Ever since Scott D’Amore revived the Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling brand last fall, transforming it into a super-indy infused with a special focus on Canadiana flavor, the former TNA President has spoken about one big vision: Heading to Maple Leaf Gardens.
Decades of Canadian professional wrestling history has taken place at 60 Carlton Street in Toronto, with the legendary venue hosting Maple Leaf Wrestling’s events beginning in the 1930s and continuing for roughly half a century.
Now, if you aren’t familiar with downtown Toronto, close your eyes for a second and imagine what Maple Leaf Gardens looks like. You might think a jam-packed sea of fans by the tens of thousands spilling out in different directions, all enclosed by a brick-wall backdrop.
What is the venue for people nowadays?
For six-figure income Torontonians who live in the city’s downtown lofts, it’s a go-to supermarket, as the building now has a Loblaws shopping center on the main floor.
Or, for students at Toronto Metropolitan University, it might be a place to get a workout. A fresh-looking weight room takes up the second floor of the building alongside a full-scale basketball court.
But if you go up one long, mesmerizing escalator, turn, then go up yet another long escalator, you’ll eventually find the Mattamy Athletic Centre, a 2,700-capacity hockey rink which, on Saturday evening, doubled as a venue for Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling’s “Northern Rising” pay-per-view card.
For all the changes that the grounds of Maple Leaf Gardens have undergone, the roof of the hockey rink remains the same one that enclosed thousands of wrestling matches in the past.
That’s why D’Amore felt so passionately about heading to the location, and why the veteran wrestling booker went all-out to produce a show that caused fans to leave excited and anticipating a possible return in the future.
Big league event for a local price
Filling up the Mattamy Athletic Centre would be light work for a red-hot product like WWE. But when you’re Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling, which has only put on a pair of doubleheaders since re-launching last October, it’s obviously a much greater challenge.
Given the task of drawing a big crowd, D’Amore’s Maple Leaf Pro had to attract fans of all different backgrounds, from the diehards to the most casual viewer imaginable.
A diverse lineup, from local favorites and indie all-stars to former WWE champions, helped bring something for everyone, no matter whether you lived and breathed wrestling or if you just wanted to go out on a Saturday night.
And to get fans en masse to give you money for the first time, you had to make it low risk. In other words, low price.
“This is my first indie show in 30 years,” said Chris, who paid $30 (roughly $21 USD) for his seat. “It was fun. The price was right, and it was entertaining.”
Other fans said they paid around $50 Canadian. One attendee who had a front-row view of the action recalled paying just over $100 for their ticket.
Maybe the most eye-catching part of Maple Leaf Pro’s show wasn’t the budget-friendly prices or the star-studded lineup, but the attention to detail in the show’s presentation. Everything including the lighting, the stage setup, and the live mic’ing of the ring felt professional and something that you’d expect from one of the bigger touring shows.
It’s all impressive considering it was just the promotion’s third rodeo. Although, to be fair, it was likely closer to D’Amore’s 3,000th rodeo, so he knew what they needed to prepare for.
‘1000 percent [I’d go back]’
The sentiment was positive among fans who had flocked to the third-floor venue to catch wrestling on Saturday night. While some moments underdelivered, like a Bullet Club War Dogs versus Good Brothers match which received boos due to an anticlimatic double count out finish, it was overall a show which impressed fans, many of whom didn’t know what to expect when coming to their first D’Amore-run MLP card.
When surveying those who attended, one match in particular was mentioned repeatedly: A three-way between Mike Bailey, Gabe Kidd, and Michael Oku.
The high-octane bout best resembled something you’d likely see in Reseda, California, on a PWG card, with the trio squishing together numerous spots to create intricate Rube Goldberg-like sequences. In the end, it was recent AEW signing Bailey who emerged with the win.
Some fans liked the presence of mainstream names like Billy Gunn or Raj Dhesi (formerly Jinder Mahal), whom they first became fans of by seeing on WWE programming in years past. Ontario local Santino Marella’s surprise entrance into the main event of the night received a large reaction, as did the return of his “Cobra” move.
“It was honestly really good,” said attendee Allen Silva, who thought Gunn’s appearance was his most memorable moment of the night. “It was my first time hearing about this promotion. And by everything that happened, I’m honestly happy.”
There was only one answer when asking fans if they’d head to another Maple Leaf Pro show: Absolutely. “1000 percent,” one fan said. “I’m even thinking of going to their Quebec one.”
Fans might not have to travel far if they want to see Maple Leaf Pro soon. After announcing a sell-out crowd on Saturday, D’Amore already started to tease that a second trip to the venue was in the works.
‘Here to stay’
After a night that saw a technical grappling showdown, a hectic Bullet Club brawl to the back, a show-stealing three-way, and a 20-man rumble, it was Bolton, Ontario’s own Josh Alexander who closed out the night.
Alexander was the main storyline arc of the evening: After getting by QT Marshall in a gritty opening match, injuries from the bout threatened to hurt his chances at becoming the first ever MLP Canadian Champion. Battling through adversity, he won in the headliner, eliminating Matt Cardona to close out the 42-minute gauntlet.
Truth be told, a story wasn’t needed to sell Alexander to the Ontario indie wrestling supporters, who have been rooting for him for the better part of two decades. But either way, it felt fitting that he closed out the show.
“The Walking Weapon” spoke to fans at what was a full-circle moment for Canadian wrestling. So many things have changed over the decades, and Maple Leaf Pro, much like the venue synonymous with the wrestling brand, is no longer the same.
Beyond their upcoming July event in Laval, Quebec, who knows what the long-term plans are for Maple Leaf Pro. D’Amore is still taking things one event at a time with his passion project, which is still in its rookie year. But no matter what happens, it’s clear there is a strong optimism that it’s something big for Canada’s wrestling scene.
“Not only is Canadian wrestling back,” Alexander said to fans on Saturday, “It’s here to stay.”
