By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
St. Louis Anarchy “Canvas of Dreams 2”
April 24, 2026, in Alton, Illinois, at Spaulding Hall Club
Streamed live on YouTube
For the first time, they streamed the event live and free on their YouTube channel. This is their usual venue, with white walls and a low ceiling. The lights were on, and it’s easy to see. It was absolutely packed with perhaps 350 fans. The commentary track is not ideal; an upgrade would be nice. Noticeably absent are on-screen graphics that state who each wrestler is. Alton is located in the northeast corner of the St. Louis metro area.
* I’ll note that AAW and Freelance Wrestling both held shows in Chicago on Friday, so talent that could routinely appear at any of those three promotions were split across all of them.
1. Mad Dog Connelly vs. Will Kiedis. Kiedis is Australian, and he’s done shows across the U.S in the past month; he looks like a member of the Addams Family. Kiedis hit a dropkick at 2:00, then a flying knee from the apron to the floor. He set up for a dive, but Connelly cut him off with a forearm strike. Connelly dragged him back into the ring and planted his foot in Will’s throat and kept him grounded. He hit a gutwrench suplex for a nearfall at 2:30. Kiedis hit some chops.
They fought onto the ring apron, with them trading more loud chops at 6:30, and Connelly bit his forehead. In the ring, Kiedis hit a tornado DDT for a nearfall. Connelly hit a second gutwrench suplex, then a third one at 8:00, and he hit a standing powerbomb for a nearfall. They fought on the ropes in the corner. Will flipped him to the mat and applied a Crossface. Conelly hanged him along his back, and Kiedis tapped out. Solid brawl.
Mad Dog Connelly defeated Will Kiedis at 10:29.
2. Shimbashi vs. Jeremy Wyatt. Shimbashi is a regular in New Texas Pro, but he’s traveled a lot in the past year; he’s really trying to grow the ‘Mike Bailey mullet.’ With a lot of gray coming into his beard, the bald Wyatt is looking a lot like Tommaso Ciampa these days. They immediately traded chops. Shimbashi hit a big elbow drop at 2:00 and a clothesline in the corner. Wyatt tied him in an ankle lock, but Shimbashi scrambled to the ropes. Jeremy clotheslined both of them over the top rope to the floor. They looped ringside and brawled.
Shimbashi ran Wyatt’s head into the ring post at 5:00, and Jeremy was down on the floor. In the ring, Shimbashi hit a snap suplex, kipped up, and was booed. He hit an enzuigiri. Wyatt hit a Russian Leg Sweep and locked in a Crossface, and the crowd taunted Shimbashi to tap out. Wyatt hit a DDT for a nearfall at 7:00. Shimbashi hit three German Suplexes and an implant DDT for a nearfall. He dove through the ropes onto Wyatt. In the ring, he nailed a top-rope flying elbow drop. Wyatt got a backslide, then a leaping piledriver for the pin. That was pretty good action.
Jeremy Wyatt defeated Shimbashi at 9:17.
3. Buddy Shepherd and Everett Connors vs. Evan Gelistico and Pierre Abernathy. This is Connors’ final match, apparently. The average age of these guys must be in their 40s. Evan and Pierre attacked from behind, and all four brawled. After only a few seconds, the rotund Pierre grabbed the mic, and he was trying to catch his breath. They all hugged, but then Pierre and Evan attacked them again! (How gullible is Everett?) They worked Connors over in their corner — this match is like watching your dad and his friends wrestle.
Everett went for a Con-Chair-To, but the ref confiscated a chair. Buddy applied a sleeper on Evan, who immediately fell. This is pretty ugly, actually. Buddy went to swing a chair, but the ref confiscated it. Buddy swung at the ref, so the ref tackled him and apparently knocked him out! The ref quietly counted as all four were down. All four got up, and each man had a chair. Pierre halted them from swinging them, but then Pierre and Evan jabbed them into the stomachs of their opponents. Gullible again!
Someone in a full-sized bear costume got in the ring and beat up the ref. (He came out to Stone Cold’s theme song, and he did all of Austin’s signature spots.) Pierre and Connors traded blows. Evan hit a stunner on Connors for a nearfall at 7:30. Evan punched Pierre! Was that on purpose? They all got up and hugged it out again! Pierre hit a heart punch on Evan! Connors superkicked Pierre for the pin. They were definitely amusing themselves; I would recommend skipping it. The fans in the building enjoyed it, so that’s all that matters. The crowd chanted, “We will miss you!” at Everett.
Buddy Shepherd and Everett Connors defeated Evan Gelistico and Pierre Abernathy at 9:00.
* Intermission after just 43 minutes? It was only 13-14 minutes.
4. Chase Holliday vs. Victor Analog vs. Rahim De La Suede vs. Nick King vs. Camaro Jackson vs. Mike Outlaw for the vacant Destination Title. I wrote their names in order of introduction. I don’t recall if I’ve seen King before; he’s a white guy with a mustache. Holliday attacked Outlaw as he stepped into the ring, and we’re underway! Rahim hit a huracanrana and a dropkick, then an enzuigiri. Chase hit an Exploder Suplex. Outlaw and Jackson were about to fight, but the short King got between them and hit some chops on them both, earning a “You f—ed up!” chant.
Outlaw and Jackson beat him up, and they shook hands, but King got back in and hit a series of German Suplexes on everyone! Mike and Chase brawled on the floor, with Holliday hitting some loud chops. The rotund Chase hit a running chop on a seated Victor. In the ring, Rahim stole a rollup for a nearfall at 5:00. Mike hit a backbreaker over his knee. Rahim hit a tornado DDT on Outlaw for a nearfall. Analog hit a German Suplex on Rahim for a nearfall.
Chase hit a decapitating clothesline on Analog, then he slammed Rahim for a nearfall. Camaro hit a hard clothesline on Holliday. King pushed Camaro to the floor and tried to steal the pin on Holliday! King hit a pop-up powerbomb on Rahim, and he tried an ankle lock on Outlaw. Camaro hit a hard POUNCE that sent King flying! Camaro and Holliday fought on the floor, and Outlaw hit a flip dive onto both of them at 8:00. In the ring, Analog fought Outlaw. Mike hit a stunner on Rahim for the pin. I liked that — it was some good, non-stop action.
Mike Outlaw defeated Chase Holliday, Victor Analog, Rahim De La Suede, Nick King, and Camaro Jackson to win the vacant Destination Title at 8:46.
5. Gwen Neodonna vs. Ashlyn Alexander. Gwen is a punk rocker and is much taller. Ashlyn is the size of Piper Niven; she’s a powerhouse. Standing switches to open, and the height difference is quite vast. Gwen hit an armdrag off the ropes. Ashlyn hit some clubbing forearm strikes. They traded headbutts, and both were down at 3:00. They got to their knees and traded forearm strikes, and more while standing.
Gwen hit a flying back elbow. Alexander hit a Samoan Drop, and Gwen rolled to the floor. Ashlyn dove through the ropes onto Gwen! She rolled Gwen back into the ring and got a nearfall at 4:30. Gwen hit a spear for a nearfall. Ashlyn hit a spin kick to the head, then a fisherman’s twisting neckbreaker for the pin. Solid; this was the right length for this match.
Ashlyn Alexander defeated Gwen Neodonna at 5:39.
6. Davey Vega and Zakk Sawyers. I don’t think I’ve seen Zakk before; he’s a white man with a mustache. He acted like a dog, being on all fours and lifting his leg to pee. (Eye roll). He chased Davey while on fours until Vega fled the ring. Davey got back in and hit some chops. He choked Sawyers in the ropes and kept him grounded. Zakk got up and hit some clotheslines.
Now that Zakk was actually on his feet, I can see he’s got some decent size! He applied a crossface at 6:30. He slammed Vega on the apron, then hit a tornado DDT for a nearfall at 8:30. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Vega jumped on his back and locked in a rear-naked choke. They fell to the mat, and Zakk tapped out. Erase the first minute, and this was pretty good. The crowd chanted profanities at Davey.
Davey Vega defeated Zakk Sawyers at 10:15.
7. Billie Starkz and Laynie Luck and Allie Katch vs. Aaron Williams and “Unsigned and Don’t Care” Gary Jay and Anakin Murphy. Starkz’s team all wore Anarchy hockey jerseys; Pierre wore one of those earlier, too. The guys came out to Tiffany’s version of “I Think We’re Alone Now.” Allie and the scrawny, spaghetti-limp-armed Anakin opened. Laynie tossed Anakin into their corner, and the women beat him up. Gary and Aaron hit stereo jumping knees on Billie, then stereo discus forearm strikes.
Jay leaned Billie against the ropes and hit a loud chop at 2:00. Aaron hit a stiff kick to Billie’s spine for a nearfall. Gary hit a hard back elbow for a nearfall, then a snap suplex for a nearfall at 4:00. Billie hit a German Suplex, dumping Gary on his head. Aaron grabbed Billie’s leg and applied an ankle lock, but she rolled through it. Aaron nailed a superkick on her! Billie hit a tornado DDT at 5:30. Aaron set up for a One-Winged Angel, but she turned it into a Poison Rana, earning a “holy shit!” chant. Nice move.
Allie got a hot tag, and she hit some clotheslines, butt splashes in opposite corners, then rolling cannonballs in opposite corners. She hit a double Northern Lights Suplex for a nearfall at 7:00, then a senton on Gary. Laynie hit a rolling kick on Aaron. Katch hit a German Suplex and the women piled on Aaron for a nearfall at 8:30, but Gary made the save. Did Anakin get injured? He’s been out of this for a while. Okay, he just returned to ringside and hopped on the apron. Aaron and Gary hit stereo, discus forearm strikes.
Anakin jumped in, and each man put a woman on his shoulders, but the women got stereo rollups. The three women surrounded Gary, who hit chops and punches on all of them. Laynie hit a DVD on Gary and pinned him! A fun match, but you certainly have to suspend your disbelief that these three could take down the bigger Williams and Jay.
Billie Starkz and Laynie Luck and Allie Katch defeated Aaron Williams and “Unsigned and Don’t Care” Gary Jay and Anakin Murphy at 10:53.
8. Charli Evans vs. Eddie Kingston. A big pop for each competitor. Despite the cheers, Eddie did his best to act like a heel and try to get some boos. Standing switches and Eddie’s height and weight advantages are quite pronounced. Evans tried a headlock. Eddie clocked her and dropped her at 3:30. He backed her into a corner and hit some chops. He hit a Rude Awakening standing neckbreaker at 6:30. Eddie stomped on her and kept Evans grounded. She hit a Flatliner into the middle turnbuckle, then a Facewash kick at 9:00, and another.
Eddie hit a high-angle back suplex, then a half-nelson suplex, but she rolled to the floor at 11:00 to avoid a pin. She hit a crossbody block in the ropes, then a running kick to the side of the head, then a German Suplex for a nearfall at 12:30. This crowd was HOT and into this! She hit a series of clotheslines, and now Eddie rolled to the floor at 14:00 to regroup. Back in the ring, she hit a spinning back fist, but he hit one back! Eddie pulled her to her feet, and he hit a DDT and scored the decisive pin.
Eddie Kingston defeated Charli Evans at 15:04.
Final Thoughts: First, the good — St. Louis Anarchy acknowledged they had a poor draw in Las Vegas, but returned home to a packed building with a crowd that was clearly appreciative of everything they saw. This was a hot night of action.
I know I’m in the minority here, and that’s fine, but if I have this roster to book the show, I’m booking a first-time-ever Gary Jay vs. Eddie Kingston and Charli Evans vs. Allie Katch — those are more of ‘dream matches’ to me. (Evans faced Luck and Starkz in singles matches last weekend in Las Vegas.) I know modern indy fans want something they can’t see in WWE, and that includes the intergender matches. But in a real fight? Yeah, Eddie kills Charli. So you have to really suspend your disbelief that she can stand toe-to-toe with him.
The top two matches were fun despite my reservations about male-on-female violence, and the Shimbashi-Wyatt match was more of my preferred style. The scramble was fun and well-planned. The third match didn’t do much for me, but it’s clear this crowd knows those aging veterans and was fine with the speed and style of it.
The show clocked in at just 2 hours, 22 minutes.
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