Wrestling Review // High Tension Wrestling "Camp Leapfrog: Things That Go Bump In The Ring" (IWTV)

https://twitter.com/CampLeapfrog

Following the debut of Camp Leapfrog, we are presented with what is a Halloween special.  There is a live special after this and then both a holiday special (December) and Valentine's Day is most recent, so I do enjoy that these shows have become themed in such ways.   This show opened with Hallowicked and a haunted VHS.   

When they wouldn't give them any candy, Oreo Speedwagon took on Devantes and Jet Jaghori in what was called a "Tag Team Trick 'r' Treat, Smell My Feet Match".   Devantes had the strength to pick up both members of Oreo Speedwagon on his shoulders at once, but Wavra & Faraday still secured the win.  Post match, Devantes and Jet Jaghori were made to smell the feet of a cook dressed like the Blue Meanie.  Oreo Speedwagon also had Sailor Moon costumes on, while their opponents were not in costume.  What is the Halloween version of a Grinch?

There were a lot of great skits in between matches which really helped define the characters.  I'm okay with watching matches where it's just two people fighting in a sports aspect (because I don't need to know Mike Trout's life story to watch him play baseball) but in the unique world of professional wrestling there is that opportunity to create characters which fans can boo or relate with and this is in many ways a prime example of how to establish such characters.  Fans can ask themselves such things as "Why does Gina have so many weapons??"

I thoroughly enjoy BLANK and the story told in the ring here with ABBS.  It was the story of the canvas being painted on and some of that paint was pumpkin-filled as, yes, pumpkins came into play here.  For Halloween 2021 if Camp Leapfrog returns with another special such as this one, I'd really like to see "It's The Great Pumpkin, D-Lo Brown" become a thing.

Along with a parody of the "Monster Mash" song (it was the "Monster Match") which brought out both Big Callux and Erica Leigh as a werewolf, there was a little tribute to Thriller as well and that was definitely fun to see.   It's just the little things like this which set Camp Leapfrog apart from other wrestling shows but make it so enjoyable to watch that you have to wonder why someone wouldn't be watching it- wrestling fan or not.

As Pancakes was lured into the woods, Matt Makowski and Travis Huckabee met Pancakes with eggs.  This lead to a Tag Scream Match with Ron Voyage and Trajan Horn defending the honor of Pancakes.   Salt The Earth (as Makowski and Huckabee are known together) picked up the win but I really think that Ron Voyage and Trajan Horn make a great tag team together.  

In a surprise to both campers and myself, Violence found himself in a match with a costumed individual who turned out to be none other than IWTV Independent Wrestling Champion WARHORSE.   This became a title match and while Violence put up a valiant effort, in the end it was WARHORSE who reigned supreme.  It's always nice to see a surprise guest star on a wrestling show- especially if it is WARHORSE.

The Monster Battle Royal was a lot of fun and the way this was presented as being taped and not live (They call them "cinematic matches" or whatever, but does that make other wrestling less cinematic? I don't think so) was used to its full advantage.  By the power of Mortal Kombat, Kaia McKenna picked up a huge win here and if you don't yet know the name Kaia McKenna just give it time because you will.

Last show, I felt kind of like the last match wasn't really the main event.  I understood what it represented and how that meant it should be in that final spot on the card, but the match just didn't feel that same way to me.   For this show though, I definitely feel like Killian Murphy defeating Brad Rush lived up to closing out the show and that comes from a show where the IWTV Independent Title was defended.  All sorts of characters came out during this match and it wasn't really set straight until an appearance by 911 (yes, the 911 from old school ECW)  Killian McMurphy got the win but in the end he also got TP'ed so who was the real winner?

The credits roll like a movie and I think there should be more of that in wrestling-- seeing everyone who made it all possible plus knowing that many of those who were involved in the ring were also involved in other aspects of the show.   Plus the whole little Easter Egg (Now I want an Easter show where someone fights a bunny!) with WARHORSE and 911 in the car together was simply the chef's kiss.