PWG All Star Weekend: Night Two
April 2, 2005
Los Angeles, CA

The current PWG Champs were as follows:
PWG Champion: Super Dragon (11/13/2004)
PWG Tag Team Champions: Chris Bosh & Scott Lost (10/9/2004)

Don’t expect the same quality from the first night. Samoa Joe, Alex Shelley, Bryan Danielson, James Gibson, Kendo Kashin, and Rocky Romero all left to work for the ROH Best of the American Super Juniors show.

Your hosts are Excalibur and Disco Machine.

• Ricky Reyes vs. Puma vs. Davey Richards vs. Ronin
  

Puma and Reyes start where they left off last night as they fight to the floor while Richards and Ronin battle in the ring. Richards knocks Ronin into the corner with an enziguri and hits a running forearm strike, but Ronin grabs Richards for a Death Valley Driver. Reyes and Puma try to rid the ring of Ronin, but it’s not until they gang up on him that Reyes nails Ronin with a running lariat as Richards jumps on top of him for the 1-2-3 at 2:29. Puma wants Richards all to himself as he keeps Reyes away. Richards misses a flying bodypress and gets baited out to the floor, but then he spins away a baseball slide and drops Puma off the apron with a DDT! Back in, Richards catches Reyes with an STO and heads up top for the SHOOTING STAR PRESS, but no water in the pool. After some rollup attempts, Puma gets the FIGURE FOUR DEATHLOCK. Richards taps out at 5:38. They each try powerbombs, but they both fail. Reyes drops Puma with a DDT, but Puma finds a rana for 1-2-NO! Reyes avoids the 450 SPLASH, but Puma lands on his feet. He wants a rana, but Reyes plants Puma with a spinning powerbomb instead for 1-2-NO! Puma gets a German suplex and attempts a Tiger Suplex, but Reyes slips out and hits Puma with a reverse neckbreaker. Brainbuster on Puma gets the 1-2-3. (8:12) I see what they were trying to do by playing off the previous night’s Pitbulls-Puma match, but I think they could have done something more here for Davey Richards by giving him a win or at least become the last guy pinned. I mean, were they really planning to make Ricky Reyes a singles star? He’s the last guy in this match anybody would consider in that light. *½

• Disco Machine & Excalibur vs. Hook Bomberry & Top Gun Talwar
  

Disco’s nose got busted open the previous night. They should have given him the Ricky Steamboat face mask instead of that Booker T nasal strip. Disco and Excalibur dump both men out to start and give them STEREO SUICIDE DIVES on opposite sides of the ring. Back inside, Bomberry and Disco exchange chops until Bomberry plays dirty and goes for the nose. They trade dropkicks and then tag out. Excalibur has some payback by biting the hand during the wristlock. Talwar tries to bite Excalibur’s hand and then they both release. And now Talwar and Bomberry go after the arm while they keep Excalibur in their corner. With a blind rage, Talwar charges the corner and misses. Excalibur hits him with a clothesline and makes the tag to Disco. He goes all Terry Funk on Talwar by pulling out a Baja Fresh bag from his tights and puts it over Talwar’s head. Apparently according to Disco Machine, Baja Fresh > Chipotle. The Baja Fresh franchise hasn’t come to North Carolina yet, so I can’t say. However, I have been to Chipotle and I’m not a huge fan of it either. Talwar trips Disco off a corner charge into the bottom turnbuckle and now Bomberry tags in to work on Disco’s nose. Did I just see a Three Stooges spot? Tag to Talwar, he has a sack from Chipotle and puts it on his arm as he clotheslines Disco multiple times in the corner. Excalibur shoves away a camel clutch by Bomberry. Disco avoids a double-team and tosses Talwar into Bomberry’s butt to knock him to the floor. HOT TAG TO EXCALIBUR! Flying double knee drop from Excalibur sets up a Brainbuster on Talwar for two, but Talwar counters a tilt-a-whirl into the DANGAH ZONE for 1-2-NO! Chokeslam by Disco on Talwar gets two. Disco dumps out Talwar and goes for a CANNONBALLLL off the apron, but Talwar gets out of the way to give him a bad landing. Meanwhile, Bomberry hits Excalibur with a Michinoku Driver and floats over into the Cross Armbreaker. Excalibur makes the ropes, ducks an enziguri, and hits Bomberry with a German suplex for 1-2-NO! Talwar makes the save, but Disco takes him to the floor. Back in the ring, Excalibur delivers the TIGER DRIVER ’98 on Bomberry for the 1-2-3. (12:14) Good formula tag with some interesting comedy mixed in. **½

• Petey Williams vs. Joey Ryan (w/Arrogance)
  

Probably should have had Kazarian here instead of Petey since Scott Lost was the one who took the Canadian Destroyer last night. Petey controls to start with headlocks and armbars. Lost and Bosh hop up on the apron to get nailed down. That brings out the PWG Commissioner SoCal Val to tell Arrogance to leave ringside or they will forfeit their tag belts. Meanwhile in the ring, Ryan sends Petey shoulder-first into the ringpost. And now Joey goes after the arm Anderson-style with hammerlock slams and such. Williams mounts a one-armed comeback with the tilt-a-whirl into the Russian legsweep. Double ax handle only gets two and he can’t believe it. Petey flips out of a suplex and hits a swinging neckbreaker for two. Petey wants the CANADIAN DESTROYER, but Joey counters with a Fujiwara armbar. Petey makes the ropes, but Ryan goes for the MUSTACHE RIDE. Petey shoves that off and applies the SHARPSHOOTER. Joey makes the ropes and hotshots Petey before going back to the Fujiwara armbar. Petey fights up and Joey tries to prevent the CANADIAN DESTROYER, but the hottest move in wrestling at the time is inevitable for the 1-2-3. (13:05) Regardless of the loss here, Ryan would go on to have a great 2005 that ended with him going through a massive gimmick change and a lengthy reign as the PWG champion. **¾

• El Generico and Los Luchas vs. Human Tornado and the Aerial Xpress (w/Dino Winwood)
  

Human Tornado and El Generico have a dance contest to start the match. I believe Generico has the edge here. HUMAN TORNADO GOT SERVED~! This leads to more shenanigans as Tornado runs the ropes while Generico handles the leapfrogs. They both eventually tire out and that’s when Generico takes advantage by stomping the gigantic feet of Human Tornado and clamping on a headlock. After that’s over, Quicksilver and Phoenix Star tag into the match. Now Phoenix Star gets served as Scorpio blind tags and the AXP deliver STEREO LEG LARIATS to the front and back of Phoenix Star’s head! Off a double whip, Phoenix Star slides out and Zokre slingshot in with a somersault into a double clothesline on AXP! Tornado stops Zokre with a missile dropkick, but Generico sends Tornado to the floor with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Generico flips Phoenix Star onto everybody on the floor. Back inside, Quicksilver gets worked over in the wrong corner as they really pound on his back. We see some great lucha tag team stuff from these three. Some of it is just too crazy to call. Zokre hits Quicksilver with Pele Kicks and a crash and burn situation causes both men to tag out. Tornado wipes out Zokre and Generico while Phoenix Star is all alone in the ring with the AXP and Tornado. Scorpio delivers his beautiful dropkick and tags in Quicksilver for a number of double-teams leading to a basement dropkick to the face during a camel clutch. Human Tornado comes in and gives Phoenix Star the Jive Soul Bro in the corner. Generico tries to save his partner, but Quicksilver dumps him out for an INCREDIBLE somersault plancha by Tornado. He almost hit the wall with that move. The AXP want to dive out as well, but they both get cut off with a DOUBLE SPRINGBOARD BLOCKBUSTER from Zokre! He tries the fake dive, but bounces back into the ring into a wheelbarrow legdrop combo by the AXP. Generico saves Zokre by catching Scorpio in the corner with a Running Yakuza Kick. Quicksilver flies onto Generico for the Dragon Kid’s version of the Cristo. Meanwhile, Scorpio flies over them with a missile dropkick on Phoenix Star. Out goes Scorpio Sky with an enziguri by Zokre, but Tornado floors Zokre with a leg lariat of his own. Generico breaks free and drops Tornado with a Tiger Suplex ’85. Everybody’s down! Tornado avoids the BRAINBUSTER and hits Generico with the DND! Phoenix Star delivers a spinebuster to Tornado, but ironically misses a CORKSCREW SPLASH. Here comes Scorpio with the Frog Splash on Phoenix Star for 1-2-NO! Zokre break up the pin, but takes the Silver Slice from Quicksilver for 1-2-NO! Quicksilver tries a float over on Zokre, but he sees it coming and drops Quicksilver across his boots. That staggers Quicksilver back into the OLYMPICO SLAM from Phoenix Star, which sets him up nicely for the BRAINBUSTER as Generico jumps on top for the 1-2-3. (13:56) Absolute non-stop action from bell to bell. Just great work from everybody here. ***½

Afterwards, everybody sings ‘Happy Birthday’ to Scorpio Sky.

• TNA X-Division Champion Christopher Daniels vs. Chris Hero
  

It’s our second battle of people named Chris in two days. Feeling out process to start as Hero shows off some Johnny Saint moves. Once they come to a stalemate, Daniels shows us his Curry Man moves. Hero takes over with a cravate and sees how many times he can cradle Daniels up out of it. Once Hero gets too confident, Daniels strikes with a dropkick to the knee. Daniels grabs a spinning kneebar on the mat and every time Hero kicks him in the face to try and break the hold, Daniels cranks on the hold that much harder. Hero grabs a cravate again, but Daniels catches him with a rolling kneebar and Hero quickly finds the ropes. Daniels sets Hero in place and MOONSAULTS the knee. Why not. Rolling Elbow knocks Daniels away for a moment. NOW HERE COMES HERO! Hangman’s Clutch Facebuster gets 1-2-NO! Both men exchange nearfalls all over the mat, but then Daniels changes his mind on an O’Connor roll and applies a spinning toe hold. With Daniels leaned over, Hero grabs a cravate to get him to stop! And it works. Awesome. Hero unloads with a bunch of elbow strikes and then powerbombs Daniels for the HANGMAN’S CLUTCH! Daniels crawls over and makes the ropes. Daniels goes low and sets Hero up top for a superplex, but Hero elbow smashes him down. He goes for the Flying Double Stomp, but Daniels moves and the impact causes Hero to jar his injured knee. With Hero doubled over, Daniels shoots over and drops him with the ANGEL’S WINGS! Cover, 1-2-3. (19:09) Great match and a fantastic finish that worked brilliantly within the context of the match. This was also one of the few matches where the story surrounds working the knee where you didn’t see a figure-four. Hmm. Maybe Daniels just isn’t a Ric Flair fan. ***½

• Kevin Steen vs. Jonny Storm
  

They give each other the bird to start. Storm bends back Steen’s middle finger and pays for it by getting tossed over the top rope. Back in, Steen can’t armdrag Storm as he keeps landing on his feet. Steen charges Storm and flies over the top rope as Storm delivers a double jump somersault plancha! Please don’t die, Jonny. Back in the ring, Storm ranas out of an electric chair position. Too bad you can’t do that in real life. Storm super Japanese armdrags Steen off the top, but then he gets launched into the air. Steen takes Storm over to the corner for some chops. Storm catches Steen with a rana, but then he charges into a big boot. Steen keeps Storm literally grounded by standing on him. Once he lets Storm up, he gets nailed with an enziguri. Storm hits a second rope moonsault for two. He backdrops out of a piledriver and catches Steen with a wheelbarrow DDT. Storm crawls into the cover for 1-2-NO! Storm runs to the top rope, but Steen follows right after him and brings Storm down with a SUPER GERMAN SUPLEX! Cover, 1-2-NO! Sidewinder Suplex by Steen gets two. Michinoku Driver scores another nearfall for Steen. They head to the floor where Steen wants an Asai Moonsault, but Storm pulls him off the apron and flies into a tope suicida DDT! Incredible. Back in, Storm covers for 1-2-NO! Storm delivers a lungblower to the chest and then to the back. Cover, 1-2-NO! Steen catches a flying rana into a powerbomb for two. Steen climbs up top, but gets caught and brought down with a REVERSE SUPER FRANKENSTEINER! Cover, 1-2-NO! Someone find this man a gun. Storm ascends to the top rope again, but Steen shoves ref Patrick Hernandez into the ropes to trip him up and bring him down. PACKAGE PILEDRIVER! Cover, 1-2-3. (15:50) What a dick finish. A bit overbooked with all the crazy moves, but thoroughly entertaining. ***¼

• PWG Tag Team Champions Arrogance (w/Joey Ryan) vs. Frankie Kazarian & Chris Sabin (w/Petey Williams)
  

This would be Kazarian’s final match in the independents before going off to WWE. He would be back in PWG by August. After Chris Bosh tries to start a fight with some black folks in the back row (they finally understand the seating arrangement because BLACKS are in the BACK, says Bosh), Sabin and Kazarian deliver STEREO SOMERSAULT PLANCHAS onto Arrogance. They bring Lost back inside to brutalize him and hopefully secure the tag belts. While the ref is with Joey and Bosh, Petey Williams comes in and grabs a wristlock until the ref turns around. Petey just walks out. HA! Joey grabs Sabin’s foot to distract him as he turns around into a dropkick by Lost. Tag to Bosh. After some rollups, we see MAXIMUM BOSH! Lost comes in with the Superman Spear. Arrogance continues to keep Sabin down until he catches Lost with the Bum Rush. Look it up. HOT TAG TO KAZARIAN! He hits both Lost and Bosh with a slingshot DDT. Bosh avoids the WAVE OF THE FUTURE and stops a Bicycle Kick with the Lion Cock. Roundhouse kick by Lost gets two. Sabin comes in and takes a Northern Lights suplex by Lost across Bosh’s knee. Kazarian hits Bosh with the STONE COLD STUNNER! In a completely contrived situation, Lost sets Kazarian up in a tree of woe. When he charges, Kazarian sits up and grabs Lost for a stunner off the turnbuckle and a legdrop onto Bosh. WHAT. Sabin takes out Lost with a roundhouse kick of his own. Kazarian launches Bosh into a sitout powerbomb by Sabin for 1-2-NO! Meanwhile, Kazarian springboard ranas Lost off the apron to the floor. Back in the ring, Sabin sends Bosh into the corner with a running crucifix powerbomb. Joey breaks up a pin attempt since there’s no ref anyway. Petey comes in and punches Joey into a CRADLE SHOCK while Bosh takes the CANADIAN DESTROYER! Petey takes Joey to the floor while Sabin jumps on top of Bosh. The ref comes back into the ring and counts 1-2-NO! Lost pulls him out. He sends Sabin to the floor with a roundhouse kick. Kazarian wants the WAVE OF THE FUTURE, but Lost pushes him off into the corner. Kazarian wants the victory roll, but Lost puts on the brakes and gets the 1-2-3 for the Bret-Owen WrestleMania 10 finish. (11:54) Some contrived stuff here and there, but still quite fun. ***

Afterwards, everybody from the PWG roster wishes Kazarian the best in his future endeavors.

• PWG Champion Super Dragon vs. AJ Styles
  

Feeling out process to start. They go to the corner where Dragon gives Styles a float over headscissors. BOOYAKA! BOOYAKA! They trade kicks a few times during a knucklelock as they go back to the mat. Dragon takes the vintage dropkick by AJ which takes him to the floor. Will AJ fly? Yes he will. Somersault plancha takes out Dragon! Back in, AJ gets two. AJ knee drops Dragon a few times for a nearfall. Dragon starts to fire back with forearms, but Styles drops him with an enziguri for two. Muta Lock by AJ! He changes over to a vertical Muta Lock and then over to a bow and arrow! Back up, Styles charges into a drop toe hold that takes him to the floor. Dragon dropkicks him through the ropes so he can TOPE CON HILO AJ onto a bunch of empty chairs. Back inside the ring, Dragon covers for 1-2-NO! STF by Dragon, but AJ struggles over and finds the ropes. Curb Stomp gets two. Dragon punches AJ in the face while he’s got him down on the mat in the headscissors. AJ barely makes the ropes. They exchange blows, but AJ wins that battle with the Pele Kick. AJ hits Dragon with a high kick and a series of clotheslines puts him down. He follows up with the suplex into a reverse neckbreaker. That gets two. Pumphandle gutbuster gets two. Super Dragon counters a STYLES CLASH attempt with a rana. He comes off the ropes and delivers a swinging DDT into an inverted full nelson. AJ is right there to grab the ropes. Dragon brings AJ to the Violence Party and goes for the PSYCHO DRIVER, but AJ lands on his feet and dropkicks Dragon away. Styles hits Dragon with the flying forearm smash for 1-2-NO! Dragon ducks the Discus Clothesline and delivers the Dragon Suplex followed by the Tiger Suplex for 1-2-NO! Phoenix Splash misses, but here comes AJ with the Discus Clothesline for the win and the PWG title. (19:34) Decent story as both men pulled out some cool moves, but they never seemed to kick it into high gear inside the ring. **½

Final Thoughts: While there is a drop in quality from the first night, it’s not a complete night and day difference which still makes this one of the better PWG shows I’ve seen. Plus, it’s a hallmark show if only for the PWG title change if nothing else. Thumbs up for PWG ASW: Night Two!