By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Pro Wrestling Revolver “Texas Toast’d”
Replay available via FITE.TV
July 8, 2023 in Grand Prairie, Texas at The Epic
PWR just ran a show last week in suburban Des Moines, Iowa. This is an entirely new territory for PWR. Only a handful of matches were announced in advance, so this lineup will be a surprise to me as it unfolds. The lights are on and this is a huge crowd, perhaps 500 or so. This building is a massive gym with three levels in suburban Dallas; it appears the top level is perhaps a running track.
Veda Scott and Mike Bailey provided commentary. Veda noted that the public might not recognize Bailey’s voice; she said Matt Rehwoldt couldn’t make the trek to Texas.
1. Exodus Prime defeated Rich Swann at 10:14. Exodus is a Black man with a great physique; I’ve seen him at least once before (think Kenny King or more accurately, Caprice Coleman). They brawled to the floor, where Exodus slammed Swann’s back onto the ring apron at 3:30. In the ring, Exodus went for a springboard stunner, but Swann blocked it. Exodus charged Swann, but Rich got a boot up to block it, and Rich hit a flying clothesline at 6:00. Swann hit a series of kicks and a running frogsplash for a nearfall.
Exodus hit a neckbreaker over his knee for a nearfall. They traded punches, and Swann hit a tornado kick to the head. Swann went for a flying clothesline, but Exodus hit a hard punch that dropped Swann at 8:30. Exodus missed a Swanton Bomb; Swann immediately hit his handspring-back-stunner for a believable nearfall. Swann missed his second-rope 450. Exodus nailed the springboard stunner, then his Angel’s Wings swinging faceplant for the pin! A mild upset and the crowd was thrilled. Strong opener.
2. Lance Archer defeated “The Monster Hunter” Matthew Palmer at 6:54. Palmer is just a bit too cartoonish for me; he always makes me think of an 1800s-era cheesy carnival alchemist, and he has bottles of his potions on his belt. Archer of course is a Texas native, and he would have just returned from the New Japan Strong shows in Tokyo a few days ago. Archer beat up the security guards as he walked to ringside. He got a massive hometown hero pop. Needless to say, he is much taller, thicker than Palmer, who rolled to the floor and went to the back before the bell! “Did he just leave?” Bailey asked. Palmer came to ringside and ‘attempted to attack security,’ but they just threw him in the ring. Funny. The crowd chanted, “Archer’s gonna kill you!”
The bell sounded to start. Palmer tried to pick up Archer but couldn’t budge him. Archer responded with a bodyslam. Archer whipped Palmer into the corners, then tossed him to the floor, where he beat up Palmer some more. Archer leaned him against the guardrail and chopped him, sending Palmer flipping into the crowd. They got in the ring, with Archer hitting a snap suplex at 4:00. Palmer was able to send Archer to the floor, and Palmer immediately drank one of his potions. (It’s Popeye and his spinach), and Palmer is immediately fired up. Palmer hit a series of punches in the corner.
Palmer hit a bodyslam at 5:30 and was fired up! He set up for a chokeslam but couldn’t budge Lance. Lance responded with his own chokeslam. Archer drank a potion! Veda immediately said it was a bad idea. Lance hit the Blackout/flipping Razor’s Edge for the pin. That was everything I wanted it to be. A nice mix of comedy and squash match.
* Archer got on the mic and put over Palmer. Palmer joined commentary, replacing Mike Bailey.
3. Tommy Becker defeated Kari Wright at 8:56. These are MPX (local wrestlers) talent. Kari (pronounced ‘car ee’) is a Black man who reminds me of Cryme Tyme’s JTG. Becker is white and of average height and overall size. Becker hit a clothesline on the ring apron in the first minute. In the ring, Becker applied an ankelock but Kari escaped. Kari hit a clothesline for a nearfall at 2:00. Becker hit a Death Valley Driver into the turnbuckles. Becker hit a clothesline to the floor, then he nailed a pair of dives through the ropes, then a flip dive over the top rope at 5:00.
In the ring, Becker went for a frogsplash but Kari got his knees up. Kari hit two German Suplexes. Becker hit his own German Suplexes. Kari got a Crucifix Takedown for a nearfall, then a jumping knee, then a neckbreaker over the knee for a nearfall at 7:00. Beckeer hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. Becker tied Kari in the ropes and stomped on it. Becker immediately applied an ankelock and Kari tapped out. That was a good showcase match for these two.
* Storyline update: Pro Wrestling Revolver is in a feud with Prestige Wrestling (who also had a show Saturday night, in Oregon.) Alex Shelley “represents” Prestige Wrestling and he’s a heel in PWR. (Likewise, Wentz is a babyface in PWR but a heel when he competes in Prestige, as part of this ‘war.’)
* The lights in the gym are suddenly off and the building is lit by lights at ringside. I guess I preferred the lights on.
4. Alex Shelley defeated Zachary Wentz to retain the PWR Remix Title at 12:24. As Remix champion, Shelley can set the type of match, but we had no pre-match mic work so I don’t know if this match has any specific stipulations. Veda is now solo in the booth; she noted Shelley just returned from Impact Wrestling’s tour of Australia. Quick reversals at the bell. Shelley slammed Wentz’s back on the ring apron at 1:30. Wentz crashed into the ring post and hurt his left arm. Shelley immediately began targeting the sore limb as they continued to brawl on the floor. Shelley placed Wentz on the apron and stomped on the elbow at 4:00.
Shelley stayed in control in the ring, and he snapped Wentz’ fingers. Wentz hit a German Suplex and a running Penalty Kick, then a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall at 8:00. Wentz hit a Lungblower move to the chin for a nearfall. He went for a Swanton Bomb but Shelley got his knees up to block it. Shelley nailed a fisherman’s brainbuster, and he immediately applied the Border City Stretch on the mat, but Wentz got his feet to the ropes at 10:00. They traded some mat reversals and Shelley again applied the Border City Stretch.
Wentz escaped and hit a superkick. Shelley hit a low blow mule kick with the ref out of position for a believable nearfall. Wentz slammed Shelley onto the title belt for nearfall! Shelley hit the Shellshock swinging faceplant for the pin. Really good action.
* Intermission. PWR airs replays of matches from prior shows, and they aired Crash Jaxon vs. Madman Fulton from last weekend’s show in suburban Des Moines.
* A backstage segment with JT Dunn and Allie Katch. Dunn belittled Sami Callihan for accidentally striking Jessicka Havok last week with a chair and causing her to lose.
5. “The Bullet Club” Ace Austin and Chris Bey defeated “Children of the Scorn” Tommy Prince and Gabe Wilder at 10:22. CotS wore scary masks; I hadn’t seen them before. Wilder is much heavier. Matthew Palmer has rejoined Veda on commentary. Ace started against Prince, then Bey squared off with the chubbier Wilder. Wilder picked up Bey and slammed him to the mat for a nearfall at 4:00. Prince hit a frogsplash for a nearfall.
Bey hit a backbreaker over his knee. Ace entered and hit a back suplex. ABC hit their legdrop and moonsault combo for a nearfall at 7:00 on Prince, as the Bullet Club kept working him over. Ace tagged in and faced Gabe Wilder. The ABC worked over Prince, with Bey hitting his springboard stunner, and Ace hitting The Fold flipping faceplant for the pin. Decent match.
6. Allie Katch (w/Phil Stamper) defeated Sami Callihan in a Texas Street Fight at 16:11. They immediately brawled on the floor; it is absurd to think she could trade blow for blow with him. She hit a running cannonball against the guardrail. Sami piled up chairs on top of her. They sat across from each other and traded punches at 3:30. In a fun spot, Allie ripped off an artificial leg off a woman and she began beating Callihan with it. (I remember WWF did this spot in the mid-1990s on a PPV.) They continued brawling around the building. Sami ran at her, but she moved and he crashed into a padded basketball pole at 6:30.
They finally got in the ring, but Sami grabbed two staple guns. There are already chairs and trash can lids in the ring. He used a staple gun on her chest at 9:00, earning a “you sick f—!” chant. He used the staple gun on each of her arms, then he used it to attach a paper sign to her forehead. Katch hit him over the head with a trash can lid; he used it on her, and she was bleeding from her forehead. Allie used the staple gun on his groin, and she speared Sami through a board set up in the corner for a nearfall at 12:30, and the crowd chanted, “This is awesome!”
Sami hit a Death Valley Driver through a door set up in the corner, and the crowd chanted, “holy shit!” She powerbombed Sami through a door bridge for a believable nearfall at 15:00. They fought on the ring apron; Phil hit a straight punch to Sami’s groin and Allie immediately hit her piledriver out of the ropes for the cheap pin.
7. Keith Lee defeated Aaron Eagle at 11:27. Veda noted this is a rare indy match for Lee in his home state. Eagle is bald and muscular; I don’t think I’ve seen him before, and he has a lot of Batista’s facial features. The crowd chanted, “Oh, bask in his glory!” They opened with Eagle posing and Lee being unimpressed. Lee hit a massive two-hand chop to stop the posing. Eagle did it back to Lee to little effect. Lee hit the double-hand chop that sent Eagle to the mat and out of the ring at 2:30.
In the ring, Lee hit a backbreaker over his knee. Eagle hit a crossbody block but Lee immediately kicked out. Eagle shoved Lee shoulder-first into the corner, and he tied up Lee in the corner. However, Eagle couldn’t pick him up, so he switched to a sleeper. Lee tossed Eagle across the ring at 7:00. Lee nailed a Pounce, sending Eagle flying. Eagle hit an impressive fallaway slam at 9:00 for a nearfall.
Lee fired back with a roaring forearm and a short-arm clothesline for a nearfall. Eagle hit a spinebuster for a nearfall. Lee hit a headbutt, more chops, and a sit-out powerbomb for the pin. Good match, and far more competitive than I initially thought it would be.
* The ropes were removed to create the ‘pit fight.’ The ring posts remain.
8. Mike Bailey defeated JD Griffey in a no-rope pit fight at 10:31. Veda compared this to the Blood Sport shows, and you can only win by tapout or knockout. Griffey is a Black man who has been in Shane Taylor’s entourage in ROH/AEW shows, and he always wears red ‘shoot fight’ gloves. Bailey also is wearing the fighter gloves. Griffey almost immediately bailed to the floor. They got in the ring and traded some jabs and kicks, and this certainly has a realistic vibe to it. Bailey nailed a roundhouse kick that dropped Griffey, but Griffey got up before being counted out.
Griffey hit a jumping knee to the side of the head, sending Bailey to the floor at 3:00. Bailey got up but was wobbly. Bailey applied a cross-armbreaker, and they rolled to the floor, with Griffey selling the pain in his arm. Griffey pushed his shoulder against the ring post to ‘pop it back into place at 5:30. They got back in the ring, with them trading spin kicks to the thigh. Bailey hit his Speedball kicks to the ribs, and Griffey was down again, with the ref counting him down. Griffey leapt off the ring and onto Bailey at 7:30, and Mike was slow to recover.
Back in the ring, Griffey hit a series of kicks. Griffey applied a sleeper on the mat, then he hit a German Suplex at 9:30. Veda said Griffey has never lost a fight in this building. Griffey hit more German Suplexes. Bailey went back to the crossarm breaker, then he hit a moonsault kneedrop. Bailey immediately applied another crossarm breaker, and Griffey tapped out. That was fun and different.
* The crowd taunted Griffey with a “you tapped out!” chant. Bailey got on the mic and noted this is the first PWR show in Dallas, and the fans immediately chanted “Please come back!”
Final Thoughts: This was a really fun show. I always note the travel schedule of the top indy wrestlers, but here on this show, we had several wrestlers who competed in Australia or Japan in the past 10 days. Shelley-Wentz was really good and earns best match, ahead of Griffey-Bailey. I’ll go with Swann-Exodus opener for third place. Archer/Palmer was a blast and what it should be. All PWR shows can be found on Fite+.
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