Night one of BOLA 2009 was a pretty big disappointment. I’ve heard much better things about night two though, particularly about a certain tag team title match. We’ve got three rounds of tournament action as well
-Taped from Reseda, California
-Your hosts are Exaclibur and a cast of thousands
-2009 Battle of Los Angeles Block B Quarterfinal Match: Joey Ryan vs. Brian Kendrick
Yeah, I want to see this after last night. At least Johnny Ian is back ring announcing. Kendrick was a mentor to Ryan, so you can see where the laziness in Ryan comes in. Ryan gets on the stick and talks about going to Disneyland, the happiest place on earth, to prepare for his mentor. Ryan got Kendrick a present. What is it? Mickey ears of course… with the name embroidered on the back. I want a .gif of Kendrick wearing the ears… NOW! Kendrick snaps and goes after Ryan as the crowd chants “Mickey Kendrick.” This is just a brawl, and Ryan takes a few minutes to even get his t-shirt off. Couple huge heel kicks by Kendrick into a side headlock. Into a modified camel clutch where Kendrick pulls at the chest hair of Ryan. That’s not nice. Kick to Ryan’s knee and into an STF. Kendrick stands on Ryan’s face, but Ryan shoves him to the outside. Big dive into the chairs. He rams Kendrick’s head into chairs before getting a two count back inside the ring with a crossbody. Kendrick fires back with rights, but Ryan with a pumphandle exploder. That’s new. Spear. Powerbomb countered and Kendrick hits another heel kick. Sliced bread attempt. Series of reversals and Kendrick almost wins with a handful of tights. Ryan superkicks Kendrick to the floor. Another superkick inside the ring gets the deuce.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Joey Ryan/9:59/**1/4
-This was a decent enough match actually, far better than Kendrick’s horrific work from the previous night. Ryan had his working boots on tonight and did a fairly good job dragging an okay match out of his former mentor. Hopefully Kendrick’s appearances in PWG from here on are few and far between.
-2009 Battle of Los Angeles Block A Quarterfinal Match: Scott Lost vs. Kenny Omega
This should be interesting. Omega messes with Lost’s water in a dumb move. Never mess with a man’s water. Omega immediately kicks Lost a bunch of times and hits a moonsault off the outside middle turnbuckle. Omega comes off the top and immediately eats a dropkick. Lost refreshes himself with water, but Omega lowblows him and Lost spits the water in the referee’s face. Referee doesn’t get to make the three count. Lost responds with a low blow of his own. Right hand exchange as they each hold their crotches. Lost kicks Omega right in the face. Omega gets a boot up in the corner. Lost double stomps Omega out of the corner. Lost slows the pace down a bit and works over Omega briefly. Omega uses an eye gouge, but Lost hits him in the shoulder and throat. Judo arm throw. Lost rams Omega’s sternum into the ring apron. Lost figure fours the head but Omega turns it into a camel clutch. Lost reaches the ropes, but Omega responds with forearms. Lost hits a huge clothesline. Lost counters the Stop enziguri in a very unique way. Both men enziguri each other. Polish hammers by Omega. Leg lariat gets two. Power of the punch and a bodyslam. Moonsault press off the middle rope is met by knees. Armdrag by Lost. Lungbuster and Lost goes to the top rope. Elbow drop gets two. Superman spear try is met by an Omega knee. Springboard dropkick to the back of the head. Dragon suplex. Another. 1-2-NO! Croiyt’s wrath, but Lost counters into a roundkick. Big fat kill try, but Omega with a series of knees. Uranagi on the back of the neck. 1-2-NO! Spike of Lost with a rocker dropper like move. Lost counters a punch with a big kick that sends Omega outside once again. Lost tries the acecrusher on the apron, but Omega places him on the middle turnbuckle. Back elbow by Lost. Omega tries a top rope croit’s wrath. Thankfully, he doesn’t get it. Lost gets stuck in a bad position and eats a regular croiyt’s wrath. Omega gets a the deuce and advances in what I consider a major upset. Kevin Ford could probably be seen crying since Lost was pick to win the whole tournament.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Kenny Omega/13:51/***3/4
-Easily the best match of the tournament up to shit point. It’s too bad this wasn’t deeper into the tournament because I think these two could have an even better match with more time.
-2009 Battle of Los Angeles Block C Quarterfinal Match: Brandon Gatson vs. Alex Shelley
I’d say this is Brandon Gatson’s biggest match ever. Shelley has to be considered the huge favorite in this match. Basic sequence to start. Gatson ferociously hangs on to a headlock. He pulls out a Flair flip and gets tied in the ropes. Chop, reverse elbow, and a kneedrop to the back of the head. Dive try but Gatson elbows him. He drops him face first into the apron. Shelley nails Gatson in the back of the head on a Sauke special attempt. Back suplex. Shelley pulls Gatson by the nose and kicks him down. Stalling knee drop gets two. Chinlock slows things down. Kick to the chest by Shelley. Johnny Ian joins Excalibur at the commentary station for the very first time. Shelley skull fucks Gatson. Strike exchange ends with a Gatson DDT. Handspring elbow but Shelley rams him head first into the middle turnbuckle. Sliced bread countered, but Shelley hits a suplex anyway. Two superkicks gets a two count. To the top and a frog splash. 1-2-NO! Frog splash #2 is foiled as Gatson lifts his knees. Shelley misses a pescado to the outside. Uh oh. Sasuke special by Gatson. Acecrusher as he comes back in the ring. Battle on the top rope but Gatson gets him down. He rolls through a 450 splash and is superkicked again. Another superkick. One more would seem to end the match. Gatson hooks the jack knife pin. 1-2-3!!!!!!! GATSON WITH THE UPSET OF THE TOURNAMENT!
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Brandon Gatson/9:48/***1/4
-This was a good match and even better moment. I’m not sure anyone expected Gatson to actually win this match, but he did and pretty much made his career in one victory. Even if he doesn’t win the tournament, Gatson is the man to watch in 2010. If he doesn’t win the 2010 Battle of Los Angeles, I’ll be stunned.
-2009 Battle of Los Angeles Block D Quarterfinal Match: Human Tornado vs. Roderick Strong
Tornado doesn’t even let Johnny Ian finish his ring announcing before he leaps over him and dropkicks Strong. Hurancanrana off the middle rope and Tornado is in control early, Doesn’t last long as Strong hits a gutbuster and back suplex. Chops send Tornado down. Tornado comes back with a couple covers but gets kicked in the head. Vertical suplex that Tornado reverses into a Guillotine choke. Strong with a suplex finally. Strong places Tornado along the outside post. Tornado comes back and dives on Strong outside the ring. Inside and Tornado slams Strong. Flippy move that ends up in an elbow drop. Strong with hard strikes. Man, who pissed this guy off? Brainbuster. Tornado flips Strong down face first. Strong with a series of slams and a backbreaker. Tornado hits a pounce and vertical suplex of his own. DND attempt, but Strong works his way into a gustbuster. Sick kick and that gets three. Bit of a surprise I’d have to say. That ending came out of nowhere.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Roderick Strong/9:41/**3/4
-Somewhat disappointed in this match but with two more matches for some of these guys, I understand why a lot of these matches aren’t getting the time they necessarily deserve. The quarterfinals was certainly better than the first round.
-Austin Aries and The Cutler Brothers (Brandon and Dustin Cutler) vs. Colt Cabana, Johnny Goodtime, and Jerome “LTP” Robinson
I guess Austin Aries is contractually obligated to cut promos before every single match. He hates smart marks and wants to get out of Reseda. Blatantly obvious based on his effort the previous night. These non-tournament matches sometimes end up as the highlight of the weekend. Aries and LTP start and have a fun sequence actually. Things break down quickly, and I wouldn’t expect too much seriousness out of this match. Lots of dancing and jiving by the faces. Goodtime does an incredible dive on to the heels outside the ring. I think he overshot his target. Cabana and LTP dance. Faces work over Aries while the crowd once again hisses at the ROH world champion. Cutlers beat up LTP outside the ring. Heat segment on Mr. Robinson. Cabana gets the hot tag and hits a springboard moonsault on both Cutler brothers. Aries gets one of his own. Goodtime with a double dropkick. Cutlers in the corner and the faces each moves in the corner. Not Cabana I guess since he gets dropkicked by Aries. Aries punches both Goodtime and LTP. Thing continue to break down in Reseda. More hissing at Aries. Goodtime kicks Aries in the face after a dropkick in the corner attempt. LTP 619s Brandon and reverses a piledriver into a headscissors for the three count.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Colt Cabana, Johnny Goodtime, and Jerome “LTP” Robinson/12:55/***1/4
-A pleasantly entertaining six man tag that served its purpose. Absolutely no complaints about this contest. Even Aries seemed to work better in this match than his singles match with Kendrick.
-2009 Battle of Los Angeles Block AB Semifinal Match: Kenny Omega vs. Joey Ryan
Old school PWG vs. new school PWG. Feeling out process to begin. Joey Ryan hits a huge dropkick and gets a two count. Ryan with a chinlock. Omega with strikes. Ryan guillotines Omega’s neck on the rope. Omega eventually rams Ryan’s head into a turnbuckle. Ryan counters a crossbody into a two count. Back to the chinlock. Ryan fires right hands at Omega, but Omega switches it up. He tries a monkey flip but gets shoved down. Spear by Ryan gets two. Again with the chinlock. What is this? A Randy Orton match? Omega with chops and gets a roll-up. Crucifix pin also gets two. Double clothesline sends both men down. Series of reversals again but Omega does get a pair of Polish hammers. Blind charge misses. Ryan with a double throat thrust. Powerslam gets two for Ryan. Omega drives Ryan face first. Springboard dropkick try, but Ryan superkicks him right in the face. Elbow suicida on the outside of the ring. Back inside and Omega hits a dragon suplex. 1-2-NO! Waistlock into a dragon suplex try. Another series of reversals but Ryan dumps Omega with a pumphandle exploder. Punch exchange. Omega tells Ryan to stop and almost gets superkicked. Enziguri and a heel kick. Croiyt’s wrath but Ryan gets a long two count on an okana roll. Double chop to the chest delivered. Another. CROIYT’S WRATH! 1-2-3!!!!!
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Kenny Omega/15:02/***
-Got off to a slow start but this turned into a good little match. I liked the slow pace here because it left Omega with something for the finals and didn’t burn the crowd out. Just a solid match really.
-2009 Battle of Los Angeles Block CD Semifinal Match: Roderick Strong vs. Brandon Gatson
Crowd is ready for this one as well they should be. Gatson immediately goes for a series of pinfalls. Smart move. Leg lariat and a handspring elbow. Powerslam for two. Gatson is cooking early here. Strong gets one forearm in, but Gatson hits a DDT. Strong kicks Gatson into the entranceway, but Gatson hits another handspring elbow. Sasuke special missed but he ends up on his face. Strong hits him with kicks and a backbreaker on the ring apron. Another backbreaker. Here come the chops. Clothesline and a high knee. Back first into the mat. Gatson reveres into a sunset flip. Jack knife pin ALMOST gets him another upset. Wow. Strong and Gatson miss charges. Kick to the back of the head and another backbreaker. Stronghold. Gatson somehow gets to the ropes. Another stronghold try but Gatson rolls him up for two. Jack knife pin but Strong hits the Gibson driver. Long two. Sick kick. 1-23!
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Roderick Strong/5:30/***
This match proves a five minute match can get three stars. Great work in a short time. I loved the strategy of the match. Gatson knew damn well he wasn’t going to go toe-to-toe with Strong, so he kept trying to get flash pins. Strong beat the hell out of Gatson and finally pinned him after a hard fought five minutes. Strong is on fire for the weekend, and going into the finals against Omega, I’d have picked him all the way based on his efforts.
-PWG World Tag Team Championship Match: The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson)(champions) vs. Kevin Steen and El Generico
These two teams have met a couple of times in Ring of Honor prior to this, but I always got the sense that these two had a lot more to offer. Since PWG is interested in selling DVDs and having great matches up and down the card, I expect a lot from this contest. Steen paces around before the match and starts with Matt. He… teabags him. Well, I never need to see that ever again. Feeling out process between Steen and Matt. Matt spits his gum out, and Steen begins chewing it. Never need to see that again either. Generico and Nick tag in. You’ve got the most popular man in PWG against the most hated. Back and forth as they exchange armdrags amongst other moves. Matt in and he goes to work on Generico. Generico shoves him into his own corner. Steen has some fun with Matt. Thankfully no more teabags or chewing gum. Back body drop and a kick to the back. Steen tells Generico to put the goddamn boot up. He does indeed. Double team by Steenerico. Generico tries a teabag of his own, but the Bucks regain control of the match. Double team axehandles on to Generico’s arm. Bucks take firm control of the contest. Bucks do some of their trademark spots and get the “same old shit” chants. Bucks bask in the chants. What great heels these guys have become. Matt pulls out the handspring backrake for the second straight night too. Nick flips into the corner… and does an eyepoke. Generico just misses a hot tag in a great spot. Steen gets in a minute later and is a house of fire on both Bucks. Huge pop when he no sells the double dropkick, Cannonball senton on Matt. Big DDT on Nick. Generico uses Steen as a means of diving on to Matt. Steen drives Nick down on his neck for two. Swanton but Nick gets his knees up. Matt gets a sliced bread #2 for a two count. Steen with a codebreaker. Generico’s yakuza kick countered by Matt. Series of reversals and Matt drives Generico face first. Nick with a facebuster of his own, but Steen powerbombs Nick on the apron. Superkick on Steen by Matt. Generico gives Matt a half and half suplex. Generico with overhand chops and a swinging DDT. Nick gets his boot up on a Yakuzza kick. Half and half suplex. Steen senton. Generico covers. 1-2-NO! MATT KICKS OUT! Steen’s package piledriver is countered by Nick. Matt rams Steen into the post crotch first. Matt hits a diving dropkick on Generico. Nick dives on to Generico. Corkscrew acecrusher by Matt on Steen gets two. Bucks get More Bang for Your Buck on Steen. 1-2-NO! GENERICO BREAKS IT UP! Generico is tossed to the outside. The Bucks set up for their finisher again. Steen sends Matt into the top rope and Nick is knocked down. Nick goes for a knee in the corner but Patrick Hernandez is bumped. Package piledriver into the brainbustah on Nick! Rick Knox come into the ring. 1-2-NOOOO! MATT BREAKS THE COUNT UP! Steen powerbombs Matt and goes for the sharpshooter. Generico goes for one of his own on Nick, and the crowd is going apeshit. Bucks reach the ropes. Steen bites Matt on the top rope and goes for a package piledriver. Matt delivers a lowblow. Generico goes for a top rope brainbustah. Nick German suplexes Generico on theapron. Series of superkicks by the Bucks. 1-2-NOOOOOOO!!!! More superkicks. 1-2-3!!! HOLY SHIT!
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: STILL PWG World Tag Team Champions- The Young Bucks/22:16/****1/2
-There have been a lot of phenomenal matches in PWG this year. Boy, this sure comes close to being the best of all. This was an amazing tag team match where all four men left it all in the ring. If this is to be one of Steenerico’s last matches a team, then I can’t think of a more appropriate way to go out. This DVD is an immediate buy just based on this match.
-2009 Battle of Los Angeles Final-PWG World Championship Title Match : Roderick Strong vs. Kenny Omega
After two nights and 14 matches up to this point, it all comes down to this. Both have put on some fantastic performances up to this point in the tournament. I can’t think of two more deserving individuals as far as this year goes to end what has been the greatest year in the history of PWG. The last time these two went at it, they went to a draw in a really messed up match at Secret of Guerilla Island. Basic mat work to start as no one seems to get control early on. Omega with a heel kick, but Strong prevents him from hitting a dive on to the outside. Gutbuster on the apron. Strong has his way with Omega as he breaks out the chops. Omega does come back and they exchange chops. Omega send Strong through four rows of chairs. Omega atomic drops Strong, and he has a seat. Series of headbutts and kicks. Omega gets a running start and hits double knees on Strong. Strong comes back and slams Omega back first into the apron. Omega’s head hits the floor hard. That’s a concussion waiting to happen. Strong chops Omega hard multiple times. Omega slams Strong face first into the chair now. I guess there won’t be any count outs in this match cause they’ve been out there far longer than 20 seconds. More brawling on the outside. Face crusher ON A CHAIR! Omega right by the announce table. Now he gets on the table and moonsaults Strong. Jesus. Back in the ring … finally. Omega quickly goes to the top rope, but he gets dropkicked in the gut. Excalibur calls it a lungblower. I guess he’s right since he’s the announcer. Brutal forearm exchange. Enziguri by Strong. Stop enziguri by Omega. Strong with a high angle back suplex right on Omega’s head. Running knee by Strong. Omega hits a release Dragon suplex. Double chops. 1-2-NO! Croiyt’s wrath try but Strong gets two on an okana roll. Liger suplex by Omega. Strike exchange. Big knee and a gutbuster by Strong. Backslide by Omega. Tiger driver by Strong. Omega catches Strong with a single foot dropkick. Springboard dropkick on Strong’s injured shoulder. Northern lights bomb gets two. Strong small package almost catches Omega out of nowhere. Omega with a Falcon arrow. 1-2-NOO! This match is ridiculous. Omega to the top bit Strong enziguris him. Strong hits a backbreaker on the top rope. Both men look exhausted. Series of kicks by Strong and a backbreaker. 1-2-NO! SICK KICK! 1-2-NOOOOO! REVERSE HURANCANRANA BY OMEGA. CROIYT’S WRATH! 1-2-NO! Series of double chops by Omega again. Croiyt’s wrath? No. Strong hits a couple chops. His shoulder is done. Roundhouse kick by Omega to the face. SICK KICK OUT OF NOWHERE! 1-2-NOOOO! Another reverse hurancanrana by Omega. Croiyt’s wrath and roll-up. 1-2-3!!!!!!! NEW CHAMPION!
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: 2009 Battle of Los Angeles Winner and NEW PWG World Champion- Kenny Omega/19:34/****1/4
-Hell of a way to cap off the year. This felt like one of the most intense matches in PWG history. What a great way to cap off this tournament and the year. Kenny Omega stepped up big time on both nights and showed why he could be the future of independent wrestling. Strong continues to be the bridesmaid but never the bride. Can we please give him a world championship at some point? Please?
Omega calls Strong back into the ring and says there is a locker room full of men better than him. Great humble speech from a guy who’s never shown this side of himself before. Omega says PWG is the only reason he’s a North American citizen. Ummmm. That’s an interesting statement to say the least. He also says he hates professional wrestling? Well, that was interesting. Omega calls out the world tag team champions in a show of sportsmanship. The Bucks ruin the evening by going after Omega. Kendrick joins in the on the fun as well. Generico comes out to make the save. Cabana plays peacemaker and Generico, Rick Knox, and Omega are in the ring together. Omega says that he and Generico have a common enemy and shake hands. Everyone shakes hands and there’s a lot of love in Reseda.
Final Thoughts: The saddest part about saying farewell to 2009 was that it meant no more shows for PWG this calendar year. While night one was a major disappointment, night two delivered big time. This might be the best BOLA in history. I’ll have to rewatch (and possibly review them) to get a full picture. If you’re not obsessed with being a completist like me, just buy night two since the last two matches are fantastic and well worth the fifteen bucks by themselves. The quarterfinals and semifinals were also good too, and Brandon Gatson comes off this weekend like a rising star.
Next week, I’ll reveal my top ten PWG matches for 2009 and talk about my hopes for 2010… despite the fact they’ve already run two shows already.
