Phantom Stranger Posted January 2, 2008 Author Share Posted January 2, 2008 Prediction Key for Champion's League: TV: Los Hijos vs. The Animals Hot Fuzz vs. Daniel Black Francis & Mario Heroic El Critico vs. Bulldozer Brandon Smith for the ROF TV Championship Raven Nightfall vs. Wanda Fish Black Eagle vs. KC Glenn Johnny Highspot vs. Nate Johnson Champions League: Jaime Quine vs. Ochiyo Iijima Anna Ki vs. Huntress Makiko vs. Kristabel Plum for the ROF/USPW Womens Interpromotional Championship British Samurai vs. Hugh de Aske Don Henderson vs. Joey Beauchamp Buff Martinez vs. Matthew Gauge Davis Wayne Newton vs. UK Dragon in a Ladder Match for the ROF Championship Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Stranger Posted January 2, 2008 Author Share Posted January 2, 2008 ROF: Fighting Fit Tuesday Week 4 November Kent Racecourse 4107 in attendance RATING: 0.41 Once again we face the traditional undercard pre-show Fighting Fit. Here's hoping that this time it doesn't drag our momentum down heading in. Our dark bout this time sees Los Hijos and The Animals face each other in a ladder match, the result of which is pretty good. El Bestia Purpura's the man who gets the prize this time. [I]The Animals defeated Los Hijos when El Bestia Purpura retrieved the prize[/I] RATING: C- The show itself opens with Joey in the ring, flanked by Anna Ki. He promises two PPV victories tonight for the two of them. It's... OK, but it's the tradeoff; weaken Joey's position slightly to make sure of getting Anna over eventually. RATING: D [B]Hot Fuzz vs. Daniel Black Francis & Mario Heroic for the ROF Tag Titles[/B] A good solid opener despite Daniel beginning to flag before the match was over – which Edward capitalised on expertly by getting a rollup out of nowhere on Daniel to retain. The crowd got pretty into this one. [I]Hot Fuzz defeated Daniel Black Francis & Mario Heroic when Edward Cornell pinned Daniel Black Francis[/I] RATING: C+ We then ran a hype video for Buff Martinez and Matthew Gauge, playing up their stalemate and promising a decisive winner tonight at Champions League. RATING: C+ [B]El Critico vs. Bulldozer Brandon Smith for the ROF TV Championship[/B] Good solid stuff here; Brandon and Critico ran a bout that hearkened back to their classic battles while adding in new and innovative spots based on their newer moveset additions. The key point of the match was probably Critico countering Brandon's top rope fallaway slam attempt by twisting clear, landing with an inverted facelock on Brandon, Brandon's feet still on the rope, and dropping backward into an inverted DDT. But that didn't put the former tag champ away, and nothing quite could – the time limit claimed its usual tribute. [I]El Critico drew with Bulldozer Brandon Smith when the time limit elapsed[/I] RATING: C+ [B]Raven Nightfall vs. Wanda Fish[/B] 21CW, this, but it didn't last long – and for that matter, that may've been part of the problem. Wanda got a quick win to pep her up a little further. [I]Wanda Fish defeated Raven Nightfall by pinfall[/I] RATING: D+ [B]Black Eagle vs. KC Glenn[/B] Another very quick match to give Glenn exposure and Eagle momentum, Eagle going over with the New Jersey Turnpike. Not bad work by either man, though. [I]Black Eagle defeated KC Glenn by pinfall[/I] RATING: C+ Next up was the hype video for the PPV main event, getting those last minute buys in if we possibly could. RATING: B- [B]Johnny Highspot vs. Nate Johnson[/B] Holy crap. This was a throwaway main event based on the fact their chemistry is a known asset and a belief that that might be enough to ensure at least a reasonable main event. But they went above and beyond, in what I'm pretty sure is both men's best match ever, with Johnny showing a new edge to his punches and kicks and even more willingness to sell for Johnson. This worked on every level, frankly, before the spike DDT and frog splash gave Johnny a showy win. [I]Johnny Highspot defeated Nate Johnson by pinfall[/I] RATING: B Turns out that main event was enough to make this fantastic from the standpoint of a pre-PPV show. We're still not going to win any awards for this one, but that doesn't mean this wasn't excellent – and good enough to enjoy our best TV rating to date. OVERALL: B- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Stranger Posted January 2, 2008 Author Share Posted January 2, 2008 ROF: Champions League Tuesday Week 4 November Kent Racecourse 4107 in attendance BUYRATE: 0.10 Very weak dark match between Jaime Quine and Ochiyo Iijima, but everyone was buying snacks anyway. Quine gets the win with the KO Kick. RATING: D Double-P cuts a dark promo just before we go live, hyping Sammy and promising victory tonight. RATING: D- [B]Anna Ki vs. Huntress Makiko vs. Kristabel Plum for the ROF/USPW Womens Interpromotional Championship[/B] Weak stuff, sadly – weaker than I'd hoped, given that these are three of our most popular workers in the area. Anna continues her run of total dominance, laying out Plum and the Huntress with Ki-DTs and pinning Huntress. [I]Anna Ki defeated Huntress Makiko & Kristabel Plim when she pinned Huntress Makiko[/I] RATING: C- Hugh then hit the ring, promising victory in his upcoming match. RATING: D- [B]British Samurai vs. Hugh de Aske[/B] And finally we get back into gear. Sammy controls for much of the match, which is for the best – it allows his grasp of psychology to govern the pace while allowing Hugh to hit most of his spots in his occasional flourishes. Eventually the Secret Samurai Stretch ends things in Sammy's favour. [I]British Samurai defeated Hugh de Aske by submission[/I] RATING: B- [B]Don Henderson vs. Joey Beauchamp[/B] More fantastic work here and Don even busts out his moonsault again after avoiding Joey's 450 splash. It's a solid back-and-forth between technique and speed, but in the end Joey's Breeze Block charge is caught into a tilt-a-whirl; the powerbomb follows and, inevitably, the Scottish Deathlock. [I]Don Henderson defeated Joey Beauchamp by submission[/I] RATING: B+ Don promptly laid out a challenge to whoever was going to be ROF Champion when the night ended. RATING: C+ Following that, we put together a hype video for Buff and Matthew, concentrating on the best spots from their matches thus far. RATING: C [B]Buff Martinez vs. Matthew Gauge[/B] Good solid work again, with Buff integrating a few more high-impact throws into his array of spots and Matthew being his usual all-round excellent self. The crowd really got into this match as the momentum changed on a number of occasions, and Matthew looked to sew things up as we passed the 20 minute mark – but in the middle of his run of dominance Buff got the El KO out of nowhere. [I]Buff Martinez defeated Matthew Gauge by pinfall[/I] RATING: B [B] Davis Wayne Newton vs. UK Dragon in a Ladder Match for the ROF Championship[/B] PERFECT. Or as near as makes absolutely no difference, in any case – over twenty-four minutes these guys surpassed everything we'd seen out of them, and everything we'd seen out of ladder matches, to put on what is quite simply the best match we've ever showcased. Everything came together perfectly, and the finish – Davis springboarding from the ropes to stand on Dragon's shoulders as the seasoned competitor ascended the ladder, seizing his title just before being buried with a Dragon Drop – was spectacular. The crowd went absolutely mental. [I]Davis Wayne Newton defeated the UK Dragon when he retrieved his title.[/I] RATING: A* Davis stayed in the ring, sharing the moment with the fans, tears pouring down his face as he thanked them for being here and praised Ring of Fire to the skies. That had been planned, but for it to follow this match was more than I could have hoped for. As he did so, others hit the ring; Davis' on-screen best bud, Joey, led Anna Ki to the ring. Seeing this, tag champs Hot Fuzz ran out – which was unscripted – as did El Critico, our TV champ. Getting back to the rough-guideline we'd given the workers, Hidekazu came out to shake Davis' hand, and Jaime Quine followed him out nervously. The atmosphere as we went off the air was unbelievable. RATING: B Yeah. Best show ever, topped by our best match ever. This was fantastic. Sadly, the buyrate didn't hit record numbers – people are going to be kicking themselves over that when they hear about this. OVERALL: A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Stranger Posted January 5, 2008 Author Share Posted January 5, 2008 USPW: Standard Bearers Sunday Week 4 November Lubuskie Arena 1000 in attendance And so our final show of November begins. Jaime Quine takes on Nadia Snow in our dark opener, garnering another victory as she does so in another pretty weak match. Both these girls a projects for the future, really. [I]Jaime Quine defeated Nadia Snow by pinfall[/I] RATING: D [B] Billy Robinson vs. Rolling Johnny Stones[/B] This was... much weaker than I expected, and I'm honestly not sure why – especially with the performances Billy's been putting on of late. Johnny gets the win in a quarter of an hour with the Brainbuster here. [I]Rolling Johnny Stones defeated Billy Robinson by pinfall[/I] RATING: C- The Riot Act hit the ring and challenge Team WLW to a match for the titles. RATING: D- The Force promptly hit the ring, and Ruud and Jed got into an argument about priority which quickly turned into a shoving match, and degenerated into a brawl. Steve Flash ran in to help the rest of those present separate everyone. RATING: D- [B]El Leon vs. Nigel Svensson[/B] Awkward match here as these two don't have much chemistry, but they still produced the match of the card thus far – depressingly. Leon picks up the win once again with a Split Second Justice. [I]El Leon defeated Nigel Svensson by pinfall[/I] RATING: C We followed that with a quick video to promote women's champ Anna Ki. RATING: C [B]Team WLW vs. The Riot Act for the USPW Tag Titles[/B] Next time, have Ray script the match. Seiji and Bairei did their best, but the results here were pedestrian at best. It didn't help that Jonni was exhausted by the time the match finished, with twenty seconds to go before the time limit, due to a double DQ – simultaneous belt shots. Tempers are fraying. All very 21CW. [I]Team WLW drew with The Riot Act when both teams were disqualified.[/I] RATING: D+ [B]Merle O'Curle vs. Steve Flash in a submission match for the USPW World Championship[/B] At least this pulled things back. Once again these two left Bernie in the dust with a rapid-fire series of holds, reversals, and the occasional throw to keep things pumped. In just under twenty-eight minutes these two ripped the Lubuskie fans into high gear and produced an incredible pop leading up to the Celtic Wreath. [I]Merle O'Curle defeated Steve Flash by submission[/I] RATING: B Not bad, then. Forward momentum in Europe continues. OVERALL: C+ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Stranger Posted January 6, 2008 Author Share Posted January 6, 2008 ROF: Fighting Fit Tuesday Week 1 December The Cobra Den 948 in attendance RATING: 0.47 A nearly-full Cobra Den witnesses Wanda Fish defeat Raven Nightfall in the dark with the Blonde Ambition. It's a 21CW kind of reception, but again I feel confident that it can only get better. [I]Wanda Fish defeated Raven Nightfall by pinfall[/I] RATING: D+ We also ran a quick backstage chat vignette between Double-P and Sammy in the dark; I'll get Phoebe over and Sammy to rock the stick if it's the last thing I do. RATING: D The show itself kicked off with a highlight video from Champion's League, paying particular attention to Davis/Dragon, Don/Joey, and Buff/Matthew. RATING: C I then took the mic to announce that, to determine the main event for the second ever Passing the Torch, we were going to have a Number One Contenders' tournament; Hidekazu would pair off against British Samurai tonight while Don Henderson would take on the UK Dragon, with the winners facing each other next week. RATING: D [B]El Critico vs. Black Eagle for the ROF TV Title[/B] I'd hoped this would be better. It wasn't bad, but it was weaker than I'd want. On the plus side, it's more exposure for them both as far as the Wigan crowd is concerned. Critico retains. [I]El Critico defeated Black Eagle by pinfall.[/I] RATING: C [B]British Samurai vs. Hidekazu[/B] Hidekazu's cardio regime has taken a slide, and he looked tired by the time Sammy locked in the Secret Samurai Stretch to pick up the win. That's probably part of why this seemed mediocre. [I]British Samurai defeated Hidekazu by submission[/I] RATING: C Backstage, we saw Davis stop Jaime Quine in the hallway and ask her why she'd come out at Champions League. An awkward kind of silence occurred before Jaime made her excuses and left. RATING: C [B]Don Henderson vs. UK Dragon[/B] Little chemistry here, but they're both excellent competitors who got past that to produce an excellent match. Dragon played up the effects of that phenomenal ladder match on his back, allowing Don to work the Scottish Deathlock story to pick up a win for himself. Dragon can, after all, get right back in the title hunt with no effort. [I]Don Henderson defeated UK Dragon by submission[/I] RATING: B- [B]Edward Cornell vs. Joey Beauchamp[/B] Testing Edward out in the main event spot. He's not quite ready yet, but I think he's only a couple of successful feuds away from there. Joey got the win to demonstrate that he is there, and he's ready to stay there, and we moved on. Poorish show, this, regrettably. [I]Joey Beauchamp defeated Edward Cornell by pinfall[/I] RATING: C+ Overall, this was a good enough show to be happy with, but... I'd have loved something better, considering our current build. We picked up a real record rating, though – three thousand beyond our previous record. OVERALL: C+ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Stranger Posted January 6, 2008 Author Share Posted January 6, 2008 USPW: Standard Bearers Sunday Week 1 December Bayern Stadion (Western Europe) 1860 in attendance A new European attendance record as we move beyond the Plaza la Navarre. Thank the Lord for the autobahn, as it really does make this a lot easier. Two dark matches to get the women exposure is the system again, here; Cherry Bomb begins by defeating Raven Nightfall with the Cherry Bomb in a 21CW kind of contest. [I]Cherry Bomb defeated Raven Nightfall by pinfall[/I] RATING: D+ Following that, Miss Information does battle with Ochiyo Iijima, defeating her in another match that receives the same reception. I think Cherry and Raven have a greater eventual upside, once they gain sufficient recognition... [I]Miss Information defeated Ochiyo Iijima by pinfall[/I] RATING: D+ [B]El Leon vs. Remmy Honeyman[/B] Another quick win for Leon as we continue his build. Not too bad here either, on either side – I'm hoping that some of Leon's aerial skills will rub off on Remmy, while Remmy has a couple of aces in holes that Leon could duplicate. [I]El Leon defeated Remmy Honeyman by pinfall[/I] RATING: C The Riot Act appeared next, challenging Team WLW to a title match. RATING: E+ [B]Billy Robinson vs. Dean Daniels[/B] Billy proves himself with a fantastic match here, and picks up a win as part of my gratitude. This sort of thing could well make Robinson a major player in Europe over time to come. [I]Billy Robinson defeated Dean Daniels by submission[/I] RATING: B A quick hype video follows, hyping up our National Champion SK Walker RATING: D [B]Anna Ki vs. Huntress Makiko for the ROF/USPW Women's Interpromotional Championship[/B] A little under a quarter of an hour here in a match which, while nothing special, isn't bad in Europe. But then, Anna has a reputation to maintain, and she and the Huntress put on a good show before the Ki-DT gives Anna another win. [I]Anna Ki defeated Huntress Makiko by pinfall[/I] RATING: C- Wanda followed that up with a quick hype promo for herself and for USPW. RATING: F+ [B]Merle O'Curle vs. Rolling Johnny Stones vs. Steve Flash for the USPW World Championship[/B] Pretty good work here to help all three men and the main title. It does Steve good to be treated as a top man like this; it does Johnny good to be in a match this good, and it does Merle good to defend his title against two men at once. Steve goes down to the Celtic Wreath after half an hour and the fans go home happy. [I]Merle O'Curle defeated Rolling Johnny Stones and Steve Flash when he made Steve Flash submit.[/I] RATING: B- Another show worth producing. We need to get Steve further over; his presence in the main event against Merle could be exactly what we need to go all the way. But that needs better name recognition first. OVERALL: C+ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Stranger Posted January 6, 2008 Author Share Posted January 6, 2008 ROF: Fighting Fit Tuesday Week 2 December Aston University Sports Hall 1000 in attendance RATING: 0.43 Our dark match this week sees Wanda grapple with Cherry, getting the win with the Dish of the Day. It's not Wanda's best match, but she's getting better results than last time, and hopefully they're going to get better yet. [I]Wanda Fish defeated Cherry Bomb by pinfall[/I] RATING: C- [B]Hot Fuzz vs. KC Glenn & Nate Johnson for the ROF Tag Titles[/B] Another reasonably good tag defence opens the show, mostly intended to give KC and Nate some exposure. And the results are as good as the Fuzz challenging the Stunners, which is pretty dang impressive. Keith Adams picks up the fall this time with a tight dragon sleeper on Nate. [I]Hot Fuzz defeated KC Glenn & Nate Johnson when Keith Adams made Nate Johnson submit[/I] RATING: C Following that up; a hype video recapping Davis' ROF career, from starting jobber through two-time tag champ to his current reign and fantastic PPV match. The reaction's major; the Midlands have welcomed Davis into their hearts like few others. RATING: B+ [B]British Samurai vs. Don Henderson[/B] The final round to determine Davis' challenger at Passing the Torch. It's good; Double-P did excellent work hyping things up and Sammy and Don put on a match born of long familiarity, with the little innovations meaning so much the more for it. Don gets the win when he counters the fisherman suplex into a sunset flip and rolls through to apply the Scottish Deathlock. [I]Don Henderson defeated British Samurai by submission[/I] RATING: B Joey then hits the ring and announces that he dedicates tonight's main event victory to Anna Ki. RATING: C [B]El Critico vs. Extraordinario Jr vs. Black Eagle for the ROF TV Championship[/B] The thing I didn't expect from these three was the string of suplexes and kicks Critico and Extraordinario pulled out as they went through the match, but it added to things. A great little match here shows what all three men are capable of before Critico manages to get the Critical Mass on Black Eagle and retain. [I]El Critico defeated Extraordinario Jr & Black Eagle when he pinned Black Eagle[/I] RATING: B- Matthew Gauge stopped by the announce table on his way to the ring, making sure to tell me that he guaranteed a victory himself in the main event. RATING: D [B]Joey Beauchamp vs. Matthew Gauge in a 30 minute Iron Man match[/B] A good job here; Matthew goes one up at eleven minutes in with the Proton Lock, but loses out as Joey, with something to prove, redoubles his efforts, getting one back with the 450 splash and eventually landing a Breeze Block to pick up a second fall at 29:46. The fans definitely seemed to enjoy this one. [I]Joey Beauchamp defeated Matthew Gauge by two falls to one[/I] RATING: B+ Another solid show; while certainly not one of our best, I'd say this was good enough – certainly our ratings continue to be solid, even if this isn't equal with last week. I'm very happy with how far we seem to have come in the past couple of months. OVERALL: B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Stranger Posted January 6, 2008 Author Share Posted January 6, 2008 USPW: Standard Bearers Sunday Week 2 December Lubuskie Arena 1000 in attendance Huntress Makiko decorates our dark bout, clashing with Jaime Quine. The Japanese veteran wins fairly easily with the Makiko Clutch, but it's a much, much better match than I expected. [I]Huntress Makiko defeated Jaime Quine by submission[/I] RATING: C [B]Team WLW vs. The Riot Act for the USPW Tag Titles[/B] Weak. Would probably have been better, I think, if Jonni hadn't started to flag along the way, though Ruud did his part to cover that, tagging in and putting up fierce resistance before the Jimbo Driver ended things. Ultimately, though, this should've been the dark match so far. [I]Team WLW defeated The Riot Act when Seiji Jimbo pinned Ruud van Anger[/I] RATING: C- A quick hype video to follow dwells on the four members of the Force, promising a return to form above the swelling strings of John Williams' best heroic triumphal music. RATING: D- [B]Billy Robinson vs. Nichiren Amagawa[/B] The former tag champion tries his luck against Billy, doing well and putting on, thus far, the match of the night before succumbing to the Capital City [I]Crucifix. Billy really does seem to have found his stride in recent weeks.[/I] RATING: C+ [B]SK Walker vs. Dean Daniels for the USPW National Championship[/B] The National belt is rapidly becoming the promotional focus, as Walker and Dean once again deliver on an epic scale. The match lasts nearly seventeen minutes before the Kessel Run ends things, but again both men are elevated by this clash. [I]SK Walker defeated Dean Daniels by pinfall[/I] RATING: B Another hype video next, this one for Anna Ki. Perhaps it's the belt, but she gets a better reaction than The Force. RATING: D [B]Merle O'Curle vs. Chojiro Kitoaji for the USPW World Championship[/B] Not bad, especially when you remember that Merle and Chojiro don't really mesh in the ring. This still ends up being an enjoyable contest that elevates the challenger even in defeat – which makes two for this card alone. [I]Merle O'Curle defeated Chojiro Kitoaji by submission[/I] RATING: B- An end-of-show experiment, as Simona Cox wields a futuristic-looking T-Shirt gun. As I half-expected, it goes down weakly. Sex doesn't sell for ROF crowds. RATING: D- Good enough show to keep us going and make me confident that Europe is on the way up, which is all I'm asking for. I'll take it. OVERALL: B- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Stranger Posted January 6, 2008 Author Share Posted January 6, 2008 Passing The Torch predictions time: TV: Cherry Bomb vs. Jaime Quine The Stunners vs. Daniel Black Francis & Roy Edison El Critico vs. Keith Adams for the ROF TV Championship Kristabel Plum vs. Wanda Fish Nate Johnson vs. Hidekazu Passing The Torch: Anna Ki vs. Raven Nightfall British Samurai vs. Joey Beauchamp Buff Martinez vs. Edward Cornell Matthew Gauge vs. UK Dragon in a Last Man Standing Match Davis Wayne Newton vs. Don Henderson in a two out of three falls match for the ROF Championship Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcel Fromage Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 TV: [B]Cherry Bomb [/B]vs. Jaime Quine The Stunners vs. Daniel Black Francis & Roy Edison - draw [B]El Critico [/B]vs. Keith Adams for the ROF TV Championship Kristabel Plum vs. [B]Wanda Fish[/B] Nate Johnson vs. [B]Hidekazu[/B] Passing The Torch: [B]Anna Ki [/B]vs. Raven Nightfall British Samurai vs. [B]Joey Beauchamp[/B] [B]Buff Martinez [/B]vs. Edward Cornell [B]Matthew Gauge[/B] vs. UK Dragon in a Last Man Standing Match [B]Davis Wayne Newton[/B] vs. Don Henderson in a two out of three falls match for the ROF Championship Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Stranger Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 ROF: Fighting Fit Tuesday Week 3 December Kent Racecourse 5000 in attendance RATING: 0.45 Once again we hit PPV pre-show time. This is always a juggling act. Our dark section begins with Double-P hyping Sammy again; depend on it, sooner or later we'll get her over. RATING: D Cherry Bomb featured in our dark match, and she and Jaime Quine get a 21CW reaction out of the crowd as they work together before the KO Kick gives Jaime the victory. It's only a little exposure, but little by little is about what we can afford here. [I]Jaime Quine defeated Cherry Bomb by pinfall[/I] RATING:D+ At the start of the show proper Davis laid it all on the line; how good Don Henderson was, how it was beyond a shadow of a doubt that Don Henderson had the best record of any Ring of Fire worker not to have held the big title, and how Don deserved the title shot tonight – but he also promised that Don would have to bring absolutely all of that ability to win here. RATING: B [B]The Stunners vs. Daniel Black Francis & Roy Edison[/B] We just renewed Roy's contract, so it seemed like a good time to take him out and see what he could do here. This... wasn't great, but wasn't bad. Brandon felled Daniel by hurling Black Eagle at him in the superbomb splash, cut Roy's rescue off with a vicious looking lariat, and made the cover. [I]The Stunners defeated Daniel Black Francis & Roy Edison[/I] RATING: C Another quick video – hype for Joey Beauchamp. RATING: C [B]El Critico vs. Keith Adams for the ROF TV Championship[/B] A quick test to see how Keith is doing on his own. He did good work with Critico here and both men kept the crowd interested, but as ever the Critical Mass keeps the belt on the seasoned luchador. [I]El Critico defeated Keith Adams by pinfall[/I] RATING: C+ A quick cut backstage sees Matthew getting in Dragon's face, making his case that he should've had the uncontested title shot in October, that he'd have won in an uncontested shot, and that therefore he'd be headlining tonight if not for Dragon. I got on the mic and booked their match for tonight's PPV there and then. RATING: D [B]Kristabel Plum vs. Wanda Fish[/B] Another of those matches I stick with just due to chemistry, and I saw the happy news here that Kristabel's dropkicks are getting slicker. This is good, and going to get better. Wanda gets the win here with the Dish of the Day. [I]Wanda Fish defeated Kristabel Plum by pinfall[/I] RATING: C+ [B]Nate Johnson vs. Hidekazu[/B] I knew this left us with a weak main event and a weak show (this will not have helped our momentum much) but I took the opportunity to give Nate some time against one of our big names and see what happened. It was... OK, and could've been great if Hidekazu still had the stamina. Nate got the win. [I]Nate Johnson defeated Hidekazu by pinfall[/I] RATING: C+ Good enough for most of the country, at least. Here's hoping that Passing the Torch does better. OVERALL: C+ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Stranger Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 ROF: Passing The Torch Tuesday Week 3 December Kent Racecourse 5000 in attendance BUYRATE: 0.14 A quickie title defence for Anna in the dark against Raven Nightfall. It's poor, but, again, everyone's off getting burgers anyway. I'll live. [I]Anna Ki defeated Raven Nightfall by pinfall[/I] RATING: D Phoebe Plumridge reappeared, this time on camera, to hype Sammy and Joey, and their match tonight. RATING: D [B]British Samurai vs. Joey Beauchamp[/B] Good solid back-and-forth from both these men. Not their best work and not their worst, but a good rolling start to the PPV sees Joey land the Breeze Block, once again showing how important he can be to ROF. [I]Joey Beauchamp defeated British Samurai by pinfall[/I] RATING: B I ran an interview with Buff Martinez prior to his match. He did pretty well. RATING: C+ [B]Buff Martinez vs. Edward Cornell[/B] Edward goes back to the top-of-the-midcard pile, I think; like Hugh, he needs to develop his grasp of ring psychology. Nothing to complain about here, but it wasn't really worth putting on PPV, which makes me all the gladder that Buff picked up the win with a scorching El KO. [I]Buff Martinez defeated Edward Cornell by pinfall[/I] RATING: C+ Buff offered Edward his hand after the match and the Cornell scion shook it, showing some respect. RATING: C [B]Matthew Gauge vs. UK Dragon in a Last Man Standing Match[/B] The pace picked back up here; twenty-four solid minutes of incredible action. No brawling to speak of, just high impact work strung together with excellent limb-assault sequences and technical holds to keep a man down. While not on a par with what either man can do, this was still a good enough match, and when Dragon finally got the Dragon Drop from the apron to the floor to keep Matthew down, the pop was highly satisfying. [I]UK Dragon defeated Matthew Gauge when he was unable to answer the ten count[/I] RATING: B- [B]Davis Wayne Newton vs. Don Henderson in a two out of three falls match for the ROF Championship[/B] Another great match; Don dominates the early going and scores the first fall at twelve minutes in with the Scottish Deathlock. Around twenty-two minutes in he gets a chance to go for the Deathlock again, but Davis is waiting; a twist, a tug, and the STF is locked in tight, forcing Don to tap. At 30:37 Davis counters the tilt-a-whirl into a headscissors and both men go over the top rope to the floor. The impact, after the match, leaves them both down for a ten count, giving Don arguably the most impressive showing against Davis thus far. [I]Davis Wayne Newton drew with Don Henderson at one fall apiece, with the deciding fall a draw[/I] RATING: A The production boys followed this up with a highlight video culled from the biggest spots of the night. RATING: C+ We don't blow out 2010 with another show the level of Champions League, but I hadn't expecteed to – or hoped to, really. This was, however, excellent, and I think we're going to be seeing some solid building from this. Can the point where we're using the Racecourse for our Fighting Fit broadcasts be far away? OVERALL: B+ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Stranger Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 USPW: Standard Bearers Sunday Week 3 December Bayern Stadion 1443 in attendance Another dark match continues the process of getting our women workers over. Huntress Makiko dominates Raven Nightfall and shows off the Makiko Clutch for the win. Not actually too bad. [I]Huntress Makiko defeated Raven Nightfall by submission[/I] RATING: C- [B]The Force vs. The Riot Act[/B] The feud over who gets to go after the tag titles continues, with these two teams doing pretty well considering their recent issues. In the end Toby gets the win over Jonni with the Star Destroyer. [I]The Force defeated The Riot Act when Toby Juan Kenobi pinned Jonni Lowlife[/I] RATING: C- As Toby makes his way up the ramp, Team WLW appear. Bairei cuts Jed off and Seiji gets the Jimbo Driver on Toby – from the ramp to the floor. After long moments, paramedics appear to stretcher Toby off. RATING: E- [B]Chojiro Kitoaji vs. Nigel Svensson[/B] Because a pairing with great chemistry is always welcome in USPW. Nice work here, again, and they produce the bout of the show thus far as Chojiro further cements his European reputation with another win over Nigel. [I]Chojiro Kitoaji defeated Nigel Svensson by pinfall[/I] RATING: C+ [B]Rolling Johnny Stones vs. Remmy Honeyman[/B] Well, this was a bust. For whatever reason, these two produced nothing better than a 21CW match. Ah, well – at least Johnny gets the win and something comes of it. [I]Rolling Johnny Stones defeated Remmy Honeyman by pinfall[/I] RATING: D+ A quickie bikini contest next, on the basis that pretty much any result will get this gang further over than currently; Jillefski hosts and Wanda, Simona and Jaime enter. Wanda gets the vote. RATING: E+ [B]SK Walker vs. Marc Speed for the USPW National Championship[/B] This was better than I expected, which is unfair to both men. A good solid ten minutes sees Walker retain with the Kessel Run, but he and Marc did really good work here and both men seem to be learning. Thank goodness for this match – it's gonna be a major bonus by the time the show ends. [I]SK Walker defeated Marc Speed by pinfall[/I] RATING: B- [B]Merle O'Curle vs. Steve Flash for the USPW World Championship[/B] And again these two save us. I'm worried that we're going to overuse this match; at the same time, it's one of USPW's real saving graces at the moment, so I may have to. Next year we'll also have to see about some degree of brand rearrangement. I probably don't need to point out that Merle gets the win here, but he does – though the day may be approaching when he doesn't. [I]Merle O'Curle defeated Steve Flash by submission[/I] RATING: B Closing the show; a quick hype recap for SK Walker, as one of my more popular guys in this area. RATING: D Another worthwhile show, all told. Hopefully what's coming from the tag feud will be worthwhile... OVERALL: B- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Stranger Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 ROF: Fighting Fit Tuesday Week 4 December Hall Green Cricket Club 1718 in attendance RATING: 0.49 Strong attendance for our first non-PPV night broadcast from the Cricket Club. Our dark match is, unfortunately, poor as Miss Information handily beats Cherry Bomb, but it's in the dark. We'll live. [I]Miss Information defeated Cherry Bomb by pinfall[/I] RATING: D As the show begins, Davis greets his fans from within the ring, telling everyone not willing to stay up til 3AM on a weeknight that he retained at Passing the Torch and putting the match – but especially himself – over. RATING: B Don promptly hits the top of the ramp, flanked by Nadia, and reminds Davis that he didn't win. So he's got a request – a match against Davis tonight, Ultimate Submission rules. If Don wins, Davis already knows his challenger at the Commonwealth Cup and Don passes up his spot in the tournament. If Davis wins, he'll need to find someone else. Davis accepts. RATING: B- [B]El Critico vs. El Heroe Mexicano vs. Hugh de Aske for the ROF TV Championship[/B] This could've been better, but Hugh was having an off night. Which is not to say it wasn't good; Mexicano shows real promise and the match as a whole was pretty sound. Just... weaker than it maybe should've been. Critico rewarded Hugh for slacking by felling him with the Critical Mass for the pin. [I]El Critico defeated El Heroe Mexicano & Hugh de Aske by pinning Hugh de Aske[/I] RATING: C+ [B]Buff Martinez vs. UK Dragon[/B] I shouldn't have given this meeting away on free TV, but what the hell, Christmas was only last week. These two turn out to have blinding chemistry that allows the pair of them to put on a terrific match, leaving Matthew in the dust as he scrambles to keep up, and with the freedom to work all twenty minutes without having to worry about either man looking bad from a loss they come alive. Buff demonstrates exactly why I won't be ending his contract any time soon. He's still a level below the PPV main event cadre, but it's clear that that may not last long. [I]Buff Martinez drew with UK Dragon when the time limit elapsed[/I] RATING: B+ [B]Joey Beauchamp vs. Matthew Gauge[/B] Unfortunately, that sublime discovery leaves the following match looking weak. Joey and Matthew put together what's merely a very good bout, ending with Joey picking up another win through the Breeze Block. We hope for more, really. [I]Joey Beauchamp defeated Matthew Gauge by pinfall[/I] RATING: B- A quick cut backstage sees Davis flirting with Jaime Quine as he ties the tape around his wrists for the main event. RATING: C+ [B]Davis Wayne Newton vs. Don Henderson in a 30 Minute Ultimate Submission match[/B] Matthew got lost again. What is it with my play-by-play guys and not being able to keep up with the submission moves? This was, however, fantastic; they replayed their PPV match' first two falls with just enough tweaks to keep it fresh then stepped up the pace. Don eventually set up and looked to go for his moonsault, but Davis once again scrambled up the turnbuckle and locked in the STF as both men came crashing to the mat – and with seconds to go before the time limit, Don tapped. Davis will face someone else at the Commonwealth Cup... [I]Davis Wayne Newton defeated Don Henderson by two falls to one[/I] RATING: A Really good show all round, and I'm glad to have run it where we still have the greatest degree of positive feedback. A show like this doesn't disappoint our fans in the Midlands; it's no wonder we pick up our highest TV rating to date. Including the live audience, over twenty-six thousand watched this show. OVERALL: B+ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Stranger Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 USPW: Standard Bearers Sunday Week 4 December Lubuskie Arena 1000 in attendance Final card of the year, and I turn out to have goofed on the dark match selection; Wanda's chemistry with Jaime is nothing short of spectacular, and the dark bout is excellent, probably the best womens' match I've booked for ROF. Jaime makes the most of it, getting the win with a KO Kick. [I]Jaime Quine defeated Wanda Fish by pinfall[/I] RATING: B- [B]Anna Ki vs. Cherry Bomb vs. Huntress Makiko for the ROF/USPW Womens Interpromotional Championship[/B] By contrast, this was weak, though it'll still help the reputation of every woman involved. Anna picks up the win again, laying Makiko out with the Ki-D-T. [I]Anna Ki defeated Cherry Bomb & Huntress Makiko by pinfall[/I] RATING: C- A quick hype promo next as Team WLW gloat that with Toby on the injured list, the Force can't make their challenge appointment this week. RATING: E+ [B]Nichiren Amagawa vs. Remmy Honeyman[/B] Our resident jobber does further sterling service, being handily defeated by Nichiren to give the East & Wester a little more credibility, particularly with his brutal Five Point Stretch. [I]Nichiren Amagawa defeated Remmy Honeyman by submission[/I] RATING: C [B]El Leon vs. Marc Speed[/B] I knew both of these two were good, but I can hardly believe they're this good together. Speedball goes down, balancing his partner's win, but he gets a bigger pop as this match was fantastic. El Leon's rise is, hopefully, getting more certain. [I]El Leon defeated Marc Speed by pinfall[/I] RATING: B- Jed High and SK Walker hit the ring to remind Team WLW that the Force comes in many flavours... and that the match is on! RATING: D [B]Team WLW vs The Force II for the USPW Tag Titles[/B] Not bad, considering. This was mostly Walker and Seiji, covering for Toby – who, while talented, is less so than Walker – and Bairei, who's just getting old. His just-signed contract will likely be his last with us. Walker was the real breakout star here, demonstrating why we've placed our trust in him to carry the National Championship as he eventually bowls Bairei over with the Kessel Run, picking up his first tag title. [I]The Force II defeated Team WLW when SK Walker pinned Bairei Yasujiro[/I] RATING: C [B]Merle O'Curle vs. Billy Robinson vs. Rolling Johnny Stones vs. Steve Flash for the USPW World Championship[/B] A deliberate attempt to help build Johnny back while boosting Steve and Billy up where their service thus far is pointing to. Interestingly, Ray made the choice that it'd be Johnny to tap. Billy's evidently found new fire in USPW, and we have a satisfying main event here to end the year on as Merle retains. [I]Merle O'Curle defeated Billy Robinson, Rolling Johnny Stones & Steve Flash when he made Rolling Johnny Stones submit[/I] RATING: B- Another good, solid show; Europe's beginning to warm to us, I can feel it. OVERALL: B- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Stranger Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 I didn't get around to reading the PWHits magazine that New Year's Morning, as I was busy drinking in Poland, not at the desk. When we all returned mid-Monday, however, Steve, Sammy, Seiji and I settled down again to have a drink and a read and – we hoped – a celebration. It was good news from the off; Davis' image was splashed over the cover, and as that led us to believe, the talented youngster had picked up Wrestler of the Year, apparently with specific attention to his work for us. That set the smiles going around the table; he'd been in Canada the Sunday night, as ever, but we were pretty happy nonetheless. “Jay Chord gets Young Wrestler,” I continued. “Good for him.” Steve grinned. “I can just see Rip's face,” he said. “Magic.” “Haruki Kudo picks up Veteran. Best retirement present they could've given him.” “Best choice, too,” Sammy observed cheerfully. “Female Wrestler of the year,” I said, and glanced up, inviting comment. “Alicia Strong,” Steve offered. Sammy shook his head. “Ogiwara didn't retire until August,” he said. “They'll have done the same thing for her they did for Kudo. Alicia'll get her break next year.” Steve glanced back toward me, and I nodded. “Right on the money.” “Promotion of the year: North of the Border. No surprises there. Most improved... Holy Hannah, we got it again! I thought for sure the USPW work would neutralise that...” “Don't complain,” Seiji offered. “And speaking for myself, don't knock USPW. Look how we ended the year compared to the start.” “Point,” I conceded. “Match of the year... Well, we got it again, which should tell you which match it was.” Everyone nodded. Davis and Dragon's match in November had been too far beyond everything else to be in doubt. “And show of the year?” Sammy asked, a nervous note in his voice. There was a chance; we all knew it. I grinned, and nodded. “Champions League won it,” I said. “Man, we've done better than we deserve.” “Don't knock yourself, lad,” Sammy smiled. “I've not given you your new objectives yet.” “Oh,” I grinned. “I get the new contract, then?” Sammy just shook his head, probably rightly. “How did we do?” he asked. “Numbers wise.” I flicked through to the hot 100... “You come in highest again,” I said. “But lower this year. Thirty-six. Billy Robinson makes it in at number sixty-five... Johnny Highspot hits 84.” I lowered the magazine. “That's it. I guess the others' work in other companies has dragged them down. Davis is lucky they paid attention by promotion. “We should call him,” Sammy said, glancing at the clock. “It's late enough to be early in Canada now.” So I did. And the news on the other end, I really didn't expect. “Hey, chief,” Davis' voice came through warmly. “Happy new year. I'm CGC Champ!” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Stranger Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 “Good job,” Sammy said, later, when the others had gone home. “Ready to sign the next contract?” I nodded. “What's the deal?” Sammy paused, considering. “I never realised how much it cost running a company at this level,” he said. “I think we're probably OK, but I want to reaffirm my rules on money, OK? Don't go in the red any time next year. I'm also aiming to not be in the red when your contract's up for review next time, either. That means be careful with the USPW stuff. I know it's coming close to profitable now, but it isn't. Yet.” I nodded. “Next up... Buying USPW did a few things for us. I admit that our European oddysey's done us well, though I don't think we needed USPW's name for it. Matter of fact, I think it may've hurt. With no disrespect to Steve, you sign no one new over 42, got me?” I nodded. “We've an image to maintain,” I agreed. “Finally,” Sammy said. “This is more about last time. After seeing what Dragon can do provided we don't push him too hard, I'm prepared to loosen my limits on how much our staff have to be able to take. But run any new hires past me – I'm loosening it, not letting go the reins altogether.” I nodded. “I can deal with that.” “Good,” Sammy smiled. “You've done great so far, Terry. Keep it up.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Stranger Posted January 11, 2008 Author Share Posted January 11, 2008 ROF: Fighting Fit Tuesday Week 1 January The Cobra Den 840 in attendance RATING: 0.48 The dark matches between the ladies are starting to pull respectable results for the dark, which makes me, certainly, very happy. Kristabel Plum takes on Huntress Makiko in the dark here, picking up a win with the Plum Tucker, and it's better than 21CW. [I]Kristabel Plum defeated Huntress Makiko by pinfall[/I] RATING: C- Joey begins the show proper challenging Davis to a match, same thing riding on it as Don got last week, but with a difference. He wants the first fall to decide the match. RATING: D [B]El Critico vs. Johnny Highspot vs. KC Glenn for the ROF TV Championship[/B] A little over a quarter of an hour proves to be unwise for Johnny's stamina, and I think that, unfortunately, brought things down a little here. Critico continues a dominant run, defeating KC Glenn here to maintain his momentum. [I]El Critico defeated Johnny Highspot and KC Glenn when he pinned KC Glenn[/I] RATING: C Buff Martinez appears next, running down his career to date and pointing out that UK Dragon, the man who had the Match of last Year, couldn't get the job done against him. It gets the crowd talking. RATING: C+ [B]The Stunners vs. Hidekazu & Daniel Black Francis[/B] Pretty standard stuff here, as ever. The Stunners run riot with all their power-and-speed double teams against two tough singles competitors who, nevertheless, just can't keep up with a tag team of this experience. The Superbomb Splash puts Hidekazu away and Brandon gets the pin. [I]The Stunners defeated Hidekazu & Daniel Black Francis when Bulldozer Brandon Smith pinned Hidekazu[/I] RATING: C+ [B]Jaime Quine vs. Wanda Fish[/B] A rematch from New Year's Eve on a much bigger stage. In front of the tougher crowd at the Cobra Den, it's not quite as impressive, which is to say that it's still pretty impressive. Jaime gets the win again with the KO Kick. [I]Jaime Quine defeated Wanda Fish by pinfall[/I] RATING: C+ Davis hits the ring then, congratulating Jaime on her way out and then going on to hype his reign thus far and accept Joey's challenge. RATING: B- [B]Davis Wayne Newton vs. Joey Beauchamp[/B] This is how to end a TV show. It ran over 32 minutes, bell to bell, before the fall was finally decided in the closing seconds of the show – and, after a hard-fought battle that got these cynical fans roaring support, we have our Commonwealth Cup title defence. Joey's going to get to wrestle Davis again, this time with the belt on the line. [I]Joey Beauchamp defeated Davis Wayne Newton by pinfall[/I] RATING: A For the Cobra Den, this was an excitingly warm reception. Matter of fact, I'd be happy with this result anywhere. OVERALL: B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Stranger Posted January 11, 2008 Author Share Posted January 11, 2008 USPW: Standard Bearers Sunday Week 1 January Bayern Stadion 1818 in attendance A 21CW match to fill our dark time, despite excellent chemistry between Cherry Bomb and Ochiyo Iijima, who got the win with a neat-looking submission hold. Be interesting to revisit this in time to come. [I]Ochiyo Iijima defeated Cherry Bomb by submission[/I] RATING: D+ [B]Crusher von Steinberg vs. Nigel Svensson[/B] Our new signing debuts against Nigel Svensson. Nigel's come on quite a way since he joined us, and hopefully he can help Crusher do the same. Von Steinberg was hired due to a European popularity coupled with his excellent submission skills and match basics, but he's weak on the rest. I have plans to remedy that, and even now he and Nigel produce a pretty solid opening match that ends when the running knee drive gives Nigel another victory. [I]Nigel Svensson defeated Crusher von Steinberg by pinfall[/I] RATING: C A quick hype video for a later match; Chojiro Kitoaji to take on Billy Robinson. RATING: E [B]The Force II vs. East & West vs. Team WLW for the USPW Tag Titles[/B] A surprisingly good match from the tag division as Jed and Walker prove, if not to have better chemistry than Jed and Toby, to have a better grasp of ring psychology. Walker shone beyond the others, in particular when he claimed a victory over former ROF Champion Bairei with the Kessel Run. [I]The Force II defeated East & West and Team WLW when SK Walker pinned Bairei Yasujiro[/I] RATING: C+ A quick hype sequence followed as this new Force tag team proclaimed their excellence. RATING: D [B]Billy Robinson vs. Chojiro Kitoaji[/B] Billy continues to improve, as he has greatly over his time with USPW, but Chojiro gets the win as he's a lot closer to being a viable main eventer for me. This is very, very good stuff, however. [I]Chojiro Kitoaji defeated Billy Robinson by pinfall[/I] RATING: B- Anna Ki's music video hits, and gets a weakish reception. RATING: D [B]Anna Ki vs. Jaime Quine for the ROF/USPW Womens Interpromotional Championship[/B] A quick match, but a great match for its time and for Quine's lack of recognition factor around here. Anna controls for the bulk of the match, Jaime fights back, and in the middle of her comeback Anna shuts it down with the Ki-D-T. Not bad stuff, though. [I]Anna Ki defeated Jaime Quine by pinfall[/I] RATING: C+ [B] Merle O'Curle vs. Pit Bull Brown vs. Steve Flash for the USPW World Championship[/B] I'm not giving up on Pit Bull yet, so here we include him in the Merle/Steve regular rivalry to see what he can pick up from them. It's a great match, as ever, and Steve eats the Celtic Wreath submission for Merle's successful defence. Hopefully Pit Bull's learned something; certainly he did good work here. [I]Merle O'Curle defeated Pit Bull Brown & Steve Flash when he made Steve Flash submit[/I] RATING: B Another really nice show. The only thing that really seems to be hurting us in USPW is that Steve is getting a lot more time in the ring than people seem to think he should be with his current level of recognition. But that will pass as Steve continues to produce this kind of excellent match. OVERALL: B- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Blood Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Slowly getting up to date on this one. Good stuff - Enjoying it so far! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Stranger Posted January 13, 2008 Author Share Posted January 13, 2008 ROF: Fighting Fit Tuesday Week 2 January Hall Green Cricket Club 1607 in attendance RATING: 0.48 Hot Fuzz defended the tag belts in the dark tonight, taking on Los Hijos in what would be Huracan Sandoval's last match with us, as I've finally cut that loss. It just wasn't working. Edward gets the pinfall on Huracan in a weak match despite scripting by Don (Optimus being otherwise engaged tonight.) [I]Hot Fuzz defeated Los Hijos when Edward Cornell pinned Huracan Sandoval Jr[/I] RATING: C- Just before the show proper began, Phoebe cut an interview with me hyping Sammy. It didn't quite get the reception we wanted, sadly. RATING: D The show itself begins with a hype video for Joey/Davis at the Commonwealth Cup. RATING: B- [B] The Stunners vs. El Heroe Mexicano & Extraordinario Jr[/B] I think we've got our replacement tag team for Los Hijos right here. This was spectacular by our tag match standards, for whatever reason, and Extraordinario reversing Brandon's fallaway slam spot to do the same to Brandon got an incredible pop, I think for the sheer unlikelihood of it. The Stunners rallied, however, and Black Eagle pinned El Heroe with the Superbomb Splash. [I]The Stunners defeated El Heroe Mexicano & Extraordinario Jr when Black Eagle pinned El Heroe Mexicano[/I] RATING: B- [B]Kristabel Plum vs. Wanda Fish[/B] Continuing a run of matches perhaps better than they deserved to be, these two kept up the momentum the show had established thus far, Wanda picking up the win with a splendid Dish of the Day. Nice work for only ten minutes. [I]Wanda Fish defeated Kristabel Plum by pinfall[/I] RATING: B- Dragon took the ring next, cutting a quick promo where he promised victory in the Commonwealth Cup. His promos just aren't getting over the way they have in the past, sadly. RATING: D+ [B]Don Henderson vs. Matthew Gauge[/B] A true mat classic between two submission specialists went on next, stepping the intensity of the show up a notch as it took over nineteen minutes for Don to pick up the eventual win. The fans loved it. [I]Don Henderson defeated Matthew Gauge by submission[/I] RATING: B A hype video aired next, recapping the highlights of Don's career in ROF to date, dwelling in particular on his victory in last year's Commonwealth Cup. RATING: B+ [B]El Critico vs. Hidekazu for the ROF TV Championship[/B] I always forget that these two don't really mesh together in the ring, but it seems like these days that's not a big issue, as this match was still a superb performance by most standards which gave Critico another very solid win – and over a really big name, too. I was very happy with this. [I]El Critico defeated Hidekazu by pinfall[/I] RATING: B- [B]Davis Wayne Newton vs. British Samurai[/B] The poor chemistry between Davis and Sammy means I don't make them face off often, but this seemed like a good time to go for it. And, despite that lack of chemistry, this was again splendid – not quite on a par with last week's main event, but more than satisfactory, particularly when Davis slipped out of the fisherman's suplex and got the STF to pick up a win that seemed to get a huge reaction from the fans. [I]Davis Wayne Newton defeated British Samurai by submission[/I] RATING: B+ Another fantastic show in the Midlands to push us ever further toward our current goal – that being to fill out Hall Green when we come here for TV. I suspect we're rapidly reaching the point where this kind of thing won't be enough to kelp in the Midlands, but there always had to be a point where we cease to expand as rapidly. OVERALL: B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Stranger Posted January 13, 2008 Author Share Posted January 13, 2008 I suppose it had to happen sooner or later. Seiji's signed a written deal with PGHW, and won't be an eventual ROF Champion as I'd hoped. It can't be helped, but we've lost a valuable member of the USPW roster and a personal friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Stranger Posted January 13, 2008 Author Share Posted January 13, 2008 USPW: Standard Bearers Sunday Week 2 January Lubuskie Arena 1000 in attendance The final show before the Commonwealth Cup series begins, here, and Huntress Makiko kicks it off in style, destroying Raven Nightfall in the dark with another Makiko Clutch. Nice work by both women sees the ladies continue to get better reactions. [I]Huntress Makiko defeated Raven Nightfall by submission[/I] RATING: C- At the start of the program proper (now on DVD distribution rather than webcast) we led off with a SK Walker hype vid. Didn't do as well as we'd hoped. RATING: D [B]SK Walker vs. Seiji Jimbo for the USPW National Championship[/B] Seiji does the job on his way out like a professional, and leaves us with another great match to remember him by. Good work here. [I]SK Walker defeated Seiji Jimbo by pinfall[/I] RATING: B- Walker then grabs the mic and talks himself up, hyping his two titles and promising that he'll bring the ROF Commonwealth Cup to USPW. RATING: C [B]East and West vs. The Riot Act[/B] Since one half of the tag champs is busy and one half of the biggest new threat is leaving the company, the other two key teams do battle here, in a match made worthwhile through Ray's scriptwork, which goes ten minutes before frustration leads to double chairshots leads to a double disqualification. Fans seemed to like it OK, though. [I]East and West drew with The Riot Act by double disqualification[/I] RATING: C+ [B]Crusher von Steinberg vs. Dean Daniels[/B] Oh, lovely. These two work well together, both being possessed of an old-school style with some neat twists, and that chemistry boosts Crusher to a much better second match than his first. Dean gets the win with the cradle piledriver, but Crusher repays my signing him immediately. [I]Dean Daniels defeated Crusher von Steinberg by pinfall[/I] RATING: B- [B]El Leon vs. Nigel Svensson[/B] I have this horrible feeling I'd already discovered these two don't mesh, but the result is still perfectly adequate. Leon stops a running knee drive with the Split Second Justice and gets a solid win. [I]El Leon defeated Nigel Svensson by pinfall[/I] RATING: C [B]Merle O'Curle vs. Billy Robinson vs. Pit Bull Brown vs. Steve Flash for the USPW World Championship[/B] Not as good as I'd hoped, but probably good enough. Merle keeps his momentum going and shows Billy a few more submission tricks when he slaps on the Celtic Wreath to defeat the ROF original. [I]Merle O'Curle defeated Billy Robinson, Pit Bull Brown and Steve Flash when he made Billy Robinson submit[/I] RATING: C+ The DVD ended with a hype video for Merle. RATING: D- Could be worse, I guess is the reaction to this one. I'd've liked better, but it'll do for now. OVERALL: C+ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Stranger Posted January 13, 2008 Author Share Posted January 13, 2008 Prediction Key: Commonwealth Cup Bigger prediction list than before, due to the fact the Commonwealth Cup spans three shows and a PPV. TV 1: Jaime Quine vs. Wanda Fish KC Glenn vs. Keith Adams vs. Roy Edison vs. Velocidad El Critico vs. Fox Mask*: Commonwealth Cup Qualifier Match 1 Hugh de Aske vs. Mario Heroic: Commonwealth Cup Qualifier Match 2 Don Henderson vs. UK Dragon: Commonwealth Cup Qualifier Match 3 (Due to booker idiocy, Match 4 wouldn't take place until the following week.) Davis Wayne Newton & British Samurai vs. Joey Beauchamp & Buff Martinez USPW: Jaime Quine vs. Ochiyo Iijima Chojiro Kitoaji vs. Nigel Svensson: Commonwealth Cup Qualifier Match 5 Pit Bull Brown vs. SK Walker: Commonwealth Cup Qualifier Match 6 Billy Robinson vs. Steve Flash: Commonwealth Cup Qualifier Match 7 Merle O'Curle vs. Rolling Johnny Stones: Commonwealth Cup Qualifier Match 8 TV2: Anna Ki vs. Miss Information Petey Barnes vs. Edward Cornell: Commonwealth Cup Qualifier Match 4 QUARTER-FINAL 1: Match 5 Winner vs. Match 7 Winner QUARTER-FINAL 2: Match 6 Winner vs. Match 8 Winner QUARTER-FINAL 3: Match 1 Winner vs. Match 2 Winner QUARTER-FINAL 4: MATCH 3 Winner vs. Match 4 Winner Match 1 Loser vs. Black Eagle Commonwealth Cup: Buff Martinez vs. Daniel Black Francis SEMI-FINAL: QF 3 Winner vs. QF 4 Winner Jaime Quine vs. Wanda Fish SEMI-FINAL: QF 1 Winner vs. QF 2 Winner Johnny Highspot vs. Nate Johnson in a Ladder Match COMMONWEALTH CUP FINAL Davis Wayne Newton vs. Joey Beauchamp for the ROF Championship * - New Signing ** - Talent Tradee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Stranger Posted January 16, 2008 Author Share Posted January 16, 2008 ROF: Fighting Fit Tuesday Week 3 January Edgeware Hall 2000 in attendance RATING: 0.48 A pair of dark matches this week; first, Jaime goes over against Wanda again to continue both girls' exposure, even if only on a dark level. [I]Jaime Quine defeated Wanda Fish by pinfall[/I] RATING: C+ Next up and still in the dark, a mass match sees KC Glenn, Keith Adams, Roy Edison and Velocidad square off, with Keith Adams coming up the winner when the Sunshine Band and Patent Pending kicks go off at the same time to take Glenn and Edison out of the equation while Adams rolls Velocidad up. Not a bad match and a rare chance for Velocidad to show me he's picked up some new tricks. [I]Keith Adams defeated KC Glenn, Roy Edison and Velocidad when he pinned Velocidad[/I] RATING: C- The show began with Petey Barnes walking to the ring, where he informed us he'd pulled strings to score an invite to the Commonwealth Cup tournament and would be winning to take the ROF title back off Davis Wayne Newton, darkly commenting that he hadn't forgotten Davis preventing him from leaving ROF a champion. I felt this should've gone over much better than it actually did. RATING: D- [B]El Critico vs. Fox Mask: Commonwealth Cup Qualifier[/B] Fox Mask is our newest signing, and he and El Critico put together a pretty good opening match, with the Fox Hunter deciding things fifteen minutes in. [I]Fox Mask defeated El Critico by pinfall[/I] RATING: C+ A hype video then aired, enumerating all UK Dragon's title reigns worldwide and ending with his vow to add the Commonwealth Cup to that collection. RATING: B- [B]Hugh de Aske vs. Mario Heroic: Commonwealth Cup Qualifier[/B] Better than I expected, this. Mario and Hugh did well here, and the whole thing went swimmingly with the crowd behind it the whole way. Mario picked up the close-fought win in the end, though. [I]Mario Heroic defeated Hugh de Aske by pinfall[/I] RATING: B- [B]Don Henderson vs. UK Dragon: Commonwealth Cup Qualifier[/B] Awkward chemistry here, but they battled through to produce a perfectly acceptable match. Dragon looked to go through, but in the end Don was able to turn the Dragon Drop into a powerbomb, twist the legs, and settle into the Scottish Deathlock to pick up a victory. [I]Don Henderson defeated UK Dragon by submission[/I] RATING: B- Nadia and Don cut a quick hype promo promising victory. It stank up the arena. RATING: F+ [B]Davis Wayne Newton & British Samurai vs. Joey Beauchamp & Buff Martinez[/B] A tag main event with a real kick to it, here, to build to the title defence at the Cup. This could've gone either way many times, but in the end Davis got Buff's shoulders down with the Newton's Cradle. [I]Davis Wayne Newton & British Samurai defeated Joey Beauchamp & Buff Martinez when Davis Wayne Newton pinned Buff Martinez[/I] RATING: B+ This... was bad. I fouled up booking plans, somehow forgetting I'd booked Petey/Edward as the fourth ROF qualifier, and Don got a sprained ankle. Bad ideas. Have to work something out. At least our ratings held steady. Will have to figure something out next week. OVERALL: C+ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.