Tremendous Tirades: WSX – The Complete First and LAST Season (Disc One)

On Tuesday November 13th WSX – The Complete First and LAST Season will be available for purchase via Big Vision Entertainment, but today you get a sneak preview of the set! Myself and Ryan Byers (of the Custom Made News and Impact Crater) dig into our archives so that we may bring you the most complete review of the product possible. Due to the size of the set, four discs, we have no choice but to break this into four separate reviews. Sit back and enjoy the first and last season of Wrestling Society X.

Thanks to Big Vision Entertainment and Keith Lipinski for sending 411 this advance copy of the DVD.

Quick Note I: The original musical numbers are cut from the DVD. When MTV decided they were not planning on releasing the DVD, the good folks at Big Vision worked a deal to be able to bring their vision to the masses on DVD. One part of the deal, however, lead to Big Vision to having to cut out the musical performances. The musical guests still appear on commentary, but their performances and any skits with them are not included on the DVD. The cover art for the box is SEXY as it has a flip open front, with the entire WSX roster. SEXY BABY!

Quick Note II: All commentary by “That 70’s Team” has to be listened to, much love from me.

Quick Note III: Keith Lipinski disappoints on commentary with his lack of Megaphone Crooning.

EASTER EGG ALERT~!: For you DVD geeks out there, each disc in the four disc set has an Easter Egg! To access it you must hit up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right when you are walking down the hallway before the main menu.

EPISODE ONE:
By: Larry Csonka

-We open up with Black Label Society playing a little ditty. Damn kids and their new fangled music.

-Kris Kloss welcomes us to the show. We have the warehouse set up, which looks the way they want it, “Underground.”

-Crazy announcer guy Fabian Kaelin welcomes us to the show and announces our first competitors. The guys get a little screen with their name, hometown and titles won.

-Zach Wylde joins the commentary team.

Jack Evans vs. Matt Sydal w/Lizzy Valentine

They shove to begin and Sydal with a boot to Evans. Evans tries a RANA and gets TOSSED TO THE FLOOR! SICK PLANCHA by Sydal! They brawl at ringside, back in and chops by Sydal. Irish whip and a reversal and Back handspring elbow by Evans. Springs in but Sydal gets a spin kick in mid-air and a cover for 2. Gory special by Sydal into a crazy submission deal. Evans escapes and a spin kick and a sweet spinning heel kick. Cartwheel, back flip into a corkscrew splash to the floor by Evans! Jesus. Standing Corkscrew SSP misses by Evans, PUMP HANDLE DRIVER by Sydal get 2! STANDING MOONSAULT gets 2 for Sydal. High kick by Evans, Lizzy grabs Evans and is in the ring now. SICK TORNADO DDT by Evans! Evans up top…630 SENTON by Evans and that is all. That was balls to the wall craziness.

Winner: Jack Evans @ 3:25 via pin **

-After the match Evans hits on Lizzy.

-We get a profile on the tag teams we will see in the promotion.

-Justin Credible cuts a promo on the battle royal, it will be Just Incredible. NEW JACK TALKS! TEDDY HART TALKS~! Glorious!

-The 10 guys drew numbers, ala the rumble. Once all 10 guys are in, the contracts come into play. There are tables and electric shit to shock the guys. This is reverse battle royal complicated almost.

Over the Top Rope Elimination/Ladder Bout for Two WSX Contacts: Vampiro vs. 6 Pac vs. Teddy Hart vs. New Jack vs. Youth Suicide vs. Kaos vs. Puma vs. Al Katrazz vs. Justin Credible vs. Chris Hamrick The two men that get the contacts will face off in a title match to crown the first ever WSX Champion!

#1 is Justin Credible. #2 Teddy Hart! He throws a water bottle at Credible and shit is on. Teddy with a crazy tackle and dropkick. Up top and a moonsault for no reason and Credible levels him. Rights by Credible, and then a moonsault by Hart. Boot to Credible and #3 is Kaos. He gets attacked as he enters the ring. Dual clothesline by Kaos, and then Hart gets a SICK IMPLANT DDT! Hart up top, SHOOTING STAR ELBOW to Kaos as Credible held him. There is no selling at all here. #4 is Vampiro! Clotheslines for all. Hart with rights, misses a charge and Vamp with spin kicks. CHOKE SLAM to Hart! Puma was in and tossed. All Katrazz also entered. #7 I believe is 6-Pac. Pac in and he and Credible go at it. Pac-Buster. The announcers discuss DX as he cleans house. Chops to Hart, boots, Bronco Buster to Hart. #8 is Chris Hamrick. New Jack just charges in now. He attacks Hamrick and lays him out. Off the ropes and New Jack tosses Hamrick through a table and he is gone. New Jack to the floor and he eliminates himself. He has a guitar and dances…and KILLS a ref with it. Powerslam by Vamp to Kaos. Moonsault by Hart on Kaos. New Jack climbs up on the set and Kaos INTO THE EXPLODING BOX! DIVE BY NEW JACK! Hart with a cool DDT on Vamp. #10 is Youth Suicide. Credible tosses Hart through a table and he is gone, the contracts are game now. Thumbtacks now and ladders are in. Suicide sets up a ladder, climbs…Vamp has him and Powerbombs him into the tacks! Pac climbs the ladder and has a contract. He leaves and celebrates. Credible and Vamp battle as Suicide gets tosses onto an insanely gimmicked exploding cage! Vamp with a big Yakuza on Credible. They both climb the ladder now. Pac tips the ladder as Vamp gets the contract.

Winners: 6-Pac and Vampiro @ 12:56 **

-We get clips from upcoming episodes.

-Pac and Vampiro brawl as the show ends.

Final Thoughts: Well this was the debut…and it was something. It was crazy spots, lots of fancy gimmicked pyro and guys no selling everything. There were a lot of obvious edits, not that smooth. I know they want an underground feel, but you have to have some smoothness with the editing during matches. The announcers, while excited, come off like Don West on crack. West will seem tame after this I feel. It was a wild 30-minutes, and while it is fun to see a lot of these guys, I am not sure how well it will do. I would guess there is an audience for this thing out there, we’ll have to wait and see. In the end I cannot decide if I love this or hate it.

WSXTRA EPISODE ONE:
By: Ryan Byers

Some goof opens up the show with The Lovely Lacey, who has gotten a bit of a punk-esque makeover. I can’t say that it suits her as well as her normal look. They throw to highlights of WSX episode one in a segment entitled “High Spots.” Goodbye kayfabe. Teddy Hart, Vampiro, and X-Pac are the guys made out to be the biggest stars in the highlight reel. Of course, the large EXPLOSIONS~! are also highlighted.

Now it’s time for highlights of Jack Evans against Matt Sydal, also from WSX’s debut effort. It’s a five minute match that was edited down to three for TV and then edited down to one for the internet. It was a fun little spot exhibition with a unique finish, though.

Internet Commercial: Apparently they’re still using the “I Want My MTV” slogan in 2007. Who would’ve guessed?

Here’s a video package with highlights of some of the talent coming to WSX this season. For those of you who have watched the trailers online, this appears to be where the footage was taken from. That 70’s Team (Joey Ryan & Disco Machine), The Filth & The Fury (Teddy Hart & M-Dogg 20), Human Tornado, Team Dragon Gate (Yoshino & Horiguchi), DIFH (Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black), Scorpio Sky, The Trailer Park Boys (Nate Webb & Josh Raymond), Keepin’ It Gangsta (Ruckus & Babi Slymm), and Matt Classic are all profiled. Matt Classic, which looks like a hilarious gimmick, will apparently be EXCLUSIVELY on WSXtra, which has just given me enough reason to keep this recap going for the entire season. I like the idea of having some talent exclusive to the internet show. It’s a smart business move, as it gives hardcore fans a reason to want to watch this program as opposed to making it a complete throwaway.

Match Numero Uno: Human Tornado vs. Luke Hawks vs. Puma

This is a one fall match. For those of you not familiar with Tornado, he mainly works the SoCal indy scene and is the current champion of Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. WSX will gladly remind you that he had a minor role in Nacho Libre. Luke Hawks first gained some notoriety in NWA Wildside under the name “Alter Boy Luke” before moving on to Rob Black’s XPW. In WSX he’s aligned with big man Al Katrazz. Some of you may well recognize Puma from TNA, where he has done some random shots and, most notably, was part of Team Mexico in the 2006 World X Cup. (Yes, he was part of Team Mexico despite the fact that he’s a Filipino-American. Don’t ask me.)

Puma and Hawks start off in the ring. For reasons that are not fully explained, Tornado just stands around on the apron for the first minute or so of the match. Puma gets an armbar takedown and applies a wacky submission before Hawks makes the ropes. There’s a headlock by Puma, but Luke escapes and chops away before ducking under a kick and leveling Tornado. He follows up with an exploder on to Puma and a few more chops on WSX’s PIMP. Tornado responds with a rana, though he’s quickly taken down by a Puma kick. Hawks goes to the outside and Puma tries to take him out with an Asai moonsault, but Luke pulls him off the apron. That’s the perfect setup for a Tornado plancha, which gets two when he manages to roll Puma back in to the ring. A suplex is next from Tornado, though Puma doesn’t sell it much and lands a series of kicks before taking his man over with a brain buster. A front slam by Puma sets up a slingshot senton, though Hawks breaks up the subsequent near fall. Luke lands some strikes, but Puma counters and works in some European uppercuts. Hawks responds by sending his man in to the corner and out of the ring. They trade chops on the floor, and Puma is sent in to the guardrail. We hit a mid-match commercial as I begin to wonder where Tornado is.

When we come back, Tornado has reappeared, and he’s in the ring with Hawks. Luke takes his man down with a clothesline, and an arrogant cover gets two. A suplex is blocked, but the second attempt isn’t. There’s another near fall for the former NWA Wildside standout, as now Puma has vanished. Tornado gets in a jumping forearm in the corner, though Hawks quickly fires back with a flatliner for another two count. He lays in some kicks as well, though they also won’t put the Tornado away. The PWG Champ mounts his comeback off of an Irish whip, leaping over Hawks and getting the Christian neck breaker on the knee. Tornado then gets his dancing kicks in the corner, which is a sight to behold if you haven’t seen it before. He looks for a superkick, but Hawks ducks it and plants his man with a spinning doctor bomb. A front slam leads to Luke going up top, but Puma knocks him off and to the outside. Perkins is laid out with a Tornado boot, though, and a senton gets El Snowflake the quick pin.

Match Thoughts: Though not a five star classic, that was probably the best match that I’ve seen for free on the internet in quite some time. It was certainly better than 95% of TNA Impact matches. I don’t know if this was an intentional move on the result of WSX’s producers, but they actually kept things at a slower pace than they did on the main show, as the match came off as much less heavily edited than anything else that was taped for the pilot. All three men performed well, knowing exactly where to be at every point in the match and executing all of their moves properly. I was particularly impressed with Hawks, who I had not seen before despite hearing about him for years. He’s bulked up substantially since I’d first seen pictures of him (though he’s still a small guy), and he appears to be a decent little indy lightweight wrestler . Puma is always excellent, though he didn’t quite get an opportunity to show everything that he can do here. Tornado, meanwhile, looked like the biggest star of all since he had the best high spots and the most clearly defined gimmick. I have a feeling that MTV will be establishing him as one of the bigger “home grown” WSX talents. **

Lacey and the other dude wrap up the show, noting that Hawks was angry that he lost the match without getting pinned. This sets up a Hawks vs. Tornado match on the second episode of Wrestling Society X, and the announce team also puts over the Vampiro vs. X-Pac main event and the appearance by the Academy Award Winning Three Six Mafia.

Overall

The main WSX show is getting slammed in several places for being too heavily edited and not lining up with traditional fans’ conception of what wrestling should be, but I actually got a kick out of WSXtra. It’s not a blow away wrestling show, but it’s not meant to be. It’s just a fun fifteen minutes streamed on the internet . . . a great way to kill time between doing things in your life that actually matter. Plus, unlike other wrestling promotions’ efforts at putting on web shows (e.g. WWE Heat, TNA Global Impact), the folks at WSX seem intent on making this show matter somewhat. Though it’s not as important as the MTV show, it still ties in with the main program’s storylines, as seen by the setup for Hawks vs. Tornado appearing here. Plus they’ve got exclusive characters like Matt Classic that give fans even more of a reason to tune in to the show. Overall, if you take in to consideration what it is, WSXtra Episode One gets a massive thumbs up from me.

EPISODE TWO:
By: Larry Csonka

-3-6 Mafia is our musical guests. They start off the show.

-We get highlights of last week’s show and what brought us to the WSX Title match.

-3-6 Mafia guys join the announce team.

-Krazy Kalin welcomes us t the show via the ring. There is a crawl across the bottom of the screen, don’t try this at home kids.

The Human FN Tornado vs. “The Southern Stomper” Luke Hawk

Like Hawk is better known to Indy fans as “Alter Boy Luke.” And if you do not know the Human FN Tornado, you are missing out.

Test of strength and Tornado dances him off. Off the ropes and a LOW BLOW by Hawk, but Tornado has balls of steel and shake sit off. He eats a T BONE by Hawk and that gets a cover for 2. Forearms by Hawk, Irish whip and Tornado gets a RANA and Hawk to the floor. Baseball slide by Tornado. CRAZY FN PLANCHA over the railing to Hawk! Back into the ring and Hawk gets a spin kick, weird edit there as Hawk was magically standing. Tornado battles back, SICK Tornado DDT by Tornado and that is all.

Winner: The Human FN Tornado @ 1:56 via pin *

Aaron Agulara hits the ring as does Al Katrazz and they brawl. Kaos is there and he has a ladder. Kaos sets up a table in the ring as the former Jesus cleans house. Luke kicks Kaos through a table. Al Katrazz and Luke walk as Agulara looks on pissed.

Spotty match with weird edits again. The editing so far in the series is hurting things as they look like they are made by high school drama students.

-We get promo from Matt Cross and Teddy Hart. They are the Filth and the Fury, the best tag team in WSX. They challenge anyone to a match.

Team Dragon Gate (Masato Yoshino and Genki Horiguchi) vs. That 70’s Team (Joey “Magnum” Ryan and The Disco Machine)

Horiguchi and Ryan to begin. Lock up and some reversals. Arm bar by Horiguchi. Reversal, kip up and Horiguchi into the arm bar. Side headlock take down, tag to Yoshi and Disco in. Yoshi tosses him and poses. Ryan back in and Yoshi sidesteps a dropkick and Ryan asks for his inhaler. He tags Disco and everyone in, Dragon Gate double teams him with a drop toehold and dropkick and gets a cover for 2. Off the ropes ad Horiguchi eats an elbow drop after Disco dances. Ryan back in now and Yoshi PANTS’ him on a sunset flip try. Yoshi gets a cover for 2. Horiguchi with a PLANCHA onto Disco. THAT SUPER 70’s KICK by Ryan on Horiguchi and that is all.

Winners: That 70s Team @ 2:40 via pin **

After the match Horiguchi destroys the disco ball.

Fun for what it was. It was like a really fun 10-minute tag clipped to about 3. Good to see the Dragon gate and the PWG guys though.

-White Trash Johnny Webb cuts a promo. He drinks and sits at a trailer park. His boys are a tag team, the Trailer Park Boys. They fight among themselves. They debut on WSExtra and next week they will face the Filth and the Fury.

WSX TITLE MATCH: Vampiro vs. 6-Pac

The title belt resembles the Austin Smoking Skull Belt. Vampiro brought a casket to ringside. I bet it explodes.

Pac spits on Vampiro and gets a spinkick. Chops and an Irish whip try, Vampiro holds on and head butts Pac. Clothesline and a cover for 2. Off the ropes and a PANA try gets turned into a powerbomb by Pac for 2. Vampiro to the corner, and Pac tries the broncobuster and connects. Tries another, GOOZLE by Vampiro, kick by Pac but a clothesline by Vampiro. GOOZLE…CHOKESLAM on Pac! Vampiro up top…CORKSCREW MOONSAULT misses! Dropkick by Pac and Vampiro to the floor. Pac charges and gets a plancha on Vampiro. He covers on the floor and gets 2, apparently that is legal. Pac sends Vampiro through a steel barrier. Vampiro then tosses Pac into the steel post. Vampiro now sets up a table. Clothesline by Pac turns Vampiro inside out. Pac sets Vampiro onto the table, Vampiro up now and Pac gets a Tornado DDT from the apron through the table for a CLOSE 2 count. Back into the ring and kick and the Pac factor on Vampiro. 1…2…NO! TO the apron and they fight near the casket. LOW BLOW by Vampiro. TOMBSTONE INTO THE EXPLODING CASKET~! 1…2…3!

Winner: and FIRST EVER WSX CHAMPION Vampiro @ 4:40 via pin **

Well that was something. Pac and Vampiro seem to work well together so it was at least fun. Nothing that will go down as a classic, but fine for the time allowed and we got EXPLOSIONS!

-We get clips of what will happen next week, and a TLC match will happen!

Final Thoughts: Episode II is in the books. We got to see the debut of one of the coolest dudes around in the Human FN Tornado, so that ruled. We were treated to the Dragon Gate guys, who had a fine albeit short match with the 70’s team and got the first ever WSX champion. They are managing to fit just about the same amount of wrestling on the show as TNA, which should be a message to TNA that they are dropping the ball there. As far as the difference, they are doing that. They are putting on the chaotic style that WWE would never dream of doing and that TNA will do, but make you pay for. There is obviously an audience for that and they are targeting it well. I still cannot decide if I love or hate this, but I will admit, right now it is different and that makes it pretty fun.

WSXTRA EPISODE TWO:
By: Ryan Byers

The Lovely Lacey and random man open the show, putting over Vampiro’s WSX Title win on the main show and introducing us to some highlights from the match. I won’t do a full review since you can find that elsewhere on the site, but I have to say that these two guys worked their asses off in order to make this something special and different. I was also a big fan of the finish in which you couldn’t tell exactly who won until the referee pulled Vampiro out of the coffin and raised his hand.

Johnny Webb, manager of the Trailer Park Boys, is interviewed, and he’s not happy with how his team was portrayed on the main show. Apparently not all Southerners are white trash, and he wants to use their match against D.I.F.H. to prove that fact.

Match Numero Uno: D.I.F.H. vs. The Trailer Park Boys w/ “White Trash” Johnny Webb

I’ll briefly introduce the players for those of you who might not be familiar with their indy work: Jimmy Jacobs is a young man from the great state of Michigan who has bounced around the Indies since the early part of the century, primarily making a name for himself in IWA Mid-South before really breaking through in Ring of Honor. He currently does an “emo” gimmick in ROH, where he is perpetually p-whipped by Lacey, which has resulted in some great music videos. He and Lacey aren’t involved in WSX storylines, though he’s gained a tag team partner, namely Tyler Black. Black is an up and comer with IWA MS, and he’s also been given the emo gimmick now that he’s teaming with Jimmy. The Trailer Park Boys are CZW regular Nate Webb and Midwestern indy worker Josh Abercrombie (renamed Josh “Jug” Raymond) playing inbred hicks. They’re managed by “White Trash” Johnny Webb, a former XPW wrestler who is in no way related to Nate.

Black starts with Jug and gets some forearms in the corner before getting taken down with a couple of arm drags. Black fires back with more forearms, though a clothesline misses and leaves Tyler open for a springboard clothesline from Webb. That gets two, and Webb adds the nice touch of tagging himself in officially before going for the cover. A spinning heel kick gets another near fall for Webb, and now it’s time for some double-teaming. The Trailer Park Boys take turns hitting avalanche type moves in the corner on Black, including a sick swinging kick from Raymond. There’s a cover after that move, but Jacobs saves and immediately launches himself in to a pescado on Nate Webb. Josh hits a tope of his own, and then Nate heads up for a moonsault to the floor. Black cuts it off and then hits a SICK no hands backflip over the top rope and down on to everybody. For those of you who have not seen Black before, he’s a rather large man to be performing a move like that. Tyler manages to throw Josh back in to the ring, though he can’t put him away. There’s the tag to Jacobs, and the ROH standout applies the camel clutch. Black takes that opportunity to dropkick Josh in the face, and Jacobs applies CATTLE MUTILATION~! Black hits a standing shooting star press on Jug while he’s in the hold, and more punishment is dished out by the emo boys. Jimmy gets another nearfall when Black throws him in to a spear, though Jug finally shows some life with a springboard kick. That sets up a hot tag, and Webb unloads on Black with a series of kicks and a wacky looking flatliner variation. Tyler tries to respond with what looks like it’ll be a Kryptonite Krunch, but Webb reverses and hits a DDT for three.

Match Thoughts: This match was similar in a lot of ways to the Human Tornado vs. Luke Hawx vs. Puma match from last week’s WSXtra. It was heavy on the high spots, but everything was done in such a way that appeared realistic that the big moves could be following one right after the other. D.I.F.H was particularly impressive, as I’d never seen Black before and couldn’t believe some of the things that he was doing at his size. (Though the fact that he’s been standing next to Jacobs could make him appear much larger than he actually is.) I’m also a huge mark for unique double team moves, and the Cattle Mutilation/standing shooting star press spot was something that I had never seen before. My only gripe with the contest is that the moves Nate Webb was trying to execute at the end of the match were so complex and contrived that I couldn’t even tell what he was going for until about fifteen seconds after he’d hit it. If it’s confusing for somebody who watches as much wrestling as I do, I can’t imagine what it would look like for a new fan. However, I’m usually a pretty big fan of Webb’s work, and I was a fan of this match otherwise. *1/2

Match Numero Dos: Matt Classic vs. Matt Sydal w/ Lizzy Valentine

More introductions: A lot of folks will remember Sydal from last week’s show, but, just for the record, he’s a young man out of the St. Louis indy scene that has recently made waves both in Ring of Honor and to a lesser extent internationally in Dragon Gate. Matt Classic is ROH’s Colt Cabana in a mask, playing a character who has essentially fallen out of wrestling’s past and in to its future.

Classic does some 1950’s calisthenics in the ring to warm up, and it’s a thing of beauty. He goes behind his opponent to start and tosses Sydal down to the canvas. A shoulder block also connects from Mr. Classic, though Sydal responds with an enzuguri. He walks in to a back elbow but quickly recovers and hits a leg lariat for the first nearfall of the match. After the pinfall, Classic applies the STOMACH CLAW~!, though Sydal quickly reverses and charges in to the corner. Classic tosses him to the apron, grabs him by the nose, and pulls him up to the top rope. It looks like Sydal is going to take the Flair bump off the top, but he turns it in to a rana on Classic. Colt also eats a swinging kick in the corner, though he’s caught in the trapezeus claw not long thereafter. Sydal slips out and between Classic’s legs, popping up and getting a quick victory roll for two. Classic takes a breather and goes after Lizzy Valentine , which distracts Sydal long enough for the old school grappler to regain the advantage. He briefly applies the claw to the head and looks for the Polish hammer, but Sydal fires back with the dragonrana and the shooting star press to get the win.

Match Thoughts: Matt Classic may be one of the most amusing gimmicks that I have seen in years. It would be funny anywhere, but it’s particularly amusing in our highspot-centric MTV-owned promotion. Plus, it’s Cabana, and he’s got the brains and athletic ability to make something different like this work in the otherwise fast paced world of WSX. This ability was on full display against Sydal, as Cabana new where to pick his spots and make the otherwise hokey offense look like it could actually be having as much effect as Sydal’s new wave flippy-dos. The bout was a little bit shorter than I would have expected, though I guess if they let something with Classic run too long, they run the risk of having the gimmick burn itself out prematurely. On the other side of the ring, Sydal did just about everything correctly, flawlessly executing his moves and selling well for the larger man. *

It’s back to Lacey and generic guy, as they recap the relationship between “Rock Superstar” Kaos and Aaron Aguilera (formerly Jesus of WWE fame). After episode one, Kaos was annoyed with Aguilera because Aaron didn’t save him from being eliminated from the WSX Rumble by Luke Hawx and Al Katrazz. During episode two, there was a similar result, as Aguleria was distracted by attractive women during a brawl between the two teams. Now we’re shown a backstage confrontation between Kaos and Aguleria. Obviously there are hard feelings between the two men, but Aaron decides that the best way to smooth it over will be to have a TLC match against Hawx and Katrazz next week. Lacey hypes up that one, as well as a match between the Trailer Park Boys and the Filth and the Fury, for next week’s show.

The Trailer Park Boys have an incomprehensible meeting with the Academy Award Winning Three Six Mafia to close the show, and we’re out of here until next week.

Overall

This was another fun episode of WSXtra. The two matches were both entertaining for quick bouts, and they continued to introduce new characters (D.I.F.H., Matt Classic) in a way that quickly yet definitively established who’s who in the company. I’m also loving the interaction between WSXtra and the main show, as Xtra furthers the angles for the primary program, though it’s all done in such a way that you can still understand what’s happening on the main show if you don’t tune in to the web cast. After having to watch a program like TNA Impact every week, it’s refreshing to tune in to this product and be reminded that there are still people in the world who are aware of how to effectively book a wrestling promotion.

EPISODE THREE:
By: Larry Csonka

-We kick off the show with a performance by SPARTA.

-Ernst and Kloss welcome us to the show. They discuss last week’s show and the crowning of Vampiro as the first WSX champion.

-We get a video promo from Vampiro. He battled half of his life and is now the champion. Any sacrifice he has to make, his flesh, blood and or soul…this title is his destiny. He pours blood on it and himself.

-SPARTA joins the announce team.

The Trailer Park Boyz (“Spyder” Nate Webb and Josh “Jug” Raymond) w/ “White Trash” Johnny Webb vs. The Filth & The Fury (Teddy Hart and Matt Cross)

Hart and Raymond in to start. Some reversals and such to begin. Cross and Webb in now. Tree of woe and dropkicks by Cross. Split legged moonsault for 2 by Webb. Webb counters a leg scissors into a face jam. Hart in for the sick cradle DDT on Raymond. Moonsault to the floor by Hart. Corkscrew moonsault by Cross! Back into the ring and Hart tries a moonsault and eats knees. Head butt and dropkick to Hart. FLIPPING TIGER DRIVER by Hart! Jesus. Cross into break things up. To the floor and Hart electrocutes someone with a wire, spills water on Raymond and “electrocutes” him again. SUPER RANA by Cross on Webb. Hart with a CRAZY corkscrew deal off the set through a table and then Cross with a Spinning shooting star press to finish off Webb.

Winners: The Filth and the Fury @ 3:37 via pin **

Sweet Jesus that was some wild shit. I could have done without the hokey “electrocutions” but some wild action to kick things off to be sure.

-Last week we see Kaos and Aguilera arguing after the show last week. Aguilera has an idea to get payback, the TLC match, which will happen this week.

-That will be the main event tonight.

“The Prince Of Parkland” Jack Evans vs. El Hombre Blanco Enmascarado

El Hombre attacks while Jack break dances. Irish whip and a boot by El Hombre, clothesline and a dive follows by El Hombre. Back in and a double boot by Evans, but El Hombre back with elbows and a dropkick. Fisherman’s buster by El Hombre for 2. Off the ropes and Evans with a moonsault into an elbow for 2. Spinkick by Evans, running knee follows for 2. Evans pulls him to the corner…630 SPLASH connects! 1…2…3.

Winner: Jack Evans @ 2:05 via pin *½

Pure spot-fest match, but jack Evans is fun as hell to watch. Wall to wall action, which is what they are looking for.

-MATT CLASSIC TIME! He is classically trained in wrestling. Greco Roman and Catch as Catch Can professional. He has a devastating body slam and JUDO CHOP! He was in a coma, and woke up 40-years later and still does the old school! HE IS MY NEW HERO!

Tables, Ladders & Cerveza: Los Pochos Guapos (Joey “Kaos” Muñoz & Aaron “Jesus” Aguilera) vs. Luke Hawx & Alkatrazz

We start with a ladder shot to Kaos and Jesus. Into the ring and Jesus chops away at Hawk. Flapjack to Hawk on the ladder. Alkatrazz is down as well. Kaos driver on Hawk. Kaos up top, Jesus stops him and tells him to climb the ladder. Jesus flirts as Kaos misses a moonsault off the ladder. Alkatrazz takes down Jesus. Catapult to Jesus who eats ladder. Flatliner by Hawk. Rights by Alkatrazz to Jesus, old school rope walk by Alkatrazz into a DDT but Jesus tosses him off into the ladder. Missile dropkick by Hawk. SICK GONZO BOMB by Kaos on Hawk. He sets up a ladder and Jesus gets the Cerveza’s. Jesus tosses into Kaos and he falls into the Cerveza bottles. Alkatrazz grabs Kaos…powerbomb through the table. 1…2…3.

Winners: Luke Hawx & Alkatrazz @ 3:32 via pin *½

Well that was something. They are definitely giving the people what ECW isn’t, it is not pretty as it resembles XPW more, but there are people that want that and they are getting it here..

-Kaos is busted open as the announcers eat Subway.

-We get a promo for next week’s show.

Final Thoughts: So week #3 is in the books. We kicked off with wild, non-stop tag team action with Hart and Cross doing a bunch of wild shit, and that is the way to kick the show off. Evans is still really fun to watch, I just wish we got a bit more of a complete match with him, but in the 30-minute format that will be hard. As for the TLC match, it is what people wanted from ECW but aren’t getting, so it has its purpose. One last thing I have to say. The explosions and such are fine, but not if used every week and especially in the first match. Built up to it please. Overall another wild show in 30-minutes. It obviously is not for everyone, as there are people who will either love and or hate it. I am somewhere in the middle as there are things I love and things I hate, but it is never boring.

WSXTRA EPISODE THREE:
By: Ryan Byers

A man I do not recognize is backstage with Jack Evans to open up the show. His name is apparently Marcus Wright. He gives Jack a DVD, but Evans kicks him where the sun don’t shine. Somebody’s going to have to write in and explain the significance of this to me, because I don’t get it.

Commercial: Queen Latifa shills Cover Girl makeup. Somebody in MTV’s marketing department does not know what this show’s target demographic is.

Now we head to Lacey and random man. They put over the main event from the main show and throw us to some highlights. Larry has the full recap, but this was definitely fun while it lasted. Every time I see Jesus, I’m amazed by how well he moves for a man of his size.

Match Numero Uno: Scorpio Sky vs. Matt Classic

This is Scorpio’s WSX debut. For those of you not familiar with him, he’s a SoCal indy guy that regularly competes for Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. His new gimmick is that he’s a man obsessed with the athletic honors he received in high school. Matt Classic bridging to warm up while Sky makes his entrance is beautiful. Classic works the arm to start before heading in to the headlock and scoring with a shoulder block. Scorpio responds with a dropkick, though it doesn’t have too much of an effect. He follows up with a head scissor takedown and looks for a leapfrog, but Classic grabs him in mid-leap . . . AIRPLANE SPIN! AND THE HINDU PUSH-UPS! MR. WRESTLING #2 KNEELIFT! JUDO CHOP! HEART PUNCH! ANDRE THE GIANT ASS BUMPS IN THE CORNER! FULL BODY SLAM! THIS MAN IS THE GREATEST PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER ON THE PLANET! Unfortunately, Classic breaks his hot streak by trying some of this new-fangled high flying. He heads up to the first rope, nearly falls off, and misses a big splash. That allows Scorpio to get another head scissors, which sends Matt to the floor. There’s a tope, and a big spinning DDT in the ring finishes off Classic. Don’t worry, Matt, you’ll get a victory one of these days.

Match Thoughts: Can you tell that I’m really digging this Matt Classic gimmick? It would be hilarious on any wrestling show, but it’s even better in WSX because it’s an excuse for one of their wrestlers to do something different than the spot-centric style that dominates their programs. Everything that Cabana has touched in this company so far as turned to gold, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. For being a comedy character, Classic was in control of the offense for the majority of the time in this match, so we didn’t get to see a heck of a lot out of the debuting Scorpio Sky. However, for the few moves that he did hit, he looked competent enough as a singles wrestler . I’m used to seeing him in tags, so hopefully he’s able to step things up after being put on his own. *1/2

Commercial: Head & Shoulders shampoo. Seriously, who’s picking these things?

Match Numero Dos: D.I.F.H. vs. That 70’s Team

This should be fun. Fortunately, it looks like Disco Machine has replaced its ball after it was ruthlessly smashed by Team Dragon Gate last week. Black starts with the Machine, and a dancing test of strength flusters Tyler for a little bit before he unloads with forearms and a dropkick. Disco is taken back to the emo corner, where Jacobs comes in and applies an armbar. Black, however, wants MORE VIOLENCE and breaks that up. He shows Jimmy how things are done by picking him up and DRIVING him in to Machine’s chest with a dropkick. Joey Ryan makes the save for his partner and tags in before tagging Jimmy with a dropkick. The 70’s Team gets a two man gordbuster in, though it can only get a two count. A powerslam from Disco Machine connects, but Joey Ryan’s follow up is cut off. Jacobs is able to hit the Rude Awakening, and there’s a hot tag as Ryan uses his inhaler. Black is in with a slingshot sunset flip, and Joey’s pants are pulled down. He gets slammed and hit with a spinning neck breaker while his ass is on full display. When he manages to pull his trunks back up, Black lifts him in to a fireman’s carry. That’s Jacobs’ cue to head up top . . . DOUBLE STOMP TO RYAN’S BACK! Black follows that up with a Michinoku Driver from the fireman’s carry position, and we’ve got a three count for D.I.F.H.

Match Thoughts: I was surprised to see Jacobs and Black pick up a win, as they’re exclusive to WSXtra, whereas the 70’s Team has been wrestling on the main program. However, I certainly wouldn’t disagree with D.I.F.H. winning this match, as they’ve been very entertaining and effective in their two appearances. Obviously they’ve got some great moves, and they also have the ability to get over their characters effectively during the course of these short, heavily edited matches. Despite the length and the clipping, it would be impossible for somebody to not know the roles of the two men on the team after watching their two matches. Being able to effectively communicate with an audience like that is becoming a lost art in this day and age. On top of that, I was a huge fan of the finishing sequence in this match, as it strung together a series of brutal looking moves in a unique way that I’d never seen before. If the fireman’s carry double stomp/Michinoku Driver combo becomes a regular finisher for Jacobs and Black, I’ll be a happy camper. I suggest that they call it the “Terpentine Chaser” in an obscure emo reference that 10% of my readership will actually get. *3/4

Lacey and random guy hype up next week’s episode of WSX, as we’ll have Matt Sydal vs. Scorpio Sky and Vampiro returning to the show. Plus Keepin’ It Gangsta (Babi Slymm and Ruckus) have a dialogue about how they’re going to beat somebody up next week.

Overall

The matches on this week’s WSXtra seemed shorter than the matches that we’d seen over the course of the last two weeks, though they were still both entertaining and effective for the amount of time that they were given. Matt Classic and D.I.F.H. are both great gimmicks, and they’re being helped along by the fact that the WSX programs are so short. After all, if there’s only thirty minutes of TV a week, there’s no time for the characters to get burned out. The only real problem with the show this week is that it’s not advancing angles for the main show as much as it was over the last couple of weeks, but at least it’s still an opportunity for new talent (e.g. Scorpio Sky, K.I.G.) to get introduced to hardcore fans before they move up to the main roster. As a whole, WSXtra continues to deliver. It says something when I’m looking forward to this fifteen minute web show more than I’m looking forward to a pay per view event put on by the largest wrestling company in the world.

EPISODE FOUR:
By: Larry Csonka

-CLIPSE is our musical guest. I have no clue who they are and I wasn’t really impressed.

-Ernst and Kloss welcome us to the show and run down what we’ll see tonight.

-Crazy Fabian SHOUTS OUT our first match.

“The Cocky Coverboy” Matt Sydal w/Lizzy Valentine) vs. “The Greatest” Scorpio Sky

Sky tries to give Lizzy an 8×10 and that pisses off Sydal and we are underway. Some counters and reversals to begin. Head scissors by Sydal, but Sky with a RANA follows. Sydal to the floor and gets a sunset flip try, countered and aback breaker by Sky for 2. Off the ropes and a Japanese arm drag by Sky. Lizzy distracts Sky, some reversals now and an Asai moonsault into a standing leg drop for 2 by Sydal. Chops by Sydal, Irish whip and a clothesline by Sydal, followed by a slingshot dropkick for 2. Chops by Sydal, high kick and an elbow back by Sky. Sydal to the floor and Sky with a SICK no hands plancha to Sydal! Back into the ring, Lizzy grabs Sky, Sydal gets the standing moonsault for 2. Boot by Sydal, but Sky with a sit out spinebuster. Sky up top…forearm by Sydal and a SICK WAVE OF THE FUTURE on Sky and that is all.

After the match Lizzy writes “H8R” on Sky.

Winner: Matt Sydal @ 4:00 via pin **

Fine little match here. Sky is fun as I THINK this is the first I have seen of him. I love the cocky gimmick he has with the high school award she brings to the ring. Sydal looked good again and he and Lizzy work well together A fine opener here.

-Last week Marcus Riot gives Evans his DVD and Evans gives him a kick in the balls.

-Keepin’ It Gangsta is here looking for their ladder. Babi gives him a BLINGED OUT LADDER~!

-They come to the ring and assault the cameraman. Babi is on the mic. They challenge any tag team in the house!

Keepin’ It Gangsta (Babi Slymm & Ruckus) vs. That 70’s Team (Joey Ryan and Disco Machine)

The ref on a step stool holds the disco ball for him to dance, tremendous! Joey Ryan oils up and he is ready to go.

Boot by Ryan to Ruckus, off the ropes and a backflip and head scissors by Ruckus. Back spring kick by Ruckus. Tag to Babi and Ryan needs his inhaler. The Gangsta’s with a double hip toss and then an elbow drop by Babi for 2. Jaw breaker and dropkick by Ryan. Disco is in and gets a victory roll after Ryan gets a boot to Babi for 2. Spinning leg scissors by Disco. Baby ladder and dance, they pants Ryan and slap his ass. Forearms to Babi, off the ropes and a clothesline by Babi. Ruckus in now and leg lariats to all. Back handspring elbow to Ryan. Tag to Babi, they try a double team but a superkick by Ryan breaks it up. Babi then gets a spinning sidewalk slam. Ruckus in and a front spinning neck breaker to Disco. Tree of woe on Ryan, has the disco ball and BREAKS it on Ryan’s balls. BLING ladder in now! Stepladder on Ryan’s face and Ruckus with a senton Van Terminator off the ladder to Ryan and that is all.

Winners: Keepin’ It Gangsta @ 4:06 via pin ½*

Babi Slymm is still as horrible as I remember him. That 70’s Team is fun, I love their little gimmick stuff because it is fun. Match was MEH really, but the finish was fun.

-Back from commercial and Arik Cameron is pissed and beats up a random friend. He will fuck a bitch up next week, or something like that.

El Hombre Blanco Enmascarado vs. The Human Tornado

Tornado is laid out backstage.

6-Pac attacks Enmascarado, lay shim out as well and calls out Vampiro!

Winner: No Contest NR

-Vampiro comes out and some dude comes out and attacks Vampiro. He slams him through the guardrail and Pac leaves. The man has burns on his face and THROWS THE FIREBALL at Vampiro, which is blurred out with wacky effects.

-We get a video for next week’s show.

Final Thoughts: So episode IV is in the books. The opener was solid stuff and a lot of fun. Sydal is a lot of fun to watch as is Sky. The only real problem I have is they essentially have the same gimmick; the cool, cocky guy. But they might be different enough not to matter. Keepin it Gangsta debuted and while Ruckus is fun, Slymm sucks. The BLING ladder and gimmicks should hide that hopefully. I am not too hot on the bait and switch deals with main events, but this works with the title deal and sets up Pac vs. Tornado next week as well as Vampiro out for revenge. A solid, if weaker than normal episode this week.

WSXTRA EPISODE FOUR:
By: Ryan Byers

The program opens up with The Lovely Lacey reading a newspaper, but the Human Tornado runs in on her. He’s pissed off because X-Pac laid him out during the main program, and he challenges the former WWE star to a match next week on MTV.

After our usual open, Lacey is back with random man, and they discuss the goings on between X-Pac, Vampiro, and the nameless “monster” at the end of this week’s MTV show, complete with highlights. For those of you not in the know, the “monster” is Ricky Banderas, a man who has primarily works in Puerto Rico. I believe that he was also used when Vamp made his unsuccessful attempt at starting up a lucha libre promotion a few months back.

Match Numero Uno: Do It For Her (Jimmy Jacobs & Tyler Black) vs. Team Dragon Gate (Masato Yoshino & Genki Horiguchi)

Now this should be great fun. Horiguchi starts with Jacobs, with some basic arm bars and whatnot giving way to a head scissors takedown by Jimmy. Both men tag their respective partners, and Yoshino runs the ropes very quickly. That’s his thing, after all. Black takes him down with an arm drag, but Yoshino responds with a clothesline and then teams up with Genki for a drop toe hold/dropkick combo. Horiguchi stays on top of his man with some chops and a tornado DDT, though that can only get two. A suplex is attempted by blocked, and Black gets a HUGE leaping enzuguri (shades of Samoa Joe). That allows a tag to Jacobs, and Black whips him in to a spear. Tyler follows it up with a Superfly Splash, but Yoshino saves and gets a satellite face jam. He dropkicks Jacobs as well, which Genki follows with a springboard version of the same move. He misses a moonsault, though, allowing Black to get back in to the ring and place Horiguchi in the fireman’s carry. Those of you who saw the last show know where that leads . . . Jacobs gives Genki a senton while he’s in the hold, and there’s a Michinoku Driver from Black to finish off the contest. Somebody needs to name that sequence so I don’t have to type it out every week.

The announcers put this one over as a big upset and note the frustration on the faces of Team Dragon Gate. Foreshadowing of a bigger angle or an offhand comment? Time will tell.

Match Thoughts: This felt a little bit more like a traditional television wrestling match than something out of the unique style that WSX has been known for over the last couple of weeks, but it was still a relatively enjoyable little contest. It’s good to see that both teams are starting to develop trademark spots that fans will expect them to do on a regular basis, because a large part of getting professional wrestling over involves the establishment of rituals. It thought that principle of booking might get lost in the fast-paced world of MTV and WSX, but here it is. My only hope now is that the Dragon Gate guys actually had a chance to do something substantial before they were shipped off to the Land of the Rising Son, as they’re far better than their two matches for this company have shown. 3/4*

Lacey and random man throw to highlights of Keepin’ It Gangsta’s debut tonight. I’ve seen Ruckus work before this, and he’s MADE for WSX, as he’s one of the best at flipping around in matches devoid of traditional wrestling psychology. I also have to give two huge thumbs up to the “bling bling ladder” and the cheesy editing effects that make it possible.

After the highlights, we get exclusive backstage footage of KIG getting in to a fight with Al Katrazz and Luke Hawx, which sets up a match between the two teams next week on WSXtra.

Commercial: Hewlett Packard. Hey, it’s targeted better than the cosmetics commercials that I used to see on here.

Match Numero Dos: Jack Evans vs. Markus Riot

Riot starts off the offense with some kicks, but Evans responds with one of his own, though he misses a double stomp. More kicks from Riot follow, and there’s a rana. Markus takes too long to set up his next move, though, allowing Evans to cartwheel in to a superkick. Now that’s just excessive. Regardless, it sends Markus to the outside, where Jack gives him a big flip dive before throwing him back in to the ring. The Prince of P-Town stays on his man with a body slam and a double stomp, though his standing shooting star gets nothing with knee. Riot keeps the offense coming with a big clothesline, though he only gets a two count for his efforts. A German suplex is next from the copycat, and he also hits a corner dropkick to Evans’ face. That also gets two. Jack gets back in to the game with a kick to the shin and a dragonrana, though that also won’t end the match. Jack’s next move is a dropkick, and there’s a standing corkscrew moonsault for yet another nearfall. Evans goes up now, and he misses the 630 Splash, allowing Riot to hit roughly the 5,000th dropkick of the evening. Markus tries to follow up with god knows what, but Evans turns it in to a fisherman’s buster and then hits the 630 for real to wrap up the match.

That makes Jack 3-0 in Wrestling Society X competition, which I believe is the best record in the promotion.

Match Thoughts: Did anybody reading this ever play Mortal Kombat when they were a kid? Remember the “mirror matches” in which you had to fight the character that you were already playing as? That’s what this felt like. Evans and Riot may as well have been the same person. In fact, I’m glad that Jack took his shirt off for the match, otherwise I probably wouldn’t have been able to tell them apart at all. The only real difference is that Riot’s relative inexperience showed. One of the keys to being able to do spotty matches like this is that you’ve got to have the ability to make everything that goes on in between the spots look really smooth and polished. Otherwise, instead of coming off like one cohesive athletic competition between two men, it comes off as two guys walking around the ring, setting up a spot together, and executing a spot together. The result in that case is the match looking far too cooperative. That’s what happened in a few spots here, mainly due to Riot not being quite as polished as he could be with a little bit more experience. I don’t know if he was used any further during the course of these tapings (I would assume not), but I wouldn’t mind seeing him back for a season two if he was able to get many more matches racked up between now and the next taping. 1/2*

Lacey and random man set up next week’s episode of WSX on MTV. We’ll see Team Dragon Gate against Teddy Hart and M-Dogg 20, get an update on Vampiro’s condition, and find out whether X-Pac will accept the challenge of the Human Tornado. (The smart money is on yes.)

Overall