This week’s Uncharted Territory sees Beyond go heavy with tag team wrestling, as we had more debuts, some sorta-familiar faces, and the final build for Sunday’s Lethal Lottery.
Once again from the Electric Haze in Worcester, MA, it’s episode five of Uncharted Territory – which this week trailed with several recap packages, including the finishing moments from last week. Specifically, the challenge from LAX to the Best Friends. Hey, a great use of recaps for those who may not have been on board before. When we get going, we’ve a sitdown promo from David Starr, who claims he’s done everything he set out to do in Beyond… and he won’t be back until there’s something worth his while. There’s some shade for the GABES.
As always, Paul Crockett and Josh Briggs are on commentary. Gorilla and the Brain 2K19!
LAX (Santana & Ortiz) vs. Best Friends (Chuck Taylor & Trent Baretta)
The Best Friends are giving me serious vibes to Lukas Robinson. Something about 500 miles…
Santana’s opening tie-up took Chuckie into the corner, before he wiped his hands off on the referee. Baretta has more luck with an armdrag, before some shoulder tackles from Santana didn’t move Trent or his new grown-in beard. Extra points to Josh Briggs for use of the phrase “brick shithouse”. Santana tags in a frustrated Ortiz, as Trent eats a pair of enziguiri, then shoulder tackles, as LAX found their groove. A leaping swandive headbutt from Ortiz cracks into Taylor, who then went to pep up Trent by calling him a brick wall. A brick wall who’s instantly slammed by Ortiz…
Trent’s back with a swinging DDT off the ropes, before Taylor began to trade chops with Ortiz. A double-team suplex nearly puts Ortiz away, as did a Northern Lights suplex from Baretta… and this is pretty much one-way traffic from the Best Friends. Ortiz tries to mount a comeback, snatching a near-fall with a roll-up on Taylor, before Baretta’s crossbody ended up sending himself awkwardly into the ropes. Taylor pulls Santana off the apron to stop Santana from making a tag though, and he’s quickly back in the ring with a sleeperhold to drop Ortiz. He manages to get free though, and after a spinebuster a tag’s made to Santana, who cracks Chuckie with an enziguiri, then a running boot, only for Trent to trip him as the Best Friends tried to regain the upper hand. A double-team flapjack catches Taylor, as did a wheelbarrow/facebuster combo, but it’s not enough and the Best Friends get back in with an Eat Defeat/half-nelson suplex combo.
One hug later, and we see Santana take an assisted cutter for a near-fall, before Ortiz ended up taking a brutal piledriver on the apron. That left Santana on his lonesome as he took a Gotch piledriver from Beretta for a near-fall, before the kick-out left him prone for a flying stomp from Taylor for another near-fall. The Best Friends looked for a spike Dudebuster, but Ortiz is back to make a save, turning it into a Code Red before LAX hit a flurry of moves, finishing with a double-team reverse hiptoss/facebuster for the win. A nice opener as Beyond continue to start these shows strong – and you’ve got to think that LAX getting the come from behind win keeps them strong for something…. ***½
Cam Zagami’s outside with some guy wandering around in front of the camera. It’s Thomas Santell, who has the laugh of Killer Kowalski (if you’ve seen that episode of Wrestling With Wregret, you’ll know). Santell tells us he’s a 19 year veteran. You might say he’s used to be a real Heart Throb… He brags about his cardio, and he’s going to be a little out of place wrestling in a bar because he doesn’t drink beer. Instead, he drinks Ovaltine. That’ll make you seem a lot older… and make your forget what the match you’re in is called.
One point… if you’ve got your interviewer holding a mic that’s obviously not plugged in, invest in one.
Discovery Gauntlet: Thomas Santell vs. LD Montesanti
There’ something about Santell’s gimmick that is endearing. Coming out to Earth Angel means we’ve got some Cockney rhyming slang to continue this episode’s favourite swear word. Eartha Kitt.
Santell trips on the ropes on his way in like he was Batista, and I guess we’re keeping up the thread of podcasters on this show?
Santell takes off his glasses, so he’s blind, but it’s a ruse as he kicks Montesanti as he went to pick up the glasses. Cue aggression as Mantis is taken into the corner, butt Montesanti’s back with a springboard enziguiri off the middle rope. He’s quickly lifted up top by Santell, who just shoves him down to the floor, before he got stretched around the ring post as Santell targeted the lower back. A Northern Lights suplex lands for an eventual two-count, but Mantis is back with a head lick before a cartwheel headscissor driver spikes Santell for a near-fall. There’s a Saito suplex from Santell, who began to increase the aggression, countering a facebuster before dumping Mantis with a powerslam for a near-fall.
The pair wind up on the apron where Santell teases a German suplex to the floor, but it doesn’t come off as Mantis instead responded with an avalanche Falcon arrow. Back-and-forth kicks from Mantis led us into a step-up ‘rana and a dropkick as Santell was on the back foot, with a superkick sending him outside for a tope into the VIP area. Another tope sends Santell a little deeper, before he returned to land a crucifix… which didn’t lead to a pin because Santell didn’t have both of his shoulders down. After kicking out, Santell looked for a backslide as the pair exchange pinning combinations, only for a leaping Flatliner and a roll-through facebuster from Mantis to get him extra close to the win.
Mantis tries to finish with a Benadryller, but instead Santell rolls through into an ankle lock, following up with a German suplex and a lariat. He’s still not done though, as a Fisherman buster and a powerbomb left Mantis in trouble… before a STF/Twister combo forces the submission. Out of the two, Santell looked more polished, which is what you’d expect from his experience, but this was a pretty good match given the styles clash. ***
Zagami interviews Santell after the match. He apologises for saying a micro-swear, then says he’ll go home and have a cold Ovaltine. That’s one way to make a bad drink even worse. He’ll be back next week to honour Beyond’s tenth anniversary… but he still screws up the name of the Gauntlet. Hopefully he doesn’t make a wrong turn and ends up in CHIKARA as a Heart Throb…
Ashley Vox vs. Veda Scott vs. Solo Darling vs. Penelope Ford
Billed as a tease for the Beyond Lethal Lottery on Sunday, the WWR team’s been made to face each other in a fatal four-way here.
We start out hot with everyone going for roll-ups from the bell, before things settled down to Vox and Darling in the ring. A quick World of Sport-style series led to Darling getting taken into the corner for a cannonball as the revolving door format of these matches broke out, with Veda Scott sliding in to crack Vox with an axe kick and a butterfly suplex. Ford’s in next to catch Veda with a bridging German for a near-fall, before a brutal sit-down Cattle Mutilation old put Ford in the path of a Stretch Muffler from Solo… who then took a Fish Hook from Vox as the stacked-up submissions came to an end. Veda and Penelope exchange chops and forearms, with Veda edging ahead before she looked for a Muta lock… instead catching Vox in a German suplex while Ford was trapped in a deathlock.
Solo dove in to break up the pin before the referee stopped her from going after folks who’d rolled outside. God knows why. He doesn’t stop her as she went onto the apron to trade shots with Vox, which led to a reverse DDT on the apron for the Sea Star, with Veda landing a low dropkick to take Solo out. A cartwheel forearm from Ford has Veda on the floor too as all four women are on the floor…
They’re quickly back inside as Solo kicks away at Ford, leaving her prone for the Sharp Stinger, but Vox makes the save and catches Solo with an Air Raid Crash as a Parade of Moves broke out, ending with a handspring cutter from Ford on Scott for a near-fall. Vox breaks that up again, but can’t avoid another handspring cutter… this time it’s Solo breaking it up as a Sharp Stinger looked to be applied. Another Fish Hook from Vox is stopped as Solo hits a pumphandle slam, before the Sharp Stinger was applied at the third attempt for the win. Solo’s racking up those W’s – and considering the moving parts here, this was a pretty fun four-way. **¾
Milk Chocolate (Brandon Watts & Randy Summers) vs. Bear Country (Bear Bronson & Bear Boulder)
This was a “main show” debut for Bear Country, who’ve appeared on the indys under many names.
Milk Chocolate jump the Bears as they hit the ring, kicking the ropes into them as Bronson and Boulder (nee Beefcake) led to a jump cut with Watts getting whipped into a big boot from Boulder. A cobra clutch suplex from Bronson dumps Summers on his head, before Boulder press slammed Watts onto his own man for good measure. Big chops kill Watts and Summers, before Boulder headed up top and missed a springboard moonsault that would have flattened Summers. Somehow Watts manages to catch Bronson with a Destroyer, beforer Boulder gets lifted to the outside… complete with a nasty landing. Bronson’s back to take superkicks, but he monsters up and almost gets pinned with a stacked up crucifix.
Boulder’s back though to throw aside Watts, before he manages to slam both halves of Milk Chocolate at once. Nice! Watts gets thrown to Bronson, who then hits a Monster Driver on Summers (Fire Thunder driver into a laying Watts – kinda like how Shigehiro Irie does the stacked up piledriver), before Milk Chocolate were left laying for an elevator splash for the win. Good God, an extended squash as we’ve got two big hosses to shake things up in Beyond. I LOVED this for a debut. **½
Post-match, Chuck O’Neil heads out to take his weekly shot at comedy wrestlers. Bear Country try to smother him, but get sent packing. Not sure I’d have done that after their debut, but I guess we’ve got to serve multiple masters here. Chuck cuts a promo about “melted body losers” and “goofballs”, and to be fair, this is getting heat. O’Neil doesn’t want a partner, as they’re all “losers watching me succeed” as he again vows to “make Beyond legit again”. I’m still grateful he’s not found a store that’ll embroider that onto a baseball cap.
Next week: Matt Cross vs. Joey Janela.
The Whisper vs. Kris Statlander
The sort-of CHIKARA invasion continues as the former CHIKARA Campeonatos de Parejas champion took on Kris Statlander, who’d found the Treasure Hunt medallion she won earlier in the year.
Not being a regular CHIKARA watcher, I popped big time for the “Innovator of Silence” nickname. Statlander cartwheels out of a wristlock early, then took Whisper down with headscissors as they shushed each other. A lucha-style roll up took Whisper into a pinning attempt, but Statlander kicked out and went for a bridging backslide as the pinning combinations continued to flow ahead of a stand-off.
Whisper gets kicked out of the corner by Statlander… before he tried to return the favour… only to get propelled into a kick to the face. He returns with a backbreaker for a near-fall, before he kicked away Statlander’s headscissor, leading into a step-up legdrop for a near-fall. A cobra clutch backbreaker from Whisper nearly puts Kris away, as he continued to work on her lower back with a Boston crab. She’s able to roll free, and after taking a low dropkick, she’s able to come back with a variety of kicks and strikes, ahead of a sit-out front suplex for a near-fall, as Whisper’s work on her back seemed to have taken a toll.
Statlander’s back in with a bicycle knee before a powerbomb almost turned into a Ganso bomb after her back gave up. Instead, she followed back in with an axe kick that almost put Whisper away. He’s back with an ushigoroshi before landing a spin-out Vertebreaker as everyone was breaking out their big guns here. Whisper goes for a Gory stretch again, but Statlander counters into a reverse ‘rana before scooping him up for a package tombstone… and that was painful… and enough for the win. “Where’d his head go?!” – I love Josh Briggs’ commentary. This match was fine for what it was, and in spite of some rough moments it served as a good showcase for Kris and Whisper. **½
Cam Zagami tries to interview Statlander after the match, but she just snatched the mic and threatened Kimber Lee ahead of their match on Sunday. Zagami stayed in the ring as he apparently had a second guest… a mocking Anthony Greene, who was dressed as a member of the Greene World Order. By the way, the Platinum Hunnies were back after being killed by Maria Manic and Penelope Ford a few weeks ago…
Yeah, the bWo was a parody of a parody twenty years ago, but if you’re going to mock Stevie Richards, then I guess this is a better thing to shoot for than, say, the T4 Show. Greene “Stevie kicks” the cameraman, then goes all Big Stevie Cool as he announced the gWo were taking over, with “Stevie Night Heat” being replaced by “Wednesday Night Retro”. Well, as a go-home promo for Greene’s match at the Lethal Lottery, this was superb. Hopefully he fares better than he did against Gangrel…
Next week: Orange Cassidy defends the IWTV title against Jordynne Grace!
Beaver Boys (Alex Reynolds & John Silver) vs. Slither (Joey Janela & Chris Dickinson)
Holy crap, is Alex Reynolds intentionally channelling James Drake?
Reynolds and Dickinson start us off, after some mind games, that is, as Slither gained an early advantage, taking Reynolds into their corner as they tried to keep him on his own. An armbar from Janela was escaped, but John Silver tagged in to take one of his own before Dickinson came in for some arm wringers. A powerslam drops Silver for a near-fall, as Janela returned to charge his shoulder into Silver… who just replied with a hard Irish whip as the Beaver Boys turned the match on its head.
Or so we thought, as Slither swing it back around with a double-team elbow drop to Reynolds for a near-fall. The Beaver Boys mount a comeback, with Silver taking down Dickinson in an armbar, clinging on despite Dickinson’s attempt to fight free. Dickinson eventually escapes as a double-team back elbow with him and Janela taking Silver back down again, before Janela tried to keep the CZW champion down with a chinlock. Silver thought he’d fought free, but a superkick sets Janela up for a spinning package piledriver… only to have to back body drop away the interference of Reynolds. A lawn dart from Silver sends Janela into the turnbuckles as the momentum continued to swing uncontrollably, with Reynolds finally able to settle things down with a chinbar on Janela. Joey fights free, albeit with a handful of hair, only to get pulled down again as Silver began to light up Janela with kicks and uppercuts.
Janela manages to roll past a clothesline, but can’t avoid a deadlift German as Silver nearly took the win. Joey finally gets free to tag in Dickinson after he ducked a few more clotheslines, as the Dirty Daddy blew through Silver with clotheslines, only to get caught with a knee in the ropes as the Beaver Boys proceeded to clock Dickinson with kicks. A spinning rack bomb from Silver almost put Dickinson away, as the self-proclaimed tag team aces of Beyond took Dickinson outside to charge him into the VIP seating, then the ring apron. Back in the ring, Dickinson finds a second wind, but ends up taking a DDT from Reynolds. A double-team leg roll from the Beavers keeps Dickinson down as they proceed to rile up Janela, before Silver’s German suplex again cuts off an attempted comeback from Dickinson. The Beavers again target Janela as Dickinson remained isolated, taking a clubbering clothesline for a two-count before another chinbar from Reynolds slowed the pace some.
Reynolds crashes and burns with a moonsault as Dickinson finally got free to tag in Janela, who ran wild with superkicks and DDTs. A clothesline from Janela spins Silver inside out for a near-fall, before a powerbomb from Dickinson and a Janela splash led to another near-fall, before Reynolds caught Janela with a lungblower. There’s more German suplexes for Dickinson, one from each of the Beavers, before Janela needed to dive in to break up another cover. All four men trade strikes, as Dickinson cracks Silver with an enziguiri, before Reynolds took a package piledriver, then a regular piledriver for a near-fall… but Silver breaks up the cover and goes for a series of mid-kicks to Dickinson, before he stacked up Janela on Dickinson’s shoulders for more kicks as the Beavers continued to damage Janela’s neck.
Silver looked to finish things with a tombstone, but a crossbody from Dickinson neutralised that before Janela flew in with a crossbody off the top… Silver rolls through and spikes him anyway, before Reynolds tombstoned Dickinson onto Janela for another near-fall. How?! In the end, Reynolds looked for a suplex… but when Dickinson countered into a Pazuzu bomb, Silver just superkicks the ref. There’s no ref to count, because of course there isn’t, as the Beaver Boys seemed to be on different pages. Silver looked to lay out Dickinson with the CZW title, only for Ford to grab the belt and run away with it… Silver gives chase, leaving Reynolds on his own as Dickinson flew in with a clothesline off the middle rope, before an assisted German suplex and a stacked up pin finally got Slither the win. An interesting turn there towards the end as the Beavers seemed to be on the outs, but this was a good match that almost went too long. A final hurrah for the Beaver Boys, or was it just the beginning of the end for them? ***¼
After the match, Reynolds shoved Silver as both men walked to the back on their own… all while Janela and Dickinson celebrated in the ring. The show closed with Penelope Ford tossing Dickinson and Janela over the top rope, because we’ve still got one last bit of build for the Lethal Lottery as Ford vowed to win this Sunday’s Lethal Lottery.
While a little tag team heavy, this week’s Uncharted Territory continued the streak of excellent shows as Beyond have settled into a nice little format. Bookending the shows with strong matches, throwing in the Discovery Gauntlet and other snippets… this isn’t a show that’s overly stuffed with content to the point where you’d tune out. Since wXw discontinued Shotgun at the end of 2018, we’ve been looking for a new weekly watch, and while two hours may be a little long if you’re one of the hardcores who are still watching everything WWE puts out, you really ought to give Uncharted Territory a try.
- Catch Uncharted Territory as part of a subscription to IWTV.live – sign up today for a 20-day free trial with the code UNCHARTED