REVIEW: Kansas City Xtreme Wrestling – Checkpoint: Fallout (2025)

A live professional wrestling event

Welp, it looks like there’s always a new war to worry about and prices keep flying through the roof. If you can even afford to go see live entertainment at all, much less professional wrestling, good luck getting tickets on a budget, because WWE shows have become astronomically expensive. Thankfully, the local independent scene still has your back, and that is especially true with Kansas City Xtreme Wrestling, which for over a year now has been running small Sunday afternoon shows at its training facility in Raytown, Missouri for just ten bucks a head.

I have absolutely loved these “Checkpoint” branded shows, not just because of the price, but because they give fans a chance to see the up-and-coming stars of the territory get some matches under their belts before making bigger strides on the main shows. These events also tend to be where smaller rivalries develop and number-one contendership situations get sorted out, so keeping up with them really helps you stay in the loop.

This particular event was the final KCXW show of 2025, so let’s take a look at what went down.

For future shows, I have referenced this little chart I made months ago, and so far this has turned out accurate.

Jan – KCXW Destiny
Feb – KCXW Checkpoint special
April – KCXW Unleashed
Late May? – presumed KCXW Checkpoint special
July – KCXW Xtreme Freedom
Late August? presumed KCXW Checkpoint special
October – KCXW Excellence
Late November? – KCXW Checkpoint special

For More about KCXW, check out their Facebook Page HERE, Their YouTube HERE. KCXW is also on Cagematch, HERE (although missing a few years). If you are a fan, make sure to drop likes, and reviews, or join their social media pages! To see their Patreon and purchase some shows, click HERE

The Card:

1) Segment – El Diablo out to talk about needing a number one contender, announces a match for the main event between Marco Hendrixxx and Bert Candy.
2) Singles Match – “The New Age Enigma” SyKawtic defeated Lady Pride (w/ Jude Vice) by pinfall.
3) Singles Match – For the KCXW Metro Championship – “Big Brudda” Clay Huna (C) defeated Zo Redic by pinfall.
4) Segment – KCXW Owner Richard Goldman announces 1) There will be a huge “Kansas City Rumble” Match in April. 2) New Tag Team Belts!
5) Tag Team Match – Wild N’ Untamed (“All Slay” Angel Shay and “Killjoy” Charlie Graham) defeated the team of Jon Blaze and Harrison Cruz by submission.
6) Singles Match – “Rad” Rico Estevez defeated “The Xtremist” David Cattin by pinfall.
7) Segment – The Polish Powerhouse Gerard Jaworski explains his actions regarding the destruction of the Season of Xcellence belt, unveils new Championship trophy in its place.
8 ) Singles Match – Shooter Shylynn defeats Max Wylde by pinfall.
9) Singles Match – for the KCXW Kansas City Championship #1 Contendership – “Big Cutie” Bert Candy defeated “The Diamond” Marco Hendrixxx by pinfall.

KCXW Destiny 2026 from City House in Independence, MO on January 17, 2026

Confirmed matches The Realist – Calvin Aldridge vs “The Diamond” Marco Hendrixxx and “Big Brudda” Clay Huna vs “Rad” Rico Estevez.

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!”

Rundown / My Thoughts:

Fans might recall that at Xcellence the previous month, Jude Vice of the Xtremists was out yelling at the crowd and hawking merch when Sykawtic popped up from behind the ring, pantsed Jude in front of everyone (revealing SpongeBob underwear), and ran off rather mischievously. It was immediately clear that Vice was seething after the humiliation. Going into this match between Lady Pride and Sykawtic, Jude clearly had an axe to grind, and you better believe he was there to help Pride however he could.

Before the match even started, the Xtremists were already ranting about the incident, which had embarrassed Jude and followed closely on the heels of Shooter Shylynn winning the KCXW Women’s Championship that same night. Lady Pride even went as far as threatening to “rip off your good arm as well,” which was completely uncalled for. Once the bell rang, the two went back and forth, with Jude constantly popping in to distract the referee whenever possible. Lady Pride leaned into her strengths as a striker, doing her best to keep Sykawtic grounded and trapped in the corner, where she could unload with running knee strikes and other rapid-fire offense.

That corner dominance led to Lady Pride hitting the extremely illegal “Shattered Dreams,” a move popularized by Goldust in the late 90s, all while the referee was distracted. Things escalated further when Jude Vice somehow got his hands on Sykawtic’s prosthetic arm, parading around with it and even attempting to use it as a weapon. Despite this, Sykawtic managed to turn the tide, hitting Sliced Bread #2, kicking Vice off the side of the ring while simultaneously driving Lady Pride to the mat for the win. Sykawtic may have won the match, but Jude Vice ran off with his prosthetic arm, hopefully not something Sykawtic needed immediately.

Next was a KCXW Metro Championship match between the newly crowned and reigning champion, “Big Brudda” Clay Huna, and relative newcomer Zo Redic. From the start, Huna looked unimpressed, acting as though KCXW was wasting his time by putting him in the ring with Redic. He talked an absurd amount of trash to the crowd, who were still reeling from his shocking betrayal at Xcellence, while taking frequent liberties with his opponent.

Redic managed to get in some offense, particularly with a few sharp kicks, but he never truly gained momentum. Huna repeatedly cut him off with chokeholds on the ropes and other questionable tactics. Eventually, Huna decided to end things, planting Redic with the Famouser to secure the victory. When the dust settled, a furious but clearly motivated Clay Huna stood tall, still the KCXW Metro Champion, and visibly done with the crowd and everything they stood for.

Following the match, KCXW owner Richard Goldman took the microphone to introduce a brand-new concept for KCXW Unleashed in April: the Kansas City Rumble. The match will be a 20-wrestler over-the-top-rope battle royal, with the winner earning number-one contendership for the KCXW Kansas City Championship. The event will take place in Kansas City at the KC Ozark Armory, a familiar venue for the company.

Goldman also announced that tag team wrestling would be featured in a major way in 2026, revealing the introduction of official KCXW Tag Team Championships and a renewed emphasis on the division. Previously, tag teams competed for the Season of Excellence belt through tournament play, but KCXW had never had dedicated tag titles until now. The crowd was very much on board for both announcements. The new belts were shown off, and all of the tag teams were encouraged to fight like never before, as Goldman was going to pick the top two contenders at some point in the future to challenge for the belts.

Speaking of tag team action, up next was Harrison Cruz and Jon Blaze taking on Wild N’ Untamed, “Killjoy” Charlie Graham and “All Slay” Angel Shay. Jon Blaze wasted no time showing his audacity, blatantly going for a handful of hair on Angel Shay at one point. Fortunately, the referee caught it immediately and put a stop to it. Still, it was clear that Goldman’s recent announcement has ignited this tag division. Teams are feeling the pressure, and some are clearly willing to bend the rules if it means climbing the ranks. One of the funniest moments of the night came when Shay attempted to set up the Devil’s Kiss, a move popularized by Gorgeous George and Alex Shelley and most famously associated in recent years with Stephanie Vaquer. Before she could execute it, Blaze scrambled free and loudly proclaimed, “We ain’t doing that wild stuff out here,” drawing a strong reaction from the crowd. Shay leaned into more technical, submission based offense throughout the match, while Charlie proved to be the bruiser of the duo. He went toe to toe with the much larger Cruz without the slightest hesitation.

At one point, Shay appeared to be reeling after absorbing several heavy shots from Cruz and was clearly favoring her ribs, which made her a prime target. Cruz and Blaze used quick tags in an attempt to isolate her and wear her down. However, they could not fully neutralize the “wild dog” Charlie Graham, who was chomping at the bit in the corner waiting for his chance. After a flurry of double team maneuvers and a near fall that almost sealed it, Cruz managed to hang on. The momentum shift was only temporary, though. Wild N’ Untamed regained control, and Charlie Graham ultimately locked in a tight crossface on Harrison Cruz to force the submission and secure the victory. A great start for Wild N’ Untamed as they gun for championship gold.

Rad Rico has been riding high on what many would call a string of fluke victories over some of KCXW’s biggest names, including former KCXW Kansas City Champion “Hard Luck” Hal Rogers at Xcellence, where Rico tripped the former champion and stole a surprise roll up victory. In doing so, he has become a target for a vocal group of detractors who claim he represents the wrong direction for KCXW. Chief among them are The Xtremists, who are determined to reshape the company into the kind of hardcore fight club atmosphere they nostalgically refer to as “the glory days.” Despite what David Cattin would have fans believe, KCXW was never truly built in that mold, which may explain why his crusade to push out competitors like Rad Rico has been met with resistance.

Rico came out fast, landing early offense and visibly rattling Cattin in the opening stretch. However, when Rico attempted to take the high risk route and go to the top rope, Cattin countered with a crushing punch to the midsection that swung momentum back in his favor. From there, Cattin controlled much of the match, methodically wearing Rico down and trying to prove a point. Eventually, Rico found a second wind. He fired back with urgency, stringing together offense and forcing Cattin onto the defensive. The comeback culminated in a clean ripcord DDT that sealed the victory decisively. It was an impressive and definitive win for Rico. With momentum clearly on his side and his confidence growing, it would not be surprising to see him firmly in the title picture sooner rather than later.

Next up was a segment in which “The Polish Powerhouse” Gerard Jaworski finally explained his actions following his victory in the 2025 Season of Xcellence Championship. Jaworski came to the ring carrying a bag filled with trophies and the broken remnants of the destroyed SoX title belt. He stood beside what was initially covered, but was soon revealed to be a massive trophy cup later adorned with red and white ribbons representing the Polish flag. Jaworski declared that the old championship belt, which had previously been used to represent the tag team division, was officially retired. In its place, he unveiled the trophy cup as the new symbol of the Season of Xcellence Championship. It was a bold visual statement and one that immediately set his reign apart.

What made the segment particularly interesting was Jaworski’s tone. Despite drawing significant heat from the crowd because of his recent actions, he was surprisingly complimentary toward the other champions crowned at Xcellence. It created an odd contrast. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly where his mindset stands right now or what his long term intentions may be. He closed the segment by issuing an open challenge. No one stepped forward by the end of the night, leaving the challenge unanswered. That likely sets the stage for someone to respond at the next event, Destiny.

Next up was a debut for both competitors in some way. It marked the singles debut of Max Wylde, as well as the first match back for Shooter Shylynn after winning the KCXW Women’s Championship just a few months prior. This was obviously not a women’s championship match, but after having basically no champion, no real champion, for the better part of a year and a half, it is good to see legitimate gold represented again.

After clashing with the crowd, Max immediately countered a suplex attempt from Shylynn into a quick roll-up for a one count. That was enough to fully wake her up, and Shylynn was not about to let something like that happen for real. Max also slipped in what I believe was an eye poke at one point, along with the very same fisherman’s suplex she had initially tried to hit on him. Wylde spent too much time jawing with the crowd, and that ultimately became his undoing. A fired-up Shylynn responded with a series of discus clotheslines, a few superkicks, and another fisherman’s suplex, this time securing the win. Better luck next time, Max. Maybe keep your eye on your opponent and not the crowd. After the match, Merci came out to congratulate Shylynn in a somewhat weird way, what is going on here?

The main event for the evening was something we learned about in the show’s opening segment – a number one contender’s match. While it was initially booked as a triple threat, Tobias was out of the picture for the evening, so it came down to two men: “Big Cutie” Bert Candy and “The Diamond” Marco Hendrixxx. As one might expect, the crowd was firmly behind Bert Candy. He handed out donuts to the fans, sending them into a frenzy, while they booed Hendrixxx relentlessly. Marco claims he could not care less what the crowd thinks, yet he is constantly asking, “Who’s the man?” – so we all know it gets under his skin. With the audience hopped up on carbohydrate goodness, Bert seemed well on his way to becoming the number one contender. All he had to do was get past one angry speed bump, and that was not going to be easy.

When the two went shot for shot in a test of strength, Bert absolutely demolished The Diamond, showcasing the deceptive, hidden power that opponents so often underestimate. Amid rabid chants of “Fat! Fat! Fat!” Bert was a house of fire, even locking in his steamroller submission, a move that has forced opponents to tap in the past. Hendrixxx, however, managed to recuperate. After playing possum, he created an opening with a rope-assisted jawbreaker and began chopping away at the big tree, eventually bringing him down and cinching in a tight sleeper hold on “Big Cutie.”

Bert looked ready to head to the ropes, perhaps setting up his signature second-rope splash, but Hendrixxx had the referee distracted. While jawing with the official, Marco revealed his true intentions, landing a low blow that the referee was unable to see. Bert crumpled like a pile of old laundry. Just when things seemed at their bleakest, and Hendrixxx appeared poised to steal the victory, “The Realist” Calvin Aldridge stormed out and distracted Hendrixxx just long enough for Bert to recover and deliver a massive lariat for a huge win. Bert Candy will now face El Diablo at Destiny.

Conclusion:

The Checkpoint series continues to be a great value for wrestling fans who want quality entertainment on a budget, especially when everything else seems to be getting more expensive by the day. I can’t stress enough how much of a hidden gem this is, and for folks looking for some inexpensive family fin on a Sunday afternoon – look no further.