WWR+ returned to Worcester for their third show back, featuring Megan Bayne and Davienne, along with a grudge match between Tina San Antonio and Willow Nightingale.
Quick Results
Jody Threat pinned Ashley Vox in 10:01 (***)
Becca pinned Delmi Exo in 7:59 (**½)
Molly McCoy & Boomer Hatfield submitted Paris van Dale & Armani Kayos in 6:46 (**½)
Skylar submitted Veda Scott in 8:10 (**½)
Rebecca Scott pinned Kayla Sparks in 6:10 (**¼)
Rickey Shane Page pinned Kennedi Copeland in 9:26 (**¾)
Riley Shepard pinned Kaia McKenna in 9:23 (**½)
Tina San Antonio pinned Willow Nightingale in 11:22 (***)
Trish Adora pinned Ashley D’Amboise in 8:57 (**¾)
Megan Bayne pinned Davienne in 13:13 (***¼)
We’re back at the White Eagle in Worcester… and apparently I need some motivation to write on my birthday. Here’s a show named after a Sum 41 song – going right back to my youth… Paul Crockett and Alyssa Marino are on the call.
Ashley Vox vs. Jody Threat
Threat mentioned ahead of this match that she’d literally been waiting years for this opportunity… both women are 1-0 in WWR+, so someone’s losing their record here.
We start with Vox landing a headlock takedown on Threat, who countered for a couple of one-counts, before a front facelock from Threat led to a suplex that Vox wriggled out of. Vox nails some dropkicks to have Threat on the back foot, ahead of a springboard ‘rana out of the corner and a tope into the crowd. Back inside, Vox heads up top, but her crossbody’s caught and turned into a backbreaker for a one count. Threat takes her into the corner for some shoulder charges, then a release Northern Lights suplex for a two-count, before a powerbomb attempt was turned into a Code Red for a two-count.
Vox goes for a monkey flipp’d DDT as we buffer… and the stream dies! We’re quickly back as Vox looked for a tornado hot shot, then some headscissors, before a fish hook into a lariat drew a two-count. A spinning DDT from Vox lands for a near-fall, before Threat scooped up Vox for a snap Michinoku driver that turned the match in her favour. An attempted F5 from Threat’s stopped as Vox went for a fish hook, but she’s taken back to the corner and to the top rope for a stalling superplex… eventually bringing Vox to the mat for a two-count. Threat stays on her with a F5, but again Vox slips out… and eats a spinning rack bomb for the win. A really solid opener, with Threat pulling out some big stuff here to get past the more-fancied Vox. ***
Well, Delmi Exo has a match, and she’s out in her gear, so here’s a Heyman special!
Becca vs. Delmi Exo
We’ve a tentative start here, with Becca and Exo working the arm to begin.
Becca went for a kick, as did Exo, but they catch them as they hit the ropes… with Exo going for a Rocker dropper into some headscissors, following up with some forearms in the corner. A floatover from Becca leads to a bridging German suplex for a two-count, while a dropkick to Exo in the ropes took us to some cartwheel knees for another two-count. Exo fought back with a Northern Lights suplex, getting a two-count as she kept Becca grounded so she could go after the scrunchy in a tied-up chinlock. A dropkick to the knee keeps Becca rocked, with a Fisherman suplex next for a two-count, before Delmi ripped off a scrunchie.
Short-arm clotheslines follow, but Becca countered with backbreakers en route to clotheslines of her own, before a crossbody nearly won it for Becca. Exo’s back with a quick rolling Koppo kick that gets her a two-count, before some see-saw two-counts led to a thrust kick from Becca… only for Exo to run back with a diving cutter for another near-fall. The pair head up top, but Becca shoves down Exo… then leapt down herself as a leg lariat quickly followed for the upset. That’s a pair of losses for the Sea Stars tonight, and you have to wonder what happens next there… **½
We’ve another quick turnaround, as the Higher Society come out to interrupt the Sea Stars. Paris van Dale mocks them for their losses, and we Heyman special – kinda – into our next scheduled outing.
The Higher Society (Paris van Dale & Armani Kayos) vs. The Outfielders (Boomer Hatfield & Molly McCoy)
After some shenanigans at the bell, McCoy grabbed van Dale’s wrist to take her down for an eventual PK early on, getting a quick two-count in the opening seconds.
More kicks from McCoy lead to Armani Kayos tagging in… so does Hatfield, who rolled up Kayos for a two-count, before armdrags left Armani on the back foot. Off pops the bandana as a dropkick had Kayos flying for a two-count, as McCoy returned for a back senton off the middle rope for a two-count. Van Dale returns to choke McCoy with her boot, before running double knees softened Molly for the return of Kayos… who hits a Bronco buster for a two-count. A double-team facebuster dropped McCoy for a two-count, while an angry Hatfield distracted the referee as McCoy fought back. A headbutt and a low dropkick hit Kayos for a two-count… my feed drops out as the Sea Stars make a save as Kayos went to use McCoy’s hockey stick, before Molly mounted a single-person comeback on the Higher Society, leading to a Gory bomb on Kayos.
Van Dale’s legal, but slips out of a Gory bomb, only to get taken down into a side Russian legsweep with some headscissors forcing the submission. Brief, but they packed a lot into their time here, with the Sea Stars saving the day. **½
Veda Scott vs. Skylar
Veda’s usually doing commentary, but she’s back in the ring here with a reset record against a mystery foe… Veda cut a promo beforehand as she revealed the open challenge to the live crowd, which was answered by a returning Skylar!
Skylar attacked Scott before the bell, then grabbed a chair from under the ring, and Pillman-ized the arm. Veda demanded the match start though, as she pulled Skylar onto the apron… then to the outside as Veda tried to gut it out. She kicks Skylar into the front row, but ends up hitting the post as she kept on kicking… and that opened things up for Skylar to take over again. Skylar’s looking for the chair again, but stops to work on the arm again before she got pulled into a crossface. The submission from Skylar means nothing on the floor, so Veda rolls her onto the apron for a running boot. A Shining Wizard back inside gets a two-count, but Skylar goes back to the arm… only for it to get countered back into a crossface as Skylar reached for the ropes.
Some choking headscissors in the arm keep Veda on the back foot, before Veda found an opening with a German suplex. She heads up top and hits a clothesline off the middle rope, before a Fisherman’s suplex almost got the win. After a Divorce Court, the pair trade forearms until a clothesline from Scott took down Skylar. Veda tries for a superplex, but Skylar clubs the arm before Veda leapt down to hit a spear… then almost won it with a Fisherman suplex off the middle rope. Scott tries another crossface, but Skylar rakes the eye then rolled in for a triangle armbar to get the submission. A strong showing from the returning Skylar, who left us in no doubt what side of the divide she was on in 2021. **½
They announce Beyond’s Dong Work For Yuta on August 5, with Masha Slamovich vs. Megan Bayne, Trish Adora vs. Alec Price, and Tony Deppen vs. Willow Nightingale.
Rebecca Scott vs. Kayla Sparks
An unadvertised bonus match, and it’s apparently a wrestling debut for Scott, and a return for Sparks, whose Cagematch showed her retiring in 2007. It’s been a while…
Scott works a wristlock early on, but Sparks rolled free, before a full nelson was escaped by the debutant. A headlock takedown from Sparks has her ahead, and she rolls through with it as Scott tried in vain to escape. Eventually Scott pushes free, but shoulder blocks have Scott down ahead of a backslide… but Sparks is right back with a headlock takedown. A back suplex from Scott gets her free, as did a regular suplex, before Scott caught a crossbody and dumped Sparks with a backbreaker. Some two-counts follow, as Scott charges Sparks into the corner, before Rebecca missed a shoulder charge… and found the ring post. Sparks responds with some right hands, clotheslines and back elbows, before a suplex tossed Scott for a two-count… before Scott switches back around for a DDT to snatch the win. A good showing from the debutant Scott, while you could have fooled me that Sparks had taken much time away based on that outing. **¼
Kennedi Copeland vs. Rickey Shane Page
It’s a WWR+ debut for RSP, whom a lot of folks may have seen on Dark for the first time earlier this week…
Copeland’s thrown into the ropes early as RSP mocked his opponent early on. A nonchalant crucifix pin nearly wins it for RSP, but Copeland slaps back… and got dumped with a front kick. Page splashes Copeland in the corner before launching her across the ring with the no-bump suplex, but Copeland’s up at two… only for her spinning DDT to get caught as RSP just propelled her across the ring. This dream match of Kennedi’s is sure looking a nightmare right now.
Again, Copeland looks to slap RSP, but he decks her in return, then launched her with another suplex throw before Kennedi rolled away from a senton bomb. Page tries again, but misses a frog splash, before a back senton off the top made him 0-3. Perhaps avoid the top rope, Rickey? Copeland fought back from there with some headscissors back into the ring, before she went up top for a crossbody into Page for a two-count. RSP tries a chokeslam, but a Codebreaker to the arm from Copeland is the counter, before she went in with a satellite armbar on Page, which ended in the ropes. My feed drops, and recovers with RSP finally landing a frog splash off the top rope for a near-fall, before a hanging armbar from Copeland looked to force a win.
Except RSP nonchalantly grabbed the rope to break it. Copeland kicks the arm ahead of a running knee to it, but Page still kicks out, before another leap off the top from Copeland’s turned into a Chokebreaker for the win. A good showing from Copeland, but I have a feeling her dream won’t be fulfilled until she gets RSP in a death match somewhere… **¾
Kaia McKenna vs. Riley Shepard
McKenna’s not covering the White Eagle in salt, but this time has got a “Book of Shadows” for the crowd to help her spread energy with.
McKenna’s got an amulet which she tries to fight off Shepard’s sword with, before we start with McKenna working a hammerlock, then a side headlock, only for Riley to counter out. They continue to trade holds, ending with Shepard backing McKenna into the corner before some World of Sport-ish stuff led to a stand-off. A knuckle lock leads to McKenna being pulled into some body scissors, but she counters with a Romero special, letting go so she could go for a pin. Shepard kicks out and grabs a toe hold, before it’s let go of as McKenna comes back with armdrags before she ran into a backbreaker. Irish whips bounce McKenna into the corner, but she elbowed her way back in… only for Shepard to come back with a legdrop to the arm as my Internet briefly dropped.
We’re back as McKenna looked for a modified Cattle Mutilation, rolling through into a seated surfboard armbar. Those turn into headscissors, which McKenna rolled through with Shepard, as Riley tried to steal a win… before Shepard came back with an ushigoroshi for the win. **½
Post-match, Shepard picked up McKenna for a handshake… before Little Mean Kathleen came out to pep up the crowd. I think she’s had all the coffee I got for my birthday (which is a LOT), as she issues an open challenge against Shepard, but Kathleen’s not in ring gear? I think a LOT of this went over my head…
Tina San Antonio vs. Willow Nightingale
We’ve a special guest ref for this: Damian Adams. The man behind Team Adams, who’s churned out a LOT of names over the years.
San Antonio tries to escape early on, but Willow followed her to take her back into the ring, as Nightingale thwarted the veteran’s early offence. Splashes in the corner lead to a big boot from Willow for a two-count, before a chinlock was escaped, as San Antonio lands an elbow and a sliding forearm for a two-count. Nightingale tries to fight back, but runs into a sleeper as San Antonio wore her down on the mat, using the ropes for extra leverage. Adams spots the cheating early and breaks the hold, before a sliding leg drop led to some two-counts. San Antonio looked to get annoyed with herself, as she whipped Willow into the corner before missing a snap elbow drop.
A snap legdrop also misses, as Willow mounted a comeback with clotheslines, leading to a spinebuster for a near-fall. Arguing with the ref looked to provide a distraction, but Willow stays on top as the pair head outside… only for San Antonio to shove her to the floor. Tina grabs a chair and sets it up, only to get knocked into it… and recovers to send things back inside. That chair’s been slid into the ring too, which Tina grabbed as she looked to hit a DDT onto it… dropping Nightingale for a near-fall. What, no DQ? San Antonio lights up Nightingale with a chop, but got met with a thrust kick seconds later as Willow then grabbed the chair… and now the ref’s interested in enforcing the no-weaponry rules. The crowd boos, but Willow’s able to shrug off the disappointment to hit a Doctor bomb, only for the ref’s “knee to give out.” I smell shenanigans. With folks checking on Adams, San Antonio capitalises with a roll-up… and wouldn’t you know it, Damian’s knee was fine, as he fast counts Willow for the win. I guess Damian’s going to be leading his trainees into WWR+ now, and Willow’s going to go and knock them all down? ***
They announce WWR+ returns on August 22 as the pre-game for Americanrana… while Denver Colorado (the man not the place) had his arm twisted to announce this one for Americanrana: Masha Slamovich & Leyla Hirsch vs. Jordynne Grace & Kimber Lee.
Ashley D’Amboise vs. Trish Adora
We’ve a tentative start here as the pair switched waistlocks early on, before some bodyscissors from Adora had D’Amboise in the middle of the ring.
Adora rolls D’Amboise down for a one-count, then worked an overhead wristlock as D’Amboise rolled out and into the corner for a break. A hammerlock from D’Amboise is broken as Adora goes back to the wristlock, but D’Amboise cartwheels free and regains control. Adora goes back to the arm herself, using armbars and armdrags to take down the rookie, getting a two-count out of it. Some more pinning attempts keep Adora ahead, as she retained the focus on the arm… only for D’Amboise to break free with a jawbreaker and some clotheslines. Irish whips take Adora to the corners, ahead of a double underhook suplex, but D’Amboise can’t follow up with a uranage, and instead runs into a Bossman slam.
D’Amboise misses a charge into the corner, allowing Adora to capitalise with another kick to the arm, before a Judo-ish throw took down the rookie for a two-count. Finally, D’Amboise nails that uranage for a near-fall, before Adora grabbed the leg and almost won with a roll-up, before a bridging backslide – the BUSHI roll – gets Adora the win to move her to 3-0 in WWR+. Some good stuff here, but while Adora’s in form, clearly D’Amboise is a work in progress, as you’d expect a rookie to be. **¾
We Heyman special into the main event as Megan Bayne now has two assistants… and we continue to tease Bayne/Adora.
Megan Bayne vs. Davienne
Both Bayne and Davienne circle each other at the bell, as we start with Bayne taking Davienne into the corner.
Bayne somewhat arrogantly handwaves Davienne on the break, before the favour’s returned as Davienne locked up into the corner. A side headlock from Bayne leads to… buffering? Davienne pushes free but gets met with a shoulder block, before she rolled away from an elbow drop and began to work over Bayne’s arm. Davienne grabs a knuckle lock, but is on the defensive on a test of strength, bridging backwards before breaking the hold to roll Bayne down for a Euro clutch that gets a two-count. Bayne takes Davienne into the corner, but a floatover surprises Bayne as a roll-up drew a two-count, while Davienne went back to the arm.
Bayne slams her way free of the armbar, but missed a back senton as Davienne went right back to the arm. Davienne again takes it to the corner as she threw some forearms, but an Irish whip’s reversed as Bayne this time caught the floatover to slam Davienne. Some boot choking traps Davienne in the ropes, as did some knees as Bayne pulled ahead. A suplex from Bayne throws Davienne across the ring for an eventual two-count, before Davienne’s attempted comeback was thwarted by way of a Samoan drop. Bayne adds in a back senton for some two-counts, before an atomic drop left Davienne prone… but she rolls away from a legdrop anyway.
Davienne clubbed Bayne’s leg as her hand was stood on, but she’s able to muster some more offence, splashing Bayne in the corner before escaping another Samoan drop. Instead, Davienne hits a ripcord clothesline for a two-count as she pulled ahead… leading to a Boston crab in the middle of the ring. Bayne powers free of the hold though, but misses a charge into the corner as Davienne proceeded to lift her opponent to the top rope, looking for a superplex… but instead got met with a powerbomb out of the corner. From there, Bayne picks up Davienne for a swinging side slam, and that’s all folks. A dominant win for Bayne, who damn near blitzed Davienne towards the end. ***¼
Post-match, Adora came back to the ring and stared down Bayne, who started the fight as the pair windmilled at each other until the locker room emptied for the pullapart to close the show. I think we have our main event for the WWR+-at-Americanrana show?
Ignore the asterisks folks, I’m always a harsh rater for shorter, “TV-length” matches – WWR+ was once again an easy show to watch, as they’ve found a niche in terms of getting matches in and out of the ring quickly to keep them fresh. Sure, there’s matches I’d like to have seen had more time, but that just means there’s stuff in the tank in terms of rematches down the line.