Countdown to SEVENSEVEN Pre-ShowPetey the Pirate was sat down in a studio with SNW wrestlers Ace Bennett, Matt Spade and Duke Parkland hosting the interactive Pre-show. The show filled between the matches with segments including tweets and predictions.
1)
Baby J Jamerson vs. Joseph Stone: Simple match to start between two of SNW’s least experienced wrestlers. Stone is getting better and better but it was Baby J who got the knees up the Moonsault and followed it up with a pin with a handful of tights.
2)
Cain Jackal vs. Jacob Ryler: This is a little bit awkward for Jackal, he was going to challenge for the Duos titles. But with his partner injured, he is stuck performing on the pre-show. He did, however, look good and got the win following a Spear.
Petey and the panel gave predictions and opinions on the main card. Ace said his former partners the AirDevils will win the Duos titles tonight, Spade expected Demento to knock off Mike Hogan and Drew hoped his children will get the win. But Spade and Ace disagreed who would win tonight in their match against one another.
3)
LyNN vs. Noah Lee: Simple enough match where the RevX member controlled the inexperienced Brit. LyNN stretched Lee but got cocky at times which led to Lee fighting back in it. LyNN still won via a bridging German Suplex.
4)
Carson Clark vs. El Hijo de Angel Custodio: Easily the highlight of the pre-show, the match could have served as a perfect opener to any show. Lots of highflying, very quick and some great spots. El Hijo hit a spectacular double springboard corkscrew moonsault for a close count but Clark fought back and the former FUSE Champion scored the win via a Swan Dive DDT.
Just before the pre-show main event Petey and the panel gave opinions and predictions about the main event. Ace predicted a successful title defence, saying Riley is the top dog at the moment and sees no-one knocking him off his perch. Spade disagreed with his partner, saying Jack Powers is an Original 16 member and so has the experience to beat Riley. Parkland then went for Riley, saying he’s got the fight he needs to be champion.
5)
Cody Rejero vs. Baz Hepburn: The main event of the Pre-show was two partners facing off, they weren’t feuding, they were just pencilled in to wrestle each other. The ‘no hard feelings’ was shown by the two sharing a Pepsi with each other before the match. Then the team known as Your Mom squared off, first with some comedy spots before they showed what they can really do. Cody won this spirited affair after a Pepsi Cutter.
SEVEN Live from Du Burns Arena, Baltimore, Maryland only on SNW PlayerThere’s a good size crowd in the Du Burns Arena. Nothing record breaking, but still a very good turn-out. The stage spells out SEVEN with the entrance way just underneath the ‘V’. The commentators ‘The Genius’ Edward Colgate and James Simmons run down the card.
1)
The Joseph Brothers and Koutney Love vs. Duke, Axel and Rose Parkland: The anniversary show kicked off with six-person inter-gender action. The highlight was obviously the tag teams clashing, the Parkland Bros have improved so much since they started out on SNW. The Joseph and Love hit wicked stereo dives to get the crowd really going and set up the finish. They got back in the ring where the Joseph’s hit the DVD/Pele for the win.
The camera then cuts to a filmed segment from earlier today. The World Champion and the challenger arrived in the arena. Powers showed up in a silver Audi. He was boo’ed, an interviewer was standing by for a brief interview. He said he will explain his actions later, but tonight is all about winning. Riley then showed up in a chauvfer driven car, wearing a suit and sun glasses. He spoke about being champion, saying that he loves being champion and enjoying himself but he’s got to do the hard work to get the rewards.
2)
FUSE: Riley Shamrock vs. Daniel Sinn: But before Riley could defend his World title, he had to defend the FUSE Championship. The match went to start but then ‘Master of Puppets’ hit and Jack Powers walked out. Powers didn’t do anything all match, he just walked around ringside. The match itself was a good one. Shamrock was in control, but just narrowly. Sinn showed great heel skills and it contributed to Riley’s cheers. Riley kept getting distracted, this led to him missing the Irish Welcoming and being rolled up into a Small Package for the shock win.
Daniel Sinn is the new FUSE Champion. The World Champion, Riley Shamrock has just been pinned. Sinn made a quick getaway. Riley was left on his knees staring at Jack Powers. Powers didn’t do anything, he just walked up the ramp, not making eye contact with the World Champion.
3)
DUOS: Fatality Squad vs. AirDevils vs. Mockingbird: Because of the injury to Zakk Static, Knife Fight were removed from the title bout. The Devils and the Birds were set to face off but they were then put in the title match with the Squad. The match was a very fun energetic bout. The Devils and the Birds flew about the ring and battled well with the more ground-based Squad. Of course, with all these men in the match there was an epic dive fest. Starting with stereo dives from the Birds, then the Devils followed, then Kagemann hit the Fire Tornado onto all of them. Back in the ring, the Squad hit the Fall/Double Stomp on the Birds but the Devils broke it up. The Squad then hit the Ball and Chain on Clark to continue their dominant reign.
We cut backstage to Alicia Bennett who is serving an interviewer, she welcomes the no.1 contender to the World title Jack Powers and asks him to explain his actions at M10. Powers said that he tried to do things the ‘right’ way for years and got nothing, no reward. He formed the United Front to get that reward and got it. Powers said he felt he had to apologise for the United Front but now he says he shouldn’t have. Powers asks how the crowd can decide that something is ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. Alicia interrupts and says faking an injury to win is wrong. Powers gets angry and says he has to do, what he has to do. And tonight he will prove that and become the World Champion once more. Loud boo’s for Powers in the arena during this segment.
Kevin Hart was standing in the gorilla position ready to go out when his opponent Cameron Stone walks up behind him. Stone wishes him luck and adds that Hart needs all the help he can get tonight when he faces the ‘Original Canadian Gangsta’. Hart calls him an old fart and he’ll get what’s coming to him tonight. Stone walked away as Hart’s music began.
4)
Kevin Hart vs. Cameron Stone: A surprisingly great match, it just goes to show that even though he is the oldest guy on the roster, the 36 year old Stone can still go. Hart is ten years his junior and is cranking out the top performances, this just being another one of them. It seems like Stone is slowing down on the in ring competition and he has picked Hart to have a one of his last big singles matches. The two Canadians told a great story. Cam was the big dominant stronger opponent and Hart was the babyface who battled into the match, occasionally hitting a big spot to light up the match. Hart worked over Cam’s legs and that came to play in the finish. Hart hit a 450 to the legs then locked in the Sharpshooter which had Cam tapping.
Demento was backstage speaking to the camera. He called the fans ‘cogs’ in the corporate machine. He said the guys at the top tell us what to do and how to act but we can rebel against that and become more. He said Hogan was once a rebel, a man who got kicked out of SNW because of his own behaviour but now has turned from ‘a proud Lion to a circus animal afraid of chairs’. Demento signed out by smacking the camera. He has great skills on the mic and this segment only further proved that.
5)
WOM: Beast Kong vs. Wasp vs. Amy Lee vs. Red Fire: Because of the injury to Zakk, each match had more time and that would be a good thing for most matches. But not this one. It was just something about it, it just didn’t click. We’ve seen three-ways between Kong, Wasp and Amy before and they were some of the best women’s matches we’ve seen. However, this one just didn’t work. It wasn’t Red’s fault either. It never kicked in. Kong won via the Sitdown Powerbomb on Wasp.
We got backstage to the Revolution X locker room. Hammers and Safu are going over tactics for tonight’s match. Devine, who is on the other side of the tag match tonight, walks over. Hammers stops talking. Devine says ‘Please don’t stop for me, carry on’. Hammers refuses and there is a pause. Ace Bennett then walks in and adds to the tension, telling Devine that they should meet up with their tag partner Jason. More confusion occurs as Ace’s tag partner, Spade then walks in and asks Ace what he is doing there, Ace says he’s just getting Jord, Spade explains that Hammers asked him to talk. There’s lots of shouting before Mike Bockwinkel walks in. He tells them all to shut it. He said since there isn’t a proper leader around he will take control, he orders Ace and Devine to leave and tells the rest that he’ll see them later. Hammers finishes saying ‘we’ll show him’. This was a strange segment to put over all the twists in the 8-man tag later. There will be no implications from it, the teams are together for one night only.
6)
Mike Hogan vs. Dave Demento: Great way to finish off the first part of the show, there was a lot of action in this part so the fans were getting weary but this got them excited again. This was Demento’s first big match, it wasn’t long ago he was opening or on the pre-show, so his career has really kicked on since he went viral. The match was very back and forth and the competitors were given plenty of time to tell their story. Demento isn’t the best worker in the world, he’s still improving but his charisma more than makes up for that. He works a stiff style, just blasting Hogan with kicks. Reminiscent of a heavyweight from Japan. Hogan fought back hitting the Futurism and the Springboard Elbow for the close count. Demento was constantly going for the running punt kick he calls the F***tard but Hogan found new ways of avoiding it. In the end, Hogan hit the Back to the Future to seal the win. Although he lost, Demento looked good in defeat which was the aim of the match all along.
Intermission. Mike Hogan stayed out at ringside, taking photos and signing autographs with the fans. Kevin Hart also came out to join in.
7)
Chris Hammers, Safu, Matt Spade and Nick Jacobs vs. Ace Bennett, Mike Bockwinkel, Jordan Devine and Jason Williams: This match was dubbed the ‘Original 16’ versus the ‘First Class’ which means it was four of the 16 students who first signed up to SNW against the four who signed up soon after. Of course with these guys being with the company for seven years, there was plenty of history for example, Hammers, Safu and Jord are RevX but Jord is on the other side of the ring tonight, Ace and Spade are currently teaming but are on opposite sides, Bock kicked Hammers out of RevX a very long time ago to seize control of the stable, Spade and Jacobs have a common former tag partner in Sam Kineval. But enough about the past, this is the present and as always in this Anniversary annual match it was a very fun bout. It’s one fall to the finish so there’s so many near falls and finishers happening all the time. It started off with two guys in the ring at the same time but after a while it decended into madness like we all knew it would. Of course, there was a dive spot ending with Jason stealing the show with springboard double SSP. This led to a series of finishers which led to the finish where Bennett hit the Syracuse Drop on Jacobs.
A video package of Riley’s time in SNW played finishing with him winning the SNW World Championship at Riot Act 8. Then it showed Powers winning the M10: 2015 and skipped back to when Powers and Riley used to team up, it then showed Be the Best, where Riley began his climb to the World title, in which he beat Powers and Jack refused to shake his hand.
8)
SNW: Riley Shamrock vs. Jack Powers: ‘Master of Puppets’ hit and Powers entered to boo’s, he didn’t seem to care, he had his head focused on the match. ‘Knights of Cydonia’ hit and the World Champ made his way out to cheers, not the loudest of the night but still good. The match started very technical, as you’d expect from these two. Fans were pretty quiet during this part but that is to be expected when their grappling on the mat. Reminiscent almost of the wrestling they used to have in the United Kingdom, very technical, submissions and short breaks. Eventually Riley had enough and blasted Powers with a kick which caused Powers to exit to the outside. The two started a strike exchange until Powers caught Riley’s leg and locked in a UFC-esq hold. Riley got the ropes but it was clear his leg was hurting. Powers took advantage using a series of moves to stay in control while also using the occasional move that would damage the leg. He even hung Riley off the top with his leg caught under the turnbuckle. Powers then just blasted him with kicks until the ref pulled him away then Powers went in for more. Riley rolled to the outside and Powers followed. Riley turned the tides with Tiger Driver on the apron. He then followed it up with a dive over the top. Powers turned the tides with a drop-toe-hold which began the series of moves that led to Power’s defeat to Riley at Be the Best. Powers then went to springboard back inside. However he was caught by two knees from Riley. Riley then hit a running kick to further stun his opponent then hit the Irish Welcoming. It got him the win last time but Powers kicked out this time. Riley went for another but his leg buckled beneath him, Powers struck, first with a Power Suplex then the Immortality which focused on the injured leg. Riley fought back getting to the ropes and breaking the hold. The two then had a strike exchange with the fans now very vocal, booing and yaying at each hit, as you would expect with this typical SNW main event spot. Riley got the advantage, locked in the Mui Tai Clinch and hammered away with his knees before hitting the Irish Welcoming II for a close count. Riley got Powers back to his feet and went for the Famine Driver only for Powers to reverse into a leg lock. Riley reversed, then Powers reversed, then Riley, then Powers before Riley locked in the Ode to Shamrock. Powers crawled towards the ropes but then Riley dragged him back to the center. Powers had no choice but to tap.
Riley Shamrock had retained, he may have lost the FUSE Championship earlier tonight but in the main event he triumphed over his former partner to retain the SNW World Championship. The iPPV ended with Riley celebrating.
