs, and Aminah tapped out at 9:39! Kate immediately mounted her and punched Belmont’s forehead, as this is now a first blood match. Kate hit a backbreaker over her knee at 11:30. They fought into the crowd, over to the merch tables, and along the walls. They returned to ringside at 15:30. Aminah slammed Kate head-first into the ring post, and rolled her into the ring at 17:30.
Kate repeatedly slammed Belmont’s head onto a folded chair in the center of the ring, but still no blood. They took turns hitting each other with the chair. Aminah hit a headbutt on the ref at 22:00; I’m unclear if that was intentional. Kate hit a running knee. Belmont hit a Flatliner into an exposed corner! Kate has a bloody forehead but the ref was still down. Belmont got the title belt and swung at Kate but she hit the ref again! Kate immediately hit a swinging neckbreaker at 25:00. Kate hit repeated chairshots to the back; Aminah grabbed the chair but Kate superkicked the chair into Belmont’s face! The commentators acknowledge they see the blood but we still don’t have a ref. Kate got a chair from under the ring. She went to hit a con-chair-to, but the ref got up, saw the blood on Kate’s forehead, and called for the bell! Good match.
Aminah Belmont defeated Missa Kate, 2-1, to win the CSW Women’s Title at 27:17.
* Kate got on the mic. A lot of guys from the back came and stood at ringside. She said this is where she started and she thanked the fans, and she seems on the verge of tears. She thanked Marshe Rockett, who was among those at ringside. Yes, now she’s crying as she hugged Rockett. However, he hit a stunner on her! The crowd was aghast and went NUTS. “This cannot be!” a commentator shouted. Rockett got her blood off her forehead and wiped it on his chest. People tried to get in the ring, but he kept hitting spears on them.
Finally, Steve Boz came to ringside to chase away Rockett. However, Boz hit a Sister Abigail swinging faceplant on her! Boz and Rockett shook hands. The crowd chanted “F— you, Boz!” He got on the mic and said he’s been waiting to do that all day. Rockett got on the mic and said they’ve been allowing the kids to play. The crowd chanted “Grandpa!” at Rockett. Marshe said he’s coming for Lycan. Boz complained that they weren’t in the main event; the crowd chanted “Shut the f— up!” Marshe hit another stunner.
Final Thoughts: An entertaining show. I will go with the Loco-Arez match for best of the night, as those two are just so smooth in the ring together. The main event was really good, too; they set out an ambitious length for the match and filled the time nicely. Considering it went 27 minutes, it certainly didn’t lag. Also, while they certainly gave each other a beating with the chair shots, there were no blows to the head, no chairs thrown. See? You can do a match without unnecessary risks. Quintero-FXB topped my expectations and that took third.
That was one heckuva show-closing angle. I definitely did not see that heel turn coming. When Kate got on the mic, and everyone started coming out of the back, I thought Kate had signed a contract I wasn’t aware of, as it felt like we were watching a heartfelt goodbye speech. I don’t mind the jaded veterans ganging up on the scrawny kids, although it does have a bit of a WCW vets vs. young blood vibe to it.
No real complaints. The matches with the younger, newer wrestlers were all kept relatively short. The scramble was messy fun. If I have a complaint, it’s that it took about 16 days for this show to finally be released on IWTV, and I fear people just won’t watch it because it might feel dated.
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