Squared Circle Wrestling presents Bigger Than Wrestling
Date: 5/18/2014
From: Rome, NY
Opening Contest: Colin Delaney vs. Sean Carr: Delaney starts off with a wrist lock, but Carr quickly counters. They trade wrist locks for a few moments to kickoff the match. Delaney cartwheels free and keeps a wrist lock on Carr. Carr tries to roll through, but Delaney keeps the hold on. Carr breaks free with a wrist lock, but Delaney takes Carr down to the mat and they have a standoff. Delaney controls Carr with a waist lock, but Delaney counters with a headlock on the mat for a moment and they have another standoff. Carr gains control with a headlock, but Delaney counters and they have another standoff. Carr takes Delaney down, but Delaney quickly gets a head scissors on Carr. Carr pops free and shoulder blocks Delaney. Delaney nails Carr with a kick to the head for a two count. Delaney elbows Carr several times in the corner. Delaney dropkicks Carr in the corner leading to a near fall. They begin to trade chops around the ring. Delaney delivers a side Russian leg sweep and goes for a submission, but Carr refuses to give in. Delaney forearms Carr in the corner. Delaney is dumped to the apron and is kicked off by Carr. Carr signals for a dive, but is met with a forearm on the apron. Delaney runs into a pump kick, but Carr only gets a near fall on the cover attempt. Carr kicks Delaney over the back and to the chest. Carr hits a standing senton and moonsault for a two count.
Delaney goes to the corner to regroup as Carr delivers a running knee strike in the corner. Delaney nails Carr with an elbow in the corner. They trade a few rollup attempts, but neither man manages a three count. Carr misses a clothesline and Delaney gets a two count with a backslide. They collide on stereo clothesline attempts in the middle of the ring. They begin to trade blows from their knees and they stagger to their feet. Delaney forearms Carr and delivers a rolling fireman’s carry followed by a moonsault for a two count. Carr is met with a boot to the midsection. Delaney forearms Carr and hits an elevated Codebreaker for a two count. Delaney takes Team CK out with a suicide dive after Carr is tripped by Kage. Carr nails Delaney with a superkick for a two count. Carr heads to the top rope, but Cook shoves Carr off. Delaney elbows Carr in the corner and hits a DDT out of the corner for the win. (***. A solid match to start the show. They used a lot of the usual tropes of battling from their knees and exchanging blows too many times especially for the first match of the card. Regardless, the crowd reacted well and the action was at a suitable rate for the opener.)
Guy Sunshine is better known as Mike Skyros and not playing the flamboyant character of Guy Sunshine. Jasper is better known as Jacoby Riddick.
Second Contest: Guy Sunshine vs. Jasper Whipple: Sunshine controls Whipple with a wrist lock at the start of the match bringing Whipple down to the mat. Whipple kips up to break free and strikes Sunshine. Whipple is proud and hugs the referee. Sunshine runs the ropes to shoulder block Whipple for a two count. Sunshine tries for a cover, but Whipple kicks out on the cover attempt. Whipple holds Sunshine’s leg to prevent Sunshine from continuing his offense. Sunshine taunts the crowd after shoulder blocking Whipple. Sunshine elbow drops Whipple for a near fall. Sunshine hooks Whipple and delivers a vertical suplex. Sunshine goes for the cover, but Whipple kicks out at two. Sunshine pulls back on Whipple’s arms, but doesn’t get a submission. Whipple boots Sunshine in the corner and knocks Sunshine to the mat followed by a headbutt to the groin. Whipple covers and pins Sunshine for the win. (NR. it’s just a comedy kind of match by two workers with bad gimmicks and not being able to show their true skill.)
Third Contest: Joe Gacy vs. Jay Freddie: Gacy breaks free from a wrist lock and drops Freddie to the mat. Freddie controls Gacy with a front face lock on the mat. Freddie gets out of a wrist lock with a hurricanrana sending Gacy to the floor to regroup. Gacy backs Freddie into a corner and delivers a right hand. Gacy puts a headlock on Freddie, but Freddie keeps Gacy on the mat with a headlock. Gacy backs Freddie into a corner, but Freddie slaps Gacy across the face. Gacy shoulder blocks Freddie, but Freddie responds with a chop. They trade chops several times. Gacy shoulder blocks Freddie to the mat. Gacy hooks Freddie for a suplex. Freddie blocks the suplex and tries to take Gacy over, but Gacy delivers a strike to the midsection. Gacy misses a strike and Freddie hits a hurricanrana, arm drag and a dropkick to send Gacy to the floor. Gacy blocks a baseball slide attempt and kicks Freddie to the floor. Gacy nails Freddie with a right hand strike. Gacy continues to work over Freddie with a strike on the floor, but Freddie fights back and they trade strikes on the floor. Gacy drops Freddie onto the apron with a back suplex. Gacy tries for a suicide dive, but Freddie delivers a boot. Freddie leaps off the top, but is met with a strike in midair for a near fall. Gacy controls Freddie on the mat by squeezing Freddie’s head, but doesn’t get a submission.
Freddie breaks free with a jawbreaker, but Gacy delivers a forearm strike. Gacy knee drops Freddie and delivers a scoop slam. Gacy forearm drops Freddie for a near fall. They trade strikes until Freddie gets a two count on a rollup. Freddie almost wins with a crucifix pin. Freddie drives Gacy down with a back suplex. Gacy plants Freddie with a full nelson slam for a two count. Gacy stomps Freddie on the mat several times. They trade more strikes in the middle of the ring. Freddie backdrops Gacy over the top to the floor. Freddie takes Gacy out with a suicide dive on the floor. Freddie rolls Gacy into the ring and goes to the top rope. Freddie nails Gacy with a missile dropkick for a near fall. Gacy elbows Freddie a few times, but Freddie plants Gacy with a tornado DDT for a two count. Gacy uppercuts Freddie in the corner followed by a running forearm strike for a near fall. Gacy misses a springboard moonsault. Freddie nails Gacy with a running yakuza kick for a near fall. Freddie hits a German suplex on Gacy a couple of times. Freddie nails Gacy with a discus clothesline for a near fall. Gacy nails Freddie with a lariat out of the corner. Gacy covers Freddie for a two count. Gacy heads to the top rope and signals for the end. Gacy is stopped by a kick from Freddie. Freddie tries for a suplex, but settles for a backdrop to the mat. Freddie leaps off the top to hit a diving headbutt for the win. (***. I enjoyed the action and it exceeded my expectations. Freddie is one of the more underrated indie guys going and Gacy is finding his groove on the indies at this point.)
Bin Hamin comes out to confront Scott Dixon, who is a radio DJ promoting the next 2CW show involving Sabu. Hamin cuts a promo I can’t understand due to the microphone quality.
Fourth Contest: Dick Justice, Guero Loco & Steve McKenzie vs. Bin Hamin, EMT & Pete D. Order: As per usual with 2CW matches involving this guys it’s going to get a long story short treatment. Justice leg drops EMT to win the match.
Fifth Contest: 2CW Heavyweight Champion Nick Ando vs. Jason Axe: Axe gets control with a hammerlock to kickoff the match. Ando counters with a headlock and takes Axe down to the mat. Axe controls Ando with a head scissors on the mat. Ando breaks free and twists Axe’s left ankle. Ando takes Axe down to the mat, but Axe reaches the ropes to break the hold. Ando arm drags Axe a few times to keep control followed by a backdrop. Ando waits in the corner and dropkicks Axe in the corner. Ando tries for a cover, but Axe kicks out at two. Ando chops Axe into a corner, but misses a running splash. Axe tries for a back suplex, but Ando breaks free and tries for a suplex from the apron into the ring. Axe blocks the suplex attempt. Ando manages to slide to the floor and powerbombs Axe into the guard railing! Ando takes Axe out with a suicide dive. Axe tries for a slingshot into the ring, but Ando knocks Axe to the floor. Ando continues to work over Axe with chops against the railing. Axe drops Ando throat first over the top rope. Axe chokes Ando on the mat and delivers a few stomps to keep control of the bout. Axe shoulder rams Ando in the corner a few times.
Axe baseball slide dropkicks Ando in the corner and gets a two count. Axe elbow strikes Ando a few times to keep control on the mat. Ando gets to his feet and rams Axe into the corner. Ando is yanked off the middle rope by Axe for a two count. Axe splashes down onto Ando’s back and chokes Ando over the bottom rope. Axe hits a back suplex on Ando for a two count. Axe drives Ando with another back suplex for a near fall. Axe crotches Ando on the top turnbuckle and tries for a back suplex, but Ando lands on top. Ando clotheslines Axe followd by a forearm strike and a dropkick. Ando drops Axe over his knee for a gut buster and gets a two count. Ando atomic drops Axe followed by a kick to the head. Ando heads to the top rope and tries for a diving headbutt, but Axe gets his feet up to block it. Ando head scissors Axe from the apron into the ring followed by a big boot for a near fall. Ando misses a somersault splash from the apron into the ring. Axe drops Ando on his head with a modified Un-Prettier over the middle rope, but Ando kicks out at two. Axe plants Ando with a spinebuster for a two count. Axe grabs the championship and the referee takes it away. Axe grabs a second championship and decks Ando with it to earn the win and become the new champion.
Turns out, that’s not the case and the match is restarted. Axe hits a sit out fisherman slam for a two count. Axe tries for another one, but Ando counters with an inside cradle for a two count. Axe stops Ando and puts Ando on the top turnbuckle. Axe hooks Ando for a suplex, but Ando knocks Axe off and hits a missile dropkick. Ando spears Axe and wins the match. (**1/2. The crowd seemed to really want Axe to win the title, so I’m not sure if a dusty finish here achieved what they wanted to do. Ando’s powerbomb to the floor was a great spot and seemingly woke up the crowd. It’s a solid title match.)
Sean Carr is the special referee for the next tag team match. Carr ends up leaving before the match started so I guess he’s not the special referee.
Sixth Contest: Kevin Graham & Punisher Van Slyke vs. Team CK (Rob Cook & Kage): Cook and Graham start the match with Cook slapping Graham. Graham responds with three scoop slams and an elbow drop for a two count. Van Slyke enters the match and works over Cook in the corner. Van Slyke tosses Cook across the ring a couple of times. Van Slyke hits a double under hook and drives Cook down to the mat for a near fall as Kage breaks the cover. Graham axe handles Cook and hits a running splash in the corner. Graham nails Cook with a forearm smash for a two count. Van Slyke enters the match and heabutts Cook. Kage tags into the match and Van Slyke hammers away on Kage. Kage hits a middle rope clothesline on Van Slyke. Kage works over Van Slyke with a few strikes. Kage continues with a swinging neckbreaker and tags in Cook. Van Slyke press slams Cook and switches to a powerslam. Graham enters the match and nails Kage off the apron. Cook tags in Kage to control over Graham in the corner. Kage elbows Graham coming off the ropes for a two count. Kage continues to work over Graham with strikes over the apron. Kage chokes Graham over the ropes and Cook cheap shots Graham from the apron. Kage shoulder rams Graham in the corner. Cook splashes Graham in the corner, but Graham sends Cook into the corner and hits a flatliner.
Kage and Van Slyke get tagged in with Van Slyke hammering away on Kage. Kage misses a splash in the corner and Van Slyke hits a bicycle kick, but Cook breaks the cover. Cook bails to the floor and Kage dumps Van Slyke over the top to the floor. Graham fights both guys off until Cook hits a Codebreaker. Kane plants Graham with a chokeslam, but Sean Carr comes out and flips off Kage on the cover. Van Slyke has Cook over his shoulder and hits a Rikishi Driver for the win. (*1/2.. I’m just glad it’s over. Graham and Van Slyke are a good team. Their opponents not so much. Plus the angle of a special referee coming out and screwing over the team is no surprise.)
Seventh Contest: Chris Hero vs. Dalton Castle: They shake hands causing Castle to fall to the floor. Hero pulls Castle into the ring and keeps ahold of Castle’s foot. Hero backs Castle into a corner, but backs off. Hero stalls for a bit by going into the crowd and chanting at Castle. Hero controls Castle with a headlock on the mat. Hero keeps a wrist lock on Castle around ringside. Castle somersaults free and puts a wrist lock on Hero. Hero breaks the count and returns to the floor while keeping hold of Castle. Castle counters with a top wrist lock on the floor. Hero gains control with a headlock on the floor. In the ring, Hero maintains control with a headlock on the mat. Hero wrenches on Castle’s head, but Castle rolls over for a two count. Hero keeps a front face lock on Castle, but switches to a head vice. Castle shoulder blocks Hero and runs the ropes hitting a dropkick. Castle keeps a chin lock on Hero, but that doesn’t last. Hero keeps a headlock on Castle and delivers a big boot and senton on the mat for a two count. Hero drops Castle with a knee strike to the head. Hero rams Castle into his boot on the top turnbuckle. Hero chops Castle to the floor. Castle bails into the crowd to get away from Hero. Castle returns to the ring, but Hero isn’t there. Hero slides into the ring from the crowd and drops Castle with a chop. Hero chops Castle several times followed by jabs. Castle knee lifts Hero and rams Hero into the corner followed by a back suplex. Castle stomps on Hero followed by a scoop slam. Castle splashes Hero a couple of times followed by a stomp.
Castle forearms Hero on the mat several times and chokes Hero over the bottom rope. Castle dumps Hero to the floor. Hero shoulder rams Castle and tries for a sunset flip, but Castle delivers a splash. Castle splashes Hero several times for a near fall. Castle keeps a body scissors on Hero, but doesn’t get a submission. Castle kicks Hero away and delivers a flapjack for a two count. Castle delivers a few strikes to Hero’s back. Castle dumps Hero to the floor and delivers a forearm strike. Castle chokes Hero on the apron. Castle kicks Hero on the apron and connects with a headbutt. Hero dumps Castle on the apron and delivers a kick. Hero hooks Castle for a suplex on the apron, but Castle breaks free and kicks Hero on the knee causing Hero to crash to the floor. Castle drops Hero chest first over the railing. Hero slides into the ring and is worked over by Castle. Castle clubs Hero over the back and delivers a kick to the chest. Castle tries to send Hero into the ropes, but Hero hangs onto the ropes. Hero somersaults to the apron and boots Castle. Castle ducks a forearm strike and Hero delivers a boot strike. Hero jabs Castle several times followed by chops. Hero plays to the crowd and hits a splash in the corner. Hero drops Castle with a discus elbow for a two count. Castle falls to the floor to escape Hero’s offense.
Hero follows to the floor and continues to deliver strikes and a boot against the railing. Hero forearms Castle on the floor and returns to the ring. They begin trade strikes in the middle of the ring. Hero pump kicks Castle, but Castle hits a spinning sit out slam for a near fall. Hero elbows Castle several times to avoid a suplex. Castle knee lifts Hero and connects with a slam for a near fall. Hero knee strikes Castle followed by a discus boot to the face and nearly wins the match. Hero stomps on Castle and goes to the top rope missing a moonsault. Castle hits a German suplex for a near fall. Castle delivers a running knee in the corner, but Hero comes back with a couple of discus elbow strikes. Hero covers and wins the match. (***1/4. I probably would have liked this one a little more if there wasn’t the extended stalling in the opening moments of the match. Castle displayed some impressive moves considering Hero being a bigger opponent. Hero’s hard hitting offense fits him a lot better than the offense he used earlier in his career.)
Main Event: IWGP World Champion AJ Styles vs. Cheech: They lockup and Cheech retreats to the corner for a quick break. Styles controls Cheech with a wrist lock in the opening moments of the contest. Cheech counters with a hammerlock, but is taken down to the mat by Styles. Cheech uses the ropes to break a hold, again. Styles arm drags Cheech sending Cheech to the floor to regroup. Cheech returns to the match and keeps a headlock on Styles. Styles counters with a head scissors on the mat, but Cheech breaks free with a headlock. Styles gets a two count on a cover attempt. Styles keeps control of Cheech’s arm on the mat. Cheech arm drags Styles, but Styles responds with an arm drag. Cheech controls Styles on the mat with a leg lock, but Styles breaks free with an inside cradle for a two count and Cheech bails to the floor, again. Cheech knee lifts and elbow strikes Styles. Styles floats over Cheech and gets a two count with a rollup. Cheech arm drags Styles a few times, but Styles nails Cheech with a standing spin kick. Styles continues with a backbreaker and rams Cheech into the corner. Styles splashes Cheech in the corner and puts an Indian death lock on Cheech. Styles falls backwards a few times, but Cheech doesn’t give in.
Cheech shoulder rams Styles in the corner followed by chops. Cheech holds the ropes to avoid a dropkick. Cheech runs into a boot in the corner and Styles hits a kip hurricanrana to send Cheech to the floor. Styles baseball slides Cheech on the floor. Styles dumps Cheech over the railing into the crowd. Styles rolls Cheech into the ring, but Cheech kicks the ropes to low blow Styles. Cheech holds Styles over the middle rope and delivers a DDT for a near fall. Cheech catapults Styles chest first into the corner and gets a two count. Cheech axe handles Styles and continues with a snap suplex for a two count. Cheech drives Styles to the mat for a near fall after a back suplex. Cheech twists Styles neck, but Styles doesn’t give in. Cheech hits a back suplex and goes to the apron. Cheech hits a slingshot senton splash for a two count. Cheech stomps on Styles and Styles falls to the floor. Cheech drops Styles over the railing chest first and taunts the crowd. Cheech rolls Styles into the ring and gets a two count. Cheech shoulder rams Styles in the corner a few times. Cheech takes Styles over with a fisherman suplex for a near fall. Cheech eye rakes Styles and keeps control with a submission. Cheech falls backwards for a pin, but Styles kicks out at two.
Styles tries to fight back and hits a jawbreaker. Styles ducks a clothesline to hit a Pele kick. Styles misses a splash in the corner and Cheech hits a back suplex. Cheech wrenches on Styles neck, but doesn’t get a submission. Styles tries to elbow free, but Cheech keeps control by ramming Styles into the corner several times. Styles elbows Cheech in the corner and tries for a springboard reverse DDT and plants Cheech to the mat. Styles clotheslines Cheech a few times, but gets dumped to the apron. Styles hits a springboard forearm smash and kips up. Styles hits a neckbreaker out of a suplex attempt for a near fall. Styles tries for the Styles Clash, but Cheech counters for a two count. Cheech knocks Styles to the floor. Styles chops Cheech on the floor, but Cheech sends Styles into the railing. Cheech runs off the apron to nail Styles with a double knee strike.
Styles returns to the ring, but Cheech leaps off the top to knee drop Styles for a near fall. Cheech drives Styles down with a brainbuster for a near fall. Styles forearms Cheech a few times and a clothesline. Cheech nails Styles with a knee to the head for a near fall. Styles stops Cheech on the top rope. Styles hooks Cheech for a suplex off the top, but Cheech rams Styles face first onto the turnbuckle. Styles counters a powerbomb and spikes Cheech with a piledriver. Styles switches to the Styles Clash and wins the match. (***1/2. A good main event and Styles was in the mood to work and give quite a bit to Cheech. If there was a ever a doubt about Cheech in a singles role this match should eliminate that doubt. I was surprised that Cheech was booked in this match, but it ended up being a worthwhile match to have.)
Final Thoughts:
There’s enough quality wrestling on the show to give this show an easy recommendation.
Thanks for reading.