For our last look at the SCI weekend, we’re going to sample a match that leapt off the card at TWE’s “The Night Before” card…
You’ll have read our SCI coverage – but the night before the tournament started, there was another show at the TWE Arena in Red Bank, Tennessee, by the promotion who usually calls it home.
I must say, I dig TWE’s intro sequence – it’s got a lot of early day Nitro vibes. All we need is the exploding manhole covers…
Damyan Tangra vs. Daniel Makabe
We’ve got some football rivalry to start as Makabe’s brought his Chelsea shirt, while Tangra’s a big Liverpool fan.
Things head to the mat quickly as they scramble for a hold, but it’s Makabe who struck first, taking down Tangra by the leg before he opted to work a knuckle lock in search of a pin. Makabe breaks it and switches into a STF, but Tangra got to the ropes before he was forced to submit to his own hold.
Makabe counters a side headlock into a wristlock, but Tangra counters into a waistlock takedown as we go back to the mat, before a Fireman’s carry was rolled out of, and back into some pinning attempts from the Bulgarian… only for Makabe to find a way back in as he rolled out of bodyscissors, returning with a STF in the middle of the ring.
Tangra manages to avoid the hold being fully applied, and stands back up looking for a swinging gutbuster, only for Makabe to counter with a backslide into a triangle armbar… but again, Tangra gets to the ropes as Makabe made the most of the ref’s five count. In the corner, Makabe lifts Tangra between the buckles for some boot choking, before Tangra fought back, picking Makabe’s leg in search for a STF.
Makabe rolls onto his back to try and force a pin, before he punted Tangra down to the mat as the Canadian looked to maintain control. Some striked lead to Tangra going for the leg again, but Makabe cradles him for a two-count, then rolled Tangra into a Makabe Lock. Makabe lets go, then rolled Tangra to the mat as he repositions for another Makabe Lock, but Tangra’s able to back up into the ropes.
Tangra sidesteps a dropkick in the ropes from Makabe, then scored a near-fall with body scissors, before Tangra’s attempt at a Big Unit punch was ducked. Strikes from Makabe lead to the swinging Bulgarian Gutbuster, before a death valley driver almost scored what would have been the upset. A pump kick from Tangra gets another near-fall, as he then stayed on the mat and tied up Makabe in a STF, which Makabe stood up from.
Tangra’s rear naked choke gets countered as Makabe flips him over into a tombstone. Makabe can’t capitalise, so both men get up and trade strikes. Tangra kicks away the Big Unit, but dove into a German suplex from Makabe, only for Tangra’s diving uppercut to neutralise things again.
Back to their feet, Makabe grabs a waistlock, then tried for a Euro clutch… but Tangra slips out into the STF, repositioning it to try and tie up Makabe some more, but it ends in the ropes. Knees from Tangra keep it going, but Makabe manages to slip free and hit the Big Unit… for just a one-count?! A second Big Unit drops Tangra, who asks for one more… and surprises the Canadian with a takedown.
Some grounded strikes lead to Makabe looking for a way out… and he manages to get it as he ground his fist into Tangra’s neck, cutting off the flow for a rather unique stoppage, as the referee waves it off as a result of an unusual blood choke. Technically, this was a really good, with the 15 minutes of mat-based action flying by, but sadly the VOD was a little hard to watch, with the mobile cameras being out of focus throughout. It shouldn’t detract from your enjoyment of the match that much, but I’d love to see this one get run back in other places as Tangra’s career develops.
Result: Daniel Makabe defeated Damyan Tangra via referee stoppage in 14:51 (***¾)