By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Prestige Wrestling “Black Sunshine”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
June 18, 2023 in Los Angeles, California at The Globe Theatre
Jordan Castle and Jack Farmer provided commentary. The Globe Theatre has been the home of Pro Wrestling Guerrilla the past couple of years, and Prestige announced during WrestleMania weekend that they will continue using this venue as their home in Los Angeles. It’s an attractive building and the crowd is packed at perhaps 400.
Prestige Wrestling is at war with Midwest-based Pro Wrestling Revolver, which began with an “invasion” angle at Prestige’s show here over Wrestlemania weekend. At the PWR show Saturday, Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin and Robert Martyr represented Prestige Wrestling in their respective matches. The war continues here.
1. Titus Alexander defeated Nick Wayne to retain the West Coast Pro Heavyweight Title at 17:15. This was originally slated to be Wayne vs. Lio Rush, but Lio withdrew a few weeks ago. Wayne graduated from high school on Saturday; he finally(!) turns 18 next month. These two have been at war for months on the West Coast, particularly in West Coast Pro Wrestling. An intense lockup to open and they traded kicks to the spine. They brawled to the floor at 4:00. In the ring, Titus hit some chops and was in charge. Wayne hit a mid-ring Sliced Bread for a nearfall at 8:30.
Wayne hit a fisherman’s suplex for a nearfall. Titus fired back with a handspring-back-stunner and a brainbuster for a nearfall at 11:00. Wayne hit a Dragon Suplex on the ring apron, with them both rolling to the floor; Jordan Castle speculated they could both be counted out, but Wayne threw Titus back into the ring and got a nearfall at 14:00. Wayne hit a Poison Rana; Titus hit a Poison Rana; Wayne hit a dropkick, and they were both down. This is an incredible opener. Wayne hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly for a nearfall at 16:30. However, Titus nailed a Sweet Time Driver/Michinoku Driver off the second rope for the clean pin. Really, really good opener.
* Titus got on the mic and said Wayne came up to him four years ago at a Defy Wrestling show. He said they are now best friends and are taking over the world. Titus said, “I hate that you are leaving the indies,” but added “you are going to go on to big things.” They hugged. Wayne bowed in the ring and got a rousing ovation.
2. “Team Filthy” Tom Lawlor, Jorel Nelson, and Royce Isaacs defeated Vinnie Massaro, Tyler Bateman, and Jordan Cruz at 11:12. Lawlor wore what appears to be swim trunks, not his super-small jean shorts. Vinnie is the over-the-top Italian gimmick guy, and I admittedly am not a fan. Cruz is big and muscular and has had a handful of New Japan Strong matches. The referee confiscated silly items hidden on Team Filthy members. Massaro’s team attacked at the bell, so I guess they are the heels. Vinnie and Isaacs traded chops early on. Cruz hit an impressive gut-wrench suplex on Isaacs at 2:30, then a German Suplex on Jorel for a nearfall. All six brawled in the ring.
Nelson & Isaacs hit a team shoulder tackle-and-Russian legsweep combo, and Team Filthy was in charge. Cruz hit a top-rope crossbody block at 5:30. Bateman and Isaacs traded forearm shots, and Royce hit a German Suplex. Lawlor and Massaro entered at 8:00 and traded blows, with Vinnie hitting a T-Bone Suplex and a hard clothesline. Cruz hit a Tiger Driver on Jorel for a nearfall at 10:00. Cruz hit a flip dive over the ropes onto several opponents. In the ring, Cruz hit a second-rope superplex. However, Lawlor applied a rear-naked choke, and Cruz tapped out. That was really good.
* Alan Angels hit the ring. He is a hated heel here; he was cheered a night earlier in Pro Wrestling Revolver, and he was introduced as “representing” PWR, drawing boos. Angels got on the mic and said that Pro Wrestling Revolver has the best wrestlers and stars. He demanded to be included in an upcoming tournament.
3. Alan Angels defeated Kidd Bandit at 10:21. Bandit is the transgender superhero; still quite green in the ring and under-sized, but an undeniable charisma. Angels said, “what the f— are you supposed to be?” to Bandit. Angels attacked before the bell and was loudly booed. Bandit hit a second-rope clothesline as Bandit was seated on the ropes at 3:00, and Angels remained in charge. Angels hit some chops and these two are actually prettymuch the same height.
Bandit fired back with a German Suplex for a nearfall at 6:30, then a Superman Punch and a spin kick, then a modified 619. Angels hit a powerbomb, a roaring forearm, and a modified brainbuster (it looks potentially lethal!) for a believable nearfall at 9:00. Bandit hit a stunner, then a fisherman’s brainbuster for a believable nearfall. Angels avoided another 619, and he hit a roundhouse kick to the head, then a top-rope frogsplash for the pin. Good match.
* Angels left the ring and got a chair and put Bandit’s left arm in it. Angels was going to ‘Pillmanize’ the arm. Angels demanded to be included in the tournament or he was going to slam Bandit’s arm. However, Sonico ran to the ring and made the save.
4. Rina Yamashita defeated Sandra Moone at 14:44. Moone wrestles predominantly on the West Coast but has been busy in the Midwest in recent months. Rina wore her GCW Ultraviolent title around her shoulder, and she immediately pushed several chairs into the ring before even entering. Moone hit a crossbody block in the corner. Rina threw a chair at her face at 3:00; I always find that reckless and dangerous for a chair to be tossed. Rina was now in control, as she hit a bodyslam onto a folded chair at 5:30.
Rina got a board from under the ring. However, Moone slammed Rina through the board, and she was fired up, hitting some forearm shots and a mule kick to the face for a nearfall at 8:00. Rina hit an enziguri. Rina left the ring and got a trash can at 10:30, but she missed a splash with the trash can over her own head. Moone hit Rina with a chairshot for a nearfall. Rina blocked a gutwrench suplex. Moone hit a clothesline for a nearfall. Moone hit FOUR unprotected chairshots to the top of Rina’s head, but Rina kicked out at one. Rina hopped up and hit a German Suplex.
Rina hit a shoulder tackle onto a chair leaning against Sandra for a nearfall at 13:30. Rina set up a door bridge. She hit a frogsplash onto Moone, who was lying on the door bridge, to score the pin. An alright brawl, but I can’t state enough how much I hate those four unprotected chairshots to the head. Have we not learned anything? From NFL players to Chris Benoit … those blows will have a negative impact later in life. And it really adds so little to the match.
5. Roderick Strong defeated Kevin Blackwood at 22:01. Jordan Castle said this is Strong’s first independent wrestling match since 2016. Intense mat wrestling reversals to open. Blackwood hit some hard chops. Strong hit a back suplex at 6:30. Blackwood hit a snap suplex for a nearfall, then a T-Bone Suplex. Strong dropped Blackwood on the ring apron at 8:30.
In the ring, Strong was in charge, and he hit a backbreaker over the knee, drawing a pop. He hit a kick to the spine, then another backbreaker over the knee for a nearfall. He hit a third one for a nearfall at 10:30. Strong hit some running forearms, then he slammed Blackwood chest-first to the mat for a nearfall at 13:30. Blackwood fired back with some spin kicks and a German Suplex, then a running forearm into the corner and a dropkick.
Blackwood tried to get a Texas Cloverleaf, but Strong reached the ropes. Blackwood nailed some Yes Kicks to the chest, then a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall at 16:30. Strong hit a backbreaker in the corner for a nearfall. Strong hit a back suplex and a Tiger Bomb piledriver for a believable nearfall at 19:00, and the crowd chanted “fight forever!” They hit double clotheslines and were both down.
Blackwood hit a Cameron Grimes-style stomp to the chest, then a top-rope double stomp on the collarbone for a nearfall at 21:00. Blackwood applied the Texas Cloverleaf and he dragged Strong to the center of the ring, but Strong rolled over and escaped. Strong hit a jumping knee to the chin, then he flipped Blackwood in the air and hit another backbreaker over the knees for the clean pin. That was fantastic.
* Intermission, which was cut out of the replay.
6. Galeno Del Mal defeated Rey Horus, Sonico, and Destiny in a four-way at 10:51. Galeno Del Mar is a big masked man listed online as 6’5″ and 297 pounds; the commentators were startled at how huge he is; I saw him for the first time at the Mark Hitchcock Memorial Show over WrestleMania weekend and he made quite an impression there, too. I have seen Horus the most from his ROH run in the Sinclair era, and he’s in blue pants and blue mask. Destiny wore a basic white mask; I’m not sure I’ve seen him before. The three smaller men tried to attack Galeno Del Mal but he fought them all off. Rey and Sonico traded quick offense. Galeno got back in and clotheslined both men.
Destiny tried a springboard move, but Galeno hit a headbutt on him. Galeno hit a sit-out powerbomb on Destiny. Galeno hit a flip dive over the top rope onto everyone at 3:30, landing on his feet. Rey nailed a flip dive over the ropes. In the ring, Galeno splashed onto two competitors to break up a pin at 6:00, then he nailed a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall. Destiny hit a handspring-back-stunner on Galeno, then Destiny powerbombed Horus for a nearfall.
Sonico and Horus traded forearm shots. Sonico climbed the ropes, but Alan Angels attacked Sonico at 10:00 and the crowd loudly booed Angels again. Galeno hit a Stinger Splash in the corner. Galeno hit a second-rope swinging slam on Destiny to score the pin. Everyone looked good here, and I can’t state enough how big Galeno is.
* The next match was supposed to be Kevin Knight vs. Lee Moriarty, but Lee was a late scratch. Knight came out first. Jordan Castle wondered who would be the last-minute replacement, speculating it might be someone on the ring crew or someone who was smart enough to bring their ring gear with them. Then the music played and the crowd popped, as out came Zack Sabre Jr.!!!! Castle went nuts; if he knew Zack was the replacement, he sure hid it well. (Sabre competed a night earlier for GCW in Los Angeles, so he was nearby!)
7. Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Kevin Knight at 12:15. They opened with some quick reversals. Both men were winners a night ago in GCW, and Sabre applied a headscissorslock. Knight hit a headscissors takedown, sending Sabre to the floor at 3:30. Sabre applied a cross-armbreaker in the ropes and let go at the four-count, and Knight was selling the pain in his left arm. Knight hit his leaping splash for a nearfall, then a second-rope twisting crossbody block. Sabre applied a mid-ring Octopus at 7:30 and he gave a middle finger to the crowd as he locked it in.
Sabre hit a Pele Kick onto the damaged left arm, and he applied the Fujiwara Armbar, then a modified Triangle Choke, but Knight stood up and hit a powerbomb, and they were both down at 10:00. Knight went for the Frankensteiner, but Sabre caught the leg and applied an anklelock. Nice. They traded rollups with Knight getting a believable nearfall. Knight hit the Frankensteiner, and he went for his leaping DDT, but Sabre blocked it. Sabre rolled him up, leaned back for leverage, and got the pin out of nowhere. That was really good, too.
* A commercial aired announcing that Tyler Breeze would be coming to the next Prestige show in Los Angeles in September.
8. Taya Valkyrie defeated Killer Kelly at 13:08. Castle noted how Kelly is coming off the grueling dog collar match against Masha Slamovich at Impact Wrestling. They opened with standing reversals. Taya hit some loud chops to the chest at 3:30. They fought to the floor, with Kelly hitting some forearm shots. They sat down on chairs in the crowd and traded blows. In the ring, Kelly hit a suplex with a bridge for a nearfall at 8:00.
Taya hit a spear for a nearfall. She went for Road to Valhalla implant buster but Kelly blocked it, and Kelly hit a Death Valley Driver. Kelly hit a basement dropkick for a nearfall at 11:00. Taya hit her sliding German Suplex out of the ropes for a nearfall. Taya again went for Road to Valhalla but Kelly escaped and got a rollup for a nearfall. Taya nailed a stomp to the back of the neck for the clean pin. That was really good, too.
9. “Motor City Machine Guns” Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin defeated “The Rascalz” Trey Miguel and Zachary Wentz at 16:32. The Rascalz are representing PWR so they are heels, with Trey giving the middle finger to the crowd as they hit the ring. Shelley and Sabin were heels a night ago in PWR but are babyfaces here. Both Shelley and Sabin had their Impact title belts. Sabin and Miguel started, and the commentators talked about their recent match in Impact Wrestling. The Rascalz hit stereo dives to the floor at 2:30. In the ring, Wentz missed a running Shooting Star Press, and the MCMG began working Zachary over.
Sabin applied a Trailer Hitch leglock. Wentz went for a handspring-back-move but his leg gave out. Miguel made the hot tag at 6:30 and he hit a Lionsault on Shelley. Shelley hit a Flatliner onto the second rope at 8:30. Sabin entered and hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip on Trey. Shelley was bleeding from a cut on his forehead; I’m sure he didn’t blade. Wentz hit a second-rope doublestomp on Sabin’s chest for a nearfall at 10:30. Trey grabbed the Impact X Division Title belt! As the ref confiscated it, Wentz hit Sabin from behind with a different title belt, and Trey got a believable nearfall!
The Rascalz caught Shelley with simultaneous superkicks. Sabin hit a tornado DDT on Wentz. Shelley sprayed liquid in Trey’s face, allowing Sabin to get a rollup for a nearfall at 12:30. Trey hit a flip dive over the ropes onto the Guns. All four fought on the floor and over to a stage where the hard camera was set up. The Rascalz hit stereo moonsaults to the floor on the Guns at 14:30. They all got back in the ring, where Sabin hit a tornado DDT for a nearfall. Sabin accidentally kicked Shelley! Zachary accidentally hit Trey with a title belt! The Guns hit their quick team offense and were fired up. They hit Aussie Open’s Koryallis swinging slam to pin Trey. Fantastic match. The MCMG held up their Impact titles above their heads as the show faded to black.
Final Thoughts: I watched a lot of wrestling over the past two days, and this was the best indy show of the weekend. You can’t go wrong with the Motor City Machine Guns vs. the Rascalz, but I’m going to give that excellent match second place. Roderick Strong just looked so good in his indy return, and the hard-hitting Blackwood was a perfect opponent for him. I bet it has been a year or longer since Strong was asked to go 20 minutes or more in a singles match, but he looked like he never got winded here. He seemed genuinely emotional at the reaction he got when returning.
Wayne-Titus just know each other so well and earned third place. As good as Sabre-Knight was, I can’t go higher than honorable mention, and part of that is no one thought Knight was going to pull off an upset here. But, there truly is not a bad match here. Kelly-Taya was really good. Galendo Del Mal is a beast and even though this was just my second time seeing him, I am blown away. He looks like DC’s Bane in a mask.
I am not sold on the PWR-Prestige Wrestling ‘feud.’ It is playing out on Twitter, and I don’t think any fans in attendance really believe these two promotions really *hate* each other. It is harder to buy into when wrestlers have worked for both promotions before. (It’s not like when IWS invaded Game Changer Wrestling earlier this year, as there was quite little cross-over among rosters.) All that said, I whole-heartily endorse this show, and I recommend checking it out on IWTV.
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