By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Fight Life “With the Quickness”
Replay available via FITE+
August 23, 2023 in Milldale, Connecticut at Kinsmen Brewing
This is a stacked lineup. This is a brewery and you can see the kegs in the background; I’ve seen Fight Life run in this building before. This is a packed building of maybe 200 fans; I don’t think you could get a lot more than that in there. (I did Google Maps check, and Milldale is almost exactly in the middle between New York City and Boston; about a two-hour drive either direction.) Veda Scott provided commentary, with various wrestlers stopping by, as Alec Price did the first match, Masha Slamovich joined for the third match.
* The show opened with a screenshot in the memory of Terry Funk. Classy to get that in so quickly.
1. Masha Slamovich defeated Jordan Oliver in an intergender match to retain the Fight Life Title at 11:44. Again, this is the heavyweight title open to all genders, not a women’s title that Masha has; it seems I see her fight more men than women on the indy scene. At 6’2″, Oliver has a significant height advantage. They traded mat holds to open and she had the early advantage. Oliver hit a plancha at 3:30. In the ring, he hit a clothesline and was in control. She hit a spin kick to the face for a nearfall at 6:00. Oliver hit an Acid Kick and a basement dropkick, then a Dragonscrew Legwhip.
Jordan applied a Figure Four; they wound up both rolling to the floor, with the landing breaking the leg hold. He stomped on her injured leg, and he hit a German Suplex at 9:30. He hit a second German Suplex with a bridge for a nearfall. He went for another Acid Kick but she caught the leg, and she hit a spin kick for a nearfall. They traded rollups. She applied a sleeper on his back, and they fell to the mat, and he either tapped out or passed out. Good action.
2. Sammy Diaz defeated Dezmond Cole at 9:49. Cole reminds me of Ricochet, while Diaz reminds me of Trey Miguel but with a beard, and Diaz has the height advantage. Cole hit some deep armdrags and a dropkick. Diaz dove through the ropes and they crashed into the chairs at 2:00. In the ring, Diaz hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall, then a back suplex for a nearfall, then a half-nelson suplex. Sammy hit a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall at 4:00; these guys are going at a break-neck pace. Cole hit a spin kick to the jaw. Diaz dropped him stomach-first on the top rope and hit a splash across his neck for a nearfall.
They hit simultaneous running crossbody blocks and were both down at 6:30. Cole hit a suplex and a Hogan Legdrop for a nearfall. Cole hit a German Suplex off the second rope for a nearfall. Diaz hit a second-rope moonsault for a nearfall, then a top-rope frogsplash for a believable nearfall, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Cole snapped off a Poison Rana and a running Cannonball in the corner; he went for a Swanton Bomb but Diaz got his knees up. Diaz hit a Shining Wizard, then a Sabin-style Cradle Shock for the pin. That was fantastic.
3. Ichiban defeated Jimmy Lloyd at 6:47. They immediately brawled to the floor and fought amongst the fans. Lloyd hit a Death Valley Driver onto the ring apron at 1:30. Ichiban hit a handspring-back-elbow in the ring and a series of punches in the corner, then a stunner for a nearfall at 4:30. Lloyd hit a senton, then a slingshot powerbomb for a nearfall. Ichiban slipped on the top rope but the crowd was forgiving; he recovered and hit a Canadian Destroyer and a leaping Flatliner for the pin. Surprisingly short, but the right guy went over.
4. Kylon King defeated Rina Yamashita via DQ in an intergender match at 8:49. Yamashita wore her GCW Ultraviolent title; I actually hate watching her wrestle because of her willingness to give and receive unprotected chairshots to the head. She is rather short so he has a significant size advantage. She tried some shoulder tackles that had no effect, and he mockingly patted her on the top of her head. She finally hit a Pounce to knock him down. Kylon hit a powerslam for a nearfall at 2:30, then an Exploder Suplex for a nearfall. Rina applied a Sharpshooter and sat down for pressure; Kylon reached the ropes at 4:30. They began trading forearm shots.
Rina hit an enzuigiri and a Samoan Drop for a nearfall. Kylon hit a pair of clotheslines and a second-rope missile dropkick at 6:30. She climbed the ropes but he kicked her and nailed a superplex, but she popped to her feet and hit a clothesline for a nearfall. They traded more forearm shots; I find it absurd she could match blow-for-blow. Kylon nailed a springboard tornado DDT and a brainbuster, and they were both down. However, Mortar came out of nowhere, hopped in the ring, and attacked Kylon, causing the disqualification. Ichiban hit the ring to make the save. (I didn’t recognize Mortar as it’s the first time I have seen him without half of his face painted.)
* Kong got on the mic and told Mortar he will be fighting Ichiban in a singles match at the next Fight Life show.
5. JT Dunn defeated Flip Gordon at 10:12. Gordon came to the ring with a belt over his shoulder and he had a mic, telling us that he’s the “flat-earth champion.” He said that we’ve been lied to for a long time about the earth being round. He has a full beard again; when he’s clean shaven he looks 10 years younger. Dunn (think Tony Nese but not quite the six-pack!) came out holding a blow-up globe. Flip said that Dunn just wants a title shot, but Flip refused to give him one. Gordon stomped on the globe and flattened it, drawing boos. This is silliness I didn’t expect. Gordon attacked Dunn to start the match. Gordon jumped from one rope to the other, but Dunn caught his head and nailed a stunner. Gordon hit a low blow; JT tried to catch Gordon’s leg but wasn’t quick enough. Flip hit a running penalty kick and was in charge.
Dunn hit a Cameron Grimes-style Cave-in stomp at 3:30. Dunn hit an enzuigiri and got a nearfall, then a spear for a nearfall. Dunn hit a stunner across the top rope, then a dive over the ropes to the floor. In the ring, Dunn hit a springboard crossbody block and they were both down at 6:30. Gordon missed a 450 Splash but landed on his feet. He hit his Samoan Drop and a moonsault for a believable nearfall, but he missed a top-rope Phoenix Splash.
Gordon nailed a mid-ring Spanish Fly for a nearfall at 8:30. They fought on the ropes in the corner. Dunn hit a huracanrana. Gordon nailed a jumping knee. Dunn hit a standing powerbomb, and he caught Gordon coming off the ropes with a roaring elbow for the pin. I liked this, but I definitely prefer Gordon as a babyface and Dunn as a heel, so I feel like Fight Life has their roles reversed.
6. “Young Dumb N Broke” Charlie Tiger and Ellis Taylor defeated Marcus Mathers and Shannon Levangie at 13:36. I’ve seen Mathers and Shannon team a few times now. I’ve said this before, but with her round face and straight black hair, she looks like a younger, smaller Rachael Ellering; since I first wrote it I can’t ‘unsee it.’ I always compare Tiger to Cameron Grimes for his size and a bit of chest hair. Tiger and Shannon started with standing reversals. Mathers and Ellis started at 1:30 and they traded faster reversals; they shook hands but then Ellis attacked him from behind. Mathers hit a dropkick. Mathers slammed Shannon onto an opponent. YDNB began working over Mathers, with Tiger choking Marcus in the ropes behind the ref’s back.
Ellis hit a Hogan Legdrop for a nearfall at 7:00. Mathers hit an enzuigiri on Ellis, then a twisting brainbuster. Shannon made the hot tag and she hit a flying crossbody block on both heels. She hit a Sliced Bread for a nearfall at 8:30. Tiger hit a sit-out powerbomb on her, and they were both down. Mathers hit a German Suplex with a bridge for a nearfall. Ellis hit a Poison Rana. Tiger hit a spear into the corner. Mathers hit a Canadian Destroyer. The babyfaces hit team superkicks. Shannon hit a tornado DDT on Tiger at 12:30. Ellis pushed Shannon into the ropes, causing Marcus to fall and be crotched in the corner. Tiger put her in a Torture Rack, and he hit a Burning Hammer on her for the pin. Solid match. Not sure why we needed three separate intergender matches on this show, though.
* Tiger and Taylor called out The Haven. Tiger said they wanted tag team title shots. The Haven jumped in the ring from behind them and attacked them.
7. Alec Price defeated Richard Holliday at 12:00. Holliday hit some shoulder tackles. Price hit a springboard crossbody block and a flying legdrop for a nearfall at 3:00. Holliday hit a tilt-a-whirl sideslam for a nearfall and he put Price in a Torture Rack before turning it into a neckbreaker for a nearfall at 5:30. Price hit a flying shoulder tackle. Holliday hit a spinebuster and was fired up; he does a lot of Rock’s mannerisms, specifically the way he winds his punch up, and then he did a “People’s Elbow.” Price hit a stunner at 7:30 then his series of kneestrikes in the corner. Holliday hit a Rock Bottom uranage for a nearfall. (Does he always do a Rock montage and I have never noticed it before?)
They began trading punches and were wobbly. Holliday hit a decapitating clothesline and a backbreaker over his knee, then a stunner. Price fired back with a series of kicks. Price dove over the top rope but Holliday caught him and tossed him back into the ring. Price applied a Triangle Choke and Holliday nearly passed out, but then he hit a powerbomb for a nearfall. They traded rollups. Price got a Victory Roll out of nowhere for the clean pin. A really strong second half of the match, but Holliday is too good to spend that much time channeling Rock’s signature offense.
* Holliday got on the mic and said when he first met Price a few years ago, Price had a bad attitude. But now, they provided some of the best professional wrestling in the world today. They hugged afterward.
8. Mike Bailey defeated Dustin Waller at 22:23. Veda explained that these two were supposed to fight each other in the tournament to declare the first Fight Life champion, but Bailey pulled out of the tournament for New Japan Pro Wrestling commitments. The crowd was hot and split before they locked up. They shook hands but Bailey hit a running boot and a brainbuster for a nearfall. They traded forearm shots at 1:30. Waller hit a springboard faceplant for a nearfall. They brawled on the floor, where Bailey hit a stiff kick to the spine. They went back to ringside, where Waller hit a planch at 4:00 and a series of chops in front of the fans.
In the ring, Bailey shoved Waller shoulder-first into the corner, allowing Mike to take control of the match. Bailey hit a kneedrop to the chest for a nearfall at 6:30. Bailey hit his Speedball kicks to the ribs, and he applied the Trailer Hitch leglock, but Waller reached the ropes. Bailey snapped back on the right arm, doing further damage to the shoulder. Waller hit a springboard clothesline, and they were both down at 10:30. Waller hit a series of kicks; he put Bailey on his shoulders and did an airplane spin into a Shooting Star Press, then a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall.
Bailey fired back with a series of stiff kicks, then a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall at 12:30. Bailey draped him gut-first across the top rope and he hit a flying kneedrop to the back for a nearfall. Bailey switched to a cross-armbreaker, then a superkick. Waller hit a Michinoku Driver and they were both down at 14:30. They traded forearm shots and chops. Bailey hit a series of kicks to the damaged arm.
Waller hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall at 17:00. He went for a handspring move but his arm collapsed and he was in pain, and he rolled to the floor. Bailey immediately hit his Triangle Moonsault to the floor. In the ring, Bailey set up for the Flamingo Driver but Waller blocked it. Bailey missed an Ultima Weapon but landed on his feet. Bailey again went to a cross-armbreaker, and he hit a moonsault kneedrop to the chest.
Waller hit a superkick and a stunner, then a handspring-back-stunner for a believable nearfall at 19:00. Waller nailed the Mamba Splash frogsplash for a believable nearfall; I thought that was it. They fought on the ropes in the corner. Waller missed a 450 Splash but landed on his feet. Bailey nailed the Green Tea Plunge/mid-ring Spanish Fly, then a superkick, the Tornado Kick in the corner, then the Ultima Weapon for a believable nearfall at 21:30, and Veda was shocked at the kick-out. Bailey set up for the Flamingo Driver, but Waller escaped and got a rollup for a believable nearfall. However, Bailey nailed the Flamingo Driver/modified One-Winged Angel for the clean pin. That was fantastic and topped even my highest expectations.
* Bailey got on the mic and put over Waller.
Final Thoughts: A fantastic main event, just absolutely stellar, and easily match of the night. A lot of other good choices here, but I’ll go with the surprisingly good Diaz-Cole match for second place, ahead of Masha-Oliver, with Price-Holliday earning honorable mention. There are a lot of strong matches here, and while I don’t think anyone would disgree with Bailey-Waller for best, I wouldn’t be surprised if others had different matches ranked second and third. This is as good of a roster as you could ask for from the Northeast indies today.
I’ve written this before, but I’m just such a huge fan of Flip Gordon that I can’t believe he’s not a regular in AEW/ROH or Impact Wrestling. I have to believe it’s his decision to not compete more than he currently does, because he’s so talented. I will reiterate what I wrote above — Flip should have been the babyface here and Dunn the heel.
This show clocked in at 2 1/2 hours and can be viewed on Fite+.
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