Every year a lot of people look forward to Christmas, others their Birthday, some even look forward to 'Murrica's Birthday, but for mark's like me, I look forward to watching PWG's annual tournament, BOLA. BOLA has gone from being just your average tournament, to a showcase of who's who in the independent wrestling scene, and everyone knowing it's PWG's most popular weekend, so they go as big as possible in hopes to get a call back.
Every year only improves in quality, and this year was no different. I just finished night 1, and I gotta say, I cannot wait to see what the next to shows hold! There were many new faces that I saw, some completely shined, others definitely had it, but just need some more time to warm up to me. ANYWAY, here is what I thought of Night 1!
Battle Of Los Angeles 2017 First Round Match
Brian Cage vs. Dezmond Xavier
- Really hot opener. Dezmond has grown as a performer and is showing everyone that he wants to be the next Ricochet/Ospreay with his flips. Brian cage wasn't going to go down easy though, he too showed off some insane moves for a guy his size (he looks twice as big as he did at the last show I saw him at...) and both guys put on a phenomenal match with little weirdness.
- TLDR Review: Fun match
Battle Of Los Angeles 2017 First Round Match
Marty Scurll vs. Morgan Webster
- This may be one of my top matches of the first round. Nothing but great work from both guys. The match started with a headbutt from Webster and getting the 1-2-3, but Scurll's foot was on the rope, thus the match continued. Almost a huge upset for the debuting Flash Morgan Webster. There was just great submission work throughout this match,
and Scurll got pissed at a fan and threw Webster on top of him at one point.
- TLDR Review: MUST WATCH!
Battle Of Los Angeles 2017 First Round Match
Rey Fenix vs. Rey Horus
- It's still hard for me to watch matches featuring Fenix and Pentagon due to the feeling that they ripped off a local promotion here, but I tried my best to put my opinions aside for this one.... and I am so glad I did. Rey Horus (Dragon Azteca Jr in Lucha Underground) had a decent showing in his debut at the previous show, but if only this was his first PWG match, it was SO GOOD, at least until he tweaked his knee. Both guys were going 100mph in this, but after an odd landing, Horus looked a bit shaken and had to slow down a bit, it didn't affect the match TOO much outside of a few minutes where he was trying to get himself loosened back up. The match as a whole was full of insane lucha springboards and dives, even had Fenix walk the ropes, Horus trip him, Fenix fell back onto the top rope and then bounced back up and regain his footing... WTF!? Just a crazy spot fest between the two.
- TLDR Review: FUN! Watch it!
Tag Team Match
Chosen Bros (Jeff Cobb & Matthew Riddle) vs. Donovan Dijak & Keith Lee
- I had read some reviews before watching the show, and so many people PRAISED this match. It was a good match, but I just didn't see it. Could have just been my usual meh feeling over both Dijak and Lee, or maybe the match just wasn't THAT good. Either way, it WAS entertaining for sure, and had some great moves from both teams. Cobb and Riddle are such a good team together, and Dijak and Lee even made a solid pairing. Riddle looked like he was shooting on Dijak a few times, unless his strikes and chops are just THAT intense. Good match, but definitely overhyped.
- TLDR Review: Solid match
Battle Of Los Angeles 2017 First Round Match
Matt Sydal vs. Penta El Zero M
- I was starting to zone out around this time in the show because there had been too much awesome. I tried my best to keep myself invested in the matches though! This was a solid match. Matt Sydal has been showing a much more vicious style in the ring, and Penta was Penta. Not a whole lot can be said about this. I thought there was a nasty Canadian Destroyer on the apron during this match (saw it in the previews), but I didn't see it? Maybe I missed it? Either way, solid match, but was finding it hard to keep up with the show around here.
- TLDR Review: Good match
Battle Of Los Angeles 2017 First Round Match
Jonah Rock vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
- Another new face in PWG with Jonah Rock (Morgan Webster being the other) and a decent, yet WAY TOO LONG, match. Rock is just a monster. This is a horrible comparison, but if Nia Jax was a guy and had more years under her belt then I could see her being Jonah Rock for sure. Just a big guy that liked to throw Sabre around. I really had never heard of him before this show, so it was cool, but as I mentioned, this match went WAY TOO LONG (website says only 18 minutes, belt felt more like 25....). Not a whole lot can be said though, good showing for the guy, but Sabre came out on top with a DISGUSTING arm bar.
- TLDR Review: Decent, but too long
Battle Of Los Angeles 2017 First Round Match
Flamita vs. Ricochet
- And the final debut for Night 1 with Mexican Luchador, Flamita! He reminded me of Kalisto meets Sin Cara, but more precise with his moves. This started out as just a flippy crazy spotfest that had me invested in the show once again! Both guys brought their A game and delivered some great moves and dodges and dives for the first half of the match,
and then it slowed down to a more methodical style, but still keeping the energy there. It looked like Flamita dislocated his finger on a move (queue my Sin Cara comparison) but popped it back into place... *puke*. Good match with a finish that did feel a bit out of nowhere, but still great.
- TLDR Review: Solid match! Must watch
So that is my write up for night one! It was good, but from what I have heard, Night 2 brought out the best in everyone and was great from beginning to end.
Every year only improves in quality, and this year was no different. I just finished night 1, and I gotta say, I cannot wait to see what the next to shows hold! There were many new faces that I saw, some completely shined, others definitely had it, but just need some more time to warm up to me. ANYWAY, here is what I thought of Night 1!
Battle Of Los Angeles 2017 First Round Match
Brian Cage vs. Dezmond Xavier
- Really hot opener. Dezmond has grown as a performer and is showing everyone that he wants to be the next Ricochet/Ospreay with his flips. Brian cage wasn't going to go down easy though, he too showed off some insane moves for a guy his size (he looks twice as big as he did at the last show I saw him at...) and both guys put on a phenomenal match with little weirdness.
- TLDR Review: Fun match
Battle Of Los Angeles 2017 First Round Match
Marty Scurll vs. Morgan Webster
- This may be one of my top matches of the first round. Nothing but great work from both guys. The match started with a headbutt from Webster and getting the 1-2-3, but Scurll's foot was on the rope, thus the match continued. Almost a huge upset for the debuting Flash Morgan Webster. There was just great submission work throughout this match,
and Scurll got pissed at a fan and threw Webster on top of him at one point.
- TLDR Review: MUST WATCH!
Battle Of Los Angeles 2017 First Round Match
Rey Fenix vs. Rey Horus
- It's still hard for me to watch matches featuring Fenix and Pentagon due to the feeling that they ripped off a local promotion here, but I tried my best to put my opinions aside for this one.... and I am so glad I did. Rey Horus (Dragon Azteca Jr in Lucha Underground) had a decent showing in his debut at the previous show, but if only this was his first PWG match, it was SO GOOD, at least until he tweaked his knee. Both guys were going 100mph in this, but after an odd landing, Horus looked a bit shaken and had to slow down a bit, it didn't affect the match TOO much outside of a few minutes where he was trying to get himself loosened back up. The match as a whole was full of insane lucha springboards and dives, even had Fenix walk the ropes, Horus trip him, Fenix fell back onto the top rope and then bounced back up and regain his footing... WTF!? Just a crazy spot fest between the two.
- TLDR Review: FUN! Watch it!
Tag Team Match
Chosen Bros (Jeff Cobb & Matthew Riddle) vs. Donovan Dijak & Keith Lee
- I had read some reviews before watching the show, and so many people PRAISED this match. It was a good match, but I just didn't see it. Could have just been my usual meh feeling over both Dijak and Lee, or maybe the match just wasn't THAT good. Either way, it WAS entertaining for sure, and had some great moves from both teams. Cobb and Riddle are such a good team together, and Dijak and Lee even made a solid pairing. Riddle looked like he was shooting on Dijak a few times, unless his strikes and chops are just THAT intense. Good match, but definitely overhyped.
- TLDR Review: Solid match
Battle Of Los Angeles 2017 First Round Match
Matt Sydal vs. Penta El Zero M
- I was starting to zone out around this time in the show because there had been too much awesome. I tried my best to keep myself invested in the matches though! This was a solid match. Matt Sydal has been showing a much more vicious style in the ring, and Penta was Penta. Not a whole lot can be said about this. I thought there was a nasty Canadian Destroyer on the apron during this match (saw it in the previews), but I didn't see it? Maybe I missed it? Either way, solid match, but was finding it hard to keep up with the show around here.
- TLDR Review: Good match
Battle Of Los Angeles 2017 First Round Match
Jonah Rock vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
- Another new face in PWG with Jonah Rock (Morgan Webster being the other) and a decent, yet WAY TOO LONG, match. Rock is just a monster. This is a horrible comparison, but if Nia Jax was a guy and had more years under her belt then I could see her being Jonah Rock for sure. Just a big guy that liked to throw Sabre around. I really had never heard of him before this show, so it was cool, but as I mentioned, this match went WAY TOO LONG (website says only 18 minutes, belt felt more like 25....). Not a whole lot can be said though, good showing for the guy, but Sabre came out on top with a DISGUSTING arm bar.
- TLDR Review: Decent, but too long
Battle Of Los Angeles 2017 First Round Match
Flamita vs. Ricochet
- And the final debut for Night 1 with Mexican Luchador, Flamita! He reminded me of Kalisto meets Sin Cara, but more precise with his moves. This started out as just a flippy crazy spotfest that had me invested in the show once again! Both guys brought their A game and delivered some great moves and dodges and dives for the first half of the match,
and then it slowed down to a more methodical style, but still keeping the energy there. It looked like Flamita dislocated his finger on a move (queue my Sin Cara comparison) but popped it back into place... *puke*. Good match with a finish that did feel a bit out of nowhere, but still great.
- TLDR Review: Solid match! Must watch
So that is my write up for night one! It was good, but from what I have heard, Night 2 brought out the best in everyone and was great from beginning to end.
Do you like old people porn? Because I just put enough to fill an old folks home in the wrestling section!