We’re back at the White Eagle for the first time in over a year as Beyond Wrestling returned with an April Fools’ day Mystery Show!
Quick Results
Slade murdered Cam Zagami in 0:11 (NR)
Chris Dickinson submitted Richard Holliday in 19:09 (***¾)
Masha Slamovich pinned Erica Leigh in 5:01 (**¾)
Robo pinned Logan Easton LaRoux in 6:42 (***)
Willow Nightingale pinned Aaron Rourke in 10:14 (***¼)
Alec Price pinned Teddy Goodz in 4:54 (**¼)
Delmi Exo & Ashley Vox pinned Edith Surreal & Solo Darling in 8:04 (**½)
Matt Makowski submitted Alexander James in 13:25 (***¾)
Bear Boulder & Bear Bronson pinned Bobby Orlando & Bryce Donovan in 15:58 (***¼)
Max Caster pinned Slade in 15:34 (***½)
Wheeler Yuta submitted Trish Adora in 19:10 (***¾)
I had to double check – because of 2020, Beyond technically didn’t run a show at the White Eagle last year, unless you count the main event of Heavy Lies The Crown that started in 2020… Beyond’s only shows with fans present were in Foxborough, Melrose and Atlantic City.
Sidney Bakabella and Paul Crockett are on commentary… we’ve got a HOT crowd at the White Eagle, with a tear in my eye as Bro Hym opened up the show… until Cam Zagami interrupted proceedings in that gaudy suit that nobody’s missed. “Club Cam is back”… and Zagami offers an open challenge.
Cam Zagami vs. Slade
Enter Slade. The bell rings. Chokeslam. Three-count. SPLAT.
Post-match, the Shook Crew surround the ring, but Slade invites them in before Max Caster came out to offer a distraction. The numbers game overwhelms Slade before Bear Country ran out to make the save. Somewhere in that, Bobby Orlando got his lip busted open. Three big surprises out of AEW in the opening minutes? Yes please!
Slade gets the mic and demands Bear Country vs. Shook Crew later… oh, and he wanted Max Caster for himself too.
Richard Holliday vs. Chris Dickinson
It’s a big test for Holliday, who’ll be taking on a man who came in a close second in the Greatest Rivals Round Robin series.
Holliday slows the pace down from the start as he took out his Airpods, and we eventually get going with Dickinson taking Holliday into the corner. There’s a clean break, before a shoulder tackle from Dickinson took down Holliday. They exchange hiptoss attempts until a clothesline drops Holliday. The pair trade chops in the corner, before a double sledge from Holliday was stopped as Dickinson goes back to the chops. A back elbow off the ropes dumps Holliday for barely a one-count, while Dickinson shrugged off a roll-up to spin down Holliday with a Dragon screw.
Pulling Dickinson through the ropes helps Holliday stay in it, as he followed up with a clothesline. Back inside, a stomp to the gut starts a rather Ron Garvin-ish offence, before shoulder charges to the arm before Dickinson fought back with a Judo throw and a Dragon screw. Holliday strikes back with a chop to take Dickinson back into the corner for some stomps, with a neckbreaker getting a two-count ahead of an elbow drop for another two-count. He misses another knee, then another elbow drop as Dickinson rolled away, before the pair resumed trading elbows. An enziguiri from Dickinson, then a German suplex puts him on top, before an attempted cut-off just ended with a big clothesline from Dickinson.
Dickinson looks for a death valley driver, but Holliday countered out… only for his sleeper to get turned into a back suplex for a near-fall. A STF follows, but Holliday makes it to the ropes for a break. Holliday rakes Dickinson’s eyes as a DDT gets a quick two-count, before clotheslines took Dickinson into the corner. That leads to a slam attempt, but Dickinson slips out, only to get met with a superkick and a spinebuster for a near-fall as Holliday tries to squeak out a win. Fighting back, Dickinson charges Holliday into the corner as he went up looking for a superplex, but a headbutt and a flying clothesline gives Holliday a two-count. Eventually, Dickinson reverses a suplex attempt, then pulled Holliday away from the ropes to get a two-count, before some back-and-froth pins ended with Dickinson switching things up, trapping Holliday with a knee bar before a STF ended in the ropes.
Staying on Holliday, a Dragon screw against the edge of the ring keeps Dickinson ahead, before a missile dropkick back inside led to Dickinson eating a quick clothesline. A sitout powerbomb nearly has the win for Holliday, who then went for a punt kick, only for Dickinson to trip him up ahead of a Figure Four… Dickinson lets go so he could Dragon screw the legs some more, before he rolled Holliday into a Trailer Hitch for the eventual submission. A really good opener – exactly what you wanted for your first show back “home” in over a year. Holliday looked good in defeat, but Dickinson remains towards the top of the pile in Beyond. ***¾
Masha Slamovich vs. Erica Leigh
It’s a Beyond debut for Leigh, whose appearance was greeted with a massively enthusiastic, “YES! I know her!” (how?) “From Twitter” from the commentary double-act.
Slamovich leaps in with a dropkick at the bell, but Leigh’s back with a front kick to take Slamovich into the corner. Leigh charges over her for a knee to the gut, before knees from Masha keeps things even. Leigh’s taken into the ropes, which then get kicked into her as Slamovich looked to take the upper hand, following up with a roll through and a PK before some choking in the ropes needed the referee to break it up. Leigh tries to kick back, but she’s wiped out by Slamovich, who then drives the head into the mat. Erica tries to reply with a suplex, but Masha out-muscles her, then met Leigh in the corner with a step-up knee… but Leigh’s back with a German suplex out of the corner before a Shining Wizard opened things up.
She takes her time following up, but a bridging German suplex almost gets Leigh the win… but Slamovich gets a big boot up in return before she tossed Leigh through the corner and into the ring post. From there, Slamovich calls for a piledriver, and spikes Leigh for the win. A good, dominant showing from Slamovich, who looks to be destined for big things this year on this form. **¾
Logan Easton LaRoux vs. Robo The Punjabi Lion
LaRoux’s not been on Beyond since the days of Uncharted Territory. I mean, he may have been, but I’m drawing a blank here…
We open with a lock-up as Robo tries to control the pace, throwing LaRoux down to the mat early on. There’s a return as Logan tripped and walked over Robo, before standing switched led to an O’Connor roll attempt, which is blocked as Logan ends up hitting the ropes before he was caught with a dropkick. LaRoux slips out of a suplex, then a Fireman’s carry before a scoop slam from Robo gets a two-count. Robo’s hung up in the ropes as LaRoux sneaks back in, following in with a dropkick that gets barely a one-count too. A snap suplex adds a two-count for Logan, as did a cradle, before an enziguiri took Robo into the ropes for a clothesline.
Robo clocks Logan with a knee back inside, then followed up with elbow shots and a pancake, before a superkick dropped LaRoux for a two-count. A bicycle knee misses as LaRoux comes in with a German suplex, but headbutts from Robo and a bicycle knee put him back ahead before a Samoan driver gets the win. A tidy win for Robo who looked comfortable here. ***
Aaron Rourke vs. Willow Nightingale
A former Discovery Gauntlet winner in Beyond, Rourke’s looking to make a fresh push in Beyond now they’re back with some degree of regularity…
The crowd gets on Rourke’s case because Willow’s got more sparkles… Aaron just accuses her of being in “Solo’s shadow.” Cue a shove, as Nightingale takes Rourke into the corner for some kick… only for Rourke to switch it around and land some of his own. A slam drops Rourke as Nightingale tied him up in a modified STF, but Rourke bites his way free… Willow takes Rourke into the corner, but has to leap the ropes after an Irish whip was reversed… and ends up being pulled down into the buckles instead. A step-up knee followed for barely a one-count for Rourke, before Willow came back in with a backslide for a two-count.
An inside cradle’s next for another two-count, before a series of rights led to Rourke pulling Willow into the ropes. A spin-out Blue Thunder Bomb nearly nicks the win, as Rourke began to show his frustration. Willow’s stretched then pulled down by the hair… but she fights back, trading right hands with Rourke before some misdirection led her to POUNCE Rourke out of the corner. A series of clotheslines keeps Rourke down ahead of a big spinebuster that gets a near-fall, only for a sunset flip to nearly nick Rourke the win. He comes back with a step-up kick and a cartwheel clothesline into the corner, before a neat split-legged moonsault almost ended things. The pair head onto the apron, where Willow’s head kick set up for a death valley driver onto the edge of the ring, before they returned as a shotgun dropkick off the top nearly gets Willow the win.
Rourke tries to snap back with a uranage, but Nightingale escaped, and while her Oklahoma Stampede attempt was blocked, she’s able to block an O’Connor roll as Rourke kips up into a superkick. From there, she picks up Rourke for a Doctor Bomb, and that’s just what was ordered as Nightingale gets the win. Another fun match, with Rourke showing some neat flashes, but it’s a rare singles win for Nightingale here. ***¼
Alec Price vs. Teddy Goodz
It’s been a while since Goodz has been in Beyond… and he’s jumped from behind by Price before the bell.
Goodz comes back out of the corner with a clothesline and a back body drop, before a slam takes Price out of the corner. Price returns with a hotshot in the corner, then a leg lariat off the middle rope for a quick two-count, before Price leapt on in him the ropes a la Bossman. A pop-up from Goodz leads to a dropkick from Price as the newcomer kept the momentum going, following up by kicking out the leg before he clubbed away on Goodz’s neck. Price calls for a boot, but he runs into Goodz… who pushes him away and rolled in with a knee strike. A cutter’s next, as Goodz builds up a head of steam in the corner ahead of some mounted elbows that wore down Price ahead of an Iconoclasm for a near-fall. Price is back with a headbutt as he has to slip out of a tiltawhirl… raking the eyes before a roll-up gets him a dodgy as hell win. This was decent for the time they had, but way too brief. **¼
Team Sea Stars (Ashley Vox & Delmi Exo) vs. Edith Surreal & Solo Darling
Edith Surreal’s without her partner tonight, since “Blank” wasn’t around. Cough. She goes looking for Jaxon St. DuPont, but instead finds a replacement in Solo Darling.
Solo looks for a Sharp Stinger on Ashley Vox… who comes back with a headbutt for a quick one-count before a Hart Attack into a Boston crab helped Delmi Exo get an eventual two-count. Solo’s back with a facebuster before a Honey Steamer’s blocked, allowing Exo to counter with a Northern Lights suplex for a two-count. Edith Surreal tries to drag Solo into the corner, but Darling counters a Fireman’s carry into a crucifix for a two-count. Surreal tags in and takes down Exo with a cravat ahead of a chinbar, before an Axel Dieter Special with a bridge had Exo in trouble. Delmi manages to roll back into a pinning attempt, but Surreal counters with a low dropkick for a two-count of her own. Solo tags back in to land a Honey Steamer as Ashley Vox ran in with a dropkick to stop things running away from her team, as Exo and Solo traded shots.
Vox and Surreal tag back in, with the former using headscissors and a clothesline to pull ahead… only to find that Surreal’s mask protected her from a fish-hook. A misdirection bulldog has Surreal ahead, before Darling tagged back in… only to get rolled up by Vox. Exo is back to hold Solo for a superkick that gets a two-count, allowing the Sea Stars to build up some momentum before Surreal hits a sunset flip bomb to stop all that momentum. Solo gets back up and takes care of Vox with a Honey Steamer… then tagged in Surreal for a DDT that almost wins it, with Exo pushing Solo onto the pile just in time. Exo is back with elbows to Surreal, but out comes Milk Chocolate to be a nuisance… they’ve got Jaxon St. Du Pont, which distracts Surreal as Exo snatches the win with a roll-up. This was good while it lasted, as Milk Chocolate look to be getting into something with Ephemera going forward. **½
Alexander James vs. Matt Makowski
It feels like it’s been forever since I’ve seen Alexander James do a wrestle. He’s got a big challenge against the Greatest Rivals Round Robin series winner, and check out Chris Dickinson slyly watching in the background… James has picked up a new nickname, “der König der Kampf” – the King of the Fight – and gets in Makowski’s face before the bell.
We open with a lock-up as Makowski tries to take down James… but to no avail as the pair scramble on the mat, looking for a hold. Makowski takes James’ back early on, but a roll through lets James grab a front chancery before they made it to the ropes for a break. Going back to the mat, James ends up in a front facelock ahead of a cross armbar attempt that Makowski turned into a crossface attempt, only for James to get to the ropes. Kicks from Makowski rock James, as did an overhand slap as James was having trouble dealing with Makowski’s strikes, leaving him prone for a headlock takedown.
James goes to the face to get free, but ran into a forearm as Makowski tries to roll through from the apron for a near naked choke… only for James to transition it into the Rains of Castemere (rope-hung cutter). Elbows from above have James on top, before he dumped Makowski with a slam for a two-count, following up with a back elbow off the ropes. Makowski elbows back, but can’t avoid a kick as James ties him up in an standing armbar, only for Makowski to elbow free as he ends up getting taken down with elbows and a clothesline. James heads up top but misses a swandive headbutt before Makowski hit a sweet springboard enziguiri out of the corner.
An overhead belly-to-belly followed as Makowski pushes on, landing a double underhook suplex for a near-fall, before a cross armbar was escaped as James needed to then block an O’Connor roll. Makowski eventually pulls him down into a kneebar, only for James to grab one of his own as the pair struggle over the same hold. Eventually Makowski manages to roll free and trap James in a Sharpshooter, but that ends in the ropes. James escapes the torture rack and returned with a ripcord elbow, then a gutwrench powerbomb that turned into a Boston crab… which turns into a STF before Makowski got to the ropes. James looked for the King’s Landing DDT, but Makowski escaped with a backfist and some kicks, before the torture rack spins out into a cross armbar… and James’ escape ends up with him in a rear naked choke.
He floats out to pin Makowski for a two-count, then apply the rear naked choke for himself, but Makowski rolls back for a near-fall before neatly breaking the hold and applying a cross armbar that had James tap instantly. Some fantastic mat-based stuff here, with James looking good in defeat – but it’s Makowski who’s getting the proverbial rocket strapped to him here. ***¾
Shook Crew (Bobby Orlando & Bryce Donovan) vs. Bear Country (Bear Boulder & Bear Bronson)
This was set up earlier in the night, when Bear Country ran out to save Slade from the Shook Crew and Cam Zagami.
Boulder and Orlando start us off, with the latter getting shoved into the corner… a shoulder tackle charges down Orlando, who kicks a little low before a slam… went nowhere. Boulder has no such problem, but he holds Orlando up for so long he’s chop blocked before a press slam dumped Bobby in the middle of the ring. Bronson tags in and whips Boulder into Orlando in the corner, with a clothesline landing for a delayed two-count. An elbow drop squashes Orlando, but he’s able to slip out and tag in Bryce Donovan… who ran into a spinebuster for his troubles.
Orlando’s swatted away with an elbow as he tries to interfere, before Bryce was lit up with chops in the corner. Donovan avoids a charge in the corner as Bronson crashes and burned before being lifted into a Tree of Woe, with Orlando pulling the hair behind the ref’s back… as Donovan flies in with a dropkick for a two-count from that. More double-teaming from the Shook Crew leads to a “Bobby slam” on Bronson for a two-count as sneak tactics had Bear Country on the back foot. Donovan gets a boot up, but Bronson throws Orlando into it before a back cracker from Orlando stopped a Bear Country tag. A side headlock from Orlando’s escaped, but Bobby tags out as Bronson throws him across the ring… only for Donovan to try and capitalise.
Bronson pushes Donovan away, but Orlando pulls Boulder off the apron to stop a tag. Donovan takes too long to bask in his team’s achievements so far, and of course Bronson looked to fight back… he’s taken into the Shook Crew’s corner, where he fights back once again, faking out a chop before tagging in Boulder. A big back body drop flings Orlando before Boulder goes slam happy. A splash catches both opponents in the corner before he caught them both for a slam/powerbomb combo. From there, Boulder teases going up top, but Donovan grabs his leg as Orlando chop blocks it… behind the ref’s back there’s a chairshot to Boulder’s knee, which became the instant focal point moving forward.
Boulder tries to muscle up the Shook Crew again for a stacked up Samoan drop… but the knee gives out as the Crew hit a double-team DDT for a near-fall, with Bronson diving onto the pin to stop the count. Eventually Bronson gets the tag in and looks to clear house, but he has to absorb a German suplex from Donovan before hitting back with one of his own. Orlando runs into a Bronson forearm before a Fire Thunder Driver onto Donovan was stopped by Bryce, who flies with a springboard clothesline before a ripcord Bossman slam almost got the upset. Orlando then calls for the Elevator Drop to mock their opponents, but Bronson pops up and tagged out to Boulder, who looked pissed…
Boulder stares them down and goozles Orlando, only to get kicked in the bee. He keeps hold though and chokeslams Orlando into Donovan in the corner, before Bronson was taken in for a backpack cannonball, before Bear Country called for the Elevator Drop, squashing Orlando and Donovan for the win. A welcome win for the new TV stars Bear Country, whose arguments last summer thankfully seem to be a thing of the past. ***¼
Heyman special time! Max Caster’s out to help the Shook Crew to the back, but Slade attacks from behind, and we bleed into our next match!
Max Caster vs. Slade
Slade puts a kicking to Caster in the aisle as Bear Country cart the Shook Crew to the back.
We’ve some brawling around ringside as Caster backs Slade into the post… but Slade’s back up and charges through Caster with a clothesline. They finally make it to the ring as the match officially starts, with Slade repeatedly Beele’ing Caster across the ring before a drop toe hold led to a Deathlock from Caster. Slade goozles Caster to break it up, then pulled him up for an Exploder as clubbering forearms sent Caster into the ropes. Another Exploder tosses Caster, who replied by throwing Caster into the corner ahead of an arm wringer. Boots from Caster keep Slade down, but Caster doesn’t stay on him as Slade tripped him up before a shoulder charge misses… with Slade hitting the ring post.
Caster yanks on Slade’s arm from the floor to exacerbate things, before a slam inside the ring was countered as Caster rolled into a scissored armbar. Kicks keep Slade down as commentary really leaned into Slade’s prison background – almost like he’s the second coming of Nick Gage – but Caster just takes him down into the ropes for a big punt kick to the back for just a one-count. A side suplex drops Slade, with some elbows into a crossface following as Slade was firmly on the defensive. Slade bites his way free though, and returned fire with some stomps to Caster in the corner. Caster doesn’t stay too far behind though, taking down Slade for more kicks as things descended into a slugfest, only for Slade to get rammed back into the corner.
Caster goes up top, but Slade crotches him before he slammed Caster down to the mat. Slade punches his own arm to try and get feeling into it… and it sort of works as he’s able to drop Caster with a chokeslam for a two-count, before he worked his way into a rear naked choke. Caster throws his way free, but Slade’s feet clip the ropes as Caster then just suplexed him into the corner. Rather than go for a cover, Caster pulls Slade into the ring post… but he gets pulled into it as he takes too long. Slade gives chase on the outside with some more forearms as they brawl around the floor, leading to Slade teasing a German suplex off the apron… but Caster clings onto the ropes and goes for the eyes. An awkward Fireman’s carry takedown pings Slade onto the buckles and down to the floor, but somehow Slade beats the count after that spill to the floor.
Caster comes back with a clothesline, then a headlock takedown before he stomped on the arm… then rolled Slade into an overhead wristlock. Slade chokes his way free, but Caster rains down with stomps from above. The search for a superplex ends with Slade shoving down Caster, before Bryce Donovan came out to offer a distraction. Bobby Orlando comes through the crowd with a chair, but just gets wiped out, before the referee disarmed Slade… he misses a pop up PUNT to the dick, then a brainbuster from Caster, who puts Slade away with a top rope elbow. I really like Slade’s aura here – and while 15 minutes may have been long here, Slade going down after interference AND after some nasty spills kinda diminishes the result in some ways. ***½
Wheeler Yuta vs. Trish Adora
Yuta’s in the main event after having shown a new side during the Greatest Rivals Round Robin series – and with commentary noting that Tony Deppen wasn’t booked because he didn’t win a single match, that edge was clearly the difference for Yuta. It’s clearly an edge that a fair portion of the White Eagle was behind…
Yuta charges at Adora with a kick at the bell, but it’s ducked as Trish gets some roll-ups in before a chicken wing attempt ended in the ropes. A side headlock from Yuta leads to a takedown as he grounds Adora, but headscissors offer some response as Yuta ends up extricating himself… only to get pulled back into trouble. A hammerlock from Adora forces Yuta to the mat, but she holds on as he tries to roll free, taking it back up before Yuta breaks the hold and applied a version of his own. Adora runs towards the ropes to throw Yuta away, but he landed on his feet on the floor, before he returned to take Adora down in a knuckle lock. She powers up and countered with a modified stranglehold, which Yuta tries to escape… but he’s just put right back in it.
A double armbar stretch gives Yuta something else to escape, eventually rolling Adora out… but he can’t break the grip as Adora returned the favour ahead of an armdrag into an armbar. Some headscissors from Adora lead to a scissored armbar on the mat as Yuta just couldn’t get going. He manages to escape and apply an overhead wristlock, but headscissors free Adora… Yuta kips up, but gets his head kicked off before he came back with a dropkick. Adora’s grounded with a series of stomps in the corner, before the pair traded right hands by the buckles. A slam from Yuta stops Adora’s fightback and gets him a quick two-count, before he moved his way into a bow and arrow hold… but Adora floats out for a two-count before a low dropkick took her to the outside.
Rolling back in, Adora’s met with right hands ahead of a backbreaker… but Adora’s still got fight in her as Yuta got distracted by the crowd. Back-and-forth right hands led to Adora going for a double chicken wing… but Yuta charges her into the buckles before a senton atomico landed for a two-count. Yuta flips Adora into a Gory stretch, crossing both arms behind her… but Adora rolls free and returned with a crossbody for just a one-count. A splash in the corner followed ahead of a swinging backbreaker for a near-fall, as Yuta then had to roll to try and escape an armbar. Adora keeps hold though, and turns into a hammerlock, ramming her knees into Yuta’s ribs for good measure, before a seated surfboard was fought out of. It looked to be reversed, but Yuta rolls free and nearly nicks the win with a Euro clutch, before an Angle slam dropped Adora for another two-count.
After some punches, Yuta hits an elbow drop off the top for a near-fall, before the pair reset with an exchange of forearms. A Manhattan drop and an enziguiri looked to have Yuta ahead, but Adora returns with an overhead kick to knock Yuta outside… he skins the cat and lands a backfist, then a bridging German suplex for a near-fall. Yuta keeps the grip after the kickout, but instead opted to throw Adora down by the hair. Sending Adora into the ropes backfires as Trish comes back with Lariat Tubman for a two-count. She followed that up with Cattle Mutilation, but rolled it up to try and reposition things, only for Yuta to nearly nick the win with a roll-up. An eye rake from Yuta stops Adora as Yuta then hung her up in a cross-legged tombstone submission… and that’s enough for Yuta to pick up a tainted victory. ***¾
After the match, Yuta complained that he should be the top contender to the IWTV title – but instead he vowed to beat Adam Priest over ‘Mania weekend to claim that spot.
Beyond returns over WrestleMania weekend with Time Capsule… then they’re back at the White Eagle at the start of May as they look to get back to some degree of regularity. My word, I’ve missed crowds. While Beyond were running well below capacity here, the fans who were there brought a whack-tonne of energy – and it buoyed the show up to no end. This was a slice of the Beyond of old – some surprises at the start, the building of new characters and directions, and some really really good in-ring. #BeyondisBack is more than a hashtag – after six weeks of the Signature Series, Beyond’s made the most of their time off and are back with a purpose, rather than “just shows.” Welcome back.