PWG- Seven Review

-You say good-bye, and I say hello.

-Bet you never thought I’d start out a review with a Beatles reference. It’s a special show. Deserves a special opening.
-Taped from Reseda, California
-Your hosts are Excalibur and friends
-Peter Avalon, Malachi Jackson, and Ryan Taylor vs. Brandon Gatson, Johnny Goodtime, and Candice LaRae
At the anniversary show last year, six of the locals tore it up in an epic opening six man tag. They don’t even wait for the bell. Heels attack the faces before the bell even rings. Big six person brawl going on. Avalon is making his debut. LaRae drives her shoulders into him while in the corner. Double hiptoss with an assist from LaRae. Heels outside the ring. Sweet American Jesus, what a start. Avalon and Gatson start things proper, but Avalon wants LaRae instead. Crowd is MASSIVE. Remember the old line about hanging from the rafters. That’s the building in Reseda. Some stalling by Avalon. Lock-up and some humping from behind by Avalon. Another go behind. More humping from Avalon. He goes after Knox. Is this a Krotch match? Did I turn on an AAW DVD? Yeesh. LaRae with a takedown. Off the ropes. Roll through into a roll-up for two. LaRae teabags Avalon. Elbow shot. Tag to Gatson. Everyone takes their turn chopping Avalon. Into the turnbuckle face first. Whip in the corner. Hand spring bodypress by Gatson. Springboard dropkick by Goodtime as he comes in the ring. Double team elbow drop gets two. Legdrop. Irish whip. Boot caught. Gatson with a boot. Taylor knocks the other two babyfaces off the apron. Jackson goes to work on Gatson with short lariats. Jackson ducks out of the way of a clothesline but gets chopped. Elbow and a flying forearm. Taylor with forearms and elbows. Gatson takes him in the corner. Gatson tries to set up for a charge. Elbow and axe kick. Spinaroonie. Awesome job by Taylor. Strike exchange. Taylor off the ropes. Gatson gets a DDT. Goodtime comes in with a clothesline. Dropkick. Avalon comes in and gets hit with an atomic drop. Dropkick. Avalon prevent a dive but gets low-bridged. Taylor with chops. Drop toehold into the topes. Kick to the face by Goodtime. LaRae dropkicks Taylor outside. HUGH asai moonsault by Goodtime. Goodtime sends Taylor back in the ring. He goes to the top. Avalon shoves Goodtime off the rope into the ring frame. Taylor goes to work on Goodtime on the outside of the ring. Jackson and Avalon choke away in the corner. Goodtime gets a boot up and a DDT. Hot tag to LaRae. Low dropkick on Avalon. Messed up stunner while getting double knees on Avalon. Taylor knocks Gatson off. Avalon and Taylor have a tug of war for the affection of LaRae. She forces them to kiss and gets a high crossbody. Gatson comes in. He REVERSES A CROSSBODY! Goodtime pancakes Avalon into Jackson. Vicious acecrusher by Taylor on Gatson. Goodtme wedges Taylor and goes to the top. Armdrag by Jackson off the top. Ballplex by LaRae on Jackson. She can’t find Avalon’s balls. Kick to the face by Taylor. Gatson clotheslines Taylor out of the ring. Goodtime stunguns Jackson. Burning hammer by Gatson. Double dives by Goodtime and Gatson. LaRae to the top rope. Moonsault on Jackson. 1-2-3!
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Brandon Gatson, Johnny Goodtime, and Candice LaRae/13:45/***1/2
-Was this match as good as last year’s? No. But there’s no possible way to top the madness of that match. They sure did try, and there were a number of crazy spots. I’m probably going to watch this match again after I’m done with reviewing the whole show. Just a fun way to start the show and get the massive crowd into the proceedings right away.
-Brandon Bonham vs. Brian Cage
Cage was signed to a WWE developmental deal shortly after this match. Think about this though. This is only Cage’s debut in PWG. Pretty easy to see why he got signed by the national company. Battle of two rather muscular men. “Who the fuck are you?” by the crowd. Cute. Slap in the face and immediate takedown by Cage. He takes Bonham over. Bonham with a right hand and schoolboy. Cage with a hard shoulder tackle. Bonham on top with fists. Vicious slap exchange. Bonham ducks a clothesline and gets a series of elbows. Cage powders. Tope con helo by Bonham. Least no one is being shy tonight. Series of strikes outside the ring. He hops on the apron. STIFF kick to Cage. Good lord. Miss of a double stomp. Punch, kick, and headbutt by Cage. Bonham sends Cage off the apron. Cage appeared to slip and fell awkwardly. Bonham with a double stomp to the outside. Bonham goes for powerbomb. Cage sends his opponent to the post. Powerbomb into the post by Cage. Kick and clubbering blows. In the ring for a two count.  Knee to the back, and Cage goes for a submission. Hammerlock added on. Crossface forearms.Bonham counters a vertical suplex into a small package. Backslide for two. Another powerbomb attempt. Cage sends him over. Neckbreaker countered into a northern lights suplex by Cage. Sweet move there. Choke on the bottom rope. Rake of the hair and face. Forearm. Off the rope. Tilt a whirl backbreaker. Another one. 1-2-no. Cage is looking really impressive here. Whip to the corner chest first goes Bonham. Headbutt exchange. European uppercut by Cage that would put Claudio Castagnoli to shame. Into the corner. Should blocks into the midsection. Chops in the corner. Chop to the back by Bonham. Off the ropes. Bonham sunset flip into another powerbomb attempt. Alabama jam by Cage. 1-2-NO! Camel clutch. He uses some crossface elbows. Back suplex. Off the ropes with a legdrop. He tweaks the neck next. Elbow. Chops by Bonham. Kick by Cage. Irish whip. Kick by Bonham. Series of forearms. Knee and forearm by Cage. Goes for a whip. Bonham with a neck clutch exploder. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before. 1-2-NO! Charging elbow in the corner by Bonham. Cage ducks. DISCUS LARIAT! 1-2-NO! Neckbreaker with one hand. Stomp the face. Lionsault. 1-2-NO! Irish whip. Bonham holds on. Cage goes over. Jumping knee. To the top. Leaping enziguri by Bonham. Hesitation dropkicks as he runs around like a mad man. 1-2-NO! Bonham tries to lift him. Settles for a low enziguri. Standing enziguri. High angle slam. 1-2-NO! Cage has some supporters based on an impressive performance. Struggle for a whip. He runs into Bonham’s boots. Bonham climbs to the top. Cage joins him. Release German suplex off the top. 1-2-NO! Strike exchange. Cage lifts him up for a gory special flatilner. WOW! 1-2-NO! Cage sets Bonham up for a powerbomb. Low enziguri. Canadian destroyer, also known as the hammer of the Gods, finally gets three for Bonham
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Brandon Bonham/15:17/***1/4
-Match probably went a little long, but this was an excellent showcase for both guys. Easy to see why Cage got signed by WWE. He moves like an indy guy but also features good size and a look WWE fawns over. Very enjoyable and we’re off to a solid start.
-Chris Sabin vs. Akira Tozawa
I’m hard with excitement over this match. Sabin and Shelley were supposed to challenge for the PWG tag team titles, but Shelley got “injured,” so we have to settle for this instead. Honestly, I’d rather see this singles contest. Feeling out process. Tozawa gets a roll-up for three. Back and forth. Dropkick by each man misses. Sabin flips off the fan who was chanting rather harshly about the city of Detroit. Should tackle doesn’t work for Tozawa. Sabin gets one. Off the ropes. Overhead chop. FLYING HIP ATTACK BY TOZAWA. In the corner for chops. Bicycle kick to the face. Chinlock. Tozawa screams, so Sabin plugs his ears. I lol’d. Forearms to the side of the head. Knee by Sabin. Deposited out. Sabin with a crossbody from the inside of the ring to the floor. Back in the ring for a two count. Chop into the corner. Elbow to the back of the head. Choke in the corner. Half crab. Tozawa goes to the ropes. Jabs in the corner. Sabin to the top. Tozawa gets his knees up as Sabin tries a dive. Back suplex attempt. Sabin with some blows. Tozawa over. Into the ropes. Sabin with a sunset flip. Tozawa up with a shining wizard that sends Sabin to the floor. Tope suicida. Excalibur makes an X-Men reference. Whip in the corner. Tozawa sends Sabin into the buckle. Headbutt  spot. He puts up on the breaks and gets a standing senton. 1-2-NO! He goes for a deadlift German suplex. Enziguri by Sabin for two. Sabin places Tozawa in t the tree of woe. Sliding dropkick. Hesitiation dropkick teased. Hard kick instead. Then the hesitation dropkick. Drunk fan doesn’t like it. Spinning kick by Tozawa. Both men down. Sabin grabs the ropes as Tozawa goes for the deadlift German suplex. Roll-up by Sabin. Guillotine on the top rope. Superkick. Deadlift German suplex. He puts Sabin in an electric chair position. Down again. Another deadlift German suplex. 1-2-3. Major upset for Tozawa.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Akira Tozawa/11:57/***
-Good match between these two. I think they worked well together, and you can really see the personality of Tozawa increase with every match. I’m pretty shocked DG USA insists on making him a heel because the way he behaves just makes the fans want to cheer for him. Sabin also made up for his partner not being able to appear by putting in a good performance.
-Scott Lost’s Retirement Match: Scott Lost vs. Scorpio Sky
After seven years, it’s time for one of the founding fathers of PWG to say good-bye. He apparently said he would always retire at the age of 30, and I guess it’s time for him to say a fond farewell. How fitting that it’s against one of the other individuals who was also in PWG in 2003, Scorpio Sky. Sky hasn’t been in PWG for over a year, and apparently things ended on bad terms. I’m assuming this is a one night return for Sky against one of his best friends in the business. Immediate leg lariat by Lost. He fires two streamers out of his hands. Sky with a leg lariat that sends Lost to the floor. Sky goes for a dive, but Lost runs away. Lock-up to the ropes and to the corner. Lost shoves. Lock-up to the corner. Lost slaps Sky. Amateur takedown by Sky. Lost takes Sky over. Sky ducks a series of moves. Lost gets an uppercut. Sky with a Thesz press and right hands. Chop in the corner. Irish whip. Dropkick by Sky. Snapmare and dropkick. Irish whip. Knee followed immediately by an elbow drop. Hard kick in the corner. Whip and double knees. Another whip. Lost over. Ducks right hand. Stomp the chest. Running kick to the side of the head for two. Vertical suplex, the best in the world as he calls it. Crowd wants another one. Lost delivers. Half camel clutch turns into a full one. Elbows by Sky. Off the ropes. Lost hits a facebuster/gutbuster at the same time. One foot on the chest for two. Lost rams Sky sternum first into the ring frame. European uppercut. Deposits Sky to the outside. Strike exchange. Lost hits a dropkick. Keep in mind that was outside of the ring. Lost clears a path. Uh oh. Lost hits a diving clothesline. Guess it doesn’t matter if he injures himself. Back in the ring. Forearm exchange. Kick to the leg by Sky. Knee. Lost gets a judo toss. Headscissors across the midsection. Sky bridges into a pinfall. Big flying clothesline by Lost again. Another exchange. Lost punches Sky in the corner. Sky locks a triangle choke in the ropes. Twisting DDT by Sky. Both men down. As they get up, Lost gets a whip. Sky hits a headscissors. Springboard crossbody for two. Charge. Lost gets the boot up. Kick by Sky. Lost with a back elbow. High running bicycle kick by Sky. 1-2-NO! Irish whip. Sky goes for a belly-to-belly suplex. Lost hits the kamikaze suplex. Back in the ring. Sitting flatliner. 1-2-NO! Lost to the top. Elbow drop. 1-2-NO! Back to the top. Frog splash. 1-2-NO! Into the corner. Lost goes for the superman spear. Sky meets him with knees. Belly-to-belly suplex OVER THE TOP ROPE! Sky with a HUGE corkscrew dive. Crowd on its feet. Sky to the top rope. Frog splash met with knees. Big fat kill blocked. Diamond cutter. 1-2-NO! Strike exchange between the long-time enemies and friends. Final cut neckbreaker by Sky. Bicycle kick by with an elbow. Series of kicks. BIG FAT KILL! 1-2-NOOOO! Lost places Sky on the top rope. They battle. Lost ends up on the mat. Sky with a frog splash. 1-2-NO! Unbelievable. Sky with a silverslice, Quicksilver’s old finisher. Wow. That gets a two count. Sky hits a TKO. 1-2-NO! Sky lifts him again for a HUGE TKO. 1-2-NOOOOOOOOOOO! Bit of confusion there, but it was only two. Great chant by the crowd. Big fat kill by Sky finally gets a three count and ends one of the most emotional matches in PWG history.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Scorpio Sky/21:38/****
-What an incredibly emotional and draining experience. If Sky wasn’t going to be a regular, I’m not sure why he had to win this match. That’s my only complaint. Lost went out the best way possible, with a four star match against one of his best friends. You cannot ask for a better send-off. The two men embrace, and Sky holds Lost’s hand up. The rest of the PWG locker room comes out to honor one of the founding fathers of one of the best wrestling companies in the world right now. He didn’t plan a speech. Whoops. Lost talks about why he retired, and it really is the honorable thing to do. Based on everything I’ve seen in pro wrestling in my 15 years, I congratulate Lost on his retirement and truly wish him nothing but the best in whatever he chooses to do with his life. Thank you Scott for seven incredible years.
-Bryan Danielson vs. Roderick Strong
We go from a retirement to Bryan Danielson’s return to PWG. And just to think, this isn’t even the main event. We’ve still got two title matches afterward.  Fast-paced feeling out process. Each man works the arm. “Cena got his fucking head kicked in” chants. “You killed Justin” chants. They lock-up. Daqnielson nearly gets a kick. Strong departs the ring. Into the corner. Strong with chops in the corner. Danielson with a European uppercut. Kicks in the corner. He goes crazy with strikes. This guy is pretty violent. Strong with a series of kicks and strikes, taking Danielson down in the corner. Bodyslam and elbow drop. Waistlock. Chop in the corner by Strong. Back suplex. Sitting abdominal stretch. Clubbing shot. Strong chokes Danielson with a necktie. Feel like I’ve seen that before. 1-2-NO! “You are fired” chants. Chops by Strong. It’s funny because Justin Roberts was once in PWG. Danielson with a boot as Strong charges. Running kick. Danielson with a necktie. Strong runs for his life. Danielson CHOKES HIM WITH THE TIE! Whip reversed. Danielson up and over. Off the ropes. Clothesline by Danielson. Strong powders. Danielson goes for a dive. Strong runs away. Danielson hits a knee off the apron. Back in the ring. Dropkick off the top rope. Kip up. Off the ropes and a running knee. 1-2-NO! He goes for cattle mutilation. Strong goes for a gutbuster. Danielson out. Strong hits a powerslam. Charging clothesline. High knee. Side suplex for two. Stronghold. Danielson goes for a roll-up Strong recovers. Series of pinfalls. They just roll around and around. Strong goes for a sunset flip. Danielson with a kneebar. He makes it clear he has until five. Strike exchange. Absolutely brutal. Danielson with a series of forearms. Strong goes for a gutbuster. Danielson with a crucifix pin. MMA elbows. Into cattle mutilation. Strong to the ropes. Kicks against the ropes. Strong hits a charging Danielson with kicks. Roaring elbow by Danielson. Sick kick. Gutbuster. Argentinian backbreaker. Gibson driver turned right into a triangle choke. Now into the crossface. STRONG TAPS!
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Bryan Danielson/12:57/***1/2
-Very good match. Maybe a little on the short side. This was like an abridged version of the epic matches they had in Ring of Honor. So many vicious strikes from both men. They gave and took tremendously. I enjoyed every minute of the contest. Crowd’s passion and chanting and just being there for every second of the match also helped make it. Danielson of course has a speech to make. It’s really the same speech he gave at every indy company during the summer, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be said on the west coast either.
-PWG World Heavyweight Championship: Davey Richards (champion) vs. Chris Hero
Hero finally gets a rematch for the PWG title 10 months after losing it to Bryan Danielson. These two have not met very often in either Ring of Honor or PWG, so this will be a unique opportunity. Brandon Bonham is on commentary. Might as well be Kermit the Frog. Must not be easy being green. Feeling out process. Some good exchanges and mat wrestling from both men as you might expect. Richards works the arm into the corner. Hero with a chop. Richards with kicks to the chest. Whip reversed. Hero misses a charge. Elbows Richards off the apron. Dive misses. Richards with a field goal. He absolutely punted him. Sliding dropkick. Back in the ring for a kick. Snapmare. Richards applies a sitting cloverleaf. Headlock by RIchards. Off the ropes and a ginormous boot by Hero. Richards goes outside. Kick off the apron. Weak slam on the frame. Cravat followed by a knee. Chop exchange. Hero with an elbow. Sliding kick to Richards back in the ring. Bodyslam followed by a senton. Neck first into the ropes. Kick to the back. Shot to the back. Hero with a chinlock. Dragon sleeper. Ridiculous elbow. Knocked him to the middle of last week. Sling shot into the bottom rope. Kicks by Hero. Chop. Richards gets fired up. Huge fists and fire by Hero. Big chop by Hero. Suplex style neckbreaker gets two for Hero. Richards is sent right into Hero’s boot in the corner. Hero with a series of yakuza style kicks. Elbow drop. 1-2-no.Forearm exchange. Springboard kick by Richards after forearms. Kicks by Richards. Off the ropes. Leaping boot by Hero. Very much like the sick kick. Off the ropes. Dive misses. Richards hits his big stupid dive. Apparently, the small of Richards’ back hit the stage. Not shocked. He airmailed himself. Hero nails Richards. Elbow. Into the buckle goes Hero. Dragon screw leg whip into the rope. Kick to the thigh in the corner. Another running kick. Missile dropkick. Cloverleaf. Makes sense since Richards has worked on Hero’s leg. Hero reaches the ropes. Crowd is split. Kick to the leg. Irish whip reversed. Regalplex by Hero. Running forearm. Big boot. Richards up. Another boot by Hero. 1-2-NO! Cravat and knees by Hero. Richards with kicks. Just blitzing him in the corner. Hero hits a charging Richards with the knee. Cravat buster off the second rope. 1-2-NO! Hero goes for the bucklebomb. Settles for chops. Richards rolls out and gets elbows. So many of them. Richards off the ropes. BOOT BY HERO! Richards out of a powerbomb. Cloverleaf. To the middle of the ring. Hero out into a small package. 1-2-NO! Richards with a kick. Boot by Hero. Elbow by Hero. LARIAT BY RICHARDS! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Both men down. I wouldn’t get up. Just watching these two makes me want to pass out. Go behinds. Richards with an anklelock. Hero sends Richards out of the ring. Off the ropes. ROARING ELBOW BY HERO! 1-2-NO! “To beat Davey Richards, you’re going to have to kill him.” Line of the night by Excalibur. Stomp to the head. Another roaring elbow. MOONSAULT! 1-2-NO! Hero sets up for the kill shot elbow. Richards backslide for two. Series of slaps and an enziguri. Hero charges and meets an elbow. Hero blocks and gets a roaring elbow. Kill shot elbow. Richards off the ropes into the anklelock. Richards says to hell with it. Running kick. German suplex. 1-2-Richards hits a release German suplex. Kick to the back of the head. 1-HERO GETS UP. DR driver. 1-2-NOOOOO! Right into the ankleock. Richards sits down. Hero literally has no choice but to tap. I kinda wanna tap out too. Jesus Christ, what a match.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: STILL PWG Champion- Davey Richards/24:48/****1/2
I don’t know what to say. An incredible match between these two gentlemen. It should come as no surprise that this was one of the best matches of the year because these are two of the best wrestlers in the world. Some incredible strikes and some pretty damn good psychology. Richards worked the leg and actually won with the anklelock. I loved this match so much. This will be in my top ten of the year. So many great moment. Too many to go over. The last couple minutes were simply amazing and only made the match better.
-Guerilla Warfare- PWG World Tag Team Championship: ¡Peligro Abejas! (El Generico and Paul London)
-Davey’s first words once he has the mic, “Holy shit.” He puts over Hero and that’s it. Hero sells the leg like champ going to the back, even taking his boot off.
-Guerilla Warfare- PWG World Tag Team Championship: ¡Peligro Abejas! (El Generico and Paul London) vs. The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson) vs. The Cutler Brothers (Brandon and Dustin)
If you want play-by-play, go elsewhere. This show has left me completely exhausted. I don’t know how the people in Reseda do it. If drinking makes everything even better, then how good must these shows be to these alcos? I’ll still do my best describe what’s happening. Challengers start before the bell rings. Cutlers come from behind. Matt hits an acecrusher on the apron. Champs come in with double dives on everyone. Cutlers battle with the champions before double crossbodies are hit by Generico and London. Bucks clear out the champs and pose. HEAT! Excalibur is losing his voice. Rebound spinebuster by Dustin Cutler on Matt Jackson. Generico hits a yakuza on one of the Cutlers. London flips over two men for a sunset powerbomb… on the floor! London uses a chair. All six men brawl on the outside since this is a Guerilla Warfare match and there are no disqualifications. Dustin slides Nick to the apron where Brandon DDTs him on a chair. Both champions are sent OVER THE BAR! Bucks double team on Dustin Cutler.  Nick is backdropped by Brandon as the Cutlers take control for a moment. Generico takes a chair shot right to the head. Well, that was uncalled for. Generico takes a garbage can shot as he goes for the swinging ropes DDT. I believe Dustin hit him. Matt powerbombs Brandon into chairs. I’m just going over highlights. It is complete chaos in and around ring side. Nick chokes London in the ring. Bucks send London flying. Generico is bleeding. Matt uses a rake on the back of Dustin Cutler. Major points for that. Might be the spot of the year.  Battle to the stage. Cutlers toss Nick OFF THE STAGE ON TO THE CHAMPIONS AND MATT JACKSON! Table in the ring and set up. London takes control with kicks and enziguris. He breaks out some…fireworks? Not the most dangerous kind. Facebuster by Nick. Yakuza by Generico! Matt hits a corkscrew acecrusher. London superplexes Matt Jackson THROUGH THE TABLE! Chair war between Brandon and Nick. Dustin joins his brother. Low blow and shot to the head with a chair. Heat is nuclear. No burnout. Tandem tombstone on two chairs attempt. Matt saves his brother just in time. Incredible. Double stomp on Nick Jackson through two chairs. Kick by London into a half nelson suplex by Generico through the chairs. Another incredible sequence leads to the Bucks superkicking everyone and their mothers. Backflip facebuster on a Cutler brother. London makes the save. Nick accidentally sent into his brother. London with a huge dive. Generico with a yakuza. Brandon hits Generico with a chair. Tandem tombstone ON THE CHAIR! LONDON MAKES THE SAVE! He gets sent outside by Brandon. Another table. Bucks wear the Cutlers out with a garbage can. Dustin on the table. Nick throws the garbage can at Brandon. Matt DDTs him. Nick covers Brandon. 1-2-LONDON MAKES THE SAVE! More Bang for Your Buck attempt. London breaks it up but gets low-blowed. Matt places London on the top rope. London sends him down. Matt flees the ring. Generico with a yakuza on Nick. London hits a shooting star to everyone on the outside. Generico WITH A TOP ROPE BRAINBUSTER! 1-2-3! JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: STILL PWG Tag Team Champions- ¡Peligro Abejas!/19:37/****1/2
-Calling the world title match the match of the year was a misnomer. THIS is the PWG match of the year. An unbelievable brawl. I couldn’t even figure out how to rate this match. Just a non-stop 20 minute balls to the walls parade of violence. Words cannot describe this match and how amazing it was. There were so many sequence where my jaw just dropped. My play-by-play could never ever do this justice. This is a must see match, a requirement for anyone who considers themselves an independent wrestling fan.
Final Thoughts: Easiest thumbs up I think I’ve ever given. We’ve got two match of the year candidates, and every other match reached three stars. That never happens on any indy show. Even the best shows have a dud match or a time waster. This did not. What a legendary show. When Bryan Danielson is in the fourth or fifth best match at ***1/2, you know you’ve got something special. If you buy very few indy DVDs throughout the year, make this one. You will not regret it. I am borderline speechless at what I just saw. This show makes all the crappy wrestling I watch in a given week worth it.