Nathan Tucker
nrtucker@lc.edu

 

Women’s professional wrestling is going through what some would call a “revolution”. Wrestling promotions of all shapes, sizes and locales are a crucial part of this revolution. These promotions are showcasing women wrestlers and women’s wrestling in the same light that men had been shown for years prior.

On April 26, Saint Louis Anarchy hosted St. Louis’s first ever woman-centric wrestling event, Ladies Night. The evening was filled with top-caliber talent, from wrestlers that have been in televised wrestling promotions like WWE and Impact (formerly TNA), to wrestlers that are fan favorites across independent promotions in St. Louis and all across the country.

The evening at Spaulding Hall lived up to the hype. St. Louis area favorites Tootie Lynn Ramsey and Savannah Stone squared off in what could become one of St. Louis’s great wrestling rivalries. These two women are more than used to each other, and this match wasn’t their first encounter. Their match set the bar for the rest of the evening.

In other Ladies Night action, Shotzi Blackheart, who’s wrestled all across the independent circuit and on tv with Impact Wrestling, faced the “too turnt party unicorn” Laynie Luck, who won over those who didn’t know her with her fun attitude and serious skill in the ring. Their match was a true battle, with Laynie taking to Twitter afterwards to say the match was one of her best all year.

The match of the evening for many fans was between Kylie Rae, one of pro wrestling’s most popular and relentlessly positive stars, and Gary Jay, a local and Anarchy favorite who found himself thrown into the all-women’s card when Hudson Envy had to be pulled of the card due to her suffering an injury before the show. Their match was special, and even a little emotional.

“I have knocked out some of the best in the world in this building,” said Gary Jay, still in the ring after the match against Kylie, “I’ve beaten some of the best, and some of the best have beat me, but goddamn, you’re one of the best [expletive] wrestlers in the world. Smiley Kylie, you’re the greatest athlete I’ve ever been in the ring with. Man, woman, gender doesn’t matter. You’re the real deal. Thank you.”

Kylie joined him in the ring and gave him a big hug and both received a long standing ovation,. They were played off to Kylie’s music (the Pokemon theme song) as fans chanted “Please come back!” to Kylie Rae. A true Anarchy moment that those in attendance will remember for a long time.

The main event of Ladies Night then had a lot to live up to. The final match of the evening saw former WWE and independent star Kimber Lee face Allie Kat, who’s fast becoming a favorite across not just the country but the world.

Kimber Lee is one of the hardest workers on the wrestling circuit of any gender, and her work paid off when she made it to WWE’s 2017 Mae Young Classic, the promotion’s now-yearly women’s tournament. She’s also wrestled for World Wonder Ring Stardom, a Japanese women’s wrestling promotion seen by many as the world’s best promotion for women’s wrestling. She competed in their Five Star Grand Prix tournament just last year.

Allie Kat, who is half-woman-half-cat-half-wrestler, walks around the ring for pets from fans and asks other wrestlers to scratch her belly. But don’t let the feline appearance fool you, Allie Kat is one of the hardest hitting women on the planet, and shows it in the ring.

Their match was a dramatic brawl that had a little bit of everything. Technical grappling, fierce striking offense, big moves outside of the ring, and even beer pong. The Spaulding Hall crowd went wild for each devastating blow or kick, and really got riled up when both Allie Kat and Kimber Lee chugged cups off the beer pong table. After the match both competitors hugged it out in the ring and left to another large ovation from the Anarchy crowd.

Anarchy’s Ladies Night was a big hit. Those in attendance witnessed St. Louis wrestling history. Local favorites, international stars, and most of all, great wrestling, something Saint Louis Anarchy has become known for both in the area and across the wrestling landscape.

Ladies Night was proof positive that wrestling is for everyone.