Featuring a one-night-only return of a former Nexus member, ENDVR:8 got 2015 off to a blazing start!
As usual with the earlier ENDVRs, we’re straight into action at PROGRESS’ original home – the Garage in Islington.
“Wild Boar” Mike Hitchman, Mischa East and the Angels of Retribution (Kyle Ashmore & Steve Burden) vs. Earl Black Jr., Rhia O’Reilly, Damon Moser & Danny Garnell
Boar started with Moser, as he was caught in a leg spreader, before Boar rolled him through for a near-fall in the opening minute. Both teams exchanged fairly frequent tags, which meant that the opening sequences were largely basic holds and two-counts.
Black worked over an armbar on Burden, before the hold’s reversed and we end up with Mischa East for a spot of intergender wrestling with Earl Black. Rhia O’Reilly quickly tagged in, before falling to a Fisherman’s suplex for a near-fall, only for Rhia to counter a wheelbarrow with a facebuster. Danny Garnell comes in and pounds on Mischa in the corner, as does Damon Moser… but Mischa eventually overcomes them and tags in Burden, who immediately dumps Moser with a lariat. A slingshot tope brings in Ashmore for a near-fall, but Moser recovered to trap Ashmore in the ropes and eventually land a knee drop as the bearded Ashmore was hung across the middle rope. Ashmore was kept away from his partners, but managed to make a brief comeback with an enziguiri to Black, as both men made tags out.
We ended up with Boar and Moser in the ring, with Boar landing a spear in the corner and a T-bone suplex out of it for a near-fall. That prompted the ring to fill up with everyone pairing off in the corners, which allowed the Boar to hit a quartet of cannonballs, with Rhia taking the final one. Garnell capitalised immediately with a DDT on a celebrating Boar, but that quickly turned into a dive opportunity as Garnell was thrown outside, where Ashmore followed up by landing a twisting sky-press to the floor. Not something you’d expect out of a man Kyle’s size…
Back in the ring, Moser fought out of a package piledriver from the Boar, before a series of reversals led to Moser landing a big boot on the Boar. A knee trembler was missed, and the Boar followed-up with a Trapper Keeper… with an extra flip assistance from Ashmore for the win. Yep, Ashmore and Hitchman with a beta Meltzer Driver for the win! A good opening match to get us going! ***
Jinny vs. Pollyanna
Oh hello, this is the start of a beautiful feud. Well, the in-ring start… these two originally were meant to face-off at ENDVR 7, but Jinny instead attacked Pollyanna. This match also saw the debut of Jinny’s assistant, Elizabeth at ringside, along with the beta version of the “Primark Princess” chants.
Pollyanna took down Jinny early on with hair-assisted snapmares, before lighting up Jinny with a variety of chops, eventually getting a near-fall out of it. Jinny caught a kick and swung the leg back, sending Pollyanna’s face across Jinny’s knee, before using her foot to choke on Pollyanna in the corner. Pollyanna kicked back, only to get caught on the top rope, with Jinny yanking her down to the mat hard, keeping the offence up with a series of chokes. A leaping double stomp to the small of the back got Jinny a near-fall, before trapping Pollyanna in the ropes and landing a dropkick for another two-count.
More choking followed, before a snapmare and a rear chinlock slowed the pace of the match further. Pollyanna fought free and took down Jinny with a series of clotheslines, before landing the Pollinator (Angel’s Wings) for a near-fall. The end almost came when Pollyanna was dropkicked as she sat on the top rope, trapping her in the middle rope for an X-factor (the move that’d later be christened the Facelift). However, Jinny only got a two-count out of that, before she’s end up caught in the corner, and would fall across the middle ropes in place for a double-stomp.
Jinny somehow kicked out at two after that, before working out of a Fireman’s carry and grabbing referee Marc Parry. That distraction allowed Elizabeth to jump up and hit Pollyanna on the head with a “Smoking Area” sign, and that’s enough for the win. Jinny wins on her PROGRESS debut – and start a feud that would endure. **¾
No Disqualification – “The Omega” Isaac Zercher vs. Ali Armstrong
Zercher came to the ring with a chair in hand, whilst Ali came out with headgear and an oversized cotton bud – much like they used to use for Duel on Gladiators years ago.
Needless to say, that didn’t work, as Zercher just threw a chair into Armstrong as he made his entrance, with Ali getting pounded on on the stage. They teased a powerbomb off the stage, before Zercher was back body dropped out of the move, as he then sold a few shots with that Gladiators pugil… which broke. A “wet floor” sign came into play on Zercher’s back, as did a glitter gun which was used to blind Zercher briefly. Armstrong slammed Zercher on the floor before going back into the ring with a bag full of Lego! Unfortunately, Ali took a chair to the head as Zercher came on, but countered with a drop toe hold before going outside for a blow-up doll… which Zercher confused for Ali and hit a spinebuster onto.
Armstrong lands a brainbuster for a near-fall, then goes back outside for more Lego, this time bringing a box of it from under the ring. Zercher cut him off, before bursting the blow-up Ali, and went outside for a couple of hub caps and an ironing board. Yep, we’re going deep into the list of random items here… Zercher whacked the wet floor sign over Armstrong’s back, before throwing the ironing board into his face. Armstrong’s whipped face-first into the board, and then takes a back elbow as he was stuck in the corner, only to throw the board into an onrushing Zercher. The Lego then came into play… in the form of a ready-built spaceship made out of Lego, which Ali gave to a fan, but that just gave the Omega time to recover.
After slipping out of a Shellshock, Armstrong gave Zercher an Airplane Spin, before dropping him into the Lego with a death valley driver. The Gains Bomb missed as usual, before Zercher threw down that Lego spaceship on the floor. Both men teased suplexes in the corner, but it was Ali who took a capture suplex into the ironing board, before getting whacked across the back with a hub cap.
Armstrong broke a choke up with an ironing board shot, before Zercher regained the advantage with a massive spinebuster onto a chair for a near-fall. A dropkick and a hiptoss got Armstrong back in it, but Zercher easily dumped him with another Exploder onto a chair for another two-count. Another chair came into play, but Zercher’s latest spinebuster attempt was blocked, as Armstrong instead wiped out the chairs with a German suplex for yet another two-count.
Zercher blocked a rebound lariat and went for a triangle choke on Armstrong, but he used a hub cap to free himself, only for Zercher to hit back with a Shellshock… but Ali kicked out once again! Angered, Zercher used a chair, a hub cap, and the wet floor sign, before grabbing a steel chain – with the intention of throwing it onto Zercher. Ali worked free though, and ended up drilling Zercher with a Muscle Buster onto the steel chair for the win. That was a fun no-DQ match that managed to use plunder without being overtly-violent or a complete joke. More please (sadly, we don’t…) ***½
What followed next was Pastor William Eaver’s open challenge, as he looked to improve on the performance that saw him lose to Jimmy Havoc on the last ENDVR show. What he got… was a major surprise: former WWE star and Nexus member, Mason Ryan!
Pastor William Eaver vs. Mason Ryan
Ryan got “better than Batista” chants out of the gate, and he started by taking down the Pastor with a gorilla press slam into a spinebuster. After the Pastor returned to the ring, Ryan declared himself a believer, and shook the Pastor’s hand, before easily blocking a German suplex attempt.
Instead, Ryan was sent into the ropes, and easily knocked down Eaver with a shoulder tackle, then shrugged off a lot of similar shoulder tackles in return. Yeah, it’s not going to be the Pastor’s day, is it? A dropkick takes Eaver down, before his cross body is caught, only for Eaver to work free and send Ryan to the outside. Eaver faked out a dive to the floor as Ryan took his time getting back in, which led to him getting hotshotted back to the floor, where the match turned into something of a brawl. Mason slaps Eaver repeatedly by the ringpost, before the Pastor shoves him into the ringpost, getting a near-fall out of that.
After taking an elbow in the corner, Ryan responded with a big lariat to Eaver, before a torture rack neckbreaker led to another two-count. In response to someone asking for a Batista Bomb, Ryan slammed Eaver, then a cartwheel as the crowd demanded a flip… then a kneedrop for a near-fall. Eaver replied with a shoulder tackle off the middle rope, then a Fisherman’s suplex for another two-count. An attempted crucifix from the Pastor was turned into a Samoan driver that almost win the match, just as one fan finally remembered where he remembered Mason Ryan from!
The Pastor countered a back superplex for a near-fall, before a tornado DDT earned him another two-count… then found that his Clothesline from Heaven was useless as Ryan took two of them, before a suplex into an STO from Ryan saw the Welshman get a near-fall. This is beyond the point of being a good match, but as I type that the two men collide into each other and the lights go out.
With the lights out, the Faceless emerge from the back, then enter the ring to beat down Ryan and Eaver with a litany of weapons… and this is going to get thrown-out. Well, I’m not a fan of these non-finishes, but they were trying to establish the Faceless, so it makes sense. Eaver and Ryan were putting on a really good WWE-style match (think “that era of WWE Superstars where the wrestling was going under the radar). ***½
The Faceless tied up Eaver in the ropes and beat on him, before putting a barbed wire crown on his head. Thank God Kurt Angle wasn’t around to watch this!
Before the next match, Tom Irvin was in the ring for a promo, giving a rant about political correctness and “banned words”. Some of this delivery was starting to sound like Ricky Gervais, but it worked as a heel promo, even if it were long winded.
Chuck Mambo vs. Tom Irvin
Another match built-up from ENDVR 8, Irvin laid down the microphone in the ring for Mambo to speak… but that was just a cover for a sneak attack as Irvin laid into the surfer with chops and uppercuts. Mambo hit back with an uppercut and chops, before tying up Irvin with a surfboard stretch that turned into a really awkward stretch. The Mambo Number Five (series of kicks) followed, but Irvin cut off the fifth kick with a lariat, then hit a double-underhook suplex for a near-fall. A kip-up got Mambo back into things, but he was quickly sent back down with a flapjack.
The back-and-forth continued as Irvin laid into Mambo with uppercuts in the ropes, before throwing Mambo into the corner for another near-fall. A grounded abdominal stretch followed as the crowd told Irvin that he’s “just a shit Martin Kirby”, and in the middle of all this, Mambo freed himself and hit a superkick to the back of Irvin’s head, then landed with a tope into the front row. Another dive saw Mambo’s somersault plancha wipe out Irvin, before a running Meteora was blocked and turned into an STF as Irvin looked for a submission.
Mambo eventually grabbed the rope to free himself, then hit a Meteora out of a flapjack for a near-fall, and then those Mambo Number Five kicks again.This time, Irvin caught the fifth kick and went back to the STF… just as Mambo got the rope, Irvin dragged him back into the middle of the ring to reapply his “one move”, but second time was lucky as Chuck got the rope. Another superkick from Mambo saw him land on Irvin for a two-count, before Chuck kipped up and went for a flip – missing a 450 Splash as Irvin ended up snatching the win with a small package. As a match it was alright, but beyond the promos, this Irvin gimmick did little for me I’m afraid. **¾
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Sebastian
Sebastian got the old Jimmy Rave toilet paper entrance, which he did not like… whilst Zack Sabre Jr. seemed to be really out of place on this level.
We had a lot of stalling to start us off, with Sebastian originally getting taken to the ropes before pacing around Sabre, whose attempt at a head kick was ducked as Seb ran for cover. From there, Sabre viciously went for a wristlock and stomped Seb’s arm, before Sebastian’s attempt at returning the favour was easily countered by Sabre. A lot of the story of this match came from the crowd, as their constant heckles towards Seb – sometimes via Sabre – led to the wrestlers interacting with the crowd… and its safe to say that even in his second match, Seb was despised by the fans. Seb flipped out of a Japanese stranglehold for a reversal, but Sabre worked free to re-reverse it in an impressive show of skill.
Seb took the upper hand with a Greco-Roman poke to the eye, and then stood on Sabre as he chokes him on the bottom rope. The crowd finally cottoned onto Seb’s gear, and awoke with chants of “Shit Power Ranger”, but that timed with Seb getting taken to the outside as he was floored by a PK off the apron from Sabre.
They returned to the ring as Zack got just a one-count from a nonchalant cover, as Seb’s half-hearted fight back ended with a swift kick to the back. More technical schooling from Sabre followed, including a surfboard stretch, and a wristlock that bent Seb’s wrist back on itself. Sebastian made a comeback, knocking Sabre to the outside, before clearing a section of the crowd as he threw Sabre into the back row.
Sebastian stayed on top of Sabre, throwing him into the ring apron, before catching him with a move I can only describe as a full nelson… but using your legs. Sabre countered that by rolling back and almost forcing Seb to pin himself, forcing the hold to be broken, before landing a uranage to take Seb back down to the mat. From there, Sabre charged into Sebastian repeatedly with corner uppercuts, before stamping on the arm and going for the armbar… but Seb was too close to the ropes and was able to force a break.
A full nelson from Sabre was broken out of as Seb landed an enziguiri for a near-fall, before Sabre countered a leap out of the corner by kicking Seb in the thigh. Sabre’s PK attempt was missed as Seb rolled away, before an armbar was blocked and turned into a roll-up for a near-fall as Seb almost won it.
Sebastian went for “the best move ever” – a People’s Elbow set-up with a backheel – and then spent some time jawing with the fans before going for a PK. Zack caught it, slapped him in the face and hit a Dragon suplex, before a PK led to an armbar for the eventual submission. That was a lot better than I expected, and this wasn’t a total carry job by Sabre – Sebastian can go, when he’s in the right setting… ****
After the match, Darryl Allen climbed into the ring with a microphone and addressed the crowd in his capacity as head trainer of the ProJo. Allen put over the main event, then Sebastian – who the crowd actually warmed to afterwards. This was apparently Sabre’s last match before going back over to Japan… and Allen left him with a parting shot: a superkick to the back.
The heel turn complete, Allen pushed away Sabre and Sebastian, before damning Sabre for apparently not wanting to acknowledge that he’d trained him. Allen then promised to help his students as the intermittent beat-down continued; before announcing that Sebastian would be entered into the third Natural PROGRESSion Series. The pair shook hands, forming the first version of the Dazzler Team, as Sabre finally got back to his feet and challenged Allen to a match upon his return from Japan. We’ll get to it, but “plans changed”, as it turned out…
As a show, this was a solid, solid start to the new year for PROGRESS. Not a bad match on the card, and a fantastic main event. You can’t really ask for too much more from your wrestling, can you?