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Views from the Hawke’s Nest: Free 2CW Matches Part 1

November 5, 2012 | Posted by TJ Hawke
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Views from the Hawke’s Nest: Free 2CW Matches Part 1  

The American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) vs. Up in Smoke (Cheech & Cloudy) from Living On The Edge 2010

This match was for Up in Smoke’s 2CW Tag Titles. Cheech and Cloudy were clearly the rudos here, which makes me sad because the Wolves’s matches as tecnicos were almost always missing something.

Eddie “Eddie Edwards” Edwards and Cloudy started the match out. Eddie won that exchange. Davey and Cheech tagged in. The Wolves were in complete control early. Eventually, Cheech attacked Eddie from the apron behind the ref’s back, which enabled Up in Smoke to cut off and then get the heat on Eddie. Eddie managed to hit a diving hurricanrana on Cheech. Davey tagged in and made a big comeback. Davey booted Cloudy to the floor, and then hit the handspring enzuigiri on Cheech: 1…2…NO! Cloudy attacked Davey from the apron, and then Cheech caught him with a snap powerslam. Up in Smoke now worked over Davey. Davey had the ability to make a tag at one point, but Cloudy pulled Eddie off the apron before Davey got to him. The rudos went back to working over Davey. Davey managed to take them both down with kicks. Eddie tagged in and hit Cloudy with a missile dropkick. Eddie hit Cloudy with a lionsault for a nearfall. Eddie tired to lock in a single leg crab, but Cloudy made the ropes. Cheech sent Davey into a guardrail. Eddie was double teamed by Up in Smoke in the ring. Up in Smoke hit a series of double team moves, but Eddie survived. All four men traded some big moves until they were all down. Independent Wrestling! The Wolves hit Cheech with a the alarm clock and the superkick/German suplex combo: 1…2…NO! Great nearfall. Up in Smoke avoided the powerbomb/backstabber combo. Cheech killed Davey with a reverse hurricanrana. Up in Smoke hit a missile dropkick/Code Red combo on Eddie: 1…2…DAVEY MAKES THE SAVE! Davey low-bridged Cheech to the floor. The Wolves killed Cloudy with some kicks, but Cheech made the save. The Wolves then hit Cloudy with an amazing powerbomb/backstabber combo: 1…2…NO! SINGLE LEG CRAB ON CLOUDY! CLOUDY TAPS OUT!

Great tag match. 2CW’s crowds are so great, and it’s a real shame that they haven’t managed to break out as one of the top east coast independent promotions. High recommendation.
Match Rating: ****

Nigel McGuinness vs. Eddie Edwards from Eleventh Hour 2011

This match was a part of the “Last of McGuinness Tour,” where Nigel travelled to different parts of the world to wrestle a few more times before hanging it up.

Both guys are really over with the (as usual) hot 2CW crowd. They started the match trading some holds, as Nigel matches are wont to do. Once Nigel got the advantage, he acted condescending towards Eddie. Eddie managed to humble Nigel a bit, but escaping a hold and sending Nigel to the floor. Back in the ring, Nigel easily escaped a headlock from Eddie. Nigel was really proud of himself for that and took a bow. I miss Nigel so much. Eddie got another armlock, but Nigel managed to send him to the floor again, so Nigel was cocky and condescending again. Nigel told Eddie his shoes were untied. Eddie looked, and Nigel jumped him and sent him shoulder first into a ringpost. Nigel was great. That sent Eddie to the floor, where the two of them brawled for a bit. Back in the ring, Nigel worked over Eddie’s injured shoulder, and he also busted out the “I’ve got till five, referee.” Eddie escaped a brutal shoulder submission and got the single leg crab for a bit. Nigel quickly made the ropes and went right back to work on Eddie’s injured arm. Eddie managed to get to his feet, and the two of them traded some strikes. Eddie sent Nigel to the floor, and Eddie hit him with a suicide dive. Back in the ring, Nigel avoided a Ghetto Stomp, but he ate a running kick to the chest. Eddie went for a single leg crab, but Nigel escaped. Eddie hit a missile dropkick: 1…2…NO! Nigel came back with a divorce court on the injured arm of Eddie. LONDON DUNGEON! Eddie survived, but Nigel hit the running uppercut in the corner. Nigel tried for the Tower of London, but Eddie escaped and locked in a STF! Nigel just made the ropes. They ended up the on ring apron. The crowd has been red hot by the way. Eddie managed to send him to the ring and went to the top rope, but Nigel got the TOWER OF LONDON: 1…2…FOOT ON THE ROPES! LONDON DUNGEON! Eddie quickly escaped and got the single leg crab! Eddie pulled him to the center of the ring, but Nigel small packaged him: 1…2…NO! They traded several pinning combinations. Eddie eventually used a rolling backslide: 1…2…3!

Nigel and Eddie put each other over after the match. The fans were great in showing both of them some love.

This match was damn good, and possibly great. It showed that Nigel had truly grown as a performer in that he was able to get big reactions and true investment from the crowd without killing himself and taking stupid bumps (but obviously, those stupid bumps contributed to him getting a big push and being so loved by the fans). The only real negative thing I can say about the match is that it feels somewhat tragic to watch it because it makes me realize that Nigel could have protected himself more and elongated his career, and possibly could have gotten a contract with the WWE. I hope Nigel continues to work for Ring of Honor, and that he is able to find success and happiness in other paths.
Match Rating: ****

PAC vs. Rich Swann vs. Brodie Lee vs. Sami Callihan from Slammin’ 4 John 2012

Sami came to the ring with a spike, which made everyone a little weary. Brodie immediately took Sami down with a big right hand. In fact, Brodie took down everybody right away. Brodie got sent to the outside, and then Callihan and Swann started to go at it. Swann injured his knee and tagged in PAC who killed Sami, doing some of his trademark crazy athletic spots. The crowd went wild for it. PAC and Swann then each took out Sami and Brodie with planchas. Sami ended up back in the ring, and Swann and PAC then each did ace crushers and standing shooting star presses to him. Brodie recovered and did a double chokeslam to the two high fliers. Sami took down Brodie, then Swann superkicked Sami out of the ring. Brodie took down Swann with a Truck stop and PAC hit a German suplex on Brodie. PAC went for a springboard move, but he ate a big boot from Brodie. Brodie went to give a big boot to Sami, but Sami rolled him up out of nowhere to get the win!

This was so much fun and the crowd was going wild for everything. They were very appreciative of everyone in the ring, especially PAC. This is definitely a match you want to watch. My only criticism is that it seems like PAC could have been used in a more special way, but when the end product is so much fun, that’s really just a minor nitpick.
Match Rating: ***3/4

Portia Perez vs Rachel Summerlyn from Girls Grand Prix 2012

This was a semi-final matchup in 2CW’s first ever “Girls Grand Prix.”

Perez collected money from fans around ringside. Smartest gimmick ever. Yay! Bryce Remsburg is the referee! Portia fell to the floor early to stall. Portia was stalling a lot. Rudo! Finally the action started. Portia spat in her face, so Summerlyn just headbutted her. Portia fell to the floor, and the two women started to brawl around ringside. Summerlyn was mostly in complete control as they brawled. The crowd chanted for Summerlyn to “Use the leg!,” but I had no idea what they were talking about. Then Summerlyn reached into the crowd and pulled out a prostetic leg! Shades of Randy the Ram. Summerlyn hit Portia with it and then finally brought the action back to the ring. Summerlyn locked in a Texas Cloverleaf. Portia made the ropes. Portia rolled her up with a handful of tights, but Bryce caught her. Portia started to argue with Bryce, but that just allowed Summerlyn to kill her with a lariat to the back of the neck. Summerslyn then hit a twisting neckbreaker: 1…2…NO! Portia came back with a superkick, but Summerlyn popped right up and hit a lariat! Gory Bomb from Summerlyn! Summerlyn then locked in the Cloverleaf again. Portia taps out!

The brawling section of the match didn’t interest me much, but it definitely got the crowd heavily invested, as the nearfalls after the brawling were great. Portia seems to get a lot of shit on the interwebs, but she can clearly be a very effective rudo. 2CW has such a great atmosphere. All of the matches I’ve seen from them have been enjoyable.
Match Rating: ***1/4

The Briscoes (Jay & Mark Briscoe) vs. Super Smash Bros. (Player Uno & Player Dos) vs. First Class (Kevin Graham & Mike Van Slyke) from #75 2012

The Briscoe Brothers were defending their 2CW Tag Titles in this elimination match.

First Class was able to isolate Player Dos early in the match, and they worked him over for a while. Dos was eventually able to hit a Scorpion Deathdrop. He went to tag out to Uno, but Graham pulled Uno off the apron. Dos was then able tot tag out to Mark Briscoe. Mark used his redneck kung fu. Graham took out Uno with a rolling senton off the apron. Jay hit Slyde with a big DDT, and then Mark hit the Froggy Bow: 1…2…3! First Class was eliminated from the match.

Briscoes vs. SSB for the titles! Jay hit Dos with a Falcon Arrow for a quick nearfall. The Briscoes worked Dos over for a bit. Jay Briscoe hti a Jay Briscoe Spinebuster for a nearfall. Dos came back with a double Pele Kick on both Briscoes. Uno tagged in and ran wild. SSB hit Mark with the Alabama Slam/Backstabber combo: 1…2…Jay makes the save! SSB set up for Fatality on Mark, but Jay knocked Dos to the floor. Jay then gave Uno a chokeslam: 1…2…NO! The Briscoes set up for the Doomsday Device, but Dos superkicked Mark off the turnbuckle. SSB then hit Jay with FATALITY: 1…2…3!!! NEW CHAMPS!

First Class didn’t add anything to this match, but the SSB and Briscoes segment was so much fun. The fact that the Briscoes and SSB haven’t faced off more is kind of astounding, and this is absolutely a matchup that another promotion needs to capitalize on sooner rather than later. You should definitely watch this match.
Match Rating: ***1/2

John Morrison vs. Sami Callihan from All or Nothing 2012

This is the first Morrison match I’ve seen since he decided to not re-sign with the WWE. His abs look as good as ever. He came out to his WWE music, and he even got the slow motion entrance. The crowd loved him, but then they gave him “Sami’s Gonna Kill You” chants, which seemed to amuse Morrison.

They went back and forth at the start. Sami eventually sent him to the floor. Morrison got back on the apron, but Sami hit the Silverking Lariat and followed it up with a tope suicida. They brawled for a bit on the floor. At one point, Morrison jumped up on the apron and the guardrail and hit a moonsault. That was awesome. My description didn’t do it justice. Morrison brought him in the ring, and he started to work him over. . Morrison went for the ten punches in the corner, but Sami escaped and hit his superkick to the leg. Sami then went after Morrison’s now injured leg. Morrison eventually managed to hit a big DDT. They then traded some strikes. Morrison hit the C-4: 1…2…NO! Morrison went for Starship Pain, but Sami got his knees up. Sami hit a big lariat: 1…2…NO! Sami then got a Figure Four variation, but Morrison made it to the ropes. Morrison hit The Flying Chuck: 1…2…NO! “THIS IS AWESOME!” chants. Morrison tried to get Starship Pain, but Sami caught him with a saito suplex. Morrison came back with an enzuigiri and then the Starship Pain: 1…2…3!!!

This was a super entertaining match. Both guys worked hard, and the typical hot 2CW crowd didn’t disappoint. With ex-WWE guys, there always seems to be a chance that they will phone in these independent performances, but I was really happy with Morrison’s effort here. Other promotions would probably be lucky to have him make a guest appearance here and there. I wish Sami went over though.
Match Rating: ***3/4

Thanks everybody for reading! You can send feedback to my Twitter or to my email address: [email protected]. Also, feel free to check out my own wrestling website, FreeProWrestling.com. Also, check out my Best of Chikara blog.

For more information on 2CW, check out their:
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The 411: 2CW is one of the few American independent promotions that could really break out in terms of DVD sales or iPPV buys. Their crowds seem white hot all the time, and they are able to put together some really cool matchups that you don't see in too many other places. If you're not willing to give them some money for their DVDs, you should at the very least check out some of these really cool matches.
 
Final Score:  8.0   [ Very Good ]  legend

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