July 24, 2025 - Spokane, Washington
By Dave "The Brute" Kent, Ace Wrestling Reporter
Watching the North Pole melt one botched finish at a time.
You never know what you’re going to get at an NPCW house show — sometimes it’s seasonal fluff, sometimes it’s storyline gold. Spokane’s crowd walked into the arena expecting a little of both and left with more questions than answers. From Rosalyn’s thorny triumph over the ever-scrappy Furiosa, to the Howlers and Jolly Elves trading sleigh bells for stiff shots, the undercard packed surprises. Mina Harker and the Sugar Plum Fairy nearly stole the night in a brutal ballet, while Frosty’s misstep against the Black Knight proved that not every snowman is built to brawl. And in a move that sent shockwaves down Candy Cane Lane, The Huntsman pinned the North Pole Champion clean in a non-title main event — just one night before Christmas in July. Let’s break it all down.
Match 1: Rosalyn, Queen of Thorns Vs Furiosa Ardilla
It was brute elegance versus hyper chaos as Rosalyn, the Queen of Thorns, brought her signature sadistic poise into a rare singles showcase against the erratic but explosive Furiosa Ardilla. Two styles clashed — and only one left the garden blooming.
Match Recap:
The match opened with Furiosa flying off the handle — and off the ropes — drilling Rosalyn with a Jumping Cutter before the bell had barely stopped ringing. The Queen looked more rattled than usual, and after a failed DAGGER BLOOM in the second minute, she found herself eating canvas thanks to a beautiful apron diving hurricanrana from the rodent-possessed squirrel girl. Yeah. That’s the gimmick. Welcome to NPCW.
But Rosalyn isn’t Queen of Thorns because she folds under pressure. In the third and fourth minutes, she composed herself and brought Furiosa back to Earth — first with a beautifully bridged SCEPTER SNAP (German Suplex) and then a picture-perfect CRIMSON REQUIEM (Gotch-style Piledriver) that was all impact and no forgiveness.
Furiosa tried to fire back with a Code Red, but momentum had shifted. And by minute five, it was tap-out city as Rosalyn locked in her THORN SPIKE (Koji Clutch) like a vise grip on a garden pest. Furiosa writhed, kicked, flailed — and then tapped.
Rosalyn stands tall, and even the Huntsman didn’t need to get his hands dirty. Sometimes, queens don't need to cheat — they just need to hurt you slowly.
Kent’s Brutally Honest Take:
Better than I expected. Furiosa looked sharp early, but she's still a character gimmick in search of a polished wrestling identity. Rosalyn, on the other hand, keeps making a case for a bigger spotlight — calculated, crisp, and quietly violent. No nonsense. No overacting. Just domination with a touch of royalty. Could’ve used a little more drama or storytelling to bump the star count, but for an opener? Solid work. Huntsman earns his paycheck just standing there and scowling. Respect.
Rating: 3.5/5
Match 2: Howlers Vs Jolly Elves
After last week’s time-limit draw in Seattle, this rematch was bound to erupt. The Howlers — wild-eyed savages with a mean streak a mile wide — wanted blood. The Jolly Elves? They wanted a win to prove their hearts weren’t just stuffed with peppermint and punchlines. What we got was sixteen minutes of chaos, double-teaming, and eventually a very controversial finish that’ll keep this feud burning through Christmas.
Match Recap:
The bell hadn’t even cooled when Jingle and Howler #1 exploded into a flurry of opening salvos. Both sides traded signature moves early — Jingle with TINSEL TIME, Howler #1 answering with a SCOOP SLAM. It was tight, explosive, and set the tone for a furious match that leaned heavily on tandem offense.
The Elves embraced every bit of their double-team toolkit, with JINGLE ALL THE WAY, ELFIN FURY, WRAPPING THE BOW, and ELFIN CUTTER making multiple appearances. Merry was the engine of this team, landing crisp sequences and racking up points like a kid on Christmas morning — but she also took a serious pounding from both Howlers, especially in the middle stretch.
The Howlers didn’t hold back. Double SAMOAN DROPS, POWERBOMBS, PILEDRIVERS, and MULTIPLE ELBOW DROPS turned the tide mid-match. These two are brute force incarnate, with zero subtlety and less finesse — but they work as a tandem and brought the pain when it counted.
Highlights included a near fall after Merry’s ELFIN DAZZLE and the Jolly Elves pulling off a near-perfect triple sequence of KICK IN THE PANTS, TINSEL TIME, and ELVEN TWIST.
But the match’s conclusion left a sour taste. At 16 minutes, after a strong sequence from Merry, Howler #1 delivered a CLOTHESLINE OVER THE TOP ROPE that sent her flying to the outside. Referee Honest Abe did what he always does — count to ten like he’s calling bingo. Merry couldn’t beat the count. The Howlers walk out with the W via count-out.
Kent’s Brutally Honest Take:
Let’s be honest — this had the makings of a great tag team match, but it stumbled at the finish line like a reindeer with one leg. The Jolly Elves showed better ring IQ and more compelling offense, but they lacked killer instinct. The Howlers are brawlers, not artists. They bring raw damage but rely on cheap finishes and blunt force over pacing.
Double-team work was solid from both teams, but the overuse of Merry and the Elves’ lack of tag balance made them predictable by the 12-minute mark. The count-out finish is classic heel stuff — and I get it — but it's the second week in a row this feud’s ended with ambiguity.
One team is clearly better in-ring. The other one just plays meaner. Here’s hoping the rubber match has some actual teeth — maybe a no-countout stip? Or better yet, keep Honest Abe on the sidelines and get a ref who doesn’t count faster than a kid opening gifts on Christmas morning.
Bottom Line: A fun brawl derailed by a lazy finish. The feud is still hot — but we’re not crowning any classics here.
Rating: 3/5
Match 3: Mina Harker Vs Sugar Plum Fairy
It was beauty versus bloodlust in a bout that took more twists than a peppermint stick in a blizzard. Mina Harker, the self-proclaimed vampiric vanguard of violence, squared off against the Sugar Plum Fairy, who floats like a frosted feather but strikes like a gingerbread guillotine. From the opening bell to the final count, this match whirled through chaos, charm, and something a little unsettling.
Match Recap:
From the very start, Mina Harker came in hot with a Tornado DDT and a string of huracanranas that nearly spun Sugar Plum Fairy’s gumdrops off. But Sugar Plum Fairy didn’t melt under the pressure—instead, she answered with STOs, Fairy Dust Dropkicks, and those ever-dazzling Sugar Rush Splashes. The match turned into a sprint-paced see-saw, with both women throwing everything short of a sleigh ride at each other.
Mina’s offense was sharp, especially her Shining Wizards and Black Widow Octopus Hold. But something was... off. Every time she ended up outside the ring, Harker would start mumbling to herself, pacing like a lunatic, sometimes even laughing—and not the good kind. I don’t know if she’s talking to ghosts or just losing her grip, but something’s crawling around her mind, and it ain’t holiday cheer.
Meanwhile, Sugar Plum Fairy dazzled the crowd with her Back Handspring Tilt-A-Whirl Headscissors, Sitout Hip Tosses, and crowd-popping Twinkle Toes DDTs. She nearly sealed the deal more than once with picture-perfect pins, but Mina kept slipping through the cracks like shadow through a keyhole.
In the final stretch, after a brutal exchange of kicks, holds, and one high-risk dive to the outside, Mina finally trapped Sugar Plum Fairy in the Nocturnal Neck Bridge. Three slaps of the mat later, it was over. Mina Harker gets the W—but the real question is what’s going on in that fanged head of hers.
Kent’s Brutally Honest Take:
Alright, I’ll give credit where it’s due—these two put on a damn good match. It was fast, fluid, and featured actual storytelling between the ropes. Sugar Plum Fairy continues to prove she’s more than sparkle and tutu fluff, while Mina Harker shows she’s a dangerous wildcard who might need a straitjacket.
But here’s the rub: while Mina’s in-ring work was stellar, her bizarre antics outside the ring were either brilliant character work... or a sign we’ve got a real liability on our hands. If she’s faking it, she’s a genius. If she’s not, then somebody better get her a therapist before we find Honest Abe counting ten over a blood-soaked elf.
Still, the match had weight, drama, and action. One of the best on the card. I’ll even say it: Mina’s a main event threat—assuming she doesn’t eat her own tag partner first.
Rating: 4/5
Match 4: Frosty vs Black Knight
On paper, this looked like a classic mismatch—Frosty, a perennial fan favorite and wintertime powerhouse, against the enigmatic but erratic Black Knight. Most expected this to be a festive beatdown. Instead, what we got was a wake-up call in knight’s armor. Upset? Maybe. But make no mistake—this wasn't a fluke. The Black Knight earned this one.
Match Recap:
The match kicked off hot, with both Frosty and the Black Knight trading highlight-reel offense. Frosty struck early with a Snowball Slam, but Black Knight answered immediately with a Springboard 450 Splash, setting the tone for a blistering pace. For the first several minutes, the Knight relied heavily on dropkicks, springboards, and German suplexes to stay one step ahead of Frosty’s blunt-force offense.
Frosty, to his credit, never slowed down. He launched into flurries of Snowdrift Splashes, Frozen Fists, and even scored multiple near-falls with big slams like the Frostbite Suplex and the Blizzard Buster. But the Knight kept absorbing punishment and coming back with creative, crisp counters. Even a full-on reversal of his own Knight’s Fall didn’t rattle him.
As the match wore on, it became a war of attrition. Frosty’s pin attempts piled up, but they all failed. Meanwhile, Black Knight started stringing together his signature high-impact moves with precision—another Knight’s Fall, more springboards, and suplexes that rattled the ring ropes. Finally, after shrugging off a late-match flurry from Frosty, the Knight caught him clean with a Kip-Up Frankensteiner and held him down for the shock three-count.
Kent’s Brutally Honest Take:
This match exceeded every expectation I had—and I had zero to begin with. Frosty looked like a top contender out of the gate but couldn’t put the Knight away, and frankly, he blew it by not adjusting his strategy. Meanwhile, Black Knight may have just pulled off his career-defining win. Was it clean? Absolutely. Was it lucky? Not even close. He weathered the storm, paced himself, and nailed the finish. This wasn’t just an upset—it was a breakthrough. And Frosty? He better cool off and rethink things before the snow melts entirely.
Rating: 4/5
Main Event: Rudolph Vs The Huntsman
In a truly puzzling booking decision, North Pole Champion Rudolph put his hooves to the mat for a non-title main event against The Huntsman… the day before the colossal Christmas in July Polar Power where every title will be on the line. Why the champ is taking unnecessary risks at a house show is anyone’s guess — maybe he thinks he's bulletproof. But as the crowd in Spokane would soon witness, even the most famous reindeer of all can get caught in a trap.
Match Recap:
The match began at a blistering pace with Rudolph hitting a slick Cross Body Block, only to be matched in strength and grit by a surprisingly aggressive Huntsman. The action swung wildly in both directions over the first ten minutes. Rudolph unleashed his arsenal: Flying Dropkicks, Reindeer Kicks, and even the sleeper hold To All a Goodnight. But the Huntsman—stoic and grim—absorbed the pain and hit back with Ace Crushers, Gutwrench Suplexes, and his crushing Neutralizer.
It wasn’t a squash, but it wasn’t a coronation either. The longer the bout went, the more Rudolph’s normally crisp timing started to unravel, and the Huntsman—ever the patient predator—took advantage. Even after kicking out of multiple pins, Rudolph never quite regained the rhythm. Referee Slow-Count Sam, true to his name, was maddeningly inconsistent during crucial moments. The final blow came at the 26-minute mark: a Delayed Gutwrench Suplex that planted Rudolph, shoulders-down, for a clean three count. The Huntsman pinned the champ. No outside interference. No controversy. Just a statement.
Kent’s Brutally Honest Take:
Let me say this clear as ice: this should never have happened. Who lets their champion get pinned in a throwaway house show match the day before a big episode of Polar Power? Rudolph showed heart, but he was sloppy and overconfident, and Slow-Count Sam couldn’t find a rhythm if he were tapping along to "Jingle Bells." The Huntsman impressed me. He’s no seasonal novelty — he’s a real threat. The office better think hard about the message they just sent: you can beat the champ if the lights aren’t too bright. And for Rudolph? He better shake this off, or his title reign might end on July 25th. Hoofprints don’t matter if you’re flat on your back.
Rating: 3.5/5
Overall Take
Five matches. Three standout performances. One baffling booking decision. Spokane got its money’s worth, but this card raised more eyebrows than heart rates. Rosalyn vs. Furiosa delivered a crisp, athletic opener that deserved more crowd energy. The Howlers and Jolly Elves? Fun chaos, but still felt more like a sugar-fueled snowball fight than a cohesive tag contest.
Then came the clash between Mina Harker and the Sugar Plum Fairy — a sleeper hit of the night. Both women came out swinging, and Harker continues to prove she’s more than a midcard mystic. Frosty vs. Black Knight was a trainwreck, and not in the good way. Whoever thought Frosty should go toe-to-toe with a man built like a Gothic tank should spend a few nights in the penalty igloo.
The main event? Already talked about it, but I’ll say this again: you don’t pin your champ clean at a house show. The Huntsman earned his W, no question, but Rudolph’s aura took a dent. The snow globe’s been shaken, and now everyone’s watching to see where the flakes settle.
Final Show Rating: 3/5
Final Kent's Judgment:
Harker impressed. Black Knight demolished. The Huntsman shocked. And the booking? Still baffling. Spokane was solid, but heading into Christmas in July, NPCW needs to stop tripping over its own antlers.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE (Unfortunately, Yes... This Again)
If anyone — and I mean anyone — has information regarding the mysterious disappearance of NPCW’s so-called “emotional support penguin” Flippers, please contact NPCW officials immediately.
Whether he wandered off chasing fish sticks or finally got what was coming to him from someone tired of his waddling antics, the fact remains: the guy’s missing. So, if you’ve seen a short, flapping nuisance with a loud mouth and worse judgment, do your civic duty and report it.
Let’s get this wrapped up so we can get back to real wrestling.
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