Photo Gallery: Bayou Independent Wrestling slams into Vicksburg

Published 4:05 am Sunday, July 2, 2023

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Angel Camacho chokes Bam Bam Malone on the ropes during a match at Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" event Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Matt Taven signs an autograph for fans Ed Taylor and James Taylor before the Bayou Independent Wrestling show Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Matt Taven signs an autograph for Heather Barnes and Dylan Massey before the Bayou Independent Wrestling show Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Stephanie Miller sells some wrestling merchandise during the Bayou Independent Wrestling show Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Rey Fury poses for a photo with fans Amy and Ellie Vaughn before the Bayou Independent Wrestling show Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Wess Warren, a Vicksburg native, puts Eddie Martinez in a chinlock during a match at Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" event Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Wess Warren, a Vicksburg native, has Eddie Martinez in a headlock during a match at Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" event Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Eddie Martinez dives out of the ring onto Vicksburg native Wess Warren during a match at Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" event Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Wess Warren, a Vicksburg native, works over Eddie Martinez in the corner during a match at Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" event Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Wess Warren, a Vicksburg native, works over Eddie Martinez along the ropes during a match at Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" event Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Wess Warren, a Vicksburg native, reacts to a sign held by young fan Ashton Teer after his match after a match at Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" event Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Pac Ortega leaps over Gio Savage during their match at Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" event Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Pac Ortega drops an elbow on Gio Savage during a match at Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" event Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Pac Ortega has Gio Savage in a headlock during a match at Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" event Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Gio Savage, right, pins Pac Ortega during a match at Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" event Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Angel Camacho makes his entrance before a tag team match at Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" event Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Alex Arsenal stops to pose for a photo while making his entrance at Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" event Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Angel Camacho jaws with a fan before a match at Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" event Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Bam Bam Malone delivers a shoulder to the midsection of Alex Arsenal during a match at Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" event Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Nightmare Jeremiah delivers a shoulder to the midsection of Bam Bam Malone during a match at Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" event Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Alex Arsenal chokes Bam Bam Malone on the ropes and poses for the crowd during a match at Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" event Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Nightmare Jeremiah, right, squashes Tim Storm in the corner during a match at Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" event Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Zach Metz and his son John Clayton Metz celebrate after a match at Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" event Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Rey Fury, left, and Matt Taven brawl in the crowd during a match at Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" event Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Matt Taven, top, jumps backward over Rey Fury during the main event of Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" card Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Rey Fury, right, kicks Matt Taven in the head during the main event of Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" event Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Matt Taven kicks Rey Fury in the head during the main event of Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" event Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Rey Fury celebrates in front of a young fan after defeating Matt Taven in the main event of Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" card Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Rey Fury celebrates after defeating Matt Taven in the main event of Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" card Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Matt Taven looks at a young fan after losing to Rey Fury in the main event of Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" card Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Rey Fury celebrates with the fans after defeating Matt Taven in the main event of Bayou Independent Wrestling's "Key to the Kingdom" card Saturday at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium in Vicksburg. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

The River City turned into Suplex City on Saturday night as Bayou Independent Wrestling returned to Vicksburg.

More than 300 people attended BIW’s “Key to the Kingdom” event at the Ardis T. Williams Auditorium. Five matches comprised the card, with Deep South Heritage champion Rey Fury defeating Matt Taven in a fast-paced main event that started with a brawl through the crowd. The two wrestlers worked their way into the seats on both sides of the Auditorium, across the heads of several fans, and back down to the ring before the bell even rang.

Earlier in the night, Vicksburg native Wess Warren entertained his hometown fans before being pinned by Eddie Martinez.

A six-man tag team match served as the co-main event. The team of “Apocalypse” Adam Asher, Bam Bam Malone and Tim Storm prevailed over the Southern Royalty stable of Angel Camacho, Alex Arsenal and Nightmare Jeremiah.

Pac Ortega beat Gio Savage in the opening match, while Frankie Thomas topped Josh Shimbashi in the night’s other match.

This was the second of three events Bayou Independent Wrestling has planned in Vicksburg this year. The West Monroe, La.-based promotion will return to the Auditorium on Nov. 11.

About Ernest Bowker

Ernest Bowker is The Vicksburg Post's sports editor. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Post's sports staff since 1998, making him one of the longest-tenured reporters in the paper's 140-year history. The New Jersey native is a graduate of LSU. In his career, he has won more than 50 awards from the Mississippi Press Association and Associated Press for his coverage of local sports in Vicksburg.

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