GALLI ran a show on April 3rd, in Melrose Park, IL, a few miles west of Chicago. The ring was set up in a pizza place (Poochies), in a building so new that google maps still has the picture of the construction in progress. The ring was squeezes in between the building’s poles, with seats all around and booths a bit farther back, back where I was hanging out. It was a tight fit, leaving only room on a couple sides for dives (even then, an Asai moonsault went into the crowd), but it was comfortable, loud, and my seat gave me a good view of the ring and the TV with the NCAA basketball semifinals on, can’t ask for much more. Attendance seemed around 100, give or take 20.
I went to this show in large part to check out returning hero Gringo Loco, back for IWRG in one of the promotions he had worked in before going to Mexico. I figured, on the 1% chance I could corner him into a conversation after the match, I’d do the internet a favor and ask all the questions they wanted to know about everyone’s favorite tiny Mexico independent promotion, like what Chico Che is like in real life, and how Hijo del Diablo keeps his lightweight figure.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get that chance. After the second match, GALLI promoter/ring announcer Carlos Robles explained Gringo Loco had gotten paid in advance, but had not shown up and was banned from the promotion unless he came back for a public apology. Gringo had been advertised in the main event, and it seemed like he probably would’ve been getting a title shot on the next show, so this changed pretty much the entire card. Personally, I thought it was generous to allow Gringo to come back under any circumstances; I think I’d be a more vengeful/grudge holding promoter.
Even though I didn’t get to see the guy I came to see, I was really happy with the show. The matches were fun and didn’t over stay their welcome, the crowd was into the show, and the characters were amusing. It was a fun time.
The results, and we’ll see what names I actually get right. I’m the worst person in the world at understand names at an indy show, but I am smart enough to check other results for corrections.
All matches were una caida, sin limite de tiempo. Ref for all matches was El Vaco. Show was not taped.
1)Furia Roja (rudo) beat Valentino (técnico) in about 4 minutes with a shining wizard. This was your basic opener, with no big flaws.
2)Billy Star (rudo) won a six way match with Thomas St. Clair (rudo), Demencia del Muerte (rudo), Negro Thunder (técnico), Cameron Salem (técnico) and a guy in a blue and orange mask I can’t identify (técnico) with his similarly masked manager. Billy Star and his manager demanded a title match before the match, so Robles made this match for a shot at the International title. Billy pinned Salem with a flatliner (Kanyon was awesome) in a 6 minute match that kept moving. Negro Thunder, the disco dancing wonder, is very fun. After the match, Demencia beat up Star for reasons I could not understand
3)Venom (rudo, with Mini Venom as always) defeated Joey Marx (técnico) to win a shot at the GALLI Title. This was right after the Gringo Loco announcement, and Joey Marx was the exact right guy to send out, at least for me. He’s still the Chicago indies version of Jack Evans, and this was an exciting high flyer vs big man match (even though both are about with a couple inches of each other.) This was the match with the Asai Moonsault, with Joey going into the front row and nearly into the kitchen. Venom won with a swinging neckbreaker n 9 minutes; it didn’t feel like a big enough move for the finish given what Joey was doing, but the match was still good.
Intermission. I had cheese pizza, popcorn, and orange soda. Also, I saw Butler win, while setting back college basketball 20 years. I love my Horizon League beating everyone, but college basketball 2010 is a ugly, unappealing game.
4)Demon (rudo) defeated Mason Conrad (técnico). Conard, Salem, and Valiento are “Victorous Salem”, more or less doing the exotico gimmick. They were rudos last year, but they are great at the characters, enough so that it makes a lot of sense that they’re técnicos now. Demon is a guy wearing red with a pitchfork, but no mask. Eight minute match, with Demon taking down Conard and pinning him with the feet on the ropes. This was the least interesting match of the night, just missing something. After the match, Demon won me back by putting his pitchfork in a invisible sheath, and marching off.
In between matches, Robles held a voice vote to determine if next week’s show would be on Saturday or Sunday. Sunday was louder, so Sunday it is. Indy wrestling is so great sometimes.
5)Chilango & International Champion Emperador Azteca (rudos) fell to “Negrotistico Fantastico” Bryce Benjamin & GALLI Champion Golden Star (técnicos). Before the match, Chilango (accompanied by Chilango’s Grilfriend) explained to us that the peak of GALLI was the six minutes where Chilango was champion, and he hasn’t gotten the respect he deserved since then, especially from Bryce & Joey Marx, nor the rematches for the title he deserved. Bryce Benjamin remains 12 oz of charisma in a 10 oz glass, just overflowing with it, but Golden Star was the big surprise to me. I’ve just thought he was OK, but he was superb on this night. Highlight was pulling off the Mascarita Dorada like double rotation headscissors on Azteca, then following with a tope into an armdrag. Both técnicos came off very well, and the rudos were helping. Golden Star picked up the win with a La Mistica on Azteca in 12 minutes, champion beating lesser champion. Rudos laid out the técnicos after the match, but Azteca forgot his belt as he left for the back, allowing Bryne to pose with it after they recovered.
Show was over in under two hours, but I saw all I needed to see.
Next show is 04/11 in the same location, with the Azteca/Star International title match, as well as Golden Star defending against Venom. Should be a good time, and I’d totally go if it was possible. (Same thing applies for next weekend’s SHIMMER show, but I’m not going to make either. Go for me!) You can find out more about GALLI at http://www.galli.ws
I took a few pictures, but stopped because the flash was annoying. (After it got dark, not even the flash helped, anyway. Better ones will turn up elsewhere, I’m sure.)
