Darby Allin makes his NEW debut against JT Dunn. NEW Heavyweight Champion Flip Gordon defends against Joey Mercury in a rematch from January.
Northeast Wrestling presents March Mayhem
Date: 3/18/2018
From: Bethany, CT
Prior to the first match, Mike Gamble has a pre-tape video saying that he was bullied and was told he’d never make anything out of himself. He went to the land of the Rising Sun and he’s doing some mediation throughout the video as he provides the voiceover. He will not stop moving forward until he’s reached success. Well, that was kind of weird.
Opening Contest: Adrenaline Rush (Daniel Evans & Keith Youngblood) vs. Dexter Loux & Mike Gamble: Adrenaline Rush start the match double teaming Gamble at the start and they do the same with Loux with an assisted splash for a near fall. Youngblood delivers an awkward looking spin kick in the corner. Loux escapes to the floor and Gamble is able to clothesline Evans from the apron. Evans continues to be worked over in the corner as Gamble delivers a splash for a near fall. Evans tries to fight out of the corner but can’t break free. Evans boots Gamble a few times in the corner but runs into a scoop slam. Gamble comes off the ropes and misses a big splash. Youngblood gets the hot tag and cleans house kicking Gamble a few times. Loux is able to get into the ring and breaks up the cover. Evans sends Loux to the floor and hammers away on Gamble dropping him with a right hand. Youngblood hits a top rope Swanton Bomb for the win. (*1/4. There wasn’t much going on here and it was kind of surprising to see Gamble take the pin considering the video that was focused on him to start the show. I’m not really digging the Adrenaline Rush team.)
There’s another video package featuring a manager named Jared Silberkleit. He has a trust fund and has used the money to manage Wrecking Ball Legursky and spent more money to get Brian Milonas. He is thrilled about it. It seemed like Milonas was trying to not laugh.
Second Contest: Brian Milonas vs. Brett Domino: It’s always awkward when a young wrestler tries to get the crowd to care about him during his entrance and they just don’t care. It’s going to be okay, Domino. As you might expect, Milonas wastes no time in destroying Domino hitting an overhead belly to belly suplex. Domino tries to fight back with a heel kick but Milonas cuts him off with a standing crossbody. Milonas continues with a superplex and comes off the ropes to deliver a back suplex for the win. (*. Milonas came across like a monster, which is fine. However, that back splash off the ropes for a finisher is not a good choice.)
Backstage, Jake Manning cuts a promo about how many guys he has lost to in NEW. It’s reaching 60 people. Manning notes that his losing streak is eight years long and has no intentions in making it last nine years. He wants to fight Brian Anthony one on one.
Third Contest: Chris Battle vs. Christian Casanova: Battle tries for a cover early on, despite there not being a bell. Oddly, the bell sounds after the attempt. Battle jabs Casanova after avoiding a leapfrog attempt. Battle springboards off the ropes to send Casanova to the floor. Casanova gets control in the ring with an axe handle shot as Battle rolled back in as well. Casanova kicks Battle from the apron and misses a top rope crossbody attempt. Battle backdrops Casanova to keep control of the match. Casanova plants Battle with a DDT for a near fall. Casanova splashes Battle in the corner leading to a near fall. Casanova plants Battle with a Codebreaker but can’t get a three count. Casanova has grabbed a chain but the referee stops him and they argue. Battle delivers a running boot and a clothesline. Battle palm strikes Casanova in the corner and delivers an overhead suplex for a near fall. Casanova avoids a spear in the corner and is sent into the ropes. Battle delivers an ace crusher and Casanova rolls to the floor. Battle wants to go to the floor but the referee stops him. Casanova grabs the chain and decks Battle with it for the cheap win. (*1/2. Well, that was certainly a cheap finish. However, it was rather clear to me dating back to Over The Top that Casanova was going to getting a push in the company. I think he’s an entertaining heel and hopefully, he excels.)
Fourth Contest: Darby Allin vs. JT Dunn: Dunn tries to deliver a spinning forearm in the corner but Allin avoids it. Dunn wants a test of strength, but Allin counters with an arm drag. Allin springboards off the top rope to send Dunn across the ring followed by a dropkick sending Dunn to the floor. Allin comes off the apron with a hurricanrana on the floor. Allin drop toe holds Dunn face first onto the ring steps. Allin brings the action back into the ring but runs into an elbow. Allin is sent to the floor and backdropped by Dunn upon entering the ring again. Dunn works over Allin with basic strikes to keep him on the mat. Darby forearms Dunn from the apron but gets yanked over the middle rope by Dunn. Dunn continues to work over Allin’s shoulder and neck area. The crowd is showing support for Allin, and by crowd I mean three guys. Allin fights back but a knee strike in the corner stops him. Allin strikes Dunn a few times but Dunn sends Allin face first into the top rope. Allin leg sweeps Dunn on the apron and JT hits the apron face first.
Allin delivers a stunner on Dunn for a near fall. Allin heads to the top rope but is crotched by Dunn. Dunn plants Allin with a sit down powerbomb for a near fall. Allin kicks Dunn over the middle rope and chokes JT for a few moments. Allin fights back with strikes and a Code Red for a near fall. The crowd is showing their appreciation for the match and it’s more than three guys. Allin attempts a suicide dive but Dunn hits an ace crusher on the floor!
Dunn misses an elbow strike and Allin nearly wins with a springboard crossbody. Allin is able to switch to a crucifix pin quickly and wins the match. (***1/4. Easily the best match on the show thus far as they kept a great pace and came across like veterans compared to what else was on the show. Allin literally started the match with very few people knowing who he was and by the end of it, they both got a standing ovation. He won over the crowd and I’d imagine Allin will be back in NEW.) After the match, Dunn shakes hands with Allin and they embrace.
Jared Silberkleit comes out and cuts a promo about April 21st where Wrecking Ball Legursky will get his title shot at the NEW Heavyweight Championship. He says it doesn’t matter who wins tonight because Legursky will win the title and never let it go. Buddy Costa decides to come out and hugs several fans. Costa decides to hug Legursky, and that doesn’t end up very well for him. Costa tries to leave and is met with a short arm clothesline. There isn’t a referee so this isn’t an actual match. Legursky press slams Costa and turns it into a slam. Costa is left laying. Legursky may be the next NEW Heavyweight Champion. Josh Briggs comes out and attacks Legursky. This is still not a match. Actually, here comes a referee.
Fifth Contest: Wrecking Ball Legursky vs. Josh Briggs: Legursky absorbs some offense from Briggs and then pummels Briggs in the corner. Briggs plants Legursky with a spine buster. Jared gets knocked off the apron and then forearms Legursky. Brian Milonas comes out and helps Legursky attack Briggs. So, once again this match is thrown out and nothing is resolved. Briggs tries to fight back but isn’t very successful. Briggs is driven down with a double chokeslam. They also deliver a double big splash to leave Briggs laying.
Sixth Contest: Penelope Ford vs. Delmi Exo: I wasn’t paying attention for easily two minutes and they hadn’t touched yet. The referee got down on all fours to allow the ladies to have an arm wrestling contest. Ford ends up poking Exo in the eyes to be a heel. Exo avoids a chop in the corner and drops Ford with several of her own. Ford drives Exo into the apron back first. Ford controls Exo with a bridging death lock. Ford jumps onto Exo over the middle rope leading to a near fall. Ford delivers a few spears to Exo’s back in the corner. Ford misses a handspring back elbow attempt and Exo hits a bulldog for a near fall. Ford cuts Exo off with a jawbreaker. Ford hits a bronco buster in the corner and stomps away on Exo. Exo comes off the middle rope with a neckbreaker and delivers a couple of short arm clotheslines. Exo tosses Ford over with a fallaway slam for a near fall. Ford clotheslines Exo in the corner and delivers a German suplex sending Exo into the middle turnbuckle back first. Ford connects with a handspring back elbow into the corner and hits a handspring ace crusher for the win. (**. it could have been a lot worse, I guess. They got a decent amount of time and it actually held my interest for the most part.)
Backstage, The Amazing Graysons cut a promo on Brad Hollister saying they’re going to get the job done tonight. Brian Anthony, who is a king, comes into the scene and says that Hollister got lucky. He’s really trying too hard to sound like a king. Anthony believes his men will abolish Hollister once and for all tonight.
Seventh Contest: Brad Hollister vs. The Amazing Graysons (JP Grayson & Tommy Grayson): Hollister tosses both JP and Tommy in the ring followed by a clothesline to both men. Hollister is met with a double kick to his midsection but blocks a suplex attempt. Hollister takes them both over with a snap suplex. The crowd is heavily behind Hollister. Hollister uppercuts Tommy and JP is dropped face first over the apron. Brian Anthony makes his way to the arena at this point. Hollister is distracted and met with a low blow from behind. Anthony leaves and thinks his men have the match under control. Hollister hits a belly to belly suplex but is cut off by a jawbreaker. JP hits a top rope elbow drop but Hollister easily kicks out. Hollister delivers a spine buster on Tommy onto JP to take them both out.
Hollister cleans house with uppercuts a splash in the corner. Hollister catches Tommy with a slam and splashes JP for a near fall. Hollister gets a camel clutch locked in but can’t get a submission as he’s met with a superkick. Hollister hits a German suplex on both Graysons, as one was on the others shoulders. Hollister wins with the match with a powerbomb. (*1/2. I don’t think it needed to go this long and it was rather obvious the direction the match was going in from the beginning. I guess they’re doing a good job promoting the Hollister/Anthony feud. Anthony is dedicated to the king gimmick, but he just needs to tone it done a little bit.)
Backstage, NEW Tag Team Champions Robbie E and Cam Zagami cut a promo about being the champions. Robbie says they are the best tag team ever and they need to have a tag team name and finishing move. That’s rather important, they admit.
Eighth Contest: NEW Tag Team Champion Cam Zagami & Robbie E vs. RJ Rude & Zane Bernardo: Robbie and Zane kick off the tag title match and Zane nearly steals the match with a few rollups at the start of the match. Robbie goes to his corner to regroup and he wasn’t expecting that from the young wrestler. Rude takes Zagami down with a monkey flip out of the corner. Zane tags back in and Zagami is knocked down to the mat followed by a standing moonsault. Robbie is met with a drop toe hold onto Zagami. Robbie and Zagami argue for a moment but then hug only to be kicked by the challengers. Rude and Zane embrace since they have control of the match. Zane gets decked by Robbie from behind and is beaten over by Robbie with right hands. Zagami works over Zane with a scoop slam for a near fall. Zane continues to be worked over by the champions. Zane plants Robbie with a bulldog. Zagami gets tagged in and here comes Rude with the hot tag. Rude dropkicks Zagami but runs into a boot from Cam. Robbie is sent into Cam in the corner and met with a double knee strike from Rude. Rude jumps off Robbie’s back to knee strike Cam followed by a Death Valley Driver for a near fall. Robbie breaks up the cover to save the titles. The challengers hit double hurricanranas on the champions. Rude and Zane go to the top but get crotched and Rude is slammed off the top by Cam. Rude is driven down by the champs and is pinned. (**. A solid tag match and I liked the approach they went with at the start to give the champions a little bit of a chance. I have to credit Robbie with the match since he is the veteran and I’m really just assuming he pieced together this match with the young wrestlers. I’m actually liking the team of Robbie and Cam.)
There’s a music video highlighting the Joey Mercury/Flip Gordon from Over The Top. Gordon says that he was taken to his limit and that tonight is nothing in comparison to what he’ll do to Mercury.
Main Event: NEW Heavyweight Champion Flip Gordon vs. Joey Mercury: Mercury attacks Gordon during his ring introduction delivering a right hand. Gordon sells the right punch like he can’t possibly recover. The bell never sounded and Gordon says he’s okay to compete. Mercury dumps Gordon over the top to the floor. Mercury looks like he’s shredded. Kudos to him for keeping in such great condition. Mercury tosses a crutch into the ring and then tosses it up the ramp. Mercury stares down the fans as he beats on Gordon at ringside. Mercury taunts a woman in the front row, but the woman is held back by another female fan. Mercury is being an asshole in the ring taunting fans and the same woman in the front row continues to be held back. Mercury drops Gordon face first onto the apron. Mercury pulls Gordon into the ring and then yanks him back out to stop the ten count. Gordon hammers away on Mercury in the corner but Mercury stops him with a right hand. Mercury uses the ropes for leverage on a rollup, but the referee sees him and stops the count. Mercury argues with the referee and Gordon almost wins the match with a rollup from behind.
Mercury slams Gordon over the top to the floor and Gordon crashes to the outside. Mercury sneaks to the floor and grabs Gordon before again yanking him out of the ring. However, Gordon lands on his feet and knee strikes Mercury on the jaw. Gordon springboards off the steps to moonsault Mercury! Gordon takes Mercury out with a springboard dropkick and a dropkick sends Mercury into the corner. Gordon hits Samoan Pop followed by a standing shooting star press for a near fall. Mercury stops Gordon with a forearm shot and attempts a DDT but Gordon wiggles free. Mercury counters Flip taking him down to the mat with a Crossface. Gordon is able to position his body and counters with a Crossface of his own after Mercury had an STF locked in. Gordon uses the ropes to push Mercury into the middle of the ring. Mercury pokes the referee in the eyes and taps out, but the referee didn’t see it. Mercury sends Gordon into the referee and then Mercury accidentally splashes the referee with a forearm strike.
Gordon tries to wake the referee up but Mercury enters with a chair and whacks Gordon over the head with it. Mercury calls for another referee to come out. Mercury has the cover but Flip is able to kick out at two. Mercury argues with the new referee, who checks on Gordon. Mercury backs the referee into a corner but the referee comes back and Mercury begs off. Mercury knocks the referee to the floor from behind. Gordon drops Mercury with a superkick. They stare at each other as the referee is down and they both look at the steel chair. Mercury tries to get the chair but Gordon steps on it. Gordon has possession of the chair but is met with a low blow. Mercury spikes Gordon with a double arm DDT and calls for a third referee. Mercury has the cover but Gordon kicks out at two. Mercury can’t believe it and decks the third referee. Mercury blows snot on the referee, too. Mercury has a steel chair waiting for Gordon to get up but a referee has grabbed the chair. Mercury tosses the referee to the mat again. Gordon low blows Mercury and hits a double under hook DDT. Gordon locks in the Crossface and Mercury submits in the middle of the ring. (***. I liked the match more because of the work by Mercury in comparison to the actual match. This felt like a fight and not a regular match. Joey got the crowd invested in him and Gordon worked a match that I don’t think he normally has to do. I feel like for the context of the feud, the main event delivered a fine conclusion to their feud.)
Final Thoughts:
Heading into the show I was mostly looking forward to Dunn/Allin and Mercury/Gordon. Luckily, both of those matches delivered and I feel satisfied watching the show. There’s not much else on the show that’s overly entertaining. The tag title match was fine for what it was, as well. I wouldn’t consider it a must-see show, but for a show that lasts literally two hours, It was an easy watch.
Thanks for reading.