By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
We are looking for reports on all WWE, AEW, NXT, Impact Wrestling, GCW, MLW, and other notable live events. If you attend a show, you are encouraged to send a report or even basic results to dotnetjason@gmail.com
Freelance Pro Wrestling “3 Counts At Freelance”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
December 9, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois at Logan Square
The venue was a small ballroom with a high ceiling, and attendance was maybe 250-300. The last few times I’ve checked in on Freelance, they’ve been at a tavern, which just creates a different atmosphere. Lighting is good, and the hard camera is on a second deck, so we are looking down a bit into the ring. Notably, Dreamwave Wrestling was holding a show in La Salle, roughly a 65-minute drive west at the same time, so that really splits the available Midwest-area talent.
1. Darius Latrell defeated Robbie Reeves, Alfonso Gonzalez, Wind Dragon, Laynie Luck, and Danni Bee in a six-way scramble at 6:29. My first time seeing Wind Dragon, who is Asian, and he wore a karate outfit. The women opened. Tall basketball player Latrell battled Wind Dragon, and he no-sold WD’s offense. Danni hit a top-rope flip dive to the floor on everyone at 4:30. In the ring, Reeves hit a spinning back suplex on Laynie. Latrell hit a double chokeslam, then a swinging Flatliner to pin Wind Dragon. Decent scramble.
2. Dan the Dad defeated Shane Mercer (w/James Russo) via DQ at 14:17; Mercer retained the Freelance Underground Title. The muscular Mercer is one of those top indy guys I would build around. Mercer attacked and easily hip-tossed Dan across the ring. They brawled to the floor, and I can see the crowd is bigger than I initially thought. Mercer suplexed Dan onto the guardrail at 2:00, and he dropped Dan throat-first on the guardrail, and he remained in control as they got back into the ring. He hit a piledriver for a nearfall at 4:30, then a delayed vertical suplex; this has entirely been a one-sided match so far. Mercer applied a rear-naked choke and Dan nearly passed out, but he fired up. They went to the floor, where Dan shoved Shane head-first into a ring post at 8:00.
In the ring, Dan hit a top-rope crossbody block. He sipped from his coffee cup and hit some jab punches, then a DDT for a nearfall. Dan hit a spinebuster at 10:00 and a People’s Elbow for a nearfall. He took off his belt but he was distracted by Russo. Mercer immediately hit a powerslam for a believable nearfall. Mercer went for Moonsault & Battery but Dan escaped. Dan hit him with the belt, then hit a powerbomb out of the corner for a nearfall at 12:30. They traded mid-ring forearm strikes, and Dan peeled off his T-shirt. Dan hit a stunner, then a backpack stunner for a nearfall, bt Russo yanked on the ref’s foot. The ref called for the bell, so Russo punched the ref. An entertaining match.
* Craig Mitchell hit the ring, but he beat up Dan the Dad!
3. Allie Katch defeated GPA (w/Laynie Luck) in an intergender match at 9:15. Allie dropped GPA with a shoulder tackle, and Laynie pulled him from the ring to regroup. Allie dove to the floor onto both of them. Back in the ring, GPA repeatedly stomped on her and took control. He choked Allie in the ropes while pausing to kiss Laynie, earning boos. Allie hit her seated senton at 6:00, her buttbump in the corner, and a rolling cannonball for a nearfall. The ref ejected Laynie for interfering. GPA hit a stunner and put his feet on the ropes for a nearfall at 8:30. Allie hit her piledriver out of the ropes for the pin.
4. “Miracle Generation” Kylon King and Dustin Waller defeated Davey Bang and August Matthews for the IWTV Tag Team titles at 17:42. This match is why I watched the show. MG are Northeast talents. Kylon and Bang opened, and Bang hit a dropkick. August and Waller entered at 2:30 and they traded quicker offense. B&M began working over Waller. Kylon hit a stiff kick to August’s spine at 5:00, then a spinebuster for a nearfall, as MG kept August in their corner. Bang made the hot tag at 7:30 and hit a leaping stunner. Bang hit a top-rope crossbody block on Waller for a nearfall. Waller hit a top-rope Blockbuster at 10:00. August hit a suplex, and suddenly everyone was down.
Bang and Waller got up and traded chops. Bang hit his moonsault to the floor while August dove through the ropes at 12:00. King hit a second-rope double Northern Lights Suplex. Nice. King hit a top-rope moonsault to the floor onto both B&M. In the ring, Waller hit a Lethal Injection, and King hit a frogsplash for a nearfall, and the crowd loudly chanted “This is awesome!” Waller accidentally hit Kylon with the Lethal Injection at 15:00! Bang hit a clothesline on Waller. Bang nailed the Spears Tower on Kylong for a nearfall, but Kylon pulled Matthews to the floor to break up the pin. All four fought in the ring. Waller nailed a top-rope Canadian Destroyer, rightfully earning a “Holy shit!” chant. Kylon hit a Superplex, and Waller immediately hit the Mamba Splash to pin Bang. “What a matchup!” a commentator said. Excellent indy-style tag matchup.
5. Koda Hernandez defeated Kody Lane at 10:03. I’ve written this a few times now, but Koda Hernandez is on the verge of breaking out of the Midwest scene. I always compare Lane to the flamboyant Juice Robinson. Quick reversals and Koda immediately hit some rolling suplexes. Lane hit a doublestomp ino the corner at 4:00. They fought to the floor, where Lane dropped him stomach-first onto the guardrail, then hit a legdrop across his neck, and they were both down on the ground. Back in the ring, Lane hit a piledriver for a nearfall at 8:30. Koda hit a sunset flip powerbomb, then a double-arm DDT for the pin! That was really good and I wouldn’t have minded that going longer. A big win for Koda against an established pro.
6. Darin Corbin defeated Chico Suave to retain the Freelance Legacy Title at 12:13. Suave is short and a bit rotund and a beloved babyface here. (His gear and overall body size is fairly identical to Gringo Loco.) Corbin is now a 20-year pro and he’s a pesky heel that everyone loves to boo. Chico hit some quick moves and Corbin rolled to the floor to regroup. Back in the ring, Chico hit a leg lariat at 2:00. Chico dropped Darin crotch-first on the guardrail. In the ring, Corbin took control of the action. Corbin hit a spear for a nearfall at 8:00. Chico hit a bulldog for a nearfall. Corbin missed a frosplash. Chico got Corbin on his shoulders but Corbin raked his eyes. Corbin shoved Suave head-first into a turnbuckle, then he hit a running stunner for the pin. Okay match with great crowd heat.
* As Chico was headed backstage, he was attacked by a masked man! The masked man repeatedly struck Chico with a chair.
7. Storm Grayson defeated Sandra Moone to retain the Freelance World Title at 17:45. Moone is decent, but she is much, MUCH smaller than the muscular Grayson, who has wrestled on WWE TV before. She hit a top-rope crossbody block at 3:00 and she hit some blows early on, causing him to roll to the floor and stall. In the ring, she hit a clothesline but didn’t knock him down. He finally hit a dropkick at 7:00 and posed. Grayson hit a second-rope superplex, but she hit a suplex, and they were both down at 9:30. Storm hit an enzuigiri. She dove through the ropes onto him and she was fired up.
Moone hit a top-rope missile dropkick for a nearfall. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Moone hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. She hit a German Suplex at 15:00. He hit his own Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. He grabbed his title belt, and they fought over it. The ref got bumped, and she hit Storm in the head with the belt for a nearfall. She went for a gut-wrench suplex but he blocked it.He hit a back suplex and a running kick to the side of the head for the pin.
Final Thoughts: Bang & Matthews vs. Miracle Generation stole the show, as I figured they would. Koda-Lane was really strong for second place, and an entertaining Dan-Mercer match takes third-best. However, in just seven matches, Freelance had three intergender matches, and I again ask why. There were four women on this show… why not have two singles matches, or one tag team match?? In none of these cases, did I feel the women were believable in having a shot against a bigger, stronger male opponent.
Be the first to comment