Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) is gearing up for its next huge MegaEvent in April, Best of the Best 18, that features some of the best names in the indie world of pro wrestling in a tournament to determine the best of the year. But first, this Saturday has CZW Trifecta Elimination, where nine indie hopefuls from promotions and schools around the US compete for a chance to get their name added to the prestigious tournament. Add some other non-tournament matches, including CZW and Women Superstars Uncensored (WSU) title matches, and you have another full card of excitement.
Trifecta Elimination featuring Anthony Bowen, Pat Buck, Saige Cainan, Delmi Exo, JGeorge, Matt MacIntosh, Griffin McCoy, Jaxon Stone, Matt Travis
The Trifecta Elimination Tournament features nine indie stars from various promotions around the US, all competing for a spot in CZW’s annual Best of the Best tournament. Best of the Best 18 is being held on Saturday, April 13 this year and announced entrants include Amazing Red, Anthony Greene, Myron Reed, Gary Jay, Sammy Guevara, Fred Yehi, John Silver, and the 2018 tournament winner, David Starr, looking for back to back tournament wins. The nine entrants for this tournament will be split into three triple threat matches, with the winner of each three-way advancing to the finals at the end of the night in a final triple-threat match to decide on who will secure a spot in Best of the Best 18.
Anthony Greene w/ The Platinum Hunnies (Evie Rodgerson & Angel Sinclair) vs. Jimmy Rave
Anthony Greene has been working his way through the US indies since 2012 but in the past year, he’s exploded as a name to watch in 2019. A regular with Chaotic Wrestling and Beyond Wrestling, he’s also become a star with CZW, EVOLVE, House of Hardcore and others, the 25-year old will be looking to keep his momentum in CZW alive heading into Best of the Best 18. On Saturday, he’s facing an indie veteran in near 20-year grappler Jimmy Rave, a former TNA/IMPACT Wrestling and Ring of Honor star who still competes on the indie circuit with the likes of CHIKARA, Absolute Intense Wrestling (AIW), and multiple Southern indies.
The Gym Nasty Boys (Timmy Lou Retton & White Mike) vs. YDNB (Elias Taylor & Charlie Tiger)
The Gym Nasty Boys have become impact players on the US indie scene since their arrival in 2017 and have already held tag team gold in IWA Mid South and FEST Wrestling. They’ve also fought wars in the tag divisions for Rockstar Pro, Carolina Wrestling Federation (CWF) Mid Atlantic, Glory Pro, EVOLVE and more and on Saturday, will look to make an impression in CZW. They’re facing two-thirds of the faction YDNB (third member Griffin McCoy is in the Trifecta Elimination Match), as Elias Taylor and Charlie Tiger look to emerge from CZW’s Dojo Wars and make their own statement that they’re ready for bigger challenges on CZW’s main roster.
John Silver vs. KC Navarro
New York’s John Silver has been an indie veteran who has been a workhorse everywhere he’s competed since his 2007 debut. Originally a star with New York Wrestling Connection (NYWC), he debuted with CZW in 2011 and has been one of the top stars with Beyond since 2013. Best known as a tag team specialist with Alex Reynolds in the Beaver Boys (former Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG) Tag Team Champions and CZW Tag Team Champions), Silver is no slouch in the singles department himself. His opponent, New Jersey’s KC Navarro, has only been wrestling since 2015, but the youngster is looking to break out in 2019 and a win over a vet like Silver will send a clear message he’s ready for the next step.
Matt Tremont vs. Conor Claxton
Former CZW World Heavyweight Champion Matt Tremont makes his CZW return as one of the most brutal men in American hardcore looks to make an example of a cocky and brash rising star in CZW. Conor Claxton is a product of the CZW wrestling school, trained by DJ Hyde and Drew Gulak, and has been fighting with CZW since 2014. He’s had great success in other promotions, like H20 and Vicious Outcast Wrestling (VOW), but a win over “The Bulldozer” will elevate Claxton to a new level.
WSU Spirit Championship: Jordynne Grace (c) vs. Kris Statlander
CZW’s sister promotion, WSU, is making its return this year, but in the meantime, its Spirit Champion Jordynne Grace has become one of the best wrestlers in the world and one of 2018’s absolute breakout superstars. Originally slated to face rising wunderkind Leyla Hirsch, a late injury has changed the match. In her place is arguably one of the hottest and rising women’s stars in the US indie circuit, Kris Statlander, who just won the Beyond Wrestling Treasure Hunt Tournament this past weekend.
CZW World Tag Team Championship: The REP (Nate Carter & Dave McCall) (c) w/ Maven Bentley vs. House of Gangone (Anthony Gangone & Amazing Red)
The team of Dave McCall and Nate Carter have been fighting side by side since 2012, when they debuted together as Young Money, working for CZW, NYWC and EVOLVE. They’ve gone through some name changes over the years, but the fact remains, The REP emerged as one of the top tag teams on the East Coast. They’re the current reigning and 2x CZW World Tag Team Champions (and reigning 2x NYWC Tag Team Champions) and they’ll be looking to keep this reign going after Saturday. They face some out-of-promotion challengers in House of Glory‘s House of Gangone, the stable lead by the current and 2x HOG Heavyweight Champion Anthony Gangone. In an effort to bring back the CZW Tag Team belts to HOG, he’s bringing the ace of his stable and indie legend Amazing Red, in what should be a great matchup of tag team action.
