This past Saturday’s World of Sport began with Nathan Cruz making his entrance with a microphone. Cruz runs down Adam Maxted and blames him for their bromance ending. Cruz wants to take everything away from Maxted and challenges him to a Loser Leaves Town Ladder Match. Stu Bennett stands up and makes it official.
Adam Maxted vs Nathan Cruz
Maxted controls much of the early goings. He goes for a ladder but Cruz cuts him off. Cruz takes things back into the ring but Maxted takes him down with a shoulder tackle. Suddenly Maxted is down and Cruz has a ladder? Production errors strike again. With the ladder now set up in the corner both men attempt to send the other crashing into it. Maxted charges but Cruz reverses and the camera cuts away to the crowd while Maxted crashes into the ladder. Apparently, World of Sport can’t show people hitting the ladder? The ladder gets set up in the middle as both men try to get the win. Cruz is scaling until Maxted hits a springboard dropkick to send Cruz down. Both men are down, they start to scale the ladder, Cruz knocks Maxted off and looks to have the win in hand. The ladder is out of place though so he needs to readjust, this gives Maxted time to recover as he hits a springboard clothesline to take Cruz out. Maxted gets the win and Cruz must leave WOS.
Winner: Adam Maxted
They really rushed to this stipulation but both men worked hard, despite the ridiculous camera work, and had a good match.
Nathan Cruz cuts another promo promising that he will be back.
WOW! HUGE BACK BODY DROP #crashingdown #laddermatch #BROMANCEISOVER
Referee Steve's face says it all!#WOSWrestling #ITV #WeAreSTV pic.twitter.com/E8CUrsH80z— WOS Wrestling (@WOSWrestling) September 8, 2018
Justin Sysum is in Bennett’s office, Bennett gives him what he wants, a match with Rampage. Sysum is happy with this until Bennett adds in the twist. It’s a tag team match of Rampage and Sha Samuels vs Sysum and Joe Hendry. Sysum isn’t happy because he wants Rampage and the World of Sport title.
Fatal Four Way: Liam Slater vs Robbie X vs Gabriel Kidd vs Crater
All three smaller men gang up on the monstrous Crater. They knock him out of the ting ant take turns hitting suicide dives. They finally take him down with a triple suicide dive. With Crater now clearly gone for good the three start to wrestle each other. This is the best part of the match with some cool multi-man spots and nonstop action. Crater gets back in with an intent to demolish all three men. Again all three team up on Crater, X goes for a handspring cutter but gets caught in the air, Crater lifts X up but leaves his knees exposed for Kidd and Slater to dropkick the knees. Crater is down, X hits a standing shooting star press, Slater hits a frog splash and Kidd hits an elbow drop. All three pile on as Crater loses
Winner: Someone
There is confusion over who was the winner allowing Crater to get back up and take everyone out. He goes for X’s mask but security prevent him from taking it off.
https://twitter.com/WrestlingGabe/status/1038878551863451648
World of Sport has spent all season building Crater up for this? It was a fun match but the booking makes no sense.
Grado vs Martin Kirby
For the first time in the series Grado makes sure the referee takes care of his Bum Bag. This piques Kirby’s interest who goes for the bag, Grado stops him and turns his back allowing Kirby to get the jump. Grado makes the comeback, Kirby keeps trying to wrestle but Grado is having none of it and sandbags Kirby on a German suplex attempt and at one stage hits him with his belly. Kirby takes control and goes for his Zoidberg elbow but misses. Strap comes down as Grado channels his inner Dusty Rhodes with a bionic elbow. Grado goes for the cutter but Kirby counters into an enziguiri. With Grado down Kirby goes for the bum bag and discovers the big secret is a toothbrush. Toothbrush comedy ensues until Kirby rolls Grado up with his feet on the ropes for the win.
Winner: Martin Kirby
This was a fun little match but the secret bum bag item could’ve been built over a few episodes instead of randomly near the end of the season.
That kebab smelling toothbrush 🤢 @gradowrestling @WOSWrestling pic.twitter.com/floQ9igBYu
— Rachel Stringer (@RachStringer) September 10, 2018
Rampage & Sha Samuels vs Justin Sysum & Joe Hendry
The heel bruisers take control early as they work over Sysum. CJ Banks on the outside even gets a chance to get some shots in. Sysum eventually manages to get away from Samuels and make the tag to Joe Hendry. Hendry is in for a short time as he gets beaten up by Rampage. Hendry makes the hot tag to Sysum who cleans house, Sysum ducks under a Samuels clothesline to hit Banks with a suicide dive as Rampage retreats up the ramp. Hendry hits a fallaway slam on Samuels which leaves him in position for a 450 Splash from Sysum.
Winners: Joe Hendry & Justin Sysum
Good tag match that made a star out of Sysum. Confusing build aside Sysum finally overcoming Rampage will be the defining moment of this series.
YES ! #SUPERHUMAN #WOSWrestling #ITV #WeAreSTV pic.twitter.com/WO4pwldX8Q
— WOS Wrestling (@WOSWrestling) September 8, 2018
Overall the in ring action was good. As the World of Sport season goes on the storytelling gets more and more confusing and WWE-like where week to week things just get forgotten. Some odd decisions for winners as well as Cruz would’ve been a better choice to keep around than Maxted and Grado should be beating Martin Kirby.
