ClassicsGuy

Genuinely bummed out about both Wade & Paige losing their titles.

Gutted for Wade - bad injury & gone for months, just when he was really getting over & you could tell that they were actually getting behind him.

Didn't like the way Paige dropped the title either. Didn't sit well with me, made it look like she was simply a placeholder champ whilst AJ had been gone. Paige deserves better than that.

- Didn't Uhaa Nation say at 'Supershow 4' that he was coming back in November and begged Fludder for a title shot? It'd be awesome if Nation (and Chris Masters for that matter) were here and part of Team PCW for the weekend...

Great write up as always Big Benny! Always enjoy your posts/thoughts. It's a very exciting time for PCW, the promotion has a ton of momentum right now. If anyone is thinking of going to the PCW/ROH shows, I suggest you get your tickets ASAP, as the PCW Facebook page has suggested the shows may sell out tonight, if not in a few days time.

Regarding Uhaa Nation, he is definitely on the shows in November & Fludder announced at Supershow 4 that he'd get a PCW title shot at one of the Supershow 5 shows.

The November shows will be patterned after the ROH/New Japan shows, in that night 1 will be a mix of PCW vs PCW and ROH vs ROH matches, and day/night 2 will be Dream interpromotional matches.

Amazing. Looks like Team Single vs DEM BOYS~ is ON!

 

Line-up subject to change and all but Michael Elgin, Kyle O'Reilly, Bobby Fish, Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Delirious, ACH, Cedric Alexander and BJ Whitmer are all featured on the poster.

 

Surprised and happy about ACH and Alexander. I would've thought PCW would have gotten ROH's biggest "touring" names like Styles,Matt Hardy, Hero, Young Bucks, Bennett and Maria and Jay Lethal to appeal to the casuals more.

Styles, Hardy and Hero aren't under contract to ROH. Not sure about Young Bucks.

I don't think PCW would have Styles back, not after the Lionheart incident & what Styles has said since.

Becky Lynch's Irish dancing gimmick is utterly cringeworthy. She looks like she's never done Irish dancing in her life, which makes it far worse. Actually saying 'diddly dee, diddly dee' as she's doing it - so bad! Why on earth they would give her that, I have no idea.

Attendance for today, as confirmed by both Steve Fludder on his Facebook and Preston City Council was that just under 4000 fans were there! Apparently the market square where the event was held holds 7000 people when full, and from above you could see that the square was more than half full.

4000 fans for a wrestling show, even free, is fantastic. It was a great setting, with all the army stuff, and PCW were extremely well organised as well. They really are absolute quality when it comes to putting on a show.

Random thoughts:

After years of the 'Dar-Dar-DarDar' chants for Noam Dar, he only gets accompanied to the ring by DARTH VADER~! That was so awesome haha. Darth Vader also got involved in the post match too, distracting Kirby.

Zack Gibson replacing Cyanide as Mastiff's opponent was a huge substitution and made the match a zillion times better (no offence to Cyanide). A large amount of the crowd knew Gibson had been a Rosebud and chanted Adam Rose's theme at him as well as Cheeseburger. Heel Gibson was hilarious, saying indignantly, "I got paid a lot of money for doing that!" and regarding the Cheeseburger chants, "They're chanting your order, Dave" (to Mastiff). Gibson is so great.

Travis vs Ligero was a good match, but it struggled with heat and reactions because it was face vs face and this was a really broad-based mainstream crowd who wanted simple face vs heel matches. The crowd were into the match, and it was technically sound and in another environment would have been great, but it was a wrong fit for this crowd. Not a knock on anyone though, just one of those things.

Manson & Hope's comedy acts got over huge with the large crowd.

Allmark is a very smart guy, wrapped himself in the Union Jack and got the flagwaving crowd well into him for his match vs Bubblegum.

Team Single vs Masters & Rayne was fantastic. A genuine brawl into the crowd and out on to the high street. A legit streetfight!

Crowd loved Carlito. 8 man tag main event was a lot of fun and ended the show on a happy note.

This whole event was a total home run by PCW and an inspired publicity stunt. I think a lot of new fans who weren't aware of PCW were created today. It felt like a very special event in a great outdoors setting. Very memorable indeed. It was taped for DVD too, so this will be a release to look out for.

Given that they just reunited the Dudleys, and are bringing Matt in to reunite the Hardys, I can see them doing a Hardys vs Team 3D match

Called it.

And some people disagreed with me, saying TNA would save it for a ppv. LOL, as if, this is TNA.

Pwinsider has also noted that Thursday and Friday both drew 1200 sellouts, that came from Mike Johnson who was there.

As JNLister noted, there physically can't be 1200 people in the building due to the ring, as well as the stage TNA has set up.

Manhattan Center site lists the capacity as 1,200 for concerts, which is standing and without a ring in the middle of the floor.

 

The August shows have just over 1100 seats available at the moment according to Ticketmaster's choose-your-seat map, though that could well be reduced based on this week's performance.

Yeah, it depends on what configuration a promotion sets up the hall for.

I was there in the building for ROH's tv taping last year, day before WM29, and they did 850 fans, and the place wasn't sold out.

Meltzer explicitly said on the Wednesday night audio on the Observer site (between 4:40 and 6:10) that TNA had set these buildings up for 800 fans and that they only drew 650 fans the first night.

So dixie took the bump just for the 1200 people there? It isnt even going to be on tv?( i get they probaly wouldnt get it shown) whats the point in doing it then if they cant even build a story around it.

 

Manhattan Center capacity is 800 fans, maximum.

 

No, it's 1,200.

Meltzer said the TNA tapings are set up for 800 fans.

They drew 650 fans on Wednesday night, and 800 fans (sellouts) on Thursday and Friday night.

So dixie took the bump just for the 1200 people there? It isnt even going to be on tv?( i get they probaly wouldnt get it shown) whats the point in doing it then if they cant even build a story around it.

Manhattan Center capacity is 800 fans, maximum.

What's with all the mannequin heads in the crowd? Were they part of an angle or did people just rock up with them?

TNA production crew handed them out. It gave away who Team 3D's mystery partner was, like, but I doubt TNA really cared, given it was all geared for TV anyway.

The very latest, as per Steve Fludder on the PCW Facebook, is that the show WILL GO AHEAD OUTSIDE, as the latest forecasts are that rain won't happen until 6pm.

The shows' start time is now 2:30pm, moved a little bit earlier, as they want to finish earlier before the rain is supposed to start.

Actually, you may be right Big Benny HG - Steve Fludder said on BBC Radio Lancashire this afternoon that the wrestling show will run from 3pm to 6pm! All the posters meanwhile say 2pm to 5pm!

So who knows.... best advice is to get there early!

The fans chanting sounds a bit of a shame since TNA were there to impress Spike. To anyone who isn't a wrestling fan (who expects that kind of thing,) executives must have walked away think "god that crowd hated pretty much everything"

I think the fact they couldn't even fill an 800-seater capacity ballroom in New York for an international tv taping of their flagship show would probably have more of a detrimental impact on Spike tv executives than a few smarks chanting dumb things.

Line-up for the FREE outdoor show this Saturday (starts 3pm, I think), then:

 

PCW Heavyweight Title:

Carlito Caribbean Cool vs. Joey Hayes

 

PCW Tag Team Title:

Chris Masters & Dave Rayne vs. Rampage Brown & T-Bone

 

PCW Cruiserweight Title:

Bubblegum vs. Dean Allmark

 

El Ligero vs. Kris Travis

 

Noam Dar vs. Martin Kirby

 

Dave Mastiff vs. Cyanide

 

Plus: Mad Man Manson, Danny Hope, Lana Austin and Jenna.

 

That's more like the lineup you'd get on a full, proper show rather than the usual showcase festival type of thing. Looks terrific. It's also a great opportunity for them to capture some sweet-looking footage in front of a potentially massive crowd, which could have all kinds of beneficial promotional use going forward.

 

If Mastiff vs. Cyanide manages to capture the intensity of their awesome 2013 FutureShock bouts, I reckon that'll be the one people come away talking about.

Agree with all of that. Looking forward to Saturday. By the way, the show starts at 2pm, not 3pm. Don't miss the first hour!

Whenever I watch ROH, whether it's a wrestler or on commentary they always put over the past champions no longer with the company. A glaring emission seems to be Austin Aries. Is there a particular reason why he isn't mentioned in the same way as Joe despite being with the company much longer and more recently?

He's been very critical of ROH and doesn't get on with Joe Koff. He left under something of a cloud in 2010, and has been quite outspoken about the promotion since then (though not recently). He did an interview in 2012 where he called the promotion 'a shell of its' former self'.

No idea. They didn't take Ricochet and Adam Cole either, and I thought they were going to be snapped up.

 

A mate told me that Ricochet turned up, and because lots of less experienced guys were buzzing around him and acting impressed and like he was a big deal, they decided not to sign him. Presumably so he knows he isn't a big deal. Which leaves him no worse than he already was, and means they've missed out on a prospect by choice. Great.

 

Take it with a pinch of salt, mind. My mate probably read it on LOP.

That actually came from Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez' audio show a few weeks ago.

The other thing said was that Ricochet never got signed because he's a small high flyer and they think they already have enough of those.

I think the idea for Elgin becoming ROH champion has been there for a while and has little to do with the fact he got turned down by WWE & New Japan.

Karl Anderson is booking the foreigners for New Japan now, so Elgin not getting signed up could be something as simple as Elgin & Anderson not getting along personally.

Bubba confirmed in a recent interview that he was together with Brooke Hogan in real life and is currently in a relationship with Velvet Sky

 

Didn't that whole storyline get dropped because Brooke Hogan got engaged IRL to her actual boyfriend? Sounds like Bully kayfabing in interviews again, though a lot of places have picked up on the Velvet Sky thing.

Bully Ray is absolutely horrendous for kayfabing during interviews. There's been a few embarrassing ones that he's done over the past 12 months with various UK publications. They're so awkward to read too, he comes off so silly when he pretends all of his outlandish storylines are real. He also gets extremely defensive about any sort of criticism at all, and nearly always plays the 'You're not in the business, your opinion doesn't matter and/or is wrong' card when he hears an unpalatable truth he doesn't like.

Given that they just reunited the Dudleys, and are bringing Matt in to reunite the Hardys, I can see them doing a Hardys vs Team 3D match, or maybe even a Hardys vs Team 3D vs Wolves TLC match at the NYC tapings.

They're clearly going all out to try to make these NYC shows half-way decent. The tickets weren't selling well by all accounts.

Rumour has it that they need these shows to be a success, to impress the NYC-based Spike tv officials, so that they can get a new tv deal.

By the way, Matt is still wrestling on the ROH ppv on June 22, a few days before going to TNA on June 25th. He just confirmed it on his Twitter.

That will be an interesting reception from the ROH fans!

Matt Hardy has gone back to TNA, reuniting the Hardy Boys tag team with Jeff. Advertised for TNA's NYC tv tapings.

Still wrestling on the ROH ppv though.

More stuff announced for PCW Tribute to the Troops on June 28th:

Main event (as predicted):

Also:

Hayes vs Carlito should be a really good match.

Intrigued about the debuts of Jenna & Lana! I'm aware of Lana (T-Bone's girlfriend I believe) and have enjoyed her in both Infinite Promotions & HXC. Never seen Jenna in action before.

I think a womens division is something different that PCW can add at this point. April Davids could do with a homegrown rival or two. I wonder if this will eventually lead to a PCW Womens' title?

Its not been a good week for podcasts and PCW. Court Bauer on MLW/LAW Radio's Bauer and Pollock was speaking about it like it was a shindy (even though he works for ROH). Also Styles on Talk is Jericho wasn't a fan of Lionheart and his writings.

Lionheart wasn't a fan of what Styles said on Jericho's podcast and voiced his displeasure on Twitter. To be honest, Styles seemed to be in total denial that the Styles Clash move is in any way dangerous. He very unfairly buried Lionheart as a rookie, when Lionheart has been wrestling for 12 years and has faced the likes of Jeff Jarrett in the past on a TNA show, as well as other international stars.

PCW got excellent press in the Wrestling Observer newsletter this past week, talking about how good the Supershow 4 weekend was and putting over both Kris Travis and Mark Andrews. It is very rare indeed for a U.K. indy to get any sort of coverage in the Observer.

Both Hurricane Helms & Kyle O'Reilly also raved about PCW on Twitter following the weekend. In the past Michael Elgin, Kevin Steen and Steve Corino have also heavily praised PCW on Twitter. PCW has a very good rep amongst U.S. & international stars, and very good links with ROH, given that in this year alone, they've had the ROH TV Champion, Tomasso Ciampa, ROH Tag Champs, reDRagon, ROH commentator Steve Corino, all on PCW shows. With Michael Elgin on the August show too, in his second appearance for PCW.

Jabs about professionalism in a promotional post with that many sloppy SPAG errors.... japes.

 

Also, for taking such a pop like that in a thinly-veiled reference to Lionheart's injury, Jarrett has just convinced me to never buy a ticket for one of his shows again.

The sad thing is, he's digging a bigger hole for himself by claiming on Twitter to not know who Lionheart is. Not only is that an obvious lie (for many reasons - his remarks were about 'Styles' last time in the U.K., so he knows; the injury was very well-publicised, with people from WWE & TNA who had never even met Lionheart tweeting him well wishes at the time of his injury; coupled with the fact the same guy earlier was tweeting about how good Styles interview was on Jericho's podcast - where they talked about Lionheart's injury vs Styles!), but it also makes him look like a very poor promoter, if he supposedly 'doesn't know' who one of the U.K.'s top in-ring talents is; somebody who has had multiple tryout matches with both TNA & WWE, and been on the cover of Fight Spirit Magazine (small photo, issue 105).

Pretty disgraceful comments from Jarrett. Very sad that he would even feel the need to resort to such dirty tactics to promote his show. I guess he's just desperate for attention.

Anyway, a 5th match has been announced for PCW Tribute to the Troops:

Apparently Joey Hayes and Chris Masters have been allowed to select each others opponents for this show, ahead of their showdown on August 1st. This match was Hayes' choice for Masters.

I strongly suspect that Joey Hayes vs Carlito will be Masters' choice for Hayes, but we'll find out shortly.

TNA viewership fell below 1 million last night, doing just 993,000. They were going head to head with a big NBA game (12.6m), but even so. The same happened last year and they did 1.1m viewers, against an NBA game watched by more people (14.2m).