FANN’S 10/24 Beyond Wrestling Uncharted Teritory (Season 2: Episode 4) report: Statlander vs. VSK, Gage vs. Manic main event

FANN’S BEYOND WRESTLING “UNCHARTED TERRITORY” REPORT
SEASON 2 (Episode 4)
OCTOBER 24, 2019
WORCESTER, MASS.
WHITE EAGLE
AIRED LIVE ON INDEPENDENTWRESTLING.TV AND FITE TV

Announcers: Paul Crockett and Sidney Bakabella

After a recap of the Lethal Lottery this past weekend, this week’s show kicked off with a match between the returning Josh Briggs and the Dirty Daddy.

(1) Kris Statlander vs. VSK (w/Mark Sterling)

VSK cost Statlander a win via a fireball prior to this match, so this is her chance to get a little payback. VSK however jumped Statlander before the bell with a boot, then a lumbar check, which got a two count. Statlander bailed to get her breath and VSK followed with a baseball slide.

Statlander attempted a UFO, which was countered by VSK, but then VSK lost his balance and Kris shoved him into the corner. After they returned to the win, Statlander hit a top rope dropkick for a two count. VSK tried a monkey flip, but Statlander countered into a flip and an I am Your Leader, but VSK turned the move into a victory roll before she could. VSK then hit a german suplex into the turnbuckle for a near three count.

VSK then hit a scoop slam / quick slam combo for a beautiful near fall. VSK then began to continue his assault on Statlander’s back and neck – and with the ref distracted, Mark Sterling began to choke Statlander to the boos of the crowd. With both wrestlers on the top rope, Statlander hit a terrific super-plex, which left both laid out.

Back on their feet, VSK forearms were counted by blows to the head by Statlander, then a final forearm got the matrix duck and a Yakuza kick. Statlander followed with a Falcon Arrow for a near fall. VSK then took advantage of a Statlander slip to hit a Saito suplex for a near fall. VSK tried to tune the band up for a superkick, but Statlander hit a savate kick and followed with a modified Koji clutch. Mark Sterling stood on the apron to distract Statlander, who released the hold. Both went outside of the ring and led to a Statlander dive onto both VSK and Sterling.

Back in the ring, Statlander nailed Area 451 for a near fall. Statlander hit I am Your Leader, but missed an axe kick. VSK hit an Impaler for a near fall to the shock of the crowd. Both began to trade kicks and a VSK Spanish Fly counter only got a two count. A splash mountain attempt by VSK was countered into a Code Red, and a Big Bang Theory sealed the win for Kris Statlander

WINNER: Kris Statlander in 13:42 by pinfall (****)

(Fann’s Analysis: This opener was nuts. Statlander as always was a treat to watch, and the growth she’s had on the independent scene just in the last 3 – 4 months is clear. VSK and Sterling were great foils, and while typically you wouldn’t want your opener to be as kick out laden, the finishing sequence had the crowd engrossed.)

Post match, Alex Reynolds and Mark Sterling put the boots to Statlander, until “Dirty Daddy” Chris Dickinson hit the ring for the save. Paul Crockett noted that Reynolds and Dickinson would be meeting up later in the evening in a pre-scheduled match. Dickinson didn’t want to wait until later in the evening, however and instead grabbed Reynolds by the hair and threw him into the ring, sans ref and the bell sounded to start the match.

(2) “Dirty Daddy” Chris Dickinson vs Alex Reynolds (w/Mark Sterling)

Reynolds tried a sneak kick, but Dickinson caught the foot and began to beat Reynolds up inside the ring and out. While Dickinson did so, the announcer declared the match officially underway and a referee slid into the ring.

Dickinson had Reynolds set up for a Pazuzu Bomb on the outside, but after a distraction by Mark Sterling Dickinson returned to the ring on the defensive. Reynolds began to bang onto Dickinson’s face, and went so far as to yank on the upper lip of Dickinson.

The middle portion of the match was filled with Dickinson attempts to come back thwarted by Sterling interference, until Dickinson tossed Reynolds over the top rope to the floor. Back into the ring, Dirty Daddy was fired up and dropped a running Death Valley Driver for what should’ve been the pin – if Mark Sterling hadn’t placed Reynolds’ foot on the rope.

Dickinson left the ring to grab Sterling and toss him outside of the White Hall ring and into the cold street. Sterling nailed a tope suicida, then back in the ring Dickinson reversed Sterling’s roll up with tights into the Pazuzu Bomb for the win.

WINNER: Chris Dickinson in 6:46 by pinfall (***)

Post match, Dickinson declared he had taken over announcer duties for the next match.

(Fann’s Analysis: Dickinson as always was entertaining, and the heel antics of Mark Sterling were a constant annoyance in the best way. Dickinson tossing him into the street was both funny and very Beyond. Good match.)

(3) Pinkie Sanchez vs. John Silver

Silver and Sanchez started with an exchange of counterholds, which culminated in Silver in the dominant position via his size relative to Sanchez. A backdoor escape by Sanchez was countered into a cross-face by Silver, which prompted a rope break.

Sanchez attempted an arm over, then flipped and patted Silver on the head when it didn’t work. Instead of a smile, Sanchez received a lariat and a biel into the corner for his impudence. Silver then shushed the crowd as he kicked Sanchez’ chest in with singular kicks, a lawn dart and a running boot. A brainbuster from Silver ended the sequence for a long two count.

Silver’s assault continued with powerbombs and kicks, but Sanchez fought back, reversed a burning hammer into a headscissors and then attempted a moonsault. Pinkie however ate a pair of knees and before Silver could capitalize spiked the bigger man with a destroyer and a spinning ddt for a long two. Silver rolled outside and Sanchez followed with suicide dive. Back in the ring, Sanchez attempted a springboard but instead ate a Spin Doctor for the loss.

WINNER: John Silver in 10:45 (***1/4)

(Fann’s Analysis: John Silver post Eddie Kingston’s challenge was even more intense than normal somehow. He and Sanchez had a great match and the story of his evolution in Beyond, as well as Pinkie’s resilience in the face of near death.)

The rest of the card was outlined by the announcers, highlighted with the MDK vs. Maria Manic main event.

(4) Jay Freddie vs. Brandon Thurston

The pre-match had both men ready to wreck one another. Right at the bell, however, Brandon Thurston kicked Freddie in the groin, received a disqualification, smiled and left to the boos of the crowd.

WINNER: Jay Freddie in :10 by disqualification (NR)

(Fann’s Analysis: Brandon Thurston’s reaction from the second the bell rung to the walk away after was brilliant. Freddie thought after this blood feud began they’d lock up, and instead ate it)

After the match, Joshua Bishop was interviewed prior to his Discovery Gauntlet match with Tony Deppen.

(5) Tony Deppen vs. Joshua Bishop – Discovery Gauntlet Match

Deppen started the match with a size up of the taller, larger Bishop and dropped to do a few push ups prior to a lock up, after which Deppen was thrown to the corner. Deppen again returned to the push ups and then spent the next few minutes with his moves being powered through by the bigger Bishop.

The tide turned when Bishop attempted an apron powerbomb onto Deppen, who countered with double axe-handles to the bigger man, which caused Bishop to snap face first onto the side of the ring. Deppen followed with a flurry of kicks and offense in the ring – which ended in a headbutt and corner meteora which got a two count. As the strength of Bishop was put on display, the story of the match became Deppen’s ability to counter and assault the bigger man with head butts and kicks.

Bishop attempted twice a Memphis piledriver from the top rope, but Deppen countered with a variant of Cheeky Nandos and a powerbomb, along with a shining wizard for good measure for the win.

WINNER: Tony Deppen in 8:00 by pinfall (***½)

(Fann’s Analysis: This was a really surprising match. I thought it would be a nostalgia match, but Gangrel brought his working boots – and generated lots of the motion in the match despite the age and size difference. I really enjoyed this match – particularly the finishing sequence.)

Post match, Deppen was interviewed and said he didn’t care who it was, because he wrestled the biggest and baddest and won.

A promo for next week previewed Orange Cassidy, Rory Gulak, Davienne and Chuck Taylor appearing, among others.

(6) Josh Briggs vs. Matthew Justice – No Disqualification Match

Briggs and Justice started with the angriest big man collar and elbow tie up, which went up and down the bottom corner, and culminated with some ridiculous face wash kicks by Briggs onto Justice. Instead of a pin, Briggs mounted and punched Justice until both were back on their feet.

The human kaijus then transitioned to knees and forearms to one another, and a Cactus clothesline got both men outside. Justice procured a chair and sat Briggs onto it, then somersault senton splashed the bigger man from the apron onto the chair. Back in the ring, Briggs was now the one on the back foot, as he fought to get out from underneath.

After a yakuza kick to Justice to the outside and onto a set of chairs, Briggs then went for the Choke bomb, but Justice kicked out at one. Briggs went for a Calloway Clothesline and ate a chair from Justice. Justice then hit a DVD onto the chair and Briggs kicked out before one. A spear from Justice got a near three, as Briggs was said to had been knocked out and woken up by the spear. When Justice climbed to the top rope, Briggs chucked the chair remnants at Justice. Briggs hit I Hope You Die from the top rope and got the win.

Winner: Josh Briggs in 10:56 via pinfall (***)

(Fann’s Analysis: This match was insane. Both men late had moves that didn’t quite look the part, but the sloppines added to the violence and insanity of the entire match is worth seeing. I really enjoyed the finish, but the ropes given prior incidents led to a bit of worry.)

(6) Bear Country (Bear Bronson & Bear Beefcake) vs. Violence is Forever (Dominic Garrini & Kevin Ku) vs. The Butcher & The Blade (Andy Williams & Pepper Parks) vs. Team Tremendous (Bill Carr & Dan Barry) – Fatal Fourway Match under Lucha Rules

Lucha rules for this match means not only did tags count, but if you’re the legal man and hit the floor, any other team can enter the ring instead of your partner.

Garrini started the match with an armbar attempt on Bear Bronson, but Andy Williams stomped Garrini out. Kevin Ku was tagged in (as was Williams) who chopped “the soul out of the body” of Kevin Ku. With Ku’s collapsed body outside, Bear Bronson returned into the ring and cleared house, until Team Tremendous came in and snuck attacked Bear Country.

The match then turned into segments of chaos where there was a team nominally in the ring, but all four teams essentially were legal in the donnybrook. Outside, Bill Carr capped off a series of dives from all of the participants.

Back in ring, Williams, Carr and Beefcake squared off to see who the biggest dogs in the yard were. A doomsday shoulder pin attempt was broken up with Bear Beefcake hitting a fire thunder driver with Kevin Ku as the weapon/victim.

Bear Country nailed the Elevator Drop, but Team Tremendous stole the pin for the win.

Winner: Team Tremendous in 10:55 via pinfall (****)

(Fann’s Analysis: WHAT?! This match was nuts – particularly late with the usage of Violence is Forever as human weapon accessories. All four teams are great on their own and in this crazy match you got to see the best of them. Team Tremendous stealing the win was something you’d expect in these fatal four ways, but the way it was done here was fun.)

(6) Nick Gage vs. Maria Manic – MDK Open Challenge

Main event time.

Gage moshed with the crowd prior to the match. Manic entered with a trash can full of weapons. After the bell, Gage went under the ring to set up a door in the ring. Gage gave up a clean break after a tie up in the corner once two doors were in opposite corners.

Gage grabbed Manic and gave her a DVD through a door. Then, not being done, Gage grabbed a piece of the door as a shiv and stabbed the head of Manic. With Manic down, Gage produced a cheese grater and sliced the head of Manic. At this point the crowd was confused and excited at once, chanting “Nick f—-ing Gage”. Gage then grabbed his shiv and used the cheese grater to sharpen it more – then followed with another stab session on Manic.

Manic attempted a flurried comeback, but Gage stopped the rally short with a ddt. Gage went in for Manic, but she threw a chair at his head, which felled him immediately. When Gage got up he was covered in blood and staggered. Manic followed up with a dropkick to Gage’s head, and upon her return to the ring with the trash can Gage got the weapon and used it on Manic instead. Manic fell outside of the ring and the pair brawled for a bit in the crowd.

Back in the ring, Gage hit a back elbow in the corner and hit a running face wash. Gage then put a piece of the broken door on top of Manic and hit a Vader bomb into an elbow onto Manic. Manic stopped an attempt to suplex her onto two chairs, and suplexed Gage onto them instead. Covered in blood, Gage was hoisted by Manic up into a torture rack, then slipped off. The pair fought into the corner, where Gage hit a superplex and then followed with brainbuster onto a chair. Gage went for a cover and Manic kicked out at 2.

Back on her feet, Manic ate a pair of headshots with a chair, then a powerbomb for the loss.

Winner: Nick Gage in 13:15 via pinfall (***)

(Fann’s Analysis: Gage and Manic had a crazy match, and I don’t have the stomach for death matches like some would, so I can’t speak to it other than I got a little uncomfortable in the middle portion. That being said, Gage and Manic beat the crap out of each other and at no point did I feel it bordered into the obscene. As always, Beyond knows the line with intergender wrestling and keeps things from going buck wild.)

Gage post match did a promo and stated he was Beyond Wrestling, he was independent wrestling and he wouldn’t let wrestlers who are leaving for other promotions make a name for themselves from Beyond. Gage then declared he wanted “that bitch” Shotzi Blackheart. Gage declared himself the God of Ultraviolent wrestling and wouldn’t be so without the fans.

Overall thoughts (8.5): Great matches, great plot development – particularly with the continuing saga of the tag division and Brandon Thurston’s descent into evil.

The main event of Gage vs. Manic was the best of intergender wrestling, and some of the stuff that makes for a bad visual for those on the fence, particularly the usage of the spike on Manic. However, Gage and Manic made it a great brawl that fit the genre and not something where he took liberties or in any way made it seem abusive.

Overall a great show.

Contact Rich at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/rich_fann.