Heartland Championship Wrestling proudly presents:January 1, 2019
Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio The show opens with the tune, "Hang On Sloopy" by The McCoys playing overhead. EPICDAVE hits the ring, looking spiffy in a grey tuxedo with a scarlet bow tie and cummerbund. EpicDave sways in time with the music as the fans clamp and stomp in unison.EpicDave: Hey, fans! Happy New Year! There's no better place to celebrate the New Year than the heart of Buckeye Country and the birthplace of yours truly. It's the first of January, and that means it's time for the
2019 Buckeye Bowl! Thirty men will enter the ring, one by one, and the last man standing will be the winner and earn himself a shot at the
King Of The Indies Championship! Last year's winner,
ZACH SABRE JR., is back with a long and distinguished list of challengers awaiting their shot at immortality. We also have four other championship matches lined up for you tonight- including a Two Out Of Three Falls showdown to decide the
Ring Of Honor Heavyweight Championship as longtime rivals
MICHAEL ELGIN and
KENNY OMEGA go to battle. It's a great night for a party and for an action-packed evening of Heartland Professional Wrestling, fans- so relax, grab yourself a cold one, and enjoy the show!
2018 Independent Tag Team League ChampionshipTHE BRISCOE BROTHERS (MARK** and JAY*****) defeated OI4K (DAVE* & JAKE**** CRIST)A sensational match between two well-matched teams! Action went back and forth with a lot of double-teaming and frequent tags. OI4K nearly one the match with the Irish Coffee on Jay, but Mark Briscoe saved the pinfall and cleared the ring! Jake and Mark duked it out in the center of the ring, but it was Jay Briscoe who assisted his brother with a Double Football Tackle on Jake to deliver the victory!
EpicDave: That was outstanding! You couldn't find two tag teams with more similarities. Both these teams are brothers- they entered the sport at the same time- and they both combine wrestling skills, acrobatics, and teamwork to deliver tag team greatness. Congratulations to the Briscoe Brothers for winning the
2018 Independent Tag Team League!NWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipRANDY SAVAGE pinned MICHAEL "P.S." HAYES**** (c)Once again, the Macho Man got the best of Hayes and company. Despite the interference of TERRY GORDY, Savage overcame the odds and delivered a gorgeous Flying Elbow Drop to pin Hayes and win the title!
RANDY SAVAGE CAPTURES THE NWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIPEpicDave: Congratulations to the Macho Man! Randy Savage is your new NWA Heavyweight Champion! He showed all of the grit and toughness we have come to expect in that match. Fans- before we move on- we have a special announcement for 2019. Heartland Championship Wrestling is going to retire the Independent Tag Team League- and in 2019 the National Wrestling Alliance will become a full-time part of our Heartland broadcasts! You'll see the Macho Man, the Freebirds, and all the great stars of the 70's and 80's- including our next new feature, the NWA World Tag Team Championship. 2019 looks to be another stellar year for the Heartland!
King Of The Indies Tag Team ChampionshipTHE FOUR STAR HEROES (MATT KNICKS & CHRIS CASTRO****) defeated DA HIT SQUAD (MONSTA MACK & DAN MAFF***) (c)A major upset in the Tag Team Championship! The champions brought the swagger, and dominated the match from the beginning. Chris Castro took a beating from both Maff and Mack, and when the champs executed their combination Figure-Four and Frog Splash, it looked like a done deal until Knicks made the save. Knicks quickly found himself in trouble, but Knicks ducked away from a double-team attempt and Mack obliterated Dan Maff with a running elbow smash! Knicks was quick to capitalize, rolling up the stunned Maff and catching the pin!
THE FOUR STAR HEROES CAPTURE THE KING OF THE INDIES TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPEpicDave: Ladies and gentlemen, history has been made here at the Buckeye Bowl! The Four Star Heroes have captured the
King Of The Indies Tag Team Championship! Da Hit Squad were overwhelming favorites in this match, but all it takes is one break to turn the tide- and it was Matt Knicks who took advantage of the opportunity to steal a victory and win the championship! That's two title changes tonight- will we see a third?
Ring Of Honor Heavyweight Championship: Best Two out of Three FallsFirst Fall: Elgin simply overpowered Omega from the beginning, and it was a struggle for Omega to keep it competitive. Elgin hit a pair of crunching Buckle Bombs which took the starch out of Omega. In desperation, Omega pitched Elgin out of the ring and attempted a Suicide Tope, but Elgin dodged the move and Kenny crashed hard into the steel railing. Kenny was injured, and unable to make it back to the ring ahead of the ten count.
Second Fall: Omega was noticeably injured after the collision with the ring railing, and his performance was adversely affected. Kenny tried to come out aggressively, but another Buckle Bomb from Elgin left Omega in a heap on the canvas. Elgin went for the kill, and drilled Omega into the mat with the Elgin Bomb for a decisive victory.
MICHAEL ELGIN RETAINS THE RING OF HONOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIPEpicDave: That was impressive! Michael Elgin just manhandled Omega and put him away in convincing fashion. It's Michael Elgin's world, ladies and gentlemen, and the rest of us are just spectators. They're gonna need a spatula to get Kenny Omega out of the ring, ladies and gentlemen. But once we get Omega back to the locker room- it will be time for the
2019 Buckeye Bowl!2019 Buckeye BowlENTRY #1: SHAUN RICKER
ENTRY #2: EDDIE KINGSTONKingston took control and drilled Ricker with a running spear, but Ricker escaped the attempted ejection.
ENTRY #3: ADAM PEARCEENTRY #4: MARTY SCURLLENTRY #5: SAMI CALLIHANENTRY #6: ARIK CANNONCannon came in and began wailing on Sami Callihan! Sami fired back with a blistering forearm which staggered Cannon, but Arik was able to escape with no further damage.
ENTRY #7: MARK ANGELOSETTIAngelosetti hit the ring and hooked up in a fierce brawl with Marty Scurll. Kingston went after Pearce with a running Lariat, but Pearce ducked the move and back-dropped Kingston over the top rope!
EDDIE KINGSTON HAS BEEN ELIMINATED ENTRY #8: HOMICIDEHomicide was greeted by both Shaun Ricker and Mark Angelosetti, but Homicide ducked away from the double-team and delivered a Double Noggin-Knocker!
ENTRY #9: WILLIE MACKWillie came in to the cheers of the crowd and immediately threw down with Mark Angelosetti. Willie got the drop on Mr. Touchdown, and flipped Angelosetti over the top rope with a T-Bone!
MARK ANGELOSETTI HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDMarty Scurll locked up with Arik Cannon, but Sami Callihan came from out of nowhere to blindside Cannon with a flying forearm to send Cannon over the top!
ARIK CANNON HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDShaun Ricker and Homicide had a confrontation and Homicide gave Ricker a slap across the face! Ricker did not take kindly to the insult and responded with a kick to the gut. Before Homicide knew what hit him, Ricker hoisted Homicide with a gut wrench and flipped Homicide out of the ring!
HOMICIDE HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDEpicDave: Wow! The fans are going crazy over that elimination! Homicide is not a popular man in the Heartland.
ENTRY #10: BRIAN CAGEThe power of Shaun Ricker was on display once again, as Ricker muscled up on Sami Callihan and eliminated Callihan with a powerslam!
SAMI CALLIHAN HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDEpicDave: How about that! These guys are famous friends and former stablemates- but in the Buckeye Bowl there are no allegiances!
ENTRY #11: LANCE HOYTHoyt immediately came after Ricker, but Ricker was not fooled! Ricker duck Hoyt's attemt at a clothesline, then dumped Hoyt with a neckbreaker. Hoyt was incapacitated and Ricker quickly pitched him over the top!
LANCE HOYT HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDWillie Mack was next to show off his power, absorbing a head butt from Adam Pearce and flipping Pearce out of the ring with a fireman's carry!
ADAM PEARCE HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDENTRY #12: RODERICK STRONGENTRY #13: KEITH LEEEpicDave: Wow! Here comes another huge competitor. There's a lot of beef in that ring right now!
Keith Lee hit the ring and cleaned house! Marty Scurll came at Lee, but Lee caught Scurll in a bearhug and used a belly-to-belly suplex to hoist Scurll out of the ring. Brian Cage tried to catch Lee off balance, but Lee wouldn't budge! Lee hoisted Cage overhead like a sack of potatoes and dumped Cage on top of Scurll on the arena floor!
MARTY SCURLL HAS BEEN ELIMINATED
BRIAN CAGE HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDNot to be outdone, Willie Mack showed his power and athleticism, blasting Roderick Strong out of the ring with a devastating dropkick!
RODERICK STRONG HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDENTRY #14: JEFF COBBCobb entered the match and picked up the fatigued Shaun Ricker. Ricker gave Cobb a good battle, but Cobb finally caught Ricker with the Tour of the Islands and pitched Ricker over the top.
SHAUN RICKER HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDEpicDave: And there goes entrant #1. A nice run by Ricker, but he was gassed and Cobb capitalized.
Two powerhouses, Willie Mack and Keith Lee, squared off and threw haymakers! Lee was raring to go, but Willie used his quickness to duck a punch from Lee and flip him out of the ring!
KEITH LEE HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDENTRY #15: SHANE STRICKLANDStrickland hit the ring ablaze and quickly dropkicked Cobb out to the floor!
JEFF COBB HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDEpicDave: Look at that! Willie Mack and Shane Strickland own the ring! Tag team partners and they are large and in charge!
ENTRY #16: ADAM PAGEMack and Strickland came after Page, but Adam was able to defend himself until the buzzer!
ENTRY #17: DALTON CASTLEThe cleverness of Adam Page paid off! Castle squared off with Strickland, leaving an opening for Adam to hit the Rite Of Passage on Mack for the elimination!
WILLIE MACK HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDENTRY #18: DREW GALLOWAYPage continued on the assault, powering out of an attempted backbreaker by Strickland and planting Strickland with a jumping DDT to put Strickland out of the match!
SHANE STRICKLAND HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDEpicDave: Give it up for Adam Page! He just eliminated both Willie Mack and Shane Strickland!
ENTRY #19: JAY WHITEENTRY #20: MATT TAVENENTRY #21: DELIRIOUSDelirious hooked up with Jay White, but as they struggled, Drew Galloway blindsided Delirious with a Big Boot to send Delirious to the floor!
DELIRIOUS HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDENTRY #22: ZACH SABRE, JR.Galloway continued on his roll, delivering another big boot to Adam Page to end the night for the Hangman.
ADAM PAGE HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDENTRY #23: CHUCK TAYLORTaven and Jay White squared off, and Taven got the best of the Kiwi. Taven connected on White with the Snake Eyes and White careened out to the floor.
JAY WHITE HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDENTRY #24: LIO RUSHENTRY #25: CHRIS SABINEpicDave: Fans- we have a situation developing. It looks like Chuck Taylor and Drew Galloway are working together!
Chris Sabin appeared to have Chuck Taylor on the brink of elimination, but Galloway saved Taylor!
ENTRY #26: ACHACH locked up with Matt Taven, but Drew Galloway came out of nowhere and double-clotheslined both wrestlers out of the ring!
ACH HAS BEEN ELIMINATED
MATT TAVEN HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDMeanwhile, Sabre and Castle went back to basics with a technical duel. Sabre got the best of Dalton and flipped him over the top rope with a Dragon Suplex!
DALTON CASTLE HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDENTRY #27: MARTIN STONEENTRY #28: AJ STYLESENTRY #29: CW ANDERSONAnderson locked up with Stone, but Stone was able to overpower Anderson and put him over the top with a Discus Clothesline.
CW ANDERSON HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDLio Rush caught Taylor with the tilt-a-whirl headscissors, and nearly pitched Taylor to the floor, bur Galloway saved Taylor from being eliminated!
ENTRY #30: ROCKY ROMEROEpicDave: They're all in the ring now! Eight men remaining and it's anybody's battle to win! But I have to say that Taylor and Galloway working together have stilted the odds in their own favor.
Chuck Taylor was on the edge of elimination at the hands of AJ Styles when Galloway hammered Styles with a clothesline! Styles flipped over the top rope, but caught the rope and flipped himself back in!
Chris Sabin took exception to the tactics of Taylor and Galloway, and that proved to be a costly error in judgement. Galloway pulled down the top rope, allowing Taylor to execute an Irish Whip which sent Sabin tumbling out to the arena floor!
CHRIS SABIN HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDAs Taylor and Galloway celebrated, Rocky Romero caught Galloway from behind and propelled him over the top rope with a running shiranui!
DREW GALLOWAY HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDEpicDave: What the- ? What just happened? Rocky Romero has eliminated Drew Galloway! Galloway is not happy about that!
Action continued with the final six competitors, each determined to outshine the others. Zach Sabre Jr. had a very competitive exchange with his fellow Brit, Martin Stone, but neither man could prevail. Zach didn't fare as well against AJ Styles, as Style drilled Sabre with a Spiral Tap, and then delivered a perfectly timed Springboard Clothesline to send Sabre out of the match!
ZACH SABRE JR. HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDChuck Taylor continued to be a target, but the attempts of Lio Rush to oust Taylor backfired when Chuckie used Lio's momentum to backdrop Rush over the top.
LIO RUSH HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDEpicDave: There goes Lio Rush- and we are down to the final four! Chuck Taylor, Rocky Romero, Martin Stone, and AJ Styles are the last men left with a shot at winning the Buckeye Bowl!
Seeing an opportunity, Romero came after his rival, Taylor, but Chucky was ready for him! Taylor quickly subdued Romero with a nasty backbreaker and easily put him over the ropes.
ROCKY ROMERO HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDEpicDave: That's just an example of a guy letting his emotions get the best of him. There are no friends in the Buckeye Bowl, it's true- but you also have to keep a cool head and not let your enemies take advantage of you.
Martin Stone was on his last legs after his punishing encounter with Zach Sabre Jr. AJ Styles sensed the weakness of Stone, and delivered a flurry of dropkicks that flipped Stone out of the ring and down to the floor.
MARTIN STONE HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDEpicDave: And we're down to the final two! Will it be AJ Styles- or Chuck Taylor who wins the Buckeye Bowl?
AJ and Taylor went for broke! AJ hit Taylor with a sweet dropkick, but Taylor managed to slide out of the ring under the bottom rope. AJ almost went for a plancha, but realized that he would eliminate himself from the match! Taylor grabbed AJ by the ankles and pulled him out of the ring! Taylor blasted AJ with stiff right hands, then rolled AJ back into the ring. AJ was dazed, but managed to escape Taylor's attempt to throw AJ over the top rope.
EpicDave: What a barnburner!
AJ turned the tables on Taylor, nailing Chuckie with a Pele kick! Chuckie was knocked for a loop, but when AJ went for the elimination,
DREW GALLOWAY returned to ringside and jumped to the apron! Galloway took a swing at AJ, but AJ ducked away.
CHRIS SABIN sprinted down the aisle and took out Galloway with a running dropkick!
EpicDave: Oh, my goodness! It has all broken down now!
AJ and Taylor were both exhausted as they picked up the battle. Taylor tried for a superkick, but AJ dodged the move and plastered Taylor with a Discus Lariat! Taylor was rocked by the blow, and AJ grabbed Taylor and immediately delivered the Styles Clash. Taylor hit the canvas and was stunned, and the crowd roared in triumph as Styles pulled Taylor off the canvas and pitched him out of the ring!
CHUCK TAYLOR HAS BEEN ELIMINATEDAJ STYLES WINS THE 2019 BUCKEYE BOWLEpicDave: Congratulations to
AJ STYLES! AJ is your winner of this year's Buckeye Bowl, and a shot at the
King Of The Indies Champion! KENNY KING is the man who wears that crown, and when Styles and King hook it up it's gonna be an athletic showcase like you've never seen. Well done, AJ! Kudos also to all of tonight's winners. We'll never forget the night that
THE FOUR STAR HEROES shocked the world to win the
King Of The Indies Tag Team Championship! Tonight was also the night that the
MACHO MAN, RANDY SAVAGE celebrated his coronation as
NWA World Heavyweight Champion, and
THE BRISCOE BROTHERS captured the championship for the
2018 Independent Tag Team League. And of course, hats off to
MICHAEL ELGIN for a decisive victory to retain the
Ring Of Honor Heavyweight Championship. All right, fans- we're done here. Thanks for checking us out tonight- and for making 2018 a memorable year of Heartland Championship Wrestling. Without a doubt, 2019 will bring more outstanding professional wrestling excitement, so we will see you on Saturday night. That's our show, and I AM OUTTA HERE!