Wednesday, September 14th, 2016
Full Sail University
Winter Garden, Florida
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I'm a little sad to see this come to an end, as this really was fun to revisit. For whatever reason, this is the episode I recall the least, so this should be a good time.
Gran Metalik vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
Gran Metalik wastes absolutely no time by going crazy at the get go, which I love. So many of the matches have started similarly, so this was a nice change. ZSJ gets in an uppercut and then a kick to the head to take control. They have a little bit of an awkward segment where Metalik appeared to not his the ropes as well as he should have and then Sabre Jr. turns it into a submission. We get some more stretching by ZSJ. Metalik battles back with a big boot, a reverse sling blade and then a running shooting star press. A lot of back and forth with counters and some nice wrestling. Big time lariat by Metalik gets a 2 count. Super kick and springboard reverse elbow gets another 2 count. Metalik does his walking of the 2nd rope but eats a big uppercut and then gets hit with the penalty kick but somehow kicks out. Octopus by ZSJ, but Metalik is able to get to the ropes. Both men are up top and Metalik hits a hurricanrana and goes for a springboard splah, but Sabre Jr. gets him into the triangle choke. Metalik rolls him into a pin, but only gets a 2 count. Metalik catches ZSJ and absolutely nails a Metalik Driver for the victory. Really nice match that featured a true clash of styles that they were able to pull off nicely.
Match Rating: ***3/4 (out of 5)
Kota Ibushi vs. T.J. Perkins
They feel each other out to get started, giving us a little taste of what is surely to come later on. Nice spinning headscissors by Perkins. Ibushi goes for a springboard move, but TJP kicks his legs out and Ibushi falls to the outside. Golden Triangle moonsault connects this time. Not sure anyone does it better. Kota starts up with the leg strikes, which just can't feel good. Kota goes for the German suplex from the second rope, but TJP desperately fights it off and then hits a springboard dropkick which is followed by a Pele kick by Ibushi. That was fantastic. TJP counters the powerbomb into a DDT and then hits an awesome inverted lungblower for a 2 count. Kota goes for the Pele kick again, but TJP catches his leg and gets him in the knee bar. Ibushi counters and now they are both pounding each other. Golden Star powerbomb by Ibushi and somehow only gets a 2 count and Full Sail is rocking. Ibushi misses the Phoenix Splash and is holding his nose. TJP rolls hiim over and they begin striking each other again back and forth. Ibushi catches him in a wheelbarrow and just slams him straight down and kicks out. Ibushi takes his head off with a kick, but he rolls out of the powerbomb and into the knee bar again. Ibushi is doing everything he possibly can to get to the ropes, but Perkins starts pulling on his neck and gets the tap out. That was a killer match. How was Perkins not a made man after this tournament? It just goes to show how few of the casual fans watched this tournament.
Match Rating: ****1/2
Noam Dar and Cedric Alexander are backstage. Dar says he doesn't have a gameplan for their first time teaming up. Not much to that one.
Sasha Banks, Kalisto, Rich Swann, Jack Gallagher and Bayley are in the house tonight.
Noam Dar & Cedric Alexander vs. DIY
What a fun ride it has been for Gargano and Ciampa and let's hope that Ciampa comes back from his injury better than ever. Awesome handspring into a roundhouse kick by Alexander, who then hits a senton splash to the outside. Goes for the handspring again, but Ciampa dropkicks him right in the face. Gargano is in now and cleans house. Ciampa holds up Dar on his shoulders and Gargano superkicks him. Then Alexander is coming and Gargano does a launched spear into him. Alexander then hits a the Michinoku Driver for a 2 count. We then get another incredible segment of knees and clotheslines and non-stop action. Gargano and Dar get the tags now and they begin going back and forth. Big boot by Dar sends Gargano to the outside and then a suicide dive. Alexander nails Ciampa with a few big kicks and almost gets a 3. Alexander thinks he had it and he is is right in that the refs hand hit the mat. DIY with a double superkick to Dar and they get the victory in a good, hard fought match.
Match Rating: ***1/2
T.J. Perkins vs. Gran Metalik
Upon my original viewing, I certainly did not expect this to be the finals of the tournament. Triple H comes out and announces that the winner of this match will not only be the winner of the tournament, but they will be the Cruiserweight Champion. TJP with two twisting headscissors by TJP. TJP now with a reverse pendulum and then a roll up for 2. Slow paced match to start here. Metalik takes out Perkins' legs with a dropkick from the floor to the apron and then hits him with a suicide dive. Metalik walks the ropes and does a springboard senton for a 2 count. TJP hits a leaping hurricanrana which sends Metalik out to the floor. Perkins has been dominating the majority of the match. Then seemingly out of nowhere Metalik hits an awesome hurricanrana. From there he does a springboard senton to the outside and mostly misses. Springboard dropkick by Metalik but he then misses the running shooting star press, which TJP turns into a knee bar. Metalik gets to the ropes. Big spike DDT by Metalik almost gets the victory. It's amazing to me how little of an impact that both of these guys have had on the main roster since this. Metalik goes for a moonsault, but TJP blocks it and eventually gets into the knee bar. Metalik is crawling to the ropes, but TJP brings him back to the center. Metalik reverses into a roll up and almost steals the win. There is an absolutely awesome atmosphere in Full Sail right now. Metalik is trying to fight back, but the knee isn't allowing him to do everything he would like. Perkins is going up top, but Metalik gets to him first. Metalik is going for a Metalik Driver off the top, but Perkins blocks it into the knee bar yet again and this time Metalik taps. That doesn't top the Perkins/Ibushi match from earlier, but it was still darn good.
Match Rating: ***3/4
Well that was one heck of a ride. The first round did a good job introducing us to the main players and then from there it was great match after great match. I'm not sure that we'll ever get anything like this again, although they are doing some great things over on 205 Live. I may have to eventually cover those episodes. Anyway, this tournament is worth any wrestling fans time, no matter what kind of style you are into. Great stuff.
Overall Rating: 88%
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