While I wasn’t able to make it to December 14th’s Bar Wrestling 7: A Christmas Special live, the promotion has been great about getting their shows on the Highspots Network fast, allowing for a chance to view this Christmas themed show while it was still Christmas season (it was actually available within 10 days of the show happening). This show ended up getting a lot of publicity due to Macaulay Culkin’s involvement in the show, and more specifically the main event.
Bar Wrestling has been a great addition to the Southern California wrestling scene in 2017 with a unique product that stands out from everything else. When you watch a Bar Wrestling show, there is no mistaking it for anything else. The promotion has really focused on more a fun, party type atmosphere with matches that lean more towards comedy, but not so much that it takes too much away from the matches. Joey Ryan deserves a lot of credit for what he’s built here in less than a year.
There is no graphics or any introduction to the show at all, just a hot start with the silver-tongued Christian Cole in the ring to introduce Santa Claus. This upsets Hornswoggle and his band of Grinches (Killer Baes, H.A.T.E, Briley, Raisha Saeed, etc.). He says some mean things about Santa then notices Macaulay Culkin in the crowd and starts shooting on him too. Hornswoggle even takes out a poor Christmas tree. The faces are out and the main event is set with Hornswoggle and some Grinches versus Santa and some elves.
Hot Young Briley vs. Scorpio Sky
Hot Young Briley has really shined in Bar Wrestling. He comes off as such a hateable heel, and I think he’s really stepped it up match quality wise. Sky is pretty much always solid. This match was pretty even for the most part, with neither wrestler getting an advantage for too long. It ended when Scorpio Sky hits a jumping knee followed by an Ace of Spades for the pin. This was good.
Rating: ***
The Killer Baes (Laura James & Heather Monroe) vs. Delilah Doom & Solo Darling
Delilah Doom was great in this. Every time she was in the ring it was like a dial on the match got turned up a few notches. Overall however there wasn’t a great flow to the match. No one looked bad, but lots of the match just came across awkward. I think the commentary has been good for the most on Bar Wrestling, and Kevin Kondron has been especially good. I’d put him (distant) second to Excalibur as far as SoCal commentators in 2017. That being said the claim was made that the Killer Baes remind them of the Midnight Express. No offense to The Killer Baes, but really? Anyway, the Baes hit a double team facebuster on Doom and get the win.
Rating: ** 1/4
Eli Drake vs. JTG
This was pretty fun with a lot of nice spots in it. JTG hit a really nice looking springboard cutter on Drake while Drake was in the ropes. There was a point in the match where they were going at such a fast pace commentary gave up and just said “they are doing a lot of moves.” Insightful stuff indeed. I thought Drake looked really good and really did an excellent job selling JTG’s offense as well. I wish they had a bit more time to develop this. Drake hit a nut shot to get the win.
Rating: *** 1/4
Raisha Saeed vs. Taya Valkyrie
Raisha, played by Melissa Anderson, tried to be a heel by taking shots at the American political system. She was cheered. The gimmick was actually great, especially the gear. There was a moment in this when Raisha beat Taya with tinsel and Taya sold it like crazy. Taya was accompanied to the ring by Holly Meowy (Beautiful Brenda on lucha Underground) who has a carton of egg nog. There were some fun spots in this, but it got too silly at times and could have been better paced. Holly threw egg nog in Raisha’s eyes allowing Taya to get the pin.
Rating: ** 1/4
Reno SCUM (Adam Thornstowe & Luster the Legend) vs. Luchasaurus & Super Panda
Super Panda is another real standout for Bar Wrestling in 2017. Unfortunately hetore a bicep in this match and is out four to six months. I’m not sure when he tore it, as he continued through the whole match, but on his Twitter he said it was at the beginning. Luster absolutely destroys him throughout the match too. Parts of the match were pretty messy however, and it really broke down at times. The finish was crazy when Luster powerbomb Super Panda into a Luchasaurus who was hanging upside down from the ring post in the corner. Thornstowe then picked up the lifeless Panda and hit a spinning Death Valley Driver for the pin.
Rating: ** 1/2
Ethan Page vs. Brian Cage
Ethan Page tries to choke Brian Cage with a blow up snowman in this match. Likely the first time someone was choked with a blow up snowman in wrestling history. After some stalling by Page, this got good when the action started. There was a lot of back and forth between the two wrestlers and both looked really good. The match was a little on the short side though, and I wished they had had more time. Cage won with a discuss lariat. This was short but good.
Rating: ***
Santa Claus (Dick Justice), Joey Ryan & Candice LaRae vs. Swoggle, Peter Avalon & Ray Rosas
This is pretty much a pure comedy match, though Candice LeRae some pretty nice interactions with Peter Avalon and Ray Rosas. Joey Ryan flips Rosas with his penis while Candice hits a ballspex on Avalon. Santa points his fingers at Swoggle like they were a gun, then accidently “shoots” the ref Rick Knox. While the ref is out the heels take over, but Macaulay Culkin gets involved with tactics straight out of the Home Alone movies. This allows Team Santa to get the win, and presumably save Christmas. This match was nuts, but it was also really entertaining.
Rating: *** 1/2
Overall this was another good show from Bar Wrestling. There were no great matches, though the main event will likely go down as one of the most memorable moments of 2017 for wrestling in Southern California. The show is definitely worth checking out on the Highspots Network.
