FANN’s 7/24 Beyond Wrestling Uncharted Territory (episode 17) report – final build to Americanrana 19, Dickinson vs. Thatcher

By Rich Fann, Torch contributor


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FANN’S BEYOND WRESTLING “UNCHARTED TERRITORY’ REPORT
EPISODE 17
July 24th, 2019
WORCESTER, MASS.
White Eagle
AIRED LIVE ON INDEPENDENTWRESTLING.TV AND FITE TV

Announcers: Paul Crockett and Sidney Bakabella

This week, the show is in White Eagle and LAX opened with a pair of chairs, which they used to invite Bear Country to sit and watch them prior to the match on Sunday. Milk Chocolate arrived, and the match was started.

(1) LAX (Santana & Ortiz) vs. Milk Chocolate (Randy Summers & Brandon Watts)

Summers and Watts snuck attacked LAX, with Santana as the recipient of most of the assault. Summers attempted a pinfall for a two count. Santana eventually threw Summers out of the ring, and with Watts on his own Santana (and a returned Ortiz) were able to even the odds.

Ortiz and Santana set up for a Hardys-style off the kneeling partner dive, but a second attempt and their finish sealed the deal for LAX.

WINNER: LAX in 3:18 by pinfall (NR)

(Fann’s Analysis: Means to an end to get to the confrontation in a few minutes – and in that sense job done.)

Post match, LAX said that Milk Chocolate were “OGs” and the challenge would be for Bear Country to face “even older G’s” in the next match, which Bear Country accepted.

(2) Bear Country (Bear Beefcake & Bear Bronson) vs. Da Hoods (Kris Pyro & Davey Cash)

The announcers talked about Da Hoods haven’t been around since 2018. Both members of Da Hoods also attacked Bear Country and hit stereo dives to the outside. Cash then hit a rope assisted cutter, which Pyro followed with a frog splash for a two count.

Beefcake then arrived to wreck both members of Da Hood, hitting a dual powerbomb / powerslam combo onto both members. While the announcers talked of LAX watching on, Beefcake missed a moonsault, which allowed Cash to get a few chops in. Bear Bronson shot the bird at LAX, then hit a cannonball into Cash in the corner. Pyro then entered the ring and Bear Country allowed him to slap both members, then Beefcake pressed Pyro – and dumped him on the floor near his partner.

Bear Country then eyed up LAX one more time, hit the Elevator Drop and took the win.

WINNER: Bear Country in 4:17 by pinfall (NR)

(Fann’s Analysis:.Solid storytelling over both matches. Da Hood showed up to give love to a Beyond team from days gone by, while also giving a solid showing for Bear Country prior to Foxwoods. The face off after was intense.)

Post match, Bear Country and LAX squared off, while Sidney Bakabella noted that Bear Country could not beat Milk Chocolate, yet LAX had – while Da Hood had been absent from competition in the past several months. Ortiz then said they can’t wait for Sunday.

(3) “Legit” Leyla Hirsch vs. “The Handsome Devil” Alex Reynolds

Bakabella loved the music Reynolds chose to come to the ring – Jon Bon Jovi singing ‘My Way’ by Frank Sinatra.

“Float like a Butterfinger and sting like a marshmallow” by Bakabella was a hilarious line as the match began, prior to Reynolds’ dropping of Hirsh onto the match and walked over her. After a pie-face in the corner, Reynolds Irish whipped Hirsh, who reversed into a Samoan drop onto Reynolds.

Hirsh attempted a tope suicida to the floor, but Reynolds slammed her to the match with a sickening thud. Back in ring, Reynolds still toyed with Hirsch, who fought through the insults and slapped on a cross-face, and then an arm-bar in transition. Reynolds, too close to the rope, got out and then began to step on Hirsch’s hair, pulling up on her arms to continue his insult to injury game plan.

Hirsch however, was more interested in injury than insult, hitting a knee to the head out of nowhere, and followed that with a punch to the face, German suplex and lariat for a near fall. Reynolds, after a shot to the head, went for a variant of the Sharpshooter, but Hirsch got the rope with her middle finger.

John Silver showed up, distracted Reynolds, but Hirsch only got two. A German into the corner and double knees laid out Reynolds, and a moonsault sealed the win for the Legit one.

WINNER: Leyla Hirsch in 9:01 by pinfall (**)

(Fann’s Analysis: Silver showed up late and effected the match, but Hirsch held her own.)

Post match, Silver grabbed Reynolds before he could run and deadlift German suplexed his former partner. A punt attempt by Silver was not to be, as Reynolds fled the ring. Silver then grabbed the mic and said he wanted Reynolds in the opener at Americanrana.

(4) “The Ovaltine Dream” Thomas Santell & Nick Gage vs. Christian Casanova & Cam Zagami

“Nerder Death Kill” (per Gage on Twitter) chomped at the bit to get at the pair of Casanova & Zagami. Zagami opened the match and immediately tagged out. Gage’s powerslam attempt was countered by Casanova, but the second attempt was not.

Bakabella noted that, “Nick Gage is like tackle football on concrete” as Gage spinebustered Casanova. Casanova hit an axe kick, felled Gage and tagged in a suddenly willing Zagami. While Zagami preened, Gage tagged in Santell. Before Santell could get a piece of Zagami, Ken Doane entered the ring for the DQ & helped Casanova & Zagami stomp out NDK.

WINNER: “Nerder Death Kill” in 2:11 by DQ (NR)

(Fann’s Analysis: Before they could get a measure of revenge, Doane killed the match dead. Gets the fans fired up for final episode of Uncharted, as well as how Nerder Death Kill will handle Alvarez (RIP) and Filthy Tom Lawlor on Sunday.)

After the match, Zagami announced that Ken Doane would be the newest addition to Zagami’s stable, and would accompany Doane to the ring in his championship ladder match. Solo Darling, Puf and Cheeseburger hit the ring for the standoff and sent the heels packing.

(5) “Red Death” Daniel Garcia vs. “Unkillable” Kevin Blackwood – Discovery Gauntlet Match

Pre-match, Blackwood noted that he and Garcia were nearly killed in a car accident and were like brothers. However, Blackwood also noted that between the bells there are no brothers, only competitors. This was clearly illustrated as Blackwood hit Garcia pre-bell and tried to push the pace, only for Garcia to hit a Shotgun dropkick, German suplex and a death shooter.

Blackwood went for an STF as a counter, but was stopped before he could lock it in. Blackwood then hit a release German suplex and a running European clothesline for a near fall. After another exchange of moves, both men wound up on the apron, where Garcia attempted a piledriver on the apron, but Blackwood countered with a double stomp. Blackwood to the top rope was stopped by Garcia, who hit a superplex – but Blackwood rolled through on the landing with a brainbuster to bring both men to the mat.

After a standoff, both men exchanged punches, when Blackwood dropped Garcia with a half & half suplex, and a penalty kick – which was changed mid move to a punch to the face. A sudden reversal by Garcia led to a Memphis piledriver for a 2.9 count. Blackwood attempted an STF but was countered into the Deathshooter for the submission.

WINNER: Daniel Garcia in 11:23 by submission (***)

(Fann’s Analysis: Match started sudden and the Memphis piledriver near fall was a great crescendo. Blackwood and Garcia’s chemistry was apparent throughout the match.)

Immediately after the match Chuck O’Neil hit the ring to beat on the tired YUTA. O’Neil attempted the arm bar again and again YUTA countered it, to the chagrin of O’Neil. YUTA challenged O’Neil from the ring as O’Neil fled to the back.

Another promo for the The Rock and Roll Express wrestling The Butcher and The Blade at Americanrana ’19 aired.

(6) The Butcher & The Blade (Andy Williams & Pepper Parks) vs. Josh Briggs & “Retrosexual AG” Anthony Greene (w/The Platinum Hunnies)

Parks and Greene left the ring after a brawl and left the big Kaiju of their respective teams, Briggs and Williams to square off. Briggs began to manhandle the equally large Williams, but lost focus and ate an Irish whip to the corner, where Parks was tagged in. Parks then began to put the boots to Briggs.

Briggs exploded with a huge boot to counter a Parks whip to the ropes and tagged in Greene – who followed that with a punch and dive to the outside onto Andy Williams. Parks was hoisted for a Doomsday Device, but slipped off and shoved Briggs into Greene on the top rope. Greene attempted a cross body off the top, but Williams caught him – nailed Full Death with Parks and got the win.

WINNER: Butcher & The Blade in 4:40 by pinfall (**)

(Fann’s Analysis:.Another setup for Foxwoods, as Butcher & Blade will be taking on the Rock and Roll Express.)

Post match, the announcers mentioned that Tom Lawlor & Bryan Alvarez would be facing Thomas Santell and a partner of his choosing.

(7) Wheeler YUTA vs. “The Product” David Starr

“Not my ace” chants rained down as Starr entered the ring.

Starr and YUTA began with mat exchanges, Starr with the advantage on the leg-based side, and YUTA going with wrist control as his counter. Bakabella astutely described the open to this match as “World of Sport-like”.

After the chain wrestling, Starr used the ref as a distraction to blind-side YUTA. With no need to do it again, Starr repeated the distraction – punch combo. With the crowd angry, Starr hit a gutwrench suplex and screamed, “not my ace?!” as he kicked YUTA in the head.

YUTA at this point gasped for air and seemed groggy, which allowed Starr to preen. Both men exchanged several go behind counters, with YUTA hitting a boot to the head and nailed a tope suicida to the floor onto Starr.

YUTA hit a variant of the Angle Slam for a two count back in the ring. YUTA followed with an attempt at the YUTAgatame, but Starr got to the rope. YUTA attempted another move on the top rope, but Starr ran up the ropes for a top rope belly to belly suplex.

Mid ring, YUTA locked in the YUTAgatame, but small joint manipulation by Starr allowed an escape. Starr then followed with an ushigaroshi, which sent both men to the mat. A series of pin attempts ended with a Starr lariat out of nowhere for the win.

WINNER: David Starr in 11:40 by pinfall (***)

(Fann’s Analysis: Starr and YUTA had a great match. Starr’s arrogance and hatred that he isn’t the singles ace of Beyond was apparent throughout, as well as YUTA’s never-say-die attitude. The finishing sequence was sudden as it was brutal, but a great finish nonetheless.)

Chuck O’Neil hit the ring to wail on Wheeler YUTA, beat him bloody and wiped the blood on himself. Bear Country arrived to save YUTA, and the woozy YUTA grabbed the mic, demanded O’Neil’s suspension get lifted to face off at Americanrana.

Prior to the main event, the entire Americanrana card was covered.

(8) “Dirty Daddy” Chris Dickinson vs. Timothy Thatcher

Former members of Evolve’s Catch Point collide as the men began the match violently jockeying for position. Thatcher’s size was a big factor early, which prevented Dickinson from bullying Thatcher like some of his prior Sekimoto tune up opponents. Thatcher slapped Dickinson in the arm, the face, the neck, anywhere he could find purchase.

Dickinson woke up with a slap and kicked Thatcher to the mat. Another kick was countered by Thatcher – who turned it into a belly-to-belly suplex. Into the corner, Thatcher dropped forearms on Dickinson and then turned to the referee, in an attempt to exert control of the count.

Thatcher then returned to Dickinson, locked in a heel hook and kicked Dickinson in the head while he did so. Thatcher then transitioned to an ankle lock, but Dickinson reached the ropes. Back on their feet, Thatcher continued the assault on the Dirty Daddy.

Dickinson got a second wind, hit his Hard Body Karate kick to the back of Thatcher’s head, then collapsed to the mat. As Dickinson rallied, Thatcher attempted to cut him off and the pair exchanged blows. Dickinson got the better, and began to rain clotheslines and forearms in the corner, and followed with a death valley driver for a two count. A Pazuzu bomb was countered by Thatcher into an arm bar, while Thatcher yelled “tap” to Dickinson. Dickinson got out of the arm bar, hit a Memphis piledriver and a Pazuzu bomb for the win

WINNER: Chris Dickinson in 11:33 by pinfall (***)

(Fann’s Analysis:.Big fan of Thatcher anywhere, and particularly in Beyond is fun. The match was 60%-70% Thatcher with Dickinson pulling that finishing sequence out at that last breath. Another setup for Dickinson’s biggest challenge on Sunday – Sekimoto – felled and Dirty Daddy seemed ready for it.)

Joey Janela hit the ring for his promised live mic to close the show. Janela talked about his history with Beyond and Starr – from trying to hit Starr with a car to when Zandig threw him off the building to his return (and pile driver to Starr) at the same location. This led to Janela’s declaration that this match in 2019 would be the final chapter to their storied feud.

Overall thoughts (7.0): Really good go-home show leading to Beyond’s biggest show of the year, Americanrana. Each match had a reason to sell you on why you’d want to see the featured talent on Sunday, and with the upcoming “season finale” coming up post-Americanrana there are a few cool tendrils to come. As its been all of season one thus far, a really easy and entertaining watch.

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

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