Pro Wrestling Guerilla (PWG) has a history of paying tribute to recently deceased Hollywood legends with PWG event names like PWG Prince and PWG Lemmy. That trend continues with PWG Smokey And The Bandido (a Burt Reynolds and Bandido fused title.) The Battle Of Los Angeles tournament took place in September, Jeff Cobb walked out of California with the prestigious trophy after defeating Shingo Takagi and Bandido in a Three Way in the Finals. The Battle Of Los Angeles tournament was an international showcase with entrants from Australia, Japan and Mexico. Many international stars return for Smokey And The Bandido and Jeff Cobb receives his PWG World championship match. Let’s look at this whole card from Broadway on October 19 with some of the best in independent wrestling featured.
Darby Allin vs Trevor Lee
Trevor Lee replaces Joey Janela, who suffered an unfortunate injury before this event. Darby Allin has started his run in PWG with considerable fanfare which is impressive considering Allin only has a couple years experience under his belt. There are many high-flyers in pro wrestling but not many daredevils quite like Allin, the skateboarder is so wreckless with his own body including using a Coffin Drop for example to the floor. Trevor Lee is poised for a shot at the PWG main events but that hasn’t happened quite yet, Lee has a mixed bag of wins and losses is a big reason for that. Trevor Lee is incredibly entertaining on the microphone and a spectacular moveset in the ring to go with the charisma. “The Carolina Caveman” needs this win more than the upstart Darby Allin but it wouldn’t be too shocking to see Allin pick up the win with The Last Supper cradle.
Prediction: Trevor Lee wins.
Brody King vs Timothy Thatcher
Timothy Thatcher teamed with Ringkamf partner WALTER during Night One of the Battle Of Los Angeles tournament for a victory over Shingo Takagi and Ilja Dragunov but Thatcher lost to WALTER the very next night in a singles match. That has to do something to the psyche of Thatcher, always second to the PWG World champion. The spotlight hasn’t been on Thatcher in main events on a regular basis since Timothy Thatcher reigned as the longest EVOLVE Wrestling World champion in history. Thatcher is going to bring the fight to Brody King but that’s just what King wants. Brody King is coming into this match as the AAW Pro Heavyweight champion, the big matches just keep coming for the brawling breakout King. Brody King just debuted last year but King has been trained in such dojos as the New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) dojo in Los Angeles under Katsuyori Shibata. Expect the most hard-hitting match of the night, King may be put to sleep here but only due to Thatcher’s superb ground game.
Prediction: Timothy Thatcher wins.
Rey Fenix vs Bandido
Lucha Libre fans have been dying to witness this match in the United States and it only happens in California for PWG. Rey Fenix is usually teaming with his Lucha Bros partner Pentagon Jr but this time Fenix gets to fly solo. This is one of the biggest months in the career of Rey Fenix with a main event against Kenny Omega looming in Northeast Wrestling (NEW). The innovation will be on display from both, the speed in this match will be what modern day Lucha is all about. Fenix has ways of beating an opponent that many wrestlers don’t even think about but so does Bandido, the top rope Flipping Fallaway Slam to Fenix would finish the match and set the fans into a frenzy.
Prediction: Bandido wins.
Hechicero vs Zack Sabre Jr
Hechicero, making his PWG debut from CMLL, is a Luchador from Mexico who started competing in the United States in 2016. This sensation debuted in 2001 and is billed as Rey Hechicero in America, which translates to “Wizard King.” Hechicero has battled such top talents as RUSH, Sammy Guevara and Satoshi Kojima in the past. The old adage goes that styles make matches, this is going to be so interesting because on paper Sabre and Hechicero do not mesh but the game plan of Sabre always adapts to his opponents. If Zack Sabre Jr against the legendary grappler from Mexico, Negro Navarro, is any indication as well as Sabre’s clashes against top international stars, this will be a highlight reel of a match. The former PWG World champion Sabre should leave California the winner, as all of these matches around the world perfect Sabre’s mat game.
Prediction: Zack Sabre Jr wins.
Flamita vs Rey Horus vs Puma King
The predicted show stealer of the night, it’s a special Three-Way from Mexico showcase in PWG in a brand new building. The Globe Theatre in Los Angeles, a great venue, is the new home to PWG and the grand size allows for balcony dives or brawling deep into the crowd. Flamita pinned Puma King in the Battle Of Los Angeles tournament to advance, although Puma King has yet to earn a win since his PWG debut. Rey Horus has had some success in PWG and he is the youngest with the most to gain from this match. Not one of these athletes have competed for the PWG World title to date and it’s time Rey Horus steps up.
Prediction: Rey Horus wins.
PWG Tag Team Championships: The Rascalz (C) (Dezmond Xavier and Zachary Wentz) vs LAX (Santana and Ortiz)
Santana and Ortiz have been teaming since 2012 when they were known as EYFBO, this tag team can fight or take it to the skies and that’s why they have achieved so much success in such little time. LAX makes their PWG debut after capturing Impact Wrestling, House Of Glory and other tag team championships. The Rascalz are the perfect debut opponents for LAX and even sweeter this being a match for the PWG tag team championships. The Rascalz are The champions for a reason, they vanquished The Young Bucks from the PWG tag team title scene for the time being and they are former Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) and AAW Pro tag team champions. Dezmond Xavier makes every single move look like a million bucks and Zachary Wentz isn’t too far behind, it will be some time before The Rascalz lose the championships but this will be deserving of a rematch no matter the victors.
Prediction: The Rascalz retain the PWG tag team championships.
PWG World Championship: WALTER (C) vs Jeff Cobb
WALTER defends his PWG World championship against the winner of the 2018 PWG Battle Of Los Angeles tournament but WALTER goes in also as the Over The Top Wrestling (OTT) World champion, the PROGRESS Wrestling World champion and the DEFIANT Wrestling Internet champion. Jeff Cobb looks to collect his first World championship, the career of the heavyweight Hawaiian has been on the rise this past year. Jeff Cobb debuted in PWG against Chris Hero (WWE NXT star Kassius Ohno) in May of 2016 and now Cobb finally gets his chance to beat the champion and stay at the top. Cobb and WALTER have wrestled before but not when the big gold belt is on the line, Cobb will have to endure every massive chop and heavy blow before a Tour Of The Islands.
Prediction: Jeff Cobb wins the PWG World championship.
