By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
We are looking for reports on all WWE, AEW, NXT, Impact Wrestling, MLW, ROH, GCW, and other notable live events. If you attend a show, you are encouraged to send a report or even basic results to dotnetjason@gmail.com
Future Stars of Wrestling “Luck of the Draw”
Streamed on FITE+
November 24, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada at Silver Nugget Casino
I’ve seen shows from this venue before. It is a much better venue than shows at their tiny training center. That said, the ring is really poorly lit… one half of the ring is in the shadows. The crowd is maybe 250-300. Jake Black and MJ Holiday provided commentary.
1. Bodhi Young Prodigy defeated Action Braxton to win the No Limits Title at 13:51. BYP is the white, scrawny teenager who clearly is a gymnast or amateur wrestler; think a teenage Matt Sydal. Braxon is a Black man with long dreadlocks, and he’s much bigger and thicker. Braxton’s faction teammates were ejected at 1:30. Bodhi hit a dive through the ropes. However, Braxton dropped him throat-first across a guardrail, and took control of the action back in the ring. Bodhi crashed into a corner and clutched at his left shoulder. Braxton remained in charged with some basic offense.
Bodhi finally hit a sit-out powerbomb and they were both down at 8:30. He hit an enzuigiri, then a Blockbuster for a nearfall. Braxton nailed a kneestrike to the head for a believable nearfall at 10:30. They fought on the top rope, and Braxton hit a stunner to the mat for a nearfall, as Bodhi got his foot on the ropes, and Braxton was livid and grabbed the referee. Braxton got a briefcase! However, Bodhi hit Braxton with the title belt! Bodhi nailed a top-rope 450 Splash to win the title!
2. Shogun won the Roulette Rumble at 42:21. This is a WWE-style Royal Rumble, and I’m a sucker for Rumbles, and the winner gets a title shot LATER TONIGHT. Danny Limelight and Damian Drake opened. Brandon Gee is No. 3, and Fox Valentine is No. 4, and they said Fox is a rookie. Dante King is No. 5. (I only know Limelight so far. I like that they have names on the screen.) Remy Marcel (think Tony D’Angelo) is No. 6 and he’s muscular. Blair Broady is No. 7, and the commentators talked about him being a ‘blue-chipper.’ He definitely has some size to him. Kenny King, Deon Murphy and Jon Averson (Lights, Camera, Faction) hit the ring altogether! They are No. 8-10! Matt Vandagriff, one of the top stars here, is No. 11 at 8:30 and the commentators said he won last year’s rumble.
A.J. Aven, a scrawny teen, is No. 12. Several of the rookies have been tossed but Limelight is still in. Big Money Clutch is No. 13, and he attacked Lights, Camera, Faction. Marcel got tossed; that’s the first ‘established name’ wrestler out. Gregory Sharpe, who has appeared on NJ Strong, is No. 14. Sugar Brown is No. 15. Kenny King was eliminated at 14:30; that is a shocker as he’s easily the biggest name. Ricky Tenacious, the lounge singer, strutted to the ring while butchering Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer,” and he’s No. 16. The eliminations have been fast and furious. Kevin Koa is No. 17; he is giving off dangerous vibes like 1980s Jake Roberts.
Chase Bell is No. 18. Santana Jackson is No, 19. OKAY he was in North Carolina for GCW HOURS earlier, so this is insane. Big Duke, a tall, thick Black man, is No. 20. He quickly tossed someone out. (So many of these guys are scrawny, short white guys, Big Duke is really standing out.) Jimmy Jack is No. 21, while Big Duke is my hero for eliminating Santana Jackson. Shogun, another muscular, tall Black man is No. 22 at 22:30. The camera focused on Limelight, who is still in the ring. RBJ is No. 23. Bateman (he’s shaved off his carnie mustache) is No. 24. (Alexander) Hammerstone is No. 25, and the commentators said he has never won this rumble before. I am counting eight men in the ring.
Devin Reno is No. 26. Shogun eliminated Big Duke. Chris Bey is No. 27 at 28:30 and he hit stunners on several guys. Graves (?) is No. 28; he didn’t have a name displayed as he raced to the ring. Bateman was tossed; I am still counting eight in the ring. C.L.A.S. is No. 29, and he strutted to the ring. Hero Leu is No. 30 at 33:00, and I’m counting 10 in the ring. Graves and Reno were eliminated. A commentator said everyone in the ring except Limelight has held a title in FSW. Bey eliminated Sharpe at 34:30. C.L.A.S. was tossed. Vandagriff was tossed. Hammerstone did a Gorilla Press and tossed Limelight to the floor at 36:30; Limelight jumped back into the ring and eliminated Hammerstone! The commentators (and Hammerston) were irate, saying that shouldn’t count!
Hammerstone chased Limelight to the back. In the ring, we have JUST THREE LEFT: Hero Leu, Chris Bey and Shogun. Shogun is much bigger than Bey and they brawled. Shogun hit a powerbomb. Leu was lying on the mat in the corner. Leu eliminated Bey at 40:00. So, Leu and Shogun brawled on the ring apron. Shogun hit a Mafia Kick, sending Leu to the floor! A solid Rumble… the 12 or so ‘established names’ from the region were spread out through the match and of course, most were among the final 10. I have no problem with giving rookies/young trainees fill up the rest of the match, and the commentators didn’t dwell on their (unlikely) chances of winning.
* Jakob Austin Young hit the ring with his belt. Young has the same look and wrestling style of Drew Gulak. He issued an open challenge, which was answered by the bald Cut-Throat Cody. The commentators said these are former partners.
3. Jakob Austin Young defeated Cut-Throat Cody to retain the Nevada State Championship at 9:29. An intense lockup to open and ‘friendly’ offense; they aren’t heated rivals, at least not as we start. The commentators stressed that Cody had an injury and this is his return after months away from the ring. Young started hitting some chops at 3:00. Cody tied him in a Gory Special at 6:00 and tied him up on the mat in a Crossface. Young hit a Saito Suplex and fired up. Cody hit a German Suplex at 8:00 and they were both down. Young got an inside cradle for the clean pin. Decent match that built nicely, and they hugged afterward.
* “Death Proof” Alice Blair, Bateman and Lazarus attacked Jakob Austin Young! Cody, who had already left the ring, returned to the ring wielding a chair and chasing off the heels.
4. Nic Zander defeated Jai Vidal (w/A.J. Aven) at 12:33. This is a “Luck of the Draw” match. (So is it like Spin the wheel, make the deal?) These two have been brawling in recent months. Nic is taller and thicker; the sides of his head are shaved but he has a long ponytail. Nic hit a dropkick at the bell; Jai rolled to the floor so Nic leapt onto him. Jai hit a flip dive to the floor and celebrated. In the ring, they hit double clotheslines and were both down at 2:30. Zander hit a Dragon Suplex. Vidal hit a DDT for a believable nearfall. They did the suplex spot against the ropes with both men collapsing to the floor at 5:30.
Nic hit a twisting suplex. Vidal hit a faceplant slam for a nearfall. Zander trapped Jai’s head in the corner and kicked him in the face at 10:30. Zander went to the top rope but Jai kicked the ref, shoving him into the ropes, causing Nic to fall and be crotched. However, Zander hit a Canadian Destroyer from the top rope for a nearfall. Jai got a rollup with an assist from Aven providing leverage for a nearfall, but the ref saw it. Zander rolled up Jai for the pin. Vidal and Aven hugged in the ring, but then Jail shoved him to the mat and punched AJ repeatedly in the face.
* The next match was supposed to be a four-way for the FSW Women’s Championship. However, Viva Van had travel issues and couldn’t make it! So, this is now a three-way and a number one contender’s match.
5. Brittnie Brooks, Rachelle Riveter, Mazzerati in a three-way to become No. 1 contender for the FSW Women’s Championshp ended in a draw at 3:00. The commentators said blue-haired Mazzerati (think Kiera Hogan) was added to this match. Riveter also is Black with long braids (think Bianca Belair) and she jawed at fans. Mazzerati and Riveter are teammates; one commentator wondered if they could get along in this match with the title on the line. Brooks wore Lakers purple. Riveter and Mazzerati beat up Brooks early on. They hit a 3D on Brooks. Riveter and Mazzerati got up, walked to the back, and the match just … ended? Okay… One commentator said the bell never rang to officially begin so we never had an official match. I get it that they plans for them to gang up on Viva Van, but this was just really disappointing.
* The next match was going to be just Ice Williams vs. Shogun. However, Matt Vandagriff ran to the ring during ring introductions and cashed in a briefcase, making this a three-way!
6. Shogun defeated Ice Williams and Matt Vandagriff in a three-way for the FSW Heavyweight Title at 21:03. Williams is Black, tall, muscular and has long dreadlocks. Matt hit a flip dive to the floor on both opponents at 1:00. In the ring, Ice hit a back suplex on Vandagriff. Shogun hit a double suplex! Shogun hit a release belly-to-belly suplex on Matt, then one on Ice at 3:30. Shogun hit a Bulldog Powerslam for a nearfall. Ice got a chair and he cracked it across the backs of both opponents at 6:00. Ice hit an impressive dropkick on Matt for a nearfall at 8:30. Matt hit some European Uppercuts. Ice hit an axe kick to the back of Matt’s head, and they tumbled to the floor. Shogun, who was already on the floor, beat up Ice.
In the ring, Shogun crashed headfirst into a char wedged in the corner, and Ice got a nearfall at 11:00. Ice hit a slingshot legdrop on Shogun and worked him over, as Matt was nowhere to be seen. Ice set up several chairs in the ring, and he slammed Shogun back-first across the open chairs at 13:00. Matt ran into the ring, but Ice slammed him, too. Shogun powerbombed Ice onto the back of Vandagriff for a nearfall at 14:30. Matt hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly in Ice for a nearfall, then a top-rope frogsplash on Shogun for a nearfall.
Vandagriff grabbed the briefcase, opened it, and dumped out a bunch of thumbacks in the ring. Ice hit dropkicks on each opponent. Ice powerbombed Vandagriff onto the thumbtacks for a nearfall at 17:30. Suddenly a bunch of Ice’s teammates from Lights, Camera, Faction hit the ring and beat up Matt and Shogun. (Why did they wait until now???) However, one of them hit a spear on Kenny King, sending him through a door set up in the corner. Vandagriff hit a Death Valley Driver on Shogun; he still has a lot of thumbtacks in his back. Matt hit a Poison Rana! Shogun hit a Mafia Kick, then a sit-out chokeslam on Ice for the pin! New champion! The crowd celebrated the title change.
Final Thoughts: A really good main event. Shogun and Ice Williams aren’t known nationally but they are above-average, muscular men and very good at the prevalent WWE style. Bodhi vs. Action Braxton earns second place. The Royal Rumble was fine. I would have liked to have seen Kenny King and Chris Bey in singles matches, and I wish they had stayed in that match longer. The action in the Rumble was okay, and as I noted, the more recognizable names were in the ring at the end, and the unknown rookies were gone by that point.
Be the first to comment