It was announced before the match that Radic was back after receiving enough signatures on the petition. I am not completely up to date with HRPW storylines but I am assuming that Radic is now a face? Radic can pull off anything but I still think his best work is as a heel. I was disappointed that we got no mic time from him tonight. The Icemen attacked their opponents to start off the match but that was soon turned around and each was given the ten punches on the ropes while the crowd counted along. They were then whipped, kicked and hit over the top ropes. Radic attempted two shoulder blocks but he was being out weighed so instead he stamped on a foot and hit a clothesline! Dragon comes in but is soon over powered by Miller, who tags in his partner Morris for a side walk slam. Dragon opens up his offence with some kicks and chops then Radic is back in for an elbow drop, two chops and a low blow! Before he goes back out, he joins Dragon for a double leg drop. These two do work well together but it still seems a strange pairing for me. I was waiting for Radic to turn around and hit his partner in true John E Radic style but it never happened. The quick tags continue as Dragon hits a high kick followed by a double kick then Radic distracts the referee, allowing a low blow via a strategically placed elbow drop. He’s basically doing a lot of his usual heel work but playing it up comedy style and the crowd loves it. He slaps Miller off the ring apron Dragon is back in with repeat kicks. Morris is in the ring and throws some poor forearms before hitting a knee drop that Miller follows with a clothesline. Miller puts Dragon in the camel clutch but he soon works his way out of hit and hits a low kick to the groin. Radic is tagged back in and hits a standing drop kick then running clothesline. Miller comes back with a side walk slam, splash and then a suplex that looked like he dropped Dragon on his head! Dragon fights back with a leg drop and enzuguri then tags in his partner for a clothesline. I have to make comment here about how badly the Icemen are selling their opponents offence – it’s comedic in its delivery and laughter can be heard all around me, which is not a good sign. Radic then suplexes both Icemen and Dragon comes with a drop kick from the top. Radic then hits his Savage like elbow drop from the top rope and they score the win. An irate Benjamin Stephens gets on the mic and demands that Ace Wilson come to the ring to destroy the winners but when he does, he attacks his now former manager! The Icemen attack him but he hits both with clotheslines and then choke slams them for good measure. Wilson is now a face? Strange booking for me as he doesn’t look the part. This match wasn’t bad but for me, Radic was wasted and it made no sense to put the four together.
If I get any names wrong or the spelling is not right, I apologise but there were no programs on the night and I couldn’t always pick up the names as they were being announced. Again, it would have also been nice to have commentary during the night. You have talent like Hazard and Tommy J but don’t use them? Lola was announced as being six foot four!! I nearly wet myself! Why make stupid comments like that as everyone in attendance can clearly see she’s not. I had no idea who Mallori was going to be as I thought HRPW had no female workers and I was proven right as Blake Mitchell came to the ring with his valet, Krystal. Blake cut a promo on how women do not belong in a man’s world and the wrestling ring was no place for a woman. “Boring” chants started, directed at Blake and Lola challenged him to put up or shut up and so we had Lola v Blake. Blake was arrogant from the start, locking up with his female opponent and choking her twice, to then walk away smugly. Lola had had enough and hit him with two quick arm drags out of nowhere and whipped him into a corner but was met with his leg as she charged forward. He then got in some kicks while she was on the mat and choked her on the second rope. Some push ups then showed how he was toying with an inferior opponent. He was too quick to judge as Lola reversed into a bulldog and then hit a hurricarana, followed by another off the top rope for a two count. It was at this stage that the men sitting around me sat up and took notice and commented on how impressed they were that Lola could work and gave her a lot of credit for not being simply eye candy. Blake was done playing and hit two book end like moves but each time the referee’s hand reached two, he’d pull up Lola to stop the count. What looked like a slam followed and this time he took the three count for the win. Be interesting to see how HRPW intend to use their only female wrestler, unless they are going to bring in others to work with her. This match served its purpose – it introduced Lola who got a nice reaction from the crowd and put over Blake as the arrogant, cocky heel. I actually enjoyed it.
Sensational Sean Scott? Not on this performance. Tony came out in “those tight” to “that music” which drew some laughter from the crowd but also a lot of insults during the match. Tony dominated early and got some quick one and two counts, which made Sean go to the floor to reassess his strategy. When he returned to the ring he gave out some kicks to the midriff along with some punches. The crowd was totally dead at this stage. Tony came back with two shoulder blocks but then Sean hit two cross bodies, with Tony able to turn the second into a reverse slam. Sean retreated to the floor again so Tony chased him around the ring and took some hits when he returned to the mat. Sean then hit a drop toe hold and what I would describe as a 619 from the floor into the ring, which was pretty impressive. He then used the second rope to choke Tony repeatedly. Next he started using his legs as he got in a kick and then leg lariat. That was followed by an abdominal stretch using the ropes for added leverage behind the referee’s back. Tony came back and took over the match, hitting two clotheslines, a scoop slam and then ten punches on the corner ropes. A spine buster later and the match was over, much to the relief of the crowd it seemed, who were clearly not interested. Sean looked lost when he didn’t get any reaction from the crowd and didn’t know how to respond or work to get them involved. I have no idea what he could have done but I guess that comes with experience. The match was short and never really came to anything, with little to no reaction from those in attendance.
Bateman came out with Katie Kollision, which confused me as he is obviously a face but I thought she was a heel? She wore red instead of black and I definitely think she looks better in the other persona. This match started off with a nice sequence of reversals that ended with Joel hitting a leg lariat. Joel attempts the ten punches in the corner but after five, Laser drops down and heads to the floor. Joel follows him and hits a hurricarana off the barriers. The action is back in the ring and as Joel is hanging over the second rope, Laser comes off the second with a leg drop. He then hits a move off the apron to the floor that I missed and my daughter wasn’t quite able to explain it to me, apart from saying it was awesome!! Laser has Joel back in the ring and executes a slam followed by a leg drop. He follows that up with a low blow via another leg drop and then a clothesline. Joel fights back with a jaw breaker but Laser then hits an awesome fall away slam. Laser then leaps onto the top rope and comes off with a moonsault, landing on his feet but then is hit with a leg lariat from Joel. I can’t recall ever seeing Laser before but he works the crowd very well and I love his in ring work. He then leaps over the top rope and drops Joel’s head onto it for a choke. Laser is in total control as he hits a flying cross body from the top but as he attempts another top rope move, he’s hit by a drop kick in mid air. Joel seizes the moment and hits two clotheslines followed by a standing drop kick. He then messes up a spot over the top rope but ignores it and hits a sommersault to the floor. Both men are back in the ring and Joel hits a high knee lift but Laser comes back with a slam and the classic RVD Van Terminator that I never get sick of seeing live. He gets in another drop kick and decides that Katie has been too quite so goes over to hit her! Joel reacts with an enzuguri but his caught by Laser as he climbs to the top rope. Joel flips Laser off the ropes and then hits a frog splash for the win. I really enjoyed this match. Laser has a lot of talent and worked well with Joel, who is also good. If it wasn’t for the Main Event, I would have put this as Match of the Night. It had better action than the Main Event but no matter what anyone else did, you aren’t going to get me to vote against Rocky Menero v Raven!
I will have to put this up there with Scott v Stone as the low points of the evening. Just seemed like another match that was stuck together to fatten the card and never actually went anywhere. I was trying to work out how La Bamba is – for a lucha libre he’s huge!! Kinkaid attacked early with forearms, shoulder block and more forearms. La Bamba hit a clothesline but then missed a double drop kick that allowed Kinkaid to hit a short arm clothesline. La Bamba then hit a shoulder block but Sean Scott, who came to the ring with Kinkaid, distracted him from following up. That allowed Kinkaid to put in a kick to the midriff and a running knee lift. He then choked his Mexican opponent on the second rope. La Bamba came back with some punches and a nice Juvi Driver but again Scott distracts the referee, allowing Kinkaid to take out a chain, which he used to knock out his opponent and score the win. Short, pointless match for me. Neither guy did much and the crowd seem disinterested again. Was there a reason for putting all these short matches in? Was it to give all the talent a chance to work on the same card as Raven or to hide their inability to carry a longer match? I would have preferred for several matches to be taken out, giving more time for people like Laser, Bateman, Hellfire and Larger Than Life to show what they can do.
During intermission Raven came to the ring to give a Q&A session, and then take photos with fans in the former WCW ring. Its here that he showed his true class as he interacted with everyone from little kids to the old school ECW marks. You could tell that he wanted to talk and was willing to discuss anything but he kept on being asked stupid questions about WWE wrestlers, so it wasn’t the best environment in which to discuss the finer points of match psychology and booking. He took it all in stride and I would have been happy to listen to him for hours. I was asked if I wanted to ask a question but I know better than to embarrass myself!!
Like him or hate him - and I know many do!! - Blake plays his part very well. A lot of the younger talent at HRPW should watch him work a match, not for his wrestling skills but for the way he sells the image he’s portraying and how he interacts with the fans. Maybe he’s an arrogant, cocky bastard in real life but I believe in the character he’s portraying to me and that allows me to get involved at an emotional level with his matches, something earlier workers lost me with. Blake refuses to lock up with Taylor at the start and that only infuriates the champion and has the crowd chanting “BORING” at him. He tries to bring a chair into the match but the referee takes it away and then Taylor chases him around the ring and out smarts him when he attempts to take advantage when they return to the squared circle. Taylor is too strong for the challenger early but Blake is able to get in a low shoulder block and then kick to the back. He then puts on a reverse chin lock but Taylor whips him into the corner only to be hit with a back elbow. As Blake comes out the corner Taylor hits him with a scoop slam and then a spear off the ropes. Kris then attempts to execute his finisher but Blake is able to get out of it. He then makes the mistake of attempting the same move himself, only for Taylor to reverse and execute it himself! Now both men are down. Krystal leaves the ring area and returns with Rocky Menero but he’s knocked off the apron by Taylor. The distraction allows Blake to get the title belt and hit Taylor with it and now we have a new HRPW World Television Champion…..Blake Mitchell. Did the crowd not like that one!! Taylor then cut a promo on Rocky and reminded him that as the current #1 Contender for the HRPW World Heavyweight Championship, he was coming for his belt. Not a classic, match wise but I guess they wanted Taylor feuding with Menero and it added fire to that flame. Not sure when Mitchell goes from here – maybe Radic?? After Taylor being pushed to the moon I would have liked for the match to have meant more and been more. I also hate that finish – not just here but anywhere. Knocked out by the title belt? Come on! It’s not a brick!! I just think the finish made Taylor look like a chump after being the champ.
Things start off quickly with a triple drop kick by the crowd favourites before Hellfire takes over when it’s back to one on one. He actually gets in a double clothesline and then takes to beating up Big Mike. Maybe I’m wrong but it seems that Mike is always the one to take the punishment in any tag match he’s involved with and for a nice change of pace it would be nice if he could be the one who makes the save. He’s taken to the wrong corner and things don’t look good as Trance slams him and then executes a hip toss. The crowd starts a “Big Mike” chant. Priest joins the beat up Mike party and kicks him, followed by a short arm clothesline. Finally Mike gets his chance and reverses into a DDT that allows him time to tag in Zak. Zak hits a DDT on Trance and then a hard clothesline but Priest breaks up the pin. This allows Trance to execute a northern lights suplex and soon “Zak” can be heard from the other side of the barriers. Priest & Trance double suplex Zak and Hellfire follows up with a clothesline and facewash but this time Mike breaks the count. Hellfire clotheslines Zak then tags in Priest for a spring board shoulder block and figure four leg lock but Zak is able to reverse it. Priest attempts another submission move but Zak hits him with a standing double kick and tags both Mike and Mundie at the same time! Priest goes to the floor after Mike pulls down the ropes and with all three heels on the floor, Zak comes off the ropes with a senton. Trance is back in the ring and Mundie hits a kind of death valley drive / slam for the win. Way too short a match for the talent that was in there and the whole thing seemed to be hashed together at the last minute. I would have dropped Trance and Mundie to make it a normal tag match and then let those four show what they can do over a good length of time. This was just another match that reinforced the whole hastily arranged feel to the night that promised so much and delivered very little.
Because of clashing schedules I haven’t been able to get to some of the recent HRPW shows but I was still able to pick the finish of this match with no trouble at all. Apart from Luke not going through a table, I had it perfectly. Did I care? Not at bloody all! I was seeing Raven in person for the very first time in my life and I didn’t care what happened. Note: I hate Rocky’s new music and wish he would go back to the old one, even if some useless idiot is using it at another promotion. This was the most mic work I can ever recall Rocky doing and he was spot on with his delivery. I love the cocky comedic Rocky just as much as the hard nosed one. Kris Taylor then came out and did this long winded promo that I could see no point to. He went on about “wait until Raven comes out, he’s pissed..” and it seemed pointless and killed the hype after Rocky’s entrance to when Raven appeared. A quick spot with Tommy J could have explained the story line of Raven being jumped in the back by Rocky and Blake, rather than the drawn out mess we got with Taylor. Raven finally comes to the ring and begins to whip Rocky with his belt. He then rolls out the ring and hands the belt to some kid and asks him “to hold onto this for me”, which must have made the kids year! Both men are out on the floor as Raven rakes Rocky’s back then whips him into the barriers and then out into the crowd. Rocky’s head is smashed into a wall but then he pokes Raven’s eyes and returns the favour. He then hits him with some Thai knee lifts before throwing him back into the ring area and using his head as a battering ram on the ring apron. Raven then gets the ring bell and sounds it off the side of Rocky’s head! Rocky then takes the belt off the kid and hits Raven in the head and works on his leg. Raven kicks him from the floor and gives the belt back to the kid! Rocky takes the belt again, Raven attacks him and they are back in the ring where Rocky goes back to work on the leg. He puts on the figure four and Raven tries to block it but Rocky uses the ropes for added leverage. Raven fights back with an enzuguri but there is too much damage to his leg to follow it up. That was the one thing that stood out for me on the whole night – a master craftsman at work as Raven showed how you sell your opponent’s offence. We remembered all the work Rocky had done on his leg because he made us remember and then it made sense why he didn’t follow up the enzuguri. Its not about high flying spots and cool catchphrases, its about telling a story and making it believable. Rocky puts him in a sleeper hold and when Raven fights back; Rocky misses the jaw breaker spot. Raven gets in a side kick and both men are down. Rocky is up first but he gets a wicked kick to the head that everyone in the centre felt – OUCH! Raven then hits his trademark spinning clothesline. Blake comes out to distract Luke and Rocky gets in a low blow. Why? Its Raven’s Rules so there are no rules. Why do you need the referee distraction? Rocky goes for the super kick and instead hits Luke Hazard! Blake then comes in and swings at Raven with a chair but misses and hits Rocky! Raven super kicks Blake and covers Rocky for the pin but there is no referee to make the count. Rocky gets up and hits Raven with some chair shots to the stomach but then is hit by the Even Flow DDT and it looks like we’ve got a new champion…….until Luke stops the count at two!! Raven low blows Luke but Rocky gives him a DDT and Luke does a quick count for the win! Apart from the kids in the crowd, tell me anyone who did not see that coming!! Kris Taylor comes out and takes out Rocky and Luke but then Blake and Rocky in turn attack Taylor. Raven gets up and does his classic drop toe onto the chair on Rocky and Blake. He then Even Flows them both on the chair too. He also chases and then spanks Krystal for good measure, also leaving Blake and Rocky in a compromising position, on top of each other’s groin!! Raven then walks around ring side with the belt, allowing all the fans to touch it. He then got on the mic and apologised for his shoulder injury and explains that he gave all he had after only doing tag matches at other events in Australia. The man was just total class from start to finish. Taylor then cut another promo about going for Rocky’s title but a lot of the crowd was already leaving and most missed it. Easily Match of the Night, even if Raven was not 100% and did not do the leg sweep into the guardrail and nobody was put through a table.
The crowd numbers were down from the Corino show I went to, which surprised me as I would have picked Raven to be the bigger draw. Was it worth $25? To see Raven in person I would have paid double that. As I said earlier, a lot of the card had so much potential but fell well short in what they delivered and it just seemed that everything was rushed up to the Main Event but maybe that was just my feelings. There were also some matches and wrestlers in particular that I would not pay anything to see and have seen no improvement in the time I’ve seen them.
I just wish I could have attended Blaze of Glory to witness HRPW when it lives up to the hype.
Thanks for reading.
Scott