The Positives and Negatives of Pro Wrestling CHAOS

Fiesta Del Rey Chaos

My third visit to Pro Wrestling CHAOS would come this weekend as they presented 'Fiesta Del Rey Chaos', a Mexican-themed version of the show with a Mexican flag and sombrero wearing Ring Announcer, a talented, horned Mexican (British) performer in the main event followed by a pinata (happy) ending.

I was really looking forward to this show as it appeared to be the best line-up that Dave and co. had put together. Alongside their mainstays of Gideon, Jeckyl, The Wild Galleons et al, there were going to be the additions of both Project Ego members Martin Kirby and Kris Travis, El Ligero and T-Bone. CHAOS has been making great strides since it's first show and this has paid off with these kinds of additions to an already entertaining roster.

I'm going to get straight to the point of this post; 'The Positives and Negatives' of CHAOS will be hugely in favour of the positive aspects of the show. I've really tried to come up with negatives but there are very, very few and even those are probably more jokey or me being a picky, shut-your-face-and-enjoy-the-bloody-show blogger...

Positive: So Many Beards...

Before the show I would look around and be in awe of all the facial hair that would be on offer for this show. The Hanham audience probably still don't realise how lucky they were to have witnessed such a showing of testosterone and machoness. Gideon, Grizzly, Bane, Jeckyl, Eddie Dennis, Chris Walker, Mike Bird... writing that list just brings it home how much beardy goodness was on offer. Note to self: grow my beard back like a real man.

Here's a cut-out beard...

Positive: The Panic And Passion of Dave Youell

And in the same kiss-ass way that I did with Nick Ashberry at EAW the other week, this positive will be all about one of the men driving CHAOS in the successful direction that it is currently going in. I met Dave at the first show that I went to earlier this year and was instantly humbled that he liked my reviews etc, and was very welcoming to me (probably because he wanted a decent review himself!). Since then I have had a few interactions over Facebook with him as well as seeing him up at Triple X Wrestling (Coventry) where he does a sleazy, disgusting character that you should go and see for yourself (use protection). I have also gotten advice from him in a couple of phone conversations and I'm very grateful for the time that he has given me for the questions that I've thrown his way.

The point of this positive is to highlight the passion and determination of him (as well as Nick and Rob) to make this show as successful as possible. He's a huge wrestling fan himself that wants to give local fans the best possible show so that they come back again and again. I think he's doing a fantastic job of making that happen. The panic of Dave Youell is something I've seen every show now; even though the show is sold out or WILL sell out; even though he has a great team around him that are doing their bits, whether it be constructing their matches, doing the music and sound checks; and even though everything is in order and ready to go, Dave is still on edge – probably until the show is over – and this is great to see. It's great to see that he cares so much and it's great to see that that panic, passion and determination pays off with having over 200 fans making as much noise as possible before, during and after six extremely entertaining matches.

Positive: As If They Needed Waking Up MORE!

The first match of the evening should wake the crowd up and get them ready for the rest of the night. On this night, the audience were crazy up-for-it BEFORE the show. They were then worked into a further frenzy with the addition of MC Hank McCoy and THEN the first match had an easy job ahead of it. Perfect. For me, the first match should be short(ish), fast paced and to the point. Dave Mercy versus Jeckyl was just that. They went off at a quick pace and it didn't drop too much from that point. It ended at just the right time and, as if the Hanham locals needed anymore reason to be rowdy, Jeckyl got the win to get them p*ssed off and even more passionate for the night ahead.

Positive: The Sleaziness Of The Second Match

The second match of the night would be the funniest match of the night. The first ever ladies match in CHAOS would take place between Scotland's Kay Lee Ray and the rest of the UK's Pollyanna. The first positive of the match would be Kay Lee Ray's entrance. At first she would come out, arms firmly behind her back, not really giving the fans any acknowledgement. On entering the ring, after getting an indifferent reaction, she would snatch the microphone from Hank McCoy and let everyone know that she deserved better, would be making her entrance again and expected a more welcoming response. On entering again, she received the response that she deserved as Hanham would make it clear that she should go back to where she came from. Now I knew that she was the heel. Simple and effective.

The second positive of this match was the introduction of special referee, 'Filthy' Chris Walker – one half of The Magnums. He would stake his claim to being the referee as he had more experience with 'dealing with two women at the same time'. I'd question that claim but he was made the referee anyway. There were so many laugh-out-loud moments in this match with Walker reacting to every sleazy-looking move and pinning predicament in the funniest way.

The third positive of this match was the pleasing ending. After siding with fellow heel Kay Lee Ray throughout the match, Walker would have a falling out with her towards the end which would earn him a slap from her. This would then lead to her downfall as he would deliver a fast-count in favour of Pollyanna for the win.

Negative/Positive: The Death Of The Kraken/Emergence Of Big Grizzly

The Wild Galleons do it for me. They're a great act for the kids to get behind, but they're also so likeable and silly that it gets a 31-year-old 'Yo Ho, Let's Go!'ing along with them. Part of their act is The Kraken, who is dressed pretty silly but can move really well for a big man. I loved him chucking himself around in the six-man tag elimination here! The ending would see The Kraken turn on his fellow shipmates and then reveal himself to be Big Grizzly, complete with his best 1999 Vince McMahon impression: 'It was me! It was me all along!'.

Steve (Grizzy) is too much of an angry, scary heel to have been playing a Kraken forever so it's nice that he'll get a new start without the mask. It's a good way to end the Galleons/Doomsday Killers storyline and give Captain Jack and Roger something new to do. Looking forward to the future there!

Negative: Oh He's A Heel...

Here's where I'm going to be a picky, w*nker blogger. The triple threat after the interval between Martin Kirby, Morgan Webster and Wild Boar started with all three coming out and doing the usual babyface-slapping-hands-with-everyone-in-sight gig before entering the ring ready to put on a trademark CHAOS triple threat match. When all three were in the ring, it would be then that Kirby would decide to berate the audience and reveal that he would be the heel of the three. I much prefer it when the battlelines are drawn before the match starts. If you're the heel, then come out and scowl at people; knock kid's hats off their heads; anything, don't do the slap hands routine and then do one thing that shows your a heel.

Negative: No Kirby vs Webster singles match?

But then...

Positive: Another Really Exciting Triple Threat Match

Part of me was annoyed that Wild Boar got added to this match. With the news that Kris Travis wouldn't be able to make the show I really hoped that a new opponent would be picked for Boar and things could commence as I'd wanted. I was really looking forward to the fast paced spotfest that Kirby and Webster would've put on; in other matches that I'd seen these two in they had really impressed me; this would have been a fresh match that I didn't remember seeing advertised anywhere else.

I made a deal with myself that I would give the three-way a chance and I'm glad that I didn't sit there in a mood that I couldn't see the originally-planned match. This triple threat was up there with the others that I'd seen at CHAOS and keeps me interested and excited for future triple threats as they always seem to deliver.

Positive: Ring Rage

Just a quick note: I loved T-Bone's entrance for his match with Eddie Dennis. He came out and seemed really p*ssed off! I'd say he was probably the scariest heel of the night as he walked to ringside shouting in kids faces, knocking kid's hats of their head (quite tame, I know) and even pushing one guy back in his seat when he dared to square-up to Bone. This is the type of thing where everyone can really get behind the babyface – with the aggression that Bone showed, I'd want to see him to get the sh*t kicked out of him.

T-Bone

Positive: The CHAOS Of The Ringside Brawl

Normally, I hate it when a match, especially a main event, spills to the floor and then there's ten minutes of fighting amongst these chairs then fighting amongst them chairs, followed by fighting by the bar. Not everyone can see what's going on and it gets somewhat boring and tedious waiting for it to get back in the ring where you know the finish will take place. I sometimes find it lazy that there isn't enough wrestling to get through a match of this importance. Ligero vs Bird was a little different, though. Yes, the fighting in these chairs and them chairs got a bit tedious, but then Ligero dived from the stage onto Bird – that got a reaction out of me. That grabbed my attention. The more engrossed I got, the more it reminded me of championship 'wars' that I had seen down at Pro EVW in Gloucester. On them shows, the champion generally went through the ultimate struggle to keep hold of his title. This match felt like those. Great to see a Piledriver making a comeback, too!

Personal Positive: Feedback

It really pleased me that during the afternoon and evening, I had several comments and chats with people regarding the reviews that I do. People seemed genuinely interested and this made me feel that there is good to what I do. Don't get me wrong, I'm going to do them regardless, but it's nice to know that people, including wrestlers, enjoy and appreciate(?) the b*ll*cks that I spout! Thank you to those that approached me and sent comments my way about what I do. One of the hardest thing to get is feedback so I always welcome anyone's opinion and I'm more than happy to justify my positives and negatives. Admittedly, sometimes it's just my personal preference on something and other times something just flat-out p*sses me off because I'm sure it shouldn't be that way?!

Results

• Jeckyl defeated Dave Mercy
• Pollyanna defeated Kay Lee Ray (Special Referee: 'Filthy' Chris Walker)
• Six-man Tag Team Elimination: The Wild Galleons (Captain Dick Morgan, Roger The Cabin Boy and The Kraken) and The Doomsday Killers (Gideon, Killbain and Ian Williams) ended in a no-contest
• Triple Threat: Martin Kirby defeated 'Flash' Morgan Webster and Wild Boar
• 'The Pride of Wales' Eddie Dennis defeated T-Bone
• King of CHAOS Championship: 'Flyin'' Mike Bird (c) defeated El Ligero

I realise that I have massively kissed CHAOS' ass here but it is well deserved! As a fan, I couldn't fault anything really and this worried me?! I never intend to find anything negative about the shows but something normally crops up. On this occasion, I just enjoyed the hell out of it; I was smiling from the first match all the way through to when everyone was leaving and the ring was being dismantled!

If you can manage to get a ticket (they sell out every show, didn't you know?) then I urge you to attend a Pro Wrestling CHAOS show. It's one of the up-and-comers in the country and provide an excellent night out for all the family. That's a very notable word there: family. There is such a great family feel to these shows. The wrestlers that compete (more-so the regulars) interact in a way that lead you to KNOW that they are all on the same page; the people that attend these shows unite and sing, cheer, boo, scream and get frustrated as one; and together, the CHAOS guys and the fans have a great relationship that I don't see getting weaker in the future. As I've typed that I've felt that it sounds a bit cheesy, or deep, but I don't care! A top wrestling show gets an emotional reaction from it's fans and that's what happened at this show.

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