Small town civic center. Independent Wrestling Organization. Wife Wanted to go. How could I say no?
VJ Price, (L to R) The Professor, and El Dorado, part of Southland Championship Wrestling, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson.
Last month one of my wife’s co-workers said her husband was going to be taking part in an independent wrestling event in some small town and was selling tickets and wanted to know if my wife wanted to come. So she bought 4 tickets we took our two boys with us to go see Southland Championship Wrestling at the Chebanse Civic Center (pronounced Cha – bance) in Chebance, Illinois. Which is just south of Kankakee.
The civic center is an old school building that gets used for everything to hosting a haunted house in October called “The Scare Factor” (you can see some decorations in the background of a few photos), to local community events, and birthday parties. Heck, you can, and should rent the civic center yourself for as little as $100 for 8 hours. Throw in an extra $25 and you get a liquor license.
The Chebanse Civic Center, once a school, now host to events like the one Southland Championship Wrestling put on in September of 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson.
Being the lover of small towns and aspects of our culture that are not main stream, I not only had to bring my camera to the show. I brought a few portable strobes and softbox and took portraits of as many of the wrestlers as I could back stage. And of course a few in the (and out) of the ring.
I can’t say this any more plainly, if you are a wrestling fan of any sort, get yourself out to one of these matches. Everyone of these wrestlers were just super nice to me and took time after they got ready to get a photo. Follow Southland Championship Wrestling on Facebook and keep an eye out for an event near you.
Nikki Nix, left, and Angel of Southland Championship Wrestling, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Odison Besker of Southland Championship Wrestling, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson. Tommy Macabre of Southland Championship Wrestling, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson. Natasha Crane of Southland Championship Wrestling, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson. Southland Championship Wrestling, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson. Referee Flattop, Southland Championship Wrestling, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson.The Hawaiian Hitman, Vince Laxamana of Southland Championship Wrestling, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson.JPH of POWW Entertainment before the Southland Championship Wrestling, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson. Kyzyle of POWW Entertainment before the Southland Championship Wrestling event, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson. Aaron Xavier of Southland Championship Wrestling, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson. Jeff Howley aka Hunter Paine of Southland Championship Wrestling, is the ring leader behind the SCW’s events. Photo taken at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson. Meathooks O’Bannon of Southland Championship Wrestling, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson. Mistress Misery from POWW Entertainment at the Southland Championship Wrestling event, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson.Southland Championship Wrestling, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson. Angel & Nikki Nix going at it in the ring with referee Flattop during the Southland Championship Wrestling event, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson. Odinson Beserker, right, during an Southland Championship Wrestling, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson. Southland Championship Wrestling, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson. The Hawaiian Hitman during the Southland Championship Wrestling event, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson.Kids loving the action at Southland Championship Wrestling, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson. Southland Championship Wrestling, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson. My 9-year old losing his mind during the Southland Championship Wrestling match, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson. Ten-year olds having a “clutch my pearls” moment during the ladder match at Southland Championship Wrestling, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson. Southland Championship Wrestling ladder match, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson. Staying hydrated, checking social media, and going over moved for the show. Wrestlers of Southland Championship Wrestling & POWW back stage at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson. A little photo behind the scenes. While I spent most of the Southland Championship Wrestling event backstage, I did have a remote strobe lighting up the U.S Flag hanging at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson.Natasha Crane helping with Odinson Beserker makeup, before the Southland Championship Wrestling event, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson. Royal Rumble, Southland Championship Wrestling, at the Chebanse Civic Center, Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson.
The Chebanse Civic Center, in Chebanse, Iroquois County, Illinois, used to be a school and the former gym is where most events are hosted. This photo was taken on a raised staged. One of the more interesting features are the dual stair one going up the old classroom hallway and the other going down to restrooms and a basement area, Sept. 17, 2022. Photo copyright of Vincent David Johnson.
