Off the Hook
Date: October 24, 2015
Location: The Arena, Jeffersonville, Indiana
Commentators: Mike Quackenbush, Leonard F. Chikarason, Dr. Rod Diamondfire, Bryce Remsburg

So this is an interesting one as I was actually in the arena (as in The Arena) for the show. I’m far from familiar with Chikara but I know enough about it to have some form of idea of what I’m watching. This was my first time seeing them live and it was a rather entertaining night, especially for $20 for the last row (last out of four that is). Let’s get to it.

Now for those of you that aren’t familiar, Chikara is basically a comic book come to life in a wrestling promotion. There are cults, secret organizations, mind control, wrestling ants and blowing up a bus full of children. When you get into something like this, you have to know what you’re signing up for. You can’t expect WWE style or production values, along with expecting a very indy style experience.

It should also be noted that this season’s main story (yeah Chikara is divided into seasons, with an actual offseason) is a multi-team competition called Challenge of the Immortals. The roster has been divided into ten four person teams. Each team will face off against each other at least once with the captains picking the stipulations. No word on what the prize is for the winning team.

Finally, I’m probably not going to know a lot of the details and backstories here. Chikara is one of those places with an incredibly deep and complicated history and there’s almost no way to keep track of everything. I apologize in advance for any mistakes I make though I’m sure I’ll be corrected on them.

The opening sequence is almost identical to the Marvel Studios logo. Again: I love that they aren’t hiding what they’re doing. It makes things so much easier.

We get graphics of all the matches on the card.

The arena really was small with maybe 150 people in the arena at most. I was sitting opposite the hard camera so on the off chance you see this show, I’m in the fourth row in the Superman shirt.

The announcer (Alex Pearlman, a guy who doesn’t seem to be that well known. He was a really good host though and held the show together all night.) welcomes us to the show, with his mic cutting off a few times in the middle. The only problem here was he said they were going to blow the roof off the place. It was raining pretty hard that night so does he want everyone to get wet?

Challenge of the Immortals: Orange Cassidy/Drew Gulak vs. Ophidian/Shynron

Gentleman’s Club vs. Snake Pit. Each team has their own flag which is a very nice touch. Gulak is a British style wrestler and Cassidy wrestles in sunglasses and torn jeans. Cassidy and Shynron start things off with Orange grabbing a headlock. Cassidy: “I want out! This is too much!” He takes off the sunglasses as the announcers are ripping on Cassidy for being lazy and exhausted.

Cassidy runs in slow motion and taps against Shynron for a shoulder before tripping him down. The comedy is actually working here as Cassidy trips but claims it was a splash. Off to Ophidian vs. Gulak for the actual wrestling portion. They hit the mat for some nice counters until Ophidian bounces off the mat several times to escape a wristlock. Cassidy tags himself in and asks for a test of strength. You can see the joke coming from here.

The much smaller Ophidian puts him down with one arm as referee Bryce Remsburg (one of the stars of the show) says this was Cassidy’s idea. Now Cassidy wants Shynron. Ophidian: “You sure about that buddy?” Shynron moonsaults off the middle rope and moonsaults right up to Cassidy who immediately tags out. Gulak easily wrestles Shynron to the mat and starts working on the arm before getting rolled up for two. It’s back to Cassidy vs. Ophidian with Cassidy taking a nap with a stuffed tiger.

Ophidian gets smart and tries a quiet count but Gulak shouts FREE BAGEL BITES at two, making Cassidy snap up and small package Ophidian for two. Cassidy asks for a weapons check of all things and gets caught in a reverse Tumbleweed of all things for two for a bunch of two counts. Gulak comes in for a rolling cradle of his own but still can’t end this comedy. Shynron tries some handsprings into a headscissors on Drew but has to settle for a victory roll instead.

Back to Ophidian vs. Cassidy with the snake man headstanding on the top turnbuckle and hissing. A very complicated rollup gets two on Orange and it’s back to the wrestlers for a crisscross into a sunset flip from Drew. Shynron’s springboard is countered into an electric chair which is countered into a hurricanrana for two but it’s time for the partners to come in and turn the hold over about a dozen times in a row. Cassidy: “STOP IT!”

Cassidy complains to the referee that he’s trying to win the match and Ophidian is over here trying to win the match too. Totally unfair! The fans want a hug and Ophidian offers a handshake. Cassidy tries a trick of course and gets rolled up to give Ophidian the pin at 14:01 with Gulak (where was he anyway?) being a second late.

Rating: C+. This was longer than it needed to be but it was the perfect way to set the tone for the show. The comedy was really working here with Cassidy as a good slacker and Gulak the completely opposite partner. The Snake Pit could have been any given combination and the match would have worked just fine. Really entertaining stuff with the wrestling as a backdrop, which is going to be a trend all night.

Pragash Sabar, who is basically an X-Pac tribute character from Pakistan, says Farmer Frog (just go with it) isn’t poisonous enough for him. He gets in a few Sean Waltman jabs for good measure. Waltman has to show up (again) and squash him good and strong.

Pragash Sabar vs. Farmer Frog

He’s a frog who farms and certainly NOT the Estonian Thunder Frog who died recently. We get another weapons check and the referee finds…..cucumbers on Sabar? Sabar bails to the floor and hands a fan two more cucumbers. I really don’t want to know the joke here. The much bigger Frog shoves him down a few times before grabbing Pragash by his big fake tongue. That means it’s time for the armpit to the tongue and I have no idea how I reached this point in my life.

Sabar goes to the floor for a breather (and so fans can rub his tongue), allowing Frog to come off the top with an ax handle. Back in and a Cannonball sets up a delayed gordbuster (Frog: “OOPSIE!” Oopsie?) for two. The Slop Drop (for once that name makes sense) is broken up though and Sabar gets two of his own off a high cross body.

Some X-Pac kicks in the corner (and a few licks of the hand) set up the Bronco Buster (Chikarason: “Five hit combo.”) for two, mainly because it’s not a move you pin people with. Frog grabs an Oklahoma Stampede of all things but Sabar bails to the floor and tries to get his cucumbers back. That goes nowhere so Frog hammers away in the corner, only to get powerbombed down into a rollup with Sabar putting his feet on the ropes for the pin at 7:44.

Rating: D. I wasn’t feeling this one and the match really didn’t work that well. Neither guy showed off that much as it’s kind of hard to get into a match between Henry Godwinn/Brian Knobbs as a frog (which didn’t change much) vs. X-Pac with a long tongue. It’s not a terrible match or anything but I didn’t care too much for it. This might have been edited as the live notes I had listed it as longer but I didn’t notice any major edits.

Sabar gets his cucumbers back. I still don’t get it.

AC/DC (Arik Cannon, wearing a Less Than Jake shirt, as in the band that sang We’re All Dudes in the cinematic classic Good Burger, and Darin Corbin) are ready for their match. Corbin calls Cannon for fun but Cannon yells at him for not taking this more seriously. Darin suggests slow motion tonight. Oh dear indeed.

AC/DC vs. Lucas Calhoun/Missile Assault Man

Calhoun is an Elvis impersonator and Missile Assault Man used to be an ant but was brainwashed into being extra aggressive by a shadow corporation (or something like that). From what I understand, they’re followers of a guy who was murdering various wrestlers last season (just go with it). Man and Cannon get things going and a quick armdrag sends Man outside, which is as good as a tag around here.

Corbin comes in as well and it’s time for a karate demonstration (Chikarason: “The school of Stan Lane vs. watching a lot of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.”). A little dancing leads to Corbin putting on a karate headband but Calhoun punches him in the ribs and rips it apart. More karate leads to a slap fight and that’s enough for Man as he drags them apart. Corbin sends both guys to the floor for a big dive before telling Cannon they should isolate Calhoun. A double dropkick gets two for AC/DC but Man comes in and dropkicks Darin down for the same.

We get a Missile Assault MAN stomp (with one letter per stomp) as the match settles into something like wrestling. A kick to the head gets two for Calhoun and rolling northern lights suplexes get the same for Man. Corbin elbows both guys away and the hot tag brings in Cannon so everything can break down. Man is sent to the floor and a double superkick gets two on Calhoun.

After a quick interlude from Man, we hit SLOW MOTION. Corbin Stuns Calhoun as even the announcers are speaking slowly. A fan in the crowd says Missile Assault Man sucks in slow speak as well. Cannon gets two off a backslide and now it’s back to full speed with Calhoun eating an RKO, only to have Corbin walk into a Brogue Kick from Man for the pin at 13:55.

Rating: C-. I was getting into this one until the slow motion kicked in. I’ve seen the bit before and while it’s a cool idea, it really takes me out of the match. It’s ok to just have a match end once in awhile, though to be fair that’s the kind of rule that you see for a match in a bigger company. Man and Calhoun were kind of working as an oddball tag team and AC/DC are a good choice for a midcard pairing. Good enough match to start but it needed to have a better finish.

Challenge of the Immortals: Blind Rage vs. Eddie Kingston

Nightmare Warriors (captained by Grand Champion Hallowicked, which will become important in a bit) vs. Snake Pit. Rage is a generic guy with red paint on his face and Kingston (coming in with a bad knee) is a big star known as the War King. Kingston has some issues getting his robe off in a funny bit. Eddie works on a top wristlock and shouts that Hallowicked isn’t here to save Rage. A snapmare puts Rage down and Eddie slaps him in the of the head. Kingston: “It’s ok. I’m a tweener.”

Rage gets smart with a dragon screw leg whip but Kingston fights up from the mat in a nice touch. Kingston gets in some weak knees to the back but gets dropkicked in the knee to slow him down again. A middle rope knee to Blind’s head (with Eddie limping after landing on the bad knee) sets up a DDT for two. The spinning backfist (Eddie’s finisher) misses and a Michinoku Driver gives Rage two more.

Some really weak looking rapid fire chops (I have yet to see those look good from anyone) from Kingston have Rage in trouble but he gets caught in a sitout powerbomb from the corner. They’re way too spent for only being eight minutes into a match. Rage misses a top rope double stomp and rolls outside, allowing Hallowicked to run in for a DDT. A quick STF gives Rage the knockout win at 8:16.

Rating: D+. Rage really didn’t hold my interest very well here but you could see that Kingston is one of the better guys they have. He carries himself better than most guys on the roster and he actually sold the knee really well. The ending was a good idea as there’s only so much you can do to have a guy like Rage look credible against one of the biggest names in the promotion.

Kingston yells at the referee for missing the interference. Referee: “I was outside.” Kingston: “ARE YOU KIDDING ME???”

Intermission, with a lot of the wrestlers coming to ringside to sell shirts. The handful that I talked to were all very nice and it was a really pleasant experience for a change.

Challenge of the Immortals: Juan Francisco de Coronado/Proletariat Boar of Moldova vs. Jakob Hammermeier/Soldier Ant

United Nations (Coronado is one of the bigger heels in the company) vs. Bruderschaft des Kreuzes (a former mega heel stable who are now barely a thing. The United Nations take their sweet time coming to the ring with Pearlman and Remsburg taking a nap in the corner during the entrance. Pearlman does their introduction in slow motion (“Making their way to the ring……eventually…….at their own pace……”). The Boar of course has a tail. Soldier Ant seems to be under mind control of some sort (Fan: “Remember who you are Soldier Ant!”) which is likely a very interesting backstory because they always are around here.

No commentary on this match for some reason. Coronado respects Jakob for being a foreigner and offers a handshake. Jakob offers his left hand and attacks (“YOU CAN’T TRUST THE GERMANS!”) before grabbing Coronado’s bowtie. It’s time for a test of strength but both heels go for kicks to the ribs. Juan: “I THOUGHT I LIKED YOU!”

They both poke each other in the eyes and it’s off to the Boar for a spinebuster/dropkick combo. The heels (as in Coronado and the Boar) stomp away in the corner until Jakob crashes to the floor, which again counts as a tag. Soldier Ant comes in for a clothesline on Juan and a Liger Kick to the Boar. A not very giant swing sends Juan flying and it’s off to some freaky leg lock. Juan gets thrown around and then out to the floor, allowing Boar to come in instead.

The Ant beats him up too until Juan grabs his foot, only to be terrified by the Ant staring down at him (well in theory as you can’t see his face). Boar’s Samoan drop gives Juan two and the Ant’s layout powerbomb from the corner gets the same. The Ant starts boxing the Boar (another thing I never expected to type) until the tailed one kicks the Soldier outside. Jakob remembers he’s in this match and goes after the Boar, only to eat a spear for the pin at 10:49.

Rating: C. Chikara is interesting as this competition is basically throwing a bunch of people together for what feel like random matches, even though they make sense when you know the story. That being said, most of these matches are working well enough and the competition gives the match some meaning, even if it doesn’t feel like it all the time. Fun enough match here though with Soldier Ant stealing most of the show.

Blaster McMassive, a guy who is exactly what his name sounds like, snaps a Slim Jim, just like he’s going to do to Chuck Taylor’s neck tonight.

Challenge of the Immortals: Blaster McMassive vs. Chuck Taylor

Wrecking Crew vs. Gentleman’s Club. Taylor is a big star and known as the Kentucky Gentlemen (I think I have a Chikara favorite) but he’s on a retirement tour (which might see him go to WWE as he’s only 29). Chuck breaks up the posing with a dropkick to the floor, followed by a quick dive.

Back in and a jawbreaker is broken up so we hit a chinlock from Blaster. Taylor fights up for an octopus hold of all things, only to get kicked in the head for two. They slug it out until Taylor grabs a release Rock Bottom for two. There’s a DDT for the same but Taylor misses something off the top and walks into a sitout Boss Man Slam for the pin at 5:32.

Rating: C-. Quick match here but power vs. speed is still one of the best stories you can run no matter what. Another good enough match here but the time was kind of surprising. If Taylor is supposed to be a big deal, you don’t expect to see him lose in just a few minutes. Not bad but it needed more time.

Dasher’s Dugout (the team leading the competition coming into the show) is ready but they don’t like missing Young Lions Cup holder and fourth partner Heidi Lovelace. They have Princess KimberLee as a fourth though so it’s not the worst thing in the world.

Dasher Hatfield/Icarus/Mark Angelosetti/Princess KimberLee vs. Hallowicked/NRG/Heidi Lovelace

This is challengers vs. champions with Hallowicked as Grand Champion (NRG (Race Jaxon/Hype Rockwell) as Tag Team Champions and Lovelace as Young Lions Cup holder. Lovelace is usually part of Dasher’s Dugout (a sports themed team with Dasher wearing a baseball mask and Angelosetti being named Mr. Touchdown). KimberLee is a princess with purple hair.

Icarus and Hallowicked (former champion vs. the champion) start things off but it’s off to Lovelace before anything happens. Icarus isn’t clear what to do here so he wrestles slowly as they trade arm holds. Neither can hit a kick so Lovelace clotheslines him down and they slap hands before tagging out to Jaxon and Hatfield. Dasher grabs an armbar to slow Jaxon down before it’s off to Mark for a bulldog.

The much bigger Rockwell comes in to trade shoulders with Angelosetti with Mark getting the better of it. We stop for some Tebowing (with the announcers wondering if that’s still a thing) until NRG takes Mark down. That goes nowhere so here’s the Princess vs. Hallowicked for a big showdown. The Princess actually gets the best of it and kicks Hallowicked down for two. NRG tries to interfere again but gets caught by Dasher and Mark with a double headbutt to keep the good guys in control.

KimberLee puts Race in a full nelson with her legs until Jaxon springboards out of the corner for the tag off to Rockwell. Everything breaks down for a bit and Hallowicked throws Heidi to the floor to prevent a showdown with the Princess for some reason. Go To Sleepy Hollow (a GTS with a kick instead of a knee) gets two on KimberLee before it’s back to Race for two off a butterfly suplex. Hallowicked comes in and cranks on KimberLee’s arm before it’s off to Heidi for a chinlock. Hallowicked: “SHE IS OUR ENEMY! WHAT DO WE DO TO OUR ENEMY???”

A crucifix into something like Rings of Saturn has the Princess in trouble until she rolls out. Heidi and Hallowicked argue on the floor until KimberLee dives through the ropes to take them down. That means it’s off to Icarus for a bad looking hurricanrana on Rockwell as things speed way up. Dasher comes in with no tag for a wheelbarrow slam/Stunner combo (the Bo Jackson) on Race.

Jaxon gets caught in the corner for a double superplex until Rockwell makes the save by powerbombing Dasher and Mark off the top. Race moonsaults onto both of them and it’s off to KimberLee for some chops to NRG. The two of them are taken out with ease and NOW we get KimberLee vs. Lovelace. They kick it out because this is an indy promotion and we have to do it at some point.

KimberLee gets the better of it until a wicked Saito suplex sends her to the floor. Hallowicked comes in and decks Icarus before telling Heidi to get out. Lovelace says no so Hallowicked shoves her down allowing Icarus to beat up Hallowicked with strikes and a nice Sliced Bread #2. It’s time for the parade of finishers, including Heidi apologizing to Dasher for a Fameasser. A pop up Diamond Cutter seemed to hurt Heidi but here’s Eddie Kingston for the backfist to drop Hallowicked, allowing KimberLee to score the pin at 20:15.

Rating: B+. This was a lot of fun with all eight of them flying all over the place. This place is similar to Lucha Underground as the women are on equal footing with the men, making for a much more entertaining match instead of the stupid “let’s treat them differently” nonsense that you often have to see. KimberLee getting the pin is a good choice instead of the normal stuff where it’s the main World Champion contender getting the pin. This was by far and away the match of the night and a lot of fun with all eight looking awesome.

The credits roll and Alex thanks us for coming out, but here’s Bryce Remsburg to say ONE MORE MATCH.

Fire Ant vs. Oleg the Usurper

Oleg is a viking who was frozen in ice and is rapidly turning face. Fire Ant is the high flier of the former Colony and a fan favorite. Ant dives through the ropes to take him out and fires (see what I did there?) off strikes inside. A boot to the face puts Ant down though and Oleg SMACKS him in the side of the head for the pin at 1:23. Well it was just an encore.

Pearlman thanks us for coming to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This is a show where there’s a lot more to the show than just the wrestling. Chikara is much more about a fun show that is built up over time instead of a single show. That being said, this was a lot of fun and more than worth the money. It’s definitely a show that you can get into more if you watch regularly but as a one off, this was a lot of fun and a really entertaining night.

The main event blows away everything else but nothing was bad and it was a really fun atmosphere all night long. It felt like the wrestlers were having a good time entertaining the fans and it showed in their performances. It’s a really fun company if you want a legitimate alternative to WWE, which is often the case in name only.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of the History of Wrestlemania at Amazon for just $3.99 at:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0188BJRGU

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Middle Kingdom Wrestling Episode 4
Date: October 12, 2015
Location: CWE Gym, Dongguan, China
Commentator: Eddie Strong, Cam Ferguson

Back to the east again with the latest offering from a company that I like for reasons I can’t put my finger on. We’re moving forward in the tournament but it’s been a long time and I might not remember everyone involved. Hopefully they have a decent recap, along with a better announcer. Let’s get to it.

The opening sequence has changed a bit but the recap is still the same. They still need to get a better graphic though.

We open with a recap of Black Mamba being ejected from the tournament for cheating and getting to face the Slam as a result. That right there is all I needed for a recap so far as it took less than a minute and summed up the big story. Well done.

Ash isn’t pleased with being cheated out of the tournament by Black Mamba and Da Li Sam. After implying that Sam is a prostitute for fat women, he talks about ripping the stitches out of his head with chopsticks. I think that deserves a HE’S HARDCORE chant. He’s back earlier than the doctors recommended and he wants the Slam’s top student Jason. Therefore, Jason needs to go tell Slam that he’s tired of taking out the trash and buying toilet paper and wants to face Ash instead. The delivery wasn’t the best but he definitely had some charisma to him and was comfortable in front of a camera.

Ash vs. Jason

This is billed as a special challenge match. Ash has an American flag on his jacket so I’m guessing he’s the heel here. He comes out with a good looking woman so he can’t be all bad. We have a new commentator named Cam Ferguson who apparently has a Masters in Confucianism and is clearly a heel.

Jason hides in the corner to start as Eddie recaps the story so far in that annoying voice of his. A dropkick gets two on Jason and Ash messes with the hair. Ferguson says that’s typical American bullying but Eddie says he’s supposed to be hitting him in a wrestling match. Ferguson: “So it’s ok to kick him in the stomach?” A quick belly to belly puts Ash down and Ferguson accuses Ash of hitting low.

We hit a chinlock from Jason (Or a rear naked chin hold according to Eddie. That sounds like the Matt Striker school of “here’s a WAY more complicated name than you need.”) as Ferguson accuses the referee of being a traitor to the Communist Party. Ash comes back with some forearms and a middle rope kick to the chest (think RVD) for two, followed by a Boston crab for the win.

Rating: C. You can really tell which people in this promotion have the ring experience. Ash isn’t great but he clearly has a much better idea of what he’s doing. There was even a little story here and it helped the match move on a lot. Also they’re starting to go longer and I’m not bored so things are definitely improving.

MKW Title Tournament Semi-Finals: Dalton Bragg vs. Len Bai

Bragg has comically skinny arms. Bai doesn’t like Dalton taking his time on the floor and dives over the top, only to crash down in front of him. It doesn’t really matter as the ring is only about three feet above the ground but it was still quite the crash. Bragg gets in a cheap shot form behind to take over and we get a ridiculously slow motion Irish whip into a monkey flip to Bai.

Back up and they trade chops (with Bai’s lacking any follow through) until Bragg asks a little girl to rub his hand to make his stronger. Bragg’s cross body is countered into a backbreaker for two and Strong is somehow still on my nerves. After Bai hasn’t done anything flashy all match, he slaps on Cattle Mutilation of all things. Where did he learn that? A fisherman’s buster gets two on Bragg but he pops up and hits a nice middle rope Codebreaker to advance to the finals.

Rating: C-. Not the best match here but you can see that Bai is still new out there. Bragg isn’t anything worth watching either though he definitely has more experience and looked more comfortable. The Cattle Mutilation and Codebreaker looked good and the right guy won though so it’s not the worst in the world.

Post match Bai breaks Bragg’s arm in a surprisingly big heel move.

After the credits, Black Mamba and Da Lip Sam say they’re not worried about the Slam. Bai promises to take care of the tournament final too.

Overall Rating: C-. The tournament is coming to a close as we’re wrapping up the first season but this wasn’t their strongest show. You can clearly see the difference between the talent levels and it can be a bit tiring watching the people with next to no experience. The show is still watchable at less than half an hour but I’m hoping it picks up a bit in the final.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of the History of Wrestlemania at Amazon for just $3.99 at:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0188BJRGU

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Reality of Wrestling Episode 75
Date: September 13, 2015
Location: Clear Lake Recreation Sports Center, Clear Lake, Texas
Commentators: Matt Topolski, Brad Gilmore

You might have heard of this company before but I’ve never actually seen anything from them. This is Booker T.’s promotion which was previously known as the Pro Wrestling Alliance. They’ve actually been around for ten years now and I’m going into this one totally blind. Let’s get to it.

One more note: I’m not sure of the date this aired but it’s the date the show was uploaded to the promotion’s Youtube channel.

The opening sequence isn’t bad as this looks like a pretty well run place. I’ve seen FAR worse and the production values aren’t bad at all.

The announcers preview the show and call the promotion the Row (as in Row, Row, Row Your Boat).

Steele vs. Evan Snow

Steele is a good sized guy in something like a silver Vader mask. Snow is the hero and a hip hop guy. I’m guessing this is second generation Al Snow vs. George Steele. Snow speeds things up to start and gets two off a dropkick and cross body. We hit a chinlock on the heel which certainly isn’t something you often see.

Back up and Steele takes his head off with a clothesline and a HHH style spinebuster. Some knees to the head get two on Evan and we hit the chinlock. Snow fights up and nails a quick elbow for two but gets caught on top for a superplex. That’s fine with Snow as he shoves Steele down and drops a top rope leg for the pin.

Rating: C. Yeah this was fine with a basic story of power vs. speed, which has worked for the better part of ever and is going to keep working no matter how much wrestling tries to over complicate things. Snow was a simple gimmick but he was fine out there with some good charisma against a run of the mill monster (nothing wrong with that).

Bryan Keith, a cowboy, is polishing his belt and says last week’s bounty was one of his toughest. Apparently GM Sharmell has put a series of bounties on his head and he welcomes all comers.

A monster named Cedric (seriously?) gets yelled at for letting down Legion (sounds like a heel stable). The guy doing the yelling (who looks like Jimmy Jacobs) slaps Cedric and laughs.

Diamonds Title: Miranda vs. Athena

This is the Women’s Title and it’s vacant coming in. Athena is billed from Dallas/Chicago and gets run over before nipping up into a headscissors for a sweet comeback. Miranda snapmares her down again before kicking Athena square in the back. I think Miranda is the heel here but it’s not clear. We hit the chinlock for a bit before Athena hits a nice springboard cross body for two more. A bad looking spear gives Miranda the same but Athena sends her to the floor for a suicide dive. Both of them are down so here’s another woman named Ivory (not that Ivory) to attack Athena, drawing a DQ.

Rating: C+. This worked as well with Athena looking more polished, though I’m not sure Miranda really had a chance to showcase much. She didn’t really have much to make her stand out, whereas Athena was flying all over the place. It may not have been the best executed stuff but it was certainly exciting. Miranda doesn’t have the size or power to make a spear work, though that’s never stopped a bunch of wrestlers.

Post match Ivory says she wants a title shot. The match was billed as a no contest, which is nonsense as Ivory didn’t touch Miranda.

We see a clip of a previous match between Aiden Cristiano and Gino who seem to be former partners or mentor/mentee. Gino won with a rollup to shock his manager Rayna, who seems to have left Cristiano for him. Gino looks to be about 12 years old, albeit tall. The two of them bragged after the match but I could barely understand a word of it due to background noise. You can tell Gino is a heel as he speaks in the third person.

Parviz vs. Erik Lockhart

Parviz is another monster with a guy named X in his corner. Lockhart used to be part of a tag team with his brother but they split for unknown reasons. Erik tries an early triangle choke but gets powerbombed into the corner. A powerslam puts Erik down again and Parvis pulls down the straps to let Lockhart get in some open chops. Parvis’ chokeslam is countered into a DDT but here’s Andrew Lockhart (Erik’s brother of course) to pose on the stage so paparazzi can photograph him to distract Erik, allowing Parvis to grab the chokeslam for the fast pin.

Athena swears revenge on Ivory. Again, she could use some coaching but the core stuff is there. A little research says that the more coaching will come in NXT, where she signed two days before this aired. Good for her.

Erik Lockhart has an edited interview where he talks about how he might have to slap some sense into his brother but he’s just not sure.

Someone named Mysterious Q will break his silence next week.

The announcers debate Andrew Lockhart’s change of attitude. Gilmore: “I saw him in a People Magazine when I was at the grocery store.” Toploski: “What grocery stores do you shop at?”

Tag Team Titles: Heavenly Bodies vs. Pump Patrol

The Patrol (a pair of exercise enthusiasts named Jared Wayne and Curt Matthews) is challenging. One note here: Evan Snow was billed from Hip Hop, USA. The Patrol is from Pump City, USA. They need to come up with something more original as you shouldn’t be repeating an idea that soon. The announcers argue over whether someone named Jackson is the GM or not with Sharmell being brought up as the real GM. Power struggles even happen down in the minors.

Curt and Justin (no last name given) start things off with Justin missing an elbow, allowing Curt to do some pushups. The other Heavenly Body comes in and gets clotheslined in the corner as the announcers are promising a Flexorcism. Ok then.  A double elbow from the Patrol sends both champions (seriously, TELL US THEIR NAMES) to the floor, followed by Wayne with a flipping double clothesline.

Back in and a snapmare into a legdrop gets two on Dustin (thank you). The champions take over for a few seconds but Jared blocks Curt from hitting the corner off a whip. A double Stun Gun gets two on Curt and Justin makes it serious by stealing Curt’s headband. Dustin comes in for a leg lariat (clearly made no contact) and a blind tag keeps Curt in trouble. The referee misses the hot tag and the Bodies get in some double stomping.

Curt kicks out of a top rope splash and finally rolls away from both champs (The referee didn’t mind them both being in there because he’s a nice guy. Or incompetent.) for the hot tag to Jared. Everything breaks down and the Flexorcism (Codebreaker into a full nelson slam. I do like the move name) gets two with Dustin making the save. Jared charges at Dustin but gets caught in the Pearly Gates (A wheelbarrow slam into a cutter. Again, good name and a good move.) for the pin.

Rating: C-. I wasn’t feeling this one for the most part as both teams are screaming indy level teams. It’s not a bad match or anything but neither of them made me care about the match. There was no real story and the Patrol’s gimmick didn’t do much for me. The Bodies are as generic as you can get and it showed badly in the match. That’s a good finisher though.

Overall Rating: C. Totally watchable show here with more than enough good action and stories going around to keep my interest. Nothing really stands out (save for Athena who was already signed up by WWE at this point) but it’s a great way to have the people get ring time, which is the most important thing when you’re at this level.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of the History of Wrestlemania at Amazon for just $3.99 at:

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It was quite the fun time for a reasonable price.  I’ll have a full review up once I can actually see the show but it was an entertaining night in a small building, meaning a good way to spend an evening.  Chikara is definitely not your run of the mill style promotion as it’s much more family friendly (the fans were asked not to say something sucked) and it’s a bunch of wrestlers in colorful costumes with high impact offense.  The wrestling is almost more of a backdrop to the entertainment which makes for an interesting setting. If you know what you’re getting into though, it’s a fun show and could be very addictive in a hurry.

http://411mania.com/wrestling/wwe-news-ezekiel-jackson-retires-jasmin-gets-nxt-name/

I’m going to miss the guy.  He was nothing special in WWE but he was actually awesome in Lucha Underground as a cool thug for hire.  However, anything that lets Lucha Underground try something new is worth a shot.

Middle Kingdom Wrestling Episode 3
Date: September 30, 2015
Location: CWE Gym, Dongguan, China
Commentator: Eddie Strong

This show is kind of growing on me. I’m digging what they’re going for with the really short TV shows and simple booking. I could go for some stories and better wrestling but that’s a universal issue in wrestling, even in China. We’re on to the semi-finals tonight and it should be easier now that I have an idea who some of these people are. Let’s get to it.

These shows are getting even shorter as this is under fifteen minutes long.

The Slam vs. King Michael

This is incorrectly billed as a tournament match. Michael is a big fat guy and Slam reminds me of Gillberg. He even has similar music to Goldberg. Slam pounds away like he’s a guy twice his size and drops Michael with some forearms to the chest. A leglock sends Michael to the ropes but he clotheslines Slam down and smiles into the camera.

The required fat man splash gets two on Slam and a fat man shoulder drops him again. Michael’s chokebomb is good for two and the argument with the referee allows Slam to come back with a string of forearms, followed by a springboard clothesline for two. Something like a belly to back slam and a big stomp is enough to put the King away.

Rating: C-. This was way better than it had any right to be with Slam looking like a combination of Taz and Goldberg as he fought like a guy 100lbs heavier than he actually is. Michael was your standard fat man who couldn’t do much aside from basic power moves but Slam more than made up for it. I could go for more than big forearms but that might come against someone who can give him more back.

MKW Title Tournament Semi-Finals: Selfie King vs. Black Mamba

Da Li Sam is with Mamba again in a partnership that hasn’t been explained. Mamba isn’t interested in a picture to start so he loses a test of strength instead. So apparently King is really strong. I mean, he’s in good shape but it’s hardly great. Mamba claims his shoes are messing up and the distraction lets Sam come in with a powerbomb for the pin to advance.

Mamba and Sam take a picture over King’s unconscious body. Not bad.

Wait we’re not done as the promoter comes up and points out the shenanigans, meaning Mamba is disqualified. I’m not a fan of that sort of an ending and it feels like they went this way for a shortcut instead of a full on match. Even a short one would have been fine and it would have padded the show out a bit.

Roll credits.

Overall Rating: C-. This didn’t do it for me as well as the previous show but to be fair a show can only be so bad in fifteen minutes. The Slam was definitely the highlight of the show and it’s a good idea to take some of the focus off the tournament for a change. Good enough show here but it’s a step down from last time.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $3.99 at:

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And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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Middle Kingdom Wrestling Episode 2
Date: September 17, 2015
Location: CWE Gym, Dongguan, China
Commentator: Eddie Strong

This show wasn’t terrible the first time I looked at it and maybe the second show is going to be better. If nothing else I’m kind of interested in seeing which of the two matches from the first show is the more accurate indicator of what this promotion is about. Maybe the commentator won’t be as annoying this time either. Let’s get to it.

I’m not sure what the deal is with the dates but I’m going with when they’re posted on Youtube.

The intro is the same last week, down to the same video packages and captions.

The Slam (CWE Champion. For the first time it’s confirmed that CWE and MKW are different things) is in the ring and wants to talk to the MKW GM about why he isn’t in the title tournament. The unnamed GM isn’t sure what to say so Slam demands a match against a big man in the future, which is granted. So we have another angle.

MKW Title Tournament First Round: Jason vs. Dalton Bragg

Bragg’s entrance is in fast motion. I’m digging the way they’re doing things differently like that as it’s not something you see in most promotions. Before the match we get a video on American Dalton Bragg, who brags about his success in America. I’m more interested in his South Park tattoos. He knows he’s better than everyone in the tournament, including the Slam. That’s still kind of confusing and they need to clear it up. Maybe with a bracket or something.

The match is joined in progress with Bragg kicking Jason in the head for two. A Codebreaker gets the same as we’re told that Jason is Slam’s student. Jason comes back with a PerfectPlex and a Boston crab but Dalton rolls through for two. Bragg can’t get Jason up for what looked like a powerbomb and drops him into something like a Dominator instead for the pin. Too short to rate but Bragg is more polished and has a better presence than anyone else so far.

This show is already better than the first one and we’re not even half done.

MKW Title Tournament First Round: Ash vs. Black Mamba

Kobe Bryant is in this tournament? Ash has an American flag on the back of his vest but there are no videos this time. Instead Mamba grabs the mic and says he knows he’s underrated but he has a secret plan. He brings out someone named Da Li Sam as a coach and I guess we’re supposed to know who that is. Mamba is another of Slam’s students and it seems that a lot of these people wrestle in CWE. Ash drops Mamba but Sam pulls his……whatever Mamba is to him to the floor for a conference.

Back in and Da Li trips Ash up but Ash runs Mamba over anyway. We get a chase on the floor and Mamba finally takes over with an ax handle on the way back in. A lot of choking from both Mamba and Sam sets up an STO (not STF commentator) for two on Ash. Mamba grabs a camel clutch (called a signature move) but Ash fights back with a Stinger Splash and backbreaker but Sam shoves Ash into the referee. The brawl is on and the much bigger Sam (his head is over the top rope while he’s standing on the floor) sends Ash into the post for a long countout.

Rating: C. The wrestling wasn’t great but there was a far more important key here: I got the idea they were trying to present even though I have no idea who these people are and know nothing about them. It’s a sign of better storytelling and that’s the most important thing in wrestling. You really should be able to tell what’s going on no matter what and they covered that here.

The credits and a preview for next week take us out.

Overall Rating: B. Again on the sliding scale but this was WAY better than last week. There’s definitely better wrestling here with the stories being more well rounded and the ideas being easier to understand. I’ll keep watching this as it’s only twenty minutes and I can go for a change of pace to the simple stories and basic booking. Much better show this week though the commentator is still annoying.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $3.99 at:

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And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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Middle Kingdom Wrestling Episode 1
Date: September 5, 2015
Commentator: Eddie Strong

It’s wrestling in China. I have no idea what to expect here and the show is only nineteen minutes long. This is one of the major countries where wrestling hasn’t spread yet and it should be very interesting to see where it goes. I’m hoping this is in English as otherwise, it could be a rather confusing show. Let’s get to it.

So it seems that we’ll be having a tournament to determine the first ever MKW Champion, though it says that the CWE Champion The Slam (I’ve heard worse names) defended his title twice this weekend. So did they just spoil the whole thing?

MKW Title Tournament First Round: Hoho Lun vs. The Selfie King

Selfie King is exactly what he sounds like. Lun has sunglasses on the back of his head. King is sent to the floor and it’s time for a picture. Lun is apparently from Hong Kong and is one of the company’s founders. The ring is really short as King is above the middle rope while standing on the floor.

Back in and King’s kicks to the leg have almost no effect and Lun gets two off a running forearm in the corner. They hit the floor for a chase until Lun takes him back inside for a Boston crab. King makes the rope and tells the referee that he saw a bird, allowing for some selfie stick shots to the back. A standing moonsault (with the camera out of focus for some reason) is enough to pin Lun.

Rating: D. Yeah this was bad. Lun was a mile ahead of King, who might have been making his professional debut here. Above all else here, the commentary is killing it. The guy sounds like he’s about 19 years old and trying too hard. He never stops talking and is more annoying than anything else, but it sounds a lot more like he’s brand new at this and has no idea what he’s doing.

MKW Title Tournament First Round: Len Bai vs. Tangguo Ge

Ge is a masked man in a full body suit and what looks like CM Punk trunks. He gives candy to some kids and comes out to Christina Aguliera’s Candyman. So he’s the reincarnation of Brad Armstrong? Bai has his face painted and looks like a cocky heel. Ge (whose name means Candy Brother) tries a quick cross body but gets caught in a fall away slam. Back up and Bai is Irish whipped but doesn’t seem to know what to do so he just stops. Ge gets whipped into the buckle, followed by a backbreaker for two.

We hit the chinlock on Ge for a bit before he tries……something like a Canadian Destroyer. That’s pretty high up on a list of moves I never thought I would see here, even if it was more of a roll into the piledriver than a jump. A big clothesline gets two for Bai but Ge grabs the Black Widow of all things. This match continues to surprise me. Bai drops him down in a side slam to break it up before a pair of fisherman’s busters are enough for the pin (with the three in slow motion).

Rating: C. WAY better here as both guys looked like they knew what they were doing, at least for the most part. They definitely had some issues out there that can be helped a lot with more experience and some coaching, but both of them looked a lot more polished. It also helps that they were wrestling instead of being obsessed with the gimmick like King was. Far better match here and it even had a story with Bai working on the head to set up the fisherman’s buster.

The credits, including thanking the wrestlers, take us out.

Overall Rating: D+. That’s on a very strong curve. It’s very clear that this is their first show and it looks like they had a budget of about $18. That being said, I can’t imagine there’s a very deep talent pool to pick from and they were doing the best with what they had. I’ll check out the second episode which might be an improvement, but they have a lot of stuff to fix, some of which might be out of their control.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $3.99 at:

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http://411mania.com/wrestling/lucha-underground-confirms-season-two/

WOOT.

WWL Navidad Corporativa
Date: Dec 17, 2014 (Aired December 25, 2014)
Location: Pepin Cestero Coliseum, Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Attendance: 3,500
Commentators: Willie Urbina, Axel Cruz

The show is called Corporate Christmas. Why does this sound like Vince’s idea of a Christmas carol? Anyway this is a WWL (World Wrestling League) show from Puerto Rico (guess who requested it) and it can’t be worse than World Wrestling Council. Like, it’s not possible for it to be that bad. Let’s get to it.

As usual before a lucha libre show, I’d like to remind you that my Spanish is conversational at best so I might miss some major plot points given by commentary but I’ll do what I can. I do have a guide to explain some of the backstories so I’m not totally lost.

The announcers run down the card and preview the next show with stars from all over the Americas.

Mr. 450 is in the ring and ranting about someone named Carlitos ducking a rematch after beating him a few weeks back. The call out continues and here’s Carlitos, who says he’s ready to go. Wait is Mr. 450 a heel? A guy whose character is all about a high flying move is a heel? Really? The match is later in the night I guess.

Ad for next month’s big show.

Prince Xander vs. Erik Scorpion

Xander won a battle royal at the last big show (last eliminating Scorpion) and became all stuck up so this is the regular showdown. One of the fun parts of these shows is figuring out which guy is which. It’s not so easy a lot of the time. I’m pretty sure Scorpion is the one with the painted face and the one named Prince is in the nice tights and staring at the blonde at ringside.

They fight over a wristlock to start until Prince lifts the shirt up for a medium chop. The thing didn’t even echo but maybe I didn’t understand its accent. A quick rope walk into a springboard armdrag puts Scorpion down again as this has been one sided so far. Xander dropkicks him out to the floor and Scorpion climbs a structure ala Ultimate X. That goes nowhere as Prince pulls him down, only to eat a kick to the face.

A not great Asai moonsault takes Prince down with Erik landing in the front row. Scorpion looks for a weapon as the blonde tends to Xander’s wounds. There’s a chair in the corner now but Scorpion settles for two off a running corner dropkick instead. Xander gets the better of a chop off but misses a charge into the post. Scorpion’s suicide dive is caught in a good looking belly to belly and he busts out a flip dive of his own. Back in and a high cross body gets two on Scorpion but he comes back with a belly to belly superplex, followed by Sliced Bread #2 for the pin.

Rating: C. This was a good choice for an opener with some nice high flying, though I’m sure we’re going to have a lot of this style throughout the night. Xander was a good heel act, though a lot of that might be due to the blonde he had with him. Scorpion was fine for a high flier and the match was entertaining enough.

Americas Title: BJ vs. Laredo Kid

Laredo is defending with Joe Bravo as referee. The three of them had a triple threat for the inaugural title and Bravo got pinned, hence why he’s not in this one. On the way to the ring, a boss stops BJ and tells him that if his gang shows up, he’s fired. Bravo takes his sweet time starting the match. They flip around to start so Bravo rolls around as well for a laugh.

It’s a bunch of running the ropes to start until Kid bulldogs him down, only to get caught in an armbar. Kid flips out again and it’s time for a standoff. They chop it out and BJ takes off his shirt so the Kid can chop him even harder. BJ is sent to the floor but he slides back in and dropkicks Laredo off the apron in a fast spot. Back in and Bravo does the most overblown slow motion two count I’ve seen this side of an old Steve Austin match.

That’s fine with JB as he takes the Kid to the top for a German superplex but Joe somehow makes the count even slower. The distraction lets the Kid come off the top with a missile dropkick, setting up a slow motion dive to the floor. Bravo gets in some stomps on BJ as they’re not being very subtle with this story. Kid even gets annoyed at Bravo before walking the top rope for a corkscrew moonsault.

Bravo is too busy taking a call so at least the bias is universal. A bunch of regular referees come in to eject Bravo, making the match less interesting than it was going to be otherwise. After the melee is over, a monster who may be a member of the Corporation comes in to chokeslam BJ off the top. Laredo goes all the way to the top of the lighting structure, only to hit the monster by mistake. That plus an RKO give BJ two, meaning it’s time for Kid’s manager to yell at the referee. Ok then.

A top rope hurricanrana puts BJ down and the Kid dives off the structure for two more as this is going longer than it should. BJ’s frog splash gets two with the Kid’s manager pulling the referee to the floor. Using this distraction (as opposed to all the other distractions), someone I believe is part of BJ’s gang runs in and hits him with a chair, allowing Laredo to hit a springboard splash for the pin to retain.

Rating: D+. WAY too long here with too much going on. Unless I missed something, BJ was the face here which continues the trend of this company not seeming clear on how faces/heels are supposed to be chosen. The action was good here but there was too much going on and too much time.

Post match the chair swinger is revealed to be…..Joe Bravo, who plants BJ with an implant DDT.

La Rabia, BJ’s street gang, is coming for the new year’s show.

Trios Titles: La Rabia vs. Team Corporate

This is for the inaugural titles and these teams (Dennis Rivera/Noel Rodriguez/Stefano vs. Victor Rodriguez/Manuel Rodriguez/Kaifas) are at war with the gang vs. corporate. The big issue for me: I have no idea who any of these people are. I’m pretty sure the Corporation is the heel team and from what I’ve found, Dennis is the brother of Savio Vega (who won’t just go away), who leads the Corporation. Dennis is leading his street gang in a revolution because that’s how wrestling stories work. La Rabia has their street vision camera because they’re tough like that.

All three members of La Rabia dive onto the Corporate guys, followed by (I think) Stefano armdragging (I think) Manuel. They trade forearms until it’s off to Dennis (I think…..you get the idea now) for an armbar of his own before Noel (how appropriate) comes in and gets kicked in the ribs. Kaifas gets in some cheap shots on the floor before coming in legally (6’9 giant, I believe the same one from the Laredo vs. BJ match. He looks like an unmasked Abyss) for his painful monster offense. The rest of La Rabia fails at a save attempt and some triple teaming gets two.

It’s back to Kaifas for a chinlock for a bit before Noel crotches Victor on top and brings him down for a superplex. Dennis and Manuel come in off the tags and Dennis cleans house. Everything breaks down and Kaifas is left alone with all three gang members. Kaifas chokeslams two of them down….and then falls as well as they pop up. Uhh….was that supposed to be a double Codebreaker? The third member adds a guillotine legdrop for the pin and the titles.

Rating: C-. That ending still has me confused but not as much as figuring out which guy on the teams were which. La Rabia winning was the right call here as they’re pretty clearly the faces (I think at least. I could have this whole thing totally backwards) and the crowd needed something to cheer for. Good enough match here and defeating the monster was the right call.

La Rabia celebrates in the crowd.

Legio, a Satanic team, says their name and a lot of stuff I doubt I could understand even if I spoke Spanish.

Legio vs. Sr. C./Sylar Andrews

I can’t picture this lasting long. Legio is Spectro/Kronya, a pair of masked men and a manager. We’ll say Spectro (another guess) starts with Syler (at least he was cool on Heroes. Well at least in the first season before they watered the idea down to nothing), who howls a lot but doesn’t have much effect on offense. Both Legio guys look huge so Spectro’s slam is really impressive.

C. comes in and gets kicked in the shoulder before it’s off to Kronya for a lifting powerbomb. It’s back to Spectro for a big leg and a hard running knee in the corner as this is slow paced but high impact. C. finally does something by sidestepping a charge into the post, allowing the tag to Syler. Some very generic offense has little effect so some big chokeslams destroy both guys. A Demolition Decapitator puts Syler away.

Rating: D+. I think I liked this better than most of the other matches on the show, even if it wasn’t good. This match showcased Legio as a pair of monsters (with a good look) who were squashing what looked to be some low level talent. I could figure out exactly what they were going for here and that’s a sign of an effective match.

Pay per view ad. I already know this one by heart after seeing it a half dozen times on this show.

James Storm/Abyss vs. Heavy Artillery

Finally someone I’ve heard of. Heavy Artillery is better known as Thunder and Lightning and are something like 26 time WWC Tag Team Champions. Oh and Storm and Abyss are here too as the Revolution. Thunder and Lightning’s WWL Tag Team Titles aren’t on the line here. The Revolution tries to attack from behind to start as the announcers talk about Beer Money. Storm’s clothesline sets up a splash from Abyss on Thunder and it’s already weapons time.

Abyss rips on Lightning’s mask with Janice, allowing Storm to hang him with the noose. Back in and Lightning’s comeback is stopped by a right hand to the bloody head, leaving Thunder to take the Backstabber from James. Lightning gets taken out on a stretcher but Storm gets in some more shots for fun. This has barely been a match so far and it’s a nice change of pace from everything else on the show. The announcers plug the company’s Facebook and Twitter as Thunder is busted open as well.

Storm kicks him in the head and it actually settles down to one in the ring and one on the apron. Thunder comes back with a boot in the corner and a middle rope clothesline to Abyss, followed by a superplex to Storm. Thankfully the Black Hole Slam stops a comeback but Lightning returns for the save. A Stunner and spear put Abyss down and a powerslam gets two on Storm. Back up and a 3D knocks Storm out but Abyss gets another Black Hole Slam on Thunder, giving us stereo two counts. Nice spot there but cue Legio for the double DQ.

Rating: C+. I liked this one because it was exactly as advertised. The four of them brawled and Thunder and Lightning got to go to a draw with a mainstream tag team. That made the final sequence a nice visual as you had both teams totally equal and then do the run-in, which I’m sure sets up Legio vs. Thunder and Lightning for the titles. Well done match to work around Abyss’ issues.

The beating continues for a bit.

Here’s company matchmaker Savio Vega with a ball bat and something to say. This is HIS HOUSE because everyone has houses in wrestling. He calls out an old guy in a white hat and coat and I can barely hear what they’re saying with the bad audio. I do like that they’re only sharing one microphone for a change. Apparently the other guy is the President of the company and as you might expect, they don’t see eye to eye on how the place is run.

Cue World Champion Shane the Glamour Boy (Shane Sewell from TNA, a big star in Puerto Rico) to get in Savio’s face. From what I can tell, Shane’s opponent Bobby Roode isn’t here so he has a replacement in the form of Gilbert, who jumped from WWC like a week ago. Jumping from promotion to promotion is WAY more common down here so while a big deal, it’s not all that uncommon.

WWL World Title: Gilbert vs. Shane the Glamour Boy

Gilbert beats Shane down with a chair and chokes away as the match is officially on. A running knee puts the champ on the floor and Gilbert sends him into the structure around the ring. Totally one sided so far. Back in and a German suplex puts Shane down for two and a chop makes him freeze. Another makes him start vibrating and the comeback is on. So Shane is the face here. Got it. Gilbert stops him cold with a clothesline (totally different than a chop) and we hit the chinlock.

That goes nowhere so Gilbert goes up, only to dive into a raised boot. It’s good to know that the “I have no reason to dive like this other than I’m going to land on your boot” spot works in Spanish too. The champ gets two off a fisherman’s suplex but the referee gets bumped, allowing Gilbert to get in a belt shot for the pin and the title.

I’m not even going to bother rating it yet because Savio is out to celebrate, meaning the other boss is on his way out to restart the match. I’m right of course because some things in wrestling never change no matter where the show is taking place. Gilbert hammers away and Savio throws him a chair. A low blow stops a big shot and Shane cleans house with the chair, followed by the top rope elbow to retain the title.

Rating: C. This was fine with Shane fighting over the odds to retain the title. The false finish was fine at the time, but if weapon shots like the chair (which the referee saw) are legal, why bother with the ref bump? This was a bit more complicated than it needed to be and the story suffered as a result.

Post match Shane gets beaten up even more but Alberto El Patron pops up on screen to say he’s coming for the title at Guerra de Reyes (next PPV). Savio yells at Shane some more but the president comes in and says he’s adding Ricky Banderas (Mil Muertes) to the title match. Shane freaks out due to a long history with Banderas. Ricky shows up on screen to say he’s coming for the title as well.

Apolo vs. Mr. Big

This is fallout from Mr. Big turning on La Rabia. This is the same Apolo who was in TNA for a few years where he was actually pretty awesome. It’s a fast brawl to start with Apolo scoring with a spear and knocking Big to the floor. They trade chair shots and fight into the crowd with neither guy getting the better of it. At least I can see most of what’s going on here.

Now they go higher up into the stands with Big taking over, only to have them go off camera. They appear again for a chair duel until La Rabia runs in for a distraction, allowing Big to get in a namesake boot. Wait didn’t Big betray Rabia? What sense does that make? Apolo wins a chop off but Rabia throws powder in his eyes, allowing Big to chokeslam him for two with Apolo’s chick making the save.

The referee ejects La Rabia (it’s about time the referee did something on this show) and Apolo counters a chokeslam into a rollup for two. Big gets the same off a Samoan drop but Apolo hits a good looking superkick for two of his own…..which the referee counts as three anyway. Dang these referees really do kind of suck.

Rating: C-. Another brawl here because that’s what this show has mainly been focused on. The Rabia stuff was a bit confusing and the ending didn’t help things. Apolo looked good and Big was a good choice for a guy who could sell well and get beaten down in the end….whatever that ending was.

Big chairs Apolo after the match but Apolo’s chick comes in for the save. This brings out Mistress Glenda Lee to beat her down. I don’t know who she is either. Apolo gets back into the fight but security comes out and gets beaten up instead. Apolo’s chick is taken out on a stretcher.

Backstage, Apolo yells at the president. I’d assume a mixed tag is set up, or at least a rematch.

Mr. 450 vs. Carlitos

This is actually the main event, which isn’t what I saw coming. Feeling out process to start and they hit the mat, leading to a standoff. Some quick rollups get two each but both guys miss a different kind of kick. 450 gets dropkicked to the apron but comes back with a tornado DDT for no cover.

As we hit those Facebook and Twitter plugs again, it’s time for Carlitos to no sell the chops in the corner. Add that to the list of things that are really overused in this promotion. Another kick puts Carlitos down and we hit the chinlock. Carlitos fights up and grabs a Backstabber (WAY too common here as well), followed by ramming 450 into all of the buckles. Well all of the top ones at least. Those others must get lonely. Both guys go to the apron and fight over a suplex until 450 does Darren Young’s belly to back to take over again.

450 poses a bit too much though, allowing Carlitos to run back in and hurricanrana 450 outside. A big dive takes 450 down but Carlitos is stunned too, meaning it’s time to lay around a bit more. It’s 450 in control with a half crab but Carlitos escapes and rolls some suplexes. 450 reverses the last one and rolls some Germans but Carlitos goes to the middle rope and jumps down into a Canadian Destroyer for two. Back up and 450 does Seth Rollins spin up from the ropes but misses the enziguri.

Instead a piledriver gets two on Carlitos, meaning it’s time for frustration to set in. A Pele sets up 619 on 450 (there’s a Sesame Street episode in there somewhere. Carlitos’ top rope Rough Ryder gets two as they’re trading bombs here. There goes the referee (again) and here’s……somebody to lay out 450 but Carlitos doesn’t want it that way.

The guy lays out Carlitos as well, giving 450 a near fall. The people actually in the match slug it out and 450 grabs a brainbuster. A pair of 450’s from 450 connect for two and everyone is stunned. 450 goes back up top for what appears to be the lone purpose of getting caught in a C4 (top rope flipping downward spiral) for the pin.

Rating: B-. Best match of the show here as you could mostly tell the story they were going for with the good guy fighting to win over the bigger star in 450. Carlitos isn’t interesting or anything from the outside, though I’m sure he’s a bigger deal in Puerto Rico. Good main event though and I’m sure that interfering guy will be involved with one of these two in the future.

Carlitos puts 450 over and thanks the fans. They shake hands but 450 lays him out with a brainbuster. Referees get taken out as well so a guy in a blue mask comes out to calm 450 down. 450 beats him up too until Carlitos covers the masked guy up and 450 leaves.

The announcers preview the next show to end things.

Overall Rating: C-. The show was fine but there’s nothing on here that I’d go out of my way to see. To be fair though, that has a lot to do with only having a basic idea of the storylines going on and not being able to understand most of the promos all night long. The wrestling was passable and it’s a good sign that they have some big name outsiders coming in to help them out.

I liked this WAY better than the WWC shows I’ve seen, though this isn’t really my cup of…….whatever they drink in Puerto Rico other than tea, which I’m not big on either. Anyway, good enough show but I’d watch Lucha Underground or AAA if this is the style you’re looking for.

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