Andy Simmons vs JD Bryant
It feels like a long time since Simmons was the butler for
the Duke of Danger in the team Hampton Court. Here, he’s just normal wrestler
Andy Simmons, facing a guy in Bryant who is using “Yes” chants to get himself
over. This was a fun opener, really liked the early part with them fighting over an armbar. Simmons thinks he’s escaped, then runs into an armdrag and is trapped again. I also dug Simmons high impact knee to the stomach, and the way Bryant countered a second attempt with a rollup. I kinda wish Bryant would spend more time selling and less time clapping when hit by a move. The end seems Simmons rush the corner and get hit with a second rope dropkick for the win.
over. This was a fun opener, really liked the early part with them fighting over an armbar. Simmons thinks he’s escaped, then runs into an armdrag and is trapped again. I also dug Simmons high impact knee to the stomach, and the way Bryant countered a second attempt with a rollup. I kinda wish Bryant would spend more time selling and less time clapping when hit by a move. The end seems Simmons rush the corner and get hit with a second rope dropkick for the win.
David Finlay vs Danny Collins
Good to note that
Collins still looks in surprisingly decent shape, and he cuts a promo
referencing his battles with Finlay’s dad by saying he’s going to take out
revenge for all the blood he shed. Collins works this as the grizzled veteran grounding
young Finlay. I did love the way Collins disingenuously offered a handshake
only after getting dropkicked down by Finlay. Collins again shows his veteran smarts after getting a public warning for dropping Finlay throat first on the ropes by concentracting his attack on the neck and shoulders. Love the way he uses the ring apron as a weapon. Finlay looks promising, but shows his inexperience when
he has to make comebacks: they always start off fired up, but within a few moves he’s locking in a chinlock. He does get a really nice nearfall from a sunset flip, which I nearly bought. We start getting time limit countdowns,
which kinda telegraph the finish. Indeed, we get to the final minute and, despite a few frantic pin attempts by Finlay, we get a draw. Both men shake hands afterwards, and I enjoyed this. Collins looked great and Finlay, though green, showed promise.
only after getting dropkicked down by Finlay. Collins again shows his veteran smarts after getting a public warning for dropping Finlay throat first on the ropes by concentracting his attack on the neck and shoulders. Love the way he uses the ring apron as a weapon. Finlay looks promising, but shows his inexperience when
he has to make comebacks: they always start off fired up, but within a few moves he’s locking in a chinlock. He does get a really nice nearfall from a sunset flip, which I nearly bought. We start getting time limit countdowns,
which kinda telegraph the finish. Indeed, we get to the final minute and, despite a few frantic pin attempts by Finlay, we get a draw. Both men shake hands afterwards, and I enjoyed this. Collins looked great and Finlay, though green, showed promise.
Thunder vs Dean Allmark
Thunder is the son of Coventry’s own World of Sport representative
Tony “Banger” Walsh. There is a contrast in size and strength here, with
Thunder being considerably bigger. He hiptosses Allmark like he’s trying to
drill him through the mat. His selling is a bit suspect though, responding to an Allmark dropkick by wobbling like a drunk man slipping on a banana skin. Allmark hits a lovely springboard moonsault for two. The end comes rather too quickly, as Allmark goes to the top rope, only for Thunder to shove the ref into the ropes, crotching Deano. A superplex gets the win for Thunder.
drill him through the mat. His selling is a bit suspect though, responding to an Allmark dropkick by wobbling like a drunk man slipping on a banana skin. Allmark hits a lovely springboard moonsault for two. The end comes rather too quickly, as Allmark goes to the top rope, only for Thunder to shove the ref into the ropes, crotching Deano. A superplex gets the win for Thunder.
Joel Redman vs Justin Star
I love the way that Redman is still announced as a WWE star
(as opposed to “former WWE star”). I’ve not seen Star before, and he does
things I like and stuff I dislike. He does some fun stooging on defence, especially when Redman is outsmarting him in the early stages, and he does show
impressive strength to catch Redman from a crossbody. However, his strikes are
both weak-looking and over-exaggerated and there are a few moments in the match
which don’t make sense. For example, despite having worn Redman down and being
in control of the match, he allows Redman to wander around outside the ring to
recover. When Redman tries to enter, Star punches him, breaking the count and
giving Redman more time to recover. Redman is a really fun offensive wrestler,
so it’s not for the best that he spends most of the match selling, but his
comeback is really good and he gets the win with a big spinebuster and a
superkick.
Jushin “Thunder” Liger vs Robbie Dynamite
This is slightly surreal, watching Jushin Liger wrestle in
front of the family-orientated All Star crowd, a lot of whom will have no idea
who he is. They work a really fun mat section to start off with Liger having a
slight (but only slight) advantage, annoying Dynamite. Dynamite resorts to
strikes, but gets sent out and nailed with a Liger cannonball from the apron.
Liger isn’t phoning this one in. Dynamite catches him coming off the ropes and
cradles him up into a Falcon Arrow in one slick movement. Looked great.
Dynamite works him over, but Liger comes back with a palm strike and a Koppo
kick from the corner. Dynamite gets knees up on a top rope splash and hits a
stomach-buster, which I love, concentrating his attack on the same area.
Dynamite takes a risk, which backfires as he misses a plancha. Liger hits a top
rope rana for two, then a palm strike and brainbuster for three. Really good
match. Liger put in a good shift here, when he could easily have gotten away
with phoning it in, and Dynamite looked his equal in defeat. Really great.
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