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RADICAN’S PWG ONLY KINGS UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER REPORT
FEB. 18, 2017
RESEDA, CALIF.
AVAILABLE ON DVD & BLU-RAY AT HIGHSPOTS.COM
(1) Cody vs. Trevor Lee. The match began with Cody posing on the turnbuckles. Lee then ran up behind him and hit a German off the top. Lee flipped off the fans and then hit a soccer kick from the apron to the floor. Lee followed up with a deadlift German with a bridge for a 2 count. Cody mounted a comeback and hit a big step up splash to the floor. The ropes look dangerously loose. Cody went for a springboard, but Lee caught him with an elbow for a 2 count. Lee taunted Cody and went for a big flip, flop, and fly, but Cody countered and eventually got a figure 4. Lee grabbed the ref and raked Cody’s eyes to break the hold. They went at it up top and Cody ended up hitting a muscle buster and both men were down! Cody got up and hit the flip, flop, and fly on Lee. He then flipped him off to a pop from the crowd. Cody hit a step up springboard kick that hit nothing for a near fall. They went back and forth and Lee caught Cody with a leaping double stomp as he charged at him for a 2 count. Lee blocked crossroads. Cody accidentally ran into the ref. He then caught Lee with crossroads and his feet connected with the ref’s head. He made the cover and the fans counted to 10. Cody talked to the ref and sold frustrations. Lee almost ran into the ref, but he stopped short. They went back and forth. Lee hit a spinning body slam and a fisherman’s buster for the win.
Winner: Trevor Lee
Star rating: (***1/4) – This was a nice sprint to start the show. Some of the spots weren’t smooth and a ref bump in the first match was a bit much. Overall, Cody has come a long way in terms of looking confident in the ring and presenting himself as a star on the indies.
(2) Trent vs. Rey Fenix. They did some chain wrestling during the early going that the crowd very much enjoyed. Fenix did a crazy arm wringer after doing several kip ups to counter Trent. Fenix and Trent began exchanging chops and Fenix absolutely lit up Trent’s chest. Fenix wound up and absolutely obliterated Trent’s chest and the crowd really fired up. Fenix wanted to go off the ropes at the same time, but he tricked Trent and nailed him with a pump kick. Fenix went for a stomp to the floor and Trent tossed a chair right at Fenix to wipe him out. Trent hit his signature slingshot face wash before going on the attack inside the ring. Fenix fired back and hit an insane flip diver over the top to the floor that started a Lucha s—t chant. They had a crazy exchange and Fenix rolled through into an ace crusher. He got a crossface and transitioned to a chin lock variation, but Trent got his foot on the bottom rope. Fenix hit several kicks to Trent’s chest followed by a soccer kick. The fans went nuts and Fenix made the cover, but Trent kicked out at 2. Trent fired back with some big chops, but Fenix blocked one with a superkick to the arm. They went at it on the apron and Trent hit a piledriver on the apron. That is just a stupid move to even attempt to try.
Trent hit a running knee strike to Fenix’s head for a 2 count. He followed up with a Gotch style piledriver, but Fenix kicked out at the last second. Fenix fired back and caught Trent with a double stomp off the top as Trent was hung up in the ropes. Holy s—t! Fenix made it back inside the ring first. Trent barely beat the 20 count. Fenix hit an outside in step up springboard double stomp, but Trent kicked out at the last second! Both men began exchanging strikes from their knees. They got to their feet and continued to exchange. Fenix rolled Trent to his feet and hit a huge superkick. He went to flip around Trent, but Trent caught him and hit the dude buster for the win!
Winner: Trent
Star rating: (***3/4) – The piledriver on the apron spot was really stupid to even try given the level of risk, but other than that spot this was a fantastic back and forth contest. Excalibur hit the nail on the head when he said it felt like a grudge match between two people that had secret grudge that nobody knew about going into the match.
(3) The Chosen Bros. (Progress Atlas Champion Matt Riddle & Jeff Cobb) vs. The Unbreakable F’N Machines (Michael Elgin & Brian Cage). Elgin and Riddle started the match going back and forth on the mat. Riddle lifted Elgin up at one point and slammed him to the mat, which drew a chant of bro from the crowd. Elgin returned the favor a short time later before backing off. Cobb and Cage went at it a short time later. Cage caught Cobb with a nice dropkick and went for a standing moonsault, but Cobb got out of the way. Cobb hit a dropkick and a standing moonsault of his own for a 2 count. The fans fired up and chanted for Cobb. Cage hit a 8-1-8 and Elgin hit a sit-out slam for a 2 count. Elgin then nailed Riddle with a bicycle kick on the apron and the fans booed. Elgin got Cobb up in the delayed vertical suplex position. He and Cage began tagging in and out while keeping Cobb in the vertical suplex position. Elgin finally did a squat before hitting a suplex for a 2 count. That was amazing. Cobb finally caught Cage coming off the ropes and nailed him with a leg capture suplex. Cobb finally made the tag to Riddle, who ran wild. All four men ended up in the ring. Cobb grabbed Cage and Riddle nailed him with a kick right into a German from Cobb. They isolated Elgin, but Elgin tried to fight back. Elgin got cut off and Cobb nailed him with an Olympic slam. Riddle made the cover, but Elgin managed to kick out at 2.
Riddle made a legal tag to Cobb, who went back and forth with Elgin. Elgin finally decked him with a big lariat. Elgin then nailed Riddle with a series of rolling German suplexes. Riddle grabbed Cobb and Elgin hit a DOUBLE GERMAN ON COBB AND RIDDLE! The fans went nuts after that spot. Elgin made the tag to Cage, who went to town on Riddle and Cobb. He hit a big wheelbarrow bomb on Cobb for a 2 count. They hit a double hellavator on Cobb, but Riddle made the save. Riddle hit a fisherman buster on Cage, but Elgin ran at him. Elgin countered out of a dragon sleeper by hitting a falcon arrow. Cobb then ran behind Elgin and hit an insane German that left all four men down with the crowd going nuts. Cage handed Cobb to Elgin up top and he nailed him with an avalanche bomb. Cage then hit the deep sea diverticulitis on Cobb for a near fall. Riddle ran into the ring to save Cobb. He hit bro to sleep on Elgin. He then hit a Pele kick on Cage and bro to sleep. Cage stumbled right into a tour of the islands from Cobb for the win. WOW!
Winners: Matt Riddle & Jeff Cobb
Star rating: (****) – This was great back and forth tag action from start to finish. The spot where Elgin hit a series of rolling Germans on Riddle into a double German on Riddle and Cobb was amazing. The finishing sequence was great as well. What a match!
(4) Ricochet vs. Lio Rush. This is Rush’s PWG debut. They had a crazy back and forth exchange. Rush finally missed a kick and Ricochet rolled to the floor. WOW! Rush sent Ricochet back to the floor with a kick to the head a short time later. He slid to the floor and Ricochet nailed him with a kick. Rush went for a hurricanrana, but Rush blocked it and hit a soccer kick from the arpon. He went for a moonsault, but Ricochet caught him and slammed him onto the apron! Ricochet then caught him with a sick dive over the top to the floor to wipe him out! Ricochet then began working Rush over inside the ring. Rush tried to fire back with a running kick, but Ricochet ducked out of the way. They went back and forth and Ricochet caught Rush with a wheelbarrow German. Rush staggered to his feet before doing a Flair flop! Rush tried to mount a comeback a short time later, but Ricochet nailed him with a huge lariat to the back of the head. He then whipped him hard into the corner. Rush ended up rolling to the floor. Ricochet allowed Rush to recover and he eventually rolled back into the ring. They went back and forth. Ricochet charged at Rush. He jumped over him and Ricochet went to the floor. Rush then hit two dives through the ropes to regain the advantage. Rush hit a sick DDT a short time later, but Ricochet managed to kick out at 2. They went at it up top a short time later. Rush sent Ricochet to the mat. They went back and forth Rush ended up going back up top. He missed a double stomp. They went to another rapid exchange of counters. Ricochet finally hit a sloppy shoulder capture suplex with a bridge for a 2 count.
They went at it again and Rush tripped Ricochet before nailing him with a spinning kick to the head that left both men down on the mat. Ricochet and Rush went at it again trading strikes. Rush rolled through on Ricochet and nailed him with a spinning kick to the head for a 2 count. Ricochet fired back and hit a 8-1-8 they went back and forth and Rush hit a springboard poison hurricanrana out of the corner. He followed up with a frog splash, but Ricochet kicked out at the last second. Ricochet finally blocked a kick and hit a big elbow on Rush. Rush went for the Rush hour, but Ricochet blocked it. Ricochet hit a combination of moves capped by the benadriller for a near fall! Ricochet went up top and hit a SSP, but Rush kicked out again! Rush fired up and staggered to his feet before collapsing. Ricochet hit a series of kicks capped by an axe to the head. Ricochet then hit a spinning cradle bomb for the win.
Winner: Ricochet
Star rating: (***1/2) – This didn’t feel like the best these two could bring out of each other. There were a couple of spots that didn’t go smoothly. Rush also seemed to repeat his offense over and over of kicks and strikes to the point where a lot of the counter sequences seemed too similar to each other. This match was still really good, as it got off to a hot start and finished hot. It just didn’t feel like Rush got over as a hot commodity in PWG after this match.
(5) Marty Scrull vs. Jay White. Scrull grabbed a fans hat and tossed it across the venue, which drew a round of applause from the fans. White got Scurll’s hat and gave it to the fans. This made Scurll very angry. They did some chain wrestling before coming to a stalemate. They went at it again and Scurll escaped from White. He then did a dance and the fans chanted sexy Marty. A woman screamed out that his dance was f—ing stupid, which drew some boos. Scurll then said welcome to PWG bitch before slapping White across the face. White countered Scurll a short time later and hit a slap to the face. White hit a dropkick and Scurll rolled to the floor. He went under the ring and popped up from the other side. Scurll then ran into the ring and knocked down White from behind. Scurll hit a superkick from the apron to the floor a short time later. Scurll teased a high flying attack and then hit a springboard kick to White’s shoulder. Scurll kept slamming White, which caused the crowd to start a dueling chant of “Let’s go Marty! Let’s go ring!” White fired back at Scurll and hit a big DDT that left both men down. White was up first and he went on the attack. White hit a series of uppercuts on Scurll, as he was caught in the ropes. White then hit a running uppercut to send Scurll to the floor. He followed up with a big dive through the ropes to wipe out Scurll. Scurll tossed his mask at White, but White decked him with it. He then put the mask on and teased that he was transforming. Excalibur said he was becoming a villain. White fired up and flapped his wings at Scurll after taking several punches. He then hit a fake out kick to Scurll’s leg, which is Scurll’s signature spot.
White set up for the chicken wing a short time later, but Scurll popped up and rolled through on him into a pinning combination for a 2 count. Scurll hit an eye poke after his mask fell of White’s face. Scurll countered White in the corner and hit a tombstone for a 2 count. White fired back and got a single leg crab, which he transitioned to a STF. He then floated over into cattle mutilation. He brought Scurll to his feet before applying the crossface, but he quickly got his foot on the bottom rope. Scurll ducked a charge from White. White went to the floor and blocked a superkick from the apron. He then lifted Scurll up and slammed him onto the apron. That didn’t look like much of an impact. Scurll fired right back and slammed White into the ropes. Scurll set up for the chicken wing. White tried to counter, but Scurll sat down on him for a 2 count. White hit a flatliner and a deadlift German. Scurll went for the fake out kick, but White nailed him with a release German. Scurll then fired back with a brainbuster and both men were down. The match definitely picked up there after being in cruise control for a long time. Scurll fired up a short time later with a flurry of offense. He then charged at White, but White ended up getting the cross face. Scurll rolled through, but White went with him to maintain the hold. Scurll then grabbed his hand and stomped down on it. White tried to flip Scurll off, but Scurll snapped his fingers apart. Scurll hit the fake out kick, but White hit a suplex. Scurll got right up. He ducked a punch and got the chicken wing. White struggled for the ropes, but tapped.
Winner: Marty Scurll
Star rating: (**3/4) – It felt like this match was in cruise control only to pick up towards the end. There was no story to set up the submission work Scurll and White did down the stretch and it just didn’t have the spark I expected.
Sami Callihan got on the mic before the six man and said let’s have some fun before the match started. Nick then interrupted OI4K’s introductions. He said they wouldn’t let the jobber introduce them. He said they had a special ring announcer. Cody then came out in a suit to announce them to a big pop. He introduced the Young Bucks as the greatest tag team in the world today. He said they are so damn beautiful. He then announced Adam Cole as a three time ROH Champion. The Young Bucks and Cole posed together, but OI4K wiped them out with a triple superkick. They then did the same to Cody.
(6) OI4K (Jake & Dave Crist & Sami Callihan) vs. Superkliq (PWG Tag Team Champions Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson & Adam Cole) in a Tornado Tag Team match. Dave and Jake wiped out the Young Bucks with stereo dives to the floor. Cole and Callihan went at it in the ring. Cole took out Callihan, but Dave (Pants) ran in and wiped him out. The action continued at a rapid pace as Dave countered a powerbomb/enzuguri combination in the corner and Matt ended up kicking Nick. Cole kept going for a brainbuster, but Jake countered it. The Young Bucks recovered and nailed him with a neck breaker/back breaker combination. They then nailed Dave with a pair of dropkicks on the apron. Superkliq isolated Jake in the ring. Cole applied a camel clutch and The Young Bucks set up for the Terminator dive. They ran off the ropes several times and kissed Cole. Callihan broke it up, but making it a four-way kiss. LOL. Callihan blocked a superkick from Nick and kissed his boot and then kissed him on the lips. Callihan tripped Cole into Nick’s crotch in the corner. He then tripped Matt into Cole’s crotch. Callihan then hit a series of running boot strikes in the corner one-by-one to wipe out the entire Superkliq. Everyone ended up on the floor and the fans fired up. Callihan went for a dive, but Matt cut him off. Matt wiped out everyone with a flip dive. The action continued at a rapid pace. Nick then hit a step-up flip dive to the floor to wipe out everyone! Cole then set up for a big dive, but instead he hit his pose. Dave wiped him out with a kick and OI4K hit tandem dives to the floor to wipe out Superkliq and the fans went nuts!
Cole hit a low dropkick and set up for panama sunrise on Callihan, but Dave cut him off. Dave and Sami then went after Cole up top, but the YB hit a double back rake. The YB then got up on the ropes and they hit a tandem suplex, but the tower of doom ended up with Dave turning it into a sit out powerbomb on Cole! That was nuts. The action continued at a rapid pace with both teams going back and forth doing insane stuff. Callihan ended up alone in the ring with the YB. He ducked a pair of double superkicks and wiped out the YB with a double dropkick. Cole ran into the ring and went at it with Callihan. Callihan dropped him into a knee strike to the face and hit a diving elbow for 2 count. Cole fired back and hit panama sunrise on Callihan for a near fall. Cole set up for sweet chin music. Jake then ran into the ring and nailed Cole with a superkick. Both teams began exchanging superkicks back and forth. Callihan took a superkick from Cole and hit the Nigel lariat and everyone was down! Holy s—t! Everyone started hitting ace crushers and stunners. Cole did the RKO pose and went for an RKO on Jake, but Dave cut him off with an ace crusher. The YB got stacked up with Nick on top. Dave grabbed his hand and hit a step up ace crusher off the top! He made the cover, but Nick kicked out the very last second! ARE YOU KIDDING ME! That was nuts!
Dave was positioned up top as Callihan and Cole exchanged bicycle kicks. Callihan finally wiped him out with a lariat. OI4K hit a double stomp off the top/tombstone combination on Cole, but the YB ran in at the last second to make the save! Holy s—t! Superkliq all went up top a short time later except for Cole. The YB hit a pair of 450s and Cole hit a standing splash for a triple near fall. Cole is so great. Cole and Matt lifted up OI4K into the tombstone positon. Nick came off the top and nailed them with a double dropkick into stereo tombstones and came down into a senton on Callihan. They made a triple cover for a near fall! OI4K got to their knees and Superkliq began hitting them with stereo superkicks. They hit about a million superkicks on OI4K as then fans went nuts. They then hit triple superkicks on each member of OI4K. It was down to Callihan, who flipped them off. They then nailed him with a triple superkick and made a triple cover for the win. WOW!
Winners: Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson & Adam Cole
Star rating: (****1/2) – This was fantastic from start to finish. This was all action from the start and both teams pulled off some incredible sequences. I like that they labeled the match as a tornado tag. It’s a small touch, but at least it forces people to stop thinking about why they aren’t any tags. The superkick party finish was incredible.
(7) PWG World Champion Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Chuck Taylor. Taylor got streamers during the formal introductions. Sabre got a mixed reaction. Taylor shook Sabre’s hand and got a near fall with an inside cradle. He then went for a short piledriver for another 2 count. Sabre quickly rolled to the floor. Taylor went after him and went on the attack on the floor. Sabre hit a European uppercut back inside the ring, but Taylor wiped him out with a lariat a short time later. Taylor went for a moonsault off the second turnbuckle, but he fell right into a triangle. Taylor quickly got to the ropes. Taylor countered Sabre and hit a suplex. He made a strong cover that the announcers emphasized, but he only got a 2 count. Taylor went for soul food, but Sabre countered it and hit a PK. A portion of the crowd booed Sabre as he worked over Taylor. Taylor sent Sabre to the floor and wiped him out with a big flip dive. Sabre ended up hitting a backdrop suplex on the floor a short time later. Taylor fired back on the floor and hit a short piledriver onto a chair. He hit a DDT back inside the ring. He hit another DDT. Sabre fired back, but Taylor hit yet another DDT, but Sabre kicked out at 2. They had an awkward exchange on the mat. Sabre finally hit a half and half and a PK. He then hit a big Liger bomb for a 2 count.
Sabre got a leg lock on the mat and then he got Taylor’s other leg in the stretch muffler position. Taylor struggled, but managed to roll them both into the ropes. Sabre got a sick pinning combination with a backwards bridge, but Taylor kicked out. Taylor fired up and ate some big slaps to the face. Sabre slid around Taylor and ended up eating a dude buster variation when Taylor countered him for a 2 count. Sabre blocked an awful waffle attempt and hit a German. He followed up with a running uppercut. Taylor caught Sabre with a knee to the head in the corner and an awful waffle for a good near fall. The fans fired up as Taylor set up for another awful waffle. Sabre countered it and got another triangle. Taylor lifted him and hit a powerbomb for a 2 count. Sabre held on and began hitting Taylor with elbows. Sabre then bridged over on top of Taylor while holding the triangle for the win.
Winner: Zack Sabre Jr. to retain the PWG Championship.
Star rating: (***1/2) – This was a good main event that was just getting going when it ended. Taylor did a good job in this match of going right after Sabre and trying to get a pin on him time after time. Sabre kept going for a triangle, but Taylor managed to fight out of it until the end when he passed out. The near fall with Taylor hitting the awful waffle was good, but this felt like it got cut short just when it was getting going.
Marty Scurll got in the ring after the match and told the fans they should be ashamed of themselves. He said Sabre is the best technical wrestler in the world. He said the fans might not appreciate him, but he does. He told Sabre he always has hit back. He said if the fans weren’t going to appreciate him and Zack there’s only one way to get their appreciation. He then attacked Taylor with his umbrella. Sabre then helped him put boots to Taylor. Trent ended up running out to make the save to a big pop. The fans chanted Best Friends and Trent helped Taylor to his feet and they hugged. Trent and Taylor left the ring together to end the show.
Overall score: (8.0) – This was a good show from PWG. There were no bad matches and most of the matches delivered some really good wrestling. PWG sets the bar so high that when there aren’t several blow-way matches on a card it’s a letdown, but this card featured some really good action that makes it worth your time.
Riddle & Cobb vs. Cage & Elgin was a blast to watch. They put on an incredible clinic of modern big man action from start to finish. My favorite spots in the match were when Elgin and Cage passed Cobb back and forth in the vertical suplex position while Riddle looked on from the apron in disbelief. The other great spot in the match that stood out to me was Elgin hitting a series of rolling Germans and then he went into a double German on Riddle and Cobb.
The other big highlight on the card was the incredible Six Man Tornado match with OI4K vs. The Superkliq. They put on an incredible back and forth match with a non-stop stream of big spots and high-flying mixed with some good near falls down the stretch. The superkick party at the end was a tremendous finish to the match. I’m looking forward to seeing more of OI4K in PWG.
There were a number of other good matches on the card. Fenix-Trent was an unexpected hard-hitting war. The main event between Sabre and Taylor was very good as well, but was just getting going when it ended. I liked how they built the finish of the match to a reunion between Trent and Taylor. Trent & Taylor vs. Sabre & Scurll should be one heck of a match in PWG down the line. This show featured some fresh talent, some great action, and a nice angle to close the show. Recommended.
You can purchase PWG “Only Kings Understand Each Other” on DVD/Blu-Ray by clicking HERE or by visiting Highspots.com. For more information on PWG visit ProWrestlingGuerrilla.com.
Also be sure to visit highspotswrestlingnetwork.com. You can watch a ton of great content for one low monthly price including the WrestleCon 2017 event from WrestleMania weekend. You can also watch Highspots titles from The Kevin Steen Show, Best Friends, CZW, PWG, and more at HighspotsWrestlingNetwork.com subscription service, which is now available on Roku.
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