Pro Wrestling Guerrilla Battle of Los Angeles 2013

We’re back in Reseda at the American Legion #308. Excalibur and his cast of characters are on commentary.

This is one of the best tournaments every year here in the ‘States and is always making stars. Last year, Adam Cole won the tournament, went on to win the PWG Title and is now one of the best wrestlers in the Indies.

Who will it be this year? If you’ve read my previous columns, Michael Elgin and Drake Younger were the odds on favorite while I’ve touted Kyle O’Reilly as the darkhorse candidate. He’s been hot lately, and this weekend is expected to deliver. The month of August has been historically great for the world of wrestling and this event to cap the month doesn’t expect to disappoint.

Onto the first round matchups and results:

Kevin Steen v. Chuck Taylor – Chucky T looking slick with a fresh haircut. Heckled, Taylor puts on a San Francisco Giants hat only for Steen to take it off and elbow drop it. Taylor then adds insult to injury with a standing moonsault and Steen rolls the hat into a package piledriver. Match of the Year chants rain as Taylor and Steen leave the ring….****3/4!! …

…but seriously, they return to the ring and have a fun little opener. I personally enjoyed the commentating battle they had that resulted in Excalibur giving them both an Eye Poke of Doom. Kevin Steen would win with the Package Piledriver. More of a comedy sketch than a wrestling match. N/A

Brian Cage v. Tammaso Ciampa – A ton of intensity oozes from this match. Ciampa has really come into his own as this intense guy in the ring — or maybe its just the depression beard — and he jumps on Cage early in this match. Ciampa nearly kills Cage early on with a really awkward power bomb on a chair outside. Despite it, Cage crawls back into the ring with the entire Reseda crowd silent. They proceed to beat the shit out of each other. Brian Cage is the harder motherfucker, on this day. He wins because he’s not #SAWFT. Both guys very over. Surely, Brian Cage doesn’t remember this match. **3/4

Johnny Gargano v. Willie Mack – This one starts off a little slow, but picks up intensity midway through. Willie Mack can hang with smaller, more athletic guys. Gargano wins with the GargaNO Escape. ***-

AR Fox v. Roderick Strong – AR Fox growing out the depression ‘fro. This is the fourth match of the night and the first traditional start to a match on the night. You got the speed and crazy bastard flippy dos of Fox versus the strength and intensity of Roddy. It made for a nice clash of styles. They gave it more time than any match so far. Pretty straight forward. Roddy wins with Orange Crush. ***

Joey Ryan v. Drake Younger – Drake has gotten very very over with the Reseda crowd. As Excalibur points out, when El Generico left, this crowd easily latched on to Younger as the lead fighting babyface of the company. This one starts off as a serious match, but becomes comedy fare quickly. Drake brings a bag full of JOLLY RANCHERS and other assorted hard candies into the ring and is eventually power bombed on them. But then, the diabolical Joey Ryan, that sleazy bastard brings fucking LEGOS into the ring. Seriously, if you’ve ever stepped on one, you know those little fuckers hurt. Drake with a Shellshock onto the LEGOS, followed by Drake’s Landing, ALSO on to the LEGOS for the win. N/A

ACH v. Tony Nese – FLIPS AND FLIPS AND FLIPS!!! Seriously, ACH is making his first appearance in PWG and this crowd is immediately into him. Kid oozes charisma and who doesn’t love a flippy bastard? If you’ve seen Nese and ACH, you know what you’re getting with this one. FLIPS! But seriously, they get into some fun mat work in this match and a FLIP CONTEST! It gets some serious time and becomes a bit of a hidden gem. Very good match. ACH wins with a hanging fisherman’s suplex. ***3/4+

Kyle O’Reilly v. Trent? – Riles has been hot hot hot in PWG. I haven’t seen a ton from Trent? in his Indie run that has impressed me. Similarly, I didn’t expect much here, and while it ran a little long, this was probably Trent?’s best match to date on the Indie scene. Started slow, but really caught on in the later stages. O’Reilly wins with the tap out. ***1/2+

Michael Elgin v. Rich Swann – Swann opens up with a fantastic Razor Ramon impression complete with toothpick flick. Elgin serves Big Rich with a WORM during an opening stage dance off. Elgin gets his shit in. Swan has a nice showing. Solid. ***

The Young Bucks (c) and Adam Cole (c) v. The Forever Hooligans and TJ Perkins – The start of this match is pretty slow, but once the token melee portion happens, it gets fun. Superkicks flow like wine. Awesome finish to this one as The Bucks give a Superkick to TJP as he’s being put in a straight jacket german suplex giving the #HEELS the victory. ***1/4+