TNT Extreme Wrestling held 4 shows this past weekend from 9/26 – 9/27. They were all very different events ranging from a Big Gay Brunch to a Tournament of Death. There were some great matches and some very charismatic and unique wrestlers.
The first event was “Project X” on Saturday, September 26. The show started with a handicap match where Bullit runs through his opponents. We then have a hardcore match between MVK and Jimmy Jackson and a couple of pick your poison matches. The real excitement started with the main event, which was a Project X match for the Ultra X Championship. The entrants in the match were Che Monet and Adam Bolt, who would also main event the next show, along with Judas Grey, Denzel Mack, Scotty Rawk and the defending champion, Tom Thelwell.
Early in the match, Rawk and Bolt showed off their quickness and athleticism while Thelwell showed off his strength. There were lots of high spots, including dives of the towers in the corners of the ring. We also had great interactions between Che Monet and Adam Bolt, previewing their match at the Big Gay Brunch. Judas gets speared off of the cable by Tom, who is able to capture and retain his title. However, after the match, Tommy Tanner cashed in his briefcase for a title shot. This may have been the wrong timing because Tom is able to get the win and retain the title. This was a really fun and exciting match and is worth checking out.
The next event on Saturday was “Effy’s Big Gay Brunch.” The event opens up with a drag performance, followed by the namesake of the event, Effy, teaming with Lucy Sky to defeat the Cheeky Lil Buggers. This was a big victory for Lucy, as she pinned the TNT Women’s Champion, Alexxis Falcon. Allie Katch defeats Steph De Lander in a pretty even match when Allie rolls up De Lander after De Lander tries to cheat. It is then time for the tradition that is the Rainbow Rumble, which includes all kinds of talented wrestlers and personalities including Session Moth Martina, LA Taylor, GAYNE, Panhausen, Sammy Blue, and Theykind. The rumble was won by the #1 entrant Tye Archer. A tag team title match was next, as Act 2 defended the titles against Hollie Barlow and Nathan Black (who replaced Lana Austin). This was a really fun match, as Black and Hollie are silly and great, while Act 2 was extremely athletic. Act Two were able to retain their titles with The Day Tripper.
The main event was incredible and possibly my favorite match of the year. The story telling, mixed with the wrestling was perfect. This was a “Till Death Do Us Part Match” between the bride Che Monet and the groom Adam Bolt. Che has been obsessed with Adam for years and is trying to lock him down. After the flower girls and bride’s maids leave the ring, Bolt hits a big dive and uses a chair on Che. The wedding antics continue when Session Moth comes out to give a speech, but she is obviously very drunk and is escorted away. Bolt is distracted by a bride’s maid and gets hit with a kendo stick by Che. They fight into the crowd and Bolt is dropped onto the bar. They fight into the balcony, Che falls off and Bolt hits a moonsault on him. Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” comes on the speakers and it is time for the first dance. Bolt hits two backbreakers and a 450, but Che keeps fighting, not wanting to give up Adam Bolt. They both go through a table and the bridesmaids bring out a cake, which Che goes face first into. Bolt hits Che with a champagne bottle. He then puts the rings on both of them, and hits a diving cutter for the win. This was an incredible match, it had the right mix of camp, violence and athleticism that I love to see in professional wrestling.
The first event on Sunday is “Siren’s Fury: Total Carnage” which is an 8 women hardcore tournament. Lucy Deathmatch defeats Gaby Forza in a great opening match. Session Moth Martina was able to get past Voodoo Queen’s mind control to get to the next round. It looked like Martina was in trouble until her goth friend, Deka, came out to assist. Skye Smitson defeated Chantal Jordan, who was replacing Emersyn Jayne. The two had a very physical match. Abadon defeated Hollie Barlow in a match that Hollie wanted no part of. Hollie did put up a fight, but it was not enough.
The finals were Abadon against Skye Smitson, Lucy Deathmatch and Session Goth Martina. Skye was the first person eliminated. Multiple bags of cans were dumped into the ring. Session Goth was eliminated next, after a light tube shot, leaving Lucy Deathmatch and Abadon. Lucy uses a gusset plate on Abadon. Abadon hits Lucy with a powerbomb through glass, but Lucy does not stay down. Lucy takes a chair to the top rope and hits Abadon with a frog splash with the chair for the win. Lucy has really established herself as one of the top deathmatch/hardcore wrestlers in Europe. She currently holds the Spirit of Eve Championship and looks to be one of the top contenders for the TNT Women’s Championship after pinning the current champion at Effy’s Big Gay Brunch. This was a good show, however I think it lost a lot of what it could have been if Emersyn Jayne was there. The opening match was great. Session Moth and Hollie Barlow are two wrestlers that are always entertaining. I always like to see Lucy Sky’s stock rise, as I think she is an incredible wrestler, no matter what kind of match she is in.
The final show of the weekend is the CZW/TNT Tournament of Death UK. The show opens up with CZW owner DJ Hyde stating that the relationship with TNT will continue and he looks to bring TNT wrestlers to the US, possibly for TOD or Best of the Best.
The first match is a Casket Death match between Tommbie and Jack Harrop, who comes into the match with an already injured arm. Jack got the win in a match that shows why both wrestlers are among the best deathmatch wrestlers in Europe. The next match is a tacks and tubes match between Dred and Big Fucking Joe. This is a long time rivalry and these two always deliver when they are in the ring with each other. Joe starts leaking blood seconds into the match, but that does not stop him from hitting Dred with a raw chicken. This was a great match with both wrestlers losing a lot of blood. Dred forces Joe to tap out with a cross faced chicken wing.
A dog collar death match between SHLAK and Tim Strange is up next. Strange dominates a lot of the match, but cannot keep SHLAK down and SHLAK wins by hanging him by the dog collar. The final opening round match sees Rickey Shane Page face Iceman, who is replacing Emersyn Jayne. Iceman is the first to draw blood, as he plays darts on RSP’s back. RSP decimates Iceman with lighttubes and is finally able to put him away with a DDT.
In the second round SHLAK faces off against Jack Harrop in a chairs, tubes, thumbtacks and electricity match. They destroy each other with tubes and chairs, then bring the electricity in when they shock each other with a car battery. Harlop hits a back senton onto tubes on SHLAK for the win. The other semifinal is a 4 corners of pain match between Dred and RSP. Dred keeps going for his chicken wing and RSP keeps driving him into the painful corners. Dred finally locks it in, in the middle of the ring and RSP is forced to tap out.
Before the finals, we are greeted by the TNT Champion, Tate Mayfairs. As usual he talks down on deathmatch and issues an open challenge, which is answered by Jimmy Lloyd. Jimmy brings the fight to Mayfairs, but Tate gets the win after using his brass knuckles.
On to the finals of Tournament of Death UK. As soon as Harrop gets in the ring for the finals against Dred the crowd starts singing for him. They fight in the crowd and then Dred takes off the bandages of Harrop’s injured arm. Harrop’s dad Iceman and brother come out to check on him and rebandage him up with a shirt. Dred chokes out Harop’s dad, but when he turns around Harrop hits him with a spinebuster onto a glass board for the win. Deathmatch is best when it tells a story and this event told a story of an injured underdog defying the odds to win the tournament.
TNT presented 4 shows with different styles and different rosters. My favorite show was Tournament of Death and my favorite match was the “Til Death Do Us Part” Match, each because they told great stories while giving us great action. Some of the other matches that I enjoyed were the Project X Match, Act 2 against Nathan Black and Hollie Barlow, Gabby Forza against Lucy Deathmatch and Dred vs Big Fucking Joe.