PWG Battle of Los Angeles Night Three Report
1. El Generico beat Chris Sabin. The crowd was very quiet early after having seen so much the night before. They did basic mat wrestling early, trading chops and arm drags. Sabin left the ring and then said “fuck you” to a guy who had just given him water. That got big heat, so Generico came out and took water from the guy. Generico hit a heel kick and standing moonsault. Sabin responded with a forearm, snap mare, and kick to the head. He hit a body slam and a somersault senton for two. Generico hit an elbow, a crossbody off the top, clotheslines and a tornado DDT for a two.
Sabin had a tornado DDT attempt stopped, but he then pushed Generico off the ropes. He hit a diamond cutter, a kick, a drop kick and a sit down power bomb for two. Generico hit a drop kick but Sabin retaliated with a head over heels clothesline. He went for the cradle shock but Generico got out and hit an exploder for two. Generico went for his big boot but ran into a Sabin superkick. Sabin then hit a fisherman buster and senton off the top for a close near fall. Sabin hit some chops and tied Generico to the tree of woe, but Generico escaped and hit the big boot. He then hit his brainbustah on the top turnbuckle for the pin. This started slow but built really well.
2. CIMA beat Kevin Steen. They traded rollups early, and exchanged holds. Steen hit a shoulder block and senton. He offered to let CIMA back in the ring, but then attacked him from behind with kicks. He acted more like a heel for the rest of the match, which was a positive since he is a much better heel than face. Steen hit a running elbow and ripped at CIMA’s face. He followed with a chop, capture suplex and body scissors. Steen hit a shoulder tackle but went for a second and instead ran into the post.
CIMA executed a body slam and they sold this move huge. CIMA followed with a belly to back suplex and came off the top, but Steen caught him with a Samoan drop for two. Steen hit a moonsault for another two. He went for another moonsault but CIMA caught him climbing the ropes and gave him the back cracker. He followed with a drop kick and guillotine choke into a DDT. CIMA then hit a Michinoku driver for two. Steen hit a hard clothesline, but CIMA was able to respond with a super kick and use a small package for the pin. This was a good match.
3. Roderick Strong beat Dragon Kid. Dragon tried to avoid Strong’s power early in the match, but walked into a drop kick. Strong went to attack him on the outside but hit the post instead. Dragon worked on his hand and arm for the rest of the match. He drop kicked the hand and continued to assault it. Strong retaliated with a side suplex and butterfly suplex. Dragon hit a spin kick to the head, but Strong quickly regained control with a fall away slam. Strong hit a back breaker, applied a bear hug, and hit an overhead belly to belly. He followed with punches, a chop and another bear hug.
Dragon escaped with a DDT and hit a flying head scissors. He used a springboard moonsault to the floor and back in the ring he hit diamond dust. Dragon dropped Strong’s arm on the ropes and went for a huracanrana. That was reversed into a back breaker, and Strong used a clothesline that dropped Dragon on his head. Dragon hit the crucifix driver and hit a huracanrana for two. Strong quickly answered with a gorilla press into a back cracker. Dragon hit a drop kick off the top and went for a springboard huracanrana, but Strong caught him and applied the Stronghold for a quick submission. These wrestlers’ styles fit well together.
4. Davey Richards beat Austin Aries. This match can be used as solid proof that these two are indeed not the same person. They did some chain wrestling early, and went back and forth. Aries hit a drop kick and tope, which was the first explosion of the match. He continued with a somersault senton, elbow drop and high knee. Richards used knees to the ribs, but Aries stopped him with the rolling fireman carry. Aries went for a splash off the top but hit Richards’ knees. Richards hit a back breaker, a hard kick and applied the abdominal stretch.
Aries escaped, hit some clotheslines, and a roaring elbow. He dropped an elbow off the top rope and applied the Rings of Saturn. Richards hit a running power slam, and a leg drop off the second rope for two. Aries came back with kicks, and they traded high kicks. Aries kicked Richards to the head and hit a brain buster for two. Aries missed a 450 splash, and Richards hit a back breaker and clothesline. Richards missed a second clothesline and Aries rolled him up for two. Richards applied a cloverleaf like Edgecator for the submission.
5. Jack Evans beat Genki Horiguchi. Evans was off early, and was missing moves. Luckily he settled down as the match continued. Genki slammed him down by his doo rag. Evans hit a springboard spinning kick. He stood on Genki and hit a standing moonsault. He drop kicked Genki’s leg and used a modified surfboard. He followed with leg kicks and a handspring elbow attempt where he drove into a Genki kick. Genki hit a springboard moonsault, slam, double foot stomp off the top and drop kick off the top.
Evans retaliated with a fisherman buster, and a standing moonsault into a 450. Genki went for the tornado DDT but Evans nipped up before his head hit the mat and he hit a shining wizard. Genki quickly struck back with a brain buster and cobra clutch suplex for two. Evans and Genki both had rollups. Genki hit the beach break, but Evans kicked out at two. Evans hit a 630 off the top, but Genki kicked out. Genki went for a back slide, but Evans got out and went for a back slide of his own. He flipped over into a bridge to hold down Genki for the pin. This was sloppy early but really picked up into a strong finish.
6. Super Dragon beat Frankie Kazarian via forfeit. Joey Ryan hit Kazarian with a chair from behind before the match, and Lost dropped him from a torture rack into a chair. Dragon then came out and gave Jade Chung the curb stomp, which was an incredible spot. Kazarian couldn’t compete, so Dragon won via forfeit. This was fine because the show was long enough as it was.
7. CIMA beat El Generico in the next round. They traded chops early, and Generico hit a drop kick and split legged moonsault for two. Generico hit chops, but CIMA responded with a back cracker. A little girl in the audience cheered for Generico, and CIMA responded by giving her a dirty look and raking Generico’s eyes. This was hilarious. He choked Generico and drop kicked Generico’s head into the corner. Generico came back with a drop kick and hit a springboard moonsault to the floor.
Generico then hit a tornado DDT on the floor. Generico hit a splash off the top back in the ring for a close two. CIMA hit a springboard foot stomp and springboard drop kick, followed by an ace crusher for two. Generico missed his big boot and CIMA hit a backwards Razor’s Edge. CIMA then went for a frog splash off the top but missed and Generico hit his big boot. He then hit a back drop driver, but CIMA kicked out.
Generico went for his brainbustah, but CIMA got out and hit an incredible tornado DDT off the top. CIMA then hit his schwein. Somehow Generico still kicked out at two, and the crowd chanted “this is awesome.” CIMA then hit a second schwein and covered for the win. This was a fantastic match, right up there with Strong-Romero and the tag title match as the best matches up to this point. Generico has always been good during the time I’ve seen him, but he keeps getting better. He was one of the best performers this entire weekend, and deserves more credit as a phenomenal wrestler.
8. Davey Richards defeated Roderick Strong. Strong shoved Richards at the start of the match, and they brawled early. Richards went for a guillotine choke. Richards got a surfboard and camel clutch. Strong went for the Stronghold three times, but Richards escaped each time. After a rope break, Strong slapped Richards. Richards kicked him, hit strong punches, a chop, a forearm and a drop kick to the head.
Richards followed with a drop kick off the top, a clothesline, an elbow, a back body drop, and a running power slam. He continued the onslaught with an enzuigiri, exploder, forearm, clothesline and kicks. Finally Strong came back with a back breaker and chop. Richards went for the shooting star press but Strong got up his knees to the head. Strong hit a power bomb but Richards kicked out. Strong went for the Stronghold but Richards rolled him up for the win. This was great while it lasted, but it was one match on the weekend that would have benefited from a little more time.
9. Super Dragon beat Jack Evans. Dragon was legitimately hurt last night, so this was his only real match of the evening. Dragon is one of the best things about PWG, but if he is in bad shape these days he should take even more time off so he can get fully healthy. This was still a fun match. Dragon hit a hard forearm at the start, but Evans hit a huracanrana off the top and a handspring corkscrew moonsault to the floor. He went for a handspring elbow but was caught with a tombstone.
Dragon followed with chops, but Evans came back with a double knee and standing moonsault into a 450. Evans hit a corkscrew moonsault off the top into a frankensteiner, which was just awesome. Dragon hit a back drop driver, but Evans hit a reverse huracanrana for two. Evans missed a corkscrew 630. Dragon went for the psycho driver, but Evans got out with kicks and hit a shining wizard. He went to the top but Dragon caught him and hit a top rope power bomb at a horrible angle for the pin. Evans did a great job this weekend, and he is so much fun to watch.
10. Delirious, Colt Cabana, M-Dogg 20 and Quicksilver beat Claudio Castagnoli, Chris Hero, Rocky Romero and Necro Butcher. This match reads really weird, and I wasn’t expecting much out of it, but it ended up being easily one of the best matches of the weekend. I’m not even a big fan of comedic wrestling matches, but this was absolutely hilarious. Colt Cabana in particular was great, and this was a blast. Colt tried to recruit Necro to his side early in the match, and the two teams fought over who got to be on his side.
Necro was really over after taking so much punishment last night. Delirious had been sitting in the corner staring forward while Cabana and M-Dogg did all sorts of things to get him to react such as sticking their crotches and feet in his face. Then the bell rang and Delirious went nuts running all over the place. Hero and M-Dogg started. Delirious became belligerent about a phantom hair pull. Romero and Colt were next. Romero tagged Necro. Colt ran away into the crowd and counted himself out quickly. When Romero tagged back in, Colt returned, eager for a fight. Romero hit some kicks and Colt retaliated with palm thrusts and a kick to the head.
Claudio and Quick came in next. Claudio smugly threw him into the corner and slapped him. Quick slapped him back and hit a flying head scissors. Claudio tagged in Necro and Delirious wanted in. Delirious hit hard chops and punches, but Necro completely no sold. He raked Necro’s face, and then cowered before the angry Necro. Necro kicked him twice, but Delirious hit a clothesline. That got Necro angry and he pummeled Delirious with punches, kicks and chops. Delirious bit him. The Kings of Wrestling tagged in and double teamed Quick. Romero gave him a fisherman suplex for two. Claudio gave him snake eyes for another two.
Claudio held up Delirious for a Chris Hero drop kick. Romero hit a knee drop on Delirious, and Hero hit some chops. However, Hero walked into a boot and a drop toe hold, and Delirious tagged Colt. Colt came in with elbows on Claudio, a butt drop and a high knee. M-Dogg tagged in with a springboard moonsault. Quick tagged in and gave Claudio an enzuigiri. Hero tagged in and the Kings of Wrestling and Necro hit a triple team power bomb on Quick. Claudio followed that with a delayed vertical suplex.
The two teams had a tug of war trying to move Quick to their corner, while Delirious grabbed the referee. Romero drove Quick into Necro’s head. Quick came back with a springboard clothesline and tagged Delirious. Delirious gave Hero literally 50 straight clotheslines and hit a bulldog for two. Delirious back dropped Claudio over the top onto Hero. M-Dogg hit a handspring somersault plancha to the outside. Romero hit a tope to the outside. Quick hit a plancha to the outside. Colt hit an Asai moonsault to the outside.
Finally it was Necro’s turn but the referee tried to stop him. So Necro proceeded to power bomb the referee over the top. Necro then hit a somersault senton off the top rope to the floor. This all was insane. Back in the ring M-Dogg hit a sky twister press on Hero for a two. Quick slapped Necro, and Necro went bonkers with punches and kicks. Delirious hit a drop kick off the top on Necro. Claudio hit a reverse DVD on Colt. Quick then ran up Claudio into a huracanrana on Hero and rolled up Hero for the pin. This match was oodles of fun.
11. Davey Richards defeated CIMA to win the Battle of Los Angeles. Joey Ryan came out before the match to chants of “boring” and “same old shit.” That’s not a positive sign for your champion. He said that the Dynasty had taken Super Dragon out backstage and eliminated him from the tournament, so the final would be a singles match. CIMA sold being tired for this match. Richards hit a side suplex and kicks. CIMA used a surfboard, but Richards came back with a snap suplex and body slam.
He hit a head butt, stomach breaker, back breaker and camel clutch. He hit some kicks but CIMA no sold them and caught a kick attempt and hit a double foot stomp. He hit a senton for a two. He followed with a double foot stomp and side Russian leg sweep. He executed a crucifix cradle for two. He then hit a running double knee, tied Richards to the tree of woe, and used a drop kick to the head. He missed the Van Terminator but hit a back cracker shortly thereafter.
Richards finally fought back with a tombstone for two. He went to the top, but CIMA gave him a fisherman buster off the top rope. Richards hit a kick and a Liger bomb for two. He went for the DR driver, but CIMA escaped. Richards hit a DDT instead and hit a shooting star press for two. CIMA then caught him with the schwein for two. He went for another but was caught with the DR driver for the pin. This was an excellent match.
Most of the wrestlers came out to congratulate Richards. Richards said he is in line for a title shot with Ryan, but the only belts he cares about are the tag titles that he held with Super Dragon. He said that tag title reign was his biggest accomplishment in wrestling, and Dynasty’s cheating to win will change. He asked for a tag title match with Dragon against Arrogance at the next show with Dynasty banned from ringside. Dino made the match.
Hopefully this means Dragon turns on Richards, Richards beats Ryan for the title, and Richards feuds with Dragon over the title. That is the sort of feud that can rekindle interest in the singles title. Of course, Dragon and Richards as tag champs feuding with Kings of Wrestling, Briscoes, Homicide & B-Boy and Arrogance would also work pretty well. In any event, Richards was the perfect choice to win the Battle of Los Angeles this year.
Final Thoughts:
This was a phenomenal weekend of wrestling. It offered great match after great match, with a tremendous mixture of styles. As depressing as pro wrestling has become on the national level, it’s always nice when independent wrestling can remind you why you love professional wrestling in the first place. I’m not one for hyperbole, so I’ll keep this really basic and succinct. You MUST order these shows. You can get all three for $30 on DVD. You will get somewhere between 20 and 100 times the value of a $40 WWE pay-per-view. It will be money very well spent. PWG hit a grand slam this weekend.
Sabin had a tornado DDT attempt stopped, but he then pushed Generico off the ropes. He hit a diamond cutter, a kick, a drop kick and a sit down power bomb for two. Generico hit a drop kick but Sabin retaliated with a head over heels clothesline. He went for the cradle shock but Generico got out and hit an exploder for two. Generico went for his big boot but ran into a Sabin superkick. Sabin then hit a fisherman buster and senton off the top for a close near fall. Sabin hit some chops and tied Generico to the tree of woe, but Generico escaped and hit the big boot. He then hit his brainbustah on the top turnbuckle for the pin. This started slow but built really well.
2. CIMA beat Kevin Steen. They traded rollups early, and exchanged holds. Steen hit a shoulder block and senton. He offered to let CIMA back in the ring, but then attacked him from behind with kicks. He acted more like a heel for the rest of the match, which was a positive since he is a much better heel than face. Steen hit a running elbow and ripped at CIMA’s face. He followed with a chop, capture suplex and body scissors. Steen hit a shoulder tackle but went for a second and instead ran into the post.
CIMA executed a body slam and they sold this move huge. CIMA followed with a belly to back suplex and came off the top, but Steen caught him with a Samoan drop for two. Steen hit a moonsault for another two. He went for another moonsault but CIMA caught him climbing the ropes and gave him the back cracker. He followed with a drop kick and guillotine choke into a DDT. CIMA then hit a Michinoku driver for two. Steen hit a hard clothesline, but CIMA was able to respond with a super kick and use a small package for the pin. This was a good match.
3. Roderick Strong beat Dragon Kid. Dragon tried to avoid Strong’s power early in the match, but walked into a drop kick. Strong went to attack him on the outside but hit the post instead. Dragon worked on his hand and arm for the rest of the match. He drop kicked the hand and continued to assault it. Strong retaliated with a side suplex and butterfly suplex. Dragon hit a spin kick to the head, but Strong quickly regained control with a fall away slam. Strong hit a back breaker, applied a bear hug, and hit an overhead belly to belly. He followed with punches, a chop and another bear hug.
Dragon escaped with a DDT and hit a flying head scissors. He used a springboard moonsault to the floor and back in the ring he hit diamond dust. Dragon dropped Strong’s arm on the ropes and went for a huracanrana. That was reversed into a back breaker, and Strong used a clothesline that dropped Dragon on his head. Dragon hit the crucifix driver and hit a huracanrana for two. Strong quickly answered with a gorilla press into a back cracker. Dragon hit a drop kick off the top and went for a springboard huracanrana, but Strong caught him and applied the Stronghold for a quick submission. These wrestlers’ styles fit well together.
4. Davey Richards beat Austin Aries. This match can be used as solid proof that these two are indeed not the same person. They did some chain wrestling early, and went back and forth. Aries hit a drop kick and tope, which was the first explosion of the match. He continued with a somersault senton, elbow drop and high knee. Richards used knees to the ribs, but Aries stopped him with the rolling fireman carry. Aries went for a splash off the top but hit Richards’ knees. Richards hit a back breaker, a hard kick and applied the abdominal stretch.
Aries escaped, hit some clotheslines, and a roaring elbow. He dropped an elbow off the top rope and applied the Rings of Saturn. Richards hit a running power slam, and a leg drop off the second rope for two. Aries came back with kicks, and they traded high kicks. Aries kicked Richards to the head and hit a brain buster for two. Aries missed a 450 splash, and Richards hit a back breaker and clothesline. Richards missed a second clothesline and Aries rolled him up for two. Richards applied a cloverleaf like Edgecator for the submission.
5. Jack Evans beat Genki Horiguchi. Evans was off early, and was missing moves. Luckily he settled down as the match continued. Genki slammed him down by his doo rag. Evans hit a springboard spinning kick. He stood on Genki and hit a standing moonsault. He drop kicked Genki’s leg and used a modified surfboard. He followed with leg kicks and a handspring elbow attempt where he drove into a Genki kick. Genki hit a springboard moonsault, slam, double foot stomp off the top and drop kick off the top.
Evans retaliated with a fisherman buster, and a standing moonsault into a 450. Genki went for the tornado DDT but Evans nipped up before his head hit the mat and he hit a shining wizard. Genki quickly struck back with a brain buster and cobra clutch suplex for two. Evans and Genki both had rollups. Genki hit the beach break, but Evans kicked out at two. Evans hit a 630 off the top, but Genki kicked out. Genki went for a back slide, but Evans got out and went for a back slide of his own. He flipped over into a bridge to hold down Genki for the pin. This was sloppy early but really picked up into a strong finish.
6. Super Dragon beat Frankie Kazarian via forfeit. Joey Ryan hit Kazarian with a chair from behind before the match, and Lost dropped him from a torture rack into a chair. Dragon then came out and gave Jade Chung the curb stomp, which was an incredible spot. Kazarian couldn’t compete, so Dragon won via forfeit. This was fine because the show was long enough as it was.
7. CIMA beat El Generico in the next round. They traded chops early, and Generico hit a drop kick and split legged moonsault for two. Generico hit chops, but CIMA responded with a back cracker. A little girl in the audience cheered for Generico, and CIMA responded by giving her a dirty look and raking Generico’s eyes. This was hilarious. He choked Generico and drop kicked Generico’s head into the corner. Generico came back with a drop kick and hit a springboard moonsault to the floor.
Generico then hit a tornado DDT on the floor. Generico hit a splash off the top back in the ring for a close two. CIMA hit a springboard foot stomp and springboard drop kick, followed by an ace crusher for two. Generico missed his big boot and CIMA hit a backwards Razor’s Edge. CIMA then went for a frog splash off the top but missed and Generico hit his big boot. He then hit a back drop driver, but CIMA kicked out.
Generico went for his brainbustah, but CIMA got out and hit an incredible tornado DDT off the top. CIMA then hit his schwein. Somehow Generico still kicked out at two, and the crowd chanted “this is awesome.” CIMA then hit a second schwein and covered for the win. This was a fantastic match, right up there with Strong-Romero and the tag title match as the best matches up to this point. Generico has always been good during the time I’ve seen him, but he keeps getting better. He was one of the best performers this entire weekend, and deserves more credit as a phenomenal wrestler.
8. Davey Richards defeated Roderick Strong. Strong shoved Richards at the start of the match, and they brawled early. Richards went for a guillotine choke. Richards got a surfboard and camel clutch. Strong went for the Stronghold three times, but Richards escaped each time. After a rope break, Strong slapped Richards. Richards kicked him, hit strong punches, a chop, a forearm and a drop kick to the head.
Richards followed with a drop kick off the top, a clothesline, an elbow, a back body drop, and a running power slam. He continued the onslaught with an enzuigiri, exploder, forearm, clothesline and kicks. Finally Strong came back with a back breaker and chop. Richards went for the shooting star press but Strong got up his knees to the head. Strong hit a power bomb but Richards kicked out. Strong went for the Stronghold but Richards rolled him up for the win. This was great while it lasted, but it was one match on the weekend that would have benefited from a little more time.
9. Super Dragon beat Jack Evans. Dragon was legitimately hurt last night, so this was his only real match of the evening. Dragon is one of the best things about PWG, but if he is in bad shape these days he should take even more time off so he can get fully healthy. This was still a fun match. Dragon hit a hard forearm at the start, but Evans hit a huracanrana off the top and a handspring corkscrew moonsault to the floor. He went for a handspring elbow but was caught with a tombstone.
Dragon followed with chops, but Evans came back with a double knee and standing moonsault into a 450. Evans hit a corkscrew moonsault off the top into a frankensteiner, which was just awesome. Dragon hit a back drop driver, but Evans hit a reverse huracanrana for two. Evans missed a corkscrew 630. Dragon went for the psycho driver, but Evans got out with kicks and hit a shining wizard. He went to the top but Dragon caught him and hit a top rope power bomb at a horrible angle for the pin. Evans did a great job this weekend, and he is so much fun to watch.
10. Delirious, Colt Cabana, M-Dogg 20 and Quicksilver beat Claudio Castagnoli, Chris Hero, Rocky Romero and Necro Butcher. This match reads really weird, and I wasn’t expecting much out of it, but it ended up being easily one of the best matches of the weekend. I’m not even a big fan of comedic wrestling matches, but this was absolutely hilarious. Colt Cabana in particular was great, and this was a blast. Colt tried to recruit Necro to his side early in the match, and the two teams fought over who got to be on his side.
Necro was really over after taking so much punishment last night. Delirious had been sitting in the corner staring forward while Cabana and M-Dogg did all sorts of things to get him to react such as sticking their crotches and feet in his face. Then the bell rang and Delirious went nuts running all over the place. Hero and M-Dogg started. Delirious became belligerent about a phantom hair pull. Romero and Colt were next. Romero tagged Necro. Colt ran away into the crowd and counted himself out quickly. When Romero tagged back in, Colt returned, eager for a fight. Romero hit some kicks and Colt retaliated with palm thrusts and a kick to the head.
Claudio and Quick came in next. Claudio smugly threw him into the corner and slapped him. Quick slapped him back and hit a flying head scissors. Claudio tagged in Necro and Delirious wanted in. Delirious hit hard chops and punches, but Necro completely no sold. He raked Necro’s face, and then cowered before the angry Necro. Necro kicked him twice, but Delirious hit a clothesline. That got Necro angry and he pummeled Delirious with punches, kicks and chops. Delirious bit him. The Kings of Wrestling tagged in and double teamed Quick. Romero gave him a fisherman suplex for two. Claudio gave him snake eyes for another two.
Claudio held up Delirious for a Chris Hero drop kick. Romero hit a knee drop on Delirious, and Hero hit some chops. However, Hero walked into a boot and a drop toe hold, and Delirious tagged Colt. Colt came in with elbows on Claudio, a butt drop and a high knee. M-Dogg tagged in with a springboard moonsault. Quick tagged in and gave Claudio an enzuigiri. Hero tagged in and the Kings of Wrestling and Necro hit a triple team power bomb on Quick. Claudio followed that with a delayed vertical suplex.
The two teams had a tug of war trying to move Quick to their corner, while Delirious grabbed the referee. Romero drove Quick into Necro’s head. Quick came back with a springboard clothesline and tagged Delirious. Delirious gave Hero literally 50 straight clotheslines and hit a bulldog for two. Delirious back dropped Claudio over the top onto Hero. M-Dogg hit a handspring somersault plancha to the outside. Romero hit a tope to the outside. Quick hit a plancha to the outside. Colt hit an Asai moonsault to the outside.
Finally it was Necro’s turn but the referee tried to stop him. So Necro proceeded to power bomb the referee over the top. Necro then hit a somersault senton off the top rope to the floor. This all was insane. Back in the ring M-Dogg hit a sky twister press on Hero for a two. Quick slapped Necro, and Necro went bonkers with punches and kicks. Delirious hit a drop kick off the top on Necro. Claudio hit a reverse DVD on Colt. Quick then ran up Claudio into a huracanrana on Hero and rolled up Hero for the pin. This match was oodles of fun.
11. Davey Richards defeated CIMA to win the Battle of Los Angeles. Joey Ryan came out before the match to chants of “boring” and “same old shit.” That’s not a positive sign for your champion. He said that the Dynasty had taken Super Dragon out backstage and eliminated him from the tournament, so the final would be a singles match. CIMA sold being tired for this match. Richards hit a side suplex and kicks. CIMA used a surfboard, but Richards came back with a snap suplex and body slam.
He hit a head butt, stomach breaker, back breaker and camel clutch. He hit some kicks but CIMA no sold them and caught a kick attempt and hit a double foot stomp. He hit a senton for a two. He followed with a double foot stomp and side Russian leg sweep. He executed a crucifix cradle for two. He then hit a running double knee, tied Richards to the tree of woe, and used a drop kick to the head. He missed the Van Terminator but hit a back cracker shortly thereafter.
Richards finally fought back with a tombstone for two. He went to the top, but CIMA gave him a fisherman buster off the top rope. Richards hit a kick and a Liger bomb for two. He went for the DR driver, but CIMA escaped. Richards hit a DDT instead and hit a shooting star press for two. CIMA then caught him with the schwein for two. He went for another but was caught with the DR driver for the pin. This was an excellent match.
Most of the wrestlers came out to congratulate Richards. Richards said he is in line for a title shot with Ryan, but the only belts he cares about are the tag titles that he held with Super Dragon. He said that tag title reign was his biggest accomplishment in wrestling, and Dynasty’s cheating to win will change. He asked for a tag title match with Dragon against Arrogance at the next show with Dynasty banned from ringside. Dino made the match.
Hopefully this means Dragon turns on Richards, Richards beats Ryan for the title, and Richards feuds with Dragon over the title. That is the sort of feud that can rekindle interest in the singles title. Of course, Dragon and Richards as tag champs feuding with Kings of Wrestling, Briscoes, Homicide & B-Boy and Arrogance would also work pretty well. In any event, Richards was the perfect choice to win the Battle of Los Angeles this year.
Final Thoughts:
This was a phenomenal weekend of wrestling. It offered great match after great match, with a tremendous mixture of styles. As depressing as pro wrestling has become on the national level, it’s always nice when independent wrestling can remind you why you love professional wrestling in the first place. I’m not one for hyperbole, so I’ll keep this really basic and succinct. You MUST order these shows. You can get all three for $30 on DVD. You will get somewhere between 20 and 100 times the value of a $40 WWE pay-per-view. It will be money very well spent. PWG hit a grand slam this weekend.
posted by Todd Martin at 12:40 AM
1 Comments:
Any idea on when this comes out on DVD?
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