Eborian Wrestling Journal staff review the main event of night one of MuscleMania.
kayfabe
AWE’s Beach Brawl 2020, did it meet expectations?
The AWE Beach Brawl 2020 review is available here! https://actionwrestlingeboria.wordpress.com/2020/07/30/beach-brawl-2020/
There were nine matches, of which there were several screwy finishes. AWE are going to have to be careful not to put off fans with this booking tactic. The wrestlers are world-class, they just need to make sure there is a conclusion more often.
It was great to see some new champions crowned, as it will to see how the story lines progress on Tuesday Nights on RiOT! AWE remains, for us, to be an intriguing storyteller. Roll on Tuesday Nights!
SCW Slampede 2020 in review
Slampede 2020 was the second Pay-Per-view event (PPV) for the returned Supreme Championship Wrestling (SCW). The event was held at the HomeSafe Arena (Victoria, Alberta) in front of around 8,000 fans.
Dark Matches ( On the Pre-show)
Leo Hustle defeated Mark Tuggle in under five-minutes with a roll-up.
Candy Simms beat Alice Rocker by pinfall with the Simmsplex.
The Main Show:
HIRO vs CHRISTIAN BENNETT
Hiro (formerly known as KENSO/Kenso Kitani in AWE) took on Christian Bennett to kick off the event proper. Both men knew each other well from their time in AWE and it showed. A scientific masterpiece to kick things off, both men showcased their moves, with Hiro pulling off the victory when he reversed a reverse- roll up into one of his own (and appeared to pull the tights). Bennett was fuming, so we expect there to be more to this coming up in the weeks ahead.
Winner: Hiro
RYAN FURY vs MATT SMARTZ
The next fight was between the converted MMA fighter, Ryan Fury and the mischievous Matt Smartz. Smartz took the initiative to Fury, clasping on armholds and taking the man down at every chance, by fair means or foul.
Fury kept making a comeback, only to walk into a shortcut to lose control and be back on the mat. Smartz also jarred with fans outside, as his odious character shone throughout this match-up.
Fury finally managed to turn the tide for the better, reversing a superplex, hitting a diving elbow and then a bulldog for near falls. Smartz was on the defensive, so Fury finished him off with the ‘Furious Finale’ and claimed the clean pinfall victory.
Winner: Ryan Fury
BALTHAZAR vs EVAN LEBODY
Réishan superstar Balthazar battled seasoned veteran Evan LeBody in the next match. LeBody knows his way around the ring and how to position people in his favour. Balthazar knows only one way to respond- to smash right through any obstacle. LeBody was such a thing. Balthazar reversed a back suplex into one of his own, followed by a somersault splash from the top rope. When that didn’t put LeBody away, he utilised some very stiff kicks to the face and back and a piledriver.
Lebody managed to get a hand on the ropes to break up the pinfall, but it was too late for him. He walked straight into a devastating running knee, that KO’d him into next week.
Winner: Balthazar
THE PACIFIC POWERS vs ZARTHAN & HATHEON DROSA
In a tag team match, the newly formed ‘Pacific Powers’, consisting of Tamu and Kensuke Tanaka were up against the established GPPW line-up of Zarthan and Hatheon Drosa. This was a powerhouse matchup, with little finesse. It was all about strength and power, with all four men considering themselves ‘tough guys’.
The four men squared off, matching each other power move for power move. The action spilled outside, with the match in danger of being a count out or disqualification. The referee though, to his credit, managed to get the combatants back in the ring. Following a beat-down, Tamu managed to avoid a double -team clothesline attempt and tag in Tanaka. Tanaka was on fire, suplexing and dropkicking his foes out of the ring. He suplexed Drosa back into the ring and then clotheslined him back out.
This isolated Zarthan, who was finished off with a splash mountain and somersault splash.
Winners: The Pacific Powers (Tamu and Kensuke Tanaka)
VANESSA BROOKS & KATIE WEAVER vs PAULA LAWLESS & TIFFANY
In a Women’s tag match, Vaness Brooks teamed with Katie Weaver to take on Paula Lawless and Tiffany (who was making her debut).
It was an even affair for the most part, with Lawless & Tiffany starting off really well, before Brooks & Weaver took control for a while. The match ended when all four women took in a melee, resulting in all four women being knocked down to the canvass- plus the referee.
Once order and composure had been restored. Paul Lawless decked Weaver with the Law-breaker to get the win.
Winners: Paula Lawless & Tiffany
Semi-final : BENJAMIN WAUGH vs CESAR MORGAN
A place in the World Title tournament was at stake for the winner of the semi-final match-up. Both men lost their matches two months ago, so both were eager to get their first victory here.
In the near 30 minute battle, both men showed their mettle and ring nous in a close-fought and immersive spectacle. Whilst Waugh is many years the junior, his ring experience is right up there with Morgan’s. Both men battled with slams, suplexes, throws, chops and kicks to near falls, before they brawled outside and narrowly avoided a countout.
Waugh thought he had won the match following a back superplex and headbutt combo- as he didn’t know that Morgan’s finger had touched the ropes after the referee completed his count. Cesar pounced on the moment and nailed Waugh with a flying knee, for a close fall.
The two exchanged blows- suplex for spinebuster, brainbuster for powerslam. All very close calls for the referee making the count, James Colt.
The two kept battling, neither would back down. Cesar Morgan eventually came out the victor by using the ‘Redneck Special’ flying kick for the one-two-three. Benjamin Waugh is now out of the Supreme World Championship restart tournament.
Winner: Cesar Morgan
DRAKE ALPHA vs DANNY “THE ACE” AUSTEN
The main event winner would get a bye to the semi-finals of the World Championship tournament. Drake was accompanied by his Personal Coach Justin Genius.
The match started off at a cautious, slow-pace with the two feeling each other out, trying not to be the one to makes mistake. They traded headlocks and armdrags, leglocks and throws. They were both proving to be equal.
The Ace, is so named as he is flamboyant and flashy, though. He decided to up the tempo and hit Alpha with a barrage of takedowns and then clotheslined Alpha over the top rope to the floor.
He then followed it up with a graceful dive onto Drake and his manager, Genius. From there, the referee showed a lot of discretion to the rules. Both men used the steel steps and chairs on the other. Justin Genius tried to mug Austen, but he threw Genius though a ringside table- which the ringside fans loved!
Once they got back in the ring, The Ace looked for the kill. He hit Drake with a sea of offence- a Slammerjammer, a piledriver, a powerbomb and a spear. Justin Genius, recovering from his fall, managed to pull the referee’s leg to break up a count. After being admonished, it was clear he’d also left something for his wrestler. It was a knuckleduster. Alpha swung and hit Austen and went for the pin. The referee noticed that Austen had the wherewithal to put his leg on the bottom rope at the very last second. Genius and Alpha were livid. Alpha then went for his managers, sorry- business coach’s patented move- the IQ Dropper. The Ace got his shoulder at the very, very last second- which the referee noticed.
The match came to a conclusion, when Justin Genius placed a chair in the corner and tried to distract the referee. Alpha went to ram Austen’s head into it, but it was reversed. The Ace then followed up on it with an Ace-breaker for the victory and a first round bye.
Drake Alpha was seen exiting arguing with Justin Genius. He may be pondering that had he kept it to pure wrestling, he may have won this match. Going beyond the rules did seem to cost him.
The Ace has the first round bye in the tournament, which will start on SCW’s new tv show- Showdown, airing on Saturday evenings between 6-8pm on NTV1.
It was a great show that they put on, with the quality of the matches shining through, especially at the upper end. It was a solid card from start to finish. AWE must be concerned, they will need to entertain at their next PPV – BeachBrawl on 26th July.
SCW: Resurrection. Reborn Supremacy?
Saturday April 25th 2020: Supreme Championship Wrestling returned to our screens, with its first Pay-per-view (PPV) in nine years. A packed Chamberlain Hall crowd witnessed the rebirth of the promotion and what a show they got. There were eight matches in total.
Opening Match: CHRISTIAN BENNETT vs EVAN LeBODY
The opening match was a homecoming for SCW original Christian Bennett. A partisan crowd sang along to his theme tune and oléyed him when he hit multiple suplexes or clotheslines. Evan LeBody was incensed by the crowd not giving him the same adulation, taking time out twice to walk around the ring and berate fans. Bennett is all business though, and pummelled LeBody with lariats and slams, setting him up for a ‘Drive-By DDT’ and the pinfall.
Winner: Christian Bennett (Rating : 3 out of 5)
Match 2: BALTHAZAR vs MATT BLACK
GPPW regular Balthazar took on Eborian journeyman Matt Black in the second bout. Black started off by taking veteran shortcuts to slow things down and put Balthazar off his game. The Réishan is no novice, though, returning the favour by matching thumbs to the eyes and taunting, before picking up the tempo with a barrage of offence.
Black stuttered and tried to take another time out, but was caught and suplexed back into the ring. Balthazar then hit a Death-Driver for a near fall. Black almost stole it with a role up, but walked into one himself and lost the match.
Winner: Balthazar (Rating: 3.5)
Balthazar rolls up Black 
Balthazar celebrates!
Match 3: Three-Way RYAN FURY vs HIRO vs LEO HUSTLE
In an unannounced match, a three-way matchup was next. Ryan Fury and Leo Hustle provided many high spots and brutal kicks. Hiro, though, on this night, was a cut above them, pinning Fury after Hustle had been thrown outside and attacked.
Match 4: PAULA LAWLESS vs VANESSA BROOKS
In the first women’s match of the restart, Paul Lawless took on the spiteful and arrogant Vanessa Brooks. Lawless was the clear babyface in this encounter and was cheered on by the SCW faithful. Brooks tried to sneak out the wins by pulling tights and using the ropes, but could not get one over on Lawless. Lawless rolled up Brooks for the win.
Winner Paula Lawless (Rating: 3)
Match 5; METAMANIACS vs ZARTHAN & HATHEON DROSA
Mike and Jeff, the Metamaniacs, took on the Réishan stars of Zarthan and Hatheon Drosa- former GPPW Tag Team Champions in the initial tag match.
This was a short match, which the official had difficulty maintaining order. Both teams frequently double-teamed their opponents and it was at times akin to a tornado match. The Meta men won by pinfall, following their ‘Meta-four’ manoeuvre.
Winners: The MetaManiacs (Rating: 4)
Match 6: STREETFIGHT- TAMU vs KRYTUS
A wild brawl from the get-go, this one! Tamu and Krytus battered each other for nearly twenty minutes in a hard-hitting streetfight.
Tamu DDTs Krytus 
Tamu about to dive 
Krytus locks up Tamu
Tamu thought he’d got the win following a vicious DDT on the mats outside, but Krytus was not done. The hard-headed Réishan came back with a superplex and a powerslam for near falls, before the weapons came out. Both men used Kendo sticks and chairs and tables. Krytus finally got the pinfall, when he smacked Tamu with a chair and then executed a face-buster onto the chair for the fall.
Winner: Krytus (Rating: 4)
Match 7: BENJAMIN WAUGH vs ‘THE ACE’ DANNY AUSTEN
The up and coming superstar against the flashy established performer. This match started off with Waugh taking an initial advantage and wearing down Austen with shoulder takedowns and armlocks. Waugh also worked on Austen’s back for a few minutes before Austen could make a comeback.
Waugh readys a piledriver 
Austen gets a neckbreaker
The Ace, is so-called because he excels at the art of wrestling. He put the match right back into his favour with well-timed knee strikes, a toss out and dive to the outside. From there, The Ace looked to wear down the youngster with backbreakers and stretches. When Waugh looked tired, The Ace went for the kill. Climbing the top turnbuckle, Austen went for a spinning moonsault, but met Benjamin’s knees to the face instead. Waugh then hit a ton of suplexes and other power moves. Going for a big power slam, Waugh got caught with the amazing spinning cutter from Austen. That was it.
Winner: ‘The Ace’ Danny Austen (Rating 4.5)
Main Event: DRAKE ALPHA vs CESAR MORGAN
The main event was a matchup between the shoot wrestler and the roughneck villain, with the two putting on a 33 minute classic. Cesar Morgan has impressed in his time in Eboria and Réisha, the Texas native has made himself very much at home. With his methodical pace, he took the lead in this encounter. Alpha, akin to a young Kurt Angle, is a wrestling machine. The two went back and forth, taking turns with holds and moves to break each other down. Morgan came close with two counts following a superplex and falcon arrow combo, a modified RKO and small package. Alpha came close from multiple German suplexes, Judo throws and legsweeps and backbreakers.
Drake Alpha enters 
Morgan strikes Drake 
Morgan goes to Suplexvillle
The two were tiring, as the pace slowed down at the 25 minute mark. Both men missed dives from the top rope as they appeared to be faltering. After Alpha escaped a neckbreaker attempt from Morgan, he hit a devilish piledriver for near fall. With Morgan in rubber-leg city, Alpha hit a spinebuster and set up for the Alpha-lock (STF). The Texan would not quit, finally managing to escape and hit a cutter for a near fall. Drake Alpha wouldn’t give up either and went back to the Alpha-lock. Morgan couldn’t escape this time and eventually tapped out. A tremendous match.
Winner: Drake Alpha (Rating 4.75)
It was a great night of action, but with these ‘cold’ pairings, it’s not clear at this stage what kind of feuds or rivalries will be forming (other than in the spirit of competition). We will have to wait and see!
Smashmouth Scrumble 2020 gives fans great set up for Musclemania
AWE – Smashmouth Scrumble
The AWE Smashmouth Scrumble was an entertaining affair- setting the MuscleMania wheels in motion- giving the number one contenders for World and Women’s Championships as well as starting or maintaining feuds.
PLAYOFF for first or last entry into the Scrumble: CHAY WALKER vs MATT BLACK
Chay Walker faced off with Matt Black in the opening bout, with entering 1st or 40th at the the Scrumble match at stake. The two went back and forth for the first four minutes, before Black gained the upper hand with a questionably low blow. As Black went for the wear down routine, Walker looked to be fading. Sensing victory coming soon, Matt Black let up, so he could set up Walker for the Black Spot finisher- unfortunately he ended up giving Walker room for several high impact knees, followed by the Walkie-Talkie for the three count. Afterwards, Matt Black rolled back in the ring with a steel chair and attacked Chay Walker’s torso and left leg with the chair. Walker needed assistance to the back.
Continue reading
USN ~ The Ultimate Sports Network 