REVIEW: Trailblazer Championship Wrestling - Taking Over (2024)

A Live Professional Wrestling show

In my review of Trailblazer Championship Wrestling – Monster’s Brawl 3, I noted how the fledgling company from Gardner, KS had drawn a lot of attention after taking a summer hiatus. With the added eyes on the product and extra hype, the show was a resounding success, both in terms of crowd reception and attendance, marking their largest audience to date. Reflecting back on early 2023, when I first attended a Trailblazer show at the National Guard Armory in Ottawa, Kansas, I remember seeing staff scrambling to put out extra chairs (and by staff I mean the Wranglers!) – a promising sign of growth even then. Fast forward to 2024, and attendance has more than doubled, a testament to the booming wrestling scene in Kansas City.

With around 20 promotions currently operating between Kansas City and St. Louis (and whispers of a new one launching in 2025 in the KC area), the regional wrestling scene is thriving. I primarily cover 5-6 of these companies, and it’s exciting to witness this level of activity, even as a tangential participant. Among these, KCXW and Trailblazer are leading the pack in attendance, proving that perseverance and a solid connection with fans can elevate underdog promotions to the forefront.

Riding high on the success of Monster’s Brawl 3 – a show many considered Trailblazer Championship Wrestling’s highpoint in a year packed with highpoints, there was plenty of anticipation and curiosity surrounding their November show, Taking Over. It marked several firsts for the promotion: the first time an all-women main event headlined a show and the first time a hardcore match was prominently advertised. This goes to show Trailblazer’s commitment to innovation and keeping their product fresh, all while maintaining their reputation as a family-friendly wrestling promotion. Striking that balance can be tricky, but Trailblazer consistently proves they’re up to the challenge.

Get ready to see what happened just a couple of weeks ago at Trailblazer Championship Wrestling Taking Over!

For More about Trailblazer Championship Wrestling, check out their website HERE, Facebook Page HERE, their Twitter page HERE, or YouTube HERE. For a list of my Trailblazer coverage, click HERE, and HERE for all of my wrestling coverage, local and national. Don’t forget to also check them out on Cagematch, HERE. If you are a fan, make sure to drop likes, and reviews, or join their social media pages!

The Card:

Trailblazer Championship Wrestling – Taking Over

Gardner, KS @ The Johnson County Fairgrounds 11-16-24

Singles match – “YOGAMONSTER” Mike Sydal Defeated Robin Steele by pinfall
Tag team match – Rocco The Barbarian and “The Unnatural Disaster” Salum Gust (w/ Dekin Cane) Defeated The Wranglers (Bobby Joe Black and Johnnie Jo Black) by pinfall
Singles No DQ Match – Luke Anthony defeated Miracle Mike James (w Dekin Cane) by pinfall
Singles match – “The Suplex Cyclone” Curt Gannon defeated “More than a Conqueror” Alvin Falcone via technical submission
MAIN EVENT Singles match – “The Phoenix Princess” Aminah Belmont defeated Maggie Lee by submission (although a bit of cheating may have occurred)

DISCLAIMER:

I make it a point to cover most, if not all, of the matches and provide reports on what happened, along with any significance they may have to ongoing feuds. You might think some of my opinions are dumb, or the way I review things is dumb, and that’s OK! Diversity in preferences is what makes wrestling so great. I strive to maintain a positive outlook because there’s already enough negativity in the wrestling community (in my view), and we can all contribute to making it better. However, it doesn’t mean I won’t offer opinions or criticisms when warranted. Let’s cut the B.S. and, as the old saying goes, “Just enjoy Wrestling!”

My Thoughts:

The opening match of Taking Over kicked the show off with a solid showdown between “YOGAMONSTER” Mike Sydal and Robin Steele. While Sydal’s pedigree and long history in the Kansas City wrestling scene don’t need much introduction for longtime fans, it’s impossible to overlook how much of a breakout star Robin Steele has become since joining Trailblazer in late 2023. Sure, Steele’s tactics are often questionable, but the fact remains – he wins more often than not. In my preview, I wasn’t sure about his “unholy alliance” with Miracle Mike James and potentially Dekin Cane, knowing he was more of an ally to James than a full-fledged member of Cane’s management company. This match didn’t feature much of that alliance, though, as Cane was busy with his own issues (which we will discuss later on), and James was preparing for his match with Luke Anthony, leaving Steele to fly solo. And that might’ve been his downfall.

Steele’s greatest joy (and perhaps his weakness) is his desire to get under the crowd’s skin, and tonight was no different. He spent a good chunk of time arguing with the fans, especially focusing on a kid wearing a lucha mask in the front row. While Steele felt the need to keep going back to the fans and bicker, Sydal was left to work his technical offense. Steele’s divided attention proved to be a mistake. After all, he was facing one of the best technical wrestlers in the area – someone who frequently appears on national brands like AEW and ROH. Perhaps it would’ve been wise for Steele to take the match a little more seriously. But who am I? I just report on this stuff!

Sydal kept Steele grounded for a lot of the match, targeting his arms and shoulders with a series of painful submission holds. Steele did manage to shift the momentum a few times, resorting to some underhanded tactics, but his earlier distractions had already lost him a lot of steam. Sydal, feeding off the crowd’s energy, strung together a series of his signature moves and sealed the win with a clean 1-2-3. It was a great start to the show, and a reminder that even the most skilled technical wrestler in the region can expose a wrestler’s weaknesses when they’re more focused on picking fights with fans than winning the match.

One of the most jaw-dropping moments from Monster’s Brawl 3 came when “The Midwest Mouth” Dekin Cane was accidentally hurled from the ring apron onto the timekeeper’s table, shattering it to pieces and leaving him looking like he might be out for a while. Despite the chaos, his client, Rocco the Barbarian, capitalized on a brief moment of hesitation (possibly even remorse) from “Rapid Delivery”Roy Fox and snatched a victory, further solidifying his meteoric rise up the Trailblazer rankings. Heading into Taking Over, fans were left wondering: what condition would Dekin be in after such a brutal fall? Would he even show up to back Rocco against “The Cryonic Redneck” Tim Boston?

Well, we all got some BAD news on two fronts – Dekin was not only present and full of rage, but Boston had to cancel his appearance, throwing the match card into disarray. Ever the opportunist, Dekin turned the situation into a bold proclamation: his clients are so dominant that others are ducking them out of fear of defeat. To drive his point home, he issued an open challenge on Rocco’s behalf. Suddenly, the unmistakable foot-stomping and hand-clapping beat of the mid-90s Swedish dance anthem “Cotton Eye Joe” echoed through the arena, signaling the arrival of none other than The Wranglers, who had not set foot in Trailblazer Arena since May. Bobby Joe and Johnnie Jo stormed the ring, leaving the crowd buzzing with speculation. Would Rocco face both Wranglers in a handicap match? Or would one of them step up solo?

Dekin, however, had one more surprise up his sleeve – a new client he’d been keeping under wraps for just such an occasion: “The Unnatural Disaster” Salum Gust! Salum Gust has always been a wrestler who thrives on aligning himself with powerful figures who can help him twist the rulebook to his advantage – or shred it entirely. For a time, his partner in crime was none other than “Madman” Max Sterling, a man who often exploited Gust as a weapon in his ongoing war against Trailblazer management. However, Sterling’s brutal encounter with “The Grand Regent” Camaro Jackson left him sidelined with fractured ribs and a broken orbital bone, leaving Gust without his usual enabler. Would this be the moment Gust turned over a new leaf or sank even deeper into his bag of tricks? We got our answer loud and clear.

Enter Dekin Cane and Rocco the Barbarian, who may prove to be better for Gust in the long run. Unlike Sterling, who craved chaos and often spoiled his own matches just to inflict pain, Dekin and Rocco have a singular focus: winning and getting paid. It’s a more calculated, albeit no less ruthless, approach to domination. Gust, rumored to have had a rough upbringing and a penchant for destruction, seems to have found a pairing that could amplify his potential without Sterling’s reckless abandon.

Bobby Joe Black showed off new moves he had picked up since his absence, including an insane dive from the ring onto both Salum and Rocco – a moment that drove the crowd wild. Unfortunately, Johnnie Jo Black wasn’t as lucky, often finding himself on the receiving end of a brutal beatdown from the opposing duo. Despite a valiant effort, The Wranglers fell short when Bobby Joe missed a high-risk top-rope maneuver, eventually leading to a pinfall victory for Rocco. This defeat ended The Wranglers’ winning streak and cemented the new stable of Dekin, Rocco, and Gust as a serious threat in Trailblazer.

Side note: A humorous highlight came when the crowd chanted, “Get the tables!” at Dekin Cane, who hilariously had brandished a doctor’s note forbidding any physical contact or any near proximity to said furniture!

One of the night’s most highly anticipated matches was the No Disqualification bout between Miracle Mike James and Luke Anthony – a grudge match months in the making. This feud began in October at Monster’s Brawl 3, where James twice targeted Anthony: first by costing him a match against Robin Steele and later ambushing him with Dekin Cane’s wrench during James’ open challenge that Anthony had answered. To settle the score, Trailblazer management sanctioned this rematch as a No DQ contest at Anthony’s request. Unless I missed something wild in 2022 before I discovered Trailblazer, I don’t believe they had ever done what many would consider a “hardcore match” before. The no DQ stipulation, a first for Trailblazer Championship Wrestling, added an extra layer of stress for the fans – especially given James’ reputation as a seasoned competitor in deathmatch wrestling. While Anthony’s athleticism is undeniable, his inexperience in hardcore matches made this feel like a lopsided battle against the merciless James, wanting to quench his bloodlust.

The match began deceptively tame, resembling a standard bout until weapons inevitably entered the fray. Kendo sticks, trash cans, chairs, and more turned the ring into a battlefield, with James taking the upper hand as a master of violence. The turning point came when James began assembling a horrific structure of chairs, one with chair legs sticking up like a spikes, clearly intending to use it to put an end to Anthony’s career. But just as it seemed the young upstart was doomed, Anthony’s athletic instincts kicked in. With a quick reversal, Anthony sent James crashing face-first into his own twisted creation, leaving the veteran bloodied and stunned.

Likely seeing where the match was going, Dekin Cane attempted to toss his wrench into the ring for James to use, only missing him entirely. Seizing the moment, Anthony rallied, swung for the fences with the wrench and secured an seemingly impossible victory. As he stood tall, wrench in hand, the fans erupted, fully aware they had just witnessed history. Luke Anthony not only overcame Miracle Mike James but silenced the doubters in what will surely be remembered as one of the wildest, most intense matches in Trailblazer history.

Next up was a battle between Trailblazer’s number one contender, “The Suplex Cyclone” Curt Gannon, and newcomer “More than a Conqueror” Alvin Falcone. The night began with Gannon delivering a scathing interview promo, calling out Trailblazer Heavyweight Champion “Astonishing” Austin Mulitalo. Gannon was incensed, accusing Austin of avoiding him for the past five months and failing to defend the championship since winning it in May. Gannon’s frustration was palpable, and the crowd’s chants of “Curt’s going to kill you!……Curt’s going to kill you!……” only added to the tension as Falcone made his Trailblazer debut.

Despite the hostile atmosphere, Falcone didn’t back down. I met Falcone at the gimmick table earlier on and noticed how tall the guy is, I’m 6’1″, and he was towering over me. With his towering presence, Falcone initially threw Curt around a bit. He must have noticed Curt’s penchant for dealing out bone splintering suplexes, and matched Gannon early in the match, showcasing his own power with a series of high-impact throws. For a moment, it seemed the debuting powerhouse might rattle the seasoned veteran. However, Gannon’s resilience and precision were on full display as he weathered the storm and responded with suplexes that left the crowd in awe. Chant’s of “FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!” now filled the arena.

The decisive moment came when Gannon locked in his devastating new submission finisher, “The Severn Choke,” a move he’s mastered to perfection after learning it from Dan “The Beast” Severn. Just as he did against Big Munch, Gannon rendered Falcone unconscious and unable to answer a three count, earning a decisive victory. The win solidified Gannon’s position as the undeniable number one contender. With his relentless strength and evolving arsenal, “The Suplex Cyclone” Curt Gannon has never been more dangerous. If and when Austin Mulitalo finally steps into the ring with him, he may be in for the fight of his life!

And now for the historic main event of the evening – “The Phoenix Princess” Aminah Belmont versus Maggie Lee – the first all-female main event in Trailblazer Championship Wrestling history and one of the few ever held in Kansas. This match hearkens back to one of the very first Trailblazer shows, where these two faced off in the promotion’s inaugural women’s match. Since then, Maggie has gone on to appear for numerous national companies, while Aminah has cemented herself as perhaps the defining face of Trailblazer’s women’s division. As I mentioned in my preview, the wild card here was whether Aminah could hold her own without her former manager, the devious SBC. With enough cash finally scraped together, SBC fled back to Canada last summer, a country he openly preferred to the United States. While Aminah has never been entirely reliant on SBC’s cunning, his tactical input often played a role in her victories. This match was a proving ground: Could Aminah still dominate alone? And could Maggie hang with a competitor who had grown from rookie to top-tier talent?

Hats off to the Trailblazer fans for giving this match the respect it deserved, tossing colorful streamers into the ring during each woman’s entrance – purple for Aminah and pink for Maggie. Aminah, ever the perfectionist, practically had a meltdown at the sight of paper raining down on her pristine outfit, nearly hitting her, but one has to wonder if, deep down, she felt honored by the gesture. The match started at a blistering pace, with both women trading lightning-quick pins and counters in an impressive display of technical prowess. Aminah seized an early advantage, unleashing a flurry of offense, including some devastating barely legal moves while Maggie was tangled in the ropes. However, Maggie’s taller frame and athletic resilience chipped away at Aminah’s momentum, setting the stage for a dramatic shift.

Just when Maggie seemed poised to secure the win, the “true” Aminah emerged. Referee Vito found himself “accidentally” taken out of commission, and Aminah wasted no time exploiting the opportunity. She grabbed a chair and struck Maggie with no fear of consequence. When Maggie managed to pull the chair away, she hesitated to inflict her own vengeance – her sportsmanship preventing her from delivering a retaliatory blow. Aminah capitalized on the moment, and the match spiraled into chaos.

From the outset, many fans noticed Aminah carrying an oversized purse to the ring – a seemingly innocuous accessory for the fashion-forward star. But this wasn’t just a bag of beauty products and cash. As Maggie closed in, Aminah produced a massive handful of baby powder from the purse and hurled it directly into Maggie’s eyes. Blinded and stumbling, Maggie was vulnerable to Aminah’s next move: a sudden submission hold. Miraculously, Vito revived just in time to witness Maggie tap out. Aminah Belmont once again proved that her penchant for shortcuts often leads to victory, while Maggie’s unwillingness to fight fire with fire may have cost her dearly.

After the match, fans lined up in droves to meet Maggie Lee, still dusted with powder, with many getting their Trailblazer Yearbooks (produced by yours truly!) signed. The night ended on a note of excitement and anticipation, a historic main event cementing its place in Trailblazer lore.

Conclusion:

Once again, the stars of Trailblazer Championship Wrestling delivered an unforgettable night, performing in front of a packed house with an electric crowd feeding off every moment of the action. The atmosphere was awesome, and the show felt like a monumental “end-of-the-year” blowoff for the company – a show unlike any other Trailblazer show so far. Now, the waiting game begins. The next Trailblazer show isn’t until February 15th, 2025 – a gap that feels almost unbearable after back-to-back barnburners like Monster’s Brawl 3 and Taking Over. But as the old saying goes, “Good things come to those who wait.”

These last two shows have left us with so many questions heading into 2025. Will Austin Mulitalo finally man up and stop dodging Curt Gannon? Just how much more insufferable will Aminah Belmont become after solidifying her place as the division’s top star? Can anyone stand against Dekin Cane and his growing stable of goons, or will their reign of terror continue to steamroll the company? And what’s next for the likes of Luke Anthony and Rocco the Barbarian? Are they next in line for title shots? I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds. February can’t come soon enough, and when it does, I hope to see everyone there for what promises to be another great show!