There’s an empty at Gordo’s, I imagine that’s a good thing, I was never invited to one. My own sad youth aside, after two very good episodes of FCW Empire it was back to The Queen’s Hotel for Dundee & Angus Pro Wrestling. A show so stacked that John Young was on commentary with Matthew Sweet for this edition.
Brodie Adler & Tara Lenny defeated Cherry Knox & Natasha Swann by pinfall.
Dundee became bizarro world with Tara Lenny high fiving fans and Natasha Swann refusing to, it felt wrong and unnatural. Cherry Knox entered with a superstar aura, for a debut with limited in-ring experience, that spoke volumes. Brodie was still the Daddy of Dundee though, knocking back Knox and Swann to a rapturous reaction.
Tara tagged in to send Natasha around with a variety of arm drags, Swann fired back with a lariat to send Lenny onto her back for a near fall, with Natasha isolating Tara away from Brodie, bringing in Cherry Knox to continue the punishment. Lenny swung an elbow to take Natasha Swann off the apron and tried to rush over to a rested Brodie Adler until Tara found herself with her arms stretched behind her back for Cherry to snap her spine over the furry boots of Knox. The numbers were still against Tara Lenny, who was able to roll Natasha through for a sunset flip to stagger Swann enough to roll under a clothesline to the desired corner to bring in Brodie.
Adler bounced Natasha Swann around the ring, slamming her down with a Samoan Drop. Knox broke the pin and drove her knee into the face of Brodie, only to be grabbed by Tara for a Nightmare On Helms Street. Lenny was immediately splashed by Natasha who then got squashed by Adler. Brodie connected with the Black Hole Slam to pin Swann for the win.
Lenny jumped Brodie after the match to make the world just about correct again. Tara picked up the FCW Women’s Championship to holder over Adler to a resounding chorus of boos.
Three debuts, and all three smashed it and connected with the audience immediately. Brodie still has the strong fan base in FCW and DAPW, and now with a new roster of challengers in her sights it makes for some interesting defences in the future.
Obviously with hindsight that wouldn’t be the case but that will become clear in the following weeks of Empire episodes.
I was impressed by the ability to switch roles that Natasha Swann and Tara Lenny showed from my pre-existing knowledge of them. They are fantastic, and Cherry Knox had bundles of charisma and was great in-ring. An outstanding introduction to the trio in a brilliant match.
We got a quick promo from Ozzy about his singles debut in FCW/DAPW and how he wasn’t taking his match against Tommy Cross lightly.
DAPW Championship – Tommy Cross defeated Ozzy by pinfall to retain the DAPW Championship.
Ozzy immediately dodged a marching Tommy Cross, doing what he could to not get into the grasp of the champion. Ozzy was explosive, getting himself out of a side headlock to land a crescent kick that had Tommy prone for a second turnbuckle diving basement uppercut. Cross kept coming but was bewildered by the speed of Ozzy, who flipped out of harms way. A rebound lariat had Ozzy rolling to the apron for Tommy to follow, for Cross to have his legs swept from under him and being the crash mat for a slingshot senton.
Tommy got out of a Fireman’s Carry to place his boot into the side of Ozzy’s head that finally slowed the challenger down and allowed Cross to start picking apart Ozzy with driving knees, and a snap suplex when Ozzy had the gall to keep fighting back. Ozzy tried to reset with a headlock but was lifted up and crashed down for a back suplex. The grit and determination from Ozzy had him still swinging, surviving an impactful German Suplex as the chants for Ozzy grew and was rewarded with a back suplex being countered into a crossbody to kick start Ozzy’s momentum.
An enziguri followed by a suplex combination couldn’t keep Tommy Cross down, who returned warfare with a TKO for a near fall of his own. An End of Days only got a two count for Tommy has the DAPW Champion looked exasperated. Ozzy got a second wind, diving out with a dropkick, and slamming Cross down once back in the ring. A twisting elbow drop still couldn’t ended the match as Cross raised his shoulder once again. Tommy dislodged the turnbuckle to distract referee Lex Loomis, but his low blow endeavour was countered into a Rock Bottom for two.
The chants for Ozzy were loud as he hoisted Tommy Cross onto his shoulders. Cross gouged the eyes of Ozzy to be released from the clutches of the challenger. Ozzy rushed to the corner where Tommy resided but was popped over the top rope to the apron. As he stepped through to re-enter, Cross jarred the leg of Ozzy and as Ozzy grabbed his knee he had his head smashed into the canvas with a Curb Stomp from Tommy Cross on his way to retain the DAPW Championship.
From recent memory this was the best Tommy Cross match I’ve seen. That drop in the stoic facade to show some genuine vulnerability as you could see the cogs going round for Tommy trying to figure out a way to beat such a determined opponent. Another high quality match from Ozzy, and with his only previous FCW appearance being a spell in the Fair City Rumble a few months prior, he left an impression on the Fair City fans.
Fair City Wrestling continue their streak of excellent Empire episodes with two highly entertaining matches that gave us new wrestlers to watch but that also bring out the best of their existing roster.
The show is available on YouTube: