Pro-Wrestling FRONTIER presented their preview show in front of a healthy crowd of 729 people at Southampton Guildhall tonight. Granted the place can hold 1,300 for a wrestling event but this is early days for us. Give us another few months and this place will be a SUPER NO VACANCY!!!
“Where there is an open mind, there will always be a frontier.”
Dorthea Brande
Despite the attendance and the list of relative unknown names on the card, the atmosphere was great. The Southampton faithful were just happy to see wrestling back in their city again. And more than happy to see “The Peoples Choice” August Joyce, one half of the current Peach State Wrestling Tag-Team Champions, who was on hand to sign autographs and pose for photos prior to the show. Joyce was a friendly guy and told me he intended to put a good word about us with the National Wrestling Alliance. A chance to align with the NWA is something that FRONTIER would be wise to consider.
The show kicked off with Hanna Fox coming to the ring to personally welcome everyone and thank them for showing their support. Fox is such an apt name for this woman, she’s hot. Add in smart, wealthy and the fact that she’s giving the fans top quality wrestling and she just became the most popular person in town.
Blood Tiger vs. Veronique
Our first match pitted Mexican star Blood Tiger, making his UK debut, against a fan favourite in these parts. Marcie du Toit, known as Veronique in the ring, is a former BWA star and has performed in this very venue many times. More recently she’s signed with Simcoe County Championship Wrestling, a part of the National Wrestling Alliance.
Tiger seemed to show no regard for his opponent whatsoever as he attacked Veronique before the bell, completely ignoring the Code of Respect. Maybe no-one told him about that!? Veronique kicked Tiger as he charged in the corner. Veronique drilled him with a kick to the face. Tiger went for a leapfrog but Veronique took his leg out in mid-air. Tiger went to the outside and Veronique chased him. They crisscrossed in the ring and Tiger stopped Veronique. Veronique faked out Tiger and he ended up on the floor. Veronique did a tope suicida to the floor. They battled on the outside and Tiger suplexed her over the rail into the first row. Tiger dove off the top rope into the crowd. That was insane. The crowd chanted “This is Awesome”. I’ll admit, I joined in.
Tiger dragged Veronique back to the ring and began doing some fancy dancing kicks. Veronique caught him in a leglock. Tiger escaped but was caught in a rolling cross armbreaker. Tiger muscled out of the move and slammed Veronique into the turnbuckles. Veronique nailed a DDT for a two count. They exchanged strikes in the middle of the ring. Veronique hit a windmill kick and Tiger took a spinning bump out of it. They battled on the top turnbuckle. Veronique went for a rolling crossarmbreaker, but Tiger used the momentum to roll through and catch her in a pinfall.
Your winner, Blood Tiger!
Despite the loss the fans gave Veronique a huge ovation after the bout. She’s not had much luck in the ring since signing for SCCW. Looks like she’s brought that unlucky streak back to the UK with her. She shouldn’t be too disheartened though, she put in a real good match and the fans here still love her. They both busted their asses big-time here, a great debut for Blood Tiger and a great advertisement of what to expect from FRONTIER.
August Joyce then made his way out to the ring to talk to the crowd. Joyce is currently one half of the Tag-Team Champions in Peach State Wrestling, based in Fayetteville, Georgia. But most fans in the UK remember him from his stint in the Millennium Wrestling Alliance. Joyce told the crowd that he was excited by the talent on display in FRONTIER and that he sees big things in store for the company.
But before he could really get going he was interrupted by Benedict Auslander, the latest person to agree to appear for FRONTIER. These two are no strangers, Auslander also has a history in the MWA and was part of the team who helped rescue August several months ago after he was kidnapped two years previously.
Auslander stated his intent to be the crown jewel in the FRONTIER crown. Said no-one would be able to stand between him and the GFC Heavyweight Championship. At one point he even suggested that his career would have been better off had he not helped free August from his captor. August took exception to that and challenged Benedict to a match at the next FRONTIER event.
The crowd loved that idea. But Benedict didn’t. He refused the challenge, instead insisting his debut match would be against some true FRONTIER talent.
Mike Blackwood vs. Dave Spikey
As our second match was being introduced by the delectable Jenni Starr, fans chanted “You Suck” at Blackwood, so Blackwood threatened to leave. He then said that since the fans wanted him to leave, he would stay. He claimed his doctor requested no “You Suck” chants because they’re damaging to his mental health. Spikey went to shake hands, so Blackwood snotted in his hand and offered it back. An interesting way to piss of your opponent while still technically adhering to the Code of Respect. What a douche.
Once referee Ed Watling got the match underway Blackwood caught Spikey in a hammerlock. They went back and forth with some solid wrestling early. Blackwood shoulder-blocked Spikey down but Spikey came back with a leg lariat. Blackwood went to the floor, where Spikey nailed him with a dropkick through the ropes. Spikey went for a moonsault but Blackwood grabbed his legs and slammed him to the floor. He whipped Spikey into the railing.
Back in the ring, they exchanged chops. Spikey was sent up and over but landed on the apron. Blackwood was run into the corner. He came back to suplex Spikey back in and sent him shoulder first into the ringpost. Blackwood stalked Spikey on the floor. He brought Spikey back into the ring and choked him in the corner. Spikey began kicking to attempt a comeback but was cut off by Blackwood. Blackwood continued to work over Spikey’s bad shoulder.
Spikey began mounting a comeback with a series of rights and the Polish Hammer. He missed another but took out Blackwood’s knees with a dropkick. He nailed a Rocker Dropper on Blackwood for a two count. He flipped out of the corner to avoid Blackwood and nailed a rana. Spikey went for a German suplex but Blackwood was too burly. He went for another rana but was powerbombed down for a two count.
Blackwood backdropped Spikey over the top. Spikey landed on his feet and went for a shoulderblock but Blackwood kicked him in the head and DDT’d him back into the ring. Blackwood went for a flip splash in the corner but missed. Spikey hit a springboard missile dropkick. Blackwood went for the package piledriver but Spikey nailed him with the Kryptonite Krunch for a two count. Spikey went for a powerbomb but couldn’t hold him. Blackwood superkicked him and then picked him up for a Fisherman’s buster, dropping Spikey across his knee.
Blackwood went to the top for a swanton but Spikey got his knees up. He dropped Blackwood on his head several times with full nelson suplexes but only received a two count. Blackwood kicked him low and hit the package piledriver but Spikey kicked out. Blackwood locked in a Crowbar and Spikey tapped.
Your winner, Mike Blackwood!
Real good match. They started slow but built a really good match and took the crowd on a nice ride. It’s difficult to imagine that Mike Blackwood was once a fan favourite, the guy’s such an ass and got a lot of heat from the crowd after picking up the win here tonight.
Scott Mayo then came out to the ring. Mayo said he’s been talking to a lot of fans tonight and he realises there are a lot of fans from outside the UK and asked how many were at their first British wrestling show. He asked the crowd if they were enjoying themselves. The crowd popped for each question and chanted “Let’s go FRONTIER”. Mayo said FRONTIER is rocking the building. He said that he appreciates everyone’s support. He formerly introduced Morrison Montgomery, Kevin Hardaway and Kenchi Yamamoto to the crowd and went on to promise that more talent would be signed in the coming weeks. He reminded everyone to return to Southampton Guildhall next month for our full debut show, tickets are now on sale! Mayo thanked everyone for their support of the company.
Kenta Yamashita vs. Oliver Bernhardt – Chivalry is Dead
These two foreign imports got a great reception from the crowd. A rising talent from Japan taking on the best that Germany has to offer in a FRONTIER speciality match, Chivalry is Dead. This match is a no disqualification, no holds barred, pin falls anywhere match where the Code of Respect does not apply!
Bernhardt went to nail Yamashita with a chair while Yamashita was outside but Yamashita grabbed him by the legs and pulled him out. They battled around ringside. Yamashita wedged a chair in the corner between turnbuckles. Bernhardt returned to the ring but was tossed back out. Bernhardt pulled a ladder out and Yamashita hit a sliding kick into it. Yamashita smashed it into him. Yamashita beeled Bernhardt over the ropes onto the ladder. He went for a legdrop on the ladder but Bernhardt moved. Yamashita rolled up Bernhardt but he kicked out, sending Yamashita into the chair.
Bernhardt brought a table into the corner of the ring. He smashed Yamashita into the ladder, which was propped up in the other corner and rolled him up for a two count. Yamashita came back with a bulldog on the ladder for a two count. Yamashita went for a tornado DDT but Bernhardt turned it into a suplex onto the ladder. He used his boot to choke Yamashita, who was now busted open. Bernhardt put Yamashita’s head inside one of the rung of the ladder and ran it into the corner.
Bernhardt went to the outside and bridged another table between the ring and the railing. Yamashita began to recover but Bernhardt attacked him. Bernhardt brought Yamashita to the outside and went to do a death valley driver onto the table but Yamashita escaped and shoved Bernhardt off. Bernhardt went to the top but Yamashita cut him off and hit a top rope frankensteiner. Yamashita nailed an F-5, then placed a chair in the ring. He picked up Bernhardt, who grabbed Yamashita and DDT’d him on the chair. Bernhardt hit his running kick on Yamashita, sending him backwards into the table propped in the corner for a two count.
Bernhardt continued to work over Yamashita in the corner with headbutts and punches. He tackled Yamashita and placed him on the top rope. Yamashita went for a sunset flip into a powerbomb. Yamashita set up for the cradle piledriver on a piece of table and scored the pin.
Your winner, Kenta Yamashita!
That match was insane, the crowd loved it! The crowd started duelling chants of “Arigato” and “Dankeschön”. These two foreign stars showed everyone why they are so well thought of in their home countries and will have guaranteed themselves a return to FRONTIER with that performance. Even though the Code of Respect didn’t apply for this match you could tell that there was a lot of mutual respect between the two as they shook hands and played to the crowd together to end the show.
So there we have it, the first ever FRONTIER show is done and dusted. Thanks to those who came along here tonight, you helped make it a fantastic show. I hope you all come along and join us in late July for our first show proper, tickets are now available from the Southampton Guildhall box office. We hope to start announcing new talent over the next few weeks and we already have a very special guest lined up!