By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Northern Federation of Wrestling “Hysteria”
Streamed on IWTV.com
April 12, 2024 in Worcester, Massachusetts at White Eagle
This show took place essentially 24 hours after the Wrestling Open show in this same venue, and largely with the same rotating roster that Wrestling Open uses. I did a double-take as the show began because there are literally 50-60 fans in the building. Wow. They typically draw 300-ish for Thursday Wrestling Open shows, so this has to be devastating to have so many top talents on this show and a draw this poor. With this show titled “Hysteria,” insert your own Def Leppard joke here. They have the best one-armed drummer in the world and I’ll stand by that statement.
1. “Edge of Hope” Cerin Rahne and Mattick (w/Jeremiah Richter) defeated “Vlog Bro University” Dante Drago and Jack Tomlinson to win the NFW Tag Team Titles at 11:52. My first time seeing Edge of Hope; they look like an aging biker gang that sells meth in Charming, California. VBU, as the name suggests, are smarmy youngsters, and neither team strikes me as babyfaces. EoH worked over Tomlinson extensively. Drago hit a chokeslam on Rahne for a nearfall at 7:30. Tomlinson hit a Hart Attack clothesline for a nearfall. Richter was thrown out by the ref. However, Darren Crowe (the fourth member of EoH) ran into the ring and attacked Drago. Rocker Nick Robles appeared at ringside and fought Crowe to the back! Edge of Hope hit a team Flatliner move for the pin. New champions!. Pretty standard tag match.
* Drago and Tomlinson shook hands, but it’s clear they are dissolving their tag team.
2. Griffin McCoy defeated Macrae Martin at 10:14. These are two of the taller guys in the Northeast indy scene. Macrae is one of a handful of Canadians on this show. They teased a dance-off to begin before an intense lockup. Macrae hit a splash for a nearfall at 3:00, so Griffin rolled to the floor. Macrae followed and they traded chops on the floor. In the ring, McCoy hit a Helluva Kick and a basement dropkick in the corner for a nearfall at 6:00. Macrae hit a shotgun dropkick and a swinging Black Hole Slam variation for a nearfall at 7:30. He hit a spin kick to the jaw for a nearfall. Griffin pulled ref Gina in the way to avoid being hit! He hit a springboard spin kick to the jaw for the cheap pin. Good match.
* A video package aired showing Vaughn Vertigo (think GYVet James Drake) is headed to an upcoming show.
3. “Black & Yellow” Ting Shi and Corey Jackson defeated “The Lost Boys” Athan Promise and Juni Underwood at 10:13. I’ve seen Juni just a couple times and I don’t think I know the rest. The Lost Boys look like 1998 Hardy Boyz. Corey and Promise opened. Corey is Black with long dreadlocks, and he has the size advantage. Shi entered and hit some quick Lio Rush-style misdirection offense on Underwood. Shi nailed a flip dive to the floor on the heels at 3:30. In the ring, Athan hit a dropkick as Shi was tied in the Tree of Woe, and the heels took over. Athan hit a German Suplex with a bridge for a nearfall.
Jackson maed the hot tag at 7:30 and he hit a suplex on Athan and was fired up. Corey hit a Blue Thunder Bomb. B&Y hit a team Flatliner for a nearfall. Athan hit a top-rope doublestomp for a nearfall. Ting and Juni brawled to the floor. Ting hit a top-rope Blockbuster on Athan, who was seated on Corey’s shoulders, for the pin. This topped my (admittedly low) expectations.
4. Pat Dynamite defeated RJ Rude, Danjerhawk, Bobby Orlando, Marcus Mathers, and Charlie Tiger in a scramble at 8:56. Again, Dynamite just changed his ring name from Ellis Taylor, and he’s in this match with former teammate Tiger. I’ve now seen the masked Danjerhawk a few times this month, and I’m well familiar with the rest. Orlando brought his stuffed goat and he has the dorky, juvenile humor. Mathers had 13 matches over four days of WrestleMania weekend! RJ Rude (awfully) sang “1985” by Bowling For Soup and was loudly booed. Orlando put his hands over his ears and he’s not wrong. Give Rude credit.. he is committed to this gimmick.
Mathers hit a superkick on RJ to open the match! Tiger hit a butterfly suplex on Orlando, then a back suplex. Danjerhawk hit a crossbody block on Dynamite and Tiger. Tiger was flipped onto former teammate Dynamite. Mathers hit a Northern Lights Suplex on Danjerhawk at 2:30. Rude hit a swinging neckbreaker on Mathers, then a stiff kick to Marcus’ spine. Mathers fired back with some LOUD chops on Rude. Orlando hit a superkick on Danjerhawk at 6:00. Orlando and Mathers hit stereo dives through the ropes on the rest of the opponents.
In the ring, Orlando and Mathers hit stereo stunners! However, Orlando then hit a stunner on Marcus. Tiger and Dynamite (the former partners) fought, and Tiger hit a spear. Orlando shouted “sorry!” and hit a stunner on Danjerhawk. Mathers hit a stunner on Orlando. RJ hit a Lungblower on Mathers at 8:30, then a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall. Dynamite hit a superkick on Tiger, then a back suplex on Rude for the pin! Good action; the commentators talked about Pat Dynamite going through some changes beyond the name change.
* Another video showing that Jordan Oliver is coming to their show in May.
5. Myung-Jae Lee defeated Mike Skyros at 8:49. I’ve seen Skyros just a few times; his blond hair is in tight cornrows, and he’s a bit bigger and thicker than his opponent. Lee is another Canadian star on this show. Lee hit a doublestomp to the chest for a nearfall at 1:30. Skyros took over and kept Lee grounded. Lee hit an enzuigiri, then a top-rope missile dropkick at 6:00. Skyros hit an Exploder Suplex. Lee hit a top-rope doublestomp to the back, then a Michinoku Driver for the pin. Good action. The commentators agreed this was an upset.
6. TJ Crawford defeated Brett Ryan Gosselin at 10:20. Both of these guys make for good heels (both have been presented as heels in MLW), but BRG is the babyface here. Standing switches to open, and they did some comedy over BRG using his fingers as a gun. TJ kept him grounded. BRG hit a spear for a nearfall at 8:00. TJ put BRG in a Torture Rack, flipped him forward and hit a kneestrike to the back for the pin! Good mat-based action.
7. Landon Hale defeated Aigle Blanc at 14:50. Again, Blanc is the blond, masked French wrestler who is still here from his WrestleMania weekend shows; I think he looks like a masked Matt Riddle with all that hair coming from under the mask. The commentators said Hale has competed in Germany and Thailand in the past month! They shook hands, as both are babyfaces. Really quick reversals at the bell, and Hale got a backslide for a nearfall at 1:30, so Blanc went to the floor to regroup. Hale hit a dropkick, and Blanc went right back to the floor. Blanc hit a dropkick and a flip dive to the floor on Hale at 3:00. In the ring, Black applied a leglock around Hale’s neck and he worked the right wrist.
Hale dropped him face-first on a turnbuckle, hit a 619, then a slingshot stunner for a nearfall at 6:30. Blanc hit a dropkick to the stomach as Hale was upside-down. Hale hit a Lethal Injection, but he missed a moonsault. Blanc hit a huracanrana out of the ropes, then a springboard Meteora to the back of the head for a nearfall at 8:30. Blanc hit a twisting neckbreaker out of the corner and they were both down. Hale nailed a top-rope Spanish Fly and they were both down. These guys are going all-out in front of 60 fans, who chanted “This is awesome!” then “Both these guys!”
Blanc hit a European Uppercut and they traded chops. Blanc hit an enzuigiri; Hale hit a big boot and a jumping knee to the chin, then a tornado DDT for a nearfall at 12:00. Hale went for another Lethal Injection, but Blanc caught him and hit a Dragon Suplex! Blanc hit a DDT on the ring apron, then a top-rope 450 Splash for a believable nearfall! We got a “Fight forever!” chant. Hale struggled to get to his feet. Blanc hit a decapitating clothesline; he leapt off the top rope, but Hale caught his head and hit a stunner. Hale then hit a modified One-Winged Angel for the pin. That was stellar. “I am speechless,” a commentator said. “I have to stand up for that one. What a contest!”
8. Junior Benito defeated Channing Thomas (w/Sidney Bakabella) to retain the C*4 Title at 10:53. This was not slated to be a title match; the slender, Black Benito agreed to put up his Canadian title belt! I always say the smarmy Thomas reminds me of Bobby Roode-meets-Joey Ryan. They tied up but Channing complained that Benito pulled his hair. Benito hit some deep armdrags, and Channing regrouped on the floor with Bakabella. Channing hit a kidney shot and took control of the offense. Benito hit a splash for a nearfall at 3:00 as the commentators said this is only the third time the C*4 title has been defended outside of Canada.
Thomas hit a bodyslam and an elbow drop for a nearfall, and he grounded Junior with a sleeper. Bakabella stopped at the commentary table and vowed that if they win the title, they are going to sell it! Thomas kept Benito tied up and grounded. Benito hit a suplex and they were both down at 7:30. Benito hit a forward Finlay Roll and a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall. Bakabella grabbed Benito’s ankle. Channing hit a fisherman’s suplex, and he applied a Boston Crab. Benito applied his own Boston Crab. Channing got Bakabella’s ring, but Benito hit an enzuigiri before Channing could use it. Benito hit a superkick and a top-rope frogsplash for the pin. Good action.
* It was announced that Benito will defend the title May 17 against Jordan Oliver (if he’s still champion by then.)
9. Alec Price defeated Ryan Clancy to win the NFW Title at 15:04. These are two top babyfaces in the region. A feeling-out process to begin and this got intense. Price hit his springboard armdrag at 3:00. Clancy hit a monkey flip with Price crashing on his face! Clancy missed a slingshot knee drop, and Price immediately hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip, and he began targeting the knee. He applied a half-crab at 7:00. Clancy fired up and hit a series of punches but was still selling his knee. He hit some clotheslines and a back body drop at 8:30. Price hit an Air Raid Crash neckbreaker over his knee for a nearfall, and the crowd rallied for Clancy.
Price set up for the Surprise Kick but Clancy avoided it. Price immediately hit a chop block to the damaged knee. Clancy caught him and hit a powerbomb, and he tied Price in a Figure Four. They began trading slaps while still tied in the Figure Four until they both collapsed and Clancy let go of the hold at 12:30. They got to their feet and traded forearm strikes, and Price hit some spin kicks to the left thigh. Price nailed a Dragon Suplex, then his running knees in the corner. Price leapt off the ropes but Clancy caught him with a dropkick. Clancy hit a plancha to the floor at 14:30. He leapt off the top rope, but Price got his knees up to block it; Price then got an inside cradle for the pin! New champion!
Final Thoughts: It is really too bad that only about 60 fans were there to see this show; the action was so good, I was able to ignore it. I can only imagine how difficult it is to go out there and perform at a top level when there isn’t much of an audience to see it. An incredible Blanc-Hale match is best of the night, ahead of the Price-Clancy main event, with Thomas-Benito taking third, so yes, this show ended quite strongly. Both the Crawford and Macrae matches were quite good in the undercard. The guys from the first and third matches I didn’t know were solid; neither good nor bad. Despite the small crowd, I give this show a thumbs up.
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