Summers Gazette #35: Xmas Tidings

Xmas Tidings 2019

By the order of Team Madness, welcome once again to the Summers Gazette, the only rag you’ll ever need to get your fix of CPW action. All matches are available with commentary on CPW on Demand in case you missed them. I must say right off the bat, thank you to those in attendance. You were one of the most hyped crowds we have had in a long time as you cheered your heroes and booed your enemies. It was fitting really as the action was just as hyped as the fans, especially that ending which I will get to in time. We came to you once again from the Hagard Centre in Willenhall, a place with a high ceiling and now high stakes for what is going to happen at our next show. Special thanks to UK Wrestling Media for shooting our show and getting some great photos of us all in action.

The main attraction of this show was the CPW Prison. That 15ft high Steel Cage, the demonic structure that contains the competitors and keeps interference out. We had 3 matches spanning the first half which all took place inside the CPW Prison. Both of the main event combatants for the big Xmas Bash in both of their allocated Pick your Poison matches as in our opener we had the Number one contender for the CPW Lineal Heavyweight championship, Morris, taking on the Nextgen heavyweight champion James Cross inside the CPW Prison. These two men are no strangers to each other after the controversial finish to the main event of Superstars Project 3 Part 2 after James and Emma Cross teamed to face the team of Lucia Lee and Morris. Morris was out for revenge after being made to pass out from the Cross Face. A few of us got into the ring to revive Morris and when he came to, he didn’t know where he was but sat up just in time to see James holding up the Nextgen championship towards him in defiance, but now was his chance to get even. No Emma at ringside and no place for James to run.

Both men came out and the crowd were about deafening right from the off, as recently the NBO army has gotten bigger and they are just as vocal and enthusiastic as the original group. That’s a force for anyone to deal with and Will has felt their fire before and now anyone who gets in the ring with Morris will face it too. James made the mistake of trying to win a popularity contest with Morris as they both flexed on the cage corners, but James took advantage of this and attacked Morris while his back was turned, gaining an early advantage and hitting a German Suplex on Morris. Morris reversed and attacked James in the corner, finishing with a 10 punch in the corner before throwing him down for a pin, scoring a 2 count. He pulled James up and went for a stunner which was countered and turned into another German Suplex. Cross then tried to get out of the cage, but his killer instinct brought him back in to punish Morris. Morris had been given sufficient recovery time and caught James on the way back in. They brawled to the side of the cage and both climbed up. They both fell off, collapsing in a heap, but James tried to get the shock win by locking in the Cross Face on Morris. Morris didn’t want a repeat of Superstars 3 part 2 and broke out, fought to his feet and hit the stunner before defiantly walking out of the cage to pick up the win. This was a fantastic opener and gave Morris fantastic momentum going into the Xmas Bash in his campaign to get the CPW Lineal Heavyweight title.

Next, we had our second of three cage matches. The CPW Women’s title match between the returning challenger Nadia Sapphire and Lucia Lee in a rematch from Superstars 2 where Lucia lost for the first time. She was annoyed and frustrated at the loss and has strived to improve ever since and you can see the visible results with her tear of success over the last year. Nadia came out as obsessed with herself and how she looks as ever, possibly taking Lucia a bit lightly because she has beaten her in the past, thinking this would be a walkover and another title reign in the bag. Nadia tried to bolt from the cage early and Lucia caught her, smacking her around the cage. Nadia cut her off and suplexed her firmly which got a 2 count. Nadia kept working on Lucia with strikes before locking in an armbar and controlling her around the ring before choking her against the cage. Lucia fights back with her heavy strikes and knocking her down to get a 2 count. Lucia climbs in the corner and Nadia tries to pursue but Lucia climbed up the cage, turned around and threw herself at Nadia with a high cross body which got another 2 count. Nadia was left dazed as Lucia clawed her way up and over the top of the cage, hopped over and managed to fight off Nadia to get to the floor to get the win and retain her title. Lucia has got herself some retribution after the loss to Nadia in her second singles match but has shown once again what a dominant force she is. There is still one major person that Lucia has not managed to deal with but she has her own problem to deal with.

Our next match was to close the first half with a rematch from earlier in the year where Will Starr took on Kevin Isaac in the second Pick your Poison match. Will lost his CPW Heavyweight title after Dominic Dewinter turned the tables on him and allowed a free for all on Will. This was his chance for revenge after Kevin lost the belt to Niall Fairchild at History 6 and this was where any cronies Kevin has can not get in and Kevin could not escape without completely taking Will out.

Kevin jumped Will as he got into the cage and chased after him as they brawled on the floor, leading to Will taking a slam on the wooden tiles. They fought back inside and Will was thrown in, where Kevin had the cage door slammed on his head. In anger, Kevin darted in, holding his tenderised skull and jumped on Will, hoisted him up and smashed him into the cage. Kevin tries to escape on a couple of occasions but Will stopped him. Kevin fired back with chops in the corners but Will cut him off before hitting a Stun Gun into the cage, a move I’ve never seen him do before, and went for a hi cross body which was dodged. Will crashed in the ring and Kevin picked Will up and hit a crucifix bomb right in the middle of the ring which scored a 2 count. Kevin was frustrated and tried to get out of the cage again. Will caught him once more and dropkicked Kevin into the cage, tying up his leg. He got loose in time to stop Will as they brawl on the cage top. They fought down into the ring area and Kevin hit Will with a back suplex from the cage which still only got a 2 count. Kevin was angry as he tried to put Will away which resulted in a criss-cross, ending in both men hitting a clothesline at the same time. They shook off the cobwebs and went for the cage again. Kevin was knocked off and Will shuffled to the corner where he was in prime position to hit the Big Elbow and he got it and picked up the 3 count for the win. Will Starr is storming towards Xmas Bash for his date with destiny, defending his CPW Lineal Championship against Morris.

Next, we had our break with UK Wrestling Media doing photos for our fans for fan access with some of our stars. While this was going on we stripped the cage and put it aside ready for our second half and more traditional matches.

We opened up the second half as the CPW Tag Team Champions the 666 Pack, Dave and Lyon taking on George Lydon and a mystery partner. The 666 Pack came out and started berating George, saying he has no friends and no one wants to team with him. I announced for his mystery partner to reveal himself and it was none other than Kieran Young, George’s former G6 comrade. The 666 Pack were visibly shaken by this eventuality as they hadn’t reckoned on George even getting a partner. These are the highlights.
The match was almost over quickly, as George almost rolled one of the 666 for the pin off the bat. They responded in time by firing back with a double Manhattan Drop into a savage clothesline which levelled George. Kieran Young came in and fought back with a pair of clotheslines and tried to finish it with a tombstone but Dread slipped out of it. Lyon was tagged in as Kieran was greeted with a big boot which took him down, before being double teamed in the corner by men, kicking and choking Kieran on the floor as George desperately tried to get in. After a desperate struggle, Kieran managed to break free and tag in George who let loose with a flurry of flying kicks, sending bodies flying and managing to get a 2 count on Lyon before Dread broke it up. The whole match devolved into carnage and in the confusion, George managed to snag a surprise roll-up to get the win. George Lydon and Kieran Young, now known as the Living Proof are your new Tag Team Champions. This was a shock after the sound and strong way the 666 won the Tag Team Titles, but it just goes to show, you never underestimate any opponent in that ring. Kieran has won his first gold in CPW in years and George has won his 4th championship in his time here, so good on you friend, let’s hope you hold onto those belts for a while and keep them out of the hands of those who would oppose you.

Next, we had the ladies match as Kat von Kaige took on the returning Violet O’Hara. Violet wrestled in CPW years ago and had a chance at the Women’s championship but could never get it. The first thing you’ll notice is her stature. At 4’ 9” she is the shortest adult female wrestler on the circuit today. Kat has been on a tear since coming to CPW and was originally set to take on Natalie Wild in a match for the CPW Lineal Women’s Championship, but was not able to make it. Kat was most upset about this and made her thoughts clear before the match started, saying how she should be there to snatch the title from Natalie and instead she’s facing Violet. Violet did not take kindly to this as she charged out of the block and took out Kat with a big dropkick. The assault was fast and relentless for the opening part of the match, but Kat used her trickery to turn the tides. Kat’s slow and deliberate attacks took their toll on Violet but she kept fighting on, answering back with a couple of very athletic neck breakers. It came to a head when Kat lured Violet outside the ring and they brawled out there and after a cheap swerve Kat got in and beat the 10 count, leaving Violet out in the cold. Kat picks up the win and her undefeated run stays intact. Kat is by far the biggest threat to every title in the women’s division as even Lucia Lee has fallen to her. Natalie needs to be careful as the Vintage Villainess is making her impact and everyone so far has fallen to her, and quite possibly that lovely white leather belt will go with her regalia nicely. So Nat, Lucia, get ready for your sternest challenges to date as the burlesque princess is as much go as she is show.

Next was the 2nd Semi-Final of the Ruler of the Galaxy Tournament match as Team Madness’ Bashby taking on the Masked Man of Mystery, Apollo Vela. Team Madness had a beef with this guy as he beat Dr Gage in the first match and tried to tear his arm out of the socket. Leyton, Gage and I all took our places at the side of the ring to get the crowd behind Bashby which worked a treat. Bashby fought with his usual style of speed, striking and agility again the Lucha libre skills of Vela. It was an exciting match and most of it was spent with Vela in control with those powerful wear-down holds. Bashby fought out of every hold and tried to finish it up with the superkick but Apollo dodged it and locked on the armbar which gave Bashby no option but to tap out. Apollo wouldn’t let go so Leyton Simms charged in and got his injured arm wrenched on by Vela as Gage and I had to save him but Vela shambled away. We had to get Bashby and Leyton to the back to get them patched up Dr Gage looked after them but the show had to go on with our next contest.

Our next match was big news as it was the 5-way elimination match for the number one contendership spot for the CPW Heavyweight Championship. 4 previous Champions were competing in this match, or that was the original plan. Kieran Young had given up his spot to go after the tag titles with George, so his spot was taken by Team Madness’ own Dr Gage. Mr Ace, Tommbie, Fifi and Niall Fairchild were also competing in the match and here’s how they got this chance. Dr Gage was a last-minute replacement in the right place at the right time so CPW Management gave him a crack at glory. Tommbie was given the shot for his achievements as Nextgen Heavyweight champion and it was in recognition of all of his efforts this year, including his huge win over Cara Noir. Niall Fairchild lost the CPW Heavyweight championship and should have been owned a return match anyway, but he decided to take the warrior’s path and fight for it fairly and with honour. Fifi got his chance after losing the Nextgen Heavyweight title to James Cross and this was his shot at the big time too. Lastly, we had Mr Ace who had lost the CPW Heavyweight Title to Jimmy Vice at Superstars 3 Part 2 thanks to the interference of Iron Serb, and this was his chance to get back into the picture.

The winner of this match would be the last person standing to not be pinned or made to submit. No DQ and no count-out as well as no excuses. This whole match was fast-paced as Mr Ace, still not exactly in the good books of the CPW Galaxy despite what happened to him was quickly the first one eliminated. Dr Gage was next to be eliminated, followed by Fifi, which ended in a showdown between Tommbie and Niall Fairchild. Tommbie tried to end it but couldn’t get Niall into the Occult Assault as Niall managed to counter before ending the match with 2 Natural Disasters. Niall Fairchild is your number one contender for the CPW Heavyweight title once again. This is the grudge match we wanted to see. We didn’t see Niall get his return match again Mr Ace, but in fairness, Jimmy had won his Number One contender’s spot months before and we knew one day these two would clash over that title. Kevin Isaac was champion when Jimmy got his shot and admittedly he was very patient to wait for it and it paid off. Now comes the clash of the titans at the Big Xmas Bash. Will the Miracle on Wyken Croft happen or will Niall’s hope die hard?

This last match was the grudge match from Superstars Season 1 as Rob Conflict, the California Dreamboat took on the Benidorm Playboy Jake Casanova. This match was built up for a long time as Jake lost the first time they met, and being a triple crown winner he did not want to take this lying down. Words were exchanged and opinions shared, this was going to be a classic. I highly recommend this being watched on CPW On Demand as it is a classic example of old school vs new school to see the direction CPW is taking with its array of new talent. Jake’s experience paid off in the early going as he managed to take control over Rob with a variety of holds, but Rob managed to battle out of it and use his chicanery to bypass what Jake was doing and fire back. Rob tried for a Famouser but it didn’t work and they kept on fighting until Rob managed to wrangle Jake to where he caught him and finished him off with the Skull Crushing Finale to pick up the win and get their series 2-0.

I have been brief with this one because the match is secondary to the main talking point. It was the emotional part afterwards that captured the hearts of the CPW Galaxy. Jake asked for the Microphone and I passed it to him. He stood in the ring and told us something heartbreaking. He first said that CPW would be in good hands with the likes of Conflict at the helm and he had nothing to worry about. It was at this time that he announced his retirement from wrestling as his wife Becki is expecting their second child and he wanted to take some time out to dedicate himself to raising the new baby. He then stated that as a result is going back to just being plain old Jake Sallabank now. He said it’s not goodbye, it’s more like see you later as he may come back one day and I hope we do, because on a personal note, Jake, you were one of the first members of the CPW roster to reach out to me when I came to my first show as a member of the roster. You’ve taught me a fair bit and you’ve always been a great friend, it’s been an honour to share the stage with you. We all celebrated the only way we know-how, and that’s to go crazy to Jake’s entrance music as he pulled some members of the roster and the crowd into the ring for one final fiesta. It was a wonderful send-off and we enjoyed every second, It’s the end of an era and the beginning of a new, so let’s keep looking forward and enjoy the memories Jake has given us. Once again, thank you, Jake, for everything, best wishes to you and your family.

Now was the big one, the feature presentation. The contract signing for the main event of the Big Xmas Bash on December 22nd. This was a big happening so myself and the referee crew got a table from the back to place the contract on, once again secretly concealed in my clipboard as we brought out guest GM Dale to the ring and as our special enforcer we brought out the SUPER one, Tornado to make sure that nothing happened between these two. The majority of the roster came out to survey what was going on as champion and challenger came to the ring. There was immediate tension as we had to keep them separate. Will Starr signed the contract very swiftly, seemingly to get it over with, but Morris didn’t follow suit and within moments they were in each other’s faces. Next, chaos ensued as it all turned into a massive brawl with bodies flying everywhere as we struggled to get the table out of the ring, there was carnage all over the place and everyone hitting everyone else. Thank you Tornado for stepping in and defending myself and Dale. The action spilt out of the ring in a hurry as we all went towards the back wall. The audience fled the scene as 20 or so burly men came charging at them, smacking each other in the process. During all of this, Will Starr climbed up the ladder and jumped off onto everyone on the floor below, a leap of around 15 feet which knocked down everyone for a good amount of time. Morris and Will were the first ones up and Morris got the better of their final exchange before signing the contract and leaving to the roar of the crowd as the rest of the roster picked themselves up and headed back to the dressing rooms.

That was the end of the show, the match was made, the scene was set, we were ready for the biggest main event of the year since History 6 and Elimination. It’s been a long wait and it’s almost here and I for one cannot wait for this to finally happen. Will we have a new champion, or will the rise of Will Starr continue?

We will see you at the Big Xmas Bash to find out, for now, this is Frankie Summers signing off, we shall see you at the Bash!