Beyond Wrestling: Ends Meet Review

Grudges are settled and new factions arise as Beyond Wrestling closes out 2014!

Beyond Wrestling: Ends Meet

Providence, Rhode Island 12/28/14

The show started off with an in-ring promo from JT Dunn, who apologized for his actions at Tournament For Tomorrow 3. He says that he lost his cool after The Juicy Product failed to get their rematch with The Young Bucks. JT Dunn then talks about how he could’ve played College Football with the Florida Gators, but that he chose wrestling, and also mentioned that he’s been clean & sober for two-and-a-half years.

1.) The Doom Patrol (Chris Dickinson & Jaka) vs. EYFBO (Angel Ortiz & Mike Draztik): ***1/4

Larry Legend comes out as the personal ring announcer for The Doom Patrol, who along with Pinkie Sanchez, are known as Team Pazuzu. This was a fun exhibition match, but it was definitely hurt by how long it went. The match was just over twenty minutes, which was waaaaay too long. Again, there was nothing wrong with the action, and it was very entertaining at certain points, but it just felt like it went on forever. The match might have been better if they cut the time in half. Eventually, The Doom Patrol were able to pick up the win.

After the match, The Doom Patrol continued to beat up EYFBO until Pinkie Sanchez (interestingly enough) calms things down. It was explained on commentary that Pinkie Sanchez was also friends with EYFBO, which I guess explains what happened there.

2.) Drew Gulak vs. “Sicilian Psychopath” Tommaso Ciampa: ***1/4

This match had a “There Must Be A Winner” stipulation, which I guess means that the rules for this one were going to be a little more relaxed. Gulak didn’t waist any time, as he went right after Ciampa. While the opening match was a lot longer than I was expecting, this match was significantly shorter than I would have guessed. It only went about six minutes or so, but it was very intense match, and they managed to pack a lot of action into that short time frame. This was a pretty entertaining sprint, and in the end, Ciampa was able to score the victory.

After the match, the two rivals shake hands in a pretty cool moment.

3.) CLL International All-Star Title - Shynron vs. AR Fox: ***1/2

For those who don’t know, CLL stands for Chile Lucha Libre. They’re a wrestling promotion based out of Chile. AR Fox comes out with a valet, who is apparently named Roxy. This match was a lot of fun to watch, and featured a ton of innovative offense from both men. This could have easily been the Match of the Night if not for the finish. After Shynron hit a 630 Senton, Roxy pulled the referee out of the ring, and then kicked him low. AR Fox then hit Shynron with the CLL International All-Star Title, and a second referee came out to make the count. The original referee pulled him out, and called for the bell. He ruled that Shynron won the match by DQ, meaning that he retained his title. AR Fox argued with the referee, and then took out Shynron. Clearly their issues weren’t over following this outcome. As far as this match goes, it was very good, but it sucks that it ended the way it did.

4.) Colt Cabana vs. Pinkie Sanchez: **3/4

As I mentioned earlier, Pinkie Sanchez is also a member of Team Pazuzu, and is introduced by Larry Legend. This was a fun comedy match that featured some good wrestling as well. One of these moments of comedy saw Pinkie Sanchez actually kissed Cabana at one point. I know a lot of people don’t like Pinkie Sanchez, but I think he does well in some of these comedy situations. In the end, Colt Cabana would pick up the win.

After the match, Cabana cuts a promo thanking the fans of Beyond Wrestling for a great 2014. He then gives a backhanded complement to Pinkie Sanchez, but ultimately puts him over, saying that they’re more alike than they think, and suggests that they form a tag team. Cabana is then jumped by Chris Dickinson & Jaka. The latter chastises Pinkie Sanchez for losing to Cabana. EYFBO then come out to apparently make the save, but instead, they join Pinkie Sanchez and The Doom Patrol in beating down Colt Cabana. The newly heel EYFBO hold Cabana down as The Doom Patrol & Pinkie Sanchez hit him with DVDs. Then, in the ultimate sign of disrespect, they place a Yankees Hat on his head. Chris Dickinson, Jaka, Pinkie Sanchez, EYFBO, and Larry Legend now make up the group known as Team Pazuzu. 

5.) The Garden State Gods (Eric Corvis & Myke Quest) vs. The M1nute Men (Devin Blaze & Tommy Trainwreck): **3/4

This match came about after The M1nute Men revealed themselves as the newest members of The Crusade For Change the month prior at Tournament For Tomorrow 3, which led to The Garden State Gods being eliminated from Tournament For Tomorrow 3:16. This was a relatively decent match, but I thought that their match from the first round of Tournament For Tomorrow 3:16 was much better. At one point, Myke Quest takes off his regular tights to reveal a much shorter pair of tights, in a bizarre moment. Darius Carter & TJ Marconi, the leaders of The Crusade For Change, try to interfere, but it backfires, and The Garden State Gods manage to get the win.

After the match, The Crusade For Change attack The Garden State Gods. Then, Darius Carter demands for another to happen right now, with himself & TJ Marconi against Eric Corvis & Myke Quest. The referee, who was being threatened, had no real choice.

6.) The Crusade For Change (Darius Carter & TJ Marconi) vs. The Garden State Gods (Eric Corvis & Myke Quest): N/R

Eric Corvis & Myke Quest were already weakened from the beating they just suffered. Carter & Marconi get the win in about ten or twelve seconds. This was more of a segment than a match to further the feud between these two sides.

7.) Kimber Lee vs. David Starr: ***

This match came about after David Starr claimed Kimber Lee was the reason that The Juicy Product failed to make it to the Finals of Tournament For Tomorrow 3. It was a relatively short match (going about six minutes or so), but it was a lot of fun while it lasted. There was some good action throughout this one, and in the end, Kimber Lee won with a Code Red followed by the Alligator Clutch pin.

After the match, Kimber Lee & David Starr get into a verbal spat, and JT Dunn comes out to cool things down. Then, Chris Hero comes and takes JT Dunn aside, trying to get Dunn to focus on their upcoming tag team match against Brian Myers & Ryan “Rush” Galeone. Hero then diffuses things a bit between Kimber Lee & David Starr, and then slaps JT Dunn in an attempt to get him more focused and fired up. 

8.) Chris Hero & JT Dunn vs. Brian Myers & Ryan “Rush” Galeone: ***3/4

I really haven’t heard of Ryan “Rush” Galeone, but I think he might be a protégé of Brian Myers, which means this match is mentor/protégé vs. mentor/protégé. This match featured some really good action, and in my opinion, it was in contention for the best match on the show. Of course, Chris Hero & JT Dunn were both very good here, but in particular, Ryan “Rush” Galeone had some impressive moments as well. Brian Myers was….well….Brian Myers. Towards the end of the match, Hero went to finish of Galeone, but got distracted by Myers. Then, Dunn when to finish off Galeone, but got caught in a backslide pin, and the team of Brian Myers & Ryan “Rush” Galeone got the win, in what could called an upset.

After the match, JT Dunn got into a shoving match with the winning team, but Hero was able to calm him down. The two partners then shook hands.

9.) Fans Bring The Weapons Match - Matt Tremont vs. Stockade: ***

After Stockade won a Texas Bull Rope Match the month prior, Tremont called for a Fans Bring The Weapons Match. This was a fun garbage brawl, and was the exact opposite of what we saw at AAW One Twisted Christmas 2014. Of course, it wouldn’t a hardcore match without Matt Tremont getting busted open. They used a variety of Christmas themed weapons (including a Christmas Tree), and some more unusual weapons (like legos, keyboards, and so on) as well. Eventually, Stockade won after putting Tremont through a large wooden board set up in one of the corners of the ring.

After the match, Stockade cuts a promo saying that, despite being now 2-0 over Tremont in the last month or so, he and the people in Providence want more violence. He tells Tremont to name the time and place to fight it out again, and Tremont accepts.

10.) Da Hoodz (Davey Cash & Kris Pyro) vs. Team Tremendous: ***1/2

Team Tremendous is coming off winning Tournament For Tomorrow 3, while Da Hoodz were eliminated in the first round. As a whole, this was a pretty good tag team match. There was some solid wrestling to start, but it was a little slow. Some other highlights included Dan Barry hitting a Fallaway Slam/Moonsault to the outside onto a pile of bodies, and Bill Carr hitting a (somewhat botched) Canadian Destroyer. While the action was very solid from start to finish, I felt like the match lacked crowd heat at times. After a fair amount of back & forth action, Team Tremendous were able to score the victory after hitting their tag team finisher, “Book em’ Danno!”.

After the match, the two teams shook hands. It’ll be interesting to see where Da Hoodz go from here, after a string of losses.

11.) Biff Busick vs. Michael Bennett: ***1/2

This match came about after Michael Bennett attacked Biff Busick several months earlier at Americanrana 2014. Bennett came out with his “Title of Love” (Bennett has the announcer refer to it as the IWGP “Title of Love”) which, of course, is the dressed-up version of Jay Briscoe’s custom ROH World Title. Before the match starts, Bennett cuts a promo saying that his attack on Busick several months prior wasn’t anything against Busick, adding that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Bennett asks for a fair wrestling match, and wants a handshake. He gets it, but Busick jumps him as soon as the bell rings.

The match itself was actually pretty solid. Bennett was a very good heel, being incredibly cocky and trying every trick in the book against Busick. Despite all of the crap he gets (some of it deserved), I do think Bennett is a very good heel, and can have good singles matches when he’s in there with the right guys. Busick showed a lot of fire here, as he always does, and played a big roll in this match being as good as it was. Towards the end of the match, Bennett superkicks the referee. Then, while the referee was down, Busick hits Bennett with a piledriver on the Title of Love (giving Bennett a taste of his own medicine), and a second referee counts the pin to give Busick the win!

After the match, Busick offers Bennett a beer. Bennett takes it, but then Busick gives him a Stone Cold Stunner!! That was actually pretty funny.

After he recovers from that stunner, Bennett cuts a promo saying that the next time you see him in Beyond Wrestling, he’ll be bringing The Kingdom with him.

12.) 3/5 Falls Match - Dave Cole vs. Anthony Stone: ***3/4

After these two went to war the month prior in a 2/3 Falls Match, they’re now facing off in a 3/5 Falls Match. I can’t say I’ve seen, or heard of, a 3/5 Falls Match before. Cole went up 2-0 in the first four minutes of the match (the first of those two falls occurring in the first fifteen seconds of the match), but Stone was able to mount a massive comeback to win the match 3-2. This was a very good match, and it might have been the best match on the show. You wouldn’t think this would be the Main Event, but these two guys went out there and proved that they deserved to be in this spot. It was a very brutal match at points, and Cole got busted open (either broken nose or a busted lip) very early on. It was a really entertaining match to watch from start to finish, and it was packed with a lot of action. Definitely seek this one out. The two men hugged after the match as the show came to a close.

Overall: 7.5/10

Beyond Wrestling closed out 2014 with a pretty solid showing. While it was a very long card to sit through, the majority of the matches ranged from decent to good to very good. Aside from a match that was more of an angle, the worst match was no lower than **3/4, while the best match was no higher than ***3/4. The 3/5 Falls Match was my Match of the Night, but the Chris Hero & JT Dunn vs. Brian Myers & Ryan “Rush” Galeone wasn’t that far behind. While the first half did feature a very good match between AR Fox & Shynron, as well as two heels stables (Team Pazazu & The Crusade For Change) flexing their muscles, the second half of the show was what really helped this show out. Once again, a solid outing from Beyond Wrestling.