PWG Mystery Vortex V 1/12/2018

PWG Tag Team Champions The Chosen Bros defend against Ringkampf. Trent goes to battle against Marty Scurll. PWG World Champion Ricochet defends against Chuck Taylor in a Guerrilla Warfare match.

Pro Wrestling Guerrilla presents Mystery Vortex V
Date: 1/12/2018
From: Reseda, CA

Opening Contest: Fred Yehi vs. David Starr: Both men are making their debuts for PWG. Yehi takes Starr down to the mat early on but can’t get a three count on a cover attempt. Yehi threatens to put Starr back into his mothers womb. Yehi takes Starr over with a snap suplex. Starr trips Yehi as he came off the ropes and avoids a stomp attempt from Yehi. They trade a few pin attempts and side headlocks leading to a standoff. Yehi stomps on David’s hand to avoid a sunset flip attempt. Yehi stomps on both hands and follows up with a double stomp to send Starr to the floor. Starr avoids Yehi on the floor and begs off for a few moments holding his chest. Yehi threatens to put Starr in his mothers womb for the second time. I’m assuming he didn’t think people heard that the first time. Starr nails Yehi with a springboard clothesline to knock Yehi off the apron. Starr runs the ropes but casually stomps on Yehi’s hand. Starr misses a chop after hitting Yehi on the back and hits the post. Yehi hits an exploder suplex on the floor.

Yehi chops Starr in the corner leading to Starr doing a Flair flop. Yehi gets a two count with a brainbuster. Yehi knocks Starr down following a few strikes and gets backdropped into the ropes by Starr. Starr hits a sliding crossbody in the corner managing a one count. Starr keeps control of Yehi sending him hard back first into the corner. Starr sends Yehi hard into the corner back first and continues to work over Yehi with a kick. Yehi tosses Starr with a couple of German suplexs. Yehi hits a dragon suplex and a forearm strike in the corner. Yehi misses a stomp but delivers a double stomp followed by another dragon suplex for a near fall. Yehi hits a couple of Backstabbers and a running kick but Starr reaches the ropes to break the pin. Starr sends Yehi to the floor but Starr kicks the middle rope followed by a Flatliner for a near fall. They begin to trade short clotheslines and chops. Starr elbows Yehi to the floor and leaps over the top to take Yehi out with a crossbody. Starr nearly wins with a running knee strike coming off the ropes. Starr slaps Yehi and Yehi responds with several quick kicks to Starr’s face while laying on his back. Yehi does it again. Starr nearly wins with a rollup and his feet on the ropes. Yehi punches Starr to the apron. Starr DDTs Yehi over the middle rope from the apron. Starr decks Yehi with a lariat but Yehi hits a dropkick. Starr drops Yehi over his knee from a vertical suplex position. Starr nearly wins with a superkick. Starr attempts a straightjacket German, but Yehi counters and soon gets the Koji Clutch locked in. Starr rolls over and pins Yehi. (***. There were brief moments of comedy, but these two worked a good match and kept me interested throughout.)

Joey Janela does a few somersaults in the crowd during the ring announcers announcement and the fans eat it up.

Second Contest: Joey Janela vs. Morgan Webster: Early on, Webster arm drags Janela across the ring a couple of times and does a strut. They trade several waist locks until Webster hit an inverted senton. They are both taking each other down several times but they don’t stay down for long. Janela avoids a kick and signals for a smoke break. A fan in the front row gives Janela a cigarette and he takes a break in the ring. Janela wants to be a good boy and offers a handshake. Janela has his fingers crossed behind his back. Janela cheap shots Webster with a boot followed by a right hand. Webster dropkicks Janela, who still has the cigarette in his mouth. Janela grabs a chair and wants to bring that into the ring but is prevented from doing so. Webster sweeps Janela onto the apron and delivers a baseball slide to send Janela to the floor. Webster takes Joey out with a suicide dive. Janela gets in the ring and takes Webster out with a dive as well. Webster is sent into the ring but Webster hits a somersault dive over the top to the floor. They are back on the floor trading shots. Janela kicks Webster while Webster was sitting on a chair. Janela attempted another kick but Webster delivered a knee strike. Webster puts a helmet on and dives onto Janela on a chair.

Janela and Webster trade charging strikes until Webster hits a reverse hurricanrana after coming off the middle rope. Webster nails Janela with a headbutt and they both drop to the mat. Webster nails Janela with a running clothesline and a springboard moonsault for a two count. Webster goes to the top rope but Joey cuts him off. Janela has Webster on the apron and drops Webster with a Death Valley Driver. Joey said, “Fuck Jim Cornette” prior to the move. Janela hits an insane Package Piledriver but Webster kicks out. Joey even said that Kevin Owens still has him blocked on Twitter.

Joey heads to the top rope and misses a double stomp and rolls through to hit a Death Valley Driver into the corner. Janela misses a moonsault off the top. Webster goes to the top and nails Janela with a swanton to the back and hits a double under hook piledriver for a near fall. Webster goes to the top again but Janela cuts him off with a right hand. Janela punches Webster a few times before hitting a top rope brainbuster, but Webster refuses to stay down. Jaenla locks in the Crossface and Webster is forced to tap out. (***1/4. A pretty good match with these guys just hitting crazy spots one after the other. This was my first time seeing Webster compete and I thought he was really solid in there. The top rope brainbuster spot should have just ended it, though.)

Third Contest: Sammy Guevara vs. Rey Fenix: They avoid each other and Sammy flips Fenix off. Sammy kicks Fenix but Fenix takes Guevara out with a somersault suicide dive to the floor. Fenix tries for a springboard but Guevara uppercuts Fenix to the floor. Guevara takes Fenix out with a twisting dive to the outside. Guevara goes to the top after rolling Fenix into the ring. Guevara hits a 630 landing back first onto Fenix!

Sammy can’t believe that Fenix kicked out on that. Fenix kicks Sammy followed by an arm drag to send Guevara to the floor and fakes a dive, twice. Sammy sits on a chair to taunt Fenix but Rey leaps over the top and takes Sammy out with a dive on the chair! Fenix heads to the top rope to hit a swanton bomb back into the ring. Fenix hit his ankle on one of the lights, apparently. Fenix is met with an uppercut but comes back with a forearm. Fenix nails Sammy with a Pele Kick. Sammy hit a Spanish Fly. Fenix hits a cutter. They both miss Phoenix Splashes and they fall to the mat. Sammy misses a splash in the corner and Fenix hits a cannonball splash. Sammy takes Fenix over with a belly to belly suplex before hitting a standing shooting star press for a near fall.

Sammy pummels Fenix with right hands. Sammy goes to the top rope but Fenix yanks him off the drags Sammy over the top rope. Fenix goes to the top rope as Sammy is crotched. Fenix walks the ropes to hit a hurricanrana! Guevara kicks out at two!

Guevara knee strikes Fenix followed by a kick to the back. Fenix comes back with a huge superkick. Guevara is on the middle rope and stopped by Fenix, who hits modified Cradle Shock for a near fall. Fenix is stopped on the top rope and Guevara climbs to the top rope as well. Guevara flips off and Fenix hits a moonsault turned into a German suplex for a near fall! Guevara plants Fenix down to the mat gut first for a near fall. Guevara goes to the top rope but Fenix stops him. Fenix has Guevara on the top rope but Guevara shoves Fenix off. Guevara hits another 630 onto Rey’s knees this time, but Fenix still kicks out. Guevara drops Fenix with a top rope Flatliner of some sort, but Fenix again kicks out. Guevara finally wins the match with a shooting star press. (***1/2. They burned through a lot of high spots in this match, but it was quite enjoyable. It felt like they didn’t really do a great job with letting anything breathe, though. It was just constant big spots one right after the other. Regardless, it was an incredible showcase and a huge win for Guevara. This was easily the most impressive showing I’ve seen of his.)

Fourth Contest: Keith Lee vs. Zack Sabre Jr.: Sabre tries to control the wrist of Lee, but is flipped over to the mat. Sabre takes Lee down to the mat and tries to get an arm breaker locked in but Lee is able to break free and gets to his feet. Sabre taunts Lee while hiding behind the referee. Lee destroys Sabre with a chop and Sabre crashes to the mat. Lee catches Sabre trying to crawl through his legs, but Sabre wiggles free trying for a knee bar, but Lee doesn’t budge and just casually walks around before pushing Sabre to the floor. Sabre tries to kick Lee but it’s not having much of an impact. Sabre is able to trip Lee down after a few shots to the ribs, but Lee quickly gets to the ropes. Sabre chokes Lee on the mat and continues to work over Lee’s left knee. Sabre continues to kick Lee a few times while Lee is kneeling. Sabre is taunting Lee allowing Lee to deliver a forearm and scoop slam. Sabre stops Lee on the middle rope and kicks Lee’s knee several times. Sabre twists Lee’s left knee angling the leg towards Keith’s head before delivering another stomp. Sabre kicks Lee several times on his thigh. Lee is starting to get angry and strikes Sabre several times to drop the former champion.

Lee goes for a vertical suplex but Sabre counters and gets Lee on the mat with another knee bar. Lee is trying to reach the ropes but Sabre is preventing him from doing so. As soon as I type that, Lee reaches the ropes. Lee plants Sabre with a spinebuster for a near fall. Lee heads to the middle rope but misses a moonsault. Sabre kicks Lee a few times and gets a two count with a cocky cover. Sabre uppercuts Lee several times but Lee drops Sabre with a double overhand chop. Sabe has a hanging triangle choke on Lee, but Lee is doing curls with Sabre on his arm. Sabre changes his position but Lee hits a sit down powerbomb. Lee forearms Sabre to the apron but can’t followup on the attack. Lee drops Sabre with another forearm into the corner. Lee drops Sabre with a lariat and a double chop in the corner. Sabre is sat on the top turnbuckle and slaps Lee. Sabre comes off the middle rope with an uppercut. Sabre nearly wins with a rollup. Lee connects with a lariat for a one count. Sabre has a choke on Lee and delivers a dropkick to the left knee. Sabre slaps Lee several times and gets on Lee’s back but Lee hits an F-5 turned into a slam for the win. (***. It was a fine match and it was relatively hard hitting. I think they could have cut some time off of this a little bit, but there was a good story going on and a change of pace from the previous match.)

Fifth Contest: Trent vs. Marty Scurll: Early on, Scurll keeps Trent on the mat for a moment and taunts the fans. Trent counters and controls Scurll on the mat with a hammerlock. Scurll back elbows Trent to regain control of the match. Marty tries a shoulder block but neither man budges. Trent is able to knock Marty down with a shoulder block. Scurll tries for a scoop slam but can’t pick up Trent. Scurll tries again and in slow motion nearly does it but Trent lands on top for a near fall. Trent chops Scurll in the corner and Marty is begging off. Trent attempts a suplex but Scurll drives Trent down to the mat. Scurll kicks Trent from the apron and flips off the crowd. Scurll sends Trent face first into the ring post. Scurll elbow strikes Trent over the apron. Scurll works over Trent in the corner and puts Trent’s headband in his trunks before putting it over Trent’s eyes and delivering a kick. Trent double stomps Scurll in the corner and kicks Scurll on the side of his head. Trent elbow strikes Scurll followed by a tornado DDT out of the corner. Trent nails Scurll with a shining wizard for a two count. Scurll drops Trent throat first over the middle rope but misses a splash. Trent hits a sliding German suplex and plays to the crowd. Trent heads to the top rope managing to hit a missile dropkick. Scurll goes to the apron but Trent grabs Scurll looking for a piledriver but Scurll breaks free and sweeps Trent off the apron and Trent hits the apron hard back first.

Scurll catapults Trent throat first into the bottom rope. Scurll continues his offense with a neckbreaker for a near fall. Trent is favoring his left arm and trying to shake feeling into his arm. Scurll takes off the top turnbuckle pad but the referee is distracted as Trent has an inside cradle for a near fall. Scurll stops Trent with a quick superkick. Scurll says he’s going to break Trent’s neck into the exposed turnbuckle but Trent avoids it. Scurll hits a snap suplex into the corner and Scurll nearly wins but Trent gets his boot on the bottom rope. Scurll goes to the middle rope and punches Trent to the mat. Trent runs the ropes looking for a German suplex but Scurll holds onto the buckle and low blows Trent. Scurll drops Trent over the exposed turnbuckle and nearly wins with a rollup. Scurll signals for the chickenwing but Trent counters with a rollup for a near fall. Trent shoves the referee out of the way and Scurll hits Trent with an umbrella. Scurll drops Trent over his knee for a near fall! Trent goes to the floor and Marty delivers another superkick, but Trent catches the leg and goes to the apron. Trent is able to spike Scurll with a piledriver on the ring apron!

Trent knee strikes Scurll from behind and has Scurll setup for the Dudebuster but settles for a piledriver managing a near fall. They trade strikes while kneeling and continue to trade strikes upon standing up. Trent tosses Scurll with a suplex. Scurll catches Trent in the chickenwing right in the middle of the ring! Trent is trying to fight out of the hold but is right in the middle of the ring. Trent is able to reach the ropes after a struggle. Scurll delivers another superkick. Scurll chops Trent in the corner a few times. Scurll sends Trent flipping into the corner but Trent comes back with a clothesline of his own. Scurll tosses powder into Trent’s eyes but Trent is able to roll through and plants Scurll with the Dudebuster for the win. (***1/4. A nicely done match and a good victory for Trent in PWG. I would have thought that the action would start to feel repetitive but they are all doing a great job at keeping things different and fresh feeling.)

Sixth Contest: PWG Tag Team Champions The Chosen Bros (Jeff Cobb & Matt Riddle) vs. Ringkampf (Timothy Thatcher & Walter): Riddle and Thatcher kick off the title match. Riddle takes Thatcher down to the mat but doesn’t keep control very long. Riddle tries to get a cross arm breaker on Thatcher but isn’t able to get the hold. Thatcher puts a bow and arrow on Riddle for a moment leading to a standoff. Cobb is tagged in to try his luck against Thatcher. As expected, Walter is tagged into the match. Walter chops Cobb but Cobb is able to take Walter down to the mat. Walter gets up and there’s another standoff. Walter leg weeps Cobb and controls Cobb with a side headlock. Walter comes off the ropes with a shoulder block and stares down Cobb. Neither man will fall down after several shoulder block attempts. Walter boots Cobb but Cobb is able to knock Walter down with a shoulder block. Walter comes back with one of his own. Thatcher tags in and works over Cobb with several uppercuts. Cobb gets to his corner and tags in Riddle. Thatcher and Riddle begin to trade strikes in the middle of the ring. Riddle knee strikes Thatcher and tags in Cobb. Cobb and Riddle hit running strikes in the corner. Cobb hits a Samoan Drop and Riddle plants Thatcher with a senton splash for a two count.

Riddle tags back in and continues to work over Thatcher with kicks and another standing senton splash. Thatcher counters looking for a sleeper on the mat, but Riddle breaks free and delivers a knee to Thatcher’s midsection. Cobb hits a German suplex on Thatcher after a kick from Riddle for a two count as Walter broke up the cover. Thatcher tries to tag in Walter but is prevented from doing so. Riddle delivers another standing senton splash. Riddle blocks a kick and stomps away on Thatcher several times. Cobb is tagged back into the match. Thatcher kicks Cobb and does the same to Riddle. Walter tags in and cleans house with chops. Riddle avoids a boot in the corner and Cobb comes over to help. Walter clotheslines Cobb and boots Riddle followed by another lariat. Walter tosses Cobb with a German suplex. Walter takes Riddle over with a butterfly suplex and the fans show their respect. Cobb and Walter trade forearm strikes until Walter delivers a boot. Walter decks Cobb with a lariat for a near fall. Walter boots Riddle off the apron. All four men are in the ring as Thatcher dumps Riddle to the floor after Riddle hit Walter with a knee strike. Cobb tries for a pumphandle suplex on Thatcher, but Walter saves his partner. Walter tosses Cobb with a suplex leading to a near fall for Thatcher.

Walter chops Cobb in the corner before striking Cobb while he’s between the ropes. Cobb has a busted open nose trying to fight out of the corner. Walter kicks Cobb on the back for a near fall as Riddle got involved. Thatcher enters and puts a half Boston Crab on Cobb. Cobb is able to reach the ropes rather quickly. Walter delivers a sit down splash onto the back of Cobb. Walter nails Riddle with a boot right on the chin. Riddle sells it for a moment before popping up and standing on the apron as if nothing happened. Cobb backdrops Walter to counter a piledriver attempt. Walter trips Cobb to prevent a tag from being made. Thatcher pulls Riddle off the apron to prevent the tag. Walter dropkicks Cobb into the corner and delivers a powerbomb for a two count. Walter puts a choke on Cobb but Cobb rolls through and Riddle gets the hot tag. Riddle cleans house with chops and a knee strike to drop Walter. Bro 2 Sleep on Thatcher and a German suplex for a two count. Riddle senton splashes Walter and Thatcher. Riddle continues to beat on the challengers with kicks to the chest. Thatcher drops Riddle with a back suplex and Walter hits a powerbomb for a near fall. Riddle is sat on the top rope but Cobb enters to Angle Slam Thatcher. Cobb has Walter on his shoulders and Riddle comes off the top to deliver a knee strike! Thatcher boots Cobb but Riddle blocks the boot with a powerbomb. Riddle nails Thatcher with a knee strike and Cobb tosses Thatcher into the air leading to another knee strike from Riddle for the win. (***. A solid tag match and the closing sequence was fun. I haven’t watched a lot of Thatcher or Walter, but they did pretty well in there. I felt a little burnt out towards the end as I don’t think this needed the amount of time it got.)

Main Event: PWG World Champion Ricochet vs. Chuck Taylor in a Guerrilla Warfare Match: Ricochet nails Taylor with the championship before the bell but only gets a two count. Taylor rolls to the floor while Ricochet taunts the fans with the title. Ricochet goes to the floor and works over Taylor with right hands. Taylor hits a vertical suplex onto the apron. Taylor goes backstage and tosses a trash can into the ring. Ricochet boots Taylor out of the corner and delivers a dropkick. Ricochet smashes Taylor over the head with a trash can shot, three times. Ricochet stomps the trash can into Taylor, which makes little sense. Ricochet hits the Van Terminator for a near fall!

They go to the floor where Ricochet continues to work over Taylor with strikes. Ricochet kicks Taylor on the chin. Taylor arm drags Ricochet onto chairs in the crowd. Taylor goes backstage and brings a ladder out to the ring. Taylor drops Ricochet face first over the ladder. Taylor sets the ladder up in the corner and avoids a chair shot. Taylor forearms Ricochet and wedges the chair in the corner, after a bit of a struggle to do so. Moments later, they both avoid being slammed onto the ladder, but Taylor is able to backdrop Ricochet onto the ladder!

Taylor chops Ricochet onto the ladder, but Ricochet comes back with a backdrop sending Taylor onto the ladder, as well. Ricochet sends Taylor face first into the wedged chair in the corner. Ricochet continues to beat on Taylor as they brawl into the crowd. Ricochet whacks Taylor over the head with a chair several times. Ricochet sets up four chairs on the floor. Taylor comes back with a chair shot to knock Ricochet down on the floor. Taylor puts three chairs on top of the other four chairs. Taylor has two chairs on the stage, too. Taylor brings Ricochet to the stage and points at the chairs. Ricochet hits a snap suplex on the stage, but Taylor comes back with a suplex off the stage onto the chairs on the floor!

Taylor goes under the ring and sets a table up on the floor. Taylor tries for a piledriver on the apron, but Ricochet fights back with a kick. Taylor cuts off Ricochet with a knee strike and they go back to the floor. Taylor puts the champ on the table and hits a swanton bomb over the top onto Ricochet through the table!

Chuck hits a Falcon Arrow but Ricochet kicks out at two! Taylor forearms Ricochet to keep control of the match. They begin to trade strikes in the middle of the ring. Ricochet misses a clothesline and Taylor hits the Sole Food. Taylor continues with a clothesline. Ricochet stops Taylor with a chair shot and a standing shooting star press for a near fall. Ricochet plants Taylor with a brainbuster and a springboard 450 splash for a near fall! The champ heads to the top rope hitting the shooting star press for another near fall. Ricochet has the title but misses and low blows Taylor followed by another shot with the title. Ricochet has Taylor on his shoulders and delivers a kick to the head of the challenger for a near fall.

Ricochet misses another title strike as Taylor just fell to the mat before contact. Ricochet chops Taylor onto a chair and has the title again. Taylor drop toe holds Ricochet face first onto the chair. Taylor hits the Awful Waffle but Ricochet pops his shoulder up at two. Taylor has gone backstage to grab a Christmas stocking and dumps out thumbtacks. Taylor puts the champ on the turnbuckle and attempts an Awful Waffle onto the tacks, but Ricochet fights out. Taylor goes to the middle rope looking for a back suplex but the champ fights off again. Ricochet is able to flip over the tacks and powerbombs Taylor onto the tacks!

Ricochet picks up a handful of tacks and puts the tacks into Taylor’s mouth! Ricochet kicks Taylor after having him on his shoulders but Taylor refuses to stay down. Ricochet drags Taylor across the tacks on the canvas. Ricochet goes to the top and misses a 450 senton and lands on the tacks! Taylor hits a piledriver and the Awful Waffle to win the title! (****. Well, as expected, at that was pretty violent but just a great showcase by these two men. Ricochet is off to NXT following this match and Taylor excelled in this match. I know there are people who don’t really buy into Chuck Taylor as a top champion, but he’s really doing well in that role. I’m glad he’s picking up more steam on the independents. For a match that went around 20-minutes, this flew by and kept my interest the entire time. A great way to end the show.)

After the match, Chuck Taylor cuts a promo saying that he knew that Ricochet was better than him and that Ricochet would be destined to do bigger and better things in wrestling. Taylor says it has been a pleasure to travel the roads with Ricochet and that he loves him. Ricochet cuts a promo crediting Chuck Taylor for his success because Taylor put Ricochet’s name out there and would drive 16hrs there and back for bookings. Ricochet would consider PWG to be his home. The locker room empties into the ring to show respect for Ricochet.

Final Thoughts:
I don’t think there was anything on this show that I would rate as being bad. A really good show and flew by for being 2 1/2 hours. PWG is easily the best independent wrestling company going today and it’s probably not even close.

Thanks for reading.