BG Says: PWG Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’

January 7, 2006 – Los Angeles, California

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Disco Machine, TARO and Dino Winwood tackle commentary, thought most of the time it’s hard to hear what Dino is saying. During the B-Boy vs. Sabin 2/3 falls match Dino and TARO take a hike and Disco is joined by a soft-spoken Japanese woman who doesn’t speak English. As usual be sure to switch the audio channel over to hear them.

VS.
Chris Hero VS. Claudio Castagnoli
They lock up and Hero puts Claudio on the mat with a toehold. They knuckle up and Hero puts on a wristlock. Claudio counters to a headlock but Hero wiggles out. Claudio puts on a front facelock but Hero counters the hold and pins Claudio for 1. They knuckle up again and Hero takes control with pin attempts and a wristlock. He hits an armdrag and puts on an armbar. Claudio puts him on the mat with a toehold and then hams it up for the fans. Some chain wrestling leads to Hero hitting a little head scissors takedown. They get CHIKARA fancy with the armdrags but none of it really goes anywhere. Throughout the match Claudio had been shaking Hero’s hand, but the third time he asks for a handshake he attacks Hero from behind and tosses him to the floor. He follows Hero out and throws him into some chairs. He breaks the count and hits a European uppercut. He throws Hero back in the ring and gets 2. He rubs Hero’s eyes against the ropes and hits a bodyslam and a legdrop for 2. He puts on a chinlock but Hero escapes. Claudio cuts off his momentum with a double sledge to the back for 2. He hits a delayed vertical suplex for 2. He hits a drop toehold and a dropkick to the face for 2. He hits a European uppercut to the back of the head and a gutwrench suplex for 2. Hero bridges for no reason so Claudio makes fun of him and hits an elbowdrop. He hits a knee kick in the corner for 2. He puts on a sleeper hold but Hero fights out and hits a back suplex and a big boot. They trade overhand chops and Hero hits a back bodydrop. He hits a running forearm and a flipping armdrag. He monkey flips Claudio over the top rope to the floor and follows him out with a hurricanrana. Back in the ring Hero puts on the cravat and hits a suplex for 2. Claudio comes back with the Alpamare Waterslide for 2. Hero blocks the Match Killer and dropkicks Claudio’s face. He puts on a cravat and hits the Cravat Cutter for 2. They block each other’s finishers so Claudio hits the Match Killer for 2. Hero blocks the Ricola Bomb but not a European uppercut. Hero pops up and hits a roaring forearm. Claudio pops up and hits a European uppercut for 2. He hits a low blow in the middle of a spinebuster and Hero is really hurting. Hero comes back with a snap hurricanrana out of nowhere for the win at 23:22. Technically this was A-OK but not exciting in any real way. I could have done without ten minutes of that match.
Rating: **¾

VS.
TJ Perkins VS. Alex Koslov
Perkins starts the match with a suspicious leg kick. Koslov puts on a wristlock but Perkins escapes with a suplex. He ties up Koslov’s legs and rolls him over for 2. They knuckle up and Perkins hits an armdrag into a crucifix pin for 2. Koslov hits a spinebuster for 1. He puts on a leglock but Perkins goes to the nose to escape. He puts on a cross armbreaker but Koslov gets to the ropes. Koslov throws on the Mutalock but Koslov counters to a crucifix hold. He hits a clothesline, a bodyslam and a legdrop for 2. He hits a back bodydrop for 2. He hits a fireman’s carry slam and a kneedrop for 2. He puts on a butterfly lock and then hits another bodyslam. He hits a slingshot senton for 2. They knuckle up and Perkins slingshots off the top rope to hit a DDT. Koslov bails and trips Perkins, driving his knee into the apron. Back in the ring Koslov takes off his glove and chops Perkins. Perkins slaps across the face so Koslov shoots him to the floor. He drops Perkins’s face on the apron and works over the neck back in the ring. He hits a powerslam for 2. He puts on his furry hat (not a babushka) and puts on a sleeper hold. Perkins fights out and hits a roundhouse kick (knocking off the furry hat (not a babushka)) and a brainbuster. Koslov hits a European uppercut and a German suplex for 2. He misses a superkick but hits a cobra clutch legsweep into the Cobra Stretch. Perkins gets to the ropes. Perkins counters a sunset flip by rolling over to pin Koslov for the win at 12:23. While the match never got out of first gear it was never boring. Perkins always brings good junior action and usually wins, but the reason he’s never higher on the card is probably because of middle of the road performances like this.
Rating: **½

VS.

Topgun Talwar, Phoenix Star & Zokre VS. Ronin, Disco Machine & Nemesis
Disco and Zokre start with a collar and elbow tie up. They trade holds and lucha stylings until Zokre hits a leg lariat off the top rope. He hits a kneeling vertical suplex for 2. He pulls Disco to the floor and hits a head scissors takedown. Star and Ronin tag in and lock up. Ronin shoves Star down but Star comes back with an armdrag in to an armbar. Star counters the lifting forearm to a takedown but Ronin catches him with a cross armbreaker. Star gets to the ropes. Nemesis and Talwar tag in and Nemesis hits an armdrag. Talwar comes back with a sleeper hold and rolls into a sunset flip for 2. Zokre tags in and hits a knee kick in the corner. Star does a handstand in the corner, distracting Nemesis long enough for Talwar to drive him into the corner with a clothesline. Zokre hangs Nemesis in the Vulture hold and then Star comes in and puts on a Boston crab. Nemesis actually taps out but the commentators say it doesn’t count because he’s Mexican. Nemesis comes back with a neckbreaker and tags to Ronin. Ronin hits a back elbow for 2. He hits a neck wrench suplex for 2. Nemesis tags in and chokes Star in the corner. Disco tags in and they hit a double back bodydrop for 2. Star comes back with an ugly backbreaker and Zokre comes in with a legdrop. Star catapults Nemesis into a neckbreaker from Zokre and holds on so Talwar can hit a shoulder tackle for 2. Ronin hits the DVD on Talwar for 2. Zokre hits Ronin with a reverse DDT for 2. Disco gets a backslide on Zokre for 2. He hits a backbreaker for 2. Star hits Disco with a reverse Michinoku driver and puts on the Mexican surfboard. Nemesis breaks it up by covering Star. He sets Star up top but they lose their footing. He puts Star in a Boston crab until Zokre breaks it up. Everyone ends up on the floor, standing still for far too long with their arms on each other’s shoulders so that Zokre can dive out onto them. In the ring Talwar hits Nemesis with the Chipotlé and Star and Zokre finish him off with a legdrop/senton combo at 13:50. This was slop city but they busted out enough fun lucha crap to entertain me a bit.
Rating: **½

Joey Ryan comes out for his title defense against Human Tornado and tries to make it a non-title match. He says there’s nothing Commissioner Dino Winwood can do about it. Dino comes out and says the match stays a title match because the fans asked for it. There had been a poll on the PWG message board asking the fans who they wanted to challenge for the title. If I remember right I voted for Chris Sabin. Dino proves to Ryan that he does infact have the final say by not only keeping the title on the line but also stipulating that the title can change hands by count-out or disqualification AND appointing Scorpio Sky as a special enforcer.

VS.
Joey Ryan © VS. Human Tornado [PWG Championship Match]
Ryan attacks Tornado on his way to the ring until Sky pulls him off and demands the match go to the ring. Tornado hits a dropkick and kicks Ryan in the face. He hits another dropkick and Ryan bails. Tornado follows him out and kicks his face again. He drags Ryan around the ring, slugging his face and celebrating his dominance with the fans a la Jim Duggan. Back in the ring he hits an elbowdrop and stomps on Ryan’s face. He hits a tornado clothesline but Ryan comes back with a German suplex. Tornado tries to fight back but Ryan keeps him on the mat. He hits a dropkick and makes eyes at Jade Chung (Tornado’s valet). He takes off his shirt and the commentators make fun of his less than stellar physique. He tosses Tornado to the floor and kicks the side of his head. Sky demands the fight be taken back into the ring so Ryan shoves him. Tornado gets back into the ring and dives onto Sky and Ryan. Back in the ring Tornado hits an atomic drop and dropkicks the leg. He hits a buzzsaw kick for 2. He hits a neckbreaker and the House Party, complete with seven crotch shots made of the splits. He goes up top but Ryan tries to cut him off with a superkick to the groin. Well, everyone knows that doesn’t work on Tornado and he hits the Pimp Slap and a tornado DDT for 2. He goes for DND (I’m not comfortable typing out what that stands for) but Ryan blocks it with the ropes. Tornado goes for a sunset bomb to the floor but Ryan blocks it and kicks Tornado’s face from the apron. He hits the Cactus elbow but Jade Chung comes after him and hits a DDT. It gets 2 for Tornado. He hits the Pounce on Ryan but unfortunately the referee gets hit as well. He hits DND and Sky runs in to count 2. Tornado climbs the ropes but misses a senton and Ryan bails. Ryan brings a chair into the ring but Sky takes it away from him. Tornado rolls Ryan up but Ryan shoves him off, into Sky and the chair, knocking both of them out and pinning Tornado for the win at 15:31. The match was a little goofy but a huge improvement over Ryan’s first title defense and a fun little bit of storytelling.
Rating: ***

After the match Sky tries to console Tornado but it’s no use. Tornado wanted Sky to be there after hitting DND so he gives him a shove. Sky shoves him back and then leaves. Looks like we have a new feud brewing.

Ryan tries to celebrate his win but Chris Bosh comes out and demands a title shot right now. Ryan points out that Bosh lost in three title matches after winning the Battle of Los Angeles tournament and denies him a shot until he climbs back up the ladder. He says he can prove he’s worthy of a title shot faster if he can beat his partner, Scott Lost. Very clever Mr. Ryan. Lost wants to keep the peace between his friend Ryan and his partner Bosh, but Dino Winwood has other ideas. He’s upset with Ryan for getting Sky and Tornado into a black on black conflict. He looks to Bosh and tells him that he does indeed need to win matches after failing to win the title so many times. Lost grabs the microphone says he’d rather wrestle Dino than either of his friends. Dino has the reaction you’d expect, putting Lost against Bosh for a shot at Ryan.

VS.
Chris Bosh VS. Scott Lost [Number One Contender Match]
Lost grabs a waistlock to start. Bosh puts him on the mat and goes after his leg. Bosh gets a headlock takedown but Lost rolls him up for 2. Bosh puts on an armbar but Lost counters to a headlock. Bosh blocks the Sharpshooter but jumps into a gutbuster. Lost puts on an abdominal stretch but Bosh hits a hiptoss to escape. Lost hits a clothesline for 2. He puts on a camel clutch and hits a knee to the gut. He puts on a chinlock but Bosh hits a chinlock to escape. Lost hits a dropkick. He hits the Superman Spear and a hurricanrana for 2. Bosh comes back with a backbreaker. He hits a kneelift and a gutbuster for 2. He hits a backbreaker for 2. He hits a neckbreaker for 2. Lost comes back with a gutbuster for 2. Bosh turns the Superman Spear into the Ace Crusher for 2. Lost hits a backbreaker for 2. He hits a dropkick and climbs the ropes. He hits a flying elbowdrop for 2. Bosh pops up and hits another backbreaker for 2. He climbs the ropes and baits Lost into a sunset bomb for 2. Lost hits a vertical suplex over the top to the floor but falls out himself. Back in the ring (that’s right, nobody sold it) Lost puts on the Sharpshooter but Ryan distracts him. Bosh uses the distraction to hit a stunner but it only gets 2 when Ryan pulls the referee to the floor. Ryan hits Lost with a superkick so Bosh hits Ryan with a stunner. Bosh hits another backbreaker on Lost for the win at 17:05. The amount of moves done over the knee in this match were uncountable. They’re partners; they should have gone after each other’s knees so that they couldn’t rely on those moves. AND nobody sold anything… ever. The match was mind bogglingly repetitive. The interference from Ryan at the end rendered the whole match leading up to it pointless, making me sad to be a fan of any of these guys.
Rating: *½

VS.
Chris Sabin VS. B-Boy [2/3 Falls Match]
They lock up and fight on the mat to start. Sabin puts on a wristlock but B-Boy suplexes him into an armbar. Sabin puts on a headlock but B-Boy gets to the ropes. They trade kicks to the face and Sabin hits a head scissors takedown. B-Boy falls to the floor so Sabin dives out onto him and hits a hurricanrana, getting 2 back in the ring. He kicks the back and hits a dropkick to the neck for 2. He puts on the Mark Nulty Special but B-Boy gets to the ropes. B-Boy blocks a crossbody with knees to the midsection. He climbs the ropes but Sabin sets him in the Tree of Woe and hits a dropkick to the face for 2. B-Boy hits an overhead suplex and a back elbow. He hits a northern lights suplex and a hard right hand. Sabin comes back with a sunset flip to win the first fall at 8:56. Sabin clotheslines B-Boy to the floor to start the second fall. Back in the ring B-Boy hits a head-and-arm suplex and a dropkick in the corner for 2 after taking a long time to convalesce. He hits a second rope double stomp to the back of the head for 2. He works over Sabin’s neck but Sabin gets to the ropes. B-Boy hits a clothesline in the corner and a rolling fisherman suplex for 2. He puts on a sleeper hold and slams Sabin to the mat by his hair. He climbs the ropes but Sabin catches him with a low blow on his way down. He hits a series of clotheslines and sets B-Boy up top. He brings B-Boy down with a hurricanrana for 2. B-Boy comes back with a spinebuster and the Shining Wizard to win the second fall at 16:34. Sabin rolls to the floor to start the final fall. B-Boy slowly goes to dive onto him but Sabin cuts him off with a kick to the head. Sabin hits a dropkick on the apron but B-Boy catches him with an Oklahoma DVD for 2. Sabin blocks a blind charge and hits a tornado DDT. He holds onto the facelock and hits a swinging DDT for 2. They trade strikes until Sabin hits a back heel kick and comes off the top with a missile dropkick to the back. He folds B-Boy’s arms behind his back and hits a piledriver for 2 when B-Boy gets his foot on the bottom rope. B-Boy bails and then pulls Sabin to the floor and hits a facebuster. Back in the ring B-Boy comes off the second rope with a DDT. He hits a cradle piledriver for 2. He hits a stuff Michinoku driver for 2. Sabin hits two enziguiris and the Cradle Shock for 2. B-Boy seems to be out cold so Sabin takes his time getting him up. B-Boy springs up and unloads with strikes. Sabin goes for the sunset flip that won him the first fall but it only gets 2. He hits an enziguiri but B-Boy catches him with a jumping knee kick for 2. He sets up a group of chairs on the floor and tries to superplex Sabin through them. Sabin fights back and hits a second rope Cradle Shock for the win at 28:22. Well, they certainly didn’t need a half hour to tell the story they told. The match was interesting the whole way through even if it wasn’t particularly fun or exciting.
Rating: ***

VS.
Super Dragon & Davey Richards © VS. El Generico & Quicksilver [PWG Tag Team Championship Match]
Dragon and Quicksilver start. Dragon hits a cheap shot after forcing Quicksilver to the corner. Quicksilver gets a crucifix pin for 2. Dragon puts on a front facelock but Quicksilver counters to a wristlock. Dragon grabs a chinlock and then puts on the bow and arrow. Quicksilver rolls over for 1. Dragon slaps him across the face and puts on an armbar. He hits a double stomp to the face for 2. Richards and Generico tag in and Richards hits an armdrag into an armbar. He puts on a hammerlock and yanks on Generico’s arm. Generico goes after Richards’s leg so Richards kicks his chest. Richards puts on the Mark Nulty Special but Generico gets to the ropes. Richards stays on the leg and puts on the STF. Generico gets to the ropes. They knuckle up and Richards overpowers Generico. He hits a dropkick and gets a headlock takeover. He kicks Generico’s chest and tags to Dragon. Dragon chops Generico in the corner and tries to rip off his mask. Generico hits an armdrag and a dropkick. Dragon blocks the swinging DDT and hits a butterfly suplex. He hits a kneedrop and tags to Richards. Richards hits a snap suplex but gets caught by Quicksilver after a blind tag with a springboard clothesline. Quicksilver hits a step up enziguiri and a falcon arrow. He puts on the Cristo and dodges Dragon’s attempt to break it up with a top rope kneedrop. Generico knocks Dragon to the floor and dives out onto him. Okay, that was insane. Richards gets to the ropes. They block each other’s finishers and Richards hits a knee to the face. Dragon suplexes Generico onto a bunch of chairs on the floor as Richards brings Quicksilver out of the ring. Richards goes to the eyes so Generico attacks him from behind. Dragon beats Generico with a pop can as Richards puts Quicksilver back in the ring for 2. Dragon tags in and takes a few slaps before poking Quicksilver’s eyes. He puts on the Mark Nulty Special but Quicksilver gets to the ropes. Dragon hits a back suplex for 2. He flushes the toilet for 2. He puts on the leggy nelson but Quicksilver rolls back to escape and pins Dragon for 2. Dragon puts it back on but Quicksilver gets to the ropes. Richards tags in and kicks Quicksilver’s chest. Quicksilver comes back with a spinebuster and tags to Generico.

Dragon tags in but Generico hits him with a leg lariat and a dropkick. He hits the swinging DDT and Dragon bails. Richards attacks Generico from behind but the challengers come back with a guillotine split legged moonsault. Dragon gets back in the ring and hits Generico with a lariat for 2. Richards tags in and hits the handspring kick. He hits a tiger suplex for 2. Dragon tags in but Generico blocks the Psycho Driver and hits a dropkick to the face. Quicksilver tags in and gets caught in a butterfly hold after his spinebuster is blocked. Dragon sets him up top and hits a butterfly superplex for 2. Richards tags in and hits a bodyslam. Dragon tags in and gets hit with a reverse head scissors takedown. It gets 2 for Quicksilver when Richards saves. Generico takes Richards to the floor as Quicksilver climbs the ropes. He goes for a dragon rana but Dragon catches him and powerbombs him into a lungblower from Richards. Richards tags in and pins Quicksilver for 2. Quicksilver hits the Silver Slice for 2. Generico hits the Half & Half suplex on Dragon and Quicksilver hits the Quick Qrusher on Richards for 2. Generico tags in and Quicksilver hits a springboard dropkick to the floor on Dragon. Generico hits a brainbuster on Richards for 2. He goes for the BRAINBUSTAH but Richards fights him off and hits the shooting star press. Dragon walks through a leg lariat from Quicksilver and hits a dragon suplex for 2. He climbs the ropes but Generico cuts him off and hits the BRAINBUSTAH. He drags Quicksilver on top but Richards makes the save. Richards counters the Yakuza kick to a capture suplex into the turnbuckle. Generico hits Richards with a Yakuza kick and Quicksilver hits him with a sunset bomb. Dragon hits Generico with a German suplex and hits Quicksilver with a suicide dive. Back in the ring Dragon hits Quicksilver with the Psycho Driver for 2 and the Barry White Driver for the win at 37:42. The long match time made sense here, as the champions were in charge for a majority of the match and kept things slow to eliminate the aerial advantage the challengers had. The crowd never really got into it but it was an excellent match full of hard work.
Rating: ****

The 411:  The lack of Kevin Steen was disappointing, but Disco Machine’s one man performance on commentary, getting so bored that he talked to himself and brought in people who couldn’t speak English, was pretty funny. The PWG Championship match and the 2/3 falls match were both good and the main event was excellent. The rest of the show is a pass, but I feel comfortable recommending this based on the main event and a couple other solid matches.

Final Score:  7.0   [ Good ]