Retro Rowe: PWG Smokey and the Bandido 2018

PWG: Smokey and the Bandido
October 18, 2018

(Originally Written in November 2019)

Survivor Series 2019 is tonight, but I don't feel like watching it. Instead, let's take a look at a PWG DVD taped last year, featuring a slew of guys who are having a great 2019, or are poised for a big 2020. I honestly don't remember how this DVD made it onto my shelf, must have been an impulse buy at a live event.

From the Globe Theatre in Los Angeles, California The house is packed. Our hosts is Excalibur.

Darby Allin vs. Trevor Lee

Lee cuts a promo beforehand, making excuses for losing to Jeff Cobb in seconds. Lee runs Allin down for coming across like a backyard wrestler. Lee gives Allin a chair and dares him to do the only trash wrestling move he knows. Allin thinks about it but tosses the weapon, Lee ambushes with an attempted German, but Allin lands on his feet and goes on a flurry. Allin's flipping stunner gets 2. Allin's suicide dive sends them into the fans. Lee tries to shove the ref into Allin on the ropes and hits a blind low blow to gain control. Lee launches Allin over the ropes for a wild fall. Allin slugs his way out of a backbreaker stretch. Allin manages a springboard crossbody and mounts the wrist for targeted blows and headbutts. They trade counters and Allin springboards into a tornado body press for 2. Lee answers with a backbreaker off the buckles. Allin lights up Lee's chest and delivers a Destroyer for 2. Allin hits a COFFIN DROP TO RINGSIDE! Back to the ring, Lee counters with a nasty backbreaker for 2. A fan tosses duct tape to Lee, and he ties Allin's hands behind his back (aaaaahhh, this is very much like what happened with Allin vs. Chris Jericho on AEW Dynamite in 2019). Lee launches Allin into the air for a terrible landing on his shoulder and head. Allin, hands tied and all, manages a standing dropkick, springboard shoulder tackle, and tope suicida! Allin runs into Lee's leaping double stomp to the chest and it's over at 13:59! Tons of fun to see Allin tinkering with underdog spots before reaching a bigger audience. Lee came across like a true d!ckhead. For a company that gets sh!t on constantly for being "indie-riffic" this featured a ton of great babyface/heel character work, ***½.
Winner: Trevor Lee

Retro Rowe: NJPW Climax 2018 (Part 14)

NJPW G1 Climax (Part 14)

August 4, 2018 

(Originally written in August 2018)

-So, when the G1 Tournament first started, I felt like I had to either review the entire thing (which was never going to happen) or none of it. I feel like recapping some of the later shows in the tournament might be a good compromise. Full disclosure, I'm skipping ahead of several shows in the tournament because it started while I was away and I have been unable to catch up, so it's getting to the now or never portion of the summer.

-From Osaka, Japan. Our hosts on the English broadcast are Kevin Kelly and Rocky Romero.

Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale and Tanga Loa) vs. CHAOS (SHO and YOSHI-HASHI)

YOSHI-HASHI's shoulder is taped up so he's an easy target for Fale and has to fight an uphill battle. He has a better time against Loa, who suffers combination offense from CHAOS. Loa regains his composure and hits a delayed vertical suplex on SHO. Loa remains largely in control of the match until he hits his modified piledriver, eloquently known as "Apeshit" for the win at 5:33. Not much to this opener, as the CHAOS guys were presented as too banged up or inexperienced to hang, *½.
Winners: Bad Luck Fale and Tanga Loa

EVOLVE 58 Review

EVOLVE 58
April 1st 2016

-From Dallas, TX. Lenny Leonard and Rob Naylor do an in-ring introduction announcing that this is the highest attended EVOLVE show in history. Ah, the wonders of getting into business with WWE.

EVOLVE Tag Team Championship:
Johnny Gargano and Drew Galloway (c) vs. The Premier Athlete Brand (Anthony Nese and Caleb Konley, with So Cal Val and Andrea)
Drew Galloway rallies the troops with a promo putting over EVOLVE for his life after WWE. Gargano surprises Drew and the fans by bringing out Kota Ibushi for their corner. Apparently, if Nese and Conley lose, they can never team up again. The PAB kick things off with a good old fashioned cheap shot from behind. Galloway catches Konley in a dive and slams him on the apron. Nese cartwheels over Drew but gets caught by Johnny's tope. Gargano goes on a chopping spree and nearly finishes Nese with an Ace Cutter. Gargano gets isolated and plays a nice face in peril. Drew gets a hot tag and gets to play a big man role, plowing through Nese and Konley. The match breaks down, and Konley blocks Gargano's spear, leaving him in a draping position for Nese's flying crossbody! Konley gets caught with stereo enziguris on the top rope and sets Drew in a tree of woe. Drew sits up and powerbombs Konley off the top! DDT by a sneaky Johnny earns a 2 count and "This is awesome" chant. All four men trade super kicks and near falls for a standing ovation. The PAB hit a nasty neckbreaker combo but Gargano implausibly kicks out. Nese prepares to use string, but Ethan Page runs in to neutralize him. Konley powerbombs Galloway into the buckles and drops Gargano onto him. Galloway uses a wheelbarrow suplex to set Konley up for the GargaNo Escape for the apparent submission, but the ref isn't calling for the bell at 13:01. The fans chant "this ref sucks" while the match is award to Gargano and Galloway after all. That confusing finish hurt what had been a tight spot-fest, ***.
Winners and still EVOLVE Tag Team Champions: Drew Galloway and Johnny Gargano