Sermon on the Mat (Dec. 8, 2016): Freelance, CZW, Beyond, Progress, & Tier 1 cards, Chikara & House of Hardcore results, plus free matches

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...

Freelance Triple Threat Level Midnight (December 9, 9PM Central)

1. Chris Castro vs. Darin Corbin vs. Kenny Sutra vs. Matt Cage vs. Space Monkey vs. Stevie Fierce (Scramble Match)
2. Hornswaggle vs. Kikutaro
3. Arik Cannon vs. "All Ego" Ethan Page
4. Christian Rose vs. Suge D (Career vs. Career Match)
5. Brubaker & Kobe Durst vs. N-Words (Acid Jaz & Bryce Benjamin) (c) vs. Team BETA (Craig Mitchell & Matt Knicks) (Freelance Tag Team Championship)
6. GPA vs. Isaias Velazquez vs. Mustafa Ali (c) (Freelance Championship)

It's the end of era for Freelance Wrestling as they return to the Bottom Lounge in Chicago, Illinois on Friday, because no matter who wins the title match, Mustafa Ali will be gone at the end of the night. He's headed to WWE and while I'm stoked to see the guy on 205 Live, it'll be a bummer to lose him here on Freelance shows. That's not the only change coming our way, as play-by-play man Mark Maxwell is retiring from behind-the-scenes participation. He's grown immensely as a commentator since I watched my first Freelance show last year, and on a personal note, when I started doing this here Sermon he was one of the first guys to connect with me on Twitter, so I'll be sad to see him go as well.

Enough sentimentality, let's discuss the rest of the card, shall we? At the tip top, right below the title match, is the career vs. career match. Suge D and Christian Rose have feuded with the intensity of a thousand suns over the course of their Freelance career, and it all ends here. But don't take my word for it, let Suge tell you what this match means himself. Plus the obligatory Freelance Scramble, sure to feature Chris Castro and Matt Cage taking their issues out on each other, as well as a triple threat tag title defense and one of the most baffling dream matches of all time in Hornswaggle vs. Kikutaro.

You're not gonna want to miss this one, folks, so check out the hype video and then head on over to the Freelance website to buy tickets or access to the $5 stream, which continues to be just a click or two shy of full-on iPPV quality. It's a bargain!

CZW Cage of Death 18 (December 10, 8PM Eastern)

1. Dub Boys (Dave McCall & Nate Carter) vs. Kevin Martenson & Yuma (United Showcase Match)
2. Alexander James vs. AR Fox vs. Dave Crist vs. Tim Donst vs. Tony Deppen vs. Zachary Wentz (Scramble Match)
3. Dezmond Xavier vs. Shane Strickland
4. Danny Havoc vs. Rickey Shane Page
5. Lio Rush vs. Sami Callihan
6. Greg Excellent vs. Homicide
7. Da Hit Squad (Dan Maff & Monsta Mack) (c) vs. EYFBO (Angel Ortiz & Mike Draztik) (CZW World Tag Team Championship)
8. "Chainsaw" Joe Gacy vs. Jonathan Gresham (c) (CZW World Heavyweight Championship)
9. Conor Claxton, Jeff Cannonball, Joey Janela, & Matt Tremont vs. Devon Moore, Drew Blood, & Young Dragons (Dale Patricks & Josh Crane) (Cage of Death Match)

That's right, eighteen. Cage of Death is one of the most venerable traditions on the independent scene and it's back yet again from CZW's home base of Voorhees, New Jersey. And, naturally, the card is stacked to the gills from the scramble to the cage itself.

Indeed, where do you even start picking potential standouts— Rush/Callihan? Sure to be an awesome brawl as Sami tries to clip Lio's wings with his fists. Xavier/Strickland? Two of today's hottest high flyers, one on one. Da Hit Squad vs. EYFBO? A legendary indie tag team defending their gold against upstarts looking to edge them out of their own territory. Gacy/Gresham? Hard hitting and fast-paced, with Gresham likely to need to use every tool in his box of considerable size to hold onto to his title.

In short, it sounds awesome, and you can either buy tickets here or wait for it to go up on CZWStudios.

Beyond Over-Nite Sensation (December 11, 2PM Eastern)

1. Jaka vs. Sean Maluta
2. Alexxis & Taeler Hendrix vs. Deonna Purrazzo & Jordynne Grace
3. Chuck O'Neil vs. Chris Dickinson
4. EYFBO (Angel Ortiz & Mike Draztik) vs. Spirit Squad (Kenny & Mikey)
5. Kimber Lee vs. LuFisto
6. Dan Barry vs. Matt Riddle
7. AR Fox vs. Joey Janela
8. Jonathan Gresham vs. Ricochet
9. Brian Fury vs. Donovan Dijak
10. Chris Hero vs. John Silver

Beyond are making their FloSlam debut on Sunday from Melrose, Massachusetts. They're running a double-header with Evolve (but more on those shows in their dedicated preview) and in true Beyond fashion, the card is so large I nearly put my back out typing it up here.

Let's start with the wackiest part of the card as the Spirit Squad take on EYFBO. That is a match that is happening, folks, and I am excited. Plus Matt Riddle takes on Dan Barry in a match that was set up when Riddle slammed Matt Tremont through Barry's merch table last month, Jonathan Gresham takes on Ricochet in an absolute dream match, Brian Fury winds up his career in Beyond with one last match against Donovan Dijak, and grumpy old Chris Hero tries to block yet another up-and-comer's upward career trajectory as he wrestles John Silver. And that's without even mentioning the women, with Kimber Lee taking on LuFisto and tag team action featuring NXT's Deonna Purrazzo and Ring of Honor's Taeler Hendrix. Plus two as-yet unannounced matches featuring "Mr. Athletic" Jeff Cobb and Da Hit Squad!

Get your tickets here if you can or fire up your subscriptions if you got 'em, you aren't going to want to miss this one!

Progress Chapter 40: Intercepted Angel (December 11, 2PM GMT)

1. F.S.U. (Eddie Dennis & Mark Andrews) vs. the Origin (El Ligero & Nathan Cruz)
2. Bea Priestley vs. Toni Storm (Natural Progression Series IV First Round Match)
3. London Riots (James Davis & Rob Lynch) vs. New Nation (Alexander Henry & Jason Prime)
4. Adam Cole vs. Will Ospreay
5. Jimmy Havoc vs. Marty Scurll (Progress Championship #1 Contender's No Disqualification Match)
6. Rampage Brown's Atlas Championship Open Challenge continues!
7. Pete Dunne (c) vs. Zack Sabre, Jr. (Progress Championship)

Progress are back at it with a show that was meant to be in Manchester, England but, when the venue double booked them, got moved to Sheffield. And the card, friends, is excellent as usual, from FSU vs. the Origin in tag action that will surely have an impact on their title contention prospects, to Toni Storm returning for a Natural Progression Series match, to Ring of Honor's own Adam Cole returning to Progress to face off against Will Ospreay, it's a confirmed hoot and we're not even finished running down the card!

From there you have Jimmy Havoc and Marty Scurll in a #1 contender's match that's been made no DQ to prevent a repeat of Jimmy's lovable Eddie Guerrero-esque shenanigans from last time, Rampage Brown's somewhat confusingly excellent Atlas Championship open challenge continuing, and what, frankly, should be a technical wrestling masterpiece as new champion Pete Dunne hopes to make his first successful title defense against Zack Sabre, Jr. Not that the title means much to him, you see, it's just something to lean on when he signs his contract. That sound you hear is Progress's storytelling heating back up, folks!

Tickets, as always, are sold out, but you can try your luck on the official resale site or just join me in waiting for the show to go up on Demand Progress.

Tier 1 Resurgence (December 11, 12PM Eastern)

1. Andrew Palace & Darin Dinero vs. Anthony "the Stallion" La Cerra & Jesse Vane vs. Federated (Mike Orlando & VSK) vs. the Amazing Graysons (JP & Tommy Grayson) vs. the Breakfast Club (CPA & Francis Kip Stevens) (Tier 1 Tag Team Championship #1 Contender's Gauntlet Match)
2. "Cauliflower" Chase Brown vs. "Colossal" Mike Law
3. Caleb Konley vs. Zachary Wentz
4. Dezmond Xavier vs. Sonny Kiss (Tier 1 Championship Contender's Match)
5. The Cutthroat Kings (Joey Ace & Logan Black) defend their Tier 1 Tag Team Championship against the winners of the Tag Team Gauntlet.
6. Davey Richards vs. "Rude Boy" James Riley (c) vs. the winner of Xavier/Kiss (Tier 1 World Championship)

This Sunday, Tier 1 are making their debut in Evolve's regular venue in Queens, New York, La Boom, and they've got plenty lined up to celebrate the occasion. Large and in charge, taking up much of the text block there is the tag team gauntlet for a shot at the Cutthroat Kings and their tag team titles, but that's not the only title scene question mark going down. Dezmond Xavier and Sonny Kiss do battle in a match that was originally scheduled to include Anthony Bowens before the Authors of Pain put him on the shelf at the recent NXT tapings, the winner of which will go on to be part of the three-way world title match alongside Rude Boy Riley and former ROH World Champion Davey Richards. All that, plus my man Chase Brown will be fueling up with the Rip-It and riding Mike Law's ass!

You can get tickets here, or wait for the (budget-priced!) VOD to go up on WWNLive, or possibly even check it out on Powerbomb.TV pending their launch, given that Tier 1 are partnering with the new streaming service.

Free matches here!

Chris Hero vs. Kimber Lee

Yep, that's a match! Intergender action courtesy of Beyond Wrestling from this year's Americanrana. The self-proclaimed Greatest of All Time takes on a suplex machine of a princess. Like, look, in the thumbnail you see already that she gets off at least one German suplex on that Young Knockout Kid. Right from there you know whether or not you want to watch this one— act accordingly.

Sean Maluta vs. Wildman Rojas

Courtesy of Afa the Wild Samoan's WXW, in honor of Cruiserweight Classic participant Sean Maluta returning to Beyond this weekend, we have him here in action against Wildman Rojas last year.

Rude Boy Riley vs. Shane Strickland

From the folks over at Tier 1 we've got Rude Boy Riley defending his title against another international independent standout, Shane "Killshot" Strickland. Enjoy!

Drew Gulak vs Mike Quackenbush

Yep, that's right— you haven't even gotten to read the results section and we already have a match from Chikara Supremacy! They streamed their encore live on Facebook and the video is still up, so if you'd like to see two of the best technical wrestlers in the world have it, please do so!

Results

Chikara Temple of Doom / Supremacy (December 3)

—Temple of Doom—

1. Lucas Calhoun over Drew Gulak
2. Rick Roland, Sloan Caprice, & the Big Deal over Submission Squad (Davey Vega, Gary the Barn Owl, & Pierre Abernathy)
3. Cornelius Crummels & Sonny Defarge over Dez Peloton (Donald Kluger & Jasper Tippins)
4. Solo Darling over Max Smashmaster
5. Los Ice Creams (El Hijo del Ice Cream & Ice Cream, Jr.) over Cajun Crawdad & Hermit Crab
6. Frightmare over Amasis (Mask vs. Mask Match)

—Supremacy—

1. Silver Ant & Space Monkey over Juan Francisco de Coronado & Wani
2. Jeremy Leary over Officer Warren Barksdale
3. Chuck Taylor™ & DUSTIN over N_R_G (Hype Rockwell & Race Jaxon)
4. Dasher Hatfield, Fire Ant, Heidi Lovelace, Missile Assault Man, Oleg the Usurper, Ophidian, Princess KimberLee, & Thunderfrog over heXed Men (Frightmare, Hallowicked, Icarus, Jigsaw, Kobald, Kodama, Mark Angelosetti, & Obariyon) (Torneo Cibernetico)
5. Drew Gulak over Mike Quackenbush

Chikara said goodbye to two of its stalwarts at their season finale on Saturday, with Soldier Ant officially retiring and Wrestle Factory head trainer Drew Gulak moving on to WWE. Soldier got a retirement ceremony, but Gulak got something magical, as Mike Quackenbush un-retired one more time to close the day's festivities in singles action against the master of the Catch Point.

But of course there was big movement on the rest of the show, with Frightmare taking the Funky Pharaoh's mask in a shocking end to Temple of Doom, Chuck Taylors past and present moving on to two points, nearly able to challenge for the tag titles, and, biggest of them all, Dasher Hatfield leading an army of Chikara loyalists to defeat Nazmaldun's heXed Men. It wasn't just victory that was sweet, however, because Ophidian stole the Eye of Tyr from long-possessed UltraMantis Black, who stood up and declared that he remembered everything before chasing Grand Champion Hallowicked away.

Check out the show on Chikaratopia as you settle in for the break between seasons, folks.

House of Hardcore 21: Blizzard Brawl (December 3)

1. Bull James over Kevin Thorn
2. Matt Striker over Conor Braxton
3. Mr. Anderson over Sadist
4. Colt Cabana over Danny Duggan
5. Matt Cross over Tony Nese
6. Mickie James & Tommy Dreamer over Aiden O'Shea & Angelina Love
7. Sami Callihan over Bob Holly
8. Al Snow & Dave Herro over Abyss & Dameon Nelson (Unsanctioned Steel Cage Match)

Do not adjust your computer screen, friends, that IS a lot of ex-WWE superstars for a single indie show, but it made for quite a fun evening on FloSlam all the same. Particularly worth singling out are Nese/Cross, which started a bit slow but heated up really well by the end, and Holly/Callihan, just a real hoot of a brawl.

As well, both tag matches were good friendly violent fun, especially once the mixed tag spilled outside and Sandman came down to the cage. Yessir, Sandman, in the year of our lord 2016, making his full entrance to Enter Sandman, crushing beer cans on his forehead and whacking dudes with a Singapore cane. Oh, and Bull James did a Pedigree on a hat shaped like a wedge of cheese.

Best of all, you can go check out the VOD on FloSlam any time you like.

As always...

Remember folks, no matter what type of wrestling you like, no matter how down you feel about the state of WWE, TNA, 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.