PWO – Season 2 – Episode 1

The new season of Pro Wrestling Ohio will be aired weekly.  The third episode just aired Sunday the 16th so I will try to catch up to make these reviews more up to date. They’re also recording at a new location at the Brook Park Armory in Brook Park, OH.  I’ll have my thoughts on that at the end of the review.  Here is the link to the first episode to Season 2- http://www. youtube. com/watch?v=106WTy3CQ2Q .

After an introduction by the announcers, Joe Dombrowski (play by play) and Jamie Scott (color), they introduced Pedro DeLucca (ring side announcer) who then introduced Michael Cash (backstage interviewer) who called the first ever PWO Hevyweight Champion, “M-Dogg 20” Matt Cross, to the ring for a congratulatory interview.  Cross says that he will take on all challengers.  Johnny Gargano then comes to the ring and says he deserves a title shot and will take Cross on as soon as his back is healed.  Jason Bane then came to the ring and said if Cross was going to take on all challengers, he should take on the most dominant man in the PWO.  Cross accepted his challenge for the following week.

The newly minted PWO Heavyweight Title looks similar to this one.

The newly minted PWO Heavyweight Title looks similar to this one.

Analysis: Gargano coming out was a little weird if he legitmately has an injury because whoever would win the proposed match would be a face so they would be able to take him on later.  The first title defense really should be against an opponent that is a heel so that there is a clear crowd choice but the PWO painted themselves into a corner by crowning a “Most Dominant Man” that wasn’t involved in the Heavyweight Title match.  The announcers kept piping up during the in ring promos which would have driven me crazier had it not been for how quiet and tinny the sound was.

Bobby “The Body” Sheilds cut a short promo saying he will win his PWO debut next against Hobo Joe.  The match started after the commercial break.  Joe and Shields both got in some basic offense.  Hobo Joe took over after he caught “The Body” coming into the corner.  The referee got distracted which is when Shields hit a low blow and rolled up Joe for the victory.

Analysis: Shields promo was so short, it was hard to tell if he was any good on the mic.  His in ring work was fine but confined to a basic move set.  I’m never a big fan of someone debuting and not hitting a finisher to win the match, especially against Hobo Joe.  Shields should also drop the nickname because he’s in shape but not good enough to have that nickname.

Michael Cash interviewed Marion Fontaine.  He introduced Naj from the Isle of Tonga.  Fontaine said he was “a darn good wrestler” and will make his in ring debut next week.  Analysis: Naj is just a fat guy who is doing the “dumb native” act which is too old and dated.  I don’t like Umaga doing it and it’s not going to be any better in the PWO.

They joined a match between N8 Mattson and Tim Horner in progress.  Mattson dominated the majoirty of the action.  Horner got in some offense after giving Mattson a jaw jacker from a sleeper.  Mattson gave Horner a Code Breaker and then a top rope leg drop for the win.

Analysis: Horner needs some more in ring work because he screwed up several times including a notable botch during a roll up.  Mattson was listed on their roster last year but he was not around much.  I hope they keep him around because he’s put together and looked good in the ring.

Michael Cash interviewed a disheveled Aaron Maguire in “Cash’s Corner” but took place in Maguire’s office.  Maguire talked about how Cronus’ loss screwed up his life because he bet everything on Cronus.  He admitted that Cronus is gone and left him high and dry.

“Omega” Aaron Draven had a promo saying that he was the ultimate thrill seeker and is looking forward to his debut next week even though he doesn’t know who his opponent will be.

Analysis: Maguire’s promo was an interesting one.  They could go a number of directions with his character but I hope he gets the fortitude to bring in another challenger for Bane since the majority of the roster is smaller.  I’m looking forward to Cash’s regular studio set.  Draven’s promo was fine but short so any mic deficiencies could be hidden.

The main event was Vincent Nothing & Jake Crist (Irish Nothing) versus “Bloody” Morty Rackem & Matthew Justice (Pirate Justice).  Nothing and Justice started the match and exchanged basic moves.  Their partners came in and followed their lead exchanging basic moves.  Nothing started the beatdown on Morty Rackem.  Crist and Nothing started quick tags in and out to isolate Rackem and stay fresh.  Justice got the hot tag, cleaned house but then tagged in a still beaten Rackem.  They hit dual suicide dives.  Rackem tried to hit Nothing with a tag belt, missed and got hit by a superkick from Crist.  Nothing hit a modified Michinoku Driver for the win.

Analysis: Rackem showing heel tendencies was strange because they don’t have too many other teams to challenge Irish Nothing.  Justice getting a shot at being a singles is good though because he’s one of their better in ring workers.  I’m a big proponent of the defending champions winning their first match so it was a good outcome.  The match itself was really good.

Show Analysis: The graphics were only used for the opening talk segment and the main event which was a problem since the lesser known people weren’t identified on screen.  A new on screen gadget that the PWO got was a replay machine which was nice but Dombrowski even noted that they needed to go to the “live” action at one point during the main event so they still have some work to do on the execution side.  The announcers drilled home the weekly shows which was a good idea since it was an every other week show last season.  They did a good job of hyping the new wrestlers debuting next week.  The Brook Park Armory looks like a better venue for filming and definitely the lay out of the ring is more normal.  Overall, it was a good start to the second season.

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