Written by: Bob Colling
House Of Hardcore IX
Date: 7/18/2015
From: Toronto, ON
Opening Contest: Tommy Dreamer vs. Chris Hero: Typically, Dreamer is in the main event or the co-main event spot, so it is strange to see Dreamer competing in the opening match of the card. Hero did a few kip ups that frustrated Dreamer and did a kip up after telling Dreamer to remain in the corner. The fans want to see Dreamer try a kip up and he gives it a shot but fails horribly. So, this is going to be a comedy match it would appear. Dreamer does the kip up with assistance from Hero and the referee. Hero puts an end to the goofiness by hitting Dreamer with a bicycle kick. Dreamer clotheslines Hero over the top to the floor and decks Hero with a right hand. Dreamer spits soda into Hero’s face but is crotched over the railing. Hero hits another bicycle kick to drop Dreamer to the floor. Hero works over Dreamer in the corner with several strikes before hitting a forearm to the face but only gets a one count.
Hero kicks Dreamer several times to keep him on the canvas as the fans are getting behind Tommy. Hero taunts Tommy to hit him but decks him in the mouth. Hero hits a forearm shot in the corner but Dreamer battles back with strikes. Dreamer comes charging out of the conner with a clothesline and jabs. Dreamer attempts an elbow after jabs but Hero cuts him off and delivers a forearm but Dreamer hits his elbow strike and pays tribute to Dusty Rhodes by dropping an elbow for a near fall. Dreamer plants Hero with a DDT but Hero remains kneeling and Dreamer hits a second but only gets a near fall. Hero with a few forearm shots and a bicycle kick, but Dreamer doesn’t drop. So, Hero hits a roaring elbow and that’s good enough for three. (*1/2. I didn’t like the match all that much. Hero’s offense is just forearm strikes and a bicycle kick for this match. The comedy segment was the only entertaining part of the match, really.) After the match, Hero shakes hands with Dreamer and bows down to him to show respect.
Dreamer does a speech thanking the fans when Cherry Bomb and Pepper Parks come out to cut him off. Cherry thanks Dreamer for having them in Toronto tonight for HOH. Cherry says that there is something that Dreamer needs to hear. Cherry tells Tommy that he is washed up! Cherry informs Dreamer that he is yesterday’s news. Cherry compares Dreamer to Trish Stratus or Angelina Love or Gail Kim or Traci Brooks. She introduces herself to the fans and taunts the fans. Cherry says she smartened up and left Canada and made the right move in marrying an American, Pepper Parks. Cherry says that Parks is young and Dreamer is balding. Cherry thinks they are the future of professional wrestling. Cherry suggests Dreamer take his fat ass and get out of her ring. Dreamer goes to the apron but changes his mind and comes back into the ring. Dreamer says normally he would pick her up and show her disgusting vagina to the crowd before hitting a piledriver. Dreamer says that Parks will pay for her disrespect at a later time. Tommy has a lot of friends in his phonebook and a lot of friends from Toronto. Music hits and here comes Bobby Roode, who is a surprise for the show! Honestly, Cherry Bomb did a fantastic job carrying herself on the microphone. Well done, Cherry.
Second Contest: Bobby Roode vs. Pepper Parks: Cherry is on the apron to distract Roode and Parks comes from behind but fails at getting the cheap advantage. Roode runs over Parks with a clothesline and atomic drop. Roode clotheslines Parks over the top to the floor and Pepper goes chest first into the guard railing. Roode works over Pepper on the floor with a few chops and rolls Parks into the ring. Parks bails to the floor and says he is leaving with Cherry. Roode doesn’t allow that to happen as he attacks Pepper from behind and Cherry screams. Cherry grabs Roode’s leg on the apron and Parks nails Roode with a kick to drop the former TNA World Champion. Cherry gets a cheap shot on Roode while the referee is distracted in the ring. Parks works over Roode with a headbutt only getting a near fall. The fans are chanting for Cherry to shut the fuck up.
Parks gets a near fall following a power slam and keeps a basic offense to control Roode. Pepper and Roode trade elbow strikes but Roode clotheslines Parks several times followed by a backdrop. Roode clotheslines Parks in the corner and hits a rolling neck snap. Roode hits a Blockbuster off the middle rope but Pepper kicks out at two on the cover attempt. Roode sets up for a fisherman suplex but Pepper gets out and hits a backstabber for a near fall. Pepper takes his belt off but the referee takes that away and Pepper hits Roode with Cherry’s shoe for a near fall. Parks waits in the corner and runs into a spine buster. Roode sets Pepper up for a fisherman suplex but Cherry gets on the apron, but is knocked off by Pepper on accident. Roode hits the fisherman suplex and wins the match on the third try. (**. There was nothing special about the match as it was rather basic. I don’t see what Parks brings to the table other than being a basic wrestler and a not-so over gimmick. Cherry Bomb was by far the MVP of the segment leading into the match as she got some heat for Parks that otherwise wouldn’t have been there.)
Third Contest: Team Tremendous, Hacker Scotty & Matt Striker vs. Ethan Page, Vik Delishus, RJ City & Ben Ortiz: Considering the guys don’t get full entrances I take this as being a filler match and I probably shouldn’t care all that much about it. Bill Carr hit his somersault dive to take everyone out on the floor, which is incredibly impressive considering his size. This match also highlighted Ethan Page, who has been doing well in other independent companies. Tremendous hit a great elevated springboard Acid Drop. Carr finished Vik off with a Canadian Destroyer. I just realized that Jimmy Kordeas was the referee for the match. After the match, Jessika Havok comes out and attacked one of women that managed the previous match. As you might imagined, Havok took care of business.
Fourth Contest: John Hennigan vs. Tony Nese: Early on, Hennigan works over Nese on the canvas with some basic holds. Nese is crotched on the top rope and Hennigan hits a springboard kick to knock Nese off the top to the floor. Hennigan goes to the floor and drops Nese throat first across the railing. They quickly go back into the ring where Hennigan keeps control of Nese until Tony battles back with strikes to back John into a corner. Nese runs into a big boot and is dropped to the canvas. Nese uppercuts Hennigan on the middle rope and hits a top rope hurricanrana for a near fall. Nese trips Hennigan and hits a springboard moonsault for a near fall. Nese controls Hennigan with a body scissors but Hennigan isn’t giving in. Hennigan battles back with clotheslines and a heel kick. Hennigan hits a shining wizard but Nese kicks out at two. Nese bails to the floor but is taken out by Hennigan with a slingshot cross body on the floor.
Hennigan hits a springboard kick for a near fall on Nese. Nese gets out of the Moonlight Drive and hits a double stomp for a two count causing Hennigan to roll to the floor. Hennigan misses a kick on the floor and hits the ring post. Nese dives over the top rope to take Hennigan out with a corkscrew dive and lands on his feet. Hennigan hits the Moonlight Drive but Nese kicks out at two as Hennigan is selling the leg injury. Nese takes Hennigan down to the canvas and attempts a half Boston Crab but isn’t able to get a submission. Nese hits a one arm power bomb to send Hennigan into the corner and goes back to the half Boston Crab but Hennigan reaches the bottom rope. Nese kicks Hennigan a few times but Hennigan hits a standing Spanish Fly for a near fall.
They begin to trade strikes on their knees as they get back to a standing position. Nese hits Hennigan with a forearm strike but John comes back with one of his own. Hennigan clotheslines Nese but Nese hits a pump handle turned into a tombstone for only a two count. Nese heads to the top but misses the 450 splash and Hennigan htis the Starship Pain for the win. (***. It’s a good match, but the story involving the leg was ignored by Hennigan after selling it for fifteen-seconds. That’s what prevented this from being better for me. Sell the leg, John!)
Fifth Contest: The Kingdom vs. The Addiction: Daniels and Bennett start the match. Bennett comes off the ropes but Daniels hits a heel kick to get control of the bout. Daniels sends Bennett head first into the corner and tags in Kazarian. Addiction double teams Bennett for a near fall. Kazarian hits a swinging neck breaker on Taven and Kazarian hits an assisted moonsault while Daniels hits a springboard moonsault on Bennett. Taven sends Daniels into the corner but runs into a big boot and Kazarian tags in. Taven nails Kazarian with a springboard kick but only gets a near fall on the cover. Bennett tags in and works over Kazarian with a kick to the midsection. Kazarian is double teamed in the corner by the Kingdom with Taven choking Kazarian for a few moments. Taven splashes Kazarian across the knees of Bennett for a near fall. Bennett pulls down the top rope and Kazarian falls over the top to the floor.
Kazarian fights both Kingdom’s members off on the apron and plants Taven with a slingshot DDT back into the ring. Kazarian tries to tag in Daniels but Bennett yanks Daniels off the apron and Kazarian continues to be double teamed. Kazarian fights back on the apron and tags in Daniels. Daniels takes care of business with forearm shots. Daniels hits an STO on Bennett and a spinning sit down power bomb on Taven. Daniels slams Bennett off the top rope but only gets a near fall on the cover attempt. Taven kicks Daniels and Bennett hits a super kick. Kazarian tags himself in but Taven didn’t know that. Daniels drives a knee onto Taven from the middle rope and quickly takes Bennett out with a suicide dive. Kazarian hits a slingshot ace crusher on Taven for a near fall.
Bennett breaks up the cover after a slingshot leg drop and drops Daniels with a spine buster. Kazarian hits a fisherman suplex on Taven while having a bridge on Bennett for a near fall. Kingdom is rammed into each other but Kazarian is met with a super kick from Taven and a spear from Bennett for a near fall. Daniels is knocked off the apron as Bennett hits a backpack stunner and Taven kicks Kazarian at the same time for a near fall. Taven hits a cross body off the top on Daniels, who isn’t the legal man. Addiction hits a power bomb/neck breaker combo on Tavne for a near fall. They all start hitting their trademark moves until Bennett super kicks the referee on accident. Traci Brooks comes out and spears Maria. Bennett had Brooks but is met with a leg sweep/clothesline combo. Taven is dropped onto Daniels knees and that is good enough for the win. (**1/2. It was okay, but this match showed me that Daniels has lost quite a bit in the ring. Kazarian worked very well in the match and carried the Addiction side of the match. The match was mainly just big moves and no actual storytelling or anything. However, I did enjoy the contest.) After the match, Traci Brooks gets a farewell speech and flowers since she is retired now. I didn’t know she was a big enough deal to warrant that, but okay.
Sixth Contest: Tommaso Ciampa vs. Eddie Kingston: I was really hoping for the ROH entrance for Ciampa, but that didn’t happen. Kingston starts off with a running big boot to knock Ciampa to the floor and starts working over Ciampa with strikes on the floor. Ciampa sits Kingston on a chair and chops him several times before delivering a running knee strike. Kingston fights back in the ring and leaps off the middle rope to hit a bulldog for a near fall. Eddie continues with a swinging neck breaker but only gets a near fall on Ciampa. Kingston kicks Ciampa sending him through the middle rope to the floor and the bottom rope actually broke. Kingston uses the broken rope to choke Ciampa on the outside before returning to the ring. Ciampa avoids a leaping kick and chops on Eddie a few times. Ciampa kicks Kingston but is dropped throat first across the top rope. Ciampa drives Kingston face first to the mat with an elevated Flatliner.
They begin to trade chops until Ciampa hits a few knees and avoids a backlist strike. Kingston hits a northern lights suplex for a near fall. Kingston hits a running forearm strike to the back of Ciampa for a near fall. Kingston has Ciampa on the top rope but Ciampa gets out of the situation and hits a knee strike. Kingston nails Ciampa with a spinning back fist for a near fall. Ciampa hits a discus clothesline to avoid another back fist. Ciampa with a running knee and wins the match. (**. This felt like a filler match and there wasn’t much heat for it.)
Seventh Contest: Rhino vs. Austin Aries in an open challenge match: Rhino drops Aries with a short arm clothesline in the early moments of the match. Aries comes back with a running clothesline and chops Rhino in the corner. Aries hits a slingshot senton for a near fall. They go to the floor where Rhino sends Aries into the railing. Rhino misses a clothesline and hits the ring post. Aries comes off the top but misses a missile dropkick back in the ring. Rhino keeps Aries on the mat with a few back rakes. Rhino drives his shoulder into Austin’s midsection in the corner. Rhino tosses Aries to the floor and taunts the fans. Rhino takes Aries down with a chin lock but Aries isn’t going to give in. Rhino sends Aries over the top to the apron but Austin hammers away on Rhino before ramming Rhino head first onto the turnbuckles while on the apron.
Aries drops Rhino with a spinning forearm strike and Rhino goes to the floor. Aries comes off the top to hit a double axe handle on Rhino. Aries heads to the top rope and hits a missile dropkick for a two count. Rhino stops a charging Aries with a big boot in the corner. Rhino hits a TKO after an airplane spin but Aries kicks out at two. Rhino hits a belly to belly suplex and goes to the corner looking to hit the GORE but Aries counters with the Horns of Aries! Rhino crawls to the ropes and breaks the hold. Rhino goes to the floor and slams Aries back first onto the apron. Rhino gets a chair and the fans start a weak ECW chant. Thea Trindad enters and talks smack to Rhino to prevent him from using the chair. She takes off her jewelry and is GORED. Aries dropkicks Rhino and hits the 450 splash for the win. (**1/2. It’s a fine match with a good counter for the GORE during the match. It felt rather basic for the most part, though.)
Main Event: The Young Bucks vs. The Dudley Boys in a street fight. Bucks take the Dudley’s out with stereo suicide dives to start the match and all four men are brawling on the floor for a few moments. Bubba slams Matt face first onto a table at ringside. Nick spits some water into D-Von’s face while Bubba is still working over Matt. Nick and D-Von enter the ring. Matt super kicks Bubba to avoid a chair shot on the floor. Bucks work over D-Von with clotheslines in the corner. Bucks hit a double vertical suplex on D-Von and they hit a top rope splash/standing moonsault combo. Bubba enters but is drop kicked by Matt. Bucks hammer away on the Dudley’s in the corner while saying “suck it” as well. Dudley’s block super kicks and choke slam the Bucks before doing a suck it taunt themselves. Bubba scoop slams Matt and D-Von goes to the top rope to hit the What’s Up!
Bubba screams for and D-Von goes to the floor to grab a table. Bucks recover to hit super kicks on the Dudley Boys. Bucks go up top and they hit double 450 splashes for a near fall! Matt holds D-Von’s legs up and they go for the What’s Up but Bubba hits an ace crusher in midair. The Dudley’s hit an elevated neck breaker and the 3D on Nick but Matt yanks the referee out of the ring to make the save. Bubba accidentally clotheslines D-Von and Matt super kicks D-Von. Bubba misses a big boot and drops D-Von again. Bubba clotheslines the Bucks and now all four men are down. Bubba has a table but gets that super kicked into him and the Bucks nearly win the match. D-Von is nailed by two super kicks and they hit a spike tombstone, but Bubba yanks the referee out. Matt misses a cross body to the floor and the Dudley’s super kick Nick in the ring. D-Von gives Bubba Nick on the middle rope and Bubba power bombs Nick through a table for the win. (**1/2. These two have a formula match as they used the same spots in their matches for 2CW prior to this showdown. This was better than their first meeting in 2CW back in November ’14, but it’s not a classic or anything like that. The street fight stipulation helped them out a great deal, as well.)
Final Thoughts:
A lot of average wrestling at best here for HOH in Toronto. There are a lot of big names on the show, so that might add interest and entertainment for most people. Personally, it’s nothing great and isn’t a must-see event. I’d say it’s an average independent show with many top names on it. Cherry Bomb was the highlight for her heel work, though.
Thanks for reading.