FANN’s 5/8 Beyond Wrestling Uncharted Territory TV Report (episode 6): Janela vs. Cross, Page vs. Ryan main event

FANN’S BEYOND WRESTLING “UNCHARTED TERRITORY’ REPORT
EPISODE 6
May 8, 2019
WORCESTER, MASS.
ELECTRIC HAZE
AIRED LIVE ON INDEPENDENTWRESTLING.TV AND FITE TV

Announcers: Paul Crockett and “The Retrosexual” Andy Greene

After a recap of the Lethal Lottery this past weekend, this week’s show kicked off with a match between the returning Josh Briggs and the Dirty Daddy.

(1) Josh Briggs vs. “Dirty Daddy” Chris Dickinson

This match between friends (featuring the return of until-now color commentator Josh Briggs) started with solid ground and pound, which then spilled into close quarters combat. As the match progressed, Briggs began to fire up a little more and show more – until Dickinson nailed a shot to Briggs’ knee, hobbling him.

While Pazuzu was down with a big slam, the announcers reminded the folks at home that Chris Dickinson had selected Daisuke Sekimoto as his opponent for Americanrana ’19. Briggs re-established control and kicked Dickinson out of the ring, and followed up, despite his knee, with a chokeslam on the apron.

Dickinson nailed a few dragon-screw legwhips and a trailer hitch submission, but Briggs’ length allowed him to reach the rope. A Pazuzu Bomb attempt was blocked and countered into a rollup for a near fall. A Go to Hell by Briggs to Pazuzu got a late 2, and a follow up big boot got a 2.98 count. After a series of counters, Dickinson locked in the trailer hitch again and got the tap out.

WINNER: Chris Dickinson in 16:31 by submission (***)

(Fann’s Analysis: Excellent opener and official return for Briggs. Awesome way to kick off the 10th anniversary show with two Beyond stalwarts.)

Post match, the fans showed respect to both competitors, with Dickinson checking on Briggs. Dickinson also said that when you think of Beyond Wrestling “you’re looking at him” and pointed to Briggs. The pair hugged and left the ring. Briggs closed with demanding bigger and better each week leading to his match with Sekimoto, and wanted Eddie Kingston next week.

Backstage, Cam Zagami interviewed “Big Bacon” Brad Hollister prior to his Discovery Gauntlet match. Hollister talked about his mentor Thomas Santell not teaching him everything he knew.

(2) Thomas Santell vs. “Big Bacon” Brad Hollister – Discovery Gauntlet match

Screams of “Ovaltine” rained down as Santell made his way to the ring. Santell attempted to use his glasses like last week to trick Hollister, who yelled “I saw this last week”. Santell then went into a diatribe on how Hollister needed to pick them up. After a few exchanges, Hollister hit Santell with a slam and that got Santell’s head in the game to kick the match off.

Teacher and student jockeyed for position, focusing on Greco-Roman, catch and stayed primarily on the mat, to the respectful appreciation of the Beyond faithful. A few power moves (shoulder tackles) by Hollister didn’t register with Santell, and a test of strength elicited another “Ovaltine” chant from the crowd. After Hollister was spilled to the floor a “Turkey Bacon” vs “Ovaltine” battle chant began. A few more exchanges, and Santell locked in an ankle lock, which was countered and reversed by Hollister. After a snap german suplex and a Fireman’s carry into a sitout slam (Hollister calls it “Down with the Thickness”) Santell kicked out at 2.5.

Santell hit a uranage and followed up with a choke, which Hollister powered out of with a deadlift and a series of forearms. After Hollister hit a running hip, a second attempt was countered and Hollister’s reversal was then countered into a rear naked choke. Hollister again powered out, and after an exchange, both men hit the mat with double clotheslines.

Back to their feet, Hollister got in the face of the ref, and that let the door open for Santell to hit a Saito Suplex and crossface, which then transitioned into a banana split for the pin. The ref hit the bricks with the quickness.

WINNER: Thomas Santell in 13:31 by pinfall (***)

Post match, Thomas Santell was interviewed by Cam Zagami. Zagami asked what Santell would do to celebrate his win, and as promised Santell brought his own Ovaltine to celebrate with the crowd.

(Fann’s Analysis:. Great exchanges between the pair, and I really liked Santell’s work late. With his return next week, Santell is building a great following and the former “Anthony the Promise Thomas” has done remarkably well with his George McFly gimmick. When the announcers mentioned that Hollister’s finisher was called Down with the Thickness I lost it. Great wrestler.)

 (3) “Bald and Boujie” Chase Burnett & The Last Dragon Zane Silver & “Beyond Original” Jefferson Saint vs. Johnny Cockstrong & “Hardway” Nicholas K & Eric Corvis in a Beyond Throwback Six-Man Tag Match (Warehouse Rules)

Warehouse rules means there are no rules, so this match kicked off with all six men going to town. Paul Crockett noted that for the folks at home that didn’t know the participants, they were instrumental in the early days of Beyond. Cockstrong began to use a lot of genitalia-related movements, which led to Silver and Saint coming in to break up the shenanigans.

Saint and Burnett fought at the top rope, and Burnett hit a huge sunset bomb / moonsault knee for near fall, broken up by Cockstrong. Cockstrong hit Saint with a Go to Sleep variant and followed with a top rope air raid crash for the win.

Post match, all six hugged and celebrated 10 years of Beyond together.

WINNER: Johnny Cockstrong & Corvis & K in 6:20 by pinfall (*)

(Fann’s Analysis: A nice celebration of Beyond’s history in terms of key figures. While I didn’t know any of the gentlemen in the match it was a fun few minutes. Any longer the crowd could’ve turned on it however.)

(4) Matt Cross vs. Joey Janela

Crockett noted that Janela has requested this match in several other promotions, but Denver Colorado was the first to get it done. A “Joey F*cks” chant kicks the match off, as the announcers sold the fact that with Janela’s impending departure from independent wrestling, getting to wrestle Cross is awesome.

A handspring elbow in the corner was countered by Janela into a German suplex attempt. Cross wasn’t having it, so instead a series of flips ended with a DDT from Janela. Cross and Janela then began to exchange forearms with Cross taking the worse end.

After a corner exchange, Cross hit a standing double stomp and a big boot for a near fall. Janela popped up and hit a tight Death Valley Driver, then to the top rope to hit a frog splash for a 2.8 count. A springboard moonsault by Cross ate a knee from Janela, who hit two forearms to Cross’ head. The third however was countered by Cross into a boot, but Janela rebounded with a clothesline. The action spilled to the outside, where Cross hit a dive. Back inside the ring, an irish whip turns into a Cross Cutter gets a near 3, but Cross took a moment to preen pre-pin, which might have cost him the match per the announcers.

At this point the competitors wanted to do a ‘heat check’ and began to exchange forearms. Cross goes for the Cutter again, but Janela blocks and nailed the package piledriver for the win.

WINNER: Beaver Boys in 10:14 (***)

(Fann’s Analysis: Great match between the two guys for a first time match. Janela and Matt Cross had some fun in it and you could tell in his post match how much it meant to Janela.)

After the match, Janela talked about how when he was 14 he wanted to face Sick Nick Mondo and Matt Prohibition. Matt Cross then said “sorry” in response to Janela’s comment that Joey and his friends would jump off of crazy places to mimic Cross.

Footage from episode one, which set the stage for the upcoming match between Jordynne Grace and Orange Cassidy.

(5)  Independent Wrestling Television Champion Orange Cassidy vs. Jordynne Grace

This was announced as the 14th title defense by Orange Cassidy. Grace opened the match removing Cassidy’s glasses to get him into the match. Cassidy responded with a test of strength attempt, which transitioned in the Orange Cassidy special of putting his hands in his pockets. Grace went for several moves, which were countered with the pockets style, which was “smooth as hell”.

A small package by Cassidy was countered into a Grace suplex attempt, and Cassidy’s offense was cut off in a flash with a Jordynne Grace spinebuster. Hands in pockets, Cassidy kicked out of a single foot pin attempt by Grace. Annoyed, Grace then began to kick and club at a “defenseless” Cassidy, who still refused to take his hands out of his pockets.

After another slam, instead of a pin, Grace appealed to the crowd. She then picked Cassidy up and put his hands into his pockets in the corner, slapping him viciously. Grace was then dumped to the floor, where Cassidy followed up with a tope suicida. An apron move was stopped with an electric chair by Grace, who dumped Cassidy face first after a few spins onto the apron.

Grace then asked for a volunteer, and she slammed a grown man onto Cassidy. The announcers said he could’ve been “a golden grappler of some sort.” Cassidy then got Grace outside and asked a fan to slam him onto Grace.

Back in the ring, Grace hit a second rope senton for a near fall. Grace’s pumphandle was countered, but not her follow up clothesline. A series of clubbing lariats decimated Cassidy, who barely kicked out from a pin attempt. Another attempt at the wrist clutch pumphandle was countered into a Cassidy Blue Thunder Bomb. Cassidy went for his trademark orange juice spit take, but Grace punched him in the face. Cassidy kicked Grace, but then ate a sick Michinoku bomb for a 2.9. Orange Cassidy then returned his hands to his pockets, which as a defensive move prevented the wrist clutch attempt – and used that lack of a hand hold to sneak another roll up and the win.

WINNER: Orange Cassidy in 11:15 by pinfall (***3/4)

(Fann’s Analysis: Orange Cassidy is very fun and the brutal style of Jordynne Grace made this to be a great balanced match. Grace’s power and annoyance that Cassidy wouldn’t put his head in the game early, then made the finish of her being so focused on his shenanigans she lost late such a great story. Favorite match so far of the evening.)

Next week Bear Country and Butcher and the Blade, Alex Reynolds vs Jay Freddie, Eddie Kingston vs Chris Dickinson and John Silver vs Brandon Thurston will all feature.

A few words were aired by influential wrestlers to Beyond celebrating 10 years of Beyond Wrestling.

(6) Ricky Shane Page vs. Eric Ryan – One Fall Death Match

The main event for this week’s episode was interrupted by Chuck O’Neill before the announcer could start the proceedings. O’Neill said that going through Home Depot plunder is not legit, only he’s legit. After his promo, Rory Gulak appeared with a barb wire bat, sending O’Neill packing.

After that situation resolved, introductions resumed and our main event was on. In the ring were a bed of nails, a door with barbed wire, chairs and assorted weaponry.

Despite all the plunder, the match opened with pin exchanges and chain wrestling. That didn’t last long, as Ricky Shane Page hit Ryan with a wiffle-ball bat with forks attached to them. It was noted the ref has heavy duty gloves to ensure maximum protection. Page then stabbed Ryan in the head with one of the forks and followed with an avalanche splash. Pressing the offense, Paged slammed Ryan with a biel across the ring, and followed with another. Page then used two chairs to how up his bed of nails (forks) and tried a chokeslam onto the forks, but instead Ryan reversed and forced him to slam face first into the horrific construction.

RSP tried to fight off a rear naked choke and Ryan then stabbed Page several times with a fork in the arm, tapping it harder to go deeper. At this point both men were covered in blood in this match. Page then had a fork stuck in his shoulder, which he removed after putting Ryan through the door/barbed wire construction.

Ryan then put a syringe into the mouth of Ricky Shane Page, which he followed up with a second. Page was then booted into the head (with both syringes in Page’s cheek) for a long 2. After a back body drop/kick combo, Page removed the syringes, and left the ring to get a shopping cart.

Page then set the cart with forks, and power bombed Ryan from the top rope onto the nasty combo for a long two. Page followed with a senton for a two count as well. Ryan was then thrown into a bed of forks for a 2.9. At this point the announcers (and I) want the match to mercifully end. A tiger bomb out of nowhere by Ryan got a 2 count.

After some more craziness, Page hit a top rope pile driver for the win. Post-match, Page gave Ryan props, as well as his time in Beyond starting out as guys who just wanted to backyard wrestle with his friends.

WINNER: Ricky Shane Page in 16:11 by pinfall (***)

(Fann’s Analysis: Death matches aren’t my deal, but this wasn’t bad. I still cringed, but if you’re a fan of death matches this was as safe as one of these can be. I love RSP more in the comedy vein.)

The show ended with a David Starr promo. He wanted to let Beyond know he’ll show up next week to announce his opponent for Americanrana ’19.

Overall thoughts (8.0): Solid show yet again. While I’m not big on death matches, the Grace/Cassidy IW.TV title match and the opener with Dickinson and Briggs, as well as the Santell/Big Bacon matchups more than made up for it.

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