It got some buzz earlier this year – so we’re going to take a look at a generational battle for the FutureShock tag titles.
We’re coming from the Masonic Guildhall in Stockport, as the main event of the first half of FutureShock’s 17th anniversary show was one worthy of a Creed music video set to clips of the Models and the Young Guns’ past exploits.
FutureShock Tag Team Championship: The Models (Danny Hope & Joey Hayes) vs. Young Guns (Ethan Allen & Luke Jacobs) (c)
Allen and Jacobs came into this having held the FutureShock tag titles for 636 days, having beaten the Grizzled Young Veterans for them back in November 2019. FutureShock ran a little during the pandemic, so this wasn’t one of those “padded out” reigns either, as this was the Young Guns’ seventh title defence.
Fans outside of the North West have become used to seeing the Young Guns in PROGRESS and Rev Pro these days, where they’ve got a bit of an edge to them (to put it mildly!) Allen and Hayes start us off, with Allen taking things to the corner early on as the feeling out process began in earnest. Allen wrenches in a side headlock on Hayes, but came back with shoulder tackles before a crossbody from Hayes was shrugged off as the pair trade and escape headlocks en route to the stand-off. Tags get us to Hope and Jacobs, and Luke’s throwing himself about, knocking Hope down as the crowd almost seemed split here.
The champions looked to focus on Hope, as Allen avoids a slam to hit one of his own, while Jacobs tagged back in for an elbow drop. Trying to cut the ring in half, Jacobs slaps away Hayes on the apron as the Guns came in for quick double-teams to clear the way, only for the Models to flapjack Allen and chuck Jacobs outside as that advantage quickly fell apart. Back in the ring, Allen gets aggressive, kicking out Hope’s knee to the point that Danny had to roll outside to shake off the dead leg, but back inside Allen’s swarmed and caught in the Models’ corner briefly, as Hope snapmared and punted Ethan in the back as they looked to play the Guns at their own aggressive game.
A back body drop flings Allen skyward, before Hayes’ kneedrop landed for just a one-count as the veterans started to really isolate Allen. Hope’s back with a forearm in the corner, but Allen’s attempt to fight back ended with him getting wrecked with a back elbow for a two-count. Hayes’ neckbreaker keeps the pressure up, as did some elbows from Hope, before a struggle over a suplex ended with Allen just getting slapped about. Allen gets up and responds before he suplexed Hope, before Luke Jacobs came in and damn near kicked Danny Hayes through the buckles. Hayes’ boot saves him, but a crossbody’s rolled through as Jacobs transitioned it into a goddamn brainbuster for a near-fall. A powerbomb’s escaped, as Jacobs ends up eating a superkick from the apron as a cutter from Hayes led to a near-fall. Hayes tags in to hit a second JKO for another two-count on Jacobs, only for Luke’s rolling elbow to lead to the back cracker/spinebuster double-team on Hayes.
A high/low wipes out Hayes for another near-fall, with Hope making the save, only for Allen to maul Hope… and get some in return. Allen’s leaping spin kick sparks a Parade of Strikes that left everyone laying, as we then resumed with Hayes and Allen trading chops and forearms from their knees. Allen picks up steam, slapping away Hayes, only for an Allen Slam to get turned into a DDT for a near-fall. A Cross-Hayes sees Jacobs try to pull Hayes away by the knee pads, before all four men ended up in the ring as a crossface and ankle lock was broken up by way of Hope monkey flipping Jacobs into the pile. The Models get thrown to the outside as Allen joined them with an Orihara moonsault… which accidentally wiped out the ring crew, whom the Models used as human shields.
Hope posts Allen and Jacobs after that, before he grabbed the FutureShock tag titles… the ref stops Hope’s belt shot though, while Joey Hayes talked sense into his partner… because he’d brought the second belt in, and used it behind the ref’s back. One 3D later, and that’s a rather unpopular title change as the Models outsmarted the Young Guns – winning their first tag titles in the company for five years.
Commentary had played up that the Young Guns’ title defences had been against similarly or less-experienced teams – whereas the Models were their first big test. The loss doesn’t do any damage, nor did it feel like the kind of “putting them in their place” as you may have seen in other promotions. Coming into this cold, I can see why those who’ve followed the stories along were raving, but this was still a bloody good tag match with the shining stars of the current generation – a pairing that, all being well, will be around in notable positions for quite some time to come.
Result: Joey Hayes & Danny Hope pinned Luke Jacobs & Ethan Allen in 22:24 to win the FutureShock Tag Team Championship (****¼)