As I check Facebook and see that Triple X are already announcing matches for their next show, it dawned on me that I probably needed to get my lazy arse round to making sense of the jumble of notes I wrote on their festive show one-and-a-half weeks ago. A show that rather magnificently ended with a roster of wrestlers singing "Do They Know It's Christmas". Tearjerking...
Dave Mercy vs Pollyanna
After a ludicrous introduction, including chasing host Omer Ibrahim round the ring to the Benny Hill theme, we were "treated" to Dave Mercy taking on the debuting Pollyanna, who looked good throughout the match, despite what Mercy put her through. Mercy has really found his calling as the opening match guy for Triple X, with his frankly disturbing antics seemingly perfect for warming up the crowd. He's also really good at finding new lows to plumb in each match. Here, despite being out-wrestled in the early parts of the match, he seemed to be in his element fighting a woman, threatening a "boobplex", before the tables were turned and he got taken over with a "ballplex" for a near count. A punch to Pollyanna's breasts brought her to her knees, low blowing Mercy as she fell, who in turn took out the referee in a fun spot. Pollyanna looked to have the match won with a leglock, but Mercy reached into the well-padded bulge of his groin and pulled out a sock that he attacked her face with to break the hold. Mercy eventally got the victory with a rather horrible-looking teabagging pin.
Santa Paws vs Flash Morgan Webster
Santa Paws was a chap in a panda mask dressed as Santa, who unfortunately got assaulted by a not-booked Morgan Webster. This was a quick little match, won by Webster, to lead onto the next angle...
Wild Boar vs Keiron Young
.....as Webster took the mic and claimed he knew what Triple X were trying to do, turning all his friends against him. He highlighted former friend Mark Andrews, his trainer Mike Bird, then claimed that the reason Wild Boar was back in Triple X was to turn Boar against him. The Boar came to the ring as Webster cut a promo essentially asking Boar to be his friend, a request that was met with a simple "no". The match itself was pretty much a squash, but just because a face turn seems imminent, it didn't mean Boar was letting Young off lightly. I've missed Boar in Triple X, he's not the biggest guy, but everything he does looks violent. Young did get to hit his trifecta of dives to the outside, but ultimately Boar won with the Trapper Keeper. Boar ignored Webster's offer of friendship again afterwards, and face Wild Boar is totally something I can get behind.
Jim Diehard vs Big Grizzly
This was a pretty fun battle of two massive bearded men. Grizzly had tag partner Scott Grimm at ringside, so you knew that he was going to get involved at some point. This started pretty slowly, but got better as the match went along. I alway love Big Grizzly's cannonball in the corner, it always looks like he's just rolling straight through them. Diehard took a bit of a beating from Griz, but was making his comeback when Grimm grabbed his leg to prevent him going to the top rope(!). The Titans of Terror beat down on Diehard, until a returning Benton Destruction made the save and challenged the Titans for the next show. Griz may have responded to the challenge with "Fuck off", but I suspect it will happen and will be terrific.
Chris Brookes vs Tyler Bate
This was an absolute treat. Bate has rightly become one of the shining lights of British wrestling in the past year, but it's worth pointing out how great Brookes has been in that time period too. Both guys have an inate charisma that makes an audience want to react to them, albeit in different ways. After Bate's Sandman-inspired entrance, these two beat on each other with a viciousness that only guys who know each other really well can get away with. There were lots of nasty spots and loud cane shots that belied the fact this feud blew up over Tyler's facial hair. Bate took out Brookes with a huge dive from the top rope over the safety barrier, and then put him in a 40-second airplane spin inside the ring. Tyler got two very close nearfalls with a deadlift German suplex and a big lariat, but got knocked from the top rope when Brookes shoved the ref into the ropes. The match ended with Brookes hanging Bate over the top rope with a thick bunch of electrical cable, really yanking back on it, until Bate passed out and couldn't continue. Next month, they're competing in a deathmatch, and I'm almost scared to see how they'll top this awesome brawl.
Eddie Dennis & the Hunter Brothers vs Mike Bird & the Dunne Brothers
Triple X wisely put a Chase Alexander in-ring promo before this match, to give the crowd (and the choked-out Bate) a chance to catch their breath. This was a total change of pace, a really fast-paced six man tag with the following stipulation: If Dennis' team won, Pete Dunne would lose his #1 contendership for Dennis' Triple X title, but if Dunne's team won, he'd get his title match that night.
Trying to recap all that happened would be a fools errand, but this was a good long match, spiced up with the odd moment of chaos. The Dunnes and Bird had some really smooth teamwork as a trio, and dominated the early stages, but the heel team would find ways to isolate individual members throughout the match. I loved the hanging of the Welsh flag in the corner as a heel tactic. As things broke down, Dennis brought the Triple X title belt in the ring to use as a weapon, but it ended up in the hands of Pete Dunne. Unfortunately, his attempts to level Dennis missed, and instead took out Damian Dunne, leaving him prone for the three count and losing Pete's #1 contendership. The fun thing is how this leaves the Clusterfuck match next month. This isn't the first time some tension has been hinted at between the Dunnes and, whilst winning the Clusterfuck match would give Pete his title shot back, but a win for Damian would really put the cat amongst the pigeons. Can't wait.
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