Time to take a look at the latest chapter in the WALTER/David Starr feud, as they hit another part of the US.
We’re in Concord, North Carolina as we take another look at the PWX promotion. Both Starr and WALTER were randomly in a four-way for what was WALTER’s debut, and what could well be Starr’s final outing there given he’s relocating to the UK in 2019.
The Cabarrus Arena & Events Center isn’t a high school gym or a sports centre (so there’s no basketball hoop in sight), but as this was an afternoon show, daylight flooded the venue. It made for a weird look when wrestling is typically held in some form of darkness – it’s not a bad thing, but it’d have been nice to see a bit more dressing in the arena to make it stand out some. Kevin Kelly and Ethan Case are on commentary for this HighSpots release.
PWX Heavyweight Championship: Elijah Evans IV (c) vs. David Starr vs. John Skyler vs. WALTER
This was Evans’ first title defence – and from the off we’ve got an annoyed WALTER as he looked on in disgust as Starr got his list o’ nicknames. There’s some consternation on commentary as Ethan Case seemingly lost his title to Elijah under dubious circumstances following a Money in the Bank-style cash-in.
WALTER clears the ring early, throwing out Starr and Skyler before Evans scarpered… but he’s thrown back inside as the champion found himself between a rock and a hard place. He tried to fight, but WALTER takes him into the corner, only to take a chop as Evans seemed to try his luck.
Evans ducks out once more, which starts the revolving door effect as WALTER leapfrogs over then boots Skyler, before catching Starr in a Boston crab. That’s laughably broken up by Evans, whose chops barely faze WALTER… who replies with his trademark gunshot chop instead. There’s a blocked blow blow from Evans, who just gets another chop for his troubles, before WALTER began to go after everyone else with slams.
WALTER – the one man wrecking crew.
The focus goes back on Evans, as WALTER sent him outside with a crossface punch in the ropes… Skyler gets one too, with the same result, before Starr catches his as folks began to gang up on the Austrian. A low bridge takes WALTER onto the apron, then to the floor as Skyler tries to steal a roll-up on Starr, and we’re in with the questionable tactics as Tommy Thomas at ringside trips Skyler, while Evans goes after Starr.
WALTER looms in ominously to stop Elijah, grabbing him by the throat before a forearm aimed for the champion laid out Starr. Some boots are put to WALTER on the outside, but Skyler makes a save, rolling Evans back inside… only for Tommy Thomas to provide a needless distraction as Skyler went for something.
Skyler delays as Thomas jumps off the apron, allowing Evans to hit a Blue Thunder Bomb on Skyler for a near-fall, before a rear chinlock grounds Skyler for a spell. Starr comes in to switch it up with a backbreaker and a trust kick to Evans, before a flurry on Skyler ended with a Pretty Pumped. A tope to WALTER goes badly… because Starr’s caught and chopped on the outside. You think he’d learn?
WALTER returns but takes a pair of superkicks from Skyler, only for him to get caught in a Gojira clutch and a RINGKAMPF German. Starr’s back for one, while Evans took a huge butterfly suplex as WALTER single-handedly turned the match back in his favour… until Skyler surprised us all with a Finlay roll on the Austrian. All four men fight back to their feet, but it breaks down into a chop battle. You can guess who the instigator was. WALTER actually gets some too, as Elijah continued to play the chicken heel throughout… and just when we thought he was gone, WALTER’s back with a monster shotgun dropkick to Starr for old times’ sake as a Parade of Moves broke out.
Skyler looks to nick a win on Evans, but a Tiger Driver ends with Tommy Thomas pulling out the referee. I’m beyond fed up of that trope, to be honest… Skyler stalks Thomas around ringside, but it leads to Evans catching Skyler from behind as we get some manager/wrestler double-teaming until Starr broke it up with a plancha to the trio on the outside.
Starr goes back in after WALTER, walloping him with a pair of Han Stansens, before countering a powerbomb into a huge Code Red that almost gave us a new champion. Trying to keep the focus, Starr is on Skyler with a dropkick in the corner, only to get caught up top as an avalanche Finlay roll brought him down. WALTER’s straight back with a sit-out splash on Skyler, before a Fire Thunder Driver nearly gets a win… but Starr superkicks that away before Evans low blows Starr and steals the pin. Well, it keeps up the motif that PWX had been using around Evans’ run as champion, but it felt like a finish out-of-nowhere – literally, as the match didn’t feel like it’d peaked! ***½
With Starr moving to the UK in 2019, you’d have to expect that we’re going to get more rounds of Starr vs. WALTER… and maybe, just maybe, a first victory for the Product? Or is that a sign of an impending apocalypse?