 |
| Do the Inner City Machine Guns have what it takes to win this year's DDT4? Photo Credit: Devin Chen |
Wrestling and the weekend go together like lamb and tuna fish. Wait, strike that, I've been watching too many Adam Sandler movies lately. Anyway, wrestling and the weekend go together like peanut butter and jelly. That the best shows happening from Friday night through Sunday is no coincidence, my friends, and this weekend, the shows will not be in short supply. I will describe the premiere events down below, but if you don't see one and still wanna partake, head on over to Pro Wrestling Events to see if any are in your area. Until then, the best of the best are described below.
FRIDAY
My favorite tournament in wrestling is King of Trios, but a close second is the Dynamite Duumvirate Tag Team Title Tournament presented by Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, known more by its shorthand of DDT4. PWG's annual tag team tournament will for the second year in a row be their first event of the calendar frame. The American Legion Post #308 in Reseda, CA with a bell time of 8 PM local time. Last year, the Young Bucks won and spoiled El Generico's final appearance in the company before he went to help the orphans. This year, they will abstain from the bracket [read: are too chickenshit to defend their belts?] and eight more teams will vie for the chance to take said belts from the Bucks.
The brackets shake out as such: Kevin Steen and Adam Cole will butt heads with Joey Ryan and Candice LeRae. The Best Friends of Trent? and Chuck Taylor collide with the RockNES Monsters, the Johnnies Goodtime and Yuma. The Unbreakable F'n Machines of Michael Elgin and Brian Cage will take on the dastardly upstarts PPRay (Ray Rosas and Pretty Peter Avalon). And in the final first round match, the Inner City Machine Guns of Ricochet and Rich Swann will take on AR Fox and ACH. The semifinals and final matches will happen tonight as well. In addition to the tourney action, Adam Thornstowe will migrate from NorCal to make his company debut against Tommaso Ciampa, and Kyle O'Reilly, Drake Younger, Johnny Gargano, and Chris Hero will square off in four-way action.
SATURDAY
I previewed National Pro Wrestling Day in depth yesterday, but again, if you're anywhere close to the area, come on down to the Easton Funplex in Easton, PA. Doors open at 12 noon local time, and if you're at home anywhere in the world, check it out streaming on YouTube at 1 PM Eastern Standard Time. DO IT.
For those on the West Coast looking for some fun wrestling to watch after streaming NPWD, Quintessential Pro Wrestling will be promoting an impressively stacked show at the Monrovia Masonic Center in Monrovia, CA. Bell time is 8 PM local time. The main event pits Quintessential Pro Champion Adam Thornstowe against the Ultraviolent Golden Boy, Drake Younger. Joey Ryan is used to teaming with a lady in PWG, but on this show, he'll be staring across the ring from a female opponent, perhaps the best one possible in America, Cheerleader Melissa. The RockNES Monsters will be in action against Willie Mack and B-Boy, while Kevin Steen locks up with former NWA World Champion Adam Pearce. Kyle O'Reilly tangles with Brian Kendrick, Brian Cage gets Nick Madrid, and the team of PPRay will have to deal with former rivals turned allies Christina von Eerie and Candice LeRae.
USA Pro Wrestling will be setting up another star-studded card at the Orlando National Guard Armory in Orlando, FL. Doors will open 6 PM. The list of wrestlers at this show is pretty impressive; Chris Hero, the Headbangers, Vordell Walker, Jon Davis, Frankie Ciatso, Jesse Neal, Sam Shaw, Tyson Tomko, and 2 Cold Scorpio will all be making appearances here.
The Russian Community Center in Vancouver, BC will play host to Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling's Return of the King. Doors open at 7:30 PM local time. Which King is making his return? Why, that would be the King of the Yukon, of course, who comes back to team with Kenny Lush against the Bollywood Boyz. Nicole Matthews will also defend her Women's Championship against KC Spinelli.
Destination-1 Wrestling will settle down for a night of ECW throwback action at the Colgate Gym in Clarksville, IN. Doors will open at 7 PM local time. The main event pits D-1 Champion Tracey Smothers against former ECW colleague and current House of Hardcore auteur Tommy Dreamer. Among the other notable wrestlers appearing on the show are the Irish Airborne, Alex Colon, Mad Man Pondo, Crazy Mary Dobson, and Sabu.
Empire Pro Wrestling will send out its Parade of Champions at the Empire Arena in Rossville, GA at 8:05 PM local time. All belts will be defended, including the Heavyweight Title by Shaun Tempers, the Jr. Heavyweight Championship by Johnny Viper, and the Tag Team Championships by the Best of the Best.
Platinum Championship Wrestling will be running out of the Main Event in Porterdale, GA at 6 PM local time. The main event will pit Chip Day against Marko Polo for the PCW Championship.
NWA Smoky Mountain will present Encore 2014 at the Kingsport Civic Auditorium at 8 PM local time. The main event will pit Jason Kincaid against Chase Owens one more time for a shot at the NWA Jr. Heavyweight Championship. The catch? It will be contested under Tables, Ladders, and Chairs rules. Also appearing on the show will be Sugar Dunkerton and Cedric Alexander.
Wrestling is awesome, and events like National Pro Wrestling Day aim to celebrate the artform. However, that art cannot grow if you don't support it. Take a chance on a live show this weekend. Bring your kids (as long as the show is all-ages, and really, very few promotions have earned the right not to be all-ages). Bring a friend. Or just go by yourself. You never know, your favorite wrestler or promotion may be out there. You just don't know it yet.
FRIDAY
My favorite tournament in wrestling is King of Trios, but a close second is the Dynamite Duumvirate Tag Team Title Tournament presented by Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, known more by its shorthand of DDT4. PWG's annual tag team tournament will for the second year in a row be their first event of the calendar frame. The American Legion Post #308 in Reseda, CA with a bell time of 8 PM local time. Last year, the Young Bucks won and spoiled El Generico's final appearance in the company before he went to help the orphans. This year, they will abstain from the bracket [read: are too chickenshit to defend their belts?] and eight more teams will vie for the chance to take said belts from the Bucks.
The brackets shake out as such: Kevin Steen and Adam Cole will butt heads with Joey Ryan and Candice LeRae. The Best Friends of Trent? and Chuck Taylor collide with the RockNES Monsters, the Johnnies Goodtime and Yuma. The Unbreakable F'n Machines of Michael Elgin and Brian Cage will take on the dastardly upstarts PPRay (Ray Rosas and Pretty Peter Avalon). And in the final first round match, the Inner City Machine Guns of Ricochet and Rich Swann will take on AR Fox and ACH. The semifinals and final matches will happen tonight as well. In addition to the tourney action, Adam Thornstowe will migrate from NorCal to make his company debut against Tommaso Ciampa, and Kyle O'Reilly, Drake Younger, Johnny Gargano, and Chris Hero will square off in four-way action.
SATURDAY
I previewed National Pro Wrestling Day in depth yesterday, but again, if you're anywhere close to the area, come on down to the Easton Funplex in Easton, PA. Doors open at 12 noon local time, and if you're at home anywhere in the world, check it out streaming on YouTube at 1 PM Eastern Standard Time. DO IT.
For those on the West Coast looking for some fun wrestling to watch after streaming NPWD, Quintessential Pro Wrestling will be promoting an impressively stacked show at the Monrovia Masonic Center in Monrovia, CA. Bell time is 8 PM local time. The main event pits Quintessential Pro Champion Adam Thornstowe against the Ultraviolent Golden Boy, Drake Younger. Joey Ryan is used to teaming with a lady in PWG, but on this show, he'll be staring across the ring from a female opponent, perhaps the best one possible in America, Cheerleader Melissa. The RockNES Monsters will be in action against Willie Mack and B-Boy, while Kevin Steen locks up with former NWA World Champion Adam Pearce. Kyle O'Reilly tangles with Brian Kendrick, Brian Cage gets Nick Madrid, and the team of PPRay will have to deal with former rivals turned allies Christina von Eerie and Candice LeRae.
USA Pro Wrestling will be setting up another star-studded card at the Orlando National Guard Armory in Orlando, FL. Doors will open 6 PM. The list of wrestlers at this show is pretty impressive; Chris Hero, the Headbangers, Vordell Walker, Jon Davis, Frankie Ciatso, Jesse Neal, Sam Shaw, Tyson Tomko, and 2 Cold Scorpio will all be making appearances here.
The Russian Community Center in Vancouver, BC will play host to Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling's Return of the King. Doors open at 7:30 PM local time. Which King is making his return? Why, that would be the King of the Yukon, of course, who comes back to team with Kenny Lush against the Bollywood Boyz. Nicole Matthews will also defend her Women's Championship against KC Spinelli.
Destination-1 Wrestling will settle down for a night of ECW throwback action at the Colgate Gym in Clarksville, IN. Doors will open at 7 PM local time. The main event pits D-1 Champion Tracey Smothers against former ECW colleague and current House of Hardcore auteur Tommy Dreamer. Among the other notable wrestlers appearing on the show are the Irish Airborne, Alex Colon, Mad Man Pondo, Crazy Mary Dobson, and Sabu.
Empire Pro Wrestling will send out its Parade of Champions at the Empire Arena in Rossville, GA at 8:05 PM local time. All belts will be defended, including the Heavyweight Title by Shaun Tempers, the Jr. Heavyweight Championship by Johnny Viper, and the Tag Team Championships by the Best of the Best.
Platinum Championship Wrestling will be running out of the Main Event in Porterdale, GA at 6 PM local time. The main event will pit Chip Day against Marko Polo for the PCW Championship.
NWA Smoky Mountain will present Encore 2014 at the Kingsport Civic Auditorium at 8 PM local time. The main event will pit Jason Kincaid against Chase Owens one more time for a shot at the NWA Jr. Heavyweight Championship. The catch? It will be contested under Tables, Ladders, and Chairs rules. Also appearing on the show will be Sugar Dunkerton and Cedric Alexander.
Wrestling is awesome, and events like National Pro Wrestling Day aim to celebrate the artform. However, that art cannot grow if you don't support it. Take a chance on a live show this weekend. Bring your kids (as long as the show is all-ages, and really, very few promotions have earned the right not to be all-ages). Bring a friend. Or just go by yourself. You never know, your favorite wrestler or promotion may be out there. You just don't know it yet.
