By Mark Worrall@hoohoowozza
Cadbury Club, Birmingham, 18/08/2018
The show opens with Kamikaze Pro General Manager Colin Russell-Ames inviting current Kamikaze Pro Champion Clint Margera to the ring. His reasoning, simply to ask him why he received help from Luke Douglas and why he asked for his help. Clint responds by stating that he did not ask for the Kamikaze Pro Live champion’s help which in turn encourages Luke to come to the ring telling the Kamikaze crowd, and Colin that he helped because he wants to reach the top ranks of Kamikaze Pro, and where better to start than with the current champion! Former champion Kay Jutler and Tristan Archer also make their way to the ring and what follows is the set up for the evening’s main event with both the latter facing the two champions in a no-DQ tag team match.
GABRIEL KIDD v EDDIE DENNIS
Terrific way to open up a show, this opener had plenty of humour alongside some excellent wrestling. Eddie reverting back to his face persona calling Kidd a silly sausage opened up the ‘Tinky Winky’ chants that plagued the Nottingham native throughout the match. Kidd’s current run in Kamikaze Pro as a heel, for me does not suit his character. Trying not to be negative, and taking nothing away from Kidd. His whole body language and his appearance cry babyface, and whilst he portrayed a babyface when he first burst onto the Kamikaze scene, this character change needs a little refinement as his role of babyface suits him to a tee! However, his wrestling his second to none and there are elements of a heelish nature working through throwing the taunts of ‘You shouldn’t have quit your job’ at the Welshman who was simply great throughout and it is no surprise that his stock on the British wrestling scene is so high. Kidd picked up the win with a ref distraction that helps him keep the heat as he grows this persona. Both these guys nailed the opener.
ELLIOTT JORDAN v VISAGE
Visage replaced Dave Mastiff who had been originally scheduled for this match and Jordan took to controlling his opponent from the start sending Visage strong into the turn buckle on several occasions as Visage sold the back well throughout against Jordan who continues to rise through the Kamikaze ranks, continuing to antagonise the crowd who, one feels really enjoy his character work and maybe a matter of time until the Kamikaze fans start to get behind him. Actually Jordan nailed Visage with an excellent Northern Lights suplex that received applause responding to an accurately executed move. A last minute replacement no doubt, Visage allowed Jordan to control the match, selling a little too well with a knee injury that Jordan ignored, I’m guessing was not part of the match! Jordan put away his opponent, securing the win planting the ‘Streamlined Aerodriver’ and followed up by attacking Visage post match only for Sean Devine, one of the Pro Live stars to come to the aid of Visage.
NO FUN DUNNE v CHRIS TYLER
In my notes I wrote ‘Great’ after this match had ended, and it was definitely that. Not many shenanigans from Dunne, and not a lot of crowd interaction from the Anti Fun police leader either has Dunne kept his serious head on showed he is not just a gimmick as he and Tyler shared a great back and forth match that had plenty of pace throughout and thoroughly entertained the viewing audience. Tyler’s brainbuster was the perfect set up to put Dunne away as the match reached a close, however Dunne’s awareness enabled him to roll away from the 450 splash from Tyler leaping from the top turnbuckle that enabled Dunne to pick up the win. Once again, great.
KENNY KILBANE v JACK STARZ
Match of the night for me! Kilbane is a big man, portraying the big ‘bad’ man character and immediately berates the locals in an attempt to garner heat. Still a young man Kilbane can be a little sloppy at times, which is only to be expected for a man of his size! However, Kilbane nailed it on this show, controlling the former tag champion Starz from the start, dominating the match until Starz mounted a comeback, working his backside off throughout the match has Kilbane simply allowed him the offence making Starz look like a million dollars! Yes Starz looked and felt like a star, pardon the pun! Starz performance in this match was outstanding, never giving up he planted a German suplex on KIlbane at the third attempt and securing the win with a swinging neckbreaker. This match really hit the mark as both wrestlers over performed and really put on a perfect big man, little man match! Awesome.
HUNTER BROTHERS V NEVER BEEN WASTEMEN (ROY JOHNSON/MARSHALL X)
First semi-final of the Kamikaze Pro tag team tournament with both teams working babyface which even now I find a little difficult to watch Marshall X hi-fiving the crowd! Hunters controlling the match to begin with, working on Marshall with their fast paced fluid tags until all four find themselves exchanging super kicks. Marshall finds himself nailing a blockbuster on Lee that awards him a near fall. However, the Hunters advance to the final double teaming to put the former Wastemen away! Good tag match with all four dabbing at the end!
DOMINITA v KANJI
Weighing over 300 pounds Dominita is expected to be very much more domineering over her much smaller opponent, for which she was, controlling the debuting Kanji and putting her away with a devastating Samoan drop, or so you could be led to believe has Dominita decided to have some fun with Kanji, pulling her up before the three count ended. This opened the door slightly for Kanji who relied on her legs to gain some offence on Dominita kicking her domineering opponent and putting her into a camel clutch which, obviously Dominita escaped. A valiant effort from Kanji who simply succumbed to the size difference falling victim to a pop up power bomb as Dominita picks up the win.
KAY JUTLER/TRISTAN ARCHER v CLINT MARGERA/LUKE DOUGLAS
Jutler, still angry from losing his championship at the 5th anniversary show interjected himself into this match that was originally a singles match between Margera and Archer. Jutler hit a couple of suicide dives from the off sending this match around the room as is usually the case in most Margera matches with at times two singles matches happening at the same time as all four used whatever props were available as weapons to put there opposing counterparts away. Jutler really was throwing out the offence as Douglas took most of the bumps including going through the announce table, and it would be Douglas who would take the fall with Jutler nailing a great Falcon Arrow on the youngster that ended this match. For me, Margera winning back the belt opens up the continual DQ type matches that seem to occur in most Kamikaze main events, and that is fine. However, Jutler is a really good technical wrestler, and his push with this promotion would be all the more beneficial if he had a terrific wrestling that did not include all the outside shenanigans that happened throughout this match! Good to see Archer back in a Kamikaze ring who is always a joy to watch. As for Luke Douglas, well he is a talent waiting to explode onto the British scene, not afraid to bump; this youngster has a bright future ahead of him.
Taking away the few small negatives, this was really an excellent show and probably the most enjoyable Kamikaze show I have attended this year. Some excellent performances with Jack Starz really standing out for me and GM Colin Russell-Ames trying to fool the audience into believing he is only 26! A great night, thank you Kamikaze Pro.
