Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
Beyond Wrestling “Bound For the Floor”
Spotlight Match: Rain Conway vs Eye Black Jack
Rain doesn’t look dead, I could have sworn he was murdered on Thursday. Jack finishes the job with a lifting full Nelson to get the tap out.
Today’s big thing is the Technical Wrestling Tournament.
Match 1: Drew Gulak vs Timothy Thatcher (First Round Match)
These two haven’t tangled in a ring officially since that one EVOLVE main event a decade ago where they ripped the damn ring apart. I have been looking forward to this. There is NO WORLD where I call this (or possibly any of these matches) hold for hold. I can tell you this is very much a clash of chess masters that could have easily been a tournament final. Thatcher tortures the arm but Gulak slowly takes a leg away from Tim, impeding his mobility. This isn’t a running match though…Thatcher finally gets the tap on a fujiwara armbar!
Match 2: Fancy Ryan Clancy vs A-Game Joseph Alexander (First Round Match)
Clancy has the confidence of the crowd but A-game keeps dumping him on the match over and over. Clancy trying to make this a striking standup affair but he keeps getting worked down. Clancy JUST won an I Quit match so I imagine it will take a LOT to put him down. Clancy finally get this to a standing position but winds up in a straight jacket scramble and dumps back to the floor. Clancy is ready this time and slaps on that butterfly choke again and gets the tap out!
Match 3: Alex Reynolds vs Matt Mako (First Round Match)
Alex looks pretty unsure of himself looking across the ring from Mako (formerly Makowski). Reynolds eats a lot at the start but a shot to the throat turns the tide quick. Alex stays focused on that neck and head attack, cranking and thudding Matt into the canvas repeatedly. Mako keeps going for his cross armbreaker but Reynolds finally stacks the position up into a pin and puts his feet on the ropes to get the three!
Match 4: Darien Bengston vs Hot Sauce Tracy Williams (First Around Match)
I’m stoked to see Hot Sauce back here but VERY excited for Bengston’s Beyond debut! This is a VERY smooth match back and forth as the transition holds. Darien gives a little of Hot Sauce’s disrespect back to him…but Tracy does NOT like that. Williams turns on his striking game and lays a beating on Bengston’s chest and back. Darien looking for that pin with constant rolls up attempts. Williams catches him with a hangman’s brain buster. Kick out! Darien with a chicken wing…he drags Williams down into a sort of seatbelt jackknife pin and gets the three! I would call this a major UPSET!
Match 5: Shoot Boys(c) (Aaron Ortiz & Anthony Vecchio) vs Star Struck (Channing Thomas & Anthony Green) (non-title match)
This ISN’T for the belts? Shooter Boys? More like Los Pollos Hermanos! Maybe it’s just me but I feel like if a champion isn’t defending their championship, they have no business wearing it to the ring. AG gets caught up in the champs flow, eating a slingshot into a northern lights and a cross arm bar…but Green won’t be stopped and gets to Thomas! Channing running through the kids until Green gets back into it. He winds up in a grapple battle with Vecchio, who grabs a butterfly hold and rolls up AG for a sudden three count for the win! They ARE the champs but what a surprising end!
(Intermission)
Match 6: Brando Lee vs OXP
Well, this is not only surprise, but this is a f***ing delight. OXP is throwing harrrrrrrd spinning kicks that keep Lee on the backpedal early. Lee tries to keep him down but a hooking back kick plants Lee to the mat. Big slam and a double stomp from Brando! OXP catches him running with another head kick. This is some (as I heard Drew Cordeiro say) WMAC Masters stuff. Lee finally catches him with a rolling DVD and a long range top rope stomp gets him the win! Super fast high energy action from these two. Super fun.
Match 7: Timothy Thatcher vs Fancy Ryan Clancy (Semi Finals)
These two met at Americanrana back in August. You know Thatcher is looking to get that W back from the Fancy Man. Clancy was clearly watching the first round and goes right for that leg Gulak was torturing before. Thatcher fighting through and goes right to his multi-faceted bag of torture techniques, making Clancy cry out in pain. Clancy getting stretched and slammed at will by a master….but Ryan is still throwing hands! He makes some space and hits the KO dropkick! Thatcher is down for the three! Clancy is going to the finals! Ryan offers his hand and apologizes for walking through Thatcher’s handshake back in August. Thatcher shakes his head and ignores Clancy’s offer of sportsmanship. This may not be over!
Match 8: Alex Reynolds vs Darien Bengston (Semi Finals)
Reynolds looking super serious…but he’s clearly looking to bend the rules. Bengston employing the same quick agility and smooth transitions that got him past Williams. Reynolds getting frustrated and more aggressive as the match goes on. He ties Darien to the second rope with his wrist tape. Ref Gina should DQ him for this but she’s showing discretion here. Alex tears at the face and hits a good neck crank toss…Bengston can’t make a comback as Reynolds is just making himself more and more angry. He tries the rollup with feet on the ropes again but Gina catches it! Reynolds has moved very much away from the “technical wrestling” aspect of this tournament but Bengston is starting to hold his own. A couple of quick pin attempts don’t end the contest. They win up in a double backslide but Alex sneaks a low blow in. He wraps Bengston in a head and arm choke while he’s suffering and gets the tap. Reynolds keeps the hold on, bringing refs and Fancy Ryan Clancy to the ring to break it up. Clancy gets caught in the moment and sent into the post. “See you in the Finals, Sweetheart” says Reynolds, happy that he spoiled what could have been an awesome main event clash.
Match 9: Will Kroos vs Aaron Rourke
We have the Progress Atlas Champ in the house! This is ALSO a non-title match. That said, this could be a blast. Rourke starts hot but Kroos catches him with a fast powerslam. Lots of big man moving faster than a big man should happening. Huge chops drop Rourke (even if he likes it a little). Rourke hits a powerbomb?!?! Aaron misses a split legged moonsault and gets thrown right into a high velocity cannonball. Rourke with a destroyer! He tries an octopus stretch but Kroos escapes, hitting a popup bomb and a rikishi driver for the convincing three. Good sprint. Rourke was here for the fight but Kroos was a beast here.
Match 10: Cappucino Jones(c) vs TJ Crawford (for the WWE ID Championship)
This is a HUGE opportunity for TJ. If he wins, not only is he the champ…but he gets a WWE ID contract too! Can Crawford get it done today in Jones’ first title defense of his 72-day reign. TJ flies in and rolls him up with lightning quick pin for the narrowest of two’s. It was THAT close. TJ throwing silver bullets early. This is TJ’s HOUSE! We are his PEOPLE. Jones suddenly realizing that he may be a face, but it doesn’t matter right now. Jones goes to work on the Silver sniper, Trying to keep him down and chop him up. TJ starts to light him up with kicks and stomps. Jones is getting MAD at Crawford and this crowd. He’s supposed to be getting cheering. Not here. Not today. Jones still trying to be the good guy here but that mask is sliiiiipping as he gets more aggressive. Crawford tries to fire up but Jones folding him up with a German. TJ makes some space finally and lands a pile of chest kicks. TJ rips Jones’ combat vest off for maximum punishment. A head kick staggers the champ! Springboard stunner! This is a LOT of fun. Jones with a corkscrew driver for two. The crowd wants this to happen, as improbable as it might be. TJ is trying for it! A right hand and a head kick drops them both! Jones yelling at TJ as they flying into a brawl! TJ goes down when Jones kicks his knee but he pops up to hit the silver bullet! It connects but Jones rolls to the floor! TJ is frustrated! A popup headkick on the outside! TJ tries for the stunner again but Jones dodges and hits the Decaffeinator for the three. Booooooooooooo! Jones knows what’s up and he makes sure to encourage him and hold his arm up for the crowd. I didn’t love this result.
Main Event: Fancy Ryan Clancy vs Alex Reynolds (Bound for the Floor Tournament Final)
Clancy is fired up and looking for payback against Reynolds. Alex charges in and Ryan is alllllll over him. Reynolds takes it to the floor, slamming Clancy into the apron. Reynolds starting to walk through Clancy treating him like a young boy and not an equally skilled professional wrestler. Clancy stuns Reynolds with chops and stomps, returning the damage by sending Alex right into the post! Clancy trying to close this out but Reynolds won’t stay down. Reynolds throwing some brutal knees to the gut. Clancy finally drops Reynolds with the KO Dropkick…but Alex gets the ropes! He rolls to the floor hit Clancy won’t let him get away. He’s playing possum! Popup knee to the face! He wraps up Clancy but can’t get the submission! Clancy rolls the hold to the ropes! Reynolds ripping the tape off Ryan’s shoulder! He’s choking him with it! Ref Biller takes it away! Reynolds tries a low blow but Clancy blocks it! KO Dropkick! Clancy wraps up that butterfly guillotine and Reynolds wakes up to a world of pain! He taps! Ryan Clancy just became #1 contender to the IWTV championship! Fantastic show. Stacked card. I enjoyed this a lot!
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
