Tucker’s In-Person Reaction – Anarchy Pro Wrestling’s “Maximum Overdrive” independent show

Tucker’s In-Person Reaction
Anarchy Pro Wrestling’s “Maximum Overdrive”
April 16, 2016
Berwyn, Ill. (Chicago suburb)
Attendance: Approx. 200

For as many wrestling events as I’ve been to, I rarely attend independent shows. This weekend my friend and I had some extra time on our hands and decided to make the trip to Berwyn, Illinois to see Anarchy Pro Wrestling for the first time.

The venue was tiny and smelled like rot, the roof was too low for proper top rope attacks, and yet we found ourselves hooked on the action throughout the entire three hour event.

Anarchy Pro is about as raw of a show as you can get in every possible way. Stories are minimal and somewhat jammed into matches in ways that don’t make sense. The promotion mainly features inexperienced talent, some of whom trained underneath the Anarchy Pro banner, and some of them ended up putting their bodies on the line in spots they probably weren’t prepared for.

However, what many of the individuals lacked in years, they made up for with an intense amount of passion for the business. Seeing the risks some of these men were making in front of such a small crowd was astounding, a true testament to the will it takes to become a pro wrestler. Some of the most notable fresh talents on the show were:

– Beauty and the Beast (Stevie Fierce and Rob Matter): These are two guys who just get “it.” This flamboyant duo wrestled in the second match of the night and stole the show with their charisma and fluidity in the ring. Both men have successfully separated themselves from the pack visually, wearing bright headbands and making sure to flex whenever possible. They were the most interactive with the fans of the night, falling into peoples’s laps, jawing with antagonizers, etc. Out of the whole night, these two were the most memorable and have the most complete package of the roster at this time. They also had the best merchandise available by a mile.

– Tylor Sundae: I have never seen a character as ready-made for Chikara as the ice cream man, Tylor Sundae. Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like. He hands out ice cream to children as he makes his way to the ring conveying an innocent and happy-go-lucky demeanor that’s infectious. His offense is entirely ice cream based. Successful moves result in him yelling different ice cream flavors. For each small jab he lands the ice cream man yells “Sprinkles!” And of course if he gets a near fall, he stares at the ref, holds up two fingers in disbelief and asks, “Two scoops?!” The man is incredibly invested in his gimmick. Hopefully he gains traction in a larger organization soon.

– Jon Hudson: While I didn’t get much of a flavor (excuse the pun) of character for him, Hudson was arguably the most technically sound wrestler of the night, carrying the opening half of a fatal four way elimination match. He resembles Shawn Stasiak in a good way and should have a bright future ahead of him.

– Roy Flash Gordon: The secondary title holder in the company, Gordon showed a solid aptitude in the ring but more importantly a natural charisma and sense of comfort in front of a crowd. He felt like a star when wrestling and should be able to go places.

– Yabo Gustobo: a psycho clown who has a whole bunch of tricks up his sleeve, ranging from jack-in-the-boxes to balloons filled with confetti to window framing. The guy was very good when interacting with the crowd and had a really fun hardcore match with voodoo man Mojo McQueen.

– Many of the other wrestlers also found ways to stand out in smaller ways. J.T. Simmons stole his victory via using the ropes for leverage; not by resting his feet on the ropes, but by pushing his arm against the rope from underneath to apply more pressure. Nice and unique! Joey Brittain has developed an interesting gimmick, essentially an A.J. Styles-like character that’s obsessed with beer. HUMEC, a newer wrestler trained by Mike Anthony, had a tougher time in the ring due to problems with his ring gear, but managed to get through the match and preserve his character throughout.

Maybe it’s time you took a chance on that small promotion near you. Everyone at Anarchy Pro Wrestling worked hard (in some cases, too hard!) and put out an entertaining night of wrestling. The show wasn’t perfect, and frankly a few parts were hilariously bad, but the passion exuded throughout the night put a huge smile on my face. Hopefully some of these guys break through to the next level. Who knows? Maybe the next big star is wrestling at your local armory…

Also, I Heart Stevie.

Show Results

– JT Simmons beat J.W. Lovely to retain the Mayhem (Hardcore) Championship

– The Spot Monkeys beat Beauty and the Beast.

(3) HUMEC beat Mike Anthony via DQ.

(4) Tylor Sundae beat Ruff Crossing, Jack Carpeter, and Jon Hudson in a four-way elimination match.

(5) The REVOLTlution beat The Enforcers &  Joey Brittain via DQ.

(6) Roy Flash Gordon beat Damien Tyler to retain the Midwest Championship.

(7) Bandolero Star beat Skayde, Jr. and El Gringo Loco in a triple threat lucha match.

(8) Yabo Gustobo vs. Mojo McQueen ended in a No Contest in a grudge match.

(9) Marcello Spade beat Max Holiday to retain the Anarchy Pro Heavyweight Championship.

Questions? Comments? Reactions? Find me on Twitter @BTuckerTorch, where I talk about wrestling and… stuff!