The Mark Hitchcock Memorial Supershow became collateral damage over the last week resulting in the loss of its main event.
Results
- Headbanger Thrasher & Swoggle over Rhino & Heath
- Ben-K & Hyo over Latigo & Toxin, Danny Black & Joe Lando, and Starboy Charlie & Starman
- Mark Davis over Masato Tanaka (Recommended)
- Lee Johnson & Blake Christian over Mark Andrews & Flash Morgan Webster
- Beast Mortos, Lacey Lane, Danny Jones, Jimmy Townsend & Derek Dillinger over Mance Warner, Stephanie De Lander, Vaughn Vertigo, LJ Cleary & Gravity
- Bandido over Galeno del Mal (Recommended)
- Progress World Championship: Man Like DeReiss © over Ethan Allen
- Ricochet & GOA over JetSpeed & Michael Oku (Recommended)
AEW supplies The Demand
Ricochet and Leon Slater were supposed to be a “dream match” involving talent from AEW and TNA. The sides signed off on the match-up, but last week it fell apart after TNA cited “partner conflicts” affecting not only this show but the Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling ‘Multiverse’ event and next month’s Create A Pro show with similar AEW vs. TNA themed matches.
TNA took most of the blame, with many eyeing its working agreement with WWE as a natural suspicion, but without definitive proof, it was WWE’s call. It opened the door for Tony Khan to swoop in and score some easy P.R. points by not only leaving Ricochet on the card but supplying JetSpeed and GOA for the new six-man tag main event.
The former WrestleCon Supershow was rechristened in 2018 after the tragic passing of long-time fan Mark Hitchcock and has been a staple of WrestleMania Weekend with unique matchmaking, catering to a wide swathe of styles and tastes. This year’s menu ranged from Dragongate to the Headbangers, with bookings of Masato Tanaka and Swoggle on the same card.
The main event saw JetSpeed paired with Michael Oku against The Demand’s Ricochet & GOA in front of a strongly attended Horseshoe Las Vegas.
Oku attempted a Fosbury early in the match and appeared to legitimately get his leg caught in the rope, and if so, they brilliantly capitalized with Kaun attacking the knee and making it the focus. The heat was on Oku for a while. He would land a Quebrada on Ricochet as a link to the current angle with Chris Jericho. There was a notable spot where Ricochet shoved Kevin Knight into Speedball and called attention to it. It intensified for the final minutes of near-falls and Oku applying the half-crab to Ricochet, who tapped when the referee was distracted. The Demand lifted Oku for the Galaxy Impact, and Ricochet pinned Oku.
Teacher vs. Student
The show was highlighted by a ‘Teacher vs. Student’ contest between Bandido and Galeno del Mal (the son of Dr. Wagner Jr. and Rossy Moreno)
The two worked incredibly well together, and you can see Galeno landing on many companies’ radar. Each went for the other’s mask, and Bandido did his strength spots to rally the crowd, including catching a crossbody and turning into a slam, but Galeno popped up and hit a senton. The ROH World Champion countered the Galeno Special and did his best to hoist him for a deadlift vertical, but it was a tough lift, and he managed the 21 Plex to earn the win.
Bandido praised him on the microphone, stating he met Galeno when he was fourteen, and he would cry in training, but now, he’s the next Mexican superstar. It was explained how the two pushed to have this match.
This was the essence of what you hope for on a ‘Mania week show, where someone breaks through and has a standout match, and this was it.
Bonus Match
A bonus match was added before the main event between Man DeReiss and Ethan Allen for the Progress World Championship. We were informed that it was a result of GOA being stuck in traffic due to a blockade for Donald Trump’s appearance in the city. It was touch-and-go whether GOA would make it in time for the main event, and we were told they had a backup plan in case they didn’t arrive in time.
DeReiss got the crowd going with his entrance, and they had a basic match, but it was very cold in front of the crowd, who seemed antsy for the main event.
There were chants of “Temu Gunther” at Allen, who played off the crowd well and worked on the body of DeReiss. After a comeback, DeReiss’s back went out on a suplex attempt, but he ducked a PK and landed a cutter before hitting Cool Runnings a.k.a. 450 splash to retain.
The Walking Miracle
Mark Davis was among the AEW representatives and had a hard-hitting affair with 53-year-old Masato Tanaka.
The walking miracle brought the fire you would expect, and to no surprise, they gelled. Davis teased an Awesome Bomb, but Tanaka avoided, they pounded on each other with lariats and strikes until Tanaka finished the sequence with a Sliding D. Tanaka missed a follow-up, and it was Davis with a monstrous lariat and won with the piledriver.
There is no explanation for Masato Tanaka to be functioning to this degree.
Other Notes
The four-way elimination tag match was highlighted by Hyo & Ben-K of Dragongate, who were part of the same training class a decade ago. Once it got down to the pair with Danny Black & Joe Lando, it really picked up as Hyo hit Hunting (a cutter off the buckle) and Ben-K speared Lando to win. Starman (believed to be Joey Janela) got over really well with his comedy spots and “glitching” midway through the match.
Sgt. Slaughter and Teddy Long made cameo appearances as Slaughter served as the WrestleCon ambassador and gave a speech about the U.S. “kicking ass” in the world and plugging his booth at the convention. Sure.
Teddy Long opened the show by announcing the opener would be a “tag match”. Mosh confirmed he couldn’t wrestle due to a torn biceps, and Swoggle took his place. It was the weakest match on the show, built around various comedy spots that didn’t seem to land for the opening spot.
John Pollock & Wai Ting will have a full review of the Mark Hitchcock Memorial Supershow on Friday at Noon ET on the POST Wrestling Café
