Faces of Fear win tag team titles at SSW’s return event in Kenosha
By Mike Pankow
October 15, 2021
Professional wrestling has returned to Kenosha and SSW decided to turn back the clock with former WWE and WCW stars, The Faces of Fear, competing in the main event.
The Faces of Fear, Barbarian (left) and Meng (right), along with their manager, The Demon, celebrate their SSW Tag Team Championship victory over the Express at “Face Your Fears” on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021, in Kenosha, Wis. (Photo by Mike Pankow)
Meng and Barbarian, ages 62 and 63, respectively, captured the SSW Tag Team Championships at SSW/Sports N’ Signings “Face Your Fears,” the company’s first show since Dec. 2019, at The Brat Stop on Saturday night, Oct. 9, in Kenosha, Wis.
The Faces of Fear defeated local staples, Ryan Kross and Dr. Jeff Luxon, the veteran team known as The Express, in a hard-hitting, psychological affair. Kross and Luxon controlled a good part of the match and had Meng down in a double nerve hold for a couple of minutes before he fought his way out.
With the help and inspiration from a local hero from the Kenosha area, who was honored before the show, The Faces of Fear rallied. Meng locked in the Tongan Death Grip on Luxon, wearing him down and getting the 3-count.
The show filled The Brat Stop’s Parkway Chateau, with a paid crowd of just over 500, with a pre-show VIP meet and greet as fans got to get pictures and autographs from everyone on the roster, including Meng and Barbarian.
The capacity crowd enjoyed a solid show from the first match to the main event. In the semi-main event, “The Punk Rock Prince” Jordan Kross picked up arguably the biggest victory of his career, pinning former WWE and IMPACT star Jay Bradley.
Jordan Kross hits a “Codebreaker” on Jay Bradley, leading to the pinfall victory. (Photo by Mike Pankow)
Bradley was supposed to be the surprise guy brought in by Chicago wrestling personality Frank The Clown. He still ended up as Kross’ opponent as Frank encountered travel issues and couldn’t make it to Kenosha in time for the show.
Bradley came out a cut a five-minute promo, ripping on Kross, before the 21-year-old Kenosha native, who was accompanied by LWF legend Billy Whack, came out to roaring approval.
The hulking 6-foot-4, 270-pound Bradley made fun of the shorter Kross’ size and took it the Kross for majority of the match. Kross demonstrated his strength advantage throughout as Kross got in some hope spots, including a Tornado DDT, and looked primed to pull off an upset.
Just when it appeared Bradley was going to put the match away, he accidentally bumped the referee in the corner. With the ref down for a few moments, Kross’ friend, Kal Herro, came out and superkicked Bradley. The Kross hit a Codebreaker and the revived referee made the count for the win for Kross.
Joe Doering, a Gurnee, Ill. native and former IMPACT Wrestling Tag Team Champion, defeated “Ice Pick” Vic Capri in a hard-hitting, gritty bout. Capri, nearly a foot shorter than Doering, who goes 6-9 and nearly 300 pounds, took the intelligent route by working on Doering’s legs and lower body.
Doering, who also starred in All Japan Wrestling, eventually overcame 48-year-old Capri with power moves, including a Stan Hansen-like lariat to gain the pinfall.
In an entertaining six-man tag match, Salem Crane and The Brothers of Funstruction (Yabo and Ruffo) defeated Chicago’s “Shogun” Chris L.O.G.A.N., Wisconsin native TW3 and OVW star “The Mayan Mauler” Drew Hernandez.
L.O.G.A.N. and his crew jumped the gun and attacked their opponents before the bell, but couldn’t maintain enough of an advantage to avoid Yabo and Ruffo’s circus tricks. The Brothers of Funstruction stuffed popcorn in the mouth of a prone TW3 and threw juggling balls at Hernandez. After the dust settled, Crane pinned Hernandez to secure the victory for the “Dark Carnival” trio.
Dustin Jackson works the arm of Dave Rydell during their tag team match. (Photo by Mike Pankow)
In tag team action, “The Fanny Pack Party,” Kal Herro and Dustin Jackson, defeated Chicago veterans Marshe Rockett and Dave Rydell. The young Herro and Jackson tried to utilize their quickness and double-team moves, but the grizzled Rockett and Rydell did a good job of using strength and wear-down holds.
The finish came when suburban Milwaukee native Herro was trying to roll up Rydell into a pin, but Rockett attempted to hold up Rydell. Jackson pulled Marshe away and Herro was able to execute the pin to a nice pop.
In the opener, Mikey Wild outlasted “Kodiak” Jake Baker and Skylar Reed in a triple-threat elimination match. Baker pinned Reed after a “Vader Bomb” to eliminate him, then Wild outsmarted Baker to finish off the victory. Baker attempted a “Vader Bomb” on Wild, but Wild moved out of the way, then Wild blasted Baker with a forearm shiver to the back of the neck to gain the pin.
SSW, always known for big-time veteran appearances, has brought names such as Gangrel, Kevin Thorn, Beer City Bruiser, Swoggle, Tito Santana and Glacier to past shows. The company didn’t announce a date for its next show, but there may be something in the offing in the spring of 2022.
For a gallery of over 200 photos from the event, click here: https://bit.ly/3vbGl4A.
Also, check out a SSW recap and interview with SSW star “Shogun” Chris L.O.G.A.N. as part of Episode 88 of Windy City Slam Podcast: https://apple.co/3v7sAn6.
Catch Windy City Slam editor Mike Pankow talking local and national pro wrestling every week with Chicago-area wrestling guests on Windy City Slam Podcast, part of the Broadcast Basement On-Demand Radio Network. Episodes drop early Tuesday morning wherever you download podcasts or at https://windycityslam.podbean.com/.
We are looking for guests to appear on future episodes of the Windy City Slam Podcast! Please contact Mike at mikepankow@windycityslam.com, message him on Facebook or DM him on Twitter.
