Southern California Championship Wrestling "SoCal Supercard"
January 15, 2005
Los Angeles, California
With Commentary by Kris Kloss and G.Q. Money

Representing Revolution Pro Wrestling: A.W.S. Light Heavyweight Championship and Revolution Pro Junior Heavyweight Championship Match: The Aerial Express (A.W.S. Light Heavyweight Champion Scorpio Sky and Revolution Pro Junior Heavyweight Champion Quicksilver) vs. The Human Tornado and Ronin

In a nutshell, both Sky's and Quick's titles are on the lines…if someone pins them, they win their championship. Ronin is quickly double-teamed, but Tornado is able to fare better. Ronin is able to start utilizing his stiff strikes, while Tornado is on the receiving end of a Silverado. After a few double-team moves, finisher teases, and a cluster-****, there's a referee bump, allowing Ronin to blast Quicksilver with one of the belts…only to be clotheslined over the top rope by Scorpio Sky. Sky is taken care of by Tornado, and Tornado hits the This ***** Be Dead on Quicksilver for the pinfall.

Analysis: Fun and exciting, a typical RevPro curtain-jerker. The Aerial Express are a thing of beauty here- both shine as singles competitors but are golden when working together. Despite some good wrestling that brought plenty to the match, it was painfully easy to see that Ronin and Human Tornado were a tag team due to the "two random guys that are good alone must be good together!" excuse. Although the match had the unique dynamic that the challenging team was supposed to not work together (because whoever scored the pin wouldn't just be winning one for the team, but winning a championship belt), it was clearly evident that Tornado and Ronin really had no idea what to do as a team. Even so, I still liked this match, and it's a great way to start out the set. ***¼

Representing Pacific Championship Wrestling: P.C.W. Heavyweight Championship Match: "Brawlin'" Bo Cooper vs. Al Katrazz

This is to determine a new P.C.W. Champion after the last one had to vacate the belt due to injury. Katrazz gains early control of the match with some slams and hard punches, but Bo hits a Sidewalk Slam and is able to stay in control utilizing many of the same techniques Al Katrazz used. Al Katrazz counters a slam into an Inverted DDT for 2, and then counters a Samoan Drop into a DDT to win the match and the vacant Heavyweight Championship.

Analysis: Short and to the point, and it could've been worse. It was a good match for the two big men; it was just really limited. As a short brawl, it was good. As a regular match, it'll do. **½

Representing Pro Wrestling WAR: Davey Richards vs. Tony Kozina vs. "The Generic Luchador" El Generico

Both Generico and Davey chop Kozina, and Generico is able to bust out both a spinning backdrop and a Split-Legged Moonsault. Kozina holds his own, while Davey is at the receiving end of an Avalanche Huracanrana, a Yakuza Kick, and a fierce dropkick from a Tree of Woe position. Davey misses a Shooting Star Press, and when Generico puts Davey into position for a Brainbuster, Kozina clips Generico's legs with a dropkick, adding more force to the Brainbuster but also causing Generico to grab his leg in pain, letting Kozina sneak in the winning a pinfall on Davey.

Analysis: Three men and good action gives WAR a solid showing. I've always been such a big El Generico fan, and he was at his usual level of goodness here. Davey I'm a bit half-and-half on. While I absolutely loved the stuff he did with Super Dragon, I've always thought of Davey as a little too KENTA-like for his own good. In this match, though, he displayed some of the good diversity that has made me usually refer to myself as a fan of his. I've never really liked Tony Kozina, but he had his working shoes on today and managed to play a convincing heel. All told, one of the better matches of the night. ***¼

Representing Pro Wrestling Guerilla: P.W.G. Heavyweight Championship Match: Super Dragon © vs. "Photogenic" Chris Bosh

Oh hell yes. There's lots of mat wrestling to start out, but Super Dragon quickly becomes more of a risk-taker than usual, as he gets in both an Avalanche Headscissors and a Tope Con Hilo. Bosh is able to reverse the Psycho Driver II into a neckbreaker, and dominates from there, scoring several key nearfalls. In retaliation, Super Dragon hits a Double Stomp so fierce you have to wonder how it didn't collapse Bosh's stomach and/or chest. Super Dragon puts Bosh into an entirely new world of hurt with two Curbstomps, but Bosh kicks out and hits the Lion ****! Both men then exchange super-close near-falls, the highlight of which sees Bosh nailing the Maximum Bosh for 2¾ and Super Dragon nailing a Tiger Driver for 2¾. Super Dragon brings out the heavy artillery and is able to finally put Chris Bosh down by utterly annihilating him with a brutal Psycho Driver III.

Analysis: Simply great. Why we haven't seen more Bosh/Dragon matches is something I'd like to find out. This is a great match featuring two of P.W.G.'s best. Bosh sold like a champ, dished out pain like a champ, and made the champ work hard to keep his championship. It's really hard to describe what makes Super Dragon so appealing. Not only does he basically have an aura of quiet hostility, everything he does in this match comes off polished, crisp, and oh so violent. The best thing about a Super Dragon match is when the story revolves around something like "You do not **** with Super Dragon. This is what happens when you do." That story was in full-force here, but so was Bosh's own story of slight comedy but non-stop heart. If you're a fan of these two, you know how it is. You probably thought this would be the best match on the card, just by looking at it. You weren't wrong. ***½

Representing Revolution X Wrestling: Bigg E. Biggz and Cyanide vs. Kaos and El Mongol

The match begins outside the ring, and stays that way for some time. Both Biggz and Cyanide get worked over with a chair, but Biggz comes back with a chair to Kaos. Cyanide is busted open by Kaos as Mongol chokes out Biggz with some wire. Kaos gets the 1-2-3 on Cyanide after putting a chair on top of him and hitting a Frog Splash.

Analysis: Nothin' but a big 'ol cluster-****. It wasn't even all that well done…just one big brawl with no real flow or direction. It was short, too. It also unfortunately set the tone for the rest of the night, at least in regards to match length. Unless you've got a couple minutes to spare, bear no qualms about skipping this one. **

Representing the Empire Wrestling Federation: "Ghetto Psycho" Big Q and Kenny King vs. Cyrus and Plague

King executes a very nice Spinning Crossbody to the outside, but misses a Discus Lariat and is rocked with a Flying Shoulder Block by Plague. King has his back worked over, but most of the time the two teams see-saw control of the match. Q and King are able to put away Plague with an Elevated Complete Shot.

Analysis: Most of the goodness in this match was due to Kenny King. I'm not a super-fan of his, but the man has got talent. I'd like to see where he ends up in the next few years. Plague and Cyrus were big guys that did big guy things well, and Big Q was basically a fat guy that tried to do big guy things. It was a decent match, bordering on good, but fell slightly short due to its length. **¾

Representing the Inoki Dojo (N.J.P.W.-U.S.A.): Iceman vs. "Scrap Iron" Adam Pearce

Iceman hits a nice spinning enzugiri on the outside, but Adam counters a suplex into the ring, nailing Iceman with a Crossbody to get the win.

Analysis: Wow. What the hell was that?! No joke…damn.. How can I not crucify this match? This was an absolute waste. What's the point of even booking the match if it's going to end in under a minute? There's so much wasted potential here it's not even funny. *

Representing Ultimate Pro Wrestling: Ma'Koa and Lil' Nate vs. The Predator and Andrew Hellman

Not only is "The Predator" Sylvester Terkay, Lil' Nate looks like an exact clone of Justin Guarini. There's some chain wrestling by Nate and Hellman, and Ma'Koa is able to utilize some slams to keep big Terkay down. 'Lil Nate bites both of his opponents until The Predator destroys him. Terkay accidentally takes out his own partner with a lariat, and Nate is able to hit a Yoshi Tonic on Andre Hellman for the win.

Analysis: Everyone had a few positives here. Terkay was at his monster heel best, and displayed some good agility for a man his size. Andrew Hellman was a tad bland, but nothing I couldn't deal with. Ma'Koa was a regular hoss, and Lil' Nate was a hilarious yet good wrestler. A simple little match, but you learn to appreciate the simple things after the match before this one. ***

Representing Luchamania: T.J. Boy vs. Psicosis

Lucha quickness~! starts out the match. T.J. hits a nice Avalanche Swinging-Into Huracanrana, then a Suicide Dive. Psicosis lures in T.J. Boy with a handshake, only to nail a spinning roundhouse kick and later a reverse suplex. Psicosis nails an Avalanche Huracanrana, but T.J. Boy reverses a Powerbomb into a facebuster. T.J. hits a beauty of a Somersault Legdrop after suplexing Psicosis onto the ropes, but Psicosis is too close to the edge and easily gets a rope break. T.J. is able to hit a Somersault Plancha, but Psicosis blasts T.J. Boy with a big Complete Shot, and turns it into a Koji Clutch while they're on the ground, giving Psicosis a tap-out victory.

Analysis: Another fine match, and another highlight of the card. Lots of Lucha goodness here: quick and miraculous dives, lots of athleticism, and some good character development. It was given just the right amount of time to get over T.J.'s resilience while also showing that Psicosis beat him due to his many years in wrestling. Psicosis can still bring the goods when he tries, and T.J. Boy was more than able to keep up with a dedicated, willing-to-bust-his-ass Psicosis. ***¼

Representing Alternative Wrestling Show: A.W.S. Heavyweight Championship Match: Babi Slymm © vs. Scott Lost

Scott can't ground Slymm and gets a Flapjack for his troubles. Scott is able to take Slymm down by never letting up: he hits the Superman Spear, a Superkick, a Running Enzugiri, and even some top-rope moves. Slymm suddenly gets the win with a decimating spear that folds up Lost.

Analysis: Short, but fun. Why would a main event with this much potential be so short? Slymm is a beast of a man, but Scott found a very convincing way of going toe-to-toe with him. Lost and Slymm could've had every bit as good of a match as Bosh and Super Dragon, but they didn't. I can only guess that this was due to time constraints, because this match was just getting started. Although it was short, it was very good compared to the other short matches of the night. If anything, the only real detractor here is that it would've been great if only it would have gone a decent length. **¾

Bonus Matches from Kings of Hardcore

Shopping Cart of Death Match: Homeless Jimmy vs. No Mercy Video's Leroy

Jimmy hits Leroy with a lariat and a dropkick, but gets battered with a crutch and then gets a chair to his back that had a bunch of light bulbs attached to it. Leroy is then killed when he's blasted in the face with four light tubes held together. From there, it's basically all Jimmy. Leroy gets a powerslam through the Lawn Chair of Doom (a lawn chair wrapped in barbwire), has his face busted in with a hubcap, and he's driven through a table with barbwire on it to finally end the match, giving the win to Homeless Jimmy.

Analysis: Mostly a squash, but it was fun. Mostly a brawl, but it had some good weapon usage. It was a garbage match through and through, but it knew its niche and worked in it well. The actual shopping cart wasn't used too much, but it had its moments. As a deathmatch, it wasn't particularly brutal, and as a regular match, it wasn't particularly good. But it'll pass the time. **½

Bed and Bats of Barbed Wire Match: Buddy George vs. Lonestar

There's lots of stalling, but George ends up going through the bed. Both men utilize the all-too-real cinder blocks placed inside the ring. I know they're real because they don't budge one inch. Both men are soon bleeding, with Lonestar coming out the worst for wear. Lonestar is sandwiched between the now-halves of the bed (it broke when George went through it) and gets a big splash courtesy of George, but kicks out. Lonestar manages to hit, of all things, a neckbreaker to get the win.

Analysis: A cluster-**** through and through, and a bit of a squash, but still marginally entertaining. More hardcore than the last match, which is a plus. The barbed wire wasn't used as much as I would have liked, but the blood did flow and the brawling was halfway entertaining. It's not the best bonus in the world, but like the match before it, it's not a waste of time. **½

Final Thoughts: There's a lot of diversity in SoCal Supercard. But is that a positive or a negative? In truth, it's a bit of both. SoCal Supercard accomplishes a lot of things. For one, it gives you a unique feel of ten different promotions. With just one match, I'm able to see the types of matches an entire company is about. There's a lot of diversity here, and everyone tried their best to make their particular fed shine as the best. While WAR and P.W.G. were my honest favorites, promotions like Luchamania impressed me enough to think about looking into them. While some matches were very short, most of them gave me a "this is what we're all about" feel. But, of course, the crux here is that with ten matches, some of them got cut unmercifully short. Just about every match on this card had loads of potential, but roughly only half of them were fully realized. Those that were fully realized, like Bosh/Dragon, were a sight to behold.

In regards to bang for the buck, this is another solid show that's more than worth the $5 you can find it for at Highspots. There's loads of matches, some decent bonuses, and for all the crap I've seen thrown his way, Kris Kloss was actually halfway decent on commentary, as was GQ Money. All rolled together, this is a literal buffet of SoCal. While there may be some bad pickings in the bunch, the stuff that's good is very enticing. For any SoCal fan that would like a bit of diversity in their watchings, you'll have no problem with this one.

Final Rating for Southern California Championship Wrestling "SoCal Supercard": ***¼