By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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House of Glory “High Intensity”
July 26, 2024 in New York, N.Y. at NYC Arena
Streamed on the TrillerTV+
The room appeared to be packed with maybe 400-500 fans. The lighting here is pretty good. JD from New York and Jesse Solomon provided commentary.
1. Raheem Royal won a memorial battle royal at 12:08. A lot of rookies I don’t know at all entered the ring and it appears there are about 15-20 guys. Joey Silver, who tosses candy out to the crowd, got his own separate entrance. In a new twist, everyone fought to the floor at the bell! You can’t be tossed from a battle royal if you aren’t in the ring! A Black guy named Jay Champagne battled Silver, with Joey shoving a sucker into Champagne’s mouth before tossing him for the first elimination. Blackmon hit a moonsault onto everyone. J Bouji tossed Blackmon. Jay Armani tossed a white kid who was using a skateboard. The masked Smiley beat up a kid in the corner, but he got tossed. Roachie Roach tossed someone.
The crowd chanted at Armani to “pull your pants up,” as they were baggie and hanging off his butt. Angel Jaquez was tossed. Raheem Royal tossed Bouji. Ben Rooten tossed a school teacher character. Rooten thought he tossed Silver, but Silver held on, and he clotheslined Rooten to the floor. Silver was alone in the ring but both Raheem Royal and Jay Armani were still in it, and they got back in the ring and worked over Silver. Silver and Royal brawled onto the apron. Armani knocked himself and Silver off the apron to the floor, leaving Raheem Royal as the winner! Decent action and a solid way to get a bunch of rookies on a show.
2. Gringo Loco defeated Kevin Knight to retain the HOG Cruiserweight Title at 17:28. Knight routinely competes in NJPW and has been in TNA; this is his HOG debut. Some lucha reversals early on and they avoided each other’s big spots and had a standoff at 2:00. Knight hit a plancha to the floor. In the ring, he got a leaping splash for a nearfall, and he grounded Loco. Kevin hit a hard clothesline for a nearfall at 6:00 and remained in charge. Loco hit a handspring-back-elbow, and he slammed Kevin face-first for a nearfall. Knight hit a superkick and an impressive jump-up Frankensteiner, then he clotheslined Loco to the floor at 8:00.
On the floor, Loco hit Kevin with a chair; the commentators said the ref didn’t see it. Knight hit a dropkick on the floor, and he got a chair too. Knight leapt off the apron and hit a missile dropkick on Gringo at 10:00. Loco hit a twisting sideslam and they were both down. Loco hit a top-rope fading stunner at 12:00 for a nearfall. Loco hit a twisting splash for a nearfall. Loco hit a superkick on the ring apron, but Knight hit a leaping DDT on the apron, and they both collapsed to the floor at 14:00, and we had a “this is awesome!” chant.
They traded forearm strikes in the corner and they climbed the ropes while fighting. Loco nailed a top-rope Spanish Fly for a believable nearfall at 15:30; Loco was shocked he didn’t win there. Knight got a rollup or a nearfall. He went for his leaping DDT finisher but Loco blocked it. Knight hit a leaping dropkick as Loco sat on the top turnbuckle. They fought on the top rope; Knight went for another Frankensteiner, but Loco blocked it and hit a top-rope powerbomb for the pin. A really fun match; you could see some moments where they weren’t entirely on the same page but this was really, really good.
3. Charles Mason and Nolo Kitano defeated “The Mane Event” Midas Black and Jay Lyon in an ‘I Quit’ Match to win the HOG Tag Team Titles at 22:43. No pinfalls or submissions. All four brawled at the bell; no tags needed TME work camouflage gear and are “dressed for war,” a commentator said. Lyon hit a moonsault to the floor and that popped the crowd. In the ring, Nolo hit a backbreaker over his knee on Midas at 3:00. Mason shouted at Midas, demanding he quit, but Midas refused. Lyon jumped in the ring and chopped both opponents. Mason hit a decapitating clothesline on Lyon, who also refused to quit. Nolo began ‘water-boarding’ Midas with a towel and bottle of water at 6:30 and the crowd was livid.
Mason put Lyon in a sleeper but he refused to quit. TME took turns hitting Mason with chairshots. Midas hit a 619 and Lyon hit a Lionsault at 8:30. Midas hit a top-rope elbow drop while using a chair, but Mason refused to quit. TME removed a corner buckle and had the exposed metal hook! Midas choked Mason with the rope but Charles refused to quit. Jay Armani and Raheem Royal hit the ring at 11:00 and attacked Midas and Lyon! The commentators and crowd got excited but the action was out of view. Midas hit a running double dropkick into the ring onto Nolo and Mason. TME hit The Grand Finale (team X-Factor face plant). Nolo sprayed mist into Midas’ face at 14:30!
Mason hit his rolling Death Valley Driver on Lyon. Mason handcuffed Midas to the middle rope (because the top rope had been removed). Lyon suplexed both opponents at 17:30! Nolo hit a swinging neckbreaker on Lyon. Mason hit a Tombstone Piledriver on Lyon. The heels hit repeated chairshots on Lyon’s back; Midas was still handcuffed to the ropes. Mason put duct tape over Midas’ mouth! He can’t quit now! Mason hit more chairshots to Lyon’s back. “Is this really worth sacrificing your career?” a commentator asked. Nolo pulled out his metal katana! The crowd reacted to seeing the sword.Nolo teased swinging the sword. However, Midas said “I quit” to save Midas. New champions!
* The Joe Hendry video played! The crowd went NUTS and sang along with his song. The video ended by saying he will be at HOG on Sunday, Sept. 29. The ring announcer kept the crowd busy while the top rope was re-attached.
4. Zilla Fatu defeated Carlos Ramirez to win the HOG Crown Jewel title at 11:10. This is Zilla’s HOG debut as well. I’ve always compared the tall, thin Ramirez to Damian Priest. They took turns playing to the crowd and finally locked up at 1:30. Zilla dove over the top rope onto Carlos. However, Zilla dove and hit head-first on the ring post. In the ring, Ramirez was in charge and he beat Fatu down, hitting a bodyslam with a cocky cover at 5:30. Carlos hit a rolling Koppo Kick.
Ramirez nailed a top-rope flying headbutt, but Zilla popped to his feet at 9:00 and hit a flying shoulder tackle. Zilla hit a gut-wrench sideslam for a nearfall. Zilla set up for a Samoan Spike, but Ramirez avoided it and hit a powerbomb. However, a heel manager hopped on the ring apron and distracted the ref. Edris Jackson jumped in the ring and hit a chairshot to Ramirez’ back. Fatu hit the Samoan Spike and a top-rope frogsplash for the pin! New champion! Zilla got on the mic and said this “is only the beginning.”
* Intermission was not edited out. Sam Laterna joined commentary for the women’s title match.
The next match was slated to be Megan Bayne vs. Ultra Violette. Bayne wore her eye patch, selling the injury from Mance Warner in GCW. Bayne has the clear height, strength and overall size advantage. Violette got on the mic and asked ‘who do you think you are? You think you can just show up and get a championship match?” The crowd chanted expletives at Violette. Violette said Bayne had to first beat her protege, Diamond Virago.
5. Megan Bayne defeated Diamond Virago at 8:33. They stood toe-to-toe and Megan is a head taller. Virago kicked Bayne in the stomach but it had no effect. Bayne easily threw her to the mat. Bayne hit a butterfly suplex with a cocky cover at 3:00. Virago began working over Bayne’s left knee. Virago hit a Lungblower move to the chin, then she applied an Indian Deathlock at 6:00. Bayne hit a T-Bone Suplex, then another, then a fallaway slam for a nearfall. Virago hit a DDT for a nearfall. Bayne hit her leaping clothesline, then the Tombstone Piledriver for the pin.
* Ultra Violette got in the ring, hit Virago, and threw her out of the ring. The commissioner announced that they advertised a title match, and we’re having it, right now! Ring the bell!
6. Megan Bayne defeated Ultra Violette to win the HOG Women’s Title at 00:11. Bayne grabbed her, hit the Tombstone Piledriver, and scored the pin! New champion! The heel commentator shouted “Ultra Violette was clearly not ready!” I really like switching the title to the hot free agent.
7. Mike Santana defeated Steve Maclin to retain the House of Glory Heavyweight Title at 12:53. They charged at each other and immediately traded forearm strikes. They hit simultaneous clotheslines. Santana hit a flip dive to the floor at 1:30 and was fired up. Santana hit some hard chops and they brawled on the floor. Maclin slammed him back-first on the ring apron. They fought on the ring apron, and Santana cracked a chair over Maclin’s back at 5:30. They finally got back in the ring, where Santana hit a stunner for a nearfall at 8:00. Maclin hit an Angle Slam for a nearfall. Maclin set up some boards in the corners of the ring.
Maclin hit a back suplex, then a running knee at 10:00, then a flying headbutt for a nearfall, and they were both down again. Maclin hit a second-rope superplex, then a Death Valley Driver through a board in the corner for a believable nearfall at 11:30. Maclin hit another chairshot to the back. He put Santana in the Tree of Woe, but Santana whipped a chair at Steve’s head. Santana nailed a running powerbomb through a board in the corner, then a rolling cannonball, then the discus lariat for the pin. A really intense brawl. “The career year for Mike Santana continues,” a commentator said. The other commentator called it a “barn-burner of a match.”
* Raheem Royal came to the ring! The commentators noted he won the battle royal earlier so he gets a title shot! Charles Mason did a Vince McMahon-like power-walk to the ring, and it appears he is taking Royal’s title contract and is cashing it in! Mason got on the mic and vowed he will be the HOG champion. Santana got on the mic and made it clear he’s not afraid. (I thought we were having a cash-in right now, but that’s not the case after all.)
8. Swerve Strickland (w/Prince Nana) defeated Amazing Red at 20:56. Red came out first and he wore his black ‘mechanic’ outfit; I prefer the red one with flames. He’s really let his mohawk grow taller than I’ve seen it in years. The crowd POPPED for Swerve’s entrance, which featured multiple people dancing on the stage and a guy singing the theme song. This is so cool. They opened in a knuckle lock and traded offense. Swerve hit a hard slap to the face at 2:30; he got on the mic and said Red was wasting his time, and he could be at home chillin’ in Florida. He made a comment I couldn’t quite hear about Red’s students; it angered Red, who hit a series of punches, then a dive to the floor, with Red landing in the crowd! Red hit another dive to the floor, crashing into Swerve at 4:30.
Swerve dropped Red face-first on the ring apron and he kicked Red in the face. In the ring, Swerve tied up Red in a Bow-and-Arrow on the mat at 7:30 and kept him grounded. Swerve hit a backbreaker over his knee. Red fired up and hit some punches and a huracanrana at 10:30, then a dropkick in the corner and a tornado DDT for a nearfall. Swerve hit a deep armdrag and he tied up the left arm. Red hit a spinning heel kick in the corner for a nearfall. Red missed a Swanton, and Swerve immediately hit a Grimes-style Cave-in stomp to the chest, then a brainbuster for a nearfall at 13:00. Swerve nailed a Buckle Bomb.
Swerve nailed a top-rope 450 Splash, but Red rolled him over and got a nearfall. Red hit the Code Red for a nearfall and they were both down! Swerve hit a Flatliner for a nearfall. Swerve went for a doublestomp as Red was in the Tree of Woe, but Red avoided it at 16:30. Red nailed a top-rope Code Red for a nearfall, but Nana put Swerve’s foot on the ropes, earning loud boos. As Red got into the ring, Swerve stomped on his head! Swerve then hit a top-rope doublestomp to the collar bone at 19:00, but Red kicked out!
We got a “This is awesome!” chant, and Red got a couple quick rollups for nearfalls. Red hit a Superman Punch and a Tornado Kick to the head; Swerve nailed a decapitating clothesline. Red hit a Poison Rana. He went for another Code Red, but this time Swerve blocked it, and Swerve stomped on the elbow. Swerve then nailed the House Call kick to the head for the pin. That was every bit as good as you would expect. If you haven’t seen Amazing Red wrestle this year, you’d be shocked at how consistently great he’s been.
* Swerve got on the mic and put Red over. “There is no Swerve Strickland without the Amazing Red,” he said. “Swerve vs. Will Ospreay doesn’t happen without the Amazing Red, and I never want you to forget that.”
Final Thoughts: I noted a few months ago my elation when HOG returned to Triller+ after being on a different streaming service for a couple years. These shows are so consistently good, and with just a few exceptions, it’s the place to see Red compete. Main event takes best match, and Maclin-Santana was really good, too. Gringo vs. Knight takes third. Bayne continues to impress everywhere she goes. A creative ‘I Quit’ match here, with the use of duct tape to keep one teammate from quitting to save his partner, even though he eventually did quit. The opening battle royal was fine for what it was, but I wouldn’t be surprised if viewers skip it and just watch the rest of the show. If you have Triller+, you definitely want to check this out.
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