Echo and Jones both got decent receptions from the crowd, but it did seem like Jones got a little more heat of the two. Probably down to his Twitter antics and the slagging match with Kevin Hardaway.
Once referee Sal Mancini got the match underway Echo caught Jones in a hammerlock. They went back and forth with some solid wrestling early. Echo snap suplexed Jones down but Jones came back with a leg lariat. Echo was sent to the floor, where Jones nailed him with a dropkick through the ropes. Jones went for a moonsault from the ring apron but rolled out of the way. He whipped Jones into the railing.
Back in the ring, they exchanged chops. Jones was sent up and over but landed on the apron. Echo was run into the corner. He came back to suplex Jones back in and sent him shoulder first into the ringpost. Echo stalked Jones on the floor. He brought Jones back into the ring and choked him in the corner. Jones began kicking to attempt a comeback but was cut off by Echo. Echo continued to work over Jones’ shoulder.
Jones dragged Echo back to the ring and began doing some stiff martial arts kicks. Echo caught him in a leglock. Jones escaped but was caught in a rolling cross armbreaker. Jones muscled out of the move and slammed Echo into the turnbuckles. Echo nailed a DDT for a two count. They exchanged strikes in the middle of the ring. Echo got Jones up for a Samoan Drop but Jones wriggled free and takes Echo down with a hip toss, followed by a jumping fist drop, a nip up and a stiff kick to Echo’s back as he sits up.
The crowd were feeding off that combo, which AJ calls the Xtreme Combo. Jones seemed to be growing in confidence and as Echo got back to his feet he nailed the AJ-guri, sending Echo crashing back to the mat for a near fall.
Echo seemed to get a second wind as he slapped the mat as getting back to his feet. He grabbed Jones and went for the Second Wave, which got him a LONG two count. He argued with the referee briefly before trying to go for The Silencer, but Jones fought him off and turned the tide with a Nip up Hurricanrana! Echo went for Jones again but Jones nailed the Time to Burn for a good pinfall victory!
Your winner, The American Nightmare, Alex Jones.
After the match was done and dusted Scott Mayo made his way to the ring, demanding both men stay in the ring as he wanted to address them individually.
Mayo went over the recent announcement of the GFC Invitational Tournament, and the Battle Royal match that is scheduled for next month in Wolverhampton. During the week it was announced that newcomers John Empires, Caylen Collye’ and Joel Hall would be in that match. Tonight Mayo announced that newcomer Mark Evil would be the fourth man in the match and then told Echo that he was the fifth man to be entered. Whoever wins that match is guaranteed second seed when the tournament brackets are announced, so there’s a lot at stake!
Mayo then addressed Alex Jones. He reminded Jones of what he said on Twitter last week. Jones had demanded that he be booked to face Kevin Hardaway. Mayo said that if he booked these two then there would be one stipulation. Whoever wins will be declared the number one seed for the GFC Invitational. But whoever loses is automatically disqualified from the tournament!
Mayo’s rationale was that Jones had been running his mouth, wanting to show up Hardaway without regard. But was he willing to put an opportunity at the GFC Title on the line? Apparently he is, he agreed to the stipulation. He said that if Hardaway was man enough to accept the challenge then he would gladly kick his ass on the way to winning himself another Championship. I sure as hell hope that Hardaway agrees to this stipulation, I cannot wait to see these two finally be allowed to go at each other!