wrestling / Video Reviews

Views from the Hawke’s Nest: Cedric Alexander – Dream Match Series

February 21, 2015 | Posted by TJ Hawke
5.5
The 411 Rating
Community Grade
12345678910
Your Grade
Loading...
Views from the Hawke’s Nest: Cedric Alexander – Dream Match Series  

 

A Hunt for the Gold
May 26, 2013

Cedric Alexander vs. Kyle O’Reilly
They took their time. They paid homage to the feeling out process! Kyle started to target the left arm after a few minutes. Cedric went after Kyle’s left leg. Kyle got control and worked over the left arm for a while. Cedric eventually made a one-armed comeback. Cedric was building some momentum, but Kyle got an armbar. Kyle made a big comeback. He applied the cross armbreaker. Cedric survived and went for a figure four, but Kyle avoided it. They traded strikes. Cedric went after the injured leg. Kyle went after the injured arm. They battled it out some more until Cedric hit a brainbuster: 1…2…3

These guys tried really hard to do a smart match that combined exciting athletic action and limb work. I think that they possibly bit off more than they could chew though. It’s just nearly impossible to work the pace they did, execute the excite moves they went for, sell the damaged limbs, and pay off all of it in a satisfying/logical way. They came close, but they didn’t quite pull it off. The match was good enough, but it could have been more.
Match Rating: ***1/4

 

It’s All About Me
June 29, 2013

Cedric Alexander vs. Jay Lethal
They went back and forth for a while. Lethal finally got the advantage after a Silver King dropkick and a tope suicida. Lethal worked him over for a while. Alexander made a comeback after a tope con hello. Lethal fought back, and then they eventually started trading punches. Lethal Combination: 1…2…NO! Lethal had all the momentum until Cedric hit a pumphandle exploder. Cedric then hit a springboard lariat for a nearfall. Lethal came back with the Lethal Injection: 1…2…NO! They traded mlore strikes. Cedric then hit a crazy backbreaker, two CODs and the brainbuster! Another brainbuster: 1…2…3!

I thought this was way too long for the type of match they worked. In some ways, I can appreciate their desire to attempt an epic match on such a small show. They didn’t phone it in at all; they put in amazing effort in fact. It just never grabbed me in the slightest. Others will enjoy this one more than I did.
Match Rating: **1/2

There a video from Tommaso Ciampa after the match challenging Alexander to a match on the next PWX show.

 

Declaration of Independence
July 20, 2013

Cedric Alexander vs. Tommaso Ciampa
After some back and forth action, Ciampa got control first and worked Cedric over. Ciampa was pretty good here. I really like Ciampa even if he’s missing the “great” matches from his resume. Cedric randomly started firing back with some forearms and then made a huge comeback. Ciampa fought back and threw some bombs. Cedric managed to bust out his backbreaker variation for a nearfall. Cedric got another nearfall with a frogspash. They were exhausted and just throwing strikes. Cedric won that exchange, but Ciampa came back with his corner knees. Cedric hit the COD. Cedric hit the brainbuster: 1…2…NO! PENALTY KICK: 1…2…3!

This was a good match and very close to being even better. The key to the match was Ciampa just working over Alexander in a compelling fashion. I cannot even articulate why it was the case, but Ciampa did a good job of it for sure in my eyes. The match would have benefited from getting to finishing sequence sooner, but other than that, this match was really well-executed.
Match Rating: ***1/2

 

Live and In Demand
August 16, 2013

Cedric Alexander vs. Johnny Gargano
They went back and forth for a while. Gargano got control after the slingshot spear, and he worked Cedric over for a while. Cedric made his comeback after hitting a DDT. Gargano caught him with a Liger Bomb. They started going back and forth. Gargano got the Gargano Escape, but Cedric made the ropes. Cedric hit his backbreaker for a nearfall. They traded strikes. Gargano was building momentum. Cedric survived the Gargano Escape again. Cedric hit the COD and then hit a delayed brainbuster: 1…2…NO! A second brainbuster: 1…2…3

This was solid. Cedric works a certain style in PWX that does not really grab me, which makes fairly anxious for the rest of the set. The matches go a really long time, but there isn’t much to them.
Match Rating: ***

 

This Is It
October 18, 2013

Cedric Alexander vs. Rich Swann
They were not working the match you would expect. They worked a very deliberate pace. Neither man was able to dominate or control the other for any lengthy period of time. Swann finally seemed to be building some momentum down the stretch. They started trading big strikes. Swann hit the Lethal Injection. Cedric blocked the standing 450 and hit his backbreaker variation. They appeared to botch something. They recovered decently though. Cedric hit a variation of the GTS and then finished Swann with the brainbuster: 1…2…3

Well, this was a major disappointment. I’m perfectly fine with these two not trying to put on a ridiculous, high flying spotfest, but this never grabbed me at all.
Match Rating: **1/4

 

Climbing the Ladder
November 22, 2013

Cedric Alexander vs. Chris Hero
Hero had only recently been fired by the WWE.

Hero was heeling it up early on with the crowd and started talking trash to Cedric. They took their time to get going because Chris Hero. The match turned into a strike exchange. That ended when Cedric crashed and burned on a corner dropkick attempt. Hero then worked him over. Cedric finally came back after a springboard lariat. Hero kept it competitive. Hero hit a huge rolling elbow, but Cedric kicked out. Hero tried everything, but he could not put Cedric away. Cedric caught him with the COD: 1…2…NO! Cedric hit a Trouble in Paradise and then a brainbuster: 1…2…3

I’m running out of ways to describe my disappointment with the matches on this set. There is just nothing holding most of these matches together. There’s not a story to grasp onto. An interesting character development. Anything. I’m completely baffled. I genuinely expected to watch this set and leave it thinking that Alexander is one of wrestling’s brightest prospects.

This match on its own was fine (I guess). There just wasn’t anything impressive about it.

Match Rating: **3/4

 

Taken By Force
January 18, 2014

Cedric Alexander vs. Michael Elgin

I feel like these two should have good chemistry, but I really need to lower my expectations for matches on this set at this point.
Elgin managed to cut him off after a buckle bomb on the floor. ELgin then worked Cedric over for a while. He targeted the back. Elgin made a mistake though and went for a senton. Cedric avoided it and then made a comeback. Elgin fought back and applied a crippler crossface. Cedric got to the ropes. They started going back and forth. Elgin killed him with a couple of lariats. Elgin hit the buckle bomb, but Cedric reversed the Elgin Bomb into a poinson ‘rana. Elgin blocked a frog splash. Cedric hit the COD: 1…2…NO! Cedric hit a sunset flip bomb and a pair of frog splashes: 1…2…NO! Elgin fought back with a big series of movez. Cedric reversed the Elgin Bomb into jackknife pin though: 1…2…3

This felt like a generic high-profile independent wrestling match. There was nothing surprising or particularly interesting about it. It was
Match Rating: ***

 

PWX TV
January 19, 2014

Cedric Alexander vs. AJ Styles

Kevin Steen is on commentary for this one.

They went back and forth a lot. Styles got the advantage after hitting a baseball slide. Cedric fought back and got a nearfall with Mochizuki’s finisher. It was at least a variation of it. Cedric went for a superplex, but AJ reversed it into a super gourd buster. AJ made a big comeback. Cedric hit a nasty backbreaker: 1…2…NO! The crowd reacted like it was supposed to be a finish. I guess that was one of Cedric’s finishers, but I honestly have no idea. AJ avoided another superplex, but Cedric then hit Concussion On Delivery: 1…2…NO! They traded kicks. They both went down after a double clothesline. Adam Page and Corey Hollis distracted the referee. AJ got the Styles Clash: 1…2…3

This is Cedric’s first loss in the Dream Match Series. I think these two went long for the sake of going long. That is to say, the match last a really long time for no real reason. There wasn’t any story to the match that required such an extended time. They could have accomplished everything they set out to accomplish in half or two thirds of the time.

With all of that being said, I was certainly never bored watching this match, and it’s probably the best match on the set so far. They worked a fine pace for such a long match, and there were enough strong sequences to keep engaged. I definitely recommend that you check it out.
Match Rating: ***1/2

Watch this match right here.

 

Rise of a Champion
February 15, 2014

Caleb Konley(c) vs. Cedric Alexander [PWX Championship]

They really took their time in this one. “They’re both rooted in Japanese strong style wrestling.” “They’re both rooted in this new hybrid style that they call strong style.” Heck of a commentator. They went back and forth forever with neither man coming close to getting an advantage. Eventually, Caleb did a headstand in the corner, and Cedric dropicked him to the floor. That was an awesome spot. Cedric then worked him over for a good while. Konley came back after reversing a sunset flip powerbomb to the floor attempt into a double stomp and then a moonsault. Caleb worked Cedric over after that. Cedric fought back, and both men went down. Cedric started throwing some big movez. Caleb came back. They just kept going and going and going. Cedric hit three straight CODs. Caleb kicked out of Cedric’s backbreaker and the brainbuster. Cedric kicked out of the Cradle Shock. Diving Cradle Shock: 1…2…no. Caleb hit the Best Moonsault Ever for another nearfall. They traded brainbusters. They traded more movez. Cedric missed a dive and crashed into a barricade. Caleb couldn’t put Cedric away. Caleb managed to hit him with the belt: 1…2…NO! First legit good nearfall all match. Caleb then repeatedly kicked Cedric’s face in, and he won via ref stoppage.

It’s kind of fitting that one of the more disappointing viewing experiences that I’ve had in the past year or so should end with a marathon match that felt even longer than it was. I was genuinely shocked to find out that this match only went forty-two minutes; it felt way closer to sixty. Beyond a few spots, this just wasn’t entertaining at all. The fact that it ended with a dirty finish just made it even more unsatisfying.

Match Rating: 1/2*

 

Watch some free Cedric Alexander matches:

Cedric Alexander vs. AJ Styles

Cedric Alexander vs. Arik Royal

Cedric Alexander & Caprice Coleman vs. Jimmy Rave & Kyle Matthews

Cedric Alexander & Caprice Coleman vs. Tadarius Thomas & QT Marshall

5.5
The final score: review Not So Good
The 411
Overall, this was a very disappointing experience that I did not enjoy that much. This is one of those compilations that is actually less than the sum of its parts. Almost every match on this set felt like it used a variation of the tired formula that is plaguing the "prestige" independent wrestling companies for the last few years. Cedric Alexander is a tremendous talent that works tremendously hard every time that I see him. He's just missing a few key aspects of his game before he can really excel as a singles main eventer.
legend