New Generation Wrestling (NGW) – Dawn of Heroes January 21st 2012
My first taste of New Generation Wrestling, i was totally blown away, with the brilliant end of year show Eternal Glory 3 headlined by a classic between Nathan Cruz and Matt Myers for the NGW Championship. NGW's return show and first show of 2012 is Dawn of Heroes, headlined by the rematch between the new NGW champion Matt Myers against Nathan Cruz.
The show opens with a brilliant opening package showing highlights from Eternal Glory 3, the name of this show Dawn of Heroes is great, as in NGW going into this show it really is the Dawn of Heroes as, all the major faces in the company hold all the titles. Los Amigos with the NGW tag titles and Matt Myers as the NGW champion.
Match 1 – Los Amigos (El Ligero & Dara Diablo) © vs Bhangra Knights (RJ Singh & Darrell Allen) [***]
The massively popular Los Amigos made their first title defences against the debuting Bhangra nights. This match was really solid and got the crowd nicely warmed up for the rest of the nights action. There was some solid tag team action in this match up with Los Amigos and El ligero being particularly impressive. For a debut the Bhangra Knights should be a good addition to NGW's tag division, however i found a bit of RJ singh's work a bit sloppy but i think this might have been down to debut nerves as from what i have seen of him previously he is always solid in the ring. Los Amigos picked up the win with their double team move of Diablo holding Allen of the ground and Ligero coming of the top rope and frog splashing him for the 3 and a successful first defence of their tag team titles.
After the match General Manager Mark Criteria announced his resignation, but as his last act, he booked for the next show NGW Destiny a 30 Man Rumble Match with the winner receiving an NGW Championship Match.
Match 2 – Martin Kirby vs Stixx [**3/4]
In a first time clash, Martin Kirby took on the big man that is Stixx, this match was a solid affair and very closely fought battle at the start both men were evenly matched in the wrestling stakes and this trend carried on through out the match. This was a really hard match to rate as for what it was, it was good but something just didn't click for me. Maybe they were holding back or the chemistry wasn't quiet there due it being their first singles match together i just don't know, then again if i watched it again it could probably break into ***. Either way i would like to see these two go at it again after getting this first match together out the way, as a return match would most likely be a great encounter.
Match 3 – Joey Hayes vs Rampage Brown [**1/2]
The always impressive Joey Hayes fought the powerhouse and former FCW trainee Rampage Brown in a decent a match up. I loved the start of this match up, as Joey Hayes had to rely on his speed and superior technical wrestling to try and ground the powerhouse that is Rampage Brown and this involved some really good exchanges. Brown finally took the lead through brute force and put a beating on Hayes who's selling made Rampage Brown look a major and dangerous commodity. The ending of the match let this contest down as Hayes thought back and got a little bit to much of prolonged offense in, instead of a little fight back, and negated the middle part of Rampage's dominance making him looking a brute force. Rampage got the win when he locked Hayes in the crossface (which he previously tried to lock in during the match) out of no where and making him tap, and doing so as a result putting over the dangerous nature of the crossface and how Brown can hit it out of no where.
Match 4 – Team GB (Sam Bailey and Zack Diamond) vs Avian and Robbie X [***]
Originally Avian was meant to be tagging with his brother Danny V, but he has had to retire due to injury it was announced, so replacing him was the debuting Robbie X. I've never seen Robbie X before but man the lads a talent, his exciting, high octane wrestling had the crowd in awe and within minutes chanting Robbie over and over again. Whats freighting is that he only turned 17 a few weeks prior to this event, its scary how good this lad can become, he hit some spectacular moves in this match,but he also looked crisp in what he was doing and not sloppy in his eagerness to impress the crowd, which you wouldn't expect from a 17 year old, but not with this guy. However this match wasn't all just about Robbie X though as the other 3 guys busted their asses in a really good match up fought at a fast pace. Team GB got the win after Bailey hit Avian with a baseball bat to the leg without the ref looking and Team GB isolating Robbie X and hitting him with a Superkick brainbuster double team combination maneuver. I hope to get to see more of Robbie X not just in NGW but other promotions as well.
Match 5 – Lowthian vs 'Wildfire' Ricky Halestorm [N/R]
'The Tyneside Titan' Lowthian was making his NGW debut on this show accompanied by Dani Brooks, against NGW academy member 'Wildfire' Ricky Halestorm. This match was a squash with the massive Lowthian destroying the rookie Halestorm who got next to no offense in. The finish came when Lowthian hit a sheamus Esq bro kick and then a F-5. Dani Brooks then got on the mike to annonce that Lowthian was entering the 30 man rumble at NGW's next show destiny.
Perfect debut for 'The Tyneside Titan' Lowthian,he looked dominate and someone who is going to be a threat in NGW. I've seen Lowthian wrestle quiet a bit live and he has potential to be a breakout star in British wrestling, he has the look, is athletic and is good in the ring for a big man, a few more years honing his craft, and the wrestlers of only two years is going to be a major player on the British indy scene.
Match 6 – Matt Myers © vs Nathan Cruz, No DQ match for the NGW Championship [***3/4]
Announced prior to the match was a new NGW general manager had been appointed and his first act in charge was to make this a No DQ match. A great video was played showing highlights of Myers championship win against Cruz at Eternal Glory 3 which was a classic, along with some promos after the event, really great video package on level with top promotions like WWE and TNA in regards to quality and building up the forthcoming match to being a big event and getting not only the viewers of the DVD pumped for the match but the fans which the promo is displayed for on NGW's great stage set up.
These two had a massive task on their shoulders trying to put on a match that could live up their classic they had at Eternal Glory 3, whilst this match might not have been on par with that match it was still a dam fine match up. The match started and instantly both ended up on the outside brawling in a hate in tensed manner, once the action got in the ring it was quality, however what dragged the match down for me was the prolonged beat down on Myers by Cruz, and it to appeared to loose the crowd abit,but other then that this was a fine match up. Myers had to contend with Cruz's entourage getting involved, Cruz called out his bodyguard Colossus Kennedy who hit a Chokeslam on Myers, but that wasn't enough for the 3 count, El Ligero and Dara Diablo came to Myers aid to fight off the big man Kennedy, making Cruz take his eyes of the match and allowing Myers to hit his Shining Wizard kick and pick up the win and retain his title.
Whilst this match was really good it lacked the atmosphere of their previous encounter and this was always going to be the case but nevertheless they went out there and produced a fine display and kudos to them, i wouldn't have minded the No DQ coming into force a bit more maybe in the way of weapons, maybe they may go this route in a street fight in the future to end the heated rivalry for good, i don't know, it just seemed strange no weapons were used in a No DQ match.
After the match up Rampage Brown got into the ring and destroyed the champ, and then held up the title belt, signalling he has his sites set on Myers title.
Overall thoughts – A really good solid show, it was always going to be really hard for NGW to follow up after the great Eternal Glory 3, but tonight they put on a really solid show, especially considering it was there first show of the year, where i tend to find companies can be a bit sluggish in the shows they put out at times at the beginning of the year. Not one match of the night was bad all were solid, story lines were advanced, two new youngsters with a bright future debuted so all in all id say it was a good night for NGW a really good solid show which they put on, that i would recommend.
To buy this DVD are find NGW on the net:
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