It’s hard to believe Prodigy Pro is only four shows old. The Back Row Hecklers continue to deliver shows packed with dream match ups, new faces, and old favorites. Here are a few observations from Friday night’s show in Memphis, Indiana.
One: The IWA Arena is a great place to watch wrestling. Nestled in the back of the Memphis Flea Market, there’s easily room for 200+ fans and everything you need. Yes, you have to go outside and around to get to the restroom, but the view of the classic car museum from the restroom area is worth it. (IWA Mid-South runs Thursday and Saturday nights at the same location.) The Flea Market is also more lenient with the type of matches allowed at the IWA Arena, making it the perfect venue for the bloody, action-packed main event between the Night Ryderz and the Rejects, who received a heroes welcome back to their former stomping grounds.
Two: Corey Storm is a marked man. Earlier in the day Ian Rotten called on Gary Jay to give the sixteen year old wunderkind some vicious chops in their 4-way match, a request Jay gladly delivered on. Storm survived the chops and won the bout, but afterwards, he took a beating from Daniel Eads that sent Corey to the hospital in Indianapolis. Jealousy breeds resentment, and I’m sure many in the back are jealous of the opportunity the young star has earned. The more successful he becomes, the bigger that target on his back will be, but I think he has the resolve to deal with it.
Three: Hy Zaya may be just hiding his prime. One of the best things about PPW has been the resurgence of IWA-MS original Hy Zaya. Hy has not been wrestling steadily for some time, but thanks to PPW, the 2o-year veteran has had the opportunity to face and defeat some incredible stars in the hardest hitting matches of the night. Hy’s match with AR Fox was interrupted by Flash Flanigan, who shocked the fans by running in and beating Hy down with a Kendo stick. The upshot is, fans have yet another stellar war to look forward to when Hy gets his shot at Flash.
Four: PPW released issue #1 of their wrestling magazine at the show. This simple 16 page publication looked professional and provided a nice, inexpensive souvenir for the fans at only $3 a pop. Some great articles introduced the stars of PPW, and the magazine is full of photos. It’s great to see something like this from an indy promotion.
Five: Dominic Garrini vs. Shane Mercer was the dream match we never knew we needed. Garrini, with his MMA background and submission experience, was an intriguing and fun match up for the powerhouse that is the Iron Demon. The match was a change of pace from the high speed, high energy matches that came before, but the battle of muscle vs. clever submission maneuvers gave the fans plenty of gasps and thrills. Mercer won the battle that could easily have gone either way. I want to see these two go again.
Six: Iowa football may give us another superstar. Former Hawkeye Steve Manders inserted himself into the match between Myron Reed and Anthony Henry Friday night with a great promo. Manders has only been wrestling for nine months, but he had a few moments – including a double suplex of both Reed and Henry at the same time – that were impressive. Manders has a lot of personality, a lot of power, and a lot of passion. I’m a little biased with the Iowa connection (my wife is an alum), but I think Manders could follow Big E’s footsteps in this business.
Seven: Myron Reed and Anthony Henry are just on another level. The action these two young wrestlers put on in the ring is nothing short of spectacular. These are two names and faces you will be seeing on TV sooner rather than later. They are too good to go undiscovered.
Eight: Managers are alive and well. Jason Saint was great as always backing Mercer and the Gym Nasty Boys, and Josh Ashcraft has formed a perfect union with his charge, Daniel Eads. Saint and Ashcraft are both heat magnets, the kind of weasels fans love to hate. When they come to ringside, they elevate the action inside.
You can find all of Prodigy Pro Wrestling’s past shows online at High Spots. Follow Prodigy Pro on Facebook to find out where and when their next show will be.