Dreamwave Wrestling: Anniversary IV Review

Each professional wrestling fan has his or her personal preferences. Some appreciate matches for high-impact moves and work rate, while others look for comedy and light-hearted fun. Some are drawn in by big name guests, while others support their favorite local competitors. The ideal formula for a successful show incorporates a variety of elements to appease all different types of viewers.

When LaSalle, Ill.-based Dreamwave Wrestling presented its fourth Anniversary event on April 13, 2013, the company compiled exactly that, a diverse mix of matches offering quality wrestling, storyline advancement and finality, a special appearance by former WWE superstar John Morrison and a surprising amount of dancing. Of the first three shows of Dreamwave’s fifth season, Anniversary IV stands out as the best-rounded.

The build to Anniversary was anchored by three matches: Nick Brubaker vs. Jason Hades for the Dreamwave World Championship, Marshe Rockett vs. Prince Mustafa Ali in a TLC match for the Alternative Championship and the undefeated Christian Rose facing his toughest challenge to date in the form of Morrison. That’s not to say the other matches weren’t well built or hyped, but these would be the three money matches to draw fans and viewers into the show. And each one delivered.

Hearing about former WWE stars making independent wrestling appearances always raises a question of how much of an effort they’re willing to put out on a smaller show. Dreamwave struck gold in December 2012, when Matt Hardy showed up with his working boots on to face Rose, and lightning struck twice with Morrison. His performance and willingness to not only provide the fans a quality match but to also make Rose appear his equal was a highlight of the show. This was the only Morrison match I’ve seen since he left WWE, but if he puts on this level of effort elsewhere, I’d certainly like to check those out. It seems inevitable he’ll be back on a national stage before too long.

The two worked a physical match that stayed grounded for the most part, limiting Morrison’s high-flying and showing a different aspect of his abilities. Rose continued to play his role perfectly, as he’s transitioning from most-hated heel to unlikely-hero babyface. His mannerisms haven’t really changed, but the crowd rallies behind him more and more. Storyline came into play late in the match as CEO JC Costilli, who desires to put an end to Rose’s run through his company, tried to get Morrison to use a chair after a ref bump. Morrison declined, which didn’t sit well with Costilli. After Rose won via roll-up reversal, Costilli entered the ring to confront Morrison, who laid him out and hit a Starship Pain to the delight of the fans.

Brubaker, the longest-reigning champion in history, and Hades, who relinquished the title without losing it when he held it, had the unfortunate task of trying to follow Rose and Morrison. These two professionals made the most of the situation, though, and put on a worthwhile title contest and main event. They played up the history between them, as they’re friends and former partners, and both men left nothing on the table. While there were multiple finishers, including two Angel’s Wings (top-rope pedigree) from Hades and two Fisherman’s Buster suplexes from Brubaker, it never felt like it crossed the line of reason or absurdity. This wasn’t a strong-style bout filled with no-selling; it was a psychologically sound contest between two men unwilling to accept defeat.

The fun didn’t stop when Brubaker managed to pull out the pin, though. Rose returned to the ring with his Good as Gold briefcase, similar to WWE’s Money in the Bank, and cashed in for a shot at Brubaker. These two went at each other hard for a few quick minutes of action, and the crowd bought into Rose’s potential to uncrown the champ. Before long, though, Hades returned to the ring with the World Championship belt and clocked Rose, right in front of the referee, to draw a disqualification. He then turned on Brubaker, laying the champ out, too, and leaving even his own manager, Ryland Foxx, wondering what happened. This was a well-executed heel turn, as Brubaker had been showing the aggressive tendencies between the two. Hades seems like he’d be well-suited as a cocky heel, so this certainly has potential and ended the show with a cliffhanger.

Earlier in the show, though, Rockett and Ali unsurprisingly put together the second best match of the night with their TLC championship contest. Watching these two men compete has been one of the most enjoyable and rewarding parts of getting into Dreamwave. As individuals and together they create magic in the ring and showcase their personalities and styles. Add weapons and plunder to the mix and it’s a recipe for a guaranteed good time.

This was by no means the most shocking or brutal TLC match to ever be produced. But it didn’t need to be. These two used calculated spots and well-timed and planned maneuvers to make everything they did between the ropes and on the floor count for something. Both men sold the devastation and pain caused by a match like this well, and they applied smart psychology and storytelling to what could easily have just been a spotfest. Ali’s confidence played against him, while Rockett demonstrated on multiple occasions his uncanny ability to hit the M-80 out of nowhere. This match didn’t reinvent the TLC concept, but it provided a lot of entertainment and enjoyment and is definitely worth seeking out.

Quick Hits

– For the second time in three months, Dreamwave hosted a tag team gauntlet – only this time, the Tag Team Championships were on the line. Members Only were stripped of the belts because of Shane Hollister’s inability to appear and defend them, so new champions were guaranteed to be crowned. That alone made the match more meaningful and significant. Unfortunately, the match didn’t end up being anything special. It’s hard to describe exactly why, but this match just never seemed to click for me. Starting with Helter Skelter of Alex Castle and Markus Crane facing Cousin Bobby and Dixieland Destroyer of the Beck Family, and having the Becks win, made sense, as it mirrored the Season Premiere gauntlet, but with a reversed result.

From there, though, it became a repetitious cycle of a new team entering and eliminating the surviving team. The Becks lost to Arya Daivari and Vic Capri, who lost to Dan the Man and Judd the Janitor (acting as Shawn Michaels this time around), who lost to Tyler Priegel and Matt Knicks of PRIDE. In the end, PRIDE defeated Zero Gravity to win the tag titles. Each phase of the match just seemed rush and no team had a chance to tell any real story. Regardless, it will be exciting to see what Priegel and Knicks can do with the championships in the future.

– Matt Cage and Lince Dorado had one heck of an opening contest. These two really set the stage for Anniversary, and they did so in grand fashion. They knew their place on the card, though, and didn’t overstay their welcome, either. Cage was accompanied to the ring by three cornermen, who didn’t prove to be too useful in the end, as Dorado was able to quickly dispose of them on multiple occasions. It seems “The Money” should have better allocated his resources, as his entourage appeared to be little more than young, broke and presumably barely over. A rematch down the line between Cage and Dorado would be a welcome addition on any Dreamwave card. Letting these two have more time and freedom in a higher spot on the card would take the shackles off and let them go all out. As it was, this was a great opener between two of Dreamwave’s top prospects.

– Dreamwave won my heart with its execution of the unsanctioned grudge match between court-appointed liaison Justin MacIntyre III and Waylon Beck. For being a non-wrestler-versus-wrestler match, this was entertaining and served its purpose. They kept it tight and short, and while MacIntyre got his cheap shots in, this was all about Beck getting retribution. It’s odd to see the non-wrestler playing the heel, but in this case, it seemed to click. But it wasn’t the match itself that won my heart; it was the little elements incorporated into it. There was no commentary for this bout, and the referee wasn’t a Dreamwave official but former competitor and LaSalle Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee Acid, who was introduced to the match by Beck. In an unsanctioned match, company resources such as commentators and even officials should not be used. These aspects of storytelling can go a long way.

– On a show filled with grudge matches, weapons and top-flight wrestling, Colt Cabana and Shockwave the Robot brought the comedic goods. These two were perfect opponents, and if this match had never been done before, props to Dreamwave for making it happen. Cabana’s shtick was enhanced because wrestling a robot offers a plethora of new opportunities. These two men, err, this man and robot, also know how to work a crowd, which enhanced the match. The finish was creative, too, as Cabana used his best friend’s signature move to put Shockwave into sleep mode, allowing for an easy pin. Sometimes you just need good, clean fun on a wrestling show, and this provided just that.

– A pre-show battle royal offered some harmless fun to open the show. Dan Lawrence, Steve Boz, Tony Rican and Maxwell Chicago strutted their stuff in a dance competition, but as Luther tried to Fandango, everyone jumped him to start the match. This was standard battle royal fare, and Chicago managed to stand out the most with his comedic antics. Bucky Collins ultimately won the match. Afterward, with his best Randy Savage impression, he proposed to Cousin Nikki. Collins took the next step toward officially becoming part of the Beck Family.

– Justice Jones and Ace Martino ended their rivalry with Jones scoring a definitive win over the PRIDE leader. The match was perfectly fine and both men looked good, but on a stacked show, it didn’t really stand out. I look forward to seeing where both men go from here, especially with Martino’s underlings holding the tag team titles.

– While watching this show, I realized all my criticism of Judd the Janitor’s gimmick will be taken back if the final iteration of his split persona is Charlie Haas.

Final Thoughts

The more I watch Dreamwave, the more I wonder why it took me this long. This company produces quality shows month after month, and they do it with mostly local, homegrown talent. Many independent wrestling companies load each event with national talent in an attempt to almost create a supercard vibe, but Dreamwave focuses its efforts on enhancing its core roster with one or two special guests, many of who don’t even compete. There is a lot of depth in the talent pool for this company, and it showed on Anniversary. Only one match on this show, the Tag Team Championship gauntlet, fell short of expectations, and expectations were high for this show. The three centerpieces matches all delivered in spade, and the undercard offered solid outings, as well. Overall, this was the strongest show Dreamwave had produced to that in 2013, but with stories building and tension and drama rising, it likely won’t hold that distinction for very long. If you’ve only heard about Dreamwave or seen it on this site, don’t hesitate to check out a show like Anniversary. I’m willing to bet you find something for you, no matter who you are.

Match Rundown

Bucky Collins won a battle royal (Pre-show)
Lince Dorado d. Matt Cage
Waylon Beck d. Justin MacIntyre III in an unsanctioned match
The Beck Family d. Helter Skelter
Arya Daivari and Vic Capri d. The Beck Family
Super Clean d. Arya Daivari and Vic Capri
PRIDE d. Super Clean
PRIDE d. Zero Gravity to win the World Tag Team Championships
Colt Cabana d. Shockwave the Robot
Marshe Rockett d. Prince Mustafa Ali in a TLC match to retain the Alternative Championship
Justice Jones d. Ace Martino
Christian Rose d. John Morrison
Nick Brubaker d. Jason Hades to retain the World Championship
Christian Rose d. Nick Brubaker by disqualification