By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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New South Pro Wrestling “Hoss All Stars Tournament Night 2”
March 8, 2025 in Gadsen, Alabama at Spartan Arena
Available for streaming via Independentwrestling.tv
Both nights of this two-day tournament were released this week on IWTV. As I noted in my review of night 1, this room is not lit well at all; the side of the ring closest to the hard camera is lit okay, but the back of the ring is dark. (The ringside camera is a bit better!) I also can’t see anyone in the crowd; there could be 20 people or 300 and I really wouldn’t know. The ring is pushed next to a stage, so there are no fans seated across from the hard camera either. Scottye Moore and Carmen Michael provided commentary.
* Night 1 had eight singles matches, so this show has the four second-round matches and a four-way finale. I thought the right man won seven of the eight first-round matches, so I’m upbeat we’ll have some good second-round action.
1. Tony Evans vs. Hunter Drake in a second-round tournament match. Again, Evans reminds me of Adam Priest but taller and he apparently wrestles for OVW, which I admittedly haven’t watched recently. Drake is much smaller and more slender, giving up a lot of size. Evans attacked from behind and we’re underway. The commentators noted that Drake suffered a leg injury in round 1. Drake hit a basement dropkick. Evans hit a German Suplex at 2:00 and took control. He stood on Hunter’s hair and pulled on his ankles, then he applied a half-crab at 4:30.
Drake hit a Buzzsaw Kick and was fired up, hitting a Lionsault for a nearfall at 6:30, then a slingshot Code Red for a nearfall, but he missed a 450 Splash. Evans immediately applied an ankle lock and he dragged Hunter to the center of the ring, but Hunter reached the ropes. Evans didn’t let go! He again dragged Hunter to the center of the ring, re-applied the ankle lock and sat down, and this time Hunter tapped out. A really hot opener.
Tony Evans defeated Hunter Drake at 8:13 to advance.
2. Mad Dog Connelly vs. Stallion Rogers in a second-round tournament match. Connelly is the big Bruiser Brody-type, and Rogers was Curt Stallion in his NXT run. They charged at each other and immediately traded forearm strikes. Rogers backed him into the corner and hit some European Uppercuts. Connelly hit a gut-wrench suplex at 3:30; he mounted Rogers and repeatedly punched him. He hit another gut-wrench suplex and some clubbing punches and a dropkick into the corner at 6:00. Rogers hit a German Suplex and they were both down. Connolly hit a massive standing powerbomb for a believable nearfall, then a clothesline.
Rogers got a rollup for a believable nearfall. Connelly missed a dive to the floor and crashed onto the thin mat at ringside. In the ring, Rogers hit a frogsplash for a nearfall and they were both down. They got up and traded forearm strikes. They collided heads and both collapsed, with Rogers on top, and he got the fluke pin! A really good, hard-hitting match, and I’ll say that’s a mild upset.
Stallion Rogers defeated Mad Dog Connolly at 10:45 to advance.
3. Cabana Man Dan vs. Big Dave Weaver in a second-round tournament match. Again, Dave is maybe 6’4″ and he towers over Dan (think Prince Iaukea). They locked up and the size difference is quite vast. Dan got a backslide for a nearfall. Dave hit an elbow drop at 2:00 and took control. Dan hit a leg lariat. Dave hit a powerslam for a nearfall. They traded forearm strikes. Dan pulled out a flip-flop and hit Dave a few times in the chest, then a piledriver for a nearfall at 5:00. Dan switched to a Rings of Saturn-type move on the mat, but Dave got a foot on the ropes. Dan went for a Sliced Bread but it was blocked; Dave immediately hit a clubbing clothesline and got the pin. I felt the winner here was never in doubt.
Big Dave Weaver defeated Cabana Man Dan at 7:04 to advance.
4. Richard Holliday vs. Odinson in a second-round tournament match. Odinson is so thick and muscular. Holliday rolled to the floor at the bell to stall. They traded shoulder blocks on the floor with neither man going down. In the ring, Holliday snapped the left arm over the top rope and began targeting it. He shoved Odinson’s arm into a hole on top of a ring post at 4:00 and kicked it. Holliday hit some superkicks. Odinson hit some running back elbows and a suplex. Holliday got a rollup out of nowhere for the pin! A bit of a shocker, especially with it being so short.
Richard Holliday defeated Odinson at 5:48 to advance.
* No names were attached to the next match but I presume it is filled with first-round losers.
5. “Team Cheeseburger” Cheeseburger, Wolfman Weaver, Bobcat, Connor Martin, Draco Bennett, Slade Porter, and Trever Aeon vs. “Nasty Team Worldwide” Bubba Bazz, Chris Crunk, Donnie Primetime, Harrison Haze, Marcus Dylan, Nasty Leroy, and Saraya Saber in a High Noon Showdown (14-person tag). Okay I didn’t catch all the names so I had to go to Cagematch.net for results. A lot of these guys were in the Battle Royal on Friday. I just saw trans athlete Saraya at a live show I attended in Minnesota last week. Fast action but I don’t know who most of these wrestlers are. Rocker Donnie Primetime stood out here, but very few of the other guys did.
They did the massive 14-person sleeper spot, and they pulled the ref into it, too. They started taking turns diving onto the pile of guys on the floor, so the ref did too. Carmen got up from the booth and he dove through the ropes onto everyone! That earned a “holy shit!” chant. In the ring, Cheeseburger hit a low blow on Nasty Leroy, hit the Shotei palm strike, and scored the tainted pin. That was exactly what it should be. Yes, it was messy but everyone got a few seconds to show off their moves.
Cheeseburger, Wolfman Weaver, Bobcat, Connor Martin, Draco Bennett, Slade Porter, and Trever Aeon defeated Bubba Bazz, Chris Crunk, Donnie Primetime, Harrison Haze, Marcus Dylan, Nasty Leroy, and Saraya Saber at 15:32.
* Shean Christopher came to the ring; he’s like a blond Raven. He was in a last-chance battle royal on Friday. The commentators said he doesn’t have a match and wondered why he’s out. Shean got on the mic and complained that the fans haven’t welcomed him back. He made an open challenge! Alec Price came out and he cut a babyface promo, acknowledging he was a jerk and a heel a day ago.
6. Alec Price vs. Shean Christopher. Price lost a first-round match. Shean attacked before Alec even had his jacket off. Alec hit a huracanrana and a springboard crossbody block. Shean knocked Alec off the top rope to the floor at 2:30 and they fought at ringside. In the ring, Shean hit a snap suplex for a nearfall and he took control. Alec bounced on the ropes and hit an armdrag. Shean hit a clothesline off the ropes for a nearfall at 5:30. Price hit a tornado DDT for a nearfall at 7:30. He hit a superkick, then a dropkick that sent Shean to the floor, then he dove over the ropes onto Shean. Alec hit a Swanton Bomb for the pin. Good action; I never doubted Alec was winning.
Alec Price defeated Shean Christopher at 9:04.
7. Tyler Franks vs. “The Wall” Tyler Stevens for the New South Heavyweight Title. The Wall is tall and reminds me a bit of NXT-era Baron Corbin, or a bit like David Finlay today. Franks wore a shiny gold jacket and he has a buzz cut; I don’t think I’ve seen him before the day 1 battle royal. They brawled to the floor, then back into the ring. Wall hit a tilt-a-whirl sideslam at 5:00. Samuel Handsome came to the ring (I compared him to a scrawny, young Ace Austin) and handed Stevens a chair, but Wall didn’t want it. Sam shouted “I’m paying you!” but Wall sent the kid to the back and the match continued. Wall hit an overhead belly-to-belly suplex and they were both down at 7:00.
They got up and traded forearm strikes. Franks hit a dive through the ropes. In the ring, Wall slammed Franks to the mat, then hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall at 11:00, and the crowd chanted “That was three!” Franks hit a twisting neckbreaker for a nearfall. Samuel and Kennedi Ryan returned to ringside and it distracted Franks. The ref got bumped! Wall hit a swinging uranage for a visual pin but we had no ref! Samuel got in the ring but he hit a chairshot on Wall, then a low blow uppercut! Franks got up, unaware of what just happened. He put Wall in a Torture Rack and spun him into a powerbomb for the pin. The crowd was not happy about this outcome!
Tyler Franks defeated “The Wall” Tyler Stevens to retain the New South Heavyweight Title at 14:39.
8. Richard Holliday vs. Big Dave Weaver vs. Stallion Rogers vs. Tony Evans in the Hoss All Stars tournament finals. Holliday spun in the ring and twisted his ankle or knee during his ring introductions! He collapsed to the mat, while still wearing his jacket. (There is not a single person here fooled by this. Not one.) He was helped out of the ring; the crowd sang the “Na Na Hey Hey Goodbye!” chant at Richard. So, it looks like we are starting with three. Rogers hit a German Suplex on Evans, then an Air Raid Crash on Dave. However, Big Dave rolled up Stallion Rogers and pinned him at 1:25! What? So, it’s just Evans vs. Dave? I think the crowd fully expects to see Holliday come back any minute now.
Dave leapt off the apron and hit a crossbody block to the floor at 4:30 and they brawled at ringside. In the ring, Evans stomped on Dave and kept him grounded. Dave fired up and hit some punches. Evans hit a spear for a nearfall at 10:00, then a coast-to-coast dropkick for a nearfall. Dave nailed a clothesline and pinned Evans at 12:26. However, Holliday ran into the ring and hit the 2008 twisting neckbreaker for a believable nearfall. Dave popped up, hit another clubbing clothesline and pinned Holliday. The crowd loved that Dave won. The match really left me cold and indifferent, though.
Big Dave Weaver defeated Richard Holliday, Stallion Rogers, and Tony Evans to win the Hoss All Stars tournament at 13:02.
* Dave was presented with an orange jacket that signifies he won the tournament and he put it on, and the crowd loudly chanted, “Big Dave!” He got on the mic and thanked the crowd. He said he’s going to be a Hoss champion that the crowd will be proud of. Dylan Hales appeared at ringside and he got on the mic. Suddenly Tim Bosby appeared and he attacked Big Dave! Bosby had his Action Title belt; the commentators screamed that Bosby’s belt “doesn’t belong here.” A commentator shouted, “Go back to Georgia!” at Bosby. Several wrestlers came out of the back to chase off Bosby.
Final Thoughts: I had only seen Big Dave have one prior match, but that was a really good brawl against Donovan Dijak. He was a good choice to win this match. That said, I disliked how the match played out. No one thought Holliday was really hurt; everyone knew he would be back out before the match was over. And the quick dismissal of Stallion Rogers was deeply disappointing. Geez, you go through the effort of putting four top guys in the main event… and then two of them each compete less than two minutes. I can’t wrap my head around the booking of the match, as Evans-Dave alone just wasn’t all that compelling. On the plus side, I’ve really liked what I’ve seen of Bosby, so they will have a good feud coming out of this.
So, I will go with Rogers-Connelly for the best match. The 14-man tag was a fun, messy affair with dives and the right mix of comedy and action and I’ll give that second. Alec Price’s match takes third. I wish I could say the top two matches were good, but I thought both were fairly flat. This show is streaming at IWTV, but I’ll add that I liked night one a lot more.
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