SCU-oVe dream match headlines Warrior Wrestling 4
By Mike Pankow
March 13, 2019
Even before Warrior Wrestling 3 took place in early January, Steve Tortorello was already looking to top that show.
So when the Ring of Honor contracts of Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian and Scorpio Sky expired as the calendar flipped to 2019, the Warrior Wrestling promoter pounced.
By the time Warrior 3 concluded on January 5th, Tortorello announced to the live crowd at Marian Catholic High School that So Cal Uncensored would appear at Warrior Wrestling 4.
Christopher Daniels, from left, Scorpio Sky and Frankie Kazarian of So Cal Uncenored will face Sami Callihan and Jake and Dave Crist of Ohio Versus Everything in the main event of Warrior Wrestling 4 on Friday night at Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights. (Photo by Mike Pankow)
Friday night the trio of Daniels, Kazarian and Scorpio Sky, who are bound for All Elite Wrestling, will face another red-hot act in oVe (Ohio Versus Everything), comprised of Sami Callihan and the Crist brothers (Dave and Jake), in an electric six-man tag team main event which many thought would only happen in a dream.
“Originally we were going to have (SCU) against (Sammy) Guevara, (Rich) Swann and (Andrew) Everett, but then Sami and oVe reached out to inquire about being on the show,” Tortorello said via email. “We locked down DJZ and set up the scramble match around the same time, so we pulled the trigger on reshuffling. Sami and oVe very specifically wanted to work with SCU, and I touched base with SCU, and they were jacked about it as well, so we gave the people (and the stars) what they wanted.”
Kazarian is excited about returning to a wrestling hotbed like Chicago and the prospects of what the match will deliver Friday night.
“Any time I have the opportunity to wrestle in Chicago … it’s no secret that Chicago is a great city for pro wrestling with very, very passionate fans,” Kazarian said via phone Thursday afternoon. “I’ve had some very memorable matches in Chicago. That’s always a plus when I’m traveling around and I get to stop in Chicago and perform in front of the fans there. And wrestling a team like oVe, they’ve gotten a lot of buzz over the last year. A lot of fans wanted to see this match because we are two very prominent six-man groups in oVe and SCU. It finally happened. We’re thrilled.”
So, whether or not SCU says that Chicago Heights is the “worst town they’ve ever been in” or not, Warrior Wrestling 4 will present yet another loaded card from top to bottom in which several matches could be considered “main events.”
Tortorello loves to mix and match the talent and offer a variety of matches to appeal to the differing tastes of pro wrestling fans.
“Our goal is always to do a show that has multiple types of matches so there’s something for everyone,” Tortorello said. “We want lucha style matches, brawler matches, “big hoss” matches, high-flying matches, technical matches, tag matches – you name it. We try to get the best talent available to us at the time of each show. This show turned out to be an embarrassment of riches in that we have 11 matches that could each main event any promotion in the country.”
Tortorello booked an interesting wrinkle in his Warrior Wrestling Championship match. Brian Cage, the 6-foot, 270-pound machine from Northern California, will defend the title in a four-way against all three members of the high-flying Rascalz – Dezmond Xavier, Trey Miguel and Zachary Wentz.
There are a couple of matches with continuing storylines from Warrior Wrestling 3, including Eddie Edwards squaring off against Austin Aries in a “pure wrestling match.” Milwaukee native Aries looks to get even with his former IMPACT Wrestling colleague after Edwards pulled out the victory in a street fight in January.
Brian Pillman Jr. will be looking for some redemption Friday night when he faces “The Ego” Robert Anthony after Anthony used the help of Frank the Clown to win the Freelance Free-for-all in January’s Warrior Wrestling 3. (Photo by Mike Pankow)
The other is a continuation of a feud that began in January when Chicago native Robert Anthony takes on Brian Pillman Jr. Anthony and Pillman were the central focus of the Freelance Free-For-All when Anthony’s manager Frank the Clown pulled off some chicanery in helping Anthony score the victory.
Like on past Warrior events, there will be a pair of women’s matches, both of which are championship matches. PROGRESS Women’s Champion Jordynne Grace will defend her title against Lisa Marie Varon (formerly Victoria in WWE) while Chicago-area native Kylie Rae defends the Freelance Wrestling World Championship against Britt Baker in a sneak preview of a rivalry that may boil over into AEW.
The comedy bout on the card looks to be a fun affair when The Space Pirates (Shane Sabre and Space Monkey), the Black Label Pro Tag Team Champions, and Ethan Page tangle with Kongo Kong, Hornswoggle and local favorite Matt Knicks of Freelance Wrestling.
After getting legendary luchadors Ultimo Dragon and Super Crazy as special attractions at Warrior Wrestling 3, former WCW and current MLW star LA Park (formerly La Parka) is booked for Friday night’s show against Sam Adonis.
As usual, proceeds from Warrior Wrestling 4 with benefit student financial aid and scholarships at Marian Catholic, where Tortorello is principal.
“Anytime I can be part of something that’s going to help any charitable organization in any fashion, I’m very happy to give my time to help those either less fortunate or help those are deserving of such things as scholarships,” Kazarian said. “It makes what we do even that much more rewarding. All of us collectively are helping toward something that’s going to have a positive impact on somebody.”
In addition to the usual stacked lineup of matches, the VIP Fan Fest is one of the best values for meet-and-greet opportunities out there. For an hour or so before each show, the superstars of Warrior Wrestling are available for photos and autographs. For $25, fans can get access to the VIP Fan Fest and get photos with and autographs from as many as wrestlers as possible. There are also vendors selling merchandise and local wrestling media are there covering all the events for podcasts or websites. It is worthwhile for all wrestling fans.
“The atmosphere we try to cultivate is that of a festival of wrestling,” Tortorello said. “We want people happy, interacting with one another, and generally enjoying their experience in all ways. The energy of the crowds in our shows is off the charts, and that’s one thing that performers often tell us.”
WARRIOR WRESTLING 4 PRIMER
When: Friday, March 15. Fan fest at 5:30 p.m., bell time 7:30 p.m.
Where: Marian Catholic High School, 700 Ashland Ave., Chicago Heights, Ill., 60411
Tickets: Main show tickets start at $30, fan fest admission $25. Every fan with a ticket will be entered to win VIP floor tickets to AEW’s “Double or Nothing” show in May in Las Vegas. Fans with ringside seats will receive two raffle tickets.
For more information and ticket sales: http://www.warriorwrestling.net/
MATCH CARD
Six-man tag team match: So Cal Uncensored (Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian & Scorpio Sky) vs. oVe (Sami Callihan, Jake Crist & Dave Crist)
Warrior Wrestling Championship (4-way match): Brian Cage (c) vs. Dezmond Xavier vs. Trey Miguel vs. Zachary Wentz
Pure wrestling match: Austin Aries vs. Eddie Edwards
PROGRESS Women’s Championship: Jordynne Grace (c) vs. Lisa Marie Varon
Freelance World Championship: Kylie Rae (c) vs. Britt Baker
DJZ vs. Sammy Guevara
Sam Adonis vs. LA Park
Moose vs. Wardlow
“The Ego” Robert Anthony (w/Frank the Clown) vs. Brian Pillman Jr.
Six-man tag team match: Ethan Page & The Space Pirates (Shane Sabre & Space Monkey) vs. Hornswoggle, Kongo Kong & Matt Knicks
Six-man scramble match: Ace Austin vs. Bryce Benjamin vs. Andrew Everett vs. Gringo Logo vs. Rich Swann vs. Isaias Velazquez
Special appearances by Melissa Santos and Alicia Atout
