QCW Ruckus [s1e6 • November 12, 2021]

 The Ruckus show opening played, then over to the announce who hyped that “the Fury” Jim Jaspers would be in action in a QCW ring for the first time tonight on the road to Yule Be Sorry, but we would start things off with the QCW Heavyweight Champion of the World... 

| • Mayhem d. Gran Atomico (with Los Perros Locos) in a non-title match • | It’s interesting that despite the fact these shows all happen in the same arena, Mayhem’s reaction from the crowd varies from week to week. Here, against the rudos, Mayhem soaked up the most positive reaction from the crowd he’s had since becoming champion. He was in control early and went for the senton bomb, but the Perros pulled Atomico from the ring. On the outside all three champions had words, which allowed Atomico to post Mayhem. Atomico took control of the match even through a commercial break, but Mayhem kept fighting back and fighting back, eventually capitalizing on Atomico missing a shoulder into the corner (thus posting himself), then drilling a sloppy but effective rewind rana and finishing with the senton bomb for the win. ** 1/2 

But don’t hit the champ’s music -- hit Don’t Even Trip. 

Nazir el-Fadal, back from his week’s suspension, came out to wrestle but with a mic in hand. He sarcastically thanked the rabble for their hosannas, but noted he’s never been here for them; who he’s here for is the charlatan in the ring holding his property. Last week the *talented* half of the team Razorblade trucked Atomico, and this week Mayhem barely survived the lowest rung of the luchadore ladder. No wonder people think of him as a joke, and even worse? He’s trying to take the QCW World Championship down with him. That’s why Nazir isn’t laying him out after a harder-for-him-than-it-should-have-been match, because he’s got his rematch at Yule Be Sorry and he doesn’t want any excuses. Because on neutral ground without crooked referees? The universe goes back to unfolding like it should, and Nazir becomes the first two-time World champion in QCW history. But if Mayhem and the rabble want to see what the REAL World’s Champion looks like...his match is next. Mayhem left the ring, Nazir came down to greet him, but the officials and other referees (BOOOOOOOOOO) got between them while they exchanged words and we eventually went to commercial. 

| • Nazir el-Fadal d. Lucius Patton • | Poor Lucius came out here to avenge his tag partner but got clapped at the bell by a vicious leg lariat and wasn’t in the match afterwards, what little bit of it there was. Not content to send a message to Savage by putting away Patton in barely over three minutes (a minute quicker than Mason went over Atomico last week), after a couple Hamrin Valley Drivers and Thoughts and Prayers set up Lucius for the WMDDT, Naz threw him down and went up before hitting a senton bomb -- that’s right -- and pinning Lucius with a piefaced lateral press. SQUASH 

Post match Nazir got back on the mic, not even sweating. “See, rabble? ANY idiot who can rub a couple brain cells together can be your disposable hero Mayhem. But ask Sweet Lu -- hell, why don’t you ask his buddy Jupiter -- what a REAL World’s Champion looks like?” Mic drop, Don’t Even Trip, angry crowd, successful Nazir. Same as it ever was… 

...or not, as we got a vignette for the Forbidden Book Club. They missed Chrysalis. Well, not Chrysalis, but who they really were. If they accepted their offer to have a Club meeting and Thanksgiving with them, they would give them a night they would never forget...to remember. To be continued (?) 

| • Lolo Vuitton d. Spring Green • | Green got the duke in the tag match last week but in singles here got run through pretty quickly. Bloody Shoe in a few, g’night. * 

Another Forbidden Book Club invitation, offered up in the interests of equal time for Bella Bathory and Justine. Either we’re getting the Forbidden Polycule coming down the line or we’re going to get some fight. Or an orgy. Or both. Buncha weirdos. 

| • Cindy Monet & Bettie Rokker d. Mirror Mirror & Wendy Neverland • | This actually became closer to a handicap match, for a weird reason: S. Mark Starr. The Storybookers’ (look, kids, it’s some falling stars! Make a wish!) corner was by the announce, and Starr was Starr. Wendy started the match, then Mirror Mirror must have heard what he said because they eventually dropped off the apron and they got in each other’s faces. Then he slapped them, and they headbutted him down and he stayed down. While Steve was frightened, Mirror stuck around to reaffirm S had it coming in a way he didn’t. They also had seen Summer Rose offer them a shot at the title on Twitter during the week, but considering their recent record, they would respectfully decline. Sandwich shoulderblocks finished the match with Monet getting the pinfall. * Wendy looked distraught afterwards in the ring while Mirror blew her off and walked to the back. 

| • “Tiki God” Al Buffett & “the Fury” Jim Jaspers d. International Workrate Consortium (Stahl/Windsor) • | Well, if there was any doubt in your mind QCW had a new toy, his entrance removed it: Oasis’ “Supersonic” blaring (doing solo commentary, Steve got off a hilarious Jumanji reference when he heard the theme hit), Jaspers coming out with spiky hair and smirking and grinning before setting off red, white and blue pyro at the entrance. Steve also put over that there was previous history at play from across the pond, with proto versions of the IWC trying to recruit Old Jim but him being too...him. Jaspers started off hot, especially frustrating fellow countryman Windsor. Buffett got the tag and they showed some cohesion, but it was nothing compared to what happened when the IWC got Al in the Bad Part of Town and started reeling off quick tags and their own tandem offense. As these things go, Buffett was able to get in eye pokes on both, then a couple of rolling dodges to get him to the hot tag. Jim took over from there, eventually finishing off Stahl with a kneedrop version of a Rocker Dropper (best way I can describe it) before drilling him with the Fury Road running knee strike while Stahl was down on his hands and knees. One up, one down. But that wasn’t all... **  

Jim stood solo in the ring after shaking Al’s hand, and got the mic, saying that he just got here and he was watching the beginning of the show when it occurred to him: Mayhem’s just taking the piss, innit? He barely won the title, he’s barely holding onto it as is. Maybe he shouldn’t have to worry about it so much anymore. Maybe as of next week he won’t have to - it wasn ‘t all that long ago that Old Jim was holding a title with pride, and if Mayhem has the bollocks he’ll put him on his arse next week. And if he gets to lift Naz’s Precious at the same time? Bob’s your uncle. But Jim’s your champion. Smirk. Cheers. And they did, louder than they did for Mayhem. So should the match come to pass, we’ll see how the audience loyalties lay. But for this week, Old Jim (and an Oasis classic) took us off the airwaves. 

Next: s1e7 Ruckus

QCW Ruckus [s1e5 • November 5, 2021]

The Ruckus show opening played; of note, the final shots were all changed to reflect the new champions crowned at the PPV. 

A throw to the announce, who mentioned Mayhem headlining the show and two major announcements, the first of which was this -- 

--they threw to a video package where Scott Holmes was happy to sign former Catch Hell Wrestling League champion “the Fury” Jim Jaspers to a QCW roster deal. Smirking, Jaspers signed the contract and put on some sunglasses before saying he was bring the Fury to Quarantine Championship Wrestling, and nothing was going to be the same once he crossed the pond. Cheers. 

| • Spring Green & Winter Wonderland d. Mirror Mirror & Dorothy Rubyslipper. • | Story here was the continued cohesion and elevation of Mean Season while the Storybookers continue to fall apart in Autumn Powers’ absence. It looked like Mirror Mirror had second thoughts about saving Dorothy after she ate a flapjack/DDT combo that ended the match. * ½ 

| • Summer Rose d. Wendy Neverland to retain the QCW Women’s Championship. • | See above; Wendy got in a couple good shots and nearfalls but this one wasn’t in doubt. Champ with the Come-Up, and Spring Green & Winter Wonderland came out to celebrate with her afterwards, all proudly crowing that they run the women’s division. Who’s gonna prove them wrong? * 

Backstage with Enya Face, next to a clearly inebriated Party Animal, which is an issue since he’s facing “King Carny” Richard Windsor later in the show. In typical fashion, Animal shotgunned a Claw, let out a loud burp, and said he’d be fine once he got some pizza in him before wandering off. 

| • Jupiter Jones & Lucious Patton d. Serge & Destroy. • | A minor upset here, but it shows how far the ex-champs have fallen and that Jones & Patton, the old school/new school mix, are going to be sticking around and making hay in the tag division. It was 50/50 early but late the babyfaces tagged in and out quicker, then put away Serge by first Jones then Patton hitting their finishers on him and Jones wrapping up Castle before he could make the save. Wonder if this means the College Park Family has found their Last O.G…. ** ½ 

The other major announcement? The QCW TV title tournament begins on December 17th, the first Ruckus after Yule Be Sorry. 

| • Mason “Razorblade” Savage d. Gran Atomico. • | Savage absolutely dominated Atomico bell to bell, which wasn’t even full four minutes. Soul Crusher put the cherry on the shit sundae for the luchador. SQUASH Enya Face came out on the ramp to interview Mason, who looked like he had something to say -- but opted to head to the back wordlesssly. 

Did someone say TOTHEBACK~!? Because that’s where Serge Batroc and Danny Castle were having words after their loss, Castle especially pissed at Serge for eating the win and apparently pissed off at Nazir el-Fadal since he’s been withholding payments because Razorblade has been walking around safe and sound, which means they failed at what he paid them to do (!). Serge said he didn’t care about that, but he did care about losing and that he had to do something to change his fate before storming away. WELP! 

Lolo Vuitton stinger showcasing her debut win; she’ll be on next week’s Ruckus. 

| • Party Animal d. “King Carny” Richard Windsor. • | Poor Windsor looked absolutely stymied at multiple points by the drunken style of Party Animal - or maybe the increasing “Claw Is Law” chants from the crowd. It turns out Animal was the one who accidentally wiped out the ref, and with them both down Windsor undid a turnbuckle and rammed PA into it, then put on a crossface. It probably would have worked on somebody who could’ve legally drove as PA stagger/powered up out of the hold, then sent Windsor into the exposed buckle on the power out and rolled him up in a sunset flop (misnamed by Steve Vandeblanche) for the win. **  

After the break, Party Animal went to go continue the celebration in his dressing room -- only for Toddzilla to walk out of it with pizzas under his arm and looking slightly inebriated himself. PA walked in and the floor was littered with Claws. DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN 

| • Mayhem beat Toddzilla in a non-title match by countout. • | Mayhem hit some quick stick and move offense early but walked into a Toddzilla lariat that changed the complexion of the match. Toddzilla got several nearfalls but couldn’t put Mayhem away; when the fight went to the outside later on in the fight, Mayhem slipped free from a gorilla press and shoved Toddzilla into the post, then did it two more times and rolled into the ring at 8. Toddilla was slightly bloodied and on his hands and knees on the floor when the referee hit ten. ** ½ Mayhem pulled himself up in the corner and received the QCW World Championship, before slightly limping to center ring and holding it up proudly. A few boos to be heard, but the champ was able to put the belt over his shoulder and pose on the buckles to end the show. 

Next: s1e6 Ruckus

QCW Ruckus [s1e4 • October 29, 2021]

The opening of Ruckus was interrupted by Nazir el-Fadal, who came out with a chair and threatened to hold up the show unless he got his rematch right fucking now. He had the truck play the footage from Devil’s Night of Mayhem winning the title with a rope-assisted pinfall. He ran down Mayhem saying he threw everything he had at Nazir and still had to cheat to win, and that he wasn’t going to let the QCW World Championship be cursed like the last title was due to skullduggery.  

Il Postino came out for a match and Nazir laid him out and dropped him with the WMDDT, then got back on the microphone and said Mayhem did what he did because he was shook after his hometown crowd booed him and called him boring. He said either he was getting his rematch or there wasn’t going to be a show. Some NPCs and suits came out and Nazir was arguing with them...until he saw that one of them was Benjamin Valentino. Perhaps triggered by a similar time in his past, Nazir seemingly dropped everything to start going after and dropping Valentino, culminating in running him into the post and hitting a WMDDT on the floor. Security came out and escorted the still frothing Nazir to the back and eventually out of the building. 

On the heels of that after commercials, Mayhem came out to celebrate winning the QCW World Championship. During the break the ringside filled up with more of the QCW roster in addition to the NPCs that Naz didn’t lay out. Mayhem said he wasn’t the last guy and he would keep his comments short, but wanted to thank the fans for standing by him and noted Naz underestimated him at his own peril, but now he’s the man on top of QCW and that wouldn’t be changing any time soon. Of note, he did get some boos but not a lot. On his way out, Toddzilla tried to high five him for some reason, which he no-sold. 

1) Nancy Crowley d. Bettie Rokker * ½ Debut of Crowley and the Forbidden Book Club just in time for the last episode before Halloween! Gotta love a good scheduler. The rest of the Club didn’t get involved but lurked menacingly around ringside; Crowley put her away with a flying headbutt. 

2) Lolo Vuitton d. @smashleysmithofficial SQUASH Speaking of debuts in the women’s division, Lolo went over even more decisively than Crowley, ending it with a modified Yakuza kick. She made a familiar looking gesture around her waist post-match. 

As sometimes happens on wrestling programs, you get a teaser for a teaser: in this case, that the TV title was not only officially coming to QCW, but that the date that the tournament would start would be announced on next week’s Ruckus 

3?) Más Hysteria NCO Chrysalis. This was supposed to be a rematch for the QCW Tag Team titles, but the former champions no-showed entirely. Weird. 

Awkward throw to the announce, who got word from the office that due to his actions to kick off the show that Nazir was suspended for one week effective immediately and would be off of next week’s Ruckus as a result. 

Some still shots from Devil’s Night, concluding with Summer Rose winning the QCW Women’s Championship - she’ll be on the show next week. 

4?) Mason “Razorblade” Savage d. Anton “Teknik” Stahl. ** ½ With the IWC banned from ringside, Savage had a strong showing over the German and eventually put him away with the Soul Crusher. The rest of the IWC came out post match and Savage fled before they could do any damage to him, then blew past Enya Face when she tried to interview him. More weird. 

5?) Mayhem d. “These Hands” Roy Fade to retain the QCW World Championship. *** On the Devil’s Night undercard before Mayhem won the title, Fade won the #1 contendership triple threat match and got his shot at the crown here. A good match, but it seemed super unlikely that Mayhem was going to lose his first match since winning the belt especially with Naz being removed from the premises. Mayhem dodged the Decision and hit him with an Electric Chair into a facebuster before landing his senton bomb to win. 

After the match as Mayhem was celebrating, Toddzilla (?) came out and pulled Mayhem off the ropes into a powerbomb before hitting him with There Goes Tokyo. “You disrespected me! NOBODY disrespects me! I’ll see you next week!” Toddzilla briefly picked up the title before throwing it onto Mayhem’s chest and stomping out of the ring. 

Next: s1e5 Ruckus

Devil's Night PPV [TCF Arena • Detroit, MI]

• QCW TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP: Mas Hysteria d. Chrysalis (c)

• Toddzilla DDQ "Tiki God" Al Buffet

• #1 contender triple threat "These Hands" Roy Fade d. Anton "Teknik" Stahl & Party Animal

• Dom DeSade ds. Lucius Patton

• I Quit Mirror Mirror ds. Winter Wonderland

• QCW WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP tournament finals: Summer Rose d. Dorothy Rubyslipper

• QCW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: Mayhem d. Nazir el-Fadal (c)

• FUN FACT: this is the second PPV with multiple title changes

Next: s1e4 Ruckus

QCW Ruckus [s1e3 • October 22, 2021]

Notable as they keep modifying the opening video package that some of the crowd shots have been removed, replaced with footage from (these are the ones I caught for sure) Mas Hysteria, Toddzilla, Al Buffet and the International Workrate Consortium. 

Pyro and a throw to the announce, who hyped the semifinals of the Women’s Title tournament as well as Mayhem getting ready for Sunday in the main event before throwing to this week’s Jihad World Tour footage -- 

--this time, Nazir was in Mexico, facing Crusazdo del Oro for the Lucha Libre de Reyes World Championship. Nazir was in the most trouble we’ve seen him in so far in these packages, having to get his foot on the ropes after a 450 that led to a false finish. Crusazdo went up for another 450, Naz rolled through and Oro landed on his feet then caught Naz’s leg lariat attempt and got him up on his shoulders. Naz raked his eyes then hit some hammer and anvil elbows before transitioning into a WMDDT that earned him his fourth title in a different country. Weighed down with a belt on each shoulder and two around his waist, he cackled to the hard camera and held up some of his loot before saying “When is Mayhem going to learn that I’m always five steps ahead? Maybe Sunday? Sooner? Never? Somebody else who isn’t getting this fat off of title gold should answer that. I’m kinda busy.” 

1) In a semifinal match in the QCW Women’s World Title tournament, Dorothy Rubyslipper beat Bettie Rokker. Bettie put up a decent fight but went down to a pair of Over the Rainbows and got pinned clean in the center. After the match Dorothy, surrounded by her stablemates, made a very familiar gesture around her waist and smiled evilly. ** 

2) In the other seminfinal match in the QCW Women’s World Title tournament, Summer Rose beat Bella Bathory. Around the midpoint of the match, all the seconds for both Mean Season and the Polycule were ejected. In the end, Bella missed Casting Shadows & Summer didn’t miss the Come-Up. * ½ After the match, Mean Season came out, then the Storybookers (dunno if you remember or not but they hate each other), and while they were having words Lolo Vuitton popped up on the Quarantron 8000 and wished them both good luck Sunday in a way that suggested she was actually wishing they both killed each other. 

New TV title hype video, featuring rapid fire footage of pretty much the entire roster and voiceovers from various members melded in and out promising to be the first QCW TV champion when the belt was introduced.  

3) “Tiki God” Al Buffett squashed Ichi-Go. DUD Only notable because as Al was leaving, one of the men in the next match came out (possibly) early, making sure to bump into the Tiki God as he marched out… 

4) Toddzillo squashed Il Postino. DUD Postino rushed Toddzilla at the bell, throwing forearms then punches, ran into the ropes and got lariated into about the sixth row. There Goes Tokyo. Goodnight! Buffett, who had stayed out to watch his opponent Sunday, offered up some sarcastic claps and a “Good job, asshole!” as Toddzilla pointed at him from the ring. 

Chrysalis sat on a basketball court, addressing Mas Hysteria. They said that they went from growing up having nothing together to becoming champions, which they knew would come with haters. But Hysteria took it too far when they threw Screw off the stage. A banged up Screw said he’d been shot at twice and knew the taste of government cheese, so if they were trying to shake him they better bring Tessa Thompson dressed up like Wonder Woman. More importantly, they were bringing the tag titles to Devil’s Night and in Detroit - essentially College Park North -- they were going to put the dirty dog and the feral cat to sleep. 

5) Mayhem beat Anton “Teknik” Stahl by DQ. Mayhem came out to the pop of the night alongside Mason “Razorblade” Savage, and as usual the IWC came out as a unit. Story of the match was Stahl was hanging with Mayhem until he wasn’t, Mayhem landing some running forearm shots and a suspiciously familiar looking corkscrew tope con hilo off the top. He went up for his finisher, at which point the outside IWC members surrounded and then beat up Savage before shoving Mayhem off the top for the DQ. ** 

Grounded on the mat, Stahl locked in his Matter of Time and Mayhem screamed in pain forever as the IWC stomped away on the arm in the elevated hammerlock until some music hit - but it wasn't to set up a save -  

“Don’t Even Trip”. Out strutted a smirking Nazir, weighed down with the title belts of four promotions before announcing that the Champ Champ CHAMP Champ is here to an avalanche of boos. He walked down to the ring, before pulling an envelope out of his suit pocket. You know where this is going: 25k for Windsor, 25k for Williams, and a cool 50k to Stahl for doing the dirty work. “This is what you’re doing two nights before our match, street trash? Where’s your brain? Where’s your little buddy?” Mayhem took a swing at him, which missed wildly and Nazir stepped on his injured shoulder to keep him on the mat before finishing his message:  

“This isn’t just my QCW now, this is my whole damn WORLD! There’s a reason the jester never overthrows the king, and since you are so very determined to do so, Sunday you and all the precious rabble you let down every time you fail are going to flunk the final test - this was just lesson one.” 

Fire up Don’t Even Trip and a livid crowd as Nazir laughed and headed to the back while EMTs came to check on Mayhem and Savage. The show concluded with the announcers excitedly saying that after cutting a deal with FITE, the opening of the PPV would be leaked Sunday afternoon ahead of the show on Q(CW)Tube. 

Next: Devil's Night '21 PPV