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Views from the Hawke’s Nest: House of Hardcore 2012

April 24, 2013 | Posted by TJ Hawke
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Views from the Hawke’s Nest: House of Hardcore 2012  

October 6, 2012
Poughkeepsie, NY

Shawn Daivari vs. Crowbar
Things were all respectful and whatnot until Crowbar decided to turn heel. Crowbar worked him over for a while. Daivari eventually came back with a superplex. Daivari hit a tornado DDT and a superfly splash: 1…2…3.

This was a pretty basic match. The crowd was fairly into it though, which made it more enjoyable than I would have guessed.
Match Rating: *

Danny Doring & Roadkill vs. The FBI (Little Guido & Tony Mamaluke w/ Big Sal E Graziano)
Not sure how good this will be. Guido and Doring did a good sequence to start the match. The crowd was appreciative. The match broke down for a few minutes. Doring hit Mamaluke with a slingshot plancha. Guido shoved the referee. The referee gave him a hip toss, and Roadkill counted a nearfall. Mamaluke gave Roadkill a tilt-a-whirl headscissors. Doring entered the match, but Sal tripped him up. The FBI worked over Doring for a while. Doring eventually gave Mamaluke a suplex into a turnbuckle. Roadkill tagged in and ran wild. Doring and Roadkill eventually hit Guido with the Buggy Bang: 1…2…3.

Roadkill put over everyone in the match, and he put over House of Hardcore as the future.

I think this was a definitive step-up from the opener. Guido and Mamaluke still move around really well, and they brought a lot of energy to the match.
Match Rating: **1/2

Winter vs. Jazz
The match started much more physical than I expected. I had never seen Winter work like this before. Actually, I don’t know how many times I’ve seen Winter wrestle. Winter licked Jazz. Not as erotic as it reads. Jazz came back with some armdrags. Winter got back control and worked Jazz over. Winter hit a big mafia kick, but Jazz then avoided a shitty superfly splash. Jazz came back with some strikes. A sole butt from Jazz got a nearfall. Jazz hit a sit-out powerslam: 1…2…3.

These two worked hard to put on a good match, but they had trouble engaging the crowd after a certain point.
Match Rating: **1/4

Tony Nese vs. Alex Reynolds
The special guest referee was Mikey Whipwreck. Whipwreck trained both of these guys. Reynolds and Whipwreck have beef, because Reynolds believes that Whipwreck treated Nese like a bigger star. Whipwreck and I have that in common. These two went back and forth for a while without either man getting an advantage. They definitely showed how much they had worked together before. Nese did an amazing sequence that finished with him doing a tope suicida. Tony Nese is a god among insects. Back in the ring, Reynolds blocked a double jump Lionsault and then hit a neckbreaker in the ropes. Reynolds worked over Nese after that. Nese eventually came back with a running knee and a spinning heel kick. Nese then hit a deadlift, bridging German suplex: 1…2…NO! Nese then hit the one-armed powerbomb and another running knee: 1…2…NO!!! This match rules. Reynolds avoided Nese’s 450. Nese almost broke every ligament in his left knee on that. Reynolds hit a pop-up Codebreaker: 1…2…NO! Nese then hit a reverse hurricanrana and another running knee. Nese called for the 450, but Reynolds kicked Whipwreck into the ropes, which crotched Nese. Reynolds was jawing with Whipwreck, and Whipwreck decided to give him a stunner. 450 from Nese: 1…2…3!

Awesome match, even with the unnecessary crappy finish. Tony Nese looked like a wrestling GOD in this match. It’s amazing to me that TNA let him go and that ROH never signed him. This is one of the most entertaining talents on the American independent scene. Book him now. He should be in PWG, DGUSA, Evolve, and CZW going forward. Everywhere. Everywhere.
Match Rating: ***1/2

Scott Steiner vs. Luke Gallows (w/ Eddie Kingston)
Steiner was wearing a NWO shirt, lol. They slugged it out to start the match. They ended up on the floor with Steiner kicking Gallows’s ass. Steiner used chairs and a Singapore cane. The crowd was going nuts. They got back in the ring. Kingston distracted Steiner, which allowed Gallows to cut off Steiner with a Brogue Kick. Gallows worked Steiner over. This went on for a while. Rick Steiner showed up. He was barking. Back in the ring, Scott was able to avoid a big splash from Gallows. Steiner made a big comeback. Steiner hit several suplexes. Gallows came back with a DDT. Kingston interfered again. Rick chased Kingston in the ring. Scott hit Gallows with a reverse STO: 1…2…3!

Rick made Kingston tap out on the floor.

The match lost a little steam at the end, but this was good, clean fun. Scott Steiner is the greatest wrestler of all time.
Match Rating: **3/4

Chris Masters came out for a Masterlock Challenge. Someone from the crowd came out. He looked like a wrestler. He failed the challenge. Hale Collins came out. He must be local, because I’ve never heard of him, but he got a huge reaction. Collins looked like he was going to break the lock, but Masters then just attacked him. We have a match.

Chris Masters vs. Hale Collins
Masters was in control for a while. Collins came back with some strikes. Collins finally took Masters down with an enzuigiri: 1…2…NO! Some dude in a mask hit Collins. Masters then hit Collins with a spinebuster: 1…2…3.

The crowd was very much into this, but the story did not play out in a satisfying way. Masters looked phenomenal here as a douchebag heel. It’s amazing to me Masters isn’t a star in ANY relevant American promotion.
Match Rating: **

Rhyno vs. Sami Callihan
Sami started the match with a Brogue Kick and an exploder. Rhyno dumped Sami to the floor. They brawled on the floor. Sami accidentally chopped a ringpost. Rhyno used a chair on Sami. Back in the ring, Rhyno worked Sami over. Sami came back with some facewash kicks. Rhyno came back with a chair to the face. Rhyno called for a gore on the stage. Rhyno jumped off a chair first, but Sami caught him with another Brogue Kick. Rhyno was in the ring. Sami hit a tope con hello INTO the ring. Rhyno hit a big spinebuster: 1…2…NO! Sami hit a saito suplex: 1…2…NO! Sami avoided a splash from Rhyno. Sami hit the BOING Splash: 1…2…NO! Rhyno went for the Gore, but Sami caught him with a guillotine choke! Rhyno reversed it into a buckle suplex. GORE: 1…2…NO! The crowd did not like that. Sami avoided a second Gore and locked in a Stretch Muffler. Rhyno escaped and hit a piledriver: 1…2…NO! Rhyno then hit a MIDDLE ROPE PILEDRIVER: 1…2…3.

House of Hardcore needs to stop blasting music after the matches. I can’t hear how the crowd is going to react.

This match was really well done, and I honestly agree with the decision to put Rhyno over. Sami looked tough as nails, and the crowd got the finish they wanted.
Match Rating: ***1/2

Viscera destroyed a jobber. Another jobber came out. Viscera destroyed him. Spike Dudley came out. Spike hit a low blow and an Acid Drop. There ya go.

Edge came out to be the special guest ring announcer for the next match. Edge doing his entrance mannerisms at an indie show seemed goofy. I miss Edge. He was fantastic. Speaking of fantastic, Edge’s speech was fantastic. He put over wrestling, Tommy Dreamer, the show, and Sami Callihan. Edge then put over the next the match…

The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) vs. Paul London & Spanky
Edge was fantastic. Just needed to say that again. Spanky and London were in control early on. The Bucks were able to come back though, and they managed to isolate Spanky. London tagged in and ran wild on the Bucks. The Bucks were able to cut off London with some of their doubleteam moves. The Bucks worked over London for a while. It looked like London was going to be able to tag out, but Nick dragged Spanky off his apron. London hit Nick with a tornado DDT. Spanky tagged in and made a big comeback. Spanky and London came back with a pair of stereo tope suicidas. This match is very good. Lots of MOVEZ. Matt hit Spanky with a superkick: 1…2…NO! London ate a double superkick. London blocked the More Bang for Your Buck. Matt ate a Sliced Bread from Spanky and then a shooting star press from London: 1…2…3!

This was an excellent tag team match, and this was easily the best match of the night in my opinion. The Young Bucks are the best tag team on the planet, and I hope this match helped to expose them to a new audience. London and Spanky looked strong here, but something has just been slightly off about them since they started teaming up on the indies.
Match Rating: ***3/4

Tommy Dreamer© vs. Carlito vs. Mike Knox [FWE Championship]
You’ll never believe it, but Dreamer looked like he was crying. Bryan Danielson vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Low Ki this is not. Carlito decided to start the match on the apron despite the one fall nature of the match. Carlito spat apple in Knox’s face. Dreamer ate some of the apple. Knox hit a double lariat. Carlito hit Knox with a slingshot plancha. Carlito and Dreamer did the drop-toehold into a chair spot. Carlito took out a ladder and used it. Knox got put through the ladder. Carlito got backdropped through the ladder. Dreamer hit Knox with a spike DDT: 1…2…NO! Knox took that DDT like a champ. Dreamer set up a table on the floor. Dreamer gave Carlito a DVD off the apron and through the table. Knox crotched Dreamer on the bridged ladder. Carlito then hit Dreamer with a backstabber: 1…2…3.

The crowd did not care for that finish. Knox and Raven attacked Dreamer and Carlito after the match. Sandman came through the crowd to make the save. Ok, I just realized the music is so loud on this show because they have to drown out the copyrighted music they used on the live show. Dreamer put over the fans and his mom after the show.

The match lost a ton of momentum after the DVD table spot, but this was a satisfying main event. They didn’t do anything that you wouldn’t expect. However, the crowd was appreciative of everything.
Match Rating: **3/4

Thanks everybody for reading! You can send feedback to my Twitter or to my email address: [email protected]. Also, feel free to check out my own wrestling website, FreeProWrestling.com. Also, check out my Best of Chikara blog and an archive of all my 411 video reviews.

The 411: This was a pretty entertaining couple of hours, and if you have the money, I can see most people enjoying this show. However, this is certainly not a show that anyone needs to buy. This felt like a really fun live event, and I would be interested in attending future House of Hardcore live events. I'm just not very likely to buy future DVDs unless the lineups are noticeably improved from this.
 
Final Score:  7.0   [ Good ]  legend

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