This won’t be your typical review. To attend this Dreamwave show, it was far away enough that I needed to make a weekend trip out of it. A friend (who actually competed on the show) suggested I document the whole experience, which sounded like a great idea to me. Aside from going to Berwyn, Illinois for SHIMMER Women Athletes weekend tapings, I had not been on a weekend wrestling road trip – and this would be even more unique, seeing as I was traveling up with a friend who was on the show and staying with four wrestlers who were also booked. In short, I would get a small glimpse into the preparation and vibe that went into a Dreamwave show. It promised to be interesting, to say the least.
Myself and Reed “By God” Bentley left for our first stop on Friday, July 12th in the late afternoon. We reached what’s called “The WrestlePad” roughly three hours later, which is the home of Christian Rose, Matt Cage, Jeff O’Shea and Mallaki Mathews. Their apartment is literally a haven for wrestling. These four eat, sleep, live and breathe it as was evident not only by the massive amounts of DVDs that were everywhere, but also by the food supplies and supplements (such as protein) that contributed to their routine. The plan was to stay at the Pad overnight, then myself, Bentley and Rose would travel to pick up Alex Castle and head to LaSalle for the show. The others would take a separate car since my mini-SUV would only hold 3 others comfortably.
Accordingly, we picked up Castle early Saturday and headed onto LaSalle. The three hour road trip was the most interesting and eye-opening experience I’ve ever had. It’s rare a fan gets an inside glimpse into the life of a wrestler, let alone listen to them expound on life, philosophy and everything in between. I was privileged enough to hear the trio talk freely on a number of topics – the details of which will stay in that SUV. We arrived at the venue around 3:30. The show started at 7:00. I headed in with the guys, realizing I would get a glimpse of what happened before the doors opened. We headed up the rickety fire escape into the building. There were already a few people there, and over the course of the next thirty minutes, more of the boys came in. There was a camaraderie that only those in certain groups develop. An easy, familiar vibe grew as they caught up with each other, chatting about the forthcoming show and share ideas for promos and the matches. Once most everyone had arrived, the pre-show meeting began.
I will refrain from sharing the details of the meeting, but I thought it was a refreshing thing to see. Overall it was a chance to go over the upcoming show, lay out the game plan, and for the wrestlers to speak their piece about anything that was on their mind. It set a professional tone right off the bat. Given that wrestling is often treated as anything but a business, here it was flat out stated that Dreamwave is just that: a business. Yet, there were moments of levity that broke up any tension. After announcements and warning, the show format was laid out as to what order the matches would be as well as intermission. Soon afterwards, the meeting was over and for at least awhile longer, the boys were free to relax and chat until it was closer to show time. More than a few got into the ring to go through their match ideas. They were all starting to get their game faces on.
Since this was Dreamwave’s “Summer Spectacular,” the crowd had been encouraged to wear beachwear. Grass skirts and coconut bras were mentioned specifically, although it remained to be seen if anyone would actually show up in that getup (spoiler alert: no one did). In the venue, all the ring posts had Tiki decorations and leis on them, and leis were also on the bar ready to be handed out to the fans. I saw a few guys in Hawaiian shirts that did commentary and hosting. There was a festive air but underneath it was a no-nonsense vibe. When the time came, everyone would play their parts.
Fast forward to an hour before the show started. The music had started to blare. The very first thing played was “Rubber Duckie” from Sesame Street (which drew calls from the boys to turn it off), then it went into a variety of songs. The mics had been sound tested until they were just right. The lighting was good, which would allow for decent pictures. Some fans had been allowed in, season ticket holders and those who were there for a special photo op with Rick and Scott Steiner, who were sitting at a table inside the ring. Sitting in the second row, I watched the two interact with the fans – they were gracious with everyone, which was nice to see. Most of the wrestlers were in the back, preparing for the show to start. Soon enough, the Steiners were escorted to the back, the final details put into place, and the pre-show matches began.
Putting my bias for Mathews and O’Shea aside, I thought both did well in their respective matches. Mallaki wrestled Nathan Knox in a heel role, which was hard since the women wanted to cheer for him. O’Shea was a face in the four way and did his best to stand out. Neither won their matches, however both looked good. The matches themselves were alright, nothing spectacular but they served to get the crowd ready for the main card.
What followed was one of the best shows I have ever seen in person. Top to bottom. There wasn’t a match that disappointed – on the contrary, they only got better as it built to the main event. The venue was almost sold completely out. I saw very few empty seats. The crowd was hot from the first match until the very end (one of the most enthusiastic crowds I’ve ever been part of), and they were very much a community as I saw people gather in groups to sit together. It reminded me of the show “Cheers” in a way. It made for a better atmosphere. Something else that set the show apart from others I had seen live was the fact that you could hear the commentators. They used in-house mics to share their commentary with the live crowd. I am not all-together certain if I like this touch or not. It made it hard at times to hear the trash-talking in the ring.
Right out of the gate, Jason Hades and his manager Ryland Foxx came to the ring to repeat the open challenge he had issued. A camera backstage flipped on to show that Christian Rose (despite his scheduled no disqualification match) was bursting to accept; however, JC Costilli (Dreamwave’s CEO) refused to allow this, saying that Rose had to be cleared by the backstage physician before he competes. Hades looked smug at this but the person who did answer the challenge soon wiped that look off his face. Lince Dorado emerged to a thunderous reaction, and the match that followed was highly entertaining. Hades dominated for some of it, but at the end, Dorado pulled out an upset by pinning Jason. The crowd went berserk as Lince celebrated with the title belt. Yet it was not meant to be: Foxx consulted with Dreamwave officials, who confirmed a point that had been overlooked – namely, that at no time had Jason Hades or Foxx said that the Dreamwave Championship was on the line in this open challenge. The anger and disappointment from fans was palpable, they had been fully behind Dorado winning the belt (although the reaction had been greater when Rose had tried to respond). Reluctantly, Lince handed the belt over. Despite the outcome, this match had started things off with a bang.
Second match was Reed “By God” Bentley taking on Dan Lawrence. Reed lost his first match at Dreamwave against Shane Hollister but his win over Lince Dorado created controversy – he unmasked Lince and pinned him as the feline warrior was covering his face. Here, he took on Lawrence who had previously been Hollister’s tag team partner until Shane decided that Dan was the weak link of the team and subsequently split from him. Going into this one, you had a newcomer who had already proven once that he would do whatever was necessary to win; and a man who wanted to prove that he was anything but a weak link. Bentley saw fit to address the crowd both before and after the match, provoking the LaSalle fans with his hostility. He cared not a whit for their anger. The two had a hard hitting match, and I could see Chris Hero’s training in Reed yet he was very much his own person. Lawrence looked great and it was only due to Bentley using the ropes for leverage that Dan was pinned. Reed proceeded to stand on the commentators table and address the crowd as I mentioned before. He did say that Hell followed with him, and that is exactly what happened.
The next match was an intensely personal one, featuring the Beck Family (Mason Beck, who was making his in-ring return here, Cousin Bobby, Cousin Dixie and Waylon) taking on P.R.I.D.E. (“Mr. Touchdown” Mark Angelosetti, “Wrestling Perfection” Ace Martino, and the DREAMWAVE Tag Team Champions, Matt Knicks and “The Dodgeball Superstar” Tyler Priegel). Angelosetti had made his debut (alongside P.R.I.D.E.) by crashing Cousin Nikki Mayday and Bucky Collins wedding at “Immortality” in June. A huge brawl between the two groups ensued and when Mark had Cousin Nikki cornered, Mason Beck returned to make the save. Since then, there had been only one bout between the two that ended in a count out victory for the Becks but this time it would be four on four. Prior to making their way out, Angelosetti pronounced the group had a new name: “Sports Entertainment.” The match itself wasn’t so much a match as it was a fight. They brawled around ringside before ever getting into the ring. Although there was a measure of revenge dished out physically, Sports Entertainment took out Bobby and Dixie; and while Martino, Knicks and Priegel held Mason back, Angelosetti hit a huge spine buster on Waylon for the three count. There was a murderous look in Mason’s eyes after he was released – you can be sure that this war is far from over.
The Alternative Title was on the line then as champion Marshe Rockett defended his belt against Chris Castro. Rockett came into the Summer Spectacular as tying Nick Brubaker for the most successful Alternative title defenses. A win over Castro would put him into Dreamwave record books. Castro, on the other hand, was deemed worthy of a title shot after going toe to toe with Brubaker himself on the June 30th show. Matt “The Money” Cage has mentored this man and turned him from a joke into a force to be reckoned with. Admittedly, having not seen Castro before now, I wasn’t sure what to make of him but his match against Marshe was tremendous. Cage accompanied him to ringside but after attempting to interfere on his protege’s behalf, the referee ejected him. The end finally came when Rockett hit the M80 to retain his title. This was the last match before intermission, wherein the Steiners held another autograph session downstairs for the fans.
The last three matches were undoubtedly the best. After intermission was the four way tag team match that featured Scott and Rick Steiner taking on Zero Gravity (CJ Esparza & Brett Gakiya), Arya Daivari & Vic Capri, and Helter Skelter (Alex Castle & Marcus Crane). This was just plain fun to watch. No one wanted to get into the ring with either of the Steiners – except for Crane, who, in his disturbed way of thinking, thought he was a match for them. His half brother, Castle, had a hell of a time keeping him in line, but the two were highly entertaining. The little things in wrestling matter, and even when one or both of them were on the ring apron waiting for a tag, they interacted with the action in the ring as well as the crowd. Alex’s facial expressions in particular were hilarious. All the teams had an opportunity to face off against the Steiners and Scott had no qualms about dishing out suplexes. The winners were a foregone conclusion (as much as I had hoped for otherwise): Scott locked Marcus into the Steiner Recliner and no one was able to make the save before he tapped out. The crowd loved it though, giving them a huge reception as they left.
The so-called “new face” of Dreamwave Wrestling, Matt “The Money” Cage wrestled Nick Brubaker in the second to last match. Cage interfered in Brubaker’s title match at “Immortality,” costing him a victory over Hades, and has made it clear he’s out to take Nick’s place as “Mr. Dreamwave” by any means necessary. Here, he targetted Brubaker’s head with several vicious forearms after a blow had knocked him silly earlier. Rather than risk a concussion, the referee chose to stop the match and award the win to Cage. Up to this point, it had been a hard hitting bout – the old guard seeking to fend off the new blood. No matter what anyone may think, Matt Cage can no longer be ignored. He earned his money at the Summer Spectacular.
At this point, the crowd was buzzing as it grew closer to the main event. This was the first time that the Dreamwave Champion had not been in the main. When fans realized that the no disqualification match between Christian Rose and Prince Mustafa Ali was the main, the anticipation went up even higher. This match was the result of JC trying to keep Rose from climbing back up to title contender status. He has yet to be pinned or submitted – the only man in Dreamwave to hold the title of “undefeated.” Ali is known as “unbreakable,” willing to place his body on the line and keep coming back for more. Billed as “The Undefeated” versus “The Unbreakable” something would have to give. The place nearly erupted when “Ride the Lightning” blared and Rose made his entrance. In the past seven months, he had gone from being despised and misunderstood by the fans of LaSalle to being embraced as an anti-hero. Whatever their reasons, the reaction he received is proof that they have taken him to heart. He had promised, in a video released a week before, to show people “something real” – he proceeded to do just that.
Instead of starting out immediately with weapons and going out into the crowd, the two first attempted to out-wrestle each other. Each got a near fall on the other. The frustration built up as a slow burn, until both tumbled out of the ring. That’s when it kicked up a notch. They fought into the crowd, near the bar (causing me to scramble out of the way), all the way around the ring. Chairs came into play. Each man went for suicide dives. The intensity and scale of violence climbed until ladders were brought into the ring. I remember shrieking at times, genuinely afraid for the two…and yet amazed and in awe of the risks they were willing to take. It was like watching a ballet or listening to an orchestra – the two artists started off slow, weaving a story and building to a climax, moving with ever more intensity and fervor. There was a primal beauty in the brutality. It reached a peak when Rose had Ali in a Boston Crab. The crowd was screaming for him to submit when JC ran out and proceeded to wave out several roster members to interfere. He fended all of them off with a chair and after getting Ali down again, locked in the Crab again. Suddenly the bell rang, yet the referee refused to raise Christian’s hand. It was announced that they had reached the twenty minute time limit. This match was declared a draw.
Fans were stunned. From where I was sitting, Rose looked pissed and rightfully so. He grabbed a mic and yelled, “No no no – Ali, it’s not about what you know, it’s about what you can prove. I KNOW I can beat you and I only need five more minutes to prove it!” However, Ali refused and instead made a retreat to the back. Costilli got a mic of his own and claimed that Christian “got lucky” and was “saved” by the time limit expiration. He then announced that there would be a rematch on August 3rd, but this time there would be no time limits and to keep anyone from sneaking off (insinuating that Rose would try to run), it would also be a lumberjack match. The catch was that JC would pick the lumberjacks himself. At this, the guys who had tried to interfere climbed onto the ring apron, but Christian grabbed a chair, causing them to retreat.
Alone in the ring, breathing heavily and exhausted, Rose began to speak, unfolding the chair as he did so. He spoke about how he was unable to get a title shot, despite being undefeated. He spoke about not even being able to get five more minutes for this match. He said that, despite all that, Dreamwave wasn’t run by JC Costilli, the directors that decided on title shots, not even himself. He climbed atop the chair and pronounced, “They don’t run Dreamwave – WE DO.” The crowd lost it, cheering and roaring. It was an amazing moment that gave me goosebumps. The fans went from being disappointed by the match ending to having a surge of positivity. It completed Rose’s face turn without resorting to pandering to fans or completely changing his character. It was a masterful stroke, on par with something created by Tchaikovsky or Salvador Dali. The whole match was a work of art. It was a privilege to witness in person.
There was an after party held at a local bar nearby that we went to once everything had been tied up. I learned that at least two times Rose had been legitimately knocked out; and Ali didn’t make it to the bar due to his back. Yet, despite the hard hits and bruises, the mood at the bar was festive. Everyone felt positive about the work that had been done. There was a sense of pride in a job well done, and from my perspective that pride was more than deserved. Many drinks were had that night and a good time with friends and colleagues one of the rewards.
Myself and Bentley returned back to our town on Monday. I have been buzzing ever since. When “Summer Spectacular” is released on DVD and MP4, I highly encourage people to buy it. I have been to several shows this year as well as WrestleCon, and I will state that in my opinion this was the best show I have seen yet. Every match was anywhere from great to fantastic. Rose versus Ali is my match of the year. Dreamwave is a professional business that provides fantastic wrestling, interesting guests (along with the Steiners, others that have appeared and wrestled have been Matt Hardy and John Morrison; in a non-wrestling role, Jake Roberts and Diamond Dallas Page have made appearances), and a unique live experience. I daresay they are worth the drive or even a flight. There is something special in LaSalle, something I hope that more wrestling fans discover and fall in love with like I have. Dreamwave deserves to be considered one of the best promotions in America. Attend a show, I promise you won’t regret it. I certainly don’t.
My thanks to Reed Bentley for being great company there and back; to Matt Cage, Christian Rose, Jeff O’Shea and Mallaki Mathews for treating me as one of the boys as I partook of their hospitality; and to Alex Castle for looking out for me during the car trips and after party. It was an honor to have a glimpse into the life of a wrestler – I have more appreciation of the sacrifices and the love you have to have for wrestling to live the life. And thanks to everyone at Dreamwave for providing a fantastic show. I will definitely be back.
You can view Jennifer’s photos from “Summer Spectacular” here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/34197939@N04/sets/72157634737280317/
You can buy Dreamwave DVDs on their website: http://www.dreamwavewrestling.com
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