Discovering Talent At Hybrid Wrestling
Five acts caught my eye at “Off to the Races.”
Hybrid Wrestling is the subsidiary of Game Changer Wrestling, considered the top independent wrestling promotion in the United States today. Even though the deathmatch-based promotion often runs out of Philadelphia and New Jersey, I’ve never attended one of its beloved events. The main reason is that GCW wouldn’t benefit as much from our coverage as other local indies do, such as ECWA, UWA Elite and Pro Wrestling Explosion.
When renowned ring announcer Emil Jay tweeted about Hybrid Wrestling “Off to the Races” a couple months ago, I was intrigued. First of all, a wrasslin’ show at a horse track sounded fun. Secondly, former WWE names Carlito and Gangrel were scheduled to compete, and I haven’t seen either of them in years. Last but certainly not least, the Delta variant has been causing such hysteria that I’m trying to go to as many matches as possible before they’re taken away again.
So, I scooped up a front row seat for only $28.16, which is a helluva bargain. Although there wasn’t a bad seat in the house thanks to the spacious setup at Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack, being only a couple feet from the action – and in some cases, in the thick of it – enhances the experience. Griffin McCoy’s sweat rained upon me, Holidead got up close flirting with the fans behind me and Warhorse fist bumped me. I’m just jealous that the couple a few seats to my left were splattered with Carlito’s chewed apple.
View this post on Instagram
I can’t rave about the venue enough. After parking on the first floor, I walked into the casino, briefly rode the escalator and then walked outside for the action. There were two rows of seats surrounding the ring with plenty of space to chill against the railing if you’d rather stand. There was also a giant bar area to grab a hot dog, chips, free water or a cold beverage of your choice. In a cool visual, the wrestlers entered by walking up the bleachers with the horse track behind them. Thankfully, it was a beautiful sunny day.
Kicking off the Hybrid Wrestling event, Young Dumb N Broke entered to their catchy theme song and a huge round of applause. You’d think they were slimy heels, but the crowd echoed their chant “Young dumb…young dumb…young dumb…and BROKE!” throughout the afternoon. I’m a Jordan Oliver fan and have seen teammate Ellis Taylor, but this time they were joined by McCoy and Charlie Tiger. They must be buddies outside the ring because their chemistry was palpable and they hit plenty of double-team moves. Having the spirit of late ’90s D-Generation X, they must be one of the top stables on the indie scene.
In a stark contrast to most indie shows, there were three women’s matches on the card (and Janai Kai competed in an intergender scramble). Marti Belle, who I used to watch on NWA Powerrr before the illogical move to FITE TV, faced Masha Slamovich. In addition to having a badass name, the hard-hitting Russian has a captivating look with her fire and ice mane complementing her sassy attitude. Expect big things for the Soul of Syndicate Champion, who recently appeared on AEW Dark against Penelope Ford and will be participating in the NWA Women’s Invitational Cup.
Slamovich wasn’t the only one to stand out in the midst of defeat. “Wildheart” Cole Radrick had his work cut out for him against the mighty KTB, but the pale cruiserweight gave it his all, flying around the ring with a flurry of lucha offense. He also sold KTB’s explosive offense well, earning the sympathy of the crowd and making us believe maybe, just maybe, he could tame the beast. I actually commentated one of Radrick’s matches at CZW Dojo Wars several years ago, so it’s great to see the progression of his young career.
Holidead (another badass name) worked the crowd like a veteran, inviting a loud, heavyset guy behind me to try her after she was done with Trish Adora. Despite her elaborate face paint, Holidead doesn’t come across like other supernatural characters. She’s a trash-talkin’, powerhouse from the streets hellbent on inflicting pain and willing to do whatever it takes to pick up the win. She and Adora exchanged holds, brawled amongst the fans and traded near falls. I’d buy another ticket if they were booked against each other again.
And then there’s Big Vin. The son of former ECW wrestler 911, this mammoth inherited size, intensity and a killer chokeslam. Big Vin towered over his competition in a six-way scramble and ended the match by annihilating everyone. At only 29 years old, the future is bright for this monster, who’s sure to be scooped up by a major promotion by this time next year. I predict he’ll run wild at MLW Battle Riot IV.
With such an eclectic roster featuring athletes of all shapes, sizes and styles, Hybrid Wrestling certainly lived up to its name. I’ll be in attendance at as many shows as possible from now on.
About Author
