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Beyond Wrestling "Pop Culture"

Replay available via IndependentWrestling.TV

November 9, 2024 in Cambridge, Massachusetts at The Middle East

This show features the return of "pop star" B3cca after a year off due to injury. (You might remember that before her injury, she was 'singing' on MLW TV.) This is a small indoor concert hall. Promoter Drew "Denver Colorado" Cordeiro and ref Scott Robinson provided commentary. The crowd is maybe 100.

1. "Handyman" Jake Gray vs. Drew Gulak. Gray is replacing Megan Bayne, who is sick. Gulak, of course, has the size, strength, and certainly the experience advantage. Robinson said Gray has already had 40 matches in his debut year. Drew easily tossed Gray to the mat and playfully slapped his head. Gray got a Victory Roll for a nearfall at 2:00. Gulak dropped Gray throat-first on the top rope and hit a German Suplex, and he tied up Gray on the mat. Gray hit a tornado DDT at 4:30. Gray got a few rollups. Gulak hit a basement dropkick on the knee. Gulak applied a Dragon Sleeper, and Gray tapped out. Decent opener with Gray getting just enough hope spots.

Drew Gulak defeated Jake Gray at 6:25.

* Gulak grabbed the mic. (Last month, he made some controversial statements in asking Masha Slamovich if she "ever felt uncomfortable around him in the locker room.") He said wrestlers are running away from him. He was upset that the best Beyond Wrestling could find for him to face today was Gray. A church gong sounded. Nick Gage came into the ring and tackled Gulak! Drew ran to the back. Gage challenged Gulak to a match on Dec. 31.

2. Spike Ishimura vs. Katrina Creed. Spike just returned after a tour in Japan and I like her no-nonsense plain black gear; she dresses like a legit fighter. Katrina is a Canadian talent who has had a handful of matches in Wrestling Open; she's dressed in all red and looks like a vampire queen. They traded mat holds and Spike focused on the left arm. Katrina yanked Spike to the mat by her hair at 2:00. Creed hit a spear for a nearfall and cranked on Spike's head. Spike hit a running kick to the spine at 5:30, then a Mafia Kick to the chest, then a Michinoku Driver for a believable nearfall. Creed hit a running knee, and a twisting neckbreaker for a nearfall. Spike hit a short-arm clothesline for the pin. Good match.

Spike Ishimura defeated Katrina Creed at 7:03.

* Cordeiro said that by the end of 2024, they'll have done about 70 shows before about 15,000 fans this year. Impressive!

3. Billy Avery vs. CPA. Avery is a thin, scrawny, white dork and Denver said he's been trying to get on shows for a year. (Cagematch.net records show Avey has had 19 matches this year.) This is a bonus match. CPA didn't come out to Shania Twain so that threw me. Avery was announced as "more than 100 pounds," and that got cheers. CPA peeled off a shirt to reveal another one underneath. Some comedy and they started to dance. This comedy wasn't working for me. CPA got a schoolyard takedown for a nearfall at 3:30. They began whipping each other with CPA's ties. They traded slaps while seated on the mat. Avery avoided the comedy 619 and he hit a superkick at 7:30. Avery hit a standing powerbomb and a chokeslam for a nearfall. CPA finally hit the comedy 619, then the Numbers Cruncher (Death Valley Driver) for the pin. Too much comedy for me but I enjoy CPA's brand of comedy. Avery didn't work for me.

CPA defeated Billy Avery at 10:09.

4. TJ Crawford (w/Brick City) vs. Armani Kayos. TJ taped a match for ROH TV this week that should air next Thursday, and you may recall he's had some MLW TV matches. The commentators noted that Kayos was in a Rumble match on Thursday at Wrestling Open. TJ charged at the bell. Kayos tied TJ in a Tarantula. TJ took control and stomped on Kayos and hit some chops. TJ hit some Sheamus-style blows to the chest in the ropes at 3:30. Kayos nailed a Sliced Bread for a nearfall. Kayos hit an Eat D'Feat, then a backbreaker for a nearfall. TJ hit a German Suplex for a nearfall. He set up for a Styles Clash but instead hit a powerbomb move for a nearfall at 6:30. Crawford put him in a Torture Rack and turned it into a backbreaker over his knee for the pin. Decent action.

TJ Crawford defeated Armani Kayos at 8:20.

5. Kristara vs. Paris Van Dale. Kristara is Canadian and likely traveled here with Katrina; it seems like when I see one of them, I see both of them. Kristara immediately laid in some hard chops. She hit a spinning heel kick. Paris hit a Lungblower to the chest at 1:30, and she shoved her foot into Kristara's throat and kept her grounded. Kristara hit an enzuigiri, then a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall at 5:00. She hit a Helluva Kick and a fisherman's suplex with a high suplex for a nearfall. Paris hit a stunner for a nearfall, and Paris sat up and screamed; Kristara immediately hooked both arms, rolled Paris over, and scored the pin!

Kristara defeated Paris Van Dale at 5:58.

6. "Fresh Air" Junior Benito and Macrae Martin vs. "Brick City' Julio Cruz and Victor Chase for the IWTV Tag Team Titles. Fresh Air are more Canadian stars. Robinson noted that Brick City have not had a regular two-man tag match in months. BC immediately began working over Macrae. Macrae flipped teammate Benito onto Cruz at 2:00. Fresh Air hit stereo planchas to the floor. In the ring, FA began working over Cruz's left arm. Cruz has a purple wrap on an injured left hand. Chase hit a suplex on Benito for a nearfall at 5:00, and BC kept Benito in their corner. Macrae finally got a hot tag at 8:30 and he hit a running knee in the corner, then a fallaway slam on Chase, then a spinebuster.

Macrae hit a flying Flatliner move for a nearfall and we got a "This is awesome!" chant. Brick City hit their team Mark Henry Slam for a nearfall at 10:00. Fresh Air hit a team spinebuster move for a nearfall on Cruz, but Chase made the save. BC hit a team slam on Benito at 11:30. Macrae hit a spinning heel kick. FA hit stereo superkicks. They hit a team stunner move (Benito didn't quite land the move) to pin Chase. Good action.

Macrae Martin and Junior Benito defeated Victor Chase and Julio Cruz to retain the IWTV Tag Team Titles at 12:49.

7. Tracy Williams vs. Marcus Mathers. Marcus was announced as the latest WWE ID signee on Saturday, before this match took place, and Denver immediately talked about that. Standing switches and a feeling-out process to open. Tracy hit a shoulder tackle at 2:00. They traded chops and Mathers hit a shotgun dropkick, then a missile dropkick. Marcus' leg got trapped between the ring and the stage at 4:30. The ref tried to help pull Marcus free, but Tracy stomped on Mathers. In the ring, Tracy twisted the left leg and ankle and kept Mathers grounded.

They got up and traded forearm strikes at 8:30. Mathers went to launch off the ropes but his damaged leg gave out. Marcus hit a German Suplex and they were both down at 10:30. Mathers hit a stunner and a Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. Tracy hit a second-rope superplex for a nearfall at 12:30. Mathers hit a dive through the ropes. He hit a loud chop on the floor. In the ring, Marcus hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip and he tied Tracy in a half-crab at 14:30, and the crowd taunted Tracy to tap out. Mathers hit a superkick; Williams hit a clothesline, then a Death Valley Driver for a nearfall. Tracy now applied a half-crab. Mathers hit his pop-up stunner at 16:30. He came off the ropes but Tracy caught him with a European Uppercut. Mathers got a fresh rollup out of nowhere for the pin. Great match.

Marcus Mathers defeated Tracy Williams at 17:07.

8. "Gay Best Friends" Aaron Rourke and B3cca vs. Bear Bronson and Gabby Forza. Bear and Gabby got married two weeks ago and a big congratulations to them. However, B3cca and Rourke are also now claiming they are 'married,' as that is part of the storyline here. B3cca sang her way to the ring. Bear said he's going to do a 'shoot promo.' Robinson said, "I've never heard that term before." Funny. Bear was upset that B3cca and Aaron got married to steal their spotlight. He said that Rourke left the wedding with Kris Statlander. B3cca said that Rourke kissed Bronson at the wedding, and that now made Gabby upset. This is very much a telenovela all of a sudden. The women were going to kiss but the men stopped them. "We are going to have a match, right Drew?" Robinson said. The bell rang and we're (hopefully) going to begin.

The men opened, and Rourke hit a one-legged dropkick, then a 619. B3cca entered at 2:00 and hit a kneedrop on Bronson's chest. The women tied up and they did some comedy, but Gabby hit a bodyslam. B3cca and Aaron hit stereo back elbows in the corner on Gabby at 3:30 and they began working Forza over. Bronson hit a clothesline on B3cca, then a Black Hole Slam on Aaron for a nearfall. Gabby bodyslammed Bronson onto Rourke! Gabby hip-tossed Rourke across the ring at 5:30. Gabby shoved Rourke's face into Bronson's chest. Bronson knocked B3cca off the apron to the floor, and he hit a forward Finlay Roll on Aaron at 7:30. Gabby hit a Vader Bomb on Aaron for a nearfall. Aaron hit a double missile dropkick and he made the hot tag to B3cca, who hit a shotgun dropkick on Gabby. She hit a series of chops on Bronson, then a tornado DDT at 9:30.

B3cca hit double knees to Forza's back; Robinson noted that B3cca isn't showing any 'ring rust.' B3cca hit a second-rope flying double DDT for a nearfall. Rourke hit a stunner move on Gabby for a nearfall. Bronson hit a rolling cannonball in the corner at 12:00. The women traded forearm strikes while on their knees, then while standing. They began to kiss, which got a pop. The men were pushed into each other, so they kissed, too. The women each hit a German Suplex to stop that at 15:00. The women kissed again, but then traded forearm strikes. They hit double clotheslines and everyone was down. Gabby hit a spear on Aaron. Gabby accidentally hit a spear on Bronson at 17:30! B3cca hit a superkick on Gabby, and Forza fell to the floor. B3cca hit an Athena-style flying stunner off the ropes to pin Bronson.

B3cca and Aaron Rourke defeated Gabby Forza and Bear Bronson at 18:03.

* B3cca got on the mic and said this is the happiest she's been in over a year.

Final Thoughts: Mathers-Williams was really good and was easily best match of the night. The tag title match takes second, and I'll go with Kayos-Crawford for third. The main event was fine and certainly watchable. Spike and Kristara continue to impress. The Nick Gage debut was a surprise; we knew his exclusive contract with GCW had ended but I didn't expect him here.