Result
- Ace Austin def. Jonathan Gresham
- Jody Threat def. Alexia Nicole
- Zach Gowen def. Michael Allen Richard Clark
- Stu Grayson def. Johnny TV (Interim Maple Leaf Pro Championship)
Ace Austin scores win in opener
This week’s episode of Maple Leaf Pro: Mayhem, taped last month at St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, opened with a showdown between AEW’s Ace Austin and ROH alum Jonathan Gresham. These two met as part of a four-way TNA match in 2023, but otherwise hadn’t previously shared the ring together.
This was a slow match to start, with Austin and Gresham having a fun, attention-to-detail-focused feel-out process. Gresham targeted a leg of Austin, causing the Bang Bang Gang member’s feet to give out under him numerous times late in the match.
Austin picked up a near fall after connecting with a one-legged springboard crossbody. He secured a second two-count moments later after coming off the middle rope with a head kick.
They had a lengthy exchange of reversals, including a sequence where they went back and forth with a dozen or so roll-up pin attempts. Gresham removed hand tape and tossed it on the mat, causing the referee to throw the debris out of the ring. As the referee was doing this, Gresham mixed in a slap to Austin’s groin as part of a back-and-forth striking exchange. Creative spot. They went back to the roll-up pins, where Austin caught Gresham with one for the pinfall.
This was slower than the usual wild, high-flying Austin match (and had a bit of an abrupt end), but the slower pace and focus on smaller moments were a nice change.
In a pre-taped promo, we saw Psycho Mike, who is still winless in Maple Leaf Pro, question whether he was meant to just be a background character in life. We also saw another very well-shot video package teasing the arrival of Sinner & Saint.
Jody Threat wins Maple Leaf Pro debut, Adam Copeland issues challenge
The next match was the Maple Leaf Pro debut for ex-TNA wrestler Jody Threat, who faced off against fellow Canadian indie talent Alexia Nicole. This was a long-awaited debut for Threat, who has wrestled up and down the Canadian scene for ages. Whether you follow the Ontario circuit, Winnipeg scene, or anywhere else in the country, you’ve likely seen Threat on a show.
This was a pretty quick showcase for Threat, who put Nicole away with an F5 after a couple of minutes. Fun showdown that ties their head-to-head record at 6-6 (they have faced off countless times since 2017).
In a pre-taped promo, Adam Copeland challenged Steve Maclin to a match at Maple Leaf Pro’s Northern Rising show. Copeland, who says he “piss[es] Molsons and maple syrup,” took issue with some of the anti-Canadian comments from Maclin last week.
Maclin appeared at the commentary desk to respond to Copeland: “You just can’t seem to keep your-, my name out of your mouth … So if you really want to do this, Northern Rising, October 3rd, I’ll see you then.”
Open challenge added to Northern Rising
The co-main event saw rivals Michael Allen Richard Clark and Zach Gowen battle it out. Clark, or MARC, was disrespectful to Gowen early on, holding onto his leg for pushups at one point in the bout. Gowen climbed back into the match and connected with a moonsault out of the corner for a sudden pinfall win on Clark. 23 years after his Smackdown debut, Gowen still has the sauce.
Rohan Raja, who wrestled at CMLL’s International Grand Prix this summer, said the trip to Mexico showed him that he lost his way. So, to try and get his mojo back, he’s issuing an open challenge to any luchador for Northern Rising.
Maple Leaf Pro Tag Team Champions 1st Faction (Sheldon Jean & Brent Banks) cut a promo and announced that a four-way #1 contenders match for their titles will go down next week.
Stu Grayson defends against Johnny TV, sends shot to Josh Alexander
The final match of the night saw Johnny TV attempt to ruin the future title unification match between Josh Alexander and Stu Grayson, challenging interim champ Grayson.
Grayson put Johnny TV on the ring apron for a neat tope atomico early on. He leaped off the ring steps for another dive at ringside, but Johnny TV got out of the way. Instead, Johnny TV came flying through the ropes with a torneo as the show went into a break.
Grayson was on a roll as the show returned, but had his momentum stopped after Johnny TV put up his knees to block a springboard moonsault. Grayson countered a springboard move into an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. “Stuplex City” chants broke out as Grayson scored a few more huge slams.
Grayson connected with the springboard moonsault upon second attempt, but it wasn’t enough to put away Johnny TV. Grayson scored an F5, then rolled up Johnny TV for another two-count.
Johnny TV battled back with a Dominator and Flying Chuck head kick for a near fall of his own. Grayson was dropped with a Moonlight Drive, but was able to avoid Johnny TV’s famous Starship Pain finisher out of the corner.
Grayson picked Johnny TV out of the corner with a superplex, followed up with a running knee strike, then his Nightfall finisher for the pinfall win. A respectable main event showing from these two. Far better than the showings Johnny TV had earlier in the season.
The interim champ got on the mic and had a bone to pick with Josh Alexander, who confronted him a few weeks back. He revealed that Alexander returned despite not being cleared to wrestle, something he took issue with. “Josh, you wasted my time,” Grayson said. He declared himself the only champ in the ring between them, then lifted his belt to close the show.
Here’s what was announced for next week’s show:
- Josh Alexander addresses MLP fans
- Andrade El Idolo vs. TJP
- Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. James Drake & Zack Gibson vs. Flash Morgan Webster & Mark Andres vs. Capitan Suicida & Neon (Maple Leaf Pro Tag Team Championships #1 Contenders Match)
