Views from the Hawke’s Nest: PWG European Vacation – France 2007

Paris, France
October 26, 2007

Commentators: Excalibur & Disco Machine

Steve Douglas vs. Thumbtack Jack
Both guys seem like Chris Hero wannabes. Jack managed to draw first blood by sending Douglas to the floor, but Douglas got the advantage when he got back in the ring. Douglas worked him over after that. They started brawling on the floor, and that’s where Jack started to come back. Jack brought him back to the ring and continued to have the advantage. They started going back and forth. Douglas hit a Pedigree-like maneuver for a nearfall. Jack got a nearfall with a Froggy Bow. Douglas got Jack to run into an exposed turnbuckle and then hit a bridging back suplex: 1…2…3

I never got invested into the wrestlers or the work done, but there’s no denying that they made the fans care.
Match Rating: **

Ken’Ichiro Arai vs. Lupin Matsutani
They went back and forth a lot. Arai hit a nasty headbutt that made a disgusting sound. Arai was in control after that. Lupin eventually made a comeback. Arai hit a superplex for a nearfall. Arai transitioned to a Boston Crab, but Lupin got to the ropes. Arai then hit a double stomp: 1…2…3

Much like the opener, the crowd was into everything, but I struggled to get into anything. They worked hard, but I never felt connected to the story.
Match Rating: **

Chris Hero vs. Human Tornado
These two were in the early stages of their infamous blood feud in PWG.

Hero was running through Tornado from the start. Tornado came back and hit a tope con hello. There seemed to be a miscommunication on that dive because Hero basically ducked instead of catching him. Tornado brought Hero to the ring to work him over for a while. This is exactly what the show needed. Hero eventually caught him with a rolling elbow to slow him down. Hero got off some moves, but they eventually started going back and forth of course. Tornado went for a backslide, but Hero escaped and got La Magistral Cradle: 1…2…3

Tornado attacked Hero after the match and left Hero laying. This feud must continue, and I am mostly okay with that (the matches are fun, but the story is bit uncomfortable).

This had the energy and emotion that the first two matches did not. When you combine that with the awesome European crowd heat, you have the makings of fun wrestling. Huge thumbs up for this one. I did not even mind the fruit roll-up finish!
Match Rating: ***1/2

Jazzy B vs. Jetta
Jazzy B is the rudo because she is German. Not much happened early on. It was dull. Jazzy got control eventually and worked Jetta over for a while. Jetta started a comeback, but she failed. More heat. Jetta finally started a proper comeback and got a couple of nearfalls. Jazzy eventually hit an Ocean Cyclone Suplex: 1…2…3

This was not good at all. It went on forever, and the work done was not interesting or particularly well executed. This match continues the trend of the non-PWG talent not adding much of anything to the proceedings.
Match Rating: ½*

Joey Ryan vs. PAC
Joey cut an “insult the local area” promo for some heat. Weak af, Joey. Apparently PAC is a replacement for Jack Evans. Ryan says this match is a match for the World’s Best High Flyer.

Joey Ryan was not able to get much going early on. He did manage to avoid an early dive attempt from PAC. Ryan had to fake an injury in order to get the advantage. He then worked PAC over. Ryan was going after PAC’s right leg. PAC eventually dropkicked Ryan to the floor and then hit a no-hands dive onto Ryan. Back in the ring, Ryan got a nearfall with a superkick. PAC came back again. Ryan hit a big spear and a folding powerbomb: 1…2…NO! PAC spiked him with a reverse ‘rana and then hit a SSP: 1…2…3!

While this match seemed like a styles clash, Joey really adapted his style here to fit in more with PAC. Ryan used his character to get heat instead of hijacking the match to get heat. The result was a surprisingly well-done match that I recommend a lot.
Match Rating: ***1/2

Kevin Steen & El Generico© vs. Super Dragon & Davey Richards [PWG Tag Titles]
Steen got the crowd behind them by cutting a promo in French.

Super Dragon was definitely in the later stages of his in-ring career here. With that in mind, Dragon did not tag in for a long, long time. Dragon, looking particularly plump, finally tagged in and beat the shit out of Generico. Generico was then worked over for a long time. Steen finally got to make a hot tag. Steen and Dragon squared off. Generico took out Davey with a corkscrew tope con hello. Dragon ate a combo from Steenerico, and he barely kicked out. The teams started going back and forth. Steen saved Generico at one point and then took out Dragon with a tope con hello. Davey then ate the package piledriver/brainbuster combo: 1…2…3!

I enjoyed this quite a bit despite this match exhibiting many of the tropes I’ve grown to dislike in most big independent tag matches. The wrestlers in this match are charismatic enough to make me forget about certain spots (all four went down after a sequence) and styles (Generico not selling down the stretch despite getting a massive beatdown) that I’m over. I’m genuinely looking forward to the rematch.
Match Rating: ***1/2

Bryan Danielson© vs. Austin Aries [PWG World Championship]
These guys do not bring out the best in each other for me. Neither man could get a distinct advantage for a long time. Eventually, Dragon got control and worked Aries over for a while. Aries could not slow him down until they did the double crossbody spot. Aries then made a comeback. He hit the heat seeking missile, but Dragon blocked the IED kick. Cattle Mutilation. MMA Elbows. Aries escaped and hit the IED kick. They went back and forth some more. Aries hit the brainbuster for a nearfall and then transitioned into the Front Chancery. Dragon avoided a second brainbuster and got a second Cattle Mutilation. Aries escaped and hit a punt to the head. He went for a 450, but Bryan got the knees up. Small package: 1…2…3!!!

Much like a lot of matches between these two, I found this match to be quite boring. Sure, a lot of the technical action was well executed, but there was just nothing to sink your teeth into at all. This was a huge letdown of a main event.
Match Rating: **1/2

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. Check out a full/organized list of all the wrestling show reviews I’ve done at 411mania.

Check out some of your favorite PWG wrestlers in free matches!
The Briscoes vs. The Hardys
The Young Bucks vs. Kevin Steen & El Generico
Kevin Steen & El Generico vs. Super Dragon & Excalibur
Claudio Castagnoli (Antonio Cesaro) vs. Kevin Steen
El Generico vs. Chris Hero
The Young Bucks & Petey Williams vs. Paul London, Brian Kendrick, & Jay Lethal
The Young Bucks vs. Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli
Low Ki vs. Super Dragon
Johnny Gargano vs. Eddie Edwards
Akira Tozawa vs. Johnny Gargano
Ricochet vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Chuck Taylor vs. Arik Cannon
Chris Hero vs. CM Punk
Bryan Danielson vs. Drake Younger
Akira Tozawa vs. Brian Cage
AJ Styles & Matt Sydal vs. Austin Aries & Roderick Strong
Claudio Castagnoli vs. Colt Cabana
Akira Tozawa vs. Zack Sabre, Jr.
Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly
ACH vs. AR Fox

For more information on PWG, check out their:
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The 411: There are only three matches worth watching here. PWG’s shows’ value is basically the sum of its parts. The sum here is much lower than normal considering how many forgettable and bad matches there were. If the main event delivered, I would have been able to recommend it.
Final Score:  5.5   [ Not So Good ]