To check out this free internet TV show from Eastern Pro Wrestling, just click here.
This is actually the first show I've ever seen from Eastern Pro Wrestling. I've downloaded a bunch of their shows earlier this year, but never got around to watching them and ultimately deleted them. I've actually heard good things about the promotion though so this will be interesting. It's always fun to try new things, especially in wrestling, and it's not like RAW or SmackDown! where it's two hours of my life I won't ever get back.
The EPW video opened the show to the sounds of Saliva's "Superstar" and action shots. I actually liked the video a lot. Some low quality shots, but overall, it looked pretty cool and got me pumped up. Plus, I love "Superstar." I can still remembering rocking out to that as I watched WrestleMania X8. After that, a guy named Grayson Alexander (what a name) popped up alongside his broadcast partner, BK Jordan, who, with Bryce Andrews, is part of The Hot Shots who are the reigning EPW Tag Team Champions. He was in his gear for some reason and had the NWA World Title though EPW uses it as their tag team belts. God, I love Indy wrestling; NWA-VA did the same thing for a while (and may still do, I don't know; haven't been to a show in a year) except they used old WCW belts. Grayson pumped up some upcoming shows in Connecticut including one called Final Stand which will take place on Saturday. They then ran down the card for today's show which has the tag team PRIDE (including Dan Freitas who's apparently feuding with the EPW Champ) in action, Dancing DJ taking on The Great Mask, "The Nightmare" Nick Steel Vs. "The Natural" Joe Chece, an interview with Chris Venom, and then a main event preview match for I think a multi-man match on their Saturday show with Sid Momentum taking on Clip O' Reilly. Seriously, I love Indy wrestling. Oh, and apparently BK Jordan doesn't like Freitas since he went off for a bit on it and he also said he was happy that Dancing DJ's partners weren't there. Why? I don't know, it's my first time watching. Grayson then finished up and we went right to the first match.
Singles Match
Nick Steel Vs. Joe Chece
This was a pretty good match to introduce me to EPW though the finish definitely sucked. It started up with a lock up that was followed by a big Chece chant so he's over. Typical opening from there until Chece and Steel went through Irish whip ducks & leapfrogs. Steel then went to leapfrog Steel for the second or third time, but Chece caught him in a bearhugh and then flipped him into an overhead suplex for a nice spot. He followed it up with a clothesline and a single leg dropkick, and then the two guys started trading some hard (and considering it's an Indy, I do mean hard) forearm shots. Steel got the advantage with an overhead belly to belly suplex and it's apparently the battle of the suplexes or so said the announcers. Steel then raked the face and started to lay in some nice crossface punches as the crowd got into the match. Steel did some more heel work followed by a hard chop and a nice suplex. It was like a belly to back suplex with the leg being hooked, but more like a reverse fisherman's suplex. No matter what, it was definitely a cool move and something I had to do a double take at. Steel locked in a Half Nelson then, but Chece quickly got out of it and hit a standing hurricanrana. Chece whipped him into a corner & hit a hard clothesline and then tried to do it again only for Steel to move causing Chece to bounce off hard. In a weird half-finish, Steel then covered Chece and put his legs on the ropes for the "win." He celebrated, but then another ref ran down and explained what happened. Before they could ring the bell again, restart the match, or whatever, Chece rolled up Steel with the victory roll and the ref counted it anyway to give the face the victory. Just a very abrupt and weird finish to something I was actually enjoying. Still though, whenever I first start watching an Indy promotion, I'm always expecting some near backyard quality wrestling, so this was definitely good for shutting down that standard at least for this promotion.
Winner: Joe Chece
Star Wrestler: Nick Steel
Sweet suplexes, great forearm shots, and some nice-looking crossface punches. What more can you ask for in a quick match from a guy? Both men were pretty good, but I'm actually looking forward to see more from Steel.
After the match, Grayson came up to interview Chece about his upcoming match with Michael Sain which is called "Lights Out In Plainfield II: Last Man Standing Wins!" I've seen a bit from Sain in NECW and he's a typical big guy monster, but could be pretty good in the next few years. Chece said that anytime you step into the ring with someone like Sain, you've got to be apprehensive and he then said this is it between him and Sain. They've beaten each other up everywhere so they got a Last Man Standing match handed down from the EPW board and they are going to beat each other. Leaving the short interview strong, Chece didn't promise victory, but promised a big beating. Again, given the notoriety of Indy wrestling promos, it was a good. Would it be good in a bigger promotion or up against guys like Jim Cornette? No, but for an Indy promotion, it will do.
A commercial break then played for a wrestling school called Slamtech which, I guess, is the official school for EPW as they had Chece and Jordan given testimonials. Not Jackie Gayda style testimonials though. After that, two EPW commercials played: one for a DVD, I didn't catch the name of, and another for an upcoming show called Vindikation. Standard self-promoting commercials on an internet TV show and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. If anything, they should be pumping up this stuff more in the commentary. How else is an Indy promotion going to survive?
Tag Team Match
Archer & Salamander Vs. PRIDE
Kind of a weird squash that had a bunch of good spots, but a lot of miscommunication too it seems. Archer & Salamander were basically jobbers and PRIDE were the faces, which had Dan Freitas who goes up against the EPW Champ this weekend. Brian Nunes started it off with Archer by hitting a single leg dropkick, arm drag, and then an arm bar. Freitas then tagged in with a double stomp of the top rope to the elbow. He then wrenched the arm and delivered three very stiff kicks to the shoulder joint while telling people to hush so you could hear 'em. Nunes tagged in to hit a suplex for two and Archer tried to make a comeback, but Nunes hit a drop toe hold and a back elbow before tagging in Freitas again. Salamander then got tagged in by pure happenstance and he walked right into a hip toss followed by a double hip toss from PRIDE and a double inverted suplex, but Salamander kicked out. That was a pretty big kick-out for such a big move and the crowd didn't really seem to care; not a good sign. PRIDE had a bit of miscommunication there and then had some more setting up their finishing move which was a double team maneuver with one holding Salamander in the Sidewalk Slam and then the other coming in and hitting the Diamond Cutter for the win. Just a squash here that just seemed full of miscommunication and weird kick-outs. Not bad though.
Winners: PRIDE
Star Wrestler: Dan Freitas
Well, the highlight of the match was the double stomp and then the three stiff kicks so why not?
Following the trend from earlier, Grayson popped up and interviewed Freitas about his match this weekend. Freitas said Lombardi, the champ, had to cheat to escape with the belt last time, to which the fans agreed. He then said they have two matches this weekend (Friday and Saturday) so no matter what, Lombardi won't leave the weekend with the belt as it's coming home. Nunes then piped in saying lightning doesn't strike twice and it definitely won't for Lombardi. Grayson pumped up the title matches after that and that was that. Just a build-up interview, though it was getting a good reaction from the fans.
A commercial then aired hyping up Final Stand on Saturday and they ran down the card. There's an over-the-top arm wrestling challenge between "The Egomaniac" Jonny Idol and "Steam" Roland Martinelli. What kind of nickname is "Steam?" If Idol doesn't show up, he gets suspended apparently. Why does this remind me of TNA? Then there's "Revolution" Chris Venom Vs. "Rocket" Fred Curry, Jr. as well as Rocco Abruzzi (who I swear I've heard of or seen before) Vs. Doug Summers (ditto). The EPW Title match was shown next which I already talked about and Lombardi can lose the belt on DQ. For the EPW Television belt, it will be KL Murphy Vs. Sid Momentum Vs. John Thornhill Vs. Clip O'Reilly which explains the preview main event tonight. Chece and Sain in the Last Man Standing match which we already knew. There's a Tuxedo Tornado Street Fight on the card for the EPW Tag Team belts between Chunky But Funky & The Hot Shots (which includes one of the commentators). A Tuexedo Tornado Street Fight. Wow. Even more, there's a team called Chunky But Funky in there. I have to see that match. Finally, they hyped up the main event (with very solemn music) which is "Brutal" Bob Evans Vs. "The Epic" Mike Bennett in a Steel Cage match. If Bennett loses, he leaves for ninety days. If Evans loses, he leaves forever. Umm...okay? I'd like to know the back story on that one because that just reads like a dumb booking thing. Oh, well; the thing does sound like a big show for being an Indy equipped with title matches, weird gimmick matches, good gimmick matches, and what looks to be solidly built up matches. Based on what I've seen so far, I'm kind of interested in seeing the show. Too bad it's in Connecticut.
Singles Match
The Great Mask Vs. DJ Barron
This was a nothing match. DJ Barron is part of Chunky But Funky which explains the comment Jordan made at the top of the show. Good commentary line came when BK was asked what he knows about The Great Mask only to respond with, "He likes to wear capes and masks." If that doesn't sum up a gimmick, I don't know what will. They started with a lock up and Barron got the better of it with an arm bar. Mask got out of with some shots and a DJ chant broke out as the dancin' one hit a headbutt. Apparently, the Tuxedo Tornado Street Fight match means everyone's dressed up in a Tuxedo fighting tornado style. Why someone would do that is way beyond me. They did some brawling in the corner and then DJ hit a side slam and got the win. Yep, that was basically it. I don't even think you could call this a squash because there was no structure to it, but whatever. Like I said, a nothing match.
Winner: DJ Barron
Star Wrestler: Neither
Completely nothing match with neither men doing anything noteworthy at all. That's all the needs to be said.
After the match, BK Jordan left the booth to jump DJ with his partner Bryce Andrews coming out of the back as well. DJ tried to make a comeback, but it's three-on-one. They did a double team move which was basically one of them holding him up while the other hit a big, leaping enziguri. They then dragged him out by the apron and Bryce started to slap him as he ran him down on the mike. He ran him and his partners down for embarrassing and messing with them and said they'll put on the suits, but no one will be laughing after the match. More shots and the refs then came out to break it up. Okay, this segment actually made lose all interest in the match. The name alone made me want to see it, but after the nothing match and pretty bland beat down segment, I could care less.
Quick commercial break followed with EPW saying how they can do fundraisers and the like with some contact information. Typical Indy commercials like I said earlier, not that there's anything wrong with it. Chris Venom then made his way out to deliver what I thought was a pretty good interview with Grayson. Grayson hyped up Venom's match with Fred Curry, Jr. and Venom flipped out asking who told him that. He then interacted with the fans chanting for Curry saying he looked in the back and he's not here. Wow, it got insanely quiet after that for like thirty seconds like the fans paid to see him and realized he wasn't there. Venom then said he never agreed to be at Final Stand and he'd been calling the promoter forever and can't believe his name is in print. He said he's sure everyone wants to see him against Curry, but he never agreed to it. He might be there on the 23rd and might wrestle, but it won't be against Curry. Venom's got pretty good talking skills. Grayson then talked about how people paid to see Curry get his hands on Venom and Venom delivered a good line saying how he goes to sporting events to watch the home team win, but it doesn't always happen. He then said he's sorry, but he never signed to face him. If Curry gets a partner, Venom stated he might consider doing it as he's got friends. The weakest chant ever breaks out from here: "You are scared!" They need some ROH and TNA fans here quick. Those fans might be horribly annoying, but they can come up with something better than that.
Venom then interacted with the crowd some more saying no way he's scared of them and they talk hard when Curry's not here and if he was here, they'd have a fight. He said he may not be ready, but he'd step in. He then screamed for Curry to drive down to the studio and this part kind of had me confused. You don't want to face the guy on the 23rd, but you'll fight him now? Weird. Anyway, still a good promo. Venom went on about how he's been a champion everywhere and he knows Curry is a 3rd generation wrestler (grandfather was "Wild" Bill Curry and father was the popular Fred Curry, Sr.), but he's nothing like his father. He then said that the senior would smack the junior upside the head and tell him to get his head out of his ass and would never let Curry get into the ring with Venom. A funny "Breaking News" graphic then came over the screen saying that the match is actually not on. I don't know, just came off funny to me. Venom then said the fans chanting against him are just pissed for not getting what they want and that was it. Ended on an abrupt and kind of weird note, but was still a pretty good promo and I'd like to see Venom in the ring now as well as the match which is the whole point of doing them in the first place.
Singles Match
Clip O'Reilly Vs. Sid Momentum
For not only being just an Indy match, but also an Indy internet TV match, this was a damn fine match and something I really enjoyed. They locked up to start it off and Sid hit some nice headlock takeovers out of an arm wrench. O'Reilly fought off, but then Sid bounced off the ropes with a big clothesline. O'Reilly then went for a hip toss, but Sid countered it into a big hip toss variation which saw O'Reilly land on the back of his neck hard. Didn't look like a botch though and was a very good spot early on to tell the story of Sid having O'Reilly's number. Sid then hit a back body drop and clotheslined O'Reilly out of the ring pushing himself out as well. On the outside, Doug Summers, who came in with O'Reilly, hung up Sid's left arm on the outside post allowing O'Reilly to get the advantage as he started to work over the arm nicely. He used the left arm to whip him everywhere and then locked in an arm wrench. The big guy tried to make a comeback, but Clip locked in a hammerlock that Sid stayed in for a while before making it to the ropes. Sid then fought back with his good hand delivering some punches and a chop followed by a whip. He then hit a hard clothesline while still selling his limp left arm. In another good spot, O'Reilly was whipped but quickly recovered, ducked onto the mat, and tripped up Sid making him plant his arm hard on the mat. O'Reilly laid in some more arm work from there, but Sid responded with a back elbow while selling the other arm. Sid then charged at O'Reilly in the corner, but the heel ducked out making Sid nail his shoulder hard again.
The momentum then shifted for Sid Momentum (pun intended) as O'Reilly went for a suplex, but Sid countered it into one of his own for a big pop. He then made the cover, but couldn't hook the leg due to his arm and he was selling it great at this time. By this point, I realized I wasn't just watching another no-name Indy. Well, I might have been, but this was definitely a good match and a good show and I doubt I'd ever get this from a non-name Indy, if even on a fluke. Sid then got some more shots in with his good arm, but O'Reilly hit a back elbow to the shoulder for a slow two count and even slower kick out. The announcers then started hyping up the ten minute time limit (should have done that from the start to add more suspense). O'Reilly then put Sid on the top rope and went for I think a hurricanrana, but Sid recovered and hit O'Reilly with a big spinebuster off the top rope as the time was draining down. They both got to their feet from there and traded blows with O'Reilly going after the shoulder and Sid plugging through. O'Reilly then locked in a Fujiwara Armbar, but the time limit expired in a predictable, but good, finish to a very good and surprising match ending it in a draw.
Winner: No Contest
Star Wrestler: Sid Momentum
I would really love to see another Sid Momentum match to be honest. He was very good in this match and while O'Reilly was good as well, I found myself loving the story Sid was telling with his arm as well as Sid's comebacks and big spots like the hip toss variation and the big spinebuster. This match definitely made me want to check out another match on the Final Stand card, that being the fatal four-way match for the TV Title.
The show then went off the air with Clip leaving looking pissed as he thought he had won the match and Sid exiting hurt leaving a question as to whether or not he'll be ok on the 23rd. They maybe should have held this match off until the 20th for that desired effect, but it was still a good match.
This was a pretty good internet TV show as there are some pretty shitty ones out there. Of course, it had some bad moments like the whole DJ Barron match and segment, but there was a lot of good like the Chris Venom interview and the main event as well as some fun matches that showed potential like the opening one. Show quality aside, the show really did make me interested to check out not only the next EPW TV show, but also that Final Stand supercard and that is the most important thing. That should be the desired effect of any promotion out there and EPW did it well for this fan here. To be honest, I'm more interested in seeing their supercard than I am WWE Unforgiven. Of course, I know Unforgiven will be better with the matches and stars, but as to which I'm more curious about and looking forward to, it'd probably be this one which is a little weird. So overall, a good show and a great first viewing of EPW.
Well, EPW down and a bunch more to go. iMPACT! should be up hopefully in the next few hours with SmackDown! being up hopefully Wednesday, but maybe on Thursday. I'm getting caught up, but I'm still a little behind. No worries though and I'll definitely get caught up this weekend I think. Again, I need to plug this as I'd love it if all of you reading this would take the time to check it out. My site has it's annual Hall Of Fame voting up right now and it's literally one of the very few, if the only, Hall Of Fames out there that is completely decided by fan votes! There's a ballot of three women workers, six tag teams, six personalities & promoters, and fifteen male workers up right now and to vote, all you do is pick two, four, four, and ten of those respective groups! For all the information on how to vote as well as to just vote period, just click here now. Thanks! I need to play catch up now so it's time to turn on some TNA. I'll see you all soon and until next time, this is "Squared Circle Reviews" signing off and hoping you enjoy what you watch, especially if it's a new Indy promotion you're giving a chance.
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