Post by robertd on Nov 30, 2012 23:35:17 GMT -5
I grew up in wonderful times. We had great cartoons to come home to in the afternoon, like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Duck Tales, Power Rangers, and Captain Planet. On weekends, we had wrestling in the mornings with WWF Superstars and Wrestling Challenge, and Saturday Nights we had WCW Saturday Night. And during those days we had a glorious channel called MTV, that played music videos all day long. Sometimes they'd have crap like House Of Style, but even then we had Cindy Crawford to look at. And don't even get me started on Daisy Fuentes. It was a magical time that can never be replaced.
For reasons I will never understand, MTV decided music videos weren't doing it any favors as a music channel, so they began to disappear for more reality crap than you can shake a stick at. Gone was Yo! MTV Raps, here's The Real World. Goodbye Headbangers Ball, hello Teen Mom. Sure they had TRL, but Carson Daly is a tool, so no thanks. Music videos moved to MTV2, then MTV3, now they're all on YouTube.
In 2005, a former MTV employee named Kevin Kleinrock was approached by Big Vision Entertainment to help produce their line of wrestling DVDs called Pro Wrestling Ultimate Insiders. Kleinrock wasn't a bad choice, as he had a fairly good track record in the indies scene with promotions like SWF and SCCW, and dabbled with booking some XPW shows. Ultimate Insiders was a a weird mix of shoot dvds, with my favorite being 'Doing Time With New Jack'. They were mainly sold through a ludicrous infomercial that was hilarious unedited with New Jack threatening bad things would happen to those who didn't by his dvd. Big Vision is now most known for producing NWA Championship Wrestling From Hollywood.
In 2006, Houston Curtis, a producer for Big Vision, and Kleinrock decided they wanted to produce a wrestling show that was part wrestling, part rock show. They dubbed this experiment Wrestling Society X, and decided they would tape a pilot and see if it would be picked up.
The pilot was taped on February 10, 2006. Immediately, some decisions were made that showed this venture had bad idea written on it. When the wrestlers who were invited to the pilot taping showed up, they were given exclusive agreements that if, and when, the show was picked up, they couldn't wrestle on tv ANYWHERE during the season run. Keep that in mind. The only wrestler who refused was Delirious, who actually had two well-paying jobs on the side with ROH and TNA, the later of which had a TV show. So he went home. Everyone else who was there had no such TV opportunity hanging over them so they signed.
The pilot was taped, but no one picked it up until July, when MTV decided to give them a season of ten episodes, along with an webisode show to be featured on MTV.com during the season. They scheduled the show to start in January of 2007, as to give they new company 6 months to put together the episodes. How long of that six months did they use to produce and tape their big chance at having a national wrestling television show? 5 days. Yes, all ten episodes(a new pilot was shot, but has never seen the light of day, even on this dvd collction due to someone's gifted idea of giving New Jack promo time) were shot over 5 days, essentially giving the wrestlers 5 days of work, and almost a year of time afterwards they couldn't appear for any company who had a televised show.
This dvd set ;abeled WSX The Complete First(and Last) Season has all ten episodes plus the webisodes on 4 discs in their uncut original form. I say uncut because a lot of the matches had to be edited for violent content, and one episode had to be edited drastically because of whacky fireball hi-jinks. For review purposes, i'm including the matches from the weekly webisodes into the show they were meant to be on, as reviewing talking is not my thing. Also, only 9 of these episodes actually aired, with the final 4 as one long block on the last airing as the "season finale". They were then cancelled and never heard from again.
Pilot (The original pilot taped in February)
Announcers Bret Ernst and Kriss Kloss welcome us to the first show. Kloss is a funny guy, but I don't think he'd mesh in a big company, as his humor is geared towards fans of Andy Milonakis. Ernst sucks, plain and simple. We get a brief introduction before going to the ring.
Jack Evans versus Matt Sydal (w/Lizzy Valentine)
WSX had matches that fall into two categories: garbage brawls, and spotfests of the highest caliber. This match is the latter. Evans is a tremendous high flyer, but looks like he graduated high school two weeks before these shows were taped, which is why even TNA hasn't brought him in. Sydal is better known now as Evan Bourne, or that guy who gets suspended, then injured during his suspension in the WWE. Lizzy Valentine had a cup of coffee in TNA as a member of BitchSlap, a stable of female wrestlers who would attack the TNA cage dancers for not being wrestlers, just eye candy. This match is like an X Division match on x2 Fast Forward, as there is no real transition just spot after spot. This match is horribly short as these guys could go 20 minutes easy before taking a break. Lizzy tries to get involved to help Matt, but distracts him allowing Evans to plant him and then hit his gravity-defying 630 degree Corkscrew senton. Seriously, if you've never seen it, YouTube this match, because physics shouldn't allow this move to be real.
Evans d. Sydal by pinfall (no times for these matches as I don't have a reliable stopwatch today, but the dvd timer puts the whole thing at 8:35 including intros and after match celebrations) *** I'm normally not a spotfest fan, but having not seen much of Evans outside a couple of AAA tapes, this match was just plain fun
We see a video now for the tag teams that WSX will be showcasing. For only having ten episodes guaranteed, they sure have a lot of tag teams as I counted seven different ones in this video. There were no Tag belts, though they were planned for a second season.
WSX Rumble Match (Last two men will fight next episode for the WSX Championship by grabbing two contracts hung over the ring)
This is not your typical battle royal, as it's ten men and done in Royal Rumble fashion, and the ring is filled with weapons from the standard stop sign, to something that looks like a homemade spud gun. The competitors are supposed to come in every 90 seconds, but that goes by the wayside very quickly. We start with Justin "Will Wrestle For Anyone" Credible and Teddy Hart. I hate Credible as I blame him as a minor contributor to the downfall of ECW, but I can dig Teddy Hart when he's wrestling. I hear he's a jerk of epic proportions backstage though. I should note, no one gets eliminated until everyone enters, which makes me wonder why they just didn't start with all ten guys. Kaos(From XPW) joins us next, looking like Samoa Joe's little brother. Hart and Credible do some weak double-teaming on him. Kaos is the only guy who actually took the alloted 90 seconds to get to the ring, as everyone else was less and less. Vampiro is out next, as the announcers proclaim he's a little early, and proceeds to beat down Teddy Hart. Nothing of note happens till everyone is in, so let's add skip through as Puma( a masked T.J. Perkins), Alkatrazz(A former UPW guy who looks like he could be a NOMAD on Sons Of Anarchy), Luke Hawx(Formerly Alter Boy Luke, who was one of the security guys during the RyBack segment on RAW this week, making me think he may get a some dark match shots in the WWE soon),6-Pac(Sean Waltman, of course)Chris Hamrick(a solid Indy Guy if there ever was one) and New Jack all join in and the match gets crazy.
Hart, Kaos, and Alkatrazz are eliminated by going through tables outside the ring. At this point, Youth Suicide(?) runs in and enters the match, which is explained in the alternate commentary as he was in the bathroom and missed his cue. Good luck, guy! The match itself is chaos, highlights being New Jack hiring the referee with a guitar, then eliminating himself and Hamrick in order to do the standard New Jack contract mandated balcony dive, and Puma being thrown onto a box that sparks as if all the wiring is live and exploding. Now, the ladders are brought in and Credible eats a Vampiro powerbomb off one onto a pile of thumbtacks. Usually thumb tacks don't make a match for me, but anyone who can jam them into Justin Credible is a winner in my book. 6-Pac uses this as his chance to run up and grab the first contract, leaving Vampiro, Suicide and Credible to fight for the last one. Suicide makes his way up, only to have Credible push the ladder over and put himself over at the same time, giving Vampiro the chance to grab the last contract and set the match as him versus 6-pac.
6-Pac and Vampiro grab the contracts to win. ** I don't care much for over the top garbage matches, and this was certainly that. Still, two stars for showcasing most of the WSX singles guys, and not being horribly bad. The exploding box was a neat visual, but I can't really buy into it being a real occurrence like it was sold as being the show is airing on MTV.
Black Label Society performs to close the show.
BONUS Webisode Match: Human Tornado versus Puma versus Luke Hawx
A great match between three guys who obviously were out to use WSX to get contracts with bigger companies. Tornado is an "indy darling" and I can see why as he is as good a spot guy as Evans, but has a better look, and a great Pimp gimmick. Given how long the Rumble match lasted I can see why this was put on the webisode, but it should have been a feature match, as it's a very respectable and well balanced match. Tornado wins with the Tornado DDT.
Human Tornado d Puma and Luke Hawx via pinfall *** Could easily have seen this be on tv and be well-received.
Episode 2
No intro this week as we go straight to the first match with the guys already in the ring.
Luke Hawx versus Human Tornado
So far my biggest complaint with WSX is the matches are way too quick. They brought in young athletic guys and stop them before they can really get going, making each match a lot of quick spots then a pinfall. This match is another showcase of that, as Tornado wins after about three minutes with the Tornado DDT. Aaron Aguilera runs in, fresh off his jail time for stabbing John Cena in the kidneys in a bar(yes, I know it didn't really happen, but why not hope for the best since that was the angle used on SmackDown) and then needs his partner Kaos to come in and save him when Alkatrazz jumps him.
Human Tornado d Luke Hawx ** I want to go more stars, but as much as I enjoy what I see, there's not enough to justify giving more
That 70's Team (Joey Ryan and Disco Machine) versus Team Dragon Gate (Yoshino and Horiguchi)
Joey Ryan is currently losing to RVD and being overshadowed by Matt Morgan in TNA, and Disco Machine is a California independent star, who's biggest claim to fame is being the featured guy in an FHM article on PWG. I don't have much experience with Dragon Gate guys, so this is my first chance to see them in action. And wow, these two are the fastest guys I have ever seen in wrestling, as they wrestle in turbo mode. Match ends yet again very quickly with Ryan hitting a neckbreaker I swear they called the Mustache Ride, then Dragon Gate draw their seething wrath by breaking their disco ball.
That 70's Team d Team Dragon Gate via pinfall * Too short and way too fast to rate higher, but i'm very tempted to give a star just for Ryan having a move called the Mustache Ride.
Performing this week: 3 6 Mafia(I don't get into rap much, so I don't know if their good or not.)
A video plays with "White Trash" Johnny Webb introducing us to The Trailer Park Boys, Josh Raymond and Nate Webb. I'm pretty sure the show Trailer Park Boys was out during this time, so these guys should be sued because it's a complete rip-off. I never liked XPW, and so I don't really care about any of these guys.
Vampiro versus 6-Pac for the WSX Championship
I'm not a huge fan of either guy anymore, but there are worse ideas than putting your two most well-known guys in a match for the inaugural title. The match itself is your basic Vampiro brawl, which ends when Vampiro does a tombstone on top of a casket with then explodes, giving him the win and the title. The pyro budget for the show must have been huge, given every episode has explosions. Was Micheal Bay an uncredited producer?
Vampiro d 6-Pac to become the first WSX Champion
BONUS Webisode Matches
DIFH (Do It For Her, tho it's never made clear who HER is) versus The Trailer Park Boys
DIFH is Jimmy Jacobs and Tyler Black(a.k.a Seth Rollins) I miss Black in ROH as The Age of The Fall was tremendous and held me as an ROH fan until Black left. I don't care about the Trailer Park Boys. Jacobs pins Raymond in this one , and I understand these two had a long feud over the years with Raymond as Josh Abercrombie.
DIFH d Trailer Park Boys * DIFH are a great tag team, but they don't have a quality opponent in this match.
'Legendary Masked Grappler' Matt Classic versus Matt Sydal(w/Lizzy Valentine)
My favorite Colt Cabana gimmick on display as he's a legendary masked wrestler who in 1952 was the "World Champion", though it's not said where. If you've never seen one of the Matt Classic matches, find one, as he does all the matches as if he's wrestling on ESPN Classic, using head vices and abdominal stretches and tries to win off things like a schoolboy or a headlock. Sydal does a good job of seeming lost on how to wrestle his match against the Legend, but finally DDT's him and hits a moonsualt press.
Matt Sydal d Matt Classic via pinfall *** Easily the longest match so far in WSX, and thoroughly enjoyable, as Cabana is one of wrestling's funniest guys, and this gimmick shows that.
Episode 3
We open with a very disturbing promo from Vampiro about how winning the WSX Championship was his destiny and giving flesh and soul to win it. That's just creepy.
The Trailer Park Boys versus The Filth and The Fury(Teddy Hart and Matt Cross)
This company sure has a lot of guys named Matt. Good thing Matt Hardy had yet to self destruct, or or they might have called themselves Matt Wrestling Society X. This match couldn't decide if it would be a spot fest or a garbage match, as it had moments of both. Teddy Hart actually grabs a "live wire" from the wall near the entrance and electrocutes Webb, then does a nice, but unnecessary twisting leap off the balcony they built for New Jack matches onto Webb. Inside the ring it's still resembling a match, and Cross pins Raymond with a 450 degree splash. I wait for the day someone breaks gravity and just continuously spins in air, never hitting anything.
The Filth and The Fury d Trailer Park Boys via pinfall 1/2 * I'd like to think there was a good match going on inside the ring, but the camera was focused on Hart and Webb so I don't know.
Jack Evans versus El Hombre Blanco Emmascarado
Hombre started off as a guy named Quicksilver before the first taping. They should have stuck with that much easier to type name. Evans does his flying and the match ends under two minutes with Evans and his twisting Senton.
Evans d. El Hombre via pinfall 1/4 * Seriously, they need to make matches last longer than commercials for matches as it's hard to get into these things.
Finally, a proper video introducing Matt Classic. The rip on the WWE Hall of Fame intro videos is evident, with the serious tone of the voice-over guy listing the accomplishments of the by my count, 74 year old masked legend, who began wrestling before anyone had a ring name. Seriously, no recap can do this video justice, and I couldn't locate a YouTube copy to embed, so those who know the other places to look, find this video.
This week's musical performance is by Sparta, who I have never heard of and the best thing I could compare them to is Nine Inch Nails if Trent Reznor tried making Downward Spiral while sober and drug-free.
TLC Match Los Ponchos Guapas versus Alkatrazz and Luke Hawx
By the way the 'C' apparently stands for ceurvezas, which means beer in Spanish. No beer comes into play during the match, so I don't know. This was set up by last week's shenanigans during the Tornado/Hawx match. This is your basic XPW or CZW brawl, mostly between Koas and the team of Akatrazz and Hawx, because Aguilera spends most the match hanging by the railing and trying to pick up chicks. At least he can use the line about being on TV. He finally realizes he's in a match, and it's just in time to hit his own partner by mistake, and Hawx gets the pin.
Alkatrazz and Luke Hawx d Kaos And Aguilera via pinfall * For a generic brawl it wasn't bad, though not of the TLC elements were a factor, so it was pretty pointless.
BONUS Webisode Matches
Scorpio Sky versus Matt Classic
Sky's gimmick is he has been given the "Most Likely To Succeed" award by WSX, though since they closed down, and other than a few matches in TNA as Mason Andrews, and being Harold, whipping boy during Bryan and Kane's Anger Management sessions, it hasn't come to pass yet. Classic, sadly is in a legendary losing streak, the longest in wrestling history at 15 years, is hoping to get his win this week. The Classic gimmick is so brilliant I know I am not doing it justice. He will not break the streak this week, as Sky wins with a Lifting DDT named Blackout in a fun match.
For some reason, they didn't have a musical performance for this episode on the DVD, but a quick check shows it was Clipse, who I don't know.
Scorpio Sky d Matt Classic via pinfall ** Technically sound, but may not have mass appeal due to the very old-school moves used by Classic.
DIFH versus That 70's Team.
WSX seemed to think the webisodes would be more popular, as the best matches all seem to fall on there. Tyler Black is a great talent, and I hope the WWE uses the Rollins character wisely, because he could really be something. For some reason, Joey Ryan is now being called Joey Magnum Ryan, maybe due to the awesome mustache. Another very good tag team match, as all four guys are sound, and this should have been on tv, as these kind of matches may have made a difference for WSX instead of matches involving explosions. DIFH continue their winning ways as Black pins Disco Machine.
DIFH d That 70's team via pinfall *** As I said, these are the matches that should have been the focus of the show.
Episode 4 (otherwise Known as The Reason WSX was cancelled)
This episode did not air in it's taped form, as it was delayed, then heavily edited before Standards and Practices for MTV would allow it to be shown. Short matches hurt WSX, yes, but could have been fixed over time, but one incident, just one shot that was taped, is what was the reason MTV decided not to renew the show. Which begs the question, if the episodes were taped in November, and not aired until the next year, did no one at MTV watch them before the week they were slated for broadcast?
Matt Sydal (Lizzie Valentine) versus Scorpio Sky
If you want to see what these guys can do with a two-minute warning, this match is for you. If you want to see a real match, find something else. Sydal wins with a move I've seen referred to as a Spanish Fly on other tapes, especially tapes involving lucha matches.
Matt Sydal d Scorpio Sky via pinfall * I like the moves these guys can pull off, but have yet to see either have to work them into something longer than an acrobatic exhibition in WSX.
Special Challenge: Keepin it Gangsta (Ruckus and Babi Slymm) versus That 70's Team
This match would kick off a series of increasingly bizarre matches on WSX that show they need better creative minds behind the scenes. In the weirdest sight of 'bling' I've ever seen in wrestling Slymm and Ruckus are carrying a ladder encrusted with diamonds. That's just goofy. We also have male nudity, as Ryan gets his tights yanked down ala Rude, and his ass is in the wind. This match is a harmless comedy brawl. I've heard of Slymm, as he was on the 101 Reasons Not to Be a Pro Wrestler DVD, but I'm new to Ruckus. He has a good look, but doesn't show much until the sweet ending. He crotches Ryan with the disco ball That 70's Team brought to ringside, then hops up the ladder and hits Ryan smack in the face with a somersault dropkick that i'm surprised didn't break his nose to pick up the win. I'd like to see Ruckus in a standard match, and see if he's more than a one-trick pony.
Keepin it Gangsta d That 70's Team via pinfall ** Okayish brawl that featured a nice ending sequence.
OKAY, now onto the controversy that led to the cancellation of WSX and probably assured that no wrestling show be aired on MTV's main channel again. The next match is supposed to be Human Tornado versus El Hombre Blanco Emmescarado, but we see Tornado laying face down in the back, and instead we have 6-Pac come out, spin kick El Hombre and grab a microphone. He calls out Vampiro over their match, and Vampiro runs out and they brawl. Harmless enough so far. A weird man with what looks like a burned face appears in the ring, with no camera angle to explain where he came from and throws a fireball in Vampiro's face. And not even a flash paper type one, as this looks like a ball of staic electricity. Not even sure how that got pulled off. The screen goes haywire, then we get a close up of the attackers face, and his eyes are glowing a dark red.
MTV Standards and Practices freaked out. They were worried children would see this and try to do the same resulting in MTV being sued to the point they'd have to run more Phil Collins videos to stay afloat. They delayed this episode a week so that it could be edited in a way that was acceptable to be shown. Having not caught the one aired, I have no clue what was cut out, but I don't see how this scene would have made any sense without the fireball, as it would be the guy hitting Vampiro a couple times, then Vampiro being clinically dead in the middle of the ring, which would just be ridiculous.
The showed did finally get shown on February 27th, and just 5 days later WSX was cancelled. MTV had enough, and even though the last 6 episodes had long been taped, didn't want to feature it on their main channel anymore. After some behind the scenes negotiating, the next 5 episodes were shown as a special marathon, though the start time of that marathon was pushed from the 10 pm usual start time till 11 pm, so the marathon ended at 2 am, long after kids were asleep. It was called the Season Finale, and that was that. There was a tenth episode shot, which was to be the true season finale, but it featured two matches so ridiculous in nature that MTV decided not to ever air it, as it's only available on this DVD set. You'll see why when we get to it.
BONUS Webisode Matches
DIFH versus Team Dragon Gate
See, if they'd just run this match instead of that fiasco that they did air, then they may still have a show. As I already said, Dragon Gate are like the Hardyz on Turbo mode, but DIFH do a good job of slowly the match down somewhat and making it more coherent. One thing i really like about this Jacobs and Black team as that one guy doesn't always get the pin, as this week, Jacobs grabs Yoshino literally out of the air and hits him with a brainbuster for the win.
DIFH d Team Dragon Gate via pinfall ** 1/2 Good match, with DIFH getting things on a pace that made it more of a match than a gymnastics routine
Jack Evans versus Markus Riot
This is a weird angle, as Riot is a rookie who wants to be just like Evans, but already looks more like a wrestler than Jack. This is just a squash match as Riot gets two moves, both done poorly, before being put out of his misery by the 630 senton.
Jack Evans d Markus Riot N/A as this wasn't anything like what i'd call a match.
Musical Performer this week is Jibbs, who falls under "rappers I don't know". Catchy beat though, as it sounds like "Do Your Ears Hang Low" but it's about a chain, I think?.
Episode 5
This is the episode that kicked off the "season finale" marathon, as MTV just dumped all the pretaped episodes left minus one into a large block and was done.
Team Dragon Gate versus The Filth and The Fury
Good little matchup as it seems by this point in the 5 days of taping Dragon Gate are winding down and moving at more human speeds. I know Hart gets a bad rap, and from what I hear he deserves it, but he's quite talented inside the ring when he's on. His Snap Cradle DDT is a marvel, looking very fluid and effective. Cross is a guy I could see being involved in the X Division one day, maybe being brought in through Gut Check. The finish is a nice, yet contrived ending seeing both Hart and Cross doing synchronized flips off the top rope for pins on Dragon Gate. I'm all for double team moves, but the setup to this one looked like ballet more than wrestling. Still, the tag team matchups for WSX have delivered, and this was no exception.
The Filth and The Fury d. Team Dragon Gate via pinfall ** 3/4 A very entertaining match with an ending that took a little away.
6-Pac versus Human Tornado
Last week, 6-Pac attacked Tornado in order to set up that disaster angle, so now we have this match. Tornado looked excellent in this match, never seeming out of the veteran 6-Pac's league, showing me if he bulked up a little, he could easily shine with his Pimp Gimmick in the X Division. 6 hits the X-Factor off the top rope for the win, and Tornado does a great job selling the landing as to make it look like a killer move.
6-Pac d. Human tornado via pinfall *** 1/2 Easily WSX's best singles match so far, as even though it was still short (with no timer, i'd put it at about 6 minutes), it was a more traditional wrestling match, with two guys who could mix high-flying with basic sound wrestling.
Okay, here WSX steals from WCW's Mamalukes stuff, as Dragon Gate are grabbed by masked thugs and thrown into a van, with a Sonny Onoo knock-off yelling it's time they were reprogrammed.
The silliness continues with our next match.
Arik Cannon versus Delikado
Cannon is a guy I've heard of, but haven't seen before this match. Delikado is perennial Indy Hero B-Boy. He is a basically a smaller Homicide. The mask is a bit Gangster lucha for my taste. The match doesn't even get going when three guys run out and attack Cannon. They drag him outside the ring and dunk his head in wet cement and leave him laying with a dead fish on his chest. OKAY.......
Arik Cannon d Delikado via DQ No star rating as there wasn't a match to rate but i'd go -** for the nonsense at the end.
BONUS Webisode Matches:
Los Ponchos Guapas versus The Trailer Park Boys
This is the first tag team match offered by WSX I don't like. Both teams are terrible, and Aguilera's deal seems to be he just hits on women all match till the end. At least when he comes in this time, he doesn't cost his team the match, as he hits a decent chokeslam on Webb to win.
Los Ponchos Gaupas d. Trailer Park Boys via pinfall 1/2 * These teams bring nothing to the table. Trailer Park Boys is a loser gimmick, and Gaupas's whole schtick is Kaos wrestling by himself while Aguilera flirts until he needs to make the save and help end the match. This match deserves to be a Webisode exclusive
Keepin It Gangsta versus Alkatrazz and Luke Hawx
Alkatrazz and Hawx are the only team in WSX not to have a team name or gimmick to them. Not a bad thing, but it does stick out. Slymm doesn't do anything to me but I like Ruckus enough to like this team. No unnecessary bling this time. Hawx has a good look, if a little small, so I would buy him on NXT as a veteran who's upset the young guys got a shot before him. Alkatrazz is just a scary biker dude who has a few basic power moves. Decent back and forth match, better than the last one but still not up to the usual standard set by the other teams. Sadly, my dvd has a skip during this webisode and after 4 minutes it freezes for a second then goes back to the menu. A quick check shows Alkatrazz and Hawx win.
Alkatrazz and Hawx d Keepin It Gangsta no rating as I can't rate a match I don't see the finish to, though it was at a ** pace before the skip.
No music performance again included, and I don't believe the rest of the episodes include one, though I do know each taped episode had one, so maybe there was a copyright issue or the acts didn't want to be included.
Episode 6
Scorpio Sky versus Jack Evans
The more I see of Scorpio, the more I wish he had stayed with TNA. I enjoy Evans, but I do see everyone's complaint that he's all flash and no substance, as he's a gymnast more than a wrestler. A typical short match that's fun, but not so much with the wrestling. Evans with the 630 Senton.
Jack Evans d. Scorpio Sky via pinfall * 1/2 I enjoy these quick exhibitions, but I can't give them high ratings because there's not much to judge.
That 70's Team versus DIFH
Hey, a rematach from a webisode match that was pretty good to begin with! Sadly, this one gets less time, and because it's going to be on TV, we see Ryan's ass again. Not crazy about that. Jacobs is in full emo mode tonight looking like his girlfriend just left him for a man who doesn't carve her name in his forearm. (in high school when emo was called goth in general, I had a friend who this really happened to.) Good balanced match for the short time it was given, but Disco Machine gets the pin on Black to upset me. DIFH should win every match, they are the best team, though Ryan is pretty good.
That 70's Team d. DIFH via pinfall * 3/4 Not as good as their previous match, but given the constraints of the short time tv matches were given, it never got going well.
The unnamed monster who attacked Vampiro comes out and is named by the announcers as Ricky Banderas. He tells us he did what he did because Vampiro burned his face first. No mention of when or where. Vampiro heads out but is jumped by 6-Pac. The two start to beat him pretty good, until Youth Suicide runs out, looking more like a fan who jumps the gaurdrail than a wrestler. This is his first appearance since his miscue from the pilot. He fights with Banderas to the back, then we watch Vampiro and 6-Pac in the ring until they cut to Banderas and Suicide in the rafters. Then, in yet another dumb move for a company who actually wanted to keep their show I thought, Banderas throws the littler Suicide from the rafters down 3 or four stories onto the concrete, not even a mat or table. Suicide is either brave or stupid, because that could have ended in so many worse ways. Banderas poses with blood pouring out his mouth to end the show.
BONUS Webisode Matches
Matt Sydal (w/ Lizzie Valentine) versus El Hombre
No real censoring goes on for webisode matches as you can clearly hear the crowd chanting "Pussy Whipped" at Sydal during the match whenever Lizzie would yell at him to do something. Sydal should really have been let loose as Evan Bourne, because his WWE matches don't really show how much of a high flyer he really is. Think early WCW Rey Mysterio before the injuries started. El Hombre is quite good as well. I like the fact that the webisode isn't too constrained with a time fitting, because the longer matches are definitely better than what is shown on the show. Lizzie directing Sydal what to do during the matches is a nice touch. Sydal hits his 450 to win this one.
Sydal d. El Hombre via pinfall *** 1/2 A really good match that is reminiscent of the original cruiser weight matches that WCW would hold before the slower lucha guys like Silver King and Super Calo started getting title matches. Sydal wrestles like Jushin Liger, and I can definitely see being a big fan of his if the injuries heal well and he is given more open matches.
Alkatrazz and Luke Hawx versus The Trailer Park Boys
I'm really tired of Trailer Park Boys, as they seem to be on every webisode or tv show. They just don't have anything as a team, and I don't know if they just dumb it down for the gimmick or if their really this bad. Hawx and Alkatrazz are a good team of big bouncer and smaller wrestler, ala Jesse and Festus on SmackDown a few years back. The parts where Alkatrazz is beating the stuffing out of Raymond were the highlight of the match. Webb gets the pin on Hawx in a decision I don't understand because the crowd doesn't buy them even with the constant showings.
Trailer Park Boys d. Alkatrazz and Hawx via pinfall 1/4 * Each match Trailer Park Boys are in becomes the worst one in WSWX. I understand they had deals with these guys, but if there would have been a second season, which was rumored to be built around a Tag Title Tournament, I hope these guys would not have been invited back.
Episode 7
We start off with Banderas powerbombing an extra off the musician's stage. Also, for some reason Quiet Riot is on commentary as there is no alternate commentary by Kleinrock and Dr Lipinski for this match, so I have to listen to Ernst and Kross for this one with Quiet Riot adding nothing to it.
Arik Cannon and Vic Grimes versus The Cartel (Delikado and Lil Cholo w/ El Jeffe)
So, the group who attacked Cannon are known as The Cartel. El Jeffe is a Spanish named I can translated as The Boss, since I once had a dishwasher who spoke little english, so he alwas called me "jeffe". Cannon wanted backup when he met Delikado again so he recruited "Hardcore Legend" Vic Grimes, who to me is as much a hardcore legend as Norman Smiley, but I don't book wrestling gimmicks. A decent match, given a little more time then usual. As Delikado looks to finish, a woman runs in and kicks him and dropkicks Lil Cholo. She isn't named, but my man senses pick her out right away as the only female wrestler I buy as a wrestler in the ring, Sara Del Ray. It's weird she gets involved, as she is a better wrestler than 3 of the 4 guys in the match. The distraction allows Cannon to roll up Delikado for the upset win.
Arik Cannon and Vic grimes d. The Cartel via pinfall * I don't see anything good from these guys, and I've never cared for Vic Grimes, but Sara Del Ray's portion gives it the merit it needed to get a star.
Human Tornado versus Matt Sydal (w/ Lizzie Valentine)
We start with Lizzie reading a 'fan letter' backstage. Sydal is upset and basically drags her to the ring. Kleinrock reveals in the alternate commentary that the 'fan' was to be Colt Cabana in another gimmick in the second season as a frat brother of Sydal who comes in to team with him in the tournament, but steals Valentine eventually by winning her with frat games. That might have been interesting. Human Tornado offers Lizzie a spot as 'TornadHo'. That's cute. Tornado dives out the ring at one point and takes out several fans who didn't know enough to get out the way. These two are well-matched, as they break out some good technical wrestling I haven't seen from Sydal in WSX. The finish comes too quick for such a fine showing, as Lizzie tries to attack Tornado, but drops the letter in front of Sydal. He reads it, and whatever it said causes him to get upset and confused, and allows Tornado to hit the Tornado DDT to win. We immediately cut backstage to Lizzie and Sydal, which makes me think there was a musical performance here. Lizzie tells Sydal she doesn't date losers, then rips up the letter when Matt wants to read it again. He leaves, and 6-Pac walks up to Lizzie and hits on her. She does resemble Tori a little, so maybe he thinks it's 1999 again.
Human Tornado d. Matt Sydal via pinfall **** It could have been longer, but this was quality wrestling from the singles side for once. The spots were a part of the match not the whole thing for once. This is the BEST match off the whole WSX run, and it's a shame Tornado hasn't shown up anywhere that matters.
The Filth and The Fury versus Los Ponchos Gaupas
Hart and Cross were slated to win the tournament according to Kleinrock who as producer would know. Not a bad idea, as they are a hot team in the ring, and were getting quite a lot of heat from the audience by this time. This match made them doubt that decision. It was a solid, unspectaculer match with the usual spots from Filth and Fury and Aguilera doing his avoiding the match and picking up female fans. Hart goes up top and hits Kaos with a beautiful moonsault that also almost breaks his neck. He landed his lower body just right, but smacks his head on the mat and gives his upper body quite the jolt. He legitamatly suffered some pain in his neck and Kleinrock thought he was done. Turned out to just be a mild stinger, but he was kept out the ring for a few matches, and some things were rearranged for two tapings to give him a rest. Aguilera quickly makes a pin, ending it after the injury to get Hart checked out.
Los Ponchos Gaupas d. The Filth and The Fury via pinfall ** Was a good match that seemed like it had more to go before Hart's messed up landing.
BONUS Webisode matches
Scorpio Sky versus Youth Suicide
You know, I could have bought Suicide in the "Wanna be Jack Evans" spot they had Markus Riot in a few shows back, because he is a daredevil that looks like a overgrown teenager. The match goes about three minutes when Banderas runs out and attacks Youth, which actually brings up a good point as it was one episode ago that Banderas almost killed him, and he didn't take an episode off to sell it. He drags Suicide off beating him along the way and the match just vanishes.
No Contest N/A rating as there was no finish, but -**** for Suicide not selling a multi-story drop onto concrete for any real time.
Epsiode 8
Los Ponchos Gaupas versus The Cartel
The alternate commentary says that during this match, Kross is hyping the announcement of a Tournament for the Tag Team Championship that would start on the premiere of the second season. Kleinrock explains they weren't allowed to edit the commentary shot for the later episodes, so they came off bad to fans who knew they were cancelled during the marathon hyping stuff for a season that would never happen. I'd say the reasons behind the cancelling made them look bad, the behind the times commentary was just frosting on the cupcake.
Anyway, the tag match going on is more about the Cartel thugs around the ring than the action inside. They take out Aguilera while he's doing his hit on the audience bit, leaving Kaos to eat a nasty DDT from Cholo to give the Cartel the win. Afterward they leave another dead fish, this time on Kaos. As bad as the fish deal is, it actually leads to a dumber idea in the finale.
The Cartel d Los Ponchos Gaupas via pinfall * The match was just an excuse to get The Cartel over and establish the dead fish gimmick that sets up the final match in WSX. Still what wrestling that was shown was fine.
Vampiro(c) vs Ricky Banderas WSX Title Match
This is the only defense of the title by Vampiro, and the last match we see it in.It would have made better sense to hold this off till the season finale, but what they had on it must have seemed like a better idea. It wasn't. This match gets an ungodly 25 minutes unedited, and it should have had maybe ten given the limited ability shown by Banderas in the match. On two sides fd the ring are wooden caskets, one we're told is rigged with explosives, and one is just wrapped in barbed wire. Keep that in mind. The match starts off in the ring, and Vampiro does his best to get a wrestling match out of Banderas, but it's obvious he doesn't have one in him. Now, I've never seen Banderas before this, but I wonder if he's always been this bad. So, the match breaks down into punches and slams. They fight all around the ringside area and up to the miusicians stage. Banderas actually pulls out the first wrestling move i've seen him do as he powerbombs Vampiro through a table convenietly covered with light bulbs. After he stands over him just waiting for him to get up and glaring, Vampiro gets up and they do more fighting, this time back to the ring. Banderas is able to get Vampiro to the ring apron where he then does move number 2 and choke slams him into the barbed wire casket. Which then explodes. You can tell by the look on Vampiro's face in a quick camera glance he wasn't expecting that. Banderas pins him, and becomes the WSX Champion. Kleinrock explains that the extras hired to set up the pyro effects were from MTV and had no experience with wrestling, so they didn't understand the stipulations part and just assumed both caskets were supposed to be rigged, and the devices inside needed the caskets to remain shut till used to cause the explosion, so no one could check. Kleinrock says that since they weren't using the exploding one in the finish, they shouldn't have rigged it at all, but he was worried Banderas might use the wrong one.
Ricky Banderas d. Vampiro via pinfall to win the WSX Title. 1/2 * Banderas showed nothing in this match, but I guess he had a monster look, so they felt he could be the heel champion. But with the second season being focused on Tag teams, and no one really standing out as a possible challenge for Banderas anyway, why bother to change the title?
My Extras DVD is no longer playing the Webisodes due to a constant skip that seems like a flaw in the disc itself, so I can't go to the last two. The match highlights shown a DIFH versus Team Dragon Gate match and a three way match between Matt Classic and El Hombre vs The Trailer Park Boys versus That 70's Team, which i'm kind of glad I dont have to sit through.
Epsiode 9
This is the last episode shown during the marathon, but not the last epsiode shot. Kleinrock explains that MTV didn't want to show the final one due to thinking the Pirahnas used were real, and that someone might die during the main event, showing even according to him no one there watched the tapes, just the pilot.
Akatrazz and Luke Hawx versus Arik Cannon and Vic Grimes (w/Nic Grimes,aka Sara Del Ray now under a mask)
I see no point to having Del Ray under a mask and pretending to be Grimes's sister. This match is basic brawling, setting up Vic Grimes being put into a box of lights that then, say it with me, explodes. Inside the ring Cannon is alone and takes a beating for a few minutes until Alkatrazz chokeslams him for the pin.
Alkatrazz and Luke Hawx d. Arik Cannon and Vic Gimes via pinfall. -** This match was all setup, as it was a fight that was to get Grimes into the box to be blown apart, though not literally. With all these explosions, I can almost see why MTV was a bit concerned when they heard what kind of Matches were on the last tape.
Now we set up bad idea #1 for next week, as Los Ponchos Gaupas challenges the Cartel to a Pirahna Death Match for the next show.
6-Pac versus Scorpio Sky
I was really looking forward to this match and it ended up being a complete squash by 6-Pac, with Scorpio getting almost no offense, and 6-Pac looking like he was auditioning for a DX reunion instead of caring about this match. Just terrible given Sky could have really used this time with a veteran to showcase his potential and maybe get on somewhere. 6-Pac wins with a lazy looking X Factor.
6-Pac d. Scorpio Sky via pinfall _** 6-Pac could have made a star out of Sky here, who's look is better than Tornado, who he gave a great match to. Up till now I saw a different 6-Pac than I had seen recently, but this match reminds me why he went from golden boy in GWF, to laughingstock and pretty much hated now.
WSXtra Host Lacey makes her only tv appearence to interview Lizzie about her and 6-Pac have anything going on, but she gets catty and storms off. Given that they didn't plan to run anything with this in the next season, as they wanted to use Cabana as the guy who takes Lizzie from Matt, I see no point to this.
Jack Evans versus Human Tornado
Kleinrock apologizes in advance for the editing of this match, because the TRUE unedited version had a few moves that they wanted to have each guy debut in the next season, which doesn't even make sense. He says they went out and since the episode was running short, decide to improvise a 16 minute match that was spectacular, but not the style they wanted to showcase yet. That's BS. I clocked this match with the clock on my wall and it showed ten minutes, so there was six minutes cut? Look, I like Evans, and I really like Tornado, but you can't tell me these guys had six minutes of moves in them not yet seen that was so awesome it needed to be kept under wraps for now. I think it was a case of when those one year deals ended, he wanted to make sure these guys weren't picked up by other companies, as both were making names for themselves at the time, and this show would have made them better known to people who may not follow the independent scene that close. Up until now I thought of Kleinrock as a guy who had a vision for an XPW-stlye company with good non-junk matches to broaden the appeal, and just didn't understand the limitations a national television channel would put on his idea, but now I see that he really did belong in the booking chair, as he used his own personal agenda to stifle the product to benifit himself and his wants of having his own promotion. With the editing botch job done this becomes a ten-minute disjointed match that doesn't even have an ending, as ring announcer Fabian Kaelin climbs in the ring and just calls the match a draw. Supposedly, according to Kleinrock, this was to lead to a turn from ring announcer to Raven-esque charactor by Kaelin.
No Contest as Jack Evans vs Human Tornado is declared a draw. I wont give it a rating because I can't even judge it as a match with the hatchet job and no ending, but after hearing the fiasco behind it, -**** for the whole mess.
Now bad idea #2 sees the repackaged Team Dragon Gate, who now appear to be Yakuza henchmen, challenge The Filth and The Fury to an EXPLODING CAGE MATCH. Good Grief.
To even more disprove Kleinrock's lies on commentary, the Webisode lists clips of the edited parts of EVans vs Tornado, unless that was added after the production began on the DVD to cover his ass.
Episode 10
THis episode has never aired, even when WSX repeats were shown on MTV2, 3, and Latino and before this set came out and YouTube took off, there was no where you could see these matches. This was shot as the true season Finale, and Kleinrock once again tries making himself look better by saying the extreme matches were a last ditch effort to convince MTV to keep them going, even though they were filmed three moths before Episode 1 even debuted, so I would love to hear how he knew that far in advance he'd be booking a show that was begging the network to save them.
Pirahna Death Match Los Ponchos Gaupas versus The Cartel
There's a large fish tank on the side of the ring with fish swimming around in it. Kleoinrock says they were real pirahnas just with no teeth. I believe him on that because I did see a documentary on people who risk life and limb to catch pirahnas and deteeth them for rich people who like to show them off. The match is nothing really as it's basically a brawl held on one side of the ring. It only lasts a few minutes before Delikado catches Kaos and dumps him in the tank. He is however not torn to shreds instantly, and gets out pretty quick. I've seen the videos of pirahnas devoring whole horses in less than two minutes, so it's obvious they had no teeth.
The Cartel d. Los Ponchos Gaupas via Kaos being dumped in the fish tank(thats weird to type as an ending) zero stars, as it wasn't as insulting as I thought it would be given they actually used real pirahnas, but nothing resembling a real match.
Scorpio Sky ends his WSX stay with a thud, as he started off strong, but now doesn't get two words out during his interview time before being trounced by Vampiro. It's like Zack Ryder's WWE career on speed. Vampiro calls out Banderas and then takes out about 15 people who try to intervene, mainly a couple referees and every wrestler not used on this show. Banderas finally comes out and they brawl. They fight to the back and right out the door, making sure they wouldn't be the ones who had to turn out the lights on this dead project.
Matt Sydal catches Lizzie and 6-Pac chatting in a dressing room and jumps him. Lizzie tries to break it up and Pac is clearly heard telling her "Shut Up Bitch". That would have scored them some brownie points right there. Yep.
Exploding Cage Time Bomb Death Match Team Dragon Gate versus The Filth and The Fury
It would seem like this match would have been a match where the ring was set to explode in a certain amount of time, and if the guys were still wrestling inside the ring, well, then they get blown up. That would have worked given the fast nature of these four guys, and made winning quickly imperative and gave each move some logic as they try to get a pin. Instead, we have a flimsy cage around the ring, with a scaffold inside that has to be climbed in order to get to the detonation button above it and then hit to blow the ring in ten seconds and get whoever is left.
This match is the epitome of gymnastics display over wrestling. It's a whole lot of running and doing moves off the cage walls. There's no natural flow whatsoever. Teddy does get a very nice shooting star press off the scaffold that while looking amazing, served no purpose, as he was on the scaffold and didn't even try to get the detonator. Yoshino on the other hand gets his one shot at being on top the scaffold and hits the detonator sending everyone scurrying over the cage before there's a digitally enhanced explosion. Looks pretty, but this isn't Die Hard. And that's the end of the show, as we don't see if any wrestlers were hurt or a fan maybe, just a fade out.
Team Dragon Gate d. The Filth and The Fury via explosion of the ring by detonation(if I ever have to type that ending again....)
There's two Extras discs included, one with the webisodes, which seems to have a flaw on it, or at least mine did, and one filled with things I didn't find worth reviewing as the only one I thought worth looking at called 'Casting Tapes" was just some highlights of CZW and those on here who were involved. CXW is not my thing, as a promotion based on the worst of ECW just doesn't have any appeal to me.
I had such high hopes for this set. I didn't catch WSX during its run except the second episode, and I was intrigued enough to see more that I bough this set. I ended up disappointed halfway through, and getting bitter towards the end, and there were only ten episodes.
WSX failed for more than just the Banderas fireball stunt, though that gauraunteed it.Seasonal wrestling shows never really work. Having to build to one big ending just isn't conducive for a whole promotion. We don't even get that in year-long companies like we used to. And they were perhaps too ambitious, as they locked up the talent to terrible deals that assured them when they got seen on tv, they couldn't sign a good deal while their name was out there. This was really exposed when Banderas tried to do an end around and get signed by TNA to be Judas Mesias before the deals were up. I'd like to think guys like Scorpio Sky and Tornado and DIFH could have gotten at least TNA deals off the good showings when the show was aired, but by the time the deals expired WSX was all but forgotten. Kleinrock, who I soured on by the end, still works for Big Vision, with his most recent project that I'm aware off being the Cheech and Chong Animated Movie. After that I'm not sure what he's into. Sadly, most of these guys are still stuck on the indies, and some deserve to be, but most really tried to do something here, but way too short amtches and some outrageous booking killed the chance some would only get once to be on a televised wrestling show.
For reasons I will never understand, MTV decided music videos weren't doing it any favors as a music channel, so they began to disappear for more reality crap than you can shake a stick at. Gone was Yo! MTV Raps, here's The Real World. Goodbye Headbangers Ball, hello Teen Mom. Sure they had TRL, but Carson Daly is a tool, so no thanks. Music videos moved to MTV2, then MTV3, now they're all on YouTube.
In 2005, a former MTV employee named Kevin Kleinrock was approached by Big Vision Entertainment to help produce their line of wrestling DVDs called Pro Wrestling Ultimate Insiders. Kleinrock wasn't a bad choice, as he had a fairly good track record in the indies scene with promotions like SWF and SCCW, and dabbled with booking some XPW shows. Ultimate Insiders was a a weird mix of shoot dvds, with my favorite being 'Doing Time With New Jack'. They were mainly sold through a ludicrous infomercial that was hilarious unedited with New Jack threatening bad things would happen to those who didn't by his dvd. Big Vision is now most known for producing NWA Championship Wrestling From Hollywood.
In 2006, Houston Curtis, a producer for Big Vision, and Kleinrock decided they wanted to produce a wrestling show that was part wrestling, part rock show. They dubbed this experiment Wrestling Society X, and decided they would tape a pilot and see if it would be picked up.
The pilot was taped on February 10, 2006. Immediately, some decisions were made that showed this venture had bad idea written on it. When the wrestlers who were invited to the pilot taping showed up, they were given exclusive agreements that if, and when, the show was picked up, they couldn't wrestle on tv ANYWHERE during the season run. Keep that in mind. The only wrestler who refused was Delirious, who actually had two well-paying jobs on the side with ROH and TNA, the later of which had a TV show. So he went home. Everyone else who was there had no such TV opportunity hanging over them so they signed.
The pilot was taped, but no one picked it up until July, when MTV decided to give them a season of ten episodes, along with an webisode show to be featured on MTV.com during the season. They scheduled the show to start in January of 2007, as to give they new company 6 months to put together the episodes. How long of that six months did they use to produce and tape their big chance at having a national wrestling television show? 5 days. Yes, all ten episodes(a new pilot was shot, but has never seen the light of day, even on this dvd collction due to someone's gifted idea of giving New Jack promo time) were shot over 5 days, essentially giving the wrestlers 5 days of work, and almost a year of time afterwards they couldn't appear for any company who had a televised show.
This dvd set ;abeled WSX The Complete First(and Last) Season has all ten episodes plus the webisodes on 4 discs in their uncut original form. I say uncut because a lot of the matches had to be edited for violent content, and one episode had to be edited drastically because of whacky fireball hi-jinks. For review purposes, i'm including the matches from the weekly webisodes into the show they were meant to be on, as reviewing talking is not my thing. Also, only 9 of these episodes actually aired, with the final 4 as one long block on the last airing as the "season finale". They were then cancelled and never heard from again.
Pilot (The original pilot taped in February)
Announcers Bret Ernst and Kriss Kloss welcome us to the first show. Kloss is a funny guy, but I don't think he'd mesh in a big company, as his humor is geared towards fans of Andy Milonakis. Ernst sucks, plain and simple. We get a brief introduction before going to the ring.
Jack Evans versus Matt Sydal (w/Lizzy Valentine)
WSX had matches that fall into two categories: garbage brawls, and spotfests of the highest caliber. This match is the latter. Evans is a tremendous high flyer, but looks like he graduated high school two weeks before these shows were taped, which is why even TNA hasn't brought him in. Sydal is better known now as Evan Bourne, or that guy who gets suspended, then injured during his suspension in the WWE. Lizzy Valentine had a cup of coffee in TNA as a member of BitchSlap, a stable of female wrestlers who would attack the TNA cage dancers for not being wrestlers, just eye candy. This match is like an X Division match on x2 Fast Forward, as there is no real transition just spot after spot. This match is horribly short as these guys could go 20 minutes easy before taking a break. Lizzy tries to get involved to help Matt, but distracts him allowing Evans to plant him and then hit his gravity-defying 630 degree Corkscrew senton. Seriously, if you've never seen it, YouTube this match, because physics shouldn't allow this move to be real.
Evans d. Sydal by pinfall (no times for these matches as I don't have a reliable stopwatch today, but the dvd timer puts the whole thing at 8:35 including intros and after match celebrations) *** I'm normally not a spotfest fan, but having not seen much of Evans outside a couple of AAA tapes, this match was just plain fun
We see a video now for the tag teams that WSX will be showcasing. For only having ten episodes guaranteed, they sure have a lot of tag teams as I counted seven different ones in this video. There were no Tag belts, though they were planned for a second season.
WSX Rumble Match (Last two men will fight next episode for the WSX Championship by grabbing two contracts hung over the ring)
This is not your typical battle royal, as it's ten men and done in Royal Rumble fashion, and the ring is filled with weapons from the standard stop sign, to something that looks like a homemade spud gun. The competitors are supposed to come in every 90 seconds, but that goes by the wayside very quickly. We start with Justin "Will Wrestle For Anyone" Credible and Teddy Hart. I hate Credible as I blame him as a minor contributor to the downfall of ECW, but I can dig Teddy Hart when he's wrestling. I hear he's a jerk of epic proportions backstage though. I should note, no one gets eliminated until everyone enters, which makes me wonder why they just didn't start with all ten guys. Kaos(From XPW) joins us next, looking like Samoa Joe's little brother. Hart and Credible do some weak double-teaming on him. Kaos is the only guy who actually took the alloted 90 seconds to get to the ring, as everyone else was less and less. Vampiro is out next, as the announcers proclaim he's a little early, and proceeds to beat down Teddy Hart. Nothing of note happens till everyone is in, so let's add skip through as Puma( a masked T.J. Perkins), Alkatrazz(A former UPW guy who looks like he could be a NOMAD on Sons Of Anarchy), Luke Hawx(Formerly Alter Boy Luke, who was one of the security guys during the RyBack segment on RAW this week, making me think he may get a some dark match shots in the WWE soon),6-Pac(Sean Waltman, of course)Chris Hamrick(a solid Indy Guy if there ever was one) and New Jack all join in and the match gets crazy.
Hart, Kaos, and Alkatrazz are eliminated by going through tables outside the ring. At this point, Youth Suicide(?) runs in and enters the match, which is explained in the alternate commentary as he was in the bathroom and missed his cue. Good luck, guy! The match itself is chaos, highlights being New Jack hiring the referee with a guitar, then eliminating himself and Hamrick in order to do the standard New Jack contract mandated balcony dive, and Puma being thrown onto a box that sparks as if all the wiring is live and exploding. Now, the ladders are brought in and Credible eats a Vampiro powerbomb off one onto a pile of thumbtacks. Usually thumb tacks don't make a match for me, but anyone who can jam them into Justin Credible is a winner in my book. 6-Pac uses this as his chance to run up and grab the first contract, leaving Vampiro, Suicide and Credible to fight for the last one. Suicide makes his way up, only to have Credible push the ladder over and put himself over at the same time, giving Vampiro the chance to grab the last contract and set the match as him versus 6-pac.
6-Pac and Vampiro grab the contracts to win. ** I don't care much for over the top garbage matches, and this was certainly that. Still, two stars for showcasing most of the WSX singles guys, and not being horribly bad. The exploding box was a neat visual, but I can't really buy into it being a real occurrence like it was sold as being the show is airing on MTV.
Black Label Society performs to close the show.
BONUS Webisode Match: Human Tornado versus Puma versus Luke Hawx
A great match between three guys who obviously were out to use WSX to get contracts with bigger companies. Tornado is an "indy darling" and I can see why as he is as good a spot guy as Evans, but has a better look, and a great Pimp gimmick. Given how long the Rumble match lasted I can see why this was put on the webisode, but it should have been a feature match, as it's a very respectable and well balanced match. Tornado wins with the Tornado DDT.
Human Tornado d Puma and Luke Hawx via pinfall *** Could easily have seen this be on tv and be well-received.
Episode 2
No intro this week as we go straight to the first match with the guys already in the ring.
Luke Hawx versus Human Tornado
So far my biggest complaint with WSX is the matches are way too quick. They brought in young athletic guys and stop them before they can really get going, making each match a lot of quick spots then a pinfall. This match is another showcase of that, as Tornado wins after about three minutes with the Tornado DDT. Aaron Aguilera runs in, fresh off his jail time for stabbing John Cena in the kidneys in a bar(yes, I know it didn't really happen, but why not hope for the best since that was the angle used on SmackDown) and then needs his partner Kaos to come in and save him when Alkatrazz jumps him.
Human Tornado d Luke Hawx ** I want to go more stars, but as much as I enjoy what I see, there's not enough to justify giving more
That 70's Team (Joey Ryan and Disco Machine) versus Team Dragon Gate (Yoshino and Horiguchi)
Joey Ryan is currently losing to RVD and being overshadowed by Matt Morgan in TNA, and Disco Machine is a California independent star, who's biggest claim to fame is being the featured guy in an FHM article on PWG. I don't have much experience with Dragon Gate guys, so this is my first chance to see them in action. And wow, these two are the fastest guys I have ever seen in wrestling, as they wrestle in turbo mode. Match ends yet again very quickly with Ryan hitting a neckbreaker I swear they called the Mustache Ride, then Dragon Gate draw their seething wrath by breaking their disco ball.
That 70's Team d Team Dragon Gate via pinfall * Too short and way too fast to rate higher, but i'm very tempted to give a star just for Ryan having a move called the Mustache Ride.
Performing this week: 3 6 Mafia(I don't get into rap much, so I don't know if their good or not.)
A video plays with "White Trash" Johnny Webb introducing us to The Trailer Park Boys, Josh Raymond and Nate Webb. I'm pretty sure the show Trailer Park Boys was out during this time, so these guys should be sued because it's a complete rip-off. I never liked XPW, and so I don't really care about any of these guys.
Vampiro versus 6-Pac for the WSX Championship
I'm not a huge fan of either guy anymore, but there are worse ideas than putting your two most well-known guys in a match for the inaugural title. The match itself is your basic Vampiro brawl, which ends when Vampiro does a tombstone on top of a casket with then explodes, giving him the win and the title. The pyro budget for the show must have been huge, given every episode has explosions. Was Micheal Bay an uncredited producer?
Vampiro d 6-Pac to become the first WSX Champion
BONUS Webisode Matches
DIFH (Do It For Her, tho it's never made clear who HER is) versus The Trailer Park Boys
DIFH is Jimmy Jacobs and Tyler Black(a.k.a Seth Rollins) I miss Black in ROH as The Age of The Fall was tremendous and held me as an ROH fan until Black left. I don't care about the Trailer Park Boys. Jacobs pins Raymond in this one , and I understand these two had a long feud over the years with Raymond as Josh Abercrombie.
DIFH d Trailer Park Boys * DIFH are a great tag team, but they don't have a quality opponent in this match.
'Legendary Masked Grappler' Matt Classic versus Matt Sydal(w/Lizzy Valentine)
My favorite Colt Cabana gimmick on display as he's a legendary masked wrestler who in 1952 was the "World Champion", though it's not said where. If you've never seen one of the Matt Classic matches, find one, as he does all the matches as if he's wrestling on ESPN Classic, using head vices and abdominal stretches and tries to win off things like a schoolboy or a headlock. Sydal does a good job of seeming lost on how to wrestle his match against the Legend, but finally DDT's him and hits a moonsualt press.
Matt Sydal d Matt Classic via pinfall *** Easily the longest match so far in WSX, and thoroughly enjoyable, as Cabana is one of wrestling's funniest guys, and this gimmick shows that.
Episode 3
We open with a very disturbing promo from Vampiro about how winning the WSX Championship was his destiny and giving flesh and soul to win it. That's just creepy.
The Trailer Park Boys versus The Filth and The Fury(Teddy Hart and Matt Cross)
This company sure has a lot of guys named Matt. Good thing Matt Hardy had yet to self destruct, or or they might have called themselves Matt Wrestling Society X. This match couldn't decide if it would be a spot fest or a garbage match, as it had moments of both. Teddy Hart actually grabs a "live wire" from the wall near the entrance and electrocutes Webb, then does a nice, but unnecessary twisting leap off the balcony they built for New Jack matches onto Webb. Inside the ring it's still resembling a match, and Cross pins Raymond with a 450 degree splash. I wait for the day someone breaks gravity and just continuously spins in air, never hitting anything.
The Filth and The Fury d Trailer Park Boys via pinfall 1/2 * I'd like to think there was a good match going on inside the ring, but the camera was focused on Hart and Webb so I don't know.
Jack Evans versus El Hombre Blanco Emmascarado
Hombre started off as a guy named Quicksilver before the first taping. They should have stuck with that much easier to type name. Evans does his flying and the match ends under two minutes with Evans and his twisting Senton.
Evans d. El Hombre via pinfall 1/4 * Seriously, they need to make matches last longer than commercials for matches as it's hard to get into these things.
Finally, a proper video introducing Matt Classic. The rip on the WWE Hall of Fame intro videos is evident, with the serious tone of the voice-over guy listing the accomplishments of the by my count, 74 year old masked legend, who began wrestling before anyone had a ring name. Seriously, no recap can do this video justice, and I couldn't locate a YouTube copy to embed, so those who know the other places to look, find this video.
This week's musical performance is by Sparta, who I have never heard of and the best thing I could compare them to is Nine Inch Nails if Trent Reznor tried making Downward Spiral while sober and drug-free.
TLC Match Los Ponchos Guapas versus Alkatrazz and Luke Hawx
By the way the 'C' apparently stands for ceurvezas, which means beer in Spanish. No beer comes into play during the match, so I don't know. This was set up by last week's shenanigans during the Tornado/Hawx match. This is your basic XPW or CZW brawl, mostly between Koas and the team of Akatrazz and Hawx, because Aguilera spends most the match hanging by the railing and trying to pick up chicks. At least he can use the line about being on TV. He finally realizes he's in a match, and it's just in time to hit his own partner by mistake, and Hawx gets the pin.
Alkatrazz and Luke Hawx d Kaos And Aguilera via pinfall * For a generic brawl it wasn't bad, though not of the TLC elements were a factor, so it was pretty pointless.
BONUS Webisode Matches
Scorpio Sky versus Matt Classic
Sky's gimmick is he has been given the "Most Likely To Succeed" award by WSX, though since they closed down, and other than a few matches in TNA as Mason Andrews, and being Harold, whipping boy during Bryan and Kane's Anger Management sessions, it hasn't come to pass yet. Classic, sadly is in a legendary losing streak, the longest in wrestling history at 15 years, is hoping to get his win this week. The Classic gimmick is so brilliant I know I am not doing it justice. He will not break the streak this week, as Sky wins with a Lifting DDT named Blackout in a fun match.
For some reason, they didn't have a musical performance for this episode on the DVD, but a quick check shows it was Clipse, who I don't know.
Scorpio Sky d Matt Classic via pinfall ** Technically sound, but may not have mass appeal due to the very old-school moves used by Classic.
DIFH versus That 70's Team.
WSX seemed to think the webisodes would be more popular, as the best matches all seem to fall on there. Tyler Black is a great talent, and I hope the WWE uses the Rollins character wisely, because he could really be something. For some reason, Joey Ryan is now being called Joey Magnum Ryan, maybe due to the awesome mustache. Another very good tag team match, as all four guys are sound, and this should have been on tv, as these kind of matches may have made a difference for WSX instead of matches involving explosions. DIFH continue their winning ways as Black pins Disco Machine.
DIFH d That 70's team via pinfall *** As I said, these are the matches that should have been the focus of the show.
Episode 4 (otherwise Known as The Reason WSX was cancelled)
This episode did not air in it's taped form, as it was delayed, then heavily edited before Standards and Practices for MTV would allow it to be shown. Short matches hurt WSX, yes, but could have been fixed over time, but one incident, just one shot that was taped, is what was the reason MTV decided not to renew the show. Which begs the question, if the episodes were taped in November, and not aired until the next year, did no one at MTV watch them before the week they were slated for broadcast?
Matt Sydal (Lizzie Valentine) versus Scorpio Sky
If you want to see what these guys can do with a two-minute warning, this match is for you. If you want to see a real match, find something else. Sydal wins with a move I've seen referred to as a Spanish Fly on other tapes, especially tapes involving lucha matches.
Matt Sydal d Scorpio Sky via pinfall * I like the moves these guys can pull off, but have yet to see either have to work them into something longer than an acrobatic exhibition in WSX.
Special Challenge: Keepin it Gangsta (Ruckus and Babi Slymm) versus That 70's Team
This match would kick off a series of increasingly bizarre matches on WSX that show they need better creative minds behind the scenes. In the weirdest sight of 'bling' I've ever seen in wrestling Slymm and Ruckus are carrying a ladder encrusted with diamonds. That's just goofy. We also have male nudity, as Ryan gets his tights yanked down ala Rude, and his ass is in the wind. This match is a harmless comedy brawl. I've heard of Slymm, as he was on the 101 Reasons Not to Be a Pro Wrestler DVD, but I'm new to Ruckus. He has a good look, but doesn't show much until the sweet ending. He crotches Ryan with the disco ball That 70's Team brought to ringside, then hops up the ladder and hits Ryan smack in the face with a somersault dropkick that i'm surprised didn't break his nose to pick up the win. I'd like to see Ruckus in a standard match, and see if he's more than a one-trick pony.
Keepin it Gangsta d That 70's Team via pinfall ** Okayish brawl that featured a nice ending sequence.
OKAY, now onto the controversy that led to the cancellation of WSX and probably assured that no wrestling show be aired on MTV's main channel again. The next match is supposed to be Human Tornado versus El Hombre Blanco Emmescarado, but we see Tornado laying face down in the back, and instead we have 6-Pac come out, spin kick El Hombre and grab a microphone. He calls out Vampiro over their match, and Vampiro runs out and they brawl. Harmless enough so far. A weird man with what looks like a burned face appears in the ring, with no camera angle to explain where he came from and throws a fireball in Vampiro's face. And not even a flash paper type one, as this looks like a ball of staic electricity. Not even sure how that got pulled off. The screen goes haywire, then we get a close up of the attackers face, and his eyes are glowing a dark red.
MTV Standards and Practices freaked out. They were worried children would see this and try to do the same resulting in MTV being sued to the point they'd have to run more Phil Collins videos to stay afloat. They delayed this episode a week so that it could be edited in a way that was acceptable to be shown. Having not caught the one aired, I have no clue what was cut out, but I don't see how this scene would have made any sense without the fireball, as it would be the guy hitting Vampiro a couple times, then Vampiro being clinically dead in the middle of the ring, which would just be ridiculous.
The showed did finally get shown on February 27th, and just 5 days later WSX was cancelled. MTV had enough, and even though the last 6 episodes had long been taped, didn't want to feature it on their main channel anymore. After some behind the scenes negotiating, the next 5 episodes were shown as a special marathon, though the start time of that marathon was pushed from the 10 pm usual start time till 11 pm, so the marathon ended at 2 am, long after kids were asleep. It was called the Season Finale, and that was that. There was a tenth episode shot, which was to be the true season finale, but it featured two matches so ridiculous in nature that MTV decided not to ever air it, as it's only available on this DVD set. You'll see why when we get to it.
BONUS Webisode Matches
DIFH versus Team Dragon Gate
See, if they'd just run this match instead of that fiasco that they did air, then they may still have a show. As I already said, Dragon Gate are like the Hardyz on Turbo mode, but DIFH do a good job of slowly the match down somewhat and making it more coherent. One thing i really like about this Jacobs and Black team as that one guy doesn't always get the pin, as this week, Jacobs grabs Yoshino literally out of the air and hits him with a brainbuster for the win.
DIFH d Team Dragon Gate via pinfall ** 1/2 Good match, with DIFH getting things on a pace that made it more of a match than a gymnastics routine
Jack Evans versus Markus Riot
This is a weird angle, as Riot is a rookie who wants to be just like Evans, but already looks more like a wrestler than Jack. This is just a squash match as Riot gets two moves, both done poorly, before being put out of his misery by the 630 senton.
Jack Evans d Markus Riot N/A as this wasn't anything like what i'd call a match.
Musical Performer this week is Jibbs, who falls under "rappers I don't know". Catchy beat though, as it sounds like "Do Your Ears Hang Low" but it's about a chain, I think?.
Episode 5
This is the episode that kicked off the "season finale" marathon, as MTV just dumped all the pretaped episodes left minus one into a large block and was done.
Team Dragon Gate versus The Filth and The Fury
Good little matchup as it seems by this point in the 5 days of taping Dragon Gate are winding down and moving at more human speeds. I know Hart gets a bad rap, and from what I hear he deserves it, but he's quite talented inside the ring when he's on. His Snap Cradle DDT is a marvel, looking very fluid and effective. Cross is a guy I could see being involved in the X Division one day, maybe being brought in through Gut Check. The finish is a nice, yet contrived ending seeing both Hart and Cross doing synchronized flips off the top rope for pins on Dragon Gate. I'm all for double team moves, but the setup to this one looked like ballet more than wrestling. Still, the tag team matchups for WSX have delivered, and this was no exception.
The Filth and The Fury d. Team Dragon Gate via pinfall ** 3/4 A very entertaining match with an ending that took a little away.
6-Pac versus Human Tornado
Last week, 6-Pac attacked Tornado in order to set up that disaster angle, so now we have this match. Tornado looked excellent in this match, never seeming out of the veteran 6-Pac's league, showing me if he bulked up a little, he could easily shine with his Pimp Gimmick in the X Division. 6 hits the X-Factor off the top rope for the win, and Tornado does a great job selling the landing as to make it look like a killer move.
6-Pac d. Human tornado via pinfall *** 1/2 Easily WSX's best singles match so far, as even though it was still short (with no timer, i'd put it at about 6 minutes), it was a more traditional wrestling match, with two guys who could mix high-flying with basic sound wrestling.
Okay, here WSX steals from WCW's Mamalukes stuff, as Dragon Gate are grabbed by masked thugs and thrown into a van, with a Sonny Onoo knock-off yelling it's time they were reprogrammed.
The silliness continues with our next match.
Arik Cannon versus Delikado
Cannon is a guy I've heard of, but haven't seen before this match. Delikado is perennial Indy Hero B-Boy. He is a basically a smaller Homicide. The mask is a bit Gangster lucha for my taste. The match doesn't even get going when three guys run out and attack Cannon. They drag him outside the ring and dunk his head in wet cement and leave him laying with a dead fish on his chest. OKAY.......
Arik Cannon d Delikado via DQ No star rating as there wasn't a match to rate but i'd go -** for the nonsense at the end.
BONUS Webisode Matches:
Los Ponchos Guapas versus The Trailer Park Boys
This is the first tag team match offered by WSX I don't like. Both teams are terrible, and Aguilera's deal seems to be he just hits on women all match till the end. At least when he comes in this time, he doesn't cost his team the match, as he hits a decent chokeslam on Webb to win.
Los Ponchos Gaupas d. Trailer Park Boys via pinfall 1/2 * These teams bring nothing to the table. Trailer Park Boys is a loser gimmick, and Gaupas's whole schtick is Kaos wrestling by himself while Aguilera flirts until he needs to make the save and help end the match. This match deserves to be a Webisode exclusive
Keepin It Gangsta versus Alkatrazz and Luke Hawx
Alkatrazz and Hawx are the only team in WSX not to have a team name or gimmick to them. Not a bad thing, but it does stick out. Slymm doesn't do anything to me but I like Ruckus enough to like this team. No unnecessary bling this time. Hawx has a good look, if a little small, so I would buy him on NXT as a veteran who's upset the young guys got a shot before him. Alkatrazz is just a scary biker dude who has a few basic power moves. Decent back and forth match, better than the last one but still not up to the usual standard set by the other teams. Sadly, my dvd has a skip during this webisode and after 4 minutes it freezes for a second then goes back to the menu. A quick check shows Alkatrazz and Hawx win.
Alkatrazz and Hawx d Keepin It Gangsta no rating as I can't rate a match I don't see the finish to, though it was at a ** pace before the skip.
No music performance again included, and I don't believe the rest of the episodes include one, though I do know each taped episode had one, so maybe there was a copyright issue or the acts didn't want to be included.
Episode 6
Scorpio Sky versus Jack Evans
The more I see of Scorpio, the more I wish he had stayed with TNA. I enjoy Evans, but I do see everyone's complaint that he's all flash and no substance, as he's a gymnast more than a wrestler. A typical short match that's fun, but not so much with the wrestling. Evans with the 630 Senton.
Jack Evans d. Scorpio Sky via pinfall * 1/2 I enjoy these quick exhibitions, but I can't give them high ratings because there's not much to judge.
That 70's Team versus DIFH
Hey, a rematach from a webisode match that was pretty good to begin with! Sadly, this one gets less time, and because it's going to be on TV, we see Ryan's ass again. Not crazy about that. Jacobs is in full emo mode tonight looking like his girlfriend just left him for a man who doesn't carve her name in his forearm. (in high school when emo was called goth in general, I had a friend who this really happened to.) Good balanced match for the short time it was given, but Disco Machine gets the pin on Black to upset me. DIFH should win every match, they are the best team, though Ryan is pretty good.
That 70's Team d. DIFH via pinfall * 3/4 Not as good as their previous match, but given the constraints of the short time tv matches were given, it never got going well.
The unnamed monster who attacked Vampiro comes out and is named by the announcers as Ricky Banderas. He tells us he did what he did because Vampiro burned his face first. No mention of when or where. Vampiro heads out but is jumped by 6-Pac. The two start to beat him pretty good, until Youth Suicide runs out, looking more like a fan who jumps the gaurdrail than a wrestler. This is his first appearance since his miscue from the pilot. He fights with Banderas to the back, then we watch Vampiro and 6-Pac in the ring until they cut to Banderas and Suicide in the rafters. Then, in yet another dumb move for a company who actually wanted to keep their show I thought, Banderas throws the littler Suicide from the rafters down 3 or four stories onto the concrete, not even a mat or table. Suicide is either brave or stupid, because that could have ended in so many worse ways. Banderas poses with blood pouring out his mouth to end the show.
BONUS Webisode Matches
Matt Sydal (w/ Lizzie Valentine) versus El Hombre
No real censoring goes on for webisode matches as you can clearly hear the crowd chanting "Pussy Whipped" at Sydal during the match whenever Lizzie would yell at him to do something. Sydal should really have been let loose as Evan Bourne, because his WWE matches don't really show how much of a high flyer he really is. Think early WCW Rey Mysterio before the injuries started. El Hombre is quite good as well. I like the fact that the webisode isn't too constrained with a time fitting, because the longer matches are definitely better than what is shown on the show. Lizzie directing Sydal what to do during the matches is a nice touch. Sydal hits his 450 to win this one.
Sydal d. El Hombre via pinfall *** 1/2 A really good match that is reminiscent of the original cruiser weight matches that WCW would hold before the slower lucha guys like Silver King and Super Calo started getting title matches. Sydal wrestles like Jushin Liger, and I can definitely see being a big fan of his if the injuries heal well and he is given more open matches.
Alkatrazz and Luke Hawx versus The Trailer Park Boys
I'm really tired of Trailer Park Boys, as they seem to be on every webisode or tv show. They just don't have anything as a team, and I don't know if they just dumb it down for the gimmick or if their really this bad. Hawx and Alkatrazz are a good team of big bouncer and smaller wrestler, ala Jesse and Festus on SmackDown a few years back. The parts where Alkatrazz is beating the stuffing out of Raymond were the highlight of the match. Webb gets the pin on Hawx in a decision I don't understand because the crowd doesn't buy them even with the constant showings.
Trailer Park Boys d. Alkatrazz and Hawx via pinfall 1/4 * Each match Trailer Park Boys are in becomes the worst one in WSWX. I understand they had deals with these guys, but if there would have been a second season, which was rumored to be built around a Tag Title Tournament, I hope these guys would not have been invited back.
Episode 7
We start off with Banderas powerbombing an extra off the musician's stage. Also, for some reason Quiet Riot is on commentary as there is no alternate commentary by Kleinrock and Dr Lipinski for this match, so I have to listen to Ernst and Kross for this one with Quiet Riot adding nothing to it.
Arik Cannon and Vic Grimes versus The Cartel (Delikado and Lil Cholo w/ El Jeffe)
So, the group who attacked Cannon are known as The Cartel. El Jeffe is a Spanish named I can translated as The Boss, since I once had a dishwasher who spoke little english, so he alwas called me "jeffe". Cannon wanted backup when he met Delikado again so he recruited "Hardcore Legend" Vic Grimes, who to me is as much a hardcore legend as Norman Smiley, but I don't book wrestling gimmicks. A decent match, given a little more time then usual. As Delikado looks to finish, a woman runs in and kicks him and dropkicks Lil Cholo. She isn't named, but my man senses pick her out right away as the only female wrestler I buy as a wrestler in the ring, Sara Del Ray. It's weird she gets involved, as she is a better wrestler than 3 of the 4 guys in the match. The distraction allows Cannon to roll up Delikado for the upset win.
Arik Cannon and Vic grimes d. The Cartel via pinfall * I don't see anything good from these guys, and I've never cared for Vic Grimes, but Sara Del Ray's portion gives it the merit it needed to get a star.
Human Tornado versus Matt Sydal (w/ Lizzie Valentine)
We start with Lizzie reading a 'fan letter' backstage. Sydal is upset and basically drags her to the ring. Kleinrock reveals in the alternate commentary that the 'fan' was to be Colt Cabana in another gimmick in the second season as a frat brother of Sydal who comes in to team with him in the tournament, but steals Valentine eventually by winning her with frat games. That might have been interesting. Human Tornado offers Lizzie a spot as 'TornadHo'. That's cute. Tornado dives out the ring at one point and takes out several fans who didn't know enough to get out the way. These two are well-matched, as they break out some good technical wrestling I haven't seen from Sydal in WSX. The finish comes too quick for such a fine showing, as Lizzie tries to attack Tornado, but drops the letter in front of Sydal. He reads it, and whatever it said causes him to get upset and confused, and allows Tornado to hit the Tornado DDT to win. We immediately cut backstage to Lizzie and Sydal, which makes me think there was a musical performance here. Lizzie tells Sydal she doesn't date losers, then rips up the letter when Matt wants to read it again. He leaves, and 6-Pac walks up to Lizzie and hits on her. She does resemble Tori a little, so maybe he thinks it's 1999 again.
Human Tornado d. Matt Sydal via pinfall **** It could have been longer, but this was quality wrestling from the singles side for once. The spots were a part of the match not the whole thing for once. This is the BEST match off the whole WSX run, and it's a shame Tornado hasn't shown up anywhere that matters.
The Filth and The Fury versus Los Ponchos Gaupas
Hart and Cross were slated to win the tournament according to Kleinrock who as producer would know. Not a bad idea, as they are a hot team in the ring, and were getting quite a lot of heat from the audience by this time. This match made them doubt that decision. It was a solid, unspectaculer match with the usual spots from Filth and Fury and Aguilera doing his avoiding the match and picking up female fans. Hart goes up top and hits Kaos with a beautiful moonsault that also almost breaks his neck. He landed his lower body just right, but smacks his head on the mat and gives his upper body quite the jolt. He legitamatly suffered some pain in his neck and Kleinrock thought he was done. Turned out to just be a mild stinger, but he was kept out the ring for a few matches, and some things were rearranged for two tapings to give him a rest. Aguilera quickly makes a pin, ending it after the injury to get Hart checked out.
Los Ponchos Gaupas d. The Filth and The Fury via pinfall ** Was a good match that seemed like it had more to go before Hart's messed up landing.
BONUS Webisode matches
Scorpio Sky versus Youth Suicide
You know, I could have bought Suicide in the "Wanna be Jack Evans" spot they had Markus Riot in a few shows back, because he is a daredevil that looks like a overgrown teenager. The match goes about three minutes when Banderas runs out and attacks Youth, which actually brings up a good point as it was one episode ago that Banderas almost killed him, and he didn't take an episode off to sell it. He drags Suicide off beating him along the way and the match just vanishes.
No Contest N/A rating as there was no finish, but -**** for Suicide not selling a multi-story drop onto concrete for any real time.
Epsiode 8
Los Ponchos Gaupas versus The Cartel
The alternate commentary says that during this match, Kross is hyping the announcement of a Tournament for the Tag Team Championship that would start on the premiere of the second season. Kleinrock explains they weren't allowed to edit the commentary shot for the later episodes, so they came off bad to fans who knew they were cancelled during the marathon hyping stuff for a season that would never happen. I'd say the reasons behind the cancelling made them look bad, the behind the times commentary was just frosting on the cupcake.
Anyway, the tag match going on is more about the Cartel thugs around the ring than the action inside. They take out Aguilera while he's doing his hit on the audience bit, leaving Kaos to eat a nasty DDT from Cholo to give the Cartel the win. Afterward they leave another dead fish, this time on Kaos. As bad as the fish deal is, it actually leads to a dumber idea in the finale.
The Cartel d Los Ponchos Gaupas via pinfall * The match was just an excuse to get The Cartel over and establish the dead fish gimmick that sets up the final match in WSX. Still what wrestling that was shown was fine.
Vampiro(c) vs Ricky Banderas WSX Title Match
This is the only defense of the title by Vampiro, and the last match we see it in.It would have made better sense to hold this off till the season finale, but what they had on it must have seemed like a better idea. It wasn't. This match gets an ungodly 25 minutes unedited, and it should have had maybe ten given the limited ability shown by Banderas in the match. On two sides fd the ring are wooden caskets, one we're told is rigged with explosives, and one is just wrapped in barbed wire. Keep that in mind. The match starts off in the ring, and Vampiro does his best to get a wrestling match out of Banderas, but it's obvious he doesn't have one in him. Now, I've never seen Banderas before this, but I wonder if he's always been this bad. So, the match breaks down into punches and slams. They fight all around the ringside area and up to the miusicians stage. Banderas actually pulls out the first wrestling move i've seen him do as he powerbombs Vampiro through a table convenietly covered with light bulbs. After he stands over him just waiting for him to get up and glaring, Vampiro gets up and they do more fighting, this time back to the ring. Banderas is able to get Vampiro to the ring apron where he then does move number 2 and choke slams him into the barbed wire casket. Which then explodes. You can tell by the look on Vampiro's face in a quick camera glance he wasn't expecting that. Banderas pins him, and becomes the WSX Champion. Kleinrock explains that the extras hired to set up the pyro effects were from MTV and had no experience with wrestling, so they didn't understand the stipulations part and just assumed both caskets were supposed to be rigged, and the devices inside needed the caskets to remain shut till used to cause the explosion, so no one could check. Kleinrock says that since they weren't using the exploding one in the finish, they shouldn't have rigged it at all, but he was worried Banderas might use the wrong one.
Ricky Banderas d. Vampiro via pinfall to win the WSX Title. 1/2 * Banderas showed nothing in this match, but I guess he had a monster look, so they felt he could be the heel champion. But with the second season being focused on Tag teams, and no one really standing out as a possible challenge for Banderas anyway, why bother to change the title?
My Extras DVD is no longer playing the Webisodes due to a constant skip that seems like a flaw in the disc itself, so I can't go to the last two. The match highlights shown a DIFH versus Team Dragon Gate match and a three way match between Matt Classic and El Hombre vs The Trailer Park Boys versus That 70's Team, which i'm kind of glad I dont have to sit through.
Epsiode 9
This is the last episode shown during the marathon, but not the last epsiode shot. Kleinrock explains that MTV didn't want to show the final one due to thinking the Pirahnas used were real, and that someone might die during the main event, showing even according to him no one there watched the tapes, just the pilot.
Akatrazz and Luke Hawx versus Arik Cannon and Vic Grimes (w/Nic Grimes,aka Sara Del Ray now under a mask)
I see no point to having Del Ray under a mask and pretending to be Grimes's sister. This match is basic brawling, setting up Vic Grimes being put into a box of lights that then, say it with me, explodes. Inside the ring Cannon is alone and takes a beating for a few minutes until Alkatrazz chokeslams him for the pin.
Alkatrazz and Luke Hawx d. Arik Cannon and Vic Gimes via pinfall. -** This match was all setup, as it was a fight that was to get Grimes into the box to be blown apart, though not literally. With all these explosions, I can almost see why MTV was a bit concerned when they heard what kind of Matches were on the last tape.
Now we set up bad idea #1 for next week, as Los Ponchos Gaupas challenges the Cartel to a Pirahna Death Match for the next show.
6-Pac versus Scorpio Sky
I was really looking forward to this match and it ended up being a complete squash by 6-Pac, with Scorpio getting almost no offense, and 6-Pac looking like he was auditioning for a DX reunion instead of caring about this match. Just terrible given Sky could have really used this time with a veteran to showcase his potential and maybe get on somewhere. 6-Pac wins with a lazy looking X Factor.
6-Pac d. Scorpio Sky via pinfall _** 6-Pac could have made a star out of Sky here, who's look is better than Tornado, who he gave a great match to. Up till now I saw a different 6-Pac than I had seen recently, but this match reminds me why he went from golden boy in GWF, to laughingstock and pretty much hated now.
WSXtra Host Lacey makes her only tv appearence to interview Lizzie about her and 6-Pac have anything going on, but she gets catty and storms off. Given that they didn't plan to run anything with this in the next season, as they wanted to use Cabana as the guy who takes Lizzie from Matt, I see no point to this.
Jack Evans versus Human Tornado
Kleinrock apologizes in advance for the editing of this match, because the TRUE unedited version had a few moves that they wanted to have each guy debut in the next season, which doesn't even make sense. He says they went out and since the episode was running short, decide to improvise a 16 minute match that was spectacular, but not the style they wanted to showcase yet. That's BS. I clocked this match with the clock on my wall and it showed ten minutes, so there was six minutes cut? Look, I like Evans, and I really like Tornado, but you can't tell me these guys had six minutes of moves in them not yet seen that was so awesome it needed to be kept under wraps for now. I think it was a case of when those one year deals ended, he wanted to make sure these guys weren't picked up by other companies, as both were making names for themselves at the time, and this show would have made them better known to people who may not follow the independent scene that close. Up until now I thought of Kleinrock as a guy who had a vision for an XPW-stlye company with good non-junk matches to broaden the appeal, and just didn't understand the limitations a national television channel would put on his idea, but now I see that he really did belong in the booking chair, as he used his own personal agenda to stifle the product to benifit himself and his wants of having his own promotion. With the editing botch job done this becomes a ten-minute disjointed match that doesn't even have an ending, as ring announcer Fabian Kaelin climbs in the ring and just calls the match a draw. Supposedly, according to Kleinrock, this was to lead to a turn from ring announcer to Raven-esque charactor by Kaelin.
No Contest as Jack Evans vs Human Tornado is declared a draw. I wont give it a rating because I can't even judge it as a match with the hatchet job and no ending, but after hearing the fiasco behind it, -**** for the whole mess.
Now bad idea #2 sees the repackaged Team Dragon Gate, who now appear to be Yakuza henchmen, challenge The Filth and The Fury to an EXPLODING CAGE MATCH. Good Grief.
To even more disprove Kleinrock's lies on commentary, the Webisode lists clips of the edited parts of EVans vs Tornado, unless that was added after the production began on the DVD to cover his ass.
Episode 10
THis episode has never aired, even when WSX repeats were shown on MTV2, 3, and Latino and before this set came out and YouTube took off, there was no where you could see these matches. This was shot as the true season Finale, and Kleinrock once again tries making himself look better by saying the extreme matches were a last ditch effort to convince MTV to keep them going, even though they were filmed three moths before Episode 1 even debuted, so I would love to hear how he knew that far in advance he'd be booking a show that was begging the network to save them.
Pirahna Death Match Los Ponchos Gaupas versus The Cartel
There's a large fish tank on the side of the ring with fish swimming around in it. Kleoinrock says they were real pirahnas just with no teeth. I believe him on that because I did see a documentary on people who risk life and limb to catch pirahnas and deteeth them for rich people who like to show them off. The match is nothing really as it's basically a brawl held on one side of the ring. It only lasts a few minutes before Delikado catches Kaos and dumps him in the tank. He is however not torn to shreds instantly, and gets out pretty quick. I've seen the videos of pirahnas devoring whole horses in less than two minutes, so it's obvious they had no teeth.
The Cartel d. Los Ponchos Gaupas via Kaos being dumped in the fish tank(thats weird to type as an ending) zero stars, as it wasn't as insulting as I thought it would be given they actually used real pirahnas, but nothing resembling a real match.
Scorpio Sky ends his WSX stay with a thud, as he started off strong, but now doesn't get two words out during his interview time before being trounced by Vampiro. It's like Zack Ryder's WWE career on speed. Vampiro calls out Banderas and then takes out about 15 people who try to intervene, mainly a couple referees and every wrestler not used on this show. Banderas finally comes out and they brawl. They fight to the back and right out the door, making sure they wouldn't be the ones who had to turn out the lights on this dead project.
Matt Sydal catches Lizzie and 6-Pac chatting in a dressing room and jumps him. Lizzie tries to break it up and Pac is clearly heard telling her "Shut Up Bitch". That would have scored them some brownie points right there. Yep.
Exploding Cage Time Bomb Death Match Team Dragon Gate versus The Filth and The Fury
It would seem like this match would have been a match where the ring was set to explode in a certain amount of time, and if the guys were still wrestling inside the ring, well, then they get blown up. That would have worked given the fast nature of these four guys, and made winning quickly imperative and gave each move some logic as they try to get a pin. Instead, we have a flimsy cage around the ring, with a scaffold inside that has to be climbed in order to get to the detonation button above it and then hit to blow the ring in ten seconds and get whoever is left.
This match is the epitome of gymnastics display over wrestling. It's a whole lot of running and doing moves off the cage walls. There's no natural flow whatsoever. Teddy does get a very nice shooting star press off the scaffold that while looking amazing, served no purpose, as he was on the scaffold and didn't even try to get the detonator. Yoshino on the other hand gets his one shot at being on top the scaffold and hits the detonator sending everyone scurrying over the cage before there's a digitally enhanced explosion. Looks pretty, but this isn't Die Hard. And that's the end of the show, as we don't see if any wrestlers were hurt or a fan maybe, just a fade out.
Team Dragon Gate d. The Filth and The Fury via explosion of the ring by detonation(if I ever have to type that ending again....)
There's two Extras discs included, one with the webisodes, which seems to have a flaw on it, or at least mine did, and one filled with things I didn't find worth reviewing as the only one I thought worth looking at called 'Casting Tapes" was just some highlights of CZW and those on here who were involved. CXW is not my thing, as a promotion based on the worst of ECW just doesn't have any appeal to me.
I had such high hopes for this set. I didn't catch WSX during its run except the second episode, and I was intrigued enough to see more that I bough this set. I ended up disappointed halfway through, and getting bitter towards the end, and there were only ten episodes.
WSX failed for more than just the Banderas fireball stunt, though that gauraunteed it.Seasonal wrestling shows never really work. Having to build to one big ending just isn't conducive for a whole promotion. We don't even get that in year-long companies like we used to. And they were perhaps too ambitious, as they locked up the talent to terrible deals that assured them when they got seen on tv, they couldn't sign a good deal while their name was out there. This was really exposed when Banderas tried to do an end around and get signed by TNA to be Judas Mesias before the deals were up. I'd like to think guys like Scorpio Sky and Tornado and DIFH could have gotten at least TNA deals off the good showings when the show was aired, but by the time the deals expired WSX was all but forgotten. Kleinrock, who I soured on by the end, still works for Big Vision, with his most recent project that I'm aware off being the Cheech and Chong Animated Movie. After that I'm not sure what he's into. Sadly, most of these guys are still stuck on the indies, and some deserve to be, but most really tried to do something here, but way too short amtches and some outrageous booking killed the chance some would only get once to be on a televised wrestling show.