Port Hueneme, CA – 7.30.2021

Commentary is provided by Kevin Kelly & Alex Koslov.

Kevin Knight vs. Bateman

Bateman slides out of a slam attempt from Knight, kneeing him in the back of the head before knocking him down with a rolling elbow to the back of the head. He uses the top rope to launch Knight backwards and then knees him in the face. Knight is able to surprise Bateman with his patented dropkick after being beat down in the corner. Knight stomps down Bateman into the corner as a measure of retribution. He makes a mistake in picking up Bateman, who forearms Knight and goes for his tombstone. Knight escapes and slams Bateman for two. Bateman gets his knees up to block his Mad Splash attempt and delivers another rolling elbow. This Is A Kill gets Bateman the pin at 7:47. They told a good story with all of Bateman’s attacks to Knight’s head paying off.. **

Fred Rosser, Karl Fredericks & Adrian Quest vs. The West Coast Wrecking Crew (Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs) & Misterioso

Isaasa jams Quest’s throat on the top rope to escape a waistlock. Nelson and Misterioso clear the apron so they can beat down Quest in their half of the ring. Quest is able to escape when he takes Nelson off the top turnbuckle with a Frankensteiner. Fredericks tags in for the first time and drops Isaacs with a spinebuster. He gives Nelson a neckbreaker across his back and attacks the WCWC in opposite corners. After Isaacs kicks out of a jumping elbow drop he looks for Manifest Destiny. Isaacs resists, giving Fredericks a stunner. Nelson high crossbodies onto Fredericks. Rosser breaks the pin and clotheslines Nelson to the floor. Rosser and Isaacs get into a slugfest, which Isaacs ends by sending Rosser shoulder first into the ring post. Quest superkicks Misterioso and wipes out WCWC with an Asai moonsault. Fredericks has to give Misterioso a sleeper hold before dropping him with Manifest Destiny for the pin at 9:20. Although these teams were a bit random, they had good chemistry, and I think the Tecnico team winning was wise as the individual members were more in need of a win than the Rudo team. I would dig seeing Rosser versus either member of the WCWC in the future. **¾

Tag Team Turbulence Tournament Final Round Match
VLNCE UNLTD (Brody King & Chris Dickinson) vs. The Good Brothers (Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson)

Dickinson takes down Anderson with a dragonscrew leg whip. Anderson rolls to his own corner when King tags in so he can tag out to Gallows. They engage with running shoulder blocks and trade strikes, with King taking Gallows down with a running crossbody. Dickinson is tagged in. Anderson distracts him long enough for Gallows to land a high kick to the side of Dickinson’s head. Amazingly, Gallows actually connects with an elbow drop, only for Dickinson takes him down with a dropkick a few moments later. King uses the ropes to pull off a double knuckle drag to send both Good Brothers to the floor. He then wipes them out with a cannonball senton off of the apron. King gets two with a Boss Man Slam on Anderson back in the ring. Gallows trips Dickinson to save Anderson from a Hart Attack and takes out King with a boot. Anderson drops Dickinson with the Swivel Gun Stun. King saves Dickinson from being pinned. Gallows throat thrusts King into a Gun Stun from Anderson. Dickinson fights out of the Magic Killer and drops Gallows with a tornado DDT. He also avoids the Gun Stun and schoolboys Anderson for two. Dickinson tries a running Death Valley Driver on Anderson. Gallows cuts him off with a superkick. The Magic Killer wins The Good Brothers the match and the tournament at 10:59. I am glad to see that The Good Brothers changed up their usual match formula, but not at all glad to see them win the tournament. If I give Impact shit about being cuckolds to AEW, I’ll do the same for New Japan being cuckolds to BOTH AEW and Impact. Having an outside team wipe the floor with a significant chunk of their roster to build up one match, regardless of the team’s previous history with the promotion, is short-sighted. Hope it’s worth it, New Japan. ***

Anderson says “they’re back” and that “someday soon” they want and deserve the IWGP Tag Team championships. Whenever they want them, they will get them because they are “Ichiban.”