PWA "We Run This Town"
A Review by the wizard of id
- Date: March 21, 2010
- City: Hamilton, Ontario
- Venue: BOOMERS
- Ring Announcer: Shawn DeSousa
- Referees: Dave Dread, Jon Turnip
The Pure Wrestling Association has been running out of BOOMERS Pub in Hamilton for awhile now. Their Sunday matinee shows have proven to be popular among fans both for the intimacy the venue provides and the cheap ticket prices - $2 a head... not to mention some damn fine wrestling action supplied by the stars, many of whom are exclusive to the PWA. BOOMERS is a very intimate venue for a live wrestling event. It's not a big place and with the ring taking up all of the pub's dance floor space there is only room for seating on 3 sides. The 4th side is faced with mirrored tiles and thankfully the wrestlers don't play to that wall very often. Seating is rows of folding chairs, a rather nasty looking couch and tables with bar stools all arranged haphazardly around the ring amid ceiling posts and other things. Speaking of the ceiling... it's low. Very low. Anyone going to the top rope is risking a "Buck 10".
PWA actually took a bit of a hiatus from running Hamilton because BOOMERS changed management or ownership or some damn thing and it took awhile for the new folks and PWA to get around to making the deal to bring the fed back to the Hammer. In the meantime, a couple other feds either started up or were very close to starting when the PWA ran this show... the title of which suggests they were telling everyone that their temporary absence was not to be taken as an abdication of their place in the Hamilton scene. (For those of you unaware... Hamilton seems to draw promotions like most promotions wish they could draw fans.) Oh yea, the PWA ring saw some improvements since they last ran Hamilton... the mat no longer sports more duct tape than a Red Green episode.
Anyway... With this return there was a slight change in that ticket prices had now increased in price to $10 and I imagine that prices for kids went up as well but I don't know for sure. In any case the increase in price had zero effect on the draw as the show drew the usual near capacity crowd. How many is that? I don't know. The place looks full, people sitting & standing all over everywhere. An estimate is out of the question due to the layout of the place and I don't care enough about attendance details to walk every nook and cranny trying to do a head count. It was near capacity. That's close enough for me.
Bad guy wrestler Moondog Buddy used to do the ring announcing at BOOMERS but this time around an old PWA alumnus, Shawn DeSousa (the former "Hatguy") did the honors. Officiating duties were handled by a couple local referees; those being the adept and capable Dave Dread and the diametrically opposed Jon Turnip
Turcan Celik vs Rip Impact
This opening bout featured hometown hero Rip Impact facing a guy who has a legit claim to being a big star. Celik spent some time in WWE developmental territory OVW and has a few Eastern Canadian tours under his belt. "The Turk" as he's sometimes called is big, well put together and has a rather nasty attitude. This was on display before the bell even rang when he attacked Impact while Rip was up on the 2nd rope waving to fans. Rather than try and stop the big man the ref just called for the bell to start the match and Celik almost won it a few seconds later when he crunched Impact with a huge backbreaker and covered him for the pin. He probably would have won the match but he broke off his own cover at the 2 count seemingly wanting to inflict more punishment on Rip.
Fans were NOT happy with Celik's behavior and let him know about it. He jawed back for a couple moments then returned to brutalizing Impact with a number of stomps and kicks. Rip tried fighting back with chops but the big man reversed a whip and flattened him with a big knee to the gut. Instead of pressing the attack Celik elected to display some arrogant facial expressions to the irate fans and Impact was able to get some air and mount his first real offense of the match; he flipped the big man to the canvas with a tilt-whirl headscissors and then again with a jumping 'rana when Celik regained his vertical base.
The hurricanrana didn't keep the big man done for long either; he sprang to his feet and leveled Rip with a big boot to the face and then a brutal clothesline when the fan favorite rose. Celik pressed the attack with a whip to the turnbuckles and a running shoulderblock, covering Impact for a nearfall when Rip crumpled to the canvas. With Impact still on the mat Celik cinched on a tight chinlock which Impact struggled to free himself from as fans chanted his name. Rip did escape the hold and then avoided a corner charge that saw the big man staggered. Impact hit two standing dropkicks and then a spinning back-kick before attempting his Sliced Bread. Unfortunately for him, Celik wasn't seriously hurt or exhausted by Rip's tactics or the length of the bout and he countered Impact's finisher with a huge powerslam and pinned him a few seconds later to win the match at the 4 minute mark.
Fans booed and jeered the victor when he left the ring and then gave Rip a round of applause... for staying alive I guess. Definitely not one of his best outings. He basically got squashed.
"The Man Making an Impact" Eddie Osbourne vs "Dynamite" George Terzis
This was a match that many long time followers of PWA and the Ontario scene in general could really get into... Osbourne, a PWA mainstay, is as technically skilled as he is vile and vicious while Terzis is 203 pounds of skilled pro wrestler with an extensive arsenal of MMA submissions and Martial Arts strikes. It would be hard for anyone to pick a winner in other words.
It took awhile to get the action started after the bell rang because Osbourne conducted a popularity poll with fans rather than locking up with his opponent. This consisted of him pointing at Terzis and asking fans "Do you like this guy?" and then, when the answer was overwhelmingly in the positive, asking if they liked him which garnered the predictable negative result. (Always a fun time.) When they did get down to business with some mat grappling Eddie was quick to accuse George of cheating every time the popular star got an advantage... often claiming that Terzis had pulled his ears. (Considering the dimension of Osbourne's ears they would make for a decent grip with which to toss him around but George wasn't guilty of the charge.)
There was a lot of cheating in the match and it was all perpetuated by Osbourne but to his credit Eddie did match Terzis hold for hold during much of this 9 minute contest; when he did cheat it was usually in response to or as a defense of George's fearsome striking attacks. Both men scored a couple near falls as the advantage shifted back and forth and before long both were showing the effects of the exertion and damage their efforts were causing. It was a damn fine match and it's too bad it didn't come to a conclusive finish to determine which of the two was the better man that day...
George had Osbourne on his shoulders in a fireman's carry when suddenly "The Asian Nightmare" Kwan Chang ran out to the ring and mounted the apron. Ref Turnip immediately turned his attention to him and during that argument at the ropes (during which Terzis dropped Osbourne and kept his eye on Kwan) Chang tossed his kendo stick into the ring. Osbourne grabbed it and swung at Terzis who ducked the blow and responded with an enziguri that flattened Eddie. Kwan jumped off the apron as George jumped on Osbourne for the cover and that's where he was when Turnip turned his focus back to the match participants. Turnip saw the kendo stick on the mat and rather than counting the pin he called for the bell and disqualified Terzis... presumably for using the kendo to knock Osbourne out. Of course, he never SAW Terzis do that because
a) his back was to the action in the ring while he jawed at Kwan and
b) Terzis DIDN'T use the weapon... Osbourne did. (or at least, he tried too.)
Whatever. Turnip DQ'd Terzis and Eddie gladly took the winner's share of the purse while George now had even more reason to dislike "The Asian Nightmare." (They do have a history.)
PWA Women's Elite Championship:
Krystal Banks (C) vs Cherry Bomb
This was another match that on paper could whet the appetite of any long time follower of the Ontario scene... even if the Women's Elite Championship hadn't been on the line. Defending champion Krystal Banks and challenger Cherry Bomb are two of the most well known and respected women grapplers in the province. Both placed in the top 10 of the 2009 OWIE Top 30 - Cherry as #1 and Banks as #4. A match up between these two talented competitors wouldn't need a title to make for a great bout and a compelling story but of course with Bank's belt being on the line it made it even more so. Additionally, there is a history between the two... they once formed a very successful tag team - Ditz & Glitz. I wasn't the only one waiting to see how this meeting between former partners was going to play out.
Cherry Bomb came to the ring with a very big chip on her shoulder, getting into it with fans before she even stepped through the ropes. Banks, who often wrestles as a wild rule breaker, seems to have mellowed since winning the Elite Championship and appears to be enjoying her fan favorite status in PWA... cheers are something she definitely does NOT get in many other promotions. Maybe Krystal has secretly wanted the fans to support her because despite having an incredible arsenal of dirty tricks she seemed determined to stay within the rules despite Cherry breaking everyone in the book almost from the opening bell.
Banks endured one cheap shot after another throughout this 8 minute match and refused to respond in kind, electing instead to combat Cherry's nefarious tactics with scientific maneuvers. Not to say that Cherry didn't wrestle any of the match within the rules... she is a very talented wrestler and used many legal holds and moves during the bout. It was her blatant cheating however that kept her in control for 80% of the match. The only times Banks was able to hit any successful offense was when her challenger was distracted by verbal jousts with the fans... and there were quite a few of those moments. Ref Turnip was EXTREMELY lenient with Cherry during the bout which was strange considering how fast he disqualified Terzis for something he didn't see him do in the match before this one yet witnessed almost all of the cheating in this one. Cherry blatantly broke the rules in full view of Turnip throughout the bout and while he went through the motions of warnings and 5 counts he didn't really do much to keep her within the rules.
Finally after a particularly flagrant series of closed-fist punched to Bank's head, Turnip admonished Cherry and she turned her venom on him. Banks took advantage of that distraction to grab a small package and win the match to retain her title. It was a good match even if it was lopsided in Cherry's favor. Banks was lucky that she was able to capitalize on a momentary distraction to secure the win because her refusal to sink to Cherry's level almost cost her the match and her Women's Elite Championship...a surprising choice since Banks usually swims at that level anyway. I'd like to see a rematch because I don't think Krystal Banks will let that kind of stuff from Cherry go unanswered a second time. If Banks DOES have an issue with breaking the rules while on the PWA roster maybe they should book the rematch as No Holds Barred so Krystal won't have any moral qualms about unleashing the violence. Yea... Banks vs Bomb - Anything Goes... THAT would be cool
"The History Maker" "The Sport" (etc) Jessy Jones vs "Shotgun" Brock Barker
No doubt some of you are wondering who in the heck "Shotgun" Brock Barker is. That's a fair question. He's a student of one Lance Storm (You've heard of him, right?)... a big, tall well put together guy who was making his PWA debut with this match against perennial Ontario indy bad guy Jessy Jones. This might even have been Barker's Ontario debut. Given his training pedigree and his size and obvious athleticism it's apparent that "Shotgun" has the looks and probably the chops to get the job done in the ring but his PWA debut wasn't going to be a walk in the park because Jones is no slouch. Experienced, nasty and devious, Jessy Jones is a dangerous competitor and while he may not be the most physically defined specimen he does strain the scales at 400 pounds or so which makes him an imposing obstacle. He outweighs most opponents, that's for sure and Barker was no exception. Jessy's biggest weakness (next to bacon cheeseburgers) is his arrogance. You don't walk around claiming to be the "King of Canada" if you're humble. He wasn't impressed with his opponent's look and suggested he "just lay down and it will all be over." Barker declined to hand Jones the match so easily.
Jessy quickly resorted to his usual cheating tactics with his first hold - a side headlock he turned away from the ref so his considerable bulk would conceal a stiff closed-fist punch to the head. When Barker escaped the hold and applied a hammerlock Jessy was quick to grab the ropes to force the break. That set the tone for the early minutes of the match... Jones would use scientific grappling to set up his cheap shots and counter Brock's offense by heading to the ropes. He went right to the floor after getting hit with a couple kneedrops after a big ax handle blow put him on the mat, calling for a "timeout." Barker has other plans and joined "The Sport" out on the floor where he smashed Jones head first into the apron and the raised feet of laughing fans before rolling him into the ring and scoring a nearfall after an elbow drop.
Jones turned the match in his favor with a double thrust to the throat then began cheating in earnest with a variety of nasty maneuvers including an eye-drag on the ropes and a number of creative choking methods. Barker had a small rally and managed to rock Jones with a big European uppercut but Jessy reversed a whip and clubbered him on the rebound before tossing him outside and ordering the ref to administer a 10 count. Brock was back in at 5 but was immediately on the receiving end of more chokes and illegal moves from the "2nd Dirtiest Player in the Game." Jones appeared to have the PWA newcomer in serious trouble when he was landing butt splashes to Brock's back but Barker turned over with knees raised and Jessy squashed his nards. Barker tried to follow up with a bodyslam but the load was too much and he crashed to the canvas under "The Sport's" girth.
Jessy covered Brock for a pin but broke it off after the count of 1. Then he covered him again and broke that pin at the 1 count also. Once more Jones covered Barker and this time when the Ref hit the first count Jones got up yelling "That's 3! I win!" Thankfully it was Dave Dread officiating this match and he didn't fall for it. Jessy's little 1+1+1=3 ruse failed but what it did do was give Barker a chance to regain his breath and his wits... he began fighting back in earnest. With his momentum rising there was little Jones could do to prevent Barker's comeback - and he did try - a few moments and a couple false starts later Brock had taken solid control and Jones was trapped on the canvas in a surfboard variation. Unable to escape the hold or reach the ropes to force the break, Jones had no choice but to submit and Barker scored the win in his PWA debut.
This "Shotgun" Brock Barker guy looked ok in his debut in Hamilton. He made some rookie mistakes but his size and conditioning helped him weather the consequences and eventually mount a successful comeback and... not only did he beat an established and proven star in Jessy Jones, he did it by making Jones submit. That doesn't happen too often. If anyone is counting, this was the 3rd good match in a row. (Not that the Impact / Celik opener was bad - just short and more of a squash than a match)
"EZE" Eric Cairnie vs "Hotshot" Danny Duggan
This match wasn't even announced until the day prior to the show. Duggan was in Toronto the day before to wrestle on the ROH show and I guess he picked up this booking since he was in the area. For those unfamiliar with Duggan... he wrestled for awhile in Ontario a couple years back but Manitoba is where he's been lately, kicking major ass as a star for Central Canada's newest powerhouse fed CWE - Canadian Wrestling's Elite. His appearance at "We Run This Town" was a surprise treat for fans in attendance and his match with EZE put the "good match" counter at 5 in a row.
EZE is the hometown hero and a regular on the PWA roster which probably would have made him the fan favorite even if Duggan didn't act like a cocky jerk... but he did and that made fans hate him all the more while they rallied behind Cairnie. Not that Eric wasn't already a big favorite with the BOOMERS faithful... he got an "E-ZEE-E" chant before the bell even rang. Once the match did get underway Duggan and Cairnie delivered 11 minutes of hard hitting, high flying action that was easily the fastest bout on the card thus far. Duggan played up the role of bad guy by cheating but he did it more to infuriate the fans than gain or keep control of the bout. It was a classic example of two young, hungry and talented competitors giving 100% from start to finish.
There were too many exchanges, counters, reversals, aerials, suplexes and slams for me to keep up. Had to put the notebook down for this one folks... and just dig the action. It was good to see Duggan again. He's come a long way since he wrestled Ruffy Silverstein at Stranglehold and he was damn good even way back then. Take my word for it... this is one guy you have to check out live if you ever get the chance.
Of course, EZE is no slouch either and he not only took everything Duggan threw at him he responded with equal intensity and effectiveness. This one was impossible to call right down to the finish that saw Duggan block one superkick only to get nailed with the follow-up. EZE got the victory but both guys came out of this one looking like winners. I doubt it will ever show up on DVD or if it was filmed by someone from the shadows that the quality of the recording will be worth a crap but man! Seen live this was a SWEET little match and proves again that you never know what you might get at an indy wrestling show. A tip of the wizard's hat to both these guys. This was my pick for Sleeper Match of the Show
Intermission
During the short intermission fans were treated to an open bodyslam challenge by some giant masked fat guy named Tremor. Apparently a number of fans and non-booked wrestlers tried to slam the big man but no one was successful. I say "apparently" because I didn't actually see the challenge. I took one look at Tremor and headed outside for a smoke. This guy makes Jessy Jones look like a Dachau survivor. "Fat" doesn't even begin to describe it.
PWA Pure Violence Championship:
Super Kamikaze (C) vs Joey Allan vs Moondog Buddy vs Rarebreed vs Elian Habenero w/ Some Guy
"Pure Violence" matches are always fought under anything goes rules which basically means there are no rules. It is PWA's version of a hardcore division that has seen some great champions in the past - Warhed, Elian Habenero, Mark Mandrake and Geza Kalman Jr just to name a few. The masked high-flying Super Kamikaze came into this bout with a title reign of 204 days, the second longest reign in the history of the Pure Violence Division, surpassed only by "MVP" Michael Von Payton's run of 287 days with the belt... and MVP's lengthy reign was thanks in large part to his trying to destroy the whole division by refusing to put the belt on the line due to his distaste for extreme violence.
Anyway, this match was advertised as Kamikaze versus former champ Elian Habenero and many PWA followers were anticipating the match-up between these two stars. A big reason for that was the fact Habenero has been absent from PWA for months. Elian hails from Cuba and often experiences issues traveling from that country to Canada. A lot of the fans, me included, were really looking forward to seeing the crazy Cuban again but it seemed we were going to be disappointed because although he was introduced Elian didn't come out to the ring. Instead, DeSousa introduced 2 other challengers - Joey Allan (cheered) and Moondog Buddy (booed) - and then the defending champ Super Kamikaze who immediately began searching for Habenero, checking under the ring and looking around the venue.
When the bell rang to start the match Kamikaze and Joey formed an alliance and attacked Moondog but barely had the action begun when Habenero ran out and blind-sided Kamikaze. Allen and Moondog fought inside the ring while Elian pounded on Kamikaze with a garbage can and lid outside. Habanero also had some guy with him, a manager or immigration official I assume and he also took a few shots at the champ. At some point PWA rookie Rarebreed showed up and joined the match too.
So... with no rules of any kind and five guys in the match (Six if you count Habenero's buddy) there was a LOT of crazy-ass stuff going on inside and outside the ring. Many of the fans sitting ringside had to scatter to avoid getting hit with flying bodies and weapons. It was a classic brouhaha clusterf**k and made for very enjoyable viewing. Not everyone is a fan of extreme hardcore but it seemed all the fans were enjoying this match (which had no actual bloodshed by the way) and the noise levels were through the roof from start to finish.
After 11 minutes of insane multi-man action Joey Allan was laying in a heap out on the floor, Moondog Buddy had Rarebreed trapped in a corner and was chewing on him like an old pork bone which left Kamikaze alone against Elian and the other guy. Kamikaze crushed Elian's buddy with a spear but was then pasted over the head with a guitar by Habenero who dropped on him for the pin to win the match and become the new PWA Pure Violence champion. Not a popular victory at all as the once happy go lucky Cuban is now, thanks to his attitude, one of the most hated men in the PWA but, for those still keeping track, the streak of good matches on this show remained unbroken at 5.
PWA Tag Team Championship:
The Hollywood Hunks (Markus "Custom Made" Ryan & "The Stunner" Sean Ryker) (C) vs "Big Ticket" Reggie Marley & "EZE" Eric Cairnie
Marley's scheduled partner was Anthony "Kingdom" James but the popular veteran was nowhere to be seen. Nor was an explanation for his absence offered. (There was a huge massage parlour bust in Toronto the night before and a number of customers and the proprietor were arrested which might explain why Kingdom was unable to make the show.) Naturally, the Hollywood Hunks had no qualms about jumping on Marley and pounding the popular Jamaican star. Ref Dread tried to break things up but Sean Ryker just tossed him aside each time the official stepped into the fracas. It looked like Marley was going to get a severe beatdown but "EZE" Eric Cairnie ran out to the ring and the Hunks bailed to the floor. Cairnie and Marley wanted to fight but Ryan & Ryker said they were leaving. Reggie and EZE grabbed the Hunks ring jackets and put them on, mocking the champs as fans laughed. Markus and Sean agreed to put the titles on the line against Marley & Cairnie and after they posed for Mrs Id to "take a picture of the champs," the bell rang to officially start the match.
It may seem to those unfamiliar with PWA history that a team formed on the fly because of one being a last second replacement for a no-showing partner wouldn't make for much of a threat to the reigning Tag Team Champions, especially when those champs are a tandem with as much history and success as the Hollywood Hunks but... Reggie Marley & Eric Cairnie are anything but a random team. They are in fact, former partners. Granted, they didn't have a long relationship as a team but have tagged many times in the past and are friends and traveling partners which is why EZE was so quick to come to Reggie's aid. In another interesting note, the Hunks won the tag belts from Marley & Cairnie in November of last year when EZE's regular partner Tommy Ryder was unable to wrestle due to injury.
So, with those facts about Cairnie & Marley now known it's easy to understand why this seemingly mongrel team was able to dominate the early moments of the bout over the established team that wore the title belts to the ring. Of course, the Hollywood Hunks are the champs for a number of reasons... not the least of which is their ability to confound their opponents and even the most capable referees with their nefarious tactics. With some timely distraction that saw Ryker plant a back-kick into Reggie's nutsack followed by Markus stretching Marley's neck over the top rope the champs took control of the action. Their offense employed a higher impact strategy than the hold-based attack of the challengers and that coupled with quick tags (utilizing the full 5 count) and suckering EZE into ref distractions made for a few very painful minutes for the "Big Ticket" Reggie Marley.
Eventually Reggie was able to tag Cairnie into the match and he let loose with a flurry of dropkicks and aerial maneuvers on both Hunks. Marley re-entered the ring to make it all-in but the Hunks thrive in that kind of melee and quickly took over... EZE hit a grazing superkick on Markus but that set him up for a stiff boot in the face from Ryker that almost knocked him cold. The Hunks tossed EZE out to the floor and hit Reggie with a flying clothesline. Ryker slapped a Boston Crab on Marley as Markus went out to ringside to pound on EZE some more. Reggie couldn't escape the crab and was forced to submit giving the defending champs the victory.
Fans were infuriated and grew even angrier when the Hunks continued to pound Marley and Cairnie after the bell. One little kid summed up their collective anger and disgust with the Hunks when Markus suplexed EZE and the kid pointed out "You already won you idiot!" I don't like the Hunks anymore than other PWA fans but I have to give them serious props. They are a VERY good team... they can back up their cocky attitudes with solid skills and man, can they cheat! Nobody seemed to notice that Reggie wasn't the legal man when he tapped out and the Hunks won the match. Good stuff! What are we at now... six good matches in a row?
Pure Wrestling Championship:
Geza Kalman Jr (C) vs "Asian Nightmare" Kwan Chang
The show's main event featured a title defense of the PWA's top championship. Defending champ Geza Kalman Jr has held the belt for almost a year. The former UFC star is not a popular champion... not so much for his tactics as for his attitude... and it's not that Geza has a bad attitude, it's just that he does things his own way at his own speed... and Geza's speed is pretty damn slow. He will take forever to get to the ring, often stopping to verbally joust with fans in what for him is a good-natured manner. When fans complain about how slow he is to actually start a match after the bell rings Kalman will actually acknowledge that and then move even slower. If someone yells "boring" Geza will just smile and say "you ain't seen nothing yet" and waste even more time. Simply put, Geza Kalman Jr doesn't sweat much. He is confident, experienced and capable of beating up pretty much anybody who steps in the ring with him or watches from the fan seats. He used to be billed (rightfully so) as "Canada's Meanest Wrestler" but these days he seems to have mellowed. Sure, he still mangles people but now he does it with a big smile of his face and an almost good natured way of punching someone in the face. Perhaps not surprisingly, Geza does have a loyal contingent of fans. They're the ones chanting "Slow it down Geza. Slow it down" when others are screaming "Boring!"
Geza's challenger the "Asian Nightmare" Kwan Chang is also a respected pro wrestling veteran and he too is not a popular character but that is where the similarities end. Kwan is nasty, dangerous and surprisingly quick for someone of his size. Trained in multiple Martial Arts disciplines on the mean streets of Hong Kong and prone to using the kendo stick he carries everywhere Kwan is a perennial threat to any championship and enough of a star that he can get immediate title shots without having to work his way up the roster first. Chang has already proven his credentials so him challenging for the PWA's top belt despite not even being close to a PWA regular wasn't a big stretch of logic. Besides, when your champ has already beat the crap out of most of your roster you pretty much have to look further a field for guys to challenge him and Kwan Chang fit the bill in more ways than one. This bout was a contest between two of the most dangerous and potentially lethal competitors in Ontario.
If Geza respected his challenger at all he certainly didn't show it. He totally ignored Kwan's glare, pre match threatening poses and gestures... when the bell rang it took a full minute for Kalman to even lock up; not because he was worried about Kwan... he wasn't done talking shit to fans. That the "Asian Nightmare" didn't just interrupt Geza with an assault shows that he at least respects what the PWA champ is capable of... even if he does appear to be a big goofy redneck at times. When the two did finally get started Geza grabbed a side headlock which brought some groans from PWA regulars thinking they were going to get another patented Geza slow-motion assault but given the striking ability of both men... and their willingness to throw the rulebook out the window, I think those groaners should have been happy that Geza and Kwan got a wrestling hold out of the way right off the bat. This one was going to get ugly...
Kwan shoved Kalman off the headlock and withstood the return bodyblock. Chang seemed pleased about that so Geza suggested he try one of his own and Kwan's attempt to knock his opponent off his feet met with similar success. So, with those preliminary niceties out of the way Geza grabbed Kwan and smashed him head-first into the turnbuckles then dropped him to the mat big a big punch to the mouth. Kalman delivered a series of big stomps to the chest and squashed Kwan's head against the bottom buckle with a boot in his throat. Geza backed off under the ref's 5 count and Chang regained his feet, raking the champ in the eyes and laying in some heavy kicks to his legs. Kalman responded with an club to the head followed by a hard knee to the same spot then choked a dazed Kwan against the 2nd rope. This time when he broke off to avoid disqualification he brought Kwan with him and whipped the challenger hard to the corner and followed with a charge...
Chang got a boot up into Geza's face that sent him staggering back to the center of the ring where Kwan hammered him to the mat with a big clothesline and dropped a knee onto his head. Chang smashed the champ's head into the mat then covered him for the first nearfall of the bout. When Geza tried to rise after escaping the pin Kwan snapmared him back to the mat and kicked him hard in the spine before scoring another 2 count. Angry that Geza had kicked out again Kwan delivered a blatant choke on the mat. It should be noted that nobody in the crowd was complaining or shouting "boring" anymore. Kwan and Kalman were definitely getting down to business as only two big burly rule breakers in a fight can do.
Kalman rocked Kwan with a jawbreaker then dropped him with a big right to the jaw for a nearfall. He whipped Kwan to the ropes and hit a big back-elbow to the throat. Some fan yelled "Hit him in the FACE!" Geza said "Like this?" and dropped his groin onto Kwan's face while covering him for another 2 count. (How can you not like this guy?) The champ continued to press the attack with a kick to the spine, a big bodyslam and a huge legdrop for another nearfall. He kept Kwan on the mat with a chinlock, breaking the hold momentarily to drop a big elbow to the top of Chang's head. Kwan fought his way up but Geza ran him head first to the buckles then hit a big running back-splash. Kalman smashed Kwan's head against the buckles some more then once again moved out to gain room for a charging attack...
Physically Chang was hurting but he was still thinking... he grabbed the ref and pulled him in the way of Geza's charge. The official was squashed and fell out of the ring. Kwan rocked a surprised Kalman with a huge boot to the head then grabbed his kendo stick from the apron. Suddenly George Terzis ran out and grabbed the weapon. Terzis cracked Kwan across the skull with the kendo and the "Asian Nightmare" crashed to the canvas. In the meantime Geza had risen to his feet and was staring at Terzis. George said he wanted "no trouble" with Kalman and raised the champ's hand while fans cheered. Of course, just because George wanted no trouble with Kalman didn't automatically mean he wasn't going to get some...
Geza smiled at Terzis then punched him in the mouth dropping him to the mat beside Kwan. Suddenly Eddie Osbourne ran into the ring and delivered a vicious low blow to Kalman from behind then draped Kwan on top of him. The ref dragged himself back to the ring and counted the pin but Kalman kicked out before the 3 count. Chang waited for Geza to rise then tried for a Yakuza kick but Kalman avoided the blow and dropped Kwan with a big right hand to the face. Chang was unable to escape the following pin and Geza retained his title. He didn't have any time to celebrate because Terzis attacked him as the ref was raising his hand in victory, pounding Kalman on the mat before posing over him with the Pure Wrestling Championship belt held high over his head.
Osbourne and Kwan left the ring area together. Terzis paused at ringside to exchange glares with Kalman who was rousing himself inside the ring. There was no further violence and the two made their way to the back separately while fans buzzed about what had just occurred and prepared to leave the venue. The actual match clocked in around 12 minutes and was a great way to cap a great show. My pick for Match of the Show.
So... Another solid card from the PWA. One god match after another made for 2 1/2 hours of pure pro wrestling fun, action, drama and excitement. "We Run This Town" was a VERY enjoyable show... as is every PWA event. If you haven't checked out this promotion yet I suggest you do. The PWA runs Hamilton, Kitchener, Guelph and other areas. Check their website for info about shows near you and all your PWA news. (Just click the logo below)
Gordo, the wizard of id
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Poster & PWA logo courtesy: www.pwacanada.com
All photos by Mrs Id