David Starr and Mercedes Martinez were on hand for the latest indie dream match that Beyond presented for Uncharted Territory!
We’re back to the White Eagle in Worcester, MA, with the usual commentary pairing of Paul Crockett and Sidney Bakabella on the call.
Team Pazuzu (Chris Dickinson & Pinkie Sanchez) vs. The Butcher And The Blade (Andy Williams & Pepper Parks)
This could be quite tasty! The Butcher and the Blade haven’t had the best of results lately, so they start things with a jump start… which Chris Dickinson shrugged off as he quickly settle down with chops and headbutts on Pepper Parks.
There’s a running powerslam that barely gets a one-count on Parks, before Pinkie Sanchez came in and missed a knee drop. Williams comes in to rough him up, blocking armdrags before Sanchez found a way in by kicking out the leg… only to run into a one-handed powerbomb. Parks and Williams exchange quick tags as they double-team Sanchez, decimating him with chops to boot.
An enziguiri from Sanchez stops Parks, while a ‘rana gets rid of Williams as Dickinson came in a house afire. Dickinson’s German suplex has Williams on the deck, before Dickinson used Sanchez as a human battering ram, throwing him onto Parks with a Burning Hammer/kneedrop variation for a near-fall. Sanchez looks for a claw, but ends up getting caught in an assisted uranage for a near-fall too. Sanchez manages to escape Full Death as there’s a quick turnaround, with Dickinson’s suplex and a moonsault from Sanchez completing the turn for the win. A massive win for Team Pazuzu, as the Butcher and the Blade fall yet again. ***¼
Puf vs. Brandon Thurston
We had a video last week of Puf being more than a little salty over how Brandon Thurston refused to train him… that, and Thurston’s seeming heel-turn led to all of this.
For those wondering, Puf’s gimmicked 69 stone is nearly 1,000lbs. That’s Yokozuna at his worst and a 205 Live guy. Puf’s all over Thurston early, making the most of his size advantage, taking Thurston outside before a low-pe was elbowed away. Thurston lands a lungblower-like knees to the arm before he pulled up Puf for a DDT as he was trying to wear down Puf. An abdominal stretch has Puf struggling, but he lifts Thurston away before he caught a crossbody and dumped Brandon to the mat. Thurston’s back with La Mistica into a Fujiwara armbar, but Puf’s able to bulldoze his way to the ropes, before he got back up with a clothesline and a Deep Six for a delayed two-count.
Puf looked to go up for a Vader bomb, but Thurston kicks him down and hits a frog splash for a two-count, with Puf rolling him off. The pair trade rights, with Puf almost falling down… before Hallowe’en Puf hit some more rights as he eventually collapsed. Thurston gets back up, but another La Mistica’s caught and turned into a Fire Thunder Drive, with Brandon’s head bouncing off the mat on the way to a near-fall. Puf tries to put away Thurston with an avalanche in the corner, but Thurston wallops him with a series of kicks before a Fujiwara armbar and a series of punches forced the stoppage. Jay Freddie perhaps doesn’t get his rematch, as he outclassed the man he refused to train. **¾
Post-match, Thurston used Puf as a seat, as he addressed Jay Freddie at home along with the people of “Wor-Chester”. Brandon tells us he’ll be here next week, and gives Jay his match anyway.
Anthony Greene & Ava Everett vs. Pretty Proper (Lady Frost & Victor Benjamin)
Ava Everett’s overly-excited about her and Greene wearing matching jackets… even though she seems to be trying to break out of being a “Platinum Hunnie” – an act that really has gotten splintered across the indies.
Pretty Proper have something of a steampunk gimmick, at least, Benjamin’s gear points that way. Greene and Benjamin start us off, but it’s Benjamin who charges down Greene before AG issued a receipt… and stole a kiss on Lady Frost’s hand. Greene keeps up with a hiptoss for a one count now we got past that, as Everett comes in and was quickly charged into the corner. Frost gets kiss-tagged in (how’d the early kiss to the hand not count?), but Everett’s in with a spear. A neckbreaker dumps Frost for a near-fall, before Greene came in and got caught with a barrage of kicks as Benjamin and Frost showed off for the crowd. Greene’s kept at bay with a knee to the gut from Frost, before Benjamin ate a knee…
Everett tags back in and went back to work on Frost, landing a side Russian legsweep and a chokeslam… only for Benjamin to stop the pin. He blocks another chokeslam, pushing Everett aside, then shoved away a stunner as Ava looked to have tweaked her knee on the landing. Benjamin tries for a slam, but Ava escapes to tag in Greene, who got thrown with a German suplex as Pretty Proper looked to build momentum. Lady Frost lands a nice handspring cannonball, before she went up top to leap onto Greene and Everett with a moonsault. Back inside, she cartwheels into a Jig ‘n’ Tonic attempt on Greene, but Everett superkicks and turns it into a Code Red as things broke down. Pretty Proper turn it around with a double-team neckbreaker as Everett was being accidentally racked by Greene, but Greene gets it back on track with a nasty pull-up piledriver out of the corner, spiking Frost for the win. That piledriver was the damndest thing, and save for a few inopportune slips, Pretty Proper looked pretty good – hopefully they’re brought back to Beyond. ***
Deana Rae interviews AJ Gray ahead of the Discovery Gauntlet match
Discovery Gauntlet: Tony Deppen vs. AJ Gray
Tony Deppen’s still having that sugar rush… remember when Solo Darling used to come out with an XXXXL slurpee?
Gray wallops Deppen with a lariat right out of the gate, before a sit-out powerbomb almost made this a short one. Deppen rolls outside, and is quickly running away from Gray’s chops as a Benny Hill chase ended in the ring, with Deppen taking a spinebuster and a brainbuster within seconds of each other.
Gray heads up top and absolutely crushes Deppen with a Tennessee Jam-like legdrop, getting a near-fall from it. More chops sting Deppen into looking like a glitched out WWE 2K character, before Deppen trips Gray into the corner to start a comeback. A slingshot lungblower helps Deppen get a near-fall, who then proceeded to slow down things by choking Gray in the ropes. A roll-through into a stomp keeps Deppen ahead, only for him to get pancaked ahead of a Tiger suplex that nearly got Gray a win. Another elbow from Deppen stops Gray briefly, before things descended into another slugfest, culminating in a whacking lariat from Gray, who heads up top for a superplex… rolling through for another Fire Thunder Driver as Deppen still wasn’t done, as he had to roll away from a Spiral Tap.
From there, Deppen capitalises with a Shining Wizard, and that’s all! A tremendous sprint, with AJ Gray surely doing enough to get brought back – that outing really opened my eyes to Gray, who really should be getting more buzz here. ***½
In two weeks, “Gaytanic Panic” debuts – that Danhausen and Effy. That’s quite the Hallowe’en treat.
Nick Gage vs. Kenn Doane
I’m not surprised Kenn Doane answered the open challenge. He’s unhinged, and backed up with the rest of Club Cam in the form of Cam Zagami, Thomas Sharp, Richard Holliday and Christian Casanova.
Gage starts out hot with a spinebuster and chops on Doane, before it was plunder time as it’s apparently no-DQ. Doane stops the chair and begins to throw elbows at Gage, but “the King” hits back before he went outside to threaten Club Cam… who bravely backed off. The distraction sort of works as Doane hits a baseball slide to the outside, before Holliday and Casanova worked together to catch Gage with a chair.
Doane grabs a chair but ends up getting DDT’d onto it, before more chairs get thrown into the ring. One hits Doane on the way down, before Gage set up a couple of chairs back to back… and my back’s already twinging. Club Cam runs in to stop it, and the distraction works as Kenn Doane wins with a roll-up! **½
Post-match, Gage tries to continue the fight, but Club Cam hit the ring… and ends up with the referee reversing his decision as Gage gets the win via DQ. Out run Bear Country, and we’ve a Heyman special, as they chase Club Cam away before they get their match… but not until Kenn Doane left ringside a bloodied mess.
Club Cam (Christian Casanova & Richard Holliday) vs. Bear Country (Bear Beefcake & Bear Bronson)
Things got going here with Beefcake and Holliday, but Beefcake’s instantly cornered as the bad guys double-teamed while the ref was otherwise engaged.
A double suplex from Beefcake gets him in it, taking Club Cam outside as Bronson hits a tope, followed up by a flip senton from Beefcake! Back inside, Club Cam post Beefcake and wrap his legs around the ring post, before Holliday took advantage with a short DDT as the double-team continued. Despite the leg work, Beefcake pushes away Casanova, who proceeded to beg off as Beefcake hits a double back suplex before he finally tagged out. Bronson tosses Holliday and Casanova around like they’re nothing, before Holliday slips out of a back suplex and hurked up Bronson… only to lose him as a uranage took Holliday down.
Casanova leaps into a boot from Bronson, who proceeds to package piledrive him into Holliday for a near-fall. Holliday tries to fight back, but again it’s double-teaming that works for Club Cam… and their discussions cost them as Beefcake comes in to even things up. A lariat spins Casanova to the mat as Bear Country found a new gear, taking Casanova into the corner for a cannonball before an Elevator Drop was attempted… But Holliday chops out the leg of Beefcake as Bronson takes a Dirty Diana and rolls to the outside. Casanova tries to leap into Beefcake on the top rope, but he’s caught as the ref’s distracted… Thomas Sharpe tries to interfere, but he just ends up pushing Beefcake down for a top rope slam, and that’s enough for the win! Club Cam backfires, and Zagami is livid! ***
Zagami tries to speak, but Josh Briggs’ music hits and we’ve another Heyman special as we get three back-to-back Club Cam matches. Aren’t we lucky?
Thomas Sharp vs. Josh Briggs
Briggs runs into a big boot from the off as Sharp looked to close the gate on things in seconds.
Sharp rails on Briggs, trapping him in the corner with a big boot before a Stinger splash keeps Briggs on the back foot. Sweeping the leg, Sharp pulls Briggs down to the mat, but Josh is back in with a Calaway clothesline, only for another boot from Sharp to put the brakes on. Although not for long as Sharp’s spun into some backbreakers for a near-fall, as the momentum continued to swing. A Michinoku driver and a massive Black Hole Slam keeps Briggs down for two-counts before Briggs ‘ranas out of a chokeslam and hits a boot of his own for the win. Very truncated, and a less-than-great first (official) night in Club Cam for Thomas Sharp. **½
After the match, Briggs disappeared as Cam Zagami tried to put Club Cam back together. Kenn Doane’s back to help kick out Thomas Sharp, who took a three-on-one beating. Man, Sharp never seems to be able to catch a break on the bigger indies, it seems.
Next week: Josh Briggs vs. Matthew Justice… Anthony Greene vs. Allie Kat… Tony Deppen vs. Joshua Bishop (who looks unnervingly like the late Matt Cappotelli in that promo shot)… VSK vs. Kris Statlander… and a four-way tag as Violence is Forever (Kevin Ku & Dominic Garrini) take on Bear Country, Team Tremendous and the Butcher and the Blade!
There’s about 40 minutes left on the VOD, so this main event could be going LONG…
David Starr vs. Mercedes Martinez
It feels like forever since I’ve heard David Starr’s “old” music… it’s his first outing in Beyond since he lost to Joey Janela at Americanrana. This is also Martinez’s debut in Beyond, although some of that title history quoted from her resume seemed a little off…
Starr bowed down to Martinez at the bell, but they started with Mercedes clinging on with a headlock, only for Starr to scramble free and try with a headlock of his own. Wash, rinse, repeat, with Martinez grabbing a STF, before Starr again got free as the pair ended in the ropes. Starr’s worked the arm, and it’s already working as Martinez was holding the body part before she again tried to stuff a takedown attempt, scrambling and turning Starr into an overhead armbar.
A butterfly lock from Martinez sees her roll Starr to the mat, before he tried to power back to his feet… and break the hold, only for Martinez to slip into a sleeperhold. Starr breaks that too, then went back in with a wristlock as Mercedes ends up getting shot into the ropes before she reversed a hiptoss to start a fluid series that ended with a shoulder tackle from Starr. A lucha-style roll through looked to set Starr up for a Republican Remorse, but Martinez countered with a small package before she got walloped with a forearm. Martinez clubs back, forcing Starr to cover up until he suckered her with another right hand. Undeterred, Martinez fired back with chops, before a Pretty Pumped dumped Mercedes in the corner.
Starr goes back to the left arm and wrist of Martinez, dropping a knee onto the bad wrist for extra measure, following up with an old-school spinning toe hold, bridging back for the hell of it into a cravat. A Trailer Hitch followed from Starr, forcing Martinez into the ropes, before she tried to fight back, eventually dropping Starr for a curb stomp as Starr ended up getting trapped in the ropes by Mercedes. Martinez chops away a cartwheel from Starr as the slugfest continued, culminating in Starr leaping into a spinebuster for a tow-count before Starr flipped out of a Dragon sleeper. Starr tries to catch a dive, but Martinez fights out and drags him onto the apron for a death valley driver onto the edge of the ring before a cannonball met him on the floor. Not literally.
A brainbuster nearly gets the win for Martinez, but they head back outside again after a tope from Starr sent Mercedes sailing into the front row. That landing looked awful. Somehow she beats the ref’s count, before she fought out of a strait-jacket, only to get caught with a cartwheel kick as Starr again tries for the Product Placement, only for Martinez to roll through for a near-fall. Starr tries to fight back with a chop, but Martinez wants more, and gets more… before Starr trapped her into the corner with a Violence Party. Martinez hits a Saito suplex, but Starr’s right back up, and eating more forearms as Martinez found her second wind, until a Han Stansen snuffed it out for a near-fall. She replies in kind as Starr wound up for a second lariat, before they fought up as Mercedes went for the Three Amigas… with Starr escaping the third one with a knee to the face.
Lifting Mercedes onto the apron, Starr followed in with a running dropkick, before he started to work over Martinez’s leg. A superplex stalls, with Mercedes slipping out, only to get kicked… but she comes back to crotch Starr as both wrestlers were beginning to run on fumes. A spider German suplex dumped Starr to the mat, before a rope-hung neckbreaker almost led to the win! They continue to trade near-falls until a Dragon sleeper dragged Starr down, but he rolls out and lifts her up for a reverse DDT/backbreaker across the knee. A Blackheart Buster follows, but Martinez won’t stay down… so Starr followed in with a thrust kick before a backslide almost got the win for Mercedes. Ditto a Blue Thunder Bomb, before a Knee Trembler left Starr woozy… only for him to hit a big Han Stansen as a Kaepernick led to yet another near-fall!
One last flurry from Mercedes quickly ends with a Han Stansen, and that’s enough to put this away just shy of the half-hour mark. It’s divisive among some, but Beyond is one of those promotions that gets intergender stuff spot on – and this match was another example of it. Perhaps a little on the long side compared to a lot of Beyond’s recent output (ahem), but this was absolutely phenomenal stuff, and hats off to “That Guy On Twitter” for suggesting this – a damn fine match, which I want to see again down the line! ****½
After the match, Starr put over Martinez as one of the best, calling her an independent wrestling legend, before he turned his attention to a title that would be a natural fit. David Starr wants WARHORSE and his IWTV title, and I’m absolutely salivating over the promos that could give us.
Uncharted Territory continues to open eyes, displaying a myriad of indie stars from across the scene. While the main event of Starr vs. Martinez stole the show with two of the bigger names on the scene, this week’s Discovery Gauntlet produced another star, albeit in defeat, in the form of AJ Gray. He’s quickly broken out here as someone I feel may well get even more eyeballs on him after his showing, even if Beyond don’t book him again (but seriously, how could you not bring him back??). Sign up for a free trial of IWTV (if you don’t have it already), and get this watched. You’ll love the main event!
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