By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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H2O Wrestling “Uncharted Territory Season 5, Episode 7”
Replay available via IndependentWrestling.TV
December 18, 2023 in Williamstown, N.J. at H2O Wrestling Center
The crowd was between 75-125. Admittedly, this show really doesn’t look great on paper, but there are two intriguing matches, so I decided just to tune in.
1. Remington Rhor defeated Jimmy Chondo in a death match at 9:12. Weapons were already set up in the ring, and these death matches when there is absolutely no feud behind them just does nothing for me. They started by sitting on chairs across from each other and trading punches to the chin. They brawled to the floor. Chondo slammed Rhor through a barbed-wire board at 7:30. Rhor slammed Chondo on an open, upside-down ladder for the pin. Meh. I just don’t see a need for this type of violence.
2. Hoodfoot defeated Ryan Redfield at 6:41. Hoodfoot is a big, bald Black man who specializes in death matches. I don’t think I’ve seen him since he deeply gashed his arm in the early minutes of a death match and it was so bad it had to be stopped. Again, not a fan of that style at all. Redfield appears to be similar in height and weight, more than I would have expected. They traded mid-ring punches. Hoodfoot hit a pump-handle slam for the pin. Basic brawl.
3. Charlie Tiger defeated Adonis Valerio, Brayden Toon, President Hawkins, and Rocket at 6:02. Tiger (think Cameron Grimes when he was at his heaviest) is the most well-known. I will again compare Toon to a young Kevin Steen for being so athletic and agile while having a bit of a gut. Rocket is Lio Rush-meets-R-Truth. Hawkins is Black and wore a red-and-blue boxing robe. Toon hit a dive through the ropes in the first minute. In the ring, Toon hit a standing moonsault. Rocket hit a Swerve-like step-up mule kick and a Lionsault. Toon hit a standing powerbomb on Rocket. Hawkins hit a swinging faceplant. Tiger hit a Jay Driller on Valerio for the pin. Rocket is showing some promise.
4. Marcus Mathers vs. Austin Luke ended in a draw at 25:13. Mat wrestling to open, and Luke was in charge early on. Mathers hit a German Suplex at 7:30. Mathers hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip and applied a Boston Crab. Luke hit a frogsplash for a nearfall at 12:30. Mathers hit a Black Hole Slam, then a sit-out powerbomb for a believable nearfall at 15:30. Mathers hit a Poison Rana but Luke popped up and hit a hard clothesline for a nearfall. Mathers hit a swinging faceplant for a nearfall. Mathers hit a second-rope Spanish Fly for a nearfall.
Mathers hit a back suplex; Luke hit a back suplex; Mathers hit a Dragon Suplex, so Luke hit a Dragon Suplex. They traded forearm strikes while on their knees, then while standing. They hit simultaneous spin kicks to the head at 22:00. Luke applied a sleeper; Mathers climbed the ropes and fell backward, with both collapsing on the mat. Neither man got to their feet as the referee counted to 10! Thus, the match was ruled a draw.
5. “KillDozer” Matt Tremont defeated Kody Manhorn at 5:58. I’ve seen Manhorn a few times in the past couple of weeks and he’s small and scrawny. Tremont is looking more and more like Big Van Vader, and this mask he wears only accentuates this. Manhorn dove through the ropes onto Tremont as he walked to ringside. However, the massive Tremont beat him up on the floor. In the ring, Tremont hit a swinging Boss Man Slam. Manhorn hit a tornado DDT out of the corner for a nearfall at 4:00. He hit a chop block and a diving headbutt for a nearfall. Tremont popped up and laughed. Tremont hit a chokeslam for the pin.
6. Jimmy Lloyd and Rocket defeated “The Michigan Pillars” Malcolm Monroe III and Tommy Vendetta at 8:27. Double-duty for Rocket. Vendetta wore his military flak jacket. Monroe is a short Black man; think Lio Rush. I’ve see the Michigan duo a few times, like when GCW heads to Detroit. Lloyd and Vendetta opened. Rocket hit a top-rope crossbody block. Rocket hit a Pele Kick and a Sliced Bread on MM3. The Pillars worked over Rocket. Rocket hit a Poison Rana and made the hot tag to Lloyd at 6:00. Jimmy hit a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall on Vendetta. Jimmy hit a Tombstone Piledriver for a nearfall but MM3 made the save. Lloyd hit a stunner. Rocket hit the Sol Ruca stunner from the corner but the ref was pulled from the ring. Lloyd hit a Superkick. Rocket rolled up MM3 for the pin. Decent stuff.
7. Deklan Grant defeated Dominick Denaro in a dog collar match at 13:28. Again, Denaro is the stereotypical Italian mob boss. The dog collars were attached around their necks and the chain appears to be 15 or so feet long. They brawled to the floor. Denaro choked Grant with the chain. Denaro threw a garbage can into the ring at 11:00; he got a chair and he WHIPPED it at Grant’s unprotected head. Wow I hate that. Grant hit a suplex for a believable nearfall. Fans threw chairs into the ring and buried Denaro; this also seems ridiculously and needlessly dangerous. When the chair-throwing stopped, Grant found Denaro under the pile of chairs and pinned him. Seriously anticlimactic finish for a violent match.
8. Alec Price defeated Matt Makowski to retain the IWTV Title at 14:02. Standing swiches and Matt worked the left arm. Price hit a springboard crossbody block at 3:00. He dove to the floor but Matt caught him and slammed Alec onto the ring apron. In the ring, Matt hit a bodyslam and remained in charge; he applied an anklelock at 6:00. Price hit a Dragon Suplex and his running boots to the face, then a springboard Blockbuster for a nearfall at 8:00. Matt hit a German Suplex and a running knee for a nearfall. Price hit a Rebound Lariat for a nearfall at 10:30.
Makowski hit a spear for a nearfall. Price nailed a superkick at 13:00. Matt flipped them off the ropes to the mat and immediately applied a cross-armbreaker. Price nailed his Surprise Kick/step-up mule kick for the clean pin! That was really good. Avery Good got on the ring, holding the IWTV title. He told Makowski it is just a matter of time before Matt becomes IWTV champion. Avery said this was Alec’s 16th successful title defense, and he put the belt around Price’s waist.
* Krule came out of the back and confronted Price. Several “police officers” tackled Krule in the ring and handcuffed him.
Final Thoughts: I have watched three of the seven “episodes” and this was easily the best. Yes, Mathers-Luke put on a really good match for best match, even with the non-finish. Price-Makoski was really good for second place. The scramble was fun, for third. I like a good big man squash match (I love watching Lance Archer destroy someone half his size!) and Tremont destroying Manhorn worked for me; even as Manhorn hit some moves, Tremont literally laughed it off. I would recommend skipping the first two matches, the seventh, and catching the rest.
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