Will Ospreay, Noam Dar and El Ligero kicked off a seacond season of WCPW’s Loaded show with a great match… even if it only feels like three weeks ago since we last had one.
#TLDR: A memorable near two-hour-long show. El Ligero, Will Ospreay and Noam Dar had a heck of a three-way to kick off the season, whilst Doug Williams nearly book-ended the show with a serious injury. WhatCulture’s doing down the Raw route of having a long weekly TV show, but with some matches that were a bit on the long side.
The Full Review: WCPW are splitting their live events into “seasons”; Whereas WWE have pay-per-views breaking up the flow of their weekly TV shows, WCPW’s gone the other route and is treating their stuff like a TV show, with the PPV-style shows being a “season finale”. What it means is that WCPW will end up with an absurdly high number of seasons in this current format (by my reckoning, 9 or 10 a year).
Their last Loaded show was the end of an era in some ways, as the company’s “Built to Destroy” saw the promotion change commentators and TV style. Heck, by this point they really are just a rebadged version of the NGW promotion. Same commentators, same set, same style of instant replays. Still, the main criticism about WCPW and NGW hasn’t been the in-ring product… but lets see if the the trend of non-finishes continues in this new regime. And yes, having one non-finish on every TV show isn’t excusable, especially if the argument is “it makes the big shows feel bigger because you get nothing but clean finishes”.
They started the stream early with the end of Built to Destroy, with Rampage clotheslining Adam Blampied, and then Damo’s heel-turn with the low blow, pile driver and Damo squashing “Jack The Jobber”. After a week off, I’d forgotten how insufferable heel Alex Shane commentary was. Angry accountant Adam Pacitti demanded his belt back, and now the feed froze.
A quick browser refresh shows the end of the angle, and we go to a backstage segment where Adam Pacitti speaks to “Roman” and says he can’t hire him until he’s clean. Har-har. Pacitti’s with the cardboard belt, and says that he won’t strip Big Damo or fire him. There’s a whiteboard in the background with some comments inspired by internet criticism. Doug Williams vs. Aron Stevens (fka Damien Sandow) is booked for a future title shot at Big Damo, and now we’re into live action, with our NGW commentary team of Alex Shane and Dave Bradshaw.
Noam Dar vs. El Ligero vs. Will Ospreay
Well, this is why we’re tuning in early! Steve Lynskey is your referee, which is another sign that they’ve taken a step up from the old crew. The O2 Academy in Newcastle is a marked improvement from the warehouse that the earlier episodes of the show were taped in. Oh, and everyone’s Twitter handles are now part of the entrance graphics.
This is obviously Ospreay’s WCPW debut, and they’ve wheeled out his New Japan theme, and his credentials in New Japan are touted heavily. If this were NGW, all of this would be ignored “for the new fans”. They also try and tout this as a WWE vs. New Japan vs. WCPW feud. Yeah, keep believing that.
Dar gets the crowd to chant for him, as does Ligero, and we eventually get an “all these guys” chants… and finally there’s action, courtesy of Dar, then Ospreay shooting for a leg takedown. Ospreay cartwheels away from a kick from Dar, and it’s a three-way stand-off. They replay that, just in case you missed any of it, and they’re still stalling “live”.
We get a “fuck you Vader” chant that they try and no-sell, as Ospreay throws Dar out of the ring. Dar clings onto the ropes to avoid an Irish whip, before he back drops Ligero to the outside and takes down Ospreay with a dropkick to the knee as Will was on the middle rope. Ospreay took an awkward bump there on the way down, and he got worked on in the corner from Dar.
Dar works a neck crank on Ospreay, but Dar kicks away at the legs before being taken down by an Ospreay dropkick. Ligero comes in with a roll over the ropes, before ducking some clotheslines and ultimately hitting a dropkick as Ospreay went for one himself. Ospreay takes Ligero to the corner for some Kobashi rapid-fire chops, before Ligero takes him down with some headscissors out of the corner.
Ligero went to the top, but got caught by Dar, who got shoved to the mat, but Dar turned a C4L attempt into the Champagne Super-Knee-Bar, as Will Ospreay broke it all up with a standing shooting star press. Dar didn’t break, but instead caught Ospreay in the knee-bar as well, and Ospreay grabbed the ropes to force Dar to break the hold on both men.
Ligero scored a two-count from a small package, before Dar took a superkick, and replied with a bicycle kick. A handspring into a double overhead kick from Ospreay took out both men, and he followed up with some forearms in the corner to both men. A big boot took out Ligero, who was then used as a launchpad for a hurricanrana to Dar. Ligero got whipped into the corner, and Ospreay charged in with some avalanche clotheslines, before Ospreay leapt over the corner and hit a corkscrew splash to Dar on the floor.
A Phenomenal Forearm took Ligero out inside the ring, as did a running shooting star press for a near-fall. Ospreay missed a Rainmaker, then got a near-fall with a small package, before Ligero scored a near-fall with a Fly Swatter into a spinebuster, as Dar broke the cover.
Noam Dar grabbed Ligero, but took some forearms and a slap to the head, only to counter a C4L with a dropkick. Ospreay then tried an Oscutter, but Ligero turned it into a reverse ‘rana, then a wheelbarrow facebuster got Ligero another pinning attempt, with Dar breaking the cover up with a superkick. The trio trade forearms in the ring, then chops, then uppercuts, before Dar’s punches and uppercuts took out Ligero. A spinning corkscrew kick from Ospreay knocked Dar down, and then the Oscutter proved to be enough for the Aerial Assassin to take the win.
Hands down, the best thing What Culture have ever done as a promotion. A touch too fast paced at times for the commentary team to keep up with, but watch it on mute, and you’ll love this. Unless your name is Vader. ***¾
As we stop for a breather, can we bring back King Ross on commentary? It looks like annoying smark Alex Shane turned up in the booth this week…
Advert for “Stacked” in August, featuring Moose vs. Joe Coffey and Will Ospreay vs. Marty Scurll. Some good stuff there. Let’s see WCPW get infected with that Moose counting crap. And maybe their next PPV event will have a better name.
Backstage segment with James R. Kennedy… it’s a black and white promo with Prospect – now comprised of Alex Gracie, Lucas Archer and now Drake. Nothing much to write home about.
Another backstage segment with Joe Hendry and Joseph Conners, and they’re playing the “Across The Nation” rip-off of Joe Hendry’s music. Hendry’s being really condescending… how is he a babyface again? Joseph Conners is fed up of the whole gimmick, and he walks out of the room to protect the team. Joe Hendry is that friend we all have who’s annoying, but is still a friend for some reason.
Alex Gracie vs. Joe Hendry
Gracie’s out with the rest of Prospect – Kennedy, Archer and Drake. Joe Hendry’s announcement is met with cheers, and his ring music this week is a rip-off of AC/DC’s TNT. At least that part of the entrance is good, even if the face/heel dynamic is all weird.
Hendry takes down Gracie to start with, despite Gracie’s early attempts at a headlock, and they end up rolling into the ropes… and in Gracie’s case, out of the ring. Lucas Archer tries to calm down Gracie, and he returns to the ring, where he’s back into a headlockand gets taken down with a shoulder tackle. Wash, rinse, repeat.
Gracie barely clears Hendry with a leapfrog, and Hendry then picks him up with a fallaway slam, but Gracie lands on his feet before being taken down with a clothesline. A rolling double underhook gets Hendry a couple of one-counts, and Archer mounts the apron to try and create a distraction. Didn’t work, as Hendry lands a dropkick, then tries for a gutwrench suplex before the rest of Prospect create a distraction.
Archer enters the ring, and helps Gracie land the Eat De-Feat on Hendry, before another clothesline takes down Hendry. A kick to the back of Hendry gets Gracie a two-count, and we’re going to a rear chinlock now. Hendry works free, then gets distracted again before getting tossed out to Drake and Archer, who then put the boots to him.
Hendry’s tossed back in, and Gracie scores a two-count with a Rough Ryder off the second rope. Gracie rolls Hendry back to his feet, and the Local Hero lays into Gracie with some chops and uppercuts. An Irish whip sees Gracie land a Goldust-like uppercut from the knees, but Hendry replies with a leaping knee strike, and then a series of clotheslines.
A back elbow prompts Drake to appear on the apron, before Gracie misses an avalanche into the corner. Hendry loses out on a Dominator attempt, before Gracie’s full nelson slam gets him a two-count. Another snapmare attempt from Gracie sees him thrown into the ropes for a big boot and a neckbreaker, and there’s more distraction, but this time Archer misses Hendry, and knocks Drake off the apron.
Gracie can’t capitalise with a small package, but hits the Eat De-Feat a second time before climbing to the top rope. Hendry catches the cross body off the top, and switches it into the fallaway slam for the win. Well, that kinda put over Prospect as four geeks – this dragged badly at times, but they did what they could. **¾
Post-match, Prospect surrounded the ring and threatened a three-on-one attack, but of course, Joseph Conners runs out to make the save, and the three men of Prospect ran away from Conners and the beat-down Hendry. The two shake hands, and it looks like this love/hate team is back on for now.
Kenny McIntosh comes from the back to interview Hendry. Joe puts over Joseph Conners for making the save, and insists that McIntosh interviews Conners instead. Conners apologises for not having Hendry’s back during the match, and then says that as long as they had each other’s back, they’d be the ultimate tag team.
Advert for WhatCulture’s latest print magazine, since print media is a burgeoning industry that the internet hasn’t in any way damaged.
A backstage segment with Martin Kirby and Grado, who’s having trouble taking his shirt off. Grado’s got a skull tattoo on his right arm, and he bickers with Kirby. Well, he’s still 2013’s flavour of the month that’s gone mouldy thanks to TNA.
Smiling Adam Pacitti comes out to the ring, and Dave Bradshaw hints at an impending announcement. Pacitti reminds us that he’s the GM of this product, and announces the women’s division… starting with this match, and more “one fall” bollocks. This “major announcement” was made on social media before this show, so… yeah…
Bea Priestley vs. Nixon Newell
Priestley’s an up and comer, and it doesn’t help to be getting trained (and date) one of the biggest names in the world. I’ve seen Priestley once before, but a brief squash for PROGRESS doesn’t really count… Dave Bradshaw runs down Newell’s CV involving her runs in ATTACK! and SouthSide wrestling…
Priestley start with an arm wringer, but Newell reverses it, only to be taken into a hammerlock. That’s reversed too, and Priestley yanks Newell down to the mat. Newell leaps over Priestley in the corner, and follows with a couple of armdrags before Priestley blocks a third and lands a knee to the head.
Newell lands a dropkick that sends Priestley to the floor, and Newell follows with a kick off the apron. A second kick is caught, and Priestley sweeps it as she’s sent face-first onto the apron and down to the floor. Priestley kicks Newell across the barrier, and returns to the ring.
Back inside, Priestley lands a couple of kicks to the head of Newell for a near-fall, before pulling off a pair of Fisherwoman’s suplexes, only without any pinning attempts. Newell blocks a third suplex and gets a small package for a near-fall, but Priestley again takes Newell to the corner and runs in with a CM Punk-like knee strike.
Priestley chokes Newell with a boot in the corner, and finally the Welsh woman fires back with forearms and kicks, before a big boot drops Newell for a near-fall. From there, Newell’s placed in a camel clutch, and Priestley forces her used chewing gum into Newell’s mouth. That enrages Nixon, and she connects with a diving dropkick into the corner, then some charging forearms, before sweeping away a big boot. Newell follows in with a Shining Wizard for a two-count, then goes to the top rope.
Priestley caught Newell up top though, and looked for a superplex, before getting shoved down. A flying cross body saw Newell claim another two-count, before a brief comeback from Priestley ended with a missed enziguiri. The pair traded Yakuza kicks, with a pair of running knee strikes into the corner getting Bea a near-fall. Priestley licked Newell again, and she got met with a headbutt as payback… with Newell just about landing the Welsh Destroyer for the win. The match was alright, but it dragged a little, and that Welsh Destroyer finish shows that wrestling really is a sport where both parties need to co-operate! **½
A backstage promo with Jennifer Louise in front of a genuine brick wall. Not a green screen! We’ve got a promo with Liam Slater and Johnny Moss… and WCPW cut off their own feed?! Someone put another 50pm in the electricity metre, and the promo skips around a bit, to the point where all we see is Johnny Moss threatening James R. Kennedy. I’m all in on that.
Apparently Kennedy tried to hire Liam Slater for the Prospect team… which is what we missed during the Halloween Havoc-esque outage.
Drake & Lucas Archer vs. Johnny Moss & Liam Slater
Slater is a youngster from the NGW academy out of Hull, whilst Johnny Moss is an 18 year veteran and has wrestled for a lot of companies in the UK, and has a match against Jeff Jarrett in TNA to his name.
Moss forcibly grabs a rear chinlock on Drake, then a side headlock, before Drake’s taken down with a shoulder block and a snap suplex. A sliding lariat gets Moss a two-count on Drake, and in comes Archer. Archer leaps over Moss, and then gets dropped with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex, and then a flying hiptoss for a near-fall.
Archer tried to tag out to Liam Slater – wrong partner, my friend – and now Moss tags in Slater properly. Moss dumps Slater onto Archer with a front suplex, before Slater gets a kick to the head in, and a chop to Archer.
Drake gets tagged back in, and gets dropped with a lifting knuckle-lock from Slater, who segues into an armbar. Slater takes an uppercut, but works away from Drake and scores a near-fall with a roll-up, only to run into a knee from Drake.
Slater downs Drake with a rolling leg grapevine, before working into a toe-hold, and then a single-leg Boston crab. Drake grabs the ropes, but gets dropped with a monkey flip for a near-fall. Moss blind-tags in, and launches into a slingshot shoulder block on Drake, who then takes some chops in the corner.
A short-arm clothesline gets Moss a two-count, and Slater comes back in with an Irish whip assisted clothesline into the corner, then a butterfly suplex for a near-fall. Lucas Archer tried to cheapshot Slater in the ropes, before Alex Gracie low-bridged Slater to the outside. Prospect continue the double-team in the ring, with duelling kicks to Slater for just a count of one on Slater.
Archer and Drake cycle through quick tags, and land a double back suplex on Slater. A second double back suplex is avoided by Slater, who rolls away from Prospect and makes the hot tag to Moss, who throws Drake with an overhead belly to belly, and Archer with a release German suplex. The Prospect pair then take a double back suplex from Moss, but Moss gets distracted by James Kennedy, before he turns around and drills Archer with a tombstone piledriver. So much for it being a banned move!
Drake went for the lungblower, but was caught by Moss, and in came Slater for a swandive headbutt off of the back of Drake for the win. Another good match, but again, this felt like it went too long. **¾
We’re outside a Premier Inn hotel with Prince Ameen and Gabriele Kidd in Newcastle. Ameen asks Kidd to get him a taxi, but instead he forces Kidd to give him a piggy back to the arena.
They plug the WCPW Manchester shows, with the selling points being Kurt Angle vs. Cody Rhodes… and a chance to meet all of your favourite WhatCulture stars. But Angle/Rhodes was barely the top billing. A backstage interview with Doug Williams now, and he launches into a tirade about British wrestlers working abroad and us still using imports. Doug voted leave, didn’t he?
They still retained the “we’ll fade away early from the interviewer” trope that worked oh so well in season 1…
Doug Williams vs. Aron Stevens
Stevens, of course, is the former Damien Sandow… but with his real name to avoid upsetting Jerry McDevitt. He’s still got the “Hallelujah” theme, and is treated like a God by the Newcastle crowd. A clean-shaven “Sandow” looks weird, almost like Mason Ryan in pink trunks, and he gets cheers for everything, including cleaning the ring ropes with his towel, with the fans doing the Fandango song in time to it. With this and Grado on the same show, we’re firmly stuck in 2013…
Plenty of stalling to begin with, as a wristlock sees Stevens reverse into a hammerlock, forcing Williams into the ropes. Another wristlock sees Williams go to the ropes again, and then powder to the outside. Back inside, Stevens gets Williams in some headscissors, but Williams worked free, before being taken down with a back elbow.
Stevens took Williams into the corners, and got pushed away from the mounted corner punches. A double axe handle off the top saw Williams get punched in the midsection, before he went to the ropes to avoid a wristlock from Stevens once more. Stevens again punched Doug in the midsection as he went for an axehandle off the top, and then Williams tossed Stevens to the floor.
On the outside, Stevens rams Williams’ head into the apron, before he gets shoved into the ringpost by the British veteran. Back inside, Williams choked Stevens in the ropes, before tying him with some legscissors on the mat. Stevens slipped free, but took a forearm to the head, and the Newcastle crowd broke into a chant of “USA”. Yep, sums up their intelligence!
Williams worked a neck crank, then swept Stevens’ legs, but the former Sandow started a comeback with a suplex to the former TNA X-Division champion, but Williams countered with a bodyslam before going up top for the Bomb Scare knee drop, but Williams flew a la Sami Zayn and landed firmly on his head and shoulder. That was scary as hell.
Stevens picked up with some clotheslines and a twisting neckbreaker for a near-fall. Williams continued despite selling a bad knee, and despite being out of it, Williams went off the ropes for a sunset flip, before Stevens kneeled down on him for the win. These guys seemingly didn’t click – it was just one of those things. You could have argued that this match should have been waved off as soon as Williams landed on his head, but they did what they could to wrap this up as soon as they could. ***
As soon as Williams made it to the back, out came Adam Blampied with the WCPW title belt. Damo came out too, but Stevens was distracted by Adam, and fell to a low blow from the monster from Belfast. This be your main event in two weeks’ time – Big Damo vs. the-guy-we-can’t call Damien Sandow.
Overall, a decent show to start the second season of the show, but the familiar flaws remain. The “live” interviews and promos were barely audible, whilst Alex Shane was in full-on verbal diarrhoea mode throughout this show, to the point where he was a detriment to the product. Quelle surprise!
For a show that starts “live” at 10pm on Monday night, a near-midnight finish time is way too late. Start earlier guys, especially if you’re targeting the UK crowd! Still, WhatCulture puts this up on their channel in easily digestible chunks, so I’ll be sticking to that going forward.