FANN’s 4/10 Beyond Wrestling “Uncharted Territory: Episode 2” report – Greene vs. Gangrel, Dickinson & Janela vs. Starr & MFJ main event

By Rich Fann, Torch contributor


SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...

FANN’S BEYOND WRESTLING “UNCHARTED TERRITORY’ REPORT
EPISODE 2
APRIL 10, 2019
WORCESTER, MASS.
ELECTRIC HAZE
AIRED LIVE ON INDEPENDENTWRESTLING.TV AND FITE TV

Announcers: Paul Crockett and Josh Briggs

(1) Aussie Open (Mark Davis & Kyle Fletcher) vs. Sadkampf (Dominic Garrini & Kevin Ku)

The show (and match) started with both teams in ring. Garrini and Davis started with a quick exchange of punches and kicks, with a tag out to Fletcher, who then lost the battle to Garrini and ate a set of chops. Fletcher was isolated until a roll up combination allowed him to tag in Davis to be a house of fire. After clotheslines to both members of Sadkampf, Davis pummeled Garrini in the corner with kicks and forearms, until both began a chop show down in the middle of the ring. Right as Davis seemed to set up to finish off Sadkampf, Garrini dumped him out of the ring. Ku tried to take advantage of the chaos, but instead was dropped on his head by Fletcher, who went for a pinfall. Ku kicked out and flipped off Davis while doing so. A Fidget Spinner attempt was countered by Sadkampf with stereo chokes and knees, and a total elimination to Davis by Ku and Garrini only got a two count.

Sadkampf hit a flurry of suplexes and blows to Davis for a pin, but Fletcher dove from the top rope to break up the attempt. With both teams on their knees each pair blasted each other with forearm shivers and pinfall attempts to no avail.

A few technical glitches mid-match, as the opening video played mid Fletcher’s attempt to tag out, and the audio would drop to near mute, then super-loud and echoed. Kevin Ku was isolated for a Fidget Spinner by Aussie Open, but he kicked out at 2.9. Another attempt at a tag finish by Aussie open leads to another set of stereo chokes and a brainbuster to Fletcher, with Ku locked into a choke on the ground while Davis was caught in a front choke by Garrini. Davis used Garrini as a human lawn dart to break the choke, and a few moments later a double pump-handle slam ends the match in Aussie’s favor.

WINNERS: Aussie Open in 14:00 via pinfall (***)

(Fann’s Analysis: I liked this open, and think that despite the choppiness of the stream (which the announcers even mention) – and a great rebound for Aussie Open after last week’s loss )

The announcers played up the rest of the matches tonight – including the Wheeler YUTA – Solo Darling match and Joey Janela vs David Starr main event tag match.

David Starr entered the ring with a Philly t-shirt as the announcers hoped he doesn’t “pull a Batista” on the way to the ring. Before Starr could talk, however Joey Janela’s theme played and Janela entered the ring to confront Starr.

Starr claimed that the last time they were together in a ring in Beyond, Janela was beaten and broken, while Starr continued to establish himself as the independent wrestler. Starr announced his tag team partner for tonight wouldn’t be delayed and they would be out now. To the ring came MJF, who smugly entered the ring – as Starr mentions that MJF was better than Joey, and he knew it. Janela claimed there was an issue with the graphic of this week’s show. Janela’s partner wouldn’t be Penelope Ford, but instead the Dirty Daddy, Chris Dickinson! The heels bailed as Dickinson rushed the ring. Dickinson declared that Janela and Dickson would be known as “Slither” – and when you face Slither, “don’t fight the bite”.

(Fann’s Analysis: Great segment, which Janela and Starr did a great job of not only selling the main event)

A video package aired that featured Kimber Lee at IWTV Family Reunion being sick of the women of Beyond not respecting Kimber’s role as the first woman and ace of Beyond.

Back in the ring, Denver Colorado fired the crowd out to sell out all of the episodes, and the announcers mention that there will be only one camera shot available due to a technical malfunction, and that the ring issues mentioned on twitter led to fear there would be no ring.

(2) WHEELER YUTA vs. SOLO DARLING

The match started with Darling and YUTA exchanging some hammerlock variants and grappling in the middle of the ring. As YUTA struggled to get to the rope, the announcers told how nice YUTA was and how that can be a detriment as it took a lot to get him angry.

Darling was the aggressor, as she cracked YUTA with a few kicks and punches in the corner. YUTA slammed Darling twice, and then locked her in a Gory Special stretch into a pinning attempt. After Darling kicked out, she hit a spinning DDT off the ropes, and as she rose ate a dropkick from YUTA.

YUTA gets dumped to the floor by Solo, who followed up with a bulldog to YUTA on the floor. Back in the ring. Wheelbarrow suplex by Solo Darling (ala the Pentagon Driver) got her a two count. Eat Defeat followed by a slam only got YUTA a close two count. Pumphandle slam got Solo 2.5, and Solo locked in the Sharp Stinger for a rope break by YUTA. A YUTA-Gatame got the tap out for the win

WINNER: Wheeler YUTA in 9:54 by submission (***)

Post match, YUTA showed respect to Solo Darling with a handshake. YUTA grabbed the mic and joked he would give his retirement speech, but instead thanked the fans for supporting him, including the Kentucky Gentleman Chuck Taylor (who is appearing on episode 3) and is excited AEW will “make him rich and famous”. With Chuck showing up next week, YUTA doesn’t ask for much and wants a match with Chuck to prove to the world that he already at 22 “one of the best technical wrestlers in the world today”.

(Fann’s Analysis: Solid work by Darling in terms of grappling with YUTA and keeping a much larger opponent grounded and striking at will. YUTA seemed to want to not connect as much with his punches early, but later on was willing to connect much more as the match went on, and the final sequence was fun.)

A preview of Americanrana ’19 aired.

(3) “The Rapscallion” NICK MORETTI vs. “The Perfect Element” TRISTAN TIDE – Discovery Gauntlet match

Discovery gauntlet match two – “you must win it to stay in it” featured the returning Nick Moretti vs this week’s new addition, Tristan Tide.

After a lock up, Moretti got the bandana of Tide on the floor, wiped his rear end with it and threw it into the crowd to the boos of the crowd. Tide responded with a snap mare and great kicks to the back of Moretti’s head.

Mind games by Moretti led to a two count – and some stomps to Tide’s head. Moretti then slowed things down, going for a headlock and then raked the eyes of Tristan Tide. Tide attempted a comeback but ate a fisherman buster for his trouble. Moretti began to slap Tide, who collapsed onto the mat. Right when Tide tried to return fire, Moretti poked him in the eye. Tide hit a ridiculously awesome looking snap dragon into a neckbreaker for a near fall. A slingblade backbreaker and ushigarsohi by Tide only netted a two count. Moretti then popped up and hit the slam he used last week for the win.

WINNER: Nick Moretti in 7:51 (***1/4)

(Fann’s Analysis: I love the gauntlet style – winners stays loser walks mindset of this series. As I mentioned with Sean on our first episode review, I hope this leads to wrestlers getting a spotlight and eventually earning their way onto the show permanently Tide’s only had two years’ experience but I was impressed with him.)

Cam Zagami entered the ring to interview Nick Moretti. Zagami asked Moretti how it felt to be called “an indy-tastic nerd” on Twitter. Moretti said he’s wrestled in New Japan and would prove to be the best in the world.

A promo for the Beyond Battle Bowl and Lethal Lottery aired for May 5th in Rhode Island. I cannot tell you how excited I am for this – as I am a huge fan of bowl/lethal lottery fan.

(4) PENELOPE FORD & MARIA MANIC vs. PLATINUM HUNNIES (Angel Sinclair & Ava Everett w/Retrosexual AG Anthony Greene)

The Platinum Honeys debut was planned for this week, but with the main event change Ford said she was looking for an opponent. As a result she needed a partner and knew just the woman to bring in – Maria Manik.

Match was no where near competitive as Manik hit a bevy of moves to both Hunnies, finishing them with a double chokeslam and putting Sinclair on top of Everett for the pinfall.

WINNER: Ford & Manik in 5:05 (*)

(Fann’s Analysis: Maria Manik wrecked these ladies and the Platinum Hunnies )

After the match, Gangrel entered the ring and decided he wasn’t waiting for later, he was going to fight Anthony Greene now!

(5) GANGREL vs. ANTHONY GREENE

Gangrel maintained control from the beginning and the match was a tale of if the younger Greene could get out of the gates. Gangrel nailed some great offense early, keeping Greene on his toes and really made the younger Greene work to keep up. After a spill outside, Green started to get some offense, until a hellacious belly to belly into the corner by Gangrel, which got a 2 count due to a rope break.

Gangrel went for the Impaler, which was reversed into a roll up and then another into a diamond cutter, which gave Greene an opening. Greene missed a 450 and rolled into an Impaler for the loss.

WINNER: in 17:54 (***½)

(Fann’s Analysis: This was a really surprising match. I thought it would be a nostalgia match, but Gangrel brought his working boots – and generated lots of the motion in the match despite the age and size difference. I really enjoyed this match – particularly the finishing sequence.)

Post match, Gangrel hugged Greene, who then left the ring and allowed the former WWE superstar to soak in the fan’s adulation.

A promo for next week previewed Orange Cassidy, Rory Gulak, Davienne and Chuck Taylor appearing, among others.

(6) DAVID STARR & MJF vs. “THE BAD BOY” JOEY JANELA with PENELOPE FORD & “DIRTY DADDY” CHRIS DICKINSON

Starr hated the introduction he received which prompted him to berate the announcer mercilessly with MJF. After a second attempt failed, the match kicked off right into high gear, with Janela and Starr as they flew all over the ring.

Once the action slowed, Starr worked on the recently recovered leg of Janela, first with a single leg, and then an assisted (while ref was distracted) figure four near Starr’s side of the ring. After a reversed figure four, Janela was still in a bad situation, as MJF and Starr tagged in and out, until hubris allowed for Janela to hit a german suplex and tagged in the Dirty Daddy. Dickinson threw MJF around the ring with slams and falcon arrows as the crowd loved the punishment MJF received. Starr saved MJF before the beating could continue further – and the heel team got an advantage due to using the dark arts of eye rakes and back rakes to their advantage.

The ending came with the dastardly duo of Starr & MJF twanged Dickinson for the pin.

Winners: Starr & MJF in 18:56 via pinfall (****)

(Fann’s Analysis: Four of the top stars of the independent wrestling scene proved why they deserve those monikers in this fantastic main event. Dickinson and Janela seemed to be a great team and I look forward to them as well down the road. MJF and Starr were the jerks they needed to be, and their method of winning sealed that – and the ire of the fans as well.)

Janela and Dickinson apologized for not getting the job done against MJF & Starr, but promise to do so if they get a chance down the road. Janela then talked about how he’s had a bad year, but Beyond stuck their necks out for him, and said he will live up to the contract. They thanked the fans again and the screen faded to the Uncharted Territory Logo and another ad for Americanrana ’19.

Overall thoughts (8.0): Despite the technical issues, this was another great episode. With the one camera, they were in a great spot, as the camera that worked was the hard cam and provided solid coverage of the matches throughout.

As the show went on, I was super impressed with the commentators, as well as the fact the entire Beyond team stayed calm as the tech issues were prevalent in the first 20 minutes or so. Overall another solid show and I look forward to week 3.

Contact Rich at PWTDive@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/rich_fann.

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