Home Town Challenge: The Homecoming
KPW: "THE HOMECOMING" Review
A packed audience of KPW wrestling fans thrilled to the best in New Zealand professional wrestling at KPW's return to the River City on Saturday 21st May! The KPW fans were there at the Whanganui War Memorial Hall to cheer on their hometown heroes Lazarus Volt and H-Flame!
Alex "Danger" Donahue and guest announcer Mike Volume opened the show, "Danger" Donahue's ambivalence towards the River City winning him no friends amongst the assembled Whanganui fans. They knew that hometown heroes H-Flame and Lazarus Volt were on hand to challenge the KPW tag team champions the Renegades for a shot at the titles at a later date!
SHOCK (with manager the A.T.H.) versus STIX
Speaking of Lazarus Volt, two graduates of Volt's High Wire Wrestling Academy made their debut in the opening match. Lean, arrogant and high-flying Shock was backed up by his cunning manager A.T.H in a sharp blue suit. Stix immediately won the crowd over with his rock'n'roll charisma, twirling his lucky drum sticks on his way to the ring. Right from the opening bell, both men seemed evenly matched as they traded holds and takedowns. Shock was looking to use his slight edge in speed to overcome his opponent, but Stix used his resilience to fight back and stay one step ahead. The tide of the match turned when Stix was whipped into the corner and attempted to retaliate with a twisting cross body block, but Shock caught him in mid-air and dumped him with a slam. Stix managed to fight back to hit a DDT for the win in his first KPW match!
WINNER: STIX with a DDT for the win by pinfall.
BULL ADDAMZ versus DR DIABLO
The big Bull Addamz stalked to the ring, ready for battle and determined to stamp his mark on his opponent, whether the fans liked it or not. Dr Diablo rallied the Whanganui fans to his side, but it seemed to do little good as Addamz overpowered the good Doctor from the outset. Diablo used his chain wrestling skills to tie up Addamz with a wristlock, but the bigger man unleashed the fury and battered Diablo down to the canvas. Stomping his opponent senseless, Bull Addamz delivered a big legdrop to Diablo, but chose to pick him up at the count of two to continue the punishment. Hoisting Dr Diablo aloft for a bodyslam, Bull paraded his helpless opponent around the ring before slamming him down hard. Ascending to the second turnbuckle, Bull sized up his battered opponent and hit a devastating clothesline for the conclusive win.
WINNER: BULL ADDAMZ with a second-rope clothesline for the win by pinfall.
MAKO versus WHETU
New KPW referee Zach Corona had the unenviable challenge of trying to control the angry young man from the streets as he battled the Maori Warrior. Whetu indeed brought the mana, but Mako brought the savage brutality. Whetu's high-flying and acrobatics hit the wall of Mako's viciousness hard, being choked mercilessly in the ropes. The fighter from Cannons Creek rocked the Maori Warrior with a powerful bicycle kick. Whetu used his acrobatic skill to attempt to catch Mako unawares with a rana, but got dumped hard with a powerbomb! Rallying with the fans behind him, Whetu found his own fury and splattered Mako with the Utu (swinging bulldog). Whetu pressed the attack with a "Maori drop", laying out Mako and allowing the Maori Warrior to climb all the way to the top rope and hit his high-flying headbutt for the win, to the cheers of the fans!
WINNER: WHETU with a top-rope flying headbutt for the win by pinfall.
Mixed tag team match: KING Wilbur and QUEEN HOLLIE versus THE BRUTE and NURSE PAYNE
This match in some ways was inevitable, as Queen Hollie's callous vendetta against the wholesome Nurse Payne had increased to the point where the Brute - Nurse Payne's favourite patient - had no choice but to get involved. And who better (in his royal mind) to assist the Queen in meting out a royal beating that KPW's newest "blue blood", King Wilbur? Right from the beginning, with a special red carpet for their entrance and arrogant request that all the Whanganui fans stand and show them the "proper respect", they won no loyal subjects amongst the River City natives. By sharp contrast, the KPW fans were firmly behind the unlikely duo of the Brute and Nurse Payne.
As this was not an inter-gender match, both male competitors were not allowed to lay a hand on their opposing team's female member, and vice versa. The Brute and King Wilbur began the match, the Brute firing away early with judo-like chops and raw power. The large King Wilbur proved to be the immoveable object, forcing the Brute to take to the air with a flying cross body block to knock the big man off his royal feet. King Wilbur didn't stay down for long and battered the second-generation wrestler with a royal bulldog (a "corgi"?).
King Wilbur looked to be in control, but the Brute managed to avoid a corner avalanche and clobbered away on the surprised Wilbur. King Wilbur charged his opponent, but the Brute used his experience to use his opponent's momentum against him, sending Wilbur halfway across the ring instead! Staggering back to get some breathing space, King Wilbur bumped into Queen Hollie on the apron – KPW Head Referee Daniel Martins rightly decided that said contact constituted a tag, so Queen Hollie was obliged to enter the ring and the Brute was required to tag in Nurse Payne.
The two women wasted little time in locking up. Queen Hollie called for a test of strength, but it was merely an underhanded ruse to trick her opponent, a kick to the stomach allowing Queen Hollie to take control. Sadly for the Queen, Nurse Payne ducked Queen Hollie's clothesline and toppled the Queen with a double-leg takedown. Queen Hollie tried to wriggle out of the conflict, but Nurse Payne had learned from their previous encounters and prevented any escape. King Wilbur was obliged to get involved to keep his team in the match.
Using his cunning, King Wilbur lured the Brute into a footrace around the ring, then blindsided his opponent. Wilbur ruthlessly used the ring apron to his advantage, slamming the Brute's hard head off it, much to the anger of the Whanganui fans. Back in the ring, the Brute went to tag in Nurse Payne, but the King was more than ready to forestall any such effort. Showing that devilish minds think alike, King Wilbur then held a royal audience with referee Daniel Martins, allowing Queen Hollie to sneak into the ring and stomp the Brute behind the referee's back, the KPW fans yelling their disapproval. Digging down deep, the Brute and King Wilbur traded violent strikes in the middle of the ring. King Wilbur managed to get the advantage, whipped the Brute to the turnbuckles and seemingly crushed his dreams of victory with a royal avalanche that shook the ring! King Wilbur resorted to a blatant choke on his opponent, drawing the referee over to admonish him – this allowed Queen Hollie to slap the Brute as he lay helpless across the ring ropes, further angering the River City fans.
King Wilbur returned and dropped the Brute with a devastating slam. It looked to be over for the Brute, but he was able to use his experience regarding ring positioning to break the count by getting a foot on the ropes. King Wilbur was furious, giving the Brute the opening he needed. Getting his second wind, the Brute took the fight to his opponent with a flying cross bodyblock, but this time the King was ready and dropped the Brute with a fall-forward slam. King Wilbur made the cover, but picked up the battered Brute at two, obviously wanting to continue the punishment. King Wilbur charged off the ropes for extra momentum, but the Brute had enough experience to sense what was coming – both men went for a desperation clothesline and succeeded only in knocking each other senseless!
The referee began co count both men out as each fought the fatigue to make that all-important tag to their fresh team member. King Wilbur managed to do so a heartbeat before the Brute made it to his corner and bedlam broke out as all four competitors brawled in the ring! Queen Hollie reversed an Irish whip, but Nurse Payne's wrestling training allowed her to reverse an attempted side slam into a flying headscissors that knocked the Queen dizzy! Nurse Payne made the cover, but Referee Daniel Martins was busy trying to get the savage Brute to vacate the ring. In the confusion, King Wilbur managed to blindside Nurse Payne and place the senseless Queen Hollie on top for the tainted pinfall.
WINNERS: QUEEN HOLLIE and KING Wilbur, with Queen Hollie pinning Nurse Payne following interference from King Wilbur.
TANK versus the "Young Lion" DANE KING
Eager to impress the New Zealand fans in his first return match in the country, but not caring how many rules he had to break to do so, the ex-pat pocket battleship Tank was all set to take on fan favourite Dane King. The "Young Lion" had the fans firmly behind him, but this match was to be a real acid test for him, as he was taking on the more experienced and arguably stronger Tank. Sure enough, Tank saw an opportunity to attack King from behind before the bell had even sounded and took it, immediately drawing the ire of the KPW fans. King was forced to retreat to the outside to regroup. Back in the ring, King seemed to find success with his new gameplan as a pair of armdrags took down the powerful Tank, before Tank avoided a third attempt.
Eschewing chain wrestling for simple aggression, Tank stomped away on the Young Lion. Seeking to wear down his opponent even more, Tank clamped on a standing cobra clutch that was perilously close to a choke. A third attempt at cinching in the hold was reversed by Dane King into an STO-type legsweep. The "Young Lion" used the turnbuckles to his advantage, but the more experienced Tank caught King in a bridging vertical suplex for a near fall. Utilising his hard head, Tank kept King grounded with vicious headbutts. A flying mare left King open to a headbutt to the "lower abdominal region". Sensing victory, Tank whipped King into the turnbuckles and followed with an avalanche, but King dove aside and Tank ended up upside down in the "tree of woe"! Using the opportunity to recover, Dane King delivered some choice slaps and followed through with a bodyslam and elbow drop for a near fall of his own.
Tank used his power to take over with a bodyslam for a near fall. A Samoan drop stunned the Young Lion and allowed Tank to rise to the second turnbuckle for a jack-knife/frog headbutt. Covering his opponent with a lateral press, Tank made sure to gain extra leverage by (illegally) putting his feet on the ropes (unseen by referee Daniel Martins) for the tainted pinfall victory
WINNER: TANK with a "Lo-Down" headbutt for the (dubious) victory by pinfall.
"The Fixation" JIMMY FOX versus MR SAMOA
Jimmy Fox entered this match determined to unseat the currently undefeated Mr Samoa, thereby scoring a real coup in KPW. Knowing Fox, he'd stoop to any tactic to secure a win. Mr Samoa was more concerned about entertaining the KPW fans and stepping up to the challenge of taking on a more experienced opponent. Going into the match, it was abundantly clear to the River City audience which competitor enjoyed the height and strength advantage. Mr Samoa cheerfully asserted himself by throwing off Jimmy Fox's collar-and-elbow tieup, sending "the Fixation" flying. Changing gears, Fox faked out Mr Samoa and slapped on a vicious standing side headlock. Unfortunately for Jimmy Fox, Mr Samoa merely straightened up and catapulted Fox into the air to break the hold, Fox flying across the ring and landing soundly on his rear end!
"The Fixation" next insisted on a test of strength which Mr Samoa easily reversed into a knucklelock. Howling in pain, the overambitious Jimmy Fox scampered to the ropes to force the hold to be broken before his wrist. Determined to prove he was equal to the task of physically bettering the bigger man, Fox clamped on a front chancery and announced to the audience he was going to suplex the massive islander. To no-one's surprise but Fox's own, he was unable to do so. He then tried a bodyslam, but was unable to shift the massive warrior – Mr Samoa obliged the fans by showing Jimmy Fox how it was done!
Fox retreated to the outside and the two competitors entered a footrace around the ring. Back inside, Mr Samoa managed to cut off the fleeing Jimmy Fox and delivered a big side slam that shook the ring! Showing his massive strength, the big islander hauled his opponent aloft, but the slippery Fox managed to wriggle free and attacked the bigger man from behind. "The Fixation" pressed the attack against the downed Mr Samoa, knocking the big man to the canvas with a seated dropkick. Perhaps now realising that he couldn't hope to match strength with Mr Samoa, Fox saw to negate the bigger man's strength, height and reach advantage by keeping him firmly grounded. Fox showed his ruthlessness and desperation by choking Mr Samoa in the corner. The big island warrior reversed an Irish whip, sending Jimmy Fox into the turnbuckles. Pinning his smaller man in the corner, Mr Samoa nearly flayed the skin from his opponent's chest with massive knife-edge chops, much to the fans' delight!
Mr Samoa whipped "the Fixation" to the opposite corner, but the smaller man used his agility to leap up and over the charging Mr Samoa, dropkicking the bigger man into the unforgiving turnbuckles chest-first. Fox then followed up with a tornado DDT for a near fall. Mr Samoa rolled to the outside to try to clear his head, but Jimmy Fox seized the opportunity, changed his gameplan on the fly and delivered a running elbow drop to the outside from the apron to Mr Samoa. Now trying for a countout victory against the bigger, stronger man, Jimmy Fox celebrated in the ring, but Mr Samoa rained on his parade by beating the referee's count to make it back into the ring and stay in the match. Fox was horrified and angered that Mr Samoa was still standing, but had his world turned inside out with a huge back bodydrop from the islander. Doing his own victory dance, Mr Samoa didn't disappoint the fans as he lifted Jimmy Fox aloft in a military slam, before bringing "the Fixation" down the hard way for the pinfall win!
WINNER: MR SAMOA with the Sacrifice (military press swingout uranage) for the win by pinfall.
CHARLIE ROBERTS (with Alex "Danger" Donahue) versus WILD WILLZ
In a rematch from the previous show, the "Ayatollah of High Rollas" Charlie Roberts was now backed up by his partner-in-crime Alex "Danger" Donahue. Together, the nefarious pair now call themselves "Rodeo Drive", referring to their superior money-making endeavours which they believe set them well above the common herd. Fresh from a hard-fought victory at the previous show, KPW newcomer and fan favourite Wild Willz entered the match full of energy, eager to show the fans his previous win wasn't a fluke.
The wild islander sportingly offered a clean break from the opening lock-up. Simply wanting a piece of his opponent in revenge, Roberts eschewed sportsmanship and attacked Wild Willz with knife-edge chops. Wild Willz eagerly absorbed the punishment and responded in kind. The hapless Roberts was backed into the corner and fell prey to Wild Willz's scintillating right hands. The island hunter even took the opportunity to chew on Robert's expensive face, before deciding he didn't like the taste! Bodyslam, hip toss and a headbutt sent the "King of Bling" to the outside for a much-needed council of war with fellow Rodeo Drive member Alex "Danger" Donahue.
Back in the ring, Roberts slipped into a back waistlock and took down his opponent with a double-leg takedown. Roberts showed complete disrespect by walking up the spine of Wild Willz then stomping on his downed opponent. Bouncing the island hunter off the turnbuckle pads, the Rodeo Drive member delivered a big spinebuster. Roberts then showed his wrestling skills with a snap suplex on Wild Willz that was all impact and no bridge. The "King of Bling" centred his evil efforts on Wild Willz's back, with "Danger" Donahue shouting encouragement from ringside. Charlie Roberts stepped up his efforts by trapping Wild Willz in a single leg Boston crab, but Willz got the Whanganui crowd on his side and used their support to make his painful way to the ropes, forcing a very reluctA.T.Hreak from Roberts.
Feeling his hunter's instincts come straight to the fore, Wild Willz blitzed the "Ayatollah of High Rollas" with a pair of clotheslines and a dropkick flush to the jaw. Staggering on the back foot, Roberts was wide open for a devastating spear from the island hunter that looked to have won the match. However, "Danger" Donahue was on hand to drape Roberts' foot across the bottom rope, breaking the count. With his adrenaline riding high, Wild Willz went all the way up to the top rope for a flying splash, but Roberts' training regimen ensured he had enough strength to roll aside, causing the island hunter to crash and burn! Roberts returned to attacking Wild Willz back, a snap mare leaving the "wild one" vulnerable to a spine-adjusting dropkick. Sensing the time was right, a confident Charlie Roberts drilled his opponent with the "Rodeo Driver" (head-and-arm twisting uranage) and went for the pin, but Willz shocked the fans and Rodeo Drive by kicking out! Charlie Roberts was furious and attempted to punish Willz's back further with his A-List Off Ramp hold (cloverleaf- lion tamer), but the island hunter had enough leg strength to throw off Roberts' efforts.
Battling back to his feet, Wild Willz caught Charlie Roberts with a stunning DDT for a near fall of his own. Roberts reversed an Irish whip and thought he was in control, but a flying headscissors from Wild Willz sent him spinning to the canvas! Wild Willz was in the driving seat, but then Alex Donahue lived up to his nickname by slipping a small chain to Roberts before distracting Head Referee Daniel Martins. Wild Willz saw Charlie Roberts as a target and charged for another spear, but Charlie Roberts caught him unawares with a punch from the chain which knocked him out cold! Having been knocked senseless, Wild Willz had no defence against Charlie Roberts' A-List Off Ramp, and the referee was forced to call the match.
WINNER: CHARLIE ROBERTS by stoppage, as Wild Willz was unable to submit to the A-List Off Ramp (cloverleaf- lion tamer), having been knocked unconscious by Roberts with a foreign object.
Wild Willz's strength and anger was such that he recovered after the match and angrily stormed to the back, determined for some payback on Rodeo Drive!
Before the main event could be properly announced, a certain wrestler's theme music played and out stalked none other than Inferno! The fiery veteran had lA.T.Heen seen some months hence, stalking off into the sunset, complaining that he had not been given the respect he deserves by the KPW fans. His return at "The Homecoming" would prove to be anything but auspicious.
Inferno had nothing but harsh words for the Whanganui fans, citing their joyful response at KPW's last Whanganui show to his head being shorn by Jonnie Juice. Viciously berating the River City and its fine citizens, Inferno was unaware of Lazarus Volt sneaking to ringside and all the way up to the top rope. Inferno finished his rant and turned to face a High Voltage (top rope drop kick) from the ex-ringmaster! Volt ejected the fallen Inferno from the ring to the delight of the hometown fans; he then introduced his tag team partner for the upcoming main event, the "international superstar" and fellow River City native H-Flame!
Tag team (non-title) match: H-FLAME and LAZARUS VOLT versus the KPW Tag Team Champions the TECHNICIAN and KADE MORGAN "3G"
The "hometown heroes" H-Flame and Lazarus Volt were all fired up for this match and had the Whanganui fans firmly behind them. They'd need all the support they could get, as to earn a coveted KPW Tag Team Championship title shot, they'd first have to beat the most dominant tag team in KPW, a team that included the KPW Champion and New Zealand's only third generation wrestler. Would the hometown advantage prove to be the deciding factor?
Kade Morgan and Lazarus Volt began the match for their respective teams, Volt looking like he could hang with the experienced Morgan throughout a criss-cross sequence. However, things turned against the challenger as Kade Morgan used his strength advantage to dominate the "little man from the Big Top". Volt found his energy reserves and retaliated, but Morgan forestalled any momentum with a back suplex and tagged in his fresh tag team partner. H-Flame wanted in to the fight to prove he's worthy of taking on the KPW Champion and Volt obliged with a tag to his team-mate. H-Flame and the double-championship holder the Technician traded holds before a quick flurry of attacks from H-Flame sent the Technician retreating to the outside.
Back in the ring, H-Flame and the Technician battled for the advantage, trading back waistlocks and German suplexes as they sought the advantage. H-Flame whipped the Technician into the corner turnbuckle; he looked to follow through with a shoulder charge, but the Technician's agility enabled him to dodge aside and H-Flame's momentum carried him between the ropes and smack into the metal ring post. Never one to turn down an opportunity, the Technician stayed on his fallen opponent. A double-team back elbow from the Renegades left H-Flame vulnerable to their double-team elbow drop for a near fall.
"3G" isolated H-Flame's arm and went to work, seeking to negate the ex-KPW Champion's strength. With the fans on his side, H-Flame rallied and battled back to his feet, but was dropped by a vicious clothesline from Kade Morgan who continued his attack on his opponent's arm. Showing his fighting spirit, H-Flame again fought back, dropping Morgan with a picture-perfect drop kick. The River City hero tagged in his partner so they could deliver an innovative double team manoeuvre to Kade Morgan (a combination Dominator-flying clothesline), the Technician interfering to break up the ensuing count.
Lazarus Volt used the turnbuckles to attack Kade Morgan, but Morgan's experience shone through. He tagged in the Technician and the Renegades showed their tag team expertise with a Rockerplex on Volt, the Technician delivering the top rope flying cross bodyblock. Switching tactics and enjoying being in control, the Technician left aside his wrestling prowess to stomp the fallen Lazarus Volt into the canvas. The double Oceania Wrestling Championships medal-winner kept up the pressure on Lazarus Volt with a side slam into a single leg crab. When that failed to elicit a submission, the Technician flattened the "little man from the Big Top" with an inverted side slam.
Cutting the ring in half, the Technician tagged in "3G" and Morgan climbed to the top rope for the Renegades' double team backbreaker and top rope leg drop on the ex-ringmaster. H-Flame came in to rescue his team-mate, but fell victim to essentially a two-on-one mugging in his corner as the referee temporarily lost control of the match. Unluckily for the Renegades, their attack only made H-Flame mad and he fought back like a man possessed! Dumping the Technician out of the ring and knocking down Kade Morgan with a Thesz press, H-Flame forced "3G" to retreat to the outside. Refusing to allow their opponents any respite, Volt and H-Flame both climbed all the way to the top rope and delivered planchas to the hapless Renegades on the floor!
Both teams look to have been down and out, but "3G" managed to get into the ring first; H-Flame only just beat the referee's count to keep the "hometown heroes" in the match. Going for broke, the Renegades captured Lazarus Volt in a "Doomsday Device"-type of double team manoeuvre. With the Technician perched on the top rope ready to deliver the coup de grace, it looked like the "hometown heroes" were beaten in front of their own fans. But snatching back the advantage, Volt avoided the Technician's attack by catching Kade Morgan unawares in a victory roll for a very close fall as the Technician flew through space, missing Volt and being caught instead by H-Flame's dropkick!
Lazarus Volt and Kade Morgan fought it out in the middle of the ring. Morgan looked to have the match won for the Renegades with a sleeper hold, but the vocal fans gave him their support and Volt was able to break the hold with a jawjacker. With the fate of the match hanging in the balance, the race was on for Volt and Morgan to tag their respective partners. Morgan's conditioning allowed him to reach the technician a heartbeat before H-Flame was tagged in, but the slim advantage availed the Renegades naught as the international superstar fought off both Renegades single-handedly. The Technician tried to blindside H-Flame with speed, but was caught in a powerslam for his efforts. Morgan succeeded in attacking H-Flame from behind to break up the pinfall attempt. The renegades then double-teamed H-Flame with a combination flapjack-cutter for what would have been the win had not Lazarus Volt made the rescue. As the irate ex-ringmaster was being escorted from the ring, Morgan slipped the KPW Championship belt to the Technician, who drilled H-Flame with it behind the referee's back!
Supremely confident of victory, the Technician couldn't believe it when the "international superstar" kicked out of the subsequent cover, much to the joy of the hometown fans! Seeking to put his opponent away quickly, the Technician whipped H-Flame to the ropes for a back bodydrop. Running on pure adrenaline and fury, H-Flame instead leapfrogged nimbly onto the Technician's back and hit the Nuke (sunset flip powerbomb) for the pinfall victory as Lazarus Volt held off Kade Morgan!
WINNERS: H-FLAME and LAZARUS VOLT, when H-Flame pinned the Technician with the Nuke (sunset flip powerbomb); Lazarus Volt and H-Flame earn a title shot at the KPW Tag Team Championship.
As the Renegades struggled to comprehend that they'd been handed a pinfall loss, the victorious team of Lazarus Volt and H-Flame celebrated in the ring, having thrilled the Whanganui fans and made good on their promise to deliver a win in their home town!
BLAIR "the FLAIR"