GRPL+ Presents QCW Ruckus [s3e31 • July 19, 2024]

Quality Arena | Parts Unknown, FL 

Aired live on GRPL+ | July 19th, 2024

A Cruel Summer highlight package opened the show instead of the usual. Stills of the women of Hysteria and the debuting w @ s t 3 l a n d e r s winning their preshow matches gave way to brief video clips of the main card’s title matches:

🌴☀️ It looked like Beauty & the Beast Mode were going to be the winners of Tag Team Turmoil by beating Team Batroc but S. Mark Starr revealed he’d not only gotten Evan O’Neill reinstated but added him to the All Starr Stable; he and partner “Upper Class” Broderick Palmer II aka A Cut Above used that surprise to win the vacant Unified World Tag Team championships☀️🌴

🌴☀️ Witchfinder General not only beating Ashley “THEE Influencer” Szabo to retain the QCW National Championship but getting another acolyte in the former of a clean shaven Drake Tremble ☀️🌴

🌴☀️ Bonnie Agrippa’s open challenge for the Crush championship getting answered by her ex partner, the returning former Crush & Women’s World champion “Night Sky” Diana Spare; Hysteria ran in to save the title ☀️🌴

🌴☀️ Ashok Banjerjee & Nazir el-Fadal damn near stealing the show in their GRPL+ World TV title match, Banjerjee responding to weeks of el-Fadal’s smack talk and sneak attacks by beating him clean in the middle even if it took almost half an hour to do it ☀️🌴

🌴☀️ Longtime rivals Lolo Vuitton and Karyn Tisch-Warren finally throwing down over the Women’s World championship, Lolo getting the ultimate revenge on her turncoat ex partner by hitting not 1, not 2, but 3 Bloody Shoes to retain the belt – but Hysteria showed up out of nowhere to pick the bones and laid out Diana Spare when she came out for a potential save; Agrippa cackled as she held both the Crush championship and the Women’s World title ☀️🌴

🌴☀️ A reinstated Mason “Razorblade” Savage watched on from the front row aas Omar Littlefield defended the Unified World championship against Autumn Powers, with Powers looking like she was going to pull off the upset and regain the Fifteen Pounds of Gold until Omar powerbombed her repeatedly and TKO’d her; Littlefield getting in ex champion Razorblade’s face started a lengthy pull apart brawl that took referees, security and most of the roster to break up while the crowd chanted “Let them fight!” ☀️🌴

Steve Vandeblanche and Carl Christensen on commentary, the Voice of QCW Duck Eko handled the ring announcing - Steve and Carl hyped up finding out what’s next for Ashok Banjerjee, who’ll defend the G+ World TV title tonight as well as Luz Cruz trying to regain the Crush championship and take it off of Bonnie Agrippa, but tonight’s action begins in the tag team division…

1. Asesinos Aereos d. The International Players at 10:41 Asesinos are Super Avión and Roberto Villalobos, who came together in the Cruel Summer build as Avión cheated to win a mask vs. mask match against ex partner Crusazdo del Oro - who unmasked to reveal Ricardo Villalobos, and then was jumped by his evil almost twin brother who he obediently laid down for in a contract match to return Roberto to QCW.  This is a mini rematch from Tag Team Turmoil on Sunday night and even though neither team won the Unified World Tag Team championships, the ex champion Players beat Los Asesinos to advance then and set up tonight's opening tag.

The rudos proved Friday wasn't Sunday when they wiped out Lucius Patton and Benjamin Valentino with low topes before they could even make it into the ring, then controlled the opening minutes of the match while the crowd rallied behind the Atlantans.  Valentino was able to powerbomb away a flying avalanche huracanrana attempt to tag out, and Sweet Lu ran wild for a couple of minutes after getting his first big run of the match.  But an Avión blind tag allowed him to sneak up on Patton while he was occupied with Villalobos and El Super dropped him with a springboard poison rana.  Asesinos dominated the rest of the way and put Patton down for 3 after a tandem 450° splash.  Asesinos won last week and won again here, this time against former champions which definitely was picked up on by the announce as they celebrated on their way to the back.

After that, Steve and Carl threw to a vignette that happened Earlier Today in Commissioner Holmes' office, where Enya Face walked in on him and Nazir el-Fadal in the middle of a heated conversation.  Naz complained about losing to Ashok Banjerjee at Cruel Summer, specifically that it took the World TV champ almost twice the usual time limit to beat him and that there was no way Ashok could beat Mr. Grand Slam in 15 minutes.  He threatened to sue if he didn't get a rematch tonight and a peeved Holmes granted his wish.  Naz left laughing and promised Enya she had dibs on the first interview once he got the title back.  Holmes apologized to Enya before regaining composure and putting over that AnnIVersary tickets would go on sale once the show was over; QCW’s biggest PPV of the year happens on September 8th.

Mean Season came out before the first communion break ahead of their rematch from last week…

✨ ✨ ✨

2. Hysteria (Justine and Bella w/Nancy) d. Mean Season at 8:02 The next chunk of the show belonged to Hysteria.  Mean Season controlled the early part of the match but Hysteria distracted the ref, allowing Nancy Crowley to wipe out Gaia Green with a German suplex on the floor. After that, Justine and Bella halved the ring on a weakened Green and kept Winter Wonderland from getting back into the fray.  The black pointy hats put Gaia twelve feet under and got their revenge for last week after a combination Buckshot lariat from Justine and Eat Defeat from Bella.

We didn't see Bonnie Agrippa out with the rest of the group because she was scheduled to face Luz Cruz for the Crush championship in the next fight, but Luz didn't show up when Bad Bunny hit the PA.  We found in short order why, as a limp Cruz was tossed out on the stage by Bonnie, who had a mic and started off her promo by cackling.  Bonnie said as she strolled down the ramp that since obviously Luz couldn't face her tonight that she would issue another open challenge and dared any woman in the back to try and beat her.  Hilary Highnote came out and cut a brief promo, saying that Wednesday nights knew what she was about and now Bonnie would know her as the woman who ended her title reign.  The rest of Hysteria began to surround Hilary on the floor but Bonnie told them to stand down…

3. Bonnie Agrippa [c, w/Hysteria] d. Hilary Highnote at 8:18 to retain the Crush championship in an open challenge 5️⃣. Pretty much a showcase match for Bonnie, though Hilary threw a queen sized scare into her when she hit a Destino out of nowhere and got 2¾ off of it.  When both women got back up, Agrippa hit a Stun Gun and followed up with a pump kick to regain the advantage.  The champion didn't lose it the rest of the way and shut Hilary down with consecutive suplexes and a brainbuster.  Bonnie's halfway through her 10 Count to be able to cash in the Crush championship for a shot at Lolo Vuitton and the Women's World championship - and Hysteria bounced back from last week to go 2-0 here tonight.

Lights out.

Lights on.

No Hysteria.  Just a few commercials.

✨ ✨ ✨

Surprising start to the back end of the show, as Steve Vandeblanche was in the ring for a rare interview.   Steve made a reminder about purchasing AnnIVersary tickets after the show or on PPV if you couldn't be in the Arena live on September 8th.  Steve then asked the Quality Controllers to help him welcome back his guest - one of the backbones of QCW’s modern era - Mason “Razorblade” Savage!

The PA fired up “Unscripted Violence” and out came the Triple Crown winner to the pop of the night.  Once he hit the ring Savage played to the fans for a little bit before shaking hands with Steve.  Steve said just like all the fans here and watching along at home, he wanted to welcome Razorblade back to QCW.  Razorblade thanked everyone for the warm reception and noted that while he was recovering from some injuries it felt like QCW had been taken over by a bunch of [whatever he said got bleeped but it popped the crowd and startled Steve a little bit].  Evan O’Neill was walking around with one of his Unified Tag belts, and Omar Littlefield was literally destroying the Unified World title he’d worked so hard to bring to QCW.  Razorblade had beaten champions from around the world to make it happen and now Omar was making it look like something you’d find in the back of a hoarder’s garage when he wasn’t out here sending people to the hospital or ending the careers of competitors he respected.  If Omar ever dared to step to him that way, he’d bleed him real slow and show him who the real Big Bad in QCW was.  Razorblade continued addressing Littlefield for a little bit until he got cut off by “Engel”, which brought out Team Batroc to boos.

They stayed on the ramp as Serge said if anyone was screwed out of the Unified World Tag titles it was he and Pyotr on Sunday night.  They should’ve been last in Tag Team Turmoil - hell, they should’ve gotten the belts back after they were held up.  They came down the ramp as Serge said that Razorblade didn’t have to worry about Omar, he had debts to pay and if he wanted to have a 10 minute comeback they would be happy to oblige him.  

Razorblade asked Steve to get out of the ring and then told Team Batroc to get in the ring if they wanted to fight.  Serge laughed, saying that there were two of them and one of him, causing Razorblade to say that welllll….really…there was Pyotr and the guy leeching off of him.  That got a 90s style :”oooooh!” from the crowd and a double take from Serge before the Europeans hit the ring and started beating down Razorblade.  

Savage managed a brief comeback before Pyotr dropped him with a discus Russian sickle.  Pyotr and Serge were laying the boots to Razorblade when “New Day” by the Bouncing Souls hit the PA.  Batroc and Caviar’s heads whipped towards the Qualitron 9004 but Justice Davis wasn’t coming down the ramp - he was jumping in the ring from the crowd with a steel chair, and he swung for the fences.  Serge nudged Pyotr aside and ate the shot himself, Batroc going down in a heap before ending up face down on the floor outside of the ring.  Caviar went to check on Serge while Justice did the same to Razorblade, pulling him up before charging towards the ropes and barely missing landing a shot on Pyotr.  

“Unscripted Violence” hit the PA again as Justice and Razorblade held down the ring while Serge and Pyotr were on the floor pointing up at them, swearing it wasn’t over; hell, considering their histories against each other, it may never be over. Replays played as announce gave Justice his props for making the save and wondered if we were headed for another big fight between the last two teams to hold the Unified World Tag Team championships.

4. “Night Sky” Diana Spare d. Val Curry (w/Bettie Rokker) at 5:12 ICYMI, former Crush and Women's World champion Spare returned at Cruel Summer to answer ex partner Bonnie Agrippa's open challenge for the Crush title; it turns out that wasn't a one off and after going elsewhere in the state for about a year she's back in QCW.  Spare got a showcase win over the bigger Curry and put her away with Nightfall, a powerbomb into a double knee backbreaker.  Post match Spare spoke briefly to a corner camera, saying that in order for QCW to belong to the night, then Hysteria would be owned by her sooner or later.  She added that she'd see Bonnie again real soon. 

Announce talked about Spare 's return and what it might mean for the future of the women's division before segueing into a highlight package of Omar Littlefield v. Lolo Vuitton in a champion vs. champion match that headlined the first anniversary show Unleashed had a couple of days ago.  Lolo put up a fight but it's been the better part of a year and no one’s pinned Littlefield; no one's come close to making him submit.  Before break, Steve and Carl were in agreement that it would take something not seen all year to stop Omar's reign of terror.

✨ ✨ ✨

Before the next match, we got a vignette of Blockhead Ferguson and Cliff Foster, former football stars looking to find the same sort of glories in the squared circle that they found on the gridiron.  

5. the W@st3landers d. Glory Days at 2:15 None of those glories happened here, as the Qualitron struck m 1 d n i g h t and the w@st3landers came out for their Ruckus in ring debuts to Iron Maiden before shoving them into a proverbial locker.  The…well, they're not mutants, but until a better term comes along the doomed two man legion shredded the jocks and Blockhead got pinned after a version of Total Elimination with a lariat instead of a kick.  “Two Minutes To Midnight” played the whole time.  f a l l 0 u t and m 3 l t d 0 w n stomped off after the win without even getting their hands raised by the ref.

Duck Eko was in the ring after that serving of summer squash, but in the middle of whatever introduction he was going to make a familiar nasally voice cut him off.  S. Mark Starr came out on the ramp and said while the weasels in the crowd didn't deserve it, he was proud to bring out his All Starr Stable: the most dangerous man in QCW, Jacques Krieger and the NEWWWW Unified World Tag Team champions - “Upper Class” Broderick Palmer II and the rehired Evan O'Neill - A Cut Above!

Nonpoint’s “Bullet With A Name” brought out all three men and their manager, who had a grin that was less “cat that ate the canary” and more “lion that broke free from the zoo and just got its first taste of human flesh”.  As they took over the ring, O’Neill and Palmer II triumphantly thrust the World Tag Team championships in the air, and white and gold pyro exploded on the top of the rampway in front of the QT9K04.  After the pyro and the music died down, O’Neill cut a promo.  He said that when he got unfairly (what) canned after his actions at Mayday Payday, the only people looking out for him were Broddy and the S-Man.  He threw his lot in with the Stable because their common sense and camaraderie were two things you couldn’t get in a place that allegedly focused on the quality of its wrestling and just like always, everything Evan touched turned to gold.  With a heavy hitter like Krieger backing them up the jamokes in the cheap seats wouldn’t have to do anything but watch A Cut Above dominate tag team wrestling and finally bring prestige and class to the Unified Tag belts.  He asked Broderick if he had anything to add and Palmer II said if the normies didn’t like it, they could go back to waiting in line at the Dollar Store for their monthly Hydrox.  Broderick asked Jacques if he had anything to add (he didn’t).  Starr took back over to put a button on things, saying that he lived up to his promises and if you didn’t believe it, you could ask the new tag team champions of the world.  He was the shortcut to success - the former champion who knew current and future champions when he saw them - and you could live the good life with the Stable or find yourself blocked from everything good in life.  Nonpoint came back on over the PA as the All Starr Stable took their leave, announce reluctantly putting over the fact Starr had promised signing up with him would get somebody gold and now he had the Unified World Tag Team champions and some muscle behind them to boot.

On tap for next week's Ruckus:

• We’ll hear from The Champ, Omar Littlefield 

• El Vengador de Gente Jr. will make his QCW debut

• The now reunited Justice Davis & Mason “Razorblade” Savage will face off against their greatest rivals, Team Batroc

• Halfway through her 10 Count, Bonnie Agrippa will once again defend the Crush championship

• And presumably, Ashok Banjerjee will defend the GRPL+ World TV title, assuming he still has it after the main event up next 

6. Ashok Banjerjee and Nazir el-Fadal fought to a 15 minute time limit draw; Banjerjee retains the GRPL+ World Television championship The main event was a rematch from Cruel Summer, Naz successfully able to wheedle a rematch out of Commissioner Holmes earlier in the day to set this up.  The self proclaimed Greatest Man Alive couldn’t completely reverse his fortunes from Sunday but he did literally push Ashok to the limit here.

Instead of the usual feeling out process Naz came out the gate with a fast start looking to catch Ashok sleeping as he rattled off four nearfall attempts in the opening 90 seconds with rollups.  Banjerjee battled back after falling behind early but Naz caught a springboard attempt of his and drove him into the canvas with a particularly nasty looking Saito suplex.  Naz kept Ashok grounded and even busted out something that looked like a cobra clutch version of the camel clutch; when Banjerjee started getting himself out from under that el-Fadal converted it into a Lungblower and got the first 2 ½ of the match off of his Heat Check.

Both men tried to surprise the other with rebound attacks off the ropes but it was the reigning champion who surprised Naz to get the upper hand by laying him out with a handspring enzuigiri.  When both men got up Naz tried another cobra clutch but Ashok countered and threw him off.  Naz charged Ashok again but Banjerjee monkey flipped him so high and far that el-Fadal did an additional rotation and landed on his face.  el-Fadal rolled out of the ring to try and buy some time to collect his bearings but once he was on his feet Ashok was running down the apron at him, flying at the One Man Jihad with a huracanrana that sent Naz flying into the steps to a big pop from the crowd.

It was Ashok’s turn to show why he’d won the Golden Gauntlet and the World TV title in the process as he quickened the pace of the match to make things more in his favor.  With Ashok off the mat and flying around the ring, Naz didn’t seem to have an answer to his offense for awhile; Banjerjee hit Naz with a springboard tornado DDT for 2 ½ then moments later threw Naz into the ringpost shoulder first to counter a Nazquil attempt and spiked him with an Orange Crush bomb that saw Naz kick out at 2 ¾ with a shade over five minutes left on the time limit.

Duck announced that there were five minutes left and both men emptied the tanks down the stretch.  Ashok hit a second Orange Crush bomb but Naz got a hand on the ropes and scooted out to the apron when the ref broke it up.  Ashok went after him but Naz snapped the top rope into his neck and Saito suplexed Ashok into the corner.  A frothing Naz followed up with an Outsider’s Edge to drop Banjerjee again with a minute left on the clock but Ashok managed a kick out at 2 ¾.  el-Fadal tried to win the belt with Nazquil but Ashok shoved him off into a corner.  Banjerjee gathered a couple of breaths before charging into the corner but got greeted by a European uppercut. Naz hit another European uppercut from the second rope with ten seconds left on the clock, then scrambled and hit Nazquil – but the recoil off of the Lightning Spiral sent Ashok bouncing off the mat and falling to the floor between the middle and bottom rope.  Naz flailed and tried to pull Ashok back in the ring but barely was able to get a hand on Ashok before the time expired, pissing everybody off.

The crowd didn't like the fact it was a draw, the announce didn't like the fact Naz was clearly ahead on points when the time expired, Naz sure as hell didn't like the fact he felt like he was another few seconds away from regaining the title and Ashok wasn't happy that Naz had come within a hair’s breadth of walking away with the belt.  Ruckus went off the air with the announce debating what this meant for the future of the G+ World TV title, the Boundless champion holding the belt in one hand and the back of his head with the other as he leaned against the barricade, and Naz was getting bleeped out a couple times as he read the referee the riot act.  See you next Friday night as QCW continues to bring the Ruckus - AnnIVersary tickets go on sale right now!

QCW Unleashed First Anniversary Show

 

• Shelley LaVey (w/Beauty and the Beast Mode) d. Nancy Crowley (w/Hysteria)

• Jacques Krieger (w/the All Starr Stable) d. “The Wonderful” Rich Ward (w/Jason “the Great” Ward)

• Justice Davis and Mr. Teknik d. Ian Cook and Gerry Greene 

• champion v. champion Omar Littlefield d. Lolo Vuitton

Cruel Summer 2024 PPV (Capital One Arena • Washington, DC)

Preshow

1. Hysteria (Nancy Crowley, Justine Danek & Bella Jolie) d. Luz Cruz & Mean Season (Danek The Lash -> pinfall Wonderland)
2. the Wastelanders (Fallout & Meltdown) d. "Swamp Pride" Ted Holland & Robert E. Moonshine (Fallout Ground Zero -> pinfall Holland)

 

Main Card

• unification tag team turmoil UNIFIED WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS A Cut Above (w/S. Mark Starr) d. Beauty & the Beast Mode, Team Batroc, Justice Davis & Mr. Teknik, the International Players, Asesinos Aereos, the Wonderful Ward Brothers, the All Starr Stable (Krieger/Palmer II) and the End Times #AndNew
• QCW NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP Witchfinder General [c, w/Goody Gardner] d. Ashley "THEE Influencer" Szabo [w/"Tiki God" Al Buffett] (Repent -> pinfall)
• CRUSH CHAMPIONSHIP "Night Sky" Diana Spare ddq. Bonnie Agrippa [c, w/Hysteria]
• the GRPL+ WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP  Ashok Banjerjee [c] d. Nazir el-Fadal (Decolonizer Driver -> pinfall) 
• WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Lolo Vuitton d. Karyn Tisch-Warren [w/International Lotus] (3 Bloody Shoes -> pinfall) 
• UNIFIED WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Omar Littlefield [c] d. Autumn Powers (multiple powerbombs -> Powers TKO'd)

FUN FACT: Due to the opener being for vacated championships, this is technically the first PPV of the Modern Era with no title changes.

GRPL+ Presents QCW Ruckus [s3e30 • July 12, 2024]

Quality Arena | Parts Unknown, FL 

Aired live on GRPL+ | July 12th, 2024

Steve Vandeblanche and Carl Christensen on commentary, the Voice of QCW Duck Eko handled the ring announcing

1. Omar Littlefield d. “the Proper King Richard Windsor in a non-title match at 2:36 Omar put Richard’s usual partner on the shelf a couple of months ago and Windsor was out for revenge.  He did not get it.  He did not come close to getting it, though he had a brief flurry at the beginning before Omar almost launched him from the ring with a Pounce.  The squash ended 2 Vader Bombs and a Face Eraser later.  Post match Omar feinted sending Windsor to the hospital but settled for chasing the ref to the back instead.  

Just kidding, he came back to the ring and hit another Face Eraser.  The rookie monster seems ready to defend the Fifteen Pounds of Gold come Sunday night against Autumn Powers.

Once Omar stomped off to the back for good, Steve entered the ring and said that he had some news he just got from the Commissioner that he thought everyone in the building should hear - that AnnIVersary, their biggest PPV of the year is returning to the Arena on September 8th, with tickets going on sale once next week's Ruckus goes off the air.  He put over the fact that they were going to not just have the biggest show of QCW’s moderna era but QCW history period, so why wouldn't you want to be in the building for that if you could?  Steve thanked everyone for their time before heading back to the desk and resuming his duties for the next match:

2. Mean Season d. Justine Danek and Bella Jolie of Hysteria (w/Bonnie Agrippa and Nancy Crowley) at 7:34 In their first run with the company, both Justine and Bella had long standing issues with Mean Season so this tag match here showed all four women going at it with gusto.  With the advantage of being a team longer, Mean Season was able to fight out of a rough patch and managed to land a tandem wheelbarrow implant DDT to pick up the victory.

Season won the battle but lost the war, as Bonnie and Nancy hit the ring and eventually with a four on two advantage Hysteria laid Gaia and Winter out.  Bonnie started to cut a promo only to have the noise from the crowd alert her Something Was Up.  Luz Cruz ran down the ramp and headed for the ring but barely got to her feet in it before Justine wiped her out with a Buckshot lariat; it sent Luz’s head back and to the left before she went down in a heap.  Bonnie pointed to the carnage around her and said with Hysteria behind her it was only a matter of time before the group had control of the Women's World championship.  As for her Crush championship – well, now that she had put a couple more Ls on Shelley LaVey's name she was in more of a giving mood.  Agrippa then made the biggest possible open challenge she could, daring any woman from any locker room to come to Cruel Summer and take the Crush championship out of her hands.  Agrippa warned any woman who would try her luck against her, she and Hysteria would take whatever was thrown at them and return it four fold before snapping her fingers and disappearing her crew in the darkness once again.  Refs came down once the lights came back on to check on Mean Season and Luz Cruz going into commercials.

✨ ✨ ✨

3. Nazir el-Fadal and International Lotus d. Ashok Banjerjee, Luz Cruz and Lolo Vuitton at 13:29 As will happen sometimes on a go home show, two PPV matches get twinned together for a tag match; announce hyped both the Women's World and World TV title matches on Sunday in the crevices of the trios match.  Cruz insisted that she was good to go after what happened right before the commercial break but her handful of moments in the ring she looked loopy and got handled pretty easily no matter who she was in there against.  This left Ashok and Lolo to cover Cruz's share of the team, something that wasn't sustainable against three former (maybe not so former after this weekend) World champions.  Naz and Lotus worked well together as they've been loose associates since he return; after wiping out Ashok with a hip toss Michinoku Driver on the floor the black hats played Whack-A-Lolo to finish the fight as Sohla's Ninth Incarnation set up Karyn's Spare Me to pave the way for a dose of Nazquil to close things out.  Post match the heels made sure to smacktalk their opponents in 48 hours before exchanging hugs.  You’d think there’d be no such thing as a scummy hug, and yet four happened in a row…

Backstage promo with Julius Duquesne III, Super Avión and Roberto Villalobos - they were all smarn and sneers after Roberto made his brother Ricardo (tracks Crusazdo del Oro) lie down for him in a contract match last week so that he could get reinstated.  Roberto said that his brother was lucky he didn't get his weak ass stomped out again and Avión said that now QCW was going to see what he could do when he had a real partner backing him up.  Later tonight they'd debut as Asesinos Aereos and show QCW - hell, the world - what lucha libre at the highest altitudes looked like.  JD3 had follow up questions about Ricardo and the signing of El Vengador de Gente Jr to the roster but they laughed off the former and dismissed the latter with a scoff before leaving the set.  

4. The End Times d. the Wonderful Ward Brothers, Beauty and the Beast Mode and Team Batroc in a fatal four way at 14:42 This came about after a triple threat between the other teams was ruined by the End Times returning and laying them all out, and it served as an amuse bouche for some of what's to come Sunday in the tag team turmoil match to fill the vacant Unified World Tag Team championships.  

✨ ✨ ✨

Given the one fall to a finish nature of this match as opposed to the Turmoil that’ll happen at Cruel Summer, we got a blend of the expected (Team Batroc having heat with all three teams given their histories but nobody being able to stop Pyotr Caviar without some help, the Players and Wards being able to work together at least until the pin attempts started) and the unexpected (Serge hitting a crossbody to the floor to save Pyotr from the rest of the field and end a dive train, there was a moment down the stretch where Team Batroc had to save their former stablemates the Brothers Wars from losing to the Wards and a few beats later the Players broke up what would've been a Wards pinfall by Rich on Serge).  The end came when the End Times hit the Reckoning (a tornado DDT version of the Doomsday Device) on Jason “the Great” Ward and Danny Castle (Serge's partner forever ago) pinned one of the men he’d thrown off the ramp months ago.  Announce put over their win, noting they were the only team in the match that weren't former champions but they could become current champions with their devastating finisher and some help with the luck of the draw on Sunday.

We got a video package mostly centered around what happened in QCW Headquarters down the block from the Arena earlier this week - luchador El Vengador de Gente Jr. officially signing his QCW contract as both Commissioner Holmes and minority owner Ig de Catur watched on approvingly.  A subtitled Vengador talked about wanting to hold QCW gold as he did in Lucha Salvaje and knew he would in time but there was a wrong he had to right first.  Yo soy El Vengador de Gente Jr, y mi palabra… es la ley. (My word is the law.)

5. Asesinos Aereos d. “Swamp Pride Ted Holland and Robert E. Moonshine at 6:22 Following that clip, the team of Super Avión and Roberto Villalobos debuted for the first time and had little trouble in polishing off the Southern boys, ending things with a tandem 450° splash.  Things didn't get any better for Robert and Ted post match, as the Qualitron flashed m I d n 1 g h t over and over again until Iron Maiden hit the PA.  Hockey Mask and the hulking Mohawk from the past few weeks of vignettes walked down the ramp and laid out the already laid out Robert and Ted, dropping them both with something like a Total Elimination that was less “kicky” and more “lariat your face off”.  Iron Maiden never stopped playing as they headed to the back; after they did the Qualitron said

f @ l l 0 u t

m 3 l t d 0 w n

w @ s t 3 l a n d e r s

✨ ✨ ✨

6. The Game Changers d. Witchfinder General and Goody Gardner in a weapons match at 10:33 This match was supposed to happen a few shows ago but the holy rollers forfeited it rather than participate; Commissioner Holmes announced this as a make good on Quality Social earlier in the week and after the holy rollers complained threatened another forfeit would make Witchfinder forfeit his National Championship to Ashley THEE Influencer instead of them having their scheduled Cruel Summer title match.  

In a mirror of the earlier trios match, Witchfinder took too long to adapt to the kind of match (while frighteningly Goody was setting up a table less than 90 seconds in like she had bingo hall blood in her veins).  Gardner busted Al open by throwing him headfirst into a chair propped up in a corner, which looked like it would turn the tide for Team Bible - but seeing Goody not only jump Al again but bust him open awakened something unholy in Ashley who ran wild down the stretch getting her revenge.  Ashley pulled the Tiki God out of WG’s Repent before upper cutting him and leaving his mouth bloody - it turned out Szabo had hidden a pair of handcuffs in her hand with the punch and she used them to handcuff the National Champion to the ropes.  Goody soon pulled herself off the canvas and went full throttle at Ashley only for Al to low bridge her out to the apron before hitting her with a uranagi through the table she set up earlier.  The end came as Witchfinder had to watch Goody eat a chair assisted Face Reality; Ashley stared him down during the three count while mouthing “You're next.” 

Before the big announcement of the evening, Steve and Carl ran down the card for Cruel Summer while the ring crew cleaned up the mess and cut a seething Witchfinder loose:

On the preshow, the Wastelanders will debut against “Swamp Pride Ted Holland and Robert E. Moonshine and 3/4ths of Hysteria (Nancy, Justine and Bella) will be in trios action against Luz Cruz and Mean Season.  Every match at the PPV on the main card has a title on the line.

Deeper dive.

☀️🌴  Witchfinder General will face off against Ashley THEE Influencer Szabo with the National Championship on the line in a rematch of the Duquesne Classic finals 🌴☀️

☀️🌴 Bonnie Agrippa made an open challenge for her Crush championship 🌴☀️

☀️🌴 There will be a tag team turmoil match eight teams deep and the winners will be crowned the new Unified World Tag Team champions 🌴☀️

☀️🌴 GRPL+ World Television champion Ashok Banjerjee looks to defend the belt against his toughest opponent yet, Grand Slam winner Nazir el-Fadal 🌴☀️

☀️🌴 This one's been over a year in the making, ex partners collide when Lolo Vuitton defends her Women's World championship against her ex bestie, Karyn Tisch-Warren of International Lotus ☀️🌴

☀️🌴 And in the main event, Omar Littlefield defends the Unified World Championship against former champ, the Final Woman, Autumn Powers. 🌴☀️

Washington D.C. is sold out - QCW avoided one local curse there - so if you want to catch Cruel Summer you gotta order it on PPV!  

We went back to the ring, where the slightly bloodied Game Changers were standing on the apron, both Al and Ashley's faces going through emotions like a revolving door.  And on that cheery note, “This Town Ain't Big Enough For the Both of Us” hit the PA.  

Out strode “Dark Mirror” Beckett Carpenter in street gear.  They exchanged brief nods with the Game Changers before hugging Duck, getting the mic and hitting the ring - but not really to cut a promo, just to talk.  Beckett said they stood proud in this ring because they went above and beyond to get noticed so that they could be heard.  WarGames, announcing their non binary status, finding real allies like Al and Ashley, going to war in the Best of 5 and holding the Fifteen Pounds of Gold even if it was only for a few minutes.  They forced Commissioner Holmes to look inward when they changed the game with their announcement, and a lot of looking inward led them to this moment - when they had to announce that they were retiring.

It took two minutes for the ripples from that to settle - there was crying from Al, from Steve and plenty of Quality Controllers.  Carl got bleeped out and quickly apologized.  Ashley consoled Al and shook her head.  

The only person who didn't seem sad was Carpenter, who said that they weren't dying, just retiring.  Their aim had been to change QCW for the better and to make it a place where those like them could know that they could come here, be accepted, and if they wanted a Triple Crown they'd sure as hell have to fight for it…but it could still end up on their shelf.   Mirror just really wanted to say a farewell to the fans, stans and haters - and let them know that changing the game was what they came to QCW to do and they did, so if the game played on without them, well ..it wasn't the worst thing in the world.

Mirror put their mic down and saluted the Quality Controllers, who were chanting “THANK YOU, MIRROR!” so loud the cameras were wobbling a little.  Al and Ashley hugged the usually reticent Carpenter, who let out a big sigh and hugged their former stablemates.  

It was a feel-good moment to end feel-good moments…until it got ruined by the sound of someone's deep and deeply obnoxious laughter.  Omar Littlefield walked out on the stage and told Carpenter to cut the crap and got a tidal wave of boos as a result .

Omar said that Mirror needed to admit that the real reason they were retiring was him - that he'd spent all year kicking their ass, hell, practically inventing new ways to kick their ass, and now he’d taken them out of the place they helped build because it was his now.  He explained as he came down the ramp that it was an old trick he’d learned in the yard: find the biggest guy in it and drop them.  Carpenter wasn't the biggest size wise but had one of the biggest names, and they led him right to the belt.  He was within shouting distance of the Triple Crown after four months when it took Mirror four years of scarring themselves.  As Omar came up the steps, he told Mirror it was time to admit they were retiring because Omar had knocked them the eff out last month and they were still recovering from it.  Admit they were retiring because of him breaking their clavicle.  Omar got in the ring and in Carpenter’s face.

“Admit you're retiring because of me…and I won't put you in a wheelchair.  How about that?”

And with those two sentences, Omar Littlefield caused so much heat in the building it almost caught on fire again.  The boos rattled the cheap seats and cameras alike, Mirror fumed and Carl let out an all-time call of “.......man, eff that guy!” Mirror stewed, glaring up at Omar and slowly brought the mic up to their mouth.

“Listen here.  You –” was as far as Carpenter got before the Game Changers came roaring out of the corner and started throwing hands on The Champ, the crowd erupted with cheers as Al and Ashley started to make Omar pay for his words, only for Littlefield to suddenly get some separation on the former Unified World Tag Team champions before hitting a Pounce on Al that sent him flying into Ashley and laid them both out.

Littlefield wheeled around and was headed for Carpenter when “Mota” hit the PA and out came Autumn Powers to another big pop from the crowd.  Littlefield turned his attention towards the ramp, and that's exactly when both Game Changers popped back up and popped Omar in the head with glass tubes they weren't able to get to in the weapons match.  Autumn started running down the ramp as Al and Ashley emptied the tank, cracking a few more glass tubes over Omar's head as Autumn came down and pulled him out of the ring.  Mirror looked on from the ring with a small grin as longtime rivals Autumn and the Game Changers swarmed Omar, and once he was down to a knee Autumn put him on his back with a Hazy Shade of Autumn.  Carpenter bowed in front of Steve and Carl before clearing the announce table, then moved off to the side as the Changers exchanged Mirroresque grins.  On the same wavelength, Al and Ashley grabbed Omar and hit him with a double uranagi that had him laid out on the table like a Sunday dinner.  Omar was splayed out on the table - and as Mirror looked on from the floor, Autumn climbed up to the top rope before pointing at Omar.

Then the former Unified World champ flew off with a diving double foot stomp that sent Omar through the table to the roars of the crowd and yelps of glee from Al and Ashley.  Autumn briefly held up the Fifteen Pounds of Gold before dumping it on Omar's splayed out body, and the camera was close enough to hear her say when she had it in her hands Sunday night she’d be walking out of D.C. as The Champ once again.  Ruckus faded to black with Autumn getting dap from Al and Ashley before shaking hands with her longtime rival Beckett, who said something to her before raising her hand to another big pop.  Sunday night on PPV, it’s the former champ and the Final Woman against the rookie monster and The Champ with the Fifteen Pounds of Gold on the line!  Be there!

QCW Unleashed [s1e45 • Quality Arena]

 

• “Swamp Pride” Ted Holland and Robert E. Moonshine ddq. The End Times

• Science Fiction Double Feature d. The Sound of Thunder

• CRUSH CHAMPIONSHIP Bonnie Agrippa [c, w/Hysteria] d. Fiona Fogg 3️⃣

• Pyotr Caviar (w/Serge Batroc) d. “Dashing” Pierce Moore (w/”These Hands” Roy Fade)

GRPL+ Presents QCW Ruckus [s3e29 • July 5, 2024]

Quality Arena | Parts Unknown, FL 

Aired live on GRPL+ | July 5th, 2024

Steve Vandeblanche and Carl Christensen on commentary, the Voice of QCW Duck Eko handled the ring announcing

1. Justice Davis d. Jacques Krieger (w/S. Mark Starr) at 12:15 This springboarded from last week's show, as online Starr blamed his client bumping into and having words with Davis before his loss in the World TV title match until Davis made a rare online appearance and said he’d have fun punching his meal ticket.  We got the hard hitting opener you’d expect here, a 50/50 match Davis surprised the bigger Krieger with a Davis Driver out of nowhere but got laid out by “Upper Class” Broderick Palmer II who had beaten him thanks to Krieger showing up last week.  A post match promo saw a giddy Starr reveal that he’d added Palmer II to join his stable of Al Starr's.  Starr pressed that he would find some way to honor his new client's wishes and serve Hashtag JusticeForEvan All One Word.  Palmer II held JD up so the former World TV champion could blast him with a heart punch; the heels celebrated jumping Justice as the crowd booed the new trio.

2. Beauty and the Beast Mode v. Team Batroc v. The Wonderful Ward Brothers in a triple threat ended in a no contest at 11:47 Both babyfaces teams have had prior beef with Team Batroc (the Wards were once aligned with then split from Team Batroc and turned babyfaces) and while they don't hate each other only one team can walk away with the Unified World Tag Team straps at Cruel Summer.  Good action and it seemed like the ex champion Wards were going to win but the End Times jumped the guardrail and started laying into the brothers with their THE END IS NIGH signs.  The went after and laid out both other teams as well before Quality Force security arrived on the scene but they grabbed their signs and wandered through the concourse towards the exits.

✨ ✨ ✨

Sizzle reel to again prime the pump for the arrival of luchadora El Vengador de Gente Jr.  from Lucha Salvaje.  In a subtitled promo Vengador said that as the conscience of lucha libre it was his responsibility to come administer justice (not him), reintroduced himself, and said his word was the law.  Speaking of new luchadors…

3. Ashok Banjerjee [c] d. El Loto Negro by disqualification at 6:59 to retain the GRPL+ World Television championship 4️⃣ Pretty good, if short TV match.  Coming off a win on Unleashed, Loto hung early with Ashok until he didn't, and then suddenly low blowed Banjerjee for the DQ.  Loto wailed away on Ashok before revealing Nazir el-Fadal, who revealed his plan - win the World TV title back  and cash it in to get the Unified World title after what's happened to him the past 2 PPVs.  Crowd was its usual 70/30 split during the promo.  

We got a few replays of the match's big moments and Naz’s treachery before Commissioner Holmes came to the ring to officiate the Omar Littlefield/Autumn Powers contract signing making the Cruel Summer main event official.  They exchanged a few barbs, and signed on the dotted line for the 14th.  Things ended with Autumn putting over her bona fides before Omar laughed them off and threatened to end her career like he did Mirror's.  Powers leapt over the table and went after Omar to some success before eating a Face Eraser through the table.  We went to commercial break with Omar blowing off the Commissioner as he headed to the back while Autumn slowly got herself out of the wreckage.

✨ ✨ ✨

4. Roberto Villalobos d. Ricardo Villalobos in a contract match at 2:45 Short and frankly bizarre match as Ricardo (the former Crusazdo del Oro) didn't want to fight his brother even after Roberto jumped him last week.  Ricardo seemed to be pleading with his brother to not do this to him, but Roberto said something to his brother that caused the proud Ricardo to almost burst into tears before he laid down and Roberto pinned him to win and get a contract to put him back on the QCW roster.  

There was another interview where Julius Duquesne III’s guests were the Game Changers.  They brought up the fact that Ashley's challenge for the National Championship had gone unanswered and maybe they were too busy hiding behind their Bibles or the Duquesne Cup they stole from Szabo, but the Game Changers were right here and they weren't hard to find.  This proved to be their downfall, as Witchfinder General and Goody Gardner jumped then from behind to kick off a backstage brawl for the next couple of minutes that ended up with both Ashley THEE Influencer and the Tiki God laid out before Quality Force security came on the scene.  Goody held up Ashley's head and hissed at her “we accept” before shoving it back down hard to the concrete.  

5. Lolo Vuitton and Luz Cruz d. International Lotus at 14:36

This match was scheduled to happen last week but got short circuited by a Lotus sneak attack, then they beat unlikely teammates Cruz and Shelley LaVey when LaVey stepped in to take Lolo’s place.  This time around, it was the white hats who had the hot start and cleared Lotus from the ring going into the night's last commercial break before smirking down at Lotus.

✨ ✨ ✨

Unfortunately for The Champ and Luz, they couldn't maintain the advantage for long after the break.  Scott Warren-Tisch provided a distraction, allowing Lotus to hit a double team behind the ref’s back on Cruz, who they proceeded to whale on for the next few minutes while halving the ring.  Cruz eventually fought out of the Bad Part of Town and landed a DDT and neckbreaker combo on both to force an opportunity for her to tag out.  The Champ ran wild on both members of Lotus, and eventually Sohla ate a Bloody Shoe and the pin.  Lolo let Karyn know about it as Tisch-Warren collected Sohla and the announce hyped Lolo/Karyn for the Women's World championship at Cruel Summer.  

A vignette played of the WELCOME TO PARTS UNKNOWN sign on the edge of town for a few seconds before the two men from the desert wandering and dive bar destroyers vignettes of the past few weeks passed it.  The sign suddenly went from green to midnight black, and the welcome got replaced by this:

t h 3  w a s t e l a n d 3 r s

Then this:

o n e 

m 1 n u t e

t o

m I d n I g h t

Next week's go home Ruckus will spotlight a trios match as Nazir el-Fadal and International Lotus will team up against Ashok Banjerjee, Luz Cruz and Lolo Vuitton - we’ll have a rundown of the Cruel Summer card - and we'll hear from “Dark Mirror” Beckett Carpenter for the first time since the events of Steel City Showdown.

The main event was a title rematch from two weeks ago except this time the roles of champion and challenger were reversed…

6. Bonnie Agrippa [c, w/Hysteria] d. Shelley LaVey (w/Beauty and the Beast Mode) at 9:07 to retain the Crush championship 2️⃣

Bonnie beat her ex partner clean a couple weeks ago to win the belt, getting her knees up on Shelley's Fallen Angel splash and cradling her for the pin.  LaVey went for the Fresh To Death cutter early on, but Bonnie swatted away one attempt and reversed the other into a German suplex to gain the early lead in the fight.  

Agrippa expanded her lead by putting Shelley in a Tree of Woe before running to the other side of the ring and coming back with a head of steam before spearing the ex champ in the ribs; Agrippa continued to work over LaVey's ribs as the announce put over Bonnie using her familiarity with Shelley to try and remove the Fallen Angel splash from the equation.  Bonnie continued to work over Shelley, and put her in the Tree of Woe again - but this time Shelley pulled herself up when Agrippa charged and Bonnie went flying shoulder first into the ringpost as a result.  LaVey got herself situated on the top rope and hit almost a trust fall avalanche version of the Fresh To Death, which saw both women laid out on the canvas for most of a 10 count before Shelley managed to start putting together a comeback in earnest.

LaVey emptied the tank trying to regain the championship, including dropping Agrippa with two Pele kicks before going up to the top rope.  It was at this point that the rest of Hysteria went after Beauty and the Beast Mode, using their 3-2 advantage to beat down Beauty and the Beast Mode on the floor.  Shelley spotted this and had a choice to make and after a couple of beats she made it - she flew off the top with a tope con hilo into the fight on the floor and wiped everybody out.  Shelley eventually got up from the aftermath of the dive only for Bonnie to run up on her from behind and fling her into the ring post.  LaVey went down in a heap and Agrippa tossed her back in the ring before laying her out with a brainbuster to retain the championship.

Agrippa cackled over a crumpled Shelley's body as she got the title back and was joined in the rest of the ring by Hysteria.  Beauty and the Beast Mode hit the ring just in time for the lights to go out…and when they came back on it was evident all four women had disappeared in the darkness, as is their wont.  B&BM and the ref checked on a still recovering Shelley as Ruckus faded to black with one more show before the Cruel Summer PPV.

QcW Unleashed [s1e44 • Quality Arena]

• Glory Days (Blockhead Ferguson & Cliff Foster) d. Ian Cook & Gerry Greene 

• non-title Lolo Vuitton d. Goody Gardner 

• El Loto Negro d. Bobby Bash

• International Lotus d. Fiona Fogg & Hilary Highnote