Wrestlepalooza XV Packs A Punch At First Avenue

Wrestlepalooza XV was held at a jam packed First Avenue on Friday night and at the end the crowd didn’t want to leave. The event was sold out well in advance, so I thought I would get there early Friday night to be sure to get a spot at ringside. I arrived at First Avenue over 45 minutes before the doors opened and was surprised to find 2 lines stretching around First Avenue in both directions for the 2 entries to the venue. I all but gave up my hopes of getting a spot at ringside, but was pleased to be by the ramp leading from the stage to the ring one row back. First Avenue was soon packed with loud and rowdy fans. After the main event, MC John Maddening told the crowd the show was over and the crowd booed loudly. Although Maddening had been booed all night, so he wasn’t surprised. But the crowd didn’t leave. They stayed around as if they didn’t want the night to end. It was a very entertaining evening and First Wrestling is fast becoming extremely popular in the area.

The night started with a short video showcasing a few of the wrestlers that would be appearing on this evening’s card. After the video, the curtain lifted and MC/Ring Announcer John Maddening welcomed the crowd and was booed heavily. The first match, which was between Arik Cannon and Mike Quackenbush. Quackenbush (Michael Spillane) is an author, podcaster, pro wrestling trainer/promoter and independent wrestler. The match went back and forth and after it was over, Cannon grabbed a mic and said what an honor it was to wrestle and train with Quackenbush. The crowd cheered wildly.

The next match was a six-man tag team match. The match was temporarily halted when Wildcat disappeared under the ring and reappeared with a large white rat in his mouth. The crowd loved the antics, were obviously familiar with all the wrestlers and alternated with jeers for the bad guys and cheers for the good guys. At one point, Thunderfrogger used The Hammer of Peace to bring order to the ring. Swoggle also entertained the crowd by slamming all the opponents to the mat. Following the six-man tag team match was a short performance by Drag Queen Mistress Victoria Deville. The performance ended with the Mistress unwigging, revealing a bald head. The crowd cheered even louder and threw money into the ring.

Next, 4onthefloor entered the stage and played for the raucous crowd. 4onthefloor is an American rock and roll band from Minneapolis. The group is known for writing all their songs in 4/4 time, hence 4onthefloor. The band played a great set and based on the cheers; the crowd obviously enjoyed their set.

The next match was supposed to be between Darin Corbin and Orange Cassidy. But when Cassidy announced that the fight was not for the Championship, Corbin backed out of the match. Joey Ryan was announced as a last-minute substitute and when he asked Cassidy if their fight could be for the Championship, Cassidy agreed. This all upset Corbin and he rejoined the fight, making it a 3-way match. Cassidy and Ryan used some of their classic wrestling moves and after a wild match, Cassidy was named the winner, retaining his Championship.

Next was a rematch of Jessika Havoc and Kimber Lee. Another hard-fought contest between 2 talented female wrestlers. The match ended with Jessika Havoc giving Kimber Lee a tombstone piledriver off the top rope. The move definitely looked it could cause serious injury and resulted in a 3 count, giving Jessika Havoc the victory. Afterwards, she hugged Kimber Lee and made sure she hadn’t been injured in the maneuver.

Following the match, Queenie Von Curves gave a brief, but very entertaining Burlesque performance starting on the stage and moving to the ring.

Lastly was the main event. It was a 3-way tag team match with The Flip Brothers vs The Lucha Brothers vs The North. It was an incredible display of athleticism and gymnastics. There was so much going on at times that it was hard to see it all. The crowd oohed and aahed at the non-stop action. In the end, the Flip Brothers were declared the winners, but the audience was the real winner of the evening. It was such an action-packed evening, it seemed like it was never going to end.

And at the end after it all was over, the audience just stayed in place, as if in awe, ever after John Maddening told them it was time to leave. A lot of people visited the merchandise tables – the lines were very long and some fans just stayed and talked about what they had just experienced. The athleticism of the wrestlers was truly amazing. And equally amazing is how they can get through a night like Friday night with no major injuries. A huge tip of the hat to F1rst Wrestling for the great entertainment experience. If you are interested in any future shows, don’t hesitate to buy tickets, they have been selling out very quickly! And DO NOT MISS Wrestlepalooza XVI when it is announced. It is sure to be another blockbuster night!