The Show Must Go On
Date: February 17, 2018
Location: 800 Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas
Commentator: Rich Bocchini

So this is from WrestleCircus, which for some reason is a circus themed wrestling promotion because….I have no idea why really. It’s now defunct, but I had hear some good things about it during its day and always meant to check out one of their shows. I have no idea what to expect here but it sounds fun enough. Let’s get to it.

Opening sequence, featuring some of the fairly big name stars who have been through here before. Granted it feels quite a bit like a lot of independent promotions, but I do appreciate a quick look.

Rich Bocchini runs down the card.

Ring announcer Louden Noxious (I’ve seen him before) welcomes us to the show and introduces the referee, who is not incredibly popular.

Gentlemen Jervis vs. Colin Delaney

Jervis is in a big yellow mask (and is also known as Jervis Cottonbelly, because that’s an awesome name) and you might remember Delaney from ECW On Sci Fi (I looked at the show where he earned a contract earlier this week so this is quite the coincidence). Jervis goes for some grappling to start and Delaney’s frustrations start early. Delaney flips up and stares at him before they trade standing switches.

Back up and Jervis grabs a hiptoss, only to get caught with a springboard armdrag into….some ballroom dancing from Delaney? They load up the lift from Dirty Dancing but Jervis backdrops him instead. They trade slaps to the face until Delaney heads outside and grabs a chair. That’s too far for Jervis, who throws in about six chairs and gets all angry (keep in mind that he’s described as rather friendly and sweet).

Referees break it up and get rid of the chairs but the main referee gets bumped. Delaney grabs a cane and does the Eddie Guerrero “toss it and drop”, only to have it turn into something like a game of hot potato. Then the referee gets back up so they throw it to him and fall down (Bocchini: “The referee is going to have to disqualify himself!”). Delaney elbows Jervis in the back of the head to take over but Jervis is right back with a cradle for the pin at 10:23.

Rating: C. It was pure comedy and nothing more, but that’s all they set it up as being. Jervis snapping was kind of funny and Delaney worked well enough as a relatively generic heel. This was a perfectly fine way to open the show and the fans seemed to like it so they know their audience. Now just learn how to do the lift and they’ll be fine.

Dirty Devils vs. The Boys

The Devils are Andy Dalton/Gregory James (with the Insidious Follower, a masked man) and the Boys are Dalton Castle’s Boys, with the winners getting a Tag Team Title shot. The Devils jump them from behind but the Boys come back with a springboard dropkick. Brandon takes James into the corner so Brent can come in. A top rope clothesline hits Dalton and it’s quickly off to Dalton to try his shot.

The Boys are back with a double leapfrog into a double hiptoss but James comes in off a blind tag to take Brent down from behind. The Follower gets in some choking from the floor like a good Insidious one would, allowing James to get in some hip swiveling faceplants. James comes back in for some running shots in the corner before sending Brent face first into Dalton’s raised boots.

The camel clutch doesn’t last long so it’s James coming back in to kick him in the face. Insidious chokes again but gets caught this time, allowing Brandon to pull some Twin Magic. Brandon faceplants him for two as everything breaks down. James manages a double draping DDT to the apron (that only worked so well) and the Follower adds a top rope dive.

Dalton adds a heck of a flipping suicide dive but the Boys are back up with dives of their own as this went up about three gears in a minute and a half. Back in and Dalton is sent outside but he breaks up the cover off Sliced Bread #2. Dalton comes back in and it’s a stomp into a moonsault to give James the pin at 12:37.

Rating: B-. They took their time to start until the last few minutes when everything went nuts. The Devils aren’t exactly a great team but they’re solid enough as heels for a spot like this. The Boys were their usual energetic selves but there is something missing when Dalton Castle isn’t around. Good enough stuff here though and an upgrade over the opener.

Shane Taylor vs. Space Monkey

Monkey is replacing Trent, who isn’t here due to an injury. Since he’s a Monkey, the fans throw in bananas (because they have those) and he offers Taylor one after the bell. Taylor is annoyed but gets caught with a DDT to send him outside. The dive is pulled out of the air though and Taylor abuses him with a banana. Back in and Taylor blasts him with the chops to take over before a kick to the….well somewhere in the upper body area takes Monkey down again.

A heck of a clothesline gives Taylor two but Monkey manages a quick moonsault for a breather. Taylor isn’t having that though and blasts Monkey with a clothesline, followed by a spinebuster for two. The big right hand misses and Monkey snaps off another tornado DDT. Something like a Swanton sets up a tail whip but Taylor knocks him silly with a right hand for the pin 10:55.

Rating: C. Monkey is about as gimmicky as you can get and otherwise he’s just a mostly run of the mill high flier. Taylor is a better power guy though and those shots knocking Monkey around were great. I’m not sure how much the bananas added but at least they had something different here.

Respect is shown post match.

Scorpio Sky vs. Shane Strickland

Strickland is a former Ringmaster Champion but Sky (with Kevin Condron, and what appears to be their version of the Money In The Bank briefcase) cost him the title, meaning it’s time for revenge. Strickland isn’t interested in a rather disingenuous handshake offer but Sky takes him down anyway. It’s too early for the TKO so Strickland hits a nice dropkick. Some shots to the arm set up the House Call and Sky bails to the floor.

Strickland puts him in a chair but a Condron distraction lets Sky plant him hard on the apron to take over. Back in and a running shoulder in the corner gives Sky two and it’s time to work on the ribs. With that broken up, Strickland kicks him in the head as commentary recaps the history between the two, which does a lot to make this feel like a serious feud.

Strickland’s rolling cutter gets two and some kicks to the face knock Sky again. A dropkick is countered into a gutbuster though (that was clever) and Sky sends him outside for a dive. Condron: “SCORPIO SKY IS THE BEST!” Fans: “BULLS***!” Back in and Strickland kicks him in the arm before snapping it back hard. Strickland grabs a Blue Thunder Bomb into a keylock but Condron pulls the referee.

Condron gets decked with a right hand but the distraction lets Sky hit the TKO for two. They head to the apron where Strickland counters a piledriver into the Death Valley Driver before kicking Condron in the face. That sends Condron into a chair into Sky, where a double Swerve Stomp from the apron crushes both of them. The regular Swerve Stomp finishes Sky at 18:49.

Rating: B. This worked on two levels, as you had a pair of talented stars getting the time to have a rather good match, but the story worked well too. Sky is the one who screwed Strickland over and the annoying manager so Strickland got to take them both out. I had a good time with this one and it is by far the best thing on the show so far.

Intermission.

Commentary runs down the remaining four matches.

Before we get back to the show, Noxious thanks the venue, Twitch (for broadcasting), the internet and the fans. Finally, a recently returned soldier and his significant other get in the ring. The soldier talks about how he just got back and how great it is to be here….and then he proposes. Ok that was awesome.

Leva Bates vs. Deonna Purrazzo vs. Chelsea Green vs. Christi Jaynes

Elimination rules and this is Purrazzo’s WrestleCircus debut for a Women’s Title shot. Bates comes out to Zack Ryder’s (Green’s boyfriend) music and in his gear for a great troll moment. They go with the four way test of strength to start before pairing off into the corners. Bates does the WOO WOO WOO and Green isn’t sure what to make of her.

Jaynes enziguris Purrazzo to the floor before armdragging Green down. Green is back up with a missile dropkick to send Jaynes to the floor but Purrazzo is back in. Bates faceplants Purrazzo before she and Bates hit stereo Broski Boots. Everything breaks down and we hit the parade of finishers, with Green being knocked to the floor. The other three slug it out until it’s a triple knockdown.

Back up and Purrazzo Fujiwara armbars Jaynes out at 7:04. Purrazzo isn’t done as she rolls some German suplexes on Bates but she avoids a clothesline. Zack Ryder’s old Zack Attack (kind of a Playmaker but with the back of Purrazzo’s head slamming into Bates’ knee) finishes Purrazzo at 8:22. Green comes back in (as Laurel Van Ness, ala her time in Impact Wrestling) and hits an Unprettier for the pin (while seeming to kiss Bates) at 9:00.

Rating: C+. This started off well but then it was like they ran out of time and had to blaze through the eliminations as fast as they could. Green winning is fine enough, even with the alter ego deal, but it was only so interesting with them having to blaze through the last few minutes. If that’s the case, just make it one fall.

The following match is a Death Match and Noxious announces that Space Monkey is outside signing autographs for the kinds in case parents don’t want them seeing this much violence. That is an awesome idea and I would love to see it more often.

Masada vs. Brody King

This is a Death Match with Kevin Condron on commentary and was originally going to include Space Monkey. They fight over arm control to start as Condron talks about being a trainer, which has Bocchini realizing what is wrong with the business today. The fight heads outside and into the crowd, with Masada already busted open.

The fight goes over near the bar and then come back inside with King hitting him with chair. A big boot drops Masada in the corner but he’s back up with a clothesline and chair shot of his own. Masada scores with a powerbomb before whipping out the skewers (just as commentary talked about Masada wanting to be a serious wrestler, which thankfully Bocchini does acknowledge).

A piledriver drives onto the chair drives the skewers further into King’s head, only to have him come back with a heck of a clothesline. King hits a powerbomb for two, followed by a powerbomb onto the chair for two more. Back up and Masada breaks the chair over King’s head before tying up his leg/head (with the chair around said head) for the knockout at 12:48.

Rating: C+. They didn’t go completely insane with the hardcore/deathmatch stuff (save for the skewers) so this could have been worse. Masada is someone I’ve seen before and he doesn’t exactly do much for me, while King would go on to much bigger things in the future. For now though, it was a pretty decent brawl which was pulled down by the excessive violence.

Masada won’t show respect post match.

Matt Cross vs. El Hijo del Fantasma vs. Jordan Len-X

Colin Delaney is in on commentary. Fantasma is better known as Santos Escobar and the winner faces Masada in a #1 contenders match for the Sideshow Title. Len-X is in a Rick And Morty shirt and his theme song sounds like it says “Yummy yummy fruit salad”. Also, while his chyron says “Jordan Len-X, Noxious sounds like he calls him “Cruiser Kong”.

They go with the three way test of strength and Cross monkey flips both of them, though they stick the landing. Instead Cross sends them outside for the suicide dive but can’t get back up immediately. Back in and Hijo hits a running knee on Jordan, only to have Cross come back in with a springboard crossbody. Hijo is back up to take them both down and a jumping superkick hits Cross.

It’s time to throw in some chairs but Fantasma takes WAY too long setting them up, allowing Jordan to come back up and put Fantasma on the chairs. With that broken up as well, the Tower of Doom is broken up and Cross’ super hurricanrana sends Jordan through four set up chairs. Back in and Fantasma gets rolled up for a stomp to the ribs but the Phantom Driver gets the same on Cross. A quick rebound cutter drops Fantasma but Jordan is back in with a Razor’s Edge spun into a knee to the face to finish Cross at 12:26.

Rating: B-. There was good stuff here, but once the chairs were brought in, things started to get a bit repetitive. It felt like they were trying to get in their spots rather than win the match and that is not a road you want to take. The first three fourths were good enough though and it certainly wasn’t boring, but you could almost see the checklist of triple threat spots they were going for here.

Bocchini: “Jordan Len-X, also known as Cruiser Kong!” What is up with that?

Video on Brian Cage (Ringmaster Title, top title) vs. Tessa Blanchard (Sideshow Title, midcard title, in addition to Lady of the Ring (women’s champion), which isn’t on the line here), title vs. title.

Ringmaster Title/Sideshow Title: Brian Cage vs. Tessa Blanchard

Title for title so they’re both defending/challenging. Before the match, Cage sends Scorpio Sky and Kevin Condron, his teammates in the Process, to the back. Cage drops to his knees for a test of strength so Blanchard kicks him away. As Condron joins commentary again, Cage grabs her by the hair and hits a big boot to take over. A headscissors frustrates Cage and a hurricanrana to the floor breaks up a powerbomb.

That’s fine with Cage, who pulls her out of the air and hits an F5 onto the apron. Cage spends too much time posing though and gets kicked to the floor, allowing Blanchard to flip dive off the apron and take him down again. Condron: “Alright, so we’ve got a match.” Blanchard chairs him in the head but Cage is fine enough to throw her into a bunch of chairs. The delayed apron superplex drops Blanchard back inside, setting up the curls into the release fall away slam.

Cage throws her down again and throws in some pushups for a quick exercise demonstration. Blanchard manages a drop toehold into the ropes and a pop up tornado DDT gets two. Back up and Cage unloads on her with shots in the corner, setting up a wheelbarrow neckbreaker for two of his own. Blanchard manages to grab a Canadian Destroyer for another near fall but cage is right back with a pumphandle driver. A super Razor’s Edge is countered into a super hurricanrana and a top rope backsplash gets a VERY close two.

Blanchard can’t get a choke but she can get caught in a gorilla press powerslam. One heck of a toss across the ring drops Blanchard again but she stops a charge with a knee. A not great GTS gives Blanchard two and it’s a Codebreaker into Magnum (middle rope Codebreaker). The top rope Magnum gets two more but another attempt is countered into a powerbomb. The F5 only gets two and now it’s Cage’s turn to be stunned. Blanchard counters the Drill Claw but Cage blasts her with a discus lariat. Now the Drill Claw can make Cage a double champion at 17:47.

Rating: B. Intergender matches are really hard to make work but they kept it moving here and kept Blanchard looking strong throughout. Cage winning in the end with the straight power is the right way to go but it is easy to see why Blanchard was seen as such a prodigy. Heck of a main event here as it felt like a struggle between two top level stars.

Post match Cage (Fans: “NO ONE LIKES YOU!”/”THAT’S NOT TRUE!”) grabs the mic and says the only thing that matters about Blanchard is her chest. Then he compliments a match she had with Britt Baker and that God has a plan for her. They hug and the fans chant for Blanchard as Cage leaves. Blanchard poses with the women’s title before leaving to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. The show was good and the top matches were worth seeing, but the one question I can’t figure out: what does this have to do with the circus? Other than the names of the titles, nothing about this feels like anything but an above average independent promotion. It was a fun show and I’d watch something else from the promotion, but there was nothing here that made it stand out in any meaningful way. Solid show, but this could have been called WrestleBassProShop and the details could have been the same.

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Pancakes And Piledrivers II
Date: April 7, 2018
Location: Sugar Mill, New Orleans, Louisiana
Commentators: Rich Bocchini, Jake Manning, Marty DeRosa

This is a show from Pro Wrestling Revolver plus some other companies (AAW/Fight Club Pro), with the show being billed as the Indy Summit. The show took place over Wrestlemania XXXIV weekend and I had a ticket to this show but went to WrestleCon instead. Odds are I made a mistake but let’s get to it.

The opening video looks at the promotions included for a nice change of pace.

Jeff Cobb vs. Shane Strickland

Yeah this is going to be fun, even with Matt Striker as ring announcer. At the very least, seeing Strickland’s Ain’t Nobody entrance is always awesome. Strickland hurts his arm on an early clothesline attempt so Cobb grabs him by the throat. A charge into the corner takes too long though, allowing Strickland to go up top. That’s fine with Cobb, who pulls him out of the air and hits the swinging belly to back toss. The huge beal out of the corner sends Strickland flying again as commentary mocks the building for being filthy but not allowing the advertised pancakes.

Strickland tries to come back with a chop, allowing Cobb to show him how one is properly thrown. They have the same exchange with forearms but Strickland manages a kick to the head into a German suplex. The running kick to the head gives Strickland two and a hard knee to the head makes it worse. The Swerve Stomp gets two but Cobb sends him into the corner for a running uppercut. A headbutt plants Strickland again and the Tour of the Islands gives Cobb the pin at 7:59.

Rating: C+. Nice opener here as we get one of the things that WrestleCon does well: putting together indy (well then indy) stars and letting them have a fun match. Strickland continues to feel like a star and it is no surprise that he has become a bigger deal. Cobb is a monster who can run over anyone and it is always fun to see him throw people around.

Post match Strickland thanks all three companies for putting the show on.

Colt Cabana/Marty DeRosa vs. Joey Ryan/Session Moth Martina

It’s still weird to hear Ryan being treated as some kind of awesome star. Martina on the other hand goes around the ring drinking with fans, which makes her seem rather popular. Grinding on everyone in the ring makes it even better (Better?) as this is going to be an interesting one. This is DeRosa’s, usually a commentator, debut and he has gear very similar to Cabana’s.

Ryan oils up and gives Cabana some for he and DeRosa to share. The bell rings and Ryan tells Cabana to touch it but, after an apology to the crowd, he declines. Ryan thinks DeRosa might do it instead so Cabana brings him in…and has to hold DeRosa back from touching it. DeRosa and Ryan trade wristlocks to start but Ryan still can’t get him to touch it. If that won’t happen, maybe DeRosa will touch Martina’s….uh, yeah.

Cabana is MORE than willing to try (Martina doesn’t seem to mind) but they’ll wrestle instead. Well maybe not as Martina grinds on Cabana to get out of a waistlock and Ryan tags himself back in. Cabana does his STOP, WHAT’S THAT and slaps Ryan in the face and annoyance begins to grow. DeRosa and Martina come in with DeRosa slapping her in the same way, which is NOT COOL with a lot of people. Ryan knocks DeRosa into the corner for a Bronco Buster (the long form) from Martina.

With DeRosa down, it’s time for the lollipop from Ryan’s trunks. Cabana breaks that up and it’s stereo Bionic Elbows to the….villains? DeRosa busts out a super hurricanrana for two, followed by a Figure Four. Cabana puts Martina in the Billy Goat’s Curse at the same time but Martina crawls on top of DeRosa’s face and bounces for the double break.

Then Kiss Me by Sixpence None The Richer starts playing (ok that’s a plus) and romance is teased….until DeRosa and Cabana’s hands are put between Ryan and Martina’s respective legs. There’s the double flip (with the referee falling down too) and Ryan pulls out a sucker/Martina pulls out a prophylactic from their tights, which go into Cabana and DeRosa’s mouths. Stereo superkicks are good for stereo pins for Ryan and Martina at 8:12.

Rating: F. This is the definition of a your mileage may vary match and that isn’t the best thing to see. Ryan’s shtick didn’t work for me before everything came out about him and it’s even more uncomfortable not. The match was pure “comedy” and barely a match, but what else were you expecting here? Absolutely not my thing and the kind of stuff I never need to see again.

Peace is made post match as Jim Cornette insults abound.

Eddie Kingston vs. Juice Robinson

Kingston comes out to David Starr’s music as the result of a lost bet. They go technical to start with Kingston working on a hammerlock before switching into a top wristlock. Back up and Robinson hits a spinwheel kick, setting up a Cannonball in the corner. A high crossbody gives Robinson two as commentary talks about Sami Callihan. Kingston isn’t having that and knocks him outside, setting up the big suicide dive.

Robinson’s piledriver attempt is countered into a backdrop on the floor, setting up a big whip into the barricade. Back in and the waistlock goes on to keep Robinson down, followed by the rapid fire (minus rapid fire) chops in the corner. That’s reversed into some chops from Robinson and a layout powerbomb gets two. Kingston runs him over again and NOW it’s time for the big chop off (which you knew was coming). Robinson gets in another shot and grabs Pulp Friction for the pin at 8:29.

Rating: C. That ending came out of nowhere and it wasn’t exactly a great match in the first place. This felt more like the match where someone said “hey they’ve never fought before” and that was the extent of the planning. Granted there is only so much that you can do with a story on this show, but this was just kind of there for the most part.

Fight Club Pro Title: Meiko Satomura vs. Kimber Lee vs. Jessicka Havok

Satomura is defending and this is the top title of the promotion (out of England, owned by Trent Seven) rather than the Women’s Title. Striker, ever the nitwit, insists that it IS the Women’s Title, even though that title doesn’t seem to have ever existed. Havok clotheslines both of them down to start and does it again to Satomura for daring to fight back.

Satomura and Lee get together and start striking away to take Havok down, leaving Lee to forearm away at Satomura for a bit. Some kicks to the head rock Lee but she’s back with a bridging German suplex for two. Havok is back in though and tosses Lee around with no trouble. Three straight running kicks to the face stagger Lee even more but Satomura forearms Havok away. A DDT sends Havok outside and Lee gets Death Valley Drivered for two. Satomura hits Scorpion Rising to retain at 6:06.

Rating: C. That was rather sudden as Havok never came back in after the DDT. Not having a title changed here isn’t exactly shocking and it was cool to see Satomura getting to showcase herself. Lee is someone I never could get into but she is talented. Havok on the other hand is a total monster that you get as soon as you see her. Perfectly fine match here, but I was expecting more.

AAW Title: Trevor Lee vs. ACH

ACH is defending and Lee’s (probably better known as Cameron Grimes) AAW Heritage Title isn’t on the line. Lee bails to the floor to start and grabs the mic, allowing him to complain about this show taking place at “eleven o’clock in the afternoon”. These people here don’t care that he was out late on Bourbon Street but all that matters is that he is going to win the AAW Title. Not some loser like ACH who can’t even get on another show this weekend, but a real champion.

After bragging about the money he is going to make, Lee gets hit in the face, only to have ACH miss the 450 back inside. A shot to the face knocks out ACH’s tooth or gum but he is fine enough to avoid the Cave In. ACH is back with a superkick into a brainbuster for…..the pin at 3:10!

Rating: C+. Sure why not, as Lee’s promo and then getting getting shut up so fast was funny, but the wrestling was barely half of this. Sometimes you need a fun match like this, even if it was probably a way to cut time on a loaded show. ACH really was a talented guy before he went a bit bonkers, while Lee would go on to a rather nice career.

Post match, Lee reminds us that he is STILL the Heritage Champion.

OVE vs. Brian Cage/Joey Janela/AR Fox

Tornado rules. That would be the Crist Brothers/Sami Callihan, who are billed under both of their names (Ohio vs. Everything and Ohio Is For Killers). Jake Crist isn’t waiting on the bell and flip dives onto everyone, setting up an Asai moonsault as we’re just getting started without a bell. Penelope Ford comes out to watch as Dave takes Fox inside for a wind up DDT. Janela high crossbodies Fox but gets clotheslined by Callihan.

Cage is waiting on him so Callihan spits in his face….which earns Callihan a heck of a discus lariat. Jake knocks Cage outside but his suicide dive is caught in a suplex because Cage can do that. Everyone else heads outside, leaving Janela to hit a big top rope flip dive. Dave goes up so Ford catches him and it’s a superplex onto the big pile. That’s too far for Callihan, who powerbombs Ford onto a slightly smaller pile, which has commentary freaking out. Not over what Ford did, which was more dangerous, but just what Callihan did. Hypocrites.

Back in and a bunch of strikes to the face leave everyone down as commentary talks about Ford’s Gizmo themed gear. OVE is back up with stereo superkicks but charge into superkicks. Fox avoids a charge though and hits a Spanish Fly, setting up a 450 for two. Jake is back in with a Death Valley Driver to Fox, setting up the spike Tombstone (Killing Spree) for….one?

Everyone is back up for the big staredown, with Cage hitting an F5 and Fox hitting a Death Valley Driver of his own, setting up a triple cover. OVE breaks up stereo triple superplexes so Fox knocks Dave down instead. Fox loads up a frog splash but Jake dives from the adjacent corner with a super cutter to knock Fox cold for the pin at 8:45.

Rating: B-. Thank goodness they went to the finish after that cutter because nothing was going to top that one. Fox was knocked silly and there was no reason to try anything else. The rest of the match was your usual insanity that comes with such a stipulation and it went rather well, at least partially helped because OVE is a regular team. That finish looked great though and it carried the match a lot higher.

PWR Scramble Title: Matt Palmer vs. Jake Manning vs. Caleb Konley vs. Trey Miguel vs. Clint Margera vs. Jason Cade vs. Ace Romero vs. Curt Stallion vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman vs. Myron Reed vs. Connor Braxton vs. Omari

Palmer is defending and this would be your OH COME ON match of the show, as there are TWELVE PEOPLE in this. Everyone but MJF jumps Palmer to start and toss him outside, leaving everyone else to brawl inside. Reed is left alone to dropkick Cade outside so Stallion comes in to dropkick him. Romero hits a dropkick to Stallion but the rather tall Braxton kicks Romero outside.

Palmer and MJF double team Braxton and we seem to have a partnership….until they both poke eyes and kick each other low, which is good for a handshake out of mutual respect. That’s always nice to see. Omari and Margera hit stereo flip dives onto the floor, followed by Miguel’s springboard flip dive. Manning’s top rope trust fall (while still reading his Boy Scout manual, as is his custom) takes everyone down, leaving Romero (nearly 400lbs) to hit his own dive, much to the fans’ delight.

Back in and we get the required Tower Of Doom, albeit with Palmer and MJF teaming together, teasing a split, and then splitting in the span of ten seconds. Braxton and Stallion double team Romero, with the former managing an impressive slam. Manning is back in with a backbreaker into a lifting Downward Spiral to Stallion and we hit the parade of secondary (or maybe primary) finishers. Omari takes Miguel out so MJF tries to steal the pin, only to get rolled up by Palmer (with trunks) to retain at 8:14.

Rating: C. Yeah it was fine and that’s all I can think of to say about it. What in the world are you supposed to do with a dozen people doing spot after spot for about eight minutes? Palmer stealing the pin doesn’t so much prove anything as he just was in the right place at the right time. That is how these matches always go and while they get a lot of people on the show, they almost never do anything for me as no one gets to stand out in the slightest.

Lucha Bros vs. Jack Evans/Teddy Hart

First half of a double main event and it takes a good while for the Bros to get here. As usual, Evans runs his mouth a lot before the match, which will likely continue after the bell. Fenix and Evans start things off and yes Evans is still running his mouth, which is rarely a good idea. They trade their flips until Fenix kicks the leg out for no count before flipping up into a standoff.

Hart and Penta come in and the chop off is on fast before Hart complains about the lack of respect. A Backstabber drops Penta and Evans springboards in to kick Fenix in the head. That leaves Hart to hit a hanging piledriver/DDT at the same time to drop both Bros. Evans does a triple backflip into the corner to poke Fenix in the eye, which he describes as never before seen. The Canadian Destroyer into the moonsault gives Hart two on Fenix but Penta is back in for a change.

The double teaming takes him down as well, only to have the Bros pop up for running corner clotheslines. Penta gives Hart a heck of a superkick into the corner, with Evans being tied in the Tree of Woe to put them on top of each other. Fenix flips Penta onto the pile before Evans is tied up in a surfboard. That’s not enough for Penta though, as Fenix pulls on the arms at the same time.

Since that doesn’t really work nearly as well as the single version would, Evans hangs on until Hart makes the save. Penta Canadian Destroyers Hart for two with Evans making a save of his own. A springboard doesn’t work for Evans as he falls off the top but he’s right back with a middle rope Phoenix splash for two as Fenix makes his own save.

Fenix hits a rolling cutter on Evans as the referee is trying to restore order for whatever reason. One heck of a Project Ciampa drops Fenix and Evans adds the 630 for two more. Penta powerbombs Evans onto his knee for his own near fall, setting up a stereo Pentagon Driver/Black Fire Driver to give the Bros the double pin at 10:34.

Rating: B-. I would call this the “well, what did you expect” special, as you know what you’re going to get when you have a match involving these people. There is nothing else to expect from these four getting into a match and they made it work well. Let them go out there and do their flips and dives to pop the crowd and that’s all you need. Fun stuff of course, despite being total junk food wrestling.

AAW/PWR Tag Team Titles: Besties In The World vs. Aussie Open vs. Rascalz

The Besties (Davey Vega/Mat Fitchett) are defending both sets of titles in a ladder match. The Rascalz (Dezmond Xavier/Zachary Wentz) are debuting their name, having been formerly known as Scarlett And Graves (weird name). That leaves Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher/Mark Davis), who have nothing of note but I needed a reason to say their names. And yes, the Besties are the team who do their entrance to Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden and yes it is still amazing.

Hold on though, as Fitchett wants tables and chairs added in to the ladders because they’re hardcore! Vega: “NO WE’RE NOT!” Striker says everything is legal, despite it being a ladder match where everything is legal in the first place. A bunch of weapons are thrown inside as commentary talks about how ridiculous it is to have all of these totally unnecessary things underneath the ring.

Ladders and plywood are placed in the corner and Fitchett and Miguel are knocked into/through them. Vega goes up top and gets caught by a bunch of people who shove him through another plywood board. Aussie Open and the Rascalz slug it out with the bigger Fletcher being the last man standing. Wentz chairs him off the ladder though and goes up, allowing commentary to mock JR’s voice on the famous Jeff Hardy ladder climb.

With that broken up, Wentz hits a big step up dive onto a pile on the floor, followed by Fitchett’s running lip dive. Davis Arabian presses onto a bunch of people, leaving Xavier alone with a ladder in the ring. Instead of going for the belts, he climbs the ladder and shooting stars down onto the pile. Vega has used the delay to put a board over six chairs at ringside and superplex Wentz through it for the next big crash.

Back in and Fitchett kicks Xavier in the face but it’s Aussie Open cleaning house. Davis’ running forearm in the corner rocks Xavier and the Aussies both climb at once (Commentary: “No, no, no.”). Fitchett makes the save and the champs crush Aussie Open with ladders in the corner. The Rascalz are back in to kick the Besties down, including Wentz superkicking a chair into Fitchett’s face. Davis comes back in this time and powerbombs Xavier with one arm (dang) but gets kicked in the face by Wentz as well.

Xavier is back up to kick Fletcher and Fitchett down, leaving everyone on the mat. The Aussies catch Xavier going up and Fletcher dives off the top for a cutter (not quite OVE level but not bad). Wentz chops at the Aussies but gets thrown into a ladder in the corner for his efforts. That’s enough to dent the ladder so Fletcher gets on Davis’ shoulders but the champs turn it into a Doomsday Device. The Besties hit stereo piledrivers on the Rascalz (illegal in Louisiana) and retain the titles at 14:10.

Rating: B. It was a six man indy ladder match and that should tell you everything that you need to know. There were cool spots and a lot of carnage until one of the teams got the titles, which is exactly how something like this was supposed to go. It’s nothing great or memorable but for a big main event on a show like this one, it went well and was probably the best thing on the card.

Post match the Besties say that’s how you win gold together (Fan: “THEY’RE SILVER!”) but they want to call out….DAVID ARQUETTE??? AND HE’S HERE! Arquette pulls out a $100 bill scarf and says the Besties just want his money, before bragging about the big names he has faced. He says he’s a real champion and that WWE ruined WCW. Then he pulls off his jacket and reveals a NEVER BEEN PINNED shirt. Arquette seems to challenge the Besties to a match and leaves through the crowd to end the show on an awkward note.

Overall Rating: B-. I had fun and it only went a little over two hours so it didn’t overstay its welcome. What matters here is getting a bunch of people on a show and popping the crowd over and over. You don’t look for continuity or logic here and what we got here lived up to those requirements. It’s cool to see some of the non-WWE stars out there doing their thing and there is only one match that really didn’t work on the whole card. Fun stuff and I’m kind of regretting not taking it in live.

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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AAW Epic 2017: The 13th Anniversary Show
Date: April 8, 2017
Location: Joe’s Live, Rosemont, Illinois
Commentators: Phil Colvin, Tyler Volz

As the name might suggest, this is AAW, a pretty nice independent promotion from around Chicago. There are a lot of names you are going to recognize on here and that should make for a pretty nice card. Making it to thirteen years is impressive enough and in theory the show should work out as a result. Let’s get to it.

The commentators are in the ring to welcome us to the show and hype things up a bit.

Opening video.

Besties In The World vs. Stephen Wolf/Trey Miguel

The Besties (Davey Vega/Kyle Fitchett) come out to Savage Garden’s Truly Madly Deeply and yes they have a dance routine to it, because they’re that awesome. They start fast with Fitchett hitting a double Pele but the Besties are sent outside. Wolf dives onto Fitchett and Miguel hits Vega as the Besties are in early trouble.

We settle down to Wolf hitting a very springboardy hurricanrana to Vega and it’s off to Miguel for some dropkicks in the corner. Vega is back up with a kick to the face and it’s back to Fitchett for a suplex on Miguel. A wind up poke to the eye rocks Miguel again, even though Vega isn’t happy with Fitchett’s cheating.

The neck crank goes on for a bit, followed by Fitchett hitting a Ho Train of all things for two. Miguel manages something like a cutter and the hot tag brings in Wolf….who slips off the ropes in a springboard attempt but spears Fitchett anyway. Everything breaks down and Miguel elbows Vega in the face, setting up a top rope Meteora which needs a save from Fitchett.

Vega and Miguel wind up holding Fitchett up, allowing Wolf to come in with a springboard double stomp to the ribs. Miguel Rolls the Dice into a standing shooting star press for two on Vega, who is back up without much trouble. A powerbomb drops Wolf onto Miguel, setting up a brainbuster onto the knee/running boot from Fitchett combination for the pin at 9:28.

Rating: B-. They went with the fast paced tag match to start here and that is how a show should get going. Sometimes you need to do something fun to get the show going and that is what they did here. The Besties In The World have been a fun team every time I have seen them and this was no exception, though that might be due to the Savage Garden influence.

Trevor Lee says he isn’t dancing anymore because all it got him was a lame Tag Team Titles. Then his partner got hurt and he was stripped of the titles even though he never lost. He is the biggest star around and Chuck Taylor is still on the indies for a reason. Lee wants to be the first star in the arena because after him, there is no show. Tonight, he’s taking Taylor out.

ACH vs. Shane Strickland

If nothing else we get Ain’t Nobody for Swerve’s entrance and sweet goodness that is an awesome setup. ACH goes outside and lays on a section labeled KEEP OFF, giving us a HOLY S*** chant before the bell. To even things out, Strickland loads up ACH’s shirt but then drops it instead. ACH isn’t happy with that and sends him to the apron, where a dropkick to the leg takes him down.

The REALLY hard running kick from the apron has Strickland in a lot of trouble but he gets a boot up to stop a charge. Back in and Strickland misses a legsweep and enziguri but manages a dropkick to rock ACH again. Strickland takes him into the corner for a VERY loud chop, with ACH cringing even harder. Back up and ACH hits his own loud chop, earning him a glare from Strickland.

We get the very long wind up before ACH’s next chop….and then he points over there and hits Strickland low. Some neckbreakers give ACH two and we’re off to the Figure Four necklock. With that broken up, ACH ties up the leg, points to the crowd a bit, and then turns it into a Muta Lock. A Ted DiBiase fist drop has Swerve in more trouble, setting up an Aleister Black dragon sleeper.

Strickland fights up and hits the House Call for a breather, which has the fans waking up a bit. That sweet rolling cutter gives Swerve two (with commentary being STUNNED by the kickout). The Swerve Stomp misses though and a fireman’s carry backbreaker gives ACH two of his own. Back up and Strickland charges into a boot in the corner, setting up a middle rope Codebreaker for two.

The brainbuster is blocked so ACH chops him into the corner instead. Strickland isn’t having that and hits a running boot in the corner, setting up the Swerve Stomp for the big near fall. The JML Driver is blocked so they trade kicks to the face until another House Call sets up….something that ACH reverses into the brainbuster for the pin at 12:41.

Rating: B. This was the kind of fast paced and hard hitting match that had me wondering who was going to win by the end. The finish was a very nice curve too as I wouldn’t have bet on that kind of a fast switch from ACH. Strickland continues to be someone who should be ready to become a top star somewhere, but for some reason that hasn’t quite happened outside of the old MLW. Good stuff here though and I could go for more from them, even if ACH is a bit wacky.

Post match ACH wants a handshake but then drops the mic and walks off instead, like a true villain.

Chuck Taylor isn’t sure how this singles match thing is going to work but if Trevor Lee doesn’t want to dance, maybe he will. Or maybe not. Either way, he wraps it up with a “f*** you buddy” to Lee.

Trevor Lee vs. Chuck Taylor

We get a F*** THAT OWL chant as Lee is an Impact Wrestling star and that is not a good idea a lot of the time. They stare at each other to start…and some dance music starts. Actually hang on again though as Lee grabs a headlock instead. That stays on for a bit until Taylor rolls him into the corner and stomps away, leaving Lee looking a bit stunned.

With Lee down, Taylor goes all the way to the entrance and gets a running start before landing on apron and waving at Lee. The slow motion hilo hits Lee, who is right back up with a whip into the barricade. A belly to back drop onto the apron has Taylor in more trouble, allowing Lee to pose a bit. Back in and Lee hits a running tackle to a downed Taylor, sending him back to the floor. Some choking on the barricade sets up a rolling, uh, cover, for two back inside.

A release German suplex drops Lee though and it’s Taylor striking away at the face. Lee charges into an overhead belly to belly, sending him hard into the corner for two more. Taylor gets caught in a bridging German suplex for two more and Lee hits a Superman Punch. Lee’s suplex is countered into the Falcon Arrow for another near fall but Taylor misses a moonsault (of all things). The miss lets Lee hit the Cave In but Taylor counters the fireman’s buster into a small package for two. That’s fine with Lee, who rolls him up with tights for the pin at 9:43.

Rating: C+. Another pretty good one here, with both guys fitting in rather well. It didn’t feel quite as intense, but Lee and Taylor aren’t exactly known for being the most serious guys. They got things going near the end though and I was thinking Taylor might have pulled off the upset. It was a bit of a step down from the first two matches, but if this is the bad stuff, we’re in for a pretty awesome show.

Angelico and Jack Evans (later known as the Hybrid 2 in AEW) are ready for the Crist Brothers.

Tag Team Titles: OI4K vs. Angelico/Jack Evans

OI4K (that would be Ohio Is 4 Killers, meaning Jake and Dave Crist, with JT Davidson) are defending. Angelico and Evans seem to be debuting here, with Angelico in a Lucha Underground shirt. Jake and Angelico start things off, with Angelico taking him down for an early leg crank. Back up and Jake goes with a headlock on the much taller Angelico, making for a bit of a strange visual.

That’s reversed into something like an Indian Deathlock for some cranking/screaming (I’ll let you figure out which is which) until Jake rakes the eyes to escape. Evans, smoking a cigarette, comes in for some clapping but his dancing results in Jake jumping him from behind. Just to show off, Evans fights back and sends the champs to the floor, all while smoking.

The big dive is cut off by a kick to the head though and we hit the chinlock. Dave is right there to cut Angelico off the apron though and a fist drop gets two on Evans. Back up and Evans hits a springboard moonsault onto both Crists (albeit not at the same time), setting up a Pele so the hot tag can bring Angelico back in. Everything breaks down and Angelico kicks Dave down for two.

Evans’ assisted 450 knees gets two, with Jake making another save. A belly to back suplex/springboard double stomp gets the same, with Dave having to flip Evans onto Angelico to break up a Koji Clutch. There’s a tiger suplex for the same on Evans but Angelico makes the save this time. The Fall From The Heavens drops Jake but Davidson pushes Evans off the top. A twisting DDT and a Tombstone retains the titles at 12:25.

Rating: B-. This was a rather indy style tag match, as they started off with the usual stuff and then broke down into all four of them in there at once for a bunch of saves. That being said, it’s still a completely entertaining match and both teams are quite good. Evans is still more than a bit out there, but his flipping is always worth a look.

Post match Low Ki runs in and takes out OI4K without much trouble. Low Ki says he’s coming for Sami Callihan and tonight he’s coming for Callihan in a tag match. His usual partner, Eddie Kingston, isn’t here tonight but he has a mystery partner. Sounds fun.

Matt Riddle is ready to take out Michael Elgin tonight. He is pretty much exactly the same Riddle he would be in WWE as well.

Michael Elgin vs. Matt Riddle

Riddle tries to go with the grappling to start but Elgin spins him around. That doesn’t work either so Riddle grabs a front facelock, which is reversed into a pretty weird looking Sharpshooter. Elgin switches that over to an STF but Riddle powers out and grabs a headscissors. With that broken up, Riddle wins a slugout and snaps off a good looking German suplex. They head outside, with Elgin dropping him hard onto the apron.

Back in and Elgin BLASTS him with a chop, followed by the very delayed (32 seconds) vertical suplex for two. Riddle gets up and strikes away with shots to the face and ribs, setting up an overhead suplex. The backsplash gets two but some YES Kicks just wake Elgin up and he growls a lot. A Bro To Sleep and another German suplex gives Riddle two more.

Elgin is fine enough to cut him off with a kick to the head though and a German suplex into the corner has Riddle in trouble for a change. Riddle catches him on top so Elgin grabs a middle rope sunset flip of all things, followed by a discus lariat (that’s more like it). One heck of a top rope splash gives Elgin two but the Elgin Bomb (a bomb from Elgin) is countered.

They trade strikes to the head until Elgin hits a HARD clothesline for a double knockdown. A top rope superplex hits Riddle, who pops up to his feet, because FIGHTING SPIRIT is a really stupid concept. Elgin clothesline him down again and then does it again for two. A buckle bomb into a GTS into a tiger bomb gets two more on Riddle, setting up the buckle bomb into an Elgin Bomb for the pin at 14:50.

Rating: B. This was the hard hitting fight that you probably expected, though the FIGHTING SPIRIT stuff can get a little annoying when it happens more than once in a match. Riddle’s kickout got a little annoying but at least he lost in the end. Elgin was a heck of a power guy, though I’m not sure how often you re going to be seeing him after various issues took him out of a good chunk of the industry (as they should have).

Post match, Elgin talks about how he hasn’t been here for all of the thirteen years of AAW, but thanks the fans anyway.

Shane Strickland has lost his first two matches in AAE and doesn’t feel bad about losing to AR Fox and ACH. He’ll be back, better, stronger and faster.

JT Davidson is very happy with OI4K retaining and promises they will take on all comers. They’re ready for whoever is up next on April 22. Dave Crist talks about being a fighter and a killer, even with a pinched nerve in his back.

John Morrison vs Rey Fenix

Bit of a slip up as Morrison’s chyron says Hennigan. The fans don’t think much of Morrison, but that might be due to him not throwing his shirt to the crowd. Morrison grabs a headlock to start but Fenix flips up and they run the ropes. Said running doesn’t include much in the way of contact until Morrison is sent outside. Fenix’s dive is cut off with a kick to the head but he’s fine enough to grab a rolling cutter for two back inside.

A Crossface doesn’t last long for Fenix so Morrison takes him outside and drapes him between the ring and the apron. An ax kick brings Fenix down but hold on as Morrison dives over the barricade and steals a fan’s hat. The hat is put in Morrison’s pants and rubbed in various places before being returned to the fan….who puts it back on. That’s certainly a new one.

Back in and Morrison grabs a chinlock with a bodyscissors, which lasts as long as a chinlock would be expected to last. They head to the apron, where Fenix kicks him down and hits a top rope double stomp to the back of the head. Well it wasn’t the Destroyer I was expecting so I’ll take that as an upgrade. That’s good for two back inside but Morrison grabs a powerslam of all things. A standing shooting star press gets two on Fenix, who comes back with a great looking superkick.

The 450 misses though and Morrison grabs a Spanish Fly for two of his own, leaving them both down. They slug it out until Morrison leg lariats him down again. Back up and Morrison spits in his face and fires off a middle finger, which means he needs to hide behind the referee. That sets up the low blow and Flying Chuck, but Starship Pain doesn’t work. Fenix is back up with a Canadian Destroyer for the pin at 13:32.

Rating: B. If you’ve seen one Fenix match then you’ve seen them all, and as usual it was as exciting of a match as you are going to see on the show. This was another very entertaining match and Fenix continues to somehow be even better on his own than his great work as a tag wrestler. Good stuff here, and the kind of fast paced match you knew you were getting from Fenix. Morrison was his usual self as well, and the heel work continues ot be his strong suit.

Post match the fans throw in money, which Morrison grabs before running off, as expected. Fenix flips him off to even the score a bit.

Riddle, in a different hat than earlier, seems disappointed by his loss but he knows he can beat anyone. I think at least, as he’s kind of hard to understand.

Chuck Taylor wants Alex Daniels on April 22, which happens to be his birthday.

Sami Callihan/Abyss vs. Low Ki/???

JT Davidson handles Callihan and Abyss’ introduction. Low Ki’s partner is….Kongo Kong, a rather large jungle savage monster. It’s a brawl to start with Ki (in his Hitman (game, not Hart) gear) hitting a dropkick to send Callihan outside. Abyss cuts him off but Kong hits a big dive to take everyone down. Callihan is back up with a spitting chop to Ki as Abyss and Kong brawl next to the barricade.

Ki and Callihan fight on the stage, with Kong cutting Callihan off before he can send Ki flying. Back on the floor, Ki hits some running forearms to Callihan but does stop for a quick drink. Kong posts Abyss and takes Callihan inside as they trade off for the first time. Callihan’s shots to the face don’t work as Kong catches him with a spinning slam.

Abyss is back in with a chokeslam to Kong but Ki knocks him down as well. That leaves Ki and Callihan to slug it out until Ki misses a charge into the corner. A running kick in the corner rocks Ki but he’s right back with a shotgun dropkick. With the two of them down, Kong and Abyss slug it out, with Abyss hitting the Black Hole Slam for the pin at 9:32.

Rating: C. This was the weakest match of the night for me as it was a big brawl with no one exactly standing out. I’m not a fan of the Hitman Low Ki phase and it felt like it kept going for far longer than it should have. Abyss is still a good choice for a monster/enforcer, while Callihan does feel like a top heel. Kong as a replacement for Eddie Kingston…didn’t exactly work. Not a bad match, but it didn’t exactly make me want to see more.

Post match, Abyss and Callihan give us a display of middle finger extensions.

Michael Elgin is proud of his win and wants the World Title.

AAW Heritage Title: Penta El Zero M vs. AR Fox

Penta is defending the midcard title. This means nothing though, as Fox comes out to the Space Jam theme, making him the coolest guy named Fox in this match. They start very fast with a double knockdown and the fans are rather appreciative. Or maybe that’s over Penta’s CERO MIEDO thing. Penta knocks him to the floor but the dive is cut off by a kick to the head (popular spot tonight).

Fox gets superkicked out of the air but knocks Penta outside as well. That means the second cut off dive in a row, though Fox is fine enough to hit a hanging Codebreaker. A moonsault off the post hits Penta on the floor and it’s time for the big chop off. Fox puts him on the apron for a top rope legdrop and they head back inside. Penta pops up with a pair of Sling Blades but Fox kicks him down again.

There’s a Swanton for two on Penta, leaving Fox to do the clapping to start getting the fans more into things. A handspring is cut off with a dropkick (cool counter) from Penta for a breather. It’s time to start on the arm but Fox saves himself from a snapping. Penta gets caught on top but comes right back with a Canadian Destroyer for two.

Fox puts him on top for his springboard Spanish Fly, followed straight by the 450 for two more, giving us the stunned kickout face. They head to the apron to strike it out until Fox hits a package piledriver to knock Penta silly. Naturally that is shrugged off and Penta hits a Canadian Destroyer on the apron. The top rope double stomp retains the title at 10:13.

Rating: B. Fox is someone who is almost revered and I do get a bit more out of him when I see him in the ring. That was the case here, as Fox looked good in defeated. Granted it helps when you actually sell big moves for more than a few seconds, as Penta popping up after being dropped on his head on the apron didn’t exactly work. Solid main event, but it didn’t quite feel like the main event of a major show.

Respect is shown post match and Penta poses. A lot. As money is thrown in. Then he leaves.

The Besties In The World want their Tag Team Titles back, but apparently they have a singles match to deal with first. Davey Vega isn’t pleased and leaves.

ACH calls AAW his new wife and wants the World Title.

The Lucha Bros are very happy with their wins but Rey Fenix wants the World Title. Threats to Sami Callihan are made to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. I had a really good time with this one and it felt like a big time independent show. Granted, that’s assuming you consider a promotion that has been around for thirteen years to be independent but that’s a different story. The action was good, it was a basic all star show of wrestlers you probably came to know from their work after this, and nothing was close to bad. It didn’t have that one match that felt bigger than the rest, but what we got here was very good. Check this place out if you get the chance as I’ve seen two shows from them now and had a good time with each.

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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AND

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Dynamite
Date: April 6, 2022
Location: Agganis Arena, Boston, Massachusetts
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross, Excalibur

It’s pretty rare to have a lot of things going on when a company hasn’t had a major show, but that is the case this week. Ring of Honor’s Supercard of Honor event was basically AEW’s Wrestlemania weekend show and included the debut of Samoa Joe. He’ll be here tonight, and that means things could get a lot more interesting. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Adam Cole vs. Christian Cage

They stare at each other for a bit until Christian grabs a headlock to grind away a bit. Cole breaks that up and sends him into the corner to take over. Christian knocks him outside though and it’s a baseball slide out to the floor. That means some chops up against the barricade but Christian’s foot gets caught in the ropes, allowing Cole to take over again. A hard whip into the corner rocks Christian and we take a break.

Back with Christian knocking him to the floor again and diving over the top to….I think it connected but it was more grazing Cole’s hands/arms. Back in and Christian hits the pendulum kick in the corner, setting up the tornado DDT for two. Cole’s Backstabber out of the corner gets two more and the low superkick into the running knee (knee pad still up and to the face instead of the back of the head) is good for the same. The Boom is countered into a rollup for two, followed by Christian hitting a spear for two more. With nothing else working, Cole pokes him in the eye and hits the Boom for the pin at 14:50.

Rating: B-. This is where Christian can help a lot, as he has a reputation that means a win over him still means something and can make anyone look good. Cole gets a nice win and Christian has been a made man for a long time so it isn’t like he is hurt here. Good choice for an opener and the kind of win that gives Cole an actually important win.

Post match ReDDragon comes out for the beatdown but the Jurassic Express makes the save. Christian walks off to the side of the stage as the other four brawl (After rolling outside pretty fast after the pin. Hopefully nothing is wrong.). With everyone else gone, Hangman Page comes down to get in Cole’s face. Page issues the challenge for a Texas Death Match for the title next week on Rampage (not Dynamite), while telling him to get his affairs in order.

We look back at Jay Lethal challenging Jonathan Gresham for the World Title and beating him down, only for Samoa Joe to return and take out Lethal’s associate Sonjay Dutt.

Owen Hart Foundation Qualifying Match: Samoa Joe vs. Max Caster

Anthony Bowens is here with Caster, whose rap talks about how Samoa Joe is an overweight X-Division wrestler who was NXT Champion when Dynamite beat NXT in the ratings. Joe starts fast and hammers away in the corner, even throwing in a dance. Caster gets knocked to the floor for the suicide dive and it’s the MuscleBuster for the pin at 2:53. Total and complete destruction, as it should have been.

Post match Jay Lethal and Sonjay Dutt pop up on screen to say they aren’t scared of Joe. They had a change of heart last week and now it’s about doing what they want. The might not have needed one had Joe just answered his phone in the last four months. Joe clearly has a phone, but he’ll only answer calls from billionaires. It’s not too late to roll out the red carpet for Joe though, so next week Lethal promises him a present. Next week, Joe is getting a present that he’ll never forget. Dutt is quite the odd addition to this story. I know he and Lethal have history together but there was no one else to pair up with Lethal?

William Regal is happy with the Blackpool Combat Club, as Wheeler Yuta will face Jon Moxley on Friday. Regal feels sorry for Yuta, and Moxley promises violence.

Shawn Spears vs. Shawn Dean

MJF is on commentary as commentary points out that Dean has beaten him. Spears throws Dean over the top for a big crash, only to stop and point at the security posters for Wardlow. Back in and Spears hits a pumphandle driver onto the knee for two, with Spears pulling him up. We cut to the back where security has been taken out and the fans know what’s up. Now we see Wardlow beating up security and coming into the arena, where he beats up even more security. In the melee, Dean rolls Spears up for the pin at 3:48.

Rating: C-. The match was a squash with a fluke ending and that’s fine as a way to keep pushing Wardlow as a major threat to MJF. The destruction is coming and it is going to be awesome once we get there. Dean could have been anyone here but giving him a pair of wins over Dean and MJF is a nice bit of continuity.

Wardlow is very happy as security takes him out of the arena.

The Best Friends aren’t happy with Wheeler Yuta finding new friends. Chuck Taylor even bought him his tights and Yuta lives on his couch. Trent is less forgiving, calling him a scumbag before leaving.

Earlier tonight, Eddie Kingston/Santana/Ortiz beat down the Jericho Appreciation Society in the back. The Society bailed away in a car.

Here are Kingston/Santana/Ortiz in the arena for a chat. Eddie talks about how he’s coming for the Society and threatens to show up at Daniel Garcia’s door. Santana and Ortiz say they’ll be ready when Jericho stops running, say next week for example.

Here are Jade Cargill and Mark Sterling for a chat. Cargill introduces her Baddie Section, which is what she describes as a bunch of beautiful women with power. She’s ready for Marina Shafir to be her 30th victim.

MJF and Shawn Spears aren’t happy with Wardlow but MJF promises more security next week. As for Dean, he can face MJF next week, where he’ll get a Purple Heart for being injured worse than he ever could have been in the military.

Hardys vs. Butcher and the Blade

Tables match. It’s a brawl to start with Blade clotheslining Jeff down inside. Blade misses a charge through a table in the corner, which doesn’t count as it wasn’t an offensive move (as made clear by the pre-match announcement of the rules). Butcher and Matt come in, where Butcher can’t suplex Matt through a table. A double DDT drops Butcher but Blade breaks up what looked to be the Swanton through the table. That leaves Jeff to get suplexed/high crossbodied through a table for the elimination.

We take a break and come back with Matt chairing Butcher, setting up a top rope legdrop through the table for the elimination. That leaves Matt vs. Blade but Matt puts himself through a table off the apron. Butcher sticks around to help double team Matt, who is thrown over the barricade.

A double suplex brings him back over but Jeff has moved the table. What looks to be Poetry In Motion into a clothesline against the barricade doesn’t look great so Jeff makes up for it with the Twisting Stunner to Blade. Matt hits a Twist of Fate on the floor and the Hardys set up two tables underneath a ladder (you knew it was coming). The Swanton off the top drives Blade through the table to give the Hardys the win at 11:55.

Rating: C+. It was pretty good, though I’m trying to get my head around the Hardys being hyped up for their history in tables matches. The Hardys are certainly stars, but it doesn’t feel like they are a big deal at the moment. Maybe that’s FTR being on another level and the Hardys not being anywhere the title picture, but it feels like they’re still waiting to take off. They certainly can do that, though it hasn’t happened yet.

Post match here is Andrade, flanked by the AFO, but here is sting with the baseball bat to beat them down. The AFO didn’t do anything, so maybe Sting just broke up the presentation of a lovely bowling trophy.

Christian Cage is ticked off and walks away from Jurassic Express’ interview. The Express doesn’t think much of ReDDragon’s records but they can have a title shot next week anyway.

Thunder Rosa is ready for Nyla Rose at Championship Fight Night on April 16.

Jamie Hayter isn’t shaking Toni Storm’s hand because she wants to win the Owen Hart tournament.

Owen Hart Foundation Qualifying Match: Hikaru Shida vs. Julia Hart

Hart still has the eye patch and sends the Varsity Blonds to the back. Hart gets in a shot in the corner which has Shida mad as we take an early break. Back with Shida pounding away and hitting a running knee in the corner. Hart rakes the eyes to get off of Shida’s shoulders though and a splits bulldog gets two. What looked to be Twisted Bliss only has Hart’s knees hitting the mat though and Shida elbows her down. Shida hits a spinning knee though and the Falcon Arrow is good for the pin at 7:40.

Rating: D+. Yozwa this didn’t work very well, as they felt like they were on different pages at times. The moves weren’t connecting very well, they didn’t seem to be communicating and it was just awkward throughout. It’s rare to see a match go this badly in AEW but this was a pretty bad showing.

Post match Serena Deeb comes out for a kendo stick/chair showdown with Shida before bailing. This feud MUST CONTINUE you see.

Shane Strickland had a good time at the Grammys but here is Team Taz to jump him. Keith Lee makes the save and drives Powerhouse Hobbs through a wall.

AAA Tag Team Titles/Ring Of Honor Tag Team Titles: FTR vs. Young Bucks

The Bucks are challenging. Harwood headlocks Matt down to start and it’s off to Dax to do the same to Nick. An armdrag into an armbar keeps Nick down but everyone comes in for the big staredown. We settle down to Dax taking Matt down with a headlock, setting up double Sharpshooters from FTR. Nick rakes the Wheeler’s eyes for the break and it’s Matt hitting a middle rope elbow on Wheeler.

The Bret Hart pose sets up the tag off to Nick and we take a break. Back with Wheeler suplexing his way out of trouble but Matt cuts off the tag attempt. Harwood Matt outside though and kicks his way over for the tag off to Harwood. House is cleaned with Harwood chopping away in the corner and getting two off a small package. Matt’s backslide (with Harwood’s shoulder not on the mat) gets two, as does Harwood’s piledriver. The PowerPlex is loaded up but Nick cuts off Wheeler with a super hurricanrana.

A dropkick/bulldog combination connects but Harwood brainbusters Nick on the floor. Wheeler Gory Bombs Matt for two but what looks like a low blow takes Wheeler down. The Big Rig gets two on Wheeler and More Bang For Your Buck connects for the same. Nick gets in a belt shot for two more on Wheeler but Harwood dives in for the save.

There’s a double superkick to Harwood and the BTE Trigger gets….a Dusty Finish, as Wheeler gets his foot on the ropes just before three, meaning the pin is called off. The Meltzer Driver is loaded up but Harwood makes the save, setting up a slingshot powerbomb to Matt. The Tombstone plants Matt and, after the double kiss, the Big Rig retains the titles at 20:00.

Rating: A. This is what you can get when you tone the Bucks down. Two superkicks, one or two flips. It was much, much better than their usual stuff and a high quality match instead of their usual junk food wrestling. The Bucks are very impressive athletes, but there are times where they want to remind you of that a bit too much. Have someone to keep them on more of a leash and you get an instant classic like this.

At the same time, FTR can do absolutely no wrong at the moment. They did this in NXT and they are doing it in AEW. These guys are just great and are becoming must see television. That isn’t something that has been the case in tag wrestling since probably Edge and Christian vs. the Hardys vs. the Dudleyz and that was 20+ years ago. Awesome stuff here and absolutely worth seeing.

Overall Rating: B+. The main event absolutely lifted this show up as, aside from maybe the opener, it wasn’t exactly great. This was the week where they moved things forward for later though and you can see a lot of what they are going for at the next Battle of the Belts. FTR is an amazing team at the moment though and that’s about all you need to remember from this show. Check out that main event for sure.

Results
Adam Cole b. Christian Cage – Boom
Samoa Joe b. Max Caster – MuscleBuster
Shawn Dean b. Shawn Spears – Rollup
Hardys b. Butcher and the Blade – Swanton Bomb through a table to Blade
Hikaru Shida b. Julia Hart – Falcon Arrow
FTR b. Young Bucks – Big Rig to Matt

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Rampage
Date: March 25, 2022
Location: HEB Center, Cedar Park, Texas
Commentators: Taz, Chris Jericho, Excalibur

We are back on Friday and that means we should be in for the heavy wrestling show. There is also a title match this week as Shane Strickland gets to challenge Ricky Starks for the FTW Title. Other than that, hometown boy Dustin Rhodes is facing Lance Archer in a bid for revenge from months ago. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Lance Archer vs. Dustin Rhodes

Archer drags one of Rhodes’ students to the ring but here is Dustin for the save. Hold on though as Dustin has to beat up Dan Lambert (who is still managing Archer, despite them not being together much lately) but Archer makes the save. They head inside with Archer knocking him around and hitting him in the head. Dustin fights back up and knocks him outside, only to miss the flip dive off the apron.

Back in and Dustin is bleeding from the ear, with the blood on Archer’s hands for a good visual. A twisting middle rope splash gives Archer two and we take a break. Back with Jericho pointing out that Archer’s hoot is unlaced before Archer bites Dustin’s finger. Dustin fights up anyway and hits some clotheslines but the snap powerslam is countered into a belly to belly.

The bulldog gets Dustin out of trouble and the Cross Rhodes connects for two. Archer is back up with a chokeslam for the same but the Black Out is escaped as Dustin…well just collapses. Back up and Archer tries to send him into the corner but gets sent face first into the exposed buckle (which apparently was exposed earlier), allowing Dustin to grab a jackknife rollup for the pin at 9:32.

Rating: C. Ok they got me with the surprise here, though Dustin winning a match over anyone with value is a bit of an odd choice. I’m not sure why Archer needed to lose here, but at least Rhodes didn’t lose in his hometown. Granted he could have lost at any other time and it would have been fine, but it did come after a decent enough match. Rather surprising ending though.

Post match Archer hits Rhodes with the steps to bust him open before beating up Dustin’s students for daring to try a save. The chokeslam through the table leaves Rhodes laying.

Jay Lethal starts laughing about his loss last week and says he can’t get past the two blemishes on his record. He took Adam Cole and Ricky Starks to the limit and they both had to cheat to beat him. That should make his proud, but all he sees are the losses and them getting opportunities. He needs a better way and is off to find it.

Fuego del Sol is here to talk about how close he has gotten to a bunch of big wins. He made these people chant his name because they believed in him. That makes him want the House of Black, so the lights go off and the entire House is in the ring with Fuego. The beatdown doesn’t take long but here is the Dark Order to stare down the House of Black. Tensions seem to be boiling.

The Men of the Year say the TNT/Co-TNT Titles are no longer subject to open challenges. Therefore, if you want a title shot, you better bring a good resume. If you want a shot, get it the hard way, because the open door is closed.

ReDRagon vs. Dark Order

5 and 10 for the Order here with O’Reilly kicking 5’s leg out to start. Angels slips out of a double suplex and sends Fish outside, setting up the rolling tag to 10. A lifting wristlock takes O’Reilly down and a double middle rope shoulder drops ReDRagon. We take a break and come back with 10 hitting a clothesline out of the corner and making it over for the tag (even as O’Reilly chokes him). The hot tag brings in 5 to clean house but O’Reilly reverses a northern lights suplex into a guillotine. 10 spinebusters Fish onto the two of them for the save, earning himself stereo kicks to the face. Chasing the Dragon finishes 5 at 6:59.

Rating: C. This was close to a squash for ReDRagon and that’s what it needed to be. The Dark Order may be a fun team but they aren’t at ReDRagon’s level in any important way. Odds are ReDRagon is going after the titles again soon so they need to win matches like this to build them up after their Revolution loss.

Post match the beatdown stays on but the Jurassic Express makes the save. Cue Adam Cole to steal the Tag Team Titles.

Nyla Rose and Vickie Guerrero say they interrupted Thunder Rosa on Dynamite because they wanted to disrespect Thunder Rosa. Now Rose is going to show how dominant she can be.

Thunder Rosa has plans for Rose and Guerrero.

Nyla Rose vs. Madi Wrenkowski

A backsplash into the Beast Bomb finishes Madi at 42 seconds. Of note: Madi is a Thunder Rosa student, so Rose is making it personal.

Here are QT Marshall and Aaron Solow to present Hook with the Certificate of Accomplishment. Cue Hook, with Marshall saying that he isn’t the kind of trainer to feel jealous when the student surpasses him. We see the award, with Hook sending Solow face first into it. Hook goes to leave but Danhausen pops up to curse him. That does nothing for Hook, who keeps walking to leave Danhausen confused.

Ricky Starks says the last time Shane Strickland had a house, he got ejected from it. Strickland laughs it off and says this is the same Starks he has always heard. Tonight, Strickland is going to take the FTW Title. Mark Henry doesn’t like this getting a bit too personal so he goes to the catchphrase.

FTW Title: Ricky Starks vs. Shane Strickland

Starks, with Powerhouse Hobbs, is challenging. Feeling out process to start but Starks takes him down and poses in the corner. Back up and Strickland drops to the mat to avoid a clothesline, nips up, and hits a headscissors into a great dropkick to cap off an awesome sequence. Starks is back up to send him into the corner though and we take a break. We come back with Starks hitting a tornado DDT for two and grabbing a seated abdominal stretch.

Strickland is back to his feet for a jumping knee to the face, setting up the middle rope uppercut to the back. Strickland goes up top but jams his knee coming back down, meaning he has to block the Roshambo attempt. Starks is knocked outside and Strickland follows him out with a running shooting star off the apron. Back in and the Swerve Stomp gets two but the half nelson driver is broken up. A rollup is countered and the kickout sends Strickland to the floor, allowing Hobbs to take him out. Now the Roshambo can retain the title at 11:21.

Rating: B-. I know it is his reputation, but my goodness it can be fun to swatch Strickland. He is so smooth in the ring and he makes this look like an art. You don’t see someone who can do that very often and it was fun to see again here. Strickland got cheated out of the win, though I really could have gone for him not being pinned here. Starks is a promising star too and it is nice to see him getting back to some longer matches after his injury.

Post match Starks’ entourage pull up a Starks banner but Keith Lee pops up behind it and comes in to help Strickland go after Team Taz to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This was an entertaining enough show and some of that was due to the pace slowing down just a hair. There were entrances for the opener and I got more of a feeling that things were given a chance to breathe. Good enough show here, though it didn’t have any kind of a standout match this week.

Results
Dustin Rhodes b. Lance Archer – Jackknife rollup
ReDRagon b. Dark Order – Chasing The Dragon to 5
Nyla Rose b. Madi Wrenkowski – Beast Bomb
Ricky Starks b. Shane Strickland – Roshambo

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Rampage
Date: March 11, 2022
Location: Hertz Arena, Fort Myers, Florida
Commentators: Ricky Starks, Taz, Excalibur

We’re back to the Friday show this time around and we are still in the fallout from Revolution. The big story on Dynamite was the debut of Jeff Hardy to reunite with his brother, which should make for a major story going forward. This week’s main event will feature the debut of Shane Strickland, which should work out rather well. Let’s get to it.

Here is Dynamite if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Marq Quen vs. Darby Allin

Sting and Isiah Kassidy are here too, but we don’t have time to intro them because we need to go straight to the ring thirty seconds into the show. As we go to a split screen of Jeff Hardy debuting, Allin takes over with a headlock but Quen fights up and sends him into the corner to take over. Some stomping has Allin in trouble and Quen hits a shoulder to the ribs in the corner. Allin hits a hiptoss for a breather but Quen goes to the apron and pulls Allin down onto it with him as we take a break.

Back with Allin hitting a superplex for two but Quen knocks him down and hits a backflip stomp/knees to the stomach for two. A flipping Downward Spiral gives Quen two, only to have Allin come back with a reverse DDT. The Coffin Drop is loaded up but Kassidy offers a distraction, which draws over Sting for the save. Quen knocks Allin off the top and hits a 450 to the floor before taking it back inside. Quen’s shooting star press misses though and Allin grabs a Fujiwara armbar for the tap at 11:49.

Rating: C+. Allin continues to be worth a watch every time and that is a great thing. He knows how to excite the fans and get them into whatever he is doing and not a lot of wrestlers can say that. You also have Quen, who can do some amazing high flying, but using a 450 to the floor 40 seconds before you lose is a bit much.

Post match the AHFO comes out to go after Allin and Sting but the Hardys make the save.

Dan Lambert talks about Larry Zbyszko and Bruno Sammartino to set up Wardlow vs. Scorpio Sky for the TNT Title on Dynamite. Sky promises to retain the title and his streak.

The House of Black loves violence and seems to threaten Death Triangle.

Mercedes Martinez vs. Jamie Hayter

Britt Baker and Rebel are here too. Hayter takes her down with a headlock to start, with Martinez reversing into a headscissors for a standoff. Back up and Hayter takes her into the corner before an exchange of shoulders lets them stare at each other again. Hayter stomps her down in the corner to take over again though and we take a break. We come back with Martinez rolling a few butterfly suplexes for two. Hayter is back with an Irish Curse for two and a shot to the head rocks Martinez. Hayter heads up but gets German suplexed HARD back down. Baker offers a distraction though and Hayter hits a clothesline for the pin at 9:30.

Rating: C-. I wasn’t feeling this one as Martinez has lost all of her interest in recent weeks and Hayter is little more than Baker’s muscle. It didn’t help that the first half of the match was pretty dull stuff and Hayter only needed a clothesline to win. Not their best stuff, but it felt like a bit of a clash as both of them have done far better before.

Post match the beatdown is on but Thunder Rosa runs in with a chair for the save.

Hikaru Shida is back and hopes Serena Deeb missed her. She promises to cut Deeb’s head off.

Keith Lee vs. QT Marshall

Lee powers him up by the arm to start but Marshall gets in a poke to the eye. Marshall mocks the BASK IN HIS GLORY, earning himself the Grizzly Magnum chop. The Uncle Phil Biel sends Marshall flying but he gets in a Stunner over the top rope. A missile dropkick puts Lee down but he’s back up with a clothesline. The Big Bang Catastrophe is blocked so Marshall hits an enziguri. The cutter is countered and Lee runs through him with a shoulder. Now the Big Bang Catastrophe can finish Marshall at 3:48.

Rating: C. They had me worried about this one as Marshall was getting in a bit too much offense here for a bit. The good thing is that Lee won with his big move at the end. There is something cool about watching Lee run through people and throw them around, but dang that man is rather large. He might need to slim down a bit, just for the sake of looking a bit better.

Post match Aaron Solo and Nick Comoroto come in for the failed beatdown attempts. Powerhouse Hobbs and Ricky Starks come in as well though and Hobbs hits a good spinebuster to drop Lee.

Tony Nese and Shane Strickland have their face to face showdown.

Tony Nese vs. Shane Strickland

Strickland takes him down by the wrist but Nese is back up without much trouble. A missed charge into the corner sets up an anklescissors takes Nese down and a basement dropkick makes it worse. Nese gets sent outside, where Strickland kicks him in the chest from the apron. A cheap shot gives Nese a breather though and we take a break.

Back with Nese blocking an uppercut and hitting a neck snap across the top. Nese misses the moonsault though and it’s a tilt-a-whirl powerslam, with Strickland rolling into a suplex for two. Strickland goes up top but gets pulled into a gutbuster. A good looking 450 gives Nese two but Strickland sends him to the apron for a running double stomp. Back in and a rolling Downward Spiral gets two and the Swerve Stomp (top rope double stomp) finishes at 13:01.

Rating: B-. Good match and Strickland looked awesome in his debut, but this was a perfect example of a match that could have been trimmed down. It’s ok to have Nese get in a few moves and then lose in about six minutes instead of going more than double that. Leave the fans wanting to see more of Strickland rather than running him through so much in his first match.

Overall Rating: C+. This was a downgrade over the usual Rampages, but it was by no means a bad show. Strickland looked good and they did some nice enough stuff in the other matches, but it is still such an oddly paced show. It feels like they have to rush through everything so they can fit in their longer matches, even when they could be done just as well with a few minutes cut off from each. The show comes off like something that was entertaining on paper but it isn’t exactly great when it airs.

Results
Darby Allin b. Marq Quen – Fujiwara armbar
Jamie Hayter b. Mercedes Martinez – Clothesline
Keith Lee b. QT Marshall – Big Bang Catastrophe
Shane Strickland b. Tony Nese – Swerve Stomp

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Dynamite
Date: March 9, 2022
Location: Hertz Arena, Fort Myers, Florida
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Jim Ross, Excalibur

We’re fresh off of Revolution and that means it is time to start setting up some new things going forward. We have about two and a half months before Double Or Nothing though and that means we are probably going to need some smaller stories to bridge the gap. Those could start this week so let’s get to it.

Here is Revolution if you need a recap.

Opening sequence.

Here is Chris Jericho, now with his hair down for a different look, to get things going. Jericho talks about how his neck is still sore from his match with Eddie Kingston but it was one of the best matches he has ever had. After the match he refused to shake his hand but now he would like Kingston to come out here right now. Cue Kingston, who says we are going to get real deep.

On the Friday night before the biggest match of his career, he didn’t want to show up. After telling the fans that Steve Austin isn’t here tonight (in response to the WHAT chants), Kingston talks about how four people came up and said they didn’t kill themselves for his Players Tribune piece. He went to his hotel room (“And you can make fun of me if you want. I’ll still beat you up.”) and cried after the match and it was the biggest night of his career.

The match was what mattered instead of the handshake because that was a Chris Jericho thing. Kingston wanted the Jericho who was in the Super J Cup (as Lionheart, as a fan shouts) and he wants to know how Jericho can fill in the hole in his chest that wouldn’t let him shake his hand. Jericho thanks him for the match and shake his hand but here are 2.0 and Daniel Garcia to take Kingston down.

Santana and Ortiz run in for the save, with Jericho being handed a bat as Ortiz holds Garcia. As expected, Jericho then beats down Santana and Ortiz with the bat. 2.0 comes back in and helps Jericho with the beatdown. Jake Hager comes in to beat on Santana and Ortiz as well as Jericho beats on Kingston with the bat. Hager powerbombs Kingston off the apron and through the table (in a scary landing) and Jericho dubs the team the Jericho Appreciation Society. Jericho: “That’s entertainment.”

CM Punk is happy with the dog collar match and says this is a new version of him.

AEW World Title: Hangman Page vs. Dante Martin

Martin is challenging and gets shouldered down to start but comes right back with a springboard crossbody. That’s pulled out of the air though and Page rolls into a fall away slam to send Martin to the apron. A springboard clothesline knocks Martin to the floor and we take a break.

Back with Martin hitting a missile dropkick for two and a moonsault connects to rock the champ again. They head back inside though and Page counters a moonsault into a powerbomb. The Buckshot Lariat is broken up though and they head back outside. Martin has to duck a forearm though and his springboard is broken up, allowing Page to hit the Buckshot Lariat to retain at 7:27.

Rating: C. It was fun while it lasted but you can only get so much out of a match that lasts about seven and a half minutes including a break. Martin was in a bit over his head here but did get a nice rub in the main event scene. I’m not sure if it needed to be a title match, though with Page winning without much effort, it didn’t hurt anything.

Post match Page calls Martin back to the ring and says that he knows Top Flight is back, but if Martin makes it back to the title scene, he would love to do it again. They shake hands and here is Adam Cole to interrupt. Cole isn’t happy with Page, who is ready to go right now. That’s not good for Cole, but he is challenging Page to a six man tag next week. Page can pick any two partners he wants but Cole has one of the best tag teams in the world as his partners (though he doesn’t say who). He promises to make Page’s life a nightmare until he is the new champion.

Brian Danielson/Jon Moxley vs. Work Horsemen

William Regal is here with Moxley and Danielson while the Work Horsemen are JD Drake and Anthony Henry. Danielson is kicking away at Drake to start so Henry comes in to kick at Danielson instead. That’s fine with Danielson, who takes Henry down into a surfboard, allowing the tag to Moxley. A Crash Landing (vertical suplex released into a powerbomb) drops Henry again as everything breaks down. Danielson’s running knee hits Drake as Moxley Paradigm Shifts Henry on the floor. That leaves Danielson to stomp Drake, setting up the LeBell Lock for the tap at 4:00.

Rating: C. Just a squash to start the new team and that is the right way to go. Regal is already adding something with those great facial expressions of his and it is great to see. I could go for a lot more of these three together, though I’m curious to see where they are going. They are going to need some major opponents for a feud and I’m not sure who that is going to be.

Post match Tony Schiavone talks to the winners plus Regal, the latter of whom says it has been 29 years since he came to America. He is 53 years old now and knows he doesn’t have much time left in the ring due to a lot of empty bottles and a few broken hearts. Regal: “I see you haven’t found a decent tailor in all that time Tony.” Regal thanks Tony for helping him get into the wrestling business in America before moving on to something more important. He has been checked out of wrestling for two months but then someone told him that Danielson mentioned him on Dynamite.

Then he heard that Danielson was going to fight Moxley. For the last several years, Danielson has been mentioned with Regal, who loves sitting down with wrestlers willing to sit down and learn. That can add ten years to your career, and Danielson is the perfect wrestler. They would train for hours a day and Danielson became everything that Regal couldn’t be.

Then, eleven years ago, Regal met Moxley and they went to mental and physical war for a year. He heard that they were going to fight on Sunday so it was time for him to finally get involved. What better way for the younger generation to learn than from the perfect wrestler and the perfect sadistic man who will take things to another level. That is why this team is together and just a warning: anyone who steps in the ring with them will regret it. Either step up or get stepped on. Regal got a little wordy here but he got the point across.

Hangman Page comes in to see the Dark Order, who asks him who he’ll be picking to team with them next week. Actually Page ran into the Jurassic Express, who wanted to fight the Young Bucks anyway. The Dark Order doesn’t seem pleased but they’ll catch up with him later.

Wheeler Yuta vs. Pac

Yuta knocks Pac down and we take a very early break. Back with Pac kicking away but Yuta gets up top for a high crossbody. Pac German suplexes him for two and hits the top rope superplex. The Brutalizer finishes Yuta at 5:40. Not enough shown to rate but Pac didn’t seem to break that much of a sweat.

The Young Bucks and ReDRagon continue arguing until Adam Cole cuts them off. Cole talks about the six man next week and picks ReDRagon for the tag match, which doesn’t sit well with the Bucks. Cole leaves and Brandon Cutler says he would pick the Bucks as his partners. Matt: “Shut up.” Cole: “I HEARD THAT BRANDON!”

FTR talks about how much they want to get their hands on the Bucks and ReDRagon but Tully Blanchard tells them to focus on the Tag Team Titles. That doesn’t work for Cash Wheeler, who fires Tully from the team.

It’s time for an emergency board meeting of the AHFO. Matt Hardy doesn’t like Andrade trying to kick him out of the team he founded and he just wants to make this right. Andrade says the team can take a vote, which works for Matt because Private Party will never vote him out.

Andrade votes no, Matt votes yes, Jose votes no, Private Party votes yes to start and then changes to no’s behind Matt’s back. Andrade tells him to watch his back and the beatdown is on. Sting and Darby Allin come in for the failed save but cue the debuting Jeff Hardy (to the classic Hardys theme) to make the real save for another Hardys reunion. Until Jeff gets bored and walks out again.

Tony Nese interrupts Swerve Strickland’s interview and challenges him to a match on Rampage, since they have a history on Friday nights.

Here is Wardlow for a chat. He has spent a lot of his life trying to make MJF’s life better and he hopes you can forgive him for associating with such trash. Wardlow grew up very poor and he had to watch his mother work hard to raise himself and his sisters. Therefore, he took MJF’s money to build a better life for his family and he used it as a foot in the door. He is thankful to MJF for the start but one day money isn’t enough to let MJF treat so badly.

Yes he is still under contract with MJF, but he doesn’t care. Wardlow is no longer MJF’s bodyguard and he is no longer part of the Pinnacle. He hopes that MJF will let him out of his contract and they can go their separate ways. All that matters now is that he wins the TNT Title and then the World Title. From now on, AEW is Wardlow’s World. Good speech here, as he got his point across and showed why he was on the bad side for so long in a way that people can accept.

QT Marshall talks to Keith Lee, saying that they have a shared enemy in Team Taz. Marshall and the Factory have his back. Lee says he has his own large back and leaves, with Marshall not being happy.

Tag Team Titles: Acclaimed vs. Jurassic Express

The Express is defending and Caster’s rap is about how much of a loser Jungle Boy is. Jungle Boy gets double teamed to but hands it off to Luchasaurus to clean house. Jungle Boy gets knocked outside for a cheap shot though and we take a break. Back with Luchasaurus sending the Acclaimed to the floor so Jungle Boy can hit a big dive.

A springboard is broken up and the Mic Drop gets two on Jungle Boy. There’s a combination powerbomb for two on Jungle Boy so Luchasaurus takes Caster outside. Jungle Boy small packages Bowens for two and Luchasaurus adds a headbutt. A Doomsday Device drops Bowens and the Tail Whip retains the titles at 9:26.

Rating: B-. Solid match here as the Express continues to get better every single week. Having them go over one team after another is going to make them feel that much bigger and that is a great thing to see. Good stuff here, as the Acclaimed is getting better in the ring to back up the cool entrance.

Jade Cargill wants to know who is going to step up to be her 30th victim.

Leyla Hirsch vs. Thunder Rosa

The winner gets a Women’s Title shot next week. They go to the mat to start with neither getting very far so they try it again. Rosa hits a dropkick and a running forearm in the corner but Hirsch knocks her back down and we take a break. Back with Rosa hitting a northern lights suplex for two but Hirsch grabs a German suplex.

Rosa catches her on top though and grabs a fireman’s carry spun into a faceplant. A sliding forearm gets two and Hirsch goes outside to grab the spare turnbuckle. That’s broken up by Red Velvet so Rosa loads up the fire thunder driver, which is reversed into a cross armbreaker. Rosa gets to the ropes to escape and now the fire thunder driver can finish Hirsch at 8:51.

Rating: C+. The entire point of this was getting Rosa the pin to set up her title match next week and they accomplished that perfectly well. Hirsch is someone who makes for a good roadblock on the way to Rosa’s next big showdown with Baker and she was hardly beaten up badly here. They did what they needed to do here so call it a success.

Post match Tony Schiavone (get that man a raise) announces that Rosa’s title shot will be inside a steel cage next week.

Britt Baker laughs at the idea of Rosa getting her shot because she is going to show just why she was the real winner of the Lights Out match.

Here’s what’s coming on various shows.

TNT Title: Sammy Guevara vs. Scorpio Sky

Sammy is defending and some forearms to the face rock Sky to start. A dropkick sends Sky outside and it’s time to set up a table at ringside. Sammy knocks him onto said table but the 630 only hits table (which EXPLODES on impact) to put himself in a lot of trouble. Cue Tay Conti to check on Sammy and we take a break. Back with Sammy slugging away but getting knocked outside again. Conti checks on him again but has to get into Paige Van Zant’s face at ringside.

A backbreaker puts Guevara down again back inside and we hit a reverse chinlock. Guevara fights up and starts chopping away, setting up a top rope cutter for two. Sky’s TKO is broken up and it’s the GTH to knock him out to the apron. Instead of covering, Sammy loads up the shooting star press but only hits raised knees. Cue Ethan Page for a distraction so Conti goes after her, only to have Van Zant send her into the steps. The distraction lets Sky hit a heck of a TKO to win the title at 11:50.

Rating: B. Another good match here and it should set up Sky as the sacrificial lamb to Wardlow next week. It makes sense with Sammy having been banged up in so many title defenses as of late and eventually was going to get caught. The title change closing the show makes it feel a bit bigger and it is likely a step in what feels like a bigger story.

Post match Sky hits Sammy with the title and Conti gets thrown inside. Van Zant kicks Conti in the head and signs her AEW contract on the back of Conti’s jeans to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. AEW puts on another pretty strong show this week, though you could feel that a little bit of the energy was gone after Revolution. That’s completely fine as you are only going to be able to do so much after that kind of a pay per view and they have stuff set up for the future. Another good effort though, with some big talking segments and action to back it up.

Results
Hangman Page b. Dante Martin – Buckshot Lariat
Bryan Danielson/Jon Moxley b. Work Horsemen – LeBell Lock to Drake
Pac b. Wheeler Yuta – Brutalizer
Jurassic Express b. Acclaimed – Tail Whip to Bowens
Thunder Rosa b. Leyla Hirsch – Fire thunder driver
Scorpio Sky b. Sammy Guevara – TKO

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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IMG Credit: Major League Wrestling

MLW Zero Hour
Date: January 11, 2018
Location: Gilt Nightclub, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Rich Bocchini, Tony Schiavone

We’re back to the early days of the promotion here as the one off shows continue. I’m not sure what to expect from this show as it has been a good while since the previous one, but they’re usually pretty good at getting us caught up in short order. Now hopefully the action can work as well. Let’s get to it.

We open with a video on the chaos of Jimmy Havoc, who brings suffering and death to everyone. Shane Strickland wants to come into Havoc’s world in a deathmatch. Jimmy thinks Shane is trapped with him but Jimmy is trapped with Swerve.

Opening sequence, complete with card rundown.

Commentary explains what we’ve got coming up.

Jeff Cobb and Matt Riddle arrive but Tom Lawlor and Seth Pettruzelli jump them and crush Cobb’s arm in the car door Barry Windham style.

Dirty Blondes vs. Jason Cade/Jimmy Yuta

The Blondes run a crisscross to warm up. There’s nothing significant there but I like the team so it’s nice to see them doing anything. Cade can’t do much with the bigger Leo Brien to start as Tony complains about Michael Patrick’s use of tobacco. A slap to the face annoys Brien and the running hurricanrana is blocked. The dropkick sends Brien over to Patrick, who gets enziguried by Yuta.

Another dropkick to the knee and a sliding version to the head give Yuta two as the tobacco rant continues. The high five double elbow gets another two but the power finally takes over with Patrick taking Cade into the corner so Brien can knee him in the back. A handspring knee to the face drops Brian so it’s Yuta coming in to clean house (even if it hadn’t had time to get very dirty).

The Bleach Job (double Alabama slam) gets two on Yuta with Cade making a save. Cade kicks Brien down but Patrick shoves him off the top, only to spit his tobacco juice into Brien’s face (bump up Tony’s foreshadowing by one). Cade’s frog splash into Yuta’s top rope elbow is good for the pin at 7:13. Yuta being stunned by the win is a great visual.

Rating: C. Completely watchable tag match here as power vs. speed is always something that is going to work. What matters here is getting the show off to a good start with the crowd having something to cheer about. It wasn’t a great match or anything but it served its purpose perfectly well.

Update on Cobb: there is no update.

Here’s Saieve Al Sabah for an unscheduled chat. He’s here to introduce us to himself as the divine leader (Tony: “Sounds like my preacher on Sunday.”) and asks for silence so he can educate us (Tony: “Yeah he definitely sounds like my preacher.”). He won’t talk until there is quiet but breaks his own rule to talk about a revolution. Cue Mike Parrow (who Al Sabah knocked out with brass knuckles last time).

Mike Parrow vs. Vandal Ortagun

Parrow sends Al Sabah over the top and we’re ready to go. Ortagun dropkicks the knee out to start and gets an early two off a low superkick. That just earns him a chokeslam but Al Sabah is on the top with the knuckles. Parrow grabs him by the throat but Ortagun goes after Parrow, allowing Al Sabah to use the knuckles for the DQ at 1:22.

Post match Ortagun poses with Al Sabah. So we’ve got the start of a heel stable.

There is speculation that Lawlor and Pettruzelli were out to gain an unfair advantage by trying to break Cobb’s arm. After that bombshell, Matt Riddle says the match is happening in the ring, in the street or at Chili’s.

Here’s when MLW is running events in Orlando again.

Brody King vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman

MJF is the same as he would be in AEW, mainly because it’s a character that could work for years. Before the match, MJF talks about the significance of the show being called Zero Hour. After the show is over, he will have zero losses and the people in front of him are all zeroes. He’s winning the upcoming World Title tournament because he’s better than you and you know it.

MJF shoves him, only to be shoved right back down for his efforts. That means some stalling on the floor but King sends him into the corner for a heck of a chop. Another one in another corner sets up a toss across the ring as MJF looks like he’s in way over his head. The Cannonball misses though and MJF forearms away in the corner. A stomp to the wrist starts in on the arm work, including a springboard flying armbar for two.

The sleeper goes on so Brody just drops down onto his back for the pretty easy break. The comeback is on with some running shots, including a running dropkick to give King two. A sitout chokebomb gets two on MJF but he kicks King in the face and hits a hanging piledriver for his own two. King goes outside so MJF tries an Asai moonsault (!) but misses, earning himself an apron bomb. Back in and Cradle Shock finishes MJF at 7:08.

Rating: C. Not bad here though I’m a little surprised by the ending. MJF is someone you expect to see winning more often than not, but there does come a point where a monster like King should be winning here. The action wasn’t bad, but you can see the complete package of MJF and it’s great to watch that development over the years.

Stokely Hathaway promises that Low Ki is ready to end MVP tonight.

Barrington Hughes wishes us a happy new year and promises to be bigger, badder and more dominant in the new year.

The next match aired on the first Fusion.

Barrington Hughes vs. Chico Adams

The 469lb Hughes wins with a Rock Bottom at 9 seconds. Probably as long as he should be going.

Cobb needs an x-ray but he’s wrestling unless he’s dead.

Salina de la Renta has Sammy Guevara hold her bag so she can talk about bringing in the best Latino stars.

Sammy Guevara vs. Darby Allin

Sammy has Salina de la Renta in his corner. Allin chills in the corner to start and Sammy tells him to bring it on. An early takedown goes to Sammy and we hit the posing. Sammy grabs a rollup for two and that’s enough to make him walk up the aisle and pose. Back in and Darby rolls him up for two, quickly followed by a springboard corkscrew splash for the same. Sammy chills on the floor again and then flips Darby off back inside. That earns him a Fujiwara armbar, sending Sammy bailing straight to the rope.

The stalling continues as we hear more about Salina being a power broker. Allin follows him outside and gets sent head first into the steps, only to stick the landing on a toss over the barricade. The Coffin Drop off the barricade nails Sammy but Salina grabs Darby’s leg, meaning Sammy can avoid a running charge against the post. Back in and Sammy puts him in the fireman’s carry for some squats, setting up the Samoan drop for the arrogant two.

A running knee to the face drops Allin for two more but Darby is right back up. Another charge misses as Sammy backflips over him (cool) and hits a good dropkick for another near fall. Allin knees his way out of a suplex though and snaps Sammy’s arm across the top. It works so well that he does it again but Salina’s distraction lets Sammy raise his knees to block the Coffin Drop.

The shooting star (not a 450 Rich) hits Darby’s back for two more and you can feel the fans getting behind Allin here. As Rich corrects himself on the 450/shooting star (fair enough), Darby pulls him into the Fujiwara armbar. That’s broken up in a hurry so it’s a Code Red for two more. They slug it out until Allin grabs the Last Supper for the pin out of nowhere at 14:36.

Rating: B. Allin just has this weird charisma to him and it’s the kind of thing that you can’t teach. This could have been on any given AEW show and that made it one of the best things on the show so far. They had a heck of a back and forth match and you can see the star power in both of them.

Post match, more yelling ensues.

MJ Jenkins vs. Santana Garrett

Feeling out process to start with Garrett flipping away from her for some polite applause from Jenkins. Some armdrags have Garrett down but she grabs one of her own. They mess up the Booker T. spinning sunset flip out of the corner spot with Jenkins taking a knee to the head and she seems a little rocked by it.

Jenkins wakes up enough to hit a fall away slam for a delayed two and we hit the standing cravate. Garrett fights out for a headbutt and clothesline, followed by a crossbody for two. A Stratusphere out of the corner sends Jenkins flying and the handspring elbow in the corner gets another near fall. Garrett hits a superkick and finishes with the shining star press (handspring moonsault) at 6:25.

Rating: D+. This exists and that’s about all I can say for it. Garrett is rather talented but there’s just something missing from her that completes the whole package. One thing I’ve likes about MLW is they haven’t forced a women’s division in. They could probably find the talent to make one happen, but it isn’t really necessary and they haven’t tried to make one fit where it isn’t needed/a viable option.

Tom Lawlor and Seth Petruzelli wants Matt Riddle because he doesn’t have good technique.

The next match actually aired on the first episode of Fusion three months later so I’ve done this one before.

Rey Fenix vs. Pentagon Jr.

Salina is here with Pentagon, who is introduced as Penta El Cero but his graphic says Pentagon Jr. Fenix offers a handshake but gets the CERO MIEDO treatment. Some kicks to the head have Fenix in early trouble but he’s right back with kicks to the head of his own and it’s a double knockdown.

Back up and Fenix bounces along the ropes (including bouncing on his back onto the top rope), setting up an armdrag to the floor and a suicide flip dive. They head back in where Pentagon dropkicks him out of the air for a nice counter to take over again. Pentagon heads outside and chops him against the post before, of course, chopping the post by mistake. A running hurricanrana from the apron into the crowd (albeit in slow motion as it’s hard to roll over people) has Pentagon in more trouble.

Back in again and Fenix starts kicking him in the head, followed by a triple springboard missile dropkick for two. A Backstabber out of the corner gives Pentagon two so Fenix grabs some rollups for a near fall each. Fenix catches him on top with a super C4 for two more but charges into a powerbomb backbreaker.

Tony tries to figure out why the fans are cheering a rudo (I….don’t know how to handle Tony talking about rudos), followed by Pentagon backdropping him into a powerbomb for a sweet landing. We even get a catchphrase with Tony dropping “What’s major league? THAT’S MAJOR LEAGUE!” The Fear Factor gives Pentagon the pin at 14:09.

Rating: B. Like I said, kind of a layup with Pentagon being one of the biggest indy stars around at the moment and Fenix being crazy levels of exciting most of the time. You don’t need to do much more than let these two go insane and do all kinds of high flying stuff. Pentagon winning makes sense and while I doubt they would put the title on someone so hot, it’s cool to see him getting a big win.

MLW has a bunch of podcasts!

We recap the big tag match. Tom Lawlor likes to teach people how to cheat in MMA by getting a little dirty (or filthy for that matter). Matt Riddle saw him beat Jeff Cobb through some shenanigans and it’s time for revenge. Lawlor is tired of hearing about Riddle and knows he can surpass him. Then Riddle made him pass out in a rear naked choke last time so then they both brought in some friends for the tag match.

Jeff Cobb/Matt Riddle vs. Seth Petruzelli/Tom Lawlor

Lawlor and Petruzelli have the rest of Team Filthy with them. Cobb is wrestling with his wrist/arm taped up. Riddle and Petruzelli start things off with Riddle throwing him down without much effort. A quick cross armbreaker attempt doesn’t work for Petruzelli so he tries a triangle choke, which fails just as quickly. It turns into a strike off with an exchange of kicks to the legs with Riddle telling him to kick and Petruzelli checking Riddle’s kicks.

Riddle finally gets smart by sweeping the leg but he knows he can’t tag the injured Cobb. Lawlor comes in and gets rolled with gutwrench suplexes. Cobb comes in for the first time for a corner splash and a one armed Samoan drop for two on Lawlor. The running uppercut with the bad arm connects, which of course does more damage to Cobb than Lawlor. It’s time to start in on the arm as I try to get my head around Tony Schiavone talking about Matt Riddle.

The villains take turns on the arm with Lawlor hitting a middle rope ax handle and working on an armbar. A double suplex gets two and it’s right back to the arm, because they’re smart heels. Cobb starts fighting back so Lawlor is immediately around the ring to pull Riddle off the apron in a move that always works. Lawlor clotheslines him in the back of the head but kicks Petruzelli in the face by mistake, allowing Cobb to get in a suplex.

The hot tag brings in Riddle and it’s time to clean house. The Bro To Sleep into a bridging German suplex gets two on Lawlor so it’s Petruzelli getting in a cheap shot to slow things down. Everything breaks down with Cobb coming in for the save, allowing him to launch Petruzelli off the top and into a jumping knee from Riddle. The powerbomb into the Final Flash knee finishes Petruzelli at 14:11.

Rating: C+. It’s a nice enough tag match but it feels like a part in a much bigger story. Odds are it continues for at least the next show if not longer and that’s not the worst thing. It doesn’t make for the most thrilling match here, and Cobb’s arm injury wasn’t exactly the biggest selling point. Still though, not too bad and that’s all you can ask for here.

We recap MVP vs. Low Ki. MVP grew up in the rough part of Miami and had to learn how to fight. He even got pretty good at it, but he wanted that rich lifestyle that you see in the city. That wasn’t going to happen working nine to five though so he tried robbing a bank, earning himself nine years in prison. While he was in there, someone told him about where he could train to be a wrestler. Then he signed a contract with a company that gave him the limousine world he wanted.

Eventually he made it here to MLW, where he signed with Black Friday Management. The group was set up in 2004 by Gary Hart and Low Ki and now they want what MVP promised them. MVP is done with them but doesn’t like them being aggressive in trying to get him back. Therefore, if MVP wins, he’s out of his contract. If he loses, Low Ki has beaten the heck out of him so it’s all fair anyway.

Low Ki vs. MVP

Black Friday Management boss Stokely Hathaway handles Ki’s entrance. MVP goes after Hathaway to start but Low Ki makes the save and the slugout is on. Low Ki wins a quick exchange of strikes and it’s an early standoff. MVP sends him into the corner for some forearms but the running big boot misses. The handspring splash misses as well though and MVP’s big boot hits this time around. They head outside with Stokely offering a distraction so save Low Ki from a big barricade shot to the face.

MVP is sat in a chair but Low Ki spends too much time posing and gets said chair pelted at his head. Serves him right. A whip sends Low Ki through some chairs and they keep brawling into the crowd. Back in and MVP avoids the top rope stomp to the back and hits a heck of a clothesline. Low Ki climbs onto MVP’s shoulders for a dropkick in a cool spot but then decks the referee. MVP takes him down and hammers away and another referee comes down to throw it out at 9:43.

Rating: C+. This was much more a fight than a match and that’s what makes sense here. They billed it as a superfight so it wouldn’t have made sense to have them trying to get rollups. It was a physical brawl and the ending sets up a likely gimmick rematch next time around so well done.

Post match security comes out to hold them apart and the fans are not happy.

We have brackets for the World Title tournament:

MVP

Tom Lawlor

Matt Riddle

Jeff Cobb

Shane Strickland

Kenny King

MJF

Jimmy Havoc

There will be alternates just in case, though Low Ki has been banned from the tournament for attacking the referee. That’s a rather fast decision.

A rather serious Shane Strickland promises to cross a line tonight against Jimmy Havoc. Tonight, Havoc is trapped in the match with him.

Shane Strickland vs. Jimmy Havoc

Deathmatch and Priscilla Kelly and Darby Allin are here with Havoc. Actually never mind as Jimmy says he’s got this and sends them to the back. Shane meets him in the aisle and hits a jumping knee to the face. That’s enough to knock Havoc into some chairs and Shane buries him underneath said chairs for a bonus. Rich says that he’s just been told these two are in the World Title tournament. You mean the tournament we saw brackets for before the match? Why did he need to be told that again?

They make it to ringside where Jimmy pulls out a barbed wire chair. Shane sends him head first into a regular chair and starts cranking on the arm. The fight goes into the crowd and they wind up near commentary (fan: “TONY! RUN!”), with Shane dropping him behind the bar. Jimmy DDTs him onto said bar and loads up a table near the ring. A missed charge sends Shane through the table and they get inside for the first time, over six minute in.

Havoc wedges the barbed wire chair into the corner but stops to use a staplegun on Shane’s shoulder. That just wakes Strickland up and he no sells some more staples. Instead it’s a staple going into Jimmy’s head as Shane is rather serious. Fans: “YOU SICK F***!” Rich: “Pretty much!” Shane staples a five dollar bill to Jimmy’s head and then staples another bill into his own shoulder.

There’s a staple to the crotch and then Havoc goes into the barbed wire chair in the corner. They head outside again with Shane being slammed off a big speaker and onto a couch for a big crash. Back in and Havoc adds some chairs, but first he needs to slice open Shane’s fingers and mouth with a dollar. Havoc busts out the tacks and puts them in Shane’s mouth, but Shane blocks the big boot.

Instead he puts them in Havoc’s mouth and they slug it out, with neither stopping to spit out the tacks. Both guys go down with Shane getting up first and putting Havoc in a chair. The top rope double stomp knocks Havoc into the tacks for two so let’s get the barbed wire. Shane ties up the arm and tries to tie him up with the wire but Havoc finds the staplegun to escape.

Rating: B-. They beat the heck out of each other here and it was a fun hardcore style match. That’s what Havoc gets to do and I can understand the idea of Strickland not being able to win on Havoc’s turf. That being said, Strickland had some good promos earlier in the night and it’s kind of a shame to see him lose here.

Post match, Havoc actually helps him up in a show of respect.

We get a post show interview with Santana Garrett, who isn’t worried about Priscilla Kelly not showing up. Garrett leaves and finds and finds a weird shrine to her, including the word WONDER over a bunch of photos of her. There’s a monitor set up showing Garrett’s house and a video of Kelly watching her sleep, even rubbing her face. Kelly says SHH and Garrett is greatly disturbed to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. You really do get the fusion idea that the company would go for later with these early shows. There is a little bit of everything on this show and nothing really close to bad. While I would have had the tag match main event the show from a story perspective, it wouldn’t have been able to follow the deathmatch. I’ve always liked this promotion and the standalone shows have been good too. Nice stuff here, though there isn’t much worth going out of your way to see on its own.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

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IMG Credit: World Wrestling Network

Evolve 125
Date: April 4, 2019
Location: La Boom, New York City, New York
Commentators: Lenny Leonard, Rob Niemi

This is another one of the shows that I was hoping to see last year but for one reason or another it never happened. That’s where a free month of Club WWN (plus the company putting the show up for free on YouTube) can be handy and that’s why I’m here today. This show seemed to be pretty well received so hopefully it holds up. Let’s get to it.

As usual, I have no idea what is coming or what is going on here so bare with me if I miss a plot point.

The commentators/hosts are in the ring to welcome us to the show. They run down the card, just in case someone wandered in here off the street thinking it was a store that sold farmer’s almanacs. Cue Adrian Jaoude (also of NXT) to interrupt, saying he’s here to fight.

Harlem Bravado vs. Adrian Jaoude

Jaoude takes him down with ease to start and Bravado bails to the rope in a hurry. Bravado stomps away instead and hits a leg trap suplex for two. The chinlock keeps Jaoude down and it’s a Death Valley Driver to give Bravado two more. Bravado starts talking trash though and gets his fingers snapped back. The hand gets slammed down onto the mat and a hard German suplex drops Bravado. A spinning kick to the face makes it even worse, followed by a quick kneebar to make Bravado tap at 5:00.

Rating: C-. Just a quick match to get things going and Jaoude looked good as the monster who can take you apart with the martial arts skills. I’ve liked his stuff in NXT and while Bravado looked fine, they made a big deal out of his start and stop success. That seems to be part of a long running story for him and if so, this would seem to play into it well enough.

Kazusada Higuchi vs. Curt Stallion

Higuchi seems to be a big time guest star. They take turns stretching to start and the much smaller Stallion makes himself scream a bit. Higuchi powers him into the corner for a friendly pat to the chest and it’s time to work on Stallion’s arm. The wristlock into the hammerlock has Stallion screaming even more, so he fails at a shoulder block instead. Higuchi’s shoulder sends Stallion bailing to the floor for a breather.

That means Higuchi gets to follow and chop away, followed by a shot to block Stallion’s suicide dive. It’s been one sided so far as Stallion can’t get around the size and power. Back in and more chops keep Stallion down but he pops back up with an abdominal stretch to to slow Highcuhi for the first time. Actually make it an Octopus Hold but Higuchi is in the ropes in a hurry.

A German suplex takes care of Stallion again (Fan: “STAY DOWN!”) but he’s right back up with his own bridging German suplex for two. Stallion hits a running dropkick in the corner and a DDT gets two more. For some reason Stallion is willing to chop it out again, which goes as well as you might have expected. He even asks Higuchi to chop him and that’s actually makes things worse.

This time though Stallion comes back with a knee to the chest, only to get chopped down again. A running powerslam gives Higuchi two more but Stallion grabs White Noise onto the knee for his own near fall. Stallion’s headbutt connects for another two but he misses a top rope splash. Higuchi grabs a Doctor Bomb for the pin at 11:21.

Rating: C. The fact that Higuchi had a WWN Title match the next day should have told you everything you needed to know about this one. It’s not a great match or anything but it was kind of entertaining to see Higuchi destroy the much smaller Stallion. Higuchi wasn’t flashy but he was intimidating and looked powerful so there was something to him. He would have a better match the next day too.

Post match Stallion gets an ovation. It wasn’t that good of a match.

We look at Josh Briggs beating AR Fox but hurting himself in the process. He was taken out on a stretcher and wound up with a dislocated hip.

Here’s Briggs, on crutches, for a chat. A few weeks ago, he wasn’t sure if he was going to walk again, let alone wrestle, but the fans made him believe that the doctor’s words didn’t matter. They weren’t sure how they were going to get out of the building but then the fans parted like the Red Sea and let him get out for medical treatment. Briggs appreciates the fans more than they will ever know but he promises to win the Evolve Title when (yes when) he comes back.

John Silver/Alex Reynolds vs. AR Fox/Leon Ruff

Silver and Reynolds are now in the Dark Order in AEW so this company probably had a lot to do with getting them jobs there. Hold on though as Fox and Ruff have to dance with the entourage before we’re ready to go. Reynolds works on Fox’s arm to start but Fox flips over and dances some more. Back up and they both miss a bunch of clotheslines but Fox gets one off a backslide.

Fox blocks an RKO attempt and grabs a Codebreaker, allowing Ruff to slingshot in for an elbow to the back. Silver comes in and flips into a choke on Ruff, who slips out for a screaming headlock. A one armed gorilla press has Ruff in trouble but he armdrags his way out without much trouble. Ruff’s multiple springboards armdrag sends Silver outside for a top rope flip dive, with Ruff sticking the landing of course.

Reynolds breaks up a suicide dive though and it’s Ruff in trouble for a change, including a snap suplex to give Reynolds two. A double flipping faceplant gets two on Ruff and it’s back to Silver for some crossface shots to the face into the reverse chinlock. Ruff fights up and manages a hurricanrana to send Silver into Reynolds, meaning it’s off to Fox to clean house.

A Thesz press lets Fox hammer away on Silver and there’s a rolling cutter to drop him again. Fox hits a big no hands dive onto Reynolds and Coast to Coast….well it grazes Silver for two at least. Reynolds gets a blind tag though and superkicks Fox for two. Silver and Reynolds hit a powerbomb/Rough Ryder combination for two with Ruff having to make the save.

Fox grabs a double cutter on Silver and Reynolds but they’re right back with a series of kicks to the head. Everyone winds up in the same corner and it’s Fox superplexing Silver, followed by Lo Mein Pain (springboard Spanish Fly). Ruff’s Swanton sets up For’s 450 to finish Reynolds at 15:48.

Rating: B-. Solid back and forth match here with everyone getting a chance to show off a bit. Fox looks like the established star and comes off like one of the legends around here (appropriate, as that is the case) and Ruff isn’t bad either. Silver and Reynolds got to showcase themselves as well and I can understand how AEW saw something in them, even in limited rolls.

Post match, Fox, Ruff and company dance some more.

Darby Allin vs. Anthony Henry

Priscilla Kelly is with Allin and there must be a winner. Henry’s face is half painted ala Darby’s (albeit the other side for a change of pace), making me think they had mixed up the graphics for a bit. The fans are WAY behind Allin here and Henry bails straight to the floor to start. You don’t do that to Allin, who hits a suicide dive into the barricade. Back in and the Coffin Drop is blocked but Allin flips out of a German suplex and armdrags Henry to the floor. Now the suicide dive can connect so it’s time to fight into the crowd.

Henry drops him ribs first onto the barricade and adds a running double stomp to the back. They get back in with Allin grabbing a brainbuster for a quick double down. Back up and they slug it out with Henry hitting a TKO across the top rope. Allin is back in for a pinfall reversal sequence but he can’t get the Last Supper. A TKO Stunner plants Allin so a Jackknife cover can get two. Henry talks a lot of trash though and gets caught with the flipping Stunner. That’s fine with Henry, who kicks him in the head and stomps away at the head for the referee stoppage at 7:22.

Rating: B-. You really can see the star power in Allin, though the fans kind of died on the finish there. Allin comes off as a star and I’m not sure why you would have him lose here. This felt like the ending to a big feud and with Allin being advertised for a match tomorrow, it’s a rather confusing ending. At least they beat each other up rather well and it felt like a violent match, which is what it should have been given the story they built up.

Post match Henry leaves but here’s Brandi Lauren to jump Kelly to set up their mixed tag match tomorrow.

Referees help Allin stagger to the back.

Angelo Dawkins vs. Colby Corino

Corino is part of the Unwanted and the Street Profits get a huge reaction (NXT and Evolve have a working relationship in case you’re REALLY confused right now). Montez Ford cracks up at the idea that he’s fighting someone as small as Corino and promises to take care of the rest of the Unwanted if they show up.

Corino’s slap is swatted away so Dawkins hits a release gutwrench suplex. Dawkins isn’t done and picks him up for a big swing before the second toss. A kick to the head out of the corner staggers Dawkins and a Meteora puts him down. Some running forearms in the corner don’t do Corino much good though as he gets suplexed again for his efforts. A toss spinebuster finishes Corino at 2:26, as it should have.

Post match Dawkins asks if that’s all there is. If anyone from the Unwanted wants a shot, come get him. Cue WWN Champion JD Drake (not part of the Unwanted) to say the Unwanted isn’t coming out when someone is waiting on them. Drake is here to fight though so let’s have a title match right now.

WWN Title: Angelo Dawkins vs. JD Drake

Drake is defending. They shake hands to start but Drake hits a chop, with Dawkins being glad to reciprocate. Dawkins hits a dropkick and some running elbows in the corner put Drake on the floor early on. Another chop off goes to Drake and he runs Dawkins over to impress the fans. More chops have Dawkins in more trouble, including even more to knock him down. A headbutt gives Drake two and a sliding lariat is good for the same as the pace has slowed a bit.

Dawkins fights back up with some hard shoulders, setting up the spinning splash in the corner. A bulldog gets two and a spear is good for the same but Dawkins can’t follow up. Back up and Drake manages a German suplex but Dawkins pops up and shouts. That earns him a Drill Bit for two, so Drake asks why Dawkins won’t die. Drake puts him on top but gets pulled down with a super spinebuster for two more. Dawkins’ chops just annoy Drake and he cuts Dawkins off with a knee. A Stunner sets up a Cannonball and Drake’s moonsault retains the title at 10:30.

Rating: B-. Not too bad here for an impromptu face vs. face match. They beat each other up well enough here and it’s not like a tag wrestler losing in a singles match is going to do any real damage to him. Drake gets an impressive looking win and you can tell that he means a lot to the fans here. The Street Profits had a nice run in Evolve and it helped turn them into a better team. Now imagine that: getting out and learning from someone else can help young talent get better.

Respect is shown post match.

Video on the Ten Year Anniversary show, which was pretty good.

Cue Stokely Hathaway (legendary manager, now known as Malcolm Bivens in NXT) to say he hasn’t been released. No he isn’t back tonight because the only way he could have come back was to be put into the main event tonight. That was shot down so instead he’s here to say goodbye. Last year he went to Axxess and now he has been signed by NXT and it would not have happened if not for Evolve. Since he’ll be gone soon, he wanted to say goodbye and thank you. Nice moment here and you can tell Hathaway has a deep history around here.

Montez Ford vs. Shane Strickland

Strickland is also Unwanted and is now known as Isaiah Scott. Ford is more serious here and charges at Strickland in the corner to knock him outside. That means choking and forearms against the barricade but Strickland gets in a few chops. That’s not cool with Ford who blocks a big chop and pounds Strickland down again. A sip of the red cup fires Ford up enough to hit the big flip dive and the fans are pleased.

Cue Colby Corino for a distraction though and Strickland pulls him into a modified Rings of Saturn. He even ties Ford’s arms back with his legs and the fans chant GOLDBERG. Even commentary has to explain that by mentioning some pyro going off by mistake. Lenny: “If we’re being honest, it probably would have been Gillberg.” Back up and Strickland hits a running dropkick to the knee in the corner and it’s off to more double arm cranking.

That’s broken up as well so Strickland chops away but Ford gets in a few kicks and a standing moonsault is good for two. Strickland is fine enough to hit a 619 around the post and a hard powerbomb drops Ford again. Ford pops back up and blasts Strickland with a clothesline but snaps off a dropkick before the double knockdown. It’s Strickland up first and slugging away, including taping up his fist.

Ford falls down though and the referee makes Strickland remove the tape. Strickland’s hands are fine enough for a hard German suplex and the Swerve Stomp gets two. The comeback is on but Ford gets knocked hard off the top and down onto the apron. Back up and Ford hits a top rope Fameasser with Strickland in the ropes. That and the huge frog splash is enough to give Ford the pin at 12:44.

Rating: C+. I like both of these guys (Strickland a lot) and again, it shows how much value there is to have these guys in a different promotion to learn something different. That isn’t something that happens very often and I’m really not sure why. How many wrestling promotions would love to feature some NXT talent? Anyway, this was a hard hitting match but it never hit that next gear, leaving it as just pretty good instead of very good.

Tag Team Titles: Unwanted vs. Konosuke Takeshita/Mao Inoue

The Unwanted (Eddie Kingston/Joe Gacy) is defending and the challengers are from DDT. Takeshita (the DDT Champion) starts with Kingston and they go to the mat early on. That means an early standoff so Takeshita hits a forearm to send Kingston outside. Back in and a leg lariat sends Kingston into the corner so it’s off to Mao vs. Gacy. An exchange of shoulders goes to the much bigger Gacy, who blocks a drop toehold without much effort.

Mao sends him outside and it’s back in for both challengers to hammer away. That brings Kingston back in though and Mao gets double teamed for a change, including a big clothesline for two. The chinlock goes on for a bit and it’s time to stomp away but Mao is back up with a running dropkick. A running leg lariat gets Mao out of trouble and it’s the hot(tish) tag off to Takeshita. Kingston comes in as well and is quickly DDTed to the floor, where he pulls Takeshita with him.

Mao dives onto all three and frog splashes Kingston for two back inside. A split legged moonsault gets two more and there’s a German suplex for the same with Gacy throwing Takeshita into the cover for the save. Kingston suplexes Takeshita but it’s a pair of boots in the corner to take Kingston down. Mao adds the 450 for two but walks into a heck of a spinning kick from Gacy.

That just earns him a Blue Thunder Bomb to give Mao two but Gacy blasts Mao with a clothesline for the same. Mao Stuns Gacy, who is right back up with a discus forearm for two more. A nasty looking powerbomb/neckbreaker combination gets two as everything stays broken down. Mao slugs away at both champions at once but it’s a backdrop driver to give Gacy the retaining pin at 13:57.

Rating: B. I liked this one way more than I expected to as the DDT guys looked awesome at times. They played well against the hard hitting champions and I liked the whole thing rather well. The Unwanted has impressed me in the limited amount of time I’ve seen them and this was no exception. Good stuff here and probably the best match of the night so far.

Evolve Title: Austin Theory vs. Kyle O’Reilly

O’Reilly is challenging and yes he does play the air guitar on a belt without actually having a belt. Hold on though as both guys make sure to tell the ring announcer their various nicknames for the Big Match Intros. This includes Kyle dubbing himself the Sleazy Air Guitar Superstar, which of course gets a chant. Feeling out process to start with O’Reilly taking him down but Theory runs away from the threat of a big kick to the head.

Back up and O’Reilly grabs the leg again but can’t get very far with it. A headlock takeover works better for O’Reilly and he does it again because he’s from NXT and likes Takeovers. Theory can’t suplex his way out of the headlock so he powers up, only to get taken down all over again. O’Reilly’s mind games of just outmaneuvering Theory at every step is good stuff. The cross armbreaker sends Theory outside and that’s good for a SLEAZY KYLE chant.

Back in and O’Reilly strikes him down without much trouble as Theory just can’t get anything going so far. A kneebar sends Theory to the rope but he finally scores with a clothesline to get a breather. Theory’s standing moonsault gets two and it’s off to an arm trap chinlock. That doesn’t last long though and Theory chops the heck out of him in the corner. A suplex gets two on O’Reilly and it’s off to a different armbar.

O’Reilly fights up and rolls some butterfly DDTs to put them both down for a bit. The ankle lock doesn’t last long so O’Reilly suplexes him for two more. Theory is back with a buckle bomb but they trade kicks to the face. A kneebar slows Theory down and O’Reilly kicks him in the chest so hard that he sends himself outside. They slug it out again and, after staggering a bit, Theory rocks him enough for Three Seconds Around The World (spinning torture rack bomb).

2K1 (leg trap brainbuster) gets two more on O’Reilly but he takes the knee again. Theory dives for the rope and needs a little walk around the ring. This includes picking up the title and walking away but O’Reilly pulls him back inside. The brainbuster gives O’Reilly two and we hit the ankle lock. Theory gets out again and hits a DDT onto the belt for two, followed Attaksia for the pin to retain at 20:15.

Rating: B. I had a good time with this one and there were times where you believed that the title could change hands. That’s not something you get in showdown matches like this so well done with both guys. What matters here though is giving Theory another line on his resume. It means something to have beaten a big name from NXT so it’s a positive deal for everyone here, as O’Reilly gets a good match and can go right back to NXT’s tag division while pointing to the DDT on the belt. Good main event here and it felt like a bit deal.

Post match Theory jumps O’Reilly but Bobby Fish and Roderick Strong run in for the save. Fish talks about how he and O’Reilly started Evolve (in the first main event) and they will step in when needed. O’Reilly liked that Theory (which he pronounces as Tuh-hear-e) used the title and promises that the Undisputed Era will be back.

Overall Rating: B. This was a fun and entertaining show which never dragged in the slightest. The more I watch of Evolve the more I think I could get into it. You can tell that there are intricate stories throughout the company and a lot of history between the people. It wasn’t exactly on display here, but they did enough to make me interested in seeing more. Well done here and a show worth checking out if you get the time (it’s available for free on their YouTube page).

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

IMG Credit: Wrestling Revolver

Pancakes And Piledrivers III
Date: April 6, 2019
Location: New York Hilton Midtown, New York City, New York
Commentators: Bork Torkelson, Don Callis

This is from Wrestling Revolves, where the idea is that you get something different every time. There’s a bonus in this show though as if you’re in the crowd, you get free pancakes. That alone should be more than enough to get people to show up but there’s also the whole wrestling thing on the side. Let’s get to it.

A rather ridiculous thirty minutes after the scheduled start time, we get a DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME message.

Opening sequence, with a song about the pancake robot coming to town.

The ring announcer introduces Jimmy Jacobs as our host….and he’s accompanied by the Rascalz dressed as pancakes. The Rascalz carry Jimmy around the ring and it’s time to throw out bags of swag. Jimmy explains that the hotel won’t allow them to give you pancakes so the Rascalz are the pancakes instead. They run off and I guess we’ll be seeing them later.

David Starr vs. Moose vs. Brian Cage

Starr, from Philadelphia, is billed from London and doesn’t get his monikers so he’s not happy. He has a card with the names listed, though Jacobs adds his own twists and the arguing continues. Moose and Cage stare each other down and Starr doesn’t like being left out. We get the MOOSE vs. the Terminator clap until Starr tries chopping both of them. Starr can’t slam or suplex either guy so they launch him into the air for a crash, leaving Cage to headscissor Moose.

An exchange of pump kicks goes nowhere but Starr manages to drop them both throat first over the rope. That means a double suicide dive and the brainbuster to the knee for two on Moose. Cage German suplexes both of them at the same time and an F5 gets two on Starr. Moose’s chokebomb out of the corner gets the same on Cage with Starr making a save of his own. A powerbomb backbreaker takes Starr down again and the Drill Claw makes it worse, only to have Moose throw Cage outside and steal the pin at 5:49.

Rating: D+. The story was simple enough and I’m surprised that they didn’t go with Starr getting the fluke win. Starr being in over his head was making me chuckle as he continues to be all over Wrestlemania weekend. I’m guessing the match ran short because of the crazy long delay to start the show, which really didn’t do the show any favors.

Tag Team Titles: Gauntlet Match

The Besties in the World (Davey Vega/Matt Fitchett, who come out to I Knew I Loved You by Savage Garden) are in first and Aussie Open are in second (out of six). Davey walks into a double flapjack to start and a backbreaker into a backsplash gets two. Everything breaks down and the Besties both get an abdominal stretch on Davis at the same time. Fletcher is right back with a standing Lionsault and it’s Vega getting chopped in the corner.

Davey finally gets in a kick to the face and makes the tag with Fitchett hitting a high crossbody for two on Fletcher. A running knee gets the same but it’s Davis coming back in to clean house. Davis picks Vega up for a jumping cutter from Fletcher but a running kick to the face finishes Davis at 7:40.

The Rascalz (Zachary Wentz/Dezmond Xavier this time around) are in third and the Besties are right there to slow them down, including a backflip kick to the head on the apron. Not that it matters as Vega is run over and the shoving moonsault gives Wentz the pin at 9:35. The Lucha Bros are in fourth and it’s a quick exchange of superkicks with the Bros getting the best of things. Wentz gets kicked down and a double superkick makes it even worse. The wheelbarrow splash gets two on Xavier and the Pentagon Driver gets rid of the Rascalz at 12:30.

Hang on though as the Rascalz jump the Bros as LAX (defending champions) is in fifth. The four of them beat the Bros down but LAX superkicks the Rascalz and pin the Bros at 15:36. Team Tremendous (Bill Carr/Dan Barry) are in last with LAX right there to jump them. Barry is right back up for an Asai moonsault onto both of them, followed by a running flip dive from the bigger Carr.

They get inside with Ortiz kicking Barry away and it’s off to Santana vs. Carr. A big clothesline gives Carr two but everything breaks down. Santana superkicks Barry into a cutter for two with Carr making the save. The Street Sweeper is broken up and it’s an electric chair Sliced Bread to finish Ortiz for the titles at 20:54.

Rating: C-. As usual in a gauntlet match, the fast falls didn’t help things but at least they had a surprise ending with what seems to be a fun team winning the titles. There were some awesome teams in there and I really wish we could have seen some of them have some longer segments, but there’s not exactly time for something like that. Not bad, but pretty disappointing.

AR Fox vs. Sammy Guevara vs. Ace Austin vs. JT Dunn

Austin fires off kicks from the apron until Fox gets in a kick of his own. Guevara and Dunn chop it out with Sammy hitting Feast Your Eyes for two. Dunn sends Austin outside and hits a rolling cutter for two on Guevara. Austin throws Guevara into the air for a cutter but Dunn makes the save to put everyone down. Dunn’s rollup with tights gets two on Fox so Fox hits a springboard Downward Spiral to plant Dunn for the same. Ace is back in with a top rope spinning Fameasser for two on Sammy as Fox makes another save. Dunn’s Death By Elbow (discus elbow) finishes Fox at 8:52.

Rating: C+. This was a lot of fun with everyone moving as fast as they could. They weren’t going for anything more than one spot after another and that’s a perfectly good decision in a match like this. Dunn and Austin looked good here, though I’m not sure what the point of the Skulls was. They just came and went and didn’t change anything, so why even have them out there in the first place?

Open Invite Scramble Title: Caleb Konley vs. Jake Manning vs. Ian Maxwell vs. Daga vs. Lance Anao’i vs. Mance Warner vs. Arik Cannon vs. Trey Miguel vs. Jon Skyler vs. Shigehiro Irie vs. Clayton Gaines vs. KTB

Konley is defending and this is one fall to a finish. Daga and Miguel go nuts by hiptossing everyone until the referee hiptosses Miguel for a change. Warner comes back in but gets crotches by KTB, leaving Daga to come off the top with a Meteora to make KTB DDT Mance. Lance superkicks Skyler, who hits a double superkick along with Gaines. Daga runs the ropes to headscissor Maxwell and wristdrag KTB at the same time.

Irie comes in and gets to run everyone over but it’s Mance coming back in to offer Cannon a beer. Gaines comes back in with his energy drink and gets beer spat in his face, though he’s fine enough to clothesline Warner and Cannon down. Konley remembers he’s in the match and powerbombs Maxwell onto the pile but Skyler cuts him down with a slingshot spear. Maxwell and Miguel hit their own running dives, followed by one from KTB off the top.

Back in and Miguel hits a 619 on Maxwell but Manning cuts him off with a backbreaker into a Downward Spiral. Daga comes back in to beat up Gaines and it’s time for Warner to put Skyler on top. That’s not the best idea as it’s a super Regal Roll to drop Warner with Lance coming off the top with a Superfly Splash. Konley and Irie get their turn now with Konley not being able to get a sunset flip.

Irie manages to piledrive Cannon onto Konley, leaving Lance and Miguel to go Coast to Coast at the same time. Hang on though as Manning, the Manscout, needs to bring in a tent. Skyler knocks Manning into the tent but he’s right back up for the Tower of Doom to drive a bunch of people through the tent. Konley rolls Maxwell up to retain the title at 14:38.

Rating: D. I get the idea here but it’s too long and messy to really work. Cut it down to six or so and this would have worked far better than the dozen wrestlers in there at once. It’s a bunch of spots, many of which weren’t all that great in the first place. This definitely wasn’t a terrible match but the concept didn’t work with this many people involved at once.

Jacobs thanks the fans for being so awesome and makes fun of Callis.

Adam Brooks vs. Matt Cross

Cross is better known as Son of Havoc from Lucha Underground. Brooks is replacing Sonjay Dutt for some reason. Brooks gets aggressive to start and catches a running Cross in a Downward Spiral into the buckle. An elbow to the face stops Brooks and there’s the first suicide dive.

Back in and Cross misses a top rope double stomp, allowing Brooks to hit a Backpack Stunner. A double stomp to the ribs works better for Cross but Brooks catches him in a fireman’s carry facebuster. That sends Cross outside for a suicide dive into a sloppy tornado DDT but he’s fine enough to dropkick Brooks down. The shooting star press finishes Brooks at 4:39.

Rating: C-. It was nice to have a singles match for once, though they went through it so fast that it didn’t exactly have a lot of impact. The energy was there though and that helped keep the show going well enough. I could have gone for more of this and that’s about as good of an endorsement as you can have.

Jacobs decides the next match will be for the X-Division Title. Bork: “Can he do that?” Callis: “No.”

X-Division Title: Chuck Mambo vs. Rich Swann

Mambo is “gnarliest wrestler in the world” and seems to like beach balls. Swann, now without facial hair, has Jason Cade of the Crew faction with him. Mambo takes him down by the arm to start before sending Swann into the corner, meaning it’s time to dance. A wristlock makes Swann scream until he bounces out of it as the pace picks up. An inverted Gory Stretch has Swann in more trouble but a Cade distraction lets him slip out. Mambo gets dropkicked out of the air. The stepover kick to the face gives Swann two but Mambo explodes with chops and punches to the chest.

A Blockbuster drops Swann and a springboard Meteora gets two. Mambo gets hurricanranaed off the top but he’s fine enough to superkick Swann to the floor. That means a double jump springboard flip dive onto Swann and Cade for the big spot of the match. Back in and Swann’s Lethal Injection gets two but a second attempt is countered into a Backstabber. Cade breaks up a cover off the springboard splash, which isn’t an ejection for some reason. Mambo chases him inside and gets rolled up for the pin at 10:38.

Rating: C. Mambo’s gimmick was a little goofy but once he got into the actual wrestling, he wasn’t bad at all and the match was pretty good. Swann looks so strange without his goatee but at least he can still have a good match. I could go for more of Mambo and that’s a big reason to watch these shows: you never know who you might see for the first *time.

Ace Romero vs. Fallah Bahh vs. Larry D. vs. Dan Maff vs. Madman Fulton vs. Jacob Fatu vs. Jessika Havoc

Havoc is a surprise surprise entrant and aside from her, Fulton is the smallest at 305lbs. Everyone goes after her and it’s a six way crush to send her outside. Larry powerbombs Fatu and catches Maff’s crossbody until Fulton kicks them both down. Fulton slams Bahh but Romero takes both of them down. Havoc slams the 385lb Romero but Bahh gives her a Banzai Drop with Fulton having to make a save. Fatu superkicks Maff, only to miss the handspring moonsault.

Romero goes to the middle rope for no logical reason, allowing Fulton to hit a Regal Roll but he dives into a Samoan drop from Bahh. With everyone else on the floor, Havok hits a suicide dive but Fatu drives over the top to take all of them out in a more impressive landing. Back in and Maff’s Burning Hammer gets two on Havok with Romero making a save and then diving onto Maff. Fatu moonsaults Havok for the pin at 5:43.

Rating: D+. There were some impressive spots in there and they were very smart to keep it short. If you have these bigger wrestlers going too long, it’s going to get lethargic and sloppy so going with the quick form was certainly the right call. Havoc and Romero were impressive, though I still don’t know how WWE didn’t see the potential in Fulton.

Tessa Blanchard vs. Ricky Shane Page

I’ve never seen Page wrestle but he has some size and smiles a lot. They stall a lot with Tessa not shaking his hand and then slapping him in the face. The lockup finally starts after two minutes, followed by Tessa hitting a good looking tornado DDT. A dropkick to the back of the head has Page in more trouble so he slaps Tessa into the corner. That ticks Tessa off and she unloads with forearms before taking it outside to beat Page up against the barricade.

Page blasts her with an overhand chop but she jumps to the apron to kick Page in the face. A hard suicide dive sends Page into the barricade and Tessa plants him with an impressive Samoan drop. Page shoves her away and hits a splash but gets caught in another tornado DDT for two. Back up and a top rope superplex drops Tessa and a chokebreaker gets two more. Tessa gets taken up top again but counters into a super Canadian Destroyer….for two. Magnum and the Buzzsaw DDT finish Page at 13:26.

Rating: C-. This was longer than it needed to be and the kickout of the Destroyer was ridiculous. If you’re going to finish the match thirty seconds later, why even have the kickout in the first place? Tessa winning is hardly a surprise as she’s one of the best female wrestlers in the world right now and Page is just a big guy who didn’t do anything special here.

Jacobs introduces us to a dog named Nami and tells us to come see her at the Wrestling Revolver booth.

OVE vs. Unwanted

OVE has a loud manager named JT Davidson. The Unwanted is Shane Strickland/Joe Gacy/Eddie Kingston (with Colby Corino) and this is Shane’s final independent match. OVE isn’t having this big entrance and the fight is on in a hurry. We settle down to Eddie STOing Dave but taking a neckbreaker from Jake. Strickland comes in for his anklescissors into a dropkick and a running dropkick to the knee.

Now it’s Sami coming in for the staredown and he doesn’t understand why Shane won’t shake hands after Sami spit on it. Instead it’s a kick to the face but Sami forearms Shane out to the floor. Sami goes outside as well and it’s Gacy diving onto all of them, followed by Dave hitting a dive into a tornado DDT. Colby tries a dive of his own but gets superplexed onto the pile. Not to be outdone, Davidson hits his own flip dive and the referee adds a non-flip dive.

Back in and it’s the Tower of Doom as they’re getting through all of the six man spots in a hurry. Shane nails his snap German suplex on Dave, followed by the rolling cutter. The Cactus Piledriver gives Sami two on Shane and Jake’s cutter gets the same (just a regular cutter as he couldn’t hit the jumping version). With everyone else going to the floor, Sami spits at Shane, who spits right back. Shane snaps the arm back and the Swerve Stomp connects for the pin at 10:32.

Rating: B-. This felt rushed, which is probably the case as they seemed to want to be out by the top of the hour and had to hurry to get done on time. Strickland is going to be a heck of a talent in WWE due to how smooth he can be in the ring. Callihan was his usual vile self and the Crists were every bit as awesome as usual. Gacy didn’t show me much and Kingston was the same brawler he’s been for years, meaning your mileage may vary.

Post match Sami hugs Strickland. The announcers sign off but Sami grabs the mic and says he quit WWE for reasons like this. Sami saw something in him when no one else did and now it’s time for Shane to be the leader of this generation. Shane thanks the locker room because they’re his brothers. It took him ten years to get here and his first WrestleCon was in New York/New Jersey and now he’s leaving here as well. Strickland talks about wrestling in England, where everything just clicked and the confidence started coming in.

That’s where Swerve started to come together and what he wanted to show everyone: confidence. He was in the military as a teenage and had two kids when he was nineteen. Wrestling was in his heart then and it’s in his heart now because he’s traveled the world and met people everywhere. Have confidence in yourself and there is swerve in all of you. Awesome speech and Strickland could be a star in NXT.

Overall Rating: D+. I wasn’t feeling this one as there was just too much stuff going on to make it work. There were too many multi-man matches and trying to cram in as many people as you could. The wrestling was hit or miss, mainly because there wasn’t enough of a chance for anyone to stand out among everyone else. For a wild mess of a show it was passable, but it’s nothing that I’d want to watch again.

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:

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