From Larry Goodman: In what has become a Porterdale tradition, Platinum Championship Wrestling presented “Revolutionary War Games ...
From Larry Goodman:
In what has become a Porterdale tradition, Platinum Championship Wrestling presented “Revolutionary War Games 2016” on July 4.
The marquee match had an inconclusive finish but it worked, as it set PCW Champion Geter defending against the undefeated Gunner Miller at Sacred Ground VII.
It is the logical choice for the main event at the company’s signature event, and there would be no better time to shoot the angle than in front of PCW”s biggest crowd of the year.
Miller was the last man to enter the War Games, doing so fresh off a feud-ending win over Logan Creed in the very same cage. Millers’ allegiance was up in the air. Evidently there was none. Miller was an equal opportunity ass kicker, laying waste to any wrestler from either side that dared to cross his path. It boiled down to a wild melee with Geter and Miller beating the living hell out of each other and the announcement they would meet in the main event at Sacred Ground.
This year’s War Games had the traditional two ring cage with the added twist of the ropes being removed from one ring. The kicker was the surprise addition of Miller vs. Creed, which turned out to be the best match on the card.
Attendance was 200 at the start and swelled to over 300 by the time the main events hit the ring for what was essentially a free even save one row of ringside seats. Being it was held outdoors with a high percentage of casual fans, the heat was nothing compared to a typical PCW show at the adjacent arena.
To their credit, I thought this year’s event did a better overall job of sustaining the fans’ attention as well or better than their previous July 4 shows. It was constructed with care to maximize the strengths and minimize weaknesses of the current roster. PCW knows how to work with what they have to tell a good story.
(1) David Tita defeated Chris Henry in 9:42.Tita knows how to throw a good pro wrestling punch and does a neat hiptoss slam. Tita used a Boston crab submission. Tita missed a flying knee and Henry went to work on it, setting up a Sharpshooter. For the finish, Henry missed the Hyperstrike and Tita nailed him with a Busaiko knee strike ala the artist now known as Hideo Atami. I've been impressed by Tita lately.
(2) Eric Jones defeated Cameron Jackson in a no DQ match at 11:45. A good match that may have gotten a better reaction with more explanation. Jackson (fka CJ Awesome) had injured Jones in a heinous attack at a prior show. Booker/play-by-play announcer Matt Hankins referenced this but I don’t think the point really got the across. Jones was a house of fire early. Jackson used his superior bulk and power to take control. Jones came back to pin Jackson with a frogsplash.
Jones received a hug from a fired-up Hankins after the match.
(3) Tag Team Season Match: Washington Bullets (with Stephen Scarborough fka Stephen Platinum) defeated Marko Polo & Gil Quest in 13:30. Platinum was wearing a ridiculous wig. He queried the toothless wonder at ringside about how she was managing to chew her popcorn. Quest showed his versatility. He was much better as a babyface than I expected. The momentum turner saw Trey superkick a crotched Quest, then catch Polo off guard with another one. The action got wild and wooly after the hot tag. They built to a big spot that slow in developing as referee “Grandpa Booker” Darryl Howe took a lassez faire attitude about getting illegal guys out of the ring. Scarborough gave Trey the powder and he caught Marko squarely in the eyes with it for a great visual.
Postmatch -- Scarborough was unbelievably obnoxious. Triumphantly marching around like he was Santino Marella.
Devlin Valek was introduced for a match that never happened. “Reverend” Dan Wilson spit the red mist into Valek’s eyes, kicked him in the nuts and generally continued the humiliation. Rev said Valek was a a pretender to his throne of evilness, a usurper in a Hot Topic outfit, a copycat walking in his shadow. The guy has a way with words -- “What are those things with big black wings coming to take me away?”
(4) Stunt Marshall defeated Damien Silva in 11:58. Really good match for this spot on the show -- a combination of savvy booking and talent rising to the occasion. Marshall and Silva brought the intensity and akin to a real fight. The action was stiff and crisp. They made clever use of both rings including a top rope European forearm from one ring to the other. Marshall hit a falcon arrow and top rope elbow to the back of Silva. Silva rallied with a spinebuster but Marshall got his knees up on Silva’ sfrogsplash and scored the pinfall with the jumping knee to the base of the neck.
Jeff G. Bailey said Miller had been recruited by both side for the War Games. Bailey admitted that Cornerstone were his friends, but the people loved Miller and Bailey wasn’t about to cheat for him. Bailey said Miller had unfinished business with Creed and lobbied for a cage match. Hankins didn’t need any convincing. The booking made perfect sense given that Creed ran away during their last match and took off in his car.
Intermission to set up the cage…
(5) Gunner Miller (with Jeff G. Bailey) defeated Logan Creed (with Brooklyn Page) in 15 minutes. The PCW blowoff for the feud that been one of the pleasant surprises of 2016. Back and forth action, power vs. power and everything looked solid. All of their matches have been good and this was their best. Miller gave Creed an overhead belly-to-belly suplex from one ring to another, Miller then sent Creed into the cage a few times but no blood. Creed drilled Miller with a pair of high boots while Miller was helplessly trapped on the apron. Miller hit a floatover DDT – a nice addition to his arsenal. Creed took a rare trip the top rope and missed a top rope splash. Miller power slammed Creed like was a cruiserweight. Creed with a chokebreaker for a near fall. Miller hit a german suplex but Creed popped up strong style and leveled Miller with a lariat. They popped the crowd with false finishes – Miller with a spear and Creed with the elevated full nelson face plant. Creed headed for the door. Bailey jumped up to keep it shut. Brooklyn grabbed a snack tray and blasted Bailey in the back with it. As Brooklyn tried to open the door, Miller hit Creed from behind and the momentum sent Brooklyn flying off the apron. That was some kind of bump. Creed tried to climb out. Miller ran up the ropes for an avalanche belly to belly suplex ala Angle and hit the CTE for the win.
(6) Revolutionary War Games between Team PCW (Geter & Brian Blaze & Johnny Danger & Kevin Park & Quasi Mandisco & Supernatural & Brian Kane) and Cornerstone (Carpenter & Trevor Aeon * Washington Bullets & Bill the Butcher & Stephen Scarborough’s masked minions) was a no contest culminating in a crazy pull apart brawl between Geter and Gunner Miller. PCW plays it fast and loose with the traditional War Games rules. Entrances are random order with the first guy entering after two minutes intstead of the standard five. As previously mentioned, the ropes were removed from one ring. Carpenter and Blaze started. The order of entrances was Aeon, Park, Butcher, Bullets (with Scarborough), Danger, Mandisco, Scarborough’s masked mystery men (3), Geter, Supernatural, Kane and Miller. Butcher decided to enter with a dive from the top of cage. More guts than sense for a guy that big. The cage was shaking. Butcher slipped as he flew and lucky not to break something. Danger brought a can full of plunder and did a number on Cornerstone until the number game (and his trick knee) got to him. Mandisco pulled Scarborough’s wig off for a big pop. Mandisco cleaned house with Dusty elbows before succumbing to the onslaught of Scarborouugh’s minions. Mandisco ended up bleeding buckets all over his white pants. His blood was everywhere. Geter entered beating the bejeezus out of Cornerstone with a kendo stick. Geter powerbombed some poor soul from one ring into the other. Geter took Cornerstone to Choke Slam City. It started to rain but not hard enough to deter the crowd. Carpenter begged Geter for mercy allowing Scarborough to low blow him from behind. The returning Supernatural and Kane entered with stereo moonsaults off the top of the cage. Kane’s moonsault was said to be real beauty. I totally missed it because I watching Supernatural and that was pretty ugly. Miller entered the cage and started wasting anyone and everyone that stepped into his path. Scarborough took off running with Danger after him. The other competitors cleared out of the cage leaving Geter and Miller beating the crap out of each other. They were finally pulled apart with the crowd chanting “let them fight”.
Hankins announced Geter vs. Miller for Sacred Ground 7 on September 17.
