SerpApi.Org
The Scenic City Invitational, one of the most celebrated tournaments in independent pro wrestling over the last decade, has ballooned into an entire weekend spanning both Chattanooga, TN and Atlanta, GA as it has grown into an international spectacle.
This year’s SCI Weekend was no different, but its expansion hit historic marks for LGBTQ representation as well. Encompassing five events over four days, the 2026 edition was by far the queerest as every event featured multiple out LGBTQ talent in record numbers.
The annual ACTION Futures Showcase tournament, which highlights up-and-coming talent, saw the highest concentration of out performers during the weekend and delivered multiple firsts for the event.
For the first time ever, the event hosted both a men’s and women’s tournament rather than one mixed-gender tournament in previous years, and that expanded lineup counted eight out LGBTQ pro wrestlers, including three trans women, in its 18-person field.
Dylan Cole and JB Anderson repped the rainbow in the men’s field, while Ravenna Vein, Sigrid, Vivian Cross, Gwen Neodonna, Davina Thorne and Corinne Joy vied for the women’s crown.
Get off the sidelines and into the game
Our weekly playbook is packed with everything from locker room chatter to pressing LGBTQ sports issues.
Related
Gay wrestler EFFY challenges for NWA World title in surprise debut
A critic of NWA owner Billy Corgan in recent years, gay wrestler EFFY will battle Silas Mason for the NWA World title on May 9.
The event saw the first all-LGBTQ tournament match in any SCI Weekend tournament ever when Vein, Neodonna and Thorne faced off in the first round, and Vein made history as the first out LGBTQ ACTION Futures Showcase winner ever by defeating Joy and Clara Carter in the women’s final.
“I’ve had so many moments where I wondered if it was worth it to throw everything into this, if I deserved to even be in conversations and circles with some of my peers, if my passion and drive was enough,” Vein said via Instagram. “This weekend proved to me that my passion is enough, my hard work has paid off, my peers truly want me in these circles and to have these opportunities … it means the absolute f***ing world to me to be your first ever ACTION Futures Showcase Women’s champion.”
The Scenic City Invitational itself featured multiple out LGBTQ entrants as well. Both EFFY and Anakin Murphy made their SCI debuts on Friday night. Murphy capped his first-round loss to Big Dave with a kiss of appreciation, while EFFY utilized a liplock to turn the tables on Kelsey Reagan and spray blood mist in her face to advance to the semifinals on night two.
EFFY’s “EF-CI” run ended in the semifinals on Saturday night when he failed to fell “The Biggest Man Alive Since ‘99” Big Dave, marking the first time an out LGBTQ wrestler didn’t make the SCI final since 2023.
The queer presence extended to the auxiliary SCI events as well. At Thursday night’s “Night Zero” event, Izzy Byrum turned in a chaotic Barbed Wire match against Saul Wright, Vein and Thorne clashed in a Coffin match, Anderson and Sicko The Clown spilled blood and Neodonna and Rolando Perez battled in a ladder match.
Down in Atlanta, deathmatch star Nathan Mowery’s “Blood & Honey Series” picked up the baton on Sunday, featuring multiple out queer stars, including Sean Campbell, Murphy, Thorne and Joy, in deathmatch action.
The queer presence didn’t end with the double-digit roster of pro wrestlers, though. Out broadcaster Rob Weathers called the majority of the weekend’s events, and out referees Shiny Shoes (aka out non-binary pro wrestler Kody Manhorn), Kat Carter and Gina Monti officiated the majority of the weekend’s matches.
All in all, there was an out LGBTQ performer in the ring during more than half of the weekend’s matches.
Subscribe to the Outsports newsletter to keep up with your favorite out athletes, inspiring LGBTQ sports stories, and more.
