Hello everyone, and thank you for checking out my first ever review for PWPonderings.com. You’re wondering how I got the gig, eh? Me too. I kid. My name is Mike aka “The Enforcer” and I will be your official Beyond Wrestling reviewer for as long as you all will have me (“The Enforcer” was bestowed upon me in the gym, not self proclaimed I promise). I am one half of The All Night Long Wrestling Podcast… ahem *cheap plug we’re @AllNightLongWP everywhere you social media*. I’m happy I get to be part of the team here as independent wrestling is truly the hottest it’s ever been, and there’s no shortage of content. Without further ado…
Beyond Wrestling’s “Dong Work For Yuta”
We are LIVE from the White Eagle Hall in WUSTAHHHH, Massachusetts and LIVE on IWTV! As always we are joined by the voice of Beyond Wrestling, Rich Palladino! “Platinum” Max Caster was scheduled to take on Wheeler YUTA in the main event, however following Max’s rap on AEW Dark this week… he might be on an extended vacation. That being said, we have a more than suitable replacement as Slade will be stepping in and it will be a NO DQ match! Let’s get to the matches…
Match #1. Rhett Titus vs. “The Dirty Daddy” Chris Dickinson
Interesting note, Chris Dickinson is one half of the current ROH tag team champions with Homicide, defeating Rhett Titus and John Gresham for those belts at ROH’s Best in the World just a few weeks ago. Titus ALSO has dick strings. Dickinson adheres to the code of honor but highlights the self tanner on Titus. This is off to a fantastic start. Ground attack early and often, Dickinson pulls butterfly guard and rolls for a single leg boston crab. Titus is every bit the mat technician Dickinson is which leads to a really good opening sequence. Titus catches Dickinson with a Buzz Sawyer-esque powerslam, much to the chagrin of the entire Beyond Wrestling crowd. gutwrench suplex by Titus gets two. Dickinson fires back and literally chops the daylights out of Titus. Titus responds with a rebound belly to belly suplex. Both guys are trading reversals until Dicksinon gets the better of it and responds with a lariat for two. Dickinson with a delayed brain buster for a longggggg two. Dickinson attempting an avalanche gutwrench something, but Titus responds with a glancing dropkick that sends Dicksinon to the floor. Titus goes up top but looks uneasy and slips, landing another glancing blow off the top that might have been a kneedrop (…?). Either way it’s hot as hell in Massachusetts and things could be slippery. TITUS STUFFS THE DICK STRINGS BACK IN. That fires Dickinson up and he catches Titus with a HIGH angle Death Valley Driver for another two count. DICKKKK STRINGSSSSS chant rings out. Both men are down trading shots from their knees. Don’t trade shots with the Filthy Father. Dickinson attempting the Hard Body Karate but Titus with a back suplex followed by a Yakuza kick. Dickinson catches Titus’ kick and turns it into a dragon screw leg whip. Titus catches Dickinson of the ropes with a Sky High for two. Dickinson back up and locks in an STF, but Titus makes the ropes. Dickinson looking for the Pazuzu Bomb but Titus wiggles out, and they trade boots. Dickinson looking for a Gory Special but can’t quite get it, abandons the move completely, and turns it into a Razor’s Edge! High stack on the pin 1, 2, 3 and he gets him! I got exactly what I was looking for out of this match, despite a few “kerfluffles” here or there.
Winner: “The Dirty Daddy” Chris Dickinson.
Rating: ***
Post match Dickinson is attacked by Wheeler YUTA and the goon squad. Matt Makowski and Slade (with chair in hand) make the save.
Match #2. “The Megasus” Megan Bayne vs. Masha Slamovich
I bet you guys are sitting there asking yourself, “Did Masha Slamovich join your podcast last week?” Well what a coincidence, you’re darn right she did. Check it out here: (ANLWP: Masha Slamovich Interview! – YouTube). Megan Bayne is fresh off of winning the ECWA Super 8 Women’s Tournament 2021, and nobody has put more work in than Masha, so let’s do this. Masha is used to being the more powerful one in the match, Bayne towers over her. Masha out on the attack and in a hurry with a single leg dropkick in the face. Bayne ducks out of a missile dropkick and is punishing Masha. Bayne is literally manhandling Masha, and making it look easy. Masha has a ton of fight, but Bayne counters a head scissors into a powerslam. Masha fighting back on Bayne in the corner but misses a Yakuza kick. Bayne capitalizes with a back suplex that gets two. Bayne misses a splash in the corner and Masha hits a shining wizard. Masha with a great combo that ends with a running knee in the corner that has Bayne down for a long two. Masha with a nice German suplex with a bridge for another two. Bayne counters with a Samoan drop. Masha goes up top and hits a missile dropkick for another long two. Bayne fights back with strikes, overpowers Masha, and is able to catch her with the powerslam into the sit out Rock Bottom which I believe she calls The Bow Down for the 1..2.. and 3! Wow, did not see that coming. Bayne needed the momentum going into WWR, but I was expecting a bit more.
Winner: “The Megasus” Megan Bayne.
Rating: **
Post match Masha is up and attacks Bayne from behind, but Bayne ain’t having it and hits a tombstone. Well this was sort of strange.
Match #3. Richard Holliday vs. Dan Barry
LONG LIVE DAN BARRY. Dude looks LEAN! I’m still furious over this Team Tremendous break up. Damn you Dutch you evil son of a… “Sometimes when life hands ya lemons, ya squeeze in it, ya piss in it, and ya serve it to everyone else.” – Dan Barry. Fantastic. Also, nobody is as over anywhere, as Dan Barry is in OTT. Seriously check it out, it’s insane. Anyway. Richard Holliday using his strength early on and clearly has the upper hand. Barry using his wresting IQ to outthink the “Air Pod God”, countering armbars and rolling through pinning attempts. Barry rolls Holliday to the outside to attempt a suicide dive, but Holliday catches him halfway and they’re both on the apron. Barry fights out of a DVD and Holliday is able to catch him with a lariat. For Pete’s sake Beyond, this isn’t Bill Watts’ territory.. get SOME padding. Poor Dan. Holliday is putting the boots to Barry and attempts a Rude Awakening, Barry reverse it into a backslide and a cradle, but only gets a pair of twos. Holliday with some corner clotheslines and he is REALLY working on his Dwayne Johnson punches. Hoists up Barry on the top rope and he’s looking for the avalanche back suplex. Barry escapes momentarily, but Holliday captures him into a torture rack and spins out into a neckbreaker for a long two. Barry uses the crowd momentum and hits an overhand northern lights throw and a few clotheslines. Barry with a low dropkick to Holliday in the corner, Irish whip by Barry and he hits Kryptonite Krunch for a two count. What? Vita Von Starr is here to distract Dan Barry! Roll up by Holliday for 2! Superkick by Dan Barry and he’s going up top, but Starr is back and Barry gets crotched. Holliday, being a total douche, hits the 2008 and that’s good enough for the 3. I really just need more of Dan Barry in any aspect of life. Another match that served it’s purpose, building up AmericanRana 21.
Winner: “The Air Pod God” Richard Holliday.
Rating: **1/2
Side note… three matches and all three winners have nicknames. Just throwing that out there.
Match #4. Shook Crew vs. Kings of the District
Confession time: I’ve never seen Kings of the District wrestle… but the energy they’re bringing to the ring has me pumped. Anddddd IWTV cuts out so I’ve missed a few early minutes. JIP with Donovan beating on O’neal in the corner. Donovan has O’neal tied up in the tree of woe and delivers a misplaced delayed missile dropkick to the shoulder. O’neal hits Slumdog Millionaire but Donovan makes the tag to Orlando. O’neal makes the tag to Blade. Lighting up Orlando with palm strikes and a double underhook suplex. Deadlift Samoan drop by Blade who the crowd LOVES. Ibushi combo by Blade and a fisherman’s suplex for two. Donovan is in and hits a very awkward looking Bossman Slam. O’neal back in but eats a backstabber by Orlando. O’neal fights out of a double team move while Orlando is still on top. Blade is in and it’s a Doomsday Device for TWO?! WHAT. YOU DON’T KICK OUT OF THE DOOMSDAY DEVICE. Donovan gets dumped to the outside and Blade is by herself in the ring. I take that back as O’neal hits a dive to the outside. Orlando back in and Blade has an ankle lock but Donovan breaks it up. Reverse crab by O’neal and ankle lock by Blade, but Orlando rolls out. Foreign object is in the ring! SHOE TO THE FACE by Orlando. Referee is nowhere to be found. Blade is back in and grabs an ankle lock on Orlando. He taps! Too much chaos for me personally, but the fans loved it so who cares what I think?
Winner: Kings of the District
Rating: **1/2
Post match, Cam Zagami is out and he’s trying to speak with the Shook Crew. Club Cam is open for business, baby.
Match #5. Teddy Goodz vs. Mark Sterling’s Client
Teddy Goodz is a guy I wasn’t familiar with until I saw him and Dickinson go at it a few months back and immediately made me a fan. “Smart” Mark Sterling is here and he’s about to announce his client… VSK! VSK hasn’t been around in almost a year in Beyond Wrestling. Many people were expecting (hoping?) for Jade Cargill, but the chances of that were slim. VSK is a fantastic talent (and not just because he’s from Long Island like I am, and Dan Barry, and MJF…). Sterling starts with the distraction early like a slimy used car salesman, and that gives VSK the upper hand early. Goodz fires back but VSK counters with an USHI GAROSHI for two. I love saying that. I hope I spelt that correctly. Running boot to the corner by VSK but Goodz still has some left. This is all VSK. VSK almost annoyed Goodz isn’t laying down and taking it. Atomic drop counter by Goodz who goes on the offense himself, attacking in the corner with a few splashes, a dropkick, and now some 12-6 elbows. Goodz puts VSK on the top rope and hits a picture perfect Iconoclasm (I first learned what that move was from Fire Pro Wrestling for Game Boy Advance.. true story). Sterling up on the apron with the distraction and he gets a foreign object to VSK. Referee wrestles it away but VSK with a chicken wing back breaker for two. VSK with the Broski Boot in the corner. VSK setting up the Ruff Ryder but it’s countered! Goodz shoots VSK into Sterling and Goodz with a Ruff Ryder of his own for the three!
Winner: Teddy Goodz
Rating: **1/2
Post match Sterling is HEATED. He challenges Teddy Goodz to meet him at AmericanRana 21 and his best client… Matt Cardona! Goodz accepts on spot.
Rich Palladino tells us AmericanRana 21 is sold out and reminds us WWR’s Say You’ll Be There will precede the show at 1pm. Have I mentioned how great of a deal IWTV is? I don’t have a promo code and they don’t pay me.. but if you love wrestling? Do it.
Match #6. Willow Nightingale vs. Davienne
Last minute replacement here, as Willow Nightingale was originally supposed to be facing Tony Deppen. Fans LOVE Willow. Headlocks to start. Battle of wills to start as both women are of even size, strength, and technique. Davienne showing some nice ground work and twists Willow into a pretzel for a two count. Willow up with a fisherman’s suplex for two. Willow in the corner. CHOP CHOP CITY BABY. Yeezus. Willow ain’t playing. Willow with a senton for two. Willow up to the middle buckle and misses a dropkick by what I can only assume is a country mile. Daveienne take’s advantage and hits a ripcord clothesline for two. Daveienne pays Willow back with some chops in the corner. Perfect standing vertical suplex by Davienne for two. Splash in the corner and Daveienne with a back suplex/choke slam/shut-up-I’m-putting-you-through-the-damn-mat for another 2. Daveienne up top but Willow catches her and catches her with a superplex and they’re both down. Willow is up first and she’s a house of fire as she delivers a spinebuster with a high stack for a loooonnngggg two count. Fans behind Willow as she attempts a deadlift Doctor Bomb, but Daveienne is out and hits a Samoan drop for another two. Davienne pays tribute to “The Model” Rick Martel with a Boston Crab but Willow is in the ropes. Willow with a kimura trap roll through, Willow gets her hooks in, and sinks in a rear naked choke? Ok! Davienne reverses it into a pin for two. Davienne with the Irish whip, Willow cartwheels out and hits a SUPAHHHKICKKK for good measure. Daveienne is down in the corner but Willow misses a cannonball. Daveienne goes to crush Willow but Willow moves and wraps Daveienne’s legs around the ring post. Back in. Cannonball connects! Willow picks her up for the Doctor Bomb for the three! YIKES AT THAT LANDING! Holy shit she landed up high. Davienne seems to be alright as she rolls out of the ring. Great effort from both women here and my match of the night so far.
Winner: Willow Nightingale
Rating: ***1/2.
Match #7. “Weapon X” Matt Makowski vs. Aaron Rourke
Matt Makowski is another guy I’ve only become familiar with over the last year, and I really enjoy his work. Shockingly I saw him fight in person for Elite XC 13 years ago and had no idea until this very moment. Remember when Kimbo Slice fought James Thompson on CBS and Thompson’s ear exploded everywhere? Nope, just me? I’m old. Got it. Anywho. Rourke starts early and spanks Makowski. Makowski’s eyes say “murder” so let’s see how well this bodes for Rourke. Makowski grabs a single and hits a takedown. Then a double. Now he’s in to back ride, looking for the rear naked choke. Straight arm bar transition into an omoplata. Roll through to a single leg carb, and now some spanking of his own. Makowski has some very natural, slick Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Makowski with a hip toss (IPPON) and sits in site control. Makowski with a kneebar but an eye rake gets Rourke free. Rourke is playing possum as Makowski charges in and gets a hot shot across the top rope for his trouble. Rourke throws Makowski outside but he rolls in and takes Rourke’s back. Rourke escapes and hits a meteora for two. Rourke blowing kisses at the referee. Alright. Rourke with a double stop to a bent over Makowski and a Blue Thunder Bomb for a deeeep two count. Rourke isn’t happy… he’s got a lot of emotions. Running senton from Rourke misses and Makowski goes on the offensive. Lots of strikes. Makowski picks up Rourke and hits a vicious vertical small package driver for two! What’s up Tyler Black? That should have been three, hate to be that guy but that’s a brutal finisher. Strikes exchanging and Rourke hits a superkick for two! Makowski goes for Black Mass but doesn’t get all of it. Makowski with a waist lock from behind, slams Rourke down and locks in a straight armbar for the tap! Sometimes that extra near fall does more harm than good, and that was the case here. I still enjoyed the match, but the finish felt a little flat.
Winner: “Weapon X” Matt Makowski
Rating: ***
Post match, Shook Crew comes out to help Aaron Rourke to the back. Welcome to Club Cam, baby!
Match #8. Alexander James & Logan Easton Laroux vs. Pretty Proper (Lady Frost & Victor Benjamin)
Victor Benjamin has a steampunk Dr. Robotnik meets Tyson Tomko look going on here and it’s interesting. Turns out, Logan Easton Laroux is not at all related to Lash LeRoux. Easton and James attack early to start and they’re focusing on Frost. Benjamin down in the counter and its two on one but Frost isn’t backing down. Benjamin back up and a double team Samoan drop/blockbuster gets a two count on James. Easton with a release vertical suplex on Frost. Laroux with the tag to continue the beatdown on Frost. Laroux with a torture rack on Frost but she escapes and makes the tag to Benjamin. Benjamin is way, way faster than I remember. Delayed reverse vertical suplex…? That was a first. James hits a reverse hot shot on Benjamin as the game plan is to clearly target the neck. Benjamin is down and Lady Frost is in to check on her partner. The referee is being urged to call the match but James pulls Frost out and the assault on Benjamin’s neck continues. Either the crowd bought in to the injury or they are just not into this match, because it’s almost eerily quiet in Woostah. Laroux is in and has a single underarm camel clutch on Benjamin. Benjamin makes it to his feet but Laroux hits a HIGH ANGLE German suplex for two. Laroux sits through with a variation of knee on belly with a knee trap. Laroux blows a kiss to Lady Frost and Benjamin perks up. We’re trading shots in the center of the ring. Benjamin gets the better of it and hits a pop up spinning back kick, which buys him time to tag in Frost. Frost is clearing the ring but it looks like she might have hurt herself. Frost hits a picture perfect Saito suplex and tags out. Frost is down on the apron and it doesn’t look great. Benjamin gets double teamed in the ring as Laroux picks him up for a gut wrench powerbomb that gets the three count. The story was James and Laroux working n Benjamin’s neck, but the injury to Lady Frost’s ankle caused them to go to a fast finish.
Winner: Alexander James & Logan Easton Laroux
Rating: **
Match #9. Trish Adora’s Open Challenge
Trish Adora is out first for her open challenge and she’s been able to brought the crowd right back up after the end of the tag match. Answering the open challenge is… Megan Bayne?! Interesting. Trish Adora and Megan Bayne were scheduled to main event WWR’s Say You’ll Be There in two weeks. WAIT. Adora gets attacked from behind by one of Bayne’s servants… it’s Alisha Edwards! Edwards has answered Trish Adora’s open challenge! Edwards is on the offense early and often and the crowd is firmly behind Adora. Edwards up to the second rope with a crossbody but Adora catches her into a powerslam. Big boot by Adora gets a two. Edwards runs at Adora only to get caught in a Bossman Slam into a backbreaker. Trish Adora with a Bubba Bomb into a rear naked choke (although one arm is an underhook not an overhook, but I digress). Edwards with a basement flatliner then a codebreaker off the second rope for a two count. Edwards tries for a spear but Adora catches her and hits a double underhook DDT for two. Edwards rolls to the outside and grabs a Singapore cane to bring back into the ring. Referee grabs the cane and Adora hits a huge lariat (If I heard correctly I believe it was called Lariat Tubman, which is, without a doubt, the greatest finisher name of all time) for the three! These two didn’t have a lot of time but they worked hard and advanced a storyline that’s building to WWR in a few weeks.
Winner: Trish Adora
Rating: **1/2
Post match, Adora locks in Cattle Mutilation with the Singapore Cane as she stares daggers at Megan Bayne.
Match #10. *No DQ* Wheeler YUTA vs. Slade
Slade comes out first with some awesome very straightforward graphics to the tune of Rob Zombie’s Dragula. YUTA’s music hits and Slade hits him at the doorway and away we go! Slade already pulling out the plundah daddy, and YUTA eats a vertical suplex on the outside on a bed of chairs. Back in the ring and Slade has a door. YUTA gets a hold of it and literally throws it at Slade’s face, connects, and breaks the door in half. Slade could not find a damn to give here as he’s up and slugging it out with YUTA. YUTA gets control and hits an atomic drop, enziguiri, German suplex combo for the two. Slade is wearing Dockers and I’m here for it. STF by YUTA but Slade gets to the ropes but it’s no DQ and that doesn’t matter (PSYCHOLOGY!) so Slade rips YUTA’s hair and that frees the hold. Superkick by YUTA and Slade is down. YUTA is throwing the plundaaahhhhh in the ring including garbage cans, chair, broken doors, etc. Slade wraps a metal garbage can over YUTA’s head and he’s down. Slade now has a chair and delivers what might be the hardest chair shot I’ve ever heard to YUTA’s back. YUTA fights out but get’s caught in a perfect exploder suplex through a door for two. YUTA and Slade are trading blows in the center of the ring and Slade is a psychotic serial killer madman. YUTA has a chair and swings it as hard as he can. Slade punches through it. SLADE. KILLS. THINGS. Slade goes outside to get a bag full of goodies but Richard Holliday and the goon squad are here. Here comes Matt Makowski to make the save and he clears house. We’re back to YUTA and Slade one on one. YUTA with a chair shot to Slade, and we’re building something in the middle of the ring. Is it a work bench? Nope. It’s a contraption of death and doom. There are four chairs all opened facing each other, with YUTA and Slade in the middle of it. Slade gets the upper hand and tries a body slam, but one of the chairs bows out and YUTA takes a ROUGH landing what looked like spine first on the back of one of the open chairs. Anddddd my IWTV feed cut out again. I’m going to find Roku quickly, and tweet them. Very angrily. Finding the finish of the match, YUTA was able to roll Slade up with a small package and solidify the victory! I enjoyed the heck out of this, it was a fun brawl that had the fans involved and delivered on short notice. Also, the WRESTLER Wheeler YUTA winning a No DQ match with a WRESTLING move is a great piece of business.
Winner: Wheeler YUTA
Rating: ***1/2
Post match, YUTA gets put through the tacks from the bag of goodies and sends the fans home happy!
Final Thoughts: Honestly, we knew what we were getting here. This show was a springboard to set up Beyond Wrestling’s AmericanRana 21 as well as WWR+’s Say You’ll Be There. The card for both of those shows so far looks impressive and they did a pretty good job tonight of helping us get there. The show felt like it was missing just a bit, which is understandable when you lose Tony Deppen and Max Caster last minute. That being said, nothing dragged here and everyone worked hard.
Final Score: 6.5/10.
Great review!