Cleveland, OH – 10.2.2011

Commentary is provided by Denver Colorado and a rotating cast that includes Nick Talent, Pinkie Sanchez, Darius Carter, Jonny Mangue, Davey Vega, Evan Gelestico and Aaron Epic.

#KOA (Aaron Epic (+3), Sugar Dunkerton (+2) & Pinkie Sanchez (+2)) vs. The Submission Squad (Pierre Abernathy (0), Evan Gelestico (+1) & Gary Jay (-1))

The story here is that the Submission Squad are Beyond Wrestling detractors and the #KOA are tired of them running their mouths. The KOA take the early lead, taking out the entire Squad one member at a time. The KOA have a little fun with the Squad, including some antics with Dunkerton’s basketball. The Squad manage to isolate Epic and take control of the bout. Epic takes out Jay with a clothesline STO to tag in Dunkerton. Dunkerton uses his basketball to take out Abernathy and Gelestico. Sanchez then tags in and nails Jay with repeated clotheslines. Gelestico helps Jay trip Sanchez. With a slingshot elbow to the back, Sanchez is now the target for the Squad. Sanchez takes down Jay and Gelestico with a tandem dragonscrew leg whip and dishes out an enzuigiri to Abernathy so that he can tag in Epic. Epic falls victim to some great tandem offense from the Squad. Thankfully Dunkerton breaks the pin. This allows Epic to clobber Jay with a knee and for Dunkerton to hit the Bow Chicka Wow Wow. Sanchez and Dunkerton take out Abernathy and Gelestico leaving Epic and Jay to fight it out in the ring. Epic clobbers him with the Irabu Punch for the pin at 14:08. Both teams got a good showing in and it was nice official introduction for the KOA. Them being involved with the biggest heel group in Beyond at the moment immediately shoots them to the top. The Submission Squad were solid in the ring but the KOA brought all the energy. **3/4

After the match, the Submission Squad’s buddies Davey Vega and Mat Fitchett attack the KOA. The Squad and KOA end up in the back. Vega says since he and Fitchett are already out there, they may as well have their scheduled match with Aeroform now.

Aeroform (Flip Kendrick (-6) & Louis Lyndon (-4)) vs. The Sex Bomb-Ombs (Davey Vega (+10) & Mat Fitchett (-2))

Lyndon and Vega have a very good exchange to open, a lot more aggressive and serious than you would expect. Lyndon actually utilizes some arm submissions that isn’t often seen from him. Vega gets frightened at an armbar and tags in Fitchett. He and Kendrick pick up the pace in a equitable exchange that ends with a mid-air crossbody collision. Lyndon and Vega nail each other with strikes until they both lay on the mat. Kendrick and Fitchett come back in. Kendrick catches him with a backflip knee strike and a backpack DDT for two. The Bomb-Ombs only get two after double teaming Kendrick, thanks to Lyndon breaking the pin. He goes back to Vega’s arm. Aeroform hit Vega with a modified Doomsday Device which Fitchett breaks the pin for. Lyndon takes himself and Fitchett to the floor. Vega cuts off Kendrick’s dive attempt with a superkick. Kendrick blocks a super back cracker attempt from Fitchett. Lyndon disposes of Vega with a moonsault to the floor. Kendrick hits the Flip Cutter and a corkscrew lionsault for the pin at 10:42. I loved what I saw out of Aeroform here. Their shtick was a change from what we usually seem and it freshened their routine. The Bomb-Ombs were excellent too, though Fitchett playing Rudo stunted some of his usual flashy offense. That aside, this was a great bout. ***

Dave Cole (-5) vs. Jack Verville (-3)

Cole kicks Verville in the crotch before the bell. This fires Verville up, allowing him to take the early lead. Cole snot rockets Verville in the face and legdrops his arm to turn the match in his favor. Cole wisely targets Verville’s arm. The crowd support helps Verville make a comeback. Cole however side steps an attack and throws Verville shoulder first into the ring post. Cole brings him in with an arm capture dangling DDT. Verville comes back with a flying huracanrana. Verville brings him out of the corner with a bulldog X-Factor. Cole accidentally hits a referee while putting Verville up on his shoulders. Verville kicks Cole low with the referee distracted, yet only manages a two count. Cole puts his knees up to block a crossbody. He drops Verville with the Tiger Smash for two. He then turns Verville into a Rings of Saturn hooking Verville’s arm. Verville submits at 8:16. This was all a coming out party for Verville. He looks so much better and more professional than he ever did when I saw him before. I really hope he gets another chance in Beyond or in the indy scene at large. Cole was good too, but the crowd’s reaction made this Verville’s moment to shine. He did not disappoint. **1/2

WWA4 All Stars (Uhaa Nation (0) & Stitch Sypher (0)) vs. Team TREMENDOUS (Dan Barry (-2) & Ken Scampi (-1)) vs. Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous (Darius Carter (-3) & TJ Marconi (-3)) vs. The Jollyville Fuck-Its (Russ Myers (-3) & T-Money (-2))

WELP, this was just about as crazy as the four team match from “About Time”. From that show, the dissension between Carter and Marconi carried over causing them to lose in the end. Team TREMENDOUS were the only team to have been in the “About Time” match and this match. That expertise allowed them to pin Carter at 8:23 after a sweet shiranui Doomsday Device. Barry was the man in this match with that move, a Fozberry Flop and Alice Cooper theme music. The other guy to stand out was Uhaa Nation, who seems to win over the entire crowd no matter what company he is in. I'm hoping he breaks out huge in Dragon Gate. This was nonstop action from bell to bell and improved the stock of most everyone involved. Carter and Marconi shout at each other. Marconi slaps Carter in the face and extends his hand. Instead of shaking it, Carter spits on it and walks off. **3/4

Round Robin Challenge
Johnny Gargano (0) vs. Jonny Mangue (-1)

The Pitboss is in Mangue’s corner. Mangue and Gargano vie for control on the mat. Mangue drops Gargano’s face into the back of his head but Gargano quickly retaliates with a double stomp and a knee strike/neckbreaker combo. Gargano controls Mangue’s arm. Gargano rolls him up to duck a kick and transitions to the Gargano Escape. Mangue escapes and delivers a jumping back elbow. Mangue keeps on Gargano until Gargano counters Mangue’s rolling headbutt with dual kicks to the face. Gargano powerbombs Mangue to counter a huracanrana for two. Mangue buckle bombs Mangue into the second turnbuckle. Mangue frogsplashes Gargano for two. Gargano ties up Mangue in the ropes and sends him to the floor with a superkick. Gargano takes out both Mangue and Pitboss with a suicide dive and a somersault senton off the apron. Pitboss grabs Gargano’s leg, which allows Mangue to counter the slingshot spear with a small package for the pin at 9:37. Surprising to see Gargano take the fall. The match had some nice peaks but overall it was surprisingly weak for both guys. **1/2

Denver Colorado berates Pitboss for interfering. Mangue had not seen the interference and becomes angry when he hears of about it. Mangue and Pitboss get in a scuffle that the other wrestler

s break up. Pitboss is taken out of the building by a group of guys.

Elimination Match
Chase Burnett (-4) vs. Jarek 1:20 (-8) vs. KJ Crush (-4) vs. Maserati Rick (-2)

So I won’t lie to you; I was not very excited for the match. Four ways are hit and miss and by most companies are treated as filler. Well, Beyond isn’t most companies, and this match was great. There was no feeling out here; all four guys went balls out right away. It’s tough to cover all the action, so here are the pinfalls with some highlights. KJ Crush pinned Burnett with a package piledriver right after taking a sunset bomb at 6:49. Rick and Crush decided to team up to take on Jarek. It was all well and good until they couldn’t decide who would pin Jarek. While arguing, Jarek managed to schoolboy Rick to eliminate him at 8:19. Jarek used some of his magic tricks (i.e. playing cards) to take out Crush. He ended up surviving the Package piledriver and delivered a brutal super Canadian Destroyer for the pin at 11:25. Jarek came out looking incredibl, and by the end of the match I was questioning why I don't see his name pop up more often. It says a lot when a match you expected nothing from becomes the match of the night. ***1/4

Round Robin Challenge
Johnny Gargano (-1) vs. Davey Richards (0)

So here it is, the marquee match, the match that those who are uninitiated with Beyond Wrestling picked up the DVD to see. I think if you watch it you won’t be disappointed. In fact, the match being too short is the only true complaint. Considering both guys had to wrestle twice, that is forgiving. They packed a lot into the time though. It was fairly even to start, with Gargano surprisingly getting the better of Richards. He took Richards out with a suicide dive. He looked for the senton but got his legs kicked out by Richards instead. Richards did more damage to his leg in the hopes for a win with his ankle lock. Gargano came back after the slingshot spear. He proceeded to superkick Richards’ mouthguard out of his mouth (!!!) and apply the Gargano Escape. Richards escaped and got two with a superplex and a Falcon Arrow. He put Gargano back in the ankle lock for the pin at 9:19. I swear, if this had gotten more time, this could have been better than some of Davey’s ROH matches. As it stands, this was very good but not the legendary match you may have hoped for. ***1/4

Tony Kozina (0) vs. Nick Talent

This was very uncoordinated. In the beginning they flubbed some stuff then went back and forth with little rhyme or reason. Kozina ended up winning with a crossface at 8:57. There’s really not a lot to say about this, and really the less said the better. Moving on. ¾*

Kyle O’Reilly (0) vs. Mark Angel (+9)

This match transitioned from the previous match since they’re partners of Kozina and Talent respectively. Funny enough, I thought this match was bascially the same match that Kozina and Talent had if everything had worked out. O’Reilly and Angel also went back and forth, but they did it with purpose and while letting each others’ personalities shine through. O’Reilly grabbing the ropes in an abdominal stretch let the crowd know everything and Angel became the favorite right away. A moment of hesitation from O’Reilly in the middle of the match seemed genuinely awkward, but the finish made up for it. Angel took everything O’Reilly dished out; his kicks, the butterfly suplexes and DDT and still never quit. In the end, O’Reilly went for a Magistral cradle only for Angel to counter into a small package for the pin at 8:44. Like I said, this was the previous match done right. **1/2

No Disqualification Match
AR Fox (0) vs. RD Evans (+1)

Evans was supposed to face “Bulldozer” Matt Tremont as punishment for interfering in the main event at “About Time”. Tremont could not make the show, so Fox now takes his place. Fox used his aerial offense to take out Evans. Evans managed to catch him with a backbreaker on the ring apron and continued the assault with a chair shot to the back. Fox was able to use his panache back in the ring, up until Evans threw him back first onto the metal between the top turnbuckle and the ring post. Evans sets up a table in the corner. Fox counters being thrown into it by dropping Evans on his head. That looked bad. Fox enzuigiri’s Evans to the floor and follows with a somersault senton. Evans catches Fox with the Unchained Melody for a two count back in the ring. Fox drops him with a Death Valley Roll and then hits a somersault senton and reverse frog splash. Davey Vega attacks Fox with a chair and sets up the table on the floor. Fox superkicks Vega and fights with Evans on the ring apron. Evans drops Fox through the table with the Emerald Fusion through the table for the pin at 11:20. This was a great battle of indy darlings with AR Fox especially strutting his stuff. It was a great way to solidify the Submission Squad as the top Rudos, but it’s puzzling that Fox’s fellow WWA4 friends and the #KOA were ringside and didn’t interject. They do however check on Fox after the match. This may be the most fun match on the show. ***

Round Robin Challenge
Davey Richards (+1) vs. Jonny Mangue (0)

Richards’ goal was obvious from the get-go; get Mangue’s leg. It worked for him in his match with Gargano and he wanted it to work for him again. Richards went for the Stretch Muffler much earlier than usual, not necessarily to get the win, but just to weaken Mangue’s leg. Mangue attempted to damage Richards’ arm, but even so Richards’ focus was not lost. Mangue toughened up and kept up with Richards as much as he could. He held his own in a strike exchange, even kicking out after being kicked right in the head. All was hopeless for Mangue, as Richards’ ankle lock got him the submission victory at 10:39. I’m impressed by the story telling from Richards in both of his matches tonight since to me that is not his strongest point. Even though he won, he made Mangue look good and just having him in a tournament with Gargano and Richards does wonders for him in Beyond. Good stuff to end the show. ***

Overall: While “About Time” had a better crowd and a better overall vibe, “Back in Flesh” is a very good follow-up. The action and excitment was fairly consistent with most of the matches hovering around the three star range. We have now reached a point in Beyond where we truly have an established top tier group of talent with others chomping at their heels. It's refreshing to see a small company like this where you can tell everyone is striving to be the best and work their hardest. If you're picking up “About Time”, throw this in your shopping cart as well. It's in good company with some of Beyond's best shows.

You can purchase the DVD from Beyond Wrestling's store or from Smart Mark Video.

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One thought on “Beyond Wrestling Review: “Back In Flesh””
  1. Bob-ombs. Anyway, Tony Kozina has been wrestling for years, and he still looks lost half the time.

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