By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Boca Raton Championship Wrestling “Summer Smash 2024”
Replay available via YouTube.com
September 1, 2024 in Boca Raton, Florida at Mizner Park
This event was released on Youtube on Thursday. I don’t know Florida geography very well; Boca Raton is located on the north end of the Miami metro area along the Atlantic Ocean, and Mizner Park is described as an upscale shopping district in that community. Lighting and overall production are really good, and the crowd is maybe 200; a majority of the fans sat below the hard camera so there were more fans there than I initially realized. Val Capone and Matt Rehwoldt provided live commentary from ringside (this wasn’t dubbed in later.)
1. Jack Talos (w/Frank the Clown) vs. Danny Briggs. I’ve seen Talos in NWA; he’s really tall and somewhat similar to Lance Archer. Frank got on the mic; he gets ‘go-away heat’ from me. He said Talos has been winning titles all over the world. Briggs is former NXT wrestler Danny Burch; he is bald and older and seems puffier than when I last saw him. (Cagematch.net shows Burch didn’t have a match in 2022 after his release from NXT in late 2021, but he had 33 in 2023 and 30 so far this year.) They immediately brawled to the floor. In the ring, Talos hit a running splash in the corner at 3:30. Briggs got a chair and hit Talos in the head with it, causing the DQ. Decent action until the sudden finish.
Jack Talos defeated Danny Briggs via DQ at 4:51.
* Neil the heel, Cezar Bononi, and the Island Kings came to the ring. Cezar, of course, is in great shape and towers over the scrawny Luigi. Sean Maluta is one of the Island Kings; he’s had a handful of NXT matches years ago. Neil got on the mic and was loudly booed. He said Cezar is his enforcer; Cezar flexed his muscles in the background as Neil spoke. They finally introduced the champion, Noah Kekoa, who wore a sports jacket and his belt around his waist. Kekoa was named Kona Reeves in NXT, and I saw him wrestle on an NXT show in St. Paul, Minn., pre-pandemic; he was doing the stupid gimmick at the time where he was carrying a canister of weight-lifting powder mix and being a trainer. He cut a good heel promo, and this crowd was all over him.
2. Chelsea Durden vs. Emily Jaye. I have seen Jaye on an “Uprising” all-women’s show in Illinois. Chelsea is a scary goth woman, wearing all black. Emily has long black hair and reminds me of the first time I saw Cora Jade on the indy scene; she wore purple top and bottom and she’s a babyface, high-fiving fans as she looped ringside. Cagematch.net shows she has had 40 matches total, including 15 this year. A test of strength early on; Durden is bigger and overpowered her. Durden hit a spin kick in the corner for a nearfall at 3:30, and she tied up Jaye’s arms on the mat and kept Emily grounded. Jaye hit an enzuigiri, then a running knee for a nearfall. Durden hit an Alabama Slam and scored the pin. Solid.
Chelsea Durden defeated Emily Jay at 6:24.
3. AJ Francis vs. Chris Farrow. At first glance, Farrow looks like NXT’s Je’Von Evans with a similar haircut, and he’s on the scrawny side; his bio shows he had an AEW Dark match in August 2022. Francis clearly has a big height, weight and overall size advantage. Farrow avoided AJ’s offense early and hit a missile dropkick. He went for a top-rope crossbody block but AJ caught him. Farrow hit a dropkick that sent AJ to the floor, and Farrow hit a flip dive to the floor on him at 2:30. In the ring, Farrow hit a grazing enzuigiri. He hit a satellite DDT for a nearfall. However, AJ caught him coming off the ropes and hit the Down Payment chokeslam for the pin. Fun match; AJ gave this youngster a lot of offense before he finally put him away.
AJ Francis defeated Chris Farrow at 4:11.
4. Steve Maclin vs. (Madman) Fulton. Everyone in the crowd held up paper signs that read “Maclin sucks!” Fulton comes out to a Spice Girls mix; I’ve always felt he was underutilized by NXT, too. (And a Lance Archer comparison is even more appropriate for him than Talos!) Maclin rolled to the floor and stalled at the bell. In the ring, Fulton hit a hard back elbow at 1:30, and Maclin rolled to the floor again. Fulton crotched Maclin on a guardrail, then he hit some Sheamus-style blows to Maclin’s chest as he leaned Steve against the barrier.
In the ring, Maclin hit a backbreaker over his knee. He hit some kneedrops to the spine and he kept the bigger Fulton grounded. Fulton hit a series of headbutts, then a double-underhook suplex at 6:30. Fulton hit a discus clothesline coming off the ropes. He set up for a chokeslam but Maclin escaped, and Steve hit a running knee, then a clothesline to the back of the head. He tied Fulton in the Tree of Woe and hit a spear to his exposed waist for a believable nearfall at 8:00. Fulton hit a chokeslam but Maclin kicked out at one! Fulton hit a second chokeslam for the pin. That was pretty good.
Fulton defeated Steve Maclin at 8:47.
* Blake Troop came to the ring. I’ve seen shoot fighter Troop in NWA and was really impressed with him. (Honestly, one of the few guys in NWA that I like. Their women’s roster is far better.) He bashed the crowd and started jawing at a tall Black man with long dreadlocks. He’s apparently a former UFC champion named “Lashon?” The UFC guy got in the ring. They jawed… then the segment just ended. They didn’t put this guy’s name on the screen and I couldn’t figure out who he is. (And I don’t watch UFC.)
5. Cezar Bononi (w/Neil the heel, the Island Kings) vs. Luigi Primo. Luigi is a stereotypical Italian pizza maker; he spins the dough crust and is probably a great juggler, but I am not impressed with his in-ring skills. If this goes more than three minutes I’ll be disappointed. Primo hit a dropkick that Bononi no-sold. He threw the dough into Bononi’s face and hit a dropkick. Bononi got angry and whipped the dough at Primo. “That is not allowed in wrestling!” Val said. Bononi hit a delayed vertical suplex for a nearfall at 3:00. He tied Primo in a Camel Clutch. Primo hit him with the dough (my guess is it’s rubber.) He hit a swinging neckbreaker for a nearfall at 6:00. Neil hopped on the apron and distracted Primo. Bononi hit a Mafia Kick and a twisting Death Valley Driver for the pin. I would have just preferred a squash match, but this was fine.
Cezar Bononi defeated Luigi Primo at 6:52.
* A video segment aired of a man seated in a car, and it slowly introduced Xyon Quinn, who is coming soon! (This promotion uses lots of former NXT talent!)
6. Noah Kekoa vs. Bull James in a no-DQ match for the BRCW Heavyweight Title. Again, Noah is the former Kona Reeves. The heavyset Bull James (then known as Bull Dempsey) was in NXT in 2013-2016 and faced Samoa Joe, Elias, Rich Swann, Tye Dillinger, etc. Bull James asked for a 10-bell salute for Afa, then they shook hands. However, the Island Kings jumped in the ring, attacked James, and it was immediately a three-on-one beatdown. Bull hit a running splash in the corner on Kekoa. They brawled to the floor, with the Island Kings chopping James. Fulton ran to ringside at 3:00 and hit some punches on the Island Kings. He chokeslammed one of them through a table at ringside.
We could hear Val and Rehwoldt as they said they have “no audio,” but it was still working. Cezar Bononi came to the ring and he also attacked James. This brought out Talos, who brawled with Bononi! Kekoa hit a low blow on Talos. Everyone brawled to the back except Kekoa and James. Kekoa hit some punches but it just fired Bull James up. Kekoa hit a chair to the gut, then across the back, and he shoved the edge into Bull’s throat. A big Samoan man (Lloyd Anoai? I didn’t catch the full name) got into the ring; Kekoa begged off. Lloyd took the chair away from Kekoa; he picked up the title belt, but he hit James with it! The crowd was shocked by this betrayal. Kekoa then covered the prone James for the cheap pin.
Noah Kekoa defeated Bull James to retain the BRCW Title at 8:26
7. MJ Jenkins vs. Ruthie Jay for the BRCW Women’s Title. With her reddish hair, Ruthie Jay is looking a lot like NXT’s Jakara Jackson. MJ sang herself to the ring and she has blonde hair. (Is it a wig?) Standing switches to open and MJ is thicker and seems to have a power advantage. Ruthie hit running double knees in the corner, then a bulldog for a nearfall at 2:00, then a guillotine legdrop. Jenkins hit some STIFF forearm strikes to the chest. She blocked Ruthie’s sunset flip and she slammed Ruthie into the corner at 5:00, then hit a running knee.
Ruthie hit a crossbody block for a nearfall, and she cranked on Jenkins’ head, but MJ reached the ropes at 6:30. MJ mounted her and hit some more forearm strikes to the jaw. Ruthie yanked the female ref to the mat by her hair! The crowd was shocked by this. The ref immediately called for the bell. MJ and Ruthie brawled to the back. Rehwoldt and Val Capone were surprised she did that, as it cost her to lose her shot at the title.
MJ Jenkins defeated Ruthie Jay via DQ at 8:11.
8. Moose and Lakay vs. Matt Riddle and Stallion Rogers for the BRCW Tag Team Titles. Lakay is similar to Moose but much shorter; I haven’t seen him before. Moose had his own entrance so everyone could chant “Moose!” to his music; they both wore their tag title belts. Again, Stallion Rogers was Curt Stallion in NXT. Lakay and Rogers opened. Moose and Riddle entered at 2:00; they took turns playing to the crowd and both got great reactions. Moose went to offer a handshake but instead gave Matt the middle finger. Riddle hit a huracanrana at 3:30. Riddle hit an assisted senton for a nearfall. The heels began working over Stallion, with Moose hitting some loud chops.
Riddle got a hot tag at 6:30 and he hit some jumping knees on each opponent. He hit a flying forearm in the corner on Moose, then an Exploder Suplex on Lakay. Matt hit a corkscrew splash on both heels. Rogers tagged back in. Riddle hit a German Suplex on Moose, and Rogers also hit a German Suplex, then a basement dropkick on Moose. Riddle hit a fisherman’s suplex on Moose and Rogers made the cover for a nearfall. Moose and Rogers traded forearm strikes and chops; Rehwoldt didn’t think that was a good idea for Rogers and I agree. Rogers hit another German Suplex, but Moose popped up and hit a decapitating clothesline at 9:00, and both were down.
Riddle and Lakay each tagged in and they now traded forearms. Riddle hit another jumping knee, but Lakay hit a butterfly suplex. Moose speared Rogers, then he hit a release powerbomb on Riddle. Riddle hit an RK-BRo stunner on Moose! Riddle then hit his modified tombstone piledriver for the pin! New champions! I didn’t expect that! Riddle and Rogers celebrated with their titles. Rehwoldt and Val Capone then went through the list of future shows before the event came to a close.
Matt Riddle and Stallion Rogers defeated Moose and Lakay to win the BRCW Tag Team Titles at 10:35.
Final Thoughts: A very good main event with plenty of star power, and I’d say both Moose and Riddle met expectations of what you’d hope to see from them at a local indy event. Maclin-Fulton also met my expectations for second place. The rest of the show was merely okay. I didn’t expect to see so many former NXT talents, including guys I didn’t know were still wrestling. Kona Reeves always had the right look but he never showed he had the ‘it factor’ needed to stick around in NXT, but he seems to have found his niche here as the smug leader of his own Bloodline-type faction. Likewise, Bononi has always looked great but never seemed to quite get ‘there’ in terms of in-ring skills. I am still high on the potential of Fulton.
I want to reiterate how much I liked the production of this show. Lighting was good, and I like Rehwoldt and Val as a commentary team. The crowd definitely had a lot of kids, and I enjoyed wrestlers’ interactions with them.
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