KOSS is back, Fightful! And this time is a doozy of a show, Time is a Flat Circle. Not only does this have a stacked card, like IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay battling one of his biggest Australian nemeses, Adam Brooks, Jeff Cobb vs. Jonah Rock, and Keith Lee getting his shot at the PWG World Title, and big debuts, like Zachary Wentz, Bandido, and three SoCal Wrestlers, but this is also the first show not in Reseda in years, with this show taking place at the Globe Theatre in Los Angeles. With BOLA and Threemendous V already confirmed to take place here, it looks like The Globe will be PWG’s new home. With all the news and hype coming from this show, I am very excited to get into this one!
Match #1: Joey Janela vs. Rey Horus
It’s always nice to see these two. Janela has a lot of personality, and that translates rather well to his matches. And Horus is one of my absolute favorites PWG brings in, and is so underrated that it’s almost criminal. First thing first, is that the new arena looks FANTASTIC. They even have a big screen with the PWG Gorilla Logo on it! The crowd is hyped for this match to start! Excalibur says that this is the first PWG show outside Reseda in over 10 years. Crazy. The two are trading chops to start off. Horus is getting Janela with some Lucha style rollups. Janela begins working Horus over with strikes, but Horus hits a Calf Kick. Horus hits a crazy corkscrew arm drag, and goes for a Suicide Dive, but Janela launches a chair right at Horus!! Janela is working the arm, and now they’re trading chops in the corner. Horus launches Janela into the corner, hits some strikes, and a single leg dropkick. Janela with a Tope Suicida! Horus makes Janela chase him around the outside, and Horus hits a second rope Leg Drop Bulldog! They trade seated dropkicks. Horus goes for a standing Hurricanrana, but Janela counters it, but Horus counters that into a Sunset Flip Bomb, which Janela counters into a superkick! Janela hits his running corner Death Valley Bomb! Horus kicks out! Horus sweeps Janela out on the apron, and hits a Tope Con Hilo over the ringpost into the crowd!!! I’ll never get tired of those. Janela launches Horus into the ringpost, and Janela hits a top rope foot stomp! Horus gets Janela on the top rope, and hits an Avalanche Victory Roll Bomb!! Horus goes up top and goes for a stomp, but Janela gets out of the way! Janela hits a HUGE Superkick and a Package Piledriver! That puts Horus away!
Winner: Joey Janela
What a fun way to start the show! You could tell that these two were working really hard, and it paid off. This match blew right by, and felt like it went 5 minutes. No complaints here.
My rating: ***¼
Match #2: Jake Atlas vs. Eli Everfly vs. Douglas James vs. Brody King
This is a four way between four SoCal wrestlers. Everfly is known for wild, high flying, risky offense, and is someone that SoCal regulars have wanted to see in PWG for a while. Jake Atlas is known as being an openly gay professional wrestler, and he’s impressed on the SoCal indie scene. I’ve never heard of Douglas James, and the people that I asked about James had little to say. And King made his debut last show, as a replacement for Matt Sydal in a fun match against Chris Brooks. I’ve heard conflicting reports on this match, as some say it was a fun PWG Spotfest, and others said it was a dangerous, awful car wreck. I’m interested to see what I think. The crowd is LOVING Brody King. Everfly’s weight is announced as 125 lbs, and I can buy it, because he legit looks like an 11 year old. He is barely taller than the top turnbuckle. Douglas James looks like a generic dude. Nothing more to say. Here we go! Eli spits in King’s face, and King murders him with a Big Boot! James and Atlas are working together to bring down the much bigger man in King. Atlas and James do some counters, and Atlas hits a huge slap, and then James hits a big dropkick. Atlas hits a very impressive springboard arm drag. Atlas goes for a Tope Suicida, but James counters with a European Uppercut. On commentary, Excalibur and Rick Knox mention that all four of these wrestlers, plus the referee, all attended the Santino Bros. school in SoCal. James hits a Tope Con Hilo onto Atlas and King! Everfly is back in, and his dodging all of James’ offense! James and Eli are trading strikes. James hits a multitude of chops. Eli hits a crazy springboard Hurricanrana! Brody King is back in! The size difference between these two is INSANE. King is cleaning house on the three once again. King is chopping all three in the same corner! King hits a corner Cannonball Senton to Atlas! Brody folds James in half with a lariat! ATLAS GOES FOR A TOP ROPE MOONSAULT, BUT NO ONE CATCHES HIM AND HE HITS THE FLOOR HARD. OH MY FREAKING GOD. Atlas is back in the ring with James. Everfly hits a really, really sloppy Rana to Atlas. Everfly hits an Apron Sliced Bread to King! Atlas and Everfly hit moves on the Apron to James. Everfly hits a Spanish Fly off the Apron to the floor! This match is ridiculous. James hits a Suplex into a Cutter on the Apron to Everfly, and King elbows James in the back of the head! BRODY KING HITS THE TOPE CON HILO ONTO ALL THREE!!! Atlas looks like he is hurt, and the way King goes for moves on him and suddenly stops and grabs James instead looks like proof. Everfly hits a Double Underhook Canadian Destroyer to James, but starts smacking around King. EVERFLY GOES FOR A REVERSE RANA ON KING, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE KING BROKE HIS NECK. OH GOD. The crowd’s booing, and I'm not sure if they’re booing Everfly, or this match. Eli goes to the top rope, but King catches him, hits a Powerbomb, and then hits a High Angle Piledriver to win.
Winner: Brody King
I’m not entirely sure how to rate this match. It was a wild, crazy spotfest, but it was so, SO obvious that none of these guys had a lot of experience. Everfly was botching and looking generally sloppy, Atlas looks like he hurt himself, James did really nothing, and only King really held this match together, but even then, not really. It’s obvious that none of these guys are really ready for PWG yet. This match was a wreck in both the best and worst possible way.
My rating: **½
Match #3: The Rascalz (Dezmond Xavier and Zachary Wentz) vs. Flamita and Bandido
This may be the match I’ve most looked forward to from this show. From live accounts, this was spectacular, and the biggest takeway from this match was Bandido. He had gone from a relative unknown to hugely over in PWG with just this match. With all the hype Bandido is getting, I’m super pumped to see him for the very first time. First off, I am really digging Bandido’s attire. Flamita and Bandido go by the team name Mexican Blood. Excalibur brings up Wentz and Xavier’s time in Dragon Gate, and how that really sharpened their in-ring skills. Xavier and Bandido are starting this off. Dezmond hits a big dropsault to Bandido. Flamita hits a big top rope cross body, and this means it’s a Lucha Rules Tag Match! Flamita hits some neat flippy offense, and Xavier tags Wentz in. Bandido comes in and hits some amazing lucha counters! Xavier hits Bandido with a huge Superkick! These two are trading some INSANE tag team moves, culminating with Bandido hitting a Missile Dropkick to Wentz while Flamita is pinning Xavier! The crowd is chanting for Bandido! Flamita and Bandido hit a pair of standing moonsaults to Xavier! Wentz is tagged in, and hits a Handspring Knee to Flamita! WENTZ HITS A TOPE CON HILO OFF OF XAVIER’S BACK!!! That was neat. Flamita hits a top rope moonsault to the outside to Wentz! Excalibur says that this moonsault actually hit an opponent, lol. Dezmond hits a Sasuke Special! Bandido is in the ring!! He’s going up top! Tornillo from the top rope to the floor onto everyone else! Bandido gets Wentz in. Flamita hits a Monkey Flip on Wentz, and Bandido catches him and hits a Powerbomb! FLAMITA JUMPS ONTO BANDIDO’S SHOULDERS, AND HITS SWANTON BOMB TO WENTZ!!!! THAT WAS AWESOME!!! Xavier breaks up the pin! Flamita is going up top! Wentz counters the 450 Splash and Xavier hits a huge Handspring Pele! Bandido with a Crucifix Bomb! WENTZ WITH A GARGANTUAN SPRINGBOARD CUTTER TO BANDIDO!!!! THIS MATCH RULES!!! Wentz and Xavier hit a HUGE Double Team Move! Superkick into a Ripcord Knee by the Rascalz!! THE RASCALZ HIT THE PUSHING STANDING MOONSAULT ONTO BANDIDO FOR THE THREE!!!!
Winners: The Rascalz (Zachary Wentz and Dezmond Xavier)
WHAT. A. MATCH. That was AMAZING!!! Those four went out and absolutely tore the roof off of the Globe Theatre in a non-stop, action filled tag team sprint! I adored this match, everyone meshed well, and everyone looked fantastic. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this match.
My rating: ****¼
Match #4: IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay vs. Adam Brooks
Ohhhh mannnn. I’ve been looking forward to this one since it was announced. Brooks and Ospreay had a fantastic match in Melbourne City Wrestling a year or two ago, and with Brooks’ debut in PWG, people have hoped for this match to happen in a PWG ring since. What more needs to be said? It’s Will Ospreay, one of the best wrestlers alive. This is gonna ROCK. Ospreay has the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title with him tonight. The crowd is HYPE for this match. We have grappling to start. Excalibur mentions that Brooks moved to England and roomed with Ospreay. Ospreay gets Brooks in the corner and does the Okada taunt! Ospreay handsprings out of a Hurricanrana, hits a standing dropkick and does his pose! Brooks pokes Will in the eyes! Brooks does a mockery of Will’s taunt, lol! Ospreay laying kicks and chops into Brooks on the outside. Brooks hits a flatliner onto a chair! Brooks gets back body dropped into chairs! Ospreay gets Brooks into the ring and gets in an arm submission. Ospreay goes to the outside for a springboard, but Brooks grabs the ring rope and pulls it, and it goes into Will’s dong! Brooks hits a rope hung DDT! Brooks in control, but Ospreay fights back. Brooks goes for the Cheeky Nandos Kick, but he instead opts to poke Will in the eye! Ospreay with the Handspring Enzuigiri! Ospreay goes for the Hesitation Corner Dropkick, but Brooks counters, but Ospreay gets Brooks out of the ring, and he hits an amazing springboard corkscrew moonsault to the outside! Ospreay with the Cheeky Nandos Kick and a lifting Reverse DDT! Brooks counters a Powerbomb with strikes and lays Ospreay out with a kick! Fosbury Flop by Brooks! Brooks is on the top rope, and Ospreay gets up on the second rope. Brooks bites Ospreay, but Ospreay kicks him in the face. Brooks counters a hurricanrana by sliding underneath, causing Ospreay to land face first on the ring! Brooks went for the apron Canadian Destroyer, but countered it! Springboard Forearm and a standing Shooting Star by Ospreay! THESE TWO ARE HITTING A CRAZY SEQUENCE OF MOVES!!! OSPREAY HITS STUNDOG MILLIONAIRE!! Now they’re trading strikes on their knees. Ospreay hits the corkscrew kick and signals for the OsCutter, but Brooks counters! Brooks goes for a springboard move, but Ospreay catches him and hits a huge sit-out powerbomb! Ospreay is going to the top rope, but Brooks pushes the referee, and he bumps into the ropes, causing Ospreay to crotch himself! Brooks going up top and hits a HUGE Avalanche Hurricanrana! Brooks with the corner Tornado DDT and the Apron Canadian Destroyer! Brooks going up top! Top Rope Meteora to the back of Ospreay’s head! That was so close to a three count!! Ospreay counters a Pumphandle move into a Spanish Fly! OSCUTTER!! BROOKS KICKS OUT!! BROOKS COUNTERS A RAINMAKER INTO A DESTROYER!!!!! THIS MATCH IS INSANE!!!! Brooks with a kick to the dong! Swanton by Brooks! Ospreay kicks out! Brooks has the kneepad lowered! MASSIVE LARIAT BY OSPREAY!!! DECAPITATOR ELBOW!!! TOP ROPE SPRINGBOARD OSCUTTER!!!! IT IS ALL OVER!!!!!
Winner: IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay
Good lord! That match was AMAZING. They build to the action, and when it peaked, it was simply awesome. These two matches have made this show worth the purchase.
My rating: ****½
Match #5: PWG Tag Team Champion Jeff Cobb vs. Jonah Rock
This is one hell of a palate cleanser. After two fast paced, high flying spectacles, this is gonna be two big dudes beating the crap out of each other. Cobb and Rock, along with WALTER and Keith Lee, are PWG’s resident monsters, and it’s always fun when they meet in the ring. Watching Cobb toss Rock will be super impressive, since Rock is not a small man by any means. Excalibur immediately says this is two of the big boys in PWG going at it. This match is the King of Monsters vs. King of Suplexes. Cobb tries to take Rock down, but he’s too big. Now we’re getting some good old fashioned Hoss Style Shoulder Tackles. Cobb with a huge dropkick, but Rock comes right back with a big Standing Cross Body! Rock Irish Whips Cobb into the corner so hard, the entire ring moved!! Rock flattens Cobb with a cannonball senton. Another irish whip shakes the ring, but Cobb counters a corner splash with a second rope European Uppercut! Cobb FLATTENS Rock with a Bicycle Kick in the corner! COBB WITH THE DEADLIFT PUMPHANDLE SUPLEX!!! HE MADE THAT LOOK EASY!! WOW!! Rock hits an impressive step up Gamengiri to a top rope seated Cobb. Jonah Rock is on the top rope, oh sweet pete. MASSIVE SUPERPLEX BY ROCK!! That was almost 600 pounds of humanity crashing to the ring from the top. Strike trading by the two beasts! Cobb with a pair of Germans! Lariat by Rock! Another big German! HUGE Lariat by Rock! OHHHH NOOOOO! ROCK HAS LOWERED THE SINGLET STRAPS!! THIS IS SERIOUS!! Rock is up top!! COBB DODGES A MOONSAULT! COBB HITS THE PEOPLE’S MOONSAULT!! Rock dodges the Shooting Star! Senton to Cobb’s back by Rock! Cobb hits a dropkick to Rock on the top rope! Cobb is going up top! Cobb gets shoved off, BUT COBB CATCHES ROCK OUT OF THE AIR INTO A POWERSLAM!!!! WOW!! Kickout by Rock! Rock counters Tour of the Islands and hits a Huge German followed by a big Lariat! Brainbuster by Rock! Rock hits a Frog Splash for the pin and the win.
Winner: Jonah Rock
This was a standard Hoss Battle. And it was really fun! We had some suplexes, some strikes, some tackles. Cobb unleashed his freaky strength once again, doing things that no man should be able to do. It kinda dragged at some points, but this was still a real fun one.
My rating: ***½
Match #6: Zack Sabre, Jr. vs. PWG Tag Team Champion Matt Riddle
And now we go from a hoss battle to a technical battle. This was just after Sabre won the New Japan Cup. I always enjoy watching Sabre in the ring with other guys who can match him in the ring in the grappling wise. And who better to match Zack than former UFC Fighter Matt Riddle? I’m excited for this one! Let’s go! The crowd is HYPE for this one. Excalibur discusses all the names that Zack to win the New Japan cup, including Kota Ibushi and Hiroshi Tanahashi. Grappling to start, it ends in a deadlock. There really isn’t an advantage between these two on the ground yet. Zack gets a kneebar, but Riddle immediately gets the ropes. Riddle hits a trio of Gutwrench Suplexes! Zack goes for a Guillotine, but Riddle counters! Bro-ton by Riddle. HUGE Knee strikes by Riddle! Zack counters a Bro-ton into an Armbar! Riddle reverses the Armbar into one of his own! Ankle Lock py Riddle! Zack counters into a kneebar! Zack has Matt’s arms in a GROSS Submission! Riddle has to get the rope break by biting the rope! Riddle gets the Bro to Sleep into a German! Zack with a German of his own! Zack locks in the hanging Guillotine. Zack has the Octopus Stretch! Riddle gets the Bro-Stone Piledriver! Zack is wrenching Riddle’s toes in an Ankle Lock! Arm Pele by Zack, immediately into a German by Riddle! Riddle counters a high kick into a Powerbomb! Bicycle Knee! Riddle counters the European Clutch into a Choke! Zack counters the reversal into the European Clutch for the three!
Winner: Zack Sabre, Jr.
Your mileage will vary with this match. If you’re a fan of the grappling style that Zack uses, I think you’ll really enjoy this one. But, if you aren’t a fan, you’re not going to like this match. I personally really enjoy the style, so I really enjoyed this match.
My rating: ***¾
Main Event:
PWG World Championship
Chuck Taylor © vs. Keith Lee
This is Chuck’s second defense of the PWG World Title; his first was against Trent? At Neon Knights. I think this is going to be interesting, because I’m curious as to how someone like Chuck will work with a monster like Keith. Keith weighs in at 332.4 lbs tonight. The crowd is really behind Keith. Chuck’s left the ring and grabbed the mic. He asks why people are booing him. Keith hits a shoulder tackle and Chuck immediately leaves the ring and gets pissed off again on the mic. Chuckie is PISSED. Chuck chops Keith and it does little. Keith hits the double hand chop, and again Chuck rolls out. He grabs the mic and says Keith is going to WWE, so what are you cheering him for? Valid point. Keith hits Chuck with some big strikes, but Chuck tries to choke Lee with the mic! They’ve gone deep into the crowd now, and it’s difficult to see what’s happening. Chuck goes for a dive off of the bar, but Lee catches him and tries to lawn dart him into the post, but Chuck counters and pushes him into the post! This match is sloooooooooooow. Chuck tries to lift him for a suplex, but Lee counters and hits a suplex of his own. It’s funny, Keith is so much bigger than Chuck but they’re about the same height, lol. Lee hits a combo of strikes, but Chuck hits a flatliner. The crowd is pretty quiet for this one. Lee hits a powerslam! Lee tosses Chuck across the ring. Chuck hits a middle rope dropkick, and then Sole Food! Lee doesn’t go down, and Lee hits a big slam. Chuck hits a diving stomp to Lee. Swanton to Lee. Chuck goes up a third time. Stomp to Lee’s back. This match really isn’t good. Chuck goes for Awful Waffle but Lee is too big. Lee goes for corner double overhand chop, but Chuck forearms him. Taylor goes for a small package, but nothing. Lee goes for a Spirit Bomb! Lee goes up top for a Moonsault, but Chuck crotches him and hits the Awful Waffle! Lee kicks out! Chuck goes for a School Boy Pin but Lee kicks out! Ground Zero! Keith Lee wins! Keith Lee is PWG World Champion!
Winner and NEW PWG World Champion: Keith Lee
That was not a good match. It was far too slow, it had zero intensity, and the crowd didn’t really care. And what’s the point of giving Lee the PWG title if you have to take it off him a month later because he signs with WWE? I’m really sick of these short PWG Title reigns.
My rating: *
And that’s Time is a Flat Circle! This was an EXCELLENT show. The main event and the SoCal Four Way weren’t very good, but everything else was great, with Ospreay/Brooks and Rascalz/Flamita and Bandido standing head and shoulders above. I highly recommend this show, not only for the new venue, but for the great, great card.
Thanks for reading, everyone! As always, I’m KOSS, and I’ll see you again soon!
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