Texasrangers13
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Looking forward to it; took some time off myself and have been reinvigorated by it. Enjoy; we'll be here!
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Fight Club Announces New Signing
Chris DickinsonA New Yorker born and bred; the “Dirty Daddy” Chris Dickinson has been tearing up the indy scene for the last few years, becoming a breakout in Evolve and Beyond on the East Coast over the last few years. Dickinson entered Open Fight Night with a bit of a chip on his shoulder and he made it work, choking out his opponent after a slugfest. Dickinson may not be the biggest, or the strongest in the Fight Club but he’s versed in numerous styles and started training when he was 15 years old, in the last 18 years he’s trained under a plethora of the biggest names in wrestling, including Harley Race, Ricky Steamboat and Naomichi Marufuji. Dickinson is all business in the ring, but he’s as skilled as they come and will definitely be one to watch.
Vitals
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 235
Hometown: Staten Island, New York
Theme:
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Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Show Report (Third Pilot Episode of The Collective)
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
December Week 1, 2020
Show Report: Fight Club: Open Fight Night (Third Pilot)
This third pilot was more fleshed out and felt more cohesive with some stories behind it!Opening Promo
This one started out right away when Davey Boy Smith Jr kicked down the door to a room labeled “Production Meeting” he stepped in and we switched to what appeared to be a CCTV feed, the audio was muffled but we could see Davey accost Stephen Amell and the showrunners in the back. CW Anderson, who we’ve heard is acting as a road agent stepped in to separate Smith and Amell, we could hear Smith berate Amell for allowing Samoan Bloodline to assault him last month. Davey Boy said that if Junior or Sefa even accompanied Afa to the ring he’d walk out and Amell agreed to keep them at bay, picking up a phone and making a call.
Match 1: Davey Boy Smith Jr vs. Afa Jr
The battle of sons of WWE Hall of Famers took place with something on the line as Junior Fatu’s Samoan Bloodline took out DBS Jr at the end of the first episode. As we saw at the beginning; Junior Fatu and Sefa Fatu were in the back and appeared to be honoring the wishes of The Collective… the match was solid; but Davey Boy took advantage of Afa Jr and won this one with the Bulldog Bomb square in the middle of the ring. Without his family, Afa is a weak solo act, but I feel like this is building into a conflict that will be worth a follow.
Promos
We jumped to a sit-down roundtable with the Flight Club semi-finalists, all of whom have officially signed their contracts. TK O’Ryan, Sugar Dunkerton and Artemis Spencer are seated with a spot for nZo left open… Stephen Amell, already busy tonight gets a FaceTime call… it’s nZo… “Entertainment’s Hottest Free Agent” won’t be there he’s got some other things going on but that he's got a camera crew, so he'll send the footage...
We jumped to what appears to be an industrial warehouse, the pipes get some visual effects applied and they appear to freeze over as Lady Freeze walks into the picture, she hypes her man “The Savage Gentleman” Victor Benjamin as looking to make the jump to the Fight Club, he’s working hard to add the weight needed to move up, she felt he was miscast in the Flight Club, after all he’s All Fight, No Flight, but in the final pilot he’ll “mechanically disassemble one more “bird”” whatever that means. This promo while visually interesting felt like it was missing someone… these two just aren’t connecting yet; being that they haven't had a signing announcement I suppose we will see if they stick around.
nZo is back on our screen, he appears to be on the set of a music video or something similar. He’s rapping some bars, when he conveniently sees the camera and turns his attention to it…
"Hottest Free Agent in Entertainment" nZo on the set of his music video
Before he continues he calls out for “refreshments”; Liam Gray and Adrian Alanis enter the picture with a couple bottle of champagne. “My name is nZo and these are my Real1 Krew, Adrian Alanis and Liam Gray… You see behind every rap-star is his squad putting his hype on blast and keeping him grounded… The Real1s are about to take over this little Flight Club… Real1, Out.”
Match 2: SCHAFF vs. Kal Jax
The second semi-final was another solid big-man brawl, the mountain man from the mountains west of Reno, Kal Jax just couldn’t keep up with the Baddest MF’er in Professional Wrestling. SCHAFF some how was able to overpower Kal Jax. These two locked horns in a quick match overall and in the end SCHAFF hit the Cannonball followed by the Inverted TKO and punched his ticket to the main event against Davey Boy Smith Jr.
Promos
“Everyone needs a savior… and that’s 'Da Pope'” We see a cinematic scene with Elijah Burke sitting in a darkened, candle-lit room, “Freak Beast” Nick Comoroto is in the corner; he appears to be a bit out of it, Burke is focusing directly into the lens. He speaks directly to the audience, in fact in feels like he’s speaking directly to you. He says he’s here to save those who can’t save themselves. He’s here to make things better for everyone… He says he doesn’t fear anyone by God himself and he’s happy to go to places where you don’t want to go to free you from yourself… // Unique, dark, promo. Comoroto didn’t do much here, other than stand, but it’s clear that Burke is going to be a bigger piece of the puzzle moving forward and he’s building a group of somekind.
The next promo is a strange one and felt like it was a tester… we see a fly that has been captured in a jar, fly aimlessly into the walls, attempting to escape… as the camera pans back we see a bright light illuminate a pale wrestler with sunglasses on, he sticks out his exceptionally long tongue, which is bizarrely green in color… the words “Eli Everfly Takes Off” come across the screen. Guess this means SoCal’s Eli Everfly will be appearing on Pilot Four, we shall see… // The Fourth episode will also have an open challenge match for new competitors, this promo for Everfly was a bit flat; but lets see what he looks like in the ring.
Match 3: Open Fight Night: Chris Dickinson vs. Arik Royal
This one came out of virtually nowhere, Cyrus Fees the announcer said that tonight was “Open Fight Night” and these two are fighting to impress “The Collective”. On screen both mens vitals appear, but there aren't formal introductions for either man. This was a downright hoss fight and boy was it fun. They let these two go for nearly 12 minutes and frankly this is the best match I’ve seen in this fledgling company. Though Royal has maybe 30 pounds on Dickinson, Dickinson’s versatility and strength was too much for Royal and eventually Dickinson caught him in a Chokehold and choked the life out of Royal’s body… Justin King called for the bell as Dickinson stared through the camera into your living room and screamed some words not fit for print. The first edition of Open Fight Night delivered, Dickinson and Royal both were impressive in different ways, but with the victory I’ve got to think Dickinson may have punched his ticket to Join The Collective.
Post-Match Promo
Chris Dickinson formally introduced himself to the audience. He said that fighting is in his blood, and Fight Club’s were made for the Dirty Daddy. After all he fought his first match professionally as a 15-year old. He said that he proved tonight he could go with any size and any style; so he’s expecting a contract to be in his locker when he gets to the back…. and rightfully so.
Another cinematic scene; we see a romanesque coliseum scene in silver and black hues. There is a ring in the middle, and Odinson is once again laying waste to everyone in sight, eventually he’s slowed by a mass of people… he’s holding his own but the 5-6 angry local talents seem to be getting the better of him… suddenly another massive and tattooed figure appears and begins decimating everyone except for Odinson… with one man left in the ring, Odinson and the yet identified figure corner him, Odinson strikes with a pounce and the other figure lifts the lifeless body into a prone powerbomb position. Odinson leaps up and pulls him down as the other man slams him for a Powerbomb/Lung Blower combo.
They reach up and bump forearms as the words “Gods Of War” cross the screen…. For those with an astute eye, this man may look familiar, he’s a veteran of the California Indy scene, and debuted in 2020 in All Japan Pro Wrestling, while Odinson was over there as well… There was a natural fit here as JR Kratos and Odinson will make up the Gods of War unit.
We see the Steiners promo we’ve been seeing, they hype an impending signing for 2021 saying the wrestling world may not be ready for the second coming.
Main Event: Davey Boy Smith Jr vs. SCHAFF
This bout was each mans second of the night, and it showed the direction this company intends to go. Looking to build new stars while relying on some of the established names to bring in viewers. SCHAFF and Davey brawled all over the ring and both men took a number of stiff shots. SCHAFF was busted open midway through, but that didn’t slow him down, in fact it powered him up. SCHAFF scored a shocking victory in a clean bout to go 3-0 and stand atop the Fight Club so far… As SCHAFF celebrated in-ring, cameras followed DBS Jr as he walked to the back….Naturally Junior Fatu, “The Problem” Sefa Fatu and Afa Jr jumped him the second he exited the scene and beat him down until “Big” Sean Studd came flying in and cleared house… the feed ended with a unique split angle of SCHAFF celebrating in the ring and the backstage footage of the carnage he was unaware of, his recently vanquished foe Davey Boy Smith Jr and “Big” Sean Studd chasing off the Samoan Bloodline.
Match Recaps:- Davey Boy Smith Jr defeated Afa Jr (Solid, hard-hitting bout, nothing spectacular)
- SCHAFF defeated Kal Jax (Two big men, locking horns, fun)
- Chris Dickinson defeated Arik Royal (Match of the night; Great finish)
- SCHAFF defeated Davey Boy Smith Jr (Surprise of the night; second best match)
Overall Opinion:
Third pilot episode in the books and it's becoming clearer and clearer that the initial focus here will be on the division; they've fleshed out a clear story to open 2021 with Davey Boy Smith Jr/"Big" Sean Studd chasing off the Samoan Bloodline to end the episode. They've also continued to show the Steiner brothers and it is clear they are bringing someone in for the first show of 2021. SCHAFF meanwhile stands atop the mountain as the only undefeated competitor. While they haven't announced a title, they've said wins and losses matter and he's at the top, so he'll certainly be a focal point to open 2021. Beyond that, Odinson has formed a team with JR Kratos, the Gods of War and they seem content to destroy all comers. "Freak Beast" Nick Comoroto is under the control/guidance of "Da Pope" Elijah Burke and we've seen both promos for "Grizzly" Kal Jax highlighting his unique liftstyle/training and we've seen him hold his own in the ring. The only member of the initial eight group we didn't see today was Cezar Bononi but I have a feeling there is a reason for that. All told, this episode showed they learned some things from the first two pilots and this one felt more cohesive. The Open Fight Night concept stole the show, Chris Dickinson feels like he'll be part of the company, but we shall see what happens. I really feel like they'll focus on 12-16 main characters initially, and rotate in other pieces to see what sticks. Arik Royal might be one of those pieces! He is relatively unknown to many, but he held his own and might be worth another look, perhaps at the next Open Fight Night. We've received word from their executives that the fourth pilot episode will be sent in by the group much like the second one was; with the matches and collection of promos separate. In the end all four of these episodes will be packaged and pitched to networks.
Odds and Ends:
We've heard regardless of a distribution deal, the company is launching in January 2021 formally and will be moving forward, but they are prepared for multiple routes of distribution to start if necessary. We've also heard that they love the concept that wins and losses will matter and be part of the story moving forward. Reportedly, we might see a number of tournament style and round-robin style shows/battles where wins and losses will determine who will have bigger opportunities.
- Davey Boy Smith Jr defeated Afa Jr (Solid, hard-hitting bout, nothing spectacular)
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Uh Oh! Dirty doctor! Candido leaving, Heyman thinking about switching product types. Big news cycle. Should make for an interesting couple months!
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MARIA KANELLIS VS. MARTI BELLE
KAMILLE VS. VIPRESS
BATTLE ROYAL FOR A FUTURE SHOT AT THE NWA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
SCORPIO SKY --- I thought about picking Watts here as he impressed me in person way more than I anticipated; but alas... lets go with Scorpio.
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Flight Club's Fourth Official Signing
Sugar Dunkerton
A 17-year veteran, Sugar Dunkerton made a couple notable appearances over the pandemic with AEW as Pineapple Pete, culminating in an appearance on Talk is Jericho. Despite the attention, AEW opted to not use him anymore after a 9 match run. Sugar Dunkerton, or “Suge D” if you prefer, loves to party and have a good time, but in the ring he’s got the skill in-ring and experience to impress and perhaps even run the division. Despite the fun-loving attitude, Sugar D is a serious wrestler and he’s been seen as a gatekeeper by some, working to help put over younger stars like his former partners Myron Reed and Trey Miguel, but he’s ready to shine the spotlight on himself for once.
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I did not see the Da Pope thing coming, but I like it. I always liked him in TNA, I mean I know he was in WWE also, but I honestly did not watch much of them at that point so I never really saw him there.
I met Sugar Dunkerton a few years back at an indy show, he was in the crowd watching the matches. My buddy and I stood there and talked to him for a few minutes, he seemed like a nice guy. Glad to see you have him here.
Da Pope is so charismatic and I brought him in with the intention of him just being the color commentary; but then I started thinking about Comoroto's need for a manager/controller (ala James Mitchell) and that got me thinking back to when TNA seemed to be hinting that The Pope was not necessarily a "good" figure. In this character I see a bit of the brief "Problem Solver" Sean O'Haire gimmick mixed with a guy "helping those who can't help themselves"... Let's see if I can get that across correctly!
Sugar Dunkerton/Suge D/Pineapple Pete is so versatile and originally I wasn't sure if I was going to sign him or just use him for the pilots; but I went back and watched some of his stuff and listened to him and realized he fits... plus he can plays a comedy type gimmick well so when I need a comedy type match on occasion, he'll fit the bill. Always enjoy hearing anecdote's about people meeting/knowing guys from shows.
You've always been a loyal reader of my various stories over the last few years; so it's great to see you and interact again! Thanks as always!
I really like how the second show was formatted. It was sent in as clips etc, I think it makes it feel different for sure. A "cool factor" so to speak. I also like the nZO gimmick you're playing off of. Will he get a Turtle or Johnny Drama? We'll have to see I will also echo the approval of the Pope. I think there is a lot you can do with that. Let me tell you, if this were a real-life promotion, I'd be following as well. Well done.Thank you, the second episode format just came up by mistake; I'm always trying various ways to share results and story and that came about; thought it came out well. I like to mix and match styles at times and I think the Wrestling Observer Newsletter review style makes that possible.
Long story short, I signed The Skulk to just be their annoying selves based on some older Evolve shows I found online where they were accompanying AR Fox... well then he broke his neck before the first pilot episode even happened, so now we are pivoting... and The Entourage/Annoying Friends fit nZo's "Entertainment's Hottest Free Agent" gimmick so... BADA BOOM REALEST GUYS IN THE ROOM (wait... wrong gimmick). I could see casting someone in a Drama type role; but I might need to find a Turtle. Lets see if I keep these guys around.
Really do appreciate the comments and commentary; glad you are enjoying and would follow if it were real! Definitely the goal is to make people want to see it happen.
I echo others, did not see Pope coming. You can go a lot of places with him and your intro posts are top notch. KUTGW.Appreciate it. Really wanted to tell these guys stories in the intros; I think the goal is that anyone can jump in and find out who the main characters are at any given time. I think the goal long-term is to have some "signed" guys and some guys fighting for spots; they may even make multiple appearances but until they get their "post" they aren't full-time.
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Also wanted to give my deep appreciation for the DOTM nominations; writing is a fun creative outlet and I'm glad the vision of this specific story is being seen!
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Holliday is soon going to feature in a major storyline as I also like him.
I will third the Holliday love. ... After all if we didn't his "Lawyer / Father" might take action.
I actually watched part of the Acid Cup 2020 last night on Youtube to get a better look at some of these guys. Blake Christian intrigues me and I thought I'd like 1 Called Manders based on the background and story of he and George Kittle (Niners Tight End) being close friends; but honestly I was really disappointed in his look/style. I was thinking he was going to be more like Stan Hansen and was... well disappointed.
RSP fits GCW perfectly. I still don't know Matthew Justice.
Deppen and Warhorse would be a fun match; Warhorse is not for me but I'd down with Deppen (was actually planning on using him in a previous game but never really got there).
I'm seeing the finals as RSP vs. Janela. Could be a good feud too; maybe long-term.
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<p>Grudge Match:</p><p>
Mikey Lau & Brandon James [vs] <strong>The Awesomeness</strong></p><p> </p><p>
Grudge Match:</p><p>
Jungle Lord [vs] <strong>'The Supreme Star' Spencer Spade w/ Dulce Moreno</strong></p><p> </p><p>
SWF North American Title Match:</p><p>
<strong>'Bad Bad' Lenny Brown</strong> [vs] 'All American' Des Davids ©</p><p> </p><p>
Grudge Match:</p><p>
<strong>Angry Gilmore </strong>[vs] 'The Radioactive Wrecking Machine' Atom Smasher</p><p> </p><p>
SWF World Tag Team Title Match:</p><p>
Hawaiian Crush [vs] <strong>Fame & Money ©</strong></p><p> </p><p>
Number One Contenders Match:</p><p>
The Crippler [vs] <strong>'The Dark Reaper' Scythe</strong></p><p> </p><p>
SWF World Heavyweight Title Match:</p><p>
<strong>Rocky Golden ©</strong> [vs] Valiant [vs] Remo Richardson [vs] Rogue</p><p> </p><p>
Bonus:</p><p>
Main Event</p><p>
81</p><p>
I have not the faintest of clues... lets go with Randy Bumfhole and Christian Faith</p>
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<p>I had started to draft this up on my other computer and then forgot to hit send... in that vain though, some of my nominees are already nominated. BUT we would be absolutely remiss to forget these.</p><p> </p><p>
I feel like I'm missing some, so I'll possibly update prior to deadline. This months Rookie RW category has a ton of my favorites, and I'm glad to see BigJ and Kanegan already represented, both very deserving!</p><p> </p><p>
<strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Rookie Real World</span></strong></p><p>
<a href="http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum/showthread.php?t=550300" rel="external nofollow"><strong>ECW97: Survival on Swanson and Ritner</strong></a><strong> by Tobin834</strong> The graphics and storytelling here feel so time-period appropriate that they've really hooked me. This is the first ECW diary from 1997 that I've felt fully invested in in a long-time. Fun read.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
<span style="text-decoration:underline;"><strong>Veteran C-Verse/Fictional</strong></span></p><p>
<a href="http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum/showthread.php?t=550305" rel="external nofollow">SWF: Steering The Ship</a> by <strong>The Lloyd</strong></p><p>
I don't tend to read a ton of cverse stuff; but there are a couple writers that I'll always read and The Lloyd is one, I love the direction of some of the characters and always manage to find something that makes me laugh or think about. That's the sign of a well told story!</p><p> </p><p>
<strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Showcase</span></strong></p><p>
[Graphics] </p><p>
<a href="http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum/showthread.php?t=550300" rel="external nofollow"><strong>ECW97: Survival on Swanson and Ritner</strong></a><strong> by Tobin834</strong></p><p>
I highlighted this in the rookie nomination, but the graphics are incredible and clearly take time. This deserves recognition here.</p><p> </p><p>
[Presentation] <a href="http://www.greydogsoftware.com/forum/showthread.php?t=546695" rel="external nofollow"><strong><em>Paul Heyman's TNA 2010 | The Young, Hungry, Aggressive Alternative!</em></strong></a><strong><em> by 20Legend</em></strong></p><p> </p><p>
I typically don't love Youtube diaries but this is a MAJOR exception. This one has kept me hooked since its May debut; I love the way he splices in actual scenes from TNA and uses great graphics to tell the story. If someone is doing a Youtube story, do it like this, it makes the 25 min show FLY by.</p>
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Third Official Signing for Flight Club
Artemis Spencer
Arty Spencer ran the British Columbia scene for years capturing his first title in his home province in 2007 and working against names such as Kyle O’Reilly before he made it big, but he didn’t make his splash stateside until he debuted at DEFY’s one year anniversary show in February of 2018. The attention Arty brought to himself may have changed the trajectory of his career as he’s since been one of the indy darlings in the industry, holding the DEFY World title (after defeating Shane Strickland); debuting in the UK, for Progress, and making an appearance in the BOLA 2019. Though he is what you’d call a “charisma blackhole” Spencer can really go in the ring, and he’s all business from the second the bell rings.
Vitals
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 175
Hometown: Maple Ridge, British Columbia
Theme:
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The lack of Bam Bam Bigelow in his hometown is very disappointing... I'm sure at least one fan with a skull tattoo left disappointed.
Loved the show; Taz was such a beast in this time period.
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Sal Rinauro vs. Jervis Cottonbelly
Occam's Razor Open Challenge
Kamille & Allysin Kay vs. Serena Deeb & Thunder Rosa
Strictly Business (Nick Aldis, Thomas Latimer, Doug Williams) vs. Ken Shamrock, Tim Storm & Eli Drake
BONUS QUESTION: Who will answer Paul Ellering's team Open Challenger? : Dawson Bros
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Second Signing to Flight Club Brand
TK O’Ryan
The Man With No Country may have found a new place to call home, TK O’Ryan made his name on the scene as the third member of The Kingdom providing support to Matt Taven and Vinny Marseglia. They captured the Ring of Honor Six-Man Tag Team Championships three times and ruled the trios division for parts of three years. In late 2017 he suffered a major leg injury when he went high-risk and snapped his leg on the guardrail. After a year of recovery TK returned to ROH in early 2019 only to be cast to the side. He left the company to focus on himself, fully rehab his leg injury and deal with some lingering concussion issues from his years as a catcher in baseball; returning to the ring in late 2019, TK found himself without a home, and now the “Wild Horse” is calling himself “The Man With No Country” taking on a much more rugged look than before, TK is back in the ring and focused on controlling his own path.
Vitals
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 205
Hometown: Cape Cod, MA
Theme:
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First Official Signing for Flight Club Brand
nZo
You know him as Enzo Amore, but in January 2018 the “Certified G, and Bona Fide Stud” left the WWE with little more than a whimper. Some troubles chased him from the limelight but nZo has continue to keep his name relevant with a number of moments over the past few years. While he may have tarnished a bit of the shine, the rechristened nZo wasted no time in reminding everyone that he's "entertainment's hottest free agent" and that he is a still a wizard on the stick. He's taken that bravado to the recording studio starting a burgeoning hip-hop career under the moniker, Real1. Despite the ego, and the arrogance, nZo brings a renewed focus to the ring as he returns full-time. He also brings the athletic experience of College Football and five years in the WWE to The Collective that will be a challenge for many to match. nZo has sworn that when The Flight Club challenges him, they'll find that Real1's always have the answer.
Vitals
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 190
Hometown: Hackensack, New Jersey
Theme Song:
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I don't honestly remember iwrestling, I was probably afraid of viruses or ruining someones computer at that time. I remember being oddly afraid of certain websites (namely any with more than one pop-up ad...)...
I digress, enjoy the story about copying Meltzer. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Dr. Death vs. Terry Funk will make Barely Legal a fun one!
The Sandman on the Simpsons, awesome.
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WON: The Collective Second Pilot
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
November Week 2, 2020
Show Report: The Collective: Flight Club (Pilot Episode #2)
We were just sent the clips from the second pilot, this time “The Collective” opted to send them as more of a highlight tape, it was clear the “Flight Club” component doesn’t stand out as its own brand and I suspect they’ll merge it into the bigger show if this gets off the ground. There were four matches, and while we knew some of the names from the first pilot episode promos there were also three new names (two of whom won).Show Results
- Artemis Spencer defeated Adrian Alanis
- Sugar Dunkerton defeated Victor Benjamin
- TK O’Ryan defeated Patrick Scott
- nZo defeated Liam Gray
Interestingly enough, all four matches were solid though nothing spectacular, the action was good, though outside of the O’Ryan vs. Scott match it wasn’t particularly high-flying as we expected. I get the feeling the company may ultimately go away from "Flight" as an aspect of the name and look for more of the hard-nosed strikers in the small category, or maybe blend the two and keep the name... We shall see. A little bit about the three workers we hadn't seen a promo for who "debuted" on the show, none of whom have had an official The Collective post made about them, so I'm guessing they haven't formally agreed with any of them beyond these pilots.
Artemis Spencer is well-known in the Pacific Northwest and has had some notable feuds, including with SCHAFF in DEFY. He made his Pro Wrestling Guerrilla debut last year and is the kind of niche pop-up name this kind of company can grow with. So seeing him here was both a surprise and a really good thing. He’d been stuck up in British Columbia for most of the pandemic, so it was good to see him. He’s got very dry charisma and a no non-sense attitude that will remind many of Lance Storm. Solid in-ring.
Sugar Dunkerton had a semi-productive summer run with AEW as Pineapple Pete, but it was purely for comedy purposes. He's a solid talker and a decent worker. There is a role for him here, but long-term it's likely as more of a nice hand than a prime piece. That said, AEW has turned Orange Cassidy into a star, so let's see if The Collective chooses to push forward with Sugar; or perhaps rebrand him.
Patrick Scott, honestly this one came out of nowhere for me. Only 23, he's a good flier with a fairly vanilla look and limited exposure outside of the Carolinas/Georgia. He and TK O'Ryan brought the flight aspect to the show, and it worked pretty well, but Scott needs something more to take that next step. He was trained by Steve Corino, so maybe he'll lean into that side?!
The second pilot episode also featured a collection of promos; a couple from the studio and a couple of the cinematic style they are building towards.
Promos
1. nZo and the group known as The Skulk had a playful little back and forth. nZo called them Hypemen without a product to sell and said tonight he’d show Liam Gray how to “market the goods”… nZo defeated Liam Gray on the show and this seemed to be a trial to see how these three gelled. Have to think they may be going with nZo and his two “hypemen” Liam Gray and Adrian Alanis moving forward… While we had the Miztourage, I can’t say we’ve seen the “rap-star” / “hypemen” dynamic before, but it is a big one in Hollywood so this might just work… Maybe they’ll be like the tv show Entourage. Or maybe this will turn into some from of the Real World/Road Rules/Wrestle House.
2. We saw another montage of Kal Jax’s cabin in the woods, this time it is a training style montage, he’s in the woods, cutting down a large tree. He’s a big strong man, and he really embodies “Mountain Man”. They are going to push this as a rugged mountain man who trains and lives in the woods, coming out only for fights.
3. Lady Frost brought out her husband the “Savage Gentleman” Victor Benjamin. This one just didn’t work for me, I’ve seen a bit of them as the tag team “Pretty Proper” and they are a decent team, but Benjamin doesn’t really fit the “Flight” part of the program, especially since tattooed across his chest are the words “All Fight. No Flight”… but that might actually be worth leaning into as they move forward.
4. Stephen Amell did a sit-down profile on SCHAFF; it highlighted his work with DEFY and his career. A lot of footage appears to have been licensed from DEFY and they’ve also spliced in some real-life stuff with SCHAFF. SCHAFF is a navy vet from Steel City who moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2017 and started training to be a wrestler, less than three full years later here he is… He’s got star written all over him and The Collective seems to be aware they'll need to make some homegrown stars.
5. They showed another version of the Steiners promo from the first pilot; obviously to give the editing team something to work with or a different piece of content. Scott and Rick are going to be promoters here and promise in 2021 to bring something big to The Collective.
6. We head back to the Blackwood Sanatorium where it is shown that “Da Pope” Elijah Burke is the one who checked “Freak Beast” Nick Comoroto out of the asylum. Burke stares into the camera and says “everyone deserves a second chance, and I’m doing good for those who can’t save themselves” … so “Da Pope” is back and its a evil-type Pope character, says his saving people from themselves and freeing people from society holding them back. Have to think his faction/group/unit might be a couple more rough backstory types, and that could be an interesting congregation for Pope. Burke also served as the Color Commentator for this show and was solid in that role!
7. We also had a call-out backstage promo with Davey Boy Smith Jr talking about the Samoan Dynasty/Bloodline (which is the group of Junior Fatu, Afa Jr, and now "The Problem" Sefa Fatu; they've used both names thus far) ambushing him after his victory, "Big" Sean Studd steps into the frame and says he's got his back. He tells Davey Boy Smith to take care of business next month and as we go into 2021; they'll be ready to show this "Dynasty" what "Tradition" looks like.
Overall Opinion:
This show wasn't as good as the Fight Club episode but it added some critical components to the program. I think there is something here with The Collective and this second pilot pushed that forward. We've heard from the company they will be confirming two official signings from this episode later this afternoon and that the next two pilots, to be filmed in December, will keep this separate format of Fight and Flight clubs but that the long-term program will combine the two into one show, while still keeping the delineation of divisions.
There were some really unique and good promos here. I am excited to find out who the Steiner's are bringing in, have to assume it's going to be someone with an Amateur Wrestling background, but who knows what Big Poppa Pump and The Dog-Faced Gremlin have in mind.
Very intrigued by the usage of the "Da Pope" Elijah Burke; first off, quality commentator, but it looks like they are going to use him as a manager (potentially in-ring also) and not just as a fun-loving character. He's leaning into the "Problem Solver" type gimmick, freeing those who can't help themselves. A dark prophet of sorts. After the initial promo of Comoroto people thought they'd go the Raven or James Mitchell route, but the Burke route is refreshing and intriguing.
We've also gathered a little bit of information on what they plan to do for the standings, all these matches will count toward the standings and moving forward all wins and losses will count regardless of the format of the match. Excited to see the future of this company, the new signings and hear more about what we can expect in the final two pilots. We know there will be three more "tournament" matches. As a reminder the semi-finals of the Fight Club will feature: Davey Boy Smith Jr, SCHAFF, Afa Jr, and Kal Jax; Assuming they keep the winners at least for the second pilot, the Flight Club semi-finals will feature: nZo, TK O'Ryan, Sugar Dunkerton and Artemis Spencer.
- Artemis Spencer defeated Adrian Alanis
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Lex Luger vs. Konnan w/the nWo
Mortis and Wrath w/James Vandenberg vs. The Rock 'n' Roll Express
WHO BETTA THAN MORTIS!
The Giant vs. Alex Wright
Alex Wright should win, to start his push to the moon, but alas, good hand here.
Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Chris Jericho
Ric Flair vs. Curt Hennig w/Rick Rude
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Really enjoyed Victory Road, great show and leading into some big things for the next month or so! Excellent! Love the cutscenes.
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<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="BHK1978" data-cite="BHK1978" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="52268" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Hell of a first show, very well written.<p> </p><p> The person responsible for Nick Comoroto has to be Father James Mitchell, right?</p><p> </p><p> I mean who else could play the dark manager role? I guess maybe Raven would fit the bill as well.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Without spoiling it; it's neither of those men, and is a part of a bigger picture I'm still working on. Though I personally love both and try to find a way to use them in all cases. Currently, neither will play a part in this, but I think of some of the Comoroto character as taking on some of the qualities of both Raven and some of Mitchell's monsters (Abyss, Mortis) over time.</p>
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"The Problem" Sefa Fatu Signing Announcement
Sefa Fatu
The youngest of Junior Fatu's sons, Sefa was always a problem-child as a kid, well now as a professional wrestler he is "The Problem" and he represents a new age of the Samoan Bloodline. Unlike his brothers (the WWE's Uso's), Sefa is relatively new to pro wrestling with only two years as a professional, but he was born and bred around the sport and his impactful debut was felt by Davey Boy Smith Jr on the first pilot episode. He's young, athletic, and fast-twitch, making him a lethal threat in a division that primarily is based around power. He'll deliver a sharp Superkick and a Samoan Splash to finish off opponents.
Vitals
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 235
Hometown: The Isle of Samoa but now fighting out of Las Vegas, Nevada
Theme:
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Nick Comoroto looks like he came out of a time machine from the mid-1970's territory days. Heck, even that backstory would fit back then.
AWESOME; glad that comes through and is a bit of a throwback. I don't want every character to be fully larger than life but I definitely want some and he's one that might fit story-telling better than in ring (for now). The second pilot will give some more glimpses into who is "responsible" for him.
Just to echo others, really great look and concept, will be following.Appreciate it!
Big fan of this. Keep it up man!!Cheers, always means a lot for anyone to support this!
This is some of my favorite introductions to wrestlers, looks great. I have also personally booked maybe 1/4 of these guys lol. So this his facinating to me to see where this goes. Great look and concept so far, I am a reader.Appreciate it, I'm also not fully fluent with a lot of these guys, but I spend some time on YouTube just looking up a couple pieces here and there and fill out there backstory. I thought the "signing" graphics needed to stand alone and then thought "Hey, a little bio, maybe some vitals will give them a bit more life"
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This is a fun one; very casually follow what GCW has done/are doing and I like your take on it. Smart to wrap in the IWTV stuff and partners.
Acid Cup should be a blast especially with the insane Gage vs RSP first round, I'm going with a RSP vs. 1 Called Manders final... The left side of the bracket feels loaded compared to the right side.
Also Rush will defend.
I will also echo the approval of the Pope. I think there is a lot you can do with that. Let me tell you, if this were a real-life promotion, I'd be following as well. Well done.
GCW - The Flag-bearer of Independent Alliance [RW 2021 onwards]
in Total Extreme Wrestling 2020 Dynasties
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Fun tournament; Janela felt like the only guy on the right side of the bracket with a chance and a win over RSP is a nice way to set that feud up...
Umm, is Levi Everett's character Amish?! and if so... that's incredible.