Views from the Hawke’s Nest: PWG All-Star Weekend X Night 2

December 21, 2013
Reseda, CA

Commentators: Excalibur, Rick Knox, Kevin Steen, & Chuck Taylor

PPRay (Ray Rosas & Peter Avalon) vs. The RockNES Monsters (Johnny Yuma & Johnny Goodtime) vs. The Realist N*****s in Professional Wrestling (Willie Mack & B-Boy)

Well, this should be good.

The match was all stuff, and it ruled. There were dives. There were more moves. Goodtime connected on this awesomely dangerous dive. He basically dove over a turnbuckle…back first. It was awesome. They even did a tower of doom spot that I didn’t hate. Rosas hit the craziest Code Red on Mack. Eventually, Avalon ate a double stomp/Ace Crusher combo from the Monsters: 1…2…3!

This match was a great opener with tons of fresh combinations of talent, sequences, etc. I enjoyed this as much as everything but the trios match on night one. All three of these teams should be involved in matches like this on every single PWG show. I’m not a “PWG needs to book more locals and less fly-ins” guy, but there’s no reason for there not to be a giant, local showcase match on every PWG show.
Match Rating: ***1/2

Anthony Nese vs. Tommaso Ciampa

Nese hit a tope suicida before the match. Ciampa quickly got control of the match once the match actually started. Nese came back with the slingshot lionsault. Ciampa managed to cut him off again though. Nese managed to leap up to the top rope and hit a super ‘rana. Nese botched a single-arm powerbomb, but then went right back and repeated the spot correctly. That’s always awesome~! Ciampa hit a middle rope Air Raid Crash: 1…2…NO! Nese caught him with a crucifix for a nearfall. Nese reversed Project Ciampa into a double stomp. Ciampa avoided a 450. Ciampa no-sold a German, hit a lariat and then hit Project Ciampa: 1…2…3

I was not into this at all. They worked hard and busted out some stuff, but it did add up to an interesting match for.
Match Rating: **1/4

The Unbreakable Fucking Machines (Michael Elgin & Brian Cage) vs. Best Friends (Trent? & Chuck Taylor)

There was some gaga early on. It was pretty amusing. Trent? got cut off with a buckle bomb on the floor from Cage. Trent? was then worked over. That lasted for a while. Trent? avoided a butt stomp, and Chucky T then made a comeback. He hit his awesome tope con hello. The Best Friends hugged, prevented stereo Germans, and then did stereo tornado DDTs. Elgin avoided the Best Friends Bomb. They traded a lot more movez. “This match is going a lot longer than I expect it to,” – Steen. I agree. Cage hit a big sequence of movez for a nearfall. They did the “movez until everyone collapses” spot. That’s tired. I just remembered that Cage and Taylor are cousins in PWG mythology. Cage ate the Best Friends Chokeslam: 1…2…3

This was really long. Much like the first two matches yesterday, there was a lot of stuff happening, but it did not add up to a cohesive whole. There were some really entertaining moments, but overall, this did not do a whole lot for me.
Match Rating: **1/2

Chris Hero vs. ACH

These two once had a match in ACW that I know was well regarded.

Hero did some BIG WIGGLE spots early on. Norman Smiley for life. I have no idea if he was good, but I will never forget the BIG WIGGLE. I should Youtube some Norman Smiley. After a while, Hero got control and worked ACH over. ACH made a comeback. He got a nearfall with a slingshot cutter. Hero came back with an elbow for a nearfall. Hero got the Hangman’s Clutch, but ACH got to the ropes. ACH came back with Air Jordan. Hero came back with a massive discus elbow. Hero then hit a massive boot for another nearfall. Liger Bomb got Hero another nearfall. ACH no-sold a big elbow but then ate a massive knee and then the Cyclone Kill for a nearfall. Hero got the stretch plum? I think that’s the one. ACH tapped out.

Well, this was not really all that enjoyable. It was clunky, did not engage the crowd, and just generally did not entertain much at all. What the fuck is going on with ACH? His last three PWG matches have okay at best. I should have just Youtubed some Norman Smiley WCW matches.
Match Rating: **1/4

The Dojo Bros (Roderick Strong & Eddie “Eddie Edwards” Edwards) vs. Inner City Machine Guns (Rich Swann & AR Fox)

The Dojo Bros came out hot and heavy. EEEE quickly hit a tope doomsday device on Fox. The Bros then gave Swann a hip toss from the ring and onto Fox on the floor. Dojo Bros worked Swann over for a while. Swann eventually hit Roddy with a reverse ‘rana, and Fox then made a comeback. It was an awesome comeback. Dojo Bros came back on Fox and got a couple of nearfalls. The momentum of the match started to wane. The teams went back and forth. There was some cool stuff and some flat stuff. This match will not end. Roddy ate Lo Mein Pain, a hopping 450, and a proper 450, but Roddy saved him. Swann ate the double stomp/Dominator combo, but Fox made the save. The crowd and Dojo Bros thought it was a three count. EEEE murderized Fox with a ghetto stomp to the floor. Swann then ate an Orange Crush Backbreaker/Ghetto stomp combo: 1…2…3. The sequence after the three count fuck up actually managed to save the match for me.

EEEE gave a Davey speech after the match, and Roddy threw a party for him.

The beginning and the end of the match ruled, but there was a portion of this match that sucked the life out of me for a while there. Overall, I give it a thumbs up, but this was definitely a mixed bag to me. There’s a good chance that everyone else will like this a whole lot more than I did.
Match Rating: ***

Davey Richards vs. Ricochet

Davey did a handspring backflip for no reason. Ricochet then did many handspring backflips. Davey then blocked the Sasuke Special with an enzuigiri. Davey was in control for a while. Ricochet made a halfhearted comeback, but Davey cut him off again. They went back and forth. Ricochet hit a reverse ‘rana, but Davey fired right back with a big lariat. They traded forearms. Ricochet hit a dragon suplex, a Meteora, a Red Star Press and bridging Regalplex for a nearfall. Davey avoided a shooting star and then hit a tombstone for a nearfall. Davey hit a big double stomp for a nearfall. Ricochet came back with a super ‘rana and then a 630: 1…2…3. Le sigh.

EEEE came out for Davey’s farewell to PWG. I’ve been one of the biggest Davey defenders since 2010, but Reseda giving him a “You are wrestling!” chant is beyond absurd. Davey gave a Davey speech. If he had never spoken in this manner before this event, it may have meant something.

These two did not click in the way I thought they would, and the environment did not do anything to help them. This was an incredibly underwhelming way for Davey to end his PWG career.
Match Rating: **1/4

Mount Rushmore of Professional Wrestling [Kevin Steen & The Young Bucks (Nick & Matt Jackson)] vs. Drake Younger, Joey Ryan, & Candice LeRae

In the upset of the weekend, this match started out as a tag match instead of a brawl. Mount Rushmore got a quick advantage on Drake, but the babyfaces just as quickly came back. Ryan got cut off with an apron powerbomb, and he was then worked over for a while. He eventually tagged out to Drake, and he made a solid comeback. Everyone got involved. Ryan hit a tope con hello. Candice went for a moonsault, but Mount Rushmore caught her. Drake tackled them all with a moonsault. There were then lots of movez. Nick randomly hit an Asai Moonsault. More movez. Steen set up to cannonball Candice, but Ryan saved her. SUPERKICK PARTY~! Candice gave Steen a stunner, and he sold it like the Rock. Mount Rushmore hit Candice with More Bang for Your Fuck. Drake had to make the save. Drake ate a triple superkick. Joey made a big comeback, but Steen hit him with a low blow and package piledriver. Drake caught Steen with a crucifix pin: 1…2…3~! That win got over huge.

Much like at Night One, this is the only match on the show that stood out as something special. We’ve seen better versions of these trios matches in PWG, but I enjoyed both of them quite a bit.
Match Rating: ****

Adam Cole© vs. Johnny Gargano [PWG World Championship]

Gargano promised to break Cole’s arm. I think Gargano is trying to be a tweener in PWG. It’s pretty weak. They brawled on the floor. Cole got control for a bit. Gargano came back and hit the Gotcha! Spear. They did a nifty sequence that ended with Cole getting the figure four. Gargano survived, and they trades strikes. Cole got control. By the way, this is another super flat match. Gargano speared Cole through the ropes and into the chairs. Gargano made a comeback. Again. Mount Rushmore came out, but Gargano took them out with a dive. Cole hit a superkick to a knee. Gargano reversed Panama Sunrise into a GargaNO Escape. Gargano then got the step-over GargaNO Escape. The PWG roster saved Gargano from Mount Rushmore. Cole escaped via biting. Hurt’s Donut: 1…2…NO! Cole hit a Panama City Sunrise, but Gargano no-sold it. Superkick/Florida Key: 1…2…NO! Florida Key: 1…2…3

Oof baboof. I’m officially ready for the Adam Cole PWG World Championship run to end. Cole is an incredibly talented wrestler with a fantastic character, but he’s not working as champ for me right now. The booking of the finishes did not help this weekend, but unlike the Matt Rushmore main event, it’s not like the booking ruined what had otherwise been a great main event.
Match Rating: **1/2

Top PWG Shows of 2013
Battle of Los Angeles: Night 2
TEN
Is Your Body Read Yet?
Matt Rushmore
Battle of Los Angeles: Night 1

Top PWG Matches of 2013
Candice LeRae, AR Fox, & Rich Swann vs. Adam Cole, Nick Jackson, & Matt Jackson: BOLA Night 2
Nick Jackson & Matt Jackson vs. Ricochet & Rich Swann vs. Roderick Strong & Eddie “Eddie Edwards” Edwards: TEN
ACH vs. Kyle O’Reilly: BOLA Night 2
Kevin Steen vs. Johnny Gargano: BOLA Night 2
Candice LeRae & Joey Ryan vs. Nick Jackson & Matt Jackson: Matt Rushmore
AR Fox & Samuray Del Sol vs. Ricochet & Rich Swann: All-Star Weekend IX Night 1
Davey Richards vs. Kyle O’Reilly: Is Your Body Ready Yet?
Michael Elgin vs. Johnny Gargano: BOLA Night 2
Michael Elgin vs. AR Fox: TEN
Kevin Steen, Nick Jackson, & Matt Jackson vs. Ricochet, AR Fox, & Rich Swann: All-Star Weekend X Night 1
Kevin Steen, Nick Jackson, & Matt Jackson vs. Candice LeRae, Drake Younger, & Joey Ryan: All-Star Weekend X Night 2

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. Check out a full/organized list of all the wrestling show reviews I’ve done at 411mania.

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The 411: PWG saw a pronounced dip in quality in 2013, and I guess it's fitting that their 2013 ended with a disappointing ASW. I cannot fully explain why PWG is just not working as well and as consistently as it used to. The shows are just not as booked as well as they used. With the exception of BOLA Night 2 and TEN, the promotion was just off in 2013. I'm hoping 2014 sees a return to form.
Final Score:  5.5   [ Not So Good ]