It feels like it has been quite some time since I had the opportunity to sit down and write the bravado, but here I am on the Canadian Thanksgiving Day weekend doing just that about proving ground. It is with good reason that I am writing this particular edition of the bravado and that is because I am still riding a serious high from Prairie Pro Wrestling presents Proving Ground. Prairie Pro Wrestling presents Proving Ground is a show that I was very proud to be a part of in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada. The show took place on Friday, October 11th and the night honestly could not have wound up going any better.
Fans started to file into the Cosmo Hall as the doors opened promptly at 7 pm as advertised. The tweets started to come out early especially from Sgt. Hazard who was ready to witness what Prairie Pro Wrestling was about to deliver at our very first indoor show. The thing the fans do not see though is just all the planning and preparation that as a team went on in order to have the night go off as planned. Multiple meetings going over plans and assuring that things were taken care of happened regularly in the lead up to the show, Still this did not stop the entire team from being a bit on the nervous side wondering if this truly was going to be the magical night that we had envisioned.
Fans begin to File In
As the fans started to file in though it was clear that the first step in filling up the Cosmo Hall was a success. The place was sold right out as every single chair and standing room areas were completely filled with wrestling fans of all ages. The show had a completely different feel to it and the fans were appreciating it immediately and that is before the first match had even started. The event was off to such a great start that even the local news CTV News Saskatoon showed up to cover the experience of Prairie Pro Wrestling presents Proving Ground.
The opening match kicked the night of action off and already fans knew that Prairie Pro Wrestling was stepping up the game in Saskatoon. Familiar faces were presented but there were many changed seen right across the card. In the first match fan favorite and the winner of the Prairie Pro Wrestling Lethal Lottery tournament in July, Davey O Doyle was set to be in action. The opponent of Davey O Doyle would be Wrestlings Smartest Man Bucky McGraw looking to reeducate the masses.
Bucky McGraw vs Davey O’Doyle
Bucky McGraw used to be a fan favorite among the Saskatoon and area faithful, but with a new company comes a new sew of opportunities which include a total attitude change from Bucky McGraw. The match was hot out of the gate and it was apparent the fans were loving every single minute of it. Never a quiet moment through the entire Cosmo Hall as the two gladiators went to war.
The second match of the evening saw the blue-chipper Zoe Sager come out to an immediate pop from the Saskatoon crowd. Zoe manages to instantly click with the crowds she performs in front of and the crowd for Proving Ground were ready to see who Zoe was about to wrestle. Sheik Akbar Shabaz then hits the ring as the opponent for Zoe Sager, a very obvious size difference in this match up but the heart of Zoe Sager made her as big and as tough as Shabaz on this night. Zoe used smart tactics like going after the legs of the much bigger Shabaz. Shabaz was still able to use his power to dominate a good portion of the match, but in the end, Zoe Sager managed to overcome Sheik Akbar Shabaz and pick up a victory that had the crowd roaring with excitement.
Mike McSugar vs Jack Pride
Third up in the evening saw an encounter between Mike McSugar and Jack Pride. The interesting part of this encounter was the turn from Mike McSugar. McSugar for many years has been a very exciting and entertaining wrestler who the fans love and adore. The Mike McSugar that came out for PPW Proving Ground was not the same person that the fans had grown to love. Mike McSugar now not caring about the fans and bringing a more focused and hard-hitting style to the in-ring performance. Jack Pride soon managed to get the fans on his side utilizing his athleticism to give one hell of a battle in that ring with McSugar.
The fourth match of the night saw Saskatoon’s own Tony Novak taking on Merle Graves. Tony Novak has come a long way in the last year, he is always training hard and paying attention to everything that is taught to him in order to step his game up. Merle Graves also showed up to Prairie Pro Wrestling Proving Ground looking much more confident and focused ready to make a statement about his own position within the new company. The crowd was behind Tony Novak all the way as they connect to the hard-working underdog story that is unfolding each time that Tony Novak steps inside of the squared circle. Then the carnage of the night took place.
Michael Allen Richard Clark vs Jacob Creed
It was time for the fifth match of the night and one of the biggest names and Saskatoon fan favorite the man with the longest name in professional wrestling Michael Allen Richard Clark came down to the ring. Fans were then surprised to see Jacob Creed the crazed cowboy named as the opponent for Michael Allen Richard Clark. This was a match that was completely new to the fans on hand but it did not go at all the way they were expecting. There was some remarkable back and forth between these two gladiators up until things got completely ugly. It was hard to tell for sure as I was operating a camera at the time, but Jacob Creed got some very nasty looking hits in on Michael Allen Richard Clark.
Suddenly there was blood flowing down the head of Michael Allen Richard Clark. At that moment it seemed as if Michael Allen Richard Clark just saw the red and went immediately after Jacob Creed thumping the crazed cowboy with shots across his own forehead. Next thing you look and Jacob Creed is also bleeding and even more so, this was quickly getting out of hand. The two men fought to the outside were two referees got involved to try and break the two apart. Even once the two men had been pulled apart it was even more difficult to keep them separated backstage as well. It was like a crime scene as blood was spilled all over the floors of the Cosmo Hall in Saskatoon.
Mitch ‘Danger Zone’ Clark vs El Asesino
The sixth match of the night saw the return of Mitch Danger Zone Clarke to Prairie Pro Wrestling. Mitch Clarke took part in the Food Truck Wars outdoor events in July but was now ready to go one on one with one of the most ruthless individuals in Western Canadian professional wrestling El Asesino. Mitch Clarke came out and was easily recognized by the fans on hand both for his work in MPW but also from his previous life as a competitor inside the octagon.
El Asesino as always is the guy who will do anything he can in order to pick up a victory, but he was not going to push Mitch Clarke around very easily. Clarke took the fight to El Asesino and a very competitive match ensued between the two. One of the most interesting things about this match was there is usually a resounding amount of hate towards El Asesino, but on this night it felt like the fans were at times being a little bit more respectful of the seasoned veteran. Either way soon as the in-ring tactics of El Asesino took off the fans remembered why they have that disdain towards El Asesino.
Michael Richard Blais and Jeff Tyler
The main event was then to come and between two of the biggest fan favorites in Saskatoon Michael Richard Blais and Jeff Tyler. This was our advertised main event that the fans were extremely excited about. Michael Richard Blais made a reference to this night being a chance at a revolution and I could not agree with him more, the entire night was a revolution for Saskatoon and for pro wrestling in Western Canada as well. This main event lived up to every bit of the hype. The entire night was exciting and there was already such a memorable moment, but then the main event delivered a match that the fans were completely in to.
The chants of this is awesome and fight forever echoed through the all showing respect to both Blais and Tyler. Through the match, though there were signs of frustration from Jeff Tyler and a few moment where he did not seem quite like the same old Jeff Tyler that we had become used to. Jeff Tyler almost seemed to go to a bit of a dark place that we did not know he even had as he pulled out the stops to try and get the victory. Blais, however, managed to pull out the victory in the end and he celebrated with the wild wrestling fans in Saskatoon.
Social Media Reaction
Social media exploded that night in a positive way with glowing reviews from everyone who attended the show. It was such an honor to have been able to take part in such a magical moment. I remember talking to one young little kid in the audience and he was just glowing with delight over everything that he had seen that night. That is what it is all about in the end, putting smiles on the faces of the people who come to support what you do. The atmosphere at the show was phenomenal and something that you just never want to forget.
Now it is time to sit down with the multiple camera footage taken that night and edit together the show for release on YouTube next month. Prairie Pro Wrestling is going to be bringing out our shows in full via YouTube a month after then happen live in Saskatoon. This way if you were unable to attend or are one of our many friends from around the world then you too can witness the excitement that is Prairie Pro Wrestling. The full show will be accompanied by commentary as all the action is relived from this very magical night.
Bosses Bravado
Well, that has been all the bravado I can bring for now, as always thank you for taking the time to share this moment with me. If you like what you read here on the Bravado then also go and check out all of the amazing articles down by all of the extremely gifted writers also here at Pro Wrestling Post.
