Views from the Hawke’s Nest: Beyond Wrestling Burst the Bubble Free Specials 2012

This is a free hype special made by Beyond Wrestling for their upcoming live show, Burst the Bubble. For all the information on Burst the Bubble, check out the event’s page at the Beyond Wrestling website. The event features Mr. Touchdown and Dasher Hatfield as “special guests.”

Special #1

Crisis Precipitates Change
We got some clips from Mikey Webb vs. East Coast Cowboy. This was Webb’s first match ever. Beyond is showing highlights of this match to show how Webb started, because his match on this special that only happened three months later was apparently that much better.

Off the Grid
Mikey Webb vs. Matt Taven
This is Webb’s third match. Taven has gotten some tryouts with Ring of Honor recently. This was Taven’s debut in Beyond.

They traded holds to start the match, with neither man getting a prolonged advantage. Webb hit a diving cross-body for an early nearfall. Webb used some armdrags and a dropkick to gain some momentum. Taven finally cut him off by crotching him on a turnbuckle. Taven then sent Webb to the floor with a Silverking dropkick. Taven’s valet hit him a few times. Taven started to get the heat after that sequence of events. Taven hit a slingshot suplex. Taven avoided a running cross-body and hit a standing moonsault: 1…2…NO! Taven started to berate Webb, but then Webb managed to avoid some of Taven’ s offense. Webb eventually ran into a high knee from Taven though: 1…2…NO! Taven placed Webb on the top rope, but Webb came back with a tornado DDT! Webb then hit a pair of atomic drops and a series of jabs. Taven cut him off with a swinging neckbreaker. Webb hit a hurricanrana and a dropkick. FAMEASSER: 1…2…NO! The valet distracted Webb, but Taven accidentally knocked her down. Webb then took Taven down with a headscissors. Webb went to the top rope, but Taven hit a suplex off the middle rope—Webb gets a small package: 1…2…3!!!

This was a solid match, especially when you account for the fact that this was Webb’s third match ever. There were a couple of moments where he seemed hesitant, but that at least makes sense for Webb’s character’s experience. Webb’s progress throughout 2012 is definitely going to be something to pay attention to this year in Beyond. Taven looked pretty good here, and I hope that he continues to improve as he gets more and more exposure from ROH TV.
Match Rating: **1/2

Off the Grid
We see footage of Dan Barry and Johnny Cockstrong after their main event of the live show. Leon St. Giovanni and JT Dunn then attack them from behind. Cockstrong and Barry are able to fight them off, but Jon Harder calls for “Plan B,” and Mark Shurman attacks them. Pinkie Sanchez and some other babyfaces ran them off.

The next day, we see Jon Harder in the ring with Leon St. Giovanni and Mark Shurman. Harder clams that the Professional Revolution will steal the show again. Harder calls all the wrestlers in the crowd “marks.” Harder stumbled over a couple of words, but he got the crowd to hate them all, which should make for a fun environment.

Mark Shurman (w/ Jon Harder and Leon St. Giovanni) vs. Bill Carr
Bill Carr is the newest member of Team Tremendous. He showed up to avenge his partner, Dan Barry. Carr was known as Bobby Dutch while he was in FCW under a developmental contract. Shurman is a great loudmouth meathead. Shurman actually appeared on WWE TV recently as a security guard.

Carr slaps and chops him to start the match. Carr was in complete control, hitting a sidewalk slam. Shurman manages to low-bridge Carr to the floor. Giovanni and Harder beat down Carr on the outside. Shurman and Carr started to brawl around the outside. Carr buried Shurman’s head into a filled trash can. Shurman cut him off by sending him into the ring post. Back in the ring, Shurman locked in a chinlock. Carr came back with a running cross-body and a big splash in the corner. Carr then hit a Black Hole Slam. Harder and Giovanni both hopped on the apron to distract Carr. Shurman took advantage and hit a spinebuster: 1…2…NO! Shurman set up for reverse DDT, but Carr escaped and hit a short-range lariat: 1…2…HARDER PULLED ON CARR’S LEG! Carr punched out Harder. Shurman attacked with a lead pipe. The referee saw it though, so Mark Shurman was disqualified.

This was another solid match. Carr is a big guy, but I guess he just doesn’t have the look that the WWE likes to push. I love Mark Shurman. He is such a great cocky jock/heel that I hated in high school. Beyond is lucky to be able to have both of these guys at the moment.
Match Rating: **1/2

Ken Scampi (also of Team Tremendous) runs in to save Carr from further damage. Scampi challenges Leon St. Giovanni to a match…

Ken Scampi (w/Bill Carr) vs. Leon St. Giovanni (w/ Jon Harder & Mark Shurman)
They started out on the mat. LSG went after Scampi’s left arm with an armbar, but Scampi escaped and hit a flipping neckbreaker. LSG cut him off with an eyerake. Scampi came back with a slingshot elbow drop. LSG sent him face first into a turnbuckle. They traded rollups, until LSG cut him with a lariat. LSG followed that up with a butterfly suplex: 1…2…NO! Scampi ended up on the apron. Scampi hit a sloppy DDT on Shurman to the floor. That took out Harder as well. Back in the ring, LSG went right back to work on Scampi. LSG hit a handspring elbow for another nearfall. LSG started to get frustrated, but Harder told him to ignore the heckling wrestlers. Scampi hit a series of forearms. Scampi then hit a release Northern Lights Suplex. Harder hopped on the ring apron, which drew the ire of Bill Carr, so Harder hopped back to the floor. LSG struck Scampi in the balls. Scampi came back with a strange DDT. Harder pulled LSG’s foot onto the ropes. Shurman then punched Scampi and LSG rolled him up: 1…2…3.

I like both of these guys, but this was not a very good match unfortunately. They’re both good athletes, but the match was not laid out/structured to achieve ultimate investment. Retrospectivelly, Bill Carr probably should not have been at ringside, and that would have allowed the Professional Revolution to constantly interfere behind the referee’s back.

In the end though, the story of the Professional Revolution interfering to win their matches continued, which was the point of these last two matches. I like the Professional Revolution and while this match was a slight loss in momentum, I think this group will do well in 2012.
Match Rating: **

Bill Carr ran the Professional Revolution off. Jon Harder screamed and posed at the door, and then all three men ran out of the building. They are cowards.

Special #2

Stan Styles vs. Chaz Lovely
We see the finish where Lovely won with a powerslam Ace Crusher. Apparentley Styles dislocated his shoulder. Jon Harder tells Styles that he is unprofessional, because he can only beat a girl.

Jon Harder and Leon St. Giovanni find Styles in the bathroom, and they offer him a spot in the Professional Revolution. They say they can offer him women and money. Styles is excited. Harder shakes his hand, which was apparently really sticky. Fun segment.

Matt Taven & Scotty Slade vs. Mikey Webb & Julian Starr
Julian Starr had a really strong match with his trainer, Brian Fury, at Crisis Precipitates Change. Mikey Webb defeated Matt Taven at the first Burst the Bubble Special in what was Webb’s third match ever. Taven is looking for revenge.

We get clips of the early action in the match, with Taven and Slade having the advantage for most of the match. Starr was worked over for the majority of this. This heat segment went on for a long time. We cut to the comeback where Webb wipes out Taven and Slade with a somersault plancha. Julian Starr then took out everyone with a picture-perfect Asai moonsault. Back in the ring, Taven hit Starr with aSuperkick and a German suplec. Slade hit him with a super bulldog. Taven then hit Total Anarchy, but Webb made the save. Starr hit Taven with a backstabber. Starr then hit Slade with a Tombstone Piledriver: 1…2…NO! Slade blocked a diving cross-body by getting his knees up, which got Slade a nearfall. Webb and Starr took out Taven and Slade with a 3-D for each of them: 1…2…3

This match was not very good. Because of the clipping, I won’t give this match a rating. Taven and Starr have a lot of talent, and I think their singles match at Burst the Bubble will end up being much, much, better than this. The point of the match is that Taven is still going to want revenge on Mikey Webb.

We then cut to the closing moments of the Super Smash Bros. vs. The Professional Revolution (JT Dunn & Leon St. Giovanni). Jon Harder tried to block the Gory Special/Diving Cutter finisher from the Smash Bros., but Steve “The Turtle” Weiner tackled him, which allowed the Smash Bros. to pin Giovanni.

We then get highlights of Leon St. Giovanni vs. Steve Weiner. Harder constantly attacked Weiner from the outside. Giovanni ripped off Turtle’s shell, but Weiner shoulder tackled Giovanni off the apron into the wall. Harder trips up Weiner to allow Giovanni to pin him for the win. Weiner almost gets his hands on Harder, but Mark Shurman runs in to save him. This leads…

JT Dunn & Mark Shurman (w/ Jon Harder, Leon St. Giovanni & Stan Styles) vs. Adrenalize (Nick Fahrenheit & Chris Neil)
Dunn ate stereo superkicks from Neil and Fahrenheit early on for a nearfall. Neil wiped out Dunn and Shurman with a corkscrew plancha. Fahrenheit then threw Neil through the ropes for a suicide dive. The deal was that Fahrenheit looked like he was going for a stereo plancha both times, but he always made sure that he did not dive. Back in the ring, Harder tripped up Neil, which allowed Shurman and Dunn to work over Neil. Chris Neil is YOUR babyface in peril. Neil fought back with some forearms and a Sick Kick to Dunn. Fahrenheit tagged in and made a comeback on Dunn. Dunn kicked Fahrenheit a couple of times to cut him off. Shurman killed him with a lariat: 1…2…NO! Fahrenheit tried for a diving cross-body, but Shurman caught him and hit a fallaway slam: 1…2…NO! Dunn then hit a Chaos Theory: 1…2…NO! Finally, Fahrenheit hit a kick to the head on Dunn, and then Neil made a hot tag. Adrenalize then gave Dunn a double team Styles Clash, but Shurman made the save. Shurman clotheslined Neil out of the ring and sent him into the pillar. Dunn hit Fahrenheit with an awesome wheelbarrow backstabber: 1…2…Dunn pulled his shoulder up, so that Shurman could finish him. Shurman then hit a diving powerbomb: 1…2…3! All five members of the Professional Revolution posed together after the match. They looked legit.

Dunn and Shurman worked really well together here, and Adrenalize were perfect for making the Professional Revolution look strong, going into Burst the Bubble. Shurman is not as polished as a worker as Dunn or Giovanni, but he has got such a great presence, and it was again, on display here. I enjoyed this match a lot.
Match Rating: **1/2

**Bonus Free Matches Reviews from Off the Grid**

Anthony Stone vs. Darius Carter vs. Chase Burnett vs. Taka Suzuki

These are four of the most talented members of the Beyond roster. It’s an elimination match, with each pinfall counting as a point in the Beyond Wrestling Standings.

Carter rolled out of the ring to start the match. Stone and Burnett try to double team Taka, but the Japan native quickly overwhelmed them on his own. Burnett managed to send Taka to an apron, and Burnett hit a double knee press on Taka to the apron. Carter then wiped out Stone with a tope con hello. Burnett hit a standing moonsault off the apron on Carter. Burnett hit a top-rope cross-body on Stone. Carter took out Burnett and then Carter finally faced off with Taka. Taka sent Carter to the floor, and then almost pinned Burnett and Stone at the same time. Carter broke up the pins. Burnett, Stone, and Carter all ended up on the top rope. Burnett gave Carter an avalanche german suplex. Stone gave Taka a diving dropkick. Taka and Burnett went at it. Burnett hit his standing moonsault kick to the back of the head. Out of nowhere, Carter rolled up Taka with a handful of tights: 1…2…3! Carter hit Burnett with a Codebreaker: 1…2…NO-Stone broke it up. Stone pinned Burnett: 1…2…3! Carter was pissed that Stone stole his point. Stone hit a release back suplex: 1…2…NO! Stone then locked in a cross-face variation; Carter rolled though for a pinning combination: 1…2…NO! Stone went for an abdominal stretch. Carter escaped, but Stone got a guillotine choke! Carter just managed to get his legs on the ropes. Carter then went after Stone’s left arm. Carter seemingly killed Stone with a Regal-plex: 1…2…NO! Stone came back with a series of kicks and a gutbuster: 1…2…3!

This was not quite as insanely awesome as I hope for, but it was definitely a quality match that made all four guys look good. Taka Suzuki is good enough to be in any independent group right now. Carter and Stone are not far behind. Burnett is mostly retired now from what I understand, but he always puts up quality matches in Beyond.
Match Rating: ***1/4

Mikaze vs. Brian Fury vs. Nick Fahrenheit vs. Mercedes KV

This was an elimination match. I have never seen any of these performers before.

Fahrenheit offers Mercedes a free feel of his crotch, so she spears him and the wrestlers go wild on the outside. Mercedes and Fury then take out Mikaze. Mercedes sends Fury to the outside with a headscissors, and she then wipes out all three of her opponents with a suicde dive. Mercedes continued to dominate the match until Mikaze hit her with a wild Trouble in Paradise: 1…2….3! The wrestlers chant that that elimination was bullshit. It was. Fahrenheit avoided a suplex from Fury, but that allowed Mikaze to double stomp both of them. Mikaze tried to give Fahrenheit an Alabamba Slam, but Nick reversed it into a Canadian Destroyer: 1…2…3! That was sick. Fury caught Fahrenheit with an awesome superkick: 1…2…NO! Fury hit a sit-out powerbomb and then locked in a Boston Crab…Fahrenheit taps!

This was short but awesome. I had never seen any of these wrestlers before, and now I want to see more of all of them. I hope Beyond continues to book them. Fury and Mikaze in particular stood out to me as wrestlers that should be in more places.
Match Rating: **1/2

#KOA (Sugar Dunkerton & Taka Suzuki) vs. Team Tremendous (Bill Carr & Ken Scampi)

This is one of those matches where providing a recap would do the match injustice. I suggest you watch and judge for yourself. All I will tell you is that this was one of the funniest matches I watched this year. Also, Taka Suzuki is one of those talents that really should be in more places at the moment. It’s bizarre to me that he can’t break out of the Northeast/New England scene.

Learn more about Beyond Wrestling by visiting their:
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PLUGS!

My Favorite Matches in 2012 So Far

I am now the editor of a brand new wrestling website, FreeProWrestling.com . What is this site, you ask? It’s a website that posts a free wrestling match every single weekday. All matches are legally provided by the promotions that originally put them on. Occasionally, we are lucky enough to have the wrestlers of the matches exclusively discuss the matches retrospectively. So far, we’ve been lucky to have thoughts from Eddie Kingston , Prince Devitt , Sugar Dunkerton , AR Fox , and more! If you like wrestling and you hate spending money, I think you will enjoy it!

The 411: This is the second straight live show for which Beyond Wrestling has produced extended “free specials.” The special for Off the Grid featured more promos and more footage of Denver Colorado explaining the stories. I think I preferred these attempts more though, because we got four full matches, and we actually got to see the stories unfolding instead of mostly being told the stories. These two specials really put over the Professional Revolution as a strong force that needs to be taken seriously in Beyond. The five members all add something to the group, and I look forward to their work going forward in Beyond. Of the matches, the “main event” of the first special was disappointing but the other three matches definitely delivered what they set out to do. Don’t sleep on those other free matches recently released by Beyond as there is a lot of fun to be had there too. You can check out the event’s page at the Beyond Wrestling website to get tickets to Burst the Bubble.

Final Score:  6.5   [ Average ]