By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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House of Glory “Revelations”
Streamed on FITE TV
December 17, 2022 in Queens, N.Y. at La Boom
This is a night club and the crowd is maybe 300-500. We have commentary. The ring is well-lit, and as a bonus, we have quality instant replay of some big spots. So, this is about as professional as an indy show is going to look.
1. Mighty Mante defeated Nolo Kitano to retain the HOG Cruiserweight Title at 9:13. Last month, Kitano turned heel and attacked Mante, setting up this match. Kitano, a Black man, is dressed like a ninja and he carries a sword to the ring. Mante is a masked luchador. Kitano dominated early on. He got the sword and hit Mante across the gut with it. However, Mante got a rollup out of nowhere for the pin.
* After the match, Kitano’s masked goons, wearing all black, beat down Mante. The next show will be held Feb. 23.
2. “La Sombra” Carlos Ramirez defeated 1 Called Manders at 8:46. Sombra is the Spanish word for “shadow.” Manders came out to Bon Jovi’s “Dead or Alive,” but Ramirez attacked him on the ramp, and they brawled to ringside. Ramirez is the tall muscular guy who wrestles in blue jeans; I always think of him as a Hispanic version of W. Morrissey. They got in the ring and the bell sounded at 2:00. (I always start the stopwatch at first contact or the bell, whichever comes first.) Ramirez dominated early on, choking Manders in the ropes and working over the left knee.
Manders hit a running powerslam for a nearfall at 6:00, then a left-armed lariat. Manders hit a decapitating right-armed clothesline for a nearfall. Ramirez nailed a standing powerbomb, then a pumphandle sit-out piledriver for the clean pin. That was really good for the time given.
3. Ultra Violette defeated Masha Slamovich to retain the HOG Women’s Title at 13:43. Slamovich wrestled in Los Angeles for GCW less than 24 hours ago. Violette has purple streaks in her hair; she’s alright but she’s not on Masha’s level. Intense lockup and standing switches early, and Masha tied her up on the mat. They brawled to the floor with Masha in full control. Masha leaned her back against the guardrail and hit several chops at 5:30.
In the ring, Masha hit a Mafia kick. They hit simultaneous forearms and both were down at 8:00. Violette hooked a leg and got a forward roll. Masha nailed a spin kick to the head for a nearfall. Violette hit a forward roll kick, so Masha hit one, too. Violette hit a German Suplex, so Masha hit a German Suplex. Violette hit another German suplex, getting a nearfall at 11:00. Violette hit a modified fisherman’s suplex for a nearfall.
Masha hit an Air Raid Crash into the corner turnbuckle and scored a believable nearfall. She hit some Kawada Kicks. Violette hit an open-hand slap. Masha hit a spin kick to the face, and she put Violette on her shoulders. However, Violette got a forward Victory Roll for the clean pin. That topped all expectations. The commentators said it was the best women’s HOG match of 2022.
4. Charles Mason defeated Lince Dorado to retain the HOG Crown Jewel Title at 14:42. Mason wrestled on the same GCW show as Slamovich less than 24 hours earlier. Lince immediately hit a dropkick. Mason tried to rip off Dorado’s mask. Mason kicked the middle rope to crotch Dorado, and he hit a DDT onto the ring apron. Mason was in control, beating up Dorado on the floor. Back in the ring, Mason again ripped at the mask at 5:30 and got booed.
Dorado nailed a brainbuster for a nearfall. He hit a handspring-back-stunner for a nearfall. Dorado then hit a top-rope headscissors takedown on Mason, who was standing on the ring apron, and they both crashed to the floor at 8:00. In the ring, Dorado hit a baseball slide dropkick for a nearfall. He hit two moonsaults from the corner but Mason got his feet up to block a third one. Mason hit a Death Valley Driver and a running Meteora in the corner. Dorado hit a Canadian Destroyer, and they were both down at 10:00.
Dorado went for a handspring-back-stunner move, but Mason caught him and applied a sleeper. Mason hit a stuffed piledriver for a nearfall at 12:00. Dorado nailed a top-rope Shooting Star Press, but was too weak to make the cover, and Mason rolled out of the ring. Mason pulled the mask off! Dorado covered his face, and Mason hit a piledriver along his back for a believable nearfall. Dorado hit an enzuigiri and crawled toward his mask. However, Mason applied a sleeper on the mat, and Dorado tapped out. Good match; Mason is great at drawing heel heat.
5. Jacob Fatu defeated Nick Aldis to retain the HOG Title at 11:51. Aldis came out first and got on the mic and said he wanted this match for years and he put over Fatu as one of the best. He then turned heel by saying that he is “disgusted and disappointed that this match had to happen in Queens.” Standing switches to start. Fatu landed awkwardly after a moonsault and grabbed the left knee at 3:00. Aldis immediately hit a chop block on it, and he wrapped it around the ring post.
Aldis applied a Figure Four leglock at 6:00. Fatu hit a sidewinder slam for a nearfall, but he was selling the knee injury. He dove off the second rope, but Aldis caught his legs and applied a Texas Cloverleaf at 9:30, with Fatu reaching the ropes. Fatu went for a Samoan Drop, but his knee gave out. Aldis nailed a piledriver and a top-rope elbow drop for a nearfall. Fatu got up and nailed the double-jump (best moonsault ever) to pin Aldis. Good match, albeit a little slower and more methodical than I prefer.
* 15-minute intermission
6. Nolo Kitano defeated Michael Fain, Ben Ruten, Santa Claus, and two ninjas in a six-way scramble match at 8:58. Fain is Black and reminds me of a young, cocky MVP. Ruten has dreadlocks. Santa came out to “Jingle Bells” and a nice pop; he is awfully thin and the announcers said it is clearly Joey Silver. Nolo Kitano beat up “El Trabajador” and took his place in the match. So, Nolo and his two ninjas suddenly make up half the competitors in the match. One of the ninjas hit Santa to start the match and he got booed; our heel commentator loved it. This is awfully cartoonish.
The ninjas continued to beat up Santa. (Never wrote that sentence before!) Ruten hit a top-rope crossbody block on three competitors at 5:30. Ruten hit a Boss Man slam on Nolo, but the ninjas pulled Nolo out of the ring before he could be pinned. Santa hit a top-rope head-scissors takedown on Fain as Fain was standing on the ring apron, and they crashed onto everyone else on the floor. One of the ninjas hit a frogsplash on Santa for a nearfall. Santa hit a second-rope suplex on a ninja. The announcers kept arguing about if it was Joey Silver or Santa. Nolo sprayed blue mist in the face and pinned Fain.
* Everyone left the ring but Fain, who looked quite upset about losing. “Smooth Blackman,” and “Ms. Kiki Van Gogh” hit the ring; they both wore militant black berets. Smooth handed Fain a beret, and Fain accepted it. This looked right out of 1996 Nation of Domination.
7. Low Ki vs. Kenta went to a no contest at 23:23. These two met just once before, exactly 17 years ago to the day (Dec. 17, 2005), with Kenta winning. Low Ki wore his Hitman outfit with the white button-down shirt and red tie. A commentator said this is one of the most anticipated rematches in all of pro wrestling. Kenta is just coming off a stellar must-see match against Mike Bailey in PWR two weeks ago. I am surprised this isn’t the main event. An intense lockup and feeling out process to start. Ki went for a cross-armbreaker but Kenta escaped and rolled to the floor.
In the ring, Kenta hit some kicks to the back as Ki was seated on the mat at 5:00. They began trading chops and forearm shots, with the crowd “oooing” and “Ohhhing!” They rolled to the floor, and Kenta slammed Ki into a few of the guardrails, then he kicked Ki in the face. Kenta hit some roundhouse kicks to Ki’s chest at 7:30. Back in the ring, Kenta applied a leg lock around the waist and was in charge. Ki missed a springboard move, and Kenta immediately nailed a running knee that sent Ki flying into the corner at 9:30.
Kenta stayed in charge, applying a headlock on the mat, and the crowd rallied for Low Ki. Ki fired up with a few flying elbows and kicks. He hit the springboard spin kick for a nearfall at 11:30. Kenta snapped Ki’s throat across the top rope, then he hit a top-rope move for a nearfall. Kenta went for an STF on the mat; this is so intense and feels believable, and the commentators are doing a great job of being serious and focused. Kenta hit a snap powerslam for a nearfall at 13:30. They traded more stiff forearm shots.
They hit simultaneous Mafia Kicks. Kenta went for a Tiger Suplex, but Ki rotated, landed on his feet, and hit a doublestomp on Kenta’s chest! Kenta hit an Exploder Suplex into the turnbuckles at 16:30, then a dropkick into the corner. Kenta nailed a top-rope doublestomp for a nearfall. Kenta went for Go To Sleep, but Ki fought out of it. Ki hit the mule kick to the back of the head for a nearfall. Ki set up for the Ki Crusher, but Kenta turned it into a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall at 18:00.
Kenta applied a crossface, but Ki reached the ropes. Kenta hit a running knee for a nearfall. Kenta began hitting openhand slaps to the face. Ki hit a rolling forward roll kick, and they were both down at 20:00. Ki couldn’t hit the Ki Krusher; Kenta couldn’t hit the Go To Sleep. They fought on the top rope, and essentially suplexed each other to the mat; the commentators couldn’t tell who got the worst of it. They traded slaps to the face while on their knees. Ki nailed the Ki Crusher for a believable nearfall. Ki went to the top rope to set up for the doublestomp, but Detective James ran over and put handcuffs on one of Ki’s wrists. Ki chased James to the back and was counted out. The crowd booed this finish. The crowd chanted, “Let them fight!” The ring announcer said the match has been declared a no contest.
8. “Mane Event” Jay Lyon and Midas Black defeated Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe in a best of three falls match to win the HOG Tag Titles at 17:22. I have made this comparison before, but Jay Lyon reminds me of Evil Uno as they both wear masks and are decent high-flyers for being a bit heavier. Midas is only a bit bigger than Leon Ruffin. The storyline here is the Mane Event lost a prior title shot and “went to the back of the line” and have picked up several wins to claw their way back into the title picture. The Briscoes had their HOG titles, but not their ROH titles. The announcers acknowledged that the Briscoes had a bloody match one week ago, and one commentator wondered if they were fully recovered.
The first fall is a regular match; the second fall is “anything goes.” Mark and Midas started, with Midas hitting a deep armdrag and scored a pin at 0:50. The Mane Event were shocked, but Jay immediately hit them from behind with a chair. The announcers agreed this was a brilliant move; by sacrificing the first fall, they can “go right to the carnage.” They brawled into the crowd. Jay bodyslammed Midas on the wood stage. Mark set up for a Razor’s Edge, but Lyon made the save. Lyon then hit a senton off the stage. They all got back in the ring at 5:00, with the Mane Event sliding a door into the ring. Jay hit a Rude Awakening neckbreaker on Midas, then a T-Bone suplex on Lyon onto an open chair. Mark hit a top-rope Froggy Bow elbow drop through the table, and Jay made the cover for the pin on Midas at 7:02.
The match continued with no recovery period, as Mark beat up Lyon on the floor. Midas hit a 619, and Lyon hit a Jay Driller on Mark Briscoe! Midas hit the Froggy Bow on Mark for a nearfall, but Jay made the save at 10:30. Lyon dove through the ropes onto Jay. The Mane Event hit a superkick on Jay, but the ref got bumped in the process. Lyon hit a second-rope moonsault on Jay for a visual pin, but we didn’t have a referee. Mark hit a brainbuster on Midas on an open chair at 12:30.
Mark hit a Van Terminator dropkick in the corner. Mark set up for the Doomsday clothesline, but Midas ducked it. The Mane Event hit their team X-Factor faceplant and the ref recovered to count a believable nearfall. Lyon went for a flip dive to the floor, but Mark moved and Lyon crashed through a table. Jay got a chain and he whipped Lyon across the back with it at 16:00. He choked Lyon with the chain. Amazing Red appeared on the ring apron and seemed to beg Jay to stop choking him. Jay swung at Red but missed. Jay turned around, and the Mane Event hit their team X-Factor faceplant to pin Jay. New champions!
* Brand new tag title belts were unveiled and given to Black and Lyon. Amazing Red celebrated with them. However, Amazing Red took a chair and cracked the new champions with it! The crowd was shocked by this heel turn.
Final Thoughts: A satisfying main event. With the story they’ve told for months, with the Briscoes turning down another title shot until Mane Event had earned it, the title change was the only logical finish here. And of course, the distraction finish by Amazing Red gave the Briscoes an out.
Ki and Kenta was clearly the main event, but with a screwy, unsatisfying finish, it got moved to second-last. That makes sense; you don’t want to send fans home with a bad taste in their mouth.
I really enjoy these HOG shows. It is pretty much the only time you can see Low Ki wrestle these days, and he always delivers here.
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