By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Epic Pro Wrestling “Better Each Day 2”
Streamed on TrillerTV+
August 10, 2024 in Los Angeles, California at Bill Greene Sports Complex
This event was released on Triller+ on Aug. 17. The venue is a large gym and attendance was maybe 150-200; it felt a bit empty because this venue is so large. The lighting was good, though, and overall production is strong. Jordan Castle and Darwin Finch provided commentary.
1. Eli Everfly defeated Chris Nastyy at 12:00 even. Nastyy has a significant height advantage. Eli immediately hit an Asai Moonsault seconds into the match. Nastyy hit a missile dropkick, then a dive through the ropes at 2:00. They brawled into the crowd, and Eli hit a suplex on the hardwood floor at 4:30. Eli hit a moonsault off the bleachers and onto Nastyy on the floor. In the ring, Eli hit a top-rope double kneedrop as Chris was tied in the Tree of Woe for a nearfall at 6:30. Chris hit a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall. Eli hit a creative Crucifix Driver for a nearfall at 8:30. He hit a powerbomb for a nearfall. Chris hit an enzuigiri. Nastyy hit a Lethal Injection for a believable nearfall and they were both down at 11:00. Eli nailed a Spanish Fly, then a Canadian Destroyer for the pin. Fun opener and it got the crowd into it.
* Backstage, the Krusty Krew said the Unguided “used to” be a good tag team, but aren’t anymore.
2. “The Unguided” Matt Vandagriff and Damian Drake defeated “The Krusty Krew” Dom Kubrick and Lucas Riley at 15:04. The KK came out to ABBA’s “Dancing Queen,” and they are an unserious team and in many ways, like the Acclaimed when they are being goofballs. I just watched Vandagriff and Drake on an FSW show that occurred a week after this took place. Vandagriff has been training at the NJPW school and he’s a good talent, and he’s in white pants while teammate Drake wore black. (Hey, I like matching gear.) Drake opened against the clean-shaven Riley. Kubrick (with a short, trimmed beard) entered and hit a dropkick, and he traded quicker offense with Vandagriff.
The KK hit some quick team offense on Vandagriff. Riley went for a dive through the ropes at 5:00, but the Unguided caught him and slammed him against the ring. They pushed Kubrick into the ring and began working him over. Drake put Kubrick in a Camel Clutch at 10:00. Riley finally got the hot tag and hit a series of punches on Vandagriff. Matt accidentally hit teammate Drake on a dive to the floor at 11:30! Drake hit a stunner and Vandagriff immediately hit a German Suplex for a believable nearfall. Riley hit a springboard stunner. Kubick hit a sit-out powerbomb on Drake but didn’t realize he wasn’t legal! Vandagriff jumped in and pinned Kubrick. Creative use of the blind tag finish.
* Backstage, The Divine brothers talked about facing the Grizzled Young Veterans later in the show. They said they have paid their dues and earned this match. They are NOT twins but definitely have similar facial features.
3. Ray Rosas defeated Che Cabrera at 8:34. Che has good muscle mass and he’s a powerhouse; he wrestled on the GCW show that was airing live at the same time as this taped show. Rosas is older and has some gray hair on his head and beard. Rosas hit some punches; Che knocked him down with a clothesline. (I’ll point out Scarlett Donovan is the ref; she was in Japan with GCW two days later!) Che hit a Death Valley Driver at 4:30. Ray hit a Shining Wizard for a nearfall. Che put Rosas’ feet on the top rope and hit a DDT move for a nearfall at 6:00. Rosas hit the Adios Amigo (twisting DVD) for a believable nearfall. Ray charged but Che hit a flying shoulder tackle! Rosas hit a spear for the pin. Good big-man match.
* In a video shot outside, the Grizzled Young Veterans talked about coming to Epic Pro Wrestling.
4. “Grizzled Young Veterans” James Drake and Zack Gibson defeated Brendan Divine and Danny Devine at 12:05. Danny (long trunks to his knees) opened against Zack. Drake hit a crossbody block. Brendan (shorter trunks) got in at 2:00 and battled Zack. The Divines choked Drake and worked him over in their corner. Brendan hit a basement dropkick on Drake at 6:30. Gibson finally got hte hot tag at 8:30, and he hit an Exploder Suplex, sending one brother onto the other. He hit some European Uppercuts on each brother.
Brendan accidentally hit Danny! Gibson hit a mid-ring Sliced Bread for a nearfall, but Danny pulled the ref to the floor! Drake hit a plancha onto Danny. Brendan pushed Drake off the top rope! The Divines hit the Divine Intervention (team Flatliner) on Drake for a believable nearfall at 11:00 and the commentators were shocked that it didn’t get the win. Drake hit a Doomsday Device clothesline on Brendan, then they hit the Grit Your Teeth (team Lungblower move to the chin) to pin Brendan. Fun match. Castle said it was the Divines first loss in Epic Pro.
5. Cam Gates defeated Zokre at 10:58. The masked Zokre has been wrestling a long time: I recall seeing him on old PWG videotapes when that promotion started. Not sure if I have seen Cam before; he has long straight hair past his shoulders, and he jawed at the fans. Zokre went for a cross-armbreaker early on. Cam hit some punches to the stomach at 5:30 and a DDT for a nearfall. Zokre hit a flapjack face plant at 7:30. Zokre hit a dive through the ropes at 9:00, and Jordan Castle said “he’s aged like a fine wine.” In the ring, he chopped Gates. Gates ripped at the mask (got booed!) and slammed him from the ropes to the mat for a nearfall. He then hooked both arms and hit a flipping powerbomb move for the pin. Okay match.
6. Shane Haste defeated Jordan Cruz at 13:14. No NJPW title belt with Haste. These are two big guys! A lockup and a feeling-out process. They went to a knucklelock test of strength at 1:30. They traded shoulder tackles with neither man going down. Cruz hit a hard kneestrike as Haste was in the ropes at 4:00. Haste hit a back suplex and a Rude Awakening standing neckbreaker for a one-count. Haste worked the left arm around the ring post, and he focused on it in the ring. Haste hit a flipping cannonball in the corner at 7:30. Cruz fired back with an Exploder Suplex and they were both down. Cruz hit three German Suplexes, and Shane rolled to the floor to regroup.
Cruz nailed a flip dive to the floor on Haste at 9:00 and got a “holy shit!” chant. (That is one big guy to do that move.) Cruz hit a second-rope Deadlift Superplex for a nearfall. Cruz hit a jumping knee. Haste went to a Crossface Chickenwing, then he hit a back suplex with Cruz rotating and landing on his stomach. Cruz hit the No More Sorrow neckbreaker over his knee at 11:00 and the commentators were shocked when Haste kicked out. Cruz hit a running knee; Haste hit a clothesline and a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. “What the hell is it going to take?” Castle shouted as we got a “This is awesome!” chant going. Haste hit a back suplex, but Cruz hit another Exploder Suplex and a hard clothesline. Haste reapplied his modified Chickenwing and Cruz tapped out. That was really good.
* Outside, Royce Isaacs talked about facing Josh Alexander tonight. He said this is the type of match he asked for and a situation he thrives in. He switched to talking about his ongoing feud with Ray Rosas. He told Ray to “mind your business” and he better not take this match from him.
7. Royce Isaacs defeated Josh Alexander at 19:09. An intense lockup and a feeling-out process as they tied up each other on the mat; this is good and intense but not very descriptive action. Josh offered a handshake but he kicked Royce in the gut at 3:30 and got booed! Royce hit a back suplex. He hit a second-rope flying shoulder block at 5:00, then an impressive delayed vertical suplex, holding Josh upside down for several seconds. They brawled to the floor and fought in front of the fans. In the ring, Royce hit a series of chops in the corner at 8:00. Josh hit a German Suplex; Royce blocked him from hitting more. Royce hit a DDT and they were both down at 10:00.
Isaacs hit a clothesline and an Exploder Suplex. Josh switched to an anklelock for the first time, but Royce kicked him away. Josh hit a forward Finlay Roll and a flying knee or a nearfall at 11:30 and he jawed with the ref. Royce nailed a Jackhammer for a believable nearfall. Josh hit three German Suplexes at 13:30 and we got a “this is awesome!” chant. They fought on the ropes, and Josh missed a moonsault. They hit stereo clotheslines until Royce knocked him down. Josh hit another German Suplex, but Royce popped up and hit his own German Suplex. Double clotheslines again and they were both down at 15:30. They traded forearm strikes while on their knees, then while standing.
Royce hit a Superman Punch that literally knocked off Josh’s headgear! Josh reapplied the anklelock, and he went for the C4 Spike piledriver, but Royce turned it into a backbody drop. Josh reapplied the anklelock. He hit a forearm to the back of the neck and a clothesline but Royce popped up at the one count. Josh hit another clothesline for a nearfall at 18:30. Josh hit another German Suplex, but Royce popped up, hit another German Suplex, and scored the pin! The commentators and crowd were shocked to see Royce get the win! I am shocked too; I thought Royce had telegraphed that Ray Rosas was going to interfere and cost him the match. They shook hands and hugged. WOW.
* Outside, Bad Dude Tito gave a promo, saying he runs SoCal. He and Mike Santana are “cut from a different cloth,” and both like to get their hands dirty. He’s excited for this match. I’ve seen so many Tito matches (mostly in NJPW) but I don’t think I’ve ever seen him do a promo. More of this please!!!
8. Mike Santana defeated Bad Dude Tito at 15:59. They locked up and Tito has the size advantage and Castle said this is a first-time-ever matchup. Tito often is compared to Dr. Death Steve Williams but I’ll add a bit of Adam Bomb, too. Tito went for a bow-and-arrow but Santana escaped at 3:00. Santana hit a dropkick through the ropes at 4:30, and they traded LOUD chops on the floor. They looped outside the ring as they kept fighting in front of the fans. They got back into the ring at 7:00, where Santana hit a basement dropkick to the back for a nearfall. Santana hit a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall. Tito fired back with a second-rope Blockbuster at 9:00.
Tito hit a short-arm clothesline for a nearfall. They got up and traded more chops and forearms, and Tito hit a suplex for a nearfall at 10:30. A snap suplex only got Tito a one-count. Santana hit a high back suplex and they were both down. Santana hit an enzuigiri, then a rolling stunner for a nearfall at 12:30, then an F5 and a running kick for a nearfall, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Santana went for his discus clothesline but Tito blocked it, and Tito hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall and we got a “Fight forever!” chant. Tito hit a Fade to Black faceplant for a believable nearfall. They traded more forearm strikes from their knees, then while standing. Santana hit a Mafia Kick and a Superkick. They hit stereo kicks and traded rollups. Santana popped up, nailed the discus clothesline, and scored the pin. Fantastic.
* Santana got on the mic and thanked the fans for braving the heat and coming out and bringing the energy. Santana said it’s the first time they have met in person, but he’s seen Tito’s work around the world.
Final Thoughts: What a show. Wow. Two stellar — but very different styles — matches to close out the show. I’ll narrowly go with the hard-hitting Santana brawl for first ahead of the mat-based Alexander-Royce match, but they were both incredible. Haste-Cruz was really good for third, and as good as the GYV match was, it can only claim honorable mention on this show.
I always enjoy Jordan Castle on commentary, too. I have often said this kid in his early 20s is like a young Don West, with the enthusiasm he brings to calling, yet he has deep knowledge of wrestling that predates him.
A minor complaint is a lack of a women’s match on the show; I think that should be a goal of at least one, if not two.
The biggest drawback here is the crowd size. This was a good show and they deserve a crowd of at least twice the number of patrons that were here. I have no good solutions to offer them on how to get fans out either. I try not to think about salaries and profit margins when I watch a wrestling show, but I just don’t know how you pay for the venue, and the wages and airfare of all these wrestlers, referees, etc., on a gate of fewer than 200 spectators.
This show gets a high recommendation, especially the double main event.
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