By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Glory Pro Wrestling “Ascend” episode one
Premiered September 8, 2023 via YouTube.com
Taped July 30 in St. Louis, Missouri at Casa Loma Ballroom
This is just three matches from the entire Glory Pro Wrestling “Animo” event, and I presume the rest of the card will air over coming weeks. While I’m skeptical they can provide a weekly show for an extended period of time, I applaud their ambitious goal. (Glory Pro Wrestling has aired most of its shows on Fite+, but they also have several full-length shows available on YouTube.com as well.
* The episode aired with a video package showing the faces of several Glory Pro stars, then we met Joe Arisi, our host. Reed Duffy provided commentary. The lights are low in the building but the ring is really well lit. It’s hard to see the crowd, but we have maybe 300-400 is my estimate.
1. Laynie Luck defeated Heather Reckless and Lady Bird in a three-way at 7:29. All three women were in the ring when we head to the arena. Laynie is in blue/purple here and she’s a babyface tonight; I prefer her as a heel. The 4’9″ blonde Reckless has been in several AEW matches, and she hit a Lungblower on Laynie in the ropes at 2:00. Lady Bird, dressed in red, missed a moonsault. Laynie hit a nice German Suplex on Lady Bird. Reckless hit a tornado DDT on Luck. Lady Bird hit a superkick on Reckless and everyone was down at 5:30.
Lady Bird hit a snap huracanrana. Reckless slammed Lady Bird face-first on the ring apron; those two brawled on the floor with Reckless hitting a hard chop. Reckless got in the ring, but didn’t see Laynie coming off the ropes, with Laynie hitting a stunner on Reckless for the pin. Decent action.
* A short video aired from 2019 when Dan the Dad beat Orange Cassidy. Sure, this footage is four-ish years old but it’s making the point that a Glory Pro regular can beat a well-known TV wrestler, so I get the point they made with this.
* A clip of Calvin Tankman beating Camaro Jackson on June 24 to win the Crown of Glory title. Another nice video package to introduce top wrestlers here.
2. Camaro Jackson defeated Crash Jaxon at 9:30. Again, this match occurred in July; I note that because Crash Jaxon just broke his arm at a Wrestling Revolver show last weekend. They traded shoulder tackles at the bell, then they brawled to the floor. I always compare the short, thick, muscular Camaro to Jonathan Gresham in looks. Jaxon is perhaps 350 pounds. In the ring, Crash hit a uranage at 2:30. He hit a running splash for a nearfall, then a running shoulder tackle. He hit a butt splash on the chest for a nearfall at 5:30. He missed a second-rope frogsplash, and Camaro immediately hit a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall at 8:00. Crash hit a headbutt and a slam for a nearfall. Camaro hit a hard clothesline for the pin. They shook hands afterward.
* Footage aired of Kody Lane vs. Warhorse in a steel cage match, also from June 24.
3. Rey Fenix defeated Kody Lane at 14:14. This is apparently Fenix’ first match in Glory Pro in four years. Kody always reminds me of Juice Robinson, and he’s had a couple of AEW TV matches and recently had a tour of Japan. Once again, no entrances or music. Fenix immediately tied Kody up on the mat. Lane is taller and has more muscle mass, and he yanked Fenix off the ropes as Rey was going for some lucha moves. Fenix hit a springboard armdrag move at 3:00 that popped the crowd. On the floor, Lane whipped Rey into the guardrail, then he slammed Fenix onto the ring apron; he got a nearfall in the ring at 4:30.
Lane applied a full nelson and he swung Fenix several times before releasing Fenix and getting a nearfall. Fenix hit his rolling stunner for a nearfall at 7:00. However, Rey stood up and was limping and the ref helped fix a kick pad. Fenix charged at Kody, but Lane hit a hard kick to the chest, then a brainbuster for a nearfall at 9:00. Lane hit a senton. Rey fired back with a superkick, and they traded chops; you can tell it’s warm in there because the sweat was really flying on the chops. Rey hit another superkick and they were both down at 11:00.
Lane hit a standing powerbomb, then a twisting Death Valley Driver for a nearfall. Lane hit a piledriver for a believable nearfall. Fenix hit another superkick, then an armdrag-into-a-doublestomp. Fenix hit a top-rope frogsplash, going most of the way across the ring, for a believable nearfall. Fenix ran the top rope and hit a penalty kick to the head. Fenix then nailed a sit-out piledriver for the clean pin. That was a really good match. “One of the best matches I’ve had the privilege of calling!” the commentator shouted. The crowd chanted “please come back!
* Fenix spoke on the mic, saying he liked the energy in the building. He thanked the fans for coming.
Final Thoughts: The show comes in at 50 minutes, and for those unfamiliar with Glory Pro Wrestling, this is a good introduction. Next week’s episode features Dan the Dad vs. Shazza McKenzie and Warhorse vs. Jake Something, also filmed on July 30.
Of all the promotions I check out here and there, Glory Pro probably has the most WWE-style wrestlers and that is certainly not meant as a criticism. They have a high number of wrestlers who are 6’1″ or taller, 240 pounds or greater and have the ‘look’ of a superstar.
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