Lonestar Shootout
Date: April 1, 2022
Location: Fairmont Hotel, Dallas, Texas
Attendance: 582
Commentators: Kevin Kelly, Matthew Rehwoldt

So this is an interesting one as it is part of the NJPW Strong promotion, but there were two shows taped here. First up was the Lonestar Shootout special, followed by a regular TV show. That wasn’t mentioned during the night so this will be split in two rather than the one night that I watched it live. Let’s get to it.

I don’t follow New Japan Strong so I apologize in advance for missing any storylines or character details.

I was in the arena for this show, sitting across from the entrance.

Ren Narita vs. Rocky Romero

Student vs. teacher. They fight over arm control to start with Romero taking him down but Narita is back up with a chop. Narita’s spinwheel kick is countered into a half crab, sending him straight to the ropes. Some more kicks rock Romero but he’s right back with a qick tornado DDT.

Narita gets annoyed at some forearms so Romero forearms him even harder and hits a double stomp for two. Back up and a leg lariat drops Romero but a suplex attempt is blocked. The running Sliced Bread gets two on Narita so Romero blasts him with a running clothesline. Romero charges at him again but gets caught in a bridging belly to belly for the pin at 7:42.

Rating: C+. Nice hard hitting opener here with a surprise finish as Narita winning came out of nowhere. Romero putting someone over is not a surprise whatsoever but I wouldn’t have expected a Young Lion to win here. Good way to start the show as the fans are brought into things, which is exactly the point of something like this.

Clark Connors/Karl Fredericks/Mascara Dorada/Yuya Uemura vs. FinJuice/Daniel Garcia/Kevin Knight

Dorada takes Knight up against the ropes to start so Knight grabs a headlock. A run up the ropes sets up a high angle wristdrag to drop Dorada before they trade armdrags and nip up for a standoff. Connors comes in to chop away at Garcia before it’s quickly off to the eager Uemura. A dropkick drops Garcia as commentary talks about the importance of excursions. Knight comes in and knees Uemura in the ribs, setting up a sliding clothesline for two.

Uemura gets caught in the wrong corner so Robinson can come in and headbutt him down. There’s the Cannonball from Robinson into a belly to back from Finlay for two as the….I have no idea if they’re good or bad….team takes turns beating on Uemura. A belly to back suplex gets Uemura out of trouble and it’s the hot tag to Connors to clean house.

Everything breaks down and the double knockdown sets up the double tag to Fredericks and Knight. The slugout is on until Knight hits a heck of a dropkick. Uemura starts snapping off suplexes until Robinson cuts him off with a spinebuster. Dorada hits a big flip dive to the floor, leaving Fredericks to hit Manifest Destiny (implant DDT) to finish Knight at 10:45.

Rating: B-. They kept the pace fast here and that is what you need to do when you have that many people in there at once. Fredericks had a good DDT and the other younger stars got to showcase themselves well here. Uemura continues to seem ready to be a breakout star and Knight looked good too. Nice way to show off a bunch of stars at once and it flew by for a bonus.

Killer Kross vs. Minoru Suzuki

I think you get the idea here, with commentary more or less saying a match like this doesn’t need any kind of a build. Suzuki goes after the arm to start before grinding away on a headlock. Kross fights up and knocks him to the apron, where trash talk can ensue. You don’t do that to Suzuki, who grabs an armbreaker over the ropes to take over again.

They fight outside with Suzuki striking away but Kross gets right in his face. Kross gets beaten up around the announcers’ table before they head back in, with Suzuki looking eerily….happy. The armbar goes on, with Suzuki getting to bend the fingers back to make it even worse. Kross is able to block the penalty kick though and grabs a throw for two. That doesn’t work for Suzuki, who grabs a Fujiwara armbar. Kross makes the rope so Suzuki tells him to “COME ON F****** YOUNG BOY!”

They chop it out with Suzuki making Kross take a step back, only to have him call Suzuki young boy. That doesn’t seem like a good idea so Suzuki goes for the choke, only to get pulled into the Krossjacket. Suzuki breaks that up, calls him a young boy again, and hits the Gotch Style piledriver for the pin at 9:45.

Rating: B-. They were right when they said that this was going to be little more than a fight of two people hitting each other really hard and that is what they delivered. Suzuki is past his prime but he is in full on legendary status, where just seeing him in the ring is something special. Taking someone like Kross apart like that made it even better and this was fun while being exactly what you expected.

And now, here is an unadvertised Jon Moxley for a chat. Moxley says he wasn’t going to leave Dallas without setting foot in a New Japan ring. This ring brings out the fighting spirit and the best in him, which is what fostered his love of wrestling. He is so happy with how many people are here and it doesn’t matter what show they watch because it’s all about wrestling. On a more personal note though, he is tired of Will Ospreay hiding behind a Twitter handle. Moxley wants the scary version of Ospreay on April 16 and it is time to make an example out of him.

Jay White vs. Mike Bailey

This is part of White’s US Of Jay Open Challenge series. They both tease kicks to the….something in the corner before White headlock takeovers him down. That doesn’t last long as Bailey is right back up with the bouncing kicks to send White to the floor. Naturally that means a running flip dive but White is back up with a TKO across the top. The chinlock goes on but Bailey is right back to his feet with the chops.

Some kicks set up the running corkscrew shooting star press for two and Bailey avoids a charge in the corner for a bonus. It’s too early for the Ultimate Weapon so White sends him to the apron, where Bailey avoids a charge and hits a perfectly times Asai moonsault. They fight back up to the apron with Bailey missing the moonsault knees, allowing White to grab a swinging Rock Bottom for two. White wisely grabs a leglock but Bailey (eventually) gets to the rope.

Back up and Bailey fires off kicks to the chest (here we go) but he has to flip out of a sleeper suplex. The Bladerunner is blocked and Bailey kicks him down, setting up the moonsault knees. Bailey limps a bit (this is progress for him) before hitting the spinning kick in the corner. The Ultimate Weapon misses though and White drops him with a sleeper suplex. Now the Bladerunner can finish White at 14:10.

Rating: C+. Bailey’s horrible selling brings this WAY down again as otherwise they had a heck of a match. The problem is you can only do so much with that when Bailey will barely sell anything. I know he’s supposed to be all about speed, but if he can’t be slowed down with a bunch of work on the knee, he’s Superman rather than the Flash and that doesn’t work at all.

Tomohiro Ishii vs. Chris Dickinson

Dickinson takes him down by the arm and works on an armbar as commentary explains that there will be a Strong taping after this match wraps up the show. Back up and they trade shoulders to no avail until Dickinson gets in a hard shot to take him down. The chop off goes to Ishii but Dickinson drops him with an elbow to the face.

They fight to the floor with Ishii sending him hard into the barricade before going back inside. Dickinson tries another chop which just fires Ishii up. The forearms seem to make Ishii come at Dickinson harder and a German suplex sends Dickinson flying. Another suplex wakes Dickinson up and he hits a brainbuster, only to have Ishii pop up for the double knockdown.

They both get fired up for the forearm off until Ishii headbutts the yelling Dickinson down. A heck of a clothesline gives Ishii two but Dickinson is back up with an enziguri. Dickinson’s brainbuster gets two but Ishii slips out of a Razor’s Edge. The sliding lariat sets up the brainbuster to give Ishii the pin at 16:11.

Rating: B-. Much like Suzuki vs. Kross, this was a pair of big, strong guys hitting each other really hard until one of them couldn’t get up again. Also much like Suzuki, Ishii isn’t quite what he used to be but is still more than capable of getting in there and making something feel special. That is what he did here and Dickinson, while game, wasn’t going to get a win in a spot this big.

Post match, Minoru Suzuki comes out for a staredown with Ishii to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. It’s still weird cutting the event in half but what we got here was quite good. Granted it was short at less than an hour and forty minutes, but I’ll take what I can get. New Japan stars are not here very often and it still feels special to have them around, even for something like this. There are some very hard hitting matches here and the show flew by so we’ll definitely call this one a success.

 

 

 

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Defyance Forever
Date: August 23, 2019
Location: Temple Grand Ballroom, Tacoma, Washington
Commentator: Rich Bocchini

This is another promotion that I have heard a lot about over the years without ever actually seeing one of their shows. The promotion is based in Seattle and Tacoma is close enough. I’m really not sure what to expect from this one and that makes things a lot more interesting, at least most of the time. Let’s get to it.

I don’t follow this promotion so I apologize in advance for not knowing anything involving storylines, characters etc. Please bare with me. I’m also not sure if this is a full show or a TV show that is comprised of matches from Defyance Forever.

Rich Bocchini runs down the card and there is some star power to this one.

Matt Cross vs. Judas Icarus vs. Cody Chhun vs. Guillermo Rosas

One fall to a finish and commentary keeps talking about a recent tournament, which seemed to involve a lot of the roster. Chhun and Rosas seem rather popular here, though it’s a loud MATT CROSS chant as soon as the bell rings. They literally go in a circle to start until Icarus and Cross kick the others in the face. Cross dives out onto Rosas but Chhun breaks up Icarus’ dive.

Rosas monkey flips Chhun until Icarus comes back in to hit Rosas in the face. A jumping back elbow to the face gives Icarus two on Rosas as the fans want Icarus to PUT SOME SHOES ON. Rosas reverses a whip into the corner and hits Icarus in the face, only to have Cross come back in with a clothesline. Cross’ charge is countered with a heck of a backdrop to the floor but Chhun crashes on a springboard to put himself down as well. That leaves Icarus to knock Rosas down and mock him, earning a heck of an overhand chop.

Icarus is back with a front chancery before kicking Rosas in the face a few times. A few more kicks make Rosas Hulk Up and it’s a standing Spanish Fly to plant Icarus again for a delayed two, with Chhun and Cross making the save. We get the big circle of shots to the face until Rosas clotheslines Icarus down, leaving all four on the mat for a bit. Cross pulls himself back onto the apron and hits (or close enough) a springboard double stomp to Chhun and Icarus before getting two on Rosas.

Icarus is back up with a dive onto Rosas but Chhun kick shim in the face. Chhun airplane spins Icarus and uses his swinging feet to drop the other two. Back up and Rosas hits a superkick into a Death Valley Driver on Chhun, only to get taken down by Cross’ cutter. Chhun is back up to send Cross outside and a springboard cutter gives Chhun the pin on Icarus at 12:40.

Rating: B-. This is the kind of match that is always going to work and it is a great way to start a show. Have four people out there flying around and doing all kinds of stuff until one person gets the win. There might not be much in the way of storytelling, but it’s the kind of fun match that gets the people into a show. Classic formula and it is always going to work.

Post match Chhun gets on the mic and talks about how awesome it is to have Jushin Thunder Liger on the show. The fans want to see Chhun vs. Liger and he seems to like the idea. Chhun seems to say he’s coming for someone on September 27 (when he would face Darby Allin, though he was hard to understand).

Rocky Romero vs. Clark Connors

Connors is a New Japan Young Lion and the hometown boy. The fans are split to start as the two of them fight over a lockup to start. Romero’s headlock takeover doesn’t work but neither does Connors’ headscissors counter, meaning it’s a standoff. They go to the mat again and this time Connors’ wristlock doesn’t get him very far, meaning it’s a HARD shot to the face to rock Rocky.

The exchange of big chops doesn’t last long as Romero kicks him down and avoids a dropkick to take over. More strikes keep Connors in trouble as Romero is looking more serious. There’s a shoulder to put Connors down again and Romero knocks him into the corner without much trouble. Romero takes him down by the arm and gives it a good kick before driving it down with a top rope knee.

Back up and Romero slaps Connors, which is enough to trigger the ticked off comeback…for all of two seconds before Romero takes out the arm again. Connors fights out of a cobra clutch and snaps off a powerslam though and they’re both down. Back up and Connors wins a chop off and tells Romero to COME ON. Romero does just that with a big wind up and then pokes him in the eye to send Connors into the corner.

The Forever Lariats connect for a bit before the sixth is cut off by a heck of a dropkick. Connors stomps a mudhole in the corner and then does it again in another corner. Back up and Connors hits a spear to set up a Boston crab, sending Romero (eventually) crawling over to the ropes. Another spear only hits post though and it’s a tornado DDT from Romero. A Falcon Arrow into a cross armbreaker finally makes Connors tap at 13:17.

Rating: B. Romero continues to be one of the most back and forth wrestlers I’ve ever seen as he can go from having the most ho hum matches to something good like this. It’s almost fascinating to see just how good or bad he can be but he tends to be better when he is on a smaller stage like this one. Connors looked great here too and you can see the potential that New Japan and a lot of other places probably see in him.

Post match Romero gives Connors a nice show of respect.

DEFY Tag Team Titles/PCW Ultra Tag Team Titles: No One Lives vs. Warbeast

Warbeast (Josef/Jacob Fatu, better known as part of Contra in MLW) is defending both titles against No One Lives (Derek Drexl/Dr. Kliever), who seem to be rather evil. The fans are certainly behind the champs here and it’s weird seeing them as faces. No One Lives jumps the champs before the bell but Fatu isn’t having any of that and clears the ring, setting up a heck of a suicide dive to the floor.

That leaves Josef to hammer on Drexl, including a loud chop in the corner, as I don’t think the bell ever rang. Fatu knocks Kliever silly again, leaving Drexl to come back with a staple gun to Josef. The stapled Josef is fine enough to hit a neckbreaker onto some open chairs to drop Drexl. That’s not enough though, as Josef staples some paper to Drexl’s head. They switch off and Drexl (who bounces right back up) uses the paper to cut Fatu’s foot open.

You don’t do that to…well anyone really, as Fatu sends him into the corner for a Cannonball. Fatu hits a handspring moonsault onto a chair onto Drexl and Josef pelts a chair at Drexl’s head. Again, that doesn’t keep Drexl down long as he’s right back with chair shots of his own for two as Kliever and Fatu slowly strike it out on the floor. Now the chair is thrown around Josef’s head but it just annoys him this time, meaning he throws it at Drexl’s head instead.

Josef drives the chair into Drexl’s throat so Drexl staple guns him in the head. Fatu is back up with a powerbomb onto the apron to drop Drexl again but he’s right back up one more time. That means a pop up Samoan drop (dang) to give Fatu two, leaving Kliever to get superkicked into Josef’s DDT. Fatu’s triple jump moonsault retains the titles at about 9:00 (as I don’t think there was an opening bell).

Rating: C. Your mileage may vary on the brawling but e pluribus gads Fatu is a sight to behold and they treated him as a star here….at least when he was actually doing stuff. The majority of the match was either in a wild brawl or spent on Josef vs. Drexl, making this kind of a weird match. Fatu is worth the look though, and that is enough to make up for the bad.

Juice Robinson vs. Randy Myers

That would be Ravenous Randy Myers, who was the final champion of the late 90s Stampede Wrestling revival. I know this because I have far too much time on my hands to spend looking up defunct wrestling promotions. This is Robinson’s Defy debut and we get a mini bio on him, including his time in NXT and New Japan. Myers has some new music and he lip syncs to the song on the way in during a rather flamboyant entrance.

Various fans (male and female) are kissed on his way to the ring, with Robinson looking to think this is a bit much. The fans say Myers is going to kiss Juice and the streamers fly in. Instead the bell rings (after about eight minutes of entrances) but Myers heads outside to grab a chair. The chair is sat in the corner, with Myers asking Robinson to have a seat (Fans: “HAVE A SEAT!”).

Robinson finally sits down so Myers puts on Robinson’s ring coat, sunglasses and hat (Fans: “SEXY B****!”) before stripping it back off (Fans: “THIS IS WRESTLING!”). Myers puts the glasses on Juice and leads towards him but Robinson pulls out a dollar, which goes into Myers’ mouth. That means some strutting before Robinson rolls him up for a fast two, which makes things a bit more serious.

Now we get to more traditional start, four minutes after the bell. Hold on again though, as Myers needs to put on lip gloss. Myers closes his eyes and leans his head down for a kiss but gets headlocked instead. Robinson: “I’m sorry, I’m here to wrestle!” They run the ropes but Myers says stop, allowing him to slap Robinson in the face. Robinson hits his snap jabs and it’s a backsplash to set up a bodyscissors to keep Myers down.

That’s reversed so Myers can kick away at Robinson’s back but a spinebuster plants Myers for two. Back up and Myers strikes away to put him down with a backsplash of his own getting two more. A fisherman’s suplex gives Myers two but Robinson is right back with the Juice Box to cut Myers off.

Robinson hits a cannonball in the corner to set up a Jackhammer for two more and frustration starts to set in. Myers is fine enough to crotch him on the top but Robinson headbutts his way out of a kiss attempt. A high crossbody drops Myers again and it’s back to the snap jabs. The big one misses though and now Myers gets in the kiss. The kissed Robinson rolls him up into a cradle for the pin at 11:10.

Rating: C+. Robinson was the star but Myers is one of those guys who is so into the gimmick that it is hard not to watch him. I can get the idea of someone as over the top as him getting to showcase his star power and a lot of it feels like mind games. The match itself was pretty good, but this was much more in the way of showmanship.

Post match, Myers says that since he didn’t have consent for that kiss, he owes Robinson a beer. Myers goes outside to get said beers and they drink together, with Myers kissing him again. Robinson shakes his hand and leaves, allowing Myers to say this world is a garbage fire right now and everyone knows it. Sometimes the voices in his head are not so great and sometimes he is just playing a character. The voices in his head were cutting promos on him all week but then he walks through that curtain and he sees the people and his head is just fine. These people are his heart. That was a pretty cool thing to hear.

Dragon Lee vs. Douglas James

Lee has been around the world but his biggest American exposure has been in Ring of Honor. James has been in a variety of independent promotions and I remember him being pretty good. We get a handshake to start and we’re ready to go. Feeling out process to start and neither of them can get very far with the grappling attempts. James takes him down for a front facelock, which is broken up just as fast.

Lee puts him on top but gets caught with a middle rope hurricanrana to the floor. That means a big suicide dive from James and it’s Lee in trouble first. A drop suplex gets two back inside and they head straight back out to the floor. This time Lee hits a hard chop and a posting for two of his own as James is rocked for a change. A running seated kick to the shoulder gives Lee two Back up and they strike it out with James nailing a superkick, only to get caught in a quick German suplex.

They headbutt the heck out of each other and an exchange of knees gives them a well deserved double knockdown. Back up and James charges into a raised boot in the corner but comes right back with a Codebreaker for two. Lee unloads with forearms in the corner to set up a running delayed dropkick for two of his own. Some kind of a suplex is countered into a guillotine choke to put Lee in major trouble but he manages to muscle his way up for a suplex.

Lee goes up so James plays some possum, allowing him to catch Lee with a superplex. A spear gives James two and he blasts Lee with a spinning backfist, only to get nailed with a jumping knee to the face. James is back with a running clothesline into a top rope splash for another near fall. A twisting top rope splash only hits raised knees though and Lee hits a hard German suplex for two more in a good false finish. Lee goes up so James joins him for some slaps to the face, setting up Lee’s Alberto double stomp for two more. A running knee (with the pad lowered) hits James and a Falcon Arrow gives him the pin at 14:30.

Rating: A-. This was the all action match that leaves you wondering who was going to win and how they were going to keep kicking out of these things. It was pure excitement, which tends to be the case in any Lee match. It’s not about selling or anything more than surviving against the other one. That might not be traditional, but it is certainly entertaining and that is what they made work very well here.

Respect is shown post match.

Here’s what’s coming at the next show.

Jordan Oasis vs. Brian Cook

Oasis is the hometown boy…who won’t be wrestling here as New Japan’s El Phantasmo runs in and jumps both guys. No match.

Phantasmo rants about how terrible America is….except for its President. He doesn’t like Tacoma and Seattle is even worse, because this place is a PWG wannabe. The fans are REALLY not happy with him, as I can barely understand his promo. Phantasmo calls them all trash and issues an open challenge for September 27.

Alex Coughlin/Karl Fredericks/Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Brian Pillman Jr./American Guns

The Guns are Ethan HD/Mike Santiago while Coughlin and Fredericks are New Japan Young Lions. Liger gets the great legends pop and my goodness is that song still catchy. We get dueling Liger vs. Pillman chants before the bell and those two get to start with some circling as Bocchini plays up Liger vs. Pillman Sr. as the big deal that it was. Without doing anything, Pillman tags in HD so Liger brings in Fredericks as well. Fredericks bounces out of a wristlock and grabs one of his own before they head to the mat for the grapple off. HD’s arm gets tied up but he manages to bridge into a cradle for two and a break.

Back up and HD hits a hurricanrana driver and a double stomp to the back to keep Fredericks down for a change. Coughlin comes in for a shoulder and we hit a fairly early chinlock. That’s broken up and HD grabs a headscissors, which is reversed into a leglock. The surfboard goes on but HD is out of that in a hurry. Some chops stagger HD again but he rolls through a sunset flip and hits a jumping double stomp. Santiago comes in for a jumping knee drop but Coughlin wrestles him down in a simple but effective counter.

A double arm crank sends Santiago over to the ropes so it’s back to the grappling. Coughlin spins out of a wristlock and grabs a headlock but can’t get the Boston crab. That doesn’t last long either as Santiago is up with a dropkick for two. Coughlin chops him back though and it’s a double tag to bring in Pillman and Liger (the fans are WAY more into the latter this time). Pillman drops to a knee and extends his hand, which has Liger cautious. As expected, Pillman pulls him into a headlock and takes it to the mat, meaning it’s time for some cocky posing.

That doesn’t last long as a Liger kick puts Pillman down and it’s time for the eternally awesome looking surfboard. HD breaks that up so it’s back to Fredericks for some chops in the corner. Pillman is right back with a running slap so it’s time to chop it out in the middle. Fredericks hits a dropkick to the floor so it’s off to Santiago for a butterfly suplex. The Guns double team Fredericks down though and it’s a running shooting star press to give Santiago two. HD fires off some kicks to the chest, with Fredericks telling him to bring it on.

That works for Pillman, who comes back in for a seated abdominal stretch. A superkick cuts off Fredericks’ comeback and Pillman sits down on the chest for two. Santiago offers a quick distraction so some lame double teaming (I’m not quite sure what they were trying) can take place. With the referee back, a double suplex gets two on Fredericks to complete an odd sequence. A Codebreaker into a windup knee sets up a springboard enziguri for two, with Liger having to make the save.

Fredericks finally manages a spinebuster for a breather and the hot tag brings in Liger to clean house. The Shotei palm strike in the corner staggers Pillman but he’s right back with a dropkick for two. Everything breaks down (Bocchini: “You knew it would happen.”) and it’s Santiago getting splashes in the corner. Liger Shoteis him down for two, followed by the brainbuster for the pin at 20:11.

Rating: B. This got a lot of time and they did a good job of making the Liger part feel like the bigger deal. He’s an absolute legend and by far bigger than everyone else in the match put together so this went well. It was special to see Liger in the ring and they treated him as such. The Young Lions got in their time too and you can see the talent there, with the ring time being what they needed. This was long but it held up, with Liger of course being the highlight. Well done.

Post match Pillman shows Liger the respect that he deserves, with Liger shaking/raising Pillman’s hand.

DEFY World Title: Artemis Spencer vs. Schaff

Spencer is defending and they have a lot of time for this. The fans are split during the entrances (Fans: “OH, ARTEMIS SPENCER/SUCKS!”) and it’s an early exchange of shoves to the face. The bigger Schaff slugs away but Spencer kicks him in the chest and hits a running dropkick up against the ropes. A springboard is broken up though and it’s time for the corner stomping. The Cannonball connects as well and there’s the big toss suplex to send Spencer flying.

Back up and Spencer jumps to the top for an armdrag back down, setting up a run up the corner for a very bouncy wristdrag. A 619 to Schaff’s standing face gets two and we hit the Octopus, which Schaff spins off without much trouble. Schaff’s delayed vertical suplex sends Spencer rolling to the floor but he has to elbow his way out of a Death Valley Driver on the apron. That means a headscissors to send Schaff outside, where Spencer puts him in a chair.

The required Daniel Bryan YES Kicks set up a big one to knock Schaff back out of the chair but Spencer puts him back in (make up your mind dude). A big run around the ring takes WAY too long, allowing Schaff to launch him into the air for a nasty crash down onto the apron. Schaff throws him up the aisle and then back down (again, make up your mind dude), with Spencer driving him into the barricade. Spencer slips off of Schaff’s shoulder for a posting as they have been on the floor for about five minutes now.

An Asai moonsault with a chair takes Schaff down but Spencer needs a breather of his own. Spencer uses the chair as a launchpad for a running knee to the face but a tornado DDT is powered off. Schaff gets on the apron but still not back inside, as Spencer hits another 619, setting up a top rope double stomp to FINALLY get them both back in the ring. A backdrop puts Spencer right back on the floor (of course) and it’s a big flip dive (of course again) to drop Spencer (who he only kind of grazed).

Back in and Schaff’s top rope splash gets two, though he seems to come up favoring his hand/wrist. Spencer is fine enough to slip out of a superplex and Project Ciampa gets two. Some clotheslines with a handful of Schaff’s hair put him down a few times, with Bocchini saying this is testing the referee’s patience. That’s the same referee who let them stay on the floor for about eight minutes so I don’t want to hear about his problems.

Schaff comes back with a torture rack neckbreaker for a close two so it’s time to put Spencer on top. Some headbutts put Schaff right back down and there’s a top rope double stomp. A kind of shaky piledriver sets up Spencer’s Spiral Tap for a VERY close two, with the referee’s hand hitting the mat anyway. Spencer misses a moonsault though and Schaff’s torture rack neckbreaker gets two more. Another torture rack neckbreaker is countered but Spencer spends too much time talking trash/flipping him off, allowing Schaff to hit a third torture rack neckbreaker for the pin and the title at 19:46.

Rating: B. This was another good one as they beat the fire out of each other, with the last five or so minutes being rather good. The title change felt like a big deal and the reaction on the pin made it even better. I wasn’t wild on how long they spent on the floor as it became a bit ridiculous, but most of what we got here was good. The important thing is that it felt like a big time main event and that’s what they were hoping for here.

Post match Schaff can’t believe he did it and talks about his time in Defy. This place gave him a chance and he is grateful to both the company and the fans. Schaff talks about his grandmother watching the show and we get a THANK YOU GRANDMA chant. One more thank you ends the show.

Overall Rating: A-. I came into this with no expectation and got one heck of a show so I’m rather pleased. There were all kinds of good matches and a nice variety of stuff throughout the card. It was also a nice mixture of their regular roster and some guest stars to keep things from getting dull. This was a lot better than most independent shows I’ve seen and I had a really good time with it. Nicely done and I wouldn’t mind seeing some more from them, which is a rare feeling. Great show.

 

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Ring of Honor
Date: May 29, 2019
Location: The Odeum, Chicago, Illinois
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Colt Cabana

We’re coming off last week’s pretty awesome 400th episode but their regular shows still need some work. A new taping cycle might help but more than that, it might be nice if we had something built up to the pay per view that is taking place later this month. That’s never stopped ROH before though and I can’t imagine it will be any different here either.  Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Karl Fredericks vs. Flip Gordon

Fredericks is from the New Japan Los Angeles dojo. Gordon gets taken to the mat early on and goes after Flip’s arm until an escape gives us a standoff. They trade headlocks until a hard shoulder puts Flip down. Flip’s hand walk into a headscissors sends Fredericks outside as we take a break. Back with the springboard tornado DDT being countered into a spinebuster from Fredericks as he starts in on the spine.

They strike it out with Fredericks getting the better of things and dropkicking Gordon down. Gordon heads to the apron this time for a kick to the head, followed by the springboard missile dropkick to get things more at his speed. A slingshot neckbreaker sets up the STF to make Fredericks tap at 7:04.

Rating: C-. Fredericks has been making some appearances of late and I’ve been liking what I’m seeing. He’s strong enough and has a good look, though he needs experience and a character, which he isn’t allowed to have as a young lion. Still though, not a bad match for a quick one on TV with that much time cut out.

Video on War Of The Worlds with Matt Taven retaining the World Title over PCO and Shane Taylor winning the TV Title in a four way match.

Video on Kenny King winning the Honor Rumble, faking blindness, revealing the fake blindness two weeks later, and attacking Jay Lethal.

Here’s Jeff Cobb for a chat. Things haven’t been great for him lately but Shane Taylor didn’t beat him to win the title. Cobb isn’t out here to ask for his rematch though, because he wants Matt Taven and the World Title. Cue Taven to call Cobb an adorable Hawaiian Buddha. Why should Taven be worried about Cobb winning this title when Cobb couldn’t hold his old title? The title match is teased but Taven uses the old “not tonight”. He does throw Cobb the mic though.

Kenny King says he was blinded and he used the chance to study Jay Lethal. Now it’s going to be a best of three series with Lethal and they should bust out the brooms for the sweep.

Lethal knows what King is up to because he’s going to have something up his sleeve. Match #1 is going to be the same as the other two: Lethal wins.

Video on the Briscoes vs. the Guerrillas of Destiny with the Guerrillas retaining the Tag Team Titles.

Here’s Silas Young with a rather skinny man for an exhibition. Silas introduces the other man as Baxter Bellafonte and says this is going to be a catch as catch can demonstration. Young shows some arm holds and demonstrates various cheating tactics, though he does let go before a five count. He adds a low blow, which would ALWAYS be a disqualification.

Jay Lethal vs. Kenny King

First of a best of three match series and King has an unnamed woman in his corner. We get a handshake to start and they take their time early on. King gets a fireman’s carry into a rollup for two and the fans seem fairly appreciative. Lethal is right back up so King bails to the floor for a breather and a break.

Back with King reversing the cartwheel hiptoss into a failed Crossface attempt for another standoff. They start slugging it out until Lethal’s signature dropkick is blocked. That’s fine with Jay, who knocks King to the floor anyway. The suicide dive is blocked as they have a firm story going here. Back in and we hit the chinlock, followed by a camel clutch. The rope gets Lethal out of trouble and we take a second break.

We come back again with King missing a splash and getting punched in his face for a penalty. King hits a springboard dropkick and teases his own suicide dive. That’s just a ruse though and the fans aren’t pleased by not getting what they wanted. That’s how you act like a heel people. King follows him out but gets dropped on his head so Lethal can take over back inside.

Now the springboard dropkick connects and Lethal hits the springboard dropkick for a bonus. Hail To The King gets two and the Lethal Injection is countered into a Blue Thunder Bomb to give King the same. Lethal is right back with some Lethal Injection attempts but the referee nearly gets bumped, allowing King to get in a low blow. King hits his own Lethal Injection for the pin at 15:52.

Rating: B-. They had a nice story going here with King knowing what Lethal had coming because Lethal is the veteran with a signature style before going to the cheating in the end. You can imagine what Lethal is going to do in the second match, though I worry about them trying to push King again, when it hasn’t worked all the other times before.

Overall Rating: C+. The wrestling was up and down here but it makes sense to have another two match show with some different talents getting their chance instead of doing the same things over and over. Couple that with the pretty entertaining Young segment in the middle and I had a good time with this show. It’s a solid effort, though not as good as last week’s awesome show.

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s History Of In Your House (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/05/31/new-paperback-kbs-history-of-in-your-house/

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

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Ring of Honor
Date: April 10, 2019
Commentators: Ian Riccaboni, Caprice Coleman, Nick Aldis

We’re almost to the biggest Ring of Honor show ever and that means we should be getting an update on it in just a month or so because ROH can’t figure this out to save their lives. In other words, this is another lame duck show in a series of them, meaning we could be going in a variety of ways. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Alex Coughlin/Karl Fredericks/Clark Conners vs. Dalton Castle/The Boys

They’re Young Lions from the New Japan Los Angeles dojo, meaning black trunks and boots with a limited moveset. Dalton takes Conners down with ease to start but Conners says bring it on. The amateur wrestling goes to Castle (well duh) and an airplane spin sends Conners over for the tag to Alex. Both Boys tag themselves in at the same time and Coughlin has to deal with both of them at once, meaning a dropkick from #1.

Coughlin isn’t having any of the chops and drops #1 with some of his own. Back from a break with everything breaking down and the hot tag bringing in Castle to slug away at the Lions. Suplexes drop all three of them as Aldis can’t remember which Boy is which either. I mean, it’s not like it matters. Castle is alone in the ring and says to BRING HIM A BOY, both of whom are thrown onto a Lion, with both of them getting three turns each.

Back in and Conners gets powerbombed for two with Fredericks making the save. #2 gets the tag but is sent straight into the post, leaving Castle to take a double flapjack. Conners knocks #1 into the corner and a hard chop sets up the Boston crab. Castle makes a save of his own and pulls Conners outside, allowing #2 to take #1’s place. The small package finishes Fredericks at 10:08.

Rating: C+. I saw the Lions over Wrestlemania weekend and just like they did there, they impressed me here. Those guys have some skills to them and with more experience, they’re going to be fine. There’s something to be said here about having the Boys get the win though, as Castle’s bad run continues.

We look at Bandido beating PJ Black in January.

Black calls the loss an eye opener that made him see that the cheating wasn’t working for him. The rematch is in two weeks.

Bouncers vs. Voros Twins

That would be Chris and Patrick (twins), which is more information than we get about jobbers most of the time. They’re rather small and have lights in their hair as they seem very excited to be here. Aldis things the Twins, who don’t shake hands and offer a double thumbs down, are a little intoxicated. Patrick gets run over to start so Chris offers a failure of a distraction.

Another attempt lets Patrick chop block Bruiser down but the fans chant for beer. Since the Twins aren’t all that great, they allow Bruiser to roll over for the tag to Milonas so the big splash can connect in the corner. One heck of a clothesline puts Patrick on the floor and it’s the Last Call to Chris at 3:20.

Rating: D. The Bouncers are fine in a role like this and it’s about time they were turned face. How much booing do you think a team from the bar who loves to drink is going to draw? This is as good as it’s going to get for them, save for a token title shot somewhere in there. Just let the fans have fun and that’s all it needs to be.

We look at Silas Young attacking Jonathan Gresham at the Anniversary Show. Hence tonight’s main event.

The Briscoes are ready for Jeff Cobb and Willie Mack. What a random yet kind of awesome team.

Silas Young vs. Jonathan Gresham

Young’s headlock takeovers are countered with headscissors so he rakes the eyes instead. A test of strength goes to Young as well, with the boot to the ribs helping things out. They head outside for the exchange of chops with Gresham holding his own until they have to dive back in to beat the count.

Back from a break with a series of standing switches until Young realizes he’s in over his head. They head outside again with Gresham hitting a dive, only to miss the high crossbody back inside. A suplex sets up a double arm crank on Gresham, who gets out of it as easily as something that is easy to get out of. Young tosses him to the floor in a heap and a hard whip into the corner keeps Gresham’s back in trouble.

We take another break and come back with Gresham getting two off an O’Connor roll and spinning into a DDT to drop Young again. Gresham hits a running basement dropkick in the corner before bridging up into a failed backslide attempt. Young’s rollup gets two and it’s a double clothesline for a double knockdown. A Death Valley Driver into a bad looking double stomp gives Young two more and they’re both down again. The hanging swinging suplex gets two more but Gresham starts in on the leg.

For some reason Gresham is fine with a slugout, with some running forearms getting two each. Young gets sent into the ropes for a snap German suplex into another forearm for two more. Gresham sends him outside for a suicide dive and a shooting star press….only gets two again. It’s straight into an ankle lock until Young rolls him into the referee. A low blow into a rollup gives Young the pin at 21:50.

Rating: B-. It was rather long, but that fits well around a promotion like this with the wrestling being the focal point. Gresham is getting better and better every week while Young is the same villain he’s been for a long time. The match wasn’t great, but I can go for a long match for a change instead of squeezing in as many matches as you can onto a show.

Overall Rating: C+. This was a wrestling heavy show as we continue to have almost nothing storyline based for a few weeks. Once the pay per view actually takes place though, we’re going to be in for a long wait, as tends to be the case around here. That being said, the stories coming out of the Supershow aren’t the strongest in the world so the wait doesn’t sound too bad. Pretty good show here though, with the wrestling getting the focus.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2000 Monday Nitro and Thunder Reviews Part 1 (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/02/22/new-book-kbs-monday-nitro-thunder-reviews-volume-vii-january-june-2000/

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

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