Monday 30 June 2014

The Review I Didn't Do...

So, it's been a couple of weeks since I went to the Pro Evolution Wrestling show in Trowbridge and I still feel weird and bad that I didn't do my usual weekend of wrestling post.

Despite not doing it, I still felt the need to tweet the guys from the match that I regarded the best of the night - The Alpha Males (Charlie and Iestyn) against The Firm (Martin Stone and Sha Samuels). This match was supposed to be the main event of the evening but had to be brought forward due to outside factors, and you could see that it would've been a hell-of-a main event!

I've only really seen Sha once before and he didn't get too much of a look-in (this was when he replaced Nathan Cruz at a recent PROGRESS show). This time he, along with Stone, were tremendous. From the moment they came out to challenge the Alphas they gained heat and hatred from the crowd; they were genuinely scary. Both shouting 'EAST!!' and getting right in the faces of the fans was brilliant to watch - this is how I like my heels!

Leading up to the match was great; the match was superb and was head-and-shoulders above the rest; the finish was great and after running the East Londoners out of ringside, the Alphas looked solid Tag Team Champions as a result. I would happily see Stone and Samuels team up to take on the Alphas in the future - excellent match!

I really needed to give them four guys huge appreciation in them paragraphs.

A situation from that show that really left a nasty taste in my mouth was when a certain 'name' of British wrestling didn't show and could've put the show in the sh*t. Luckily there was a more-than-adequate replacement at the venue to fill the void. Now, I don't know all the details of why, and maybe things have been resolved now, but if the reasons for the no-show are as suspected at the time then that is awful and unacceptable. It's something that should never happen if British wrestling is to gain a good reputation and not be seen as a shambles. But, I suppose you don't have to worry about where you're booked when you reach a certain level.

I genuinely hope that things have been resolved as far as this situation goes and the right thing has been done since...

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@jimmosangle

Fantasy Booking

Not done much content on here for a bit so thought I would do something short and sweet...

I've just got through Money in the Bank; really good show, kept me interested for the most (apart from Layla vs Summer... yawn) with two pretty decent ladder matches - especially the MITB ladder match.

Obviously Cena won (anybody in any doubt of that??) and we'll get our Cena vs Lesnar Summerslam match, that, let's face it, is the best it was going to be. Sorry to the people out there that was hoping for a Cesaro or a Wyatt or a Roman Reigns win but that just wouldn't have been the best thing right now. Great to 'make' someone at anytime but now's not that time.

I got thinking about Wrestlemania next year with all the talk of Reigns going for the title then. Fair enough. What gets him to that point, though?

I'm thinking that at Summerslam it's Brock vs Cena for the title, where Brock gets his win back (not that he should've lost to Cena in the first match?!) and Reigns goes up against Triple H to elevate him. THEN, Brock (in his limited appearances) comes back here and there and destroys everyone put in front of him (because, y'know, he broke the streak and should be IMMORTAL now...), even getting to the point where The Authority can't control him so they enlist the help of the only guy that they feel could get the job done: Roman Reigns...

You know, that 'we hated each other, but you proved me wrong and you are someone to be reckoned with' kind of thing... LEADING to Reigns' big moment at Wrestlemania 31 where he beats the unbeatable, streak-ending, champion of this, champion of that Brock Lesnar, becomes a 'star' in the process (?) and hopefully gets a better run than Daniel Bryan had this year...

@jimmosangle

Wednesday 11 June 2014

My Weekend of (British) Wrestling 33 - Triple X Wrestling

Sunday 1st June 2014 - Triple X Wrestling 'Kick Him In The Face' - Club M, Coventry

Usually, I do a review of every show I go to pretty much the day after I attend. This time around I couldn't bring myself to. This has no reflection on the show itself as it was a very entertaining one full of comedy, smark-enjoyment and, of course, wrestling. It was topped off by a fine match between Zack Sabre Jr and Low Ki. Much like my last outing at PROGRESS Wrestling (London); Jim Smallman summed this type of contest up extremely well when introducing Sabre Jr vs Devitt: two of the best WRESTLERS in the world would lock horns; no storylines needed; just great COMPETITION - Sabre Jr and Low Ki would exemplify this further.

So, the problem with doing a review this time around was 100% my problem. I'm starting to bore myself with the layout of my reviews. Every show, I go through the matches, in order, and give my take even if there wasn't much to take from it. I'll be the first to admit that I have no business trying to break down what is going on in the ring but I try my best to interpret it anyhow. My aim is more to put across, and put over, my experience of a show and why, nine times out of ten, you should part with your money ans invest in British wrestling.

Basically, I need to freshen things up, enjoy the shows (even more than I do) by watching with more focus, and emersing myself in the goings on instead of the continual note-taking. Therefore, I want to start focusing on the couple/few things that REALLY catch my eye.

So, despite this review being a couple of weeks late - also due to life getting in the way! - I'd like to give praise to the things that really stood out at the last Triple X show:

Eddie Dennis
I've been fortunate to see Eddie at a few different shows and I enjoy every outing, because whether he is a babyface or a villain, it's entertaining and really funny. I particularly like him as a heel due to how easy it is to gain abuse from the audience. Eddie being Welsh obviously makes it easy to direct sheep noises and similar chants his way. The one that tickled me the most was the "Baaaaaaaad Wales" (yes, in the style of a sheep's cry) chant. As simple as it is, it creates a back-and-forth between the fans and Eddie that gives him a chance to berate the fans, and if you can get past laughing at him, you soon hate him a little more as a heel - ready to cheer his opponent (even if his opponent on this occasion was a 'bit of a c*nt').

Tyler Bate
I'm not sure if I'm biased when it comes to Tyler due to him being my girlfriend's favourite wrestler (in the VERY short time that she's been watching) or whether his youth and talent just plain impresses me?!

Along with Dan Moloney, Tyler is another youngster that I admire as he's clearly putting in the time at the gym as well as learning how to wrestle. At only seventeen, he's already a great example to guys in their twenties as to how to go about being a wrestler the RIGHT way.

I also love how they're (wrestling promotions) using him in an obvious way; he IS young, he IS strong; so his gimmick of being a young, strong 'wonderboy' of wrestling is a natural extention of himself. It's also great to use if and when he gets beaten by a more experienced guy; his youth can be used against him but will be all the more impressive when he overcomes obsatcles. I would guess that Triple X are building him up to eventually take on Dennis for the title, with Chris Brookes being 'experience' along the way.

Best of the Rest
  • Shout-outs for Dave Mercy; who is funny as hell in the opening matches that I've seen him in. The first match is meant to wake the fans up, right? Mercy has certainly done this each time I've seen him - huge credit has to go to his 'Bump 'n Grind' theme that instantly puts a smile on the fans' faces on his arrival to the ring.
  • The Dunnes and Hunters put on a great number one contenders match that definitely deserves a mention.
  • Match of the night has to go to Sabre Jr and Low Ki. As obvious a statement as this is; these two put on a mesmerising performance. It was more of a mat-based, Japanese (?) style that I'm not familiar with, but these types of matches (along with Sabre Jr vs Pete Dunne (Triple X) and Sabre Jr ve Devitt (PROGRESS)) just captivate me and the audience every time. There's an appreciation I have every time that I find difficult to explain!
Results
  • 'Sleazy Bastard' Dave Mercy defeated 'The Toolshed' Benton Destruction by countout
  • Scott Grimm defeated Local Jobber #2
  • 'The Incredible Wrestling Boy' Tyler Bate defeated Scott Grimm
  • 'Flash' Morgan Webster defeated 'Indy Guy' Kieran Young (w/ Rob Hall)
  • No. 1 Contendership (for the Triple X Championship): 'Dynamite' Pete Dunne defeated Damian Dunne, Jim Hunter and Lee Hunter
  • Triple X Championship: 'The Pride of Wales' Eddie Dennis (c) defeated Chris Brookes (w/ Tyler Bate)
  • Chase Alexander defeated 'The Unit' Jim Diehard
  • Low Ki defeated Zack Sabre Jr
Another highly entertaining Triple X show; well worth the trip up to Coventry! Thanks to Omer Ibrahim for keeping us entertained between the matches and a 'get well soon' to Benton Destruction.

I URGE YOU to get yourself along to a Triple X show in the future. Find them on Facebook and Twitter; follow them, like them, check out the latest news and shows!

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@jimmosangle