By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
We are looking for reports on all WWE, AEW, NXT, TNA, MLW, ROH, GCW, and other notable live events. If you attend a show, you are encouraged to send a report or even basic results to dotnetjason@gmail.com
Smash Wrestling “Super Showdown IX”
Replay available via YouTube.com
August 18, 2024 in London, Ontario at London Music Hall
Blake Murphy and Scott Hunter provided commentary. This is really well lit and it appears the crowd is maybe 300-400. London is located halfway between Detroit and Toronto, so it’s not really that far north (it’s south of where I’m seated in western WI, anyway!)
1. Brent Banks vs. Sebastian Suave vs. Jack Williams (w/Vanna Black). I’ve seen Banks in C*4 Wrestling but I don’t know the other two. Suave wore a black top and white pants. The commentators described Williams as a rising star, and he does have a great physique. Banks and Suave traded quick reversals and they clearly know each other well. Williams hit a double suplex at 3:00! Banks hit a huracanrana on the floor on Suave, then a flip dive to the floor on both. In the ring, Suave hit a spinebuster on Williams, then one on Banks for a nearfall at 6:30. Banks hit a Sliced Bread. Williams hit a powerbomb on Banks. He then powerbombed Banks onto Suave and pinned them both. A very impressive showing.
Jack Williams defeated Brent Banks and Sebastian Suave at 10:31.
* Vanna Black jawed at the fans some more and she issued an open challenge… answered by Jody Threat!
2. Vanna Black vs. Jody Threat. I’ve said Vanna is similar to Sonya Deville. Jody charged at the bell so Vanna cowered in the ropes and rolled to the floor. Vanna took control in the ring and she jawed at fans as she beat down Jody. She grapevined a leg and kept Jody on the mat. Jody fired up and hit some clotheslines. Jody hit a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall at 8:30. Black hit a stunner. They traded rollups. Threat hit a spear and an F5 Slam for the pin! New champion!
Jody Threat defeated Vanna Black to win the Smash Wrestling Women’s Title at 10:25.
3. “Sinner & Saint” Judas Icarus and Travis Williams vs. “Dub Club” Ryan Matthews and KJ Reynolds for the tag team titles. Matthews and Reynolds wore pink-and-teal gear, much like The Outrunners. Dub Club attacked from behind before the bell. KJ has shorter hair, while Ryan has longer hair in a ponytail. S&S cleared the ring; I’m not used to seeing them as babyfaces. S&S tied up KJ. Ryan hit a top-rope double stomp on Judas’ leg at 3:30, and they began working Icarus over in their corner. Ryan hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip. The Dub Club hit stereo kicks and kept Icarus grounded. Ryan applied a half-crab.
Travis got the hot tag at 7:00 and he hit a handspring-back-forearm strike. He applied a Dragon Sleeper on Matthews, then hit a brainbuster for a nearfall. Matthews hit a running Shooting Star Press to make the save. Matthews hit a Helluva Kick. He hit a dropkick on Williams as Travis was seated on KC’s shoulders, and they got a nearfall at 9:00. Travis applied a crossarm breaker on KJ. Icarus hit a mule kick, and KJ Reynolds tapped out.
“Sinner & Saint” Judas Icarus and Travis Williams defeated “Dub Club” Ryan Matthews and KJ Reynolds to retain the tag team titles at 11:27.
4. Mark Wheeler vs. Vaughn Vertigo. Vertigo looks like a rock star and like GYVet James Drake. Wheeler is like a less-muscular Brian Cage; still big but not quite Cage-size! Both of these guys are regulars on shows I’ve seen from Canada. Both wore jeans, not wrestling gear, and they immediately brawled. Vertigo hit him with a chairshot to the back. He used one chair to hit another chair into Wheeler’s groin, and he clotheslined Mark to the floor at 2:00. Wheeler got a baseball bat and he jabbed Vaughn with it. Vertigo hit him with a hockey stick and he put it in front of Mark’s face as he applied a crossface.
Vertigo hit a Swanton Bomb at 5:30. Wheeler hit a superkick. Vaughn hit a spinning heel kick and a half-nelson suplex at 7:30. Wheeler shook the ropes, causing Vertigo to fall in the corner and be crotched. Vertigo hit a Swanton Bomb onto Wheeler, who was lying on a horizontal ladder, for a nearfall at 10:00. Vertigo set up a board bridge in the ring. Wheeler hit a second-rope sit-out bodyslam onto the board bridge at 13:30 for a nearfall. They traded rollups. Vertigo hit some superkicks. Wheeler whipped a chair at Vaughn’s head, and he slammed Mark’s head into the middle turnbuckle. Vaughn put a chair around Wheeler’s head, then he struck a Shining Wizard for the pin. Good brawl.
Vaughn Vertigo defeated Mark Wheeler at 15:53.
5. “Team London” KC Andrews, Violet Lee, and Cousin Azrael vs. “Team Miley” Miley, Vikram Prasher, and Mick McGuire. I don’t know these teams. McGuire looks a bit like a thicker Brock Anderson. Violet Lee and Miley are the women in this match; they said this is Violet’s first match since 2019. Azrael is a BIG bald man, almost Braun Strowman-big. Miley’s heel team stalled on the floor. Lee shoved Mick to open; she tagged in the massive Azrael, who hit Mick and sent him diving to his corner to tag out. KC hit a spinning heel kick on McGuire at 2:00.
The babyfaces hit punches in the corners on each of the heels. McGuire hit a suplex on KC Andrews at 4:00 and he grounded KC. Miley hit an elbow drop on KC. This is um, not good; these six clearly need to get in the ring with better wrestlers to help elevate their game. The women finally fought, with Violet Lee hit a clothesline into the corner, then a bulldog at 8:00. She suplexed Vikram. Mick tossed Lee around Miley went for a crossbody block on Azrael but he caught her. Azrael hit a massive chokeslam on Vikram. Lee hit a top-rope moonsault onto both of her male opponents and pinned them both. All six are very green.
KC Andrews, Violet Lee, and Cousin Azrael defeated Miley, Vikram Prasher, and Mick McGuire at 11:18.
6. Michael Greyson vs. Rodney Matthews in a dog collar match. Greyson is dressed like a cartoonish TV professor, and he’s scrawny. He is fighting his former best friend. Rodney has a bit of a Grayson Waller vibe going, and he was hesitant to allow the ref to put the collar around his neck. This is a metal chain, about 15 feet long. They fought to the middle. Greyson hit some clotheslines. Rodney hit a low blow uppercut. He tied up Greyson in the ropes and choked him with the chain.
Rodney was yanked from the top rope and crashed hard back-first on the ground at 7:30; that seemed awfully dangerous. In the ring, Greyson whipped Matthews with the chain, and he choked Rodney with it. Rodney wrapped the chain around his fist, hit a punch, and got a nearfall at 11:30. Greyson accidentally hit Miley, who had gotten in the ring. Rodney immediately hit a Stomp onto a folded chair to score the pin. Okay match; the crowd was more into it than I was, but I admittedly don’t know these two.
Rodney Matthews defeated Michael Greyson in a dog collar match at 12:18.
7. “Motor City Machine Guns” Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin vs. Evil Uno and Stu Grayson. Of course, this match is the reason I tuned in. Stu is again dressed like Mankind in a white button-down shirt and tie. They all shook hands. Shelley and Stu opened with standing switches and Alex immediately tied up the left arm. Sabin and Uno entered at 1:30, and Stu hit a running neckbreaker. MCMG hit front-and-back kicks on Uno. Shelley snapped Uno’s arm at 4:00. Uno hit a DDT on Sabin, and Stu hit a Lionsault on Sabin. Shelley hit a Flatliner on Stu, sending him crashing onto the middle turnbuckle at 5:30.
Sabin hit a Rude Awakening standing neckbreaker on Grayson. The Guns began working over Stu, and Shelley made some crude hand gestures to get some boos. He applied a straitjacket choke on Stu, and he turned it into a Lungblower at 8:30. Stu hit a Pele Kick on Shelley. Sabin hit a second-rope missile dropkick, then a top-rope missile dropkick on Evil Uno. Sabin accidentally hit a Helluva Kick on Shelley at 10:00. Uno hit some jab punches on Shelley, then a double noggin’-knocker.
Uno put a sock on his hand (don’t call it Mr. Socko!), but the Guns kicked him to the floor, and the Guns hit stereo baseball slide dropkicks. Uno put the sock-covered hand down Sabin’s mouth at 11:30! Stu and Uno hit a team Chasing the Dragon variation on Sabin for a nearfall. Sabin hit a tornado DDT on Stu. Sabin hit a stunner on Uno. The Guns hit their quick team offense, including stereo kicks in the corner on Uno. Stu hit an assisted Blockbuster and pinned Sabin! That was every bit as good and fluid as you’d expect from these four pros. Uno got on the mic and said they proved they are the best tag team going.
Evil Uno and Stu Grayson defeated Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin at 13:25.
8. Psycho Mike vs. Carter Mason vs. Tarik in a three-way for the Smash World Title. Carter wore a black flak jacket and a title on a chain around his neck and he jawed at the fans; I don’t think I’ve seen him before. Tarik wore yellow trunks and he has a short thick black beard. Mike came out last and carried the title belt; he gyrated while holding the belt. He has the intense stare of a Dexter Lumis. Carter Mason rolled to the floor at the bell and sat in the front row. Tarik and Mike opened, and Mike just kept glaring at the hard camera. Creepy. Tarik stomped on him in the corner. Mike repeatedly slammed Tarik’s face on the ring apron at 4:00.
Carter hit an Asai Moonsault to the floor on both opponents. Mike hit a plancha to the floor on both opponents. In the ring, Tarik hit a backpack stunner on Mason for a nearfall at 6:30. Tarik hit a springboard spin kick on Mike. Carter put Mike in a Figure Four at 8:00; Tarik hit a top-rope elbow drop on Mason to break the hold. Mason applied a Boston Crab, but Tarik broke that up, too. Tarik hit an enzuigiri on Mike for a nearfall, but Mason kicked the referee! A new ref ran into the ring, but Mike punched him! Mike and Mason jawed nose to nose, and Mike’s size and strength advantage cannot be overstated.
Mike hit some bodyslams, and he piled both opponents on top of each other and got a nearfall at 12:00. Tarik hit a back elbow into the corner on Mike, which again knocked a ref down. Tarik hit a second-rope backpack stunner on Mason. He hit a pop-up kick on Mike! Mason hit a superkick on Mike. He hit him with the title belt he had on his chain for a nearfall at 14:30. Tarik and Mason traded punches. Tarik came off the ropes, but Mason hit a low blow kick! He applied a front guillotine choke on Tarik, but Mike made the save! Mike then hit a brainbuster to pin Mason. That was pretty good.
Psycho Mike defeated Tarik and Carter Mason to retain the Smash Wrestling title at 15:51.
Final Thoughts: Sabin/Shelley vs. Uno/Grayson was the reason to tune in. I’m sure they’ve done that dance before but I enjoyed what I saw there. The main event was pretty good, and I liked what I saw of Tarik. I think I’ve seen Psycho Mike before but he really has a presence to him, and that Dexter Lumis stare is spot-on. I hadn’t seen Jack Williams before and he really impressed me in that three-way opener, so I’ll go with that for third.
Yes, this show has some uneven spots. The participants in matches six and seven are clearly not on the same level; they need to get in the ring against wrestlers on the tier above them if they want to improve. Sinner and Saint continue to impress. Again, this show aired free on youtube and at the very least, check out the top two matches.
Be the first to comment