By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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West Coast Pro “Ill Mannered”
Streamed on YouTube.com
January 27, 2024 in San Francisco, California at United Irish Cultural Center
The crowd is in the 250 range. Lighting is below average. James Kincaid and Sam Laterna provided commentary. They announced that Juicy Finau is ill and unable to compete.
1. “Team Ishmael” Ishmael Vaughn, Xavier, Flyboy Andrew Cass, and Chris Nasty defeated “Team Jiah” Jiah Jewell, Lazarus, Jaguar Montoya, and Brett the Threat in an eight-man tag at 9:49. No on-screen graphics so I got everyone’s names right later. Laterna said at many wrestling schools, you can spend years setting up the ring before getting on a show, but here you get opportunities right away. Lazarus and Chris Nasty opened. Ishmael is a muscular Black man and his team are the babyfaces. Nasty has a comically thick mustache. Flyboy is a teen and he hit an impressive springboard Blockbuster. Lazarus hit a dive through the ropes and suddenly everyone was brawling on the floor. Ishmael hit an impressive flip dive onto everyone. In the ring, Ishmael speared Lazarus for the pin. Some uneven spots here but certainly some potential.
2. Vinnie Massaro defeated 1 Called Manders at 13:38. I always compare Massaro to Hugh Morrus, with his singlet trying to hide his gut. He’s an overly-stereotypical Italian gimmick and I admittedly am not a fan. I saw him on a show in Japan at the beginning of the year, and Kincaide noted he just returned from that tour. Manders, meanwhile, competed Thursday for Wrestling Revolver in Ohio, and he hit a shoulder tackle that dropped Massaro. They traded chops. Manders hit an elbow drop for a nearfall at 4:00. Vinnie hit his own chops. Manders hit a dropkick at 7:00, and he dove through the ropes onto Vinnie!
In the ring, Vinnie hit a suplex. Manders hit a spear to the back, then a Doctor Bomb/gutwrench powerbomb for a believable nearfall. Vinnie hit a T-Bone Suplex for a believable nearfall at 9:30. Manders hit a Bulldog Powerslam for a nearfall. They got up and traded forearm strikes, then loud chops. Manders ducked the Snoring Elbow and hit a German Suplex, so Vinnie hit his own German Suplex, and they hit more. They hit simultaneous clotheslines. Vinnie hit a half-nelson suplex at 12:00 but only got a one count. Manders again ducked the Snoring Elbow and he hit a decapitating clothesline for a believable nearfall. Vinnie hit a headbutt, then he nailed the Snoring Elbow for the pin. That was hard-hitting.
3. Calvin Tankman and “Beef” Gnarls Barkley defeated “Sky High” Mondo Rox and Robbie Lit at 6:03. Tankman and Beef each are 300+ pounders and they are much bigger than their scrawny opponents. Sky High are from Las Vegas-based Future Stars of Wrestling, and they are replacements for Juicy Finau and whichever Fatu was slated to team with him. Beef opened against Robbie. Tankman entered and hit some chops, then a hip toss across the ring on Mondo Ross at 3:00. Sky High dove to the floor but they each got caught! Beef and Tankman tossed them into each other on the floor at 5:00! In the ring, Tankman hit a pop-up spinning back fist. Beef hit a crossbody block in the ropes. Tankman hit a top-rope superplex, and Beef immediately hit a frogsplash. They piled on the victim for the pin. An extended squash, really.
* “Los Suavicitos” Adrian Quest, Danny Rose and Ricky Gee jumped in the ring and attacked Tankman and Beef! WCPW matchmaker Chris Hero came to the ring and got on the mic. Hero said Rose and Gee are now “unbooked” for the next show in March, but Quest will face Hero! He then had security kick them out of the building. Hero then announced that in May, they will be unveiling the WCPW tag title belts.
4. La Estrella, Aramis, and Iron Kid defeated El Cucuy and “Los Vipers” Toxin and Latigo at 16:10. All six wear masks. I don’t think I’ve seen the chubby Cucuy; he looks a bit like the later-years heavier La Parka. Estrella is from Dragon Gate in Japan and he’s toured the U.S. before. Iron Kid is clearly young but he’s impressed in recent showings here; the way his hair comes out of his mask reminds me of Psicosis. The rudos attacked at the bell. Iron Kid traded some quick offense with Toxin. The rudos began working over Iron Kid. Aramis, wearing mostly white tonight, entered at 2:30 and he hit an enzuigiri on Latigo. Estrella walked on his hands before hitting a huracanrana on Cucuy.
Estrella did a series of cartwheels that popped the crowd. All six fought in the ring and the rudos held the technicos upside down for several seconds, but the babyfaces all got rollups for nearfalls at 5:30. Estrella was hit in the groin. The heels again worked over Iron Kid. Cucuy hit a Dragon Suplex on Aramis at 8:30. The heels have all been in the ring together, having 3-on-1 advantages on each babyface. Iron Kid and Aramis hit stereo Asai Moonsaults, while Estrella dove through the ropes on the other side of the ring. Suddenly all three babyfaces hit some impressive dives to the floor at 10:00 and it woke up this crowd.
Aramis hit a top-rope doublestomp for a believable nearfall. The rudos did ‘wishbones’ on babyfaces, spreading their legs apart. Latigo hit a crossbody block into the corner, then a Lungblower. Iron Kid hit an impressive Poison Rana. Aramis hit a Code Red on Cucuy. Aramis and Latigo traded chops at 14:00. Toxin hit a dive to the floor. Iron Kid hit a flip dive. Estrella hit a dive, and suddenly only the heavy Cucuy was in the ring. He did a flip dive onto everyone at 15:30. Iron Kid hit a top-rope Phoenix Splash onto Cucuy for the pin. An entertaining lucha match.
* Intermission.
5. Titus Alexander defeated Leo Isaka at 16:40. I don’t know Isaka; he is from the Japan promotion Marvelous. Isaka looks a bit like Tetsuya Naito, with his brown, shaggy uncombed hair. Titus just returned from a Japan tour, and he also competed in North Carolina-based Deadlock Pro last weekend. Standing switches and a feeling-out process to open. Titus hit a shoulder tackle and celebrated. Isaka hit a huracanrana and a dropkick. Titus hit a back suplex for a nearfall at 3:30 and he was in charge. He hit a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall. Leo hit a suplex and he fired up. He hit a Frankensteiner at 6:30, then a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall.
Leo went for a split-legged moonsault but Titus got his knees up. Leo hit a handspring-back-elbow, then a German Suplex for a nearfall. Titus hit a dropkick to the face. Titus nailed a Lethal Injection for a believable nearfall, then a Brainbuster for a nearfall at 9:00. They fought to the floor and away from ringside. Leo climbed a ladder onto a ledge in the corner, and he hit a 15-foot moonsault to the floor at 11:30. Nice spot. They got back into the ring, where Isaka hit a Buzzsaw Kick for a nearfall. Titus hit a rolling elbow, then a backbreaker over his knee for a believable nearfall. They traded rollups.
Titus went for a Chaos Theory but Isaka blocked it. Isaka hit a Canadian Destroyer and they were both down at 14:00. They again traded forearm strikes while on their knees, then while standing. Titus hit a superkick. Isaka hit a MIchinoku Driver for a nearfall, but he missed a top-rope Shooting Star Press. Titus hit a running knee to the back of the head for a nearfall, then a modified Death Valley Driver for a nearfall. Titus nailed the Chaos Theory/rolling German Suplex for the pin. That was really good.
* The Crush Girls” Lioness Asuka and Chigusa Nagayo came to the ring. I admittedly don’t know Japanese women’s wrestling, including these two, who are clearly vets, Asuka at age 60 and Nagayo age 59. They were given bouquets of flowers, spoke a bit, and left.
6. Takumi Iroha defeated Sandra Moone to retain the WCPW Women’s Title at 15:24. An intense lockup to open, and they traded some quick rollups. Iroha hit a spin kick to the chest at 3:00, then a stiff kick to the spine. She hit a variety of kicks and remained in charge. Sandra hit a German Suplex at 6:00. Iroha hit a rolling elbow. Moone hit a hard back elbow and she dropped Iroha with a forearm at 8:30. Moone hit a dive through the ropes. In the ring, Moone hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. Iroha hit a spin heel kick to the head at 10:30, then a stiff buzzsaw kick. However, she missed a Swanton Bomb, and Moone immediately hit a diving forearm to the back of the head for a nearfall.
Moone hit a fisherman’s suplex for a nearfall. Iroha hit another hard kick to the head in the corner. She set up for a Razor’s Edge but Moone escaped. They fought on the ropes again Iroha hit the Razor’s Edge for a believable nearfall at 14:00 and Iroha argued with the ref. Moone got a rollup for a nearfall. Iroha hit a Dominator faceplant for the pin. Moone has progressed so much in the past year; I didn’t think she’d win but she put up a heckuva fight here.
7. Starboy Charlie defeated Alpha Zo to retain the WCPW Heavyweight title at 19:39. Zo is Black and thick; I’ve noted that I was really struck by how he appeared to be the same height and generally same weight as Jeff Cobb when they fought last year. I believe Charlie is now 20, and he wore his denim bib overalls. They immediately traded mat reversals. Zo knocked Charlie down with a shoulder tackle at 2:00. He hit a fallaway slam and was in charge early. Charlie hit a moonsault off the apron to the floor, but Zo caught him and did a Gorilla Press, tossing Charlie into the rows of chairs! They got back in the ring, with Zo in charge.
Charlie hit a mid-ring Sliced Bread, then a corkscrew moonsault at 7:00, then some Yes Kicks to the chest. Charlie hit a Russian Legsweep and turned it into a crossface, but Zo reached the ropes. Zo nailed a Wheelbarrow German Suplex at 10:30. He hit a half-nelson suplex and was fired up. Charlie hit a hesitation dropkick into the corner. He went for a second-rope corkscrew moonsault, but Zo got his knees up at 12:30. Charlie hit a Poison Rana and got a nearfall. Charlie again applied a Crossface on the mat. They traded forearm strikes.
Zo nailed a uranage for a nearfall at 15:00. Charlie hit a Pele Kick. He went for another Poison Rana but Zo blocked it, and Zo hit a swinging Angle Slam for a nearfall. Nice spot. Charlie hit a spin kick to the face for a nearfall at 17:00, and he ripped down the straps of his overalls. Zo nailed a decapitating clothesline, but Charlie rolled to the floor to avoid being pinned. They brawled on the floor and Zo accidentally hit the ring post. They got back in the ring and traded more forearm strikes. Zo hit a series of slaps to the face. They traded rollups when suddenly Charlie hit a Gotch-style Piledriver for the pin. That was really good.
* Kevin Blackwood jumped in the ring and attacked Charlie from behind! Zo left the ring and didn’t try to help Charlie! Titus Alexander came out and walked past Zo, who once again didn’t try to make a save. However, Titus hit Blackwood in the ring! Blackwood rolled to the floor and he was shocked Titus hit him! Titus then offered a handshake to Charlie! They shook hands and hugged! I guess Titus is no longer a heel here.
Final Thoughts: I’ll go with Titus vs. Isaka for best match. Titus is just such a great heel, and I really liked what I saw from Isaka in my first time seeing him in action. Charlie-Zo was really hard-hitting and good action and earns second. The lucha man took some time getting going, and we had a prolonged stretch where the heels were all in the ring, beating up just one opponent, but that match really picked up in the second half to earn third place. Iroha-Moone earns honorable mention.
This show is temporarily available for free via YouTube. Typically, they pull it down after it airs and it will later be posted on IWTV.
The Crush Gals are more than just ‘vets’. They’re one of the biggest and most influential tag teams of all time. They were legitimate superstars in Japan, the type who had to move house regularly to avoid fans, and were, building on the legacy of the Beauty Pair, the names AJW was built on. They were also outstanding wrestlers and Chig has gone on to train everyone from Meiko Satomura to Takumi Iroha.