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PWG “All STAR WEEKEND XII: NIGHT 1” DVD REVIEW
MARCH 4, 2016
RESEDA, CALIF.
Report by Sean Radican, PWTorch columnist
AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE AT HIGHSPOTS.COM
(1) Trevor Lee vs. Chuck Taylor. Lee jumped Taylor during the introductions. Taylor fired back and hit a slingshot splash to the floor. They brawled into the back of the venue and up to the broadcast position. Lee got the upper hand and ran down Taylor on commentary. Taylor spit water in Lee’s face and went on the attack. Taylor then got on commentary and said, “This s—t is serious.” Taylor then wiped out Lee with a dive off the stage to the floor. Taylor went for a springboard, but Lee superkicked the top rope to get the upper hand. Lee did a rolling lateral press for a one count, which was funny.
Lee got a mixed reaction from the fans, as a clear majority of the fans booed his antics. Lee said he was going to do some cool s—t. He went for another rolling maneuver that looked like a splash, but Taylor got his knees up and hit a huge German suplex a short time later. Taylor hit a lariat and did the deal for a near fall. Excalibur said, “Nobody kicks out of a falcon arrow!” Taylor went over to get Lee in the ropes, but Lee snapped one of the ropes into Taylor. Lee then hit a German with a bridge for a 2 count. Taylor missed a moonsault, but landed on his feet only to take a jumping double stomp from Lee for a near fall. Taylor then caught Lee with a small package for the win. Excalibur screamed that Taylor’s winning streak was alive.
WINNER: Chuck Taylor
Star rating: (***) – This was a good opening match that had the crowd favoring Taylor over Lee, which made for some good heat when Lee used some less than savory tactics during the course of the match. I loved the look on Taylor’s face after he won with a rollup.
(2) Chris Hero vs. Evil Uno. Hero got a thunderous ovation during the introductions. Both men traded shoulder tackles and Uno finally took Hero down with a shoulder tackle off the ropes. Hero slipped out of a headlock and kipped up and the fans went nuts. Uno finally got frustrated with Hero escaping his holds and headed for the back, but decided not to leave. Uno tossed several chairs into the ring. He handed the chair to Hero and grabbed another chair. Uno offered to sit and exchange with Hero in a chair. Hero teased hitting Uno. He then backed away and the fans chanted staring contest. Hero then sat down and told Uno to bring it. Uno then spit black mist at Hero and wiped him out with two big kicks to the face.
Uno went to town on Hero on the floor. Uno hit three big forearms back inside the ring to deck Hero for a 2 count. Uno continued to stay one step ahead of Hero, as he blocked a rolling elbow and then took off Hero’s elbow pad before biting his arm. Uno continued to go after Hero’s arm. He bit it again, but Hero broke out of it and nailed him with a huge elbow that sent Uno to the floor. Uno cut off Hero going for a boot through the ropes and kicked the middle rope into his crotch before hitting a DDT. Uno slapped Hero across the face. Hero fired back only to take a bicycle kick from Uno. Uno tried to go up top, but Hero rolled away.
Hero caught Uno with a kick to the head from his back and then the cyclone kick for a 2 count! Uno tried to throw Hero’s leg to the ref and hit a neck breaker, but Hero punched him right in the face. A short time later, Hero threw Uno’s leg to the ref for a rolling elbow, but Uno freed himself, threw the ref’s leg to Hero, and hit a neck breaker for a near fall. That was a tremendous variation of that spot. Wow!
Hero fired back and Uno flipped him off, so Hero bend his middle finger backwards and nailed him with a sick straight right. Hero set up for the death blow, but Uno hit him with a stop sign and a big overhand right. He then hit a twisting neck breaker for a 2 count! Uno didn’t even hook the leg on that cover and the announcers said he had no respect from Hero.
Uno slapped Hero and hit him with a light kick. They began exchanging blows. Hero hit a bicycle kick, but Uno reversed a suplex and hit one of his own for a 2 count, as he made another light cover. Uno went for a Gotch piledriver and hit it! Hero then kicked out at 1 and the fans lost their minds. Uno hit a rolling elbow and Hero told him to bring it. Uno hit another rolling elbow, but Hero continued to tell him to bring it.
Uno blocked two rolling elbow attempts with bicycle kicks and then hit a Saito suplex, but Hero got right to his feet! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Hero then connected with a rolling elbow and Uno kicked out at 1 and spit at Hero. Hero hit a rolling elbow and a huge death blow. Hero then made the cover for the win. Holy s—!
WINNER: Chris Hero
Star rating: (****1/4) – What a match in the second slot on the card. This was a different match than usual, as Uno seemed to have an answer for everything Hero tried after blowing mist in his face during the first part of the match. The second half of the match featured some crazy back and forth action. The fighting spirt spots at the end of the match were mental. These guys killed it. Wow!
(3) Drew Galloway vs. Trent Beretta. Galloway overpowered Trent during the early going taking advantage of his size. Trent fired back and hit his signature springboard face wash. Galloway popped up and nailed Trent with a sick headbutt! OMG. Taylor revealed on commentary he dropped Lee right on his family jewels while hitting a powerbomb. Trent tried to go up and over Galloway in the corner a short time later, but Drew nailed him with a dropkick for a 2 count. Galloway continued to work over Trent and hit a huge backdrop. Beretta fired back and caught Galloway with a double stomp as he charged at him in the corner.
Trent went for a double stomp out of the corner again, but Galloway caught his feet and hit a reverse Alabama slam for a 2 count. Trent tried to fire back and came off the turnbuckles, but Galloway caught him and hit a tombstone for a 2 count and both men were down. Trent countered Galloway coming off the top and applied a crossface. Galloway went for a tombstone, but Trent slipped out of it. Galloway then got a crossface and the fans booed. Trent struggled and went for the ropes. They went back and forth and Galloway ended the sequence with a huge running kick to Beretta’s head for a 2 count.
Trent tried climb the ropes and surprise Galloway with a superplex. He slipped, but still managed to toss Galloway over his head to the mat. Trent went for a flying knee strike, but Galloway caught him and powerbombed him into the turnbuckles. They went back and forth and Trent hit a huge superkick and a flying knee strike for a 2 count. Trent went for a dive through the ropes, but Galloway caught him and hit a belly-to-belly on the floor. Wow!
Beretta tried to get to his feet back inside the ring as the fans chanted for him. He nailed Galloway with a big slap to the face. Galloway then picked him up and hit a buckle bomb. The then hit a Razor’s edge into the turnbuckles. Galloway slapped Trent, who countered a powerbomb into the dude buster for the win! Wow!
WINNER: Beretta.
Star Rating: (***3/4) – The match got off to a slow start. Galloway dominated with his power and they turned up the pace down the stretch with some great back and forth exchanges. The finish was mental with Trent on the verge of losing only to wake up when Galloway slapped him and counter a powerbomb into a dude buster for the win.
(4) PWG champion Roderick Strong vs. Mark Andrews in a non-title match. The crowd was split chanting for and against Strong. Andrews went for a hurricanrana from the apron to the floor during the early going, but Strong caught him and swung him right into the ring apron. Wow! Strong went on the attack inside the ring with some incredible chops on Andrews. Strong tied up Andrews in a nasty stretching by putting his legs around Andrew’s arms and tying them around his neck. Strong went for a pull out back breaker out of the corner, but Andrews turned it into a hurricanrana. Andrews immediately got cut off by a huge dropkick from Strong for a 2 count.
Andrews tried to slingshot himself into the ring a short time later and hit a bulldog, but Strong caught him and slammed him face-first into the mat. The crowd fired up chanting for and against Strong. Andrews finally fired back and caught Strong with a bulldog. Andrews hit a missile dropkick a short time later and both men were down on the mat. Andrews went for a moonsault off the turnbuckles and Strong caught him, but Andrews swung through with a DDT for a 2 count. Strong went for a back breaker, but Andrews turned it into a stunner. Andrews then hit a reverse 1 and a half senton that only caught Strong on the arm. Andrews then hit a huge flip dive to the floor and the fans fired up.
Andrews went for a springboard and Strong caught him. Strong tried to lift him up for powerbomb, but Andrews reversed it into a code red for a 2 count! Andrews went up top for a SSP, but Strong rolled to the apron. Andrews went after Strong, but ended up taking a backdrop driver on the apron. Strong hit a sick gut buster a short time later after popping Andrews up as he came off the ropes. Andrews staggered around right into end of heartache. Strong ended up pulling Andrews off the mat to break the three count.
Strong then applied one of Sabre’s submissions, but Andrews rolled him up for a near fall. Strong got up and hit a huge knee to the head for a near fall. Strong hit some hard kicks across Andrews’s spine. Andrews fired back up top and nailed Strong with a big headbutt and he fell to the floor. Andrews then went for a SSP, but overshot it a bit and came down with his knees on Strong’s chest. Andrews could only drop an arm over Strong’s chest for a 2 count. Strong surprised Andrews with a big jumping knee. He blew a kiss to the crowd and hit end of heartache for the win.
WINNER: Roderick Strong
Star rating: (***1/2) – This was a one-sided beating to set up Strong as a dangerous heel champion heading into his re-match with ZSJ the following night. This was really good at times, but it lost some steam down the stretch when they had an awkward sequence followed by Strong hitting end of heartache and lifting up Andrews to beat the three count. Andrews then got in a few hope shots before Strong put him away.
(5) Marty Scurll vs. Kyle O’Reilly. The announcers mentioned O’Reilly hadn’t been back since making his return during ASW 11 back in December. Kyle did a grinding dance over Scurll and locked in an arm bar. Scurll escaped and backed away from O’Reilly. The fans chanted “sleazy Kyle.” Scurll kept going for O’Reilly’s mid-section, so O’Reilly swept his legs out from under him and hit several big palm strikes from the mount. Scurll finally fired back and hit a series of uppercuts that decked O’Reilly. O’Reilly fired back and hit his signature combination of strikes capped by a leg sweep and the fans applauded.
O’Reilly switched tactics and began working over Scurll’s leg. Scurll pushed O’Reilly off and went for a superkick on the apron to the floor, but O’Reilly caught it and grabbed an ankle lock. Scurll fought O’Reilly off and kicked him into the crowd. O’Reilly fired back and hit a running knee strike off the apron to the floor onto a seated Scurll. They went back and forth and Scurll went for the chicken wing. O’Reilly had it blocked, but Scurll transitioned it into cattle mutilation. He hit a big uppercut a short time later and then a reverse suplex. Scurll finished off the sequence with a big running knee strike for a 2 count.
Scurll faked out O’Reilly and hit a superkick to his knee. They went back and forth trading big knee lifts to the head. O’Reilly hit axe and smash, but Scurll fired back with a slap to the face! They continued to go at it hitting big clotheslines at the same time. They fell to their knees and both men slapped each other in the face and went down.
Both men got up and began trading blows. Scurll went after O’Reilly’s fingers again and this time he was able to snap them apart. O’Reilly went for a pendulum lariat and Scurll nailed him with an uppercut. O’Reilly bounced off the bottom rope and wiped him out with a huge lariat! Scurll fired right back and got him to the ground. He went for the crossface chicken wing. He got on top of O’Reilly’s back and went after his arm, but O’Reilly managed to toss him off! The fans chanted “both these guys.”
O’Reilly hit a shoulder capture suplex with a bridge, but only got a 2 count. O’Reilly then hit some big stomps on Scurll while holding both of his arms on the ground. O’Reilly got a triangle, but Scurll slipped out and nailed him with elbows. They went back and forth and Scurll got the crossface chicken wing! O’Reilly reached for the ropes as the fans went nuts. O’Reilly barely managed to get to the ropes. Wow! Both men got up and traded slaps to the face. Both men went for kicks. They caught each other’s leg and continued to exchange slaps.
They continued to go at it and O’Reilly grabbed a guillotine when Scurll went for another fake out superkick. O’Reilly hit a brainbuster and eventually got an ankle lock with a grapevine. Scurll tried to kick out of it, but he O’Reilly wouldn’t let go! Scurll struggled and finally tapped out and it was good for the win. WOW! That was tremendous!
WINNER: Kyle O’Reilly.
Star rating: (****1/2) – This was an incredible technical masterpiece with Scurll trying to set up O’Reilly for the crossface chicken wing and O’Reilly working over Scurll’s leg and ankle throughout the match. They built up to some fantastic counter sequences down the stretch before O’Reilly got the win.
(6) Zack Sabre, Jr. vs. Adam Cole. The announcers said Sabre wouldn’t take this match easy, as Strong did earlier in the night. Cole went to hit his pose early in the match and Sabre tried to lock in a double arm submission to cut him off. Cole fought him off and they went back and forth. Cole caught Sabre with a big kick to the head and Sabre flew off the apron into the crowd. Cole took over and began working over Sabre inside the ring.
Cole went for a figure four several times, but Sabre kept slapping him right across the ear. Cole finally collapsed to the ground. Sabre then hit a huge running uppercut in the corner and an enzuguri off the turnbuckles to ground Cole. The fans chanted “suck his d—” and Sabre shoved Cole’s face into his crotch before tying him up in a bow & arrow as the fans applauded. He then transitioned to an Indian death lock, but Cole got to the ropes.
Cole caught Sabre with a superkick to the leg. Cole then went after his leg in the corner. Cole tried to whip Sabre into the corner a short time later, but he collapsed and sold his leg. Sabre hit an uppercut out of the corner, but Cole fired right back with a running knee to the head that was good for a 2 count. They went back and forth and Cole dropped Sabre knee first over the apron. OUCH!
Cole continued to go after Sabre’s leg. He spit on Sabre and Sabre fired back with some big uppercuts. Cole cut him off with a stomp to the knee. Cole went after Sabre’s leg, but Sabre flipped around him into an octopus hold. He went to work on Cole’s leg, but Cole slipped out and hit two dragon screws and a running knee strike for a 2 count. Sabre countered a suplex from Cole and locked in a butterfly lock. Cole ran Sabre into the corner. Sabre charged at Cole, but ate a huge knee strike for a 2 count.
The fans fired up as both men were slow to get up. Cole had a sleeper, but Sabre countered it and got a European clutch pinning combo for a near fall! They went back and forth and Sabre slid out of Cole’s grasp and hit a PK that left both men down! Wow! Both men began trading big shots. Cole lifted Cole up, but Sabre got a hanging cross-arm breaker. Sabre then went for a traditional cross-arm breaker. Cole countered into a figure four, but Sabre got a small package for a 2 count.
They went back and forth and Cole eventually hit the panama sunrise for a 2 count. Cole then shoved the ref after Sabre kicked out! The crowd gasped. Cole got the figure 4, but Sabre blocked it and went after Cole’s ankle. Cole freed himself and got the figure 4. Sabre grabbed Cole’s arm and bent it backwards to free himself. Sabre then snapped Cole’s arm against the grain. Strong came out to distract Sabre. Sabre went after Cole and ended up running into Strong on the apron. Cole then rolled him up for a near fall. Cole then caught Sabre with a superkick. The fans fired up and chanted for Sabre.
Cole went for the code red off the turnbuckles, but Sabre popped up and hit Cole up top with a huge uppercut. He then locked in a Stronghold that totally had Cole folded up for the submission win.
The fans chanted “next World champ” at Sabre after the match. Strong got into the ring after the match and told Sabre to get up. He then left the ring. Sabre told him to f— off after he left the ring.
WINNER: Zack Sabre, Jr.
Star rating: (****1/4) – Amazing match. Sabre is so good when it comes to technical wrestling. Cole went after his leg throughout the match and Sabre knew how to counter his submissions and stayed one step ahead of Cole. Sabre overcoming Strong’s interference and winning the match with Strong’s submission was great.
(7) PWG Tag Team champions The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) vs. IWGP Jr. Hvt. Tag Team champions Ricochet & Matt Sydal in a PWG Tag Team Championship match. The Young Bucks did their own over-the-top introductions. Nick asked Sydal if he was Evan Bourne. He then said he’s seen Ricochet somewhere. The fans begged Nick not to say he’s seen him on Wednesday. He then asked Ricochet if he’s that Rich Swann guy from NXT. Ricochet responded by doing the Swann dance. Matt held up his tag strap, so Sydal came back with his. Matt slammed Sydal’s title to the ground, so Sydal returned the favor and they went at it hot and heavy.
The Bucks isolated Sydal and nailed him with a combination of maneuvers. The YB hit a double tope a short time later. Ricochet got tossed into the ring, but he hit a space flying tiger drop to wipe out the YB and the fans went nuts. The match picked up at a crazy pace. Matt blocked a top rope hurricanrana and Sydal crashed and burned. Matt then went crazy with a flurry of offense on Sydal and Ricochet capped by a Fargo strut and the fans fired up. The YB ended up isolating Sydal and working him over. Nick wanted a too sweet from Knox and he thought about it, but ended up refusing. Sydal went for the hot tag, but Nick dragged Ricochet off the apron. Sydal tried to mount a comeback, but Nick superkicked him when he went for a springboard. Nick went for a senton on Sydal, but he got out of the way and Nick ended up wiping out Matt.
Ricochet got the hot tag and ran wild! Ricochet hit a crazy combination of moves on the YB capped with a brainbuster on Matt for a near fall. Holy s—t! Sydal and Ricochet hit standing risky business, but Matt broke up the pin. Both teams went back and forth and Ricochet ate a powerbomb/enzuguri combination in the corner. The fans booed as the YB took control of the match. Some fans then began chanting for them and the chants went back and forth.
Nick accidentally kneed Matt in the corner when Ricochet ducked. Sydal ran in and caught Nick with a round house kick. The action continued at a pace that was simply too hard to follow. Ricochet finally ended the sequence with a big kick to the head on Matt and everyone was down as the fans went nuts. The YB hit the suck it punches on Sydal. They got too cocky and kept leading the crowd in suck it chants, which allowed Ricochet to hit a double low blow. Sydal then hit a double hurricanrana on the YB. Ricochet wiped out Matt and Nick with an insane flip dive over Sydal and the ringpost to the floor. Holy s—!
Sydal hit the here it is driver. Ricochet followed up with a springboard 450, but Nick broke up the pin. Sydal went up top and wiped out the YB with a beautiful moonsault to the floor. Matt got put on Sydal’s shoulders up top and Ricochet got on the top rope and hit a super hurricanrana. Sydal missed a SSP press and missed. Nick had thrown Matt a spray can and he sprayed it in Ricochet’s face. The YB made the cover, but Sydal kicked out at the last second! It turned out to be deodorant spray. Sydal couldn’t see and the YB nailed him with several superkicks.
Ricochet went for a springboard and ate a double superkick. Sydal then ate a double superkick as well. The fans wanted the Meltzer driver. The YB went for it, but Ricochet caught Nick when he went for the springboard portion of the Meltzer driver and hit a benadriller! He then hit a double team benadriller on the YB. Sydal and Ricochet went up for stereo SSP, but Matt and Nick got their knees up! The YB then hit the Meltzer driver on Sydal for the win! Wow!
WINNERS: Matt & Nick Jackson to retain the PWG Tag Team Titles.
Star rating: (****1/2) – This was a great high-flying back and forth affair. The Young Bucks pulled off some great sequences against Sydal and Ricochet. Ricochet had a great hot tag running wild on the YB as well. The action down the stretch was insane, especially Ricochet diving over Sydal and the ringpost to wipe out the YB on the floor. What a match!
Strong and Cole then ran in from behind Sydal and Ricochet and wiped them out. Mt. Rushmore 2.0 put the boots to Sydal and Ricochet as the fans booed. Sabre ran into the ring, but was immediately cut off. Strong called for his partners to take turns nailing Sabre with superkicks as the fans booed. Strong said he hears the fans chanting for Sabre and calling him the best. Strong said there’s nobody better in wrestling than him. Strong kicked Sabre and told him to stay down. Strong said tomorrow the best in the world s—t would end. He said he would do everything Sabre would do tomorrow, but he’d do it better. The fans booed as Strong held up the PWG Championship. He told Mt. Rushmore 2.0 to chill in the back tomorrow while he did it on his own. Strong said he wants them to see a clinic tomorrow. The fans booed Mt. Rushmore 2.0 to close the show.
Overall thoughts: (9.5) – What a blow-away show that set up Strong being challenged by Sabre on the following night. Strong won in dominant fashion to set up his match against Sabre. Later in the night, Sabre beat Cole in a spectacular match using Strong’s submission. The main event was spectacular, but the post-match beating from Mt. Rushmore on Sabre only added more fuel to the fire. I can’t wait to see Strong vs. Sabre for the PWG Championship now.
This was an incredible night of action in the ring. The card delivered over and over. Hero vs. Uno, O’Reilly vs. Scurll, and the Bucks vs. Sydal & Ricochet were all incredible match worth going out of your way to see. If you want to see a great night of wrestling, you can’t go wrong with this show. Highly recommended.
You can purchase PWG “ASW 12: Night 1” on DVD/Blu-ray by clicking HERE at Highspots.com. You can also purchase this show on VOD/MP4 at DIYWrestling.com. For more information on PWG visit ProWrestlingGuerrilla.com.
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