5 COUNT: APRIL 1-15, 2025

1) Calvin Tankman vs Tomohiro Ishii (Prestige Roseland XI 4/12/25) Winner: Ishii. Tankman is one big bad dude. Classic wrestling big man--got bulk in bulk, milkshake thick, o-lineman build, a body made for stopping other bodies. He's been a mainstay on the indies for a bit now; and got the skills to work bigger promotions. Sad to say, his look might be what is holding him back, but in wrestlting TV landscape with its fill of minis and skinnies, there should be space for Tankman's talent. Ishii shouldn't need any intro--modern New Japan legend, wrestler's wrestler, looks every bit his "Stone Pitbull" moniker suggests. There was no doubt this match was going get physical.

Match started with chop off-nice hard smacks--bell had hardly rung and Ishii's chest getting deep pink. Tankman used his size to his advantage, pouncing Ishii off his feet. The tagging him with meaty lariats and big spinning elbows. Still Ishii kept digging deep, kicking out and striking back. The story of the match was if Ishii had the strength to lift for a brainbuster--and it was a no go the first couple tries. Tankman kept getting the upper hand--a nice spinning backbreaker into a clubbing clothesline, a fall away slam, and appeared to pick up the win after a vicious Hidden Blade elbow to the back of Ishii's head. The ref counted three despite a kickout by Ishii. This didn't seem to be the plan as even Tankman seemed confused for the result. Fortunately,Prestige President William Quintana quickly put on his best Undertaker t-shirt, grabbed a mic, and demand a restart. Tankman then went for a killing blow-a moonsault from the top rope. Ishii rolled out of the way and let Tankman splash into the big empty. A short offensive series later, Ishii finally got Tankman up for the brainbuster and the win. Rating: the heat and meat =Roast

2) AZM vs Hyan (Prestige Roslenad XI 4/12/25) Winner: AZM. Another Prestige Match! Honestly, this was great card--even better than their Wrestlemania Weekend . Wardrobe aside, props to Quintana for Prestige's booking--the promotion is quickly becoming the crown jewel of the Northwest indies. Similar to Tankman/Ishii-we have another match of a top of the card Japanese wrestler vs a established, but strangely unsigned indie vet. I don't follow Joshi closely, but every time I've seen AZM perform, its been impressive--great worker; she executes her offense and selling with crispness and snap. Hyan is well regarded name on the indies--she got power and speed.

This might be the best indie women's match I've seen this year. Fast paced from the go with the classic dodge and counter game--feeling each other out. No friendly exhibition, both wrestlers trying to show the other up. AZM got the first real run of offense with a perfect suplex on the larger Hyan, a hard dropkick in the corner, then a missile dropkick off the top rope. Hyan got back in it with neck wrecking avalanche power bomb, running knee in the corner, then a falcon's arrow. From there out-these two were trading high impact move for move. AZM with avalanche arm toss and that gutbusting top rope foot stomp. Hyan dropped AZM face first on the apron, and hit a perfect-knock you out of yer shoes spear. The timing and execution on display here was something to see--two real pros maintaining that balance between always being in right place with rough organic feel of a real fight. In fact, the only thing that looked rough was Hyan's power bomb attempt late in the macth. AZM used her own momentum on the way up to throw off Hyan's balance and AZM crashed down on her, ASM then quickly followed up with a underhook Detroyer for the win. Don't know if the power bomb spot was intentional, but it was brutal and beautiful. Rating: Roast

3) Battle Riot (MLW Battle Riot VII 4/5/25) Winner: Matt Riddle. Battle Riot is perfect sampler platter of MLW's product. A 40 man Battle Royal (elinmations by pinfall, submission, and over the top rope) where the final two square off for the championship. It featured a dozen of CMLL's luchadores (okok sounds good), MLW regulars (hmmm), the recently released (ummm), the other Fatu (eh), 1 Golden Globe winning character actor (oh boy) , and of course, the problematic (Austin Aries on commentary-Yikes!)

As with every MLW special, the CMLL stars were the highlights—legends Blue Panther, Ultimo Guererro, and Atlantis were the early crowd favorites, and each got some shine. Cavernario and Hechicero added some name value. Star Jr continued to look great--got to clear the ring on arrival with a flurry of offense including a nice springboard neckbreaker.

Sadly, the luchadores were mostly eliminated at the halfway mark, and Battle Riot second act focused on the lackluster MLW storyline between the Brett Ryan Goesslin's Rogue Horseman faction vs Alex Kane's Bomaye Club. An extended cameo from actor Paul Walter Hauser getting his extreme wrestling fix. Watching Hauser wrestle has gone from "Hey its the guy from 'I Think You Should Leave'"to just I think you should leave. Titus Alexander and Anthony Greene showed up for quick exits. Why show off some young promising talent when it's time for the parade of ex-WWE talent like Dijak and Bishop Dyer?

I get that Dijak and Dyer are big boys and got residual star power, but both were surprisingly out worked by their "endeavored" elders Chris Adonis (nee Masters) and unrecognizable Paul London (for a second I thought Griffin Dunne had made late career change). London and Adonis looked really solid in ring and both actually seemed to understand how to effectively work this type of match.

In the end it came down to a battle between wrestling most notorious marijuana enthusiasts: MLW champ Matt Riddle and surprise final entrant Rob Van Dam. Kind of long way to go for a joke, but the crowd was here for it. Riddle eventually triumphed and went down in MLW history books. Was it a mess? Yes, but at least it was hot mess and can't say I didn't have more fun watching this than most recent Royal Rumbles. Ratings: Rocks (as in dumb as a box of)

4) Jessica Troy (c) vs. CHEVS (PWA BLACK LABEL 4/11/25) PWA Heavyweight Title Match Last Wrestler Standing. Winner: CHEVS. Not familiar with the promotion or the talents involved, but despite being uneven in spots, this was a pleasant surprise. A well done pre-match video package set the stage (classic wrestling story- Troy and Charlie "CHEV" Evans were friends, but growing resentment and the ecstasy of gold led to CHEV turning on Troy). CHEV make her entrance looking like a sexy bad ass, rocking black and red gears that fits, fashionable and functional. She flanked by her new heel tag team cohorts, North Shore Wrestling while killer music chants "Long Live Chev". The whole entrance come off looking very cool.

Jessica Troy enters looking like she stepped out of Frank Thorne skectchbook--a redhead rockin' chain mail and a sword. Lean, but not lanky with very expressive eyes--she walks into the crowd holding up her blade and championship belt. Good babyface look. Props to production crew, the camera cuts a couple times to a close up on CHEVS while Troy soaks up the fan's adulation—her face giving the perfect balance of hatred with a hint of doubt. This is it--will I measure up? Will it be worth it? A real nice touch.

The match itself was an up and down affair. Slow start--both wrestler seemed to be pacing themselves a little. CHEVS worked the leg a little with ankle lock (makes sense giving the stip), but Troy spent a lot of the first part of the match working the arm. Troy has a good looking arm bar and it seems to be her usual finisher, but in a match where you can only win by a 10 count seemed like a poor strategy. This was one example where Troy didn't seem to be in the same match as CHEVS. While CHEVS worked with a brutality that this was personal, --Troy spent time appealing to the crowd, working as the match as if she was in a standard singles competition.

Next we hit the low point of the contest, North Shore came in and attacked Troy which lead to babyface tag team, The Dropouts to come in and make the save. The two teams had a mini match for a bit. At some point after the chaos, CHEVS and Troy are battling over Troy's sword on the entrance stage. She then ran her "blade" across CHEVS forehead, then proceeded to go into a prolonged "What have I done?" playacting. Over the top, belief busting NXT shit. Off camera, CHEVS ran the razor, while I was thinking of doing the same. However, once the silliness was finished, these two began a really tight 5 minute stretch to finish it out. First Troy sprinted off the stage for a flying knee and pulled CHEVS into ring and attacked with a ferocity that had been missing earlier. CHEVS responded with these clubbing lariats--busting Troy's nose open the hard way. Troy hit a vicious, metal-bending suplex on a steel chair—HELLUVA bump. This part of the match really redeemed the first 2/3rd, and looked like classic ending was coming. Sadly no as some big ass Karrion Kross looking mystery dude entered the ring, and flattened Troy with a spear. CHEVS wins with a disappointing funky finish. RATING: ROCKS (like a King Crimson song -mostly prog nonsense, but worth it for the Fripp solo)

5) Gabe Kidd vs Calvin Tankman (DEFY: STREETS OF RAGE 4/13/25) Winner :Gabe Kidd. Like the Dark Tower, we end where we began--Tankman going head to head with New Japan heavy hitter in the PNW. Like the Horn of ELD, the difference in opponent is slight, but meaningful. Ishii was a HOF veteran with a set place on the card, Kidd is an young upstart with a shot to hit the top spot. Kidd opened a lot of eyes with his match against Kenny Omega (my personal MOTY so far), and he seems destined for the push to be New Japan's top gaijin. Its a lineage that includes Prince Devitt, AJ Styles, Omega, Ospreay and Jay White--some rarefied air. He got the talent, more of a fighter than a flyer and that sets him apart from the hybrid cruiserweight/heavyweight stylings of his predecessors. Some folks think the only thing that could his derail his push is that it will just lead to him leaving the company for greener pastures in the U.S. I say flaunt it while you got it.

Wish there was little more flaunting in this match. Tankman is a beast and I had high hopes for things to get rough and tough. Instead we got some jaw jacking and a lot of chops (hard chops to be fair). Kidd sold Tankman offense well, but then got him up for suplex and pile driver for the win. Not soft, but pretty basic. None of the drama of the Ishii match. Rating: Rent