5 Count: July 1-15, 2025

1) Alan Angels (c) vs. Judas Icarus (Prestige Combat Clash '25 7.13.25) PRESTIGE TITLE STEEL CAGE MATCH. Winner: Icarus. As the late great Whitney Houston once sang, we almost had it all. A recipe for a classic, and the first half certainly was-best indie match of the year quality. We got Angels with a nearly year long title reign. A championship he has held onto by hook and by crook. One of the crooks was his opponent who with his tag partner Travis Williams spent most of the year playing Midas– keeping Angels clad in gold. Icarus saw the light before it melted his wings, turned on the champ and challenged him for the title. Big stakes, professional and personal. Also a Steel Cage, baby.

With stage set, we let players play and they went strong and hard. Angels is a gifted worker-striking fast with a beautiful heel kick and a rough DVD onto a chair. Dude might be best remembered for some of the goofier Dark Order, but this reign and this match showed he's got a lot to offer. Icarus, tho, was a revelation. Williams has seemed to have the higher upside in Sinner and Saint, but Icarus has a nastiness to his offense, perfect for this style of match. He came thru on the big spots--a twisting suplex from the top turnbuckle and the big climax --a gasp worthy superplex from the top of the cage. The crowd was ready for the three--they had 'em on the hook. And then....

Shenanigans. Angels ally Jordan Cruz enters the cage and lays out all the refs. Outside of the ring brawling. A justified low blow from commentary on Angels. A Double table spot (which to their credit looked brutal). Williams, who has taken out after winning the right to ref the match earlier in the night, returns and evens the odds. Icarus finally wins. This will seem hypocritical given the praise I will later have for Hangman/Mox, and can see how all this was planned to "finish the story", but goddamn, it was so unnecessary. They had it! A classic match--it was like watching a cinematic masterpiece with all the deleted scenes tacked on at the end. You could see why they filmed it, but also see it was better on the cutting room floor. The saving grace was Angels and Icarus were working hard and they never completely lost the crowd.

It will be curious to see what Angels does next. He is not yet 30 and a lot of in ring talent. He was a great heel champ for Prestige and that role is a niche that is always in demand. It can be recycled at every indie promotion to great effect. Not sure it would translate to National TV, but time and talent is currently on his side. Rating:Roast (with some overcooked potatoes)

2) JAC vs. Jesse Funaki (New Texas Pro Texas Contenders Series 7.3.25) Winner: Funaki. It's very early in his wrestling career, but Funaki is a guy people are keeping an eye on. Easy to see why--second generation wrestler, handsome face, great lean physique, a name that just looks good on a marquee. He looks and moves like a top tier athlete. He working the basics right now--nice dropkick, good looking worked punch, and finishing with side saddle knee strike.

These two worked a standard speedy babyface vs the big bruiser. JAC looked and worked the part--a big slab of beef with post office pin-up face just grabbin and slammin. His look will turn more heads than his performance which was the definition of solid. He did what he was here to do--beat the kid up so Funaki could dig deep and pull out the victory. in the closing stretch Funaki showed fire and some air as hit the knee strike square on the face of his taller opponent. It was his first singles win in the promotion-something to build on. Rating: Roar.

3) Zamaya (c) vs. Jada Stone (WCPW Beg For Mercy 7.11.15) WCPW Women's Title Match. Winner: Zamaya. Zamaya has upgraded her look since I last saw. It's more in the spirit of Bull Nakano than a cosplay verison. Cool makeup job and a new hairstyle. Gone with the High Spike and replace with a trio of small buns—a more modern look but still does the job of making her look taller. She also has gotten in to great shape--more lean, more thick. Credit to her stepping up her presentation. Not a fan of her adding a catchphrase ("This is my world") that she screamed throughout the match. A little too much WWE theatrics for my taste especially when she is much more intimidating sitting and staring down from the top rope. Her offense is still bullyball--power moves like the guillotine lariat and good spear. Generally this has served her well in her matches that have been slower paced and methodical affairs. This one, however exposed some green in her game.

Jada Stone is relative new herself, but she appears to be a little further ahead of the curve than her opponent. The recent TNA signee works a fast paced style and at times too fast for Zamaya. Stone was trying to put together some showy combinations and Zamaya would be juuuust out of place. Stone did her best to adjust and keep moving, but there was some sloppiness. When the pace went down a notch to throwing strikes, Stone held her own and had some nice chops.

Zamaya eventually finished her off with sit out power bomb for the win, but this one was learning experience. I think she's got the potential to be something special, but time as always will tell. Rating: Roar.

4) Difunto vs. Neon (CMLL Martes Populares 7.1.25) Lightning Match. Winner: Neon. Perfect example of a lightning match and the high quality of the CMLL roster. Fast paced with expert timing. There was a great series where Difunto gives Neon the Irish whip, Neon jumps to the top turnbuckle and flips over Difunto who was charging in for a corner spear. Difunto tackles nothing but air and flies outside of the ring. Neon sprints and lauches over the turnbuckle for the big crossbody. No hesitation, the smoothest of execution from both wrestlers.

Neon is the #3 babyface of the company just behind Mistico and Mascaro Dorado. Young, great look, and the textbook definition of lucha libre high flyer. Difunto is part of Galeon Fantasma faction and while Zandokan is the 2025 CMLL breakout star, Difunto is the secret sauce of the trio. The corpse mask is some goofy shit, but dude's offense is creative and gasp worthy. One example, Difunto ran down the the entrance platform, pushed off the the second rope, landed on the second rope on the inside of the ring, then spring boarded into a shotgun dropkick. These two maximized the time limit--Neon hit a moonsault and inverted senton in the last 10 seconds alone. A crowd pleaser and teaser for future matches. Rating: Rocks

5) Jon Moxley (c) vs. Adam Page (AEW ALL IN 7.12.25) AEW World Title Texas Death Match. Winner: Page. Exceptional match. In the context of this blog, literally as my rule is not cover PPV matches (specifically any match or event costing more than $10). No knock on AEW whose PPV are invariably very good to excellent, I just prefer to keep the menu here on the budget friendly side.t

Still this was a match that hit me harder than I expected. A match that I rewatched immediately. It was a culmination of two stories AEW has been telling for over a year. The first is Adam Page turning back on meifumadō road and battling for redemption. His vengeance on Swerve was ultimately unfulfilling, leaving him a choice of succumbing to damnation or rising to his calling as the "main character" of AEW. The second is the defeat of the Deathriders. The faction had a rocky start with a series of uninspired challengers, but in recent months had found its footing. Mox fully realized his villain mode with his ducktail beard and twisted, self-serving paternalism (a subtle jab at Triple H, perhaps?).

Was the match a tad overbooked? Oh yes. More cameos than a Christmas special. The "Avengers Assemble" criticism is a valid one—the Endgame finale was a flawed spectacle too with its terrible CGI and nearly incoherent geography and logic in its action. Still when I hear the Falcon say "On your left", my heart stops and my eyes water. Call it a trope or a trap, but when a hero realizes he is not alone in his fight against evil it gets me every damn time.

So my apologies to Angels and Icarus, but they ain't Page and Mox. Two of the greatest performers in the ring today. Any lesser beings would not have pulled this off. These two already a REAL level match a couple of years ago in their original Texas Death Match. This helped take a lot of the sting of having a "moments" match here. There was still plenty of blood and big bumps. Mox reveling in every sadist act he laid on Hangman. Page putting on a masterclass in struggling to stand for the 10 count. This was not perfect, this was not real graps, but when Sweve swallowed his hatred and pride, came down to ring and slid the chain to Hangman for the finishing blow, there was magic.

The days after the match, I finished reading Naomi Klein's "Doppelganger" and came across the following quote of Jewish Currents editor Arellie Angel:

"... what is clear is this: We are going to need each other. This means staying attuned to the possibility of collective power instead of attached to a proprietary pain."

Is it a stretch to say this match embodies this idea? Probably so, but the sentiment was there. In another time and another place, I would have likely preferred a classic 5 style match, but in this world on this date, that sentiment was exactly what i needed. RATING: REAL