Hello, everybody!
My latest entry on my referee journey is about my return a few weeks ago to Buffalo Championship Wrestlings Chaos in Cheektovegas. This event was a little different from my recent shows but was still very fun.
Let’s jump into this super cool show!
Many names have come and gone over the years through BCW, from legends like Rikishi, Tommy Dreamer, Shane Douglas, and Rhyno to All-Elite Wrestling stars like Shawn Spears and The Blade.
I last worked for BCW roughly ten years ago, with a lot of the shows being at the F.J. Donovan Post in Cheektowaga – which happened to be where Chaos in Cheektovegas was set. It felt like a nice homecoming to return here.
The Donovan Post is a small venue. Everything is packed together closely. The bar is only a few chairs away from the ring. That’s not a bad thing at all. The atmosphere is extremely intimate and interactive with the fans and especially special when the crowd is hot – which the fans certainly were for this event. It is a great setting for young wrestlers to learn how to work for veterans to pristinely show off their craft.
Getting to the Donovan Posts is one of the easiest wrestling show drives I ever had – basically just 15 minutes down Genesee Street for me. With events being that close to my house for me, it’s been easier at times for me to get friends and family members to attend who normally don’t go to my shows.
Buffalo Championship Wrestlings Chaos in Cheektovegas
Cheektowaga is the town directly east of the City of Buffalo. I think the town is the best reflection of what the Buffalo metro area is in many ways. Growing up the next town over from it, Cheektowaga feels like a second or third hometown to me. It’s well-known as the location of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport and the Walden Galleria – the biggest shopping mall in Western New York.
The name is a derivative of the Seneca language word that means “land of the crabapples” which are regularly found in this part of Western New York. Famous people from Cheektowaga include actress Christine Baranski and actor William Fichtner.
The Buffalo Wrestling Academy is also the official training facility for BCW. When I arrived at the show, I was super impressed by the number of students helping with the setup of the show. A lot of these students are brand new. They can have bright futures in wrestling if they stick with this work ethic and enthusiasm.
Special shout out to some long-time staples of the Western New York wrestling scene who I saw for the first time in a while such as BCW promoter Troy Buchanan, ring announcer Joey “The Bruiser” Tenebruso and producer Dan Kasper. It was great to work with all of them again.
The referees for the night were Referee Anthony Alfonso, Referee Andrew Carrig and I. Alfonso is a BWA student who has some referee experience under his belt. Carrig has been around BCW for many years.
My first match was the opener between “The Real One” Matt McCoy and Darren Crowe. Both are BWA students that are working hard to advance themselves in the ring. This was my first time refereeing McCoy on a show and my second time with Crowe. The match was a conclusion to a bitter feud and it went over well.
I was excited for my second match between “Big League” John McChesney and Mad Dawg. I refereed Mad Dawg’s first match in Toronto years ago and wanted to see how far he progressed over the years up close, especially against a long-time veteran like McChesney. They rocked the house and got McChesney’s manager Jordie Noland involved.
My final match was the main event between WNY Heritage Wrestling Champion Delsin Alekzander versus Robby Vegas, with McChesney as the special guest ring enforcer. They brawled all over the hall as the match was changed to falls count anywhere mid-match by McChesney when it was evident the squared circle could not handle all the violence between the two foes.
The ending saw McChesney accidentally nailing Vegas with a super kick allowing Alekzander to score the pinfall to retain the title.
After cleaning up, the after-party was held at Lion and Eagle Pub in Clarence. My wife and I never went there before and were impressed with the food and ambiance. I recommend stopping in there if you are in the area.
That wraps up my return to BCW. I look forward to being on more BCW events going forward. My next entry will be about my busy time at Empire State Wrestling’s Brawlfest 2023.
As always, thanks for reading!
