THE MASKED WRESTLER EPISODE SEVEN REPORT

IWTV “The Masked Wrestler: Episode 7” - 11/25/20

Last week, Wyldkat (identity as yet unknown) punched their ticket to the finals by defeating a VERY game Stokely Hathaway Jr (revealed as an absolutely irate Tony Deppen) in the 6th episode of this tournament of mystery - 

Tonight brings us the FINAL MATCH to determine the next challenger for WARHORSE’s IWTV Championship. Kris Statlander, Billy Dixon and Mr. Brickster are your ringside panelists and guessers. Denver Colorado and Dylan Hales are your match commentators. Larry Legend is your announcer. ??So here we are. Wyldkat made it to the finals through less than honorable means so Genkai will have to keep an eye out for more of THAT.

Match: Wyldkat (grey mask) vs Genkai (pink mask)

Both combatants circle each other slowly before exploding into the lockup. Trading holds on the wrist, Genkai manages to flip out of it and drag Wyldkat to the mat. Kip up from Wyldkat but they cannot escape Genkai’s wrist hold. Wyldkat blatantly gets a leg over the rope to force a break. “Laaaaaaame” calls out Statlander. Genkai with a leg lariat for two. Genkai back to the wrist and stomps out the arm. Twisting arm breaker from Genkai and a body slam but only a one count. Wyldkat with a hot shot and a lariat, they finally take control. Genkai gets hits with a stalling vertical suplex, Wyldkat has the power! Wyldkat with a choke hold to wear down Genkai. Genkai sent to the outside and Wyldkat meets them with a tope. Double axe handle from the top for a two count. Genkai fighting back from the brink, catches Wyldkat running with an uppercut and a crossbody. Olympic slam for two! Wyldkat goes for that pop-up crotch kick but Genkai dodges and locks in a leg grapevine with a STF. It’s deep but Wyldkat makes the rope. Wyldkat with the cheap shot, the ref gets in their face. Wyldkat shoves the ref, backwards low kick to Genkai. Oh no! Genkai kicks out! Pile driver from Wyldkat! Kick out! Wyldkat wrenching at the neck but Genkai scrambles out. Genkai fires up wIth an atomic drop, german suplex and a huge brain buster. The combo is enough to seal the win!

Tournament Winner: Genkai

Fantastic match. Love the story telling here, calling back to their previous tournament bouts. If Masked Wrestler Season 1 was a single card, this would have rightly been the main event of that show.   Larry Legend has a trophy for our tournament winner but first, WHOOOOOO do the judges think Wyldkat is? Mr. Brickster says it could be Colin Delaney...No. Billy Dixon has Blake Christian...Noooo. Kris Statlander thinks it’s for IWTV champ Hot Sauce Tracy Williams...Nooooooo. SO WHO IS IT???

Wyldkat is revealed to be....WHEELER YUTA ( https://www.twitter.com/WheelerYuta )

Whaaaaaaaaaaat? NOOOOOOOOOOOO! (My heart breaks a little. Wheeler Yuta has gone Heeler Yuta). 

Genkai is presented with the season 1 winner’s trophy. Yuta immediately ambushes them from behind and tears at the mask. Brickster tries to stop him but Yuta lays him out. Tony Deppen hits the ring and runs Yuta off. Yuta says he’ll see him next time. Genkai’s mask isn’t off but they are definitely shook. Not the way they’d wanna celebrate this victory at all. 

And that’s it for Season 1 of the Masked Wrestler! This was a cool format and I’d love to see it return. Excellent way to introduce folks to independent wrestlers that may not have entirely been on your radar (especially with IWTV’s post-show tradition of playing a couple of matches from the revealed contestant). VERY curious how and (more importantly) when this will pay off in that IWTV title match with WARHORSE. I would hope they don’t let this sit in limbo for too long before the Masked Wrestler gimmick fades from short-term memory too much (but of course, times are WHAT THEY ARE right now so everyone be safe, ok?). But that’s it! Season done! Your winner? Well, that’s still a mystery. My guess? Does it matter? They clearly reached the peak...no, the pinnacle....no, the APEX of this competition. The rest will come in time. Like this Wheeler Yuta/Tony Deppen unmasked rematch? Gimme Dat. Until then!

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