wrestling / TV Reports
Csonka’s WCPW World Cup Canadian Qualifier Review
Loading...Csonka’s WCPW World Cup Canadian Qualifier Review
OFFICIAL RESULTS
– WCPW World Cup Canadian Qualifier: Michael Elgin defeated Rene Dupree @ 6:32 via DQ [*½]
– WCPW World Cup Canadian Qualifier: Harry Smith defeated FTM @ 7:50 via pin [***]
– WCPW World Cup Canadian Qualifier: Mike Bailey defeated Bret Banks @ 15:01 via pin [***¾]
– WCPW World Cup Canadian Qualifier: Kyle O’Reilly defeated Tyson Dux @ 18:40 via submission [***¼]
– WCPW World Cup Canadian Qualifier: Michael Elgin defeated Harry Smith @ 16:32 via pin [***½]
– WCPW World Cup Canadian Qualifier: Mike Bailey defeated Kyle O’Reilly @ 22:30 via pin [***¾]
– I don’t get around to watching WCPW much, mainly due to a lack of time. But I saw that they were posting their World Cup qualifying shows on Youtube, and thought I’d try to fit some of them in. They are using a ton of familiar names and ones I enjoy. Today I’m moving onto the “Rest of the World” qualifiers, you can check out my review of the Japanese qualifiers at this link, the US Qualifiers at this link, and the ROTW Qualifiers at this link.
– To expedite things, and much like the BOTSJ & G1, I will be only focusing on the tournament matches. I may go back and revisit non-tournament action once I get the qualifiers done.
Michael Elgin vs. Rene Dupree: Rene Dupree is still alive, better living through chemicals I suppose. Dupree looks weirder and weirder every time I see him; to be fair I go years without seeing a Dupree match and then somehow end up reviewing one. The road has owned this 33-year-old man. They both look to work the power game to begin, but Elgin quickly takes control and hits the slingshot splash for 2. The delayed suplex followed, and large Michael covers for 2 again. Dupree cuts him off, hitting an enziguri and then they traded chops. Dupree then grounds Elgin, but Elgin quickly fights back, runs wild with corner clotheslines and a big lariat. The German follows for 2. Dupree battles back, hitting a knee strike and Saito suplex. The corner dropkick follows, and that gets 2. Dupree gets a chair and shoves the ref and we get a DQ. Michael Elgin defeated Rene Dupree @ 6:32 via DQ [*½] You’re telling me Rene Fucking Dupree couldn’t do a clean job for Elgin? This was a shitty booking choice to kick off the show. It was ok when Elgin was in control, but Dupree isn’t anywhere near Elgin’s league and it showed here.
FTM vs. Harry Smith: I believe this is my first time seeing FTM; he’s a big old hoss. They brawl right away, with Smith taking him to the floor. Smith hits a slam and takes control, and we get a countout tease until Smith returns to the floor, continuing to attack the back of FTM. Back in and Smith works a camel clutch and then just continues beating on him. They trade strikes, and Smith hits a snap suplex for 2. Smith keeps the action grounded, constantly cutting off FTM and even raking the eyes. FTM fights off the powerbomb, and follows with a corner clothesline, XPLODER and missile dropkick. Smith fights off a German, but FTM will have none of his clothesline bullshit at first, but Smith finally levels him with a stiff lariat. Smith fires away with strikes, knees and a Saito suplex for the near fall. Smith sets FTM up top, but FTM bites him to escape and follows with a blockbuster for a good near fall. FTM looks to finish Smith off, but Smith grabs the ref, pulls him down and hits a low blow. The piledriver hits and FTM is done. Harry Smith defeated FTM @ 7:50 via pin [***] This was a good match, with some nice intensity from both. Although I could have done without the ref bullshit and low blow here, especially after the DQ finish in the first match. It really didn’t add anything to the match, but hopefully it plays into Smith’s next match.
Brent Banks vs. Mike Bailey: I haven’t seen much of Bailey lately due to his VISA related exile from the US. This is my first time seeing Banks. They worked a really fun, fast paced and fan pleasing opening stretch. Absolutely great energy from both guys, and they have the crowd locked in early. They shake hands, Banks tries to attack but Bailey initially fights him off but Banks takes control and grounds Bailey before gloating to the crowd. They trade chops and then Banks goes to the eye poke, Bailey does the same but runs into a dropkick. Banks then does the Jericho like one-foot cover while flexing. Bailey finally mounts a comeback, hitting knee strikes and a spin kick. Banks cuts him off with rapid-fire strikes, but Bailey hits a head kick, covering for 2. The crowd is great here, really creating a nice atmosphere to accompany the action. Bailey continues to control with kicks, but Banks counters the back handspring into a spinning sitout powerbomb for a good near fall. Bailey to the apron, but Banks vetches him on the way in, but Bailey gets a sunset flip for 2. Bailey rebounds out of the ropes, hitting a PK and Banks rolls to the floor, but Bailey hits a moonsault press to wipe him out. Back in they go, and Bailey goes springboard but gets tripped up. Banks cuts him off up top, slams him to the buckles, but Bailey comes back with a standing moonsault into a double stomp. The Spanish fly follows for a great near fall. Banks comes back, hitting a cutter, covering for 2. Banks looks for the corner slam, but Bailey hits the destroyer and spin kick; the shooting star knee drop follows and Bailey picks up the win. Mike Bailey defeated Bret Banks @ 15:01 via pin [***¾] This was a very good, balls to the wall, action packed match. The match was a great example of letting two guys go out there and do what they do best without any shitty booking get in the way, and the reaction of the crowd was proof of that. This was very enjoyable, and flat out fun.
Kyle O’Reilly vs. Tyson Dux: They work through a series of standing switches, O’Reilly looks to ground things but Dux stops that and he takes control, working the arm. O’Reilly quickly counters out, and they work into some grappling on the mat. They work to the feet, with O’Reilly laying in some uppercuts and they collide center ring, with Dux challenging O’Reilly to try again; O’Reilly lays in kicks and then hits the shoulder block. O’Reilly picks up the pace before dragging Dux back to the mat. Dux tries to suplex out, but O’Reilly keeps the side headlock and they work to the ropes. Dux avoids the head kick and powders to the floor. O’Reilly follows, works a headlock and gives high fives to the fans as he does; Dux cuts that off by attacking the knee. Back in Dux takes control by continuing his work on the leg. Dux posts the knee of O’Reilly a few times, and then drops elbows to the knee until O’Reilly counters into an arm bar attempt, but Dux makes the ropes. O’Reilly hits a desperation knee strike and follows with rapid-fire strikes. O’Reilly fires up, hits a running forearm and drops down for a knee bar, but Dux counters and he works the knee bar, and they roll into the ropes. O’Reilly keeps going after the arm, but Dux answers back, attacking the knee. Dux cuts off axe and smash, hitting a cutter for the double down. They work to the feet, and Dux hits an atomic drop and drops down for the figure four; O’Reilly tries to fight it off but Dux locks it in. O’Reilly makes the ropes, Dux off the ropes and they hit clotheslines, landing in a double down. O’Reilly lands kicks from the mat, fights to his feet and hits a knee strike with the good knee, but due to the bad knee he can’t follow up quickly. He struggles to his feet, works a guillotine variation and Dux drops to the mat. O’Reilly hits axe and smash, and locks in the sleeper, but Dux picks the leg and gets a takedown but O’Reilly attacks the arm; the brainbuster and arm bar follow and Dux taps. Kyle O’Reilly defeated Tyson Dux @ 18:40 via submission [***¼] This was a good, back and forth ground based match, completely different from the previous two matches. I love that because each one had a chance to stand out in their own way, we had a hoss guy battle, a fast paced flippy boy battle and now a grapple guy fight.
Michael Elgin vs. Harry Smith: Smith continues to be a bad sport, attacking large Michael as he posed during his entrance. At least the heel antics from Smith’s first match are being paid off here. Smith takes Elgin to the floor and they brawl deep into the crowd. It’s very dark, almost impossible to see the action at times. Smith takes control, using a chair but Elgin fights back, using a chair on Smith. Back to ringside and Elgin hits an apron slam, but as he looks to enter the ring, Smith cuts him off by attacking the leg. Smith works the leg off of the post a few times before working a ring post figure four. It’s all Smith now, controlling the leg with ease and then working the half crab. Smith constantly switches attacks, keeping focus on the leg. Elgin fires up, but Smith drops down into an ankle lock. Smith looks like he’s having a blast heeling it up, strutting around and applying the figure four and even using the ropes for some leverage. Smith then works an Indian death lock variation, keeping all focus on the knee. Smith finally misses a charge, and Elgin fires up with a rolling forearm, an enziguri and then a German. Smith quickly cut him off, attacking the knee but large Michael did the deal, hitting the falcon arrow for 2. Smith escapes the powerbomb attempt, looks for a sharpshooter, but Elgin escapes and hits another German. He’s slow to follow, and that allows Smith to again cut off the attack and he gets the sharpshooter. Elgin escapes and they work to the apron. Elgin lays in kick, sends Smith to the floor and follows with a cannonball. Back in they go and Elgin covers immediately for 2. We get a ref bump tease, Smith again with the low blow and piledriver, but BIG MIKE KICKS OUT to a great reaction. Smith is pissed, goes for the sharp shooter again, but Elgin rolls him up for 2. Smith misses a boot and is crotched up top, Elgin snags him off the ropes and hits the Elgin bomb for the win. Michael Elgin defeated Harry Smith @ 16:32 via pin [***½] This was a very good match, with Smith’s earlier heel tactics paying off here, providing good heel heat and a great near fall off of the low blow/piledriver spot. Smith’s attack on Elgin was great, and he took away the base of the powerhouse by working the knee, and Elgin was only able to hit his big move when Smith made an error and was stuck up top. Very good match with the crowd continuing to remain invested in the matches.
Mike Bailey vs. Kyle O’Reilly: O’Reilly is trying to play keep away with the bad leg from the last match. Bailey looks to work leg kicks to slow O’Reilly down and to try and take advantage of that leg injury. O’Reilly looks to ground Bailey to avoid the leg kicks. O’Reilly looks for a knee bar hoping to slow Bailey. O’Reilly shoots and takes Bailey down, working some ground and pound. Bailey now slows the pace, goes after the leg and hits dragon screw leg whips and then picks up the pace bit, attacks the leg and grounds O’Reilly, playing the grappling game. It’s nice to see Bailey working out of his comfort zone here. He lays in rapid-fire kicks, but O’Reilly hits a capture suplex to cut him off. O’Reilly then grounds Bailey, trying to break him down and work submissions. O’Reilly now goes after the leg of Bailey to even the odds here. O’Reilly then works into a knee bar. Bailey kicks away to escape, but O’Reilly stomps at his leg. O’Reilly now targets the arm, and again grounds Bailey. They trade strikes, and O’Reilly looks for the arm bar but Bailey escapes into the standing moonsault into the double knee strike. Bailey follows with running knee strikes, and lays in a series of rapid-fire kicks. O’Reilly counters into an STF, and then again goes after the arm and locks in a sleeper and then a suplex for 2. Bailey again battles back, working kicks, but O’Reilly is game and lays in kicks as well. O’Reilly takes out the leg, they continue to trade and Bailey hits a roundhouse kick and both men are down. Bailey tries to drag himself to his feet, does and hits the trouble in paradise kick, but jumps into an arm bar counter. O’Reilly works a kimura now, Bailey knees out to escape but O’Reilly hits a brainbuster and transitions into the arm bar, but Bailey fights it off and O’Reilly locks in the ankle lock. O’Reilly has it locked in and grapevines the leg. Bailey teases tapping, but manages to make the ropes. Bailey rolls out and sends O’Reilly to the floor. He then hits the moonsault to the floor and both men are down. Back in they go, Bailey up top and misses the shooting star knee drop. O’Reilly hits a shining wizard, fights off the brainbuster, they work up top and Bailey sends O’Reilly to the mat, but O’Reilly trips him up and Bailey sends him off again and hits the shooting star knees and Bailey wins. Mike Bailey defeated Kyle O’Reilly @ 22:30 via pin [***¾] This was an overall very good match and strong main event to close out the tournament matches. They did a good job of making Bailey’s win feel big time, and the work and layout was overall really smart, taking Bailey out of his usual comfort zone. At the end of the day I think it went a bit too long and selling was a little sketchy down the stretch, but it was still very good.
– In a non-tournament match, Gabriel Kidd defeated Zack Zabre Jr.
– In a non-tournament match, Joe Hendry defeated El Ligero.
– Little Mike Bailey & Big Mike Elgin advance.
– End scene.
– Thanks for reading.
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”
