THOUGHTS FROM THE BUNKER …
BRUTAL TRUTH – Issue #2 – August 8, 2025
By Dave “The Brute” Kent
FROM THE BUNKER
Disappearing acts aren’t just for magicians, folks—they're for monsters, too. And in the case of NPCW’s Alpha Monster, we’re left asking a question that no one in the main office seems to want to answer: Where the hell is Frankenstein’s Monster? You remember—seven feet of stitched-up mayhem, a walking cathedral of destruction, and at one point, the scariest thing breathing (or reanimated) in the company. But after Polar Meltdown, the Monster didn’t just lose momentum—he vanished. No cryptic promos. No backroom brawls. No bolts, no buzz, no nothing. And in a company that has no problem putting glitter on garbage, this radio silence was louder than any fireworks display.
Let’s rewind the tape. June 29: Monster loses the cage match to Rudolph—yeah, that Rudolph, the antlered egomaniac with a Rudolph Complex. June 30, Polar Meltdown Aftermath: Monster takes another hit, this time from Santa Claus himself, who seems to be drinking from the fountain of nostalgia lately. But just when it looked like the Monster was on a cold streak, bam!—July 1, Maple Leaf Mayhem, he beats Santa in a best-of-three-falls classic that reminded everyone exactly who he is. Then… nothing. Crickets. Not just for the Monster, but the entire Monster’s Bash faction. It's been a blackout in the dark corners of NPCW. You don't just shelve a beast like that without a reason—unless you're scared of what happens when he’s fully operational.
But here’s where your pal Dave—the guy who actually talks to sources—comes in. While NPCW plays coy and management hides behind “creative redirection” jargon, I’ve got the real scoop. August 10, Chill Factor. Mark it. Circle it. Tattoo it on your chest if you're really committed. That’s when Frankenstein’s Monster returns. And not just as the same patchwork powerhouse we knew—he's coming back upgraded. What does that mean? Cybernetic limbs? Mind-control resistance? A whole new finishing move? Even I don’t know all the details yet—but the word from someone very close to the operating table is that the new Monster is more dangerous than ever before. Think less lumbering brute, more unstoppable war machine.
So now the question isn’t if he returns, but who he comes for. Does he aim back at Santa and Rudolph to reclaim pride and dominance? Or does he look bigger—toward Valhalla, toward titles, toward total destruction of NPCW’s shaky power structure? NPCW has, for once, a chance to do something right. You’ve got a monster with myth built in, a manager in Dr. Frankenstein who understands spectacle, and a roster full of victims waiting to be introduced to horror’s next chapter. But let’s be honest—if past booking decisions are any indication, they’ll probably have him losing to Cupid by Christmas.
The Monster is coming. The lab is lit. The thunder is rolling. Let’s hope NPCW doesn't screw it up like they’ve screwed Sandman, whose charisma is being drowned in terrible feuds and worse writing. Frankenstein’s Monster is money—dark, twisted, main-event money. Let him be that. Don’t overthink it. Don’t water it down. Just unleash the creature and let the brutal truth stomp through the arena one broken body at a time.
— Dave “The Brute” Kent
From the Bunker.
NPCW HOUSE SHOW RESULTS - Bismarck, North Dakota
Thanks to Brutalist Spanky McButts for the results!
DAVE’S TAKES
Robin Hood vs. Jack Frost (Main Event – NPCW House Show, Bismarck, ND)
★½ out of 5
Let’s call this what it was: a blown opportunity wrapped in a house show main event that never should’ve been one. Robin Hood was handed a softball—win this, make a statement, and punch your ticket to the Northern Lights Title scene. Instead, he folded like a novelty tent in a prairie windstorm. Jack Frost, while competent and cooler than your average midcarder, had no business choking out a guy allegedly gunning for a title. Robin Hood hit some decent offense—Arrow’d End, Superkick, even a Pop-Up Powerbomb attempt—but couldn’t capitalize, and worse, got outplayed by Grinch Heyman’s smoke and mirrors yet again. That’s not bad luck—that’s bad awareness. And submitting in the seventh minute after controlling most of the match? That’s not elite, that’s embarrassing. If Robin Hood wants to be taken seriously, he needs to stop playing outlaw hero and start winning when it counts.
Luciana Albano & Grizelda vs. Jazz Emmett & Lady Hermann (HCW Voltage – August 3)
Courtesy of Fantasy Wrestling Newsletter
(★★★½ out of 5)
Now this is how you use a damn monster. Grizelda walked out of NPCW barely above enhancement duty—bogged down by voodoo schtick and half-baked storytelling—and landed in HCW where, shocker, they actually know how to book a threat. Pairing her with Luciana Albano was inspired: Luciana’s cold-blooded precision blends beautifully with Grizelda’s chaotic menace. Together they didn’t just win—they dismantled Jazz and Lady Hermann. From the Full Nelson Slams to that sick Vertical Suplex–Choke combo, this was domination disguised as tag team wrestling. Jazz and Hermann showed flashes of fire, but this was Luciana and Grizelda’s symphony of destruction from bell to bell. And let’s be honest—if NPCW had half a clue, they’d be the ones cashing in on Grizelda’s freakish upside. Instead, HCW's reaping the rewards while NPCW’s still figuring out how to push a holiday gimmick. ★★★½ out of 5.
THE FINAL WORD
By Dave “The Brute” Kent
Let’s talk facts, not feelings. We’ve got two supercards on the horizon: HCW’s Reign of Champions on August 24 and NPCW’s Shadowfall on August 31—and brother, it’s like comparing filet mignon to a microwaved meatloaf. Both shows promise every title on the line, but only one company actually seems to know how to build toward that promise like professionals. HCW is firing on all cylinders—top to bottom, every division is locked in. The Heritage Tag Title bout? Samoan Bloodline vs. Fangs of Despair. That’s power, pedigree, and months of tension. And how about the World Tag Champs, The Nightstalkers, finally clashing with the New Sicilians in a feud that’s been brewing hotter than asphalt in August. Meanwhile, over in NPCW? The Misfits of Mayhem are too busy sniffing around Flippers the Penguin like they’re in a cartoon caper instead of defending tag gold. No contenders named, no direction, and a complete failure to capitalize on Monster Bash's pinfall win last month. Are they afraid of commitment? Or just bad at booking?
Now, let’s talk ladies' action. NPCW almost got it right—Goldie Locks vs. Moonshadow is interesting, but HCW said “hold my blood-red wine” and dropped Selena Blackfang vs. Ashley Summers, a main-event caliber war wrapped in gothic fire and pure star power. On the tag front, NPCW is again fumbling. The North Star Tag Champs—the Blonde Bombshells—have no opponents announced. Smart money says Queens of Punishment, but NPCW’s too busy spotlighting the Queens of Despair instead. Can someone explain this tangled mess of a royal rumble to me? HCW? Simple. Clean. They’ve got the Iron Maidens Tag Titles being decided in a damn tournament. Structure. Stakes. Logic. Three things NPCW books like they’re optional.
Want more? HCW's U.S. Title bout—Wilbur Townsend vs. Mr. X—is classic territory storytelling: mystery, pride, and heat. Over in NPCW, the Northern Lights Title scene is colder than a Winnipeg winter. Abaddon’s a beast, but Robin Hood again? The man can’t win a big match, and yet here we are. Van Helsing should've been the guy—but no, he's off brooding over a lost romance like he's in a bad CW drama. And don’t get me started on the main event. HCW’s World Title might go triple threat—Jack Lumber, Wicked Prophet, Zac Brown—and they've been building it for weeks like it matters. NPCW? They just took the North Pole Title, threw Santa Claus into the mix, gave him a shiny new “Universal” title, and turned a red-hot angle into a brand-sinking Title vs. Title gimmick. Way to water down your top belt, boys. Rudolph vs. Santa had juice. Now it's just brand confusion with a holiday coating.
And for those paying attention, let’s not ignore what’s really happening—HCW’s Dark Dominion is everywhere. Tag champs. Women’s division. Heavyweight scene. They’re showing dominance across the board. Shadowfall might end up showcasing the same kind of faction warfare—but only if NPCW gets out of its own way long enough to let it happen. Until then, the Brutal Truth is simple: Reign of Champions looks like a professional wrestling supercard. Shadowfall looks like an elf ran headfirst into a booking committee.
— Dave Kent
Tune in next week when NPCW finally announces tag title challengers—right after they solve the mystery of the missing penguin.
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