wrestling / Video Reviews
Views from the Hawke’s Nest: WrestleReunion Los Angeles 2012
Loading...January 28, 2012
Los Angeles, California
Commentators: Excalibur & Marty DeRosa
Mick Foley and Mike Tyson came out to start the show. Foley is apparently going to be the special guest referee for the Steiners and the New Age Outlaws. Foley wants Tyson to help him out by not letting him get physically involved in that match. I could not understand a single word that Mike Tyson said. I believe he mentioned “Superstar” Billy Graham a few times though.
Arik Royal vs. Adam Page
Page hit his shooting star off the apron early on. Vader’s music then hit, and he came out. He took out Page first, and that caused the DQ officially. Royal ate it next. Page foolishly went to German Vader. Vader punched him repeatedly for his insolence. Royal made the save. Vader gave them some offense and then made his comeback. What an odd segment. He gave Page a World’s Strongest Slam and a Vader Bomb. Vader took off his mask and destroyed them some more. This should have been much shorter, but the crowd seemed okay with it. From what I understand, this went on even longer live.
The Steiners (Scott & Rick Steiner) vs. New Age Outlaws (Billy Gunn & “Road Dogg” Jesse James)
Mick Foley is the special guest referee. Steiner called everyone, “faggots.” I guess he was trying to get that REAL heat or something. Sigh. Rick looks like someone trying to get cast as an extra on Sons of Anarchy, which is the meanest thing I can say about another human being. The match was absolutely awful. A running gag of the show was that Foley was scared of Scott. When Gunn hit Scott with the FameAsser, Foley made a fast count to get out of harm’s way.
Just awful.
Match Rating: DUD
Fit Finlay vs. Colt Cabana [World of Sport Rules]
They didn’t work this in a Johnny Saint-like manner. Finlay basically just worked like he usually does, and Colt was a little bit more serious than usual. Round 1 ended with Colt applying a headlock. Colt held on after the bell rang. Mind games!
Finlay came out with some more fire to start the second round. Finlay was progressively getting more and more physical. Finlay went after the left arm. He had a hammerlock, as the round ended.
Finlay pounced on the left arm to kick off the final round. Colt fought back a little, but Finlay was in complete control. Colt finally made a big comeback. Finlay sent the injured arm into the post and then hit the Celtic Cross: 1…2…3
This was solid enough. Finlay’s arm work paying off was definitely appreciated. I was entertained a decent amount all the way through, but the tone of the match felt like it was shifting every two minutes. Finlay basically decided to work a Finlay match, and Colt couldn’t decide how serious he wanted to play it. I expected a bit more from this one.
Match Rating: **3/4
The 7OH!4 (Cedric Alexander & Caleb Konley) vs. The Unholly Alliance (Mikey Whipwreck & Tajiri)
Mikey’s pants fell down early on, but he covered for it fairly well all things considered. Mikey and Tajiri were in control early on. Mikey hit a pescado. Right after that, Mikey got cut off and then worked over. Mikey eventually caught Cedric with a superkick. The teams started going back and forth soon enough. Mikey hit a beautiful snap hurricanrana on Cedric. Caleb ate the mist, and then the Whippersnapper: 1…2…3!
This match really over-delivered. Mikey Whipwreck was the clear highlight of the match, as he seemed determined to put on the best performance possible. Caleb and Cedric were game for making the ECW favorites look as good as possible, and their efforts should be noted.
Match Rating: ***
Mascarita Dorada vs. Demus 3:16
This could be insane. Dorada arguably stole the show the next day at PWG.
Dorada hit an early tope suicida. Dorada ran through Demus a bit in the ring until Demus blocked a splash. Demus then worked him over for a while. Dorada started to come back and hit the greatest tilt-a-whirl headscissors ever. He followed it up with a diving hurricanrana. Back in the ring, Dorada hit a satellite small package: 1…2…3!!!
Mascarita Dorada made only a handful of US indie appearances before getting signed by the WWE, but he was always fantastic in those matches. This was yet another example. He may be the most underutilized talent in the WWE.
Match Rating: ***3/4
Kevin Steen vs. Tommy Dreamer
They ended up in the crowd after a while. It was not the most scintillating match in the world. I really never need to see Dreamer work ever again. Steen dropped him on a table that did not break. They eventually started using plunder. Steen got the advantage and worked Dreamer over for a bit. Dreamer made a comeback after hitting a superplex. Dreamer brought a guardrail into play. Dreamer used Thor’s hammer to hit the ringbell on Steen’s chest. 10 points to Excalibur for actually knowing how to pronounce the name of the hammer. I sure as hell can’t. Steen came back with a swanton with Dreamer on the guardrail: 1…2…3
Raven showed up at the end to attack both of them.
The crowd liked this a fair amount, and they worked relatively hard. It’s just nearly impossible to make me care about a Tommy Dreamer match. That AJ/Dreamer I Quit match was quite the miracle now that i think of it.
Match Rating: **1/2
The event organizer (maybe?) introduced a lot of the veterans not competing on the show. Sunny came to the ring. Can’t imagine how much she charges to show up in person considering her Skype prices in 2015. Kevin Von Erich came out for a pop. He would later be TNA’s biggest draw in 2014.
Roderick Strong vs. Jake Manning
My friends who were at the show really buried this match. Can’t wait!
They started out on the mat. Manning got control and worked Roddy over for a bit. They are not playing this for laughs at all. They did a pinning combination sequence. They are working very hard in this match, but it’s not really over. They started going back and forth. Roddy eventually connected on the Sick Kick: 1…2…3
They worked really hard, and it was basically a showcase for how mechanically sound the Manscout is. Unfortunately, the match was really lacking in emotion and crowd connection. I’d be curious to watch more Manscout matches based on his performance here, but he needs to find a way to get a reaction when he’s being serious.
Match Rating: **1/4
Harry Smith vs. Davey Richards
Heard good things about this one. These guys would actually go on to tag together the next night at PWG.
Davey was mostly in control on the mat early on. Harry came back and got control. Davey came back with a PK from the apron and then a tope suicida. Davey then worked over Harry again. He went after the left leg. Harry started to come back, but Davey got a dragon screw on the injured leg. Harry managed to hit a superplex though. They started trading strikes. Davey kicked out of a superkick and a folding powerbomb. Davey came back with a single leg, a PK, and then a double stomp: 1…2…NO! Buzzsaw kick: 1…2…NO! Ankle lock on the injured leg! Harry came back with a rolling cross armbreaker on the arm he sort of targeted early. Davey reversed it into an ankle lock. They traded ankle locks. Davey got a sharpshooter somehow. Harry reversed it into one of his own. Davey walked into a giant knee from Harry: 1…2…NO! Harry sat down in a pin, channeling his father at Summerslam 1992, but Davey reversed the leverage: 1…2…3
Davey then did a Davey promo. He referred to WWE as “up North” without irony.
This match was weird to me personally because I was more interested in the first two thirds of the match and found the last third of the match a tad over the top/obnoxious (the submission trades felt very trite). However, the crowd was fairly quiet for the first two thirds of the match, but they came alive during the portion of the match that I didn’t care for. Oh well. A very strong effort if nothing else.
Match Rating: ***1/4
Great Sasuke & El Generico vs. The Young Bucks (Nick & Matt Jackson)
Excalibur was marking out on commentary for Sasuke. Generico wore a special mask for this mask. It was half-Generico and half-Sasuke.
The teams traded control early on. The Bucks eventually cut off Generico and worked him over. This went on for a while. Generico eventually gave Matt a buckle exploder. Sasuke then made a hot tag. Sasuke and Generico hit dives. Sasuke called for the Ram Jam. I hope he doesn’t die after he makes the leap. Matt avoided it and then gave him a superkick to the taint. The teams went back and forth. Generico avoided MBFYB, but he could not avoid the tandem tombstone. Sasuke had to make the save. Sasuke took out Matt with a crazy senton to the floor. Generico then hit Nick with a senton for a nearfall. Nick then ate the turnbuckle brainbuster: 1…2…3!!!
This would have come across much better in Reseda, but the it was still quite fun despite the less than spectacular environment they had to work in. Sasuke looked to be in great shape still, and he worked very hard.
Match Rating: ***1/2
Wrestle Royal
Bradley Ray Schreck vs. Brutus Beefcake vs. Carlos Colon vs. Dan Severn vs. Gangrel vs. Greg Valentine vs. Jesse Hernandez vs. Jimmy Hart vs. Kevin Sullivan vs. Konnan vs. Lanny Poffo vs. Mando Guerrero vs. Matt Classic vs. Piloto Suicida vs. Raven vs. Robbie E vs. Rock Riddle vs. The Godfather vs. Tommy Dreamer vs. Virgil
It was a Royal Rumble match. I’m not going to go into the specifics of the match. The crowd was very into it and clearly cared more about the legends/nostalgia acts than the last three matches. The highlight was Excalibur saying Under Armor was the official sponsor of the match. The fan who won a contest to be in the match got his hair cut by Brutus Beefcake. When Raven came out, Kevin Steen attacked him. That allowed Dreamer to easily eliminate him. Dreamer eliminated himself to beat up Raven some more. Raven loves getting paid to not work hard. It came down to The Godfather and Beefcake. Godfather won.
This was a case of a promotion and a group of wrestlers giving the fans exactly what they wanted. It was light and easy to watch.
Match Rating: ***
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