By Silverback, PWG Staff Writer
Ventucopa, CA – As Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (http://www.prowrestlingguerrilla.com) enters the month of July and celebrates its fourth anniversary, it’s easy to think back upon what has transpired to bring PWG to this point. Too easy, in fact, which is why we are looking to the future. But not at the 2007 Battle of Los Angeles, that’s too far into the future. No, we are looking forward just far enough to see July 29, 2007, when at the Burbank Armory, shockingly located in Burbank, California, PWG will celebrate our fourth anniversary with “Giant-Size Annual #4!”
What kind of show is big enough to be named “Giant-Size?” You’ll be glad you asked, because scheduled to take place on Sunday, July 29 at 5:00PM is:PWG World Championship Match
El Generico (c) vs. “American Dragon” Bryan Danielson
– To tell the story of this match, we will have to look to the past, which is what we weren’t going to do, but this wouldn’t be very interesting and we wouldn’t have a lot to talk about if it weren’t for the past. Last month at “Roger Dorn Night,” Bryan Danielson was slated to challenge El Generico for the PWG World Championship in a singles match until Davey Richards and “Mr. Wrestling” Kevin Steen backed PWG Commissioner of Wrestling Dino Winwood into a corner, demanding their own shots at the belt. Commissioner Winwood relented, granting Richards & Steen a shot at the title in the form of a 4-Way Match with El Generico and Bryan Danielson, which PWG Champ El Generico went on to win.
This did not sit well with PWG Commissioner of Food & Beverage Excalibur who, at the time, was away on international beverage business, touring a Horchata factory in Mexico, and insisted that Danielson receive a fair shot at the title. That is why on July 29 at “Giant-Size Annual #4” El Generico will once again put the PWG World Championship on the line against Bryan Danielson, but this time there will be no outside factors in play. One on one, mano-a-mano, may the best man win.
And drink his fill of Horchata, no matter his ethnic origin, in celebration of a hard fought victory.
PWG World Tag Team Championship Match – Best 2 out of 3 Falls
“The Man That Gravity Forgot” PAC & Roderick Strong (c) vs. The Briscoe Brothers (Jay & Mark Briscoe)
– Once again, we are forced to look at the not-too-distant past to learn the story of this budding rivalry, and this important title match. At PWG’s DDT4 in May, Commissioner of Food & Beverage Excalibur picked the Briscoe Brothers as the first team to be entered in the tournament, and forsaking neutrality, his favorites to win. Excalibur would later attempt to enter the team of Davey Richards & Roderick Strong in the tournament as well, but was first flatly rejected by Richards, and then by Jack Evans, who was to replace Richards. Writing Roderick Strong off as a pariah, Excalibur gave Dino Winwood control of the team, and in what turned out to be a brilliant strategic move, Winwood brought in PAC to team with Roderick Strong.
PAC & Strong were a true dark horse team if there ever was one. In a tournament filled with experienced tag teams, these two men had barely spoken to one another before, let alone teamed together. But they made the most out of the opportunity, growing as a team over the course of the tournament and most importantly, winning matches, ultimately defeating the Briscoe Brothers in the tournament finals. Then last month at “Roger Dorn Night,” the Havana Pitbulls received a shot at PAC & Strong’s newly won titles, which Excalibur considered to be a “gross oversight.” Remarking that the Pitbulls were defeated by the Briscoes in the DDT4 semi-finals, but the Pitbulls were still first in line for a title shot was “inconceivable,” Excalibur harassed Dino Winwood with a series of off-hour (read: 3AM-6AM) phone calls demanding that the Briscoe Brothers receive their fair shot.
With no love loss between Winwood and the Bricoes, it was a tough decision to make, but ultimately Dino sided with his need to sleep, granting the Bricoes a shot at the title, and to leave no doubt which is the better team, a best 2 out of 3 falls match. This strategy may stop the late night phone calls for now, but will it be any better if the late night harassing is replaced with gloating?
Unsanctioned Street Fight For Scorpio Sky’s Reinstatement
Joey Ryan vs. Scorpio Sky
– We must, yet again, return to the past, this time at “Roger Dorn Night,” where the rivalry between Joey Ryan and Scorpio Sky came to ahead. In the months since Scorpio Sky’s banishment from PWG, Joey Ryan has done many things to help fill the void left by Sky in The Dynasty. First, he trotted out a fake Scorpio Sky, not even attempting to fool the fans or management that this was the same man who was an integral part of The Dynasty’s roster, hoping just to capitalize on the name. Then, he brought Karl Anderson into the fold, stating privately that Anderson was better than Sky could ever wish to be, though it is unclear if that is in the wrestling or friendship department. Each move only served to anger Sky further, until finally he was pushed past his breaking point and, posing as a fan, attacked Joey Ryan. This is when PWG Commissioner Dino Winwood intervened, saying that he wished he could let his friend Sky back into PWG, but rules are rules, and Sky was out.
Unless, that is, Scorpio Sky were to defeat a former PWG Champion at a PWG event, then consideration could be given to Sky’s reinstatement since he has proven himself a worthy competitor to a man that formerly held PWG’s highest individual title. But if he isn’t allowed to compete on PWG shows, how could this happen? What if at a PWG show, during “intermission,” a fight were to break out, and a PWG referee, on his way to the restroom, were to witness the fight and declare a winner, but it wouldn’t actually count as a match, since it happened during “intermission?” Then Scorpio Sky could face Joey Ryan during a PWG event, get a shot at reinstatement, and prove himself a worthy competitor to a man who formerly held PWG’s highest individual title.
When reached for comment, Joey Ryan had nothing to stay, instead referring to Commissioner of Food & Beverage Excalibur’s comments; “How can an unofficial match have bearing on the decision of a governing body in this promotion? It’s ludicrous! Dino Winwood is drunk with power! Though if such a “fight” were to happen, I would hate to see what The Dynasty would do to a “fan” who laid his hands on Joey Ryan. Strike that, I would love to see what happens. But make sure Sky signs a waiver first.”
The Butcher Is Back! Non-Unsanctioned Street Fight
“Mr. Wrestling” Kevin Steen vs. Necro Butcher
– What happens if you speak out against PWG management in public? You are asked politely not to. What happens if you continue to do so? Kevin Steen is about to find out. If we were to look into the past, well before PWG was created, to the days of medieval Europe, and imagine PWG as a fiefdom, and Kevin Steen as a vassal, the solution to this problem would be simple. Kevin Steen would be stuffed into a wooden barrel and rolled down a hill. On fire. The barrel, not him. But times have changed, and the ruling class is much more civil that they were in those times. That is why both Excalibur and Dino Winwood agreed that if Kevin Steen were to be taught a lesson, the Commissioners were not the men to do it. Hence, the PWG return of Necro Butcher, who may not bring any flaming barrels with him (they’re against TSA regulations), but he will be bringing plenty of fight directly to “Mr. Wrestling.”
Another “Giant-Size” Return!
Austin Aries vs. Rocky “Azucar” Romero
– When Austin Aries last appeared in PWG, it was in the second round of the 2006 Battle of Los Angeles, making it further than half of the people entered, where he was derailed by eventual tournament winner Davey Richards. This is why when the newly liberated star asked PWG management for a chance to prove he hasn’t lost a step since the last time he appeared in PWG, the management was more than oblige. Though as always seems to be the case in PWG, it won’t be easy for Aries, because standing across the ring will be Rocky Romero, who by all accounts is still bitter about not being one half of the PWG World Tag Team Champions. It’s a tough road ahead of Austin Aries, but from this point on his successes and failures depend more on his ability to win matches than anything else.
Third PWG Return Match!
Fergal Devitt vs. Davey Richards
– Since making his PWG debut in 2005, Davey Richards has seen quite a few people come and go while he has been able to stick around, but one face he never thought he’d see again was Fergal Devitt‘s. Devitt appeared in PWG only once in early 2006, and was on the losing side of a six-man match, but since then his career has taken an upswing. In Japan, where he is known as Prince Devitt, Fergal joined the New Japan dojo, he worked his way up the ladder to earn a spot in the 2007 Best of the Super Junior tournament. Unfortunately for him, his tournament was cut short by injury, but now that he is healed, Devitt is looking for a way to prove himself yet again. And what better way than to defeat the man who won the 2006 Battle of Los Angeles in single competition? Devitt may have hopes of impressing his teachers at the dojo with a victory in PWG, but Davey Richards wants to have momentum going into the 2007 Battle of Los Angeles, and if that means breaking Devitt’s other knee, then that’s exactly what he’ll do.
Human Tornado (w/ Candice LeRae) vs. Tony Kozina
– Last month at “Roger Dorn Night,” Tony Kozina made his return to PWG after an extended tour of the Southeast United States, and though he was defeated, he turned a lot of heads with the lengths he was willing to go to win. That dedication to winning ended up costing Kozina the match, and very nearly ended his career, but it did earn him an invitation back to PWG. And after all, that’s what is important in life, not full usage of all of your limbs. Another person who also very nearly ended up in a wheelchair at “Roger Dorn Night” was Candice LeRae. Finally seeming to take steps toward freeing herself from Human Tornado, Candice underestimated the resilience of Tornado, and unfortunately for her, was forced to pay the price. Now that Tornado has once again restored order to his stable, he has turned his focus back to the ring, where Tony Kozina is waiting. Waiting not only for Human Tornado, but waiting to beat him in a way that will make Tony Kozina’s stock skyrocket in PWG.
The Dynasty (Karl “Machine Gun” Anderson, “Photogenic” Chris Bosh, & “The Professional” Scott Lost) vs. The Young Bucks (Matt “Mr. Instant Replay” Jackson & “Slick” Nick Jackson) & TJ Perkins
– After very nearly missing their match at “Roger Dorn Night” due to flight delays, Chris Bosh and Scott Lost very nearly lost their pride as well at the hands of The Young Bucks. The debuting brothers turned a lot of heads with their agility and will to win, but at the end of the day, it seemed like Arrogance’s experience is what gave them the win. This time, the Bucks have joined forces with “The Youngest Old Timer In Wrestling” TJ Perkins, who despite being only a year or so older than the brothers, he has roughly five more years of experience than they do. Will Perkins be able to unite the brothers and work together like a well oiled machine, or will the unified front of Arrogance and the “Machine Gun” prove to be too much for the youngsters?
Plus Ronin, Top Gun Talwar, PWG Commissioner of Food & Beverage Excalibur, Commissioner of Wrestling Dino Winwood, and more!
Also on July 29, 2007 at “Giant-Size Annual #4,” it will be your first opportunity to buy tickets for the 2007 Battle of Los Angeles! Seating and price information will be announced soon.
Pro Wrestling Guerrilla’s “Giant-Size Annual #4” takes place at the Burbank Armory on Sunday, July 29, 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.
