PWS 8/22/2015

Written by: Bob Colling

Pro Wrestling Syndicate
Date: 8/22/2015
From: Sayreville, NJ

NOTE: I attended this show live with a few buddies. It took place the weekend of SummerSlam.

Opening Contest: PWS Tag Team Champions Handicapped Heroes vs. The Heavenly Bodies: Justin and Gowens kick off the title match with Gowens rolling on the canvas to back Justin into a corner. Justin kicks Gowens knee and gets the early advantage with several strikes. Gowens stops him with a dropkick and tags in Irons, but Justin pummels Irons. Dustin gets tagged in and mocks Irons and is met with a slap for doing so. Irons drop toe holds Dustin and Gowens hits a few leg drops on both Dustin and Justin. Gowens is stomped by both Bodies and Dustin keeps control by power slamming Gowens. Justin tags in and hits an assisted standing moonsault for a near fall. Justin hits a clothesline but Gowens still manages to get out of the cover. Irons is double teamed in the corner briefly. Justin plants Gowens with a sit out power slam and Dustin goes to the top where he misses a big splash. Gowens tags out to Irons and Irons cleans house with strikes. Dustin cuts Irons off with a forearm but Irons comes back with a forearm of his own for a two count. Irons big boots Dustin and sends Dustin to the floor with a head scissors. Justin is knocked around in the right while Gowens hits Dustin with a cross body on the floor. Irons nearly got the pin on Justin with a cross body in the ring. Irons is nearly pinned by Dustin with a leg lariat. Justin kicks Irons on a rollup to save his partner.

Irons ducks both men charging at him and Irons hits a suicide dive to the floor. Gowens takes everyone out with a somersault dive to the outside. Gowens goes for a moonsault but Justin knocks Gowens off with a right hand. Bodies plant Gowens with an ace crusher but Zach somehow manages to get out at two. Bodies wait for the champs to get up but they run into each other and Gowens nearly gets a three count on a rollup. Gowens avoids a spear sending Justin into the ring post shoulder first. Dustin misses a splash hitting the ropes instead. Gowens manages to hit a moonsault on Dustin and get the win. (**1/2. A decent match as it seems like these two teams worked together often to get some chemistry. Gowens and Irons are over with the crowd and Gowens impressed me with his ability to hit high flying moves.)

Second Contest: Mike Del vs. Drunken Swashbuckler: These two are local talents and I believe students of PWS. Swashbuckler is a drunk pirate and Del is a lifeguard. It’s a comedy match at the start with the pirate yelling and Del blowing a whistle. Del hammers away on Swashbuckler at the start after a short arm clothesline. Del hit a middle rope back suplex though they were both facing forward, so it looked cooler. Del misses an elbow drop after leaping on Swashbuckler’s back. Swashbuckler gets some offense in that was basically Steve Austin’s sequence but can’t pin Del. Swashbuckler hits a somersault splash onto Del’s back for another two count. Del avoids a split legged moonsault and Del hits an ace crusher over his knees for the win. (*. It could have been trimmed a few minutes and it wasn’t very good, obviously.)

Third Contest: Craven Varro vs. Devon Moore: Varro wastes no time going after Moore with strikes in the corner. Varro dropkicks a seated Moore in the corner. Varro continues with a forearm but misses a springboard moonsault. Moore hits a running STO and manages to hit a springboard moonsault but Varro kicks out at two. Moore takes Varro over with a vertical suplex for a two count. Moore goes flying over the top to the floor and Varro attempts a moonsault but misses and horribly hits the guard railing, which was right in front of me. Varro is busted open from the failed moonsault but kicks out at two. Moore power slams Varro and goes to the top where he misses a moonsault of his own. Varro delivers a few kicks and leaping forearms. Varro nails Moore with a running high knee before hitting a double under hook sit out slam but Moore powers out at two. Moore goes for a rollup but Varro puts a submission on only for Devon to reach the ropes. Varro hits a twisting DDT which gets a two count. Moore hits an ace crusher but Varro won’t stay down on the pin attempt. Moore shoves Varro off and connects with a leaping twisting STO but Varro still kicks out. Moore misses a diving head butt from the top rope. Varro kicks Moore into the corner and hits a coast to coast dropkick but the referee gets pulled out by Moore’s manager and that causes a disqualification. (**. They did a lot of spots and it kept me into it, but the finish was lackluster and cheap to continue the feud.) After the match, Moore gets a plastic chair and hits a shooting star press.

Fourth Contest: PWS Suicidal Six Way Champion Bobby Wayward vs. Starman vs. Brian XL vs. Craig Steele vs. Johnny Howl vs. Ray Smith: For the most part, these are all local homegrown talents. Smith, Howl and Starman go on the attack to start and then hit cross body blocks on the floor. Howl works over Wayward with a few strikes and allows Starman to deliver a kick in the corner. Howl hits a double somersault neck breaker on Steele and XL. Wayward works over XL as the fans chant his last name to get under his skin. Smith and Starman get suplexed by Steele. Smith takes Steele over with a hurricanrana but gets kicked by Wayward. Wayward nearly pins Smith with a northern lights suplex. Howl saves Smith from getting submitted by Bobby. Steele power bombs Howl over the top onto a group on the outside. Starman and XL take Steele out and Starman goes frozen on his celebration. Starman kicks out on a cover and freezes again. XL doesn’t know what to make of this, but the fans are enjoying it. Starman hits a top rope splash and gets the win to win the title. Wayward is upset about the loss. (*. It was a quick match and the fans didn’t seem overly into it aside from Starman. Wayward’s emotion was a little over the top considering there isn’t a real emotional attachment for the fans for anything in the match.) After the match, New Jack comes out and forms a group with Brian XL.

Before the next match, Bonesaw confronts Mick Foley about why he hasn’t been given a rematch for the PWS Heavyweight Championship. Foley insults Bonesaw saying he simply has no idea who the hell he is. Bonesaw goes to tell Foley who he is, and Foley does the Rock’s line of it doesn’t matter what his name is. Foley makes the next match a number one contenders match… for the PWS TV Championship. Bonesaw doesn’t like that and the fans laugh at it. So, that kind of buries the PWS TV Championship, doesn’t it?

Fifth Contest: Bonesaw vs. CPA in a number one contenders match for the PWS TV Championship: CPA tries to avoid Bonesaw but is trapped between his legs and Bonesaw delivers a few short arm shoulder blocks. Bonesaw is toying with CPA at the start but CPA gets a few strikes in. CPA kicks Bonesaw while on the apron but Bonesaw blocks a kick and sends CPA face first onto the apron. Bonesaw knee lifts CPA off the apron to the floor and taunts the fans. Bonesaw tosses CPA with a fall away slam but only gets a two count. CPA fights back with body shots but runs out of steam and crashes to the mat. Bonesaw misses a running spear and crashes to the floor. CPA gets a flurry of offense including a back suplex but only manages a two count on a cover attempt. Bonesaw stops CPA on the top rope but they trade a few strikes until CPA holds onto the ropes to send Bonesaw crashing off the middle rope to the canvas. CPA tries avoid the shaking of the ropes but gets crotched on the top anyway. Bonesaw hits a TKO off the middle rope, which was rather sloppy. Bonesaw goes to the top rope to hit an elbow drop for the clean victory. (*1/2. The action isn’t very good, but the right guy went over since Bonesaw is a “monster heel” for the company, I’d assume. CPA is enjoyable in spurts. This match didn’t do anything to put over the TV Championship, since Bonesaw doesn’t want it and the fans think it’s a joke, as noted in the segment prior to the match.)

Sixth Contest: Fallah Bahh vs. Sabu: Bahh uses his backside to knock Sabu away at the start. Sabu dropkicks the leg of Bahh to get the advantage. Bahh works over Sabu in the corner with a few strikes. Sabu avoids a splash in the corner and Sabu attempts a few clotheslines but Bahh knocks Sabu down with a clothesline of his own. Bahh nails Sabu with several palm strikes in the corner and hits a leg drop for a two count. Sabu has a steel chair and whacks Bahh with it a few times to get out of a nerve hold. Sabu sends Bahh chest first into the corner and hits a clothesline. Sabu hits a standing Arabian face buster and puts a camel clutch on Bahh, but isn’t going to get a submission. Sabu continues to use the chair on Bahh. Sabu leg drops the chair onto the arm of Bahh and just tosses the chair at Bahh in the corner. Sabu hits a springboard splash to knock Bahh to the floor. Sabu nails Bahh with a chair shot to the face on the outside. The referee tries to get between them and is splashed by both in the ring. Sabu gets a chair and nails Bahh with it again. Sabu hits a top rope Arabian face buster and pins Fallah. The pin was counted by a different referee causing the original referee to get up and demand the match restart since he didn’t count the fall. Bahh plants Sabu with a Samoan Drop and hits the sit down splash from the middle rope. (DUD. This was all sorts of bad that was even worse live. Sabu’s valet continually tossed him the chair with the wrong side facing out and Sabu kept on saying “wrong way” to her and she never got it right. The finish ended up being ridiculous because Sabu didn’t want to job and the promoters had to figure out a way for Sabu to both win and then lose in the same match. Easily one of the worst matches I’ve ever witnessed live.)

Seventh Contest: Amazing Red & Matt Macintosh vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. & Habib From The Car Wash: Macintosh and Habib start the match with the fans heavily behind Habib. Macintosh decides to tag out and tags in Red to deal with Habib. They trade wrist locks until Habib backs Red into the corner where Macintosh tags in and cheap shots Habib from behind. Macintosh goes over to Rey and taunts him causing Habib to tag in Rey and they double team Macintosh with a double elbow strike and a clothesline sending Macintosh to the floor. Red tries to get involved and is dropkicked to the floor. Rey takes Red out with a slingshot cross body to the floor. Macintosh drops to his knees to taunt Rey’s lack of height but Rey wants Red and the fans want too as well. Rey knocks Macintosh into the corner and Red tags himself in. Rey arm drags Red and a tilt a whirl head scissors. Red comes back with one of his own and they have a standoff after dropkick attempts. Macintosh tags himself in but Rey tags in Habib. Habib takes Macintosh over with arm drags and walks the ropes to deliver another one. Habib nails Macintosh with a spinning heel kick in the corner and Matt tags in Red. Macintosh tags in viciously drops Habib with a swinging back breaker. Matt lifts Habib up from the apron and poses for the fans before hitting a delayed vertical suplex. Macintosh keeps control of Habib with strikes and locks in a seated abdominal stretch.

Macintosh chops Habib in the corner and soon hits a dropkick to a seated Habib for a two count. Matt punches Habib into the corner and chokes Habib with his boot. Habib fights back with right hands but Macintosh stops him with a forearm shot. Habib avoids a splash in the corner and monkey flips Macintosh out of the corner. Red and Rey get the tags with Rey nailing Red with a right hand and a top rope seated splash. Rey knocks Red out with a kick after getting out of a sunset flip but only gets a near fall. Red connects with a spin kick but Rey gets out at two. Red heads to the top rope and pays tribute to Eddie Guerrero before doing a roll through and Rey kicks Red setting up for the 619. Rey hit it and Habib comes off the top to hit a double knee strike. Macintosh pulls Habib out and tosses him into the railing. Rey takes Red out on the floor and Habib nearly pins Macintosh, but the cameraman missed the spot. Macintosh avoids a Slice Bread and hits a double stomp to pin Habib. (***. It’s a solid match with the interactions between Red and Rey sticking out as the best of the match. I do enjoy Macintosh and his heel work, though. It’s a good victory for him and he has managed to get the crowd to give him some good heel heat.) After the match, Macintosh is claiming to have beaten Rey Mysterio though he only pinned Habib, but that’s typical heel speech.

Eighth Contest: PWS Heavyweight Champion Dan Maff vs. Mario Bokara: Bokara dropkicks Maff as soon as the bell rings and delivers body shots in the corner to beat down the champ. Maff fights back with right hands of his own. They trade slaps to the back with Maff dropping Bokara only for Bokara to return the move. Maff clotheslines Bokara over the top to the floor and plays to the crowd but Bokara returns to dropkick Maff a couple of times. Bokara shows off his strength by taking Maff over with a backdrop. Maff backdrops Bokara over the top to the floor to allow himself some time to recover. Maff sets Bokara up for a power bomb but Bokara gets on the apron and holds the ropes but Maff trips Mario back down to the floor. Maff attempts a piledriver on the outside but Bokara counters with a backdrop. Bokara gets a cover on Maff but only manages a two count. Bokara proceeds to hit two snap suplexs and a German suplex. Bokara holds onto the hold and switches into a fisherman suplex slam for a near fall. Bokara big boots Maff in the corner and heads to the top rope but Maff rolls out of the way. Bokara still hits a running somersault splash in the corner and a dropkick for a two count. Mario misses a splash in the corner and leaps off the middle rope but Maff catches him with a side slam.

They both stumble to their feet and they trade right hands while staggering around the ring. Maff gets met with a running forearm shot against the ropes. Bokara misses a clothesline and Maff hits a sit down power bomb but Bokara kicks out at two. Maff nails Bokara with a somersault splash in the corner and a standing senton splash but only gets a near fall. Maff sets Bokara up for the Burning Hammer, but Bokara takes Dan down with an arm breaker and has a hammerlock on the champ but the submission doesn’t happen. Maff gets out of it and plants Bokara with the Burning Hammer but Bokara somehow kicks out at two! Maff puts Bokara on the top turnbuckle and sets up for another Burning Hammer. Bokara elbows the champ and breaks from danger. Maff won’t be denied though and hammers Bokara on the top rope before setting up for a dragon suplex, but Bokara elbows Maff off the middle rope. Bokara gains footing on the top rope and looks for a frog splash but Maff gets his feet up. Maff attempts the Burning Hammer but Bokara lands on his feet and hits a super kick. Bokara comes off the top to hit a frog splash but Maff kicks out at two! Bokara hits a German suplex and puts a choke hold on the champ but Maff gets to his feet and rams Mario into the corner. Maff has Mario on his back and delivers a somersault splash into the corner. Bokara stumbles backwards and Maff hits another Burning Hammer, which is good enough for the win this time. (***1/4. I was impressed with these two live and the match holds up on DVD. Maff is sometimes inconsistent but they worked very well here and the closing minutes of the match had some suspense and was enjoyable. The best match of the night, thus far.) After the match, they embrace showing respect for each other.

Ninth Contest: PWS Students vs. Create A Pro Students: I have no idea who these guys are, but at least they are given some time to shine. I believe a guy named Max Caster of the Create a Pro crew pinned a PWS student following a running yakuza kick. After the match, the winners are attacked by Beefcake Charlie and Damian Gibbs. Their manager says they should have all the merchandise and on the promotional posters. They are mad about not getting a rematch against the Handicapped Heroes. They end up getting destroyed by Monsters Island. Here comes Balls Mahoney with a steel chair to try his luck. Mahoney hits one guy with a chair and jabs the other one several times. Mahoney’s luck runs out and is choke slammed followed by a big splash. That ends the segment…

Tenth Contest: PWS Television Champion Brian Myers vs. Chris Payne: They brawl on the floor before the bell sounds where Myers rams Payne into the apron back first. Myers kicks Payne before he can return to the ring and plants Payne with an elevated DDT. Myers tosses Payne into the corner back first and continues with a snap suplex for a near fall. Myers continues his offense with a back suplex but misses a split legged moonsault. Payne comes out of the corner to deliver a few clotheslines and a power slam. Payne hits Myers with a running kick and gets a two count. Myers attempts a scoop slam but Payne counters with a northern lights suplex for a near fall. Brian nails Payne with a kick to the head and nearly wins the match. Myers heads to the top and connects with an elbow drop for a two count. Myers runs into a big boot but Payne can’t put the champ away. Myers stops Payne on the top rope and hits a sloppy looking Flatliner but that’s still not good enough for a three. They trade right hands with neither man dropping. Bonesaw comes into the ring from nowhere and attacks both men causing the match to end in a no contest. Bonesaw has a chair and continues the onslaught on both men. (*. This is just an angle to setup a triple threat match at the next show.)

Prior to the match, Mick Foley did ring announcing and ended up putting over Kenny Omega saying he was there to root for him. Omega turns on Foley putting him down. Foley switches it up and decides to root for Kevin Matthews instead.

Main Event: Kevin Matthews vs. Kenny Omega: They lockup with Omega backing Matthews against the ropes and does a slow motion slap to the face. Omega runs to the outside but they return to the ring where Matthews delivers a big boot. Matthews is stopped by a poke to the eye. Omega works over Matthews with a few chops in the corner but Matthews switches roles and begins to chop Omega. Omega boots Matthews in the corner and delivers a spin kick to the midsection. Matthews tosses Kenny with a fallaway slam managing a two count. Kenny counters a suplex attempt by chop blocking Kevin’s knee. Kenny works over Kevin’s knee with a few kicks and drives Matthews down with a knee breaker. Omega hits a springboard dropkick to the knee but only manages a two count on the cover. Omega with another knee breaker but gets knocked off the apron by Matthews with a right hand. Matthews goes for a dive but Omega avoids it. Matthews tosses Omega into the railing back first instead. Omega blocks a slingshot splash by getting his knees up and Matthews rolls to the floor. Omega takes Matthews out with a beautiful somersault dive to the outside and they hit the railing as well.

Omega taunts Foley by hitting an elbow drop off the apron to the floor. Kenny heads to the top rope hitting a cross body but Matthews kicks out at two. Omega rubs his forearm into the forehead of Matthews. Omega rubs Kevin’s eyes against the ropes. Matthews tries to fight back with strikes but is cut off by Omega. Kenny hits a running back elbow shot in the corner and puts an Indian death lock on Matthews. Omega uses the ropes and the referee eventually sees it. Omega works over the leg stomping on the injured left knee from earlier. Omega drops Matthews with a running dropkick to the knee. Omega hits a leaping bulldog but Matthews kicks out at two. Omega connects with a rolling fireman’s carry but misses a moonsault off the middle rope. Matthews tosses Kenny into the corner with a suplex. They trade forearm shots in the ring with Matthews winning that exchange. Matthews hits a sit out slam but Omega kicks out at two. Omega avoids a power bomb by hanging onto Kevin’s leg. Omega hits a dragon suplex dropping Matthews on his head. Omega takes off his boot and whacks Matthews a few times with it. Omega puts his sock onto his hand and mocks Foley. Matthews plants Omega with a Flatliner but only gets a two count. Omega counters the power bomb by shoving the hand with the sock into Kevin’s mouth. Omega even does the trademark screeching of Mankind. Omega mocks Mankind’s mannerisms and tosses the sock away. Omega runs into a clothesline and Matthews hits a power bomb double knee back breaker but Omega kicks out on the cover at two. Omega drops Matthews with a running high knee to knock Kevin off the top rope. Omega with another running high knee but Matthews hits a pop up power bomb turned into a double knee back breaker to get the three count on Omega. (***1/2. A good main event that highlights just how great Omega is with his ability to make the match more than just a match. His shots at Foley during the match served a purpose and added to the match. Omega shined, and Matthews getting the win is perfectly fine since he is/was in PWS far more often than Omega was going to be.)

Final Thoughts:
It’s a four match show with the opener, the tag with Rey & Red, Maff/Bokara and the main event being the matches that had entertainment value to them. The Sabu debacle was awful and really hurt the show when I was there live. If you can get past that, it’s an average show with the local stuff or filler stuff not lasting overly long. Personally, I thought it was a fine live experience with the good outweighing the bad.

Thanks for reading.