DOUG WILLIAMS VS. COLT CABANA
York Hall, Bethnal Green, London, England.
After getting the OK from the man himself, here's a link to Colt Cabana's awesome podcast, Subscribe on iTunes if you don't already folks!
Oliver Bennet and Andy Simmons are on commentary for this match.
Doug Williams enters first and I don't think it's an exaggeration to call him a new age British wrestling icon. His entrance gets a reaction appropriate to his status, but he makes Simmons sick. Easy pick who's the heel here. For those who don't know Doug Williams has wrestled in TNA, Pro Wrestling NOAH and Ring of Honor, as well as British companies such as 1 Pro Wrestling and Frontier Wrestling Alliance. I'd call him the best person to come out of British wrestling this Millenium, behind only Nigel McGuinness. Colt Cabana is another legend on the independent scene working Ring of Honor, Chikara, 1 Pro Wrestling and many others. He also makes Simmons sick.
Colt Cabana is a former British heavyweight champion, the top championship in Revolution Pro Wrestling and it's been a while since he's worked for the company. He also gets a decent reaction from the crowd. World of Sport legend Johnny Saint is namedropped on commentary. They shake hands before locking up, Williams gets the best of Cabana forcing him into the corner. Williams breaks clean and pats Cabana down for weapons. Can't be too careful! Williams lets Cabana out of the corner and gets a waistlock, but Cabana gets control of Williams' arm. Williams drops down to one knee. Williams taken down to the mat as Cabana stretches the arm over his knee. Williams is able to get back to his feet and gets a top wristlock as I find out Simmons is Master trainer at a wrestling school. Williams tries to duck under and break the wristlock but Cabana squats down with him, haha! Williams breaks it and grabs a front facelock, but Cabana flips Williams over before we get a standoff.
Nice scientific wrestling here, confirmed by Simmons saying so. Grecco-Roman knuckle lock ends with Cabana caught in his own arms, he turns it around and breaks the hold, transitioning to an armwrench on Williams' arm. Cabana grabs a hammerlock but Williams rolls out of it and takes down a leg. Cabana rolls out and we get another circling, much to the appreciation of the crowd. Williams this time grabbing the arm, and taking control of the match. Cabana's facial expressions here are great. I get told Williams debuted in 1993, meaning he's wrestled longer than I've been alive. Holy shit. Anyway, Cabana teases rolling through and eventually does. Then he keeps rolling for a while. Williams releases but Cabana doesn't stop rolling. Williams jumps out of the ring to escape the madness and the crowd cheer as Cabana gets to his feet in the ring.
Andy Simmons has to be a party pooper and say that Cabana will have made himself dizzy and vulnerable during that, but Cabana takes a second in the corner after Williams gets in the ring so he might have a point. Williams gets a single leg takedown and tries to split Cabana in half, placing each foot on one of Cabana's knees and pushing out. Williams shuffles closer to Cabana and applies even more pressure. Cabana eventually finds it in him to reverse the hold into one of his own, but Williams rolls straight out of it. Cabana gets a single leg takedown and looks around, he gets “wooo” chants even though surely everyone who's ever watched wrestling knows what happens next. Cabana tries the hold again, but for a second time Williams rolls out. Cabana gets it on the third attempt and uses Williams' arm to wrench the pressure, but Williams breaks it and rolls out. Williams tries to run into the hold, kind of like a really weird drop kick, but just ends up hitting the mat. Cabana helps Doug Williams up with a sign of respect, to a round of applause by the fans.
Williams has the strength advantage and wins another lock up, putting one of Cabana's hands on the floor and moving, getting control of both arms behind Cabana's back. Williams pushes his head between Cabana's shoulder blades, adding pressure all the way up the arms to Cabana's shoulders. Cabana reverses it, and rolls back into a modified surfboard, with his boots in Williams' back. Cabana drops Williams into a body scissors, trying to roll them both back, but Williams rolls back forwards. They repeat this and Williams hurts his hand on landing. Cabana rolls them back again, but Williams breaks the body scissors and rolls forwards. Williams quick to his feet and he picks up speed, only to pin down Cabana, Cabana flips him over after 1 starting a series of one counts. Cabana gets a nearfall off a crucifix rollup and both men get to their feet.
They get a stalemate off shoulder barges and Williams rolls up Cabana for a sequence of nearfalls. Cabana keeps rolling through and eventually bridges out, much to Williams' reluctant appreciation. Both men get to their feet as the crowd chants for Cabana. Cabana gets a side headlock but is pushed off the ropes. Williams ducks too early and Cabana attempts a backslide but Williams turns out of it and hits a European uppercut! Cabana knocked down with the running edition. Williams snapmares Cabana over and applies a headscissors on the floor. Cabana rolls to his front and escapes, taking the British wrestling way out, technically. Before erm, spanking, Doug Williams. Cabana locks Williams' legs together, but Williams immediately grabs the bottom rope before it can be applied, so Cabana just uses them as a base to get to his feet.
Cabana lets Williams get to his own feet and Williams attacks, hitting Cabana high on his leg. Cabana then lets Williams spank him, but Williams hurts his hand. Andy Simmons says that's not appropriate because this is a family show. This same show had a hardcore match in. Cabana slaps Williams' hand and sends him across the ring. Cabana hits him in the corner with a shoulder tackle and sends him back. This time Williams gets his elbow up to meet Cabana's jaw. Williams slams Cabana down and hits a knee drop, but only gets a nearfall. Williams applies a chinlock, Cabana looks to have it loose, but Williams applies it tighter. Cabana fights to his feet and breaks Williams' grip but falls victim to a back suplex. Williams climbs to the top rope, but Cabana rolls to safety so he rolls through on the knee drop attempt.
Williams charges, but Cabana moves out of the way, Williams is able to stop himself but turns into an overhand chop. Williams misses the lariat, and Cabana hits a series of jabs and a bionic elbow. Shades of “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes. Williams takes refuge in the corner but gets hit with a Flying Asshole. One lone fan acknowledged this, and Cabana thanked him as he climbed to the middle rope. Williams rolls out of range, so Cabana lands on his feet and hits a jumping splash instead! 1, 2, no! Cabana can't believe he didn't get it. Cabana's also a former NWA World heavyweight champion, having an awesome best of 7 series over the championship with Adam Pearce. Unfortunately, I can't find the DVD with my limited sources. Cabana brings Williams to his feet and has control of the arm, more elbows to Williams' head. Williams controlling Cabana's arm now, but Cabana rolls through and hits more back elbows. Williams sends Cabana into the corner and hits a running knee. Cabana sent across the ring, he walks back into a flying European Uppercut! Williams hooks Cabana's leg and gets a close nearfall.
Doug Williams wants to hit the Chaos Theory, I want him to hit the Chaos Theory. Understandably, however, Colt Cabana does not and he runs to the corner. Cabana grabs the top rope and shoves Williams off, but runs into a strike in the ribs. Doug Williams hits the running knee lift, but Cabana answers back with another jumping hip attack. Cabana covers for another 2 count. Cabana calls for the Go 2 Sleep, because of his well-known friendship with CM Punk, but Williams slips out the back and sends Cabana into the ropes. Williams hits a belly to belly suplex! Williams runs into an elbow to the top of the head but hits Cabana with an uppercut. Chaos Theory stopped again as Cabana trips Williams up! Williams kicks Cabana into the corner, but Cabana bounces off with his foot, Williams tries to monkey flip Cabana over but Cabana traps his legs, Williams' shoulders are down! 1! 2! 3!
WINNER: COLT CABANA
Doug Williams is one of my favourite British wrestlers, and favourite worldwide technical wrestlers, and Cabana's both an indy favourite and a comedy favourite of mine so I knew I was in for a good match. Both men showed excellent wrestling ability, had the crowd eating from the palm of their hands and had fun during the match too. That showed through their ringwork and it was a pleasure to watch. Both men got to look excellent and the fans had a blast, as did I. The match was also important to the company as it was mentioned that it would put both men in contention for the RPW British heavyweight championship. – Rating: 7.8/10
Both men shake hands in the ring and Williams gives Cabana his moment. Cabana puts over the British wrestling scene, the fans, RPW and the building. Cabana talks about his history at High Stakes, beating Sha Samuels for the British Heavyweight championship, losing that belt to Marty Scurll a year later before not being there for a year. Luckily the anonymous Matt Classic helped him return last year and tonight he sits in that ring, then stands because he said the wrong word. He says he beat the best of British in Doug Williams and throws his name in the hat for a British Heavyweight championship shot. Matt Classic attacks Cabana from behind! He unmasks and it's Lord Gideon Grey! He says anyone can wear that mask and everyone knows it was Cabana under the mask at High Stakes 2015. I bet this is the kind of jerk that thinks Hulk Hogan was Mr America in 2003 too. Pfft. Prick.
Basically Lord Gideon Grey cheated using Riki Choshu to beat Colt Cabana and ban him from British wrestling. Matt Classic helped Cabana get reinstated and Lord Gideon Grey is pissed off at Cabana cheating. This seems fairly interesting. Cabana grabs Matt Classic's mask and heads to the back.
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