Post by Dustin Salyers on Oct 7, 2015 15:21:52 GMT -7
The first event in the rebirth of NWA Lone Star featured a much anticipated return match as the main event as Adrian Neville successfully defended the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship against record-setting former Champion, and the man he defeated to win the Championship, Bryan Danielson. Danielson would set the tone early on with his trademark aggression and an utter disregard for the rulebook, grounding Neville and frustrating the referee endlessly. Neville would change the pace by countering a running knee with a school boy roll through followed by a thunderous spinning roundhouse kick to the kneeling Danielson. Neville maintained his advantage with a relenting pace and his near mastery of strikes and counters but Danielson showed his stubbornness by refusing to keep his shoulders on the mat for even a two count. Neville would eventually score a near fall with a bridging German suplex but loss all the momentum he had built when he found nothing but canvas with his Red Arrow. Danielson rushed to gain an advantage, using an array of suplexes and a Cattle Mutilation that he maintained through the count of four after his bridge carried him into the ropes. Danielson would follow Neville into the corner for a high knee before backflipping off the top rope and looking for a crooked arm lariat, only to be flattened with a superkick. Neville followed up with the Spaceman Plancha after Danielson had rolled under the bottom rope to slow the momentum of the Champion. Neville broke the count before trying to bring Danielson back into the ring but found himself tossed into the guardrail for his trouble. Danielson would try to whip Neville into the apron as well but Neville shocked everyone by using the bottom rope to spin on the apron and connect with a hurricanrana.
Once back in the ring, Neville would maintain control and score several near falls before missing the British Airways and then being countered into a drop-toe-hold across the second rope. Danielson would be showered with disdain from the crowd after kicking the second rope as Neville still lay motionless across it and then using a double wristlock to hold Neville while repeatedly stomping the Champion's chest. Neville would somehow roll his shoulder at the last moment during the ensuing near fall and then escaped defeat once more as he slid completely under the bottom rope to avoid Danielson as he attempted to secure the Lebell Lock. Danielson would follow with a suicide dive but Neville was able to avoid the contact, leaving the former Champion crumpled against the guardrail. Neville would toss Danielson under the bottom rope and then pull himself onto the apron before catching the barely standing challenger with a Dragonrana for the expected victory. A guttural gasp from the crowd seemed to mimic the unlikely kick out from Danielson, leaving Neville to stare at the lights for inspiration. Neville would kick Danielson several times as he tried to rise before having his foot caught for an obvious Dragon Screw that the Champion countered into an enziguri. Danielson would duck the ensuing kick though and counter once more with a reverse Dragon Screw that saw the ever impressive Neville thwart with a cartwheel. The crowd would seem to applaud both men through a series of counters that would continue for a couple minutes before Danielson attempted a Brainbuster that was countered by a knee to the head, followed by a slingshot Cutter. Neville would quickly reposition Danielson as the crowd continued to show their appreciation for the previous series and then finished his successful defense with the Flaming Star Press. Both men would receive a standing ovation as Neville would help Danielson to his feet, but the Champion was left standing alone in the center of the ring as Danielson balked at a handshake and was subsequently showered with trash by the crowd as he walked to the locker room.
The first half of the opening round of the Flyweight Championship Tournament dominated the rest of the event with four outstanding matches that could have headlined independent shows across the World. Ricochet would advance in a match that exceeded expectations thanks to his amazing talents and Rocky Romero's ability to make his opponent's offense look even more impressive. Ricochet would kick out of the Foreign Devil and counter the Kurayami Piledriver en route to a victory with his Benadryller followed by a 630 senton. Low Ki would secure his spot in the second round by consistently countering the aerial prowess of Tigre Uno and utilizing his unmatched strikes. Tigre Uno would score a near fall with his moonsault slam but found a set of knees with his Sabretooth Splash, leading to Low Ki using his Krush Rush and finishing the match with a devastating Warrior's Wrath. The Amazing Red and Rich Swann would have the most athletic match of the night, as well as the most competitive, giving the sense that either man could have won throughout the match. Swann would score a near fall with the Rich Kick and a standing 450 splash but Red was able to avoid the Five Star Swann Splash and capitalized with the Seeing Red to score his own near fall. Red would find nothing by canvas with the Infrared and then have his Satellite DDT countered into a Northern Lights suplex for a near fall, leading to a Backflip Nika Kick and then the Chicken Fried Driver from Swann to end the match. Brian Kendrick played the crafty veteran perfectly, allowing Kalisto to garner the empathy of the crowd en route to his own impressive victory. Kalisto would struggle throughout the match to secure a victory with his Salida del Sol as Kendrick knew every counter imaginable as he mastered the technique over fifteen years prior. Kendrick would score a near fall with his Electric Mayhem but his advantage seemed to evaporate after he missed his Whirling Twirlixer, allowing Kalisto to toss him under the bottom rope and hit the Rising Sun for the victory as Kendrick struggled back to his feet. After Ricochet's victory it was announced that the Houston Convention Center will play host to NWA Lone Star and the first half of the Quarterfinals of the Flyweight Championship Tournament in two weeks, featuring Ricochet battling Kalisto and Low Ki versus Rich Swann.
NWA Lone Star began the event with their trademark "Six Shooter Showdown" match in order to determine the 16th and final participant in the Flyweight Championship Tournament, as well as Rey Misterio Jr.'s first round opponent next week at the Las Alas Community Center in El Paso, Texas. With only five of the six participants announced prior to the event, and an average age of less than 27, the match promised to showcase the rising, young talent awaiting their opportunity across the wrestling industry, most notably in Mexico. There were several, yet well designed, tense moments prior to the arrival of the unknown last man before "Summer Night in Spain" would eventually echo through the ballroom, sending the crowd into an audible roar of emotion and a perceived bolt of electricity through the five men standing impatiently in the ring. Juventud Guerrera, donning a redesign of his familiar mask, stepped onto the entrance stage, violently shook his head and then basked in the ovation of the crowd as he made his way to the ring for the opening bell of the night. The match itself could be best described as a brilliant marriage between a World renowned acrobat for Barnum & Bailey and an inexperienced stuntman working on a straight to video movie. With bodies flying in and out the ring it would be hard for the most ardent wrestling fan to determine who would have the advantage, but there was no denying the exceptional, yet varied talent of the men involved. There were highlights throughout the match including a Death Star DDT from Cross, a Garra del Fenix onto Mistico and Guerrera's Final Justice flattening Cross, but nothing seemed close to ending the match. Flamita would eventually slide under the bottom rope and intercept Horus with the Flame Fly as the latter was preparing for yet another dive to the outside of the ring to score the unlikely three count and cement his inclusion for the Flyweight Championship Tournament. In a great sign of respect, Rey Misterio Jr. would come to the ring sans his entrance music and congratulate Flamita on his victory and thank each of the participants for their efforts, culminating in an apprehensive handshake between himself and Guerrera.
Friday, October 2nd, 2015
Ballroom C at the Dallas Convention Center
Dallas, Texas
1,491 Fans
1. "Six Shooter Showdown" Flyweight Championship Tournament Qualifying Match: Flamita defeats Fenix, Matt Cross, "La Nueva Era" Mistico, Rey Horus & Juventud Guerrera (36:13) when Flamita used the Flame Fly on Horus
2. Flyweight Championship Tournament First Round Match: "King of Flight" Kalisto defeats Brian Kendrick (13:31) with the Rising Sun
3. Flyweight Championship Tournament First Round Match: "King of Swerve" Rich Swann defeats Amazing Red (19:35) with the Chicken Fried Driver
4. Flyweight Championship Tournament First Round Match: "World Warrior" Low Ki defeats "Gato Suicida" Tigre Uno (11:52) with the Warrior's Wrath
5. Flyweight Championship Tournament First Round Match: "Future of Flight" Ricochet defeats "Mr. Forever" Rocky Romero (13:17) with a 630 senton
6. NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship Match: "The Man That Gravity Forgot" Adrian Neville (c) defeats "American Dragon" Bryan Danielson (58:26) with the Flaming Star Press