GSR

Pretty certain this wasn't taped in Rock Hill, SC (the 2/15 episode of Worldwide which was taped on 2/11 was). I'd be careful if you're taking the venues from the listings on the Sports & Wrestling board because there is a ton wrong with them for the JCP stuff from 1984-86.

Only around a third of this nineteen minute bout airs on the footage I saw so we only get selected highlights. A whip to the turnbuckles is reversed and reversed again as Honma is the first to go crashing into one of the barbed wire boards. Yamakawa with a Tiger Suplex onto a pile of chairs on the floor. They both break light tubes over each other before Honma teases taking a bump into the bed of nails which is laid out at ringside. Ryuji charges at him and gets levelled with a ‘phenomenal forearm’. Springboard light tube to the head at it looks like the shattered glass has shredded the top of Yamakawa’s back. Top rope frankensteiner through another barbed wire board. Tombstone piledriver from the apron through a light tube covered board to the outside! That was fucking nuts! Ridiculously Yamakawa then kicks out of the cover. Honma takes the fall onto the bed of nails after a baseball slide and Yamakawa then picks up the pin following Christopher Daniels’ ‘Angel’s Wings’. The only thing crazier than that tombstone piledriver from the ring apron to the floor was that Yamakawa kicked out of it!

What is shown on TV is clipped so we only see selected highlights of the 19 minute plus match. Honma rolls out under the bottom rope after a not-so-high running knee, where he’s grabbed by Nick Gage who is seconding Zandig. ‘The Boss’ then attempts a somersault senton off the top turnbuckle to the floor, although it looks more like a nose dive. A barbed wire board has been propped up in the corner and when Zandig whips Honma into it, he runs up the board and flips backwards (think Jodie Fleisch’s ‘Wall Unit’). Honma grabs the go behind and release German suplexes Zandig into the board, his manky hair getting all tangled in the barbs. From here Honma dumps a bucket of salt over his lacerated back, piledrives him into a bucket of lemons/lemon juice and finally squeezes mustard into the cuts on his forehead. Top rope frankensteiner through the barbed wire board which had been propped up between two chairs. Zandig breaks a chair over Honma’s head busting him open. After a pair of rolling suplexes he hits a Falcon Arrow and then distracts the official so Gage can nail him with a frog splash. Honma sets a table up across the top turnbuckle and as he’s stood on it, Gage gives it a shake causing him to lose his balance. Zandig gets up there with him and presses Honma overhead, dumping him all the way to the floor and through a second barbed wire board that had been positioned at ringside. If that first table was unstable they place a second on top of that, however despite Gage and Wifebeater holding the structure in place, Zandig slips when going for the big splash off it, barely connecting with Honma. Big spinning powerbomb onto the barbed wire board and Zandig gets the win which he celebrates with the rest of the CZW guys who’re on the tour with him. In highlighted form, limited to the high spots this was okay, I imagine I would have a different view if it was the full match I’d just watched. The one thing you have to say about Zandig, no matter how shoddy or reckless he may look, the guy is fearless and more than willing to put his body on the line. That one table balanced on the top rope was unstable and then he places another on top and then stands on it! Rather him than me on that spot.

I think you're right. I was going from the report on the Observer website which said the full line up is set, but when I totted things up myself only got 31 names and not 32: 01) Kaitlyn 02) Rhea Ripley 03) Kacy Catanzaro 04) Io Shirai 05) Nicole Matthews 06) Jinny 07) Deonna Purazzo 08) Tegan Knox 09) Reina Gonzalez 10) Jessica Elaban 11) Taynara Conti 12) Mercedes Martinez 13) Mia Yim 14) Kavita Devi 15) Killer Kelly 16) Zeuxis 17) Isla Dawn 18) Lacey Lane 19) Karen Q 20) Meiko Satomura 21) Madison Rayne 22) Priscilla Kelly 23) Xia Brookside 24) Hiroyo Matsumoto 25) Aerial Monroe 26) Vanessa Kraven 27) Allysin Kay 28) M.J. Jenkins 29) Rachael Ellering 30) Xia Li 31) Zatara

The final five names have been confirmed for this: Allysin Kay (Sienna from TNA), M.J. Jenkins, Rachael Ellering, Xia Li and Zatara (a masked wrestler from Chile).

The second and final appearance of Breaks on 'Satellite Wrestling', and he again cuts an interview before the match while sporting a rather dashing yellow Pringle V-neck. This was better than his previous effort, but he spent most of the time knocking Johnny Saint to continue the rivalry between the two of them rather than his upcoming opponent. The commentary was better too in the fact that at least they didn't talk over each other, though I was still expecting to hear 'whattamaneuvre' at some point. The crowd were pretty dead for this match which isn't the norm when Breaks is involved. This was the first time I'd seen (or even heard of) Hunter who has a few nice spots (the Nigel McGuinness slingshot off the ropes, a variation on the double arm stretch where he puts one foot on Breaks head and pushes it up to apply pressure to the neck and a cool bridge escape), but despite the odd moment of advantage Breaks pretty much takes the entire match. It really should have gone five minutes less than it did with Breaks eventually winning getting the only fall that is required.

A match from the short lived 'Satellite Wrestling' show that aired on Screensport in the UK. Only about a dozen of these episodes aired but they're all out there and in circulation. The Screensport shows were completely different to the traditional 'World of Sport' ones and had more of an American feel to them; there were interviews, angles which would develop from show to show, backstage bits and you'd even get an added bout or two from the US airing which were supposedly nominated by a 'viewer'. Both wrestlers cut promos before the match and neither were very good (not surprisingly as they've never had any need for it in the past) with Saint being worse than Breaks. With this being on the Screensport channel, it means there is sadly no Kent Walton and commentary is provided by Maxton G. Beesley and Vince Miller, who to put it bluntly are diabolical. For two who say so much they are completely clueless when it comes to calling the moves, they would often talk over each other to the point you couldn't understand what they were saying , and even worse in my eyes, they'd proceed to talk over Breaks when he's doing his schtick with the crowd. If that isn't bad enough, you'd get adverts pop up over the action advising you of addresses to contact if you want to train to be a wrestler or purchase some even programs. This was standard Breaks fare (pleased with himself for rolling through when Saint tries to ram his head into the canvas only to then get caught the next time, bad mouthing the referee when Saint gets given a public warning only to see the ref reverse the warning and give it to Breaks), whilst he did get some great heat from the crowd. With better camera work and these two idiots on commentary keeping it to a minimum (in fact, someone else altogether calling it), this would have come across better. First fall saw Saint have a double arm stretch on Breaks, then Breaks starts waving and crossing his legs as if he is going for some wacky Saintesque escape, only for Saint to trap them and get the reverse folding press. Breaks equalizes with the Special after tying Saint's arm up in the ropes, and Saint gets the decisive fall rolling Breaks up much to the approval of the crowd who come to ringside and all want to shake his hand.

Triple H can’t have been in the slammer for too long as he’s here with Stephanie and things look good between them. He says how he’s done some pretty terrible things during his career and for the most part is proud of them, the one thing he’s never done though is hide who he is or hidden what he does. While he was sat in some North Carolina police department getting repeatedly questioned about whether he hit his beautiful wife, she was forced to go to the ring with Kurt Angle and was later pummelled and beaten by Chyna, which to him is unacceptable. He doesn’t know who made that phone call to the police or who filed that report, but isn’t going anywhere until he gets some answers. The Commissioner’s music plays and ‘the King’ thinks it must’ve been him who reported Hunter as he loves to throw his weight around and can just imagine him squealing to the police! Mick says that what happened to Triple H was serious business and, as Commissioner of the WWF, he intends to get to the bottom of the situation and find out who the culprit is. His first port of call is to accuse Stephanie, claiming that he’s seen that look in her eye when she’s around Kurt Angle and what better way to get rid of the jealous husband than by getting rid of the jealous husband. Steph refutes his claims and Foley tends to agree, believing it would’ve taken a cold, calculated and clever plan to have HHH incarcerated, automatically putting her out of the running! Mick next accuses Triple H thinking that what better way to pull the heart strings of his wife, what better way to evoke sympathy from all the fans... Hunter doesn’t let him finish, cutting him off and isn’t impressed that he’s now trying to turn it around onto him. ‘The Game’ says how he’s watched the tape from Smackdown and what he saw was him run out not long after he was arrested and him force his wife to accompany Kurt Angle to ringside when she should’ve been at the police department to defend him. Everyone else may see this rotund, happy-go-lucky guy that all the people love, but what he sees is a miserable, manipulative man who just wants to ruin his marriage at all costs because he’s bitter and jealous that he was the one who ended his sorry career. Foley admits that he raises some legitimate points, however says that he wouldn’t do that plus, as WWF Commissioner, he carries diplomatic immunity anyway. With the three of them seemingly eliminated from his enquiries he surmises that can only be one other candidate and orders Kurt Angle to come on down. Kurt thinks it’s ridiculous that he’s being wrongly accused. Yes he didn’t like the way Hunter brutally hit his good friend Stephanie but he’s man of integrity and would never call the cops. He then points the finger at Chyna, the person he claims wants to see Triple H and Stephanie split up more than anyone. Angle’s case is compelling enough for the Commissioner to invite her out to explain herself. Lawler, that old perv, is at it again saying how he’d like to dust Chyna for fingerprints. Even though she enjoyed ramming Stephanie’s head into the mat, Chyna is adamant that she had nothing to do with calling the police confirming that there is nothing going on between her and HHH as she’s with Eddy Guerrero. ‘Clueless Mick’ on hearing Eddy’s name now has him down as his prime suspect, believing that after losing to ‘the Game’ in the ring, he has more cause than anyone to want him eliminated. Foley calls out Eddy and Kurt is pretty funny, piping up that it probably was ‘Latino Heat’. Eddy tells him that if he thinks he wanted Triple H out of the picture he couldn’t be more wrong as, if anything, he wanted to prove to his ‘Mamacita’ and the whole world that he could kick his backside in the middle of the ring. With Foley no closer to finding out the culprit, he gets the fans to vote on who they think it is; unanimously they vote for ‘Mr Integrity’ himself, Kurt Angle. As Mick grabs hold of him ready to hand him over to the authorities, they’re interrupted by Test and Trish Stratus, Test advising the Commissioner not to do anything too drastic because he’s got a confession. He goes onto explain that the 27th November 1999 was supposed to be the greatest day of his life, but Triple H ruined it, taking Stephanie away from him right under his nose. All the money, the power, the sky rocketing career that he thought was coming his way, HHH got it all instead. He’s been waiting so long for this moment and his only regret is that they didn’t send his ass to jail! Test admits that he called the cops which results in Foley setting up a match between HHH and him. After calling Stephanie a “bitch” Hunter runs down the ramp way to try and get at him, only to be cheapshotted by Angle on the way. Test and Kurt then put the boots to Triple H leaving him lying. Stephanie wants to watch up close what Triple H does to Test after he called her a bitch, but Hunter tells her to stay in the dressing room and keep away from ringside (presumable after what happened on Smackdown). Test has got Albert as back up and Trish is immediately distracting the referee so they can team up on Triple H. That doesn’t really go to plan as ‘the Game’ handles them comfortably, making them look like a pair of buffoons. After clearing the ring of both he grabs hold of Trish and is about to pedigree her when he gets clobbered by Test. A great sounding big boot from him as Stephanie is shown watching on a monitor backstage while creepy Kurt sneaks up behind her smiling at what he sees in the ring. Gut wrench powerbomb by Test but he then misses the elbow off the top. Hunter with a high knee, a facebuster and the pedigree as he wins this one in quick time. A post-match pedigree from Albert and Steph is out to celebrate the win with him. The Test swerve was nice but T&A were treated as a pair of jobbers the way Triple H dominated and treated the pair of them here. The face and heel dynamics are definitely been blurred with the reactions that some of the wrestlers, Triple H especially, are getting.

‘The King’ seems rather disappointed that he’s not in this match as he can’t wait to get his hands on Chyna. Oh dear... Triple threat rules, but Eddy and Chyna immediately team up against Kurt. Angle reverses the whip to the corner and Chyna takes this great backwards bump over the top rope and to the outside. Release over head belly to belly on Eddy and Chyna is there in the nick of time to break up the pin. They go back to working together hitting a double flapjack followed by a double suplex. Eddy, ever the gent, even giving Chyna the honour of covering Kurt after that. Angle ducks the double clothesline, lays out Chyna and charges at Eddy sending him tumbling to the floor. He follows him outside where he jabs him in the ribs with a chair, however Chyna is able to come to her man’s rescue, saving him from a steel chair over the head. A stiff lariat drops Kurt although he avoids another and dumps Chyma with a belly to back suplex. In the meantime Eddy is trying to bring the chair into the ring to use but is being prevented from doing so by referee Jack Doan. With the official preoccupied, Angle picks up the IC title belt and KO’s Chyna with it. Eddy takes care of Kurt, crazily suplexing him over the top rope to the arena floor and with his ‘Mamacita’ still out cold, goes to check on her. As he cuddles Chyna, her shoulders are at the same time down on the mat, so Doan counts the three and a new Intercontinental champion is crowned. Eddy seems a bit reluctant to accept the belt at first but that quickly changes, helping Chyna to the dressing room while hiding the title behind his back and out of her view as he does so. A quick backstage interview where Eddy explains to Chyna that he was just trying to protect her and doesn’t understand what happened. He begs forgiveness and she seems to accept, although I don’t think it’ll be long for this relationship. Eddy’s facials are so good with all the sly smirks and glances. Glad that they’ve got the I-C belt away from Chyna and looking forward to watching the inevitable break up of her and Eddy, the latter who I imagine being all kind of smarmy and manipulative in doing so. Two bonkers bumps from Chyna and Kurt in this one.

The Rock is out before both combatants to provide guest commentary on this number one contender’s match. In case anyone missed what went down on Smackdown, the events of Kane costing Chris Benoit his match with the Undertaker and then Rock coming to Taker’s aid are recapped. Huge press slam by Kane where he just drops ‘the Crippler’ chest first to the mat. Benoit ducks a clothesline and then catches Kane with a neckbreaker. German suplex for a two count. Belly to back followed by a diving headbutt off the top, however instead of going for the pin he steps through the ropes and onto the apron to say a few words to the Rock. Kane’s up to his feet, grabs ‘the Crippler’ from behind and an inverted suplex from the apron back into the ring, pretty much spiking Benoit on his head. That was a nasty looking landing. Not sure why he bothered though as after suplexing him in, he then throws him right back out! Benoit avoids the charging Kane who goes crashing into the ring post and he’s back ranting at the Rock instead of concentrating on his opponent. Kane jumps him while he’s jawing and launches him into the steel ring steps before snatching Rock around the throat. ‘The Crippler’ then cracks Kane across the back with a chair and the ref calls for the bell throwing the match out. A big boot fells ‘the Crippler’, ‘Rock Bottom’ to Kane on the concrete and we’re none the wiser on who the number one contender is.

Breaks is only wrestling part time at this point spending most of the time running his pub in Batley, whilst Bainbridge is just 16 and resembles Danny Collins with acne. This is a crafty veteran versus rookie bout with Breaks controlling the majority of the match. There seemed more of Breaks' schtick than usual in this one with plenty of interaction with the crowd (telling some lady that 'I'm paying your pension!'), the referee (a closed fist to the face of Bainbridge, sees the youngster retaliate with one of his own, Breaks isn't happy 'you ought to give somebody a public warning!', 'do you know how to give public warnings?', the ref gives one to Breaks) and even the MC. Bainbridge gets a flash first fall, schoolboy tripping Breaks as he comes off the ropes and rolling him up in what was a rather sloppily executed exchange. Breaks is arguing with the MC when Bainbridge rolls him up again for a near fall, before getting the Breaks special in just 42 seconds of the fourth round. Breaks is again looking for the arm in the fifth with Bainbridge doing all he can to keep it out of his reach. Eventually he grabs the arm and gets the winning submission with a variation of his special in just one minute of the round. This was Breaks final appearance on TV with wrestling cancelled by the end of the year. He deserved better that this and I'd rate it even below the Kamakazi match. The second round isn't shown on the broadcast, but this is one to miss.

Brooks is a 21 year old who has only been in the business a couple of years at this point. A side headlock and arm lever from him as he has some early dominance. Full nelson which Grey breaks and releases himself from and Brooks is back to working the side headlock which Grey handstands and flips his way out of. He tries to throw Brooks, but the youngster cartwheels through it. An arm lever which Brooks nicely escapes from before a back hammer and wristlock by Grey to close out the round. Round two and a quick schoolboy attempt from Grey. A cravat and headmare before a full nelson. Grey whips Brooks into the ropes, he ducks looking for the back body drop but Brooks goes over for a sunset flip, folding press by Grey and Brooks spins him out. Grey hooks the leg but Brooks sits down on him, reverse double leg nelson, countered with a folding press by Brooks but instead of going over he holds a headstand position for the first fall. Round three is cut from the broadcast, and Grey starts to work on Brooks' arm in the fourth. Backdrop and headmare from Grey but a quick roll up from Brooks gets him a two count. Brooks this time focusses his attention on Grey's left arm including throwing both a dropkick and head butt to it; he goes for a second dropkick but Grey steps out of the way. Boston crab by Grey but he gives up on the hold when it's clear to him that Brooks wont submit and with Brooks in pain from the crab attempt he looks for the surfboard submission, but the round ends before he can fully apply the hold. In to the next and a posting from Grey followed by a headmare and with Brooks clearly suffering with his back Grey again tries for the surfboard. This time he is in the centre of the ring and with plenty of time remaining is able to apply the hold getting the equalizing submission. The sixth and final round and Brooks is still selling his back. After his success in the previous round Grey goes for the surfboard, but Brooks struggles and fights the attempt to the point that Grey gives up on the hold. Over the shoulder backbreaker but he can't quite get Brooks up and he continues to concentrate his efforts on the weakened back of Brooks. Brooks gets a brief advantage returning his efforts to Grey's left arm even managing to execute a straight arm lift. He goes to post Grey but it's reversed and Brooks crashes into the turnbuckle. He fights off another surfboard attempt, but Grey grabs the double leg and turns it into a Boston crab. The timekeeper announces sixty seconds left and Grey decides to give up clear in his mind that Brooks wont submit to that hold. With the time limit expiring he goes for one last surfboard but no luck, and the bout is declared a draw. I thought Grey did a tremendous job on this one and Brooks more than played his part. Grey gave him enough early and made Brooks seem like a credible threat to the point that when he rolled Grey up in the fourth, I genuinely thought Brooks was winning 2-0. As the match wore on the experience of Grey showed, whilst Brooks still had his hope spots. Brooks selling of the back was really nice, although you could question the over reliance on going for the surfboard (though it is a Grey staple), whilst there was a sense of a real struggle and fight over the hold in the last round. It also made a change to see Grey in the role of the veteran here working with a young and up and coming wrestler. Good stuff.

Fit Finlay was supposed to originally be teaming with Daly, but he just walks out on the match and goes back to the dressing room. Princess Paula tries to drag him back to the ring but he wants no part of it. Lucky Gordon then draws the short straw as the standby wrestler and replacement for Finlay (Banger Walsh must have been otherwise engaged!). Grey gets the first fall rolling up Gordon and Daly squares things up with a big splash on Grey. A Daddy splash on Daly then takes it for his team. There is some nice selling from Grey after Daly gets the pin on him, but that was really it.

This was fought at catchweight and Haward, the bigger of the two, has the early advantage until Grey slowly starts to get back into things. One thing that I've noticed is what a great seller Haward is, everything it so understated, but at the same time looks so legit and as though he is hurting or trying to shake off a bit of pain. He demonstrates this again as Grey focuses his attention on Haward's leg and then when Grey tries to get him up for the surfboard, but with it being early in the bout Haward has the strength to fight the move off so Grey just jumps up and slams Haward's tied legs into the canvas. The first fall was actually a carbon copy of what happened in his match with Chic Cullen, as Grey grabbed the leg and in one move Haward leaped over him and rolled him up from behind. The next round sees a beautiful straight arm lift on Grey with great elevation, but he fights back to get the equalizing pin after a lovely set of reversals. Haward went for the same move as he got the first fall, however this time Grey counters and spins round sitting on top of him, Haward then hooks the arms bringing him back down to the canvas but Grey rolls through and gets a folding press for the pin. The action really heats up from here with Grey finally getting the surfboard on Haward in the centre of the ring but he manages to hold out, and Haward hitting a modified powerbomb before the time limit expires with the match tied at one fall apiece. This was another good bout and similarly to the one with Myers, they seem to move things up another level when it's tied at one fall each. There is also something slightly heelish about Haward that I can't put my finger on. He's not a flagrant rulebreaker in the Sid Cooper category, but give him an open hand slap, a forearm across the face and you can noticeably see the anger levels rise in him and I do think there is some sort of cold, charisma with him.

A first round contest from a knockout tournament with the winner meeting Mick McMichael later on in the evening. Grasshopper is a bit of an odd looking chap, wearing green cycling shorts with a yellow strip down the side, barefoot with a shaven head and little in the way of a physique. He's a Judo black belt who was supposedly brought into the pro wrestling game by Chris Adams. Johnson opens up with a few headmares, then when Breaks tries one of his own it's blocked. The crowd start laughing, cheering and clapping at his inability to execute the move and the guy really is a master of having them eating out of his hand. An early sunset flip by Johnson and Breaks lifts his shoulder informing the referee 'I'm up!'. He offers the hand to Johnson who accepts, but is pulled in and met with a closed fist to the face. Grasshopper fires back with one of his own which drops Breaks and he looks on in disbelief that the referee hasn't warned him at all. With one minute left in the first Breaks turns his attention to the left arm looking for his patented submission. Johnson reverses it trying to put the special on the man himself, but Breaks halts the attempt with a punch to the stomach in full view of the official for his first public warning. In the second round Johnson again tries to use Breaks' own hold against him before badly botching a folding press. Toe and ankle as he looks to weaken Breaks, before Breaks turns the table and starts bending and manipulating Johnson's ankle. On to the third and yet again Johnson tries for the special. This time Breaks pushes him backwards and then traps Johnson's arm in the ropes. Breaks pretends to try and release Johnson whilst in reality tightening the ropes, softening the arm even more. He offers Johnson his hand as a way of an apology (you'd think that he'd have learned) but Breaks immediately grabs him and applies his special for the submission. They do seem to pair Breaks up with a lot of the greener or younger talent and it depends really on how adept that they are on the quality of the match and what Breaks can get out of them. Johnson is not very good and as a result this is towards the bottom of the ladder for him.

There was a brief video clip of Karen Q at the Performance Center that surfaced on Twitter a couple of days ago (presumably for an introductory piece they will do on her) and in that Karen was wrestling Madison (in full gear) which pretty much gave it away that she will also be in it. Neither Tegan or Jinny wrestled on the NXT-UK tapings the past two nights which I am guessing was just a precautionary issue to avoid them picking up a knock.

It’s so weird seeing Tobita enter a traditional wrestling ring and arena as opposed to what we’re used to with him. Fuyuki is handcuffed for this match, presumably to try and make it an even contest. Tobita’s chops and punches are real bad and you kind of understand why he does the style of wrestling that he does. He catches Fuyuki’s leg and nails him with a terrible looking clothesline. DDT for a two count. Tobita looks for the piledriver when he’s jumped from behind by a monster carrying a pair of bolt cutters. The monster cuts Fuyuki’s cuffs, running lariat and he gets the win in just two minutes. Stick to fighting the monsters Tobita!

This is taking place on some waste land off a back street with a sheet of tarpaulin for the ring giving a real backyard feel to things. Drill Baba doesn’t look like what I imagined, although is carrying a drill (that to be fair looks more like a giant corkscrew!) which he uses to terrorize the small number of fans watching this. Tobita has got a witches broomstick which he uses to keep Baba and his drill at bay. He swats him with the broomstick and then chases him into the garage from where Baba made his entrance. Shortly after its Tobita doing the running and Baba the chasing as he grabbed a much larger drill whilst in there. Not surprisingly a lot of Baba’s offense is based around him trying to skewer Tobita on his drill. As the two fight around the waste land and hit each other with whatever they can find, some dramatic music is playing in the background. Baba busts Tobita open by scrubbing a brush back and forth across his forehead, while he gets some help from a fellow monster who’s turned up out of nowhere. At one point Tobita collects a wheelbarrow and mows the pair of them down as if they’re skittles with this starting to resemble more a handicap match. They head off down the back street and end up fighting in a dumpster, again hitting each other with whatever’s in there before returning to the ‘arena’. Tobita puts a metal bucket over Baba’s head and then clobbers it with a flaming broomstick (which someone had kindly lit for him), briefly setting his wig on fire. More two on one action and again Baba is trying to impale Tobita on his drill. He puts a traffic cone over Tobita’s head, spins him around to disorientate him and then levels him with a clothesline for a two count. Tobita picks up another flaming weapon from out of the garage and everyone scarpers as the footage becomes shaky and unwatchable in the confusion. When it returns we see Baba bodyslamming Tobita on the ‘mat’. Baba and the other monster push a car from nearby as they attempt to run Tobita over, however he’s back to his feet in time and avoids a charging drill that shatters one of the car windows. The two of them end up on the roof of the vehicle where Tobita piledrives Baba for a three count and the win. Some funny moments in here, but it became very repetitive at times and I found my attention drifting. I’m not sure Tobita’s ‘monster matches’ are suited for going thirty minutes and this would have been better had they condensed it to half that.

It looks like this show is being held in a nightclub or bar somewhere with a ring set up in the middle of the building. A rematch from the ‘Break on Thru’ event a fortnight ago, and not only has Trent got Z-Barr to keep him company but Zandig too, returning from a tour of Japan. ‘The Boss’ doesn’t know “what the fuck” Reckless Youth is doing in his company as last time he saw him he was off to the big leagues and doesn’t really appreciate him only coming back now because that didn’t work out. If he’s back in CZW he’s going to have to work like he knows Reckless Youth can, and prove it, starting tonight. He won’t be facing Trent Acid though, he’s booking him in a gauntlet match against four other men and only if he gets through that will he get his match with CZW’s best Junior Heavyweight. Zandig calls out Johnny Kashmere who doesn’t look like he’s ready to wrestle wearing a long sleeve shirt and hat. The two exchange some bad looking punches until Kashmere blocks one and suplexes Reckless overhead. They screw up a headscissors, although Reckless with one of the smartest cover ups you’ll see, making it look like he blocked it instead. Only issue is they go right back and do the headscissors again so you know it was a screw up! Reckless backdrops Kashmere over the top rope to the floor, when from the opposite side of the ring comes Ric Blade. That’s why Kashmere didn’t look like he was ready to wrestle because he was only doing about ninety seconds and it clearly wasn’t worth his while to get changed into his wrestling gear! Blade ducks a lariat and hits a neckbreaker, however Reckless has started to fall to the mat before Blade has even grabbed him. Some wacky ‘submission’ by Blade which actually looks like it doesn’t hurt one bit. Reckless catches a swinging arm and plants Ric with a reverse DDT. A couple more of Zandig’s henchmen appear in the form of Ruckus and Jay Briscoe. Double dropkick followed by a double flatliner and with their job already done, they leave. With Reckless laid out, now Trent wants a part of him although takes an eternity over his first move and ends up failing to connect on the tumbleweed. Tornado DDT by Reckless, spinning rabbit lariat and finally a torture rack into a sit out powerbomb that Trent kicks out of. They make a complete hash of a Toyota roll to the point that the ref doesn’t even bother counting when they end up in some sort of pinning predicament. Reckless with a cover and he has to shout at the referee to do his job as he wasn’t paying attention. A few pinfall reversals are botched and this is a right mess. Youth counters the attempted top rope rana with an inverted atomic drop and then hits the ‘Northern Lights 2K bomb’. Z-Barr grabs the referee to put a stop to the count with Gargiulo claiming that he’s trying to “cop a feel” of him. When you think this can’t get any worse they struggle working an Irish whip reversal! Trent grabs Reckless as he looks for the tip up, ‘Acid bomb’ and this one is over. The look on Trent Acid’s face at the end says it all! It was a neat idea; Zandig pissed off that Reckless has only returned to CZW seemingly as a ‘last resort’ after things didn’t pan out for him, so he’s going to make him pay, make him work some before he gets a chance at Trent Acid, it was just badly executed. Even if it was prelim fodder, lower level CZW guys, have Reckless run through three of them so he’s tired before finally facing Trent. I just don’t see the point of a few sequences with a wrestler and then the next one coming in. I doesn’t help that Kashmere wasn’t dressed for wrestling foretelling that they weren’t going to do much of a ‘match’. The Reckless/Trent section was an even bigger disaster with a glut of blown spots and a referee who wasn’t paying attention. When will these two have a straight up match without all the extra curricular activities and shit?

Thhe final of the 'New Year's Day Knockout Tournament' (Turpin had defeated Tally Ho Kaye) and in a change to the semi-finals this is fought over ten minutes duration, with no pinfalls, no submissions and the winner will be determined on a points system, where if any part of the body bar the soles of the feet touch the canvas then your opponent scores a point, and the person with the most points at the end of the ten minutes is declared the winner. I'm pretty sure that this wasn't the first (or last) time that they did this 'points match'. This was something different, if nothing else. Both legitimately appeared to forget what was going on at times, with Grey putting his hand on the canvas for balance when Turpin had him trapped in a grapevine, and Turpin dropping down to a knee whilst having a front chancery on Grey. With three minutes to go and Grey 13-5 up, he for some reason decides to throw a dropkick. It made no sense in the slightest as the best outcome would be both gaining a point, whilst the worst would be just his opponent gaining one. The worst outcome is what happened as Turpin sidestepped the move and Grey hit fresh air. If that wasn't bad enough, he later tries a monkey flip and a similar outcome occurs with Turpin landing on his feet and again Grey cost himself a point. Towards the end of the contest MC Brian Crabtree (who is keeping a running update over the house mic for the crowd and audience at home) gets confused and gives Grey a point that should have gone to Turpin! Turpin ends up going head mare crazy to win the contest, officially 20 points to 18 (although the correct score is 21-17). I really didn't like this at all. Grey throwing a dropkick and attempting a monkey flip made him look stupid. You could portray it as him 'forgetting' he wasn't in a regular match, but the amount of times both wrestlers scrambled to the ropes to prevent being taken down, I'm not buying that. Also, if he 'forgets' it wasn't a regular match, it again is making Grey out to be an idiot. The mess with Brian Crabtree only added to things. Maybe they wanted to give Turpin a win without Grey having to take a fall, I don't know, but give me tags with Big Daddy any day over this!

This was fought over six three minute rounds and was the semi-finals of the 'New Year's Day Knockout Tournament'. Cooper starts out on top with some headmare attempts that Grey rolls through on, he tries to throw him off the ropes but again he just rolls through. When he tries that a second time Grey reverses and throws Cooper across the ring, he then tosses him out of the ring much to the amusement of the crowd. Cooper with a side headlock that Grey handstands out of and follows up with a finger interlock. He whips Grey into the ropes then crouches down attempting to trip him as he comes back, but Grey skips over him and gives him a kick in the backside which again brings laughter from the crowd. As the end of the first approaches Cooper starts to lose his cool, first with a bit of hair pulling and then with a closed fist punch to the face. Double arm stretch by Cooper which Grey kicks out of and Cooper is complaining to the referee and gets him to check his forehead. Grey reverses a Cooper reverse double knee hold into a body scissors, posts Cooper and backdrops him for a near fall. Cooper responds with a punch to the mid-section out of view of the official, slips on a side headlock and as Grey is about to escape, a quick pull of the hair and he's back in it. Grey reverses a double finger interlock and Cooper punches him in the back. Cooper then continues after the bell has rung claiming he couldn't hear it because of his cauliflowered ears. As the crowd are on his case he flicks water from his bottle at them! Cooper opens aggressively in the third. He attempts to post Grey who blocks it, ducks between Cooper's legs and lands two dropkicks which lead to some nice facials and selling from Cooper. Grey rolls Cooper up, but some more hair pulling sees him escape and he then catches Grey with a backslide for the first fall. At this point Cooper starts blowing kisses to the crowd and then leaves the ring heading to the back, maintaining that he thought it was just a one fall contest! Cooper has the early advantage in the fourth and a crossbody attempt by Grey sees Cooper catch him and run him into the turnbuckles. Flying tackle by Grey is again caught by Cooper who slams him to the canvas, Cooper then comes off the ropes, but Grey is up and leaps over him with a sunset flip for the pin. Cooper attacks Grey after the equalizing fall and throws him out of the ring getting his second and final public warning in the process. A Cooper backbreaker is followed with a backhammer that Grey flips over the back of to escape. Cooper shoots him into the ropes and Grey goes for a roll up, whilst another dropkick from him sends Cooper tumbling out of the ring. A body check from Cooper and Grey nips up, headbutt to the stomach, Cooper whips Grey into the ropes and in a carbon copy of the first fall, Grey leaps over Cooper with a sunset flip double leg nelson to advance to the final. I thought this was a decent match and Cooper had some nice touches that added to it. Not one that I would say is essential viewing, but in the same boat you won't come out of it thinking you've wasted your time if you do decide to give it a watch.

This match was fought under slightly different rules as there were no rounds, just a straight 20 minute match with two falls required to be declared the victor. The focus here was Breaks working on Turpin's arm in all manner of ways to try and soften him up for the Breaks Special submission. All sorts of bending and manipulation of the arm and wrist the wrong way, 'snapping' them, even tying Turpin's arm up in the ropes to weaken it, then weakening it even more under the guise that he was trying to untangle the said arm. Intermixed are some obligatory Breaks mouthing off at the crowd with one woman shouting 'get his ears Jackie' to which Breaks responds 'shut your fat mouth!', and some rule breaking behind the refs back. Turpin gets the first fall after Breaks riles him up with an open handed slap, the angered Turpin goes after Breaks who then proceeds to drop to his knee, gets up and then does this a second time. Breaks then catches him with a head mare, Turpin at this point drops to his knees, Breaks looks to Max Ward and whilst he's not paying attention Turpin gets him with the folding press pin. Breaks equalizes sharpish after the resumption, going back to working the arm and getting the submission with his signature move. At one fall each Breaks again focuses on the arm and for a second time applies the Breaks Special, however Turpin holds out and Breaks has to put him down as he an no longer keep him lifted turning it into a hammerlock. Turpin escapes then runs off the ropes and goes for a flying cross body, though Breaks ducks and Turpin goes sailing over the top rope to the floor in a great bump. Usually when anyone takes a bump to the floor it is usually match over (see Haystacks vs Daddy) and potential injury angle (see Rocco vs Dynamite), yet to my surprise Turpin managed to beat the count and get back in the ring. Breaks charges at him, Turpin sidesteps him and rolls him up for the three count and the win. Breaks is clearly not happy and proceeds to attack Turpin on a couple of occasions after the match. This was a real good TV bout, with a surprise ending that I wasn't really expecting both in Turpin beating the count after the bump to the floor and then getting the win over Breaks.

Breaks starts before the bell has even rung, annoyed that Kamakazi was introduced first he informs MC Brian Crabtree that as he is a champion shouldn't he be introduced first? Kent Walton informs us that Kamazaki is oriental, when he is in fact a masked Maurice Hunter. This is probably one of the worst matches that I have seen involving Breaks and I can only put that down to Kamakazi, who has some nice spots but that is pretty much it. Masked wrestlers were quite a novelty over here, but even that can't disguise how bland and boring Kamakazi is. A round is edited out and as the bout is tied at one fall apiece, Kamakazi takes a tumble to the floor appearing to have fallen between the top and middle ropes as he tries to come off them. The match at that point is then stopped with Kamakazi unable to continue, a lacklustre finish to what was a lacklustre match in general. The highlight is probably after the bout when referee Jeff Kaye points out Kamakazi did injure himself and it was nothing to do with Jim Breaks, and in this instance the opponent has the option of accepting the decision (ie taking the win) or refusing it (so the bout is declared a no contest). Crabtree asks Breaks what he wants to do, and in a heartbeat he accepts the win.

This has one of the campiest entrances ever with Daddy sporting a Union Jack waistcoat along with a sparkly cape and helmet, pushing a young girl in a wheelchair, kissing grannies and being followed by a bunch of kids like he is the Pied Piper, all to the sounds of 'We Shall Not Be Moved'. Berry is from Australia, and every bit as bad as Banger Walsh who can't even throw a decent looking elbow drop. Daddy appears to operate by his own rules, coming in to the ring whenever he wants and not getting admonished one bit by the referee. I actually found this match funny in places but I don't think that's the effect you're meant to have, whilst it's tough to get into the heat spots on Grey as you 'know' what will happen. Daddy and Grey win in two straight falls, with Daddy even allowing Grey to get the second (which comes a whopping 14 seconds after the first).

This match is part of a team tournament where the 'TV All-Stars' (of which Faulkner is a member) are taking on the 'Liverpool Skinheads'. Paul is not a skinhead, but it transpires that at least he is Liverpudlian. These tournaments see each team comprise of three men and there are three single bouts before a one final six man at the end of the night. This is my first time seeing Paul and he is wearing what looks like Daisy Dukes with a pair of braces! Paul sets the tone for the bout early by healing it up (attacking Faulkner when he's on the ropes, using headbutts), almost admitting that he's is not going to be able to compete with Faulkner is a scientific contest. Arm stretch by Faulkner before Paul traps him in a headscissors. Headstand escape and Faulkner turns his attention to Paul's left leg. Nice single leg into full boston crab but Paul powers out. Headscissors by Faulkner, but this time Paul starts biting his leg to force the escape. A closed fist behind the ref's back from Paul and the bell rings to signal the end of Round One. Faulkner comes straight out with a dropkick at the start of the second but Paul steps out the way and Faulkner just hits fresh air. More biting from Paul, but this time Faulkner retaliates by biting his hand. Both become more aggressive (no comedy from Vic today!) before a sloppy criss cross spot. Paul drags Faulkner's arm along the ropes and Max Ward has had enough, finally giving him his first public warning. Paul with a headlock and Ward gets trapped in the corner. As Faulkner breaks he goes to forearm Paul who moves and he hits Ward instead. For some reason Ward blames Paul and as he admonishes him, Faulkner comes through Ward's legs and attacks Paul. Into the third and Faulkner is on top. Paul reverses something resembling a nerve hold with one of his own and as Faulkner gets the escape he backs Paul into the ropes, however he comes back immediately with a bodyslam and covers Faulkner. Vic's leg is outside the ropes but Max Ward doesn't see this and counts the pin. Ring announcer Tony Harris then steps into the ring, tells Ward what happens who then disallows the fall and says the match will continue. Paul goes to argue with Ward and the bell rings to restart the bout. Faulkner dropkicks Paul who then rebounds back off the ropes and falls over Faulkner who had crouched behind him in a schoolboy. Folding press and Faulkner gets the pin in just 7 seconds of the restarted bout. This was an okay 'opener' and supposed served its purpose for the team tournament, but I didn't think much of it and it didn't really do anything for me. Despite being a supposed six year amateur prior to turning pro Paul wasn't very good. He was awkward in his movements and it appeared he was trying to combine parts of Jim Breaks and Sid Cooper with his heel tendencies, but clearly wasn't in the league of those two. Faulkner was fine and worked pretty hard but the issue was with Paul, although he did get the crowd into the bout. The false finish was a nice surprise, but what came after wasn't as you 'knew' what the end result was going to be.