Date: January 29, 2023
Venue: Knights of Columbus
106 Bergen Avenue
Ridgefield Park, New Jersey 07660
Tickets: Front Row $30.00
Second Row $25.00
General Admission $20.00
Parking: Street parking
Promoter: Anthony Cole
Snacks: Hot Dog $2.00
Domestic Beer $4.00
Imported Beer $5.00
Wine $5.00
Mixed Drink (Reg) $6.00
Mixed Drink (Prem) $8.00
Soda/Water $1.00
Merch: Neon Blondes Autographed Shirt & Photo $30.00
Ring Announcer: Shane Fair
Commentary: Anthony Cole
MJP
Hollywood Marc
Correspondent: Samira Khoury
Referees: Nick Shin
Steven Dumeng
Social: briicw.com
facebook.com/BriiCombinationWrestling
twitter.com/bcw_wrestling_
instagram.com/brii_combination_wrestling
youtube.com/@TitleMatchWrestling
tiktok.com/@bcw_wrestling
Stream: briicw.tv/
($19.99 pay per view)
titlematchnetwork.com/title/queen-of-the-north-4
($9.99 per month)
_______________________________________________________________
In 2016, Anthony Cole, who had previously operated ventures in other areas of entertainment, such as hip-hop, stage, and poetry, was contacted by some of his business associates with an idea to add professional wrestling to their entertainment portfolio. Initially reluctant, Cole eventually signed on to the idea. Brii Combination Wrestling was formed soon after and ran their first show on March 20, 2016.
In an interview with the Around the Ropes Podcast, Cole said that Brii Combination Wrestling is different from other independent promotions, not because they have better stars or bigger names, but because Mr. Cole creates a family environment for both performers and fans. Cole said that he is involved in every aspect of the business, and even helps set up the ring before shows. Cole said he hopes to be the promoter that performers feel they can come and talk to without trepidation.
As many already know, the Knights of Columbus were founded to help Catholic men remain steadfast in their faith through mutual encouragement, to promote closer ties of fraternity among them; and to set up an elementary system of insurance so that the widows and children of members in the group who might die would not find themselves in dire financial straits.
The Knights of Columbus in Ridgefield Park, where this event took place, is easily accessible from New York City, and is located just ten minutes from the New Jersey Turnpike. Street parking is the main option at this venue, but I did not have any trouble finding a space within one block of the building.
106 Bergen Avenue is a well-known address in the independent wrestling scene, especially in the New York/New Jersey area. Promotions such as Pro Wrestling Magic, Spartan Championship Wrestling, SWF Wrestling, and East Coast Professional Wrestling have all run shows there in the past, just to name a few.
Inside the venue, there is a small lobby where tickets are sold and taken, and a main room where the event would take place. As you enter the main room, there were wrestler merchandise tables on the immediate left and right, and a video broadcast/commentary table further down.
GOVERNOR’S BALL w/ DARIUS CARTER
After ring announcer Shane Fair introduced backstage correspondent, Samira, and BCW owner, Anthony Cole for some opening remarks, A.J. Pan arrived for another Governor’s Ball with special guest Darius Carter. Carter immediately targeted BCW Champion Marina Shafir with his comments and pointed out that it has been six months since the champion stepped foot in a BCW ring. Carter claimed that the BCW Championship was his belt and called out Shafir for a future showdown.
At that moment, Dani Mo’s music hit and she made her way to the ring to confront Carter. Carter tried to get Dani Mo to leave, but Dani informed him that Queen of the North is a women’s show and it was Carter who should leave. Incensed, Carter challenged Dani Mo to a match, but Dani Mo reminded him that she had a match against Ruthless Lala for the BCW Women’s Championship later in the evening.
Dani Mo stated that, although she could not face Carter, she had another opponent in mind for him. That is when Dani Mo’s Neon Blondes tag team partner, Facade, entered the ring to challenged Carter to a match later in the evening. Carter left the ring and protested and said he was under no obligation to wrestle Facade, but the match was made official anyway. In response, Carter faked like he would get in the ring to wrestle immediately, then thought better of it and decided to wait for later.
MATCH #1
CHRISTINA MARIE vs. SHELBY WATERS vs. JOURNEY BURKE
QUEEN OF THE NORTH QUALIFIER
Initially, Christina Marie was supposed to take on Jada Stone in a separate Queen of the North Qualifier match. However, Stone was a last minute cancellation which forced Christina Marie to be added to the already scheduled match between Shelby Waters and Journey Burke, Esq to see who would advance to the Queen of the North finals later in the evening.
Burke and Waters teamed up from the start and used a double elbow, double boot to the midsection, and a double suplex to send Christina Marie out to ringside to regroup. Soon, though Christina Marie returned and tossed Journey Burke out of the ring. As Burke conferred with manager A.J. Pan, Christina Marie took charge with a standing boot choke and a turnbuckle head shot to Waters.
Burke tried to get back into the match, but Christina Marie kicked her off the apron and went back to work on Shelby Waters. When Burke finally made it back into the ring, she broke up a pin attempt, ducked a Christina Marie clothesline, then took control with a super kick, charging knee strike, and splash from the second rope.
Waters broke Burke’s pin attempt on Christina Marie, then got in some offense of her own with back drop, shotgun dropkick, and monkey flip to Burke that nearly ended the match. This time, it was Christina Marie who broke up the pinfall. Waters hit a Samoan Drop on Burke and whipped her to one corner, then charged Waters in the opposite corner with a hard elbow. Christina Marie whipped Waters across the ring into Burke and splashed them both. As Burke crumbled in the corner, Christina Marie locked Waters in a rear naked choke for the submission.
WINNER: CHRISTINA MARIE
MATCH #2
NEVAEH CHANTELLE vs. BRITTANY JADE
QUEEN OF THE NORTH QUALIFIER
Brittany Jade made the mistake of trying to overpower Nevash Chantelle and paid the price for it. Nevaeh reversed Jade’s first hold and simply threw her to the mat. Jade went for a waist lock, but Nevash ripped Jade’s arms off with no problem. Nevash hit a huge splash in one corner and followed with a spinning urunage for a near fall.
Nevaeh Chantelle seemed to be in control, but nearly got disqualified for choking Brittany Jade on the middle rope. The match seemed to be over quickly when Nevaeh Chantelle hit back to back spine busters. However, Jade summoned enough strength to counter with a bicycle kick from the corner that stunned Nevaeh Chantelle, then hit a clothesline, drop kick, and Codebreaker for a near fall of her own.
As the match wound down, Nevash Chantelle hit another big splash, but pulled Brittany Jade’s shoulders off the mat as the referee counted the pinfall. It seemed as though Nevaeh Chantelle had more damage to inflict on Jade as she lifted Jade into a fireman’s carry. Somehow, though, Jade reversed that into a DDT, followed by a forward somersault cutter and a shining wizard to put Chantelle down for good.
WINNER: BRITTANY JADE
MATCH #3
NOTORIOUS MIMI vs. EMILY JAYE
QUEEN OF THE NORTH QUALIFIER
The final Queen of the North Qualifier match saw Emily Jaye in control early. However, when Jaye telegraphed a boot to the midsection, Mimi quickly hit a basement drop kick, then slammed Jaye’s head into each of the ring’s four turnbuckles. Mimi whipped Jaye into one corner and hit a reverse spin kick, then whipped Jaye into the opposite corner.
Jaye evaded a charging Mimi and managed a roll her up for a quick two count. Angered, Mimi jumped on Jaye’s chest and pummeled her with punches until the referee forced a break. Mimi slowed things down with a chin lock and held it for a while. As Jaye attempted to get back to her feet, Mimi pushed her back down to the mat and went back to the hold.
Finally, Emily Jaye made it to her feet and started a rally with a clothesline, back elbow, second clothesline, and a bulldog from the corner for a near fall. Sensing the match slipping away, Mimi managed to come off the ropes with a bicycle kick that dropped Jaye in her tracks. Mimi looked to the crowd, said this was “too easy,” and set Jaye up for a flap jack to get the win and join Brittany Jade and Christina Marie in the finals.
WINNER: NOTORIOUS MIMI
MATCH #4
BLONDE FORCE TRAUMA (c) vs. NIKII DUKE & BRITTANY BLAKE
BCW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
For some reason, the normally crafty BCW tag team champions, Heather Monroe and Ray Lyn decided to sneak attack their challengers, Brittany Blake and Nikii Duke, with concurrent low blows. When that had literally no effect, the four women began brawling as the opening bell rang. Quickly. Duke whipped Ray Lyn into one corner, followed by Heather Monroe, then hit all fours as Brittany Blake used Duke’s back for a step up splash to both members of Blonde Force Trauma.
When things settled down, it was the tag team champions who took control of the match utilizing quick tags, double teams, and cutting off the ring to keep Nikii Duke from tagging out. At one point, Duke seemed poised to rally, but Monroe yanked her back down to the mat by her hair. Ray Lyn tagged in, immediately knocked Blake off the apron to prevent a tag, and locked Duke in a camel clutch.
Finally, Nikii Duke got her opportunity when she flipped through on a double suplex attempt and landed on her feet. She ducked the attacking tag champs and made the hot tag to Blake who came in like a ball of fire with a top rope dropkick to Monroe and Ray Lyn, running knee to Monroe, and a top rope, double stomp to Ray Lyn’s back that nearly ended the match.
Duke would return shortly after with a really cool sit-out guillotine choke drop as Blake hit Monroe with a bicycle kick. Blake would miss an ensiguri and be held by Monroe for a vicious kick from Ray Lyn. Both members of Blonde Force Trauma fell on top of Blake for a pin, but could not get the three count.
Duke returned once more and combined with Blake for their version of the Demolition Decapitation, but only got a two count before Ray Lyn made the save and threw Blake out of the ring. Duke watched as her partner was tossed out, turned around, and got hit with the champs’ modified 3D finisher.
WINNER: BLONDE FORCE TRAUMA
MATCH #5
DARIUS CARTER vs. FACADE
Former BCW Champion Carter and veteran Facade spent the first few minutes of this match feeling each other out. They traded holds and reversals and reset multiple times in the early going. Carter struck first with an eye rake to Facade as referee Nick Shin called for a break in one corner. Facade returned fire with a senton and a kick to the face that sent Carter outside to regroup.
Facade attempted a tope suicida, but Carter moved. Somehow, Facade managed to still land on his feet and the two competitors began brawling at ringside. The scrum spilled through the crowd to one side of the venue, then back to ringside. Facade would try to beat the referee’s count and slide back in the ring, but Carter pulled him right back out and the pair brawled through the crowd once more to the other side of the room.
When the action returned to the ring, Carter used another eye rake and a rope choke to take control, then crossed Facade’s arms across his neck and used them to force Facade to choke himself. Facade’s first few attempts to escape failed, but he would succeed with two knee strikes and a spinning back kick to set up a torture rack.
Later, Facade hit an ushi garoshi to set up Cattle Mutilation and nearly got the submission. Somehow, Carter made it to the ropes to force a break, then rolled onto the apron. Carter lifted Facade into a back drop from the apron, but Facade flipped through, landed on his feet, leapt to the second rope and came off with a hard kick to Carter’s face that knocked him to the floor. Facade looked for a suicide dive onto Carter, but Darius moved at the last second.
Carter tried to suplex Facade back into the ring, but Facade reversed and rolled Carter up for a near fall. Frustrated, Carter began arguing with the referee. Facade climbed to the top turnbuckle and tightrope walked across the top rope to the center for some type of springboard offense. Carter saw it coming, moved out of the way, and nailed Facade with The Royal Sweep.
WINNER: DARIUS CARTER
MATCH #6
VICIOUS VICKI vs. ANTHONY GANGONE (c)
GRAND DRAGON CHAMPIONSHIP
The Grand Dragon Champion Anthony Gangone and challenger Vicious Vicki had words for each other before the match started. As the bell rang, Gangone threw his jacket at Vicki and quickly locked her in a rear choke. Gangone countered a shoulder tackle from Vicki with a flying shoulder tackle of his own and turned to the crowd let them know, “This is where you clap.”
Vicki made it to her feet and dared Gangone to try it again. When Gangone came off the ropes, Vicki hit a drop toe hold to trip Gangone and punched him in the back of the head. Vicki came off the ropes again and Gangone’s attempt at a side slam was reversed into a hurricanrana by Vicious Vicki.
Unfortunately, in performing that maneuver, Vicious Vicki was injured. The match was immediately stopped and personnel ran in from all sides to attend to their fallen comrade. I don’t feel it is my place to comment more on the injury or Vicki’s status afterward, However, she posted an update on social media the next day to let everyone know that her injuries were not as severe as first thought.
WINNER: NO CONTEST
The show took a lengthy intermission to assist Vicious Vicki and decide how to proceed with the evening. Ultimately, it was Shane Fair who was tasked with letting everyone know that the show would not continue from that point. It was really the only decision they could or should have made to be respectful of both Vicious Vicki and the other performers after such a scare.
It was announced that the Queen of the North final, as well as the BCW Women’s Championship match between Dani Mo and Ruthless Lala would be added to BCW’s upcoming 6th Anniversary event. Keep an eye on Brii Combination’s Facebook page for more details as they become available.
The Indy Wrestling Experience 