EVOLVE 13: Gargano vs. Fox Review

EVOLVE 13: Gargano vs. Fox on May 12th, 2012

Opening Match: AR Fox (3-1) vs. Jigsaw (1-1) vs. Samuray Del Sol (0-1) vs. Ricochet (4-2)

The winner will face Johnny Gargano in the main event for the Open the Freedom Gate Title. Jigsaw and Ricochet have a mat-based exchange that ends in a stalemate. Del Sol snaps off a headscissors on Fox and teases a dive. Jigsaw connects with a dropkick on Ricochet and Del Sol follows with one of his own. Fox lands a split-legged moonsault on Ricochet. Del Sol and Ricochet land slingshot sentons onto Fox. Jigsaw slingshots into the ring and then humorously covers Fox for a two count. Fox fights back with a springboard ace crusher on Ricochet. Del Sol headscissors Jigsaw, who responds with a hurricanrana. Jigsaw connects with a running knee strike but gets caught by a spin kick. Fox catches Ricochet with a springboard dropkick and adds a slingshot dropkick. Ricochet lays him out with a leaping russian leg sweep. Ricochet levels Fox with a springboard lariat but gets spiked by a DDT. Everyone connects with kicks and all four men are down. Del Sol hits a reverse hurricanrana on Fox and follows with a dive to the floor. Ricochet connects with a tiger feint kick on Jigsaw. They battle on the middle rope. Jigsaw hits a german suplex on Del Sol. Ricochet lands a shooting star press onto Jigsaw. Fox hits a twisting brainbuster on Ricochet for a nearfall. He follows with a sliced bread on Jigsaw and comes off the middle rope with an ace crusher on Ricochet. Del Sol lands a 450 splash onto Fox for a two count. He goes up top but Fox catches him with an enzuigiri. Fox hits Lo Mein Pain on Del Sol for the win at 16:51. Fox and Ricochet were solid as usual while Jigsaw and Del Sol have really stepped up their game as of late. They were given enough time to flesh out the action and the match didn’t feel rushed, which was key. I honestly would have bought any of these four as a legitimate challenger to the Open the Freedom Gate Title (not necessarily to win it) and I think that says a lot about the depth of talent in EVOLVE right now. This match met expectations and was an almost ideal opener. ***½


Match #2: Silas Young (3-1) vs. Adam Page (0-2)

Young refuses a handshake and hits a pumphandle backbreaker. He lands a springboard moonsault but Page responds with a standing shooting star press. Young hits another backbreaker and transitions into a full nelson bomb. Young reigns down forearms and the referee calls for the bell, giving Young the victory via knockout at 2:41. Young is about to breakout and I’m extremely happy that it looks as though EVOLVE is ready to use him regularly again. This match got its point across just fine. *¾

Lenny Leonard interviews Young after the match. He calls himself the “last real man in professional wrestling” and says that everyone will see a lot more aggression from him in the future.


Match #3: Caleb Konley (2-1) vs. Kyle Matthews (0-1)

Matthews monkey flips Konley across the ring. Konley snaps his neck across the top rope and rams him into the apron. Back in, Matthews applies an octopus stretch but gets caught by a basement lariat. Konley hits a senton and takes control. Matthews comes back with a hurricanrana and an enzuigiri. He hits a tornado DDT out of the corner. Konley connects with a roaring elbow and hits a shoulder capture suplex. Matthews avoids a charge and connects with a running dropkick. He follows with a missile dropkick but runs into a spinebuster. Konley synchs in a boston crab for the win at 6:53. This match would have worked out much better if anyone had a reason to care about either wrestler. The Scene has been given a great opportunity in DGUSA and EVOLVE but they just feel very generic right now. This was a fine exhibition for the time given. **¼


Match #4: Jake Manning (1-0) vs. Alex Reynolds (2-0)

Lenny Leonard unsuccessfully tries to put over the “it’s all about the wins” attitude of EVOLVE on commentary. He talks about how Reynolds moved up the card for winning, but Mike Cruz is higher on the card than him and he beat Cruz last night. After losing an exchange, Manning consults his manual in the corner. Reynolds lands a crossbody after some miscommunication and connects with a dropkick. Manning back drops him to the outside. In the ring, Manning hits a delayed vertical suplex and takes over. Reynolds comes back with a series of strikes but botches a dive to the floor. Back in, Manning hits a chinbreaker. Reynolds quickly answers with a codebreaker for a nearfall. They battle up top and Manning hits a butterfly suplex. The straps are down for Manning! They trade pin attempts and Reynolds hits a stunner for the victory at 12:03. I am not sold on Reynolds at all. He was sloppy and Manning looked like he was having a hard time working with him at times. I’m looking forward to seeing Chuck Taylor, Jake Manning, Drew Gulak, and Orange Cassidy all on the same show, as I think the Gentlemen’s Club could be a fun stable. A decent finishing stretch saved this match from disaster, but the wrong person won in my opinion. **


Match #5: Low Ki (3-0) vs. Jon Davis (1-2)

They’re not interested in giving each other clean breaks. Low Ki connects with a dropkick out of the corner and lays in a few chops. Davis hits two scoop slams and hot shots Low Ki to block a charge. Davis follows with a bucklebomb. Low Ki creates an opening after a flying double stomp. He connects with a series of kicks and takes control. Davis anticipates Low Ki on a handspring splash and hits a spinebuster. Low Ki escapes Three Seconds Around the World and locks in a dragon sleeper. Davis powers out of the hold but gets caught by a double stomp. He recovers with a jackhammer and pounces Low Ki, sending him to the floor. In the ring, Low Ki catches Davis with kawada kicks and follows with a flying double stomp for the win at 14:03. Out of every match that Low Ki has had this year in DGUSA and EVOLVE, this one was the easiest to watch. I’m not saying that his previous matches were unwatchable, but the slow, arbitrary pace that is usually present in the opening minutes of his matches was absent here. Instead, they took the fight to each other from the opening bell and it looked like Davis truly had Low Ki’s number. While I wasn’t crazy about his match against Finlay, Davis looked great here and this weekend did wonders for him. This was a smart battle of size difference that put over the EVOLVE style with both men doing whatever it took to earn the victory. ***½

Lenny Leonard interviews Low Ki after the match. He is the first man ever to make it to 4-0 in EVOLVE. Low Ki says that he respects Davis and really puts him over. He demands that EVOLVE gives him something to fight for and recommends an EVOLVE title. This is where everyone cringes because the Open the Freedom Gate Title exists.


Match #6: Chuck Taylor (7-3) vs. Mike Cruz (0-1)

Taylor sneaks in a cheap shot but gets caught by a few chops. Cruz connects with a dropkick. Taylor hits an overhead suplex and takes control. He actually debuts a new move, which is an incredibly slow slingshot senton. Cruz avoids a moonsault and connects with an enzuigiri. He follows with a facewash dropkick and a springboard blockbuster. Taylor answers with Sole Food but falls victim to a german suplex. Cruz escapes a half crab and hits an ace crusher. He finds knees on a swantan attempt. Taylor hits the Awful Waffle for the victory at 7:09. This was a decent back and forth match, with Cruz looking better than he did last night against Alex Reynolds. How much you’re going to enjoy Taylor’s matches really depends on if you like his new direction. He’s goofy and quirky, which can either come off as entertaining or annoying. I’m putting off judgment until his title match against Johnny Gargano. **½

Lenny Leonard interviews Taylor after the match. He says that the rumored EVOLVE title would look good on his mantle. He doesn’t mention his Open the Freedom Gate title shot and everyone sighs once again.


Match #7: Sami Callihan (3-5) vs. El Generico (0-2)

They stare each other down from across the ring. Callihan charges but Generico rolls him up for a close two count. Low Ki joins commentary once again for Generico’s match. They trade chops. Callihan traps Generico on the mat and reigns down forearms. Generico hits a backbreaker. Callihan lariats him off the apron and follows out with a dive. Callihan slams Generico onto the concrete floor and tries to get the countout victory to no avail. Back on the floor, Callihan hits an exploder, sending Generico into the timekeeper. Generico once again barely beats the count. Low Ki says that Generico should have taken the loss and fight again another day, which contradicts everything that he’s ever said. Callihan connects with two facewash kicks. He tries for a third but falls victim to an exploder into the turnbuckles. They exchange forearms. Generico yakuza kicks Callihan off the top rope and to the floor. He follows out with a dive. In the ring, Generico lands a flying crossbody. Callihan connects with a bicycle kick but Generico responds with a tornado DDT. Callihan hits a butterfly shoulderbreaker and superkicks Generico’s left leg. He follows with a lariat and another bicycle kick. Generico recovers with a blue thunder bomb and goes up top. Callihan superkicks his left leg again and lands a top rope splash onto it. He applies the stretch muffler but Generico reaches the bottom rope. Callihan connects with a bicycle kick but Generico responds with a corner yakuza kick. He goes for the brainbuster but finds himself in another stretch muffler. The hold gets reversed into a small package for a nearfall. Generico hits a michinoku driver and a half nelson suplex. Generico follows with a brainbuster for the win at 22:17. Callihan’s situation is one of the more interesting aspects of EVOLVE right now. The story is that he should move away from hatred-filled feuds with people (such as Finlay or AR Fox), because that only results in losses. Instead, as Finlay told him, he should focus on his wrestling. At multiple points throughout this match, Callihan had more success just wrestling Generico rather than trying to brawl and prove a point. There were a lot of excellent exchanges as they kept this contest predominantly back and forth. The main thing holding this match back was the lack of crowd response. EVOLVE did not have big crowds this weekend and I think a more vocal crowd would have helped the action down the stretch. Still, these two delivered great performances in what was probably my favorite match on either EVOLVE show up to this point. ***¾

During his post-match interview, Generico starts calling out Low Ki. Callihan attacks Generico from behind and says that he doesn’t care about the rules. He also starts choking a referee. Low Ki enters the ring and stares down Callihan. Callihan, realizing what he’s done, angrily walks to the back.


Match #8: Open the Freedom Gate Title: Johnny Gargano © vs. AR Fox

No mention was made of records during the introductions, so I’m assuming this match won’t affect their records. They slap each other and stare each other down. Fox connects with a dropkick and lands a dive to the floor. He misses a guillotine leg drop from the top rope and Gargano lands three consecutive dives to the outside. In the ring, Gargano takes control until Fox comes off the middle rope with an ace crusher. Fox connects with a slingshot dropkick in the corner and follows with his shooting star cannonball. He hits a rolling death valley driver and lands a swantan. Gargano fights back with a gamengiri and a slingshot DDT. He locks in the Gargano Escape but Fox quickly reaches the bottom rope. They have a great exchange where they avoid each other’s dives and Fox hits a sliced bread on the apron. He follows with Lo Mein Rain. Back in, Fox lands a springboard 450 splash for a nearfall. Both men are down. They exchange strikes and Gargano lawn darts Fox into the turnbuckles. Gargano connects with a superkick. Fox escapes Hurts Donut and hits a twisting brainbuster. Both men are down once again. Fox connects with a corner bicycle kick. Gargano fights off Lo Mein Pain and applies the Gargano Escape. Fox is able to work his way to the bottom rope. Gargano connects with two corner dropkicks and goes up top. Fox catches him with a death valley driver from the middle rope and hits an air raid crash for a nearfall. He attempts a 450 but Gargano catches him with a superkick. Gargano hits Hurts Donut for a two count. Gargano hits another Hurts Donut and applies the Gargano Escape to retain his title at 18:03. This was a tremendous sprint that featured constant action for eighteen minutes. Not only did that gameplan wake up the crowd, it made sense that Fox would want to go for broke after having already wrestled a match earlier in the night. I might be in the minority, but I’m going to say that this was the best match of the weekend for EVOLVE. Gargano looked completely at home trading big moves with Fox and as I’ve said, the crowd was extremely vocal for this match. An objection could be made that this match had no cohesive story, but I think when it’s done right, trading big moves and leaving it all in the ring can be a story in itself. After an excellent title defense against Masato Yoshino, Gargano definitely has momentum as champion heading into his next defense against Chuck Taylor. Again, I thought this was the best match on either EVOLVE 12 or 13. I can understand the arguments against that view, but I thought Gargano and Fox really delivered in the main event. ****

Gargano and Fox shake hands after the match. Gargano thanks the fans and brings a girl into the ring. She wrote an article about Gargano for her school newspaper. There’s a nice moment where she holds the Open the Freedom Gate Title and the crowd cheers for her. I think Lenny Leonard was tearing up at one point.


Overall
: EVOLVE 13 was extremely similar to EVOLVE 12 in that the matches you expected to deliver really came through. However, I think this show was even more effective as it successfully brought together a lot of threads running throughout EVOLVE. Low Ki had a highly enjoyable match against Jon Davis that benefited both men by the sole fact that Davis was able to give Low Ki a challenge. Sami Callihan has taken an interesting turn in EVOLVE and that was highlighted in a great contest against El Generico, who has finally picked up a win to prove a point to Low Ki. Johnny Gargano showed that he’s back for good in the match of the weekend against AR Fox, who not only excelled in the main event, but in the opener as well. While the other four matches weren’t anything special, Chuck Taylor and Silas Young are two people to keep an eye on. I think that as an overall package, EVOLVE 13 was one of, if not the best show in the promotion’s history. High recommendation.

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VWAA St.Vanguards Day Massacre 2012 DVD Review

VWAA ST.VANGUARD’S DAY MASSACRE 2012
Taped on Feb 17th

We are back again with another exclusive VWAA DVD review here. We want to thank VWAA for their awesome DVDs and we are going to share the wealth. We will soon be having a giveaway EWXCLUSIVE to Facebook fans so keep an eye out for that on our Facebook page which you can find at

http://facebook.com/ProWrestlingPonderings

But lets get right to this as this is an event I’ve been looking forward to not only with the VWAA title on the line between Lamar Titan & Thomas Sinclair but also Dragon Gate/DGUSA star and member of World-1 International Ricochet will be going one on one against Isaias Velazquez.
1. 4-Way Match
Christian Rose vs Matt Knicks vs Joey Marx vs Cedric Keys

Joey Marx had a great match with Thomas Sinclair @ Resolution Rumble (which you can read my reivew here http://bit.ly/JuifBC) and Cedric Keys is a top talent. Rose cut an pretty decent heel promo before the match and Knicks seems to be a local talent who the fans got into from the get go, whether or not it was due to his LMFAO entrance music. Matt Knicks has some lucha influence though I would suggest that he really tighten up some of his technique as Rose was able to capitalize a few times on the hesitance that Knicks seemed to show. Marx just like last time has sudden high impact kicks. Keys, the smart man that he is knows where to pick his spots and stays out of the ring a lot to avoid being hurt. Of course at times that won’t save you from a guy like Marx who will go for dives whenever the chance shows itself. Fun opener with all four men showing what they can do. Cedric Keys gets the win with a pinfall over Knicks.

2.Lee Valiant vs Ali Bumaye

A clash of styles here as the high flyer will take on the technician. Match never really seemed to gell or to kick into second gear. But Bumaye is popular and it’s easy to see why. He’s fun to watch and I do feel that Valiant was just trying to ground Bumaye’s abilities but to be honest this was just filler. Valiant pretends to have a leg injury and while everyone is looking the other way Jordan Pryde who was on commentary enters the ring and punches Bumaye with that Iron Fist. Valiant gets back in the ring just in time to spear Bumaye and get the victory.

3. John E. Kash vs Freek

A rematch from last month and this is probably going to be a lot of fun. The best way for me to describe this if I was to compare these two gentleman would be Chuck Taylor vs Delirious as you have one of the most hated men in VWAA against a guy who is crazy fun. Both are great in the ring and so this picks up my spirits after the last match. What I really like about this is that it’s basic booking 101. Kash doesn’t like that Freek choked him out in their last match for the win and he feels that he was wronged because chokes are illegal even though the move is sanctioned by the referee as legal. Good stuff here as Kash tries and does everything he can to avoid being caught in the Freek Out. Kash though would pull one of the dirtiest moves in the book as he pulls the ref in close while in the move and delivers a low blow that the ref somehow didn’t see and gets the win. A good match and one that I felt told a good story. Looking forward to where they go with this. Possibly a submission only match?
4. VWAA vs Dragon Gate
“The Definition” Isaias Velazquez
vs
Dragon Gate Champion
“The Future of Flight” Ricochet

We’re now onto the match that I feel should be the co main-event. Isaias is a great talent akin to a TJ Perkins and Ricochet speaks for himself. This is the match that I would pay the $5 alone for (which by the way is the cost of this DVD so well worth it). This match is going to be high flying and probably full of kicks. Both men oddly enough start out though on the ground with reversal after reversal. Great technique by both men as they truly display their wrestling ability. Isaias was a perfect guy to represent VWAA against an opponent the calibur of Ricochet. The sequences here would not be out of place in DGUSA or CHIKARA and the innovation is awesome. At one point we have Ricochet putting Isaias in a crucifix airplane spin and then holds onto it, walks over to the turnbuckles and starts driving Isaias’ head into it. Way too much action for me to call but trust me it’s worth getting the DVD for $5 just to check this out and complete your Ricochet collection. RIcochet would go for a SSP but Isaias would get out of the way and after a great kicking sequence would hit his Hammer of Dawn finisher for the win. A great match and god damn did these guys pull out all the stops. I hope to see Isaias get bookings in other companies and for Ricochet to come back to VWAA.

5. “The Cleric” Matthias Kelevra vs Joe Firoz

Matthias Kelevra is just a 300+ pound man who has a gothic style & personabut who is almost all muscle. Firoz is the rookie who probably is 195 pounds soaking wet. Two guesses how this match went by just me telling you those simple descriptions. Firoz does get Kelevra off of his feet with a springboard elbow but after that offers almost no contest. Matthias after pulling Firoz’s head up to deliver more punishment just demolishes him for the win after his pump handle samoan drop called The Gates of Destiny. No lack of bravery or guts from Firoz.

6. VWAA Tag Team Championship:
Incredibly Amazin (c) (Atlas Horn & Amazin Kuan)
vs
Kentucky Buffet (Matt Cage & Alex Castle)

The Kentucky Buffet are making their debuts here for VWAA and really are the defacto heels and are forfilling those roles well. Horn & Kuan are two big guys and this is their first title defense. Not much to this match but still fun. Cage & Castle are pretty good in the ring and I look forward to them doing more in VWAA. Kuan & Horn though are obviously beloved by the crowd and can move for their size. Like a fun purple version of Men On A Mission though in better in shape to be sure. The champs retain their belts in a fun match.

7. VWAA Championship
“God Of War” Lamar Titan (c)
vs
“Born to Wrestle” Thomas Sinclair
w/ Dr. Pinder

The second match I’ve been looking forward to is on. These men are two of the top talents ion VWAA and I really hope you guys will give them a chance. Unique personas to be sure to go along with the ability to really go in the ring.  Both are technicians in the ring and can work over a limb like few others while also using high impact moves to weaken their opponent.  They were also apparently tag team champions together so they know each other well but both have added to their knowledge in the ring and it shows here.  Sinclair in particular seems to have scouted Titan.  Without trying to rip off Davey Richards, this match I would say would be an excellent example of American Strong Style. A great match that I would say is in the 3-3.5 star range. Titan retains after Pinder hits Sinclair from being on accident and throws the title into Titans hands making the ref think that Titan did it. In the end the title is retained but Sinclair has a win over the champ and really I hope to see a rematch between these two guys.

Overall: Several matches on here that are in the 3-3.5 star range if I was asked for them. At the tag of only $5 the Ricochet/Isaias, Titan/Sinclair, & Kash/Freek matches alone are going to give you some damn good entertainment. The production on these DVDs is great so really there is no excuse if you’re looking for a fun promotion to get into this would be the one. Hit me up on twitter http://twitter.com/CGSTONG and let me know what you think.

Prchase DVD here for the great price of $5: http://www.vwaawrestling.com/merchandise.htm

As a teaser VWAA always put ups huge free previews + matches on youtube so check out the Frontline from Feb 09 that was posted before this event.

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#1MansOpinion: Evolve 13 Ippv & Pro Wrestling Evo Pre Show 5/12/12

 

#1MansOpinion
Evolve 13/Pro Wrestling Evo Preshow
Cabarrus Arena & Events Center
Concord, NC
5-12-12

EVOLVE brought it’s fast paced, strong style to the Carolinas for 2 great Ippv’s on May 11 & 12. This was my first live EVOLVE experience and I was blown away by the great talent and dedication of the EVOLVE talent. Kicked off by a great preshow from Pro Wrestling EVO the following is………..

Pro Wrestling Evolution Pre Show

Fun Athletic Guys(Trevor Lee & Ben Tyler) beat Joe Black & Arik Royal when Lee pinned Black after a double team codebreaker finisher.

#1MansOpinion: This was a fun way to kick off the show, Royal & Black didn’t get as much offense as I would’ve imagined and the Fun Athetic Guys seemed like the favorite to win all match. Time was limited here but all four men did a good job in kicking off  the night. ** 3/4

Chiva Kid beat “Relentless” Robyn Golphin with a somersault 450 off the top.

#1MansOpinion: This was a very good match for the most part, some spots got blown but both men continued right along and it didn’t effect the flow of the match too much. Both men left it all in the ring as the EVO talents do at every full show and put on  very enjoyable match. *** 1/4

Kirby Mack beat Derek Ryze with a rollup after a brutal knee to the face.

#1MansOpinion: Ryze & Mack worked very well together, Ryze is very quick and explosive , a  welcomed new addition to EVO and Mack stayed with him every step of the way. Mack is not only a traveled ring veteran who consistently has very good matches but also a showman that ranked right up there with any of the guys on either card. *** 1/2

The Cirkus(Cedric Alexander & Marcellus “The Mid Atlantic” King) beat “Do Or Die” Chip Day & Corey Hollis with a “Murder Go Round” by King on Day.

#1MansOpinion: Originally intended to be a 3 way match between Day, Hollis, & a mystery opponent. Alexander came out as the third man with his Cirkus teammate King and they demanded a tag match. All four of these men are very talented and came off as big time tag teams so the match worked well and I was pleased with this booking. Day & Hollis hung in with PWEvo’s most dominant faction. In the end the Cirkus picked up a very nice win. *** 1/2

Evolve 13 Live on Ippv
4 Way- Winner gets a shot later in the night at Open The Freedom Gate Champ Johnny Gargano
AR Fox(3-0) beat Samuray Del Sol(0-1) & Ricochet(4-2) & Jigsaw(0-1) when Fox pinned Del Sol with “Lo Mein Pain”.

#1MansOpinion: This was one of the best openers I’ve ever seen at a live event! All four men were impressive and made the title shot later in the night look important by just killing themselves right out of the gate. AR Fox became the man I was most impressed with all night as he is just a fantastic talent and seems to have a huge passion for wrestling. This would be a match I’d say BUY THE DVD or order the Ippv for it was just AWESOME! **** 1/4

Silas Young (3-1) beat Adam Page (0-2) by referee stoppage in a short match.

#1MansOpinion: I enjoy Page on the indy scene and hoped to see what he could do here and Young has been a good old school worker when I’ve seen him in the past. I didn’t care for this match, it just seemed it was there to build towards Young’s “Last Real Man” gimmick. Young cut a promo after saying he was the “Last Real Man” in Professional Wrestling and we’d better get used to seeing more brutality. **

Caleb Konley(2-1)w/ Johnny Fairply  beat Kyle Matthews (0-1) with the “Oh! Face” Submission

#1MansOpinion: Konley was entertaining here as it was my first time seeing him in the EVOLVE stable “The Scene” More personality added to his in ring ability really helped the overall performance of Konley. I didn’t care for Matthews who looked like he was being lead around the ring in this one, perhaps just learning the business as I’m not familiar with him. ** 1/2

Alex Reynolds (2-0) beat “The ManScout” Jake Manning (1-0) with a version of the Fisherman Buster.

#1MansOpinion: Manning, a NC independent veteran is doing very well for himself in Evolve thus far and looked good here as well. I’ve heard many things about “The Young Talent” Alex Reynolds but I wasn’t overly impressed on this night, he has a great look and physique but could work on his in ring ability. ** 3/4

Low Ki (3-0) beat Jon Davis (1-2) with the “Warriors Way” double foot stomp from the top after a brutal back and forth matchup.

#1MansOpinion: This was the first really great match of the show since the opener and another I’d suggest you buy this dvd for or check out an Ippv replay. Davis looked like a beast here taking all of Ki’s offense, dishing his own brutal power style out on Low Ki and staying in the match. It seems Low Ki is getting a major push here as they focused on him being the first man to get to 4-0 in the win/loss standings and Low Ki said Everyone in EVOLVE are warriors and need an EVOLVE championship to fight for. ****

“The Kentucky Gentleman” Chuck Taylor (7-3) beat Mike Cruz (0-1) with the “Awful Waffle”

#1MansOpinion: Taylor is one of the guys I’m most familiar with from DVds as it was my first time seeing him live and he is great. Not only in the ring but a great entertainer as well. One spot where tells the crowd he’s going to do a “flippy thing” and proceeds to do the most awkward and slow flip over the top onto his opponent is hilarious! The “Awful Waffle” is an awesome finisher. I have to say Cruz was good in the ring but didn’t seem a real threat to beat Taylor at any point. *** 1/4

El Generico (0-2) beat Sami Calihan (3-5) with a dragon suplex and brainbuster in an OUTSTANDING match and my MOTN.

#1MansOpinion: MATCH OF THE NIGHT! Calihan works one of the best strong styles I’ve seen live ever and is very intense. Generico(another guy I’ve seen a lot of on DVD and once live before this night) is always phenomenal and you’ll never get a bad show out of El Generico. This Is a MUST SEE match with lots of nearfalls and just pure brutality and sacrifice by both men. **** 3/4

Open The Freedom Gate Championship
Johnny Gargano(c) beat AR Fox with a crossface submission in another MOTN contender to end the show. Great moment after the match with a local girl in the crowd who wrote an essay for school about Gargano being her hero. Gargano brought her in the ring, gave her the title and had the crowd pop for her.

#1MansOpinion: AR Fox again was impressive in this one and seemed like a viable contender to take the title from Gargano the entire match. Gargano is a great person to hold one of the DGUSA titles for this company. Again he’s a guy I’ve seen on dvd previously but seeing him live was awesome and another guy who is  worth the price of admission to a DGUSA/EVOLVE show. **** 1/2

#1MansFINALOpinion: EVOLVE blew me away in my first live show experience with them and I hope they return soon. As you see from the comments above some of the guys(perhaps just on this night) didnt impress me but guys like Generico, Calihan, Gargano, Taylor, and all four of the men in the opener made this a GREAT show! AR Fox is a guy I continue to go back to as I remember the show and I think the future is very bright for this young man. Pro Wrestling EVO put 12 of their best out there for the pre show and really delivered on a quality pre show to display why they are the premiere Independent promotion in the Southeast. I hope EVOLVE did well enough on this brief tour of the Carolinas to bring their product back sooner than later and I encourage everyone to go check them out as they have a really dedicated talent roster. Check out www.DGUSA.TV for details on when Dragon Gate/EVOLVE is coming to your area and go check out these great talents and support GREAT wrestling!

Overall: 8.5/10

 

Don’t MISS Pro Wrestling Evolution’s first Ippv on June 30 live from Cabarrus Arena & Events Cener on June 30, 2012! Check out www.prowrestlingevo.com and follow @ProWrestlingEVO on twitter for match announcements and details on tickets and how to order this great event!

Remember the following is #1MansOpinion if you have comments, thoughts or YOUR own opinion please leave a comment or contact me at JustJer17@aol.com or on twitter @The1andonlyJer–Thanks!

                                  * Thanks to @UnchosenFragmnt for the #1MansOpinion & 1&OnlyJer graphics

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This Week In WWE TV – May 7-13, 2012

This week: Another week of shows described as “bigger than the NFL” and “neck and neck with soccer worldwide”. Wrongly. Paul Heyman returns to Raw to read an official statement. Not the last official statement in pro wrestling this week, sadly. Plus, John Laurinaitis: Gaijin Megastar, Cena brings it Via Satellite, Hawkins and Reks Security Co., lots of matches and Ryback swims with dolphins, metaphorically.

RAW SUPERSHOW

- John Laurinaitis came out. He said as leader, he wouldn’t let anyone challenge his authority, not even John Cena. Laurinaitis said when he loses his temper, he goes into a “fit of destruction” that no one could withstand. He managed to call Brock “Brock Cena” in here. Laurinaitis called himself skillful and dangerous, as well as “tough but fair”. He said Cena wouldn’t be there live and wanted Cena to do therapy on his elbow so he’d have no excuses at Over The Limit. But Cena would apologise for making fun of him later. He warned anyone who made fun of his voice would suffer severe consequences. Laurinaitis explained his voice was injured in Japan, but he still became “the biggest superstar in Japanese history”. He showed pictures of himself in Japan with Dr. Death Steve Williams, The Patriot, Akira Taue and Jun Akiyama. He called himself “the Hulk Hogan of Japan”, which was technically Hulk Hogan, as well as Rock and Austin rolled into one. He said John Cena versus Big Johnny would be bigger than Cena-Rock and Cena-Brock and signed off. Great.

- CM Punk interrupted before Laurinaitis could leave. He said Laurinaitis had no clue what the fans wanted, but he’d help him out. They didn’t want to see him. Punk said Laurinaitis put everything behind Lesnar and Cena beat him, that’s why he attacked Cena. He also had the nerve to claim Big Johnny was a joke as a wrestler and that’s why he went to Japan. Punk threw out some wacky insults. Laurinaitis said he’d pummel Punk to the ground, if he’d started training for Cena that is. Instead, he put Punk in a match with Lord Tensai.

- After the break, Laurinaitis ran into Big Show. Literally. Show made fun of Laurinaitis as he walked off and Eve caught him.

- WWE Intercontinental Championship: Big Show d. Cody Rhodes (c) by count out in 1:53. Show dominated from the start and set up for the KO punch, but Cody bailed. And Cody grabbed his belt and ran off to save his belt. Big Show dared him to come back. Instead, Eve (with her music!) came out and told him to apologise. He did but it wasn’t good enough, so Eve made him do it again.

- Dolph Ziggler d. Kofi Kingston in 2:39. A.W, Primo, Epico and Rosa were all watching backstage. Mason Ryan showed up and watched as well for reasons unknown. In the actual match things were fairly even. Swagger tried a distraction which didn’t work, but Ziggler kicked out of the SOS. Vickie then got on the apron and her distraction did work, allowing Swagger to trip Kofi off the ropes and set him up for the Zig Zag.

- Cole, in the ring, did an interview via satellite with Cena. Cena thanked everyone for their concern. He said doctors had recommended he not wrestle, but he’d be ready for Over The Limit. Cena said the Board Of Directors didn’t contact Laurinaitis because they contacted him and he told them not to take any action until after Over The Limit. Cole said he’d been watching tapes of Laurinaitis and suggested Cena was scared. Cena said he was scared Laurinaitis was so bad, he’d hurt himself before he got a chance to. Cena promised to kick his ass in 13 days. This was serious mode Cena.

- Layla and Kelly Kelly d. Natalya and Maxine (Layla pinned Maxine) in 1:05. Beth was on commentary, since Beth is facing Layla at Over The Limit. Kelly pulled Natalya, who I guess must be a heel again, off the apron and Layla beat Maxine with the Lay Out.

- Chris Jericho and Alberto Del Rio d. Sheamus and Randy Orton (Jericho pinned Sheamus) in 9:51. Jericho and Del Rio eventually got control over Sheamus after a rough start. They worked over Sheamus’s injured shoulder, until Sheamus managed to make the tag. Orton made his comeback and set for the RKO, but Jericho’s intervention and Ricardo’s distraction lead to Del Rio cutting him off. Orton was eventually able to tag Sheamus back in to run wild. Jericho and Sheamus came up with counters before Orton gave Del Rio the RKO. But Sheamus accidentally Brogue Kicked Orton and Jericho hit the Codebreaker to pin the World Champion. Sheamus tried to help Orton up afterwards and Orton RKOed him in retaliation.

- Laurinaitis told Eve he thought Big Show’s apology was insincere. Jericho came in demanding a shot at the World Title and Del Rio argued his case. Orton said he deserved a shot as well and it lead to a brawl between the four as Sheamus showed up to even the odds. Jericho and Del Rio escaped and Orton and Sheamus argued over what happened. As a result of all this, Laurinaitis changed the Over The Limit World Title match to a Fatal Four Way.

- Brodus Clay d. The Miz in 4:12. Brodus did an inset promo reminding us about Mother’s Day. Miz then did a promo coming out, moaning about having to face Brodus. Miz managed to get Brodus down and got far more offense on Brodus than anyone since he returned. But Brodus ultimately won with the big splash regardless.

- They announced HHH had tendon and ligament damage as well as a broken arm. They showed him in a business meeting, with a big metal brace on his arm.

- They also said Brock wasn’t there and instead his “legal representatives” had come to the show in his place. That representative was none other than Paul Heyman. Heyman claimed Brock had been mistreated and underappreciated by the WWE audience and management since day one. He said Brock made a few reasonable demands and they were agreed to on live TV. He claimed Brock felt betrayed. Heyman put over Brock’s achievements and above all else, his honesty. Heyman read a prepared statement from Brock, saying HHH was jealous of him and couldn’t last a minute in a fight with him. The statement ended that he was never coming back and he quit.

- Big Show did a skit backstage with guys from the show Common Law. They made fun of Laurinaitis’s voice and Show found it funny, until he realised Eve had caught him, again.

- Two On One Handicap Match: Lord Tensai and Daniel Bryan d. CM Punk in 6:57. Laurinaitis cut off Punk’s entrance and changed the match to a handicap match. Tensai basically softened Punk up for Bryan, who Punk fared better against than Tensai. Punk tried to hit the GTS on Tensai but couldn’t. He then went for the flying elbow, but Bryan crotched him with Sakamoto distracting the ref and Tensai won with his green mist claw slam. Bryan YESed in celebration and put Punk in the YES Lock for good measure.

NXT

- The show started with Striker and Regal addressing the attacks involving Percy Watson and Alex Riley. He said Michael McGillicutty had an alibi and he didn’t believe Percy attacked Riley either. Regal said they’d hired more security on Laurinaitis’s suggestion. Hawkins and Reks came out instead, in suits. They revealed that they were the security and they’d been given a second chance by Laurinaitis. Regal warned them if anything happened, being fired would be the least of their problems.

- Maxine d. Tamina Snuka by submission in 3:50. Maxine, still cuffed to Curtis, tried to play nice claiming she was a new Maxine. Curtis did commentary, weirded out by nice Maxine. Tamina escaped Maxine’s guillotine and went for the splash, but Maxine moved and won with a dragon sleeper. Maxine continued to play nice after the match despite being handcuffed.

- JTG d. Yoshi Tatsu in 3:33. Alicia Fox introduced the new “Foxified” JTG. Basically, he wears regular trunks now. I really don’t see how this is going to help the guy. At least before he had his own look. JTG ducked Yoshi’s roundhouse and won with the Sling Blade. Alicia was happy.

- Reks and Hawkins confronted Curtis and Maxine and offered to put their differences aside. Curtis said last time they worked together ended with him being handcuffed. Hawkins said they were “in” with Laurinaitis and if they didn’t want to be left behind, think about it. Reks said that’s if there was an NXT left. Maxine seemed confused, but Reks and Hawkins clearly knew something. Hmm. They ended up giving Curtis a key to the handcuffs.

- Kaitlyn spoke to Percy backstage. Bateman showed up and said Percy couldn’t be trusted. She accused Bateman of acting like a jerk since he lost on Smackdown. Trouble in paradise. Percy went to talk to Bateman and next thing you know, Bateman had been attacked by someone. A pair of glasses had been left behind. Percy Watson glasses. If it turns out Percy has a split personality and season 2 Percy is his evil alter ego attacking people, I’m all in.

- Percy Watson and Tyson Kidd d. Johnny Curtis and Michael McGillicutty (Percy pinned McGillicutty) in 7:19. Kidd and Percy looked good early and Tyson took both opponents out with a dive. But Curtis tripped Tyson in mid springboard and the heels took over. Percy ran wild on McGillicutty and Tyson took out Curtis. And Percy was able to hit a modified flapjack to get the win. Afterwards, Reks and Hawkins showed up and confronted Percy over the attack on Bateman, dragging him off backstage.

SUPERSTARS

- Drew McIntyre d. Ezekial Jackson in 3:43. Ezekial and the dreaded words “losing streak” have begun being used in the same sentence. Drew was able to wear Zeke down and after blocking the torture rack put another defeat on Zeke’s record with the Future Shock DDT.

- Natalya d. Alicia Fox by submission in 3:38. Natalya certainly seemed like the heel here. Yet Alicia is with JTG on NXT. So I don’t know. Natalya controlled things for a while, but Alicia came back. Alicia went for the scissors kick, but Natalya turned it into the Sharpshooter.

- Hunico d. Tyson Kidd in 7:01. The crowd, in their wisdom, decided to start a “USA” chant here in this match. Camacho’s distraction led to Hunico tripping Tyson on the apron. Hunico landed some big moves, but couldn’t put Tyson away. Lots of action towards the end as Tyson fought back. Hunico countered the Dungeon Lock, but was sent outside. Kidd then dove, but Camacho took the hit and Hunico gave Kidd a neckbreaker outside. Tyson got his knees up on a swanton and put on the Sharpshooter from the mat, but Hunico got the ropes. In the end Hunico countered a springboard into his modified samoan drop for the win. Another strong match from Kidd, who’s having a really good year.

- Santino Marella and Zack Ryder d. Curt Hawkins and Tyler Reks (Santino pinned Reks) in 11:35. This was part of Hawkins and Reks’s ‘second chance’. Reks dealt with Santino, who took an atomic drop and immediately tagged out to convalesce. Ryder fared better with Hawkins and it seemed like there was mutual respect, until Hawkins slapped Zack. Santino and Zack worked well and Ryder hit a dive, with Santino chickening out on joining in. Eventually Zack was cut off after Reks countered the Ruff Ryder. Hawkins pulled off a great pele kick at one point. Santino made a big Santinoy comeback for his team. Zack hit the Ruff Ryder on Hawkins and Santino gave Reks the Cobra. This was really good too.

SMACKDOWN

- Randy Orton and Sheamus versus Chris Jericho and Alberto Del Rio went to a no contest. There was tension between Orton and Sheamus after what happened on Raw. Del Rio targetted Orton’s arm. Sheamus came in but Jericho pulled the rope down on him. Jericho then worked Sheamus’s arm. Orton made a comeback but Jericho countered the RKO. Things broke down and the referee just threw things out. All four brawled with referees struggling to gain control.

- AJ d. Kaitlyn in 0:35. AJ attacked immediately and won quick with a shining wizard. AJ continued to attack after the match, bringing out Daniel Bryan. Bryan said he was impressed with how ruthless AJ was and had seen AJ in a new light. AJ looked hopeful and Bryan said he was ready to move on. And after he became WWE Champion at Over The Limit, he was looking forward to moving on. Moving on to Kaitlyn. Bryan laughed and AJ stormed off. Which caused Bryan to shout YES YES YES.

- Daniel Bryan d. Big Show by ‘submission’ in 1:17. Big Show dominated for a while, but Bryan dropkicked the knee out. Bryan applied the YES Lock and the bell rung, signalling the single worst finish in wrestling, the Montreal finish. At least it only went a minute before the bullshit. Laurinaitis, having stopped the match, told Big Show he’d better have a better apology on Raw.

- Ryback d. Heath Slater in 1:18. Slater cut a promo insulting Ryback. Dumb move, Ryback squashed him. Ryback screamed about being a shark swimming with dolphins.

- Antonio Cesaro d. Alex Riley in 2:24. Teddy was forced to do ring introductions. Cesaro had a wacky introduction for him to read, calling him the “rugby baller shot caller”. They explained Cesaro played rugby in France, which makes more sense. Cesaro dominated, but Riley did get some brief offense in late, before Cesaro finished Riley off with the cradle Styles Clash deal. Aksana then informed Teddy that they were still friends, but Antonio and her were lovers. And they made out in front of poor Teddy.

- Randy Orton d. Alberto Del Rio by DQ in 5:18. Since the tag match didn’t work, Eve made two singles matches instead. Del Rio again targetted Orton’s shoulder here. Orton fought back, but Del Rio kept going back to the arm. Orton escaped the armbreaker and DDTed Del Rio out of the corner. As he set up fo the RKO Ricardo tried a crossbody, but got RKOed in mid air. The referee called for the bell but Del Rio posted Orton and put the armbreaker on.

- R-Truth d. Jack Swagger in 3:19. Swagger and Ziggler versus Kofi and Truth was announced for Over The Limit. AW, Rosa, Primo, Epico and Mason were all watching backstage again. Truth hit the Lie Detector but Ziggler grabbed Truth’s leg to distract him. Kofi took out Dolph. Swagger then wiped out Truth, but Kofi gave Swagger Trouble In Paradise from the floor and Truth won with the Little Jimmy.

- Darren Young and Titus O’Neil d. Santino Marella and Zack Ryder (Titus pinned Ryder) in 3:05. Santino and Zack did an inset promo, where they couldn’t agree on their team name. After Santino struggled, Zack came in off the tag. Titus tripped Zack as he came off the ropes. Santino was blindsighted by Young and Zack was finished off with Demolition’s old Decapitation Device. Titus and Darren said they were future Tag Team Champions and did a celebratory song and dance.

- Striker interviewed Damien Sandow. Sandow explained why he didn’t compete last week, saying people only had him to look up to. Suffice to say he did it more justice than that. He then concluded his own interview.

- Brodus Clay d. Hunico in 0:56. Hunico and Camacho jumped Brodus before the match. But Brodus Brodused up and destroyed Hunico, headbutted Camacho and hit the big splash for the pin.

- Chris Jericho d. Sheamus by DQ in 5:46. After Sheamus started strong and sent Jericho crashing into the barricade, Jericho was able to hang up the injured arm to take over. Sheamus came back and countered the Walls, but Jericho got it second time, forcing Sheamus to grab the ropes. Jericho was then sent outside and Del Rio flung him into the steps for the disqualification. Del Rio put the armbreaker on Sheamus but Orton made the save. Sheamus and Orton argued over who got to attack Del Rio and in the midst of that Jericho hit a Codebreaker on Del Rio and snuck back out. Orton then hit an RKO on Alberto, before Sheamus hit a Brogue Kick and the show ended with Orton and Sheamus face to face.

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AAPW Collision Episode 15 (S02E02) Review

AAPW Collision can be seen every other Saturday at 12:00pm on WSIL-TV 3.

WSIL is an ABC affiliate serving Southern Illinois, Western Kentucky, and Southeast Missouri.

AAPW is a locally owned and operated professional wrestling company that will begin its fifth year of operation this October. Local talent includes the AAPW Tag Team Champions Curly and Heath Hatton, Jay Spade, Mike Masters, Playboy Paul Rose, and the AAPW Heavyweight Champion Edmund “Livewire” McGuire.

WATCH THE ENTIRE EPISODE HERE AND SUBSCRIBE TO THEM ON YOUTUBE

In this episode we see the beginning of the No Limits Tournament when Sean Vincent takes on rookie Kyle Sykes. Also in action is “Old School Warrior” Ax Allwardt facing off against “Farmer” Billy Hills.

The show kicks off with Executive Producer Chris Hagstrom talking about the match for the title between Edmund “Livewire” McGuire and “The Masterpiece” Mike Masters. He then brings in AAPW owner Sean Chambers and introduces him.

Sean Vincent

Vs.

Kyle Sykes

            Recap: This is the initial match to kick off the tournament for the brand new No Limits division. The division is similar to the Cruiser weight and Light Heavyweight divisions in that it gives the smaller guys a chance to shine. The match gets started with a collar and elbow tie up which leads into Vincent taking control from the outset. Vincent slaps Sykes around a bit before Sykes is able to switch it up and get Vincent into an arm bar wrist lock. There is ALOT of back and forth, with the guys exchanging quick moves and take downs. Vincent is in control for much of the match showing Sykes what he is all about. The match moves to the outside of the ring with Vincent still in control. After doing some damage to Sykes on the outside, Vincent throws him back in and gets a 2 count. Sykes, out of nowhere, hits a Hurricanrana on Vincent and gets a small amount of offense going before Vincent takes control again. After several near falls by each man Vincent gets Sykes up and hits a Death Valley Driver to get the 3 count.

Winner: Sean Vincent

            Review: This was a great match to kick off the No limits Division. Both Vincent and Sykes are great high flyers and gave the match their all. Sykes, with a little more experience, could go far in the business.

“Old School Warrior” Ax Allwardt

Vs.

“Farmer” Billy Hills

            Recap: This match is between 2 of the biggest men in AAPW and a HUGE match for Hills. It starts off with the 2 men feeling each other out and throwing one another around. The 2 men trade off body slams, with Allwardt surprisingly picking up Hills with ease. Hills hits a 3 pack of body slams on Allwardt, causing him to scramble to the corner and “consult” with Gaylord Stevens. Hills begins to tease a show of strength with Allwardt, switching hands back and forth. The match moves to the outside before Allwardt rolls back in to break the count. As Hills tries to get back in the ring Stevens attacks while Allwardt has the ref distracted. At this point Allwardt is basically tearing Hills down before Hills iis able to get a small amount of offense going, only to be stopped in his tracks. Allwardt gets Hills into position for the piledriver as Heath Hatton comes out to the ring and distracts Allwardt by going after Stevens. This allows Hills to break the hold and roll up Allwardt for the pin and the 1-2-3.

Winner: Farmer Billy Hills

            Review: This was a HUGE win for Farmer Billy Hills in his AAPW career. Both men go at with gusto and move around quite easily for big men. Just need to get rid of that Jesse The Body Ventura wanna be Gaylord Stevens….

Team XXX (Joey O’Riley & Jay Spade)

Vs.

Minor Threat (Brandon Espinosa & Ace Hawkins)

            Recap: The match starts off with a show of respect with all 4 men shaking hands. It gets started with Brandon Espinosa and Joey O’Riley tying up and switching arm bars back and forth. The 2 men trade quick moves back and forth before both men tag in their partners. Ace Hawkins and Jay Spade go after one another and spend some time feeling one another out. Just like their partners the 2 men trade quick moves back and forth. Hawkins tries to go for a somersault splash into Spade in the corner only to miss and allow Spade to get a 2 count. Spade and O’Riley trade quick tags back and forth, working on Hawkins and keeping him in their corner. Hawkins is finally able to tag in Espinosa, who is able to mount an offense of his own before Team XXX take over again. The match moves to the outside with bodies flying everywhere as the 4 men show what they are capable of. After moving back into the ring, the 2 teams trade moves back and forth with several 2 counts. The match ends in a time limit draw to the delight and consternation of the fans.

Winner: Match ends in a time limit draw

            Review: This was an AWESOME match highlighting what all 4 men are capable of in the ring. The amount of respect and athleticism was bar none and if this is what is in store for the future of AAPW tag Team wrestling I say Bring It On!!

AAPW Heavyweight Champion Edmund “Livewire” McGuire

Vs.

“The Masterpiece” Mike masters

            Recap: This match is for the AAPW Heavyweight title, with Masters having become the #1 Contender in the Battle Royal 2 weeks previously. Before the match can even begin, Masters is running back and forth jaw jacking with the fans. Finally we get the bell and Masters goes right for Livewire. Livewire seems to be in control from the outset as masters goes in and out of the ring holding his head, seemingly out of sorts. Masters mounts some offense against Livewire and begins working him over. Masters takes the fight outside to the floor before ramming Livewire head first into the ring apron. Masters spends some time outside the ring trying to take out McGuire, before being sent into the ring post himself by Livewire. After some back and forth outside the ring the fight eventually goes back into the ring. Masters is able to mount some offense and begins working on Livewire’s injured leg before getting him into a single leg Boston crab. Masters gets Livewire up and sends him down with a Death valley Driver, but is only able to get a 2 count because of a lazy pin. After distracting the ref by taking the cover off the top turn buckle, Masters pulls something from his tights and way lays Livewire. Masters jumps into a pin, but the ref is still busy with the turn buckle so Masters only gets another 2 count. Masters goes out and grabs a chair outside the ring bringing it in and attempting to smash it across Livewire’s head. Livewire moves as the chair hits the top rope and swings back hitting Masters in the head. Livewire follows up with a Super Kick, and gets the pin for the 1-2-3, but unbeknownst to the ref Masters leg was across the bottom rope.

Winner and Still AAPW Heavyweight Champion: Edmund “Livewire” McGuire

            Review: This was a pretty brutal match all in all. Masters seems to be a changed man going into season 2 of Collision and is intent on becoming champion at all costs. It’s just a shame that the match had to end in controversy the way it did.

AAPW is steadily showing improvements in its television product. While there are still things that need work, the product as a whole has improved IMMENSELY since the TV debut. The guys on the roster, as well as the announce team, are showing improvement in getting the story across for the television audience.

Check out the episode above and be sure to follow them at the following websites:

http://vimeopro.com/aapw/collision

http://aapwrestling.com/

http://www.facebook.com/aapwrestling

http://twitter.com/#!/aapwrestling

Posted in All American Pro Wrestling - AAPW, Featured | Tagged | Leave a comment