WWE is on the road to WrestleMania and that means it’s time for the indies to start dropping announcements for their contributions to the biggest weekend on our calendar. And, since Joey Janela’s Spring Break was the breakout show of last year’s weekend, let’s let the Bad Boy lead it off with the first announcement for Joey Janela’s Spring Break 2, shall we? Roll the tape!
How do you follow Marty Jannetty? By wrestling Michinoku Pro founder and general puro legend the Great Sasuke!
And if you’re not sure why you should be excited, well, have a highlight reel.
He and Janela are gonna do some business, boy howdy.
So that’s Spring Break 2 off to an incredible start, but what of the other promotions participating in the World Wrestling Network’s More Than Mania extravaganza? Not to be left behind, Evolve have announced a brace of exciting matches for their shows.
At Evolve 102, we’ve got a dream tag team match featuring the Evolve debut of Strong BJ maestro Daisuke Sekimoto fighting alongside a freshly unretired Munenori Sawa, last seen at Evolve 5 in a technical masterpiece against the American Dragon, Bryan Danielson. They’ll be up against the current kings of hard-hitting, intense mat grappling tag team action, Ringkampf. Plus AR Fox and Will Ospreay meet for the first time in singles action in another absolute dream match.
On to Evolve 103, Daisuke Sekimoto will have to contend with the King of Bros, Matt Riddle and WALTER looks to follow up on his declaration from Evolve 99 that Darby Allin doesn’t belong in his ring the only way he knows how, by wrestling him. Those chops are gonna send Darby into orbit!
Mercury Rising 2018 has a trifecta of would-be title matches set, assuming the champions can retain until April. It’ll be WWN Champion Keith Lee putting his belt on the line against Daisuke Sekimoto in a HOSS WAR, Zack Sabre, Jr. defending the Evolve World Championship against Munenori Sawa in what is sure to be a worthy sequel to that Evolve 5 match, and Catch Point’s Doom Patrol putting the tag titles up against the mighty Ringkampf. Plus as a bonus main event, how about Riddle vs. Ospreay? That’ll be alright.
That’s not all, though, because at the Style Battle Season 1 Finale, we have our first non-tournament match announced, following up on an encounter from Episode 8, Limitless vs. MDK gang affiliated, Keith Lee vs. Nick Gage! That’s gonna be a hell of a brawl.
Of course, it’s not all about the men, because Shimmer have been quietly building a stacked card for their 100th volume. Nicole Savoy defends the Shimmer Championship against Mercedes Martinez, Nicole Matthews is up against Toni Storm, and after two years in a row with limited international talent, we’ve got two big internet pay-per-view returns in two matches with Heart of Shimmer champion Shazza McKenzie defending against Tessa Blanchard and Madison Eagles vs. Deonna Purrazzo!
No other shows for More Than Mania have announced matches yet, but Progress have announced Will Ospreay, WALTER, Travis Banks, Toni Storm, Jimmy Havoc, and Mark Haskins, and Kaiju Big Battel have indicated that one of Sawa’s terms for coming out of retirement was that he be able to return to their ring.
Now for those of you who scrolled right past my hype, let’s list this all out including a reminder on dates and times for the shows that don’t have anything yet, shall we?
GCW Matt Riddle’s Bloodsport (April 5, 3PM Central)
Evolve 102 (April 5, 8PM Central)
- AR Fox vs. Will Ospreay
- Daisuke Sekimoto & Munenori Sawa vs. Ringkampf (Timothy Thatcher & WALTER)
Beyond Wrestling (April 5, 11:55PM Central)
Progress Chapter 66 (April 6, 12PM Central)
Evolve 103 (April 6, 4PM Central)
- Darby Allin vs. WALTER
- Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Matt Riddle
WWN Supershow Mercury Rising (April 6, 8PM Central)
- Matt Riddle vs. Will Ospreay
- Doom Patrol (Chris Dickinson & Jaka) (c) vs. Ringkampf (Timothy Thatcher & WALTER) (Evolve Tag Team Championship)
- Munenori Sawa vs. Zack Sabre, Jr. (c) (Evolve World Championship)
- Daisuke Sekimoto vs. Keith Lee (c) (WWN Championship)
GCW Joey Janela’s Spring Break 2 (April 6, 11:55PM Central)
- Great Sasuke vs. Joey Janela
Progress Chapter 67 (April 7, 12PM Central)
Shimmer Volume 100 (April 7, 4PM Central)
- Deonna Purrazzo vs. Madison Eagles
- Nicole Matthews vs. Toni Storm
- Shazza McKenzie (c) vs. Tessa Blanchard (Heart of Shimmer Championship)
- Mercedes Martinez vs. Nicole Savoy (c) (Shimmer Championship)
Style Battle Season 1 Finale (April 7, 8PM Central)
- Style Battle Season 1 Finale Tournament
- Keith Lee vs. Nick Gage
Kaiju Big Battel (April 7, 11:55PM Central)
There you have it, folks.
Something for just about everybody, but what are you looking forward to most, Cagesiders?