Wait, I’m the Beyond Wrestling guy though, no? Yes, I am, but now I’m also the VxS Wrestling guy! Appreciate you all checking out my first foray into reviewing Violence x Suffering wrestling, so let’s get it started.
VxS Wrestling “The World Is Yours”
Live from the American Legion Post #241 in Baldwin Park, California, VxS presents “The World Is Yours (It’s mine, it’s mine, it’s mine.. who’s world is this?)!” Jordan Castle, Chris Klaus, and Eli Everfly are on the call, and this is VxS’ second foray into the west coast after being known predominantly as an east coast wrestling promotion. The crowd has shown up for VxS that’s for sure, and with some big names on the show it’s easy to see why.
Match #1. Wasted Youth (Dylan McKay and Marcus Mathers) vs. Jack Cartwheel and Nick Wayne
All of the competitors in the ring, if you combined their age, they would probably equal that of AJ Styles. I’m not calling AJ old either, but for these guys to be so good at such a young age, it’s… scary. Any chance Wasted Youth are fans of Blood for Blood? Mathers and Wayne are in to start. This is probably going to be fast so I’m going to do my best. Lockup to start and Mathers using his strength. Nice chain wrestling and Wayne goes for a second rope cutter early that Mathers counters, school buy roll up, and Mathers goes for a cutter of his own that Wayne handstands out of. Superkick attempt by Wayne caught by Mathers, spinning back kick by Wayne ducked by Mathers, and we’re at a stalemate. Mathers decides he’s tired of the stalemate and kicks Wayne in the face. Tag to Cartwheel who, well, cartwheels a lot. Hurricanrana by Cartwheel to Mathers on the outside and now McKay is in. Everyone is wearing red in this match, and it frustrates me. Cartwheel catches McKay into a fireman’s carry and dropped him in the corner. Corner chops by Cartwheel. McKay retains control and lands a fireman’s carry to a neck breaker on the knee followed by a standing moonsault for the two count. Wasted Youth with a variation of Chasing the Dragon to Cartwheel for another two count. Cartwheel is up and trading chops with Mathers. Mathers takes Cartwheel down with a soccer kick to the back for another two count. Wasted Youth drag Cartwheel to the outside as Mathers hits a drive by followed by a somersault senton by McKay. Carthweel catches McKay with an enziguiri, then another one for Mathers. Cartwheel backflips out of a German suplex attempt and a hot tag to Wayne. Wayne comes in with fists of fury and lands a rolling assisted Code Red maybe? It looked awkward but I think that’s what it was supposed to be. Wayne with a HIGH angle German on McKay, Cartwheel in and he… well, cartwheels into a deadlift German suplex on McKay. Double team corner assault to Mathers and everyone is bicycle kicking everyone with all four guys down. Double poison ranas by Wasted Youth, only to be countered with double Spanish Flys by Cartwheel and Wayne. I was correct, this is exhausting. Now all four men are up and they’re chopping each other in the center of the ring, Wasted Youth with the advantage and double running corner falcon arrows? I feel like I’m playing a video game. After a pair of two counts, Wasted Youth doesn’t know what else to do to put these guys away. Double suicide dives and Wasted Youth roll Cartwheel and Wayne back in. Not to be outdone, Wayne and Cartwheel land dueling Sasuke specials on Wasted Youth. Cartwheel with a rolling DVD on to Mathers followed by a standing moonsault, followed by a fisherman’s buster, followed by a running shooting star press (that Cartwheel missed), and finally a cover. McKay to break up the count with a running shooting star press of his own, only to land on Mathers. Cartwheel takes control and goes for the cover and gets another two count. Cartwheel goes up top by McKay is back in and stops him, Mathers is up and lands a cutter on Wayne, followed by a powerbomb. McKay has Cartwheel on his shoulder on the top rope and land, I don’t even know, a standing iconoclasm from the top rope on to Wayne, and I have to say… that was not a good landing. Cartwheel literally landed his entire body weight on Wayne’s face and neck. Absolutely brutal. Mathers covers and get the three count. Thank God this match is over, and I don’t say that because it was a bad match, I say it because of how much was done inside the match. There is something to be said for starting the show hot, but this was honestly too much. I’m not trying to be a Jim Cornette about myself here, but let’s save something for the next 2 hours and 40 minutes, and let’s do things that make sense within the body of the match. That being said, all four of these guys are fearless, reckless, savage athletes that put on a spot fest for everyone. With all due respect, not my favorite type of match, but I respect all of the effort.
Winners: Wasted Youth
Rating: **3/4
Match #2. Delilah Doom vs. Dark Sheik
This is the first one on one female match in VxS history, so there’s an interesting bit of trivia. Crowd is split down the middle on this one and it feels like a special moment. “Thick thighs and Jazzercise” says Delilah Doom… tremendous. Lock up to start and Doom lands a body scissors. Sheik crawls outside and Doom follows up with a suicide dive! Doom then with a cross body off the apron to the floor. Doom goes up top with another cross body but Sheik catches her with a dropkick in midair for a two count! Sheik with a snapmare followed up by an outside in leg drop over the top and a senton for a near two count. Sheik in control with chops in the corner but Doom gets a boot up and goes up top for a sunset flip for a two, but Doom transitions to a wrestling’s guillotine submission. Doom able to reverse into a reverse Boston crab that she calls The Pendulum, then drops Doom face first for a two count. Irish whip by Sheik but Doom counters into an octopus hold. Doom goes for the 619 but Sheik catches her into a backbreaker. Sheik up top and lands a picture-perfect guillotine leg drop from the top rope for a two count. Spinning back kick to the teeth and a German suplex with a bridge by Sheik for a two count. Doom ducks under Sheik and lands three release German suplexes in a row, then a guillotine leg drop on the apron for a two count. Doom up top with a diving back elbow for another two. Doom with a pedigree for a 2.89 count. Doom picks Sheik up with a ripcord but Sheik holds on, slides underneath and lands a pump handle Snow Plow (maybe?) for another two count. Crowd is chanting “VxS” and these women have earned it. Sheik goes up top but Doom catches her with a superplex and follows with a 619. Doom with a stunner and running double knees into the corner! Doom decides against the cover, picks up Sheik… widow’s peak! 1, 2, 3! What a match from these two women, and truly something that VxS can build upon for their women’s division.
Winner: Delilah Doom
Rating: ***3/4
We see a video of Cryme Tyme defeating Brandon Gatson 14 years ago in the WWE, and then stealing his boots and putting them up for auction at ring side. That was some good stuff, pal.
Match #3. Brandon Gatson vs. JTG
JTG is absolutely in the best shape of his life, and he’s been delivering some of the best matches of his career lately. You love to see it. JTG grabs the mic and asks, “What’s really good?” JTG says he’s brought a gift for Brandon Gatson for what’s he’s done 14 years ago, and he’s not the same person he was back then. Gatson opens up the present from JTG, and it’s a pair of new wrestling boots. Gatson protests that the boots are black, not the white boots that were stolen from him 14 years ago. Uh oh. I see where this is going. Gatson backpaddles, “I have no problem with black wrestling boots. I have plenty of friends that wear black wrestling boots.” JTG is not happy. Gatson says “Fine, I’ll take them!” and then he cracks JTG in the back of the head with the boots and the match is underway. Gatson on the attack early but JTG with a slingblade and a back suplex into a neck breaker for a two count! JTG clotheslines Gatson over the top rope, but Gatson back in with an over-the-top twisting cutter. Both men on the outside now and Gatson slams JTG on the floor. No padding. Yikes. Gatson on the apron drops a Cactus Jack elbow to the floor. Back on the inside and Gatson ducks a clothesline and delivers a DDT for near fall. JTG reverses an Irish Whip and Gatson with the Flair buckle spot, and rebounds with a jumping switch kick and both men are down. JTG ate a nacho from a fan as he was trying to get back to his feet… hilarious. JTG runs at Gatson and he reverses a crossbody into the Spanish Fly like Trevor Lee maneuver for a two count. JTG catches a charging Gatson in midair and spins him around into a uranage for a two count. JTG puts Gatson on the top rope, and the announcer reminds us “In every single match so far, competitors have gone for a superplex.” I uh, I might not want to call that out. Gatson fights JTG off the top, but JTG runs up the ropes, slips on the second one, but still has enough to catch Gatson and toss him from the top with an overhead belly to belly suplex. VxS fans are very, very forgiving… and that’s a good thing. Two count here for JTG and he’s in control. JTG with a knuckle lock pick up Double A spine buster for a two count. JTG signaling for the Razor’s Edge, but Gatson reverses into a running enziguiri and another near fall. Gatson looks to go up top, which, can I add, has not proven to be a good idea all night, AND the ceiling is very low. Just poor decision making here. Alas, JTG catches Gatson on the top and delivers a running Razor’s Edge for the three count. Fun match between the two with a good back story, despite some hiccups. I stand by my statement pre-match, JTG has reached another level in his career and it’s so cool to see him having fun on the independents.
Winner: JTG
Rating: **3/4
Match #4. Jordan Oliver vs. Jimmy Jacobs
Well if this isn’t a generational clash than I don’t know what is. Jimmy Jacobs was the leader of the “Age of the Fall” in Ring of Honor, before working in WWE and Impact as a producer. Jacobs isn’t here for a long time, he’s here for a good time as he attacks Oliver before the bell. Oliver, by the way, is still sporting a bandage on his eye after Atticus Cogar held his face over the pyrotechnics at a recent Game Changer Wrestling show. Jimmy is all over Oliver from the start, including a curb stomp a la Super Dragon. Oliver finally fights back, ducks a charge, and hits a step up enziguiri as well as a double axe handle from the top rope. Oliver now on the outside and Jacobs stop him, grabs him by the hair, and throws Oliver face first into the roof of a shed at ringside. Weird sentence, but that’s what happened. Jacobs now on the offensive on the outside and they’re setting up a table near the merch stands. I guess this match is no count out? Oliver sets up a ladder by the concession stand and lands a moonsault on to Jacobs. Both wrestlers make it back to the ring and Jacobs catches Oliver going up to the top rope. Another superplex attempt, which the ring announcer once again brings up. Jordan fights Jacobs off and misses a splash but catches Jacobs with a spinning clothesline in the corner, an exploder suplex, and another clothesline for the two count. Olver goes for a Boston crab but Jacobs goes for the injured eye and escapes. Jacobs bears a striking resemblance to Ellis from Die Hard right now and I can’t unsee that. Oliver goes up top and Jacobs looks like he was supposed to counter it into a backstabber in mid-air, but it didn’t quite work. Jacobs up top with a diving cutter for a two count. Jacobs attempts an Acid Drop but Olver flips him over, shoots him into the ropes, and lands a running Yazuza kick. One, two… three!? Wow, that one took me off guard. I’d expect some bigger fanfare here for the Jimmy Jacobs return but this one kind of just fell flat.
Winner: Jordan Oliver
Rating: **1/2
Match #5. Six Way Lucha Rules Match: Dr. Cube vs. Facade vs. Adrian Quest vs. Sebastian Cage vs. Dani Mo vs. Da Shade
Dr. Cube starts the night by going all Bubba Ray Dudley at Heatwave 98 calling people sweathogs, marks, and more unapologetically Cube-like things that I cannot repeat here. #KillCubeKill. Dani Mo usually seconds Facade to ring side but she was added to this match late, so it went from a five way to a six way. I’m really just going to give highlights in this because there is no way I am going to be able to follow the action. Cube and Quest to start and the crowd hates Cube. Like, with a passion. Before anything can happen, Cube tags out to Dani Mo who delivers a hurricanrana to Quest. This is lucha rules, by the way. Facade in and he’s doing a headstand on the turnbuckle in the corner. Everyone is confused, except for Dani Mo, who tickles him to the ground. Shade in and he catches both Mo and Cage in a double fall away slam. Cube runs in from behind and delivers a German suplex followed by a Saito suplex. Quest is in and he superkicks a seated Cube for a two count. Cube then intercepts a dive from Cage, goes to dive himself, and gets blasted in the face by Dani Mo with a chair! Everyone is outside and Cage hits a springboard twisting moonsault on to the crowd, Shade then follows up with a suicide dive. Facade follows him with a step-up springboard somersault senton. Mo is back in and she delivers a poison rana to Quest. Cube throws Shade through some chair but comes back in the ring and get TKO’d by Mo for his troubles. Cage with a rolling diamond cutter to Mo. Cube tosses Facade to the outside and hits a Riot Bomb on Cage (what’s a Riot Bomb? A Riot Bomb is a move I created in 2004 when I was backyard wrestling. Does anyone know it’s called a Riot Bomb? No. But I made it up, Cube. Either way, it’s a one-armed choke slam into a powerbomb). Cube then tells him what he thinks of him. Quest steps up off of Facade into a headscissors on Cage. Mo back in the ring with a step-up springboard Canadian Destroyer. Cube is back in the ring.. the mist! Mist to Dani Mo! Running Death Valley Driver into the corner! Facade is in and he’s not happy. Spinning back kick to Cube! Facade has Cube in the corner, lays a chair in his face, and seems to be setting up a Van Terminator. Facade comes off the top and… well, he lands about 5 feet short, and his momentum propels him headfirst into Cube and the chair. Listen, that was a tremendously bad spot there, but we know now Facade tore his ACL and MCL WEEKS BEFORE this show so I’m giving him a pass, and I’m just glad nobody was hurt. Cage back in and hits a springboard cutter to Facade. Quest in quick and lands a Tiger Bomb followed by a Phoenix Splash for the three! This was meant to be all action, all spots, and that’s what it was. Obviously, the Facade spot hurt the match overall, but each guy got their time to shine, especially Dr. Cube and Adrian Quest.
Winner: Adrian Quest
Rating: ***
Match #6. Jimmy Lloyd vs. Lio Rush
Now THIS is a clash of styles. Lloyd is primarily a death match wrestler and is looking to prove he can wrestle, and you’ve no better opponent to do that than Lio. Test of strength to start, and Lloyd is holding his own early with Rush. Rush might be the fastest wrestler in the world currently. And ever. Lloyd actually keeping pace with Rush early and he lands an enziguiri out of nowhere and both guys are outside. Lloyd sends Rush into the concrete wall on the outside and delivers some forearms as he throws Rush back in the ring. Rush takes too long and lands a capoeira kick and follows it up with a suicide dive between the bottom and middle rope! Back in the ring and Rush is in charge with round kicks to a downed Lloyd. Rush with a diving clothesline that turns Lloyd inside out, resulting in a two count. Rush goes up top but Lloyd rolls out to the apron. Lloyd grabs Rush in a fireman’s carry but Rush escapes, however Lloyd catches Rush with a bottom rope assisted stunner for a two count, followed by a Death Valley Driver for another near fall. Superkick by Lloyd and a huge lariat, followed by a package piledriver! One, two.. thr.. no! Rush escapes and rolls outside, but Lloyd goes up to the top rope. Rush catches Lloyd coming in with a mid-air cutter for a two count! Lloyd is up, but Rush dives backwards from the top rope with a PERFECT poison rana, spinning back kick to a downed Lloyd but he rolls out of the ring. Rush gets caught attempting a moonsault to the outside but turns it onto a tornado DDT! Back in the ring Rush goes up top for a frog splash but Lloyd gets the knees up! Rush attempts another tornado DDT, but Lloyd catches him, after some maneuvering, turns it into a Ganso Bomb! Three count, it’s over! Jimmy Lloyd improves to 9-1 in VxS but Lio Rush is still looking for his first win in the company. Really fun match between these two and it’s nice to see what Lloyd is capable of outside of the death match realm. Lio Rush is Lio Rush and you know what you’re getting, a really fun match.
Winner: Jimmy Lloyd
Rating: ***1/2
Match #7. Joey Janela vs. Brian Cage
I think I’ve seen more from Brian Cage in VxS than I have in AEW. Janela gives us his best Buff Bagwell taunts. Janela also tries to match power for power with Cage and it’s not happening. Cage shakes off Janela’s shoulder block attempts and comes back with one of his own, which sends Janela to the outside. Janela back in and attempts a hurricanrana but Cage turns it into a buckle bomb. Cage then chops Janela and launches him from corner to corner. Janela goes up top but Cage catches him in mid-air in a suplex position and drops him with a jackhammer for a two count. Fans are chanting “Same Old S%*#” to Cage. Cage charges Janela in the corner and misses, Janela attacks with clotheslines to little effect. Another one. Another one. Janela finally gets Cage off of his feet and he’s pounding on him in the corner with forearms and chops, trips the leg out, and Janela hits a running knee into the corner. Cage rolls outside and Janela follows, but Cage catches Janela diving at him and military presses Janela directly into the concrete wall. Back inside the ring and Cage lands a rising knee to Janela that gets him a count of two. Janela ducks a Cage clotheline and hits a German suplex buckle bomb (?) and both men are down. Cage rolls to the apron and Janela landing running forearms and a suicide dive. Janela throws Cage back in and hits a top rope swinging DDT for another two count. Janela looking for the piledriver but Cage picks Janela up from the ground by the throat into a deadlift overhead belly to belly suplex followed by a 619. Pump kick by Cage as he looks for the F10, but Janela counters it into a poison rana. Cage up quick and drops Janela with a spinning lariat as both men try to recover before 10. Cage angling for the deadlift outside in superplex but Janela counters with a powerbomb! Janela goes up to the top rope for the elbow drop by Cage gets the knees up! Janela is outside the ring now and Cage gets his outside in suplex and all he’s got to show for it is a near fall. Janela counters the drill claw and both guys are slugging it out in the center of the ring. Cage attempts a German but Janela flips out and lands a headbutt. Janela finally able to get Cage up and yes! Perfect piledriver by Janela for a two count. Janela looking for another one but Cage counters with a Canadian Destroyers followed by an F10! This has to be it. Nope! Two count! Janela counters Cage and lands a Death Valley Drive, and now he’s looking for the Razor’s Edge. Cage able to power out and hit an Alabama Slam followed by a pump handle sit out face buster, and finally the drill claw for the three count. The crowd does not like it, that’s for sure. These two worked very hard down the stretch, but I think Cage’s size might be finally catching up to him as this was the slowest that I think I’ve ever seen him.
Winner: Brian Cage
Rating” **3/4
Match #8. PCO vs. 2 Cold Scorpio
Just typing this is weird, but I am here for it. One of the commentators brought up that they’d hate to see Dr. Cube and PCO together, and frankly, I think that’s something we’d all love to see. The two legends lock up and Scorpio mocks PCO with the Frankenstein walk. Wrist lock by Scorpio working on the arm of the big monster PCO. Kitchen sink by PCO and now he returns the wrist lock favor on Scorpio. PCO walks up top with Scorpio’s arm and he’s going Old School? Scorpio pulls his arm away but PCO hits a shoulder block from the top rope. A running big boot by PCO and then a diving clothesline takes both men to the outside of the ring. PCO rolls back inside. Uh oh. PCO charging up and hits a cannonball to Scorpio on the outside between the second and third rope! Perfect landing. “If PCO is a nut, will 2 Cold Scorpio be his squirrel?” – Chris Klaus. Wow. I almost shut this off for that comment alone. Scorpio grabs a chair from under the ring and I’m still under the assumption that there is no count out? Both men are chopping the heck out of each other on the outside of the ring. Scorpio sets up a chair on the outside and in slow motion throws a chair at PCO hitting him directly in the face. Scorpio then with a running chair shot and they’re headed to the bar here. PCO gets control and drapes Scorpio over the unfolded chairs and PCO is on top of the bar! PCO with a diving senton and Scorpio barely gets out of the way, landing hard on the chairs and the concrete floor. Both wrestlers are moving back to the ring but PCO catches Scorpio coming in with a clotheline and lays him on the apron. Oh no. Don’t do this. PCO is going up top. PCO LANDS a somersault senton on to Scorpio on the apron, and I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen him land that move. PCO rolls Scorpio back in the ring and goes for the cover, just a two count. Elbow drop by PCO gets another two. PCO is now bleeding from the mouth pretty heavily here. Scorpio fights out with some rough looking strikes as well as a pele kick for a two count. Scorpio goes up top with a somersault leg drop but he only gets a two count! Scorpio goes back up top and lands a moonsault for a 2.9999! Both men are up and the “This is Awesome” chants ring throughout the American Legion. 2 Cold Scorpio hits a version of the Ghetto Blaster for another two count and goes back up to the top rope. PCO catches him and hits a chokeslam from the top! PCO is now going back to the top and lands a moonsault of his own !1, 2, 3 he got him! PCO and Scorpio are both north of 50 years old, and they gave us everything they had. Was it sloppy? Sure, but damn it all if they didn’t work their asses off. Fun match from these two legends.
Winner: PCO
Rating: ***1/4.
Final Thoughts: VxS does a really good job of mixing different types of matches on their show, and this was no different. Talent from yesterday, today, and tomorrow gave the fans some variety as well. This show was not live, as it was posted on Fite TV a week after it was filmed. This gave the company a week to clean some things up and boost the production value. I’ll be here for the next show, as it doesn’t feel like your traditional three-hour show. I’m interested to see who shows up at the VxS/No Peace Underground co-promotion show, “Already Dead” on January 7th.
Final Score: 7/10.