In this week’s SoCal News & Notes we have updates on Ground Zero, Lucha Underground, Rey Mysterio’s Lucha Wonderland, PCW Ultra, and more. Click for this week’s update.
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There have been a couple of changes to the lineup of Ground Zero’s debut show on December 23. Both Ruby Raze and Brody King have been removed from the card due to injuries.
Ruby Raze was set to team with Delilah Doom to take on H.A.T.E’s Tito Escondido and Ray Rosas. The promotion released a promo with Raze where she said since she can’t make it she handpicked her replacement and Delilah Doom shouldn’t worry, but Ray and Tito should.
With Brody King out B-Boy will now be issuing an open challenge. This would have been the first ever singles match between B-Boy who was the 1999 Southern California Rookie of the Year and Brody King who was the 2016’s rookie of the year. Brody King and Carla Jade (who won the award in 2006) are actually the only two prior Rookies of the Year that B-Boy has never faced, making him the Kevin Bacon of SoCal. This matchup has been scheduled several times, but it appears to be one of those cursed matches, like Brody King versus Jeff Cobb, that gets scheduled but fate doesn’t allow to happen.
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Brody King will be wrestling for Major League Wrestling again on January 11, 2018 in Orlando, Florida.
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Penta El Zero M and Rey Fenix were pulled off a Pro Wrestling Revolution show in Northern California that was scheduled for February 24, 2018 due to Lucha Underground commitments. That seems to confirm that not only will Lucha Underground be taping in February (Dave Meltzer reported tapings will begin on February 16) but that Rey Fenix and Penta El Zero M will be returning for season four. Their status had been somewhat up in the air due to their falling out with AAA and Dorian Roldan, who is the general manager of Lucha Underground.
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Eli Everfly has been added to the December 22 Rey Mysterio’s Lucha Wonderland at Sycuan Casino in the San Diego area. No matches have been announced but other names that are scheduled to appear are John Hennigan, Taya Valkyrie, Joey Ryan, Scorpio Sky, Rocky Romero, Laura James, Tyler Bateman, Willie Mack, Bestia 666, Damian 666, B-Boy, Black Boy, Luchasaurus, Mascarita Dorada, and of course Rey Mysterio Jr. among others.
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Jordan Devlin will be making his United States debut on PCW Ultra’s March 16, 2018 show in Wilmington. Devlin, who wrestles out of Ireland, was trained by Finn Balor and Paul Tracy. He took part in WWE’s United Kingdom Championship Tournament earlier this year, where he lost in the second round to Tyler Bate.
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A faction consisting of Christopher Daniels, Frankie Kazarian, and Scorpio Sky in Ring of Honor is calling themselves SoCal Uncensored. Since I’ve received numerous messages this past week asking about it, I will confirm we were contacted by ROH in advance and did give permission for the use of the name.
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The last three shows of the year are this weekend, barring any last minute additions. Vendetta Pro, EWF, and MPW will all be kicking off the new year with shows on January 5, 2018.
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The nominees for the 2017 Southern California Tag-Team of the Year and the Paul T. Memorial Award for the Most Outstanding Wrestler will be announced next week.
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This week’s shows:
12/22:
Rey Mysterio’s Lucha Wonderland in El Cajon, CA
12/23:
Maverick Pro presents “Secret Santa Showdown” in Los Angeles, CA
Kudos to Steve Bryant for having a wrestling faction in a major promotion like ROH named after it. That’s pretty remarkable. Let’s hope the group lasts.