LOW - Legends of Wrestling

[bookerbill]

Agreed. The action has been real solid in the North West since LOW started to promote in the area.

[cruefan68]

Thanks for the comments Crimson and Bookerbill, I am really enjoying running the PCW territory and I am glad you like it as well. Next up is action from Mexico City courtesy of the GWA...

LOW Global Wrestling Association - Arena Mexico - Mexico City, Mexico (Card #787)

1) Ricky Landell defeated Dan Spivey:
A shocking upset in the opener saw Ricky Landell of ASW defeat “Dangerous” Dan Spivey continuing the recent slump for the big man. Spivey used his size and strength to dominate early but he was unable to put Landell away. A late rally by Landell saw him score a big near fall with a double-arm underhook suplex. He would then lay Spivey out and deliver the Top Rope Fist Drop to score the pin. An enraged Spivey attacked Landell post-match tossing him over the top rope before going after the referee who managed to escape. Backstage Spivey was overhead saying that he will be going on the next tour for Kings Road United in Japan and that he will be piling up a list of victims to prove that his loss to Landell was a “fluke”.

2) Johnny Saint defeated Val Venis:
The popular Johnny Saint, a former LOW Junior Heavyweight champion, went up against the “Big Valbowski” Val Venis in the second match. Venis controlled the pace early in this one including softening Saint up with the Irish whip and knee smashes. It was a counter sunset flip off the ropes by Saint for a big near fall that turned the tables in this one. He softened Venis up with a diving forearm smash from the second rope and then trapped him in the Three In One for a submission victory.

3) Super Crazy defeated Lanny Poffo:
The crowd was whipped into a frenzy as hometown favorite the “Insane Luchadore” Super Crazy took on “The Genius” Lanny Poffo of ASW. Crazy dominated this one early including hitting the springboard quebrada. Poffo made a nice comeback with the dropkick to the back and top rope neck snap. He had Crazy in trouble until a battle on the floor saw him take a backdrop on the concrete. Back inside it was Crazy hitting the spectacular Triple Moonsault on Poffo to score a snake eyes pin.

4) Danny Hodge, 2 Cold Scorpio, & Paul London defeated Giant Bernard, Finlay, & David Taylor:
The popular trio of Danny Hodge, 2 Cold Scorpio, & Paul London took on Giant Bernard, Finlay, & David Taylor in exciting six-man tag team action. The heels got the jump early attacking Team Hodge during the ring introductions. The powerful Bernard laid Hodge out with a short-arm clothesline setting him up for a similar move from the “Belfast Bruiser”. Finlay was dominant during his time in but control reversed after Taylor tagged in. Hodge nearly pinned him after he and London combined on the Assisted Shooting Star Press. London would later score a big near fall on Bernard with the 450 Splash but Finlay made the save. The tense battle concluded when Scorpio caught Finlay with a running back elbow off the ropes followed up by the Flip Leg Drop to score the pin.

5) LOW Tex-Arkana Television title: Brent Albright defeated Curt Hennig© by DQ:
The LOW Tex-Arkana Television title was contested in a hard fought match as defending champion Curt Hennig faced “The Shooter” Brent Albright. Having had a good run of success teaming with The Mountie in the GWA it was Albright attempting to establish some singles glory by taking the title from Hennig. He was on the defensive early as Hennig caught him with the running knee lift and locked on a sleeper hold. Albright sought the safety of the outside but Hennig followed him out to continue the battle. A missed deathjump by Hennig saw Albright execute a cradle hold for a two count. Albright then got in some explosive offense nailing Hennig with the 6-1-Knee and later trapping him in a Sharpshooter. Hennig managed to escape and roll out of the ring with Albright following. The two traded blows before Hennig hit Albright with the title belt in the heat of battle and that resulted in the disqualification decision. It was a big win for Albright even though Hennig retained the title.

6) The French Angel defeated Exotic Adrian Street by DQ:
A second straight disqualification decision came in this heated grudge match between The French Angel and Exotic Adrian Street. This bout came as a result of a live edition of Apter’s Corner on the last GWA card in San Juan, Puerto Rico (Card #782) where The French Angel saved Bill Apter from a potential kiss by Street and then wound up kissing a terrified Miss Linda. She was at ringside for this one and took great pleasure in Street roughing up the Angel during the bout. Street twice caught him in the Crucifix for big near falls before the Angel stormed back into it. He rubbed Street’s face in the mat and battered him with menacing palm strikes and fearsome headbutts that rendered the flamboyant British star a bloody mess. He looked to have the victory when he trapped Street in the Bearhug but Miss Linda saved her man by spraying hair spray in the eyes of the Angel. Street and Linda quickly bailed out of the ring as a victorious French Angel was attended to by the referee.

7) Steve Williams & Terry Gordy defeated New Age Outlaws:
Prior to the match it was announced that the winning team between the Miracle Violence Connection (Steve “Dr. Death” Williams & Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy) and the New Age Outlaws (B.G. James & Kip James) would be added to the 10-team gauntlet match being held during WrestleCade VIII weekend. That meant that the winning team would have a chance to compete for an LOW World tag team title match with the Fabulous Kangaroos at WrestleCade VIII. The added importance of the match made for a tense situation between the two popular teams. The NAO looked good early including B.G. scoring a two count on Williams after hitting the Shake, Rattle & Roll Knee Drop. Gordy turned things around for his team laying Kip out with a back suplex and leveling B.G. with a Tombstone Piledriver (ch) for near falls. Williams later nailed B.G. with the Backdrop Driver and made the cover but he only got a two count. B.G. showed great resiliency there but a short time later it was “Dr. Death” leveling B.G. with the Oklahoma Stampede to score the pin as Gordy fended off a run-in by Kip. Both teams shook hands after the bout with the NAO wishing Williams and Gordy luck as they head to WrestleCade VIII weekend.

8) Ivan Koloff defeated Mil Mascaras:
In what may have been one of the biggest upsets in LOW history based on the setting it was freelance star Mil Mascaras, a seven-time LOW World Heavyweight champion, returning to Mexico City and losing to the “Russian Bear” Ivan Koloff in a heated main event. The crowd was clearly on the side of Mascaras who nearly won this one early as he scored a two count hitting his trademark Flying Bodypress. Koloff battled back in vicious fashion including hitting Mascaras with his chain out of view of the referee. He also delivered the backbreaker, falling face slam, and top rope knee drop on Mascaras. Things were looking bleak for the “Man of a Thousand Masks” but he managed to punch his way out of a Russian Bearhug and battle back. Mascaras used the bow and arrow and octopus hold for a submission chance and then nearly pinned Koloff after hitting a slingshot plancha. Koloff managed to turn things around on the outside as he ran Mascaras back first into both the guard rail and the ring apron. He then trapped Mascaras in the Russian Bearhug for a second time dropping the masked star down to the mat. Koloff cinched the hold on as the referee determined that Mascaras was unable to continue giving the “Russian Bear” the victory via submission. The crowd jeered the decision and things reached a near riot situation as LOW officials and arena security escorted Koloff to the back. The unrest in the crowd cooled down as Mascaras recovered and accepted cheers from the fans that had come to see him battle Koloff. It was a huge win for Koloff and gives him some momentum heading into the PWI Invitational Cup Tournament being held during WrestleCade VIII weekend.

[EpicDave]

Mascaras losing in Mexico! You think they would have burned down the arena, given the controversial finish. Loved Hennig DQ'ing his way out of a title loss. Great card!

[Crimson Cross]

I liked the win by Landell over Spivey, it'll be fun to see if Spivey wins in Japan or keeps on losing. The French Angel vs. Street feud continues to be a hot one, plus Albright winning via DQ is cool, but I like Hennig as the Tex-Arkana Champion...

[cruefan68]

Thanks for the comments Dayton Dave and Crimson, and I was afraid of what could happen after Koloff beat Mascaras clean in Mexico City The Ricky Landell upset win over Dan Spivey set the pace for an interesting night. The French Angel-Adrian Street feud is one I am hoping will be fun to roll out. Next up in action are the ladies of SHIMMER as we continue the march towards WrestleCade VIII...

SHIMMER - Women Athletes - The Eagles Club - Berwyn, IL (Card #788)

1) Thunderkitty, Cherry Bomb, Evie, & Tomoka Nakagawa defeated Jessicka Havoc, Heidi Lovelace, Sassy Stephie, & Nevaeh:
The final SHIMMER card of the year opened with a special eight-woman showcase match featuring new stars signed by the promotion as Thunderkitty, Cherry Bomb, Evie, & Tomoka Nakagawa took on Jessicka Havoc, Heidi Lovelace, Sassy Stephie, & Nevaeh. The action was all over the place in this one and the fans were glued to the confrontations between Thunderkitty and Havoc and Nakagawa and Lovelace. Cherry Bomb looked good during her time in and scored a submission chance on Havoc with Anger As Beauty, a bridging double chicken wing submission hold. The wild bout ended when Nakagawa caught Lovelace with a sliding lariat followed by a Step Up Enzuigiri resulting in a snake eyes pin.

2) Athena defeated Su Young:
The popular Athena, also known as “The Wrestling Goddess”, took on SHIMMER newcomer Su Young from Seattle, WA. Young has great potential but she was off her game here as Athena dominated most of the way. Athena executed the cartwheel double knee drop for a two count and, after hitting a sidewinder slam, she planted Young with the O-Face to score the pin.

●Amber Gertner caught up with Athena following the match and she had a lot to say. She said that her goal is to win the SHIMMER championship but that in order to do that she needs to prove herself. In that respect she called out former two-time champion MsChif challenging her to a match. MsChif was not scheduled to appear but she was in the building and she wasted no time in accepting the challenge to a match on the first SHIMMER card of the new year in Berwyn, IL (Card #806).

3) Penny Banner & Ida Mae Martinez defeated Lacey & Rain by DQ:
Two teams battling for a chance at the SHIMMER tag team titles met as Penny Banner & Ida Mae Martinez opposed the Minnesota Home Wrecking Crew (Lacey & Rain). The Minnesota Home Wrecking Crew are one of the most successful tag teams in SHIMMER history but that didn’t matter here. Banner and Martinez were in control most of the way and had Lacey in trouble from the start. Banner trapped her in a Boston Crab for a submission chance and Martinez would follow with a flying head scissors into a cradle for a near fall. A frustrated Lacey wound up getting her team disqualified when she ran Banner into the ring post on the outside.

4) Courtney Rush defeated Veda Scott:
Representing “Winningpeg”, Manitoba,, Canada, it was Courtney Rush taking on Providence, RI, native Veda Scott in a hard fought contest. Both women picked up near falls in the early going with Rush hitting the T-Bone Suplex and Scott the Mind Trip. Scott went on a nice offensive stretch midway through this one and had Rush in trouble several times. Rush, however, weathered the storm and hit a number of suplexes before executing a Top Rope Crossbody to score the pin.

5) Madison Eagles, Kellie Skater, & Jessie McKay vs. Sherri Martel, Nora Greenwald, & Joyce Grable was a DDQ:
The rivalry between these two sides has been pretty intense and the Australian trio of Madison Eagles, Kellie Skater, & Jessie McKay were looking for revenge against the dangerous veteran team of Sherri Martel, Nora Greenwald, & Joyce Grable after losing to them on a previous card in Berwyn, IL (Card #768). They did a great job of isolating Martel for a long stretch which included McKay hitting the Boyfriend Stealer, a sitout uranage, for a near fall that was broken up by Grable. Eagles also scored a two count on Martel after hitting a running big boot. Things turned around when Greenwald was in against McKay and she wound up nailing her with the Flipping Seated Senton. It wound up being a near fall as Eagles and Skater ran in to break it up. That set off a wild six-way brawl which the referee was unable to contain and he called for the bell ruling the match a double disqualification.

6) SHIMMER tag team titles: Glamour Girls© defeated April Hunter & Simply Luscious to retain the titles:
The Glamour Girls (Leilani Kai & Judy Martin) were looking to tie the title defense record of six held by Sara Del Ray & Daizee Haze as they defended the SHIMMER tag team titles against April Hunter & Simply Luscious. Hunter, meanwhile, was looking to win the belts for a third time with different partners as she previously teamed with Madusa Miceli (Card #449-453) and Jazz (Card #551-565) to hold the gold. This was an amazing back and forth bout with a series of near falls being scored by both teams. One of those resulted in a surprise run-in by the reunited Canadian Ninjas (Portia Perez & Nicole Matthews) as they prevented Martin from being able to pin Luscious after a Power Bomb. The interference by the Ninjas helped Hunter and Luscious rally back and Hunter nearly scored a submission on Kai with The Hunter Lock. Kai battled back strong catching Hunter with an over the knee backbreaker followed by a flying bodypress off the top rope for a big near fall. The finish saw Martin gain the upper hand on Hunter and level her with the Power Bomb to score the pin. The Glamour Girls retained the titles but afterward had to stand their ground as the Canadian Ninjas returned to ringside with Amber Gertner leading to…

●The Canadian Ninjas (Portia Perez & Nicole Matthews) were forced to disband after losing to the Glamour Girls in a double stipulation match (Card #728) but they reunited with a vengeance here nearly costing Leilani Kai & Judy Martin the SHIMMER tag team titles. An angry Perez said that the duration of time for the Ninjas to be disbanded has run out and they were back to reclaim what is rightfully theirs – the SHIMMER tag team titles. She then challenged the Glamour Girls to defend the belts against them on the first card of the new year in Berwyn, IL (Card #806). Kai grabbed a mic and said the challenge was accepted and that history would again be made as they will humiliate the Ninjas and set a new record for defenses of the SHIMMER tag team titles.

7) Three Way Elimination Match: Lufisto defeated Mercedes Martinez and Saraya Knight:
This special Three Way Elimination Match between Lufisto, Mercedes Martinez, and Saraya Knight was held to determine who would challenge Cheerleader Melissa for the SHIMMER title in one of the feature matches at WrestleCade VIII (Card #800 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA). Melissa was on hand at ringside to observe the bout and take mental notes on the three potential challengers. This one was explosive right out of the gate as Knight got the upper hand on Martinez and trapped her in the Bridled Rocking Horse going for the submission. Lufisto broke that up and not long after laid out Knight with the Burning Hammer to score the pin. An enraged Knight was eliminated from the match and she had to be taken to the back by SHIMMER officials when she refused to leave ringside. Lufisto then got the upper hand on Martinez and hit the Burning Hammer again for a big near fall. The crowd rallied behind the “Super Hardcore Anime” as she took the fight to Martinez wearing her down with the Diving Star Headbutt and another Burning Hammer for a near fall. Martinez showed great tenacity in kicking out and was near TKO state when she got back into it picking up consecutive near falls with the Fisherman Buster and brainbuster. A counter by Lufisto off of the ropes led to the finish as she blasted Martinez with a Spinning Backfist to score the pin. The crowd erupted in cheers as Lufisto earned a huge opportunity heading to WrestleCade VIII to face Melissa for the title.

8) Steel Cage Match: Sara Del Ray & Daizee Haze defeated Mildred Burke & Jazz:
The main event saw Sara Del Ray & Daizee Haze take on Mildred Burke & Jazz in a Steel Cage Match. The rules applied for the match were tag out rules and a pin or a submission to decide the winner. Burke and Jazz are one of the most intimidating teams in SHIMMER and Del Ray and Haze have had their share of problems with them which led to this match taking place. Haze was the star of the match as she took the fight to the feared Burke scoring with a bridging German Suplex and hitting a diving crossbody off the top of the cage for a big near fall. Jazz was irate by that point looking to get her team back into the match but Burke was in a bad way. She was tossed head first into the cage wall and nailed with a running suicide plancha by Haze sending her back into the steel. Del Ray would take over and lead her team to the victory when she caught Burke with the Royal Butterfly to score the pin.

●Amber Gertner attempted to get a post-match interview with Jazz as Burke was being attended to by medics in the ring. Jazz exploded on her and grabbed her by the arm threatening to strike her when suddenly Angel Orsini showed up to save the day. The powerful Italian star shoved Jazz and dared her to do something about it. Jazz got back into her face and the two had an intense stare down before SHIMMER officials got in between the two. After the card it was announced by promoter Dave Prazak that Orsini and Jazz have agreed to meet in a match when SHIMMER returns to Berwyn, IL (Card #806).

[Vegas]

I just got caught up.

In Mexico, great effort by Albright as a desperate Hennig had to resort to a belt shot to keep his title. A good win for the MVC over the NAO and a sad loss for Mil Mascaras in the main event.

That sounds like it was a great cag match between SDR/Daizee Haze and Mildred Burke/Jazz.

Looking forward to WrestleCade VIII!

[cruefan68]

Thanks for the comments, Vegas. The build towards WrestleCade VIII continues with a stop in CHIKARA...

CHIKARA - A World Without Heroes - Highline Ballroom - Manhattan, NY (Card #789)

1) Archibald Peck & Jakob Hammermeier defeated Los Ice Creams:
Tag team action kicked things off as the delicious Los Ice Creams (El Hijo del Ice Cream & Ice Cream, Jr.) squared off against Peck-N-Hammer (Archibald Peck & Jakob Hammermeier) who were accompanied by Veronica. This was a good mix of comedy and action including El Hijo del Ice Cream staging a rally after executing the fanny pincher on Peck. Ice Cream, Jr. followed with the devastating Sprinkle Bomb before they hit El Asesino on Peck with Hammermeier making the save. It was Peck-N-Hammer coming out on top when Peck hit the Cranial Crescendo on El Hijo del Ice Cream to score the pin.

2) Ultramantis Black defeated Mister ZERO:
The action was hard hitting in this one as the popular Ultramantis Black, the leader of the Order of the Neo Solar Temple, took on cult favorite Mister ZERO. It was ZERO dominating early until Ultramantis struck back with La Safarina and a double knee backbreaker. He also delivered the Praying Mantis Bomb but Zero grabbed the bottom rope to break up the pin. A counter sunset flip off of the ropes by ZERO netted a two count which was followed by him locking on the newspaper assisted camel clutch. Ultramantis fought out of it and would trap ZERO in a Texas Cloverleaf (ch, substitution for Scorpion Deathlock) to score a submission victory.

3) Shane Storm defeated Vin Gerard:
Shane Storm overcame great adversity in this one to pick up a huge win over Vin Gerard who was accompanied by The Dark Menace. It was Storm in control early after countering a hangman neckbreaker with an Air Raid Crash. He then hit a release German Suplex on Gerard and went for the pin but The Dark Menace distracted the referee. Later it was The Dark Menace interfering again hitting Storm over the head with his cane while the referee checked on Gerard who had been laid out with That Japanese Move. Gerard came back strong including locking on the STF for a submission chance. Storm, however, would deck The Dark Menace on the outside gaining revenge on the interfering manager before hitting That Japanese Move on Gerard for a second time to score the pin.

4) Gran Akuma defeated Green Ant:
Two men looking to get in the hunt for a shot at the CHIKARA 12-Large Grand Championship squared off as Colony member Green Ant took on Gran Akuma. Green Ant survived an early onslaught and used both the leg grapevine and half crab to ground Akuma. Senior Referee Bryce Remsburg kept a close eye on the action as the versatile Akuma bounced back. He nailed Green Ant with the Falcon Arrow, Rubik’s Cube and Yoshi Tonic. He also cut off a late rally by Green Ant and caught him with the devastating Tenchi Crash, a reverse piledriver dropped into a wheelbarrow facebuster, to score the pin.

5) Mike Quackenbush, Jigsaw, & Hallowicked defeated The Throwbacks:
Two tecnico trios teams squared off here as “Lightning” Mike Quackenbush, Jigsaw, & Hallowicked took on The Throwbacks (Dasher Hatfield, Sugar Dunkerton, & Mr. Touchdown). This one was all action with the lucha libre rules coming into play multiple times as both teams would make tag exchanges by leaving the ring. One spectacular spot saw Hallowicked drive Dunkerton out to the floor and follow up with a suicide plancha taking out all three members of The Throwbacks. Jigsaw was the star of the match showing some great offense including countering a shoulder tackle from Dunkerton by popping up with a jumping enzuigiri. It would be Dunkerton taking the loss for his team when Hallowicked nailed him with the Graveyard Smash, a cradle suplex lifted into a sitout spinebuster, for the pin. Both teams shook hands following the loss although Mr. Touchdown showed some trepidation until Dunkerton convinced him to show respect to the victorious opposition.

6) The Colony defeated 3.0:
By orders of CHIKARA Director of Fun and reigning 12-Large Grand Champion “Sweet n’ Sour” Larry Sweeney this match between The Colony (Fire Ant & Soldier Ant) and 3.0 (Scott “Jagged” Parker & “Big Magic” Shane Matthews) would determine the next challengers for the Campeonatos de Parejas. The winning team would face reigning champions The Roughnecks (Brodie Lee & Grizzly Redwood) for the titles on the combined CHIKARA-Ring of Honor show being held at the famed WTBS Studios in Atlanta, GA (Card #799) during WrestleCade VIII weekend. Both teams were ready for battle but it was The Colony bringing forth a combined effort that would be hard to beat. 3.0 are noted for key moves like flap jack & power bomb combo and the 3.0 Lung Blower but they were unable to get The Colony into a state to execute those moves. Fire Ant and Soldier Ant both hit their finishers, the Beach Break and TKO respectively, during the course of the match for big near falls. It came to an end when The Colony executed Ants Go Marching, a simultaneous sit-out power bomb and neckbreaker combo, on Matthews with Fire Ant covering him to score the pin.

7) Young Lions Cup: Frightmare© defeated Chuck Taylor to retain the title:
The popular Frightmare made his version three defense of the Young Lions Cup against the “Kentucky Gentleman” Chuck Taylor, one-third of F.I.S.T. along with Icraus and Johnny Gargano. Icarus failed in a bid to win the title at Waiting For The Sun (Card #779 in Hellertown, PA) on the same night that Taylor beat Gargano to earn this shot. Taylor was dominant in this one including hitting the turnbuckle power bomb and Invisible Grenade Elbow Drop. He set up Frightmare and delivered his devastating finisher the Omega Driver for a big near fall. Frightmare barely kicked out before the three count prompting a bewildered Taylor to argue with the referee. It was the superior speed of Frightmare that proved to be the game changer in this one as late in the bout he caught Taylor with the Frightensteiner for a big near fall. Taylor then attempted a top rope counter but Frightmare tossed him down to the mat and followed up with a top rope variation of the Kneecolepsy to score the pin and retain the title. A bitter Taylor had words with both Icarus and Gargano heading to the back afterward and the F.I.S.T. members were none too happy with the result.

8) CHIKARA 12-Large Grand Championship: Larry Sweeney© defeated Dragon Dragon to retain the title:
A farce of a main even saw “Sweet N’ Sour” Larry Sweeney, the acting CHIKARA DOF, defend the 12-Large Grand Championship against his handpicked opponent in the popular Dragon Dragon. This one was all Sweeney as he dominated the match from the opening bell, a match which included Dragon Dragon struggling to put his costume head back on after an offensive attack from the champion. The “War King” Eddie Kingston, the former champion, came down to ringside after Sweeney hit the 12 Large Elbow Drop and he distracted the referee breaking up the pin. Sweeney then ordered security to escort Kingston out of the building and as they were doing so it was Kingston being blindsided and attacked by Tursas. Sweeney laughed it off and would then hit another 12 Large Elbow Drop on a prone Dragon Dragon to score the pin and retain the title.

●Larry Sweeney succeeded in doing what few others can and that was handpicking his opponent for a championship match without any interference from the Board of Directors due to his position as the Director of Fun. He denied Eddie Kingston his championship rematch and chose the lowly ranked Dragon Dragon to fight for the 12-Large Grand Championship instead. Flanked by his new associate Tursas he grabbed the mic post-match and while strutting around the ring he declared himself the greatest champion in the history of CHIKARA. He said that as the DOF he was giving himself some time off and that there would be no defenses of his championship in the near future. The crowd jeered the announcement by Sweeney who was all smiles as he grabbed his feather boa and continued strutting around the ring.

That smile was soon turned upside down, however, as CHIKARA founder Mike Quackenbush interrupted him. Quackenbush said that Sweeney has fully disgraced the championship and the position of Director of Fun and after a recent meeting of the Board of Directors a decision has been made. The decision was made to replace Sweeney as the DOF and the man to replace him is – Colt “Boom Boom” Cabana! As Copa Cabana by Barry Manilow filled the Highline Ballroom, a beaming Cabana made his way to the ring to a thunderous ovation from the crowd.

Cabana grabbed the mic and said that with the improved relationship between CHIKARA and Ring of Honor that he had negotiated a mutual release from his contract with ROH in order to become the new DOF. He said it was a great opportunity to return to CHIKARA and shake things up. Sweeney had to be held back by Tursas on the outside as Cabana made his first announcements at DOF. He ruled that Tursas would have to face Kingston in a No DQ Match on the combined CHIKARA-ROH show in Atlanta, GA (Card #799) during WrestleCade VIII weekend. He said that Sweeney would get to go on his vacation and that he has purchased an all inclusive trip for him to beautiful suburban Richfield, OH, where the 12-Large Grand Champion can spend time thinking about his actions drawing laughter from the crowd.

A red faced Sweeney was beside himself as the next declaration from Cabana was that when Sweeney returns his next title defense will be during King of Trios weekend (Card #808-810 at The Asylum in Philadelphia, PA) and it will be on Night Three against the “War King” Eddie Kingston in a Falls Count Anywhere Match! The crowd erupted in cheers as Tursas had to grab Sweeney to prevent him from going after Cabana in the ring. Cabana then said that he had one more surprise and said “Security, release the Kingston!” and that led to Kingston running down to ringside going after Sweeney and Tursas. Sweeney managed to escape to the back while Kingston and Tursas traded heavy blows back and forth. After a while Cabana called for security and fellow CHIKARA stars to separate the two ending a wild scene.

[Crimson Cross]

I loved the red faced Sweeney segment with Cabana taking over the office of the DOF, but it was cool seeing Sweeney retain. I liked that Peck-n-Hammer won their match and the same goes for Gran Akuma winning over the Green Ant...

[cruefan68]

Thanks for the comments Crimson. that was a fun CHIKARA card to roll out and I am happy with how the transition went from Sweeney to Cabana as the DOF. Next up is action from Ring of Honor...

Ring of Honor - Nothin' To Lose - Hammerstein Ballroom - Manhattan, NY (Card #790)

1) Bad Influence defeated Forever Hooligans:
On a night where the ROH tag team titles would be a major focus it was two new teams competing in the opening match as the Forever Hooligans (Alex Koslov & “Mr. Azucar” Rocky Romero) took on Bad Influence (“The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels & Kazarian). Daniels was on fire early neutralizing Kozlov and nailing him with the Best Moonsault Ever. That would lead into Daniels executing the Angel’s Wings but Koslov was saved from defeat by Romero. After that it was Romero with the Fujiwara armbar bringing the pain to both members of Bad Influence. It looked like the Forever Hooligans were going to stage a nice comeback but Kazarian cut that off when he nailed Koslov with the Flux Capacitor. That left Koslov easy prey for the Sit-Out Power Bomb & Neckbreaker Combo with Daniels scoring the pin.

2) El Generico, Michael Elgin, Tommaso Ciampa, & Kyle O’Reilly defeated Delirious, Rhino, Roderick Strong, & Matt Taven:
Eight-man tag team action was up next as the popular foursome of El Generico, “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin, Tommaso Ciampa, & Kyle O’Reilly of Future Shock took on the House of Truth team of Delirious, Rhino, Roderick Strong, & Matt Taven. Manager Truth Martini and the beautiful Hoopla Hotties were at ringside for the match. Generico set a frantic pace early taking on his masked counterpart Delirious hitting a suicide dive and 450 Splash. Elgin put on a power display and nearly pinned Delirious after hitting the Buckle Bomb. Elgin has slowly been climbing up the ROH ladder and his performance in this match showed that he could be poised for great success. His battle with the “Man Beast” Rhino had the crowd on the edge of their seats. Strong was the standout for the House of Truth team putting on a great performance during his time in. The finish of a chaotic bout saw O’Reilly plant Taven with a brainbuster before coming off the top rope with a Flying Bodypress to score the pin. Even a distraction attempt by the Hoopla Hotties failed in the end and the House of Truth suffered a tough loss in this one.

3) AJ Styles defeated Mike Bennett by Count Out:
There was a lot on the line in this one as “The Phenomenal” AJ styles took on “The Prodigy” Mike Bennett who had the beautiful Maria Kanellis and Brutal Bob in his corner. The two men fought to a time limit draw on the last ROH card in Santa Ana, CA (Card #780) and this rematch was ordered with the added stipulation that the winner would challenge for the ROH Heavyweight title on the combined CHIKARA-ROH card in Atlanta, GA (Card #799) during WrestleCade VIII weekend. The Code of Honor was not adhered to pre-match as the two began brawling right away. Styles got the upper hand and hit the Styles Clash early but Maria got up on the ring apron and distracted the referee. Bennett fought back hitting a spear and roughing up Styles on the outside. Styles hit a defensive running lariat out of the corner for a big near fall late in this one. The finish came a short time later when Styles hit the Fosbury Flop laying Bennett out on the floor. Brutal Bob and Maria both tried to help him up but he wound up being counted out of the ring giving Styles a big victory. Bennett showed some class afterward by shaking hands with Styles in adherence to the Code of Honor.

4) Top Contenders Tournament: Cedric Alexander & Caprice Coleman defeated Kings of Wrestling:
A shocking upset here as the C & C Wrestle Factory of Cedric Alexander & Caprice Coleman defeated the Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli, with Tyler Black) to advance to the finals of the four team tournament. Many were looking at the three-man KOW team as potential winners of the tournament which was for a shot at ROH tag team champions Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas in the opening match of WrestleCade VIII. The KOW team did a good job controlling early as they isolated Alexander and that included Castagnoli executing the UFO and giant swing. Coleman helped rally his team back into it hitting the scissors kick and going after the KOW members on the floor. The finish was controversial as “A Double” Austin Aries showed up at ringside distracting both Hero and Black. That allowed the C & C Wrestle Factory duo to execute the C & C Connection Combo, a tandem Frankensteiner and top rope splash, on Castagnoli with Alexander scoring the pin.

5) Top Contenders Tournament: Steve Corino & Jimmy Jacobs defeated American Wolves:
The other half of the tournament bracket saw the American Wolves (Davey Richards & Eddie Edwards) take on S.C.U.M. members Steve Corino & Jimmy Jacobs to see who would face Cedric Alexander & Caprice Coleman in the finals. This one ended in controversy and what some would also call an upset as well. Both teams were on their “A” game here and this was an outstanding match. Corino and Jacobs were both busted open and showed great resiliency by escaping defeat several times. It looked to be over late in the match when Richards caught Corino in the Ankle Lock but the “King of Old School” was able to get to the ropes for a break. Jacobs used his unique offense to punish both of the Wolves in and out of the ring. He hit the Contra Code on Richards for a big near fall and used The End of Time on him going for the submission. The finish saw a bloody and fatigued Corino execute a Counter Sunset Flip off the ropes on Richards and reach out grabbing the hand of Jacobs for extra leverage in scoring the pin. The crowd jeered the decision and both Richards and Edwards argued with the referee but it was to no avail as S.C.U.M. got the win.

6) Fight Without Honor: Necro Butcher defeated Homicide:
The war between the “Notorious 187” Homicide and the equally hardcore Necro Butcher led to this battle under Fight Without Honor rules. That meant that both men were free to do whatever they want and use whatever they want. That is a scary thought. Homicide dominated this one from the opening bell and had Necro in serious trouble several times. He tossed a chair in his face, ran him head first into the ring post, and hit Da Gringo Killer for a big near fall. He also gouged Necro with his fork and laid him out with a top rope 187. Necro finally bounced back after Homicide missed with a spear and crashed into the guard rail. The two would battle into the crowd and then Necro laid out Homicide with a suplex onto a ladder. Homicide wound up being busted open but continued to fight kicking out even after being planted with the Necro Bomb. This one ended when Necro set up two chairs back to back and hit the devastating Choose Death covering Homicide to score the pin.

7) Top Contenders Tournament Final: Steve Corino & Jimmy Jacobs defeated Cedric Alexander & Caprice Coleman by DQ:
An unexpected tournament final between C & C Wrestle Factory (Cedric Alexander & Caprice Coleman) and S.C.U.M. members Steve Corino & Jimmy Jacobs ended in controversy. With the winners going on to face Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas for the ROH tag team titles in the opening match at WrestleCade VIII (Card #800 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA), both teams laid it all on the line in this one. Jacobs nearly won it for his team when he used the controversial Railroad Spike on Alexander but Coleman made the save. The powerful Coleman helped turn things around for his team but it was not enough. Corino blasted him with the Old School Lariat for what looked to be a sure pin but Alexander made a last second save. C & C Wrestle Factory then went to town on Corino and were disqualified snake eyes style for excessive double-teaming. It was a bitter defeat for Alexander and Coleman in what may have been their biggest match in ROH. They lost their cool afterward and wound up injuring Corino after delivering the C & C Connection Combo on top of a pile of chairs. Kevin Steen, the third member of S.C.U.M., ran down to ringside but was too late as the damage was done to Corino.

●Steve Corino suffered injuries to his back and ribs. That was as a result of the attack by Cedric Alexander & Caprice Coleman and it was later learned that he will be unable to compete in the ROH tag team title match at WrestleCade VIII. An angry Kevin Steen and Jimmy Jacobs spoke with local reporters afterward and Steen said that there is no way that ROH can justify the actions of C & C Wrestle Factory. He said that he will take Corino’s place and team with Jacobs to take the tag team titles from Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas. Jacobs approved of the decision by Steen and echoed his statement saying that S.C.U.M. will leave WrestleCade VIII as the new ROH tag team champions. He also said that Alexander and Coleman will have “hell to pay” when Corino returns.

8) ROH Heavyweight title: Adam Cole© defeated Jay Lethal to retain the title:
The main event saw Adam Cole make his version one defense of the ROH Heavyweight title against a strong challenge from Jay Lethal. The Elizabeth, NJ, native had just come off of an intense series of matches with Tim Donst to earn this title opportunity. The two men adhered to the Code of Honor at the start but then both were distracted as AJ Styles showed up taking a seat at ringside. Lethal would strike first and had Cole in trouble early and often scoring a series of near falls. He executed Hail to the King, the dragon suplex, and even applied a figure four leglock looking to get Cole to tap out. Cole came back with a great counter of a hip toss into a dropkick by nailing Lethal with a brainbuster onto the knee. The match went out to the floor a few times and at one point nearly ended in a double disqualification. Cole would come away with the win when after another counter he caught Lethal with a super kick to the back of the head followed by the Panama Sunrise to score the pin.

The crowd cheered the victory by Cole and then watched as the two men engaged in the Code of Honor after the match. As Lethal left the ring it was Cole holding up the championship belt. Styles then got up on the ring apron and gestured towards Cole indicating that he was coming for the title. Cole laid the belt down and dared Styles to come in but he left and returned to the back. As a result of his earlier win over Mike Bennett it will indeed be AJ Styles challenging Adam Cole for the ROH Heavyweight title on the combined CHIKARA-ROH card in Atlanta, GA (Card #799) during WrestleCade VIII weekend.

[Crimson Cross]

A good event from ROH, but too bad the C&CWF couldn't win the tournament. They did have a big win over KoW, plus it's good to see Cole retain versus Lethal...