NEW Over The Top 2018 1/13/2018

NEW Heavyweight Champion Flip Gordon defends against Joey Mercury. A 30-Man Battle Royal to determine the new number one contender main events.

Northeast Wrestling presents Over The Top
Date: 1/13/2018
From: Bethany, CT

Christian Casnova comes out and says he has bigger things to deal with tonight and that’s winning the Over The Top battle royal. So, he won’t be competing in the six man tag match.

Robbie E cuts a promo about how three is higher than two. He admits he wasn’t great at math but he can even figure that out. He thinks this is going to be a quick match. Before the match can start, the Mac comes out to be the third man. He got a pretty good reaction.

Opening Contest: Tyler Nitro, Robbie E & Cam Zagami vs. NEW Tag Team Champions Adrenaline Rush (Daniel Evans & Keith Youngblood) & The Mac: Nitro and Mac officially start the match and Mac fakes out Nitro on a test of strength. Mac takes all three men over with hip tosses. Rush hit double axe handles off the top and Mac hits a flapjack on Nitro for a two count. That spot was kind of awkward after they ran around ringside for a moment. Zagami tags himself in and works over Mac with strikes and stomps. Robbie spears Mac in the corner and yells at Nitro on the apron. Mac is able to clothesline Zagami and Robbie. Nitro and Evans are tagged into the match with Evans backdropping Nitro. Evans works over Zagami and Nitro with chops. Zagami and Nitro clothesline each other on accident leading to Evans hitting a Samoan Drop on Nitro for a two count. Robbie makes the save and tosses Evans to the floor. Robbie tosses Mac to the floor and does the same to Nitro. Robbie is the only man standing in the ring. Robbie misses a slingshot crossbody and hits the floor. Youngblood takes everyone out with a somersault dive off the top to the floor. Well, moments later, Zagami gets a rollup on Evans and gets the three count with a handful of tights. (*1/2. They didn’t really do much here to get me excited for the rest of the show. I would just take this as a way to setup a tag match with Robbie and Zagami challenging the champions.)

Dexter Loux cuts a promo prior to the next match saying that he likes coming to the area because it’s one of the few places where he doesn’t owe anyone anything. He has a list of guys he’s been taking bets on to win the Over The Top battle royal. However, nobody has been putting bets on him to win. So, he’s going to embarrass Chris Battle tonight and become a favorite to win the battle royal. You can bet on that.

Second Contest: Dexter Loux vs. Chris Battle: Loux goes on the attack early on working over Battle with strikes and an eye rake. Battle comes back with a kick and a senton splash out of the corner. Battle comes off the ropes with another boot to knock Loux down. Battle clotheslines Loux in the corner and follows up with an overhead suplex. Loux counters a spear with a rollup but Battle rolls through and attempts a Boston Crab. Loux kicks Battle away but is met with a spear moments later and is pinned. (1/2*. I don’t think I was expecting a near complete squash match. I shouldn’t be surprised since the promo set this up for the good guy to get some momentum before the battle royal. If Loux has a gambling guy gimmick, there is a lot you could possibly do with that.)

Third Contest: Foxx Vinyer vs. Mike Verna: Verna starts the match with a head scissors to send Vinyer to the floor and connects with a suicide dive. Verna rolls Vinyer back into the ring and heads to the top rope hitting a crossbody for a near fall. Vinyer tosses Verna with a release German suplex. Verna knees Vinyer from the apron and almost wins with a rollup. Verna buckle bombs Vinyer followed by a clothesline and forearm. Verna plants Vinyer with a spinebuster for a two count. Vinyer drops Verna throat first over the top rope and Verna goes to a corner. Vinyer delivers a running uppercut and tosses Verna out of the corner. Verna clotheslines Vinya coming out of the corner. Vinyer connects with a powerslam but can’t get a three count. Verna drives Vinyer down with an F-5 turned into a Rock Bottom for the win. (*1/2. Nothing too much really going on here either as the undercard matches don’t seem to be getting a lot of time likely because of the main event being a Royal Rumble.)

Fourth Contest: Penelope Ford vs. Ashley Vox: Vox starts the match with a dropkick after avoiding Ford in the corner. Vox heads to the top and avoids Ford, but seems to completely fall on her face. She still knocks Ford to the floor with a heel kick. Vox scares Ford with a somersault in the ring to fake out a dive. Vox decides to take Ford out with a suicide dive anyway. Ford sends Vox into the corner with a German suplex. Ford hits a bronco buster to maintain control of the match. Ford nearly wins following double knees to the face. Ford misses a standing moonsault as Vox got her knees up. Vox misses a standing senton hitting the mat back first. Vox fights back with a series of short arm clotheslines and a dropkick. Vox nails Ford with a running dropkick in the corner. Vox sends Ford into the corner with a fisherman suplex, though Ford didn’t really hit the corner at all. Ford takes Vox over with a snap suplex for a two count. Ford puts some Swedish Fish into Vox’s mouth before hitting a handspring ace crusher (Lethal Injection) for the win. (*1/2. I guess they tried to do some interesting moves, but I guess it just didn’t really connect with me because it came across really forced. They didn’t pull off what they were trying to do.)

Fifth Contest: Josh Briggs vs. Brick Mastone: They lockup but neither man budges, even after shoulder block attempts. Briggs hits a crossbody but only gets a two count. Briggs works over Mastone in the corner with an elbow strike and hits a side slam for a two count. Mastone pulls himself up with help from the referee. Mastone puts the referee in the way but Briggs moves him away. Mastone blocks a big boot to deliver a one-arm powerbomb for a two count. Mastone delivers an uppercut to the back of Briggs. Mastone drops Briggs with another elbow strike and plays to the crowd. Briggs fights back with strikes but Mastone hits a spinebuster for a two count. Mastone runs into a backbreaker and Briggs hits a springboard moonsault for a near fall. Mastone avoids a chokeslam and attempts a powerbomb but settles for a Rock Bottom and a spear for a near fall. Briggs staggers Mastone with a spinning headbutt before hitting a sit out over the shoulder slam for the win. (**. It was fine for what it was and the best undercard match to promote various guys in the main event. It was a competitive match and it didn’t feel like it went too long or anything.)

The coronation of the new King of Bethany is next. A few random guys enter the ring with one guy reading from a scroll to promote Brian Anthony, who won the King of Bethany tournament. They have a lime green carpet for Anthony. Anthony has a crown and is greeted with jeers. The choice of lime green is obnoxious, too. They have gifts for Anthony, which includes a lime green cape. Oh Jesus, Anthony is going to be speaking like he’s a royal, similar to how King Booker spoke. Anthony calls everyone peasants and declares them all royal servants to him. He believes he’ll be a great king. That brings out the previous king, Brad Hollister. Hollister wants Anthony to shut his mouth. He admits he was full of himself as king, but he didn’t have everyone dress up like highlighters. Hollister decides to come to the ring to confront Anthony. Hollister takes out the goons with a clothesline and German suplex. Hollister powerbombs another fella as Anthony has escaped the ring and bailed to the backstage area.

Sixth Contest: NEW Heavyweight Champion Flip Gordon vs. Joey Mercury: Mercury wants to shake hands with Gordon and they do. Mercury cleanly breaks away from Gordon in the corner. Mercury gets control of Gordon working over the left arm, but Gordon is able to break free and counters. Mercury hip tosses and dropkicks Gordon to the floor. Mercury taunts the fans and holds the ropes open for Gordon to come back into the ring. Gordon takes the offer and Mercury doesn’t cheap shot him. Mercury wants to shake Gordon’s hand, but Gordon shoves the hand away with his foot. Gordon hip tosses Mercury and delivers a few dropkicks before heading to the top rope. Mercury senses that and bails to the floor to regroup. Gordon decides to hold the ropes for Mercury. Mercury gets in the ring but then boots Gordon through the ropes to the floor to show he’s the heel in the match.

The fans are actually thanking Joey for doing that. Mercury drops Gordon face first over the apron. Mercury keeps control of Gordon on the floor with strikes. Mercury scoop slams Gordon onto the ramp. Mercury gets in the ring and plays to the crowd. Mercury sends Gordon shoulder first into the ring steps. Mercury dances a bit as he mocks the fans rooting for Flip.

Gordon has been busted open from the ring steps and Mercury busts him up some more with strikes. Mercury continues to beat on Gordon with an elbow drop. Gordon misses a wild right hand and crashes to the mat. Mercury is really taunting the fans by flexing for them like he’s Lex Luger. Mercury spears Gordon in the corner and follows up with a backdrop. Mercury drops Gordon with a short arm clothesline. Mercury nails Gordon with another clothesline as Gordon gets support from the fans. Mercury turns Gordon inside out with another clothesline. Gordon counters a DDT attempt with a rollup. Mercury blocks a kick and sends Gordon to the apron. Flip rams Mercury face first into the corner but is stopped on the top turnbuckle. Gordon knocks Mercury off the middle rope and signals for a 450, but Mercury rolls to the apron. Mercury trips the champion down to the mat.

Flip avoids a DDT attempt by ramming Mercury into the corner back first. Mercury attempts a double arm DDT, but Gordon rams Joey back first into the turnbuckles. Flip nearly wins with a rollup. They both go for a crossbody and they collide in the middle of the ring. Gordon comes out of the corner with a forearm strike. Gordon continues with several strikes and a double knee strike in the corner. Gordon hits the Samoan Pop and a kick to Mercury’s face. Gordon sends Mercury to the floor and hits a suicide dive. Gordon goes to the top and connects with a clothesline. Gordon heads to the top again and misses a 450 splash as Mercury rolled away. Mercury plants Gordon with a double arm DDT for a near fall.

Mercury is confronting the referee since he doesn’t understand how Gordon kicked out. Mercury backs off the referee when the referee pushes back on him. Mercury goes to the floor and grabs a chair and the championship. Mercury hits a shot with the championship as the referee took the chair. Gordon superkicks Mercury and they both go for the title. Gordon has the title and wants to use it but the referee stops him. Gordon shoves the referee and is met with a low blow from Mercury. The referee called for the bell and Mercury won by disqualification. (***. Heading into the show I was actually most interested in this match as I’m a big Mercury fan. I feel like they did a really good job of building the match and making this a match they can run again considering the finish. Mercury made it so that Gordon’s high flying offense made more of an impact and didn’t feel watered down. I’d like to see these two battle again and I think they could do a few more matches before it concludes.) After the match, Mercury hits Gordon with the championship. Mercury also wraps the chair around Flip’s head and sends him into the post. Mercury brings Gordon back into the ring and several officials get in the ring. Mercury holds the title over the lifeless body of Gordon. Fans seem to like this. Mercury isn’t done as he then drives Gordon down with a backpack driver.

Main Event: 30 Man Over The Top Rumble Match:

Entrant #1: Christian Casanova
Entrant #2: Mike Verna
Verna hit a triple slingshot suplex on Casanova before the next entrant, which was neat.

Entrant #3: Nico Silva
Silva’s offense is solid enough as he enters, though his dropkick to Casanova didn’t even come close to connecting. Verna powerslams/powerbomb both Silva and Casanova before the next entrant comes out.

Entrant #4: Bull Dredd
Dreadd doesn’t last very long as Casanova held onto the ropes and Dredd taunted him allowing Verna and Silva to send Dredd over the top to the floor.

Elimination #1: Bull Dredd
Entrant #5: Chris Battle
Battle nearly eliminates Casanova, but Casanova holds on. Silva is sent into Casanova on the apron but Casanova still hangs on. Seems like Casanova might be getting a spotlight in this match.

Entrant #6: Foxx Vinyer
Everyone during this segment hit their finishing moves, or signature moves causing everyone to be laid out at one point.

Entrant #7: The Mac
I’m noticing that when the guys that had already wrestled came out again for this match that the fans just don’t really care for them. Mac does the same entrance he did for the opener, and that just seems like a bit much.

Entrant #8: Cam Zagami
Verna has a full nelson on Zagami and swings him around before dropping Cam to the mat. Battle tries to send Cam to the floor but isn’t able to do so.

Entrant #9: Dan Deman
Deman enters and proceeds to hit ace crushers on several guys. He gets stopped by the Mac, though. Mac drives Deman to the mat with a sit out spinebuster.

Entrant #10: Robbie E
In terms of name power, he’s the biggest name to enter the match to this point. Mac and Robbie trade strikes within the first few moments of the match. Mac is tossed out shortly afterward.
Elimination #2: The Mac

Entrant #11: Dan Evans (Adrenaline Rush)
Evans goes right after Cam and Robbie E. Dan Deman nearly gets eliminated but hangs onto the apron.

Entrant #12: Glacier
I’m a mark for Glacier, but he didn’t seem to get that big of a reaction. Glacier is certainly looking like a father who wants to be cool for his kids. He actually tosses out Chris Battle.
Elimination #3: Chris Battle
Robbie E wants a piece of Glacier and begins to taunt Glacier, but that doesn’t work very well. Glacier tosses Robbie out, as well.
Elimination #4: Robbie E

Entrant #13: Dexter Loux
He doesn’t last long at all as Verna tosses him out.
Elimination #5: Dexter Loux

Entrant #14: Brick Mastone
Mastone slams Casanova face first to the mat and slams Zagami, as well. Mastone and Verna have a competition with delayed vertical suplexs. Deman kicked Verna during his suplex attempt, though. Zagami tried to suplex Verna, but that didn’t work very well. Verna holds Zagami up for sixteen-seconds before driving him down.

Entrant #15: Josh Briggs
Briggs cleans house and big boos Vinyer over the top to the floor.
Elimination #6: Foxx Vinyer
Briggs his a chokeslam turned into a double knee backbreaker on Casanova. Briggs tosses Casanova to the floor.
Elimination #7: Christian Casanova
Elimination #8: Nico Silva

Entrant #16: Tyler Nitro
Nitro goes right after Zagami, considering he wasn’t treated very well in their match where they were partners.

Entrant #17: Hale Collins
He wastes no time to send both Dan Evans and Brick Mastone to the floor.
Elimination #9: Dan Evans
Elimination #10: Brick Mastone
Collins catches Zagami with a vertical suplex and trades shots with Glacier.

Entrant #18: Hammer Tunis
Tunis looks like a ripoff of Elias in the WWE, a little bit. The fans are calling him “Sexy Jesus” to give you an idea of what he looks like. Tunis drops Briggs with a short arm clothesline. Collins hits a quick dropkick to Briggs in the corner.

Entrant #19: Buddy Costa
Oh what the hell is this? Costa seems to be playing the role of a lovable TV host. His song is ridiculous and he’s hugging everyone along with high fives. Costa hugs Briggs because that’s a good idea. Briggs quickly eliminates Buddy.
Elimination #11: Buddy Costa
Hale Collins tries to eliminate Briggs but isn’t able to get him knocked down to the floor.

Entrant #20: American Sumo Mike Gamble
Gamble knocks everyone down with strikes and hits a belly to belly suplex on Tunis. Verna confronts Gamble, but gets out of a slam to deliver a slam, but it was more of a hip toss. Briggs boots Gamble and tries to toss him out, but Gamble avoids it.

Entrant #21: Ron Zombie
Zombie gets in the ring and cleans house with right hands. Dan Deman is tossed over the top by Zombie.
Elimination #12: Dan DeMan
Both Zombie and Collins go flying over the top to the floor.
Elimination #13: Hale Collins
Elimination #14: Ron Zombie
There’s a woman that comes out and sprays something in Zombie’s face. Collins sends Zombie into the post face first. That should set an angle up between those two, I’d assume.

Entrant #22: Zane Bernardo
Zane is able to toss Cam Zagami over the top to the floor.
Elimination #15: Cam Zagami

Entrant #23: Brian Milonas
Milonas goes right after Verna and tosses Tunis to the floor.
Elimination #16: Hammer Tunis
Milonas tosses Tyler Nitro over the top to the floor.
Elimination #17: Tyler Nitro
Milonas works over Glacier in the corner with a few strikes.

Entrant #24: Tommy Grayson
Grayson had his mouthguard in the front of his trunks before putting it in his mouth. He didn’t get a moment to shine, which shouldn’t be surprising since he’s a goon for Brian Anthony.

Entrant #25: Wrecking Ball Legursky
Legursky tosses Glacier out of the ring.
Elimination #18: Glacier
Legursky hammers away on Gamble with strikes but Gamble fights back with thrusts. Legursky is able to send Gamble over the top to the floor.
Elimination #19: American Sumo Mike Gamble

Entrant #26: JP Grayson
JP saves Tommy from being sent out by Legursky, but they get sent into each other.

Entrant #27: Keith Youngblood (Adrenaline Rush)
Youngblood dropkicks Verna in the corner for his heat segment. Milonas tosses Zane Bernado to Legursky, who tosses Zane to the floor.
Elimination #20: Zane Bernado
Grayons Brothers team up to splash Milonas in the corner but they can’t get rid of him.

Entrant #28: Brad Hollister
Hollister cleans house on the Graysons and goes after Milonas with an uppercut in the corner. He also knocks down Legursky. Hollister sends JP over the top with a back suplex.
Elimination #21: JP Grayson
Hollister tosses Youngblood to the floor, as well.
Elimination #22: Keith Youngblood
Hollister powerbombs Tommy Grayson over the top to the floor onto Youngblood and JP right before the next entrant.
Elimination #23: Tommy Grayson

Entrant #29: Brian Anthony
The Graysons try to attack Hollister, but he fights them off. Anthony distracted Hollister and Legursky is able to eliminate Hollister.
Elimination #24: Brad Hollister
Well, Hollister is pissed and takes everyone out with German suplexs.

Entrant #30: Mark Shurman
Shurman gets a good reaction and enters the ring with everyone laid out. Shurman notices that Milonas and Legursky are up and wants to team with Milonas. Shurman switches to Legursky, but neither man is interested. Shurman is splashed by both men. They both deliver big splashes to Shurman on the mat. Legursky clotheslines Shurman to the floor.
Elimination #25: Mark Shurman

Briggs and Verna hammer away on Milonas and Legursky. Milonas and Legursky collide and Milonas is eliminated.
Elimination #26: Brian Milonas
Briggs chokeslams Legursky. Verna takes Briggs over with a running hurricanrana. Briggs avoids a powerbomb and sends Verna to the floor.
Elimination #27: Mike Verna

Legursky and Briggs shove each other. Briggs boots Legursky but gets dumped to the apron. Briggs boots Legursky from the apron and goes for a slingshot but Legursky shoves him to the floor. Legursky wins the match.
Elimination #28: Josh Briggs
Brian Anthony was never eliminated since he never actually made it to the ring. I was thinking he’d try to steal the match, but that didn’t happen. (*1/2. I didn’t think this was a very good battle royal. There wasn’t enough star power in this match to hold my interest and I found myself getting bored several times. Legursky has been an impressive talent in past NEW showings, so an eventual match with Flip Gordon could be interesting to see.)

Final Thoughts:
The best part of the show is the Flip/Mercury match and everything else felt rather flat to me. Anthony/Hollister could be a good undercard feud, though the King character for Anthony is already annoying, but that could be a good thing for his character. A weak show to kickoff 2018 for NEW, but I know they are capable of good things.

Thanks for reading.