NYCW: The Tri-State Hustle

[arwink]

POSTED TO THE NYCW YOUTUBE CHANNEL

 

PARKING LOT ASSAULT

 

Charlie Corner is filming a post-show livestream when he and Dominic DeGraff are jumped by the DiMeo family heading to the car. There’s a blur of motion as the beatdown begins, then Sal DiMeo claims the phone and cuts a promo while his boys take care of business.

 

“No matter what happens, you gotta know, you ain’t going to stop us. You beat us in the ring, and we’ll take care of business outside. You come at us on the streets, and we’ll come back with bats and crowbars. You get yourself a knife, and we’ll load up on guns. The only way you beat the Family is if you put all of us in the ground, because if you don’t…”

 

Sal turns the camera as Vito and Luca damn near break DeGraff in two by spiking him into the hood of a car.

 

 

Then there’s a shout as the Casey boys hear the commotion, and the Family makes a break for it as Chuck and Tully come over. They claim the phone and help Charlie Corner to his feet…but it’s clear from the way he’s twisted up on the ground that Big Dom DeGraff has been injured in the assault.

RATING: 21

 

 

BACKSTAGE CONFRONTATION

 

 

Brutus Milano is unwrapping his wrist tape backstage when Curtis Shaw comes in and stands over him. Milano rises and meets Shaw’s stare, neither man backing down, and Shaw cuts a short promo offering the champ respect—it took guts to go out there and put that belt up when he didn’t have too. Shaw still plans on coming after that belt one day, but today he wanted to shake the hand of the champ.Shaw offers his hands…but before Milano can take it there’s a mocking round of applause from a nearby doorway.

 

 

The New York Doll sneers at the pair. He mocks Shaw for his ambition, pointing out that NYCW will never give him a chance to make it big—Shaw’s too street. Too much of a thug. He’s not a clean-cut Italian athlete like Milano or a goody-two-shoes boy next door. “Kid, take it from someone who knows, you’re going nowhere trying to play this game their way. They don’t want you here, and Milano’s got too much ego to return your respect the way you want.”

 

For a moment Shaw hesitates, almost swayed by the punk’s words, but Milano makes a point of reaching out and grasping the big Puerto Rican’s hands, glaring daggers at Doll as he shakes.

RATING: 32

 

 

POST-SHOW ASSAULT

 

 

Post-show footage from Way of the Warrior sees a shocked Tennessee William trying to work out exactly how he lost, even as the fans chant “hey-hey-hey, goodbye.”

 

Riley McManus and Masked Stranger take the sting out of things, offering William the respect of a handshake and putting him over to the crowd leaving the ring. William pulls himself together and cuts one last promo…and surprises everyone when he takes the time to put over NYCW and his opponents, blaming everything that happened on his own ambition. He informs the fans that he is going to go away, but that doesn’t mean he’s taking it easy. Every day he’ll be training and working on his craft, preparing for a return where he will rise to the top and—

 

“OH MY GOD! DENNY KING JUST BUSTED TENNESSEE WILLIAM OPEN!”

 

Rock Downpour’s call features more emotion than the post-show angle has ever had, marking King smashing William in the face with the Tri-State Championship and laying Tennessee low with a piledriver.

 

It’s the most vicious, bloody assault to take place in a NYCW ring for some kind…almost like something the Tri-State fans would be more likely to see at PSW…and it leaves Tennessee William getting stretchered out in his final moments with the company.

RATING: 42

 

 

 

Coming up at COTT WRESTLING SHOWCASE NYC

Broadcast Live on WrestleWorld

 

Brutus Milano (NYCW) & FRANKIE PEREZ (CZCW) vs. PABLO RODRIGUEZ (OLLIE) & ERNEST YOUNGMAN (NYCW)

NYCW Showcase: Animal Harker vs. Quentin Queen

COTT WORLD TAG-TEAM TITLES: The American Cobras (CZCW) vs. THE BOYS FROM THE YUKON (NYCW)

NYCW TRI-STATE TITLE: Masked Cougar (CZCW) vs. Denny King (NYCW)

NYCW SHOWCASE: Curtis Shaw & Happy Elwood vs. The New York Doll & Andrew Harper

COTT JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAPIONSHIP: Miller Fforde (MAW) vs. Louis Monterio Jr (OLLIE) vs. Hugh De Aske (IPW)

INTER-PROMOTIONAL OPEN CHALLENGE: Charlie Corner vs. ????

[BHK1978]

Brutus Milano (NYCW) & FRANKIE PEREZ (CZCW) vs. PABLO RODRIGUEZ (OLLIE) & ERNEST YOUNGMAN (NYCW)

 

Frankie is one of my favorites so I am legally obligated to not pick against him.

 

NYCW Showcase: Animal Harker vs. Quentin Queen

 

COTT WORLD TAG-TEAM TITLES: The American Cobras (CZCW) vs. THE BOYS FROM THE YUKON (NYCW)

 

NYCW TRI-STATE TITLE: Masked Cougar (CZCW) vs. Denny King (NYCW)

 

NYCW SHOWCASE: Curtis Shaw & Happy Elwood vs. The New York Doll & Andrew Harper

 

COTT JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAPIONSHIP: Miller Fforde (MAW) vs. Louis Monterio Jr (OLLIE) vs. Hugh De Aske (IPW)

 

INTER-PROMOTIONAL OPEN CHALLENGE: Charlie Corner vs. ????

[Zergon]

Brutus Milano (NYCW) & FRANKIE PEREZ (CZCW) vs. PABLO RODRIGUEZ (OLLIE) & ERNEST YOUNGMAN (NYCW)

Bit of a oin flip as I could see this one going either way depending on what the plan is for Milano and Youngman. My current assumption is that Youngman is going to be the one taking the belt off from Milano and thus I have Milano getting the first win here.

 

NYCW Showcase: Animal Harker vs. Quentin Queen

Won´t be clean but thinking Queen gets the first win via interference

 

COTT WORLD TAG-TEAM TITLES: The American Cobras (CZCW) vs. THE BOYS FROM THE YUKON (NYCW)

Would usually go with Cobras but I doubt you want them to drop the tag belts quite yet.

 

NYCW TRI-STATE TITLE: Masked Cougar (CZCW) vs. Denny King (NYCW)

I would probably go the other way if title wouldn´t be on the line just to give outsiders win here and there to not make it look like they all here just to job. That said, I don´t see you putting a belt into someone not in your roster so King retains here.

 

NYCW SHOWCASE: Curtis Shaw & Happy Elwood vs. The New York Doll & Andrew Harper

Bit of a coin flip but I rate heels slighly higher at the moment.

 

COTT JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAPIONSHIP: Miller Fforde (MAW) vs. Louis Monterio Jr (OLLIE) vs. Hugh De Aske (IPW)

Champion is going to retain but I have no idea who is the champ so going with De Aske since he´s the one I´m most familiar with.

 

INTER-PROMOTIONAL OPEN CHALLENGE: Charlie Corner vs. ????

Thinking this is the spot were outsider gets win over one of your own talent.

[arwink]

 

COTT WRESTLING SHOWCASE NYC

Monday, Week 1, March 2020

Live from Bradford Arena, NY, in front of 497

Broadcast on WrestleWorld to 21,568 viewers

 

 

IN-RING PROMO

 

 

The show opens with Charlie Corner in the ring, staring down the camera. “This is New York City, the Wrestling Showcase of the Confederation of the Territories, and if you’ve never seen us before there’s just one thing you got to know.

 

“We don’t talk. We FIGHT.

 

“So if there’s someone backstage who wants to throw down with me, Charlie Corner is calling you out!”

 

 

There is a pause as all eyes focus on the curtain, and a huge pop when the man who steps through is the COTT World Champion Pablo Rodriguez. The champ heads to the ring with a a singular focus, hands the belt to the referee, and the show kicks off with an impromptu title match.

RATING: 36

 

 

COTT WORLD HEAVYEWIGHT TITLE

 

vs.

 

CHARLIE CORNER vs. PABLO RODRIGUEZ

 

Corner wastes no time here—he knows he’s outclassed, but the opportunity is to big to waste, so he goes straight to throwing elbows at Rodriguez’s jaw, hoping to capitalise on the puncher’s chance and score a knock-out. Rodriguez doesn’t spend long on the back foot—he reverses, nails Corner in the head with an enziguri, and proceeds to take the youngster to town in a fast-past match that quickly sees Rodriguez hit the Sinner’s Slavation.

 

Pablo Rodriguez defeated Charlie Corner in 4:15 by pinfall. RATING: 40

 

 

POST-MATCH CONFRONTATION

 

 

Rodriguez holds the title high, but his celebration is interrupted by NYCW’s Empire Champion, Brutus Milano, who congratulates Rodriguez on a great title match, but points out that a real champ takes on the hottest challengers. Milano puts over his credentials as the man who has held the top spot at NYCW for months, demanding a title shot.

 

 

Milano is then interrupted by CZCW stand-out Frankie Perez, the King of the West Coast, who lays out his own credentials as a man who has taken on all comers and is widely agreed to be the next number one contender.

 

 

Which then brings out Ernest Youngman, the outside thread, who had to dominate the East Coast Indie Scene for five years before a COTT company even considered giving him a shot. They kept throwing up excuses about his hardcore credentials, disparaging his involvement in an outlaw fed like PSW, completely ignoring the fact their world champion built his career in DAVE! And since Milano is ducking Youngman, refusing to give him a shot at the Empire title, Youngman is here to jump the queue and go straight for the belt he deserves.

 

Rodriguez holds up his hands, calls for the mic and delivers a simple message: “I’ll fight anyone who wants to fight. The three of you sort out who gets the shot.”

 

He then turns, making for the ropes…and as the three contenders square off, Rodriguez comes back with a belt shot to Milano and starts a furious brawl with Youngman and Perez.

RATING: 43

 

 

PRE-TAPED VIGNETTE

 

 

Rock Downpour throws to this vignette by declaring Hawkeye Calhoun “the Heart & Soul of NYC,” and Hawkeye Calhoun ponders the city’s years of sporting excellence as he wanders the bleachers of Yankee Stadium. He wanted to be part of that, and he dreams of holding championships as he represents NYCW to the COTT and the World.

RATING: 50

 

 

COTT WORLD JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

ELIMINATION MATCH

 

vs.

vs.

 

MILLER FFORDE vs. LUIS MONTERO JR vs. HUGH DE ASKE

 

Rock Downpour does his best to get the credentials of all three men over, but he’s undercut by an indignant Ernie Turner demanding to know why NYCW doesn’t have any representatives in this match to crown the first Junior Heavyweight champion in the COTT.

 

Things quickly settle down as the action kicks off, with the three men delivering a high-quality cruiserweight bout that’s filled with high-speed action. Miller Fforde is a natural underdog here—a recent winner of the Rip Chord Invitational that is giving up years of experience to the veterans Montero and De Aske—and he gets knocked out of the ring by a Montero dropkick to buy the EILL vet time to put the greater threat away.

 

But you should never trust a pirate to fight fair, and De Aske cheats his way to a dominant position within a few minutes. He eliminates Montero Jr at 5:45 with a Pirate Plunge diving senton.

 

This leaves the comparatively junior Miller Fforde, still trying to shake off the effects of a hard bump to the floor, but no matter what De Aske pulls he can’t quite put the young kid away. Fforde fights back from everything, showing enormous heart, and as De Aske searches for a combination that will work he gets caught by a superkick and a quick cover.

 

Miller Fforde defeated Luis Montero Jr and Hugh de Aske in an Elimination match in 10:19. Miller Fforde wins the COTT World Junior Heavyweight title.

RATING: 32

 

 

POST-MATCH CONFRONTATION

 

 

Miller Fforde stands tall in the middle of the ring, his newly-won Junior Heavyweight Championship held above his head

 

 

Phil Vibert’s music hits and the advocate for the future hits the ring. Vibert goes through his usual spiel before congratulating Fforde on becoming the inaugural Junior Heavyweight champion.

 

Vibert would like to assure Miller Fforde he has nothing to fear from Vibert International—after all, Vibert’s focused on promoting and developing the career of the hottest thing in wrestling, Quentin Queen, who is focused on the heavyweight ranks.

 

But diversification is the name of the game in business, and championships are a currency Phil Vibert can’t ignore. So Vibert would like the new champion to say hello to Vibert International’s newest signing—“Ice Cold” Ray Snow.

 

 

Snow strolls down to the ring and squares off against the new champ. For a moment it seems like violence will ensue, but Snow settles for offering Fforde handshake and a warning to enjoy the new belt while it lasts.

RATING: 35

 

 

VIDEO PACKAGE

 

“They told me to be ashamed of my name”

 

The voice that kicks of the vignette is familiar, but the shots are all focused on the speaker’s back as he walks down a Brooklyn street.

 

“As a kid, they used to call me chicken. Taunted me with it all through first grade, right up until I hit Junior High and the first growth spurt hit. I landed a spot on my school’s wrestling team, started racking up the wins.

 

“Then I went pro, and everybody told me I couldn’t make it under my own name. ‘Nobody will buy tickets to see that guy. You’ve gotta become someone else.’ But I was stubborn, and didn’t want to be someone else. I wanted to stand tall, proud of the man I was, and the people I came from.

 

“I made it to the big show. The Eisen’s called me up. They gave me a name of their own creation, took ownership of it after they fired me. ‘It doesn’t matter if everyone calls you that, your name belongs to us.’

 

“And nobody wanted me under my old name after that. Every promotor found their own way to hint at who I had been. They started calling me Rayne Man, not even bothering to make it sound like it was a real name in any way.

 

“Until Larry Vessey called. Until he asked me to come to NYCW, and promised me I could wrestle under the name my momma gave me.”

 

The wrestler comes to the steps of Bradford Hall, and the camera pans around to reveal the confident smile.

 

 

“As of today, I’m putting NYC and the COTT on notice—the Real Deal, Greg Henn, has arrived.”

RATING: 43

 

 

BACKSTAGE PROMO

 

 

Ozzie Goldstein starts a promo in front of the NYCW banner, calling out the fact he’s been left off the show, when the camera is pulled away by a nearby commotion.

 

 

We pan to see Milano locked in a furious brawl with COTT champion Pablo Rodriguez, which quickly sees Ernest Youngman and Frankie Perez get involved. Fists fly and bodies are thrown into walls, right up until a swarm of undercard wrestlers charge in to break things up.

RATING: 40

 

 

IN-RING PROMO

 

 

Doll cuts a promo about how much he hates the Confederation of the Territories because they look down on Misfits like him, then congratulate themselves about throwing him a bone like a tag-team match on the showcase.

 

At the same time, he congratulates Curtis Shaw for attempting to play the game. When they threw him the same opportunity, he chose a tag-team partner so clean-cut it hurts. And that’s not going to work: “it doesn’t matter that you stand beside Happy Elwood, Curtis. You’re still going to be the thug. The gang member. The punk.”

 

 

Doll doesn’t want to win by playing their game, so he’s picked a fellow misfit for his partner—Andrew Harper—whose got some aggression to work out.

RATING: 27

 

 

vs.

 

HAPPY ELWOOD & CURTIS SHAW vs. THE NEW YORK DOLL & ANDREW HARPER

 

There’s an obvious mismatch between the aggression of Shaw and Elwood’s preference to fight from beneath, but they come into this with a game plan and throw all focus on Doll’s right leg. Meanwhile, Harper and Doll trap Elwood in their corner and work him over, with Shaw taking every opportunity to taunt Shaw and get a rise.

 

Elwood only manager to get the hot tag after nailing Harper with a step up enziguri, and Shaw damn near took Harper’s head off with a clothesline as he hits the ring. Harper gets to his feet and demands more, and soon the two big men are trading elbows and strikes in the ring, building intensity until Shaw knocks harper down and Doll needs to break-up the count.

 

 

Things explode form there, all four men in and out of the ring until the action spills to the floor. Which is where things go wrong for Shaw, because Devestating Don hits ringside and bulldozes Shaw into a guard rail, feeding him back into the ring where Doll hits the Punk-N- Nasty.

 

Andrew Harper and The New York Doll defeated Curtis Shaw and Happy Elwood in 20:06 when The New York Doll pinned Curtis Shaw. RATING: 36

 

 

ANNOUNCE DESK

 

 

We cut to the announce desk, where Rock Downpour and Ernie Turner thank everyone for joining them at the COTT’s first broadcast event. It’s always great action when representatives of all five territories come together…and we’ve seen that all through tonight.

 

More importantly, the COTT has authorized an inter promotional tag match for our main event—Brutus Milano and Frankie Perez will be taking on Pablo Rodriguez and Ernest Youngman.

RATING: 32

 

 

COTT WORLD TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

 

vs.

 

THE AMERICAN COBRAS vs. THE BOYS FROM THE YUKON

 

The former champs get their rematch in front of the NYCW crowd, and once again there’s nothing subtle about the match. Both teams hit hard, both teams cut the ring in half, and both teams are determined to prove they’re the best damn tag-team in the world right now.

 

Storm Spillane starts a chop battle with Mad Mort in the early stages of the match—an exchange that doesn’t end well for the smaller man—his rest chest is a reminder of just how powerful the Boys of the Yukon are even as the Cobras take control and go on the offence.

 

Mort and Whittaker do their best to cut the ring in half and focus their offence, but the Cobras are a skilled team who know all the tricks of staying in the fight. The rapid-fire in-and-out soon build a crescendo that ultimately ends when Spillane goes for a suplex and Whittaker plants his weight, quickly reversing into an Irish Whip and lariat. A quick tag brings Mort in and the Boys hit Tiiiiiiiiimber!, whith Whittaker guarding the ring as the three-count is made.

 

The Boys From The Yukon defeated Marvel Malloy and Storm Spillane in 20:19 when Howlin' Mad Mort pinned Marvel Malloy. RATING: 38

 

 

POST-MATCH CONFRONTATION

 

 

Stranger and Riley McManus muscle their way down through the crowd, the NYCW tag-team titles on their shoulders. McManus takes point on the promo, alerting everyone to the fact that they took the NYCW titles off the Boys from the Yukon, and they would have been carrying the COTT titles if the Confederation had authorized the match.

 

Now they’ve proved their worth as a team, taking on all comers, and McManus wants to know when he and Stranger get their title shots? They keep sitting by the phone, and nobody calls.

 

Whittaker grab a mic, and lets McManus know the Boys don’t need approval for a fight—if he and Stranger have something to prove, the Boys are ready to go right now.

 

The two teams close in on each other and brawl, and security swarms the ring to break things up before it gets out of hand…

RATING: 43

 

 

BACKSTAGE PROMO

 

 

Phil Vibert cuts a short backstage promo, going through his usual spiel before expressing astonishment that Animal Harker has actually showed up for a scheduled match instead of running off to Japan. Tonight we’ll finally find out whether all that training in the land of the rising sun is going to be enough to stop the fastest-rising star in American today, Quentin Queen.

RATING: 47

 

 

vs.

w/

 

ANIMAL HARKER vs. QUENTIN QUEEN w/Phil Vibert

 

Queen goes for the leg early in this one, sweeping Harker off his feet time and again, looking for knee bars and a figure four that sends Animal to the ropes. Queen gets cocky, and Harker makes him pay with a knee strike and a series of hard kicks, but Queen weathers the storm positions himself to lock in a sleeper and take control of the pace once more.

 

The dynamic continues from there—Harker wants the explosive brawl and Queen slows things down at every step, steadily wearing down body parts. A huge German suplex seems like it might be the end to Queens’ plans, especially when Harker follows it with some vicious knees and a big brainbuster, but Queen takes the first of several powders to ringside and turns the tables there.

 

 

A frustrated Harker follows Queen out and deliver a big slap, going on the offensive, and it’s on the arrival of Super Massive Destroyer that prevents him from going on a roll. The rest of the match sees Queen retreat behind Destroyer’s bulk every time he needs a breather, and Harker keeps edging up on the idea of taking a swing at the big man.

 

Eventually he succumbs, and Destroyer swings back, the two of them brawling against the guard rail. Destroyer gets Harker’s arm and smashes against the railing, then holds it in place while Ray Snow comes out and latches on a pair of handcuffs that attach Harker to the rail.

 

Harker loses his mind, realising that he’s trapped as the twenty-count begins, and even his attempt to drag the railing with him isn’t enough. The count hits twenty even as the commentators mention that a rematch between the two is inevitable…

 

Quentin Queen defeated Animal Harker in 20:14 when Animal Harker was counted out. RATING: 36

 

 

BACKSTAGE PROMO

 

 

Sal DiMeo orders his boys to go find Charlie Corner, then cuts a promo as they run off to search. He talks about learning to fight on the streets, and the importance of showing you can keep control of his turf.

 

Machine Gun Marino comes back and informs DiMeo Vito and Luca have found Corner, and DiMeo nods once. He points out that Charlie Corner was destroyed by the COTT World Champion earlier tonight, and that he’ll forever be known as the man who lost the first ever match on WrestleWorld.

 

“Tonight, Charlie Corner showed the world this turf doesn’t belong to him. He can’t hold it and he can’t own it.

 

“Tonight, he showed the world that New York City is ripe for the picking…and that means it’s up to us to show the world otherwise…”

RATING: 26

 

 

NYCW TRI-STATE REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

 

vs.

 

MASKED COUGAR vs. DENNY KING

 

The commentators hype Cougar as a CZCW legend and former COTT World Heavyweight Champion, and the biggest test of Denny King’s young title reign. The masked man goes hard, putting King on the back foot, but King blocks an arm drag and transitions into an crossarm breaker that sends Cougar scrambling for the ropes.

 

The dynamic of the match revolves around the arm after that—King works it with a vengeance and Cougar does everything he can to stay out of reach, relying on big high-impact and high-risk moves to even the odds.

 

Eventually, King catches Cougar as the masked man goes for the top rope, trapping the arm and hitting a hammerlock superplex to pick up the win.

 

Denny King defeated Masked Cougar in 13:38 by pinfall. RATING: 35

 

 

BACKSTAGE PROMO

 

 

Animal Harker is still cuffed to the guard rail backstage, but he swings it at the wall in anger. “Two months of grief,” he snarls. “Two months of calling me out and making threats, two months of calling out every choice I make in my career and talking trash about doing big things…and it leads to this?

 

“I don’t need to tell you this ain’t over, Quentin, because even if you’re dumb enough to believe it, I know that man you got advising you is not. Prepare yourself for the rematch, and prepare yourself for a fight. Because this—”

 

Harker lifts his handcuffed wriest, and smashes the guard rail against the wall one final time.

 

“—this is cheap, and this is cowardly, and this has no place in NYCW-.”

RATING: 47

 

 

vs.

 

BRUTUS MILANO & FRANKIE PEREZ vs. PABLO RODRIGUEZ & ERNEST YOUNGMAN

 

Perez and Youngman start this off, but it isn’t long before Brutus Milano finds his way in. Youngman spends the opening minutes trick to knock Milano off his feet, but the Empire Champion holds firm and responds with some big shoulder blocks that take Youngman down instead.

 

Rodriguez tags in and sets up for a similar exchange…then jabs Milano in the eyes and quickly rolls him up. Milano kicks free and fights back, but Youngman provides a distraction and Rodriguez catches Milano with a shining wizard. The cover is made, and Perez hits the bring to break things up, sparking a breakdown as everyone starts fighting.

 

Order gets restored and the match moves into the next phase, everyone setting up for big moves and unleashing the Everyonelams and throws. Everone looks great, and everyone looks like a threat, but ultimately Rodriguez hits Perez with the Sinner’s salvation and makes the cover, and Youngman cuts off Milano’s attempts to make a save with The HIT.

 

Pablo Rodriguez and Ernest Youngman defeated Brutus Milano and Frankie Perez in 22:27 when Pablo Rodriguez pinned Frankie Perez. RATING: 53

 

 

POST-MATCH SHOWDOWN

 

 

Rodriguez and Youngman get their hand raised, but the goodwill between the pair comes to a screeching halt as Rodriguez collects his title belt and straps it around his waist. He finds himself standing nose-to-nose with Youngman, who openly eyes the COTT Championship.

 

 

Then, when Rodriguez attempts to back off and get some space, he runs straight into Brutus Milano who is equally keen on getting his hands on the COTT Heavyweight Championship.

 

Rodriguez looks from one man to another, hoping to decipher a way out. Youngman charges in, looking for The Hit…

 

…and gets cut off by Milano, who clotheslines him to the floor and gestures for Rodriguez to leave the ring unmolested.

RATING: 44

 

 

SHOW RATING: 48

 

THE NEWS FROM BACKSTAGE

 

I handed out compliments to Animal Harper and Quentin Queen for the way they carried their angle this evening, in addition to heaping praise on Pablo Rodriguez for making the night a success.

 

Loading this many wrestlers who are used to being top dog in their respective territories is always a touchy proposition, simply because of the sheer number of egos and political manoeuvring that needs to be done. Fortunately, all our guests for this show were pros from the outset, with the veteran Masked Cougar setting the tone by bringing a crate of drinks.

 

Miller Fforde doesn’t have the seniority of Cougar, but he does have a knack for art. He did a bunch of caricatures backstage, memorializing the inaugural show, that won over a lot of the boys.

 

Brutus Milano caught our newest signing, Sean Noggin, in a dark match and wasn’t impressed. He thinks the kid is clumsy, and liable to get someone hurt.

 

Meanwhile, new signing Greg Henn is hugely impressed with Charlie Corner, who got a huge pop with his opening promo. “His advice: Push the kid hard and fast. He could go all the way to the top.”

 

[Pteroid]

Hell yeah, push Charlie!

[arwink]

POSTED TO THE NYCW YOUTUBE CHANNEL

 

POST-SHOW PRESS CONFERENCE

 

The press gang is asking Miller Fforde questions about his newly won Junior Heavyweight Belt, and his ambitions to make it the most prestigious belt in the COTT by taking on the best of the best. The question of number one contenders is brought up, and Fforde makes it clear he’s already looking ahead to Deadly Deadshot and Zombie Boy over in IPW, Frankie Boy Fernandez in CZCW, and yeah, Ray Snow here in NYC.

RATING: 36

 

 

POST-SHOW PRESS CONFERENCE

 

 

The New York Doll rolls into the press conference with Andrew Harper, Devastating Don, and Richie Riggins, celebrating their victory. Doll warns everyone not to underestimate the misfits of the world, because when they play the game by their rules they aren’t going to be stopped. Any one of the men standing with him could be the champion at the top of NYCW or the COTT, but no one is game to give them a chance when there’s more palatable choices like Happy Elwood floating around.

 

One of the reports asks if Doll is joining Andrew Harper’s group permanently, or if tonight’s tag-team match is one-and-done.

 

“Join?” Doll exchanges an amused looks with everyone else, then smirks at the camera. “Who do you think put the idea of joining forces in their head?”

RATING: 34

 

 

POST-SHOW PRESS CONFERENCE

 

 

Phil Vibert cuts a rare solo promo, informing the press that he’s sent his clients off to a well-deserved spa to cool down after tonight’s show. He wants them fresh and ready for the debut of NYCW’s television show on WrestleWorld, Mayhem, because they’re going to take that platform by storm and establish Vibert International as the most dominant brand in wrestling today.

RATING: 52

 

 

 

 

Larry Vessey stood beside me as we recorded the post-show segments, his expression grim and stony. He and Steve Flash were our resident road agents, and on most nights one of the pair usually ended up doing the lion's share of the work, but we'd all agreed that the taped promos were my wheelhouse and they rarely attended as we racked up several hours of post-show footage as I encouraged the boys to do fresh takes or pushed them to try something new.

 

That dynamic had changed this evening because we'd signed off on the "TV deal," agreeing to produce 90 minutes of wrestling for the WrestleWorld audience on a three-month trial. Larry fretted because we were going to take a bath on the deal in the short term, losing money because they tapings were going to draw a smaller audience than our monthly shows.

 

I wasn't worried. We could sustain running at a loss for a stretch without too much worry, especially given the age and goodwill extended to NYCW. In exchange, we became the dominant source of content on the new platform. We became the federation to watch on the WrestleWorld, the content everyone could turn to after they'd burned through the first show or two of their local fed, and with the sheer number of companies cutting deals that was a lot of potential eyeballs.

 

It also improved our standing in the COTT, and had served as a useful bargaining chip when arguing we should host the first cross-promoted show on the platform. It helped smooth things over when I pitched giving a title shot to an untried rookie from our roster, just as agreeing to broadcast the first ever Junior Heavyweight bout without one of our guys in the match became the bargaining chip we needed to keep the World Tag-Team Titles on the Boys a little longer.

 

Short term hustle for long-term gain. That was always the plan.

 

Still, Larry was nervous about it, because it was his money I was spending. I'd offered to step in and buy a stake in the company—not a majority, just a percetage cut that would help keep us afloat until plans came to fruition—but Larry had held off on saying yes, preferring to trust in the process and let things play out for a stretch.

 

At the end of the day, the company was his, and he wanted it to stay that way.

 

People tended to dance around the fact backstage, nervous that I was either trying to play the situation or objecting to Larry putting limits on my authority. Once upon a time, that would have been true, but I knew the value of separating out the creative and the business decisions. Let a booker hold all the purse strings with no limitations and you can steer a company into a whole real fast.

 

And I knew that, because I’d done it when I was younger and stupider. I’d chased the dream of rivalling the Eisens and Cornell, and paid the price along the way.

 

I still wanted to do that. That was half the reason I pushed for a weekly show, part of the reason I wanted to dominate the streams on WrestleWorld. And Larry knew I wanted it, because he’d lured me in with that promise, which is why he allowed himself to be talked into to risks that he, personally, wouldn’t take.

 

A good booking team needs that balance. Someone who dreams big, without limitations, and someone who can say no and pull things back to what’s feasible.

 

When Doll finished his second take, Larry nodded and unfolded his arms for the first time in an hour. Convinced of the expense, and the necessity of the talent I’d piched as a new regular on Mayhem.

 

“You’re sure she’ll do it?”

 

“For the deal we’re offering, yeah, she’s open to it,” I said. “We’re basically paying for her to fly in two or three times a month, which means she can run interviews live for half the Supreme roster, to say nothing of countless legends who stick close to the Tri-State. Hell, she’d take the gig just on the hope it’ll eventually land her ten minutes with Jack Bruce when she’s in town some time.”

 

“I’m just saying, Rock could do this. Ernie could do it. Hell, even you—”

 

“They could, but then we need to build authority in that space. She’s already got an audience we need, and all it takes is a small percentage of them following her over to boost our numbers week to week.”

 

“Hmmm,” Larry said, and left it there. On the far side of the room, Chuck and Tully Casey prepared for their promo. There was virtually no chance we’d air it, outside of some DVD extra somewhere for the small handful of die hards who still bought them, but they both needed the practice and every now-and-then giving someone a chance to speak shows you the detail you need to

get

them and figure out their push.

 

Finally, Larry nodded. “Okay, call her.”

 

I smiled, phone already in my hand J-Ro’s number on speed dial. “We’re on,” I said. “You’ll do this week’s segment over scope, then fly in Friday for the taping.”

 

 

“Awesome,” Joan Rodriguez said. “Who you sending me for the first show?”

 

“Corner. He’s least likely to botch the technology, and he’s already comfortable doing his own video channel..”

 

[arwink]

NEW YORK STATE OF MIND

 

 

“Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to New York State of Mind—your weekly podcast with all the news, updates, and goings on in New York City Wrestling and other territories in the Confederation. I’m your host, Joan Rodriguez, and I’m here with the West Coast Party Animal, Charlie Corner, as this week’s guest. Carlie, how you doing? It sounded like you took a hell of a beating at the hands of Sal DiMeo and his goons just two nights ago?”

 

 

“I did, but I’m rocking on. You can’t keep keep me away from a good party, J-Ro, and you seem like a chick whose got the lowdown on the primo clambakes.”

 

“Once upon a time, maybe, but these days I’ve got kids.”

 

“Plenty of moms out there who like to party, J-Ro. Ask me how I know.”

 

“Maybe later. Right now I’d rather talk about some of the big news in NCYW this week. Larry Vessey announced there would be a weekly television show on WrestleWorld, Mayhem, which starts broadcasting this Friday--”

 

“Rock!”

 

“And I’ve gotta admit that it’s looking like an amazing show, with a first-time match-up in the main event when Brooklyn’s Finest take on the team of Ernest Youngman and Denny King.”

 

“ROCK!”

 

“I take it you approve?”

 

“The one thing I love more than a good party is a good tag-team match, J-Ro, and I’ve fought alongside the Brooklyn’s Finest enough times to feel like an honorary Brooklyn boy every time I pass through town. I mean no offence to Stranger and McManus, or even the Boys from the Yukon, but I honestly think they’re the best tag-team tandem in the world today.”

 

“Problem being, they’re up against the hitman and Denny King, whose string of big wins in 2020 is unprecedented in the company. But since you brought up the tag-team champions, we’re also going to see Richie Riggins and Devastating Don—who have officially asked to be called The Heart Breakers—stepping into the ring to challenge for the NYCW tag-team belts held by McManus and Masked Stranger. Who do you think is walking away with the gold?”

 

“Don and Riggins, for sure. I don’t like them, but you can’t deny how dangerous Richie Riggins is when he’s in a tag-team situation. His win-loss record as a singles wrestler is all kinds of uneven, but the moment Don’t beside him…”

 

“I see your point, but I can’t discount the champs. They’re an unorthodox pairing and a new team, but if there’s two guys with better fundamentals in the USA today, I haven’t come across them. But let’s move on to the six-man action: Animal Harker, Crockett Tubbs, and the newly crowned COTT Junior Heavyweight Champ, Miller Fforde, will be going up against Vibert International.”

 

“My boy Harker is going to throw down! I know we’re meant to be excited to see the new champ in action—particularly since Vibert is pushing to Snow a title shot—but after what happened at the Showcase on Saturday night, I gotta think the Animal is coming in with something to prove and payback on his mind.”

 

“Okay, then. Moving on—The Real Deal, Greg Henn, will be facing one of MAW’s stand-out rookies, Sean Noggin, in Henn’s debut. I hear you’ve seen Noggin wrestle over in his home territory?”

 

“Oh man, yeah. That kid is vicious, and he trained at Rip Chord’s knee. I know Henn is the favourite in this one—years of experience, plenty of big shows under his belt—but I don’t know that he remembers what it’s like to scrape and claw for an opportunity, and just how hard a young guy like Noggin will fight to try and impress the men in charge.”

 

“Speaking of men with something to prove—the former COTT Tag-Team Champions, The American Cobras, are sticking around in NYC for a stretch to try and regain their belts. They put out an open challenge for any tag-team who wants to fight…and it’s been answered by the new tandem of New York Doll and Andrew Harper!”

 

“Let’s be honest, J-Ro, that’s not going to be a two-on-two brawl. After Doll attached himself to Harper’s group, there’s going to be plenty of bodies to provide a distraction at ringside.”

 

“He didn’t attach himself to the group—he’s claiming he masterminded it!”

 

“Yeah, you know what? I’d buy that, too. New York Doll is one of those guys I used to watch when I first started collecting tapes, and he’s always been a smarter wrestler than people give him credit for. How else do you think a guy like that lasts so long in a place like NYCW, where the best of the best get their start?”

 

“I’d agree with you on that, Chuck, but you don’t want to discount the Cobras. They’re eager to surpass the Ring Generals records when it comes to those tag-team titles, and get themselves established as most successful tag-team to ever come through the territories. Speaking of which, let’s talk about Miller Fforde’s upcoming title defence against Zombie Boy over in IPW, which means he could be an ex-champion by the time Mayhem debuts on Friday…”

 

NYCW MAYHEM #1

 

The American Cobras vs. New York Doll & Harper

Greg Henn vs. Sean Noggin

Miller FForde, Crocket Tubbs, and Animal Harker vs. Quentin Queen, Ray Snow, & Super Massive Destroyer

Riley McManus & Masked Stranger vs. The Heart Breakers – NYCW Tag-Team Championship

Brooklyn’s Finest vs. Denny King & Ernest Youngman

[Zergon]

The American Cobras vs. New York Doll & Harper

While Cobras likely aren´t here to stay full time, sounds like they stay for while and have anotehr match with COTT tag titles on the line and if that is the case I´d assume they would win here even if Doll and Harper is certainly dangerous enough pairing to win as well.

 

Greg Henn vs. Sean Noggin

Debut win

 

Miller FForde, Crocket Tubbs, and Animal Harker vs. Quentin Queen, Ray Snow, & Super Massive Destroyer

So far, this feud has been here to build Queen in my eyes and I feel like heels are more likely to win here as well with Snow seemingly getting a push now alongside Queen.

 

Riley McManus & Masked Stranger vs. The Heart Breakers – NYCW Tag-Team Championship

Too early for champs to drop the belts

 

Brooklyn’s Finest vs. Denny King & Ernest Youngman

Without that backstage contract bit with Calhoun, I would have picked King and Youngman here but looks like your plan is to make Calhoun your top guy in which case he´s more likely to win here because tag experience.

[Herrbear]

NYCW MAYHEM #1

 

The American Cobras vs. New York Doll & Harper

Greg Henn vs. Sean Noggin

Miller FForde, Crocket Tubbs, and Animal Harker vs. Quentin Queen, Ray Snow, & Super Massive Destroyer

Riley McManus & Masked Stranger vs. The Heart Breakers – NYCW Tag-Team Championship

Brooklyn’s Finest vs. Denny King & Ernest Youngman

[BHK1978]

<p><strong>The American Cobras </strong>vs. New York Doll & Harper</p><p>

<strong>Greg Henn </strong>vs. Sean Noggin</p><p>

Miller FForde, Crocket Tubbs, and Animal Harker vs. <strong>Quentin Queen, Ray Snow, & Super Massive Destroyer</strong></p><p>

<strong>Riley McManus & Masked Stranger </strong>vs. The Heart Breakers – NYCW Tag-Team Championship</p><p>

Brooklyn’s Finest vs. <strong>Denny King & Ernest Youngman</strong></p>

[arwink]

 

NYCW Mayhem #1

Friday, Week 1, March 2020

Live from Bradford Arena, NY – 131 people

Broadcast to 21,346 viewers on WrestleWorld

 

 

COLD OPEN

 

 

The first thing new viewers see is the NYCW Empire Champion, dressed to the nines in a three-piece suit, the big silver belt laid over his shoulder. He welcomes everyone to the first episode of Mayhem and delivers tehm a promise. “It says Wrestling on the Marquee, and that’s what we deliver. Night in, night out.”

RATING: 40

 

 

ANNOUNCER’S DESK

 

 

We cut to the announcer’s desk, where Rock Downpour and Ernie Turner welcome everybody to the program and start putting over the incredible card we’ve got lined up, but they’ve barely got our main event when…

 

 

The Misfit Syndicate head down to ringside, terrorizing the production crew as they go. The New York Doll lays claim to Rock Downpour’s microphone and makes it clear that the Misfits are running the show tonight—first they’ll beat down the Cobras, then they’ll lay claim to tag-team gold.

RATING: 26

 

 

vs.

w/

 

THE AMERICAN COBRAS vs. THE NEW YORK DOLL & ANDREW HARPER w/Riggins, Cheerleader Nikki, and Devasting Don

 

The Cobras brig the heat and intensity to this match, while Doll and Harper bring a seemingly endless well of shenanigans with their allies at ringside. Doll basically mocks the Cobras by mimicking their move set, incorporating a little of their high-impact kicks and strikes into his usual arsenal of spite and cruelty. He makes himself a target, and the Cobras fall for it…which promptly sets them up for big hits from the heavyweight Harper.

 

The final moments see Riggins and Don up on the apron, distracting the referee, while Cheerleader Nikki slides Doll something he loads into his elbow pad. Marvel Malloy eats the big elbow strike not long after, and Doll collects the pinfall.

 

NYD & Harper defeated The American Cobras in 8:13 when Andrew Harper pinned Marvel Malloy. RATING: 38

 

 

POST-MATCH BEATDOWN

 

 

Storm Spillane isn’t happy about the way his partner was taken out, but his attempt to get in Andrew Harper’s face doesn’t pan out the way he’d hoped. The big man pie-faces Spillane, and when Spillane fires back with a forearm strike, the Gang of Four swarm the Cobras in a four-on-two beatdown.

 

Harper and Doll tangle Spillane in the ropes and hold him in place, forcing him to watch as Riggins sets Marvel Malloy up on a table and Devastating Don goes up to the tope rope for the Ringshaker Legdrop to damn near break Malloy in half.

RATING: 30

 

 

BACKSTAGE PROMO

 

 

Ernest Youngman cuts a promo backstage, pointing out that he’s in this company for exactly two reasons: cashing checks and breaking necks. He got into this business to earn money, and that means winning titles and taking payoffs.

 

Tonight Denny King coughed up the money to get Youngman as his tag-team partner, but the Tri-State champ is only paid up for the length of the match. “If you’ve got a belt, you’re on my hit list,” Youngman says. “And if Brutus Milano won’t give me a shot at the Empire Title, you just might be--”

 

Youngman’s promo is cut off abruptly, with Rock Downpour yelling at the production team to cut backstage to a developing situation.

RATING: 46

 

 

BACKSTAGE CONFRONTATION

 

 

We cut backstage to an altercation in progress, with the Misfit Syndicate collectively mugging NYCW tag-team champion Masked Stranger, ahead of the Heart Breaker’s challenging for the belts later tonight.

 

 

Stranger’s partner, Riley McManus, comes tearing down the corridor to help, but quickly discovers that everyone but Andrew Harper backs off the moment Riley’s within arms reach. They all taunt him as Harper kicks the hell out of Stranger, everyone goading McManus into making a move and delivering Harper a guaranteed World Title shot.

 

Riley can’t bring himself to do it, and Harper unleashes an evil grin as he prepares to suplex Stranger into a concrete wall backstage.

 

 

Which is when an irate Marvel Malloy comes charging into shot with a chair, laying about with everything he’s got as he fights towards Devastating Don. The Gang of Four scatter before any of Malloy’s chair shots connect, leaving McManus to tend to the injured Stranger while Marvel Malloy stands guard.

RATING: 39

 

 

vs.

 

GREG HENN vs. SEAN NOGGIN

 

Henn walks into this match with plenty of confidence, but the early assault by Noggin rattles the veteran. Noggin fights hard and dirty, and when he gets Henn onto the mat there’s an extended sequence where he hammers the veteran with cross-face blows before attempting to latch in an eyehook. Henn blocks the move, rallies, and mounts a comeback that sees him pick up the win using the Rayne Drop.

 

Greg Henn defeated Sean Noggin in 5:10 by pinfall with a Rayne Drop. RATING: 21

 

 

BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW

 

 

“What up, New York! It’s your boy, Charlie Corner, broadcasting coast-to-coast here backstage in NYCW. Right now, I’m here with the boys from my hood, the LA Stars, who are here to make a big announcement.”

 

 

LA Star #1 takes a deep breathe, preparing to speak…

 

 

…and promptly gets shoved aside by Sal DiMEo and the Family as they commandeer the interview stage. Charlie Corner goes to object, and quickly finds himself face-to-face with Vito Pirelli’s stony expression, right as Sal warns the kid to back off or face another beating like the one the Family delivered at the Showcase Monday night.

 

Corner goes to answer back, and Vito’s hand shoots out and grabs him by the throat, slowly squeezing the oxygen out of him. Sal clears his throat and starts cutting a promo, talking about the danger of messing with men who play by street rules…

 

 

…and

he

gets interrupted by Brooklyn’s Finest showing up and demanding Vito let Corner go. “We’ve been doing this dance for two months now,” Hawkeye Calhoun says, “and it’s time to put an end to it. Larry Vessey has made a match for Beasts of War—our posse versus the DiMeo Family, a no-holds-barred elimination match, four-on-four.”

 

“No. Five on five,” DiMeo says. “You’ll need to find yourself an extra man.”

 

He then orders his boys to let Corner go and walks off, leaving the commentary team to speculate who the fifth member of the family might be.

RATING: 33

 

 

VIDEO PACKAGE

 

 

“I came to New York City Wrestling to rebuild my career, because this is the place where Superstars are Born…”

 

Happy Elwood does voice-over for a documentary-style package, giving us a behind-the-scenes look at the wrestler’s life. The footage is mostly scenes from the road as he travels from his home upstate; footage of him working out at the same gym as Milano, Curtis Shaw, and Geoff Borne; and training montages as he practices takedowns and working against bigger opponents.

RATING: 29

 

 

BACKSTAGE PROMO

 

 

Vibert Enterprises stand at the interview stage, geared up for their match. Phil Vibert goes through his usual opening, and encourages every to mark this historic night in their dairy—Animal Harker has shown up for a scheduled match with Quentin Queen for the second time! Of course, this match will end the same way the first one did—with Queen getting his hand raised, and Harker getting his name in the losers column.

 

But tonight is even more than a one-on-one match. Tonight also marks the moment when Ray Snow establishes his dominance over Miller Fforde ahead of their Junior Heavyweight title match at Beasts of War.

RATING: 42

 

 

vs.

w/

 

MILLER FFORDE, CROCKET TUBBS, & ANIMAL HARKER

vs.

QUENTIN QUEEN, RAY SNOW, & SUPER MASSIVE DESTROYER w/Phil Vibert

 

Harker starts this match off, eager to get his hands on Destroyer, but it quickly proves to be a poor tactic. The big man wins a test of strength and forces Harker in the corner, and an attempt to bodyslam Destroyer ends as badly as you’d expect. Fforde gets the tag and comes in with an intent to impress using speed to dance rings around Destroyer and draw a and Queen into the match. Quick tags rapidly switch Crocket Tubbs in to do the same, with Tubb’s hie eccentric style and outrageously obvious cheating catching Queen off-guard and scores a two-count.

 

Ray Snow gets to play difference maker for his team, cutting the ring in half and working Tubbs in the bad part of town. A lot of focus goes on the neck, setting up for the Dragon Sleeper, and Tubbs is hurting by the time he gets the hot tag to bring Harker back in.

 

This time around Harker is a house on fire, taking down everyone with a series of big shots and slams. He traps Queen in a corner and wails on him until Ray Snow breaks things up and everything breaks down, and when the chaos clears the match ends with Harker and Destroyer in the ring once more.

 

The main difference is this time Vibert feeds destroyer a length of steel pipe—a length of steel Rock Downpour identifies as a club cut from one of our surplus guard rails—and Destroyer openly nails Harker in the skull with it to draw the DQ.

 

Miller Fforde, Crockett Tubbs and Animal Harker defeated Quentin Queen, Ray Snow and Super Massive Destroyer in 8:53 when Super Massive Destroyer intentionally got disqualified. RATING: 35

 

POST-MATCH SHOWDOWN

 

 

“Take him out!” Vibert orders and Destroyer compiles, wailing on Andrew Harker with the length of steel.

 

There’s a roar as Miller Fforde coes to the veteran’s aid, launching himself off the top rope to nail Destroyer with a missile dropckick to the face. The big man reels back, but doesn’t fall, and Fforde bounces to his feet and unleashes a second kick.

 

Ray Snow crashes into Fforde from behind, applying the Dragon Sleeper and cinching it in tight. The Junior Heavyweight champ goes down, Snow trying to render him unconscious.

 

Tubbs climbs into the ring eager to make the save…and promptly gets his head taken off by a Quentin Queen clothesline. Tubbs sells it like a million dollars, dropping flat and lying there unconscious as Vibert declares enough and leads his crew backstage. Rock Downpour apologies to the fans and throws to a taped interview while we get medical attention for Tubbs, Fforde, and Harker.

RATING: 34

 

 

PRE-TAPED ANALYIS

 

 

A dubious Whithorse Whittaker and Howling Mad Mort are seated in the interview stage, tasked with analysing the fighting style of McManus and Stranger ahead of a COTT World Tag-Team Title shot at Beasts of War.

 

Whittaker spends the entire time snarling and complaining that he’d rather be back in the Yukon, but Mort proves surprising astute as he points out subtleties in Stranger’s footwork or the way Riley McManus gets extra torque when hitting a Slingshot Suplex. Much as Mort would like to run them down, he’s gotta admit they’re a hell of a tag-team….they’re just not the [i[best

[/i]

tag-team so long as the Boys from the Yukon are around.

RATING: 30

 

 

IN-RING AMBUSH

 

 

Ozzie Goldstein has his eyes set on Brutus Milano, but he’s got to earn his way back into title contention. That’s why he’s calling out the guy whose been Milano’s training parter for the last few weeks—the guy folks are already calling the champ’s protégé—Curtis Shaw.

 

 

Shaw makes his way down to the ring, a shredded mountain of muscle and bad intention who dwarfs Goldstein by six inches and fifty pounds at least. He bounces on his toes, removes the steel chain around his neck, and climbs through the ropes…

 

Only to get met by a Golden Cutter as he’s halfway through, plunging the big man face-first into the canvas when he least expected it.

 

Goldstein gets to his feet and stands over Shaw, who appears to be out like a light.

RATING: 42

 

 

BACKSTAGE PROMO

 

 

We cut backstage, to what is ostensibly meant to be an interview with the Empire Champ about his upcoming shot at Pablo Rodriguez and the COTT World Heavyweight Champion, but Brutus Milano is already distracted. He apologises to Rock Downpour and the fans, but after what just happened he has some business to take care of, and Brutus unclips the microphone on his shirt and rolls up his sleeves.

 

 

Only to find his exit blocked by the arrival of The New York Doll and his allies. Andrew Harper gets up in Milano’s face, and Doll warns the champ that he needs to have eyes in the back of his head…because the Misfit Syndicate he’s assembled isn’t going to wait for shots at gold. From this point forward, every champion in NYCW and the COTT is officially on notice, because the freaks and misfits are coming for them. Tonight they take the tag-team titles, and then they come after the Empire belt.

 

Milano stares down all four men, the calmly informs them they can choose to step aside, or he can make them get out of the way.

RATING: 36

 

 

NYCW TAG-TEAM CHAPIONSHIP

 

vs.

w/

 

RILEY McMANUS & MASKED STRANGER vs. THE HEART BREAKERS w/Cheerleader Nikki

 

The question, as always, revolves around how Devastating Don’s opponents will counter the big mans’ massive bulk and immovability, while also keeping a wary eye on Richie Riggins’ incredible talent for seizing on small advantages in a multi-man bout. McManus and Stranger seems intent on doing so by hammering Don’s neck, obviously setting up for the cobra clutch so Stranger can choke him out.

 

Riggins hits the ring, making several attempts to get the upset, Nikki stepping in to help with distractions and trips, but it never seems to come together. McManus and Stranger has many of Riggins tactics scouted, and they don’t fall prey to Nikki’s tricks. Soon they have pushed the pace of the match enough that Don is stumbling and breathing heavy. Riggings tags in to try and take the pressure off…and gets caught by a surprise Cobra Clutch that ultimately chokes him out.

 

McManus & Stranger defeated The Heart Breakers in 12:05 when Masked Stranger submitted Richie Riggins. RATING: 37

 

 

POST-MATCH

 

 

Andrew Harper and The New York Doll charge the ring, where Doll hammers McManus with a big dropkick and Harper damn near takes Stranger’s head off with a lariat. The beat down begins, Don and Riggins joining in as they recover, and they both hold Riley McManus down as Doll and Harper set Stranger up on a table.

 

Harper grabs the mic. “The count is on,” he says. “In six weeks, at King of New York, I’m free to lay my hads on you, Rily McManus. I’ll beat you, I’ll be declared number one contender for the COTT World Champion, and I will walk out with the most valuable gold in wrestling today.”

 

With that, Harper goes to the top rope…and the rest of the Misfit Syndicate back away, leaving battered McManus with the choice to interfere and save his partner, or let it go and save his title shot.

 

For a moment, Riley is torn…then he breaks and attempts to charge the ropes, stopping Harper from making the big dive.

 

Unfortunately, Cheerleader Nikki is in position to trip him up, and Riley goes sprawling as Harper dives off the rope and splashes Stranger through the tabletop.

RATING: 34

 

 

BACKSTAGE PROMO

 

 

Denny King sits by the curtain, NYCW Tri-State Title on his lap. He talks about the upcoming tag-team match, and the idea of walking down there with Ernest Youngman at his side. King’s got nothing but respect for Youngman’s ability, but that doesn’t make him comfortable about tagging with the man. At his heart, Youngman is a mercenary—highly skilled, very dangerous, very expensive to hire.

 

But he’s a mercenary, and a mercenary is predictable…unlike the Wildcard. Youngman will be there for the money, and he’ll fight until the money’s gone. Fortunately, being Tri-State Champion gives King a whole lot of cash.

RATING: 44

 

 

vs.

 

BROOKLYN’S FINEST vs. DENNY KING & ERNEST YOUNGMAN

 

Brooklyn’s Finest have the team experience here, and it shows as they isolate King and assault him with quick double-teams in the earliest stages of the match. The Champion fights back with passion, pulling tricks out of his hat to derail the Finest’s momentum, but the tone noticeably changes when he desperately tags in his partner.

 

Ernest Youngman is a fluid, graceful wrestler who delivers everything with an eye to impact, unleashing knees, rapid-fire slams, and elbows as he batters Freedom Eagle down. More importantly, the Hit Man is impassive in the ring—he fights clinically and coldly, surgically dismantling his opponent as he follows the game plan.

 

As the match wears on, the ongoing surprise is the fact that Eagle has not tapped out or gone down for the three count, even as every attempt to tag in his partner gets cut off. Youngman tags out and Denny King unleashes a series of clubbing elbow strikes to the back of Eagle’s skull, pausing only to drag the kid back to the corner.

 

Eagle spends nearly eight straight minutes holding on by a thread, ultimately getting the hot tag after he scrambles through Denny Kind’s legs and launches a dive to the corner. Hawkeye Calhoun doesn’t come in like a house on fire—he comes in like a whole burning city. He batters King with a dropkick, then drops Ernest Youngman away from the corner with an elbow, then switches back to King for shining wizard, and…

 

He turns to keep an eye on Youngman, and discovers the Hit Man has dropped off the corner and wiped his hands clean of the match, signalling for Calhoun to put all his effort onto the Tri-State Champion. The hot tags come fast after that, Calhoun and Eagle double-teaming King with impunity…but as they hit their crescendo, setting up for a finisher, Youngman gets involved again and pulls Eagle off the turnbuckles, then pasting the masked man in the mouth to put him down.

 

Calhoun is still the legal man, and although he misses a step, he quickly recovers and nails King with the Brooklyn Bridger for the pinfall.

 

Brooklyn's Finest defeated Ernest Youngman and Denny King in 20:27 when Hawkeye Calhoun pinned Denny King. RATING: 49

 

 

POST-MATCH

 

Downpour and Turner are confused about what just happened in the ring, and pose the question on commentary even as they congratulate Calhoun and put him over as potential for the Tri-State Championship.

 

 

Then Sal DiMeo’s music hits and the leader of the Family strolls out to ringside, puffing on a cigar. He surveys the three men in the ring, and Ernest Youngman waiting patiently at ringside, and DiMeo nods in satisfaction before unearthing a roll of bills and handing them to the Hit Man.

 

DiMeo offers Eagle a quick salute, then strolls out of the arena with a broad smile.

RATING: 38

 

 

SHOW RATING: 47

[arwink]

NEW YORK STATE OF MIND

 

 

“Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the second installment of New York State of Mind—your weekly podcast with all the news, updates, and goings on in New York City Wrestling and other territories in the Confederation. I’m your host, Joan Rodriguez, and I’m here with the fighting Irishman himself, Crocket Tubbs.”

 

 

“Top of the mornin’ to ya, darlin’!”

 

“And good morning to you, Crockett. We’re going into the second week of Mayhem TV, broadcast Fridays on Wrestleworld, and it’s the go-home show before Beasts of War where everybody’s looking to pick-up momentum. Crockett, let’s get your thoughts and insights on the card.”

 

“Aye, darlin’. Let’s do that.”

 

“First up, an

interesting

main event pitting the SWF veteran, Greg Henn, against Phil Vibert’s Next Big Thing, Quentin Queen. I have to admit, I’m not sure who I’d back in this match-up—Queen’s run of form is incredible of late, but Henn’s here with something to prove.”

 

“Aye, Darlin’, that he is, but let’s not forget that it’s been a stretch since his last regular run with a wrestler. Henn’s been traveling the roads for the past few years, drifting as he sought out a place to make his name, afraid of his own self when he should have been putting himself forward.

 

“And Queen…well, Queen gave ol’Phil Vibert a telephone. I don’t much like ‘im, but I can’t deny he seizes an opportunity like few others.”

 

“True. And speaking of Phil Vibert and his clients, you’ve had your own issues with them of late, and you’re scheduled to team with this year’s Rip Chord Invitational Winner and COTT Junior Heavyweight Champion, Miller Fforde, to take on Ray Snow and Ozzie Goldstein!”

 

“True enough, and I’m lookin’ forward to that.”

 

"Care to elaborate further?"

 

"I'm

really

looking forward to it."

 

“Keeping tight-lipped. That's smart. Although you’d have to think the champs a target here, given that Snow’s the number one contender and Goldstein is a potential challenger that everyone talked about the moment the Junior Heavyweight belt was announced?”

 

“It’s the nature of being champ, darlin’, everyone wants a piece of ya. Even I’ve got my eye on Miller’s slice of gold, although for now I’ve got my eye on evening scores with Vibert’s boys.”

 

“Another intriguing match-up: the son of a Brooklyn Butcher, Chuck Casey, has laid out a challenge to Ernest Youngman.”

 

“Boy’s a damned fool.”

 

“He’s eager to test himself, but I’ll admit that I’m almost as interested in getting the chance to press Youngman for more information about his choices last week. He threw a match and gave Hawkeye Calhoun a pinfall on the Tri-State champion.”

 

“No doubt it’s part of some plot cooked up by Sal DiMeo, though I can’t fathom it.”

 

“I suspect it’s an attempt to leave Freedome Eagle short-handed—the five-man clash is coming up at Beast of War, but I hear rumors that Hawkeye Calhoun’s being slotted into a title match after last week’s win.

 

“Moving on, Riley McManus is scheduled to fight The New York Doll.”

 

“Ack, I don’t envy him that one. Fighting Doll is always unpleasant, even if you pick up the pfinall. That fella makes sure everything

hurts

.”

 

“It’s not a match I’d have accepted the show before a big title shot, that’s for sure. Especially with Andrew Harper sitting ringside, looking for ways to torture McManus.”

 

“Not just Harper. The whole Misfit Syndicate will be in attendance!”

 

“And not just for that match either—our card is rounded out by a challenge made by Storm Spillane, whose partner was crushed beneath Devastating Don at our last show. Spillane’s made it clear he doesn’t care which Syndicate member steps up—”

 

“I hear it’s Riggins.”

 

“I heard that too, although it's not confirmed, but I’ll admit—I’m intrigued by that choice. Richie’s at his most dangerous in multi-man affairs, and his success in one-on-one competition isn’t that strong.”

 

“But the same is true of Storm, darlin’. He’s made his bones as a tag-team fighter, and we still haven’t seen his true measure as a single’s competitor.”

 

“Seems likely we’ll rectify that, then. Of course, the NYCW action aren’t the only matches that will have an impact on Beasts of War—McManus and Stranger are scheduled to face The Boys From the Yukon for the COTT Tag-Team Titles on that show, but first the Boys need to hold off a challenge from Coulrophobia over in IPW…”

 

NYCW MAYHEM #2

 

Greg Henn vs. Quentin Queen

Crockett Tubbs & Miller Fforde vs. Ray Snow & Ozzie Goldstein

Chuck Casey vs. Ernest Youngman

Riley McManus vs. The New York Doll

Storm Spillane vs. Richie Riggins

[Zergon]

Greg Henn vs. Quentin Queen

This is pretty tough one as I do rate Henn higher but I do see Queen having more of a push so far... I go with Queen but I could easily see this one going the other way too

 

Crockett Tubbs & Miller Fforde vs. Ray Snow & Ozzie Goldstein

Thinking Fforde will keep the belt so this is likely the spot were Snow gets one over him

 

Chuck Casey vs. Ernest Youngman

This one won´t be close

 

Riley McManus vs. The New York Doll

Thinking McManus is the bigger name although Doll certainly seems to have bigger role than what I was expecting at the start of this diary

 

Storm Spillane vs. Richie Riggins

So based on last shows results, guessing there won´t be another title shot for Cobras so perhaps they were giving slighly longer contract in order to put Misfit Syndicate over instead

[BHK1978]

Greg Henn vs. Quentin Queen

Crockett Tubbs & Miller Fforde vs. Ray Snow & Ozzie Goldstein

Chuck Casey vs. Ernest Youngman

Riley McManus vs. The New York Doll

Storm Spillane vs. Richie Riggins

[Herrbear]

<p>NYCW MAYHEM #2</p><p> </p><p>

Greg Henn vs. <strong>Quentin Queen</strong></p><p>

Crockett Tubbs & Miller Fforde vs. <strong>Ray Snow & Ozzie Goldstein</strong></p><p>

Chuck Casey vs. <strong>Ernest Youngman</strong></p><p>

<strong>Riley McManus</strong> vs. The New York Doll</p><p>

<strong>Storm Spillane</strong> vs. Richie Riggins</p>

[arwink]

 

NYCW Mayhem #2

Friday, Week 2, March 2020

Pre-Taped at Bradford Arena, NY and broadcast to 18,586 viewers on WrestleWorld

 

 

COLD OPEN

 

 

The show opens with Larry Vessey backstage, accompanied by Hawkeye Calhoun. Vessey lets everyone know that the events of last week have left Calhoun with a difficult decision – his tag-team partner, Freedom Eagle, signed on for a ten-man elimination war against the DiMeo family, and naturally expected Calhoun to be part of that match.

 

On the other hand, Hawkeye Calhoun also pinned the reigning NYCW Tri-State Champion, Denny King, which makes him the obvious number one contender going in to Beasts of War on Saturday.

 

Right now, Calhoun’s name isn’t on either contract, but Vessey can only give the young man so long to make a decision. He can stick with his current partner, going up against the Dimeos with pride on the line, or he can choose to take the title shot and leave Eagle with two spots that need to be filled.

 

“Right now, this choice is yours,” Vessey says. “I don’t want to influence you one way or another. But I want to make it clear—if your name isn’t on either contract by the end of tonight’s show, I’ll be forced to take that decision out of your hand for the good of the company…and you may not like the choices I make.”

 

Eagle promises to consider both options carefully, and get back to Vessey soon.

RATING: 45

 

 

ANNOUCE DESK

 

 

We cut to the announcer’s desk, where Rock Downpour and Ernie Turner welcome everybody to the program and hype the big decision Hawkeye Calhoun needs to make inside the next hour. They start running down the card…

 

 

…and the Misfit Syndicate appear, terrorizing the ring crew as they escort Richie Riggins down to the ring for his match. Doll and Don accost the commentary team, demanding Rock Downpour hand over his headset, and Doll uses it to cut a promo.

 

“What I want to know,” he says, “is just how stupid Storm Spillane really is. They came to NYCW and lost their gold, and that should have been a warning. They came back, and his buddy Malloy got injured courtesy when Devastating Don put him through a table. Now, Spillane comes back a third time, and he calls out a member of the Misfit Syndicate? Kid, in case you haven’t noticed,

we travel in a pack

. You call out one, you got all four of us…and with your partner out of commission you’re looking real short on back-up.”

 

Doll rolls into the ring, standing tall beside his compatriots, as Spillane’s music hits.

 

 

But when the former COTT Tag-Team Champion emerges, he’s got the NYCW Tag-Team champions flanking him. McManus has a mic in hand, and takes care of promo duties, pointing out that the Misfit Syndicate may fight together, but they also make enemies as a group. And, right now, there’s plenty of people backstage itching to get their hands on Doll and co.

 

“I might not be able to lay my hands on that—” McManus points at Andrew Harper “—until we’re done with King of New York, but that leaves three heads I can punch while my friend Stranger chokes Harper out with his sleeper. So here’s how tonight’s going to go, Doll – me and Stranger are going to be in Spillane’s corner, keeping watch on things, and if anyone but Riggins lays a hand on him or the referee, there’s going to be a fight.

 

“And you may think you’ve got the edge, son, but how confident are you that there’s really nobody else waiting in the wings. Curtis Shaw’s still got a beef with your friend Don there. Happy Elwood’s still got something to prove to you. Choice is yours, Doll. Yours and all your other Misfits.

 

“And if I’m honest, I’m kinda hoping you make the wrong call.”

RATING: 35

 

 

w/

vs.

w/

 

STORM SPILLANE w/Riley McManus, Fern Hathaway, & Masked Stranger

Vs.

RICHIE RIGGINS w/Cheerleader Nicki, Doll, Don, & Andrew Harper

 

Spillane is a buzzsaw in the ring, exemplifying the strong-style influenced cruiserweight style that dominates his home promotion of CZCW. He lights Riggins up with a series of kicks and elbow strikes, pushing the pace and forcing the Misfit’s muscle-man to keep up.

 

The Misfits are itching to get involved and tip the scales, but the presence of McManus and Stranger keep them in check, leaving Riggins in the one situation he never wants to be in – a fair one-on-one contest.

 

Spillane targets the knees and lower back, softening Riggins up for the kneeling Boston Crab he uses as a finisher. Riggins responds with stall and cheap shots, setting up big moves where he can overpower the much smaller man. Time and again, Spillane finds the leverage he needs to escape a cover, right up until Riggins rolls him up with a handful of tights in order to get the three.

 

Richie Riggins defeated Storm Spillane in 8:07 by pinfall. RATING: 28

 

 

POST-MATCH SHOWDOWN

 

 

Andrew Harper dives into the ring, eager to assault Spillane, but comes up short when McManus puts himself between Harper and his victim. There is a momentary pause, Harper weighing the cost of going through his nemesis, then looking to slower-moving members of Syndicate even as Masked Stranger rolls into the ring and adopts a fighting stance.

 

 

To everyone’s surprise, The New York Doll grabs a microphone and plays peacemaker. He applauds McManus for learning to play the game the Misfits way, rather than cleaving to the status quo, and cedes the point – McManus wins this round. He should enjoy it while it lasts, because soon Andrew Harper will be beating McManus to earn a shot at the COTT champion…and not long after some combination of the Misfits will be taking the tag-team gold from Riley and Stranger’s shoulders.

 

McManus gets in Doll’s face, and points out that if he had it his way, all four of the Misfits would be in the champs rear view already. McManus and Stranger have already beat Riggins and Don, and the moment King of New York is over, they’ll be happy to beat Doll and Harper as well.

 

And while he can’t wrestle the pair in a tag-team bout until the tournament is past, there’s absolutely no prohibition against Riley tangling with The New York Doll one-on-one. Hell, if Doll can beat him in a single’s match here tonight, McManus and Stranger will forfeit their status as number one contenders to the COTT tag-team titles and let Doll and Harper face The Boys from the Yukon at Beasts of War.

 

Doll feigns being torn about that, and makes a show of shooing the rest of the Misfits backstage before delivering his acceptance by way of a slap to the face.

RATING: 39

 

vs.

 

RILEY McMANUS vs. THE NEW YORK DOLL

 

McManus throws the smaller New York Doll around in the opening minutes of the bout, the big raw-boned country kid easily overpowering the skinny punk from the Bowery. Doll eventually cuts him off with a thumb to the eye, and starts to wrestle a match designed to

hurt

more than keep an opponent on the ground. Stomach claws and elbows ground into the face as part of the pin are the order of the day, and it’s noticeably taking its toll each time McManus powers out.

 

Doll turns up the viciousness, but it does him no good, so he ultimately changes tack. With victory – and the subsequent title shot – out of reach, Doll treats into good old-fashioned humiliation. A very intentional, very obvious football punt is delivered to Riley McManus’ groin, drawing the DQ as a grinning Doll watches McManus keel over.

 

Riley McManus defeated The New York Doll in 9:33 when The New York Doll intentionally got disqualified. RATING: 41

 

 

POST-MATCH

 

 

The New York Doll calls for a microphone as McManus curls up on the mat. “More than one way to a title shot, bud. You can’t fight if you ain’t cleared, and me and Harper will be right there waiting to step in.”

 

McManus attempts a weak punch, and Doll steps back. The hurting McManus crawls after him, taking another couple of wild swings, and Doll dances backwards, mocking all the while.

 

 

Only to get bowled over as the Boys from the Yukon charge through the curtain, blitzing past Doll to jump Riley McManus and deliver a huge TIIIIIIIMBEEEEER!!!!! on the concrete.

 

“Never take your eyes off the prize,” Rock Downpour advises on commentary.

“Screw that,” Turner adds. “Just don’t turn your back on the COTT Tag-Team Champs.”

RATING: 38

 

 

BACKSTAGE PROMO

 

 

Brutus Milano sits backstage, cradling the Empire title, and talks it up as the most valuable piece of Gold in NYCW. He talks about the pedigree of the men who have worn that belt, the difficult in taking it away from a man like Tennessee William.

 

Some men might be content to hold the Empire belt, to be acknowledged as the best of the best in the greatest city in the world. But Milano doesn’t believe that. If you hold a belt, it’s your responsibility to make it the most important thing in the world. You make people respect the belt by what you achieve while holding it, and the quality of the men who challenge for the gold.

 

Right now, there are folks who believe there’s a belt more important than the Empire title. They look to the COTT World Heavyweight champion and they call him the best of the best.

 

Next month, all of NYCW competes to become the King of New York, but Brutus Milano’s already proven that he’s got what it takes to beat 9 other men. He’s a two-time Empire champion, the face of New York wrestling, and he looks forward to facing the men who finally earns the crown.

 

But on Saturday, April 14, Brutus Milano isn’t going to compete to be the King. Milano is laying out a challenge to the reigning COTT World Heavyweight Champion, Pablo Rodriguez, to meet in a one-on-one war where Milano will prove that holding the Empire belt is synonymous with being the best in the world.

RATING: 37

 

 

vs.

 

CHUCK CASEY vs. ERNEST YOUNGMAN

 

The commentary team discuss why Chuck Casey would request this match, and Ernie Turner takes a good chunk of the match espousing a philosophy: as a young wrestler, you often go into matches against guys like Youngman knowing you’re outclassed, so you don’t expect to win. Instead, you go out there to learn and impress upon the veterans that you’ve got the heart and drive to succeed in this business so that two, three, or five years down the line they remember you when there’s an opportunity.

 

Casey fights hard and, with his boxing background, excels at the striking game that represents Youngman’s comfort zone. But he’s also just two years into his career, learning fast but still putting all the pieces together, and he doesn’t have the depth when Youngman switches tactics and starts coming at him from every direction.

 

Ultimately, he’s overwhelmed and easily set up for The Hit, but it earns a hell of a reaction from the fans even in defeat.

 

Ernest Youngman defeated Chuck Casey in 5:56 by pinfall. RATING:46

 

 

POST-MATCH CONFRONTATON

 

 

Youngman’s victory celebration is short-lived, as he finds himself confronted by a very angry Denny King.

 

King accuses Youngman of screwing him, which isn’t a surprise…Denny knows better than to trust a gun for hire. He’s not even going to ask who paid Youngman to screw him – obviously, it was Sal DiMeo, and King will take that up with him later.

 

All King wants to know is why Youngman didn’t give him a chance to match the offer.

 

Youngman smirks at King’s rant, then politely informs him that it wasn’t DiMeo. If the Family could afford to pay off Youngman twice, they would have hired him to be the fifth man in their match at Beasts of War and ensured victory.

 

As for why he did what he did: “I’m here to cash checks or break necks,” Youngman says, “and I got an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

 

He wishes King good luck in his title match on Saturday.

 

“We don’t know I have a match yet. Calhoun still needs to make his decision.”

 

“I know,” Youngman says, flashing one last smirk before he rolls out of the ring. “IF it were me, I’d start getting ready.”

RATING: 41

 

 

LIVESTREAM

 

 

We cut backstage for a significantly higher budget Livestream from Charlie Corner than folks are used too, courtesy of the camera man taking on filming duties.

 

“What’s up, YouTube! This is your boy, Charlie Corner, an I’m here with my brother from another mother, Big Dom DeGraff—”

 

 

DeGraff looks up from the leatherbound copy of Alice In Wonderland he’s reading “Yo.”

 

“And we’re coming at you live from backstage at NYCW Mayhem. The big news tonight is whose going to be part of the ten-man elimination streetfight at Beast of War on Saturday…and whether our buddy Eagle is going to be down an additional man.

 

“It goes without saying that me and Dom are in for this one – Vito Pirelli, I ain’t forgotten you yet – but the question everyone’s asking is what Calhoun is going to do and who Freedom Eagle is going to call in. And it looks like we may have the beginnings of an answer, if you’d like to follow me…”

 

Corner creeps down the corridor and peeks around the corner, then motions for the camera guy to follow suit. When the camera reaches the corner, we catch Freedom Eagle deep in conversation with the Casey Brothers at the far end of the locker room.

RATING: 23

 

 

BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW

 

 

We cut to the interview stage, where Phil Vibert is standing by with his new client, Ray Snow, and one of his closest friends in NYCW, the “Pretty Boy” Ozzie Goldstein.

 

“At the Wrestling Showcase, the COTT named its first Junior Heavyweight Champion, Miller Fforde. He fought a battle against two other men, the best that Ollie and CZCW had to offer in that weight class, and he walked out the first man to wear that belt.

 

“Now Miller Fforde is an impressive wrestler. Twenty-seven years old, a former Mid Atlantic Wrestling Champion, a two-time Mid-American champion, the winner of this year’s Rip chord Invitational. A consummate professional trained by Rip Chord himself, and everything you could want in a champion.

 

“Except for the fact that he isn’t Ray Snow.

 

“At Beasts of War, Mister Snow is going to correct the one oversight from the Wrestling Showcase where

New York City Wrestling didn’t have a representative in the match

. Because, I assure you, if we had it would have been Ray Snow, and Ray Snow would have been the man holding that belt for the first time.

 

“And I can say this with certainty for one—and only one—reason…because the other man who should have been in that match explicitly decided he didn’t want to be known as a Junior Heavyweight.”

 

 

Goldstein takes over. “Do you know why I punked out Curtis Shaw last week? Because he’s six-three, two hundred and ninety pounds, and the only man in NYCW strong enough to throw around Devastating Don like he’s a bag of potatoes. And that doesn’t mean a damn thing, because we all know I can beat him. I

want

him to come at me, because I’ve got something to prove.

 

“Let me make clear: I am not a junior. I’m not going to challenge Miller Fforde for his title, or spend the next five years of my career starving myself to keep lean and stay below two hundred and twenty pounds. My ambition will not be limited by NYCW, the COTT, or anything else you throw my way.

 

“I’m Ozzie Goldstein, the best pound-for-pound wrestler in the world today, and it’s my destiny to wear the World Heavyweight Title around my waist. And nothing…NOTHING…is going to get in my way.”

RATING: 36

 

 

vs.

w/

 

CROCKETT TUBBS & MILLER FFORDE vs. OZZIE GOLDSTEIN & RAY SNOW w/Phil Vibert

 

The pace picks up on this one, with all four of these men going out to steal the show. Miller Fforde is a man on fire – a new champion with something to prove, unwilling to back down from anyone – while Crocket Tubbs falls back on his Irish rogue gimmick, mixing some impressive technical wrestling with cheerfully implemented cheap tricks like pulling off turnbuckles and hair-grab takedowns.

 

Impressive as those two air, their opponents are even more intense. Ray Snow is like a terminator, hammering any opponent who gets in arm reach with kicks and strikes, his laser focus blotting out the crowd.

 

And Ozzie Goldstein…well, he’s on another lover. Effortless inventive, creating reversals on the fly, and the only man in the entire bout who isn’t put down for a two-count. He ultimately sets Fforde up for the ending, creating an opening that Ray Snow exploits to hammer in the Spinning Back Fist and get the pinfall on the new champ.

 

Ray Snow and Ozzie Goldstein defeated Crockett Tubbs and Miller Fforde in 9:58 when Ray Snow pinned Miller Fforde. RATING: 36

 

 

POST-MATCH ASSAULT

 

 

A cocky Ozzie Goldstein strolls through the curtain after the match…and immediately gets speared back out by the powerful charge of Curtis Shaw. The Harlem-born Shaw bounces to his feet, dropping into a crouch as he waits for Goldstein to recover.

 

A dazed Goldstein makes the mistake of grabbing a guard rail and hauling himself upright, immediately eating a belly-to-belly suplex that powers him into the concrete with authority. “Messing with a man as volatile as Shaw to prove a point,” Turner says on commentary, “might have been a mistake.”

RATING: 38

 

 

BACKSTAGE CONFRONTATION

 

 

The DiMeo family are backstage, clustered around the exit, when they’re accosted by Denny King. The Italian Americans immediately move to put themselves between the irate King and the boss, but DiMeo waves them back and suggests they deal with things like gentlemen.

 

King demands an explanation: why did DiMeo pay Youngman to screw with King’s match last week. DiMeo laughs.

 

“Denny, paisan, you ain’t thinking this through,” DiMeo says. “Let me give you three things to think on, eh? One – if I were going to pay the Hitman to ensure someone gets a title shot, it would be me, eh? Two – I ain’t scared of nobody Freedom Eagle might have in his corner, ‘cause our match, it’s no hold barred, capiche? My boys, they might not be great with rules, but there ain’t nobody whose going to beat them in a fight like this.

 

“And three…well, we’re all waiting for the fifth man on my team. See, I called in my cousin Eric, blood of my blood, and—” there’s a knock on the door, and DiMio breaks into a grin. “—Speak of the devil. Marino, let Eric in, eh?”

 

 

Marino opens the door, and the man who steps through it has shoulders so wide he barely fits. Eric “The Bull” Sandretti walks into NYCW for the first time,

 

“Three, as you can see, I’ve got a hitman of my own,” DiMeo says. “If I want a guy taken out, I click my fingers, and it’s done.

 

“I don’t know who paid Youngman, but it wasn’t me, eh? And, if I were you, I’d worry less about who set you up, and more about what you’re going to do if Calhoun decides to come after your belt.”

RATING: 34

 

 

VIDEO PACKAGE

 

 

We cut to a video package highlighting the work of NYCW’s junior competitors, with a focus on Elwood, Doll, Tubbs, and the new champion, Miller FForde. Happy Elwood cuts a promo over the top of the footage, talking about the subtle shifts in style when juniors face one another – the increased pace, the frantic action, the moves they can break out that wouldn’t be effective against a larger opponent. Elwood talks up his first tour in Japan, and the things he learned wrestling in a junior devision, and it’s exciting to see it implemented in the COTT. He declares this the start of a new era for Junior competitors in the USA.

RATING: 20

 

 

IN-RING SEGMENT

 

 

Phil Vibert leads his client, Quentin Queen, down to the ring, with Super Massive Destroyer bringing up the rear. Phil introduces himself to the audience, hypes himself as the advocate for the future, and gets down to business: tonight, Queen is scheduled to face Greg Henn in the main event.

 

“I will give Larry Vessey this – he’s finally realised the value of my client, and delivered him to the position he deserves to be in. In a sane and sensible world, Quentin Queen would be in the main event of every show, and NYCW business would double overnight.

 

“Now, lets talk about the other half the equation – the man who has chosen to call himself Greg ‘the Real Deal’ Henn.

 

“A man who spent two years in the biggest show of them all, Supreme, and achieved…not very much. A man who has spent the eleven years since wandering the earth, looking for a place. Coming in, wrestling for a night, and going away again. A man hired for his history, not his skills. A name promotors could use to get sheep like all of you through the door, then rub him against a more deserving wrestler who worked night after night.

 

“Do I think Greg Henn deserves a place in NYCW?” Vibert pauses, raising a cautionary finger. “Yes, I do. I followed Greg Henn’s career in Supreme, and all the things that he’s done since then, and I believe there is a damned good wrestler underneath the hype. I even think he’s finally come to

wrestle

instead of coasting on the name he was given by Richard Eisen. I think he came to NYCW because this is where stars are made, where the biggest talent in the world plied their craft and built up a body of work they could look back on, years later, when Richard Eisen demands they dress up like pirate or USPW demands they wrestle as a chicken—a place they can look back on, as a salve, and say ‘yes, I was a real wrestler once. I

fought

, and I was great.’

 

“But Greg…I think you left it too long. You should have been here, demanding to fight under your own name, the minute the non-compete on your contract with Richard Eisen ended. It’s been eleven years, man. What in hell were you waiting for?

 

“Because now…you face Quentin Queen. And Quentin is young, and he’s hungry, and he’s driven. Quentin Queen is a man who wanted to be great so badly that he took the risk of cold calling

me

and saying ‘I want you to come out of retirement and take me to the top.’ He’s a man who become the hottest free agent on the independents, the highest-paid debut in NYCW history, and the man who is going to be the World Heavyweight Champion before too long.

 

“And Greg, more than anything else, Quentin Queen is

good

. In this ring, on this microphone, he is the very model of a professional wrestler. He is the man who takes an opportunity and runs with it. If Richard Eisen called him and asked him to come to Supreme, he wouldn’t spend two years there and slink away to make a living off whatever fake name they give him—Quentin Queen would be their champion inside of two years, and the Eisen family would drop to their knees and thank god that he’d dragged them back to prominence as the top company in the world once more.

 

“And it’s my job to foster this career, Greg Henn. It’s my job to make sure that Quentin Queen achieves every accolade a man of his talent deserves, whether he does it by taking the Confederation of the Territories on his shoulders and making it a glabal brand, or by establishing his dominance here and going on to a bigger paycheck and an easier pool of opponents once he’s proven everything he needs to prove in the COTT.

 

“And just like all those promotors, Greg, all those men who brought you in to bring up the gate and add legitimacy to the wrestlers whose career they were invested in and wanted to foster…just like all those men, Greg Henn, I’m just using you. I made this challenge to put Quentin Queen in the ring with you, because I know Quentin Queen can beat you. I’m going to use your name – whether it’s Henn or Rayne or Bobo the bloody clown – to get my client where he needs to go. It’s a cold and cynical game, and it’s not what wrestling should be, but it’s what wrestling is.

 

“But it doesn’t need to be like that. I can see that you’re here to change your career, to finally achieve all those things a man of your skills should do, and there’s no need to derail those efforts by taking a loss to Quentin Queen.

 

“So I’m making you an offer, Greg. Walk out here, endorse Quentin Queen as the next big thing. Acknowledge that he’s your superior, and there’s no need for you to take the pinfall in order to realise that. Set your sights on smaller game, get your feet beneath you before you take on the big dog. Do that, and your come-back here in NYCW is still alive, not dead and buried as part of Quentin’s inevitable rise.”

 

 

There’s a momentary pause after the passionate torrent of the promo, which eventually breaks when the opening riff of Pantera’s

Walk

heralds Greg Henn’s presence. Henn rolls down to the ring, all swagger and confidence, collecting a microphone along the way. He squares off against Vibert and Queen, a confident grin on his face.

 

“Okay,” Henn says, “let’s be real, since you want to make it a thing. Yeah, it took me eleven years to make the decision to come to NYCW, but you know why I’m finally here, Phil?” Henn turns and points to a camera at ringside. “Because of them.

 

“I spent eleven years going from company to company, taking one-night deals, because nobody could afford to put the real deal on contract for the money I was worth. I spent eleven years under the name Rayne Man, leaning into a stupid gimmick from a company I hated working for, because I had a kid and they needed braces and they might want to go to college one day. So yeah, I took the pay days. I wrestled matches here in there – always stealing the show, always the match of the night – and I went home and I spent time with my daughter and I lived a damn good life.

 

“I wasn’t going to say yes when Larry Vessey asked me to be part of NYCW. The money wasn’t worth, the time away from kid was too much, but Larry’s offer had the two things thing nobody else had been able to offer me – the change to wrestle under my own, and the opportunity do it in front of a national audience so that Greg Henn eclipsed everything Rayne Man had been.

 

“Even then, it took my daughter urging me to do it. Twelve years old, sweet as anything, and she knew how much I wanted to come out here and compete under the name she and I shared. Right now, my kid’s back in Seattle watching this, cheering her old man.

 

“And if you think I’ve flown across this country to disappoint here, you’ve got another thing coming.

 

“Let

me

make this clear, Phil. I am the Real Deal, Greg Henn, and there’s only one person whose opinions of my career I gave a goddamned about…and I promise you, Phil, it’s not you and it’s not Quentin Queen.

 

“And if you think I’m backing down from a fight, you best get out of my face before things end very badly for you…”

RATING: 51

 

 

vs.

w/

 

GREG HENN vs. QUENTIN QUEEN w/Phil Vibert & Destroyer

 

These two lock up with intensity, and their initial jockeying for position sees Queen get Henn in an abdominal stretch while standing on Henn’s hand for extra leverage. Henn works his way free, throwing Quentin over one shoulder with an arm drag, then promptly rolling into an armbar. The technical jockeying continues from there, until Henn breaks the pattern and hammers Queen with a big powerslam instead.

 

The pace picks up after that, with Queen peppering his opponent with kicks and strikes to wear Henn down. A series of neckbreakers soften Henn up for a cobra clutch, but Queen tries to overcomplicate the hold and Henn powers free again. Henn gets whipped into the corner, then nailed with a double knee that transitions into a springboard kneedrop for two.

 

Henn kicks free and starts the rally, picking up speed as he exchanges strikes and holds, ultimately putting Queen into a chinlock that sees the younger man scrambling for the ropes. Destroyer climbs onto the apron, providing a distraction, and when Michael Bull sends the big man to the back Queen takes control off a cheap punch to the eye. What follows is a few minutes of high-octane reversals and counters, that ultimately sees Queen attempting a pump-handle slam that Henn reverses into the Rayne Fall and the tap-out. Phil Vibert looks astonished as Henn’s hand is raised in the air.

 

Greg Henn defeated Quentin Queen in 15:24 by submission. RATING: 38

 

 

IN-RING CONTRACT SIGNING

 

 

Larry Vessey walks down to the ring, with two briefcases in hand. He sets them down, collects a microphone, and addresses the fans. He calls out Denny King and Hawkeye Calhoun, and explains that there are contracts in both those cases. One will make Calhoun the number one contender for King’s title, the other will commit him to the ten-man against the DiMeo family and allow Denny to pick his own challenger.

 

 

King claims the microphone and urges Calhoun to stick with the ten men. There will always be another chance to challenge for a belt, but friendship is forever and his friend needs help…especially with the brute DiMeo has brought in to join the family.

 

 

The microphone is handed to Calhoun, who pauses a long time before speaking. When he finally does, he points out that it’s every wrestler’s ambition to become a champion and he doesn’t blame Denny King for trying to preserve his belt. He acknowledges that King is an outstanding wrestler, although Calhoun thinks he may be able to take him and it would be one hell of a match as they tried to figure it out…but ultimately, he thinks King is right. He can’t abandon his friend, and he’d like to commit to the ten-men against the DiMeo Family.

 

Vessey looks disappointed, but he nods and goes to open the appropriate briefcase, when…

 

“WHAT’S UP NEW YORK CITY!”

 

 

Charlie Corner steps through the curtain, flanked by Dominic Degraff. “It’s your boy, Charlie Corner, and his brother from another mother Big Dom DeGraff, and before Calhoun signs on the dotted line, we think there’s one more man you all need to hear from tonight.”

 

Freedom Eagle steps through the curtain, flanked by the Casey brothers, and accepts the microphone from Corner.

 

“Hawkeye,” he says, “you and I have been wrestling together since we were rookies together, and we’re one hell of a tag-team. One of the best there is.

 

“But neither of us dreamed of being the best tag-team in the world, and we both know how hard it is to break those expectations once people get used to thinking of you as a unit. I know this decision is killing you, that you’re trying to do the right thing instead of the choice you really want, so I’m going to take it out of your hands.

 

“I have my team for Beasts of War – Me, Charlie Corner, Dom DeGraff, and Brooklyn’s other great tag-team, Chuck and Tully Casey. We’re signing that contract to take on DiMeo, Brooklyn Dojo’s going to represent, and you’re going to fight for the Tri-State title.

 

“And buddy, make sure you win it.”

 

Denny King immediately loses it, shouting “No! No! That isn’t his choice!”, but Vessey has already swapped briefcases and handed the title shot over to Calhoun, who makes a show of raising it above his head as the show goes off the air.

RATING: 37

 

 

SHOW RATING: 42

 

THE NEWS FROM BACKSTAGE

 

Storm Spillane bruised a pectoral muscle during his match with New York Doll, courtesy of a bad fall when the action spilled outside. He managed to finish the bout and walk backstage under his own power, and made it clear that he doesn’t want the injury to cost him future bookings.

 

Meanwhile, we got the news that Marvel Malloy had relocated to Mexico’s Centro region, putting him a little closer to OLLIE where the Cobras are making the majority of their money right now. It means we’ll be paying a little more to fly Cobras in when we want to use them, but given that their schedule currently bounces them between Mexico, Japan, CZCW on the West Coast, and US, we’re probably getting them en-route to somewhere else most bookings.

[Herrbear]

Liking the story.

[arwink]

NEW YORK STATE OF MIND

 

 

“Welcome, wrestle-fans, to the Beasts of War edition of New York State of Mind—your weekly podcast with all the news, updates, and goings-on in New York City Wrestling and other territories in the COTT. I’m your host, Joan Rodriguez, and I’m here with possibly the most fragrant guest we’ve had thus far, Devasting Don.”

 

 

“Evening, J-ro. Ya want a chicken wing?”

 

“—”

 

“What? It’s a perfectly good hot wing. I picked ‘em up at that Sports Bar down on 9th.”

 

“And…you carried them here in your pants?”

 

“Keeps ‘em warm.”

 

“Just…turn your microphone off before you chew. There’s no need for anyone else’s stomach to churn the way mine is right now.”

 

*muffled by chewing* “Your loss.”

 

“Speaking of losses, wins, and all the results in-between, we should talk about Beasts of War and get your thoughts on some of upcoming matches.”

 

*Don belches* “Good to go.”

 

“Let’s start with our main event this evening – the Boys From The Yukon will be defending the COTT World Tag-Team Championships against Riley McManus and the Masked Stranger. Who do you see taking this match?”

 

“Me and Richie.”

 

“Neither of you are in the match.”

 

“But we should-a been.”

 

“Yes, well, let’s set that aside.”

 

“Fine. I don’t want to be against dem Boys – those suckers hit plenty hard – but I’m hoping McManus and Stranger take it. Me and Richie will be claiming those belts real soon, and it’ll be sweeter if we take em from the masked dingus and the punching bag.”

 

“Thank you. And if we move on to our second match – Hawkeye Calhoun challenging Denny King for the NYCW Tri-State title?”

 

“King.”

 

“That’s a bold call, given Calhoun has already scored a pinfall victory over the champ.”

 

“Everyone can have three good seconds, even a kid like Calhoun. Denny’s been dominating for months, and far as I can tell, he’s damned near unstoppable.”

 

“I’m not it was three good seconds that scored his loss, but let’s move on. Our third title match of the evening sees the newly minted COTT Junior Heavyweight champion, Miller Fforde of MAW, taking on Ray Snow.”

 

“Fforde’s had a good run for a little squirt. Took out that zombie kid from the West Coast, yeah?”

 

“If you’re referring to IPW’s Zombie Goy, that was indeed a barnstormer of a match they had on Fforde’s first defence.”

 

“Then the kid’s got form.”

 

“Speaking of form: Marvel Malloy returns to NYCW to get some payback against your crew of misfits. He’s issued an open challenge, and it seems Richie Riggins has answered the call.”

 

“Figured we’d give the kid a fighting chance.”

 

“I take it you’re backing Riggins?”

 

“Another man with form.”

 

“Yes, but he’s been excelling in the multi-man environment. Now he’s taking on a former COTT tag-team champion in a one-on-one match.”

 

“Wins are win.”

 

“Okay. Moving on, the match that promises to be one of the most violent of the night – Freedom Eagle and his allies will take on The DiMeo family, including new addition “Hitman” Eric Sandretti – in an no holds barred elimination street fight.”

 

“If Eagle’d kept Calhoun on the team, this might have been an even fight. But I figure Sandretti’s going to mow through Eagle’s team like I go through a pack of chicken Mcnuggets.”

 

“I wouldn’t be counting Eagle’s team out – there’s a lot of young talent in Eagle’s corner.”

 

“And a lot more muscle in Sweet Sal’s, even before he brought Sandretti on board.”

 

“Okay, then. A match with title implications, and I’m not expecting an objective answer here – Greg Borne and Curtis Shaw against The New York Doll and Andrew Harper.”

 

“Harper’s going to put Borne through a table, then I’m going to beat the crap out of Shaw for fun.”

 

“Another big match – and one that’s surprising this far down the card. Brutus Milano will join forces with Animal Harker and Greg Henn to face a trio assembled by Phil Vibert – Quentin Queen, Ozzie Goldstein, & the COTT champion, Pablo Rodriguez.”

 

“Milano and his boys.”

 

“That’s…surprising.”

 

“Why? I got eyes? Don’t make the mistake of thinking that I’m dumb because I’m chunky, babe. Brutus Milano has his eyes on the COTT champ, and he’s got more power than anyone in this company. I ain’t knocking Vibert’s eye for talent – those three men are a damned dangerous trio – but Rodriguez has been a fighting champ, taking on all commers throughout the COTT. That’s a lot of fighting, and it’s going to wear you down. No matter how good Queen and Goldstein are, they ain’t got the size or the experience to stop Milano from taking what he wants.”

 

“Alright, then. That just leaves our opening contest – and a match that sees some old friends re-unite for the first time in years. Happy Elwood—”

 

“Who's a cheesy geek.”

 

“—will be teaming with The Fighting Irish against the team of Ernest Youngman, Jay Silver, and Sean Noggin. The Irish haven’t teamed together since Crocket Tubbs wrestled as Robbie McNamara up in Canada, 6 years ago, but they were a formidable team.”

 

“And that won’t do a damn thing when Youngman knees them in the head so hard it dislocates their jaw.”

 

“That’s an impressive call, given that he’s teaming with two of the greenest competitors on the NYCW roster.”

 

“Way I hear it, Noggin and Silver have been putting in hours with Larry Vessey himself. That kind of attention can bring a kid along pretty fast.”

 

“Perhaps your right. Of course, a win here will do wonders for Youngman’s determination to earn a shot at Brutus Milano and the Empire Championship. I suspect Youngman’s choice of partners has more to do with proving a point than any skills they’ve picked up from Larry Vessey.

 

“Still, wins and losses are the only thing prove anything in NYCW and the rest of the Confederation of the Territories, and there’s plenty of matches that can change the title landscape taking place around the country. Whether he leaves Beasts of War a winner or loser, Paglo Rodriguez will face the fight of his life when he takes on Hustle Muvva and Lug Phelan in IPW’s TrippleMania just three days later…”

 

NYCW BEASTS OF WAR 2020

 

COTT WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP – Riley McManus & Masked Stranger vs. The Boys from The Yukon

NYCW TRI-STATE CHAMPIONSHIP – Hawkeye Calhoun vs. Denny King

COTT JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP - Miller Fforde vs. Ray Snow

Marvel Malloy vs. Richie Riggins

NO HOLDS BARRED ELIMINATION MATCH – Freedom Eagle, The Casey Brothers, Charlie Corner, Dominic DeGraff & vs. The DiMeo Family

Greg Borne & Curtis Shaw vs. New York Doll & Andrew Harper

Brutus Milano, Animal Harker, & Gregg Henn vs. Pablo Rodriguez, Ozzie Goldstein, & Quentin Queen

Happy Elwood & The Fighting Irish vs. Ernest Youngman, Jay Silver, & Sean Noggin

[smw88]

COTT WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP – Riley McManus & Masked Stranger vs. The Boys from The Yukon

NYCW TRI-STATE CHAMPIONSHIP – Hawkeye Calhoun vs. Denny King

COTT JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP - Miller Fforde vs. Ray Snow

Marvel Malloy vs. Richie Riggins

NO HOLDS BARRED ELIMINATION MATCH – Freedom Eagle, The Casey Brothers, Charlie Corner, Dominic DeGraff & vs. The DiMeo Family

Greg Borne & Curtis Shaw vs. New York Doll & Andrew Harper

Brutus Milano, Animal Harker, & Gregg Henn vs. Pablo Rodriguez, Ozzie Goldstein, & Quentin Queen

Happy Elwood & The Fighting Irish vs. Ernest Youngman, Jay Silver, & Sean Noggin

[Herrbear]

COTT WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP – Riley McManus & Masked Stranger vs. The Boys from The Yukon

NYCW TRI-STATE CHAMPIONSHIP – Hawkeye Calhoun vs. Denny King

COTT JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP - Miller Fforde vs. Ray Snow

Marvel Malloy vs. Richie Riggins

NO HOLDS BARRED ELIMINATION MATCH – Freedom Eagle, The Casey Brothers, Charlie Corner, Dominic DeGraff & vs. The DiMeo Family

Greg Borne & Curtis Shaw vs. New York Doll & Andrew Harper

Brutus Milano, Animal Harker, & Gregg Henn vs. Pablo Rodriguez, Ozzie Goldstein, & Quentin Queen

Happy Elwood & The Fighting Irish vs. Ernest Youngman, Jay Silver, & Sean Noggin

[arwink]

<p></p><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="MGL3h2P.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/MGL3h2P.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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong><span style="font-family:'Arial Black';"><span style="font-size:18px;">NYCW BEASTS OF WAR 2020</span></span></strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong><span style="font-family:'Arial Black';"> </span></strong></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong><span style="font-family:'Arial Black';"><span style="font-size:14px;">Saturday, Week 2, March 2020</span></span></strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong><span style="font-family:'Arial Black';"><span style="font-size:14px;"> Bradford Arena, NY – 500 People (Sold Out!)</span></span></strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong><span style="font-family:'Arial Black';"><span style="font-size:14px;"> Broadcast on WrestleWorld to 22,575 people</span></span></strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> IN-RING</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><img alt="gjIQ7T7" data-src="https://imgur.com/gjIQ7T7" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Joanne Rodriguez is out in the ring as the feed goes live, welcoming everyone to the Bradford Arena where a sold-out crowd of 500 fans have gathered for BEASTS OF WAR! She puts over the great night of wrestling ahead of us, including tonight’s main event where the COTT World Tag-Team Titles will be on the line, and—</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="EEBiHV1.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/EEBiHV1.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="1Y70DHA.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/1Y70DHA.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="jrSghM5.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/jrSghM5.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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> J-Ro is cut off by a wolf’s howl, and the creeping baseline of an unfamiliar theme song. An unfamiliar young woman steps through the curtain, striking a pose as the spotlight finds her, and a moment later she’s joined by the MAW’s “Kiwi Crusher” Sione Tokoeka & “The Last Survivor of the Boot Camp” Sean Noggin.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Together the trio head down to the ring, and Bowen lays claim to the microphone. She introduces herself as the triple-threat of wrestling managers – featuring beauty, brains, and pedigree – and talks about growing up around the business thanks to her father, Runaway Train. As a woman with an eye for talent and the capacity to mould champions, she’s come to NYCW with the goal of making The Wolf Pack world tag-team champions.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> J-Ro points out the Pack had already challenged the Boys from the Yukon for the belts and come up short in the attempt, and Bowen informs her that circumstances have changed. The Wolf Pack who challenged for those belts were unfinished products, wet clay still waiting for skilled hands to mould them into the final product. Now she’s here to start that process, and it starts with tonight’s opening six-man match and the man she’s personally hired to be their third.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="dwCyEEJ.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/dwCyEEJ.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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Ernest Youngman’s music hits and the Hit Man rolls down to the ring. He snatches the mic from Bowen and cuts a short promo of his own, warning Brutus Milano to watch close and realise that he can’t duck Youngman forever. </div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>RATING: 34</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></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="6ucKdaJ.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/6ucKdaJ.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="3rGhktv.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/3rGhktv.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;"><strong> vs.</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><img alt="dwCyEEJ.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/dwCyEEJ.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="1Y70DHA.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/1Y70DHA.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="jrSghM5.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/jrSghM5.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;"><strong> w/</strong></div></div></div><img alt="EEBiHV1.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/EEBiHV1.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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> HAPPY ELWOOD & THE FIGHTING IRISH vs. ERNEST YOUNGMAN & THE WOLF PACKw/Lisa Bowen</strong></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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Some great performances here, but both the Irish and The Wolf Pack are new faces for the NYC crowd, and there are some who are caught off-guard by the fact that Connor Threepwood is a no-nonsense submission expert rather than a second Irish goofball that wrestles like his partner Tubbs. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The action is fast and furious, with both teams looking to impress. Youngman sits back a little, letting the Wolf Pack take on the lion’s share of the action, but he picks his moments well and the delivery of a stiff knee strike or chain of suplexes often marks a turning point of the match. He even sets up the finish – catching Happy Elwood with The Hit – but when he makes the cover the ref points out that Sione Tokeoka got the blind tag while Youngman hit the ropes. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Youngman reluctantly clears the ring, but Tokeoka wastes a little too much time getting in to make the cover. Crocket Tubbs breaks up the pinfall and quickly rolls out to ringside, leaving Elwood to scramble for the corner and tag in Connor Threepwood.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> And Threepwood wastes no time – he slingshots in with a flying clothesline to take Tokeoka down, then rolls to his feet and flies across the ring to knock Sean Noggin off the apron. Meanwhile, Crocket Tubbs has snuck around to pull Youngblood to the floor and keep him occupied. Takeoka regains his feet and charges Threepwood, looking to overpower him, but soon finds himself rolled up in the Stretch Plum with no choice but to tap out. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </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;"><strong>Happy Elwood and The Fighting Irish defeated Ernest Youngman and The Wolf Pack in 10:02 when Conner Threepwood submitted Sione Tokoeka. RATING: 37</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> POST-MATCH INCIDENT</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><img alt="dwCyEEJ.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/dwCyEEJ.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="3rGhktv.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/3rGhktv.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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> There’s a thunderous crash at ringside, and a switch to the floor cam shows us the aftermath of Ernest Youngman damn-near taking Crocket Tubbs’ head off by delivering The Hit while Tubbs is against the guard rail. Tubbs slumps to the floor, dazed and possibly unconscious, and Youngman turns to discover the match is over and Threepwood has raced to the ring ropes to see what’s going on.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="6ucKdaJ.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/6ucKdaJ.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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> For a moment, Youngman looks ready to go wild, his eyes crazy as he takes in everything that’s going on. Then he visibly takes a breath and calms, holding up both hands to show he understands the match is over and there’s no call for violence. Another breath regains Youngman composure completely, and he calls for a mic to congratulate Connor Threepwood on the win and welcome him to New York City Wrestling.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Youngman goes on to say there’s no real measure of a man like meeting him in the ring, and he’s pleased to discover there may be another wrestler in NYCW with the skills, the killer instinct, and drive to succeed that’s capable of matching the Hit Man.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> It’s just a pity that man has tied himself to a clown like Crockett Tubbs.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Youngman drops the mic and lopes towards the curtain, leaving Threepwood and Crockett Tubbs to exchange an uncertain look while Happy Elwood tries to play peacemaker. </div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>RATING: 25</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>BACKSTAGE PROMO</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><img alt="M4BW9dX.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/M4BW9dX.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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> We cut backstage, where Phil Vibert puts over the team assembled tonight, marrying the greatness of the future with the best of the present for one night only. Vibert is the advocate of the future, but tonight you see the future in the here and now, and he thanks his old friend Pablo Rodriguez for agreeing to be the third man in tonight’s match.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="qB5gh2e.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/qB5gh2e.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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Rodriguez claims the mic and points out he didn’t agree to this match for Phil or whatever crusade the former DAVE owner is on. He’s here for one reason – to get the measure of Brutus Milano and decide whether he’s worthy of a World Heavyweight Title Shot.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="Lal1Plj.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/Lal1Plj.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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Quentin Queen takes the mic and warns Rodriguez to stay the hell out of his way. Whether it’s Greg Henn, Milano, or Animal Harker, he plans on being the man who picks up the win and catapults himself up the NYCW rankings. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="R8Eqvz8.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/R8Eqvz8.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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Ozzie Goldstein makes an exasperated sound, and all eyes turn to him. Goldstein claims all this bonhomie and togetherness makes for a nice show, but one day he’ll be going through everyone in this match on his path to greatness. Queen and Rodriguez should enjoy tonight, because they’re on Goldstein’s side…and they’re going to discover its far more pleasant than being his opponent. </div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>RATING: 47</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><img alt="G0VNJIx.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/G0VNJIx.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="J23zxbG.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/J23zxbG.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="UtXfoAe.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/UtXfoAe.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;"><strong> vs.</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><img alt="qB5gh2e.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/qB5gh2e.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="R8Eqvz8.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/R8Eqvz8.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" /><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> w/ </strong></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="pN3L3n9.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/pN3L3n9.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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> BRUTUS MILANO, GREG HENN, & ANIMAL HARKER vs. PABLO RODRIGUEZ, OZZIE GOLDSTEIN, & QUENTIN QUEEN w/Phil Vibert & The Destroyer</strong></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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The match starts with a series of rotating doors – Harker wants to start things off with Queen, who quickly tags out to Goldstein. Henn tags in, laying out a challenge to Goldstein…who promptly tags out to the COTT champion, Rodriguez, and orders him to “show me something.” Henn is eager to lock up with the champ, but Rodriguez makes a big show of calling out Milano…then tagging out to an astonished Queen when Brutus steps into the ring.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The real action starts with an unlikely pairing – Milano and Quentin Queen – but it quickly picks up from there. Brutus manhandles the smaller man, and Queen resorts to cheap shots and stalls to control the tempo, soon tagging in Goldstein whose aching for a chance to show what he can do against the Empire Champion.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> And so the match goes for the next nineteen minutes, with everyone playing a game of tit-for-tat and trying to get their hands on someone on the other side. It’s hard to tell whether its Harker or Milano who shows more fire…but it’s certain that Greg Henn is the calmest, cockiest guy in the match, even with Goldstein and Queen on the far side. He takes great pleasure in the short runs where he wrestles Queen, outclassing Vibert’s favoured client every chance he gets.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Everyone gets a chance to shine…but the final run is all Milano as he throws his opponents around. He ultimately catches Queen with the Backdrop Driver, then locks in the Italian Backbreaker to pick up the win.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </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;"><strong>Greg Henn, Animal Harker and Brutus Milano defeated Pablo Rodriguez, Ozzie Goldstein and Quentin Queen in 19:41 when Brutus Milano submitted Quentin. RATING: 49</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> POST-MATCH PROMO</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><img alt="AQFolyW.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/AQFolyW.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="G0VNJIx.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/G0VNJIx.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="qB5gh2e.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/qB5gh2e.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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Joanne Rodriguez heads down to the ring with the mic and signals for Milano and Rodriguez to stay put. She tells everyone that the COTT championship committee have made a decision to name Brutus Milano the next number one contender to Pablo Rodriguez’s COTT World Heavyweight Title.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Rodriguez takes the mic and cuts a promo on Milano – he doesn’t like Milano on a personal level, but he can’t deny the Empire Champion’s abilities in the ring. Milano has power, he has instincts, and he’s shown fire in the belly. Rodriguez doesn’t need to like the man he wrestles…he needs to know they’re worthy of wrestling for the COTT World Championship, and potentially holding onto it if they successfully beat the champ. It would be his honor—</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="R8Eqvz8.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/R8Eqvz8.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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> “Oh, this is bull****!” Ozzie Goldstein steps into the ring and claims the microphone from Rodriguez. “You don’t need to blow smoke up his ass, and if you were serious about wrestling the best in NYC-Dub, it wouldn’t be Brutus Milano you face…it would be the Golden One, Ozzie Goldstein. I am the pound-for-pound best in the world, and there’s nobody in this company—”</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Rodriguez gets in Goldstein’s face, and points out Goldstein’s a hell of a wrestler…but he isn’t the champ. If he wants to be recogised as the best in NYC, he’s got to take the Empire championship…and if he wants to be recognised as the best in the world, he’s got to do more than run his mouth.”</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Joane Rodrgieuz asks Milano if he wants to say a few words…but Milano merely smiles and says the champ has said it all. </div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>RATING: 56</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> BACKSTAGE PROMO</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><img alt="LKXGe2D.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/LKXGe2D.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> We cut backstage for a promo by Geoff Borne and Curtis Shaw, who promise that they’re going to bring the pain to New York Doll and Andrew Harper tonight. Between the raw power of Shaw and the precision of Geoff Borne knee strikes, they’re going to be an unstoppable combination. </div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>RATING: 32</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><img alt="LKXGe2D.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/LKXGe2D.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><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;"><strong> vs. </strong></div></div></div><img alt="e5l8ECk.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/e5l8ECk.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="VodgZhH.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/VodgZhH.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;"><strong> w/</strong></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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> GEOFF BORNE & CURTIS SHAW vs. NYD & HARPER w/Devestating Don</strong></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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> This one’s flat-out from the opening, with a highly motivated Geoff Borne bringing the fight to Doll and Harper. For the first two minutes it feels like Borne doesn’t stop moving, coming at his opponents from everywhere, giving them no quarter. It’s not until Doll cuts his momentum with a carefully timed momentum that things drop down to usual pace, with the pair cutting the ring in half and feeding Borne to ringside for a beatdown from Don.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Shaw breaks ranks several times, buying time for Shaw to recover and get the hot tag, and there’s a respectable pop when it finally happens, and the big man goes on a tear. He takes out Doll. He takes out Harper. He takes out Don when the big man tries to interfere, Shaw successfully dragging the superheavyweight over the top rope with a big suplex.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> But Don makes a show of being injured, having never actually successfully interfered, and it proves to be a set-up to distract the ref. Shaw is crouches, waiting for Don or his allies to rise, and doesn’t see Super Massive Destroyer coming down the ramp. The big monster nails Shaw in the back of the head, then takes him down with the Double-handed chokslam. Shaw’s left wobbly, and ultimately easy prey for Andrew Harper’s Spike Slam. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </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;"><strong>NYD & Harper defeated Geoff Borne and Curtis Shaw in 10:02 when Andrew Harper pinned Curtis Shaw. RATING: 39</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> BACKSTAGE PROMOS</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><img alt="ZSv2yjc.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/ZSv2yjc.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" /></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> We cut backstage, where Brooklyn’s Finest are standing by, ready to cut a promo. Freedom Eagle remains stoic and focused as Hawkeye Calhoun buds tonight’s match the culmination of a long, strange road. A chance at payback, and to put the DiMeo family in the rear-rivew. He can’t be involved tonight, because Eagle asked him to focus on the title shot, but he’s going to be out there in spirit and he’ll definitely have Eagle’s back if DiMeo attempts shenanigans.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="33XbxuM.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/33XbxuM.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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> We cut from there to Sweet Sal smoking a cigar backstage, alone and ready to compete. Sal shakes his head with regret, pointing out that it didn’t have to come to this. Eagle has been sticking his nose into DiMeo family business, and at any point if he’d just backed off, Sweet Sal would have let bygones be bygones.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> But now there’s no going back, and Eagle has made a grave mistake. The DiMeo family may not be the best wrestlers going, but they learned to scrap on the streets and every wrestling match they fight is a struggle against their instincts.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> But tonight is no holds barred, which means every dirty trick the family has ever learned is in-play and ready for use. And that’s not a fight any sane man wants to be in… </div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>RATING: 41</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> NO HOLDS BARRED ELIMINATION MATCH</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><img alt="ZSv2yjc.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/ZSv2yjc.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="WKvuNBg.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/WKvuNBg.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="R2qPaJY.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/R2qPaJY.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><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" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> vs.</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></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="xLoJjxQ.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/xLoJjxQ.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" /><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> FREEDOM EAGLE, CHARLIE CORNER, DOM DEGRAFF, & THE CASeY BROTHERS</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> vs.</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> SAL DiMEO, ERIC SANDRETTI, MACHINE GUN MARINO, & THE ITALIAN AMERICANS</strong></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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The DiMeo’s jump their opponents before the bell rings, and waste no time in taking the action to ringside where guard rials and plunder are liberally employed. Chairs are swung, bit hits are delivered, and the Italian streetfighters show just how dangerous they can be in an environment without rules. Ernie Turner is in the midst of predicting a clean sweep for the bad guys when DeGraff and Corner double-team Vito Perilli, swinging him headfirst into the ring post. They feed him back into the ring and Corner makes the cover, getting a three-count while DeGraff stands guard.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong><em>VITO PIRELLI IS ELIMINATED</em></strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Corner celebrates the pinfall with a scream of “WHAT’S UP NEW YORK!”</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> He regrets it almost instantly, getting caught from behind by Eric Sandretti, who hits Corner in the side of a head with a chair. Corner staggers, dazed and confused, and Luca Sacramoni catches him with a Mafia kick and makes the cover. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong><em>CHARLIE CORNER IS ELIMINATED</em></strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Freedom Eagle hits the ring and starts brawling with Sacramoni, quickly backed up by the Casey brothers who fend off the rest of the family. There’s a mighty crack at ringside as Dominic DeGraff is nailed by a chair shot from Sweet Sal…and a roar from the crowd as DeGraff fires back with a series of forearms.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Eagle sends the Casey’s to help DiMeo, and both Sandretti and Sacramoni move to intercept. That leaves Eagle in the ring with the yappy boxer of the Family, and while Machine Gun Marino unleashes a series of combinations without being called up for the clothes fist, he ultimately gets caught in a sleeper and choked out by Eagle.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong><em>MACHINE GUN MARINO IS ELIMINATED</em></strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Eagle is far from done, though. He takes in the mass of people brawling at ringside and immediately hits the ropes, launching a tope con hilo that lays everybody out. There’s a mass of bodies at ringside, everybody laid out by the impact, but Dominic DeGraff is on his feet first and drags Luca Sacramoni back to the ring. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The two men are staggered, but they start lobbing bombs at one another, trying to batter the hell out of their opponent rather than using finesse. Sweet Sal hits the ring with a chair, looking to put DeGraff out, but Dominic DeGraff proves to have the move scouted. He ducks, and Marino hits Sacramoni with the chair instead.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> DeGraff nails Sal with a big boot to buy himself a little time, then hits the double-arm DDT to put Sacramoni away. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong><em>LUCA SACRAMONI IS ELIMINATED</em></strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Sal DiMeo is pissed as hell and wastes no time in showing it. Three chair shots hammer DGraff in the skull, and they’re followed by a powerbomb onto the chair to cinch it. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong><em>DOMINIC DeGRAFF IS ELIMINATED</em></strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The action is three-on-one outside, with Eagle and the Casey brothers trying to contain the DiMeo’s hired gun Eric Sandretti. The Big Bull is a powerhouse and has plenty of in-ring experience, and he holds his own by slamming his opponents into the guard rails and slamming them into the concrete.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> He buys himself enough breathing room to roll Chuck Casey into the ring, and Sweet Sal DiMeo quickly capitalises on his partner’s set-up. He rolls up Casey for the three.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong><em>CHUCK CASEY IS ELIMINATED</em></strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Tully is pissed about his brother, but his attempts to take Sandretti down prove to be ineffective. The Hired Gun blocks each attempt at a suplex, sprawls against every breakdown, and ultimately catches Tully with a Piledriver to take him out.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong><em>TULLY CASEY IS ELIMINATED</em></strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The match boils down to the final three men – Freedom Eagle on one side, and his nemesis Sal Dieo accompanied by the devastatingly effective Sandretti on the other. Ernie Turner suggests this is a good time to cut your losses on commentary, but that’s now how Freedom Eagle is built – he starts to brawl with both man, throwing big punches again and again, rallying every time Sandretti and DiMeo cut him off. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> At one point they fire him into the ropes, and Eagle grabs hold to stop his moment. Sandretti comes charging in with a clothesline…but Eagle ducks underneath it and sends the big man over the top. Sandretti lands hard, stunned and slow to rise, and Eagle’s in the ring with DiMeo alone…and Sweet Sal shows every sign of hating that idea.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The clash, throwing everything they have at one another, and Eagle breaks free of DiMeo’s first attempt at the power bomb. He fires back with an Enziguri, then a belly-to-back on the larger man. DiMeo makes a half-hearted attempt to regain his feet, but it’s clear he’s—FREEDOM SLAM! Eagle puts DiMeo away for three!</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong><em>SAL DiMEO IS ELIMINATED</em></strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Eagle lies in the centre of the ring, scarcely believing he’s finally got his own back against DiMeo. The Godfather of the Family rolls out to ringside, obviously rattled by what’s gone on, and for a moment it feels like the match is done.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Then Eric Sandretti grabs hold of the top rope, and uses it to haul himself up onto the apron. He climbs over the ropes, implacable and unstoppable, all his attention focused on the masked </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Freedom Eagle does his best to fend off the big man, firing off a series of kicks intended to cut him down to size, but Sandretti barely goes down to one knee. He retaliates with a big clothesline that turns Eagle inside out, then follows it with his second piledriver of the night to collect the win.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </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;"><strong>Sal DiMeo, Eric Sandretti, Vito Pirelli, Luca Sacramoni and Machine Gun Marino defeated Freedom Eagle, Corner & DeGraff and The Casey Brothers in an Elimination match in 10:18. RATING: 30</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><img alt="AQFolyW.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/AQFolyW.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="R8Eqvz8.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/R8Eqvz8.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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> J-Ro chases after Ozzie Goldstein, trying to get a few words about the way Pablo Rodriguez called him out this eveing. Goldstein first tries to shrug it off, then whirls and cuts a promo – he’s been interrupted and overlooked by everyone since he started his wrestling career, so it’s not a surprise that Pablo Rodriguez makes the same mistake as everyone else. Goldstein needs to work twice as hard for half the opportunity of bigger men, when the truth is he’s the best pound-for-pound talent in this business, and—</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="qB5gh2e.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/qB5gh2e.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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Goldstein shuts up as Pablo Rodriguez steps into shot, cold fury in his eyes. Rodriguez claims he didn’t meant to insult Ozzie – he sees the talent, he knows the history with Phil Vibert that scored Ozzie a job in NYCW. Now it’s time to back up the talk – win King of New York. Take Milano’s belt. Earn the title shot his talent deserves. Let action take the place of words, and prove what needs proving in the ring. And if you're not willing to do that, give the World Championship the courtesy of the respect that he's earned...and you have not.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Goldstein gets in Pablo’s face, and warns him: You want to be careful, champ, lest I skip right past taking Milano’s belt and going straight for yours. </div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>RATING: 54</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> BACKSTAGE CELEBRATION</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></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="xLoJjxQ.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/xLoJjxQ.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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> We cut to the locker room, where the DiMeo family is celebrating their victory with glasses of win and raucous singing. Machine Gun Marino proves ot have a fine voice, but his song trails off as everyone realises Denny King is standing at the doorway of the locker room with a steel chain wrapped around his fist.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="vbAZaj2.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/vbAZaj2.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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> King points out that he’s defending his Tri-State title tonight because Sal DiMeo paid Ernest Youngman off. Sal DiMeo gets to claim victory because he orchestrated things so Hawkeye Calhoun wasn’t involved in the match, thus avoiding the experience edge he delivered to Freedom Eagle’s team.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Win or lose tonight, King is pissed about the way this has gone down, and one day there will be payback. “Make no mistake, Milano – if I’m ever in a position to screw you, be ready to get screwed.” </div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>RATING: 38</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><img alt="xlgZjCR.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/xlgZjCR.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;"><strong> vs. </strong></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;"><strong> w/</strong></div></div></div><img alt="0htwukW.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/0htwukW.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> MARVEL MALLOY vs. RICHIE RIGGINS w/Cheerleader Nikki & Devastating Don</strong></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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Malloy returns from injury looking for some payback, especially since the Misfit Syndicate took out his partner while Malloy was on the shelf. Riggins plays to Malloy’s anger, making expert use of Nikki and Don as distractions, but Malloy’s gameplan involves hitting hard and playing things smart. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> He keeps the action grounded, works the knee with impunity, and does his best to avoid losing his cool. He puts Riggins on the back foot several time, but ultimately he goes to the ropes and gets tagged with a sneaky liver punch from Don. Malloy stumbles and Riggins capitalises, hitting the Body Bag for the win. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </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;"><strong>Richie Riggins defeated Marvel Malloy in 14:04 by pinfall. RATING: 30</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> POST-MATCH PROMO</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><img alt="rzPKEyR.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/rzPKEyR.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="Y5XBu0o.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/Y5XBu0o.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><img alt="0htwukW.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/0htwukW.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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Riggins calls for a microphone, and Don rips one out of the ring-crews hand and delivers it to his partner. Riggins proceeds to cut a promo, pointing out that everyone thinks of him as the king of the multi-man match, but he’s just proven Richie Riggins is no slouch in a one-on-one environment.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> That means that everybody should be scared…because King of New York plays to Riggins’ strengths, and there’s no way anybody can see him coming with nine other men in the match. Tomorrow night he’s going to qualify and score his spot…and then he’s going to go on and win a shot at the COTT Championship. </div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>RATING: 40</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> PRESS CONFERENCE FOOTAGE</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><img alt="UjLgxXl.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/UjLgxXl.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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> We cut to footage of the press-conference announcing the Beasts of War card, where Junior Heavyweight Champion Milller Fforde reflects on winning the belt. It was the biggest moment of his career, but it’s been non-stop since then, taking on challengers in Mexico and cross the West Coast, fielding dozens of match-offers every day from all across the COTT.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> And now he’s got to fight Ray Snow – a man whose skill is apparent to anyone whose seen him wrestle, and who Fforde has nothing but respect after scouting years of tape. Snow knows how to ground and pound, and Fforde’s style is built around speed, so Miller needs to watch out for any attempt to keep him grounded or take out a necessary limb. </div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>RATNG: 40</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> COTT WORLD JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><img alt="UjLgxXl.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/UjLgxXl.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;"><strong> vs. </strong></div></div></div><img alt="8HmfZIh.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/8HmfZIh.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;"><strong> w/</strong></div></div></div><img alt="M4BW9dX.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/M4BW9dX.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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> MILLER FFORDE vs. RAY SNOW w/Phil Vibert</strong></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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> These guys have full permission to cut lose and deliver a barnstormer, and the result is a fast-paced match full of reversals, ducked kicks, and furious strike exchanges. Snow is a tenacious presence in the ring, methodically working the neck with every work, doing his best to get Fforde on the mat. It never quite works, and ultimately Fforde mounts a comeback and hits the Fforde Flip Face Crusher to retain his belt. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </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;"><strong>Miller Fforde defeated Ray Snow in 14:23 by pinfall. Miller Fforde makes defence number three of the COTT World Jr Heavyweight title. RATING: 35</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><img alt="AQFolyW.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/AQFolyW.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" /></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> J-Ro is backstage to get a few thoughts from Hawkeye Calhoun ahead of his Tri-State Championships match. Calhoun is eager to get out there, but he’d be lying if he couldn’t say he’s not 100 percent focused on tonight’s challenge. He watched the fight between Brooklyn Dojo and the DiMio Family, and he’s disappointed in the result.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> But he’s going to keep his promise – if Calhoun succeeds in capturing the Tri-State Championship, then Freedom Eagle will be the first challenger. Because he mat have lost a match tonight, but he went out there and did Brookyn proud until the very end – Calhoun just hopes he can fight half-as-hard to put away Denny King and walk away with the belt. </div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>RATING: 61</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> NYCW TRI-STATE REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></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;"><strong> vs. </strong></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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> HAWKEYE CALHOUN vs. DENNY KING</strong></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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> There’s no need to rush in this one – Calhoun is so over with the NYCW crowd that they’re chanting before the first lock-up, and King is veteran enough to play things perfectly from there. He teases exchanges and walks away, grabs a headlock and works it for two straight minutes, and takes a powder to ringside to break the match’s momentum. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The crowd gets hot, burning like a powder keg, and Calhoun feeds on it, ultimately turning the tide with a big flying forearm through the middle rope to the floor. It knocks King over and kicks off an outright brawl, with both men throwing everything they have at one-another, searching for an edge they can finally turn into an advantage.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> King finds himself on the back foot, and it’s soon clear that the champ has no answer to a fired-up Calhoun with the crowd behind him. The masked man hits big move after big move, making quick covers that are always just that little bit too close to the ropes, and King’s attempts to cheat are either blocked or result in nothing more than short-lived bursts.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Even when King goes into the final exchange, getting Calhoun up the superplex, the masked man proves to have it scouted. He fights free, elbows King off and sends him back to the canvas, and prepared to launch a top-rope splash…</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><img alt="5dlqY36.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/5dlqY36.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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> …only to tumble to the floor when a woman hits the ring apron and pushes Calhoun off, igniting an explosive burst of heat that comes in two waves. The first, when the fans realise what’s happened, and the second when they realise that veteran NYCW presence and hated manager Nicole Kiss has just helped King retain his title. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> King lays in wait, then nails Calhoun with a stiff lariat to end things. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </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;"><strong>Denny King defeated Hawkeye Calhoun in 19:33 by pinfall. Denny King makes defence number three of the NYCW Tri-State Regional title. RATING: 41</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> RECAP VIDEO</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></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="pASVuhV.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/pASVuhV.jpg" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /><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" /></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The crowd needs a break from the intense action of the last match, so we cut to a short recap video that shows the highlights from McManus and Stranger winning the NYCW tag-team titles from the Boys From The Yukon, and the eventual decision to grant them a COTT World Tag-Team Title shot now they’ve established their bonafides as a team. </div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong>RATING: 37</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><div style="text-align:center;"><p></p><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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> COTT WORLD TAG-TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></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="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;"><strong> w/ </strong></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;"><strong>vs. </strong></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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> McMANUS & STRANGER w/Fern Hathaway vs. THE BOYS FROM THE YUKON</strong></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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Power versus technical skill. Tag-team experience versus dogged resilience and athletic excellence. The Boys have been a dominant tag-team in NYCW for years now, but they’re showing evidence of refining their game now they’ve stepped onto a national stage. There’s still plenty of backcountry recklessness to their style, but it’s increasingly tinged with savvy and tactical acumen. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> It’s clear that MCManus and Stranger don’t have the polished teamwork of the boys, nor the easy natural chemistry that marks some teams for greatness from the outset. What they’ve got is tremendous skill and athleticism, which goes into display early on when McManus starts throwing the larger Howling Mad Mort around with suplexes. Their gameplay is clear from the opening minutes – work the neck, push the pace, and wear the Boys out.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> As the match ticks past the twenty-minute mark, it almost seems like it’s going to work, but the Boys have been defending their belts around the USA and Mexico, and their conditioning is better than it was a few months back. The final three minutes is a furious exchange of finsihers and kick-outs, neither side picking up an advantage until Mort comes in off the hot tag and clotheslines McManus over the top rope. They double-team Stranger not long after, laying him low with Tiiiiiiimber!</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </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;"><strong>The Boys From The Yukon defeated McManus & Stranger in 25:26 when Howlin' Mad Mort pinned Masked Stranger. The Boys From The Yukon make defence number four of the COTT World Tag Team titles. RATING: 45</strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><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;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong> </strong></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><strong><span style="font-family:'Arial Black';"><span style="font-size:14px;">SHOW RATING: 46</span></span></strong></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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </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="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;">THE NEWS FROM BACKSTAGE</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> The NYCW crew have largely found their equilibrium at this point, coming together like a well-oiled machine to put on a show. With no troubles or tribulations, I was free to offer my compliments to Ozzie, Quentin Queen, and Ray Snow for their work this evening.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> With Calhoun and Goldstein locked in for a two-year written contract, I turned my attention to the next two names on our list of long-term talents. I asked Ernest Youngman and Riley McManus to both come by after the show, and pitched them both on a written deal that would confirm their commitment to NYCW…and my commitment to do right by them. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> Both will take a few days to think about it, and potentially have a lot to lose by taking the deal. Both would be names I’d be paying attention to were I booking TCW instead of Brent Hill, and USPW has been liberal with their check book of late. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> A guy like Hawkeye can benefit from the kind of focused build we offer, and Ozzie Goldstein has been out in the wilderness long enough that he sees value in rebuilding his stock, but for guys like Youngman and McManus who already have buzz, the potential revenue loss if they’re locked up while the big three come calling is considerable.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> And, for all my promises, they're both veteran enough to know that books are bookers, and promoters are promotors--and both will sacrafice you to save their own skin, when it comes down to it.</div></div></div></div></blockquote>

[arwink]

<p></p><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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;">

</div></div></div><img alt="M4BW9dX.jpg" data-src="https://i.imgur.com/M4BW9dX.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></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;">

22,575 viewers on WresteleWorld. A respectable number, albeit one that doesn’t yet pay for the cost of producing shows, and to the uneducated eye it might seem like good news that small feds like us are getting national exposure. NYCW has long been a company that counts itself lucky if 300 people make it to a show, leaning into an old-school style and a conservative approach to talent, so the thought fo twenty-thousand plus people seeing our product is exciting for the bulk of the boys.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;">

And it probalby is good for the individual wrestlers, but it's a double-edges sword for the companies who host them. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;">

Every wrestling company goes out of its way to educate their fans about the product, which evolves over time to become an identity that company presents to the world. The Eisens ran Supreme as a babyface territory for decades, bringing in heels to chase a series of big, larger-than-life babyface icons that started with Micky Star and flowed through to Sam Strong, then Jack Bruce. It was a choice that flew in the face of accepted wrestling wisdom, which said the real money was in having a babyface chase a title held by a dastardly heel.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;">

TCW has long been a middleweight territory, presenting smaller wrestlers with athletic backgrounds at the top of the card. Sure, they’ve had some iconic heavyweights in their ranks – Ricky Deal Johnson and Rocky Golden being the obvious choices, but Tommy Cornell was a smaller guy and he brought smaller guys to prominence once he took over. The top of the card was dominated by middleweight and light heavyweights, and the bigger guys usually found their way to the tag-team ranks unless they could wrestle like a middleweight.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;">

USPW was the land of the giants long before Sam Strong took it over, or Reverie bought it off him. It’s the home of big hoss fights as much as nostalgia and safe, old-school actin, and it makes me wonder if Sammy Bach is going to fare after he transitions over. TCW was tailor-made for a guy like Sammy to succeed, and while he never won the biggest title, he’s been a feature of their main event for nearly a decade now. It’s hard to see USPW placing the same value upon him, especially in the winter years of his career.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;">

Carving out that identity is how each of these companies competes, and educating their fans about what makes a particular territory </div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><em>different</em></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> is how they find the fans who are theirs, rather than general fans of wrestling.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;">

NYCW isn’t playing on that level, and DAVE only had a short run with a national profile, but I’m familiar with the dynamic in play. Even before DAVe was on television, we were part of the East Coast War…and like everyone else active on the East Coast at the time, carving out an identity was a big part of keeping a company thriving in the competitive environment of the late nineties.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;">

And this is where WrestleWorld is changing the game for wrestling promotions, and may catch several people off-guard—</div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><em>everyone</em></div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> is in a competitive environment now, fighting for eyeballs in a crowded marketplace, and small companies who haven’t clearly articulated who they are and what they’re about are in for a world of hurt.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;">

Right now, CZCW is the best-positioned to take advantage of the distribution WrestleWorld offers—there’s very few companies that can present the kind of fast-paced, balls-to-the-wall action that the Coastal Zone fans welcome each and every show. All Canada Pro might be able to match CZCW for speed, but their roster is smaller and their fans aren’t anywhere near as hot, and going [i[all</div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;">[/i]</div></div></div><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> cruiserweight limits them somewhat.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;">

If CZCW is well-positioned, IPW is probably going to struggle. They’re the third hardcore fed to sign up for WrestleWorld, coming in after PSW and long-time rivals GSW, and they’re competing for the same eyeballs. All three companies will need to figure out a way to distinguish themselves, and I fear GSW is probably coming in with an edge given they look and feel very different to the others. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;">

NYCW’s competitive advantage has long been presenting itself as an old-school territorial fed. Local wrestlers taking on local wrestlers, home-town favourites testing themselves against the occasional freelancer. That works great if all you’re speaking to are a NYCW crowd, but we needed to reinvent ourselves to take things global. Taking a territorial identity national largely results in the kind of jingoism that drives a USPW show, and we’re simply not going to compete in that space. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;">

Which is why, very slowly and very subtly, we’re staking our claim as the biggest tag-team territory in the country. Lots of stables, lots of six and eight man matches on the card, and the two big shows we put up on WrestleWorld both featured tag-teams in the main event. It’s a choice that plays to Larry Vesseys strengths as an agent, and his pretences as an owner, and the boss actually cracked a rare smile while listening to the crowd during the final moments of the Boys versus McManus and Stranger.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;">

The challenge, of course, is building a division that matches the intent. The Boys From The Yukon are our anchor, at this point probably more important than Empire Champion Brutus Milano, and Beasts of War proved they absolutely could draw as a headline act. Admittedly, they’ve benefited greatly from the national exposure that comes from working across the COTT, and I’ll be doing my absolute best to ensure we’re the home of those tag belts for the foreseeable future. </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;">

Of course, right now our other teams are either young (The LA Stars, The Casey Brothers, The Wolf Pack) or comprised of two single stars without much experience or a tag-team specialist to call the plays (The Heart Breakers, McManus & Stranger, NYD & HARPER, Brooklyn’s Finest). While the Boys can quite legitimately lay claim to being one of the best tag-teams in the world right now, there’s nobody with a pedigree that will stack up.</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"> </div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;">

Except, maybe, The Fighting Irish, but I’m loathe the pull the trigger on them having a run at the top spot until the fans have accepted them as “NYCW guys” instead of a North of the Border team…</div></div></div><p></p><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;"><div style="margin-left:25px;">

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