By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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GrapHouse and West Coast Pro Wrestling “City 2 City”
Replay available via IndependentWrestling.TV
September 7, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada at Ferguson’s Night Market
While this show is now two months old, it was just recently released on IWTV. It has an intriguing roster of some of the best of the West Coast indy talent, so I thought I’d check it out. It is an outdoor show and it does look like a ‘backyard wrestling’ show, as we have high fencing around three sides of this yard. It is night time, but the ring is lit okay. The crowd is maybe 100, all standing around ringside; this show has a different underground vibe to it. We do have commentary.
1. Alpha Zo vs. Darian Bengston. Both men have recently wrestled on TV, as Bengston lost to Robbie Eagles a few months ago in ROH, while Zo was in a trio that lost to House of Black on AEW Collision in October. Bengston is generally a Georgia-area talent so it’s a bit of a surprise to see him here. Zo has lost a LOT of weight in the past two years and he looks great. He hit a fallaway slam for a nearfall at 3:00. Bengston hit an enzuigiri, then a top-rope corkscrew press for a nearfall at 6:00. Zo hit a heel hook kick to the jaw, then a pump-handle powerbomb for a believable nearfall. Bengston leaned Zo backward in a submission hold — it looked like he was setting up for a Sister Abigail faceplant — and Zo tapped out! Unique finish, and a good match.
Darian Bengston defeated Alpha Zo at 7:14.
2. Bodhi Young Prodigy vs. Vinnie Massaro. I believe Bodhi is still just 16 years old and his scrawny body is starting to fill out. Massaro is the overly-stereotypical Italian gimmick and I always compare him to Hugh Morrus for having a big gut under that singlet, and he’s also had an AEW/ROH TV match in the past. The commentators noted there is almost a 30-year age gap between these two. Bodhi hit a corner dropkick, then a flying DDT from the apron to the grass. In the ring, Vinnie hit a fallaway slam at 2:30 and he started to beat up the youngster. Bodhi hit a flip dive to the ground on Vinnie at 7:00 that earned a “holy shit!” chant. In the ring, Bodhi hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall. He hit a Pele Kick and a springboard stunner for a nearfall. However, Vinnie hit a hard clothesline for the pin. Decent match.
Vinnie Massaro defeated Bodhi Young Prodigy at 9:18.
3. “Los Suavicitos” Danny Rose and Ricky Gee vs. Count Noctis and Brooke Havok for the West Coast Pro Tag Titles. Brooke also has appeared on AEW/ROH TV recently. Noctis wore a fishnet top. Havok and the shorter Rose opened; it’s just hard to buy her as being competitive against men. Noctis and Gee entered at 1:30, and Noctis “the blood vampire” bit Gee on the head. LS began working over Brooke with some quick tag moves. Gee hit a splash on her at 6:00, and he slammed teammate Rose on her for a nearfall.
Noctis dove through the ropes onto both LS, and Havok leapt off the top rope onto both of them on the ground at 8:00. In the ring, Rose hit a Poison Rana on Havok. Noctis bit Rose! Rose hit a flying knee off the ropes onto Havok and pinned her. The crowd loudly booed the outcome. Decent match. (I hated that this match was for the titles as I knew Los Suavicitos weren’t going to lose on a non-WCPW show. They have since lost these belts.) After the match was over, Noctis grabbed Havok and hit her with a piledriver move! The crowd chanted “asshole!” at him.
Danny Rose and Ricky Gee defeated Brooke Havok and Count Noctis to retain the West Coast Pro Tag Team Titles at 10:48.
4. G Sharpe vs. Titus Alexander. Titus is a top 10 indy wrestler today and he’s competed a lot for NOAH in Japan this year. It’s been a few months since I’ve seen Sharpe; he has a scary blank stare; he is a scary-looking Richard Pryor. They brawled to the ground early on; back in the ring, Sharpe was in charge. Titus hit a dropkick at 3:00; he popped to his feet and did a crotch-chop at the crowd, then he choked Sharpe in the ropes. Sharpe hit an enzuigiri and a German Suplex for a nearfall at 5:30. Titus hit a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall; he made a lazy cover while giving the crowd the middle finger.
Titus nailed an impressive flip dive to the ground. In the ring, Sharpe hit a top-rope superplex. Sharpe hit a Sliced Bread out of the corner for a nearfall at 8:00. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Titus hit a stunner for a nearfall, then a running knee for another nearfall. Sharpe avoided a Lethal Injection and he hit a running kick for the pin! That was really good; these two worked hard in front of a very small but appreciative crowd.
G Sharpe defeated Titus Alexander at 10:37.
5. Lazarus vs. AJ Gray. Lazarus is the guy who recklessly threw a chair at Su Yung’s face and broke several of her bones; his skelton-themed singlet always makes me think of Mortis’ gear. The ring announcer warned the crowd this match could go anywhere, so they should be prepared to grab their stuff and move. Gray hit a spinning heel kick at 2:30 and he choked Lazarus on the mat. They brawled into the crowd and over by a bar, and Gray dumped him upside-down into a trash can at 5:00, then he kicked it and knocked it over. They got back into the ring, where Gray missed a moonsault.
Gray hit a second-rope back suplex for a nearfall at 7:30. Lazarus hit a missile dropkick for a nearfall. Gray hit a spinebuster and a standing powerbomb for a nearfall at 10:30, and he turned it into a half-crab, but Lazarus reached the ropes. Lazarus hit a back suplex and scored the pin. Decent brawl. I was fearful this was going to be a gross weapons match. Lazarus was bleeding from his nose as he was helped to the back.
Lazarus defeated AJ Gray at 12:55.
6. Kevin Blackwood vs. Robert Martyr for the West Coast Pro Wrestling Title. Martyr has wrestled coast to coast and I just have never seen the ‘It factor’ in him. Blackwood jawed at the fans before the bell; ugh that means the utterly unlikable Martyr is the babyface? Standing switches to open, and they tied each other up on the mat. They got up and traded forearm strikes at 5:00; this crowd has been quiet because they refuse to cheer for either man. Blackwood hit a back suplex. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Martyr hit a back suplex at 9:00 and they were both down.
Martyr hit a clothesline and a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall, then a stunner, then a swinging bodyslam for a nearfall at 11:30. Blackwood hit a top-rope doublestomp as Martyr was draped over the top rope. Martyr hit a piledriver for a nearfall at 13:30. Blackwood hit a clothesline to the back of the head, then a brainbuster, but Martyr kicked out at one, and that popped the crowd. Disgusting, as Robert popped to his feet and no-sold the brainbuster and hit some chops. Blackwood hit a top-rope doublestomp to the collarbone on a standing Martyr for a nearfall. So… a piledriver sends Randy Orton to the hospital and out of action for weeks, but Martyr shrugs it off and kicks out at one, like it’s no big deal? Got it.
Kevin Blackwood defeated Robert Martyr to retain the West Coast Pro World Title at 16:09.
7. Nic Zander vs. Bradley Prescott IV for the GrapHouse WRLD Title. I think I’ve seen Prescott before; he is white, thick and has a buzz cut. The bell rang and Zander immediately hit the ref and knocked him to the ground! Prescott hit a 450 Splash but we had no ref; we eventually got a nearfall. They brawled to the ground, with Zander in charge. Zander’s hair is in tight double braids today. He hit a suplex onto the grass, but the commentators said it is just a cover over concrete. Darian Bengston appeared at ringside, and Zander seemed annoyed to see him. They got back into the ring at 4:00 with Zander still in charge.
They traded rollups. Prescott hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall at 8:00. Zander hit a frog splash for a nearfall, and the crowd rallied for Prescott. Zander went to grab his title belt but Bengston confiscated it. However, Zander hit a low blow and a twisting neckbreaker for a nearfall. The original ref FINALLY hopped in the ring and stopped the ref from counting. He called for the bell and disqualified Zander. Lame finish to just a so-so match. (Shouldn’t the ref be screwing over the babyface when he’s on the verge of winning? Here, Zander was about to win. This made my head hurt.)
Bradley Prescott IV defeated Nic Zander via DQ at 12:11; Zander retains the GrapHouse WRLD Title.
* Bengston got on the mic and challenged Zander to a match. Zander said that Bengston is lucky to be on the show tonight, and noted he was in the opening match. A promoter came out and made the match for a future show.
8. Sonico vs. Jiah Jewell in a “Cajun Collar Match” for the Wild 4 The Night Title. Jiah is the Cajun who is a mix of Skinner and Lash LeRoux, and he brought some weapons to the ring. Apparently there are shellfish shells on the board. They were connected by a 15-foot chain around their necks. On the floor, Jewell pulled on the chain and sent Sonico head-first into the ring post at 1:30. Jiah whipped him across the back with the chain. In the ring, Jiah kept him grounded and cranked on Sonico’s mask. Jewell dumped a canister of food seasoning on the shellfish-covered board; he set up for a Death Valley Driver at 6:30 but Sonico escaped. Minutes later, both men were flipped back-first onto boards.
The ring was just covered in orange powder and it’s clear why they saved this for last. They traded forearm strikes. Jiah did his Gator Roll across all the debris in the ring at 10:30, then he suplexed Sonico onto the mess. Jiah placed Sonico’s feet on the top rope and hit a twisting neckbreaker for the pin. A flat finish as no one in the crowd seemed to think that move was going to finish the match. An okay brawl but just not my speed.
Jiah Jewell defeated Sonico to win the Wild 4 The Night Title at 11:38.
Final Thoughts: An up-and-down show. Titus Alexander vs. G Sharpe easily stole the show with a good back-and-forth match. Blackwood-Martyr takes second, even though I find Martyr to be so unlikeable he should always be a heel. And I really, REALLY hated seeing him kick-out of a piledriver, pop to his feet, and no-sell the move the rest of the match. The show-opening Darius-Zo match was really good for third.
Of the last four matches, only Blackwood-Martyr worked for me, so the show definitely started strong but didn’t hold up for me. But a lot of that goes into my tastes, as the show ended with brawling stuff with weapons. Outside of Prescott, I’ve seen a lot of everyone else on this show, and as I noted, many of them have appeared on AEW/ROH TV. I really would be shocked if Titus Alexander is not under a WWE ID contract soon.
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