Pro Wrestling Guerrilla presents The High Cost of Doing Business on Sunday, November 11
By Silverback, PWG Staff Writer
Desert Center, CA – With Pro Wrestling Guerrilla’s ( http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com) second tour of Europe in the books, many fans in Southern California may be left wondering “What exactly went down on foreign soil?” Perhaps not phrased exactly like that, but the question remains the same. What exactly DID go down on foreign soil? Well, for one thing, Joey Ryan found out first hand that he, in fact, is harrier than a large majority of French women, contrary to popular belief. “It wasn’t that they didn’t shave,” the former Pro Wrestling Guerrilla World Champion said “some of them just shaved from the knee down. I guess for wearing skirts or dresses. It was kind of unsettling.” When he’s not busy perpetuating stereotypes that could damage future business with the French people, Joey Ryan, on behalf of all members of Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, would like to say thank you to all of our European fans that attended and made European Vacation II a huge success.
But that still doesn’t answer the question of “what happened over there?!” Well, after three hard fought contests, “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson is still the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla World Champion, Human Tornado and Chris Hero‘s rivalry continued to heat up, causing quite a few phone calls to the American Embassy to avoid an international incident, and, oh yeah, Super Dragon and Davey Richards are the new Pro Wrestling Guerrilla World Tag Team Champions. The more cynical fans may be asking themselves, “Is that all?” To be quite honest, no, it’s not, but to find out the full story, you’ll have to keep reading, and make sure to purchase all three nights of European Vacation II! That, my friends, is what we in the industry call “a tease.”
Pro Wrestling Guerrilla’s The High Cost of Doing Business takes place on Sunday, November 11, 2007 at 5:00PM at the Burbank Armory, located in Burbank, CA, and will feature:
Pro Wrestling Guerrilla World Championship Title Match
“American Dragon” Bryan Danielson vs. Jack Evans
– After Pro Wrestling Guerrilla’s Giant-Size Annual #4, many fans speculated about who “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson would be defending his newly won World Championship title against. Of course, there is CIMA, who earned his shot by winning the 2007 Battle of Los Angeles. Then there are 2007 Battle of Los Angeles finalist Roderick Strong, and finalist and former champion El Generico. There is also the man nominated by Pro Wrestling Guerrilla’s European Vacation II promotional partner IPW:UK, Martin Stone. Finally, there is Austin Aries, who challenged for the title on the first night of European Vacation II, thanks not only to his classic good looks, but also his history of highly competitive bouts with Bryan Danielson. But the next man in line for the title, Jack Evans, is a bit of a mystery.
Known primarily as a high-flyer, Jack Evans has really stepped up his game over the past year when it comes to both his striking and mat wrestling ability. Thanks to his time spent in Japan, Evans has been able to increase his striking power and accuracy tenfold. Combine that with the Lucha Libre influence in Dragon Gate, and Evans has seen his knowledge of wrestling holds expand exponentially. However, on one fateful day aboard the Dragon Gate tour bus, Jack Evans’ world was shaken. His attention was directed to the onboard entertainment system, which was showing a match between Gene Kiniski and Don Leo Jonathan. Was this some kind of joke? It was the most boring thing he had ever seen. Was someone trying to say that a well-placed elbow drop would suffice, instead of a backflipping 720-degree-rotation elbow drop with questionable accuracy? Jack Evans was enraged, and loudly declared that this “old style” of professional wrestling is just not “how (he) rolls.” It was simply too boring. Evans views “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson as the modern-day incarnation of all these stodgy geezers and feels he has got to go. Who wants to cheer for a man who once had a match that involved a single headlock being held for 15 minutes? Who wants their champion to be a man who is more Bob Backlund-ish than Bob Backlund himself? That is why Jack Evans is determined to end Bryan Danielson’s reign as “the most boring (Pro Wrestling Guerrilla World) champion ever” at The High Cost of Doing Business.
After scoring a pinfall victory over former World Champion El Generico last month at Schadenfreude, Jack Evans was instantly propelled up the ranks of challengers for the title. Now that Bryan Danielson has successfully defended the title against three other men, Jack Evans finds him with the opportunity to reach the highest level Pro Wrestling Guerrilla has to offer—a level which he cannot reach by climbing, jumping, or flipping. According to Jack Evans, there are two qualities that define professional wrestling: entertainment and competition. Evans will be the first to admit that Bryan Danielson is a great competitor. But is he a great entertainer? According to Jack, no. “Wouldn’t you rather enjoy yourself watching a Jack Evans title match instead of being held hostage by a Bryan Danielson title match?” Evans asks. Jack Evans is throwing out some tough questions, and you can be sure that Bryan Danielson will have some even tougher answers when the best wrestler in the world meets the best high-flyer in the world, with the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla World Championship hanging in the balance, at The High Cost of Doing Business.
Pro Wrestling Guerrilla World Tag Team Championship Title Match
Super Dragon & Davey Richards (c) vs. The Dynasty (“The Professional” Scott Lost & Joey Ryan, w/ Jade Chung)
– Just under 18 months ago, Super Dragon and Davey Richards’ seemingly unstoppable first Pro Wrestling Guerrilla World Tag Team Championship title reign abruptly and unceremoniously came to an end at the hands of The Dynasty. In a match between the champions and Arrogance (“Photogenic” Chris Bosh & “The Professional” Scott Lost), Joey Ryan, Scoprio Sky, and Jade Chung would all make their way to ringside, interfere on the behalf of Arrogance, and eventually cost Dragon & Richards’ the match and their titles. What happened after the match could only be described as the most brutal assault ever seen in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. The Dynasty would use every available weapon in the ringside area to attempt to end the careers of the supposedly invincible duo of Dragon and Richards, and little did they know how close they would come. Davey Richards was able to return to action just a month later, but Super Dragon was sidelined for over three months, but returned at the 2006 Battle of Los Angeles. When it looked like it would once again be the “Davey & Dragon show,” The Dynasty intervened, attacking Super Dragon before the tournament finals, forcing Davey Richards to face CIMA one on one. This may have inadvertently helped Richards, as he would go own to defeat CIMA and win the 2006 Battle of Los Angeles, but he had only one thing on his mind, regaining the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla World Tag Team Championship with Super Dragon.
After Davey Richards was forced to pull out of the event following the 2006 Battle of Los Angeles, Super Dragon went on to challenge for the titles anyway, picking B-Boy as his partner. The duo was successful in their bid for the belts, but Super Dragon was also successful in planting feelings of betrayal in Davey Richards. Now intent on not only regaining the titles, but also settling the score with Super Dragon, Richards began teaming with Roderick Strong, a union which was met with limited success. Shortly after losing the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla World Tag Team Championship to El Generico and Quicksilver, Super Dragon, due to a lingering smaller injury stemming from The Dynasty’s initial attack, broke his ankle and would be out of action once again. During this time, Davey Richards thought about how The Dynasty had affected not only the careers of himself and Super Dragon, but now the personal lives of both men as well. The Dynasty’s attack on Super Dragon was so vicious that it could have caused a life-long injury, and for Davey Richards, that would not stand. Determined to bury the hatchet, Richards offered to team with Super Dragon at the Dynamite Duumvirate Tag Team Title Tournament (DDT4), which instantly made them the favorites to win the tournament in the minds of many fans and wrestlers alike. However, unbeknownst to Davey, Dragon had to cut his rehabilitation short in order to return to action at DDT4, and that would ultimately prove to be the team’s undoing. Frustrated by the lack of progress in the tournament, Richards turned his back on Super Dragon for good, or so it seemed.
When it became clear that Super Dragon, over a year later, was still suffering from injuries at the hands of The Dynasty, it rekindled the fires of revenge within Davey Richards. Earlier this month at Schadenfreude, Davey Richards showed Scott Lost that old wounds were not necessarily forgotten, attacking Lost after the match in what could be considered more of a “wake-up call” than an attempt to injure “The Professional.” Then in Portsmouth, England, on the second night of European Vacation II, the professional wrestling world received the wake-up call when Super Dragon & Davey Richards defeated El Generico & “Mr. Wrestling” Kevin Steen to regain the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla World Tag Team Championship. No one took more notice of this than The Dynasty, who, despite their depleted ranks, still consider themselves to be the most powerful group inside Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. In order to display their power, former tag team champions Scott Lost and Joey Ryan will reunite to challenge Super Dragon and Davey Richards for the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla World Tag Team Championship at The High Cost of Doing Business on Sunday, November 11, 2007. While Scott Lost’s hard feelings toward Davey Richards may be somewhat new, the enmity between Joey Ryan and Super Dragon has been there since well before The Dynasty existed, and seems to have only grown stronger with time. Will this tag team title match further long term ramifications in the lives of Super Dragon, Davey Richards, Joey Ryan, and Scott Lost, or will this be the final chapter in what may very well become a career ending war for one, if not both, sides of this feud?
Mystery Partner Tag Team Match
Chris Hero (w/ Candice LeRae) & ??? vs. Human Tornado & ???
– When Human Tornado attacked Chris Hero during intermission at Schadenfreude earlier this month, it was the third incident in a series that has turned out to be one of the most heated rivalries Pro Wrestling Guerrilla has seen in quite some time. For those unaware, at the 2007 Battle of Los Angeles, Chris Hero put a stop to the months of abuse Candice LeRae endured at the hands of Human Tornado. The following evening, Tornado politely suggested that Chris Hero was overstepping his reach. And by politely suggested, I mean repeatedly punched in the face. A rivalry was born, and no end appears to be in sight. After Tornado attacked Hero at Schadenfreude, the ploy seemed to have backfired in Tornado, with Chris Hero maintaining the upper hand throughout most of the match. However, Tornado would eventually pin Hero (with assistance from the ropes), which evened the score between the two men, on paper at least. Hero then vowed to follow Tornado to Europe to seek revenge, and did exactly that.
On Night One of European Vacation II, Chris Hero and Human Tornado brawled wildly all over Studio Jenny in Paris, with the battle threatening to spill into the streets at times. Though Hero was able to gain his first singles victory over Tornado, their quarrel was far from over, as a fight involving the two men broke out at the hotel later that night. The fight was eventually broken up, the damage was paid for (in cash, of course), and de Police were none the wiser. However, things quickly got out of hand on Night Three of European Vacation II, when at the end of a 4-Man Gauntlet Match, Chris Hero and “Diego Latino” brawled out of the ring and we ultimately counted out. It was later revealed that “Diego Latino” was really Steve Douglas under Diego’s mask, and Douglas was working with Human Tornado to assault Chris Hero. Quickly, Swi$$ Money Holding member and student of Chris Hero, Marc Roudin, came to his mentor’s aid to level the playing field. The battle between Roudin and Tornado was then turned into an impromptu match by the officials on hand, which saw Tornado scoring a victory in a wild brawl over the “Smart Strategic Swiss Shareholder.” Tornado continued his attack after the bell, which brought Chris Hero to Roudin’s aid this time.
The events that transpired in Europe made one thing clear; this is no longer a one on one battle. While Candice LeRae would like her shot at revenge on Human Tornado, Hero repeatedly made the point that he will prove he is the better man by himself, and himself alone. The instant that Human Tornado enlisted outside help, it completely changed the dynamic of this rivalry. Now Commissioner of Wrestling Dino Winwood has decided to keep things as fair as possible, allowing Hero and Tornado another shot at each other, but this time with a partner of their own choosing. With Hero’s regular partner, “Double C” Claudio Castagnoli, already involved in another match, it’s likely that he will be forced to look elsewhere for help. Tornado seems to have alienated himself from pretty much anyone he was previously associated with over the course of this year, so will Human Tornado’s partner be an ally from Europe, a newcomer looking to make a splash in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, or perhaps someone from Chris Hero’s past?
El Generico vs. Roderick Strong
– Between the two of them, El Generico and Roderick Strong have held the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla World Tag Team Championship on four separate occasions, independently of each other. However, only one man of the two has ever held the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla World Championship, and neither currently hold the title, so while tag team belts may seem common, singles recognition remains elusive. Both men actually made it to the final round of the 2007 Battle of Los Angeles, but they both were defeated by CIMA, and saw their individual glory slip through their hands once again. This time, there is no third competitor in the ring, and both men will only have themselves to rely on, come success or fail. While there are no titles on the line, nor the designation of “Number-One Contender,” this match will certainly have implications when it comes to the ranking of challengers for the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla World Championship.
6-Man Tag Team Match
The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) & Scorpio Sky vs. “Double C” Claudio Castagnoli, TJ Perkins, & Rocky “Azucar” Romero
– After their successful outing against Los Luchas earlier this month, Scorpio Sky and The Young Bucks felt like they had laid the groundwork for a solid team, and were destined for greatness. This newfound confidence did not go unnoticed by Commissioner of Food & Beverage Excalibur, who quite miserable himself, likes to see others quite miserable as well. That is why he offered Scorpio Sky and The Young Bucks another 6-man tag team match at The High Cost of Doing Business, this time against a group of young up-and-commers who haven’t teamed together before, but are looking for an opportunity to prove themselves. Of course The Bucks and Scorpio accepted, eager not only to show off their progression as a trio, but to also give these youngsters the thrill of their lifetimes: a match with Scorpio Sky and the Young Bucks. Little did they know that the “youngsters” they were expecting happened to be seasoned veterans, and some of the toughest competition Excalibur could find. Will the years of experience shared by Claudio Castagnoli, TJ Perkins, and Rocky Romero be enough to topple the real up-and-commers in this match? Or will Scorpio Sky and The Young Bucks continue to build upon the foundation they’ve already laid with what would only be considered a huge victory on November 11?
Karl “Machine Gun” Anderson vs. Ronin
– In the early part of 2007, Joey Ryan and Ronin were involved in a feud that centered around Joey’s belief that Ronin was not good enough to be in the same ring with him. Joey’s verbal jabs continued for months, questioning Ronin’s ability, but avoiding a physical confrontation at all costs. Finally, at the second night of All Star Weekend V, Joey Ryan and “Mr. Wrestling” Kevin Steen were in the midst of a No Disqualification Street Fight when Karl “Machine Gun” Anderson came to ring side, steel chain in hand, to assist his best friend Joey Ryan. The pair perpetrated a premeditated pummeling on “Mr. Wrestling” until Ronin rushed to Kevin Steen’s aid, removing Karl Anderson from the match, which would ultimately allow Kevin Steen to score a victory. Incensed by what he considered Ronin’s “blatant interference” in the No-DQ match, Joey Ryan challenged Ronin to a match of incredible importance. Ronin would wager the most important thing in his career, a spot in the 2007 Battle of Los Angeles, against the most important thing in Joey Ryan’s life, his hair. Joey said if Ronin was half as good as he thought he was, he should have no problem defeating Joey, so why not sweeten the pot? As it turned out, Joey Ryan used all of his ability, and even more of his cunning, to get the win and cost Ronin his tournament spot. Since then, Ronin, was directionless, wandering through Pro Wrestling Guerrilla with no real purpose, fighting just for the sake of fighting. But after being counciled Commissioner Dino Winwood, Ronin sees a way to get back on track: reclaim his honor by striking back at Joey Ryan. Unfortunately, Joey is already scheduled for a match, and feels he has nothing left to prove to Ronin. Therefore, Ronin will have to finish what was started all the way back at All Star Weekend V, by going after The Dynasty’s newest member, and Joey Ryan’s best friend, Karl “Machine Gun” Anderson.
Plus Pro Wrestling Guerrilla Commissioner of Wrestling Dino Winwood and Commissioner of Food & Beverage Excalibur will be on hand to oversee all the action!
Pro Wrestling Guerrilla’s The High Cost of Doing Business takes place at the Burbank Armory on Sunday, November 11, 2007 at 5:00PM. The Burbank Armory is located at 3800 W. Valhalla Dr., Burbank, CA, 91505. General Admission tickets are $20 and will be available at the door. For more information, please visit http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com. Card subject to change.
