Feels way too long since I've reviewed a Pro Wrestling Chaos DVD on here, especially as I loved To Crown A King which I wrote about last year. This DVD came courtesy of Wrestlecrate UK, which I signed up to last month, and this was a real treat to find in the box.
Morgan Webster vs Mark Andrews
Andrews is a mystery opponent, as Webster has challenged any
graduate of the Dragon Pro wrestling academy to face him. Webster is heel here,
and he’s so much better cast as a snotty, whiny heel. What’s great about heel
Webster is how he tones down the high-flying so as not to get pops, which also
allows the opponents high-flying to shine. This is especially true against a
guy like Andrews, who’s arguably Britain’s best high-flyer. After fighting off
a sneak attack by Webster, Andrews hits a lovely standing moonsault. I loved
the camerawork as Webster throws Andrews out, and the camera follows Webster so
the audience discovers Andrews landed on the apron at the same time as he hits
an enzuigiri to the head of Webster. Webster takes control as he throws his
t-shirt at Andrews as he stands on the top rope, and I enjoyed his control
work, including some nasty repeat headbutts to Andrews in the corner. He takes
too long going to the top rope for the 450, and this allows to move for the
comeback. A standing corkscrew moonsault by Andrews is off target, as he only
hits the legs of Webster, but the rest of his offensive run looks great. Loved
the victory roll swiftly transitioning to a standing stomp, and a swank reverse
rana gets two. Webster, being a great cunt heel, uses the ref to block a
charge, pokes Andrews in the eye and hits a cradle neckbreaker for two. Great
nearfall. He goes to level Andrews with his helmet, but Panda Cub comes out to
stop him. Webster goes to yell at him from the inside of the ring, but this
puts him in place for an Andrews 619, and the shooting star press finishes for
Andrews. Super opener.
Jeckel vs Tommaso Ciampa
Both guys have a similar look, with bald/cropped hair and
beards. Some fun opening hijinks sees Ciampa end up with Jeckel’s manager’s
jacket, dropping some Flair-esque elbows on it. However, this gives Jeckel an
opening to attack. It doesn’t last long, as Ciampa nails a perfect knee to the
face. I loved the outside brawling segment, and thought the spot where Ciampa
got fans to hold Jeckel over the railings so he could hit a long-run-up running
knee was great. Engages the fans and means Jeckel doesn’t look like an idiot
lying in place for 20-30 seconds. The Jeckel control section was decent,
enjoyed him just wearing down Ciampa without doing anything to pop the crowd.
Both guys use strikes, but by Jeckel using less of them, it allowed Ciampa’s to
look more impressive. Jeckel tries a rebound lariat, but totally telegraphs it
with Ciampa staring at him for the full cycle, so I loved that Ciampa just
clotheslined him right away. Jeckel’s manager sacrifices himself after Ciampa
hits two running knees in the corner, as Ciampa murders him with a chop and
three running knees to the face. However, this buys times for Jeckel to hit a
low blow and a Michinoku Driver for the win.
Jinny vs Martina Kirby
The Martina gimmick is ridiculously over for Kirby wherever
he goes, and though he plays it for laughs, it’s never played by his opponents
as just being Martin Kirby in a dress, but as an actual woman wrestler. To
begin, Jinny demands a walk-off, with a fan, wrestler Robbie Caine and Mr
Bananas as judges. Unsurprisingly, Kirby wins, so Jinny attacks him from
behind. Kirby hits a nice tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and enzuigiri, but he bumps
so well that it becomes a bit of a Jinny showcase. Big DDT sees Kirby planted on
the top of his head, and I loved Jinny dropkicking Kirby’s legs as he stood on
the second ropes to then hit an X-Factor from height. She makes the mistake of
yelling at the ringside judges, and this lets Kirby hit the Sable Bomb for the
win. Fun deal.
The Doomsday Killers (Ian Williams, KillBane & Big
Grizzly) vs Gideon, Mikey Whiplash & Rhyno
Really great 6-man tag. The underlying thread sees Williams
playing chickenshit heel, desperate to avoid facing Gideon. The fans are really
hot for the Rhyno/Big Griz face-off, especially after Whiplash had failed in
the ring against Griz to really put over his dominance. Rhyno downs Grizzly,
but takes 3 shoulderblocks to do so. Really loved Whiplash’s armwork on
KillBane, really vicious looking snap to it. The heels work over Whiplash
following a KillBane tilt-a-whirl, and do it really well. All quick tags,
hitting their offence, then tagging out to a fresh guy right away. Loved
Williams’ chickenshit work, as he misses a corner charge to let Gideon tag in,
and immediately sprints from the ring to avoid facing him. The heels soon work
over Gideon, with Griz looking great at using his strength and size to
dominate. You really buy him as an unmovable object. Everything breaks down
after Williams misses an elbow on Gideon, and we end with Williams in the ring
with a downed Rhyno. Williams does this great cocky celebration…too cocky as
Rhyno gets up. Rhyno misses the Gore, runs into a big punch from Griz and gets
rolled up by Williams, with his feet on the ropes for the really cheap heel
victory. Love it, the total chickenshit of the match beats the big star in the
cheapest way possible. Aside from the great ending, loved how this kept moving,
and was geared up to make everyone look good.
No 1 Contendership Rumble
Really appreciated the way they rounded off some storylines
in this bout. Jeckel getting eliminated in 5 seconds by El Ligero and Mark
Andrews was a fun start, and obviously watching Jim Diehard come in and squash
both Ligero and Mandrews was fun to watch. Both Henchmen end up in the ring at
the same time and have a fun run of dominance. Loved the way they paid off the
last match as Rhyno is in the ring when Ian Williams is announced. Williams
doesn’t want to get in and is in the aisle so long, the next contender comes
out…that being Gideon. Gideon throws him in the ring, Rhyno Gore’s him and
presses Williams over the top to the floor. Gideon eliminates himself to hit an
ax handle from the top to the floor. Loved that all going full circle.
There were a few other fun spots throughout: loved Sam
Wilder using the railings to stop his feet hitting the floor, really enjoyed
Scotty Essex hitting a DVD on Big Grizzly, then hitting a DVD on Bunny The Buff
ONTO Grizzly. A mysterious masked man enters and eliminates Mikey Whiplash, but
gets pulled out from the ring by Whiplash to fight to the back. Morgan Webster
runs from the back to eliminate Panda Cub, paying off the earlier match, and
that leaves Alex Steele in with Big Grizzly. Steele manages to get Griz out to
seemingly win, but the mysterious masked man comes back to throw him out and
win. Good Rumble.
Wild Boar vs Mike Bird
This is a 30 minute Iron Man match for Bird’s King of Chaos
title. Bird stalls a bit to start, before Boar tires of it, and tries a dive,
which Bird meets with a punch to the face. Boar is portrayed here as having
more heart and will to win, whilst Bird is cunning and trying to win in a
devious manner. Bird hits a low blow and crowns Boar with a chairshot to give
Boar a 1-0 lead via DQ. Bird swiftly pins Boar to level things at 1-1, then
hits a cradle piledriver for a 2-1 lead. Nice psychology. Bird throws Boar out
of the ring to try and get a countout win, whilst buying himself time, but Boar
gets in on 9. Bird throws him out again, but this just buys Boar more recovery
time so, when Bird tries another piledriver, Boar jackknife pins him to tie
things up at 2-2. At this point, Bird starts to lose his focus, getting more
and more angry at Boar’s refusal to stay down. Boar is slowly, but surely
shaking off the cobwebs, and there’s this awesome moment when he’s finally
fully-charged, and just EXPLODES with offence. Great suicide dive, and his
corner cannonballs always look great. Loved the moment when Bird tries to
headbutt him, and Boar just blitzes him with a flurry of headbutts. Bird takes
control again, but can’t put Boar away, and this drives him crazy in the final
minutes. Loved the Bird crossface, where he grabs Boar’s free arm as he goes
for the ropes and turns it into a sort-of Regal stretch. Bird hits a
piledriver, but Boar kicks outa two. Bird tries a second, but Boar reverses it
to the Trapper Keeper for the 3-2 lead with a second remaining to win the
title. Absolutely loved this, and they did a great job of filling 30 minutes
without it dragging. Loved the underlying story of Bird being too cocky, then
not being able to take control when he needed to. Loved how both guys sold
their desperation at the end, and this was a great feel-good moment.
Afterwards, the mysterious masked man attacked Boar and unmasked as Jeckel to
set up the next show.
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