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
Inspire A.D. “May The Circle Be Unbroken”
Replay available via IndependentWrestling.TV
September 1, 2024 in Austin, Texas at Empire Control Room
This show was just released Wednesday on IWTV. I’ve seen shows from this venue before; it is under a large canopy tent with the sides open. As the show began, it’s daylight. A good-sized crowd of maybe 350 are here; many are watching out in the sun, not under the canopy. NJPW’s Walker Stewart, along with Stew Myrick, provided commentary.
1. Izzy James vs. Epydemius Jr. This is billed as the first match in a three-match series between them, and the winner gets a spot in an upcoming tournament. Izzy wore a jean jacket, has short dark hair, and he’s covered in tattoos. Epydemius Jr. has an orange mask; Walker Stewart called him a “rising luchador.” Epydemius Jr. hit a dropkick at 1:30. Izzy hit a springboard crossbody block for a nearfall. Epydemius Jr. hit a dive to the floor at 4:00 and that got a pop. They brawled at ringside, and Izzy accidentally chopped the ring post. Epydemius Jr. did a slingshot, sending Izzy’s head into the ring post, and he got a nearfall on the floor at 5:30, as the commentators noted this match is falls count anywhere.
They brawled in the front row as fans scattered; they literally fought on top of the chairs (not metal folding chairs.) Back in the ring, they hit simultaneous clotheslines, with Izzy getting a nearfall at 7:00. Epydemius hit a forward Finlay Roll. He went for a top-rope corkscrew press, but Izzy got his knees up to block it, and they were both down at 9:00. Izzy hit a piledriver. He went for a frogsplash, but Epydemius Jr. got his knees up, and they were both down again. They traded kicks. Izzy hit a swinging neckbreaker for a nearfall at 11:30. Epydemius Jr. hit a Michinoku Driver for the pin. Good opener.
Epydemius Jr. defeated Izzy James at 12:52.
2. Delynn Cavens vs. Brick Savage in a best of three falls match. TO WIN, Savage must score two falls, but Cavens only needs to score one! I’ve compared Brick’s overall look and size to Bronson Reed, but not quite as round. I’m a big fan of what I’ve seen. Cavens is a short Black man with deadlocks past his shoulders; he’s giving up a lot of size here. Cavens hit a doublestomp on the back early in the match. Brick dropped him with a spin kick. He hit a bodyslam at 2:30 and kept Delynn grounded. Savage flipped him and pinned him at 3:01! Cavens hit a Canadian Destroyer moments later! He hit a frogsplash, then another from the other corner, but only got a nearfall at 4:30. However, Cavens rolled him up for a pin at 4:59, and Savage was shocked and in disbelief. Because of the unique rules here, the match is over because Cavens got a pin. Several wrestlers came to the ring to console Savage. Brick got up and left and stumbled out into the street. Intriguing.
Delynn Cavens defeated Brick Savage at 4:59.
3. Dustin Nguyen vs. Travis Cudi. Nguyen is good comedy; he looks like every 1970s cheesy Kung Fu movie with his traditional robe and offense. This is Cudi’s debut, so he’s new to me too. He reminds me of NJPW’s Kevin Knight in overall looks and build. Cudi hit a dropkick at 1:30 and a running double knees to the chest. He hit a basement dropkick that knocked Dustin down. Nguyen hit a shotgun dropkick at 3:00 and some Kung Fu strikes to the stomach. Dustin hit some kicks to the back and he grounded Cudi.
Travis hit a top-rope missile dropkick for a nearfall at 6:30. Dustin hit a Dragon Suplex and he did some Kung Fu motions with his arms, then hit a double-arm blow to the chest for the pin. Fun, short match. A good showing for Cudi in his Inspire debut. (Just to be clear, I don’t know if he’s wrestled elsewhere.) They shook hands and hugged afterwards.
Dustin Nguyen defeated Travis Cudi at 7:30.
4. “The Dream Team” KC Kreme and Danny King vs. Houston Hendrix and Lavon Vontrell Jr. Heels Kreme and King came out first. Hendrix, a scrawny white guy of below-average size with frizzy reddish-brown hair, came out and he has a mystery tag partner. LVJ is a Black man who came out to some dance music and he high-fived fans; I haven’t seen him but the commentators listed a handful of promotions where he’s worked. Hendrix and LVJ wore similar white-and-blue gear and they hit some quick team offense early on. King hit a Bronco Buster on Hendrix at 3:30, and the heels began working Houston over in their corner.
King hit a Lungblower for a nearfall. Lavon got the hot tag at 7:00 and cleared the ring. Lavon and King had an awkward exchange on a slingshot attempt. Houston hit a running knee on King. The Dream Team hit a team slam on Houston for a nearfall. Kreme hit a TKO stunner on Lavon. Kreme hit a swinging back suplex on Houston. However, Houston rolled up Kreme and got the flash pin. Solid action.
Houston Hendrix and Lavon Vontrell Jr. defeated “The Dream Team” KC Kreme and Danny King at 10:55.
* The “Born Haters” came to the ring, each of the three guys in a high school letterman jacket. “Matt the Wrestler” is competing in the next match. He is a bit heavyset in an ugly blue singlet.
5. Shimbashi vs. Matt the Wrestler vs. T-Ray Watford vs. Ethan Hunter in a four-way for the Lawless Darkness Title. Kari Jai Wright is injured, so Ethan Hunter has been added to the match to replace him; Ethan is British and he carried a UK flag. T-Ray is a bald, older Black man and he has good size; think Titus O’Neill or later-day (heavier) Ahmed Johnson. The commentators indicated he recently returned to action after taking some time away from the ring. Shimbashi, the Canadian Dragon, is the one I know the best here. Matt hit a spinebuster on T-Ray, who towers over him. T-Ray hit a dropkick. Matt and T-Ry took turns bodyslamming Ethan. Shimbashi hit a missile dropkick on Mat at 2:30, then a senton.
T-Ray hit an impressive overhead sit-out powerbomb (essentially a Razor’s Edge). He hit a decapitating clothesline on Ethan, then a backbreaker over his knee, then a uranage. He’s just so much bigger than everyone else in this match. Shimbashi hit a Lungblower on T-Ray at 6:30, then a swinging neckbreaker on Ethan. Ethan hit a springboard stunner on T-Ray for a nearfall. Mat hit a double suplex. Shimbashi grabbed his title belt and hit Mat in the head with it! Shimbashi then hit a DDT on Mat onto the title belt and scored the tainted pin. Solid match.
Shimbashi defeated Mat the Wrestler, T-Ray Watford, and Ethan Hunter to retain the Lawless Darkness Title at 8:48.
6. Maya World vs. Danny Orion in an intergender match for the Pure Prestige Title. Orion came out with two title belts; he has shoulder-length curly dark hair and he’s one of the better wrestlers here. The crowd chanted profanities at him before the bell. He got on the mic but the echo made him difficult to comprehend. He droned on until she stormed over and snatched the mic from his hand. Needless to say, he’s much bigger and clearly stronger than she is. She kissed him on the mouth seconds into the match, superkicked him, and nearly pinned him at 0:30! They traded chops on the ring apron. He hit a flip dive onto her on the floor, landing on his feet.
In the ring, he hit a standing neckbreaker for a nearfall at 3:00. The commentators noted that Danny Orion just faced Jack Perry on AEW Collision. (Maya faced Thunder Rosa on AEW Collision in July). Danny hit a back suplex for a nearfall and was in control. She hit a discus clothesline and got a nearfall at 6:30. Maya hit a kip-up stunner and they were both down. Maya tied him in the Tarantula at 8:30, then she hit a second-rope tornado DDT for a nearfall. Danny nailed a Poison Rana at 10:00.
Orion bent her around his back and hit a faceplant for a nearfall. Danny grabbed his title belt. Oli Summers, Danny’s former partner that he jettisoned at a recent show, appeared and snatched the belt from him. Maya hit a sunset flip powerbomb and an enzuigiri for a believable nearfall. Maya hit a top-rope Frankensteiner but he rotated mid-air and landed on his feet. Danny hit a German Suplex and a spinning kick to her head for a believable nearfall at 12:30. Maya got a jackknife rollup and scored the clean pin! New champion! An entertaining match. Vert Vixen came to the ring to celebrate with Maya. Oli Summers got in the ring and taunted Orion for losing without him. They began brawling.
Maya World defeated Danny Orion to win the Pure Prestige Title at 12:57.
* Intermission was edited out. Jak Calloway headed to the ring; he has a mystery opponent.
7. Matt Palmer vs. Jak Calloway. Palmer came to the ring to The J. Geils Band “Centerfold,” and he got a nice pop. Matt quickly tied Calloway up on the mat. I’ve noted that Palmer has dropped his silly ‘monster hunter’ gimmick in recent months. Palmer hit a dropkick that sent Jak to the floor at 2:00. In the ring, Jak hit a suplex for a nearfall. They traded forearm strikes. Palmer hit a Lionsault for a nearfall at 6:30. Palmer hit a release suplex for the pin. Their managers brawled on the floor. Okay match.
Matt Palmer defeated Jak Calloway at 7:53.
* I just want to point out it is clearly night time now outside the tent, but lighting is still really good in the ring.
8. Vert Vixen (w/Maya World) vs. Raychell Rose. Two of my favorite women on the indy scene and both have competed in AEW. (Rose once competed under a pseudonym of “Araya Thorn” in a loss to Billie Starkz in ROH.) Rose wore a tiara, and she was actually successful in getting the men in the front row to bow down to her as she walked by. Awesome. (A reminder that Vert came out to celebrate with Maya when Maya beat Danny Orion earlier in the show.) They shook hands before locking up. Standing switches early on. Vert hit a diving forearm at 4:00, then a snap suplex. She hit a sliding dropkick in the corner for a nearfall, and she tied up Raychell on the mat. Vert applied a Sharpshooter at 7:00.
They fought on the ropes, and Vert hit a second-rope superplex for a nearfall at 8:30. Both women kipped up, but Rose sold pain in her knee. They traded chops. Raychell hit a German Suplex and she set up for a Pedigree, but Vert blocked it. Vert hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall at 11:30. Rose hit a top-rope crossbody block. Vert nailed a standing powerbomb then a vertical brainbuster for a nearfall. Danny Orion got in the ring and has a chair! The ref yelled at him. Maya World handed Vert the chair! However, the ref confiscated it before Vert could consider using it. Orion hit a spin kick to Vert’s face while the ref was putting the chair away! Maya chased Orion to the back. Raychell immediately hit the Off With Her Head kick to the back of the neck and scored the pin. Really good match. Maya returned to the ring; what was her involvement in all of this?
Raychell Rose defeated Vert Vixen at 14:02.
* A ring announcer said that Danhausen will be back here on Oct. 13.
9. Effy vs. Devin Carter. Carter came to the ring to ABBA’s “Dancing Queen,” and he is reminding me of TNA’s Jai Vidal, as he’s very flamboyant. Effy is back to using Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” This should be some comedy. Devin backed Effy into the corner and gyrated on him; the crowd is enjoying the humor. Effy tied him in a Tarantula at 3:00. They did some more gay humor, and Effy hit a back suplex for a nearfall. Carter hit an Eat D’Feat at 5:30 and a Sling Blade-style clothesline. Effy hit a Helluva Kick at 7:30, then his second-rope Blockbuster and a spear for a nearfall. Carter hit a standing neckbreaker for a nearfall. Carter missed a top-rope moonsault. Effy immediately hit a Fame-asser legdrop. Devin hit a Sabin-style Cradle Shock for the pin. The crowd liked this more than I did. Effy got on the mic and put over Carter.
Devin Carter defeated Effy at 9:33
10. Robbie Eagles vs. Lil Evil for the Inspire Pro Title. NJPW star and Australia native Eagles is on quite the US summer tour (he fought in the NJPW show in Washington DC on Friday, then Beyond Wrestling in Rhode Island on Saturday, before this show in Texas!) and he carried a belt with him to the ring. I loosely compare the short, bald Lil Evil to Homicide, and he’s a top-tier guy here, and this match is the reason I tuned in. Mat reversals early on. Eagles hit a huracanrana at 4:30 and he was in charge. He hit a roundhouse kick to the chest for a nearfall at 7:00. He went for the Ron Miller Special leg lock, but Lil Evil scrambled to the ropes. Eagles hit some Yes Kicks to the chest.
Lil Evil hit a Stundog Millionaire at 9:30 and some dropkicks in the corner, then a German Suplex that sent Eagles to the floor to regroup. Evil hit a flip dive through the ropes; luckily Eagles caught him because it looked like Evil was going straight down on the top of his head. In the ring, Evil hit a top-rope doublestomp for a nearfall. Eagles hit a mid-ring Sliced Bread at 11:30 and they were both down. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Eagles hit a top-rope missile dropkick on the knee, and now he locked in the Ron Miller Special (Trailer Hitch) leg lock. Evil quickly reached the ropes at 14:00. Eagles hit a running Meteora in the corner and got a nearfall.
Lil Evil hit a Mafia Kick; Eagles hit an enzuigiri; Lil Evil hit a spear and they were both down. Eagles hit a chop block on the knee, and the ref checked on Lil Evil. Evil hit a superkick at 17:00. Eagles hit the Turbo Backpack flipping slam for a nearfall. He again applied the Ron Miller Special in the center of the ring. He kept pulling Evil away from the ropes but Lil Evil eventually got to the ropes. Lil Evil got a jackknife cover for a believable nearfall. Evil applied a half-crab but Eagles twisted and escaped. Eagles went back to twisting the legs and again went for the Ron Miller Special, but Lil Evil kicked his way free at 21:00. Lil Evil hit a shoulder breaker over his knee and scored the pin. A really good match.
Lil Evil defeated Robbie Eagles to retain the Inspire Pro Title at 21:32.
11. Exodus Prime and Stephen Wolf (w/KC Kreme, Danny King) vs. Dimitri Alexandrov and Brick Savage for the Twin Dragon Connection Tag Team Titles. I always compare Prime to Elix Skipper or Caprice Coleman, and I’m a big fan. Wolf is also a top guy from here and into Illinois for Dreamwave Wrestling. Prime and Wolf have been champions for 358 days but they are no longer getting along, and they had separate ring intros. Walker Stewart said the tag team titles have been a curse. Their opponents were a mystery! It is the returning Brick Savage and Dimitri Alexandrov. The commentators were in shock; they noted that Brick just lost his match a few hours ago. Dimitri looks homeless with a thick beard and uncombed hair.
Dimitri and Exodus opened. Dimitri hit a Northern Lights Suplex for a nearfall at 1:30. Exodus hit a spike DDT for a nearfall. Wolf made a blind tag and was lightly booed. Dimitri slammed Wolf, who tagged right back out. Funny. Savage tagged in and he tossed Prime into the corner, as he wanted Stephen Wolf. Wolf reluctantly got in; Prime hopped off the ring apron so Wolf couldn’t tag back out. Prime sat down in the crowd as Brick beat up Wolf in the ring. Wolf hit an elbow drop on Alexandrov for a nearfall at 7:00, then a standing moonsault for a nearfall. Prime hit a standing neckbreaker on Alexandrov for a nearfall. Prime caught Alexandrov coming off the ropes and hit a stunner.
The ref missed Brick getting a hot tag at 10:00 and ordered him back to the corner, as the champs continued to beat up Alexandrov. Wolf hit a guillotine leg drop. Kreme and King pulled Brick Savage off the apron so he couldn’t tag in; the ref ejected them. Delynn Cavens came out of nowhere and hit a flip dive onto King and Kreme. Savage finally got the hot tag at 12:30. Prime hit a running stunner on Savage. Wolf and Prime hit front-and-back strikes on Brick. Wolf hit a Shooting Star Press on Savage for a nearfall.
Savage hit a spinebuster on Wolf at 14:00. Prime and Wolf hit stereo superkicks on Brick Savage. However, Wolf turned and superkicked his partner Exodus Prime! Wolf left! Prime began trying to chop both Brick and Alexandrov. However, Brick hit a standing powerbomb and pinned Exodus Prime. New champions! Raychell Rose and Shimbashi came to the ring to celebrate with them. Alexandrov and Brick shook Prime’s hand.
Dimitri Alexandrov and Brick Savage defeated Exodus Prime and Stephen Wolf to win the Twin Dragon Connection Tag Team Titles at 15:48.
Final Thoughts: An entertaining show. I’ll go with Lil Evil vs. Robbie Eagles for best match, Rose-Vert Vixen for second, and the main event third. A really strong second half of the show. Maya World vs. Danny Orion was really good for honorable mention. There is a really good core of wrestlers in Texas, and most were on this show. (Notably absent were Hyan and the injured Kari Jai Wright.)
Be the first to comment