PWG 2013 Battle of Los Angeles: Night Two Review

Is this Pro-Wrestling's Show of the Year?

PWG 2013 Battle of Los Angeles: Night Two

Reseda, California 8/31/13

*Before I start, I should note that William Regal was in attendance for this show, apparently scouting talent for the WWE.*

1.) 2013 Battle of Los Angeles Quarter Finals – Drake Younger vs. Brian Cage: ***

This match started off hot as they went right at it. An understandably the match was kept short, after what happened with Brian Cage the night before. Still, this was a very entertaining opener and a good way to open the show. Drake Younger advances to the Semi-Finals.

2.) 2013 Battle of Los Angeles Quarter Finals – Johnny Gargano vs. Kevin Steen: ****1/4

I had a feeling coming in that this was going to be good, but I didn't know how good it would get. This match was great. Gargano and Steen are two of indy's wrestling top talents and they showed why here. Great action throughout and the finishing sequence was simply amazing! Johnny Gargano advances to the Semi-Finals.

3.) 2013 Battle of Los Angeles Quarter Finals – “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin vs. Roderick Strong: ***1/2

Strong & Elgin had several matches in Ring of Honor earlier in the year that were very good. This one here was a pretty solid match, but much like a lot of the matches from the night before, it wasn't really anything beyond that. For some reason, I feel like Strong/Elgin have been a match that people would think have been incredible, but really haven't produced anything about a four star classic, despite having good matches every time. Elgin advances to the Semi-Finals.

4.) 2013 Battle of Los Angeles Quarter Finals – ACH vs. Kyle O’Reilly: ****1/2

This match blew me away! It was simply fantastic, and it wasn't because they went balls out through the whole match. They started off slow, but continued to build up until we got to the last few minutes which just has to be seen because it is that amazing. Easily one of the best Pro-Wrestling Matches of 2013. O'Reilly advances to the Semi-Finals.

5.) Six-Man Tag – B-Boy, Willie Mack & Tommaso Ciampa vs. Best Friends (Chuck Taylor, Trent? & Joey Ryan): ***1/2

Here we get the usual six man tag featuring the losers of first round matches, as well as the debut of the Best Friends stable. This match was really entertaining. I mean, how could a match that featured a Chuck Taylor Grenade Spot not be entertaining? A fun match to watch with some pretty awesome spots. Tony Nese would step in midway through to take over as referee. Ciampa goes to do the same thing he was going to do to Brian Cage on Night One to Joey Ryan, but Cage comes out and confronts him. I guess as an apology for what happened. Ciampa allows Cage to Powerbomb him on chairs on the outside!! This would lead to the Best Friends getting the win. 

6.) 2013 Battle of Los Angeles Semi-Finals – “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin vs. Johnny Gargano: ****1/2

Another dream match on this show. Why is PWG so awesome?....Because of matches like this. It was freaking incredible!! I see it as a match that was just as good as the ACH/O'Reilly match from earlier, but for completely different reasons. Just an amazing match from both guys, and again, another Match of the Year Contender. Elgin advances to the Finals.

7.) 2013 Battle of Los Angeles Semi-Finals – Kyle O’Reilly vs. Drake Younger: ***1/2

This match might get lost among the other great matches on this show, but you shouldn't forget about it, because it was really good. Their was never really a dull moment, as these two went at each other at full force from bell to bell. Really solid match. Kyle O'Reilly moves on to the finals.

8.) Six-Man Tag – Adam Cole & The Young Bucks vs. AR Fox, Candice LaRae & Rich Swann: ****1/2

So here we have the awesome team of the PWG World Champion Adam Cole & the PWG World Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks against the rather interesting team of Fox, Swann & LaRae. This match was INSANE!!! It was absolutely incredible from start to finish. Amazing action with a lot of entertaining moments. Everyone got a chance to shine, but I feel like Candice LaRae shined the most. She looked great in here. Plus the crowd really made this match special and we have the third Match of the Year Contender from this show!

9.) 2013 Battle of Los Angeles Finals – “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin vs. Kyle O’Reilly: ****

It's interesting to think that these two made as the final two of Ring of Honor's Survival of the Fittest in late-2011, and now two years later, they've reached the finals of BOLA. Not the best match these two could have had, but that's understandable considering they've had two grueling matches already. Still, this was pretty great. Elgin & O'Reilly put on a great conclusion to the 2013 edition of BOLA. O'Reilly proved that he deserved to win as this was his fourth win of the weekend and his seventh straight singles win in PWG.

After the match, Kyle O'Reilly is presented with the BOLA trophy. Adam Cole comes out to congratulate him, saying that O'Reilly was the second best member of Future Shock, but O'Reilly shuts him up quick with a big roundhouse kick!! The leads to the Young Bucks coming out to beat down O'Reilly. Candice LaRae and Drake Younger both try to make the save but to no avail. Joey Ryan comes out to seemingly approve, saying that nobody appreciates a good heel faction like himself. He then says that nobody beats up Candice but him, and superkicks Cole!! Ryan then gets beat down by the Bucks. Referee Rick Knox then comes out with a chair, and Kevin Steen joins him, seemingly to help, but Steen TURNS ON HIM!!! PACKAGE PILEDRIVER to both Knox & LaRae. He embraces Cole & The Young Bucks and they smash the BOLA Trophy. By this point the rest of the roster comes out and clears Cole, Steen and the Bucks out of the ring. O'Reilly says he's not going to let these f**king d**kheads ruin his moment. He then thanks the wrestlers and the fans to close the show.

Overall: 10/10

This is the definition of a perfect wrestling show in my eyes. It was definitely the best Pro-Wrestling show of 2013. When you have a show that has three matches of ****1/2 that are all Match of the Year Contenders, it's pretty easy to see why it's perfect. That doesn't even mention the other two four star level matches and a really solid undercard. This is also probably the best show in PWG history, not just for the fantastic matches, but for the closing segment as well, which rivals the return of Super Dragon at Steen Wolf in 2011. In summary, you need to get this show. Go out of your way to get it. Arguably, it's the best show of 2013 in all of pro-wrestling, and it will not disappoint.