Upstate Pro Wrestling presents Upstate 8 2008
Date: 9/27/2008
From: Henrietta, NY
Opening Contest: Colin Delaney vs. Lionel Knight in a first round match: Knight works over Delaney in the corner before the bell with stomps. Delaney shoulder blocks Knight and hits a running head scissors. Knight head scissors Delaney and arm drags Delaney into the corner. Delaney sends Knight to the floor with a hurricanrana. Delaney head scissors Knight on the floor. Knight dropkicks Delaney off the apron to the floor. Knight clotheslines Delaney into the ring from the apron and hits a slingshot leg drop for a two count. Delaney chops Knight a few times, but is met with a knee lift. Knight drives Delaney down with a backbreaker for a two count. Knight nails Delaney with a running dropkick in the corner and they both go to the floor. Delaney connects with a swinging neckbreaker. Delaney follows up with a side Russian leg sweep. Knight tries for a powerbomb, but Delaney counters with a swinging neckbreaker. Delaney hammers away on Knight and is met with a knee lift. Delaney heel kicks Knight and drops Knight to the mat with a flapjack for a two count. Knight tosses Delaney with a full nelson suplex for a near fall. Knight plants Delaney with a powerbomb and a fisherman buster for a two count. Knight has Delaney on the top rope, but Delaney fights off with strikes and shoves Knight to the mat. Delaney spikes Knight with a DDT and wins the match. (***. I am not familiar with Knight at all, but I thought this was a good match and Knight was impressive. This is Delaney’s return to the Indies after his brief WWE/ECW run, so he was clearly motivated to put on a good match. They certainly delivered a good start to the tournament.)
Second Contest: Jimmy Olsen vs. Orange Cassidy in a first round match: Olsen gets a hammerlock on Cassidy, but Cassidy quickly reaches the ropes to break the hold. Olsen keeps a wrist lock on Cassidy until Cassidy gets to the ropes. Olsen hip tosses Cassidy a few times. Olsen connects with a standing hurricanrana and decks Cassidy to the floor. Cassidy chops Olsen after kissing his feet and spits orange juice into his face. Olsen blocks a chop to deliver a few of his own, but Cassidy eye rakes Olsen. Cassidy scoop slams Olsen followed by a leg drop. Cassidy chokes Olsen on the mat. Cassidy continues with a forearm, but Olsen tries for a sunset flip and almost wins the match. Cassidy stops Olsen with a dropkick. Cassidy sends Olsen into the corner and runs into a back elbow. Olsen is stopped on the top rope and Cassidy delivers a few strikes. Cassidy goes for a superplex, but Olsen tosses Cassidy to the mat and hits a missile dropkick. Olsen drops Cassidy with a right hand and clothesline. Olsen backdrops Cassidy coming off the ropes. Olsen misses a crossbody hitting the middle turnbuckle and Cassidy plants Olsen with an elevated DDT for a near fall! Olsen takes Cassidy to the mat and delivers a kick and a German suplex for the clean win. (**1/2. Another solid match in the tournament thus far. Cassidy isn’t the same character that he is now, but he showed a good work rate. Olsen is a lot of fun whether he’s a heel or face.)
Third Contest: Gabe Saint, Dicky Harter & Kyle McCloud vs. Super Assassin, Sweet Lou & Triple X: I believe I’m only slightly aware of Gabe Saint and considering these guys are all local guys, this will get a quick review treatment. Lou won the match for his team following a piledriver on Saint.
Fourth Contest: Sonjay Dutt vs. Slyck Wagner Brown in a first round match: Brown kicks the middle rope to low blow Dutt and keeps control with stomps on the mat. Brown chops Dutt in the corner, but runs into a big boot. Dutt connects with a hurricanrana and distracted by Hellcat at ringside. Brown almost hits Hellcat on accident. Dutt hip tosses Brown and does the same to Hellcat. Dutt takes both Brown and Hellcat out with a dive to the floor. Brown misses an elbow drop and Dutt goes to the top rope, but is dropkicked in midair. Brown stomps on Dutt to keep control of the contest. Brown chops Dutt on the floor, but Dutt responds with strikes of his own. Dutt sends Brown into a few chairs in the crowd. Dutt jabs the chair into Brown’s throat, but misses a leg drop into the ring. Brown hits a butterfly suplex causing Dutt to bail to the floor. Brown rams Dutt face first onto the ring steps and grabs the camera to film Dutt saying he doesn’t look so good. Brown messes up the camera and stomps on Dutt before returning to the ring and delivering a dropkick for a two count. Brown puts a chin lock on Dutt in the middle of the ring. Dutt doesn’t fade completely and elbows Brown a few times. Brown headlocks Dutt and is elbowed away by Dutt. Dutt forearms Brown to the mat and connects with a head scissors. Dutt nearly wins following a springboard splash.
Dutt tries for a slice bread, but Brown counters with a kick and attempts the Appreciation Bomb, but Dutt counters with a cutter. Dutt locks in a camel clutch in the middle of the ring. Dutt tries for a hurricanrana and takes Brown over eventually. Brown avoids a kick and rolls Dutt up with his feet on the ropes to win the match. (*1/2. I was really looking forward to this match, but it was a disappointment. Dutt didn’t really get a lot shine with his high flying moves and for some reason they just didn’t seem to click very well. I was hoping for a MOTN caliber match, but it just didn’t happen.)
Fifth Contest: Ricky Reyes vs. John McChesney in a first round match: They brawl on the floor to start the match with McChesney getting the advantage. McChesney rolls Reyes into the ring and Reyes gets control by stomping McChesney several times. Reyes elbow strikes McChesney a few times. Reyes continues to work over McChesney with strikes against the ropes. McChesney elbows Reyes to the mat for a two count. McChesney scoop slams Reyes for a one count. McChesney chops Reyes against the ropes again. McChesney connects with a dropkick and rams Reyes into the corner. McChesney delivers ten punches in the corner to drop Reyes to the mat. Reyes sends McChesney into the corner and is dumped over the apron. McChesney kicks Reyes off the apron to the floor. McChesney hits a suicide dive to the floor and both men are down. McChesney takes Reyes over with a northern lights suplex for a two count. McChesney chops Reyes in the corner a few times to keep the advantage. Reyes stops McChesney with an eye rake and sends McChesney to the floor. Reyes rams McChesney into the post back first. Reyes rams McChesney face first onto the apron. Reyes kicks McChesney on the floor and taunts the fans. Reyes has a double under hook hitting a butterfly suplex followed by an elbow drop. Reyes gets a sleeper on McChesney.
McChesney elbows free and hits a head scissors. Reyes goes back to the sleeper, but McChesney breaks free and almost wins with a rollup. Reyes nails McChesney with a spinning heel kick for a two count. Reyes kicks McChesney several times in the corner. Reyes connects with a leaping forearm in the corner for a two count. Reyes boot scrapes McChesney on the mat and chokes McChesney with his knee. Reyes stops McChesney with a knee lift to the midsection and goes back to a sleeper hold. McChesney shoulder blocks Reyes and almost wins with a rollup. Reyes breaks out and locks in a sleeper with a body scissors. McChesney elbows free and is met with an elbow from Reyes. Reyes spikes McChesney with a brainbuster for a two count after lifting McChesney up. Reyes heads to the middle rope and misses an elbow. McChesney nails Reyes with a superkick for a two count. Reyes knee lifts McChesney, but is stopped by a jawbreaker. McChesney puts Reyes on the top turnbuckle and hits a hurricanrana. McChesney goes to the middle rope hitting a blockbuster for a near fall. McChesney has Reyes on his shoulders, but Reyes counters with a back suplex.
Reyes headbutts McChesney followed by a boot to the midsection and swinging neckbreaker for a two count. Reyes taunts the crowd and hooks McChesney for a suplex. McChesney counters with an inside cradle for a two count. McChesney almost wins with a crucifix pin attempt. McChesney goes for a tombstone, but Reyes counters. McChesney reverses, but Reyes reverses and spikes McChesney with a tombstone for a two count. Reyes plants McChesney with a powerbomb for a two count. Reyes shoves the referee away after punching McChesney. McChesney also shoves the referee away and they both collide with the referee. They roll around the ring trading strikes until the locker room empties to break them apart and it looks like the match has been thrown out. As a result, both men are eliminated. (***. When Reyes was in control with the sleeper, it was dragging on a little bit and took me out of the match. Once they got past that part, the match was good and the intensity was done very well. They worked well together and it held my interest. I’d like to see more of their matches.)
Sixth Contest: Jimmy Olsen vs. Colin Delaney in a semifinal match: Olsen wants to shake hands, but Delaney isn’t interested in that. They instead hug. Olsen backs Delaney into a corner and gets waist control until Delaney counters with arm control. Delaney arm drags Olsen and dropkicks Olsen to the floor. Delaney avoids a baseball slide and Olsen hits a suicide dive to the floor. Delaney and Olsen trade chops with Olsen getting the advantage on the floor. Olsen tosses Delaney with a suplex in the ring and they trade slaps and chops on their knees. Delaney backdrops Olsen out of the corner for a two count. Delaney leg drops Olsen for a two count. Delaney hits a slingshot suplex for a two count. Delaney chops Olsen in the corner followed by an elbow strike. Delaney overhand chops Olsen a few times. Olsen superkicsk Delaney for a near fall. Delaney almost wins with a rollup, but Olsen delivers a strike. Delaney tosses Olsen with an exploder suplex for a two count. Delaney heads to the top rope missing a senton. Olsen tries for a German suplex, but settles for a kick and a German suplex for a two count. Delaney blocks being sent into the corner and spikes Olsen on a DDT when Olsen tried for a slingshot into the ring. Olsen manages to counter a fisherman suplex with an inside cradle to win the match. (**1/2. I’m not surprised by the lack of time since one of these guys would be wrestling three times. I think the match was supposed to end with the German suplex because that felt like a makeshift finish. Olsen winning makes the most sense as I’m interested in a SWB/Olsen match in the finals.)
Seventh Contest: Rochester Rumble: I believe this is mostly local guys and considering there is no commentary for the match, I have no way of knowing who they are unless I’ve seen them before. Hellcat ends up winning the rumble after being on the floor for most of the match. He will challenge the NWA Upstate Heavyweight Champion Danny Doring… next.
Eighth Contest: NWA Upstate Heavyweight Champion Danny Doring vs. Hellcat: Hellcat chops Doring in the corner to start the match. Doring fires back with strikes causing Hellcat to bail to the floor. Hellcat decks Doring from behind to gain the cheap advantage. Hellcat works over Doring in the corner with strikes. Hellcat runs into a boot and Doring connects with a clothesline. Hellcat bails to the floor again. Doring follows and is punched in the ribs and rammed into the apron back first. Hellcat rams Doring face first onto the apron. Doring has grabbed the championship and hits Hellcat in the midsection on the floor. Doring back rakes Hellcat followed by more strikes on the floor. Doring pulls Hellcat up into the corner to ram Hellcat face first into the buckles. Doring runs into a boot and Hellcat gets only a one count. Hellcat kicks Doring on the back and manages a two count. Hellcat headbutts Doring to the mat and delivers a kick and an elbow drop for a two count. Hellcat wedges his knee into Doring’s back and pulls back his arms looking for a submission, but Doring doesn’t give in.
Doring elbows Hellcat to break free of the hold, but Doring nails Hellcat with a standing dropkick. Doring forearms Hellcat and delivers a clothesline. Doring superkicks Hellcat before heading to the top rope. Doring misses a leg drop as Hellcat rolled out of the way. Doring avoids a DDT and hits a flatliner. Doring has a Koji Clutch locked in and forces Hellcat to submit. (*1/2. It wasn’t a good title defense and I’m thinking that has to do with Hellcat. Doring, who is usually a heel, managed to get the crowd behind him. Hellcat was just boring throughout the match and did a lot of crowd work to get his heat, which is fine. But, it overwhelmed the match quality.)
Main Event: Jimmy Olsen vs. Slyck Wagner Brown in the finals: Brown attacks Olsen during hsi entrance and they brawl into the crowd with Brown hitting Olsen over the back with a weapon. Brown sends Olsen face first into a garage door. Brown catapults Olsen into the garage door again. Olsen sends Brown into the ring truck and they continue to brawl in the crowd. Olsen chops Brown around ringside and clubs Brown over the back. Olsen misses a chop and hits the ring post. Brown whacks Olsen over the head with a steel chair. Brown chops Olsen several times around ringside. Olsen fights back on Brown with strikes. Olsen lifts the mats up at ringside and tries for a piledriver, but Brown counters with a backdrop. Brown missile dropkicks Olsen as the match officially begins. Brown taunts the fans about getting more money to be here more often. Brown stomps away on Olsen in the corner. Olsen fights back with a few strikes, but Brown drops Olsen with a leg lariat and does some pushups. Brown sets a chair up on the floor, but Olsen strikes Brown in the midsection. Olsen moonsaults Brown from off the apron to get some momentum in his favor.
Brown sends Olsen into the guard railing chest first. Olsen baseball slides Brown and delivers a forearm strike followed by chops and they go into the crowd again. Olsen chops Brown out of a chair in the crowd. Olsen sends Brown into a vending machine. Olsen spits a drink on Brown. Brown is asking for a timeout, but Olsen refuses and continues to beat on Brown in the corner. Olsen misses a splash in the corner and is in a tree of woe over the middle rope. Brown nails Olsen with a dropkick for a two count. Olsen continues to hammer away on Brown followed by a boot to the gut. Olsen elbows Brown in the corner and Brown tries for a suplex. Olsen comes off the ropes to hit a tilt a whirl reverse DDT for a two count. Brown kicks Olsen and hits a butterfly suplex turned into a neckbreaker for a two count. Brown heads to the top rope, but is stopped by Olsen. Olsen hits a hurricanrana off the top followed by a dropkick. Olsen connects with a crossbody in the corner and a missile dropkick for a two count. Olsen works over Brown with a few strikes. Olsen kicks Brown, but Brown hits a half nelson suplex for a near fall.
JD Love has come down to ringside with a steel chair and tries to get involved. The referee is distracted as Brown tries for the Appreciation Bomb. Sonjay Dutt comes in and kicks Brown. Olsen nails Brown with a superkick and wins the match and tournament. (***1/4. It’s an enjoyable brawl and they had a good match in the ring, too. These guys just click well together and had some really good matches in 2CW, as well. I didn’t like Sonjay getting involved. It feels like 2CW manages to stay strong no matter what and Upstate struggles with momentum even when they win matches. Anyway, a good final to the tournament with some good heat.)
JD Love tries to cut a promo, but the fans are tossing garbage into the ring. Love cuts a promo about an October show for Syracuse. By the sounds of it Love isn’t really able to say what is going on.
Final Thoughts:
I enjoyed the show and think the tournament was done fairly well. They mostly delivered in every match of the tournament aside from a disappointing Brown/Dutt singles match. This is less than 2 1/2 hours and was a fun watch. I’ll give it a thumbs up.
Thanks for reading.