By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Prestige Wrestling “Nervous Breakdown”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
March 31, 2023 in Los Angeles, California at Globe Theatre
This show was (finally!) released on IWTV on Thursday. it is the last major indy show I was interested in seeing from WrestleMania weekend. This was held in the Globe Theatre, where the New Japan Wrestling and Impact Wrestling Multiverse United show also was held. Brian Zane and Jordan Castle provided commentary…
1. Sonico, “C4” Cody Chhun, and Guillermo Rosas defeated “Team New Japan Dojo” Clark Connors, Kevin Knight, and Yuya Uemera at 9:49. Chhun (think NXT’s Boa) opened against Knight and they traded good mat wrestling and deep armdrags. Uemera and the masked Sonico entered at 2:00. Rosas and Connors entered and traded stiff forearm shots, and Connors hit the Pounce. TNJD began working over Rosas in their corner. Chhun made the hot tag at 7:00 and he began hitting dropkicks on the Dojo team.
Rosas leapt off the ropes, but Knight caught him and hit a stunner. Nice. Connors hit a spear on Rosas. Sonico sprayed green mist in Uemera’s face!! Sonico then hit a fisherman’s suplex on Uemera for the pin. That was a good opener with great energy.
2) Calvin Tankman defeated Vinnie Massaro at 8:10. I’m a big fan of the hefty, hard-hitting Tankman, and I just don’t ‘get’ the love for the Italian stereotype, cartoonish Massaro. Tankman immediately hit some stiff chops, which Massaro returned. Tankman nailed a shoulder tackle that sent Massaro to the floor at 1:00. The lighting is bad on the floor, as they brawled into the crowd. Back in the ring, Vinnie hit an elbow drop for a nearfall and was in charge. Tankman nailed a spinning back fist, then a clothesline into the corner at 4:30.
Tankman nailed a backbreaker over his knee and a short-arm clothesline for a nearfall. Massaro went for a suplex into the corner, but he really dumped Tankman on the top of his head, and he scored a nearfall. They traded stiff forearm shots and Tankman swore at Massaro. Vinnie avoded a spinning back fist, and he slammed Tankman for a nearfall, and they were both down at 7:30. Tankman hit a headbutt. Vinnie hit a forearm to the back of the neck. Tankman nailed a pop-up spinning backfist, then a diving forearm to the jaw for the clean pin. Good match; this didn’t need to be any longer than this, and the right man won.
3. Titus Alexander defeated Michael Oku (w/Amira) to retain the West Coast Pro Title at 17:17. Oku is the talented Black British high-flyer; Jordan Castle noted that Oku was last in this building for PWG’s BOLA in January. Titus is the great heel who reminds me of Ethan Page in looks and mannerisms, and he’s had a few AEW Elevation matches now. An intense lockup to open. They sped it up; Oku hit a huracarana and a dropkick that sent Titus to the floor to regroup at 2:00. Oku followed him to the floor, but Titus dropped him back-first on the ring apron.
In the ring, Titus hit a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall, and he was livid at the female ref and made a motion like he was about to punch her. The crowd rallied for Oku. Oku nailed a DDT for a nearfall at 5:30. Oku clotheslined Titus to the floor, then he hit a penalty kick to the chest, then a Fosbury Flop to the floor. In the ring, Oku hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall at 7:30. Oku hit a dropkick in the corner, and a slow-rolling Frankensteiner, which Titus rolled through and got a nearfall. “That wasn’t pretty,” Zane said.
Oku hit a dragon screw leg whip at 10:00, and the commentators pointed out he’s getting Titus set up for the half-crab, as he stayed focused on the left leg. Titus nailed a Chaos Theory rolling German Suplex for a nearfall, then a brainbuster for a nearfall. Titus applied the half-crab at 12:30 and the commentators said it would be humiliating for Oku to lose to his own move. Oku nailed a Shining Wizard and a top-rope Lionsault for a nearfall.
Titus hit a Go To Sleep knee strike for a nearfall. Oku applied the half-crab in the center of the ring, but Titus reached the ropes at 16:00, and he grabbed Amira’s hair! Titus pulled Amira into the ring by her hair! As the ref got Amira back to the floor, Titus hit a low blow uppercut, then the Sweet Time Driver, but Amira pulled the ref from the ring before Titus could score the pin! Oku hit a Poison Rana, then a top-rope frogsplash for a believable nearfall. Oku applied a half-crab and leaned back; Titus managed to hook Oku’s arms and got a backslide rollup for the pin! That was really, really good, and a creative finish.
* Alan Angels, who isn’t booked for this show, hopped in the ring, shoved the ring announcer and took the mic from him. He berated the crowd and was loudly booed. He said the crowd has forgotten about him. “You all turned on me. Why? Is it because I left those dorks in the Dark Order?” He vowed he would be “the most talked about guy in the industry.” Someone got in the ring, but Angels hit him with a spin kick to the head.
4. “Midnight Heat” Eddie Pearl and Ricky Gibson defeated Adam Brooks and Warhorse at 12:02. Brooks is the Australian with short, curly blond hair who has been touring the U.S. Midnight Heat have a early 1980s throwback feel to them. Warhorse and the bald Gibson started, but we had a lost of stalling by MH. Warhorse hit a suplex for a nearfall at 3:30. Brooks and Pearl entered; the commentators point out that Brooks and Warhorse have never teamed before, so it would be embarrassing for the established Midnight Heat to lose here. Brooks and Warhorse hit simultaneous dives through the ropes to the floor at 6:00.
MH began working over Brooks in their corner, and they slowed down the match. Warhorse finally made the hot tag at 9:30 and he cleaned house. He hit a hard clothesline, then a brainbuster over his knee on Pearl for a nearfall. Brooks hit a top-rope Meteora double kneedrop. Warhorse hit a top-rope elbow drop for a nearfall at 11:00, but Gibson made the save. MH hit a team Lungblower move to pin Brooks. Decent match; nothing wrong with it, but definitely a slower pace. Zane talked about MH having an upcoming tag match against their rivals, C4.
5. Taya Valkyrie defeated Miyu Yamashita at 7:34. They brawled to the floor, where Taya hit a hard chop, then slammed her back-first on the ring apron at 1:30. In the ring, Taya was in charge. They went back to the floor and into the crowd, but it is almost impossible to see. Miyu hit a running knee from the ring apron onto Taya, who was on the floor. In the ring, Miyu hit several stiff kicks to the back. Taya hit a sit-out powerbomb, and they were both down at 5:30.
They got up and traded stiff forearm shots. Miyu hit a German Suplex; she slipped trying to do a springboard move (and the crowd was very forgiving.) Miyu missed the Skull Kick. Taya nailed the Road to Valhalla implant buster for the clean pin. Good match.
6. Timothy Thatcher defeated Robert Martyr at 15:28. I just don’t ‘get’ the love for Martyr, either; they’ve made him a big deal in Prestige Wrestling but he just doesn’t impress me (and he’s not exactly getting booked by any other major indies.) Thatcher has a significant height and overall size advantage, but I expect Martyr to go over here, with the story Prestige has been telling. They traded intense mat reversals, and Thatcher went for a cross-armbreaker. Martyr hit a springboard crossbody at 4:00 but only got a one-count.
Thatcher hit a belly-to-belly suplex for a nearfall, and he tied Martyr up in a surfboard at 6:30. Thatcher hit a European Uppercut and got a nearfall, and he remained in control. Martyr hit a flip dive through the ropes onto Martyr at 10:00. In the ring, Martyr missed a top-rope frogsplash, and Thatcher immediately tied Robert in a pretzel, but Martyr got a foot on the ropes. Martyr fired up and hit a series of chops, then a German Suplex, then a clothesline in the corner at 13:00, then a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall.
Martyr hit a piledriver and a jumping knee to the chin for a nearfall. Thatcher applied a sleeper. Thatcher hit a hard slap to the face, re-applied the sleeper, and Martyr passed out. I am surprised, as I expected an underdog victory here, but I am relieved, too, as Thatcher is a far better talent.
7. Kevin Blackwood defeated Shigehiro Irie at 11:59. Irie is the big, thick Japanese talent, on par in size with Shingo Takagi or EVIL. They immediately traded hard chops and stiff forearm shots. Irie hit a senton at 2:30. Blackwood hit a missile dropkick and stiff kicks to the back. Irie hit a crossbody block as Kevin was in the ropes, and they crashed to the floor. In the ring, Irie hit a frogsplash for a nearfall at 5:00. They traded more hard chops. Irie hit a rolling cannonball into the corner for a nearfall. Blackwood hit some spin kicks, but Irie nailed a Saito Suplex, and they were both down at 8:00.
Blackwood hit a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall. Irie hit a second-rope Samoan Drop, with the fans chanting “holy shit!,” for a nearfall at 10:00. They traded blows while on their knees, then from the standing position, and this is just STIFF action. Blackwood hit a piledriver for a one-count, and Kevin was stunned. Blackwood hit a Cameron Grimes-style Cave-in to the chest, then a top-rope doublestomp to the chest for the clean pin. That was really good, and in my mind, a mild upset.
* Prestige Wrestling will return to this building on June 18, and the Globe Theatre is the ‘new home’ of Prestige Wrestling in the Los Angeles area.
8. Aja Kong defeated Masha Slamovich at 8:56. The crowd chanted “holy shit” before they tied up. An intense lockup to start, and Aja has the clear height and overall size advantage. Masha went for shoulder tackles that Aja shrugged off. Aja then dropped her with her own shoulder tackle. They brawled to the floor at 2:30. Aja slammed a weapon over Masha’s back. (The lighting is so incredibly poor on the floor I have no idea what it was.) In the ring, Aja hit a bodyslam and an elbow drop at 4:30.
Aja tied Masha up on the mat and applied a crossface. Masha hit a Shotgun Dropkick and a Helluva Kick in the corner. Masha set up for a piledriver but she couldn’t get Aja up. Aja hit a decapitating clothesline for a nearfall at 6:30. Masha avoided a spinning back fist. Aja nailed a Saito Suplex for a nearfall. Masha hit a second-rope German Suplex, then a Shining Wizard for a nearfall. Masha hit a top-rope missile dropkick. Aja hit a brainbuster for a believable nearfall at 8:30. Aja then nailed the spinning back fist for the clean pin. I really enjoyed this match.
9. Ultimo Dragon and “Time Splitters” Kushida and Alex Shelley defeated “Team Filthy” Tom Lawlor, Royce Isaacs, and Jorel Nelson at 19:25. The commentators were absolutely giddy to be able to call an Ultimo Dragon match. Royce and Dragon, age 56, started with a test of strength, with Isaacs getting the advantage. Kushida tagged in at 4:30 to face Lawlor, and they traded mat reversals. Jorel entered at 6:00 to square off with Shelley, with Jorel doing a Gator Roll and hitting a drop kick. Shelley’s team began working over Jorel’s left arm.
Team Filthy all did delayed vertical suplexes, with Jorel finally dropping Kushida in the ring at 11:00. Isaacs hit a backbreaker over the knee on Shelley and he focused on Shelley’s lower back. Ultimo Dragon made the hot tag at 14:00 and hit a series of kicks on Jorel. He just looks fantastic and ageless. Kushida entered and hit a crossbody block on Jorel. Kushida is suddenly bleeding from his nose and it was dripping onto his chest; he seemed surprised by it. Isaacs hit a German Suplex on Kushida at 17:00. Team Filthy beat up Kushida.
Dragon tagged back in and he hit a dragon screw leg whip on Isaacs, and he turned it into a Jaime Knoble Trailer Hitch leglock. Lawlor slammed Shelley to the mat. Kushida and Shelley hit some fast reversals on Isaacs. Ultimo Dragon got an inside cradle to pin Isaacs. That was fun. Ulitmo Dragon left.
* Sami Callihan, Trey Miguel, Rich Swann, and Ace Austin (team Pro Wrestling Revolver) attacked Kushida and Alex Shelley. Sami Callihan got on the mic and said “we’re firing the first shot, because SoCal wrestling is bullshit!” The locker room emptied to make the save, and the PWR guys bailed. So, we are starting a “war” between two top promotions.
Final Thoughts: This was a good show and I’m glad I finally got to see it. I wouldn’t have expected this going in, but I’ll go with Titus Alexander vs. Michael Oku for best match. Titus is just such a great heat magnet and Oku is such a great plucky young babyface, and they just meshed. I loved the finish too; sometimes a heel needs to win clean.
The main event was good; it wasn’t ‘great’ but it didn’t need to be. It was certainly magical to see that Kushida-Dragon-Shelley team together. I’ll go with a strong Blackwood-Irie match for third, with Masha-Kong a notable honorable mention.
Jordan Castle is clearly a friend of Robert Martyr; during the match he talked about how Martyr has spent the night at his house. The more Castle went on and on, telling me that Martyr is a “special once-in-a-generation talent,” the more I looked at Martyr as the next Erik Watts… someone shoved down my throat, getting pushed far above his talent level. Like I said… I don’t see GCW, Pro Wrestling Revolver or Warrior Wrestling knocking down the door to book him.
The biggest drawback of the show is the lighting was good in the ring and really bad on the floor, to the point it was really hard to see at all whenever they went outside the ring.
Prestige Wrestling puts on some really good shows, and I recommend checking them out on IWTV.
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