John Silver looks to settle his feud with former friend Alex Reynolds. Jonathan Gresham squares off against Dezmond Xavier. In the main event, CZW Heavyweight Champion Rickey Shane Page defends against Matt Tremont in a CZW Rules match.
Combat Zone Wrestling presents Greetings From Asbury Park
Date: 2/23/2018
From: Asbury Park, New Jersey
The show is taking place in a club, at least that is what it looks like to me. This for sure has a different kind of feel to it. I’m not sure if I like it or not.
Opening Contest: El Cheapo vs. Charlie Tiger vs. Ellis Taylor vs. Frankie Pickard vs. Griffin McCoy vs. Jimmy Lloyd vs. Jordan Oliver vs. Connor Claxton: They all enter the ring as this appears to be a showcase for students. The only guy I’ve ever heard of a little bit of is Jimmy Lloyd. El Cheapo cuts a promo about people paying for something and he gets taken out. Oh, Connor Claxton was on the last show so I kind of know him. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised when they do several flips within the first two minutes of the match. They hit a blockbuster Tower of Doom out of the corner. These guys can be found on YouTube for Dojo Wars. Lloyd gets a moment to shine as he takes everyone out with impactful moves and it’s really quality stuff. The match gets cutoff by Storm of Entrails and they go after Lloyd. SHLAK drops Lloyd with a sit out powerbomb. As expected, they just destroy everyone in the match. (NR. The focus here was to put over Storm of Entrails, I guess. However, for the brief amount of time, I wouldn’t mind seeing more of Jimmy Lloyd.)
Connor Claxton has a microphone and cuts a promo on Storm Of Entrails. Claxton says they suck at wrestling and thinks he can beat them both in a CZW rules match with a broken foot. He has a partner and it’s Mitch Vallen.
Second Contest: The Storm Of Entrails (Dan O’Hare & SHLAK) vs. Mitch Vallen & Mr. Claxton: Vallen attacks from behind with scoop slams and they keep control with strikes. Claxton delivers a legdrop landing on his broken foot. Entrails get control of Claxton working over his broken foot. SHLAK tosses Vallen with a few German suplexs but Vallen hits a belly to belly suplex. O’Hare brings two doors into the ring while Claxton is motivating his partner from the floor. Mitch goes through one door with a powerslam. SHLAK slams Vallen through another door and they win the match. (1/4*. I don’t know. This wasn’t very good wrestling at all and it served a point to get Entrails over, I suppose. Nobody cared about this until the usage of the doors.)
Third Contest: John Silver vs. Alex Reynolds: Silver goes right after Reynolds hammering away on him on the canvas and corner. Silver kicks Reynolds against the ropes a few times to keep control of the match. Silver comes off the ropes to drop Reynolds with a boot strike. Reynolds bails to the floor and tries to get away but forearms Silver. Silver tries for a piledriver on the ramp but settles for a backdrop back into the ring. Silver clotheslines Reynolds over the top to the floor. Silver continues to work over Reynolds with a kick against the apron. They brawl outside the ring for a few moments. Silver lawn darts Reynolds face first into a brick wall.
Silver counters a piledriver attempt on the floor with a backdrop. They trade strikes on the apron with Silver delivering kicks. Reynolds tries for a Death Valley Driver on the apron, but Silver avoids it. Reynolds stomps Silver down to the apron to get control. Reynolds continues with a slingshot double stomp into the ring for a near fall. Reynolds clotheslines Silver in the corner for a two count. Reynolds drops Silver with a knee strike for a near fall. Reynolds spits on Silver and is taken down with right hands as a result. Reynolds gets control again with an elbow strike and knee drops. Silver gets momentum with several forearm strikes and clotheslines Reynolds several times. Silver tosses Reynolds across the ring and has the crowd behind him. Reynolds superkicks Silver but is dropkicked by Silver. Silver kicks Reynolds several times bur Reynolds hits a vertical suplex turned into a stunner for a two count. Reynolds keeps control with basic stomps to keep Silver on the mat. Silver decks Reynolds with a vicious clothesline but misses a kick and Reynolds nearly wins with a rollup. Silver drops Reynolds over the middle rope and hits a spinning sit out powerbomb. Silver locks in the Crossface, but the other members of FEAR come out to distract Silver. Reynolds nearly wins with a rollup. Dan Barry grabs Silver by his foot and Reynolds lifts Silver up to deliver a kick to his face for a two count. Reynolds gets a steel chair but Silver dropkicks the chair into Alex’s face. Silver hits a brainbuster and a running kick but Joe Gacy pulls the referee out. Silver takes FEAR out with a suicide dive to the floor. Reynolds stops Silver with a low blow and connects with a double knee gut buster for the win. (**1/2. Silver is very entertaining and I think I’m becoming a fan of his. His offense was a lot of fun and he had the crowd invested in him. All the distractions and whatnot made it seem as if they were trying to figure out a way to have Silver lose but still protect him. Maybe he should have just gone over since he’s clearly over with the crowd.) After the match, Anthony Gangone, Juba and Smiley enter the ring to brawl with FEAR and their match starts now.
Fourth Contest: FEAR (Blackwater, Dan Barry & Joe Gacy) vs. The House Of Gangone (Anthony Gangone, Juba & Smiley): Gangone takes out FEAR with a suicide dive while Smiley hits a springboard somersault dive to the outside onto everyone. Juba avoids a crossbody from Barry by shoving him away. Blackwater gets kicked in the corner by Gangone and Smiley. Gacy runs into a double knee strike from Gangone. Gangone also drops Gacy over his knee neck first. Barry sends Gangone into Juba and delivers a kick. There has been zero tags as they are just all hitting each other with moves. Gacy takes everyone out on the floor with a somersault dive. Barry takes everyone out with a twisting dive over the top to the outside. Gacy plants Smiley with a handspring cutter but Juba drives Gacy down with a swinging slam. Barry slams Juba and comes off the top to hit a moonsault for a two count. Gangone plants Barry with a sit out powerbomb for another near fall. Gacy and Gangone trade strikes until Gacy cuts him off with a superkick. Gangone sends Gacy to the floor with a bicycle kick. Smiley hits a reverse hurricanrana on Barry. Juba grabs Gacy on the apron and chokeslams Gacy onto the apron. Blackwater has a stick and hits everyone but it doesn’t work on Juba. Juba drives Blackwater down face first. Smiley hits a top rope moonsault and Gangone hits the Dreams By The Waterfall for the victory. (**1/2. I was happy that the match didn’t have any rules attached to it since the angle should have been just constant action and brawling. It was fine for what it was. Gangone looked better in the ring here compared to the last show, so that’s a positive sign.)
Fifth Contest: CZW Medal Of Valor Champion Mike Del vs. Kit Osbourne: It honestly still blows my mind that Mike Del wrestles for CZW. This match has no disqualification or count-outs. They trade strikes and chops with Del getting the better in the corner but that doesn’t last too long. Del beats on Osbourne with strikes. Osbourne tosses Del over the top to the floor. Del avoids a suicide dive by punching Kit. Del goes under the ring and grabs a steel chair. Kit is able to drop toe hold Del face first onto the chair. Osbourne curb stomps Del onto the chair for a near fall.
Del slams Kit through the chair back first but can’t get a three count on the pin attempt. Del drags Osbourne to the corner and goes to the top rope. Osbourne is able to crotch Del on the top turnbuckle. They botch an apparent Spanish Fly spot in the corner and the fans let them know. Del tosses Osbourne over with a modified snapmare slam for a two count. Osbourne avoids a cutter and superkicks Del! Osbourne has the cover but Del kicks out at two. Del stops a charging Osbourne with a cutter for a two count. Del gets a Crossface locked in near the middle of the ring. Osbourne reaches the ropes to break the hold. Kit avoids a cutter but is met with a right hand from Del. Kit avoids the Crossface and Kit nearly wins with a Zig Zag. Osbourne has a submission locked in and Del is forced to submit. We’ve got a new champion. (**1/2. I enjoyed the action. Osbourne didn’t really do anything all that impressive, but Del came across well to me. I think if Del isn’t using the lifeguard gimmick he can be a suitable wrestler and do well for himself. I also liked how they promoted Dojo Wars. I’ve always wanted to check those out.)
Sixth Contest: CZW Tag Team Champions The REP (Dave McCall & Nate Carter) vs. The Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen): The crowd appears to be supportive of Private Party. Both teams dances for a moment until the Rep decked the challengers. Private Party double team the Rep and they have it so the champions pin each other. Carter is met with a tornado DDT. Carter is hit with a shooting star press but the referee gets distracted and there’s a near fall. Carter catches both Private Party guys and hits a double Samoan Drop for a two count.
Rep tosses Private Party into each other with a stereo powerbomb and that only gets a two count. Private Party get some momentum with kicks and strikes. McCall delivers a leaping knee strike but now they are just trading various kick strikes. Kassidy takes McCall out with a dive to the floor. Private Party hits a top rope hurricanrana/cutter combo but the referee is distracted by Maven Bentley. Bentley runs away and distracts the challengers. Carter low blows Quen from behind. Rep hit the Slim Slam and that’s good enough for the win. (***. Another match that didn’t really have any kind of rules attached to it. I enjoyed the action and The Rep are being presented as a dominating team, which appears to be good booking. Private Party were a lot of fun, too.)
Penelope Ford comes cut and cuts a promo about being a bad girl. She’s issuing an open challenge. She had almost won the battle royal at the last show until MJF stole the victory. Layla Hirsch answers the challenge and cuts a promo on Ford not being shit to her because she has big tits. They trade slaps and the match begins.
Seventh Contest: Layla Hirsch vs. Penelope Ford: Ford gets a one count after a DDT in the early moments of the match. Hirsch nails Ford with a leaping forearm strike in the corner. Hirsch hits a suicide dive to the floor onto Ford. Hirsch goes for another one but Ford cuts her off with a strike. Ford boots Hirsch while on the apron. Ford dropkicks a kneeling Hirsch and hits a front flip spear into the corner. Hirsch catches Ford on a handspring and tosses Ford with a series of German suplexs! Hirsch goes for the cover but Ford kicks out at two. Hirsch misses a top rope moonsault. Ford delivers a handspring elbow in the corner and botches a handspring cutter that gets the three count. (**. That was far better than I was expecting it to be. I was more impressed with Hirsch and wouldn’t mind seeing her in a more competitive environment for women wrestling. She clearly has some talent.) After the match, Hirsch flips off Ford before leaving the ring.
Eighth Contest: The Awakening (G-Raver & Stockade) vs. Brandon Kirk & DJ Hyde: Hyde is Kirk’s mystery partner. Awakening quickly attack to start the match. Kirk is met with a double boot strike in the corner. Hyde drops G-Raver gut first to the canvas. Stockade plants Hyde with a spinebuster. Kirk takes everyone out with a dive to the floor. G-Raver takes everyone out with a somersault dive off the balcony.
G-Raven drives Kirk down with a slingshot Flatliner for a two count. Stockade elbow drops Hyde on the ramp. Stockade continues with a suplex on Kirk. Stockade takes Kirk over with a German suplex as Raver delivered a knee strike for a two count. The referee is actually making sure tags are made in this match. Kirk is able to tag in Hyde and Hyde tosses G-Raver across with a suplex. Stockade takes Hyde over with a back suplex. Kirk goes to the top but G-Raver stops Kirk on the top turnbuckle. Raver stands on Kirk’s back before hitting a senton splash. Hyde dropkicks Raver into the corner. Stockade has Hyde and they hit a powerbomb/double knee strike but Hyde kicks out. Kirk hits a cutter on G-Raver as he was on Stockade’s shoulders and that gets a three count. (*1/2. They kept a good pace and that allowed the match to go by quickly. I’m not sure why DJ Hyde continues to push himself as a big deal in CZW. I’m imagining that Kirk may be a future main event guy for CZW.)
Ninth Contest: Jonathan Gresham vs. Dezmond Xavier: Early on, neither man can get an advantage and they have a standoff. Xavier dropkicks Gresham to stagger him in the corner. Xavier works over Gresham with a chop in the corner. Gresham fakes a chop and delivers a shot to Xavier’s groin. Xavier shoulder blocks Gresham but that doesn’t last very long. Gresham kicks Xavier’s arm and follows up with an arm drag. Gresham works over Xavier’s left hand and stomps on his elbow. Xavier rolls to the floor to regroup. Gresham takes Xavier down to the mat and continues to keep control by twisting Xavier’s arm. They trade strikes until Gresham focuses back on the left arm. Gresham rolls through a slam and keeps control of the left arm of Xavier. Xavier fights back with kicks and an ace crusher. Xavier uppercuts Gresham in the corner and delivers a dropkick to a seated Gresham for a two count. Xavier goes to the top rope but Gresham rolls to the apron. Gresham drops Xavier’s arm over the top rope but Xavier quickly comes back with a standing moonsault driving his knees onto Gresham for a two count. Gresham kicks Xavier’s left arm but runs into a boot. Gresham stomps on Xavier’s arm again but is met with a right hand. Gresham delivers a stunner, a kick and a German suplex for a two count. Gresham attempts an octopus submission but Xavier wiggles free.
Gresham boots Xavier in the corner a few times and kicks the left arm again. Gresham takes Xavier down again and delivers another stomp followed by a rollup for a two count. Xavier kicks Gresham in the corner and attempts a handspring but his arm gives out. Xavier nearly wins with a rollup. Xavier hits Gresham with a handspring kick and goes to the top rope. Xavier hits a Spiral Tap for the win. (**1/4. I can appreciate Gresham’s offense on the arm, but Xavier kind of made that pointless by hitting the handspring kick. He first sold the arm but then didn’t. I was hoping they’d keep the psychology and not use the arm leading to the finish. The match was okay, and they went around 15-minutes. It just wasn’t a great match or anything, especially since the offense by Gresham prevented Xavier from being a high flyer or anything.)
Main Event: CZW World Champion Rickey Shane Page vs. Matt Tremont in a CZW Rules Match: Page allows Tremont to punch him and they trade punches to start the main event. Page kicks Tremont to the floor and they waste no time on the floor. Page uses a chair on Tremond whacking him over the back. Page sets a chair up on the outside and they sit down to trade punches. They punch each other at the same time and fall out of their chairs. Tremont has grabbed a barbed wire 2×4. They get back into the ring where Page works over Tremont with strikes. Tremont whacks Page with a trash can lid. Page has been busted open from the lid shot. Tremont has gotten a staple gun from under the ring and uses it on Page. Tremont staples a dollar bill to Page’s forehead. Page comes back to stable the dollar to Tremont’s arm. Page uses the barbed wire 2×4 on Tremont to get him bleeding, too. Page sets two chairs up in the middle of the ring. Tremont is able to slam Page back first onto both chairs for a two count.
Page drops Tremont with a kick to the head and slams Tremont onto several chairs for a two count. Page has a plastic bag as they trade blows from their knees. They again deliver punches at the same time and drop down on the mat. They dump the plastic bag, which had thumbtacks in it. Tremont attempts a piledriver, but Page fights out of the hold. They collide with clotheslines and both men fall onto the tacks. Page throws tacks into Tremont’s face followed by a couple of chair shots. Tremont flips off Page but is met with forearm strikes. Page delivers a spinning forearm and pins Tremont. (*. I didn’t find this to be all that enjoyable and I was expecting a far more competitive match. They went less than ten minutes and Tremont didn’t seem to get a lot of time with his offense or anything. They must be pushing Page big time.) After the match, Brandon Kirk comes out and says that Page had an impressive title defense. Kirk tells Page that he’s the man and the future of CZW. Kirk gets cutoff by Tremont. Tremont says he respects Rickey Shane Page and wants Kirk to show the champion some respect. Tremont says he’s been out of the picture and now he’s back. Tremont tells Kirk that being the man is a strong thing to say in his combat zone. Tremont reminds Kirk that he’s been CZW for eight years and has lost count on the amount of main events he’s been in. Tremont issues a challenge to the new kid to a match.
DJ Hyde comes out and says that is sounds really good. Hyde asks the fans if they want to see the match between Tremont and Kirk. They will wrestle on March 10th at CZW Proving Ground. Hyde escorts Kirk out of the ring, but Kirk decides to flip off both Page and Tremont. Kirk spits at Tremont. Tremont reminds DJ Hyde that he’s the boss, too. Tremont says that Kirk has pissed him off. Tremont says that Kirk has gotten him into his second main event. Tremont tells Kirk that they will meet in the Tangled Web.
Final Thoughts:
There isn’t much going on this show as it felt like a spot show for CZW before their Proving Ground show on March 10th. The show ran for just over two hours and was a quick watch. There isn’t anything must-see and I’d only watch this if you’re a big CZW fan and go out of your way to watch every show.
Thanks for reading.