Virginia Championship Wrestling made its debut in Alexandria, Virginia with an event held at the Leonard “Chick” Armstrong Recreation Center November 11, 2023. Here’s what happened:
MATCH #1
CHRIS SLADE vs. DIRTY MONEY
After the roar of cheers for Dirty Money finally died down, this match started with a flurry of offense that ended with a hurricanrana from Chris Slade. Moments later, however, Dirty Money evened the score by sending Slade crashing outside the ring and followed with a slingshot plancha to the floor.
Once the action returned to the ring, Slade turned the tide back in his favor with a roll-through snap mare into a leaping back kick. Dirty Money would reverse a whip into the ropes with a reverse neck breaker and an elbow drop as he tried to slow the match down somewhat to neutralize Slade’s quickness.
Dirty Money hit a series of low kicks and a basement elbow strike for a near fall, then thwarted a Slade rally with a Blue Thunder Bomb reversal as Slade came off the ropes. When that, again, garnered just a two count, Dirty Money looked for the submission with a Boston Crab.
Slade managed to reach the ropes to force a break, but soon found himself trapped in one corner with Dirty Money standing over him on the second rope hurling blows as the fans counted along. Suddenly, Slade slipped out between Dirty Money’s legs and hit a springboard back kick and an elbow drop for a near fall.
Both men rose to their feet simultaneously and exchanged blows on their feet in the center of the ring. Dirty Money hit a leaping reverse neck breaker for a near fall, then Slade escaped a press slam, leapt high in the air and connected with a missile dropkick for another near fall. Slade climbed to the top rope, but Dirty Money evaded Slade’s top rope maneuver and countered with a spinebuster for the win.
WINNER: DIRTY MONEY
MATCH #2
KINGSGLAIVE vs. THE HYPE
The Hype had all the momentum as this match got underway. Myron Malone hit a cazadora and drop kick on Max Zero, then brought Khaz Lee in and suplexed him face-first onto Zero. Sensing the danger, Travis Huckabee ran in to save his partner and, soon, all four men were in the ring.
Lee and Malone sent Huckabee and Zero to opposite corners, stood over them on the second rope, and pummeled each with strikes as the fans counted along. Zero rolled out of the ring, leaving Huckabee alone in the ring as the impending recipient of a double running knee strike from The Hype. Luckily for Huckabee, he saw the move coming and rolled out of the ring at the last second.
When Malone and Lee approached the edge of the ring to call Kingsglaive back in, Zero pulled Malone out by his feet while Huckabee snapped Lee’s neck on the middle rope. When the action returned to the ring, Huckabee and Zero cut off the ring to maintain their advantage and keep Lee from tagging out.
Lee attempted to mount a rally, but Huckabee and Zero paired up to subdue him momentarily. Not too long after, Lee tried to fight back again, but seemed unable to even stand on his feet after the punishment from Kingsglaive. Finally, though, Lee evaded a charging Huckabee in one corner, followed with a back suplex and crawled to the corner to make the tag to Malone.
At the same time, Huckabee tagged Max Zero, who soon found himself on the receiving end of a hurricanrana from Malone then sent him crashing to the outside. Khaz Lee hit a basement dropkick to Zero on the outside and Malone came right behind with a tope suicida that brought the crowd to its feet.
Lee re-entered briefly, but was soon sent out of the ring by Kingsglaive so they could focus on Myron Malone. Max Zero seemed sure to end the match with a Big Ending, but Lee pulled Zero out by his feet before a pinfall could be counted, then hit Huckabee with an ensiguri from the apron. With the odds in their favor, Malone and Lee again set up for the double knee strike hit it and took home the victory.
WINNERS: THE HYPE
MATCH #3
GEORGE WASHINGTON MEMORIAL PARKWAY BATTLE ROYAL
The George Washington Parkway Battle Royal was announced as a ten-person battle royal to earn a VCW Liberty Title match at Tidings of Destruction on December 2. The participants in the match were:
- Chulo Montana
- Hoss Hagood
- DK Vandu
- Darien Hardway
- Big AC
- Saul Esparza
- Papadon
- Mikey Banker
- Jet Jaghori
- Adrianna
One of the highlight clashes of the match was Big AC coming face-to-face with Hoss Hagood, eventually leading to the unthinkable when Hoss Hagood lifted Big AC over his head and slammed him hard down to the mat. To put that in perspective, it took six other competitors, all working together, just to get AC over the top rope to eliminate him a short time later.
The final three competitors in the match were Papadon, Saul Esparza and Hoss Hagood. Esparza and Papadon agreed to work together to eliminate Hoss Hagood, but neither could resist double crossing the other. Papadon and Esparza shook hands, but both tried to kick the other in the midsection, and caught the other’s foot.
As they slowly, and with distrust of each other, attempted to releasee the other’s foot, Hoss Hagood recovered from the previous double team and clotheslined them both. With a clear path to victory, Hagood looked to eliminate both men but was hindered when Neil Sharkey grabbed his boot from outside the ring. Hagood turned toward Sharkey and Papadon came from behind to toss the Hoss over the top rope. Seconds later, Saul Esparza did the same thing to Papadon.
WINNER: SAUL ESPARZA
MATCH #4
DEVANTES, DEZMON KING & REX LAWLESS vs. BRANDON SCOTT, TOMMY SETO & PHIL BROWN
SIX MAN TAG TEAM MATCH
Brandon Scott had some success against Devantes as this match got underway, but hit a brick wall when Rex Lawless entered the match. Lawless tossed Scott around the ring like a rag doll until Scott tagged out to Phil Brown. The two giant big men exchanged words in the center of the ring, then tried to topple the other. When that led to a stalemate, Lawless hit a knee to the midsection and went for a body slam. Brown escaped and lifted Lawless for a slam, but Lawless escaped and pushed Brown into his corner.
There, Devantes and Dezmon King helped triple-team Brown until Scott and Tommy Seto ran in to make the save. Devantes, Lawless and King rolled out of the ring, bided their time, then pulled Seto, Scott and Brown out with them leading to a multi-man ringside brawl.
When order was restored, it was poor Brandon Scott looking up at Rex Lawless again. This time, Scott tried to slam Lawless, but could not even get Rex off his feet. However, it took just one axe handle from Lawless to drop Scott like a bag of rocks. From there, Lawless sent Scott into his corner where Devantes and King assisted in the triple-team yet again.
When Dezmon King missed a senton, Brandon Scott made the tag to Tommy Seto who quickly hit a jumping leg lariat for a near fall. Devantes tripped Seto from the outside which set up a Dezmon King lariat that put their team back in control momentarily. Eventually, though, Seto evaded a cannonball senton in the corner and made the tag to Phil Brown.
Brown single handedly took on King, Devantes and Lawless, setting each up in separate corners for splash after splash, alternating between all three. Brown followed with an urunage to Dezmon King, and superkicks for Lawless and Devantes. Brown made the cover, but King broke it up.
Brown got up and threw Dezmon King out, but Devantes came from behind with a nasty spear to Phil Brown. Tommy Seto came behind and hit an Olympic Slam on Devantes. King hit an over-the-shoulder cutter to Seto, turned around, and got hit with another super kick from Phil Brown. Lawless followed behind Brown with a sit-out choke bomb.
Brandon Scott came behind Lawless and finally slammed the big man, then turned around to see a Devantes spear coming his direction. Scott moved, jumped to the second rope, and hit the springboard cutter to bring this chaotic contest to a close.
WINNER: BRANDON SCOTT, TOMMY SETO & PHIL BROWN
MATCH #5
NYLA ROSE vs. HYENA HERA
Realizing the uphill battle she was facing in this match, Hyena Hera got a head start and ambushed Nyla Rose before the opening bell. Soon, it became apparent why Hera needed that advantage, though, as Nyla Rose took control using her power and began to dominate.
Nyla thwarted a Hera rally attempt with a headbutt and back suplex, then stood over the seated Hyena and unloaded with a barrage of strikes. Rose slammed Hera twice and went for a third. Hera escaped and tried to mount another comeback with a series of strikes and got on Rose’s back with a sleeper hold. Rose easily backed Hera into one corner, then whipped her across the ring face-first into another. Rose followed with a back elbow, clothesline and choke slam.
Somehow, Hyena Hera kept fighting. She rolled to the apron after the choke slam and connected with a scissor kick as Rose put her head through the ropes. Rose fell to the floor and a short ringside brawl ensued. Hera made it back into the ring before Rose, connected with a kick as Rose re-entered, and came off the ropes for more offense.
At that point, Rose reversed Hera with a sidewalk slam for a near fall, a splash for another near fall, and a German suplex. Rose lifted Hera up for a power bomb, but Hera escaped. Hera charged, but Rose pulled the ropes down and sent Hyena crashing to the outside floor once again. Hera made it to the apron, but Rose draped her neck across the middle rope and came off the top rope with a knee to the back of the head for the win.
After the match, Tim Loulies came out and confronted Nyla Rose. Loulies continued to, inaudibly (bad microphone), berate Rose until Nyla got fed up, knocked him out cold with one punch, then climbed to the top for a Swanton Bomb that shut Loulies up for good.
WINNER: NYLA ROSE
MATCH #6
THE BOAR (c) vs. JOSEPH KEYS
VCW VIRGINIA HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
The Boar tried to end this match in just seconds with a spear and a quick cover. When that garnered just a two count, Boar clotheslined Keys over the top rope. When Keys returned, Boar lifted him up for a slam and got poked in the eye. Keys shoved Boar out of the ring this time and followed right behind.
Keys returned to the ring first and attacked Boar when the champion tried to re-enter as well. Keys hit a DDT from the apron for a near fall, then hit two knee drops and grabbed a rear chin lock on the mat. Keys continued to slow things down and keep Boar under control until Boar escaped a potential Tornado DDT and connected with a lariat that left both men down.
Boar made it to his feet first and looked for a double underhook maneuver. Keys reversed and tried to hit Keys to Victory. Boar escaped that and lifted Keys up for a fireman’s carry takeover for a near fall. The champion tried to follow with an urunage, but Keys reversed into a DDT, then came off the ropes with a spear for his own near fall.
Keys got another near fall with a spinning slingshot suplex, then climbed to the top rope. Boar got to his feet and used a boot to knock Keys down, then connected with ten punches as Key remained slumped on the top turnbuckle. Boar climbed up, but Keys slipped down and power bombed the champion back to the mat.
Keys climbed back to the top and hit a diving headbutt, but could not seal the victory. As frustration set in, Keys retrieved the championship belt and looked to attack Boar with it. The referee stopped Keys in time and took the belt as Boar got up and hit Keys with a boot and an urunage.
From there, Boar climbed to the top rope. Keys leapt to his feet and jumped up to the top with Boar. Boar knocked Keys off and hit a flying elbow drop that, again, left both men down. Boar called for the end and went to spear Joseph Keys, but Keys pulled the referee into Boar’s path.
With the referee knocked out cold, The Reason ran in with “The Director” Jerry Stephanitsis at his side, and hit Boar with a spine buster. Keys made the cover as the referee came to, but Boar kicked out. From there, the challenger hit Keys to Victory and became the new VCW Virginia Heavyweight Champion.
WINNER AND NEW CHAMPION: JOSEPH KEYS
MATCH #7
LOGAN EASTON LAROUX vs. WHEELER YUTA
LOGAN EASTON LAROUX FAREWELL MATCH
The crowd erupted when Logan Easton Laroux entered the venue for the final match of his career. So much so, that the expected overwhelming response for AEW’s Wheeler Yuta was completely overshadowed. As expected, these two skilled ring technicians started with some impressive chain wrestling, with the exchange of holds and counter-holds leading to multiple resets.
Laroux called for a test of strength, but Yuta went with a boot shot to the midsection instead. Laroux countered with a hurricanrana off of an Irish Whip, followed by a plancha to the outside. Yuta managed to evade the plancha and attacked Laroux, at one point pushing Laroux into the post.
Back inside the ring, Yuta tried to slow things down for a while with deliberate strikes to set up a bow and arrow submission on the mat that converted into a rear chin lock. When Laroux started to mount a rally, Yuta threw him over the top rope. Laroux hit a shoulder tackle from the apron, then reversed an Irish Whip with a Sunset Flip and grabbed an ankle lock in the center of the ring.
Yuta escaped and pushed Laroux into the corner, but Laroux jumped up and hit a moonsault from the top rope that left both men down. Yuta was up first and charged Laroux in the corner, but Logan got a boot up and hit a flying forearm that sent Yuta out of the ring. Now in control, Laroux nailed Yuta with a tope suicida, tossed him back into the ring and connected with a brain buster for a near fall.
Next, Laroux tried a cutter, but Yuta reversed into a sleeper hold. Laroux reversed that into a Northern Lights suplex for a near fall. Yuta returned fire with a hard punch, a running back elbow and a modified Saito suplex for a near fall, then gestured that he was about to finish off Logan Easton Laroux.
Suddenly, Laroux rolled Yuta up for near fall then hit a German Suplex. Yuta jumped up and hit his own German Suplex. Laroux jumped up and hit a running boot. Yuta countered with a cazadora roll up and a double stomp that left both men down. Yuta and Laroux exchanged strikes on their knees, then on their feet. Laroux came off the ropes to get more oomph on his punch, then climbed to the top and hit a missile drop kick.
The savvy Wheeler Yuta took his arm band off and tossed it in the referee’s direction to create a distraction just long enough for Yuta to choke Laroux. Yuta hit a piledriver for an near fall, then another, and climbed to the top rope. Yuta flew from the top turnbuckle as Laroux jumped high into the air to reverse Yuta with a cutter.
Laroux made the cover, but Yuta got his foot on the ropes to force a break. Back on his feet, Laroux accidentally pushed Yuta toward the referee. With the official’s vision blocked, Yuta hit a low blow on Laroux and rolled him up for the victory. After the match, Yuta and Laroux embraced in a show of good sportsmanship.
Yuta took the microphone and extolled Laroux’s virtues then, naturally, betrayed and attacked Logan. In the final surprise of the evening, it was Sonjay Dutt who ran in to make the save and chase off Wheeler Yuta. With Yuta gone, Dutt grabbed the microphone and had more nice things to say about the departing Logan Easton Laroux.
WINNER: WHEELER YUTA
Virginia Championship Wrestling returns with Tidings of Destruction from the Norfolk Masonic Temple in Norfolk, Virginia on December 2, 2023. Keep an eye on VCW’s website for more information and match announcements as they become available.
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