It’s down to Nico Angelo and Wild Boar as ATTACK’s comeback weekender culminated in the crowning of a new champion.
Quick Results
Jay Joshua pinned Mark Haskins in 13:25 (***)
Emersyn Jayne pinned Rayne Leverkusen in 17:42 (***)
Dani Luna, Flash Morgan Webster & Mark Andrews pinned ELIJAH, Kid Lykos & Kid Lykos II in 20:16 (***)
Trent Seven pinned Brendan White in 10:21 (***¼)
Danny Jones pinned Connor Mills in 14:52 (***)
James Ellis pinned Curt Atlas, Alley McPins and Shaheen in 9:56 (**¾)
Wild Boar pinned Nico Angelo in 25:44 to win the ATTACK! Championship (***)
We’re back at the Pryzm in Cardiff for the second half of the ATTACK! weekender… where we’ll wrap up with the crowning of a new ATTACK! champion. Commentary comes from Steve Andrew and Sean Thorne once again.
Mark Haskins vs. Jay Joshua
After coming up short in the tournament semi-final on night one, Joshua’s looking to pick up a scalp over a veteran in Mark Haskins here.
Joshua sent Haskins to the ropes to break an early submission attempt before some grounded headscissors were broken… but Haskins is again in the ropes. Back inside, Haskins tried in vain with some shoulder tackles, before he faked out Joshua with a drop toe hold as he managed to turn it around. Haskins kicks Joshua’s arm around the rope, but Joshua’s able to resist an Irish whip, reversing Haskins into the corner before a chop took him back there. Joshua pulls Haskins out of the corner into a back suplex a la Jeff Cobb, before a snapmare and a kick left Haskins laying.
Joshua keeps up the focus on the lower back with forearms, but Haskins is able to get back in by targeting the legs and ankles of Joshua, pulling him towards the ring post before landing a series of stomps to the ankle. Haskins skins the cat as he was almost sent outside, returning with a leaping leg lariat to Joshua, before wrapping the leg around the rope for a dropkick. Haskins goes for the roll-through death valley driver, but Joshua counters into a powerbomb for a near-fall, before an ushigoroshi crossed with a Millshot found its mark. Haskins is able to recover to land a tornado DDT, then a double stomp off the top for a near-fall, before going into a heel hook as he looked to reap the rewards of his earlier work.
Joshua got free, but couldn’t avoid a discus lariat from Haskins, who was refusing to give him too much distance. Going back to the ankle and knee, Haskins ends up trading shots… but a slap to the back of Joshua wakes him up, only for Haskins to kick the leg out from under him. A Sharpshooter attempt’s pushed away, with Joshua cradling Haskins back from the ropes as he powered up for a suplex… and that’s your lot. A very sudden finish, and a big win for Joshua to close his weekend. ***
Emersyn Jayne vs. Rayne Leverkusen
Despite both women losing the prior night, this was still a bit of a proving ground for Leverkusen…
Jayne took the match to the mat early on, trapping Leverkusen with a hammerlock before Rayne hit back with a waistlock takedown. An O’Connor roll’s blocked, so Leverkusen tries her luck with an armdrag, only for Jayne to score with headscissors coming out of the corner. Leverkusen’s enziguiri keeps her in it, following up with chops that Jayne tried to shove away from. Rayne’s run into the buckles as Jayne speared her through the ropes and off the apron. Bloody hell… that’s added to with a tope that put Rayne through the barriers. Back on the apron, Jayne gets shoved into the turnbuckles, as a German suplex bounced her off the side of the ring and down to the floor.
Emersyn sneaks in a hammerlock DDT for a two-count back inside, before a back suplex added another two-count. Leverkusen’s thrown shoulder-first into the corner ahead of a key lock, before a snap suplex bounced Leverkusen to the mat. Going back to the arm leads to Emersyn getting kicked away, before Leverkusen scored with a ripcord lariat. Leverkusen followed that up with a pumphandle fallaway slam, then a German suplex, before a tornado DDT off the apron laid out Jayne on the floor. Rolling Jayne back inside led to a spinebuster off the ropes for another two-count, before Jayne got caught on the top rope. A superplex is teased, but Jayne sunset flips free and eventually finagled her way into the Shadowfax German suplex, diving between the top and middle rope for it this time.
Jayne crashes and burns on a moonsault, but recovers to boot Leverkusen into the corner… another crack at the moonsault’s cut off with a back superplex. On their knees, the pair trade blows as you sensed the end was near… and another release German suplex from Rayne almost made sure of that. The pair trade German suplexes, some of which had me wide eyed, before a Destroyer from Rayne left Jayne in a heap. A delayed cover yields a two-count, before Jayne came right back with an Octopus stretch, targeting the arm… turning into a sunset flip as Rayne almost got the ropes. From there, a roll through to a cross armbreaker is cradled out of, as Leverkusen’s head kick and swinging side slam led to a knee trembler… and that STILL isn’t enough.
From there, Jayne goes back to the arm, but almost loses to a cradle, before a Dragon suplex and a diving kick led to a Ganso bomb that finally got the win. I get that Rayne’s a little raw, but her throwing everything at Jayne and coming up short didn’t do any favours unless Jayne’s being made out to be unstoppable? ***
Lykos Gym (Kid Lykos & Kid Lykos II) & ELIJAH vs. Subculture (Dani Luna, Flash Morgan Webster & Mark Andrews)
Good to see the Lykos Gym music plays havoc with the bass everywhere it goes…
Webster came in with his ribs taped after his match the prior night, and he starts with ELIJAH backing him into the corner. Of course, ELIJAH goes for the ribs early on, following with a dropkick into the corner, before Flash tripped ELIJAH ahead of a Special Brew Flip. ELIJAH’s back with a couple of pinning attempts, then an armdrag as he grounded Flash momentarily. Tags bring in Kid Lykos II and Mark Andrews, with Lykos II working the arm as the pair traded headlock takedowns and escapes ahead of a stand-off. Kid Lykos and Dani Luna tag in next, with Lykos immediately begging off, only for Luna to take him into the corners ahead of a sliding clothesline for a two-count.
A chinlock from Luna keeps Lykos grounded, but he elbows free… only to telegraph a brainbuster as Luna slammed him down. The rest of Subculture come in to triple-team Lykos, before Lykos II and ELIJAH came in to keep the ring full as they got whipped into each other. Things get a little wacky as Andrews ‘rana’s Lykos amid some boat rowing for a near-fall, as things calmed down. Relatively speaking. Dani Luna’s release back suplexes and a stomp flatten Lykos II for another pin attempt before Lykos II was sent outside. A quick plancha from Webster and a standing moonsault from Andrews gets a two-count, before a Romero special on Lykos II gets released into a Luna powerslam for another near-fall. Subculture keep up the big tags as Dani Luna repeatedly used her partners as weapons, as Webster again grounds things with a chinlock to Lykos II.
Lykos II slips back in with a roll-up and an enziguiri, before tagging out to ELIJAH… Mark Andrews is in too as the pace quickened, leading to a Slingblade from ELIJAH. A knee strike and a release German suplex flattened Andrews, as Webster returned… only to get caught in mid-springboard and dropped with an Electric Chair facebuster. A suplex gets ELIJAH a two-count on Webster, while Lykos II is in to go back to the ribs. ELIJAH’s uppercuts get the crowd on Webster’s side, just in time for him to hit a Rude Boy moonsault press out of the corner. Tags bring us to Andrews lighting up Lykos II… but Kid Lykos makes a save only to take his share of a double backflip kick. Fallaway slams from Luna gets rid of the Lykii, then ELIJAH, who then ate a powerbomb that almost won the match.
A front suplex and a crucifix bomb got ELIJAH back in it for a near-fall, as the Lykii tagged in to try and isolate Luna… as a corkscrew elbow drop almost won it for Lykos. The ring fills and empties from there, as Luna avoided a double brainbuster, then stacked up the Lykii in a Fireman’s carry… eventually scoring an apron death valley driver onto the apron after Webster’d dove over her. All six wrestlers hit the ring to trade strikes, leading to a trio of brainbusters getting countered. You can guess by who. The Lykii pull ahead with a double reverse ‘rana and a senton bomb for a near-fall, before Mandrews recovered to hit a double top rope ‘rana to the wolves. From there, ELIJAH eats a fallway slam from Luna, who nearly nicks a win with a roll-up, before the Luna Landing got the win. Much like the prior match, this could have done with not going as long – as this felt a little cold by the end. ***
Brendan White vs. Trent Seven
A former ATTACK tag champion – this was Trent’s return to the promotion… and he gets attacked by Brendan during his entrance.
Referee Tom Scarborough has the crowd “ring the bell” to get us going, and it’s not long before Trent hit some scoop slams and a leg drop, prompting Brendan to roll outside to avoid the final stage of the Hulk Hogan triumvirate. Trent follows him as the pair trade chops, continuing back inside before Trent ate a diving kick after he’d had his own towel thrown at him. Stomps from White, then an elbow smash down Trent, while White eventually landed a suplex for a two-count. Clubbing blows keep Trent by the ropes while Brendan mouthed off to the crowd, and that allowed Trent to chop his way back into things. A faked-out DDT lands for a two-count, as while a Dragon suplex and an Emerald Flowsion almost got the win.
Trent’s able to powerbomb White out of the corner for another two-count, while the Seven Stars lariat almost put Brendan away. Brendan comes back with a uranage out of the corner a la Samoa Joe, then a moonsault for a near-fall. A Bossman Slam keeps Brendan on top, before he mouthed off at Trent for not being Stateside for WrestleMania weekend. Harsh…
Firing back, Trent goes all Tyler Bate with a bop & bang, then a Tyler Driver… before the Birminghammer got the win. ***¼
Connor Mills vs. Danny Jones
Danny had a better reaction than his tag partner did…
The pair open with a lock-up, going around the ropes before Mills was taken down with a wristlock. Mills returns the favour, this time going for the arm before a shoulder charge was shrugged off by Jones, who scored with several of his own instead. Chops take Mills into the corner, as did an Irish whip, before a piledriver attempt ended with Mills lifting Jones onto the apron, before a kick knocked him down to the floor. Back inside, a missile dropkick gets Mills a one-count via an arrogant kneeling cover, before a snapmare and a kick got him back on track after he’d trolled the crowd. Some short arm scissors from Mills kept Jones on the deck, as did a knee strike and some more kicks before Jones fought back with a backcracker and some clotheslines.
Jones gets a two-count out of a leaping elbow drop, but another piledriver’s countered into a roll-up for a two-count. We’ve an Exploder out of the corner from Jones for a two-count, before Mills’ rebound lariat flipped Jones inside out. Mills tries for a Burning Cutter, but Jones blocks it with a side headlock, only for Mills to boot him to the outside for a quick tope. Mills tries for a stomp off the top, but Jones rolls away… then countered a rebound lariat into a Dragon suplex. Another rebound lariat’s turned into a bridging back suplex for a near-fall. We resume with the pair trading shots with increasing speed, enough to actually wake up the crowd, before things got a little rough around the edges.
A Dragon screw sinks Mills, but he’s able to rebound with the Orange Crush Bomb for a near-fall (anyone… please have him win a match with that!) before a roll-up with the feet on the ropes WOULD have won it, except Shane Hooker from the ring crew told on him. Nobody likes a grass, Shane. A small package nearly wins it for Jones, who manages to find his way into a piledriver on Mills for the win. ***
Post-match, Mills goes after Shane Hooker, throwing him into the ring for a Burning Cutter.
Shaheen vs. James Ellis vs. Alley McPins vs. Curt Atlas
I’ve not seen Shaheen before – he’s over on a tour from Dubai’s WrestleFest DXB… while this one marked the debut of Bowlarama’s Alley McPins. We’ve got another late addition in the form of the Ring Crew Express’ Curt Atlas, which would be a hell of a gimmick for these matches if you’re able to revolve around an ever-growing number of trainees.
Ellis’ attempts at cheapshots see him get pinged around the ring early on as we settle down to Shaheen and McPins… but Ellis trips Shaheen and takes him out into the guard rails. Headscissors from Alley take care of Atlas, as Ellis made his presence felt, tossing Alley outside before Atlas returned to splash Ellis into the corner. A crossbody from Atlas takes out Ellis, but Shaheen tries to capitalise… and lands a running back elbow before a wheelbarrow ‘rana found its mark. Out goes Atlas, in comes Ellis again… with James going for the eyes as he ended up taking a Stundog Millionaire over the ropes ahead of a low-pe from Shaheen. McPins adds a dive of her own, before Ellis hit a double sledge off the apron after flipping off the crowd.
Shaheen adds another dive as he went back after Atlas, throwing him inside for a crossbody… which is caught. Ellis pokes Atlas in the eye, then threw Shaheen into the corner before McPins press slammed Ellis off the top a la Ric Flair. Running uppercuts await for Ellis in the corner, as he ends up slumping to the mat in prime place for a spot of bowling. It’s a gutterball! Alley gets a chance for a second shot, but this time the rest of Bowlarama put the ramps up as she finds her mark. Atlas is back to ruin McPins’ moment, pulling her up for a press slam to Ellis on the floor. Shaheen flies back in, rolling down Atlas… but he takes too long to follow up and gets thrown down… Ellis sneaks in, but runs into a backbreaker as a Parade of Moves broke out. Ellis goes for McPins’ mask, but it’s stopped as Shaheen brings him down with a superplex… Atlas adds an Alabama Slam as McPins is thrown onto the pile.
We keep going as Shaheen’s moonsault breaks up a pin from Atlas… he adds an ushigoroshi to the mix, while Alley’s DDT took care of Shaheen. She follows up with a Destroyer to Atlas, but Ellis slides back in to push Alley out and steal the pin yet again. I like the gimmick Ellis is building up of snatching wins in scramble matches – it’s winding everyone up, and I hope it continues. Heat. **¾
Backstage, Kid Lykos tells ELIJAH to buck his ideas up or he’ll not get booked again… while James Ellis bragged about his winning run. That leads to ELIJAH challenging him to a singles match…
ATTACK! Championship Tournament Final: Wild Boar vs. Nico Angelo
The Cardiff crowd were chanting for Nico before Boar even showed his face… of course, Boar’s a former ATTACK! champion, having had a brief run with the belt in 2018.
The “bell” sounds with half an hour left on the VOD, but Boar doesn’t launch into it at the start as the pair circled the ring before Boar looked to dominate the early going. Commentary mentions that Boar squashed Angelo in five minutes last time they met – but Angelo manages to stem the tide with a grounded armbar, that Boar quickly slipped out of. Boar goes for the wrist, then the arm of Angelo, but Nico counters with a chinbar, only to get knocked into the corner as Boar added some chops. An armdrag and a low dropkick spun Boar down to the mat as Nico goes back to the arm, then knocked Boar back into the corner with some kicks.
Angelo’s chops are eventually cut-off as Boar bounced him off the ropes with a front suplex, getting a two-count in the process. A sunset flip from Angelo earned him a sit-down splash in return from Boar, while a back suplex dumps Angelo for a two-count. Elbows to the lower back wear down Angelo a little, but he spams those too much as Angelo finally fought back, landing some right hands and a clothesline for a two-count. Angelo pulls up Boar into a rolling death valley driver, but it’s only good for a two-count. Boar’s comeback is blocked… until he hit a Kitchen sink knee and a crucifix buckle bomb… then almost a Next Stop Driver for a near-fall. A sit-out powerbomb gets Boar another two-count, before he frog splashed onto Nico’s knees as a resulting cradle almost won the match.
Boar and Angelo trade blows as they fight back to their feet, but it’s a headbutt from Boar that finds a way through. As did a clothesline, but Nico pops right back up as we have a hockey fight to wake up the crowd. Boar beats down Nico though, only to eat a discus lariat in return as Nico picked up a two-count. A Destroyer from Boar took Angelo into the corner for a cannonball, while a Bitter End kept up the Parade of Former Champions Moves for a near-fall. The Fire Thunder Driver doesn’t put Angelo away though, as the pair end up spilling outside. Boar replays night one’s trick with apron powerbombs, stopping to break the count so he could drag Angelo towards the merch tables for a powerbomb that bounced Nico off the tables. Insert your Metallica riff here.
Boar tries again, but gets similar results as the table just won’t break, before he ended up putting himself through some wood via an errant cannonball. Angelo rushes back to the ring for a shooting star press, but it’s not enough to get the win. We get a ref bump as Boar speared Tom Scarborough in the corner, before a flying cutter off the top from Nico led to a visual pin. Yep, that’s ticking the box for “annoying trope” – going for a pin when you just saw the ref get laid out seconds earlier.
Angelo checks on the ref, before he turned around into a low blow as Boar went for a second Fire Thunder Driver… right as the ref comes to, with a delayed count not yielding the win. Boar rolls outside and grabs the title belt off the stage, looking to capitalise as the ref was still pulling himself together… but out comes the Lykii to stop him. Except… they weren’t. Kid Lykos laid out Nico Angelo with the belt as some in the crowd shrieked, before the Lykii handed off Nico for a Trapper Keeper package piledriver. Tom Scarborough’s back to count the pin, but Nico’s not kicking out from that… and Wild Boar wins the vacant title as commentary blew out my ears with some choice swears. The match was a little on the long side, but I like the story of Nico getting turned on as he’s got to work for his moment. ***
Boar and the Lykii celebrate amid confetti, then exited stage left as Mark Andrews and Bowl-a-rama came out to console Angelo to close the show…
The second half of ATTACK’s comeback weekender felt a little weird – the crowd weren’t totally out of it, but at times you could definitely tell that it was towards the end of a long weekend of wrestling. Add in some matches that could have done with being a little tighter, and this half of the double-header just didn’t click for me. There’s things to like about the rebooted ATTACK – the fact they’re not using the same roster as everyone else for one – but there’s work to be done.