Photo courtesy of @RedShoesMedia
Many independent wrestlers had amazing years this year. You had the historic IWTV title reign of AC Mack. You had great years from death match wrestlers like Nick Gage and John Wayne Murdoch. There were also wrestlers that were excelling in any kind of match that they were put into like Cole Radrick, Masha Slamavich and Hoodfoot. However, I think that there is one person who meant the most to the company that they worked for and consistently had match of the year candidates every time they stepped in the ring. That is the current American Death Match champion, Kasey Catal.
Kasey had some success in the past. She really started getting noticed in CZW as part of “The Office.” There she took part in her first death match. That was in 2019 in a Squared Circle of Sacrifice match against Jimmy Lloyd. This was a match where the mats were taken off of the ring, there were barbwire ropes, explosions and so much more. It was the first time that Kasey gave us a look into how tough she is and what she is willing to put her body through.
At that same time Kasey was also dominating CZW’s sister promotion WSU and capturing the tag team titles there with Delmi Exo. Kasey then left CZW during the pandemic and had an incredible run at a now defunct NJ promotion, where she became the Cruiserweight Champion. In 2021 Kasey won the Cannabis Cup and the IWA Dutch Double Death Tag Team Tournament with her husband Brandon Kirk. It was around this time that Kasey entered the world of ICW No Holds Barred, accompanying Brandon to the ring and most of the time getting involved in his matches.
That all changed in March at ICW Pitfighter 10 when Kasey had her first singles match in ICW, and first match in The Pit, against one of the best deathmatch wrestlers in the world, John Wayne Murdoch. JWM used every weapon imaginable in this match from chairs and light tubes to thumbtack bats and an electric saw. Kasey has the “crimson mask” on her face the whole match, but keeps fighting back. As JWM has the upper hand, Brandon comes to the ring and is going to throw in the towel, but Kasey tells him to go away, says “I got this shit!” and attacks JWM. She then takes a brainbuster from the top of the cage through two tables and kicks out at two to everyone’s shock. At this point JWM has no clue what to do that can finish Kasey off. While JWM is in shock and trying to figure out what to do next Kasey rolls him up with a small package for the win.
In the beginning of April the eyes of the wrestling world are typically on Wrestlemania weekend and most of the attention was going to Dallas that weekend, but on April 1st Kasey decided that she was going to have one of the best matches of the weekend in New Jersey.
There were a lot of people paying attention to ICW No Holds Barred 24 to see if Kasey could pull off another upset victory against a deathmatch legend, this time against the owner of ICW, her boss Danny Demanto. Kasey starts this match off hot as she hits Danny with a bundle of light tubes during the introductions and then flies off the platform in the corner onto Danny on the outside. The crowd is firmly behind Kasey, which is unusual for ICW as Danny is typically the fan favorite. Danny hits Kasey with the Demanto Driver off the ropes, through a table, but a very bloody Kasey shocks everyone and kicks out at two. They then each get a BOX of light tubes and unload on each other with Kasey getting the advantage. Kasey hits the 187, a dive off the top rope with a chair, for the win. This is a move that Kasey will use to put many people away on her run to The American Deathmatch Championship.
The match against JWM was great, but this match showed that it was not a one-time deal and Kasey is coming for that deathmatch crown. They showed each other respect at the end of the match as this match was an important moment for both of them. In fact, Danny said that this match was his favorite match of all time, and he has been wrestling for over 20 years. He says, “My fight with her last April was the most important and then best Deathmatch I’ve ever had in my career. I don’t ever see anything topping that moment and feeling.”
The next weekend Kasey heads a little south to Atlantic City and wins Pro Wrestling After Dark’s “Violence for the Sake of” Tournament. In the first round she defeated Sawyer Wreck in a best of 8 doors dog collar match. This match had to go into sudden death and Kasey pulled out the victory by putting Sawyer through five doors.
In the second round she defeated deathmatch veteran, Randi West in a Carpet Strip match. Then in the finals, she took on one of the craziest and unpredictable wrestlers in Casanova Valentine in a No Rope Booby Trap match. Kasey did not come out of this tournament unscathed to be sure, as she was beaten and battered, but she was victorious.
She then continued her winning streak in ICW by defeating her own husband, Brandon Kirk, who she defeated with a 187 with a chair covered in light tubes. Joel Bateman, from Deathmatch Down Under in Australia was up next and they had an absolute war, with Kasey unloading light tubes on Joel and getting the win. You can tell that not only the fans, but also the fellow wrestlers are gaining more and more appreciation for Kasey’s toughness with every win.
Kasey then runs through one of the toughest deathmatch wrestlers in Dale Patricks. Up next was The King of the Deathmatch Eric Ryan, who showed no respect to Kasey, but got beat just like the rest with a 187 through a pane of glass. After this match, Danny tells Kasey that the current champion, Joel Bateman, will be bringing the belt back to the US and she is the number one contender.
This may have been the most anticipated match in the history of ICW No Holds Barred. In Newark, New Jersey Kasey got her shot at the American Deathmatch Championship. Kasey comes out dancing with brand new ALL WHITE gear, sparkling for this special occasion. Joel was not letting Kasey just come in and take his title as he was the first person to kick out of the 187. He then hits Kasey with a quick headbutt, which is what won him the title against Eric Ryan, but Kasey kicks out and Joel brings out a box of light tubes.
Kasey’s outfit does not stay white very long and she quickly starts bleeding. Joel sets up some chairs and is showing Kasey disrespect by trying to go for her husband’s finishing maneuver, but Kasey reverses it and hits the PSYCHODRIVERFUCKYOURLIFE. She has the win, but Joel’s friends from Deathmatch Down Under pull the ref out of the ring. This brings out the ICW locker room and we are back to a one-on-one match. They exchange light tube strikes, and Kasey gets the advantage with a elbow strike to the light tube into Joel’s head. She then goes up top, hits the 187 and the crowd goes crazy.
Kasey did not slow down after winning the title as she was ready to take on all the top deathmatch wrestlers in the world. Her first match was against Orin Veidt, then she was off to Australia. There she defended the title against Eric Ryan and Joel Bateman, this time in his home country. When she came back she continues her dominance right where she left off defeating Matt Tremont, having my match of the year against Mickie Knuckles, then had another incredible match against Reed Bentley.
Kasey also had some incredible matches outside of ICW. She went to H2O and beat the owner of that company and someone that many consider the best American deathmatch wrestler ever in Matt Tremont. Her and Brandon may not see eye to eye at some moments, but they have made a successful tag team at times and have advanced in the T4 Summit by defeating the young stars from H2O, Chris Bradley and Kristian Ross.
Kasey has not been a deathmatch wrestler for as long as many of her opponents, but it seems like she immediately embraced it. From her first deathmatch in CZW to her match against JWM and her history championship winning match against Joel Bateman, she takes punishment in the ring that many could not even imagine and does it with a smile of defiance.
Kasey told Terra Callaway for Women of Deathmatch, “Deathmatch has given me an outlet to be creative, to be confident, and feel supported and loved. Being able to face my fears with people who want me to succeed is transforming. I’ve learned so much, but my greatest weakness is my constant battle against myself, and in deathmatch I’ve been breaking through those insecurities and coming out a better wrestler.”
One of the things that you will notice in Kasey’s matches is none of these men are “taking it easy” on her. Once that bell rings she is not a woman wrestler, she is a deathmatch wrestler. It does not matter if the match is against her husband, her friends, her boss, or whatever Krule is to her, Kasey is going to give all that she has. You know damn well that she can take the punishment and return it just as good no matter if the opponent is male, female or nonbinary.
I asked the owner of ICW No Holds Barred, Danny Demanto, what Kasey means to the company, and he said, “Kasey is an extremely big part of ICWNHB behind the scenes and in front of the curtain. She’s very much apart of the “team” and not just a performer. I’ve said it before but when I pass on my greatest thing I’ll ever be apart of in wrestling is this road with Kasey.”
Kasey had a career year in 2022 and looks to continue that ball rolling in 2023, so whenever you hear “Fantasy” by Mariah Carey and see an unsuspecting woman dancing to the ring you better get out of her way because shit is about to get real violent.
