SUPPORT.
INDEPENDENT.
WRESTLING.

Now that I have that out of the way, let’s begin the festivities. After a lot of time spent doing other activities (helping music, running costumes, you name it), I got myself in a position where I could review the show. Now, I didn’t do this alone; I want to thank play-by-play guy Kevin Ford and his info on PWPonderings for helping me out. But it was great being able to enjoy the show rather than be worried about running around and showing up on camera to distract from the action.

ANYWAY, It’s time for a RUMBLE! Anyone who’s ever seen the WWE Royal Rumble knows that these things are so much fun, and even if you have 30 people who have never broken through to the mainstream, the match always delivers. It’s the format, mostly; with a new person entering every so often, the fans don’t have time to be bored. But on top of that, it’s the perfect mix of working and booking that really shows you where the company is as a whole. If the Rumble looks great, you’re in great shape. If it stumbles, panic.

How’d this one do? We’ll get to that. BUT FIRST, the undercard.

Match 0: Benjamin Banks and "The Diamond" Vic Griff vs. "Eternal Flame" Harry Zen and "The Goatest of All Time" Bobby Orlando (w/Bobby Junior)

That’s not a misprint; Orlando is a goat-man. Zen is a Buddhist monk. Benjamin Banks is a Mark Henry type who weighs in excess of 400 pounds. Over at the timekeeper’s table, where ring announcer Bryan Hughes and I spent the evening, this exchange happened:

ME: "So a shepherd, a Buddhist monk, and a 400-pounder walk into a wrestling ring…"
HUGHES: "The referee says, ‘What is this, some kind of a joke?’."

You’d be forgiven for thinking that early on, as the more serious Banks and Griff had no idea what to do with their gimmicky opponents. Crowd enjoyed the silliness early on, and when the meat of the match began, it was your standard tag team match. There’s nothing outright wrong with any of the four guys – Banks in particular uses his weight very well – but they all look like they have better days ahead of them. Zen in particular has a weird charisma to him, getting the crowd to chant along to his breathing exercises before contact. The match hit all the usual notes you expect from younger wrestlers, with nothing really standing out good or bad… well, except for Orlando’s goat-related shenanigans. But in the end, it wasn’t enough to turn the match.

Benjamin Banks and Vic Griff d. Harry Zen and Bobby Orlando when Griff pinned Orlando with a Diamond Cutter in 7:14 (Rating: *3/4)

I was tempted to go back and add a half-star when Griff gave Bobby Junior (who, I should mention, is a stuffed goat doll Bobby brings out with him) an elbowdrop. The crowd was mortified.

And after being allowed to intro the pre-show match (that’s my voice you hear!), I handed it off to Bryan Hughes. We opened with a ten-bell to Bruno Sammartino. RIP to a man on the Mt. Rushmore of WWF/E.

Match 1: "Too Turnt" Laynie Luck vs. "The Bride of Frankenstein" Angelus Layne

This was supposed to be Layne vs. Isla Dawn, but health issues meant Isla was stuck in Scotland. This is on the heels of the match being booked back in February, but Layne couldn’t make it when her car broke down. (Side note: Layne/Dawn may be the best buildup for a match with zero buildup.)

As for the match itself, Layne was clearly the dominant one. Luck got in some spurts of offense, but her selling for Layne is what made the match. Given the announcement for the next show, keeping Angelus strong made perfect sense. Luck got a bit of a pop for her running knees to a seated Layne in the corner, but at no time did Angelus seem in danger.

Angelus Layne d. Laynie Luck with the Gravedigger in 7:57 (Rating: **1/4)

Both Layne and Luck, by the way, are scheduled to be in the Making Towns Classic on May 12th in Nashville, TN. It is my hope to get CSS an exclusive interview with tournament organizer Mike "Papa" Hales, partly to promote a great wrestling event and partly because Mike Hales is awesome and you all need to know about him.

Match 2: "The Octopus" Jonathan Gresham of the Dream Team (w/Stokely Hathaway) vs. "The Proficient" Sage Phillips

Um, yes, this sounds good. Phillips made waves when he nearly took the gold from Logan Easton LaRoux at Such Great Heights, while Gresham is the former Powerbomb TV Independent Wrestling Champion (this becomes important later). So entering this match, Gresham would’ve been a bit of a favorite.

But Sage’s fight was something to behold. The two put together some incredible strings of moves in between Gresham going after Sage’s arm. More’s the pity, then, that the arm work didn’t factor into the finish. After a series of reversals that had the crowd oohing and ahhing, Gresham stacked Sage up and bridged back. It was enough to keep him down in a match that, frankly, you all need to see when the show is available on DVD. (Neener.) In fact, the real tragedy was that this match was here to give you the aftermath.

Jonathan Gresham d. Sage Phillips with a reverse prawn hold at 11:32 (Rating: ***1/4)

So, in the aftermath, Stokely has a mic and has something to say. You see, Jonathan Gresham is a former Independent Wrestling Champion, and sometimes, people even in the Dream Team drop the ball (Gresham gives Stokely a side-eye at this). But as the leader, he has to take responsibility for his team’s failures (now Gresham is protesting) and make amends. And those amends come in the form of a mandatory rematch. So, at Threat of Joy on May 11 on POWERBOMB TV, Gresham will get his rematch for the Powerbomb Independent Wrestling Championship against current titleholder, Hot Sauce Tracy Williams! So the main event is set, with an exciting one-on-one encounter that…

…aw, hamburgers, here comes Logan Easton LaRoux, "Champion of the One Percent" and top annoying heel in the company. And of course, his Gated Community friends are all standing in applause and cheering for him – much in contrast to everyone else who is in the building. Logan, unfortunately, brings up a good point: see, the last time NOVA Pro streamed on Powerbomb, Logan defended the PWI Ultra J Title. It’s a title he does not have now (losing it to Andrew Everett two days later) and a title he has never received a rematch for. So, Stokely, how about making it up to him by pulling some strings?

Stokely isn’t one who likes taking commands, but Logan (he says) does have a point. So much so that he’s willing to put the Dream Team at a disadvantage to make up for it. So, at Threat of Joy on POWERBOMB TV (and yes, we’ll do a preview of it), it’ll be a triple threat match with Tracy Williams against Jonathan Gresham against Logan Easton LaRoux! Stokely and Logan pose for the cameras as Gresham, now wondering if Stokely ever talks to him about any decision, storms off.

Match 3: The Hooligans (Devin Cutter & Mason Cutter) vs. Pow Meow (Christi Jaynes & Allie Kat)

First, some sad news: due to an unexpected visit from Grandma, Allie’s #1 fan was not in attendance tonight. We missed you, Mallory!

Now, an added stipulation: per agreement of the participants (although not an official rule), there will be no punching in the face.

There will, however, be a lot of backrakes (as Devin challenged Allie to a scratching contest), lots of Christi getting thrown around, lots of cheering for Allie, and when things break down the most, we’ll also have a random seated strike contest like something out of a Matt Tremont match. That’s right, all four people sat down in a circle and spent about 3 minutes just chopping the bejabbers out of each other. And then when Mason and Christi got up and fought to the outside, Devin took turns with Allie slapping each other in the face really hard. Things fell apart when Devin slugged Allie, breaking his own offer, which made Allie go ballistic. Unfortunately, Mason got the better of Christi on the outside, and some double-teaming meant the beginning of the end.

The Hooligans d. Pow Meow when Devin pinned Allie after a flying double stomp/Big Ending combo at 14:45 (Rating: **3/4)

Hey, have I mentioned there are two Commonwealth Cups this year? There are! A men’s AND a women’s. So let’s qualify some people!

Match 4, winner enters the Women’s Commonwealth Cup: Veda Scott vs. "The Powerhouse Luchadora" Facebrooke vs. Jordan Blade

Continuing the theme of "card subject to change" is this match, as it was supposed to be a four-way with Hot Scoop Skylar, but some sort of licensing issue happened and she had to be pulled from the show. Kind of a shame it happened, too, to be honest, as her absence – or, rather, the absence of a glue person – was largely felt in this match.

See, Facebrooke and Blade are both newer wrestlers, which wouldn’t be a problem with a veteran like Veda to tie it together… except Veda in NOVA Pro is a bit of a coward. This is magnified because she’s much shorter than her competition. So Veda spent most of the match not competing, while the other two attempted to fight it out. Veda got her shots in – notably an Old School dive to the outside with the referee holding her hand to keep her up – then hid for most of the match. Eventually, she picked her spot, and with it booked her place.

Veda Scott d. Facebrooke and Jordan Blade by pinning Blade with a Sliding Stunner in 6:07 (Rating: 3/4*)

So with Veda’s entry, five spots in the Women’s Commonwealth Cup eight-woman field were set. Veda joined fellow qualifiers Jordynne Grace and Faye Jackson as well as invitees Chelsea Green and Mia Yim (not only that, but Yim mentioned at the March show she wanted to face Faye in round one). But after this match, another invitee was announced: Rachael Ellering! The field is looking very good right now, and it’ll be even better later (see Threat of Joy below).

Match 5: "The Champion of the 1%" Logan Easton LaRoux, Bobby "The Body" Shields, and "The Corporate Captain" Gunner Miller vs. "The Ace of the Mid-Atlantic" Arik Royal and The Ugly Ducklings (Lance Lude and Rob Killjoy) w/Coach Mikey

The heat for this match, as you can imagine given the talent involved, was absolutely off the charts. Everyone in the crowd was taking a side – whether with the One Percent or with the Ace and the ever-popular Ducklings. A huge brawl on the outside before the bell only intensified matters.

Soon the match settled into the typical Ugly Ducklings formula – Lude takes a few minutes of heat, Killjoy gets the tag, and there’s an extended sequence where all heck breaks loose. Now, when I say "typical formula", I’m not trying to discount it – the Ducklings are masters at this, and when things enter the Tornado portion of a tag, everyone is going full tilt. LaRoux and Shields did their best to keep up, flying around alongside the Ducklings, which left Royal and Gunner in the ring to exchange some power moves and renew their rivalry.

Soon, the other four returned, and it looked like the Ducklings were going to land Launchpad McQuack on Logan. But Gunner was set for it and ready to pounce Lude out of mid-air, just as Royal had in December. However, Royal knew that trick and stopped Lude in his tracks before giving Gunner a Space Jam (leaping clawhold slam) to clear the way! Gunner would recover, though, and as the big men fought outside, Gunner pounced Royal into the ringpost to take him out. The numbers meant there was no hope after that.

Logan Easton LaRoux, Bobby Shields, and Gunner Miller d. Arik Royal, Lance Lude, and Rob Killjoy when Gunner pinned Killjoy with a Jackhammer in 12:49. (Rating: ***1/2)

At this point, we paused for intermission. The future schedule for NOVA Pro, for those wondering, is as follows: on May 11 we have Threat of Joy at the Annandale VFD, and several matches have been announced for that. On June 8-9 are the Commonwealth Cup(s), as 16 men and 8 women face off for glory. And coming July 6 is the third annual American Slang event, back at the JCC of Northern Virginia.

And now, back to the show:

Match 6: "The High Priestess" Harlow O’Hara vs. "Milkshake" Faye Jackson

Aw, man, the Gated Community forgot to bring singles to make it rain for Faye! C’mon, guys!

I will say this about Harlow: it’s amazing that in just under two years (as Bryan noted) she’s got all the elements of a good wrestling character. She’s all in on the priestess gimmick, praying for her opponent and wearing a crown to the ring. The one thing I will say is that her ringwork isn’t the sharpest, but hell, I’ll be lucky to be that in demand after two years, so what do I know?

Anyway, this is another Making Towns Classic field preview, as both women are in the tournament. Faye seemed to be getting the better of Harlow and went for her Triple Spun Milkshake – three straight hip checks to her seated foe. However, much to her surprise, Harlow pulled the referee in the way of the third one (and if you’ve seen Todd "Buff Ref" Myers, you’d know that’s quite a feat at any time). The opening allowed Angelus Layne to return from earlier in the show and destroy Faye with a DDT. She gave Harlow the opening to get the pin, and the ref came to and made the call.

Harlow O’Hara d. Faye Jackson after Angelus Layne took advantage of a dead referee in 7:45 (Rating: *1/2)

(NOTE: Harlow and Angelus have posted pictures on Twitter referring to themselves as Team Gothicc. Spelled with two c’s for some reason. I don’t understand the name. Something the youths came up with. Get off my lawn.)

So let’s qualify someone for the Men’s Commonwealth Cup, shall we?

Match 7, winner enters the Men’s Commonwealth Cup: "The Southern Savior" John Skyler vs. Wheeler YUTA vs. "Warhorse" Jake Parnell vs. "Have Mercy" Percy Davis

I hate to sound like I’m short-changing this match, but this had a lot of similar elements to every four-person scramble you’re going to have. To be fair, there was a subplot of Parnell and Skyler trying to work together before turning on each other repeatedly, and the crowd did pop for Davis’ lollipop-assisted offense (seriously, he kicked a bag of suckers into Skylar’s face).

Every time Skyler and Parnell got the advantage, one would try to pin the other, leading to an argument as to who broke the deal before whom. And every time this happened, YUTA stepped in to take advantage with a flurry of offense. While Davis did win the crowd over some with free lollipops, he has a long way to go to match the other three. It showed when the match reached a conclusion and Wheeler had his pick of the bunch. He chose the weakest link, and in dispatching him, earned his place.

Wheeler YUTA d. John Skyler, Jake Parnell, and Percy Davis by pinning Davis with an inverted headlock side slam at 9:09 (Rating: **) (Author’s Note: until corrected by Wheeler himself, I’m calling his finisher the YUTA Jazz. Heck, maybe he should adopt the name.)

So now, YUTA joins an absolutely ridiculously loaded field for the Men’s Commonwealth Cup. Dig this list: Eddie Kingston, Sage Phillips, Alexander James, Logan Easton LaRoux, Arik Royal, Gunner Miller, Tim Donst, Jimmy Jacobs, Tracy Williams, Nick Gage, Wheeler YUTA… and let’s add a twelfth name to the list of 16 in Fred Yehi! If this keeps up it could be a destination event for early June. Tickets are available.

Match 8: Shazza McKenzie vs. "Thick Mama Pump" Jordynne Grace

First time I've seen Shazza in person, and what a treat with this first time ever matchup. Grace had the power to counteract Shazza's speed and technique, but we were in for a bit of a surprise that Grace could keep up with Shazza in the holds. Let's go one step further: the first half of this match had some of the most seamless, fluid chaining you'll see anywhere, and the NOVA Pro crowd was enjoying it.

Once they got to the fast portion of the match, Shazza found Grace was able to keep up with her. Sure, Shazza woud occasionally get an advantage with a sleeperhold or something, but Grace would power out and continue on the offensive. And, on a night when Bruno Sammartino was honored, there was only one way a power wrestler could win after all.

Jordynne Grace d. Shazza McKenzie with a bearhug in 11:29 (Rating: **1/2)

To be honest, I felt like this match ended abruptly, but at this point the show was running long and we had a main event to get to. Rumbles take forever as is.

So let's get started! Intervals are set at about 75 seconds, with the timer re-starting once the introduction is over or the wrestler makes the ring, whichever is first. I'll highlight all the entrances and exits as we go, then at the end provide a statistical breakdown. The winner of this Rumble qualifies for his/her respective Commonwealth Cup (assuming they're not in it already) and can pick their first round opponent. (Note that Faye Jackson and Mia Yim asked to face each other in Round 1. That request may not survive the night.)

MAIN EVENT: THE FIRST EVER AND HOPEFULLY NOT THE LAST OLD DOMINION RUMBLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLE

We open with "The Beau Show" Beau Crockett at #1, and he'll open up against "The Proficient" Sage Phillips at #2, making his second appearance of the night. And we're underway as Beau goes back to the arm of Phillips that had been worked on earlier in the night. He can't keep the advantage the entire way, and Phillips mounts a comeback, getting Beau reeling. Sage's arm means he can't finish the deal, which is a problem when "Pretty Boy" Jake Hollister is #3 because Hollister and Crockett were tag partners at the tryout show. Hollister preens in the aisleway instead of coming in, much to Crockett's chagrin, but eventually joins the fun and helps double-team Sage.

Things look bad for Phillips, but help is on the way as "Boogie Down" Billy Dixon is #4. He goes to town on everyone he can think of, including a huge splash on Crockett while dropping a Drag Race reference that Bryan geeked out for. (I didn't recognize it because I'm culturally illiterate. Like I said, off my lawn.) Anyway, "Too Turnt" Laynie Luck is #5, and with her arrival comes the first person tossed as Hollister is eliminated by Luck. Crockett can only wonder why he gets saddled with teammates that let him down – meanwhile, I'm sure somewhere his former partner Innocent Isaiah is cackling as he's the one that got away.

Anyway, back to the match as CRAB Wrestling Tag Team Champion "The Gifted" Isaiah Frazier is #6. Things look good, but during the countdown, Laynie crumples to the mat and holds her knee. It's so bad she can't even exit over the top rope, so Buff Ref Todd Myers carries her off and Luck is eliminated by injury just as "Mercenary" Graham Bell is #7. (For the record, if anyone's seen Graham's bazooka, please let us know.) Bell can't get any traction going early on, but never fear because "The Midnight Mermaid" Aspyn Rose is #8 and it's STUNNERS FOR EVERYONE! Unfortunately, as the smallest person in the match, she has no way to get anyone out.

But help is on the way for her when Tremor is #9. The masked lunatic from the Asylum is willing to follow the beauty's orders, and soon enough he's going after the biggest (by weight) in the match as Dixon is eliminated by Tremor. With Tremor the largest man in the ring, the question of who can stop him looms... and is answered when an even bigger wrestler emerges with Mecha Mercenary at #10. The big men (Tremor is 300, Mecha is 440) face off, and this time girth wins out, as Tremor is eliminated by Mecha. Rose complains, so Mecha picks her up and hands her to Tremor on the outside... who drops her, meaning Rose is eliminated by Mecha. (Spoiler alert: this is the only time in the Rumble that a man eliminates a woman. Make of that what you will.)

Rose chastises Tremor all the way to the back as Bobby "The Body" Shields is #11, coming back after the six-man earlier. At this point it becomes clear: Mecha's the favorite. Do everything you can to get him worn down and out. But if the field was looking for help at the next buzzer, they'd need to keep looking because Josh Fuller is #12. Fuller, being the smallest man in the Rumble, jumps in, races across the ring, slides out, and hides under the ring. Everyone just goes back to work on Mecha, and this time Cain Justice is #13 to put the effort over the top. Six superkicks hit Mecha at once and nobody's surviving that, as Mecha is eliminated by (deep breath) Crockett, Sage, Frazier, Bell, Shields, and Cain all at once.

And now that that's overwith, back to trying to take each other out. Fuller hears the countdown and pokes his head out, certain his partner is up next... but either numbers got switched or he miscounted, because Breaux Keller is #14 and he yanks Fuller out from under the ring. That's the beginning of the end, as Fuller is double-teamed to the audience's delight. Soon after, Fuller is eliminated by Keller and Bell. With the brat out, the battle continues. "Tragic" Slade Porter is #15 and takes more than his sweet time to enter the ring, burning nearly half the clock on his elaborate entrance. "Lights Camera" Jaxon Stone is #16, and though he adds some excitement to the event, he can't make any progress in eliminating anyone.

Crockett, though, gets tired of Porter's act and goes to eliminate him, but Allie Kat is #17 and she pounces (sorry) on the situation. Soon enough, Crockett AND Porter are eliminated by Allie. A huge ovation follows for the elimination of Crockett, who still carries some residual heat from injuring his former tag partner that can pay off down the road. Meanwhile, CRAB Wrestling Heavyweight Champion "Bad Mother Trucker" Mack Buckler is #18, or four spots after Fuller hoped he'd be. However, he does establish himself atop the feeder company pecking order quickly as Frazier is eliminated by Buckler.

Allie is the only woman in the ring and is holding her own, but both of those change quickly as "The High Priestess" Harlow O'Hara is #19 and she goes after Allie. Soon after, a new face enters the Rumble as "Big BEEF" Jake Garvin is #20. The NOVA Pro faithful love that his nickname is Big Beef, and he lives up to it by being a Stan Hansen type, right down to the Longhorn salute and war cry. Harlow has the edge on Allie, but just in time tag team partner Christi Jaynes is #21 and the tide turns! The duo work together to take down Harlow, and they anticipate a cutoff and reverse as Bell is eliminated by Pow Meow.

Their efforts to eliminate Shields and Garvin are not quite as successful. The Masked Villain is #22, and while we're not supposed to know his identity, his lanky body gives him away to half the crowd. I'll be kind and keep you in the dark. Anyway, he enters and attacks Buckler right away, just as he did in November. So the ring, as you can guess, is getting kind of crowded, and it's time for someone, anyone, to go on a deadwood run...

...and right on cue, "The Ace of the Mid-Atlantic" Arik Royal is #23 and it's time to go on a tear! Buckler is eliminated by Royal. Shields is eliminated by Royal. Stone is eliminated by Royal. Yeah-YAYEE! The Ace is on fire! He goes for Garvin and beats him down in the corner to show him what Virginia beef is all about. Cain gets a bit of a breather in the corner, but it doesn't last long as "The Kermonator" John Kermon is #24 and he's headed straight for the man who cost him a Commonwealth Cup spot in February.

Kermon shows a fire he isn't known for as the two brawl in the middle of the ring until "Bride of Frankenstein" Angelus Layne is #25. Pow Meow has had enough of her crap and goes for the kill, but Harlow makes the save and allows Layne to score. Soon, Jaynes is eliminated by Angelus. Allie is mortified, but she has bigger concerns now. Meanwhile, the other half of the CRAB Wrestling Tag Team Champions Mikey Banker is #26 and does his entire entrance before rolling into the ring. He still has time, however, to make a beeline for someone hanging out on the apron to provide the final shot, and Masked Villain is eliminated by Banker.

Soon after, "The Champion of the One Percent" Logan Easton LaRoux is #27, because if anyone was going to get the lucky 27 spot it would be Logan, wouldn't it? Surprisingly, he doesn't make much of an impact as far as deadwood, only getting one person put away as Keller is eliminated by LaRoux. He tries to hide, knowing he's got help on the way, as "The GOATest of All Time" Bobby Orlando is #28. He gives Bobby Junior to Banker as a peace offering, but Banker doesn't want it and chucks it back up the aisle. Yes, we note that the goat has been eliminated, and yes, the crowd calls it Awesome. We're weird.

Logan's help arrives soon, as "The Corporate Captain" Gunner Miller is #29 and it's time to clear some people out. Orlando is eliminated by Gunner. Banker is eliminated by Gunner. Garvin is eliminated by Gunner. Logan and Gunner go to work on Arik Royal as Team Gothicc looks to get one over on Allie, but Allie slips underneath and Harlow is eliminated by Allie. And now... Jean Jean LeBon is #30.

Okay, pause. Let me explain the joke here. Jean Jean LeBon is a wrestling mime. This makes him awesome. But more to the point, the only time we've seen LeBon was when he was Logan Easton LaRoux in disguise. Naturally, everyone assumes that the 1% are up to their old tricks, but soon after a handshake, Shields emerges from the back and tells Logan things went awry. Logan quickly looks around... wait, if Gunner's in the match and that's Bobby... then who do I... oh dear.

One chokeslam later, and LaRoux is eliminated by LeBon. The joke being paid off, LeBon is eliminated by Gunner soon after. So our field for the match beyond is Sage Phillips (entered at #2), Cain Justice (#13), Allie Kat (#17), Arik Royal (#23), John Kermon (#24), Angelus Layne (#25), and Gunner Miller (#29).

Allie and Angelus work over each other as Gunner and Royal continue their fight from earlier. Sage takes the opportunity to rest as he's taken a beating and is the only one without a rival. That's to his benefit, but it doesn't last long, as Kermon is eliminated by Cain and we get the face/heel faceoff that indicates endgame is upon us... wait, Kermon just jumped back in and tackled Cain through the ropes! There's a fight on the floor, but referees manage to get Kermon off of Cain, allowing the latter to return as the former is sent to the showers. Sage and Gunner get the fight started, and the little guy, running on fumes and one arm, rocks the hoss... until he makes the mistake of trying a leap. Gunner easily catches him, and soon after Sage is eliminated by Gunner. But not before clinching Iron Man. There's almost no time to rest before Royal puts Cain on the apron, then Pounces him halfway to next week! Cain is eliminated by Royal, and we are at the Final Four.

With Royal and Gunner fighting on their side, Angelus has Allie backed against the ropes and goes to charge... but Allie low bridges and Angelus is eliminated by Allie. This is huge, as neither woman is in the Commonwealth Cup yet, and this may be their last chance to qualify... wait, Angelus is a sore loser and returns, and before anyone can stop her, Allie is eliminated by Angelus. Angelus attacks on the floor as the referees literally drag her kicking and screaming to the back. And then there were two.

They first collided when Gunner got a sneak attack on Royal in December. Gunner used a well-placed low blow to take out Royal in February. And Royal is the more tired of the two, having spent about 8 more minutes in the match. Gunner takes advantage early, but when he tries for the Jackhammer finisher, Royal fights out and reverses in mid-air to the Space Jam! The strap is coming down... but the two bulls collide and Gunner gets the better of it! He looks to toss Royal, but Royal hangs on... now Royal slides out the back and tries, but Gunner fights back. Gunner with another cheap shot to Royal – shades of February – and he tosses Royal... who hangs on to the top rope as he sits on the apron! Gunner looks for the coup de grace... but Royal stops him! He grabs Gunner... Gunner is eliminated by Royal!! We have a winner!!!

Arik Royal wins the Old Dominion Rumble by last eliminating Gunner Miller in 51:44 (Rating: ***3/4)

As Royal and the crowd celebrate, Bryan Hughes enters the ring and makes a note: sure, Royal already qualified for the Commonwealth Cup, but now he gests to pick his first-round opponent. Who does he want? The easiest? The big name? His rival? Royal already knows... and he announces he wants to make good on last year's runner-up finish in the Cup. Arik Royal chooses Logan Easton LaRoux! What a first-round match that'll be on June 8th!

But before we get there, we have THREAT OF JOY, streaming L-I-V-E LIVE on Powerbomb.TV on May 11! Here's what we know so far:

Powerbomb.TV Independent Wrestling Championship: Tracy Williams (champion) vs. Jonathan Gresham (challenger) vs. Logan Easton LaRoux (challenger). As noted above, Williams was ready for Gresham to cash in his rematch, but Stokely Hathaway threw everyone a curveball and agreed to add the Champion of the 1% to the mix. Will Logan get his hands on gold again? And how does Gresham feel about this? More importantly, whose side is Stokely on anyway?

Women's Commonwealth Cup Qualifiers: Angelus Layne vs. Shotzi Blackheart and Allie Kat vs. Brittany Blake. The last two spots in the eight-woman field will be determined as part of Threat of Joy. Which dangerous woman will get the seventh position and which fan favorite gets the eighth? Who will get a chance to etch their name in the NOVA Pro history books?

Arik Royal vs. Gunner Miller. Well, after the finale of the Rumble, the 1% quickly acted, demanding this match, and Royal wasn't about to say no. Royal has a loss to avenge, while Miller can make things easier on himself and especially Logan by taking out a major roadblock to the Cup.

Sage Phillips vs. Dominic Garrini. In the Bone Collector's last appearance in February, he was cradled by Phillis, earning Sage a Commonwealth Cup appearance. Ol' Dom took this very poorly, piledriving Sage after the bell. Now, Phillips has a chance to get even and may have a chance to prove his Rumble Performance was real – is he a dark horse in June?

The Ugly Ducklings vs. The Hooligans. This match was one of the best of the February event, so why not run it again? High flyers against brawlers, and the only question is if things will get as chaotic and out of hand as they did last time!

Plus, who are the last four entrants in the Men's Commonwealth Cup? Lots of intrigue as we head to the bright lights of internet PPV, only on the should-be-award winning Powerbomb.TV Network! See you May 11! Annandale and the world, HERE WE COME!

/////

OLD DOMINION RUMBLE STATS:

#1 – Beau Crockett
Lasted: 22:06
Eliminated: Mecha Mercenary
Eliminated By: Allie Kat

#2 – Sage Phillips
Lasted: 44:41
Eliminated: Mecha Mercenary
Eliminated By: Gunner Miller

#3 – Jake Hollister
Lasted: 2:43
Eliminated: None
Eliminated By: Laynie Luck

#4 – Billy Dixon
Lasted: 8:29
Eliminated: None
Eliminated By: Tremor

#5 – Laynie Luck
Lasted: 2:57
Eliminated: Jake Hollister
Eliminated By: injury

#6 – Isaiah Frazier
Lasted: 17:54
Eliminated: Mecha Mercenary
Eliminated By: Mack Buckler

#7 – Graham Bell
Lasted: 20:51
Eliminated: Mecha Mercenary, Josh Fuller
Eliminated By: Allie Kat and Christi Jaynes

#8 – Aspyn Rose
Lasted: 3:48
Eliminated: None
Eliminated By: Mecha Mercenary

#9 – Tremor
Lasted: 2:03
Eliminated: Billy Dixon
Eliminated By: Mecha Mercenary

#10 – Mecha Mercenary
Lasted: 4:55
Eliminated: Tremor, Aspyn Rose
Eliminated By: Beau Crockett, Sage Phillips, Isaiah Frazier, Graham Bell, Bobby Shields, and Cain Justice

#11 – Bobby Shields
Lasted: 17:43
Eliminated: Mecha Mercenary
Eliminated By: Arik Royal

#12 – Josh Fuller
Lasted: 4:41
Eliminated: None
Eliminated By: Graham Bell and Breaux Keller

#13 – Cain Justice
Lasted: 29:05
Eliminated: Mecha Mercenary, John Kermon
Eliminated By: Arik Royal

#14 – Breaux Keller
Lasted: 18:54
Eliminated: Josh Fuller
Eliminated By: Logan Easton LaRoux

#15 – Slade Porter
Lasted: 2:28
Eliminated: None
Eliminated By: Allie Kat

#16 – Jaxon Stone
Lasted: 10:26
Eliminated: None
Eliminated By: Arik Royal

#17 – Allie Kat
Lasted: 24:15
Eliminated: Beau Crockett, Slade Porter, Graham Bell, Harlow O'Hara, Angelus Layne
Eliminated By: Angelus Layne

#18 – Mack Buckler
Lasted: 7:20
Eliminated: Isaiah Frazier
Eliminated By: Arik Royal

#19 – Harlow O'Hara
Lasted: 16:06
Eliminated: None
Eliminated By: Allie Kat

#20 – Jake Garvin
Lasted: 13:35
Eliminated: None
Eliminated By: Gunner Miller

#21 – Christi Jaynes
Lasted: 6:19
Eliminated: Graham Bell
Eliminated By: Angelus Layne

#22 – The Masked Villain
Lasted: 6:33
Eliminated: None
Eliminated By: Mikey Banker

#23 – Arik Royal
Lasted: 21:15
Eliminated: Mack Buckler, Bobby Shields, Jaxon Stone, Cain Justice, Gunner Miller
WINNER

#24 – John Kermon
Lasted: 10:52
Eliminated: None
Eliminated By: Cain Justice

#25 – Angelus Layne
Lasted: 12:22
Eliminated: Christi Jaynes, Allie Kat
Eliminated By: Allie Kat

#26 – Mikey Banker
Lasted: 4:34
Eliminated: The Masked Villain
Eliminated By: Gunner Miller

#27 – Logan Easton LaRoux
Lasted: 5:37
Eliminated: Breaux Keller
Eliminated By: Jean-Jean LeBon

#28 – Bobby Orlando
Lasted: 1:26
Eliminated: None
Eliminated By: Gunner Miller

#29 – Gunner Miller
Lasted: 12:42
Eliminated: Bobby Orlando, Mikey Banker, John Garvin, Jean Jean LeBon, Sage Phillips
Eliminated By: Arik Royal

#30 – Jean Jean LeBon
Lasted: 0:54
Eliminated: Logan Easton LaRoux
Eliminated By: Gunner Miller