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Title - 3PW - " 1 Year Anniversary ".
Date - 15th February 2003.
Available From - www.bluethundervideo.com
Format - NTSC.
This video is on sale from www.bluethundervideo.com, and you can email Scott at tigreblanco@shaw.ca for any questions and enquiries. 3PW (Pro Pain Pro Wrestling), for those who aren't aware; is a Philadelphia based promotion run by former ECW and WWF/E star The Blue Meanie. This video begins with a nicely put together highlight reel of highspots and such from the year that 3PW had been running previous. The show itself begins with a 10 bell salute to two fallen legends of our business who have passed away, The Sheik and Curt Hennig.
PRINCE NANA vs. JEFF ROCKER.
On a personal level, your referee for this match is a man more well known
for his work with Combat Zone Wrestling; and someone who I had the pleasure
of interviewing in 2003 - Brian Logan. This is the opening match on the
card, and it pits Prince Nana (most often seen in Ring of Honor) against
Jeff Rocker (who is usually in Combat Zone Wrestling also). Nana also
has someone I'm not at all familar with for his manager, a 'Mr Showtime';
who falls into the very formulaic manager department of things.
One thing you can say for Jeff Rocker, is he is extremely well built physically. Being tactful, Nana isn't. Rocker looks impressive in the early going of this match, dispelling my fears of a poorly booked opening match. Thankfully for all concerned, Nana seems slightly less preoccupied with ramming his butt into his opponent than he was the last time I witnessed his work on videotape. He actually manages to put in a respectable enough 'big man' performance, but Rocker is the far more impressive of the two on this showing and really should have gone over.
Winner - PRINCE NANA. ** out of 5 stars for the match.
RAVEN vs. BLUE MEANIE (with Mini Meanie).
When the chords of Offspring's "Come Out And Play" hit the p.a.
system, I suddenly have a bit of a flashback to 1995 and how much I loved
that song and Raven in ECW. The only thing different was the fact that
Raven had a rather bizarre grin on his face most of the time, and just
seemed to be loving being free and on the independent circuit again. Meanie
comes out, but instead of the match we're expecting; Raven cuts a promo
stating whilst he has respect and such for the Meanie - he really should
be getting a title match tonight.
Cue more music that takes me back in time - White Zombie's "Thunderkiss 1965", which can only mean "Pitbull" Gary Wolfe's entrance. He welcomes Raven back to where 'we have to win and earn our belts', and gives his approval for his title match tonight to become a 3 way dance. Raven then jumps Meanie from behind, ddt - 1,2,3. You cant rate the match, as it's too short; but ill rate the angle.
Winner - RAVEN. ** 3/4 out of 5 stars (for the angle).
JASON KNIGHT vs. ROCKIN' REBEL.
I have to say, for anyone reading; how can you NOT love the Rebel?! Yeah,
I have a slight bias to heels; but the voice - the promo's - the in ring
work - this guy is still great even after 15 or so years in the business.
We begin with a trademark Rebel promo, and nothing more than that needs
to be said! These two have an ECW history, where Jason used to manage
The Rebel at one point.
Jason Knight has improved a bit in ring but is still nothing really spectacular, and Rebel pretty much carries this match. Seeing as it's a no disqualiification match, The Blue Meanie runs in and stunners Jason and Rebel gets the job done. On a personal note, I certainly found the commentary amusing as Rebel delivers an after match message for XPW and Rob Black himself - I really couldn't have put it much better myself!
Winner - ROCKIN' REBEL. ** 1/2 out of 5 stars for the match.
KID KRUEL vs KID KASH.
Interesting concept here, with Kruel as the submission wrestler and Kash the high flyer - will their styles mesh or not? There's also a whole lot of 'kid' jokes to make here, which I will try and leave alone as they're kind of obvious. In the early stages, we have a nice run of arm drags followed by the ever traditional indy stand off. This is a quick paced match, and it contains some very solid action.
I find Kruel a little bit unconvincing in parts, but overall I am impressed with him. This is the second time I've seen him work (I saw him on a JAPW show recently), and I would like to see more. Kash I've seen a lot of, from ECW and NWATNA; and whilst something somewhere is missing that I can't quite grasp - he never fails to entertain me all the same.
The real stand out high spot of this match, is Kid Kash when he does what could only be loosely described as a somersault dropkick across the middle of the ring from one side of the ropes to the other.... think RVD's 'Van Terminator', but even more dramatic and impressive. The fact this wasn't the finish eluded me slightly, as I can't see how anyone would have kicked out of this move. Kruel later hits a sweet held up vertical suplex which would count as his move of the match. Kash hits his 'MoneyMaker' for the win, and you have a very classy handshake and hug after the match.
Winner - KID KASH. *** 3/4 out of 5 stars for the match.
DA HIT SQUAD vs BALLS MAHONEY & NOSAWA.
First off, it has to be said that Nosawa has an extremely cool t-shirt; but seeing as I don't swear in my reviews I won't actually mention it's content. This isn't a match as such, but one hell of a fight. I havent seen a whole lot of Da Hit Squad, but they look really good here. One thing I do know is that DHS were responsible for helping out in the training of a good friend of mine who works for Jersey All Pro Wrestling, so I know they're nice guys. Nosawa comes across here as a hardcore and offensive version of Funaki of WWE fame, constantly flipping middle fingers and being as controversial as he possibly can.
The end of this rather good fight involves one of Balls Mahoney's killer chair shots, and I know for a fact these HURT as a friend of mine took one a couple of months or so back during a match! Balls also pulls out an interesting russian leg sweep cradle towards the end, and looks rather impressive throughout. After the decision, Balls and Nosawa fight, and Balls challenges him to a falls count anywhere match at the next month's event.
Winners - BALLS MAHONEY & NOSAWA. *** out of 5 stars for the match.
Next we have a wet t-shirt competition, which I guess holds a point somewhere but it eludes me. If that's your thing, fair enough. I've given up with wrestling when it involves such things as this, as you will never actually see the nudity that is teased; and I just find it all a little pointless. Dont let me put you off though, this delivers a bit more than the WWE would; so if you enjoy such angles there you'll most likely be fine with this.
MATT STRYKER & ROB ECKOS vs JOSH DANIELS & DAMIAN ADAMS.
There's one serious star in this match, and whilst I wasn't too familiar with him before hand; I will be making it a personal issue to see more of Matt Stryker's work - this man is FUNNY! A good wrestler, with a wonderful line in old school impersonations; and excellent on the microphone. Rob Eckos is great as the straight man of the duo also. It kind of reminds you of a far more kayfabe breaking Edge & Christian of WWE fame, and these two are excellent. This is a nicely put together and enjoyable match, and Josh Daniels also puts in a strong performance.
Winners - MATT STRYKER & ROB ECKOS. *** out of 5 stars for the match.
RAVEN vs XAVIER vs 'PITBULL' GARY WOLFE (3 way elimination match for the 3PW heavyweight title).
Xavier you will know from Ring of Honor (RoH), and is one hard hitting fellow. We all know Raven, and Gary Wolfe was best known for his time in ECW as part of 'The Pitbulls' tag team. Xavier hits a nice release Northern Lights suplex on Wolfe, which looks really impressive. Raven keeps getting bumped out of the match to the floor from the apron, and when he gets back into the flow of the match it isn't long before he hits his ddt on Xavier to eliminate him from the match.
We then hit chairs and table mode, and Pitbull hits Raven with Raven's trademark drop toe-hold into the chair. Raven then goes head first through the table, which is certainly effective. Raven clotheslines Wolfe, then a bulldog.... and goes for his Evenflow ddt, but Pitbull reverses into a Death Valley Driver and thats all she booked with Wolfe retaining his title.
Winner - 'PITBULL' GARY WOLFE. *** 1/4 out of 5 stars for the match.
TERRY FUNK vs SABU (with Tod Gordon).
Ok, it doesn't have a whole lot to do with wrestling; but this is MY review so I'm going to point out that Terry Funk comes to the ring to the sound of my favourite band in the world - Bon Jovi and the classic 'Wanted Dead Or Alive'! Funk then gets on the microphone, and expresses that he's waited a long time to come back to Philly and that he wants to give the fans an ECW style match. I'm a big fan of both Funk and Sabu, and have been for many years; so I'm really up for this one.
The first big spot is where Funk takes a bump from the apron to the timekeeper's table to the floor. Funk then throws half of the broken table up and into the ring. Whilst Tod Gordon has the referee distracted, Sabu takes a page out of the Sheik and Abdullah the Butchers book of tricks and gets a metal spike from his boot and makes Funk bleed heavily. When Funk makes his comeback, he hits two piledrivers (one on a steel chair), but Sabu still rises up.
The finish involves Sabu coming off the top with a legdrop, but Funk moves off of the table he was placed on and Sabu takes the wood. Funk gets up, DDT; and we're done. Cue Bon Jovi (sorry, I'm such a mark for their music!), and Funk takes the microphone once again to tell the fans how he loves to go to Philly to wrestle, and really touchingly he says that they're his people, his fans; and he's a fan of each and every one of them. A class ending to what was a very good show. *** 3/4 out of 5 stars for the match.
And overall, I'd give the show **** out of 5. Once again, this show is available from www.bluethundervideo.com and both website and show come highly recommended by me.
Peter Staniforth.
Peter is an English based wrestling journalist for the following websites
: - www.prowrestlingdaily.com, www.wrestlingclothesline.com, and www.ukevents.net.
Peter writes press releases for http://wweeuroshop.com/?tid=ps101, the official WWE merchandise outlet for the UK & Europe.
Peter reviews video tapes for such wrestling tape traders as www.simania.co.uk, www.bluethundervideo.com, www.modtrom.com (the official video production team behind Jersey All Pro Wrestling), www.violentjtapes.com, www.a1wrestlingvideos.com, www.ruffneckwrestlingvideos.co.uk, www.mayfieldmayhem.com, and www.goldenboytapes.com.
Peter is an agent to the likes of CZW's Nick Berk (amongst others), and runs a wrestling bookings website for indy wrestlers - http://www.pstaniforth.vze.com/ . Peter was also mentioned on the credits of the cult PC wrestling simulation game EWR 4.0, by Adam Ryland.
