Quality Arena 🤼 Parts Unknown, FL
Aired live on GRPL+ 📺 October 4th, 2024
A video package aired to start the show hyping the fatal four way that’ll main event tonight and determine the new #1 contender to the Women's World championship; it ended with alternating shots of Sohla Patel, Luz Cruz, Shelley LaVey and Crush champion “Night Sky” Diana Spare all promising to win and go on to take the Women's World title from around the waist of Lolo Vuitton.
The standard open rolled from there, and Quality Arena was rocking as it does on a Friday night. Steve Vandeblanche and Carl Christensen at the announce table, Duck Eko handling the ring introductions and we got things underway…unfortunately…with the reigning holder of the Duquesne Cup and his flock.
1. “the Purifier” Caleb Grey [c, w/the Chosen] d. Atum Pharaoh at 7:58 to retain the QCW National Championship The white clad Grey had some problems early against the power man from the motherland, but got things on his side when he floored Atum with consecutive cyclone kicks. The Purifier pretty much ran the table after those and put away Pharaoh with Repent to the joys of his acolytes and probably nobody else.
Goody Gardner hectored Duck for the mic before handing it to Caleb, who cut a rare promo. He said that whether it be that harlot Szabo or this poor muscular foreigner, he had proven himself not only as the longest reigning champion in QCW but its best. For a place that called itself Quality Championship Wrestling, he couldn't find a quality opponent who could provide competition for the National Championship.
Then something shocking happened.
As Grey threatened that whomever challenged him next would fall to their knees and repent, he was cut off; not by the fallen Atum or a rematch seeking Influencer, but by “Bombs Over Baghdad”.
The roof nearly came off Quality Arena as the Tron parted and for the first time in months, out came QCW legend Jupiter Jones. The network had to mute part of the “Holy shit!” chants as Jones strolled down the aisle in a throwback Dale Murphy jersey with a small smile on his face. You could hear a gleeful Carl Christensen laughing at the desk before pointing out Grey had turned almost as white as his gear while Steve couldn't believe what he was seeing. As Jones stepped into the ring, The Chosen suddenly scurried to the floor with Drake Tremble almost setting a land speed record upon seeing his old rival back between QCW’s ropes for the first time in months.
Jones picked up the mic Grey left behind while the Arena almost wobbled under the force of a thousand strong chanting “Welcome back!” at the top of their lungs. Jupiter looked around QA before focusing his eyes on the ramp and the Chosen. “You know what my favorite Bible verse says, champ?” The former QCW champion smiled a humorless grin before pointing at Caleb Grey and saying “Ask and you shall receive.” Jones dropped the mic and OutKast hit the PA, the crowd erupting yet again as Steve freaked the entire eff out over a QCW legend coming back and coming back seemingly after gold yet again. Carl noted QCW was just better with Jupiter in it; of note, all five people in the Arena who disagreed were staring into the ring as if a lamb was about to be led to slaughter and the executioner had just offered a friendly (?) handshake.
Understandably, the announce was pleasantly shocked at the return of a QCW icon. After putting over Jones a little bit more, Steve went over a review of some of the latest Quality Social posts this past week. They showed off Ig de Catur hyping the 3rd anniversary show Ruckus will have in a couple of weeks, Prince Ootsuka shooting a fashion wear commercial, and Commissioner Holmes saying that he was rejecting Omar Littlefield’s request to return to action and extending his suspension for another/this week.
2. Orion fought Hawk Carter to a no contest at 5:42 After a few weeks of hype, Orion made their QCW debut here in a styles clash against Quality Arena’s resident cowboy. Carter took the advantage with his power but got surprised by a handspring tornado DDT from the newbie that flooded him and opened the door to an Orion comeback. Orion showed off some hang time as the space loving high flyer got their offensive retribution but the bout got ruined by the sudden emergence of Omar Littlefield, still on a rampage after eating his first pin at AnnIVersary and losing the World title in the process. Both Carter and Orion ate multiple Face Erasers and even one poor security guard did too before the rest of Quality Force security were able to wrangle Omar and take him to the back. Commissioner Holmes berated him for breaking his suspension but the massive Michigander’s only responds was spitting again at Holmes before uttering a cryptic “You know what I want.” QFS and Holmes lead Littlefield up the ramp and to the back before Ruckus went to commercials.
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During the Break, Omar was ushered into a car and driven out of Quality Arena - though it could’ve been worse for him since it wasn’t a cop car.
Elsewhere backstage, Julius Duquesne III brought on the All Starr Stable and Nazir el-Fadal ahead of their eight man tag against Beauty and the Beast Mode and Savage Justice tonight. S. Mark Starr said that sure, he and Naz hadn't seen eye to eye in the past but after consulting with some dead Presidents, he could better see where Naz was coming from and since they had mutual enemies why not stomp them out? Naz said that for all Razorblade’s talents, thinking wasn't one of them and that's why he was able to get the drop on him last week. Someone like him was always playing 3D chess while someone like Savage tried to eat the board pieces. Come Dia de los Muertos the good people of Mexico City would see him regain the World title he never should have lost, but tonight the rabble in Parts Unknown would get another example of why some called him the One Man Jihad but everyone knew the truth - that not only was he once again the uncrowned QCW World champion,..why, he was the man who ended Autumn Powers’ career…the sort of thing you could only do if you were The Greatest Man Alive.
The heels took their leave and Julius threw things to Duck in the ring for the next bout:
3. “Explosive” Emily Bennett d. Bonnie Agrippa (w/Hysteria) at 10:08 The biggest win of Bennett’s QCW career came when she won the Ace in the Hole tournament on the AnnIVersary show to earn a cash in opportunity for any title any time she wanted it; her second biggest win came right here over former Crush champion Agrippa. Of note, Luz Cruz wasn't with the rest of her coven, probably because she's getting ready for the main event tonight. Bennett seemed to surprise Bonnie in the early going by matching her on the mat, and even when Bonnie got the upper hand by making things more of a brawl Emily managed to keep pace in that department, too. When Agrippa reversed a whip, Justine Danek couldn't resist and tried tripping Emily, who stumbled but didn't go down. Justine’s attempt at interference drew the referee’s attention and after conferring with Emily the zebra ejected Justine, Nancy Crowley and Bella Jolie to the cheers of the crowd with other referees leading them away from ringside.
Emily was happy to see them get the boot and had some mocking for them as they left but that allowed Bonnie to drop her with a falling reverse DDT. Agrippa quickly scrambled to the second rope and hit an elbow drop then followed it up with a second one to gain control. Bonnie put a beating on Bennett when she wasn't complaining to the referee about her friends being ejected but the bubby blonde showed her toughness and kicked out of a few near falls. Agrippa showed some frustration but continued on, hitting a couple of rolling suplexes, but when she looked to do a slingshot suplex Emily frantically kicked away to land safely on the apron. Both men exchanged shots before Bennett landed a DDT into the apron that nearly put Bonnie out. Emily quickly followed up with a slingshot elevated powerbomb she calls Time’s Up to get the upset W.
While Emily was getting her hand raised, the lights went out. The crowd steeled themselves despite some loud thumps in the darkness and when the lights came on Hysteria was on the ramp - but Bella, Justine and Nancy were all laid out on the ramp holding their heads - and the Women's World champion Lolo Vuitton was standing at the bottom of the ramp with a bent steel chair and a mileswide smirk on her face. Vuitton looked at Emily and dumped the chair on the floor before heading up the ramp, making sure to step on each woman in Hysteria she’d laid out on her way to the back. A happy Emily got her hand raised again before she got her title shot Ace from Duck and headed to the back herself while the core members of Hysteria tried to clear the cobwebs.
After that it was back TOTHEBACK~!, where Enya Face brought on her guests - Beauty and the Beast Mode, Justice Davis and the QCW World champion Mason “Razorblade” Savage. The Quality Controllers popped as “These Hands” Roy Fade and “Dashing” Pierce Moore joined their partners for tonight. Enya asked if they’d heard what Naz said earlier and Moore said he heard her loud and clear but he didn't let uggos pollute his pristine ears, so no. Fade and Davis said they didn't care at the same time but The Champ said he heard Naz loud and clear, even if it sounded like a rerun. If Naz wanted to remind people of who he thought he was then Razorblade would remind him of who he was - the man who put the fighting in fighting champion and the man who'd be interviewing Naz with his fists just so he could get a taste of just how Dia de los Muertos was going to end up for him. Razorblade held up the World title and broke out into an evil grin before walking out of the frame; the rest of the team followed and Enya said that they'd be back with more Ruckus after this.
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4. Avión III d. Il Postino at 6:10 After getting himself counted out in Jim Jaspers' return match next week, Avión decided to celebrate the season by having a big helping of squash. Postino barely got in any shots, Avión hit Air Superiority but pulled Postino up at 2 then hit it again for the win. Avión further celebrated post match by ripping off Postino’s eye mask and shoving it in his mouth.
Lolo Vuitton was doing her runway walk towards a cream colored Escalade when she heard a voice calling her name. Vuitton balled a fist, turned around and swung - but she pulled up short when she saw it was “Explosive” Emily Bennett. After Lolo got out of fight mode and asked Bennett what's up, Emily said she just wanted to thank Lolo for having her back out there earlier. Lolo said it was no big thing: Emily had her back last week against the witch bitches (she said it though) so Lolo had her back. But now that they were face to face she had to tell Emily something important: if she was thinking about cashing in on her and trying to take the Women's World championship she’d fought so hard to regain, Miss Thang herself would put a Bloody Shoe between her eyes without hesitation. Emily seemed a little stunned as Vuitton flashed a predatory grin before getting in her luxury car and speeding out of the Arena. Bennett watched her go, surprise still in her eyes before saying “Lolo Vuitton threatened me?!
I am so acing this!”
Bennett smiled and walked away.
Nonpoint’s “Bullet With A Name” brought out the All Starr Stable: Jacques Krieger and the World Tag Team champions A Cut Above. S. Mark Starr followed his men out to the ramp, but they all paused at the bottom before the Fugees’ “Ready Or Not” took over the PA to bring out Nazir el-Fadal. The One Man Jihad joined his partners and the heels hit the ring as the usually verbose Naz had only one thing to say to the camera: It's gonna be last week all over again. All of them posed on the turnbuckles (well, not Krieger) while Steve hyped up the all star eight man tag up next.
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Beauty and the Beast Mode came out after the last commercial break without Shelley LaVey next to them as usual, as she's getting ready for the main event. Out next was Justice Davis, followed by The Champ. Mason “Razorblade” Savage talked briefly to his teammates before they rushed the ring, the heels getting out as they slid in.
So that meant the ensuing Pier 8 happened on the floor all around the ring for nearly a minute straight, and that was before the bell even rang.
5. Beauty and the Beast Mode and Savage Justice d. The All Starr Stable and Nazir el-Fadal (w/S. Mark Starr) at 12:37 Once the bell rang, things calmed down but not by much; Justice Davis acquitted himself well against the World Tag Team champions and was matching Krieger in brawling ability. But a blind tag from Naz allowed him to blindside JD with a cobra clutch Lungblower, and the heels took over isolating Davis after that Heat Check. The tag champs were all too happy to continue dissecting Davis while Naz did a bit of a Fargo strut on the apron to further irritate the fans. A Cut Above looked to put the finishing touches on Justice but Davis took it to both Evan O'Neill and “Upper Class” Broderick Palmer II, eventually dropping the titleholders with a combination Flatliner and DDT. Palmer II managed to crawl over and tag Naz back in, but no sooner had el-Fadal’s boots touched canvas than O’Neill got dropped by JD - who made a diving tag to The Champ.
Naz froze up, allowing Razorblade to rush across the ring and spear him down before laying in a flurry of heavy handed punches from both sides of the plate. The crowd roared as Naz skittered into a corner but all that bought him were feet instead of fists as Razorblade stomped away at Naz. After nearly half a minute of Razorblade's rampage Krieger tried to intervene but Savage put a big boot in his eyes and sent him flying from the apron to the floor. But when Razorblade went to continue the attack, Naz planted his boots in Razorblade's face. el-Fadal charged out of the corner but got the business end of a Razorblade lariat that sent him right back down to the mat.
The Champ spent the next few minutes putting the #1 contender through his paces and when Palmer II tried to ride to Naz’s rescue Razorblade saw it coming and gave “Upper Class” a snap spinebuster onto Naz. Razorblade dropped Naz a couple more times and then went for the Soul Crusher, drawing the ire of Evan O'Neill. O’Neill came down the apron and got kicked off by The Champ but he'd taken the bullet for el-Fadal and that'd bought Naz enough time to counter. Both champion and future challenge flew off the top rope with an avalanche side Russian leg sweep that rattled the ring and had both men pancaked on the mat. Due to their landings, Naz was able to drape an arm over Razorblade but Savage barely shouldered up out of it at 2 ¾. Both men crawled away from each other, then made tags - Razorblade to his usual partner JD and Naz to perpetual irritant O’Neill.
It didn't take long for Davis to get the upper hand, but when he stuck the Oracle of Off-Book with the JDDDT after a couple of minutes all of Evan’s teammates got in the ring for saves that triggered a Pier 8 like the one that started the match. Naz and Razorblade began fighting in the ring, took things to the floor and eventually traded shots up the ramp and into backstage but the wily O’Neill took advantage of most people watching that to tag in Krieger behind JD’s back. Krieger rocked Justice with a pair of shoteis and went for the Jacqueshammer but Davis stuck him with a JDDDT and kept hold of One Eye before rolling into the Davis Driver. Beauty and the Beast Mode fended off the World Tag Team champions and Davis secured the victory to a good pop from the crowd. After replays Davis and Mode got their hands raised while the All Starr Stable seethed on the ramp.
As usual ahead of the main event, we got some hype for the shows next week: Unleashed will feature a Crush championship defense from “Night Sky” Diana Spare and a trios match where the Chosen will send Goody Gardner and the End Times against Ashok Banjerjee and the Game Changers.
And next week's Ruckus? Well, it's the third anniversary of the flagship show and it's packed - Commissioner Holmes is set to make a big announcement, rumored to do with the main event at Dia de los Muertos - A Cut Above will be facing longtime rivals Savage Justice in a non-titles match that hopefully doesn't break down completely this time - and regardless of how the main event goes down four members of Hysteria will face Women's World champion Lolo Vuitton, Crush champion “Night Sky” Diana Spare, Shelley LaVey and Ashley “THEE Influencer” Szabo.
Speaking of the all important main event…
6. Luz Cruz d. Crush champion “Night Sky” Diana Spare, Shelley LaVey and Sohla Patel in a non-title fatal four way at 13:18 to become #1 contender to the Women's World championship One of the best TV matches of the year saw Cruz pull out the narrowest of victories and she will now get to face Lolo Vuitton with the Women's World championship on the line at Dia de los Muertos.
Given the nature of the match it was no surprise that the first few minutes saw brief flashes of deep seated hatred but also some underlying cautiousness. Sohla seemed to use her sneakiness to her advantage early, getting in the match via blind tags before landing some offense and then tagging out to whoever she could when she started to find herself in trouble. While Patel picked her spots her strategy paid dividends when she was able to dodge a double jump moonsault on famous rival Cruz and hit her trademark Ninth Incarnation; before she could win the fight both Diana and Shelley jumped in the ring and broke up the fall.
The resultant smacktalk between LaVey and Spare, rolling over from their win and contretemps on last week's show seemed to make the Crush champ more aggressive and more dangerous. Night Sky didn't have a friend in the ring and spent the next couple of minutes taking it to whoever got in her way. When Shelley tagged herself in and said they could settle this right here and now Spare flashed a crocodile grin before they threw down. As the former (?) allies fought Shelley tried to use her quickness to get out ahead but Spare not only caught an attempted Pele kick, she turned it into a big release German suplex. Spare took the upper hand on Shelley and even dropped her with a pop up Michinoku Driver but that fall was broken up by Luz.
After a double crossbody attempt left them both down they both tagged out, then Luz and Sohla tried to out heel the other. Cruz seemingly was going for a Ninth Incarnation on its usual deliverer but Sohla hit a Fresh To Death cutter that had Shelley scowling on the apron. Some rope running led to Shelley blind tagging in so she could deliver the real deal cutter to Sohla, and after Patel raked the eyes and scrambled away Spare tagged herself back in and immediately got dropped by a LaVey Pele.
Things only ratcheted up in intensity and weirdness from there as the match ran through a bunch of short term alliances and falling outs (as much falling out as there can be when all the participants don't get along). Luz and Sohla teamed up on Shelley, Shelley and Diana briefly put their differences aside to try and shut up Patel in moments that echoed the Forbidden Book Club, and it looked for all the world as if the match was over after Cruz and Patel teamed up to hit Spare with a combination powerbomb and Backstabber that echoed Spare's Nightfall; LaVey had to save Spare and the match by delivering a Fallen Angel splash on the pin attempt.
The Quality Controllers were already chanting “This is awesome!” as the women continued brawling and occasionally countering someone else leading to a Tower of Doom spot where Spare powerbombed Cruz, who was in the middle of hitting a double superplex on the warring LaVey and Patel. A brief “Fight forever!” chant got drowned out by “QCW!” ones and that was before the frantic final run of offense from all four corners decided the match.
Strikes led to signatures which led to wobbly legged finishers. While the ref was trying to get them out of the ring, Sohla hit Shelley with her sunset flip buckle bomb but when she tried to hit the Ninth Incarnation for a third time in the fight Shelley pivoted and drilled the Bollywood Diva with a Fresh To Death. That got Sohla out of the frame but left Shelley wide open to be scooped up by Spare and hit with a Nightfall that sent her bouncing off “Night Sky”’s knees and put on her back. When the ref waved off Diana’s pin on Shelley, Spare slowly got to her feet to ask why; instead of an answer she got Cruz flying into the frame with a double jump poison rana that almost sent her flying out of the ring upon impact. Cruz pulled Spare away from the ropes, hooked a leg and punched her ticket to Dia de los Muertos.
We got a longer runway than usual for replays; when we went back live we saw Luz Cruz getting her hand raised and while the boos were loud you could see a few fans applauding. Cruz stepped over Spare, went to the middle rope and made A Very Familiar Gesture around her waist. The credits box came up and Ruckus went off the air with the #2, #3 and #4 contenders almost out on the canvas - and the new #1 contender warning The Champ she was coming to take her belt.
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