Live Pro Wrestling Review // Blitzkrieg! Pro Scratch The Surface 5/7/21 @ Old Country Banquet Hall, Enfield, CT

https://blitzkriegpro.net/

 

Since the pandemic hit, things haven't been the same to say the least.  As I thought about it on the ride home after this show, this was the first time since pre-pandemic that not only had Quentin been out this late but also that I had been out this late.  It's somewhere between the combination of him being back in school and there just not being a lot open up to do yet, but really Quentin was up (and out) past his bed time and I can't remember the last time that happened.   It's been a while.

Blitzkrieg! Pro is such a fun promotion because I feel like I spend so much of my time with wrestling *not* in Connecticut that it's nice to have a promotion which feels like its home is here.  Connecticut is just kind of this weird little state between MA and NY, where we could go to either of those states and such to do things so sometimes I feel like the mentality in CT is "why bother".  And in fairness, even this show in Enfield was really close to the MA border, just to show how CT is.  But I like having a CT promotion that I enjoy seeing.  I think CT needs wrestling and Blitzkrieg! Pro gives that to the fans.

For perhaps the first time ever, when Quentin and I got to this show about 6:40 with doors at 6:30 the doors were actually open.   This show did stream live on Twitch so I feel like part of that helped it to move along on time, but it was just odd to think that I could show up and walk into a show when I've been so used to waiting in line (even going back to my ECW days)  Once we got in it was "sit anywhere but the front row" so Quentin and I grabbed two seats near the merch area because I saw a few other spots but felt this was the best with two seats together.

One of the downfalls to where we sat was people walking behind us, but at one point a car full of wrestlers lead by Brian Myers (and featuring CPA) came through behind us in somewhat of a hurry and that was cool.   Perhaps my most sought after piece of merchandise for this show was just this fantastic poster that comic book artist Jack Purcell created specifically for the main event match.   As soon as I saw the poster I knew I needed to have it.   I will forever be such a huge fan of doing things like this: creating items that you can keep forever which remind you of specific events.   We bought the poster from Jack Purcell and he signed it but then it was time for the show to start!

The first half of this show was wild.   It's up as I type this right now still on the Go Pro Twitch site and I hope it stays there forever so everyone can witness what we did on this night.  [After the fact addendum: This show is now on IWTV for your viewing pleasure!]   The show opened with Smart Mark Sterling, who in Blitzkrieg! Pro is a good guy, and if I'm being truly observational here I believe everyone got a lot of cheers because fans were just so happy to be back and so happy to see everyone again.   It was the most cheering I've ever heard for each wrestler who appeared as they entered, even though during the match the crowd did turn on them at times because, well, heels are still heels.

So much about the first half was storytelling- picking up right where we left off.  We saw the return of the Top Dogs and they took on Becca and Love, Doug.  I've seen Love, Doug on Camp Leapfrog before but his name still confuses me.   It's like he wants people to love him, but then he should just be "Love Doug".  But the way it's written makes it feel like the end of a card, like "Happy Birthday, Grandma!  Love, Doug"  So I don't quite understand it, but it does stand out and it's fun arguing with him about it on Twitter.  There were also so many flowers destroyed in this match.  

One story that I've really enjoyed during Blitzkrieg! Pro is the desire by Kirby Wackerman to become part of the Shook Crew.  Bryce Donovan reluctantly comes out with him and makes it so that we specifically know Kirby is not a part of the Shook Crew.   It's crazy how when Bryce first came out people cheered, but then when Kirby came out it just felt like the place exploded.   During the Bryce Donovan match against Rip Byson, Kirby felt conflicted as to whether or not he should help Bryce cheat and eventually he sort of unintentionally helped Bryce get the win.  This is long term storytelling, people, and it's really not something you come by as often in wrestling these days but Kirby Wackerman is proof that it works.

I feel like everyone was fired up.  I feel like the House of Pierogis just had this intensity that you couldn't describe because it was full of wrestling fans just glad to be back.  Before intermission, the last match was a fatal fourway doors match for the Bedlam Championship. Jeff Cannonball was originally scheduled to be in this match but he couldn't make it.   So CPA, Jeremy Leary and Bobby Orlando (the champ) all come out, waiting for the mystery person.   When Slade came out, I swear all the fans collectively lost their shit.   Things just really kicked up to this next level- even though it was already crazy enough- where you just felt like Slade was there to kill someone and Slade would become champion.

The match went everywhere- including right next to us- and I saw Jeremy Leary take an empty chair and then kick another fan out of his chair to use them to prop up a table.  As anyone knows though, for the most part when the action comes our way, even though we know better, Quentin and I don't really move.   This match came down to Bobby and Slade and it took Bryce Donovan to help Bobby keep the title but I really hope one day we get to see Slade go for the title (or at least vs Bobby) in a way which others cannot interfere.   Either a cage match or just have the Shook Crew in one of those little shark cages.  

During intermission we went to get the Jack Purcell poster signed by both Max Caster and then Brian Myers.  I got to chat with Brian Myers briefly about the Mets so I felt good about that- because it's always nice to talk a little baseball.  Quentin got to also hold Bobby Jr briefly which was likely one of his highlights of the show.  We then found Becca who has a cassette tattoo so we took a photo and I also bought a scrunchie from her which means Quentin and I are now in the Scrunchie Squad.  (Full disclosure: Quentin had the scrunchie on his wrist still when he went to sleep)

Following intermission there was the mother of all scrambles to determine a new number one contender for the Bedlam Championship.  I felt like I didn't know anyone's music, but it was fun seeing Max Zero, Little Mean Kathleen, King Crab and even Devantes in this match.   To further the storytelling, Kirby Wackerman picked up the win here and then Bobby Orlando came out and told Kirby that if he wanted to join Shook Crew all he had to do for their match was lay down.  This is interesting because Kirby might get another title shot one day, but he might not get another shot at joining Shook Crew so what will he choose?

Travis Huckabee and Alec Price put on this hard hitting classic that made me feel like I was getting hurt because of how intense it was.  It was great seeing the Apostles of Chaos again but The CDC had to cheat to win.  I distinctly remember telling Evil Kip after the show that he cheated so his win doesn't count and I don't know why antagonizing heels is so fun to me sometimes but it really is.  

In the main event we saw three of the best at what they do go at it and, well, this was the poster.   We had Brian Myers (currently in Impact) vs. Max Caster (currently in AEW) vs. VSK (currently in Impact and AEW!)  They fought over near us, destroying a table of toys and Brian Myers got flattened while sitting in a chair right in front of Quentin.  The action came our way, but we did not really move.   This match though was rather technical and it was always on the verge of someone winning but then that third man breaking it up.  In ring, yes, this was about as solid as they come.  What this means in the broader landscape of professional wrestling is just crazy to think about- where these three guys have been and where they're going.

After the show I told Bobby Orlando he had to take home that giant Bobby Orlando sign (I think he did) and then we found VSK with a little help from Jeremy Leary and we got all three signatures on our poster.   If I keep this up, I'm going to have more posters than wall space but that's a good problem to have.  This was just such a fun night but also so special when you think of everything happening around it.   And there really is no other crowd quite like the B!P Faithful.  I love being a part of it.