Wrestling Review // Pro Wrestling GRIND You Better Run 11/20/21 @ Florence, MA

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You Better Run was only the second show from Pro Wrestling GRIND and just to show how good of a show it was I would like to state that when I was growing up watching wrestling (back in the 1990's) there wasn't really independent wrestling like there is today.  There were some shows at VFW's and in high school gyms, sure, but they usually brought out main event matches with Jerry Lawler and whoever owned the rights to Doink the Clown at the time.  On this night alone, there were at least three other solid wrestling shows we could have attended and had a great time, proving that independent wrestling is alive and well.

The first thing we noticed when we got to this place was the chandelier hanging above the ring.  I knew it was only a matter of time before someone hit it.  This was a feeling that stuck with me up until the end, as during the second to last match I even told Jess that Matt Makowski vs Alec Price was saved for last because Alec Price was going to bring that chandelier down.  No one ever did though and that's probably for the better because of property damage, injuries, etc.  Still, this was a nice place to have wrestling and everywhere GRIND has been so far seems to have that setting of somewhere you want to be not just somewhere that wrestling is (I find that to be important)

One of the fun things about this show is that being as it was the second show it had people who had won their first match at Who Made Who as well as those who lost and were debuting.  GRIND also really seems to know what they're doing with tag team wrestling and that was evidenced in the first match between The Mane Event and Shook Crew.  This was our second night in a row seeing Shook Crew and Quentin had his bandana on again.  Once we got to the show, Ringleader Midas saw that and was like "Oh, we have to change that".

In a funny part of the match that maybe only they will remember, Jay Lyon started off the match by attacking Bobby Jr, which upset Quentin because he loves Bobby Jr.  Later on during the match, Jay Lyon got knocked off the ring apron and landed in front of us.  Quentin stood up and started yelling "That's what you get for messing with Bobby Jr!" to the surprise of everyone around him but also perhaps most of all Jay Lyon, Jess and me.  After the match though Jay Lyon and Quentin made peace and Quentin is a fan of The Mane Event they just happened to be up against Shook Crew.

The second match was somewhat of a dream match for me as Davienne took on Jordan Blade.  We saw Davienne and Jordan Blade both the night before but not against each other.  This was a big deal because Jordan Blade is making a name throughout New England and beyond this last year, really just becoming one of the most terrifying wrestlers out there today.  At the same time, Davienne has been here and is what many refer to as the gatekeeper.   These two wrestlers are also similar in styles, both tough as hell and so when that comes together inside of that ring it is something that very few can create together so it was definitely worth seeing it live.

Up next we had Perry Von Vicious taking on the debuting Nolo Kitano.  We had seen Nolo Kitano before, at Camp Leapfrog, but this was our first time seeing him live one v one.  This was a fun match and a huge win for Perry Von Vicious, as he is now 2-0 in GRIND.  Of note, Davienne is also 2-0 in GRIND while The Mane Event is now 1-1.   It will be interesting to see if this all ever comes into play at some point and if there is ever a championship or trophy of some sort created for those with the most wins.

Rip Byson once again took us to intermission, this time taking on the debuting Jay Freddie, who we have seen throughout Test Of Strength and just really, really enjoy.  I always feel like Jay Freddie was this guy who was in WWE for a bit, got released and then made a bigger name for himself outside of WWE.  I'm not sure he was ever in WWE, but he just has that way about him, where he feels like a wrestler's wrestler.   This match was just insane.  You knew going in that these two would beat the absolute hell out of each other and that's exactly what they did.  Definitely a match for future generations to learn from.

After intermission there were only three matches left and I thought MSP was going to main event again, especially since Culture Inc were from furthest away.  That match happened next though and Culture Inc jumped MSP during their entrance, flying out of the ring and onto them.  This was just another great example of how tag team wrestling can work.  I feel like it's difficult for someone who is an independent wrestler to commit to being in a tag team, but the fact that there were four solid tag teams on this show just goes to show you that it can be done and that when those types of teams get together- the ones which are truly bonded- that's when the magic is truly made.

In his GRIND debut, Myung Jae Lee took on Travis Huckabee in a hard fought contest.  Travis Huckabee might have gotten the win, but Myung Jae Lee looked good and it seems like GRIND is the type of promotion made for a wrestler of his particular skillset.  Hopefully we see more of Myung Jae Lee in GRIND in the future- a match with someone else who is 0-1 perhaps to give someone a win- and really Myung Jae Lee should just be booked all around because he's bringing something unique to that ring every time.   After the match, Travis Huckabee kept the assault going so Perry Von Vicious came out and made the save.  GRIND won't return until January, but it already looks like we're going to get PVV vs Travis Huckabee.

The main event was a big match because it featured two of the best wrestlers in the world today and both of them were 1-0 in GRIND going into the match.  Limitless Wrestling Champion Alec Price took on Matt Makowski, who could be on his way to becoming the Independent Wrestling Champion or maybe even a champion somewhere else (such as when ROH returns if he got a shot at the Pure Title)  Both of these wrestlers though- and I feel this through a lot of this show- just have that way about them where they're dangerous but only because their hands and feet are their weapons.

To think of this as being only the second GRIND show is crazy to me.  It feels like this promotion has been going on for years and this is just when we happened to stumble into it.  There are probably a ton of names I'll think of in the next month or so, but it would be really cool to see Jordan Blade back in GRIND, MERC back as well and to see names like Mike Skyros, Anthony Henry, Max ZERO and others possibly debut.  Not setting my sights too high, but how awesome would Rip Byson vs Jeff Cobb be in GRIND?  With WARHORSE coming in January, the sky seems to be the limit and if you've missed these first two shows it's time to wake up.