From Scott Hensley: The matches are set for the first round of the third Scenic City Invitational event occurring on August 4th an...
From Scott Hensley:
The matches are set for the first round of the third Scenic City Invitational event occurring on August 4th and 5th at East Hamilton Middle High School in Ooltewah, TN(just outside of Chattanooga).
Here's a look at the matches and what it will take for each competitor to be victorious.
1) Matt Lynch vs Joey Lynch
It's brother vs brother and who knows someone better than their brother, especially when they've faced off dozens and dozens of times in the past before finally becoming one of the most successful tag teams in the Southeast as The Lynch Mob. Joey has recently received more attention from bigger promotions but his style is very much high risk, high reward. Matt has darn near all the athleticism of Joey but works a slightly more calculated style. Matt has worked his share of big matches and this may be the biggest one to date - a chance to show the world he's not just Joey's brother; but instead his equal or his superior in the ring. They started out wrestling each other in the parking lot of a local Chattanooga show during intermission. They got ran off from doing that, so they jumped a fence and had their intermission matches over there. There's no slowing down either of these guys and this is sure to be an incredible match.
The Keys to Winning:
For Matt Lynch: He knows what's coming and he's got to counter it and answer back with his own surprises. He's got to find the holes in Joey's game and exploit them.
For Joey Lynch: He's more well known and probably more liked by the majority of the crowd. He's got to use that extra adrenaline rush to push himself to new limits that Matt has never seen.
2) Jason Kincaid vs Torque
Two exciting cruiserweights with very different styles. Kincaid established his excellence at NWA Smoky Mountain and has now carried his talents all over North America for dozens of different promotions wrestling some of the best wrestlers in the world. He's one of the most unique guys you'll ever see in a ring. Torque is an adrenaline junky good ol' Southern boy who isn't afraid of any opponent and who never gives up. He's faced local, regional, and National competitors of all shapes and styles with Georgia Premier Wrestling. I recently told someone that Torque was a "box-of-dynamite, compact Crash Holly, smashmouth wrestler." Both of these guys held championships for extended reigns so neither is a stranger on how to outwork, outlast, or outsmart an opponent.
The Keys to Winning:
For Jason Kincaid: He's got to go to the bag of tricks and keep Torque guessing. Kincaid can have a mean streak in him and it may take that and every effort in his small-framed body to put the hard-nosed Torque away.
For Torque: He's got to stick to the basics and keep Kincaid grounded. He's got to stay focused and dish out more than he takes to put Kincaid down for a 450 splash.
3) Dominic Garrini vs Arik Royal
Two tough guys who are looking to branch out and establish themselves in other areas. Royal is a just that in the Carolinas: a king of his scene. He's had a tremendous amount of success and built an impressive resume at one of the most respected promotions in North Carolina - CWF Mid-Atlantic that boasts an impressive alumni roster of No Way Jose, Trevor Lee, Andrew Everett, and a host of talented guests that have rotated through. Royal is an agile heavyweight that has a variety of ways he can beat an opponent and he'll need all of them as he goes up against Garrini. Dominic Garrini is a scary guy. You can look at him and tell that he's a guy that can genuinely hurt someone in the ring and his thousand yard stare puts every opponent on notice that he's not a guy to be taken lightly. He has training in disciplines outside of professional wrestling that he applies to the squared circle. He's the Sports in Sports Entertainment, and he's making a name for himself after being trained by NXT's Johnny Gargano.
The Keys to Winning:
For Arik Royal: He's got to rely on power. Slams, strikes, utilization of his body weight. He's going to need every bit of agility he can muster up to avoid the strikes of Garrini and get free from dangerous holds.
For Dominic Garrini: Garrini has got to avoid being thrown around. He's a compact guy and he's got to take Royal down, keep him down, and introduce him to a world of pain like only he can do with submissions and strikes.
4) Darby Allin vs Joey Janela
These guys are so similar in their fearless, death-defying styles that there's really no telling what they'll do to each other. Allin impresses everywhere he goes and has a skateboarding background that explains a lot of his willingness to try new things without the worry of injury or pain. Janela has proven he can hang with some of the best in wrestling and that he's most certainly an outside of the box thinker.
The Keys to Winning:
For Darby Allin & Joey Janela: The game plan is the same. Take your opponent out without taking yourself out in the process. How do you prepare for someone when your opponent is a talented wrestler who also has an unpredictability factor and zero fear in and out of the ring?
5) Shane Marx vs Gunner Miller
Marx is a decorated veteran of the Southeastern scene that captures audiences and inspires emotion with his deceptive athleticism and wrestling IQ. He holds victories over wrestlers of all sizes, styles, and experience levels. Miller is the returning champion from 2016, who was put out in the first round of 2015 by another cunning wrestling veteran. Miller has his college football background, his hometown crowd behind him, and another year of experience under his belt. He also has the coaching of his manager Jeff G Bailey, which should significantly help him close the experience gap.
The Keys to Winning:
For Shane Marx: Marx will have to outsmart two people to win the match, which he is more than capable of doing. Marx has stopped bigger, faster, and stronger trains in his career and has all the tools to formulaically wear Miller down and put him away.
For Gunner Miller: Miller is going to have to work harder and smarter vs Marx. His win in last year's tournament won't help him here. He'll need to rely on his scouting, his training, and the knowledge that Jeff G Bailey can impart upon him to overcome the crafty veteran Marx.
6) Curt Stallion vs Jason Cade
Two of the biggest rising stars in all of independent wrestling will face off in a battle of hard-hitting strikes and high-flying action. Stallion has become a road warrior, picking up victories and fans wherever he goes including Glory Pro, Southern Underground, and Ring of Honor. Jason Cade is one of the most athletic and impressive aerial artists in wrestling, having made his presence known throughout Florida, PWX, and PWG.
The Keys to Winning:
For Curt Stallion: He's got some knockout offense that will need to solidly connect with Cade to take him down and out. That may be like trying to nail jello to a wall. As a lean bodied guy, he's also got to avoid getting hit by the flying body and legs of Cade.
For Jason Cade: He's got to combo up and put Stallion in vulnerable positions when he takes flight. He's got to keep the distance between himself and Stallion to avoid the strikes and to be the one that closes the gaps with perfectly timed aerial assaults.
7) Gary Jay vs Anthony Henry
What's going to happen when two guys that never run out of gas tie each other in knots and knock the snot out of each other? Jay and Henry are on the roads or in the air each week in search of top notch competition, as they each try to make a name for themselves. Jay has earned some big opportunities and has impressed against respected opponents in the last couple of years. Henry took an 0-2 record during the first Scenic City Invitational and vaulted himself to opportunities up and down the East Coast - shining bright with big victories at PWX, Style Battle, and Evolve.
The Keys to Winning:
For Gary Jay: He's got to take advantage of the confidence that Henry has. Henry's confidence can leave gaps that someone with the drive and abilities of Jay can take advantage of. Jay will have to push himself to the full limit but he's used to doing that, which makes him even more dangerous.
For Anthony Henry: He's got a bit of a size advantage, which is something he doesn't always have. He's going to have a stronger strike and he'll need to rely on those being crisp and dead on to wear down someone that doesn't wear down easily.
8) Matt Riddle vs Tank
The former UFC competitor and the top prospect in independent wrestling returns to the Scenic City Invitational tournament, where he's been challenged by the winner of the Scenic City Rumble: Tank. Tank has said that win or lose this will be his last professional wrestling event so he won't be holding anything back, which should be downright frightening for Matt Riddle.
The Keys to Winning:
For Matt Riddle: As hard as Riddle can hit, I'm still not sure that will be the best strategy against a guy that I've seen mockingly bark "HARDER! HARDER! HARDER!" at people punching him in the head. He's got to take Tank down and work on the limbs. If Tank can't walk or can't punch or can't land a spinning back fist then his offense will be severely limited.
For Tank: With 20+ years of wrestling experience, he's got to use that IQ alongside his striking and utilization of his body weight to beat the win right out of Riddle. Tank has been in the ring with some of the hardest hitters, best technical wrestlers, and most heralded wrestlers on the independents and it's never scared him before. With his career on the line, he's got to give Riddle everything he's got and withstand the offense of his opponent to be victorious here.
We will also have a 6 man tag team match featuring The Carnies vs The Hierarchy and have some more special feature matches for night 2 that will be announced in the coming weeks, along with a bracket for the tournament.
Thanks for reading and I hope to see you at the events! Tickets are just $15 for floor seating or $10 for general admission and can be purchased by contacting DylanWaco@Gmail.com
