Sermon on the Mat (Jan. 3, 2019): CMLL, NWA, Warrior, RevPro, & Glory Pro 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...

CMLL Super Viernes (Jan. 4, 9:30PM Eastern)

1. Ephesto & Los Guerreros Laguneros (Gran Guerrero & Templario) vs. Guerrero Maya, Jr., Rey Cometa, & Stuka, Jr.
2. Titan vs. Triton (Lightning Match)
3. Caristico, El Valiente, & Volador, Jr. vs. Los Guerreros Laguneros (Euforia & Ultimo Guerrero) & Mephisto
4. Atlantis, Diamante Azul, & Kraneo vs. Los Ingobernables (Bestia del Ring, El Terrible, & Rush)
5. Barbaro Cavernario vs. Dragon Lee
6. Angel de Oro, Niebla Roja, & Soberano, Jr. vs Nuevo Generacion Dinamitas (Cuatrero, Forastero, & Sanson) (c) (Mexican National Trios Championship)

CMLL are back in the legendary Arena Mexico for your weekly Friday night dose of lucha libre action, and the first show of 2019 is a best of 2018 rematch extravaganza! This card looks awesome, folks-- when the weakest link is a Los Ingobernables trios match, you know you’re doing pretty good.

Check it out, as always, free for nothin’ on Marca Claro, folks, and the VOD will go up on CMLL’s YouTube channel (where they also stream shows every Monday and Tuesday free of charge) after the fact for those of you who can’t watch live.

NWA Pop-Up Event: TNT New Year’s Clash (Jan. 5, 5:30PM Central)

1. Maxx Stardom vs. Jeremiah Plunkett
2. David Arquette & ??? vs. Jocephus & ??? (Hair vs. Hair Match)
3. Crazzy Steve vs. Sam Shaw (c) (TNT Championship)
4. Allie vs. Jazz (c) (NWA Women’s Championship)
5. Matt Cross vs. Willie Mack (c) (NWA National Heavyweight Championship)
6. James Storm vs. Nick “Magnus” Aldis (c) (NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship)

The NWA is popping right back up in 2019 with a little help from their affiliate Tried-N-True Pro in Clarksville, Tennessee! All three NWA titles are being defended, bridging the spectrum from physics-defying pyrotechnics in Mack/Cross, to Allie’s sweet underdog babyface fire against Jazz, plus David Arquette is in tag team action, putting his hair on the line against Jocephus!

Get your tickets here or keep an eye out for VOD options-- TNT usually put their shows on the Highspots Wrestling Network, but obviously with the NWA connection this one might end up getting distributed a bit differently.

Warrior Wrestling 3 (Jan. 5, 7:30PM Central)

1. Freelance Free-For-All
2. Britt Baker vs. Tessa Blanchard
3. ”All Ego” Ethan Page vs. Moose
4. Andrew Everett vs. Rich Swann
5. Daga, Pat Monix, & Ultimo Dragon vs. Dragon Lee, Sam Adonis, & Super Crazy
6. Jordynne Grace (c) vs. Kylie Rae (Progress World Women’s Championship)
7. Bandido vs. Brian Cage
8. Austin Aries vs. Eddie Edwards
9. A-Kid & Matt Sydal vs. Lucha Brothers (Penta el Zero M & Rey Fenix)

Warrior Wrestling are back in Chicago with another one of their trademark supercards and it’s got a little bit of everything, folks. Aztec Warfare-style Royal Rumble match full of Freelance dudes and also Frank the Clown for some reason? Check. Two hype women’s matches, one of which is for the Progress title? Check. A boatload of super indie type dream matches? Check. That weird all-star lucha trios match? Double check! Best of all, it’s all for charity, with proceeds going to pay for scholarships for children!

Get your tickets here or check it out LIVE on the Highspots Wrestling Network, folks.

RPW Live at the Cockpit 36 / 37: Queen of the Ring (Jan. 5-6)

—Live at the Cockpit 36: Queen of the Ring Night One (Jan. 5, 5:30PM GMT)—

1. Yuu vs. Zoe Lucas (Queen of the Ring First Round Match)
2. Chardonnay vs. Laura Di Matteo (Queen of the Ring First Round Match)

—Live at the Cockpit 37: Queen of the Ring Night Two (Jan. 6, 5:30PM GMT)—

1. PAC vs. Zack Sabre, Jr.
2. Queen of the Ring Semifinals and Finals

RevPro are back in the Cockpit in London, England as is usual at the beginning of a month, and just like last year, they’re kicking January off with a women’s tournament! Confirmed matches are a bit light on the ground, but the rest of the tournament field comprises Sammi Jayne, Kellyanne, Zan Phoenix, and Kay Lee Ray.

And, of course... PAC continues his UK return tour against Zack Sabre, Jr.! That’s gonna rule so hard, folks.

Get your tickets here or check it out on VOD on RPW On Demand, folks.

Glory Pro Above the Law (Jan. 6, 3PM Central)

1. Craig Mitchell vs. Mark Wheeler vs. Orion Creed vs. Seishin
2. Barackus vs. Kobe Durst
3. Aaron Solow vs. Mike Outlaw
4. Allie Kat vs. Vanessa Azure
5. Jake Lander vs. Joey Lynch vs. Shane Sabre
6. Aaron Orion vs. Jake Parnell
7. AJ Gray vs. Jake Something
8. Eddie Kingston vs. PACO
9. #NONEWFRIENDS (Danny Adams & Kevin Lee Davidson) vs. Besties in the World (Davey Vega & Mat Fitchett) vs. Myron Reed & Stephen Wolf (c) (United Glory Championship Tables, Ladders, & Chairs Match)
10. Bandido vs. Curt Stallion (c) (Crown of Glory Championship)

Glory Pro are kicking 2019 off in Collinsville, Indiana with their usual mix of exciting midwestern up-and-comers and exciting guests. I’m gonna focus on the two title matches here because a) that TLC match sounds nuts in the best way and b) I mean, c’mon, Bandido vs. Stallion? Gonna rule, no question about it.

Get your tickets here or check it out when the VOD goes up on the freshly-rebranded IndepedentWrestling.tv, folks.

Free matches here!

Drake Younger vs. Jon Moxley vs. Nick Gage

A little deathmatch blast from the past courtesy of CZW, who have been celebrating their twentieth anniversary by uploading twenty classic matches free on YouTube. These three men’s paths have diverged greatly, ending up in WWE as a referee, in WWE as an active competitor, and one of the most beloved figures in the indies after a stint in jail for bank robbery respectively, and here they are bloodying the hell out of each other nearly a decade ago. Enjoy!

Brubaker, Bryce Benjamin, GPA, & Simon Grimm vs. Egotistico Fantastico, Isaias Velazquez, Marshe Rockett, & Pat Monix

From the fine folks over at Chicago’s Zelo Pro, we’ve got a Halloween Survival Match for y’all this week. Simon Grimm and Pat Monix captain teams of four striving to survive, check it out!

Deonna Purrazzo vs. Madison Eagles

From the fine folks over at Shimmer, we’ve got a technical wrestling tour de force as Aussie stalwart Madison Eagles takes on a big name in the form of NXT’s Deonna Purrazzo in a submission match back at Shimmer 101, don’t miss it!

Results

NOVA 37 (In a Row?) (Dec. 27)

1. Kaci Dillon over Amanda Rodriguez
2. Beau Crockett & Gator Pit (Alex Herzog, Jake Garvin, Mikey Banker, & Satu Jinn) over Capitol Vices (J-Sin & Money Greene), Innocent Isaiah, Josh Fuller, & Mack Buckler
3. Nick Gage over John Kermon
4. Harlow O’Hara over Penelope Ford
5. Ugly Ducklings (Lance Lude & Rob Killjoy) over Sadkampf (Dominic Garrini & Kevin Ku)
6. Faye Jackson over Jordan Blade
7. Logan Easton LaRoux over Harlem Bravado, Tim Donst, and Wheeler YUTA to become #1 contender to the Powerbomb.tv Independent Wrestling Championship
8. Isaiah Frazier over Brian Johnson
9. Sage Philips (c) over Allie Kat to retain the PWF Tri-State Championship
10. Victor Benjamin over Arik Royal
11. Jonathan Gresham over Breaux Keller
12. Terra Calaway over Brittany Blake (Fans Bring the Weapons Match)

NOVA Pro finished their year with a great show despite a last-minute travel kerfuffle on their part that kept Colt Cabana from appearing. I had to tap out and go to bed and haven’t caught the last two matches, but of what I saw, I really dug O’Hara/Ford, Ducks/Sadkampf, Benjamin/Royal, and especially Kat/Philips, and it’s definitely worth checking out in the archives.

Which you can do, if you’re so-inclined, at the freshly-rebranded IndependentWrestling.tv, folks.

Progress Chapter 82: Unboxing Live: A Dukla Prague Away Kit (Dec. 30)

1. Trent Seven (c) over Los Federales Santos, Jr. to retain the Progress Atlas Division Championship
2. Chris Ridgeway over Jody Fleisch, Mark Haskins, Shigehiro Irie, Spike Trivet, and Travis Banks
3. Jordynne Grace over Jinny (c) to win the Progress Women’s World Championship
4. Drew Parker over Chris Brookes (No Disqualification Match)
5. Swords of Essex (Paul Robinson & Will Ospreay) over Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) (c) to win the Progress World Tag Team Championship
6. Eddie Dennis over Marcel Barthel
7. Pete Dunne over Tyler Bate

Woo holy crap there’s a lot to unpack here so let’s go! NXT superstar Marcel “Axel Dieter, Jr.” Barthel wrestling? Check. Impact superstar Jordynne Grace with the shock win over Jinny to win the women’s title? Check. Will Ospreay making a shock return to team with his long-term partner and best friend to take the tag titles? Check. Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate having one last go in what will be their last appearance for Progress? Check!

Check check check it out when it hits Demand Progress, folks.

WWR Women’s TFT / Beyond Heavy Lies the Crown (Dec. 30-31)

—WWR Women’s TFT (Dec. 30)—

1. LuFisto & Trixie Tash over Sonya Strong & Violet
2. Team Sea Stars (Ashley Vox & Delmi Exo) over BCAD (Harlow O’Hara & Terra Calaway) (WWR TFT First Round Match)
3. The Bird and the Bee (Solo Darling & Willow Nightingale) over Black & Blue (Davienne & Vionette) (WWR TFT First Round Match)
4. Twisted Sisterz (Holidead & Thunder Rosa) over Ruthless Ambition (Maria Manic & Penelope Ford) (WWR TFT First Round Match)
5. Team Adams (Karen Q & Tasha Steelz) over Kimber Lee & Skylar (WWR TFT First Round Match)
6. Twisted Sisterz (Holidead & Thunder Rosa) over Team Sea Stars (Ashley Vox & Delmi Exo) (WWR TFT Semifinals)
7. The Bird and the Bee (Solo Darling & Willow Nightingale) over Team Adams (Karen Q & Tasha Steelz) (WWR TFT Semifinals)
8. Alisha Edwards over Shotzi Blackheart
9. Kris Stadtlander over Kylie Rae
10. The Bird and the Bee (Solo Darling & Willow Nightingale) over Twisted Sisterz (Holidead & Thunder Rosa) (WWR TFT Finals)

—Beyond Heavy Lies the Crown (Dec. 31)—

1. Kimber Lee, Kylie Rae, Penelope Ford, & Skylar over Harlow O’Hara, Shotzi Blackheart, & Twisted Sisterz (Holidead & Thunder Rosa)
2. Wheeler YUTA over “Hurricane” John Walters
3. Eddie Kingston over Stokely Hathaway to become #1 contender to the Powerbomb.tv Independent Wrestling Championship)
4. Matt Cross over Andrew Everett
5. Chris Dickinson over David Starr
6. Kris Stadtlander over Maxwell Jacob Friedman
7. Timothy Thatcher over Simon Grimm
8. Beaver Boys (Alex Reynolds & John Silver) over The Bird and the Bee (Solo Darling & Willow Nightingale)
9. Orange Cassidy over “Hot Sauce” Tracy Williams (c) to win the Powerbomb.tv Independent Wrestling Championship
10. Josh Briggs over Nick Gage (Fans Bring the Weapons Match)

Your winner, and NEW Powerbomb.tv Independent Wrestling Champion... ORANGE CASSIDY! Folks, after the tour de force he had with David Starr last month, I thought that was it, no way ol’ Freshly Squeezed can reach any higher, and yet... here we are! He’s got no time to rest on his laurels, however, as Eddie Kingston is breathing right down his throat after having powerbombed Big Stoke through some chairs to get a title shot.

Check the VODs out on the freshly-rebranded IndependentWrestling.tv, folks.

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.