By Nathan P Hunt
Pro Wrestling Pride opened in the South of England in 2012 and have a reputation for entertaining, memorable and well-organised live shows. They feature a strong cast of outstanding British talent as well as a light helping of international stars, who are creatively and intelligently booked to build storylines, feuds and stars in a consistent and coherent way. Not just a random selection of matches, as can be the case in a few independents around the country, long-term feuds, relationships and storylines make the product a compelling and meaningful one, which their fans are invested in. This translates to their DVD offerings as the fans provide a very vocal and boisterous audio backdrop to the high-quality action. While there is no commentary on the disc and the video quality can be slightly inconsistent, the actual match quality and watchability remain at a constant high.
Joel Redman (formerly Oliver Grey from WWE NXT) takes on the ultra-talented Tyler Hawke in the opening match, which features an eclectic array of smoothly delivered exchanges and some old-school heelishness from Calum Cain - Tyler Hawke's teammate from a faction known as the 'C2 Agenda'. Pro Wrestling Pride Heavyweight Champion, UK Dominator faces the up-and-coming young powerhouse, Dan Moloney in a more sports-entertainment style offering with a healthy dose of hard striking.
The Hunter Brothers Vs Darren Saviour & Ryan Smile is a particular highlight of the disc and an absolute pleasure to watch, showcasing the amazing talents of four of the brightest young stars of the UK scene. After cutting a promo to establish the brothers as the heels, the four construct a dramatic and exciting match which builds pace towards a climactic crescendo. Everyone plays their roles effectively and everything is exectuted well, but Ryan Smile steals the show with his signature skill and crowd connection.
The very young but highly skilled Josh Knott's match with Doug Williams is an impressive outing for the promising prodigy. Admittedly, it's almost impossible to have a bad match with Williams, but the talented youngster shows that he can hold his own in a technical, grappling based bout. Meanwhile, Ultimo Tiger faces off with Dick Riley in the main event for the PWP Catch Division Trophy. Another example of the storytelling element of the Pride product, the match is the culmination of one feud and the start of another in one fell swoop. Featuring varied and genuinely exciting action and an interesting and mysterious plot development, the main event lives up to it's place on the card. Ultimo Tiger's dive from a high platform and some brutally delivered moves and strikes on both sides are among the highlights of the match, which has a bit of something for everyone.
The disc features a strong bonus match between two former PWP Heavyweight Champions, Danny Walsh & PJ Jones. This match was a title match between the two from June 2014 and is a welcome additional extra. Overall the disc is a strong offering which would be equally good for anyone familiar with the promotion or those looking at them for the first time. The overall quality of in-ring delivery is high as always from this company and I have yet to come across one of their releases which I have not enjoyed.
Company: Pro Wrestling Pride
Date: 20/9/2014
Format: DVD
Pro Wrestling Pride opened in the South of England in 2012 and have a reputation for entertaining, memorable and well-organised live shows. They feature a strong cast of outstanding British talent as well as a light helping of international stars, who are creatively and intelligently booked to build storylines, feuds and stars in a consistent and coherent way. Not just a random selection of matches, as can be the case in a few independents around the country, long-term feuds, relationships and storylines make the product a compelling and meaningful one, which their fans are invested in. This translates to their DVD offerings as the fans provide a very vocal and boisterous audio backdrop to the high-quality action. While there is no commentary on the disc and the video quality can be slightly inconsistent, the actual match quality and watchability remain at a constant high.
Joel Redman (formerly Oliver Grey from WWE NXT) takes on the ultra-talented Tyler Hawke in the opening match, which features an eclectic array of smoothly delivered exchanges and some old-school heelishness from Calum Cain - Tyler Hawke's teammate from a faction known as the 'C2 Agenda'. Pro Wrestling Pride Heavyweight Champion, UK Dominator faces the up-and-coming young powerhouse, Dan Moloney in a more sports-entertainment style offering with a healthy dose of hard striking.
The Hunter Brothers Vs Darren Saviour & Ryan Smile is a particular highlight of the disc and an absolute pleasure to watch, showcasing the amazing talents of four of the brightest young stars of the UK scene. After cutting a promo to establish the brothers as the heels, the four construct a dramatic and exciting match which builds pace towards a climactic crescendo. Everyone plays their roles effectively and everything is exectuted well, but Ryan Smile steals the show with his signature skill and crowd connection.
The very young but highly skilled Josh Knott's match with Doug Williams is an impressive outing for the promising prodigy. Admittedly, it's almost impossible to have a bad match with Williams, but the talented youngster shows that he can hold his own in a technical, grappling based bout. Meanwhile, Ultimo Tiger faces off with Dick Riley in the main event for the PWP Catch Division Trophy. Another example of the storytelling element of the Pride product, the match is the culmination of one feud and the start of another in one fell swoop. Featuring varied and genuinely exciting action and an interesting and mysterious plot development, the main event lives up to it's place on the card. Ultimo Tiger's dive from a high platform and some brutally delivered moves and strikes on both sides are among the highlights of the match, which has a bit of something for everyone.
The disc features a strong bonus match between two former PWP Heavyweight Champions, Danny Walsh & PJ Jones. This match was a title match between the two from June 2014 and is a welcome additional extra. Overall the disc is a strong offering which would be equally good for anyone familiar with the promotion or those looking at them for the first time. The overall quality of in-ring delivery is high as always from this company and I have yet to come across one of their releases which I have not enjoyed.