Prestige Wrestling presented ‘Always The Hard Way’ on November 20, 2024 from the Hawthorne Theater in Portland, Oregon. This is Prestige’s last show of the year, and can be found on their YouTube Channel for the cost of zero dollars.

We have some card changes tonight, notably with Prestige World Champion unable to compete due to injury, but the show looks fun regardless.

Before we get to the action, the tag team champs Sinner & Saint join us to let us know Alan Angels is injured and unable to compete tonight. This changes the main event from an 8-man tag with The Noise against C4, Amira and Jaiden to a 3-way tag match for the titles with S&S defending against C4 and the team of Amira and Jaiden in a Falls Count Anywhere match.

The commentary team are Jordan Castle and Cody Von Whistler. 

Opening Contest: Drake Kwon vs. Zaye Perez

We start with a brief Super Posedown which Zaye wins according to the crowd. Perez uses his quickness to get a drop toehold and a basement dropkick to the floor. Tope suicida into the front row by Perez. Kwon catches Zaye and presses him into the ringpost outside. Inside Drake picks up Zaye after a one count to inflict more damage. Big time chop gets two. Spinebuster and a lazy cover from Kwon gets two. Side slam and another lax cover gets two.

Perez counters a suplex and gets an enzuigiri and a rana. Wheelbarrow bulldog and corner charge. To the top where Perez pushes Kwon down and hits a missile dropkick. Kwon comes back with a Soultaker boot and looks for a powerbomb, but Perez flips over into a sunset flip for the surprise win. **¾  Good effort from both guys and a nice win for Perez.

Match Two: Casey Ferreira vs. Vaughn Vertigo

This is the Prestige debut for Vertigo, who recently defeated Josh Alexander in Canada. Ferreira slugs Vertigo down and hits a nice dropkick. Crowd firmly behind Casey here, and he gets a rana sending Vertigo to the floor to bail. The V-Guy comes back with a jawbreaker and springboard moonsault for two. PK and standing moonsault gets two. Leg lariat from Vertigo gets two and he hits a chinlock. Roaring elbow, but Casey manages to reverse and Irish whip and get a tornado DDT. Ferreira with a series of corner attacks and a Falcon Arrow gets two. Vaughn counters a suplex with Bonus Eruptus for two.

Vertigo goes up top but is dropkicked down to the floor. Tope suicide from corner to corner by Ferreira. Back in they trade blows with Vertigo getting a Shining Wizard, but is too tired to cover. They head up and Casey tries a top rope rana which is blocked. Vertigo gets a swanton to the back, but a second Shining Wizard is blocked and Ferreira gets a Shining Wizard of his own and a frog splash for the win. Very nice quick-paced match and a good showing from Vertigo in his debut.  ***

Match Three: Platonic Romance vs. Midnight Heat

Another Prestige debut here for Platonic Romance. Pearl and Coy begin respectively. Side Russian legsweep from Coy and Desire comes in with a slingshot senton. Gibson tags in but doesn’t fare much better. Pearl interferes from the apron to finally put the Heat on offense. Beautiful side suplex from Pearl on Coy gets two. Gibson tags in and applies a chinlock. Elbowdrop from Pearl gets two and he gets into a shoving match with the referee.

The Heat with some quality double teaming but they can’t put Coy away. Coy manages to take Pearl down and makes the tag to Desire who enters with a dropkick on Gibson. Sunset flip gets two, and a pair of backdrops. Sliced Bread on Gibson gets two.

Pearl comes in and the Heat try for the Hot Seat but Desire fights them off. Coy tags in and gets a superick. Love Bomb from Platonic Romance and Pearl breaks up the pin. PR sets up for the Hart Attack, but Pearl pulls the rope down on Desire sending him to the outside. Mightnide Ride then connects to give the Heat the win. **¾  Solid match, good finish.

Match Four: Ethan HD vs. Alpha Zo

Handshake and a lockup starts things out. They trade armdrags and stand off. HD with a PK and standing moonsault gets two. Zo rolls to the floor which allows Ethan to get a springboard moonsault to the floor. HD charges but gets caught in a backbreaker and exploder suplex from Zo for two. Zo gets a PK and a kneedrop for two. Zo tries for a Tour of the Islands type move but HD flips out of it with a sunset flip. Alpha Zo quickly maintains the attack and gets a fireman’s carry neckbreaker for two.

Ethan catches a spinning back elbow to even the score. Corner knee and a DVD from HD gets two. Crossface applied but Zo reverses out. Disaster Kick from HD but Zo gets a superkick and a driver for two. They duke it out and Zo goes for a lariat but gets countered into the LaBell Lock. Rope break, and HD jumps back on Zo with some ground and pound. HD goes up and tries a double stomp but nobody is home. Eyes of Heaven and a big lariat from Zo hit to win it!  Good hard-hitting battle from these two. ***¼

Match Five: Unsanctioned Fight – Elliot Tyler vs. Drexl

This was set up by Tyler attacking Drexl at Roseland 9 when he was about to potentially retire. Drexl dives through the ropes before the bell and attacks Tyler with a plastic bag over the head as the fans chant for murder. Chair shots come next as Tyler begs off. Back in Tyler catches Drexl with an enzuigiri and rakes the eyes. Drexl counters with pliers to the crotch and then to the nose and mouth, which is gross for several reasons. Chair tossed into Tyler’s face as Drexl wraps some barbed wire around the neck.

Tyler uses some momentum to drive Drexl into a chair. Elliot with some chairshots of his own now, but Drexl no sells the last one to the head like Masato Tanaka and then head to the floor. To the balcony where Drexl tosses Tyler off into the fans below on the floor. Drexl attacks with chairs once again and looks for a piledriver onto the chairs. Sid Sylum runs in however and tombstones Drexl onto the pile of chairs allowing Tyler to cover for the win. It was noted that Sylum was Drexl’s best friend in the business. Match had good heat. **¼

Match Six: Duv & Dangerous vs. The Hammer Bros

Debut here for D&D, as they immediately win me over with their 80’s style gear and Madonna entrance music. The Hammer Brothers also rule so this will be tough on my emotions. Jack Hammer starts with Duv. Jack gets a backslide for two and an atomic drop. Tag to Sledge to charges the corner and squashes Duv. Back to Jack who charges but gets caught with an elbow, allowing Bradley to make the tag. Powerslam on Jack gets two. Front suplex and Duv comes in with a basement dropkick. Acid Drop by Duv gets two.

Tag is made to Sledge who runs wild on D&D including a chokeslam and side slam. Legdrop misses however and Jack tags back in. Duv with a sidewinder slam and Codebreaker which gets just one. Thesz Press from Jack and a Jackhammer on Duv gets only two. He tries another Thesz Press but gets caught by Bradley into a slam for two. Duv dives but gets caught by Sledge, but Bradley jumps on both of them to knock everyone down. Diesel Hammer Piledriver on Duv connects for the win for the Hammers. **

Match Seven: Evan Rivers vs. Matt Brannigan

Brannigan has captured the hearts of millions in recent months. Matt immediately declares a thumb war but Rivers declines. Test of strength is next with Rivers cheating for the advantage. Brannigan tries a flip, but needs the referees help to complete it. Headscissors takedown by Matt. Rivers bites the thumb and gets a side suplex.

Evan continues to work on the right thumb, then hits a delayed vertical suplex. Spinning back elbow gets two for Rivers. Matt uses the power of the thumb to hulk up and they duke it out with Matt winning the thumb war. Jackhammer by Brannigan gets two. Matt charges but gets low bridged to the floor. Rivers comes back with a cutter and a pumphandle powerslam gets only two. Evan goes up, but Brannigan counters with thumb-assisted suplex and a spike. Matt then heads up to and hits a Swanton Bomb for the victory. **

Main Event: Prestige Tag Team Championships – Falls Count Anywhere – Sinner & Saint (c) vs. C4 vs. Jaiden & Amira 

S&S try to bail but get ambushed by the babyfaces and we brawl on the floor. C4 sends Travis into a wall which gets a two count. They head into the commode next while Jaiden and Amira fight with Icarus on the balcony. We go back to the ring where the punishment to the champions continues. Chhun and Jaiden do stereo dives, while Rosas tries a quick rollup on Amira and gets two. Jaiden storms in with an enzuigiri but runs into a dropkick from Chhun. Verical suplex/dropkick combo from C4 on Jaiden. Amira comes back in with a double clothesline. Williams tosses a garbage can in her face to finally give the champs the advantage. Stunner and assisted German on Chhun gets two. 

Amira uses a trash cash of her own and dives onto C4 and S&S to the floor. Samoan drop on Icarus gets two. Williams tosses her and goes to work with Jaiden. Code Red from Jaiden gets two. Razor’s Edge/neckbreaker combo gets two on Jaiden. Chhun enters with a DDT on Williams for two. Cody sets up a series of chairs in the ring. He drags Williams up on them, and Icarus sneaks in with a low blow, allowing Williams to hit a nasty looking suplex on the chairs for two as Rosas breaks up the pin. Rosas throws Icarus into a chair but Williams cuts him off. They set up for Ode to the Savior but Jaiden and Amira interfere with a Sky High/Backstabber combo on Icarus for two. Amira sets up a door in the corner and goes up top, where Icarus cuts her down. Williams goes up but Icarus accidentally catches him low, then Amira spears Icarus through the door. 

Jaiden sets a trash can on Williams and gets the coast-to-coast dropkick for two. He goes for the Plus Ultra Driver, which is countered by Williams and they do a pinfall reversal sequence. Williams get the Octopus hold but Jaiden slips out and gets Sliced Bread, then locks in Cattle Mutilation. The bell rings, but it’s actually Icarus causing a distraction. Jordan Castle has had enough on commentary and confronts Icarus which doesn’t go well for him. Amira saves him from a beating with a series of suplexes on S&S. Chasing the Dragon on Icarus, but C4 dive in to break the pin. Jaiden with a somersault dive to the floor and a Shining Wizard inside. Chhun gets a double Cody Cutter but Williams runs in, nails Chhun with the ring bell and gets the pin. Pretty wild action throughout. *** 

Post-match, William Quintana announces S&S versus Jaiden & Amira at Roseland 10, no interference allowed.

Final Thoughts: While not a ton of “big” names were on this card, it was still a solid showing from Prestige to close out the year. The main event and Drexl/Tyler in particular had good storyline advancement, and the matches were all solid to good overall.