This is my first time at MPX after over a month. I needed a break to recharge my batteries and take a break from my writing. I got quite a smack from one wrestler and knew I needed to get out of the house.
Dark Match: Carlos Esquivel vs. Kenny Steele
I know I missed a few shows but is Kenny face now? And if he is, does the crowd know it? The crowd is not buying this face turn (I mean, worse than the Randy Orton face turn when he got Ortoned). If Kenny is face, he should spend some time studying some faces in MPX (Frankie, Steven, Jerome) and some guys outside MPX (ACH mostly). Carlos played the heel nicely and did his share of carrying the match. It was just a reactionless match.
Winner: Kenny
We introduced everybody. If James Hawke wants to wear a hat, that’s fine, but he needs to wear it backwards. He looks like Kyle Davis with it on front. There is some ring announcer whose name is, as best I can figure out, Not Kate. He wore shorts and tennis shoes. Not exactly my idea of professional.
First match: JD Kros w/Nigel Rabid & Frankie Fisher vs. Ben Wylde
Joshua City was missing to be able to wrestle so it was just Kros vs. Wylde. Wylde has apparently swallowed a tapeworm or something. He was looking like he’s lost a lot of weight. The gut is nearly gone, and he looks trimmer than I’ve ever seen. The match was really smart for the experience level of these two guys. Kros worked on a body part the whole match. The match maybe went on a little too long, but it exceeded my expectations. Kros used Nigel’s briefcase to get the pin.
Winner: Kros
Second match: Jerome Daniels & Matt Palmer vs. Andy Dalton & JT LaMotta
This match was really good, probably my favorite match that didn’t include Barrett or Greg this year. You had 4 guys who have wrestled each other all over everywhere. The #DirtyMinds tag team of Dalton/LaMotta, I would put them up against any team in Texas for being the best. Andy Dalton is also becoming one of the best all-around talents in Texas. I would put him in the Top 5 in Texas. Jerome sold and bumped like crazy. All 4 gelled well.
Winner: #DirtyMinds
Being really frustrated with the referee, Palmer started attacking him. MPX is continuing a tradition of Fight Survive Win which will have 4 captains. Steven Kirby will be one captain. He was going to fire Palmer but Valo showed up and announced Palmer was a competitor on his team.
Third match: Paige Turner w/Nigel Rabid vs. Livi La Vida Loca w/Claudia & Puddin’
Claudia comes out to the ring with a Batman doll she calls Puddin’. Under Claudia’s tutelage, Livi has a Robin doll. No word yet on what the Robin’s name is. It’s the little things this company does so well. I dare call Livi the most over wrestler in the company. She just does this energetic goofball thing really well and the fans love her for it. This is by no means Mercedes Martinez-LuFisto in work. There is still some work to be done on both sides. Paige is working on her crowd engagement and has some good facials. It reminded me of #GrumpyCherry (Cherry Bomb in CZW, WSU, aka Evil Cherry, otherwise known as my favorite wrestler on the planet), which is not a name I use lightly. The more I see Livi, the more I think MPX could be on the verge of something special.
Winner: Livi
We had an intermission. The wrestlers didn’t seem to mingling as much as they usually do.
Fourth match: Kristopher Haiden vs. Danny Saint in a Street Fight
This match was billed as a “Come as You Are” street fight. Haiden wore a Batman t-shirt, and Saint wore his Joker jersey. I loved the irony. This match was brutal. Both were bleeding like crazy.
At some point, somebody attacked with a water bottle. It got the water all over me. At least I hope it was water after the story Mick Foley tells about Kevin Sullivan and the dipping spit. This was so insane. My section got cleared out because there was a brawl in the crowd. This was like being there for Necro Butcher-MASADA, at least without the skewers or light tubes. The yellow chair that is used only by MPX during street fights got a chant. I’d dare say it got the second biggest pop of the night. The finish was really good. Saint kept on kicking out so Claudia threw in the towel because of her love for him. I remember a Wifebeater-John Zandig match like that.
Winner: Haiden
Haiden, not accepting that, did one more move and then pinned him. Nigel Rabid introduced himself and the third captain in the FWS event and then announced 3 members (Haiden & Glamour Hammer). Li Fang came out. Nigel thanked him for his offer, but he might be busy. That’s where “Just” James Johnson came on the loudspeaker and told Nigel that Li wasn’t wanting to be part of his team. Johnson was the 4th captain, and the team he was captain of was the Asian Nation. Matt Andrews, who had been sitting silently in the crowd, appeared and attacked the Rabid Empire to a “Welcome back” chant. He was revealed as the next member of the Asian Nation. If they are looking for a 4th member, may I suggest Kana? Please?
Fifth match: BC vs. Scott Murdoch
BC went out to the ring first and challenged anybody to come out and wrestle him. I knew it was Murdoch. I think everybody but BC knew that Murdoch was coming out. My respect goes out to anybody facing Murdoch. Thankfully BC had a few layers of shirts on. It was a nice short match. Murdoch chopped BC to death. BC got himself dq’ed by choking Murdoch on the ropes past the 5-count.
Main event: Gregory James vs. Barrett Brown in a 30-minute Iron Man Match
This is the match that brought me out tonight. This match had a lot to live up to, including the first two times they’d wrestled. Their wrestling was really good. I think the greatest test for these two was if they be able to put together an entertaining match of that length. I didn’t take too many detailed notes because as a fan, I just wanted to sit back and watch this. There were a few problems, including the time clock. I hated the finish. It was tied at 3 as time ran out. So my 30 minutes of watching this were meaningless. I hated this now and I hated it in Wrestlemania XII. In sudden death overtime, Barrett won the belt.
Winner, and new champion: Barrett
But we weren’t over yet. Mike Foxx came out to cash in his title shot.
Real Main Event: Barrett Brown (c) vs. Mike Foxx
This wasn’t so much of a match as a mugging. Or, as its also known, Foxx being Foxx.
Winner, and new champion: Foxx
All in all: So we’ve got a new champion. Not really sure that Foxx needs it, but it adds some legitimacy to the belt by him holding it. I see there being some good names who could face him: Barrett, Murdoch, Jerome, Frankie, his real-life brother-in-law Carrion Arcane, maybe skinny Wylde (?), Franco d’Angelo.
Both the tag match and the street fight were great. Livi is beginning to improve week after week. There are some things that need to be fixed (*cough, cough, Kate*). Overall, not their greatest show, but it’ll be nice to see where they go from here.