JOHN FUCKING ZANDIG and other indies

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John Zandig	107	75.35%
DJ Hyde	35	24.65%
Total:	142 votes

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Grozz Nuy: Feb 21, 2008; Welcome to Moonside.

Wecomel to Soonmide.

Moonwel ot cosidme.

Reading Dave's ratings from the Observer, I think I would go a little higher on End/Sabre and Dunne/Andrews, and a little lower on Cobb/Ricochet and Fenix/Ospreay. Everything else looks about right to me, except for the final which I thought was really good, although unlike last year it slowed down a lot after the first person was eliminated.

Full snowflakes, for the curious:

Stage 1:

Pentagon/Scurll: ***3/4
Cobb/Ricochet: ****1/4
Sydal/Hennigan: ***
Fenix/Ospreay: ****1/2
End/Sabre: ****
Liger/Hero: ***3/4
Castle+Boys/Rushmore: ***1/2

Stage 2:

Ciampa/Castle: ***1/2
Dunne/Andrews: ****1/4
Callihan/Rhodes: ***3/4
End+Hero/Fenix+Pentagon: ****1/2
Kamaitachi/Lee: ***1/2
Alexander/Haskins: ****
Riddle/O'Reilly: ****
Rushmore/Sydal+Ricochet+Ospreay: *****

Final Stage:

Castle/Lee: ***1/4
Hennigan/Ricochet: ***1/2
Rhodes/Scurll: ***1/2
Andrews/Hero: ***1/4
O'Reilly/Haskins: ***3/4
Sabre/Ospreay: ****
Fenix+Pentagon/Bucks: ****1/2
Andrews/Lee: ***1/2
Haskins/Scurll: ****
Ricochet/Ospreay: ****1/4
10-man tag: ***1/2
Tournament final: ***1/4

Grozz Nuy fucked around with this message at 09:07 on Sep 8, 2016

# ? Sep 8, 2016 08:54

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# ? Apr 25, 2024 16:21

BlueArmyMan: Mar 30, 2007; Hooloovoo

Even RVD looks like he doesn't know what the gently caress

# ? Sep 8, 2016 14:57

Beef Jerky Robot: Sep 20, 2009; "And the DICK?"

Thauros posted:

He still has a LONG way to go before he catches up to the Ace of the Universe tho

No, John Cena only has the one five star match, they're even now

# ? Sep 8, 2016 15:32

El Gallinero Gros: Mar 17, 2010

Is that the first PWG match to get 5 stars? I imagine some of the Guerilla Warfare ones were close, but can't remember any others.

# ? Sep 8, 2016 15:48

NotQuiteQuentin: Jan 29, 2005; BIG OVER; College Slice

El Gallinero Gros posted:

Is that the first PWG match to get 5 stars? I imagine some of the Guerilla Warfare ones were close, but can't remember any others.

yep. dave didn't start doing pwg reviews until he started seeing the show in person.

# ? Sep 8, 2016 15:50

El Gallinero Gros: Mar 17, 2010

Weird seeing him get serious

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf6a5ovmp2U

# ? Sep 8, 2016 17:11

Dr. Baker: Jan 25, 2012; Numb me, drill me
Floss me, bill me

If anyone could share Dave's write up with those who don't have a subscription, I'd appreciate it.

# ? Sep 8, 2016 18:55

Suplex Liberace: Jan 18, 2012

Is anyone going to the SMASH/Progress shows next week?

# ? Sep 8, 2016 19:07

Bard Maddox: Feb 15, 2012; I'm just a sick guy, I'm really just a dirty guy.

so who was the TV star that got turned away at the doors of BOLA

# ? Sep 8, 2016 20:06

Mob: May 7, 2002; Me reading your posts

Mr. Belvedere

# ? Sep 8, 2016 21:25

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

MOTY contender announced :siren:

Pacific Coast Wrestling 11/12 in Torrance, CA: Pentagon Jr defends the heavyweight title against RVD

# ? Sep 8, 2016 21:42

Gavok: Oct 10, 2005; Brock! Oh, man, I'm sorry about your...

...tooth?

Chris James 2 posted:

MOTY contender announced

Pacific Coast Wrestling 11/12 in Torrance, CA: Pentagon Jr defends the heavyweight title against RVD

Cuatro dos cero miedo.

# ? Sep 8, 2016 21:46

The_Rob: Feb 1, 2007; Blah blah blah blah!!

Chris James 2 posted:

MOTY contender announced

Pacific Coast Wrestling 11/12 in Torrance, CA: Pentagon Jr defends the heavyweight title against RVD

I live like 10 minutes from this show. I've missed there last few shows though because of work. It's a shame too because they get some good names. Willie Mack,Brian Cage, Timothy Thatcher, and yeah Pentagon won their title at the last show.

# ? Sep 8, 2016 22:08

Skinty McEdger: Mar 9, 2008; I have NEVER received the respect I deserve as the leader and founder of The Masterflock, the internet's largest and oldest Christopher Masterpiece fan group in all of history, and I DEMAND that changes. From now on, you will respect Skinty McEdger!

Going to be interesting in so much as RVD is open about not giving a gently caress anymore and his dislike for putting over people he doesn't know.

# ? Sep 8, 2016 22:15

Super No Vacancy: Jul 26, 2012

bola-killer qualifier

https://twitter.com/AAWPro/status/774068867903594496

# ? Sep 9, 2016 03:17

oatgan: Jan 15, 2009

would love to see rey horus in october but logistically I understand why ali is probably taking this, and he's a great silver medal!

# ? Sep 9, 2016 03:20

Grozz Nuy: Feb 21, 2008; Welcome to Moonside.

Wecomel to Soonmide.

Moonwel ot cosidme.

Mark Andrews wrote a column about BOLA for Sports Illustrated's wrestling section. It does contain spoilers for the results of the tournament, if you're still trying to avoid that.

quote:

Last Thursday I boarded a plane at Heathrow Airport in London, and mentally prepared myself for the weekend ahead of me. For the second time in my career, I would attempt to win Pro Wrestling Guerrilla�s annual tournament, the Battle of Los Angeles.

After fifteen hours of traveling and jet lag inevitably waiting to creep up on me, I landed in LAX Airport ready for what die-hard wrestling fans consider the biggest tournament in professional wrestling.

The title of �the biggest tournament in professional wrestling� is a big statement to make, and I�m sure that someone less involved in the independent wrestling world would be shocked to see that this prestigious tournament is held in an American Legion Hall in front of 400 fans chugging beer and screaming their lungs out.

But, these aren�t just normal fans. These are the most loyal and passionate fans that exist within the world of pro wrestling. Traveling from all across the world to witness the tournament live, the fans that attend the three day event are considered the lucky ones who were able to grab a ticket before it quickly sold out months before.

After these lucky few wait patiently for hours outside the American Legion Hall, queuing up to find the best seat they can, the doors open up to something that is so much more than just another independent wrestling show.

The company�s production insists on having the bare bones of what a wrestling show needs: a ring, a curtain, and hundreds of chairs. Unlike any other wrestling company with the platform the size of Guerrilla�s � there is absolutely nothing else there to distract or compensate for the in-ring performances. No camera tricks, no fancy lights, or pyro. Just the wrestlers who have been invited to perform, and everything they have to give to the fans. Everything this company offers is about the art of wrestling, and that is what makes it so special.

This year was the twelfth annual tournament the company has held and, just like the years before, it featured the best talent the world could offer. Japanese legend Jushin Thunder Liger, former WWE Intercontinental and tag team champion Cody Rhodes, the Young Bucks, and a locker room full of wrestlers currently a part of promotions such as New Japan Pro Wrestling, TNA Impact Wrestling, Ring of Honor, Lucha Underground, CMLL and WWE�s NXT.

Nowhere else in the world would you find such a diverse roster of the hottest prospects from America, Canada, the U.K., Japan, Mexico, and Europe. This allows for so many matches that cannot be achieved in �the big leagues� due to contractual terms, and this unintentionally turns BOLA into the biggest cross-promotional event in pro wrestling.

In last year�s BOLA, I made my PWG debut along with fellow Brits, Marty Scurll and William Ospreay. Between us, as well as Tommy End, Drew Galloway and Zack Sabre Jr., we had a pretty good group there to represent Europe. Although we realized the importance of the opportunity we�d been given at the time, I don�t think we quite knew just how much that weekend would affect the next year of our careers.

The matches we had that weekend put us on the map and gave us all the exposure we needed to make an impact worldwide. Sure, we�d all had exposure from various bigger companies previously in our careers, but PWG is different. PWG is not your typical �bigger company� � if anything, the physical size of the show would make it a smaller company. However, it is the one that creates the biggest impression on the wrestling world, bar none.

A year later, we are regulars for the crowd in Reseda, and Zack Sabre is the current world champion for the company. Within the space of a year, Ospreay and Scurll have gone from their PWG debuts all the way to meeting each other in the final of the tournament to decide the winner of BOLA 2016.

The tournament saw a ton of first-time dream matches that had never happened before, and also gave the audience an opportunity to see rematches of highly acclaimed bouts that had happened outside of US soil. Due to the nature of the tournament�s structure, the excitement from the crowd comes not just from the action in the ring, but also the uncertainty of what matchups could potentially happen. I�d hear fans before the shows talking about what matches they hoped would happen � and being genuinely excited for the result of each match and the conclusion of the weekend � which is something that is very rare to find in 2016.

After almost breaking the Internet with their match in New Japan Pro Wrestling earlier this year, Will Ospreay and Ricochet found themselves against one another in a rematch on day three, but this time, in a PWG ring. The intimacy of the venue and the energy the crowd brings to the show is really what makes these shows so incredible, and it�s exactly what separates a PWG match from a bout with the same competitors battling each other anywhere else in the world.

Something else that makes PWG so special is the morale of the locker room backstage. The outlook that the company has makes it so easy for everyone backstage to feel motivated to do their absolute best, and constantly reminds me why I love this industry. It�s more than just wanting each other to do our best. It�s a collective consciousness that wants to break the boundaries of what conventional wrestling offers.

In my second-round match, I had the opportunity to face Chris Hero for the second time this year. We first wrestled each other several months ago in London at PROGRESS Wrestling, which became one of my favorite matches. After a huge upset against Hero, I advanced to round three, facing off against Trevor Lee, where unfortunately my weekend would end. Trevor would go on to wrestle Scurll and Ospreay in the finals of the tournament, ending a long weekend of 25+ matches, in a match that displayed just how talented all three of these athletes are.

To have a good match isn�t a rarity in PWG, especially at BOLA, but to consistently wrestle three matches at such a high standard within the same day is something all three of these men achieved. However, this weekend wasn�t just an exhibition for the wrestlers already appreciated for their talents worldwide. This is also an opportunity for wrestling�s next up-and-comers and best-kept secrets to show the world why they should be there.

Pete Dunne and Mark Haskins joined Team UK this year and were brought in to make their debuts. It was great to see Haskins make such a strong impression on the company, having three incredible matches and almost making it to the final. However, the most memorable moment of the weekend for me was getting to step in the ring with Pete Dunne.

Pete is someone who I met ten years ago when first starting out in wrestling, before quickly becoming best friends. We�ve traveled the world together learning our craft, and getting to lock horns with each other in his debut for the company meant that we�d come full circle from the first match that we had ten years earlier. It was no surprise to see the crowd had done their research and were big fans of both, helping put our names on the map, resembling what myself, Ospreay, and Scurll had experienced the year before.

As I begin another fifteen-hour journey back home to the UK, sleep deprived and feeling like I�ve been hit by a ton of bricks, I feel incredibly proud to be a part of what happened in Reseda this past weekend. It�s one thing to be able to experience flying across the globe to perform in front of such an incredibly passionate crowd, but for my friends and I to be considered for an event which is held in such high regard, sharing a ring and trading our craft with the most talented wrestlers on the planet, is something that we�d hoped to achieve ever since we stepped into the squared circle for the first time.

I can�t wait to see what the next year brings for everyone who performed in BOLA this year. But most importantly, I can�t wait to come back to Reseda.

~ Mark Andrews

Heard a lot of great things about that match in Progress that he mentions, I hope they get the chance to have a rematch that's given decent time in Reseda at some point.

# ? Sep 9, 2016 04:03

triplexpac: Mar 24, 2007; Suck it
Two tears in a bucket
And then another thing
I'm not the one they'll try their luck with
Hit hard like brass knuckles
See your face through the turnbuckle dude
I got no love for you

Suplex Liberace posted:

Is anyone going to the SMASH/Progress shows next week?

I have front row tickets to Night One that I can't use sighhhhh.

If anyone wants to buy them off me for face value get in touch.

# ? Sep 9, 2016 16:14

oatgan: Jan 15, 2009

LOL

https://twitter.com/WAW_UK/status/774324924236304384

# ? Sep 9, 2016 21:02

Mob: May 7, 2002; Me reading your posts

move over Zebra Kid you've got a new bunkmate

# ? Sep 9, 2016 21:06

NienNunb: Feb 15, 2012

Memo

# ? Sep 9, 2016 22:18

El Gallinero Gros: Mar 17, 2010

Not to be confused with Post-It Del Rio

# ? Sep 9, 2016 22:22

Mr. Swoon: Nov 25, 2003; ALL WE DO IS PARTY

Maybe this is the start of Broken Alberto and Brother Memo

# ? Sep 9, 2016 23:17

Chris James 2: Aug 9, 2012

Del Rio to opponents: "Guess you perros didn't get the memo" *hurls brother at them like lawn dart*

# ? Sep 9, 2016 23:20

oatgan: Jan 15, 2009

i didn't watch evolve but at czw tonight iwa-mid south invaded, and ian rotten laid out matt tremont paving the way for jon gresham to win the czw world title

# ? Sep 11, 2016 04:05

ch3cooh: Jun 26, 2006

I went to a show last night and saw Ray Rowe hit a Canadian destroyer on Keith Lee.

# ? Sep 11, 2016 04:08

The_Rob: Feb 1, 2007; Blah blah blah blah!!

oatgan posted:

i didn't watch evolve but at czw tonight iwa-mid south invaded, and ian rotten laid out matt tremont paving the way for jon gresham to win the czw world title

I want czw to lose to another company again.

# ? Sep 11, 2016 04:08

Blast Fantasto: Sep 18, 2007; USAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

ch3cooh posted:

I went to a show last night and saw Ray Rowe hit a Canadian destroyer on Keith Lee.

Why did RoH take the titles off my war boys

# ? Sep 11, 2016 05:05

NienNunb: Feb 15, 2012

I'm happy that IWA Mid South is comin back, baby!

# ? Sep 11, 2016 06:33

Durk Hendrunkqs: Dec 12, 2006; It's useless.

Wait they're doing an IWA-MS war 2? The first one kinda sucked. Well it's cool that Gresham won the title but wtf.

# ? Sep 11, 2016 08:25

RealFoxy: May 11, 2011; I'm not making a fucking QCS thread for this but seriously can we take a harder stance on Kiwifarms freaks like this guy, Jesus Christ seriously, you used to be better at knocking these creeps down. I guess ADTRW mods aren't responsible like GBS mods are.

IWA Mid-south doesn't have a single star anymore. CM Punk was the biggest ever IWAMS star and he got his rear end handed to him tonight

# ? Sep 11, 2016 09:10

El Gallinero Gros: Mar 17, 2010

RealFoxy posted:

IWA Mid-south doesn't have a single star anymore. CM Punk was the biggest ever IWAMS star and he got his rear end handed to him tonight

Depending on your definition, Chris Hero still does shows for them sometimes. I mean, he's a star on the indies....

# ? Sep 11, 2016 15:18

C. Everett Koop: Aug 18, 2008

Durk Hendrunkqs posted:

Wait they're doing an IWA-MS war 2? The first one kinda sucked. Well it's cool that Gresham won the title but wtf.

ZANDIG/Ian exploding cage part 2 coming up book it deej

# ? Sep 11, 2016 18:50

coconono: Aug 11, 2004; KISS ME KRIS

RealFoxy posted:

IWA Mid-south doesn't have a single star anymore. CM Punk was the biggest ever IWAMS star and he got his rear end handed to him tonight

their regular draws are Gresham and Tremont. IWA hasn't done enough business this last decade to really cement their own exclusive guys.

# ? Sep 11, 2016 18:58

MrBling: Aug 21, 2003; Oozing machismo

I remember Gresham being pretty good in Chikara years ago, is he still tiny and superflippy?

# ? Sep 11, 2016 19:01

Durk Hendrunkqs: Dec 12, 2006; It's useless.

MrBling posted:

I remember Gresham being pretty good in Chikara years ago, is he still tiny and superflippy?

He still does flips but does a lot of clever holds and strikes. He's one of the best and super underrated imo.

# ? Sep 11, 2016 19:16

NuclearPotato: Oct 27, 2011

Gresham had a pretty good technical war with Mustifa Ali at the recent Freelance Wrestling/CZW show that's worth checking out.

# ? Sep 11, 2016 19:51

Durk Hendrunkqs: Dec 12, 2006; It's useless.

NuclearPotato posted:

Gresham had a pretty good technical war with Mustifa Ali at the recent Freelance Wrestling/CZW show that's worth checking out.

This on top of his matches in Beyond Wrestling with Hero, all 3 matches with ZSJ, Thatcher, Tremont, and John Silver.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28GNDkh95qw

Durk Hendrunkqs fucked around with this message at 20:09 on Sep 11, 2016

# ? Sep 11, 2016 20:05

Super No Vacancy: Jul 26, 2012

tuesday the last day to get tickets before friday's show

also announced jessicka havok, kongo kong, homicide

# ? Sep 12, 2016 02:12

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# ? Apr 25, 2024 16:21

El Estrago Bonito: Dec 17, 2010; Scout Finch Bitch

That trios match is gonna be on fire.

# ? Sep 12, 2016 02:13

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Sports Argument Stadium > The Hammer House: Stinger Splash Zone > JOHN FUCKING ZANDIG and other indies

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