#1MansOpinion- PWX Superkick World
Concord, North Carolina
Jer Polk (@The1andonlyJer )PWX returned to Cabarrus Arena in Concord, North Carolina and received a very warm reception. Over 400 fans packed the venue to see the return of worldwide stars The Young Bucks, Roderick Strong & Tommaso Ciampa along with a core roster that never fails to impress. A staggering 79% of the crowd were witnessing PWX Wrestling live for their very first time and if I were a betting man I’d say it’s the first of many for those individuals. On July 12th the multi-show stealing Best of 5 series came to a brutally fitting end, an elite tag team began a new singles journey and ran headfirst into a Moose & a THOROUGHBRED, while four other teams battled for supremacy with another duo of former champions making a surprise appearance to further escalate the intensity. The Champion of Pro Wrestling Guerillla went 1 on 1 with arguably the most dominant wrestler in PWX history in a hard hitting back and forth match and The Queen of the Carolinas laid waste to two more opponents and made a mortal enemy in the process and finally the most successful PWX champion ever made defied authority and may have raged against the machine a little too much. As usual PWX packed as much action into their show moreso than many elite promotions around the country could dare boast about. Superkick World was a huge success and we are left with plenty more to come from Premiere Wrestling Xperience but let’s take a closer look at the events from this fantastic event.
PWX ITV Title Match
Moose (c) def Ethan Case w/ Elijah Evans IV
The journey begins for the very successful and popular former PWX tag team champions Worst Case Scenario who have decided to pursue the singles ranks. The first big roadblock in their voyage came in the form of ROH superstar, former NFL superstar and new innovative television champion MOOSE! Elijah Evans IV accompanied Ethan Case to the ring but Case launched his attack (literally) with a suicide dive as the champion made his entrance. The more experienced half of WCS in 1 on 1 matchups tried to stay on Moose with kicks and strikes and managed some effective offense even before the bell rang to start the ten minute bout. Eventually the ROH top contender’s brute force presented problems, as Moose created enough space to unleash his brute strength offense hitting a tremendous jumping corner dropkick as the challenger was now in the defensive position absorbing the heavy blows of the ITV champion. Evans at ringside slapped the canvas and rallied his former partner and Case used the speed advantage and some dynamic offense to keep himself in the match. As the time ticked down and Case built up steam it was all halted with a booming spear and Moose retained in his first title defense. Post match Moose got on the mic and acknowledged he doesn’t usually do so but wanted to thank Worst Case Scenario for the impact they had on him being where he is today, as all three men shook hands.
#1MansOpinion: Add another excellent matchup to the history of the PWX Innovative Television Title division, a belt in the past by names like Cedric Alexander, Mr. Elite Drew Myers, Lance Lude, & Billy Brash it’s now Moose’s turn to face the onslaught of ten minute challenges from the best in the business. Ethan Case is perfectly suited for this type of his match as he can and did ramp his high energy sports entertaining as evidenced by the beautiful and daring suicide dive to kick off the match. It’s hard to be surprised by an athlete who has the chops to have once played in the National Football League but Moose accomplishes that with agility and a leaping ability that is astounding. You’d be hard pressed to find a more charismatic showman that the man on a “quest for contracts” Ethan Case who appears to have a great solo career ahead of him. Moose undeniably has the potential to be the longest reigning ITV champion in the title’s history and combating his perfect combination of size, power, and agility will be a task for any future challenger.
Anthony Henry w/ Amber Young def Tommaso Ciampa
Tommaso Ciampa made his return to PWX next and received a huge ovation while his opponent, a very changed man Anthony Henry strolled to the ring alongside the main reason for that transformation Amber Young. The problems between Henry & Young are well documented but the devious duo have again seemed to find their raucous rhythm still this would be another in a long, grueling test for Anthony Henry. As well known as the history between Henry and Young are the wreckless tendencies of The Sicilian Pyschopath Tommaso Ciampa, it didn’t take long for the fast and hectic pace expected to kick in and these two crazy men kept it there for the duration of the match. Ciampa controlled the early going delivering thunderous chops to Henry as the action spilled onto the floor, where Amber made the careless decision to try and stop the brutality against her man. Ciampa nearly made her pay dearly but Henry took advantage of the distraction to turn the tide of the match. It was Anthony Henry now delivering kicks and strikes, choking his opponent much to the delight of Amber Young. Their is no quit in crazy however as Ciampa fought back and the two exchanged strikes until Ciampa went for an “air raid crash” Henry slipped out and went to the top getting caught again but blocked a second air raid crash from the middle rope. Ciampa was frustrated and looking to end it so again he battled back hitting “Project Ciampa” but just as the referee went to count three it was Amber Young again inserting herself and saving the matchup by draping Henry’s leg across the bottom rope. Ciampa had seen enough and grabbed Young threatening to hit her with his devastating finisher but Henry caught him with a kick and an inverted implant DDT to pick up a big victory spoiling the return of Tommaso Ciampa.
#1MansOpinion: I’m going to start with what may be an unpopular opinion but as of this match I have yet to connect with “The Sicilian Pyschopath” I see the intensity, brutality and skill so it’s no slight is intended to the man or his commitment to his craft perhaps the old adage “to each his own” applies here. Anthony Henry has had more going on than perhaps any other star of PWX in the last year and a half a blood feud with John Skyler, relationship issues, and huge opportunities where he came up a bit short. The man once known as The 5 Star King has grown from each of those experiences and put on some attention grabbing performances. Putting all of these things aside Tommaso Ciampa and Anthony Henry left it all in the ring at Cabarrus Arena with a hard hitting, brutal back and forth battle that ramped up the intensity of the whole card to another level. Henry’s conditioning is second to none and serves him very well in the tough tests PWX is presenting him with, Say what you will about Ciampa (and I have) but the guy can inflict punishment of the highest degree while Henry proved he can withstand it and more importantly OVERCOME with offensive arsenal of high flying, strikes and innovative maneuvers I think it’s safe to say Anthony Henry is at his most dangerous and successful level right now. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the impact of Amber Young on the change of her man as this young lady’s importance, poise, and unique talents at ringside cannot be understated. The Psychopath from Sicily won me over a bit even in a losing effort and I am glad I get to see more of Ciampa for myself as he’ll return to PWX in August, perhaps with revenge against PWX’s Lethal Lovers on his mind.
The “THOROUGHBRED” Jaxson James def Elijah Evans IV w/ Ethan Case
Round two for the singles voyage of Worst Case Scenario in PWX. Elijah Evans IV much like his partner earlier in the night was given a tall task (literally and figuratively) in Jaxson James. Evans as you may know is tall with long limbs as well so this would be an interesting battle between two of PWX’s more towering athletes. Evans eased into this match much moreso than partner Ethan Case earlier in the night and it seemed James was looking to exploit that and ramp up the intensity early on, Evans responded and the two went back and forth but The THOROUGHBRED had more brutality and intensity and took over control of the match with a beautiful dropkick. James used his fists to prove most of his point and had the tag team specialist on the ropes and looked to finish it with “Satiety” (the pump handle finisher he’s won many matches with. It was Evans who had a surprise for his opponent and the fans in attendance. After slipping out and hitting a scissors kick, EEIV donned his best bandana (Daniel LaRusso) style and displayed some karate! That however wasn’t the last surprise of the match as moments later Jaxson James grabbed a handful of tights on a rollup (hiding it from the referee brilliantly) to get the win and leave WCS winless for the night.
#1MansOpinion: Two of PWX’s most towering talents had a big mountain to climb in the third match of the evening, one of the more unique on the card. The crowd admittedly seemed a little spent from the previous encounter and overall hot start of the show. Add to that the unfamiliar “scenario” of it being Elijah Evans IV’s first singles matchup and the mixed reaction to his opponent Jaxson James who is still trying to establish his identity within PWX and this match was not without it’s problems. Talent was NOT an issue as both men have proven themselves time and time again, and have athleticism to do big things. The fans enjoyed Evans feel good persona especially his “Karate Kid” routine complete with bandana, crane kick pose and martial arts display that went over very well. The THOROUGHBRED surprised many using a handful of tights to pick up the win, so surprising in fact that I think a lot of the already spent crowd may have missed the act altogether. Both did a fine job with the time they were given yet suffered from the placement of the match. If given the right opportunities in the future I have no doubt the two can prove themselves even further within PWX and beyond.
Best of 5- Match # 5- Last Man Standing
“The Black Cloud” Joe Black def “Do or Die” Chip Day to win the series & become # 1 contender to the PWX Heavyweight Championship
For the last 6 months no two members of the PWX roster have done battle the way Chip Day and Joe Black have. Beginning with their battles against the ITV champion, onto a 1 on 1 grudge match in February off of which PWX management made the decision to initiate the best of 5 between two of their most popular, hungry members and it all culminated in Concord at Superkick World. The last man standing stipulation and having to incapacitate your opponent for a 10 count guaranteed this one was going to get ugly and it did QUICK! The action spilled out of the ring and around the venue with strikes being dealt and heads being ran into concrete walls! When the action returned to the ring a table was introduced into the mix as The Black Cloud suplexed Chip Day onto it the referee only reached 6 before Day got do his feet and the war raged on. As it did Cedric Alexander strolled to ringside to check out the match even sitting front row for awhile but the former PWX champion stood at ringside to get an even closer look. Inside the war continued as it was very evident neither man wanted to come this far and not earn that final, ultimate victory. Day utilized his lightning quick, brutal strikes while Black relied heavily on devastating, backbreaking suplexes yet neither man would relent to the ten count and got up when no mere mortal would. In the end it was Joe Black following many, many suplexes prevailing in the phenomenal best of 5 series and earning a shot at PWX champion “The Southern Savior” John Skyler. Following the match Cedric Alexander approached a battered, apprehensive but still standing Chip Day shook his hand and whispered something which Day seemed confounded by. That story is developing but enough respect and congratulations cannot be given to these two warriors on an epic series for the ages.
#1MansOpinion: As expected there were many mixed emotions in this one exhilaration of the “sudden death” situation after a six month battle, wonder over the brutality the two men put themselves through and some disappointment that the war was coming to an end. I doubt I can express proper words to summarize this epic best of 5 but I’ll certainly do my best. Chip Day and Joe Black have fought and clawed for EVERYTHING they’ve gotten in the business and that battle continues for each warrior. To go out month after month and top what looked to be impossible to top is something that must be met with the highest regard. On this final match of the series the back and forth war of attrition that “The Black Cloud” and “Do or Die” pulled off left no other option, no matter the outcome than to make everyone watching look at them differently. Quite simply, Joe Black and Chip Day produced the best series of matches since Cedric Alexander’s Dream Series if you haven’t seen the matches seek them out it was an absolute pleasure to witness.
PWX Tag Team Titles Match
The Bravado Brothers (c) fought to a no contest with Trevor Lee & Andrew Everett
“Dem North Carolina Boys” returned to PWX following a brief run as the top team in PWG and were met with a tough task in perhaps the most dominant tag team in the Carolinas right now Harlem and Lancelot The Bravado Brothers. The Bravados were coming off their biggest win in PWX defeating Country Jacked less than a month earlier. Lee & Everett are no strangers to taking on elite tag teams and competing in big matches but it was the “home team” champs taking control of the match early on and frustrating the challengers with quick tags, their innovative tag team offense and a lot of momentum. The match broke down into a brawl and it was “The Carolina Caveman” Trevor Lee hitting a running punt to neutralize the tag champions and give the challengers the advantage. The “Apex of Agility” Andrew Everett employed his high octane brand of offense to maintain control of the match and nearly win he & Lee more tag gold but The Bravados are one of the more cohesive and experienced teams in the area and battled back isolating Everett in their corner and turned the tide yet again but the champions could not keep Everett down to retain the titles. Finally, Everett made the tag to a fresh Trevor Lee who took on both tag champions while his partner took a breather. Again Lee nearly made the reign of The Bravados a short one but the former champions Adam Page and Corey Hollis Country Jacked stormed the ring with bull ropes attacking the champions and tying Lancelot Bravado to the ring post. Page and Hollis bound Harlem in the middle of the ring, Hollis grabbed a mic addressing the incapacitated Bravados directly saying they “took” something from Country Jacked last month now they’re gonna take something from them and Page cut the goatee of Harlem with a Bowie knife!! Following the assault Country Jacked fled with the tag team titles and The Bravados were freed and understandably enraged. Before leaving the ring, Harlem used a few choice words to describe the former champions and said if they wanted a match all they had to was ask, but it’ll be on The Bravados terms in a STREET FIGHT!
#1MansOpinion: Amongst high profile names like The Young Bucks and The Addiction there is perhaps no more underrated tag team than Harlem & Lancelot The Bravado Brothers. The brothers have certainly been dominating in PWX leading up to just recently where they reached the pinnacle and gained the tag team titles. Grandma Bravado’s favorites bring a globe trotting resume with some of the most crisp, innovative tag team offense that is often overlooked but the gentlemen from Draper, NC are looking to change that. Conversely their opponents are just getting started and already building a reputation for being one of the most exciting, promising new tag teams in the world of professional wrestling. Trevor Lee & Andrew Everett provided an excellent mixture of high risk, high impact offense in this one to really give the champions a challenge and with a set of tag titles already to their credit once again proved that they are ready for any high profile matchup that comes their way.
Roderick Strong def Cedric Alexander
No strangers to one another both being a part of Ring of Honor Roderick Strong and Cedric Alexander added another exciting chapter to their history on July 12th. Alexander claims to be best in the world and certainly is one of the most decorated and successful in PWX history, once consider a “torch carrier” for the company Alexander has a new attitude that only makes him more dangerous. It had been quite some time since the man known as “Mr. ROH” and the current PWG champion Roderick Strong competed in a PWX ring, this was an instant classic in the making and didn’t disappoint. Alexander was very confident beginning the match screaming at Strong “You’re nowhere near as good as me!” Strong responded with vicious knife edge chops and the two brawled around the outside of the ring. Once they got established back in the ring a steady game of one upsmanship began with Cedric hitting precise, torpedo like kicks as Roddy responded by focusing on the back of Alexander and looking to hit the “sick kick” but Cedric had ideas of his own to hit the concussion on delivery (C.O.D.) and the battle resulted in more back and forth with neither being able to put the other away as this phenomenal match continued. That is until Strong hit the “Strong Breaker” and nearly ended it, but despite the referee counting three, Alexander did just kick out prior. This gave Cedric a last chance to hit the lumbar check but this time it was Strong kicking out at the last second and just a moment later Roddy connected with the sick kick and delivered a second Strong Breaker to pick up a big win in his return to PWX. Following the match with fans on their feet applauding the efforts of both men Strong offered a handshake which Alexander accepted as a little piece of the “code of honor” was displayed in Concord.
#1MansOpinion: It was a successful return to the Carolinas for the newly formed Mount Rushmore 2.0 and it all began with PWG champion Roderick Strong getting a big win over one of PWX’s biggest talents. As I said above this was another great chapter between two of Indy Wrestling’s best as Cedric Alexander never fails to put on a memorable match in PWX and he and Roddy went back and forth with brutal kicks, back breaking suplexes bringing the style and competition of ROH & PWG to the premiere promotion in the Carolinas. As expected “Mr. ROH” and “Kick 2 Kill” put on a show that could headline any show around the world.
Tessa Blachard def Kiera Hogan & Priscilla Kelly in a Triple Threat match
“Queen of the Carolinas” Tessa Blanchard has been devouring her opponents in PWX for over a year now and has an undefeated record to show for it. At SuperKick World the challenge would be intensified as Tessa had not one but two opponents to deal with. Those ladies were Kiera Hogan & Priscilla Kelly who are both parts of Atlanta Wrestling Entertainment and making their in ring debuts for PWX. Hogan has announced in the past but this was our first time seeing her in action. Of course Tessa never misses a chance to tell everyone just how great she is and upon her arrival to the ring she did just that, listing the talented women she’s beaten and belittling the two opponents she had in front of her. The bell rang and Kelly & Hogan tried to work together against their common enemy. The duo got some offense in but once again Tessa was unstoppable just as she said she’d be and made short work of Hogan & Kelly. Seconds after her match Tessa bragged that there is no one who can beat her, she then called Cedric Alexander’s wife (Kris Kelly) out and Kelly hit the ring and took over! Kelly said she’s listened to the bragging long enough, she’s much more than “Cedric’s wife” and warned Tessa to be careful what you wish for. The two new rivals got nose and an unofficial match was made for August 16 when PWX returns to Hickory.
#1MansOpinion: The Queen of the Carolinas has had her share of tough challenges in PWX passing everyone with flying colors. No disrespect intended but the less experienced young ladies of Atlanta Wrestling Entertainment were outmatched pretty heavily in this one as Tessa notched another quick win to remain unbeaten. The story of this match was the combustible situation afterwards between Tessa and the wife of Cedric Alexander (Aerial Monroe/Kris Kelly) Blanchard has been seeking the best competition and she may have found her answer in the young, fiery wife of Cedric Alexander. Their is a lot of potential in the feud between these two and I look forward to seeing how it plays out.
The Young Bucks def The Revolt
Before Sunday it had been about four months since the best tag team in the world debuted in PWX. On that night in February, Nick and Matt Jackson did battle with three of the best tag teams in PWX history. The debut was highly successful at the gimmick table, with the fans,in every aspect except winning their match. A lot has changed in those months, the presence of Caleb Konley & Zane Riley The Revolt has strengthened considerably in their mission to rid PWX of evil and give the company back to the fans and athletes who helped build it. The team has also been very successful inside the ring in that time while it’s well documented that the current IWGP Jr. & PWG Tag Team Champions are no strangers to wins either so this main event was indeed a blockbuster. The capacity crowd in Concord was pretty split and it was as hard to ignore the abundance of Young Bucks memorabilia & t-shirts as it was the supporters for Zane and Caleb. The very talented former PWX champion, Konley held his own early on amongst the high energy offense of the brothers Jackson and Zane hit a big dive to the outside as both members of The Revolt kept in lock step with their opponents. Riley tagged in and out but it was the speedier Konley who battled the Bucks to the mid way point where Nick and Matt turned the ride with their unique, trademark offense which as you may know included lots of super kicks!! Riley eventually got the tag and hit his trademark cannonball followed by a middle rope “Belushi Driver” for a near fall. Moments later Konley hit cradle shock again nearly dropping The Bucks to 0-2 in PWX competition. A winless record in any promotion for a team of that caliber is a tough task and The decorated champions stopped Zane with a double Superkick as he went for a corner splash, then pulled off their coupe de grace the “Meltzer Driver” on Konley to get the victory and ensure their second (and certainly not last) trip to North Carolina was successful all the way around. No sooner than the three had been counted chants of “Losers!” began over the sound system and they were coming from Sr. Vice President of Talent Relations The Tommy Thomas. The tried and true company man strolled to the ring still goading Caleb and Zane with jeers but as he went to get in the ring The Young Bucks accomplished a rare feat reloading and hitting him with a head shaking, spectacle breaking double Superkick to shut the loud mouth of the smarmy “yes man”. Thomas laid motionless but the double Superkick did not spell the end for him, Konley grabbed the napping corporate stooge and went to deliver the rope assisted pile driver (made famous by The Revolt’s pal Jake Manning) but PWX owner Brian Kanabroski hit the ring and warned his former champion he’d be suspended if he followed through. Konley is at the forefront of a movement called The Revolt afterall so he not so politely took his boss’ warning and promptly planted Thomas headfirst into the mat to end the show.
#1MansOpinion: What does PWX do for an encore? Following heated championship matches, a back and forth battle between two of the best in the world and two absolute wars that left the live crowd spent, they put on a tag team main event worth of headlining any internet ppv across the US. The Young Bucks were just as exciting, and dynamic in this matchup as they are week in and week out all across the world. It was Caleb Konley (who has battled the brothers a few times) and Zane Riley who really impressed even in a losing effort. Konley continues to prove that he is one of the best unsigned talents in professional wrestling and Riley who is always entertaining is breaking out of the “comedic bubble” and showing he can hang in with the best of the best.
#1MansFINALOpinion: I can’t stress enough that Concord is the place to be for PWX as SuperKick World was a success in every sense of the word. 79% of the crowd were new to the product and they were treated to outstanding performances and tremendous excitement throughout the night that is guaranteed to make the majority of those fans eager to experience PWX live again as soon as possible. The rise of Joe Black has been very exciting to witness as he & Chip Day have done something truly special. In spite of a changing landscape guys like Caleb Konley and Cedric Alexander continue to turn out phenomenal performances while Anthony Henry, Ethan Case, and Jaxson James look to follow them in carving out their place amongst the promotion. Noticeably missing in the evolving promotion are formerly integral and in some cases wildly popular stars like two time ITV champion Billy Brash, Mr. Elite Drew Myers, Mason Maddox, and the injured Lance Lude to name a few and even in an action packed, top notch show you can’t help but miss their presence and a little of the “old school” PWX feel. The fact remains that Premiere Wrestling Xperience continues to shine amongst the top indies in the country as well as be a desirable destination that many of the top stars in the sport want to share the spotlight in. I’ve been a staunch advocate of the promotion for many years and still highly recommend it to anyone looking for the best shows in pro wrestling.
PWX returns to Hickory with ‘Too Close for Comfort’ an exclusive, limited seating event on August 16th at Main Cellar City Club and plenty of questions are yet to be answered. What is the future of The Revolt if Caleb Konley is indeed suspended? Can Joe Black parlay his best of 5 series win into the biggest win of his career and become PWX Heavyweight Champion? Has Tessa Blanchard finally bitten off more than she can chew? Where do the dastardly duo of Anthony Henry and Amber Young take their new cutthroat attitude? Two debuts and one return have already been announced for the next big event with the exotic, unusual ROH star Dalton Castle, former WWE superstar and current ROH standout Matt Sydal, and the retirement tour of Chuck Taylor passes through Hickory and PWX for maybe the last time, all are set to take part in this huge upcoming event. Keep your eyes on the official PWX website, follow me @The1andonlyJer and them @PWXWrestling on twitter, like the PWX Facebook page, as well as join the ‘Too Close for Comfort’ event page for all the latest.
