EPW Thirst for Gold

This month's taping of Empire Pro Wrestling was aptly titled Thirst for Gold as it feature several title matches. The evet was back in Oklahoma City at the Southern Oaks Recreation Center. There was a card subject to change issue from the poster. The last one I could find had Sam Stackhouse on it but he did not appear.

The opening contest was set for one fall and for the EPW ITV Championship. The challenger was the Bloodhound from Hell N'Zane with the leader of the Psychotic Messengers Lucien Lovless against the champion Ozzy Hendrix. The match started with N'Zane sliding between Ozzy's legs. For getting the upper hand, Lucien called N'Zane a good boy I guess it was failed to be mentioned N'Zane is a dog human hybrid. N' Zane follows up his unorthodox offense with with a few different holds. Those holds did include an arm bar where it appeared that N'Zane humped the arm. This is more of an inconvenience for Hendrix than any really power offense N'Zane would eventually put Ozzy into a rear chin lock and would lick the back of his head. Hendrix would be able to stand up and drop backwards to break this hold. The two men would get up and N'Zane would fing himself on the painful end of a Back Body Drop. Hendrix would try to end the match here with a pin put only get a two. However, Ozzy was not able to gain any momentum from this as N'Zane was back in control. Eventually the two men would start to trade blows resulting in Ozzy Hendrix getting the upper hand that leads to a suplex. Both men are worn out by this and the ref starts a 10 count. N'Zane goes to the outside. Lucien as a responsible pet owner provides water to N'Zane. Hendrix is visibly angered in the ring by this action. When N'Zane starts to re-enter the ring, Ozzy hits him with a surprise hanging neck breaker. Ozzy makes the pin. Howerver Lucien puts N'Zane's foot on the rope. Ozzy tries to follow up his offense with what looked like the set up for a Cross Rhodes but N'Zane stopped that with a stunner. N'Zane is able to pick the leg and put Ozzy into a single leg boston crab then into a modified STF. N'Zane calls this a dog lock. Lucien is encouraging N'Zane with a few good boys, however Ozzy can make it to the ropes for a break. The two men get up and start to trade punches . Ozzy gets the advantage with a headbutt. While N'Zane is on the mat he grabbed Ozzy's leg and starts to bite it. Once Ozzy gets rid of that ankle bitting, he gives N'Zane a stunner and tries to put this bad dog down. Does not work. Ozzy then goes to the top for splash. Ozzy Hendrix would retain the title off this move. After the match, N'Zane would attack Ozzy with several kicks to nether region.

The next match features Wolf of War with Lucian Loveless against Mr. Barnes. Mr. Barnes gets booed almost immediately. The two men tie up to start the match but that goes no where. The two men would separate but then start to trade blows. Wolf would try to take Mr. Barnes down with a clothes line. Mr. Barnes did not go down. Barnes would take Wolf down with a shoulder block and pin Wolf for a one count. The two big men would get back to their feet and tie up again. This time Wolf would force Mr. Barnes into the corner. Wolf of War would unleash a massive chop against Mr. Barnes. This series of chops would echo throughout the arena. Mr. Barnes would fight his way out of the corner and deliver a clothes line to Wolf of War. Mr. Barnes would pin his opponent for a two count. Then he would follow it up with a boot on the chest pin for a single count. Wolf would be the firs to his feet and hit Barnes with a DDT. Barnes would roll out of the ring. After taking a breather, Barnes would make the ref ensure Wolf stayed back so he could get in. The two men would then start to exchange blows which would eventually back Wolf of War into a corner. Barns would back up to deliver a splash. Wolf moves. He then follows it up with a full nelson slam for the win. Your winner Wolf of War.

Tyler Watts comes unexpectedly comes out. He then calls Duncan Kincade out to discuss how he acted at the last show in Shawnee. Duncan would eventually come out. Tyler told him that he had a choice. This choice is Sinister Vanity or Saints of Pro Wrestling. Duncan lets his action speak. He punches Tyler. The ref that was there for the scheduled match decides to go ahead and ring the bell. The end of Sinister Vanity has definitely been established. Kincade would headbutt and choke Tyler Watts the entire match. Kincade would also work the leg of Tyler Watts with various holds including a spinning toe hold that would get him a one count. Tyler is able to make so offense happen for himself. This included a DDT and smashing Duncan Kincade's face into a table on the outside. That did not last long. Duncan would jab Tyler Watts in the eye to stop that. After not being able to put Tyler Watts away with a Samoan spike, Duncan calls for help from the back. Out comes the Capo Scott Sanders, The Natural Born Killer Shawn Sanders, and Mr, Barnes, the remaining members of Saints of Pro Wrestling. They deliver a massive beatdown on Tyler. Tyler Watts would be left laying in the ring after a triple chokeslam into a powerbomb.

Simon the Elegant versus Father Padge was the last match before intermission. The two men would start by circling the ring and sizing each other up. The two men would go to tie up but instead Simon would duck behind. Padge would knock him off with a elbow. Padge would then deliver a high knee to the young Simon before kicking him in the back. Padge is just toying with Simon at this point. Jason gets up. Padge goes for a clothes line but Jason ducks down. When Padge turns around Jason get him with a spinning head scissors. Jason continues to ramp up the pace with a hurricanranna. Padge slows the pace by rolling to the outside. When Padge re-enters the ring, he charges Jason but Jason side steps him. Jason then hits him with a drop kick. Jason puts Padge in a head lock. Padge escapes with a series of gut punches. Padge hits Jason with a shoulder tackle taking him down. He attempts to follow it up with an elbow drop but misses. Jason does a quick roll up for a one. Padge answers with super kick. Then set him up for a black mass. Misses and Jason goes for a pin. No good. Padge gets up and hits the black mass for a victory.

The action picked right back up after the intermission. When Leo Fox from the Narrative with his manager Marvelous Mike Andrews against Maddox Jones. The two men size each other up. Then go for a tie up. Leo puts his strength on display by shoving Maddox into the corner. The two men go back to the center of the ring again and tie up. Maddox breaks it and tell the ref that Leo is pulling hair. Ironically Maddox sports a buzzcut. The fans start to call for a test of strength, Instead Leo Fox shoves Maddox into the corner. Maddox drops down the the outside of the ring and calls for a time out. Before Maddox will get back in the ring he makes the ref tell Leo to stand back. The duo go for a hird tie up Maddox ducks under and gets a waist lock. Leo breaks that with an elbow. Leo then puts Maddox in an armbar. Maddox Jones jabs Leo in the eye to break it. Maddox then starts to beat Leo down. Positions Leo to choke him on the ropes. The ref breaks it up. Maddox picks Leo up for a vertical suplex. Pin for a two. Maddox disagrees with the ref. While he is doing this, Maddox keeps his shin on Leo's throat. Maddox steps on Leos long gold locks and pulls him up by his arms. Something out of an old diva's match. The ref gets Maddox off the hair. This gives Leo a chance to get to all fours. Maddox starts to kick him. Leo is able to mount a small comeback but that is stopped by a clubbing blow. Maddox then sets Leo up for a piledriver but is talking trash this gave Leo time to regain another bit of energy. Leo was hitting after a side suplex Leo starts a series of clotheslines. Leo put Maddox in a headlock. Maddox escapes with a low blow not caught by the ref. Quickly Maddox hits a piledriver on Leo Fox and secures his victory.

The second match back was for the EPW World Tag Team Championship and was a Fatal Four Way Match. Introducing first was The Saints of Pro wrestling comprise of Capo Scott Sanders and his twin brother The Natural Born Killer Shawn Sanders. Their first set of opponents were making their EPW debut Native Law Sheriff Schultz and his partner Nashoba. To break from this introduction, I talked to Nashoba back stage and he said he did not know Nashoba was a town in Oklahoma until after started his wrestling career. The third team to enter was the Psychotic Messengers. The two men in the match were Malachi the savior of suffering and Tank Bryson. Nibiria and Lucian accompanied them to the ring. The last participants in the match were the champions. X-Rated Kevin Sanchez and Ozzy Hendrix. Yes Ozzy is pulling double duty tonight. Nashoba and Tank start the match. Nashoba punches Tank in the gut. This new comer wants to show that his is here for business. Nashoba pulls Tank to his corner. and tags in the Sheriff. Sheriff Shultz shows off some of the moves he must use on unruly criminals becuase he takes Tank down with a series of judo throws. Shultz also gives Tank Bryson two leg drops to the arm and an additional judo throw. Somehow, Tank is able to manage a high knee and take enough control of Sheriff Schultz to go to the corner and tag Malachi. Malachi enters and give the law enforcement officer a snap mare. Which that is one thing I like about Malachi he uses that move which I don't think has been featured too much since the days that the man of 1000 holds Dean Malenko was an active wrestler. Anyway back in the match Malachi hits a shining wizard on Sheriff Schultz. Nashoba is able to tag himself in. Malachi tags Tank Bryson back in. These two men resume the fight that they started the match. Tank gets Nashoba in a headlock. Nashoba pushes him off but the rebounding Tank knocks Nashoba down. Tank headbutts Nashoba; Nashoba stumbles into the corner of X-Rated. Tank Bryson and Kevin start to circle the ring. Scott Sanders of Saints of Pro Wrestling tags himself in. Tank doesn't care who is opposed of him. He starts to smash against Scott but it does not phase him. Scott knocks Tank down and tags his brother. The two men start to kick Tank while he is is down. They also pull his legs apart. I think he just went up an octave. Sanders pulls Tank up and headbutts him. Then he tags out to Ozzy Hendrix.

The Saints are not the type of men to waist energy when others can beat people down. Because Tank just took a lot of damage Ozzy has an easy time taking control of the match. After a series of high knees Tank is knocked into the corner of Native Law. Nashoba tags himself in. Ozzy is able to get a DDT on Nashoba and a two count from a pin. Ozzy tags Kevin in. They give Nashoba the same treatment that Tank got just a few minutes again. I am sure if he gave a war cry that night it would be a higher pitch also. I am not sure what Kevin was actually doing but it looked like he was forcing Nashoba to motor boat him. as he backed into the corner of the Psychotic Messengers. Malachi tags Kevin to become the legal man. He sits down by the fallen Nashoba and starts to deliver a series of elbows. Malachi tags to his partners Tank. Tank starts to lay in some blows before locking in a cross face. Sheriff Shultz breaks the submission. Tank would then put Nashoba in a Samoan drop followed by a pin. The Saints must have feared that the match was close to being over as they broke up the pin. One of the sanders was able to tag in. Tank then delivers a back elbow to Ozzy which counts as a tag. During the confusion the other Sanders brother tags in. Quickly one pins the other and all other participants breaks up the pin. Nothing in the rules said the two legal men had to be from different teams. At this point chaos ensues. Eventually the two legal men become Tank and Nashoba once again. Tank sets up and hits a shattered dreams on Nashoba. Malachi followed hat up quickly with his Shattered Codebreaker. The Saints break up a pin attempt and hit a Saints Row (Magic Killer). Native Law then jumps in to deliver a modified Heart Attack . The modification is a neck breaker. Messengers area able to regroup once order is restored and win. The NEW EPW Tag Champions Psychotic Messengers. After the match, Lucien grabs the microphone and puts the Saints on notice that all the fights they have are not done.

The penultimate match for the night was for the All American Championship. The contender was a red hot Devion Black against the champion Adrian Vega. Devion goes behind and latched on with a rear waistlock. Vega easily slings him off. Devion tries a jumping DDT but is pushed off. Vega does series of arm drag takedowns before planting Devion on the top rope for a massive move. Devion blocks this with a series of strikes. Devion hits a hurricanranna from the top. Vega rolls out. Devion not wanting to lose any momentum dives thru the middle ropes. Vega still trying to escape rolls back into the ring. Devion enters the ring with a top rope ax handle, followed by a neck breaker. Vega gets up using the corner to help Devion optimizes this with a series of kicks to Vega's chest. Vega is able to stop this with a urinaggi. This does not set Devion back too much as he soon hits a moonsault. for a two count.

The main event for the evening was for the EPW World Championship. The challenger was the Winner of the 2023 Nuclear Warfare Match The Spotlight Logan Knight; the Champion from Planet 9 Gemini. After formal in-ring introductions, the bell rings.

Gemini and Logan circle the ring before locking up. Logan gets the quick advantage and put Gemini in a hammer lock. Gemini escapes into a headlock. Logan Knight reverses back into a hammer lock. The two men go back and forth. Gemini then tries for a quick victory using a backslide to get a two count. Gemini informs Logan Knight it was close. Logan goes to the outside for a breather. Gemini tries to follow but Logan sweeps his legs. Gemini crashes to the edge of the apron. Fans are currently behind Logan even with that dastardly move. Logan takes this time to work on Gemini's back. The ref is attempting to get them back in the ring and is counting. Logan breaks the count just to roll back out and continue the attack on Gemini's back. Logan picks Gemini up and rams him spine first into corner. Logan then goes for a chop while Gemini is against the corner. However, Gemini is able to duck. Smack! Logan's hand meets the steel. That was not enough to stop Logan. He quickly recovered and gave Gemini a back drop to the apron. Logan appears to be taking the action back into the ring. No it was a diversion. He waited until Gemini was upright to dive out of the ring. Not sure what he was going for put the foot caught Gemini. Logan is now done dishing damage outside and throws Gemini back in the ring for a two count. Gemini is able to give Logan Knight a jawbreaker. Logan would stagger to the corner. Gemini would execute a splash. Gemini goes back to the opposite corner and signals for a rolling Monkey Flip. He almost hits it but Logan uses his power to block the maneuver. He turns it into a back breaker. Logan then hits a German suplex. He holds on for a second. Gemini is struggling to escape while fans break out in chants of "Suplex City". Logan hits the second German. A pin attempt by Logan Knight it is good for a two. Logan then puts Gemini in a submission. Gemini fights his way out. Gemini delivers a massive head scissors take down. Gemini now tries to put the match away but only gets a two. Both men must be tired by this point. Gemini puts The Spotlight in a headlock. The fans are now cheering for Logan to make a comeback. Logan Knight is able to get up from the headlock and break free. He delivers a European Upper cut. This time Gemini is the one forced into the corner. Logan runs at him and delivers a big boot to his masked face. Logan goes back to do it again but is blocked by Gemini when he returns. Gemini goes to the top for some high risk high reward offense. Logan again exhibiting strength catches Gemini and delivers a slingshot sit-down powerbomb for a two count. Both men stagger to their feet. It must be a Alien second wind or something else unexplained as Gemini is able to get another head scissors in on Logan propelling him into the corner. Gemini is then able to land that monkey flip he tried earlier. However, Logan hits the ref. Was this on purpose? Gemini one the title by the ref getting knocked down. Accident or not Gemini takes no time to check on the ref. Gemini hits a slice bread on Logan. Then from the ramp comes another Gemini? After the match it was confirmed that this was Shadow Gemini. Nothing more could be ascertained past that as the real Gemini was in a hurry to get back to Planet 9. Shadow Gemini attacks Gemini. Logan recover and stops the attack. He wants to win this match without outside interference. Logan and Gemini team up against Shadow Gemini. They attempt a double choke slam on Shadow Gemini but he reverses it leaving them laying in the ring. The ref recovers to see the two participants lying on the mat. All three men are recovered, Logan Knight hits his Spotlight Drive for the win. Your new EPW Champion Spotlight Logan Knight.

That was a great show. While generally I can find several things wrong with independent shows (I seem to be a harsh critic) the worst thing about this one was Logan's flip onto Gemini. It was a little short, but that happens in the WWE and AEW also. The fans were red hot for Devion Black during his match. The fans really enjoyed the titles changing hands. The commentary team was also great. it wasn't the normal team but Tyler Cordingley and Kellan had a great dynamic. If the promoter chooses I think Tank Bryson and Nashoba can have a nice little feud which could lead to a some type of big match. However, with Psychotic Messengers putting Saints of Pro Wrestling on notice I think there is other plans. Both groups are now up to four men each. Definitely things to tune back in for the next Empire Pro Wrestling Review.

Don't forget to check out their twitter @EmpProWrestling and their Facebook Empire Pro Wrestling for the latest from them and who the next card will feature. Their next show is set for May 20 at the Southern Oaks Recreation Center but as always with professional wrestling card subject to change.