Indie Matches of the Weekend is simply going to be me yammering about my favorite matches coming up this weekend. Because I’m saying weekend and not week, any event running Monday through Thursday won’t be considered. Typically I will try to gather up 5-10 matches to highlight.
Joey Janela vs. Dalton Castle (PWG 2/16/18)
Dalton Castle makes his PWG return to take on Joey Janela on February 16th!
— PWG (@OfficialPWG) January 25, 2018
Match between two massive personalities. You would think the Ring of Honor World Heavyweight Champion would have a little more buzz than he does returning to PWG but that’s just how the biz works it seems. This had the third most RTs of the Neon Knight match announcements. Maybe I’m in a bubble. Janela has proven that while he can provide an elaborate stunt show when needed, he’s also capable of playing it straight and delivering a more traditional pro wrestling match. Castle is probably the most physically gifted wrestler out there that no one talks about in terms of his physical ability. My mind says there will be plenty of posturing in this one and less serious grappling. That’s fine, the scene suits it. The match definitely feels like one that will need the Reseda crowd to feed it otherwise it will just be two great talents showboating into a void.
CIMA, Extreme Tiger & Rey Horus vs. Penta el 0M & Rey Fenix & Rey Mysterio Jr. (Crash 2/16/18)
Viernes 16 de Febrero es la cita en el Fausto Gutiérrez, ahí nos vemos, venga de boletos en Real Inn, Taquilla del auditorio, El Foro, Farmacias Roma, y en https://t.co/bxYKQDnaM9#LuchaLibreSeDiceTheCrash pic.twitter.com/bnjEzCCyuG
— The Crash LuchaLibre (@TheCrashLuchas) January 23, 2018
In 2018, Rey Mysterio Jr. has decided he is going to give the weird niche fans what they want. That includes a delightfully random trios match where he leads his indirect predecessors against a CIMA lead crew of under-appreciated talents. Granted, I don’t know what sort of effort we will get out of Mysterio here. After the Rumble and now having a match coming up for NJPW there is a good possibility that we won’t see him on his A-game for the time being as he saves up what remaining miles he has. Luckily, a paint-by-numbers Mysterio continues to be a pleasure to watch. I have not watched a ton of modern CIMA but contrary to popular belief, I do like the dude. Not “CIMA is an all-time great” levels of like but like to the point where I am more likely to watch a random match he is in than not. And boy, is this random. Extreme Tiger will probably never break out. He has been busting out brilliantly dumb stuff for over a decade and even if some larger promotion decided to give him the ball it is probably too late for him to have a major run. Currently, his body is still intact and he uses it to hurl himself into his opponents in violent ways. Third member of that trio is Rey Horus who is a guy I have no clue on his career trajectory. Can’t tell if he’s on the cusp of indie stardom or has slotted himself into a comfortable place. He still has some sick moves in his arsenal.
With this group of talent, I can’t imagine the match being any less than good. Lucha trios matches are about as close to a sure-thing in pro wrestling as you can get and when you put SIX talented wrestlers behind it the expectations are more than just a good match.
Darby Allin vs. B-Boy (Jimmy Lloyd Produce 2/16/18)
Just added to My Birthday on February 16!!
First Time Ever
Darby Allin takes on "The New Age Punisher" B-BOY!Tickets are on sale via PayPal by messaging me or via Eventbride by following the link:https://t.co/tXc3Veolzt pic.twitter.com/lBJ8zoaSod
— Jimmy LLoyd (@TheJimmyLLoyd) December 26, 2017
First time ever match! Looks like a real beaut. Can we say B-Boy is in a career renaissance? I don’t know if that is fair to him if I am being honest as the work I have seen from years prior has still been real good but existed on random YouTube promotions on the West Coast. Now B-Boy is working more promotions Wrestling Twitter is aware of and I couldn’t be happier. He is still one of the stiffest jerks in all of indie wrestling. Darby Allin has definitely come into his own. No longer just a stuntman but a talent that makes cards better. Frankly, he does lucha better than the majority of indie wrestlers out there and I don’t doubt it comes from his skateboard background. That body control really comes in handy. Lucha isn’t the skill from Darby that will make this match fun, that would be his incredible bumping. Expecting a total beatdown on Allin honestly and I am not made about it. Good job Jimmy.
Gran Akuma vs. Rory Gulak (NPWD 2/17/18)
With both showing a bit of a mean streak as of late, what will happen when @rorygulak faces @__AKUMA this Saturday at #NPWD18? Event info: https://t.co/o04loIDnn3 pic.twitter.com/Tm0jLBdPhp
— CHIKARA (@CHIKARApro) February 15, 2018
National Pro Wrestling Day is odd. At this point, it is so far from the original concept that it is essentially a CHIKARA show with maybe a bell or whistle. But it is still free! Gulak has carved out a niche in the Northeast as one of the premier grapplers out there. Akuma will never be my favorite wrestler but it isn’t because he can’t go on the mat. Love it as a quasi-throwback CHIKARA match. Two wrestlers that have been around the block just looking to show folks what the professional wrestling looks like. A good counterbalance to the wackier stuff on the card.
Nick Gage vs. Homicide (GCW 2/17/18)
Just added:
GCW World Title Match
NICK GAGE vs HOMICIDE2/17 at "Gang Affiliated" in Allentown, PA!
Tix:https://t.co/HzQH8XBjfW pic.twitter.com/vMzpyDEWKb
— GameChangerWrestling (@GCWrestling_) February 6, 2018
The two trainers of the Game Changer Wrestling Compound wrestling school will go at it. I am not sure if that is the official name but I am in a writing groove at the moment and I refuse to let up now. The most recent iteration of Gage is a man with an incredible aura and the brawling chops to deliver on it. Homicide might be the in the best shape he has been in in years. Plus, it looks like Cide is having fun out there which is a lovely thing to see. While they are partners in training, this is for the GCW belt and I expect that “friendship” to be left at the door. Probably won’t be the most violent GCW title match you see, but sure will be one of the more intense ones.
Jack Evans vs. Unbreakable Andy vs. Eli Everfly vs. B-Boy (GCW 2/17/18)
Just added to "Gang Affiliated":
JACK EVANS
vs
BBOY
vs
ELI EVERFLY
vs
UNBREAKABLE ANDY2/17 at GCWorld in Allentown, PA
Tix:https://t.co/HzQH8XBjfW pic.twitter.com/5Hl107iAen
— GameChangerWrestling (@GCWrestling_) February 1, 2018
This match has some things going on. I am assuming everyone here has backyard experience. At one point I did a podcast with some folks from this community and they had me watch an old Unbreakable Andy match, he was incredibly dumb in an incredibly entertaining way. I have zero clue if a decade later that his body can still do that. Granted, after the one match I saw I am surprised he walks. Everyfly and B-Boy have a rich history where they worked an angle around B-Boy “shooting” on Everfly which was cringeworthy. In fairness, it did feature Everfly getting pounded into dust. Evans doesn’t need an intro, he is a flyer with more guts than brains to this day. When you get three individuals who love doing sick movez and one who loves working stiffer than board, you are probably going to get a heck of a fun four-way.