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. “Excommunication”
Replay available via IndependentWrestling.TV
October 13, 2024 in Austin, Texas at Empire Control Room
This is the outdoor venue under a canopy; the sides are open to allow air movement, and it’s daylight as the show began. The crowd is maybe 250-300.
1. Epydemius Jr. vs. Izzy James in a best-of-three falls match. Izzy wears his motorcycle-rider black jacket to the ring, and he’s covered in tattoos. Epydemius Jr.’s outfit looks like the “Scream” killer. Mat reversals at the bell, and they traded rollups. Epydemius Jr. hit an enzuigiri at 2:00. He went for a dive but Izzy hit a spin kick to cut him off. Epydemius Jr. hit a powerslam on the apron, with Izzy collapsing to the floor. Izzy threw Epydemius Jr. head-first into the ring post at 4:30. They got in the ring, and Epydemius Jr. rolled him up for a pin at 5:46! They rolled back to the floor, and Izzy hit a back suplex on the ring apron and was in charge. They got back into the ring, with Izzy beating Izzy down on the mat. Izzy hit a Styles Clash for the pin at 10:42, and it’s tied 1-1.
They immediately traded forearm strikes while on their knees. Epydemius Jr. hit a flying head-scissors takedown, then a dive through the ropes and barreled onto James. In the ring, Epydemius Jr. hit an enzuigiri in the corner, then a Poison Rana out of the corner for a believable nearfall. They fought in the corner and the ref grabbed Izzy’s leg?! Izzy and the ref shoved each other! Epydemius Jr. hit a missile dropkick, with Izzy accidentally colliding with the ref, and the ref was down. Izzy hit a Death Valley Driver for a visual pin, but we had no ref. Epydemius Jr. hit a Michinoku Driver for a believable nearfall, then a frogsplash for another believable nearfall. Izzy hit a discus clothesline, then a sunset flip bomb. then a spin kick out of the ropes for the pin. That was really good, but I don’t understand why the ref suddenly got involved late in the match.
Izzy James defeated Epydemius Jr. at 16:42.
2. A Proving Ground Gauntlet. The first entrant was Exodus Prime; he competed in the Wrestling Revolver show 20ish hours earlier. Casey Blackrose is No. 2; I don’t think I’ve seen him before. He has decent size. Matt the Wrestler also joined; he wore a high school letterman jacket but he’s quite portly. Michael Arrow is No. 4; he came to the ring while sipping a drink and I don’t think I’ve seen him before either. The bell rang, so we are starting with these four. Blackrose and Matt immediately beat up Arrow. Prime pinned Arrow at 00:56 to eliminate him. Ax Manson, wearing a red-and-black plaid shirt and carrying an axe, entered immediately. My first time seeing him, too. Exodus beat up Blackrose in the ring as the other two fought on the floor. Matt the Wrestler hit a Vader Bomb to pin Ax Manson at 4:07. Shimbashi is No. 6, and he started hitting bodyslams.
Shimbashi hit a senton on Blackrose for a nearfall. Blackrose hit a backbreaker over his knee on Shimbashi for a nearfall. Shimbashi hit a German Suplex. He grabbed a title belt and slammed it into the small of Blackrose’s back. Shimbashi applied a half-crab, and Blackrose tapped out at 7:44. Prince Ly entered at No. 7 and hit some clotheslines. He hit a back suplex on Exodus for a nearfall. Ly and Shimbashi traded forearms, and Ly hit a Lungblower for a nearfall at 10:30. Shimbashi hit a low blow punt kick! He hit a DDT and pinned Ly at 11:08. Chase Burdick is No. 8 and he wore a red boxer’s robe. Matt went for a cover on Chase, but Shimbashi broke it up! Shimbashi hit a DDT and pinned Chase at 12:44. The massive Killa Kash is No. 9. He might be 6’4″ and 350 pounds. Kash clocked Shimbashi with a stiff forearm and dropped him.
Matt the Wrestler got into the ring and traded blows with Killa Kash. Kash and Shimbashi brawled to the floor, and Kash whipped him into rows of empty chairs. They brawled out onto the sidewalk! They were both counted out at 17:15. Jus X Nic (bald) and Kenny Calypso (long dreadlocks) entered the match (No. 10 and 11) to replace them. Shimbashi and Killa Kash brawled back into view. Jus X Nic hit a moonsault to the floor at 19:30. Calypso hit a swinging neckbreaker on Matt The Wrestler. Matt hit a Naito-style Destino for a nearfall. Calypso and Nic worked together to beat up Prime. Nic hit a Buckshot Lariat to pin Matt the Wrestler at 22:49. Travis Cudi is No. 12; he is a young, thin Black man, and he teamed with Exodus Black as they beat up Jus X Nic. Calypso hit a missile dropkick on them. Calypso dove off the top rope but Prime caught him with a stunner. Cudi hit a DDT and pinned Calypso at 25:53.
Don Rodrigo is No. 13, and he also wore his high school letterman jacket; he walked around ringside and was hesitant to get in. So, Jus Nic was somehow eliminated off-camera while we were focused on Rodrigo’s stalling, and Jak Calloway entered and this is our final four. Rodrigo tied up Exodus and Cudi, and he tied Calloway in a mandible claw! Exodus hit an X-Factor to pin Rodrigo at 30:46 to end the match. SO, Exodus Prime, Jak Calloway AND Travis Cudi are all co-winners of the match. Seems like bizarre rules to me; why not just have the final four go until we have one sole survivor? Exodus Prime started the match and went the whole way; he’s definitely the talent of this match.
Exodus Prime, Travis Cudi and Jak Calloway were the co-winners of the gauntlet at 30:46.
* T-Ray Waterford (think Titus O’Neil in size, age) hit the ring and put over the winners. We had more promos setting up the feud between Inspire AD and New Texas Pro, with the promoter of NTP getting in the ring and eventually brawling with T-Ray. (I just watched season 2 of “Heels,” and everything about this feud of warring promotions feels right out of that show.)
3. “The 8th Day” Father Oday and Brother Tracy vs. “Midnight Sons” Houston Hendrix and LVJ. Oday and LBJ opened. The MS hit stereo dives to the floor at 2:30. In the ring, The 8th Day began working over Hendrix in their corner. LVJ got a hot tag and hit a springboard clothesline on Tracy at 7:00, then a shoulder-breaker over his knee. Tracy hit a shotgun dropkick. Houston hit a springboard dropkick, and he tied up Tracy on the mat at 9:00, but Tracy powered to his feet. LVJ hit a Cave-in stomp to Tracy’s chest. They went to the floor, where Tracy tossed LVJ into rows of empty chairs. Houston went for a move off the top rope, but Tracy cut him in half with a devastating spear for the pin. (That is about as good as a spear can look!)
Father Oday and Brother Tracy defeated Houston Hendrix and LVJ at 10:29.
4. Ethan Hunter vs. T-Ray Waterford (w/Exodus Prime, Travis Cudi). Ethan is white and of average size, so he’s giving up a lot of height and muscle mass to T-Ray (who again, I compare to Titus O’Neill, or a younger Ahmed Johnson.) T-Ray hit an overhead release belly-to-belly suplex. He hit a backbreaker over his knee and he put Hunter in a Torture Rack at 2:30; Hunter escaped but I thought it might have ended right there. Ethan hit a twisting neckbeaker for a nearfall. T-Ray hit a Pounce. Hunter hit an Oscutter stunner at 5:30, and he tied T-Ray in a Rings of Saturn. T-Ray hit a discus clothesline for a nearfall at 7:30. Hunter hit a Sabin-style Cradleshock, then a top-rope 450 Splash for a believable nearfall. T-Ray hit an F5 faceplant for a nearfall at 9:30, but Ethan got a foot in the ropes. They traded rollups; Hunter got a Crucifix Driver and pinned him! Good action.
Ethan Hunter defeated T-Ray Waterford at 10:40.
* Lil Evil came to ringside, holding his Inspire Pro Title belt, and high-fived fans; he doesn’t have a match tonight. He got on the mic but the echo is bad and it’s difficult to understand him. He said he’s not medically cleared to wrestle, and he may not ever be cleared again. The crowd gasped at this news. He said he regrets not being able to do the right thing and pass his title belt to someone else. He said some heartfelt words and bowed to the crowd. He laid the belt down in the center of the ring and left. This was entirely unexpected.
5. Maya World (w/Vert Vixen, Danny Orion) vs. Raychell Rose for the Pure Prestige Title. This is an intergender title; Maya won it last month by beating Danny Orion. They jawed at each other at the bell; Raychell has maybe a three-inch height advantage, and she hit a clothesline. Raychell sold a knee injury at 2:30 but got back to her feet. They traded slaps to the face, and Rose fell to the mat and struggled to get back up. Maya hit a buzzsaw kick for a nearfall. Raychell hit a headbutt at 4:30.
Maya hit a shotgun dropkick. Rose hit a leaping knee, but she collapsed and clutched the damaged knee. Rose hit a Shining Wizard to the back of the head and got a nearfall at 6:00, but the New Texas Pro promoter pulled the ref from the ring! She went to the floor, but he hit a short-arm clothesline on her! “How dare you!” a commentator shouted. He left. The ref got up and rolled into the ring, but Rose was still down on the floor. Raychell dove back in before the count-out. Maya hit a stunner for a believable nearfall at 8:30. Maya hit a German Suplex. She tied Raychell along her back and spun her into a faceplant for the pin. Good action.
Maya World defeated Raychell Rose to retain the Pure Prestige Title at 8:59.
6. BDSM” Brick Savage and Dimitri Alexandrov vs. “Dream Team” KC Kr’eme and Danny King for the Twin Dragon Connection Championship. Fans pelted the Dream Team with Twinkies. BDSM won the titles last month. Again, Brick reminds me of a thinner Bronson Reed and I’m a big fan. Dream Team really are like AEW’s MxM, with Kr’eme the Mason Madden of the duo. With his thick mustache, King is looking a lot like Max Caster these days. Alexandrov and King opened, and the bigger Dimitri tied him up. Kr’eme and Savage brawled at 2:30. Savage dropped King with just one punch. Kr’eme hit a chop block on Dimitri at 5:00, and the heels began working him over. Kr’eme hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip, and he tied Dimitri in a Sharpshooter.
Savage got a hot tag and he hit a slingshot double clothesline at 9:30. The champs hit stereo planchas. Kr’eme hit a Mafia Kick on Savage. King hit a frogsplash for a nearfall. Savage hit a Tiger Driver powerbomb. The champs hit a spike piledriver, and Savage hit a swinging slam for the pin. Good match.
Brick Savage and Alexandrov defeated KC Kr’eme and Danny King to retain the Twin Dragon Connection Championship at 11:43.
7. Danny Orion vs. Oli Summers. Orion has his Heritage Title. Oli has the crown of feathers and big hair, looking like a hippy Jesus. Oli leapt in the ring and tackled Orion and they immediately brawled. They brawled to the floor, but Summers accidentally clotheslined the ring post. In the ring, Oli hit a bodyslam stomach-first to the mat, a clothesline into the corner, and a belly-to-belly suplex for a nearfall at 3:30. Oli hit a snap suplex on the ring apron. Orion hit a flip dive to the floor, then a twisting senton into the ring. Oli hit a Tombstone Piledriver for a nearfall at 6:00. Orion hit a stunner. Orion got a modified Poison Rana for a nearfall.
Orion went for a handspring-back-move, but Summers hit a clothesline to the back of the head for a nearfall. Orion hit some kicks and a modified powerslam, then a Buckle Bomb and a German Suplex for a nearfall at 8:30. Oli hit a clothesline, then another one to the back of the head for a pin at 9:50 that the ref immediately waved off because Orion’s feet were in the ropes. Orion hit a spin kick to the back of the head at 11:00. Oli took control, so Orion begged for forgiveness and hugged Oli. However, Oli suplexed Orion into the corner. Orion hit a Poison Rana and a spin kick to the head for the pin. That was good stuff.
Danny Orion defeated Oli Summers at 12:29.
* Maya World ran to the ring to pull Orion off of Summers. She called Orion a “piece of shit.” She warned Orion to change his behavior, or “it’s over.” She shoved the mic into his chest, turned and left.
8. Vert Vixen vs. Safire Reed. Vert competed on the Wrestling Revolver show here in Texas a night ago. Safire has long, reddish-brown hair and she wore black-and-red top and bottom. Standing switches to open, and Vert appears to have a height and weight advantage. Vert tied up the left arm, and she got several quick nearfalls. They got up and shook hands. Safire hit an enzuigiri and a sliding dropkick at 3:00. In the ring, Safire now tied up Vert on the mat and twisted her wrist and fingers, then stomped on the hand. Vert hit a diving back elbow for a nearfall. Safire hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip at 5:30 and Vert was hobbled. Safire began twisting the damaged leg and kept Vert grounded.
They brawled on the floor and traded forearm strikes. They got back into the ring at 8:30 and traded more chops and slaps to the face. Vert hit a German Suplex, then a Helluva Kick, then a springboard Disaster Kick for a believable nearfall at 10:30. Safire hit a Rewind Kick and a short-arm clothesline for a believable nearfall. She hit some kicks on Vert, who was in the ropes. Safire hit a flying headbutt! Vert hit a second-rope Blue Thunder Bomb for a believable nearfall. Safire missed a spear into the corner, and Vert immediately hit a Brainbuster for the pin. That was really, really good. “What a hard-fought war,” a commentator said. They shook hands and hugged afterwards. The other commentator added, “That was phenomenal.”
Vert Vixen defeated Safire Reed at 13:13.
9. Danhausen vs. Luigi Primo. Luigi is the pizza maker who is more juggler and comedian than wrestler; he is replacing Matthew Palmer, who was apparently injured a night earlier at the Wrestling Revolver show. Comedy as Luigi tossed the pizza dough as Danhausen tried to tie up Luigi’s legs. Danhausen cursed Primo. He tried to spin the dough but couldn’t do it. Danhausen stomped on Primo’s fingers at 3:30, and he hit a crossbody block for a nearfall. Primo hit a swinging neckbreaker at 5:00. Danhausen hit a German Suplex. Danhausen poured his jar of teeth down Primo’s throat, kicked them out at 7:00, and got a nearfall. Primo hit a stunner. Danhausen got a rollup out of nowhere for the pin. This humor doesn’t click for me but the crowd enjoyed it.
Danhausen defeated Luigi Primo at 8:34.
10. Stephen Wolf vs. Devin Carter vs. Delynn Cavens for the Inspire Pro Title. Again, this is the belt that Lil Evil just vacated. Wolf competed in western Illinois for Dreamwave Wrestling less than 24 hours earlier, while Cavens competed a day earlier on the nearby Revolver show. The flamboyant Carter reminds me of TNA’s Jai Vidal. Stephen dropped Cavens with a flying knee at the bell! He dumped him to the floor and fought Carter. Cavens got back in and hit a doublestomp on Wolf’s back. Wolf hit a dropkick in the corner on both opponents at 2:00. Wolf hit a dropkick on Cavens. Cavens hit a jumping knee in the corner on Wolf.
Carter hit some Sling Blade clotheslines and an Eat D’Feat. He dove through the ropes onto Wolf. Cavens hit a flip dive onto both men at 5:30. In the ring, Delynn missed a frogsplash. Cavens hit a Canadian Destroyer on Wolf and they were all down. Cavens hit a leaping Flatliner on Wolf. Carter hit a Cradle Shock on Cavens and pinned him; Wolf was a quarter-second too late to break it up. That was an unlikely outcome. Wolf clutched his own head in frustration; he then attacked Carter and beat him up. This was a long show, so this main event was disappointingly short.
Devin Carter defeated Stephen Wolf and Delynn Cavens to win the Inspire Pro Title at 7:50.
Final Thoughts: A solid show that tailed off for the final two matches. Vert Vixen vs. Safire Reed was easily best match of the show; this is the third Vert match I’ve seen this week and I just consider her a head above the other women on the indy scene. Orion-Summers was good for second place, and the show-opener Izzy James-Epydemius Jr takes third, ahead of the tag match. The main event was solid but far too short, and I wouldn’t have put the belt on Carter. The Lil Evil news is definitely shocking and disappointing and hopefully, whatever his injury is, he can return in six or so months. The core of this promotion — Stephen Wolf, Exodus Prime, Brick Savage, Vert Vixen, Raychell Rose — all were here and looked good.
I get the idea of having a battle between two promotions and that can be fun. But I looked up the results of the most recent New Texas Pro show, and nearly everyone who wrestled on that event was also on this Inspire show. So, is it just a battle of promoters? Because fans don’t care about that. If you don’t have separate rosters who don’t really interact, then what is the point?
Be the first to comment