NYCW: The Tri-State Hustle

[arwink]

A NIGHT WITH PHIL VIBERT

Q&A EVENT hosted by MARK SMART, BIG RED COUCH PRODUCTIONS

PENNSYLVANIA PARK, NOVEMBER 30, 2019

 

 

We were five minutes from the end of the Q&A when Mark Smart tossed out the question: “So, Phil. What’s wrong with wrestling today?”

 

The crowd let out a collective ooh at the audacity off the question, two thousand people leaning in to hear my answer. We’re in my old stomping grounds in Philly. Pennsylvania Park is crammed full of 2,000 fans who’ve sat through a three-hour Q&A. Wrestling fans who showed up to hear stories about the old days and chant DAVE! DAVE! DAVE! for old time’s sake.

 

But this is the question that caught them off-guard. A question that feels

audacious

, but also one that plays to my strengths. Who doesn’t want to hear Phil Vibert go on a rant about the flaws of modern wrestling? Let the guy who billed himself as a revolutionary vent his spleen.

 

Some are hoping I’ll put the boot into Supreme, and others want me to decry the childishness of USPW’s product. I suspect there’s even a handful who want me to point out why TCW is failing, or the resurgence of Canadian wrestling is a false hope for the industry.

 

The important thing is that they’re all

hoping

, and that’s the part that makes it work. The thing that puts them in the palm of my hand.

 

I milk it for all its worth before I give the answer nobody expects: “Nothing.”

 

Mark’s eyebrows shot up, betraying his surprise, and the rumble that passed through the crowd tells me we’ve done it right. “Gee, Mark, you look disappointed,” I say. “You were hoping for some kind of rant, tearing down the powers that be?”

 

A ripple of laughter, led by Mark. “Something like that, I guess.”

 

“Well, let me indulge you,” I said. “There’s nothing wrong with the state of wrestling right now. Wrestling’s big. Bigger than it’s been in years. That’s a reality, undeniable.

 

“But wrestlers? That’s a different matter.”

 

Mark Smart goes to object, but I shut him down.

 

“Hear me out,” I tell him. “I look back over my career, and it’s clear that I was blessed. I got some lucky breaks, the kind that seem extraordinary in this day and age. I got to manage the Stomper in NYCW at nineteen damn years old. Worked commentary, scored a short stint with the Eisens. Did a tour up north before I was twenty-one. That’s a hell of an apprenticeship for any kid in the business, and there’s luck there, but also hustle. I worked my ass off for those opportunities, and I kept working once they came my way.

 

“I took over the creative for DAVE before my 25th birthday. Unthinkable, to a modern fan, but Buddy Gains was desperate, and I was right there, insisting I could do it, with enough experience behind me to feel confident that I wasn't blowing smoke up his ass.

 

“And again, I get to work with talent: Johnny Martin. Freddie Datsun. Vin Tanner. JD Morgan. Young, hungry guys with talent to burn and a hunger to be taken seriously. And we build something great from that starting point, become the talk of the East Coast war. Then we get television and things take off fast. Soon we’re changing the face of wrestling.

 

“I hit the lottery, don’t get me wrong. Got so damn lucky so damn may times it would have been easy to think I deserved it. That folks should come and offer me things, but that’s not how this business works. You don’t wait to get noticed. You stand up and demand people pay attention, and see what you’re capable of. You position yourself for luck to strike, instead of hoping it comes your way.

 

“And that’s what’s missing from wrestling today. Most wrestlers aged twenty-three or less are hoping for a development deal. At twenty-three, we had guys headlining Extreme TV. At twenty-five, Monty Walker was throwing himself at Dread on HGC pay-per-view. Sean McFly was showing the world why he was one of the best going today.

 

“People think it was easier, before the development days, but the truth is these guys fought. They knew nobody was handing them an opportunity, and they made their own shots.”

 

Mark Smart’s grin is pure glee, already thinking about the hits this’ll generate on Youtube. He goes for the next hot button: “Are you saying development deals are bad for the business?”

 

“I’m saying they’re not the only way.” I sip my beer as laughter ripples through the crowd, and use the moment to switch gears. “We look at Jack Bruce today and we see the most talented wrestler of his generation, but he started his career looking at the lights for the Stomper in New York. His ‘big break’ was working underneath in HGC’s cruiserweight division, channelling his inner Bon Jovi in a world that moved on to Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. He was the third-string heel of the division, surplus to requirements. You think Sam Strong even knew his name? No! They just needed a warm body, and Jack had some buzz around him and worked under 220.

 

“Do you know why Jack Bruce is the biggest star in the world today? It’s not because Sam Strong and Stallings looked down and saw a superstar in the making, and it’s not because he was

developed

. It’s because Jack Bruce kept hustling. He talked the production team into using one of his songs as a theme—no royalties to pay, no need to send guys into a studio. It wasn’t much, just a fingerhold. A thing that made him different. Something he could point to and say, notice me. I’m right here.

 

“He took that first inch and used it to buy himself a second. Thirty seconds of promo time before every match. He begged and pleaded and bribed his way into that concession, and he got it because nobody cared what the cruiserweights did except the fans. Bruce made props and doubled down on the outfits that got him noticed. He produced his own EP, took control of his own gimmicks.

 

“That photo of a young Bruce with a cherry Stratocaster and a white tiger at his feet? You think the HGC production crew came up with that for their third-string heel in the cruiserweight division? You think they sat down in some corporate marketing meeting and figured zebra-print headbands were the hot new thing in ’98, when grunge ruled the earth? You think they expected to see whole audiences wearing them by 2001, when they were just trying to humour this kid who kept hassling them and make him go away?

 

“Jack Bruce didn’t get noticed, he made himself impossible to ignore. And that’s when he starts getting the shots—moving up to Heavyweight, standing out front of Painful Procedure. Rising up to the top of TCW. Jumping ship to the Eisens, working with Peter Michaels to make Man Under Pressure the biggest thing in wrestling. When was the last time you saw Supreme invest in a long-term angle like that? Who have they built up, in the years that followed, with anything close to that kind of care?

 

“You put guys into development, and they start thinking they just need to get your attention. Work hard, get better, and someone will recognise your talent and decide it’s your time to shine. Never mind there’s thirty other guys training beside you, hoping the exact same thing. That the world is overloaded with talent, and some of the most talented guys in the business never make it to TV.

 

“There’s never been more opportunity in the wrestling business than there is today. There’s so much TV, so many dates that need working. The generation who emerged in the East Coast Wars are retiring. Jack Bruce is gone. Tommy Cornell’s pissed off to blighty. The need for new main eventers is obvious to everyone. Nobody’s going to make it there by waiting and staying humble.

 

“You do need humility to be great in this business—there’s a reason Big Smack Scott was never a world champion—but that belief in yourself is just as important. It’s the reason assholes like Big Smack Scott get to have careers. That belief… that

swagger

… is important. It’s what makes the greats who they are.

 

“And that’s what wrong with wrestling today, Mark. It’s time for a new group of superstars to stake their claim and create their own generation of all times greats. If there’s no opportunity before them right now, it’s time to create their own. Push your way in, manipulate the circumstances. Beg and borrow and ****ing plead. Blackmail and threaten, do what you need to do in order to get the chance to stand up and show off.

 

“My whole career, all I ever wanted was a mic in my hand and sixty seconds to deliver a message. Give me that, and I could throw you a touchdown any day of the week. The same is true of every top guy I’ve worked alongside, in my career. They knew what they needed to showcase themselves, and they fought to get it.

 

“There’s nothing wrong with the business, Mark. We just needs wrestlers to stop asking and start taking control.”

 

The crowd erupts at the end, just like they’re supposed to. Mark Smart does the farewells and thanks me for my time, and we shake hands as a fresh round of DAVE chants fill Penn Park, just like the old days.

 

I unclip the mic and head backstage, breathe a sigh of relief as I slip out of sight.

 

 

Larry Vessey’s waiting for me when I get backstage, a looming presence in a black sweater and expensive jeans. Anywhere else, he’d stand out as a threat to be watched—Larry’s big, covered in scar tissue, and holds himself like a fella you don’t want to mess with. Backstage at a wrestling event—one taking place as part of a convention, no less—and he’s one of a dozen guys with just that kind of look in our vicinity. I mean, hell, Doug Peak is doing an interview over by the catering, and he’s got six inches and a eighty pounds on Larry, along with the kind of scar tissue that comes from adding barbed wire and thumbtacks to the kind of hard-hitting brawls Larry specialised in.

 

Larry offered me a slow clap. “You haven’t lost it,” he said.

 

“You were worried?”

 

The big man shrugs. “It’s been a few years, since you did anything but talk to wrestlers in hotel rooms for a podcast. Let’s say there were

some

concerns you might have lost the touch, while you were away.”

 

The fans are still chanting. DAVE giving way to the shouts of PHIL! PHIL! PHIL!. A smile spreads across my face, because I know the job is done. “The kid get everything we needed?”

 

Larry unearthed a phone and scowled at the screen. “Seems like.”

 

My turn to smile. Larry Vessey’s still got his doubts about this, still thinks we’re taking a risk. The kid is a rookie from California, a young guy with a lot of promise and a decent following for his TikTok and YouTube videos. Not huge—just large enough to get the first groundswell of attention we’d build off for the next week. Vessey paid the kid’s way to the con for this moment, sat him out in the crowd to cover my interview and promo the hell out of the controversial statements through every channel’s he’s got.

 

And Larry doesn’t look comfortable with it. The price of getting the kid aboard is a spot on some upcoming shows, which means he’s on the hook for flights and transport for a few months at least. No small thing, for a company that plays a small gym in the back of Queens, but Larry doesn’t really understand why a kid like Charlie Corner is a big deal despite his lack of years in the ring.

 

“There’s only three hundred likes,” Larry says. “Not sure how that’s going to work for us.”

 

“Because it’s not about the likes, it’s about the spread,” I said. “The kid leaks this out into the world, and by Sunday it’ll be everywhere. Folks will weigh in and keep the buzz alive for a week, maybe two after we call in favors. I’ll invite some guys onto the podcast that will give me a decent argument, maybe a veteran or two who’ll be confirm it. That’ll take us through to January, and from there we’re off to the races.”

 

Larry exhales. “Okay.”

 

“Relax,” I tell him. “It’s going to work.”

 

 

NYCW: THE TRI-STATE HUSTLE

[eayragt]

NYCW getting some love on the boards right now, I like.

[Jaysin]

Man this is the second cool NYCW diary going. Kinda makes me want to break my medium or larger rule and see what I can do with them

[Dalton]

NYCW has such a unique position, they could probably expand if they wanted to but they dont. I'm definitely interested in your take on them!

 

I can already tell that you understand how to tell a narrative story just by that intro. Very well written, and something that felt "real," which is the most important part. It fleshed out Phil's mindset moving forward.

 

I hope you do a LOT more of that. I'll be here following that's for damn sure.

[arwink]

THREE WEEKS EARLIER

PEAK OF PERFECTION

DVD TAPINGS – BONUS MATERIAL

TCW STUDIOS, SAN ANTONIO | NOVEMBER 6 2019

 

 

I’d just finished taping the story about the Peak Brother’s debut night in DAVE when the director called for a fifteen-minute break. A good excuse to hit the catering and liberate their supply of donuts and dangerously good coffee—always a surprise on a shoot like this, when you’re not one of the company guys but you’re too big a part of the talent’s story to ignore. For all that TCW is the third horse in the race, they make sure they take care of their talent.

 

So I poured my third cup for the day and settled in while the crew did their thing.

 

There’s a lot of waiting in a documentary shoot like this, especially now the digital cameras make it easy for the directors to review the footage.

 

Of course, I wasn’t the only DAVE guy in town to tell stories for Eddie Peak’s retrospective DVD. I’d run into Chris Caulfield on the way in, and The Wolverine was scheduled to come in as my leg of the shoot was done. Someone mentioned that Mitch Naess would be coming in to do his part tomorrow, and I felt bad we wouldn't get a change to catch up. Mitch and I still traded texts, but I'd moved to Portland and he'd stayed in Philly, and there wasn't much opportunity to catch up. That's one one of the nice things about doing these kinds of projects—apart from the payday. I get to catch up with old friends that I only saw at Cons and fan events.

 

 

I was contemplating a second donut when Larry Vessey strode into the studio. A big man, and an old-school wrestler. 61 years old and long retired, but he still travelled in a suit and tie when he was there to work. Not that I was sure why they wanted him on Eddie’s DVD— the Vesseys and the Peak Brothers had been a dream match that never happened, and it was Larry’s brother who had the storied rivalry with Peak during their singles run.

 

Larry nabbed a donut from the table and settled in beside me, taking in the bustle of the studio as they tested lighting and sound.

 

“Far cry from recording promos in your parent’s basement, isn’t it?” he said.

 

That surprised me. I'd never booked Larry in DAVE, he was too big by the time we started and TCW wasn't interested in doing us any favors by the time we could afford him. He'd never cut a promo in my mom's basement, but I guess people talk.

 

“The basement had its charms,” I said.

 

“Not the way Steve describes it,” Larry said.

 

I fought a smile. Steve Flash had a cup of coffee in DAVE during the last days of the East Coast Wars, and spent two long hours in the basement as we tried to coax a promo out of him. The man could wrestle a wet paper bag and convince you the bag deserved to go home with a world title, but he remained one of the few men I'd never been able to coax a promo out of that satisfied me enough to air it.

 

“The misery was part of the charm. Allowed us to coax the best out of the boys, just so they could get out,” I said.

 

“If you say so.” Vessey bit into his donut and chewed. Poured a coffee and spooned in two sugars before turning to fix me with a questioning look. “Listen, if you’ve got a few minutes after you’re done here, I’ve got a proposal I’d like to run past you.”

 

“You don’t have to tape?”

 

Larry shook his head. “Recorded my spot earlier today. Stuck around when Bryan mentioned they had you on the schedule.”

 

I figured he was going to pitch me someone to have on Vibert's Voice in the near future. “So this is business, then?”

 

Vessey broke out a rare smile. “It’s always business, Phil. You should know that, better than anyone.”

 

 

We ended up in a steakhouse down by the river, where Vessey ordered a rib-eye and a pitcher of beer and barely raised an eyebrow when I asked for a salad. “Wife’s insisting,” I told him by way of explanation. “I’m not getting any younger, and there’s a history of heart disease that runs through the family.”

 

Larry grunted and drank his beer. There were guys who got healthier as they got out of the business, getting into yoga and taking care of themselves now they were off the road. Seems Vessey wasn’t one of them, but given that he’d taken on the Stomper’s old promotion, I don’t know that I could blame him.

 

“So,” I said. “You had a proposal?”

 

The eyebrow definitely went up this time. “Not one to waste time, are you?”

 

“I like to keep moving forward. Looking back's only fun for a short stretch, you know?”

 

“Okay.” Vessey took a deep breath, his brow creasing as he considered his words. “How many times have folks asked you to step in as booker over the last few years?”

 

“It’s come up a few times,” I said.

 

"More than a few, I'm guessing."

 

I tilted me head in acknowledgement, started formulating a strategy I could use if this went the way I suspected. I had nothing but respect for Larry Vessey, for all our philosophical differences. No point pissing him off if he asked what everyone asks.

 

Instead, he dug for information. “Ever been tempted to accept?”

 

I poured a glass of water and settled back, trying to gauge Vessey’s strategy. “Emma asked me to consider working with the Eisens, once the old man mustered out. I don’t think Eric was keen on letting me step in, but Emma’s plenty persuasive when she wants to be and I hear she's got Eric wrapped around her little finger.”

 

“Would have come with a hell of a payday, I’m betting.”

 

“It did. Half the reasons I actually thought about it, instead of turning them down cold.”

 

“So what did they need to get you away from the podcast and booking shows again? What would have made it easy to say yes?”

 

I shrugged. “It wasn’t right. I would have been doing it for the money, not because I believed in the project. The DeColts got me at a quarter of the price because I believed in what we could do together, even if they weren’t real interested in doing things my way and Alex clashed over every little choice.”

 

The side of Larry’s mouth quirked up, a half-smile of approval.

 

I sized the opening. “I can save you some time, and tell you right now I’m not interested in booking for New York.”

 

The half-smile reached Larry Vessey’s eyes. “Figured you’d say that. Not least because we can’t even offer you a quarter of what the DeColts coughed up.”

 

“So what’s the proposal?”

 

This time, Vessey broke out an honest to god smile. “Come book me anyway.”

 

“Ha!”

 

“I’m serious.” He set his beer aside and leaned forward. “Give me five minutes to convince you. If I can’t, we’ll eat dinner and talk shit about the old days. We can pretend I asked you here to pitch Animal Harker as a guest for the Voice.”

 

"I would have thought Williams would be the better choice. He can talk, and he's heating up."

 

It was Vessey's turn to acknowledge the point. "Harker needs the rub, and we want to throw a spotlight on his work with Black Canvas. Make him a little more legitimate to the fans, instead of a thorwback who could have emerged from Sneer's fed back in the day."

 

We studied one another, trying to get a read on where the other would go. Eventually, I nodded. “Five minutes.”

 

Vessey eashed back into his chair and nodded “You heard from the kids building WrestleWorld?”

 

“We’ve met a few times. They wanted me to endorse the service, record the Voice live.”

 

“They approached us too. Everyone in the Confederation of the Territories. Seems they want me and Sam and the Coastal Zone onboard for day one, the real selling point of the service if they get it up and running.”

 

“It’s a smart play,” I said. "They seem big simply because of the ground you cover."

 

“That was Flash’s response. My brother, too,” Larry said. “I might be leery about this internet thing, but it’s going to happen whether I like it or not. We can sign up, or we can be left behind, and being left behind doesn't seem like the right choice. Which means I want someone onboard who understands that world in a way I don’t.”

 

“Like me?” I said.

 

“Like you.”

 

“I appreciate the vote of confidence, but it’s not enough—”

 

Larry held up a hand to cut me off. “I know. This is what’s in it for me,” he said. “Let’s talk about what you get. New York’s survived twenty years and change because we know our role—Stomper didn’t innovate or try grow out of the Tri-State, and I’ve not done a lot to shake things up since taking over. We found our niche and we worked it, sold out our regular venues and built up a nest egg that'll keep us going for a stretch.

 

"That’s our strength, but it’s also our weakness—the West Coast boys get all the buzz online when it comes to great shows, OLLIE is the big show all my talent want to go to, and MAW is the place to go if you want to see the next big thing in the early days.”

 

“Which should be your role,” I said. “No offense to the talent Sam and Rip turned out, but when you consider the top guys of the last ten years who got their start with the Stomper… Jack Bruce. Brandon James. Rich Money.”

 

Vessey nodded. “We’ve got a history worth being proud of,” he said. “I want to make sure we’ve got a future.

 

"Right now, we’re the poor cousin of the confederation. We’ve got a lock on the richest and most important territory in the world, and we’re the company no-one talks about. The last time anyone agreed to let one of our boys be champ, it was only because they wanted to get their hands on Steve Flash for a night. We're the place they send their younger guys to, when they want 'em working extra dates.

 

"That's not a position I want to market from, if the COTT goes all in on broadcasting. If we sign with Wrestleworld and start showing our product nationally, I want us to be the

showcase

of the Territories. I want there to be a buzz around New York City Wrestling to say we’re

the

cool show on the indies, and the crown jewel of the Confederation that everyone strives to wrestle for.”

 

I thought about NYCW’s reputation online, the way it’s talked about on the internet. The most polite words people used were phrases like ‘traditional’ and ‘classic’. Others would go so far as to say ‘old-fashioned’ or ‘moribund,’ particularly if they were PSW fans that were most familiar with my various proteges and projects over the years.

 

I opted for delicacy: “That could be a big ask.”

 

“No doubt it’ll be a challenge.” Vessey grew serious. “But we’ve got the talent—both our own, and the guys we can bring in. They’ll need to be developed right, and very few of them are used to working with a camera, but I’m confident in our roster. As we grow, and we’ve got the capacity to bring guys in on a regular basis, that will only get stronger.

 

"What I need is someone who can push us—break us out of the comfort zone and actually think about how to present the company in a way that will draw viewers.”

 

He paused a moment, to let that sink in.

 

Then: “More importantly, I need someone who’ll thrive on the challenge of making this work. I’m not expecting miracles—I figure it’ll take two years to really build up the roster and change the narrative to one that works for us—but I’m also not content to be the biggest fish in a small pond. Long term, I want to be the spearhead that pushes the Confederation as a national concern with paying attention to, which means we need resilience in the roster and the ability to build new stars as the big boys poach anyone who develops a profile.”

 

Larry sat back in his chair and reached for his beer, his sales pitch done.

 

“That’s a

really

big ask,” I said. “Especially for a man offering far less than the DeColts did, once upon a time.”

 

“I know,” Larry said. “And I figure this is a longshot, but I’m figuring there’s one small thing that might tip the odds in my favour: the DeColts

wouldn’t

let you make a difference to their company, and no matter what you implemented in a place like Supreme, you

couldn’t

have the kind of impact you did when building DAVE.

 

“I may be paying you spit, but I can offer a minority stake in the territory and the opportunity to change the way we talk about both the company and wrestling as a whole. I'm sixty-one, and Stomper wasn't much older than me when he retired. I can't say I'm looking to do that soon, but one day I'll be needed someone to take over and take the reigns just like I did. And maybe I’m crazy, but I think that’s the kind of thing a guy like you might find appealing.”

 

The waiter delivered our meals as I chewed that one over. Sam wasn’t wrong—going to Supreme never really appealed because it felt like a lateral step, and at the end of the day it would always belong to the Eisen’s regardless of what I did. Larry made one hell of a pitch, and it hit me just about right.

 

My gut said I was intrigued, but did I really want to go back to booking? Working towards ownership? After the fiasco up in Canada, I’d fled all the way to the west coast just so I didn’t get pulled into anything Mitch was setting up on the Tri-State.

 

And, gods, taking the New York gig would be all kinds of complicated given Neass and his crew were still running all the old DAVE buildings I knew. I didn’t necessarily agree with the way they were doing things—DAVE wouldn’t have stayed hardcore, no matter what the purists will tell you—but I had enough friends in that locker room that I’d need to avoid…

 

Gods. I was already thinking about it. Once a booker, always a booker.

 

Larry knew he’d caught my attention and started the cogs turning in my head. The smug bastard raised his beer in salute.

 

He’d earned a longer conversation, at the least. “Okay, I’m not saying

yes

, but assuming I was interested, how much latitude are we talking in terms of shaking up the way you do things…”

[BHK1978]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Dalton" data-cite="Dalton" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="51697" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>NYCW has such a unique position, they could probably expand if they wanted to but they dont. I'm definitely interested in your take on them!<p> </p><p> I can already tell that you understand how to tell a narrative story just by that intro. Very well written, and something that felt "real," which is the most important part. It fleshed out Phil's mindset moving forward. </p><p> </p><p> I hope you do a LOT more of that. I'll be here following that's for damn sure.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Do stick around arwink is one of the best diary writers on the board.</p><p> </p><p> Glad to see you back and equally glad to see you doing NYCW which is now my new favorite C-Verse promotion. Still not happy what Adam did to CZCW...</p>

[Bigelow Cartwheel]

That intro is brilliant. Really digging it.

[arwink]

THE “FIRST” DAY ON THE JOB

BRADFORD ARENA CONSTRUCTION SITE, BROOKLYN, NY

SATURDAY, WEEK 4, DECEMBER 2019

 

 

Rumor has it Peter Michaels, Enforcer Roberts, and Black Hat Bailey used to work out of the backyard pool at Robert's house back in 1995. They’d toss ideas back-and-forth most of the morning, go walk Bailey’s dogs around one o’clock, and head back to the pool for a telephone conference with Eisen by two-thirty in the afternoon. Whereupon they'd rewrite everything for the next Supreme TV taping based on Eisen’s feedback, and generally make everything worse than it had been along the way.

 

All of which is a nice way of saying this isn’t a job you

have

to be onsite for, but I’d leased an apartment in New York at the start of December rather that commute cross-country every week when it came time to pull together a show. I wasn’t technically on Vessey’s books yet—we kept my involvement a secret from everyone except Steve Flash, mostly because nobody in wrestling can keep a secret worth a damn. Even Charlie Corner, the YouTuber who’d sent my Q&A clip viral, only knew he’d been paid to be there because Larry expected me to say a few nice things about some NYCW talent. I doubt he believed that, but it scored him a wrestling gig, so it wasn't like he was being loud about any theories he had about the job.

 

None of this meant the company hadn’t felt my presence—my first suggestion, when Vessey and I shook hands on a deal, was the construction of a dedicated performance space for the promotion. NYCW didn’t really tour—ten of their last twelve shows in had been held in a gym over in Jersey—but with a broadcast product it can really help to have a space you control. Everyone knows where the hard camera is, everyone knows where the acoustics are good for taping backstage promos.

 

More importantly, it’s cheaper to run your own space—something we'd need once production costs were added onto our bottom line—and it send the world a signal. So Vessey and I hashed out the details, and Bradford Arena became our new home. It wasn’t much—an old furniture store down under the Manhattan Overpass we’d refurbished to seat 500, plus the ring and camera set-up we’d use when we started streaming shows live. I stood in the centre of the space and breathed in the paint fumes as the construction crew delivered the finishing touches. We’d dnone the interior in NYCW blue and white, with big screens set to be installed on the walls to show off the backstage promos. New banners were coming in, ready to hang from the high ceilings, and there was a specially-constructed promo area with the NYCW logo as a backdrop.

 

No heading to my mom’s basement to record promos this time around.

 

The referb had cost us a touch of twelve grand to set up—more than Vessey has invested on anything since he took over the company—but it gave us a base of operations and a place to store the DVDs we’d started to market on the website and the live shows. It also harkened back to the company’s origins, celebrating its founder, “Stomper” Bradford.

 

Because tradition and history mattered here. Twenty-two years of history is nothing to sneeze at in the crowded indie wrestling market, and it gave us a foundation. People wouldn’t expect me to honor that—tradition’s never been my brand—but that’s because folks mistake the product for a personal belief. I didn’t build DAVE off hardcore because I particularly enjoyed that style of wrestling.

 

I build DAVE around hardcore wrestling because it was the best tool we had to drive the company forward, and hide the weaknesses of our young roster of misfits and outcast stars. I built DAVE on hardcore because it was 1995 and grunge was the aesthetic of the era. It’s basic wrestling logic—when everyone else is shouting, be the guy who talks. When everyone is a cartoon, embrace your edge and keeps things real.

 

History was NYCW’s edge. A twenty-two year history damned few companies could match in North America, especially now the DeColts and Stones had shuttered their long-running feds to become CWA.

A history marked by wrestling, honor, sportsmanship, and mutual respect. A history build in recent memory by men like Steve Flash and Whistler, career babyfaces whose names were so closely connected with NYCW that it eclipsed every other promotion they’d worked for in their careers.

 

My first order of business was building a new face that could match those men as the face of the company. Right now, the sole franchise player we had was our top heel, Tennessee William, who’d been riding a groundswell of interest from the fans for the last six months of shows. I’d studied his work and I liked the kid—I had a feeling he could make the next round of babyface stars if we gave him the time and focus—but the closest we had to matching him was our Empire champ, and Brutus Milano needed refurbishment even more than this old warehouse.

 

No, that was unfair. Milano had his place on the roster, it just wasn’t at the top as the kind of long-running champion that would tell the world we were something new. He didn’t have the cardio for the style of wrestling Larry Vessey wanted to present, and certainly not the cardio he’d need as we leant hard into the traditional vibe and demanded more of the guy in the top spot.

 

Which meant we needed a new top face, and that was probably Riley McManus. The other names who might have stepped up—Animal Harker, Geoff Bourne, Crocket Tubbs—had all been sacrificed to get Tennessee to the top spot without doing any rehab to rebuild them after the feud. We could rebuild them—hell, I

would

rebuild them—but that would be part of the two-year arc Vessey was talking about.

 

And we had new names coming in, guys who'd be working the baby side of the roster for the foresable future. Charlie Corner was green, but charismatic and loaded with upside. Happy Elwood had the profile to build on, and the hunger to stop being seen as USPW's former job guy. Curtis Shaw had been tering it up in Puerto Rico as part of a NYC-theme tag-team, and we were giving him a shot at becoing a singles guy.

 

All of them had the potential to sit at the top one day, but bringing in someone who could slot in right away would meaning hiring from Mitch's crew.

 

I wasn't against that, in principle—Mitch had been sanguine when I informed him I'd be working the Tri-State again, especially when I told him my vision for NYC-Dub. But the first time I called in a PSW guy, the story became "Phil's trying to turn NYCW into the next DAVE."

 

So if we needed to replace Milano fast, Riley McManus was our guy.

 

I looked around the arena, at the five hundred empty seats that would soon be filled with fans. I closed my eyes and pictured what could be, McManus and Tennessee going at it in the main event. A good, hard-fought wrestling match as they engaged in a grappling war with nary a closed fist punched.

 

I could see it, and I knew it would work. It was something to work towards, and sooner rather than later.

 

Someone cleared their throat behind me. I startled and spun around, only to find Steve Flash grinning at me like he'd just pulled off a particularly effective rib. “I gotta admit,” he said. “I had my doubts this place would come together, but this…” He looked around and exhaled slowly. “You sure we can afford it?”

 

“Mostly,” I said. “There's a chance my math was off, but I ran the numbers before I argued for it. You guys have run a tight ship for the last few years, kept your crew focused on the local talent. Low transport costs, minimal payments from DVD sales. You run tight and we're not breaking that tradition just yet—all the new guys are local, or as close to that it barely makes a difference.

 

"And if I’m backing the wrong horse here, I’m reasonably confident I can step away and Larry will stay solvent. You'll have the space and every show will be a little more profitable, given we can fit more bodies at the same price you’d spent renting a gym."

 

"Still need to bring in the bodies," Flash said.

 

"You've sold out that gym every month for sixteen months. I figure you'd need to expand sooner or later."

 

He shrugged and I went back to studying the fit-out. “And if I’m right…we save a little money for the next few years. We’ve got a studio to broadcast from when it’s time to do a weekly program. And we’ll all be thankful for the extra space once we’re dealing with the new merchandise and shipping orders interstate.”

 

Steve whistled. “You definitely dream big. I just…”

 

He let the words hang, not finishing the thought. He didn’t need to. “DAVE was different,” I said. “The television deals killed us, sure, but television has never been where the money came from. Our merch didn’t keep pace, and we didn’t make the kind of investment up front that would have saved us in the long run. It’s one of the reasons we’re starting with this space—it’s a investment that keeps paying off, you know?”

 

“I don’t know…” Steve looked nervous, biting his bottom lip. “I mean, I had concerns about whether people would really schlep their way out here into the boonies.”

 

“It’s not the boonies, Steve.

Etsy’s

got their headquarters ten minute’s walk from here.”

 

“I’m just saying, I took a look at the early sales, to see how we’re situated for Saturday night…”

 

His tone implied dread. An awful lot of it.

 

“How bad?” I closed my eyes and braced myself.

 

“Two hundred and ninety-three tickets sold.” Steve clapped me on the back, laughing as my expression caught up with wash of relief that flooded through my body. “I reckon we could sell the place out in advance, if we announced you to the newsletter list and the posters.”

 

We shared a broad smile, but I shook my head at his suggestion. “Nice as an early sell-out would be, I'm more interested in what leaving me as a surprise will get us. Larry brought me in the change the way people talk about NYC-dub. The surprise is how we do it. Pay attention to NYCW, because you never know what's coming next…assuming everyone keeps their mouth shut and nobody talks to any of the dirt sheets.”

 

“The nice thing about occupying a small niche like ours? Nobody comes digging for that much dirt, or tries to pry it out of the boys. If I’m honest, I may actually miss that if your crazy plan eventually comes together.” Steve stared at the arena coming together all around us. “We sure they’ll be done in time?”

 

“Foreman swears it’ll be good to go with a least three days to spare. Worst case scenario, if he’s blowing smoke up my ass, we’ll have no screens and we use the old lighting rig to spotlight the ring for a show or two.”

 

“Worst case scenario,” Steve repeated, amusement I his voice. “I would have thought that would be all the fans who didn’t read the posters closely going to Jersey out of habit…”

 

 

Coming up at NYCW Bring the Pain

Saturday, Week 1, January 2020

 

Brutus Milano vs. Tennessee Williams for the NYCW Empire Championship

Masked Stranger vs. Denny King for the NYCW Tri-State Championship

LA Stars vs. The Boys from the Yukon for the NYCW Tag-Team Championship

Riley McManus vs. Andrew Harper

Freedom Eagle vs. Machine Gun Marino

Geoff Bourne vs. Sal DiMeo vs. Hawkeye Calhoun vs. Richie Riggins

Happy Elwood vs. The New York Doll

Curtis Shaw vs. Devastating Don

The Casey Brothers vs. The Italian Americans

[1PWfan]

<p>Brutus Milano vs. <strong>Tennessee Williams</strong> for the NYCW Empire Championship</p><p>

<em>Brutus is a good hand and heel champs can be a little cliche, but the writing make it seem like Tennessee's someone you want to build around.</em></p><p> </p><p>

<strong>Masked Stranger</strong> vs. Denny King for the NYCW Tri-State Championship</p><p>

<em>I don't have the game in front of me to check who's the Tri-State champ out the door but Stranger's one of my favourites</em></p><p> </p><p>

<strong>LA Stars</strong> vs. The Boys from the Yukon for the NYCW Tag-Team Championship</p><p>

<em>They're really good</em></p><p> </p><p>

<strong>Riley McManus</strong> vs. Andrew Harper</p><p>

<em>You're building him to be the top babyface</em></p><p> </p><p>

<strong>Freedom Eagle</strong> vs. Machine Gun Marino</p><p>

<em>Eagle's great and another guy with top level potential, whilst Marino's kind of a job guy</em></p><p> </p><p>

Geoff Bourne vs. <strong>Sal DiMeo</strong> vs. Hawkeye Calhoun vs. Richie Riggins</p><p>

<em>You'll want to keep Sal happy, he's not an easy guy to deal with but has a lot to contribute</em></p><p> </p><p>

<strong>Happy Elwood</strong> vs. The New York Doll</p><p>

<em>I've always liked Doll but Elwood deserves a chance to prove himself</em></p><p> </p><p>

<strong>Curtis Shaw</strong> vs. Devastating Don</p><p>

<em>Don's a piece of ****- job him, fire him, forget about him</em></p><p> </p><p>

The Casey Brothers vs. <strong>The Italian Americans</strong></p><p>

<em>JOBBER!</em></p>

[MisterRomanini]

<p>Brutus Milano vs. <strong>Tennessee Williams</strong> for the NYCW Empire Championship</p><p>

<strong>Masked Stranger</strong> vs. Denny King for the NYCW Tri-State Championship</p><p>

<strong>LA Stars</strong> vs. The Boys from the Yukon for the NYCW Tag-Team Championship</p><p>

<strong>Riley McManus</strong> vs. Andrew Harper</p><p>

Freedom Eagle vs. <strong>Machine Gun Marino</strong></p><p>

Geoff Bourne vs.<strong> Sal DiMeo</strong> vs. Hawkeye Calhoun vs. Richie Riggins</p><p>

<strong>Happy Elwood </strong>vs. The New York Doll</p><p>

<strong>Curtis Shaw</strong> vs. Devastating Don</p><p>

The Casey Brothers vs. <strong>The Italian Americans</strong></p>

[BHK1978]

Brutus Milano vs. Tennessee Williams for the NYCW Empire Championship

Masked Stranger vs. Denny King for the NYCW Tri-State Championship

LA Stars vs. The Boys from the Yukon for the NYCW Tag-Team Championship

Riley McManus vs. Andrew Harper

Freedom Eagle vs. Machine Gun Marino

Geoff Bourne vs. Sal DiMeo vs. Hawkeye Calhoun vs. Richie Riggins

Happy Elwood vs. The New York Doll

Curtis Shaw vs. Devastating Don

 

Pretty much what 1PWfan said. I despise Don, yes I know he is not real. The very first thing I do is always fire him. He is just not worth the annoyance.

 

The Casey Brothers vs. The Italian Americans

[Jaysin]

Coming up at NYCW Bring the Pain

Saturday, Week 1, January 2020

 

Brutus Milano vs. Tennessee Williams for the NYCW Empire Championship

Masked Stranger vs. Denny King for the NYCW Tri-State Championship

LA Stars vs. The Boys from the Yukon for the NYCW Tag-Team Championship

Riley McManus vs. Andrew Harper

Freedom Eagle vs. Machine Gun Marino

Geoff Bourne vs. Sal DiMeo vs. Hawkeye Calhoun vs. Richie Riggins

Happy Elwood vs. The New York Doll

Curtis Shaw vs. Devastating Don

The Casey Brothers vs. The Italian Americans

[kanegan]

Brutus Milano vs. Tennessee Williams for the NYCW Empire Championship

Masked Stranger vs. Denny King for the NYCW Tri-State Championship

LA Stars vs. The Boys from the Yukon for the NYCW Tag-Team Championship

Riley McManus vs. Andrew Harper

Freedom Eagle vs. Machine Gun Marino

Geoff Bourne vs. Sal DiMeo vs. Hawkeye Calhoun vs. Richie Riggins

Happy Elwood vs. The New York Doll

Curtis Shaw vs. Devastating Don

The Casey Brothers vs. The Italian Americans

[KyTeran]

Brutus Milano vs. Tennessee Williams for the NYCW Empire Championship

Masked Stranger vs. Denny King for the NYCW Tri-State Championship

LA Stars vs. The Boys from the Yukon for the NYCW Tag-Team Championship

Riley McManus vs. Andrew Harper

Freedom Eagle vs. Machine Gun Marino

Geoff Bourne vs. Sal DiMeo vs. Hawkeye Calhoun vs. Richie Riggins

Happy Elwood vs. The New York Doll

Curtis Shaw vs. Devastating Don

The Casey Brothers vs. The Italian Americans

[arwink]

<p></p><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><span style="font-family:Impact;"><span style="font-size:24px;">NYCW Bring the Pain</span></span></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><span style="font-family:Impact;"><span style="font-size:18px;">Saturday, Week 1, January 2020</span></span></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><span style="font-family:Impact;"><span style="font-size:18px;"> Bradford Arena, NY – 421 people</span></span></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><img alt="KW30ZUN.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/KW30ZUN.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="51697" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>IN THE BACK </strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="G0VNJIx.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/G0VNJIx.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Brutus Milano speaks directly into the camera. Ever since he won the Empire Championship in November, he’s been hearing the whispers in the halls. Yeah, be beat Tennessee Williams, but Brutus Milano wasn’t the one standing tall at the end of the night. </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The first time he held the Empire title, people talked about Brutus Milano like he was a god striding down from Olympus. Phenomenally strong. Unbelievably powerful. Damn near unstoppable in the ring. Now they say the cracks are beginning to show, that the Italian Strongman is only human. “But I never claimed to be a god, Tennessee. I was only ever a man doing his best, going out there and wrestling with all the heart and soul I had. And that man beat you to get his hands on this belt, the benchmark for greatness in this company. And tonight, that man will put Tennessee William behind him and remind folks what it means to be the champ.” RATING: 34</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="NgP2R0J.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/NgP2R0J.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>IN THE LOADING DOCK</strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><img alt="33XbxuM.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/33XbxuM.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="6PuYud4.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/6PuYud4.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="6mmsx1q.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/6mmsx1q.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="DmpvoZD.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/DmpvoZD.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The camera finds the DiMeo family clustered in the alley behind Bradford Arena, where Sal DiMeo is sneaking a cigarette. Vito and Luca are throwing dice, while Machine Gun Marino lurks by the mouth of the alley, watching each passer-by like he might like to mug them. Sal hypes 2020 as a big year for the Family—and they’re going to start it right. “New York City Wrestling prides itself on being home to the greatest wrestlers, but that ain’t who we are. We’re four mooks who learned to scrap on the streets, making our bones in back-alley brawls, and we ain’t particular with how dirty things get as we claw our way to the top.” </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> “Just ask Freedom Eagle,” Marino says, and it draws a chortle from the big guys, Luca and Vito. Unfortunately, Big Sal responds with an irritated scowl, and they all go silent. Sal looks to the camera, wary, and mutters something about being done here, leading the Family off towards the arena. RATING: 28</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="NgP2R0J.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/NgP2R0J.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>ON THE ROOF</strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><img alt="e5l8ECk.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/e5l8ECk.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> New York Doll stands with his back to the city, all the lights of Brooklyn lit up behind him. He’s scheduled to wrestle the debuting Happy Elwood tonight, and he can’t decide whether he’s been insulted or giving a gift. “Happy Elwood is the avatar of ever lie the American dream ever sold us, and everything I hate. Every time I look at Elwood, I see everything that’s wrong with the world. Apple pie. Baseball. Good houses in the suburbs with happily married parents and two-point-three kids. That you think he deserves a spot here, in New York City Wrestling, insults me to my core.”</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Doll hangs his head, disguist evident on his features. Then, unexpectedly, he breaks into an evil grin. “But the opportunity to beat the crap out of him? That I can get behind.” </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>RATING: 26</strong></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="KW30ZUN.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/KW30ZUN.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="0M1oWnC.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/0M1oWnC.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="ydUAQiu.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/ydUAQiu.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> vs. </strong></div></div></div></div><img alt="6mmsx1q.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/6mmsx1q.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="DmpvoZD.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/DmpvoZD.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> THE CASEY BROTHERS vs. THE ITALIAN AMERICANS</strong></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Nothing too fancy here. The Casey Brothers are Brooklyn boys—their apartment is just two blocks from Bradford Hall—so the crowd response is a little fiercer than you’d expect for two kids so green. They’re also the better team, start out strong with their fast tags and tandem offense. Vito and Luca aren’t as polished—as wrestlers or a tag-team—but the big mooks can hold their own by virtue of their size, power, and willingness to cheat. Things get ugly when they cut the ring in two and work Tully Casey over with brutal forearms in the corner, but the Caseys ultimately rally and Tully picks up the victory with a Gutwrench Backbreaker on Vito. </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>The Casey Brothers defeated The Italian Americans in 8:34 when Tully Casey pinned Vito Pirelli. RATIG: 22</strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><img alt="NgP2R0J.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/NgP2R0J.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><img alt="Y5XBu0o.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/Y5XBu0o.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Devastating Don heads down to the ring with a bucket of fried chicken tucked under one arm, his 400 pounds squeezed into patched and grease-stained wrestling tights. </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="Z8oIRbJ.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/Z8oIRbJ.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Then his opponent emerges—the debuting Curtis Shaw—and Shaw’s 280 pounds of shredded muscle and bad attitude incarnate. The two men stare at one another for a moment, Shaw’s disgust at Don’s lack of hygiene or basic respect quite evident.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Don finishes a leg of chicken, tosses the bone into the crowd, wipes the grease off his mouth with one hand and collects a microphone. “Yeah, I see you there, chico, and I know just what you’re thinking. </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><em>This</em></div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> is who they gave booked you to wrestle. </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><em>This</em></div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> mountain of a man, the immovable object of New York City Wrestling. Guys like you, you’re all the same—you come in all confident that you’ll throw your opponent around. Dominate him with your size and power.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> “Well, you can’t throw me, son, and you can’t knock me down. All those muscles won’t mean a damn thing when I drop four hundred and twenty-three pounds on top of you and they count the one-two-three.”</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Shaw isn’t impressed, but he doesn’t lash out until Don adds in the final insult of burping in his opponent’s face. In an instant, the match is on. </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>RATING: 25</strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="NgP2R0J.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/NgP2R0J.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><img alt="Z8oIRbJ.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/Z8oIRbJ.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> vs. </strong></div></div></div></div><img alt="Y5XBu0o.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/Y5XBu0o.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> CURTIS SHAW vs. DEVASTATING DON</strong></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Shaw comes out swinging and immediately puts Don on the back foot, staggering the superheavyweight with a series of forearm to the face. The debuting Shaw rides the momentum, going to the ropes and hitting shoulder blocks…which Don survives by planting his weight and refusing to move, smirking at Shaw and gesturing for him to go to the ropes and try again.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> That’s when things go wrong for Shaw, and play out just as Don predicted. Shaw can’t knock his opponent down, despite delivering some thundering blocks and clotheslines. His attempt to suplex Don are similarly futile—when Don plants his feet and lowers his centre of gravity, it would take a bulldozer to get him over. The grinning veteran takes control of the match for a stretch and begins his search for the corner splash/ringshaker legdrop combo that has won him countless matches. </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Unfortunately for Don, Shaw has that combo scouted—he ducks free of the first Corner Splash attempt, nails Don with a yakuza kick while the big man’s off-balance, and promptly smashes Don’s face into the canvas with a Curb Stomp to pick up the three-count and a surprise win on his debut with the company.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>Curtis Shaw defeated Devastating Don in 5:40 by pinfall. RATING: 23</strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><img alt="NgP2R0J.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/NgP2R0J.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><img alt="cMOrxXm.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/cMOrxXm.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> vs. </strong></div></div></div></div><img alt="e5l8ECk.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/e5l8ECk.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> HAPPY ELWOOD vs. THE NEW YORK DOLL</strong></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Doll’s contempt for his opponent is clear from the moment Elwood comes through the curtains, especially when the former USPW man high-fives young fans, delivers a thumbs up to the crowd, and gives his cap to a young girl sitting in the front row. Then the bell rings, and Elwood’s goofy charm gives way to a focused wrestler—he locks up with Doll, establishes the leverage necessary to push Doll back to the ropes, and delivers a confident smile as the ref calls for the break.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> This only makes Doll hate Elwood more, and he delivers the first slap to the face of the match.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> To everyone’s surprise, Elwood doesn’t rise to the bait, preferring to wrestle the match at his own pace and gauge the impact of every move and hold. Doll does his best to rattle his opponent—and given his arsenal of boot scrapes, stomach claws, and other cheap offense, there’s a lot he can do to make someone angry—but none of it works. Elwood has come into this match with a game plan, and bides his time until he spots the right moment to go high-risk and high impact. From there, the final minutes are a frantic explosion of movement and eye-popping moves, with Elwood eventually picking up the pinfall off the back of a springboard moonsault that pops the crowd. </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>Happy Elwood defeated The New York Doll in 14:01 by pinfall. RATING: 32</strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><img alt="NgP2R0J.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/NgP2R0J.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><img alt="cMOrxXm.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/cMOrxXm.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="e5l8ECk.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/e5l8ECk.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> A grinning Happy Elwood hits the turnbuckles to celebrate and give the high-five to the fans…and just as quickly gets pulled down and thrown into the canvas by an irate New York Doll. The bowery’s dirtiest punk kicks the crap out of Elwood as colour commentator Ernie Turner notes that Happy should have brought a game-plan to survive the post-match as well. </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>RATING: 32</strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="NgP2R0J.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/NgP2R0J.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong><span style="font-family:Impact;"><span style="font-size:18px;">FOUR CORNER SURVIAL</span></span></strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div><img alt="LKXGe2D.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/LKXGe2D.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> vs. </strong></div></div></div></div><img alt="33XbxuM.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/33XbxuM.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> vs. </strong></div></div></div></div><img alt="w7nLzLS.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/w7nLzLS.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> vs. </strong></div></div></div></div><img alt="rzPKEyR.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/rzPKEyR.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> w/ </strong></div></div></div></div><img alt="0htwukW.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/0htwukW.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> GEOFF BORNE vs. SAL DiMEO vs. HAWKEYE CALHOUN vs. RICHIE RIGGINS w/ Cheerleader Nicki</strong></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The four-corner survival match was a staple of RPW back in the East Coast Wars, and I’ve kept it in my back pocket as a concept worth reviving for about two decades. Four men in the match, two men in the ring, tags necessary if you want to take someone’s place. </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> It introduces some new tactical wrinkles in terms of psychology, but it’s genius lies in its ability to get over big moves—everyone in the match can hit their finisher and have their victim sell it like a gunshot to the skull, because the one fall stipulation means the other two guys </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><em>will work like hell to break up the pin</em></div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;">. One guy goes over, but everyone gets their moves over along the way. </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> It’s also an excuse to leg four guys go out and steal the show—a boon when you’re trying to get younger guys over, or get the fans interested in upper card talents like Geoff Borne or Richie Riggins who have been treading water just below the main event for a long stretch. Both guys look aces here, putting on a great exchange in the heart of the match, but it’s ultimately Calhoun who picks up the win after hitting Riggins with a Home Run while Sal DiMeo and Geoff Borne are brawling at ringside.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>Geoff Borne, Sal DiMeo and Richie Riggins in 14:01 when Hawkeye Calhoun pinned Richie Riggins. RATING: 36</strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><img alt="NgP2R0J.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/NgP2R0J.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><img alt="33XbxuM.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/33XbxuM.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="w7nLzLS.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/w7nLzLS.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="6PuYud4.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/6PuYud4.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Sal DiMeo isn’t happy about Calhoun’s victory, and it looks like trouble when Machine Gun Marino appears at the guard rail and provides the Big Boss with a baseball bat smuggled in through the crowd. </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="ZSv2yjc.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/ZSv2yjc.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> DiMeo takes the weapon and climbs into the ring, but the crowd pops when Freedom Eagle comes tearing out to make the save. He rips the bat out of DiMeo’s hands and issues a challenge, here and now—“I owe you a beating, Sal, after what you pulled back at Buffalo Bash.”</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> DiMeo backs off, affecting fear…but it’s just a ruse for Machine Gun Marino to clamber into the ring and square-off against Eagle. </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>RATING: 20</strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="NgP2R0J.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/NgP2R0J.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><img alt="ZSv2yjc.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/ZSv2yjc.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> w/</strong></div></div></div></div><img alt="w7nLzLS.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/w7nLzLS.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> vs. </strong></div></div></div></div><img alt="6PuYud4.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/6PuYud4.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> w/</strong></div></div></div></div><img alt="33XbxuM.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/33XbxuM.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> FREEDOM EAGLE w/Hawkeye Calhoun vs. MACHINE GUN MARINO w/Sal DiMeo</strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The bill rings to start the impromptu match, and it’s all Eagle for the first few minutes. He’s got the experience and the talent, and he’s running on a gut full of rage and hunger for payback that’s evident in the snap and impact of every move he lands. Marino doesn’t back down, but it almost seems like a mistake for the first three minutes, which is when DiMeo trips Eagle as the masked man hits the rope.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Marino seizes on the opportunity and lays in with rapid strikes, ducking and weaving as he dances around Eagle and tries to wear his opponent down. Calhoun tries to interfere, and gets sent to the back by referee Michael Bull. Big Sal makes his presence felt…and he gets sent to the back as well. Bull wants this fight as clean as possible, and throws his weight around to make it happen.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Which means Marino struggles, given that Big Sal was his equalizer, and it isn’t long before Eagle catches him with the Freedom Slam. </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>Freedom Eagle defeated Machine Gun Marino in 9:49 by pinfall. RATING: 32</strong></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="NgP2R0J.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/NgP2R0J.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><img alt="hHzWwFD.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/hHzWwFD.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="gRbxKpm.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/gRbxKpm.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Riley McManus collects a microphone on his way down to the ring. “I know you’ve all seen the flyers,” he says, “and you know what’s coming tonight. Riley McManus versus Andrew Harper. Our first time in the ring since he put me through a table, put me out of action for four straight weeks. And make no mistake, I’m plenty pissed off about that, but if you came here tonight looking for a blood brawl, then you’ve underestimated Riley McManus and what I can do in that ring.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> McManus clenches a fist and studies it for a second, frowning at his knuckles. “Satisfying as it would be to belt Andrew Harper in the mouth, feel his nose break beneath my knuckles and his blood against my fingers, that’s not who I want to be out here. There are plenty of guys who get into wrestling because they like a fight, but I’ve always been an athlete first…a competitor who plays to win. It didn’t matter whether it was football, baseball, hockey, or tiddlywinks, I figured out what I needed to do in order to make it to the top.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> “And wrestling has rules. Not many, but the ones we’ve got are important. No closed fists. No more than a ten count on the floor. No maintaining a hold on a guy for longer than a five count when he hits the ropes. Those rules say I can punch Harper in the face until I bust him open, no matter how satisfying it would be. If I do…well, Andrew Harper wins, and I pay the fine Larry Vessey will level for drawing a disqualification.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> “So what you’re going to see out here tonight is Riley McManus, the wrestler. A man who knows a win over Harper will put him in contention for a title shot. A man who obeys the rules…and knows plenty of ways to make Harper </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><em>hurt</em></div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> without throwing a punch. As the old saying goes, what we do here ain’t ballet. The rules may say I need to break an armlock at a five count if Harper makes it to the ropes…but if he doesn’t, I’m free to crank that baby until I hear ligaments pop. I can make Harper hurts so bad he’ll beg the referee to make it stop…which means he’s hurting </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><em>and</em></div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> I get one step closer to that title shot I’m wanting. </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> “And that’s the difference between Andrew Harper and me—I understands self-control. When he wants to hurt someone, he throws them through a table and hopes for the best. Destructive, like a hurricane, uncontrolled and horribly random. </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> “When I want to hurt someone, there’s nothing random about it.” </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>RATING: 43</strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="NgP2R0J.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/NgP2R0J.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><img alt="hHzWwFD.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/hHzWwFD.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> w/</strong></div></div></div></div><img alt="gRbxKpm.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/gRbxKpm.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> vs. </strong></div></div></div></div><img alt="VodgZhH.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/VodgZhH.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> RILEY McMANUS w/Fern Hathaway vs. ANDREW HARPER</strong></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> McManus is a man of his word—the match kicks off with a lock up and a go-behind, a quick exchange of hold and counter that’s all about testing the waters. Very measured. Very </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><em>professional</em></div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;">, and even when Andrew Harper tries to push things with a closed-fist strike, McManus ducks and backs away so the referee can deliver a warning. It gives the two men a taut, dangerous thread to work around as the match goes on—Harper wants this to be a blood-and-guts brawl, and McManus doggedly refuses and focuses on cinching in snug submissions that are designed to hurt and score the tap-out. </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The commentary team note this is a match that Harper can’t win if it’s played on McManus term—the big, strapping brawler is great in a fight, but he’s never excelled at the old-school grappling match. Harper does his best to escalate things—all too often he’ll get a headlock in place and position himself to deliver a closed-fist punch—but even when he busts McManus open the smaller man goes back to his steady grind instead of throwing punches in return.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Harper eventually starts retreating to ringside…and McManus makes his first real mistake by following the bigger man out there. They brawl on the floor for a stretch, and Harper sets up a table between ring and guard rail in the hopes of sending Riley through it for the second time in a space of a month. McManus sees that coming and rolls back into the ring, smiles to himself when Harper decides he’s unwilling to take the count-out loss.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The lock up, and this time there’s intensity to it. Real anger, tight muscles, a determination to overpower one another and deliver hard strikes with elbows, forearms, and knees. Soon they’re going at it, hammer and tongs, and Riley goes to the top rope to land a flying elbow drop that scores a two-count and nearly ends thing there and then. Riley switches things up and starts working the armlock, trying to get it tight, but Harper fights free and scrambles for the ropes. </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The pace picks up and soon the pair are hitting the ropes and coming off the second rope with every other move. Riley sets up for a second elbow drop and Harper swarms up the ropes to block it, locking up as the two men are perched on the turnbuckles, looking for an advantage. They teeter, both trying to throw the other off, and stay up there in return.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> In the end, it’s too much. McManus slams his forehead into Harper’s chin, a quick headbutt designed to stun and give McManus some much-needed leverage, but all it does is overbalance both men. The two men plunge off the top rope and crash through the table set-up at ringside, Riley splashed on top of Harper amid the wreckage of wood and steel. Neither man moves, and the count is started, even as the commentary team speculates that both men could be hurt. </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>Riley McManus drew with Andrew Harper in 20:16 following a double count out. RATING: 38</strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><img alt="KW30ZUN.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/KW30ZUN.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="51697" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>IN THE LOCKER ROOM</strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><img alt="pASVuhV.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/pASVuhV.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The Masked Stranger sits backstage with the Tri-State Championship, wrapping his wrists in preparation for his match. He’s been proud to be a champion in NYCW, and prouder still to defend the belt in an Arena named for the man who founded the company, but he’s got a tough fight tonight. “Denny King has been a man on fire for the last few months, and there’s nothing more dangerous than a man on a streak—he’s got confidence behind him.” </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>RATING: 30</strong></div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="NgP2R0J.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/NgP2R0J.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>BACKSTAGE PROMO</strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><img alt="s3dOi1h.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/s3dOi1h.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Tennessee William cuts a prom about being without the Empire Championship for the last two months—two months when he got none of the perks and none of the paydays associated with being champion. “I take comfort in the knowledge this moment is an abberation son, because tonight I’m reclaiming my belt.” </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>RATING: 61</strong></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="KW30ZUN.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/KW30ZUN.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><img alt="M4BW9dX.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/M4BW9dX.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="Lal1Plj.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/Lal1Plj.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Phil Vibert shoulders his way through the curtain, leading a young wrestler down to the ring and calling for the microphone. It takes a moment for the fans to settle, and he has the space to speak. </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> “Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Phil Vibert, and tonight it’s my pleasure to speak to you as the advocate for the future of pro-wrestling. Last month, I made some waves in this business when I suggested the wrestlers of this generation lacked the hustle and drive necessary to become true superstars. Lots of people took offense at that statement. Lots of people said unsavoury things about me and my legacy in this business, or claimed that the business had changed and I no longer understood what it takes to be successful in the modern age. They said my time has passed, that my relevance to this business I love ended when DAVE closed its doors and all the men I gave opportunities to went on to become the biggest stars in the business today.”</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Even here, among the old-school crowd of NYCW, there’s enough fans who remember DAVE’s heyday to start a DAVE! DAVE! DAVE! chant in response to the promo.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> “Please,” Vibert says, “I didn’t come here to relive the past, or rest upon my laurels. I’m here because one man heard my comments, and took them as a challenge. He hustled my number out of a former friend and called me, asking for my advice. ‘Phil,’ he said, ‘I trained at the TCW dojo, and they didn’t want to take up my contract. I had try-outs with CZCW, and they didn’t want to take up a contract. I worked up in Canada for a few matches, but they went out of business. I’ve been hustling, but nothing sticks, so I’m about to try something new.’</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> “And, friends, I was intrigued, so I asked him what he planned to do. And his answer was damn near perfect. He told me…wait, no. I’ll let him tell you.”</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Phil holds the mic out to Quentin Queen, who steps up and delivers a deadpan answer: “I want to hire the best hustler in the business to advocate for opportunities on my behalf.”</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Phil delights at the phrase, and reclaims the microphone with a laugh. “Which is, in a nutshell, how we ended up here…so if you will, ladies and gentlemen, it is a great privilege for me to be out here serving as the advocate for the man who will be World Champion within the next two years, the Q-Man, Quentin Queen. </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> “I came here tonight to watch Quentin wrestle his first match in New York City Wrestling—a company that’s produced almost as many future stars as DAVE did in its hayday. ‘We start here,’ I told him, ‘because NYCW was the first home of Big Cat Brandon. We start hear because New York City Wrestling is where Crippler Chris Rockwell got his beginning, where Jack Bruce first traded his Stratocaster for the wrestling ring and became the biggest wrestler I the world. We start here, in New York City Wrestling, because New York City fans are the wrestling fans the rest of the world follows—if they know, if they see you win titles, then the rest of the world will hear your name.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> “Which is why I called Larry Vessey and hustled our way into a match on this card. The first step in a glorious future—Quentin Queen versus Animal Harker.”</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The crowd pops at Harker’s name, and Vibert waits for it to die down.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> “Obviously, that match isn’t happening.”</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The heat is palpable.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> “Two days ago, Larry Vessey called me and told me Harker wouldn’t be wrestling a match tonight. </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> “It isn’t happening because Animal Harker is one of those men I speak of, when I accuse this generation of lacking hustle. Because having made a commitment to wrestle here, in front of the most important wrestling fans in the world, he </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><em>went back on his word</em></div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> and elected to take a booking in Japan tonight.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> “He went to Japan because they offered him more money than he’ll earn here. And that’s okay—Animal Harker’s a talented wrestler, and he deserves to be able to pay his rent working. Money is good—I’ve got no problem with money—but there are points in every wrestler’s career where money represents a hard choice. You can take the easy money now, pay your rent, maybe put some food in your belly, or you can forego a good payday now and do the thing that will earn you a world champion’s purse a few years down the line.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> “A good wrestler will take the money now, unsure they’ll ever make it to the top of this business and earn the big bucks down the line.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> “But a hustler…a hustler shows up for the match that was booked, because they know they’re going to reach the top. A hustler will pay for their own airline tickets to get themselves to the show they were booked on, just hoping they can get a few short minutes to go out in front of the best fans in the world and say, ‘I’m here. I’m going to be the biggest thing in the world, and you are the start of that.’”</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> “A hustler shows up, and because Quentin Queen is a hustler, all of you will be able to look back in years to come and say, ‘yeah, I was there for the start of that. I saw the first step he took to becoming the best this industry has ever seen.’</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> “Because you are New York City Wrestling. You are the fans who matter above all else in the world. And nice as it is to be able to say you were here at the very beginning, I would ask you to remember something else. I’d ask you to remember what might have been tonight, if Animal Harker had stayed true to his word and honoured his commitment. I want you to remember Animal Harker is making money in Japan, Quentin Queen spent money to here and honor his word as a man and a wrestler.” </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>RATING: 38</strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="NgP2R0J.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/NgP2R0J.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong><span style="font-family:Impact;"><span style="font-size:18px;">NYCW TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP</span></span></strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div><img alt="ZlU1f12.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/ZlU1f12.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="n7UM07s.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/n7UM07s.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> vs. </strong></div></div></div></div><img alt="JA7LKaR.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/JA7LKaR.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="e4B48k0.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/e4B48k0.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> THE LA STARS vs. THE BOYS FROM THE YUKON</strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Power versus finesse. Two backwoods boys versus the shining stars of tinsel town. The Boys from the Yukon have been staking their claim as the top tag-team in NYCW, putting down all comers with their finisher in the dead centre of the ring. The LA Stars—long the underneath guys of the division—spent the second half of 2019 getting positioned as the babyface team on the rise in preparation for this clash.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> What unfolds is fast and highly dynamic. The Stars don’t go over here, but what they show is a their resilience—they take the worst the Boys can dish out and keep coming back for more, rallying time and again as they search for the combination that will pick up the three-count. They don’t quite pull it off here, but they give the impression that they </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><em>might</em></div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;">, right up until Howling Mad Mort hits the Tiiiiiiiiiiimber on Star #2 to get the win. </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>The Boys From The Yukon defeated The LA Stars in 15:29 when Howlin' Mad Mort pinned LA Star #2. RATING: 34</strong></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="NgP2R0J.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/NgP2R0J.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><span style="font-family:Impact;"><span style="font-size:18px;">NYCW TRI-STAGE CHAMPIONSHIP</span></span></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="pASVuhV.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/pASVuhV.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> vs. </strong></div></div></div></div><img alt="vbAZaj2.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/vbAZaj2.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> MASKED STRANGER vs. DENNY KING</strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The heart of this match is built around the stark contrast in the two men’s styles—Stranger is a highly focused submission wrestler, diligently working the neck with holds and high-impact moves as he sets up for the Cobra Clutch. Denny King is an erratic brawler who pulls transitions and reversals out of nowhere, relying on his ability to catch people off-guard and drop them with his arsenal of suplexes.</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Both men are coming in on a hot streak, racking up wins in singles competition. Both men have scouted other as best they can, and for a time it seems like Stranger has seen a method among King’s madness. He rolls with the erratic switches, reverses some of the more surprising reversals, but even as the match wears on he’s unable to do the damage he needs to make the Clutch as effective as he’d like. </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> It becomes a match when both men take bigger risks, and that’s terrain that King navigates better than Stranger. The masked man eventually goes to the top rope, looking to finish a belt-over King with a back splash, and King catches him by surprise when he surges up the ropes and whips him off with a Superplex. </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>Denny King defeated Masked Stranger in 20:13 by pinfall. Denny King wins the NYCW Tri-State Regional title. RATING: 35</strong></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="NgP2R0J.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/NgP2R0J.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="51697" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>OUTSIDE THE TRAINERS ROOM</strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><img alt="w7nLzLS.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/w7nLzLS.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> We cut backstage, where Hawkeye Calhoun emerges from trainer’s room. He’s been getting his wrist checked out after feeling a twinge during tonight’s four way, but the lion’s share of the attention is going to McManus and Harper after their trip through the table earlier. He informs everyone that they’re both banged up, but conscious and answering questions. The first thing McManus asks was apparently, “did I beat him?” </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>RATING: 51</strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="NgP2R0J.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/NgP2R0J.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong><span style="font-family:Impact;"><span style="font-size:18px;">NYCW EMPIRE TITLE</span></span></strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div><img alt="G0VNJIx.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/G0VNJIx.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> vs. </strong></div></div></div></div><img alt="s3dOi1h.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/s3dOi1h.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> BRUTUS MILANO vs. TENNESSEE WILLIAM</strong></div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div></div></div><p></p></div></blockquote><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The rematch from Cage Match Showdown in November, with Brutus Milano making his first title defence against the man he beat for the belt two months ago. There’s a familiar dynamic here—William tries to speed up the match with a series of lariats, kicks, and slaps, while Milano actively slows things down with headlocks and bearhugs. “What makes Milano so dangerous is his ability to grind you down,” Eddie Turner says on commentary. “He absorbs a lot of punishment early on because he wants his opponents to get worn out, and then he’ll make a comeback with those powerful arms and squeeze the life out of ya.”</div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> It’s a plan that’s heavily reliant on deploying an early rope-a-dope, then coming out big when you get the opportunity. But it’s also a plan that he’s deployed against William before—when he prepares to switch gear and go of the offense, Tennessee pastes him with a forearm shiv and proceeds to beat the hell out of his opponent. </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The next ten minutes are basically William’s match—he punishes Milano, unleashing big move after big move, and every time he does so Milano fights back to a vertical base and fights on. William grows increasingly incredulous that Milano is still going, but he doesn’t actually get scared until Milano mounts a comeback and traps William in a tight bearhug. William manages to escape the Bearhug Backbreaker that usually follows the hold, but it’s pretty clear that he’s been rattled by the how close he came to losing the rematch…which is what leads to William going to ringside, collecting his acoustic guitar, and snapping it over the champion’s head in full view of the referee. </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>Brutus Milano defeated Tennessee William in 20:05 when Tennessee William intentionally got disqualified. RATING: 46</strong></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="KW30ZUN.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/KW30ZUN.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong><span style="font-family:Impact;"><span style="font-size:18px;">SHOW RATING: 46</span></span></strong></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div></div>

[arwink]

THE VIEW FROM BACKSTAGE

 

I will give the NYCW boys this: they’re a well-behaved bunch. DAVE had always been the island of misfit toys in terms of personality, and CGC had been dominated by the DeColt’s egos and clashes over the way I wanted to book things. Vessey had done a good job of hiring for

character

above all else—and made it clear he wanted this to continue under my tenure as booker. It’s a rare night that I’d sit down with my notebook and have nothing to report—or exploit in weeks to come—but the sale real note I’d made involved some rocky chemistry among two guys who wrestled in the dark maches.

 

We kicked the show off with a pep talk—mostly, just giving the boys a heads up about how things will change when the product is being broadcast, especially once we start talking about weekly broadcasts. We finished it off with a round of applause for Tennessee and Brutus in the main event—they’d gone out with instructions to try and sell the fans on the idea that the Italian Muscleman can occupy the top spot, without sacrificing Tennessee to do it. The did a hell of a job—Brutus came out of this looking like a much bigger deal in the eyes of the fan, and William remains the hottest thing in the company.

 

I also put over Richie Riggins as a guy whose going to be getting a strong push on screen—between his chiselled look, his capacity on the mic, and his partnership with Cheerleader Nicki, he’s prepped to be a top guy once we’re broadcasting. Like it or not, wrestling is an industry where looks matter—particularly in NYCW where we’re pushing the boys as athletes—and you either need to look like you’re ready to compete, or break the mould so completely that you stand out.

 

Riggins looked so good, he did both.

 

I could see the light go on behind the eyes of a lot of the boys. NYCW was a small-time promotion—guys like the Tullys or the Italian Americans were only doing this on weekends, rather than wrestling full-time.

 

The forthcoming Wrestleworld deal was the first sign that their in-ring career could be more, and therefore worth doing that extra day of cardio of weights. I didn’t tell ‘em, but I’d be keeping an eye out for the guys who responded with a little hustle, stepping up to meet the new reality NYCW was heading towards.

 

Meanwhile, I got my first taste of a little NYCW tradition—sending out free merch to the folks who won the prediction league on the company website. Nobody came close to a perfect score for this show—always tricky when there’s an abrupt change in the booking team—so the winners were trio of folks who all got three of the major matches right: 1PWFan, Jaysin, & KyTeran.

 

As I helped package up some of the collector’s edition NYCW 20th Anniversary coffee mugs, it occurred to me we really needed to up our game on the merchandising…

 

 

NYCW getting some love on the boards right now, I like.

 

I spent three days checking whether MAW or NYCW was getting the most love before I started this, and it seemed like MAW was in the lead. Then, soon as I got the first show written, I came back and the tide swung NYCW’s way 

 

Man this is the second cool NYCW diary going. Kinda makes me want to break my medium or larger rule and see what I can do with them

 

I hear you on the Medium-or-larger thing. It took me a while to wrap my head around the lack of TV.

 

But—just quietly—this was going to be an SWF dynasty initially. Those first two segments were originally drafted as an exchange between Phil and Emma Chase as she tried to recruit him. And, in writing it, I talked myself out of doing a larger company because something small made so much more sense.

 

NYCW has such a unique position, they could probably expand if they wanted to but they dont. I'm definitely interested in your take on them!

 

I can already tell that you understand how to tell a narrative story just by that intro. Very well written, and something that felt "real," which is the most important part. It fleshed out Phil's mindset moving forward.

 

I hope you do a LOT more of that. I'll be here following that's for damn sure.

 

Backstage stuff is largely my bread-and-butter as a dynasty writer, so it’s a safe bet there will be more.

 

Do stick around arwink is one of the best diary writers on the board.

 

Glad to see you back and equally glad to see you doing NYCW which is now my new favorite C-Verse promotion. Still not happy what Adam did to CZCW...

 

Cheers, it’s good to be back—if there’s one (very, very small) silver lining to the craziness of the world right now, it’s that life slowed down enough that I can actually devote time to writing a dynasty and catching up on all the wrestling I missed.

 

I haven’t even looked at CZCW in this version. What went awry?

 

That intro is brilliant. Really digging it.

 

Thanks. I worried that I was going on a bit long, so I'm really glad to know people enjoyed it.

 

Curtis Shaw vs. Devastating Don

Don's a piece of ****- job him, fire him, forget about him

 

The Casey Brothers vs. The Italian Americans

JOBBER!

 

It seems the Caseys have been blessed with a good destiny role in this version of the C-verse, so they’ll be doing slightly less putting over of other guys than normal.

 

But only slightly.

 

Don, meanwhile, totally snuck up on me as someone whose enormously fun to have on the show.

 

Pretty much what 1PWfan said. I despise Don, yes I know he is not real. The very first thing I do is always fire him. He is just not worth the annoyance.

 

I’ve been trying not to cut guys straight off in recent games, preferring to spend some time trying to figure out why these enormous lumps of bad attitude are kept on the books by their employers.

 

Don’s on thin ice, admittedly, due to his woeful stamina, but I can see how the character would work for a company like NYCW (especially if they got TV). If he can improve to the point where he’ll last eight minutes while I’m leeching away his popularity, there’s definitely something to him that I can use…

[arwink]

THE STATE OF THE LOCKER ROOM

Phil Vibert’s Apartment, NYC

Monday, Week 2, January 2020

 

 

My NYCW debut generated a little buzz online, with responses ranging ‘why pick NYCW for a comeback,’ ‘has Phil Vibert lost it, and ‘Phil Vibert kills the spirit of DAVE’ style think-pieces to full-blown conspiracy theories that I was part of some PSW or SWF plot to eliminate NYCW from the face of the earth. Lots of people predicted that I’d be turning NYCW into DAVE mark II, at least some of whom seemed to see the appeal of watching someone like Doug Peak or Acid rip apart the cartoony gimmickry of guys like Devastating Don (For some reason, it was always Don. The man elicited some hate among the NYCW faithful, and I wasn’t sure if it was the good heat or the bad heat just yet).

 

None of it would budge the fortunes of NYCW on its own, but it got eyes on the company from all around the world, and more importantly it got people talking about the fresh faces on the roster.

 

New bookers often shake up the locker room when they take over the company. It’s part of the natural cycle the business goes through, and has done since the territory days—a new booker picks up the pencil and brings in a crew of talent they’ve worked with in the past, but they’re also free of the constraints and promises the old booker has made to get business done.. Which means a bunch of guys who’d been a big deal under the old booker find themselves in a strange new world, and some of them choose to move on because they know their days are numbered.

 

I’d been judicious with new hires, stuck with Steve Flash’s habit of hiring guys who worked the Tri-State area to minimize transport costs. A surprising number of familiar faces dropped me a note to let me know they were free—part of me briefly considered a nostalgia run pairing Doug Peak and Tank Bradly—but the truth is we wanted to avoid that many veterans on the canvas. It’s hard to position yourself as a company undergoing a youth movement when the top of your card is all guys who made it big twenty years ago.

 

And so I focused my efforts elsewhere, and always with a long term goal or niche in mind.

 

One of NYCW’s strengths over the years has been appealing to subcultures or cultural demographics in the city, particularly the 1.3 million folks with Italian ancestry living in the greater metro area. Between the Family and Brutus Milano, there’s a lot of Italian blood on the roster, but we added at a little more in the form of

Dominic DeGraff

.

 

At the same time, there are 2.5 million Latinos in NYC who weren’t being represented at all, so we brought in

Curtis Shaw

with a strong push right out of the gate. He’s been making waves in Puerto Rico as part of an New York themed tag-team, but we’re using the big brawler as a solo act.

 

Happy Elwood

was the guy whose hiring seemed to indicate to most DAVE fans that I’d lost it. Elwood’s been working the same All-American American gimmick for years, virtually unchanged since his days working the USPW undercard, and that made him a strategically valuable hire. Like NYCW, Elwood was a man in need of reinvention and reinvigoration—his fate was largely a metaphor for the company as a whole. More importantly, long-term, I wanted guys who’d been working at a national level to see NYCW as a place they can come and rebuild their careers. If we got a year's worth of usage out of Happy and sent him back into the big leagues with some fresh buzz, it would speak volumes to the potential of signing a contract with us.

 

And as the churn of weekly TV slowly sends guys out into the world after a disappointing run with Supreme, USPW, or TCW--all of whom have skills and name recognition that's worth good money to a fed like ours--a reputation for rehabbing a worker's career is a crucial building block.

 

The logic behind some of the other guys is a whole lot easier to grasp:

Charlie Corner

is our millennial bait, a good-looking kid who lives and breathes social media in a way the rest of the roster doesn’t (and which guys like The Boys From the Yukon actually regard as distasteful);

Ozzie Goldstein

is there to deliver outstanding wrestling matches, building on his talent for innovation and rock-solid ring psychology;

Quentin Queen

was our long-term prospect, a young talent we could push hard and slot into feuds with the established babyfaces to give them a fresh match-up, while being almost as capable as Ozzie in his ability to deliver an exciting match..

 

And, honestly, Quentin was there because he coupled a giant ego with a lingering insecurity that made him damned easy to hate.

 

Despite the influx of talent, I made it very clear to the boys I wasn’t looking to cut anybody—we simply needed extra bodies because we were working extra dates. Lots of the fans were eager to see cuts—

Devastating Don

was always top of every NYCW fans wishlist—but I held off on pulling the trigger. Wrestling is a business of contrasts—big guy versus little guy; brawler versus technician; ego-driven heel versus humble babyface athlete.

 

And there was no one in the company who looked and fought like Don, even if the in-ring stuff wasn’t his strength. His talent for being an outright asshole was great, and his weight gave him an easy hook to build around when setting up an angle. The trick would be keeping him out of the ring while getting him over…and somehow convincing him that he needed to do a little more cardio if he wanted a longer run while I had the pencil.

 

But that was next month’s problem. Right now, my bigger concern was moving people in the positions I needed them in.

 

The good news was the elevation of

Brutus Milano

, who now sat alongside

Tennessee William

as one of the company’s biggest stars. Nearly all booking decisions were made with the goal of protecting these two men, and ensuring they retained their cache in the eyes of the fans.

 

The other question that dominated the planning of every card was “how does this benefit

Hawkeye Calhoun

?” The masked man was only 25 years old, and largely regarded as our next big thing if we built him right. In five years, he’d be carrying the company—although whether he’d be doing it in a mask or not remained to be seen.

 

Meanwhile, we were blessed with a crop of hot prospects who were loaded with potential.

Chuck Casey

had always been the more dedicated of the Casey siblings, and he was already showing signs of just how good he’d be with a little seasoning.

Dominic DeGraf

f had only wrestled dark matches and occasional spots with us thus far, but the kid impressed with the intensity he brought to little things—hitting the ropes, locking up for the first time, even extending his hand for a test of strength.

 

Other names on our roster were more of a dark horse candidate for greatness:

Vito Pirelli

definitely had something, but whether the big Italian bodybuilder would live up to that potential remained to be seen.

Quentin Queen

was destined to be a showstopper in a small fed like NYCW, but he’d need to reign in his insecurities in order to truly be great. Meanwhile, C

harlie Corner

shows flashes of greatness in his character work, but at eighteen years old and splitting his attention between wrestling and building a social media profile, those flashes were inconsistent and fewer than they should be to deserve a sustaiimpressiveup the card.

 

Still, the kid could brawl and had some impessive psychology for someone so young. I looked forward to seeing how he developed, and where his hustle brought him.

 

The challenge lay in a simple fact: with the exception of our newly hired Goldstein, all NYCW’s ring generals were guys like

Masked Stranger

,

Crockett Tubbs

, and

Riley McManus

. I wasn’t eager to turn any of them, but ideally you want the good hands who can lead the younger guys to be working the heel side of the locker room—so much of what we do is dependent on the guy getting heat with the fans, and a rookie doesn’t yet have the instincts to do that and get the other guy over.

 

When the time came to expand, it would be worth looking outside the Tri-State for a guy who could step in and play tutor to the emerging crop of babyface talent.

[arwink]

POSTED TO THE NYCW YOUTUBE CHANNEL

 

POST-SHOW RECORDING

Denny King hits the backstage area after winning the Tri-State title, still sweating and euphoric from the victory. “So this is mine now,” he says. “The Tri-State Title. It cost me a lot to get it—Masked Stranger is a hell of a wrestler—but tonight I proved that I’m just that little bit better. And now I deliver a warning to anyone who wants this belt—you better be ready to go through hell too. Tonight marked my tenth straight win in this company. This belt—my belt—just became the most valuable title in the Tri-State. And I’ll put everything on the line for this—my body, my looks, my honor, my life—just to keep my hands on it.

 

“Tonight, you get one warning: Denny King is champ, and the King rules.”

RATING: 34

 

 

A CAFÉ IN LITTLE ITALY

 

 

Sal DiMeo cuts a promo from a café, dressed up in a dark suit, a cup of espresso at his elbow. “Four matches,” he says. “Four losses. Not the start to the year the Family wanted, but what do you expect when the NYCW officials keep pulling us up on technicalities? We’re not wrestlers—we’re streetfighters. We like to brawl, we like to hurt people, and we like to solve problems in a way that those problems don’t come back.”

 

He sips his coffee and leans towards the camera. “I hear they’ve granted Freedom Eagle a Tri-State title match. I hear he’s giving his little buddy Calhoun as a shot at the World Champion. Opportunities that should have been going to me and mine, that

would

have gone to the Family if Eagle had the good sense to stay out of my way.

 

“So now we have a problem, and it wears an Eagle mask. It seems to me, it’s time we thought about solving that problem…permanently.” RATING: 29

 

 

ON THE STREET

 

 

Tennessee William cuts a promo from the steps of Bradford Arena. “Our first night in Bradford Arena, a place that celebrates the long history of New York City Wrestling. Our home—the place where champions are made—and I couldn’t get it done. I hit Brutus Milano with everything I had, and I couldn’t make him stay down long enough to win the belt.”

 

William pauses and feigns a wave of emotion, then laughs.

 

“Milano, I’m going to give it to you—you’re one tough son of a gun. I always respected your strength, but I walked into Bring the Pain thinking I’d outwrestle you without breaking a sweat…and I paid for that hubris.

 

“But so did you.

 

“And next time we meet—and make no mistake, we

will

meet again—there won’t be any mistakes, just the sound of the referee hitting canvas and the announcement that Tennessee William is the new Empire Champion of NYCW.”

RATING: 64

 

 

 

COMING UP AT NYCW RUSH HOUR

Saturday, Week 2, January 2020

 

Hawkeye Calhoun vs. Pablo Rodriguez – COTT World Heavyweight Title Match

Happy Elwood vs. Tennessee William

The Casey Brothers vs. The Boys From The Yukon – NYCW Tag-Team Title Match

Masked Stranger vs. Devastating Don vs. LA Star #1 vs. Sal DiMeo

Animal Harker vs. Ozzie Goldstein

Crocket Tubbs vs. The New York Doll

Freedom Eagle vs. Denny King – NYCW Tri-State Title Match

Charlie Corner & Dominic DeGraff vs. Andrew Harper & Richie Riggins

Curtis Shaw vs. Ray Snow

[BHK1978]

I haven’t even looked at CZCW in this version. What went awry?

 

Well, it is a me thing, I am not a fan of men fighting women and that's what CZCW has become.

 

 

Hawkeye Calhoun vs. Pablo Rodriguez – COTT World Heavyweight Title Match

Happy Elwood vs. Tennessee William

The Casey Brothers vs. The Boys From The Yukon – NYCW Tag-Team Title Match

Masked Stranger vs. Devastating Don vs. LA Star #1 vs. Sal DiMeo

Animal Harker vs. Ozzie Goldstein

Crocket Tubbs vs. The New York Doll

Freedom Eagle vs. Denny King – NYCW Tri-State Title Match

Charlie Corner & Dominic DeGraff vs. Andrew Harper & Richie Riggins

Curtis Shaw vs. Ray Snow

 

I like Ray but I think Curtis has this in the bag.

[kanegan]

Hawkeye Calhoun vs. Pablo Rodriguez – COTT World Heavyweight Title Match

Happy Elwood vs. Tennessee William

The Casey Brothers vs. The Boys From The Yukon – NYCW Tag-Team Title Match

Masked Stranger vs. Devastating Don vs. LA Star #1 vs. Sal DiMeo

Animal Harker vs. Ozzie Goldstein

Crocket Tubbs vs. The New York Doll

Freedom Eagle vs. Denny King – NYCW Tri-State Title Match (interference from DiMeo Family)

Charlie Corner & Dominic DeGraff vs. Andrew Harper & Richie Riggins

Curtis Shaw vs. Ray Snow

[1PWfan]

Hawkeye Calhoun vs. Pablo Rodriguez – COTT World Heavyweight Title Match

Pablo's stupid good, and losing to him won't do Hawkeye any harm

 

Happy Elwood vs. Tennessee William

Giving him a bit more momentum after losing to Brutus

 

The Casey Brothers vs. The Boys From The Yukon – NYCW Tag-Team Title Match

If their destiny stat is as promising as you say then The Caseys will soon be a better unit than the Boys but for right now there's no reason for them to win the belts

 

Masked Stranger vs. Devastating Don vs. LA Star #1 vs. Sal DiMeo

I could see this going to Sal but Stranger's great and deserves a win

 

Animal Harker vs. Ozzie Goldstein

Because Ozzie's default pic scares me

 

Crocket Tubbs vs. The New York Doll

Could go either way but Crockett comes in at a higher level so in lieu of other info I'll go this way

 

Freedom Eagle vs. Denny King – NYCW Tri-State Title Match

Hot-shotting the belt is more plausible here but I never bet on it

 

Charlie Corner & Dominic DeGraff vs. Andrew Harper & Richie Riggins

Charlie's rotten consistency is actively offensive to me

 

Curtis Shaw vs. Ray Snow

Ray's the better worker

[Jaysin]

<p>Hawkeye Calhoun vs. <strong>Pablo Rodriguez </strong>– COTT World Heavyweight Title Match</p><p>

Happy Elwood vs. <strong>Tennessee William</strong></p><p>

The Casey Brothers vs. <strong>The Boys From The Yukon</strong> – NYCW Tag-Team Title Match</p><p>

Masked Stranger vs. Devastating Don vs. LA Star #1 vs. <strong>Sal DiMeo</strong></p><p>

Animal Harker vs. <strong>Ozzie Goldstein</strong></p><p>

<strong>Crocket Tubbs</strong> vs. The New York Doll</p><p>

Freedom Eagle vs. <strong>Denny King</strong> – NYCW Tri-State Title Match</p><p>

<strong>Charlie Corner & Dominic DeGraff </strong>vs. Andrew Harper & Richie Riggins</p><p>

Curtis Shaw vs. <strong>Ray Snow</strong></p>

[SIser187]

Hawkeye Calhoun vs. Pablo Rodriguez – COTT World Heavyweight Title Match

 

Going with who I like better.

 

Happy Elwood vs. Tennessee William

 

I look forward to Happy Elwood's evolution but Tennessee is an ace for you.

 

The Casey Brothers vs. The Boys From The Yukon – NYCW Tag-Team Title Match

 

Probably the go to heel duo right now.

 

Masked Stranger vs. Devastating Don vs. LA Star #1 vs. Sal DiMeo

 

I like the Stranger.

 

Animal Harker vs. Ozzie Goldstein

 

Harker has developed from 2010 to now. We'll go with him here.

 

Crocket Tubbs vs. The New York Doll

 

Yeah we'll go with Tubbs.

 

Freedom Eagle vs. Denny King – NYCW Tri-State Title Match

 

I don't see switching it twice.

 

Charlie Corner & Dominic DeGraff vs. Andrew Harper & Richie Riggins

 

Might not be a bad heel duo there.

 

Curtis Shaw vs. Ray Snow

 

Ice cold Ray Snow. A machine.

[MisterRomanini]

Hawkeye Calhoun vs. Pablo Rodriguez – COTT World Heavyweight Title Match

Happy Elwood vs. Tennessee William

The Casey Brothers vs. The Boys From The Yukon – NYCW Tag-Team Title Match

Masked Stranger vs. Devastating Don vs. LA Star #1 vs. Sal DiMeo

Animal Harker vs. Ozzie Goldstein

Crocket Tubbs vs. The New York Doll

Freedom Eagle vs. Denny King – NYCW Tri-State Title Match

Charlie Corner & Dominic DeGraff vs. Andrew Harper & Richie Riggins

Curtis Shaw vs. Ray Snow

[arwink]

NYCW RUSH HOUR

Saturday, Week 2, January 2020

Bradford Arena, NY – 446 people

 

 

YOUTUBE LIVESTREAM

 

 

“What up, Youtube, this is your boy Charlie Corner, and I’m here with my tag-team partner, Big Dom DeGraff. Say hello, Dom.”

 

 

Dominic DeGraff looks up from the copy of the Hunger Games he’s reading. “Yo,” he says.

 

“Alright. We’re livestreaming to you from backstage here at NYCW’s Rush Hour in New York City,and I gotta tell you, peeps, this place is lit. I mean—Yo! Yo, man. Come check this dude out.”

 

 

Corner flips the phone around, and his YouTube followers are treated to footage of Devastating Dom working his way through a trio of pizzas in the corner of the locker room. Dom looks up, scowls at the rookie pointing a phone in his direction, and barks orders at him to turn the damn thing off. When Corner objects, Devastating Dom hauls his bulk upright and lumbers over to make him.

RATING: 29

 

 

LOCKER ROOM PROMO

 

 

Geoff Bourne sits backstage, head in his hands. He takes a deep breath before cutting his promo. “I keep sitting here, trying to figure out where it all went wrong. It doesn’t seem so long ago that I was a champion in these parts, tearing it up with my buddy NYD, the hottest thing going in the Tri-State. I remember thinking anything was possible—winning the Tri-State title. Winning the Empire title. The world championship. Tonight…I got to the arena and learned I wasn’t even on the card. I was wrestling some rookie in the pre-show, picking up the small-time purse even after I picked up the W. I know things have changed on me, somehow. I’m just not sure how it happened.

 

“Something needs to change, and I know that starts with me, so here’s the promise I’m making to myself and all of y’all—sometime in the next twelve months, I’m going to earn myself a shot at the COTT World Heavyweight Championship belt. I’m going to do everything I can to be the man who tours the world, defending that ten pounds of gold against the best wrestlers in the world.

 

“And if I can do that—if I can’t get that shot—I figure it’s time to turn the page on this career of mine. Pack it in and find a new dream to follow because this one is done. Start the clock, ladies and gentlemen, because I’ve only got twelve months to turn this ship around.

RATING: 49

 

 

IN THE RING

 

 

The Slick Pimp Daddy, Ernie Turner, stands in the middle of the ring. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are in Bradford Arena, New York, New York, and you are here for New York City Wrestling’s Rush Hour 2020. We’ve got an outstanding night of wrestling ere for your tonight—Hawkeye Calhoun is taking on the COTT World Chammpion, Pablo Rodriguez. Happy Elwood is taking on—”

 

 

The fans drown out Turner’s hype as Animal Harker pushes his way through the curtain and heads down to the ring. He apologises for interrupting proceedings, but his blood’s been boiling ever since he got back from Japan and watched the DVD of NYCWs last show. It seems Phil Vibert decided to make a name for his new client by running down the Animal, and that don’t sit right with the Wildman of NYCW. Especially since Vibert implied that Harker doesn’t care about the fans. “It seem to me, this is a really easy problem for us rectify,” Harker says. “I’m here, and I hear Vibert’s backstage with his boy Quentin Queen. Since he makes such a big deal on delivering on his commitments, why don’t they drag their asses out and we take care of that match right now?”

 

 

Their fans roar their approval for this idea, but Phil Vibert doesn’t seem into it when he makes his way down to the ring. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your time this evening. My name is Phil Vibert, and I am the advocate for the next big thing in pro-wrestling, Quentin Queen. Like all of you, I’m a fan of this great sport we call pro-wrestling, and like you I see the merit of seeing my client step into the ring with a physical specimen like Animal Harker and seeing what happens when they throw down.

 

“But that’s not how this business works, and I think Mr Harker knows that. That match cannot happen tonight for two reasons—the first, and most important, lies in the fact that Quentin Queen isn’t a contracted talent scheduled to

wrestle

for New York City Wrestling. Last week—when Mister Harker decided Japan was more important than his commitment here—was meant to be the opportunity that

earned

my client that distinction.

 

“Fortunately for Quentin, my endorsement at last week’s show has generated interest across the Confederated Territories of wrestling. I’ve fielded calls from Mid-Atlantic Wrestling, Coast Zone, and OLLIE. From Total Championship Wrestling, who offered a fraction of the money my client deserves, and none of the opportunity. Right now, Larry Vessey has yet to offer a competitive contract that might entice my client to this company…but he’s tempted. Very tempted. Congratulations, Mister Harker, you’ve just made my client more money by not-wrestling him than the winner’s purse ever could.

 

“But the other reason that match can’t happen is because you’re already scheduled to wrestle tonight, Mister Harker. Mister Vessey was so impressed with my client’s professionalism last week that when we couldn’t come to terms for a match tonight, he asked if I knew of anybody who might want to take his place. Naturally, I suggested a few names, and one of those informed me he’d been booked to wrestle here. I gave him a name…and that match has been booked for at least five days.

 

“And I know you know this, Mister Harker, because despite your self-described “wild man” status you have access to a phone and email. Which makes this challenge you’ve made out here tonight a shallow exercise in trying to save face after being called out in your absence.

 

“So, if you’ll excuse me, Mister Harker, I’d like to dispense with this charade and introduce these fine people to the man you

will

be wrestling tonight. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you a two-time Mid-Atlantic Wrestling tag-team champion…a two-time CGC Canadian champion with the DeColts…the prettiest man in wrestling today, and a damned fine wrestler who understands what it takes to hustle in this business…’Pretty Boy’ Ozzie Goldstein!”

 

 

Goldstein steps through the curtain, resplendent in a glittering robe with plumes of peacock feather jutting over the shoulders. He shakes hands with Vibert, nods to Turner, and fixes a cold stare on Harker. He takes the microphone off Vibert.

 

“Animal, I’ve watched your tapes and I know you’re a hell of a wrestler. Tough, hard-hitting, and dangerous in that ring…but brother, I gotta tell you, I’m just as tough and dangerous as you, and right now you’re standing between me and a full-time contract with this company. Believe me when I tell you, I don’t plan on letting you be an obstacle.”

RATING: 43

 

 

vs.

 

CURTIS SHAW vs. RAY SNOW

 

This starts hot, with Ray Snow jumping Shaw before the bell in an effort to gain an advantage over the big man. Shaw weathers a series of heavy chops, pushes his way free, then takes Snow down with a stiff yakuza kick to establish control. The big man hammers his opponent, but Snow surprises Shaw with an armbar and quickly takes the bigger man down to the mat.

 

From there, Snow has control and fights to keep the bout on the canvas as much as possible in what follows. Shaw struggles against the technician, but ultimately rallies and builds up the momentum he needs to take control again. A big suplex is followed by a brutal Curb Stomp, and Shaw’s picked up his second victory in NYCW.

 

Curtis Shaw defeated Ray Snow in 7:55 by pinfall. RATING 30

 

 

Shaw rolls out of the ring just as Devastating Don comes charging through the curtains with a surprising amount of speed. The Immovable Object of NYCW proves to be a pretty effective wrecking ball once he’s in motion—he catches Shaw off-guard and smashes the big man into the ring apron, all four hundred and twenty-three pounds of Don impacting the small of Shaw’s back against wood and steel.

 

Shaw goes down, back arched in pain, and Don stands over him with a satisfied look. He goes over to the guard rail and steals a beer from a fan, pulls a slice of celebratory pizza from his tights, and heads back to the curtain with the smug look.

RATING: 30

 

 

vs,

w/

 

CHARLIER CORNER & DOMINIC DeGRAFF vs. ANDREW HARPER & RICHIE RIGGINS w/Cheerleader Nicki

 

The most pointed thing about this match—noted by the commentary team—is that Andrew Harper is up and wrestling not seven days after going through a table with Riley McManus. The question is whether he’s simply tougher, or because he’s willing to find a way around the rules about not wrestling when you’re injured.

 

It makes Harper the focus of the match—both because Corner and DeGraff target him, and because his explosive offense inflicts the most damage. Despite this, he can’t quite square the match away, and it’s ultimately Richie Riggins who picks up the pinfall on Charlie Corner after hitting the Body Bag

 

Richie Riggins & Andrew Harper defeated Corner & DeGraff in 9:52 when Richie Riggins pinned Charlie Corner. RATING: 27

 

 

 

Larry Vessey heads down to the ring as Harper and Riggins celebrate, calling for a microphone along the way. He warns Harper that he’s about to call Riley McManus out here—and warns everyone that any interaction will see people suspended for six months.

 

 

Once Riley makes his entrance, Vessey gets down to brass tacks. “Seven days ago, the two of you had one hell of a match. A match that damn near killed the both of you when you put yourselves through a table at ringside. Six days ago, both of you contacted my office to request a rematch against the other. I’m here to tell you that won’t be happening.”

 

Both men voice their objection, and Vessey raises his hands to stop them. “I know you want it, but right now temperatures are running hot, and I don’t intend to let you kill one-another in my ring. You both need some time to cool off, so I don’t want you in the ring together until the King of New York in March. If you still want to tear strips off one-another then, you can do it with ten other men between you, and damn the consequences. But if either of you lay hands on the other before then, you’ll be fined and suspended for it.

 

“That’s the stick, now here’s the carrot—if you make it King of New York without touching one another, your next match will be to determine who gets a shot at the World Championship. If one of you breaks and attacks the other, it’s the victim that will get the title shot at his next opportunity. Do the two of you understand me?”

 

McManus nods without hesitation. Harper stares at McManus for a long while, as if gauging the cost to benefit, but ultimately he nods as well.

RATING: 34

 

 

NYCW TRI-STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

 

vs.

 

FREEDOM EAGLE vs. DENNY KING

 

There’s nothing pretty about this one. Freedom Eagle falls into his natural role of underdog here, a sparkplug brawler up against a bigger, stronger, and more experienced opponent. None of this stops him from taking the fight straight to the newly-crowned champ, trading throws and lariats with abandon as they struggle for dominance.

 

 

To everyone’s surprise, Eagle holds his own for longer than expected, and his loss has more to do with Luca Sacramoni causing the distraction on one side of the ring while Vito Pirelli ambushes Eagle from behind while the ref’s attention is elsewhere. Denny King wastes no time capitalising on the attack, making the cover and picking up three.

 

Denny King defeated Freedom Eagle in 14:10 by pinfall. Denny King makes defence number one of the NYCW Tri-State Regional title. RATING: 36

 

 

 

“Sweet Sal” DiMeo strolls through the curtain, Machine Gun Marino dancing around him like an overexcited puppy looking to impress a bigger dog. Denny King wisely finds somewhere else to be as the DiMeo family climb into the ring and surround Freedom Eagle. Sal lights a cigar, grabs Eagle’s mask by the eyeholes, and lifts the groggy Eagle’s head off the canvas. “Have you got the message yet?” DiMeo asks. “If you take from me and my family, Eagle, then we’re going to take back. If you tell me you understand, all the beatings, they can stop.”

 

Eagle, groggy, attempts to throw a punch. It sails a good foot wide of it’s intended target.

 

Sal DiMeo shakes his head. “Boys, take him out.”

 

And the Family proceeds to stomp the hell out of Eagle while he’s already down.

RATING: 29

 

 

vs.

 

CROCKET TUBBS vs. THE NEW YORK DOLL

 

I’ve booked this match, essentially, because I want one of these guys to go out there and show me something. They’re both veterans in our locker room, guys with a long tenure with the company and plenty of ring-time developing their skills. They’ve both been working their characters so long they could do it in their sleep. And they’re both wrestlers who are, physically, not so obviously athletic.

 

Tubbs has the beginnings of a dad bod going—not overweight, but he lacks the toned definition even the slimmest of our boys tends to manage. Doll is rail-thin and lanky, a violent sparkplug who wrestles with spite and aggression because he’s never really looked like one of the boys. Neither is skilled enough to overcome these things and break free of the pack on talent alone, although Doll has the bigger upside because of the character he’s cultivated, which is custom-built to be a heel in the respect-oriented culture that dominates NYCW.

 

It’s a pretty even match, shifting gears between Doll’s spiteful brawler and Tubbs more technical approach, but the ending hinges on Doll taking off a turnbuckle cover and suplexing his opponent into the exposed steel. He promptly follows the move with a Punk-N-Nasty and picks up the three-count.

 

The New York Doll defeated Crockett Tubbs in 14:49 by pinfall. RATING: 32

 

 

 

Doll rolls out of the ring and grabs Rock Downpours headset, making use of the microphone. “When they booked me against Happy Elwood last week, I assumed it was a rib,” he says. “I didn’t prepare the way I should have, and I didn’t take him seriously. Well, now he’s got a win over me, and people think I should be embarrassed to get beaten by Beaver Cleaver’s more wholesome older brother.

 

“But I’m not embarrassed. I’m excited. Beating on idiots like Happy Elwood is what a guy like me lives for, and now I’ve got a reason to ask for a rematch and really go to town.”

RATING: 42

 

 

vs.

 

ANIMAL HARKER vs. OZZIE GOLDSTEIN

 

One thing that gets noted by commentary, as the match wears on, is just how

well

Animal Harker has done his research and scouted a lot of Ozzie Goldstein’s regular arsenal of moves. The Wildman has counters for a lot of Goldstein’s opening forays, maintaining control of the bout with ease, and the commentators ponder how much truth there may be in Vibert’s accusations earlier this evening.

 

The problem with scouting Goldstein is that he’s got an incredibly deep well of moves and a penchant for innovation. When Harker thwarts him, Ozzie immediately switches gears, using a thumb to the eye to stall the Wildman’s momentum and taking the match down to the mat. There’s a particularly impressive moment when Goldstein sees Harker on his knees in the centre of the ring, and promptly snaps off a rana that plunges the kneeling man face first into the mat with far more velocity than the rana normally gets when used on a standing opponent.

 

Harker takes a lot of punishment, but soon mounts a comeback, firing back with big forearms as he batters Golstein around the ring. He picks up pace and starts to dump Goldstein into the mat with a series of big moves.

 

 

Then Phil Vibert struts down to ringside with Quentin Quin at his side. Both men smirk at Harker from the floor, talking strategy among themselves. Harker is primed for trouble, so he immediately splits his attention between Goldstein and Vibert, and Goldstein capitalises on his distraction in minutes. A Golden Shower puts Harker down and earns the debuting Golstein a victory.

 

Ozzie Goldstein defeated Animal Harker in 20:27 by pinfall with a Golden Shower. RATING: 38

 

 

 

Harker gets to his feet after the mat and snarls at Vibert, then turns and throws a wild punch at Ozzie Golstein when Ozzie moves to place himself between Vibert and the Wildman. Harker is furious and spoiling for a fight, and he fixes his eyes on Queen with a smile.

 

Which is when Phil Vibert holds up a finger and claims a microphone. “None of that, Mister Harker. It’s neither the time nor the place. Mr Queen and I are merely out here to congratulate Ozzie Goldstein on his hardfought victory…and the news that he’ll now be offered a full-time contract with NYCW.”

 

Harker makes another lunge at Goldstein, who ducks under the ropes to avoid it.

 

“No!” Vibert shouts. “Bad Wildman! Bad!”

 

The absurdity of the admonishment catches everyone off guard, even Harker. Vibert retreats a step and adjust his suit jacket. “Before you do something I might regret, Mister Harker, I should inform you that I’ve prepared for this eventuality and taken precautions. In fact, I believe that precaution is on its way down to the ring, right about…” Vibert checks his watch “…now to take care of my problem.”

 

 

The hulking Super Massive Destroyer charges down to the ring and grabs hold of Animal Harker, laying the Wildman low with a big powerbomb. Phil Vibert gets into the ring with Queen, and they both stand over the fallen Harker.

 

“One thing you should remember, Mister Harker, is that I always do my homework. I know about your temper. I know about your lack of control. And I know when I need a bodyguard to ensure my safety, and my client’s.

 

“Think about that, when you regain consciousness and watch back this part of the tape. You can do what you like in a match, up to and including every form of punishment permitted by the rules, but the moment you cross that line after the bell is rung, well...” Vibert looks up at Destoyer “…you may notice I have no hesitation in deploying a nuclear deterrent to avoid future trouble.”

RATING: 34

 

 

BACKSTAGE PROMO

 

 

We go backstage, where Hawkeye Calhoun is warming up for his match later tonight. He’s got the biggest match of his life tonight, a one-on-one clash with the COTT World Champion, Pablo Rodriguez, with the title on the line. He doesn’t know if he’s got what it takes to pin a champion and claim the belt—but he can promise he’s leaving all on the matt and fight with everything he’s got.

RATING: 52

 

 

FOUR CORNER SURVIVAL

 

vs.

vs.

vs.

 

MASKED STRANGER vs. DEVESTATING DON vs. LA STAR #1 vs. SAL DiMEO

 

Masked Stranger is our first submission specialist in a Four Corner survival, and he quickly discovers the additional challenge searching for a submission presents under this stipulation. There’s

always

someone there to break a hold, even if they drag their feet until until the very last moment so both Stranger and his victim are forced to exert energy.

 

Meanwhile, Devastating Don emerges as an unlikely favourite under the stipulation, if only because he stands tall in the centre of the ring and forces everyone to wrestle him there. He can’t be dragged to the corner to force a tag, nor pulled under the bottom rope, which means all three other men in the match are forced to join forces if they want any hope of knocking the big man down.

 

The big man goes on a tear in the final moments of the ring. He knocks Sweet Sal DiMeo off his feet with a shoulder block, and then takes out Masked Stranger with a ringshaker legdrop. Don makes the cover on Stranger…and LA Star takes advantage of the big man being so close to the canvas. The masked Star comes off the top rope and nails Don with a double-foot stop to the head, connecting hard enough that Star #1 gets the three-count.

 

LA Star #1 defeated Masked Stranger, Devastating Don and Sal DiMeo in 10:07 when LA Star #1 pinned Devastating Don. RATING: 31

 

 

NYCW TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

 

vs.

 

THE CASEY BROTHERS vs. THE BOYS FROM THE YUKON

 

A good, solid tag-team brawl between a pair of rugged babyfaces and some towering backwoods heels. There’s nothing particularly innovative here, but sometimes you don’t need innovation when you’ve got four rugged, hard-hitting men fighting for a title. Chuck Casey gets caught I the wrong part of town and worked over by the champions, but he makes the hot tag to his brother Tully and it’s one of the biggest cheers the crowd give in the first half of the show. Everyone wants to see the local boys take it home, but Howlin’ Mad Mort picks up the pinfall on chuck after the Boys hit the Tiiiiiiiiiiimber!

 

The Boys From The Yukon defeated The Casey Brothers in 12:06 when Howlin' Mad Mort pinned Chuck Casey. RATING: 31

 

 

IN-RING PROMO

 

 

Tennessee William and his acoustic guitar make their way down to the ring. He calls for a mic, and cuts a promo about the way his hands tingle every time the World Heavyweight Champion is in the building. It’s like the ten pounds of gold is calling his name, reaching out to him from the glorious future where he’s crowned champion. The great tragedy is that Pablo Rodriguez is here, and Tennessee William isn’t the man whose challenging him in the main event…

RATING: 60

 

 

vs.

 

HAPPY ELWOOD vs. TENNESSEE WILLIAM

 

Much of the commentary focuses on Happy Elwood’s history as the undercard guy of USPW, and the way it must gal him that his best friend Nicky Champion went on to become one of the biggest stars in the world while Elwood went to hone is craft on the independent scene. Beneath the wholesome image he presents, there’s a heart of a competitor with something to prove…and he sets out to do exactly that as he lays into NYCW’s top talent in Tennessee William.

 

It’s safe to say Tennessee wasn’t expecting this to be a tough fight, and he pays for taking Elwood lightly in the opening minutes. Happy gets the bigger man down and picks up a two-count early, sticks on him when Tennessee tries to create a little space. Even the attempt to go to ringside and stall isn’t safe for our former champion—Elwood flies through the ropes with a big dive that wipes Tennessee out.

 

It’s a strong start, and it gets Elwood noticed…but it also signals the point that Tennessee William starts to treat this like a serious fight, and he proceeds to cheat his way into a dominant position and take control of the match. Elwood weathers the storm, but he’s a lighter man than Brutus Milano and finds himself on the receiving end of big slams and throws for the rest of the match. Occasional comebacks keep things competitive, but ultimately Elwood falls to the Devils Crossroad.

 

Tennessee William defeated Happy Elwood in 19:59 by pinfall. RATING: 47

 

 

 

There’s a commotion at the curtain as an angry Brutus Milano emerges, fighting against a swarm of security guards, plus members of the locker room like Geoff Borne and Ray Snow, who are desperately trying to restrain the Italian Strongman. Milano is basically fighting against a half-dozen bodies, making forward progress as he shouts warnings at William and promises all kinds of payback.

 

 

William takes in the scene and grabs his guitar, holding it like a baseball bat as he warns everyone to keep Milano away. He gives ground as Milano advances, desperately searching for a way out, and eventually decides to flee through the crowd when it’s clear nobody is going to be able to halt Brutus Milano’s advance.

RATING: 46

 

 

COTT WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

 

vs.

 

HAWKEYE CALHOUN vs. PABLO RODRIGUEZ

 

There’s a big fight feel to this one, buoyed by the aura surrounding the legendary Pablo Rodriguez and the ten pounds of gold he carries. No-one thinks Calhoun is the favorite—not even the wrestler himself—but it’s a young guy getting a chance to grab the brass ring and every wrestling fan secretly hopes for that one-in-a-million moment when the new blood rises to the challenge.

 

And, as Ernie Turner points out, Hawkeye Calhoun definitely has the ability—underneath the mask and the gimmick beats the heart of a man who loves wrestling with all his heart. He’s got the talent, he’s got the drive, and all he needs is three good seconds to achieve the victory of a lifetime.

 

Both men start this one slow, circling one-another and testing defences. It’s soon clear that Calhoun has scouted his opponent far better than Rodriguez has scouted him, but that’s what it means to be a champ going from territory to territory. To be the top guy means being ready to adapt your plans on the fly, because there’s always more footage of you out there than the guy that you’re fighting for the belt.

 

Calhoun gets a strong run, but the experience of Rodriguez is an edge he can’t get past—everything the younger wrestler tries is something Rodriguez has a counter to, and the stuff that works largely does so because Calhoun moves a mite faster or shows an agility Rodriguez wasn’t counting on the masked man being able to deploy. A final burst of speed in the closing sequence gets the crowd on edge, but Rodriguez ends up ducking a clothesline, taking Calhoun down with a drop toe hold, and finishing the masked man with a Sinner’s Slavation to retain the COTT World Heavyweight Title.

 

Pablo Rodriguez defeated Hawkeye Calhoun in 24:57 by pinfall. RATING: 51

 

 

SHOW RATING: 51