(BALLWIN, MO) If one ever wondered about the parallels between roller derby and professional wrestling and if they could still be joined at the hip in today’s sports culture, both Arch Rival Roller Derby and Dynamo Pro Wrestling proved how successful that partnership could be at the inaugural “Jams & Slams” event held in front of 675 people Saturday night at Queeny Park’s Midwest Sport Hockey.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
The evening featured both flat-track and hard-mat action and the nearly sold out attendance highlighted the first-time venture between the long-standing St. Louis entities. At its conclusion, the current defending champs of the rink advanced their placement for potential back-to-back trophy reigns while the current empress of the Gateway City’s grappling scene retained her championship and maintained her evil empire.
Photo Credit: Stephen Jones
In the ARCH opener, the Smashinistas topped the Stunt Devils, 266-120, to improve to 2-0 and pushed their current local win streak to four games. In the wrestling portion’s main event that concluded the evening, DPW Women’s Champion “Empress of Evil” Rahne Victoria held off the challenge from “The Barbie Killer” Hayley Shadows to retain the belt that she has possessed since August of last year.
ARCH continues their four-team, local season at Midwest Sport Hockey with a double-header set for Saturday, February 29 while Dynamo Pro Wrestling continues their monthly cards at Concordia Turner’s Hall on Saturday, February 22.
ARCH RIVAL ROLLER DERBY: SMASHINISTAS 266, STUNT DEVILS 120
The Smashinistas, who claimed the ARCH local trophy last April, immediately displayed why their squad should be considered odds-on favorites to retain hardware. Their persistent offensive attack overwhelmed the Stunts, who were already behind the 8-ball with high-scoring jammer Scarrie Fisher missing her second straight game as well as the absence of pre-season star possessor Skaty Perry.
Leading 19-12 after three jams, Smashinisitas jammer Smash Money claimed a 20-10 rotation in Jam 4 that stretched the defending champs’ lead to 39-22.
Over the next four jams, the Smashies cobbled a 21-0 run and possessed a 61-26 advantage with 15:10 left in the half following Frowntown’s eight-point strike.
As the period proceeded, the Stunt Devils managed to chip away at the deficit and mounted small charges of scoring thanks to the upfront work of blockers Sir Ian McKillin’, Rhonda Lousy, Black Dynasmite, Downtown Dallis, Rock Slobster, Shiv Tyler, Tina Faceplant and Bette Davis Thighz.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
Co-captain Force Choke claimed seven points with 9:15 left in the half and Thrasher, fulfilling the void left by Fisher’s absence, tacked on ten afterwards that narrowed the score to 81-47.
The Smashies countered with a 31-12 momentum shifter that concluded the half, resulting in their 112-60 lead at intermission. More troubling was a late-period injury to the Stunts’ Choke that resulted in her missing the entire second half and the third jammer exit this season by the purple-clads.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
This setback enabled the Smashies to put the pedal to the medal and quickly claim points. The blocking schema of Cloak N’ Drag-Her, Gnarley Carbsmashian, Intensive Carrot, Urgent Carrot, Nigel Smashberry, WyldeSyde, Oliver Smash, Regrets, Shady Hawkins and T-Bex helped Frowntown, Money, Skeevie Nicks an rookie Skulpix claim numerous multi-lap passes that widened the lead.
Midway through the frame, the Smashies’ 62-24 front half steamroll extended the score to 174-84. The defending champs broke the bi-centennial mark with twelve minutes left and Frowntown’s 26 jam with 2:40 remaining pushed the score to 239-103.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
The Smashinistas outscored the Stunts in the second period, 154-60, to claim the 266-120 victory and remain undefeated for the season. They have a chance for finish with a trifecta on February 29 in a highly anticipated showdown with the M-80s, who are also undefeated at 1-0.
Meanwhile, the Stunt Devils (0-2) will attempt to cling onto post-season aspirations as they Rebel Skate Alliance (0-1) that same night. With Fisher perhaps back in the mix and with the team at potentially full strength, they plan on making a daredevil-like, final regular season performance that might give themselves a mathematical chance of still making April’s trophy game.
Advance discounted tickets for Arch Rival’s February 29 double header are available at this link.
DYNAMO PRO WRESTLING
Bragging Rights Match (Non-Title): DPW D1 Champion Camaro Jackson defeated DPW Heavyweight Champion Adrian Surge at 11:20 via pin fall.
Photo Credit: Stephen Jones
Perhaps the most-shocking result of the evening within the square circle was the opening-match victory claimed by Jackson, who snared the D1 title in December, over the current DPW kingpin. The end result most certainly pushes Jackson to the top of the contenders list for Surge’s strap that has been in his possession since last April.
Early on in the match where neither DPW title was at stake, both combatants were 50/50 in exchanges as both heavyweights were unable to knock each other over with multiple, high-impact shoulder blocks. Then the veterans peppered each other with high-stinging knife edges that made the crowd wince.
As the match progressed, Surge kept Jackson unbalanced with multiple running European uppercuts while Jackson countered with numerous high impact moves.
At the eleven-minute mark, Jackson caught an unsuspecting Surge off-guard with a Pedigree and rolled-up the heavyweight champ with a surprise pin fall that wowed the excited crowd.
C.J. Shine defeated Snitch at 6:20 via pin fall.
Photo Credit: Stephen Jones
The popular Shine, dubbed “The Caramel Bear,” thwarted early shenanigans by the sneaky, masked grappler. Snitched gained control of the match midway and looked to snare a win at the five minute mark. Shine then went on a late flurry and connected with a top-rope dropkick that resulted in the duke.
Jimmi LaFleur defeated OutTKast at 10:10 via pin fall.
Photo Credit: Stephen Jones
One easily guessed that OutTKast, a two-decade veteran of the local wrestling scene, was going to have his hands full as LaFleur was accompanied by his “Arch City Mercenaries” tag team partner Tony Esteem. This resulted in numerous instances where OutTKast would have to wrestle with eyes in the back of his head.
OutTKast hit a signature trifecta of snap suplexes early to gain an advantage but then LaFleur found an opening and pounced with a continuous attack on his adversary’s ankle. The perpetual theme of the match was that when every time OutTKast would make a offensive charge, LaFleur would halt the momentum with repeated kicks, stomps and stretches to the suspected injured body part.
At the nine-minute mark, it appeared that OutTKast was going to claim victory but LaFleur connected a low blow while Esteem distracted the referee and followed with a sit down DDT for the win. After the pin, Esteem joined LaFleur for a 2-on-1 beat down on the fallen opponent, but then Shorty Biggs, OutTKast’s longtime “Bum Rush Brothers” tag team partner, hit the ring with a chair to chase out the mercenaries. This marked the first time in a long time that the duo had aided each other and one could project that a tag team grudge match between the pair would be signed in the future by DPW managment.
DPW Women’s Champion Rahne Victoria defeated Hayley Shadows at 9:10 via pin fall to retain her title.
After their hotly-contested title match held last month at Turners Hall, one could sense the confidence from challenger Shadows, who licked Victoria’s belt during match introductions and set the tone for the viscous, venomous rematch.
Both athletes hit each other with numerous strikes and high-impact counters early on. Shadows used her diabolical methods to choke Victoria within the ropes at the four-minute mark. Inevitably, the action spilled outside the ring and Shadows upped the ante by ramming Victoria’s head into the ring’s canvas and proceeded to throw the champ into the steel guardrail to the shock of ringside fans.
Numerous near falls were claimed by Shadows when the action went back inside the squared circle and it looked like that a title switch was imminent. However, Victoria was able to counter a Shadow’s finish at the nine-minute mark and connected with a short-arm round house kick that resulted in a pin.
Victoria, the inaugural DPW Women’s Champion, returns to Turner’s Hall February 22.
Discounted tickets for the event are available online at this link.
By trade, he is a six-time, regional Emmy Award-winning news videographer/editor for KTVI/KPLR-TV. By hobby, he is a writer for Arch City Media, dating back to February 2014. Emphasis is on featuring and promoting local women's sports, but will cover anything that is not reported by traditional media outlets. Also a contributor to local concert reviews.
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[…] successful “Jams & Slams” event in front of 675 attendees on the first day of the month (RECAP). With the faithful local crowd that attends alongside the additional numbers from the promoted […]
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