THOUGHTS FROM THE BUNKER …
BRUTAL TRUTH – Issue #6 – September 5, 2025
By Dave “The Brute” Kent
FROM THE BUNKER
Well, folks, for all the doom-and-gloom that some corners of the business like to scream about, this past weekend proved one thing beyond a shadow of a doubt: wrestling is alive, well, and throwing haymakers. Three nights. Three supercards. One long weekend that’s going to be tough to top. HCW fired the opening shot with Reign of Champions on Saturday, NPCW came swinging with Shadowfall Sunday, and capped it with Labour Day Wrestlefest on Monday. If you’re a fan, you ate well—maybe too well, because this was a buffet of matches, moments, and madness.
The action? Oh, it was there. Abaddon and Sandman tore the house down with a title fight that actually felt like a fight, not a dance routine. Moonshadow and Goldie delivered a match so snug it reminded me of what wrestling used to look like when people believed what they were seeing. Beastfang showing up Rich Athlete? That’s how you build a monster. And HCW’s World Title Triple Threat—physical, heated, and not a wasted second—was the kind of main event you hang a whole show on. But it wasn’t just the in-ring work. The drama poured in too—Mina Harker’s shocking betrayal, Jack Mason’s heel turn that left fans stunned, Santa’s return, Kris Kringle back from the shadows, and Robin Hood’s “extracurricular activities” that had tongues wagging all over Toronto. That’s the kind of layered storytelling that keeps fans invested.
Were there duds? Sure. Mrs. Claus vs. La Bruja Muerte was slower than molasses in January, and The Merry Band vs. Gods of War felt like a bad dress rehearsal for a show nobody wanted to see. But here’s the thing—they didn’t sink the ship. The hits were so strong that the misses barely registered by the time the dust settled. What this weekend really showed is that HCW’s Dark Dominion run the roost on their side of the line, while NPCW’s so-called heroes stumbled, bumbled, and got smacked in the mouth more often than not. The balance of power is shifting, and whether the folks in NPCW’s ivory tower want to admit it or not, the writing’s on the wall.
Bottom line? For fans, it was a weekend to remember. For promoters, it was proof the business is still hot. For the wrestlers, it was a reminder—you’re only as good as your last big moment. And this weekend had plenty of ‘em.
— Dave “The Brute” Kent
From the Bunker — where the truth hurts, but not as bad as your booking.
NPCW HOUSE SHOW RESULTS - Toronto, ON
Thanks to Brutalist Jim Cornelle for the results!
DAVE’S TAKES
Crimson Vane vs. Wicked Willow (Main Event – NPCW House Show, Toronto, ON)
★★★ out of 5
Crimson Vane vs. Wicked Willow looked great on paper—two gothic gimmicks, dripping in atmosphere, and a crowd ready for something dark and violent. What we got was… fine. Both hit their signature stuff early, which killed any sense of escalation. Vane’s arsenal is flashy, but when you’re spamming the same kicks in the first two minutes, it feels more like a video game than a main event. Willow, for her part, threw out three Spider’s Web Slams in ten minutes like it was a loop on VHS. Coven’s interference spot with the lights going out? Already cliché in 2025. The finish with the Snare of Silence was strong and salvaged things, but this was a match that should have been epic and instead came off like a good mid-card bout promoted to the big stage.
Abaddon VS Sandman (Match 4 – NPCW Labour Day Wrestlefest Northern Lights Title Match)
Finally, a match that delivered exactly what it promised. Abaddon is a monster of a champion, and Sandman cashing in his Golden Ticket gave this bout real stakes and energy that the crowd fed off from bell to bell. They worked a stiff, deliberate pace, with Abaddon throwing out big bombs early, and Sandman refusing to die—absorbing Hellfire Plexes and even a Hell’s Fury triple powerbomb like a man possessed. The best part? Nothing felt wasted. They built the story with every exchange, Sandman grinding down Abaddon with backbreakers and bulldogs, while Abaddon kept coming back with suplexes that looked like they could fold a man in half. The near falls had the crowd red hot, especially when Sandman kicked out of the second Hell’s Fury. The finish—Sandman countering Abaddon’s third big bomb attempt into a cradle suplex for the clean pin—was perfect. It crowned Sandman without making Abaddon look weak, which is exactly how you do a title change. Easily the best match of the night so far. 4.25 stars out of 5.
Star Rating: ★★★★ out of 5
THE FINAL WORD
By Dave “The Brute” Kent
Jack Lumber walked into HCW’s Reign of Champions as the world champion, and after sixty-plus minutes of brutality, sweat, and pure willpower in that historic triple threat main event, he walked out still holding the belt. That’s not just a title defense—that’s a statement. HCW doubled down on their man, and why wouldn’t they? Lumber is tried and tested, he’s consistent, and he’s got that aura that screams “champion.” Add in the fact that he’s still aligned with the Dark Dominion, and you’ve got Vlad tightening his grip on HCW like a python around a rabbit. But here’s the looming question: now what? Who’s left to credibly challenge Lumber without it feeling like filler? HCW’s bench is deep, but credibility is thin.
Now swing the lens to NPCW, where the championship picture is murkier than a swamp at midnight. And yes, I’ll say it again—apologies to Sinister Klaus, but the Universal Title isn’t the belt of the company. Not yet. One defense against Rudolph doesn’t suddenly make it matter. The North Pole Title still wears the crown, whether the office wants to admit it or not.
So let’s recap: Rudolph keeps the strap against Klaus on a technicality. People booed it, sure, but I’ll defend the call—titles shouldn’t change hands on a count-out. It’s Wrestling 101. Protect your belt by fighting, not by running. That finish was fine. But then, in a classic case of “only in NPCW booking,” Rudolph—bruised and beaten—was sent back out the very next night to face Jack Mason. And what happened? The so-called former mid-card madman from HCW shocks the world and takes the North Pole Title.
Now, let’s not kid ourselves. The word in the back is that a mysterious “benefactor” greased the wheels for Jack’s shot. Maybe true, maybe not. Influence can get you through the door, but it can’t keep the gold around your waist. Mason’s got the belt now, and for better or worse, he’s going to be judged not on his reputation, not on his temper, not on his tag team résumé—but on whether he can carry NPCW’s most important prize and look like a top guy doing it.
The irony here? HCW stuck with the steady hand in Jack Lumber, while NPCW rolled the dice on the unproven chaos of Jack Mason. One champion is a rock, the other is a wild card. Which gamble pays off? Time’s gonna tell, but if Mason flounders, it won’t just be him who looks weak—it’ll be the entire company.
From the Bunker — remember, a real champion doesn’t just win the belt, he makes it mean something.
And that, folks, is the Brutal Truth.
– Dave "The Brute" Kent, cutting through the tinsel since ’25.
You tell em Dave.
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