Sermon on the Mat (Apr. 19, 2018): AIW, CMLL, NOVA, PWG, BLP, PWX, & SUP cards

Welcome back to the Sermon on the Mat, your weekly one-stop shop for news from the wider world of wrestling beyond the big cable TV monoliths that get all the coverage.

Coming soon...

AIW Ain’t Nuthin’ But a Gangsta Party (April 20, 7:30PM Eastern)

1. Eddy Only vs. PB Smooth
2. Louis Lyndon vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman
3. ”All Ego” Ethan Page vs. Matthew Justice
4. Josh Prohibition, To Infinity and Beyond (Cheech & Colin Delaney), ???, & ??? vs. No Consequences (AJ Gray, Chase Oliver, Garrison King, Joshua Bishop, & Tre LaMar)
5. Eddie Kingston vs. Pierre Carl Ouellet
6. Nick Gage & ??? vs. “Hot Sauce” Tracy Williams & ???

AIW are back in Cleveland, Ohio, and folks, if you’ve ever been inclined to support AIW, this is the show. AIW owner John Thorne is in the hospital battling severe pneumonia and will have to sit this one out. Fortunately, Eddie Kingston vs. Quebecer Pierre alone instantly makes this show worthy of your hard-earned money before you add in the mystery partner main event, that all matches will be competed under Compton Rules, and of course, the fact that the poster for this show features both the Godfather AND Papa Shango.

Get your tickets here or check it out when it hits Smart Mark Video, folks.

CMLL Super Viernes (April 20, 9:30PM Eastern)

1. Astral & Oro, Jr. vs. Espanto, Jr. & Yago
2. Blue Panther, Jr., Pegasso, & the Panther vs. Puma, Templario, & Tiger
3. Amapola, Dalys, & Seductora vs. Kaho Kobayashi, Marcela, & Princesa Sugehit
4. Caristico vs. Dragon Lee (Lightning Match)
5. Angel de Oro, Niebla Roja, & Volador, Jr. vs. La Peste Negra (Barbaro Cavernario & Negro Casas) & Ultimo Guerrero
6. Atlantis, Diamante Azul, & Kraneo vs. Los Ingobernables (Bestia del Ring, El Terrible, & Rush)

CMLL are back with your usual weekly Friday night dose of lucha libre action from Arena Mexico and I only need one match to sell you on this one, folks. Caristico. Dragon Lee. Lightning Match!

Check it out, as always, free for nothin' on Marca Claro, folks.

NOVA Pro Old Dominion Rumble (April 20, 7:30PM Eastern)

1. Angelus Layne vs. Laynie Luck
2. Faye Jackson vs. Harlow O’Hara
3. Jake Parnell vs. John Skyler vs. Percy Davis vs. Wheeler YUTA (Men’s Commonwealth Cup Qualifying Match)
4. Facebrooke vs. Jordan Blade vs. Skylar vs. Veda Scott (Women’s Commonwealth Cup Qualifying Match)
5. Arik Royal & The Ugly Ducklings (Lance Lude & Rob Killjoy) vs. the 1% (Bobby Shields, Gunner Miller, & Logan Easton LaRoux)
6. Hooligans (Devin & Mason Cutter vs. Pow Meow (Allie Kat & Christi Jaynes)
7. Jordynne Grace vs. Shazza McKenzie
8. 30-Entrant Old Dominion Rumble

NOVA Pro are back in Fairfax, Virginia, and as always our man on the scene Duke (follow him on Twitter!) is ready to break the show down for y’all.

Let’s get ready to RUMBLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLE! (Sorry, always wanted to type that.)

NOVA Pro continues their strong women’s division tradition in the undercard, including an intriguing first-time match of Jordynne Grace against Shazza McKenzie. Both Commonwealth Cups will get new members, as four men and four women vie for direct entry. Tryout standouts Harlow O’Hara and Jordan Blade make their return. Plus, Arik Royal continues to be in the 1%’s crosshairs, but this time, he’s got some fiery backup!

All this, however, is warmup to the big main event: the RUMBLE! Thirty entrants, men and women, will vie to throw their foes over the top rope to the floor. The winner not only gets the prestige and bragging rights, but a very tangible reward: entry to their Commonwealth Cup (if they’re not in already) AND the ability to pick their first-round opponent! The following people have declared for the Rumble: Beau Crockett, Josh Fuller, Mack Buckler, Sage Phillips (who’s already in the Cup), Jaxon Stone, Cain Justice (now making his official debut), Daffney (yes, THAT Daffney), Mikey Banker, Aspyn Rose, Billy Dixon, Graham Bell, Sugar Dunkerton... and Harlow O’Hara! That’s right, just because someone is on the undercard doesn’t mean they won’t be back later in the night for the chance of a lifetime!

See you Friday – bring your voice to count it down and bring your enthusiasm to cheer them on!

So if that sounds as good to you as it does to me (and I tell you what, folks, I would honestly be making plans to head out to this one if I wasn’t currently in the middle of tearing my life down to the foundation and building it back up again), you can get your tickets here or just wait to check it out when it hits Smart Mark Video.

PWG All-Star Weekend 14 (April 20-21)

—Night One (April 20, 8PM Pacific)—

1. Rey Horus vs. Trevor Lee
2. Ringkampf (Timothy Thatcher & WALTER) vs. Violence Unlimited (Brody King & Tyler Bateman)
3. Bandido vs. Taiji Ishimori
4. ”Flash” Morgan Webster vs. Robbie Eagles vs. Sammy Guevara
5. Joey Janela vs. Jonah Rock
6. Adam Page vs. Keith Lee
7. Chosen Bros (Jeff Cobb & Matt Riddle) (c) vs. the Rascalz (Dezmond Xavier & Zachary Wentz) vs. Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) (PWG World Tag Team Championship)

—Night Two (April 20, 8PM Pacific)—

1. “Flash” Morgan Webster vs. Trevor Lee
2. Joey Janela vs. Robbie Eagles
3. The Rascalz (Dezmond Xavier & Zachary Wentz) vs. Violence Unlimited (Brody King & Tyler Bateman)
4. Bandido vs. Rey Horus
5. Sammy Guevara vs. Taiji Ishimori
6. Matt Riddle vs. Timothy Thatcher
7. Jonah Rock vs. Keith Lee (c) vs. WALTER (PWG World Championship)

PWG are back for the penultimate time in their long-term home of Reseda, California and it’s time for another edition of All-Star Weekend, this time featuring international stars fro Taiji Ishimori, formerly of Pro Wrestling NOAH, to Australia’s Jonah Rock and Robbie Eagles, to wXw’s WALTER as well as local up-and-comers Brody King & Tyler Bateman in tag team action. But it’s the double main event on night two that’s most exciting to me-- Thatcher and Riddle have only ever had one failure to deliver in singles action against each other, and that was largely due to a confusing and poorly thought out finish. And that PWG World Championship match? HOSS WAR!

Tickets, of course, are long since sold out, but you’ll be able to pre-order the DVD and Blu-Ray on PWG’s website soon enough.

BLP 6: Slamilton (April 21, 7:30PM Central)

1. Jaxon Stone vs. Mark Wheeler vs. Pat Monix vs. PB Smooth vs. Sage Philips vs. Tre LaMar (Six-Man Chaos Match)
2. Christi Jaynes vs. Facebrooke
3. Kody Rice vs. Shane Sabre
4. Fred Yehi vs. Simon Grimm
5. ”All Ego” Ethan Page vs. Kobe Durst
6. General Order 24 (Eric Ryan & Markus Crane) vs. Scott’s Tots (Kevin Ku & Percy Davis)
7. AJ Gray & Mance Warner vs. No New Friends (Danny Adams & Kevin Lee Davidson)
8. Chris Dickinson vs. Pierre Carl Ouellet
9. Allie Kat vs. Shazza McKenzie
10. Nick Gage vs. Tom Lawlor (c) (BLP Championship)

Black Label Pro are back in Crown Point, Indiana and boy have they put together a card for y’all! Yehi makes his debut opposite Grimm, PCO in action against one half of the Evolve Tag Team Champions, Shazza McKenzie continues her US tour opposite Allie Kat, Lawlor defends against Gage, and more!

Ticket presales are closed, but you can always try your chances at the door or watch live on Powerbomb.tv, folks.

PWX Level Up (April 22, 3PM Eastern)

1. Besties in the World (Davey Vega & Mat Fitchett) vs. Monster Squad (Billy Brash & Joshua Cutshall)
2. ”Manscout” Jake Manning vs. White Mike
3. Jason Cade & Timmy Lou Retton vs. the Syndicate (Elijah Evans IV & TJ Boss)
4. Anthony Henry vs. Gary Jay
5. Drew Adler vs. Martin Stone (c) (Opportunity Knocks Contract)
6. Country Jacked (Brady Pierce & Gunner Miller) vs. Ugly Ducklings (Lance Lude & Rob Killjoy) (c) (PWX Tag Team Championship)
7. Ethan Case (c) vs. James Drake (PWX World Heavyweight Championship)

PWX are back in Gastonia, North Carolina and Rise of a Champion XIII fallout is starting to be felt in a big way. James Drake has a crack at new world champion Ethan Case, Country Jacked look to take the tag titles from the Ducks, Martin Stone defends his guaranteed title shot against Drew Adler, and Anthony Henry and Gary Jay are ready to throw down in a rematch from last year’s Scenic City Invitational. Plus, Corey Hollis and John Skyler will sign a contract for one more match in their longstanding and excellent feud, and to follow up on their unsanctioned match, it’ll be “I Quit” rules inside of a steel cage!

Get your tickets here or check it out when it hits Highspots Wrestling Network, folks.

SUP Satisfaction is the Death of Desire (April 22, 2PM Central)

1. AJ Gray vs. Cabana Man Dan vs. Danny Adams vs. Jaxon Stone vs. Marko Stunt vs. Pat Monix vs. Sage Philips (Scramble Match)
2. Allie Kat vs. Slutty Kat
3. Brett Ison vs. Kerry Awful
4. Mance Warner vs. Maxwell Jacob Friedman
5. Donovan Danhausen vs. Kevin Ku (c) (PWF Tri-States Championship)
6. Curt Stallion vs. Dominic Garrini (c) (SUP Bonestorm Championship Music City Street Fight Falls Count Anywhere Match)

Southern Underground Pro is back in Nashville, Tennessee, and as always, I highlight this one for those of you looking to get in on the ground floor with some of the newest and most exciting talent in the south and the midwest. Dominic Garrini defends the Bonestorm title in a falls count anywhere, Mancer goes to war with MJF, that scramble match should be wild and I’m not familiar with Slutty Kat, but I mean, with a wrestling name name like Slutty Kat...

Get your tickets here or check it out when it hits SUP’s Pivotshare site.

Free matches here!

APW Gym Wars 2018: Union City

The fine folks over at All Pro Wrestling in California dropped a rare live & free YouTube stream on us this past weekend, and I would be remiss if I didn’t link y’all! Jeff Cobb defends the Universal Championship against Will Hobbs and more, check it out!

Air Wolf vs. Cole Radrick

As mentioned, Glory Pro have been uploading their entire Gateway to Glory Tournament, and here are the finals! Two of the finest young men on the indies do battle with a match against Jimmy Jacobs on the line, don’t miss it!

Janelope (Joey Janela & Penelope Ford) vs. Xyberhawx2000 (Razerhawk & Sylverhawk)

And to set up the Chikara Tag World Grand Prix results below, we have some qualifying action from February lined up for y’all. Chikara’s own very 90s Xyberhawx take on the Bad, Bad Boy and his Bad, Bad Girl with entry to the tournament on the line. Check it out!

Results

MLW The World Championship Finals (April 12)

1. Parrow over Vandal Ortagun
2. ACH over Simon Grimm
3. Trey Miguel over Kotto Brazil
4. Dirty Blondes (Leo Brien & Michael Patrick) over Jason Cade & Jimmy Yuta (Elimination Tag Team Match)
5. Maxwell Jacob Friedman over Fred Yehi
6. Penta el Zero M over Rey Fenix to become #1 contender to the MLW World Championship
7. Santana Garrett over Aerial Monroe
8. Sami Callihan over MVP
9. Jimmy Havoc over Joey Janela (Joey Janela’s Bogus Adventure Match)
10. Tom Lawlor over ACH
11. Shane Strickland over Matt Riddle to win the vacant MLW World Championship (Tournament Finals)

Yes, ACH wrestled twice, and it’s entirely because Lawlor and his goons faked him out, claiming Tom was still not cleared due to his arm injury and using it as pretext to beat him down after his victory over the former Simon Gotch. Plus Colonel Robert Parker announced the addition of Jake “Jack Swagger” Hager to his Stud Stable, MJF cheated to beat Fred Yehi, and of course, Shane Strickland won the MLW title in a hard-fought battle against the King of Bros.

Check it out when it starts airing on beIN Sports, folks.

AAW Never Say Die (April 13)

1. PACO over Pat Monix
2. WRSTLING (David Starr, Eddie Kingston, & Jeff Cobb) over Keith Lee & the Rascalz (Dezmond Xavier & Zachary Wentz)
3. Sami Callihan over Joey Janela and Zema Ion
4. Besties in the World (Davey Vega & Mat Fitchett) (c) over OI4K (Dave & Jake Crist) to retain the AAW Tag Team Championship
5. AR Fox & Myron Reed over Curt Stallion & Jake Something and Stephen Wolf & Trey Miguel to become #1 contenders to the AAW Tag Team Championship (Ladder Match)
6. Ace Romero over Maxwell Jacob Friedman
7. Penta el Zero M over Teddy Hart
8. Hudson Envy, Samantha Heights, & Tenille Dashwood over Jessicka Havok, Kimber Lee, & Su Yung
9. ACH (c) over Rey Fenix to retain the AAW Heayvweight Championship

Some last minute card changes due to Trevor Lee’s absence, but after Never Say Die, Day of Defiance on May 5 is taking shape now, with PACO vs. Trevor Lee, Besties vs. Fox & Reed, a dog collar rematch between Romero and MJF, and Moose set to take on the debuting Brody King.

In the meantime, check this one out when it hits Highspots and Smart Mark Video, folks.

Chikara Tag World Grand Prix 2018 (April 14)

1. Creatures of the Deep (Merlok & Oceanea) over Los Ice Creams (El Hijo del Ice Cream & Ice Cream, Jr.) (Tag World Grand Prix 2018 First Round Match)
2. Cornelius Crummels & Sonny Defarge over Green Ant & Thief Ant (Tag World Grand Prix 2018 First Round Match)
3. Rumblebees (Solo Darling & Travis Huckabee) over Janelope (Joey Janela & Penelope Ford) (Tag World Grand Prix 2018 First Round Match)
4. Throwbacks (Dasher Hatfield & “Mr. Touchdown” Mark Angelosetti) over Dez Peloton (Donald Kluger & Jasper Tippins) (Tag World Grand Prix 2018 First Round Match)
5. Creatures of the Deep (Merlok & Oceanea) over Rumblebees (Solo Darling & Travis Huckabee) (Tag World Grand Prix 2018 Semifinal Match)
6. Throwbacks (Dasher Hatfield & “Mr. Touchdown” Mark Angelosetti) over Cornelius Crummels & Sonny Defarge (Tag World Grand Prix 2018 Semifinal Match)
7. The Whisper over Gabby Ortiz
8. BLANK over Oleg the Usurper by disqualification
9. Throwbacks (Dasher Hatfield & “Mr. Touchdown” Mark Angelosetti) over Creatures of the Deep (Merlok & Oceanea) (Tag World Grand Prix 2018 Finals)

The Throwbacks have their three points and are moving on to challenge the Closers for the Campeonatos de Parejas at Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes on April 28! Plus the Rumblebees are finished as they pledged they would be if they lost the tournament, and Proletariat Boar of Moldova has thrown in with Oleg the Usurper in his war against BLANK.

Check it out on Chikaratopia, folks.

CZW Best of the Best 17 (April 14)

1. Matt Riddle over Curt Stallion and Wheeler YUTA (Best of the Best 17 First Round Match)
2. David Starr and Tessa Blanchard over Peter Avalon (Best of the Best 17 First Round Match)
3. Joe Gacy over Brandon Kirk, Joey Janela, and Rich Swann (Best of the Best 17 First Round Match)
4. Zachary Wentz over Myron Reed and Trey Miguel (Best of the Best 17 First Round Match)
5. Zachary Wentz over Joe Gacy (Best of the Best 17 Semifinal Match)
6. David Starr over Matt Riddle and Tessa Blanchard (Best of the Best 17 Semifinal Match)
7. The Rep (Dave McCall & Nate Carter) (c) over Storm of Entrails (Dan O’Hare & SHLAK) to retain the CZW World Tag Team Championship (CZW Rules Match)
8. Maxwell Jacob Friedman over Rickey Shane Page (c) to win the CZW World Heavyweight Championship
9. David Starr over Zachary Wentz (Best of the Best 17 Finals)

David Starr is the Best of the Best! But not only that, it was an eventful night in general, as MJF became a double champion by beating RSP for the world title only to have DJ Hyde strip him of the CZW Wired Championship. A new champion will be crowned at Prelude to Violence next month, and runner-up Wentz is the first man in the match! (And as a note, the double win by Starr and Blanchard in the first round is a result of both wrestlers having submissions locked on Peter Avalon at the same time, leading DJ to make an executive decision and put them both on to the semis.)

Check it out on CZW Studios, folks.

wXw True Colors 2018 (April 14)

1. Monster Consulting (Avalanche & Julian Nero) over Jay-FK (Francis Kaspin & Jay Skillet) & LAX (Ortiz & Santana) to win the vacant wXw World Tag Team Championship
2. Killer Kelly over Audrey Bride
3. Da Mack over T-K-O
4. Absolute Andy (c) over Marius Al-Ani to retain the wXw Unified World Wrestling Championship #1 Contendership (Tables, Ladders, and Chairs Match)
5. Mark Davis over Alexander James, Ivan Kiev, and Lucky Kid to become #1 contender to the wXw Shotgun Championship
6. Ilja Dragunov (c) over WALTER to retain the wXw Unified World Wrestling Championship

And still unbesiegbar...! Yes, no chance for WALTER to avenge his loss in the finals of 16 Carat last year this time, folks. Plus Absolute Andy again used every trick in the book to keep his former tag partner Al-Ani down, Monster Consulting won the vacant tag titles, and due to injury the Shotgun Championship match became a #1 contender’s match, but Mark Davis vs. Bobby Gunns is gonna be pretty hype when it happens, folks.

Check it out on wXwNOW!, if you will.

As always...

Remember folks, no matter what type of wrestling you like, no matter how down you feel about the state of WWE, Impact, ROH, or any other "big-time" pro wrestling, there's something out there for you. There's a pro wrestling product that can hit you in the right spot and make you love wrestling like you thought you'd never be able to love it again. It's there, I promise. You just gotta reach out and find it, and that, my friends, is what the Sermon on the Mat is all about.