By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Prestige Wrestling “Roseland 7”
Streamed on IndependentWrestling.TV
January 5, 2024 in Portland, Oregon at Roseland Theater
The theater was packed. As always at this venue, the lighting over the ring is great, but it is really dark when they leave the ring. This show is sold out; I’m guessing a crowd in the 600 range but it’s hard to see them. Brian Zane and Jordan Castle (think a 22-year-old boisterous Don West) provided commentary.
Earlier in the day, Prestige posted on Twitter/X that Kevin Blackwood is sick and would miss the show.
1. Travis Williams and Judas Icarus (w/Alan Angels) defeated “C4” Guillermo Rosas and Cody Chhun to win the Prestige Tag Team Titles at 17:38. Chhun (think NXT’s Boa) is a top star in the Pacific Northwest. Angels joined commentary before the match. Icarus is a shorter version of Mike Bailey and he’s really good. I don’t think Rosas has had an AEW match but the other three here have. Williams and Cody opened. Icarus and the shorter, rounder Rosas entered at 3:00 and traded offense. C4 hit a team backbody drop. Williams hit a Rebound Lariat on Rosas for a nearfall at 6:30, and the heels worked him over.
Chhun finally made the hot tag at 8:30 and he hit a dropkick on Judas, then a DDT for a nearfall. Cody hit a hard headbutt, but Williams collapsed onto Cody for a believable nearfall at 11:00. Rosas got back in and beat up the heels; he shakes the top rope as if he’s the Ultimate Warrior. Rosas hit a sit-out powerbomb on Travis for a nearfall. Williams hit a German Suplex on Cody for a nearfall at 13:30.
Williams hit a dive to the floor; Judas also hit a dive; WOW these fans are right up next to ringside and there is just no room for anyone to move on the floor. In the ring, Cody hit a second-rope flying double-stunner on the heels. C4 hit high/low kicks on Williams for a nearfall. Alan Angels left commentary at 16:30 and he slid a belt into the ring. However, Rosas superkicked Williams before Travis could use it. Judas hit Rosas with the belt! Icarus hit an Angels Wings/butterfly faceplant on Chhun for the pin! New champions! The crowd booed this outcome. A very good opener.
2. Skye Blue defeated Liiza Hall at 9:02. Hall is a thin redhead and she’s fairly talented. Skye is looking nonchalant and even gave the crowd the middle finger when someone threw a blue streamer into the ring. Liiza hit a stiff kick to the spine in the first minute, so Blue hit one too. Liiza has a clear height advantage. Liiza applied a Texas Cloverleaf at 2:00. She hit a stiff enzuigiri and a European Uppercut, then a DDT for a nearfall. Liiza applied a Rings of Saturn double armbar. Skye trapped Liiza’s head in the corner and kicked her in the face, then she hit a standing powerbomb with a jackknife cover for a nearfall at 5:00.
Skye flew off the top rope, but Liiza caught her head and hit a stunner, and they were both down. They fought on the ring apron, and Liiza nailed a Death Valley Driver at 7:00, and the fans chanted “holy shit!” In the ring, Liiza hit a German Suplex, then another for a nearfall. Skye fired back with a jumping knee to the chin. She completely air-balled a kick, but then she got a rollup for the pin. A good match marred by an ugly finish; give Liiza credit for not selling that missed kick.
3. Jordan Cruz defeated Jaiden at 3:38. New Japan Strong vet Cruz is a beast with a great physique; he was in the GCW/JCW shows last weekend in New Jersey so he’s starting to get some shows around the country. Jaiden is Black and is essentially doing the Hurricane Helms superhero gimmick; he is slender and much smaller than Cruz. Cruz overpowered Jaiden early on, and he hit a Burning Hammer, but Jaiden made the “super hero landing” on one knee. Jordan tossed Jaiden into a pole near ringside at 2:00! Ouch! In the ring, Cruz hit a Kamigoye kneestrike t the collarbone, then a shoulder breaker over his knee for a nearfall, but he pulled up Jaiden at the two-count! The crowd booed loudly. Cruz nailed a second Burning Hammer for the pin. Jordan was shocked; Zane said it is probably the shortest match in Roseland show history. Decisive as it should have been.
4. Lio Rush defeated Samuray Del Sol at 12:12. Rush also wrestled in New Jersey last weekend; Castle said this is Lio’s first-ever match in Oregon. I noted this last weekend, but he has shaved all his hair off and he just looks so much different without the dreadlocks. If you aren’t aware, SDS is the former WWE star Kalisto. The crowd chanted “both these guys!” before they locked up. SDS got the crowd doing the “lucha!” chant. Quick reversals, a standoff, and a huge pop. Castle said SDS beat Rush in their only prior meeting, but that was five years ago. SDS hit a top-rope dive into an armdrag. They avoided each other’s moves, until Lio hit an enzuigiri for a nearfall at 3:00. Lio hit a clothesline for a nearfall.
SDS went for a Sliced Bread but LIo avoided it and hit a superkick at 7:00. SDS hit a handspring-back-spin kick for a nearfall. Castle reminded us this was supposed to be SDS vs. Rey Fenix, but Fenix is out with an injury. They hit simultaneous kicks and both went down, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Lio hit a stunner and a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall at 9:00. Lio went to the top rope, but SDS rolled out of the splash zone. Lio hit a standing powerbomb; he went for the Final Hour frogsplash but SDS got his feet up! SDS hit the Sliced Bread for a believable nearfall, but Lio got his foot on the ropes at 11:00. SDS hit a superkick and Lio’s saliva went flying. Lio nailed a discus lariat. Lio then nailed the Final Hour frogsplash for the pin. Fantastic.
5. “Midnight Heat” Ricky Gibson and Eddie Pearl defeated “The Workhorsemen” JD Drake and Anthony Henry at 15:26. Again, MHeat are old-school heel, somewhat FTR; GIbson is bald and Pearl has short black hair. This should be hard-hitting. A huge babyface pop for the WHM. Henry and Gibson opened, with Henry hitting some deep armdrags. Gibson hit some chops on Drake that JD no-sold and the crowd started a “you f—ed up!” chant, so Ricky rolled to the floor to regroup. The MH tripped Drake and began working him over in their corner. Henry entered at 4:00 and hit a flying forearm on Gibson. Drake hit a slingshot senton that popped the crowd. The MH hit a team Lungblower move on Henry at 6:00, and they kept Henry in their corner.
Henry finally hit a top-rope crossbody block and he made the hot tag at 10:30. Drake got a huge pop and he nailed a running knee to Pearl’s chin. He hit a running neckbreaker, then a running Stinger Splash, then the Vader Bomb on Pearl for a believable nearfall. The WHM hit a Hart Attack clothesine for a nearfall at 12:00. Pearl fired back with a brainbuster on Henry for a nearfall. Gbson hit a superplex, and Pearl hit a frogsplash for a nearfall. Henry hit a Bulldog Powerslam, and JD nailed a top-rope diving headbutt for a believable nearfall at 14:00, but Pearl made the save. Drake nailed a Cannonball in the corner, then a team Flatliner for a nearfall, but Pearl pulled the ref from the ring. Gibson hit a sideslam on Henry for the pin. Really good action. The WHM got a “please come back!” chant.
* Weapons were brought to ringside. Ugh. It includes barbed-wire doors that were set up in the corner.
6. Drexl defeated Amira in an intergender death match at 17:21. Drexl is bald with a very long beard; he has a great look but I admittedly am not a fan. Amira always reminds me of Raquel Gonzalez but not as tall. She has been wrestling for only about a year but has improved quickly. I admitted not only dislike death matches, but I really hate intergender death matches. She immediately hit a shotgun dropkick that sent Drexl through a light tube-covered door, then she tossed him into another door. They brawled to the floor and he’s bumping like crazy for her. He threw a garbage can at her head. In the ring, she pulled out a stapler and used it on Drexl’s forehead.
They went to the floor, where she stapled dollar bills to his body. In the ring, he began hitting her over the head with light tubes at 6:30, and I find this disturbing. He jabbed her in the forehead with jagged light tubes, then squeezed lemon juice into the cuts. Gross. He jabbed the cooking skewers into the top of her head at 10:00. She hit a Samoan Drop and some clotheslines, then a bodyslam into the pile of glass, then a senton for a nearfall at 12:30. She hit some German Suplexes. Drexl hit a swinging DDT. She hit a Mark Henry slam onto a pile of barbed wire for a nearfall at 15:00. He hit a piledriver onto the pile of barbed wire for a nearfall. Drexl hit a piledriver onto a barbed-wire door bridge for the pin. Just not for me.
Intermission to clean up that mess. They had a countdown clock on the screen and came back right as the clock expired! Good job.
7. Sonico defeated Sami Callihan at 9:07. Sonico walked to ringside first, but Sami attacked him. Sami got on the mic and ripped into the crowd to make sure he would get a heel reaction. They brawled on the floor at ringside. They brawled toward a wall where the merchandise tables were set up. They brawled into a balcony, and Sami teased tossing Sonico to the lower tier at 5:00. Callihan hit a Death Valley Driver across several open chairs. They returned to ringside and brawled on the apron, where Callihan grabbed Sonico’s groin, then hit a piledriver on the apron at 8:00. They got in the ring for the first time and the bell sounded at 8:37 to officially begin! (Amd this is why I start my stopwatch at first contact.) Sonico got a rollup for the pin! Yes, the official time is 30 seconds! Sami immediately ripped off Sonico’s mask and left with it.
8. Timothy Thatcher defeated Josh Alexander at 14:52. Standing switches and a feeling-out process to open, and Thatcher rolled to the floor to regroup. Back in the ring, they both tried to work each other’s left arm. Josh switched to the left leg, and Timothy scrambled to the ropes at 5:30. Josh began stomping on the left knee. Thatcher finally got to his feet and they traded forearm strikes at 9:00, with Timothy laying in some stiff European Uppercuts. Thatcher applied a crossface on the mat. Josh hit a back suplex at 13:00. Josh hit three consecutive German Suplexes for a nearfall, but Thatcher immediately applied an armbar. Josh hit a forward Finlay Roll and they were both down. Alexander’s head hit the corner. Thatcher applied a Fujiwara Armbar, and Alexander tapped out! I consider that to be a huge upset.
9. Willow Nightingale defeated Sandra Moone at 8:19. A huge pop for Willow. (This match occurred approximately two hours after her taped AEW Rampage match.) Willow has the overall size advantage. Lots of posing and they got the ref in the fun, too. Standing switches as they finally locked up at 2:00. Moone hit some blows to the chest in the corner. Willow nailed a Pounce and that popped the crowd. Sandra hit a sliding clothesline at 6:00. Moone hit a Mule Kick to the face, then a second-rope missile dropkick for a nearfall. Willow hit a hard clothesline for a nearfall at 8:00. Willow nailed the Doctor Bomb/gutwrench powerbomb for the pin. That was fun.
* A reminder the next match was supposed to be a four-way but Kevin Blackwood is sick, so this has become a three-way. Sabin came out first, then Angels, then Shelley; I liked that as it is establishing the Guns aren’t teammates tonight. HOWEVER, Angels got on the mic and he has a replacement for Blackwood… it’s NICK WAYNE. The crowd went NUTS for him and he just soaked in the adulation. They chanted “welcome home!”
10. Alex Shelley defeated Chris Sabin, Nick Wayne and Alan Angels in a four-way to retain the Prestige Title at 19:00. All three attacked Angels at the bell and that popped the crowd. The Guns hit a team suplex. (Worth stating that the MCMGuns faced Nick Wayne and Jordan Oliver in tag matches in 2023.) The Guns crotched Angels around the ring post, and Wayne hit a dropkick to his face at 2:00. Shelley hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip in the ropes on Wayne, and they traded mid-ring offense while the others had disappeared on the floor. Shelley rolled to the floor and brawled with Angels, but Alex accidentally chopped the ring post at 5:30. Angels hit a flip dive off the ring apron to the floor.
In the ring, Angels hit a short-arm clothesline on Wayne for a nearfall. The Guns got back in the ring and they hit some team offense on Angels; so far, the MCMGuns haven’t laid a finger on each other. Right on cue, Sabin was shoved into Shelley in the corner. Wayne hit an enzuigiri on Sabin at 9:30, then a doublestomp on Chris’ arm. Sabin dropped Angels onto Wayne, and the Guns both applied submission holds on their opponents. Shelley and Sabin hit front-and-back blows on Angels. Wayne hit a double Lethal Injection on both Guns at 11:00. Wayne hit a fisherman’s suplex on Angels for a nearfall. Sabin hit a Tower Spot sunset flip on his opponents. He dropped Wayne on his head for a nearfall at 13:00.
Sabin hit a Helluva Kick on Wayne. Angels hit a spin kick to Sabin’s head for a nearfall, but Shelley made the save. Shelley and Angels traded mid-ring forearm strikes. Angels hit a DDT at 15:00; he set up for the Angels Wings but Wayne caught him with a superkick. Shelley nailed the Shellshock swinging faceplant on Wayne for a nearfall, and he switched to the Border City Stretch. The Guns hit their quick team offense on Angels, and the crowd chanted “Motor City!” Judas Icarus attacked the Guns! Angels got an inside cradle on Sabin for a believable nearfall. The ref got bumped! Icarus and Travis Williams hopped in the ring and helped beat down all three babyfaces.
Angels hit Shelley in the face with the belt as Icarus and Williams held Alex’s arms. C4 hit the ring to make the save! Wayne hit a top-rope flip dive to the floor on six guys. Sabin hit a running kick on Angels. Angels hit the Angels Wings on Sabin! However, before Angels could go for the pin, Shelley snuck up behind him, got a crucifix and rolled up Angels for the pin. A stellar match, and again not a surprise, but Shelley and Sabin never intentionally hit each other. “A main event for the ages!” Castle said. Sabin helped Wayne to his feet and gave him a hug.
Final Thoughts: An absolutely stellar main event. The original match was going to be great anyway, but adding Nick Wayne made this a special, must-see match. Wayne has barely done any indy dates since turning 18 and joining the AEW roster, and it goes without saying he won’t have many chances to interact with three stars of the TNA roster.
Lio vs. Samuray Del Sol is definitely my preferred style and I’ll go with that for second place. I’ll actually go with the show opening tag for third. The mat-based Thatcher-Alexander match will undoubtedly get a lot of praise too, but I can’t go higher than honorable mention. The Workhorsemen match was so good but is only fifth-best on a night of stellar matches. Just like Thatcher/Alexander is an acquired taste, I have no doubt that many people will have Amira/Drexl among their favorites of the night.
This was Prestige Wrestling at its very best. The lighting is great in this building, the crowd looks great, sounds great, and this building is a perfect wrestling venue.
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