Dienamic Def. Brad Smyth
Savannah Summers Def. Sara Jay
Fuzion Def. Luke Santamaria
Adrenaline Def. Joel Bateman, Just Josh
Voodoo Def. GD Grimm
Damon Matthews Def. Mimic for the RCW Title in a lumberjack match
Things get moving quickly this month with little fanfare and the first match got things underway…..
Brad is making his RCW and wrestling debut – he’s a rookie from the RCW Academy. I’m going to be picky straight off and ask what he was thinking picking out those tights! Colour is alright but get ones that fit!! I did like his entrance into the ring – somersault between the ropes, without a hint of nerves. He goes to shake Dienamic’s hand and gets a slap across the face – welcome to RCW! Dienamic puts on a head lock and moves to a back elbow then Brad reverses into a hurricarana and arm drag that sends Dienamic to the floor. This rookie is not going to let up, as he does a reverse plancha to the floor! Welcome to RCW, indeed!! He makes another rookie mistake as Dienamic catches him returning to the ring and puts the boots in. A back elbow off the ropes is followed with a snap mere and then stiff kicks to the back and head. He then picks up Brad for a suplex brain buster than brings a 2 count from our referee. A seated drop kick and drop toe hold using the bottom rope is followed with a double stomp to Brad’s back but again, it’s only a 2 count. Back to the side head lock and then a brutal clothesline off the ropes but the pin eludes him again. Dienamic hits a reverse snap mere that can be summed up in one word – ouch! More stiff kicks follow then forearms and a trademark spinning forearm before he goes back to grinding away on the side head lock. Brad attempts to come off the 2nd rope with a lionsault but is caught in mid air and pays for it, with a brutal sit out power bomb. With the crowd behind him 100%, Brad finally gets some offence and hits two clotheslines, followed by a hurricarana and the AJ Styles forearm / clothesline off the ropes. He’s on a roll with a back elbow, flying elbow, arm lock and DDT but this is not rookie school and it gets a 2 count on Dienamic. The masked one is not happy and puts him some hard forearm shots and kicks to the face but Brad catches him attempting the running elbow and suplexes him into the corner turnbuckles. Brad goes to the top rope but is caught and then as he attempts to sunset flip off the top, Dienamic holds onto the ropes but then is caught by Edge, I mean Brad off the top that brings another 2 count. Dienamic has had enough of this pesky rookie and after a corkscrew takedown his kills him with some form of package / slam / power bomb, hell I don’t know what it was just that it can’t be legal! He misses the double stomp from the top but then hits Brad with a clothesline that turns him inside out. Brad is then able to roll out of the storm cradle attempt but Dienamic hits an enzuguri and goes back to the cradle for the finish and 1-2-3. Just to let everyone know he’s back, he then gets in the crowd’s face as he leaves. Good opening match, with a great showing from the rookie. I couldn’t spot any nerves and he took some brutal punishment from Dienamic. Well done Brad and we look forward to nothing but good things in the future.
Next Mimic’s music hit and out came……….Mimic? I spotted immediately that it was Damon Matthews dressed as Mimic but more than half the crowd had no idea and even kept cheering him as he talked on the microphone! Great little spot as Damon ran down Mimic until the real one came out and cleared him from the ring. Fun, entertaining and to the point without being long winded. Get the DVD to see how it’s done EPW!!
First time I recall Sara being all in black and may I say, yum! I also like Savannah’s new hair colour but we’re here for wrestling! Sara goes to work early working on Savannah’s arm and pulls her hair for added effect. She then puts on a full nelson but Savannah is able to reverse out and lock one in of her own. Sara gets out and hits a bulldog then DDT for a 2 count. She then hits two Nash boots to the throat and continues that theme by using a blatant choke and then using the 2nd rope for the same purpose. Savannah is tied up in the ropes and Sara pulls back on hair in a kind of submission move. Savannah is now ticked off and hits chops to Sara’s chest and back. She then drapes her legs over the corner 2nd ropes and pulls her down onto her knees that hit her chest. Savannah then hits a scoop slam and a leg drop from the top rope that nearly knocks Sara out! Sara is then put in a modified Boston crab but she refuses to tap so Savannah releases the hold and hits an elbow drop and another chop. She whips Sara into the ropes but great minds think alike as both hit clotheslines and now no one is left standing. Sara is up first with a running clothesline to the corner and attempts to hit the ten punches in the corner but is pushed off and hits the mat hard. She gets up for a snap mere takedown and then locks in the Victoria submission – underhooks as you lift your opponent off the mat and then drop them down into a face plant. Savannah comes back with a running bulldog off the ropes and then hits a Drop of Summer for the win. Alright, so it’s a VooDoo Drop and I came up with the other name – sue me! Not the best I’ve seen these two work together – their timing seemed to be off from the start and once that happens, it’s very hard to bring things back. I’m guessing it didn’t help that Sara was on dream street after the leg drop from the top!! Still it was a good match for 2nd off the card and the crowd enjoyed it, which is the most important thing.
Luke is another RCW Academy rookie having his debut tonight. I actually like his pants – man I need to stop doing that!! Before we could get the official introduction Fuzion took the mic and cut a nice promo, questioning whether this rookie was worthy of being in his ring. Again, it’s the subtle things like that which make all the difference and in my opinion set him apart from previous rookies. He can work in the ring but can also work the mic and knows how to put himself over without making his opponent look weak. The crowd was already all over him with their “shave your back” chants but the mic work just took them to that next level. In an about face, Luke ends up slapping Fuzion but then gets a clothesline and wicked big boot to welcome him to RCW. He’s then hit with an elbow drop and shoulder block followed by a head lock takedown. Luke comes back with a drop toe hold and goes for a neck breaker but it’s too early for that and Fuzion gets out of the hold easily and hits a scoop slam then suplex. Next comes a fisherman’s suplex, then Fuzion puts the boots in and follows up with punches and forearms. He then hits a running clothesline but Luke comes back with a spinning neck breaker and forearm before hitting a very nice spear off the ropes. Fuzion is having none of this as he rakes the rookies eyes and hits a side Russian leg sweep and spine buster that brings a 2 count. Luke attempts a comeback with the crowd’s backing but after a series of reversals he’s hit with a diamond cutter or RKO like move, depending on how old you are!! It looks like this is the end but Fuzion picks up Luke after 2 as he decides that the teacher is in and this student is not finished learning for the night. A choke slam later and its all over, Fuzion throwing Luke to the floor, lesson over. Another good showing from a rookie and whilst this one was not as long, another entertaining match. I’ve seen “rookies” debut elsewhere and made to look bad but I went away from this match knowing we’re going to see good things from Luke in the future without making him more than he’s ready to be………yet.
This is the first time I’ve seen Adrenaline as I arrived during intermission of the last show and missed his debut in RCW. He certainly knows how to work and annoy the crowd, some more than others which I’ll explain later! He starts by chopping both of his opponents who chop him back and then whip him into the ropes, with Josh hitting a drop toe hold and Bateman a running senton. Bateman then goes to the top rope but is pushed off and lands, head first, onto the entrance ramp. Adrenaline gets a takedown on Josh but he comes back with an arm drag and two double drop kicks. Bateman, blood trickling down the side of his face, shoulder blocks Adrenaline into the barriers but then he’s hit with a back elbow from Josh upon returning to the ring and is then splashed in the corner. Bateman comes back with a Death Valley driver but then Adrenaline comes off the top with the AJ forearm shot. He follows that up with a delayed suplex on Bateman, and then a scoop slam and a leg drop from a one handed cart wheel! In a very nice move, Josh is now on the top rope and he sunset flips off taking Adrenaline over with him, who is holding Bateman and executes a (_______) at the same time. All 3 men are now standing in the middle of the ring and a kick fest ensues until Adrenaline gets the advantage and puts Bateman in a Regal stretch but is kicked by Josh. Adrenaline then catches Josh coming off the top rope and uses him as a weapon knock over Bateman. Bateman gets up and hits Josh with a clothesline but Adrenaline breaks the count. He picks up Josh and hits (_______) to score the pin. Having just typed all that I didn’t realise the match was that quick! It certainly didn’t seem it on the night and I really enjoyed it. Three way matches can be very hard & get very messy if you are not all on your game and these 3 worked it well together.
I know I’ve said it before but it’s worth repeating – Grimm = best entrance ever. The music, the lighting, everything fits the character so perfectly. This one started off so quickly and didn’t let up that I couldn’t keep up! Grimm tries to start off with a big boot but VooDoo ducks and hits an arm drag. He’s just too fast for his bigger opponent and uses that pace to avoid the big hits. A drop toe hold puts Grimm into the 2nd rope and a sunset flip brings a 2 count. Next is a back body drop which is a sight to be hold when Grimm is the one going over! Another arm drag then a flying clothesline off the 2nd rope, which is followed by a running clothesline to the corner. Looks like VooDoo wants to finish this early and even up the series. After a knee drop Grimm has had enough and hits a low blow to stop the momentum. Kidney punches are followed by a side suplex and then he puts the boots in before finishing with a one arm scoop slam. VooDoo is down, so he hits two elbow drops and picks him up to rake his eyes along the top rope. A back elbow then a head butt are just the warm up to two brutal chops!! VooDoo is then draped over the top and hit with a big boot that takes things to the floor where they brawl until Grimm is whipped into the barriers. Back in the ring and VooDoo hits a pump handle slam (write that one down commentators for next time) and then some knee drops that leads to him working on a leg. After a drop kick, Grimm goes back to the well and hits another low blow. Referee?! HELLO!! That doesn’t stop VooDoo for long as he hits a drop kick to the already injured thigh and pay backs a bitch with 2 hard chops of his own. Another clothesline and he goes back to working on that leg. A drop toe hold leads to a submission but there is no way Grimm is submitting to anyone or anything. Grimm then attempts to fight back by suplexing VooDoo from the apron out to the floor but without the support of both legs it can’t be done and he’s suplexed back into the ring for a 2 count. A whisper in the wind brings another 2 count but then a tilt a whirl back breaker from Grimm leaves both men down. Grimm is up first and attempts the curb stomp but VooDoo reverses out into leg drags. Grimm attempts a power bomb this time but that is also reversed with a head scissors. VooDoo then hits the Canadian destroyer for the pin in a finish that spoiled a very good match as the pin was sloppy and the crowd had no idea it was over. So the series is tied away and as he leaves, Grimm challenges VooDoo to a table’s match to decide the new #1 Contender. Another good match and I won’t let the ending reflect on that as it’s a minor thing in the overall scheme of things. I can’t wait for the decider and I’ll pray for everyone’s safety in that one!!
I hate these two. With Grimm, they give me the best match I’ve ever seen live. They then attempt to out do it at the last show and just when I think they can’t beat that, tonight they do it again! They also left nothing in the locker room and my review will not do the match justice as I had never seen half of the stuff they did, let alone what to call it! The only problem, where do they go now? It doesn’t need saying but I will anyway – Match of the Night. This time they had some help…..
Mimic comes to the ring first and whilst interacting with the crowd, his hit from behind by Damon with the RCW Title. That sends him off the ropes and to the floor, where Damon starts the assault. He calls for all the heel lumberjacks to join him and after they inflict a good measure of punishment, the faces run down to make the save. Total chaos ensues as fights break out everywhere, which creates an air of excitement and tension that remains throughout the match. Great way to start things off and get the crowd hot immediately. The crowd reacts immediately with a “Damon’s a wanker” chant. Damon starts things off with a chop but soon finds himself in a dragon twist that leads into a series of reversals in a nice exchange of chain wrestling. Mimic has control early with a leg lariat leading into a drop kick but then he misses the Miz spot into the corner ropes. A sunset flip and arm drag later, Damon gets an arm drag of his own before he’s whipped back into the corner again and this time Mimic does the clothesline through the ropes. The momentum from a Guerrero senton back into the ring is halted when Fuzion and Dienamic trip Mimic as he comes off the ropes. Damon gets in a vertical suplex before VooDoo holds his legs whilst Mimic chops him senseless! That just triggers off another all in brawl between the lumberjacks. Mimic hits an under hook release suplex and the following clothesline puts Damon on his head! What appears to be an Angle Slam comes next and that brings us the first 2 count of the match. Grimm holds Mimic’s leg to stop his brother’s progress but he breaks free and then proceeds to moonsault from the top onto all the heel lumberjacks! Some form or order is restored and Damon hits a suplex then a “swinging gut buster driver” (don’t ask me!!). After a running clothesline he puts Mimic in the tree of woe and hits the Sabin / Kazarian delayed drop kick. Damon the climbs the top rope but is met with an enzuguri that knocks him off and onto all the heels! Back in the ring and Mimic hits a shining wizard then some stiff kicks before Damon resorts to the low blow. In a quick and brutal sequence he hits Mimic with forearm, chop, forearm, chop etc before Mimic comes back with a series of hard European uppercuts. Both then hit spinning heel kicks before a clothesline from Damon turns Mimic up side down. Damon then whips him off the ropes but instead of using the momentum to attack the champion, he hits a suicide dive over the top onto the heels! Bateman enters the ring and flips over the top onto the heels as well and to show what the rookies are made of, Luke does the same!! VooDoo doesn’t want to be left out so he planchas over the top too and now here comes Brad! Grimm has had enough of this and hits Brad from behind, picks him up and hits one of the most awesome things I’ve ever seen – he jack knife power bombs Brad from the ring out onto the floor and lumberjacks!! Not to be outdone, Grimm then dives over the top – a sight you have to experience live to truly appreciate! Damon and Mimic are back in the ring, who knows what for!! Damon hits a superplex off the top rope and follows with a brain buster that brings a 2 count. Next is the single most brutal looking move I’ve ever seen. Mimic has Damon, who is standing, in a head scissors and proceeds to drop backwards and implant his head into the mat in a DDT like move. I thought Damon was dead! The move has a name but I can’t for the life of me find it on the Net. I think the single word I wrote down at the time sums it up best – F#CK!!! Mimic then hits what I’m going to call an underhook perfect plex because I’ve given up trying to understand these two! After a clothesline Damon hits a Death Valley driver from nowhere but that’s not going to stop either of these two. Mimic has Damon on the top rope and German suplexes him off the top whilst hooking his own legs under the ropes! Damon becomes Stan Hansen as he comes back with a Western lariat but then Mimic hits a frankensteiner off the top. Again, I’m guessing at some of this stuff because it’s way over my head! Do yourself a favour, but the DVD and see for yourself! Mimic hits the Mega Driver and there’s excitement in the air as we all feel this is going to be the moment that he finally fulfils his destiny and becomes RCW Champion. We should have known better…..Fuzion and Adrenaline distract the referee to stop the count. He’s getting that title, no matter what! Mimic then hits the 450 but again Adrenaline breaks the count. He continues to distract the referee, which allows Grimm to come in and put the big boot to the Mimic, then pick him up for the cut throat. He then drapes the unconscious Damon over the fallen hero and we get the 1-2-3. Damon remains the unbeaten, two-time RCW Champion.
Now if that wasn’t enough excitement for you, the lumberjacks keep fighting on the outside and one fan becomes very agitated with the beat down Adrenaline is putting on Luke. Adrenaline taunts the fan and Grimm puts the boots to Luke as he goes to leave, only for the fan to take a series of swings at the big man!! The funny part? It was Luke’s Grandad!!! Seeing him being escorted out by security was the perfect ending to an awesome match and evening!!!
If you’ve never been to a RCW show or haven’t been for a while – do yourself a favour and get to the next one on July 5th……these guys couldn’t possibly get any better……could they?
See you there!
Scott