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100 Percent Fordified: CHIKARA Cruise Control & Judgment Day Reviews
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Haverhill, MA – 10.8.2016
Championship Rundown
Grand Champion: Hallowicked
Campeones de Parejas: Moustache Mountain (Trent Seven & Tyler Bate)
Young Lions Cup Champion: ThunderFrog
Commentary is provided by Bryce Remsburg and Joey Styles.
Silver Ant vs. Icarus
Silver Ant side steps Icarus’ attack before the bell, allowing Silver Ant to light him up with multiple chops. Icarus goes to the apron to avoid a corner attack and jams Silver Ant’s injured arm over his shoulder and the top rope. Silver Ant sneaks in a chop, and Icarus angrily kicks him to the mat. He applies a top wristlock. Silver Ant escapes and slams Icarus into a legdrop for two. He rolls Icarus into a standing hammerlock, locking Icarus’ arm around his leg so when Silver Ant leans back it adds pressure. Icarus gives Silver Ant a chinbreaker while also causing Silver Ant’s neck to snap on the top rope. Silver Ant rolls under a clothesline and enzuigiri’s Icarus from the apron for two. Icarus takes him down with a lungblower and a corner basement dropkick. Icarus puts on a top wristlock and throws him down by the mask when he begins to escape. He drives his body weight across Silver Ant’s throat on the second rope. Icarus comes off the top with a knee to the chest. Silver Ant escapes the Blu-Ray but Icarus drives his shoulder into Silver Ant’s mid-section repeatedly. Silver Ant catches him in the opposite corner with a tiger feint kick. He follows up with a top rope dropkick and fisherman’s buster for two. He misses the Mad Splash but rolls through. Icarus catches him with a back elbow, leading to the Shiranui for two. Silver Ant escapes the Wings of Icarus and turns Icarus inside out with a lariat for two. He looks for the CHIKARA Special. Icarus counters with a schoolboy, holding the tights for two. Icarus kicks Silver Ant in the arm before delivering the Blu-Ray for the pin at 9:43. Despite Icarus doing a good job in working over the arm, it didn’t amount to much in the end. Even so, it was a very good back and forth match, as you’d expect with these two. I’m worried Silver Ant is getting lost in the shuffle when really he should be Grand Championship material. **¾
Flex Rumblecrunch vs. Billy Bodyslam
Bodyslam does an admirable job jumping on Rumblecrunch’s upper body, but is thrown off twice. Rumblecrunch spikes him with a spinebuster and drills him with a clothesline. A big powerbomb gets Rumblecrunch the pin at 1:13. Squash city.
Sidney Bakabella comes out, now without a hair piece or sunglasses and in less flashy attire. He asks for a few seconds to explain himself to Flex Rumblecrunch, presumably as to why he and Max kicked Blaster McMassive out of the Devastation Corporation. We’ll never know, because just then Max Smashmaster appeared on the apron. Flex has him scouted and pulls Max into the ring! Bakabella hits Flex from behind with the mask Smashmaster wore to the ring. Max spikes him with a jumping tombstone piledriver. With that, like Blaster McMassive, Flex Rumblecrunch too is out of CHIKARA.
The Closers (Rick Roland & Sloan Caprice) are in the back. Caprice says ice cream is not in the diet of the Closers. Rick Roland says he’s sick of Los Ice Creams giving him grief on social media. Tonight, they make an exception, and they will devour the ice creams as a cheat meal…for the boss.
Los Ice Creams (El Hijo del Ice Cream & Ice Cream Jr.) vs. The Closers (Rick Roland & Sloan Caprice)
Hijo decides to leave when he realizes going after the larger Roland is going to be a challenge. The Closers do push-ups while Los Ice Creams get their act together. Roland doesn’t budge from Jr.’s running crossbody attempts. A bodyslam and shoulder blocks also yield no results, so Jr. ditches the match. They try using a child with an Hijo mask to assist, but Hijo denies Caprice’s request to arm wrestle the child. Los Ice Creams try a double suplex but Roland shoves them away. Jr. fires up Hijo, only for Hijo to charge right into a bodyslam from Roland. Caprice misses a running elbow drop. Despite Hijo pulling off an armdrag, Caprice easily passes him off to Roland for a slam. Repeat the elbow drop, armdrag, slam combo again. Caprice scouts Hijo’s evasion the next time and instead picks him up for a bodyslam instead of attempting an elbow drop. Hijo pinches Caprice in the buttocks, which only angers Caprice. Roland distracts referee Troy Nelson so Caprice can clobber Hijo with a foreign object. The Closers tease a double suplex, which on this night is the magic move, then decide against it. They bully Hijo in their corner until he gets his foot up to block a second rope attack from Roland. Despite Roland falling onto him with an elbow drop, he rolls to Jr. for a tag! Jr. dropkicks Caprice multiple times before taking him down with a headscissors. Hijo is too exhausted for a double suplex, so Roland comes in and attacks Jr. from behind. They hit the Deal Breaker on Jr. but Hijo kicks Caprice in the face to break the pin. Roland picks up the foreign object from earlier. The principal of the school enters the ring to alert the referee and admonish the Closers. Jr. knocks Roland to the floor as Hijo hits Caprice with the Cold Stone Stunner. A double suplex from Los Ice Creams gets them the pin at 17:16. Los Ice Creams will have a match like this every so often that’s more for the live crowd than those watching at home. This type of match is better with a team like 3.0 who can match their charisma and goofiness, but by and large this was inoffensive. If nothing else we got to see a little personality out of the Closers. *½
Juan Francisco de Coronado says his opponent, Donald Kluger, is all about fun and games while he is all about business. He doesn’t need his lackeys anymore. His focus is on the Grand Championship. He wants to know how Kluger will fair against Coronado with one “bad wheel.”
Donald Kluger vs. Juan Francisco de Coronado
After Kluger and the referee have some fun with his bike bell, Coronado stomps on it and hits Kluger with a forearm strike. Kluger goes up and over in the corner. He dropkicks Coronado before giving him a pair of monkey flips. He calls for a third. Coronado escapes, but Kluger pedals his feet before kicking Coronado away twice. Coronado grabs his feet and sends Kluger outside, but Kluger lands on his feet. Coronado tries to sneak attack Kluger and ends up running face first into a ring post. Kluger “passes on the right”, knocking Coronado down with a running boot to the stomach. Kluger loses his helmet as he ascends the ropes. Coronado trips Kluger, causing him to crash to the mat. He hands Kluger in a tree of woe and stomps at his thighs. He slams Kluger leg first into the ropes. Coronado drives his knee into Kluger’s hamstrings before hitting a kneeDT for two. Coronado puts on a figure four leg lock. Kluger turns over, forcing Coronado to grab the ropes. Kluger throws some palm strikes to Coronado’s chest before spinning him into a slam. Coronado avoids a punt and chop blocks Kluger’s legs out. He puts on the Coronado Clutch and Kluger taps out at 5:44. Despite this being short, Kluger’s charisma gave a lot of energy to this match and you really felt for him when Coronado made him tap out. They’ve been doing a great job re-establishing the Coronado Clutch as a killer submission too. **½
Missile Assault Man vs. Jigsaw
After some posturing, Missile gets in the first shots, rocking Jigsaw with a flurry of uppercuts. He ducks a kick from Jigsaw and takes him down with a rolling Death Valley Driver. A diving basement uppercut gets Missile a two count. Jigsaw pulls him into a chop. He grounds Missile with a snapmare and double stomps his chest. Jigsaw puts on a sleeper with a bodyscissors, but Missile crawls to the ropes to escape. Jigsaw chops Missile before dropkicking him out. Missile responds in kind. He follows Jigsaw to the floor. Jigsaw takes over outside, bringing Missile back into the ring with a chinlock. After some shots, Jigsaw tries a top rope double stomp. He misses, allowing Missile to come back with uppercuts and a Jon Woo dropkick for two. He also gets two with a brainbuster. Jigsaw pummels Missile’s neck before hitting his own brainbuster for two. Missile shoulders Jigsaw in the corner. He ends up driving his shoulder into the ring post. Jigsaw superkicks Missile down into a slump before hitting a coast-to-coast dropkick. Missile kicks out. After recovering, both men knock each other down with stereo pump kicks. A kick and strike exchange sees Missile take Jigsaw down with repeated uppercuts. Jigsaw cuts off his charge with a chop. Missile tries a backslide to counter a second chop. Jigsaw turns it into a small package for the win at 11:48. This felt like a breakout performance for Missile, who got to control a good portion of the match, and came off as an equal to a Gen 1 original. Watching these two beat each other up was a lot of fun, and even if the finish seemed abrupt, the damage Jigsaw did to Missile’s neck and shoulder justifies it in my mind. ***¼
The Osirian Portal (Amasis & Ophidian) vs. The Batiri (Obariyon & Kodama)
This is the first tag team match these two teams have had in six years. UltraMantis Black is in the Batiri’s corner. The Portal immediately take it to the Batiri with the action spilling out to the floor. The Batiri get the better of the Portal. Mantis chokes Amasis with his barefoot while Ophidian is brought back into the ring. Ophidian lands a crossbody onto Obariyon. The two roll back outside. Ophidian chops Obariyon onto Mantis’ lap. Kodama dropkicks Ophidian as they get back into the ring. Ophidian misses a pump kick but a side kick sends Kodama to the floor. Kodama evades his dive. Obariyon sucker punches Ophidian as Kodama creates a diversion. Kodama kicks the approaching Amasis away on the floor. Ophidian does an admirable job fighting both Batiri members, but succumbs to an apron DDT from Obariyon. Amasis comes in and finds himself isolated in the Batiri’s corner, with the Batiri doing a lot of damage to his leg. Amasis is able to hit an enzuigiri on Obariyon, but Kodama yanks Ophidian off of the apron to stop a tag. Obariyon takes that moment to knee strike Amasis in the back of the head for a nearfall. Amasis escapes the Seventh Circle with a headscissors to Obariyon that causes him to collide into Kodama. He spikes them with a double DDT and finally tags in Ophidian. Ophidian cleans house with pump kicks, spinwheel kicks, and corkscrew enzuigiri’s. Obariyon catches a pump kick and knee strikes Ophidian in the face. Obariyon sets up for the Rapture but Amasis knocks him off the top with a kick. Amasis forearms Kodama in the corner. Obariyon gives him a gut buster into a springback cutter from Kodama. Ophidian breaks the pin attempt. He wipes out the Batiri with a quebrada press. Amasis shotgun knee strikes Obariyon into double knees from Ophidian. Amasis Pele kicks Kodama before placing him up top. The Portal take him down with the Pyramid suplex. Obariyon breaks Amasis’ cover. Ophidian goes for Meteora, but Obariyon pulls referee Troy Nelson into the way! Ophidian superkicks Obariyon to the floor, then lands a corkscrew dive onto Obariyon and Kodama. Someone we can’t see pops up through the ring skirt and drags Amasis under the ring! Ophidian gets sent into the ring post by the Batiri in the meantime. Frightmare emerges from under the ring throwing kicks to Amasis’ back while dragging him by his mask! In the ring, Ophidian is able to hook both Batiri members in multiple pin attempts, but still no referee. Obariyon hits Ophidian with a knee strike and turns him inside out with a lariat. Ophidian takes the Seventh Circle. Kodama brings Troy Nelson over to make the cover, yet Ophidian is able to kick out! Amasis, with part of his mask ripped, crawls his way back to ringside. Kodama looks to waterwheel slam Ophidian into a knee from Obariyon. Amasis superkicks Obariyon, then kicks Kodama’s knee. Ophidian hits the Egyptian Destroyer on Kodama for the pin at 20:09!
This match established the one goal it needed to: make the Portal look like formidable opposition for Nazmaldun’s army. Up until this point, the Colony have been the focal point of the feud, but since the Network special they have slowly integrated the Portal (especially Amasis) into the fold. The Batiri needed to weaken Ophidan before he went for Hallowicked’s title, Amasis needed to be further weakened for Hallowicked to send his message of warning to all those who oppose them, and Frightmare was there to make sure all went according to plan. Even the wheelchair bound Mantis found a way to get involved and the Batiri took out the referee in a critical point of the match. Even with all of these advantages and the damage the Batiri inflicted, the Portal still got a decisive victory. This was about more than the Portal earning a point, but to show that even when the odds are stacked against them, they can prevail. This was orchestrated well and the crowd played into the roller coaster ride. These are two of the best teams on the roster and matches like this prove just that. ***¾
After the credits roll we the Osirian Portal standing by. Ophidian says he and Amasis have been a constant in CHIKARA, seeing groups like the Kings of Wrestling, the BDK, and the GEKIDO come through. The force of Nazmaldun is stronger than any force that has been in CHIKARA before. Amasis says Frightmare broke tradition by ripping his mask. Frightmare cast the first stone in the war, and he intends to finish it.
Haverhill, MA – 10.8.2016
Championship Rundown
Grand Champion: Hallowicked
Campeones de Parejas: Moustache Mountain (Trent Seven & Tyler Bate)
Young Lions Cup Champion: ThunderFrog
Commentary is provided by Mike Quackenbush and Joey Styles.
Officer Warren Barksdale doesn’t like that Wani hangs out with the “no good crook” Juan Francisco de Coronado. Wani is guilty by association. After tonight, he wants Wani to tell Coronado that he fought the law, and the law won.
Officer Warren Barksdale vs. Wani
Wani refuses to let go of the two swords he wields, so Barksdale rights him a citation for not obeying the rules. Wani uses one of his swords to knock it out of his hands.. Bryce Remsburg disposes of the swords and Barksdale’s handcuffs. Wani attacks Barksdale from behind. After a headbutt he whips Barksdale back first to the corner. He chokes Barksdale with his boot after some chops. Wani tears up the citation from earlier before suplexing Barksdale for a two count. Barksdale maneuvers Wani into an O’Connor Roll. Wani escapes, back elbows Barksdale, and lands a senton splash for two. Wani does some damage to Barksdale’s shoulder before landing a corner splash. His Muta elbow drop earns a two count. Barksdale counters a suplex with a small package. Wani kicks out and takes Barksdale down with a running boot for his own two count. He transitions from a Camel Clutch into a chinlock. Barksdale breaks it with a jawbreaker. Wani catches Barksdale and drives him back first into the opposite corner. Once again Barksdale escapes a chinlock with a jawbreaker. Barksdale gets his first sustained offense with a running knee to the corner, followed by a lariat. He comes off the second rope with a twisting crossbody for two. He dropkicks Wani to the floor. When Barksdale goes to grab him, Wani jams nunchucks into Barksdale’s throat! Wani puts on the Tazzmission and Barksdale taps out at 8:34. This was a good showing for Wani, who on top of being dominant utilized a variety of offense. The nunchucks out of literally nowhere was a bit odd, perhaps even unnecessary since Wani had worked over Barksdale’s neck the entire match, and his finisher is a running neckbreaker. Despite that, this was a solid match with two newcomers getting to showcase their characters. **¼
Worker Ant vs. Tim Pence
Pence arrogantly shoves Worker Ant to the corner in a lock-up. Worker Ant responds in kind. He Beell’s Pence across the ring, following in with a hip attack and then a cannonball senton for two. Pence slips off Worker Ant’s shoulders and schoolboys him for two. Pence grabs a side headlock. Worker Ant tosses Pence off and drops him with a uranage slam. He back suplexes him into another uranage slam for the pin at 3:05. Prototypical squash match.
Sonny Defarge introduces himself and Cornelius Crummels. Defarge says business has brought them to Haverhill, MA where they face the Hermit Crab and Rock Lobster. Their claws may be able to break steel, but the bond of business partners is stronger than steel. The odds are that they will be heading home with four new claws on their mantelpiece. Crummels whispers something to Defarge, and Defarge comments that we (the audience at home) don’t know that they don’t actually have a mantelpiece.
Sonny Defarge & Cornelius Crummels vs. Hermit Crab & Rock Lobster
Defarge and Crummels offer handshakes after coughing and sneezing. The crustaceans pinch their hands, but still feel disgusted, wiping their claws on referee Troy Nelson after the fact. They toss Defarge outside before attacking Crummels in the corner. Lobster swings Crummels into a flapjack and Crab hits a gutwrench suplex for two. Lobster teases the People’s Elbow but instead just chokes Crummels with his claws. Crummels tries a running crossbody. Lobster catches him, flipping him out into a release vertical suplex. Crab goes for the Naniwa elbow, but Defarge from the outside trips Crab, crotching him on the middle rope. Defarge then kocks Lobster outside before giving Crab an uppercut to the shoulder blades. This allows Crummels and Defarge to take over and wear down Crab in their half of the ring. Crab is able to fight his way out of a double suplex and stack up Crummels on Defarge’s shoulders. Lobster kicks out Defarge’s legs so Crab can come off the second rope with a double Complete Shot! Lobster tags in, cleaning house with clotheslines. He dazes Defarge and Crummels with offense in the corner. He gives Defarge an Ace Crusher on the middle rope, leading into a Naniwa elbow from Crab. Crummels breaks the cover. Defarge wins a fight for a vertical suplex with Crab. Crummels dropkicks Lobster to the floor. Crab rolls to the floor to avoid Great Expectations. Crummels notices, lands on his feet, and drags Crab back in for a double suplex. Crummels dropkicks Lobster to the floor again. Great Expectations connects for the pin at 11:12. This is the most crisp Crummels and Defarge have looked so far. I was curious how two Rudo teams were going to work together, and very organically they made Lobster and Crab the de facto Tecnicos, which for rookie teams is not always easy to do. I didn’t know what to expect here but was pleasantly surprised with how well this was put together. **¾
Fire Ant vs. Mark Angelosetti
Angelosetti brushes off Fire Ant’s forearm strikes to the chest. He stops Fire Ant’s alita attempt, pulling him up into a headbutt. Fire Ant drops Angelosetti across the middle rope with a satellite headscissors. Fire Ant ducks a double forearm. He tries a prawn hold, but Angelosetti wheelbarrows him up and tosses him into two opposite corners. He pulls at Fire Ant’s mask briefly. Fire Ant throws some kicks to the hamstrings and Angelosetti shuts him down with a boot to the face. Angelosetti viciously whips Fire Ant back first into the corner, then snaps the bottom rope into his back. Fire Ant attempts to come back with a running crossbody. Angelosetti barely budges from the impact. Angelosetti uses his knee for some more damage. Fire Ant backs Angelosetti to the corner with palm strikes. Angelosetti throws Fire Ant back first into the opposite corner to stop him. He grabs at the mask again. When Angelosetti whips him to the corner, Fire Ant cascades up to the apron. He low bridges the top rope to bring Angelosetti to the floor, then lands a tope con hilo. In the ring, Fire Ant misses a flying bicycle kick, but does hit some running forearms. While Angelosetti absorbs those, a close distance dropkick does take Angelosetti down. Angelosetti and Fire Ant fight for a brainbuster. Neither get it, and Angelosetti mows down Fire Ant with an inside out lariat. Fire Ant counters a suplex with a stunner. A high enzuigiri and a brainbuster earns Fire Ant a two count. Angelosetti chops Fire Ant down and stomps him repeatedly. Fire Ant however is able to duck Angelosetti’s strikes as he bounces off the ropes. Angelosetti however pulls off the Flea Flicker lungblower for two. Fire Ant fights his way out of a superplex attempt. He slips through Angelosetti’s legs and hits a step-up enzuigiri. Fire Ant brings him down with a super Frankensteiner. The Yahtzee Kick follows. He goes for it a second time. Angelosetti catches the foot. Fire Ant counters a corner whip with a moonsault block into a tornado DDT. Angelosetti kicks out of the cover. Fire Ant comes off the top with a high crossbody. Angelosetti catches him, muscling him up into the Colossal Bomb for the pin at 13:49. This was exactly what it should have been; a fight. All the offense was strike, kick, and slam focused, with a Lucha move from Fire Ant here and there out of necessity. That goes to show how intense the rivalry between the Colony and Nazmaldun has become, while also portraying the Colony’s heart and determination. Call this match Lex Luger, because it was the total package. ***½
The Big Deal vs. Chuck Taylor™
The Closers (Rick Roland & Sloan Caprice) are in Deal’s corner. Taylor™ tries to get them to do some singing but they do not oblige. Deal spears Taylor™ while he’s still holding the microphone. Deal gives him a chop. Taylor™ responds with a chop and delivers a side slam. Caprice distracts Taylor™ so Roland can kick him in the side of the head, all while Deal has Bryce Remsburg distracted. He drives his body weight into Taylor™ in the corner before biting him. He sits down on Taylor™’s chest for two. Deal sends Taylor™ outside where Caprice sends him into a ring post. He throws him back in so Deal can scrape his feet across Taylor™’s eyes. Deal blatantly pokes him in the eyes as well. He kicks Taylor™ in the chest twice and chokes him in the corner. Taylor™ fights back with some forearms. Deal gives him a headbutt and bites Taylor™ on the head! Roland and Caprice put the boots to Taylor™ behind Bryce’s back. Deal uses the middle rope to assist with a stunner. Bryce helps Deal tie his shoe while the Closers go to toss Taylor™ off the stage! Taylor™ slips out and sends them head first into one another. Taylor™ jogs back into the ring and delivers a stiff boot to Deal. Taylor™ avoids a corner charge. Deal however hits a swift kick to the forehead from the floor. Taylor™ responds with a headbutt. Caprice prevents Taylor™ from ascending the ropes. Roland chokeslams Taylor™ on the apron. Deal hits the Tadpole Splash for the pin at 6:18. The Closers hit him with the Deal Breaker for added effect. This felt like a huge missed opportunity for an all time CHIKARA comedy classic. That may be a bit too dramatic, but the fact this was nothing more than relentless interference from the Closers and very little of Taylor™ “doing his thing” shows a lack of understanding for what your audience wants and expects from a match of this type, which I say as a slight to the matchmaker and not the wrestlers themselves. Maybe there’s some bigger picture idea behind this that we’re not aware of, but even so, I don’t think this match should have happened if you weren’t going to swing it in the direction your audience wanted. Disappointing. ½*
Heidi Lovelace has had a lot going on in her life personally and professionally. Ever since she defeated Kimber Lee to earn her third point, however, the only thing on her mind has been becoming CHIKARA Grand Champion. She watched her first ever CHIKARA show back at the Logan Square Auditorium wanting to be a part of it. That dream has come true, but now her dream is to become Grand Champion. Hallowicked can break every bone in her body, but he cannot break her spirit.
Grand Championship
Hallowicked vs. Heidi Lovelace
Hallowicked has been champion since 5.30.2016 and this is his third defense. UltraMantis Black is in his corner. Hallowicked blocks Lovelace’s first armdrag attempts, but she scores with a headscissors to send Hallowicked outside. She kicks Hallowicked from the apron and comes off the top with a high crossbody. Lovelace rolls him back inside for a two count. From the apron Hallowicked kicks her in the chest, then slings her chest first into the top rope for a whiplash effect. He drives the back of her head into the canvas. Hallowicked resists Lovelace’s desperation Saito suplex. He places her on the top turnbuckle. She headbutts Hallowicked to the mat, but he yanks her leg so that she crashes skull first into the top turnbuckle. He gets two a hangman’s neckbreaker. Lovelace gets her feet on the ropes to escape a modified Dragon sleeper. She blocks Hallowicked’s corner attack and hits the Deadly Nightshade. She drives her knees into Hallowicked’s neck. Lovelace tries a second time only for Hallowicked to send her face first into the second turnbuckle. After Lovelace begins to fight out of a neck crank, Hallowicked sends her head first into the mat and lands a legdrop for two. Lovelace evades a step-up enzuigiri. She digs her shoulder into Hallowicked’s mid-section before hitting a trifecta of running boots. Hallowicked again tries to fight off the Saito suplex, but this time Lovelace hits it. She gets two with an STO. Hallowicked comes back with Go 2 Sleepy Hollow and a senton splash for two. He hooks her for Never Wake Up. Lovelace twists her way free. Despite a forearm strike from Lovelace, Hallowicked comes right back with a yakuza kick for two. He hits the super snapmare and a Swanton Bomb for two. The step-up enzuigiri connects on the next two attempts. The Rydeen Bomb does as well, but Lovelace finds the energy to kick out at one. Hallowicked throws multiple kicks to Lovelace’s head. She blocks one and knees Hallowicked in the face. She uses the ropes for a tornado DDT. The Heidi-Can-Rana only yields a two count. The Yoshi Tonic has the same result. Hallowicked tries the Rydeen Bomb, but Lovelace counters with double knees on the way down. She comes off the top with Chocolate Rain twice. A top rope senton gets a two, so she tries to convert into the CHIKARA Special. Hallowicked kicks her in the neck to stop her. She goes for Deadly Nightshade again. Hallowicked blocks and hits Never Wake Up for the pin at 15:31. On its surface this had the formula for a successful title match; a focused attack by the champion, signs of life from the challenger that eventually lead to a spirited comeback, then a conclusion that paid off the damage done by the champion to start. Even with that formula, something felt off here, and I think it’s the lack of believability that Lovelace was going to win. She was so beaten down and didn’t do nearly as much damage to Hallowicked for the audience to truly buy into her nearfalls. Hallowicked winning with Never Wake Up felt like a certainty, and Lovelace’s come didn’t change people’s minds. There’s also the fact that she just challenged and lost earlier in the year, and there was little build to the match outside of her accruing her three points. She did a good job in showing the effects of Hallowicked’s damage, but then stopped doing so during the comeback, which for me was a disconnect. I could be overthinking things, but to me this just didn’t live up to it’s potential. ***
Encore Match
Team Sea Stars (Ashley Vox & Delmi Exo) vs. The Gentleman’s Club (Orange Cassidy & The Swamp Monster)
The principal of the school is in Team Sea Stars corner. Cassidy spits orange juice in the Sea Stars’ eyes before the bell. He’s also downgraded from jeans to sweatpants. The Sea Stars double suplex him. Monster breaks the pin. He gives Exo a throat thrust before sending her face first into two other corners. He misses a cartwheel splash in the corner and Exo crossbody’s Monster for two. Monster avoids a tandem whip but is sent outside with stereo superkicks. Cassidy tosses Vox to the floor. He tries Old School on Exo but Vox stops Cassidy and dropkicks him to the floor. Vox helps Exo dive onto Cassidy and Monster on the floor. Back in the ring, Monster takes over, dropkicking Exo to the floor after sending Vox out. Vox threatens to catch Monster with a net and ends up chasing him around the building. He ends up climbing up the rope net in the gym and Team Sea Stars trap him in that instead! Cassidy superkicks both girls as they get back in the ring. Cassidy sips up some juice to drink. Before he can spit it, Exo kicks him in the stomach and gives him an atomic drop. Vox clotheslines Cassidy after a Manhattan Drop from Exo for the win at 6:00. Any match with the Swamp Monster is automatically five stars.
