wrestling / Columns

Hidden in Plain Sight 07.16.12: Interviews with Player Uno and Jon Davis, ROH iPPV Review, More

July 16, 2012 | Posted by TJ Hawke

Welcome to the second issue of Hidden in Plain Sight. This is a monthly column that takes an in-depth look at independent wrestling. Each issue tackles several topics, organized by the promotion that the topic is most related to. By clicking on the banner of each promotion, you will be taken to the promotion’s website where you can learn more about said promotion.

In Issue #1, I reviewed Chikara’s recent iPPV, conducted three interviews, and wrote several other features. This issue has interviews with Player Uno and Jon Davis, a review of the ROH Best in the World iPPV, previews of DGUSA, PWG, Beyond, and AAW, and more. Please discuss your thoughts on any of the topics or matches in the comments section.

PWG 9th Anniversary Show Preview

Super Smash Bros. (Player Uno & Player Dos)© vs. Future Shock (Adam Cole & Kyle O’Reilly) vs. The Young Bucks (Nick Jackson & Matt Jackson) in a Ladder Match for the PWG World Tag Titles
In an ideal world, the Bucks would not be getting a tag title shot after losing four of their last five matches in PWG. They have enough history and credibility in the company for it to not seem ridiculous at first sight, but I think PWG should strive to recognize the results of their most recent history when determining title shots. Ok, with that out of the way. This match should be absolutely insane, and it certainly looks like a potential PWG MOTYC on paper. It’s nice to see PWG still using Future Shock as a team, so I wouldn’t be angry if they won the titles, but I don’t really think there is a need to take the belts off of SSB now.
Prediction: Super Smash Bros.

Kevin Steen© vs. Willie Mack for the PWG World Championship
These two had a really fun opener during the 2011 All-Star Weekend, and I think they will do even better here. I can’t decide who I want to win though. On one hand, Kevin Steen is still much better than Mack, and he is one of my favorite wrestlers going today. On the other hand, Mack is very, very over with the PWG crowd, and this may be a great opportunity to create a star. Because of that, I can’t say I really oppose the logic in having Mack win, but for my own entertainment, Steen as champ does more for my interest PWG going forward than Mack does. Either way, this should be quite the match.
Prediction: Kevin Steen

Michael Elgin vs. Sami Callihan
Of course PWG makes this match happens (it has happened before, but never on such a big stage). Both guys have made their PWG debuts in 2012 in losing efforts. The winner immediately becomes the ideal choice to challenge for the PWG World title (especially if Steen leaves the show as champ). This should be a hell of a match, and I can’t wait to watch it. The match result is somewhat unpredictable, but the latest “Sami to WWE” rumors push me to pick Elgin.
Prediction: Michael Elgin

RockNES Monsters (Johnny Yuma & Johnny Goodtime) vs. The Fightin’ Taylor Boys (Chuck Taylor & Ryan Taylor)
Chuck Taylor and PWG go so well together, and I was very happy to see him return. I’m only disappointed that the Taylor Boys won’t be in a trios match together. The Monsters basically lost their push to the SSB in the last six months, but I think their path to another PWG Tag Title shot starts here.
Prediction: The Monsters

Roderick Strong vs. TJ Perkins
Not much to say here. Both guys are pretty directionless in PWG at the moment (as much as PWG has direction). I think TJP is better off in a tag team, and Roddy may be as well at this point (at least in PWG). I’m not excited about this match, but I think they will bust out some cool shit and have a real fun match when it’s all said and done.
Prediction: Roddy

Eddie “Eddie Edwards” Edwards vs. Brian Cage-Taylor
The PWG crowd has really taken to Cage, and they have always loved Eddie, so this match should be lots of a fun. I don’t have much to add, other than that I hope Cage continues to do well before he is inevitably signed by the WWE.
Prediction: Cage-Taylor

Famous B vs. Joey Ryan
I’m glad Famous B is still getting booked, but I really miss the Famous B/Chris Kadillak team that seems to no longer be happening in PWG. I long lost interest in Joey Ryan singles matches, but his crowd reaction will be interesting with him being involved in a TNA storyline. I hope Famous B wins and moves on to bigger things.
Prediction: Famous B

Drake Younger vs. B-Boy
My immediate reaction to hearing about this match was basically “What the fuck?” However, I soon learned that Younger has moved to California and that these two apparently have awesome chemistry. Thus, I moved from being completely indifferent to being quite intrigued by what happens here. I hope the match gets over. Younger has gotten strong reviews in the last year, so hopefully this can be the start of a cool run for him in PWG.
Prediction: B-Boy

Overall Thoughts: I don’t think PWG has quite reached their 2011 level yet in 2012, but this show looks as good on paper as Steen Wolf or DDT4 (two of the best wrestling shows in 2011 in my opinion). I’m very jealous of everyone who will be able to see this live, and I definitely look forward to watching it (…in September #GarganoFace).

HIPS Interview: Player Uno

TJ Hawke: You and Player Dos/Stupefied recently won the PWG World Tag Titles in a No DQ match against the Young Bucks at PWG’s Death to All But Metal. What was that match like? How does this accomplishment rank up there with you and Dos’s other accomplishments as singles and tag competitors?

Player Uno: The match was incredible. The crowd was behind us the entire way through and it was just so much fun. No doubt one of my favorite matches I’ve been a part of. The Young Bucks are just phenomenal. As for the PWG tag belts, I can say it’s easily the greatest accomplishment we’ve had to date. It was a big goal of ours to get to PWG and to win the tag belts was more than we could ever imagine.

TJ: To earn that tag title shot, the Super Smash Bros. won PWG’s annual DDT4 by defeating The Young Bucks, Future Shock, and Two Husky Black Guys. What was it like to have three big tag matches in PWG on a single night? Did you have a match that night that you were most proud of or liked the most?

PU: It was exhausting! I’ve done tournaments before, but none of this caliber. We wanted to make sure that our match was the best of every round we were in and we wanted to make sure the final held up as a great conclusion to the whole tournament. I’m happy with all three matches, but I personally liked our match with Future Shock the most. We had never worked with them before and instantly clicked. The fans were solidly behind both us and Future Shock and it made for an amazing atmosphere.

TJ: The PWG 9th Anniversary show, Threemendous III, the Super Smash Bros. will be defending the PWG World Tag Titles in a triple threat ladder match against The Young Bucks and Future Shock. This is one of those matchups on paper that makes most people go, “Holy Shit!” What was your reaction when you were told about the match? Have you and Dos done anything special to prepare for this match? Is there a specific video game that helps you prepare?

PU: My original reaction was “Man, this is gonna hurt”. Ladder matches are painful and crazy, but they also make for some of the best matches when done right. I’m really excited for it too, as we’re facing the Bucks and Future Shock who are easily two of the best teams we’ve ever worked with. It’s gonna be a real challenge to top our last match with the Bucks, but I think if anything could do it, this would be it. We have a few tricks in our sleeves for the match. We both have a long history of ladder matches. I think I’ve personally been a part of more than a couple dozen now, so I’m no stranger to the dynamic. As for a video game, I’ve been playing a lot of No Mercy 64, but really, I should be playing Track & Field for the NES or something.

TJ: The Super Smash Bros will finally make their long-awaited DGUSA debuts at the promotion’s Third Anniversary weekend. You’ve made the goal for the SSB in Evolve/DGUSA promotions perfectly clear: you aim to get a million wins. Do you have a second goal?

PU: Do our DGUSA wins transfer over to our Evolve record? I sure hope so. It would make that million point quest a lot shorter. Our second goal is too cement our position in DGUSA. We’re coming in as new faces to people who only watch DGUSA and we want to make sure we give a lasting impression. We want to see our smirks on that roster page. Our third goal is the tag straps. We’ve got a nice little collection going on, and we wanna add to them. The Open the United Gate tag straps would look great among our current collection. All your belts are belong to us!

Contact Player Uno on Twitter and friend him on Facebook . The SSB (or just Uno) are also available for bookings through [email protected] or Facebook!

For more information on PWG, check out their:
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HIPS Interview with Jon Davis

TJ Hawke: You’ve competed on the last five Evolve shows, and two of those matches were arguably two of the most high profile singles matches of your career. At Evolve 12, you faced off against Fit Finlay, and at Evolve 13, you faced off against Low Ki. What was it like to step into the ring with each of those men? What did you think of each of the matches?

Jon Davis: Both matches were different, but at the same time similar. Both men are world traveled. Both men have mastered their craft. Both men bring an intensity to the ring that many CANNOT match.

Finlay is like the old dude in the bar that won’t go down. He’s seen many people tougher than me and beaten them. He’s not easy to take down and even harder to keep down. A lot of people expected the bell to ring and us to start punching each other in the face until one of us could no longer stand. My thought process going in to it was to take it to the ground, wear out a body part and either submit him or make it impossible for him to kick out of a pin. He obviously had the same game plan, but after working on my leg he switched it up by dumping me on my head with a tombstone.

Low Ki on the other hand gives you the feeling of being the bad guy on a Bruce Lee movie, you know he is going to bring the fight to you, you know he is going to kick you hard, you know it’s going to suck, you know that IF you can weather the storm then you have a chance, IF you can weather the storm. Recently Ki has been not only beating some of the best wrestlers in the world, he has been doing so in a dominant fashion. We both knew I wasn’t going to get Low Ki with my speed, and I knew that to hurt him I had to catch him. I couldn’t look at this match like wear the guy down and beat him. I had to go for the kill as early and often as I could if I was going to beat him. End of the day I set myself up to fail against him and did. A small mistake against him can be huge as I learned in North Carolina.

Stepping into the ring against these to was both a learning experience and a wakeup call. They tested my mental toughness as well as my physical. They taught me that a small opening can win a match and that opening may not be there for a while.

TJ: While you weren’t victorious in either of those big matches, you received a lot of praise for your performances. Evolve released footage of you wanting to retire after you lost the second match. However, you then signed on to wrestle in the second ever Style Battle, where you had matches with Tommy Taylor, AR Fox, and Bobby Fish over the course of an Evolve tripleshot. Before those shows, you said you would retire if you didn’t win all of the matches and the whole Style Battle tournament. You then went on to win all the matches, and thus, win the 2012 Style Battle winner. What did you think of those matches and the tournament as a whole?

JD: I was very down on myself after those matches. I got a lot of praise and people seemed to notice I wasn’t just a punch and kick big man, but that didn’t make losing any easier for me. I felt like that weekend was my weekend was mine. That I would leave victorious and finally start to earn more. But after losing, seriously contemplating retirement, and leaving my boots behind my family let me have it. I have a strong support system and they refused to watch me defeat myself. So I agreed to sign onto the style battle for them. I agreed to win for them and if I couldn’t then I would no longer do it and at least have the chance to go in a blaze of glory in front of them in my hometown of Jacksonville.

I love the concept of the style battle. I feel like it’s what the sport is all about. If you look at the NFL, no two teams play exactly the same. There may be some similarities, but no two are the same. Offenses, defenses along with team character and heart are called into play for any team that expects to emerge as champion. Same thing with the style battle. There are a lot of different wrestling styles and a lot of really good wrestlers who utilize them. And as evidenced by last year’s tourney, my style wasn’t the best. I had some things I needed to work on and I didn’t have the drive I do now.

This year everyone had something to prove. Tommy Taylor was coming back from 2 years off after destroying his knee and shoulder. He wanted to prove that he still had what it took and he did just that. All that time off and I’m not sure he missed a step. Still as tough as ever and from my firsthand experience, just as hungry to win. I think in the end I just caught him off guard and that was all I needed to secure the victory.

A.R. Fox was last year’s champion and he has been on a tear ever since winning the style battle last year. He truly represents the high flying style and showed a lot of the heart I mentioned earlier as he kicked out of some of my best stuff. But for every time he kicked out, I was prepared to do something else to ensure he wouldn’t the next time. He earned my respect in that match, and he deserves every good word people speak about him.

Bobby Fish in my opinion is one of the most under rated guys stepping between the ropes today. He came in wanting to get to .500 and prove that he was a force to be reckoned with. I paid a lot of attention to him over the weekend to learn more about him as he submitted me in April. I looked into his eyes during the intros before the match and saw the he had the same mindset that I did, that he would do anything he had to for the title of style battle champion. We beat each other without mercy and by the time the end came it saw both of escape each other’s best moves, almost knock each other out and barely be able to stand by the end of it. I limped for a week following my match with him. And though he didn’t emerge with the result he wanted, I feel like he was one move away at all times from watching me retire.

TJ: In Evolve’s sister promotion, DGUSA, you have some success against several American born roster members, but you have only had one match against a Dragon Gate trained wrestler (a loss to Akira Tozawa at Way of the Ronin 2011). At the DGUSA Third Anniversary Celebration, you will take on former Dream Gate and Freedom Gate champion, YAMATO. How do you compare the importance of this match to your other recent big matches in your career?

JD: Yamato’s reputation speaks for itself. The former champ has sat on top a few times and earned the seat each time. Walking into this match is different for me though. I still have things I need to achieve to keep going. I have all the respect in the world for him, but he should know that I CANNOT LOSE. I have too much at stake. And for Yamato, that will make me a very dangerous animal. So when we stand across the ring from each other in just a few short weeks, I hope he is prepared for the hell to follow the opening bell.

Contact Jon Davis on Twitter: @JonDavis817

Untouchable 2012 Preview

Johnny Gargano© vs. Akira Tozawa for the Open The Freedom Gate Title
Gargano and Tozawa had two matches in 2011 (one in AIW and one in DGUSA) and I loved both of them (though the DGUSA one was definitely better). There is no reason to think that this match won’t be great as well, as both men are even better since their last meeting. As for who is going to win, that is still up in the air. If Tozawa wins the Open the Dream Gate belt in Japan in a week, there is no way that he will lose in DGUSA. He may not win this match with Gargano, but there is no way that the brand new Dream Gate Champion is dropping a match in DGUSA, even to the Freedom Gate Champion. Gargano is also rumored to be back on WWE’s radar as they revamp their developmental system. DGUSA doesn’t have another weekend of events until November, so it would be hard for him to drop the belt to someone from Japan in the meantime. I suppose Gargano could drop the belt to someone in Evolve in the meantime, but Evolve doesn’t have anyone quite at Tozawa’s level, at least in terms of DGUSA stature. It’s a shame that most of the intrigued from a title match comes from outside factors, but such is the state of storytelling in DGUSA. Regardless, this match should be great.
Prediction: Akira Tozawa

CIMA & AR Fox vs. El Generico & Samuray Del Sol
I am so goddamn excited to watch this match. I could write this about four matches this weekend, but this match could definitely be the best match of the weekend. With CIMA and AR Fox never having teamed before, I would certainly like to hope that they will win their one match together before they have a tag title match. Then again, if they win the tag belts, I guess Del Sol and Generico winning this match could at least set up a future tag title match.
Prediction: CIMA & AR Fox

YAMATO vs. Ricochet: I see them setting YAMATO up for a big Freedom Gate title shot in the fall, so I think he will pick up the win here. Ricochet will probably stay primarily in the tag title picture, so it doesn’t make sense for him to go over unless YAMATO is not scheduled to come back. Should be a good match.
Prediction: YAMATO

Rich Swann vs. Chuck Taylor
I don’t really have interest in Chuck Taylor singles going forward in DGUSA/Evolve. I’ve always enjoyed his efforts in tag matches more, and I think DGUSA/Evolve could certainly use another prominent tag team that is featured regularly. I hope Rich Swann wins this, but with Taylor in an “I Quit” match the next night, I will go with…
Prediction: Sexy Chucky T

Super Smash Brothers (Player Uno & Player Dos) vs. The Scene (Caleb Konley & Scott Reed)
On one hand, I think this is an absolute waste of the Super Smash Bros. However, I understand the idea of using an exciting team to make the Scene look stronger. The Scene is the team that is on almost every DGUSA/Evolve show, and they have won the majority of their matches. But come on. This really is such a waste of the Super Smash Bros, but the tag division of DGUSA/Evolve has lacked depth seemingly since the moment they introduced the tag titles to the company. With only three Dragon Gate guys coming over, there weren’t exactly a lot of options for the SSB.
Prediction: The Scene

Enter the Dragon 2012 Preview

CIMA & AR Fox vs. Ricochet & Rich Swann [Open The United Gate Decision Match]: Nothing like having two teams who have never teamed before in DGUSA or Evolve being booked in a main event to determine new tag champions after the previous champions vacated the belts (who themselves had never teamed before and won the tag titles when the previous champions vacated the belts. These are some very prestigious belts #GarganoFace). The fact that no one complains is a sign of people giving zero fucks. Oh well. At least this match should be fucking insane. I look forward to watching it. But if DGUSA ever wants to know why no one has a passion for their product, they just need to look at how big matches are booked. Having great tag matches is only part of having a great tag division. You also need a tag division of teams that regularly tag so fans are invested beyond the “this match looks great” factor.
Prediction: CIMA & AR Fox

El Generico vs. Akira Tozawa: This is one of those special matchups that I am glad DGUSA is taking advantage of. These two had a good match in PWG back in 2010, but it actually happened the night before Tozawa really broke out in PWG. Almost two full years later, these two are now arguably two of the best in the world, and I think this could be one of the best matches of the year. Since I think Tozawa wins the belt the night before, I think this will get changed to a Freedom Gate Title match and Tozawa will win.
Prediction: Tozawa clean via Everest German Suplex

Johnny Gargano vs. Chuck Taylor in an “I Quit” match
When I write the book, “DGUSA Had a Lot of Great Matches in its Time, But They Made Too Many Mistakes That Prevented Them From Truly Succeeding” (catchy, I know), the crux of my argument will probably be based on the fact that DGUSA never managed to tell stories in a way that enhanced the great action, and that the stories mostly got in the way. Basically, DGUSA tries to balance the PWG Supercard booking with the longform storytelling of most other independent promotions, but they don’t truly succeed at either. Johnny Gargano and Chuck Taylor could go into any promotion right now and have a good match. DGUSA, being the ambitious promotion that it is, obviously does not settle for that and tries to tell a story for their matches to mean more. That story seemingly concluded at Evolve 15. Taylor finally received a shot at Gargano’s Freedom Gate Title. They had a long brawl that ended when Gargano made Taylor submit (ie: Quit). Now, they will meet in an I Quit match. Why? The tecnico has already made the rudo quit. We all just saw it. I do not get it. The lack of logic in the storytelling drives me bananas, because DGUSA/Evolve could be the best promotions in America. They have an unbelievable roster and technological foundation. They just can’t get out of their own way at times, and it is so very frustrating.

Finally, unless Gargano is truly leaving for the WWE, I have no idea why Chuck Taylor would win this match.
Prediction: Gargano

YAMATO vs. Jon Davis: To me, this match is essentially Davis’s reward for having five straight good matches in Evolve. Now he gets to have a chance with a bona fide Dragon Gate main eventer in a much more high profile situation. Jon Davis has proven himself worthy of being a main eventer in Evolve, but the Dragon Gate guys can reportedly be quite fickle about who they work with. Thus, despite Davis’s recent history of having entertaining matches, this match may be even more important to his immediate future in DGUSA. If this match goes well, we could see him in DGUSA main events. If it doesn’t go well, he may get stuck in the DGUSA midcard purgatory again.

I think Davis is primed to breakout more than ever before, but I don’t know if this is the matchup that would necessarily facilitate that. I think a match with Generico, Ricochet or maybe even a Dragon Kid, where they can bump and fly around to make him look like a monster would better serve him. That being said, Yamato is still probably one of the best wrestlers in the world, and he is plenty capable of having good matches with a variety of opponents. I think this would be one of those times. Personally, I would have Davis win this match because Yamato’s time as a main eventer in DGUSA has probably passed (at least for the time being). However, the DG guys rarely do jobs in DGUSA to the Americans with lower profiles.
Prediction: Yamato wins clean via fruit rollup

Super Smash Brothers vs. Arik Cannon & Pinkie Sanchez
If SSB can’t win this match, then they are probably not long for the DGUSA world. I like Arik Cannon and Pinkie Sanchez, but they have not been used well in DGUSA (and are seemingly no longer used at all in Evolve). I would love for the Super Smash Bros. to be a prominent part of DGUSA and Evolve. I think they add a lot to the product. If they are not going to be though, then I understand why they would lose here. Time will tell.
Prediction: Super Smash Bros.

Both shows look good to me and I look forward to watching them. If the two main events of each show deliver, both of these shows will probably be worth the money, and I can’t imagine those four matches not being great. You can watch these shows at WWNLive.com.

HIPS TV: Rich Swann vs. AR Fox from Open the Ultimate Gate

DGUSA recently made another match available for free. You can legally download this match here. Get alerted to future free DGUSA/Evolve matches by signing up for their Email News Alerts.
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Swann got control first. Fox came back with his awesome twisting brainbuster for an early nearfall. Swann rolled to the floor. Fox went for the kickflip moonsault, but Swann avoided it. Swann then hit a moonsault off the apron. He just barely caught Fox on that. Back in the ring, Fox hit the My Dick Explodes and the shooting star cannonball. That got another nearfall for Fox. Fox was in control after that. Fox hit a split-legged moonsault for another nearfall. Fox hit a spiked Mic Check for another nearfall. Fox is definitely winning in the points. Swann came back with an enzuigiri and a leaping super hurricanrana. Swann hit a Scissor Kick and Rolling Thunder: 1…2…NO! Fox came back with a rolling DVD and a senton atomico: 1…2…NO! Swann went to the floor again. Fox hit his Lo Mein Rain to the floor. That move defies reality. Fox went for the diving guillotine apron legdrop, but Swann avoided it. Swann hit the Lethal Injection: 1…2…NO! Swann went to the top rope and hit a frog splash: 1…2…NO! They traded pinning combinations. Swann hit a super kick and went to the top rope. Fox gave him a Brogue Kick and then hit the Lo Mein Pain: 1…2…3!

AR Fox psychology (hit ALL the moves) probably drives some people nuts, but I always have a great time watching him. These two got the crowd super hot, and this was pretty much a perfect opener. Watch this match.
Match Rating: ***1/2

For more information on DGUSA, check out their:
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Evolve’s First Tripleshot: Raises Questions and Provides Hope for the Promotion’s Future

You can read my individual reviews of each show: Evolve 14, Evolve 15, and Evolve 16.

After only running three shows in 2011 (and nine total shows in its first two years of existence), 2012 was a make or break year for Evolve. Quite frankly, 2012 started horribly as the promotion seemed dead in the water after Evolve 10 (a show promoted as a “Tribute to the [ECW] Arena”). The promotion had no goodwill, and their champion was laid up in the hospital after a match that was “rejected” by the live crowd (only for the very same crowd to next treat Sabu and Justin Credible like stars). Public perception of Evolve was at an all-time low. Things did not improve at Evolve 11, but it was not entirely Evolve’s fault. Bobby Fish, AR Fox, Cheech, and Scott Reed all had transportation issues that prevented their involvement in the show, which left Evolve with a pretty wretched/boring undercard. The show needed Low Ki/El Generico and Sami Callihan/Finlay to deliver something special and neither the crowd or Low Ki helped to make that happen.

Since that show, Evolve has had five very good shows filled with good wrestling. I, and seemingly everyone else I know who saw them, enjoyed these past five shows a lot. But Evolve is still in no way a “must see” promotion. There is no hook. There is nothing that you see in Evolve that you can’t get in other places. Even with a very talented roster, Evolve has not maximized its own potential while having resources that 99% of independent wrestling promotions in no way have.

After 16 shows, Evolve has failed to make the promotion’s gimmick (Wins and Losses matter) into a draw at all. Wrestler’s records do not seem to affect a wrestler’s storyline standing unless it’s extremely convenient. Bobby Fish started 0-3, but then main evented the fourth show. Drake Younger was 3-1, but he stopped getting booked for reasons that were never justified in story. Those are just two of many examples. Evolve’s failure in making “Wins & Losses matter” came to a head at the last weekend of shows when Bobby Fish and Tony Nese’s records were seemingly screwed up without explanation (full explanation of that is my Evolve 16 review).

I said after Evolve 11 that the promotion needed to have nothing but strong shows for a year. They need word of mouth to be nothing but positive so that more and more fans are willing to give them a first or second (or third, etc.) chance. At this point, I would argue that the “PWG path” (loading up every show with as many great matchups as possible) would be the way to go, and that is essentially what they have attempted to do. No one show has been a “Show of the Year” contender, but they have all been good and worth watching, which was something Evolve was starting to struggle with.

I don’t complain about Evolve’s shortcomings just to be a “hater.” I think Evolve has a lot of potential, and I want to see them fulfill it. Their roster is one of the best in the US Indy scene, and pro wrestling in America will be better off if Evolve is great. Hopefully their next shows in September do not halt their momentum.

For more information on Evolve, check out their:
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ROH’s Best in the World was not in fact, the Best in the World

Ring of Honor’s iPPV quality has been steadily going downhill ever since Wrestlemania 2011, and this was another mixed bag affair. There was some good wrestling on the undercard and the main event was great, but ROH’s booking is so frustrating that I have essentially decided to not care at all about the product for my own sanity. I can’t think of a time in ROH’s history where the passion to support the product is so low from the majority of their fans. ROH right now reminds me of dark times in TNA’s history. No, the current ROH product is not anywhere near that bad, but the creative vision/direction is just a complete failure and it needs to be changed very soon. If it is not changed, ROH will not be able to survive.

ROH World Champion Kevin Steen defeated Davey Richards in a No DQ Match for the World Title
This was an excellent match, and it was one definitely one of my favorite matches of the year. Steen and Davey have always had great chemistry, and their two iPPV main events this year definitely proved that. This match had an even better environment than the last one, with the NYC crowd and Steve Corino’s commentary being two great elements of the match. My interest in ROH is very minimal at the moment, but Steen wrestling main events will definitely make me at least pay attention to them.
Match Rating: ****1/4

ROH World Tag Champions Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin dropped the tag titles to Kenny King and Rhett Titus
At the time, I was very happy that King and Titus finally won the tag titles as it should have happened at the last Final Battle. However, now that Kenny King has jumped ship to TNA, ROH really seems to have egg on their face for putting the titles on a non-contracted man, and then again for the way they publicly handled the situation. Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin should never win the ROH Tag Titles again. The match itself was nothing special, and I didn’t like the fruit rollup finish.
Match Rating: **1/2

ROH Television Champion Roderick Strong defeated Tomasso Ciampa and Jay Lethal in an elimination match for the TV title
I didn’t care about the story of this feud going into the iPPV, but the three men managed to put on a really entertaining match…until the finishes. The finishes (which I don’t have the heart to describe) were straight out of the Vince Russo playbook where everyone looked stupid, no one in the crowd or at home had any idea what was going on, and they were designed to continue a story that people don’t care about. Everybody involved in this match deserved better.
Match Rating: ***

Michael Elgin vs. Finlay
This match started out fine, but the second half of the match did not go well at all. I’m not sure why this is happening, but Finlay’s two matches in ROH have been way too methodical without building towards anything special. Quite frankly, ROH was just going to be wasting money if they kept using Finlay in this way. It may have been for the best that he never got to come back before being signed by the WWE.
Match Rating: **1/2

Eddie Edwards vs. Homicide
As I wrote in my preview for this show, my gut told me Homicide was going to win this match and I was right. I was cynical about the benefit of Homicide winning before the match, but this was easily his best match since leaving TNA in 2010. Despite not likely happening in NYC, Kevin Steen vs. Homicide for the title should be a fun time (although the date of this title match is now up in the air). Eddie Edwards did a very good job in this match.
Match Rating: ***1/4

The Briscoes vs. The Guardians of Truth
The Guardians were actually the Headbangers under masks? Why? Only Jim Cornette knows. The match wasn’t horrible, but the rollup finish came off super flat. Not much else needs to be said. I think we are going a year + since the last great Briscoes match that didn’t involve ladders.
Match Rating: *

Kyle O’Reilly vs. Adam Cole
Luckily, the Hybrid Rules did not come into play much. The crowd didn’t take to the action early, but after Cole got busted open, the crowd was red hot for the match. This feud has been a disappointment for various reasons (mainly because Future Shock broke up at all), but Cole may have at least became a singles star in this matchup. ROH has only slowly been building up Elgin as a main eventer after his breakout match against Davey Richards, but I’m hoping ROH shoots a rocket up Cole’s ass after this (his TV title win is a start). He should be challenging Steen for the belt soon. O’Reilly seems to about to feud with Davey, which I don’t think anyone is especially excited for.
Match Rating: ***3/4

For more information on ROH, check out their:
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Swamp Sessions Preview

Aaron Epic vs. Dave Cole [3 Out Of 5 Falls]
Aaron Epic won a 2 out of 3 falls match at the last Beyond show in the area. Now they will have a 3 out of 5 falls match. Reports of their first match were really positive, so this should probably be pretty good too.
Prediction: Epic

ACH vs. Brian Fury
This is a pre-show match that you can only see live if you buy your tickets in advance. ACH is one of the most talented independent wrestlers at the moment, and Brian Fury is a long-time veteran and trainer. This should be a very strong match.
Prediction: ACH

Mark Angel vs. Biff Busick
Biff Busick, a Lance Storm trainee, made his Beyond debut at the last taping in a really fun match with Taka Suzuki. Angel is one of four or five best Beyond regulars. I am very excited for this match. Mark Angel is still the Wins Leader of Beyond, so I don’t see any reason for him to lose this one. This may be the best match on the show.
Prediction: Mark Angel

The Batiri (Obaryion, Kodama, Kobald) vs. Slaughterhouse (KJ Crush, Maserati Rick, Tony Banks)
Kobald has been in Beyond a couple of times, but this is the Beyond debut for Obariyon and Kodama. I don’t know the Slaughterhouse guys all that well, but the Batiri always seem to work hard so this should at least be fine if not good.
Prediction: The Batiri

Johnny Cockstrong (C), Dan Barry, Ken Scampi, Bill Carr vs. RD Evans (C), Pierre Abernathy, Evan Gelistico, Gary Jay
A year ago, at the first live event of Beyond, Johnny Cockstrong captained a team against a Davey Vega captained team. RD Evans, Davey Vega’s lawyer, cost Cockstrong the match. Cockstrong defeated Evans in their first singles match a month ago, and now they will do battle in Captains matches. It’s a very symmetrical story as Cockstrong defeated Vega in their singles match a month before their Captains match. There is a lot of talent in this ring, so I am expecting a good match. I’m not really invested too much in the story beyond the fact that RD Evans is one of the ten best independent wrestlers going at the moment.
Prediction: Team RD Evans

TJ Marconi vs. Darius Carter
These two were a tag team in Beyond for a while until Carter turned on Marconi towards the end of 2011. Marconi was out with an injury, but he returned at Burst the Bubble and now they will have their first singles match. Apparently their brawl in this building got over last time with the crowd, so hopefully there is some good heat for this match.
Prediction: Carter. I doubt the finish will be clean.

Drew Gulak vs. AJ Evers
Drew Gulak faced off against Wins Leader, Mark Angel, at the last Beyond show, but Nick Talent cost him the match. Talent is on the shelf, so Gulak is going after Angel’s other stablemate: AJ Evers. Gulak should win this one. Gulak has been one of Beyond’s most consistent performers so hopefully this is good.
Prediction: Gulak

Shaolin Death Matchine (Chris Dickinson & Magic) vs. The Beasts (The Pitboss & Matthew Justice)
Chris Dickinson and The Pitboss are in a feud. Not expecting a great match here, but they may beat the shit out of each other which could be fun.
Prediction: The Beasts

Jonny Mangue vs. Matt Taven
Matt Taven has apparently signed a WWE Developmental deal, but he is still scheduled to wrestle here against Mangue. Mangue has been in Beyond almost since the very beginning, and he finally seems to be getting bigger opportunities. Both men are talented and they should put on a fun exhibition.
Prediction: Mangue

Tag Team Gauntlet: Eric Corvis & Chase Burnett, Julian Starr & Elia Markopoulos, Anthony Stone & Kellan Thomas, JT Dunn & Mark Shurman, Tim Hughes & Steve Weiner
This is clearly a “get everyone on the show” match. Stone, Burnett, Starr, Dunn, and Shurman are all talented, and I’m kind of disappointed they are not getting a better shot on this show. I’m not a fan of gauntlet matches (especially tag gauntlets). This will probably be a clusterfuck.
Prediction: Dunn and Shurman

Also scheduled to appear: Mr. Touchdown and Sugar Dunkerton

This sounds like another fun show from Beyond. You can buy tickets for this event here.

HIPS TV: Taka Suzuki vs. Biff Busick from Burst the Bubble 2012

I have never seen Busick before, and this is his debut in Beyond. They start stiking each other a lot. Taka went for a springboard move, but Biff hit a lariat as Taka was coming down. Taka went for a middle rope dive, but Biff speared him. Taka came back by attacking Biff’s midsection. Biff came back with a back senton. Taka hit a double stomp to Biff who was stuck in the middle turnbuckle. Taka locked in a Boston crab. Biff escaped and hit a double jump springboard dropkick. Biff hit an out of control blockbuster: 1…2…NO! Biff spit in Taka’s face. Taka came back with a superkick and a saito suplex. Taka went for a Contra Code, but Biff managed to toss him to the floor. Pinkie Sanchez checked on Taka, but Biff wiped them both out with a somersault plancha. Biff went to the top rope, but Taka hit a palm strike and a turnbuckle gutbuster. Taka followed that up with a delayed corner dropkick: 1…2…NO! Taka hit a Cradle Brainbuster: 1…2…NO! Lariat from Busick: 1…2…NO! Biff hit a bridging German suplex: 1…2…NO! Biff hit a couple of kicks and another big lariat: 1…NO! Taka and Biff got to their knees and slapped the shit out of each other. They got to their feet and struck each other some more. Biff caught Taka with a lariat: 1…2…NO! Taka came back with a couple of big kicks, and he then locked in an abdominal stretch! Biff taps out!

I thought this was a really strong introduction for Biff Busick. I had honestly never heard of him before this match, but I left the match very interested in what he did in Beyond next. Being a trainee of Lance Storm, he probably has a strong pedigree, and he has a good look. Taka was his usual great self. Lack of reaction from the wrestlers around ringside was the only thing holding this match back.
Match Rating: ***

For more info on Beyond, check out their:
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AAW Scars & Stripes Preview

Silas Young© vs. Jimmy Jacobs vs. Arik Cannon in a Ladder match for the AAW Heavyweight Championship
Jacobs and Cannon are the tag champions, but they do not get along. Michael Elgin really should be the next challenger for the title, but with him in PWG on this night, this matchup should be a fine replacement. I like Jacobs and Cannon, but I see no reason for Young to drop the belt to either of them.
Prediction: Young

Fit Finlay vs. Davey Richards
Finlay has been hired back as a Road Agent for the WWE, but he is fulfilling all of his independent obligations before returning. I believe this is a first-time ever matchup, but I cannot be sure. Davey has recently defeated Shane Hollister and Sami Callihan in AAW. I assume he is going to get an AAW Title shot soon, and this matchup should presumably help lead to that. This will probably be quite great.
Prediction: Davey

MsChif vs. Danny Daniels [Chicago Street Fight]
These two had a pretty fun match at Point of No Return. Daniels won that match using constant interference from Truth Martini. I presume MsChif will win this one. Should be a very heated match. I wouldn’t mind MsChiff challenging Elgin for the Heritage Title or Young for the Heavyweight Title after this feud wraps up.
Prediction: MsChiff

BJ Whitmer, Josh Raymond, & Christian Able vs. Mason Beck & The Irish Airborne
Of these six men, BJ Whitmer is really the only one I’m interested in at the moment (although I do enjoy Dave Crist’s crazy flips), so this match does not excite me much on paper. Hopefully the crowd is more interested than I am.
Prediction: Raymond pins one of the Crists

Also scheduled to appear: Louis Lyndon, Shane Hollister, Darin Corbin & Marion Fontaine, Mason Beck, The CLASH (Cameron Skyy, Mr. Miller, & Austin Mannix), Gregory Iron, Tweek Phoenix, Jesse Emerson, Dan Lawrence, Matt “Krotch” Mayday

The top three matches look like a lot of fun, and I wish I was able to see them live. You can get tickets for it here.

For more information on AAW, check out their:
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HIPS TV: The full Slamtasia 2010 Show

Lineup for Slamtasia 2010
1. Walking Dead vs. The Osirian Portal
2. The Badd Challenge
3. Addy Starr vs. Beef Wellington
4. Flip vs. Moostafa
5. Dasher Hatfield vs. Moohammad The Terrorist Cow
6. Frankie Arion vs. Cecil Nyx
7. Steven “The Turtle” Weiner vs. Giant Tiger
8. Pinkie Sanchez vs. Twiggy vs. Stinky the Homeless Guy vs. El Hijo Del Bamboo
9. Eddie Kingston vs. Player Uno

I have not had a chance to watch this show yet, but there will be a full video review of it on 411wrestling.com soon. Share your thoughts on the show in the comments. Do you want other promotions to release full shows? Do you think it’s bad for independent pro wrestling overall if too much content is given away for free?

For more information on ISDub, check out their:
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Thanks for reading! Look for the next issue to come out around August 13th. The September issue should come out on September 10th and it will be an extended preview of the 2012 Chikara King of Trios along with a look back at some past King of Trios matches that you will be able to watch for free!

Besides 411mania, there are some other places around the interwebs that you should check out for great independent wrestling coverage. I definitely recommend that you check Pro Wrestling Ponderings and Free Admission (For Real!) for great articles and podcasts.

411’s Kevin Ford also has two great Chikara resources that you should check out: The Chikara Special Blog and a Chikara Tumblr.

Here are some great, must-read sites to help you with all things Dragon Gate:
Open the Garoon Gate: Reviews of every single Dragon Gate related show/match.
I Heart Dragon Gate: The absolute best coverage of Dragon Gate news and information.
Open the Tumblr Gate: The Tumblr that collects great Dragon Gate and DGUSA related links and photos. Good times are had here.

Over at my own site, FreeProWrestling.com, we post a legally free wrestling match every weekday. Some of our most popular recent posts include:
A PAC match from the 2012 Best of Super Juniors
Low Ki vs. Super Dragon from 2001
A Super Smash Bros. match
An Evan Bourne match from before WWE

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TJ Hawke

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