Mexican superstars, Toronto’s shining up-and-comers, and a few indy veterans joined forces Saturday night to put on a wrestling show that will have fans talking about for quite some time. Even a ring malfunction couldn’t slow down the action that Squared Circle Wrestling offered the crowd of nearly 300 people who attended the company’s first of two shows on the weekend.
The first main event saw Mexican legends Super Astro and Super Parka (known to many as La Parka) square off in a 2-out-of-3 falls contest. Their lucha libre style thrilled the audience, as the two showcased their speedy acrobatics. The aforementioned ring malfunction took place shortly before the first fall, when the compact Astro snapped the middle rope while attempting an asai moonsault. Fortunately, he wasn’t hurt, nor did he seem too shaken by the accident, but it did lead to him falling prey to a sneak attack and pinfall from his opponent. The two took their battle to the floor after that, and Squared Circle owner Rob Fuego ordered the ring crew to replace the middle rope with the bottom rope while they brawled. Once they returned to the ring, Astro tempted fate by hitting “the Chairman” with another middle-rope moonsault, which earned him the pin and the second fall. Astro looked like he was dominating the third fall, and just as it looked like he would win, the sneaky Parka was able to pull a piece of thick particle board out from under the ring, and smash it over Astro’s head, knocking him down and out for the pin.
The second main event pitted TNA star Chris Sabin against the popular cruiserweight Amazing Red. Even with the bottom rope missing, the two were able to put on a stellar contest that had the crowd alternating “Let’s go, Sabin” and “Let’s go Red” chants. The two put on a brief chain-wrestling clinic for a while, before the high-flying antics began. After Red nailed Sabin with a hurancarana from the apron to the floor, the two took the fight into the crowd. Red maintained his offense, even using a table to his advantage, using it to launch a shooting star press onto Sabin who was prone on the floor of the Renaissance Parque ballroom. Back in the ring, Sabin took over, hitting Red with a wicked clothesline and a huge running powerbomb. Red was able to overcome this assault, and after reversing a sunset-flip piledriver attempt, landed one of his own for the pinfall victory.
On Sunday, Squared Circle Wrestling ran an afternoon show at Durham College in Oshawa.
Other Match Results:
Match One: Sinn vs. James Champagne
Champagne impressed the crowd with some flashy moves, including a Tajiri-style handspring elbow and a nice-looking split-legged moonsault, but the evil Sinn got the pinfall after a standing drop-the-dime type maneuver.
Match Two: El Fuego & Cody 45 vs. Kobra Kai & Otis Idol
A preview of the luchadore-style from the first main event, as the four flew around the ring, with hurancaranas being the order of the day. The end came when Fuego hit Kai with a top-rope bulldog, and Cody followed up with a corkscrew 450 splash to get the pin.
Match Three: El Vigote Dos & Vladimir Yurkoff vs. Pierre & Jake O’Reilly
The finish came when Vlad held up Pierre in a big bearhug, and Vigote took off his head with a springboard leg lariat, in a sweet-looking Hart Attack type move.
Match Four: Crazy Steve vs. “Textbook” Tyson Dux
Local favourite Steve’s shrieking couldn’t faze the indy mainstay Dux, who is now sporting more of a UFC look and style. Dux, who has made the decision to retire from wrestling full-time later this year, won by locking on an armbar submission, forcing Steve to give up.
Match Five: 6-man Cruiserweight Elimination — Ash vs. Sombre vs. Tarantula Gomez vs. Hornet vs. Extremo vs. Anton Arakis
A good, well-paced match which showcased the aerial as well as the mat talents of all six participants. One nervous moment when Gomez was eliminated because he couldn’t continue after hitting a move on the floor — hopefully this wasn’t a legitimate injury, but if so, credit to him for selling it like a million bucks. Extremo won the match by pinning Ash after a 450 splash.
Match Six: Shantelle vs. Tania
Proving that the ladies could mix it up as well as the men, Shantelle and Tania put on their own lucha-influenced match, loaded with speed and action. After fighting off interference from Tania’s manager Danyha, Shantelle was able to hit her opponent with a missile dropkick, and pick up the win.
Match Seven: Joe E. Legend vs. Tornado
Returning Canadian superstar Legend enraged the crowd with his heelish comments before the match, and they let him have it throughout the entire match. Tornado, another indy regular who will soon be retiring from full-time wrestling, gave it his all, but couldn’t get the job done this night. Legend wins by pinfall after a devastating move (ie: Tony Schiavone term for “I missed what happened”).
