Revisiting Larry Csonka’s Match Reviews of Wrestlers Before They Were Famous

Steve Cook: It’s hard to believe that it’s been four years since the passing of 411mania legend, everyone’s favorite wrestling writer & my flamingo, Larry Csonka. In some ways it feels like yesterday, but in other ways it feels like it’s been a decade. Much has happened since Larry left us, and one wonders what he would have thought about the various events & controversies that have occurred in pro wrestling since May 18, 2020. I feel like speculating on such things is a futile effort, but feel somewhat safe in saying that Larry would be content with what’s been happening on-screen for wrestling fans and for the business at large.

As those of you that were around 411mania during the 2000s & 10s know, Larry pretty much reviewed everything he possibly could. That meant that he reviewed the matches of a ton of young wrestlers before they reached their ultimate heights. I thought it would be fun today to look back at some of Larry’s past match reviews of current wrestling stars that have been all over the news lately. Larry saw all of these wrestlers before they were famous.

Ilja Dragunov

SC: We lead off with somebody that’s largely new to me, as I wasn’t all over NXT UK at any point and didn’t get to see a lot of Dragunov’s title run on regular ol’ NXT. I do wish Larry had been around to see Ilja’s epic encounter with the man then known as WALTER, but he did see Ilja’s earliest days in NXT UK. Here’s Larry’s review of Ilja’s first match with a WWE main roster talent, Antonio Cesaro at NXT UK Takeover: Cardiff.

– Cesaro is backstage, and is ready for his open challenge. Ilja Dragunov will answer it. Dragunov heads to the ring and says he is here and calls out Cesaro.

Cesaro vs. Ilja Dragunov: Dragunov attacks at the bell, but Cesaro battles back and follows with chops and a shoulder tackle. Dragunov cuts him off and then gets caught and they work into counters. They trade strikes, kicks by Dragunov follow and the senton follows for 1. Dragunov hits a clothesline, but Cesaro then tosses him to the floor. He follows him out and slams him off the barricade. Back in and Cesaro lays the boots to Dragunov and follows with a slam and leg drop for 2. Cesaro grounds the action, and then hits the belly to back suplex for 2. He stuns Dragunov off the ropes, and grounds things. Dragunov counters back, but Cesaro cuts off the 61-line into a big swing for 40-seconds. The crowd loves this. The crossface follows, Dragunov fights for the ropes but Cesaro rolls him back center ring. Dragunov counters into a cradle, and follows with 61-line. The clothesline follows, Cesaro battues back but Dragunov follows with a Saito suplex and suicide dive. Back in and Dragunov hits coast to coast for 2. He follows with chops, they trade and Dragunov lights him up until Cesaro hits a press slam gut buster for 2. The running uppercut follows for 2. Dragunov gets the desperation backslide for 2. The Blu-ray follows, Dragunov heads up top and the big senton connects for 2. Dragunov sets for torpedo Moscow, but Cesaro counters into the pop up uppercut and the Gotch finishes it. Cesaro defeated Ilja Dragunov @ 12:30 via pin [****]

This was a great, hard-hitting and competitive match where Cesaro came of like a complete star and Dragunov lost nothing in loss. This Cesaro NXT UK run has so much potential.

– Cesaro teases the post match attack, but they embrace.

Will Ospreay

SC: After Larry’s passing, Ospreay became somebody that couldn’t have worse than a ***** match to some people. That’s why we’re including this Wrestle Kingdom 12 review here…it was Will’s biggest win at that point, but Larry had other people on his mind.

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Match: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Marty Scurll vs. KUSHIDA vs. Will Ospreay vs. Hiromu Takahashi: Marty got to pop up though the stage and is sporting giant wings for his entrance. They all stare down as Marty bails to the floor. Ospreay takes out Takahashi and works back and forth with KUSHIDA. Marty makes a save on a pin, and KUSHIDA fires up and looks for a pin, but Marty breaks it up and again bails to the floor. Everyone in now, Takahashi sent to the floor and Ospreay hits back handspring kicks. RANAs follow and a dropkicks connects on Takahashi. Marty stomps the hands on Takahashi, and follows with an apron superkick. KUSHIDA sends Marty & Ospreay to the floor and KUSHIDA wipes everyone out with a dive. Back in and Marty gets some near falls on Ospreay, and then tapes Takahashi to the barricade and does the finger break spot, villain you see. Back in and Marty works up top with KUSHIDA & Ospreay and they do the finger break to him. KUSHIDA hits the rolling arm bar on Ospreay off the top. KUSHIDA transitions to a triangle, lays in elbows but Ospreay powers out and hits a buckle bomb. Marty attacks Takahashi on the floor, gets powder and blinds KUSHIDA. But KUSHIDA hits back to the future but Ospreay makes the save. Takahashi back in and Germans Ospreay and hits the sunset bomb to the floor! Back in and hits the dynamite plunger for 2. Superkick by Takahashi, Ospreay back and they work over Takahashi with superkicks. Takahashi battles back, tosses Marty and hits a missile dropkick on Ospreay. Takahashi hits an apron DVD on Marty but eats a sunset bomb from KUSHIDA! Ospreay hits the run up shooting star to the floor, back in and the inverted 450 connects, but Takahashi kicks out! Takahashi counters the Oscutter, hits a lariat and the timebomb gets 2 as Marty pulls out the ref. Umbrella shots follow, but Ospreay hits a Spanish fly and Oscutter for the win! Will Ospreay defeated Champion Marty Scurll, KUSHIDA, and Hiromu Takahashi @ 18:00 via pin to become the new champion [****¼]

While there was a lot of trepidation regarding this match, I feel that they more than delivered and that they had a great match; it was a complete spectacle, and with the junior tag title match being worked in a more reserved pace and style, it was ok for these guys to cut lose and deliver fast paced, exciting and highflying action. They clearly positioned Ospreay as the star of the match and completed the story started at Power Struggle, getting revenge on long time rival Marty Scurll to get back on top of the mountain. I would have loved for Takahashi to win, but I feel he’s going to be the top seed to win BOTSJ this year.

Becky Lynch

SC: Larry was on the Becky bandwagon long before most people were, and I don’t think he ever jumped off like some people apparently have. He was a Rebecca Knox fan back in the SHIMMER days, and once he got a copy of SHIMMER Volume 6 to review he reviewed one of Knox’s best matches of that era.

PURE WRESTLING RULES MATCH: Rebecca Knox vs. Allison Danger
There is a 20-count on the floor, and three rope breaks. A closed fist will get a warning, the second will cost a rope break and the third will be an automatic DQ.

They play the crowd to begin, and Knox gets pissed because they don’t like her. She throws a fit on the floor for a bit, and then comes back in as the ref was working the 20-count. Danger grabs Knox’s flag, and teases the bullfighter deal, and then blows her nose on the Irish Flag. Nobody NOSE the Irish like Allison Danger, huh? They begin with a test of strength, Knox rolls out and gets an arm bar, YES! She steps over, rolls Danger down and into the cross arm breaker. Danger locks the hands and tries to roll out, decides not to use her rope break and cradles up Knox for 2. Knox bitches that Danger used the ropes, but she didn’t. They lock up and a full nelson by Knox. Danger breaks and reverses it into a cool roll up for 2. Side headlock by Danger, Knox rolls out and gets the head scissors. Danger works it into a cover for 2. Front facelock by Knox, and she rolls into a guillotine. Danger escapes and Knox kicks the thighs, and works a funky figure four variant on Danger. Danger rolls it into a pinning combo for 2. Knox maintains the hold, and Danger finally escapes. Back to the arm goes Knox, Danger then counters it but Knox takes control back. They trade a few times, snap mare by Knox but Danger gets the arm again. Side headlock by Danger, some good chain stuff here, very clean. Takedown by Danger with the headlock. Knox to her feet, breaks Danger down and bends Danger over her knee and then into a cover for 2. Side headlock by Knox, forearms to Danger, and then a closed fist when the ref couldn’t see it. Danger counters the hold and into a side headlock of her own. Takes her back down but Knox gets the head scissors. Danger escapes and they back off. Lock up, to the corner and as the ref breaks them up Knox uses a closed fist. Danger does in return and gets busted for it. Knox does it again as the ref was telling the announcer, and Danger gets caught again, loses a rope break and is close to a DQ. HEEL! Danger tackles Knox and lights her up with forearm strikes. She works the side headlock again, Knox escapes but Danger gets the fujiwara arm bar. Knox has to use a rope break, so they both have two left. Danger misses a charge, Knox takes out the leg and then goes to work on it. Thigh kicks and into the knee bar. Knox now works the Indian deathlock and continually drops back. A Boston crab now by Knox, Danger escapes and Knox continues her attack. To the corner and Knox slams Danger in, chops follow but Danger now fires back. But the knee is bothering her and Knox kicks it out from under her and then gets a dragon screw leg whip. Knox then goes back into another knee bar variation, breaks and delivers knee drops to the bad knee of Danger. Leg kicks to the bad leg, DDT with the leg and into a Brazilian style heel hook. She then transitions into an inverted figure four, and Danger has to use her 2nd rope break. T BONE by Knox, and a cover for 2. Leg drop by Knox and a cover for 2. Elbow drop, and another cover for 2. Knox lays the boots to Danger, but Danger back with a love lace choker and a cover for 2. Danger struggles to get to her feet, gets the STO and Knox uses her 2nd rope break to save herself. Knox lays the boots to Danger and kicks her to the floor. She slams Danger to the ring apron, delivers uppercut but Danger fires back with some forearm shots. Danger has the Irish flag, and slams Knox face first into it. Back into the ring, and Knox catches Danger with a kick to the face as she enters the ring. Back suplex by Knox, and a cover for 2. Knox then gets some kind of cool ass octopus hold variation in the middle of the ring, but Danger is able to roll her up out of it for 2. Knox works for the cross arm breaker, cant; get it so Knox works a modified Muta Lock, and Danger has to use her final rope break. Knox then locks in another leg submission and holds the ropes since Danger has no rope breaks. She’ll break, and dumps Danger with a suplex, covers with her legs on the ropes for 2. Danger with a snap mare and into the stretch plum choke. Sweet. Knox looks for the ropes and gets them using her last break. Knox lays the boots to Danger, and then chokes out Danger in the ropes. She’ll get a charging knee to the back, pick her up and then charges in with a forearm strike. Danger gets a boot, to the 2nd rope, cross body by Danger but Knox rolls through and gets the win.

Winner: Rebecca Knox @ 25:45 via pin

A VERY good match right here. I dare say better than most ROH Pure matches I have seen, simply for the fact that they played the stipulation so perfectly. Great wrestling and storytelling by both ladies right here, with a slightly anti-climatic finish. But very good stuff overall.
RATING: ***¾

Cody Rhodes

SC: Cody was very aware of Larry’s reviews, as we learned shortly after Larry’s death when he included Larry with other recently departed wrestling folks Shad Gaspard & Hana Kimura in an online message to AEW fans. Larry was often critical of Cody’s work during his indy/Japan run, but was always fair. Cody was among many wrestlers that found Larry’s opinions of their work interesting and appreciated his dedication to pro wrestling.

I was really hoping to find a Larry review of Cody’s first WWE Raw match, but I had to settle for the second. Larry reviewed the 7.23.07 edition of Raw, which didn’t end well for Cody or his legendary Bull of the Woods father.

Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton
They circle and lock up. Headlock by Orton, takedown and Cody fights up and taken down again. Escape and a slap by Orton. Dropkick by Cody. Knees Orton, forearms follow. Cody slammed to the corner, Irish whip and Cody gets a 2nd rope cross body for 2. Clubbing shots by Orton, a whip and Cody with a sunset flip for 2. Rights by Orton and Cody is down. 3.0 back breaker by Orton and then the GARVN STOMP~! He slaps at Cody now, boots by Cody. Chops an rights now, off the ropes and a dropkick by Orton. More stomps by Orton, Irish whip and Cody hits hard and drops to the mat. Uppercuts by Orton and then clubbing forearm shots to the back of Cody. Cody to his feet, off the ropes and a roll up by Cody gets 2. STIFF clothesline by Orton and a cover gets 2. Chinlock by Orton now. Cody battles to escape and rights are exchanged. Off the ropes and a Goldust type uppercut by Cody. Cody up top…MISSES a cross body and SPLATS on the mat! Orton sets…up and an RKO by Orton connects. 1…2…3.

Winner: Randy Orton @ 5:48 via pin

-After the match and Orton is still there, and sets for the concussion kick. DUSTY is back! FLIP FLOP AND FLY on Orton! BIONIC ELBOW~! Dusty checks on Cody and Orton slides back in slowly and LIGHTS UP Dusty with the concussion kick! Refs are now out to hold Orton back as Cody covers up Dusty to protect him from further harm. EMT’s are now out as is the stretcher. The doctor checks on Dusty.

-Back from commercial and we get clips of Orton’s heinous acts on Dusty Rhodes. During the commercial Cody looked on horrified at his father.

Bryan Danielson

SC: One thing Larry wasn’t doing in the mid-2000s was ROH DVD reviews. We had some pretty good people doing that. Unfortunately for the purposes of this column, that means that the earliest American Dragon match review that I can find took place on November 30, 2007. I’m sure Larry reviewed some earlier Danielson matches at some point, but this ROH Man Up review was what I came up with. At least it lets us involve Morishima in the column. What happened to that guy?

ROH WORLD TITLE MATCH: Takeshi Morishima © vs. Bryan Danielson

Danielson charges for the attack, but is stopped and tossed to the floor. Back in with a knee charge, to the ground they go and kicks by Morishima. He kicks at the head of Danielson, who dives for a leg and is stopped. Boot by Morishima in the corner, and Danielson is tossed to the floor. They brawl and Danielson whipped to the barrier. Ass ram by Morishima connects. Danielson slammed to the other barricade. Rights by Danielson, and Morishima goes back to the attack of the head and eye. In the ring is Danielson, and then gets a suicide dive as Morishima celebrated. Back in they go, and Danielson gets a forearm strike. Another and then a kick and Morishima is down and Danielson covers for 2. Danielson tries a sunset flip, Morishima drops down and misses and Danielson with a basement dropkick and covers for 2. Danielson up top…in and Morishima catches him in a powerbomb, and Danielson with a triangle choke! Morishima gets the ropes…I HAVE TILL FIVE REF~! Surfboard try by Danielson, can’t and drives the knees to the mat. Bow and arrow connects and Morishima is getting stretched. Morishima rolls into a cover for 2. Forearms by Danielson, tries a roll up and Morishima sits down and crushed Danielson. Big boot by Morishima gets 2. Danielson now manages a sleeper and is on the back of Morishima. Morishima drops to his knees and then his side and the ref checks the arm. Morishima fights to his feet, backdrop driver countered and then a slam by Morishima. Morishima misses a boot, Danielson sets him up top and clubs away at him. Danielson up top as well…SUPERBACK SUPLEX~! Danielson covers for 2! MMA elbows by Danielson! Morishima is up, TIGER SUPLEX by Danielson gets a close two, and he rolls for a Cattle Mutilation and has it! Rolls and gets stomps on Morishima, triangle choke and elbows by Danielson gets 2, but Morishima powerbombs him down. Danielson fires up, they trade forearms and then Morishima KILLS him with a lariat for 2. Backdrop driver gets 2 as Danielson gets the ropes! Corner clothesline by Morishima, he rips off the eye patch of Danielson, but Danielson gets a small package for 2. BACKDROP DRIVER~! Relentless strikes to the eye by Morishima now, elbows and he light shim up and won’t stop and the ref stops the match.

Winner: Takeshi Morishima @ 12:55 via ref stoppage

Excellent match, showing that in the right circumstances that a ref stoppage can work; and this was it. They worked the story, they worked the eye, they worked the MMA stuff and it all worked in the end.
Rating: ****

Swerve Strickland

SC: AEW has become Swerve’s house over the past year or so. Swerve has been all over the world and then some, I remember my first exposure to Swerve came via Lucha Underground when he worked as Killshot. Larry saw him a bit before that thanks to his stint in EVOLVE. EVOLVE 21 saw Strickland take on a hot indy name at the time that became Kalisto. I have to lol at the part in Larry’s review where he notes Rey Mysterio falling apart, which we all noted at the time, but Rey is still out here doing stuff in 2024. Completely ridiculous.

USA vs. Mexico: Samuray Del Sol vs. Shane Strickland: I have noted several times the fact that I think Samuray Del Sol is a very good wrestler, and has shown that over the last year with EVOLVE and DUGSA. They did the big trying to one up each other into the stalemate beginning, which got the crowd liked and it got them into the match early. You watch this match and you can see why Del Sol was on WWE’s radar. He work is clean, he interacts with the crowd and he does a lot of fun, but not dangerous stuff. With Rey falling apart, Sin Cara being a bust and people not giving a shit about Del Rio; the signing of Del Sol was a no brainer as they continue to look for their next big Latino star. Del Sol scored the win with the rising sun (reverse RANA), evening the series at 1-1 in the USA vs. The World battle. This was a good showing for Strickland, but the finish made sense as Del Sol was going into a title match the following night. Remember, it’s not always the fact that you lost, but how you looked in the loss. Strickland is new and has no angle at this time, as long as he worked hard and put in a good performance, this crowd will be willing to accept him after a loss.

Match Rating: ***¾

Gunther

SC: For 666 days, we saw Der Ring General reign supreme as the Intercontinental Champion. As many of us know, this man had a lengthy career on the European indies and dominated them as easily as he’s dominated WWE after his arrival. I’m sure Larry reviewed something earlier, but this EVOLVE 90 review serves as a good introduction to Gunther and also includes a man that showed a lot of potential but has been quiet since I last saw him during pandemic-era ROH.

PROGRESS Atlas Championship: Champion WALTER vs. Fred Yehi: WALTER makes his EVOLVE debut and defends the PROGRESS Atlas Championship (the big lads belt) for the first time in the Baltimore area; he’s a great big lad and I had called for him to work EVOLVE this year, so I am glad to see it happening. Yehi has had a great year, but is still underrated by many who haven’t had the chance to really dig into his work. They work the power vs. speed battle early, with WALTER controlling with ease. WALTER plays monster until he misses an elbow drop, allowing Yehi to work stomps and a basement dropkick. Yehi picks apart the legs of WALTER, grounding him and finally putting some sustained offense together. WALTER gets pissed, fires up and drops Yehi with a big boot, sending him to the floor. The fight goes to the floor with WALTER laying in big time chops. Yehi goes back to the attack on the knee, stomps on WALTER’s hand on the steps but then gets slammed onto the apron. Back in the ring and every time Yehi tries to fire up, WALTER cuts him off with strikes or power moves. WALTER takes Yehi down again, and follows with a big lad senton and that gets 2. Yehi hits the up kicks to the chest, and finally stops the assault of WALTER and takes him down. WALTER is back up, works a sleeper and then transitions into a series of suplexes, which gets him a near fall. Yehi escapes the powerbomb, hits a standing double stomp and then another. Yehi then hits the dead lift German for a near fall. WALTER fights off the koji clutch, they trade chops and Yehi attacks the arm but WALTER kicks out the leg and hits the powerbomb and press for a near fall. WALTER back to the sleeper, Yehi fights but drops to a knee. Yehi fights back to his feet and slams WALTER to the corner and sets him up top. He follows, but WALTER head butts him; Yehi hits the up kicks as he hangs off the ropes and hits a huge superplex for a near fall. Yehi transitions into the koji clutch, but WALTER powers out and hits another powerbomb. The running boot and German follows. The lariat gets a near fall for WALTER. WALTER locks in the choke sleeper and Yehi is done. Champion WALTER defeated Fred Yehi @ 15:08 via submission [***¾] This was a very good match that thrived off of its simplicity. It was the resilience of Yehi trying to overcome the monster WALTER. The crowd was rough early but they did a good job of getting them invested by the end. This was a good EVOLVE debut for WALTER, who looked like a legit beast.

Kenny Omega

SC: Larry was all over the NJPW Era that made Kenny into The Best Bout Machine. I was sad to see that his Deep South Wrestling reviews came just after Kenny’s stint there, as that would have been great to include here. Instead, we’ll go with an appearance on ROH on HDNet against one of the top wrestlers of the 2000s that could have been a top star today if he got out of his own way, Austin Aries.

-Kenny Omega smacktalks. White meat babyface.

-Aries is next; he’s a cocky and condescending prick. That’s a good thing. Just remember, he’s not “A STAR” he’s “THE STAR.”

Austin Aries vs. Kenny Omega

The crowd thinks Aries is an asshole, that’s not polite. They also remind him that he tapped out last week. Lock up and Aries works the arm, reversal by Omega, but Aries take shim down and puts in some riding time, slaps Omega around and celebrates. Lock up again, headlock by Omega, off the ropes and a shoulder block by Omega. Japanese arm drags by Aries, into the arm bar, Omega to his feet, off the ropes and a shoulder block by Aries. Counters and an arm drag by Omega. A dropkick follows and Aries begs him off. Knee to the gut by Aries, Omega misses a kick but gets the reverse enziguri. A whip to the corner, reversal and Omega flips out, but Aries blocks a RANA try. They’ll lock up, to the corner and chops by Aries. Omega fires back with chops of his own, a whip and a back elbow to Aries connects. PALM STRIKE and Aries flies to the floor. Omega backs off, charges and to the ropes, but Aries pulls him to the floor. That had to suck. Aries lays him on the apron and gets the charging knee strike. Off the ropes and a back elbow by Aries gets 2. Snap mare by Aries and into the Vulcan neck pinch. SHADES OF SPOCK! Omega battles to his feet, escapes and eats a gut buster into the STO. Pendulum elbow by Aries and a cover gets 2. Aries rakes Omega across the ropes, clubbing shots to the back follow and then knees to the back. Aries now works a version of the stump puller, releases and looks for the brain buster, Omega blocks it, rights by Omega and gets a back spin kick to the gut of Aries. Enziguri connects for Omega. Double ax smash by Omega. Polish hammers! A backdrop follows. Roll up and only 2. Another and 2 again! Counter and a leaping fameasser of sorts to a standing Aries by Omega gets 2. Electric chair countered by Aries, he misses the corner charge and gets tossed to the floor. Omega charges, to the ropes and gets the MOONSAULT to the floor! Back to the ring we go, Omega covers for 2. Aries clutches the ropes, boots by Omega, picks up Aries, electric chair countered as Aries grabs the ropes. Chops by Omega, knee strikes follow, electric chair… Aries rakes the eyes, escapes, tosses Omega to the post and the gets the charging corner dropkick! SICK kick to the head by Aries! BRAINBUSTA kills Omega and that is all.

Winner: Austin Aries @ 11:00 via pin

CM Punk

SC: I mentioned earlier how Larry wasn’t reviewing those mid-2000s ROH shows…that also means we missed out on some CM Punk match reviews. We also missed out on some IWA Mid-South reviews since that territory peaked a bit before Larry got the green light to review everything he possibly could. Had Larry come along to 411 5 years earlier, he would have reviewed all of Punk’s early career.

Larry had been reviewing TNA for quite some time prior to his hiring by 411, and I wouldn’t be shocked if he reviewed some Punk during that time period. Since I can’t find that, we’re stuck with his ECW on SciFi report from Punk’s debut on that show.

CM Punk vs. Justin Credible

Chants for Punk as the match begins. Lock up and a go behind and reversals. Trip by Punk, front facelock now. Rolls into a pinning try for 2 by Punk. Front facelock, Credible rams him to the corner. Credible charges, and Punk gets a wacky variation of the Tarantula. Punk up top and Credible tosses him off and covers for 2. Credible works the back now, Suplex countered, kicks by Punk. Off the ropes and a suplex by Credible, rolls to a 2nd and the 3rd is a northern lights for 2. Chops by Credible, whip and the rolling crab by Credible…SHADES OF LANCE STORM! Punk fights, rolls through and Credible back on the attack. Back elbow by Punk, kicks and to the apron…springboard clothesline gets 2. Knees by Punk, whip to the corner and a running knee of doom. Bulldog by Punk, slaps and kicks…Uranage into the choke/arm bar deal, Anaconda Vice? Anyway that is all for Credible.

Winner: CM Punk @ 4:30 via Submission

Punk almost looks like he is going to cry after the match.

The Young Bucks

SC: I feel like Jim Cornette is going to ream me a new asshole for putting the Bucks on so late in this show and killing the rating. I apologize, they came to my thoughts later than most did. In all seriousness, Nicholas & Matthew have been a big part of the news in the last few years, and Larry saw them work their way through the ranks. He saw them when they were Max & Jeremy Buck in TNA, facing folks like the Motor City Machine Guns at Destination X 2010.

Ultimate X Match (For A Shot At The TNA Tag Team Titles): The Motor City Machine Guns (Sabin and Shelley) vs. Generation Me (Max and Jeremy)

The big red X is hanging, which is what they will go for instead of a contract. Say a prayer that it doesn’t fall. Generation Me is back to their 1997 Hardy Boyz tights.

The Guns try to climb early, but that fails. Quick combos and Gen Me gets the advantage. Slick double team moves by Gen Me, they work to climb, Sabin stops them, Shelley trips up Max, and Sabin kills Jeremy with a kick. Double teams by the Guns now, Camel Cutch dropkick follows and now Shelley with the Indian Deathlock on Jeremy, max in and Shelley gets a abdominal stretch along with the deathlock as Sabin tries to climb. Sabin stopped, ands then they get a springboard DOOMSDAY Cross Body onto Max! Jeremy in the ring, climbs now, Sabin pulls him down ands choke shim out in the corner. Shelley in, they try to double team him, but Jeremy with the lucha arm drag stops that. Up top as Jeremy climbs, but the Guns pull him down, round kicks follow ad the Guns remain in control. They strategize, toss Jeremy to the corner, and work him over. As they continue to work him over, Max flies in with a duel missile dropkick. The Guns to the floor, SUICIDE DIVE by Jeremy onto the Guns! Max looks to climb for the X now, he starts to cross, Sabin misses the dropkick, but Shelley pulls him off. SPEAR by max, double team splashes by Gen Me! Sabin them kicks Max’s face off, SICK X-Factor by Jeremy, and an Asai moonsault to the floor onto Shelley! Everyone is down, working to their feet, Jeremy climbs and shimmies himself across. Max and Sabin in, kicks by Sabin, jumps off of the back of max and SPEARS Jeremy off of the cables! Max works to his feet, looks to climb now and Sabin runs, leaps to the corner and gets tossed off. Max climbs, Shelley on the shoulders of Sabin, and into a TORNADO DDT! Sabin KILLS Jeremy with a clothesline, but Max gets the wheelbarrow and everyone is down again! They all go to corners and work to climb the cables. Max across first, Shelley across now and Jeremy works his way over. They work into the middle and Sabin is there now. Shelley and Max to the mat, everyone down to the mat and a SUPERKICK BUFFET by Gen Me! SICK corner powerbomb onto Shelley, Dive onto Sabin! They get Shelley, the Guns stop More Bang for your Buck, and a belly to belly by Shelly sends Jeremy into Max, who is in the tree of woe! Sabin and Shelley set Max on top, DOOMSDAY SLICED BREAD #2~! Sabin climbs the cables, Jeremy is up as well, they get to the center, Jeremy is kicked off and Sabin gets the X!

OFFICIAL RESULT: The Motor City Machineguns @ 12:00
Rating: ***¾

SC: Thank you for reading, and thank you for sticking with 411mania.com. I will never claim to be half the writer Larry Csonka was, and obviously I don’t have a sixteenth of the time Larry did to review all of the wrestling for you good people. Fortunately, folks like Tony Acero, Thomas Hall, Kevin Pantoja, Jeremy Thomas & others do the best they can to fill that void and keep 411mania alive longer than anybody thought it would be. I can’t say enough good things about the job those folks do. I know other sites get more attention & clicks, but 411 has kept on keeping on, and been independent of influence from major promotions, which is goshdarn impressive in this day & age where everyone is getting influenced and co-opted.

Most importantly…thank you, Larry.