Beyond Wrestling: CRITICAL! Acclaim
Providence, Rhode Island 3/23/14
1.) Fatal Four-Way Match - Stockade vs. Ryan Rush vs. Francis Kip Stevens vs. Jesse Vane: **1/2
We start things off with a match featuring four relative newcomers. This was a decent opener. It was basically a showcase for these four guys. Stockade would pick up the win in a solid four-way match.
2.) Submission Match - CZW World Champion Drew Gulak vs. ROH World TV Champion "Sicilian Psychopath" Tommaso Ciampa: ***3/4
These two had a really good match last year in Wrestling is Art of all places. This time, it's a Submission Match, and both guys come into this holding titles with their respective home promotions. This was very good match. While it started off a bit slow, it eventually picked up to the point you got really good. Of course you had a lot of submission exchanges as both guys tried to get the other to tap out. Eventually, it would be Gulak who would score the win after getting Ciampa to tap out.
After the match, Gulak cuts a promo talking about CZW making their debut in Providence, Rhode Island on April 27th in Fete Music Hall. He announces that he's issuing an Open Challenge for anyone to face him at that show for his CZW World Title. Biff Busick comes out, and accepts Gulak's challenge!
3.) Jaka vs. Eric Corvis: **3/4
Here we have a match with two guys who have become regulars (or at least Semi-Regular) in the CHIKARA/Wrestling is Fun! Universe. It was a pretty solid match. I've become a fan of both guys through their time in CHIKARA/Wrestling is Fun!, and they had a relatively decent match. Jaka would eventually get the win via submission over Corvis.
After the match, Jimmy Jacobs (who had started a feud with Eric Corvis recently) came out, and Corvis was basically begging Jacobs to spike him, but Michael Elgin comes out and makes the save, leading two the next match!
4.) "Unbreakable" Michael Elgin vs. Jimmy Jacobs: ****
I really like this match. It was pretty great. I don't know what it is, but Michael Elgin & Jimmy Jacobs seem to have really good chemistry. The fact they would go on to have another really good match in ROH a few months later further proves that fact. Perhaps it's the big guy vs. small guy dynamic. Whatever the case may be, this was one of the best matches on the show, without question. Lots of really good action between both guys, and eventually, Elgin would put Jacobs away and get the win.
5.) No DQ Match - The Contingent (Nicholas Kaye & Myke Quest) vs. Anthony Stone & Matt Tremont: **1/4
This is a continuation of the Nicholas Kaye/Anthony Stone feud that turned a lot more personal back at Point Of No Return, with Kaye once again going after Stone's family and Myke Quest joining him. For this match, Stone was able to pick a partner in the form of CZW's Matt Tremont. For what it was, it was ok. They brawled all over the building (even outside of it) and brought in a lot of weapons. It had a real CZW-esque vibe (more so than the I Quit Match), which is maybe why I really didn't like this as much. I'm sure you would like this more if you're a fan of the CZW Style of Hardcore Matches. The Contingent would end up getting the victory.
Up next, we have Michael Bennett coming out, who was not scheduled to be on the show. He talks about how he works for a company that pays him well (Ring of Honor), and that Beyond Wrestling can't afford to book him or his soon-to-be-wife Maria Kanellis. He trashed Beyond Wrestling and the fans in general. It was actually a really good promo from Bennett. This draws the ire of Chris Dickinson, one of Beyond Wrestling's mainstays. After trading a bunch of verbal shots, Dickinson challenges Bennett to an Anything Goes Match right here, right now, which Bennett accepts!
6.) Anything Goes Match - Chris Dickinson vs. Michael Bennett: **1/4
These two basically wrestled a match in their street clothes. This was a fine brawl, but for the most part, a relatively short one. The fact that the previous match also had a Hardcore Stipulation, lessoned the effect of this match. Though at the same time, this whole thing was more of an angle than an actual match, advancing the angle of Dickinson vs. outsiders, mainly from Ring of Honor. Bennett hit a low blow, and a roll up to score the win, and walked out through the front door afterwords.
7.) reDRagon vs. Team Tremendous (Dan Berry & Bill Carr): ***1/2
Coming into this match, reDRagon had just recently lost the ROH World Tag Team Titles to The Young Bucks. As for this match, it was a really interesting clash of styles. While this wasn't a great match, it was a really good match. Again, we have a match that you're really not going to see anywhere else. Solid back & forth action from both teams, with Team Tremendous picking up what some would call an upset over reDRagon. Again, the match was really good & very entertaining.
8.) Chris Hero vs. JT Dunn: ****1/4
The Main Event featuring The Knockout Artist (and I guess the former "Young Knockout Kid") against JT Dunn, who has gained the name of The New Knockout Kid. Both men utilize the Roaring Elbow as a finishing move. I thought this was a fantastic Main Event. Hero & Dunn both put their hard strikes and elbows to use throughout this one. Hero had control for a good portion of the match, but JT Dunn, much like in his match with Michael Elgin, had to fight from underneath and fought back hard. The last stretch was really good, with both guys going back & forth with really hard exchanges. Eventually, they hit each other with Roaring Elbows simultaneously, and the match ends in a Double Knockout.
After the match, Chris Hero takes the mic and talks about how he's been hearing about JT Dunn, specifically people comparing JT Dunn to himself, for almost two years, and people have been wanting to see this match ever since his WWE Release. He mentioned that all JT Dunn wanted was his respect, and out of nowhere, hits him with The Cyclone Kill, turning heel in the process. He says that JT Dunn should spend less time trying to be the next Chris Hero, and focus more on being the first someone else. After Hero exits, JT Dunn proclaims that he wants one more match with Hero as the show comes to a close.
Overall: 8.0/10
This was a very mixed bad of a show. The quality of the matches seemed to be all over the place. You had a number of great matches on this show, specifically Chris Hero vs. JT Dunn and Michael Elgin vs. Jimmy Jacobs. You also had a few matches on here that were really good with reDRagon vs. Team Tremendous and the Submission Match between Drew Gulak & Tommaso Ciampa. From there, the rest of the card was....below average. The remaining four matches were all under ***. Now out of those, I would say that only one of those matches was bad (The No DQ Tag Team Match). While the others served their purposes as opportunities for younger guys and a really good angle with Michael Bennett & Chris Dickinson (which was more of an angle than a match), I don't think it helped raise the show's quality from an in-ring perspective (if that makes any sense). Despite the ups & downs of this card, it still had a number of matches that are well worth seeing.
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