Wrestling Review //
Blitzkrieg! Pro
"Always The Hard Way"
December 30th, 2022
The Wrestival / Worcester MA
One of the things I realized going into Day 2 of The Wrestival was not only did we plan on seeing the best shows in person, but it also felt smart in some ways to have that first show of the day and then dip way about it all because it got us home earlier and we also weren't sitting at the White Eagle for what felt like forever. After Pizza Party Pro the day before Blitzkrieg! Pro, I had this energy like "I want more wrestling!" and instead of staying for Wrestling Open I just harnessed that energy for "Always The Hard Way".
I often feel like I'm biased when I'm talking about Blitzkrieg! Pro because it is my home promotion, but I heard a lot of other people throughout the weekend echo my sentiments about this show so I don't feel that biased any more. The way I look at "Always The Hard Way", as a card on paper before the show even starts was: You could see someone such as Alex Shelley on another show at The Wrestival and you could see Dr. Redacted at another show as well but they wouldn't be on the same show.
Match for match, no one else matched the variety and star power that Blitzkrieg! Pro did with "Always The Hard Way". This was also the only show at the entire Wrestival to feature Bussy and that felt like a big deal to me as well, since by Saturday they'd go to NJ for GCW. Worcester fans who loved Alec Price would certainly come to see him, but also stick around to see names like Bobby Orlando and Miracle Generation later in the show.
It was announced in advance that Alec Price vs Alex Shelley was opening the show and I really do believe that helped bring some people in at the start. Alec Price has had one of the best years of any other wrestler and this had real past vs future vibes. It was a good match, a good way to start "Always The Hard Way", but I'm not a big fan of Alex Shelley in 2022. I loved Alex Shelley in ROH and even TNA, but in a modern sense I'd rather see other wrestlers. And that's something I don't fully understand about myself either because sometimes I see people I started watch wrestle twenty years ago and it can be so meaningful, but other times I just feel like they should've stayed in the past.
Up second was a match between Matt Tremont and CPA. I enjoyed this match because Matt Tremont leaned more into the comedy side of the wrestling than CPA leaned into the death match style. After ICWNHB the night before and the upcoming gauntlet Matt Tremont would win, it was nice to see Matt Tremont in a different light. Tremont also is in the best shape of his career and it shows each and every time he gets into that ring.
While I knew that the threeway match would be about the future of Blitzkrieg! Pro, I didn't know it would be for a Bedlam Title shot. The Wrestival has a lot going on and I sometimes forget things. I think, eventually, TJ Crawford should start challenging for the big titles in promotions anyway, but Dante Drago winning this match was a nice surprise. Dante Drago really is the future of professional wrestling and it will be fun to see him get a title shot.
On the down low, there seems to be this shift in power in Blitzkrieg! Pro where certain wrestlers over the past few years have gone from being booed to being cheered. The B!P Faithful have embraced Shook Crew with cheers and even Travis Huckabee has his own cheering section. Outside of The CDC, there just aren't really too many people in Blitzkrieg! Pro right now that can draw the same boos that Dante Drago can, and I respect him for that. After he gets his title shot though, the B!P Faithful might also respect him more.
In a Falls Count Anywhere match, Leary defeated Dr Redacted. I feel like the Blitzkrieg! Pro Faithful are still unsure about what is going to happen when they see Dr Redacted. I'm going to tell you a story now that reminds me of when Dr Redacted comes to B!P. Back in the early 2000's, I saw Hot Water Music play at the El N Gee Club- which is not a big deal, I saw them play a lot back then- and at that time only a few people knew who Recover was but they opened the show. So you just have to imagine all these people there to see Hot Water Music and then Recover starts up with their sound, and a moshpit immediately breaks out (which those who didn't know Recover weren't expecting to happen)
Just that idea of coming out to wrestle and fans not knowing what to expect. I think even ICWNHB had that thought for a while- where they weren't quite sure what to make of Redacted but now they know he brings the violence and they are happy for it. The B!P Faithful might never get ~used to~ the style of Dr Redacted and I think that just makes the whole experience even better.
One of my favorite matches of the weekend saw BUSSY defeat Anthony Greene and Ava Everett. I want to see this match eventually run back but in singles. I want to see Effy vs AG, Effy vs Ava, Allie vs AG, Allie vs Ava... I think it'd be so good, especially if they got down to more of a serious wrestling style as well in the 1v1. But this match was less about "Hey, let's fight" and more about "Hey, let's kiss" and sometimes in wrestling you just need to pause and take the time to appreciate your opponents.
Travis Huckabee submitted Kirby Wackerman next and after the match Kirby Wackerman looked frustrated. I wonder if that's going to play out into anything eventually, where maybe Kirby Wackerman has to take on a new mentor and embrace the dark side if he wishes to win. Which, to his credit, Travis Huckabee didn't really cheat during this match either, so maybe even Huckabee could mentor Kirby.
Bobby Orlando defeated Alan Angels and thank goodness. I only really know who Alan Angels is because I believe he was in ACTION Wrestling when I first started watching them. But he has one wing on his tights and I just feel like his whole presentation is admitting he's half the wrestler that Christopher Daniels is. Not sure that's a good thing to admit, but to each their own and it's always fun seeing Bobby Orlando so at least we had someone to collectively boo.
When Alan Angels came out he asked "Who is this guy?" and pointed to Bobby Orlando. I told him "That's my mom!" and he repeated back "That's your mom??" This is clearly why Alan Angels lost this match because if you're failing to prepare yourself against your opponents by getting to know who they are, then you've already lost in a lot of ways.
The Ladder Hell Match for the Blitzkrieg! Pro Tag Team Titles was a lot of chaos. There were at least four opportunities for Miracle Generation to win but instead they did a flip off the ladder. Ultimately, they did win, so I guess it's whatever, but I also feel like Juba could've just grabbed the titles by standing on his tippy toes. Still, I'm sad MSP lost, especially after the year they've had in Blitzkrieg! Pro,
This main event is something I've been waiting for literally since the first time I saw Andy Brown in Blitzkrieg! Pro. Andy Brown has all of what it takes to hold gold everywhere and when he defeated Travis Huckabee in a Number One Contender's Match at "Mercy Me", I knew it was only a matter of time for VSK. VSK, to his credit, tried everything and then some to defeat Andy Brown but he just couldn't do it.
So we're heading into the New Year of Blitzkrieg! Pro with new Tag Team Champions in Miracle Generation, but also with Andy Brown as the new Bedlam Champion and his first title defense will be against Dante Drago. Blitzkrieg! Pro is also just the only promotion above the CT border that really wants us to see BUSSY on a regular basis and so I'm excited for that as well. I'm very excited for the future of Blitzkrieg! Pro, and after this show, you should be too.
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