<11/29/09 @ 10:14 PM PST>
- When you're not running shows regularly, there's never much worry in falling
behind in updates. Nevertheless, we figured we should probably finish what we
said we'd finish "in a few days" on October 6. So ENGLAND, let's talk about
that. For the second time in as many years, Scott Henson, Daniel Makabe, and
Yakuza J headed to the UK for its biggest show of the year, Heatfest. On Day 1,
Daniel Makabe was in a 3 Way with Dave Williams (whose team with Napalm defeated
Scott Henson and Yakuza J last year) and UK legend GBH. After Makabe took a
spill to the floor, Williams quickly hit his Brainbuster on GBH to pick up the
win. Yakuza J took on Chris Goodwin, who almost looked like he had it won after
dropping Yakuza on his head with his M-1 Driver. But only seconds later, Yakuza
hit a blind Axe Bomber on Goodwin and damn near knocked him out, at least long
enough to pin him for 3. Yakuza wasn't done killing people, as he took on Natrix
on Day 2. Natrix, who is used to being the bully in any given match, found
himself in the unusual role of sympathetic underdog taking on the larger Yakuza.
The two threw everything they had at each other, including a Top-to-floor
Exploder by Natrix, and despite Yakuza's best efforts to nearly knock someone
out again, Natrix was able to hit a very impressive Trapper Keeper Bomb for the
win. Day 2 also saw the unlikely VCW team of Scott Henson and Daniel Makabe
(unlikely in VCW, but all bets are off on international turf) taking on two of
the biggest names in UK history, Chris Taylor and Ozzy Mayhem, Essex's finest.
While Henson and Makabe were not as fluid a tag team as their opponents in the
beginning stages, they got it together more as the match progressed, and as the
match broke down near the end, they were able to take out Ozzy Mayhem
momentarily, giving them enough time to hit an amazing Press-up Excommunication
on Chris Taylor to get a very big win for VCW. VCW tried to ride this momentum
by issuing a 6-man challenge to maybe the greatest fed the UK has ever produced:
BBWF, and three of its best known members, Tyrant, Pyro, and Adam James Urwin
(El Diablo and Ashley Dunn were also good candidates). The match did indeed take
place on Day 3, and who emerged as the better fed? We don't know. Despite the
pouring rain, the match proceeded, going back and forth for nearly 20 minutes,
when Tyrant hit a routine huracanrana on Daniel Makabe, causing Makabe's lower
back to smack the bottom rope. He immediately felt numbness in his legs, and
though the feeling thankfully returned after some time passed, the match needed
to be stopped for the sake of everyone's safety. So the question of who is truly
the #1 fed between VCW and BBWF remains unanswered. However, all parties
involved have agreed to a rematch should it be able to happen at a major UK show
next year. There may even be additions to each team, possibly making it an
8-man. A shame that Heatfest did not end on a higher note (or with better
weather) for VCW, but nevertheless it was a wonderful show and a wonderful England
trip in general. Scott Henson stayed an extra week in order to be a part of his
first NAW show, and he picked a good one: NAW's North of the Border supershow in
Newcastle upon Tyne in northern England in a rec center with 250 paying fans.
Henson got another crack at NAW Champion Tyrant, whom he supposed to have
one-on-one on three previous occasions: Heatfest 2008, VVTW6, and Day 1 of this
year's Heatfest, none of which happened due to injuries to Henson at both
Heatfests and Tyrant
being unable to make it to VVTW6. This match was not one-on-one either, in fact
it was one-on-one-on-one-on-one-on-one-on-one, a 6 Way Elimination Match, but at
least Henson would have a chance to win Tyrant's title. The other four men in
the match were also very high profile UK wrestlers: NAW UK Champion Jesus Jr.,
FA Rage, El Diablo, and Chris Taylor looking for revenge on Henson. After early
eliminations of Jesus, Diablo, and Rage, Henson dove in and got his knees up on
a Chris Taylor Shooting Star Press intended for Tyrant, allowing Tyrant to hit a
Springboard Cut Off (scissor kick) on Taylor for the pin. This meant that Henson
WOULD, in fact, get his long-awaited one-on-one match with Tyrant, and if he won
would take home the biggest title in the UK. After surviving many of each
other's premiere moves, Tyrant hit two Dragon Suplexes on Henson. Henson kicked
out, but was very slow to get up. This allowed Tyrant time to go the top and hit a
Top-rope Cut Off, putting Henson out for the count. The two shook hands to
cheers from crowd after the match.
-
We would be remiss without thanking Nader Pardis for hosting Heatfest, Steve
Farrell for organizing hotel stays/hosting wrestlers/putting together the
excellent NAW shows in Newcastle, and of course Alex McConnell for hosting
wrestlers at his house for well over a week, as well as driving them EVERYWHERE.
6 hour round trip from Manchester to Heathrow? No problem says Alex. And of
course everyone else (we could literally list 30+ names here) who made Heatfest,
the NAW shows, and VCW's England trip in general, what it was. Because without
the people, there's nothing.
- Quick word on Washington and then we'll wrap this up. There was a VCW Offer
Match on BXCW's Fallout show on September 20, as Scott Henson took on Daniel
Makabe in a match many thought would never happen again after Canada Day. Makabe
was about to hit the Trapper Keeper on Henson, but the 15 minute time limit
expired before he could hit it, resulting in a time limit draw. While Henson was
rallying the crowd to encourage the ref to give them the standard "5 more
minutes", he turned around and was nailed with Makabe's Trapper Keeper before
the restart bell could even be rung. Makabe then got out of Dodge, leaving
Henson in the ring and no clear winner. VCW also traveled to BXCW for a show on
October 25, however the weather was having no part of it and decided to pour
rain. This and several other similar incidents made BXCW realize that if they
wanted to wrestle in the winter months, they may need an indoor venue. So, to
their credit, they went right out and got one. VCW members are heading down for
its first ever indoor show with BXCW in Washington on Sunday, December 13.
- So VCW has had its last show. Does this mean every member of VCW has had their
last match? Probably not. Three VCW wrestlers (Scott Henson, Daniel Makabe, &
Yakuza J) have all wrestled since the last show, and a few more will probably be doing so
at the next BXCW show. Has anyone had their actual last match? It's
hard to say. Scott Henson was quoted as saying, "I don't know when my last match
will be. I haven't had it yet. I'm never going to have a 'Retirement Match' per
se because who knows if I'll want to wrestle again after that? I don't think
I'll know I've had my last match until long after I've had it." It was very few,
if any, people's intention to flat out stop wrestling forever after VCW's last
show. The intention was to stop doing weekly VCW shows, as a result of a small
roster, injuries accumulating as a result of regular wrestling, etc. But it's
hard to just up and quit altogether after doing something on almost a weekly basis
for years and years with only a few gaps in between. So VCW members will
continue to wrestle on the road sporadically (BXCW usually once a month,
occasional U.S. supershows like the next BYE in January, England next summer,
etc.), and we may do something locally here in the new year. Because one reason
we DIDN'T stop was because we weren't having fun, so why not keep trying to have
that fun here and there, maybe just on a more "special occasion" basis than a
weekly one?
Old News:
2009:
January, February,
March, April,
May, June,
July, August, September,
October
2008: January, February, March, April,
May, June,
July, August,
September, October,
November, December
2007:
January, February,
March, April,
May, June,
July, August,
September, October,
November, December
2006:
January, February,
March, April,
May, June,
July, August,
September, October,
November, December
2005:
January, February,
March, April,
May, June,
July, August,
September, October,
November, December
2004:
January, February,
March, April,
May, June,
July, August,
September, October,
November, December
2003: January,
February, March,
April,
May, June,
July, August,
September, October,
November, December
2002: November, December