www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.php?id=105200&p=1KURT ANGLE VS. JOE HENDRY, DOUG WILLIAMS VS. CODY RHODES AND MORE: REFUSE TO LOSE' iPPV ON FITETV COVERAGE
By Mike Johnson on 2016-10-06 12:35:00
Welcome to PWInsider.com's live, ongoing coverage of What Culture Pro Wrestling's iPPV "Refuse to Lose" streaming live on FiteTV
PLEASE NOTE - Any use of the initial WCPW in the course of this coverage denotes What Culture Pro Wrestling promotion out of Great Britain, not the WCPW promotion and trademark owned by Mr. James Duck in the United States.
The broadcast opened with a long video on the promotion.
Your announcers are WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross, Jim Cornette and Alex Shane. It's the first time Cornette and Ross have done commentary together in forever. They are having some issues with the audio mix.
Bret Hart came out. The place went nuts. I don't think they knew he was going to appear. Hart gave a nice speech putting over the fans and said some of the best wrestlers in the world are here. He said that he's had dreams of wrestling Kurt Angle and if he could return to the ring one more time, it would be against Angle. He said Cody Rhodes was one of the best wrestlers in the world. He put over Jim Ross as the best announcer of all time.
Hart asked for the WCPW Tag Team belts to be brought out. He said that tag team wrestling was something he prided himself on. The belts were brought out for him. He said they were great and that the wrestlers were going to put on a great show and make the belts mean something as new champions were going to be crowned today. He said that he loved his time wrestling with Jim Neidhart. Manager James R. Kennedy came out and his team The Prospect tried to surround and bully Bret but a number of babyfaces hit the ring and backed them down.
Socal Val came out to ring announcer.
Minoru Suzuki vs. "Iron Man" Joe Coffey.
Jim Cornette put over Suzuki as one of the true Japanese Legends and one of the architects of Pancreases. The crowd sang the melody of "Iron Man" at Coffey as he came to the ring.
They noted that while the piledriver is usually banned in WCPW, the match is being held under Pro Wrestling NOAH rules, so it is legal here.
They locked up and exchanged holds on the mat. The crowd chanted, "F*** him up Coffey, F*** him up." Suzuki backed him to the mat and gave a clean break, then slapped him. Suzuki attempted a few kicks. Coffey brought some aggressive moves out, including a nice leaping shoulderblock. Coffey went for a discus lariat but Suzuki grabbed an armbar, hanging off the ropes.
They ended up on the floor and battled back and forth with slaps and punches. Suzuki grabbed Jim Cornette's Sprite from the announcer's table and used it to crack Coffey in the head. Suzuki choked him against the barricade and argued with the referee, allowing Suzuki's second to attack Coffey.
Back in the ring, Suzuki continued to work over Coffey, who began to mount a comeback. They began slapping and drilling each other with forearms. Suzuki cinched in a hammerlock while standing over Coffey. Coffey made it to the ropes, despite the second trying to pull the ropes away. Coffey chopped away at Suzuki, who challenged him to bring it.
Suzuki grabbed him and cinched him in a front facelock and scissored Coffey's body. Coffey used his strength to turn it it into a suplex out of it. Coffey began cleaning house and scored a two count after a flying bodypress. Suzuki scored with a hard kick to the chest for a two count. Coffey returned to his feet and they exchanged lots of stiff strikes and chops.
Coffey nailed his discus clothesline aka the Black Coffee but Suzuki kicked out. Suzuki went for a sleeper but Coffey ducked. He rebounded off the ropes but was caught again. After wearing down Coffey, he picked him up for a Karl Gotch style piledriver, spiked him and scored the pin.
Your winner, Minoru Suzuki!
Good match. Suzuki was his usual self. I had never seen Coffey before and he did a good job at portraying himself as a tough guy who could compete in a really rugged style.
After the match, Suzuki and his second stomped Coffey. Suzuki slapped Jim Ross' hat off his head as he left.
They aired a video feature showcasing the back story of the WCPW Internet championship. The belt was created after Jay Lethal lost the ROH title and could not defend it. The belt was explained as the modern day successor to the old TV title.
WCPW Internet championship: El Ligero vs. Alberto El Patron vs. "Kiwi Buzzsaw" Travis Banks.
This bout will determine the first champion. They made it clear this was No DQ.
Alberto had one of his arms taped up from the alleged incident with a knife-wielding assailant. The crowd chanted "Papi" at ADR.
Alberto and Ligero both went after Banks and stomped him in the corner. They teamed up to work over Banks until Alberto caught him with a superkick. Alberto worked over Ligero with punches in the corner. He charged Ligero but was backdropped over the top to the apron. Ligero dropkicked him to the floor and faced off with Banks. Banks was drilled with a standing moonsault for a two count.
Banks caught Ligero with a belly to back suplex but Alberto broke up the pinfall. He drilled Banks in the corner with a series of kicks and nailed him with a dropkick to the back of the head for a two count. Banks came back with several chops and forearms in the corner. Alberto was drilled into the buckles. Banks was sent over the top but landed on the apron.; Alberto nailed an enziguiri, sending him to the floor.
Ligero and Banks pulled Alberto to the floor and sent him into the ringpost. Ligero and Banks battled. Ligero nailed a springboard cutter for a two count. Banks scored several near falls. Banks drilled Ligero with chops in the corner and worked on the mid-section with punches. Banks nailed a running forearm in the corner. Alberto slipped back in as Banks' back was turned and drilled him with a clothesline. Alberto took control of the ring and played to the crowd. Ligero nailed a rana out of the corner and went outside to the ascend to the top. Banks charged and nailed him to cut him off. He climbed the buckles but Alberto nailed the backstabber.
Ligero was left on the top and flew off but Alberto pulled his knees up. Alberto set up for a superkick but Banks nailed a clothesline. Ligero and Banks battled back and forth. Alberto caught Banks with the rolling armbar. Ligero went to the top and nailed a splash on Alberto for a two count. Ligero went for a tornado DDT off a springboard but was sent to flying. Alberto was knocked to the floor by Banks, who was caught and trapped in a rolling pinfall combination.
Your winner and first WCPW Internet champion, El Ligero!
Decently paced match with a lot of spots and near falls. Alberto endorsed Ligero after the match by raising his arm.
They aired a video feature on Doug Williams. The idea is that Williams has run Noam Dar out of the area and is going to do the same to Cody, who is another American trying to take jobs away from the Brits.
Let's be clear here. I ordered the show based on this match alone, because I love Doug Williams' work and miss watching him in the States. I wish some independents here would book him.
Cody Rhodes vs. Doug Williams
Big pop and "Cody" chant. Williams played his disgust perfectly. The crowd then chanted for Dusty, which was pretty cool.
The two locked up and Cody brought him into the corner, breaking clean. Rhodes and Williams exchanged holds with Rhodes cinching in an armbar and a wristlock. Cody continued to work over Williams' arms. Cody nailed a big hiptoss and continued to control Williams. Williams snapped Rhodes off the top rope and went to the top but was nailed as he came off.
Williams charged Cody but was kicked off. Williams grabbed his leg and kicked him in the quad. Williams slammed Cody for a two count. Williams nailed a nice gutwrench suplex. Williams peppered Cody with forearms and uppercuts. Cody was whipped into the corner. Williams went to the top but Rhodes cut him off and attempted a superplex. Rhodes connected and the referee began counting them both down on the mat. They returned to their feet before the count and battled back and forth with punches.
Cody got the better of the exchange and nailed a big backdrop. Rhodes went for a suplex but it was blocked. Rhodes kicked Williams off the apron to the floor, then hit a running dive to the floor. The crowd popped huge for that. Williams was tossed into the ring. Rhodes returned to the ring but was caught with a high knee in the corner for a two count.
Cody came back but missed the Disaster kick. Williams nailed a flying knee off the ropes for a two count. They continued battling until Cody nailed the CrossRhodes and scored the pin.
Your winner, Cody Rhodes!
Solid match. They clicked well and I wish they had more time. It felt like they were just starting to really find a groove when they went to the finish. Williams remains one of the most underrated talents of the last ten years. So smooth and good at everything he does.
Williams acted as if he was going to show respect to Cody, but instead stormed off.
Street Fight: Adam Blampied vs. Rampage.
Blampied is a manager and the idea here is that he's going to finally get his. This probably won't last long.
Blampied came out and cut a promo acting all tough but once Rampage came out, he tried to back down and offered a briefcase. Rampage smashed it out of his hands and Blampied cowered in the corner. Rampage put his hands behind his back, offering Blampied to take a shot. Blampied psyched himself up and rebounded off the ropes but was drilled with a clothesline.
Rampage ripped open Blampied's suit and shirt and chopped him again and again in the corner. Several of Blampied's wrestlers ran out and distracted Rampage, allowing Blampied to attack him with a Singapore Cane. They all beat down Rampage. Blampied took the mic and cut a promo, not realizing that behind his back, Rampage was making a comeback. Blampied just kept jabbering until he was wiped out with a clothesline.
Rampage slammed Blampied and went under the ring, pulling out a table. As he went to set it up, Big Damo's music played. The announcer said he had been fired from the promotion. He attacked Rampage and they battled in the ring. As they fought, Blampied slinked in and nailed a low blow. Blampied's crew worked over Rampage.
They all held Rampage down. Damo nailed a back senton splash. They placed a chair across Rampage's chest and Damo nailed it again. The entire locker room made the save and there was a huge brawl. Everyone brawled to the back, leaving Rampage and Blampied in the ring. Rampage drilled him and set up the table. Rampage powerbombed him through a table and scored the pin.
Your winner, Rampage!
A pretty fun spectacle.
WCPW Women's champion Nixon Newell vs. Kimber Lee
They locked up and exchanged holds. Newell was able to escape a hammerlock, switch her around and cinch in her on. Lee was taken down to the mat. She was caught in a backslide for a two count. Lee nailed a series of armdrags. Jim Ross said they would make Ricky Steamboat proud. Lee nailed a standing vertical suplex for a two count.
Lee began drilling Newell with kicks in the back of the legs. Lee was taken down and drilled with a knee to the head. Newell drilled her with more kicks and used a Mafia Kick to the head for another two count. Newell shushed the crowd and chopped Lee hard, smiling at the crowd's reaction. Lee fired back with a series of chops and a superkick for a two count. Newell cut her off with a pair of kicks and a shining wizard for a two count.
Lee slipped behind Newell and nailed a big German suplex. Lee celebrated but Newell jumped up and nailed one of her own. They drilled each other with strikes at the same time and both went down. The crowd counted along with the referee as the competitors struggled to get to their knees before battled back and forth. Cornette quipped that he'd like to be one a date with one of them if someone attacked him with a knife.
Lee rebounded off the ropes and was drilled. Newell dropped down with a jawbreaker. She went for a Canadian Destroyer but couldn't get the rotation and instead used a sunset flip. Newell used a double arm suplex that looked RUDE and EVIL for the pin.
Your winner and still WCPW Women's champion Nixon Newell!
Match was pretty good but things went awry at the finish.
Lee attacked Newell and then grabbed a chair, attacking Newell with it. Lee played to the crowd, flipped them off and left the ring.
They announced that Matt Hardy was coming to the promotion in November.
Someone named Jack the Jobber came to the ring and gave Socal Val flowers. He was wearing a shirt that saids Pacitti Club. He asked her out. She said that he was a boy and she likes a real man who likes to take control. Music began playing and a big guy named Primate came out and speared the kid....brutally. A woman checked on the guy and Primate grabbed her and locked her in the Tazmission. Security hit the ring and held him in the corner. He shoved all of them down and began laying waste to them.
WCPW champion Joseph Conners vs. Martin Kirby.
The crowd chanted for "Kirby" at the onset. They shoved each other back and forth trying to get the advantage. Conners drilled Kirby with a big knee. Conners was sent over the top to the floor and looked like he had seen a ghost.
Kurt Angle vs. "Local Hero" Joe Hendry.
Angle looked healthier than he did when I last saw him wrestling for TNA.
Hendry came out to a parody of Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" where the lyrics ripped Kurt Angle and the chorus was "Not as Good as Joe Hendry."
They locked up and ended up in the corner. Angle broke clean. They locked up several times, testing each other. Lots of dueling chants. Hendry grabbed him in a front facelock but Angle pushed back back into the ropes to break the move. Angle took control and scored several slams for a two count, then cinched in a side chinlock.
Angle controlled the match and flipped Hendry over with a backdrop. Angle scored several two counts. Angle went for a clothesline but Hendry drilled him. He nailed another series of clotheslines and turned Angle over into a DDT for a two count. Angle made a comeback and scored with a series of German suplexes, garnering a two count.
Angle was able to go for the anklelock but Hendry was able to escape and nailed Kurt with the Angleslam for a two count. They went back and forth until Hendry locked in the anklelock. Angle was able to roll through and counter it. He scissored the leg and trapped, Hendry had no choice but to finally tap out.
Your winner, Kurt Angle!
Good back and forth match. Hendry, for someone only wrestling for three years, looked very good. You can see he's going to be one of those names that break out in the next generation. It was the greatest hits for Angle but he looked good, not sluggish like he had towards the end of the TNA run.
Angle raised Hendry's arm after the match. He thanked the fans in Newcastle and said he's been all over the world and has wrestled the best. He said Hendry pushed him beyond his limit and there's a huge future for him. He said that he can't wait to see what Hendry does with his career.
Jim Ross said that a star was born tonight in Joe Hendry.
Another perfect stream from FiteTV.
To order the iPPV replay from FiteTV, click here.
www.fite.tv/v/fdaa30cc3cf1bac7339b695aeebed446