By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Beyond Wrestling “Heavy Lies The Crown”
Replay available via IndependentWrestling.TV
December 31, 2024 in Worcester, Massachusetts at the White Eagle
They have a good crowd of 350 or so fans. Promoter Drew “Denver Colorado” Cordeiro provided commentary. We have at least 10 matches; this show started at 8 p.m. EST, so we’ll see if they go into the New Year!
* Bulk Bronson suffered an injury, so he and his wife, Gabby Forza, canceled their match.
1. Bryce Donovan (w/”Smart” Mark Sterling) vs. Kris Statlander in an intergender match. Kris got a nice “Welcome home!” chant. WWE ID prospect Bryce is around 6’2″ so he’s bigger than most of the men he faces, and he locked up with her at the bell and knocked her down with a shoulder tackle. Denver noted that Kris wrestled 20 minutes just three days ago and wondered if she had fully recovered. Kis hit a missile dropkick at 2:30. He hit a bodyslam and hit a splash to the mat for a nearfall. The crowd was all over Bryce, who hit a suplex for a nearfall, then he choked her with wrist tape. Sterling choked her, too. Statlander fired up and hit some forearm strikes and an Eat D’Feat, then a German Suplex for a nearfall at 6:00.
She went for a discus forearm but he caught her and hit a chokeslam for a believable nearfall. They traded forearm strikes (I find this exchange just non-believable.) He hit a Pedigree for a nearfall at 8:30 and earned a “You still suck!” chant. Kris hit an axe kick to the back of the neck, then a discus clothesline for a nearfall. She hit a running penalty kick on the apron and she began to stalk Sterling, who ran from her. She got back in the ring, where Bryce immediately hit a Black Hole Slam for a believable nearfall at 10:00. Kris hit a Pele Kick. Sterling hopped in the ring, but she hit a low blow on him, then an F5 slam. Bryce hit her with a metal hook and made a cocky cover; she hooked his arms, rolled him over, and scored the pin. Entertaining.
Kris Statlander defeated Bryce Donovan at 11:36.
* Brad Hollister came to the ring in his gear; Denver immediately noted he wasn’t slated to be here, and he lost his title last Thursday after holding it for 14 months. “I’m sure you all are so happy!” Hollister told them, and the crowd taunted him with a “New champ!” chant. Hollister is angry that Clancy is defending ‘his’ title tonight. He wanted to be in that match to get his title back. Slade came to the ring. (I’ve often written that Slade looks like every scary, bald white guy in every prison movie you’ve ever seen.) Brad told Slade he should head to the back; Slade grabbed Brad by the throat, and we’re having a bonus match!
* Drew Gulak joined Denver on commentary.
2. Brad Hollister vs. Slade. They traded punches and Slade stomped on him. They brawled to the floor. Slade brought a chair into the ring but the ref confiscated it. Brad hit some running buttbumps in the corner. Brad hit a release German Suplex at 3:00. Slade hit an Exploder Suplex, then another one. Brad hit a sideslam. Slade hit a chokeslam and got the pin! Denver said that has to be considered an upset, but he added that Brad “came into this match banged up.”
Slade defeated Brad Hollister at 4:57.
3. Ichiban vs. Gal. WWE ID prospect Gal wore his body-building medals. Ichiban hit a flying head-scissors takedown and a Stinger Splash, then a springboard crossbody block and a dropkick that sent Gal to the floor at 1:00. He dove through the ropes but Gal caught him, and they fought at ringside. Back in the ring, Gal kept the smaller Ichiban grounded. He hit a fallaway slam at 4:00, then a belly-to-belly suplex for a nearfall. Ichiban rolled to the floor; Gal did some push-ups in the ring and was booed.
Ichiban got an inside cradle for a nearfall, then some punches to the gut. He nailed a flip dive to the floor at 7:00, then a top-rope tomahawk chop back in the ring, then a second-rope lying leg lariat for a nearfall. He couldn’t hit his Flatliner. Gal twisted the mask and nailed a Blue Thunder Bomb for the pin! Good match with a surprising outcome.
Gal defeated Ichiban at 8:49.
* Sidney Bakabella marched to the ring, wearing his Andre-style one-strap singlet. Sidney said “it has been a shit year for me.” He said he’s going to beat “the shit out of my ex-wife and get away with it.” He called Little Mean Kathleen a “bitch” and demanded she come to the ring. Kathleen came through the corner, but before she could get in, Channing Thomas and DJ Powers attacked her and threw her into the ring. Macrae Martin and Junior Benito ran in and made the save! Macrae has been out of action with an injury for a month or so, so good to see him back. Kathleen got on the mic and demanded they have a six-person tag right now! Another bonus match!
4. Little Mean Kathleen and “Fresh Air” Junior Benito and Macrae Martin vs. Channing Thomas, DJ Powers, and Sidney Bakabella. Funny because Drew Gulak isn’t even pretending to know the storylines, so Denver explained the marriage history of LMK and Sidney. The heels stomped on Junior and kept him in their corner. Benito hit an enzuigiri on Channing at 4:30 but was blocked from tagging out. Benito hit a back suplex on Channing. Macrae got in and hit a spin kick to DJ’s jaw at 6:30. Sidney hit an X-Factor on LMK for a nearfall at 8:00. LMK hit a bulldog on Channing. The babyfaces surrounded Sidney and they rammed his head into a corner and they dropped DJ’s face in Sidney’s crotch. LMK hit a bulldog and pinned Sidney. This went exactly as I presumed it would.
Little Mean Kathleen, Junior Benito, and Macrae Martin defeated Channing Thomas, DJ Powers, and Sidney Bakabella at 9:48.
5. Ryan Clancy vs. John Walters for the Wrestling Open Title. Walters, age 45, is a former ROH Pure champion but he only wrestles sporadically now. Cagematch.net records show this is his first match of 2024, after just one last year and two in 2022, and four in 2021! Again, Clancy won this belt five days ago. Standing switches and a feeling-out process. You’d have no idea that Walters is inactive as he looks great. Good mat reversals; nothing descriptive but good mat action. “Walters has had 50 matches over the past 12 years; Clancy has had 50 matches since June,” Denver said.
Clancy opened the ropes so Walters could come back in at 6:30, but Walters attacked him and was suddenly more vicious. He hit a snap suplex for a nearfall. Clancy has tape on several spots on his back, selling the pain from that war against Hollister last week. Walters applied a Lion Tamer/vertical Boston Crab, and he switched to a modified Figure Four, and he turned it into a Muta Lock! Nice. Clancy hit a crossbody block off the ropes at 10:30 and some jab punches. Walters avoided Clancy’s signature dropkick. Moments later, Clancy nailed the dropkick and scored the pin. Good match; I’d love to see Walters compete more often. They shook hands afterwards.
Ryan Clancy defeated John Walters to retain the Wrestling Open Title at 12:41.
6. Dustin Waller (w/Kylon King) vs. Zayda Steel in an intergender match. Zayda is already the third WWE ID prospect to compete tonight. I just watched her match from last weekend where she won the New Texas Pro Women’s Title. Kylon joined Denver on commentary. She kicked away a handshake offer and they tied up. He went for a handspring move but she hit a kick to his face at 1:30, and she stomped on him in the corner. She hit a basement dropkick and remained in charge. Denver asked Kylon about how Miracle Generation is doing on their “confidence level” after they lost decisively last week to champs Swipe Right. Zayda slapped him hard in the face; he hit a superkick and a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall at 4:00.
Zayda set up for the Unprettier, but Dustin blocked it, and he hit a Michinoku Driver for a nearfall. She hit a Canadian Destroyer at 5:30 that sent him to the floor, so she dove through the ropes onto him, earning a “holy shit!” chant. In the ring, Waller bodyslammed her off the corner, then he nailed the Lethal Injection for the clean pin. Good match; I feel like Zayda is the most ‘WWE ready’ of all 19 ID prospects.
Dustin Waller defeated Zayda Steel at 6:20.
7. Ben Bishop vs. CPA. Bishop has been here before and also been on AEW/ROH TV. He’s nearly seven feet tall and looks a LOT like Von Wagner; he played basketball in this city. CPA is short and all comedy, so he’s giving up a LOT of height and weight. Bishop got on the mic and suggested he gives CPA “the fingerpoke of doom” and go collect their paychecks and call it a night. The bell rang, he tried the fingerpoke, but CPA didn’t collapse. Instead, he peeled off a button-down shirt. Bishop hit some blows to the back. CPA went for his comedy 619 at 2:00, but Ben blocked it. CPA got Ben on his back but collapsed, and Ben got a nearfall at 4:00.
Ben hit a Stinger Splash and a flying back elbow into the corner, then a butterfly release suplex for a nearfall, then a release suplex. CPA went for a crossbody block, but Bishop caught him and hit a fallaway slam at 6:30. CPA hit some dropkicks that staggered Ben but he didn’t go down. CPA couldn’t hit a stunner. Moments later, CPA hit the stunner! He hit a second-rope missile dropkick but only got a one-count. CPA finally hit the 1099 (comedy 619), but he couldn’t hit the Numbers Cruncher. Ben hit a Mafia Kick. CPA nailed the Numbers Cruncher (Death Valley Driver) and scored the pin! Fun match.
CPA defeated Ben Bishop at 11:14.
8. TJ Crawford and Love Doug vs. “The Shooter Boys” Aaron Ortiz and Anthony Vecchio. Again, the rookies are replacing Gabby Forza and Bulk Bronson. Handyman Jake Grey joined Denver in the booth. Doug got on the mic and said it has been a rough year, and love sucks. The SB have appeared in this venue at least twice before, and they bodyslammed the heels before the bell. We officially got underway, and Vecchio got a Victory Roll for a nearfall. Long-haired Ortiz hit a Northern Lights Suplex. He hit a back suplex on Doug. The heels began working over Ortiz in their corner, with TJ hitting some roundhouse kicks to the chest at 4:00.
(It just hit 10 p.m. CST; Denver said the main event will begin at midnight. Are they taking a break before then? There are only three other announced matches!) Vecchio got the hot tag at 5:30 and hit some clotheslines. He hit a belly-to-belly suplex on Doug. The rookies hit a team Blockbuster move, then a team flapjack. Doug nailed a Rebound Lariat at 7:00. Doug accidentally kicked TJ! Vecchio got a rollup on Doug for a believable nearfall. TJ hit a powerbomb and pinned Vecchio. Decent action.
TJ Crawford and Love, Doug defeated Aaron Ortiz and Anthony Vecchio at 8:31.
9. Drew Gulak vs. Nick Gage. Gage recently parted ways with GCW; he had an exclusive deal there. Gulak came out first, wearing his Catchpoint T-shirt. They IMMEDIATELY brawled to the floor and through the crowd, and they went over to the bar in one corner of the room. They returned to ringside. Gage got some steel chairs from under the ring. Gulak has a cut over his left eye. They got back into the ring at 3:00, and Gage suplexed him onto a folded chair. Gage hit a backbreaker over his knee at 5:00, then a DDT. Gage seems more motivated than I’ve seen him in months. He pulled out a pizza cutter! “If he does this on the streets, he’s back in jail!” Denver shouted! Gage used the pizza cutter across Drew’s forehead. The ref disqualified Gage!
Drew Gulak defeated Nick Gage via DQ at 6:40.
* The crowd chanted, “Let them fight!” Gulak got on the mic and said “Once a god-damn convict, always a god-damn convict,” Drew said. Gulak challenged Gage to a deathmatch on March 1! Gage got on the mic and vowed he would kill Gulak.
10. Anthony Greene vs. B3cca in an intergender match. Denver noted that Greene has spent as much time competing in Japan as he has in the U.S. this year. John Walters joined Denver in the booth. Denver noted that Greene is still just 30 years old but it feels like he’s been wrestling for decades. International pop star B3cca sang her way to the ring. Greene got on the mic and asked why she never called him so he could collaborate on her new album, claiming he has a great karaoke voice. He started to sing, but then he clotheslined her! “B3cca, you’re not a pop star, you’re barely a pro wrestler!” he shouted at her. She hit some running back elbows and a Facewash kick in the corner. She hit a top-rope crossbody block at 1:30 and grounded him with a chin lock.
Greene hit a running neckbreaker and took control. He hit a backbreaker over his knee at 4:30 and the crowd rallied for B3cca. B3cca hit a superkick at 6:30. She hit some forearm strikes and a big Mafia Kick to his face! She hit a running knee to the back of the head and a German Suplex for a nearfall at 8:00, then a Flatliner. She applied a leg lock around his neck and the crowd taunted him to tap out, but Greene reached the ropes. She kicked him off the apron to the floor, then she hit a somersault off the apron onto him at 10:00. In the ring, he hit a sideslam onto the top turnbuckle, then a Snow Plow driver for a nearfall. B3cca hit a TKO for a nearfall.
He hit a flipping faceplant move for a nearfall at 12:30 and he was frustrated he didn’t put her away. He hit a powerbomb. She reapplied a leg lock around his neck. She matrixed backwards to avoid a clothesline, and she hit a stunner. She matrixed again but he kicked her in the face. He then hit a Tombstone Piledriver for a believable nearfall and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. She hit a top-rope stunner and scored the pin. Good action.
B3cca defeated Anthony Greene at 15:00.
11. Aaron Rourke vs. Timothy Thatcher. Denver repeatedly noted this is billed as a “WWE ID match,” although Thatcher isn’t a prospect. (I believe he is considered a mentor for WWE?) Dustin Waller now joined commentary. A feeling-out process early on, and Thatcher targeted the left arm. Rourke hit a dropkick at 5:30 that sent Thatcher to the floor, with Timothy’s leg buckling. Rourke targeted the left knee as they got back into the ring. Denver wondered if the match should continue. Thatcher went back to working the left elbow and wrist. Rourke hit a German Suplex at 13:30, then a neckbreaker for a nearfall.
Rourke missed a moonsault and sold the pain in his elbow. Thatcher immediately locked in a cross-armbreaker. Rourke escaped and applied a Boston Crab. Thatcher hooked both arms, got a seatbelt cover, and scored the pin. Good mat-based match; some fans will love this.
Timothy Thatcher defeated Aaron Rourke at 18:09.
* It is now 11:08 EST, so I guess we’re taking a 50ish-minute break? Time for me to watch at least an hour of NXT, I guess…
* NOPE… we are back at 11:32 EST, so I guess this match will have to go 25ish minutes for it to carry into 2025.
12. Krule vs. Marcus Mathers in a fans bring the weapons match for the IWTV World Title. This match has been developing for months. There are chairs in the ring and a variety of weapons and we are underway at 11:38 EST, as they stood nose-to-nose at the bell. WWE ID prospect Mathers (the fifth to compete tonight!) hit a superkick but Krule threw a chair at his head. Krule hit him with a plastic bat covered with pine cones. They went to the floor at 4:30 and Mathers was already bleeding from his forehead. Mathers now has several cuts on his upper left arm. Krule slammed him on the ring apron at 8:00. No guardrails here, and this room is PACKED, so fans really were working together to get out of the way.
In the ring, Mathers hit a second-rope superplex at 10:30, but Krule immediately sat up. Mathers pulled out a briefcase from under the ring and he struck Krule in the face with it. Mathers threw a chair at Krule’s head. Mathers chopped a gusset plate into Krule’s chest at 13:00, and blood was immediately trickling from Krule’s chest. Mathers slammed it onto the top of Krule’s skull. Gross. Mathers hit a stunner across two open chairs for a nearfall at 15:00, and Denver said it is the most violent match ever in Beyond Wrestling history. Mathers hit some chops; Krule’s chest was completely red now.
Mathers hit Krule with an exploding board that made a loud bang. Krule flipped Mathers off the corner and through a table at 18:30, then a Falcon Arrow for a believable nearfall. Mathers hit some Buzzsaw Kicks. Krule hit a faceplant for a believable nearfall. Krule threw Gina the ref through a table in the corner at 21:00, earning a “you sick f—!” chant. We have now reached 2025! Denver Colorado left commentary to talk to Krule and try to calm him down. Mathers hit a flip dive to the floor, with them both crashing through a table on the floor! In the ring, Mathers hit a suplex, then a top-rope 450 Splash for the pin! New champ!
Marcus Mathers defeated Krule in a fans bring the weapons match to win the IWTV World Title at 22:33.
* Ryan Clancy came out with his Wrestling Open title belt and he ‘clanged’ his belt against Mathers’ belt. Several babyfaces hugged the blood-covered Mathers as the show went off the air at 12:05 a.m. EST.
Final Thoughts: While I hate deathmatches, I’m more okay with ones like this, where this is a feud that has picked up in violence over several months — there was bad blood between them that led to this violence. Certainly a memorable match. I personally liked Walters-Clancy for best, Ichiban-Gal for second, and the main event takes third.
I know indy wrestling is obsessed with intergender matches these days, but Cordeiro could have booked a must-see, first-time-ever Zayda-Statlander match, so I consider that a huge missed opportunity. That said, all three intergender matches were entertaining and highly watchable. This was a good show and I’m sure it will be posted on IWTV as quickly as possible.
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