Friday, February 21, 2014

Any Shows This Weekend? The Alternatives to Elimination Chamber

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This rematch is going down this weekend and more!
Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein

Hark! The weekend has arrived once more, and with the end of the workweek comes the prospect of WRESTLING SHOWS out the wazoo for me and for you! Sorry for the rhyming there, but wrestling stokes my creative flames. Anyway, Elimination Chamber is Sunday, but for those who want something more than what the mainstream offers, or who want something to watch on days other than Sunday, the world of independent wrestling offers a whole bunch of action on all three days of this week ending slate. I'm going to give the once-over to the biggest shows of the frame, but if you don't see a show in your area going on down below, check out Pro Wrestling Events for your hookup.

FRIDAY

Ring of Honor's 12th Anniversary Show kicks off the big shows this weekend at the National Guard Armory in Philadelphia, PA. The bell time is 8 PM local time, and the show will be available for purchase video-on-demand style shortly thereafter. Only four matches have been announced thus far, but they're all doozies. The main event will pit Chris Hero against Adam Cole for the ROH World Championship. Hero made his ceremonious return to the company at Final Battle, coming to the aid of Michael Elgin after Cole and Matt Hardy put the boots to him after the main event there. Will Hero be able to take the title that has eluded him for so long? Speaking of Elgin and Hardy, they will face off in a grudge match. AJ Styles will try not to break anyone's neck on his latest appearance as he battles Jay Lethal. Tommaso Ciampa will also defend his Television Championship against the winner of the Top Prospect Tournament, Hanson. Also scheduled to appear are Jay Briscoe and Kevin Steen.

Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling asks "Who's the Man?" at Elk's Hall in Port Coquitlam, BC. Doors open at 7:30 PM, local time. The main event pits the Canadian Champion, Nelson Creed, against Pete Powers. "Ravenous" Randy Myers will put his ECCW Championship up for grabs in an open challenge. Also appearing at the show will be Artemis Spencer and Tony Baroni.

Fighting Spirit Wrestling will be presenting Heartbreak Warfare at the FSW Arena in Brooklyn, NY at 7 PM. Among the names appearing on the show are AR Fox, Trent?, and the Greek God Papadon.

SATURDAY

Wrestling Is Fun!'s show this weekend will be at the Goodwill Beneficial Association in Reading, PA. The doors for Man of Peel will open at 6:30 PM, local time. The main event pits Amasis against the Estonian Thunder Frog for the former's prestigious Banana Championship. Amasis has held the Power of Potassium for nearly nine months, but the Thunder Frog has a new hammer and an energized focus. Jervis Cottonbelly will throw hands at the brutish Oleg the Usurper in a grudge match. Cottonbelly, in the most gentlemanly manner possible, threw down at National Pro Wrestling Day for Chikara against forces of evil that contained Oleg. Now, he'll get the chance to exact some more revenge one-on-one. Also on the docket pertaining to the fallout from NPWD, the Spectral Envoy will tangle with the Colony X-Treme Force, while the Batiri will take on the Wrecking Crew, both matches done trios style.

In a rematch from the contest that was interrupted by the invading forces of evil at NPWD, Heidi Lovelace will get a chance to finish what she started against Joe Pittman. Their classmate at the School of Roc Tripp Cassidy will go one on one with Eric Corvis, while the Throwbacks will be in tag action against the two surviving members of the Bloc Party, the Proletariat Boar of Moldova and Mr. Azerbaijan. Finally, the Lithuanian Snow Troll will clash with Juan Francisco de Coronado.

ROH will continue their two-day residency at the National Guard Armory in Philadelphia with hashtag Honorcon in the afternoon, at 1 PM local to be specific, which will be a free-admission fan fest where wrestlers will partake in a variety of events. Scheduled are an arm wrestling tournament, a Q and A panel, autograph booths, fan photos with the entrance, and selected wrestling matches which have not been announced yet. Also, ROH will make a "very special announcement." Then, at 7 PM local, the doors will reopen for a round of television tapings. Only one match has been announced thus far, but it is a whopper. AJ Styles will battle Michael Elgin in a dream match of sorts. I would imagine most if not all of the wrestlers who competed the night before will also be there.

International Wrestling Cartel ushers in A New Era at the Court Time Sports Center in Elizabeth, PA at 7:30 PM. Dalton Castle will defend his IWC Championship against an opponent to be determined in a battle royale that will take place earlier in the show. Among participants in said battle royale are Asylum, Façade, Colin Delaney, former Champion John McChesney, Ethan Page, Gregory Iron, Chest Flexor, and Big LG (the former Luke Gallows). Al Snow will also make an appearance.

Pro Wrestling Syndicate will go live from the Edison Hotel in Woodbridge, NJ, starting at 6 PM local time with an autograph session. Colt Cabana will clash with Chris Hero in a match billed as not being able to be seen anywhere else. Bret Hart will also make a special in-ring appearance. Also billed for the show are Alex Reynolds, Shynron, Dan Maff, Angelina Love, The Blue Meanie, Devon Moore, Mickie James, and the incomparable Starman.

Dragon Gate USA presents Revolt! 2014 at the Queensboro Elks Lounge in Elmshurst, NY at 8 PM local. The event will be live-to-video on demand on WWN Live, meaning it can be ordered shortly after it takes place. Johnny Gargano will defend his Open the Freedom Gate Championship against Trent?, who is a last minute replacement for CIMA, who will miss the trip due to injuries. The Open the Unified Gate Champions, the Bravado Bros., will defend their titles against Chuck Taylor and Orange Cassidy of the Gentlemen's Club. The third member of the Club, Drew Gulak, goes one on one against AR Fox, while Ivelisse Velez takes on Su Yung in a SHINE showcase match. Rich Swann will take on Anthony Nese in a grudge match. Also appearing on the show will be Shane Strickland, Jigsaw, Tim Donst, and Caleb Konley.

Doors open at 22 Austin Avenue in Rossvile, GA for Empire Pro Wrestling Action at 7 PM local time. Kyle Matthews, Johnny Viper, and Tank are among the wrestlers scheduled to appear at this show.

Anarchy Wrestling is back for another show at the Anarchy Arena in Cornelia, GA for a bell time of 8 PM. The main event will be a tag match pitting Geter and Se7en against Iceberg and Mikael Judas. Also scheduled to appear on this show are the Washington Bullets, Shaun Tempers, Mike Posey, and Stryknyn.

NWA Houston invades VFW Post 8905 in Cypress, TX at 7:30 PM local time. The main event pits Lone Star Champion Byron Wilcott against Jax Dane. Also on the show are Ken Carson, Barbi Hayden, and "One Man" Mike Dell.

Monster Factory Pro Wrestling will be live from their school in Paulsboro, NJ, doors opening at 7 PM. Appearing on this card will be Grizzly Redwood, QT Marshall, and Cliff Compton.

SUNDAY

Anarchy Championship Wrestling will continue their monthly tradition of going head to head with WWE pay-per-views by presenting An Absence of Law at the Mohawk in Austin, TX. Doors open at 5:15 PM local time. The main attraction on this show is a dream match between ACW Tag Team Champion Paul London and former World Hardcore Champion Masada. The Anarchy Championship will be on the line as Champ Shawn Vexx puts his strap against the Lone Star Classic winner Davey Vega of the Submission Squad. His stablemate Evan Gelistico will go up against the Heaviest Sumo in the Land, Jojo Bravo, while London's coholder of the Tag Team Championships, Jack Jameson, draws Scot Summers in another first-time ever encounter.

SMASH Wrestling will be flying into the Danger Zone at the 227 Lounge in Ebiticoke, ON at 4 PM local time. Mickie James will make her SMASH debut as she dives headlong into a three-way match against Xandra Bale and Vanessa Kraven. Tyson Dux goes up against Pepper Parks, while Jay Lethal, Matt Cross' Beard, and the Super Smash Bros. are also scheduled to appear.

DGUSA is back Sunday with Way of the Ronin 2014, live on Internet pay-per-view at 7 PM Eastern Standard Time through WWN Live. If you're going live, head to the Brooklyn Lyceum in Brooklyn, NY. The main event will pit whoever is the Open the Freedom Gate Champion – Johnny Gargano or Trent? – against Roderick Strong. AR Fox will put his EVOLVE Championship on the line against Chris Hero. Fire Ant and Jigsaw will clash in a grudge match. Also scheduled to appear on the show are Ivelisse Velez, the Bravado Bros., Chuck Taylor, Shane Strickland, Caleb Konley, Tim Donst, and Rich Swann.

Doors open at the Binghamton American Legion at 3 PM local for Xcite Wrestling's 2nd Anniversary Show. The main event will feature IB Green defending his XCite Championship against Joe Gacy and Steve Corino in a three-way match. Luke Gallows, DJ Hyde, and Sozio are also scheduled to appear.

Championship Wrestling from Hollywood will have another round of television tapings at the Oceanview Pavilion in Port Hueneme, CA. Doors open at 3 PM local time, and Willie Mack, Joey Ryan, PPRay, Adam Pearce, and Shelly Martinez are all scheduled to appear.

The Grace King Auditorium will play host to the latest WildKat Sports event. The venue is in Metairie, LA, and the doors will open at 5 PM local time. WildKat Champion "One Man" Mike Dell and Luke Hawx will be in attendance.

As you can see, no dearth of wrestling exists this weekend. If you want to go see a show, odds are, you can go see one. But you have to get out there to watch. Wrestling can only grow if you help support it. Besides, your favorite wrestler or company may already be out there. You just don't know it yet.