WrestleWatch- FWA Resolution 4

Another day, another Aussie wrestling promotion throws their hat into the ring on FITE. We've had PWA, MCW, PCW and now FWA. Based in the Sydney area, Future Wrestling Australia boasts an array of talent from around New South Wales, as well as a few interstate imports for this special anniversary event. Some talent I'm familiar with due to their work in PWA, such as Sam Osborne, the Velocities and Carter Deams. Others I know mainly from Rock N Roll Wrestling, such as Eric Fisher, Big Fudge and Jay Sorbet. Then there's some talents that I know next to nothing about, and look forward to seeing what they can bring on this internationally broadcast showcase.

I would have liked to attend, but it's a fair bit of a trip to Dural Country Club, and it's going down on a Sunday afternoon. I really don't fancy starting my work week off tired from hours of driving, so thank god for FITE!

Let's do this!

The Show

The show opens with a polished intro video before going to the ring announcer, who introduces FWA owner, Five Star Flash. Flash hypes up the crowd for the first time on FITE, then introduces FWA Women's Champion Xena. I try and keep these reviews professional, but good lord she is attractive. Flash presents Xena with a new title belt, and the crowd briefly chants, "Xena Two Belts", but Flash takes the old belt.

Match 1: No. 1 Contenders Match- Cowboy Chris Abbott vs. Craven vs. Carter Deams

Damn, Deams is over! Not a full house, but the people there are loud and rowdy. The match starts with Craven hitting Abbott with a superkick. Deams soon gets the advantage with some hard kicks along the apron. Craven goes for a electric chair driver, but Deams fights out and hits a powerbomb, followed by the scissors kick for a near fall. Craven successfully takes down Abbott with the electric chair driver for a near fall. The sound was unbearable for about half the match, making it hard to appreciate the action here with the headache I was getting. Ultimately, Abott hits a twisting slam on Craven to put him away.

Winner: Cowboy Chris Abbott

Star Rating: ***. High energy, action and intensity. If I was there live I'd probably be cheering my little heart out. As it is, I'm looking for a Panadol. Hopefully, FWA get their production together here!

Ring announcer mic still quite patchy in between matches.

Match 2: Mercury Battle Royal

Massive Q emerges as a big threat but everyone gangs up on him to get the elimination. Wildcard entrants are The Bachelor of Rock N Roll fame and Scott Green, who is immediately eliminated. Final 4 are Eric Fisher, Vinnie Vain, James Sly Silver, and the Bachelor. Final two are Fisher and Vain.

Parker Tomas pushes them out and grabs a mic. PT is confronted by Five Star Flash. Flash adds Fisher and Vain to the FWA Mercury title match. Fatal 4 Way match, playa!

Winner: None

Star Rating: **. Standard battle royal, and the predictable trope of the heel champion not wanting either challenger, and getting both instead.

Match 3: The Velocities (Jude London & Paris De Silva) vs. Piracy (The Buccaneer & Cesar) vs. Tyson Reed & Scott Green

Ben Braxton is apparently on house arrest, so Green, who was hanging around ringside after his battle royal elimination, gets a shot at some ring time after all.

Buccaneer frequently uses his partner Cesar as a weapon, and the Velocities take a page from that book later in the match, even throwing referee John Anderson at their opponents in a funny spot.

Late in the match, Green hits Jude with a rolling Stunner. Buccaneer slams Green down, then presses Cesar onto Green for the win!

Winners: Piracy

Star Rating: ***. Constant activity, especially from the Velocities, who are the best tag team in Australia in my opinion. The antics of Piracy were pretty fun, and Reed and Green were impressive in their short spurts too.

Match 4: Road To Glory- Rochelle Rogue vs. Tarlee vs. Skylar Cruise vs. Broderick Valentine

I never realised how tall Tarlee was, and she plays the powerhouse well here, booting down Skylar Cruise and hitting a double flapjack on Rogue with the help of Valentine. Blistering chops traded by Tarlee and Brody, before stereo cross bodies from Rogue and Cruise wipe them out.

Everyone takes turns swigging rum and hulking up, ala Cesar in the previous help. Piers makes the Popeye reference, it's good shit. The rum ultimately affects everyone but Rochelle, who gets near falls on everyone. Rogue takes it to Tarlee, hitting a low clothesline for a near fall that is broken up by Brody. Rochelle and Skylar square off, and Rochelle locks in a version of Cattle Mutilation for the quick tap!

Winner: Rochelle Rogue

Star Rating: ***. Much like the previous match, everything was "go, go, go", with little, if any time for anything to breathe, but it was a rollercoaster. The rum spot popped me, and I really want to see more from Tarlee after this showing, she has an imposing presence! Crazy how good Rochelle Rogue is too, being so young.

Match 5: FWA Tag Team Championship- SMS (Unsocial Jordan & Aaron Jake) vs. Donnie Mako & Rhys Angel (c)

Aaron with an early takedown on Mako, but quickly gets vicious with it with some brutal chops. Angel and Jordan in for a battle of the sharp dressed men. Aaron saves Jordan from a double suplex attempt from the champs. A brawl spills out to ringside. Back in the ring, a slingshot tope by Mako on Jordan for a near fall.

Audio has improved ever so slightly, but still quite dodgy. Definitely hampering my enjoyment of this show, even when the wrestling is solid. I was forced to briefly mute the stream during the Mercury Battle Royal, it was that bad. SMS beat down Mako and prevent a tag to Angel. Deep stack pin by Jordan gets a long 2 count.

Aaron Jake tags in to continue the punishment on Mako. Mako fights out of a double suplex attempt and plants Aaron with a DDT. Hot tag to Angel who takes out both members of SMS with great fire. Huge cutter on Aaron by Angel for a razor close near fall. Later, Jordan and Angel fight to the back, leaving Aaron and Mako alone in the ring. Leaping kick by Aaron gets a long 2 count.

Jordan and Angel re-emerge wearing each other's shirts somehow. Angel wearing Jordan's shirt confuses AJ, allowing Mako and Angel to hit a spike Air Raid Crash for the win!

Winners: Rhys Angel & Donnie Mako

Star Rating: ***1/4. Probably the most polished match so far, with good chemistry between all four wrestlers.

Match 6: FWA Heavyweight Championship- Sam Osborne vs. Big Fudge (c)

Osborne is the reigning PWWA Championship, but here at FWA, Fudge is the Big Dog. The Tribal Chief. The Head Of The Table. There's a comment from the crowd about referee Ando being on the job for Osborne's match, but I don't think PWA storylines are canon here, despite the talent crossovers.

Early takedown and a 1 count by Osborne as commentary touts him as one of the best talents in Australia. Fudge goes for a finger snap but Osborne just chops him down. Fudge goes for a couple of quick pin attempts with the crucifix and sunset flip, but the Prize Bull kicks out.

Osborne takes back control over the champ. He works over the arms and shoulders of Fudge. Fudge goes for the chokeslam but Osborne fights out with some well placed kicks. He turns his attack to the legs of Fudge. A surgical attack by the challenger. Inside cradle by Fudge gets a sudden super-close near fall!

Sugar Rush by Fudge and Osborne is reeling. Fudge goes for the Butt Punch but Osborne moves and applies the rolling kneebar. Fudge makes the ropes. Audio issues creep in again as Osborne hits the Mosman Driver for a great near fall. Fudge rallies with the Butt Punch, Chokeslam and a Code Red for the win!

Winner: Big Fudge

Star Rating: ***1/4. Good action with two guys who are familiar with each other. Weird seeing Fudge beat Osborne that decisively!

Post-match, Cowboy Chris Abbott hits the ring and takes out Big Fudge. He's the next man in line!

INTERMISSSION. Wait, the sound is perfect in this throwback match they're putting on now between Rochelle Rogue and Cesar. So what the heck is the issue now?

Match 7: FWA Women's Championship- Caveman Ugg vs. Xena (c)

Wait, this isn't the main event? So if both major title matches aren't the main event... is the Five Star Flash match the main event? Just because... he's the owner? Lovely. On a positive note, audio is marginally better. Rochelle Rogue joins the commentary team for some scouting.

Xena slaps Ugg and goes for the back rake, but Ugg enjoys it and asks for more! A running headscissors takes Ugg off his feet, but a tilt a whirl arm drag attempt is easily blocked by the Caveman. Ugg slings Xena across the ring with ease, and the champ is in trouble!

Ugg catapults Xena into the turnbuckle for a good near fall. Ugg continues to beat down the champ, and it seems like a matter of time. Xena fights back with a rana off the ropes, but Ugg immediately responds with the Cave In stomp. Xena somehow manages to kick out! She comes back with incredible leg strength with a monkey flip, followed by a huge Code Red for a 2.99 count! Ugg looks for a Ugg Splash bomb, but Xena drops behind. Ugg goes for a low blow, but it is ineffectual. So Xena returns fire below the belt, followed by a roll up for the win!

Winner: Xena

Star Rating: ***1/2. Great David (or Danielle?) vs. Goliath story here. Xena was an effective underdog, hitting spots at the right times and selling like, well, a champ.

Match 8: FWA Mercury Championship- Eric Fisher vs. Kid Valiant vs. Vinnie Vain vs. Parker Tomas (c)

All three challengers tee off off Tomas with punches, followed by a triple superkick. Later, Kid Valiant and PT team up to take out Fisher and Vain. Let the bodies hit the floor! Famasser by PT on Valiant gets a near fall. Fisher goes for the Fisherman suplex, but Vain counters with a swinging neckbreaker for a 2 count.

Parker gets the best of a Tower of Doom spot. The champ gets near falls on everyone. They fight to the outside and Kid Valiant wipes out everyone with a senton! Fisher hits the Fisherman Supex but PT breaks up the pin. Tomas with a brainbuster on Fisher, but Vain throws him out of the ring and covers for the 3!

Winner: Vinnie Vain

Star Rating: ***1/2. Great action, and the crowd and commentary team seemed to be having a blast with this!

Five Star Flash comes out and says it's not ending there. He says the three of them are going to wrestle again for a brand new championship.

Match 9: FWA Jupiter Championship- Eric Fisher vs. Kid Valiant vs. Parker Tomas

Fisher immediately knocks PT off the apron and hits Valiant with the O'Connor roll for the 1-2-3!

Winner: Eric Fisher

Star Rating: *****. The King Fish breaks through! Good shit, pal!

An irate VInnie Vain returns to the ring and calls Fisher "public enemy no. 1"

As the ring announcer goes to introduce the main event, the microphone stops working. Man, the audio is the biggest heel on this show!

Main Event: Five Star Flash vs. Edward Dusk vs. Adam Brooks

Dusk boots Flash out of the ring and turns his attention to Brooksy. Fantastic chain wrestling exchange that ends in a stalemate. Dusk and Brooks go into tackle- drop down sequence, but Brooks wipes Dusk out of the air mid leap frog with a single leg dropkick. Fivey takes on Brooks, sitting him on a chair and hitting him with a running chop at ringside.

Brooksy avoids another chop attempt and gets back in the ring to go at Dusk. Dusk starts laying the shots in. Flash back in with a missile dropkick on Dusk for a near fall. Brooks wipes out Fivey, then Dusk launches Brooksy with a German suplex. Everyone slowly gets up trading strikes. Dusk gets taken to the outside,Brooks smashes Fivey with a dropkick, goes for a brainbuster but Flash counters with a stunner for a near fall!

Flash gets cleared from the ring, allowing Brooks and Dusk to trade more hard strikes. Brooks hits a over the knee brainbuster, followed by the Swanton, but Fivey gets back in and throws out the Loose Ledge! Fivey up top with a Frog Splash and that's all she wrote!

Winner: Five Star Flash

Star Rating: ***1/2. Quality main event, with Brooks showing why he's one of the best talents Australia has. So unfortunate that he lost his ROH deal, but you can tell he's motivated to make a statement worldwide with the energy that he brings! First time seeing both Five Star Flash and Edward Dusk, but they were both interesting and impressive in their own ways.

Overall Thoughts

The second half of the show was much stronger than the first. I mean, you kind of want a card to build and trend in that direction, but in this case, the first half was plagued by production/sound issues. The effort from the wrestlers was great, but the production made it damn near unwatchable. After intermission, it was a lot better- still not very good, but at least it was tolerable. Being the first outing on FITE, hopefully FWA can get that right next time.

Overall Score: 6/10

Until next time, take care.

Mick