There I was, at my first Warrior Wrestling event in South Bend, Ind. on Jan. 22 and it was about halfway through Myron Reed vs KC Navarro – my match of the night – when I just knew this was the promotion for me. Warrior Wrestling showed out in South Bend, headlined by an amazing Warrior Wrestling Championship match between Will Ospreay and Brian Cage. It was all around one of my favorite events I’ve attended live.
Now, here we are, only a few days away from Warrior Wrestling 19 at Cicero Stadium in Chicago. Naturally, I just had to preview this card because folks, let me tell you, it’s absolutely STACKED! Let’s dive into it, shall we?
Lince Dorado vs. Sam Adonis Warrior Wrestling Lucha Championship
Sam Adonis just won the Lucha Championship at WW18 in an awesome scramble featuring Gringo Loco, ASF, Drago Kid, and Aramis. This Saturday, Adonis will look to take down his biggest opponent yet, former WWE superstar Lince Dorado. This has all the makings of a great showing as both men are incredibly talented and work the Lucha style very very well. I know Adonis is a bigger guy, but don’t sleep on his ability to keep up with the likes of Dorado. Ultimately I think this is just the beginning of the Sam Adonis era in Warrior, so I think he will retain the belt.
Blake Christian vs. Alex Zayne vs. Myron Reed vs. Gringo Loco
I mean, I could easily just say, “read the names and let’s move on. This is going to be, without a shadow of a doubt, a BANGER!”
What’s not to love here? Christian is a human highlight reel and looks absolutely revitalized now that he’s back on the indie scene. It’s like he has a chip on his shoulder and out to prove what a certain promotion missed out on. The same can be said for Alex Zayne aka The Sauce God. Add one of my favorites, Myron Reed, plus Gringo Loco to this four-way dance, and this is a main-event level match in most places. A case can be made for all of them to pull out the win. Blake Christian stands out as the obvious choice due to name value alone. However, he can take a loss in a four-way and still look strong so I’ll roll with the Sauce God to walk with the win.
Skye Blue vs. Miranda Alize
Skye is coming off a big win in a mixed tag match at Warrior 18 with her partner Dante Martin against Kylie Rae and Isaias Velazquez. She will look to keep that momentum going against Miranda Alize, the Lucha Baddie. I like this matchup for Alize as the big spot isn’t going to scare her. She’s no stranger to big matchups, as she’s taken on the likes of Jordynne Grace, Taya Valkyrie, and Britt Baker. Skye Blue is full of potential and is without a doubt a fan favorite. Saying that I’m feeling an upset for this matchup, though as a big Alize fan myself, is it really an upset?
Santana vs. “Speedball” Mike Bailey
Another interesting matchup. I’m excited to see how this plays out. I really enjoy Santana and think he is slept on as a singles competitor. Opposite the Proud & Powerful star is newly signed Impact star Speedball Mike Bailey, who seems to be on a mission to work everywhere possible in 2022 – which, of course, is a great thing for independent wrestling! I’d most likely be disowned by my Love Wrestling team if I don’t pick Bailey to get the win on Saturday, so that’s how I’m rolling. Sorry, Santana, you’ll get ’em next time!
(Fun fact: I was going to pick him anyway, but I’m definitely not trying to get fired today!)
Dalton Castle vs. Warhorse
What do you get when you take wrestling’s most high-energy performer in Warhorse and put him up against one of the most eccentric in Dalton Castle? I fully expect this to be a high-energy crowd favorite matchup. I got the chance to see Warhorse live last month, and the crowd just eats him up. Add Castle to the mix and this will be a highlight for me. Warhorse gets the win if I have to pick.
The Acclaimed vs. Brian Cage and KC Navarro
The Acclaimed are entering WW19 on a bit of a hot streak as they are constantly in the top five of the AEW tag division. However, the duo will be taking on the holder of the Warrior Wrestling Contenders Medallion, KC Navarro, and his partner, Brian Cage. Navarro clearly has his sights set on Warrior Wrestling Champion Will Ospreay, with the pair engaging in an intense staredown to end Warrior Wrestling 18. Ironically, it was Brian Cage who came up just short in that evening’s championship match.
I’m just going to go ahead and say it: can they coexist?! If you don’t think there’s a bit of a rivalry here, you’re crazy. Cage almost got it done tagging with the guy that thinks he’s getting it done eventually. That small wrinkle alone has me riding with the Acclaimed on Saturday night.
The Briscoe Brothers vs. The Workhorsemen
Is there a hotter tag team in professional wrestling right now than the Briscoes? All the internet wrestling community is talking about is what’s next for the soon-to-be ROH Hall of Famers. Well, what’s next is The Workhorsemen, a team made up of Anthony Henry and JD Drake. This has the makings of being the best tag match on the card as, compared to the Briscoe brothers, Henry and Drake will come in as underdogs. That said, don’t sleep on them: they aren’t called the Workhorsemen for nothing! These two can flat-out go and hang against anybody. Unfortunately, even with all of that said, they will ultimately come up short. Even should they lose, I hope it’s not the last time we see Drake and Henry together in Warrior Wrestling.
Bandido vs. Dante Martin
What is life right now? Bandido vs Dante Martin is a damn dream matchup, to use a cliche. One of the selling points for me attending Warrior Wrestling 18 was getting the opportunity to see Dante Martin live. Let me tell you, he lives up to the hype and his skillset is even more impressive in person. Throw in a wrestler as highly skilled as Bandido and there is a real chance we see something truly special at Cicero Stadium. Give me my guy Dante Martin getting the win here, which hopefully puts him in a position to challenge Will Ospreay for the Warrior Wrestling Championship. Talk about a potential banger of a match-up!
Thunder Rosa (c) vs Athena Warrior Wrestling Women’s Championship
I’m sure by this point you’ve noticed a theme of this card: it’s absolutely STACKED. Rosa vs Athena fits this theme like a glove. Holy crap, this is a match I didn’t think I needed in my life until it was announced. If you’ve ever listened to my podcast or followed me on socials, you know I’m a huge fan of Thunder Rosa. Add Athena, who looks fantastic and revitalized since her non-compete clause is up, to the mix and you’ve got the recipe for a certified banger.
So here’s where I’m at: we all know how amazing Rosa is at everything she does. So here’s the chance to make a massive statement and put the belt on Athena and start her new road off with a massive bang.
As you all can tell, I’m more than excited for this card on Saturday night, beginning at 7 pm at Cicero Stadium in Chicago. If you can’t make it to Chicago, you can catch all the action on FITE TV. I can’t wait to see what’s next for Warrior Wrestling. Which matches are you most looking forward to? Don’t be afraid to hit me up in the comments and talk about it!
Until next time, friends, peace out!
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