In 2015, Mike Scharnagl paired up with Mikey Hawes (former co-owner of Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling (3PW) in Philadelphia) to launch Pacific Coast Wrestling in Torrance, California. As indies wrestling boom hit the West Coast, and with the success of California promotions like PWG, Lucha Underground and Championship Wrestling From Hollywood, the result has seen a rise in more international visibility of California indie wrestling. Add in Bar Wrestling, Vendetta Pro Wrestling, Santino Brothers, Pro Wrestling Revolution (PWR), Alternative Wrestling Show (AWS), SoCal Pro, Empire Wrestling Federation (EWF), and much more, and you’ve got a solid scene around the West Coast. As PCW continued to gain steam in its short existence, the promotion rebranded in December of 2017 as PCW ULTRA with their December 1st event, Refuse To Lose. As summertime comes knocking on our door, PCW ULTRA looks to climb new heights in the expanding indie landscape and bolstering an ever growing West Coast scene. For those not in the Los Angeles area, May The 4th Be With You can be seen live on the FITE App this Friday May The 4th (or free on demand if you have Amazon Prime) – they also have their own Pivotshare.
With this Friday having a very special Star Wars theme (it is May the 4th after all), there may be a few fun surprises, but either way, the card is solid from top to bottom, with a nice blend of international flair, emerging talent, and some of indie wrestling’s elite. Here’s a run down of the card (subject to change).
ACH vs. Jeff Bey
The current AAW Heavyweight Champion ACH is making his third appearance with PCW ULTRA, after debuting at last December’s Refuse to Lose, where he defeated the former “Mr. 450” Mecha Wolf. He beat Rey Fenix at January’s PCW ULTRA 2k18, so he’s heading into this match 2-0 in PCW ULTRA. Chris Bey is only 22-years old, but he’s a rising star on the West Coast circuit, winning the 2017 Young Lion’s Cup tournament (a tourney between California promotions Gold Rush Pro Wrestling and All Pro Wrestling, not the CHIKARA or NJPW versions). He only made his debut at last September’s Young Guns II event, but he’ll be looking to make his mark on Friday.
Six Man War: Warbeast (Brody King, Jacob Fatu & Almighty Sheik) vs. La Rebelion (Mecha Wolf 450, Garza Jr. & Bestia 666)
The all rounded trio of terror Warbeast, featuring one of 2017’s breakout stars Brody King, the Samoan dynasty’s next rising star Jacob Fatu (son of the WWF’s Tonga Kid and cousin of Roman Reigns and The Usos), and indie veteran The Almighty Sheik (whose also competed as Joey Machete and NASDAQ) have taken over PCW ULTRA ever since. Last January, they captured the PCW ULTRA Tag Team Championship off of MVP & Dom Vitalli, but they haven’t given them up in over 460 days since. While originally won by Almighty Sheik & Jacob Fatu, the trio has used the Freebird Rule in its defenses. But this match up isn’t for the gold – it’s a full on Six Man War against the Lucha Libre attack of La Rebelion, lead by Puerto Rican superstar Mecha Wolf 450. As Mr. 450, Mecha Wolf is a former PCW ULTRA Light Heavyweight Champion, as well as dominating in the reviving Puerto Rican scene, where he’s a former 2x WWC Universal Champion, WWL Las Americas Champion, and just recently won the WWL Championship. Mecha Wolf is joined by two Mexican stars, one being former Impact Wrestling and AAA star Garza Jr. (who’s reportedly on the verge of heading to WWE), and the other being The Crash Lucha’s Bestia 666 (who also appeared in Lucha Underground’s third season), a former member of Perro Aguayo Jr‘s legendary Los Perros del Mal stable. These are six men who can bring style and technique, but also have a penchant for violence. This won’t be pretty, but it will definitely be spectacular.
Eli Everfly vs. Darby Allin
You won’t find two more mesmerizingly talented young performers as the two daredevils in this matchup. Darby Allin became an absolute indie superstar in 2017, with a breakout year in EVOLVE, plus jaw dropping performances in the likes of Beyond, MLW, Full Impact Pro, GCW and more. So seemingly fragile, he’s brought the pint sized angst of Spike Dudley and the homicidal-suicidal rage of Sabu and wrapped it all up in the innovation of Teddy Hart to create a star in the making. Last year, NXT’s William Regal singled Allin out as one to watch in 2018. His opponent is a wrestler of a similar cloth – small in stature, but with an athleticism that seemingly has no bounds, Eli Everfly is a California product that has been catching the international indie scene of late, working for Bar Wrestling, The Crash Lucha, GCW and even recently making his PWG debut. This has all the makings of the Dark Horse for match of the night.
PCW ULTRA World Light Heavyweight Championship Match: Shane Strickland (c) vs. Douglas James (w/ Special Guest Referee: Ricky Steamboat)
This is a return grudge match, as Douglas James looks to regain his World Light Heavyweight title from the man who dethroned him this past April at PCW ULTRA Tuff Luck, Shane Strickland. This has been a war almost a year in the making, when Strickland made his PCW ULTRA in-ring debut at last July’s PCW ULTRA Second to None, where he won the #1 Contendership for the Light Heavyweight Championship. That October, Strickland was unsuccessful in getting the belt off of its then champion, Douglas James, but he finally pried it off him this past April. Strickland is one of the absolute elite in the North American indie scene right now, a former (and recent) CZW World Heavyweight Champion and WrestleCircus Ringmaster Champion, as well as the current MLW World Heavyweight Champion and Lucha Underground Trios Champion (as Killshot, alongside Willie Mack and AR “Dante” Fox). Douglas James is another rising talent on the West Coast, starting out in 2015 and taking the Cali scene in recent months. He’s a former PCW ULTRA Light Heavyweight Champion whose also worked with The Crash Lucha in Mexico and CZW, as well as making his own PWG debut earlier this year. In order to make sure this war doesn’t get too out of hand, WWE Hall of Famer and former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ricky Steamboat will be on hand as the special guest referee.
PCW ULTRA is adding their fourth championship this Friday, as the get set to crown the very first PCW ULTRA Women’s Champion, and the title will be contested by two of the biggest indie stars today, male or female. Chelsea Green has been on fire since recently departing Impact Wrestling (where she is a former Knockouts Champion as Laurel Van Ness), hitting WrestleCircus, Bar Wrestling, SHIMMER, RISE and others since her departure. Oddly enough, her opponent Tessa Blanchard – one of the hottest free agents in the business – just recently debuted with her old place of employment. Tessa Blanchard has been a dominating force everywhere she’s wrestled, including WrestleCircus where she’s the current Lady of the Circus Champion (and former Sideshow Champion). Tessa recently defended her Lady of the Circus title against Chelsea, so these two have unfinished business.
Alexander Hammerstone has become one of indie wrestling’s emerging powerhouse stars, with big wins over the likes of Moose, Brian Cage and Brody King in recent months. He’s been gaining a lot of steam on the West Coast circuit, from Oregon down to Vegas, and even garnered a WWE tryout last year. But on Friday he faces one of the toughest superstars in the world right now in the absolute wrecking machine, Jeff Cobb. While most of the world caught notice when he debuted as “The Monster” Matanza Cueto in Lucha Underground, it was as simply himself that the wrestling world paid attention. If Brock Lesnar built Suplex City, Jeff Cobb has built an empire. Hammerstone is no suplex slouch himself, so this could become a physical show of dominance, as two big hosses try and settle who can throw the other the furthest.
PCW ULTRA World Heavyweight Championship: Penta El 0M (c) vs. Homicide
The main event features another of pro wrestling’s belt collectors, Penta El 0M, defending his PCW ULTRA World Heavyweight Championship against LAX member Homicide. Penta (who is slowly reverting back to his Pentagon Jr. moniker) is also the current reigning Impact World Heavyweight Champion and Lucha Underground Champion. This is Penta’s second reign as PCW ULTRA Champion, when he defeated fellow Impact/Lucha Underground star Johnny Impact/Mundo/Morrison for the belt in December. He’s putting it up in his second title defence (he fended off a challenge from Rob Van Dam in March) against one of indie wrestling’s most underrated performers, the 20-year vet Homicide. A long time star with Jersey All Pro Wrestling (JAPW) (he’s a former 7x JAPW Heavyweight Champion), he also had an amazing near 11-year career with Ring of Honor that saw him capture the ROH World Championship, as well as a long standing run with LAX in Impact Wrestling, both with the original incarnation where he was a 5x Tag Team Champion with Hernandez (3x in TNA/Impact, 1x in JAPW, 1x in IWA Puerto Rico) as well as an Impact X-Division Champion, and acting as a player/coach alongside Konnan in the new stable that features Santino & Ortiz and Diamante. This contest will be hard hitting and even if Homicide doesn’t score the victory, Penta will feel it Saturday morning.
