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.
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.
Ethan Cash and Private Eye Slade Porter were victorious in the two surprise pre-show matches, observed by a polite crowd who were potentially more invested in waiting for their pizza to come from the bar. Spaulding Hall’s pizzas, delivered right to you at your seat as you watch the action, has developed a fanbase of its own. I unfortunately missed a share of pre-show match one in line for a pepperoni pizza, but as a journalist, I offer my unbiased review of the famed pizza:
I’m eatin here!
I ordered the true classic slice, a good ol’ pepperoni pizza, no frills, no buffalo or bbq sauces. With the rush of early Anarchy fans attempting to get and eat their pizzas before the main show started, I waited for about five-ish minutes in line and another fifteen or so for the pizza to be brought out to my seat. The pizza, a thin crust, square-cut offering, was what some would call “well done”, with blackened crust around the edges and a bit of char to some parts of the cheese.
While the crust was too crispy to enjoy, the rest of the pizza flourished. Before I knew it, I had powered through half a pizza. A couple in the row in front of me offered me a slice of their pizza, I believed to be a barbecue chicken pizza, but realized I had ate half a pizza on my own and probably didn’t need anymore. This pizza is best enjoyed with friends, because alone you might accidentally eat the whole thing like I did.
Okay, back in the ring, Everett Connors was addressing Raul the Bear, who apparently has been interfering in Connors’ match, unbeknownst to the competitor. Connors announced he had recruited someone to watch Raul and make sure he doesn’t break the rules, and out came “Space Jesus” Billie Starkz. Starkz attempted to teach Raul a handshake/how to play pattycake, and the Bear looked visibly embarrassed when it had some trouble with the routine.
Jake Dirden def. “Lionheart” Cole Radrick
Greg Jovi came out and introduced Dirden and the rest of his goons in action for the night. I originally couldn’t hear his name because the crowd was chanting “Shut the fuck up” very loudly at him. Radrick impressed in 4-way action in his last Anarchy match, and while he was overpowered by Dirden physically, he fought resiliently, and came close to grabbing a win.
Anthony “Sharkbait” Gutierrez def. The Kenway
The Kenway, like The Ohio State University, might not necessarily need a “the” before his name, but like The Ohio State University, his attitude demands the distinction. While I do really enjoy The Kenway’s wrestling style, and his new intro music slaps, I’d be remiss if I didn’t state that the Anarchy faithful gave his dad a more loving reception.
Anthony Gutierrez never looks panicked or overly out of sorts in a wrestling ring, having seen it all spanning his professional mixed martial arts and professional wrestling careers. Sharkbait’s mat training and offense overwhelmed, and he ended the match with a stiff kick to The Kenway’s jaw. The Kenway would need help to the back following the match.
Chip Day def. Aaron Williams
Aaron Williams was greeted with a “Welcome back” chant from the Anarchy crowd, and also received a roaring ovation when he removed his very real tie mid-match. Chip Day, who didn’t quite get the reception he was looking for at Battle of Spaulding, met a much warmer and more welcoming audience at No Church In The Wild. This was the first of several strike-heavy matches. Both men chopped the hell out of each other’s chests, but it was ultimately Chip Day’s stiff kicks that proved the difference.
Christian Rose def. “The Best Hand In The House” Larry D
Christian Rose is the second member of Greg Jovi’s villainous stable in action at No Church In The Wild, with Jovi accompanying him to the ring. Larry D threw his weight around in the best way in this match, using a size advantage to counter Rose. Rose called timeout mid-match, which, if you’re not familiar, is not a thing in professional wrestling, and used the momentary confusion of Larry D and the official to turn the tide of the match. With the referee distracted by Jovi, previously mentioned stablemate Jake Dirden came out and incapacitated Larry D, and Rose sealed the victory.
Gary Jay def. Thomas Shire
When I saw this match on the card, I had a feeling that it had “steal the show” potential. It got out of hand quickly. Shire threw Gary Jay out of the ring early on, setting the tone for the rest of the match. Shire german suplexed Jay onto chairs and the cold, hard tile of the Spaulding Hall floor. Jay and Shire were throwing chairs at each other on the outside, fans running for both safety and a better view. Both competitors have earned a reputation for putting it all on the line, and this match was a shining example of why that is. Back in the ring, an exchange of strikes ended with Gary Jay landing a vicious shot, and he unexpectedly won via knockout.
The finish left some confused, with those in the back without a clear view of the ring wondering why all the sudden Gary Jay’s music was playing. Especially not happy with the finish was Greg Jovi, Jake Dirden, and Christian Rose. They effectively kicked Thomas Shire out by continuing to lay waste to Shire after the match had ended.
In a shocking twist, Angelus Layne, who had previously announced at Anarchy last year she was leaving wrestling following a neck injury, appeared to save Thomas Shire, but then kicked him as she was standing on a chair (a Saint Louis Anarchy no-no, it’s one of the rules) and was joined in the ring by Jovi, Dirden, and Rose. What does the return of Angelus Layne hold for Saint Louis Anarchy?
“Diamond Cut” Ace Perry and The Reigel Twins def. Evan Gelistico, Everett Connors, and “Space Jesus” Billie Starkz
While I had thought “Big Beef” Gnarls Garvin was going to be in this match, it was a pleasant surprise to find out Billie Starkz was in action at Anarchy again. Starkz, or “Space Jesus” has become an Anarchy fan favorite, and showed why in this match. Everett Connors might have the best wardrobe going in wrestling today, and Evan Gelistico was attempting to keep up wearing some great light-up high tops.
The Reigel Twins and Ace Perry are jerks, but very gifted athletes. The Reigels make a dynamic duo, and even pulled a bit of “twin magic” in this match to confuse Everett Connors. The Twins have even caught the eye of the prestigious New Japan Pro Wrestling, recently booked to compete at New Japan’s Lion’s Break events in December. There’s no doubt that the Reigel Twins are starting to make a claim for the hottest tag team going in Anarchy today.
Independent Wrestling TV Title: Warhorse def. Curt Stallion
If you haven’t heard, or haven’t been on wrestling social media lately, you might not know that Warhorse rules ass. Warhorse has consumed the man once known as Jake Parnell, and he’s ascended to new heights, marked by him capturing the Independent Wrestling TV Championship. His reign has been highlighted by kicking guys out of chairs, headbanging, and as previously noted, ruling ass. Curt Stallion is no slouch himself, and while he might not yell as much as Warhorse, his ruthless offense speaks for itself.
A “Both these horses” chant met the two as they squared off for the first time. Stallion seemingly threw everything but the kitchen sink at Warhorse, but the man wouldn’t budge. On several pin attempts, Warhorse kicked out before the ref even counted once. Stallion was befuddled, and figured he just needed to turn up the intensity to best the champion. You simply cannot be more intense than the current iteration of Warhorse, and eventually Stallion tapped, the Independent Wrestling TV champion retaining his crown.
The Besties In The World def. The Workhorsemen
The fan favorites in this one were clear from the outset. As I’ve reiterated in just about every review or preview I’ve written, Anarchy wouldn’t be Anarchy without the Besties. The Besties, in so many words, demanded a rematch with the Workhorsemen at Battle Of Spaulding, and Anarchy made it happen. The Workhorsemen are well respected, but not necessarily liked by the Anarchy faithful.
The precise tag team offense of the Workhorsemen was on display at No Church In The Wild, primarily, attacking Bestie Mat Fitchett’s left leg, his plant leg, and leaving Davey Vega, the other Bestie, watching from the corner. The referee of this encounter was intent to keep the match from boiling over, and kept Davey Vega fairly locked inside the Besties corner, while it seemed he didn’t quite manage the Workhorsemen’s corner as much. Not being able to plant on a hurt left leg, Mat Fitchett couldn’t get enough force behind his strikes to do much damage to either Anthony Henry or JD Drake. It was the heroics of Davey Vega, pulling his hurt Bestie through some tag team offense, that won the match for the good guys.
Following the match, perhaps irritated with a loss on the Besties’ home turf, Anthony Henry took his anger out on his tag partner, to the shock of the crowd and the shock of the Besties still in the ring. Left alone and vulnerable, Drake was defensive when the Besties first approached. Vega reached out for a handshake, and didn’t mean any harm.
“You’re cool with us man.” Mat Fitchett reassured Drake. “That guy (Anthony Henry) is an asshole.” Henry, with his actions, has seemingly ended the Workhorsemen, who were plying their trade all over the globe. Without Drake by his side, one wonders if Henry will be able to reach the heights the team once did.
Gateway Heritage Championship: “The Monarch” Jeremy Wyatt def. Mikey
Mikey, aware that Jeremy Wyatt is in his true element in these “pure wrestling rules” title defenses, attempted a strategy of catching Wyatt off guard before he could even prepare for the match. Mikey took the fight out into the people, throwing himself at Wyatt and the crowd around the ring as well. Wyatt looked legitimately out of sorts and caught off guard by Mikey’s efforts, until the match got back to the ring.
While Mikey is a fun competitor, Wyatt’s prowess on the mat was ultimately too much for him. His critics might say the “pure” rules tilt the tables too far in his favor in his defenses of the Gateway Heritage Championship, but Wyatt prides himself in his technical skills, and one could infer he believes a true Gateway Heritage Champion should be literate on the mat.
After his twenty-third successful GHC defense, Jeremy Wyatt addressed the Anarchy faithful. He brought up the Four Pillars of St. Louis Wrestling, Davey Vega, Mat Fitchett, Gary Jay, and Warhorse, and the credit many give them for building the St. Louis wrestling scene as it exists today. He then mentioned Nick Gage, a man who “comes in here with a different company’s shirt on” who’s beaten Gary Jay and Warhorse at Anarchy this year.
Wyatt made a salient point about the “Anarchy faithful” gleefully cheering for a man representing a different wrestling promotion beating the crap out of some of the Four Pillars that the same crowd worships as local wrestling gods. Next Anarchy show, Nick Gage makes his return to challenge Jeremy Wyatt for the Gateway Heritage Championship.
Wyatt addressed this upcoming match with Gage, and how he usually defends his titles under the “pure” rules and how some think he’s chickening out by only defending the title under those stipulations. Wyatt proclaimed that since Nick Gage is too dumb for those rules and would just get disqualified in a matter of minutes, that he would be waiving the rules. Wyatt vs. Gage, anything goes, for the GHC strap. See you next time at Spaulding Hall.
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