This Saturday, Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) sets the stage for one of their biggest events of the year, CZW Tournament of Death, in June, with CZW Prelude to Violence, as battle lines are drawn and the fallout from last month’s Best of the Best continues. Here’s a look at Saturday’s card.
Preview: CZW Prelude to Violence
Winner Gets To Enter Tournament of Death 2018: Kit Osbourne vs. Mitch Vallen
The current CZW Medal of Valor Champion Kit Osbourne has been a CZW regular since 2010 but he’s facing one of CZW’s hungriest newcomers in Mitch Vallen. Vallen has been a regular at the CZW Dojo Wars series (where he appeared as Uncle Mitch), but he’s had a rough go since making the CZW main roster events. Both men are fighting for a spot in this summer’s Tournament of Death, so expect both men to dig a little deeper to fight for the win.
Brandon Kirk vs. Jason Cade
Brandon Kirk has been on a roll of late, with big victories in CZW over the likes of Joey Janela, David Starr and former CZW World Champion Matt Tremont. While he didn’t make it out of the first round of Best of the Best, he’s still on a great momentum right now in the Combat Zone. He’s taking on another of the indie’s rising stars in Jason Cade, who is looking for his first victory in CZW in a handful of appearances – his last loss came in a Fatal Four Way against winner Zachary Wentz as well as Ace Romero and Adam Brooks at Welcome to the Combat Zone in early April. Cade will be out for the W but Kirk’s momentum may be too great.
The Rascalz (Trey Miguel & Myron Reed) vs. Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen)
At Welcome to the Combat Zone last month, the tag team Scarlet & Graves (Dezmond Xavier & Zachary Wentz) rebranded as a new faction called The Rascalz and announced that emerging stars Trey Miguel and Myron Reed were the latest additions to the squad. The two pair up for a battle against a team from the New York area who have dominated the local indie scene, as former House of Glory (HOG) Tag Team Champions, Pro Wrestling Magic (PWM) Tag Team Champions and Fight The World (FTW) Tag Team Champions Private Party (Isiah Kassidy & Marq Quen) look to get back into the CZW Tag Team title hunt, after a pair of recent defeats to CZW Tag Champions The REP (Dave McCall & Nate Carter).
Doors, Ladders & Chairs Match: Mance Warner vs. Conor Claxton vs. Dan O’Hare vs. Stockade
Four CZW regulars who already have their spots guaranteed for Tournament of Death will enter into a slugfest of bloody proportions in a Doors, Ladders & Chairs Match. Conor Claxton continues his fight to “clean up CZW” from the deathmatches the company is infamous for, but he’s got some scary dudes to convince otherwise in Dan O’Hare and Stockade. Mance Warner is having a breakout year, expanding beyond IWA Mid South with work in AIW, CZW, WrestleCircus, Freelance and Black Label Pro, and this is a great warm up as he prepares to enter his first Tournament of Death.
Rich Swann vs. Dezmond Xavier
Former WWE Cruiserweight Champion Rich Swann made his return to the indies last month at Best of the Best, after he’d previously announced his early retirement. He followed that up by winning The Wrestling Revolver Scramble Championship this past Saturday at the live Twitch event with Impact Wrestling, so the fire is back in his belly. He returns to CZW on Saturday to face one of the brightest young talents on the US indie scene, in Dezmond Xavier. Xavier has been an X-Division star with Impact Wrestling the past year (winning the Super X-Cup last year) and continues to dominate in singles or in tag action with his usual partner, Zachary Wentz. Solid candidate for match of the night.
CZW Wired Championship Match (for vacant title): Wheeler YUTA vs. Zachary Wentz vs. Alex Reynolds vs. Johnny Silver
When Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) won the CZW World Heavyweight Championship last month, he threw down (and vacated) his CZW Wired Championship, which has lead to this 4-Way Elimination Match to crown a new Champion. Regardless who wins, they’ll be a first time CZW Wired Champion, as none of the four have held the title in their careers. Zachary Wentz will hope to add to what should be a solid show for The Rascalz in winning the title, but Wheeler YUTA has emerged as a new talent to recognize in the North American indies. Veteran New Yorker Alex Reynolds, a regular with the likes of NYWC, House of Hardcore, Beyond and others, will also be looking to claim CZW gold, while another Beyond/NYWC veteran Johnny Silver is also joining the fray.
