wrestling / TV Reports
Csonka’s WCPW World Cup Finals Review
Loading...
Csonka’s WCPW World Cup Finals Review
OFFICIAL RESULTS
– WCPW World Cup Semifinal Match: KUSHIDA defeated Joseph Conners @ 17:53 via referee stoppage [***¼]
– WCPW World Cup Semifinal Match: Will Ospreay defeated Ricochet @ 17:11 via pin [***¾]
– Penta El Zero M defeated Mike Bailey @ 15:01 via pin [***½]
– El Ligero defeated Rampage @ 5:28 via pin [*]
– WCPW Internet Championship #1 Contenders Match: Zack Sabre Jr defeated Alex Gracie @ 15:30 via submission [**½]
– WCPW Title Match: WCPW Champion Joe Hendry defeated Jack Swagger @ 13:19 via submission [*½]
– WCPW World Cup Finals: KUSHIDA defeated Will Ospreay @ 18:10 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. I didn’t get to all of the qualifiers as I had hoped, but you can check out my review of the Japanese qualifiers at this link, the US Qualifiers at this link, the ROTW Qualifiers at this link, the Canadian Qualifiers at this link, the round of 16 at this link, and the quarterfinals at this link.
WCPW World Cup Semifinal Match: Joseph Conners vs. KUSHIDA: They work a very basic opening stretch, with neither man able to gain a strong advantage. Both men then looked to connect with kicks, but no one connected. KUSHIDA then takes him to he mat and out grapples Conners and sends him to the floor. KUSHIDA hits the seated senton, but back in the ring, Conners hits a powerslam for 2. He then grounds KUSHIDA after hitting a back breaker. Conners then bends him around the post, and follows with a sliding dropkick. Clubbing strikes by Conners follows, but KUSHIDA fires back with chops, the cartwheel and dropkick. KUSHIDA then locks in the arm bar, but Conners escapes. He avoids the charge and hits a slingshot DDT. The suicide dive follows. Back in they go, Conners up top, KUSHIDA avoids the attack, but Conners hits a back breaker for 2. KUSHIDA attacks the arm, and then gets a roll up for 2. They then work into a series of near falls, and Conners then hits the lariat for the double down. Conners looks for don’t look down, but KUSHIDA works the kimura but Conners does the deal, hitting a falcon arrow for a near fall. Conners up top, but KUSHIDA catches him with a dropkick to counter the attack off the ropes. They trade strikes from their knees, KUSHIDA fires up with kicks and they trade chops. Conners hits don’t look down for a good near fall. Conners picks up KUSHIDA, they trade strikes and KUSHIDA hits the rolling kick. Conners to the apron, up top and gets cut off. KUSHIDA hit the Spanish fly into the hover board lock, KUSHIDA rolls and pulls Conners center ring and the ref stops it. KUSHIDA defeated Joseph Conners @ 17:53 via referee stoppage [***¼] This was an overall good opener, with the right man winning. Conners was better here, but I felt it could have been a bit shorter, as Conners faded a bit down the stretch. The crowd was great and added a lot to this.
WCPW World Cup Semifinal Match: Will Ospreay vs. Ricochet: These two have put on some great matches together, so we may be in for something special here. Ospreay attacks before the bell, looking for the Oscutter, but Ricochet counters and they wok into a standoff, and trade strikes. They aren’t fucking around here, going balls to the wall; Ricochet hits a blue thunder bomb and suicide dive. They brawl up onto the stage and Ricochet hits a suplex before heading back to the ring. This leads to a countout tease on Ospreay, who charges back to the ring and eats a suicide dive. Back in and Ricochet hits a springboard 450 for the near fall. Ricochet lays in chops and does a little strut. It’s all Ricochet as he controls with ease. The lariat connects, and then Ricochet lays the boots to Ospreay. Ospreay tries to fire up with strikes, but Ricochet hits the shotgun dropkick. Forearms follow, and then Ricochet counters the back handspring with a dropkick. Ospreay tries to fights back, but eats a 619. Ospreay is selling the neck from the suplex on the stage, and then manages to hit a desperation back handspring kick. They work into a series of counters, with Ospreay hitting the reverse RANA for the double down. Ospreay hits the springboard forearm, he looks for a rainmaker, but Ricochet counters with a lariat. Ricochet sets him up top, but Ospreay escapes, they trade strikes and Ricochet hits the lung blower for 2. Ricochet maintains control, slams Ospreay down, they work off the ropes and Ospreay hits a Spanish fly and an Essex destroyer for 2. Ricochet hits a pair of nasty looking Germans, and then hits a third. Ricochet looks for the benadryller, but Ospreay collapses and Ricochet can’t connect. Ospreay looks dead. Ricochet counters the RANA and hits an inverted Michinoku driver for a near fall. He lays in kicks on Ospreay, Ospreay dares him to continue, ricochet does, but Ospreay counters with a desperation snap cradle for the win. Will Ospreay defeated Ricochet @ 17:11 via pin [***¾] This was very good, as they opted not to play the hits and work a completely different match than they have in the past. Ospreay’s selling here was really good. Ricochet was working with great arrogance here, which cost him in the end. Ospreay wins to make the finals a rematch from the BOTSJ finals.
Penta El Zero M vs. Mike Bailey: Penta tells Bailey that he has no fear and then drops him with a big chop. Bailey picks up the pace, and hits the dropkick. He follows with rapid-fire kicks to the chest of Penta. Bailey has a HUGE handprint on his chest from that one Penta chop. Penta sent to the floor, Bailey looked for a slingshot RANA, but ate an apron bomb instead. Penta follows with more chops and ten whips Bailey to the barricade. Back in the ring and Penta lays in leg kicks, continues working Bailey over, but Bailey finally hits a dropkick to cut that off. The running knee strikes follow for Bailey, and the running corkscrew shooting star press gets Bailey 2. Penta cuts off the back handspring, and follows with leg kicks. Bailey counters out of the package piledriver, they work to the apron and Bailey misses the double knee moonsault. Penta hits the knee strike but Bailey sends him to the floor. Bailey up top and hits the corkscrew moonsault to the floor. Bailey back up top, Penta back in and cuts him off with superkicks but Bailey counters the destroyer and hits a standing double knees moonsault for 2. They trade strikes and kicks, more chops by Penta but Bailey hits the speedball kicks. They trade superkicks, Bailey off the ropes into the shooting star press, but eats a superkick. Penta hits the Peta driver for a good near fall. Penta looks for the package piledriver, Bailey fights, and counters into a cradle for 2. They work to the apron, and Penta KILLS him with an apron destroyer! Back in and Penta up top, misses the double stomp but then lawn darts Bailey to the buckles. They work up top, but Bailey cuts him off with an enziguri. Bailey then heads back up with Penta, and hits the SUPER RANA. The shooting star knee drop misses, Penta hits a superkick and package piledriver for the win. Penta El Zero M defeated Mike Bailey @ 15:01 via pin [***½] This was a very good, back and forth match, pitting the speed of Bailey vs. the ruthlessness of Penta. This was a lot of fun.
Rampage vs. El Ligero: Ligero looks afraid at first, lays in some light kicks, which does not amuse Rampage. He sends Ligero to the floor, and chases him. Back in the ring, Rampage just runs him over. Rampage then counters a RANA and slams Ligero down; Ligero then begs off. Rampage offers Ligero some free shots, but Rampage catches him and shoves him away. Ligero then tries a high cross, but bounces off of Rampage. To the floor and Rampage continues his assault. Back in and it’s all Rampage. Ligero grabs his magnificent 7 briefcase, the ref takes it away, Ligero low blows Rampage and cradles him for the win. El Ligero defeated Rampage @ 5:28 via pin [*] This felt like more of an angle than a match, and probably something WCPW fans will appreciate more. Commentary gave me no context to work with, which made it come off as completely flat.
– They announce the Young Bucks vs. WCPW tag team champions War Machine for next month.
WCPW Internet Championship #1 Contenders Match: Zack Sabre Jr vs. Alex Gracie: We get some stalling, and then pushing and shoving to begin. They talk some shit, more pushing and shoving, and Sabre finally had enough of that and started to attack the arm and ground the action. They work to their feet, Gracie uses the ref as a distraction, and that allows him to get in cheap shots on Sabre. Gracie then takes the heat, which is rather bland. Sabre managed to cut him off, and starts working the arm and into an arm bar. Gracie makes the ropes, and then hits a uranage for a near fall. Sabre battles back, tripping Gracie up and hitting two PKs. Sabre follows with uppercuts, but Gracie rolls into a guillotine. Sabre transitions out and looks for a possible submission, but Gracie makes the ropes. They trade strikes and kicks, Gracie hits a running knee strike but Sabre counters fall from Gracie, looks for the octopus, but Gracie drop shim on his head with an Omori driver. Gracie teases using his nunchucks, Sabre gets the sleeper, transitions to a dragon sleeper and wraps up the body triangle; Gracie taps. Zack Sabre Jr defeated Alex Gracie @ 15:30 via submission [**½] I love Zack Sabre Jr, but this was a painfully boring and flat match. This was my first time seeing Gracie, and I was not impressed at all.
WCPW Champion Joe Hendry vs. Jack Swagger: Swagger has a rip off of his WWE music, and is sporting baggy shorts. This is my first time seeing Swagger post WWE. After some stalling, Swagger uses his power and then goes to his amateur wrestling to take Hendry down. He teases the ankle lock, but Hendry makes the ropes. Swagger cuts off Hendry, hits a shoulder block and looks for an ankle lock; Hendry makes the ropes. Swagger clotheslines him to the floor. He follows, but Hendry whips him into the barricade. Back in and Hendry connects with uppercuts and repeatedly whips Swagger to the buckles. Hendry maintains control, hitting a suplex for 2. He grounds Swagger with a half nelson, whips him to the buckles but misses a charge. Swagger hits corner clotheslines, and then an amateur slam. Hendry fires back, but Swagger takes him down with a lariat for 2. Swagger then looks for the ankle lock, but Hendry counters only for Swagger to get the ankle lock. Hendry counters into one of his own. Swagger counters as they both work ankle locks but Hendry makes the ropes. We now get a double down. They trade strikes, but Hendry hits a DDT and fall away slam for 2. Hendry slaps around Swagger, gets a sunset flip for 2 as swagger rolls into the ankle lock. Hendry grabs the ring skirt, and then pokes the eyes, hits the fall away slam and locks in a variation of a Boston crab. Swagger taps. WCPW Champion Joe Hendry defeated Jack Swagger @ 13:19 via submission [*½] This was extremely boring and lifeless; neither man looked good here.
WCPW Final Match: KUSHIDA vs. Will Ospreay: This is a rematch of this year’s BOTSJ finals; KUSHIDA has had Ospreay’s number in NJPW. Osprey immediately sends KUSHIDA to he floor and hits the Sasuke special. KUSHIDA counters the shooting star press, sends Ospreay to the floor and then follows with a high cross to the floor. KUSHIDA then goes after the arm, and transitions into a crossface. KUSHIDA drags him center ring, and locks in a cattle mutilation. Ospreay tries to battle back with grounded kicks, but KUSHIDA maintains control, once again attacking the arm. Ospreay makes the ropes, lays in chops but KUSHIDA attacks the arm. Ospreay hits the back handspring kick, a jawbreaker and knee strikes. He then sends KUSHIDA to the floor. Ospreay follows, but gets slammed to the barricade. KUSHIDA sets him in a chair, lays in kicks, and then charges but Ospreay sends him onto the crowd. Ospreay into the ring and hits a wild dive off the top to wipe out KUSHIDA! Back in they go, Ospreay hits the Essex destroyer for the near fall. Ospreay up top, and has to roll through on the 450 and that allows KUSHIDA to plant him with a DDT; he transitions into the hover board lock. Ospreay counters out, but KUSHIDA hits the bridging suplex, which gets 2. Ospreay fires back with kicks, they trade strikes but KUSHIDA runs into a Spanish fly. They work up top but KUSHIDA snags Ospreay in an arm bar. KUSHIDA transitions into a triangle, but Ospreay survives and powerbombs KUSHIDA into the ref. FUCK. Ospreay’s girlfriend arrives and has one of KUSHIDA’s titles, but Ospreay stops her. Ospreay sends her out of the ring, KUSHIDA attacks, hover board lock applied and Ospreay fights for the ropes and gets them. KUSHIDA continues to attack the arm, laying in kicks, but Ospreay fires up with rapid-fire kicks. They go wild trading strikes, head butt by Ospreay and hits a rainmaker, hangs onto the wrist, and lays in stomps to KUSHIDA. KUSHIDA fires up and lays in kicks to Ospreay. He locks in the hover board lock, and rolls for back to the future but Ospreay hits a cutter to counter. He sets KUSHIDA up top, looks for the trapped superkick and it connects. Ospreay follows him up top, but KUSHIDA counters but Ospreay stops than and hits the Oscutter off the ropes for a good near fall. KUSHIDA counters the Oscutter, and hits back to the future for the win. KUSHIDA defeated Will Ospreay @ 18:10 via pin [***¾] This ended up a very good match, but couldn’t hold up to their amazing BOTSJ finals match. Some of the work was really great, but the unnecessary ref bump and anticlimactic finish held it back from being great.
– Post match, we’re all friends as they shake hands and they bow to each other.
– End scene.
– Thanks for reading.
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”
