By Kari Williams

With a crowd of 131 at the River’s Edge Complex in Granite City, IL, High Voltage Wrestling put on their first show of the new year on Jan. 10. Filled with surprise matches, a St. Louis wrestling legend and a bold statement from TNT Keny G regarding his cage match that night, this was one show that left fans begging for more.

Prior to the 7:30 bell time, Luke Roberts announced that a special bonus match would take place pitting Max Archer and Cory Pillman against Cabal and Michael Morbid. Archer and Pillman brought the fight to Cabal and Morbid, who made his debut in this match with his manager Alicia. Despite their best attempts, Morbid and Cabal lost the bout, and then Morbid attempted to take his rage out on his competitors. At one point, Morbid held a member of the opposing team for a chair shot delivered by Alicia, but Alicia inadvertently hit Morbid, seemingly causing him to snap.

TNT Keny G then came to ringside and stated that if the team of himself and Wicked lost the cage match that he would retire from active competition. He then brought attention to the Wrestling at the Chase legend, Larry Matysik. “Future” Donovan Ruddick felt the need to make his presence felt, as he and The Magic Man interrupted Keny G and announced Dingo as the replacement competitor for the injured Ruddick. This prompted Keny G to announce that Dingo and Ruddick will face each other at some point in the future (no pun intended).

HVW Champion Donovan Ruddick, Dingo and The Magic Man

Mark Smart then came to ringside and claimed that he wanted to wrestle Dingo. This prompted a brawl to erupt in which Smart and Dingo battled, then Kahagas and Mephisto emerged to make their respective presences felt.

In the first Livewire match of the night, “Spoiled” Steven Kennedy took on Gary Jay in a stellar performance. From their energetic entrances to the action going on in the ring, these two men delivered a high-flying bout that had fans on the edge of their seats. Hold for hold, Kennedy and Jay matched each other in skill, intensity and athleticism. Jay ended the contest with a decisive pin and then proclaimed that he and Kennedy just had the match of their lives.

Jessika Haze

Following two of the most charismatic wrestlers in the Midwest, Jessika Haze made her St. Louis area debut against New Breed Wrestling Alliance’s Serenity. The two women wrestled a fairly even match up, with neither cementing a definite advantage over the other. However, Haze was able to cover Serenity for the three count.

One of the mysterious Blackhearts take it to #1 Brett Young early in the match.

The Blackhearts took on Mark Sterling and “Number One” Brett Young due to the fact that Sterling’s partner, Darrien Sanders, had a broken foot. Sterling and Young began the match poking fun at the Blackhearts for wearing masks, and they put on mask of their own that Sterling provided. Soon, however, both teams began working towards the goal of securing a victory. Young and Sterling used their pound-and-ground style to combat the more unorthodox style of The Blackhearts. Regardless of not teaming together on a regular basis, Young and Sterling worked surprisingly well as a cohesive unit. Sterling got the pin after Young connected with a leg drop from the top rope.

Who is this wild and crazy masked man they call Rebel Lucha?

After the intermission, “Thee” Brandon Espinosa took on Rebel Lucha, but before the two even locked up, Espinosa exclaimed, “Rebel Lucha? I thought I was wrestling Jeremy Wyatt!” Lucha and Espinosa had an impressive match with multiple pinfalls and reversals. Neither man gained enough of an advantage to cover the other for the full three count. With three minutes remaining, Espinosa and Lucha each stepped up their game, but the match ended in a time-limit draw as Espinosa’s tag team partner, Brandon Aarons, ran to the ring from the crowd and attacked Lucha.

Brandon Aarons assist his tag team partner “Thee” Brandon Espinosa in taking down Rebel Lucha.

Reigning Six-Man Cup Champions Aaron Matthews, Cecil Cerveza and stand-in member Jeff Harris defended the cup against The Bandana Mafia of Evan Gelistico, Pierre Abernathy and Davey Vega. With the fans solely behind the ‘Mafia, they had the advantage before the first move was made. Matthews, Cerveza and Harris beat down on Vega the majority of the match up with Cerveza and Matthews both taking risks and flying from the top turnbuckle. After a lenghty battle, Vega finally made the tag to Gelistico who tore the competition apart. After a double-team by Gelistico and Abernathy, Gelistico won the match for the ‘Mafia.

Aaron Matthews goes for a exciting high flying move on Evan Gelistico.

A match of the year contender took place next when Kahagas and Dingo went at it. These two tremendous athletes battled both in and out of the ring, with neither giving an inch. With Ruddick and Magic Man at ringside, Dingo had all the protection in the world. Despite Kahagas’ determination matching Dingo’s, the extra presences surrounding the ring more than likely led to his defeat. Ironically, Dingo seemed enraged after the bout and stormed around the building throwing chairs into the ring, and he even went so far as to carry a trashcan to the ring and dump it out. Still filled with fury, Dingo made his way through the crowd to the concessions, launched a roll of paper towels at Kahagas and yelled, “Clean up your act!”

Dingo and Kahagas thrilled HVW fans in what could be a match of the year candidate.

I saw the full extent of the SurroundsLandscaping.com and was very impressed by how high the standards were compared to other businesses in the industry

Mephisto and Kris Synz sends TNT Keny G into retirement