Quality Arena | Parts Unknown, FL
Aired live on GRPL+ | January 12, 2024
Ruckus kicked off with a video package recapping the biggest matches from QCW XXV: Cold As Hell.
We saw Omar Littlefield complete his sweep of the Game Changers by eventually catching and splattering “Dark Mirror” Beckett Carpenter - Luz Cruz pulling out a savvy counter to pin Sohla Patel and retain the Crush championship - the End Times winning a wild weapons match against the Wonderful Ward Brothers -
the GRPL+ World TV title rematch between Jacques Krieger and “Superfine” Reggie Strong getting suddenly interrupted by Littlefield, who laid out both men and made A Very Familiar Gesture around his waist - Savage Justice (the winners of the Unified Contendership Challenge) facing off against Team Batroc for the Unified World Tag Team championships and pulling off a minor upset when Razorblade pinned Pyotr Caviar after a double team maneuver to earn the Triple Crown and the tag belts with Justice Davis, the brawlers toasting the titles while Serge Batroc scowled in the aisle - Autumn Powers using a two piece enzui and standard Hazy Shade of Autumn to put away Karyn Tisch-Warren in the champion vs. champion main event Unified World championship match - Nazir el-Fadal coming in for a post match interview only to hit an exhausted Autumn with the mic and laying her out before standing on the announce table, letting out a primal scream and saying “Guess what, Stevie Boy and GRPL+ – I [f-bomb] QUIT!”
From there we got the standard open with Savage Justice getting their rightful place in the Cavalcade of Champions before we zoomed into the sold out Arena full of Quality Controllers. Steve Vandeblanche welcomed everyone to the show and noted that he would be working the show on his own tonight, a show featuring two title matches and words from his former partner…but things would start with two units jockeying for better position in the tag division…
1.. Beauty and the Beast Mode (w/Shelley LaVey) v. the Proper Villains
This was the first time these teams were facing off since Katsuji Ootsuka 's heel turn help hand the Ambassadors Trios championships over to Mode and LaVey. (Steve imparted that we would hear from Ootsuka before the show was over.) This match between the longtime rivals was way different than the other ones that have gone down before it; the Villains seemed out of sorts and borderline listless while Mode was zooming around the ring, cackling, smack talking and swag sly high. Poor Richard Windsor are the Fresh To Death/the Decision combo and the L whole Mode won in a showcase that was a sneeze away from outright squash. Lest we forget, Mode has a handicap Unified World Tag Team championships shot coming to them.
Beauty and the Beast Mode d. the Proper Villains in 7:31
Duck Eko entered the ring and once centered, asked the crowd to give it up for the NEW Unified World Tag Team champions - Justice Davis and Mason “Razorblade” Savage - Savage Justice!
The new champs came out to a big pop in street clothes, and once they hit the ring gold pyro shot out of the ring posts and fell.on the stage. Justice and Razorblade looked around the ring with small smiles as they took mics from Duck.
After a few rounds of “You deserve it!” chants, Justice spoke up saying forget about deserve - they earned it. Another round of cheers, shocker. Justice said that their team came together quickly but when the lights were on brightest in the Unified Challenge and Cold As Hell, they were the ones who were getting their hands raised. Now he got to stand in the Arena a champion for the first time…but the man next to him knew a little something about titles, didn't he?
Razorblade gave Justice a mock scowl before scratching his head and lifting up the mic, but he got cut off by the sudden arrival of Team Batroc. They stayed atop the ramp scowling down into the ring, Serge saying that it was just like Mason to ruin a moment of his, so he’d better enjoy his moment. Once his team got and won their rematch they'd be seen as one hit wonders instead of the true best tag team in the world. In fact, their humiliations would begin tonight in singles action. It didn't matter which one of them decided to step up…Pyotr would stomp them down. Mr. Caviar had one thing to say: “Bros…you in trouble, Bros.”
Pyotr dropped the mic and he and Serge headed to the back, completely ignoring the champs holding up their belts and smack talking them from the ring. Say, speaking of champions…
2. “La Flor” Luz Cruz v. “Sinister” Sarah Fowler for the Crush championship
Cruz ended up in one of her toughest title defenses against the newcomer Fowler, who seemed to have her rattled in the early going and even hit a gourdbuster over the stairs that had the crowd gasping. Cruz came up bleeding a bit, but it seemed to kick her into another gear; the multiple time Crush champ dominated the rest of the fight and eventually pulled it out after a picturesque triple jump moonsault.
“La Flor” Luz Cruz d. Sinister Sarah Fowler in 8:08 to retain the Crush championship 4️⃣
The viewers saw Luz celebrating her win before it cut to a scowling Sohla Patel watching on a monitor backstage with the rest of International Lotus.
The Fugees ‘ “Ready Or Not” brought out Nazir el-Fadal, who demanded silence from the rabble (surprise, it didn't happen). He said that anyone surprised by his actions at Cold As Hell didn't remember Autumn clowning him when he was just trying to rid himself of this place, so he got a pay bump and watched as she somehow became the focal point of the company. And once that happening it put him in perfect position to get his ultimate revenge and the Fifteen Pounds of Gold.
Naz continued his anti-Autumn rant a little more before he got cut off - by Winter Wonderland. Winter called Naz a hater in so many words, and stood up for her girl Autumn as the faithful cheered her on. Naz asked if she wanted to flap her gums when she could come down to the ring and fight. Winter agreed to a match right now, a referee ran past her as she came down the ramp, and in short order the bell rang and the fight was on.
3. Nazir el-Fadal v. Winter Wonderland
Unfortunately for Winter, Naz beat the fight out of her and showed why he is the most prolific title grabber in QCW history. Even when Winter sent Naz to the floor, when she tried to follow up with a tope suicida el-Fadal stopped that train in its tracks with a vicious European uppercut that Wonderland never really recovered from. The former World champion ended things shortly after that with a buckle bomb version of the Outsider's Edge and, uncharacteristically, a Lightning Spiral.
Nazir el-Fadal d. Winter Wonderland in 5:42
Naz looked like he was going to Pillmanize Winter's neck post match but Autumn came in for the save, and by the time she had slid into the ring, a blank faced el-Fadal was already headed to the back without sparing a glance at the ring. Steve put over Naz's skill set but not his usual salty attitude as “Mota” blared over the PA.
4. “Upper Class” Broderick Palmer II (w/Evan O'Neill) v. Mr. Teknik
Part of the newer wave of QCW’s roster, Teknik ran afoul of Palmer II and O’Neill back at the battle royale on Black Friday on his way to a final four finish. Mr. Teknik didn't stahl for time, getting the upper hand on young Palmer II with a couple of arm drags before sending him out after a double thrust chop to the throat and a spinning European uppercut.
With Palmer II sprawled out on the floor, O’Neill tried to get in the ring and go after Teknik - and he got dropped in short order - just in time to get dropped by a northern lariat by a suddenly revitalized Palmer 2 who got things on his side of the ledger and some coaching up from O’Neill when Evan wasn't trying to flirt with an attractive brunette in the front row. Palmer II used a blend of technical work and periodic cheap shots and was ahead on points when he went for an Unprettier and Mr. Teknik rolled hm up for a flash 3.
Mr. Teknik d. “Upper Class” Broderick Palmer II in 10:57
Not Mr. T was getting his hand raised by the referee when O’Neill jumped him from behind, and once he could pull himself off the mat Palmer II was quick to join in. For a brief moment Mr. Teknik fought back and had them a little tilted before O’Neill speared the masked man down to the mat. A sneering Palmer II picked up a limp Mr. Teknik and drove him into the mat with an Unprettier. Crowd didn't like that much, but that didn't stop the black hats from smack talking the fallen Mr. Teknik. O’Neill and Palmer II seem to be forming a team so An–uh, Mr. Teknik better get somebody on his side to even the math out.
We got a minor update in the Who Torched Quality Arena thruline, as part of the reason Quality Arena was able to reopen relatively quickly was thanks to local entrepreneur Ignacio de Catur, the man behind the Scoop Republic ice cream franchise in Florida and the Southeast. de Catur, who’d prefer you call him Ig, threw one of his millions at the Arena so it now has top of the line ADA compliance, apparently the best tasting water fountains, and a handful of luxury boxes - one of which he was in to greet the crowd, put over his fan bonafide to Steve, and to make it rain free ice cream vouchers. There's a way to make a man a babyface. Hooray Ig!
5. Pyotr Caviar (w/Serge Batroc) v. Justice Davis (w/Mason “Razorblade” Savage)
Spun off of the titles change at the PPV and their segment earlier in the night, each tandem got to pick a man to go in for this singles match.
Davis fought with urgency from the ringing of the bell and peppered Caviar with strikes, rattling the Tracksuit Tsar even if he couldn't get him off of his feet. Unfortunately for Davis, once Caviar left his feet, it was to bisect Justice with a running crossbody that wobbled the ring. Caviar spent the next few minutes working over Justice and eventually started getting multiple near falls.
But Justice didn't repent and with Razorblade rooting him on to keep pushing, Davis stayed in the fight. More importantly for Davis, he caught a break when he dodged a Caviar corner charge and Pyotr shouldered the post. Davis followed up with a flying double stomp off the top to the banged up arm.
Davis isn't much of a high flyer by trade but he did utilize the ropes and a couple of missile dropkicks (!).to drive Caviar to his knees. Unfortunately when he went for a third time, Caviar used his good arm to send Davis flying across the ring with a Russian sickle. Serge was barking orders from the floor but Pyotr didn't need them to hit a disoriented Davis with back to back one armed spinebusters to finally keep Justice down for the count.
Pyotr Caviar d. Justice Davis in 13:59
Razorblade came in the ring to check on Justice while Pyotr rolled out of the ring to get hosannas from Serge as they made their way to the back. Steve reminded us that Team Batroc does have a rematch coming, and wondered when we would get to see Team Batroc/Savage Justice II for the Unified Tag belts.
After that, we heard from a very different looking Katsuji Ootsuka, who in addition to sporting a designer suit and sunglasses now has midnight black slicked back hair. He talked about delving into his roots and finding out he wasn't just indigenous but royalty; not some Katsuji but a prince and not just some sidekick to British never weres but a former champion without them. And he would be a future champion now that he chucked the commoners to the side. Now QCW would kneel at the feet of royalty and recognize Prince Ootsuka . Next week he would embarrass the so called Proper King and after that it was only a matter of time before he was a champion yet again.
Before the main event, Steve hyped up that next week there’d be a new color commentator, we’d hear from Autumn Powers and both Savage Justice and Team Batroc would get to pick mystery partners for a six person (possibly man) tag.
And then it was time for the triple threat TV title tilt to close the show…
6. Jacques Krieger (w S. Mark Starr) v. Omar Littlefield v. “Superfine Reggie Strong [c] in a triple threat match for the GRPL+ World Television championship
This one, of course, stems from Littlefield interfering to lay out both longtime rivals Krieger and Strong at the PPV during their rematch. Strong, the Face of QCW and TV champ, was obviously in the most jeopardy.
Once the bell rang the heels double teamed Strong for the first couple of minutes. After being the victim of an avalanche sandwich, Strong rolled out to the apron to recover, leaving Krieger up against Littlefield. Despite Starr trying to impart a game plan from the floor, Littlefield was more dominant than not against the former TV champ. Omar worked over Jacques, even no.selling a Krieger shotei before laying Jim out with a headbutt. Omar went for a Vader Bomb only to get sent into the post by Strong.
Reggie went for a sunset bomb but couldn't get him over - at least until Krieger came over for some unlikely help to help spike Omar into the canvas. It took them time to recover but once they saw Littlefield laid out they reignited their rivalry. Strong went for the Fine and Dandy only to have Krieger slip out the back door; the same thing happened in reverse when Krieger went for the Jacqueshammer. Krieger and Strong fought for another couple minutes before Krieger rattled Strong with his shotei. It looked like he was going to pull off the Jacqueshammer right until the part where Omar suddenly came in and tackled Krieger, sending all three men through the ropes out to the floor.
They knocked the dust off and then just started brawling in every combination. The Quality Controllers popped as Krieger and Strong double suplexed Littlefield into the ramp. Strong went to save the count, only to get pulled away from the ring by Krieger; when Krieger tried to dive in Strong held onto his boot and then tossed him into the steps as the referee hit 10 on her count.
Jacques Krieger, Omar Littlefield and Reggie Strong fought to a triple countout at 12:22; Strong retains the G+ World TV title
Duck tried to make the announcement but got drowned out by some “BULLSHIT!” chants and the fact that all three men were still fighting on the floor. Strong flew off the bottom part of the steps only to get hit by Omar swinging the top half of the steps. Littlefield swung them at Krieger next only to get low blowed and fall into them. Krieger grabbed the top half of the steps and swung on Strong, who fucked them and dumped Jacques on his head with a Fine and Dandy on the floor to pop the Quality Controllers huge.
Suddenly, the Qualitron zapped to life and showed off Commissioner Holmes. He commented all 3 men on their fighting spirits but also agreed with the crowd a little bit. So they should save some of that fighting spirit, because next week wasn't just going to be a rematch for the TV title — it was going to be a three way dance! They’d duke it out until there was only one of them left standing, and that man would walk out of the new and improved Quality Arena next week with the belt. The QT9K04 blipped out, leaving Krieger swearing he was going to get his belt back - Littlefield saying that he would get his first taste of QCW gold - and Strong promising to continue a Superfine title reign.
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