Written by: Bob Colling
Premier Wrestling Federation presents Legacy Cup
Date: 9/15/2002
From: Pottstown, PA
This is a tradition that started last year after the September 11th attacks. All the entrants for the Legacy Cup entered the ring and were wished good luck. It felt rather similar to what the ECWA Super 8 has done.
Opening Contest: PWF United States Champion Jay Briscoe vs. Billy Bax in a first round match: They slap each other to start the match and then circle each other before locking up. Bax gets arm control, but Briscoe rolls through with an arm drag. They trade headlocks and arm drags on the mat for a few moments. Briscoe locks in a Cloverleaf and keeps a leg lock on Bax but doesn’t get a submission. Briscoe switches to an arm lock. Briscoe shoulder blocks Bax but gets monkey flipped into the ropes. Briscoe shoulder blocks Bax and delivers a big boot. Briscoe takes Bax over with a snap suplex followed by a kick to the back and strikes. Bax takes Briscoe over with a back suplex for a two count. Bax ducks a clothesline and hits a northern lights suplex. Briscoe takes Bax down with a dragon screw leg whip and locks in an STF. Bax manages to reach the ropes to break the hold. Briscoe continues to work over Bax with chops in the corner. Briscoe delivers a running stomp to Bax’s knee over the middle rope. Bax fights back with a superkick for a near fall. Briscoe counters a belly to belly suplex, but Bax counters a slam attempt. Briscoe spikes Bax with the Jay Driller, but Bax reaches the bottom rope. Briscoe misses a splash in the corner and Bax nearly wins with a German suplex. They begin to trade chops in the middle of the ring as Briscoe hits a running big boot and a clothesline. Bax hits a belly to belly suplex as Briscoe comes off the ropes for a near fall. Bax climbs to the top rope, but Briscoe crotches Bax on the top rope. Bax counters a slam and runs into an elbow. Briscoe boots Bax in the corner, but Bax counters a tornado DDT with a belly to belly suplex to win the match and advance in the tournament. (*1/2. I was stunned that Bax won, but I’m guessing they want their local talent to get some decent wins. Briscoe is far more polished than Bax and it felt like Bax was using Shane Douglas move set.)
Second Contest: The Amazing Red vs. PWF Junior Heavyweight Champion Quiet Storm in a first round match: Storm controls Red with an arm lock, but Red counters quickly. Storm comes off the ropes to arm drag Red. Red head scissors Storm out of the corner. Storm counters a head scissors and they have a standoff. Storm forearms Red in the corner a few times followed by a clothesline. Storm takes Red over with a snap suplex. Red tries for a head scissors and switches with a reverse DDT for a two count. Storm plants Red with a reverse DDT to counter a crucifix attempt. Red counters a clothesline with a modified facebuster for a two count. Red continues to beat on Storm with right hands in the corner. Storm boots Red in the corner and hits a running flipping piledriver for a two count. Storm plants Red with a brainbuster for a two count. Storm misses a top rope crossbody as Red hit a dropkick. Red plants Storm with a brainbuster for a two count. Storm drops Red with a backbreaker and hits a full nelson suplex. Storm signals for the Storm Cradle Driver, but Red counters with a boot to the jaw. Red comes off the middle rope with an STO and a standing shooting star press for the win. (*1/2. I’m glad this was kept short and I’m happy that Red prevailed. Red should probably win this tournament.)
Third Contest: Rapid Fire Maldonado vs. Striker in a first round match: Striker delivers a few strikes and they counter some holds in the opening moments of the match. Striker takes Rapid Fire down with a rolling neck snap and a seated dropkick. Striker dropkicks Rapid Fire on the knee a few times. Striker takes out Chi Chi Cruz with a crossbody on the floor. Striker chases Rapid Fire and is stomped on in the ring. Rapid Fire slams Striker for a two count. Cruz gets a few cheap shots in from the floor and chokes Striker in the corner. Striker comes off the middle rope to hit a back elbow. Rapid Fire connects with a side Russian leg sweep for a two count. Rapid Fire clotheslines Striker in the corner followed by a fist drop. Striker nearly wins with an inside cradle. Rapid Fire stops Striker with a clothesline. Rapid Fire works over Striker in the corner and is met with a strike to the midsection. Striker continues to chop Rapid Fire in the corner. Striker comes off the ropes with a bulldog. Rapid Fire plants Striker with a swinging slam for a two count. Rapid Fire drives Striker down to the mat with a vertical suplex for a two count. Striker almost wins with a rollup. Rapid Fire stops Striker with an elbow strike. Striker ducks a superkick and dropkicks Rapid Fire. Striker tries for a sunset flip managing a two count. Rapid Fire decks Striker and dropkicks a seated Striker. Striker boots Rapid Fire after a ducking a clothesline. Striker slingshots Rapid Fire into the ring from the apron and hits a backpack stunner. Rapid Fire drops Striker with a step-up kick to the head and wins the match. (*. I guess Rapid Fire had to win to likely keep the balance of heels/face ratio in the semifinals. It wasn’t a very good match at all. Striker is a likable guy and could do well if elevated.)
Fourth Contest: Chris Divine vs. Christopher Daniels in a first round match: They focus on a mat wrestling start to the match as they trade arm locks. Divine arm drags Daniels, but Daniels avoids a second one and nearly wins with a rollup. Divine dropkicks Daniels after avoiding a dropkick. Divine keeps Daniels on the mat with a headlock. Divine maintains control with a vertical suplex for a near fall. Divine drives Daniels down with a back suplex and heads to the top missing a moonsault as Daniels got his feet up. Daniels clotheslines Divine for a two count. Daniels takes Divine over with a belly to belly suplex. Daniels elbow strikes Divine several times. Divine ducks a clothesline and drops Daniels with right hands. Daniels stops Divine with an elbow strike and a snap suplex for a two count. Daniels comes off the ropes with a running shoulder block for a two count. Daniels tries for a suplex, but Divine counters with a rollup. Divine gets a rollup on Daniels for a two count. Divine hammers away on Daniels followed by a heel kick. Divine takes Daniels down to the mat and gets a two count. Divine trips Daniels and misses a slingshot twisting splash. Daniels hits a springboard moonsault for a two count. Daniels plants Divine with an STO. Daniels hits a Blue Thunder Driver for a near fall. Divine takes Daniels over with a side Russian leg sweep. Divine drops Daniels with right hands and a standing dropkick. Divine heel kicks Daniels for a two count. Divine spikes Daniels with a brainbuster for a two count. Daniels stops Divine with a jawbreaker and a slam. Daniels hits the Best Moonsault Ever for a two count. Daniels forearms Divine in the corner and hits a tornado DDT, but Divine gets up to hit a German suplex for a two count. Daniels knee strikes Divine, but Divine hits a facebuster for a near fall. Divine gets a rollup on Daniels for a near fall. Daniels takes Divine down with a dragon screw leg whip and plants Divine with the Angels Wings to win the match. (**. It’s an average wrestling match and there’s no doubt that they went with a basic formula match because Divine isn’t nearly on the level that Daniels is on. Daniels led him through the match and got Divine through the formula match. I would have died if Daniels lost this.)
Fifth Contest: Da Hit Squad (Mafia & Monsta Mack) & Rockin’ Rebel vs. Chi Chi Cruz & The SAT (Joel & Jose): All six men are going at it to start the match before the bell even rings. They are mostly brawling on the floor. Mafia dropkicks Jose and Cruz is met with a cannonball splash by Mafia in the corner. Mafia gets worked over by Joel and Cruz. Mack hits a powerslam/powerbomb combo on Cruz and Joel. Rebel dropkicks Jose followed by a powerslam. Jose gets out of the Burning Hammer, but Mack powerbombs Jose onto Joel. Cruz superkicks Mafia and Jose continues to beat on Mafia with strikes. Joel keeps Mafia on the mat with a dragon sleeper and a choke. Jose dropkicks Rebel off the apron and keeps control on Mafia. Mafia continues to be worked over in the corner. Mafia plants Cruz with the Burning Hammer but can’t make the cover. Mack leaps off the top to frog splash Cruz. Jose knocks Mack to the floor. Mafia spears the SAT. Rebel gets the hot tag and cleans house with right hands. Cruz gets clotheslined over the top to the floor. Mafia gets dumped to the floor. Jose hits a springboard moonsault to takeout Mafia. Joel gets slammed by Rebel and Rebel hits a leg drop for the win. After the match, SAT and Cruz attack Rebel. Mafia and Mack save Rebel. Rapid Fire enters the ring and helps out his buddies. (*1/4. They really should have allowed SAT to shine more and had the focus be on SAT/Hit Squad instead of Rebel. The finish was flat. I’m just glad there wasn’t any rules actually followed as it would have made this much worse.)
Sixth Contest: Amazing Red vs. Billy Bax in the semifinals:Red drop toe holds Bax and hits a tornado DDT coming off the ropes. Bax bails to the floor and Red leaps off the apron only to be driven into the ring post and apron back first. Bax keeps control in the ring, but Red refuses to stay down. Bax hits a snap suplex for a two count. Bax delivers a gut buster and a backbreaker for a two count. Bax locks in a half Boston Crab, but Red doesn’t give in. Red fights out of the corner with right hands, but Bax comes back with strikes of his own. Red boots Bax in the corner, but Bax tosses Red with an overhead belly to belly suplex into the corner. Bax hits a German suplex and holds on. Red elbows free, but Bax ducks an elbow to plant Red with a Burning Hammer for a two count. Bax plants Red with a fisherman buster for a near fall. Red fights back with right hands, but Bax tosses Red with a suplex. Bax places Red on the top turnbuckle and tries for a suplex, but Red counters with a kick to the back followed by a Code Red off the middle rope to win the match. (**. Bax looked good only because Red is so small that his suplexs looked devastating and effective. They messed up the finish a little bit, but the match was decent enough for what they were trying to accomplish.)
Seventh Contest: Rapid Fire Maldonado vs. Christopher Daniels in the semifinals: Rapid Fire attacks Daniels from behind and keeps control with a clothesline. Rapid Fire continues with an elbow drop to the groin. Daniels is sent to the floor. Rapid Fire rams Daniels face first into the apron. Rapid Fire drives Daniels back first into the apron. Rapid gets a near fall following an elbow drop in the ring. Daniels fights back with jabs and a heel kick. Daniels works over Rapif with right hand against the ropes. Daniels continues to control the match sending Rapid into the corner face first. Daniels clotheslines Rapid in the corner and continues with right hands. Daniels slams Rapid Fire and hits a moonsault for a near fall. Daniels works over Rapid Fire in the corner with chops. Rapid boots Daniels in the corner and connects with a clothesline coming out of the corner. Rapid plants Daniels with a side slam for a near fall. Rapid slams Daniels to the mat and goes to the top rope. Daniels cuts Rapid off and press slams Rapid to the mat. Daniels backdrops Rapid followed by a clothesline for a near fall. Daniels plants Rapid with an STO and misses the BME. Rapid clotheslines Daniels in the corner followed by a powerslam. Rapid superkicks Daniels and taunts the crowd. Daniels gets an inside cradle, but can’t get a three count. Daniels gets another rollup for a two count, but is soon met with a clothesline. Rapid plants Daniels with a swinging side slam for a near fall. Rapid connects with a kick to the head and Daniels does the same. Daniels with an STO and locks in his submission to force a submission. (*. A heatless match because nobody really cared who won since both men are heels. These two are on two different ends of level with Rapid Fire just not being very good. They went with the best possible finals outcome, though.)
Gino Giovanni and Rob Dimension have a confrontation with Gino claiming that Dimension is a racist and asks the fans if they want to see Dimension kick his ass. Dimension doesn’t look interested, though in the past he’s wanted to do so. Gino proceeds to insult Rob’s wife and that brings Rob back into the ring. Gino wants to fight and Rob is ready. Chris Hamrick and Jack Victory come out to attack Dimension from behind. Lou E. Dangerously tells Dimension that they run the PWF. Johnny Kashmere makes the save.
Eighth Contest: PWF Universal Heavyweight Champion Chris Hamrick vs. Johnny Kashmere: Kashmere avoids Hamrick in the corner to deliver a clotheslines as the title match starts. Kashmere takes everyone out with a springboard twisting dive to the floor. Gino gets thrown to the floor onto everyone else. Hamrick kicks Kashmere upon returning to the ring and delivers a few chops against the ropes. Kashmere gets tripped by Victory and Dangerously from the floor. They are ejected from ringside. Hamrick tries to reason with the referees outside the ring, but that’s not going to work. Kashmere attacks Hamrick from behind. They end up on the stage and Kashmere head scissors Hamrick to the floor. Kashmere sets four chairs up on the stage and backdrops Hamrick onto the chairs. Kashmere bulldogs Hamrick off the stage onto chairs on the floor. Kashmere bites Hamrick’s forehead before heading back towards ringside. Kashmere locks in a bridging chin lock, but Hamrick doesn’t give in. Kashmere plants Hamrick with a running bulldog out of the corner. Kashmere continues with right hands in the corner. Kashmere misses a spear and hits the ring post. Hamrick connects with a running boot on the apron to drop Kashmere to the floor. Hamrick decks Kashmere over the back as they head towards the stage again. Hamrick hits a delayed vertical suplex on the stage. Hamrick rams Kashmere face first onto a steel chair before returning to the ring. Hamrick puts a modified surfboard on Kashmere. Hamrick sends Kashmere into the corner and delivers a boot to the groin. Kashmere gets the fans behind hi and drops Hamrick over his knee neck first. Kashmere climbs to the top and gets crotched by Hamrick. Hamrick hooks Kashmere and hits a vertical suplex turned a stunner. Hamrick tries for a cover, but Kashmere kicks out again. Kashmere hits a spinebuster to gain the advantage. Kashmere accidentally spears the referee as Hamrick moved out of the way. Hamrick and Kashmere trade right hands in the middle of the ring. Dangerously smashes Kashmere with a chair and Victory hit a piledriver. Hamrick hits a top rope leg drop and pins Kashmere to retain the title. (**1/4. They went with a more flashy brawling nature, which I suppose goes well with the story they were going for the feud. The overbooked finish to protect Kashmere was a bit much. I think they were hoping the fans would respond to Kashmere as being a savior, but that wasn’t accomplished. Hamrick took some crazy bumps, which is to be almost expected whenever he wrestles.)
Main Event: Amazing Red vs. Christopher Daniels in the finals of the 2002 Legacy Cup: Red dropkicks Daniels on the knee and hits a standing shooting star press for a two count. Daniels stops Red with a quick DDT. Daniels big boots Red and follows up with a backdrop. Daniels yanks Red down to the mat by his hair leading to a couple of near falls. Daniels slams Red and taunts the fans. Daniels slams Red again and taunts the fans some more. Daniels locks in a sleeper hold to control Red on the mat. Red elbows free and runs into a clothesline. Daniels hooks Red and casually slams Red to the canvas. Daniels tries for a casual cover for a two count. Daniels keeps a kneeling abdominal stretch on Red, but doesn’t get a submission. Daniels knee drops Red for another two count. Daniels tries for a slam, but Red counters with a rollup. Daniels stops Red with a knee strike for a two count. Daniels beats on Red with strikes in the corner. Daniels chokes Red on the mat to keep the cheap advantage of the match. Red ducks a clothesline and hammers away on Daniels. Daniels tries for a swinging slam, and switches to a half Boston Crab. Red tries to reach the ropes, but gets pulled back to the middle.
Daniels locks in an STF. Red manages to crawl to the ropes to break the hold. Daniels continues to deliver strikes in the corner. Red boots Daniels in the corner but gets caught in midair with a slam for a two count. Daniels clubs Red over the back with a strike. Red tries for a sunset flip and manages to plant Daniels with a DDT after a counter attempt. Red dropkicks Daniels a few times for a two count. Daniels counters a hurricanrana attempt and tries for a powerbomb, but Red counters with a rollup for a two count. Red delivers a few strikes, but Daniels hits a spinning slam. Daniels slams Red to the mat a second time and tries for the BME, but Red rolls out of the way. Red hits a swinging STO off the middle rope. Red climbs to the top and misses a corkscrew splash. Daniels hits a step-up kick to drop Red to the mat. Red gets to the ropes to break free from a submission. Daniels goes to the middle rope, but Red stops him with a right hand. Daniels counters a hurricanrana, but Red counters again with a hurricanrana for a two count. Red get stopped by Daniels on the top rope and Daniels hits a middle rope STO. Daniels hooks Red for the Angel’s Wings and hits it to win the match and tournament. (***. A good match as these two shine well together and worked an enjoyable match. Red is an excellent underdog and this felt like a good moment to give Red a huge win since he’s a regular in the area while Daniels isn’t there very often. I was hoping for more, but it was a fun finals.)
Final Thoughts:
An underwhelming tournament with only a couple of decent matches throughout it. The Hamrick/Kashmere match was a bit of a disappointment, but they probably did the best they could. The runtime is less than two hours, which is fabulous. So, if you like small independent wrestling shows with some known talent and see how they developed over the years, this could be fun. However, I can’t give the show a recommendation to view.
Thanks for reading.