Timothy Thatcher. Eddie Kingston. First time ever. You shouldn’t need a bigger reason that that to watch this week’s Uncharted Territory.
We open with a recap as Orange Cassidy talked last week, demanding a shot at “his” IWTV title… there’s footage of the finish from last weekend’s Southern Underground Pro show, where Warhorse defended against Matthew Justice, and then a good ol’ WARHORSE promo, where he was pissed that Orange’s name was still on the belt. Warhorse faces Orange this Saturday at Beyond’s Sodom and Gomorrah show. I like how Beyond’s making this a “IWTV” show with cut ins from them…
Paul Crockett and Eddie Kingston open the show on commentary… and we start with a Nick Gage open challenge.
Nick Gage vs. John Silver
“John Silver’s no idiot”, “no no, he’s pretty dumb”. I sense that Eddie Kingston is going to be gold here.
Gage jumps Silver before the bell, then quickly went outside as Gage went for a door… but he took too long as Silver hit a pescado onto Gage. Door and all. Silver throws some kicks on the outside, before he went for a chair and put Gage in it for some more kicks… following up with a charge, but Gage gets up and back body drops him, with Silver’s shoulder clipping the chair on the way down. OW.
Back inside, Gage gets thrown into the ring post as Silver began to work over that left arm, only for Gage to return with a DDT. Gage quickly goes back to the plunder, booting a chair through Silver in the corner for a near-fall, but Silver’s able to flip out of a chokebreaker before he lawndarted Gage into the corner. A spinning rack bomb’s next out of Silver for a near-fall, before he pulled up Gage’s shirt to kick away at him so more. It has little effect, as Gage went for a backslide, then a spinebuster after Silver’s kicks had no effect. Gage looked for a chokebreaker, but Silver rolls through into a cross armbar, before he rolled into a crossface.
Silver lets go as he looked to change tactics, setting up a door in the corner and press slamming Gage through it, before he went up for a double stomp onto the remnants for another near-fall. More plunder from Silver sees him set up chairs and doors, looking for an insane Destroyer off the top, but Gage blocks it and hits a piledriver off the middle rope, before a chokebreaker put Silver away. Good effort from Silver, but his losing record continued as he tried to beat Gage at his own game. ***¼
Sidney Bakabella replaces Eddie on commentary…
Mike Verna & Rex Lawless vs. Bear Country (Bear Bronson & Bear Boulder)
Remember when Verna and Lawless were part of a project? An Amityville Project? Lawless is back after injury, and apparently in season one, Bear Country took their spot… and look how that turned out.
Beefcake (who’s back to that name this week) starts out against Lawless, dumping Rex with a clothesline before tags brought in Bronson and Verna. They clatter into each other with clotheslines before Lawless came in and took a back body drop from Beefcake/Boulder/whatever they call him today. Lawless responds with a fallaway slam to Beefcake, before Verna’s missile dropkick to Bronson left all four men laying. A spear from Lawless stops Bronson, as Verna hurked up Beefcake for a Samoan drop… only for the tables to turn as a Gorilla press slam dumped Verna in the corner. From the outside, Bronson signals for something… but a Doomsday device is blocked as Verna countered with an electric chair superplex. OW.
Lawless’ moonsault bounces onto Beefcake for a two-count, before Bronson landed a Bossman Slam… more movez see Verna TKO’ing Bronson, before Beefcake hit a DDT/Samoan drop combo. The elevator drop follows, and that’s all folks! A hell of a sprint between four hosses – as enjoyable as it was action packed! ***½
We’ve got some echo as Bear Beefcake called out Alex Reynolds and VSK… Team Tremendous… Club Cam… and even Nerder Death Kill. That match with Reynolds and VSK, by the way, happens this Saturday.
DL Hurst vs. Chuck O’Neil
O’Neil snatches the mic before the match and gets drowned out before he can even speak. He brags about having the fastest submission and knock-outs last season, and would have gone for a title until Wheeler Yuta got in his way.
O’Neil throws Hurst down to the mat early on, before Hurst ducked a head kick and slapped back… sidestepping O’Neil’s charge before he faked out a dive. Hurst connects on the dive regardless, landing badly on his leg before he got popped up into the turnbuckles as O’Neil began to hit back. O’Neil uses the ropes to try and stretch Hurst’s arm, but again Hurst fought back, using a jawbreaker, only to get caught with a German suplex for a near-fall. Kicks seem to rile up DL some more, as did a leaping knee, before Hurst finally made a comeback with some clotheslines and a rolling Northern Lights suplex… floating into a vertical suplex and then a brainbuster for a near-fall.
Hurst takes Chuck up top, but has to make do with an Iconoclasm, following in with a quick spear for a near-fall. DL headed back up, but O’Neil brings him down with an avalanche German suplex, before more palm strikes led to a spiking Michinoku driver. Still, DL won’t go down, and after landing a couple of superkicks he was back in it, almost snatching a win with a back senton. A missed moonsault doesn’t help Hurst one bit though, and when O’Neil trapped him in a leg lock, there was an instant submission. This was fine, but it just didn’t grab me for whatever reason – and a lot of the crowd too, by the look of it. **¾
They announce Kenn Doane vs. Thomas Santell for Saturday’s Sodom and Gomorrah show… then have to stall for time because the ring broke. Richard Holliday looked to be out for promo time, but he snatches the mic instead to survey a rather motley crew from the crowd. I mean, I’ve seen worse ways of killing time.
Elimination Match: Club Cam (Cam Zagami, Kenn Doane, Christian Casanova, Richard Holliday) vs. Anthony Greene, Josh Briggs, Angel Sinclair & Ava Everett
This isn’t a Survivor Series-style match – instead it’s a huge gauntlet which starts with Sinclair vs. Holliday…
We open with a tie-up as Holliday went to work on Sinclair’s wrist, taking her down before dishing out a patronising pat on the head. A shoving match took Sinclair into the corner for an avalanche splash, as Holliday was having it all his own way, at least until Angel hooted him away ahead of a tornado DDT. Hip attacks follow, then a Stinkface, but another hip attack misses as Angel wedges herself in the ropes before a Twister suplex got the elimination.
In comes Ava Everett, standing up to Holliday… who then held the ropes open for her to forfeit. Ava boots Holliday and almost wins with a roll-up, before she charged into Holliday with forearms and elbows in the corner. A big boot’s pushed away as Holliday looked to respond, only for him to get slapped as an elbow rocks Ava, before another Twister suplex should have ended things… only for Holliday to pull up Ava so he can land a gutwrench powerbomb for the win.
In comes Anthony Greene next, as he has rather more luck with a rope-walk crossbody for a quick two-count, only to get caught with a spinebuster for a near-fall despite Holliday having his feet on the ropes. Another crack at the Twister suplex – or the 2008, as they dubbed it – backfires, as Greene countered with a small package for the elimination.
Enter Kenn Doane, who almost loses to a small package from the off, then a backslide and a La Magistral, but he survives the flash pins before he sat down on a sunset flip off the top, grabbing the rope for good measure as it’s Josh Briggs versus the world. Greene sticks around and punches out Doane, before Briggs threw one of his own, as it’s a quick exit for Kenny.
Christian Casanova comes out as Briggs has a two-on-one deficit, but he bounces off of Briggs when he tried for a springboard elbow. Casanova flips out of a chokebreaker attempt, but couldn’t avoid a backbreaker as he instead gets his knees up to avoid a knee drop. An axe kick barely got a one-count as Briggs powered up, rolling Casanova into an X-Plex before a leaping frog splash and some ground and pound kept Casanova in trouble. Casanova ‘ranas out of a chokebomb, but can’t avoid the chokebreaker, before Briggs clung onto the tights and went for a chokebomb. That’s countered with a Meteora as Casanova turned up the pace, crashing down on Briggs with the Dirty Diana for a near-fall, before Cam Zagami headed out. Perhaps he wants to jump start things if Casanova loses quickly?
It provides a bit of a distraction as Casanova leapt into a goozle, before a chokebomb lands… but Zagami distracts the referee as Thomas Sharp hit the ring. He boots Briggs’ face off and leaves as Casanova won with a roll-up and a handful of tights. Club Cam has a new member, and I guess you could call him a Gatekeeper? This was fine, with a lot of sprints packed into this, and it was a heck of a way to debut Sharp here. ***
Post-match, Briggs charges at Cam and boots him in the head. Sharp had bailed. What a bouncer.
Kimber Lee faces Wheeler Yuta at Sodom and Gomorrah on Saturday…
Wheeler Yuta vs. Ace Austin
Yuta’s looking to get back in the winning column after coming up short against Chris Dickinson last time out.
Yuta starts with a takedown as he took Austin’s back, before giving it up as Austin looked to be highly strung. A side headlock restrains him a little, but Ace got free and rolled his way into a takedown, only for Yuta to dropkick his way free… before a springboard armdrag off the middle ropes took Yuta back down. Bakabella blows out my ears screaming as Austin dragged a playing card between Yuta’s fingers for a paper cut. Yuta tries to reply with a Yutagatame, but it’s blocked as Austin responds with a kick and a spin-out reverse DDT for a near-fall. Ace wears down Yuta some more, slamming him to the mat ahead of a wacky Vader bomb-like leap… but he lands in Yuta’s boots.
Yuta’s back with a single-leg dropkick to take Austin outside, following up with a tope, but back inside Austin leaps into an atomic drop before he was almost put away with a German suplex… only for Yuta to roll back in with a Yutagatame… clinging on for the submission. Austin tried to plant some seeds for a shortcut here, but going for the fingers didn’t really derail Yuta, who is back on track in Beyond. ***¼
Backstage, 1 Called Manders has an interview ahead of his entry in the Discovery Gauntlet. He’s rocking a modern day cowboy gimmick – think along the lines Skip Sheffield, a little less ripped and a lot more hyped.
Discovery Gauntlet: Tony Deppen vs. 1 Called Manders
Deppen’s character seems very unsure of himself, as he nags Rich Palladino into reading out his resume to validate himself.
Deppen blows a snot rocket on Manders… but he liked it and went after Deppen with a big chop in the corner. A press slam dumped Deppen for a two-count, but Tony’s right back in with a slingshot back senton and some stomps to keep the former running back on the mat.
Some standing switches led to more chops from Manders, ahead of a monstrous back body drop. A dropkick from Deppen stops Manders, taking him outside for a tope con giro, before a crossbody’s caught and turned into a powerslam from Manders. The pair exchange palm strikes to fire up the crowd, switching up into knees and clotheslines before Manders’ pop-up Oklahoma Stampede left Deppen down for a near-fall.
Deppen fires back with more knees, but he gets obliterated with a lariat, only for Manders to have trouble with a gutwrench powerbomb, allowing Deppen to counter into a Code Red for another near-fall. Manders heads outside, which just lured Deppen in for a springboard trust fall… which got caught and turned into a back suplex on the apron! Back inside, Manders lands another clothesline to dump Deppen, ahead of a gutwrench powerbomb… but Deppen bites Manders’ ear, only to get caught with an avalanche powerslam for yet another near-fall. In the end, a ref bump opened the window for Deppen to clock Manders with the cow bell, before a Shining Wizard to the back of the head put away the cowboy. Deppen’s a shitbag who’s stealing wins, and I love how he’s doing it – it’s just a shame Manders put on such a good performance, but I sure hope he’s brought back. ***½
Deana Rae interviews Deppen – and he vows to go the whole season unbeaten at the very least, starting with AJ Gray next week.
We get a pre-tape from Puf, addressing how Brandon Thurston cheated to win last week against Jay Freddie. Puf recalls the times Thurston told him he didn’t belong… which led to a challenge for Uncharted Territory next week as it’ll be Puf vs. Thurston.
Milk Chocolate (Brandon Watts & Randy Summers) vs. Team Pazuzu (Chris Dickinson & Pinkie Sanchez)
This was Pinkie’s first Beyond match in almost three years.
We started with Dickinson stomping away on Watts before Sanchez came in for some chops. Watts tries to distract, but Milk Chocolate got sent outside as Pinkie hit a tope con giro, before Summers slipped out of an early Pazuzu Bomb attempt. Undeterred, Dickinson just pounds on Summers in the corner, before a missed charge in the corner opened things up for Dickinson to get taken into the ring post.
Watts chokes Dickinson on the mat, while Summers began to wrap Dickinson’s leg around the bottom rope. Milk Chocolate keep Dickinson in the ring, but a double back suplex dumps them as the Dirty Daddy looked to tag out… and did so, as Sanchez got used as a human weapon ahead of throwing a kick to help a Dickinson piledriver for a near-fall on Summers. Summers and Watts pepper Dickinson with kicks and clotheslines, only for Sanchez to come back with chops… he’s quickly tossed outside as Milk Chocolate looked to push on, with Summers diving on Dickinson outside before a flying legdrop from Watts dropped Sanchez. A stomp from Summers nearly gets the win, but Dickinson breaks it up as a Parade of Kicks broke out… ending with Summers’ F5 gutbuster for a near-fall.
Dickinson responds with a death valley driver to Watts before taking Summers off the top rope with a superplex… Sanchez quickly crashes in with a moonsault, and that’s enough for the win. All action, as Milk Chocolate seem to have upgraded to “competitive jobbers” this season – and that’s got to be taken as a good thing. ***¼
After the match, Club Cam’s waiting for Team Pazuzu in the aisle. Zagami “fires” Milk Chocolate, before Chris Dickinson took over, and challenged Christian Casanova for Saturday.
Next week on Uncharted Territory: Anthony Greene & Ava Everett take on Pretty Proper – that’s Victor Benjamin and Lady Frost. Josh Briggs vs. Thomas Sharp… Tony Deppen vs. AJ Gray… Chris Dickinson & Pinkie Sanchez vs. the Butcher and the Blade… David Starr vs. Mercedes Martinez!
Timothy Thatcher vs. Eddie Kingston
Let’s just say that the reaction Timo got here was… barely a patch on what he got at wXw last weekend. Commentary recognised the wXw Unified World Wrestling championship win… and we’ve got half an hour left on this show!
Kingston put them up at the bell as he looked to take Thatcher into the corner… but there’s a quick tie-up as Thatcher took the match to the mat, while Paul Crockett showed he’d fallen for Cagematch’s labelling of Ambition shows, calling it its own promotion. Ah well. They stay at close quarters, with Thatcher scrambling in with a front facelock before he drilled Kingston with a knee so hard it made him swear. Hooking at Kingston keeps Thatcher on top, but Kingston goes for the wrist and looked to crucifix Thatcher… before they ended up rolling into the ropes.
Things descend into strikes, until Thatcher got pulled into a T-bone suplex, with Kingston going for a grounded Cobra clutch that Thatcher slipped out of. Kingston powders outside, but he’s caught in a choke on the apron as Thatcher proceeded to throw him back inside so he could keep it clean. Going for the arm, Thatcher encounters some resistance… so he throws some more knees before he slapped away at Kingston’s back as an eventual armbar ended in the ropes.
Back to his feet, Kingston chops Thatcher down to the mat, but a belly-to-belly was Tim’s response as he almost found victory. A keylock’s attempted next, before Thatcher went back to the striking game, trapping Kingston by the ropes for some more shots only for Kingston to fight back with a Sambo suplex. A clothesline from Kingston drop Thatcher for a two-count, before a backdrop driver attempt was blocked with a headlock from Thatcher, who goes right back in with knees and a Saito suplex of his own. The butterfly suplex followed for a near-fall, before Thatcher rolled in for another cross armbreaker, but they’re quickly in the ropes. Kingston quickly found enough to land a Saito suplex and a discus forearm for a near-fall, before some shots looked to have Thatcher on all fours.
Thatcher recovers, but he’s chopped by Kingston and responds with European uppercuts and forearms, knocking Kingston down again, only to get back up as they exchanged more shots. A Fujiwara armbar traps Kingston in the middle of the ring, before Thatcher took the other arm and rolled him through, scoring the win with a pretty straightforward pin. This lived up to my own expectations, with both men throwing plenty of shots, but at the end of it all it was another loss for Kingston – even if he refused to quit. ****
Post-match, Kingston looked upset with himself before Thatcher shook his hand and exited. Eddie hung back, and talked about how the day was Mental Awareness Day… something he felt ought to be every day. Touche. Kingston brought up the passing of Larry Sweeney, and recent issues with a family friend, before continuing his PSA that genuinely left me in tears.
Kingston pivoted to John Silver, calling him out, accusing him of not being humble because he started losing matches. “Embrace your loss” was the call, as Kingston tried to dish out a pep talk, only for Silver to reject a handshake and go in for a hug. A hug which surprisingly didn’t end with a cheapshot as the show ended with Silver in the ring.
So, a longer-than-usual episode of Uncharted Territory saw Beyond rotate their squad a little, throwing in some new faces while also continuing existing storylines. The slight tweak that’s made Uncharted Territory almost a “best of the indies” show is certainly an interesting one, and makes this must-see TV – if only to see “who’s left” on the scene as the focus of wrestling fans is seemingly elsewhere.
- Catch Uncharted Territory as part of a subscription to IWTV.live – sign up today and get a 20-day free trial with the code THURSDAY