The Wrestling Society Xperience - WSX Episode Two (2/6/07)
More stuff blows up as the inaugural WSX Champion is crowned!
Wrestling Society X - Episode Two
Oscar winners Three 6 Mafia, or “Tree 6 Mafia” if you're from Newfoundland, join Kris Kloss and Bret Ernst on commentary.
Human Tornado vs. “The Southern Stomper” Luke Hawx
This came as a result of the three-way from last week’s WSXtra, with Hawx being none too pleased with Tornado getting the duke. Fabian Kaelin is in full “Bart and Milhouse drinking an all-syrup Squishee” mode, especially during Tornado's introduction. He's twirling, twirling, TWIRLING towards freedom!
Hawx kicks Tornado in the junk, but Tornado is nonplussed because he’s got BALLS OF STEEL. Tornado pimpslaps Hawx, but runs immediately into an exploder. Tornado soon headscissors Hawx out and follows with a massive tope con hilo over the guardrail! Back in, Hawx hits a spinkick, but misses a charge. After an Irish whip reversal sequence, Tornado hits a leaping top rope tornado DDT for the pin!
The Take: Incredibly short, and it was really nothing more than a showcase for Tornado. He had some fun character spots and impressive aerial offense, though, so at least it served its purpose.
The Vibes: Mild.
Immediately after the match, Aaron Aguilera (the former Jesus, Carlito’s heavy/John Cena’s nightclub stabber from late 2004 WWE) runs out and attacks Hawx to avenge Kaos’ elimination from the WSX Rumble last week. Alkatrazz comes out to retaliate, then Kaos brings out a table and a ladder.
However, the fickle fate of irony sees Alkatrazz move and Kaos going through the table via a Hawx kick. Aguilera was oblivious to the happenings because he was “flirting with the mamacitas” per Kloss, and chews Kaos out for screwing up. Sure, why not?
We hear from Teddy Hart and “MDogg 20” Matt Cross, THE FILTH & THE FURY. They challenge any tag team for NEXT WEEK!
Matt Cross would feature heavily in Ring of Honor around this time, and later in Lucha Underground as Son of Havoc. He was actually a last-minute substitution here. According to Kevin Kleinrock, Pac (yes, the BASTARD PAC) was hired by WSX and was penciled in to be Hart's partner, but travel issues got in the way. Here's an excerpt from Kleinrock's interview with Paste Magazine:
“It was supposed to be Pac from England, now known as Neville in WWE. We had hired him, paid for a work visa, and literally there was like a one day hiccup between him being able to get to the consulate and get his visa and get on a plane to come and shoot the series. So we had to replace him at the last minute with Matt Cross.”
Team Dragon Gate (Masato Yoshino & Genki Horiguchi) vs. That 70’s Team (Joey “Magnum” Ryan & Disco Machine)
Dragon Gate was all over the US indies at this point, and it was AWESOME. Yoshino was a RIDICULOUSLY fast human being. Genki is a terrific wrestler in his own right, but he gained some cult notoriety for, of all things, his receding hairline. The fans would chant “H-A-G-E!” at him (the Japanese word for ‘baldness’), he made a catchphrase out of it (“Who has called me hage?!?”), and it was a good time. Yoshino retired in 2021, but Horiguchi is still going as of May 2024.
Interestingly enough, these guys were in separate factions when this was recorded, with Horiguchi being part of DO Fixer while Yoshino was part of Muscle Outlaw’z. Horiguchi would join the latter in February 2007.
Ryan and Disco were both Pro Wrestling Guerilla originals, having founded the company with Scott Lost, Top Gun Talwar, Super Dragon, and current AEW play-by-play man Excalibur. Disco retired in 2012 and didn’t really do much else of note from what I could find. Ryan gained viral fame by suplexing people with his wiener (yes, really), but he was rightfully ostracized from most of the business after MANY accusations of sexual misconduct during the Speaking Out movement in 2020.
Horiguchi and Ryan stalemate, so Yoshino comes in and zips around the ring and dropkicks Disco out. Ryan runs like mad and tries his own dropkick, but Yoshino moves out of the way, Samoa Joe-style. Joey takes a puff from his inhaler (yup) and tags Disco back in. He gyrates, but quickly eats tandem offense from Dragon Gate. Horiguchi tries a sunset flip, but Disco swivels his hips and drops an elbow for two.
Seconds later, Ryan gets pantsed during a sunset flip attempt and is blasted with a Yoshino Lightning Spiral (a version of the Sling Blade), but Disco breaks the pin. Ryan counters a headscissors with a sideslam for a close two, then hits a Super 70’s Super Kick for three.
Post-match, Horiguchi destroys Machine's disco ball in retaliation, causing Disco considerable distress.
The Take: This did what it wanted in terms of establishing That 70’s Team’s shtick. The act doesn't bring the hands together for me (Ryan's sleazier stuff ages ESPECIALLY poorly given what's come out), but at least the action was decent. Horiguchi and Yoshino got to show their wares before losing. It does lead to something a few episodes down the line, so I'm not as salty as I would be about Dragon Gate doing the job here.
The Vibes: Moderate, thanks chiefly to the Dragon Gate duo.
Next, we hear from the Trailer Park Boyz. “White Trash” Johnny Webb introduces Josh “Jug” Raymond and “Spyder” Nate Webb. Johnny wants to take the ambitionless duo to the top of the tag ranks.
White Trash was an XPW mainstay and former XPW World Champion, but he’s here in a managerial capacity. I mostly remember Raymond as Josh Abercrombie in IWA: Mid-South. He was a fairly solid worker, but didn't really break into any larger promotions for some reason, other than a cup of coffee in Ring of Honor. He's still active in much smaller independent promotions in Michigan.
Nate Webb, another fixture in IWA: MS, was one of the more underrated indie guys a couple decades ago. He was a good deathmatch worker and could hold his own outside that setting. Plus, his Wheatus-fueled entrance was incredible. He still works the indies as of May 2024, including some fairly recent appearances in Game Changer Wrestling.
WSX Championship: Vampiro vs. 6-Pac
Vamp and 6-Pac won last week’s WSX Rumble, so they’re here to determine the first champion.
Hey, there's a casket at ringside for some reason!
6-Pac unhygienically spits water at Vampiro to start, but Vamp comes back with a headbutt and a spinkick. 6-Pac catches a ‘rana with a powerbomb for two, then lands the Bronco Buster. An attempt at another one is interrupted by a goozle, but Pac fights out…but runs into a big boot. Chokeslam, but a twisting senton misses! Pac sends Vampiro out and follows with a tope con hilo for two.
Moments later, Pac is alley-ooped nuts-first into the ringpost, but comes back with a tornado DDT through a table at ringside! Vamp kicks out, so Pac hits a 6-FACTOR in the ring, but stalls before the cover. Vampiro expectedly kicks out while Kloss feigns surprise. Moments later, Vamp hits Waltman low on the apron, then tombstones him into Chekhov’s Casket, WHICH EXPLODES! The ref counts to three, but who got the pin?!?!?
Seconds later, a bloody Vampiro emerges and is awarded the title!
The Take: The match itself was mostly fine for what it was, but nothing special other than a cool spot or two. I did enjoy the awesomely stupid explosion finish, though, and the visual of Vampiro coming out of the coffin with red corn syrup blood puts it over the top. I've never really thought much of Vampiro was a worker, but a lot of people like him, he's an established name, and he fits the overall vibe of the promotion well, so he’s not a bad choice for the first titleholder.
The production REALLY irritated me, though. It was like Kevin Dunn on methamphetamine and pixie sticks with all the camera cuts. I know it's the nature of this product, but it was VERY noticeable here for some reason.
The Vibes: Some vibes were present, mostly for the finish.
NEXT TIME: WSXtra Episode Two, with a couple of fairly interesting debuts!