A Live Professional Wrestling Show.
2025 has begun, and once again, the Trailblazer faithful converged on Trailblazer Arena in Gardner, Kansas, for Trailblazer Championship Wrestling – Revenge. With each passing show, Trailblazer continues to cement its reputation as one of the premier wrestling promotions in the Kansas City area, and tonight was no exception. The air crackled with excitement, a mix of anticipation for the night’s matches and the camaraderie of a fanbase that has made this promotion its own. The fans have embraced it wholeheartedly, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a louder, more engaged crowd anywhere in the region.
Of course, holding an event in the dead of winter always carries its risks. As anyone who follows Midwest independent wrestling knows, snowstorms are the bane of wintertime bookings, causing travel nightmares, last-minute cancellations, and headaches for promoters and fans alike. All week long, local weather reports ranged from cautious optimism to near-apocalyptic warnings of anywhere from two to ten inches of snowfall. Since I had a forty-minute drive ahead of me, I wasn’t particularly thrilled about the uncertainty. However, the Wrestling Gods smiled down upon us that night, ensuring no such nonsense took place. The roads remained clear, and any concerns of a weather-induced disaster melted away like snow under arena lights.
And it’s a good thing, too, because Trailblazer Revenge was not a show to miss. At least 350 fans packed into Trailblazer Arena, making it the promotion’s highest-attended event to date. It’s a staggering milestone when you consider where this company started just a few years ago. As someone who has been following Trailblazer since its early days, only missing a handful of shows since its inception in 2022, it has been incredible to witness its growth firsthand. What started as a promising upstart running in a National Guard Armory in Olathe Kansas has transformed into a must-see event on the Midwest wrestling calendar. As Frank Sinatra once said, “The best revenge is massive success.” If that’s the case, Trailblazer is well on its way to proving its doubters wrong.
As always, Trailblazer Championship Wrestling prides itself on being an overall family-friendly product, and the kids in attendance always have an absolute blast. That isn’t to say that the events aren’t action-packed and full of everything one would expect from a top-tier wrestling show. The matches deliver high-energy action, the stories captivate, and the talent gives it their all. It’s the perfect balance of hard-hitting competition and a welcoming atmosphere, making it a standout in the local scene.
So sit back and check out my synopsis of Trailblazer Championship Wrestling – Revenge
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The Card:
Trailblazer Championship Wrestling – Revenge
Feb 15, 2025 – The Johnson County Fairgrounds – Gardner, KS
- Tag Team Match – The Wranglers (Bobby Joe Black and Johnnie Jo Black) defeated the New Guys (Jake Bosche and Scott Stanley) by pinfall
- Singles Match – Reinforced Ring Match – “The Unnatural Disaster” Salum Gust defeated “The Iron Pitbull” Kenny Kingston by pinfall
- Tag Team Match – Rocco The barbarian and Miracle Mike James (w/ Dekin Cane) defeated Kit Sackett and Rellie Carter by pinfall
- Singles Match – “The Outlaw” Sadie Belle defeated Nixi XS by pinfall
- Singles match for the Trailblazer Heavyweight Championship – “Astonishing” Austin Mulitalo (“AKA The Suplex Hurricane”) defeated “YOGAMONSTER” Mike Sydal by submission.
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:
Revenge kicked off with, not only an awesome rendition of “These Boots Are Made for Walkin'” sung by Miss Wendy, but also a heartfelt presentation from Marcus, highlighting the hard work and determination of the Gardner Gold/Unified Blazers Special Olympics Team. The team was invited to be part of the show, and the joy on the kids’ faces as they stepped into the wrestling ring was undeniable. The crowd erupted with cheers, creating a moment that surely sent every single one of those kids home with an unforgettable memory!
Let’s be honest – 2024 ended like a wet fart for The Wranglers, the fan-favorite tag team of Bobby Joe Black & Johnnie Jo Black. They had been riding a wave of victories since February 2024, likely boasting the best tag record in Trailblazer Championship Wrestling. But all it took was Dekin Cane moving a few chess pieces to form what might be the most dominant tag team in Trailblazer history – The Unnatural Disaster, Salum Gust & Rocco the Barbarian. Just like that, The Wranglers’ winning streak vanished, leaving them to pick up the pieces. Revenge wouldn’t come easy. They were up against The New Guys (Jake Bosche & Scott Stanley), a powerhouse team from St. Louis with major wins over KC mainstays The Premier and MLW veterans Violence Is Forever. No amount of do-si-do’ing or kids screaming in excitement was going to save The Wranglers from a team like this. But then, something surprising happened…
Whether due to overconfidence or realizing they weren’t the crowd favorites in Kansas, The New Guys got off to a rocky start. It wasn’t until they resorted to blatant cheating behind referee Alex’s back that they swung the momentum their way. I haven’t seen much of their work, but if this is how they’ve been dominating St. Louis tag-team wrestling, I have to say, I’m surprised. After The New Guys beat down Johnnie Jo Black for a good chunk of the match, he finally slipped away and tagged in Bobby Joe, shifting the tide. The New Guys fell victim to a big slam from Johnnie Jo, followed by one of Bobby Joe’s signature moves, a massive cross-body from the ropes. That was all she wrote. One, two, three, Bobby Joe sealed the deal.
While they lost, I think I can speak for many Trailblazer fans in hoping we see The New Guys again. But for now, The Wranglers have started their year off on the right foot and look to continue building their impressive tag team record. I actually sponsored this match, so I was especially happy to see what went down!
Next up was a match I was really excited for – the reinforced ring match between “The Unnatural Disaster” Salum Gust, flanked by the insufferable Dekin Cane, and the Trailblazer debut of “The Iron Pitbull” Kenny Kingston. With both men weighing in at over 300 pounds each, for a combined total nearing 800 pounds, extra precautions had to be taken to ensure the safety of the wrestlers and the crowd. Before the match, Trailblazer staff reinforced the ring with support straps and other equipment, shoring up every weight-bearing structure they could. Once everything was secure, it was time for these two meaty men to start slapping meat!
Both competitors showcased their incredible strength, tossing each other around like ragdolls – no small feat when your opponent weighs over 300 pounds. Every slam, splash, and throw sent a thunderous echo through the arena, and at times, it felt like the crowd was just waiting for the ring to collapse. Kingston, proving his agility, climbed to the second rope for what looked like a massive dive, only to completely wipe out with a bellyflop onto the mat. Salum, ever the opportunist, capitalized immediately, delivering a devastating power move to secure the win. I love a good “hoss match,” and this one absolutely delivered!
Just when the audience thought they were done with Dekin Cane, he was back again, this time introducing two more members of his Menagerie of pain – Miracle Mike James and Rocco The Barbarian, teaming up in a rare combination. Their opponents? The returning Kit Sackett and newcomer Rellie Carter, who traveled down from Nebraska looking to make an impression on Kansas City. The last time I saw Sackett in a Trailblazer ring was way back in March 2023 at Bunkhouse Brawl. Since then, he’s bulked up significantly and is a lot more powerful than before. His strength paired well with Carter’s raw athleticism and high-flying abilities, making for an exciting contrast against Rocco and James, who brought a similar dynamic.
The battle between Rocco The Barbarian and Kit Sackett spilled to the outside early on, with Sackett taking a brutal face-first shot into the corner post and laying prone on the floor for a while. Meanwhile, James kept Carter isolated in his corner, utilizing frequent, rapid-fire tags with Rocco to maintain control. The match took a sudden turn when Dekin Cane, in a nonchalant attempt to trip Rellie Carter, accidentally tripped his own man, Miracle Mike James. For a moment, it looked like James was about to walk out, he was visibly furious, but he eventually seemed to cool off. In the end, Rocco The Barbarian managed to isolate Carter, delivering a series of devastating power moves before setting him up for James to secure the pin. The real question now is whether James will let Dekin’s costly mistake slide or if this near disaster will resurface next month.
In the next bout, Nixi XS, ever the “crowd-pleaser”, came to the ring sporting a green Philadelphia Eagles letterman jacket, immediately drawing the ire of a Kansas City crowd still licking their wounds from the recent Super Bowl loss. Once she was done twisting the knife, it was time for her opponent, The Outlaw Sadie Belle, to make her entrance. Belle, who primarily wrestles in Iowa and Nebraska, made a rare Kansas City appearance and seemed eager to win over the local fans.
Belle had a definite size advantage over Nixi, but size means little when your opponent has no qualms about bending the rules. That became clear when Nixi sent Belle face-first into the corner post, shifting the momentum entirely. From that moment on, Belle was on the defensive, possibly nursing an injury, and desperately trying to stay in the fight. Nixi capitalized, following every hit she took with two of her own, keeping the pressure relentless.
At one point, Nixi locked in a brutal chokehold that had the crowd holding their breath, but Belle managed to wriggle free and counter with a massive slam that left Nixi reeling. After some intense back-and-forth action, Belle dug deep and pulled off the big win, proving that while you can always cut corners, sometimes good still prevails.
Up next wasn’t a match, but a heated confrontation as Marcus and Wendy took the stage to hype up the main event, only to be interrupted by everyone’s favorite would-be Romeo, Van “Bam” Winkle. Nearly a year after his failed attempt to woo Miss Wendy, he was back, this time armed with chocolates, flowers, and a teddy bear to sweeten the deal.
Unfortunately for him, Wendy wasn’t interested….AGAIN! After his unwanted advances earned him a slap and his teddy bear got tossed aside, Winkle’s mood soured fast. Instead of taking the hint, he turned his frustration toward his longtime rival, Marcus. Dodging an RKO attempt, Winkle laid Marcus out in the corner, until none other than “Yogamonster” Mike Sydal stormed in, chair in hand, to even the odds.
As Winkle retreated, he was last heard yelling that things between him and Marcus were far from over. Honestly, I can’t wait to see him get shut up for good. I’ve never seen a wrestler so willing to sacrifice his record, his payouts, and his shot at bigger opportunities just to obsess over revenge on a company official. Here’s hoping Winkle gets his head on straight—and fast.
This event marked the long-awaited return of Trailblazer Heavyweight Champion “Astonishing” Austin Mulitalo, whose recent absence had not gone unnoticed. Many fans online had begun speculating, and in some cases, outright accusing, him of dodging title defenses. It was a claim that clearly struck a nerve with the champion, who had grown increasingly vocal in his own defense. His scheduled opponent, “The Suplex Cyclone” Curt Gannon, had spent the better part of the build to this show calling out Mulitalo, questioning his integrity, and demanding the title shot he believed he had rightfully earned.
The tension was set to explode in the main event, making it all the more unfortunate when “YOGAMONSTER” Mike Sydal, who had chased off Van “Bam Winkle” entered the ring to deliver unexpected news: Gannon had suffered an injury while training for what was supposed to be his moment of redemption. The highly anticipated clash was now off, leaving a massive question mark over the night’s championship match. Sydal, never one to let an opportunity slip by, didn’t waste time proposing a solution. Instead of leaving the title bout in limbo, he threw his own name into the mix, offering to step up and challenge Mulitalo himself. Mulitalo, who by that time had smugly rechristened himself “The Suplex Hurricane”, strutted around the ring with an air of absolute superiority before finally accepting the challenge. If he had already been insufferable before, this new development had only amplified his bravado.
With the championship match now set, the only question remaining was whether Mulitalo’s overconfidence would be his downfall – or if he truly was as astonishing as he claimed to be. While Mulitalo held the clear size advantage, Sydal’s unmatched flexibility and unpredictable offense kept the champion in a near-constant state of frustration. Using his agility to full effect, Sydal peppered Mulitalo with precise back kicks and seamlessly transitioned into surprise submission attempts, forcing the champion to stay on high alert. Every time Mulitalo seemed to gain control, Sydal would slip out, twist his body at impossible angles, and come right back at him.
The turning point seemed to come when Sydal connected with The Yogasault, sending the crowd into an uproar. For a brief, electrifying moment, it looked as though he was about to pull off the upset and capture the Trailblazer Heavyweight Championship. But just as victory was within reach, a bit of well-timed subterfuge turned the tide. In a move dripping with arrogance, Mulitalo seized the opportunity to lock in the Severn Choke, a modified standing version. I’m sure Mulitalo definitely did not have permission to use this move, something that will surely anger Gannon. The audacity of it was blatant. The defiance was intentional. And before Sydal could find an escape, it was over.
With his first Trailblazer title defense in the books, Mulitalo strutted around the ring with even more swagger than before, hoisting the championship belt in an infuriating display of self-satisfaction. Whether the fans liked it or not, “The Suplex Hurricane” had weathered the storm– and if he had his way, his reign was only just beginning. The titular Revenge of this show was surely his over the fans, who for months had called Mulitalo lazy or spineless – but now he crushed one of the biggest fan-favorites in Trailblazer, and a local wrestling hero and legend, and laughed all the way to the bank.
Conclusion:
While it was definitely disappointing that Curt Gannon couldn’t compete, Mike Sydal proved to be a fantastic substitute, delivering a performance that kept the energy high and the main event compelling. Despite the last-minute change, the show didn’t suffer one bit, if anything, it reinforced the depth of Trailblazer Championship Wrestling’s roster. The night featured a great mix of returning favorites and fresh faces, setting an exciting tone for the 2025 season. If this show was any indication, Trailblazer is in for one hell of a year. As for Mulitalo, his reign may have survived the night, but there’s no shortage of hungry challengers ready to step up. I, for one, can’t wait to see who finally knocks him down a peg, and hopefully, that moment comes sooner rather than later!
What’s Next?
