While I’ve had the pleasure of attending several conventions and expo’s over the years, some of my favorite have been those shows that cater to a specific audience such as the horror scene for instance and last year I was able to attend my very first wrestling expo, Squared Circle Expo and it left me wondering how exactly were owners Adolfo Dorta & Ed Gonzales going to top what they produced last year and I’m very pleased to say they did exactly that.
Squared Circle Expo 2 took place at the same venue as the first SCX which was the Wyndham Indianapolis West Hotel, a rather familiar venue to locals in the convention scene as it tends to host several other conventions from horror cons to local shows and a space that really feels right at home for such an event as SCX2 as the setup was pretty much the same this time around as it was last year with the same large vendor area with what seemed to me even more vendors this year than there was the previous year. I was very pleased with the amount of wrestling merch to purchase from action figures, to toy wrestling rings along with even some Funko Pop’s and lots of old wrestling magazines there was definitely something that would catch any wrestling fans eye.
The vendor area was also host to a few superstars and familiar faces in the world of professional wrestling such as Jeff Jarrett, Brooke Hogan and even recent WWE Hall of Fame Inductees, The Steiner Brothers. I do like that SCX sprinkles in some of the guests in the vendor hall as not to put all of the guests in one massive area and it also helps break up the flow of the vendors themselves rather nicely. One addition to this year’s SCX was a second room for more guests that included Johnny Gargano, The Blue Meanie, Heath & Rhyno and also a few vendors such as Collar & Elbow.
While I did like this room, it was the main guest area that I had a problem with and it was the same problem I had last year. The issue with this particular room is that you have several lines to meet the guests going all around the room and it can cause one line from say, Adam Cole, to cross into another line such as that of Rikishi. The guests were placed all along the walls of the room with no clear indication as to which line was for a certain guest. I had several other attendees ask my several times if I was in line for someone else when I was standing in the back of a line that ended up crossing into another. I do hope that next year Squared Circle Expo does a bit of a better job in making it clear where the lines are for each guest.
Last but certainly not least, was the main attraction of Squared Circle Expo 2, The Reckoning, which was their lineup of wrestling matches and an overall excellent way to end the two-day show. They definitely stepped up their game from last year as the ring was placed in the middle with seating being all the way around the ring as opposed to being closer to the back wall like last year. Also there was a much more proper entrance ramp, even better entrance music and even the crowd got a taste of the action as several times the matches ended up spilling into the crowd which definitely provided even more excitement for the crowd.
Squared Circle Expo 2 was absolutely a level up from last year and with even more amazing panels and the yearly Costume/Promo Cutting Contest that I will always look forward to every year, SCX is by far and away one of if not the biggest and best wrestling expo/convention in the Midwest as well as one that any and every wrestling fan should come and check out as I firmly believe that you will not be disappointed in attending.
by Brian Daniels
In all my years of being a wrestling fan and the began running music for many different wrestling promotions for 19 years throughout Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois and Tennessee; I never ever thought in my wildest dreams that I would get to cover a pro-wrestling expo in my homestate of Indiana. Well, all that changed this past weekend when I got to cover my first ever pro-wrestling expo,Squared Circle Expo 2, with my brother from another mother Brian Daniels.
It began on Friday when we arrived at the Wyndham in Indianapolis, Indiana and as soon as we walked into the main room, I was in shock & awe because I’ve never ever seen something like this before except on TV, pictures my friends posted, etc… Brian and I visited many of the wrestling legends and hall of famers that were in the main hall first to let them know that we were covering the event and if we could get a picture of themselves to go with our review and they all agreed to us taking a picture of them by themself. Then I started seeing many of the local wrestlers that I grew up watching or I got to know personally from working shows with them throughout the area and they were all happy to see me and some of them even gave me hell but in a good way. Brian and I decided to check out the many different vendors that were there and were selling various wrestling memorabilia items and well we ended up picking up some cool things like old-school WWF Magazines, wrestling posters, music cd’s, and etc.
On Saturday, we got there about Noon and talked to many wrestlers that we didn’t get to see or talk to on Friday and they were all professional as well as a class act and some gave me hell but in a friendly way. I did spend a little bit of time talking and catching up with Memphis wrestling legend, “Sir” Wolfie D and “The Man Who Loves To Steal The Show” Flash Flanagan about various things such as things going on in my life and more. We ended up going and watching the Costume/Promo Contest that feature kids and adults and it was really great and very funny and my favorite kid was the one who dressed up as I.R.S. who then cut a promo that I.R.S. cut on Tatanka on a old episode of Monday Night Raw many years ago and for adults, my favorite was the guy who dressed up as Danhausen did a very good impersonation of him.
We then made our way to wait in line for “The Reckoning” show that featured local talent and wrestlers from AEW, IMPACT, NWA, etc. and got asked to help set chairs up before the crowd got in there and we all got it in done in a matter of minutes. Myself along with Brian and some of his friends sat back, enjoyed the show and have a blast giving the bad guys hell and cheering on the good guys; where myself and Josh Shaver ended up losing our voices but it was soo worth it as it was a really good show from beginning to end! The only complaint I had and heard from a few friends of mine is how in the room that featured Adam Cole, Dr. Britt Baker, “Hangman” Adam Page, Ethan Page, etc… their lines were a big mess and people didn’t know which line was for which wrestler and I even had issues trying to get the New Wave Pro table to see a good friend of mine as the those lines were a big mess and I could only see one SCX crew member in there trying to control the crowd. I can’t wait until April 2023 for SCX III as it’ll be a phenomenal time!
by Eric Montgomery
