Wednesday, March 14, 2018

PWG: Pushin Forward Back Review



July 7th, 2017

PWG World Champion - Zack Sabre Jr (since 5/3/16)
PWG World Tag Team Champions - Rey Fenix & Penta El Zero M (since 3/18/17)

Commentators - Excalibur

1) Rey Horus vs. Sammy Guevara

"Who the hell is Brian Cage?" -Sammy Guevara

Debut weekend for both of these men and they certainly put on a show here. It went a little long for opener and for this sort of exhibition style, but it was still enjoyable. Guevara showed a good bit of personality which I didn't expect however it definitely works for him. Lots of flashy stuff thrown into 15 or so minutes.

Match rating - ***

2) The Young Bucks vs. Unbreakable F'n Machines (Michael Elgin & Brian Cage)

"The Biz has Clizzed up!" -Excalibur

Nick Jackson's high pitched "Break it Down" in the mic as the crowd is chanting "The Elite" made my life. This is a rematch from DDT4 2013 where the Bucks defeated Elgin & Cage to regain the tag team titles. Pretty sure that gave them the definitive shortest title reign in PWG Tag Team history, but I'm not entirely sure. Either way this match is four years in the making and it's sorta surprisingly great. I've been burnt out on UBFM for a minute, but the Bucks pulled a helluva match out of them here AND put them over. They really are the greatest tag team in the world.

Match rating - ***3/4

3) Keith Lee vs. Lio Rush vs. Trent?

Keith Lee & Lio Rush met last month so this is a sorta a rematch with Trent thrown in. They run the smaller guys team up to take out the big guy story. Then Rush turns on Trent when he asks for a hug. HUGE BOOS. Then Keith Lee demolishes em both. Solid stuff.

Match rating - ***1/4

4) Sami Callihan vs. Dezmond Xavier vs. Dave Crist vs. Jake Crist

"Rick Knox has utterly lost his mind." -Excalibur

This match is the start of Rick Knox being the low-key MVP of the night. It's a Callihan and friends four way so you know it's just spots. Knox got in on the fun and hit like five dives and a front flip off the top turnbuckle to the floor. It's fucking bonkers. Classic PWG fun. Dezmond Xavier wins and yay because I like him more than anyone else in this match, at the moment.

Match rating - ***

5) Ricochet vs. Trevor Lee

First time ever match here that I've been wanting to see for a while. Now I'm kinda not as stoked on it, though, because Lee has gotten stagnant for me. It's still really good, though. They go with a straight moves fest instead of trying to develop some story thank god cause I doubt I could sit through that right now. Plus, ZSJ/Chuck is gonna give us a banger in that regard later. But, yeah. This was as awesome as you'd expect. Ricochet wins after a bunch of STUFF.

Match rating - ***3/4

6) Zack Sabre Jr. (c) vs. Chuck Taylor - PWG World Championship Match

"No I'm not counting that, you hit him with the fuckin' belt!" -Rick Knox to Zack Sabre Jr

YEAH BABY. Round two between these two. Zack has ran through everyone from Kyle O'Reilly to Dick Togo during his reign as champion, but the light hearted beloved Chuckie T continues to be a thorn in his side. This starts off real slow and I love it. Just Zack toying with Chuck, out wrestling him, bullying him, etc. It makes you want a Chuck win even more. Zack targets the left arm and they work it all the way to the end. Chuck pops a awful waffle out of no where for the first near fall then things really shift into high gear. Zack bullies a ring crew guy into taking the bottom rope off because Chuck keeps finding ways to reach it out of submissions. Crowd was literally chanting "holy shit" at one point just because of Chuck reaching the ropes out of that hold where Zack stretches his opponent's arms in ungodly ways. Everyone was out of their set for the final 15 of this. Just fantastic stuff all the way around. Sabre resorts to trying to get DQ'd. Knox won't do it AND he won't count when he hits Chuck with the belt. WHAT A HERO. Chuck brings tacks in only to eat them several times, but he mounts a comeback and pins Zack with the awful waffle. NEW CHAMP and it feels so rewarding. Chuck has been dedicated to PWG for nine years and was one of the reasons I got hooked on this promotion in the first place so this really brought a tear to my eye.

"My first match in PWG was nine years ago, and son of a bitch if I'm not gonna defend this for nine more." - Chuck Taylor

Match rating - ****3/4

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