By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
We are looking for reports on all WWE, AEW, NXT, Impact Wrestling, 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
Limitless Wrestling “Anniversary VIII”
Replay available via IndependentWrestling.TV
September 30, 2023 in Yarmouth, Maine, at Yarmouth Amvets Post #2
This is a good-sized venue for an armory or legions hall, and they have packed the building with maybe 400-600 fans.
* The storyline note going in is that Alec Price advanced to the four-way finale of the “Vacationland Cup” tournament last month, but after he was eliminated, he turned heel by beating up popular babyface Dezmond Cole.
* The show opened with a title celebration for new Limitless Champion Channing Thomas. Heel manager Sidney Bakabella came out first. Thomas joined him in the ring, holding the title belt. (I always describe him as a mix of Rick Rude and slimy Joey Ryan.) They have balloons, champagne, confetti, the Vacationland trophy cup from the tournament, and a picture… of Channing Thomas. I love how over-the-top this is. Thomas clutched at his chest, blown away by all the ‘love’ in the room, even though the crowd was booing him. “This is the greatest night of my life!” he exclaimed. “We did this! We saved the Limitless world championship! I am your savior!” He told the fans, “I am a champion for you!”
Bakabella brought out Channing’s favorite wrestler from when he was a kid… Doink the clown! Bakabella shouted, “that man beat Crush at Wrestlemania IX!” It clearly is just someone in the Doink costume. Bakabella held up a cheap-looking crown and he proclaimed that Channing was the “king of Maine professional wrestling,” and he put the crown on Channing’s head. Channing rightfully treated this like he was just knighted. Out of nowhere came Ace Romero! I haven’t seen the 400-pounder probably all year; he had a run in MLW a few years ago. Romero got a couple punches in before Channing scampered to the back. The crowd started chanting, “kill the clown!” Romero kicked Doink in the gut before hitting a package piledriver. Ace got on the mic and said, “I made this place!” Romero demanded a match … right now! Channing teased accepting it before bowing out. Bakabella said, “we’ll see you in October!”
1. JT Dunn defeated Joey Janela at 13:10. I always compare Dunn to Tony Nese in looks (but not quite the ripped abdomen!) Mat reversals to open. They brawled to the floor at 4:00. In the ring, Dunn hit an enzuigiri and a side slam for a nearfall. Janela hit a DDT for a nearfall at 7:00. Janela hit a standing powerbomb for a nearfall. Dunn hit a stunner for a nearfall at 9:30. Janela hit a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall. They traded chops and forearms. Janela hit a German Suplex at 11:30, then a sunset flip powerbomb out of the corner, then a package piledriver for a believable nearfall. They traded superkicks. Dunn nailed a rolling elbow for the pin! Good opener.
2. Aaron Rourke defeated Kevin Blackwood at 8:04. Rourke is slender but looks a lot like Malakai Black, including half his face painted. Blackwood hit a Mafia Kick at the bell and a top-rope doublestomp just seconds into the match. He hit a back suplex for a nearfall at 1:30, then some Yes Kicks. Rourke hit some clotheslines and a German Suplex at 3:30. Blackwood hit a top-rope doublestomp on the back and a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall. They traded kicks and both were down. Blackwood hit another top-rope doublestomp, then a driver for a nearfall. Rourke hit a Lungblower to the chest, then a flip dive to the floor at 7:00. In the ring, Rourke hit a flying double knees for a nearfall. Blackwood hit a Helluva Kick. Rourke hit a flipping neckbreaker for the pin! That was really good for the time given, and I’ll call that a mild upset.
* Ricky Smokes jumped in the ring and attacked Rourke! “All it took was a little bit of validation from B3cca and now you believe you are special! You are not special!” Smokes shouted into the mic. “You always needed us.” Smokes said that Rourke “has been holding me back!” The crowd chanted, “You suck!” at Smokes. Out came 1 Called Manders for their next match!
3. 1 Called Manders defeated Ricky Smokes at 8:55. I always compare Smokes to Sammy Guevara in looks and style. Manders is much thicker. Smokes hit some punches to the gut but Manders no-sold them. They brawled on the floor, but Manders accidentally chopped the ring post at 2:30. Smokes immediately stomped on the damaged fingers. They got back in the ring with Smokes in charge. Smokes hit a spear for a nearfall. Manders nailed a shotgun dropkick at 6:00 but he clutched at his sore hand. Manders nailed a Doctor Bomb/pumphandle powerbomb for a nearfall. Smokes hit a TKO stunner for a nearfall at 8:00. Smokes grabbed Manders’ cowbell, but Rourke returned to ringside and confiscated it. Manders nailed a decapitating clothesline to pin Smokes. Good action.
* Smokes was interviewed backstage, where he said he wanted Rourke “gone” from Limitless Pro Wrestling. We went to an interview with Rourke, who vowed he wasn’t going to stop “until I beat your ass.”
4. Big BEEF Gnarls Garvin defeated Alexander Lee in an anything goes match at 14:36. I don’t know Lee; he’s one of two new guys for me on the show and he came out with barbed wire wrapped around his bald head. Garvin is the wide-bodied brawler with the huge tattoo on his chest; I always compare him to Ricky Shane Page from MLW. They brawled to the floor and traded blows in front of the fans. Beef was shoved head-first into the ring post at 3:00 and they brawled away from ringside. They beat each other up with trash can lids. Garvin got a board. There was a board with plastic forks, all pointing up. Garvin got a staple gun and stapled a bandana to Lee’s forehead; this is so disgusting and just not entertaining to me. Beef slammed Lee through the board in the ring to get the pin. Just not my preferred style of a match.
* Backstage, Ace Romero said it was good to be back, and he’ll return in October.
5. “MSP” Aiden Aggro & DangerKid defeated “Above the Rest” Gabriel Skye & Tristen Thai at 10:41. Skye has been batting a shoulder injury; he said two weeks ago at a Remarkable Wrestling show he was going to take time off to heal, so I’m a bit surprised he’s wrestling here. Aggro has long, curly dark hair while DangerKid is a slightly heavy white redhead who is a decent high-flyer. MSP attacked before the bell. DK hit a hard kick on Skye’s damaged right elbow, then a stiff kick to the spine for a nearfall at 2:30. Meanwhile, Aggro and Thai brawled into the crowd and out the rear doors.
In the ring, MSP kept Skey in their corner. DangerKid applied a Triangle Choke at 6:30. Skye hit an enzuigiri and made the hot tag to Thai, who hit a series of kicks on MSP. Thai hit a nice Shellshock faceplant. Skye asked for a tag back in; Thai was hesitant, pointing at Skye’s shoulder, but Gabriel assured him he was okay. However, DangerKid peeled down his kneepad and hit a running knee on Skey’s damaged shoulder. DangerKid then hit a senton on Skye for the pin. Good match, and they did a great job weaving in Skye’s real-life shoulder injury into this match. They kept brawling after the match, as Skye shouted that they tried to “take his career!”
* Manders drank a beer backstage before an interview. He was headed to the bar for another beer.
6. “Hazard” Connor Murphy defeated Love Doug, Puf and Kody Lane in a four-way at 6:36. Kody is the Midwest-based talent who competed for Wrestling Open in Massachusetts a day earlier, and I always compare him to Juice Robinson; he’s much taller and more muscular than the other three here. Puf is the lovable 400-pounder; the crowd loves him but he seems unhealthy in his size. If you were to image what Nick Gage looked like when he was 20, well that’s Connor Murphy; he wore a backward baseball cap, a jersey, and he yelled at everyone. He also has a passing resemblance to a young Shane “Hurricane” Helms. Puf hit a running shoulder tackle. Murphy hit a top-rope missile dropkick on Murphy and he yelled at the fans.
Puf splashed Murphy at 3:00, just flattening him. Puf knocked Lane off the apron to the floor. Murphy hit a Shining Wizard on Puf. Lane hit a standing powerbomb on Doug, then a moonsault at 5:00. Doug fired back with a rebound clothesline. Puf slammed Doug face-first to the mat. Puf hit a Samoan Drop on Lane. Doug hit a Sliced Bread on Lane. However, Murphy immediately rolled up Doug, pulled on his tights for leverage AND put his feet on the ropes, to score the cheap pin. Decent while it lasted. Doug and Puf hit a Team 3D on Murphy after the match and they celebrated in the ring, even though they lost.
* In a backstage promo, Hazard was still angry at Puf. We then went to a clip with Puf, who is willing to fight Hazard.
7. Dezmond Cole defeated Alec Price in a “last man standing” match at 22:48. Again, Price went from beloved to hated when he turned on Cole in the four-way last month. Cole is the Ricochet clone. Price came out first, holding a garbage can and lid and he shouted, “show me some f’n respect!” The bell rang and they immediately traded punches. Cole set up for a dive to the floor, but Price hit a stunner across the top rope. Cole hit a flip dive to the floor onto Price at 2:00. They brawled on the floor in front of the fans. In the ring, they brawled while using the trash can. Price hit his series of kneestrikes in the corner at 6:00. Price then hit his second-rope flying leg lariat while a trash can was over Cole’s head.
Price struck Cole over the head with the trash can lid a couple times and he jawed at the fans. Cole hit a huracanrana at 8:30, then a uranage, and they were both down. He hit a superkick then a sit-out powerbomb, and he tossed chairs at Price’s head; I hate that. Dezmond opened several chairs in the ring. Price hit a top-rope doublestomp at 13:30; Cole started to get up so Price hit a series of blows to the back. Price applied a cross-face chickenwing. Cole nailed a Buckle Bomb and a rolling cannonball at 16:30, then a top-rope Swanton Bomb. Price went back to the cross-face chickenwing, but Cole escaped.
Price hit a hard clothesline and went back to the CF-chickenwing, and he laid down on the mat. However, Cole got up at the 9-count at 19:30. They fought in the corner, and Cole hit a top-rope Spanish Fly, sending them both through a wood board bridge in the ring, and they were both down at 22:30. A close-up camera view shows a small cut on Price’s back. Cole got to his feet; Price didn’t, and the ref called for the bell. A really good brawl. For me, a more violent match is somewhat more acceptable when there is a feud built up, like here… they didn’t have ‘a hardcore match just for the sake of having a hardcore match.’
* A quick backstage interview with an angry Alec Price, followed by a quick backstage interview wtih Dezmond Cole, who has his sights set on champion Channing Thomas. Good wrapup to a good show.
Final Thoughts: A very good main event, and again, I’m not a fan of the brawling style. But they stuck to using chairs, garbage cans and wood boards… they didn’t go overboard with glass, light tubes, staple guns, pizza cutters, etc. Major League Wrestling has been using a LOT of the thop Northeast talent of late (Ichiban, TJ Crawford, Alec Price, Kevin Blackwood, Akira, etc.) of late… I would think that Dezmond Cole is on their short list of talent to bring in. He’s moved into my top tier of indy talent who has never been on MLW, ROH, AEW, NXT, etc.
Second-best goes to a very good tag match between Above the Rest and MSP. While I would like Skye to take some time off and actually let that shoulder recover, they did a great job of making the match about his well-known injury. Blackwood-Rourke earns third place; considering it barely went eight minutes, they packed a lot of offense into this excellent hard-hitting match.
I like what I’ve seen from these Limitless shows. The short backstage segments between matches really works for me. The title coronation ceremony was over-the-top, as it should be for an obnoxious heel. This good-sized crowd liked what they saw. The Garvin-Lee match didn’t work for me, and I wanted more from that four-way, but everything else reached or topped my expectations. Check this out at IWTV.
Be the first to comment