Views from the Hawke’s Nest: Random Independent Wrestling Matches from 2014

I’m finding that fewer and fewer independent wrestling companies are really grabbing me in a way that makes me want to check out their shows. However, there are occasionally some matches promoted on the independent level that catch my interest. I will sporadically take a look at them on 411.

 

2CW
2014

AJ Styles vs. Johnny Gargano
They paid homage to the feeling out process for a while. AJ finally connected on a dropkick and then worked Gargano over. Gargano was able to get control after the slingshot spear. Gargano worked him over a bit. Some fans chanted “This match sucks!” I do not entirely agree, but they haven’t done much of note so far. I also don’t think anything has been done to set up things for later in the match. They eventually started trading forearms. AJ won that exchange and made a comeback. Gargano got a nearfall with the Lawn Dart. AJ came back with Bloody Sunday for a nearfall. The commentators were talking about this easily being a “MOTY candidate.” Gargano Escape. AJ survived and avoided another attempt. Pele Kick. Styles Clash: 1…2…3

AJ called out the fan who said the match was boring. “It’s Wrestling 101, sir.”

This my least favorite kind of wrestling match at this point in time. It went very long for absolutely no reason, and the crowd was mostly quiet for all of it. The story they were going for (as best as I can tell) is that they were evenly matched, but AJ happened to connect on his finisher first. I guess that’s fine in theory, but the execution was lacking big time.
Match Rating: **

 

RPW Summer Sizzler

June 15, 2014

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Zack Sabre, Jr.

Nakamura was VERY over. The commentators mention that this is a NJPW/NOAH battle, which I didn’t even think of. Zack won a mat exchange. Naka then wanted a handshake. Zack didn’t trust him, but he then turned his back to Naka. The fatal mistake. Naka cut Zack off and then worked him over. Zack came back after a big kick. Zack got the cross armbreaker, but Naka got to the ropes. Naka came right back though. Zack hit a bridging dragon suplex for a nearfall. Sabre got a hold on Naka’s left arm. Naka escaped and hit the backstabber/funplex combo. They traded cross armbreaker attempts. Zack hit a Penalty Kick and then managed to finally apply the cross armbreaker. Naka got his hands back together though. Naka hit a very short-range Boma Ye: 1…NO! Naka reversed a cross armbreaker and hit a diving Boma Ye. BOMA YE: 1…2…3!

This reminded me a lot of Nakamura’s match with Kevin Steen back in May of this year. Nakamura might be the ideal NJPW wrestler to do indie shows in England or the US. He’s charismatic as all hell, and he doesn’t require a ton of time to put together a fun match. These two just hit each other hard and put together some cool sequences for 10-15 minutes. I found it to be quite fun and perfectly satisfying.

Match Rating: ***1/2

 

NEW Wrestling Under the Stars
August 2, 2014

Kevin Steen (w/ Mike Bennett & Maria) vs. Jerry Lawler (w/ Matt Taven)
Steen adopted his obnoxious heel persona that he usually saves for the less prestigious indies. Lawler and Steen agreed that this would be a Piledriver Match.

Steen was initially in control. As soon as Lawler came back, Steen retreated to the floor. Steen got back into the ring, but Lawler had the advantage. Steen briefly got control. Lawler avoided the package piledriver and then made a comeback. Bennett and Maria helped Steen properly cut Lawler off, and he then worked The King over. He used a devastating chinlock and then hit a middle rope fist drop. Annnnnnnnd again. He went for it a third time, but Lawler caught him with a punch. THE STRAP GOES DOWN! Lawler made a comeback. Bennett tripped Lawler from the floor. Taven went after Bennett and then saved Lawler from a package piledriver. Steen gave him the package piledriver though. That allowed Lawler to hit the piledriver on Steen! Lawler wins! That piledriver looked dangerous quite frankly, but maybe I just worked myself into a shoot like a jabroni mark with no life who doesn’t know when a shoot is a shoot, brother.

I found this match to be more charming than good. It was basically what you would expect from Kevin Steen vs. Jerry Lawler match on the indieas. It worked with the crowd for the most part for sure.
Match Rating: **1/2

 

NEW Wrestling Under the Stars
August 2, 2014

The Young Bucks (Nick & Matt Jackson) vs. The Hardy Boyz (Jeff & Matt Hardy)
Kevin Steen was on commentary.

Jeff did the John Rocker bullpen entrance, but with (presumably) less homophobia. “The main difference between Matt Hardy and I is that I know I shouldn’t take my shirt off in public.” Steen already making his presence felt on commentary.

Jeff got the advantage on Nick early. The Matts then did a sequence. The Hardys were firmly in control for a bit. The Bucks finally cut off Jeff and then worked him over. Jeff caught Nick with the Whisper in the Wind. Matt Hardy briefly made a comback until he got caught with a superkick. Jeff went for an Asai Moonsault (probably), but Nick hit him with a superkick and then took out everyone with a springboard senton to the floor. Matt Hardy then got worked over. He came back with a Side Effect on Matt Jackson. Nick prevented a hot tag though, and the Bucks cut off Matt again. Matt escaped right after that though, and Jeff made a hot tag. Matt blocked the Swanton. Nick then gave Jeff a Swanton, and Matt had to make the save. The teams started going back and forth. Nick ate the Side Effect on the apron. The Hardys then had Matt Jackson finished with their version of the More Bang for Your Buck. Nick pulled out the ref though. Jeff WIPED out Nick with a wild tope suicida. Matt Jackson kicked out of the Twist of Fate. The Bucks had Matt finished after the IndyTaker, but Jeff pulled out the ref. Nick wiped out Jeff with a wild tope suicida. It’s like poetry. It rhymes. The Hardys avoided the More Bang, and hit Matt Jackson with a Twist of Fate/Swanton combo: 1…2…3!!!

After the match, Kevin thanked the fans on commentary for all the support on the indies that he received.

While it did not have the heat that the Hardys/Briscoes match had a few months earlier, this was further proof that the Hardys are indeed a great team in 2014 that hang with the best teams on the independent scene.
Match Rating: ***3/4
Watch this match here.

 

House of Hardcore
November 15, 2014

Austin Aries vs. Drew Galloway
This is my first Galloway match since he left the WWE. He’s gotten some good reviews, which makes me very hopeful for this match.

Neither man could get control for a while. Drew finally cut him off after blocking the heat seeking missile. Drew worked Aries over for a while. Aries made a comeback after avoiding a ripcord lariat. He hit the diving axe handle and the heat seeking missile. Drew avoided the first brainbuster attempt. Drew fought back. They went back and forth. Aries avoided the Future Shock. Drew hit a Sick Kick, but Aries avoided the Future Shock again. Shinkbreaker, IED Kick, and a discus forearm. IED Kick/Brainbuster combo: 1…2…3

I dug this, but it felt very standard beyond the uniqueness of the matchup itself. American independent wrestling has a very specific formula that works for the most part, but it does not always excite me. I think this just could have been a little bit more if it just had a few sequences that I could have found surprising.
Match Rating: **3/4

 

House of Hardcore
November 15, 2014

The Young Bucks (Nick & Matt Jackson) vs. The Hardy Boys (Matt & Jeff Hardy)
The Hardys got the first advantage. Nick eventually caught Matt Hardy with a superkick. Jeff set up for an Asai Moonsault on Matt, but Nick gave him a superkick. He then took out everyone with the springboard senton. So far, this is essentially the exact same match as the NEW one. The Bucks then worked over Matt. Matt Hardy eventually hit the other Matt with a Side Effect, and Jeff then made a hot tag. Nick blocked the Swanton. Nick’s injury may have happened there. The Matts went at it. Hardy low-blowed Jackson and then hit Splash Mountain for a nearfall. The Hardys then worked over Matt. Weird.I guess The Hardys kind of turned heel in this match? Matt eventually hit the other Matt with a spear and then Nick was able to make a hot tag. The Bucks were building some momentum. The Hardys came back. The Bucks tried to finish Jeff with a Twist of Fate/Swanton combo: 1…2…NO! The crowd woke up. The Bucks then hit Jeff with a tandem tombstone, but Matt pulled out the ref. Nick went for a tope, but he took out the ref by accident. The Hardys then gave Matt the Twist of Fate/Swanton combo. A second ref showed up: 1…2…NO! The Hardys then tried the Twist of Fate/Moonsault combo, but Nick pulled out the ref. It;s like poetry. They rhyme. Nick wiped out the second ref with a dive. The Bucks then killed Matt with some superkicks. Matt then ate the More Bang for Your Buck: 1…2…3

I thought this match was a noticeably weaker their NEW match a few months earlier. The NEW match didn’t exactly have an unbelievable crowd, the ECW Arena lived down to its reputation here. The multiple ref bumps felt excessive, and the Matt Hardy heel turn mid-match came across as unnecessary. Overall though, I still enjoyed this. It was just obviously inferior to their August match together.

Match Rating: ***

 

 

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

Feel free to recommend some 2014 indie matches for me to check out again. I may get around to doing something like this again towards the end of December.