<7/31/06 @ 10:39 PM PST>

- Whew, just got the July update in the nick of time. And what a July it was. 5 shows including our biggest of the year, 4 members travelling to supershows on the east coast, where to begin? Well, how about where we left off? That takes us back to June 28, one show before Canada Day, and actually a fairly eventful one. Canadian Champion Nick Price took on Daniel Makabe and Special K in a non-title 3 Way Dance, which was filled with hilarity and awesomeness. Makabe got the win on Canadian Champion Price with a rolling reverse cradle holding onto the ropes AND grabbing Price's tights. Yes, a double cheat. Next, in a tune-up for his match with former partner Chicho at Canada Day, Blood Money took on Chicho's transparent doppleganger, Invisible Chicho. Money absolutely decimated him and instead of pinning him, opted to take a machete and CUT OFF HIS HEAD. We may not be seeing Invisible Chicho for a while. Although rumor has it the Ghost of Invisible Chicho now haunts the Wrestleplex. The main event was Scott Henson defending the VCW Triple Crown against Kingpin, a man with whom he had exchanged several dueling promos on the internet over the course of June. Kingpin attacked Scott from behind on the outside, and after only a brief moment in the ring, took him back out where he hit the Last Supper off the apron, followed by another Last Supper, which was enough to incapacitate Henson for the countout win. This, however, did Kingpin no good, as the title can't change on a countout. Kingpin goaded Henson into restarting the match, and they went back at it. Kingpin went for the Fecalator on Henson, who grabbed the referee in desparation, causing the disqualification. Henson accepted the loss and went to leave with his title, but again Kingpin tried to encite Henson to restart the match. Henson was having none of it, having already done one restart, but when Kingpin said, "VCW.com can suck my dick," it was on once again. Kingpin hit the Urine Mist on Henson, blinding him, but instead of capitalizing on it, Kingpin stood and laughed at Henson. And he obviously laughed a little too loud, because, though blinded, Henson's keen sense of hearing allowed him to decipher where Kingpin was at and hit a CRITICAL! for a decisive finish (finally).
- Which brings us to Canada Day. We start with the first of two rematches from last year's Canada Day: Nick Price vs. Mercury. Unlike last year, this was for the Canadian Title, with Nick Price going for his V9 defense, just 3 off the record. Price got the win with his new Premium Bridge (Dragon Suplex holding the wrists). This looks to be Mercury's retirement match, but of course the door is always open should he choose to return down the road. Next up was an internation exhibition match pitting I.Q. Yarder against Red Wolf, making his return to Canada Day shows after missing last year. Yarder got the win with a triangle choke. Kingpin's trouble with Juggalos continued as he bit off more than he could chew in a 3-on-1 Handicap Match against J-Nox, CJ Williams, and Dokta Kron. The numbers game caught up with Kingpin and J-Nox got the win with an impressive top-rope moonsault. Despite winning, Kron did not get along well with the more cohesive team of Williams and J-Nox. Next was the battle of former tag partners as Blood Money took on Chicho. These two have had many matches in the past, and this may have been their best. At any rate, it certainly had the best finish of any of their matches: Chicho hit a ridiculous Canadian Destroyer from the top rope onto a... chairtastrophe, for lack of a better term, on the floor. This killed both guys, but Chicho was barely able to make it back in the ring for the countout win. Next was the other rematch from last year, as Ruckus took on Zeus McFly in another Standard Hardcore Match (which, again, was anything but standard). The spot of the match was a Footstomp by Ruckus off a nearly 20-foot truck onto Zeus McFly through two tables. It looked like the finish was going to be much the same as last year, as Ruckus had McFly set up on the balcony with a table on the floor, but McFly quickly rolled up Ruckus with a small package on the balcony for the surprise win. In the semi-main, Scott Henson was scheduled to defend the Triple Crown against a mystery opponent, which he revealed at the beginning of the show was to be Road Warrior Hawk. Unforunately, Road Warrior Hawk died several years ago, so Henson needed a new opponent. With no VCW wrestlers free on the card, Henson said he would watch the show and hand-choose someone he felt was worthy of a title shot. Apparently he needed look no further than the first match, as he selected Canadian Champion Nick Price, giving him a chance to hold all the gold in VCW. Some people thought that Henson would select someone who just had a match in order to get an easy win over an already-weakened opponent. But this was not the case, and Nick Price was fresh after several hours rest since his earlier match. These two had an excellent back and forth match that went over 25 minutes. Price exploded with a flurry of offense at the end, so much that people thought he had the title won, but as he looked to put the nail in the coffin with a final Busaiku Knee, Henson caught him with a Ka-Blamo 2K6, and that was all she wrote. Even more impressed with Price than he was when he selected him as his opponent, Henson granted Price another title shot at a later date, on the condition that Price also put up the Canadian Title, which Price accepted. So providing these two hang onto their titles long enough to get to their match, we'll see a title unification. You may wonder why the title match was not the main event of Canada Day. This is because if there is one thing more important than titles, it's blood feuds, and that's what the main event was the culmination of. Ever since Daniel Makabe turned on Yakuza J on March 12, they have had several matches in which they absolutely brutalized each other, but went to a draw each time (via double KO's, double countouts, etc.). The one surefire way to get a clear winner: the "I Quit" Match. The absolute only way to win is to make your opponent say "I Quit", and the match will continue at all costs until this happens (or until one opponent dies, I suppose). Makabe gashed open Yakuza's arm early in the match, then his head, then his arm AGAIN. Yakuza was bleeding everywhere FROM everywhere. Makabe's head also got busted open later in the match. Everyone thought it was over and that Yakuza would have no choice but to quit after a Dan Spike by Makabe off the coke machine through two tables. Somehow, Yakuza found the fortitude to continue. Makabe detached the top rope from the ring, and used the turnbuckles as a weapon against Yakuza. Yakuza, in a last desperate bid, turned the tides and hung Makabe over the ropes with the top rope, giving Makabe the choice between quitting and being choked to death, and Makabe chose the former, bringing to an end one of our best shows ever.
- The week after Canada Day, Scott Henson, Yakuza J, and Nick Price headed to the east coast for BYE Five Alive in Rhode Island and Massachusetts on July 8/9 and XWA in Pennsylvania on July 15/16. At least, everyone thought it was just those three. Daniel Makabe was introduced as a mystery opponent on Day 1 of BYE and faced another mystery opponent, Rickey Crash, in the main event, winning with a Dan Spike off the top onto a wooden pallet, and in doing so, winning the WSW World Title from Rickey, who won it just a week or two prior in WSW. The original mystery opponent was Yakuza J's opponent, who turned out to be Chris Mavrick. In the first move of the match, Mavrick destroyed Yakuza's head with a headbutt, gashing him wide open with a cut that would later need 10 stitches to close and would take Yakuza out of action for Day 2 of BYE and Day 1 of XWA. Nevertheless, Yakuza won the match with a Powerbomb that knocked Mavrick out, only to find out he had ANOTHER mystery opponent, Steve Shilson, who beat him in the semi-main event with a top-rope Canadian Destroyer. Nick Price took on wrestling sensation Myke Quest, who got the victory over Price with two Lariats. Kingpin took on Jonah "J*Spyder" Block, but after drinking well over a gallon of water that day, threw up violently mid-match and was deemed unfit to continue (and unfit in general). Scott Henson took on Omega, holder of the ESW World Heavyweight Title, the biggest title on the east coast and probably the second biggest title in backyard wrestling next to the VCW Triple Crown, so Henson was not taking it lightly. After numerous kills on both mens' parts, Henson busted out the You Sunk The World for only the second time, which was enough to get Henson the title in one of the biggest wins of his career. Henson defended the title, along with the VCW Triple Crown against Myke Quest on Day 2, hoping to get some VCW revenge on Quest for Price's loss to him the day prior. Henson was able to retain both titles after enduring several killer suplexes and hitting the CRITICAL! Championship Edition for the win. Nick Price got the win when it counted, as he defended the Canadian Title against LWF's Loko and IOWA's AMP, getting the pin on Loko with the Premium Bridge. Kingpin took on Rigor Mortis and went down to a Flying John Walters from the second rope (a risky move for Rigor to do to someone of Kingpin's size). Kingpin has yet to get that elusive first win of 2006. After a week of fun in Rhode Island (consult the BYWL for various posts about the wrestling and shenanigans that went down during the 10 days VCW was there), it was off to Pennsylvania for XWA Resurrection V and Six Feet Under 2006. Nick Price took on Freak Boy and killified him with a Busaiku Knee. Kingpin took part in the first ever official Elimination Chamber match in backyard wrestling (though we did it at VVTW2 without the chamber), being the last one eliminated via an Airborne Extreme Flying Elbow off the scaffold. Scott Henson was scheduled to take on Dave Maynard, but Maynard pulled off the show several days before. So Henson didn't know who he was facing (and defending both the VCW & ESW Titles against) until he appeared on the entrance way: Anarchy Andy. This was a dream match for some, and it delivered. After both men died numerous deaths, Henson was able to retain all his belts via FIVE CRITICAL!S, with the last one being a CRITICAL! Championship Edition which somehow resulted in Andy landing on his head from his knees. Six Feet Under (the second day of XWA) saw Yakuza J return to action, as the trend of VCW being mean to Freak Boy continued with a decisive Yakuza win via a Gorilla Press Fire Thunder. Nick Price put the Canadian Title on the line against Chris Frank, who put up the rights to the "Cockstrong" gimmick, which had helped propel him to the #1 ranking in the BYWL fantasy tournament this year. These two had dueled via promo online, then as American Gladiators at the beginning of the match, and then finally as wrestlers. Price got the win and rights to the very valuable gimmick via a Fireman's Carry Fire Thunder. Scott Henson and Kingpin took part in Elimination Chamber 2: The Quickening, with Henson's ESW Title on the line. Henson didn't have too much to do, as 3 of the 6 participants were already eliminated before Henson even entered the match, so all it took was a dogpile pin on Kingpin and a quick Blue Thunder on Dave Sandstorm to retain the title. Just as Scott thought he was done and could take all his titles back home, J Krypter, managed by Drew Cordeiro, came out and challenged him for the title. Krypter is the strongest man Henson has ever wrestled, and Henson scarcely knew what to do with him at the beginning. Nevertheless, he adapted and started to get some big offense on Krypter. But after having a CRITICAL! blocked, Henson was hit with not one but two Apostle's Pleas, which put him down for the 3, and Henson was only able to leave the east coast with the VCW Triple Crown and not the ESW World Title.
- Back in VCW on July 16, Johnny K made his VCW return (which will be full time, we're told), getting the win over Dokta Kron with a Final Cut. CJ Williams continued his unbeaten streak with a win in a 3 Way over J-Nox & Blood Money. And the Newton Boys got a win over Daniel Makabe and Special K, who teamed as "Strokin." Then we've had three shows since everyone got back to Vancouver, wherein fun was had, Red Rover was played, European Rounds matches took place, Johnny K beat Yakuza J, the Newton Boys started a war with Henson and Price, and Zeus McFly was Trapper Keeper/Footstomped really hard. And that's all you need to know.
- On an unfortunate note, Daniel Makabe is still feeling the effects of the concussion he received in June (and of course all his prior concussions as well). If his symptoms do not improve, he may only have a few more matches in VCW before retiring as an active wrestler. Hopefully this is only a worst-case scenario, as Daniel Makabe has been a cornerstone of VCW for 5 years and is truly one of the finest wrestlers in our little circle (VCW & the BYWL), and it would be an absolute shame for him to stop wrestling. We hope he can stay actively wrestling with us until the day VCW goes under, however far off in the future that may be.


Old News:

2006: January, February, March, April, May, June
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