LOW - Legends of Wrestling

[cruefan68]

IWA Supercard of Honor II - The Cotton Bowl - Dallas, TX (Card #1049)

1) Handicap Match: Eddie Kingston & Mikey O’Shea defeated Moose by Count Out:
The big card opened up with a Handicap Match as Moose took on the “War King” Eddie Kingston and Mikey O’Shea. This came about first after Kingston and O’Shea turned on Moose following a six-man tag team match and subsequently injured him. Moose came out on fire but was nearly pinned when he missed a corner charge and was rolled up by Kingston. That was followed up by Kingston hitting the Sliding D but Moose kicked out of the pin with authority. Moose began mounting a strong attack and had both Kingston and O’Shea in trouble until taking the match out to the floor. Moose held the upper hand on O’Shea until Kingston jumped him and spun him around hitting the Backfist to the Future. Moose went down and O’Shea alertly rolled back into the ring winning the match by count out for his team. The crowd jeered the decision but Moose got some post-match revenge when he speared O’Shea after Kingston dove out of the way sacrificing his tag team partner.

2) Paul London & Brian Kendrick defeated All Night Express:
The popular team of Londrick, Paul London & Brian Kendrick, took on the thus far undefeated All Night Express (Rhett Titus & Kenny King) who were accompanied by their boastful manager Rock Riddle. The duo of ANX dominated most of the early action getting the heat on London, including King busting him open with a head first run into the ring post while Riddle distracted the referee. ANX also hit the One Night Stand on the bloody London but somehow he kicked out just before the three count. Riddle vehemently argued with the referee over that call and then was beside himself when a counter by London led to the hot tag. A fired up Kendrick took over on offense hitting moves like the rolling wheel kick and plancha. ANX were knocked off the rails by Kendrick who surprised King with a Tornado DDT out of nowhere to score the pin. The crowd went crazy as Londrick ended the undefeated run of ANX and Riddle complained to the referee over a quick count but it was to no avail.

3) The Colony defeated Roderick Strong, Delirious & Rhino:
The first of two big trios matches saw The Colony (Fire Ant, Soldier Ant & Green Ant) taking on House of Truth members Roderick Strong, Delirious and Rhino. With manager Truth Martini in their corner, the team of Strong, Delirious and Rhino were hoping to bring some prestige back to their stable after Strong recently had his record run as the LOW Tex-Arkana Television champion ended by Blackjack Mulligan. They almost won it early when Strong nailed Fire Ant with the Sick Kick for a big near fall. The Ants struck back and nearly scored a fall on Delirious, a former IWA Heavyweight champion, after executing Ants Go Marching. The battle really picked up from there with both sides coming close to victory. The finish saw the Ants hitting Ants Go Marching on Rhino but Delirious interrupted the pin. That led to an unfortunate turn of events for the House of Truth as Delirious then went for a big move on Green Ant but missed and took out Rhino instead. That led to Green Ant trapping Rhino in the Good Luck Cloverleaf and he won it via submission as the Ants prevented Strong and Delirious from breaking the hold. The Colony picked up a huge win and afterward Delirious and Rhino had to be pulled apart by Strong and Martini as they shoved each other over the outcome.

4) Falls Count Anywhere Match: Adam Pearce defeated Rob Van Dam:
The seemingly one-sided rivalry between Rob Van Dam and “Scrap Iron” Adam Pearce led to them meeting in this Falls Count Anywhere Match. Pearce has won all four of their one-on-one matches, including a Finisher Match and a Table Match, so RVD was looking to turn the tide in this no rules match. Pearce was dominant early as he connected with such moves as the spinebuster and Superfly Splash. RVD made a counter ducking a running lariat and struck with the split-legged moonsault and roundhouse kick to the head resulting in two counts. The two brawled out of the ring several times resulting in both the announcer’s table and a souvenir stand being destroyed. They eventually fought down the aisle and back into the locker room area forcing fans in the Cotton Bowl to follow the action on the big screen. It wound up in the ladies bathroom, resulting in a number of screams being heard, where Pearce hit the Jumping Piledriver but RVD kicked out before the three count! RVD fought back and wound up busting Pearce open and nearly pinning him with a moonsault off of a production stand. They wound up brawling back out into the stadium where a bloody Pearce managed to dig down deep and connect with another Jumping Piledriver resulting in the pin. Pearce remained undefeated against his rival and for RVD this will be a real tough loss to overcome.

5) Chuck Taylor, Johnny Gargano & Timothy Thatcher defeated Bobby Fish, Kyle O’Reilly & Trent Barreta:
Trios action saw reDRagon (Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly) team up with Trent Barreta to take on Chuck Taylor, Johnny Gargano and Timothy Thatcher. This was the kind of match that could go either way as both sides featured some tremendous talent. Barreta, in particular, has been on a real roll of late and he was hoping to continue that here. reDRagon almost took it when after an offensive by Fish it was O’Reilly trapping Gargano in Armageddon but he managed to grab the ropes for a break. That was followed by Barreta hitting the flying forearm smash and double foot stomp on Thatcher for a near fall. Thatcher mounted a comeback against Barreta and nearly won it via submission with the Fujiwara Armbar but that was also broken up in the ropes. This one really could have gone either way but in the end it was Taylor that caught Barreta with Sole Food followed by the Springboard Moonsault to score the pin. Taylor came up big for his team and he joined Gargano and Thatcher in an unpopular victory celebration out at ringside as reDRagon assisted Barreta back to his feet.

6) Loser of the Fall Leaves the IWA: Mike Quackenbush & Eddie Edwards defeated Davey Richards & Matt Taven:
There was a lot on the line in this one as “Lightning” Mike Quackenbush and “Die Hard” Eddie Edwards teamed up to battle House of Truth members Davey Richards and Matt Taven. The rules were simple as the loser of the fall would be forced to leave the IWA. Manager Truth Martini was at ringside for Richards and Taven and he boasted to ringsiders that his men would come out victorious and that sending either Quackenbush or Edwards packing would be “icing on a victory cake”. The rivalries between all four men, Quackenbush versus Taven and Edwards versus his former tag team partner Richards, have really been heating up and IWA Commissioner David Marquez sanctioned this match in order to help resolve some of that. The hatred boiled over as even before the ring introductions finished it was Richards and Taven jumping Quackenbush and Edwards. Quackenbush managed to gain the upper hand and planted Richards with the Quackendriver II for a near fall just moments into the match. That was the start of a rough match for Richards who wound up being busted open by Edwards late in the bout. Martini was beside himself as his men looked to gain some kind of traction in the all important match. The manager wound up interfering to break up a pin after Quackenbush hit another Quackendriver on the bloody Richards. Tension really boiled over as an epic finish crept up with Edwards catching Richards with one Tiger Suplex followed by a second one and that resulted in the pin. The crowd erupted in cheers as Edwards gained the ultimate revenge on his former tag team partner in the American Wolves by sending Richards out of the IWA.

The victory celebration was short lived, however, as Taven hit Quackenbush with the Book of Truth knocking him out of the ring. Richards, blood still flowing from his head, then struck Edwards from behind and quickly trapped him in the Ankle Lock. He refused to release the punishing hold as Edwards cried in pain. IWA officials ran in but so did the rest of the House of Truth – Roderick Strong, Delirious and Rhino – allowing Richards to keep the hold locked in. Finally it was The Colony and a recovered Quackenbush running in to make the save but the damage had already been done. Edwards was subsequently diagnosed with a broken right ankle and will miss an unspecified amount of ring time. Richards has been forced out of the IWA but not before dealing out serious damage to his former partner. As for the House of Truth it was ordered by IWA Commissioner David Marquez that the remaining members – Strong, Delirious, Rhino and Taven – will be facing Quackenbush and The Colony in the main event of the next edition of IWA On The Mat (Card #1059 in Manhattan, NY).

7) Nigel McGuinness defeated Bryan Danielson:
A battle between two technical standouts did not disappoint as the “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson took on Nigel McGuinness. Both men were at the top of their game and had the crowd on the edge of their seats with a great back-and-forth battle. McGuinness used the London Dungeon for a submission chance early and then it was Danielson hitting a discus elbow smash knocking him out of the ring. Danielson followed with a dive to the outside and a back superplex that resulted in a two count. McGuinness struck back hitting the Guvnor’s Crumpet, a hammerlock into a kneeling facebuster, for a near fall and then caught Danielson with a short-arm lariat for another near fall. A pivotal moment saw Danielson counter a whip into the turnbuckle and then hit McGuinness with a discuss elbow smash followed by a Regalplex for a big near fall. The finish saw McGuinness recover from a strong assault by Danielson before hitting his trademark Jawbreaker Lariat to score the pin. The crowd gave both men a standing ovation afterward and McGuinness surprised everyone by offering a hand shake which Danielson accepted ending what was a great bout.

8) Ladder Match: Randy Savage defeated Kevin Steen:
One of the most highly anticipated matches on the card saw Randy “Macho Man” Savage taking on “Wrestling’s Worst Nightmare” Kevin Steen in a Ladder Match. At stake hanging above the ring was a contract for Savage which would free him from his color commentary duties on IWA On The Mat and allow him to officially return to in-ring action. As for Steen should he grab the contract it would guarantee him a shot at the IWA Heavyweight title along with the stipulation that Savage would have to remain out of the ring for the rest of the year. Steen is known for being a great agitator and he recently drew the ire of Savage prompting some physical altercations which led to IWA Commissioner David Marquez sanctioning this match. Savage was on fire early as kept Steen on the defensive including ramming his head into the ladder. Steen managed to avoid a rope straddle and that led to a wild spot which saw both men fighting on the ladder only for it to tip over with both men taking bad spills. Savage recovered first and hit the Flying Elbow Drop but as he tried to climb the ladder he was pulled back down by a recovering Steen. That led to a nice run on offense from Steen who returned the favor from earlier by running Savage head first into the ladder. Both men were in pain by this point but they battled it out knowing that a victory under these circumstances would be huge. The pivotal moment came when Steen attempted to climb the ladder only for Savage to tip it over. Steen took a bad spill and was clotheslined on the top rope. Savage took full advantage of that situation nailing Steen with the flying axe handle followed by a second Flying Elbow Drop. With Steen laid out on the mat and the crowd cheering him on it was Savage scaling the ladder and pulling down the contract for the victory. The stadium shook with thunderous applause as Savage gained major revenge on Steen and can now officially return to the ring as a member of the IWA roster.

9) Eight-Man Elimination Match: Diamond Dallas Page, Jon Moxley, Tyler Black & Drew Galloway defeated Brian Cage, Lance Hoyt, Brodie Lee & Big Duke:
The rivalry between these two sides – Diamond Dallas Page and The Shield (Jon Moxley, Tyler Black & Drew Galloway) and the Pringle Dynasty (“The Machine” Brian Cage, “American Psycho” Lance Hoyt, “Big Rig” Brodie Lee and Big Duke) – resulted in this special eight-man tag team elimination match taking place. Percy Pringle III looked extremely confident as he led his men into battle but that may have been a cover as he had to expect an all out effort from a determined opposition, especially DDP who has had more than his share of problems with the Pringle Dynasty. DDP got a measure of revenge early as he set up Cage for elimination via a Diamond Cutter on the floor. Cage barely beat the ten count back into the ring where Moxley nailed him with Moxicity, a spinning side slam, to score the pin. Cage was the first man eliminated and he had to be hauled off by a group of IWA officials as Pringle grasped his heart nearly fainting over that turn of events. It didn’t get any better for his men as the next man out was Big Duke who was counted out after taking a spectacular tope suicida from Black. The Pringle Dynasty stormed back with a big assault by Hoyt and Lee on the opposition. DDP would be the next victim when Lee pinned him after a Package Piledriver. The next elimination came via botched interference by Pringle as he accidentally dropped the PP3 Cup into the ring. Black grabbed it and decked Lee with it knocking him out gold. Black then went up top and hit the Phoenix Splash on the “Big Rig” to score the pin. That left Hoyt in a three-on-one handicap situation against The Shield but the “American Psycho” would not go down easily. Hoyt withstood a strong attack by all three Shield members and managed to eliminate Moxley via pinfall with the F’n Slam. Black didn’t let him rest, however, and quickly caught Hoyt with the lariat and the Rubix Cube. An alert Black then caught the stunned Hoyt with God’s Last Gift and scored the pin which caused Pringle to drop to his knees in agony at ringside. Black and Galloway survived the war and left another mark of victory in the IWA for The Shield.

Order of Elimination:

● Brian Cage (pinfall by Jon Moxley – Moxicity)
● Big Duke (by Count Out)
● Diamond Dallas Page (pinfall by Brodie Lee – Package Piledriver)
● Brodie Lee (pinfall by Tyler Black – Phoenix Splash)
● Jon Moxley (pinfall by Lance Hoyt – F’n Slam)
● Lance Hoyt (pinfall by Tyler Black – God’s Last Gift)

10) IWA J-Crown title: Ricochet defeated Matt Cross to win the title:
The supremely talented Ricochet out of Paducah, KY, received a golden opportunity as he challenged Matt Cross for the IWA J-Crown title. He dominated the early part of the bout including hitting Chocolate Rain, a double kneedrop from the top rope to the shoulders of a standing opponent, for a two count. Cross fought back and in a nice sequence picked up a near fall with a Shooting Star Press followed by a standing Shooting Star Press. Cross then rocked the crowd when he hit the spectacular Space Flying Tiger Drop to the outside. Ricochet made a nice counter with a top rope superplex but then missed with the 630 Senton. That crash and burn left him in trouble and Cross unleashed a strong counter attack against the challenger. That continued until Ricochet made a counter and subsequently nailed Cross with the over the ring post dive. Cross staggered back into the ring where a waiting Ricochet delivered a second dose of Chocolate Rain to score the pin. The crowd erupted in cheers as Ricochet made history at the Cotton Bowl by winning the IWA J-Crown title. A despondent Cross quickly bailed out of the ring as Ricochet soaked in more cheers and held the title high above his head.

11) IWA tag team titles – No DQ Match: Mark & Jay Briscoe defeated Kings of Wrestling to win the titles:
The only word to describe this match would be war as Dem Boys, Mark & Jay Briscoe, challenged the Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli) for the IWA tag team titles in a No DQ Match. These two teams are no strangers to each other and throwing out the rulebook would only increase the hostility between them. It was wild right from the start as KOW combined for KRS TWO on Mark for a near fall. Hero, taking advantage of the no rules stipulation, then blasted Mark with the Loaded Rolling Elbow but Jay was able to make the save. Jay tagged in and helped turn the tide of the match including planting Castagnoli with the Jay Driller for a big near fall. Mark followed up with a Cut-Throat Driver on Castagnoli who barely kicked out before the three count. The battle went out to the floor several times after that with both teams taking liberties. Both Mark and Castagnoli were busted open taking weapon shots and this battle was getting more intense by the minute. It all came down to Jay and Hero battling it out as their partners were down outside the ring. A Hangman’s Elbow by Hero looked to be enough to win it but Jay survived and would come back with a fury a short time later. A Yakuza Kick knocked Hero silly and Jay followed planting him with the Jay Driller to score the pin. More history was made at the Cotton Bowl as Dem Boys finally struck gold in the IWA by becoming the new IWA tag team champions.

12) IWA Heavyweight title – Steel Cage Match: Jay Lethal© defeated Michael Elgin to retain the title:
The main event saw the “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin attempting to regain the IWA Heavyweight title from Jay Lethal in a Steel Cage Match. Lethal, who was led to the ring by his manager SoCal Val, recently won the belt from Elgin in a No DQ Match in El Monte, CA (Card #1042). He was determined to keep the belt at any costs but was going to have to do so without the help of Val who was escorted to the back by IWA officials. She did not go quietly and Lethal also voiced his displeasure by rattling the cage wall and yelling at the officials. Ironically the absence of Val may have fueled the fire for Lethal who managed to dominate the early action. He hit both Hail to the King and Diving Dynamite the latter of which resulted in a two count. Elgin battled back but then missed a corner charge and was nearly pinned by Lethal who countered with a roll-up. A run into the cage wall busted Elgin open and the former champion looked to be in serious trouble. Lethal was cruising until a counter by Elgin resulted in him hitting the devastating Buckle Bomb. The bloody Elgin began battling back furiously which resulted in Val sneaking back down to ringside. As Elgin prepared to finish Lethal off it was Val climbing up the cage wall distracting him. That distraction was all it took as Lethal made a subsequent counter on Elgin and delivered the Lethal Injection to score the pin and retain the title. The crowd jeered the decision while Val jumped for joy outside clutching the IWA Heavyweight title belt. She handed the championship to a dazed Lethal as he rolled out of the cage door as the bloody Elgin looked on in disgust knowing that this loss could put him at the back of the line of challengers.

[Crimson Cross]

That was a cool IWA event with a big title win for Ricochet and the J-Crown Title has become one of my favorite belts of yours, plus I'm shocked Davey Richards is now gone from the IWA. I wonder where he'll end up in your LOW or will you pull out a classic masked man angle with Richards in the IWA. Fun action as always my friend...

[bookerbill]

I enjoyed the heel move by Kingston leaving his partner to the wolves after the opener. Could lead to something interesting down the road between the three competitors. London and Kendrick get the big win but controversy over the three count may lead to a rematch. Great win by the Colony with a surprize submission on Rhino as the House of Truth melts down post match. Great stuff and I will be looking to see where this takes up next. RVD goes down to Pearce and one has to wonder if RVD has a place on the IWA roster. The trios experience of Taylor and Gargano might have proved to be the difference in their win. Great loser leave town encounter and the finish was amazing. Looking forward to Quackenbush and The Colony going after some revenge. McGuiness v. Danielson always seems to be a classic regardless of what promotor rolls out the match and this encounter was no exception. Savage really earned his contract with intense victory over Steen. It will be interesting to see how well Savage does in the IWA. The elimination match was fun and it looked like it was a big night for Tyler Black. Ricochet and Cross lit up ringside and so did the Briscoe Brothers and Kings of Wrestling in completely difference ways. Great main event with Val still causing a distraction despite the cage stipulation giving Lethal yet another controversial victory. Will this be the last we see of Michael Elgin now that he run at the top appears to have come to a end?

[TTX]

Great show all around.

[ajcostello]

Fantastic show.

The elimination match was pretty rad, especially.

[Pariah]

Not much more to add on what was already said by our friend, bookerbill... Very cool that Lethal retained the top prize... Elgin's LE card stats are so good that he is almost more suitable in a special attraction role... Can't wait to see who will be next to step up and challenge the greatest first generation wrestler in the world... After his tremendous run against the Whole F'n Show, I'm wondering if Adam Pearce is ready to be named number one contender...

Congratulations to the Briscoes and Ricochet on their well deserved title victories... But, I am a little disappointed that Cross dropped the J-Crown so soon...

It's hard to believe that the Lone Wolf has stepped into an IWA ring for the last time... And like our friend, Crimson Cross, I'm very curious about where Richards will turn up next... The post-match mayhem leads to a very prolific eight-man encounter in the next show... Can Truth keep his House in order? Or will the friction between Delirious and Rhino prevent them from being an effective team?

Highlight of the show: OHHH Yeeeah! The Macho Man emerges triumphant following an absolutely vicious ladder match against Wrestling's Worst Nightmare... It will be great to see Savage back in action... And can't wait to see what's next for these two intense competitors...

Awesome stuff!

[cruefan68]

Thanks for the comments Crimson, Bookerbill, Troy, AJ and Pariah. Bookerbill that was an amazing rundown of the show and you, Crimson and Pariah all touched on some interesting things coming out of this show.

I'm not sure what direction I will be taking things in on some of those matters especially Davey Richards. The post-match angle came due to a roll of doubles so I sort of look at it as Richards' parting shot against his ex-partner. I'm not sure if he will return or not but I will definitely give it thought. I was actually hoping that Taven would be the one to lose as I had thought about putting him with Michael Bennett and Maria in KRU but those darn dice have a mind of their own.

I also am enjoying the IWA J-Crown title and am psyched to see Ricochet finally win gold in my fed. Even with that I do agree with Pariah in that I was hoping for Matt Cross to have a better reign. One fun thing is that match was a Lucha Underground special held in the IWA. Next up will by the big KRU show - Golden Week in Seibu Dome - which I can hopefully have posted this weekend. I have yet to roll out the first match but hope to do so soon. Thanks as always for following along.

[cruefan68]

LOW Kings Road United - Golden Week in Seibu Dome - Seibu Dome - Seibu, Japan (Card #1050)

1) Wani defeated Mr. Fuji:
Popular KRU newcomer Wani, based out of The Sea of Japan, took on the “Devious One” Mr. Fuji in the opening bout. Wani fared well early, including almost winning by count out following a top rope plancha, until Fuji caught him with a counter flying shoulder tackle off of the ropes. Fuji took over using moves like the Kamikaze clothesline and the Fuji Nerve Grip keeping Wani on the defensive for a good stretch. The momentum turned when Wani countered a backdrop by flipping over Fuji and following up with a small package for a two count. Moments later Wani executed the Dragon Claw, a scooping spinning neckbreaker, to score the pin.

2) Forever Hooligans defeated Michael Bennett & Brent Albright:
Two teams fighting for placement in the KRU tag team rankings faced off as the Forever Hooligans (Alex Koslov & Rocky Romero) took on Michael Bennett & “The Shooter” Brent Albright who had the beautiful Maria Kanellis in their corner. Maria, wearing all gold attire for Golden Week, obviously drew the attention of all of the ringside photographers including Dr. Mike Lano. The Hooligans shined early until Bennett countered a backdrop by Koslov and planted him with a superkick. He hit the same move on Romero later for a big near fall. Albright held his own until the Hooligans hit the Contract Killer, an inverted Death Valley Driver by Koslov and a springboard diving knee drop by Romero, for a big near fall with Bennett making the save. Bennett took out Koslov with a clothesline over the ropes leading to Maria taunting him at ringside. Koslov somehow ignored that distraction and got his revenge as he pinned Bennett after the Hooligans hit a second Contract Killer. Maria was furious over the loss and chastised Bennett at ringside while Albright shook his head in disbelief and walked off on his own back to the locker room.

3) World of Sport Rules: Shynron defeated Zack Sabre Jr. (1-0):
This match between KRU star Shynron and World of Sport star Zack Sabre Jr. was held under World of Sport rules. That meant that it would be contested under six five minute rounds with two pinfalls, two submissions or a knockout to decide the winner. Both men shook hands at the bell giving way to the ring announcer to proclaim “seconds away, round one” getting the bout officially underway. The early rounds were hotly contested with both men unleashing some of the best moves in their respective arsenals. Sabre came dangerously close to a first round submission with the Cross Armbreaker but Shynron got to the ropes for a break. A rolling prawn hold in round two resulted in a big near fall for Sabre. Shynron countered with key moves like the Spirit Crusher, Hidden Dragon and Dragon Twist as the two battled over the first four rounds. Then in round five it was Shynron catching Sabre with the Spirit Bomb to score the pin and take a 1-0 lead with just one round remaining. It was desperation time for Sabre in the final round and late into it he unleashed a furious assault but was unable to score an equalizing fall. That meant that Shynron got the win via a 1-0 decision drawing cheers from the crowd. The two shook hands again afterward and then met the press backstage where Sabre invited Shynron to face him in a rematch in World of Sport. The masked man agreed and he will travel to London to face Sabre at the famed Royal Albert Hall (Card #1060).

4) Ring Angels title: Mildred Burke defeated Nora Greenwald to win the title:
Newly crowned Ring Angels champion Nora Greenwald had the tough task of facing Mildred Burke, a former two-time SHIMMER champion, in her version one title defense. Greenwald won the belt from Ida Mae Martinez in a spirited match on LOW All-Star Wrestling in Memphis, TN (Card #1041) and was hoping to use some of that momentum to help her overcome this strong challenge. She held her own early until Burke made a counter and scored consecutive two counts with the jumping knee and Sunset Flip. Greenwald came back with a rolling neck snap and attempted a charge into the corner but Burke avoided that and executed a counter roll-up for a big near fall. That began a long stretch on the defensive for Greenwald who had difficulty keeping up with the high level offense of Burke. The finish saw Burke use a hammerlock on Greenwald tying her up and then surprised her with another Sunset Flip to score the pin. Burke captured the Ring Angels title and in a post-match press conference she boldly nominated inaugural champion Penny Banner as her first title challenger on a CWA card in Greensboro, NC (Card #1056).

5) Mr. Saito defeated Matt Riddle:
The highly touted Matt Riddle, a former UFC competitor, took on the challenge of “Mr. Torture” Mr. Saito in singles action. Riddle, a graduate of the KRU dojo, has really impressed in his matches including tackling veteran stars Buddy Rogers and Killer Kowalski on a recent tour of Japan. Riddle impressed early including a nice sequence where he converted a triangle choke into a Cross Armbreaker resulting in a submission chance. A follow up Gotch Style Power Bomb by Riddle resulted in a big near fall. Saito fought back using a sleeper hold and then caught Riddle with a middle rope knee drop for a two count. He also applied the Scorpion Leglock but that was broken up when Riddle grabbed the bottom rope. It was fought pretty evenly from there until Saito once again locked on the Scorpion Leglock in mid-ring and this time it resulted in a submission win for the veteran Japanese star.

6) No Ropes Barbed Wire Match: Sick Nick Mondo defeated Masada:
The first ever No Ropes Barbed Wire Match in the history of LOW was hosted by KRU and featured two stars from Combat Zone Wrestling, Masada out of Waco, TX, and Sick Nick Mondo from Minneapolis, MN. It was also the first ever contracted match under the LOW banner for either of the hardcore superstars. Masada, who is aptly nicknamed the “Ultraviolent Beast”, has won many accolades in CZW including being a back-to-back Tournament of Death winner. Mondo is also a Tournament of Death winner and multi-time holder of the CZW Iron Man Championship. Brutality is the only word that can properly describe what took place inside the ring with the ropes replaced by barbed wire. Mondo was dominant in the early going striking with effective moves like the spinning emerald flosion and slingshot leg drop, the latter performed by vaulting over the barbed wire. Masada was the first to be busted open as the two battled outside after sliding under the barbed wire. Masada also delivered the first vicious attack of the match as he used wire cutters to cut some of the barbed wire. He then wrapped the wire around himself and hit the Masadmizer, a Death Valley Driver, on Mondo for a near fall. Mondo was also bleeding by this point as both men felt the effects of their environment. Mondo mounted a big assault late and also wrapped wire on himself while executing the Life Cutter, a backbreaker rack dropped into a facebuster, for a big near fall. Masada was a real bloody mess and felt great pain when Mondo entangled him in the barbed wire which tore at his flesh. Not long after that it was Mondo again vaulting over the barbed wire as he hit the slingshot Blue Thunder Driver to score the pin. The double juice battle left both men the worse for wear but it was Mondo that got his hand raised in victory.

7) Power Surge defeated Giant Bernard & Dan Spivey:
After the barbed wire was removed and the ropes replaced it was time for key tag team action as the rising Power Surge (William Forve & Paul Pope) took on the most intimidating team on the KRU roster in Giant Bernard & “Dangerous” Dan Spivey. Forve and Pope, with athletic backgrounds in baseball and hockey respectively, are graduates of the KRU Dojo and have been very impressive in their matches in Japan. Bernard and Spivey formed their tag team in the now defunct Global Wrestling Association before signing contracts to join KRU. Power Surge were dominant early and seemed to use the size advantage of Bernard against him. Forve staggered him with High Heat, a European uppercut delivered off of the ropes, while Pope blasted him several times with the Power Surge Dropkick. Bernard wound up being busted open and was in serious trouble before making the tag. Spivey fared better and at one point nailed Forve with the Power Bomb for a big near fall. Pope struck back for his team and had Bernard pinned after Center Rink Icing, a springboard flying clothesline, but Spivey dropped an elbow reversing positions for another near fall. The finish of some great action saw Spivey have his left wrist attacked outside with a ram into the ring post. Pope took full advantage of that and subsequently trapped him in the Wristshotlock, a submission hold wrenching on the wrist of the opponent. A bloody Bernard tried for the save but was cut off by Forve and Spivey had no choice but to tap out giving Power Surge a huge victory. The crowd erupted in cheers as Power Surge won it and ended the unbeaten streak of Bernard and Spivey in KRU.

8) Will Ospreay defeated Austin Aries:
The IWA sent a match to the Seibu Dome as the “Aerial Assassin” Will Ospreay took on “The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived” Austin Aries. Both men knew that a win on a big international show would surely set them up for some big opportunities especially when returning to the IWA. It was all Ospreay in the early going as he kept Aries off balance including scoring a two count with the one arm swinging neckbreaker. A Cheeky Nandos Kick stunned Aries but the veteran star quickly struck back hitting the Pendulum Elbow and Crucifix Bomb. It was a nip and tuck battle from that point forward as both men had a chance to shine. Ospreay connected with the Essex Destroyer, a superkick while Aries was on the turnbuckle, and that resulted in a big near fall. Aries came back and went for the Heat Seeking Missile but Ospreay avoided it and subsequently hit the Fireman’s Carry Gutbuster to score the pin.

9) Jushin Liger & Tiger Mask defeated Terex & Voodoo Kaos by DQ:
Grudge tag team action saw Jushin “Thunder” Liger & Tiger Mask, who combined have a staggering thirteen reigns with the LOW Junior Heavyweight title, take on Bullet Club members Terex & Voodoo Kaos. Liger was injured by the Bullet Club recently and was no doubt looking to get some revenge against them. Both Liger and Tiger were on point in this one and were able to get the heat on the larger Terex for an extended stretch. That included Liger getting an assist from Tiger in executing a Tombstone Piledriver on the 400-pound “Underboss” of the Bullet Club. Late in the bout it was Tiger sending Voodoo Kaos out to the floor where he followed up with the breathtaking Space Flying Tiger Drop. That led to some furious action outside the ring where Kaos wound up being disqualified by the referee for assaulting Liger with a series of chair shots across the back. Terex, meanwhile, laid out Tiger in the ring a Big Splash as the crowd jeered the actions of the Bullet Club members. It was looking to be another successful assault for the BC when Liger recovered and blasted Kaos with the shoda. He then grabbed the chair and rushed the ring battering Terex with multiple shots with the weapon. Terex bailed out and he and Kaos retreated to the back as Liger and a recovering Tiger soaked in cheers from the crowd.

10) LOW International Heavyweight title: Rikidozan© defeated The Destroyer to retain the title:
The first third of a triple main event saw the LOW International Heavyweight title on the line as champion Rikidozan defended the belt against the very determined challenge of fellow KRU star the “Intelligent, Sensational” Destroyer. This battle of two fan favorites lived up to expectations as both men pushed each other to the limit trying to get the win. An early offensive by Rikidozan saw him score consecutive near falls with the Hiplock and overhead chops. The Destroyer would strike back hitting the Bombs Away for a two count. A follow up Airplane Spin led to The Destroyer applying his trademark Figure Four Leglock in center ring. It looked to be all but over but somehow Rikidozan reversed the hold turning it over into the ropes for a break. After a battle on the outside the two traded blows on the ring apron which nearly resulted in a double disqualification call by the referee. A scoop slam and press by Rikidozan resulted in another near fall. The Destroyer countered with another Bombs Away with Rikidozan barely kicking out before the three count. Both men had been busted open by this point and it was clear that the finish would be coming soon. After a drop down by Rikidozan it was The Destroyer rebounding off of the ropes countering a backdrop with a cradle hold for a big near fall. The Destroyer then went up top but he was picked off by Rikidozan with a bodyslam. Rikidozan followed up with a piledriver and went for the pin but The Destroyer got his foot over the bottom rope to break up the pin. An alert Rikidozan then quickly caught The Destroyer with another Hiplock and covered him to score the pin. It was a successful version seven defense of the title for Rikidozan who was fortunate to leave the Seibu Dome as the champion. Both men shook hands after the match drawing cheers from the capacity crowd and The Destroyer made a classy move by securing the title belt around the waist of his friendly rival.

11) 10-Man Elimination Match: Antonio Inoki, Giant Baba, Harley Race, Bruiser Brody, & Necro Butcher defeated Adam Cole, Kenny Omega, Adam Page & Young Bucks:
The heated war between the roster of Kings Road United and the members of Bullet Club has been raging for quite some time. Antonio Inoki, one of the main targets of the Bullet Club faction, issued the challenge for this special ten-man elimination tag team match in which he would put together a team to face any five members of the Bullet Club. Inoki selected fellow KRU stars Shohei “Giant” Baba and Harley Race, both of whom have had some serious run-ins with the faction especially Race who was put out of action for quite some time with injuries, to join him along with CWA star Bruiser Brody and independent star Necro Butcher. The selection of both Brody and Necro Butcher raised some eyebrows as far as trust is concerned but Inoki felt that adding two brawlers of that type to his team would pose a serious threat to the Bullet Club. With their leader AJ Styles otherwise occupied the Bullet Club elected to go with the team of “The Cleaner” Kenny Omega, “Hangman” Adam Page, the Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) and team captain Adam Cole. The stage was set for what promised to be an all out war.

The match got off to a wild start as Necro Butcher went against Cole. It looked like Bullet Club would get the early advantage as they controlled on Necro but then when Omega hit the One Winged Angel that set off a wild brawl on a pin save attempt. Necro managed to tag out and Brody took over giving Omega a thrashing in and out of the ring. That led to Race, who has had his own problems with “The Cleaner”, getting a nice dose of revenge as he pinned him with the Piledriver. Omega was the first man to be eliminated and he was not happy as it took a number of KRU officials to drag him back to the locker room. The battle raged on and it was Inoki, the team captain, hitting the Enzuigiri on Matt Jackson for what looked to be a sure pin but Cole made the save. Cole was back in against Necro after that and attempted a deathjump but missed the move. Necro then sized up the dazed Cole and nailed him with the Ballistic Headbutts resulting in a pin. Bullet Club lost their team captain in a major blow and were now down to a five-on-three disadvantage with just the Young Bucks and Page remaining. The BC members regrouped and managed to score the next elimination when Necro was counted out of the ring after being choked with the hangman’s noose by Page.

Brody was back in but had his problems as the Bucks took to double-teaming him including delivering a Superkick Party. The enraged Brody took out his aggression on Page as he battled the “Hangman” out of the ring and unfortunately for team KRU he was disqualified for repeated head first runs into the ring post. Brody was beside himself over the DQ call and tore up the ringside area before grabbing his chain and leaving through the crowd. The fans scattered as Brody headed to the back followed by concerned KRU officials. It was now a three-on-three bout with Inoki, Baba and Race taking on the Bucks and Page. Race wasted no time in going after the now bloody Page and he quickly eliminated the “Hangman” via pinfall courtesy of a Piledriver. That left the arrogant Young Bucks in an unenviable position and the crowd loved it as they had to face the legendary threesome of Inoki, Baba and Race. It didn’t take long for the next elimination as Baba tagged in and nailed Matt Jackson with the Baba Chop followed by the Jumping Neckbreaker Drop to score the pin. Now it was Nick Jackson left all alone and suddenly the Bullet Club was not looking so dominant in a KRU ring. Jackson, to his credit, did not go down without a fight as he used his speed to frustrate Baba before being laid out with a chop off the ropes. That led to Inoki tagging in and he relished the opportunity to finish off Bullet Club. It didn’t take long as Inoki caught Jackson with a Belly to Back Suplex and covered him for the pin. The crowd erupted in cheers as Inoki, Baba and Race representing KRU triumphed over Bullet Club in a great team battle.

Order of Elimination:

● Kenny Omega (pinfall by Harley Race – Piledriver)
● Adam Cole (pinfall by Necro Butcher – Ballistic Headbutts)
● Necro Butcher (by Count Out)
● Bruiser Brody (by Disqualification)
● Adam Page (pinfall by Harley Race – Piledriver)
● Matt Jackson (pinfall by Giant Baba – Jumping Neckbreaker Drop)
● Nick Jackson (pinfall by Antonio Inoki – Belly to Back Suplex)

12) LOW World Heavyweight title: Johnny Valentine© defeated AJ Styles to retain the title:
The main event saw LOW World Heavyweight champion Johnny Valentine putting the ten pounds of gold on the line against Bullet Club leader “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles. Things could not have been tenser for Styles after having to see his faction suffer a big loss to the stars of Kings Road United in the previous match. Whatever his feelings on that were he had to shed them in order to focus on the biggest match of his career to date in LOW. Valentine has proven to be a dominant champion since winning the title from Bobo Brazil (Card #974 in Norfolk, VA) but he also had to be focused facing someone as dynamic as Styles. A great spot in the early going saw Valentine applying a reverse chinlock but Styles countered out and nailed him with the Pele Kick. That knocked the champion for a loop and Styles took over going for the Calf Killer followed by a discus lariat resulting in a two count. Valentine battled back with some hard strikes including a big chop to the chest which sent Styles out of the ring. Valentine followed him out and nearly got disqualified when he ran Styles head first into the ring post but the referee waved it off. Back inside it was Styles connecting with the Styles Clash but Valentine kicked out at two. Styles was livid and quickly executed a second Styles Clash which resulted in a big near fall. Styles could not believe that his finisher twice failed to win it and Valentine recovered after that as he mounted a big comeback. He delivered his own finisher, the Atomic Skullcrusher, several times but was also unable to put Styles away. The match began growing in intensity and before long both men were busted open as they battled in and out of the ring. Styles mounted a furious offensive late hitting the Rack Bomb, Pele Kick and Phenomenal DDT but again Valentine kicked out of the pin. Both men were near exhaustion now and it was Valentine digging down deep and connecting with his fifth Atomic Skullcrusher of the match. This time it resulted in a pin and Valentine was fortunate to retain the title in his version eight defense.

[TTX]

Big upset by Wani and big wins by Mondo and Valentine. Great show overall.

[Crimson Cross]

First, it's cool to see Burke win gold on the night and then Power Surge breaking the streak is killer cool. I liked that Pope won by submission and it's the highlight of this show for sure...