Sup. I am Hogan Torah, the guy in the red jacket. I’ve been lurking around the fringes of SoCal indy wrestling scene for 20 years.
After a long absence, my love of wrestling was rekindled when I gave Emil Jay and Masha Slamovitch a ride to a GCW show. Bret Lauterdale liked me and put me to work.
If you look to the right of the stage at any GCW event in LA from the past year, you’ll see me wearing my red jacket standing in front of Brett.
At the GCW show I met Jordan Cassel. A few weeks later he was calling matches at a show in Chatsworth, my home town.
I went to my first MPW show knowing only that it was attached to a wrestling school. Expectations were low. I wasn’t planning to stay for the whole show.
I was completely blown away. These guys were good. Really good. I wondered how the hell this was only 15 bucks?
Not only is weekly wrestling, it’s episodic. Meaning there’s storylines that develop over shows.. These kids are as good as any territory back in the day.
There’s a small but rabid fanbase. I’m doing this report not for money, but to get the word out for the sake of the wrestlers. These guys deserve more eyeballs on them.
MPW is the best wrestling value in Los Angeles. It’s the only episodic weekly wrestling show in SoCal and I love it.
Tonight’s show is Grizzly Death. Because Duke Bennett is like a grizzly bear I think.
Opening Segment
Brian Carter is out to piss everyone off. His gimmick is brother-in-law from hell that thinks he’s a pimp. This guy gets nuclear heat.
Carter is the general manager authority figure for no reason except to cause friction with announcer Pinkie Sanchez. I guess it’s cheaper than having another match on the card.
Carter is mad at Pinky for not declaring Chris Nasty the bozo of the week last week… Let’s just skip this. It’s not good, has nothing to do with anything, and doesn’t warm up the crowd for the first match.
“The Enterprise” Robin Shaw (c) def “Lucha Scumbag” Chris Nasty
Odd choice to go first. If there’s one to expect from MPW it’s expect the unexpected. Robin Shaw is the National Champion and North American Champion with the only official title being the National title.
Long story.
Nasty starts by exiting the ring and tearing the clown mask off Pinky Sanchez that Brian Carter forced him to wear. I sighed a deep sigh as I wrote that. It gets better, I swear.
After a few minutes Chris Nasty injures his leg by… I have no idea. He just fell and the ref ran over.
Fortunately it doesn’t prevent Nasty from doing his handstand moonsault plancha deal off the ropes. This guy just oozes wrestler. He probably looks like a wrestler in street clothes.
Nasty’s leg injury gives him a good excuse to lose to Robin Shaw clean via Scorpion Deathlock. I wouldn’t want to take Shaw’s finisher piledriver either. It’s the best piledriver I’ve seen since Paul Orndorff.
Biggie Two Belts wins it in a short match.
Alejandro Mauricio Fernandez (AMF) w/ Jack Slammer vs Jacked Daniels vs Bucio w/ ugly shirt vs Rebel Storm
This fatal fourway is to determine who’s #1. Number one entry to the California Classic that is. Which is a Royal Rumble match. Everyone who doesn’t lose, wins. Neat idea.
The match starts with Jack Slammer eating superkicks from Jacked Daniels and Bucio. Might wanna try that on someone who’s competing in the match.
Two guys fight, two take a nap. Bucio hit’s a sick dive on AMF, formerly known as Bulletproof. Some fans miss Bulletproof but to me, AMF is better. He looks like he’s having a blast as a Mexican Aristocrat and us fans have fun trying to get him to break character.
The match ends when AMF hits a backslide on Rebel Storm. Like I said, expect the unexpected at MPW. Fun match but brief.
Rebel Storm loses. He’s number one in the California Classic. I wonder who might be 2. Possibly someone from his past. Number 2. Hmmm…
Brendan Divine vs Leo Canedo
Brendan is facing Robin Shaw at the California Classic but first must face his stablemate Leo Canedo. These two could be a palate swap in a video game with their simair builds.
Brendan is stoked Mike Wexler brought signs for him. Who wouldn’t be?
Brendan works Leo’s leg early. It’s all Brendan until he tries a superplex off the top rope. Leo staves it off by BITING BRENDAN’S FACE! Ow! Resulting in Leo hitting a sunset flip that only gets 2.
They go back and forth till Leo hits an unreal no look springboard stunner from the second rope. That was frigging impressive.
For the finish, Leo grabs Shaw’s belt and tries to blindside Brendan while he’s debating if the right Twix or left is better with Shaw. Brendan ducks and Leo almost hit’s Shaw. But it allows Brendan to get a sloppy roll up on Leo, even though Leo’s feet were touching the ropes.
Beefy Brendan wins. Gaining momentum for his match with Shaw at the California Classic next week.
Michael Hopkins w/ Michael Carter and Watts vs Miggy Rose and Diego Valens
Been a few months since we’ve seen big Eric Watts in the Balderdash Arena. (MPW is located above the Balderdash rock climbing gym) Michael Hopkins is becoming a regular fixture which is good because he’s fantastic.
Miggy and Hopkins start. There’s a singles match I’d love to see.
Diego comes in and gets clobbered to play the face in peril. Eventually he does an impressive standing backflip off an arm wringer which allows the hot tag to Miggy.
Miggy hits Watts with everything he’s got, but the big man stays on his feet. Carter distracts Miggy allowing Watts to attack from behind. Now Miggy gets to play face in peril.
Miggy flips out of a powerbomb and mounts a brief comeback before Watts picks him up for a chokeslam while Hopkins gives him a backstabber. Wow! Never seen that one before. It looked awesome.
That was the beginning of the end. Hopkins pins Diego for the win.
Hopkin and Watts win and Miggy is still down at ringside. Yet another thing to overcome.
Duke Bennett vs Bateman
The only way I can recap this is by saying these two titans beat the living shit out of each other. I don’t think there was a single hold the whole match.
There was slapping, choping, splashing, and power moves. Bateman chops like Stan Hansen. Hard.
Long, brutal match that I loved every minute of. Well, except the last one. Bateman’s knee suddenly gave out as he seemed ready to put Duke away. Duke fell on top of him and got the three count.
I can’t remember any move to the knee of Bateman by Duke, but maybe I missed it. Duke wins.
Summary
Quick results:
“The Enterprise” Robin Shaw def “Lucha Scumbag” Chris Nasty
AMF def Rebel Storm in a fatal four way vs Bucio vs Jacked Daniels
Brendan Divine def Leo Canedo
Micheal Hopkins and Eric Watts def Miggy Rose and Diego Valens
Duke Bennett def Bateman
Great show. Again, I can’t believe this is 15 bucks and happens every Friday down the street from where I live.
Have you ever sat in the front row for a wrestling match? I do it every week. MPW is family friendly fun.
If you want to catch up on MPW they have days worth of footage on YouTube. Alumni include Peter Avalon, Ray Rosas, Kid Bandit, Hunter Freeman, B Boy, and more.
Next week is the California Classic which is the bi-monthly big show. There’s going to be a not Royal Rumble. All the best wrestlers are to be there. Maybe not the biggest names, but the best. Come see for yourself.
