New England Pro Wrestling TV recap

[LucharesuFan619 0]

New England Pro Wrestling TV

Aired at 9:00 AM on Saturday, June 12, 2004 in selected Connecticut outlets

Check out CTChampionshipWrestling.com for full info on how to catch NEPW TV if you live in the Connecticut area.

Report by LucharesuFan619

 

The show’s opening video features clips of Balls Mahoney, Raven, Sabu, and others. I actually attended the show at which the clips with those three guys were filmed. I got to meet Raven and Balls Mahoney there, and see Sabu live.

 

Jeff “The Hungryman” Harris and Joel “The Jinyx” are the commentators for today’s action.

 

The matches on this show are from the May 8, 2004 AWF show in Meriden, CT.

 

Johnny Heartbreaker comes out to the ring, as former WWE ring announcer Frank Kryznowsky makes the introductions. Purdy Kurdy comes out to the ring and enters, as the commentators mention that Heartbreaker works as a model for WWE and did a magazine ad with Stacy Keibler not too long ago. The referee is Ref is Holyoke Joe.

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Johnny Heartbreaker vs. Purdy Kurdy (AWF)

 

The two competitors tie up. Heartbreaker forces Kurdy into the corner and they break the grapple. Another tieup sees an exchange of waistlocks, before Kurdy forces Heartbreaker into the corner and they break again. Another tieup starts with Heartbreaker executing an armringer, after which Kurdy reverses into his own armringer, only for Heartbreaker to lock on a headlock. Kurdy pushes Heartbreaker into the ropes and gets shoulderblocked down. Kurdy rolls away from Heartbreaker and takes a breather, before they tie up again. Heartbreaker applies a headlock and Kurdy again forces him into the ropes. Heartbreaker shoulderblocks him down again, only to find himself on the receiving end of a hiptoss and then a drop toehold by Kurdy. That’s followed by a second hiptoss, which Kurdy transitions into a grounded armlock. Heartbreaker climbs up onto his feet and forces Kurdy into the corner, where he executes a knee lift.

 

Heartbreaker whips Kurdy across the ring and charges after him, but Kurdy dodges out of the way and Heartbreaker slams into the corner. Kurdy takes this opportunity to execute an armdrag and transition that into another grounded armlock. In a cool sequence, Heartbreaker tries his own armdrag, only for Krudy to roll through and execute another one of his own. Heartbreaker is now back on his feet and fighting back with a forearm smash. He whips Kurdy into the ropes and tries a lariat, but that’s ducked and Kurdy executes a tilt-a-whirl headscissors, which he follows with a dropkick that sends Heartbreaker out to ringside. Kurdy catches Heartbreaker coming back in and tries to suplex him from the apron back into the ring, but Heartbreaker drops out behind him and front suplexes him onto the top ring rope.

 

Next, Heartbreaker utilizes some shoulderblock thrusts to the gut in the corner before executing a snapmare. He proceeds to lock on a stomach claw (shades of the Von Erichs, as the commentators mention) to slow down the pace. Heartbreaker says, “The claw is back, baby!” Kurdy soon escapes the submission and runs off of the ropes, only to receive a knee lift that causes him to do a front flip onto the mat. Heartbreaker gets a 2 count with that move and then whips Kurdy into the ropes again and applies an abdominal stretch. While he still has the stretch locked in, Heartbreaker digs his elbow into Kurdy’s back and cheats by using the ring ropes for leverage when the referee isn’t looking, but he tries these shady methods one too many times, and eventually referee Holyoke Joe sees what he’s doing and forces him to break the hold.

 

Kurdy takes this opportunity to fight back, and proceeds to climb up top and hit a Flying Sunset Flip for 2, only to have Heartbreaker beat him back to his feet and take him down via a lariat. Heartbreaker delivers two Chris Hero-style jumping double-foot stomps to the chest before bodyslamming Kurdy. An elbow drop off of the middle turnbuckle gets a 2 count for Heartbreaker. Kurdy is whipped into the ropes and stops short when he sees that Heartbreaker has ducked down at an attempt for a back body drop. Heartbreaker receives a sick kick to the chest before Kurdy runs off of the ropes again. He ducks a lariat and Superkicks Heartbreaker down for a 2 count. The finish sees Kurdy climb onto the turnbuckle and in turn onto Heartbreaker’s shoulders, and then roll forward with a victory roll attempt. Heartbreaker, though, refuses to let him roll through and instead pins him like Owen Hart did to Bret at WrestleMania X, only Heartbreaker cheats by grabbing the ropes for leverage.

 

Advertisement – the AWF will be at Meriden, CT on Saturday, June 12 (tonight). CCW will have a show in June 19 in Branford.

 

Former-ECW superstar The Equalizer comes out to the ring, carrying his AWF Hardcore Title. Equalizer takes the mic and says he came from New Jersey, only to find out when he arrived at the building that nobody was willing to take him up on his Hardcore Title defense Equalizer mentions that Bam Bam Bigelow and Chris Candido are backstage tonight, but says that they’re busy, so they’re not going to be challenging him. So, Equalizer challenges any wrestler in the back one more time in hopes of getting an opponent for that night.

 

Out comes a Hulk Hogan lookalike named “Holyoke Hogan.” It’s obvious that this imposter – who is even wearing a Hogan mask over his face – is referee Holyoke Joe from the previous match between Johnny Heartbreaker and Purdy Kurdy. Holyoke does Hulk Hogan’s signature taunts, such as the muscle poses and putting his ear up to the crowd, while “Real American” plays in the background.

 

AWF Hardcore Title Match: The Equalizer © vs. Holyoke Hogan (AWF)

 

Equalizer threatens Holyoke, who proceeds to throw some punches that don’t faze Equalizer in the slightest. Holyoke runs off of the ropes, but Equalizer ducks his lariat and delivers a Chokeslam. I thought he’d go for a pin, but instead Equalizer proceeds to deliver some stomps to Holyoke. After getting beaten down in the corner, Holyoke tries to mount a comeback, but Equalizer executes an eyerake to ensure that he remains in control. Equalizer drags Holyoke to the opposite corner and whips him across the ring back to the one where they were just at. Holyoke bounces off of the ringpost and receives the worst Belly-to-Belly (non-Overhead) Suplex I’ve ever seen, which Equalizer gets a 2 count out of, as Holyoke surprisingly is able to get a shoulder up.

 

Equalizer lifts Holyoke back onto his feet and delivers a headbutt, followed by an Irish whip and a Sideslam. Holyoke – who don’t forget isn’t in very good shape and is probably in his 40s or 50s – surprises everyone (especially myself) by HULKING UP~! Like the real Hogan loves to do. He blocks an attempted punch by Equalizer and delivers several of his own. Holyoke whips Equalizer into the ropes and attempts a big boot, but just like his punches at the beginning of the match, that doesn’t even faze Equalizer. Holyoke attempts to lift Equalizer up for a bodyslam, but he doesn’t have enough strength, and instead receives a big boot by Equalizer, followed by an elbow drop for the win.

 

After the match, Equalizer attacks Holyoke before demanding the microphone and cutting an inaudible promo. Some officials come out to the ringside area and check on Hogan before helping him backstage, while in the ring Equalizer has invited 15 or more kids into the ring to help celebrate his victory.

 

Another AWF and CCW ad is shown. CCW will run in Fairfield in June 27 and also the aforementioned date of June 19.

 

Back to the action, as “Coach” Nick Richards comes out to the ring, blowing his whistle nonstop just as Bill Alfonso loves to do. “The Promise” Antonio Thomas makes his way out to the ring as the commentators mention that Richards worked for the WWF years ago as “an enhancement talent.” Thomas – who has “Promise” written on the back of his ring tights, and is quite popular with the women – is actually fairly well-known on the independent circuit. Sal Brady is the referee for this match.

 

“Coach” Nick Richards vs. “The Promise” Antonio Thomas (AWF)

 

Richards attacks Thomas before the bell even rings, thereby beginning the match. Some punches by Richards precede an Irish whip, which Thomas reverses. Richards is sent into the ropes and receives a hiptoss, an armdrag, and a dropkick, which get him a 2 count. Thomas tries a cross corner whip, but Richards reveres it and sends Thomas towards the ringpost. Richards charges at his opponent, but Thomas gets an elbow up into his face and hits a Corner Slingshot Crossbody Block for 2. Thomas whips Richards back across the ring, but “Coach” runs out to ringside for a breather. After taking some time to think, he decides that his effort isn’t worth it tonight, and heads backstage. Thomas chases after him and drags him back to the ring. Immediately upon being rolled back into the squared circle, Richards runs back through the ropes and retreats to ringside again.

 

Thomas has had enough by this point and proceeds to physically force Richards back into the ring. He hammers him in the corners and proceeds to slam him head-first into all four turnbuckles, which gets “The Promise” a 2 count. Thomas whips Richards into the opposite corner and charges after him, but Richards takes back control with a flapjack that drops Thomas face-first onto the ringpost. Richards executes a missile dropkick before playing up his “Coach” gimmick by doing some jumping jacks and pushups in the middle of the match. Richards is pumped, baby. He uses his boot to choke Thomas in the corner, but when he tries to pull him out by the feet, Thomas ends up landing on his feet, via a non-backflip version of C.M. Punk’s “Jackie Chan” maneuver. Thomas tries to whip Richards into the ropes, but Richards counters the Irish whip into a northern lights suplex. We see a quick replay of Thomas being pulled out of the corner, landing on his feet, and then receiving the suplex before we go back to live in-ring action, as Richards has a rear chinlock applied on Thomas.

 

Eventually, “The Promise” fights back onto his feet and escapes the hold before running off of the ropes, only to receive a knee lift that sends him forward flipping onto the mat. Richards tries to slow down the match by applying a bearhug, but after some recuperating, Thomas is able to escape from it. He whips Richards into the ropes and tries a lariat, but Richards ducks it and lariats him down to the mat for a 2 count, before reverting back to the rear chinlock. Thomas is again able to force himself back onto his feet and escape the hold, before taking Richards down to the mat with a schoolboy rollup for 2. Richards beats him back to his feet, though, and takes “The Promise” down with a lariat. Richards proceeds to use the ring rope to choke Thomas, but when he charges off of the ropes and tries to kick Thomas in the back of the head, Thomas dodges out of the way and – as a result – Richards lands crotch-first on the middle ring rope.

 

Now back in control, Thomas delivers four consecutive lariats to his opponent and obtains a 2 count, before setting up for a German Suplex attempt. Richards distracts the referee and executes a low blow kick, but Thomas comes back with another schoolboy rollup for a 2 count. However, just like what happened a few moments before, Richards beats him back to his feet and knocks him down with a lariat for a 2 count. Richards climbs up onto the middle buckle and flies off with an attempted double axehandle smash, but Thomas blocks it and hits an STO for the pinfall victory!

 

“The Promise” celebrates his win by slapping the hands of some luck ringside fans and even delivering a peck on the cheek on a female security member before walking back through the curtain. Richards follows behind him, clearly dejected about losing the match, despite having been in control for much of the time.

 

Some more ads for local AWF and CCW shows are played, before we cut to our final match.

 

Holyoke Joe takes back refereeing duties for this match. Former-ROH wrestlers The Outkast Killahz – comprised of Diablos Santiago & Oman Tortuga (who one of the commentators keeps referring to as “Omar” during the match) – make their way out to the ring. This is their debut appearance on “New England Pro Wrestling TV.” Next, out comes EWA and PWF regulars Ken Phoenix and Johnny Curtis, who will be the O.K.’s opponents tonight.

 

The Outkast Killahz (Diablos Santiago & Oman Tortuga) vs. Ken Phoenix & Johnny Curtis (AWF)

 

Tortuga and Curtis tie up. Curtis starts with an armringer, but Tortuga counters into one of his own. Curtis transitions into a headlock and Tortuga pushes him into the ropes. Curtis knocks Tortuga down with a shoulderblock before reverting back to the headlock. Tortuga escapes and executes another armringer, but misses an elbow drop and receives an armdrag from Curtis. Phoenix is tagged in and executes an armringer. Oman does an intricate, Chris Hero-style reversal and counters into an abdominal stretch, before transitioning into an armdrag and a side headlock. Santiago enters the match for the first time and ends up having his armringer reversed by Phoenix. Santiago fights back with chops, but his Irish whip is reversed and he gets sent down to the mat via a lariat by Phoenix for a 2 count.

 

Next, Santiago counters another Irish whip and executes a flapjack, as Oman re-enters the match, and gets a bodyscissors into a splash on Curtis for a 2 count. Curtis mounts a comeback with a Corner Slingshot Crossbody Block (just like Antonio Thomas did earlier in the show) and gets a 2 count, only to receive a spinning enziguri kick from Oman. That move gets Oman his own 2 count, as Curtis lays his foot on the nearby ring ropes. Santiago enters the ring and beats up Curtis, who tries a DDT, only to have Santiago escape it and apply a Sharpshooter. Curtis is able to crawl to the ropes within seconds, though, so Santiago must break the hold. Curtis climbs out onto the apron and executes a stunner on Santiago, slamming him face-first into the top ring rope.

 

Back in the ring, Phoenix tries a Flying Double Axehandle Smash on Santiago, but that’s blocked and Santiago executes a nice-looking Bridging T-Bone Suplex for a 2 count. Oman Tortuga now enters the ring and exchanges a series of strikes with Curtis. Oman executes a modified Fameasser, and then goes for a leaping heelkick, which is ducked. He gets right back on the offense, though, by executing a standing Triple H-style Facebuster on the knee, followed by a leaping enziguri kick for a 2 count (Phoenix breaks up the pin). The Outkast Killahz use some cheap double-team methods to assault Curtis, while the referee is distracted dealing Oman covers Curtis for a 2 count when the referee turns back around to the action.

 

Oman now applies a front facelock submission on Curtis in hopes of slowing down the pace of the match, but Santiago wants in and Oman obliges to his partner’s wish. Curtis counters Santiago’s Irish whip and the Outkast Killah gets sent down to the mat with a lariat. After taking a breather, Curtis follows with an enziguri before tagging in Phoenix, only for the referee to not see the tag and force Phoenix to stay out on the apron. Meanwhile, behind the ref’s back, the Outkast Killahz double-team Curtis in the corner, as Santiago executes a running shoulder thrust and then bends down so that Oman can leap off of his back and drill Curtis in the chest with a dropkick. That double-team maneuver gets a 2 count, as Curtis breaks up the pin.

 

Oman executes a snapmare, and Santiago then enters so that the Outkast Killahz can execute a kick to the chest (Oman)/running kick to the back (Santiago) combo. The referee, though, forces Oman back out to the apron because he’s not the legal man. A pissed off Oman starts arguing with the referee as a rested Phoneix is finally tagged in. He decimates both Outcast Killahz with lariats, and then whips Oman into the ropes and delivers a dropkick. Oman is whipped into the ropes again, and this time he receives a Rhyno-style corkscrew rotation spinebuster from Phoenix.

 

Oman tries to fight back by lifting Phoenix onto his shoulders for a fireman’s carry, but Phoenix somehow counters the move. It looked like Oman hit a Fireman’s Carry into a Russian Leg Sweep, but apparently Phoenix somehow countered into an offensive move, as he went for the pin on Oman, only to get 2 when Santiago pulled the ref out of the ring by the foot. Curtis attacks Santiago at ringside, but within a few moments, Santiago is able to re-enter the ring and – along with Oman – execute a type of Missile Dropkick/Powerslam-type double-team finisher on Phoenix, giving the Outkast Killahz the victory (thanks to their cheating strategy, albeit).

 

Some more ads for local wrestling shows are aired.

 

A still picture of AWF and former-WWE ring announcer Frank Kryznowsky is shown, as the commentators mention that he’s also a teacher at Platt High School teacher, the venue that this show occurred at.

 

On next week’s show, we’ll see Chris Candido and Bam Bam Bigelow in action, among others.

 

An ad for commentator Jeff Harris’ official web site, The HungryMan.com, is shown, and we’re told the contact info for New England Pro Wrestling TV. Tune in next week, folks.

 

Feedback can be sent to [email protected].

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll be doing this pretty much weekly from now on, so feel free to post any feedback.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

Antonio Thomas is somebody I'm surprised hasn't been signed to OVW. He has a great look (his body is almost comic book-level of ripped), is pretty solid in the ring, and has a decent enough amount of charisma.

 

In NECW about four months ago, Antonio Thomas faced Maverick Wild for the NECW Heavyweight title, and the match just tore the house down. Aside from a weak grasp on psychology, Thomas gelled well with Wild. Pretty damn solid bout, about ***.

[LucharesuFan619 0]

Yeah, he looked pretty impressive. Sort of ressembled a Latino version of Matt Striker (not the ROH one, the MLW/PWF one). He was definitely impressive.

[LucharesuFan619 0]

Sorry for the double post.