MCW Pro Wrestling held its latest show, “Bruiser Strong 2023” from the R.J. Meyer Arena in Joppa, Maryland on September 16, 2023. Here’s what happened:
MATCH #1
KING MCBRIDE vs. MECCA
The growing animosity between Ryan McBride and manager Andy Vineberg was on full display throughout this match. Vineberg did not accompany McBride to the ring, but came out to the entrance ramp, just moments into the match, looking unsure whether to get involved.
Mecca slowed McBride’s early momentum with an eye poke, but McBride returned fire with one of his own, then hit a flying cross body from the top rope for a near fall. At that point, Vineberg walked down to ringside, only for McBride to tell him to leave. Mecca used the distraction to attack McBride from behind.
Mecca locked McBride in an abdominal stretch, but soon was reversed as McBride grabbed one of his own. Mecca would escape the hold, but missed on an elbow drop before simultaneous clotheslines left both men down. McBride was up first and rallied with a back elbow to set up a back suplex. McBride’s weakened back gave out on the suplex and Mecca tried to capitalize off the ropes. However, McBride managed to counter the charging Mecca with a Blue Thunder Bomb followed by a top rope splash for a near fall.
Late in the match, Mecca again looked to capitalize when McBride’s back gave out as he attempted to lift Mecca onto the top turnbuckle. Mecca went for his “Mecca vs. Everybody” banner in the corner, but the referee took it from him. McBride attempted a low blow as the referee turned his back to set the flag down, but Mecca withstood the blow and hit a neck breaker to finally put McBride away. After the match, Vineberg berated McBride and slapped him in his face. Finally fed up, McBride clocked Vineberg and walked out.
WINNER: MECCA
MATCH #2
MUR MUR vs. DICK DYNAMO vs. JADIS QUINN vs. AUSTIN KINGSLEY V
BRUISER STRONG RUMBLE WILD CARD MATCH
This fatal four way match was a qualifier for the final spot in the eleven man Bruiser Strong Rumble for the MCW Championship later in the evening. The first half of the match saw various combinations of one-on-one battles between the four competitors until Austin Kingsley thwarted a three-man attempt to power bomb him from the top rope.
Kingsley fought off Dynamo, Quinn, and Mur Mur one by one to avoid the power bomb, then lifted Dick Dynamo into a fireman’s carry and used an airplane spin and Dynamo’s legs as a weapon against Quinn and Mur Mur. After dealing with some dizziness, Dynamo recovered and hit a nasty lariat to end Kingsley’s rally.
As the match wound down, Jadis Quinn lifted Mur Mur into a Gory Special and hit the bomb for a near fall. Kingsley broke up the pin and hit a driver on Quinn and went for the cover. Dick Dynamo broke up this pinfall attempt and rolled Kingsley up to earn a spot in the Bruiser Rumble.
WINNER: DICK DYNAMO
MATCH #3
CHRISTINA MARIE (c) vs. BRITTANY BLAKE
MCW WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Christina Marie and Brittany Blake started this match with some impressive chain wrestling that led to a reset. The champion took control with a lawn dart of Blake into one turnbuckle, then choked Blake with the middle rope and slammed Blake’s leg into the ring post.
The champion continued to dominate once the action returned to the ring, slowing things down with a submission hold on the mat. Blake escaped the hold and hit a cross body from the top rope, but the champion quickly locked Blake in another submission, this time a rear naked choke on the mat.
Blake would rally after a Samoan Drop and near fall by Christina Marie, though. Brittany hit an ensiguri, splash in the corner and a running knee strike for a near fall, then climbed to the top rope. The savvy champion would evade a Coup de Gras from Blake. Blake rolled through on the mat, but turned around just in time for Christina Marie to nail her with a spear.
WINNER: CHRISTINA MARIE
MATCH #4
THE HYPE vs. THE ZUKKOS vs. SIGMA MALES
TRIPLE THREAT TAG TEAM MATCH
The Zukkos, Ryan and Ronnie, struck first in the match with sharp double-team work against the Sigma Males, then the Sigma Males mounted some double team offense of their own. However, it was The Hype, Myron Malone and Khaz Lee, who took control of the match with a strategy of cutting off the ring to keep Ryan Zukko far away from any corner where he could find assistance.
Zukko took the first opportunity he could to tag his brother into the match. Quickly, Zukko knocked both Sigma Males off the apron and turned to take on both members of The Hype by himself. When a German Suplex to Malone resulted in a near fall, Zukko climbed to the top rope. Within seconds the Sigma Males and The Hype joined Zukko, with the result being a double power bomb to everyone by Steven Fuerte and Luke D. Johnson.
From there, the Sigma Males hit an elbow drop/back breaker combination move they call “The Panty Dropper” to Zukko and looked to end the match. Before they could, Malone and Lee rushed back into the ring and dispatched of Fuerte and Johnson. Alone in the ring with Ryan Zukko, Malone and Lee went for a double running knee strike, but missed. Ryan tagged Ronnie, held Khaz Lee as Ronnie came off the top rope with a stomp to the back, and made the cover.
WINNERS: THE ZUKKOS
MATCH #5
ZAKAR SHAH vs. GIA SCOTT
INTERGENDER MATCH
Zakar Shah got hit with a barrage of offense from Gia Scott as this match began, but regrouped quickly and used an eye rake and a lariat to take control of the match. At one point, Scott tried to fight back to her feet, but Shah pulled her down to the mat by her hair. Later, Scott got a boot up on a charging Shah, and jumped to the second rope and attempted a cross body, but Shah caught her in mid-air and converted into a fall away slam for a near fall.
As a confident Shah taunted Scott and the fans, Gia Scott hit a sudden Eat Defeat that left both competitors down on the mat. Scott was up first and hit three running elbows, a running boot, and went for a spine buster. Shah escaped the spine buster and rolled to the outside for a breather.
Impatient, Scott hit a basement dropkick under the bottom rope to Shah on the outside and threw Zakar back into the ring. Scott climbed to the top rope and, this time, hit the cross body for a near fall. Shah hit a strike off of the ensuing lockup and went for a suplex. Scott blocked the suplex and converted it into a small package to take home the victory.
WINNER: GIA SCOTT
MATCH #6
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT (c) vs. BLACK WALLSTREET
MCW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
The action spilled outside almost immediately once the match began, but order was somewhat restored when the competitors returned to the ring. Black Wallstreet used quick tags and cut off the ring to keep Spencer Slade from making the tag. Once he did, however, Slade and his teammate Tim Spriggs utilized the same strategy to keep Chuck Lennox far from his corner.
Twice, Tim Spriggs taunted Drolix until Drolix tried to run in only to be stopped by the referee. Each time, Slade and Spriggs used the distraction to double team Chuck Lennox. At one point, Lennox caught Slade in a small package for a near fall and started toward his corner, but Slade caught Lennox just in time to prevent the tag. Moments later, Lennox kicked out of an ankle lock, but Slade held onto Chuck’s leg to prevent yet another tag.
When Slade tagged Tim Spriggs, Lennox managed to break free and make the tag to Drolix. Drolix hit the ring on fire and dropped Spriggs as Slade re-entered to assist his partner. Cassius “Cash” Carter ran in, as well, and got hit with a 3D from Black Wallstreet which brough the crowd to their feet.
In the commotion, though, Tim Spriggs hit Drolix with a low blow and followed with an urunage to Chuck Lennox. Spriggs tagged Slade and climbed to the top rope. Slade lifted Lennox into a fireman’s carry as Spriggs came off the top rope with a spinning upper cut and Capital Punishment retained the tag titles.
WINNERS: CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
MATCH #7
KEN DIXON vs. ALEC ODIN‘S REPLACEMENT
In a pre-show interview, Ken Dixon sought assurances from MCW General Manager Phil Stamper that Dixon would, indeed, get Alec Odin in the ring. Despite those assurances, Odin refused to wrestle. Odin made it as far as the entrance ramp, but grabbed a microphone and explained that he was not going to wrestle no matter what the people of Joppa, Maryland had to say about it.
In his stead, Odin brought out a replacement opponent for Dixon. This person was never formally introduced to us, leading to chants of “Who are you? Who are you?” As this unfolded, I began thinking that I would caption this match “Ken Dixon vs. Enhancement Talent” in what I assumed would be a squash that led to the Dixon/Odin match. I was wrong on both counts.
Odin’s replacement opponent was no scrub. He kept Ken Dixon fighting for his life for the majority of a match which, by my count, lasted almost ten minutes. As Odin watched from afar, though, Dixon eventually started to put Odin’s replacement away. Dixon escaped a double underhook suplex, countered with a ripcord punch and back breaker, and hit his fireman’s carry flapjack finisher for the win.
Odin rushed the ring once the match was over, but the effort turned out to be a bluff. As Odin retreated toward the dressing room, Dixon took the microphone and called Odin a chicken. Dixon said Odin’s parents might not have taught him to finish his fights, but he soon would. To be continued…
WINNER: KEN DIXON
MATCH #8
11 MAN BRUISER RUMBLE
MCW HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
The main event of the evening was the 11 man Bruiser Rumble which is much like WWE’s Royal Rumble with one notable difference. Once the champion, Robert Locke, entered the match at Number 11, eliminations switched from over the top rope to pinfall/submission only. Here was the order of entry:
- Big A.C.
- DeMarcus Kane
- Dick Dynamo
- Dirty Money
- Brandon Scott
- Miami Mike Walker
- Myles Hawkins
- Kekoa
- Alex Divine
- Joe Keys
- Robert Locke
With the first five competitors still in the match, Robert Locke appeared on the video monitor. He called for DeMarcus Kane to pay attention as the camera panned to Zakar Shah holding Gia Scott. Locke said he would let Scott go if Kane voluntarily eliminated himself from the rumble. Shockingly, Kane agreed. Not surprisingly, Shah and Locke attacked Scott anyway.
Later, Kekoa hit Big A.C., Adonis Cole, with a superkick that should have eliminated the big man. Instead, The Hype ran in from the back and held Cole on the apron to prevent him from hitting the floor. Big A.C. got up onto the apron and incredibly threw Kekoa over the top rope to the floor with just one hand.
Before A.C. could admire his accomplishment, Myles Hawkins pushed A.C. off the apron and onto the floor. Furious, Cole jumped back onto the apron and, with the help of Brandon Scott, eliminated Myles Hawkins. Security descended on the area as Hawkins and A.C. fought toward the back. The next thing I know, I turned to see Hawkins hurl himself off the entrance ramp onto Cole on the floor as they continued to fight back to the dressing room.
The final five competitors remaining after the champion entered were Alex Divine, Joe Keys, Brandon Scott, Miami Mike Walker, and Robert Locke. Keys hit a Sister Abigail to Divine to eliminate Alex, then tried the same thing on Miami Mike Walker. Walker reversed Keys with a roll up to eliminate Joe. Locke and Scott grabbed and held Miami Mike and encouraged Joe Keys to take a free shot. Keys thought about it for a moment, but decided to leave instead.
Robert Locke grabbed a chair as Brandon Scott continued to hold Walker. Locke went to swing the chair, but Mike moved. Scott stopped the chair before being struck, but lost sight of Mike Walker who rolled Brandon up for another elimination. Locke grabbed the MCW Championship belt from the corner and rubbed it in Walker’s face until the referee took it away from the champion. As the referee placed the belt back in the corner, Walker rolled Locke up for what should have been the victory.
Unfortunately, the referee did not turn back around in time to make a timely count and Locke kicked out a two. Walker hit a rolling neck breaker from the top rope for another fall which brought Christina Marie and Zakar Shah from the back to assist Locke. Amazingly, Miami Mike dispatched both of them and hit his finisher on Locke. This time, Scott pulled the referee outside the ring before the three count. The referee returned as Locke hit a full nelson slam and made the cover for a controversial, but successful, title defense.
WINNER: ROBERT LOCKE
MCW Pro Wrestling’s next event is coming up in six days with MCW Ladies’ Night 3 from the R.J. Meyer Arena on September 22, 2023. Check the MCW Pro Wrestling website and/or Facebook page for more information.
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