A stacked show and a red-hot crowd greets us this week as we’ve got a “big fight feel” for the latest bout of Uncharted Territory.
We’re back at Electric Haze for the monster tenth episode of Uncharted Territory. We open outside “earlier today” as Cam Zagami bugs Josh Briggs, who vows to “beat the shit” out of Chuck O’Neil. Cue titles, and we’re inside the room as Joey Janela opens the show.
Paul Crockett and Anthony Greene are on commentary. Janela’s not dressed to compete. Instead, he’s filling in for Rich Palladino, as he puts in an earpiece and introduces our first match.
John Silver vs. Tom Lawlor
Silver doesn’t have his CZW title with him, while Filthy Tom is apparently ten times the man he used to be as Joey Janela’s corpsing doing intros.
Lawlor jumps into Silver at the bell with a leg lariat, before a series of forearms led to Silver firing back with kicks. Problem is, Lawlor throws kicks too before he kneeled down and invited Silver to respond in kind. Lawlor’s damn near laughing at them, as things escalated to chops before a running boot dropped Lawlor for a two-count.
Filthy Tom hits back, peppering the CZW champ with kicks to the midsection before he got caught with a German suplex as both men were throwing bombs, albeit at the expense of keeping any sort of an advantage. We’re back to the kicks from Silver, except one’s caught as Silver’s dragged into a single leg crab, before Silver got free and landed a brainbuster for a near-fall.
Silver continues to rough up Lawlor with Kawada style kicks, before he got decked with a lariat as both men were left on the mat. From the restart, Silver just runs into an airplane spin into a death valley driver for a near-fall, before Lawlor tied him up in knots… just too close to the ropes though.
A T-bone suplex followed as Lawlor flings Silver from corner to corner, then again with a belly-to-belly, before a flurry from Silver sees him land a German suplex, an enziguiri and a back cracker for a near-fall. Lawlor looks for a backslide, but Silver rolls free for some kicks, only for Lawlor to land a Kamigoye-style knee as he popped Silver into a rear naked choke… but he can’t hold it! Silver slips out into a cross armbar instead, then a Lebell lock, before he tried to change tactic… but a torture rack’s quickly escaped as Lawlor dropped him with a rear naked choke for the submission. This was an epic spot of grappling between these guys – and one I’ve love to see them repeat down the line. ***½
Backstage, Cameron Zagami’s interviewing Smart Mark Sterling, who’s bragging about his qualifications. He’s looking to add the Discovery Gauntlet to his MBAs and suchnot. The live crowd audio was too hot for his, as was some buzzing (I can relate), so a lot of this promo was inaudible.
Joey Janela throw a shot at David Starr’s bald spot before we went to the next match…
Discovery Gauntlet: Mark Sterling vs. Thomas Santell
Sterling is more recently a graduate from the Create a Pro academy, and my God, the response for Thomas Santell. He is a GOD in Worcester. Both these guys are nearly 20-years in the business, for what it’s worth.
Sterling heads outside to wind up the crowd, before he stuck by the ropes to make sure that Santell couldn’t get him at the bell. When we got going, Santell schooled Sterling on the mat, before Sterling replied with a series of snapmares… which stop with a backslide as he went to the well once too often.
Santell lands a snapmare of his own and a kick, before he took Sterling into the corner for a superplex… but he’s pulled down and Snake Eye’d onto the apron. On the floor, a bodyslam followed, but Santell beats the count and ends up taking a fireman’s carry gutbuster as Sterling continued to push forward. There’s an Irish whip that hurls Santell into the corner, before a suplex bounced him off of the turnbuckles, ahead of a Boston crab as this was all one-way traffic. Sterling looked for almost a Regal Stretch, but Santell blocks it, forcing Sterling to change his plan… but a Saito suplex stops him as Santell began to find a way back.
Santell and Sterling trade uppercuts, but it’s Santell who edges ahead with some body blows in the corner, before a right hand and a German suplex almost put away Sterling. Out of nowhere, a roll-up nearly got the upset, ahead of an Arn Anderson spinebuster for another near-fall. We almost have a ref bump as Santell nearly got pushed into the corner, but Sterling takes advantage of an unsighted ref as he lands a mule kick to catch Santell low.
A powerbomb and a piledriver’s next for a near-fall… so Sterling hits another piledriver, which still doesn’t put Santell away. Out of frustration, Sterling puts on some brass knuckles, but he can’t use them as Santell trips him into a Sugar Free Hold – and that’s enough to force the submission. Sterling tried to be underhanded, but in the end the Ovaltine Dream lives on after a hot match. Man, who’d have thunk Thomas Santell would be the most over here? ***½
Zagami interviews Santell after the match, as is the norm, as he’s selling that low blow. Santell says he’ll make it seven in a row, before he turned the talk to what happened last week with Zagami and Ken Doane. He stands up for Zagami (which is funny given Cam’s character before the show started), and tells him to stand up to the bully Doane now. As in tonight.
With the help of the crowd, Zagami issues the challenge. Doane’s out to accept it, and we have a match!
Cam Zagami vs. Ken Doane
Zagami’s wrestling in his shirt and tie, and he starts by heading into the crowd as he tried to stay away from Doane, scared of the bully.
Doane loses track of Zagami, who slips in from the side and tries to shock Doane with a roll-up at the bell. When that didn’t work, Zagami slips outside, catching Doane in the ropes before suckering him there for a lowpe. He celebrates with the crowd before he headed into the ring to look for a count-out, but Doane gets in at nine, as Zagami began to bring the fight.
Some body blows force Doane to cover up in the corner, before a float over came to nought as Doane punches out Cam. There’s some rope choking next, before Doane used his wrist tape to tie Zagami’s hands behind his back. Stomps to the head and neck has Zagami in big trouble, before one more right hand gets Doane the win. Not much of a match, but you can bet this isn’t the last we’ll see of the bully Doane, who’ll get his comeuppance. One day. **
We’ve a recap of the scuffle with Solo Darling and Skylar last weekend, which is leading into this tag match…
Davienne & Skylar vs. Allie Kat & Solo Darling
Davienne’s changed up her look a little, wearing a leather jacket and sunglasses a la Skylar.
Allie Kat starts by laying down for a belly rub… not that Skylar was going to play that game. We’re under lucha tag rules, so Solo comes in unawares, and looks to pull Skylar into a Sharp Stinger… which Davienne broke up by slamming Allie Kat onto the pile.
Davienne stays into try and restrain Solo, dropping her with a German suplex, before Skylar slipped in to club away on Solo. A tag brings in Davienne, who just whips Solo hard into the corner before Solo slipped out of a powerbomb as Skylar accidentally dropped Davienne with a lungblower. I’m not sure what the aim was there…
Allie Kat’s in with a Thesz Press to Skylar as Solo rolls outside, following up with a hip attack and a Furball in the corner for a two-count. Davienne pulls Allie Kat back by the hair to keep her in the corner as the villains resumed their double-teaming. A low dropkick from Davienne nearly sent Allie Kat to the floor, but instead she’s kept down for a near-fall as Davienne knocks Solo off the apron for good measure.
More double-teaming sees Allie Kat caught in the ropes with some headscissors, before a double arm stretch forces Allie to fight back to her feet. Davienne sneaks in to drop her though as Allie was struggling to even get to the outside so Solo could come in. Eventually a pratfall takes down Davienne ahead of a Lari-cat, but Skylar’s already headed outside to pull Solo off the apron.
Solo’s back up and brought in to unload on Davienne with forearms, before a pair of Honey Steamer tornado DDTs led to a near-fall. A flying bulldog off the top rope almost gets Solo the win on Davienne, which led to a wonderful evil-look from Darling after Skylar made the save… and then a series of cat claws and mid kicks as Solo and Allie forced their way into the lead.
The Sharp Stinger looks to follow, as Solo rolled Skylar into the cloverleaf, before Skylar got free and kicked her way out. She rolls onto the apron to catch Allie with a hiptoss knee strike, before Solo took Skylar down to the floor with a suplex off the apron. YEESH.
Back inside, Skylar’s dropped with a pair of pumphandle slams before the Sharp Stinger’s reapplied. Davienne pulls out the ref and throws in a dog leash, which Skylar used to trip Solo… a punch with the leash is avoided as all four women brawl outside again. Skylar ties Solo to the ring post with the leash, meaning Allie Kat’s all alone, and caught on the top rope as the powerbomb/lungblowee combo finally comes off… and that’s the win. Some good fire here, with the “Top Dogs” of Skylar and Davienne getting into winning ways. ***¼
Richard Holliday hijacks the booth as Anthony Greene heads to ringside for the next match…
Chuck O’Neil vs. Josh Briggs
Briggs punches out O’Neil during the introductions as he looked to end this one in a hurry.
A Beele throw hurls O’Neil into the corner, following up with some backbreakers and a body splash for a two-count, but O’Neil comes back, targeting Briggs’ injured leg and hip before he locked in a knee bar by the ropes. Chuck kicks Briggs’ leg out of his leg as he resumed his offence, before another knee bar ended in the ropes… but O’Neil wouldn’t let go, as the ref was forced to break the hold.
O’Neil stares down the referee after he was admonished, which gives Brigg enough time to get up and make a comeback with some right hands. A big boot drops him, as does a spinning backbreaker… but he can’t follow up with a cover. Instead, he gets up and looks for a chokebreaker, but O’Neil counters with an armbar… and almost gets rolled up straight away.
A chokeslam’s next though, as Briggs almost took the W, before he’s hauled out of the corner with a German suplex. O’Neil followed up with a Michinoku driver for a near-fall, before he floated into a knee bar that ended in the ropes… but once again O’Neil refused to let go, so we get the DQ. A rather violent outing, at least in terms of O’Neil’s offence. ***
Tom Lawlor and Anthony Greene come in to break it up… O’Neil’s frustrated at losing, and looked to cheapshot Lawlor, who just hiptossed him for it. Well then! Lawlor gets the mic and demands a fight with O’Neil right now. Ever the bad guy, Chuck refuses, and tells Tom he’ll do it next week for another payday.
Chris Dickinson’s backstage with Cam Zagami, who’s calm for someone who was beaten up earlier. Yeah, it’s pre-taped. Dickinson welcomes back Josh Alexander, but he vows to blow past him as he continues his road to Americanrana.
Chris Dickinson vs. Josh Alexander
Dickinson’s parade of big lads continues here, and we start with some scrambling on the mat as I picture Daisuke Sekimoto patiently waiting at the Foxwoods resort for Americanrana to roll around.
An armdrag took Alexander to the outside, as the crowd began to chant “USA” against him. Back inside, a regrouped Alexander worked over a headlock, then a leg spreader on Dickinson, before Dickinson broke a knuckle lock so he could chop away on the Canadian. After that, Alexander cartwheels away so he could drop Dickinson with a forearm, as it was quickly becoming clear these two could clubber away on each other as well as wrestle.
A big boot from Dickinson surprises Alexander, who responded with a European uppercut… only to run into another boot and a leg lariat. Dickinson’s back with chops, trapping Alexander in the corner, only to get met with a paintbrushing slap as the pair began to unload once more.
Some stomps keep Dickinson on the mat, and even rolling to the apron couldn’t save him as Alexander chopped him through the ropes before more chops waited for both men on the outside. They return to the ring again, where Dickinson tried to fight back with some shots, before he had to counter a Finlay Roll into a crucifix for a flash two-count. A Pazuzu bomb’s blocked next, as Alexander went back over Dickinson’s legs, but Dickinson’s back up with chops before he telegraphed a back body drop. Don’t do that. Alexander whips him into the corner, but Dickinson rebounds out with elbow and clotheslines before he landed a death valley driver for a near-fall.
A snap powerbomb’s next for Dickinson, but he misses an enziguiri as an ankle lock followed from Alexander… then a forearm to the back of the head, and a spinning rack bomb as Alexander almost took the win. There’s more scrambling on the mat that almost ends in a roll-up, before Dickinson’s caught in an ankle lock, unsuccessful in a bid to kick it away, as Alexander dragged him down to the mat.
Eventually Dickinson rolls to the rope, before he came back with a ‘rana and a jack-knife roll-up for a near-fall. Alexander rolls up into a Praying Mantis Bomb, spiking Dickinson fro a near-fall. More chops send Dickinson crashing to the mat, before he popped up out of an Exploder and chopped back.
An overhead belly-to-belly from Alexander snuffs that out, before they went back to kicks and chops. Dickinson’s Saito suplex is no sold, so he charges back in with a lariat, and that’s enough to put away the Walking Weapon. What a goddamned hoss fight – perhaps a little too heavy on the chops, but this was a fantastic outing for both men. My only question… is Dickinson burning too much in his quest to warm up? ***¾
After the match, Dickinson talks about his grandmother – who apparently watches this every week – then put over Alexander as an animal. Josh got “please come back” chants, as we get trailers for next week…
Kris Statlander’s in action…
Bear Country have an open challenge
Tom Lawlor vs. Chuck O’Neil
LAX return to take on Youthanazia – that’s Josh Prohibition and Matt Cross throwing back to their old days
Richard Holliday vs. Anthony Greene
Shawn Spears vs. Orange Cassidy
It’s a Beyond debut for Spears, who’s still rocking the 10 gimmick.
This was Orange’s first match since he lost the IWTV title at the Midwest Mixtape show at the end of May… but the crowd are chanting Ace at him, so maybe he’s got a new title?
Spears tries to surprise Cassidy early with a quick flurry of offence, but Orange isn’t fazed, as he then proceeded to put his hands in his pockets. Richard Holliday on commentary’s bemused as Orange took a hands-free snapmare, before he kipped up to avoid taking Spears’ laminated 10 sign.
Cassidy stands on that sign, which prompted Spears to unzip his hoody to reveal a shirt that said: I PREFER APPLES. Fruit comedy!
The crowd turn on Spears for that, as he then stared down Orange’s low-effort strikes, which the crowd roared behind like they were skin-splitting chops. Spears catches a superkick, then throws some tens his way, only for Cassidy to catch the hands and put them into his pockets of doom.
Spears struggles to get free, eventually doing so as he sent Spears into the ropes before an armdrag roll-up and a dropkick took him outside. A punch stops a dive from Orange, who’s dragged outside and suplexed into a Tree of Woe on the apron, where he’s left vulnerable for a superkick from the floor.
Back in the ring, Spears continues the offence with some blistering chops, before some Dragon screw leg whips from Orange looked to provide an answer. They head outside again as Cassidy whips off Spears’ shirt, before a second suplex hung Orange upside down in the ropes. He catches that superkick and turned it into an ankle lock of sorts, before he headed out for a tope.
A flying DDT back inside almost ends it, but Spears got a hand to the rope to save himself. Cassidy followed that up with a Blue Thunder bomb for a two-count, before going back to the ankle lock… but Spears rolls free and after some teases of ref bumps, Spears just shoves Orange into the official.
Another ankle lock led to Spears tapping, but there’s no ref so it doesn’t count. Cassidy lets go to check on the ref, then called for a Destroyer, only for Spears to counter back with an ushigoroshi… but this time it’s Cassidy who saves himself via the ropes. They head up top as Cassidy sprays him with orange juice, before a flying sunset bomb’s countered as Spears sits down – grabbing hold of the ropes for good measure – to get the win. The crowd hated that finish, but it’s a good way to establish Spears as a bad guy here, for all the crowd wanted to do the whole “10” thing. ***
Post-match, Cassidy raises Spears’ hand, but surprises him with a superkick as he left the former Perfect Ten laying with sunglasses on, and his hands in his trunks to close the show… before Joey Janela announced that he’ll do a wrestle next week, while issuing a challenge for David Starr to face him on a future show. Such as Americanrana. Oh my.
We close with a beat-up Wheeler Yuta recapping his week in wXw (featuring clips from the wXw Road to Superstars of Wrestling show in Münster, and the Superstars of Wrestling show itself). There’s clips of his match vs. WALTER, and that does us for another week!
With all the hype going into this tenth episode, Beyond delivered with a stacked show. Every match on this card delivered in some way – whether it was the O’Neil/Briggs fight, or the women’s tag match. Thomas Santell continues to be the star of the show (sorry Jaxon), while Chris Dickinson’s trail o’ hosses impressed once again. Make no mistake, with Americanrana fast approaching, Beyond’s settled into a really nice groove when it comes to this show – producing a string of critical successes where other weekly wrestling shows seem to struggle.
If you’re not part of IndependentWrestling.tv – you owe it to yourself to give this a try!
- Catch Uncharted Territory as part of a subscription to IWTV.live – sign up today and get a 20-day free trial with the code UNCHARTED
By the way, on Sunday… Beyond heads to Boston for a secret show… which is why they didn’t push anything for it!