Sermon on the Mat!

[bookerbill]

Sermon on the Mat is a weekly feature (every Thursday) from Claire Elizabeth on the Cageside Seats website that I have enjoyed for several years now. It always features a great cross section of bouts and a breakdown of all the major Indy action around the United States. It has inspired me to break out some of the my Indy cards in a somewhat of a reboot of my retro indy fed. Welcome to the Sermon on the Mat!

We got a bout from the great state of Illinois. Enjoy!

Robert Anthony v. Shane Hollister
Anthony gets control after the early exchanges and an Ace Crusher leads to a TACO PIZZA but Hollister survives. A second TACO PIZZA follows and that is it. DUD

How about a classic tag team feud from the west coast folks. Check it out!

Los Banditos (Tito Escondido v. Rico Dynamite) v. The Tribe (Hawaiian Lion & Navajo Warrior) w/Olivia
Escondido gets the upper hand on Warrior early including an F-Your Spinebuster and later an F-5 for a two and three quarters count. A backbreaker into flying knee is not enough to put away Warrior. Warrior attempts to block a deathjump but Escondido kicks him to the mat and then hits a Tito Toss followed by another F-Your Spinebuster. The crowd pops when Warrior just kicks out but Escondido follows with an F-5. Lion’s save attempt is blocked. 1, 2, Olivia is on the apron. She drops the leather strap. Warrior comes up with it . . . Straps Escondido. RESERVATION DEVASTATION. 1, Dynamite saves is blocked, 2, kick out. Lion is in. To the floor. Escondido cracks Lion with a chair! Ding Ding Ding. Los Bandidos has been disqualified. Los Bandidos have the straps. Beatdown for the Tribe! ** 1/2

We are headed to the City of Brotherly Love for our last encounter this week between two individuals with no love for each other . . . lets battle CZW Style!

Jon Moxley v. Sami Callihan
Moxley throws everything at Callihan early on. Back to back exploder suplexes turn things around and Callihan lands a Forearm 2 Remember. Another exploder sends Moxley to the floor. Calliahan finds a Kendo Stick and it does not go well for Moxley. Back in the ring, Moxley counters a leaping Russian legsweep. Moxley gets caught with a running bicycle kick followed by a Forearm 2 Remember. Outside, battle over a chair. Moxley takes a shot to the midsection. Suicide dive from Calliaham. ROARING! Back in the ring, Moxley rebounded off ropes, tackles Callihan. Back to back vertical suplex into powerbomb! Cutter from Moxley. Hooks the leg. ONE COUNT ONLY! Hook and Ladder. Callihan is not done yet. Back and forth. Chops. Piledriver from Moxley. Another cutter. To the floor and through the crowd!!! Callihan leads it back to the ring and back to the floor again. More Kendo beating for Moxley. Seated lariat from Callihan. 1, 2, ¾! OUT OF MY SEAT! STRETCH MUFFLER. That is it. **** ½

Remember folks, no matter what type of wrestling you like, no matter how down you feel about the state of WWE, AEW, Impact, ROH, or any other “big-time” pro wrestling, there’s something out there for you. There’s a pro wrestling product that can hit you in the right spot and make you love wrestling like you thought you’d never be able to love it again. It’s there, I promise. You just gotta reach out and find it, and that, my friends, is what the Sermon on the Mat is all about.
- Claire Elizabeth

[Pariah]

Love, Love, LOVE this concept! And it's very cool that you've broken out some indy cards that probably don't get a whole lotta play in the FG universe these days... I'll be following this project religiously, my friend... Let the good times roll!

[TTX]

Will be watching.

[bookerbill]

Some ladies action from Anarchy Championship Wrestling in Texas to get us started off this week

Athena v. Jessica James
Brawl before Bobby Cruise can finish! Athena with the upper hand. Standing suplex. O-FACE. James kicks out! Sidewinder Slam . . . James needs a breather. Back in. O-FACE. Kick out again! Athena is hitting all her offense. James is in serious trouble. James with a piledriver counter of our nowhere! Leg sweeps sets up octopus hold. THE J-KICK. 1, 2, ¾! James to the top . . . Athena slams her to the mat! Athena with back to back cartwheel double knee drops. Smash from the top. Athena takes over. James comes back with her speed. Sleeper from Athena slows it down. Another cartwheel double knee drop. Athena to the top . . . Leaps! James ROLLS THROUGH. 1, 2, ¾!!!! OUT OF MY SEAT. Rebounded into back elbow. James with a standing moonsault. Hooks the leg . . . TWOOOO! Le Petite Morte followed by Best of Both Worlds. 1, 2, 3! ****

How about a rematch from the finals of King of Trios 2011. Hold on to your seats!

Team FIST (Johnny Gargano, Chuck Taylor & Icarus) v. The Colony (Soldier Ant, Fire Ant & Green Ant)
Taylor and company are all over Bobby Cruise and demand to be announced as the rightly winners of the King of Trios but The Colony arrive before things get physical and go on the attack. The ring is cleared by The Colony. Ant off the top onto Icarus . . . THE ANT HILL. Taylor makes the save and rolls Icarus to the floor. HEAT! Both sides change up with tags and leaving the ring several times. Fire Ant gets the best of Gargano. Solider Ant is in. Tandem diving stomps. Green Ant hooks the leg for two. It is nearly impossible to keep track of the action. Fire Ant tags in. Missile dropkick to Icarus. Leaping kick connects, flings Icarus into his own corner. Gargano gets control against Green Ant. Gargano to the top . . . tossed to the mat. CLOVERLEAF. Rope break. Gargano avoids Soldier Ant’s attack. Icarus is in. Emerald Fusion. BLU-RAY. 1, 2, Kick out. Taylor controls Soldier Ant. Jumping big boot. 1, 2, hooks the tights, 3! HEAT!!! ***

A Briscoe Brothers compilation . . . 'Nuff Said!

Briscoe Brothers (Mark Briscoe & Jay Briscoe) v. Philly’s Most Wanted (BLK Jeez & Joker)
Joker gets the upper hand on Jay Brisco with a flat out kick to the groin. Briscoes tags and thing turn around with a double flapjack. Both sides make quick tags in a stalemate. Briscoes catch Joker with a double flapjack. Jay covers for one. Death valley driver and Joker bails. Chair across the back. Another death valley driver and a third! CUT THROAT DRIVER from Mark Briscoe. ONE COUNT ONLY! DUAL SUPERKICKS. Jeez with the save. Takes out Jay Briscoe with a BLK Jeez Stomp… Joker covers. 1, 2, ¾! BLK JEEZ WALKS. 1, 2, pin save is blocked, kick out! Million $ Dropkick. All Jeez. HOT TAG TO MARK BRISCOE! Jay back in after double flapjack. Back to back 11TH Commandments. Brainbuster countered. Mark Briscoe back in. Flying leg lariat. To the top. Slammed to the mat!!! Joker with a smash from the top. Back to the top again. Joker flies . . . Briscoe rolls through… TWO! DUAL SUPERKICKS for Joker. Pin save is blocked. Two count only!!! SLINGSHOT LARIAT. 1, 2, 3! ****

Briscoe Brothers (Mark Briscoe & Jay Briscoe) v. Strong Style Thugs (Homicide & Eddie Kingston)
Back and forth between Jay Briscoe and both opponents. High-Elevation hip toss to Kingston from the Briscoes for a one count. To the floor! Mark Briscoe eats the ringside table. Lariat from Homicide. Attack with fork! HEAT! Triple rolling vertical suplexes . . . HOT TAG. Release spinebuster. Homicide bails! Jay Briscoe follows. Briscoe eats the ring post. Both Briscoes are bloodied. BACKFIST TO THE FUTURE. 1, 2, 3! **

Briscoe Brothers (Mark Briscoe & Jay Briscoe) v. “Wrestling’s Worst Nightmare” Kevin Steen & El Generico
The Briscoes manage to cut of Generico and go to work. Running clothesline from Mark Briscoe sets up a CUT THROAT DRIVER for a two count. Generico is in trouble. Ducks a superkicks and TAGS! Steen just eats up Jay Briscoe. Pair of Sharpshooters. PACKAGE PILEDRIVER. Mark Briscoe with the save! Steen continues to attack with all his offensive moves. High-angle senton bomb lands. ONE COUNT ONLY! Corner to corner dropkick from Generico! Whip into the corner … Briscoe counters charge with a clothesline. Steen gets a tag back into to the action and dominates. Briscoe sent hard into the corner . . . Steen is backdropped to the floor! Brawl on the floor. Steen grabs a chair . . . CRACK! There is the bell signalling the disqualification of Steen. **

[TTX]

Very nice set of matches from the Briscoes even if the last one had a dq.

[bookerbill]

Going to Insane Wrestling Federation for the battle from the Motor City to start things off

Excalibur v. Bryan Danielson
Danielson is all over his opponent. German suplex puts Excalibur onto his head! Yakuza Kick. Excalibur regroups on the floor. Danielson is out. Whips Excalibur . . . reversed. Danielson into the post. Danielson is busted open. Ducks lariat. Excalibur with a piledriver counter. TIGER DRIVER 98. 1, 2, ¾! Danielson battles back with forearms. Yakuza Kick and a German Suplex. TRIANGLE CHOKE. Rope break. Yakuza kick lands. Diving headbutt. 1, 2, kick out. Both men trade tackles. Excalibur with Galactica Phantom. Another. Tombstone piledriver. TIGER DRIVER 98. 1, 2, shoulder up! OUT OF MY SEAT! Danielson with running knee strike. Roundhouse kicks. Excalibur back with a Galactica Phantom. Danielson with suplexes. Crossface chicken wing. German suplex, diving headbutt. Rebound into a back elbow. Another diving headbutt. 1, 2, 3, *** ½

We head to the Garden State for some six women tag team action

Regeneration X (Leva Bates & Allison Danger) & Serena Deeb v. S-N-S Express (Sassy Stephie & Nevaeh) & Jessicka Havok w/Mademoiselle Rachelle
Nevaeh counters Deeb and gets control. Guillotine choke forces a rope break. Havok with a Demond Drop and standing lariat to Deeb. Two count. Havok to the top . . . Deathjump splash! 1, 2, 3. DUD

We close out with an all-time classic rivalry from rings around the America

“The Phenomenal” AJ Styles v. “The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels
Spin kick from Styles . . . avoided. Death Valley Driver sends Styles to regroup on the floor. Daniels to the floor. Runs Styles into the steps! Best Moonsault Ever. Sitout powerbomb . . . countered. Styles with Pele Kick. Daniels needs to regroup. Here comes Styles. Daniels into the post shoulder first! Calf Killer. Daniels back to the floor. Styles dives onto Daniels at ringside. Referee is counting . . . Styles makes it back in, The Fallen Angel does not. **

[TTX]

Any win will do for AJ. Danielson is always fun.

[db1091]

Great to see Excalibur getting a match, even if it is a beating from Danielson

[Pariah]

Another house for AJ to build. PHENOMENAL!

[bookerbill]

Welcome back to Sermon on the Mat, your one stop shop for action beyond the big cable TV monoliths that get all the buzz…

First off this week, a dream match encounter from the United Kingdom . . .

“Bruiserweight” Pete Dunne v. Will Ospreay @ Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England, UK
Back and forth. Osprey connects with a springboard forearm smash. Dunne goes after the fingers. Osprey hits a one arm swinging neckbreaker for a near fall. Countering. Double stomp from Dunne. Dunne mounts the corner . . . Osprey flips him to the mat! ESSEX DESTROYER. 1, 2, kick out! ESSEX DESTROYER. ONE COUNT ONLY! Superkick connect. Cheeky Nandos kick . . . countered! Triangle Choke from Dunne . . . Osprey makes the ropes. Dunne takes over with forearms, enzuigiris and an X-Plex. Osprey ducks under a clothesline, crosses over and hits tackle. Back and forth. Triangle choke. Osprey bails, Dunne follows. BRAWL! Osprey grab a chair . . . Dunne takes it away and smashes Ospreay. Ding Ding Ding. Ospreay takes it by disqualification at 8:08.

Another dream match encounter, this time feature two of the best women’s tag teams…

Team Sea Stars v. Twisted Sisterz @ The Orpheum in Ybor City, Florida, USA
Holidead with an early piledriver counter on Delmi Exo. FACE PLANT & DOUBLE STOMP. Two count only! Thunder Rosa with hammerlock atomic bomb. Cover for one. To the floor. Both women trade blows. Rosa takes it back into the ring. Rose controls including a kneeing Gory Special. Side slam from Holidead. Pump handle slam. Cover for one. Rosa takes it back outside. Exo reverses a whip . . . Rosa hard into the post! Ashley Vox tags in. Rosa tossed outside. Steps back in. Vox to the top . . . Battle on the buckles . . . Superplex by Rosa! Holidead tags back in. Dead Drop. 1, 2, ¾. Holidead controls. Body slam blocked. Vox connects with shotgun dropkick. FLOPPING FISH. 1, 2, kick out! HART ATTACK. 1, 2, 3. There is no save from Rosa and Team Sea Stars get the comeback victory at 8:21.

Lets makes it three dream matches in row but to the extreme this time . . .

Deathproof Match – Necro Butcher v. “Sick” Nick Mondo @ Knights of Columbus Hall in West Allis, Wisconsin, USA
Mondo controls including a slingshot leg drop and M. Bison. Ladder into the ring . . . Suplex onto the ladder by Mondo! Butcher whipped into the rails again and again! OVER HERE, OVER HERE! Tosses chair into the face of the Butcher! Mondo control with another slingshot legdrop and Mondo sledge. Butcher is rammed into the ring post! Blood is flowing! Chair shot middle of the ring. LIFE CUTTER. 1, 2, 3! Mondo takes it [SNAKE EYES] after 4:19.