By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Black Label Pro Wrestling “Turbo Graps 24”
Replay available via FITE.TV
September 23, 2023 in Berwyn, Illinois at Berwyn Eagles Club
The venue has been the traditional home of AAW and Shimmer women’s wrestling. There were two separate events; one at noon CST and another at 4:30 p.m. This is a review of the first show, with the first-round matches. The lighting is okay, but the crowd is legitimately 50-100. Not a misprint. Hopefully there is a larger crowd for the second show. Percy and Dustin provided commentary; they didn’t say their last names.
* Unfortunately, Calvin Tankman is still not cleared to compete so he’s out. He missed a Deadlock Pro Wrestling show last Sunday, too.
1. Matt Brannigan defeated Hayden Backlund in a first-round match at 6:11. Brannigan is the muscular guy who looks like WCW’s Lenny Lane. My first time seeing Backlund and he has short hair on the top of his head and the sides of his head are shaven; I’ll compare him to Josh Woods. He cut a heel promo, saying it wasn’t fair he came from Buffalo to face this muscular guy. Backlund was in charge early. He missed a running double knees to the back of the head. Brannigan nailed a gutwrench Doctor Bomb for the pin. Solid.
2. Rico Gonzalez defeated Camaro Jackson in a first-round match at 8:39. Jackson is the short, muscular Black man from St. Louis-based Glory Pro Wrestling; I always compare him to Jonathan Gresham in looks. Gonzalez wore a blue-and-purple Mexican poncho jacket to the ring; he’s much more slender than his opponent here. Sure enough, they locked up and Camaro easily shoved him to the mat. This is Rico’s BLP debut. Rico hit a dropkick that sent Camaro to the floor. On the floor, Rico shoved Camaro into the ringpost at 2:00. In the ring, Camaro hit a hard back elbow, then he hiptossed Gonazalez across the ring for a nearfall.
Rico hit two Superman punches with little effect. Rico hit a dive through the ropes at 5:30, then a Fosbury Flop to the floor. Gonzalez came off the ropes, but Camaro caught him with a chop. In the ring, Camaro hit a Michinoku Driver for a believable nearfall at 7:00. Rico hit another Superman Punch. Rico hit a top-rope missile dropkick for the pin. That’s an upset; the commentators made a David and Goliath comparison.
3. Brogan Finlay defeated Sawyer Wreck in a first-round match at 6:33. Sawyer is 6’0″ and has a height advantage. Brogan is apparently getting an NXT tryout soon; he’s Fit’s son and David Finlay’s brother and he’s still only around 20 years old. They had an intense lockup, but FInlay immediately rolled to the floor and got a chair. The ref confiscated it but Finlay attacked her, hit some punches, and a dropkick at 1:30. She chokeslammed Brogan onto the ring apron. Sawyer was in charge in the ring. She tied him in the Tree of Woe and stood on his groin at 4:00. She hit a Mafia Kick for a nearfall. Brogan fired back with a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall. He hit a forearm shot that she no-sold, and she just looked angry, earning a “you f—ed up!” chant aimed at Brogan. He caught her with a superkick, then a rollup out of nowhere for the clean pin.
4. Trevor Outlaw (w/Darius Latrell) defeated Davey Bang (w/August Matthews) in a first-round match at 6:56. I always describe Outlaw as a cross between Josh Woods and Marty Scurll, and he’s a bit on the short side. These two appear to be the same height but Outlaw probably has a slight weight advantage. Bang hit some deep armdrags and Outlaw bailed to regroup. Bang hit a baseball slide dropkick that sent Outlaw into the rows of empty seats. Lots of empty seats. Latrell, a tall Black man who looks like a basketball player, slammed Bang onto the ring apron at 1:30, allowing Outlaw ot seize control. Matthews and Latrell argued. Bang hit a dive onto Outlaw.
In the ring, Bang hit a rolling dropkick for a nearfall at 4:00. Bang hit a standing powerbomb; the ref was slow to cover and only made a two-count and Outlaw was livid. Outlaw hit a swinging faceplant for a nearfall. Darius distracted the ref. Outlaw got a chair, but August stole it. Bang immediately hit a spear and a Death Valley Driver for a believable nearfall. Bang hit a moonsault to the floor on Latrell. However, as he got back into the ring, Outlaw hit a Stomp on the head for the pin.
5. Kevin Ku defeated Dominic Garrini in a first-round match at 9:07. These two are Violence is Forever teammates! The commentators said “these are two best friends who are going to beat the shit out of each other.” Garrini is replacing Matt Makowski, who is sick, and I love that teammates wound up paired against each other. . They traded shoulder tackles with neither man going down. Garrini hit some stiff kicks to the spine at 2:30 that POPPED the crowd. Ku hit a series of clotheslines into the corner, then a Saito Suplex for a nearfall. Garrini hit an Air Raid Crash. Ku hit a second-rope missile dropkick and a brainbuster for a nearfall at 6:00.
Garrini hit a discus forearm and a standing powerbomb, and he turned it into a Boston Crab. They traded chops. The clasped hands and traded chops; this is a friendly exchange to see who could hit harder. Garrini hit a clothesline at 8:30 that sent Ku to the floor. Ku got back in the ring, got an inside cradle, and the clean pin out of nowhere! That was a fun battle between two guys that everyone knows are legit good friends.
6. Shazza McKenzie vs. Puf ended in a double count-out in a first-round match at 6:34. Shazza is the Australian who moved to the St. Louis area and she wore Natayla-style black-and-pink gear. Puf is listed online at 418 pounds; he wrestled on the C*4 show from Ottawa, Canada, last weekend. They tied up and he easily shoved her to the mat. She tried to put her arms around his waist but she can’t reach all the way around. He pushed his butt backward to knock her down at 2:00. She got mad, slapped him in the face, and hit some forearms. He hit a suplex and a running Stinger Splash, then a running buttbump into the corner for a nearfall.
Shazza hit a huracanrana and a basement dropkick for a nearfall. Shazza tied Puf in the ropes and hit some Yes Kicks at 4:30. She dove off the apron but he caught her and slammed here onto the apron. He hit a hip attack that sent her from the apron to the floor. She charged at him on the floor, but he caught her with a punch. Out of the blue, the ref called for the bell, saying it’s a double count-out. They weren’t paying attention; they begged for the ref to restart the match. When he didn’t, they kicked him in the stomach! Both competitors are eliminated! Not sure how this affects later rounds.
* Intermission
7. Eli Isom defeated Aramis in a first-round match at 6:45. Aramis wore red mask and pants today. Isom has yellow-and-white gear and I always felt like he was on the verge of breaking through in the ROH Sinclair era. They traded quick reversals at the bell and had a standoff at 1:00. Isom hit a dropkick that sent Aramis from the apron to the floor. Isom dove off the top rope, but Aramis caught him with a superkick. Aramis immediately hit a flip dive to the floor. They traded blows on the apron, with Aramis landing a superkick. Isom hit a moonsault on the floor at 4:30 and he was fired up. In the ring, Isom hit a pop-up stunner for a nearfall, and it appears Aramis got knocked loopy upon landing. Isom gently applied an Anaconda Vice on the mat at 6:30, as if to give Aramis time to recover. Isom then made a jackknife cover for the pin. The commentators acknowledged it appeared Aramis was legit injured. “We hate to see a match end like this,” the commentator said. Several refs rolled into the ring to check on Aramis.
8. Myung-jae Lee defeated Joshua Bishop in a first-round match at 6:02. I just saw Lee from that C*4 show last weekend; the South Korea native has been very impressive, but he’s significantly smaller than Sid Vicious clone Bishop. Lee hit a shotgun dropkick and an enzuigiri. He went for a crossbody block but Bishop caught him. Bishop hit a decapitating clothesline for a nearfall at 2:00. Bishop hit a hard headbutt and some chops, then a bulldog powerslam for a nearfall. Bishop hit a second-rope superplex, but Lee hit a suplex on the mat, and they were both down at 4:00. They got up and traded forearm shots, with the crowd rallying for the tinier Lee.
Lee hit a missile dropkick. Bishop nailed a Black Hole Slam but Lee kicked out at the one-count. Bishop hit a chokeslam but Lee again kicked out at one! Bishop set up for a Razor’s Edge, but Lee escaped, got a rollup, and scored the pin! “What did I just see!” a commentator shouted. A livid Bishop kicked a chair as he stormed to the back. That was really good for the time given.
9. Xia Brookside defeated Rachel Armstrong in a first-round match at 7:57. Armstrong always reminds me of pop singer Corinne Bailey Rae; both of these women are perhaps 5″3 and 110 pounds. An intense lockup to open and both appear to be babyfaces. Armstrong hit a dropkick for a nearfall, and she worked the left arm. Xia hit a running kick for a nearfall at 4:00. Xia hit a stiff kick to the spine for a nearfall. Rachel hit a running neckbreaker for a nearfall at 5:30. Xia hit a series of forearm shots.
Rachel went head-first into the middle turnbuckle and Xia hit running double knees to the back of the head. Xia hit a crossbody block for a nearfall. Rachel hit a DDT for a nearfall. Xia hit an Acid Bomb, leaned back for pressure, and scored the clean pin! Xia even looked shocked she won. I enjoyed that. Considering how new Rachel is, she’s really having good matches across the Midwest. They hugged afterward.
10. Isaiah Moore defeated Xavier Sky in a first-round match at 4:56. Sky looks familiar to me; he’s a Black man with short curly hair. Did he change his name from a prior wrestling name? Isaiah is also Black (think Cedric Alexander) and a bit more of a veteran; I’ve seen him here several times. Xavier hit a huracanrana. They avoided each other’s kicks. Moore hit a Lungblower for a nearfall at 2:00. Moore hit a superkick. Xavier hit a flip dive to the floor, and he landed hard, too. In the ring, Moore hit a superkick out of nowhere for the pin. Solid but surprisingly short.
11. Tom Lawlor defeated Tre Lemar in a first-round match at 13:41. Lawlor wore his over-the-top USA ring gear today. Lemar is Black with the splash of brown hair and he’s been on AEW Dark a few times. Lemar hit a flip dive to the floor. Lemar hit a slingshot Flatliner into the ring for a nearfall at 1:00. He hit a twisting crossbody block for a nearfall. Lawlor hit a running penalty kick to Lemar’s chest as Lemar stood on the floor at 3:30. Lawlor did a lap on the floor before kicking Lemar again. Lawlor began tying up the left arm and he grounded Tre.
Tre hit a Jay White-style swinging faceplant for a believable nearfall at 7:30. Lawlor hit a Kota-style Kamigoye kneestrike to the collarbone. Tom Lawlor hit a piledriver at 10:30, then a running kneestrike for a believable nearfall. Tre hit a Pele Kick, but Tom caught the leg and applied an anklelock.Tre hit a second Pele Kick, then a top-rope elbow drop for a believable nearfall. Lawlor got a sleeper hold on the mat, then a Dragon Sleeper. Lawlor rolled him over got the pin. Good match.
12. Cole Radrick defeated Sonny Kiss to retain the BLP title in a first-round match at 7:15. Radrick is the James Ellsworth-meets-Gomer Pyle dork who just got beat up on ROH TV a week ago; I admittedly am not a fan. Fans alternated a “Raddy Daddy,” “New champ!” chant. They shook hands at the bell. Kiss did a cartwheel-into-a-slap to the face at 2:00. Kiss hit a standing moonsault for a nearfall at 4:30. Radrick hit a top-rope elbow drop for a nearfall. Kiss missed a spinning heel kick. Radrick hit a stunner, then a springboard stunner for the pin. Shockingly short for a main event.
* Radrick got on the mic and thanked Kiss for still wrestling.
Final Thoughts: An okay show. Because they were squeezing in 12 matches into a narrow window, I expected relatively short bouts. Lawlor-Lemar was really good and easily earns best match. I’ll go Ku-Garrini for second and Bishop-Lee for third. Isom-Aramis and Xia-Rachel earn honorable mention. I certainly hope Aramis is okay; I do think he got knocked a bit loopy when he landed on the mat. With a mask on, you can’t tell, but Isom clearly knew something was wrong immediately.
This show can be seen on Fite+. I’m not sure the format the rest of the tournament, as we have just 11 remaining wrestlers due to a double countout.
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