WCPW Pro Wrestling World Cup '17: Mexico Bracket
Striker hypes the guest commentator, for the Mexican qualifiers...Stu Bennet FKA Wade Barrett, he surely has a lot of insight due to his years as a masked wrestler in Mexico. Also, they have robbed me from the Mexican National Anthem! FUCKERS!
The Prestige Segment - Because everyone needs their heel stable that talks to much, Hendry and Banks are out. Hendry says that both himself and Banks deserve to be WCPW and WCPW Internet champions respectably, so he's taking the show hostage. This seems to happen often a lot. Also, the whole 'Say What if you like...' is as overused as the What chants.
Adam Blampied comes out, can these GMs not afford a suit or fashion adviser? Blampied books Banks vs Rampage, and Hendry vs Kirby. Kinda shitty that Hendry got his match and Banks has to fight Rampage. Hendry calls Blampied to shake his hand, who goes and gets himself slammed. Stupid segment
Penta vs Fenix Tale of the Tape Video - Nothing kills Penta's aura like hearing him talk like a good sport. Fenix talked in english. It was mostly about being proud to represent Mexico and fighting their brother.
PWWC Mexican Qualifying First Round Match
This is actually the first time I check out these guys' entrance videos and songs, I usually watch them in tron-less shows, or shows that don't care about copyrighted songs. Match started with a lot of crazy submissions, going toe-to-toe, playing on the fact that these guys are not only the best partners, but opponents to each other because of them being brothers. The match was somewhat 50/50, but because of Fenix's offense is more flashy, it felt like he had the upper hand most. Toward the end, Penta kicked out of a Mexican Destroyer, then followed by hitting the Panama Sunrise and the Fear Factor to take the win.
Drago vs El Ligero Tale of the Tape Video - DRAGO was awesome, Ligero didn't say a single thing.
PWWC Mexican Qualifying First Round Match
hmmm, someone out there is actually shorter than Drago. Bennett marked out at Drago's attire, I'm sure that happens every time someone sees Drago for the first time. Ligero started the match with comedy, and not the cool kind, so it took me out for the rest, especially since Drago just wanted to fight. Ligero was just doing strikes, Drago was doing more submission and flight, so this tells me these dudes probably had problems communicating. Finish came out of nowhere and it was underwhelming.
Hardcore Match
/Why would anyone want to challenge Primate to a hardcore match? Match was mostly Scotty on top with help of Bea, unti the end where Primate made a comeback and won in less than a minute. Primate took a bunch of unprotected head shots. At one point Scotty brought in thumbtacks, to which Striker had the need to tell us they're gold, and that means they're extra long. WHAT!? Primate dropped both Scotty and Bea on the tacks to win.
Rey Mysterio vs Alberto El Patron Tale of the Tape Video - Alberto no showed the tape! Rey says that he knows Alberto, so his strategy is really generic.
PWWC Mexican Qualifying First Round Match
Striker says that they're both wearing red, a color of power; then claims that they're full of machismo, does he not know that's not something to be proud of? At the end, Striker says that they probably find themselves in the street and say "Hey, you wanna wrestle?" WHAT THE FUCK IS STRIKER ON!? Now he's excusing Rey Mysterio chewing gum as it works with your performance, SHUT THE FUCK UP STRIKER!
Match was kinda boring to be honest, well wrestled, but you could tell Alberto was half-assing the whole match and eventually it shows. Alberto worked heel, going for the mask and taunting Rey. Finish saw Rey hit the 619 followed by the frog splash. Alberto, being a dick, shoot refused being in the ring for the winner's announcement like everyone else has, it's not like he lost to Ligero.
Hijo de Dos Caras vs Juventud Guerrera Tale of the Tape Video - If only Alberto was as nice as his little brother. Juvi talks about how he was one of the pioneers of lucha outside of Mexico.
PWWC Mexican Qualifying First Round Match
Dos Caras has a great look, not completely toned, but huge and masked. I don't know if it's Dos Cara's lack of experience, or just a lack of chemistry between them, but a lot of spots looked weak, but there is potential there. Finish came from out of nowhere and Dos Caras may have been legit knocked out.
Gabriel Kidd & Prince Ameen Segment - Just a bunch of crying really and Bennett put it perfectly, "The World doesn't need another loser". Ameen needs to stop skipping leg day. Travis Banks comes out and takes them both out, this leads to...
One of those weird occurrences that come every so often that is a small vs big man, but the small man is the heel and is actually dominant, not to mention Gabriel Kidd is still outside making sure Banks doesn't use a chair against the huge man. Good match, but nothing special. Rampage won with a piledriver.
Canadian Brackets - Elgin, Harry Smith, Renee Dupree, Kyle O'Reilly, Mike Bayley, Bret Banks, Tyson Dux, and Frankie The Mobster. It's happening in Toronto, so they're doing this in Canada but couldn't do the Mexican Bracket in Tijuana or even California. Fuck these guys.
This is Galloway's goodbye match before he becomes a developmental wrestler. I totally forgot these two are former tag champs as Simply Sinister. Drew was a total heel, flipping Brandi, pushing refs, using patio tables. Match was good, but with way too much overbooking that it really suffered. At one point Cody accidentally kicked Brandi and his selling couldn't be less real, he was just like oh well, she was in the way, let me position myself to go through this unbreakable table that I have no idea why we got unbreakable tables. Later on, there was another ref bump, Drake came out and Bennett took him out. And to ended with some spit in your face, the match ended with a roll up.
The only redeeming thing about commentary in this match was the mention that one man wanted to leave WWE and the other is going back to WWE, so both man probably wanted to win and make their decision look better.
Post-match - Cody completely forgets his wife is dead in the back, breaks kayfabe and puts over Drew Galloway. Says he's happy that he is surrounded by his friends tonight. This was nice, but then why do this whole heel vs face match?
PWWC Mexican Qualifying Final Match
Ligero worked heel, flipping off Penta, who just took it like 'suit yourself kid, it's your funeral'.
PWWC Mexican Qualifying Final Match
Juvi has a 0-39 record against Rey Mysterio, so Juvi has never defeated Rey rey in a one-on-one match. Still, so many many years later, I'm still kinda excited of the idea of this match. Really similar match as the Alberto vs Rey match, a bit more high fly spots, but not many. You could really see the age in both men.
Japan Bracket - Hiromu Takahashi, BUSHI, KUSHIDA, and Liger so far confirmed. Show is happening in Manchester.
WCPW Championship Match
This was all Hendry on top, at one point the dominance was so much that Striker started complaining that it was too much, Bennett being the heel supported Hendry, and then Striker starting bringing up Shibata and Bryan who may never wrestle again, asking when does this become assault. Fuck Matt Striker, the match has been good, but Striker is making it unwatchable. Anyway, Hendry won the title from Kirby, who is a great babyface, but I just can't bring myself to care for him, even after the whole story of the match was about Hendry giving Kirby a concussion and keeping the focus on the head, ref didn't stop the match until the damage was already done, and then they play it out like they don't know if Hendry is getting the title even though it was a fucking ref stop. The only reason I recommend this match, is so you listen to Striker and learn how NOT to be on commentary.
First and foremost, fuck Matt Striker. Now, WCPW is taking a great idea as a World Cup, to which they actually have the money to book 64 guys for it, and making every single tournament show a boring ordeal. This are 3+ hr shows that drag and drag, I'm here for the tournament, and have to put up with all the storylines that I don't care about. You'd say, well, you get a chance to check it out and maybe you'll stick, and I don't disagree, but then a 6 match show becomes a 10 match show with tons of talking, storylines that I don't know, and let's be honest, not the best wrestling out there, and 3 hrs feel like 6 hrs by the time we're done. No to mention that a World Cup show is not main evented by a World Cup match.
In addition, commentary totally sucks. WCPW suffers from the same thing tons of promotions have, where their commentary try to over sell everything and make the promotion look delusional. Striking claiming that everyone has shoot experience, or that people are fighting with dislocated hips, or that gum helps your performance, and no one calling him out on his bullshit, they just makes them seem cheap.
The Prestige Segment - Because everyone needs their heel stable that talks to much, Hendry and Banks are out. Hendry says that both himself and Banks deserve to be WCPW and WCPW Internet champions respectably, so he's taking the show hostage. This seems to happen often a lot. Also, the whole 'Say What if you like...' is as overused as the What chants.
Adam Blampied comes out, can these GMs not afford a suit or fashion adviser? Blampied books Banks vs Rampage, and Hendry vs Kirby. Kinda shitty that Hendry got his match and Banks has to fight Rampage. Hendry calls Blampied to shake his hand, who goes and gets himself slammed. Stupid segment
Penta vs Fenix Tale of the Tape Video - Nothing kills Penta's aura like hearing him talk like a good sport. Fenix talked in english. It was mostly about being proud to represent Mexico and fighting their brother.
PWWC Mexican Qualifying First Round Match
Penta El Cero M vs Rey Fenix - 7.5/10
This is actually the first time I check out these guys' entrance videos and songs, I usually watch them in tron-less shows, or shows that don't care about copyrighted songs. Match started with a lot of crazy submissions, going toe-to-toe, playing on the fact that these guys are not only the best partners, but opponents to each other because of them being brothers. The match was somewhat 50/50, but because of Fenix's offense is more flashy, it felt like he had the upper hand most. Toward the end, Penta kicked out of a Mexican Destroyer, then followed by hitting the Panama Sunrise and the Fear Factor to take the win.
Drago vs El Ligero Tale of the Tape Video - DRAGO was awesome, Ligero didn't say a single thing.
PWWC Mexican Qualifying First Round Match
Drago vs El Ligero - 6.5/10
hmmm, someone out there is actually shorter than Drago. Bennett marked out at Drago's attire, I'm sure that happens every time someone sees Drago for the first time. Ligero started the match with comedy, and not the cool kind, so it took me out for the rest, especially since Drago just wanted to fight. Ligero was just doing strikes, Drago was doing more submission and flight, so this tells me these dudes probably had problems communicating. Finish came out of nowhere and it was underwhelming.
Hardcore Match
Scotty Wainwright w/Bea Priestley vs Primate - 5.5/10
/Why would anyone want to challenge Primate to a hardcore match? Match was mostly Scotty on top with help of Bea, unti the end where Primate made a comeback and won in less than a minute. Primate took a bunch of unprotected head shots. At one point Scotty brought in thumbtacks, to which Striker had the need to tell us they're gold, and that means they're extra long. WHAT!? Primate dropped both Scotty and Bea on the tacks to win.
Rey Mysterio vs Alberto El Patron Tale of the Tape Video - Alberto no showed the tape! Rey says that he knows Alberto, so his strategy is really generic.
PWWC Mexican Qualifying First Round Match
Rey Mysterio vs Alberto El Patron - 6.5/10
Striker says that they're both wearing red, a color of power; then claims that they're full of machismo, does he not know that's not something to be proud of? At the end, Striker says that they probably find themselves in the street and say "Hey, you wanna wrestle?" WHAT THE FUCK IS STRIKER ON!? Now he's excusing Rey Mysterio chewing gum as it works with your performance, SHUT THE FUCK UP STRIKER!
Match was kinda boring to be honest, well wrestled, but you could tell Alberto was half-assing the whole match and eventually it shows. Alberto worked heel, going for the mask and taunting Rey. Finish saw Rey hit the 619 followed by the frog splash. Alberto, being a dick, shoot refused being in the ring for the winner's announcement like everyone else has, it's not like he lost to Ligero.
Hijo de Dos Caras vs Juventud Guerrera Tale of the Tape Video - If only Alberto was as nice as his little brother. Juvi talks about how he was one of the pioneers of lucha outside of Mexico.
PWWC Mexican Qualifying First Round Match
Hijo de Dos Caras vs Juventud Guerrera - 5.5/10
Dos Caras has a great look, not completely toned, but huge and masked. I don't know if it's Dos Cara's lack of experience, or just a lack of chemistry between them, but a lot of spots looked weak, but there is potential there. Finish came from out of nowhere and Dos Caras may have been legit knocked out.
Gabriel Kidd & Prince Ameen Segment - Just a bunch of crying really and Bennett put it perfectly, "The World doesn't need another loser". Ameen needs to stop skipping leg day. Travis Banks comes out and takes them both out, this leads to...
Rampage vs Travis Banks - 6/10
One of those weird occurrences that come every so often that is a small vs big man, but the small man is the heel and is actually dominant, not to mention Gabriel Kidd is still outside making sure Banks doesn't use a chair against the huge man. Good match, but nothing special. Rampage won with a piledriver.
Canadian Brackets - Elgin, Harry Smith, Renee Dupree, Kyle O'Reilly, Mike Bayley, Bret Banks, Tyson Dux, and Frankie The Mobster. It's happening in Toronto, so they're doing this in Canada but couldn't do the Mexican Bracket in Tijuana or even California. Fuck these guys.
Cody w/Brandi Rhodes vs Drew Galloway - 7/10
This is Galloway's goodbye match before he becomes a developmental wrestler. I totally forgot these two are former tag champs as Simply Sinister. Drew was a total heel, flipping Brandi, pushing refs, using patio tables. Match was good, but with way too much overbooking that it really suffered. At one point Cody accidentally kicked Brandi and his selling couldn't be less real, he was just like oh well, she was in the way, let me position myself to go through this unbreakable table that I have no idea why we got unbreakable tables. Later on, there was another ref bump, Drake came out and Bennett took him out. And to ended with some spit in your face, the match ended with a roll up.
The only redeeming thing about commentary in this match was the mention that one man wanted to leave WWE and the other is going back to WWE, so both man probably wanted to win and make their decision look better.
Post-match - Cody completely forgets his wife is dead in the back, breaks kayfabe and puts over Drew Galloway. Says he's happy that he is surrounded by his friends tonight. This was nice, but then why do this whole heel vs face match?
PWWC Mexican Qualifying Final Match
Penta El Cero Miedo vs El Ligero - 7/10
Ligero worked heel, flipping off Penta, who just took it like 'suit yourself kid, it's your funeral'.
PWWC Mexican Qualifying Final Match
Rey Mysterio vs Juventud Guerrera - 7/10
Juvi has a 0-39 record against Rey Mysterio, so Juvi has never defeated Rey rey in a one-on-one match. Still, so many many years later, I'm still kinda excited of the idea of this match. Really similar match as the Alberto vs Rey match, a bit more high fly spots, but not many. You could really see the age in both men.
Japan Bracket - Hiromu Takahashi, BUSHI, KUSHIDA, and Liger so far confirmed. Show is happening in Manchester.
WCPW Championship Match
Joe Hendry vs Martin Kirby - 7/10
This was all Hendry on top, at one point the dominance was so much that Striker started complaining that it was too much, Bennett being the heel supported Hendry, and then Striker starting bringing up Shibata and Bryan who may never wrestle again, asking when does this become assault. Fuck Matt Striker, the match has been good, but Striker is making it unwatchable. Anyway, Hendry won the title from Kirby, who is a great babyface, but I just can't bring myself to care for him, even after the whole story of the match was about Hendry giving Kirby a concussion and keeping the focus on the head, ref didn't stop the match until the damage was already done, and then they play it out like they don't know if Hendry is getting the title even though it was a fucking ref stop. The only reason I recommend this match, is so you listen to Striker and learn how NOT to be on commentary.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
First and foremost, fuck Matt Striker. Now, WCPW is taking a great idea as a World Cup, to which they actually have the money to book 64 guys for it, and making every single tournament show a boring ordeal. This are 3+ hr shows that drag and drag, I'm here for the tournament, and have to put up with all the storylines that I don't care about. You'd say, well, you get a chance to check it out and maybe you'll stick, and I don't disagree, but then a 6 match show becomes a 10 match show with tons of talking, storylines that I don't know, and let's be honest, not the best wrestling out there, and 3 hrs feel like 6 hrs by the time we're done. No to mention that a World Cup show is not main evented by a World Cup match.
In addition, commentary totally sucks. WCPW suffers from the same thing tons of promotions have, where their commentary try to over sell everything and make the promotion look delusional. Striking claiming that everyone has shoot experience, or that people are fighting with dislocated hips, or that gum helps your performance, and no one calling him out on his bullshit, they just makes them seem cheap.