My 400th Live Wrestling Event

 

On Thursday November 5th I attended the WWE House show event at the Cross Insurance Center in Portland, my 400th live wrestling event, and my 44th WWE promoted event. A few months back WWE announced two shows in Maine, 5th in Portland and 6th in Bangor, I was extremely surprised. The last time they had been to Maine was in December 2023.

WWE had essentially stopped doing house shows in 2024 except for outside the United States, they slowly started doing them again in large markets in the US. Maine is definitely not a large market, and the fact they dates were on a Thursday and Friday were odd, as SmackDown is live on Friday's. Shortly thereafter WWE announced Crown Jewel on Saturday November 7th in Saudi Arabia.

My friends and I speculated we would have a C roster show, we were wrong, thankfully. When tickets went on sale the prices were absurd!! $700 for VIP, and seats off the floor over $400. Cheapest tickets were $60 with the fees, I guess long gone are they days of family friendly pricing.

WWE is not my favorite brand of wrestling. I just don't care for their presentation, I have not for a long time, because I like wrestling matches, and their shows are full of talking segments, video packages, and video packages recapping the talking segments from earlier in the show. I also don't like the arena presentations with all the LED ring post covers and just everything over all. I follow the results and watch certain matches, but I don't sit and watch a full show.

About two weeks before the show they announced a 2 for 1 deal on tickets, that's when Mikey and I bought our seats, ended up being $44 each, which for the view we had was a great price, however, I never would pay $89 for that seat. I will say as the event drew closer they lowered prices and had more deals. I know friends that bought tickets off of third party sellers for $19.

Day of the show, it rained most of the morning, but I headed down arriving about 5pm, Mikey was already down there trying to get his Mania program signed, but no one had arrived. While I know many people try to get photos and autos before and after the shows, I had only done that before earlier this year in May when AEW had their debut in Maine at this same venue.

Seems like I got there at the right time as that is when everyone starting showing up. I didn't get anything signed, I brought some cards, but not the right ones, but I did manage to get some photos with some people.

Candice LeRae

Chad Gable

Joe Hendry

Johnny Gargano

Lainey Ried

There were two areas where people were standing to try and meet the wrestlers, some only went to one area or the other some went to both spots. Punk went to the other side and signed a few and took a few pictures. Someone was filming Chad Gable when he came to our area, that footage was used later when they played a video package at the beginning of the show, like they do before their TV show, showing wrestles walking in the back of the arena, Gable signing autographs, and ect. That's right we got a video package at a house show.

You can see Mikey and I in the Gable footage from the video

The venue set up was basic and I loved it! No LED wall, ring skirt, or ring post covers. a small video wall entrance way, a basic lighting rig, and they used the house sound system for announcing and entrance music. They did have a hard camera and a handheld as well.

I took pictures from my seat, but they look as good as you would expect from a cell phone. Let's get to the matches:

Big Cass pinned Joe Hendry

Basic match, Joe came out first tried to play his guitar, but it didn't work. He rolled with it though and did his signing with the crowd bit. Big Cass interrupted him and the match got underway.

AAA World Cruiserweight Champion: Rey Fenix defeated Johnny Gargano with Candice LeRae

Candice interfered several times before she finally got caught and the referee threw her out. Almost immediately after Fenix did his run across the top rope and kicked Gargano and then finished him off with a frog splash.

Stephanie Vaquer, IYO SKY, & Lola Vice defeated Fatal Influence: Fallon Henley, WWE Women's United States Champion: Jacy Jayne & Lainey Reid when Vaquer pinned Henley

I was shocked that Vaquer was on the show, she last wrestled on October 17th and last we knew was out indefinitely for an unknown reason. VERY solid match, the ladies really went at it and put on a great match.

WWE Men's United States Champion: Trick Williams pinned Damian Priest

Trick is over, Priest is overrated, this was very much a going through the motions match that I anticipate at house shows.

Triple Threat Match: WWE Intercontinental Champion: Ethan Page defeated Chad Gable and Dominik Mysterio pinning Gable

It wasn't a bad match, but I did anticipate a lot more from these three. Gable was wicked over, as was Dominik. Page got the pin on Gable after a low blow and his finisher.

The 946: Bronco Nima & Carmelo Hayes with Jaida Parker & Royce Keys defeated The Usos: Jey & Jimmy when Nima pinned Jey

This was supposed to be a six man tag, with Solo teaming with the Usos and Lucien Price with 946 but neither were there. I was very shocked that 946 got the clean pin on Jey clean in the center of the ring after a combination of moves from both Hayes and Nima.

This match was also very much guys just going through the motions and a lot of "yeeting".

CM Punk wrestled Kevin Owens to a double count-out

Street Fight: CM Punk pinned Kevin Owens

What was interesting was after the entrances and introductions they shut off the video screens and there was no handheld camera. They didn't turn the video screens on until after the match was over. We got the typical short brawl with the match thrown out after a couple minutes before they restarted with the street fight.

Some outside the ring brawling, they used a kendo stuck, chairs, and tables. It was a solid match, Punk got the win after he hit a GTS, and then two elbow drops through a table for the pin. The first big elbow didn't get the job done, needed a second to break the table.

After the show I waited around a bit and got a couple more photos, with Jacy Jayne and Kevin Owens.

Joe Hendry was extremely generous with his time before and after the show going down the entire line of people signing anything, taking photos.  He made a lot of kids nights and that was very cool.  I was already in the venue when Kevin Owens arrived, but after the show he went also was very generous with his time, he went all the way down the lines taking photo's and signing.

Over all I had a lot of fun and was glad I went to the show.  It was great seeing several wrestlers live for the first time, and to see other again like Kevin Owens and Stephanie Vaquer.  Getting so many photos with the wrestlers was very cool as well!

For those wondering

Show 100: March 29, 2008 UXW Pro Wrestling Central Florida Fairgrounds, Orlando

Show 200: January 30, 2016 Limitless Wrestling, American Legion Hall Brewer, Maine

Show 300: February 25, 2023 NAWA The Community Center, Fairfield, Maine

The same day as Show 100 I went to the 2008 WWE Hall of Fame.

It took 19 years to get to show 100,  another just under 8 years to get to show 200, another 7 years to get to show 300, but we also had COVID in there so..., finally it took only 3.5 years to get to show 400.  

I wonder when I'll hit show 500, or 1000 for that matter! 

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time! 

March 29, 2008

UXW Pro Wrestling Central Florida Fairgrounds Orlando, FL

Mike Tobin defeated Little Greatness, Naphtali, Wade Koverly, Chris Jones, & Craig Classic

Francisco Ciasto w/ Ron Neimei pinned “Lifeguard” Darren Smythe

Skull Von Crush pinned Vordell Walker to win the vacant United States Championship

Extreme Triple Threat Match: Ray Beez defeated Aaron Epic & Sideshow

Raymond Snow won a 6 way match

Jake “The Snake” Roberts pinned Kenny Kendrick with a DDT

2 out of 3 Falls Match: The Heartbreak Express: Sean & Phil Davis w/ Amy Vitale defeated Jon Davis & Bruce Santee 2 Falls to 1.  Fall 1: Double Dog Collar Match, Fall 2: I Quit Match, Fall 3: Last Man Standing.  Jon Davis required 16 staples to close a wound on his head.  

Lou Cypher pinned Jason Sorrow

Abdullah the Butcher defeated Lou Cypher

January 30, 2016

Limitless Wrestling American Legion Hall Orono, ME

Ace Romero pinned AR Fox

Fatal 4-Way Elimination Match: House of Glory Tag Team Champions: Private Party: Marq Quen & Isiah Kassidy defeated Cuban Rum Crisis: “Top Shelf” Troy Nelson & George, Alexander Lee & DangerKid, and Herbal Corps: Rembrandt Lewis & Adam Falcon last eliminating Cuban Rum Crisis

House of Glory Elite Champion: Anthony Gangone defeated Sonya Strong

“Firebrand” Brian Fury submitted Xavier Bell

The Influence: Mike Montero & Jason Devine defeated M1nute Men: Devin Blaze & Tommy Trainwreck

Fatal Four Way: “White Delight” Scott Wild defeated Kris Pyro, Christian Casanova, & Ken Broadway

Brick Mastone pinned “Carnivore” Alex Mason

Zack Sabre Jr. pinned Chris Hero in 24 minutes 10 seconds

February 25, 2023

North Atlantic Wrestling Assoc. (NAWA) The Community Center Fairfield, ME

“Rugged” Rick Daniels pinned “Flash” Nick Mckenna

Bomb Squad: John Bryar & Crash Landing defeated The Sea Wolves: Levi Spade & Dylan Nix when Crash pinned Nix 

Lee Miller with Mark Moment and Santone defeated Dunky Boy Bandit

Johnny Primer pinned Blade Bandit

Jason Maverick with Coach pinned “Roadhouse” Jordan Cross

Mark Moment with Lee Miller and Santone defeated Cousin Larry