This is gonna kill me but here come my FULL comments. As with before, the star rating reflects the quality of the match as a real match, not the quality of your writing. How this all works out will see if I carry this on or not.
Opening Hype:
It's there now and it's cool.
Austin Sly vs Insane Luchadore
Open with the usual hype what's to come later on bit. Nice comments about Toxxic [sly vs Toxxic with Toxxic as a face would draw IMO] Not really focused on the match, but gives an air of general banter and speculation to the talk. Little start o get IL and Sly going at each other and the fight is on. Short and fast opening, pretty frantic. The description isnt flowerly, but it's solid and carries the feeling the match is more like a fight, which fits really. It's back and forth without much real selling, but it seems like a fight and they dont move away from that idea of the fight. Sly with a table bump and gets beaten though the crowd. Classic hardcore and nothing over the top. A brawling come back from Sly, but again this match is just like that, and it makes use of the stage for a hardcore spot. Using the WM17 ending, Sly just beats IL down with a bunch of chair shots to end the brawl. Not fantastic, but soild. No huge "this is ppv" bumps, but it's the opener. Sly's had a good start as a write and can certainly go places. *3/4 (*** Hardcore wise)
Stryke vs ‘Hollywood’ Spike Jenkins
Spike digs at himself in the opening comments [you really are a mashocist man]
Pretty thin opening, not much detail on anything. Spike's taking the piss with the rope running spots, but at least it's an attempt at satire on wrestling action and it's not completely terrible. Rope run and basic reversal spots to an indy stand off, which actually fits with the 'action' so far. More rope running, Stryke with a basic brawl come back. Same spotty back and for trade offs, which aren't that bad most of the time, just not supported. Quick finisher counter to finisher for the end. With more actuall support in description, that wouldn't have been that bad. *
‘La Sensation Senegalaise’ Said vs Tryst
Shoot comments to start the match [feel the smarkness people, feel it]. Very grim line about the Somme. Chris Card finally shows his true home town. And King is back.. [and he's here for our souls!] Said's gone as King gloats like he should. Texting promo...that's just true heel tactics right there. A really differnt touch. It's anti crowd stuff, like Corino/Cactus anti hardcore. Big anti american rant as only a real English man could do. No match, but eh, there was something worth popping for. ***
Edward James vs Crow
Comet and Riley bitch as ever, playing up James' situation. Brings up Crow's history with big men, but almost makes it seem like it will be too easy for him to start with. Crow basicly just shows off, and his expereince lets him out pace and out move James all the way. But then James catches up with the game and starts to smack Crow around in the usual power/flying game and it makes James look like a threat in the match. Crow makes a transiation a quickly with speed and using flying attacks to further the power/flying battle. The superhero stick and sockpuppers make for good reading, doesnt really help the match, but it's funny. Again Crow comes back with his speed, keeping the basic idea of the match going. The description keeps everything going nice, though sometimes it makes it feel like Crow is going to just crush James, but at other it gets James over as a danger to Crow. James follows up the belly to belly on the floor , and the simple back work gives him controll, very effectively. Some of the second person lines fit nicely to the smarky slight shoot comments that get made from time to time. Nice Shining Das Wunder Kick, to the 'now we'll both sell together' ten count. The action then kicks into high gear, sort of seems out of place, but well writen and following on from most of the other events in the match. Even after the back work, Crow can fly is way out of trouble and just kick James down. A little more emphism on the spinebuster and the powerbomb attack Crow's already damaged back would have worked. And Crow picks up the win, flying once and and spike James with that Murderous DDT. A nice return to form with Crow and pretty good all round. **1/2
Landon ‘La Cucaracha’ Maddix vs Alan Clark
Well, this one's had enough hype, so let's go. Alan standind with just the ref and yelling builds up some tension, like looking for the killer in a horror movie. Play off the Superkick he used before in his promo, Maddix finally breaks the tension build and the match is under way. The whole differnet feel of the match is put over with comments out the lack of crowd... and it just feels almost epic [like a big final fight out in the middle of some feilds rather than at a material arts tournement with a huge crowd] The conversion between Alan and Maddix takes the place of commentry and works far better, with both men showing off feelings to each other. It also adds a sense of tense to the battle, they can't just dive in fight none stop, not in this one [also reminds me of the Street Figer movie, the good one, the animated one]. The opening spots with the tree of woe dropkick and the first non cover make Clark seen very heel, but otherwise make a great situation. It doesn't feel like a wrestling match, just an epic fight with wrestling moves. There's no really selling, not yet anything, but the stop start nature and the two men also holding off from each other means they have enough time to recover inbetween. And it keeps that almso horror movie atmosphere. The tension builds and builds, spikes then suddenly there's not big pay off and you're still building. The attack with the fire extinguisher is a big moment though and nice brutal high light and then is mirrored with Clark's sudden spear. Some of the facelock and suplex might have been done with exansion into more ideas though. The elbow drop from the apron, not a huge spot normally, but it's built and it feels big, like a lot of the moves here. Maddix gets really frantic, and the way the action is, with the two taking to each other, the idea of the heel and doing anything to win goes over far more than nromal. The frantic roll ups in the ring continue this. The action is still basic, but fits there story and feels like it's not just covering old ground. The possible finisher in the Dyer Maker is isnt enough in this sort of match, and it's not the cover with everything type of battle. Now it's a wrestling match, and every big moment is broken off into more build as it doesnt connect or get the job done. Goes a bit spot fu with the trade offs, breaking from the flow of the fight before hand. Well, that was something, very interesting. Very good story [though not really the match, but it wasn't ment to be a match like that], even if the spot fu stuff would have been better to start with it ending in the fight. **1/4
Coy ‘Wild’ West vs Todd Royal
Some back story banter to build the match up [God this ppvs are LONG] Classic big Todd ego entrance fitting for the PPV. Nice slow teasing start till Todd kicks into action only for everything to stop again. Coy starts off with old school headlock love, slowing Todd down and getting him down while Royal has to fight his way out every time. Royal finally escapes with some classic heel help from his manage [Did I say this fed was on an old school kick or what?] Todd just starts to hammer away, basic heel control stuff that works so well here. Coy brawls his way back to control, with his size advantage. Todd has to go back to brawling to escape West's holds again. The neck work is simple, and stands out with Coy's style, so it works very well. Megan is once again used to give Todd the advantage, playing up Todd's character some more. Todd starts to work over Coy's leg, taking advantage of it's previouis damage and to set up the figure four. So far it's all old school, with all the little things in the main focus and it's making for a good match. More leg work, and Todd is just setting out to destory the knee, but it's not oversold, as to think West should be giving up really soon. And even at the spinning toe hold, Todd is still just showing the last affects of the opening headlocks. Coy tries to transition back with a suplex, but his knee gives and he takes the rolling suplexes [a spot Ejiro used to explain transistions and it's very fitting] The leg psych is soild, but not over worked, so it's not stretched with flashy work and holds together. Todd gets rolled up as he goes for a figure four, playing off classic Flair and Jarret spots. Todd as to go back to other routes and the headlocks came back into play, connecting to the start of the match fantasticly. Then Megan finally pays for her interfernce in pay off for early matches and in the match. Todd's rage justifies the breaking from his plan as he stomps away on West. Todd goes for a Dragon Suplex as a big fuck you, but it costs him and the STF goes back to working the neck. With no one to save him, Todd has to tap out. I love the making simple simple like headlocks a big match focus. A really good example about how your match opening can still be important at the finish. And wrestling wise, good soilld fight with psych from both sides that holds up through out. ***3/4
Wild & Dangerous© vs The In Crowd vs Aecas & Janus© vs Toxxic© & Liston
Toxxic... you long winded bastard you [in other words, congrats mate] Big but fast intros to get everyone into the ring. Banter and build to bring things into focus for the match, just to highlight some of the best issues going on. Fast openign clusterfuck of spots like you'd expect, and Aecas trying to play cool as Janus is in psycho mode. A great job of keeping the action hot and everything going at the same time as much as is possible. It's spot tastic, but what else would you expect from at match like this, it's entertaining importantly.Wildchild quickly falls to a suped up version of Toxxic's finisher, as he should, while everyone is taken care of. Done as well as it could have been there. The description holds this together, easy to follow, you know what's going on with everyone, which is what you need in this sort of match. The double take flash backs are a good way to cover action you can't describe at onces, keeps things from being clutterd. [Yes I'm skimming on this one, sorry Toxx] Stuff like Todd trading counters with W&D just shows how spotty this is, but it's fast and it's inventive, which really counts writing wise here. There's the needed everyone hits there dives spots, and Aecas being used as a press slammed lawn dart just owns. I'm not sure if there should event be legal people in a hardcore match, which is a technical rule problem, but it keeps some order to the match. Everything ties in, as Aecas gets his hands on Toxxic in the hardcore fall to try and get revenge. But his revenge means he doesnt get the Hardcore title match, very fitting. Poor Jimmy being left high and dry after Toxxic's bump. I dont think I've seen anyone in a tag match being taken to the back in the middle of the match for a while, I like. Then Liston says fuck this and gets out of dodge. Puts over how dangerous Janus is, and makes the final fall easier to take care of. Everyone is working together to take Janus down now. Great description, jokes and the style helps keep this thing together and make it a great read. In the end, the power and toughness of the Trinity win though and they regain the tag titles. Now that was a fantastic effort just to get the match to work, a cluster fuck but a fun one. **
Danny Williams Promo
Danny's stating he wants the title shot he think's he should have. Quick, simple, and the one thing Duran worried about past his match. *
Nathaniel Kibagami vs Alex Zenon
[Ah, last laps] Well, this has also been highly hyped on the last show and here it comes down. Intro brings it all to bare and leaves no doubt about what's coming. Big grand intros, just to start the rollercoaster going up. Most of this is covered far better by Kibs' own comments. Like the opening showing that Zenon just can't get into a strike battle against Kibs and win. Kibagami is just killing Alex, sending all that rage right back to bite him in the ass. Then that leads straight into all the avoidance stuff, and the ride is still going up and up. Everything brings up Alex's need of luck and the fact he can't go toe to toe here. He plays posum to get all the break he can and annoy Kibs. Then when Zenon does go to attack, it just gets reversed. Zenon then goes for the only opening, the neck and he does for it as hard as he can. But two can play posum as Kibagami does as well, just to show Zenon it's far from that easy. Once again Zenon just eats all his rage and ends up on the mat. It's all like one bit loop, and not the straight up blood honour brawl I'd expected. It draws in all the story connecting these two, and focuses it through the in ring action. With Zenon's desperates efforts for a sleeper hold just reenforce the power gap between the two in the ring. The Benoit/Eddie spot from J Cup 94 works the same way, as Alex tries to take the high road, but that can't work for him either. All that rage and so little outlet. Untill he starts to personally introduce Kibs' face into the apron many times, and this is a huge crashing point, has it all snapped here? No, as Zenon's arm gets smashed again and it all works against him still. It almost looks like Austin/Rock from WM17 will go down again, but this is Kibagami and this is one mother of a match, it's not over heat. This just reads like hatred, everything goes around it, it's all explained to that end and works towards it. Huge effort from Zenon, dropping another big bomb on Silent, but still isnt enough to turn the tide. So he goes postal, but at this point, it seems like one man trying to hold back the sea almost. Zenon goes for what should be the A bomb, should be it, all the rage, all the hate, one last full on murderous assault. And it's JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH! This is just like the classic The Man vs The Punk matches, Zenon's fighting with all he's got, but he doesn't have enough. And then the A Bomb rage comes back to kick Alex in the teeth and Kibagami just muderates him on the spot. But even then, not everthing ends with big bombs. One punch ends it all, finally. This is emotion through and through. Everthing moves to the brawl, to the fight. This isn't Indy, who can make the biggest head drops, this is who has the bigger spirit, who has the pride. Just fantastic to read. Truely awesome. It's going to be remembered. ***1/4
Ann ‘Ichiban’ Onita vs ‘The Superior One’ Tom Flesher
[Almost there!] Everything gets set up at the start, the ladder, Allison out there, all ready for the battle. Flesher just goes to work rubbing dirt into Ann's face as it where. Flesher's going for the leg, and he's taking it easy and heelish so far. Just like the Smarkdown tag match, Tom sets about crushing Onita and being a dick as he goes, with the lazy taunting. But Onita fights back with a blitzing attack, this is going to be another show of spirit I think. Tom goes for the simple low risk high pay of take downs, but Onita is fighting her way free from them, for now. Tom's keeping it simple, real classic heel. Low risk, work over Onita and just hurt her, dont take chances. Ann fights out of a German attempt and nails Flesher where it hurts, making it look like a fighter vs wrestler encounter. Tom makes his usual round of smark and out of kayfabe comments, hitting on some really nice issues, while keeping it all fitting to the match. And Tom goes back to dismantling Onita, taking her apart with simple moves and just wearing her down. Headlocks R Us are going great buisness tonight as Flesher continues the weardown stragergy with one, forcing Ann, the figher, to waster her energy fighting out. Oninta starts to fight back, using the spirit to take control of the match with a dropkiss. But she goes to climb far to soon and Flesher gets her down and crushes her again. Flesher doesnt make the same mistake as he just uses the ladder for a weapon. It just shows Tom as his usual superior self, working Ann over and being the smater man in the ring, carrying right over from their other recent matches. Ann fights here way back into control, all the action following perfectly, as you'd expect from Tom. Ann goes for the old crush rush tactic that worked on her, but she can't pull it off as she misses the yakuza kick. The commentry brings up just what Tom is doing and makes it all so clear. And Ann's fighting spirit does take over on the ladder, just dragging Tom off and throwing him down. Just fighgint to hold on. Finisher from the ladder, should be it, should all be over now. But Allison gets invloved, and all that hard work and fighting spirit that has been built up is crushed.
She tries to fight back, but Tom brings the Unprettier into play once again and it looks to be over. But the fire still burns, and that spirit that is been built justifies her getting back up. But only for one last bump, the final crushing Tom has built up to, Boilermaker from the ladder. To cap it all off finally. Fantastic match. Really sweet. ****1/2
Charlie ‘Grappler’ Matthews© vs ‘The Notorious’ John Duran
[The home run stretch!] Long intro, build it all up, this is the main event of a PPV after all, and the capping of a titanic fued that's been made for so long now. Headlocks R Us starts off making another killing in this one as well. Duran seams to have pulled out a few pages from Danny's play book, and he's carrying on this run that makes him seem such a threat. Duran is taking him down and working him, more of the crushing wave tactics. The commentry backs up all the psych and allows Duran to follow the game plan he wants to, making it all the better. But this is the title match, and Grappler is playing his own games as well, and it keeps him looking like a strong champ, and it all plays between them, as Grappler even mirrors Duran's attacks on him. The submission just brings all the tension to a hightlight, and everythings riding, so no one's going to be tapping out just yet. Duran tries to domination Charlie, just wear him down and crush him, but it doesnt work perfectly, but moving from the knee to the torso opens up a new line of attack that Duran follows very well. This is another great writen peace, with Duran holding everything together and picking up little bits here and there that fix it all together. The bearhug counters just work around this even more. It ends up with a huge end push, Duran risking it to fly through the air to try and win. No good, so he goes for the Point Break, but that does work either, the champ is fighting all the way to the end. And then a Piledriver on the floor shifts it all back and Duran looks to be beaten. And at the end of it all, the Blunt Force Turma, FINALLY puts Grappler down. Duran catches the world title after an epic. Brilliant match. ****3/4, MOTN.
Over all, a fantastic read guys, awesome PPV, with highlights in many ways and styles. Everyone did really well. May nor brilliant star rating wrestling all the way around, but you're not always looking to do that. Certainly match writing wise just great.
Dace