Summer Showdown
Sunday, August 16, 2015
From the Moncton Stadium in Moncton, New Brunswick
Live Attendance: 15 175
Tonight’s Broadcast Features the Ringside Commentary Teams of
Ed Whalen and Vampiro (English)
Marc Blondin and René Goulet (Français)
With backstage interviews conducted by
Jeremy Borash and SoCal Val
***
Pre-Showdown Bonus Match
Rhino & Petey Williams vs. Fabulous Rougeau Brothers
Our pre-show bonus match features the newly formed tag team of Rhino and Petey Williams taking on the Fabulous Rougeau Brothers from Memphis, Tennessee. Rhino and Williams came together as both oftheir hometowns were disparaged by Jacques and Raymond Rougeau. Rhino & Williams defended their hometowns by defeating the Rougeaus in a tag team match, but have sense suffered losses to the Rougeaus in singles actions (the Rougeaus have more than a few tricks up their sleeves). Here, they put on a good show. The action is back and forth until the Rougeaus settle into a groove while they pummel Williams. A hot tag brings Rhino in to do plenty of damage. In the end, Williams makes a blind tag and while the Rougeaus continue to focus on Rhino, Williams is able to thwart their attempt at La Bombe de Rougeau and execute a Canadian Destroyer on Raymond. Then, Rhino nails Jacques with the GORE! GORE! GORE! Williams has the pin on Raymond and the unlikely duo come up big with the win!
Official Decision: Rhino & Petey Williams win by pinfall at 9:30
***
Dean Malenko vs. Tajiri vs. Tyler Breeze
The official start of tonight's event kicks off with this triple threat match, which was set up by weeks of feuding between all three men, who were interfering in each other’s matches to attack someone, only to end up taking out the wrong guy. As a consequence, a heated 3-way rivalry began. This is a good show opener that gets the main portion of our show off to a quick start. With one fall to a finish, the pace is fast and the action is frantic, as no one wants to risk an opponent failing to kick out of a pinfall and losing the match despite not directly being involved in the decision. The end of the match comes when Tyler Breeze has Tajiri lined up for a Beauty Shot. Tajiri ducks it and Breeze connects with Malenko, who just got up off the mat, right behind him. Then, Tajiri blinds Breeze with the green mist and puts him in a tarantula hold. When he releases it, he charges at Malenko, who gives him a tilt-a-while backbreaker, followed by a gutwrench powerbomb and then puts him in the Texas Cloverleaf to earn the submission win.
Official Decision: Dean Malenko wins by submission at 9:12
***
VS. 
Cesaro vs. Taz
Former North American Tag Team Champions, Cesaro and Taz, held the straps for about 200 days. Then, the International Ministry of Finance won them through nefarious means and they struggled to regain the titles. Their slide from the top of the tag team division culminated with Taz turning on Cesaro and blaming him for all of the team’s misfortune. Tonight, they face off to see who is the better wrestler: the Human Suplex Machine or the Swiss Superman. Taz may be a short man, but he’s something of a beast. Cesaro is a dynamic performer who just very well might be the strongest man in AGPW, pound-for-pound. While Taz brings the ferociousness, Cesaro brings monumental heart and never gives up. He comes back more than once to give Taz the toughest fight he has ever faced in AGPW. Taz gives Cesaro a dozen suplexes during the match, but he’s unable to lock in the Tazmission. Meanwhile, Cesaro drills Taz with several European uppercuts (running, springboarding, diving, and while giving Taz a flapjack). In the end, an insane spot sees Taz try to give Cesaro an overhead belly-to-belly suplex off of the top rope, only for Cesaro to miraculously land on his feet, then give Taz some rolling gutwrench suplexes followed by the Neutralizer for the win. The Swiss Superman emerges victorious!
Official Decision: Cesaro wins by pinfall at 13:28
***
North American Tag Team Championship Match
IMF: Ted DiBiase & Alberto El Patron vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. & Ultimo Dragon
Rey Mysterio Jr. & Ultimo Dragon are an exciting tag team and make for a very tough challenge for Ted DiBiase and Alberto El Patron. Lucha libre wrestling takes centre stage in this one and while the Million Dollar Man is not schooled in the style, he doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb. He works well with his teammate and his opponents to create magic in the ring. This is a mash-up fantasy wrestling dream match with show-stealing potential. Although the potential to steal the show is clearly there, the match doesn’t get a chance to get there. Not long into the match, Alberto El Patron catches Ultimo Dragon in a cross armbreaker from out of nowhere. Rey Mysterio breaks it up with a springboard leg drop, but then he gets rocked with a hard running clothesline from the Million Dollar Man. He is dropkicked out of the ring by Ultimo Dragon. El Patron flees to talk shop with DiBiase and when Ultimo Dragon comes out to the ring apron to set up for the Asai moonsault, the champions decide to take a jog down the entrance aisle and then choose to get counted out.
Official Decision: Rey Mysterio Jr. & Ultimo Dragon win by countout at 7:13
***
VS. 
“Whipper” Billy Watson vs. Christian Cage
This feud began when Christian Cage, on behalf of the Centre of the Universe, told “Whipper” Billy Watson that no one likes him because Torontonians are disliked outside of T-dot, but not only that, the Centre of the Universe doesn’t like him either. He represents competition for the heart of the biggest city in the country. Watson is a classic babyface and a legend in Canadian grappling circles. He comes into this match as the crowd favourite. The fans are solidly behind him, especially after Cage runs down New Brunswick and declaring it the biggest craphole in all of Canada. This contest goes 15-minutes before Trish Stratus – the delicious to Cage’s vicious – attempts to help Cage win by distracting the referee while their problem solver, Test, goes for a running big boot on Watson. He ducks out of the way and runs over Cage. The Whipper dumps Test out to the floor with a hard clothesline and then gets the win by giving Cage a running sit-out powerbomb! Welcome to the big time, Whipper!
Official Decision: “Whipper” Billy Watson wins by pinfall at 16:04
***
VS. 
Last Man Standing Match
Samoa Joe vs. Rusev w/ Prince Nana
Samoa Joe and Rusev have met twice before and split the decisions. Joe won their first singles match at
JOURNEY TO GREATNESS 2015, however Rusev won the all-important final match in the Canada Cup finals, which has earned him an International Heavyweight Championship title shot at a time of his choosing (expires July 1, 2016). Rusev and Joe have been locked into this bitter feud all summer and now it finally comes to a head in this rubber match. However, this isn’t just any match. It’s a Last Man Standing match. Brutality and violence are the name of the game and that is very apropos for a guy who the fans claim is going to kill you and a guy known as the Bulgarian Brute. The action quickly spills out to the floor. A nasty brawl takes place. A portion of the guardrail is dislodged when Rusev hip tosses Joe into the barricade. Rusev gets cuts and big welts on his back when he is dumped onto the ring steps with a Samoan drop. Joe’s airway is damaged when he the spine of a chair driven into his neck. A ladder comes into play and is used as a weapon against Joe. A swinging side slam onto the ladder looks especially barbaric, but Joe doesn’t stay down for ten seconds. Rusev sets up a double stack of tables at ringside and places Joe on top. He climbs the turnbuckle, but Joe rolls onto the ring apron and meet him with jabs and chops and then gives Rusev a Muscle Buster from the ring apron into the stacked tables on the floor and that “Holy Shit!” moment is enough to make him the last man standing!
Official Decision: Samoa Joe wins by being the last man standing at 19:47
***
“Killer” Karl Krupp comes to the ring to challenge Cuban Assassin to a rematch from a few weeks ago, when their match ended in a double countout after Cuban Assassin speared Krupp through the ringside barricade and neither man was able to get up. Krupp claims that Cuban Assassin no-showed a rematch scheduled for
The Titans of Grand Prix[/u/] one week ago and considers him a gutless, spineless coward for ducking him. Cuban Assassin comes to the ring to answer the challenge. Although he doesn’t speak, his arrival signals his willingness to fight. Krupp hands his cape, monocle and riding crop off to the time keeper and appears ready for battle. The bell rings and Krupp talks trash and tells Cuban Assassin to bring it. Just as soon as Cuban Assassin moves forward to grapple, he gets chopblocked from behind by the hometown heel, Leo Burke!
Together, Burke and Krupp put the boots to Cuban Assassin. Burke, who hasn’t been seen since losing a Havana Street Fight to Cuban Assassin at
JOURNEY TO GREATNESS, grabs a brand new pair of brass knuckles and pops Cuban Assassin in the mouth with a hard right hand. Krupp enters the ring with his riding crop and whips him. Then, suddenly, the Acadian Giant (formerly known as Kurrgan) storms the ring. The ex-protégé of “Killer” Karl Krupp chokeslams Burke and Krupp! He picks up the riding crop and prepares to whip both of them, but they escape the ring before any more damage can be down. The Acadian Giant, who hails from the Acadian shores, just 20 minutes outside of Moncton, comes home to a heroes response and cements a face turn after having recently been dumped by his long-time tag team partner, “Killer” Karl Krupp.
***
“Macho Man” Randy Savage vs. “The Animal” Batista w/ Sensational Sherri
Sensational Sherri has found herself a new king – the king of the animal kingdom – “The Animal” Batista! She’s held a long grudge against the “Macho Man” Randy Savage for dumping her after they were indefinitely suspended from AGPW a year ago. During their suspension, they popped up in BCCW, where their working relationship fell to pieces thanks in part to a feud with Eddie Guerrero. Sherri has finally found herself a new meal ticket to the top and he really pummels and punishes Savage. This is Batista’s in-ring debut. He looks truly dominant for a long stretch of this match, but the Macho Man doesn’t go down without a fight. In fact, he makes a hot comeback that whips the crowd into a fever pitch. When he finally gets Batista down on the mat, he goes out to the ring apron to climb the turnbuckle, where Sherri stops him and hits him over the head with the pointed-heel of one of her high heel shoes. She gets him again and he seems to have been blinded. Then, he gets knocked off of the ring apron with a hard running forearm. Then, Batista makes Savage leaves the stadium on a stretcher when he puts Savage through not one, but two ringside announce tables with a pair of Batista Bombs! The Macho Man is declared the winner, but he hardly looks the part. Batista may have lost the match on a technicality, but he and Sherri look like the real winners at the end of this one.
Official Decision: “Macho Man” Randy Savage wins by disqualification at 12:25
***
VS. 
Women’s Championship Title Match
Charlotte Flair vs. Awesome Kong
Charlotte Flair won the Women’s Championship by climbing to the top of a ladder and retrieving the title in a huge 6-woman ladder match at
JOURNEY TO GREATNESS. The defending champion was Awesome Kong, a woman who has never been pinned or submitted in AGPW. Kong immediately demanded her rematch and knowing her track record of never losing under conventional rules, she feels strongly that she will regain the title. The daughter of the most decorated World Champion in professional wrestling history – the great, legendary “Nature Boy” Ric Flair – Charlotte was bred to be great. Although she is still relatively new to the sport, she isn’t afraid of Kong. In fact, she shows more poise against Kong than perhaps anyone ever has before. This is a slobberknocker and a test of the will of both of these women. The match is contested inside and out of the ring. When Charlotte kicks out of a chokeslam, Kong seems surprised. When Charlotte counters an Awesome Bomb with a sunset flip, Kong gets angry. When Charlotte kicks out of an executed Awesome Bomb, Awesome Kong becomes enraged. Charlotte weathers the onslaught of punishing blows and manages to hit a spear that proves to be a game-changer. Kong kicks out of the pinfall attempt. Next, Charlotte executes the Natural Selection and pins. 1…2… kick out! Charlotte looks exasperated. She goes for a figure eight, but Kong kicks her away and gives her a powerslam and then goes for an Awesome Splash, but Charlotte rolls out of the way. Charlotte recovers to apply the figure eight. Kong withholds the pain and the punishment, but she can’t reverse this hold like she can a figure four. She tries to power her way to the ropes, but Charlotte releases it, drops some elbows on Kong, drags her back to the centre of the ring and re-applies it. Now, there is nothing that Kong can do. She tries to hold out, but finally caves. She has no escape and has no choice but to tap out. Charlotte retains in a classic that might be remembered as a career defining moment.
Official Decision: Charlotte Flair wins by submission at 18:33
***
VS. 
International Heavyweight Championship Match
Bret “The Hitman” Hart vs. Edge
Our main event draws nuclear heat as Canadian wrestling legend and fan favourite, Bret “The Hitman” Hart, defends the International Heavyweight Championship – a title he has held since the end of December and successfully defended against the likes of “Superstar” Billy Graham, Samoa Joe, Killer Kowalski and Christian Cage, to name a few – against the “Rated R Superstar” Edge. Always the “Ultimate Opportunist” and a “Master Manipulator,” Edge has expertly maneuvered himself to the top of the card and into title contention faster than any wrestler in AGPW history, thus giving us this all-Canadian fantasy wrestling dream match, which should be one for the ages. The battle is exciting and it blends technical wrestling prowess with sports entertainment excellence, resulting in the fans being brought to their feet multiple times as the contest passes the 15-minute mark. While Hart goes through his end game routine of giving Edge a pendulum backbreaker, an inverted atomic drop, a Russian legsweep and then a pointed elbow drop from the second rope, it is on that last move that Edge counters by getting a foot up in Hart’s face. After that, he gives Hart a falling flapjack and then lines him up for a spear. He goes for it, but Hart counters with a drop toehold that sends Edge’s face into the turnbuckle. Hart drags him into the centre of the ring and goes for the Sharpshooter, but Edge kicks him away and then he executes the Downward Spiral. He pins. 1…2… kick out! Edge can’t believe it. Test climbs onto the ring apron to complain about the referee’s slow count, which distracts him. Meanwhile, Edge lines up Hart for a spear again, but when Hart gets up, he moves out of the way and Edge takes out the referee, who was in the wrong place because of Test’s distraction.
Now, the deck is truly stacked against the Hitman. While he gets Edge into the Sharpshooter, Test breaks it up by giving him a running big boot to the face! This leads to a steady stream of extra players getting involved, as Bret’s brother Owen comes to his aid, but Christian and Trish Stratus show up to take care of him. Christian gives Owen the Unprettier. Then, Natalya Neidhart and Tyson Kidd storm to the ring to help their family against the Centre of the Universe. It’s Calgary vs. Toronto in the middle of the ring. The brawling players eventually peter out of the ring, leaving Edge alone to nail Hart from behind with a chair and then give him the Edgecution (impaler DDT) onto it! After that, Edge puts Hart into the Edgecator, his inverted sharpshooter. Hart is unconscious, which leads the revitalised referee to call for the end of the match and award the International Heavyweight Championship to Edge!
Official Decision: Edge wins by submission at 23:27
***
This has been a presentation of
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