Culture Clash 2026
Date: April 16, 2026
Location: Pearl Theater At Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: JD From New York, Jason Solomon

This is House Of Glory, a promotion I’ve watched a few times before and liked well enough to give it another shot. They have a good roster with some stars who you might not see elsewhere and that keeps things fresh enough. I’m not sure what to expect here as I haven’t seen any of their stuff in a few years but let’s get to it.

The ring announcer welcomes us to the show.

Ken Broadway vs. Raymond Bright

Broadway has a lot of money during his entrance and mocks Bright with it for a bit. Bright springboards up for an armdrag and even throws in some gold dust. Broadway is sent outside, where he comes back with a big boot to take over. Back in and a dancing elbow drop hits Bright, followed by a double arm crank. With that broken up, Bright slugs away on the ropes and even hits a Superman Punch.

A high crossbody gives Bright two but Broadway forearms him in the face. Broadway sends him into the corner and adds a Backstabber, only to miss a top rope elbow. Bright is back up with a quick standing moonsault but…I think misses a dropkick (commentary was just as confused). Bright misses a top rope splash and gets kicked in the chest, setting up Broadway’s top rope elbow for the pin at 9:35.

Rating: C+. Perfectly nice opener here and that’s all it needed to be. Broadway is someone who has been around House Of Glory for a good while and seems to be someone who has a nice place carved out. Bright got to show off some nice athleticism but that weird missed dropkick was quite the odd spot.

Raheem Royal vs. Kuro vs. JJP vs. Phumi Nakuta vs. JJ Doze vs. Angel Jacquez

Say it with me: scramble match. This is Kura’s debut and Nakuta is an MMA fighter (with a belt). Jacquez is basically doing the Lex Luger Narcissist deal, with a bunch of people holding mirrors for his entrance. The bell rings and Jacquez runs out to the floor, with Kuro trying to get him back inside. Kuro gets tired of the posing and pulls him over the barricade, triggering a series of dives.

That leaves Nakuta and Royal in the ring, with the latter hitting a quick dropkick. Jacquez comes back in for a heck of a backdrop to Royal but Nakuta gives him a great looking release German suplex. Doze is back in with a double missile dropkick and Jacquez gets planted as well. Jacquez is back up to muscle JJP up into a suplex for two. Doze’s hurricanrana is countered into a toss powerbomb onto the ramp for an awesome crash. JJP is sent over the barricade and a bunch of people go into the crowd as well, with Royal moonsaulting off a balcony for the big crash.

Somehow Royal lands on his feet, which is all the more impressive. Back in and Nakuta tries a tornado DDT on Royal but eventually spins around for the Canadian Destroyer (that looked good, albeit quite cooperative). Kuro is back in with a fisherman’s driver to Nakuta, with JJP making the save. JJP kicks Kuro down for two but Doze gives JJP a…I think it was supposed to be a 450 but wound up being closer to a stomp. Jacquez knees Doze’s head off, only for Nakuta to come in with a kind of pumphandle suplex to pin Jacquez at 9:50.

Rating: B. I didn’t know who these people were and I wanted to see who was going to win in the end, which is a good sign. They were doing some different stuff out there and it wound up being a heck of a match. This was a lot better than I was expecting and Jacquez stood out, with Royal’s moonsault being even better. Rather good stuff here.

Women’s Title: Shotzi Blackheart vs. Charlie

Charlie, better known as Dakota Kai, is challenging. They trade early rollups for two each until Charlie is shoved out of the corner. Blackheart hits a quick dropkick but gets caught with a kind of running Codebreaker dropkick. Back up and Blackheart suplexes her into the corner for two, followed by a leg choke over the rope. That’s broken up and Charlie fires off some clotheslines, followed by a belly to belly. Blackheart kicks her in the head for a trip to the floor though, meaning it’s a suicide dive to take her out again.

Charlie is back up to catch her with a Stomp on the way back in, with Blackheart reaching her foot over to the rope. Blackheart is back up with a rolling Liger Kick and they’re both down again. Back up and they just start throwing the rapid fire forearms, with Charlie getting the better of things. Blackheart is sat up top but knocks Charlie down for a top rope backsplash. That and a running kick finish Charlie to retain the title at 10:33.

Rating: B-. This was a nice, hard hitting match between two people with a history and they did well here. Charlie has been away from the ring for a good while now and it’s cool to have her back, even if it’s just for one night. I liked this well enough, as they made it feel like a pretty big showdown.

Post match Steph de Lander runs in to lay Blackheart out and holds up the title.

Brody King vs. Zilla Fatu

Fatu’s Crown Jewel Title isn’t on the line. King backs him into the corner to start before Zilla invites him to try some running shoulders. Those don’t get Zilla very far so King fires off the big chops. Fatu is knocked out to the floor and there’s the suicide dive from King to knock him into the barricade. King misses a charge into the post though, allowing Fatu to hit a diving headbutt in the Tree Of Woe.

The slingshot dive to the floor hits Fatu as these guys are laying it in to start here. After grabbing a drink from the crowd, Fatu heads back inside and misses a running hip attack. King Cannonballs him for two but the Ganso Bomb doesn’t really work as King can’t hold him up. Instead Fatu hits a Samoan drop, setting up the top rope splash for two of his own. Fatu goes up again but cue Lance Anoa’i (part of Fatu’s family and they’re not getting along) to shove Fatu off the top for the DQ at 9:48.

Rating: B-. I was getting into these two beating the heck out of each other as they were two big men trading shots. The ending pulled a lot of the energy out of it though and I’m not sure why they didn’t just make this a title match. Fatu was able to hang with someone as big and strong as King though and that’s not easy to do.

Post match King and Fatu beat Anoa’i up but seem to want to fight again. King leaves and Fatu hits a Superfly Splash.

Cruiserweight Title: Daron Richardson vs. Joey Silver

Silver is challenging and loves candy, which he throws to the crowd. Richardson even spits on some candy to start, which makes me think he has something wrong with him. Maybe he’s an angry dentist. Anyway Silver knocks him back and hits a dancing Old School but Richardson knocks him into the corner. Some stomping in said corner sets up a spinning kick to the face and Richardson hits a standing shooting star press for two.

Richardson teases stomping on him but goes with a slap instead. That brings Silver up to start the comeback, including a running hip attack for two. Silver loads up a People’s Elbow but instead puts a lollipop in Richardon’s mouth. The Starburster (fisherman’s driver) and a frog splash give Silver two each but Richardson grabs the belt. That’s just a distraction though as he hits Silver with the lollipop, setting up a running flipping cutter to retain at 6:52.

Rating: C+. As you might be able to tell, it doesn’t feel like there is much of a need for a cruiserweight title these days. So many wrestlers are out there flying around and are already on the smaller side. If that’s the case, why do we need a title for them in the first place? As for the match, Silver seemed more about making people laugh than winning the title and that didn’t have me wanting to see him win the title. Not a bad match, but probably the weakest on the show thus far.

Amazing Red vs. Bandido

Bandido’s Ring Of Honor World Title isn’t on the line (of course). They take a knee to each other to start as they both wanted this match. Red misses a kick to the head so they try dropkicks, only to flip up to their feet. They trade running shoulders with Bandido being sent outside, with Red hitting one of the hardest suicide dives you’ll ever see, going into the front row with Bandido following after.

Bandido is back up with a flip dive into Red, who is knocked into the front row for quite the crash. They wander around the building a bit, with Bandido climbing a balcony for a big dive. Red knocks him back and climbs onto the stage for a VERY fast flip dive (dang I miss Don West). Once we establish that Red is still alive, they get back inside, where Bandido lifts him up for a very delayed vertical suplex.

Bandido blocks the Code Red and grabs something like the Bang A Rang for two. Back up and they get some rather fast running starts to hit stereo clotheslines. Red is up first and grabs a tornado DDT, only for Bandido to come back with a one armed gorilla press. The frog splash gets two but Red escapes the X Knee.

A running step up hurricanrana drops Bandido and it’s time to chop the goodness out of each other. Bandido grabs his pop up cutter but the 21 Plex is somehow countered into the Code Red for two more. They trade some kicks to the head until Bandido scores with the X Knee. With Red on the mat, Bandido busts out the 21 Plex and get the win at 16:42.

Rating: A-. I absolutely loved this as I’ve grown to appreciate Red that much more over the years. The stuff at the beginning with Red flying all over the place was great and you could tell this meant a lot to Bandido. At the same time, you had Bandido being his usual outstanding self and this was one of the best matches I’ve seen in a good while. Anytime AEW would like to do something with Bandido, I wouldn’t be objecting.

House Of Glory Title: Michael Oku vs. Charles Mason

Oku, with Amira, is challenging, as is his custom, while Mason weighs in at “a f*** ton of money”. They stare at each other and then fight over a lockup, with Oku shoving him into the corner. Mason seems to approve and tries a sleeper, only to get taken down with a running hurricanrana. Back up and Mason avoids a charge to send him crashing out to the floor, where Mason drags Amira around by the hair.

That’s way too far for Oku, who dropkicks him into the barricade. Back in and a PK hits Mason but he’s able to snap Oku’s throat across the top. A hard whip sends Oku into the barricade and Mason rakes the back inside. That just wakes Oku up and he slugs away, only to get knocked right back down, with Mason seeming to enjoy this. The sleeper out of the corner oddly wakes Oku up and he scores with a middle rope dropkick.

A tornado DDT gives Oku two and he dropkicks Mason outside for the required Fosbury Flop. Back in and Mason spits some water in the eyes, allowing him to hit a rolling Death Valley Driver for two. Oku is ticked off so they slug it out and trade running shots to the face. The half crab attempt is countered into a small package so Oku knocks him down and hits a moonsault for two.

An O’Connor roll is countered into Mason’s rear naked choke but Oku manages to get to his feet. They crash out onto the ramp, where Oku is back with a pop up Canadian Destroyer to leave them both down again. Mason throws him back inside but here is Amira to spear Mason down. Back to back frog splashes set up the half crab but Oku pulls back too far and gets caught in the choke to retain the title at 18:31.

Rating: B+. They started rolling there at the end as it because a question of how could Mason survive and that’s exactly what he did. He drove Oku so nuts that Oku wanted to pull back too hard on his best hold and Mason got the choke as a result. Oku was selling the hatred here and it worked very well overall as this show is on a pretty great roll.

Tag Team Titles: Good Brothers vs. Hardys

The Hardys are defending and this is a bit of an odd choice for a main event. Hold on though as here is the Mane Event (Jay Lyon/Midas Black) who seem to be part of a circus. They want their titles back and this is officially a triple threat.

Tag Team Titles: Good Brothers vs. Mane Event vs. Hardys

The Hardys are defending. Matt works on Lyon’s arm to start and Lyon roars at him a lot. Anderson comes in and gets armdragged down by Lyon so it’s off to Black. This works a bit better for Anderson, who gets taken into the corner for the tag to Gallows. Black kicks away at Gallows but Matt tags himself in and goes after Gallows’ arm. It’s back to Jeff for a basement dropkick and the Poetry In Motion clothesline.

Anderson gets sent into a bunch of buckles but Black tags himself in, much to the fans’ annoyance. A spinebuster plants Black and Gallows comes back in for the rapid fire elbows. The Magic Killer is broken up though and a neckbreaker makes Gallows DDT Anderson, because that spot has yet to die.

It’s back to Lyon, who dives through a ring for the suicide dive onto the Hardys and Brothers. Black and Matt brawl into the crowd and the other four head out there as well. Back in and Matt gives Black a Side Effect but Gallows is back in to boot Jeff in the face. The Magic Killer is teased…and here are the Righteous. The Brothers are distracted and it’s the Twist Of Fate into the Swanton to pin Black at 14:11.

Rating: C+. This was as good as the Hardys vs. the Good Brothers was going to be at this point, with the Mane Event being added to get it some HOG flavor. The problem is the fans didn’t want that flavor at all as they wanted the bigger name teams. It’s not in front of the main HOG audience and that hurt the Mane Event’s status. This wasn’t a bad match, but after some of the other things on the show, it was a bit of a letdown.

Post match Matt thanks the fans and kind of recaps the main event to wrap it up.

Overall Rating: B. The good stuff on here is great while the worst is mostly just mediocre, which isn’t a bad place to be. What mattered here was having a bunch of wrestlers who might not usually be a part of House Of Glory being mixed in with the usual roster. I liked this show a good deal, with the Bandido vs. Red match being in contention for best indy match of the weekend. I could go for more of this promotion and that’s not something I often say coming out of these things.

Results
Ken Broadway b. Raymond Bright – Top rope elbow
Phumi Nakuta b. Kuro, Raheem Royal, JJ Doze, Angel Jacquez and JJP – Pumphandle suplex to Jacquez
Shotzi Blackheart b. Charlie – Running kick to the head
Zilla Fatu b. Brody King via DQ when Lance Anoa’i interfered
Daron Richardson b. Joey Silver – Running flipping cutter
Bandido b. Amazing Red – 21 Plex
Charles Mason b. Michael Oku – Reign Of Terror
Hardys b. Good Brothers and Mane Event – Swanton to Black

 

 

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Acid Cup 2021 Part 2
Date: April 9, 2021
Location: Cuban Club, Tampa, Florida
Commentators: Kevin Gill, Emil J.

We’re back with the second half of the single elimination tournament and the first round could have been a lot worse. Granted we have a bunch of matches yesterday with no brackets for the second round, but then again there is a chance that those don’t exist just yet. Let’s get to it.

Here is Part 1 if you need a recap.

No opening video or anything, but the ring announcer does welcome us to the show.

Second Round: Calvin Tankman vs. Dragon Bane

Tankman is a monster and Bane comes out to Clint Eastwood by the Gorillaz. Commentary: “He’s happy!” First words of Clint Eastwood: “I ain’t happy!” I’m going to assume that was a misquote and move on, though now with a catchy song in my head (as opposed to in my knee). Tankman shoves him around to start so Bane is back up with a running hurricanrana. Another one is countered into a heck of a powerbomb for two as commentary compares Bane to a grilled sandwich.

Tankman grabs a reverse chinlock with a knee in the back, followed by a belly to back suplex for two. Trash talk ensues as we see what looks to be some wrestlers arriving in their car on the road opposite the cameras. Bane’s chops just earn him an angry slam and it’s time to chop it out.

Bane is back with a hurricanrana into a spinning headscissors to put Tankman on the floor, setting up the big flip dive. Back in and Bane grabs a hurricanrana for two, followed by a Canadian Destroyer. The shooting star press gets two on Tankman but he’s right back with a spinebuster. The elbow to the back of the head sets up the Tankman Driver for the pin at 6:41.

Rating: C. Bane is a pretty nice high flier but Tankman has been one of the biggest stars of the weekend so far. Giving him a nice run in the tournament makes a lot of sense and going out in the second round isn’t much of a push. This was a nice enough opener, though the lack of noise and energy is rather jarring.

Second Round: AJ Gray vs. Lee Moriarty

These have been two of the most prominent names of the weekend so this feels big. Gray grabs a front facelock to start as commentary clarifies that he is having Coke Classic, not the other kind of coke (you have to stay away from that Zero stuff). Moriarty reverses into a kneebar but gets reversed into a quickly broken leglock. Gray takes him down and goes after Moriarty’s taped ribs because Gray seems to be rather smart.

That’s broken up and they chop it out with Gray getting smart (again) by going to the ribs. The seated abdominal stretch stays on the ribs but Moriarty slips out and hits a running double stomp to a seated Gray. A bridging German suplex gives Moriarty two but Gray kicks him in the ribs. Gray’s hard clothesline gets two but a Gory Bomb is countered into a sunset flip to send Moriarty on at 5:43.

Rating: C+. Moriarty is someone I’ve seen multiple times here and he isn’t getting boring or repetitive at all. Commentary was calling him a wrestling scientist here and that is a pretty appropriate name. You can see him picking people apart and figuring out the right path to beat almost anyone. This was a fun match with two talented guys. Not much time, but it told a story and that’s hard to do in just a few minutes.

Second Round: Arez vs. Cole Radrick

After a slight delay in the bell ringing process, Radrick takes him down by the legs to start and then does it again for a bonus. Arez slips out and goes for the arm as the mat grappling continues, this time with Radrick spinning into a headlock takeover to keep Arez down. Arez kicks him down and they trade insults in differing languages. An enziguri sends Radrick outside for a moonsault from the apron, followed by more kicks back inside.

Radrick hits a heck of a clothesline for two and it’s time to take the straps down (nothing could go wrong here). They slap it out from their knees until Arez is back up with a Lumbar Check for two, complete with pushups on Radrick’s chest for the near fall. Arez wraps him up in something like a Black Widow crossed with an abdominal stretch for a freaky combination.

Then he ties up all of Radrick’s limbs at once but since that can’t last very long due to intense pain, Radrick is back with a kick of his own to stagger Arez. An Air Raid Crash is bridged back into a suplex for two on Arez but he’s back up with a bottom rope dropkick to get creative. There’s a middle rope double stomp to a standing Radrick’s back for two more and they’re both a bit winded. Radrick is back up with a butterfly suplex rolled into kind of a Blue Thunder Bomb for the pin at 8:45.

Rating: C. It’s hard to get annoyed at an indy match that is designed to have two people get their cool stuff in. That’s all they did here and Radrick continues his Cinderella run while Arez builds his stock up at the same time. Good enough match here, though Arez tore the house down yesterday and that’s what’s going to get the attention.

Second Round: Jordan Oliver vs. Laredo Kid

Well in theory at least, but Kid isn’t here and for some reason, Oliver gets to pick his opponent.

Second Round: Jordan Oliver vs. Brayden Lee

Kid beat Lee to get to the second round so this is what makes the most sense. Well as much sense as an indy tournament is going to make. We do get a handshake before the match starts and we are ready to go. They fight over a test of strength and go into some monkey flips to little avail, as Oliver is taken up against the ropes. The pinfall reversal sequence gets some near falls each and the fans applaud politely.

Lee grabs a headlock takeover so Oliver hiptosses him into the ropes, only to have Lee hold on and armdrag him down. A dropkick puts Oliver down again and there’s a suicide dive to send him into the chairs (and allowing Lee to take a picture with a fan). Oliver superkicks his way to freedom but Lee gets in his own shot to the face, as commentary says Oliver is a future Hall of Famer. Exactly which Hall of Fame are we talking about here?

Neither can hit a suplex on the floor so Lee drops him onto the apron instead. Lee’s suicide dive is countered with a ram into the apron and Oliver comes back with a slingshot twisting Stunner. Oliver hits a nice dropkick and, after a pose, grabs a headscissors choke. That’s broken up with an electric chair but Oliver hits an enziguri. They go up top with Lee reversing a belly to back superplex into a crossbody to put them both down again. Back up and Lee chops away until Oliver cuts off a kick to the chest.

Lee scores with a springboard clothesline for two so he goes up again, earning himself an enziguri. Oliver pulls him back down with a super Blue Thunder Bomb for two but Lee catches him on top this time. A super poisonrana (with Oliver slipping out and nearly landing on his head) sets up a sitout powerbomb for two on Lee. Commentary can’t believe it, summing it up with “Well f*** me I suck but the match continues.” Lee has to bail out of a shooting star press and Oliver kicks him in the face at 13:50.

Rating: C. This took some time to get going and there were some sloppy sections in there, but some of the spots looked good. Oliver winning isn’t surprising (again: he’s wearing pants inspired by the tournament namesake) and he continues to show some potential after a few adjustments. Lee has a good look but it was only a bunch of spots here, meaning you can’t get very much out of this one.

El Hijo de Canis Lupus vs. Gabriel Sky

Non-tournament match. I’ve heard of Sky before and he comes out to the theme from Charmed so he can only be so bad. They start fast and trade some headscissors in some early luchaing. The covers don’t get any counts and it’s a standoff to some applause. Sky hits a dropkick to put Lupus down and a bouncing springboard hurricanrana sends Lupus to the floor. There’s the big flip dive before they head back inside, with Lupus blasting him with a clothesline for two.

Lupus unloads with the chops in the corner and the chinlock goes on. A boot choke in the corner has Sky in more trouble as this has settled down a lot more than I would have expected. Back up and Sky kicks him in the head, setting up a half and half suplex. Lupus hits a pop up knee to the ribs into a German suplex for two. Sky grabs a front facelock and flips him forward into a DDT, setting up a Falcon Arrow (meaning the “he did the deal” lines make their return) for two.

Back up and Lupus sends him hard into the corner for two but Sky is right back with a poisonrana out of the corner. There’s a top rope double stomp for two on Lupus so Sky goes back up, only to get caught in a super Spanish Fly. Lupus is right back up with a GTS into a powerbomb into a knee to the head (Commentator: “F***! F***! F***!”) for the pin at 7:21 (those were all one after the other to really end Sky).

Rating: C. I wasn’t feeling this one as they were kind of sloppy and just trading spots, which wasn’t the most interesting stuff. It was far from bad, but it was the kind of match that feels like you could see from any two indy wrestlers. The ending wasn’t exactly great either, as the moves didn’t look great or crisp. I’ve seen far worse, but this wasn’t the most thrilling.

Semifinals: Calvin Tankman vs. Lee Moriarty

Moriarty misses a running kick to start and gets plowed over by the much bigger Tankman. Some hard shots in the corner have Moriarty in more trouble and Tankman slams him down without much trouble. We hit the bodyscissors to stay on the ribs as you can already see a pretty basic formula here. That’s switched into a chinlock so Moriarty fights up, only to be sent outside in a heap.

Back in and Tankman knees away at the ribs as the pace stays very slow so far. Some jawbreakers give Moriarty a breather and a kick to the head out of the corner staggers Tankman again. Moriarty gets caught with a shot to the face on top (Tankman: “YOU F***** UP!) and Tankman drops him ribs first onto the top. That puts Moriarty on the floor but he dives back in to beat the count at nine.

Moriarty tries to fire up, earning himself a forearm to the face. That actually seems to fire Moriarty up so he strikes away, setting up a double stomp to keep Tankman down. It’s Moriarty back up first and kicking away at Tankman’s rather large chest. Tankman headbutts him in the ribs though and a gutbuster puts Moriarty down for two more. The Tankman Driver is countered into a choke, which manages to survive a ram into the corner. Tankman falls forward and Moriarty elbows him in the head over and over until it’s a stoppage at 9:26.

Rating: C+. This is the kind of match that is going to make Moriarty look like a star, as he hung in there against a monster and then held on until he could steal the win. I was surprised that they went with a stoppage instead of a submission. Good stuff here, and Tankman looked like a heck of a monster throughout the tournament. Moriarty is a more interesting pick though, as he has been great at what he has been doing for days now.

Semifinals: Jordan Oliver vs. Cole Radrick

Radrick is favoring his ribs on the way in. They go straight at it with an exchange of kicks to the head and a double clothesline gives us a double knockdown less than thirty seconds in. It’s already time to forearm it out from their knees and pull themselves up to strike away even more. Radrick counters a running big boot with a kick to the face and a splash to the back gets two.

Some hard kicks keep Oliver in trouble but he Rock Bottoms Radrick out of the corner, setting up a spinning middle rope Swanton. Oliver kicks him down and it’s time for another double breather. A German suplex drops Radrick but he blocks a second, only to get caught by an enziguri. They go up top with Radrick headbutting his way out of a belly to back superplex attempt.

Radrick counters a tiger driver into a hurricanrana for two and Radrick is frustrated. Oliver counters an armbar into a tiger bomb for two but Radrick is back with a Shining Wizard for the same. Back up and Radrick takes the straps down to slug it out, only to run into the big boot for the pin at 8:59.

Rating: B. These guys beat each other up rather well, as Radrick’s Cinderella runs ends. Oliver is someone who has grown on me a lot, though I’m still trying to get my head around the Big Breakfast nickname. This felt like two guys who were beaten up and tired and gave everything that they had to make it to the finals. Good match here, and both of them are coming out of this tournament looking a lot better than they did coming in.

Respect is shown post match.

Ken Broadway vs. Marcus Mathers vs. Lucas Riley vs. Damien Drake vs. Matt Vandergriff vs. Facade

Scramble match (erg) with one fall to a finish. Broadway throws money around on the way to the ring, which doesn’t seem too bright. Vandergriff and Drake are the Future Stars of Wrestling Tag Team Champions and regular partner as the Unguided. Facade comes out to the Ninja Rap from Teenage Mutant Ninja II: Secret Of The Ooze (there better be a Super Shredder joke in this match), making him the most awesome part of this show.

It’s a brawl to start with Broadway chilling on the apron, which is probably about as long as I’m going to be able to keep track of this. Vandergriff hits a very springboard armdrag to Riley and we’re actually going to have tags here, which is one of the best things to see in this kind of a match. Riley spins around into a rollup for two and they both wind up in a corner, with Vandergriff snapping off a top rope hurricanrana. A springboard spinning cutter drops Vandergriff so it’s off to Drake for a dropkick.

Broadway stands back instead of tagging in, allowing the two of them to kick each other down. Mathers comes in and kicks away at Drake, setting up a Code Red for two. Now Broadway will come in and shrug off a Mathers chop and hit jumping back elbow to the face. A one footed Lionsault gets two on Mathers, who is then springboard enziguried out to the floor. Facade comes in to some cheering for the showdown with Broadway, who is pulled to the floor by Vandergriff and Drake.

Facade and Vandergriff hammer on each other until Facade kicks his way out of the corner. Drake comes back in and gets kicked down as well, followed by a kick to Mathers’ face. Facade hits a middle rope springboard cutter to Drake as commentary gets in some Don Jardine references. Drake and Vandergriff catch Facade on top but Drake’s superplex is broken up as well. The Tower of Doom is no sold (because indies) and a double suplex gives Drake two on Facade.

Broadway comes back in to beat up the Unguided with Mathers having to dive (a long way) in for a save. Mathers rolls Broadway up for two and a reverse DDT flipped forward into a cutter drops him again. Vandergriff kicks Mathers down and hits a 619 into a slow motion poisonrana. Riley is back in this time and hits a step up knee in the corner to rock Drake. A Rock Bottom drives Drake into Vandergriff for one with Mathers making the save. Broadway and Facade fight outside, leaving Mathers and Riley to fight on the apron.

Mathers hits a very slow Tombstone on the apron (to no response because there is no one here, making that a pretty needlessly dangerous spot). Drake moonsaults onto Broadway and it’s time for the parade of dives. Facade’s is broken up and Drake gets in his way but Broadway puts Drake onto his shoulders. That lets Facade hit a double springboard Blockbuster onto the pile to put everyone down. Broadway throws Facade through some chairs and hits a bridging German suplex to finish Drake at 13:18.

Rating: C. I cannot stand this kind of a match as there is no way for anyone to stand out other than one big spot here or there. Broadway doesn’t so much win as much as he gets the pin when everyone else is down, making this little more than a big showcase with no flow or story in the slightest. It makes sense to put it on a showcase show, but when you’ve seen a bunch of them in a few days, any of the charm falls away. Throw in that this was kind of sloppy and they took WAY too long between spots in places and it felt like something there because you need this kind of a match on this kind of a show.

And they didn’t even make a Shredder joke!

Acid Cup 3 Finals: Jordan Oliver vs. Lee Moriarty

Moriarty’s ribs are a bit banged up coming in while Oliver just looks tired. We get the Big Match Intros, complete with a list of everyone they defeated to get here. We get a handshake to start and they go to a test of strength. The bigger Oliver takes him down but can’t break the bridge. That’s fine with Oliver, who wisely hits him in the bad ribs but Moriarty easily slips out of a headlock.

Oliver can’t roll out of a hammerlock but he can elbow his way to freedom only to get sent outside in a hurry. They hit the stall button for a bit as commentary recaps how much these two have probably done this weekend. Oliver even gets smart by having a drink of water on the floor and pours it over his head, which seems to be a good idea. Back in and Moriarty runs him over but the ribs stay banged up.

Oliver is right back with a hiptoss, plus an elbow to the ribs on the cover as the member of the Young, DUMB and Broke stable is looking rather smart. A hard whip into the corner bangs up the ribs even more and Oliver is starting to look a bit cocky. Oliver’s snap suplex gets two and Moriarty is looking frustrated by the pain in his ribs. The rather smart waistlock goes on and Oliver adds a dragon sleeper with elbows to the ribs.

Somehow Moriarty survives that and grabs the arms, which are put into a full nelson (with bodyscissors). Moriarty cranks on the leg to escape in a smart move and they’re both back up. The slingshot cutter (Cleopatra) is countered and Moriarty sends him shoulder first into the post. Moriarty follows him outside and puts Jordan in a chair to crank on the arm. That’s broken up with Moriarty being sent face first into the post to put him down as well. Back in and Moriarty goes back to cranking on the arm, including snapping it over the shoulder.

They lock hands and slap it out before a double clothesline puts both of them down again. Back up and they strike it out again until Moriarty’s double arm trap German suplex gets two. Oliver nails his running big boot (which they finally call the Verdi (Acid’s real last name) Kick) for a close two, meaning it’s time for both of them to go outside. That goes nowhere so Moriarty puts him up top for a super Russian legsweep floated over into a Crossface. Oliver punches him in the ribs for the break and grabs the Boston crab to make Moriarty tap at 14:21.

Rating: B. This was one of the better matches of the tournament and above all else it felt like a match for a prize. They structured things well with the ribs vs. everything else on Oliver, who got to look great by making the technical wizard tap out. It was a very solid main event, though again the wasn’t much drama when Oliver was wearing Acid’s pants throughout the tournament. There is power in those pants.

Post match Oliver….leaves, as there is no trophy (as in, like, a cup). Commentary gives a tributes to Acid to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This was another completely watchable two hours and eighteen minutes of wrestling and that’s all you can ask for from a show like this one. Outside of the scramble match, there was nothing in the way of gimmick matches or nonsense like that which makes things go by quickly. The two days of this thing were straight wrestling matches for a prize and that’s very nice to see, as the structure isn’t quite there with a lot of these shows. Good stuff here, and Oliver felt like a star.

Violence X Suffering: Lucid Dreams
Date: April 9, 2021
Location: Cuban Club, Ybor City, Florida
Commentators: Various

We’re back with another midnight show from GCW’s the Collective and that could mean a lot of things. I don’t know anything about this promotion or anything about this show, so as usual I’m coming in blind. That is kind of the point of a show like this, but hopefully they aren’t on until almost 3am again. Let’s get to it.

So the show is delayed due to the prior event running long and did not start until 1am.

Opening sequence.

Nick Gage says this is Violence X Suffering motherf*****.

The ring announcer screams and swears a lot. Oh yeah this is going to be a really long night. This goes on for a good bit as he keeps wanting us to be louder.

Here’s Rich Swann, whose entrance takes a good while because he gets in a lot of dancing. Then a fan calls him a fake Kofi, earning him a “F*** THIS GUY” from Swann. Apparently Tony Deppen isn’t here tonight so Swann is substituting, meaning it’s open challenge time.

Rich Swann vs. KTB

The much larger KTB grabs a waistlock to start but Swann slips out, only to be taken to the mat in an Oklahoma roll. That makes Swann look up at KTB as commentary keeps making music reference. Swann is back up with a dropkick into a hurricanrana for two but KTB is back with a chop in the corner. A running shoulder into a falling headbutt to the ribs gets two on Swann.

Some strikes to the face have KTB rocked but Swann dives into a spinebuster for two. We hit the chinlock but Swann fights up and nails a quick dropkick. The middle rope 450 gets two on KTB but Swann has to pull himself up. KTB catches him off the top for two more so Swann busts out the Lethal Injection for two. The frog splash gets the same so KTB gets up and drops him again, setting up a Lionsault for two of his own. Swann has had it with this and enziguris him down, setting up the middle rope Phoenix splash for the pin at 11:30.

Rating: C+. This was about as they could have done under the circumstances. It wouldn’t surprise me if the promotion found out that Deppen couldn’t be there and they just found whomever they could to fill in. Swann is a talented enough name with enough star power to make something like this work so they did everything they could and the match wound up working.

Respect is shown post match and we pause to sanitize the ropes.

Someone named Masa Slamavich is at ringside and doesn’t seem to be on the schedule.

AJ Gray vs. Daniel Garcia

Pure Rules, meaning three rope breaks, only one closed fist to the face and a much more technical focus. Both of them have seconds as well. They go with the grappling to start with the bigger Gray taking him down without much trouble. Back up and Gray’s shoulder doesn’t do much good so Garcia takes him down into a leglock. Gray reverses that into some kind of a weird Figure Four variation to put Garcia in trouble.

Garcia uses a rope break so Gray is right back with a very big backsplash to crush him again. They get up again and Garcia goes for the leg again, meaning Gray needs his own rope this time around. Garcia slaps on a front facelock and switches into a bodyscissors, meaning Gray needs another rope break. The chinlock goes on but Gray isn’t having this and powers up for a heck of a Death Valley Driver to drop Garcia.

A pair of powerbombs plants Garcia twice in a row but somehow he is back up with a Shining Wizard. Garcia grabs a Crossface and Gray’s escape means he is out of rope breaks. Back up and Gray smashes him with a lariat so Robert Martyr, Garcia’s second, puts Garcia’s hand on the rope. With that broken up, Gray grabs an STF and Garcia is in trouble. Martyr gets creative by pulling the rope back so it smacks Gray in the face (not a DQ because reasons) to stun him fairly well. The Sharpshooter, with Garcia leaning all the way back and pulling on the leg, makes Gray tap at 13:09.

Rating: C. This was a much more technical match and it was only so interesting in the first place. I’ve seen a few Garcia matches this weekend and they aren’t the most thrilling things. He is rather skilled with the technical stuff but he isn’t exactly interesting. It’s another case of someone just kind of being there and that doesn’t keep much attention. Gray is a hard hitter who can grapple and has some good charisma, which is a nice combination.

Post match Garcia doesn’t let go so Gray’s second comes in, earning a Sharpshooter of his own as Garcia isn’t seeming that nice. Martyr yells at Garcia, earning himself a piledriver and a Sharpshooter of his own. Masa Slamavich comes in and tells Garcia to hit her so Garcia tries, only to have to bail from a quick piledriver attempt.

KC Navarro/Marcus Mathers/Andy Brown/Ninja Mack/MV Young vs. TJ Crawford/Gabriel Sky/Ken Broadway/Myron Reed/Dante Leon

Elimination rules. It’s a big brawl to start with Ninja Mack hitting a big corkscrew dive off the top and back to back big flip dives off the middle/top ropes. Leon is back up with a reverse Spanish Fly off the middle rope to plant Mack. Sky and Navarro fight off to the side as no one is in the ring. They start throwing stuff at each other and you can barely see what is going on. Sky climbs onto a wall and flip dives onto everyone.

People keep walking around in the dark and hey we bother going back to the ring where Young powerbombs Sky into a half crab. That’s broken up and Sky hits a running knee to the side of the head. Young spears him out of the air for two as you can hear a fan explaining who the wrestlers are. Sky hits a top rope double stomp to get rid of Young at 7:47. Brown comes in and gets caught with an enziguri but someone crotches Sky on top. An AA into a Backstabber gets rid of Sky at 8:52.

A package piledriver gets rid of Leon at 9:45 so here’s Broadway to strike away at Brown. Broadway muscles him up with a German suplex and a bridging German suplex finishes Brown at 10:39. Navarro comes in and small packages Broadway for the pin at 11:04. Crawford grabs a sitout powerbomb on Navarro and a distraction sets up a brainbuster to pin Navarro at 12:34.

Mathers and Mack come in to kick away at Crawford with Mathers being sent outside in a hurry. Crawford hits a running kick in the corner and backdrops Mack out to the floor. Back in and Mack kicks him in the head but the middle rope Phoenix splash hits raised knees to give Crawford the pin at 15:23. I believe we’re down to Mathers vs. Crawford/Reed so Crawford hits a double underhook faceplant (think a double underhook Dominator) to drop Matters.

They fight to the apron with Mathers hitting a piledriver and Crawford is right back up in about ten seconds. Mathers gives him a low superkick and a flip DDT gets rid of Crawford at 18:40 and we’re down to Mathers vs. Reed. They slug it out and Mathers hits another flip DDT for two. Reed is sent outside but catches a dive and hits his hanging F5 off the apron onto the concrete. Back in and an Air Raid Crash finishes Mathers at 20:59.

Rating: D. The action was fine but commentary was perhaps the worst that I have ever heard. It wasn’t even commentary as much as one guy (the second was fine) did nothing but shout over and over again, probably screaming EAT THAT about 30 times, including after every single big move. This already isn’t my style of wrestling and then everything else about it is driving me crazy. They had a 20+ minute spot fest with the first ten minutes being spent walking around in darkness. The match itself was acceptable but my goodness commentary was a nightmare.

Brian Cage vs. Chris Dickinson

Well the star power just went up. Dickinson looks like he can barely walk due to some kind of a leg injury but he slugs away anyway. Cage is right back with a powerbomb and Dickinson is in trouble early. We go intelligent with the Indian Deathlock to stay on the leg but Dickinson crawls to the floor.

Cage follows him outside and hammers away as he is getting to pick his spots here. Dickinson is busted open and commentary starts making fun of his mom’s accent. Back in and Cage works on the leg again but Dickinson fights up and strikes away. A belly to back suplex sends Cage flying and they fight outside again with Dickinson hitting him in the ribs with a door. Back in and Dickinson manages a missile dropkick into a nip up but Cage is right back with a sitout powerbomb.

Dickinson knocks him down again and hits a running kick to the chest, followed by a delayed vertical suplex for two. Cage is right back with a shot to the knee though and the Figure Four goes on. That’s turned over so Cage blasts him with a clothesline, only to get caught in a dragon screw legwhip. Dickinson grabs his own Figure Four but Cage powers out of that as well. Cage runs him over and grabs another Figure Four for the tap at 14:42.

Rating: C. Who would have bet on some psychology in something like this? Granted when you have Dickinson barely able to walk to start it isn’t that hard to figure out, but this wasn’t what I would have expected. Nice stuff here, though it went longer than it needed to, especially given the injury and this time of night.

2 Cold Scorpio vs. Eli Everfly

This is Lucha Rules meaning….well I guess we’ll find out. Scorpio laughs at the smaller Everfly and dances a bit at the bell. Everfly is driven into the corner but comes out with a wristlock, which sends Everfly down without much effort. The armbar has Everfly in more trouble but he’s back up with a chop and a very springboardy headscissors.

Scorpio isn’t having this and hits a quick wheelbarrow German suplex to send him flying. A big clothesline drops Everfly again but he gets up top. That doesn’t work for Scorpio, as his fall away slam sends Everfly sailing. The half crab goes on but Everfly eventually slips out as commentary continues its worship of Scorpio, now trying to get him on Wrestlemania. Back up and a wheelbarrow Stunner gets two on Scorpio and Everfly kicks him to the floor.

One heck of a top rope moonsault takes Scorpio down again, even if Everfly’s legs hit him in the head. Back in and Everfly hits a top rope cutter for two more and they’re both down again. A running clothesline drops Scorpio again and a sunset flip is good for the same. Scorpio hits something like a Pele into the Tumbleweed for the pin at 11:54.

Rating: C+. The ending was a bit flat but they did a nice job of telling the story of Scorpio not taking him seriously enough and almost getting caught. Everfly can do all of the flips and you are only going to be able to get so far at that size. The story and action were good though and I can always go for some more of Scorpio.

Jordan Oliver vs. Jimmy Lloyd

This is billed as Ace vs. Ace. Oliver slaps him in the face to start and they get into the brawl. Lloyd gets driven into the corner for the chops and a running spinwheel kick makes it worse. Another shot sends Oliver outside but his suicide dive is cut off by a chair to the head. That puts Lloyd down and egads there is a lot of broken glass under there. Egads that’s from Spring Break that I’m watching later isn’t it? Back in and Oliver hits him with some chair shots to the head for two but Lloyd, now bleeding, gets in a few shots of his own.

Oliver sends him face first into a chair in the corner as commentary goes onto a rant about how worthless referees are. The turnbuckle pad comes off but Oliver is sent into it instead, drawing more blood. Lloyd sends him into a chair but Oliver is back with a series of strikes to put both of them down. Commentary can’t remember Oliver’s name, even as they knock each other down again. Oliver hits a German suplex but Lloyd is back with a pumphandle driver for two as one person tries the THIS IS AWESOME chant.

It’s time to bring in a third chair so Oliver uses the distraction to grab a German suplex for two more. A clothesline gives Oliver another near fall and it’s time to adjust the chairs. They get on the chairs until Lloyd piledrives him through the chairs for two. Well of course that’s only two. Oliver is back with a double underhook piledriver for a near fall of his own. With nothing else working, Oliver goes up for his super cutter but Lloyd hits him low for the pin at 14:44.

Rating: D+. This was another one those matches where they do a spot, then sit around, then do a spot, then set up some kind of a weapon spot, then do a spot, then we finally get to the point. Throw in the commentary being able to do very little that swear a lot and say EAT THAT and it was quite the long sit. Oliver is getting better in the ring in MLW, but Lloyd felt like one of those not so great hardcore guys and that made for a messy match.

They brawl to the back.

JTG vs. Dr. Cube

No DQ. Cube is a guy with a cube for a head from Kaiju Big Battel. JTG dives onto Cube and his people to start, with Cube losing his cube (as in the box around his head) early on. A powerslam gives JTG two with one of Cube’s lackeys making the save. Cube slaps away and whips JTG into the corner, where the turnbuckle pad falls off. JTG gets sent outside so the goons can stomp on him so he powerbombs one onto the rest of them.

Back in and Cube hits a top rope knee to the back of the head for two and commentary keeps swearing about how bad the referees are. Cube’s goons come in again and set up a bunch of tables and doors, with a double chokeslam putting JTG through one such door. One of the goons hits a twisting shooting star to give Cube two. Now the goons bring in the light tubes to break over JTG’s back and he is cut BADLY. My eyes jumped up at how much blood was on his back but he comes back to clean house.

A double light tube shot to the back hits Cube but it’s time for the goons to come back in and beat JTG down again. Cube grabs the mic and gets in a shouting match with commentary…..and it’s freaking Big Cass coming in for the save. Cass cleans house and leaves JTG with Cube, who pours out thumbtacks. JTG hits him low and powerbombs him into the tacks, followed by a second for a bonus. A running Razor’s Edge into a powerbomb (close enough) finishes Cube at 14:04.

Rating: F. Nope. As amazing as JTG’s transformation is, this is every stupid hardcore trope that gives indy wrestling a bad reputation (whether it is deserved or not). Throw in the same EAT THAT commentary guy and the other one who wouldn’t shut up about how much he hated everything and this was about as irritating as it could have been. Just get on with the show already, and stop with the horrible commentary, please.

And now, a Lio Rush music video. Or at least part of one.

Low Ki vs. Lio Rush

I’m not big on either of them, but at least we should be in for a heck of an upgrade after the previous match. Feeling out process to start but the pace picks up in a hurry with Rush doing his running dodges. A kick to the face puts Rush on the floor and he needs a breather. Back in and a test of strength goes to Ki, who kicks him into the corner and hammers away. Ki suplexes him down for two but Rush fights back up as commentary says this is the White Ranger (Rush) vs. a bus boy (not Rush).

Rush’s comeback is cut off and Ki grabs a chinlock to keep him down. Back up and Rush slides into the corner to counter a whip as commentary (apparently Joey Janela of all people) starts singing. A handspring elbow drops Ki and a hurricanrana gives Rush two. Rush loses his shirt and a Falcon Arrow gets two on Ki as Janela talks about liking veal.

They go up top with Rush snapping off a super hurricanrana but Ki rolls through into a double stomp. Commentary talks about eggplant as Rush fights out of the Ki Crusher. Rush hits a hard DDT for two but misses Rush Hour. Ki gets up top for the double stomp and the pin at 10:09.

Rating: C. Yeah this was fine. It was late and they were rushing around, but it’s not like it mattered at this point. Granted when commentary is ignoring the match to talk about anything else that comes to mind, there isn’t much that the wrestlers can do no matter what. Completely acceptable wrestling and that’s all it needed to be to be an upgrade.

Overall Rating: D+. There were good parts to this, but the bad outweigh the good so badly that it completely ruins anything positive that could come out of the show. Ignoring the extreme/hardcore nonsense and commentary completely ruining more than one match, it just wasn’t that good in several parts. You really can tell the difference in the talent levels though, as the bigger name wrestlers were on a different planet in almost every possible way. There are worse shows, but the bad stuff is some of the stuff I can’t stand the most on this kind of show.

 

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