OVW Go Home Show! Never Knowingly Underbooked…

So much happened on this episode of OVW, that’s Ohio Valley Wrestling Overdrive, ahead of the Fight Night event on 29/3/22, that it was almost overstuffed, but it was exciting alright.

The Past

On Overdrive last week, new National Heavyweight champ Mahabali Shera gave a really affecting, human interview about his title win. Well, former OVW National champ Jesse Godderz felt differently and made so much noise, head honcho Al Snow granted him a rematch.

With a stipulation; if Jesse loses, he can’t challenge for that title for 50 days. Jesse didn’t seem too happy about that – come on man, it’s only a month and a half, kick back, train up, it will go by in a trice…and that was the issue with that proclamation, not really enough at stake.

What else did we see from the last OvW episode? The supposed Blanco Loco neck injury which was done so well, and took so long, it had even me pulled in. The tag team of Brandon Espinoza and Tom Coffey, Dysfunctional, attacked the badly injured Loco, they are fined and suspended by Big Al. I’ll bet they’ll be back soon, a bit like the Posse in Memphis Wrestling – this could be the making of Dysfunctional. 

And This Week?

Arie Alexander v Michelle Green

Apparently, Green is a ‘Swiss superstar’ and she gave a good showing against OVW Heavyweight champ Ryan Howe’s friend here too, with an early Thesz Press, punches, and a nice crossface. After a sweet Alexander German suplex, Green went for what the commentary team described as a sort of bulldog or DDT; it actually looked like a bit of a botch, but they didn’t let it affect the match. 

Of course, Howe got involved, tripping Green and being chased by Omar Amir, who also chased Howe’s Heavyweight title. 

 Green didn’t let it bother her, hitting a sweet-swinging neckbreaker or the pin. She rather let the win go to her head, giving us an emotional piece on the mic about leaving Switzerland and making it in the US as a wrestler, in OVW. That was all fine, but then she called out Women’s champ Freya The Slaya, who obliged and agreed to a match.

Then she left, surely safe enough for Green to leave now…I’d give it an hour or so, but Michelle didn’t and Freya took her chance to attack her on the walkway and smack her up.

Careful what you wish for, Michelle… 

Bundles v Ca$h Flo

Odd, this one, as these two are really part of the OVW tag team picture, the former with Eric Darkstorm, the latter with Dimes, both partners here to cause mayhem if they can. 

Flo and Dimes, both naughty heels in the past, are turning face, slowly. This is part of the path, Flo getting to work early with a huge senton but Bundles having the right idea to get the big man down by clipping the knee. Strangely, that never became a factor…

After Darkstorm helped Flo to the outside by pulling the top rope down and dragging him through forcibly, Dimes managed to introduce his protein powder to Eric’s eyes.

Of course, we didn’t see it, the camera missed it and the excellent Bryan and Stevie (as well as Shannon ‘The Dude’) had to explain it to us. Shame…

There wasn’t much more action, apart from a Bundles bear hug and a hold of the foot from Darkstorm a la Bobby Heenan, for the pin. 

Made Flo look less than pristine and I’m not sure for what purpose…

Meanwhile, On The Dark Side

Amon has the treated voice and blank contact lenses of a demonic character; they might as well have hired Jim ‘Sinister Minister’ Mitchell as a manager.

He laughs maniacally, works the Crixus blinded story (got to be careful with these kinds of angles, OVW), blows a candle out, and asks his opponent whether he’s afraid of the dark. It’s effective, I’ve just seen it lots of times before.

Is Matt Vine Being Pushed?

Here, the sort of goodfella was against debuting Omega, who sported a fetching purple and gold beaked mask.

There wasn’t much in this match, apart from a Vine clothesline and an immediate bounce up after a German suplex put him on the back of his head – surely a nasty suplex like that should at least cause some discombobulation? Never mind that! Vine won with a rather splendid-looking crescent kick.

He’s got something, has Mr. V and I’d say he was right for OVW mid-card majesty.

Star Rider Masterclass Almost Isn’t

Having lost the Rush Division title in a Scaffold Match at March Mayhem, the masked arrogance is stuck in a fatal 4-way with Jared Kripke, Mickey Midas, and ZDP – never seen the latter 3 in OVW before, so they might be wanting to make a splash.

And they almost do. Midas and Kripke dived over the top, with Star Rider last landing on all 3. ZDP hit a snug swinging neckbreaker, Kripke a sweet 619 in the corner and followed it up with an elbow off the top, but Star Rider had a lovely finish (and we all crave one of those).

It was a superkick, brainbuster, and frog splash combo which deserved the pin.

You’d have thought he’d be happy, but he screamed for Hyzaya to sign a match contract. Did I miss something? Match for what? Is Gustavo no longer the OVW Rush champ? So confusing, but Hyzaya appeared with a contract in hand, and then lights down and he was gone – ninja, see?

And Now For The Rather Overstuffed Main Event

Why do I call it overstuffed? Well, it was supposed to be Tony Bizo for his Kentucky Championship title – why Omar Amir would want that when he is pursuing the Heavyweight title, will become clear later on.

And it isn’t just those 2. Bizo brought Ricky Jones and Haley J with him. And they weren’t the only ones at ringside. 

So what happened? Early on Amir backdropped Bizo so high it almost shook the caramac colored hair from his head and he bailed, allowing Jones to get in Amir’s face at ringside, the ref between them, and the champ to use the time to aim punches to the challenger’s face.

The 2 Jones chokes were a thing of wrestling entertainment excellence. He sunk them in deep as the ref was distracted first by Bizo, then by Haley. But his Coast To Coast didn’t make the airport, even though Amir moved, it was too short, landed on the beach rather than the runway. 

Amir then mounted a comeback with his always smooth belly to belly off the ropes and a driving, diving clothesline.

But then the overstuffing began.

Arie Alexander came out with Ryan Howe. He held Amir as the ref was distracted for Haley to use her sock o’ rocks on him. Can you guess? Amir moved and Howe got clunked but didn’t seem to be laid out. Then Bizo landed his Death Vally Driver, the Bizo bomb, which no one kicks out of – Amir kicked out. Amir used his spinebuster Island Time but couldn’t cover. Lucious Lawrence, who has previously with Bizo and particularly Haley, arrived, and the same thing which happened 2 minutes ago occurred, sock o’rocks to the wrong, this time Bizo, who hit another Island Time for the pin.

That’s it, isn’t it? Omar Amir is the new OVW Heritage champ and we can leave happy. But no. Oh no. Omar declared to Howe that he’s now the number 1 contender for the Heavyweight title and it also allowed him to cash in his opportunity, which he will do at OVW Fight Night.

Hang on, when Lucious Lawrence became the first OVW Kentucky Heavyweight champ, he wasn’t the number 1 contender, was he? When Bizo won it recently, did he say he was no1? And since when was it a dream ticket or golden ticket cash-in belt? 

I don’t remember that. So did Omar Amir just declare it? Is he allowed to do that?

Never mind! It ended the show with a good feeling to go home. 

And Was It A Good Go Home Show?

By and large, yes. Lots going on, matches made for the OVW big show which seemed a bit arbitrary but not egregious, a big feud for the title coming to fruition (and hopefully an end).

This bodes well and this OVW episode was full of stuff; sometimes just bursting at the seams, that’s all.