Tag: IndependentWrestling.TV

Spaulding Goes Strong Style: A Saint Louis Anarchy Preview

Like the coming spring, Saint Louis Anarchy has returned at the end of a cold, dreary winter. Not able to harness the power of the sun that heats the earth, Anarchy’s answer to a drab February is a hotly contested, one-night strong style tournament. The event, dubbed “In Your Hall: Strong Style Series” in reference to Anarchy’s home base at Spaulding Hall in Alton, is the first Saint Louis Anarchy event since “Gateway To Anarchy” on January 10th.

The eight-man Strong Style Series tournament is the highlight of the action on February 21, but there will be a handful of quality contests outside of tournament action. Gateway Heritage Champion Jeremy Wyatt will be defending his crown, if he can survive a bout with Jake Something at Journey Pro Wrestling in Kansas City the night prior. 

Last Anarchy, Jeremy Wyatt successfully retained his title in a hectic, dangerous, and pizza-destroying battle with deathmatch aficionado Nick Gage. This go round, Wyatt faces a completely different test in Anthony “Sharkbait” Gutierrez, who’s quickly became one of the premier hybrids of pro wrestling and mixed martial arts showcasing their talent on the independent wrestling scene. 

Also outside of the tournament is an Anarchy farewell to The Hooligans, who are wrestling their final match on US soil at Spaulding Hall. The Hooligans have run roughshod on the wrestling landscape over their careers, and reuniting to take them on are two representatives of Viking War Party, Herzog and Warhorse.

Warhorse has blossomed on his own into a bonafide star of independent wrestling. Once just a Little Viking in the War Party, Warhorse is now an ass-ruling Independent Wrestling Television Champion. If there’s anyone in Anarchy deserving of seeing off the Hooligans, it’s Warhorse. 

The evening’s showcase event is the Strong Style Series, which promises great matches from the opening round to the final. For the uninitiated in professional wrestling terminology, “strong style” refers to a style of wrestling where competitors rely more on strikes like forearms, kicks, open-hand chops, and generally lean on high-impact moves/slams to try to defeat their opponents. The eight men competing in this tournament are some of the toughest around wrestling as a whole. 

Nashville’s Brett Ison and seeming Anarchy regular (at this point) Aaron Williams go toe-to-toe in the opening round. Ison wrote a love note to strong style wrestling on Twitter, and will be looking to show the Anarchy faithful that strong style is “more than guys hitting each other really hard”. Williams is no slouch himself, despite a loss to Thomas Shire last Anarchy, Williams can throw with the best of ‘em.

Another opening round matchup sees a member of Greg Jovi’s dastardly Family, Jake Dirden, taking on the hard-headed Lonestar, Curt Stallion. Dirden is as tough as they come, but the real deciding factor in this match will be if any members of The Family will be joining him ringside for the occasion. 

Gary Jay faces Erick Stevens in the third of four opening round contests. The “Stiff Robo Ginger” Gary Jay will be right at home in Spaulding Hall soaking up the #AnarchyAtmosphere, the central headquarters of the Gary Jay Movement. Wrestling fans might remember Erick Stevens from his time in Ring Of Honor over a decade ago, but after a nine-year hiatus, Stevens is back and eager to prove that he hasn’t lost a step.

The final opening round fight sees “The King of Hoss Island” Thomas Shire take on Daniel Makabe. Shire has been trained by the best of the best, and the mastering of his trade has made him a highly respected figure on the Anarchy roster. However, Daniel Makabe might be one of the best in-ring wrestlers going today, and won Seattle promotion 3-2-1 BATTLE!’s “GO!” tournament in December. 

Winners of these opening round contests will meet in semis that night, and the winners of those semis will meet in the final, which will likely be a co-main event of the evening with the Gateway Heritage Championship match. The winner of the Strong Style Series earns a spot in May 1’s Submission Series, which will be another eight-person tournament highlighting a more mat-based style of wrestling.

Back outside of the tournament, the show is rounded out by The Kenway challenging “Big Beef” Gnarls Garvin, with both eager to showcase their skills and potentially climb the Anarchy ladder. Kenway, as usual, won’t be at Spaulding Hall looking to make friends. Conversely, “Big Beef” has quickly become a fan favorite, even if it’s just because people like chanting “BEEF! BEEF! BEEF!”.

Last but not least in this roundup is Greg Jovi’s loyal Family facing Anarchy’s best dressed tag team, Evan Gelisticio and Everett Connors. Angelus Layne and Christian Rose will be representing The Family for Greg Jovi, with Family member Jake Dirden occupied with the Strong Style Series tournament. Perhaps Raul The Bear can even the odds if Greg Jovi tries to get ringside.

Not just a flamboyant wrestler, Everett Connors is an entertainer, and will be in charge of the pre-party festivities before the main card kicks off at 7:30pm. Connors will be hosting a mini-hoop dunk contest, and there will also be a promo contest for anyone that thinks they can cut a convincing wrestling promo on a member of the Anarchy roster. I wouldn’t suggest anything too mean, however, because all of those guys could beat you up. 

Anarchy’s pre-show festivities start at 6:15pm, again on February 21. Tickets are available online here and general admission will be available at the door of the venue. If you can’t make it to Alton for the action, the show can be watched on IndependentWrestling.TV. 

Spaulding Hall’s famous pizza not included with the streaming purchase.

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A New Decade of Anarchy: A Gateway to Anarchy Preview

The Arch in St. Louis is known as the “Gateway to the West”, in honor of St. Louis’s part in the westward expansion of the United States. A few miles north of St. Louis, Spaulding Hall in Alton, Illinois serves as the Gateway To Anarchy. The wrestling event of the same name on January 10 marks Saint Louis Anarchy’s first show of the new decade and year. The once near-monthly Anarchy is becoming a monthly fixture in 2020, and the events of Friday’s Gateway to Anarchy show will likely set the table for the year in Anarchy to come. 

Gateway Heritage Championship Match: (c) “The Monarch” Jeremy Wyatt vs. Nick Gage

The matchup that’s been months in the making, the ultraviolent Nick Gage demanded a shot at Jeremy Wyatt for “the fuckin’ strap” and on Friday he gets it. The Gateway Heritage Champion for 458 days as of this writing, “The Monarch” Jeremy Wyatt has ruled Saint Louis Anarchy and every promotion in which he has defended his Gateway Heritage Championship in. In twenty-five defenses of the GHC belt, Wyatt has gone an improbable 24-0-1, the one blemish coming recently, in an arduous 60-minute time limit draw with Gary Jay in December at Journey Pro Wrestling in Kansas City. 

Wyatt, a mat-based wrestler who’s in his true element when he can slow things down in the ring and keep less technically sound wrestlers guessing, usually defends the Gateway Heritage Championship under the stipulation of “pure wrestling rules”. Those rules state that each combatant has three rope breaks to escape submissions or pin attempts, and that using a rope break or breaking a rule (such as using a closed fist or weapon) costs you a rope break. 

This stipulation has come into play in several title matches and is partially a reason Wyatt is still the champion. However, for this encounter with Nick Gage, Wyatt waived the rules, claiming the Gage is “too stupid” for the rules, and would just disqualify himself. 

Calling Gage stupid is a bold move, to say the least. Nick Gage is, in this humble writer’s opinion, the fiercest and most dangerous competitor wrestling today. He piledrove Warhorse through a flaming skull! He bashed Gary Jay across the face with a fluorescent light tube! He’s done much more to many other wrestlers and essentially left a pile of beaten and bloody wrestlers in his wake since his return to pro wrestling. 

Whenever Nick Gage enters a room to fight, the energy changes, it’s something you can feel as soon as his Metallica entrance music hits. Gage recently lost his GCW crown, per se, losing the GCW World title to AJ Gray (who then lost it to Rickey Shane Page) last month. Gage will be hungry to snatch the Gateway Heritage Championship and put some gold back around his waist. 

Warhorse vs. Fred Yehi

Once just a viking named Jake, in 2019 Warhorse evolved to a full-fledged Ruler of Ass, headbanging his way across independent wrestling and claiming the Independent Wrestling TV Title in the process. He’ll kick and stomp a hole through anyone and headbang in the ring afterwards. One of the Four Pillars of St. Louis Wrestling, Warhorse is a beloved figure in Anarchy and frankly anywhere he pops up for a match. Which, as of last weekend, includes a record store without a wrestling ring in North Dakota.

When I saw the Saint Louis Anarchy Twitter account tweet that Fred Yehi was going to be a big part of the Anarchy roster in 2020, I was immediately giddy with excitement. I first heard of Yehi a handful of years ago when a friend showed me this backyard wrestling match Fred Yehi had ages ago in front of dozens of kids in lawnchairs. A young Yehi was doing moves I’d only seldom seen in any wrestling ring, let alone someone’s backyard. 

Fred Yehi is a unique talent, not many in the world of wrestling possess his combination of technical skill and physical prowess. Yehi matches up well with anyone of any size, with a number of matches in EVOLVE against current and former WWE or Impact Wrestling stars, including WALTER, TJ Perkins, Jordynne Grace, and Brian Cage. He unsuccessfully challenged Jeremy Wyatt for the Gateway Heritage Championship in Journey Pro in August 2019, but will be gunning for that title in 2020.

The Besties In The World vs. Larry D & “Big Beef” Gnarls Garvin

To dust off an old chestnut here, Anarchy wouldn’t be Anarchy without the Besties. They are the half of the Four Pillars of St. Louis Wrestling and truly the heart of wrestling in the St. Louis area and beyond. The Besties are beloved worldwide, and by the nature of the wrestling business, has put a target on their back wherever they go. They’re champions in multiple time zones, and many believe they’re the best tag team in independent wrestling.

Aiming at the target on the back of the Besties will be Larry D and “Big Beef” Gnarls Garvin. Garvin will be eager to make an impression with the Anarchy faithful and those watching at home on Independent Wrestling TV, tweeting that he was excited to have this match against what he called the best tag team in America today. Larry D has made his impression already, primarily with his fists, which the Besties will want to avoid if they want to leave Spaulding Hall victorious. 

Gary Jay vs. Curt Stallion

As of now, the man who has come closest to dethroning “The Monarch” Jeremy Wyatt is the “Stiff Robo Ginger” Gary Jay. As noted earlier in this preview, Jay and Wyatt’s match at Journey Pro Wrestling’s “Die Hard Is A Christmas Movie” event ended as a 60-minute time limit draw, with Wyatt retaining the belt. 

Gary Jay has made his wrestling home at Spaulding Hall, the official headquarters of the Gary Jay Movement. The crowd erupts for the man when he arrives, when he leaves, and mostly, when he wins. One of the Four Pillars of St. Louis wrestling, Jay is an embodiment of the great wrestling in the area, but that title has put him directly in the crosshairs of Curt Stallion. 

When “Lonestar” Curt Stallion returned to Anarchy he told the Spaulding Hall crowd that he was what made St. Louis Wrestling great, not Jay, Warhorse, or either Bestie. After losing to Warhorse and failing to capture the Independent Wrestling TV title, he faces one of the few men who fights with a calculated recklessness like he does in Gary Jay. This match has “show stealer” written all over it.

Chip Day vs. Anthony “Sharkbait” Gutierrez

Two of the meanest kicks in the business square off at Gateway to Anarchy in Chip Day and Sharkbait. An incredibly successful MMA fighter with a 29-6 record across professional and amateur mixed martial arts, Gutierrez soaks in Finding Nemo-esque “Sharkbait ooh ah ah” chants at Spaulding Hall as he delivers clubbing, harsh kicks to anyone in his path. 

In what feels like a perfect matchup, the only man in Anarchy who can go kick-for-kick with Sharkbait is Chip Day. Day is coming off a great match with ACH at an Atlanta Wrestling Entertainment show less than two weeks ago, a nearly thirty minute brawl which saw him lose his GWC belt to the man who vacated it when he originally signed a WWE contract. With a win, Day could prove that he deserves to be in the conversation for the Gateway Heritage Title. 

Aaron Williams vs. Thomas Shire

Aaron Williams just had a fierce bout with Impact Wrestling’s Sami Callihan at Rockstar Pro Wrestling. Two days after that squared off with Gary Jay at an IWA-Mid South show that left both combatants bruised and battle torn, and Thomas Shire knows exactly what that feels like, having lost a tough tussle with Jay at the last Anarchy show, No Church In The Wild.

Thomas Shire’s mixture of technical talent and very non-technical toughness makes him an interesting package in the ring and a tough match for anyone. “The King Of Hoss Island”, Shire trained in Japan, an All-Japan, Funking, and Funaki dojo student, and that expertise comes out in his matches. He even does a Baba special takedown. What’s not to like?

The Kenway vs. Cole Radrick

Two young competitors attempting to climb the Anarchy ladder from different sides, The Kenway and Cole Radrick are as similar as they are different. The Kenway, a brash, over-confident yet talented wrestler who added a “The” to his name, versus Radrick, the IFHY representative who has won the hearts and minds of the Anarchy fans through hard work in the ring. Both men look for a win to start 2020 on the right track.

Seishin & Kenny Alfonso vs. Ace Perry & Deacon Cash

Deacon Cash, who I apologize for believing was named “Ethan Cash” and writing as such on the previous show, looks to make a name for himself alongside Ace Perry, who snagged a win with the Reigel Twins at No Church In The Wild. Their opponents, Seishin and Kenny Alfonso, are rising stars, both with big futures in wrestling based on what they’ve done already. Seishin is a black belt who’s become a staple of the STL wrestling scene, and Alfonso is looking to make more waves in Anarchy after facing the Besties In The World at Journey Pro in December. 

Christian Rose, Angelus Layne, & Jake Dirden vs. Evan Gelistico, Everett Connors, & Billie Starkz

Greg Jovi’s treachery has infiltrated Anarchy, much to the chagrin of the Anarchy Faithful. Luckily for those faithful, their “Space Jesus”, Billie Starkz, is teaming up again with Everett Connors and Evan Gelistico to go toe-to-toe with the villainous stable. Everett Connors originally enlisted Billie Starkz to teach Raul The Bear how to be a good bear, which, so far, has worked. 

The Gateway to Anarchy opens Friday, January 10. For those outside of the St. Louis metro area, the show will be streaming live on Independent Wrestling TV. 

For those in the area, Spaulding Hall opens its doors at 6:15 pm for the pre-event party, with regular doors opening at 7. The event proper starts at 7:30. 

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No Church In The Wild: A Saint Louis Anarchy Preview

Alton wouldn’t be Alton without Anarchy. Friday, November 8 marks the return of the near-monthly Saint Louis Anarchy to Spaulding Hall in Alton. The event, dubbed “No Church In The Wild”, is sure to add yet another chapter to the lore of Anarchy in St. Louis and throughout the wide world of independent professional wrestling. Each match offers excitement. 

Gateway Heritage Championship Match: Jeremy Wyatt (c) vs. Mikey

Like it or not, Anarchy in 2019 starts and ends with The Monarch, Jeremy Wyatt. Wyatt has ascended to a new level since he claimed the Gateway Heritage Championship last May, and hasn’t slowed down one bit. One of the best wrestlers on the mat you’ll find anywhere in the sport of pro wrestling, Wyatt has often implemented “pure wrestling rules” in his title defenses. 

Pure wrestling rules dictate that each combatant has three rope breaks to use to escape submissions/pin attempts. If one uses a rope break they lose it, and if one breaks a rule they lose a rope break as well. Notably, this came into play when Wyatt defended the title against Larry D, who’s meaty fists are his primary weapons in the ring. Without being able to use a closed fist, Larry D had to improvise, but ultimately stuck with his guns in a loss.

One of my favorite St. Louis area wrestling matches of all-time is Wyatt’s Gateway Heritage Championship title defense against Jonathan Gresham, a mat-based counter expert who nearly bested Wyatt at his own game. Wyatt’s critics, ones you’ll hear boo him as he makes his way out to the ring at Spaulding Hall, might say he doesn’t wrestle in a way that “wows” them. He’ll tell you he doesn’t give a damn what those critics say, and his lengthy title defense suggests he’s in the right.

Of course, there’s always a challenger who believes they can usurp The Monarch. Enter Mikey, previously of Roscoe Eat Lisa fame. At the last Anarchy event, Battle of Spaulding, Mikey was one of two wrestlers to make a challenge for Wyatt’s GHC belt, and by way of asking first, is first in line to get his opportunity. 

At Battle of Spaulding, Mikey talked about how he was cleared from injury, and was making a name for himself as a top competitor in Saint Louis Anarchy prior to being hurt. Mikey is a fan favorite, and the crowd largely agreed that it was his turn to take a shot at Jeremy Wyatt. 

Independent Wrestling TV Championship Match: Warhorse (c) vs. Curt Stallion

Few wrestlers around the globe have become the online sensation like Warhorse. As you might have seen on your Twitter feed, Warhorse rules ass, and it’s not just because of his in-your-face ALL CAPS TWEETING or his metal-as-hell promos. In the ring, and in the rows of seats around it for that matter, Warhorse is a commanding presence, whether he’s throwing himself into a crowd of people or suplexing someone through a pile of chairs. 

At September’s Battle of Spaulding, Warhorse survived a war with deathmatch icon Nick Gage, that nearly tore down Spaulding Hall as we know it. The ring was destroyed, chairs were thrown everywhere, there was even a flaming skull for good measure. Since he captured the IWTV title, Warhorse has become a true force to be reckoned with in any ring he steps in. 

Warhorse’s challenger at this edition of Anarchy is the Lonestar, Curt Stallion, who might be getting more recognition lately for his appearances on EVOLVE, but has consistently been a star of independent wrestling for at least the past two years now. Where Warhorse is a headbanger, Stallion is more a headbutter. Stallion’s forehead is potentially his most lethal weapon, and his matches often come to an abrupt halt when he hits one and knocks his opponent’s lights out. Stallion was a late add to September’s Battle of Spaulding card, and reintroduced himself to the Anarchy faithful as he defeated Chip Day in a slobberknocker.

After the contest Stallion demanded a match against one of the Four Pillars of St. Louis Wrestling. He drew the Warhorse, but the other three pillars, Gary Jay, Davey Vega, and Mat Fitchett, are also on alert with the Lonestar’s return to the Anarchy fold.

The Besties In The World vs. The Workhorsemen

After defeating Jake Dirden and Christian Rose last Anarchy, the usually talkative Besties In The World had one simple message: “Fuck The Workhorsemen”. Saying such a thing in the wrestling business means you gotta have a rematch, those are just the rules. The Workhorsemen beat the Besties at Anarchy’s Circus Maximus event, and have since held a bit of bragging rights over the Anarchy favorites. 

As I’ve written before, it’s not Anarchy without the Besties. Davey Vega and Mat Fitchett have become part of the heart of independent wrestling. As stated above, they are two of the Four Pillars of St. Louis Wrestling, a title given to them to honor what they are to the area’s wrestling scene. No longer a secret kept in the midwest however, the Besties are global, but so are the Workhorsemen, who were vying their trade in Germany’s highly regarded WXW promotion less than a month ago. 

Thomas Shire vs. Gary Jay

A rematch of a bout held in Atlanta’s ACTION Wrestling last month, Thomas Shire looks to avenge his October defeat to Gary Jay at No Church In The Wild. Shire might not be the favorite face of the over 200 in attendance at Anarchy, but his grueling fight with Gateway Heritage Champion Jeremy Wyatt at the Battle of Spaulding might have won him some new fans in Alton. While Shire couldn’t dethrone the Monarch, he fought like hell trying to, and I personally always respect a wrestler who pulls the shoulder straps of their singlet down to signify that they mean business. 

Gary Fuckin’ Jay, the Stiff Robo Ginger, the leader of the Gary Jay Movement, is more than at home at Anarchy. He’s spoken in the past about how much Anarchy means to him, and he’s potentially the true fan favorite in Spaulding Hall. Jay’s willingness to put his body on the line keeps the fans chanting his name, showing the Stiff Robo Ginger their respect for his balls-to-the-wall style of professional wrestling. His last Anarchy match might be considered a signature win for the Gary Jay Movement, as he beat Chris Dickinson with a thunderous shot and pinned Dickinson to secure the W.

The Kenway vs. Anthony “Sharkbait” Gutierrez

The now known as “The” Kenway is looking for retribution, even if the crowd doesn’t really want him to. After losing to Everett Connors, who had a little help from his bear, The Kenway needs a statement win in Anarchy to answer his detractors. A victory over Anthony “Sharkbait” Gutierrez would be that statement win. The affectionately nicknamed Sharkbait has become not just an Anarchy regular, but also an EVOLVE regular for much of 2019. Gutierrez, who sports a 12-3 pro mixed martial arts record as well as an impressive wrestling record, is a fierce opponent in any ring. 

Chip Day vs. Aaron WIlliams

Last at Anarchy in a losing bout against the returning Curt Stallion, Chip Day can whack with the best of them. That night, Day took exception to the Anarchy crowd’s seeming disapproval of him, and might have developed a negative attitude towards the Spaulding Hall faithful. Aaron Williams last competed in Anarchy in a losing effort against War Horse at this past May’s Hog Wild event, but is coming off a big win in a three-way battle against Michael Elgin and Jason Kincaid. 

Cole Radrick vs. Jake Dirden

With the previously scheduled Craig Mitchell now missing No Church In The Wild, Cole Radrick steps into singles competition with Jake Dirden. After impressing in a multi-man match at the previous edition of Anarchy, Radrick, repping indie faction IFHY, will look to impress and climb the Anarchy ladder. Dirden comes off a tag team loss to the Besties, but stood strike for strike with the victors and then some. 

Reigel Twins and Ace Perry vs. Evan Gelistico, “Big Beef” Gnarls Garvin and ???

The Reigel Twins are quick, precise, and a bit dastardly. Victorious over the Diamond Dogs at Battle of Spaulding, the twin tag team adds Ace Perry, who’s looking for revenge facing Evan Gelistico, who won the Battle of Spaulding four-way match he was also a part of. Joining Evan Gelistico is “Big Beef” Gnarls Garvin, who’s all beef and knows how to use it. According to Evan Gelistico on Twitter, Everett Connors will not be joining the team, so the two are looking for a third to level the playing field. 

Larry D vs. Christian Rose

Last but certainly not least, the current and three-time IWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion Larry D comes back to Anarchy to showcase his fist-oriented brand of wrestling to the Anarchy faithful. In his previous Anarchy appearance, at Circus Maximus, Larry D lost to Craig Mitchell, and looks to rebound. Christian Rose joined Jake Dirden in a losing effort against the Besties In The World, and is in a similar position. Both competitors will be hungry for an Anarchy victory at No Church In The Wild.

All of this exciting grappling action invades Alton’s Spaulding Hall on Friday, November 8. For those outside of the St. Louis area, the event will be live on Independent Wrestling TV.

For those in the area, tickets are available here. 
Spaulding Hall opens its doors at 6:15 pm for the pre-event party, with regular doors opening at 7. The event proper kicks off at 7:30.

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