About 100 people packed the Springfield VFW Hall on Saturday night for some local, independent wrestling matches put on by the Dynamic Championship Wrestling company.
There were still flags for each branch of the military hanging up next to a poster of the Pledge of Allegiance. But towards the front of the room was a sparkling curtain, colorful lights and a speaker to play the wrestlers’ walk-out songs.
There were five showcased bouts and a main event, featuring heavy-weight champions Big Jim Hutchinson and Kyle Kraven, who duked it out for the DCW heavy-weight title.
Clocking in at 265 pounds, Big Jim Hutchinson walked out as Santa Claus, passing out candy to the fans.
His opponent Kyle Kraven, weighing in at a whopping 321 pounds, was not a fan favorite. He was met with boos and heckling from children and adults alike as soon as he stepped in the ring.
The match lasted about five minutes, and much to the audience’s chagrin, Kraven ended the match by putting Big Jim in a headlock.
Carrying Big Jim signs, fans walked out of the VFW hall with their heads hanging low in disappointment. Big Jim was still face down on the mat.
Announcer Steve Bossman has been in this industry for 30 years. He says it’s the fans’ energy that make these local matches special.
“This is old school wrestling,” Bossman said. “You know, nobody talks for half an hour or something. It's match after match, body-slamming, head-bashing action and fans need to know that that still exists.”
Here’s a lineup of the rest of the wrestlers competing in the head-bashing action:
Match 1: Lamar vs. James Roenick
- Winner: James Roenick
Match 2: Demise vs. Shawn Evans
- Winner: Demise
Match 3: Great American Beast vs. Jack Phoenix
- Winner: Great American Beast
Match 4: Pennsylvania Smith vs. Sinclair Octavious Bentley
- Winner: Sinclair Octavius Bentley
Match 5: Jake Braggntown vs. Adam Rohrgeous
- Winner: Adam Rohrgeous
Main Event: Big Jim Hutchinson vs. Kyle Kraven
- Winner: Kyle Kraven
Dynamic Championship Wrestling will be back in Troy at the Miami County Fairgrounds on Jan. 8. Doors open at 7 p.m.
