A Live professional Wrestling event from CSW

If you are asking yourself, “hey why hasn’t Arcadia Pod covered CSW in a while?”, I have answers for you. Firstly, as I’ve mentioned on Facebook, I’m currently knee-deep in a semester of graduate school, which means my weekends not spent at wrestling shows or with my family have been dedicated to reading countless history books. I’m 41 years old, and going back to school has been a challenge so far, although I appear to be doing better than I ever did in the past, so there’s that. Secondly, it’s been a somewhat challenging couple of months for Central States Wrestling (CSW) and Eastern Kansas-based professional wrestling as a whole.

There seems to be some undisclosed issues surrounding Army National Guard armories in Eastern Kansas, causing wrestling companies to face numerous challenges. For CSW specifically, they had to make an extremely last-minute venue change from Lenexa to Olathe back in November, and their subsequent show had to be cancelled for similar reasons. CSW: No One Rides for Free marked a slight return to Lenexa until the company crosses the state line into Missouri, where Missouri-based armories appear to be more secure.

Other companies like Trailblazer Championship Wrestling, Tri States Wrestling, and Fountain City Pro seem to have found a solution by avoiding the complications altogether, opting for fairgrounds, school gymnasiums, and event ballrooms instead.

As a result of all the scheduling mishaps, some of the planned matches announced at the end of Bad Moon Rising, and mentioned in my review, had to be scrapped. Unfortunately, this means that the street fight between The Premier versus Scott Tyler and Kenny Alfonso, one of the matches I was very excited for, was shifted into a part of a new announced series – The CSW Tag Team Championship Tournament. While I was dissapointed, at least fans got to see the next chapter of that feud, and hopefully it’s not the last! Fingers crossed we get that big blow off in the future.

The tournament was announced as eight teams split into two blocks going towards the finals being held presumably at the March 30th show (although it appears it could be the one after). At this show, fans got to see three of these first-round matches, with the final two teams of block B still unrevealed. This ought to be an exciting time to be a CSW fan, and a great way to bolster their tag team division!

Without further ado, here’s what happened at the show!

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The Card:

CSW No One Rides for Free – Feb 17th, 2024 – Lenexa Kansas @ The National Guard Armory

• “The Black Diamond” Luke Langley Defeated Cade Allan
• The Tribe (Hoodie and Anaya Howlett) defeated the team of Dred Roberts and “Handsome” Scott Hansen – This was a first round match in the CSW Tag Team Championship Tournament.
• “The Black Diamond” Luke Langley Defeated Gary Jay
• The Grindhouse (Mat Fitchett and Davey Vega) Defeated The Hatekeepers (Shain Boucher and Jay Marston) – This was a first round match in the CSW Tag Team Championship Tournament.
• “Magnum” Dak Draper Defeated Christian Rose
• The Premier (SK Bishop and Campbell Myers) defeated “2nd to None” Kenny Alfonso and “The Giant Killer” Scott Tyler (w/ Roscoe Leech) – This was a first round match in the CSW Tag Team Championship Tournament.
• “The Monarch” Jeremy Wyatt Defeated Gil Rogers to win the CSW Championship

These were the announced match cards:

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DISCLAIMER:

I try to go through most, if not all, of the matches and report on what happened and if the match had any significance to any ongoing feuds. You might think some of my opinions are dumb, or the way I review things is dumb, and that’s OK! We can all like different things, that’s what makes something like wrestling so great! I honestly try to stay positive because there is too much negativity in the overall wrestling community (in my opinion) and we can all do better. That isn’t to say I won’t offer opinions or criticisms, but that will apply when warranted. Remember, cut the B.S. and as the old saying goes, “Just enjoy Wrestling!”

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My Thoughts:

CSW newcomer, Cade Allan has emerged from the ranks of the KC Pro Wrestling Academy, making his debut at No One Rides for Free. Many fans may have seen Cade in the crowd at several shows, and witnessing him finally step into the spotlight was pretty cool. While I’m unsure of how many professional matches he had under his belt prior to this point, his CSW debut showcased his skills despite sadly ending in a loss for the night. Facing off against “Black Diamond” Luke Langley is no small task, yet there were numerous moments where it seemed that “the student would surpass the teacher.” This match suggests that Cade Allan has a promising future ahead of him in the world of professional wrestling.

The next bout featured the first of three tag team tournament matches, launching Block A with The Tribe (Hoodie and Anaya Howlett) squaring off against the duo of Dred Roberts and “Handsome” Scott Hansen. While three of these men are recognizable to most CSW fans, “Handsome” Scott Hansen, who competes for Mid-States Wrestling in Northern Arkansas and Southern Missouri, was making his debut in Kansas City. Roberts has been gaining some momentum in CSW, but securing that elusive first win has continued to elude him. A tag team matchup might have presented a refreshing change of pace for him, but there was one hitch—they were facing The Howletts (aka The Tribe), and as I’ve mentioned many times, Kansas City is Tribe Country.

Despite their efforts, Hansen and Roberts failed to mesh as a tag team, with Roberts’ serious demeanor clashing with Hansen’s more arrogant and lighthearted temperament. Ultimately, The Howletts secured the victory with a 1-2-3 count. However, the celebration was short-lived as The Premier, a team consisting of SK Bishop and Campbell Myers, emerged to reopen old wounds by attacking The Tribe once again. Longtime fans may recall their feud in 2022, which culminated in one of Anaya and Hoodie’s defining victories of their entire careers. So, why would The Premier target them again? It seems they aim to eliminate all other entrants in the tournament and make a bold statement. Could 2024 be the year The Premier proves they are among the top tag teams in Kansas City? I’m not sure cheating and interfering is the way to earn such an accolade.

Next up was a match pitting “Black Diamond” Luke Langley against Gary F’N Jay. Much like his previous match against “Magnum” Dak Draper, Gary Jay embodied a real-life video game character as he threw his body at Langley with reckless abandon, executing multiple Tope Suicidas and delivering a barrage of powerful chops. Langley, employing his trademark agility and precision, countered with a flurry of kicks before unleashing his signature Brain Buster—a move that rarely fails to secure victory.

Luke Langley experienced his fair share of ups and downs last year, transitioning from a monumental winning streak to a humiliating loss last fall. However, between the victory he eventually achieved in this match and his earlier triumph of the night, this was a HUGE show for “The Black Diamond” Luke Langley. Despite Gary Jay’s valiant efforts, he ultimately became just another statistic on Langley’s hit list.

Next up was the second of three Tag Team tournament matches, featuring The Grindhouse (Mat Fitchett and Davey Vega) facing off against CSW’s most common iteration of The Hatekeepers (Shain Boucher and Jay Marston). Mat Fitchett’s return to Central States Wrestling since early 2022 was a welcome sight for fans, particularly those who had followed the earlier shows. Among the various iterations of this stable, including a brief appearance by Anakin Murphy in late 2022, this version of The Grindhouse is the one fans cherish the most. Additionally, Davey Vega’s performance signaled a real return to form after his crushing singles loss to “The Monarch” Jeremy Wyatt.

Once again, this match was marred by interference from The Premier, all but guaranteeing a win for The Grindhouse. It was evident that neither team was pleased with the tainted victory, and both vowed to possibly rectify the situation at the next show. Only time will tell if they succeed, but as it stands, fans were left furious with The Premier’s actions at the Lenexa Armory.

With “Magnum” Dak Draper and Christian Rose both being towering figures, their match was undeniably going to be a spectacle for the fans in attendance. At one point, both men starting slapping the hell out of eachother, and I personally will not forget the sound of Rose chopping Draper. It was a sound akin to a hammer striking a hollow oak tree, as it reverberated throughout the arena. I’m not sure i have ever heard such a brutal chop thise side of Kenta Kobayashi or WWE’s Gunther.

While this was my first time witnessing Christian Rose in action, his history in Kansas City was evident, and fans appeared delighted to see him back, and especially in a CSW ring. Despite Rose’s relentless attack, Dak Draper showcased his heart and unwillingness to give up, ultimately securing a solid victory. After the match, Draper announced his intention to vie for the CSW Heavyweight Championship, which pumped up he crowd. Potential matchups against either “The Monarch” Jeremy Wyatt or reigning champion Gil Rogers would both be certified solid matches. Even though Christian Rose lost, I could tell the Kansas City fans enjoyed the match and hope to see him return soon for another match.

After attempting to tilt the odds in their favor by attacking various teams throughout the tournament matches, it appeared that The Premier had made a huge error in their thinking. When facing Scott Tyler and Kenny Alfonso, all the various bits of interference in the previous two matches had stirred up animosity among the other wrestlers, resulting in a pre-match beatdown. After the dust settled and the officials regained order, SK Bishop and Campbell Myers managed to regain their momentum by resorting to their tried-and-true strategy: cheating and breaking every rule possible.

The Premier resorted to their familiar tactics, like distracting the referee and low blows, as everyone expected. Despite being aided by the notorious Roscoe Leech, Tyler and Alfonso fell victim to every underhanded move in The Premier’s playbook. Roscoe, who had been enjoying a relatively successful run managing Tyler and Alfonso, was obviously not too happy about what was happening. Fans could sense his frustration as things unraveled, and it’s hoped that this defeat won’t sour their business relationship.

With luck, CSW will allow for a rematch with some form of equalizer, perhaps as a means to compensate for the match lost due to the armory scheduling issues. Revenge seems to be in order for Tyler, Alfonso, and Roscoe, and fans are eager to see justice served.

At 2023’s Bad Moon Rising, Gil Rogers shocked the world by clinching his first championship in Kansas City, defeating “The Monarch” Jeremy Wyatt. At the time, this victory seemed improbable for several reasons. First off, Wyatt had held a championship since 2021 and had suffered only a single defeat when he attempted to unify both championship belts in 2022, losing to “Magnum” Dak Draper. Secondly, Gil had only recently begun a winning streak after never winning a match in Kansas City ever. However, this isn’t to say Gil wasn’t deserving; he had been long been overdue for recognition of his numerous achievements in wrestling. As a member of Gil’s Army, I was excited to see what he could do, and if his heart and perseverance would once again pay off. One notable aspect of this match was witnessing a different side of Gil, as he seemed on the verge of succumbing to the temptation to resort to the same underhanded tactics as his opponent.

For this match, I had the best seat in the house as none other than “Magnum” Dak Draper came out to watch the match in the crowd! As you recall, he had stated that he was going to challenge the winner of this match, so he was scouting his opponents and bantering with the crowd. My son, who always comes to shows with me, regaled him with the ins and outs of second grade recess politics. Hat’s off to Mr. Draper, he was a great sport and made my son’s night.

Unfortunately, tragedy struck during this match, as Dak Draper jumped onto the ring apron at one point to prevent Jeremy Wyatt from using the belt as a weapon against Gil. Gil seemed poised for victory earlier, but Wyatt “accidentally” knocked down the referee, using him as a shield from a devastating crossbody from the top rope. Wyatt then baited Draper into attacking him, dodged the blow, and Gil inadvertently struck the belt. With the referee still down, Wyatt capitalized and secured the pinfall, stealing the belt from Gil Rogers and clinching his second run as the Central States Wrestling Heavyweight Champion. In true Wyatt fashion, he gloated about his victory, only to be informed by CSW Matchmaker Michael Strider that he would indeed face Dak Draper at the next show as he was indeed number one contender. However, with Gil Rogers owed a rematch, the match would be a three-way dance with all three men vying for that top spot. Hopefully, justice will be served for Gil and his fans in March.

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Conclusion:

First off, sorry this review is almost a month late!

Central States Wrestling – No One Rides for Free placed a significant emphasis on tag team wrestling, a facet of professional wrestling that CSW fans had long been clamoring for a bigger focus on. Discussions in CSW Facebook groups often revolved around the topic of tag team belts and potential contenders, so many were thrilled to finally see progress in this area. The Premier sure want to stack the deck in their favor, but they now have three teams furious at their continued interference in this tournament, and I can’t imagine that stops anytime soon. Will we see a concerted effort to ensure they don’t advance in the tournament? Only time will tell.

There was definite disappointment surrounding Gil Rogers’ loss in his rematch against “The Monarch” Jeremy Wyatt. It seemed clear that Dak Draper never intended to harm Gil, but the damage was done nonetheless. It will be an uphill battle, but personally, I would love to see Gil reclaim his rightful place at the top of the mountain! Join me at the end of March for the next show, and we’ll see what happens there!

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Check back soon for a preview of the next show, and even more local KC area wrestling coverage!