By Nathan P Hunt
HXC Wrestling returned to The Ritz in Manchester on May 1st for another night of eclectic action in one of their best events to date. Drawing a decent crowd of casual and die-hard fans alike, the atmosphere was suitably boisterous & electric for what proved to be a memorable and rewarding show. The company has always had an ECW-esque feel but with hardcore icon Sabu in the main event, this event served up a fitting & hugely entertaining homage to the widely missed 1990s organisation.
.jpg)
Opening the show strong, the team of Lad Banter
(Zack Gibson & Bubblegum) defeated The Bravehearts (Big Damo &
Joe Coffey) in a brilliant back-&-forth contest, followed by
promising local heel Mark Massa pinning Wild Boar in a basic but well
executed match.
This was followed up by Tommy End Vs Jigsaw, which was an absolutely excellent showcase of skill, psychology and show-stealing action. The overall best match of the card, this was equally brutal and beautiful in its execution. This & the match before it are going to be worth the cost of the DVD alone.
Sam Bailey & Iestyn Rees put together a solid match, but after being spoilt by the outstanding quality of the two previous matches, it was something of a lull in the show. This is in no way a criticism of the performers or the match itself, but the emotional rollercoaster of the two previous outings left the crowd feeling slightly flat. The atmosphere picked up in the aftermath of the match when local prodigy Ashton Smith chased off & then challenged Bailey to a ladder match at a future event.
Dave Rayne & DDL (dressed as Raven & Tommy Dreamer respectively - to further the ECW theme for the evening) faced off with The Blackpool Blonds in a match which was equally hard-hitting & incredibly entertaining. The post-match segment with Violet Vendetta (reenacting the infamous segment where Beulah announced to Raven that she was pregnant with Dreamer's baby) was also funny and a welcome nod to the Philadelphia original.
Viper won an entertaining 10-woman battle royal, which included some good exchanges & eliminations, & then we moved on to the main event Triple Threat match. Sabu defeated Jimmy Havoc & Jack Jester in a match which delivered everything we could expect. Sabu still sells being wild, crazy and dangerous better than anyone else, even 20 years after his rise to the top of the hardcore landscape. While it would be impossible for his performance to be on the level that it was two decades ago, he certainly played to his strengths, hit the moves that everyone had paid to see & delivered a 'greatest hits'-style performance which undeniably hit all the right notes. Havoc & Jester were equally impressive and matched the brutality as only they could. All three worked to make this something special for the fans in attendance and certainly succeeded.
HXC Wrestling returned to The Ritz in Manchester on May 1st for another night of eclectic action in one of their best events to date. Drawing a decent crowd of casual and die-hard fans alike, the atmosphere was suitably boisterous & electric for what proved to be a memorable and rewarding show. The company has always had an ECW-esque feel but with hardcore icon Sabu in the main event, this event served up a fitting & hugely entertaining homage to the widely missed 1990s organisation.
BT Gunn Vs Mikey Whiplash was the early standout
of a solid card, in a genuinely exciting & captivating match which
had something for everyone & showed why these two are both among the
most highly valued performers on our shores.
This was followed up by Tommy End Vs Jigsaw, which was an absolutely excellent showcase of skill, psychology and show-stealing action. The overall best match of the card, this was equally brutal and beautiful in its execution. This & the match before it are going to be worth the cost of the DVD alone.
Sam Bailey & Iestyn Rees put together a solid match, but after being spoilt by the outstanding quality of the two previous matches, it was something of a lull in the show. This is in no way a criticism of the performers or the match itself, but the emotional rollercoaster of the two previous outings left the crowd feeling slightly flat. The atmosphere picked up in the aftermath of the match when local prodigy Ashton Smith chased off & then challenged Bailey to a ladder match at a future event.
Dave Rayne & DDL (dressed as Raven & Tommy Dreamer respectively - to further the ECW theme for the evening) faced off with The Blackpool Blonds in a match which was equally hard-hitting & incredibly entertaining. The post-match segment with Violet Vendetta (reenacting the infamous segment where Beulah announced to Raven that she was pregnant with Dreamer's baby) was also funny and a welcome nod to the Philadelphia original.
Viper won an entertaining 10-woman battle royal, which included some good exchanges & eliminations, & then we moved on to the main event Triple Threat match. Sabu defeated Jimmy Havoc & Jack Jester in a match which delivered everything we could expect. Sabu still sells being wild, crazy and dangerous better than anyone else, even 20 years after his rise to the top of the hardcore landscape. While it would be impossible for his performance to be on the level that it was two decades ago, he certainly played to his strengths, hit the moves that everyone had paid to see & delivered a 'greatest hits'-style performance which undeniably hit all the right notes. Havoc & Jester were equally impressive and matched the brutality as only they could. All three worked to make this something special for the fans in attendance and certainly succeeded.
While HXC always deliver a
solid event, this one was definitely definitely something a little bit
special. Everything was performed well and the highlights of the card
were impeccable outings which deserve high praise. Continuous,
interesting and consistent storylines & feuds are one of the
strengths for the company, building their loyal fanbase as well as
drawing fresh eyes with Sabu's guest appearance. Their customary after
parties are a great bonus for anyone wanting to make a night of it,
whether it be a WWE PPV screening or a rock and metal club night, with
both regularly attended by other fans and even a couple of performers.
Certainly a company on the rise and one to watch, HXC wrestling is
highly recommended for anyone in the area and even further afield for a
guaranteed great night of wrestling.
Learn more about HXC Wrestling and their upcoming events by liking their Facebook page, or by following on Twitter.
To
keep up to date with details of other interviews, reviews &
articles from Eye On Wrestling, as well as news and trivia, please
follow on Twitter and like the Facebook page.