Pro Wrestling: R held their third live event on March 20, 2022 with “As We Proceed” from the Super Krazee Wrestling Center in Westville, New Jersey. After two nights at the IMPACT tapings at the 2300 Arena, I was ready for some great live independent wrestling action. This show did not disappoint. Here’s what happened:
MATCH #1
BRAXX vs. TIM DYNAMITE
This match lasted under three minutes by my count with the stronger, more powerful Braxx maintaining control throughout most of the match. Tim Dynamite tried valiantly to rally. At one point a flying forearm from Dynamite looked to have stunned Braxx. However, when Tim Dynamite came off the ropes, Braxx hit a spinning uranage and slammed him viciously to the mat.
WINNER: BRAXX
MATCH #2
INJODIBLE MB vs. CEO DANIEL RILEY
This match was chaos from the moment the Bonnet Club entered the arena. James Gray brought his stuffed chair to watch the match from a comfortable position during the match alongside Cash Money Simon. CEO Daniel Riley was accompanied by his partner in The Throne, K.C. Lycan.
Riley attacked Injodible before the bell rang, but Injodible quickly gained control. With Riley on the outside, Injodible connected with a tope suicida to both members of The Throne. A dazed K.C. Lycan looked to the crowd and asked, “Did anyone get the license plate on that truck?”
The Throne spent much of the match setting up opportunities to double team Injodible behind the referee’s back, choking him in the corner. Later, with the referee distracted once again, Injodible MB picked Riley up in a fireman’s carry. K.C. Lycan snuck into the ring and speared Injodible and Riley fell on top of the fallen luchador for the pin.
WINNER: DANIEL RILEY
MATCH #3
GABBY ORTIZ vs. DAMARIS DAWKINS
Gabby Ortiz, who I first saw at Intergender Bonanza, and her opponent, Damaris Dawkins, were met with cheers as they made their way to the ring for this first ever Pro Wrestling: R women’s match. The two competitors shook hands before the bell rang.
The first half of the match saw the Ortiz and Dawkins working hard to gain an advantage over one another. After one of many resets, Ortiz seemed to get frustrated and started to use some underhanded tactics. Now in control, Ortiz hit a Northern Lights suplex, then used a reverse neck breaker to set up the finisher.
WINNER: GABBY ORTIZ
MATCH #4
CHRIS BARTON vs. DEVANTES
A power struggle started this match with each man looking to drop the other with a shoulder tackle. Neither man had any luck until, instead of waiting for the contact, Devantes dropped to the mat on his back and tripped Barton as he passed by.
The two big men started to crisscross until Devantes connected with a Monty Brown style pounce that floored Barton, but resulted in just a two count. Devantes chided the referee for his slow count, saying, “You are just mad because I’ve got a better beard than you!”
Late in the match, Barton slowed Devantes with a belly to belly suplex, a German suplex, and a Michinoku Driver. In the end, it was all Devantes. The Hoss of All Hosses nailed Barton with two spears, picked him up in a fireman’s carry, and connected with a modified F5 finisher.
WINNER: DEVANTES
MATCH #5
JAMES GRAY vs. K.C. LYCAN
Following the intermission, the battle between The Throne and The Bonnet Club resumed as “All Day” James Gray faced K.C. Lycan. Although Gray entered with a flurry of offense, Lycan quickly settled in a took control with a back elbow drop and some finger manipulation that made the lady sitting next to me wince.
As Lycan argued with the referee, James Gray surprised him with a running knee to the face. Lycan recovered with a running knee and a Canadian Destroyer. Gray countered with a uranage which left both men down.
The Throne attempted to finish off this match the same way they did the last one. With the referee once again distracted, Lycan held Gray as Riley snuck into the ring. This time, Gray managed to move out of the way as Riley dropkicked the unprepared Lycan. This allowed James Gray to get the pin and even the score with The Throne.
WINNER: JAMES GRAY
MATCH #6
TONY LEYENDA vs. ISAIAH WOLF
Here we started with Leyenda and Wolf nose-to-nose in the center of the ring. As the bell sounded Leyenda took control, at one point standing over the fallen Wolf and gyrating his hips to get heat with the crowd. Wolf got back up, shoved Leyenda, and said, “You hit like a bitch!” Leyenda responded with a running knee to stun Wolf. From there, Leyenda held him up vertical in suplex position for several seconds, even taking the time to pump his knees once, before dropping Wolf to the mat.
Later Wolf rallied and went to work on the leg of Tony Leyenda. Wolf wrapped Leyenda’s legs around the ring post and attacked them. Back in the ring, Wolf stomped on the leg. Then Wolf placed the leg on the ropes and stomped again. After a Dragon Screw leg whip rendered Leyenda unable to walk, Wolf looked around and noting the hushed silence, said, “You know it’s a good ass whoopin’ when everyone gets quiet”
Remarkably, Leyenda refused to give up. He managed to connect on two running elbows and a back suplex to slow Wolf’s momentum, then nailed him with a spine buster. A confident Leyenda signaled for the end and lifted Wolf up into power slam position. However, Wolf’s work earlier in the match paid off when Leyenda’s leg buckled. Wolf escaped Leyenda’s clutches and floored Leyenda with a Shining Wizard.
WINNER: ISAIAH WOLF
MATCH #7
“MACK DADDY” RON STARR (c) vs. ADRIAN BLISS
Before the contest could begin, old rivals Ron Starr and Adrian Bliss had an impromptu popularity contest. Not surprisingly, the fans were firmly behind the champ. However, when Starr took to the second rope once more, Bliss attacked him from behind. Several hard chops and an eye gouge by Bliss left the challenger in firm control. At one point, as shown in the photo above, Bliss sat on Starr’s back, gyrated a few times, and told the crowd, “I’m his daddy now!”
Bliss strode around the ring with a cocky attitude that told the crowd he had the match in hand. Bliss took to one corner and, in an exaggerated fashion, revved himself up to charge at Starr in the other corner. The theatrics gave the champ time to recover and avoid the oncoming Bliss. Starr hit his finisher and Bliss was done.
After the match, Isaiah Wolf came out to challenged Ron Starr once more for the PWR Heavyweight Championship. Wolf said he challenged Starr at the last event, Elevation, and now he is demanding, “GIVE ME MY SHOT!” Starr responded by saying he has seen dudes like Wolf come and go, but if the challenged is out there, it’s accepted.
WINNER: “MACK DADDY” RON STARR
MATCH #8
BATTLE ROYAL
Finally, it was time for the main event, which was advertised as a ten-man battle royal. Ring announcer Rich Reed explained that, out of the ten men, the top eight left in the battle royal would move on another contest at a later time. The battle royal eliminations occurred in the following order:
- DM Kiddeaux eliminated Reo Roman
- Boom Harden eliminated DM Kiddeaux
- Kris Bishop eliminated Adam Cain
- Tyger Watson eliminated Kris Bishop
- GKM eliminated Tyger Watson
- Samael Fawzi eliminated GKM
- Daniel Alexander eliminated Samael Fawzi
- Boom Harden eliminated Daniel Alexander
- Jermaine eliminated Boom Harden
WINNER: JERMAINE
Pro Wrestling: R returns for its next event “Rise” on May 22, 2022. The final eight wrestlers in the battle royal will compete in a tournament. They will be seeded according to order of elimination. Here are the brackets:
The Indy Wrestling Experience 